a partridge

 On the first day of Christmas...

My painted pears and Dakota Man's wood turned pear.

A match made in heaven I would say.

Merry Christmas all!

~b

wrapping up Christmas

 This cowl is also another project I began a while back and finished this week..

These minus temps are a good reason to wear something warm around your neck.

And now I have a couple of excuses to begin a new project.

When life hands you lemons or in our case another blizzard...

you make ham and bean soup.

I knew I was saving that ham bone for a special day.

~b

crocheting

 Like a Santa elf I am trying to wrap things up here.

I started working on this crocheted vest quite awhile ago

 and vowed to get it done before Christmas.

I've always loved crocheted vests. 

I taught myself to crochet them when I was still in high school.

~b

making Christmas

 Handmade Christmas presents...

A quilt for our daughter-in-law. I've been hoarding these Kaffe Fassett squares for awhile.

They just seemed to beautiful to cut into. There is 100 of them in this quilt, no two alike.

I used a fleece on the back.

Flannel sleep shorts are always good for the teenagers in the family.

I found these fun cat prints in Joann Fabrics. I don't know if handmade gifts are as fun to give as they are for me to make.

It's looking to be a crazy week here. 

I am going to enjoy it and when it is over I will rest.

~b

Steps

Step 1 - I see a project I like on Instagram or Pinterest.

Step 2 - I look up the artist to see if it's available to buy and I can afford which is usually a big NO on the afford part.

Step 3 - I make a copy of picture and send my woodcutter (Dakota Man) out to his shed to make for me.

Step 4 - I paint and paint and paint.

I try to get my things just a bit different which isn't hard to do as I'm not an artist.

I absolutely love these characters!

WE are on our 5th day of a blizzard here.

 It will make going south all that much better.

I like winter but even I have limits.

~b is for blizzard

early bird

 I was up bright and early this morning (5:30 a.m.) 

so I had plenty of time to make these cinnamon roll bites 

which have been on my radar for quite awhile.

I may cut back on the frosting next go. I noted a few changes on my recipe.

They were excellent.

With a couple extra hours to my day I finished the binding on this paper doll quilt.

The second hand sheet I found in Texas is perfect as backing.

It is ready to add to my quilt mountain.

~b

salty

 Making salt dough ornaments...

ready for painting. 

Maybe I'll leave my cookie cutters out for cookies?

The butter and egg prices are killing my fun this year.

~b

exotics

 Just in from Dakota Man's woodshop.

I love that he finally has the confidence to use finer and exotic woods.

Bowl is made from African mahogany and nostepinne is hard maple.

~b

elves

Without Dakota Man's hobby...

I wouldn't have my hobby.

After I got these painted as well as I could 

I took them out to his shop and sanded and stained them 

to make them look aged.

It's called counterproductive.

~b

cookies

 I have been a cookie monster this week.

Blame it on my Christmas spirit.

Sunday I made chocolate chip and today it's molasses sugar cookies.

I like to bake just a few for us to eat while they are warm 

and throw the rest in the freezer. for later.

The way to a man's heart you know...

~b

Waldorf

 I knew I had to make this little chicken pocket doll when I saw it online.

I love Waldorf toys.

Forget the batteries, lights and whistles.

Waldorf toys let children use their imagination 

and I love watching them at play.

~b

a handmade Christmas

 I don't decorate for Christmas like I used to...

bringing up box after box from the basement.

But it's nice when Dakota Man brings me treasures

 from his woodshop and paint easel.

~b

 November is past...

and now it's time for a little Christmas.

~b

eye spy

I finished this eye spy quilt # 4 yesterday.

They are easy and alot of fun to make.

This one will go to the teacher of our kindergarten granddaughter.

There is nothing better than curling up under a squishy quilt to read a good book.

~b is for book

Alaska

 Alaska...someday we are going there with our camper.

I had a few scraps of this Alaska fabric sitting around 

so I turned them into pot holders.

Dakota Man cut me out a few wildlife tree ornaments 

for my woodland Christmas tree.

~b

chickens

We played chicken this weekend

and didn't they turn out cute?

Dakota Man is really getting the hang of his wood lathe.

And before the month of November is over I have to brag about his latest paint-by-number.

He has more patience than I have for these pictures.

~b

 

hats

 These hats take just a few hours to make and they are so sweet.

I may have to shop for more of this fun yarn.

Thanks to Dakota Man for always adding alittle something extra to my pictures.

~b

turkey time

 This morning we started working on our Thanksgiving menu.

We already spent two days making lists and shopping for supplies.

Our family likes the turkey smoked so it makes it hard to plan on dressing and gravy.

This morning we put two turkey breasts in brine, made our favorite pasta salad 

and roasted chicken legs and vegetables for gravy.

Wednesday I will make two additional salads including Grandma's nut pudding, pie crusts for Thursday's pies, bake white and sweet potatoes to mash Thursday and rub the brined turkey for Thursdays smoking.

Thursday it all comes together with pies (I like my pies made the day of), homemade buns, mashed potatoes in the oven and everyones favorite corn casserole.

~b is for bon appetit 

warm ears

 I love a cute earflap hat.

This one entertained me this weekend.

It was an easy knit.

It is sure to be very warm with some wool in the yarn.

Dakota Man made me the bell Christmas ornament.

Guess that means I'll be putting up a Christmas tree this year.

~b

Duffers

 These wool slippers named "Duffers" were a quick finish after I dug them out of my to-do box.

Two seams and a hot wash to felt them and they were done and ready to wear.

duf*fer: An incompetent or stupid person, especially an eldery one.

~b

my yarn mountain

 I want to devote a little more time to knitting in the evenings and I have a mountain of yarn to use.

Needing a stocking cap for winter walks this is the first thing I finished last week.

I wanted one of those popular fur pom poms for the top of it but I am on a spending hiatus...

I think that's typical the older we get. Mr. b made me the yarn pom pom and I saved $16.

I hope cars will see me with this red on my head.

~b

November pie

 I'm naming this pumpkin pie "Looks aren't everything."

I would lose a lot of points on presentation but would make them up on taste.

When the calendar says November I begin craving pumpkin pie.

~b

smoking

Dakota Man rescued this smoker he made for me last year 

from the "needs some work" box 

and tweaked him here and there.

I have a small collection of German smokers on a shelf 

that he is now worthy of joining.

He also brought this tree in from his shop today.

~b

Snow?

 This morning's weatherman said snow...AND I LOVE SNOW!

Then I found out a little girl needs a quilt for her kindergarten teacher.

AND Dakota Man is in his cave turning out all sorts of fun things.

It really is a good day.

I'm looking for the ultimate frosted oatmeal raisin cookie recipe 

which means lots of  taste testing from the kitchen.

Did you vote?

~b

hurra hurra

 Homemade sourdough flour tortillas are easy to make.

Water, flour, butter, salt and starter.

Go ahead and admire that oak rolling pin Dakota Man made me.

Easier than pie crust...I wonder why I ever buy them ready made.

And I always have a quart jar of sourdough discard in the fridge begging to be used.

~b

Friday Post Card

Halloween 2022

I loved watching all the excited kids racing door to door.

I tried my best to keep up with them before I gave up.

~b

October

 Where did October go?

~b

into the woods

 This past weekend we ventured into the North Dakota woods 

to bring back some aspen branches for wood turning. 

We were just a couple miles from the Canadian border.

Mr. b's woodturning hobby is a great excuse to get out and enjoy some country air

 and North Dakota is beautiful with all of it's Aspen trees and wetlands.

Our two granddaughters were willing helpers.

I can't wait to see what Dakota Man turns the wood into.

~b

bag it

 I was looking at the leftover scraps from the last quilt top I had finished 

and wondered if I could remember how to make a tote bag.

It seems I could and I did!

I was given this vintage print I used for lining my bag.

I love a pretty vintage print.

~b

hot

 When I'm looking for a small project hot pad holders fit the bill.

I had a small pile of leftover scraps and a bag of quilt batting ends so...

~b

cast iron

 Happy Monday! How was your weekend?

I was in the mood for some cast iron cooking...

Southern fried apples, honey soy sauce pork chops and herb skillet rolls.

I love cooking in my cast iron pan, there's just something about it.

Both our mother's did a lot of cooking in theirs.

My mother's pan was as smooth as glass.

Mr. b's mother always stored hers in her oven with the grease last used in it. 

She came through the dirty '30s.

We also took a country drive in the family sedan. Not this one.

I got some great shots of our neighbors old car collection

which will soon be headed to auction.

~b

Friday Post Card

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"I can smell autumn dancing in the breeze. 

The sweet chill of pumpkin and crisp sunburnt leaves."

                                                -unknown

~b