700th Post Giveaway for Pink Saturday 10/3/09

Happy Pink Saturday to all of you. Visit Beverly at howsweetthesound to see all the pink participants. You'll be glad you did.
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Yes, I'm having a giveaway, but there are rules, of course. Very easy rules. This is my 700th post. Yesssssss, can you believe it? I'm doing something darling and cute to celebrate that. First the rules:

1. To enter you must first be a follower and you can add me to your list by clicking on the right hand side bar.

2. You must comment on this post. No anonymous comments unless you include your email so I can contact you.

That's it. Easy, chicks! Oh, I forgot to mention that I'll be drawing the name monday night to announce the winner.
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So here is the prize for the giveaway. No, you don't have a choice, chicks! I get to choose but I think this is a good choice for the domestic goddess in a home, don't you? I made this for a "princess" or "queen" as you can see from the closeup of the fabric. It has froufrou-y gowns on it and crowns or tiaras and is mostly in blue with a tone-on-tone white ruffle with gorgeous lace, ribbon roses and a detachable satin bow. Enlarge to see it better, chicks and happy winning!

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Now, here is what I've also been working on these past few days because...squeeeeeeal...I'm teaching another class at church for the Young Women the middle of October. That squeal was terror, not delight! Yep, I got suckered into it again, but this time it's on a wednesday night and won't take the whole day and tire out this ol' lady, chicks. Soooo, if you want to see all the aprons besides these 3 then go here to view them all. Stay tuned...

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And you thought I was through....hah, shame on you. You know me better than that and you know you're going to get more, right?.....

For those of you who have read my blog for a while you might remember the story of getting this apron at a garage sale many years ago for 25¢ brand new in the fold and everything. Well, it got soiled with paint over the years and since I do use it to cook in, it was less than appealing so I added some roses fabric to cover the worst of the spots but I love this old butcher's canvas apron. So I'm been asking Love Bunny to give me some of the canvas he has for his model train room out in the garage. He has said no until the other day when moving some stuff he found a couple of remnant pieces. Squeeeeeeeal.....Isn't this always the case when we start moving things around in the garage?

This is what I made yesterday out of the canvas with some creative ideas thrown in since there is a heavy seam just under that white rick rack. I had to make that the center since I had so little fabric to use but it turned out well.

I added a little rose to the top and this frog I've had for so many years I think the price on it was 25¢ also. I've always wanted to use it so I stuck it on here. Makes me feel important when cooking, chicks! :-)

Then this little doily I cut in half to make pockets out of it. I added the rose since I love them....duh....and gave it a feather stitch around the edges and voilà I have a vintage pocket. ;-)

Okay, the sewing machine is new and I'm still getting used to it and tried out the smocking stitch on it. Somewhere along the line the thread bunched up and if you know anything about sewing this stitch you know you can't "pick" it out so when it started that I just kept going and decided to put a ribbon rose over the worst part. It's mine; I'm not going to sell it and I can do anything I want to with it. ;-)

Then I feather stitched the ruffle. I love it how it turned out. And it's all mine!

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Random Thoughts 10/2/09

Holy moly, I almost forgot the "eye candy" I always have with my posts. I have been meaning to redo this post (it has been prescheduled) and forgot until I saw it this morning. Sorry.

Okay, chicks, this one is mine. I finally talked Love Bunny out of some of his canvas—but that's another story(!)—and he relented after finding some extra in that model train room of his in the 3rd car garage. Anyway, he saw how passionate I was about making these aprons and wanted mine to be exactly as I wanted it—another canvas butcher apron, but froufrou-ed up. So anyway, I just have to attach the ruffle and then this one is MINE! Almost done, chicks!

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Okay, chicks, get ready tomorrow for a giveaway.....squeeeeeeeal!!!!! Tomorrow.... squeeeeeeeal!
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Have you ever wondered how that little thread in the bobbin gets caught up in the needle when we are re-threading the bobbin? I have. It makes no sense that we just thread the needle, drop in the bobbin, give the needle feed a turn and up pops the bobbin thread. Wonder who invented that gadget. Hmmmmm...

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I found the answer to a dilemma we have in this family. We are always running out of underwear despite the fact that Love Bunny and I have at least 20 sets of tops and bottoms and I wash on a regular basis.....okay, semi-regular basis. I simply go out and buy more. This is absolutely true. I recently asked him if he needed more sets and he said if I bought him any more he couldn't get them in the drawers.

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Now, if you've read my blog long enough, you know I am a firm believer in food storage. BUT that goes beyond food. It extends into everything. I also have 2 curling irons, 2 blow dryers.....wait, not anymore—one hair dryer bit the dust recently! Okay, so I need to put extra hair dryer on my shopping list. But I normally have 2 hair dryers. I have several regular toothbrushes, 2 Water Piks, 2 electric toothbrushes. I have 2 fridges—one regular one and a small one in the garage. Two freezers—a big one and a small one. I am a prepared gal, chicks!

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I mention this again because it was recently a random thought in a regular post but it cropped up again today. One of my pet peeves—one of many, I can assure you—is people answering a question with a definition, excuse or a vague answer. Sample from today:

We went shopping and Love Bunny had left his sawing in the garage with the 2 cars outside. We returned in one of the cars and this was said:

Me: Do you want the garage door closed?

LB: Well, the sawdust would get on the cars. (He wasn't finished sawing the wood for his "forever job" of making his model railroad train room.)

Me: I'll take that as a "yes", close the door then, right?

See what I mean???? *Sigh*.......

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I was recently informed by my granddaughter that b**bs should not sit on your stomach. "Is that so?", I said to her. *Sigh*....

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Sometimes the hardest question of the day is when someone asks me my phone number. I usually have to think about it for several seconds before I remember it. I think they think I'm lying!

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I've often wondered how California cops figure out who to stop for a ticket. There isn't a soul on the freeways that isn't speeding. Do they just look at the one that looks the deadliest and grab him? My son had an experience recently that is funny if it hadn't been so sad.

A young man was in a hurry and we all know what that means on the freeways—lane changing every time you pass a car. In this one instance, my son couldn't go any faster but the guy behind him kept trying to get around him from the right lane and then the left lane. Son finally got into a right lane and the guy was following him to the right lane and then as they gained a bit of distance he passed my son again and as son looked to the left the guy was giving him the "one finger salute" and my son was pointing ahead with raised eyebrows and a look that told the guy "to be concerned" on his face. The guy just kept his salute up and screaming at my son until the guy smacked rear end into a car that was stopped ahead of him going pretty fast. Pretty loud crash as son told the story. Well, son warned him but the guy had to be stupid and kept watching son and caused a serious collision. Son had to laugh at that but he was definitely concerned for the people the guy hit violently. Nothing to be done at that point.

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I hear many people complain about the "blahs" in the winter. I rarely ever have "blahs." I'm just a happy and upbeat chick I guess but I just love life and am ever mesmerized about it.

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Why is there and who came up with a day of the year to speak like a pirate?! That one totally eludes me. Aaarrrr!!!

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Conversation:

Mother: Fine, if you don't want to tell your mother...

Adult son: I don't want to tell you.

Mother: Who raised you through childbirth...

Sometimes my old feminist attire slips to the floor and reveals the mother in me beneath the burned bra.

Can I hear it for the mother's of the world? And if you're HERE, you have a mother who has thought these thoughts!

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Gotta Do It

Okay, chicks, it's getting to where I had to bring the ol' exercise machine into the house. I was too lazy to go outside to the garage to work with it. Love Bunny brought it in about 2 weeks ago and took the red bench out to the front porch again. Sheeesh, will I ever stop moving furniture around in this house? I haven't even finished the family room "put back together" yet and am working on making some aprons for a class I'm giving in church (can this be called "service"?) and haven't even cleaned the toilets this week.

This is our first real harvest from the pear tree we planted 3 years ago. You understand I'm showing you the "good sides" of the pears, right? Hubs still hasn't gotten the hang of being a "gentleman farmer" yet.

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The other thing I want to mention is that I'm almost to 700 blog posts. Only about 2 or so to go so you might want to keep up with me for a giveaway. I'll be sure and let you know when and what you have to do so stay tuned for that announcement. I also hope to get some sweet bloggers to announce it. It will be worth it I think. :-)
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Out With The Old and In With The New.....

I've been experiencing a bit of a lag with my old Kenmore sewing machine but perhaps the reason is that I bought it in 1967 in 29 Palms, Calif. Yeah, it truly is that old. I've used it for making my kids' clothes and dresses, pillows, curtains and mending all those years.

I remember once I was trying to make a wool blackwatch plaid shirt for Love Bunny and I got so frustrated I threw it in the garbage. (Or maybe HE did; can't remember.) I was a young housewife and mother and just was trying to be a model homemaker! Didn't work; I thought I was hopeless. But hubs fished it out of the garbage and finished the shirt himself. He's a handy kinda guy, really, even in the domestic arts.

Anyway, this is the machine and I'm not giving it up yet, but I did go purchase a new Kenmore. All plastic. The old one is metal all over and heavy. I've replaced the motor, the tab that makes it go in reverse, but some things are just no longer available and I can feel it struggling every time I sew on it now.

This is the new machine—computerized and about 50 different stitches. It's very nice, runs smoothly but it's all plastic. I doubt I'll use it for 42 more years because I'm not going to last that long, but it'll be nice to use it when I get accustomed to its features and the "feel" of it.

Isn't it nice looking? This one was $280.00 and I'm sure the old one didn't even come close to that because at that time we couldn't have afforded $300.00 except maybe for a car. That was a chunk of money back then. But it was affordable and I loved it.

I sure am going to miss not sewing on it all the time, but I'll get used to the new one. *Sniff*..........
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This is one of the things I've been working on lately. Just a peek for you chicks!

Darling Aprons for Pink Saturday 9/26/09

Pink Saturday is once again here thanks to Beverly of HowSweetTheSound so go and view the other participants and get your fill of PINK, chicks!
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I've finally finished the aprons I cut out and made into various stages of apron making for the church activity we had a week ago. It has taken me about 2 weeks to get all of them done, but they will be for sale if anyone is interested. Just email me from my sidebar. I make them in colors I love because if they don't sell then I get to keep them and I'll have no aprons—or anything, for that matter—in my home that isn't pleasing to my eye and in a color I love. I plan on making some more and have cut out about 8 to list in a couple of weeks. I think you'll enjoy looking at them. Truthfully, I've sold every apron that I've made so far or I have given them away as gifts or giveaways. One of these aprons will be given away very soon so you might want to stay in touch.

This one is special because every time I see cherries I am reminded of my friend Dolly and Miss Emma. Truthfully!! This is a vintage fabric that I am almost out of and doubt if I have enough for another apron top but we'll see how I can incorporate it onto another "cherry" apron. A piece of vintage crochet is attached to the front with more trim at the middle with candy cane stripe for its ties. A ladybug button is on there also because I thought it was appropriate for the cherry apron. Notice also the pocket and ruffle are roses and the bottom half is pink polka dots. Every single apron I make will have roses on it in some way.

This is a bit french country with its checks and roosters. The top is black and white plaid with red rick rack and the ruffle, neck strap and ties are polka dots also. Roses make up the pocket and buttons and ribbon roses are on here also. I also use decorative stitching on a lot of the pockets.

Blue Waverly fabric on bottom and a sweet roses print is the top. A vintage doily makes up the large pocket. There are a couple of dark spots on the doily should you be interested in buying it so if that bothers you then you are invited to pass it up. For the most part, all vintage things have something "wrong" with them and it just adds to the appeal for me. The ruffle is a Daisy Kingdom print. Neck strap and ties are roses prints.

Simply polka dots in red, pink and white. Roses trim adorn the middle. Pocket is a beautiful paisley roses. Almost Cath Kidston in its print but it isn't hers. Alas, I wish we could get her fabric here in a store instead of sending all the way to Great Britain for it. Sigh...

This one is stunning but I assure you it can be washed should the need arise. I make them beautiful but I also make them for the function they are intended: using in the kitchen to keep my clothes spotless! Let's face it: I'm a slob when it comes to cooking. This one has very high-end fabrics on it and if someone can't bring themselves to wear it to cook in, then it's absolutely gorgeous hanging on a peg in the kitchen. Roses, polka dots, ribbon embroidered fabric, rose trim and ribbon roses scattered all over it and topped off with an organza bow.

Again, I love this paisley fabric—which I scooped up in California several years ago and it is flannel! A very high end flannel and stunning. Bottom is a pink and white stripe with gathered ribbon across the front and a pink ribbon rose. The top I simply sewed on some cord I was going to throw away and added a cute "diamond" button. Darling! Ruffle is polka dots. I just love polka dots!! You can tell, right?!

Why is it that pink roses on black brings images of the french country side to me? Although it isn't especially "french country" it does remind me of France. Polka dots and vintage ecru lace across the middle and pink polka dots make up the ruffle with a pretty paisley pink pocket. Wide white rick rack and ribbon roses across the top.

I love this old fabric and decided to just make one that was one complete fabric on top and bottom. I then added the tiny rosebud pocket and a tone-on-tone white ruffle. It may be "plainer" than the rest but it still really cute. The neck strap and ties are another fabric however.

Yep, more roses but with a lot of green and a red and white check for the bottom. Wide rick rack. A little orange button in the shape of a ladies purse is on the middle just for fun. I love throwing in unexpected things on the aprons and that button just screamed to go on it because it is so totally different in its orange-yness. ;-)

Stripes for this one in a beautiful sort of ticking stripe of roses. Pink and white checks and a ribbon trim. Ruffle is another roses fabric and the neck strap and ties are polka dots.

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I'm calling these "scraprons" as in "scrap aprons" —pronounced "scrape rons" or long A—because mostly these are made from scraps left over and I just couldn't figure out what to do with them until I decided to just put these together. I hope you enjoyed viewing them. There are more to come in the coming weeks.
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Random Thought:

Why is it people will answer a question with an explanation instead of a "yes" or "no"? This happens with Love Bunny all the time. I'll ask him something and he'll think I'm "questioning" him in some way so he defends it when all I wanted was a "yes" or "no"! Hmmmm...very strange to me.