A FIELDTRIP TO THE COTTONWOOD HOUSE SPRING SHOW

I am a field trip kinda girl! I loved going on field trips when I was in school and I looked forward to planning field trips when I was a teacher.

 And I am ready to go with my fun, awesome, adventurous girlfriends (and mom) who love to drive through the countryside, with Shania Twain's Man, I Feel Like A Woman blaring out of the car stereo finding all kinds of fun places to go... do... and see... and lunch. We must stop for lunch!

Today, we traveled to THE COTTONWOOD HOUSE SPRING SHOW and we had a great time. Even though we did not have our theme song on the stereo we were in bright and excited spirits as we made our way deep into beautiful Chester County to find lots of inspiration from over 25 vendors...

I thought it would be fun to take you along with us and have you be inspired too! So let down your hair, get your field trip face on, fasten your seatbelt and let's goooooooo!

Don't you love this "shoe box"? What a great idea... and I'll take all three pillows please!!!

One of my favorite booths was Shutters and Sand! Great fun things and the prices were fabulous! 

I can't believe that I left the aqua fame behind! It was beautiful!!!!

How about that table and chairs! Chic colors and the fabric!

Are you getting a little inspired?

What would you have brought home?

The "rooms" were so creative and full of ASCP color!!!

Look at this precious camper!!! 

This booth had the prettiest flowers!!!!

What a sweet idea... 

Signs, signs and more signs!

What would you like on your porch?

Marigolds are so happy!

I met and hugged two StoneGable readers... Suzy and Florence. And I big HI to Suzy's mom! LOVE StoneGable readers! Aren't they so cute!!!!

I have a thing for shutters!

Here is the one thing I really regret leaving behind! A kitschy tea towel in a a cute frame... I just may have to make one for myself!!!

I don't know if you can see the price... $19.00! Fabulous!

And here's all the loot we brought home...

If you live in the Lancaster and Chester County area or even near Wilmington De. you will want to check out THE COTTONWOOD HOUSE SPRING TOUR going on tomorrow with lots of demonstrations and giveaways!

And now, in the spirit of girl's field trips... get your singing voice on, turn up the volume and belt one out along with us and our girl Shania...

LET'S GO GIRLS...

HOW TO MAKE THE PERFECT AND MOST EASY PEASY BOW

This was the very first bow I learned how to make decades ago... and it's still my favorite.

I have used it on wreaths, presents, for hair bows (no judging... it was the 80's), mantels, Christmas Trees, and even a car!

You can throw away your bow makers because this bow is so easy to make and comes out perfect every time!

Let's get started with step-by-step instructions...

StoneGable DOUBLE LOOP BOW

Supplies

* my ribbon is 2 1/4 inch wired burlap ribbon. This technique will work on almost any kind and width ribbon as long as it is not too thick.

Fluff...

So easy! You may not "get it" on the first or even the 5th try... but you will! And when you do it will be your favorite easy-peasy bow!

Here's the bow on other wreaths...

SUMMER INITIAL WREATH

Same technique just one more pair of loops!

HOW TO MAKE THE EASIEST LIVE WREATH

I have 2 more bows I'll be sharing with you this summer... make sure to look for them!

Remember to

SUMMER APRON STRINGS... IF APRONS COULD TALK...

Every once-in-awhile I just have to show you the real heart of my kitchen... the apron hanger!

To say I love aprons is such an understatement!!! If you would come to StoneGable you would surely find me answering the door with one of my sturdy bib aprons on! I call it my "uniform"!

Aprons and I have a long and deep history...

Both of my grandmothers wore aprons. I really did not know my dad's mother very well as she lived in Missouri and she died before my dad got out of the Service. So I only remember meeting her 3 times. But I remember pictures. She was a no nonsense farm woman and always had an apron on in all the pictures of her I have ever seen. 

Once, when I was 8, while visiting my Missouri grandparents, I killed a chicken by wringing it's neck. And  took it to my apronned  Grandmother who made quick work of turning it into the most delicious fried chicken I have ever eaten!!!

The next time I visited her, at age 13, she introduced me to the wonderful world of Rhubarb! And yes, she was wearing an apron.

My Nani, my mother's mom, wore aprons too. Her's were the kind that fit over her head... sorta like a jumper. They were a lighter weight than the one's I wear now and were covered with pretty flowers and had fun coordinating cording all around them.

Nani's apron hung on a nail behind the cellar door. It had a special smell... probably from being in the cellar... It smelled safe and loving and peaceful. I can still smell it just by thinking about it... and it brings me to tears. I adored my Nani!

My Nani's young life was enveloped in the Depression. Her life was marked by it until the day she passed away.  Nani literally wore her aprons to a thread and then ripped them up  for rags. 

I have what I call a "bit of the Nani" in me... I have one denim bib apron that went from being a cooking apron...and  when I could no longer stain stick the cooking stains out of it... it became my painting apron... and when it got too worn for painting became my gardening apron. It's the first one I grab... it feels like it deserves to be worn! We have gone through so much together!!! I think it takes a long long time to train an apron!!! Sounds strange... but some of you will get it!

My kitchen-paining-garden apron... freshly washed!

My mother wore pretty aprons that tied around her lovely, thin waist... they suited her. I have never seen a more beautiful woman and a more proper lady in all my life! She never spilled things or got a smudge on her! Some of her aprons had small dainty pockets on her hip! Not like the big deep pockets that go from one hip to the other on my aprons.

They are filled with, clothes pins, a cell phone, deadheaded flowers, dog treats, a tissue or two and much more! Digging into my apron pocket is like opening a box of Cracker Jacks... there is always a surprise inside!

My sweet Mother carried one thing in her pretty apron pocket... a delicate hankie! My mother also has a drawer full of hankies. Something I did not acquire a taste or habit for.

I like to change up my aprons... seasonally. This year it's red, white and blue! Lots of bright patriotic color! Like the season, the aprons change too!

Scamp the photo bomber!

Oh, if my aprons could talk!!!! They would tell stories of a young wife learning to cook... and at first not being very successful at it. And of a darling young husband that ate it all and never let on... and still doesn't today!

They would tell you of being used and abused to gather flowers and vegetables from the garden... caring heavy loads of tomatoes or onions or heavenly smelling peonies!!! 

They would get misty eyed as they told you that tiny ones were bundled and cradled and wrapped in their fabric. They were called to dry little one's tears and dirty hands and once in a while they were even used as a hankie for little noses!!!

They would tell of all the dinner parties, and family holidays they attended because I was just too tired from cooking to care to take them off!

One special blue apron would tell you about the first time my daughter put my apron on and how it made me cry because she looked so grown up in it!

They have been called into action as a dish towel and even as a pot holder.

They have been washed and bleached and stain sticked a thousand times!!! 

And they would also tell you that they feel important and loved and responsible and needed!

Yes, me and my army of capable aprons have lived a whole lot of wonderful life together!

Here is a post with step-by-step instructions for making a bib apron...


APRON TUTORIAL

Remember to

I'm partying at...
WOW US WEDNESDAY

THE SCOOP #120

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!

A big thank you to all service men and women, their families and our hearts go out to the fallen and their families!

Before we begin, I want to share an easy peasy Summer Initial Wreath that has a fabulous WOW factor! It would be a perfect fit for your front door..

This initial wreath took 30 minutes to make from start to finish!

What a great summer welcome! Click HERE for a step-by-step tutorial.

Now, let's PARTY!!!!!

Welcome back to The Scoop

The weekly linky party featuring the scoop on the best posts from around the web!

More exposure + less time = win win!

We are 

Anita from Cedar Hill Farmhouse

Debbie from Confessions of a Plate Addict

Yvonne from StoneGable 
Suzy from Worthing Court 



Our host this week is...

Debbie from Confessions of a Plate Addict Hi, everyone! I hope you are having a wonderful Memorial Day weekend! It's the unofficial start to summer!

Sooo...I thought I would highlight some of the wonderful patriotic desserts that you have shared at The Scoop recently! They are great...not only for this weekend, but for the 4th of July, as well as all summer long!

And I am also excited to join a group of very talented bloggers who love Country French style as much as I do for our monthly share...this time with the emphasis on our vintage French favorites! Be sure to head over and be amazed at all of the fabulous frenchiness! And now, it's time to share some of the links that caught my eye this week!

 

Can you believe that this beautiful arrangement from Laura at Finding Home came from the grocery store? And...let's just say that she has me re-thinking my New Year's Day dinner!

I am amazed at this fabulous chair re-do from Darrielle at  D.D.'s Cottage and Design! It truly went from bare bones to a bold aqua beauty!

Babs at Upstairs, Downstairs showed us three pretty things she did with her pasta serving bowls that don't involve serving pasta!

Janet at Rosemary and Thyme shared this beautiful tablescape for her garden lunch.

Can you figure out how Nici at Posed Perfection created the keys for her cute piano cake? Check it out to see if you are right!

And finally, Sonya at Beyond the Screen Door showed us how she made this beautiful fabric flower! Love it!

Now...let's see what you have to show us this week!

Thank you for linking up, friends!

Please read the guidelines before participating:

• Follow and/or subscribe to your host blog.
• Be sure to include THE SCOOP button or text link to in your linked post...mandatory to be featured!
• By linking up you are agreeing that the photos are yours or that you have permission to use them, that we may use those photos to feature your project on a blog post, Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter with a link back to your blog, of course.
• Please go to the source of a photo to pin it to Pinterest so that the originator of the post gets the credit.