Lots of Sunshine!


Lots of blue sky. Absolutely top notch weather here in Indian Harbour Beach, Florida. Not very good weather for staying indoors and sewing, though. I'm having a hard time with that. Every day lately, is a beach day here. I'm going to try really hard to tie myself to the sewing machine this morning and work on one of those frothy, semi-sheer tops that my etsy customers seem to like. I enjoy making those because they are sooooo very pretty.


I added two new aprons to my shop this week. They are both homespun prints in red with lacy trim and lots of old fashioned tucking. One has a toile print pouch pocket in front. I've named this apron, "See the Children Laugh and Play".....sort of a play on words from the old "Mary had a little lamb" nursery rhyme. That's what came to mind when I looked at the finished product and pondered on the pocket print that is of little children romping around. You can see a close up of the pattern if you go to my etsy shop and click on that apron.


The other one is simply called, "Red Polka Dots and Lace". Both aprons are styled in our own, custom, Aprons Gone Wild baby-doll bib design with the little tucks at the bib. You can see how cute they fit by checking out my etsy site and viewing the pictures of our Emily in her modeling mode.


On the hubby back front....the first epidural shot seems to have had some effect. He's a tad bit better and walking straight up, except he still has some pain in his legs. Two more shots should do it and some physical therapy as well. We'll probably not head home to Cape Cod until after Mother's Day so we can fit all this in. As long as the weather here stays like it is, and doesn't get too hot, I'm a happy camper.


We had dinner last night at a restaurant on the riverfront called, "Squid Lips." What an awful name. But, what a terrific restaurant. There was no recession there. The place was packed, yet the service was fast and friendly. Terrific food and some great T-shirts with that awful name emblazoned on the back. Picked up a couple for our grandson and one of his friends.


Off to walk, then shower, then sew, then the beach. Life is good.


Be sure to check out our etsy shop on the web at http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/

Another day, another apron....

I'm having a difficult time getting back to the sewing machine. Having had everything put away for almost two weeks during spring break and Easter got me out of the groove. However, I did step up to the plate and complete a really pretty half apron for a friend who winters here in the complex. She's giving it as a gift. When she picked the fabric out of my stack of stuff, she said she'd like it made "wrong side out" which I think turned out to be a smart decision. I've called this little apron "Spring Flowers" because it reminds me of such. The creative feature is its ruffled "V" pocket which took some time to make but was fun, nonetheless. I find that no matter what I make with my hands, I get off on a tangent. The fabric always tells me what to do. And this pretty, uplifting cotton print seemed to call for something feminine and sweet. The ruffle on the pocket is done with the "right" side of the fabric so it has just the right touch of contrast with the softness of the rest of the apron. I'm very happy with this one and I hope the recipient of this gift is happy as well.

We're still dealing with hubby's back issue. The verdict is that he needs an operation called a laminectomy, where they take out part of the bony area that is compressing the nerve at a given point in his lower spine. He still can't walk or stand but he's perfectly comfortable lying down, sitting or driving. Thank goodness for small favors! He'll try a series of epidural shots first and if that doesn't bring relief, it's off to the surgeon. We'll wait until we get back up north in that event.

The weather here is absolutely gorgeous for mid April. Usually, it starts to get hot and even a bit humid by now, but this entire winter has been so much cooler that it seems to be resulting in spring being cooler as well. Good for us.

The "tea parties" that were held around the country on Wednesday (tax day) piqued my interest. And the sarcastic coverage by the media got my attention as well. Guess we know where their political allegiance lies.

Oh well...it's blue skies and warm breezes for us for at least another few weeks until hubby can get a few of those shots in his back. Keeping fingers crossed that they work.

In the meantime, check us out at http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/ for some really cute aprons and tops.

Missing Home...

I'm beginning to miss our home on Cape Cod. Not completely...but it's starting. I'm thinking about the grass beginning to turn green and the violets in our flower beds starting to bloom. The daffodils and narcissus that grow in bunches around the back deck are probably just about budding. And the forsythia bushes are no doubt in full regalia along the driveway.

Missing early spring is a sacrifice we're willing to make each year in order to stay here in sunny Florida for a bit longer. But, I can't deny that I think about the new life popping out all over the place back home. Hubby is still pretty crippled with a back problem that just won't quit, so we're wondering if treatment for that will keep us here even a few weeks longer than anticipated. We'll see. I hope not.

Today was a gorgeous day at the beach. All the fishermen were out along the shoreline with their great long poles. I never see them catch much of anything but they sure seem to enjoy the act. Fishermen always draw pelicans near and they never disappoint. So much fun to watch them wait with extreme patience for just the right moment to pounce on a piece of bait carelessly left out by a distracted man with a pole. Quite entertaining!

This Easter weekend, we are gathering together with friends and family for Easter brunch at a hotel in Cocoa Beach. Last year, the feast was outstanding, so we're hoping for a repeat performance. I can never eat my money's worth at an "all you can eat" affair, but it's fun to have the casual atmosphere of wandering around, checking out all the stations with their scrumptious offerings.

I miss the coloring and hiding of eggs that once was our Easter Sunday...followed by dressing the girls in their Easter finery that I had spent weeks making on my old sewing machine. Our son, of course, had the only store bought outfit since I wasn't that accomplished a sewer to make a boy's suit! The Easter hats were the most fun. I would buy plain straw hats with big brims and decorate them myself with silk flowers and ribbons. The girls always looked adorable and our son always looked proud and serious on the one day of the year that he dressed so formally. Off to church we'd go to praise the Lord and show off our outfits.

But now, it's just the two of us and we dress rather casually here in sunny Florida, although we do choose the fanciest tops and pants in our closet on Easter Sunday. I'll buy some pretty Easter flowers for the table and be sure to have a bowl full of jelly beans as well. There won't be an egg hunt but there will be Mimosas for the group of us before we head off to brunch. If the weather is its usual beautiful Florida self, we'll probably come back for a swim in the pool.

I haven't been at the sewing machine in two weeks and have no new aprons or tops to picture....so I've posted one of our prettiest semi-sheer blouses already in stock named, "Midnight and Roses." It's sewn in our own, exclusive peasant blouse design with short, deep cuffed sleeves, and a matching fabric rose that's attached to the elasticized neckline. I did take some orders from folks here in the complex for new aprons which I will get busy on next week. Hate to have the sewing machine and ironing board out on Easter Sunday so it's put away for the moment. Lots of beautiful fabrics in my fabric bags so I'm eager to get back to my routine of "an apron a day" (or at least, the effort of an apron a day).

Until then...check us out at http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/

And a very Happy Easter to all.

Our own little bundle of Joy...

Just this past week while we were busy and preoccupied enjoying the company of our Vermont daughter and our Ohio daughter and her family, I noticed a tiny, gray ball of feathers nestled under the hedge in front of our condo. A closer look revealed a good size yet obviously young, gray dove. She didn't move when I came closer so I left her there with the intent to check on her later. As soon as she heard the slap of the screen door closing, she hopped over to the grassy area and revealed a broken or deformed leg. She'd try to fly off but couldn't get a good lift off the leg and once she was airborn, she couldn't land well with only the one good foot. As the day wore on, several of our neighbors joined in the effort to care for her, some even putting out bread crumbs so she wouldn't starve. We named her, "Joy."

Doves apparently take good care of each other and are usually seen in pairs. Eventually, we noticed that the mother and father of our little "Joy" were hovering and hopping around, keeping a close eye on their injured offspring. They even came and fed her. It became quite a sight to see Joy trying to lift off and then settle on something with Mom and Dad close by in case she missed her landing. Not much different than a set of human parents watching their offspring try and ride their first two wheel bike.

Joy is still out front where we are all keeping a close eye on her. I have faith in this little dove, that she will soon lift off and make it to a tree branch where she'll be safe from prey. But I do wonder what her future holds? How does a wounded dove find a mate and carry on a dove's cycle of life? We'll all be keeping a lookout to see if she survives and remains in our midst. She'll be easy to spot, that's for sure.

I didn't get much work done these past ten days with the daughters here but I got lots of sun and beach time. The most recent aprons are posted and two of them were sold to a good friend and neighbor here who is bringing them home to Canada as gifts. One was a lovely deep blue batik and the other was "Miss Modern Mauve," already pictured in an earlier post. The newest blue apron is a really pretty print with shell buttons on the bib and pocket that I have named, "Blue Medley." It's bright and happy and as blue as the sky is here in sunny Florida right now. It's looking like another great day is in store.

Be sure to check out all our aprons and tops at http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/