A KitchenWitche's Apron- as I know it .

It looked as if it was going to be one of "THOose" days in the kitchen today.

Yup!
I should probably have taken my clue card and left when I set my pot holder on fire.

But did I ?

Ohhh No.

I stayed.

I stayed through spilling the
kosher salt , and dumping my extract.

I stayed through spilling my coffee - the whole fresh hot cup- onto my feet.
( I am OK , it only stung -no burn- lucky I was for sure!)

I stayed through grabbing the cookie sheet from the 400 degree F. oven with my bare fingers.

I stayed through dropping the chef knife
(If it were not for my crocks ( shoes) it would have been a toe for sure)

I stayed through running a fork prong between my wedding ring and my finger.
(again no injury per-say, but yet another close call. )

I stayed through dropping one of my last 3 eggs on the floor- thank goodness I only needed 2.

I stayed through burning one batch of scones and the batch of cookies..
( something I have not done since I first started to bake in my own kitchen ... years ago!!!)

Then I stayed to figure out what was off ... why was I apparently so out of kilter .... what was I doing or not doing differently .. and if it wasn't me .. then what was up in this room?????

Sure most would chalk this up to a "bad day" and walk away.
Not me .
As I see it,
I am as responsible for my good or bad days as any influence/excuse one can think of.

Then it dawned on me....
I didn't have my trusty-rusty black apron on... was that it.. could something so mundane be why I felt so out of sorts in my kitchen??

Well, I had run the gambit of all thing it could have possibly been and wasn't any of those.
So, I put it on and
I stayed in the kitchen ...

You see, I am what some would consider a KitchenWitch.. and many of us you talk to will have something to say about the tools and equipment we use in the kitchen. Among those items many will list the apron (not all, but many of us will).

There are all sorts of neet-o-nifty-diddies out there about the meanings and sentiments of the apron and what it represent concerning our foremothers, and the homes and environments they made for loved ones all the while wearing thier tried-n-true favorite apron .

The apron is most certainly all those things and more.

In the energies the apron raises through our psychological correlations of these types of memories, we connect with our foremothers. And through them, we can connect to any or all aspect of the Goddess.
Maiden, Mother, and Crone.

Beyond it's obvious uses , the apron could be considered a wonderful teaching tool when teaching someone how to protect themselves. For some, trying to carry the image of "protective armor" is literally more than they can bare at the beginning point in there self empowerment and sense of a form of self protection.
Using a light weight apron, teach the younger to envision the prettiest lights in all colors and any pattern that connects these colors, that they can imagine. Tell them it can even be random splatters of color, but that the colors must connect. Instruct them that this protection of light can be put on as one would put on a light weight, well fitting apron, but that unlike the apron which only covers a part of them, the light they are putting on covers them like a suit they can not feel, and when they tie up or button up the back , they are wrapping themselves in feather weight light to protect them in the kitchen (or whenever they feel they need it . )

You might even make an apron in a solid color of their choice, then let them decorate it however they wish to help them visualize and sense the connection of the self empowerment and self protection .

The apron carries in it's pockets inspiration disguised as recipes and seasonings and those little utensils you have no place else to put at the moment and some times hidden treasures like sweets and all sorts of stuffs.

Well, true or not about my favorite aprons protective powers ( my beliefs are mine), all the shenanigans in my kitchen stopped after I put it on.

Lets just say there was enough proof in the pudding for me about my connection to wearing my apron when I am in the kitchen!

Light and Blessings and in hopes of a better day tomorrow for all !
Ma Fey

Goodies and an Apron for March Random Acts of Kindess Month , posting No. 2

March 2010 is Random Acts of Kindness Month at the Domestic Witch's and i am participating, though some what behind on my postings of my activities. so lets do a little catchup..

I am having a Wizzbanger ( that's good) of a time with this !

Friday
Mailed a greeting card to a Friend over in another town , just because I wanted to and I have never done that to her before cause we chitter on the phone usually. ( when I can hear on the blasted thing).








Saturday
I sent over a box of Girl Scout Cookies to a friend where she works . These were a perfect way to just say thank you to her for being a great neighbor and friend to us since the cookies are pressed with ways to say thank you in several different languages and they were very tasty too. ( yest i had to have a second box so i could "be sure" they were "worthy " of my intended sentiment ..LOL ( oh and they were quite tasty to say the least of them)







Sunday ,
I sent a dish of my Peppered Black Current Vermicelli and Chicken ( not the pizza, just a hot dish of the Peppered Black Current vermicelli and chicken -- he has some problems with certain foods) down to a friend who's been having a bit of a ruff spot lately and we included some groceries for him and his kitty-cat. ( I forgot to photo the bag of groceries and the hot plate.. silly me..did it totally anonymously too -giggle)

Monday (today)

( Goddess bless the husband who will put on an apron before coffee and still in his pajamas, so his wife can photo it for her blog!)

I made an apron from a vintage linen place mat, 3 vintage linen napkins, and bias tape








I even managed to fold the napkins so they made pockets with a cover












I pressed it ( from the back side) with water and not starch so that if she needed or wanted to store it for a while, the starch wouldn't damage the fabrics











But then I thought,
it needed a little something more,
so...









I added a packet of Moonflower seeds to the pocket !









Then folded it all neatly and wrapped it in paper and tied it with a bow.

Next I got out a little note card and wrote a simple thank you for being such a nice neighbor type note in it and asked my husband to take it across the street to a neighbor lady we barely know and leave it in her door ... again totally anonymous! tee-he-he




Well I am off to make scones and shortbread cookies to be delivered to a friend's Mother who is a shut in ! I just have to figure out how to get them to her anonymously ... though that part may not be possible.. but we'll see!)

May blessings of Kindness ~ random or Not~ fill you lives !
Ma Fey

White Tiger Apron For the Niece

This is the apron I made for my niece .

It was a pre-printed cotton panel for making a lap quilt or wall hanging from . But Since she is a newly wed mother with 2 sets of twins ( no fertility drugs involved - it's genetic.) and is really getting into baking and cooking, I thought it was high time she had an apron. This was the perfect fabric to use as she has ALWAYS loved the White bangle tiger. The ruffle, trim and ties where all made from a vintage piece of linen that I had here that matched the color of the tigers eyes perfectly, so some re-purposed fabric was involved in the making of it as well. The pattern I used was Butterick see & sew B5125 . The directions where not as clear as some of thier other patterns I have used ( which is probably why i don't use store bought patterns often) , but I got it figured out .

and

SHE LOVES IT and looks rather spiffy in it ; but I am still working on convincing her it was made to use and not hang on a wall as a pretty .

oh well, as long as she enjoys it for years to come, that's all that's important!

I got The Apron Book For Christmas

Look what I got for Christmas!!!!

Happy Dance!
Happy Dance!
Happy Dance !

God and Goddess Bless my husbands heart with as 3 times the happiness that his gift has filled mine with . granted this was only one of the gifts, I must confess it is my favorite from him this year.

I have wanted this book since it first came out , this and the EllynAnne Geisel wrote on vintage linens (still on my wish list-with a few others- but that's ok as good things DO come to those who wait)

I just can not wait to copy the pattern it comes with ( don't want to destroy the original pattern) and make ( yet another) apron for my collection or to give as a gift ..

I LOVE APRONS .. always have , always will. I love making them, wearing them and giving them and collecting them.

I must admit that after waiting so long to get my hands on this jewel, I was almost afraid to crack it open fearing that it's content might be anticlimactic to my anticipation , but I am not one bit disappointed.. if any thing it exceeded my expectations.

Christmas day was so busy , I baerly got the chance to hold the book and the day after Christmas I spent in the dark, avoiding sound from an usualy sever migrain hearach,
So the second day after Christmas , which aslo found me down in bed with the usual physical problems I fight with daily, Was the day! I resigned my self to the fact that I would be spending yet another day in bed, but, a Good cup of Hot Chocolate and some gingerbread cookies , my reading glasses and this book helped make my bed rest bearable.

First I flipped through , stopping to briefly gaze at what ever random photos caught my eye.

Then I thumbed through every page to study the photos and read the little snippets and tidbits that caught my attention .

By noon it was time for meds and some lunch ( gotta watch that blood sugar too) ,then an afternoon movie with the Husband , and the overwhelming demand of my body for a nap, all kept me from my new eye candy.

Finaly, just after supper, I foung the peace and quite to start to read it from cover to cover... which I did that night .. Like a captivationg novel, this book comaned my total attention and i was willing to give it ..

I am soo happy with this book.. I will be reading and looking through it over and over and over.

I am sooo happy .

I hope every one got a gift this year that made them as happy as this treasure made me .