Oooooh, do I have a scrumptious giveaway for YOU just in time for Mother’s Day!! Creative Chics, those mega-sellers on Etsy, are giving away one of their best-selling Sweetheart Aprons.  Check out this sweet “OOPS a Daisy” in their colorful floral collection, white trimmed in sassy lime green checks.

Creative Chics Oops A Daisy

A bit about our sponsor, as told by daughter Debbie:

Creative Chics was “born” when Mom made my childhood clothing, 40+ years ago. A few years ago we dusted off our machines and started sewing together, enjoying a past time we had long set aside but never forgotten. And with that we forged a new mother/daughter relationship.

Then came Carol, my Aunt and Mom’s youngest sister, who has years of sewing experience. Within months we welcomed Yuriko, my new daughter in law. My closest girlfriend joined us as the 5th Chic when she moved back from Texas and unsure how to fill her days.

Five Creative Chics in all, we work out of our home studios. We are a group of women who love and support each other and who love sharing our creative spirit with others.

Look at what a beautiful team they make —

We have one of their “Sexy Halter Aprons”  in a gorgeous Yellow and Grey Lanikai Peacock Plumes.  Look how beautiful my daughter looks in it, showing off her new Kitchenaid and goodies for her birthday.

The workmanship is superb — I really like the lined bodice and the attention to detail on the straps.

And look at the packaging

EASY entries to win — comments and likes!  Using Rafflecopter:
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Pop by my blog HERE and check out a great book, “S.A.S.S. Yourself Slim” by Cynthia Sass!

Here is the cutest tutorial from My Sister’s Suitcase. She made two sweet aprons from one TJ Maxx reusable shopping bag.  Love it!!

Created by Eric Novak from Chicago IL

A few weekends ago, while I was having fun with all those centerpieces at my church’s women’s retreat, my darling 13yo daughter spent a long weekend with her grandmother and attended the Sewing Expo in Puyallup, WA.

Miss T had a wonderful weekend, cooking and spending extended time her sweet and VERY talented grandmother. But one of the highlights of the trip came from an unexpected gesture. She shared with me that as she was walking around the Expo, she saw this woman that had on a beautiful skirt. Well, Miss T told her that it was beautiful – and the gal gave her a free pattern. An apron pattern! Of course, this generous lady had no idea that she just gifted THE APRONISTA’s daughter with an apron pattern!! I think someone that genuine and thoughtful deserves to be highlighted here, don’t you?!?

Laura Nash of the Sew Chic Pattern Company is that special lady, and she has quite a few little sites here on the web:

• Sew Chic Pattern Company Etsy Shop
• Sew Chic Pattern Co.
• Gowns By Laura
• Facebook, too
• Laura’s Blog

Laura is so talented!! She has patterns for skirts, hats, backpacks, dresses — you name it. And, of course, this sweet apron pattern. PLUS, she’s giving FIVE away if you enter quick – drawing is April 5!! Pop over to her blog right now, THIS post, and tell her Shawnee sent ya! And show her some love — like her Facebook page, become a blog follower. Maybe she’ll design some more beautiful aprons!!
Visit our sponsors:
Sugar Baby Aprons
My Memories Digital Scrapbooking – $10 off with code STMMMS92648
Pick Your Plum
Dayspring

I have thoroughly enjoyed my review copy of this new book from Holley Gerth, “You’re Already Amazing.” Such a refreshing reminder — you don’t have to DO anything, or BE any more; God made us perfect just the way we are. I love this reassurance. Holley’s fresh writing style and casualness is so very friendly, too. Her whole book feels like a chat with a girlfriend – a very wise girlfriend who you want to “grow up to be just like her.”

I strongly encourage you to pick this up as a delicious treat for yourself or, better yet, read it with some girlfriends. You won’t be disappointed!!

I received a review copy from Dayspring but all opinions are my own!

Holley Gerth – You’re Already AmazingNEW ITEM SPECIAL PRICE! – $9.00 You’re Already Amazing ! In her new book, Holley Gerth helps you understand and embrace the truth that as a woman, you do not need to do more, be more, and have more—because you are already amazing just the way God created you to be.

I have seen such beautiful creations all over the ‘net and Pinterest.  My friend, Sherry, handmade some breathtaking centerpieces for a friend’s shower from pieces of china and crystal.  So, when I volunteered to coordinate decorations for my church’s womens retreat, I knew what I wanted to make.

For the past six months, I’ve been going to garage sales, goodwill, and shopping from Craigslist for those perfect dishes and pieces of glass.  Friends have given me pieces from their personal stashes, and I’ve even hit a Dollar Store or two.  The process if fairly straight forward and the secret ingredient …. E6000!

This is the most amazing adhesive I’ve ever worked with!

Stack and glue your pieces together, let them cure overnight, and you have a new creation by morning. My favorite part about using the old china is that they have so much character — several cracks in the glazing, little chips along with rims, or wear marks from years of use. We’re a lot like those plates; God takes our imperfections, mistakes and bad choices, and transforms each us into a beautiful and unique creation.

Of course, all the components for 40 centerpieces take up quite a bit of room …. my son graciously let me use one of his extra bedroom shelves to store the boxes of dishes and glassware through Christmas and I got to work in early February.  So, this picture shows what my dining room looked like for several weeks.  I set up my folding table as a work spot and the buffet was loaded with finished pieces.  I had several ladies praying for these babies, because my Great Dane/Mastiff dog Apollo has a LONG tail and it hits right at table-top height.  But, no breakage!

The aqua sets were one of my favorites.

After a precarious 90-minute drive to the coast last Friday (thank goodness for bubble wrap, study boxes and LOTS of aprons to tuck in between the pieces), here are a few in the dining room at the retreat center.

In the top, we set African violets with the pots wrapped with tulle (not the best shot here).  That was my friend Dayna’s idea – she so creative!

I made a few with just teacups and sweet little houseplants inside (my friend Michelle the florist planted those and added the ribbons/butterflies).

And I used a couple to decorate the welcome/registration area.

Our theme was “Hope Remains” and the brochure featured a crocus.  So, for a favor, I found these little burlap bags online which a group of us stuffed with flower bulbs and a little tag with planting instructions.  We made sweet bookmarks for everyone, too.

What weighed heavily on my heart was that all decorations are at a cost-recovery basis, which means that I needed to re-sell the centerpieces as keepsakes to recoup the costs.  What if the ladies didn’t like them??  Or what if they liked the idea but wanted to just make their own?  Or if they couldn’t figure out what to DO with them.  So, I set up a Pinterest board with ideas on “Uses for Cake Stands” and then made a QR code for the tags so gals could quickly see why this was the best thing ever!  =)  Afterwards, when I was looking for a little gift for my mother-in-love for watching my daughter over the weekend, I realized I should have suggested these sweeties as the perfect thank-you gift.

The centerpieces were a big hit and, yes, most gals wanted to know how I did it and of course I revealed my “secret ingredient” so they could make their own.  While I didn’t sell all the centerpieces, I sold enough to recoup most of the costs.  AND, the rest were used for another ministry event this past week.  In fact, they needed five more so I whipped those together after bible study on Tuesday for the Wednesday event.

These beauties will be used for one more event this month and then we will offer the remaining for sale again to a different set of ladies. I hope they are a blessing to all. And I’m already thinking about next year ….

Today is one of the most famous Tuesday’s – ‘Pancake Tuesday’, celebrated in numerous fashions from tossing pancakes, to parades and carnivals. Pancake Tuesday, so called due to the mass consumption of traditional rich foods dating back to the 1800′s: eggs, milk and sugar (the classic pancake mix) before the famine (self inflicted) called Lent by most Christian faiths. Lent begins the following day, Wednesday and lasts for forty days.

Pancake Tuesday is the last day to eat a normal diet of everyday foods and snacks. Pancake Tuesday in Ireland and the UK precedes ash Wednesday the first day of Lent. Pancake Tuesday also called ‘Shrove Tuesday’; the past tense of the verb to shrive; meaning ‘to obtain absolution from your sins by confession and to do penance.’ In other words Pancake Tuesday is the feast before the famine; a day to eat high calorie pancakes and enjoy your favorite treats. Once Lent, begins all treats and luxury foods are banned. Lent finally ends on Easter Sunday and treats are back on the menu.

While the Apronista household will not be strictly following the banning of all treats and luxury foods (be still my heart!), I do like the idea of giving up something in the 40 days prior to Easter as a small act of worship during Lent. Most people choose a favorite food or activity. At first, I thought about giving up Words with Friends (I’m Shawnee31 if you want to play!) or Pinterest, but that is a bit TOO painful. One of my favorite treats, though, is chocolate – and it’s not great for either my waistline or my skin. SOOooo, no chocolate until Cadbury egg day!

But back to Pancake Tuesday — we have a favorite pancake recipe that I would love to share with you, a baked pancake called a Dutch Baby. It’s a real family recipe — first shared with me by my mother-in-love, Karen, and  I make these in two of my mom’s cast iron skillets (but you could also use pie pans).

image from whatscookingamerica.net

DUTCH BABIES
1/2 c. butter (cut into pieces and split between the pans)
6 eggs
1 1/2 c. milk
1 1/2 c. flour
powdered sugar
lemon juice

Put the butter in the pan and place in oven. Start oven preheating to 425 degree and the butter will be melted by the time you finish the batter (work fast). Put eggs in blender container and whirl at high speed for 1 minute. With motor running, gradually alternate pouring in milk, and then flour; continue whirling for 30 seconds. (If you don’t have a blender – using a rotary beater, beat eggs until light and lemon colored; gradually beat in milk, then flour.)

image from whatscookingamerica.net

Pull racks from pan and gradually pour batter into the hot melted butter (I pour straight from my blender but this was the best picture I could find), dividing the batter as evenly as possible between the two skillets. Push the oven racks back into place, and bake until puffy and well browned, 20 to 25 minutes.

Serve at once with generous sprinkling of powdered sugar and lemon juice.

Let me know if you try these – either today or some weekend soon!  And, I’d love to hear if you plan on giving up anything for Lent.

Be sure to visit our sponsor, Sugar Baby Aprons – NEW Sleepwear Line available soon!!

Here’s a quick giveaway for all your crafty Apronistas!  You Can Make This is providing this terrific pattern package chock full of Valentine goodies.  A quick 24-hour window for entries means our present to you will be in your email on V-day!

The bundle includes FIVE patterns:

Rosetta Bag by SisBoom
https://www.youcanmakethis.com/products/featured-products/rosetta-ruffle-bag-small-
medium-large.htm
*This bag also has a video to go along with it. It can be found here:
https://www.youcanmakethis.com/articles/post/rosetta-ruffle-bag-by-sis-boom.htm

DIY Dish Love Quilt by DIY Dish
https://www.youcanmakethis.com/products/featured-products/the-diy-dish-love-quilt-
wallhanging.htm

Crochet Hat Pattern Vintage Inspired by Kris Moore
https://www.youcanmakethis.com/products/author/MTAzOTU3MDAxNQ==/crochet-hat-
pattern-vintage-inspired-infant-through-adult.htm

Love Elephant by DIY Fluffies
https://www.youcanmakethis.com/products/featured-products/love-elephant-.htm

Apron Knot Dress by Little Lizard King
https://www.youcanmakethis.com/products/featured-products/apronknotdress-
pdfpattern.htm
I was sent the crochet hat pattern for review and here are two quick self-portraits of me, late last night, bad lighting and all!

I made the adult size – pink picture with two strands of yarn held together, the blue from Impeccable worsted.  This works up very quickly.  The designer even includes instructions on making the sweet flower and feather decoration, so I will make mine up soon and might even post another picture.

So enter quick!  Only mandatory entry is to tell us which pattern is your fav from this bundle!  Easy-peasy!!

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GIVEAWAY CLOSED – CONGRATULATIONS, WENDY!!

I am in total shock that it is already February!  Does anyone even remember January this year??  It just seemed to fly by.  I have all sorts of personal projects going on, crafts and cooking, working and volunteering.   And pinning on Pinterest.  That seems to take on a life of it’s own, at least in my household.  Be watching for a chance to share your favorite Pinterest project with fellow Apronistas.  I think that would be fun, plus we can find new friends to follow.  I love seeing the beautiful and original projects pinned by crafty friends.

Anyway, I recently received such a fun email that I’m happy to share!  Two dear friends are teaming up with a special Valentines Giveaway.  One of my favorite Apronistas, Cynthia from D-Lux 57 is giving away one of her Valentines Cookies Designer Series Aprons:

Don’t you just LOVE the leopard trim and accent??  Plus, her D-Lux 57 aprons are all crafted in the USA.  AND, she offering an Apronista discount code apronlove, worth 20% off til Feb 15, 2012.  

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