Life is just a bowl of Cherries!

 I always associate the month of July with Cherries. Probably because that is when they are in season and because one of my favorite July 4th memories involve cherries. 

One July 4th on our way home from up north, we happened to drive through downtown Milwaukee at the perfect time. We could see along the shoreline about five different locations lighting off fireworks.  I remember oh-ing and ah-ing over the fireworks while munching on cherries. The best way to see fireworks, no noise and the perfect view!

 For my birthday this year Mandy bought me a cherry pitter.  (For more info and where to buy.) I was so anxious to try it out! I have been waiting months and months for cherry season to arrive. Finally it is here!

The pitter has prongs that push through the cherry and pop the pit out the other side. It is very easy to use and though it splatters a bit, it is a lot cleaner then doing it with a knife. So far we have been eating them as fast as we pit them. But eventually I am sure I will get around to making a cherry something. 

 (I got a little carried away with pictures as I discovered the sequence setting, my new favorite!)

We have discovered that pitted cherries get eaten twice as fast un-pitted cherries!

Do you have a favorite memory involving cherries?

Sisters- Marie and Meg

My inspiration behind the Meg and Marie aprons were my Great-great-Grandmother and her sister. These are my favorite photos of them, taken around the time Marie graduated. I have always thought of them as the country and city mice. Meg was two years older and moved to California. Marie lived her whole life in Minnesota. 

 We have a family album from around 1910(judging from the clothes worn). Many of the photographs are of family and friends on outings and picnics. I love looking at the pictures, wondering what the stories are behind them.

 Marie in a jaunty hat.

Meg sitting on a hill.

 Marie on the left, with possibly her best friend Minnie. Love her skirt!

 Marie and a beau?

The sisters.

Marie with her second husband. This picture was the one that inspired me to create the "Marie Apron".

May and June Apron of the Month- Free Pattern

Announcing 

May and June Apron of the Month!!

 Marie and Meg

I am so excited about these aprons I don't know where to start! These two cuties are "sister" aprons, if you look closely they are both the same pattern except for the shape (pointed or scalloped) and the finishing (ric-rac or bias tape). They are named after real sisters, my great-great Grandmother Marie and her sister Meg! It is always so interesting to see how siblings can be different, yet so alike.

Does one of the aprons looking familiar? I loved the Brown Striped Apron so much, I took the pattern from it!

I have three separate files for the patterns;
 Meg Apron skirt, Marie Apron skirt, and Pocket, Ties and Waistband.

Say Hello to Meg!

She is the bolder, more adventuresome one of the duo. A statement is shouted out with her dramatic points and eye catching ric-rac. But at heart she is still a pretty simple girl. The Meg Apron is so easy to put together! You can whip one up in about an hour. With three panels of the same piece, waistband and ties it is a piece of cake!

Don't you love this fabric? I total agreed with several comments that I needed to make an apron to match my kitchen curtains! (I thought I had posted about them, but apparently not, Opps!) I am now contemplating putting red ric-rac on the curtains! 

And say Hello to Marie!

Marie is a little bit more demur and ladylike with her scalloped hem and traditional contrasting binding. Just as easy to put together and just as easy to love! (It is a good thing I don't have to decide which is my favorite!) She is constructed just like her sister, a three panel skirt, waistband and ties.

Marie Apron was very much inspired by an apron my Great-great-Grandmother is wearing in a photo. It has been on my list for a long time to make. I love how it turned out, just like I imagined!

The fabric is an old vintage feed sack I have been saving, I don't even remember where it came from. But the minute I came across it in my stash I knew it had to be a Marie apron.

I hope you have a lovely summer weekend! We are suppose it get some sun, finally!

Vintage Find: Spring Form Pan

 Do you remember my post about Timeless Spring Form Pans? How I was in love with idea of a pan with interchangeable bottoms, how I wondered if they still made them? I actually did do a search online to see if I could find one. No luck.  

Then Saturday on a whim we stopped at an estate sale and there in a kitchen cabinet was a Spring Form pan with interchangeable bottoms!! 

 I must admit it took me a few minutes to realize what I was looking at. The pan with the flat bottom was on one shelve and the tube bottom was on another shelve. I almost started dancing when I figured out I had found a treasure!

 With a little scouring, it is almost like new!

 A very ingenious design. This little clip holds it all together. Just hold the ends together and slide the clip down. 

Wa-la! Now I have an angel food cake pan! I love that now I don't have to have a huge pan I only use once a year wasting space in the cupboard.

I was so excited I had to try it out! Cherry Tea Cake. Yum!

Summer

Happy First Day of Summer!!

Book Nook Chair

I couldn't decide at first whether or not to share pictures of the book nook, I still have a lot of plans for it. But then I thought, Life is all about plans and progress. It is always revolving and evolving. Blogs are suppose to be a chronicle of daily life, right? And sometimes I get a little bit tired of all those amazingly-perfect-pictures out there. That certainly isn't life! 

 So on to plans and progress. I have been so excited about putting this space together, but now that the weather is warmer the place we all gravitate towards is the front porch. So book nook has been put on hold and I have switched my focus to the porch.

 The biggest change is the chair!! Oh how I have dreamed and dreamed of this chair! It is perfect here, the right size for the space and still comfortable to cozy up with a book. It is Ikea's Tullsta Chair. Eventually, I think I will make another slipcover for it. Pale blue ticking or floral? I am working on a quilted pillow cover also, right now that is just a pillowcase.

 But how can a comfortable chair be complete with out a ottoman? I found a great tutorial on making your own and am so excited to tackle the project. I purchased a round wooden board for the base a few nights ago and am trying to determine the best height. (Hence the baskets under it.)

 To give you a bit of perspective, when seated in the chair one faces the bookshelves. They also are still in progress. One more bookcase needed to fill the spot where the tubs are. I purchased a couple of shelve baskets from Ikea for cds and dvds too. (On top of the tubs right now.) They work wonderfully! I think it is going to be a great way to keep them organized. Once we get the other shelve the baskets will also go on it.

 From this picture you can see my bedroom doorway is right there. The whole landing is about five foot by five foot. Not a lot of room, but in a small house one has to make use of it all!

 Looking from my bedroom into the book nook. The window faces East, I love the sunlight that pours through in the mornings.

Hopefully our African Violets will be happy here and bloom for us.

Thanks for taking time to see my progress! 

Do you have any projects in progress or in planning?