Memories of a Button

I've often been asked, if there is a domestic icon other than the apron that serves as a memory trigger. Although I've given it lots of thought, I could not come up with one.

The button box posting, however, turned out to be a surprising trigger for many. Given the ten+ years I've collected recollections prompted by the apron, I should have anticipated there'd be a response to the button box. After all, both are within our domestic history, and had I thought about it, I would have figured the button box also connects us to earlier generations.

One story I received is so precious, I had to share it with y'all. Tracy Fullington of Georgetown, Kentucky writes:

"You've just inspired me to collect my buttons and sift through them like stones. Reading your blog and seeing this bountiful button box makes me so nostalgic...

I remember being just six years old and finding a pearly white two-holed button on the playground one day. She shone with grandeur in my eyes and I pocketed the small treasure. I wondered what stories she would tell me if only I could listen close enough... How did she fall to the lonely ground? Had she popped off a fairy princess' gown? Oh, the stories Miss Button might hold... Try as I might, my incessant chattering to Miss Button and my classmates unveiled no magical stories. Instead, my chatter landed me, my desk and Miss Button in front of the class and next to my first grade teacher, Mrs. Rich. Instructed to stop talking to my classmates, my only concern was whether I could continue to talk to Miss Button. To my delight, I was allowed to chatter on to Miss Button, who never did reveal her secrets. Oh, to be childlike and innocent enough to lose yourself imagining life through the eyes of a button..."

I asked Tracy if her mother recalled Miss Button, which prompted further recollection:

"I remember the first grade button--you had a little box you kept all the ones you found in. I know I got in trouble with you when I washed your jeans and you thought button was gone. Luckily,it turned up in bottom of washer!! I sure remember you were always intrigued with unusual buttons. Grammy kept her button collection in a canister--you always wanted to dump them out and play with them. That's how I taught you to count--add and subtract. You always wanted to take the canister to school, but I knew better for you--so it stayed home. Still have the canister of buttons of Grammy's--now and then I need one to replace one. I also remember where lots she saved came from--my childhood."

On its own, Tracy's story is perfect. However, it's the addition of her mother's memory of the same incident that creates a collective, generational keepsake. And the school photo of Tracy was scanned by her dad...a true family collaboration.

Storytelling is made all the better when different perspectives can be interwoven. If the women and men of your life are still here, ask the simplest question - Do you remember that time...and prepare to be delighted with the response.

Aprons. Button Boxes. Just ask the question.

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

P.S. Five days left to enter the Sweetie-Pie Giveaway! Click here for details.

A Sweetie-Pie Giveaway!

There's a saying in the rodeo royalty world that when the winner of Miss Rodeo America is announced, there are only two happy people in the room: the newly crowned queen and her mother. And so it was with the recent Apron Lover's Giveaway. Catey, the winner of the second edition of apronology magazine, was ecstatic, and I shared in her excitement because I had the pleasure of telling her she'd won. That was fun, but at the same time, I was very aware of the many disappointed entrants. What to do?

I know! Replace bummer-ism with optimism and a new opportunity to win something neat: Hence, this Sweetie-Pie Giveaway! courtesy of my dear friend Susan, notquitejunecleaver herself!

First in a planned series, NQJC bakes a pie is page after page of recipe, encouragement (a decent pie crust does not require a college degree), storytelling...all classic Susan (a true sweetie-pie herself), and photography that is equal and better to what we see in national publications.

One winner will receive a personalized copy of ...bakes a pie. Easy entry - just leave a comment on this blog, along with a contact email so you can be notified if you've won.

A Sweetie-Pie Giveaway! runs through Friday, February 12th; winner selected Saturday morning by a Random Human.

I prevailed on Susan to provide us an easy-to-bake Valentine sweet that includes cherries and chocolate. Here 'tis: St Valentine's Tea Bread -

1 egg
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup chopped well drained maraschino cherries, candied cherries, or canned cherries, drained.
1/2 cup raisins or chopped dates
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips (I'm all for dark chocolate here!)

In mixing bowl, beat egg with electric mixer until light, about 1 minute. Add sugar, oil, and vanilla. Beat well. Blend in the buttermilk. In another bowl sift together the flour, soda, and salt. Add pecans, cherries, raisins or dates, and chocolate chips; blend well. Add to the first mixture and stir until just combined. Pour the batter into a greased and floured 9x5-inch loaf pan. Bake in preheated 350° oven for 1 hour, or until a wooden pick or cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes then remove to a rack to cool completely.

I'm going to parcel the batter into little loaf pans, for extra to wrap and deliver to a few people I know who could use a little "heart." Busy day I've set for myself. But a sweet tomorrow breakfast!

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

May we please see the menu?

At almost-twelve years old, the highlight of my week was spending Saturday morning at the Carolina Theatre's Circle K Club with my girlfriends. "Bussy" McGill, whose daddy owned the Carolina, saved the best seats for our clique - the first row of the mezzanine-level balcony - and our popcorn and Cokes were on the house.

The year was 1960, and the Club's feature film was appropriate for the young audience, with nary a hint of sexuality, much less controversy, as was brewing a few blocks away.

The Carolina was near the Woolworth's, our destination once the Club let out. After cruising the aisles and standing in line so the perfume ladies might spray our wrist "pulse points" with Evening of Paris, we took our seats at the lunch counter.

We knew the menu by heart, but studied it just the same, before ordering grilled cheese sandwiches (which came with potato chips) and chocolate milkshakes.

Twirling left to right on our stools, we chattered with one another, licking drippy cheese from our fingers, sipping our shakes and at the appointed time, waited outside the five and dime for the mother-of-the-week to pick us up.

We altered this routine during the five or so months of the historical Woolworth's lunch counter sit-in, following instructions by our parents to gather instead at the lunch counter located in the basement of Meyer's Department Store until further notice. As good girls, we adhered to the relocation without fuss and ultimately deemed it spiffier than Woolworth's and our new Saturday lunch spot.

When I return to Greensboro for a yearly visit with family, my girlhood friend, Ginny Ray, and I have a routine of lunching in old downtown. Parking the car, our walk to the Liberty takes us past Woolworth's, which always sets us to recalling our obliviousness to the historical sit-in and the beginning of the civil rights movement. How could you have been so naive/dense/egocentric/stupid? are what our adult children ask us, and to them, we have no answer.

Today is the fiftieth anniversary of that sit-in and I am marking the occasion with a donation to the International Civil Rights Center and Museum, newly opened within the original Woolworth's.

Looking at the photo of the preserved counter, with the orderly row of stools, the shiny napkin dispensers , the grill awaiting orders of grilled cheese sandwiches...I picture the four Black college students who seated themselves and asked to see the menu.

If their parents had known of their plan, they may have cautioned against such protest, and being good boys, they may have listened. But they were on a mission, and they took a seat, and they changed our world.

To Ezell Blair Jr., David Richmond, Joseph McNeil and Franklin McCain, I say thank you.

Apron Lover's Giveaway Winner

Random Human Valerie of Five Star Cleaning picked the winner of the Apron Lover's Giveaway, a pre-release copy of the second edition of apronology. Congratulations, Catey from Utah!!

The giveaway copy arrived in today's mail, and I very very carefully turned the pages, front to back. And let me tell y'all right now that it is stunning and more.

I have to mail it out tomorrow, which is going to be hard to do! I put in an order for my own copy at Paper Silver Stone, an independent creative shop in Canon City, about a forty minute ride from where I live. apronology can be purchased from the publisher and major book and hobby stores. However you can secure a copy, just do it! From my one look-through, I deem it a treasure.

Thank you, Beth, for supporting this giveaway, providing the copy of apronology, and making Catey's day!

Aprons for apronology "3" are already being accepted! Deadline for submissions is early September. On your mark, get set.... hooray for aprons!

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

A Button Box Quandry

Oh, the sadness when a covered button loses its dyed-to-match leather top. For weeks I've considered the option of cutting a small piece of fabric from the inside hem or cuff, but figured if one button popped loose, the others will eventually do the same.

The only option left was replacing the four buttons with new. And for that solution, I turned to my button box. Actually a large tin, it once held moon cakes - pastries particular to the Chinese new year celebration, which we'd received as a gift from "Ben," our very sweet Dali guide when we visited China several years ago. I have great affection for this tin because it reminds me of that trip, which was our 30th anniversary gift to ourselves.My button box holds a joyful jumble removed from shirts destined for the rag bag to a collection of vintage beauties. I know people who separate their buttons by color and display them in old canning jars, but I like mine loose...the better to swirl my fingers through the layers, revealing a hidden gem I don't remember ever seeing before! My button fixation goes backto when I was a girl and learning to sew. Threading a needle, tying off the end in a knot and sewing mismatched buttons to a piece of scrap fabric was a rainy day activity or to occupy myself on a summer day too hot to do anything but sit under a shade tree.

I've always enjoyed the quietude of hand sewing, even when not exactly by myself. I find hand stitchery the perfect road trip complement to PC's listening to sports radio as he drives. And so it was this past Saturday, settled in the passenger seat, button box atop my lap, I selected replacements to the jacket's top two buttons.
And here it is four days later, and I'm stuck choosing the third button. I know the final button will be the butterscotch-y yellow, but which of the three to sew as the third. Help!xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

P.S. Just a few days left to enter the Apron Lover's Giveaway!

An Apron-Lover Giveaway!

If I could change one thing today, it would be that the date is June 25, not January 25th. Alas, that wish is not reality, so how else, I mulled, to bring all that is the uplifting spirit and gaiety of summer to a dreary, winter Monday? One phone call later, and do I ever have the answer: a giveaway featuring a pre-release copy of the second edition of apronology magazine!!!

GIVEAWAY ENTRY IS EASY: Just leave a comment, along with your email address (!) - so I can notify the winner. Winning number selected by Random Human Generator.

GIVEAWAY DEADLINE: this Friday, January 29th - so I can mail the winner her copy on Saturday morning.

Due to publish February 1, 2010, apronology "2" was nurtured over the past year to its fullest creative potential by editor Beth Livesay. As with the February 2, 2009 inaugural issue,

apronology "2" is her baby, so we can expect aprons-as-inspiration through the loveliest photography, artist revelations, tutorials, editorial commentary and goodness only knows what else! What I do know is I cannot wait to receive my own copy (which I ordered directly from Stampington, but can be purchased in stores all over).

I'm doubly antsy to see "2" because I have the honor of appearing in the inaugural issue. In Spring of 2008, I responded to a call-out for apron designs to appear in apronology, a newly conceived magazine devoted to the love of my favorite domestic icon. When I received notification from Beth that my design, Domesti-Chic (the entire article + photography is posted on my website. Just scroll down a bit and you'll see it), had been selected from among hundreds

of apron submissions, I was astonished and very very happy. I loved working with Beth to finalize my creation and artist's statement.

Stampington publishes a roster of publications, each a sunny-day to the spirit, no matter the season. Do visit the website, do read Beth's blog, and do enter this giveaway...just one copy, I know, but that winner's smile will be so bright, we'll all need sunglasses!

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

Monday Washday Blues

Yes, I have a clothes dryer, but my preference is to let things air dry. Even when it turns cold, if the sun is shining, the laundry is hung outside. Ridiculous cold, however, is a whole other thing, and sunny day or not, the basement is turned into a drying room of sorts. And so it is today, with piles of laundry accumulated and the temperature at zero degrees.

It's freezing in Florida, too, and my sister who lives there doesn't have a basement, and so, not the luxury of an alternative to hanging the clothes outside.

Most vintage homemakers were in the same architectural predicament - no basement at all or a dank and dirty cellar that housed the coal chute and furnace. In bad weather, Monday washday was blue indeed.

I'd assumed inclement weather was one of THE domestic nightmare for women of earlier generations. But on a trip last year to Washington, D.C. and a tour of Mr. and Mrs. Woodrow Wilson's home, I learned otherwise. A different ilk of homemaker, Mrs. Wilson had a clothes dryer (circa 1920)!

According to the House and Garden article dated January 1921 that the curatorial staff provided me, In the heated air dryer is found a solution for questionable Monday weather. It is

feasible for the private home. Electricity, gas or kerosene supplies the heat and fresh air is constantly circulated so that the clothes are thoroughly ventilated.

I'm beginning to work on a new exhibit with The Women's Museum in Dallas that will further examine the apron and other cultural icons that have so richly figured in women's domestic lives. I hadn't considered the importance of the everyday appliance to the homemaker. But on a day like today, I sure am!

And on a totally different track - amidst the mess of my creative space, I came across this cartoon, cut out of the newspaper in 1995. I mean, do they ever learn or what?

Waving bye bye to 2009 wasn't difficult. Wishing y'all the happiest of everything in the new year.

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

Santa Delivers

Poor Santa. Today is IT for him to get it right. I can only imagine the stress!

In this Christmas advertisement from 1936, Santa takes times from his hectic delivery schedule to enjoy a calming smoke.

Oh, that a bit of vice would provide us the gift of peace on Earth and good will toward men.

Taking a hint from Santa, 'tis time to shut things down, gather 'round and enjoy the magic that is Christmas, sans the ciggie, of course.

Merriest holiday to all

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

Kodak Moments Pictures of Holiday Perfection

Call me the odd duck, but I love the yearly deluge of holiday cards, especially those that include a photo or , my very favorite, a catch up letter.

I can't find any history on the tradition of the photo card, but Kodak appears to be the innovator of the template.

My collection of mid-century photo greeting cards are charming and hilarious. The cards themselves are in pristine condition, despite the years since first printed. What's still to be known is whether in fifty+ years, our digitized picture cards will bode as well.

The holiday photos of some fifty years ago are not so different from those we take today. It's the style of dress, hair and decor that age the greetings. Here, a sampling from my collection that proves the point.

Little Mister Handsome - looking just like the adult men of the era - suited up, hair neatly parted and shiny with Bryl Creme, his pose very formal. This could be Bill Gates or Steve Jobs.

I especially love photo cards that include the whole family. I imagine this Kodak moment was snapped at Thanksgiving by a camera toting guest or by Santa on Christmas eve of the previous year. Either way, the entire roll of film had to be developed, the picture for the card chosen, the cards ordered and delivered; then she, the mom, had to sign, stamp, lick the envelope and get 'em mailed. From the look on this woman's face, she's likely running all that through her mind.

Oh, boy, Junior's now taller than dad! That's what a yearly family photo was all about - showing the changes of the past year without displaying any dirty laundry.

While I enjoy seeing the documentation of our friends' children, I think we all secretly adore cards that include the whole family, just so we can see how our friends have fared!

Pets-as-the-kids is nothing new. I wonder if these dogs first appeared on the yearly holiday card as cute little puppies, their maturation thereafter chronicled by loving master/parents and shared to one and all on the mailing list.

Or perhaps the dogs were more fun than the children or photographed better or the owners simply liked their pets better than their kids.

There isn't anything Christmas-y about this photo - not a wreath on the door, no placard Santa and reindeer in the front yard, chosen perhaps to show friends and relatives far away the porch furniture, which looks very inviting...the purpose, maybe of the card in the first place!

I love a surprise, and the house card proved to be just that! It's the only photo greeting in my collection that was mailed without an envelope, the address appearing on the backside. And it's there you can see the postal cancellation stamp and the date, 1948. So, three years after World War II ended, the Clark's Christmas card featured their new home, where I hope they lived

a very happy life.

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

Goodie Bag Winners + Frozen in Florida

There's a sentiment on the beauty queen circuit that when the winner is announced, there are only two happy women in the room: the newly crowned queen and her mother. I think that an apropos analogy to my announcing the lucky winners of the National Tie One On Day goodie bag giveaway. I can just feel the disappointment of everyone other than the six. I so wish I could have managed goodies for all. It's taken a while to make contact, and here they are: Melissa in Bryan, Tx; Melanie in Rigby, ID; Kimberleein Joliet, IL; Angela in El Paso, TX; Sue in Ventura, CA; and Becky in Pittsboro, NC. To everyone who participated in this year's National Tie One On Day, thank you!

I've heard from many of you that the experience was so gratifying, NTOODay will become a new Thanksgiving eve tradition. I'm writing an article on NTOODay - if any of y'all would like to share their experience for possible inclusion, please email me at ellynanne@apronmemories.com with your contact info so we might talk.

I've just returned from a trip to the south, stopping first in Jacksonville to visit my youngest sister. I'd anticipated warmer weather than was on hand, especially for a booksigning event held at the most wonderful independent store, the Bookmark. Do note that Carol is dressed for the arctic because it was about 50 degrees or something, while I refused to cover up my adorable Christmas apron.

The store is located on a little plaza, which was decorated for Christmas. Posing on the holiday bulbs was irresistible, plus we had to walk across the street, which got my frozen feet moving.

My appearance had been scheduled to coincide with the lighting of the Beaches Christmas tree and a decorated bicycle parade, but between the chill and a televised football game of the most important rivalry in the area, the anticipated crowd never happened. I felt so badly for the store, which had gone to such efforts to create a festive signing, I decided to drag my sister all over the plaza, figuring two ladies in holiday aprons would attract some attention, which I could direct back to the Bookmark.

But there was really no one about, and I was turning into a popsicle, so we popped into a hotel lobby to thaw out. And lo! Another opportunity to show off my cutie apron.

Jingle Belle

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

Turkey Carcass Guilt

Turkey Carcass Guilt is my Thanksgiving albatross. I've avoided TCG in the past several years by only making a turkey breast. But this year, I cooked a whole bird, too, but in good conscience, simply could not just toss the carcass. Thusly, I had to deal with the whole soup thing.

TCG Soup requires a large pot, which takes up so much cupboard space, not everyone can validate having one. My soup pot resides in the basement. It's a glorious old bit of banged up metal. I've had it almost thirty years.

It was a gift from Priscilla McCabe, my long-ago next door neighbor. At 90, she was leaving her home and in the process of disposing of its contents, called me over to choose one thing to remember her by. I took her soup pot.

As my TCG Soup simmered, the steamy aroma of turkey and vegetables wafted from beneath the ill-fitting lid. I thought about Priscilla and the women of long-ago generations who knew how to stretch a broth to feed a family, especially during some very lean times in America's history.

I'm lucky. MyTCGS was hearty. Guilt may have been my impetus, but there is nothing so sustaining as a bowl of soup.

Do you have a kinder, more adaptable friend in the food world than soup? Who soothes you when you are ill? Who refuses to leave you when you are impoverished and stretches its resources to give you a hearty sustenance and cheer? Who warms you in the winter and cools you in the summer? Yet who also is capable of doing honor to your richest table and impressing your most demanding guest? Judith Martin (Miss Manners)

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

Thanksgiving Out of a Can

I was interviewed yesterday on The Recipe Box about National Tie One On Day. During the show, the host, Barbara Howard, read an email from a listener that basically said, I don't cook, I open cans, which I think was her excuse for not participating in NTOOD. "You'll have to do better," I answered, "because when it came to opening a can and calling it cooking, my mother was the champ."

And no meal lent itself more to Mama's can cuisine than Thanksgiving. The green bean casserole? 1 can condensed mushroom soup + 1 can drained green beans + 1 can French fried onion rings = voila! Cranberry sauce? Straight from the can onto a lettuce lined plate, it bore the indentations of the container.

Years into adulthood, when the Thanksgiving meal became my domain, that casserole was laid to rest and fresh cranberry sauce replaced canned. This year's recipe is as easy as opening a can, but tastes so much better: 2 cups cranberries + 1 cup orange juice (not from concentrate) + 1/2 cup sugar, stirred over medium heat until sauce begins to thicken (15 minutes or so). Chill & serve on a lettuce lined platter, an homage to my mother.

A cranberry log atop leaves of lettuce was traditional to more Thanksgiving tables than just ours. When I first saw this 1942 Thanksgiving snapshot, I immediately noticed the log in the glass server. I remember laughing because it so reminded me of my mother. Then, I took in the scene: a family with four military-serving sons home on leave for the holiday.

My Dad was also in the Navy. I don't know where he was Thanksgiving of 1942, but according to this newspaper clipping dated May 20, 1941, he was due home in late June on a ten-day leave. The handwriting on the clipping is his mother's, my Grandma Birdye. She kept it in an envelope, along with a photo of her sailor boy.

Over the next four years, there are more clippings, but none suggest he returned to SC on leave. His discharge card is dated October 8, 1945, and then he shipped home, in time to spend Thanksgiving with his family.

What with the scurrying taking place today and tomorrow, by so many traveling home for Thanksgiving, my mind is stuck on the military, and the empty place settings at too many tables in far too many homes.

Before carving the turkey and diving into a heavenly blob of mashed potatoes, it should be law that each and every one of us gives thanks for those in the service, and prays for their homecoming, which is a world of difference than home on leave.

Now, let's all tie one on...an apron, of course! and get ready for National Tie One On Day!

xxea

National Tie One On Day Packaging To Go

With National Tie One On Day almost at the doorstep, I wanted to share upclose a few ideas for easy baked goods and even easier packaging.

This photo is from my girlfriend gathering - such a jumble, I labeled things to make it easier viewing. Or tried to, anyway. The text is a little small - what you're looking at is a spread of old Jell-o molds, cups, plates and jars. And in the back, a fabric covered bake bean can. The baked goods include egg nog cookies, mini pound cakes and little muffins. In the lower right is an egg holder that I filled with candied ginger slices. Emptied, it's a perfect ring holder.

Last year, I filled cups with individual slices of quick breads, wrapped those in plastic and delivered on a plate that was wrapped in a tea towel.

This Wednesday, I'm delivering a loaf of Cranberry Almond Bread to someone who's been more down than up lately. I wanted the presentation to be really standout, so I'm first wrapping the bread in a cheery hand towel and setting that on a soft "bed" of another vintage towel. The tote is a wire basket of some sort - maybe from a freezer. In the space that's still available, I'm adding a bouquet of flowers, specialty teas and a lavender-scented sleep mask. The note is on plain card stock, prettied up with some stretchy gold cording.

With quick in mind, here's the recipe for the Cranberry Almond Bread - my changes in( )'s

2 cups flour

3/4 cup sugar

2 tsp baking power

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup milk (I used 1/4 c eggnog, 1/2 c milk)

6 T butter, melted

1 egg, beaten

1 T orange zest

1 t almond extract

1 cup cranberries (chopped or "pulsed" in food processor - stop before it turns to mush)

1 cup sliced almonds (I toasted the almonds, then put the nuts in a baggie and "roller pinned" to break into smaller pieces)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour 9x5 loaf pan (or prepare mini muffin/little tart/small loaf pans & fill halfway with batter).

In a large bowl, blend the flour, sugar, baking power and salt.

In another bowl, combine the milk, melted butter, egg, zest and almond extract.

Add wet ingredients to dry and stir until thoroughly moistened. Fold in the cranberries & nuts.

Pour this better into prepared pan(s) and spread evenly.

Bake for 70 minutes (for the large loaf). For the smaller portions, check for doneness at 20 minutes.

Cool 5 minutes or so in the pan, then turn out onto a cookie rack to cool completely.

Of course, make extra for you and yours!

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

· The packaging should be usable by the recipient, or at least recyclable.

** Utilizing what is old to package what is new is especially appropriate as we seek to reduce expenditures but not our giving nature.

· Browse secondhand shops for unique containers and wrappings, like a glass candy dish, silver tray, and china serving bowls. Glass plates are my favorite to snap up and dress up: affix a circle of vintage fabric to the plate’s bottom with decoupage glue.

· A gravy boat can later be used as a vase, a jewelry holder or filled to the brim with M&Ms.

· Line a gelatin mold with a sweet hankie.

· An embroidered Damask dinner napkin will later be a lovely guest hand towel.

· Vintage dish towels have years of good service left.

· Wrap an empty can with fabric and fill with a selection of baked goods.

· Purchase bars of gourmet chocolate, loaves of specialty sweet bread, brownie bites, bakery muffins, mini cinnamon buns and cookies; then package individually as slices and nibbles in a selection of vintage cups. The cups will make good loose change/key/jewelry holders.

· Visit a discount store for apron pocket stuffers, like aromatic hand soaps and votives

· A handwritten sentiment to a purchased card is the defining homemade touch.

**Note card may be downloaded. Compliments of Apron Memories®.

National Tie One On Day Extra Giveaway Goodies!

When I posted the photo of the sponsors' contributions to the Giveaway Goodie Bags, the two aprons from Aunt Martha's Transfers_Colonial Patterns, Inc. were folded and couldn't be seen. Sewn from vintage reproduction toweling, both the bib and waist designs have a center pocket, edged with wide rick rack and an old button closure.

I think they are winners - as in, we're all going to want both!

And from FabShopNews_Apronicity, an assortment of books, sewing booklets, fat quarters and so much more!

And then there's my interview and the giveaway of my books and linens and an apron and who knows what all else at Notquitejunecleaver. A few days left to enter, so hurry hurry! NQJC and I met in person in Dallas this past year - always the BEST when virtual friendships turn real.

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

National Tie One On Day Girlfriend Gathering

Forever and a day, I've been meaning to make the introduction of three particular women friends to one another. But it wasn't until I was baking batches of sweets and quick breads for my National Tie One On Day deliveries that I was struck with the genius notion of inviting them over for a Tie One On Day girlfriend gathering/goodie packaging/social hour.

The quickie invite for an early afternoon tea repast included tying one on...an apron, of course!

Outside this picture's framing is a narrow table where I set out a tea service I inherited from my mother-in-law (which gets little enough use, so any chance is seized), plates, nibblies and little linen fingertip napkins. The napkins have the letter "G' embroidered in teeny, tight stitches - white on white - so elegant

but at the same time, it's a napkin, so staining is inevitable. How I'd love to ask the creator what in the world she was thinking!

Home for a late lunch, PC snapped these pictures AND took this video of our gathering.

Hope my gfg inspires!

xxea

Naked Tabletop No Need for Tailspin

Setting a festive table can be the most, or least, enjoyable part of hosting the Thanksgiving gathering.

Some hostesses see the dining table as a blank canvas awaiting heirlooms of Damask, polished silver, sparkling crystal and china, while an expanse of naked tabletop puts others into a tailspin of anxiety.

For the nervous or uninspired, there are magazines galore with step-by-step how to's, covering every nuance from the under cloth to floral height and placecard placement.

Rarely, however, do these picture-perfect tablescapes include decorations made by children, an overlooked, creative force right under our feet or noses, as the age may be.

Kid-made table accents can infuse a stuffy, too-serious setting with character and charm.

A Handmade Turkey submitted by (Miss) Phebe Goode, Richmond, VA

Woman's Day Nov. 1949

"I made a new table decoration for our Thanksgiving dinner table last year. It was a turkey made with a big red apple, toothpicks, dark raisins, cloves and a stuffed olive. The apple was the body, the tail was fan-shaped, made of tooth­picks covered with small dark raisins pushed down over them. The head was a large stuffed olive with a little of the red stuffing hanging out. Cloves were used for eyes. I made a raisin-covered toothpick neck and three colored tooth­pick legs so he could stand up. My mother liked it and I hope you do too."

Little Phebe's concise instructions and clear illustration of the finished project mark this a child-friendly craft.

Envisioning Phebe's decorations as homey placecard holders for my own table, but lacking a youngster to enlist in the making, I made Phebe's turkeys myself.

Despite my upscale addition of golden raisins and a pear substitute, these turkeys are real turkeys.

What's missing is the additive of fun that children bring to a holiday table.

Please continue to spread the word - National Tie One On Day is such a win-win! And register to win one of six sponsor-filled goodie bags.

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course

Big Bird and the 'hood @ 40

One of the joys in growing up during the Fifties was watching the children's programming on television. Every afternoon we would sit inches from the screen and watch one show after the next until Daddy came home for supper and turned the tv off. There was Pinky Lee, Winky Dink, Kukla, Fran and Ollie, and the hands down favorite, Howdy Doody. When Buffalo Bob asked Hey, kids, what time is it? We'd scream back, It's Howdy Doody time!, syncing our voices with those of the Peanut Gallery, the live audience of kids seated on a bleacher in the studio.

In 1953, my younger brother Paul was one of those kids. This was huge. When my mother called long distance from New York City to say he'd made the cut and would be on the show that very afternoon, we ran screaming out of the house to tell the entire neighborhood, which followed us back home to see Paul in the Peanut Gallery.

My brother has had many accomplishments in his life, but meeting Buffalo Bob and Clarabelle in person, AND having his picture taken with Howdy Doody is right up there.

Television then was such a big deal. The set itself was a piece of furniture, housed in a wooden console that was the focal decor of a living room. It commanded this honor because television was new to everyone - adults and kids - and there was no competition for our attention.

By 1980, the generation raised on television no longer considered it so special. I was of that ilk, until we moved to a mountain community and set up residence in a log cabin too deep in the peak's shadow to receive anything but one network and a PBS signal

Pregnant and desperate for the now-called Boob Tube to babysit our toddler while I rested, I actually cried when the local programming announced the 10 a.m. Sesame Street would repeat in the afternoon. Sesame Street captivated little boy number one, and eventually his brother. I became a life-long member of PBS.

Raising a family outside the fast lane and with limited distractions was not unlike my childhood. Howdy Doody became Sesame Street. And incredibly, my boys walked in my brother Paul's shoes.

In February of 1985, Bob (!) of Sesame Street brought his musical version of the television show to nearby Pueblo, and Noah and Gideon were cast as bakers in the Sesame Street neighborhood. And it was huge.

While the beloved television shows of my youth are available as vintage DVD, Sesame Street is celebrating its fortieth anniversary. In competition with Nintendo Wii for children's attention, that the 'hood is still in production is a huge accomplishment.

It's probable that Sesame Street figures more prominently in my psyche than my sons'. But if there's justice in parenting, they will one day become life long members of PBS because the Bird let their wives nap.

Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread

Expressing gratitude through words isn't so easy for many of us. Personally, I absolutely dread that round-the table thing where everyone tells what their grateful for. Waiting my turn is agony, as an adult goes overboard and a child gets the laugh with a blatant expression of love for a Nintendo.

I'm just more comfortable expressing my gratefulness through a gesture, like wrapping a loaf of bread in an apron, writing a note of encouragement, and delivering the bundle to someone who could use a lift or just a bit of recognition. That's what National Tie One On Day^TM is - showing appreciation for our bounty by sharing it.

Press Release #3

National Tie One On Day^TM Expresses Gratitude

PUEBLO, Colo. – Of all the special days throughout the year, Thanksgiving is the most personal. A time when we feel thankful for the joys and blessings in our lives, for many of us, words of thankfulness can be difficult. National Tie One On Day^TM offers a unique expression of gratitude when words fail us.

Celebrated on the eve of Thanksgiving – November 25 this year – National Tie One On Day is an opportunity to share our bounty by wrapping a loaf of bread or other baked good in an apron, along with a note of encouragement tucked in the pocket; then “tie one on” (an apron, of course!) and deliver the wrapped bundle to someone in need of a kind gesture.

“What with technology replacing face-to-face communication, the act of writing a note and hand delivering it with an offering, is an expression of kindness in itself,” says EllynAnne Geisel, creator of National Tie One On Day, “and bread is the ultimate expression of this, because it is the basic comfort food.”

“Give us this day our daily bread isn’t just a prayer,” says Geisel. “The words are also a reminder that to have more than daily bread is to be blessed.”

Bread Machine Challah

Place ingredients in machine pan in this order (water first, yeast last)

1 cup warm water

2 eggs, beaten

½ cup vegetable oil

4 ¼ – 5 ¼ cups bread flour (reserve ¼ cup)

2 ¾ teaspoons salt

1/3 cup sugar

1 tablespoon dry yeast

Process on Dough/sweet program. As dough forms into a ball, add additional flour if it seems wet/sticky.

Divide the dough into *three sections and braid into a loaf. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Put bread on sheet. Allow to rise until about double in size. Brush with egg wash (1 egg + 1 yolk, beaten).

Bake at 350 degrees 30-35 minutes, until crust is nicely browned.

*For 2 smaller loaves, divide into 6 sections

For additional information about National Tie One On Day™ visit Geisel’s website www.apronmemories.com.

Recognized by Chases Calendar of Events, National Tie One On Day™ is sponsored by Mom Bloggers Club, American Sewing Guild, The Women’s Museum, McCall’s Pattern Company, Stampington & Company, Aunt Martha’s Colonial Patterns, Inc., Simplicity Pattern Company, National Association of Baby Boomer Women, Creative Machine Embroidery, SewNews, Apron-iCity and The Fabric Shop Network.

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The wonderful sponsors of National Tie One On Day have filled six goodie bags to giveaway. Easy Entry here! Thank you for sharing your plans for National Tie One On Day, which I'm sure will inspire others.

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

Mighty Oaks From Little Acorns Grow

My every day life is quite basic and without much distraction. So when I am struck with inspiration, the details are very clear and stay so. For instance, I can describe the exact moment when I considered that aprons held the voices and spirit of the women who'd worn them. So, too, can I recall the second of spontaneity that, in a gesture, became Tie One On Day.

Press Release #2

National Tie One On Day^TM a Win-Win

Gesture of Kindness a Win-Win for Participant and Receiver

PUEBLO, Colo. – Four years ago, EllynAnne Geisel was rolling dough for “one more pie” for her Thanksgiving feast, “When I suddenly took stock of the amount of food I’d prepared for the next-day’s holiday meal.” For a dozen guests, Geisel recalls, “there was just too much!” Deciding that her company “absolutely did not need another dessert choice,” she spontaneously wrapped a sweet in a handy piece of cloth...an apron. “Then I wrote Thinking of You on a notecard, and still wearing my own apron, walked out the front door.” Within a block, Geisel was presenting the wrapped treat to a very surprised neighbor, “who I’d heard was experiencing a difficult time.”

Turns out, Geisel was in for a surprise herself. “I hadn’t anticipated that acknowledging my neighbor with a baked good would have me feeling positively buoyant.”

It is that win-win for participant and receiver that Geisel is promoting through her National Tie One On Day^TM.. Celebrated on November 25, 2009, Tie One On Day is an opportunity for people throughout the country to put the “give” back in Thanksgiving.

According to Geisel, a store-bought item is as easily wrapped as homemade, “and the cloth can be anything from an apron to a napkin.”

Geisel’s lemon quick bread recipe can be made in advance, wrapped and kept fresh in the refrigerator for Tie One On Day delivery.

A Lovely Lemon Bread

1/3 cup butter, melted

1 cup sugar

3 tablespoons lemon extract

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 ½ cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking power

1 teaspoon salt

½ cup milk

2 tablespoons grated lemon peel

Lemon Glaze

¼ cup lemon juice (freshly squeezed for zestier flavor)

½ cup sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9x5 inch loaf pan.

In a large bowl, mix the butter with the sugar, lemon extract and eggs.

In a separate bowl, sift the flour with the baking powder and salt.

Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, alternating flour mixture with the milk, stirring each addition just enough to blend.

Fold in the lemon peel.

Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Use a spatula around the four sides to loosen the loaf from the pan. Remove loaf from the pan onto a cooling rack. With the wooden pick, poke holes in the loaf top.

Drizzle the lemon glaze over the top (Tip: Place rack over a piece of wax paper for easy clean up)

**Wrap the cooled loaf in foil and store in the refrigerator for 1 day before serving

**Plastic or foil wrap will protect the cloth from the syrupy glaze

EllynAnne Geisel is the author of The Apron Book: Making, Wearing, and Sharing a Bit of Cloth and Comfort; Apronisms: Pocket Wisdom for Every Day; and The Kitchen Linens Book: Using, Sharing and Cherishing the Fabrics of Our Daily Lives

Additional information about National Tie One On Day can be found on Geisel’s web site, www.apronmemories.com.

Recognized by Chases Calendar of Events, National Tie One On Day™ is sponsored by Mom Bloggers Club, American Sewing Guild, The Women’s Museum, McCall’s Pattern Company, Stampington & Company, Aunt Martha’s Colonial Patterns, Inc., Simplicity Pattern Company, National Association of Baby Boomer Women, Creative Machine Embroidery, SewNews, Apron-iCity and The Fabric Shop Network.

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Easy Entry for National Tie One On Day's Goodie Bag Giveaway here! Thank you for sharing National Tie One On Day through chit chat, blogging, tweeting, facebooking...the more who participate, the more who will receive.

^xxea

^{Tie One On...an apron, of course!}

Short & Sweet

Very exciting - the Washington Times article mentioned both National Tie One On Day and my traveling exhibit, Apron Chronicles!

I've high hopes for National Tie One On Day. If ever so many needed to experience an act of kindness, this is that time. To further spread the word, I'm posting daily press releases. The format isn't very cozy, but the purpose is to grab the attention of a harried reporter, for which I have like 3 seconds or something. Here's the first one:

National Tie One On Day^TM Offers Chance to Give Back

Public Encouraged to Share Baked Goods and Note of Encouragement with Those

in Need of Physical or Spiritual Sustenance

PUEBLO, Colo. -- On November 25, 2009 people throughout the country will be putting the “give” back in Thanksgiving by participating in the 4^th Annual National Tie One On Day^TM. EllynAnne Geisel, author of The Apron Book: Making, Wearing, and Sharing a Bit of Cloth and Comfort; Apronisms: Pocket Wisdom for Every Day; and The Kitchen Linens Book: Using, Sharing and Cherishing the Fabrics of Our Daily Lives, and creator of National Tie One On Day, encourages the public to participate in this thoughtful and unique Thanksgiving tradition. Geisel suggests people wrap a loaf of bread or other baked good in an apron, along with a note of encouragement tucked in the pocket; then “tie one on” (an apron, of course!) and deliver the wrapped bundle to someone in need of physical or spiritual sustenance.

“This tradition was created after I began to notice that Thanksgiving was talked about in terms more commonly associated with stress than with joy,” explained Geisel. “The day should be about giving thanks and expressing gratitude, so I created an opportunity to easily share one’s own good fortune with someone in need of a kind gesture.”

Thanksgiving is a holiday known for recollection, making new traditions and sharing. The apron symbolizes these concepts. Through National Tie One On Day, people not only make a difference in someone’s life, but also honor the humble apron and the spirit of women who donned the universal symbol of home, family and mothering.

According to Geisel, “Women clad in aprons have traditionally prepared the Thanksgiving meal, and it is within our historical linkage to share our bounty.”

Geisel receives letters from women throughout the United States who have participated in Tie One On Day. She notes that participating is simple and is a win-win for everyone involved.

“I especially liked the idea of sharing on the day before Thanksgiving, and since I work, I baked quick breads, which I wrapped in tea towels because I couldn’t find any clean aprons,” explained Amy Bissell. “I delivered the first loaf to a friend and his visiting father. When I told him how thankful I was for his friendship, he said I had made a very long day much nicer. Leaving his home, I felt like I was walking on air.”

Geisel recommends sharing any baked goods – whether homemade or store bought - as part of Tie One On Day. A few of her favorite recipes and additional information about National Tie One On Day can be found on her web site, www.apronmemories.com.

Recognized by Chases Calendar of Events, National Tie One On Day™ is sponsored by Mom Bloggers Club, American Sewing Guild, The Women’s Museum, McCall’s Pattern Company, Stampington & Company, Aunt Martha’s Colonial Patterns, Inc., Simplicity Pattern Company, National Association of Baby Boomer Women, Creative Machine Embroidery, SewNews, Apron-iCity and The Fabric Shop Network.

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Enter the Goodie Bag Giveaway here and take a moment to read how others are preparing to participate. Inspiring!

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

Halloween Cutie Picks the Winners

Halloween in Denver. The sidewalks on lower Broadway were jammed with costumed folks enjoying some sort of scavenger hunt, including Miss Rodeo Queen 1985. I spied her in Sweet Action, our favorite ice cream spot, and she sweetly agreed to be my random number chooser.

Rebecca Anderson's package of patterns have been won by lucky Blog Comment #27, AllisonCBayer, and lucky Dunafon, the #99 Apron Memories newsletter subscriber to open the latest edition.

Now, everything turns to National Tie One On Day - which I hope all of y'all will be participants. Be sure to register for the 6 filled-to-the-brim goodie bags.

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

No Trick, All Treat!

My mother was a working parent and always pregnant, or so the latter seemed to me. In this snapshot, it's Halloween 1954, and Mama is holding sibling # 5 and pregnant with # 6. She was a very busy lady, and Halloween costumes for the "big" kids were obviously not at the top of her To Do list. From the pout on my face, I am not pleased with my winter hat repurposed as a witch's, nor that my brothers have store-bought masks and I don't. In retrospect, it's a marvel we're costumed at all.

                  

Happily, a serious lacking in creative costumery did not leave me in need of therapy, especially once I figured out that store bought or hodge podged, the grown ups answering the doors gave you candy.

As the grown up at this blog, and with Halloween just days away, I'm giving away 2 packages of sweet treats (but without the caloric consequence) - featuring the delightful patterns of Rebecca Anderson, an apron lover with an artistic eye. Even though my sewing skills leave a lot to be learned, I immediately considered I could handle the Expandable Bag and the button animals, which are sewn from felted wool, which turns out to be wool that's been shrunk in hot water. Fantastic! Finally, a way to use woolies mistakenly washed!

  

                    

I learned about Rebecca through her husband, who emailed to let me know about his wife's new line of patterns. I love how proud Dave is of Rebecca's accomplishments.

Two giveaways here and two opportunities to win:

1)Leave a comment and  2) sign up for my newsletter (if you're already a subscriber, you're already entered). Giveaway entry closes late Saturday night. I'll post the winners sometime Sun. 

xxea

National Tie One On Day! is a win-win. Spread the word, please.

Random Human Picks a Winner

On a mid-morning walk through the neighborhood, in search of a nice person who would ever so helpfully choose the winner of my Cake Wrecks giveaway #2, and behold! an aproned gardener, who graciously put her raking on hold and chose a number out of the blue.

Congratulations monalisaedmonson, Apron Memories newsletter subscriber # 387!

This is so much more fun - having a random human picking a random number over utilizing a computer program do the choosing. This could all change should I ever come across a computer tying one on...an apron, of course!

xxea

National Tie One On Day...spread the word!

Lamp Nirvana

A busy day here, if I'm to photograph aprons and linens on the outdoor clothesline. I've had the line set up forever, to take advantage of what a pretty background the fall leaves would provide to the vintage goods. Now, it's a rush to get those pics snapped before the leaves are blown to Kansas in a storm that's headed this way. Such would be the plan were prioritizing my strong suit. Alas, I find myself derailed by the need to share the new lighting fixtures I purchased at an estate sale this past week-end.

After a recent experience with a vintage lamp, which blew the main house circuit and turned into a money-pit in order to get it working properly, you'd think I would show some restraint when buying old lamps. Not so when the fixture features two red glazed plastic shades

or a chartreuse plastic drum shade with curly q's that match the iron work on our living room windows.
If there's a lamp heaven, I'm in it.

xxea

National Tie One On Day...the more who participate, the more who receive!

National Tie One On Day - a win-win!

National Tie One On Day Six Goodie Bag Giveaways!

To enter, just leave a comment - I'd so love to know how you will be participating in National Tie One On Day, what you'll be making, baking or sewing, the beneficiary of your act of kindness, how you're putting the give back into Thanksgiving...that sort of thing!

The six Goodie Bag winners will be selected by my lovely sister Carol, who I'll be ring-a-ling-ing early Thanksgiving morning. She will choose six numbers, which I'll match up to the same-numbered comments.

Thank you, thank you for participating in National Tie One On Day, for spreading the word and posting the National Tie One On Day logo on your site. The more who give, the more who will receive.

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

Laughter+Cake = 1 Fab Giveaway!

In celebration of both laughter and cake, Andrews McMeel has provided a second copy of Cake Wrecks for me to giveaway!

To be eligible, just sign up to receive my Apron Memories newsletter. Winning subscriber will be announced Tuesday, October 22nd.

What's not to love about a good laugh accompanied by cake.

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

How many fingers?

The winner of an on-line giveaway is usually left up to a random number generator. But to me, there's just no fun in that.

When it comes to surprises, I love that moment right before the big reveal, when anticipation is highest, and the reaction of the surpris-ee is a blink away. A computer does not blink. So when it came to choosing the winner of the freshly published Cake Wrecks, I utilized Leslie, my pilates instructor, to pick a number. Congratulations, comment #8/Tart Deco!

Cake Wrecks is such a huge success already because it is genuinely funny. In celebration of a good laugh, Andrews McMeel is providing a second copy of Cake Wrecks for me to giveaway.

To be eligible, just sign up to receive my Apron Memories newsletter. The latest edition will go out Saturday, so quick like a bunny... Winning subscriber will be selected Tuesday, October 22nd, by a random human.

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

Not a Doggone Blog

It's a funny thing with me that I consider good enough an agreeable standard when applied to everything in my life, except writing. With writing, I work very hard to make it worth anyone's while to read. And so it is with blogging. I visit many blogs and marvel at the consistency with which some post entertaining or contemplative narrative. The flip side is this New Yorker cartoon

Somewhere in between is where I wish to be, but to even get to that level, I must blog more often and let go of blogging as real writing, compromising with blogs that are "good enough."

Good enough...a nice new mind-set that lasted as long as it took to write that sentence, for I simply and positively cannot just slap some blog into place. I need to research and assemble and take photos and fine tune those and then write with a purpose. Blogging more often, however, is a goal to which I'll strive!

This blog shares something so unique, I'm not sure I'll ever come upon it again. Three years ago, I received a handkerchief box and inside, wrapped in tissue was a little pink apron and a poem:

The accompanying letter explained that the little apron was used as a fundraising activity in 1929 amongst the women members of St. Patrick's Garryoween church.

Folded in the apron's pocket was this poem. Typed on onionskin, the verse provided instruction to the receiver on how she was to fill the apron's pocket with pennies.

This little apron and verse was passed from one woman to the next. Despite the times being difficult, when it was her turn to measure her waistline inch by inch, she filled the pocket and made do with less that week, in order to contribute to keeping the neighborhood parish open and the priest in place. This, at a time when a loaf of bread was nine cents.

When Sister Paula sent the apron, I was into the sixth year of my apron journey, and never had I seen anything like this little apron and its poem. It is an artifact of our history as women, and of such import, I framed it in a manner that left it portable, so I could share it as I continued to travel throughout America.

In the three years hence, the little fundraiser apron has been viewed by multiple hundreds, and no one has ever responded to it with recognition. Which led to me believe it was unique, and the brainstorm of a group of immigrant women back in 1929.

Then a few months ago, I was browsing through an antique mall, and in a seller's booth, my eyes lit on a plastic bag that held a little carpenter-like apron...with a folded piece of paper in its pocket.

And when carefully unfolded, the note revealed the identical poem to the one in the pocket of the pink fundraiser apron!!!!! So a bit of the mystery is solved - Sister Paula's firsthand knowledge of the little pink apron and poem dates the little blue apron to 1929, too. And from her letter, we know both aprons were a fundraising activity among women. But from where did this idea germinate? Ah, the fun of discovery, the joy of sharing and the delight of never knowing what apron, or story, is still to be experienced.

I hope you've enjoyed this blog entry as much as I enjoyed putting it together. I've meant to tell y'all about the little fundraising apron, and so I finally have.

In appreciation of your reading this blog, Andrews McMeel, my wonderful publisher, has provided a copy of the newly released Cake Wrecks for me to giveaway. To enter, just leave a

comment. A random number picker will choose the winner next Wednesday morning.

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

Vintage Hospitality Tip # 2

This bit of domestic guidance is from one of my favorite resources, 2002 HOUSEHOLD HELPS (published 1933). The second I read it, I had to share it, if only for the deliciousness of the language!

For a clearer view or to enlarge, this is posted on my website's homepage.

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

Buongiorno!

Our friends went from living in the arid environment of Pueblo to Lenno, a little township along the shoreline of Lake Como. Gianetta and Guiseppe (formerly known as Jeanette and Joe) putter about the Lake in a little wooden lucia. We went sightseeing in the lucia, and the view from the water is just gorgeous, one villa after the next, including George Clooney's, which looks very similar to another villa...so much so, the owners put up this sign

(it says NO GEORGE and points down the Lake), to stop the tour boats going by and blaring over loudspeakers HERE'S WHERE THE FAMOUS MOVIE STAR GEORGE CLOONEY LIVES!

This however, is where the real GC lives when he's "in town" - in Uria (that would be your ferry stop). It's the big villa down by the water, with greenery to the right and left.

When George needs to borrow a cup of sugar, he can get it from his 'hood neighbor, Donatella Versace.

The big city on the Lake is Como, and travel there is by ferry. From the moment we're off the boat, it's one little cobblestoned street after the next, all lined with shops. And within a few blocks, we came upon this, an apron store!

Then off to the big indoor market, where I took pictures of the food displays. Two I must share:

Yes, if you're thinking Is this stall selling horse meat?

Following luncheon for 2 hours - typical here, new to us, and definitely a lifestyle to pine for - we meandered, stopping to window gaze, which is when my gaze wandered and I made eye contact with a street corner musician, who in two seconds was out of his seat and serenading us, an experience I can only equate to having the waitstaff in a restaurant sing happy birthday to me.

We finally managed to ditch Mr. Accordian Man:

I am forbidden with making eye contact with anyone during the rest of our vaca. Except GC.

xxElenaAna

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

A Timely Departure

If we'd only left for the airport on time, we would have missed the late afternoon thunderstorm. Flooded roadway, wipers on High, speed drastically reduced...and as suddenly as the storm began, the rain stopped, and an enormous rainbow seemed to drop out of the clouds. I rolled down the window and snapped this picture - which I cannot believe turned out so well!

I've driven that highway for over thirty years, and don't recall ever seeing that ranch sign; now, I'll see it every time we go north, and I'll be reminded of the drive to the airport for our 34th anniversary trip.

It was my preference that we dress up to fly half a day. Not until I looked at this photo did I realize that in our coordinated clothing, we resembled a doll duo.

That aside, whether it was my pearls or his shiny shoes, we drew the attention of the flight staff. And upon hearing it was our 34th anniversary, champagne was poured and we received the captain's congratulations.

By the time the plane landed, I'm sure I gained an entire vacation's worth of weight in 12 hours. That flowy little dress turned out to be a very smart style choice. Now to walk it off as we eat our way through Italy!

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

I am my beloved's and my beloved is (still) mine.

Today is our 34th anniversary!

xxea

Vintage Hospitality

As a child, I collected ceramic animals. As a girl, I collected photos of Elvis. As a teen, I collected photos of fashion models. As a young woman, I collected young men. And then, I married and soon followed a home to tend and children to raise, and I decided to spend more time on the latter than dusting.

With that decision, out the door went all tchotchkes (chot (rhymes with hot) skees) - those knick knacks/doodads/accessories/collectibles that required dusting or ironing or polishing or spritzing.

Then, in 1999, our youngest child went off to sleepaway college and practically as we waved bye bye, 24 years of living in a tchotchke-free zone ended. Ten years later, I've become a vintage packrat, and our home is a-jumble with the collectibles, accessories, doodads and knick knacks that once belonged to women of earlier generations.

I love going through this or that pile of stuff, although when in search of something specific, not having things organized is a huge time waster. On a recent forage for a recipe, I found this pamphlet, which provided women of the 1920s tips on hospitality.

I replaced the original tip with one on making edible placecards - a really fun idea in principle! With tomatoes in season, I would make individual salads, and using French salad dressing in place of the mayonnaise, write the names on large slices of tomato. Oh, the possibilities!

Do visit the homepage, where the pamphlet is permanently posted. You can enlarge it there for clarity in reading, and I'll be changing out the tip every week or so!

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

A Slice of Welcome, A Piece of Consolation

Recently, we received news the most wonderful company was paying us an overnight visit. On their arrival day, I got up super early and baked this two layer yellow pudding cake.

With each step of its preparation - from opening the boxed mix to greasing the pans to turning out the layers to cool to licking the ready-made dark chocolate icing from the spatula - I thought about our long distance friends and the joy that would accompany their visit.

Upon learning a few days later of the death of an acquaintance's beloved wife, I baked this chocolate pound cake.

And with each step - from sifting the flour to beating fresh ingredients until creamy to slipping the tube onto a bottle for even cooling to cutting flowers for decorating the platter - I thought about the number of times we'd talked about driving the half an hour to pay a visit, and did not.

Baking a cake requires one to slow down and provides the opportunity for reflection. And whether out of the box or carefully measured out, as an expression of welcome or consolation, cake is always greeted with accolades. Baking a cake is time well spent.

Chocolate Pound Cake

1 cup butter, softened

½ cup shortening

3 cups sugar

5 eggs

3 cups flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

5 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

1 cup buttermilk

1 Tablespoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 325°. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan. Cream butter, shortening and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well. Sift together dry ingredients. Alternating with milk and vanilla, add dry mixture to creamed mixture, mixing well with each addition. Pour batter into pan. Bake for 60-90 minutes at 325°, testing for doneness with a wooden pick. Cool 20 minutes before removing from pan. Serves 15. Freezes very well.

Julia and Judy

When my youngest child left for college, I knew my full-time, 24-year homemaking career was over. I'd always wanted to be a writer, but I knew nothing about writing professionally. So, in 2000, I attended the Santa Barbara Writer's Conference, chosen because I'd heard SB was a really pretty place.

I returned to the conference in 2002 with an apron project I'd been working on. When I showed the bits and pieces of "Apron Memories" to Rise and Judy, friends from the earlier conference, they responded with enthusiasm and incredible generosity, opening a door for me that I never even imagined knocking on. Turned out my friends knew Julia Child, who, they opined, surely had an apron story to share.

And so it happened that in June, 2002, I interviewed Julia Child in her home and collected her apron memory. Interview completed, we walked from the back patio through the house - single file, with her in the lead on a shiny blue walker with handle bars, hand brakes, and a basket. Graciousness itself, she acquiesced to my request for a photo of her in the doorway of the kitchen. Perched on a stool, she pointed out the pegboard wall with its hooks holding assorted utilities as similar to the kitchen in the home she and her husband had lived in, and a wall-mounted microwave that was more an annoyance than convenience. Kitchen chit chat with Julia Child. I willed myself not to hyperventilate.

Almost to the entryway, Ms. Child stopped at a bookcase and opened a bottom drawer. Inside were stacks of folded denim aprons..."Custom made because of my height." Removing one, she gave it to me to hold while she retrieved a white pen from another drawer. On the bib was embroidered JULIA CHILD and centered beneath THE WAY TO COOK. Taking a seat, she autographed the apron: Bon Appétit, Julia Child. I willed myself not to speak in tongue.

Kindness begets kindness, which is what I tell myself whenever I think about giving that apron to the Santa Barbara Arts Commission for its silent auction fundraising event. For had Julia Child not expressed such kindness in granting the interview, I wouldn't have had the apron to donate at all.

Perhaps because the residents of Santa Barbara saw Julia Child out and about all the time, one of her aprons wasn't thought of as very special. There was only one bidder - my friend Judy!

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

On the Count of Three...

Arriving twenty minutes early for my interview with Julia Child, I bided time snapping pictures of her front door with my new camera. Satisfied the flash was working and the film advancing, I thought to read the manual on setting the self-timer, but dismissed any need-to-know, figuring whoever answers the bell will take the photo of us. Julia Child herself opened the door, and I closed it. No housekeeper in sight to later press into service.

The patio where we settled was a serene oasis, vibrant with plantings and comfy outdoor furniture. Seated across from one another at a small table, we conversed about my apron journey of three years, the storytellers whose apron memories I'd collected, and her personal apron story. In case my tape recorder failed to capture every syllable of her priceless recollection, I took down her words on a little notepad, utilizing a sort of frantic shorthand I hoped to God would later be decipherable.

Between nibbles of a simple luncheon, Ms. Child complimented me on my interview preparedness, noting I hadn't asked the usual media litany - What's the funniest thing that ever happened to you? What's your favorite restaurant? What would be your last meal on Earth? She gave a little head shake at questions fueled by intellectual laziness. I preened or something close, for Julia Child had specifically noted I was not of that ilk. Then, with a glance at her watch, she mentioned ever so graciously she needed the afternoon to prepare for the evening's lecture. It was time to take my leave. Oh, Ms. Child, might I please take a picture of us? She looked at her watch; I knew to hurry things along.

I balanced the camera atop a stack of magazines, peeked through the viewfinder, centered Ms. Child within the frame, pressed a button I thought must be the timer, then raced to her side, stooped so our heads were even, put my arm around her shoulder (!!!), smiled to beat the band, and...nothing. No flash, no film advancing.

On the third try, Ms. Child suggested we postpone further photography attempts until the evening engagement, when she would make a point of posing with me. This time, I opened the door, and she closed it.

I despaired the lost opportunity, for I'd had the camera a week already and there'd been time aplenty to practice using its gadgetries. Like the interview that had Ms. Child shaking her head, laziness was at the heart of my picture-taking debacle.

Rather than wait until after the lecture and battle the hundreds wanting their own photo moment with Julia Child, I stayed outside the auditorium, hoping to see her before she entered the building. Curbside when the limousine pulled up, I rushed to Ms. Child’s side as she exited the car; I pointed to our pants and squealed Pink! Then I pointed to my friend, her camera at the ready.

I wanted to tell Ms. Child I’ve learned my lesson, and I’ll work hard to deserve your accolade. Instead, I took her arm (!!!), smiled to beat the band and said Cheese!

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

Julia Child's Apron Memory

On June 22, 2002, I interviewed Julia Child about her apron memory.

How I came to be seated at a cloth covered patio table across from America’s most beloved cook is a whole other blog (tags: serendipity, friendship, largess).

I arrived bearing two gifts: an apron I’d sewn especially for Ms. Child and a bottle of expensive champagne. Ms. Child unwrapped the apron – at least 10 sizes too small and ruffly-edged - held it up and in her distinctive voice said, “Oh, Dearie, dainty doesn’t do in the kitchen.” Then she sweetly handed it back to me. I quickly handed her hostess gift #2, along with a jumbled sort of pre-happy-ninetieth-birthday wish. Sliding the bottle out of its bag, she rewarded this present with a nod and murmured notation that this was one gift she would not be returning. Thank God I’d brought a backup to the apron.

For the next hour, I sat with Ms. Child as she ate a simple lunch of an unadorned hamburger patty and a pint carton of milk, and we chatted about my apron journey and her apron memory.

Ms. Child told me that she hadn’t much experience in the kitchen nor had she ever worn an apron, until she met her husband. Newly married in 1949, they moved to France, where she tasted French food and knew right then she wanted to learn about French cooking. Following the tradition of the Cordon Bleu cooking school, she began wearing the chef-type blue denim apron with a towel draped over the waist ties. When Paul and I cooked together, he wore the same type apron, only folding the bib at the waist and hanging a towel from the apron pocket.

As soon as she began talking about her husband, sadness misted her face, and no longer was I sitting across from an icon; rather, I was in the presence of a woman who’d lost the love of her life.

Paul and I always had breakfast and most of our meals with one another. After his retirement, we often ate at home in our kitchen. Upon his death in 1994, Paul and I had eaten together for almost fifty years. Fifty years.

Sitting across the table from Ms. Child, I watched as she tidied the cutlery on the plate. One day,I thought, I could be you...alone at a table, with memories of my prince charming as a luncheon companion.

Right then, I resolved to be grateful my husband comes home every day for lunch, to make his sandwich with love, to sit down at the table as he eats, and to abide Sports Center in the background as he recounts his morning at work. For one day, I may know of Julia Child’s loss and heartache.

The digital recording of that interview has been in a fireproof box for the past 7 years, so fearful have I been of taping over it. There’s over sixty minutes of conversation, revelation, poignant recollection, homey, personal advice and her words of wisdom, which I've integrated into my life...all fodder for a whole slew of blogs (tags: foreign, food, language, writing, cookbooks, celebrity, chef, teacher, hostess, wife, wisdom). Julia Child was a teacher of more than cooking.

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

Hey! 4 more celebratory Sunday Giveaways to come. Entry is easy - just sign up for the Apron Memories newsletter!

Aprons at the Fringe

Back in the spring, I received an invitation to participate in an apron exhibit as part of this year's Edinburgh Fringe Arts Festival. The invite was proferred by Oliver "Ollie" Herbert of Flavours Holidays, first via email and then with a follow up telephone call - a very exciting start to that day, I must say!

Vague on Edinburgh's location as Scotland or Ireland (it's the former) and ignorant as to the Fringe Arts Festival, I stammered about as to how flattered I was to be contacted, but the distance was just too great to consider, not to mention the expense, and in my mind, that was that. In a most melodious and sooo smooth brogue, Ollie then described the Fringe as a month-long arts festival with world-wide participants and a global attendance that I could be a part of, which in itself would be a memorable experience.

Tempted but realistic, I let the notion go for good. And pretty much forgot about it until I received an Ollie email with this announcement:

Flavours of Italy will be a part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival this year! We are exploring the history of the apron, a cook's best friend! We've scoured the globe to put together the story of this kitchen commodity,from Adam and Eve to "Desperate Housewives"!

and this photo:

And this link to the Edinburgh Festival's website, where I read Fringe is the biggest arts festival in the world, with something for everyone.... what???? In fact, it's the number-one tourist attraction in the whole of Britain... It is???? Then watched this video:

And now I cannot stop watching it. Does this not look like the most fun festival in the world?!!!! And to think... It's killin' me I let my normally non-functioning left brain dictate to my creative spirit the unfeasability of even trying to figure how to get to Edinburgh. There's a lesson here, but I'm too pained to figure it out right now.

For all of us not attending the Fringe, I've written Ollie with a plea that Flavours keep us updated with video on a regular basis, including a virtual tour of the apron show. Living it vicariously will actually be more than just good enough. Best to have even a taste than nary a nibble. Which perhaps is the lesson.

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

Albuquerque High

Traveling to Albuquerque for the American Sewing Guild's 2009 convention, the back of the car was layered with dozens of freshly ironed aprons and household cloth goods for my booth and a mini-exhibit to be displayed within the Exhibitor's Hall. However, parking incovenient to the convention center's front doors, the aprons and dishtoweling and fabric and hot pads and hankies and all else were less than delicately folded into one large mass by Tote Boy, my normally helpful and happy PC, and hauled several blocks with only one concern - that he reach air conditioning post haste. Alas, the collectibles I'd ironed to crispness summarily melted into wrinkles. Call it a heated moment in the extreme heat that is summer in New Mexico.

Once inside, one of us re-energized with a nappy.

Faced with transforming the booth and six portables all by my lonesome, I fortified first with a Coke; then, with hundreds of push pins, I attempted to create a flow of cloth. Within a half hour, I realized that having a drawn out plan of what went where would have been a huge help. Instead, I raced about rearranging or altogether pulling down what I'd just put into place.

Finally, I just stopped. Whatever was up and however it looked was good enough. Lesson learned. Here is a photo collage of the booth (the center picture) and the six displays.

I thought this collage would be a great way to share the display, but now I'm not so sure. Perhaps I need to post the pictures individually, so they are better viewed.

One delight of returning to ASG's yearly convention was catching up with the wonderful women I'd met two years ago in Sacramento. And then there is the surprise meeting up, like this fabulous smiley moment with Ellen March, editor in chief of Sew News and Creative Embroidery magazines, and new sponsor of National Tie One On Day!

And the winner of my favorite pie book, Humble Pie by Anne Dimmock, is Bonniesline. A new Sunday giveaway is coming up. Only subscribers to the Apron Memories newsletter are eligible, so if you're reading this and not subscribing... do give it a go!

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

It's the Berries

We leave tomorrow, and I'm still choosing which aprons and cloth goods to showcase in the display at the American Sewing Guild's 2009 gathering. Deciding on a display of hotpads, whether to show just gingham or floral aprons or mix 'em up like a wildflower bouquet... and then there are the berries. I hadn't realized how many aprons and cloths in my collection are berry themed - certainly enough for a section all to themselves.

July is national blueberry month, and despite the heat, I heat up the kitchen baking with my favorite berry. My easy muffin recipe is in The Kitchen Linens Book and the latest issue of Cooking with Paula Deen (professionally food styled, with melting butter!).

In celebration of my appearance in PD's July/August mag, #3 of two months of Sunday giveaways is a copy of Humble Pie by Anne Dimock. There are a lot of pie books out there, but Anne's is special. To enter the giveaways, you just need to sign up for the Apron Memories newsletter.

I photographed the book atop my best pie pan, a huge tin affair I picked up at a second hand store in the early days of marriage. It's baked a lot of cherry pies (his favorite) and peach pies (my favorite), and of course, blueberry pies in July.

Warm pie a la mode is heaven. But pie for breakfast - is there a better way to start the day?

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

Waiting on Field Fresh

Last week-end up in Denver, we took in the Cherry Creek Arts Festival. Strolling up one block and down the next, we came upon a culinary student demonstrating watermelon carving.

So there we are, surrounded by exquisite glass, fiber, ceramics, paintings and the like, and we're

mesmerized by the art of fruit carving, which is a far cry from the hollowed out watermelon basket filled with melon balls that we're used to!

Standing there in the hot, hot sun, I ached for a piece of chilled melon.

Summertime is all about watermelon. In this snapshot taken around 1915, a Boy Scout troop on a camp out takes a watermelon break. The boy in the trio at the bottom left, with a quarter of a melon in his face, is my dad.

Watermelon is the best treat when eaten outdoors, even to the Victorians, who were particularly fond of picnics. Perhaps because it gave them a rare opportunity to socialize without all the formality.

Watermelon reminds me of sweltering August evenings, when my dad would bring home a pick-up of watermelons, and every house on the block would empty of kids and parents, all of us waiting our turn to receive a thick slice, which we’d take to the curb, and sitting side by side, arms sticky with melon juice and legs akimbo, spit seeds between our knees and into the street.

The watermelon crop in my area is still a few weeks from coming in. While I wait for "field fresh," I'm partial to the Pixie because it doesn't take up half the refrigerator, it's seedless and tastes as sweet as its name.

Plus, when I hold Pixie just so, it resembles a little purse... a most adorable accessory to my melon feed sack apron.

If you've not yet signed up for the Apron Memories newsletter, please do! The latest edition includes watermelon poetry & a vintage watermelon recipe, + you're automatically entered in my Sunday celebration giveaways. Yay to that!

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

A Little Something

I'd been saving my cute new botanical print dress to wear to a July 4th party, so when the late afternoon sun disappeared behind treacherous looking dark clouds, and the temperature dropped in ten-degree increments, I nonetheless zipped up, did a twirl, admired myself in the mirror, and promptly forgot to snatch a shawl "just in case." Following the storm, the clouds blew to the east, and the temperature went south. Atop our hosts' roof, PC and I posed for a snap. My smile isn't the only thing frozen.

Overlooking the Denver skyline, I held up 2 toothpicks adorned with little flags, and with fireworks going off in the background, took this picture, which blurred because I was shaking so in the cold night air. But hey, I got to wear that dress!

As we rode the elevator down, I asked a fellow passenger to pick a number at random. 313 he said. And that's how the winner of the first Sunday giveaway was chosen. #313 Apron Memories newsletter subscriber is ginaloya. Congratulations! You'll be receiving a personalized copy of my exhibit's catalogue, Apron Chronicles. I'll be emailing you for shipping details!

The second Sunday drawing celebrating-features-in-Cooking with Paula Deen-and-Romantic Homes-magazines will be for a set of these: Apron Memories notecards

plus this one - the latest notecard design!

To be eligible for the July 12th (and upcoming July/August giveaways), just sign up to receive the Apron Memories newsletter!

Wherever you celebrated America's birthday, I hope the fireworks didn't fizzle and you dazzled in a pretty little something,

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

Sunday Excitement!

I wasn't the only one making an early run to the grocery store this morning. Not that I had to fight for the last ears of corn of anything, but when it came time to check out, I was three carts back from my turn to unload groceries onto the conveyor belt. I used the idling time to look through the magazines, and when I saw the July/August issue of Cooking with Paula Deen...

I shrieked, decibel-wise a bit less than if I'd just been stung by a bee, BECAUSE I am the featured Woman of Note!!! Three pages worth yet!!! And this, on the heels of a beautiful spread featuring The Kitchen Linens Book in the latest Romantic Homes.

It's taking me forever to write this blog, because I keep staring at the covers and rereading the articles, which, of course, I knew about, but to actually see the magazines and hold them is a whole other thang!

So, to celebrate that a Sunday grocery store excursion turned into an icing on the cake moment, I'm holding a giveaway drawing each Sunday during the months of July and August. On July 5th, the first present is a personalized copy of my Apron Chronicles exhibit catalogue. Apron Chronicles represents 4 years of my apron journey, and it truly is a most stunning presentation of the American experience as examined through photography, storytelling and the fabric of the apron. I love this exhibit.

Each Sunday, the winner of the week's giveaway will be selected from the list of subscribers to my Apron Memories newsletter. So, to be eligible, just sign up!

Every day should have a little icing on the cake!

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

Muchas Gracias, Daddy-O

On CBS Sunday Morning show, the Father's Day tribute was to our dads no longer here and those adults lucky enough to still have their Daddy-Os around. It's that sort of day for me, where I'm a bit heavy of heart thinking about my father, and on the flip side, joyous to see my husband basking in the glow of his sons' love.

From my bilingual boyz to their jefe, a Father's Day card with a kick of kitsch - the sombrero's dingle balls are felt!

and inside, notes of gratitude... A card and handwritten sentiments - the best parent-present there is!

And speaking of presents: Backyard Daddy-O Giveaway lucky winners are ejaskol & aialvarez7.

And this, by anonymous

4 years: My Daddy can do anything!
7 years: My Dad knows a lot…a whole lot.
8 years: My father does not know quite everything.
12 years: Oh well, naturally Father does not know that either.
14 years: Oh, Father? He is hopelessly old-fashioned.
21 years: Oh, that man-he is out of date!
25 years: He knows a little bit about it, but not much.
30 years: I must find out what Dad thinks about it.
35 years: Before we decide, we will get Dad's idea first.
50 years: What would Dad have thought about that?
60 years: My Dad knew literally everything!
65 years: I wish I could talk it over with Dad once more.

Have a Happy,

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

Road Trip to Smallville

Unlike travel by air, car travel allows for the impulse of exploration. This one time, only because I was at the wheel and spied the smallish, hand lettered roadside sign proclaiming Exotic Zoo Next Right, did my family get to experience taxidermy at its most bizarre.

And so it was recently, on our return from a southeastern Colorado 2-day loop trip, that we pulled off a stretch of state highway and followed the signs to downtown smallville, where there just happened to be an antique mall shoppe...my very, very favorite type of store, and a soda fountain. With PC parked on a sidewalk bench and happily sipping a rootbeer float, I made my way through the mall. About halfway through was a dining table covered with sheet music, and right there on top was this

Wow! and Wow!! I could not believe it. Copyrighted MCMXXV (a google search converted the letters to 1925) , the two verse ode to every fool of a fellow who'd tossed aside the love of a good woman, has a refrain begging forgiveness :

Tie me to your a-pron strings a - gain....I thought I was right but I was

wrong...Please take me back to-night where I belong....Won't you tie me

to your a-pron strings a - gain__________ gain._______________

Oh, what Toby Keith could do with this song, or Dolly Parton for that matter!

5 days left to enter the Backyard Daddy-O Giveaway. News to share about the book,

which by the way, was previewed in Sunday's Parade magazine - I contacted the authors, Ardie Davis and Chef Paul, and they will be personalizing the book to the winner!!

Later today, we're driving to Breckenridge, where I'll be presenting my Apron Memories program at a luncheon tomorrow. It's a 3 1/2 hour drive, and along the way are a handful of smallvilles. I won't be at the wheel (I'm a scaredy cat when it comes to mountain driving), so I can be extra vigilant for signs that beckon to pull over on our return. Such is the joy of a road trip!

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

Vintage Backyard Daddy-O & Giveaways

Hey! And hey again! Following a bit of bad judgment which left me flat on my achy breaky back, it’s lovely to return to the land of the upright. In celebration, I gave a party, featuring my favorite food - the hamburger.

Following some ancient law of barbecue etiquette, the burgers were grilled by the testosterone duo in attendance. While the meat sizzled, the fellows modeled Fifties backyard daddy-o attire from my apron collection

This genre of apron is hugely collectible because of limited availability. Grimy from charcoal, grease flare ups and hand wiping, such daddy-o wear was more often tossed in favor of a new one. Considering their vintage, the screened designs are amazingly vibrant.

These two aprons are sewn of a fabric flimsy in comparison to the heavy duty cotton of others in my collection, which leads me to think they were not meant to last - perhaps tied on for a single event or received as a Father's Day gag gift in lieu of the perennial tie.

Then there's this apron, with the Emergency Only zipper's placement just oh, so risque. Hardly x-rated by today's standards, but definitely titillating at the time.

In further recognition of Daddy-O Day, my publisher has provided me this timely giveaway:

America's Best BBQ: 100 Recipes from America's Best Smokehouses, Pits, Shacks, Rib Joints, Roadhouses, and Restaurants by Kansas City barbecuearians Ardie A. Davis and Chef Paul Kirk!

This is a mouthwatering collection of recipes from starters to meats, classic side dishes, sauces, rubs and decadent desserts.

I like the format of tips, tricks, techniques, memorabilia, color photos and firsthand recollections of tales from the 'pits.

Entry is easy as pie-just leave a comment & your email address (for winner's notification). Drawing held early am Sun., June 21st.

Plus, sign up to receive my newsletter, and you're also in the drawing for "Dick," my Apron Memories bistro-style apron!

Guy-sized in girth and length, it's hand sewn of heavy weight denim with a detachable wipe cloth.

I named this apron after Dick Cline, a most affable fellow who is one of the 46 storytellers in Apron Chronicles. Dick told me that it was from his mother that he learned Wearing an apron makes good sense.

Good sense. Good times. I don't think I'm alone in welcoming more of both!

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

Happy Donut Day!

Today is National Donut Day and as a Krispy Kreme devotee, I am in celebration mode. Two glazed donuts for breakfast, and now I'm wishing I'd saved one for later or at least bought 3.

I'm not alone in my love of donuts. According to one of my favorite little pamphlets, published in 1945 by the Doughnut Corp. of America, the donut is a symbol of fellowship, friendliness, and a good time.

                       

 31 pages in length, this pamphlet is filled with party games that revolve around donuts!

 There's the Donut Archery Contest, Donut Nose-Pushing Race, Donut Horse Racing, Donut Pirate Party and Donut Buffet.

 

 

And what had to be the most popular game of all: the Donut String Kiss Stunt, 

                  

where  "...it will be a minor miracle if this little divertissement (that's French for amusement) does not end in a kiss...which is an appealing idea to young couples who are just looking for a good excuse anyhow."

And if a planned event weren't enough reason to bring on the donuts, there was this announcement:

               

Page after page of creative ways to serve donuts, like Donuts as Cereal and Sandwich Donuts with fillings of pimento cheese, cottage cheese and jam, or peanut butter and steamed raisins.

A Donut is a happy food, that satisfies the spirit as well as the appetite. Not many foodstuffs can measure up to that. Or not in my tummy, anyway.

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

Wild, Wild, Wild West Fest Mess

The Professional Bull Riders Association moved its headquarters to my town and then threw a four-day party dubbed the Wild Wild Wild West Fest to celebrate the relocation. Since Thursday, there's been non-stop activity down on Union Ave: pancake breakfasts, a mercado, an exhibit of western boots, a parade, outdoor concerts, vendors galore and bullriding by the primo cowboys in the world.

                     

Deciding what to wear to the party in their honor was an easy choice - this Colorado Centennial apron and my embroidered cowgirl boots!  Too wonderful.

                  

Before the final competition, we walked around and came upon this very long, long horned steer, and for $10.00, you could sit in the saddle and get your picture taken. As I contemplated whether I really wanted to climb up the step stool and wearing a skirt, hoist myself atop Oliver, he pooped.

              

Oliver appeared quite content to have someone clean up after him, not unlike most men, I think.

            

Had there not been the delay, I would have clamored into the saddle and had my picture taken. In hindsight, Oliver did me a heck of favor. 

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

A Slice of Celebration

When the cause for a celebration is upcoming, an announcement or invitation to attend is usually sent prior to the event's date.  However, there are some events that take place spontaneously and but for the quick of eye & camera, will go unheralded.

      

I think all levels of achievement - from graduation to mastering the hoola hoop - are deserving of a nod and a cake, or this Refreshment Hour Sandwich Loaf, which appeared in a 1949 Workbasket:

                 

I can personally vouch for the delectability of the Sandwich Loaf, which was served at the  reception of my exhibit's  opening at Ironworld in Chisholm, MN, back in January of this year. When I first noted it on the buffet, it had yet to be sliced, and I thought it was dessert.

That I'm still talking about it, let alone took a photo of it during the event, is telling of my fondness for cake, even when the cake is a loaf.

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

Tying One On in the Front Yard

We've been a one-car family for many years, and only on the odd occasion would a second car have made the day a tad easier. Today was one of those days. Without transportation, I was forced to celebrate National Wear Your Apron Day in my front yard, not out and about as planned. Here I am, wearing an especially cheery apron, and pulling weeds. The photographer 

is a passerby, who very nicely stopped her dog walking to accomodate my plea for a pic. Today was lovely - sun shiny, not too warm, and the ground still moist from the early a.m. watering...perfect for losing track of the time, singing Elvis songs, and filling a wheelbarrow with weeds.  Showing off my pretty apron would have been nice, too, but tying one on in the front yard was good enough.

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

Mother's Day Vintage egreeting card

 I recently bought a stack of old calendars for the art.  As with the covers of pattern envelope, magazines, and the early reader series like Dick and Jane, the illustrations were printed from original art, which somewhat accounts for their value among collectors. But it is the artists' talented rendering of those moments in our lives that are experienced by everyone: first haircut, heads bowed at the Thanksgiving table, F on the report card, muddy footprints on a freshly mopped floor, that draws us to adore and relate to the pictures.

This illustration is by Russell Sambrook, who charmed America with his talent from the Twenties to Fifties.  What mother hasn't been in this mom's shoes - on the receiving end of a child's idea of the best present in the world.  

 

I'm a bit late getting this illustration to webbie for posting on my site's homepage as a complimentary vintage egreeting download, but despite the tardiness, it should be loaded in time for sending. Happy Mother's Day!

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

the luck of the draw x 6

The lucky winners of the FABULOUS not-a-contest GIVEAWAY prize packages are Liz Mandle, Bea, MaryAnne, Llyn M, tara and Rebekah !!

Biggest hugs and thank you to all for entering. The creativity and talented eye for repurposing is amazing. I always think there simply cannot be one more apron design or inventive reuse of vintage household cloth, but surprise surprise! Colonial Patterns/Aunt Martha's transfers and I have so enjoyed looking at creations and reading the postings.

xxea and the Price family of Colonial Patterns, Inc./Aunt Martha's

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

Tweaking Tradition

A holiday rolls around, and I immediately begin searching for new recipes to shake up the traditional table spread, I of the mind set, that recognizing the occasion is tradition enough. 

Since only the holidays most widely celebrated are treated to massive recipe makeovers or menu innovations by the media and its celebrity chefs, my holiday, Passover, receives little attention when it comes to recipe reinvention of the seder particulars.  

A late start left me with only a day and ahalf to devote to the endeavor, and after scrolling through dozens of on-line sites, I happened on a recipe for chocolate covered matzoh. The perfect tweak, it turned out, because not only is it easily prepared, it is over-the-top delicious! Addictively so. And when paired with a colorful trio of sorbet scoops... 

In this photo, the bowl of dessert matzoh is  side by side with a gravy boat holding freshly made apple/pear sauce, yet another recipe so simple and delicious it's ridiculous not to make it every day! (saute peeled & sliced fruit in water until soft. drain. in a bowl, sprinkle with a small amount of sugar and mash with a fork)

And now the finale photo to the evening - a red wine stain on the hand stitched tablecloth.  

I'm sure it will wash out or at least fade through subsequent laundering.  Such is the risk of using a beautiful cloth, but better to use it with joy than to keep it stored in a drawer and out of sight. 

xxea

3 weeks left to enter the FABULOUS (not-a-contest) GIVEAWAY!

Vintage Easter is all charm

Vintage greeting cards have an indisputable charm, with this one the loveliest of examples. I have a photo of my mother as a little girl in a similar outfit and Buster Brown haircut, which leads me to guesstimate this card was created in the 1930s.  

She's been gathering flowers in a little basket, but has set it aside to what?  I think she is admiring her new patent leather Mary Janes, which will soon enough bear a first scratch. 

We could all do with such a pastoral moment, and a pair of shiny new shoes, now and again!

xxea

Take time to enter the FABGIVEAWAY at my March 25th blog entry, then

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

Cocktail Napkins' Barnyard Roots

Telephone interviews can be a tad nervewracking, if only for the throat glump that always seems to settle in just as the phone rings.  Clearing the pipe with a tad of aplomb rather than a hack is, to say the least, difficult. So it was with some excitement that today's chitty chat with a Dallas newspaper was glump-free...a situation I attribute to just how much I enjoyed the questions. 

The reporter, a fellow, queried from a male perspective on vintage household linens, which translates to: he knew not of what he was speaking, but gave it his best shot. The questions ran the gamut of "what would I say to a guy about setting a table with a cloth" to "what would I say if a guy used my pretty towel to wipe his lawn mower greasy hands." Delightful!

One thing we touched on was home entertaining, and my hoorah! for the return of the cocktail hour, a time of day when adults can do with a little grown-up hooplah without a huge commitment of time or effort or expense to the host/hostess. Gathering is the point of the invitation, and to frou frou it a bit, add cloth to the service. Cloth, as in cocktail napkins.  

Bitty bastions of the 1920s, these small-sized napkins were often decorated with a rooster, the pictoral for the word cocktail. Another Vintage Tidbit! This set, which includes glass bottom covers to shield wooden furniture from the horror of moisture stains, was photographed for The Kitchen Linens Book. 

And this set, which is cross-stitched, I just picked up at a local shop. Er, snatched up is more like it, because not only is there a rooster, but it appears he's attempting to pick up a martini...a real feat for his little claw foot.  

xxea

Don't forget to enter the FABULOUS not-a-contest GIVEAWAY! and then

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

Vintage Inspiration meets Rick Rack

When in need of an apron as an accessory, I look first to my collection. Yet even should I spy the perfect apron, I may still decide to just sew one up - the decision coming much faster than the actual stiching! So it was with this apron, which boasts not only a vintage embroidered hand towel but  

rick rack...my all-time favorite embellishment. I made this apron 4 years ago to wear with a chintz strapless tea-length dress.  I've worn it dozens of times since - not only for its charm, but it took me forever to apply that rick rack!  Time, I know, to let that go.

Counting down the weeks left (four) to enter the FABULOUS not-a-contest GIVEAWAY! Check my March 25th blog entry for details. Here's another look at the prizes 6 lucky winners will receive!  

I'm preparing for a two week tour with my beautiful new book, and the details of that will be coming at ya very soon! Meantime, I'm laying out my dresses and thinking apron-as-accent. A fashion show moment perhaps?

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

a Domestic Archive

When I first set about writing The Kitchen Linens Book, I called friends who were into antiques, hoping at least a few were also enamored of vintage household cloth.  My dear friend, Jan Means, was a Bingo!  Within a week or so, a box arrived with a selection of exquisite family heirlooms, and this set of DOW (days of the week) towels

To see this set in person is to experience the true definition of adorable. I immediately wished I'd discovered "Cherubs" first, so I might own the set; instead, I immediately broke a commandment and coveted my friend/neighbor's possession. I kept the set so long, Jan was forced to delicately question if I was ever returning them, which I did with much reluctance. 

Seven or so months later, I contacted Colonial Patterns/Aunt Martha's about my use of the company's vintage reproduction dishtoweling as the basis for my apron-ology magazine apron design. Kindness itself, vp Chris Price not only provided the toweling but also a bundle of Aunt Martha's transfers, among which was this one!

Correctly titled Busy Babies (not Cherubs as I'm still inclined to do), the popular design has been around a very long time, and as with all the Aunt Martha packaging graphics, the original art work for BB resides in a vault at company headquarters.  Oh, to see this cache of original packets in person!  

Before computers and graphic design programs like photoshop, art was drawn and colored by hand. And therein lies the true value of the old pattern envelopes, early primers like the Dick and Jane series, calendars and transfer packets.  Simplistic in presentation and without the manipulation of today's graphics, the drawings are a part of our colorful domestic history.  

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

Embroidery not by the numbers

Inspired by the creativity of the entries to the Fabulous not-a-contest Giveaway!, I decided to take a bit of break from what I must accomplish and so spent the entire day attempting to embroider a reduced-sized transfer to an even smaller surface. I've now set the project aside. Hopefully, I'll arise in the morning with a new perspective (literally) and stitching prowess.  

I do so want to embroider better, a longing that has intensified as my collection of household stitchery grows. In my writing room, I'm surrounded by not only hundreds of aprons but also stacks and bins and shelves of luciously stitched goods, with this set of His and Her towels as one of my favorites 

Oh, to drape a lavatory towel bar with handtoweling such as this.  In my dreams. For honestly, I couldn't bear for either towel to be really used. I can just hear myself shrieking NO!!! as HIS swabbed at shaving cream residue.  Of course, HERS would remain pristine. ha

Which brings me to sharing this 3-D marital portrait:

I purchased this bit of high end art for $10.00, which I think was an absolute steal. It's about 3/4" thick from the inside ledge where the couple "rests" to the back of the frame.  Figuring out how it was done provides endless fascination and entertainment.  Or just a giggle, which I sure needed after a day lost to expressing myself through thread.

Oh, well, as my favorite literary muse would note, Tomorrow is another day.

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

the FAB (not-a-contest) GIVEAWAY countdown

April 1 is a day of universal gaiety (check out vintagepostcards.org for French foolery!). It's also the beginning of the countdown to the end-of-the month drawing of the FABULOUS not-a-contest GIVEAWAY's six prize packages: 

For enumeration of the goodies and entry details to this fab giveaway, visit my March 25th blog or the front page of my website apronmemories.com and click through to 3/25.  

My partner in this promotion, is Colonial Patterns/Aunt Marths's Transfers, owned by the Price Family of Kansas City, MO...where the corn is as high as an elephant's eye and license plates declare it the Show Me! state. The citizens of KC have a long-standing geographical and historical acquaintance with lean times, and throughout is their relationship with doing the most with the least. Cotton feed sacking exemlifies this.  

Whether inspired by the fabric of a 1940s bag or the mentality of making something new of something done-for, please create and enter this FABULOUS not-a-contest GIVEAWAY!  

xxea and the Price Family

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

a Happy Birthday Portrait

After 5 days of storms, the weather has cleared, and our final day at the beach will be spent toodling about on coaster bikes and basking in sunshine!

Occupying ourselves during the depressing weather took a positive turn with the arrival of my eldest, his sweetie and an Apple laptop. The built in camera feature and an Andy Warhol-ish photo program provided much amusement, artistic expression and this:

...my birthday portrait. Now for some cake for breakfast!

xxea
Tie One On...an apron, of course!

the Fabulous Giveaway's Exquisite Stitchery

Embroidery is the easiest of embellishments because it is the most forgiving of the needle arts. Unlike knitting and crocheting and machine sewing, embroidery can be delved into with little to no instruction and supply-wise, we're talking a needle and colored floss.

My embroidery skills are alongside my sewing skills - slow and steady, but refinement of my stitches is still something I aspire to. The embroidery on the prize packaging is of an altogether different ilk, so exquisitely executed by Amanda Thomopson, I had to show it off.

A self-taught seamstress and stitchery artisan, Amanda produced the six prize packages, each adorned with an adorable Aunt Martha transfer.

But you must enter in order to be eligible to win one of the Fabulous not-a-contest Giveaways! So, get goin'!

xxea
Tie One On...an apron, of course!

the FABULOUS not-a-contest GIVEAWAY!

Here ‘tis – the most FABULOUS not-a-contest GIVEAWAY!

Celebrating the debut of THE KITCHEN LINENS BOOK, Colonial Patterns, Inc./Aunt Martha’s Transfers and I are giving away six (6) prize packages, each bursting with these goodies:

Vintage Red Striped Towel

Vintage Blue Striped Towel

Vintage Multi Striped Towel

Vintage Green/Yellow Strip Towel
2 - Flour Sack Towels
1 - 7" Embroidery Hoop

6 - skeins of embroidery floss

2 - Aunt Martha's Embroidery Transfers "Busy Babies and Barnyard Romance"

A sheet with basic embroidery stitches, and

My 3 books: THE KITCHEN LINENS BOOK, THE APRON BOOK & APRONISMS

Prizes are packaged in vintage toweling envelopes, each hand sewn and beautifully embroidered by mompreneur Amanda Thompson of Spokane, WA.

To enter this Fabulous not-a-contest Giveaway!

1. Create something wonderful re-using household goods from the past, such as fabric, hotpads, handkerchiefs, table coverings, curtain paneling, toweling, embroidery, doilies, placemats, napkins...

2. Post and boast about it on your blog and leave a comment here with the link to your post. 

Note: Leave an email address, too, so you can be contacted if you're a winner. No blog? Not to worry. Leave a comment here, telling us what it is you're creating & your email.

3. You can share your creation here, in our Kitchen Linens Flickr group.

Ta Da! You’re entered to win one of the six prize packages!

Deadline for entry is Thursday, April 30. Drawing held Friday, May 1, using random number generator to pick the six winners. Winners will be immediately notified by email (see #2!) for delivery information.

Please post our buttons on your blog, so your readers will know about this Fabulous not-a-contest Giveaway! too.

In the tradition of women creating, sharing and inspiring through the artistry and industry of our handiwork, let the fun begin!

xxea and the Price Family, owners Colonial Patterns/Aunt Martha's

Vintage Trivia

Celebrate Spring with a new hostess ensemble! Such was the yummy advice to the 1956 homemaker with a bit of time on her manicured hands.

Coats & Clark's creative vision for "the discriminating homemaker who likes to be different" was page after page of apron and coordinating table settings, "...that we have christened "Hostess Sets." " There it is - a wonderful tidbit of Vintage Trivia! Now we all know when and by whom the phrase Hostess Sets was coined. Ah, such is the stuff I live for!

I utilized yoyos and moire to create this happy combination, which is perfect for a party luncheon.

And as the favor for my three special friends, a sweet hankie tied with ribbon and slipped in between, a sprig of fresh lavender. Now, what to serve?

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

Traincase Story

This traincase is my travel carryon. It's perfectly sized to slip under an airline seat, and the flip top makes the interior easily accessible. Inside, there is ample room for necessities, including a shawl, book, Peter Paul Mounds bar and my little mini computer. An assortment of elasticized compartments hold my phone, sunglasses and lipgloss. Within the carryon, I am a CEO of organization. It also serves as the best foot rest. 

When I purchased this case, I peeked inside but didn't examine its nooks carefully. Upon its first usage, I discovered a folded piece of paper tucked into one of the zippered pockets.  It was a letter of confirmation from a hotel in Hawaii. Dated December 21, 1967, the letter assured Mrs. Barbara Lee that a room awaited her at the rate of $10.00 a day for twelve days in January of the new year.

On the backside of the hotel's stationery, in blue pencil, was written her husband's name, Company and Platoon information, and the base's location. Looking back to the date, it occurred to me that Barbara was possibly meeting her husband in Honolulu for a holiday before he left for Vietnam.  

A traincase was the luggage of women, often part of a two-piece set received upon college graduation. Purchasing such luggage secondhand wasn't so common in the Sixties; Barbara was most likely its original owner. 

The case and I are leaving for a holiday with my prince charming. I so hope it was up for purchase because Barbara received a new set of luggage from her soldier...as a twenty-fifth wedding anniversary gift. 

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

Quick Like a Bunny_Another Giveaway Deadline!

My friend Shawnee, of the very popular and lively flirty apron swaps, has put together a Kitchen Linens Remix. The swap requires registration, and the final day to register is TOMORROW, Tuesday, March 17th.

At last count, over 65 had already signed up to sew an apron from kitchen linen goods! Do hurry and register - and by doing so, Shawnee will enter your name in the drawing for a copy of The Kitchen Linens Book!!  

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

Final Day to Register for TKLB Giveaway

A quickie post to remind all of the giveaway of The Kitchen Linens Book at LuLus Vintage. 

A not so quick-but hopefully entertaining-read is my Lulus Style Council interview, posted below:

The Style Council! EllynAnne Geisel, Author of The Kitchen Linens Book, The Apron Book, and Apronisms

This month's vintage lover is EllynAnne Geisel of Pueblo, Colorado. EllynAnne is the author of Apronisms, The Apron Book, and next Tuesday's giveaway: The Kitchen Linens Book- don't forget to click here to leave a comment for you chance to win a copy!

EllynAnne will be on tour with her book from April 20-May 2. Here is a list of dates and locations:

Monday, April 20th Seattle, WA; Tuesday, April 21st Lake Forest, WA; Friday, April 24th San Francisco, CA; Saturday, April 25th Dallas, TX; Monday, April 27th Coral Gables, FL; Tuesday, April 28th Concord, NC; Wednesday, April 29th Greensboro, NC; Friday, May 1 Denver, CO; Saturday, May 2nd Littleton, CO. For more info on tour dates and locations click here 

-How long have you been collecting vintage textiles?

Only for the past nine years have I decidedly and purposefully collected textiles. With cloth, there's an instant visual, and in my case, a visceral connection...or not. There are colors, for instance, that I am absolutely not attracted to.

-What got you into vintage textiles?

I grew up in a household where my mother had one tablecloth and napkin set, and that was reserved for holiday dining. I loved that cloth- washed over and over, the drape was melodic, like a soft waterfall. With so little personal history of cloth as more than just for a special occasion, I was quite surprised that the discovery of a cache of vintage textiles that had belonged to my mother-in-law would bring me such joy and awaken this need to have lots of textiles in my life! I love vintage fabric in all forms. From aprons to household linens, to me, each is a celebration of the artistry and industry of women.

-What are your favorite eras of textiles?

I use vintage fabric within my apron designs, and so purchased table coverings, toweling and curtain panels in order to get the most yardage for my buck. But I was always setting aside certain purchases, especially from the thirties, forties and fifties, not so much for design as the colors. The hues were different back then...softly intense but not overbearing, and agreeable to juxtapositioning. When we recently repainted our home, the palette I selected was straight from my fabric collection!

-What is your ultimate vintage find?

Without hesitation, my ultimate find is the 1945 Butterick transfer pattern. Of such significance, I wrote about this on my blog, Apron Memories Even two years after the fact, I'm emotional over this pattern. Not only how I discovered it, but there's such gaiety to the dancing mommy, daddy and baby plates, cups and saucers, etc.- which to me, is symbolic of war replaced with hope.

-Where do you do the majority of your vintage shopping- garage, estate and rummage sales, thrift stores, vintage stores, online vintage stores of eBay?

My finds are always in person- the thrill of the hunt, so to speak. I tend to favor antique malls because of the diversity of the individual shops, and the number of vendors.

-Who are some of your favorite style icons?

I live in New York City for a few years, and as a poor art student, spent great chunks of time roaming the expensive stores like the oh so chic Henri Bendels and the village shops for fashion inspiration. One of my favorites, though, was a little storefront named Betsy Bunky Nini. It held a grand mixture of second-hand (wasn't called vintage then!) and one-of-a kind creations. Unbeknownst was Betsy was Betsy Johnson. I have an original Betsy Johnson, which has been carefully stored for many years. This past September, I presented it as a birthday present to my eldest son's special sweetie. It was time the dress was worn again. So, in answer to the original question: Betsy Johnson.

-Do you collect any other types of collectibles or antiques?

Oh, yes! Eye glass frames, bow ties, Archie comics, early readers and the Dick and Jane primers, children's wooden toys, barware, Viewfinders and reels, metal workman lunch pails, etiquette books, cookbooks and magazines, all of the 1900-1950's. I surround myself with these items, along with my aprons and fabrics- they are my inspiration.

xxea

Vintage Transfer a Priceless Gift

I love antique malls, especially when I'm on my own and can roam and root about at a dawdle. In the Denver neighborhood where my sons live, there's the most divine mall. Cavernous and dimly lit, the old wooden plank flooring creaks as you mosey in and out of one vendor's display after another. Heaven. Two years ago, I was in one such booth, where I noticed a cardboard box tucked into a corner, almost invisible beneath a pile of stuff. What possessed me, I'll never know, but I set down my purse, cleared the box of its burden, and began removing the contents. And there, at the very bottom (music swells here), was this...

...an original Butterick transfer pattern from 1945. I about wept with excitement and joy, because I knew what I had unearthed from the box was very, very special. Raggedy and lacking a price tag, the staffer on duty asked what I thought the pattern was worth, and I, who loathe bargaining, shrugged and said two dollars. From the look that crossed his face, I realized two cents was the response he'd expected. Ha! on him...for this pattern turns out to be history and priceless.  Not even the McCall pattern company, which purchased Butterick, has a copy! 

Through the largess of Butterick/McCall, "...permission to publish is granted for the use of archival imagery (Butterick transfer pattern 191, Feb. 1945) to EllynAnne Geisel." And so it is that my wonderful publisher, has packaged this transfer within The Kitchen Linens Book as a gift to you. 

Sixty-three years since the original printing, The Kitchen Linens Book's reproduction transfer has also been printed in the U.S.A.  

                                                                                                           

Looking at the torn envelope-almost too fragile to handle at this point-it's a miracle the transfer sheets aren't damaged in the slightest. But a greater marvel is the adorable designs were never used, and so could be reprinted in their entirety. Lucky for us. Enjoy! Have fun! Stitch away! 

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

Aprons Don't Hold Us Back, They Take Us Back!

Apron-ology magazine exists because women have a long history of sewing their own aprons. Luckily for those of us who rely on patterns to guide our creative bent, companies like Butterick and McCalls have been selling patterns since the 1860s. When I contacted McCalls to learn about the company's history, Kathleen Lenn, the company's senior Vice President, took patience and gracious to a new level when she visited the company's archive office and copied images for me to share with y'all.  !!!!!

This first image is the cover of an 1886 McCall pattern magazine, THE BAZAR DRESSMAKER, which was established for the purpose of selling apron and fashion patterns through the mail.

This ladies' pattern is actually classified as a Kitchen Apron - domestic armor, I say! The button at the apron's bottom would have been sewn with double the thread to the fabric, when you consider the volume of panteloon, petticoat and dress the apron was attempting to squish and contain.

Not as easy to see, but I hope you'll try - even if it means squinting - is this page of girl's aprons. Between the button up boots, layered clothing, apron protection and primped hair, girls of the time dressed as a mini-version of their mothers...a reflection of the pattern company's awareness of society's expectation of its younger females.

Patterns have always been created to be disposable, so it is lucky for us indeed that Butterick/McCalls donated the majority of the companies' patterns to COPA, the largest pattern archive in the world. It's located at the University of Rhode Island, and you can visit it on-line at www.uri.edu.

The apron has always been a great first time sewing project, and to see up close the patterns of over a hundred years ago - aprons don't hold us back...they take us back, and in the nicest way imaginable.

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

The Luxury of Cloth

Vintage fabrics are so lucious to the eye and touch...justification enough to explain my love for household cloth goods of decades gone by. And I'm far from alone! One of the joys of working on The Kitchen Linens Book was making the acquaintance of others also so enamored. 

This dining cloth is part of a collection in the care of Jan Smallwood. Vintage 1930s, the printing technique is called grinning - where an area of white was used to separate designs and colors, so as to lessen the chance of colors overlapping. It's in perfect condition, with hardly any fading, 

although it was often used and washed and line dried by Jan's mother-in-law, Mona Gae Presley Smallwood, whose father was a first or second cousin to Vernon Presley, Elvis's father!!! (a bit of detail so personally exciting, I think it's worth the 3 exclamation points)  Mona Gae's household goods were her personal wealth, and she would be amazed to see the cloths she so carefully tended now safeguarded by Jan as precious family heirlooms.  

The Depression was a terrible time, when a brightly colored cloth was for many women all they had to lift the spirit.

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

Seeking the Portal to a Book

Four or so years ago, through a joint love of aprons, I made the internet acquaintance of Janet Downs. Janet, who lives in Goods Mill, Virginia, is a storyteller and fabric historian, her wealth of both drawn from a family that goes waaaay back.  

So I might put faces to her stories, Janet provided me dozens of black and white snapshots, among which was a photo of a woman standing at her stove. The details of the picture - a dishtowel folded over a hanger, the pots on the burners, her aproned self looking at the camera as if to say Well, take the picture already! Supper's ready... I fell in love with its authenticity, and thought it the perfect voice and presence to be the portal to The Kitchen Linens Book. Turns out the picture is of Earl Downs' mom, Virginia.

Forever, I am grateful to Janet and Earl for sharing this cherished photo. Does she not speak volumes without saying a word?

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

The Voice of a Book's Cover

Choosing the cover to a book is akin to naming a baby. Once all contenders have received equal consideration and votes are taken, the semi-finalists are picked apart then put back together, with everyone weighing in. My voice was for a cover that conveyed warmth and vibrance, with a kick of kitsch yet coaxing of nostalgia. 

Of the boxes of vintage fabric and household cloth I provided for consideration was flour sack toweling that my mother-in-law had embellished with embroidery.  This grouping of 3 - China, Glasses and Vegetable Polka - were the finalists, with China the hands down winner. 

Else, my mother-in-law, had apprenticed in England as a seamstress in a couture shop. Her speciality was handbound button holes. Imagine the intensity of the stitches required for a buttonhole! So, the gaiety of these transfers must have appealed to her lighter side, yet her professionalism never left her - check the backside of the towel. Over fifty years later, and the stitches are still intact and immaculate.

That's the thing about stitchery and the women of earlier generations - the embroidery is their voice, telling us...I was here. 

I hope you love the cover as much as I do. It honors Else, and my PC, her only child. 

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

Opportunity Disguised as Flu

Recently felled by a touch of flu, I followed the old-fashioned prescription for illness, and took to bed in a darkened, cool room to wait out recovery. The upside to feeling so crummy was shutting the door to all communication, reclining on a plump of pillows, and luxuriating in my beautiful book. Since its arrival and my peekview video, I haven't really processed The Kitchen Linens Book...then along came opportunity, albeit, disguised as flu.

In the coming days/weeks, my plan is to personalize for y'all the people, the stories, and the fabrics within TKLB's pages. 

To begin, the hardback cover of TKLB is texturized to feel like the feed sack cloth that is photographed. I purchased this bit of feed sacking from my friend Carolyn Gilbert, owner of Pandora's Antiques in Electra, Texas.  What drew me to this particular fabric were the holes from the original hemming were still visible. In my mind, I could see the thrifty homemaker carefully removing the string, which would prove servicable in another capacity, and then using the feed sack to sew a garment or table covering. 

To brush your fingers against the cover is to feel the fabric and if just for a blink, connect to the women of earlier generations.

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

Celebrating the Artistry of Women

I'm always on the look out for new ways to incorporate vintage goods - whether a doily, handkerchief, hot pad, household linen or just a bit of pretty lace - into a new sewing or craft project...not that I'm any great shakes at either!  I'm more about embellishments than the details of construction.  

Aprons from the 1920s -1940s are my endless inspiration. Without the mind-boggling aisles of craft stores to provide materials with which to be creative, women relied on the ladies' magazines of the times and pattern books for new projects to beautify their homes and their clothing, like this sweet butterfly lace pocket:

Prettying up an apron with a lace pocket or embroidering a name on a handkerchief or crocheting a lace edging to a muslin dishtowel were how women used to embellish and enliven the mundane through stitchery.  

Aprons to linens - celebrate the handiwork and artistry of women.

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

Egg Money and the Homemaker

Along with aprons and linens of earlier days, I find it fairly impossible to resist purchasing household tip pamphlets, cookbooks and homemaker magazines of the 1900-1950s. They're my pre-sleep reading. 

Last night, I was looking through a recipe booklet from the 1930s, and found this folded sheet of paper between two pages. I was suddenly very awake, as I realized I was holding a financial document over 70 years old: a woman's egg money accounting for the month -

Women have always been industrious when it comes to creating the enterprise that will augment her family's income or provide her a secret fund for extras, like fabric for a pretty apron:

This fabric from the 1930s was sewn into full body domestic armor by Jeanne Froeb's mother. I met Jeanne in Tulsa, and she lent me this apron so I could share it with y'all:
This apron is slightly faded in the lap, perhaps from Jeanne's mother wiping her floury hands or her daily use of the apron as she drew it up to hold eggs gathered from the coop.  In 1931, eggs sold for 20 cents a dozen, and if I've done the math (ha!) correctly, my list maker made about $7.90. 

1931 was a tough time for America, despite what the cost of goods sounds like against today's exchange - a loaf of bread was 8 cents, a pound of hamburger meat 11, and a can of pork and beans 5. 

But we managed, because we've always known how to tighten a family's belt and save a bit of egg money for ourselves.

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

Bit O' BizWizdom

A year ago or so, I responded to a call out by WomansAdvantage.biz for calendar quotes to be used in the 2009 edition. Despite that when it came to creating Apron Memories or any of my other apron projects, my business plan is Ready! Fire! Aim!, I tried my hand at it and sent an entry. Knock me over with a feather, my bit o' BizWizdom was selected!

The calendar question I posed is actually a variation of a question I ask myself on a daily basis: Would I want to be married to me today? I just grimaced as I wrote this - yikes! There've been days....

Anyway, for a simple enough question - Would I want to ____________ today? - it's really quite amazing how adaptable it is to professions, relationships, situations... Would I want to be my student today? Would I want to be my child today? Would I want my groceries bagged by me today? And as I was sitting with my girlhood friend as we awaited her turn for lab tests, I held her hand and asked myself Would I want to have me offering comfort today?

February 11th - my bit o' BizWizdom day. Ha! Life is just one big surprise.

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

www.apronmemories.com

Best Super Bowl Sunday Ever!

Traveling to the venue that's hosting Apron Chronicles and assisting with the opening activities is always a fun and busy time. My visit to Chisholm, Minnesota and Ironworld has been pedal to the metal since I arrived last Wednesday. Promoting the museum and Apron Chronicles took me all over, which gave me the chance to see the beautiful landscape of this part of the country, plus ice fishing! In hopeful anticipation of glimpsing this activity, I'd brought my snowglobe, and together we posed by a portable man cave:

 Highlight #2 was today's apron fashion show. I'd written a script and provided aprons from my collection, which were modeled by the contestants in the Miss Hibbing Winter Frolic Festival. Giggly and adorable, they tied on vintage aprons and with much flirt and frolic, were absolute stars. 

The show was filmed (I'll post a video as soon as I receive a copy), and upon the finale with all 16 wearing the frou frou aprons of the Fifties, I was surprised with a presentation: a vintage apron signed in colorful markers by the girls - Dannelle, Michelle, Dana, Whitney, Angela, Rachel, Traci, Elizabeth, Morgan, Tiffany, Devany, Jennifer, Christine, Sabrina, Amy and Jaimelee. 

An apron memory to cherish. 

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

The Apron Magazine is here!

Hey! and Hey! Lots of excitement today - I received my advance copy of the most anticipated magazine: apronology!!  A hundred plus pages devoted to the beauty and artistry of the apron, it's a creative and inspirational masterpiece! 

So, how come I have a preview copy? BECAUSE my apron design, Domesti-Chic, was selected for this premiere issue!!  Pages 32 and 33 are all EllynAnne.  I am positively honored - wait until y'all see these gifted apronologists and their designs...and the photography. swooning here.

Beth Livesay, managing editor, and Jenny Doh, editor in chief, generously included me in the magazine's editorial introduction and reviewed the original literary apronista, The Apron Book.

apronology is a must-have, and it is available for sale February 1.  Let the countdown begin!!

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

a Perfect Purse

 Yesterday's unseasonably warm weather called for a lunchtime stroll by the river, which required an apron change-out to one with ample pockets. Here I am, looking very pleased with myself for tying on a purse rather than carrying one.

I stuffed the left pocket with life's necessities (phone, $ and pink lip gloss) and the right with the camera, because you just never know... 

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course! 

the original A is for Apron

Before A is for Apron was appropriated as a book title, it was the description on an early apron pattern. This is the oldest pattern I own, and I love sharing it:

For the clearest picture, I scanned the apron packet and surrounded it with a black border to contain the rips in the paper envelope, which I think exist because the paper is over 80 years old.  The printed muslin is still in pristine condition, as are the tidy bundles of embroidery thread. The thread colors are subdued - a light pink, soft lilac and yellow with a tint of green, which are consistent with the dyes of the time. 

Oh, whether to leave it as history or cut, sew and embroider it as art. I just don't know.

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

the Scarlett O'Hara Principle

This past summer, I created an apron and purse ensemble that adheres to the Scarlett O'Hara principle of reinventing vintage drapery into clothing and accessories. I started out with two different panels, but had to call in a third to add additional ruffling to cover up a catastrophe of badly sewn top stitching. The Melanie purse is petite and charming, like its Gone With the Wind namesake. The corner buttons are vintage, too, and the prettiest pink, my favorite color. 

I'd been saving this creation to wear at my April book signings, but today was warm like spring, so I tied it on and with Melanie in hand, took a walk...more of a saunter, really. It was a glorious day to debut a new apron. Now, to design a new pretty to tie on when spring truly does arrive!

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

Apron Displays

My nine-year apron journey has presented the opportunity to visit the most inspirational apron displays, which like their subject matter, are without pretention yet infused with dignity. You've seen what I'm talking about in those old, sepia tone photos, where the subjects stare at the camera's lens without intimidation, conceit or a molecule of self-consciousness. They reveal their truth, and never more (to me, anyway), when photographed in an apron. 

In a local apron display at the Wichita Falls, Texas, historical society's museum, I was enchanted by this photo of Mary Eliza Darden Renfro (1873-1932) and the accompanying poem, Mother's Old Checked Apron - "which had no lace nor ruffles-just a simple garment, but an epic of its day."  Epic, as in a symbol of heroism, strength, something that surpasses the ordinary and is worthy of celebration. Epic. What a wonderful word to reference the humble yet lovely apron.

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

Joy=Lickin' the Puddin' Spoon

Vintage is my addiction and Chocolate Pudding is my favorite dessert. Not instant pudding, oh never, no no no, but real chocolate pudding, for which, like real whipped cream, there is no substitute.

Dinner need be no winner when the dessert is.

xxea

Tie One On...an apron, of course!

A Treasure Found

Writing about the state of chaos in my creative space prompted an effort to clear just one shelf of shoebox jumble. The box I picked to go through revealed this gem - a letter I'd penned to Dr. Kildare, the love of my 6th grade so-called life (after Elvis, of course):


The envelope was addressed but not licked shut, because I used to copy all my correspondence!

Discovering the photograph and handwritten letter reminded me of my dreamy-eyed girl days. My bedroom was total chaos. Nothing has changed, but the girl is now grown up.

xxea
Tie One On...an apron, of course!

Organizing Chaos

A recent publication of Stampington & Company showcased the inspirational work spaces of very creative and successful women. To a one, their areas were extremely tidy, unlike my creative space, which is a mess. I poured over the feature, hoping just one would reveal her secret to organizing and maintaining order within her surroundings, but no.

My creative space is a jumble with the tools of my inspiration and creativity -
aprons, linens, boxes of photographs, files of research, and bins of patterns and magazines and cookbooks of past decades. Every new year, I resolve to replace this chaos with calm. 2009 is but days old, and I see no light at the end of this tunnel. Although I've read articles galore on organizing, I don't seem to know how it is accomplished and maintained. If you do, please, all suggestions to organizing this chaos appreciated!

xxea
Tie One On...an apron, of course!

Vintage Capery

What began as the most gorgeous morning with a sunrise of every hue of pink, has shifted to a gray sky and ferocious winds...sure signs of a storm on the horizon. A quick check of the refrigerator and cabinets indicates a trip to the grocery would be a good idea. Sigh. A gloomy day now looking to be even more so, what with the grocery store my least favorite destination. What to do to cheer myself up but to wear my special cape.

Created during my artistic residency in New York City when I studied to be a fashion illustrator, I purchased the cape from