Aprons Gone Wild

New Year, New Table

2012-01-02T09:57:00.009-05:00

~Some scenarios are fortuitous. Some are just pure luck. Either way, I wound up with a man who can create out of wood, just about anything I dream up. I love old, worn, humble pine furniture. No gloss...no shellac, no enamel. Just plain old painted wood. I often need a small piece of furniture to fit into one of the nooks and crannies that make up our old house.

~Such was the case just last week, when I complained for the 100th time or so, about all the wires that are visible on the floor from my laptop,the lamp, and the cell phone charger. .
"Can you make me a small table with tapered legs to fit into this space over here? Something to rest my laptop on? A place to set my coffee cup in the morning?" Next thing I know, the saw is going in the garage and I'm being asked what color paint I want!

~Here is the darling little table that hubby made for me. We did a crackle finish with Benjamin Moore Cottage Red and Olde Century Colors Lamp Black. Cute as can be and fits perfectly in the awkward space next to my easy chair.

~Happy New Year! Holy Cow!

Twas the week before Christmas...

2011-12-15T08:44:00.006-05:00

~ Twas the week before Christmas and here on Cape Cod, Grandpa was reclining and giving a nod, to Grandma who was wrapping and trimming the tree, all bought with her shopping from an Internet spree.
~ The stockings were hung on the chimney with care, ready for Santa who would soon be there.
~ Cookies in the oven and pies on the sill.
~ Save some for Santa who undoubtedly will, arrive right on schedule with a splash heard by all, at the salt water's edge where he gives the call...
~ "Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas! Santa is here...bringing you gladness and holiday cheer.”
~ Grandma & Grandpa raise their glasses high, toasting another year of memories gone by.
~ With thanks for their blessings and health and good cheer.
~ "Merry Christmas to all and a Happy New Year!"

SAD

2011-11-04T11:57:00.018-04:00

~SAD...Seasonal Affected Disorder...a mood disorder in which people who have normal mental health throughout most of the year experience depressive symptoms in the autumn and winter year after year. Hmmm...me thinks I see myself in this definition.
~For instance...the time changes back to Standard time this weekend. Happy to have the extra hour in the morning but not so much about the lack of light early in the evening. Sometimes, I wonder how I ever endured the winter months here in New England for most of my life. Not until we got to escape to sunny Florida each January, did I realize how "down" I get when the dreariness of winter sets in.
~Once upon a time, hubby and I enjoyed winter sports. We lived for snow so we could pile our skis into the car and brave the cold on some mountainside somewhere. It was a good way to spend quality time with our 4 children as well. And the clothes were cute.
~But now, the mere mention of snow and dropping temperatures depresses me. It means I can't ride my bike in the morning. It means I can't work outside in the yard. It means driving anywhere is going to be a pain in the neck. The trees are bare and the roadsides get messy with slush. I could whine about it all day.
~I will busy myself for now, decorating for Thanksgiving and then for Christmas. But after that, we're outta here...heading toward that sunshine that awaits us. Hmmm...warmth and sunshine. I like the sound of that.
~In the meantime, I'm also sewing aprons for the Holiday Gift Gallery that is held each year at the restored Highfield Hall mansion here in Falmouth. Part of each sale goes to benefit Highfield's restoration and the rest goes to little old me. Here's what I sewed up this week.

Bliss bouquet in teal

Meadowsweet Daisy Path

Check us out at www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com

Are You A Fish Out of Water?

2011-10-20T11:05:00.004-04:00

~I saw this little blurb on a friend's facebook status today. It's a sweet reminder, perhaps, of how and why some people thrive while others spin in circles.
~There's a lot of discussion about praising kids for mediocre work these days. The effort is purported to be worth as much as the accomplishment. However, I'm always torn. While one kid is trying his hardest and struggling, is perhaps another just being lazy while both might be producing a low level result? How does a parent or teacher know the difference? IQ tests are not showing clear cut results anymore. Many adults find they have no interest in what a grade school achievement test showed them to be best suited for. Both hubby and I wonder what we were truly meant to do in life. Were we steered into careers or lifestyles that were what was expected of us? Or did we subconsciously achieve success because we were in the right place at the right time.
~People always bemoan later in life that they wish they'd followed their hearts when they were young rather than conform to the mold that society put them into. But I often wonder what part plain old fate plays in it all. I firmly believe that everyone is different and not all of us can throw a baseball or perform heart surgery. But we all don't have the drive to pursue our heart's desire either. Wishful thinking often takes up a lot of time. Blaming parents and teachers and friends for keeping hidden talents hidden is an easy out. If you look carefully, the fish usually knows it can't climb a tree so it expends its energy elsewhere. I can't build lasers or furniture like hubby can so I design and sew things that I need and like and I write stuff.
~Individuals usually find their own way. Being thoughtful about encouraging children is a good thing. But lavishing praise on everything might not be as worthy as acknowledging specific things in each child that are worthy of praise. Those who climb mountains often do it against the will of those closest to them. Not all success stories are products of a healthy, encouraging family life. We're not all good at everything and often, not even good at what we think we're good at! But most of us seem to find our way in spite of being told we can't.

Back with a Vengeance.

2011-09-19T13:28:00.005-04:00

Okay...so I'm back. Back with a vengeance.

Seems the political season has heated up already. In spite of the fact that I often get into trouble with my offspring regarding voicing my political opinions, I've decided to go with it, rather than fight it. Guess it comes with age; speaking up, that is. I will celebrate my 70th birthday next week. I think I'm developing a bit of attitude. I remember my dad, who lived to be 98, saying things like, "I paid for this road, I can drive however I want!" Or..."I've lived longer than you so I know what I'm talking about."

My dad also loved to argue about politics. He and I came from different points of view. We would often argue until I was blue in the face. (Note that I said, "I" was blue in the face. Dad would just sit back, relax, and enjoy every minute of my frustration.)

But something happened to me throughout those years of arguing, discussing, whatever you might call it. I learned that it's important to have a political opinion and to voice that opinion, even when it's not popular. Standing up for one's beliefs is often difficult. It can cause hurt feelings (and migraine headaches)! But if we're all passive and constantly worried about being politically correct, we risk being run over by a giant truck called government.

There are two camps in politics. One believes in the individual. The other believes in government. Individual liberty versus socialization are two firm positions that come with plenty of fodder for argument. The argument is good and extremely important...and the argument shouldn't be stifled.

Missing In Action

2011-06-24T10:00:00.005-04:00

~While I've been personally feeling guilty about neglecting my own blog, I can't help but notice that a few of the other bloggers whom I follow haven't been posting new material much either. I wonder what it is? Have we grown weary of writing about stuff? Or are we just getting lazy? In my own case, it seems that I just can't find the time anymore. Blogging is almost like keeping a diary;
the kind of thing where you write down your thoughts each day and muse over the things you've done as well as the people with whom you've interacted. It should be simple and fun. When it becomes a chore, you begin to neglect it. I guess I'm going through the chore phase. Each night I tell myself "You'd better write a new post!" But I end up shutting down my laptop and going to bed instead.
~Perhaps it's because the spring and summer seasons are hectic around here and there doesn't seem to be a good block of time alone to write? Or perhaps it's because we haven't done any new projects recently so I don't have as many stories to share. Or...I'm just getting lazy. In any event, I know how disappointed I get when I go to a blog that I enjoy reading only to find that I've already read their last blog post two or three times! Maybe we've all contracted some sort of blogger virus that's keeping us from updating things for our readers? I hope the enjoyment of writing new posts hasn't run its course for me; I hope I'm just going through a phase. And I hope the bloggers I follow haven't fallen into the same trap. I'll keep looking each day, hoping for updates. And I'll keep nudging myself to get back into the swing of it. We'll see.

Criminal Minds

2011-05-29T09:29:00.007-04:00

Scary and Gory things make me uncomfortable and I hate to cry when I'm watching a movie. You know...that knot you get in your throat trying to hold it back? But for some unknown reason, I am addicted to the TV series, Criminal Minds. Talk about scary and gory!
Last night, I almost sobbed out loud when one of the main characters, JJ, was forced to leave. Then there's Dr. Reed, a quirky somewhat gawky young genius who has a eidetic memory and can rattle off facts a mile a minute. Hotchner, the leader of the group, almost never, ever smiles. But the episode where his wife is murdered, opens up a wave of emotions that let you know he does feel things, after all. Garcia comes off as the wacky but sweet and brilliant computer gal who can check out a profile online quicker than you can say, "Gotcha." But she's got a great big heart and a special relationship with the hunky Derek Morgan. Emily is the smart, serious one, who wears her weapon with style and doesn't hesitate to use it when needed.
Criminal Minds involves the FBI's behavior analysis bureau. Their job is to analyze clues and information gathered from a crime scene to figure out the personality, temperament and intent of the killer in an effort to prevent another murder that is certain to happen in short time according to the plot. I think I'm more addicted to the characters than the stories. Whatever it is, I find myself sitting up alone at night, wide eyed while munching on something or other watching the BAU do their stuff. As soon as hubby goes to bed, I walk around and lock all the doors, even the garage entry door (because that's how a lot of criminals find their way into the house), making myself nice and safe knowing that I'm going to hear noises that really aren't there for about an hour. Since stalkers are one of the more consistent profiles in Criminal Minds, I find myself wishing I didn't hate curtains as much as I do. Our windows are bare because it's a look I love. But at eleven o"clock at night, when I'm sitting all alone in the dark, I wish I could close the blinds that don't exist.
Chalk it up to quirkiness, I guess. For me, it's the best entertainment on TV at the moment!
Of course, I should be making more aprons and blouses for my etsy.com online shop instead of sitting watching television.

Check us out at http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/. We have a new ruffled blouse that can be worn on or off the shoulder.

Guest Post Today

2011-04-25T07:26:00.025-04:00

"Knowledge is Power"

....a Sir Francis Bacon quote that reflects how I feel about most things. The more I know about a subject, the better situated I am to make a judgement. One more reason to love the Internet. I have a curiosity about almost everything and the Internet provides me with a wealth of information....which is why I am pleased to introduce you to someone from whom I learned a lot recently. When Eric Stevenson contacted me and asked to write an article for my blog, I was puzzled at first. But when he explained why and what he would write about, I immediately said, "Yes!" I think you will find Eric's piece on aprons to be quite interesting. I hope you will click on the links to learn more about Eric's underlying message which is to spread awareness about mesothelioma and its relationship to asbestos exposure.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A History of Aprons

Today, with their fanciful patterns and many charming style, it can seem as though the apron is a purely decorative item- but that wasn’t always so. Even only as recently as fifty years ago, when home cooking was far more common and washing clothing was less practical, the apron was used to protect a housewife’s clothing from food stains and drops. But through-out its long history, the apron has been held quite a few different purposes. In ancient Egypt, aprons were originally worn around the hearth to protect both men and women from the remarkable heat of the fires. These aprons were often made of asbestos...a material that is known to cause mesothelioma cancer...because of its surprising flame-resistant properties. It’s also thought that asbestos aprons’ nearly miraculous flame resistance and the importance of the hearth to ancient cultures lead to the Egyptians placing religious significance on the apron as well- and a triangular shaped apron became a symbol reserved for those whom the pharaoh chose to honor.

Ancient Judaic culture likewise revered the apron, so much so in fact that a common translation of Genesis reads that Adam and Eve made themselves aprons out of fig leaves in order to cover the nakedness before being kicked out of the Garden of Eden. When aprons made a return to prominence in the 18^th century as workmen and masons wore them to protect their clothes, which were much more difficult and expensive to wash than nowadays, the Free Masons likely drew inspiration from these early cultures and implemented a sheepskin apron as a sign of their order.

However, as the Industrial Revolution roared into England and textile factories and slaughterhouses began booming, aprons once again became common as functional clothing. The price of aprons was driven down by the increasing cheapness of cloth, and the average worker’s need for them was driven up by the amount of workers who began pouring into messy, unsanitary food production factories.

But the Industrial Revolution also gave birth to the most common image of the apron today- as it created a new middle class in the Western world and America, the Industrial Revolution set in motion the actions that would lead to the prototypical image of 1950’s housewife who spent the day cooking and cleaning the house in her apron.

Today this image is the one that endures and resonates the strongest amongst most Americans when aprons are brought up- but it was far from the only use of the apron. And the apron’s long and varied history suggests that it just might turn up in a wholly new fashion someday. From being woven with asbestos fibers in ancient Egypt and standing as a mark of the Free Masons’ honor to being used amongst the slaughterhouses of the early 20^th century and it’s primarily decorative use today, the apron has been many things to many people.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Summertime around the Farm Table

2011-04-15T20:41:00.006-04:00

~My computer screen saver is set up to randomly float pictures from our picture file across my screen. Every now and then, a picture of the 12 ft. farm table that hubby built last year catches my eye. Seeing it, reminds me of summer nights on our back deck, with our son-in-law standing at the grill holding a glass of chardonnay, and the rest of us seated around the big table enjoying the evening.

~Our winter here in sunny Florida is winding down. My thoughts are turning north toward home. Summer on Cape Cod is family time for us. Warm evenings on the front porch, a cold draft beer from the kegerator, feet up, good conversation, and then that dinner on the back deck....all of us around that big table. It's a simple life. Nothing fancy. We are easy to please. In between, I'll try and make some new aprons and summer blouses for my online shop.

~I said...I'll try.

~Check us out online at www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com

Lazy, Hazy Days...

2011-03-27T22:09:00.011-04:00

~I'm sort of feeling like a bum lately. I've had two aprons cut out and ready to sew for the past two weeks. I just keep looking at the sewing machine and walking right by it. Not sure if I'm getting really, really lazy or if it's the nice sunny weather that's luring me away. Usually, we have a span of a time while we are here in Florida that keeps the temperatures cool during the day, making it too chilly to sit out in the sun or venture off to the beach. It's still good for hubby's golf outings but I usually capitalize on those cooler days by revving up the sewing machine and firing off several new aprons. ~But this year has been different. I just keep walking by my fabric pile with hardly a glance. What is it about the nature of people of my generation that we have a compulsive need to always be productive? Being raised with a strong work ethic sure plays tricks on the mind. I feel extremely guilty when I'm not doing something worthwhile. Although I know that relaxing and enjoying life is a good thing, nevertheless, I feel almost naughty doing too much of it.

~Today, I vow to construct a new apron. I do. I vow. I will. Here I go. TTYL.

(One day later...)

~Please allow me to introduce "Peacock Feathers in Sea Glass".... a 100% cotton apron cut a little bit fuller for the generously endowed hostess. Check it out at http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/

Sink Reflections

2011-03-01T09:00:00.007-05:00

~When I opened up my yahoo mail first thing this morning, there was an item taken from Real Simple magazine about how to keep your kitchen spotless. Easy, daily suggestions that will keep your counter tops and sink free of clutter. The details in the piece were taken from a book that I actually own called, "Sink Reflections." In it, the author, Marla Cilley, attempts to inspire her readers to begin with just one thing...the kitchen sink. Her theory is that if you keep your
sink clean, shiny and free of clutter, the resulting pleasure will prompt you to keep your counters clean and your appliances sparkling. She tempts you to adopt her mantra of never going to bed leaving a dirty sink. Your sink is the first thing you see each morning when you start your day. If it's dirty and full of clutter, that will affect your mood and mentality and how you proceed with everything else.
http://shopping.yahoo.com/articles/yshoppingarticles/549/how-to-speed-clean-your-kitchen
~I think it's great advice. Ms Cilley is absolutely correct. The kitchen sink greets me each and every morning. If I come into my kitchen and face dirty dishes sitting in the sink, the message is "You've got a day of mess ahead of you." If it's clean and shiny, I relax, pour my coffee and start to think positively about what I can accomplish that day. I'm not going backward. I'm going forward.
~Often, it's the smallest things that make or break a mood. Habits that may seem insignificant are sometimes the impetus that make us productive. Little things mean a lot.
~It is said that it only takes 28 days of repeating a function to form a habit. From my own experience, I find that to be true. I'm certainly not "Suzie Homemaker" or "Nancy Neat." But I do make it a habit to keep our sink clear of clutter, our counters wiped down and our appliances fingerprint free. It seems to keep me happy and frees me up to do more productive things. A peaceful mind is a productive mind. I never go to bed without first making sure the kitchen sink is clean. Seeing my reflection in the sink each morning puts a smile on my face. The 28 days it took to form that habit was well worth the effort.
~I took these pictures of our kitchen sink here in Florida early this morning when I came downstairs.
~Put a smile on your face and send me a picture of your sink reflection.
~And while you're at it, check out our unique selection of aprons and tops at http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/

Valentine's Day

2011-02-14T17:47:00.007-05:00

~Valentine's Day.

~Sweethearts, lovers, close friends....everyone likes to take the opportunity on this day to show the folks they love just how much they love them. Cards, flowers, candy, jewelry. A marketing bonanza.
~Hubby and I just exchange cards on Valentine's Day. The habit probably stems from our younger days when we had barely enough resources to run the household, much less spend on ways to state our love for each other. Therefore, the card and what it says, means a lot. I always tell hubby that whenever I get mad at him, I read the cards I've saved that he's given me over the years. Since neither of us is very outwardly demonstrative, we often express things in writing that we don't express in words or actions. I think that's that way with a lot of couples.
~One of our daughters gets an interesting gift from her hubby each year on Valentine's Day. He writes a sonnet for her. Now a sonnet is more than a poem. A sonnet follows a strict rhyme form and a specific structure. It has 14 lines following one or another of several set rhyme-schemes. A sonnet is not that easy to compose and takes a lot of thought. Anyone who has had a sonnet composed specifically for them may consider the sonnet composer to have been extremely caring.
~Our daughter always comments on how her hubby is so cute about his sonnets. He can never wait until Valentine's Day to reveal his poem...always having the need to recite it the night before. Very dear, indeed.
~I love the sincerity of the sonnet. But I know my hubby wouldn't know where to begin. And I always find the words in the Hallmark card he gives me to be straight from his heart.

~Happy Sweetheart's Day everyone!

The Great Winter Escape

2011-01-22T09:19:00.012-05:00

~Well...we're here in sunny Florida. I must admit that having the doors and windows open in January suits me just fine. I think that's what I hate the most about winter back home. Having everything closed up feels claustrophobic. Gray skies and short days seem gloomy to me. I start fantacizing about summer and life on the porch. I imagine the tanned, smiling faces of our grandchildren coming back from a day at the beach and evenings sitting around the firepit, telling stories and singing songs.
~Our ability to spend our winters in Florida stems from a long range plan that began over thirty years ago when we purchased a small townhouse condo near the beach just south of the Kennedy Space center. There wasn't much here then. It wasn't spiffy or upscale. But it was on the barrier island and there were miles and miles of beach with little parking areas every five miles or so. You could just pull off the road, grab your beach towel and flop down in the sand. We used the condo as an investment property for most of those years. We redecorated a couple of times and as we did, we watched the area grow. We started to see restaurants, and grocery markets crop up in commercial spaces that had been deserted during the downturn of the 70s. Beautiful condos were constructed along the beach. Due to height restrictions in the area, none of the buildings took over the clear blue skies...and you can still pull off the road every half mile or so with free parking to access the beach. Carefully planned commercial development brought jobs to the area. New hospitals located over the river on the mainland. That development opened up new prospects for pharmacies and medical practices on the island. A burst of energy was thrust into just about every facet of life here.
~Now that we are retired and get to enjoy our little condo and all the things this area offers, we are grateful for the chance to escape the New England winters. Snow was a welcome sight when we were young and we took our four children skiing. But once you give up a snow hobby, the wet, white stuff just means work. And cold work, at that.
~This winter up north sounds especially bad. No just wet, but bitter cold. Not a day goes by down here that I don't thank the big Guy up there for leading us in the right direction way back when we fell upon this cozy little southern abode. Funny how life works out.

A New Year

2011-01-04T19:10:00.010-05:00

~A New Year....Is it really something special when it happens? Or is it just the same old...same old? I must confess that around here it has become just another year. But deep down, I know it is something special. It's a rebirth for many folks; a chance to look at life with new aspirations. If you're overweight, you swear yourself on a diet. If you are a shopaholic, you cut up your credit cards. If you are a bit lazy, you join a gym. But what happens to those best laid plans?
Usually, by mid January, you are back to your old habits, completely forgetting about having resolved to do this or that. Yet, every once in a while, someone, somewhere sticks to his or her resolution and life changes in a good way.
~I've known people who resolved to do something about their weight on New Year's Eve and then really did something about their weight. And it stuck!
I guess the good thing about making a New Year's resolution is that it shows how humanity always holds out hope. No matter how many times you break a heartfelt resolution, you usually make another one the next year. Hope usually comes with a strong sense of passion. It feels good to hope.
~Hubby and I are just about ready to head south. Except there is snow looming in the forecast on the day we want to leave. It will be hard to wait, even a day or two. In my old age, I've become completely intolerant to cold. Hubby says my
circulator doesn't work. The cold starts in my feet and spreads to my calves and soon overtakes my whole body. When we were young, we could hardly wait for snow so we could ski. That's what winter sports do for you. Make you wish for snow. But these days the cold means inactivity which leads to being...well... cold. Now that the hustle bustle of the holidays is over, I can't wait to get into warm sunshine, balmy breezes and sun, sun, sun. I can take my daily walk without freezing; fiddle around in the patio without a down jacket, drive to the store without warming up the car first. Lovely, simple thoughts that make me very happy. Florida, here we come.
~Be sure to check out our online store to see more aprons like the one granddaughter Emily is modeling at:
http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/
~I'll be adding lots of new items soon.

It's Christmas!

2010-12-13T07:53:00.019-05:00

~Sometimes, when I read the posts of other bloggers, I ask myself why my posts often sound hostile. Most of the blogs I frequent are filled with beautiful photos and sentiments, often having to do with the season. Mine are often filled with complaints or strong, opinionated feelings. Sort of makes me wonder about myself.
~Anyway...this post is about Christmas and I've linked into one of my favorite blogs.... www.hookedonhouses.net . I've been decorating the house earlier and earlier each year because we head south right after New Years which necessitates dismantling everything in a hurry. I want to enjoy it all for as long as I can. We've had a primitive twig tree for the past ten years or so. Ours is one of the originals so it has almost as many brown twigs as it has branches. I like that about it. Makes it look rustic and natural. Decorating a twig tree poses a bit of a challenge since ordinary Christmas ornaments and decorations don't really suit it. The other issue for me is that our tree sits in our bay window. Lots of light filters through it during the day posing a problem of making it look excessively bare. For many years, I stuffed the bare spots with dried hydrangeas. Loved the way it looked because the hydrangeas turn a golden brown by Christmas time and the color added to the rustic look. But then I read an article about dried hydrangeas being a fire hazard...they go up like tissue paper! So off with them after reading that. I now use dried Marsh Heather, which for some reason, always seems to have some moisture in it. Also bought some artificial hydrangeas that are a deep burgundy that gives the same illusion of the dried ones except they add a bit of color. Add to that the tiny black felt crows I acquired years ago from I think, The Gingham Goose in Rochester, MA, and our tree looks a bit different from any other. A few years past when I found those new, tiny lights on the thin brown wire online, I was thrilled because they are perfect on our tree since there is so much more brown than green. Now, they sell them in primitive shops so I've been able to add more light over the past couple of years.
~My brother-in-law makes fun of our tree each year in a very loving way. "Did you put up that brown tree yet?" he asks each season. Sometimes, I think I keep it decorated as such just to give him something to crank about. One year, I added gold angel hair and I really liked it but I haven't been able to find it again. Another year, I added plaid wool bows but ended up taking them off because they looked too cute. I think I'll just leave it the way it is.
~On another note, the same brother-in-law who jokes about our tree, gave me a sled several years ago, that he had found in my husband's childhood home when things were being sold and thinned out. It was most likely handmade by hubby's great grandfather. It's one of those things I cherish. I actually never put it away...even during the summer months. It has a home in the aforementioned picture window and our family pictures sit on top of it. At Christmas time, I put it out on the front porch leaning up against the batten door that was one of the first things hubby made for me when we bought this old house.
~Although I've always found the Christmas season to be hectic, there are certain things I love. Decorating and gift wrapping are at the top of my list. If I could just find someone to do the shopping for me, I'd be set.
~Here's wishing all of you in blogland a Happy, Healthy, Merry Christmas and a bright and hopeful New Year.

~Be sure to check out our online store at http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/ for some great gift ideas.

I Hate The Phone

2010-12-06T21:20:00.006-05:00

~I hate the phone...

~I think that's why I love my computer so much. I love communicating but I hate talking on the phone..it actually gives me a migraine. Phone calls almost never seem to come at a convenient time; they're always an unexpected interruption. Often, I completely forget what I was doing after someone calls. The caller always calls when it's an opportune time for them...not knowing if it's a good time for you! But it rarely stops them.

~Not so with email. It's completely at the discretion of both the sender and the recipient. You send it when it's convenient and you open it when it's convenient. You can think before you write so you almost always say what you want to say. You can verify info before you answer a question so you're rarely caught off guard. I love email. And Facebook is fun for quick comments to friends and family. If I ever made phone calls to comment on things the way I comment on Facebook I'd be disowned. No interruptions...just a glance at the computer screen now and then.

~I have a few friends who prefer phone calls. I don't understand it. I guess they like to talk. I guess they don't get headaches. I guess they don't mind interruptions.

~Not me. Email me anytime. But call me only when you must.

~When I'm not on the computer, I'm usually making aprons. Check us out at

http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/

Please Mr. Sun.....

2010-11-10T22:54:00.012-05:00

~Seems I've been neglecting my blog lately. It's just that there's so much to do this time of year. Yard work, fall cleaning, yard work, sewing, yard work. We've had a run of 7 days here on Cape Cod, of wet, rainy, cold, dreary weather. Even once it clears up, the leaf piles will be soaked, the flower beds will be mushy and the pile of cuttings we started before the rain will be a rotten mess.

~Today, I actually raked wet leaves in the rain, just to get some air. I have a chronic need to be outdoors and a week trapped in the house is about all my nerves can take. Oh...I kept busy. I made four new aprons for my online shop (pictured here), refinished the top of the dining room table and coaxed hubby into painting the walls and old wood floor in our little bathroom off the hallway near our bedroom. So the nasty weather week hasn't been wasted.

~But I've had enough of it to last me for a while. Please, Mr. Sun...please come out?

Check us out at http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/

Election Day!

2010-11-02T21:28:00.004-04:00

~I'm a nut when it comes to politics. Election day is one of my favorite days no matter what the mood of the country. On this note, I thought it fitting to republish a post I did earlier this year about Politics. Too often, I hear folks say...."I hate politics." Well...not so fast. The political process was set up for a reason. It is up to all of us to exercise our right to vote to keep it in tow and make it work for us. I am perhaps the most cynical person in the world. That cynicism keeps me focused and inquisitive. But I understand the concept of how the system was designed to ebb and flow. The political process can be our friend when we need laws to protect us. It can also be our enemy when it seeks to overreach and stifle our freedoms.
~On this election day, 2010, I've thought it might be a good idea to bring back my post on politics here.

From An Old Floorboard to a Tombstone Cupboard

2010-10-07T14:38:00.049-04:00

My thanks to Susan of http://www.betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/ for hosting another Metamorphosis Monday and for giving her fellow bloggers a chance to show their stuff!

I sort of put the words metamorphosis and recycle into the same mental category. If I can take an object and turn it into something else rather than dispose of it, I consider it to be recycled...or repurposed as the new generation would say.

My favorite metamorphosis or recycle in our lives is always one that involves the transformation of one of the old, wide, pine floorboards that were taken up from the first floor of our circa 1724 house here on Olde Cape Cod. Would have loved to save them as flooring, but as we all know...water seeks its lowest level. All the flooring on the first floor of our our house was rotted along with the underpinnings. Some of the boards were 23 inches in width...a treasure in my book. We saved what we could and stored the boards in the garage. Over the years, hubby has crafted many things from the nearly 300 year old flooring, but one of my favorites is our pine Tombstone Cupboard. With the exception of the back piece, the entire cupboard is crafted from an old floor board. Hubby drew up his own design based on my requests. I think the result is spectacular...and a very fitting subject for a post at Halloween time since it's called a "Tombstone" cupboard ...get it?

The cupboard provides the perfect home for some of our old pewter pieces. Oddly enough,what I most love about it is the group of holes in the door. The only usable part of the floorboard that was wide enough for a door had holes in it where the floor nails had rotted right through. Hubby didn't want to use it. But eventually I convinced him that the holes actually added character.

We painted our Tombstone Cupboard with Olde Century Colors paint in Greenbriar along with Barn Red on the inside.

It's truly one of my favorite things in our home.

Thought for the day: Welcome the unexpected.... opportunities rarely come in neat predictable packages.

Don't forget to check out our online apron shop at http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/

2010-09-16T19:53:00.013-04:00

~Ahhh...Fall. It's always beautiful in New England but especially on
Cape Cod where the sunlight on the water in the morning takes on the look of a gazillion diamonds. Keeping the flower beds and window boxes looking good is a task in the summer with long days of full sun and sparse rainfall. Perfect beach weather but tough on plants.

~This time of year, with shorter, cooler days, the flowers seem to thrive. There's color everywhere. Our sedum plants have taken over the front cottage garden and will have to be removed this year.....but in the meantime, we're enjoying the blast of gorgeous color. Sedum is an odd plant. Its blossoms stay green all summer long and look like little bunches of broccoli. Come the end of August, they slowly start to turn; first a soft pink, graduating to the darker mauve color they are now, soon to become a dark russet. I always leave the seed heads on through the winter because even after they dry and turn dark brown, they look beautiful...especially when snow falls and lands on their pretty faces.

~At the moment, we're enjoying the butterflies and bumble bees that seem intoxicated by the
sedum's gifts. It's all good.

~Working on two aprons for a special order. I don't usually accept special orders but these are for a special friend so an exception is being made. It's a whole different ballgame. Not sure why, but it takes me twice as long to do a special order.

~Ordinarily, making an apron or anything else it like painting a picture to me. It's a ride on the imagination train. When I am confined to specifics like color, size, etc., it becomes work! But, as I said, this special order is for a special person, so I'll not complain.

~Be sure to check out our web page at www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com to see what we have to offer.
And enjoy this beautiful time of year.

Our Tuscan Farm Table

2010-08-19T18:26:00.010-04:00

~So one evening while having dinner out on the back deck, someone said, "Wouldn't it be nice to have one of those big Tuscan style farm tables for our big family dinners?" Next thing ya know, hubby built one for us. It's nice and big and sturdy so when the little kids come, they can't lean on it and tip it over. Nice and big for lots of people which is what we usually have here during the summer on Old Cape Cod. Made from pressure treated pine, he joined the top pieces with biscuits and glue and then sealed the seams with something or other. He made two holes to accommodate two umbrellas. There was much discussion about the placement of the holes. We all thought they were too far apart. We came close to taking bets it.

~But...as usual, hubby knew what he was doing and the day that six of us carried the big table out to the back deck, the umbrellas fit perfectly. We christened it that night with a family dinner as you can see by the pics. The baked stuffed shrimp and beef tenderloin was our first meal.

~Lots of folks arrived this week for the big, annual Falmouth Road Race. Over 9,000 registered runners. The new table will be perfect because eating is a big part of every road race celebration. This year, we'll be celebrating Tuscan style!

Coming Soon

2010-07-31T11:53:00.003-04:00

The making of an outdoor Tuscan Farm table....coming soon.

Summertime on Old Cape Cod

2010-07-15T08:36:00.008-04:00

~Summertime. Feet up on the porch. Cold beer in a keg. Hot dogs and burgers on the grill. Simplicity. Laughter. Sun kissed faces. Towels on the line. Flip flops in the entryway. The sound of the screen door slapping shut. Inhale it. Feel it. So pure and good and simple.
~Living on Cape Cod brings a special meaning to summertime. We have little pieces of salt stuck in our screens. We live with the low, drone of the fog horn lulling us to sleep each night. We have a hard time deciding which seafood restaurant to go to on any given night because they are all so good. Today the waters of Vineyard Sound were lapping upon the shore and tiny whitecaps were visible everywhere. Boats were heeling over, beholden to the wind. Tomorrow might be the exact opposite with calm seas and limp sails. It's ever changing. Always a surprise. Always beautiful.

~The beach roses are spent but the honeysuckle is just coming into its own and the sweet fragrance is intoxicating as I ride my bike along the Shining Sea bike path each morning. Being outdoors. Watching runners, bikers and walkers from our perch on the front porch. Passing fresh faces each morning on the bike path. Movement. Energy. Emotion. It's contagious.

~Thank you God, for letting me live here on Old Cape Cod.

Independence Day

2010-07-02T17:30:00.015-04:00

~Here we are...another July 4th on the horizon. The weather couldn't be more
cooperative here on Old Cape Cod. Sunshine, blue sky, fresh, clean air. Gorgeous. While most folks are gearing up for holiday bashes this Independence Day weekend, I'm hanging loose, lying low and eating lean.
A recent visit from my sister and a close friend who both live in Orlando has left me spent. For five days, we ate, shopped, drank and talked. It was wonderful. Like three teenagers goofing off and being giddy. Our little town is the kind of place where you can go from the candy shop to the t-shirt store to the Irish pub all in the blink of an eye....and that's how we spent our little va-ca together. Whether sitting at the Roo Bar eating tapas and drinking Sam Adams Summer Ale
or couched around a small table at Pies a la Mode, eating homemade
gelato and surrounded by pastries to die for, we found a way to quench our thirst and get some retail therapy while fueling the economy of Falmouth with purchases at every stop. From Port Cargo where I found a gorgeous leather-like handbag to The Black Dog where my friend found the perfect tank top to bring home to her dog sitter, to Touche' where my sister found the ideal pair of silver hoop earrings, we hit them all.
~A scenic drive along the shore road one day led us to Woods Hole and the Oceanographic Institute where research of the ocean's bottom is alive and well. No one can leave Woods Hole without visiting the Capt. Kidd where what seems like a 50 ft. long bar reportedly dates back to the civil war days. One of the things I love about living here on Cape Cod is the rich history that is part of its lore. And when someone comes to visit who is curious about that history, it makes it even more fun because each and every inch of this place has a story to tell to anyone who will listen. Sitting on our front porch, looking through the books of Falmouth and thinking of what was once here puts you in a different state of mind. It makes you ponder the grand scheme of things.
~And so, that's how I'll spend this July 4th weekend...sitting on the porch, pondering the rich history of this place; what the men and women who came before us did to keep it safe and whole. Our house dates back to 1724, quite some time before Independence day in 1776. It's come a long way, baby.
~As an aside to this post, I have to share a funny story. My friend who bought the tank top at the Black Dog emailed me the day after she got home. She had left the tank top in the Black Dog gift bag on the table in her family room for her dog sitter as a thank you gift. Black Dog merchandise comes wrapped in white tissue with little black Labradors printed all over. Their gift bags feature a big black lab on the front. Apparently, "Dooley" my friend's sweet, lovable Labradoodle, attacked the bag while she was at work, practically ate the tank top and left the tissue torn in pieces. He didn't like the intrusion of the Black Lab, we are guessing. Dooley never does anything like this so it was quite a surprise for my friend when she came home that day and found the destruction! But this story ends well. When she called the Black Dog to tell them her plight, they cheerfully shipped out a new tank top and didn't even charge her the usual ten dollar shipping charge. I guess they take responsibility for the tortes of their black dogs, even if they are just pictured on a bag!!!

~Haven't been at the sewing machine in a month, but we still have some pretty aprons in stock as well as some summer blouses. Check them out at http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/

The Cape Cod Clothesline

2010-06-16T17:09:00.028-04:00

~The Cape Cod Clothesline.

~A fixture on Old Cape Cod. As common as the much adored outdoor shower. A Cape Cod clothes line has a particular style. It's, shall we say, rather crude. Usually two posts, each with a "T" formation on the top and two lengths of rope spanning from one end to the other. A 'must have' on the Cape where wet beach towels and swim suits are a constant. The routine consists of coming back from the beach, hopping into the outdoor shower, rinsing one's self and swim suit off and heading to the clothes line.

~Somehow, we inherit several beach towels here each year. No one owns up to possession which never ceases to amaze me. A good beach towel is not cheap! But we have quite a collection that are unclaimed. I just wash them and put them in the beach towel pile in the shed with the others.

~On occasion, the clothes line is used like any other clothes line. I love to dry our sheets outdoors and if I'm not in a hurry on the day I change the beds, the sheets get to blow in the breeze...love the sweet smell of cotton dried outdoors. I've also used our clothes line to feature aprons for our apronsgonewild.etsy.com online shop. Looks sort of old fashioned, don't you think?

~Hubby has a thing about drying clothes outside. He thinks it's silly when there is a perfectly good electric dryer ready and waiting. He also doesn't like the way it looks. Isn't that a hoot? There are soooooo many things that we disagree on mainly because I don't like the way something looks. But this one is his pet peeve. Odd. Go figure.

~Right now the clothes line is mainly bare. But soon, it will be loaded with towels and swim suits and running gear. We have several runners in the family and their clothes are dripping wet when they get back from a jog. They go right on the line for a bit until they can be brought in to wash.

~I don't think I could live without our clothes line. I love to air out the many quilts we have on all the beds. And it's the perfect place to hang something white that needs natural bleaching from the sun. It's a very serviceable object, indeed.

~So I say....happy air drying and happy summer!

~Oh...and while I'm at it, I couldn't miss the chance to show you the job I did on our slate path to the back shed. I actually cut out all the grass around the stones with a steak knife! It had grown so heavy that it was covering almost all of the steps. You could hardly see them. Now, there's a clear pathway.

~Be sure to check us out at www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com

YARD SALE SATURDAY

2010-06-05T19:35:00.011-04:00

~It is said that a test of a person's character is how they deal with adversity (or lost luggage). Well...I'd like to add that it's how they deal with a massive rain storm in the middle of a yard sale. That's what happened this weekend when our youngest daughter, who lives just around the corner from us, attempted to have a yard sale on her front lawn.
~An awful lot of work goes into properly preparing for a good yard sale. Everything should be priced. Buyers don't like having to ask "how much" each and every thing is. Stuff should be clean and well displayed. It's better to put furniture pieces right out on the lawn rather than ask folks to come inside. All this and more had been done over a two week period. She was well prepared.

~I got up early this Saturday morning to bop over to help only to find that she already had everything out and ready to go by 6:30am. I was impressed. While she showered, I had my coffee and sat relaxed on the front lawn waiting for customers. Several nice folks stopped by around 8am and we sold a few things. But then I heard it...the long, low rumble of thunder.
Hmm...Should we panic? Would it just pass overhead? How much risk was it to just leave everything out?
~Instinct sent me back home to grab some tarps. By the time I returned, the raindrops were starting to fall. We hurriedly covered everything and hoped for the best. But this thunder storm was not to be denied. I swear I've never seen such a downpour. The ground quickly filled up with deep puddles. The bottoms of the wood bunk beds were sitting in water. The dust ruffle on the upholstered armless chair was wet two inches up from the bottom. The tarps began to blow off and all the clothing and stuffed animals began to get soaked. What to do? What to do?
~We began bringing it all inside. However, most of it was already soaked. Books, CDs, games, throw pillows, quilts, dresses, shirts, sweatshirts. All of it soaked. The living room became a storage locker. Not only was stuff piled all over but it was all wet. It was cause for tears.
~But...no tears were shed. Just a lot of talk about a disaster. I think if it had been my effort over the past two weeks, I would have just sat down and cried. But not our daughter. She worked even harder and succeeded in getting all of it indoors and off the lawn. I was impressed.
~Later, after we had dried almost everything off, she said..."I guess I'll just have it next weekend."

~Huh? What? You're going to go through this all over again? Hmm...Well...I guess, maybe. In any event, she definitely passed the character test this morning!

Home Again...

2010-05-19T19:02:00.008-04:00

~Home Sweet Home...

~Well...the time finally came. We headed back home last weekend. Weather on the space coast was still beautiful, but we could feel the heat looming. Once we had to close the doors and windows and run the noisy air conditioning, we were outa there! Packing up, cleaning, all that stuff was exhausting. Not sure what's wrong with us that we cart so much stuff back and forth every year.
~This trip we only stopped one night before we hit hubby's sister's house in NY. It was a long drive the first day. No stopping here and there like we usually do. Not sure why, but that is what we decided.
~The space coast skies were active this winter. We saw 4 or 5 launches including two shuttles. It's heartening to see how many folks still line the beaches, even in the middle of the night, to see the space center do its thing. This year was special because it's the end of the shuttle program. A lot of mixed feelings about that. But...I won't get political.
~I decided to sew up one more apron before we leave. It's called Chocolate and Teal (pictured here) and has just a touch of old fashioned cotton at the bib and pocket edges. Check out the details at http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/
~As I began the task of packing up and cleaning before we left, I couldn't help but think about how different people live differently. I have a few friends whose homes are always "company ready." Anyone can walk in at any time unexpectedly and their abodes look just as they do when they're expecting guests. Nothing is ever out of place. There's never anything lying around to give an indication as to what they've been doing. It's a mystery to me. These friends are not idle folks who do nothing all day long. Nor are they people who can be seen fussing around, cleaning all the time. Matter of fact, I've never seen any of them cleaning, sweeping, wiping, etc. On the other hand, I have a damp cloth permanently attached to my hand all the time. And there's always a bottle of Windex in sight at our house 24/7. I just don't get it.
~Neither hubby or I are particularly fussy but I'm more interested in things being neat and clean than he is. At least in the so called, "public rooms" that someone stopping by on short notice would likely see. I try to keep things in order and dust free for the most part. But when I look at our bedroom and private bath area, I feel as though we are living in a college dormitory. Towels hanging on hooks, hair dryer hanging over a mirror, shampoos and hair products out in the open on the dresser. Hubby always has his allergy spray, Rolaids and eye drops out in broad daylight on his night stand. I always have tissues and a back scratcher lying on mine. There are often newly ironed clothes hanging on hangers over the bedroom door. I hate putting them in the closet for fear my nice ironing job will be for naught when they get squished in between all the other clothes. The bottom of our closet has piles of shoes in no particular order. And hubby's baseball caps surround the window that looks out onto our back yard. If that doesn't say 'college dorm', I don't know what does.
~Our TV area off the kitchen looks nice now that it's been remodeled. But the little coffee table in front of the sofa always sports a coffee cup, a pen and paper, a napkin left over from breakfast or lunch, and a few magazines in no particular order. The pillows on the sofa and chair are always smushed and flattened speaking loud and clear about the recent occupant. The tv remotes can be found just about anywhere; all depends on who used them and for what. Our living room stays pretty neat. That is, unless one of us decides to go in there and read or make a phone call. Then the quilted throw on the sofa gets pulled off one way or the other. Those pillows get smushed too and the coffee table ends up with an empty dish of nut remnants. And where there are nuts, there is always a glass...empty probably, but in full view.
~I'm not stupid. I realize that the mere act of living creates upheaval. And...I don't want to be one of those people who is constantly worrying about things being perfect. But I just don't understand how the folks who have achieved constant order do it! I know that it's partly a matter of putting things away on the spot. We are very guilty of the "I'll do it later" mentality But still...you'd think that "everyone" would leave some evidence lying around here and there. Not so with some of our closest friends. It's like magic. Maybe it is magic?

I think I'll dwell on that for a while.

~Be sure to check out our online shop at www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com to check out the details of Chocolate and Teal.

~We have some really interesting aprons this year with unusual trims and patterns. Once we get settled back here at the Cape, I hope to add more tops and blouses to our Tops Gone Wild line.

Mother's Day

2010-05-08T10:01:00.004-04:00

~Mother's Day 2010.

~Mother, Mom, mommy, mum, mumsy...whatever you call her, she's the same. She's the woman who gave you life here on earth. Some mothers are nearly perfect specimens and reflect beautifully on the name. Some fall short, leaving tattered remnants of themselves buried deep within their offspring. A mother's influence on her child impacts that life more strongly than any other. The bond is deep. The ties that bind are strong. There is no other like it.
~Dads play a stronger role these days in their children's upbringing. That's a good thing. But no one can fill the shoes of a mom. No one can feel their child's pain or burst with pride at their child's success like Mom. Empathy is what separates Moms from all others. When you can feel what another human being feels as if it is happening to yourself, then you know what it is to be a Mom.
~God bless Moms on this Mother's Day.

Politics!

2010-04-25T11:49:00.013-04:00

~Politics!

~My children recoil in fear. My friends turn their heads the other way and grimace. My husband cowers in his recliner, lowering the brim on his baseball cap so as not to meet my eyes. This is the reaction when I start talking about politics.

~It's always been this way yet it's something I don't understand. The nature of politics runs our lives. Political decisions are behind all the rules and behind most of our laws. You can get married, go to war and vote when you're eighteen but you can't have a beer at your wedding because of political decisions. You can drive when you're sixteen, but you can't have your friends in the car until your seventeen because of a political decision. In some states, you can talk on a cell phone while driving but in other states you can't because of...you guessed it...a political decision. On some roads you can drive 70mph but on others you can only go 55 because a group of politicians got together and looked at the facts and made a decision. The folks who make the rules in our towns, counties, states and federal government are all politicians. If we learn to hate politics, we have no hope of steering those decisions in our favored direction. The politicians will run roughshod over us. Kids grow up hating politics. Yet, they whine about the restrictions set upon them by politicians.

~Most of my friends and family members complain about certain laws and rules. Yet, they shrivel up when the subject comes up in a discussion. Or they groan and sigh and say, "I don't want to talk about it." Well...if you don't talk about it, you'll never figure out a way
to take action on those things you are complaining about. Our young people today get their political news from the comedy network on shows like The Daley Show or The Colbert Report where it's hard to tell what's serious and what's not. I love satire, but it has to be coupled with real information. Unfortunately, there's no balance in our media.
~I think most folks hate politics because they dislike politicians. We all believe they are in it for the power trip and not for us. It's hard not to generalize when we see so many politicians disappointing us in both the personal arena as well as the public one. But our system is set up so that we elect these people to represent us and hopefully to do things for the general welfare of the public. It doesn't always work out that way. But if we don't stay tuned in and engaged, we hand over the reins. If we do that we can't complain about the outcome. If we "don't want to talk about it," then we don't want to know what's going on. We are content to let the daily talking heads on the morning shows tell us what's what. Too often, their so-called "news" is couched in their own political beliefs so we don't get the whole story.
~We all need to do a little research on our own. Information is abundant today. If you have a computer you can research anything and confirm its accuracy with a little more research. Armed with some facts, you'll eventually want to share them, discuss them, argue them. And when someone starts talking about politics, you'll jump at the chance to join in.
~In the meantime, check us out at www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com
~No politics there!

The "C Word"

2010-04-11T18:45:00.015-04:00

The "C Word"

~"Charm." A five letter word that says it all when it comes to home decorating. It's the big "C" each and every time that will get a buyer to take a second look and often sign on the dotted line. Any four walls, no matter how humble, can elicit charm. Often, it's as simple as the way the light comes into a room...or a corner fireplace that just grabs you.
~When I joined Susan on Metamorphosis Monday at http://www.betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/ a couple of weeks ago, I wrote about the long awaited kitchen remodel in our early 18th century home on Cape Cod. But, I forgot to mention the "C Word" and include one of my favorite parts...the charming breadbox that hubby made it for me. It was my Christmas present the year we finished the kitchen. It's made of pine boards leftover from the bookcase and cabinet he built to house all his hardcovers and our new flat screen tv. I love it because it's unique and it's big and it adds a bit of old fashioned charm to our kitchen countertop. The saltbox design looks perfect with the style of our kitchen and its size affords us room for not only bread, but all sorts of other things like chips, crackers and even candy. I especially love it during the summer when the grandchildren are all around. I keep lots of goodies in there for them. Everything stays fresh and out of sight but handy.
~The box has an old fashioned design with an easy lift-top lid and sits right on top of our counter next to the sink. We chose an olde Century Colors paint color that coordinates with the rest of the kitchen but doesn't match exactly. I always feel that in "old house decor" things shouldn't match to perfection. Rather they should look like collections of this and that...or things put together over a period of time. That's the charm factor.
~Our Cape Cod daughter gave us the little tin star in the photo for Christmas that year. I just hung it on the breadbox for a moment and seem to have left it there ever since. I like the way it looks.
~Oh...and another fun thing to tell you. If you're not already familiar with them, there are several Internet sites now that let you make a magazine cover out of your photos. It's just for fun but you can use them in clever ways like gift giving, card making, etc. I made a cover from our breadbox picture using http://www.magmypic.com/.

~Hope you'll leave me a comment to let me know you were here.

~Thanks to Susan at http://www.betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/ for hosting Metamorphisis Monday. :)

2010-04-08T08:47:00.010-04:00

Whew!

It's been a whirlwind around here since the weather broke. Sunshine and glorious blue skies each and every day. As nice as that is, it puts a lot of pressure to get outdoors and enjoy every minute, which we obediently do!
A visit from our Ohio daughter and grandchildren was wonderful. Beach every day and we hit as many favorite eating establishments as time would allow. We're not avid shoppers, but we took granddaughter, Emily, to the Melbourne mall one evening in search of a prom dress. Everything looks fabulous on Emily so it's difficult to narrow things down to just one. But...she found a dress at a very good price. After stopping for chocolate shakes, we all came home happy.
I also got to photograph Emily in some of my aprons for my etsy shop while she was here. As you can see here, "Chocolate Pudding With Sprinkles" and "Purple Punch Batik" take on a new dimension when Em wears them.
Still sewing but trying to sneak in the beach whenever I can. Only a month left here. Gotta get it all in!
Visit us at http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/

Met Monday...20 year wait for a new kitchen!

2010-03-21T14:30:00.038-04:00

Metamorphosis of a really old kitchen sponsered by
Between Naps on the Porch at: http://www.betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/

~It took twenty years....but I finally got my kitchen. Not an easy task. This old house was full of deterrents. Poor structure, granite boulders for a foundation and nothing but dirt under the floorboards. The main beam across the breakfast room floor was a tree with bark still showing on it and little stubs where the branches once were. Crude, to put it mildly. So...for hubby to remodel and make this house whole, the approach was a bit out of the ordinary. Each time we would start to talk about the kitchen, we'd become overwhelmed and decide on restoring and remodeling another room. Our granddaughter who began doing dishes at the old sink when she was four was becoming a teenager before our eyes. Yet, the old kitchen was still there. Eventually, we had to come clean. The kitchen was staring us in the face. It was bad.

~Over the years we've held many a family gathering here. During road race week each August, we would often have 25 people or more for dinner each night. Naturally, with summer weather, we could provide seating outdoors. But the prep work, cooking and the clean up always took place in our kitchen at that little sink. When I told people that our oven door was held closed by a bungee cord, they would chuckle but assume that I was kidding. I wasn't. It was true. Everything about the old gas stove was broken. The cook top burners worked (sort of) but had to be lit with a match. I could cook a mean roast in the oven but not much else since it was always at a 450-500 degree temperature, no matter how you set it. Why didn't we get a new stove you might ask? Well...because we needed the space heater that was in the side of the old one. Since this old house didn't have central heat until a few years ago, space heaters were our only source of heat in the winter. A large floor furnace in the living room that pumped hot air out when needed and the aforementioned space heater in the side of the kitchen stove were all that kept the pipes from bursting each frosty New England winter.

~Fast forward to the kitchen remodel. The job took four years...hubby did all the work himself. Yes, I said 4 years! That's how long we used the powder room sink for all our needs. And, we still had those big summer get togethers. I temporarily transformed our mud room into a make-shift kitchen directly across from the powder room. Hubby changed the faucet on the little sink to a wet bar faucet, which is very high, so that we could get pots and the coffee pot underneath to fill with water. Looking back, I can't imagine how we did it. But, we did. Climbing the step ladder to get to the hanging staircase that led to our bedroom each night for a week(see photo), was a real kicker! We've managed to live with a lot of adversity in this old house, but this experience took the proverbial cake.

~Yet...look at us now! When I asked hubby to build cabinets that were new but looked fitting in an old kitchen, he gave me that "look" that he always gives me, but then proceeded to do exactly what I had in mind. I also asked for open shelving. The low ceilings in this house needed a visual bump to keep the entire project from looking top heavy. Add to that, I'd become accustomed to not having any upper cabinets in the old space. I rather liked having all our dishes and glasses at hand and they look pretty as well. The tall pantry cupboard that we built many years ago, stands alongside the refrigerator and conveniently holds all our canned and packaged goods along with two shelves of spices.

~Thanks to the plentiful color pallet of Old Century Paint Colours, we were able to find just the right shade of green called Olde Pewter. It's almost an "army blanket" green. The color contrasts nicely with the limestone tiles on the counter trimmed in painted pine that give the look of old but the convenience of new. They are easy to keep clean with the solid appeal of stone. Ah...but the best part of our kitchen redo is the sink. A big, deep, black siligranite sink that is so generous in size, you could bathe triplets in it. Topped off with a black faucet, it is the centerpiece in the room. You can't miss it! Not to take away from the furniture style lower cabinets that hubby crafted, complete with footed bottoms and the little wooden knobs he makes that I adore. So simple yet utterly divine and actually an entirely different metamorphosis due to the repurposed pine flooring that he used to build the doors and bottom cabinet.

~Speaking of the floor, we chose a prefinished heart pine board floor in 6 inch widths that's not only beautiful, but a breeze to keep clean. Our old kitchen had a door that led into a breakfast room that was used as our tv room. Hubby took down the wall to reveal a large open area where I can now watch tv as I cook. Since he reads, and reads, and reads, and reads in his spare time, we needed book shelves as well as a sink. The far wall that once housed a breakfront and mirror now keeps his books in good order and surrounds our new flat screen tv in a most perfect yet unobtrusive spot. It's a terrific room.

~I still hate to cook, but I love being in our new kitchen. Coming downstairs each morning, a smile grows on my face when I step into our sunfilled, happy kitchen.

~Even though it's new, it still has the charm of yesteryear that's perfect in our old house, circa 1724.

2010-03-20T09:24:00.009-04:00

"Sunshine On My Shoulders" Special Order For Terry

~Sunshine. Everyone loves sunshine. And sunflowers. Who doesn't love sunflowers?
~Ordinarily, I don't do special orders. There's too much room for disappointment. My idea of what looks good may not be what your idea is. It's always difficult to read into a description what someone else is actually envisioning.
~However, this request was different. A friend asked if I would create an apron with a sunflower theme. This apron would be actioned off at a summer barbecue to raise money for a foundation that honors her friend who passed away. There were no specific requirements other than that the apron reflect sunflowers because they were her friend's favorite flower.
~Sounds simple, doesn't it? Well...not so fast. After much searching, and help from neighbors, the one bolt of sunflower themed fabric in all of the Space Coast of Florida finally revealed itself at JoAnn fabrics. I couldn't even find anything on the Internet. (All the fabrics with a sunflower theme were abstract. Beautiful patterns, but you had to look close with a keen eye to see the similarity to the big yellow flower that I had in mind. Blue and lavender sunflowers just weren't going to fill the bill.)
~Since my favorite part of creating an apron is working with contrasting fabrics for the trim on the pocket and bib edges, I was happy to find two prints that worked well with the basic sunflower fabric. To top it off, I landed a sunflower applique' and sunflower buttons in the notions department.
~The end result is a very happy apron with a big sunflower smile on the pocket and a matching ditty bag. I hope it brings lots of bids at the auction that honors the memory of someone who meant a lot to my friend.
"Sunshine on My Shoulders" is a very special order for Terry.

2010-03-16T22:41:00.003-04:00

~Chocolate pudding with sprinkles~

~Our newest apron. A polka dot batik apron with an artful side. The charm of batik is in its innocent irregularities, both in color and weave. The chocolate brown and strawberry pink colors of this polka dot batik are particularly playful. If you look closely, sometimes the tiny dots look like tear drops in places where they lose their exactness. If you've ever done tie dying or hand blocking, you know that those irregularities are what lend the fabric its charm. The matching patchwork ditty bag is dynamo!

~Check it out in our online store at http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/

2010-03-11T09:05:00.003-05:00

Pretty in Pink with M'nMs and Chocolate Syrup....

Finished the newest apron for my online shop yesterday and its name came to me immediately. It's styled in a gorgeous strawberry pink and chocolate brown cotton batik fabric. Baby-doll pleats at the bib, extra long ties and a fully lined pocket. Tiny, colored buttons (the M'nMs) along the bib and pocket edges. Comes with its own coordinating ditty bag.

Check it out at www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com

2010-03-09T12:11:00.006-05:00

~The Oscars~

~The Oscars. Always a lure. Even though we don't see as many of the nominated films anymore, we still watch. I think it's because of the evening gowns. Love seeing the beauties as well as the grand faux pas that is always mixed in somewhere. This year, we were invited to an Oscar party held out at the pool here in our condo complex. The invitation said, "dress optional." That was enough for me. Hubby tried to find the nearest closet to hide in, but I eventually got him involved in a get-up that he agreed to. As long as it was comfortable and not too "out there" he was game.
~I intended to buy some gaudy fabric and make a kaftan but accidentally found one already made that was reduced from $48 to $9. Who could beat that? Added some gaudy jewelry and worked a flower hair clip into something more dramatic. $5 sunglasses and lots and lots of makeup (even did the false eyelashes) and I felt like Liza Minnelli. Hubby's outfit was non specific at first. Mimicking a Hollywood "has-been" merely called for a big, silky shirt, some gold bling and a great hat. Found everything but the bling. Ah Ha! Not to be denied, I enlisted some brass plated swag lamp chain, added a lion head medallion and he looked the part. Friends at the party began calling him "Kid Rock" and he accepted the role.
~Well...Liza and Kid Rock had a rockin' good time and even won a prize...not for the costumes but for hubby scoring the highest grade on a movieland quiz that was passed around to each guest. (We are a wealth of useless information.) But we enjoyed the gourmet popcorn prize immensely.
~Back home that night, curled up in my pajamas, I watched the entire show even though hubby gave up halfway through. It's a ritual. Every year I'm in the same spot on Oscar night. But this year, the costume party was an added treat!
~Enough fun. Back to work. I'm currently making a pink and brown batik apron. The fabric is gorgeous. Absolutely. I should be posting it sometime tomorrow if I can discipline myself to stay seated at the sewing machine.

~Until then...check us out at www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com
~We love our aprons. You will too.

2010-03-01T08:32:00.009-05:00

~Facebook. Love it and hate it at the same time. Great communicating with friends and foe alike. But it takes up too much of my time. I often get off on a tangent much as I did last night....and there goes the evening. Sparring verbally with others is my passion. I love a good duel. Especially when it involves political issues. So...when I see a link or a comment posted by a facebook friend, I'm always curious. If it involves a subject dear to my heart, I can't help but respond. This gets me into trouble more than I'd like. Spent the better part of last evening debating the science behind man made global warming claims with and old friend who is near and dear to my heart. I just needed some answers to some questions. That's all. No big deal. Just some answers. I might as well be dead if the day ever comes where I stop asking questions and looking for the answers, right? But...I kept getting shot down. Kept hearing I should have faith; that it was just the right thing to do...to believe...not to question. Kept hearing that the science is firm, concrete, no doubts, even though in recent weeks, the very institute from which much of the science has come has admitted errors, fault and erroneous sources. But there was no retreat, no middle ground, no compromise. I should not question, I was told. I should believe. I should have faith because the story is good and just.

~But, my faith is broad, not confined to specifics. My beliefs are generally supported by evidence. And I repeat...I might as well be dead if I stop asking questions.
~It rarely ends well when I engage in these discussions. Ah, facebook. It's a love/hate relationship.
~On a brighter note, both the Blue Medley and Flowerfields on Ochre aprons went to good homes this week. Our Aprons Gone Wild customers are the best folks on the planet. Always so supportive and communicative. Sure makes this gal feel good.

Check us out at http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/

2010-02-18T09:02:00.010-05:00

~I want you, I need you, I love you...

~I want a new couch. Not for here in Florida, but for our home on Cape Cod. I know exactly what I want. I know the color, the fabric, the print, the style, even the size. I know exactly where I want to buy it; Angel House Designs. I know how much it will cost; $850. I know the color and pattern; Wigrose in black and tan. I know all these things. There's only one thing I don't know...if I'll have enough money saved by spring to buy it.

~Right after Christmas, I decided to designate all the profits from my http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/ apron sales for one purpose...to buy this couch. It's going to reside in our new kitchen/tv room. It's going to look spectacular. I just know it.

~Shopping for it will be almost as much fun as owning it. Angel House Designs is located in an 18th century salt box in Brookfield Ma. It's a treat just to visit the house! And...inside the barn where the sofas and chairs and fabric samples are located, you can inhale the colors and textures of the colonial pieces that Angel House Designs creates, replicating furniture of the past. That's where our new sofa will begin and end...that is...until it gets to our house.

~I want it, I need it, I love it....

(Must get busy and sew, sew, sew!)

2010-02-10T19:17:00.004-05:00

~What the heck?

~10,239 is today's number. Yes...10,239 aprons listed on Etsy. How on earth do I manage to sell anything with that kind of competition? I'll never understand. When I began this venture, in June of 2008, there were 4,000+ aprons listed. I thought that number was insurmountable. What? 4000 aprons? Get out! But...somehow, folks found mine and ordered them. Goes to show that www.etsy.com reaches far and wide. And that there's a market out there ready and willing to open their wallets.
~I listed a blouse this morning. 5,490 other listings for women's blouses! 5,490! Guess if you think of how many female shoppers there are in the world with access to the Internet and a credit card, it doesn’t seem that impossible. But...I still find it amazing. 10, 239 aprons? 5000+ blouses? What the heck?

Check us out at www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com

2010-02-07T12:16:00.004-05:00

The Pile!

~There's a pile on my floor and table. It's fabric. Blues, reds, greens, browns. One as pretty as the other. But they're all over the place. I have no room! There's another pile. It consists of elastic, ribbon, trims, and appliques. Then there's the bag of thread. And the jar of buttons. All this couched in a small space in our cute little Florida condo. Whew!
~I was never the most disciplined kid on the block. I was the one coming up with wild ideas. I was always organizing something or other that required costumes or uniforms or a function that needed fabric and trim. Once in 6th grade, I organized a cheerleading squad for the 6th grade basketball team. I loved the cheerleading part, but I reached fever pitch when my mother gave me 4 cotton percale sheets and a box of dye out of which I created the most darling cheerleading skirts for all of us girls. They were powder blue. (Never mind that our school colors were green a white. Mom had a package of blue dye, not green, so blue it was.) They were circular skirts that opened up fully when we twirled around. We all had to wear tights underneath lest our underwear be exposed. Oh, how fantastic they were! Our disorganized little squad got out on the floor of the gym during every break and cheered our hearts out, twirling till we were dizzy. We were glorious.
~And so it continues. Even into my retirement years. I am surrounded by fabric and the rest of the lot. Dreaming up aprons in my head now. Pretty aprons. Cute aprons. Practical aprons. Each night when I rest my head on my pillow hoping to drift off to sleep, I imagine the next one. Will it be green, will it be blue, will it be yellow? Have to check the pile.
~The pile, by the way, continues to grow. Whenever and wherever I see fabric, I am drawn to it like a bee to honey. My heart beats a bit faster and my step quickens. Most women get excited when they see shoes, or handbags or designer fashions. I get all a flutter when I see fabric.
~And so it goes. The pile grows. The imagination wanders. The inspiration comes. And a new apron appears. But first...I have stop gawking at the pile and get back to work.
~Check and see what comes out of the pile next at http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/

2010-02-04T07:40:00.004-05:00

And Another!

~I'm on a roll. This one makes me wish I was still a young mom having a birthday party for one of our kids. I'd love to be wearing this happy apron!

http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/

2010-02-02T12:05:00.005-05:00

Did it!

~Got it done! Made it work! Figured it out!

~Got to work yesterday...cut and sewed a new apron for my shop. It's a beautiful, lavender/purple batik fabric. While I was making it, I was a bit uninspired. I didn't have that excited feeling I usually get when I'm sewing up a new apron. Oh, I liked it just fine. But I wasn't getting pumped. It felt more like a duty. Until, that is, I got to the embellishments. Before we left for Florida, I had made a blue batik apron embellished with buttons and little ragged ties, made by tearing strips of the batik fabric. The look is really adorable and lends itself to an almost "hippy like" feeling. I decided to add something similar to this new apron I was creating. Like a lightening bolt, my sentiments changed. The minute I added the first button and little torn tie, the apron started to captivate me. By the time I was done, I absolutely loved it! It made me think of Pocahontas! Remember the pretty little dress she wore in the Disney movie? It had a fringe along the bodice that was the lure. Well, the little ties across the bodice of this new apron immediately gave it a name. Purple Pocahontas.
It has little ragged ties at the bodice and on the pocket and it comes with its own, matching, elasticized ditty bag. Check it out at www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com
~ And now, on to the next apron. Hoping for the same inspiration.

2010-02-01T09:12:00.003-05:00

Back to work! Back to work!

~I absolutely must get back to work. Hadn't even had the sewing machine out since we arrived here in Florida almost a month ago. Just can't seem to get in gear. Last Friday, I dragged out all my fabrics and looked everything over, hoping for inspiration. Set up the sewing machine, thread, pin cushion, scissors...all in order on the table next to the machine. I'm ready. Everything is waiting. So why is it now Monday and I still haven't touched any of it? Ugh. I need a kick in the pants, as my mother used to say.
~Today is rainy and dreary. The perfect day to sew and be creative. I swear, I will get back to work. I will. I will. I'll let you know tomorrow!!

2010-01-27T16:02:00.012-05:00

The Eyes Have It!

~Mothers and daughters....So different yet so alike. I came across this photo of myself and my three daughters recently and couldn't stop looking at it. We all are so different, but so much alike. Visually. It's in the eyes. Hazel it is...the four of us. And, I think it's in our smiles. Big, toothy grins, always. Happy faces. Happy souls.

~Couldn't help but compare the photo of my girls and me to one of the few pictures I have of my own mother with her two sisters and my grandmother. I never knew my grandmother but Mom always said she was a sweetheart. I just know I would have loved her. My mother is the one on the left. The three sisters resemble each other somewhat, at least in the photo. I only knew one of them personally and she looked a lot like my mother...especially in the eyes.

~Our son has the eyes, too. Tiger eyes, we call them. Big like his father's and hazel like his mother's. In the little Connecticut town where our kids grew up, people could always identify them as a family member by their eyes. The eyes have it! Yes, they do. The eyes have it.

2010-01-19T15:44:00.009-05:00

Isn't envy one of the seven deadly sins?

My gut reaction each time I read Teresa Porter's blog, www.cherrycheckers.blogspot.com, is envy. Teresa does the most extraordinary things with her hands and her sewing machine. I first discovered her when she painted her kitchen floor in a black and white diamond pattern that looks absolutely divine. The perfection of Teresa's work is evident in everything she does. Her curtains and slipcover projects, are done with such expertise, you can see it even in a photograph. Teresa is the official seamstress for www.theletteredcottage.blogspot.com, which remains one of the top ten lifestyle blogs on the net with thousands of hits per day.
Once I get over my envy at Teresa's talents, I become inspired. I can sew up an apron with efficiency...or a blouse, or even a pair of curtains. But attempting a slip cover frightens the heck out of me. Yet, when I look at the lovely projects Teresa has done, I am so inspired that "I think I can...I think I can."
Here in sunny Florida, we have a smallish barrel chair that swivels. It's very comfortable and doesn't take up a lot of room so it works well here in our modest little condo. However, it's white! White doesn't stay clean for long, especially in a place where the newspaper is well read. Every notice how newspaper ink seems to find its way around the house? On the
walls, the phone, and in our case, the arms of the white swivel chair. As luck would have it, I found some beautiful, off-white cotton duck fabric that was inexpensive enough to buy several yards of the stuff. (I had no idea how much I would need.) I draped, and pinned and cut and sewed. Swore, and grimaced and pouted and sewed. Finally ended up with a slipcover that does the job, although I'm not sure I should admit to anyone that I made it. The good part is that it comes off easily and can be washed when the newspaper ink builds up on the arms. The little pillows I added can be turned around to get double wear. And the chair looks clean for the first time in a long time.
So...thanks Teresa, for the inspiration. You told me I could do it and I did it. But...don't look too close. I don't think it can pass the test of scrutiny. Maybe I'll get better with time. Hmmm, let's see what else I can cover.

2010-01-09T11:37:00.004-05:00

~It's cold in Florida too!~

~I'm not feeling particularly prolific the past few days. There's always so much to do trying to settle in when we get to our place here in Florida. I hate unpacking just as much as I hate packing. But we do have a "real" closet here with lots of room...unlike the one free-standing wardrobe thingy we have back at home. It's just that everything looks wrinkled and forlorn after its been in the car for four days.~

~Hubby carted along his inversion table this year so he could "decompress" while here in sunny Florida. I'm quite impressed at the way he has taken a severely debilitating back condition and single handedly corrected it to the point that he can now walk again and do most of the things he always did. Faithfully doing his PT exercises, riding his bike and hanging upside down several times a day seems to have healed areas of his spine that were in line for surgery just last March. Just look at him...isn't that impressive? It always pays to try and do everything you can before having back surgery, but self help remedies don't always solve the problem. In his case, they seem to have worked. However, bottom line is that we have a huge piece of equipment sitting in the living room. But...some inconveniences are worth the trouble.~

~You all probably know that the temps here are chilly. However, it's a good week for us to get everything cleaned and in order without working up a sweat. Today, it's raining, but I need to grocery shop and do a Walmart run anyway. We always enjoy our home no matter where we are, so we'll probably take advantage of the weather this afternoon and read, blog or play on the computer...comfortably nestled in with no threat of snow!~

2009-12-29T21:56:00.007-05:00

Heading South....

~Packing up. Making lists. Programing the GPS. Getting out of this cold! Good Lord, it's gotten cold here in the Northeast. Reading 17 degrees at the moment on our trusty LL Bean thermometer although it's nice to have central heat in this old house after so many years. Many a night we sat here watching the rug blow up and down as the wind barged through under the old floorboards. When your house foundation consists of granite boulders spaced few and far between the sill and the ground, it's an open invitation to not only the blustering howls of winter but a few critters looking for shelter as well. Oh, the stories I could tell. But now we're toasty and warm here on the inside. Ah...but I miss being able to go out in the yard and fuss around. It's just too cold and everything is frozen solid. So, it's off to warmer parts.

~We enjoy our winters in Florida, something I never thought I'd be saying. When hubby first suggested going for two months many years ago, I agreed but secretly harbored the fear that I'd go nuts after three weeks. To my surprise, I loved every second of it and the time just flew by like those giant pelicans that swoop overhead while we're taking in the rays at the beach. Now we're there a little more than four months. It's all good. Fun loving people...most of them bionic, but full of spit and vinegar nonetheless. Someone should do a documentary on the life that seniors lead during the winter in the sunshine state. Most of our neighbors and friends range from their mid seventies to their mid eighties and they all run circles around hubby and I who are the babies of the bunch. Not a group to take pity on, that's for sure.

~So we're off. The picture along with this post is credited to one of our southern neighbors who had the good sense to get out of Dodge early and was there for the shuttle launch in November. We spend the winter along the Space Coast where the temps never get much over 80. (I don't like it too hot!) Watching the launches at the Kennedy Space Center from our beach across the street is just one of the advantages of living in our area. The nighttime launches are the best.

~I'll pick up with a new post when we arrive sometime next week. We meander on our way down and make a vacation out of the trip, stopping along the way to visit friends and family. I'm grousing right now at all the work it takes to get ready but I guarantee I'll have a big smile on my face when I'm sitting in the sunshine next week!

~Oh...by the way...I do take my sewing machine and all the makings for my aprons with me.

~Check us out at http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/

2009-12-16T23:07:00.011-05:00

Merry Christmas
from
Cape Cod.
~Here it is, five days before Christmas, and I'm starting to stress about all I have yet to do. Had the mistaken assumption that once all was shipped....gifts, apron orders, etc., that I was done! Reality really smarts when it slaps you in the face. Eighteen plus inches of snow doesn't help a "last minute lizzie" either. All the shoveling done today will no doubt be drifted in tomorrow. I'll need Santa's sled complete with several very buff reindeer.
~Ah...but all the little kiddies must be happy, and that's what Christmas is all about. On the other hand...I'd still like to get my shopping, wrapping, baking and cooking done before Friday.
~Hoping that through all the stress of the season, you find the Santa Claus within you.

2009-12-05T21:10:00.007-05:00

By the Thousands...Every girl needs an apron!

~I noticed something interesting recently. When I first opened my etsy apron shop back in June of 2008, there were over four thousand aprons listed for sale. I thought that amount was astounding and wondered how on earth I'd ever sell anything with so much competition. But, I did. Fast forward to this past October, when I listed a few new aprons and noticed the number had climbed to over eight thousand! Yet, I sold five aprons in October and three in November. How does that happen? What leads a buyer to purchase something of mine when there are thousands of other choices? I can't figure it out. Plus....the way etsy works, when you first list an item, it shows up on the first page of all the listings in that category, where it can be seen by anyone who is searching for that item...in my case, aprons. Back in 2008, a new listing would usually stay on the first page for perhaps three four hours at least. (Once a listing goes off the first page, it's less likely to catch someone's eye. Ultimately, when it gets pushed back to some God forsaken page, it's doubtful that it will be seen at all.) The last time I listed an apron it only stayed on the first page for about forty five minutes, which I assume is attributable to the doubling of the total amount of aprons listed. So how is it that folks still seem to find my aprons and buy them? I mean, I think my aprons are unique and special and well priced. But, if I'm being truthful, there are a lot of other etsy sellers who make gorgeous aprons as well. It's a puzzlement.
~Friends and family know me as someone who can go on and on and on about something. When I was doing exactly that the other day about this subject, a friend who is also an etsy seller made the observation that there must be a huge market for the product if I can sell anything at all while competing with over eight thousand others. I'd call that positive thinking. Come to think of it, she's probably right. There is a vast world full of shoppers out there. Even in a reportedly bad economy, every girl needs a thirty dollar apron, doesn't she?
~Check us out at www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com

2009-11-26T13:34:00.012-05:00

Turkey Day in Ohio!!!

Turkey Day in Ohio....so much fun to be here this time of year. A big, old, brick house in the heart of Shaker Heights....the perfect background for a traditional Thanksgiving feast. Half of our family is here...the other half too far away to make the trip. Maui is impossible and even a trip from Vermont causes travel shivers with three little ones in tow.
We woke this morning to the aroma of "homemade from scratch" waffles. Son-in-law, Jeff has a recipe that is made the night before with yeast and all...the batter has bubbles in it come morning. Light on the inside and crunchy on the outside, they are like nothing I've ever tasted.
Prep work for dinner began immediately after we'd all feasted on that homey goodness. Potatoes, carrots, green beans, homemade cranberry sauce, creamed onions...all in the mix. We even got the teenagers outdoors to do a bit of raking. It's a very mild day here in Ohio.
Yesterday was the pie baking day. Daughter Beven makes the most delicious apple pie I've ever tasted. I had thought I was the queen in that department, but she has me beat. Grandpa (hubby) peeled and peeled and peeled. We all give him credit for our apple pie perfection because he cuts the apples in perfect pieces of equal size so they all cook the same. The pies looked sooooo good. (Look closely and you can see the steam coming out of the pie hole in one of the pictures.) Pumpkin pies are lined up as well, waiting for the whipped cream.

The turkey is behaving after several hours in the oven and looks to be ready on schedule. I'm getting hungry just smelling it.

There will be nine of us at the table for dinner and twelve for dessert. We play a game after dessert called 7/11. A fast paced game played with lots of goofy presents and a pair of dice. We laugh till we cry when we gather 'round the table for this bit of fun.

In addition to being incredibly thankful for my own wonderful family, I'm wishing you and yours a most wonderful Thanksgiving with all the blessings of the season.
And...tomorrow it's out the door to shop!!!!!!

2009-11-18T10:48:00.015-05:00

The truth about my apron business...

My husband occasionally asks me why I don't do more to promote my apron business. He often makes suggestions about cutting multiple aprons at once...sort of developing an assembly line...kinda, sorta. He has bigger ideas than I do. He sees things through the eyes of a manufacturing manager. Friends make suggestions, too. We have the kind of small town here that is mostly made up of little independent shops. There are several where my aprons would fit in perfectly. "Why don't you take a couple into some stores and see if you can put them on consignment? I'll bet you'd get a lot of orders for more!" I hear that a lot. I'm not complaining or criticizing. I'm flattered that folks close to me think I can do all those things. But, truth be told, I work in a small corner of our dining room and another small corner of one of our even smaller guest rooms. In the summer time, it's impossible to keep the ironing board up all day long lest our summer guest think I've got work in store for them rather than dinner. The little guest room,(the oldest room in this old house) serves as an open invitation in the summer for friends and family to come and stay and play in the Cape Cod sunshine. There are also toddlers around in the summer. My sewing center contains a lot of sharp objects....needles, scissors, seam rippers, you name it and it's there. All that stuff gets packed away during the warm sun bathing months. (We have a wonderful hospital here in Falmouth, but none of us likes visiting its emergency room.) Point of story? I can only sew when and where it's convenient. To be a bigger producer, I would need a dedicated space...a studio of sorts. Quiet...peace...you catch my drift.
When I was young, I had a little shop...a boutique and tea room where I sold the dresses I made and the pies I baked. With four kids and a husband to care for, I didn't have much spare time to sew. Hubby would often look at me in bewilderment as I'd start cutting out a dress at ten o'clock at night. On his way upstairs to retire, he'd look back and say, "Are you coming to bed tonight?" I had a lot of energy then, and I needed the late night space and the quiet time to create the things I'd think up in my head during the day at the shop. Often, I'd finish a dress at two or three AM, jump in the car and drive downtown to my shop and put it on the mannequin in the window, confident that more often than not, someone would see it the next morning while driving through town, park their car and come into the shop and buy it. Our local police on the night shift, would often stop by and chide me for making them nervous. A woman visibly alone in a big store window at that hour of the morning is a sitting duck for trouble. But, I never worried. Our little Connecticut town was pretty safe and I knew the men in blue watched out for me.
But this is almost thirty years later. I can't start sewing at ten o'clock at night anymore. I can hardly keep my eyes open till ten. And, I seem to get going slowly in the morning as well...which doesn't leave me that many hours in between to sew. Then there's the grocery shopping, meal prep, cleaning, laundry, phone calls, computer time, and all the other stuff that takes up time during the day. I feel lucky if I get a couple of aprons a week made! There's not much hope of developing an assembly line.
The final insult to the proposal of doing "more, more, more" is the mess. Since I sew in spaces that have a dual purpose, I absolutely must clean up my mess each and every day. No one wants to eat a nice dinner with the ironing board sitting alongside the table. Sewing gets messy. Threads, pieces of fabric, lint, needles and pins all wind up in places where they don't belong.
Although I love the fanfare and the horns blowing and all from my family and friends, the bottom line is that I'm not the energizer bunny. I can't sew any faster and I can't produce any more and continue to live life as a retiree. I design and sew at a pace that I can manage. Encouragement is always welcome and appreciated, but truth be told, reality wins out in the end.

Visit us on the worldwide web at http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/

2009-11-08T11:47:00.022-05:00

Old Wood...New Table!

Everybody is talking about recycling these days. But I think about recycling as being something more than just putting a plastic bin out for the recycle truck. I like the aspect of recycling where someone else makes use of something I'm getting rid of, i.e. yard sales, thrift stores and such. But, I also like recycling of a different kind. I think the new term for it is "repurposing." This is my first time joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch, http://www.betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/
to share my "repurposing" story for Metamorphisis Monday.
Our old house dates back to 1724. Oh, we've added on a garage and new living room and we've remodeled the kitchen and breakfast room. We still have enough projects here that need doing to last us a lifetime. Hubby says it's his retirement job. I agree. Not only do we both enjoy remodeling and recreating, but it's the best investment we could make living here on Old Cape Cod.
When we took up the old floors to redo the kitchen, some of the boards were over twenty inches wide. Many were rotted and in horrible condition. Not to be denied, I set out to sort through them and save a few. Hubby has already "repurposed" a few of the boards and made several items for our home out of the old wood.
Ahhh...but I can always think of something else. We needed a small table in our new kitchen/breakfast/tv room. Eating on our laps has proved to be detrimental to the furniture. I spill things. A lot of things. There are always crumbs around me when I eat on my lap. It's an easy but bad habit to develop...watching television and eating on one's lap...Nasty.
Fast forward to this morning when I got to photograph the new "pub" table hubby crafted out of a beautiful old, wide pine board (pictured above) that we salvaged from the original floors. It's a "Table for Two," and it fits perfectly under the double window that looks out onto our back yard and deck. The board turned out to be a beauty. After planing it down, the grain and knots stood out more clearly than I'd even imagined. Hubby has a way of making table legs that gives the illusion that they are chamfered. I don't know how he does it. I just know that I like it. We decided to paint the legs and base black to accentuate the top which was, after all, the crowning glory.
But...nothing ever goes completely smoothly in our house. I wanted to finish the table with a stain and tung oil finish. Hubby wanted to use polyurethane. This wasn't going to be an easy persuasion, because using tung oil finish requires more time and elbow grease than brushing on a coat of poly. With tung oil, you need about 5 coats at a minimum. Between each coat, you need to lightly rub it out with steel wool. There's not much "bang for your buck" with the first couple of coats as they don't appear to be doing anything. But, by the third, you start to see the soft glow of the wood coming out. The end result is a finish that doesn't look too shiny or like it's been coated at all. It just looks like beautiful, glowing old wood. I love it.
Anyway, after begging and pleading, I finally convinced hubby to try the tung oil. Now he's a convert and in total agreement that it reaps a most beautiful finish. I think you can see it in the pictures. I love, love, love it! It's perfect. We ate dinner last night, seated at the new table, on the antique chairs I purchased years ago for ten dollars each. It was nice. It also completes our new room. I'd been switching things around in that space in front of the window, but up until now, nothing seemed right. The new table is perfect. Really perfect. And because it's a piece of the history of this old house, it's even more perfect.

As usual, I'm working on a new apron. Check it out at
http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/
And...for the record...I love it when you leave me a comment.

2009-11-05T14:50:00.012-05:00

Where'd everything go???

Traffic was light, the sky was clear, the sun was shining, and the book on tape was great. All this on the drive to Wrenthem yesterday to visit With Heart and Hand. http://www.withheartandhand.net/ The shop is actually in the little town of Norfolk, just across the line from Wrenthem MA. We almost passed it. Haven't been there in four or five years, I guess. My memory was of an old building with a front porch filled with country wares, bittersweet, rocking chairs and the like. Yesterday, there was only a mannequin out front sporting a hat and shawl. I thought we were in the wrong place. But up the steps I went. Once inside, I recognized the owner who was surrounded by lovely displays of silver jewelry, beautiful handbags and gorgeous shawls and jackets. What's up with this? Not what I was expecting. I trekked upstairs to the loft looking for their formerly huge stock of fabrics. To my shock and surprise, the loft was full small wares, quilts, lampshades and odds 'n ends on sale. Although their website says, "over 500 bolts of homespun, decorator weight, toile and crewel fabrics," only a small stash of fabric bolts was visible. My heart sank. After chatting with one of the owners, I learned that the store has been going through some of the aches and pains of other small businesses so changes had been made. With Heart and Hand still makes custom curtains, table runners and the like. But the bolts of cotton civil war prints, homespuns, and fabrics so unique, I just could not find them anywhere else were gone. I sadly picked out two prints from what was left and bought enough of each for four new aprons. Back downstairs, I ventured into the rear of the shop where the furniture displays had always been. (The rear of the shop is actually a 200 year old house.) I was relieved to see a high back Sheraton love seat and several wing back chairs upholstered in familiar colonial fabrics. A huge, pine, dining table was flanked with black Windsor chairs and decorated with greens and Christmas fancy. Lots of reproduction cupboards all decked out and beautiful Christmas trees with ornaments so pretty, I was hesitant to take any of them off to purchase. I found a treenware bowl for the new table that hubby is making and a good stash of the new, 3 watt candle light bulbs that I use in our windows at home. But I couldn't hide my disappointment over the change in the front room. Most of the space was taken up with boutique items. Turns out, the shop is doing as well selling scarves and jewelry as they once did selling primitive and colonial wares. The juxtaposition of the two eras in one building was a bit disconcerting to say the least. Thankfully, Linda of Behind My Red Door http://www.behindmyreddoor.blogspot.com/ had tipped me off earlier that morning in a blog comment, that With Heart and Hand was not what it once was. So, I was somewhat prepared but still terribly disappointed.
Not to be denied, hubby and I had lunch next door at the Eagle Brook Saloon. Now there's a place that hasn't changed a bit. It really feels like an old time saloon inside. Lunch was terrific so we ended the day on a high note.
This was not the first time I've been surprised and somewhat disappointed by either a drastic change or a complete closing of a favorite shop. I guess all good things must come to an end. But, I'm running out of places to go!! More online shopping is in order.
On a happier side, I finished an apron that I just adore. The fabric, as you can see, is a gorgeous shade of Ochre. It looks very old fashioned so I added a row of tiny pleated ruffles across the top of the bib. I think it's the sweetest apron I've made yet. Click on the picture for a closer look and check it out in detail at http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/

2009-11-02T21:16:00.004-05:00

Lighting Update....

The day after I wrote my earlier post, the new light fixture arrived. It's up and we're enjoying the nice, soft glow it casts on the wall. I'm using a small, seven watt candle bulb that seems perfect. The fixture is simple and not too big for the space. (Hubby said to try and pick out something that wouldn't get in the way of bringing things up and down the narrow staircase.) Thought I'd ad a little bittersweet for a touch of color.

Finished a new apron today. I'll put it up online as soon as it's photographed. We're taking a road trip on Wednesday to Wrenthem MA to visit With Heart & Hand, www.withheartandhand.net one of my favorite shops. They have the most extraordinary selection of fabrics. Really unique things, among them....homespun cottons, silk scrim and the most unusual cotton prints I've seen anywhere. Hoping to find several choice pieces for my aprons and perhaps some homespuns for making pillows and curtains for our old house. Heart & Hand has always featured a couple of rooms of primitive furniture and decorative items as well. Keeping fingers crossed that it's still the case, since I haven't visited in a few years. I'll let you know!

In the meantime: http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/

2009-10-28T10:19:00.017-04:00

"That's the most awful book cover I've seen in a long time."

Yup...when I brought home this book, my husband looked at the picture on the cover and said, "That's the most awful book cover photo I've seen in a long time." I gasped...not in agreement, but in surprise because I was attracted to the book for the very reason that I loved the cover photo so much! I am one of those odd folks who is drawn to the forlorn, downtrodden, and paint deprived. I love the evidence of years and years of use. I love worn surfaces, chipped paint, and especially those wide, wide boards that you only find in a truly old structure. For some odd reason, I always think I can make ugly stuff look good again. And...as much as my hubby doth protest, I can't imagine either of us being happy living in a brand new structure anymore. We've both become accustomed to the nuances of an old space.
But back to the staircase. The photo on the front of the book in question reminded me of the bottom steps of our own staircase here at home. It's directly off the kitchen and it leads up to our bedroom and bathroom on the second floor. During the remodel of our kitchen, the bottom four stairs had to be removed and completely rebuilt in a very customized manner. At one point, we had to climb a ladder to reach the remaining steps in order to get up to our bedroom at night(see photo)! The replacement left us with four bottom steps constructed of plywood that didn't look all that great. Ah....but my hubby can come up with some ingenious ideas when he wants to. Noticing some 1/4 inch thick material at our local Lowes Home Improvement store, he devised a plan to basically encapsulate the plywood steps with hardwood. It took a lot of intricate cutting which just happens to be his forte'. Once the boards were cut and in place, he glued them and nailed them, sanded and stained them. The beadboard wainscoting was something that came out of my brain, to solve the problem of adding trim between the new steps and the wall. Out of a necessity of sorts, came a decorating success. I absolutely love the way the wainscoting looks and it serves a good purpose as well, protecting the wall from scrapes and dings.
Now if that danged primitive light fixture I ordered would arrive, I could show you a good view with proper lighting!
Also...check out some new aprons at my online shop.... http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/

2009-10-21T11:04:00.007-04:00

You just never know what you're gonna see along Surf Drive in Falmouth in the morning!

I posted this picture on my facebook recently and it seemed to trigger a lot of response. So...I thought I'd share it with my blog friends.

A sentiment of holiness is visible on the Cape each autumn when this group of nuns from New York pay a visit. They stay in a cottage across from the beach on Surf Drive. Surf Drive is the beach road that's on my morning bike route so I see them each day for two weeks. Two of them regularly sit in chairs on the beach, right in the sand, facing out toward the Vineyard. It is a sight to behold.
On this particular morning, I hurriedly rode back home to get my camera. Since hubby was just about to depart on his daily ride (no...we don't ride together...he goes way to far for me) I asked him to take the camera and snap a shot of them. But,by the time he got back, they had retreated to the deck. It's been very windy for the time of year, so I imagine they just didn't last long on the beach. Seeing them sitting out in the morning sun, reading scripture, (is that what they're reading?...who knows?) always gives me a good feeling. I like that they come to my little place in the world to spend what must be their vacation time each year. They often smile and wave. I'm certain they know they are a novelty in an environment that is normally filled with bikini clad girls, sun tanned kids, runners, bikers and the usual summer vacation lot. Maybe that's why they visit in the fall. Things are quieter. Most of the people out and about now are year 'rounders. The nuns seem to fit in even though they never quite lose their novelty. You just never know what you're going to see along Surf Drive in the morning. (Be sure to click on the picture to see it close up and personal.)
One of my facebook friends wrote that her preacher always says, "If you can't find God then go to the beach. He's always there." So be it!

2009-10-18T19:22:00.005-04:00

Dreary...rainy...cold.

A surefire recipe for cooking up cozy. It's only October 18th, but it feels like December on this dreary, rainy, cold day. It's actually snowing not far from here in Foxboro where
our beloved Patriots are having a romp over the Tennessee Titans. The Titans obviously aren't accustomed to playing football in such weather. But we New Englanders are always ready for anything.
I felt like cooking today. I felt like baking. And...I even felt like putting the little candle lights in the windows. A bit early, I'll admit. But why not? Halloween is just around the corner and our house sits back a bit from the street. The little window lights make it seem more welcoming. And I love the way they look and feel now that we lose the daylight so early. So, I did it. The neighbors might talk and my husband thinks I'm crazy. But the little lights make me feel happy. So be it.
Didn't finish the apron I started because I got sidetracked with the lights. There are twenty of them to put up and they all have to be checked out each year for dead bulbs, broken wires, etc. Pay us a visit anyway, if you haven't lately, at http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/

An adorable new red batik apron that I made yesterday is up on the site.

2009-10-15T08:12:00.010-04:00

Get up and get going!!

Seems like every morning, just as I'm waking up, I say to myself, "C'mon, Joanne. Get out the scissors and fabric and the ironing board and start sewing. You've been waiting all summer for some sewing time." But it's hard to convince myself to stay indoors on these beautiful fall days.
We spent the Columbus Day weekend in Vermont with our oldest daughter and her three little ones. It's a very lively household up there, especially compared to the laid back lifestyle we enjoy now in our retirement years. Once back home, I took a bewildered look at the many projects on my list and decided to get back in the groove of sewing....but not until after I took apart and put away all the summer furniture on the back deck, did three loads of laundry, ran some errands, and cut and sewed a new ironing board cover. Always makes me grumpy when I start a sewing project, only to discover that my ironing board, (which gets a lot of use), has a big rip in the cover, right in the most important spot. (It's like when you rip your pants in the crotch.) Can't properly sew anything unless the iron and board are in tip top shape.
Making a new cover took me over an hour, for some unknown reason. Guess I'm getting slow. I always try to make my covers in some sort of fabric that corresponds with my living room decor, since the only place I have to iron in this old house is in the living room. Fortunately, the red toile fabric that I've been using to cover it recently, blends in with our pillows and couch upholstery so it doesn't stick out like a sore thumb when it's set up during the day.
Anyway...after all this delay, I ended up with two new aprons. One is constructed out of a beautiful Amy Butler fabric called "Lacework in Olive." Amy Butler fabrics are especially gorgeous, not only in color and design but in the quality of the fabric, as well. This fabric is a dark brown with lush greens and a touch of pink. I named it "Chocolata Cutie."
Styled with our trademark baby-doll pleats at the bodice and a deep, fully lined pocket, Chocolata Cutie is your party apron. It's dressy and just a bit fancy, with its pleated ruffle on the pocket and it's polka dot ribbon trim. Chocolata Cutie is edged in a soft sage green polka dot that is the body of the other new apron I sewed. That one is named, "Sage Dottie." It's also sewn in our exclusive Aprons Gone Wild design with subtle baby-doll pleats at the bodice. You can see the fit of the baby-doll styling on our model, Emily, by visiting our online shop at www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com
Sage Dottie is trimmed in the same brown Amy Butler Lacework in Olive fabric that our Chocolata Cutie apron is sewn in.
Two new, very pretty aprons. I feel accomplished today!

http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/

2009-10-06T20:44:00.012-04:00

Sweet and red and juicy.

That's the only way to describe my cherry tomatoes. I love my tomatoes. My cute little cherry tomatoes. Still producing here on October 7th. Still providing a hearty snack for hubby and me. They are firm and ripe and pop in your mouth when you eat them. Delicious. Pretty. Healthy. Love them.
I put in only one plant each year because one plant produces just enough for us. Hate to think of myself running around the neighborhood, trying to hand off an excess of tomatoes. Just enough is just enough. I dig a small hole each summer near the outside wall of the outdoor shower and put in just one little plant. It grows and intertwines with the honeysuckle vine that grows upward. The vine suitably holds up the entire plant which makes me very happy because there's no need for one of those unsightly wire cones or even a stake to hold up the plant. You almost don't even know it's there. Nature does the job. I love it!
When the tiny little cherries start producing, they are near at hand. Each morning, after I enjoy my sunny, fresh aired outdoor shower, I pick a handful and bring them indoors, setting them out on a little dish on top of our counter. Some are still not quite ripe, but they turn a deep red quickly indoors. (And yes, I'm still enjoying the outdoor shower even on October 7th. It's still beautiful and sunny and warm out there.)
I fear the tomato windfall will end soon. The nights are beginning to chill here on Cape Cod and it's getting dark earlier and earlier each afternoon. Tomatoes need sunlight and warmth.
But, I'll not complain. This year's crop has been outstanding. I just love my tomatoes.
In between gathering tomatoes, I'm sewing some new aprons for
my etsy shop. Check us out at
http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/

2009-09-29T18:22:00.006-04:00

I'm on a roll....
Got the front porch deck scraped, sanded and painted over the weekend.
Entertained old friends we hadn't seen in 12 years. Cut out two aprons. Sewed up one.
Sold another from my etsy online shop. Cooked a pot roast. Celebrated my birthday.
And, took a nap. Whew.
Finished the porch painting and it looks great. Putting the paint on isn't the problem. It's the gut wrenching, agonizing, grunt work of digging those little pesky rocks out that get wedged in between the boards. (Check out "before" picture.) You see...I insisted on a driveway surface that reflected the age of our old house...somewhat. Blacktop just didn't cut it. We settled on something called "chip seal." That's a technique where they hide the black top underneath layers of loose stone...so all you see is the stone. It's the closest thing to having a good old fashioned dirt driveway, which is what we found awaiting us when we bought this house twenty years ago. I loved the way it looked with it's lush green grass median going down the middle. But...it was dusty and got lots of puddles when it rained. So we opted for the chip seal. It looks good. But there was unknown danger lurking. Those little stones get lodged in the bottom of sneakers, work boots and any other type of shoe sole that has spaces. They get picked up, delivered and perfectly planted on the porch and ultimately get pressed into the spaces between the boards. It's a nightmare. Scraping the peeling paint was a cinch compared to digging out those stones. You'd have thought they were glued in there. Yet...with cooperative weather and fast drying paint, I finished the job on schedule.
It looks so nice and clean and crisp now. Too bad it's the end of the porch sitting season. We call ourselves, "the porch sitters," because we spend so much time out there during the nice weather months.
Not that I'm finished with all my outdoor painting, I'm back to the sewing machine. Dragged
out all my fabric and cut out two really pretty aprons. They'll be ready for my etsy
shop in a day or two. Have to package up and ship an apron to Alaska tomorrow. It always
amazes me how people come from out of the blue and buy my aprons. It seems like the majority of our online sales are to people who live in places like Wyoming, Utah, and Wisconsin. This is my first Alaska sale. What fun!
Check out my etsy shop at www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com

2009-09-21T07:44:00.013-04:00

Fini!

Finished painting the pergola...(per·go·la (pûrg-l) noun...an arbor or a passageway of columns supporting a roof of trellis work on which climbing plants are trained to grow...Sure hope the pink roses grow back. It was a rather dramatic beheading. But there's a sign of life sprouting on the tip. (See pic of stump.)The pretty fence in the background actually belongs to our next door neighbors. They designed it in such a way so as not to make us feel entombed. One problem...it's right on top of the pergola. Not much room for a gal like me to fit a ladder in between to paint the backside. The choices were...(1.) the neighbors get to look at peeling paint or...(2.)I figure out a way to get in there and up there. Looked around the garage at all the objects hanging and noticed a very small, very old, very wooden 3 step ladder. Remembered that I had picked it up at the dump one day from the "Pick of the Litter" building. That's a spot at our local landfill where you can bring useful things and take useful things as long as you don't make a mess and the things are in good order of sorts.The adorable little ladder fit perfectly in between the space and was the absolutely perfect height for me to reach the top of the beast. So now, it's done. All white and pretty. I'm pleased and impressed with myself.
On Sunday, I began the not quite as easy task of scraping the front porch deck to prepare it for painting. Those nasty little stones from the driveway get wedged in between the boards and make much work for old knees. Did a "shout out" for my padded knee garden pants. Perfect. They're such a clever design. Little pockets in the knees where you slip in little, square foam rubber pads. You can take them out to launder the pants and then just put them in again. Genius!
This project will take some time. Once it's finished, I'm done for the season. It'll be back inside to sew. My etsy shop needs more stock in preparation for the
holidays. Lots of cute aprons and tops listed now, but we need more. Check us
out at http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/

2009-09-16T12:10:00.012-04:00

16.5 miles? No way!

Yes way. I did it. Hubby asked me to to go for a looooong bike ride with him on the new extension to the Shining Sea Bikeway. That's our gorgeous bike trail here in Falmouth. It's a big part of why so many folks choose this lovely little town for their spring, summer and fall getaways. My favorite part (and my daily ride) goes along the beach. But the new extension goes all the way to N. Falmouth and passes alongside some beautiful scenery; cranberry bogs, horse trails and even stop offs for a bite to eat. It's the latter that was the way hubby convinced me to ride for 16 miles. At the far end of our ride, there is an old, Falmouth establishment called "The Old Silver Lounge." (See picture of hubby in front wearing Hawaiian shirt inappropriate for bike riding .) It's a restaurant that's steeped in old Cape Cod flavor, from the huge pine beams to the real locomotive caboose that's attached and is part of the dining area. Kids just love eating in there. There's also the lure of Uncle Bill's Country Store, filled with candles, jewelry, antiques and all sorts of things. It's attached to the restaurant on the opposite end of the caboose. (You can enter the country store directly from the restaurant...a cruel trick played on unsuspecting husbands.) Anyway, the promise, so to speak, was that we could stop off at The Old Silver Lounge and have lunch. My nature is to make a party out of every situation, so stopping for lunch and a cold draft beer sounded festive enough to get me to agree to the long ride.
It was a picture perfect day yesterday and the scenery along the ride was as promised...absolutely beautiful. At one point, with cranberry bogs and dunes in the foreground, you can see the waters of Buzzard's Bay in the distance. (See picture where I look fat.) As familiar as we are with all parts of Falmouth, we had difficulty figuring out just where we were at times...passing under bridges, crossing private roads and the like. Then..all of a sudden, we'd see a familiar landmark and settle down knowingly. The end of the first leg was rewarding as promised. The best Reuben sandwich I've ever eaten and a cold mug of Coors light. Very, very nice.
The ride back seemed easier. I'm always better when I know what to expect. I don't like surprises. I felt more comfortable knowing the crossroads and having a sense of the distance. The trail was sparsely populated with bikers yesterday, but there were enough so as not to feel alone. We even came upon our local FedEx driver who was taking a ride on his lunch hour. He's a peach of a guy and we just love him. Reggie rode all the way back with us and we chatted it up along the way making the return leg go by quickly.
I'm limping around today. 16.5 miles is a lot for me. My legs and other parts of my body that I won't mention are hurting. But, it was fun and I'm happy we did it. Hard to think that my husband rides that distance every day. Good for him. But, I'll stick to my 3.5 mile ride along the beach, even though I don't get anything to eat at the end.
I'll stop goofing off at the end of the week and get back to the sewing machine. In the meantime, don't forget to check out our etsy shop at http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/
We've got some really pretty aprons and tops.

2009-09-14T16:48:00.009-04:00

What the heck?

Where'd the sunshine go? And it's dark at 6 o'clock! Turning myself inside
out trying to get the hang of it not being summer anymore. Even the mailman asked me this morning, "Where did everyone go?" He had become accustomed to greeting us on the front porch each day when he brought the mail...(we are addicted to having our morning coffee out there.) He'd even have a dog biscuit in his pocket for the visiting Lab, Max. What a guy. But...that's suddenly all over. Seems like the doors & windows are closed
and the TV is always on. It signals "being inside," which I don't like.
In order to force the summer to last longer, I've committed myself to scraping and painting our pergola. It's usually covered with pink roses, but this year, the roses suffered some sort of a blight so we've cut both vines down to the quick. Alas...that exposed the awful condition
of the paint so here I go again. Scraping and painting. Not my favorite job. I'm almost wishing it was a rainy day so I would be tempted to stay indoors and sew. I hate painting! But I'm doing it. (See...Old lady painting. Looks like the old lady needs a work-out with the weights on her arms.) I'll show you the finished product when it's done.

I guess the sewing will have to wait for the moment. This is turning
out to be more of a job than I'd thought!

Check us out at http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/

2009-09-05T20:53:00.009-04:00

It's often stressful for me to fill special orders when I'm making aprons...

Everyone has a different idea of what they like or want and it's impossible for me to read minds. (At least, I can't do it anymore since I passed retirement age.) So, special orders are always stressful for me. Usually someone says, "Can you just make something blue, or green, etc., with a little of this and a bit of that, and maybe some ruffles?" and so on and so forth. It always sounds more simple than it turns out to be. I much prefer to just make something from my own imagination and hope that someone will like it and want to buy it. Special orders always take longer, cost more to make and are rarely profitable.
Not so with the most recent one. A friend I met in Florida, who has bought several aprons from me, asked if I would make something sort of fancy for a relative's birthday. She gave me a general idea of what she wanted but didn't get too specific....so I was able to use my own thought process and pick out fabric and a design that I was comfortable making. I'm really happy with the way it looks.

I started with a very nice, smooth black cotton polka dot fabric which I cut in a similar fashion to my original baby-doll design, but without the little pleats at the bodice. Inspired by the previous half aprons you saw in my last post, I added a row of ruffled pleats across the bib along with some sheer, organza polka dot ribbon. I gave the same treatment to the pocket edge and then gave both areas a special touch with tiny crystal beads. It looks dressy, yet sophisticated. I'm pleased as punch. Take a peek. (If you click on the picture, you'll get a closer view.)
Beautiful, beautiful Labor Day Weekend here on the Cape. Lots of folks in town for a last hurrah. There's a big tent wedding at the Beach Breeze Inn down the street. We can hear the music as we sit on our front porch. A nice way to end the season.
Check us out on the web at http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/

2009-08-29T21:01:00.011-04:00

Finally got down to business and turned on the sewing machine.
I had to spend quite a bit of time looking through my fabric, reacquainting myself with each piece, since I haven't done any sewing to speak of, all summer. The yellow and black prints that I chose for "Aren't I Just So Pretty?" were initially purchased to make blouses. But I wasn't in a blousy mood, so we now have two new half aprons at www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com
The little pleats on the pocket edge of "Aren't I Just So Pretty?" were inspired by Teresa Porter's headboard bench cover that she recently hand sewed for The Lettered Cottage's Layla Palmer. I was in awe of Teresa's workmanship and wanted to try making pleats myself. You can see Teresa's bench cover either at her blog cherrycheckers.blogspot.com or at Layla's blog, theletteredcottage.com.
Back to the apron; I love the bumble bee color combination of this fabric. It's really striking. The apron has a nice long sash, and the pocket is deep and generous with reinforced edges to prevent tearing. (Don't you hate how the pockets on aprons always are the first part to go?) I always name my aprons whatever comes into my mind when I look at them finished for the first time. I swear I heard this apron ask me, "Aren't I just so pretty?" Hence, the name.
You can see more pictures of "Aren't I just so pretty." along with lot of other aprons and tops at apronsgonewild.etsy.com

2009-08-20T20:46:00.005-04:00

Finally got the "Emily" photos loaded on my apronsgonewild.etsy.com shop.....

Viewing my aprons on Emily instead of on a lifeless mannequin is like the difference between night and day; especially the aprons with the little head scarves. I had wondered about them after I made them. Seemed like a neat idea at the time. You know...keep your hair out of your eyes and out of your recipe. But...after I made them, I began to wonder. The ditty bags are always a hit and customers seem to really like them and find all sorts of uses for them. But, I hadn't had much feedback about the head scarves.

Well...putting one of those little triangles on Emily was all I needed for feedback. I think you'll agree...it looks adorable. She looks sort of like a little French maiden. I have to keep in mind that absolutely everything looks terrific on Emily, but seeing her in the apron with the matching scarf renewed my conviction that the head scarf is an attractive and useful addition.

I posted two new aprons today that are not pictured here. One is in an Amy Butler cotton and the other in a pretty turquoise batik. As soon as I get caught up with the house and the yard (post road race) I'll click on the sewing machine and start getting busy. I've got some great new fabrics that I can't wait to transform.

Check us out at http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/

2009-08-13T20:49:00.006-04:00

Our annual summer event is over.

The Falmouth Road Race of 2009 has come and gone. It was a glorious, sunny day...not too hot for the runners. We only had 6 running from our group of family and friends this year, but they represented us well. Our oldest grandchild ran for the first time and he was amazing! The race is 7.1 miles long and began 37 years ago when three local guys were at a bar in nearby Woods Hole. Because that bar was closing they ran 7.1 miles to another bar in Falmouth Heights that was open for another hour or two. Somehow, that silly event evolved into an international road race with prizes of $10,000 to $15,000 for the winners.

The race draws famous names, including former Olympians like Joan Benoit. Our home just happens to be at the 4.5 mile mark along the race route and we take full advantage of that. Son-in-law, Johnny, rigs up a sound system that rivals even the loudest rock band. Another member of our group does a terrific job with a wireless microphone, calling out runners as they pass, and whooping up the crowd. When the race is over, we celebrate with our very own Uncle Frank's famous sausage grinders and an assortment of other delicious dishes. We even have Aruban Pistache.
Our annual Famouth Road Race party has become a family reunion, of sorts. It's that day of year when everyone is welcome. Friends and family come from near and far and with a bit of luck, we even get in a few hours at the beach. The day always ends the same way...a big fire in the fire pit with everyone gathered around for singing and smores. Not a bad way to celebrate the waning days of summer.
In the midst of all this, I did take some apron pictures with Emily modeling. I'll be posting them to my etsy shop as soon as all our road race guests depart. In the meantime, check us out at apronsgonewild.etsy.com

2009-07-25T22:35:00.005-04:00

It's fire pit time.

I've been looking at old pictures, reminiscing about our summer fires...one of our most enjoyable past times during the warm evenings of July and August. Those nights call for a blazing fire, a soft guitar and smores. There's even an outdoor movie now and then. We acquired our copper fire pit about 10 years ago when hubby gave it to me as a birthday gift. It owns a lot of dents now, and the shiny copper color is no longer, but it still serves us well each and every summer. The nice thing about a portable fire pit is just that...it's portable. We can have a fire wherever we want. Every August, on the evening after the road race, we move the fire pit out to the big area in front of the house where we have lots of room for lots of people. It's always the perfect ending to a perfect day.

The Falmouth road race now draws over 10,000 runners each year. We usually have eight or nine running from our group of family and friends. When the race is over, we all celebrate for the rest of the day with great food, music and a lot of laughter. As much fun as the day is, everyone really looks forward to the evening when we all sit around a beautiful fire with the little ones toasting marshmallows for smores. There's quite a bit of talent in our group. A good fire inevitably brings out the guitars and and a song fest ensues. This year's road race is only two weeks away. I'd better get busy.
Even though I've been bad, bad, bad about sewing aprons, do check out my etsy shop at apronsgonewild.etsy.com
I've got two new ones that will be posted this week.

2009-07-18T09:02:00.006-04:00

No complainin' today.

We've had a good stretch of sunny weather. I almost welcome the rain this morning. I won't have to water the flowers. Our Queen Victoria's plume, pictured here, is moist and full on this dewy day.

Not much to report since last time. I'm still a bum in the sewing department. My etsy customers must think I've abandoned my shop. It's just not the right environment around here in the summertime, to haul out all my fabrics and trims, etc. in order to cut and sew some new items. I need quiet time to be creative. I dragged everything out one day last week and before I got to even sew a seam, daughter Joanne called about going to the beach and that was the end of it. Hard to stay indoors and sew while the sun is shining and the beach is calling. Of course....off I went, leaving the scissors and thread and sewing machine abandoned.
We lost a dear friend this past weekend. She was 89 so those who came to honor her life essentially were a gathering of friends who hadn't seen each other for a long time. It was actually fun to catch up. Just the kind of environment that Isabelle loved herself. Going back to Connecticut is always like a reunion of sorts for us. It's where we spent the big chunk of our lives when we raised our four children, so there are a lot of attachments and reminders.

I am sitting here this gray, drizzly morning writing this, listening to the fog horn. Not sure why I love the sound because it inevitably means no sunshine! But, it keeps me focused and reminds me of how close the water's edge is. Being near the water is something I never take for granted. It's like nourishment to me. When I don't have it, I feel starved. I remember the three years we spent living near Chicago when hubby transferred for his job. I felt as if I'd been dropped in a hole. The neighborhood where we lived had a community swimming pool but it was always crowded and noisy. The nearest thing to water for me was Lake Michigan. It's so enormous that it almost comes close to feeling like the ocean, but not quite. We bought a small sail boat and trucked it to the big lake each and every weekend to get our "fix," so to speak. But, I never quite felt right. The droning sound of that fog horn on mornings like this certifies that I am truly home now. And home this time, is in a truly spectacular place. Sooner or later, I'll get back to making aprons. In the meantime, check us out at http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/

2009-07-08T11:26:00.005-04:00

After several gorgeous summer days here...
we are back to the rain and drizzle. But...we did get in two days at the beach. Daughter Patti visited from Vermont with her three little ones, so we felt blessed by the warm sunshine and balmy breezes. A spectacular show of fireworks with a bird's eye view from the shore topped off our July 4th. Having young feet around is a trip. We never know what to expect next. When one is relaxed and wanting some quiet time, another one is wired and wants to play tag. I now know where the meaning of "never a dull moment" came from. Must have been someone with lots of young children. Of course, they are all so adorable you could eat them. The house will be quiet now for at least a few weeks. The teenagers don't make much noise. They are either working, facebooking, texting or sleeping. Oh...I forgot eating. They are always eating. But they are quite independent and don't ask for much. I try to maintain my "summer rules" about keeping their rooms in order. Sometimes they fail, but for the most part, they try to keep things reasonably neat.
I plan to get back to the sewing machine now that the house is quieter. I've been a complete failure since we got back from Florida. It just seems that there is always so much work to do on the house. Hard to find time to sew. My apron stock is sorely depleted. Meanwhile, the outside of the house trim, fences, decks, etc. all need painting. Hubby is limited this summer because of his back. However, his exercises are making him stronger and he's been able to do a lot more than he had anticipated.
I found two interesting "deals" recently. The Sheraton chair pictured here, I found on Craig's list for $30 while I was looking for sofa. The ladder back chair was at a yard sale for $5. It looks very old, partly because the seat is quite low. I've learned that the height of the seat is a good clue as to the vintage of a chair. People were shorter generations ago. Most of the furniture from the 1700s and 1800s is of a much smaller scale and height. Both chairs have very sound rushing on the seats. Replacing the seats in chairs of that age is costly and the major reason why people sell the chairs rather than fix them. For that reason, I felt fortunate to get them for next to nothing. The fact that they are black was an added bonus. I use a lot black in decorating our home because I find it is a grounding color that accentuates everything else.

I hope this will be the last post I write that doesn't feature a new apron. I'm determined to have something new added to my etsy shop to show you next time. Until then, check us out to see what we have at www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com

2009-06-28T09:22:00.004-04:00

How do you feel when you open a blog....

and all of a sudden, loud music starts to play? Depends on where your volume is
set I guess...but this morning, when I opened a blog that I frequently read, I nearly jumped out of my chair. Like a shot in the head, out of the blue, music began playing...really loud music. I couldn't hit the volume button fast enough. Not a good thing. Sometimes I think the blog world affords us too many creative additions to our little pages with points of view.
As for me...I like to view blogs that feature pictures of the insides and outsides of the author's home. I love all kinds of decor and admire folks who can put a room together with style. I could absolutely stare at the pictures on "Between Naps on the Porch" all day long. This blog has amazing photos of the author's beautiful enclosed porch that is set up for year 'round using. Love it, love it, love it! She has also taken her readers into her bedroom as well as other areas of her home. All are an inspiration...especially to a reader who loves decor. And, there's no music!
I've posted a picture today of our "old house" dining room. We have an odd sort of fireplace, but it was the thing that warmed my heart when we first looked inside this old place. Years ago, one of the neices of the former owner stopped by. She had spent her summers here and was building a summer house of her own on the other side of town. She wanted to photograph the fireplace so she could replicate it in her own place. I guess our humble fireplace "spoke" to her as well.
I'll not whine today about the weather. We had one glorious beach day yesterday, but this morning, we're back to cloudy, dreary skies. It's hard to comprehend.
Now that my Emily is here, I'm hoping to get some pictures of her modeling my aprons and tops. In the meantime, check us out
at apronsgonewild.etsy.com to see what we have to offer.

2009-06-24T10:08:00.002-04:00

Well...it's still raining.
Heard a weather report this morning that said Cape Cod has only seen two full days of sun since
June 2nd. How's that for depressing? Our daughter and her family arrived from Ohio last week,
expecting to be spending our visit sitting in the sun at the beach. Instead, we've been stuck
in the house, eating and playing board games and napping, while the rain pelts against the windows and leaves branches and whatnot blown around messing up the deck and front porch. Yikes!
This morning, I couldn't sleep so I got up before 6am and took advantage of the break in the rain to sweep the water and debris off the decks, pick up the yard a bit and just feel fresh air on my face. I'm not an indoor person. Not an athlete, or anything like that. I just like fresh air in my face. I like to have the doors and windows open, sensing the outside air. I love sunshine. It's probably why I enjoy our four months in Florida each year. Just about every morning while we're down there, I wake up to bright sunshine. When I open the front door to get the morning paper, the sun warms my face. People are out walking their dogs, smiling, enjoying the warm salty breeze that comes off the ocean.
That's often the scene here on the Cape in the summertime. But even though June is never a really warm month here, it's hardly ever this dreary and rainy. None of our outdoor painting projects have even begun. Luckily, I got the back deck sanded and painted before this streak of rain hit. I have a hard time finding a time to mow the lawn and even when it's stopped raining long enough to do the job, the grass is always wet and heavy, making bagging a real effort. Whine, whine, whine. Maybe I need wine, wine, wine.
I've also been waiting for some nice weather to photograph our granddaughter, Emily, in some of the aprons and tops I made while in Florida this winter. Things always seem to sell better when Emily is modeling them. Three more aprons went out of my etsy shop this past month, all as gifts to women in Aruba! Since they were delivered, I've noticed some Aruba visits to the blog site. Hopefully that means the recipients are reading the info on the tags we place on every apron.
I've recently subscribed to a magazine I first noticed at my hairdresser's place. It's called, "Lucky." The sweetest clothes are featured. I think it will help keep me up to date as to what's in style and what buyers are looking for in this market. Lots of great separates put together as outfits with .com addresses to almost all the places for purchasing.
Hope you'll check out Lucky magazine and check out our etsy shop as well, at apronsgonewild.etsy.com

2009-06-14T13:40:00.006-04:00

I've been a flop this week.
I'm usually full of plans and ideas, but this week, I'm just flopping around. I'm getting sick of hearing myself complain about the gray skies and almost constant drizzle outdoors. But, each morning, when I wake up, I just want to roll over and go back to sleep....no incentive to jump out of bed and start my day. I like it when the sun lights up our bedroom early in the morning. On those days, I lie in bed for a few minutes and think about my day, going through all the steps of all the things I want to do. But, on these dreary, drizzly mornings, the only incentive to get up is the thought of that first cup of coffee.
I had a nice email today from a shop owner here on Cape Cod. She was inquiring about aprons, but I was most delighted to learn about her shop location...a place I know well. "Yummy Goods," as it's called, is located in a really neat old building in W. Barnstable. There is an old fashioned General Store that's been there as long as I can remember. Yummy Goods is next door in the same building in the spot of the former post office. When I checked out the Yummy Goods blog, I learned that an upcoming movie scene was being filmed there recently. Named, "The Lightkeepers," it stars Richard Dreyfus, Blythe Danner and Martin Scheen. Cool.
I've got some really nice fabrics to work with in the next few weeks. Always a tough decision as to whether to make aprons or blouses. I guess I'll let each piece of fabric dictate its future.
Check us out at apronsgonewild.etsy.com for some really cute aprons like the one Emily is wearing here.

2009-06-05T12:18:00.004-04:00

Rain, Rain, Go Away....

Please go away and come again some other day. I'm sick of you!! I know we need the rain for the lawn and the flowers and all that, but I need some sunshine. The sky is so gloomy and cloudy. Everything outside is wet...the picnic table, the chairs, the grill, the benches. Even the flowers are wet. I brought in a bouquet of lilacs yesterday to put in the guest rooms for our daughter and a friend who were visiting. Had to dry them out with paper towels before I could even arrange them.

We had a wonderful dinner last night. Mashed potatoes, London Broil, baked beans and a big salad. Sometimes, the simplest menu is the best menu. Topped it off with a carrot cake. My stomach still felt full when I woke up this morning.

I've been doing a lot of cleaning lately and therefore haven't been doing much sewing. So, I'm going to share some cleaning tips. We use a several products here that aren't well known. Three of them have been recommendations by friends who watch the Home Shopping Network and QVC. Since we're all supposedly trying to eliminate use of potentially toxic cleaning products, I can highly recommend "Supercloths." They are made in Italy and are available on QVC or directly on the Internet. Supercloth is an ecological suede like cloth that can be used on any surface from windows to floors. Just wet the cloth with tap water and wipe down the surface. The shammy like quality of the cloth creates a sort of "drag" that not only cleans the surface but dries it to a shine. Supercloths come in sets of 3. I keep one for the bathrooms, one for glass and appliances and one for wood surfaces. They seem to last much longer than the 4 months they claim on the package. Matter of fact, I've kept my original order for several years now, even though I did re-order one more shipment of new ones last fall. You do not need to use any cleaning solutions, sprays or powders with Supercloth. Just tap water and that's it.

My next favorite thing is "Pro Shot Floor Restorer." This stuff will take your wood floors to a new level. I don't know how it works but when our friend Robin comes to clean, I am always in awe when I return home and she has done the floors with Pro Shot. Somehow, it doesn't leave any build-up and it makes your floors absolutely glow. Robin gets Pro Shot on one of the home shopping channels, but I've noticed you can buy it directly online from several sites.

My third favorite thing is my Joy Mangano "Huggable Hangers." These hangers are very thin and have a velvety covering, so nothing slips or slides. Your blouses, shirts, t-tops, even lingerie stays right where you put it. Plus, the thin profile of the hangers doubles the amount of clothing you can put in your closet. Recently, I've seen copies of the original Joy Mangano hangers in stores like Home Goods and TJ Maxx. They aren't quite as well made, but the difference in price makes them well worth the purchase. I've given all our plastic hangers to Goodwill and we now have Huggable Hangers exclusively in our closets. They are that good.

It's still raining. So, I will take my Supercloths and do some cleaning and afterward I'll get out the ironing board and iron some shirts and hang them on my Huggable Hangers. The Pro Shot floor job will have to wait for a nicer day.

Check out our etsy shop at www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com for some really pretty aprons and tops for the summer.

2009-05-31T16:28:00.005-04:00

I Thought It Was Spring?

Isn't spring supposed to be warm and sunny? Did Cape Cod forget how to have spring? After a straight week of dreary cloudy skies and constant threat of rain (and then some actual rain) we finally had a gorgeous day yesterday. We put it to use and worked so hard outside that our bodies were sobbing by dinner time. Woke up this morning and thought we were in for another beautiful day. Hubby and I sat out on the back deck in our new zero gravity chairs and soaked up some rays while having our morning coffee. Nice. Got started on taking out the summer furniture for the deck, washing everything in nice hot water in the nearby outdoor shower. But, by noon, the clouds rolled in and the day ended up threatening rain and very chilly, indeed. As I sit here writing, the sky is gray and foreboding. I don't like it.
I decided instead of complaining about the weather earlier in the week that I would put my indoors time to good use and sew. It's a bit hard right now to throw myself into a sewing project because the kids will be here soon, and for the time that my sewing room turns into a guest room, I put everything away and out of sight. Soooo, I don't feel like making a huge mess as I usually do when I sew, only to have to clean it up. I had a yard and a half of a pretty white on white fabric that told me it wanted to be a pretty peasant blouse. Voila! Here it is.
Check out the details in my etsy shop at www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com
I wonder what tomorrow will bring? I hate the uncertainty about the weather. We're getting down to the wire now with daughters, son-in-law and grandchildren arriving soon. The air conditioners need to be put back into the windows, beds need to be made up, quilts aired out, bathrooms cleaned, windows washed...you know the drill. I need sunshine to do all this! I'm getting depressed! Isn't it supposed to be spring?

2009-05-26T08:07:00.005-04:00

Another Memorial Day has come and gone.

Not only does our little town of Falmouth memorialize its fallen veterans on Memorial Day, but each year, that day signals the beginning of summer here on Cape Cod. The added traffic on the streets and in the stores is evident. Families gather not only to celebrate but to open up their summer homes and begin the best months of the year. Flags were flying all over town yesterday. Three of our neighbors who live behind us, have huge flag poles. I love seeing the red white and blue flapping in the wind each morning when I get up and look out the window. Our flag hangs on the front porch, flat against the house. I like the way that looks as well.
Funny tidbit...the first year we hung the flag against the house, we had a visit from an elderly gentlemen. He had a little "flag rules" booklet with him and very politely and gently, informed us that we had committed a grievous error by hanging our flag with the field of stars in the wrong direction. "Left is right," he told us. The field should always hang on the left side when the flag is displayed flat against a building.
Fair enough. I've never forgotten that visit. I often ride by a home or business and am tempted to stop and inform the inhabitants that their flag is not displayed properly. It's an important symbol and justly deserves proper respect.
We spent most of Memorial Day, working on the house. (What's new?) I tackled the attic again, sorting and moving things around, still with high hopes of maybe, just maybe, having a yard sale at the end of June. Hubby painted the door sills in the new kitchen. A little sun time and then it was off to a barbecue at our daughter and son-in-law's house just around the corner. All in all, a productive weekend with a nice finale.
Two more aprons have gone into the "sold" column from my etsy shop. I'll have to get to the sewing machine soon or my stock will be sorely depleted.
Check out the pretty aprons and tops that we do have at www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com

2009-05-22T19:56:00.009-04:00

Somehow in the midst....
of all the work we have to do around here, I managed to whip up another apron. This one is a half apron, made out of Amy Butler's "Seeds in Okra" with her "Royal Garden in Turquoise" fabric for the pocket. One thing about making half aprons is that I find I can spend a bit more time being fancy with the pocket. This one has a "V" opening with a ruffle (see close-up). It's cute. I like it. Check out the details at www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com
It seems like there is just sooooooo much to do each spring to get the house ready for summer. I like to be relaxed when our daughters and their families are around. But, I have this "fault" that prohibits me from enjoying myself unless all the basics are taken care of. In other words, I can't enjoy myself at the beach, or sitting on the porch, or going shopping...things like that...unless the trim paint is touched up, the windows are washed, the decks are painted, the outdoor furniture is bleached and scrubbed, the flower beds are weeded and edged and the lawn is in good shape. Not to mention the guest rooms being scrubbed from top to bottom along with the guest bathroom. This year, we have some extra projects. The garage doors are looking sad, the front fence needs repair, and our favorite zero gravity chairs are showing peeling paint and worn out supports. I'm guessing it will all get done, but I have my doubts about the yard sale I'd planned for the last weekend in June. Just one look at the attic and I cower in fear of how much time and effort it will take to get all that stuff organized, priced and set out for a sale. My big ambitions might have to wait a year.
The problem is age old; not enough energy. We're slow starters and we peak after about two hours. It's rather frustrating when I think of the things we once were able to accomplish in half the time it takes now. I've been trying to discipline myself lately to get outdoors first thing on nice days. It worked yesterday, but this morning, I ended up sitting in that zero gravity chair for over an hour, sipping coffee and enjoying the warm sun on my face.
We'll probably end up getting everything done but it won't be without some stress. Such is life on Cape Cod in the summer.
Be sure to check out my etsy shop at www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com
Lots of pretty aprons and a couple of new summer tops that I really enjoyed making.
On a serious note...a "Thank You" to all those whose sacrifice we memorialize on this Memorial Day.

2009-05-14T20:39:00.010-04:00

Home again, home again, jiggity jig.....

Arrived home on Monday late afternoon, to sunny skies and green grass. Lots of Violets blooming in the flower beds. Our Bleeding Heart plant is huge this year and the cluster of Narcissus that forms the corner under the Rose of Sharon is in full glory. The inside of the house looked wonderful. Our dear friend, Robin, had come in before our arrival and spiffed everything up so that the furniture was clean and free of dust and everything looked welcoming. She had even swept the front porch, set out the summer chairs and hung a red Impatiens plant on the porch beam.

Our daughter, who lives around the corner, had filled the fridge with milk, coffee cream, cold beer, a homemade mac 'n cheese casserole and a beautiful homemade carrot cake! And, our dear son-in-law had made me very happy by mowing the lawn. I had feared we'd come home to tall grass and dandelions on the front yard. It was a nice welcome, indeed.

Our home on the Cape is completely different in decor than our Florida condo. Since the house is nearing 300 years old, we have tried to keep it in a colonial style while adding some of the more subtle modern twists that make life enjoyable. It's as if we enter a completely new life when we come back here. Unlike Florida, there is much to do each and every day in order to keep this place up. It nudges us as soon as we wake up in the morning, with reminders of what needs to be done. We started on Tuesday with the flower beds, painting the fence, washing and bleaching the outdoor furniture and trimming some of the hydrangea bushes. As we progressed around the property, we kept adding to our list of things needing to be done. It actually felt good to be productive. Although we love and enjoy our four months in Florida, we do get complacent which is not good for our waistlines. It's impossible to become complacent here on the Cape. My mind is whirling with things that I want to accomplish before the summer gang arrives.

Although hubby's back isn't much better, we've discovered there are a lot of things he can do while sitting. He painted the fence around the cottage garden in front of the house this week and also sanded and painted the old fridge in the garage that we fire up in the summer to hold drinks and extras for the grandchildren. And he trimmed a lot of the bushes around the house while in a sitting position.

It will be a while before I get back to the sewing machine. I still haven't unpacked the many parcels of clothing, shoes, fabric, books, etc. that we towed back from Florida. I honestly don't understand why we cart so much stuff. It never changes, even with the best intentions.

In the meantime....visit us at http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/ for lots of cute aprons and tops, handmade just for you.

2009-05-03T15:12:00.005-04:00

I did it!

I actually got one more top sewn before I pack up my sewing stuff for the trip home. It's another "one shoulder strap" baby-doll top in a pretty sheer print that reminds me of the jungle. I named it Jungle Sheer. It's frothy and frilly and happy with an added thin shell button to the handmade fabric rose and a little touch of feathers to add interest. I really like this top. Such fun to make things that although I can't wear them myself, I can imagine them on just the right person.

Spent the better part of today stripping the patio of all its adornment, including the tiny white lights that make it look so pretty at night. I washed all the empty flower pots and brought in the wrought iron folding chairs and table. Since hubby is laid up, I'll have to do most of the travel prep myself. I'm making an effort to do a little each day so as not to be overwhelmed at the last minute. We're looking toward a schedule of leaving here on Saturday and arriving in NY on Sunday. Then on home to the Cape on Monday. I hear the grass is very green and growing. Hoping our grandson, Jonathan, will get it mowed before we return.

Hard to leave this gorgeous Florida weather. It's usually too hot here by now for us, but this year, the temps have been much lower and it's just about perfect right now.

Be sure to check out our etsy shop at www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com

And...please don't forget to leave me a comment here. Love to hear from all of you.

2009-05-01T09:24:00.005-04:00

Well...well...well...

May 1st. How did that happen? It's about time for us to start packing up for the trip back home. Our daughter, Joanne, who lives right around the corner, reports that our lawn is very green and very thick. Time to mow. It's amazing how lush the lawn always looks this time of year. Yet, by mid August, it's dry and thirsty.

I haven't been making much progress in my etsy shop lately. When I got my online etsy bill, it was so minuscule, that I got the message; I hadn't listed very many new items. It's not easy to stay indoors and sew on these beautiful Florida beach days. Discipline goes right out the window. We're the last ones here of our winter snow bird friends. It's quiet at the pool and there are few cars in the parking lot. I would imagine the year 'round residents would enjoy the respit during the summer months. But, many of them say it's too lonely. Today, I vow to make a blouse. Yes...that is my solemn vow.

It's a treat to see so many visitors from far a wide on our live traffic feed. Why not leave us a comment so we can get to know you? Just click on the word "comment" at the bottom of this blog, log in with your email, and let's get to know each other.
And don't forget to visit us at www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com for lots of pretty aprons and tops.

2009-04-24T08:40:00.008-04:00

Lots of Sunshine!

Lots of blue sky. Absolutely top notch weather here in Indian Harbour Beach, Florida. Not very good weather for staying indoors and sewing, though. I'm having a hard time with that. Every day lately, is a beach day here. I'm going to try really hard to tie myself to the sewing machine this morning and work on one of those frothy, semi-sheer tops that my etsy customers seem to like. I enjoy making those because they are sooooo very pretty.

I added two new aprons to my shop this week. They are both homespun prints in red with lacy trim and lots of old fashioned tucking. One has a toile print pouch pocket in front. I've named this apron, "See the Children Laugh and Play".....sort of a play on words from the old "Mary had a little lamb" nursery rhyme. That's what came to mind when I looked at the finished product and pondered on the pocket print that is of little children romping around. You can see a close up of the pattern if you go to my etsy shop and click on that apron.

The other one is simply called, "Red Polka Dots and Lace". Both aprons are styled in our own, custom, Aprons Gone Wild baby-doll bib design with the little tucks at the bib. You can see how cute they fit by checking out my etsy site and viewing the pictures of our Emily in her modeling mode.

On the hubby back front....the first epidural shot seems to have had some effect. He's a tad bit better and walking straight up, except he still has some pain in his legs. Two more shots should do it and some physical therapy as well. We'll probably not head home to Cape Cod until after Mother's Day so we can fit all this in. As long as the weather here stays like it is, and doesn't get too hot, I'm a happy camper.

We had dinner last night at a restaurant on the riverfront called, "Squid Lips." What an awful name. But, what a terrific restaurant. There was no recession there. The place was packed, yet the service was fast and friendly. Terrific food and some great T-shirts with that awful name emblazoned on the back. Picked up a couple for our grandson and one of his friends.

Off to walk, then shower, then sew, then the beach. Life is good.

Be sure to check out our etsy shop on the web at http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/

2009-04-17T16:30:00.008-04:00

Another day, another apron....

I'm having a difficult time getting back to the sewing machine. Having had everything put away for almost two weeks during spring break and Easter got me out of the groove. However, I did step up to the plate and complete a really pretty half apron for a friend who winters here in the complex. She's giving it as a gift. When she picked the fabric out of my stack of stuff, she said she'd like it made "wrong side out" which I think turned out to be a smart decision. I've called this little apron "Spring Flowers" because it reminds me of such. The creative feature is its ruffled "V" pocket which took some time to make but was fun, nonetheless. I find that no matter what I make with my hands, I get off on a tangent. The fabric always tells me what to do. And this pretty, uplifting cotton print seemed to call for something feminine and sweet. The ruffle on the pocket is done with the "right" side of the fabric so it has just the right touch of contrast with the softness of the rest of the apron. I'm very happy with this one and I hope the recipient of this gift is happy as well.

We're still dealing with hubby's back issue. The verdict is that he needs an operation called a laminectomy, where they take out part of the bony area that is compressing the nerve at a given point in his lower spine. He still can't walk or stand but he's perfectly comfortable lying down, sitting or driving. Thank goodness for small favors! He'll try a series of epidural shots first and if that doesn't bring relief, it's off to the surgeon. We'll wait until we get back up north in that event.

The weather here is absolutely gorgeous for mid April. Usually, it starts to get hot and even a bit humid by now, but this entire winter has been so much cooler that it seems to be resulting in spring being cooler as well. Good for us.

The "tea parties" that were held around the country on Wednesday (tax day) piqued my interest. And the sarcastic coverage by the media got my attention as well. Guess we know where their political allegiance lies.

Oh well...it's blue skies and warm breezes for us for at least another few weeks until hubby can get a few of those shots in his back. Keeping fingers crossed that they work.

In the meantime, check us out at http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/ for some really cute aprons and tops.

2009-04-10T20:42:00.009-04:00

Missing Home...

I'm beginning to miss our home on Cape Cod. Not completely...but it's starting. I'm thinking about the grass beginning to turn green and the violets in our flower beds starting to bloom. The daffodils and narcissus that grow in bunches around the back deck are probably just about budding. And the forsythia bushes are no doubt in full regalia along the driveway.

Missing early spring is a sacrifice we're willing to make each year in order to stay here in sunny Florida for a bit longer. But, I can't deny that I think about the new life popping out all over the place back home. Hubby is still pretty crippled with a back problem that just won't quit, so we're wondering if treatment for that will keep us here even a few weeks longer than anticipated. We'll see. I hope not.

Today was a gorgeous day at the beach. All the fishermen were out along the shoreline with their great long poles. I never see them catch much of anything but they sure seem to enjoy the act. Fishermen always draw pelicans near and they never disappoint. So much fun to watch them wait with extreme patience for just the right moment to pounce on a piece of bait carelessly left out by a distracted man with a pole. Quite entertaining!

This Easter weekend, we are gathering together with friends and family for Easter brunch at a hotel in Cocoa Beach. Last year, the feast was outstanding, so we're hoping for a repeat performance. I can never eat my money's worth at an "all you can eat" affair, but it's fun to have the casual atmosphere of wandering around, checking out all the stations with their scrumptious offerings.

I miss the coloring and hiding of eggs that once was our Easter Sunday...followed by dressing the girls in their Easter finery that I had spent weeks making on my old sewing machine. Our son, of course, had the only store bought outfit since I wasn't that accomplished a sewer to make a boy's suit! The Easter hats were the most fun. I would buy plain straw hats with big brims and decorate them myself with silk flowers and ribbons. The girls always looked adorable and our son always looked proud and serious on the one day of the year that he dressed so formally. Off to church we'd go to praise the Lord and show off our outfits.

But now, it's just the two of us and we dress rather casually here in sunny Florida, although we do choose the fanciest tops and pants in our closet on Easter Sunday. I'll buy some pretty Easter flowers for the table and be sure to have a bowl full of jelly beans as well. There won't be an egg hunt but there will be Mimosas for the group of us before we head off to brunch. If the weather is its usual beautiful Florida self, we'll probably come back for a swim in the pool.

I haven't been at the sewing machine in two weeks and have no new aprons or tops to picture....so I've posted one of our prettiest semi-sheer blouses already in stock named, "Midnight and Roses." It's sewn in our own, exclusive peasant blouse design with short, deep cuffed sleeves, and a matching fabric rose that's attached to the elasticized neckline. I did take some orders from folks here in the complex for new aprons which I will get busy on next week. Hate to have the sewing machine and ironing board out on Easter Sunday so it's put away for the moment. Lots of beautiful fabrics in my fabric bags so I'm eager to get back to my routine of "an apron a day" (or at least, the effort of an apron a day).

Until then...check us out at http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/

And a very Happy Easter to all.

2009-04-05T07:53:00.010-04:00

Our own little bundle of Joy...

Just this past week while we were busy and preoccupied enjoying the company of our Vermont daughter and our Ohio daughter and her family, I noticed a tiny, gray ball of feathers nestled under the hedge in front of our condo. A closer look revealed a good size yet obviously young, gray dove. She didn't move when I came closer so I left her there with the intent to check on her later. As soon as she heard the slap of the screen door closing, she hopped over to the grassy area and revealed a broken or deformed leg. She'd try to fly off but couldn't get a good lift off the leg and once she was airborn, she couldn't land well with only the one good foot. As the day wore on, several of our neighbors joined in the effort to care for her, some even putting out bread crumbs so she wouldn't starve. We named her, "Joy."

Doves apparently take good care of each other and are usually seen in pairs. Eventually, we noticed that the mother and father of our little "Joy" were hovering and hopping around, keeping a close eye on their injured offspring. They even came and fed her. It became quite a sight to see Joy trying to lift off and then settle on something with Mom and Dad close by in case she missed her landing. Not much different than a set of human parents watching their offspring try and ride their first two wheel bike.

Joy is still out front where we are all keeping a close eye on her. I have faith in this little dove, that she will soon lift off and make it to a tree branch where she'll be safe from prey. But I do wonder what her future holds? How does a wounded dove find a mate and carry on a dove's cycle of life? We'll all be keeping a lookout to see if she survives and remains in our midst. She'll be easy to spot, that's for sure.

I didn't get much work done these past ten days with the daughters here but I got lots of sun and beach time. The most recent aprons are posted and two of them were sold to a good friend and neighbor here who is bringing them home to Canada as gifts. One was a lovely deep blue batik and the other was "Miss Modern Mauve," already pictured in an earlier post. The newest blue apron is a really pretty print with shell buttons on the bib and pocket that I have named, "Blue Medley." It's bright and happy and as blue as the sky is here in sunny Florida right now. It's looking like another great day is in store.

Be sure to check out all our aprons and tops at http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/

2009-03-24T20:50:00.007-04:00

Oh My Gosh...

I know I've already gone on and on about how much I love feedback. But I can't say enough. Last night...just before I was ready to turn in...I was shutting down the computer and before I closed out my apronsgonewild.etsy.com web site, I checked my feedback. I could tell by the count, that there was a new one. When I opened it and read the text, I actually giggled. Yes...all by myself, sitting in the living room, I giggled. It was the cutest, most adorable comment I've received so far on my Aprons Gone Wild online shop. A customer had purchased one of my handsewn halter tops, fashioned in Amy Butler's Gothic Rose fabric...which is really pretty (pictured here). I had added some beading and a special touch at the back...a bit of fabric "body art."

It's difficult to gauge how a blouse or apron will fit a customer. Each body type is so different. To think that this halter top went to someone whom it fit pefectly and who absolutely loved it, was such a "high" for me that I can't even begin to describe it. Needless to day, I retired to bed with a smile on my face.

Although I am reluctant to be repetitive, I still can't say enough about feedback. Everyone should be effusive with feedback...to one another...to people who do jobs for you...to your children...to your spouse...to your childrens' teachers...to people who just make your life better in small ways. Feedback fuels the energy that makes things happen. It's the most amazing thing. And it doesn't cost a cent! Give feedback!! And, lots of it!!
Check us out at www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com

2009-03-21T10:17:00.007-04:00

BUSY, BUSY......

Oh, my...busy days. Lots of sunshine here and lots of items on my plate. Shipped several orders this past week which means one thing....I need to sew, sew, sew to beef up my stock. Aprons Gone Wild will not function without lots of neat items for buyers to look at and...hopefully... purchase. I have two aprons on the hooks ready to be photographed as I write this. One is a pretty blue and white print, and the other is a mauve print with contrasting trim and the prettiest buttons I've seen in a long time. Sweet. On the ironing board is a partially constructed blue batik with denim trim. I'll finish that up today in between washing the windows and screens watering the patio plants and hopefully getting a little sun on my face. The apron pictured here is named, "Miss Modern Mauve." After photographing it, I decided to add beading to the trim on the bodice and pocket edge. It now has that little extra "touch."

We're expecting company at the end of next week. Daughter from Vermont and daughter & family from Ohio. So excited to see them and have them here in sunny Florida, even if only for one week. Although their dad is still hobbling around with a back problem, he's excited about their arrival as well. We are all beach bums so a great vacation to us is just sitting on the beach, listening to the waves, talking a blue streak and dozing off now and then. We're very easy to please!

We've been treated to two space launches since we've been here. Last week the shuttle took off right over our heads. It was spectacular. It's still a big deal for folks here on the Space Coast...to see a launch. The absolute awesomeness of the thing never gets old. The beaches are always packed before a launch...folks with portable radios listening to the countdown, sharing the numbers with those close by. And...all at once every neck is craned upward, moving in synchronized form as we watch the bright light in the sky move over the ocean and out of sight. Wow.

Back to the sewing machine and the ironing board. Aprons Gone Wild needs stock!

Check us out at http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/

2009-03-14T11:07:00.007-04:00

Home truly is where the heart is....

We have a screen saver program that continually rotates pictures from our computer picture files. It's great in many ways because we are treated regularly to pictures of our grandchildren and other memorabilia that bring a smile to our faces whenever we pass by the computer. However, we also have rotating photos of our newly remodeled kitchen back home on Cape Cod. Whenever I see them, I long for the crisp new paint and the extra tall dishwasher that are part of the remodel. Our new garbage drawer pulls out right under the counter area where I do most of my prep work when cooking. I just slide or wipe the counter clean right into the garbage can beneath me. It also has a space behind the garbage for a recycle bin. Makes things even easier yet. Then there's the enormous country sink. It's so deep and so wide that I can actually soak a cookie sheet in it. And the beautiful black faucet that goes with it functions so easily and smoothly.
The open shelving is right up my alley. Just a quick reach and you've got whatever plate, bowl, or glass you want. No opening and closing cabinets. (And, best of all...no cabinet doors left open!) I enjoy looking at our mustard colored dishes and bowls that are in plain sight and...although I don't have much...the yelloware pieces I've collected make me happy. Why put them behind doors? Our ancestors had it right. Open shelving works best. At least for me.

The renovation of our old house kitchen was an enormous task as you can see by the "before" pictures. Hubby did it entirely by himself and it took forever. But the end result was well worth the wait.

And so, whenever that screen saver program pops up a photo of our kitchen back home, I pause and smile and think about how much I enjoy just looking at it as well as being in it. Not to take away from our sweet little place here in Florida. It's lovely and we truly enjoy it. But that old house back home on Cape Cod, with its new kitchen toys, is where my heart is.

2009-03-09T09:27:00.005-04:00

Fantasy Girl...

Seems like a lot has happened since I last wrote a post. Hubby hurt his back and we spent most of last week running around to doctors. There's a medical facility of some sort on every corner here in Florida. The health of an aging population seems to be a lucrative business. All things medical appear to work well and efficiently.

I did manage to get a new top made over the weekend. I really like this one. It's light and frilly and oh, so pretty. I named it Fantasy Girl. I'm not sure why...it's just the name that came into my head when I looked at it all finished on the mannequin, ready to be photographed. You can check out the details of Fantasy Girl on my etsy online shop at www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com

I've just cut a pretty mauve paisley fabric for a full apron. I had a hard time choosing from all the colors and prints in my stock for this one. That big pile of fabric in the corner gets my juices running just looking at it. Some women get excited about clothes...some about shoes or about jewelry. But...I get excited about fabric. To be able to create things out of beautiful fabrics and have people like them and buy them is a fantasy fulfilled. I guess that makes me the actual "real life" Fantasy Girl.

2009-03-03T07:47:00.011-05:00

Feedback....
I love feedback. On my etsy online shop, feedback from buyers lets me know if my designs are being well received. On my apronsgonewild blog, feedback in the form of comments, or the traffic feed lets me know if anyone is reading what I write. Feedback is good. It's like a paycheck. When it's complimentary, the check is big. When it's not...well...you can guess. So far, the feedback on my etsy online shop has been all good. But, I still worry, each and every time I ship out an order. People can be very particular sometimes. What one person might love, another might not even like. Clothing of any kind is usually quite specific to the user. Even an apron can be a fashion statement for some folks. And there's an even bigger chance that the peasant tops and halter tops I make might not fit right or be what the buyer had imagined. So, I always worry whenever I ship an order. I nervously wait for the feedback.

So far, my etsy shop feedback has been 100% positive. Last week, I shipped out an adorable lady's apron and a hunky men's apron to the same buyer. It was a big purchase and I wondered how the buyer would feel when she saw the items in person....not just on the computer screen. Turns out, I needn't have worried at all. The buyer's feedback comments were above and beyond what I could have hoped. Matter of fact, she wrote that the lady's "Love Me Tender" apron would be passed down as a family heirloom! Imagine that? And she added that her husband was newly inspired and exceptionally handsome in his "Hot Chocolate For Men" apron. Ah...I love feedback.

Spent this past weekend working on two new blouses for my etsy shop. One is a semi-sheer peasant top I've named "Espresso Latte" because it's a beautiful, rich dark brown with silvery white flowers that just have a hint of color. There's a matching fabric rosette on one side of the neckline. The other is a halter top in Michael Miller's carnival print...a fabric that was suggested by a customer. The latter is not a fabric I would have chosen myself, but now that the top is finished, I rather like it. I wonder what the feedback will be on these two?

Check them out at http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/

2009-02-26T09:50:00.006-05:00

People are funny.....

Or odd...or just different, I guess. We're condo owners here at our winter residence in sunny Florida. So many personalities and dispositions living in close quarters. Our complex is rather old, but is in a terrific location just steps across the street from the Atlantic. Because it's an older complex, and not all that big, it's always been operated under a rather loose set of rules. For the most part, folks here like it that way. But then, there are always one or two broken rules that are so blatant, they can't be ignored. To bring things into compliance, our board has hired a property manager which creates a whole new set of issues. The jury is still out on the success or failure of this new approach to governing and managing but I'm guessing there will be plenty of fireworks in the meantime. Which leads me to my quest to make smart decisions on designs and fabrics for my aprons and tops. Often, I need someone to slap me and remind me that I can't possibly please every buyer out there, (much as our board can't please every resident in our condo complex). I have to keep my focus on the strengths that I bring to each choice make. I have to discipline myself to stay in my comfort zone and fashion my creations the way I see them in my mind's eye. At times, this is difficult. Although I want to be current, I try not to get caught up in what's merely popular or trendy. Even though I draw on my own imagination, it's hard not to be influenced by what I see and hear. Sometimes, I almost feel the need to slap myself to get back to "Me" and what I do best. Managing and directing the ins and outs of a condominium is surely more difficult than deciding on a fabric or a design choice for an apron. But, some of the same conflicts apply because in reality, people are funny..or odd...or just plain different. After spending the week making a special order of two half aprons, (Sweet Field of Flowers pictured here), I've decided to get busy and make a couple of new peasant tops in the beautiful filmy, sheers that I brought with me from Cape Cod. Watching "Housewives of NYC" on Tuesday night, (my secret vice) I couldn't help but notice that one of the housewives showed up for two separate events wearing two different versions of a peasant blouse...very similar to the ones I make! Now, if a NYC housewife who is spending her summer in the Hamptons is wearing something that looks like one of mine, I must be on the right track. Or so it would seem. Stay tuned to see what I come up with.
www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com