Thursday, October 16, 2014

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is breast cancer awareness month!  You see pink everywhere, even on the football fields!  Thanks NFL for supporting the cause by wearing bright pink!  This helps raise awareness.  I am a survivor, thank God, and celebrate life!



By being aware and knowledgeable, women are more likely to catch abnormalities earlier and save their own lives.  Do me a favor, would you?  Sometime during this month, take a little time out to read about breast cancer.  Love this little Photobucket image Link (Sorry has been removed.)  But essentially it was:

Don't "stick your head in a hole" like an ostrich and ignore.

Thursday, October 2, 2014

Embroidery Project

I seem to be in quite a sharing mood!  Creativity is flowing and I love to share!  How about you?


I started this little hoop with a wheat motif, but I have become stumped. It needs something . . . .


Thinking that I will need another color to offset the design . . . maybe . . . .


Lots of choices of color . . . 


Sometimes when I get stuck on a project, I put it aside and leave it alone for a while.  When I come back to it, sometimes I have a new idea.  Sometimes I don't, and it sits a while longer . . . .

Any ideas?  Ever gotten stuck on a project?  What do you do?  

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Monday, September 29, 2014

Design Mistakes

Ever made a design mistake or not been happy with a finished project?  I know you have! All of us creatives have done it!  Usually the project gets left in a box somewhere unfinished and unloved.

I recently made a mistake that resulted in a new way for me to produce one of the staples of my business!  Hooray for mistakes!!!!!  I mostly make aprons for wholesale clients.  One of my buyers wanted some autumn aprons.  So, when I was working on a child apron, I chose a bright yellow stripe accent fabric for a darker leaf print which highlighted the yellowing leaves.  But the mistake came when I was finishing the apron, like I usually do, with bias binding.  I have finished aprons with bias binding for a couple of years now,  instead of using a facing which adds a lot more work to the project.

Sample of my previous style - Great if you want to emphasise a certain color: (Note the edging)



But this autumn apron body just didn't work with a framing of yellow.  I didn't like the look of it!


 so I decided to rip it out! 


Then I used a simple fold over hem with a decorative stitch--Hope you can see it in this photo:
(P.S.  Don't look at the ugly underside attachment of the tie--it's ugly and I ripped it out!)



Voila!  Here is the finished apron! I think it has a cleaner more finished look and I like it much better! I have since used this finishing on other aprons and find that  I prefer it.  My new line of aprons for 2015 will all have this finished seam!  Funny how a design flaw can reap a new style!


Any thoughts?

Monday, September 22, 2014

'Autumn Fruit' cake recipe

Looks like I have been doing a lot of posts about products and my process leading up to the busy holiday season.  Since I recently opened (re-opened) another shop featuring aprons I thought maybe a recipe would now be of interest my readers.   I thought, hey, it's Autumn, the perfectly natural time for baking.  Here's a recipe for an upside down pear cake that my daughter gave to me. She has a pear tree and has been giving me lots of pears.  With two of us at home, we don't eat an abundance of pears, so her recipe was just the  thing to use up several of them! This recipe can also be done with apples.

This delightful light spice cake, offsets and does not overpower the pears.  We love it warm and often eat it again cold as a breakfast cake.  Love it!  (Recipe below.) Don't forget to wear a pretty apron while you bake!

Pear cake in process

Line bottom of the lightly greased pan with pears 

I even got some muffins with the leftover batter!



finished pear cake

Served up with ice cream!  Yum!

Apple or pear cake 

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground allspice, optional
1/2 tsp ground cloves, optional
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2/3 cup milk
3-4 apples/pears, peeled, cored, cut into slices


 1.  Cream together butter and sugar, about 4-5 min.
 2.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Mix well.
 3.  In separate bowl, whisk together flour, salt baking powder and spices.
 4.  Add flour.  Mix slowly to butter/sugar mixture.  Alternate between adding flour, then a little of the milk, until all mixed together.
5.  Grease round cake pan.  fan fruit slices onto bottom of pan, Pour batter over fruit.
6.  Bake 1 hour @ 325 degrees.
7.  When finished baking. Let stand on counter for 2-3 minutes. If needed loosen all around the edge with a knife. Then put the serving plate over the pan and flip over allowing the cake to slide out onto the plate.  Pear topped cake will be ready to enjoy
 8.  Serve warm alone or with whipped cream or ice cream!
Enjoy!
P.S. Using a few more pears, I have been known to make a pear sauce and spoon it over the ice cream!  YUM!

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Santa Ornies

On Monday, I shared with you about my technique for saving time when sewing multiple pieces of a product that I was working on. (See post.) Promised to show the finished ornies!  I'm not quite finished, but progressing . . .




Will try a few other decorative differences . . . but basically . . . Santa!

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Shameless Self Advertising!

Just in time for the holiday baking cycle, I have re-opened my PruittCreations shop on Etsy!

I have redesigned my shop to cater to the home chef!  Aprons, table runners, napkins, towels etc.  Be the best dressed hostess at your holiday event or family gathering!  Take a quick look at my offerings.  If you don't see what you might like, convo me -- I would love to do a special order for you!

Flirty skirt full apron

Mommy and me!

Linen hand towel
Best dressed hostess! 
Well, whatcha waitin' for?  Go on over and visit:  PruittCreations  
Thanks!!

Monday, September 15, 2014

Another project in progress

Do you do chain stitching when you are creating?
What's chain stitching?
When using the sewing machine, especially for quilting the same type of pieces over and over, sewers use a chain stitch method.  

Groupings of pieces are sewn one after the other, without cutting the thread between each one.  
Look closely:




These are a grouping of Santa ornament pieces all sewn and set for final stuffing and decoration.


Will show you the finish product later this week! Stay tuned!

Thursday, September 11, 2014

Current Project

Last week I gave you a sneak peek at what I was working on.  I have completed the first few decorator stockings. Thought you might want to see them!


Most of these will be sold in my largest craft show of the season, so I need quite a few more!
Working on more . . . designing possibilities:

Set of new stocking cuffs in linen and lace

designing possibilities . . .


What are you working on?

Thursday, September 4, 2014

Holiday Sneak Peek

Holiday craft shows are coming soon.  I have been thinking about my products for the holiday season.  Yesterday I started on a new line of  Holiday stockings.  Here is a sneak peek:



Also thinking of using battenburg doilies, or extra wide lace.   Watch for further news about this line . . . .

What's new with you?

Friday, August 29, 2014

New product line!

Recently one of my retail buyers ask me to present some towel options for her shop.  What an opportunity!
And you know that I dove right in!  I used the opportunity to add napkins and table runners!  Here's just a glimpse of my new products.


Decorated Linen kitchen towels:


decoration close-up



Autumn Table Runner:



Reversible!

Matching napkins

Whatca think?  Watch for some 
more new offerings coming soon!

Thursday, August 28, 2014

Back to School--Throw Back Thursday

The BBArtisans Challenge for this month is about back to school. You can see the other posts here. My kids are grown and I have grandchildren in school, so I decided that a written memory walk to my elementary school might be interesting to some readers.  Times have changed since I was little, and most kids today ride a bus to school, or are driven to school by parents. (The following is an excerpt from a book that my hubby and I are currently writing. Information at the end of the post.)

Me at age 5 or 6
When I was little, my mom didn't drive.  We rode the city bus, if we wanted to go shopping or even to doctor appointments.  Out of necessity, I walked to school. I went to the same elementary school from kindergarten thru sixth grade and walked everyday, only very occasionally getting a ride with a neighbor kid’s parent on a rainy day—it didn't rain much where I lived!

That walk is indelibly printed in my mind.  I remember my steps very well even though it was well over 50 years ago!  I can still picture in my mind the houses, yards and some of the people who lived along the way.  The residential section I lived in was set up in a grid, with streets running parallel to one another, not the more modern flowing streets and cul-de-sacs.  My elementary school, named after a famous educator, Horace Mann, was three blocks over and four blocks up.  The blocks were long city blocks with about 8 to 10 houses on a block, with blocks back-to-back with the next street.  That made the blocks going up to my school only two houses deep between streets. I lived on Kentucky Street, with Lake and Monterrey streets in between my street and Nile Street where my school was located.  This gives you a picture of how far I walked each day; it wasn't a mile up a snowy mountain, after a 15 mile bus ride like my own children had to do for several years of their lives!

Anyway, I would set out in the morning, sometimes walking with a friend or two from my block.  I don’t remember much about the walk to school.  I was just interested in getting there on time. After school, we all would pile out of the big double wide metal doors, run down the concrete stairs to the sidewalk, gathering down beside the retaining wall at the corner’s curb. We waited for the crossing guard to stop traffic on the busy thoroughfare.  When ready, the big black man with the round face and the perpetual smile would walk out into the road, hold up his hand-held stop sign and then wave for us to cross. We had to be careful to walk across the street, but as we hit the curb at the gas station most kids pressed for an all-out run down the sidewalks for home!  

My solitary walk home provided time to dawdle; I enjoyed time looking at everything all along the way. 


I remember chain link fences, lawns with no fences, lantana flowers between the chain link fencing and the sidewalk;


 picking up maple seed pods, sometimes called whirligigs or helicopters, and playing with them on the way; 



sometimes picking up a stick and picking it apart all the way home.  I remember the houses along the way that I had been in, only a few, for birthday parties of other students.  I remember yards well kept and some that were not.  Sometimes I would walk down one block and over one block, sort of in a diagonal pattern to home. Once in a while I would walk diagonally across the street down a long block, provided there were no cars coming—which their usually weren't, since people didn't drive as much in those days.   And I never cut diagonally across someone’s lawn to shorten my way, because I was taught to be respectful of neighbor’s property. 

The final portion was from the corner of my block to our house in the middle of the block.  I always marveled at the corner house, so neat and clean with several cars.  I knew they were a cut above our pay grade just by looking. The big picture window revealed lovely fancy furniture not like in my house.  The next house was a small wood frame house with a little old lady living in it.  I felt sorry for her, her house was a bit run down, in need of paint. Next was my friend’s house with a small apartment behind it. They too, were a marvel because they were the only one on the block with a boarder.  The next house was usually well kept, with the next one being a little mysterious set way back on the lot with lots of shrubbery like a shroud.  Then there was our neighbor’s house with her chain link fence and our house also with a chain link fence and a pepper tree in the corner of the yard.  I still remember the smell of the tree while opening the gate and running up the walk to home! **



**Excerpt from Household of Faith, a legacy book by Andy E. Pruitt and myself, being written for our large extended family.





Thursday, August 21, 2014

Forgotten Projects?

I was looking back at my list of posts and I realized that I have not been featuring my craft!  I'm sure that I took pictures to show you, but I guess I just got lost in life!  Anyone ever done that???

Here's a few projects that I forgot about:

Hedgehog pouches for my oldest granddaughter's pet. Soft blue interior!



Nutmeg

A special order of wedding boutonnieres using yo yos!


Making little exchange gifts for sewers and crafters to take to seminars or camps!

Vintage Lace on a wooden spool in organza bag! 

Have you ever been to a craft seminar, or camp?  A blog friend of mine goes every year to one that she loves. She's made some very good friends!  I would love to go to a quilt camp!  How about you?

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Tag, I'm it!

Kathy Roeth of tapestry316 invited me to join her in a blog hop. I love Kathy's blog; she has a great sense of humor while dispensing her country charm, honesty and faith at the same time!  Besides, I love her watercolor! A delight to read!

She asked me to answer these four questions and invite a few friends to do the same. Writing about myself is not something that I regularly do and being that I was at a juncture where I was at a loss for writing material, I said, "Why not?"

Me with a couple of grands

1. What am I working on/writing?

Now there's a question!  What am I always working on?  Aprons!  I call myself  "the apron lady", it's continuous!  But in reality, I am always working with various mediums--you can see that by my varied blog posts!  I get bored working on the same thing all the time, so I work from project to project  with photography, watercolor, charcoal and pencil sketching, hand embroidery, crazy quilting, and using up scraps from my apron making--quilt piecing, yo yo making. I am a "Jane of all trades"! But I also love to write. I have two active blogs, this one and one that I write only periodically, called Sabbatical Musings and Adventures.   My current major writing project is a legacy book with my husband.  Being a widow married to a divorced man, we have a homogenized family of ten children (and at this point in time) 27 grandchildren. We want to leave a written history/commentary about our separate lives and heritage for our blended family and future generations. We are unique, in that our family is successfully blended and very large. In current culture, much family history is lost, so we are writing this book for family understanding and hopefully longevity of a well blended family.  I should be working on my grandma books (see tab on my blog home page), but I seem to be momentarily stalled on that project.  


Illustration from my Grandma Books

2. How does my work/writing differ from others of its genre?

I don't  know that my sewing or writing is so different from others---there's an abundance of crafters and writers out there in the world.  I just try to learn as I go.  My love of sewing has developed into a side business selling aprons, and they are my own design.  I guess that is a difference--they're original!  My writing brings a unique perspective because of my age and world outlook.  Many bloggers, from the 24-40 year old category, seem to focus on fashion and trends; I want to focus on things more lasting and substantial, even practical. I hope that my blogs model how to love family, spend leisure time with purpose, and learn some human relationship skills (thru my illustrated grandma books- which are focused on different generational perspectives).  I guess you could say that I am different because of my focus on family, not the baby/child/young family how-to stages of family, but the entire generationally bonded family. 


Thanksgiving with our clan

3. Why do I write what I do?

I write blogs, mainly for two reasons: 1) to keep an audience informed as to my products and my work process and 2) to keep my writing skills sharp.  The advice to writers is always, "Write!"  or "Just write something to keep in shape!" Writing a blog keeps my hand  in the craft. Of course, it's not all work, I put in some updates about my family gatherings and my grand children, I just can't resist!




4. How does my writing process work?

Process?  I just write!  Then, I go back and re-read and makeing adjustments.  In my lengthy book writing, sometimes whole sections are placed in another place thus giving the reader a better explanation of what I am trying to present. But most of my day-to-day writing is short and hopefully succinct, so it's the "off the top of my head" sort of stuff!  

OK, hope that gives a a better picture of me!  Time for three other recommendations.  These are three very different types of blogs, I hope you enjoy them:

My friend Margaret, has a wonderful blog called Splendid Little Stars.  I just love her photography!  Her nature photography from personal trips is awesome! Also, check out her tab for "Margaret COOKS" Yummy recipes!

Fellow Oregonian Sharla of BeadedTail has a unique blog written from her animal's point of view.  I always marvel at how she can write consistently in their voice!  If you love animals, you will love this blog! Psst . . some her proceeds benefit "Pawesome" animal charities!

      Sharla, Isabelle and Angel's post dated 8/25:  
       http://beadedtail.blogspot.com/2014/08/our-so-called-writing-process.html

And a friend that I met thru a blog team journal exchange--Laurie of IndulgeYourShelf.  If you love and I mean love, vintage, you will love Laurie's blog.  It is simply vintage finds and projects.  My favorite project that she has done was posted the end of July, called The Joy of Creating.  You'll love it!     

      Seems Laurie was previously nominated.  Here is her post:
      http://indulgeyourshelf.blogspot.com/2014/08/blog-hoppin.html

OK, that's it!  Time for you to go visit a few blogs.  
Thanks for visiting!!