Apron Inspiration

Oil Obsession

I have always been a naturally oily person, so the thought of putting oil on my hair or skin never crossed my mind until about three years ago.....

I read in a beauty magazine that after cleansing your skin you should put "good" oil on to keep your natural, yucky, acne causing oil from surfacing. 

I tried it and I swear it changed my skin for the better. I have fewer breakouts and my skin seems more balanced. I now use this practice on my hair too, and I can go an extra day before I need to shampoo!

Here are the products that I use and love: 

This shampoo is sulfate free, SLS free, smells nice, and is easy to find. Plus it's very cheap. My hair is so soft now and my scalp is far less oily. I don't know what I will do if they ever stop making it..... 

This facial cleanser removes makeup wonderfully. It makes my face feel clean, but not squeaky clean. My skin glows after using it.

I have tried four different facial oils and this one is my favorite. I use it at night before I go to sleep and when I wake up my skin feels amazing. This stuff is pricey though. (around $20 for a small bottle) so only use a few drops each night.

Oil It has fewer chemical ingredients than lotion and can be used in place of lotion. I like Jojoba for that.

  So go ahead and give oil a chance! 

Apron(s) of the Month: November

Apron(s) of the Month:

Fall Harvest Aprons

This month I couldn't choose just one. I might make this a regular thing because it's always hard to choose. If you missed October's apron, I am sorry. I was busy getting married and had no time to post one. Hopefully these will make up for it! 

Left: This harvest apron is made of really nice fabric. It's very sturdy, yet soft. The pockets are always a bonus!
Center: The orange and green remind me of a pumpkin and the rick-rack is darling.
Right: This apron has so many fun colors and flowers. For a psychedelic Thanksgiving. 

I LOVE APRONS <3 

Happy Thanksgiving! 

(Very) Girly Things

Hello readers of my blog! I cleaned my guest room last weekend and found some pretty, girly stuff  that I want to share with you. The room is apron-y girly heaven and super clean now! 

Aprons on a string add color to a white wall. 

Yard sale find last weekend! 

Fresh lavender in a crystal vase freshens the room. Notice the card on my desk? It's from my very dear friend and It says "Will you be my bridesmaid?" Of course I will !!!!! 

This adorable afghan and matching pillow are a wedding gift from my aunt. She does amazing work. 

Pansies, pumpkins, and a swan planter! View from my front porch. 

Doll House Drama

A cheerful house for the happy doll family. Bright colors and comfortable, eclectic furniture makes all feel welcome.

Uh oh, trouble in paradise? Looks like mom needs a stiff drink in the study. 

Happy Halloween!

I'm a few days late but HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

 Who wants some raisins!? Anybody?......please?.........

I wonder if Helga likes raisins?

If you are interested in making a bonnet I got the pattern from a fellow blogger! Check her out! 

http://homedelicious.blogspot.com/2012/05/pioneer-trek-week-how-to-sew-bonnet.html

Baby Lambs and Roller Sets

 I couldn't resist this picture.

I don't know it it's the baby lamb, the blue silk shirt, or Betty's twinkling eyes, but I love this picture. It got me thinking. You don't see many women set their hair anymore. Except grandmas. The truth is roller setting your hair is less damaging than blow drying it, and your style will last for days. It somehow seems to stay cleaner longer too, but that it probably my imagination mixed with wishful thinking. SO I am going to do an experiment. I am going to get a roller set and see how it lasts compared to my regular blow dry. Stay tuned for my full report complete with pictures.

Apron of the Month: September

This apron dates back to when I used to live in a citrusy house/thrift store called Lemon Meringue Thrift & Gift or "The Lemon" for short. At the time I was babysitting the two cutest kids in the world named Indiana and Amelie. Their mom made this Apron for me as gift, making it the second in my collection. 

September

Lemonade Apron

Aren't lemons the happiest looking fruit?

Usually making things from scratch is the cheapest way to go, but the price of lemons are so darn high this lemonade actually cost $7.00 to make. Yikes. It was worth it though. So refreshing! 

Oops....

Here it is! Thank you timer setting. 

Close up of the fabric. 

Damascus Darla*

Damascus Darla* comes in for a haircut about once a month. Although her thick hair presents a challenge, she is hands down my favorite client. Yesterday we tried something a little different and I am pleased with the results. Check it out!

*name changed 

The Secret Garden

A bee enjoys this flower around back. 

I spent all of my “down” time this summer reading garden novels. After plowing* through several whimsical garden stories I realized I hadn't read the garden story. The Secret Garden. How silly of me to consider myself a connoisseur of garden lit having never read such a classic! I lucked out and found a musty paperback version at the library for 50 cents. Although I enjoyed the beautiful descriptions of the neglected secret garden and reading about how Marry Lennox brought it back to life, I admit I found the story to be a little dry.

No matter, I’m glad I had the chance to read it. What I’m getting at here is the story inspired me to go out and find more secret gardens!(Read my story Lime to learn about a cool garden I discovered several years ago.)

It’s not easy to find a secret garden without trespassing (which I am known to do) but I actually found one right up the street! I was meeting a friend at a local biker bar/ Thai restaurant / karaoke joint and found myself 15 minutes early. Feeling too intimidated to go in and sit alone I decided to walk around the building and see if I could find anything interesting……

I was expecting to see a dumpster and an angsty employee smoking a cigarette but instead found something pretty neat! Tomato plants, pumpkin vines, herbs, and peppers lining the gravel area around back (most likely used in their AMAZING Thai dishes).

See the pumpkin?

 I kept walking further back......

Vines were tangled up everywhere mixed with flowering shrubs that looked terribly neglected. 


I was right about one thing though, there WAS a dumpster back there. Smack dab in the center of the forgotten beauty. I didn't take a picture of the dumpster though because when I looked up I saw an employee standing on top of it watching me. That is when the photo shoot ended.  

I’m not sure what is going on behind Lu and Joes, but I do know that I discovered another secret garden and I plan to keep looking for more!!


* no pun intended

Apron of the Month: August

Here is the highly anticipated apron of the month! 

August

The Pesto Apron

Note the two pockets, perfect for stuffing with herbs if you forget a basket. This is a sturdy and practical apron great for indoor and outdoor use. 

My improvised pesto recipe:

1 cup fresh basil

1 cup fresh parsley

1 clove garlic, quartered (add more to taste)

1 tsp. salt

1 cup pecans (usually pine nuts are used but I didn't have any)

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (I used less) 

1/2 cup olive oil

Puree all ingredients except oil in a food processes until a paste forms. Slowly add oil at the end and process again until it's all blended. 

Warning: Pesto causes garlic breath that lasts a very long time!!!!! If you eat enough pesto you may turn into a garlic clove. (just kidding)

From the garden: sweet basil, flat leaf parsley, and hardneck garlic.

Finished Pesto! Kind of gross looking but I
promise it is deeelish! 

Pesto pizza topped with tomatoes and fresh spinach. Yum. 

Be sure to check back next month to see the fabulous apron of September. It will be delightful, I promise. 

Waterfall Braid

A Colorful Week

Eat your colors! 

Dried Marigold flowers dried in silica gel. These beauties are going to made into a fall arrangement. 

Our sunflower "Beanalope" Funny story about him. He was growing in the crack of a shopping center sidewalk. We felt bad for him so we pulled him out and planted him in our garden. We named him Beanalope because when we found him we had no idea what he was. A bean? A cantaloupe? A Beanalope!  Turns out he is a sunflower. 

Dried Lavender made into potpourri. 

Hydrangea Bouquet for my BFF. 

Apron of the Month : July

Each month I will feature an apron from my ever growing collection. 

July

Patriotic Pie Baking Apron  

Cherry Berry Peach Pie. Mmmmmm. 

Recipe 

I know you can't wait to see the apron of August! 

Lime: (A Story About Lavender)

Several years ago I became interested in herb gardening but knew nothing about herbs (except how delicious they are)  and very little about gardening. After driving past a cute nursery everyday on my way to and from work I finally decided to stop and check it out. Willow Oak Herb Garden didn’t look like much but it had a charming name and a hand painted sign that advertised a dozen long stemmed roses for ten dollars. Maybe this nursery is a hidden gem, I thought. I pulled into their gravel driveway and parked in the dusty lot.

There was no visible shop. No people. No pots of flowers or trays of herbs tempting me. Hmmm. I wandered around feeling like a trespasser and wondering if I was going to be run out by a man with a shotgun. Suddenly I noticed  a friendly looking donkey standing in front of a small barn. Right on cue an old golden retriever walked up to greet me. A rooster started crowing in the distance. After walking a little further through the garden I found a small log cabin with a tea tray on the table. Cups full of cold tea. Where was I? I was starting to feel like Alice in Wonderland. I turned around expecting to see another animal but instead saw a woman.

Maria was wearing a large floppy sun hat and was holding a basket of herbs when she found me exploring the cabin. She introduced herself as the owner of the garden and escorted me to the garden shop. Her quaint shop was full of herbs, teas and dried bouquets. I decided on an English Lavender plant and couldn’t wait to get it home and plant it. Maria told me that Lavender “likes lime” in its soil. I thanked her and nodded in understanding. I didn’t want to leave the magic garden I had discovered but I had work to do. I drove straight to the grocery store. To buy a lime. Which I proceeded to squeeze all over the soil in that poor plants pot. The lavender eventually died. I later discovered that the lime I needed is an alkaline substance obtained from limestone. NOT an actual lime.

You live, you learn!

I have been back to visit Willow Oak Herb Garden many times since my first trip and it never fails to enchant me. Something about my first time there sparked my passion for herb gardening which later evolved into herb drying.

Check out my tutorial on drying Lavender.

Summer Curls

Gorgeous party curls.

Sassy red carpet curls. 

Summer wedding curls. 

I <3 my clients.

Lavender Drying Tutorial

Dried Lavender smells fantastic and holds its scent for years. I'm obsessed! Keep it in a dresser drawer, hang it in a closet, or use a dried bouquet to decorate your home. Here is a tutorial on drying your own. 

Cut your lavender and sort it by size. Doing so insures that smaller cuttings will not fall out while drying. Be sure to remove any unwanted leaves and off-shooting stems. 

Bumblebees LOVE lavender so watch your step. 

Save some flowers on the plant for your enjoyment and for the bees! 

Use rubber bands to band together small bouquets of like size flowers. The rubber will tighten as the stems dry which keeps the flowers from falling out. Attach twine to the rubber bands so they can hang.

These can be hung in a lightly used coat closet or any other dark, cool location. (I dry mine in the upper level of a barn) The lavender should be dry in about three weeks. Enjoy! 

Dried arrangement from last years harvest. 

(also, my first ever harvest.)  

Stay tuned for the 2014 dried harvest which I predict will be much better!

I <3 Bumblebees