Frog fixins

It's funny how sometimes, right after you mention some sort of new plan, the stuff you need to carry out that plan just kind of falls in your lap.  Like a paper bag for instance.  A frog-sized paper bag.

It's a long story, but since I haven't been blogging much lately, I figure I owe you one.

Quite a few years ago, I found a great sewing pattern for a butcher-style apron.  It was wonderfully adjustable.  The tie was one long piece that was threaded up through a casing on one side of the front and down through another casing on the other side. You could pull up just enough of the strap at the top to fit your head through. Here's a picture:

I was sure I'd have a real hot seller at craft fairs, so I made a bunch.  In lots of fun novelty prints. Unfortunately, they turned out to be just lukewarm sellers.  Soon I was stashing the unsolds away in the closet--also known as my overstock warehouse. 

Just before last Christmas I was talking to Barbara, my neighbor, and she told me she was having a hard time coming up with a gift idea for our neighbor, Luigi, who always takes care of her mail and newspaper when she travels.

"I know he loves to play golf," I said.  "Does he like to cook?"

She said, yes, he did barbecue when the weather was nice.  I told her about an apron I had in my warehouse with golf bags on it and wondered if she thought he'd like it.  And, if she thought he would, I'd give it to her....since my craft fair days are over (but don't quote me on that). She was thrilled to say the least.  It was one difficult gift challenge she could cross off her list.

The other day Barbara and I were chatting again and she mentioned that she'd been to Luigi's for a BBQ on Memorial Day.

"You know," she said, "Luigi loves the apron.  He wears it all the time.  He cooks in it and he gardens in it."  Right away I began to feel much better about my lukewarm aprons.

"I have a favor to ask," she went on.  "He wants to know if you would make another one for his brother-in-law in Spain."

"Hmmmm," I hummed.  "I'm pretty sure I won't be able to find the same fabric after all this time.  But I might be able to find something similar."  She understood and said it wouldn't be a problem.

When I got home I looked around the Treehouse and discovered, down inside a box of this-and-that, another golf apron.  I guess I assumed lots of golfers, or golf widows, would be shopping at those early craft fairs and they'd be shoving each other out of the way to get to my fabulous aprons.

So I gave the apron to Barbara to give to Luigi, and insisted that this one would be complimentary just like the first one.  But, of course, Luigi wouldn't let my good deed go unrewarded. He brought me a nice bottle of chilled white wine.  So now, thank goodness, Mr. Gadget won't have to make a special trip to the liquor store.