Our Christmas Tree

Merry Christmas Everyone!

I'm enjoying looking at all the lovely pictures of Christmas tress posted on everyone's blogs this evening. So, I thought I would share a photograph of our Christmas tree.



Each year it takes us longer and longer to decorate our tree but it's something we always look forward to! I would love to find a feather tree to display in the window in the dining room. Maybe next year . . .

I hope everyone is warm and safe.

Merry Christmas to all our family members who will not be around our table next week. God Bless Donald, Sharon, Joy, Leslie, Scott, Travis, Bryce, Justin, Debbie, Rex, Saul, Jill, Tyson and Maria. I love you all so very much!

Deanna :)

Primitive Santa Ornie Trio

Happy Christmas Everyone! It's frigid today in Denver, (only 2 degrees at last check) so I decided to finish up some Primitive Santas that I started last weekend in the comfort of my cozy craft room! I listed this particular set on eBay this afternoon. Simply click on the photograph to visit this item in the land of eBay!


At some point, I'll put together the pattern to create these on eBay and Pattern Mart.

I finally made the trek to the Post Office to mail our holiday packages! I think everyone in Parker was there that day! I have a few more packages to wrap to tuck under the tree. I enjoy gazing at our beautiful tree in the evening when the house is still and the snow falls quietly outside.

The boys keep wondering about their holiday cookies, so I'll be up to my elbows in flour next week baking all of their favorites! I'll try to post a few recipes next week!

Stay Warm!!
Deanna ;)

Primitive Snowman in Vintage Folger's Coffee Can Lamp

I wanted to share some of the primitive goodies I listed this evening on eBay! Just click on the photograph and off to eBay land you will go! During the summer months, I look high and low for vintage containers that I can fill with my Christmas handmades.

The flour sifters, coffee cans, and cheese boxers are getting harder and harder to find at yard sales. My cousin Connie who lives in St. Louis has much better luck and she picks them up for me. She's such a sweetie!


Here's what I created with a vintage Folger's Coffee Can. I sell out of these every year at my craft shows!!


I love gingerbread men! I often tuck them in old flour sifters or wooden recipe boxes. The light casts a warm cozy glow in the kitchen at night!


I've made these same candy canes forever! I love to put them in bowls and baskets! They look darling on the tree too!

I've got some Santas in the works. I hope to finish them this weekend.

Happy Holidays!!
Deanna :)

Primitive Snowman Cheese Box Lamp

Merry Christmas Everyone!

I know I've neglected my blog. I've been very ill since the end of August and I think (pray) that I'm finally on the road to recovery. I felt well enough to create some Christmas primitives last week.

I just listed this adorable Primitive Snowman Cheese Box Lamp this afternoon on eBay. If you would like more information on this primitive lamp, simply click on the photograph and you'll be magically transported to eBay land.



I also listed a similar Primitive Cheese Box lamp in my my Whispered Secrets of a Primitive Past Shoppe. Just click on the "WSOAPP" link on the right!

We are putting up our Christmas tree today! I can hardly wait to decorate the house! We received an early Christmas present! It's snowing in Denver today!

Deanna :)

Primitive Ole Pumpkin Man Doll

Every once in a while, I'll get the itch to make a primitive doll. I've had this pumpkin man pattern for quite awhile but thought is was lost forever in the craft dungeon! My craft room can be quite the scary place! LOL!

I listed this Primitive Old Pumpkin Man Doll this afternoon on eBay. If you want to read a little more about this guy, please click on the photograph and off to eBay land you will go.

Primitive Halloween Star Make Do

I listed this fun Primitive Halloween Star Pinkeep on eBay this afternoon. I found this cool fabric the other day and this is what I came up with. For more details, simply click on the photograph and you'll be whisked off to eBay land!

Primitive Grungy Fall Pumpkin e~Pattern

Hello Everyone!

The crisp days of Fall are almost upon us. We are enjoying our garden veggies and Andy's giant sunflowers. Our rose garden is exploding with blooms. The blue jays are enjoying their peanuts and soon the hummingbirds will migrate south, but for the moment, I'm enjoying their compmay. Fall is my favorite time of the year!

I wrote two genealogy related articles this month for The Olde Prairie Register. The first article is titled, A Little Thing Called Genealogy. If you are a parent or grandparent, I hope after reading this article you are inspired to record your family history for your children and granchildren. The other ariticle, The Mystery Child tells the story of my maternal great-great grandmother, Maria Cordoba, from Missouri. If you have some time later this week, click on the link below and read some fun articles!





My great-great maternal grandparents: William Henry and Maria Cordoba Medders Reed

I also found some time over the weekend to list a fun, fast and easy e~Pattern for my Primitive Grungy Fall Pumpkin. For more information, just click on the picture you'll be whisked off to Pattern Mart!! The paper (snail mail) version will be available soon on eBay.





Primitive Fall Blessings to You!

Deanna :)

Wedding Bells in Avon, Colorado

On August 8, 2008, my nephew, Tyson Richard Curtis Reed married the lovely Maria Theresa Borg in Avon, Colorado. Tyson is my sister's (Debbie's) youngest child.






My baby sister, Dawn Lorraine, rosemaled this beautiful wedding plate for Maria and Tyson. Tyson has Norweign roots on both sides of his family!!

Debbie's Family: Tyson Richard Curtis Reed, Maria Theresa Borg Reed, Rex Randall Reed (Debbie's Hubby), Deborah Lynn Byberg-Reed, Jill Rae Tighe Reed (Saul's wife) and Salyer (Saul) Byberg Reed.


The Cuz Connection: Salyer Byberg Reed, Tyson Richard Curtis Reed, Andrew Warren Straley, Richard Edward Straley.

Any time the Byberg Sisters can get together, it's a great time.


Deborah Lynn Byberg-Reed (Mary Poppins), Deanna Louise Byberg-Straley (Nanny Goat) and Dawn Lorraine Byberg VanDonkelaar (Squirt).
Debbie had to return to Carson City, Nevada the next day but we managed to squeeze in a reunion with our dear Aunt Donna before Debbie had to catch her plane. Debbie had not seen Aunt Donna or our one and only first cousin Bobby in 15 years. He's super tall and we're super short. Can you tell??? What a blast!!


Aunt Donna Jean Grundeman (formerly Byberg) Becker, Deanna Lousie, Deborah Lynn, Dawn Lorraine and Robert Roland Byberg (Bobby Bear).

Parker, Colorado Tornado

Last Sunday afternoon around 6:00 PM, the clouds over our home in Parker, Colorado became eerily dark and ominous. Although I did not take this particular photograph, this is the tornado we watched as it worked its way across the ground just a mile or two from our home. My chidren and I watched it form and dissipate approximately 15 minutes later from our deck in the backyard. A total of four tornadoes touched down in the area and miraculously, no one was hurt.


Blessings, Deanna

Garage Sale Junkie

I enjoy this time of year for more reasons than one! Not only do I enjoy playing in the dirt (flower beds are adult sand boxes), I love garage sales! Every once in awhile, I find some wonderful primitives to incorporate into my decorating. Last week, I found a small, old hand shovel that I just stuck in one of my planters (I stole the idea from Carla of Country Road Primitives). I also found a rusty rake. The tines are great to hang smaller goodies from at craft shows! Rob likes to use them in our front yard Halloween display. I can't wait to share those photos!!

Last October, when my cousin Connie was in town, we found both of these items at the SAME sale. The were $15.00 a piece. I called Rob and said, "I'm at a garage sale and I found more rusty stuff, can you drive over here with the Explorer?". I could hear the hesitation in his voice. ROFL!! When he saw these beauties, he was all smiles!!





Most of the time, Rob says, "Deanna, what are you going to do with THAT?" Sometimes, he has no sense of adventure.

Gosh, is it Friday yet! I'm itching to go saling!

Deanna :)

Solitaire Coffee Jar Collection

Hello Everyone!

I know I've neglected my blogging lately. This time of year finds me spending many hours in our yard. I promise to post some pictures of our progress later this week.

I wrote an article for The Olde Prairie Register last evening about my Solitaire Coffee Jar Collection. The Solitaire Coffee brand was roasted, ground and packaged at the Morey Mercantile Company in downtown Denver between 1896 and 1956. I love to keep my craft odds and ends in these jars! What a great way to show off your collection AND be organized.



The June/July issue will be out on June 3rd and will be filled with lots of summer time fun. If you have some time later this week, click on the link below and read some fun articles!




I also found some time over the weekend to list a few Americana items on eBay. I hope you enjoy them!! For more information, just click on either picture you'll be whisked off to eBay land!!



At some point, I'll be offering a pattern for my Patchwork Stars. I love create primitives from my quilting scrap stash. Oh, and I keep my quilting scraps in a couple of those Solitaire Coffee Jars. The jars look so purdy with those scraps in them!!



Deanna :)

Richard's Family Life Merit Badge Project

The Straley family has been busy working in the our yard the past few weeks DESPITE the snow last week!! Would someone tell Olde Man Winter that it's May?!! Enough already! Geesh!



Richard, our oldest boy, is working on his Family Life merit badge for Boys Scouts (Troop 469 in Parker, Colorado). He decided to plan out and plant our flower bed in the front yard. Thank goodness he waited a week!



Yesterday, he finally got the chance to plant his plan into action (with a little advice from his Dad of course). He did a fantastic job!




The yard and flowers are my sanity every summer! I enjoy sipping my first cup of coffee out on the back deck watching the humming birds and waiting for the bumble bees to wake up! We have lots of outdoor projects planned this year so I'll be posting more photos as we progress. Now where is that tube of Ben-Gay??? Maybe Richard has it!

Wishing everyone a Happy Spring!!

Deanna :)

More Primitive Americana e Patterns!!

Hello Everyone!

I've been super busy this week working in the yard and around the house! I wrote another article for The Olde Prairie Register that will out on May 1st entitled, Morsey the Horsey, Mr. Kenmore and Miss Bernina. If you have some time later this week, click on the link below and read some fun articles!




I also found some time this week to list a couple of new Primitive Americana e Patterns!





They are currently listed as electronic patterns on my website, Pattern Mart and Etsy. The paper version is available on eBay.

I hope everyone is enjoying some spring weather. Winter is not ready to leave Colorado quite yet!!

Deanna :)

Primitive Americana Star MakeDo

I enjoy creating Americana primitives all year round! I spent some quality time in my sewing room this week rummaging through some of my patriotic fabric and this is the finished product.



I decided to make a pattern for this Star MakeDo. It's currently listed as an electronic pattern on Pattern Mart and Etsy. The paper version is available on eBay.

So much fabric, so little time.

Deanna :)

Interview on Prim Sisters Talk Radio

Hello everyone! Just wanted to let you know that Brenda Addison of Hattie's Workshop interviewed me a while back for their Featured Artist segment on Prim Sisters Talk Radio. My interview airs this week! If you're interested, just click on the link below to listen to show number 28.

Pictures of Our Home

I love garage sales! When we lived in Texas, my girlfriend and I would carefully plan our route from the newspaper ads. If the ad mentioned "antiques" or "quilts" we would arrive early. We would sit in the car and wait patiently for the garage door to open. I thought I would share some pictures of some of the things we've found over the years.



We've had this hutch since 1988.


And the matching china cabinet. For our wedding gift, my mother-in-law purchased and handpainted our china. It's simply gorgeous!

One of my favorite pieces is my secretary desk. I enjoy sitting here in the early morning hours with a cup of coffee and a puzzle book. I pay the bills here too (groan)!



Next to the desk is a ladder rack that I use to display a few of my quilts. All of the them were purchased at garage sales and are completely done by hand. I rotate the quilts with the seasons! I enjoy snuggling under one of these gems with a good book every now and then.

I purchased the farm table at a craft show a few years ago. People either love it or hate it! LOL!!


I made the sampler on the table as well as the bee/hive cross stitch in the mirror frame and the sampler hanging on the right in olive green frame. I enjoy working on my samplers in the evening after the boys go to bed. It soothes my soul!


When we downsized my mother's home a few years ago, she decided it was time to give me the rocking chair she used to rock me in when I was a baby. It creaks and everything! I'm looking forward to rocking my grandbabies in it someday!


I had to have this shaker peg shelf! I love decorating it with the seasons!

My cousin from Missouri visits every October and she's a garage sale freak too! When she's in town, we get into all sorts of trouble! I can't wait!!

Welcome to Nanny Goat's Blog

Hello and Welcome!

My name is Deanna. “Nanny Goat” is a treasured childhood nickname given to me by my older sister Debbie (we call her Mary Poppins). When I was wee, I'm told that I ate LOTS of paper and often butted my head into people, dogs, walls, anything. Hmmm . . . maybe that's what's wrong with me?? LOL My younger sister's name is Dawn (Debbie nicknamed her Squirt).


The Byberg Sisters from Left to Right: Dawn Lorraine (Squirt), Deborah Lynn (Mary Poppins) and Deanna Louise (Nanny Goat). My best friends. We never met a quilt store we didn't like!

I am often asked who the pretty lady is in my logo. Her name was Louise Flaten Byberg, and she was my paternal grandmother.

I am lucky! I found my passion early in life and I turned that passion into a business. I am able to work at home doing what I love AND stay at home with my children. I am truly blessed.

I have always loved anything old. As a young girl, I collected antique kitchen goodies for my hope chest. I still have many of these treasures! My passion for primitives grew out of this love of antiques.

My sisters and I were encouraged as children to keep our hands busy and our mouths shut! We all learned to knit, crochet, cross stitch and sew at an early age by watching our grandmother.
To help make ends meet, Grammy Byberg made custom draperies. My sisters and I spent many hours underneath her drapery board while she sewed away the afternoon on her old Singer. The luxurious fabric hung over the drapery board and created the imaginary home of our dreams. Grammy often joined us for lunch under the drapery board and taught us the magic of needle and thread. Grammy gave us her drapery scraps and we created our own draperies, doll quilts and linens for our little house. We sat cross-legged, giggled and hand sewed the bits and pieces of fabric from her scrap sack not knowing that this was the beginning of a life long passion for the three of us.

When I’m not creating primitives, I enjoy quilting, cross stitch (primitive samplers of course), knitting and crocheting. I also enjoy “climbing” our family tree!

Thanks for stopping by!