Strawberry Shortcake

If you were a child in the 80s, as I was, this title will make you think of a sweet smelling doll with a huge hat, rather than a tasty dessert. (As a side note, I was so fond of Strawberry Shortcake as a child that I had a hot pink sleeping bag with a big picture of her perched on a giant strawberry. My favorite thing about this bag was that if I got all the way down inside of it while it was still light outside, it looked like I was in a glowing pink cave.)
As soon as I saw this strawberry print by Sandi Henderson, I knew it would be perfect for an apron. Who could feel sad or overworked while prancing around the kitchen in something this cheerful? Certainly not me.
So today I set out to create my own apron pattern. I tried on aprons that I currently own in front of the mirror. I made note of the fact that there are no mirrors in my kitchen and I really had no idea how unflattering some of those aprons are. I resolved to make an attractive apron that you should not be the least bit embarrassed to wear in front of dinner guests.
I measured. I ironed. I cut. I took a break to mop the floors. Add some gathers at the top, a big pocket, and tiny polka-dotted bias trim. Voila! All in a day’s work. I think Strawberry Shortcake would be proud.

This is the story...

Of how I quit my job to do more of what I love. It’s the story of how my dad found some old savings bonds that my grandparents had given me when I was young and suddenly I had start-up funds for a business. It’s the story of how my generous (ex) boss let me pick out a serger as a going-away gift. It’s the story of how I will fill my days at home, just me.



I think that I am taking to this new “job” quite well. I have no complaints about the office- as I sit here, surrounded by my favorite fabrics and beautiful things, I can look out the window and see hydrangeas in full bloom and the promising little yellow flowers on my tomato plants. The background noise is breeze through the open windows and the wind chime that hangs on our bird feeder. The hours can’t be beat- I begin as soon as Steve leaves for work in the morning and aim to have everything cleaned up and dinner ready by the time he gets home. The variety of tasks in any given day keeps things interesting- today after I finished the family room curtains, I made yeast rolls that are now rising on the counter.



Soon, I will set a more rigorous schedule for myself. Soon, (hopefully) I will be filling orders and will have deadlines to meet. Soon, I might need human interaction and be forced to leave the house sometimes. But now, I am content. I am content to finish all the half done projects that have been waiting for me, faithfully, these past three years of working full time. I am content to take care of my house and my husband and do both of those things well and take pride in them. I am content to scribble ideas in my journal and dream of what is to come and imagine what I have ahead of me.


Today, I’m just feeling lucky to be in this story.

In bloom

It's official. Spring is here. I ran around the yard this week trying to capture the magic of buds popping open. This here is our star magnolia, which was a gift last spring from our friends at the farmer's market. We drove home that day with four people in the car and a tree sticking out of the sunroof.

One of our Bradford pears. In a few days, they will be full of fluffy white blooms and we will enjoy them and enjoy them and then they'll be gone with one strong wind. It's always a little like a holiday when the pear trees are blooming. The only thing that could be better is if they actually made pears.

And the daffodils. Can I just mention how fond I am of these daffodils? ONE year of laborious bulb planting and they keep coming back, year after year! It seems a little bit like cheating.

It looks like it's going to be a beautiful weekend.

But who will read it...

I feel that the very act of creating a blog involves a certain type of self-confidence. You are telling the world that you have something to say- something so important that people will want to turn on their computers, find your blog, and spend time reading it.
I do not have that kind of confidence. I do, however, have the hope that one day I might be talking to a friend. And during the course of our conversation, I might mention my passion for sewing or cooking, or both, and said friend might say "tell me more" and then I could respond "why don't you check out my blog". Just like that.
And until that happens, I am just going to share my cooking successes and latest sewing projects and anything else that seems inspiring, and I will pretend that someone is reading it all. Reading it and loving it.