Joyful Abode

Craft: Magazine featured my Valentine brooch crochet pattern. Quite awesome.

Queen Lila posted pictures of some of the crocheted hearts she made from my pattern.

Giabella posted pictures of her package from the Joyful Abode shop… a vintage apron and a zipper pouch! I’m glad she was so excited she wanted to spread the news!

DIY Life linked to my jewelry storage solution, calling it brilliant and emphasizing that everything (bold, italicized) about it is wonderful.

Minxy Knits posted pictures of her gorgeous scarf made from my Solomon’s Knot Shawl pattern. Knitting Dragonflies wants to try out my shawl pattern, too.

Cut Out + Keep told everyone about my delicious Ranch Cheese Ball.

YumSugar shared delight in my Ritz cracker-chocolate-sandwiches.

Claverie Cruising thinks I have knitting patterns on my website, but I’ll forgive her because she put me in the same post as Pink of Perfection, whom I think is awesome.

Craft Enabled, Domestically Disabled posted a picture of her shelly scarf, which she made as a gift for a family member.

Etsy’s The Storque pointed out one of my apron listing pictures (taken by my awesome sister, edited and cropped by me) as an example of good photography.

Queen Lila made some jewelry organizers using materials she had laying around the house, inspired by my framed jewelry storage.

The Apronista has linked to my aprons twice recently. Thanks, ladies! I heart you!

Please let me know if you have seen anyone else linking to me lately! It tickles me.

There are some cleaning tasks we always seem to keep up with, no matter how busy we get. Things like swishing the toilet or dusting a relatively clear flat surface only take a second, and because we notice they need to be done, we do them.

When was the last time you thought about cleaning your stove hood filter though? Yeah… me too. (Especially considering I’ve been renting for the last year and a half.) What about the floors and walls in your pantry? Have you washed your curtains lately?

Because these things need to be done, but only periodically, they are easy to overlook. That’s why I was so (strangely) excited when I found RealSimple’s “Elements of Cleaning.” (PDF) It’s in the style of a periodic table, because the items on it need to be done periodically. Each period of time is represented by a different color, and has two columns of household tasks that should be done during that time.

I printed mine out on card stock and plan to laminate it and put it on my refrigerator. Then, I’ll be able to use a vis-a-vis marker (wet-erase) to check off when I’ve done the things on the chart. For the longer periods of time (like refrigerator interiors need to be cleaned every 3-6 months, or drapes should be professionally cleaned every year or two) I can mark the date on it too.

How do you keep track of your periodic cleaning tasks?

If you didn’t have a good way to do it before, hopefully this will help!

There’s a fantastic giveaway going on at The Apronista!

Deanna and Eren will each send the winner one of their own vintage aprons, and the winner will also receive an autographed copy of “The Apron Book.” Now, I already have that book, but I would trade it out for an autographed copy in a second.

In case you’re not familiar with the book, in the words of …Barnes and Noble? (well, from their site anyway)

Vintage aprons and modern designs are turning up in movies, magazine spreads, upscale shops, and hip retail venues like Anthropologie, whose trendy line of aprons is selling as fast as they can stock them. The Apron Book is an infectiously enthusiastic guide to aprons, old and new, that are suddenly everywhere.

Aprons take us back to our favorite place, hearth and home. Vintage aprons help us remember home and family the way they used to be, while bright and sassy contemporary aprons confirm that nesting is all the rage. Actress and trendsetter Julia Roberts has a closetful of vintage aprons. Celebrity custom-made apron auctions have become an annual event for several popular charities in the past few years.

The Apron Book provides full-color photos of new and vintage aprons from the author’s collection, patterns for four basic apron styles and myriad variations, recipes, tips on collecting and preserving vintage aprons, and heart-tugging stories from the author’s traveling apron exhibit. The book also explores the heyday of aprons and looks at the various roles aprons still play when worn in the kitchen, around the house, by the backyard grill, on the job, and for special occasions.

Warm and inviting (but like an apron quite practical!) this book is a celebration of a great American icon and reminds us of what we loved about the people who wore them.

Anyway, it’s a fantastic book… and could be yours (or mine) along with 2 vintage aprons, just by commenting on the Contest post at Apronista.

Check this site out if you don’t want to go shopping and need some recipes. Check off what you have, and then it’ll give you ideas.

Don’t worry if the first page looks like a joke (One recipe is actually “An apple on its own”). See the vertical list of numbers on the left, and click down through the pages… you’ll find some good-sounding things!

Then hop over here to learn how to make roses from maple leaves.  I haven’t tried it, but it looks simple and really lovely. Wonder if I could FIND any maple leaves around here…

Here is a fabulous list of kitchen myths. From baking soda in the fridge and avocado pits in guacamole to thickening agents and screaming lobsters, this little page has a treasure trove of information.

Street installations, along with (on some) videos of people’s reactions to them. Very awesome.

Thanks for adding me to your blogroll, domestipithecus , Simply Absurd?, The Fieds, and Lyle, Lyle Crocodile.

The Apronista calls my vintage aprons “swoon-worthy.” I think I blushed when I read that. I’m also now linked in their “More Apronistas” and “Places to Buy Aprons.” Thanks!

Barb at Woof Nanny thinks my bias tape is fun. Thanks!

What’s for Dinner is SO making my homemade baked potato chips. Enjoy them!
Barkattackka made a HIGHLY modified version of my paprikash… and she wasn’t kidding when she said it was HIGHLY modified. Hehe. Sounds good! Yum!

Crista at Make, Make, Make found Joyful Abode a little while ago, and now seems to be a die-hard fan. Welcome!

Little boxy pouch tutorial by threebears - So adorable and I LOVE the fabric she used in the tutorial photos. I have some zippers who have been waiting for their calling…

Heather’s favorite knot is now also my favorite knot. I wasn’t sure at first how it could beat my previous favorite knot, but the first time I tied Heather’s favorite knot, I knew it was love.

Some big embroidery site (not a blogger) has directions for how to do Shisha embroidery. If you don’t already know what it is, it’s that Indian mirror embroidery that’s so gorgeous. I recently used it in my Tie One On Local Pride apron… instead of mirrors though, I used paillettes (those giant sequins with one tiny hole near the edge). They also have examples of Shisha work and a tutorial for a project.

I always feel a special sort of connection with Sarah of The Small Object… based mostly on the fact that we’re from the same small town in South Carolina. Besides that though, she has an eye for the tiny and cute. If you haven’t seen her adorable little clothespin people, you’re missing out. Anyway, she recently posted this tutorial for fabric-covered floss bobbins. I may have to make a few, because right now my embroidery floss storage is decidedly un-cute.

Montessori By Hand posted a tutorial for her gorgeous “Recycled Bath Mat”. It’s so gorgeous, and it has cutesie little embroidered footprints on it. I think it would take a little convincing for me to actually step out of the shower onto it though, just because it looks so much like ART.

 Sew Mama, Sew! has been linking to tons of fantastic tutorials every day, and will continue throughout the month. Each day has a different theme, so definitely take a look.

Check out this fantastic tutorial for cocktail napkins at The Purl Bee. You could do these for any holiday or any time of year.

Sewing Stars has posted a cutesie little skeleton that you can print and cut out. If you put it together with brads, it’s movable. I think it would look really cute in a little apron.

My Paper Crane has made some adorable printable Halloween garland along with a smaller version that can be used as sucker toppers.

And this one’s not Halloweeny, but Turkey Feathers has a tutorial up for a beautiful Autumnal patchwork pillow (again, of course you can adapt it to different seasons).

Check out the Joyful Abode coloring contest entries, too! We’ve got FIVE entries now, so the contest is officially on. If you want to get in on the action, submit your entry by the end of Monday, October 29th. After that, the race to 13 votes commences.