What's that blog about, anyway?

My husband Rich mentioned to me that my blog sounded sort of like a Seinfeld episode....much ado about nothing, but interesting, nonetheless. I guess you could say that about any personal blog. It's rather odd that some folks enjoy reading about the ins and outs of someone else's daily life. This and that, here and there, nothing much. I guess I'd compare it with the success of the annual Christmas house tour in our little village of Falmouth on Cape Cod. It's one of the biggest fund raisers in the entire town. People are genuinely curious about how other people live; about how their homes are decorated and what things make up their world. I think that's the psychology behind reading someone else's blog. It gives you an insight into the person; a hint about their personality; a peek into a world that might or might not compare with your own. I enjoy reading other blogs...especially ones that invite me into a blogger's home. I love houses...no, I mean I love homes. There's a difference. A house is just a house. But, a home is a place that's loved and cherished. A place where things have meaning. Although I am a lover of old houses and colonial decor, I enjoy any home that has been given life by the love of its owner. Oh, I know that a house is just a place to hang one's hat to some folks. But to me, my home is a reflection of myself. I hope it says,"Welcome." I hope it says, "Be comfortable." I hope it says, "I'm glad you're here." Sometimes, I think Rich thinks I'm off my rocker because I care so much about the little details in our home. He doesn't really see the need to fix the pillows on the couch when he gets up (although he does it anyway). He looks at me with puzzlement when I try to find a way to camouflage the garbage or the recycle bin here in Florida. (At home on Cape Cod, in our new kitchen, he built a fantastic sliding drawer that holds both the garbage and the recyclables out of sight.) After many years of discussion, I think I've finally convinced him that electric cords from lamps, etc. are not something that you want on display in a nicely decorated living room! Hide them, for goodness sake!

Don't get me wrong. I'm not a Susie Homemaker at all. I'm not obsessive. I'm not even that organized. But I do need a certain sense of order in my world and there's no denying that I like things to look nice. To me, it's simple. If you always look behind you when you leave your space, you'll always leave that space looking like it should. My mother always told me, "If you leave a place better than you found it, you'll always be welcome back." I think that philosophy goes for one's own home as well in some odd way.

Oh, and by the way, today's photo is of another angle of our new kitchen. The little area under the window is where we fix our morning coffee and toast. We planned it that way so I could look out at the climbing rose bush on the back fence on summer mornings. I'm a hopeless romantic, too.

Don't forget to check out our etsy online shop at http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/

or you can email me anytime at www.vanscoyjoanne@yahoo.com

Caramel Candy

More yummy colors. Caramel Candy is the fourth apron in "The Browns" series. This copper colored batik has swirls of verdigris througout, making it absolutely scrumptious looking....like caramel candy. A buyer recently told me that her friend wanted to wear her apron as a dress! That's what I like to hear. That's how cute these aprons are. The baby-doll bib styling makes them perfectly hip in today's fashion world and the fabrics and colors are to die for. Check out the details on our etsy shop at http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/

I'm almost feeling guilty when I see the weather map for the Northeast. I'm sitting here with a balmy breeze blowing through the condo, blue skies and a perfect temperature of 75 degrees. I've been a good girl this morning and finished all my sewing so I'm going to reward myself by taking a break in the sun. Wasn't there a recent health warning that Americans don't get enough vitamin D? I'm going to do my part to fix that.

Tonight will be dinner out at a little townie place we love called San Remos. A pitcher of beer and a large pizza will do it. Or...pasta fagioli and shrimp Parmesan sounds good. But, so does lasagna. Who knows? It's all delicious and very inexpensive just as are most of the restaurants here in Florida. It's less expensive to eat out. Really, it is.

Check us out at http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/

or email me anytime at www.vanscoyjoanne@yahoo.com

Chocolate Drizzle.
Missed my goal of an apron a day. Yesterday was just too good to spend indoors. The beach was calling so off we went. Today I was a good girl and after two mindless trips to the store, I got to work. The first mindless trip was to exchange an ironing board cover that I'd just bought yesterday. When did they start making ironing board covers in different sizes? I usually make my own covers but I don't have any fabric down here that I can spare for that use. The second mindless trip was over the bridge to the mainland for thread. Our only variety store here in Indian Harbour Beach, is a Walmart and they've just about eliminated all sewing notions. Driving 20 minutes to and fro for a spool of thread makes me mad. But, I did it. The end result is our newest apron in The Browns series called Chocolate Drizzle. It's a beautiful batik print that resembles a Jackson Pollock painting. The colors are literally drizzled all over with the main color being dark brown...like chocolate drizzle. Check out the details on http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/
It's a gorgeous day here and I'm patting myself on the back for staying indoors and sewing. As I sit here typing, I am looking around at all the odds and ends of little jobs there are to do. Once I get my apron supply bulked up a bit, I'll tackle things like the flower beds in the patio and the little garden area out front. They are both in need of some TLC.
Reading reports of snow in the Northeast, I'm feeling lucky to be here in 75 degree temperatures with clear blue skies.
Catch you later.
Don't forget to stop by our etsy online shop at http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/
or email me anytime at www.vanscoyjoanne@yahoo.com

Mmmm...Creme Brulee'

Creme Brulee' is without a doubt my favorite dessert. When I saw the colors in this batik fabric, that's all I could think of. The second apron in "The Browns" series is a yummy, caramel colored batik print that makes me want to go out to lunch. I added a few basket weave buttons to this apron, just because they looked good. You can find all the details at our etsy online shop at http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/

Today was a beach day here in Florida. After finishing up the latest apron this morning, getting it photographed and online, we set out to our favorite beach, just north of Patrick Air Force Base. The beaches here are beautiful. Miles and miles of white sandy shoreline as far as the eye can see. The air temperature was perfect for sun bathing although the water is still a bit chilly this early in the season. There were two youngsters swimming and making sand castles, nonetheless. Lots of surfers out and the usual contingent of shoreline fishermen. Blue skies, a gentle breeze....just lovely.

Tomorrow will be another sewing day. The next two fabrics in "The Browns" series are very unique. One print reminds me of a Jackson Pollock. You'll see.

Check us out at http://www.apronsgonewile.etsy.com/

or email me anytime at www.vanscoyjoanne@yahoo.com

The Browns Are Here!

No, it's not a family. It's our newest group of aprons. The Browns. Beautiful brown batiks splattered with soft beiges, greens and even a little bit of turquoise on two of them. I like these browns. They are strong, direct, bold. They won't be in the background.

Cocoa Beach is the first in our series. It's hand sewn in our own, original baby-doll bib design with contrasting trim on the bib and pocket edges. You could go out shopping in this apron! It's that pretty. Check out the details at http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/

I had thought it would be difficult to get myself in gear here in sunny Florida. But, once I got out the sewing machine and ironing board, everything started to flow. An apron a day is my goal for now. But, when that sunshine is beckoning, it's hard to stay indoors, so we'll see how it goes.

Oh...funny story about the Cocoa Beach apron. I had originally decided to name it Cocoa Leaf. But something told me to google "cocoa leaf" just to make sure the leaf didn't look too dissimilar to the design on the apron. Well...of course, what I found was more disconcerting that that! Not a good thing to name my apron after the source of a narcotic! You just never know.

Hit a bit of a snag yesterday. My machine just locked up. Couldn't even turn the wheel by hand. Rich took it apart as far as he dared. We searched online for tips from folks who had experienced the same problem. (I love doing that.) Everyone said the same thing....that it's something in the bobbin area, most likely a piece of thread. However, after cleaning out every inch that we could see, we almost gave up. We even went as far as finding the nearest Pfaff dealer here in Florida. Then, I came across the "sewvac" blog. The writer said to force the wheel by hand in a counterclockwise direction and it should dislodge whatever was causing the problem. To our astonishment, it worked! So now I'm back in business.

Hope you are having sunshine wherever you are. It sure makes life brighter!

Check out our online shop at http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/

or email me anytime at www.vanscoyjoanne@yahoo.com

A New Apron!

I did it! I tucked myself indoors yesterday, even in this beautiful Florida sunshine, and I sewed and sewed. This one is another men's apron, designed to be paired with our Red Riding Hood women's apron. Of course they can be purchased separately, but for the shopper who is looking for a unique Valentine's Day gift, the pair is perfect. Our men's apron is made of sturdy cotton duck with a generous bib pocked that's subtly edged with a red cotton print that reflects the fabric in our Red Riding Hood apron. The coordinating hand towel matches the lined bib ties.

"He and She" in the kitchen is a good thing.

After an evening out last night with 14 of our Florida neighbors, I am tired this morning. We'll be meeting our new condominium manager at a coffee hour in a short while so I'd better get showered and dressed. The temps are slowly going up here and today the forecast is for sunshine and 72 degrees. Sounds perfect to me.

Check us out at http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/

or email me anytime at www.vanscoyjoanne@yahoo.com

I Did It!!

I got out my sewing maching yesterday afternoon and cut out an apron. Although I wanted to delve into the pile of batiks for my first effort of the year, I decided to make a men's apron to coordinate with one of my reds...thinking it would be a neat Valentine's Day duo. The coordinating mens/ladies aprons seemed to be a hit at Christmas, so I've stocked up on a lot of solid cotton duck to make more. It should be done this afternoon. I'll photograph the pair for tomorrow.

We've been invited out to dinner tonight with our winter neighbors. There's a newish restaurant just down the road called Coyote. When we first saw it, we thought it was a "Coyote Bar" and that there would be waitresses dancing on the bar stools. But...it's actually a nice family restaurant with terrific seafood...and no dancers. The "early bird special" is $6.95 and includes salad and dessert. How can you beat that? Our daughters and son tease us about the early bird specials but I'll bet they'd be doing the same thing if they were here.

Another gorgeous, sunny day. The sunshine is like a dose of medicine. Temps are still chilly but each day gets warmer and we feel very lucky to be here. Check back tomorrow to see if I was successful at getting the men's apron finished and photographed.

Check out our etsy store at http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/

or email me any time at www.vanscoyjoanne@yahoo.com

"Blue Skies, Smilin' At Me...Nothin' But Blue Skies, Do I See."

Humming that song as I make the coffee each morning here in sunny Florida. It's still chilly but that blue sky is like a dose of strong medicine. I can't help but smile back.

Spent most of yesterday visiting around the complex, catching up with our winter neighbors. One friend has been battling cancer for 4 years but you would never know it. She is always smiling, laughing and keeps everyone else in stitches with her wit. The rest of the bunch is well and already in gear for a winter of golf, beach, the pool and early bird specials. We joke about the latter but it's so reasonable to eat out here that it almost doesn't make sense to cook.

Today I vow to get out the sewing machine. That attempt yesterday was a failure. But one look at my etsy shop last night gave me the impetus to get moving and make some new aprons. I guess you'll find out tomorrow if I was successful!

I hope the sun is shining wherever you are.

Check out my etsy shop at http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/

Or email me anytime at www.vanscoyjoanne@yahoo.com

Brrrr...

It's 35 degrees here this morning! No beach today. Still...there's a beautiful blue sky and brilliant sunshine. If the sun is shining, all is well...no matter what the temperature. There are miles and miles of beach along this coastal strip of Florida. And they are all beautiful. Parking is free and most beach accesses have covered picnic areas and bathrooms. It's a beach bum's heaven.

We're finally settled in. Everything is cozy except I'm noticing the place needs paint. I think being closed up for 8 months of the year takes its toll, especially during the summer when the temperature probably gets over 100 inside our condo. I've been told that's hard on furniture and surfaces.

For now, my main concern is setting up my sewing machine and cutting out some aprons. I've got a huge bag of beautiful prints that I brought with me. Lots of batiks and several homespuns. I also found several really pretty sheers for my baby-doll blouse design. This will be a busy winter!

Speaking of design, I wonder what the consensus is on Michelle Obama's ball gown? I am eager to see the details on what fabric was used, etc. and who designed the gown.

Looking forward to our first beach day. It looks like we'll have to wait until the weekend when the temps warm up.

Check us out at http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com

Or you can email me anytime at www.vanscoyjoanne@yahoo.com

Wishing you a happy day!

We're Here!

Truly the bluest sky I've seen in many months. It's a bit chilly for Florida but that's okay. It will take us a couple of days to get settled and "hot" just wouldn't do right now. The temperature this morning is only 56 but that means it will be a perfect 74 by noon.

Our next door neighbor cleaned out our patio for us just ahead of our arrival. Everything looks neat and tidy. That's a treat because down here, things grow rapidly and our patio usually looks like a jungle when we arrive.

Lots to do so I'll get on my way and check back tomorrow.

FOOTBALL!

Wow! What a game so far. When we arrived here at our Best Western Motel in Savannah, GA, Arizona was way ahead of Philadelphia. But in the short time we've been here, Philly has come back. It will be down to the wire.

It rained...no... it poured all day today. The drive was stressful. Yesterday, we sailed through Washington DC with virtually no traffic to speak of. We had thought we were the fools for planning our trip on inauguration weekend but it was fine.

Our overnight in NY with family on Friday was terrific. We have a brother-in-law who loves to cook. We are always treated to a special meal when we visit. The theme this time was Mexican, my husband's favorite. Made from scratch, beef chimichangas, chili, rice, and corn bread. Absolutely delicious. And the crowning touch was homemade flan for dessert. In the morning, we woke to fresh coffee, mushroom and cheese omelets, grilled ham and English Muffin bread. The English Muffin bread is an easy recipe that is made in the microwave. Then it's sliced and toasted, just like an English Muffin. It has all the nooks and crannies of the original Thomas's brand English Muffins. I think the recipe is easy to find online.

We also made a stop in Connecticut at my oldest and dearest friend's house. That's a treat because she always has added something new to her primitive furniture collection. This time it was a huge, country cupboard. Painted dark red with an aged paint technique, it's big and it's beautiful. We had a great visit, catching up on family, looking at country magazines together...something we thoroughly enjoy.

Tomorrow is the last leg of our trip. We've been listening to a book on tape...The Last King of Scotland. It's a bit deep in details, but interesting and historically accurate. A good book on tape always makes the trip seem to go faster.

In the meantime, be sure to check out our etsy shop at http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/

Inventory is slight so click on the "sales" cue to see all the aprons we've sold to get a better idea of our line. You can always email me at www.vanscoyjoanne@yahoo.com with questions or post a comment here and I'll get back to you.

Wishing and hoping for good things to come.

(Oh...and by the way...I haven't figured out why my posts always have a time on them that is about 5 hours earlier than my real time.)

And We're Off!

ETA at Indian Harbour Beach on Monday, Jan 19th.

Countdown!
24 hours until departure. And...it's snowing again! This has been the worst trip planning ever. Not only will we be leaving in bitter cold with bad stuff on the ground, but we'll be travelling through Washington DC on the weekend before the inauguration. What were we thinking? We weren't thinking.
A new friend of mine who has a terrific blog at http://www.ctlogcabin.blogspot.com/ sent me the following. It reflects my sentiments exactly and describes why I started Aprons Gone Wild in the first place.

The History of APRONS
Author Unknown
I don't think our kids know what an apron is.

The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath, because she only had a few, it was easier to wash aprons than dresses and they used less material,

but along with that, it served as a potholder for removing hot pans from the oven. It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for

cleaning out dirty ears.

From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.

When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids. And when the weather was cold, grandma wrapped it around her arms.Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove. Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron. From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables.

After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls. In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.

When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds. When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the men knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner.

It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that 'old-time apron' that served so many purposes.

Grandma used to set her hot baked apple pies on the window sill to cool.

Her granddaughters set theirs on the window sill to thaw.

They would go crazy now trying to figure out how many germs were on that apron. I don't think I ever caught anything from an apron......

But Love !!

Be sure to check out our etsy shop at www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com

Our stock is low right now, so while you're there, click on the "sales" cue to see all the lovely aprons we've already sold to get a better idea of our typical inventory. And...you can always email me at www.vanscoyjoanne@yahoo.com I love hearing from you!

Sunshine Again!

What a difference it makes to wake up to sunshine. Even the frigid cold doesn't seem as bad when the sun is shining. My back also seems a tad better this morning as well, so I'm feeling upbeat. I put heat on my back and it appears I got much better results than I did using ice.

I was depressed yesterday because I hate being incapacitated. One of our daughters suggested I read all the feedback at on my etsy site to make myself feel better. It was a great idea. Nothing feels better than the reinforcement of knowing that what you do is appreciated by those you do it for. I was looking at all my fabrics before I packed them into the car for the trip. The batiks are so beautiful. They inspire me. And I've also got several sheers to make more of our baby-doll tops that we introduced at the end of the season. I'm itching to get to work.

And...all the while I'm in the warm southern sunshine, sewing away, I'll be thinking of and looking forward to another summer season here on Cape Cod. Our summers here are the highlight of our lives. We have two of our teen age granddaughters here every year which is like being in the middle of a reality television series. The entire mood of the house changes. The music on the radio is different. There are different foods in the cupboards. There is always laughter and smiles. Pretty faces, foxy clothing, and constant giggling. I love it!

The beach is our common element. We live at the beach during the summer months. And, if we're not at the beach, we're on the front porch with our feet up, watching the passers-by going up and down Shore Street...walking, running and biking.

So I've got two nice things to look forward to.....a winter of Florida sunshine and a summer filled with laughter and love. Nice.

Don't forget to stop by our etsy shop at http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/ Our inventory is low so click on the "Sales" cue to see all the pretty aprons and tops we've sold. There will be more soon! You can also email me anytime at www.vanscoyjoanne@yahoo.com

Ouch!

Something happened to my back. It hurts! It won't be easy packing the car for our trip.

Plus, I had another apron sale last night. This one is gong to Michigan. Once again, Rich and I will have to unpack all the aprons to take out the one that sold, put everything back again. Same with all the shipping materials. But, I'm not complaining.

This customer bought the Emily's Green Polka Dottie apron. It's a really cute one. Lime green cotton with hot pink polka dots and pink polka dot trim. A very happy apron.

Beautiful, sunny day here in New England but frigid temps lurking around the corner.

A new bread box!



A Christmas gift from my husband this past year. I asked him to make a nice, big bread box for me and he did. I love it! It's a simple design, made from leftover wood we used for the kitchen. We tried 3 different color paints...Olde Ivory, Cobblestone and finally, Olde Pewter which matches the lower cabinets and upper shelves. The little tin star was a gift from our youngest daughter, several Christmases ago. I think it's the perfect adornment. It's just hanging on the box now, but Rich will permanently secure it since I've decided I like the way it looks. The box is so big, I can fit bread, potato chips, nuts and all the other stuff we snack on inside of it. And, I think it adds to the unique look of our new/old kitchen.
Dreary day again today. I'm finishing up the last minute packing duties. If you have a minute, check out my etsy shop at http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/ or email me anytime at www.vanscoyjoanne@yahoo.com The shop inventory is very low so if you want to see a broader view of what we do, click on the "sales" cue and see all the pretty aprons that we have sold. Lots more new aprons coming for spring in gorgeous fabrics and colors.

Yikes!

What a mess outside. Not much snow, but rain, rain, rain is making a mess. It will be an inside day today for sure. I was browsing etsy shops last night, looking for mustard colored bowls. It never ceases to amaze me when I realize the vast number of etsy sellers that are marketing their wares. If you don't know about etsy, I'll give you a brief tutorial. It's a web site where anyone who sells handmade or vintage items can set up an online shop completely free. It costs a mere twenty cents to list an item and if it sells, etsy takes a small percentage (I think it's 3.9%) and paypal takes 2.9% (or thereabouts) for executing the financial part of the sale. It enables a small seller to take credit cards without having to set up an account with a bank. (Paypal is essentially your bank.) The etsy site works easily and I have found it to be without fault. So if you're a homebody, who likes to make nice things or if you have antique or vintage items you wish to sell, look into setting up an etsy shop. Just go to www.etsy.com and the site instructions will walk you through the process. There's no pressure. It's easy. On the other hand, if you're looking to buy things, etsy is a great place to shop. You can look at a seller's "feedback" to see if their customers are happy or not which gives a buyer confidence when ordering. It's a lot like ebay but with a much nicer presentation and a much easier way about it. Etsy is where I sell the aprons and tops that I design and make. I opened a shop at the end of June this year and have sold almost thirty pieces so far. It's given me the impetus to rev up my inventory in the coming year. There seems to be a market for what I sell. The best part is the feedback from customers. When a customer tells you they love what you do, it's the best feeling in the world.

So...if you design,sew, knit, make pottery, jewelry or have vintage items you want to sell, look into etsy as a place to market them. And if you're looking to buy...etsy should always be your first shopping stop. Although my inventory is embarrassingly low right now, you might want to check out my etsy shop at www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com

Click on the "sales" button at the bottom right of the page and you will see all the pretty aprons and tops we sold this past year. You can also email me anytime at vanscoyjoanne@yahoo.com

Whether you're wet like us or dry and sunny today, enjoy this Sunday anyway you desire.

Sunshine Again?

Wow! Waking up to sunshine two days in a row this time of year in New England is a gift. But, there's a snow storm lurking around the corner.

I was up late last night getting two more aprons ready for shipping. Had everything packed away for our trip south when two new sales came in. Oddly enough, both the Lovely Lavender Batiks sold within two hours of each other to two totally different buyers. One of the lavender aprons was a birthday gift. I had great fun packaging it with sheer lavender ribbon that made up into a beautiful bow. Sometimes I think I enjoy the packaging of things more than the item itself.

I'm noticing a pattern of sales to Utah, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Kansas. Do you think there's more activity in the kitchen in those areas of the country? Subtleties like that always interest me.

Off to get in a bike ride...probably one of the last before the snow. Then, it's a quick trip to the post office to mail the aprons.

Although our stock is tragically low right now, it's still fun to check us out at http://www.apronsgonewild.com/ or you can email me anytime at www.vanscoyjoanne@yahoo.com

Be sure to copy and paste the address in your email box. Clicking on it here takes you to Microsoft Live Mail, which leads you down the garden path of who knows where?

A beautiful, sunny morning on Cape Cod.

What a difference waking up to sunshine. Sure lifts the spirit. But there is snow in the forecast for the weekend. Ugh! I wish Rich and I had planned our escape a week earlier. We'd be heading south now instead of lining up the boots and shovels.

I'll miss my new kitchen while we're away. After waiting so long and washing dishes in the powder room sink, it's wonderful to wake up in the morning and have coffee in such a nice environment. It's got everything I wanted...open shelving for our dishes, lots of counter space and a great big sink. I love my sink! It's huge and made of black siligranit. I can soak even the largest cookie sheet or casserole dish in it. I also love the open shelving for our dishes. Rich crafted a wonderful plate rack that is incredibly handy. No opening and closing of cabinet doors. No doors left open, etc. It's convenient and it looks good, too!

I'm off to the hairdresser to get a good, short cut before we leave. It's always a problem finding someone down south to cut my hair the way Melony does here. I'm such a baby about my haircuts. I always feel that if your hair looks good, then everything else looks good...but if you've got a bad haircut, you're in trouble no matter what you do. I wonder what today will bring?

Be sure to check out my etsy shop at http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/ or email me at vanscoyjoanne@yahoo.com Just copy and paste the email address in your email box. If you click on it here, you end up in a maze of something called "Live Mail" of which I know nothing about.

His & Hers Aprons Gone Wild a hit for Christmas!

Just received this sweet picture of two of our aprons that were given as "his and her" Christmas gifts. "Hers" is our Ebony and Ivory batik apron and "His" is our coordinating Black Cotton Duck apron for men. The trim and sash lining on the men's apron plays off the black and white batik of our lady's apron. What a great gift idea for a couple who love to be in the kitchen together! We will have more his and hers offerings in our etsy shop soon so check in often at http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/

You can always email me with questions at vanscoyjoanne@yahoo.com

Woke up this morning to sunshine for the first time in a week. Put on my bike pants with full intentions of getting in a ride. Temperature is 40 degrees which is warm by contrast to this past week but the wind is howling so I nixed the bike ride. We're packed for Florida as much as we can be a week ahead of time. I'm eager to get down there and start sewing. I've got so many apron ideas in my head and some beautiful new fabrics for tops for spring.

Our little piece of Florida is on the barrier island in Brevard County...a little town called, Indian Harbour Beach. It's more of a central Florida location, so it doesn't get too hot during the months we're there. Our days consist mostly of bike riding in the morning, beach from noon to three, dinner out for the "Early Bird Special" and of course, golf a couple of days a week for Rich. That's when I sew. There's great light in our condo which makes it easy to work. We also have great neighbors and friends there who give me a lot of kudos for my effort. Keeps me pumped up! The apron pictured today is our Red Riding Hood apron. It comes with a matching bandana to keep your hair out of your eyes and whatever you're cooking! Check it out at http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/

Or..email me at vanscoyjoanne@yahoo.com

Our Green Batik #2 apron is hand sewn in our own, unique design with a baby-doll bib bodice and a lined, pocket with reinforced corners. Green Batik #2 comes with its own matching ditty bag. Aprons Gone Wild ditty bags are multi-functional and perfect storage for all your odds and ends.

Check out our other aprons and tops at http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/

Still trying to get the hang of this. Imported a photo show with pictures of my aprons but it took over the entire blog! For now, I'll do photos in increments.

My first day of blogging! It will take some time to get used to.
It's raining and dreary here on Olde Cape Cod. All my sewing materials and the machine itself are packed away for our upcoming trip to head south for the winter. I wish I could make an apron right now!
My etsy shop looks bare, thanks to all the nice people who bought aprons for Christmas gifts. I'm inspired for spring with some beautiful new batik prints. Wait till you see what we've got in store for the shop.
Rich is getting things ready to shut down the heat and drain the pipes so the house will be safe over the long cold months that we will be gone. How lucky we are to be able to escape the harshness of winter in our retirement years. We're both looking forward to resuming our daily exercise routine of bike riding which we find impossible now with snow and ice on the roads. We're also daydreaming about sitting in the sun on the beach, listening to the waves. What a life!
Heading out in a while to lunch with our oldest grandchild who is home on college break. We're taking him out to celebrate his grades. I think he made the Dean's list!
More later.
Joanne