AND the WINNER is:

TORI's MIMI!!!!

I hope you like vintage, because I have some vintage treats for you. I'm sure I have your address, but send it along to me again, just to make sure!!!

I'm not going to post a photo of the prize yet, because I want it to be a surprise package!!

Congratulations!!

G

Now on to revamp my blog a bit!!! Thanks everyone for participating in my first poll!!

G

And the winner...

Will be announced in a few minutes.

Just wanted to thank everyone who emailed and stopped by and took the apron poll. Looks like over the head full is the winner! Also the Doesn't matter was a close second in the poll.

Thank you all again,

I will post the winner in the morning. It is 1:31 am and I have to get up early. So watch for the winners announcement in the morning.

I hope the winner likes a few vintage things.

G

Would you like to win a goody basket? Don't forget to sign up here after voting!!! It is an anonymous poll, I don't know who gave what answer?

Please answer my poll, and then post under this message and you could win a little something, something. It will be related to the beautiful corn photo above sent to me by Bonne!! Good Luck and when I have the goodies ready, I'll post a photo of the prize. The poll will be up until the 20th at 10:00pm! Anyone can win, but please take the poll to win the prize!

I'm doing this....just because! Oh, and do you like the looks of my blog....changed it tonight. The background color is the color of my freshly painted kitchen, and I love pumpkin color too.

Good Luck!!

Another work apron.

Found a pair of Tripp NYC mondo/punk rocker pants with a broken zipper at the thrift shop for 50 cents. My daughter gets the legs that have great zippers on them. We are going to make a skirt for her. I got the top part and made a short utility apron out of it. Kind of like: Joan Jett crossed with Lily Munster look! LOL... I really love this apron, and keep in mind that the red fabric insert is loaded with sparkly glitter. Don't know if it will show up in the photos. I left lots of raw edges as part of the design element. Want it to look kind of punk like. Hopefully it will stimulate the wheels of some young people who come into the store. I have been in there shopping when punkers have come in looking for fabric and they look so lost!

Well, gotta get the kiddos up and start the day here!

G

My Farmgirl Work Apron

Ok, so I received some beautiful cowgirl fringe from a good girlfriend of mine, and I needed a work apron for Hancock Fabrics. The girls at the store all have made their own short utility aprons with a couple of pockets, using pastel cottons and bias tape for the edges and pockets. I asked if I could make my own apron, and they said yes. I then asked if I had to follow a designated company pattern and she said No....anything you want is fine. She then said, "Do you need a pattern?" I then thought: "Pattern? I don't need no stinkin' pattern!!" But I said, "No thank you." And headed directly to my favorite thrift store a few doors down and found these men's denim painters pants and added the trim and used a little bit of my precious Farmgirl Fabric!! I have a scissor holster and everthin!! I guess they are going to think I'm weird right from the start, but I want to maintain my weird side!! LOL
I've also got plans for a punk apron. I found this great pair of baggie black zippered punk pants with red trim and a skull zipper pull. AND some black lace over a red sparkle stretch fabric. (The fabric was on the .99 cent table at Hancock Fabrics today.)

More later...gotta go to bed.
G

Bon Jour', Oooo la la.....Chocolate and Paris Kitty

I woke up this morning thinking of the two 1/2 yard pieces of cotton I bought last year thinking that I would do a half apron with them. Well, still exploring the possibilities with this faux full wrap apron from AC in LA! I wondered if I could get an apron out of two half yard cuts and here is the results!! Oooo La La.....Vive' La France!!

Gives me a craving for chocolate covered cherries!!

Hmmmm....still need to get some fabric for the reverse side of my autumn pumpkin fabric.

Later ya'll,
G

Ok, ok just had to do one more today.

This is the apron I tried to describe the other day on MJ's. I decided to go ahead and make it because when I went to the mailbox today, there was an apron pattern in it! Squeeeee........Thanks to my farmgirl friend: AC done in Lovely Lousiana!! A asked me to tweek it a bit for her, so I did. I did my best on redraping the pattern. lengthened the ends and shortened the middle of the neck piece and put a sharper curve in it, then reversed the ovals and changed the angles slightly and narrowed it a bit through the bust and widened it at the bottom. Hope ya like it AC! This little beauty would be handy to have on hand for company because it fits my sewing manniquin which is about a size 8 to 10 and it fits me too, and I am a size hmmm.....around 18 or so. I really like this little gem. AC I'm going to get the redone pattern back to you in the mail in a day or so. Hope I did okay with it for you.

This is a very unique design. I saw it originally in an antique/consignment shop and AC saw at a garden show.

Hope ya'll like it!

G

Took a new photo of myself with my red hair

Well, I don't think I'll ever go back to my natural blonde. I think I am a redhead at heart. What do you think? Me as a redhead on the left and my natural blonde on the right. I wear alot of black, always have, I love all colors and black has all colors in it!

Besides, perhaps I'm deluded when I think that it makes me look thinner! LOL Not much helps that! LOL Oh, I'm growing my hair out long again. I'd love to have long hair like Mary Janes! Then I could just tease it out and cover up my body. !!! LOL

Later, gotta clean house, been sewing since 7 am and it is almost 2pm....wherr does the day go???

Bonne your apron is near finished

Bonne and I worked out a barter. I love bartering. I would rather barter than sell something in this day and age. To me, that is a value added product. I don't really have alot of skills or products that I can barter, but I can sew...not the best seamstress, but I do have lots of fun doing it. Well, back to the barter with Bonne. I love homecrafted soaps and had to drop out of the big soap exchange, due to personal problems that are resolving, but we are still working on those challenges...I think with all marriages and partnerships there are always times of challenges.

Anyway, Bonne gave me carte blanche to surprise her with an apron. Well........I hope she likes it. It is Bridgett Bardot meets June Cleaver in the new age of Aquarius. It is a mix of 50's vintage trim, 70's retro pattern, new fabric and holiday fun. LOL....can't show it quite yet, I'm putting finishing touches to the pockets and I'm waiting to hear from Bonne to see if she wants to see it first before getting it in the mail! LOL.....Sometimes I wonder why my muse sings the way she does! LOL

Update: It is done and Bonne wants to be surprised, so I can't post photos of the apron until it is on Bonne. I guarantee to you Bonne, you won't see another one like it! LOL

G

The Bonne....very sweet and feminine and RETRO

I have finally completed the Bonne apron. It is pure Southern Charm. Perfect with pearls and sweet tea on a hot Virginia day. I ended up making a little bow thingie with two vintage tatted coasters. They are removable. It just needed somethig to make it complete.


The photos below are the ones while this was a WIP. Now I want to try my hand at some really unusual fabrics and styles....but we'll see.

G



This apron is a retro pattern that I got from a link posted by Bonne over on Mary Jane's Farmgirl site. I love this apron. Bonne you are right it is ultra feminine and very retro.

This is being constructed from a very soft, pale peach muslin. I might even add a couple of pockets with some embroidery on each pocket. I'll have to see. The pattern doesn't call for any pockets. I think it is meant to be a hostess type apron, but I would wear this one whenever I was feeling down in the dumps. It is a sure picker upper!!

Here is the link for anyone else who wants to try this one. Just working out a couple of minor bugs in the instructions, but nothing too difficult!

Retro apron pattern from 1949

Thanks Bonne!
G

Kathie (KTknits) and My Creative Space

Before I start cutting your apron out, thought I'd let you take a look at some of the darker fabrics in my collection. I know you said you like darker colors, but do you like flowers? Is there any of these three that you like?

Be sure to click on the photo to enlarge the fabric view!


#1 large roses with black background. 100% cotton Vintage

Nice strong weave, will stand up to alot of wear. I love this one......vibrant colors.







#2 Tobacco tan background with burgundy and blue accents. This one is 100% cotton with a very soft hand. Like a shirting fabric. I think this one looks very old fashioned.








#3
Dark blue background with the vibrant pink roses with blue and sage accents. This one is also 100% cotton with a firm weave.




Kathie, just let me know if any of these strike your fancy! If none do, I have plenty more to dig through. Just need to get to my upstairs stash! LOL

**********************************************************************************

Below you will see photos of my creative space. Yes, this is where it all happens. Well, at least something used to happen. The one corner where I have my stash, kept turning out blurry, so it is not very clear, no matter what I did it kept snapping blurry! Hmm...go figure.

Anyway, this is where I work:



G

Clothespin exchange from MJ's Farm

Sorry it has taken me so long to post these on my blog, already used up the lovely citrus smelling soap and burned the candle of hope.....loved them, but here are the beautiful clothespins made by some very talented farmgirls from MaryJane's Farmgirls site!

Do you see the rock on the Simple Abundance book? My mother brought that home from Loc Ness in Scotland when she went on vacation there about twenty years ago.

You can click on the photo and see them up close. Kitchenwitch was the swap mama for this one and she did such a wonderful job wrapping and making little name cards for everyone's clothespins. I am looking forward to using these beautiful pins!

Enjoy!
G

Yesterday's Thrift Store Bargains

This is a snapshot of my finds yesterday. Each item only cost 50 cents. The pewter coffee pot has a dent, but I love it anyway. The cheese plate and dome is a very retro 70's thing...haven't seen one in years. The leather belt was my daughter's find...it has a huge round beaded buckle. She can wrap it twice around and she loves it.
The tea cups are a set of eight....got all eight for 50 cents. Don't ya just luv the pumpkin colored interior of the cups...had coffee this morning out of one of them. Each one of the cups was originally marked $16.00! The creamer and sugar are a brown pottery...missing the sugar lid, but I don't care!

Below are a few close ups. Oh, the background is a moire' skirt part of a dress with a dark velvet top to it. That was 50 cents too. I bought it for the rich colored fabrics.

G

Below is part of the menu...

The menu in the post below is just part of it. Just wanted to show you what I have done. This may just be a pie in the sky thing, but at least I can still dream.

G

A Possible New Future Career

Tea $2.50

(Bottomless Pot for what ailes you.)

Infusions $2.50

Tell us what you need…custom blends per request.

Sandwitches $3.00

(Served with Terra chips & pickle)

Curried Chicken Salad*

Curried Tofu Salad

Cucumber

Fairy Bread

Peanut Butter & Jam

Soups $4.00

(served in a bread cauldron)

Rosemary-Pumpkin

Lentil Chili

Tomato Basil

Bonfire Stew*

Cilantro Corn Chowder

*not vegetarian

As you can see, I've changed my blog...

Just decided it needed a little color and freshening up a bit. Just wanted a little bit of a breath of fresh air, so hope you like the change.

I'm painting the kitchen right how. Changing from a sage green to a cottage yellow. I love apples, so you can understand why I have this huge apple painting in my kitchen eating nook. Still have lots of work to do, but the kitchen should be done today...well the walls anyway. I'm going to paint th cabinets a creamy white and change the countertops to a marble look and put down laminate in a wood tone or tile look in a sand color. I took color inspiration from the wreath. The snapshot of our family room shows some of my mess from moving stuff yesterday. Sorry, My hubby moved a big TV component cabinet up here from his basement room and I was scrambling to stash my teapots here and there so they would get broken. They are going to the dining room soon in my corner cupboard. Anyway...the color looks peach, but it is a peachy yellow. Very soft and inviting.

Good Sunday Morning!

Well, the trip to Illinois was a good one. We saw family...lots of family and had a party! We laid Mom to rest next to Dad and that was beautiful, but very, very difficult for me. I still think of her there and miss having her ashes here with me. They did give me a measure of comfort. But she is resting on a lovely hill with a lovely breeze and a lovely view. I remember her jokingly blessing us out for "planting" her and Dad next to a beanfield! LOL, but it is the highest point in that area. Big sigh....I miss her so.

You can see the beanfield in the background here. It was a lovely ceremony. The family and only two of her closest friends. We each dropped rose petals in her gravesite and then my sister and I went back and helped bury her. The pastor was a family friend and said a most lovely eulogy...simple, loving and personal. Many tears, but many joys too. I know Mom was there, because as soon as all of us settled in for the eulogy, a wonderful cool breeze commenced and when the last tear was dried, the breeze left. Everyone remarked how comfortable it was, how lovely the breeze was and we all knew that Mom was finally at rest. I feel like I did everything I could to give her comfort and carry out her last wishes to the best of my ability.

Love and miss you Mom and Dad............see you again some day.
G