Animal print Apron~

The cheetah apron, a gift to my friend

My darling friend Corrina gave me the best birthday party ever for my 60th birthday this year (2014).   I thought and thought for a bit trying to figure out what I could do for her that she would really like.  My friend Corrina, loves the aprons I make and really digs on animal prints.  In fact her and I seem to always wear our Cheetah animal print outfits quite often and on the same day, it's crazy but we love it.

I happened to be in Joann fabrics one day and saw this gorgeous brown/black and rust animal cheetah fabric and feel in love with it.  I matched up a coordinating solid color, this rust solid worked the best.  So then I designed a few ideas for a darling apron for my friend. This is the design I liked the best. 

My husband and I drew up a pattern long ago for an apron, I can do variations which makes this pattern a lot of fun.  The bib had 5 pin tucks starting in the center with two pin tucks on each side to balance it out. The ruffle is flirty, the accent colors at the waist adds to the charm of the apron.  The pocket is retro, the boarder at the top of the apron bib and the ruffles on the bottom of the skirt frames this apron just beautifully. I enjoy making the fabric flowers to match the apron, makes a girls feel special. 

I dropped in on my friend at work, I was trying to catch her at lunch time.  She was just heading out, I caught her just in time.  I handed her the gorgeously wrapped gift box (of course wrapped in cheetah print gift wrap) and her thank you card. She read the card, and with tears in her eyes opened the box.  To her suprise, she excitedly held the apron up to her and said "I never cry at work" haahaa.  I know this apron will be well taken care of.  It was so much fun to make this gift for her.  A part of me will always be in her home, and she will always know I love her, my friend! 

www.etsy.com/shop/RedNRuffles

  

Here are a few of the highlights of my 60th birthday party...

yes, I'm owning my age this year haha, I've earned the right to!   

The decorations are beautiful!

My husband and I, our kids, their spouses and the grandkids, along with a few favorite friends celebrated my birthday with me.  We had so much fun together,
and what  memories to have forever!

*My family*

www.amber-lynn-photography.com

Teal and white apron~

 

I absolutely love this apron!

 

 

 

A darling friend of mine, Whitney, moved away a few years ago. Once a week Whitney came over for sewing lessons. For her last project we were going to make an apron like the one above.  My friend didn't have time to finish her apron before she left to her new home. Whitney had already cut out the pattern pieces and the the apron was ready to be sewn. As a going away gift, I finished her apron and gave it to her. She was delighted.  I neglected to take a photo of it, I was toooo excited to give it to her. She now has a piece of love from me, hanging in her kitchen.

Recently Whitney asked me to make an apron for her friend having a bridal shower. Whitney wanted me to make one just like hers.  Her friends colors were teal so... perfect... I made the apron in teal and white AND took a photo this time. 

My signature is the flower I add to every apron. I hand make my flowers with fabric to match the apron. The flower on the teal apron is made with multi colors and I love the accent it gives.

 

I make and sell my aprons on Etsy, The apron is made with 100% cotton fabric. I also do custom orders upon request.



click on over and take a look

https://www.etsy.com/shop/RedNRuffles?ref=si_shop

My Cooky book

My favorite Cooky recipe Book

and memories I have made baking cookies

 

I love making cookies and my family loves it more! This is the recipe book I have used for 39 years. My first Cooky Book was given to me as a gift in 1973 from my sister Janet Jackson Ralhf.  The other Cookie book I purchased as a reprint in year 2002. The first book cost $3.95 and the 2002 book cost $16.95. My first cooky book is beat up from good use and printed on old paper that is cracking and breaking. The new cooky book is printed on acid free paper and will last me the rest of my cookie life. They are both filled with the best memories.

 

 

 

My sister Janet's cookies were always so especially yummy. Janet

was a junior or senior in High School around 1971-72 when she bought herself the Cooky Book. My Sister loved baking, and WE loved her baking too. The first time she made chocolate chip cookies and I ate one of them, I enjoyed every bite couldn't stop at just one. From then on, every time we needed to bring cookies to something, Janet would make them. In 1973 I was married and wanted to impress my new husband with delicious cookies.  I asked if I could borrow Janet's cookie book and make Mike, my husband cookies. Janet was nice and she let me borrow her book. I didn't bake much as a teen like my sister Janet did so my first cookies weren't as good as hers. I borrowed the cookie book so many times from Janet in my quest to perfect the "chocolate chip cookies".  My sister soon delighted me with a cookie book for my birthday. I have enjoyed and used this book ever sense. As I read the book and studied every word of the section on making the perfect cookie, I perfected the chocolate Chip cookie. My family would agree, yummy cookies do I bake! Over the 39 years I've used this book, I have put it to good use in many ways. In 2002 I found the reprinted version in the cookie Book in the Costco book isle. I bought a new book for my sister. I figured hers was as beat up as mine.



My sister Janet's old cookie book ~ my sister's new cookie book
tattered and torn like mine            in perfect condition

I also bought the cookie book for each one of my kids as a keepsake.  Little did my Sister Janet know when she gave me this gift that it would make huge memories in my life. This book has become my sister Janet and my family's favorite tradition. All the bakers in our families have the chocolate chip cookie recipe memorized.

My cookies have been memories for those I have served over the years.  when memories of my cookies are shared with me by those whom I have baked for, it fills my heart with joy.

here are some of the ways I have shared my cookies over the years. 

 

-For Christmas I would intently plan a cookie bake.  I would choose 12 different kinds of cookies, bake them and make cookie plates for my friends, neighbors and family. I had so much fun.  I let my kids help me make the cookies while we chatted about life happenings. To this day, my kids can make cookies! (They're all adults now)

-I made cookies for families with a sick Mom

- Cookies to cheer someone's soul

- I make cookies to cure a craving

- I made cookies with the kids I had over for pre-school (the kids are now adults and will remind me how they loved making cookies at my  house)

-I made cookies for our kids friends who would come home with them after school.

Cookies and Kool Aid were served everyday at the Capanna home.  The kids knew their friends were always welcome in our home after school, and any other time.
- One morning while the grandkids were visiting, I was awaken by 3 eager little girlies at 6:00am asking if we could make cookies. They were so cute I couldn't say no. Cookies it is for breakfast!

this 6:am photo with eager cookie makers, is my very most favorite photo.
Such love I have surrounding me

 

- I made cookies for family treat night. Chocolate Chip was always everyone's favorite.

- I made lots and lots of cookies for the men and women Officers that my husband worked with. I'd always double the batch I made for the family, bag  1/2 the cooked batch of cookies and send them in with my husband. Always a treat. I had no idea that the majority of people didn't get home made cookies. Now my son Quin works as an officer in the same place and I am still baking and sending in cookies for an extra special treat for the Co-workers. When I have the pleasure of meeting the co-workers, I am always greeted with "so you're the Mom that makes the delicious cookies!" I had no idea my home made cookies would be appreciated so much.
- Now that I am a grandma, I bake cookies with my grandkids. We bake the cut out sugar cookies every year for Christmas.  We paint the sugar cookies and the kids get really creative. I love watching them have so much fun! The parents will even join the fun and paint a few for themselves.

Cookie painting with the Grandkids and parents
the recipe in the Cookie recipe Book
 



Grand girls at work cutting out the cookies and getting them ready to  paint
No boys allowed in this project haahaa.

 



making sure the job is done right

Sean painting his cookies

Johnny painting his cookies. He like the color green

 

Cole painting his cookies

Kenz being creative

Crystal and Johnny painting with the grandkids
some of my grandkids are theirs. I they're having fun too!

Such intense work!

Look at Gramma!


 

- Always when I make cookies, I have to be prepared for the cookie dough thief.  It used to frustrate me, but now I enjoy the teasing. After the dough is made, I  place my cookies evenly on the cookie sheet. turn around for a second. then back to the cookie sheet and I will see a few of the cookie dough mounds  missing off the cookie sheet before the cookie sheet hits the oven. Sometimes the cookie dough is stolen right out of my cookie dough scooper as I'm going from mixing bowl to the cookie sheet  haahaa.

Kenz turned the mixer button tooo high. Flour all over the place!
All we could do is laugh, and I ran for my camera!

Sometimes we have mishaps...but hey...everyone does! We just learn to laugh, clean and take pictures for our memory books!

- I love the yummy scent of the cookies baking in the oven. It brings a homey and inviting feeling into my home. Those who come for cookies, take off their shoes and will stay for awhile. I learn a lot about friends and family while munching away.

I delight in the bonding making-baking-and eating cookies with good company.  There is something about delicious homemade cookies that puts a smile on one's face.
Come on over, my cookie jar is always full with delectable yummy cookies.



Here, have a memory. Eat a cookie made with love,
and enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

Card holder display

I so enjoy receiving Christmas cards every year, and I love sending them also. I usually display our cards we receive on our kitchen cupboard doors with tape. The cards would fall off here and there and I was always replacing new tape to the back of the card to stick the card back up on the cupboard door. I needed another solution this year to display my Christmas cards. I had a beautiful antique frame without glass, waiting to be put to good use. So, I asked my husband if he could come up with a Christmas card holder/display idea using my lovely frame.

 

 

My husband cut a scrap of beadboard to the frame size. He then stained the bead board and with tiny screws placed the small clips on each slat of the beadboard in vertical rows of three. He then placed the completed board into the back of the frame and nailed it in securely. Creative idea.

 

 

 

I was so excited when my husband brought his creation into me to show off his workmanship. I just love what he did...and I have gotten compliments from everyone who paid me a visit during Christmas time.  It worked out great and none of my photos fell off.

I love being married to a handy man!

A cool photo prop frame

My husband made me the coolest picture frame EVER!

 

 

I saw this picture frame on pinterest
and really wanted one for my
photo shoots!
 

 

When my husband saw the picture frame from pinterest, he was on a mission to make one for me.  Wow...I have the coolest husband in the world.  Not only did he make me a photo frame, he made it so the frame would come apart and be placed into a slim bag for easy carrying and storage.  The frame is assembled in a jiffy at the corners with nuts and bolts. 

Simple! How cool is that?

When I pull the pieces of the frame out of the bag at a photo-shoot,  and assemble my frame, ohhhhh, my husband gets bragging rites! and rightfully so! When I hold this frame up all assembled and ready to use, my clients are amazed and are ready and willing to use this baby in a photo-shoot! I have the funnest photo-shoots using this frame~

I'm such a lucky girl~

 

My fancy homemade photo frame that comes apart for storage/carrying
and is assembled quick and easy.

A new design

 

I love rouching on clothing so I decided to try a new design on my aprons.

Instead of sewing ruffles down the front of the apron bib, I put rouching instead. 

It's been a huge hit on pinterest!

My daughter in law already called this apron for her birthday~

 

 

The aprons I make and sell always come with a darling flower pin.

I like how it ties the look together and adds a feminine charm.

 

~

 

 

This apron just may be a best seller

I love this Hexie quilt

 

Giant Hexie Quilt pattern

 

I saw this baby quilt pattern on Pinterest and fell in love with it.  I love the colors, so non baby traditional but it works great for baby! 

 

 

Here is the link for the Giant Hexie pattern

https://www.etsy.com/shop/BlueberryPark

 

 My Niece  asked me to make her a baby quilt for her son's bedroom, so I told her to check out my pinterest Quilt board and she chose this Hexie pattern.  I was excited, I had just posted it and was wanting to make a quilt with it.   So I had her go to Joanns fabrics to choose her fabric and colors to her liking.  Here are the colors she chose. I'm glad she picked, I would not have chose the colors and patterns for a baby quilt she sent me. I so enjoy the creative tastes of the young women these days.  I love the various patterns in the fabric and the colors are spectacular together! I thought she did a good job don't you think?

 

I got all my supplies together and started studying the instructions.  I then layed out the cut pieces randomly on my table, the quilt started to come together in a different way that I thought. So easy!  After laying out the pieces , I then was prepared to sew them together into strips. I then layed the strips together, and in no time I had a  sewn  quilt top. I could hardly wait to get the batting and backing prepared so I could finish the quilt.  After I got quilt top, batting and backing perfectly sandwiched together I decided to had quilt instead of machine quilt.  That actually went quicker that I expected.  I though it added to the nice home made touch.

 

 

Here is the finished Quilt quilt.  I really like it! I had enough small scraps I used them to make a banner for the baby's room.  The quilt and banner will be the accent to the rest of the baby's decorated room.   So exciting!

 

Here is the dolly boy  laying on his quilt, isn't he the cutest? 

 

Creating things with my hands is so gratifying to me, it's a stress buster that's for sure.