Old Red Barn Co.

Feeling crafty

noreply@blogger.com (Dana) — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 13:34:00 +0000

Lately we have been feeling crafty. I know that all I can think about is the quilt I'm finishing and hurrying so that I can start the next. And the girls must be feeling it too because almost everyday they want to haul out all the art supplies.

They suggest Mod Podge. And I am more than happy to oblige. I do have a special fondness for Mod Podge after all.

We get everything out. And a quiet falls over the house as we each get busy. Well, it must be quiet sounding to an outsider. But there is flash of color and inspiration dancing through my head. And a sort of internal happy humming. And by watching my girls, I think it must be the same for them too.

And knowing that only makes the happy humming louder. And causes happy dances to break out inside my head.

If there is anything better than having time to create, it is having time to create with my kids.

-dana

Tradition

noreply@blogger.com (Dana) — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 16:35:00 +0000

It was Minestrone. Just like last year. But with homemade bread bowls.

-dana

Wrap up

noreply@blogger.com (Dana) — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 22:37:00 +0000

(click on the image to see it more closely)

Christmas 2009 was . . .

::baking:: ::sharing cookies with friends:: ::puppies being spayed and neutered:: ::good food:: ::gingerbread house making:: ::board games:: ::especially Bananagrams:: ::brisket:: ::dinner cooked on the bonfire (popcorn, shrimp jambalaya, baked caramel apples, peach cobbler and s'mores):: ::karaoke:: ::bowling:: ::cold hikes:: ::and, hot tea::

Hope yours was merry and bright.

Now to plan what soup in a bread bowl for our New Year's family tradition . . .

-dana

Shiver, shiver freeze

noreply@blogger.com (Dana) — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 13:18:00 +0000

I took the above photos of my injured baby. But only because I knew this was sure to follow. My heart is not made of stone!

-dana

P.S. Converse sneakers and blue jeans are not our normal sledding gear. And I use the term "our" very loosely. It was an impromptu sledding adventure. And we made due with what we had. Again, "we" is used very loosely. I think I count as part of the "we" as the official picture taker. Right?

Baking

noreply@blogger.com (Dana) — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 14:11:00 +0000

Our first time using a cookie press. We used a vintage one we got from the in laws over the summer. Worked like a charm.

These are Razor's favorite. White chocolate and macadamia nut cookies.

We're still planning on sugar cookies and gingerbread houses on Christmas Eve.

Yum.

-dana

Fresh

noreply@blogger.com (Dana) — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 02:16:00 +0000

Find out more here.

-dana

Finding time

noreply@blogger.com (Dana) — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 17:41:00 +0000

This time of year gets busy. But I'm not so busy that I feel rushed or stressed out. I just am busy doing other things besides blogging.

Attending parties. Baking cookies. Crafting and quilting.

Tending to puppies. Planning menus.

Wrapping presents. Making phone calls.

Going on long hikes. Working out extra hard in anticipation of all the food I will be eating over the next two weeks.

And just really trying to be present in the moment. Trying to enjoy the season. Letting myself slow down enough to be as excited as my children about Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and Charlie Brown Christmas and every other magical thing that comes with the season.

And photographing this sweet group of siblings. As a surprise for their Daddy for Christmas.

-dana

Generosity

noreply@blogger.com (Dana) — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 16:44:00 +0000

Last week a package was delivered to my house. Nothing I ordered. Nothing I swapped. Nothing I was expecting in the least.

A bit ago I mentioned my love for vintage enamelware. And my blog friend Caroline must have been reading.

Because the package I received contained this teapot. Quite possibly the cutest vintage enamelware teapot in all of creation.

And I feel lucky. And special. And fortunate. And . . . and . . . I don't know. Just special. Thank you for thinking of me Caroline. Thank you so very much.

-dana

Weekend-ing

noreply@blogger.com (Dana) — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 23:31:00 +0000

My most favorite kind of weekend of all.

-dana

The fabric of our lives

noreply@blogger.com (Dana) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 18:42:00 +0000

As we rounded a bend in the road.

On our latest road trip.

Miles and miles of cotton.

So naturally we stopped to take photos. I grabbed the camera while everyone else made their way out of the van. I rushed to the barb wire fence and leaned in as far as I could go.

And then Licious sauntered over and said, "Man! That is one big ant hill!"

::blink:: ::blink::

I was standing in said ant hill.

And proceeded to practically strip down naked. On the side of the highway. In no time flat.

Fire ants from south Georgia are a force not to be reckoned with.

-dana

My type of movie

noreply@blogger.com (Dana) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 23:01:00 +0000

I rarely make it to a theater to see a movie. But I'll be first in line for this one.

-dana

One man's trash is another man's treasure

noreply@blogger.com (Dana) — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 13:35:00 +0000

Eeekkk! I can't hardly believe this rusty old beauty is mine. All mine! Well, I suppose it is Razor's too. Especially since he'll probably do the lion's share of work necessary to make her purty.

It came to me via my aunt and uncle in Mississippi (Hi Barb!). They found it in a trash heap. Trash heap??

Score!

I'm thinking sand blasting. Yes? No? Any advice on how to repair and restore?

-dana

sand piles & mud puddles

noreply@blogger.com (Dana) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 14:37:00 +0000

We are simple folk.

Give us a big pile of sand and we can play for hours.

And re-enact scenes from Alaska Experiment.

And if Uncle Jeff walks straight through the mud puddle . . .

then Licious will too.

It really doesn't take much to entertain us.

-dana

It does a heart good

noreply@blogger.com (Dana) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 18:03:00 +0000

It does a heart good to be with family for Thanksgiving.

It certainly does my heart good.

To play cards. Make music. And see my daughters' wide eyes at the Japanese hibachi style restaurant.

To eat. And play.

And to love.

-dana

Wonky stars

noreply@blogger.com (Dana) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 13:41:00 +0000

These are for Amber for A Notion or Two. They were fast to come together and I see some for myself in the near future.

But first, Thanksgiving. May yours be merry.

-dana

Eight

noreply@blogger.com (Dana) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:51:00 +0000

You are eight years old today.

Eight. Years. Old.

Eight years in a blink of an eye. From soft, pink newborn to long, lean girl in a matter of moments. Good moments. Special moments. Quiet moments. Loud moments.

Frighteningly fast moments.

Moments I want to remember forever.

Because your birthday falls so close to Thanksgiving each year, your birthday celebration seems to last for weeks. One for school. One for us. One with grandparents and aunts and uncles. Three cakes. Several different gift opening sessions. And you never, ever focus on the gifts. It is more than that to you.

Of course you like the gifts. What eight year old girl wouldn't? But you like the coming together of people. The song and laughter and fun. When your friends are here for a birthday slumber party you make simple rules that you are sure to enforce. . . 1) No one feels left out; 2) No one gets their feelings hurt; and 3) Don't be nervous cause you're not at your house. Simple rules really. But so telling of your spirit.

You love to be outdoors riding your bike, jumping rope, swinging on a rope swing or playing with your hula hoop. You love hiking and blazing new trails. And building new forts and bouncy trees far up in the woods. You love to draw and create things with paper. From cards to critter homes to crowns or doll clothes. You love making up new songs and singing them just right. You have a quick wit and easily make those around you laugh. You are competitive yet gracious. Proud yet humble. Compassionate. Thoughtful. And kind.

And breathtakingly mine.

Happy birthday.

Love,
Mom

Enamelware love

noreply@blogger.com (Dana) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:04:00 +0000

I love old enamelware.

And I have alot of it around the house. Serving various and assorted purposes.

My favorites are the polka dots. I am always on the hunt for more. But not on eBay. Just yard sales, flea markets and thrift shops. Someday I hope to find an old European salt box. Well, that isn't the whole story. . .

Someday I hope to find an old European salt box at a yard sale price.

-dana

Gnome any slackers?

noreply@blogger.com (Dana) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 21:31:00 +0000

Upon my kitchen counter sits a bowl of jalapenos. That I grew. That I grew with the intent to can them. That I grew with the intent to can and enjoy all winter long. The poor jalapenos have been sitting in a bowl on my counter for so long that they have turned red and are beginning to dry up.

Pitiful.

At least they look cute next to the kitschy gnome sign I found at a local thrift shop.

Can you say slacker?

-dana

Scrap winner . . . and links to How To Make a Quilt

noreply@blogger.com (Dana) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 20:59:00 +0000

Congratulations #7 Lindsey who said...

What a pretty way to collect and display your scraps. Mine are in a container in the closet. I may have to rethink that after seeing this idea.

Email me at danaboly@gmail.com to claim your prize.

And I've been meaning to provide links to all the quilting tutorials that I did over the summer. I'll call it the Old Red Barn Co. Guide to Making a Quilt.

Supplies You Will Need

Cutting Instructions

Sewing Your Blocks

Assembling Your Quilt Top

How To Free Motion Quilt

Binding Your Quilt

Join our continuing quilting saga at Flickr here!

Thanks for always playing.
-dana

Scraps in a canning jar just for you

noreply@blogger.com (Dana) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:47:00 +0000

TIME'S UP. WINNER IN NEXT POST.

I've talked about making jelly and jam here before. Several times in fact. And since I make lots of jelly and jam I have loads of canning jars in the cellar. The above photo shows the various sizes of jars that I possess. For food purposes that is.

However, I have a whopper of a canning jar that I use for fabric scraps.

It sits right by my fabric cutting table and all sorts of fabric scraps find their way into it.

And I haven't emptied in awhile.

But it is chuck full of good stuff. Stuff that I've been saving in hopes of making a string quilt. But . . . well . . . I've got loads of projects waiting to be done and a string quilt is at the bottom of that list. Besides, I think 500 posts here deserves some sort of giveaway.

So, I'd like to send said scraps onto one of you. Leave a comment here and I'll pick a winner by random draw on Monday, November 16, 2009. One entry per person. International entries welcome.

As I stated in my last entry, this weekend our youngest is having a birthday slumber party. Here at our house. I am hoping that the comments you leave will distract me from the chaos that will be 12 little girls tearing my house apart.

Good luck!

-dana

A bunch o' stuff

noreply@blogger.com (Dana) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:13:00 +0000

I have a bunch of random stuff to share here today. Maybe bullet points are in order.

- Round 4 of the Old Red Barn Co. quilt along on Flickr is kicking off. Heidi has taken the helm this time and by the fabric requirements and cutting instructions already posted, it is sure to be a great one.

- The photos in this post are the fabrics that I have chosen for this quilt along round. I've been saving them for something special and I think this is it.

- Speaking of the Flickr group, we are almost to 1,000 members quilting along. Hot diggety dog! That is alot of us quilting along and offering support. I visit that place dozens of times a day to look at the latest photos in the photo pool and give and receive support from quilters across the globe. You should totally check it out.

- This post marks my 500th. 500? 500? How did that happen? I will be putting together a giveaway to celebrate so keep a look out. I'll shoot for Thursday.

- I ordered a birthday cake for a birthday slumber party that will take place at our house this weekend. (Note to self: Locate and safeguard noise reduction headphones. STAT!)

Let me repeat. . . a birthday cake for a birthday party. Last night at dinner we were talking about it and Razor asked, "What does it say on the cake?"

::blink:: ::blink::

I said, "Happy Retirement Marjory!"

He said, "No really. What does it say?"

I said, "Congratulations On Your successful Erectile Dysfunction Surgery Frank!"

- I crack myself up.

-dana

P.S. Sorry I said erectile dysfunction. It will never happen again.

Good training

noreply@blogger.com (Dana) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:58:00 +0000

Over the weekend we took a road trip to deliver and finally meet one of our wholesale buyers for Old Red Barn Co. Kate and her uber-cool dog Bella own and operate a gift shop in Black Mountain, North Carolina called Mountain Spirit Gifts. We've been doing business with each other for awhile and figured it was time we met in person.

The girls loved Bella. She could do the most amazing tricks and the entire drive home was spent with talk and plans on how they were going to train Harpo and Scout to do the same cool stuff.

Kids think that puppies should sit when you say sit. Because they should just know what that means. And if they don't sit when you ask them then maybe it is because they didn't hear you. So they yell it. Sit!

Razor explained that you have to show them what to do. You have to teach them the command. Razor said, "Licious, you have to show them what lay down means."

So, Licious fell to the ground and said "Lay down! Like this!!"

Something tells me it'll be awhile before our puppies know all the tricks that Bella does. Call it a hunch.

-dana

Truman & Harpo till the end

noreply@blogger.com (Dana) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:32:00 +0000

I've told you about Truman before. He's a little beat up but the sweetest little (well, ok, BIG) thing you ever did meet.

And Harpo loves him to death.

Truman and Harpo will be buds until the end.

Or at least until Truman is tired of being licked and slobbered and jumped on. And bitten. And pulled. And breathed on.

I am soooooo with you Truman.

-dana

Sneak peak

noreply@blogger.com (Dana) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 02:00:00 +0000

When did high school seniors get so pretty? They certainly didn't look like this back in my day.

-dana

Note to self: Must remind Razor to begin digging moat around house this weekend.

More quilting bee blocks

noreply@blogger.com (Dana) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 21:01:00 +0000

Grandmother's fan blocks. For Allyn.

I wonder if I can keep them and say they got lost in the mail.

-dana