Just a quick note. I am missing my blog so much! I go to work at 10 a.m. at the school, work until 1:30 come home for 1/2 hour where I change my clothes and freshen up and run to my receptionist job where I am scheduled until 9 p.m. Some nights it is slow enough that they let me go at 8 or 8:30 yay! Let me just say, the prospect of the weekend never seemed so sweet! See you soon!

Call me old fashioned...

While working the second job last night I happened to see an episode of "The Bachelor". There is a T.V. in the waiting area of the tax office and it was late, no phones ringing, I'm just waiting to leave. So I watched a bit. The bachelor chooses his personal date for the night, takes her outside to a romantic fire and s'mores. To make a long story short she ends up spending the night in a tent with him, with the intimation being that she slept with him! Am I the only one who wonders where these girls self respect is? Does he actually get to "try them all out" for crying out loud!?
What kind of sad person puts up with some guy making the rounds in hopes that she will be the one he chooses? Would someone put up with that in real life? I hope not, but I suppose it happens. I am repelled by the premise of this skanky show. I never thought I would say this, but what ever happened to women's lib and the idea that women are more than sex objects for some guy? I can't imagine what these girls mothers and fathers must think. Am I hopelessly out of touch? How can a show this nasty be so popular? And what in the world are we teaching the next generation of young women:>(

Ok, just one more... promise

I'm really just dropping in to show you the new aprons for the shop. I'm so ready for spring and these bright aprons are just the ticket. This one will remind you of blue skies, gardens and sunshine....

This one is for all you fans of black and white. I found the greatest little toile the other day and had to make some of these up. If you can't wait for the OWOH give-away on Feb. 12, then you might want to snap this up now.And this one is just for fun. Run Jane run... buy this fun apron!

Tomorrow I start my second job, (I know you thought it began last week, I did too, but this week I'm on the schedule). I will be working almost 50 hours a week between the two so my blogging will certainly be affected. I will do what I can, and I will most certainly be checking up on you all, but something has to give and it will probably be in the area of comments and replies. I hate that, but I'll still have housework and family time to squeeze out after work and, well, priorities you know? The good news is it will only be until April 15. *sigh* 52 days and counting... I'm grateful for the work, what with Earl being laid off and all, but I sure will miss all that free time. I hope everyone has a wonderful week, I'll see you soon:>)

Just one more Apron Post...

Better late than never, I always say! I'm jumping on the bandwagon for the One World~One Heart giveaway. I am getting close to my 400th post anyways and this seems like fun so here goes! My give away is this little black and white hostess apron that I whipped up this week. You know me, I love black and white and I love how those colors don't show stains like a light colored apron might! So, to celebrate all things apron, I am giving this away. Just leave a comment on this post and your name goes in the hat. This give-away is open to everyone!

Just think how cute this would be next time you are having a dinner party! It goes over jeans or that little black dress with equal panache. Drawing ends midnight February 11th and the winner will be announced some time late February 12. I plan on hitting as many participants in this event as possible and I have a strategy! I think those of us who are farther down the list won't have nearly as many visitors for our drawings so your chances to win may be better if you start at the bottom of the list and work your way up!

So remember, leave your comment here and good luck:>)

Well ok, I just can't wait to tell you anymore. This is my "February surprise". I got a copy of this magazine in the mail yesterday. Why? You ask? Well because one of my aprons is in it:>)This is not the photo in the magazine, I sent the apron in and they took their own photo, (page 6) but this is it. I made the apron from a vintage embroidered linen tablecloth and a very long lace table runner for the ruffle. a bit of lace on the waistband and vintage hand crochet for the pocket and it was done.

Oh, I also made a little charm and attached it with a very old, fancy safety pin to the pocket. I was so excited that my submission to this magazine was accepted. I just wanted to share my news with all of you. Apron-ology comes out on the news-stands Feb.1. You just got a sneak peek:>)

Twenty below wind chills gave me the day off from my job at the school (Yay!) so I finally finished this spring apron. I love the ivy print and all the lovely green mixed with black. Now I am headed out to lunch with eldest daughter Lauren, some shopping and showing her the ropes at work for our second job. We will be sharing a receptionist job for a tax prep place and we start Monday. The apron can be found on my etsy, hopefully I will get a few more started/finished this weekend. Next week will be full of work and youngest daughter Victoria coming home for a week between semesters. I hope you all have a great weekend! Stay warm:>)

Pink Roses

Don' t you love these? Soft creamy roses with the palest pink edge, a little treat for me from the discount flower bin at Kroger. ($5!)

I may be a red girl for other things, but when it comes to roses pink is my favorite. Followed closely by white. Red roses are near the bottom, though I've never turned down flowers of any color or type. Never.

So these are the best of both. Just what I needed on a subzero winter day. These aren't just roses, they are a vase full of hope.

As for the Christmas decorations? Packed away, not in the attic yet, but in their boxes in the basement waiting for final organization before I put them away for good. I came home from work yesterday and sweet husband had taken them all down for me, the toughest part of the job. As they say in blogland, hate me:>) He really is the best! Having the house all emptied of the clutter, I feel more inspired for the next phase of organizing and decorating. Oh, and January cleaning, it's definitely time. More good news? Earl starts a new job tomorrow, It is only temporary but it may be a foot in the door to something better, in any case he feels encouraged and that is a good thing. A big thank you to all of you for your dear encouraging comments. I am slowly making my way around to visit each of you. It may take some time but I will get there. Each comment means so much:>) Thank you!

Anyone else caught in the January Doldrums? I just can't seem to get motivated to do anything. I am still eyeing the last of the Christmas decorations and wondering where the gumption to take them down is going to come from. At least I have the Christmas tree down! I can't see decorating for spring, which is a good 3 months away up here in the bitter north. I am already sick of the snow so decorating with snowmen and winter themes leaves me "cold". I have just begun working on a few new projects for etsy (a sneak peek is above) but it's going very slowly. Next week I start a second job that will seriously hamper getting any of these things done. I need to find the energy/motivation somewhere fast! Anyone got some to spare?

A little kindness

A paper journal made for me by my daughters
Blogging has so many positive rewards, so many wonderful kind people who lift you up with their comments and some who even become good friends across the miles. I have been blessed that I haven't encountered any of the bad comments yet. Well, I have had a few of the hijackers who put links to their V**gra advertisements in my comments. What's up with that? (no pun intended) Yuk. But overall it's all been sunshine and roses here at the cottage. Not so for some of my other favorite bloggers. I have seen bloggers pack up and take their beautiful blogs offline because some nasty person had to shoot them down. The world is full of people who will tell you your idea is stupid or selfish or crazy. They will tell you that you will fail or you aren't good enough or "who do you think you are? someone special!?" Really, the sad little lives that some people live. And I'll tell you this, they are always anonymous. Always. They may have google I.D.'s and "names" but when you follow it back it leads to a blank page. And that pretty much sums it up. What are they looking for? Why do they do it? I'll tell you, they want your reaction. I can almost guarantee that they will come back to see if they got to you. Will you mention their comment? Will you try to refute it? If you do anything but hit the delete button on their comment they win . They got what they wanted. They brought you down. You have made their sad little day. But hey girls (and guys if there are any reading out there) your blog is YOURS. You don't ever have to let a snarky comment see the light of day. To hit the delete button and send it into oblivion and never mention it again is the only weapon you have against the flamers. Sure, the comment hurts, but think about it, you don't know this person, they hide beind a cloud of anonymity. They aren't your friend. And for every snarky comment you get, there are so many kind and loving people who appreciate your efforts and your blogs. Our blogs belong to us. They are completely under our control, they are our expression, our forum, our artistic outlet. Don't allow someone to hijack that and bring you down. Just. hit. delete.

I know, I have been MIA this week. I am just now getting the Christmas decorations packed away. A full week with the funeral of an old dear friend and a visit from my brother for a few days, sending Victoria back to school:>(, just a million things to do. I need to get back in the groove. I need all these chores to magically be done (Where are those Christmas elves when you need them!?) I will see you soon. Thanks for hanging in there with me. I had over 100 entries in my google reader this morning, I'm catching up on visits too! See you soon.

A sweet update...

Look what I got for Christmas! in the spirit of handmade gifts this year, dear husband did a little beadboard backsplash project in the kitchen and I couldn't be happier. We remodeled the kitchen about 16 years ago. When we moved to this little cottage as newlyweds, there was no kitchen to speak of. A few floor to ceiling built ins from the 40's was it. No counter top, nothing. We finally remodeled the kitchen after years of make do and as it happens with so many DIY projects, some of the details never got done. Namely, the backsplash. So many things have needed to be worked on over the years (we doubled the size of the house, by ourselves, while having children, attending school and sweetheart working 50 hours a week!) that the details have suffered. I mentioned that I would love some beadboard for a backsplash and that is one of the things I got for Christmas! Thank you darling! I hurried and took some photos while the counters were cleared, lol!

I love how bright and cheery and finished it all looks. Now I step back and imagine the cabinets painted white and a beautiful new color on the walls, or maybe a fantastic sage green wallpaper with lush cabbage roses! Oops, guess you opened a can of worms honey:>) I think I'll enjoy just dreaming about what to do until spring. Isn't that part of the fun?

Happy New Year

A blank slate can be a scarey thing. I know, you are all expecting a post about resolutions (I don't make them), or a new beginning. Am I the only one who wakes up and says, "hey this feels exactly the same as last year so far!?" Kind of like your birthday when you really don't feel a whole new number. Did the first day of 30 feel different than the last day of 29? So here I am. The kids are gone, one to work, one to a friends house, the hubby is working on a project, (beadboard backsplash in the kitchen, looks great:>) and I have the day ahead of me and I don't feel like doing a thing. I am not used to being unproductive. I think about the year ahead and wonder what it will bring. How will I make each moment count? What changes are ahead? Kind of like being handed a clean sheet of paper and being asked to write. How long do you stare at the whiteness, the possibilities, until you mar it with your pencil? So, maybe I'll grab a cup of coffee and an old movie and savor the blankness of today. I don't get many days like this, no demands, no projects, no work. A blank sheet of paper. I think I'll start writing tomorrow.