Friday, January 25, 2013

Apron Strings

Yesterday, I showed you two parties I drew a ton of inspiration from. The little aprons made by the creative mom at Cookie Mondays were just something I couldn't get out of my head. Over Thanksgiving, Shimmer and I finally got her sewing machine out of the box (it's been almost three years since we gave it to her... mom of the year, I know). Anyway, in the early stages of planning her tenth birthday party, I was feeling pretty optimistic and thought maybe I could whip out four adorable little half aprons for the girls. I searched for the perfect material a few times online, but started to think better of this ambition when I considered the time and frustration I might encounter along the way, especially if I wanted to make the dolls matching aprons. I decided to focus on what I do best -- paper crafts and planning the details -- and let someone else do the aprons. Another few evenings curled up on the couch, this time on etsy, looking for the perfect little girl and doll aprons. This was no easy feat, since I am so particular!

While searching for the perfect aprons, I remembered pinning one quite some time ago for Shimmer made by anthropologie.


I looked it up to find that it was called "the sewing basket apron" and actually was available in mommy and little girl sizes! It even turns out that one of the little girls in the One Charming Party baking photos is also wearing that same apron!


Ok, now I must have these aprons for Shimmer and I. It would just be the perfect gift to remember her 10th birthday, and the vintage details of the apron make it keepsake quality. When I went online to anthropologie, I was super excited to see they still sold them... only to be saddened to find out that the little girl style was on backorder until February -- too late. Not to be deterred, I found that the apron was listed as "in stock" at a store near my mom. She went right out after work that night, but they didn't have one afterall, and the girl at the store said it was a new product and wouldn't be available until February. I knew that couldn't be totally accurate, since I had seen it on One Charming Party, and read reviews on anthropologie of people who bought and loved the apron. Back to the drawing board...

In the meantime, I found a wonderful seller, Mandy, on etsy who makes reversible little girls aprons (big enough for a 10 year old, and not just a 3 or 4 year old) and matching doll aprons, too! She welcomed custom orders, letting me choose my own fabric if it was available at the Hobby Lobby near her. Even though I wasn't sure that I would be able to get the anthro apron for Shimmer, I wanted to choose fabrics that would coordinate well and match the bright color scheme of our party. Fell in LOVE with Hobby Lobby's Songbird fabric (just a gorgeous pattern and perfect colors) and chose their Squash Blossom Swirls fabric for the reverse. Mandy used a fun polka dot ribbon for the apron strings and went above and beyond my expectations, sewing and sending these aprons faster than you can imagine! Please visit her shop, Creations by ftweetmom, on etsy for your daughters and dolls. Shimmer was so excited when the aprons arrived, she didn't know I had been planning this, and we couldn't wait to surprise her friends and their dolls when they came to her party!!!


I pinned a pretty silk rose on each of the girls aprons, and on the day of the party, we hung them on our barstools to await the girls arrival.

Are you wondering about the anthro aprons??? I said I was determined. I ended up calling another store and they had the little girl's apron in stock and shipped it to me. They didn't have my size though, so I ordered that online. They both arrived in plenty of time for the party. I kept them a secret until shortly before Shimmer's friends were due to arrive.


Am I the only one who gets excited about finding the perfect wrapping paper and/or gift bag to go with a gift or a party theme???


While I was out gathering party supplies, I found this yellow print wrapping paper and pretty gift bag at Home Goods. I wrapped the anthro apron in cupcake tissue paper and the yellow giftwrap, tieing it up with a turquoise ribbon, and trimming with a fun little pampered chef wooden spoon for the birthday girl, that I found in our kitchen drawer. Presentation is more than half the fun around here ;)

Shimmer loved her new apron and wore it for days after the party.


My mom surprised me too, by buying me a set of matching oven mitts to go with our aprons. The girls looked lovely in their etsy aprons, and we loved being able to send them home with such a fun favor for them and their dolls!

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