An apron for my chef

~I made and apron for KG for our recent anniversary. I was pretty excited when he said he would like one. (I had offered my services before but he had declined).
... However lately he has been very into Jacques Pepin (which I am thrilled with), and as you can see, getting pretty creative in the kitchen(again loving this). He loves the simple elegance of Jacquie's cooking style
..... and I love that he always makes a dessert.
~So I asked again and he was totally on board. I had thought many times about making him an apron and what it might look like. KG wears pretty much a black T shirt , Levi's and boots or sneakers, (he does wear a western snap when the occasion suits him, but only in muted colors). If you have seen my aprons (or anything I make) you can see how this might be an exercise in restraint for me.
I had made some skull and bones type stuff last spring and summer , but they were still seeming a little too girly for him. We have this cool old sign in our bedroom and I have always wanted to use it's imagery in something special for him. ~I am not quite sure where he got it(I think it was a old warning sign for an electric fence, this is what I have always thought anyway) but it echos his daytime work. I had always thought I would use the skull form it. The skull is so harsh and German looking, very different than your run of the mill skull and bones. But then it dawned on me that the fist was really my favorite part. It seemed relevant to have the lightening as well but at the last moment I thought it was unfair for his daytime drudgery to be invading his nighttime passion so I defiantly put a spoon in the fist instead( I know, I am just such a crazy rebel lady)~ I was torn as to whether or not make it an applique or the much less practiced(by me) art of embroidery , but I felt like embroidery was more his speed, my man is quite subtle.
I am pleased with the patch worked bib piece using the embroidery as the central focus, ....but the bottom pocket I am on the fence about. He wanted a pocket and I could not help myself so there is a little skull on it ..but we will see if I let it live there. Maybe it should just be plain, yes I did say plain. This skull just seems a little silly for KG (NO, a power fist with a spoon is not too silly. It is a fine line I am walking here)


~This is a new apron pattern I have been working on to have fuller coverage across the bib and a little simpler design overall; um, yeah maybe?(I have quite a few in my custom stack). KG's is fully lined with a very cool striped shirting.

~I think it is very handsome indeed....
and Anyway he likes it and looks good in it too.

The Rock

....UM NoNoNo notDwayne Johnson( sorry I am a big ol'dork , just could not resisit)

~My sweet man remembered this rock...


Herkimer Diamond Solitaire

This ring was inspired by a one-pound bag of mixed "Herkimer Diamonds" we scored at the NYC Gem and Mineral Show last year. Despite their diamond misnomer, Herkimers are are actually six-sided, double-terminated quartz crystals and are relatively valueless. Nevertheless, unscrupulous jewelers during the Civil War often tried to pass off these stones as the more precious variety. We love the visual joke created when these severely flawed, yet impressively sized stones masquerade as diamonds in our version of the classic "solitaire" engagement-ring setting. A hand-cast sterling silver raised bezel grips the Herkimer with four square-wire prongs. Every unique stone is set by hand; expect yours to have irregularities like cracks, dark spots, and milky-colored mineral impurities
shop Erica Weiner

some valentine sketches...and memories

~some little ideas for a silk screen maybe?

...And while I was searching for our marriage licence(don't ask) I came across some wedding photos I had forgotten about . I uploaded a gazillion photos to facebook last night(because I have nothing better to do?!?) so I decided to share these.

... Is it obvious I have started making valentines this week?

such a happy mothers day......

Thanks to my two sweet and oh so loving guys,




I had my most wondrous mamas day yet( this is my 2ND one), I am one lucky mama! I slept in till nearly 9am and then was treated to dim sum at our fave dim sum local T& S seafood located way up on north Lamar. Then papa helped me clean the sewing/everything room and put up these absolutely fabulous shelves.


this is preshelves.....



and post shelves...very dreamy organization

He was also very thoughtful( he is really quite a thoughtful man) and remembered that I really wanted Amanda Blake Soule's(from soule mama blog) new book The Creative Family (how to encourage imagination and nurture family connections).


I also got purty, purty flowers on Friday ( i love it 'cause then I can enjoy them all weekend!).







All and all a beautiful day that I will love to look back on.. thanks dada and burger

I heart romance

me and daddy made a getaway for our 3 year anniversary.



It was truly wonderful and I have beautiful hill country wildflower photos to prove it.


Thank you donda cinda and paps for making it all possible, we love you dearly. Here are a few more of my favorite photos for our little trip. We were in Wimberly, Texas at a B & B called Southwind . It was very secluded and simply perfect for our excursion. The cabin (we had our own)was nestled in the hill country woods and looked like it was made from the cedar they cleared for the cabin lot.






I wore a special skirt I made for our afternoon drive up there
The beginning of sunset, on a field, down the wrong road...
cypress creek in downtown Wimberly.... so pretty ,and the weather was perfect( I am even wearing jeans)