pink picket fence

Tuesday: Vintage Apron Swap

My Vintage Apron Swap partner, Julie (a la Jane's Apron), really knows how to make a girl feel special.

Thanks, Julie, I love it, love it, love it.  xoxoxo

There is also a swap photo pool at flickr, so you can see everyone's swap goodies...

I'm seeing light...

She's nearly finished.  (I am not sewing over my pins.  It's a slow process, pulling these babies out every couple inches or so, but so far I'm pleased...)

And some etsy goodies arrived in the mail the other day from Candace's shop.  Have you checked out her goodies?  Lots of sweet little vintage finds and crafts.  I picked up four of the prettiest (clean, perfect condition) vintage pillowcases and some handmade gift tags. 

These little bunnies are so cute, I'm going to have a hard time putting them on packages!  ;)  I never know what my plans are for pillowcases (sometimes they are just pretty to cut up), but I'm happy to have them, too.  These are so springy. 

On a completely unrelated note, we're getting a new stove today.  Now that I'm a grown-up, I find appliance deliveries very exciting.  And now you know you have that post coming.  Please try to contain your excitement. 

From the Mailbox

Somehow, in a completely distorted universe far, far away, it makes perfect sense to trade middle-of-the-road-promotional-material-making-skills for this:

A gorgeous and very rare pink crystalline cake plate.

Some friends of mine are brave (and crazy) enough to have fallen for this special craft.  She throws the pottery -- all gorgeous -- and he glazes.  He's a software salesman by day, expert mineral crystal glazier by night.  Their stuff is ridiculously beautiful.  The failure rate on these kinds of pieces is very high, so most people don't bother with it.  I'm so glad they do. 

They had never tried pink before, but that's what I requested... so here it is.  Their first pink plate.  Oh, Larry, thank you.  It's perfect.

And your little postcards are on their way...

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I also keep forgetting to thank Jade, at chikaustin, for bestowing the "You Make Me Smile " Award on yours truly last week.  The last award I received was in high school for Best Actress in a Comedy.  Which sounds very impressive until you realize there were only two girls in the whole production.  And I had more lines. 

So when she tapped me (and a couple others) out of the many talented bloggers out there as someone who makes her smile... well.  Let me tell you.  I felt special.  If you haven't had a chance to check out her lovely blog, make sure you do.  She has been cranking out some darling pillowcase dresses lately!  Jade, you make me smile, too.  XOXOXOXO   

Marching on...

First off, a big 'ol BELATED Midwestern THANKS to Miss Lera of The Sky is Pink, for the sweet little package that arrived last week.  (Truth be told, after all the drama of last week, I ended up getting very sick myself and stayed in bed for 5 days.  * But I'm going to gloss over that part.*  See that?  Like it never happened.  I'm DONE talking about ill health.) 

I was delighted to get a little package with the yummiest smelling homemade chocolate peanut butter soap and bakers twine and handmade card...!  Thank you Lera, xoxoxo  I love it.  Fidget thinks it's chocolate and wants to eat it.

(Please forgive the photo quality.  It's pouring down rain right now and there isn't decent light to be found!)

This week I am GOING to FINISH the curtains for the playroom.  See?  I've already got the sheeting ready.

In truth, I started cutting these over a week ago.  And then I realized I miscut not one, not two, but all THREE curtain panels. How long have I been sewing again???  I tossed them on the table in disgust and walked away, quite sure that my stupidity was a serious handicap to my crafting and I shouldn't go any further.  But now I know how I'll fix them, so no harm done.  They'll just be... fancier.  Because that is what a fake window in a playroom needs.  Fancy curtains.

Anyway, the playroom IS going to be finished one of these days!  Because I need to get going on her. I'm still mulling over fabric options and the whole slipcover/reupholster decision, but we're closing in on that project, my dears.  I can't wait.

Goodness, there is a lot to catch up on when you've been unplugged for a week.  I honestly don't know if I'm going to catch up or just start from here.  There's so much good stuff in blogland that I would hate to miss.  We'll see if this week's workload allows for some skimming through last week or not... I have a feeling things are going to be pretty busy over here for a while.  I'm missed you all, dear friends!

: : :  Thank you, again, for your sweet comments and emails over the last week.  They have meant so much.  My father-in-law is moving into the rehab unit today, which is a miracle considering he had no pulse a week ago... and little Fidget?  She's back to her old silly self again.  : : :  e x h a l e  : : :

Miniswap Fun!

On Saturday we were an hour into Fidget's birthday party when the doorbell rang.

Our miniswap parcel had arrived from Ali and her boys in England!

I cannot tell you how fun it was to explain to our merry little group what this was all about -- and then add that pretty package (can you see that cool flowered packing tape?) to our pile of presents and save it for last.  What fun!

Ali and her boys were so generous.   

First of all, her 7 year old son, Mark, wrote the sweetest (and most entertaining) letter to our girls telling them all about his school and friends and goldfish.  Very, very cute. 

Ali enclosed a note to me saying how they decided to send all the makings for a perfect tea... and wow, did they ever.

Ali even made my eldest an apron - which she modeled with delight.  Poor thing borrows mine all the time and was thrilled to have one of her own.  ??  Why has this escaped me for so long? 

And if I can get Fidget to stand still long enough, I'm going to try on the sweet little smocket Ali made, and was thoughtful enough to send a couple vintage buttons in case it was too small to tie!

There was so much in the box...

• A cupcake cookbook, which has already been studied by big sister
• A 'Duck' book (a character we adore... and we didn't have this one in our collection)
• A Magic Paint book (just use water!)  And paint brushes.  Love these.
• Cupcake decorations





• Hippo Biscuits for tea time (Mark and Johnny's fave)
• Hama bead coasters for our tea cups





• petit fours paper cups





• And more?  Yes, it seemed to go on forever.  They even included a little striped bag with lipglosses and girly stuff for big sister, but I think those have been stashed in a backpack already.  I can't find them!

Thank you Ali, Mark and Johnny!  It was all wonderful.  We hope you receive your package soon and enjoy it just as much.  xoxoxo

[ Want to see more miniswap photos?  >>> Follow me to the flickr group ]