Sampler Apron

A few weeks ago, I mentioned my friend Nora and her sewing skills. You may not have noticed, because I sort of sandwiched her in between a clip of me making it onto the local news and a picture of a fire in my new woodstove.

Nora is really, really good with a sewing machine. I mean really good. Not only can she sew, she also listens and interprets well. After a few sessions of helping her set up her etsy shop and talking with her about launching her online business, and complaining about the number of aprons in my closet that don't get used because there's one thing or another about them that I don't like... she went home with my ugliest (but most perfectly shaped) apron and some bits of fabric from my stash.

A few days later, she gave me this:

Thee most perfect apron ever, I tell you.

And double-sided even.

Perfect fabric (too bad both are now out of print, or else she would make one for you too),

perfect shape, perfectly long ties that can wrap around to the front if I so choose, and look at the detail she intuitively added just for me.

Little x's all around the edge? Oh yes, please!

If you have some favorite fabric in your stash and a favorite apron that you want knocked off, Nora is your woman. Tell her I sent you!

PS. The pan I'm holding is full of homemade hamburger buns, a revelation that you simply must try. I'll get around to posting the recipe soon, promise.

PSS. Windham Williamsburg Sampler and  Moda Blackbird Designs Beach House are the fabric lines. Both lines need to be resurrected, don't you think?

Why I Don't Bother with Umbrellas

Or "barellas" as my littlest calls them. The kids were asking me yesterday, as we prepared to go out in a downpour, why we don't have any umbrellas. And this, my dears, is the reason...

Do you think that a silly bit of fabric-on-a-stick would have kept my jeans from being soaked through? And the bottom half of my coat? I don't think so. Not when its raining sideways buckets. And windy besides... Had I an umbrella, it would have turned into a sail in my hands, and I would have been fighting just to keep it in alignment.

Granted, perhaps my sleeves would have stayed dry (had I held them up beside my ears). But truly, whats the point anyway? As they say in Scandinavia (from whence a good portion of my ancestors hail), "There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing".

Waterproof boots, waterproof coat with a deep hood, and fortitude are all we need.

I wish I had a picture to show you of my dripping-wet daughter, but she was in an all-fired hurry to get out of her wet things to go hang them by the stove to dry.

Oh, that's right. Still no fire in the stove.

"Well, Mama, I dess (guess) we can hang our wet things in our wooms to dwy!" To which I replied, "Good thinking... but how about we hang them in the mud room, honey? That way the drips won't get the carpet wet." To which she responded with a very dramatic slap of her palm to her forehead, as if to say, what was I thinking?

This is the same girl that a few days ago, on our way to big Brother's classroom for pick-up stated, "Mama, I'm pwetending dat da yewwow sticks and weaves are poisoned, so don't step on dem, otay?"

I honestly didn't mind the soaking, and driving through muddy streams, and standing water in the yard. Wanna know why?

The rain took the snow away. All but the drifts, that is, but who's counting?

Around Here

Its Boot Season!

I wish these were in my size...

(click any of the pictures to be taken directly to its home page)

Or these...

But its pretty rare for me to find vintage boots in my size that I like. I did find a good deal last year, but they aren't very warm, and I'll be walking back and forth to my Kiddo's classroom a couple times a day, so I need not only warm, but also waterproof. It is Oregon, after all.

So I'm looking at these...

And these...

And even these...

But I'll probably be practical and go with these, since I also need Kennel boots...

Sometimes it really hurts, this being practical.

Recovery

What you don't know is that most of last week's blog posts were scheduled to post automatically, because we were away at the beach!

Oh... it was such a nice time away. Our first "extended" vacation as a family. Really! The last time I was away from home for this many nights in a row, I was pregnant with my 5 1/2 year old.

I took 487 pictures, some of which I will be sharing with you later. But for now, I have laundry to wash, groceries to buy, and various other un-vacation duties to take care of.

See you soon.

New Shoes

Look what I got with my $80 for $40 Shoe Mill Groupon...

My first pair of Keen shoes.

Also my first pair of Red shoes. I have a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore.

Random

I really love these chairs (click the photo to learn more)...

I'm not a fan of Geraniums (too sticky! and smelly!), but this picture of my Sister in Law's front porch looks so inviting...

My Dearest thinks this is too gross to post online, but a friend sent me a Smile and I thought it was too good not to share...

My hair is growing out, and is *so close* to being pony tail length again!

I have a couple of designs that I would love to farm out to anyone who wants to stitch them for me (send me an email: beth@heartstringsamplery.com)...

And since you stuck with me while I cleaned out my "for blog" folder, I am going to reward you with another wallpaper for your desktop. As always, this is for your personal use only, please!

Breaking News!

Beth is going to wear shorts TWO DAYS IN A ROW.

Which means a couple of things.

1). It is sunny and warm for only the second and third time this Spring.

2). This is the year she has decided to get over her hatred of her knees.

For how many years can a girl let a couple of silly joints get her down? They work fine. They don't hurt on a regular basis. Who cares if they are all smooshed-looking?

Hopefully not me anymore.

Today...

I really want these shoes...

And these books...



Just sayin'...

And Then it Snowed

The day after Christmas, we were given a lovely dusting of snow.

Do you think that kept my determined husband from starting a little building project outside? Nosirree! (What can it be that he is building? Stay tuned...)

A few days later, the skies opened up and 8 inches of snow fell overnight.


Do you think that kept the Mister from making his way to work? Of course not. Mountain boys aren't afraid of a little snow.

And then the skies cleared, and the temperatures fell, and it remains a snowy, white, powder-filled landscape to this day.





We like living in the Snow Zone!



Of course, the 4-wheel drive decided to go out in my Explorer, so we are now driving a rental while it is in the shop. I don't mind so much though, since the rental is about 15 years newer and much shinier.

Oh, and because I know you will ask, I didn't make the super-cute hat that I'm wearing... it was a Christmas present, which my friend bought for me from this etsy seller.