objects appear larger...

My lucky find - a vintage apron pattern in the size 14/16. I make so many cute little dresses and bags that I was taken aback at the amount of fabric needed for this - ouch. And that my idea of what I'd look like in this isn't quite what I thought. No fault to the pattern or the fabrics. It seems that vertical strips can only slim so far, lol! I added a sheer blue valance ruffle for the bottom hem.
This rose bouquet fabric is a current Joann fabric - I love the pale green wood grain and the ribbon tie. The ticking strip at the waistband was a sweet gift from dear friend, Dana. And the pale aqua cotton - a king size pillow case. Yeah - I need the whole width of it. The shame... The roses are real - from the girls for Mother's Day.
The back/sides of the apron:
And this dress is a special order for one the dance moms who loves chenille. It's one of my absolute favorite chenille cutters - the chenille is on an elegant satiny stitched background. Retrieved about 10 years ago from a pile of dirty moving blankets at an antique show. Vintage oil painting for Mother's Day from my dear son, Vince. He has great taste in art, wink wink.

an almost happy ending

This post is a repeat from 7/14/07. I'm contemplating my first Mother's Day without my Grandma. She died last summer at 93. And had quite the life. I am so fortunate to have had a Grandmother for 42 years. So many of my dear friends have struggled with the loss their moms and grandmothers, and other dear women in their lives - I am thinking of you all this weekend.

I bought this kitschy barkcloth for my tearoom. It was a tablecloth that I hung on the wall in my office. When the tearoom closed and I was faced with a ton of excess stuff, I tried to sell it on ebay (thus the scan of the fabric) but finally parted with it in May (2007), donating a ton of stuff to the Vets.

So, I'm cataloging Gramma's pix last night(and by that I mean dumping them on my bed and grabbing the oldest, best-est ones, and dumping the rest in a pretty, vintage suitcase). And I come across this pix of her. And in the background hanging on her kitchen door? MY same KITSCHY barkcloth. Gram never travelled up the steep stairs, so she never mentioned it. And even if she saw, would she have remembered it?

I will never, ever part with anything, ever again. I just realized it would have been smashing on the wall in the craft room. Off to drown my sorrows in some ice-cream. Neopolitan in her honor.

Better than birthday cake?

Caramel Rum Rose Cakes - available on Etsy

One of my friends has a birthday coming up. And I know she happens to love these babies.
Hmmmm. Warm, caramel rum cakes, perhaps? I'll make extras 'cause they're known to disappear with a puddle of vanilla ice cream.

This post makes me realize that I get tunnel vision when I'm in a creative mode. Lately, it's been sewing, in case you haven't noticed (lol!) But I grew up in my parent's bakery. It's in my blood, kwim? I love to bake. Loved the kitchen of my own tearoom more than any where else. Happiness is two KitchenAid mixers humming and white chocolate chip/apricot scones . Tiny little teacakes. Itty bitty desserts & pastries. I had a customer track me down to make my Raspberry Almond Tart. She'd purchased one back in 2005 and still remembered it as being outstanding.

Wish I could offer you each a little morsel for stopping by today. And the Blackberry Sage tea is brewing.

Tea & Tiding, Kelley