Cheap Hot Mama Apron Swap

So earlier this week I received an absolutely adorable apron in the mail from Stephanie in the Hot Mama Apron Swap.

The overall theme was Cheap Hot Mamas. Meaning, you couldn't spend ANY money on the swap package. Everything had to be from your stash! Even the little extras couldn't be purchased. I loved this idea and had to jump in, even though I figured it would be a challenge. It had been while since I'd joined a swap.

My partner and I both chose to receive a "Wild And Crazy" apron. Here's the one I received. LOVE it! Thanks again, Stephanie!

And this is the one that I made for my partner. I must say I had an absolute ball coming up with this idea. I wanted to do something original w/o a pattern. I found some cheetah print fabric, came across the photo of the robot apron I made for an applique challenge, and got the idea for this apron. Hopefully, my partner will get a kick out of it!

Block Head!

This may be the most quilt block heavy post I've ever blogged...just call me Charlie Brown!

But, I do believe my sewing palate is officially cleansed and I am ready to move on to other projects! Before I do, here's just a few more of those wonky-scrappy blocks.
And what to do when you accidentally cut a wonky-scrappy too short? Make a coaster for your sewing table, of course!
And speaking of quilt blocks...here is the one I got from Debbie in the Quilt Block Swap for December. My requests were any style of block done turquoise and/or aqua and red with some white thrown in. It's a cool pattern which looks too complicated for this block head to attempt! But some day...Debbie requested pink and brown for her block. It's showing black on my end, but I promise the dark fabrics are brown. Note the lack of triangles and matching points in the block I created. I hope she will like it! It's called crossing paths(or something like that) and is one of the patterns we used during the Block of the Month group I participated in last year through my local quilt shop.Yep. That's a lot of blocks. Now...for some apron talk!

I'm in Val's Cheap Hot Mama Apron Swap and it's gonna be a fun one! Cheap, because swappers are not allowed to purchase fabrics for their partner's apron. We MUST use fabric from our stash and we don't spend a dime on the little extras we send along. I love it!! We were given a couple of themes to choose from and my partner requested the theme "Old Man Winter". Luckily I have a couple different fabrics that fit that theme! My dilemma? Which to choose? I'm leaning toward the first set of fabrics pictured...only because the only matching fabric I had for the second was a solid and I never know what to do w/solids! What do y'all think?

Cheap Hot Mama Apron Swap!

Hey Ya'll! Interested in joining in on a fun apron swap? Check out the Hot Mamas Apron Swap Blog hosted by my buddy Val.

The theme this time around is Cheap Hot Mamas! Head on over for more information!

Whew! October Swap Blocks Done!

And not a moment too soon. My deadline was....TODAY! Finished them up last night.

Given my procrastinate-y nature, it came as no surprise that I finshed these the night before the deadline. However, in my defense, I was a bit scared to get going, because:

• My partner asked for log cabin type blocks and I'd never tried one before.
  
• She requested a combination of florals and solids and I didn't have much of either.

So I made up two very different floral and solid blocks using the log cabin style pattern and ended up w/these.OK, so the brown/pink combo didn't look at all like a log cabin, even though I used a log cabin tutorial to go by . Still, I thought it was funky and cute and had decided to send it anyway. Or so I thought...

When I opened my email to get her mailing info, I discovered that I had misread it. My partner requested any print(not specifically floral) w/solids and she likes red, green, purple and yellow. Oops. SO, back to the drawing board for me.

These were the final finished blocks. The colors aren't showing true at all here due to crappy lighting conditions...however, I am pretty satisfied w/the way they came out and was happy that I was able to incorporate all four colors into one block. I hope my partner will be happy with them.This (above) is actually a dark purple, not navy, solid with a lavender/dark purple print. The gray looking dot print, is really a nice soft vintagey green.
Best thing...I've got this log cabin block down...I see a log cabin quilt in my future.

The aftermath of quilt block making.

***5 min. after typing this, I had a thought***

UMMM......ARE these log cabins? I mean, I put them together following a log cabin pattern I found here....but should they have been dark side/light side and if so, are these courthouse steps...I think they are! CRAP.

FIESTA! Apron Swap

A while ago I joined Val's Hot Mama Apron Swap. The theme this time around was FIESTA! Such a fun theme for which I found the most fun fabric! My partner requested a full apron, and this was the final result.I didn't photograph it, but I also sent along a fun vintage Mexican themed tea towel, a Mexican cookbook and my recipe for Cowboy Caviar. I hope she likes everything!

And what, you ask, did I receive? I got THIS! It is incredible, is it not? I absolutely love it! LOVE. IT. Check out the appliqué work. Amazing! I feel so festive wearing this apron! I also received a matching tea towel that is currently residing in the laundry basket(hence the lack of photo). Thanks so much to Rhonda!

Ole'!

Hot Mamma Apron Swap

I'll admit I am neither hot nor a mamma, but Val let me in on her fun apron swap just the same! Hot drinks for Hot Mamma's was the theme. We were to send our partner an apron to fit the theme of her favorite cool weather beverage and three "little somethings".

I received my swap package from Leah this weekend and it was FABULOUS! She sent me this adorable hot chocolate themed apron. It fit the "hot drinks" theme perfectly and I love it!She sent along a Betty Crocker cookbook, some of her family's favorite hot chocolate, a bag of marshmallows to go with the hot chocolate(yum), a chili kit perfect for the cool weather that we're bound to get sometime soon, and an adorable vintage Frosty the Snowman book! It was Christmas in October, I tell ya! Thanks again Leah!

Here's what I sent to my partner, the ADD Housewife. I couldn't find any fabric that fit in w/her favorite hot drink, apple cider(that didn't have apples on it) so I choose her favorite colors instead and embroidered a cup bearing a hot drink on the pocket to make it fit the theme. I also sent her some additional goodies as well...blue/brown notecards, earrings, various flavors of cocoa and a little "party" cookbook.

Thanks again to Val for hosting this fun fun fun swap!

Now...time for me to get busy on the Sassy Apron Swap apron!

Happiness in a Box

Yesterday Mark and I went out to the city park to do this and to enjoy the beautiful weather we've been having the past few days. Upon returning home, I discovered a big brown box on the front porch. My swap package from The Shabby Princess! The Shabby Princess and I participated in the Favorite Things Swap on Kelly's blog. I sent her a few of my favorite things, and she sent me a few of hers.

Inside the box I found...
Which I promptly unwrapped to discover...

• Two wonderfully scented candles...I caught a whiff the moment I opened the box and my kitchen/living room is currently infused w/the scent. Love it!
• The most FUN cups ever! I can pretend I'm back in the Bahamas lazing on the beach! And she even sent an extra for Mark...how sweet! Yes, I've tried mine out already!
• A variety of Post It Notes. Apparently the Shabby Princess is obsessed with stickies ;) How did she know that I can never find these when I need them?
• The book The Great Gatsby, her favorite, and one that I've enjoyed as well. I was watching my copy of the movie(starring Robert Redford & Mia Farrow) a while back and thought to myself "I need to read that book again!" Now I can! Yay!
• A pair of absolutely gorgeous Gatsbyesque earrings. Very vintage inspired. I love them!
• And finally, The Shabby Princess sent me a copy of her favorite cookbook, Everyday Italian: 125 Simple and Delicious Recipes by Giada De Laurentiis. How awesome is that? And what makes it even more special is that she actually marked her favorite recipes. So thoughtful! I'm really excited to try out some of these recipes!

What a wonderful surprise this package was! I am still overwhelmed and completely delighted by her generosity! Thanks again so very much, my friend!

Y'all should pay a visit to the Shabby Princess! She's a smart, amiable, aspiring writer who loves a great shoe and a bit of glam. Her personality really shines through in her blog...and she makes me giggle, often!

How CUTE...

Is this cupcake pincushion soufflé'? I love it! It came from a swap I did with my friend Steph of Lovestitches. Another of my fine bloggy friends, she is very crafty and does lots of fun things with fabric, needle, and thread! This, for example. She's getting ready for a big craft show at the moment, but perhaps she will be restocking her Etsy shop with these later. Did I mention I love mine? I do. It sits right next to my sewing machine which is nice, because now I can keep my ugly magnetic pincushion on the ironing board. Thanks Steph!