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Tuesday, January 20, 2015

My Apron Collection


Hello friends! Happy Tuesday!  Brrr!  It's so cold here in Barrie today! It's currently -15 degrees Celsius or 5 degrees Fahrenheit!  You wouldn't know it by looking out the window, though.  The sky is a cloudless blue, the sun is shining bright,  and the snow on the ground is sparkling!  I am happy to enjoy the view from inside today.

 Did you know that I have a thing for aprons?  Not only do I collect aprons,  I also love to wear them.  I have acquired quite a collection over the years. If you happen to knock at my door in the evening, chances are, you will find me wearing an apron whilst preparing dinner.



  
An apron always hangs on this hook on the side of my kitchen hutch. The one pictured here with the Eiffel tower print is the latest addition to my collection.  It 's a birthday gift from a dear friend who apparently knows me very well! 



I thought it would be fun to show you a few of my favourite aprons in my collection.





This is a waist apron (or half apron) from Laura Ashley.  I love the floral print and soft blue color!



The one on the left is a Jessie Steele red/white polka-dot bib apron.  The half-apron on the right was a thoughtful gift from a friend who visited  Disney Land Park in California and knew how much I would appreciate it!



I love the darling ruffle detail and the Minnie Mouse applique on the front pocket! 



This pretty Cath Kidston half apron came all the way across the pond!



This apron holds a special place in my heart.  It was handmade by one of my friends! Isn't it beautiful?


Look at the detail of the pocket here!  So much work and love went into the making of this apron.  That is why I treasure it so!



Last but not least, is this vintage little half apron.  I love how dainty it looks.  My mother bought this one for me a couple of years ago on one of our thrift shop outings together.  


Although I adore the delightful half aprons, I don't wear them nearly as much.  When I cook, I like to cover up, so I always reach for a bib apron, as it offers more coverage!

Here's a sweet apron poem I found online...


Mother's Apron

It hangs there on the kitchen wall, 
A tattered apron, that is all,
But there is something I recall, 
The love when Mother wore it.

From early morn 'till setting sun, 
Her work, it seems, was never done,
Us children kept her on the run, 
That apron, I adore it.

It tells of when I tried to flee,
When chased by angry bumble bees, 
And then my Mother rescued me, 
And in the process tore it.

It tells of when I stayed home ill, 
With burning fever, then a chill,
And on her apron, tonic spilled, 
Because I tried to pour it.

My mother had no fancy clothes,
With satin ribbons, lace or bows, 
But in that apron love she showed, 
And we could not ignore it.

And now it hangs upon the wall, 
What looked so large, appears so small, 
A mem'ry since I learned to crawl,
I know now why she wore it.
by David Ronald Bruce Pekrul


Do any of you collect aprons, too?  Do you wear an apron when you cook?  Or do you wear one all the time?  Maybe you don't like aprons at all!  I'd love to know.  Leave me your comments below!  

Keep cozy and enjoy the rest of your week! xo

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Happy January, Happy New Year!

Hello friends!  It feels good to be back after several weeks since my last post.   Let me begin by wishing you a very happy new year!  I do hope 2015 is off to a great start for all of you!


I want to say a big thank you to my blog friends and followers who come to visit every once in a while,  read my posts, and take the time to leave a comment.  Your comments make me smile!  They let me know that yes indeed, there are people out there who enjoy reading what I post!  So, again, thank you for your friendship and support this past year.  I hope to see a lot more of you in 2015. My world is a happier place with you in it! 


Are you curious as to what I have been up to these past few weeks?   Well, let me show you! 


December is a very busy month for our family.  Both my husband and I celebrate our birthdays in December, and of course there's Christmas, and the holidays!  Those two precious weeks of Christmas holidays are my favourite time of the year.  My husband tries to schedule the same time off  work as our girls have from school, so that we are all home together for Christmas break.  Lucky for us, it worked out perfectly this year! 


My darling husband, Nuno, celebrated his birthday on the 14th of December!  I baked him his favourite cake, Victoria Sponge (filled with homemade buttercream and raspberry jam) and decorated it with vintage cake toppers - evergreen trees, chopped wood and an axe, He recently taken on a new hobby - collecting and restoring old axes - so it was the perfect theme for his cake!



These are some of the presents waiting to be open on Christmas day.  Isn't the tree skirt beautiful?  I especially love the ruffled edge!  I had been searching for a red/white gingham tree skirt but to no avail.  One of my dear friends found one and mailed it all the way from the USA to my door!  How lucky am I?



And this is what Christmas morning looked like at our house!  These were the first gifts my girls wanted to open - their gifts to each other.  Annabel bought Peter Pan for her sister with her savings (Anita LOVES Peter Pan) and Anita bought her little sister this giant Mickey Mouse stuffy because "Mom, she always hugs it whenever she walks into The Disney Store!".



This is me with my husband and my girls celebrating my 38th birthday in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario.  This is where I spend my birthday most years.  It's my favourite little getaway! A place that's far enough away, but close enough to home.  Niagara-on-the-Lake is a couple hours drive from where we live and has become a much anticipated birthday tradition for all of us!



This is the famous gazebo situated at Queens Royal Park, overlooking Lake Ontario.  On clear days, you can see the CN Tower and the Toronto skyline across the water! Many couples choose to perform their wedding ceremonies here.  Isn't it romantic?  This gazebo was actually built for a movie filmed in the 80s, called Dead Zone,  When the movie was finished, the gazebo was donated to the town.  Whenever I visit NOTL, I always stop here to take a picture.  


This is Queen Street and in the center is the Memorial Clock Tower/Cenotaph .  This heritage district has plenty of shops, one-of-kind boutiques, galleries, and eateries.  It's quaint, historic, romantic, and I fall more in love with it each time I visit!  I took this photo before the sun came up, around 6:30 am on a frosty morning stroll through the deserted streets. 


This is the lovely hotel where we stayed for two nights.  It's our second time staying here, and we hope to visit again soon! 


I will leave you with one last photo.   I took this shot the morning before we left for home.  As you can see, it started to snow!  Niagara-on-the-Lake always looks so magical in the snow.  The snowflakes fell fast and furious and within minutes, everything was covered in white.  I couldn't resist taking a photo at the corner of King and Queen Street where the glorious Prince of Wales hotel lies.  Isn't it a beautiful scene?  It was pure magic!


Here's wishing you a magical 2015!  May this new year fill our homes with love, peace, joy, and laughter!  Happy January, friends, and happy new year!