jane's apron

blog project: before

There are lots of good things about blogs...but one of the best for me is accountability...when I put something out here, I feel obligated to do it (i.e. I sewed something!).  So, this week I'm using my blog to force me to get something done...

I bought this dresser at my thrift store over a year ago...with plans to paint it.   I let it sit unpainted for a long time because the room wasn't painted yet and it didn't look that bad.  Well, now the room is painted and it's time to finish this project. 

I truly do not know how I am going to paint this...since the dresser is kind of "modern", I think I will keep it simple.   I'm not sure about the sliding doors either...may keep them or may pop them off to expose the pull-out drawers.   

So...right now, I'm going to put on my ipod and get my house in order so I can get started.   I'll be back Friday with the results.   

thrifty april

I'm a little early for my thrift post for April but I'm thinking of doing a blog project next week (don't get excited...just a painting thing I want to get done).   

It's getting a little bad that I can put my thrifted goodies into color coordinated groupings.  Just my usual favorites...linens and dishes.  The sweet bird picture is in an old brown frame but that can be fixed.   I love english ironstone and especially love Johnson Brothers pieces...picked up all of the plates here at the Goodwill outlet yesterday...6 for $0.95.

baker's twine

I went paper shopping last week and, as always, I love to see the paper in a pile...the mix of colors and patterns...makes my head spin with ideas.   I got the sweet sewing pattern at my thrift store for $0.10...it has all of the original embroidery transfers tucked inside...and wouldn't the tiny apron/bib look cute in a nice vintage-y fabric?

I also got the ginormous spool of baker's twine last week.   Do you think I have enough?...I'm worried that I might run out.   I seriously think this might be a life-time supply...and the scary part is the guy (he's on ebay with the name "wesellcoffee") said he would have brown/white twine soon...so I'll probably buy more.  My kids are constantly asking me for string (or helping themselves to my ribbons), building some contraption, hanging toys from things...so now I can say "yes, here's some string...take all you need".

my best trick

I had book club at my house last week and remembered to take a picture to share.  This is the prettiest, easiest, thriftiest (enough adjectives?) idea in my bag of decorating tricks...see them on top of the china hutch?   All you do is line up a bunch of milk glass dishes, add a tea light, and watch them glow.  It's a great way to add a little light anywhere you want it...also looks cute in a powder room to light the way for your guests.  Grab a piece of milk glass (if you don't have one you can thrift one...easy to find and cheap) and try it tonight.

accidental tag

I made these cards with Mother's Day in mind but they could really be used anytime.  I used the tissue from a sewing pattern and layered it onto a vanilla cardstock and them used it as a background and other scraps on a few cards.  I stamped "mom" in stitched alphabet stamps and finished it off with a stitched ribbon.   The cards seem very mom-like to me...didn't everybody's Mom used to sew?

A lot (most!) of the things I make are "accidental" designs...I really don't have a plan but find stuff laying next to each other on a table or in messy pile I have left behind and something jumps out at me.  That's how I made this tag...a scrap of the pattern cardstock too small for a card and a pattern girl in a cute black & white dress...meant to be together...

multiple apron girls

Remember this collage?  I wanted to somehow use an image of the collage to make prints...for using on cards or other projects.  Well, I did some digital art research and found a really nice smooth cotton paper that produces excellent prints.   I messed around with some different ideas...added a "tie one on" sentiment, printed "happy mother's day" on vellum and added them with an eyelet and a brad, and then one more with just a ribbon tied around.   I showed these to my kids and they were all..."hey, that's the lady hanging in the kitchen!".

before & after

Don't you just love "before & after" pictures?  I do...doesn't matter what the subject is...kitchens, fashion, gardens.  I found some "before" pictures of our kitchen when I was organizing all of my digital camera photos recently.    Now, I'm not saying that my "before" picture is that bad...I still love the little decals that were on the cabinet and was so happy when I found a vintage tin with similar decals...the green tin sits with the vintage cookbooks now.    The "after" picture is a little staged (is that wrong?)...the shelves are just as they are everyday but I set the counter space for coffee/tea.  I did use stuff that was already in my kitchen somewhere else so it isn't a total fake...just a little prettier than the piles of school papers and such that are usually there.

Right when we bought our house, I remember Mary Engelbreit's new home was featured in Home Companion (feb - march 1999).   In the few months leading up to us actually moving in, I spent a lot of time staring at the pages of the magazine...and fixed this picture from Mary's kitchen into my brain.  When we finally got around to redoing our kitchen, I knew exactly how I wanted the little cabinet nook to look.

pattern purse

Again with the sewing patterns?  Yes, I'm still "feeling" them...they're still calling my name.  I have made a couple of these lunch box tins using cute vintage books and wanted to try one with a sewing pattern.  I've put this particular one in my etsy shop but am going to make another one for myself to use as a purse...it fits my "fun" purse requirements and I prefer purses that I carry by a handle.

The lunch box tins I use are from basic grey...they are marketed as scrapbook kits but I think they could be useful for more than that...like a purse or organizer or just cute storage.   The pretty papers I used with the sewing pattern pieces are also from basic grey and are from the stella ruby collection.

Also, I just have to share a blog I recently discovered.   This girl has great sewing skills and is not afraid to model her fantastic wardrobe...find her at bitter betty. 

school auction

I made this simple collage for the kid's school auction that is coming up in a couple of weeks.  I just love the frame...the mat opening is only 5x7 but I really like how it is offset in the frame.   I bought the frame at Target (of course!)...I have a running joke with my sisters that almost every conversation we have starts with "I was at Target today and...".

I am planning on listing my larger pattern collages in my  etsy shop today...right after I run to REI and pick up my new shoes...

(***shop updated today 4.12***)

I'm a "mary jane" girl and couldn't resist these...they are even in my favorite chocolate brown color.

vintage cookbooks

I collect vintage cookbooks for lots of reasons.  The main attraction is that they look cute in my kitchen and I just love the artwork.  Other than that, they can actually be useful for recipes and, at the same time, really, really funny...like the advice in the Hostess Cookbook to "Never, never shop the day of the party!"...now that's funny.  Or...check out the picture of the "man's" lunch being prepared.  The ingredients are funny too...why the call for so much food coloring?...and the crazy amount of jello salads?