fortyseven 12.29.11

I sewed today to the sound of Billy Holiday

And to the smell of a light rain falling outside.

There is a Tui that is fond of the gum tree near us.

He joined in with Miss Holiday.

I love the sound of a Tui.

I love the smell of rain.

It was a lovely day.

I made ruffles today.

I have been wanting to try this apron design for a while and today seemed like as good as any to try it.

I reminded myself that I committed to making one apron a day not one perfect apron a day.

Then I got down to figuring out this apron.

The ruffles take FORever.

Other than the time it took to pull the ruffles together, the amount of pinning and measuring involved, and the bobbin running out at an inopportune time, the apron came together pretty easy.

A perfect flouncing around the kitchen apron.

fortysix 12.27.11

I have another confession to make.

I am not proud of it.

But it has to be said.

When I was a kid my friends and I used to drive around in our cars and shoot people.

With water guns.

We would pull up next to a car at a red light.

If they had their windows down they were in for it.

As soon as the light was about to turn green we would bring out the super soakers and pull the triggesr.

Then squeal away.

I am not sure if our cars actually squealed but it seems like they should have.

Today after I made my apron I took a walk down to the shops.

I was innocently walking through the parking lots when a van drove by.

With water guns.

I was shot in the arm with a spray of water.

I guess it was payback.

I have made a previous apron with this fabric. 

Thirtynine.

I just love the combo and couldn’t resist doing another.

I would like to find some gold buttons for the pockets.

Thanks for the modeling K and M.

fortyfive 12.22.11

My first boys apron.
Boys can wear aprons too.
James is the apron model today.
I assured him it was a very manly apron and then he agreed to the modeling.
He was great.

Our NZ bus lives at Te Nikau.
It is a beautiful spot.
And it means we get to have nice neighbors like James and his sister Katie.

We went to Christmas Dinner last night at Te Nikau.
It was SO yum.
The Pavlova was to die for.
I could do that again.

I made this apron extra strong.
There are lots of pockets for toads and rocks and things.
And loops to hang all sorts of tools.

I suppose you could hang a spatula as well.

*fortyfour 12.21.11

I am getting back into the swing of apron making.
My outside sewing table was confiscated by my husband today.
It has turned from a sewing table to a construction table.
He is redoing half our kitchen.
We had a leak in the bus while we were away and some cupboards needed some serious attention.

I laid a blanket down, sat down, and did my cutting and ironing on the floor.
It worked out much better than I was expecting.

This apron is made from a linen upholstery sample and some cotton I got from the fabric store.
It is one big pocket.
I think it will be a good clothespin apron.
Also is you run out if room in the clothes basket you can defiantly fit a few things in this pocket!

The lovely Katie agreed to model for me today.
She makes the apron look great!
Thanks Katie!

Duvet Cover

I did not make an apron today.
I did however make a duvet cover!

When  we got married we wanted white table clothes for the tables at the reception.
We found these in the form of lots of white sheets from second hand stores.

After the wedding we were left with lots of white sheets.

Some became curtains for a while.
Some became drop cloths.

Some became rags.
And two got sewn together to make us a duvet cover.

When I washed the cover yesterday it was shredding on one side! Old sheet I guess.

So I found another sheet to replace it.
And added this great piece of fabric.

It is an upholstery fabric sample.
A Beautiful new friend gave me a big ol box of samples!

A duvet cover is a very forgiving project.
One sheet was a bit bigger than the other but somehow it got sewn together.
There is one corner that is a bit iffy.
But it looks great on the bed!

Have you ever thought about making a bed in the loft of a bus?
Let me tell you, it is a tricky business.
I have to actually make the bed while I am on it!
I have gotten quite good at this, if I do say so myself.
If you need any pointers just let me know.

fortythree 12.19.11

 We arrived safe and sound in The Land of the Long White Cloud.
The first week here was spent getting the big green bus all swept out and cleaned up and fixed up to be livable and road worthy once again.

I turned our "office" down the back into a sewing room.
My beautiful friend Sharon lent me her sewing machine.

Our Office doesn't get used too much so it is the perfect spot.
There was one cold and damp New Zealand winter  when we put carpet on the floor and blankets on the walls.
We hooked up a heater and kept warm in the little "cave" while watching movies.
There was a big hole in the front part of the bus where the engine was getting replaced.
But that is another story....

The new sewing space still has a few kinks. There is not room in there to cut and iron so yesterday I set up a table outside and kept hopping back and forth.

I felt like a rabbit.


The apron turned out nice in spite of all the hopping around.
Some great white and red cotton.
Little lines of roosters on it.
A pocket made out of linen.
Two gorgeous pheasants.

I may be getting a bit carried away with the length of the ties these days.

These ones can wrap around the front and then back around to the back and tie there!

Zucchini Fritters

I did consider starting up another blog to share some cooking adventures.
But really, three blogs is enough to keep up with.

I think cooking and aprons go pretty well together.
You do wear an apron when you cook after all.

I made these Zucchini fritters the other day and they were SO good I had to share.

I am one of those annoying people who don't use a recipe so I will try to recreate it for you here.







First I pulled out the food processor.

I threw in
2 small zucchini
1 carrot
1/4 red onion
1 clove of garlic
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
3/4 cup of flour (the milk and the flour it where is gets fuzzy. It should be a pancake consistency.)
1t baking powder.
Salt and Pepper

Whizz it all up!

Add a bit of oil to a skillet and cook them up like pancakes.

I topped them with avocado and a tomato chutney recipe that I found in a Real Simple magazine.
This made enough for three people. Or two very hungry people.

I hope it goes well if you give it a try!

*fortytwo 12.06.11

Its our last day in Alabama.
We are off to New Zealand tomorrow.
It has been a loverly week here.

I have enjoyed seeing our bus again and sewing with my machine!

I do plan on making aprons in NZ.
Hopefully I will find a machine to have on the bus.

This was one of those aprons that kinda of made itself.
I wasnt sure what it was going to look like when I started.

I wanted to use the striped linen dress.
But there wasnt quite enough fabric.
So I added a panel of the orange dots in the middle.

I made the pockets.
But when I put them in place they looked a bit funny with the panel.
So I put the small pocket on the big pocket.
Why not?


I sewed the ties on.
But they were a bit to far off the shoulder.
So I added couple little tucks.
Perfect.

Working with what is in front of me.
Being flexible.
Going with the flow.

*fortyone 11.29.11

I am still making aprons.
There are just a few more days in between them!
I was quite distracted my my cute lil niece and nephew when I was in MN.

This is the last apron I made in Minnesota.
I am now back in Alabama at Nomads Land.

This one was made for my dear friend Lana.
Lana and I have been friends for somewhere around 10 years.

We lived together in a wonderful community house for a few years.
Good times.

Then after we both got married, Nigel and I lived in our bus in their backyard.
Good times.

This is the second apron I have made for Lana over the course of our friend ship.

The first one was during her "brown and blue" phase.
It was brown with blue flowers.
          When I gave it to her she laughed and said she had just bought the same exact fabric!

This is my first ruffle apron.
Ruffles take a long time!
There must be a trick I dont know about.
But they sure are cute!

*forty 11.19.11

We are staying with my sister and her family at the moment.
I have a little sewing space set up in the basement.
When I sew my niece comes down with me and "plays buttons."

She loves it!
I give her a cup full of my buttons and she has so much fun.

I find myself wondering if she will remember this button business when she grows up.

I have a memory of brushing my Grandmas hair when I was a little girl.
I can remember her sitting on the floor in the living room.
I can remember the silver brush that was kept on her dresser.
I can remember thinking it was pretty great to be brushing Grandmas hair.

I asked my Grandma about it the other day. She said it must have been when we lived with them for a time.
What?!
Who knew?
I was under 2.

Funny the things we remember.

This apron was made from the last pieces of both fabrics.
I cut and sewed and cut and sewed and finally got it looking like an apron.
It is double sided so you dont have to see all the stitching together of the pieces on the back.
Purple and pink and everything nice.

Posted via Blogaway

*thirtynine 11.14.11

Apron making is a bit sporadic these days.
I have been working full time.
I am really missing making an apron everyday!
I have so many ideas.


I think I enjoy the rhythm of one apron a day.
Something creative to do each day.
Something I can finish in a day.
A project that drags on is one that I will never finish.

I started making a beaded curtain about  10 years ago.
I started off great.
6 strands or so in a few days.
I think I may have 7 strands done at this present moment.


An apron I can handle.

I went fabric shopping with my mom this past weekend.
I found some great deals and some great fabrics!
I am totally inspired.
There was only so much fabric I could fit into my suitcase when we came to MN from Alabama.

Teal with sparkly gold polka dots.
Red and gold damask.
With a little purple accent on the pocket.

These are the kind of rich colors I want to be surrounded with during a Minnesota winter.

*thirtyeight 11.12.11

These two aprons will go to my friend Lissa.
For her two beautiful twin girls.

Ah the stories I could tell about Lissa.
But then again
The stories she could tell about me!
We have known each other since our 7th grade German class.


We spent just about everyday together for years.
We were pretty strange girls.
I am sure that has all changed now.

The orange in this apron reminds me of Lissa.
We went through a phase once in high school where we tried to wear something orange everyday.
Socks.
Jeans.
A flannel shirt with a touch of orange.
Why?
Who knows!

We lived together for a couple years in our early 20's. One weeked we thought it would be a great idea to try to stay on our couches for the whole weekend!
We got some coolers full of food, a bunch of movies and started sitting.
It was great.
At first.
Our friends came over to visit. I think they thought it was boring cause they left.
Around 11pm we started to get a bit antsy.
Our roomate had gone to bed.
We crept out of the house so not to lose face if we got caught.
We went for a drive, who knows where.
Then crept back to our couches to spent the night, just as if we had never left.

My niece Adeline is the apron model today.
I had to bribe her with lip balm.

*thirtyseven 11.7.11

I've been thinking.
I spend the majority of the year living in a bus.
We are in a house maybe two months.

I like staying in a house.
I like having hot water to do the dishes without having to heat it up on the stove.
I like having a big sink that dishes actually fit in.
I like having a high pressure shower.

After a while of being in a house I start to miss the outdoors.
Living in a bus is kinda of like living outside.
If it is cold outside it is cold in the bus.

Being in a house in Minnesota in the winter is not like being outside.
That is a good thing.
But I still miss knowing what the temperature is outside when I wake up.

I also feel like I forget to look at the moon when I live in a house.
When we are on the road or out in the woods I know what stage the moon is in.
I follow its coming in and going out.

This apron just came together from different things I had in my fabric collection.
A piece of eyelet fabric.
An old table runner.
Some beautiful lace for the ties.
Walla!
An apron that scream vintage.
Thanks model Wendy.

Posted via Blogaway

*thirtysix 11.6.2011

Owls remind me of New Zealand.
We have another home there.
It is a bus as well.
We also have an outdoor bathtub there.
It is a big ol cast iron set in the middle of some big high bushes.
It has a little camp stove under it to heat up the propane.

We tried once to heat it with wood but the smoke gets in your eyes.
Also it was much harder to get the temperature right.
It just kept cooking us.
No way to turn it off.
As it is you have to sit on these little wooden seats.
If you dont,
You will have a burnt bottom.

We use the bath late at night.
It being outside and everything.
The stars are always gorgeous.
Sometimes there is a big moon with the clouds racing across it.
Almost always there is the sound of Moreporks.
An owl that lives in New Zealand.
They call back a forth to each other.
It sounds like they are saying "More Pork."

I got the idea for this cute little apron from an owl pillow.
The wings are pockets!
The yellow is doubled up so you don't see all the stitching from the owl on the back.
Kid size of course. 

thirtyfive11.03.11

This apron may look slightly familiar.
It is the same fabric as thirtyfour.
I just like the combo so well I had to try it again.

Today was my first day sewing on my sisters machine.
After three flights from Birmingham
We are back in Minnesota.

Sewing on a machine that is not mine
is like driving someones car
or cooking in someones kitchen.

I know how to do it but it doesn't feel quite right.

Every time I went to lift up the foot my hand hit air.
The lever is in a different spot on my sisters machine.




We did a craft show today.
Homemade soap is my weakness.
There is always a soap vendor and I am always so tempted.
So I found a table stocked with yummy things from Body Bliss.
I smelled and I sniffed.
Everything smelled divine.
I finally settled on a bar of hair shampoo.
That is right a bar of shampoo.
I have never heard of such a thing but I am excited to go try it.

*thirtyfour 10.29.11

 A little bit hippie, a little bit princess and a Little bit rock and roll.
An apron fit for dear Hope.
She has been my apron model on more than one occasion.

I cant wait to see this what this little girl will be like when she grows up.
She is so full of spirit.
So full of dreams.
So full of life.

I heard once that what you wanted to be when you were little plays into what you are when you grow up.
If that is the case lil miss Hope has a lot of living to do!

I always wanted to dress up like a gypsy for Halloween.
I guess that one played out.

I can also remember loving to play "store" and "library" with my friend Dia.
I have played enough store as an adult.
I do really enjoy it.
Library I still have yet to experience.


This is the first time I have done two aprons in one day!
They were for sisters.

*thirtythree 10.29.11

 Strawberry shortcake anyone?
This apron was a special undertaking for Hannahs second bitrhday.
Something for a girl who can name all the veggies in my cookbook.
She also does a very great elephant imitation.

Our time at Nomads is drawing to an end for now.
We only have a few days left.

It has been a wonderful season here.
We got much built on the land.
And much built with the friendships here too.

We also were given 10 chickens!
Yeah!
Fresh eggs!

My last year has been about learning where the things I use and eat come from.
I started off strong in January as with most new years resolutions.
A few months into the year I started to lose steam.

Then in the summer it seemed like the books and info were finding me.

I just finished Barbara Kinsglovers Animal, Vegetable, Miracle.
Such a great book for eating local inspiration and ideas.
Nigel and I spent most of August eating from local farmers markets and using stuff out of our own garden.
It was so fun!
And tasty!

A time for every season.

Posted via Blogaway

*thirtytwo 10.27.11

Clothes pin apron.

I love this one.

Green and brown and hummingbirds.
You cant go wrong there!

I am selling my aprons at a craft show today.
The first one.
I feel nervous.
Like my first day of school or something.


This apron is one big pocket.

Perfect for hanging clothes out and keeping the pins handy.