fiftyone 04.05.2013

I am a procrastinator. I started this apron about 3 weeks ago. I am finishing it today just in time to give it to my dear friend who requested it for her little sons third birthday.
When he was asked what he wanted for a birthday present he said, "A morepork apron!"
Of course!

I have always been a procrastinator.
I can remember when I was in school and I would cram the night before a test.
Not at 5pm or some decent hour.
But all night long!
I would study until I was too tired to stay awake.
Then set my alarm for an hour.
Sleep.
Wake up and study again.
Not sure how I did it but I got very good grades!

Maybe someday I will be over this procrastination thing of mine.

So yesterday I am running errands around town.
I get into my car.
Throw my purse on the seat next to me.
Buckle up.
Get the keys out.
Go to start the car.
Only to realize I am sitting on the passenger side!
Again!
I have got to stop doing that.
You would think after a year in NZ I would know which side of the car to get into.

Some habits die hard I guess.

So here's to apron 51.
I hope little Micah likes it.
I have a feeling it is a bit large.
But he will grow.

PS For the Americans, I am not a month behind on the date. Just changing it in honor of living on the other side of the world. The day comes before the month here. Makes sense really if you think about it.

fifty! 06.29.12

Apron number 50!
6 sewing machines.
2 states.
2 countries.
And 50 aprons.
Halfway to my 100 goal.
I wonder where number 100 will be created?

Well in honor of apron 50.
Okay i didn't actually know this was number 50 until I was done and opened my blog to see where I left off.
So the fabric really isnt in honor of 50.
But it is all very fun.
It all comes from my mum in laws fabric collection.
The pocket is made from a piece of beautiul vintage curtin.
 I love the tree.

The design is new.
It is a poofy one.
What I mean by poofy is that I folded the polka dots in half and sewed it up around the edges, so the bottom hem is not a hem at all.
But a fold.
Which makes the apron nice a full.

We left Luna, the cat, alone for three days last week.
Yes, we had someone feeding her.
Ever since we got home she follows me everywhere!
As you can see she was helping me photograph the apron.
I  thought we were getting a cat but she seems more like a dog always on my heels!

Fortynine 04.17.12

We have moved ourselves to Woodville New Zealand for the present moment.
You can see about that decision here.
It is nice to be in one place for longer than a few months!
We have planted a garden that we might actually see the harvest from.
I have even planted tulip bulbs, which is a real act of faith for me.
They wont come up till spring!
We also got ourselves a little kitten. Luna.

Woodville is a small town in the middle of NZ.
Nigel is related to half the town.
Nigels Mum who is a midwife has helped usher the other half  into this world.
Everyone knows everyone.
Nigel got a job in a lovely hair salon called Roses.
And I am working a a cafe called Cafe 88.
We are settling into some sort of rhythm. 

This apron was made before Woodville.
It is being modeled by the lovely Liz.
One of our dear friends in this area.

The pockets are made from upholstery remnants.
I love the contrasting buttons.
What is so fun about buttons anyways?!

I hope to get back into apron making.
I have quite a fabric collection going that is crying out to be transformed into something cute to wear!

Fortyeight 12.01.12

Sometimes things don’t go as you planned.

 I find in fact that most times things don’t go as I planned.

 Especially where our buses are concerned.

We were so organized this trip to NZ.

We booked in our bus for its warrant before we even flew over.

We drove it in on the 14^th of December.

We got our “to do” list that needed to be finished within 28 days.

We booked the bus into the mechanic that same week.

 We spent the night in the bus in a garage.

 Took it back to the testing station.

Nope, still no passing.

We booked it into another mechanic who was not available until after the holidays.

No worries.

Still plenty of time.

We took the bus in on the 5^th of January to find out there was quite a bit of work to be done to get the bus up and running. It will be in the shop at least a week and they can start work next week!

So organized…..

So many plans……

What to do?

I could be very frustrated that my plans have not gone as planned. Or I can make new plans and make the most of it.

I am choosing the latter options.

If I stayed frustrated every time our plans went awry I would be a very unhappy person.

It really isn’t too bad to be “stuck” on the Kapiti Coast for a few days.

It is a little inconvenient to be homeless for a week.

But the bright side is that we get to stay with and see more of our Wellington friends.

That will be fun.

My apron today is a bit like life at the moment.

I had a plan this morning to make a long cute apron.

I was wearing a long skirt and it seemed to make sense at the time.

When the apron is done it seemed more Amish than cute. Not that Amish is not cute, just not what I was going for.

But to go along with the theme for today I decided to make the most of it.

I put a two buttons at the waist line and a little loop down each side.

The loop can be brought up to the buttons and it looks a bit funky.

Also it makes a good little pocket to collect some eggs in.

If you happen to have chickens. 

or a kitten.....

bbq chicken pizza

 We made this pizza the other night and it was divine!
The basic ingredient list

Pizza Dough (nigel makes this in the bread machine)
BBQ sauce (see recipe below)
Mushrooms
Spinach
Cooked shredded chicken
Basil (nigels half)
Cilantro (my half)
Cheese of course
Green onions sprinkled on top at the end.

It is really the BBQ sauce that makes it.
I found this recipe in an Essentially Food magazine.


Sauce
1TB butter
1 small red onion,peeled and chopped
2 small cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
1 cup canned tomatoes in juice (I used fresh)
1 cup water
1/4 cup tomato sauce (ketchup for the americans)
2TB red wine vinegar
1TB dijon mustard
1TB honey
3tsp worcestershire sauce
1.5tsp chilli powder
salt and pepper to taste

Melt the butter in a small sauce pan, add onion and garlic and saute for a few minutes until soft.
Add tomatoes and water and simmer for 10 min, then add the remaining ingredients. Stir and simmer for 20 min.
Transfer the mixture to a food processor and puree until silky smooth, then season to taste.
Makes 2.5 cups.

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.

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*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.

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