My Weblog

The low-down

WOW!  Has it really been SIX MONTHS?! As they say, the time has flown. Absolutely zipped right by! I thought I better pop my little head in here and give a brief update for anyone still checking in:
-Life is good!
-Kids are great.
-It's a BOY!. (I'm 35 weeks, can you believe it? Just a few weeks left.)
-It was a solid 7 months of the pukies, but I'm feeling good now. Hooray!
-Busy furnishing/decorating the new house now that I can actually get off the couch.
-Still no yard- just a GIANT dirt pile. Lots of fun for the kids, not so much for Mommy.
-Nope, no name for the babe either. Ideas?

That's about it! I hate to complain about being pregnant or use it as an excuse, but the truth is-- I suck at it. Some women were made to carry babies. I, unfortunately, was not. Don't get me wrong, we are so very, very grateful to be having this little guy. It just comes with months and months of torture to get him here. Absolutely worth it, but we are DONE at three. This mama is simply not cut out for more. :)

Our next item of business: Aprons-
Yes, I still make them. I've got bolts and BOLTS of fabulous fabric to use. I wasn't *feelin* it for a few months, but I'm ready to dive in again for a bit before baby arrives. (And will continue afterwards if I feel able!) I have a need to create, and it's very rewarding to be able to be Mommy and make something that people are willing to spend their hard earned $ on. I sincerely thank you for the support! **That being said, there's a new apron in the shop. :) Only 25 of this particular style, either kit or ready-made version. Hope you like!**

Okay friends, next post will be MUCH more timely than the last-- and cuter too.
Best~
Kim

Leave it to Murphy

**ETA:  I did it!   There is a new apron in the boutique.  It's named after my dear friend, Jayne, whom I'll be attending SILVER BELLA with this weekend.  YAY!  So excited for all the glitz and fanciness that's promised to be there.  Not to mention the crafty DIVA'S I'll be rubbing shoulders with.  It'll just be fabulous!  Now I'm off to finish packing up, and then it's to bed.  This girl needs a good nights rest before the endless festivities.  I'll have my laptop with me, so barring no internet at the hotel, I'll try to answer all emails with questions about the new apron.  Wish me luck to keep the queasiness at a minimum on the airplane.  LOL**

*sigh*  Wouldn't ya know it.  My internet's been on the fritz all afternoon.  I'll still be putting a new apron in the shop tonight, but it will need to wait until I can get the babies in bed.  SooOOooOo sorry about that.  I'll be sure to send out a mailing list reminder when something's available in a bit.  Thanks girls!!

The dog ate my homework...

errrrrrr...something like that.  LOL  I know, I know.  It's shameful.  The last post was in SEPTEMBER! What a terribly awful blogger I've been.  I'm so sorry!!  But I DO have an excuse.  One that's even better than the silly dog one, I promise.  I've hesitated sharing the news, and even now feel like I'm breaking the #1 rule of womanhood.  I don't even know quite how to say this...... Oh what the heck, I'll just blurt it out-- We're expecting a BABY!  Yep, 8 weeks along.  Still can't believe it myself. And while it's fantastic news and we're all very excited, I'm plagued with the horrible A.L.L. D.A.Y nausea that accompanies growing a baby.  Blech.  So you see, I've been a bit, well, out-of-commission.  I apologize for taking so long to post and pray that the pukes go away soon.  :)   

For those of you awaiting new aprons in the boutique, I'll be updating on Wednesday. *fingers crossed!!*  I'll do my best to get as many as I can ready before the holidays.  Thank you for all the emails asking about them.  New styles are long overdue. 

Now someone please convince me that I can sanely raise 3 babies without loosing my mind!! LOL

a BIG thank you & our little Gray-vy dude

THANK YOU for all the sweet comments and emails on the Betty apron Ebay auction.  WOWEE!!  At last count there were 54 people watching.  F.I.F.T.Y.F.O.U.R?!!  Good heavens, what an audience!  I was sooo nervous that no one would like it, and ended up with higher bids than I ever imagined.  Thank you!!  I'd love to start offering more one-of-a-kind specialties in the future.  It was so much fun!

Now onto our little stinker--

He's got the face of an angel, but don't him fool ya.  This little smoosher is just about as mischievous as they come.   Anyone know how to get permanent marker and gooey sparkly lip gloss out of velvet couch cushions?  *sigh*   Next week he'll be 2 years old!  I'm holding on for dear life...

Just wanted to pop in quickly and say hello.  We're up to our eyeballs here with construction odds and ends.  (We move in next week!!)  I was hoping to have the apron kit club underway, but it will have to wait a couple more weeks....I've simply run out of time.  Soo sorry for being a flake about that!  :(  If you're interested, make sure to sign up on my mailing list (link at the top of the left hand sidebar).  You'll be sure to receive a special notice before it begins. 

Off to the local lock and key joint to get our door knobs.   Happy Thursday my friends~

It just so happens, I was kindly asked to participate in my very first Ebay boutique launch.  Sweet Eva (Whom deserves an entire blog post all to herself!! Thank you Eva!  I adore you!) stuck her neck out and invited a non-ebayer, ME, to dust off my trusty seller ID and whip up an offering.  Aptly named, "Indelible", our focus was on Joel Dewberry's AMAZING debut fabric collection, and each of the 51 sellers has created quite the menagerie of goods.   I'm honored to have one of my designs listed amongst these talented designers and friends.

This will truly be a one-of-a-kind design, custom made for the winning bidder.  (AAACK, I hope someone likes it enough to bid!)   This is my personal favorite apron to date, and it has to do with a little detail that you can't see in the photo above.  You'll have to check out the listing to see it!  Any ideas what it could be?   ;)

OH, and the description is definitely tongue-in-cheek.  I certainly don't mean to imply that you'll have men falling all over you if you're wearing one of my aprons....but I HAVE received quite a number of emails telling me that the HUSBANDS of my customers really like what I do.  That always gives me a little chuckle.  :)  Not to mention the men at the laundromat ogling at my beautiful sister while I was snapping away.  Good grief!  I was laughing so hard I could barely focus the camera.   HA!

I better go before I dig myself into a hole...
I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!  I'm planning on a bit of thrifting, playing with the babies, and starting to PACK!!  The new house is just almost done.  YAY!!

Later beauties~

Hellllllloooooo!

Yes, we're alive and all doing well!!  It seems another unpredicted blog hiatus has snuck (or is it sneaked? hmmmm) right up on me.  Thank you for all the emails and comments asking about us.  You guys sure know how to make a girl feel missed.  (((Hugs to you all)))  There are a zillion and one excuses I could rattle off, but when we really get right down to it, I had a bit of a slap-in-the-face wake-up call and needed to focus on my sweet babies a little more.  I'll find it, that balance of feeling like I'm a good wife/mom AND fulfilling my passions and creative energy.  I know I will!  Just have to fumble around a little more...trying things here and there....schedules, no schedules...clean house, messy house...late nights, early mornings.  Maybe no sleep at all?!!  Yes, I think that one might work!  :)  Any suggestions from all you brilliant women who seem to do it ALL so flawlessly?

Speaking of our babies, have I told you how much I love the little smooshers lately?!!  I wonder if they know that just the sight of their adorable faces makes my heart burst?  *sigh*

OH!!!  I've been meaning to tell you all about a little package that mr postman delivered a couple weeks ago.  (We all know how I feel about packages in the mail! *hehe*)  The kindest woman, Lisa Leonard, makes these amazing dog-tag style necklaces, hand-stamped with anything you want on them!!   And if that isn't cute enough, she adorns each one with a delicate freshwater pearl detail.  Flawlessly contrasted and perfect to wear with those everyday T-shirts or the dressier duds.   Thank you Lisa!!!  I love my necklace so much and am already jonesin' for one of your new styles.

K, friends, better run.  Cross-my-heart promise that the next post will be much sooner than the last~    

When life gives you lemons

...trade them in for some chocolate, don an apron, and then make the best brownies you can.  :)  Thanks for all the pick-me-ups.  Everything is good now.  I never did figure out why I was so ornery.  Just one of those days that we girls are allowed to have from time to time.  But I got quite a giggle at some of the comments.  Especially Miss Becky's quote of Harry S. Truman.  (Go back and peek at the comments if you want to get a laugh.  Ewwwwwwwww!!  But actually quite fitting of my mood.  LOL)   

BACK to the brownies!!  We had a neighborhood party last night and I whipped up a double batch of  one of my favorite recipes.  It's SOOO easy-peasy!  Fudgy, gooey, rich, and decadent...I'm telling you, these are the BEST!!

MARSHMALLOW BROWNIES:

• 4 oz. UNSWEETENED chocolate
• 1 cup butter
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 TBSP vanilla
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour a 9"x13" pan.  In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the unsweetened chocolate and the butter being careful not to scorch the chocolate.  Take pan off the heat and mix in the eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Beat until well combined. (I literally mix it right in the saucepan!) Stir in the flour. Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, just until set.  A toothpick inserted in the middle will still have moist crumbs attached. 

When there are 10 minutes left on the baking time, make the frosting.

FROSTING:

• 2 oz. UNSWEETENED chocolate
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 package powdered sugar
• 2 cups mini marshmallows

In a large saucepan over low heat, melt the chocolate and the butter. Remove from heat and immediately beat the egg and vanilla into the chocolate mixture.  (This will cook your egg.)  Add the powdered sugar and beat until smooth.  Then stir in the marshmallows.  If the frosting gets too thick, add a TBSP of milk or return it to the heat until it melts just a bit.  Spread the warm frosting over the hot brownies when they come out of the oven.  Let cool on rack for about 30 minutes, and then put the pan in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.  These brownies must be cold to cut or you'll have a sticky mess.   That's it!!  As simple as it gets, and soooo much better than a box mix.  :)

So come on over, we've got lots of leftover brownies to share.  I'll have *Henry* pick up some drinks on his way home, and we'll sit on the patio and chit-chat the night away.  Have a lovely weekend my fabulous friends~

a terrible case of the grumps

G.R.U.M.P!!  That's me.  I just can't shake it.  This morning, I was fine...it was shaping up to be a beautiful summer day.  But as the hours progressed, my mood went into the trash.  And for no obvious reason.  Though I WAS out of Diet Coke, which always makes me a wee bit cranky.  LOL  (Yes, I realize it's an unhealthy addiction.  No matter.  I've embraced this fact and moved on.  HA!)   So I put the babies to bed early, caught the last half of my favorite summer entertainment, and turned to the ol' stand-by mood lifter. 

But my fail-safe cure didn't even phase it.  2 Haagen-Dazs bars later and I'm still as sour as ever.  (And now SICK!!  LOL)   To make matters worse, *Henry* just phoned to share that someone had walked on the freshly poured cement leaving footprints all over the new driveway.  Yes, they went THROUGH the hazard yellow caution tape that was on the perimeters and quite clearly, on purpose, scuffed and twisted marks into the surface.  BLAST!  That's just not nice.  Anyone know a good joke? I'm in serious need of a little chuckle.

Here's hoping tomorrow is happiness and floof filled, for me, and all of you. 

WOOPS!

Thanks for all the great feedback!!  I'm figuring out all the details, and will let you know when the club is underway.  ;)  As for today, I'd completely underestimated all the craziness that goes along with this fun holiday.  We've been to parades, fireworks shows, family BBQs, and swimming.  I'm sure many of you have done the same and certainly haven't had the time to check my blog for the new apron.  (Gosh, I'm such an airhead!  What was I thinking?!!)  So I'm off to my parents house to light some more fireworks with the kiddos.  Instead of getting the new apron/kit up really late tonight, which seems a bit tacky at this point, I'll do a scheduled boutique post for 8a.m. tomorrow morning.  Sound good?  BUT, I do want to announce the outcome of the drawing. 

I used one of those random number generator thing-a-ma-jigs that I've seen so many people using.  The number 26 was picked, and Cyndi happened to have made that comment.  After checking out her blog, I see that she is QUITE the seamstress herself.  Very cute stuff!!!  Anyhow, here's a sneak peek of what she'll be getting....either this apron or the kits to make it herself.  Whichever she wants.  :)

Okay, gotta run!!  Enjoy the rest of your night, and be safe out there with all the sparklers! 

It's gone...

...the entire month of June.  POOF!  Just like that.  A thick foggy haze, my brain can hardly remember the details of the past few weeks.  Sick babies, 2 wrecked cars (SOOO sorry Mom & *Henry*, really I am!! *sigh*), an emergency room visit to get a little gash in our sweet Liv's head super-glued back together (who knew that super-glue was so useful?!!).  GADS, just a few of the downer adventures that I hope to forget.  But no complaining for me, MANY wonderful things have happened too! 

• A new "job" that is loads of fun!
• Custom apron orders for some favorite customers.
• The new house is even CLOSER to being finished.
• Liv passed her level 1 swimming lessons.  So brave!  ;)
  
• Mr Gray-dude is FINALLY talking.  So proud of this little guy.
  
• I discovered that Pepperidge farm makes a WHOLE GRAIN goldfish cracker variety.  YUM!!
• Many trips to Sonic for cream slushes.  Double YUM!!
• Great feedback on the first batch of apron kits. 
• Fun new business ideas....

I could go on and on.  All in all, it was a really good month. I just pray July slows down a bit.  But since I left so unexpectedly, and haven't had a chance to update the shop just yet, it's only fitting that we do a giveaway.   Don't ya think?!!

I'll have the next apron/kit up in the shop on July 4th.  Before I put it up, I'd love to have a random drawing for one of my blogging friends to win either a free apron kit, or the sample apron that I use for my pictures--it'll be the winner's choice, of course.  But there's a bit of a catch.  :)  In order to enter, I'm asking for a big favor.  After receiving many emails from the last apron kit recipients asking when they could get the next one, and a dear customer giving me a little pep talk (Thank you Marion!!!), I'm thinking about starting an OliveJuice & Company Apron Kit CLUB.  It would be by subscription, and members would receive a new original apron kit project every month or so.  What I'm asking of YOU, is any advice you might have regarding this kit club idea.  Is this something you'd be interested in?  How often would you like new kits?  Only womens aprons, or child sized options too?  Is the idea just totally loony?!!!  (Be honest, I can take it!!  OK, be a little nice about it though.  LOL)  I'd love any opinions you have.  :)

Thanks friends!

Special thanks to Shabby Miss Jenn for use of her digi goodies.  Find them here.