jane's apron

thirty-one days {28}

Getting the nest back in order here.  Cleaning out drawers and closets that have had a little too much stuffed into them over the year.  The apron section got edited, folded, and restacked.  

and we'll have waffles

It's that time of year when everything spins a little out of control...

• school supplies all over the dining room
• scrambling to visit colleges
• a yard (and city) that is ready to spontaneously combust
• working to the bone to ready my mother-in-law's old house to sell
• looking at half-finished projects in my own house
• dealing with a dog that knows how to open the door but not how to close it behind him
• ...and waffles for dinner (that's my niece Lucy working on the strawberries)

Let me take a minute to thank everyone that visits me here...it means so much to me to get encouraging comments about the garage project that has consumed this year.  I feel like we are almost done with the whole transition and I am itching to get back to crafting, painting, sewing, making...and sharing.  Thanks for checking in on me and sticking with me this year.  If you came to my house I'd put on an apron and make you some waffles.

 

happy apron

The aprons I like to sew are vintage-mix.  I like to use rough muslin and ticking with vintage linens, vintage seam binding ties (that go all the way around and then tie in front), vintage buttons, etc. 

This apron makes me happy.  Happy because I got to use the cute panel print I bought this summer and finally got to cut the "happy" from a vintage dresser scarf.  And the green...the green seam binding and vintage plastic button...total happiness.

Some close-ups of more...

 

 

love lace

I have a path I follow at my thrift store.  Sheets, sewing patterns, pillow cases...skip the bras and slips.  But one time a slip caught my eye.  It had a lace trim that said "love".  Loved.  

I knew I'd use it for something and it eventually was the inspiration for an apron...combined with the coolest piece of a linen tea towel, some vintage seam binding, and fringed cotton muslin.  Love.

the jane apron

I remember when my book club picked "Pride and Prejudice".   Oh god, I thought, I watched that stupid "Bride and Prejudice"  (yep, a Bollywood movie) ... why would I ever want to read ye-olde-english version of that?

I started reading.  It was a little hard to adjust to the language but I got used to it quickly (and stopped picturing the characters as Indian).  And then I discovered that it was funny...free from tedious physical descriptions of people and places...full of good characters and dialog.  Within a few days I was up in the middle of the night finishing the book.  To my complete surprise, it was the best book I had ever read.  I love it when I'm wrong about something (sometimes). 

My "jane" apron is a new one.  A panel print of an very Austenian scene...in the coolest colors.

 

new with tags

Most everyone here knows that I am a first-year teacher. Many, many teachers have given me the wise advice that next year will be much better.   In the mean time, I seem to only be able to post to my blog on weekends and never seem to get a chance to update my etsy shop.  No excuses here...just the facts.  So...I've been trying to take photos on the weekends to allow myself to catch up on the blog posts in my head.   And this is the first of several that are overdue (in my mind). 

Whenever I make a little cash from selling my jane's apron items, I usually go shopping at etsy.  The same thing applies if I participate in a craft show.  That's how I bought the cute and so simple apron from EbbaHandmade (she has an etsy shop but seems to be on an extended vacation).   Even the tags are cute and are still attached...

I LOVE this apron.  And when I googled the shop name to find more info I found that Emily's shop was featured at design sponge.  My love validated :-)

an apron collection

 

Sometimes when I see groups of four things I think of them as sisters.  This happens because I am one of four girls...no brothers.  Sure enough, it popped into my head as I was editing the photo.

Four sister aprons.  One appliqued with embroidered with fruit, one with fringe trim, one with bright colors and white rick rack, and one with a very cool daisy fabric (and cute pink trim).  All very summery and all carefully ironed (I know, right?).  An instant apron collection.  

We are getting away for a few days but, if you leave a comment while I'm gone, I'll send the collection to one apron loving commenter when I return.  Back soon!

 

sugar peanuts

 

A wooden spoon in a polka dot apron with doodled baking tools and furniture...vintage graphics at its best.  

The recipe pamphlet and tupperware came home with me from a recent neighborhood garage sale.  I admit that I have a thing for vintage tupperware...the old scoops are the best.  

I was saving the picture for an "easy bake" recipe and have one to share today.  My mom calls these "sugar peanuts" and they are one of those salty-sweet things that always get me in trouble.  I just made a batch this morning and I've already had a hard time limiting myself to a reasonable serving size...I suggest you make these for a crowd like at a picnic or something.  

Sugar Peanuts

16 oz. bag of raw peanuts

1/2 cup water

1 cup sugar

Add the sugar and water to a 10 to 12 inch skillet and dissolve the sugar over medium heat.  Add the peanuts and cook, stirring occasionally, until the water is about gone and you have a nice sugary coating.  Spread the peanuts on a baking pan in a single layer and sprinkle liberally with coarse salt.  Bake at 275 for about an hour and let cool. 

I know her

 

The apron I found at the thrift store was simple.  A nice heavy and soft white cotton.  White rick rack stitched and finished on the back.  Very precise and very pretty.  

And then I noticed the back.  The apron was made from a sheet or pillowcase and the girl that created it sewed the tag into the waist.  I don't know who sewed this apron (or why it was at my thrift store) but I totally get her.  

 

what is an iron

 

When they were both in preschool, my boys took some kind of screening test conducted by our school district. Part of the test was identifying common objects.  I remember neither one was able to identify an iron.  It was a long time ago but it was something like this....

my husband: "Really?"

me: "What? Who irons?"

Obviously, I don't place that much value on irons and never understood the need for an expensive one.  But, like lots of things sewing has changed my mind about, I'm starting to see the logic in a really good iron (for sewing purposes and maybe, occasionally, when something doesn't make it out of the dryer quickly). 

I still haven't actually spent the money on an iron but it's been floating around on my list.  You too?  Bitter Betty is having a giveaway for a serious iron (until June 1).  I hope I win.  It will be good "teaching moment" for my kids.