Lisa Apron ~ Free Sewing Pattern
The Lisa Apron is a long half apron with cheerful flowers and convenient pockets. 
Long long straps wrap all the way around to tie in the front.
Fun globe flowers on one side, and handy pockets for your kitchen utensils on the other side.
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The free Lisa sewing pattern is a download at the bottom of this post.

Do you remember the Lisa Apron that was featured in Apronology?
I talked about it here.

Well, Lisa's colorful twin sister is finished, and so is the free Lisa Apron Sewing Pattern!
YAY!

I just happy cheerful spring colors.....
and this time of year, when spring is just upon us, is perfect for them...
So now I can cook int he kitchen in STYLE!
And be happy and cheerful doing it....  :)
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I wrote up the free apron sewing pattern using VERY detailed step-by-step instructions,
taking pictures every step of the way.
There are a lot of steps to make this fun apron, but they should be extremely easy to follow.

I put the pocket side on the right to accommodate right-handed cooks, but for a left handed cook, it would be easy to just flip the two panels around when sewing.
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For this apron I selected a happy cheerful springy print including two fabrics with a bit of texture to add interest and depth.
I love having these kinds of colors around in my kitchen.....
They make me smile...  :)

Of course the original green Lisa Apron is also super cute..., I think anyway....

Apronology thought it was cute enough to put it in print ....  :)
I'm such a lucky girl......

Lisa Apron Sewing Pattern

Finished dimensions: 
Approximately 33 inches wide, 25.5 inches tall, straps 33 inches each

Design not to be created for commercial use. All rights reserved.
Lisa Apron © Crystelle Boutique 2013

The free download of the Lisa pattern is below.

Something cheerful and colorful this time of year to celebrate the lovey-dovey holiday in February: Valentines Day.
Using my favorite: mixed media

Nice bright colors
vintage finds:

• printed papers
• game-pieces
  
• sheet-music
• flashcards
• measuring tape

For Valentines Day I decided to focus on the love that exists at home between family members:  the safe haven for kids and adults alike.
Taking titles and phrases from kids songs that center around loving families,
I made three pieces:

• Love at Home
• Love is Spoken Here
• Home is Where the Heart Is
  

It was so fun to select three different types of vintage flashcards: 

• the traditional math flashcard: addition
• the "teaching shapes" flashcard: triangle
• the unusual ACT studying card: vocabulary

Making these pieces was like a happy mini-vacation for me in the middle of the cold-snowy month of January...
Boy has it been super cold around here this year...

So sock-monkey and I are excited....
Here's to a bright and shiny new year: full of promise to be a wonderful and happy.
Especially on Valentines Day!

Well, that's about it for new decoration for Valentines Day around here....
What fun new decor items have you come up with?

Linking to a number of these bloggy friends.... as well as to the Charm of Home, Coastal Charm, Savvy Southern Style, Today’s Creative Blog, Home Stories A 2 Z, The Shabby Nest, The Shabby Creek Cottage, Thrifty Decor Chick, Between Naps on the Porch

From THE FAMILY: A PROCLAMATION TO THE WORLD comes this quote:

I was asked to teach a class on the subject of families in church, so naturally, after studying the subject for a couple of weeks, my creative juices started flowing....

I got busy and upcycled a cheap-o canvas clearance "painting" I had purchased at Target for just a few dollars and re-painted my family on it.
As you can see, my hubby has gray hair....
And our oldest daughter is just a bit taller than I am, PLUS she has been blessed with voluminous hair....

We are a lucky family of five:  two parents, and three awesome kids....
We have been so blessed. 
They are all three great kids

In my first few sketches I had everyone holding arms around everyone else, but as I made the final product, only mom and dad kept their arms.  The kids felt a little left out, but I explained to them that it is not their responsibility to take care of the family:  that is ours as the parents.  Daddy is largely in charge of providing and protecting, while mommy is the nurturer.  The kids' responsibility is to grow up and become happy and independent, responsible adults.  And along the way we help each other as much as we can....  :)

Anyway, this is my first "large" mixed media attempt and though I am picking it apart in my head all the time, I am kinda happy with all the symbolism behind it...  :)

What mixed media projects have you made?

I link up to a number of these bloggy friends.... as well as to Today’s Creative Blog, Home Stories A 2 Z, Funky Junk Interiors, The Shabby Nest, My Repurposed Life, The Shabby Creek Cottage, Thrifty Decor Chick, Between Naps on the Porch

This is SUCH a fun after-school snack, I just HAD to share it with you. 
We had a great time being creative together, talking, visiting, and then eating our snack to hold us over till dinner time.

• Easy
• Quick
• Fun
• Tasty
• Filling
• Healthy

My peanut even got creative and 'made' new colors:  orange {one drop each of red & yellow} and purple {one drop each of red & blue}....

I used more 'paint' than my daughter did, and was worried that my toast might be a bit "soggy," but then happily discovered:  it was not:  it was perfect after toasting....!  Yay!



Painted toast!
With a little honey on it....
YUMMY!

I'm thinking:  it would be great to make toast for special occasions: 

• a fall leave in autumn
• a Christmas tree at Christmas time
• a heart for valentines day
• a number on a special birthday...

What other special occasions can you think of?

Linking up with my bloggy friends right here....  :)

My daughter is having a birthday in a few days, but we will not be together......  We will miss her so much... :(
During the summers she works in Rhode Island to earn enough money to make it through two semesters of school...
We are so proud of her for her hard work and the wonderful lady she is turning out to be....  and the wonderful young lady she has always been.
{We love her:  does it show....???}




That said, I put together a little care package for her:  just some simple little things she might enjoy.  We will celebrate her birthday for real when she arrives home {for a couple of days} next month. 

To make her birthday more festive for her made a super-simple little garland to decorate her bedroom with... It turned out pretty cute, if I say so myself!

This is how I made it: 
I went through my scrap fabric box and picked out a few cheerful happy colored scraps.  I was surprised at how little fabric I needed. 
I folded the fabric over {pressed the crease real quick} and cut out a triangle, square or rectangle at random.  sometimes I didn't even use a cutting ruler:  I just eyeballed it.

Then I folded each shape over a string of jute cord and sewed along the edges using a bright colored zig-zag.
In the little garland I made, I used orange and green thread. 
I must say I am really happy with the cheerful results!

• Cost: nada {nothing, zip} ~ I had all these things laying around and almost threw them away many times {for clutter control purposes, I'm sure you've heard of it....}
  
• Time:  less than an hour
• Result:  pretty dang cute happy cheerful celebration decoration!!!

linking to:  It's a Blog Party, Trendy Treehouse, Savvy Southern Style, House of Hepworths, the Shabby Creek Cottage, Somewhat Simple, the Brambleberry Cottage, Delightful Order, Our Delightful Home, SevenThirtyThree, a Creative Princess, Firefies and Jellybeans, Bear Rabbit Bear, Live Laugh Rowe, Two Sasters, Whipperberry,  Strut Your Stuff, Just Us Four, Happy Hour Projects, The Dedicated House

I painted a 1950's gossip seat in my favorite color:  seafoam green.  Seafoam green was my favorite color when I was a child, and it still is....!!! And it certainly is making a come-back!!!!  Lucky me....
I love it!
Added some flowers and bird on the front and one on the back.. Super cute, if I say so myself.
I you are interested int his piece, it is for sale ....  I have a tendency to paint more furnishings than I have room for in my house....  Oops!

Just let me know if you're interested... 
{I would love to sell it locally....}

Have a terrific day!
Crystelle

Look at this COOL vintage locker! 

Wouldn't it be a GREAT storage cabinet for your fabrics in your sewing room?  Super cute, right...?
That's kinda what fabric designer Leah Duncan thought.
Look at the awesome way she stores her unique prints in the photo below.
Leah and her fun prints were featured in Country Living Magazine, April 2012 {page 24}

• Picture to the left was taken on my very own porch....
• Picture below is from Country Living Magazine....