Overdue Birthday Gift

I just sent a late birthday gift to a dear friend. It was about a month late, but she didn't seem to mind. Sometimes your birthday should last a whole month, don't you think?

I used the same fabric combo that I did with the bag that I made awhile back. I can't seem to get enough of it.


I used the apron pattern from Amy Butler's In Stitches. I think it's so cute! It has cutesy pleats in the front and long, luxerious ties. And, it's easy to make!


I coupled it with some homemade strawberry jam and apple butter. This friend is hippie enough to appreciate a gift homemade with lots of love.


I like that about her.

The Pumpkin Carving of 2009

Every year Jesse and I carve pumpkins. I absolutely love it. I'm not sure if he does, but he acts like it, and that is good enough for me.

This year was a little different - we didn't make a trip to the pumpkin patch. Instead, at the beginning of October, I walked out to our backyard and just plucked these pumpkin beauties from our garden. As you already know, I'm just so pleased with myself and that little garden. I've really enjoyed it - makes me smile.

Jesse is hilarious - he was practically laughing at himself while carving his pumpkin - thinking he was so clever. Which, he is, admittedly. You can't really tell in the above picture, but mine was a little ghost. Not terribly beautiful, but oh well. I cut out the entire ghost, carved around the outline a little and then stuck it back in with toothpicks. I've never done that before, but it worked out okay.

So, on Halloween night our little neighborhood trick-or-treaters were greeted by the ever-frightening display of a ghost saying "hi". Classic.