Jessica Flores Design

Back to My Roots

Every time I re-organize and fold my stacks of fabric in the hutch, I feel like I'm being reacquainted with old friends.  Lately I've been using quite a bit of new fabric, but since my latest shift and shuffle in the craft room, I've been longing to return to working with those special pieces of vintage fabric that first inspired me to get back to the machine.  

So this week, I pulled out a piece that I picked up for about 50 cents at a garage sale last fall.  It was dull and stained with that old-fabric yellow yuck, but I knew I could bring it back to its glory.  All it needed was a 30 minute bath in some OxyClean and a spin in the wash with my Magic Melaleuca MelaBrite.  I never cease to be amazed at the wonders this combo does on my old fabrics!

I just loved the little printed ruffle that runs along the pattern on this piece and thought it would be a cute faux effect on the bottom of a simple apron.  The fabric is woven just like a vintage tea towel, so it was perfect.

It's really just a big hemmed rectangle with twill tape strings and a couple of darts, but I like the simplicity of it and the wrap-around strings--just like the chefs use on your favorite FOOD network show.  Nothing frilly, nothing fussy.  Just a go-to accessory for everyday cooking.

Really--would you ever want to wear anything else after you saw the cute little green cherries, polka dots, and winking pig on this fabric?  There's more where that came from, so I'm looking forward to some more kitchen accessories from this pattern--maybe even some framed cuts.

 

Speaking of getting back to my roots, I'm hankering to pull my paints out again and whip up some mini masterpieces to update my booth at Spring Into Art.  It's coming to Nappanee April 23 - 25 this year, and Lindsay and I are pouring our hearts into making it the best show ever!  We have several very talented artists on the roster already.  Keep an eye on our website for details at www.nappanee.lib.in.us, or email us at springintoart@nappanee.lib.in.us for more information on exhibiting artists, workshops, and more! 

P.S.  The winner of the applique-a-shirt-for-Nora contest is Miss Maggie Carr.  She will be receiving a free jingle block thanks to her suggestion (and the fact that flowerpatchfarmgirl requested not to be entered, and my mom's suggestion of "chicken feet" just didn't cut it for me).

 

Coming soon to Etsy

Just popping in to share what I finished this afternoon--another knitting needle holder with Amy Butler Midwest Modern coordinates and my favorite natural linen.  

 

I'm trying to get back on the Etsy bandwagon and hope to get this listed in my shop by the end of the day.  It's so easy to fall off and keep from updating regularly.  Yesterday I  listed a matching mother/daughter handbag set featuring some of the same fabrics as this needle holder.  Hopefully there will be more to list next week.  Keep watching!

Junk, Love and the Movies

I almost didn't recognize my own life this weekend after months of grocery shopping and PBS classic movies topping the weekend events around here.  Friday night I drove straight from work to the Junk Evolution Valentine's Bash in South Bend with my pals Shannan and Holly.  The event was just a preview of things to come at the antique boutique on Colfax/Hill next to Circa Arts.  I found these three mini metal trays in multi colors to add to my collection of trays AND silhouettes. Bonus!  

Now if that doesn't say Valentine's Day, I don't know what does! 

The main reason I went was to pick up two chippy black farm chairs for the dining room (more pics on those later), but when I got there, I found a set of fantastic bright red school chairs calling to me too.  For $10 a pop, how could I resist?  I brought two home for the kitchen

After the shopping, we headed over the The Vine to catch up over big bowls of pasta.  We ended up hogging a coveted table in the midst of the busy V-day weekend rush for a whole two hours!

Saturday night Nora was invited to a Valentine's Day party at Grandma and Papa's.  No parents allowed.  Bummer.  Dan and I were lucky enough to get reservations at Carmela's--the site of the original Macri's deli.  Delish!!  I had Pollo Marsala and Black Cherry Gelato for dessert.  I was very proud of myself for ordering dishes with mushrooms two nights in a row and enjoying them entirely.  My palette must be maturing.

Today was the big reveal for Ballet Kitty.  Thursday night Nora informed me that bunnies are much cuter than kitties, and she'd changed her mind about wanting me to make a cat.  But this morning when she met her new plushy she changed her mind and has been spinning around the house with Miss Kitty all day.

 This afternoon the busy social schedule included a trip to the big movie house to see Crazy Heart.  We arrived a little late and had to shimmy our way through knees and feet to the middle of the very top row to the last two seats together.  The lady next to me was none too happy to have to move her coat and scarf from the seat next to her, but luckily after she pulled her ziplock bag full of popcorn and bottled water from her purse, she settled down.  I don't highly recommend the movie unless you enjoy weak plots and the creepy feeling of watching your great uncle and best friend get busy in a cheap motel after a couple of glasses of whiskey.  Shutter . .. . . it will be a while until I get those scenes out of my head.  The only thing that saved it was the music and a cameo by Ryan Bingham.

Lest I end my Valentine's day post on that weird note, I'll just say that the highlights of my day so far have been presenting some silly vintage sentiments to my hubby thanks to some hilarious posts at a new favorite blog and holding hands with the one cool cowboy who still holds my heart after fourteen Valentines Days together.  Hope you had a day to make your heart flutter too!

 

 

random craftiness

A couple of years ago I became acquainted with a most wondrous line of clothing from the UK.  Each Boden catalog that comes in the mail leaves me salivating over the playful patterns, unique colors and classic, comfy styles of the ladies' clothing, but I'm really hooked on the adorable childrens' line.  The appliqued t-shirts are especially cheeky!  Of course, most of the time, one pair of socks will almost blow my monthly budget for Nora, and I'm simply too lazy to order from a catalog when it comes down to it.  Then there are the nagging voices telling me "you can do that!" as I leaf through page after page of shirts stitched with tea cups and crazy, friendly monsters.  

So, when my mom brought home 3 plain cotton t-shirts for Nora from Walmart the other day, it was like looking at a blank canvas!  Nora decided on a cupcake for the first:

She tells me she wants little chicks on the next.  We'll see how that goes.  I'm hoping something a little more Boden comes to mind.  Any ideas?  Hey, let's have a contest, add your idea to your comment on this post, and I'll give the winner one of the personalized baby blocks below (with the letter of your choice, of course)!  

This one was created for a friend for her new niece, Gwen.  Notice the Valentine tablecloth still on my table!  I'm so proud it lasted until last night, when Nora streaked blue crayon across it.  Lucky I had my handy sol-u-mel stain spray on hand.  

I found a new setting on my camera called "museum" while taking these shots.  I'm really liking it.  Maybe it will help me get a little more mileage out of the piece o' junk before my ship comes in. 

In other crafty news, today I started Nora's special Valentine request.  Check back later for an update on Ballet Kitty.  

Nora and I are getting set to snuggle down for a cozy evening as this snow storm picks up speed.  Ballet class is cancelled for the night, and Dan is out with the plow, so it's time for me to dig into my bag of tricks and make some snowbound memories.  I'm thinking jammies, a tent, some popcorn, and cocoa.  Oh sheesh. . . . guess I'd better clean up all of this black dust from the scratch art on my couch first. . . and the floor. . . . and the coffee table . . . . this is why I shouldn't blog during Nora's waking hours.  Wish me luck!

Magazines Revisited

What would we do without magazines?  Finding one rolled up in my mailbox is enough to set my heart aflutter when they begin rolling in at end of each month.  Last year I think we had nine or ten subscriptions coming to the house between the three of us:  Better Homes and Gardens, Country Living, Martha Stewart Living (with a free year of Everyday Food), Midwest Living, Family Circle (which was the poor stand-in the publisher issued to those of us Country Home subscribers when it kicked the bucket without warning.  It was my favorite!  so sad . . . ), so anyway . . . where was I? . . . National Geographic (a gift from Grandma Darlene), Wired, and Your Big Backyardfor Little Nora.

 This year, we're tightening our belts, and that means goodbye to Martha and most of the other subscriptions. To satisfy my cravings for all of those glossy pages filled with beautiful rooms, DIY ideas and expensive accessories, I've decided to dig into my stock pile of back issues--pulling a stack of not-quite-outdated volumes at the end of each month.  I have really been surprised how fresh and new most of these magazines have seemed to me!  This month when I leafed through the pages of an old Better Homes and Gardens, I found a great idea on one of my dog-eared pages.  

I had a eureka moment and pulled out a rainbow package of crisp, heavy tissue paper I'd picked up in Nashville last fall and went to work snipping ropes and ropes of hearts in all sizes from red and pink paper.  I don't remember ever making those strings of paper dolls when I was little.  Oh the fun I missed!  Instead of draping my hearts over a table lamp, I festooned my pendant shade with them. I think it will make a very romantic canopy for a valentine fondue date I have planned with a special guy (and little gal) next weekend.

I even added a few strands to the boring brown paper bag I took to the baby shower.  I didn't spend a dime on the gift or the packaging.   Shhhhh! 

I never knew budget living could be so much fun!