A Little Something for Mama

I was on the hunt for fabric for Fletch's Easter pants when I came across some $2 fabric that was too cute not to buy. I grabbed a yard and brought it home wondering what I would do with it. I have been wanting a cuter apron for cooking with, but just hadn't committed to a fabric or design. I realized that the one I was using was designed just fine, so I just copied that same apron.

I had an olive green serving apron from my days of working in a restaurant hanging up in the kitchen. It had two big pockets and super long ties. When I held up the new fabric to the olive colored one, I knew I'd found a good match. I decided to repurpose that old ugly apron with my new pretty fabric. I took to the old apron with my seam ripper and took off the pockets, undid the hems and removed the ties. I then ironed it all out to get as much surface area as possible.

I laid my old kitchen apron on top of the olive apron fabric and traced, allowing enough for the seam allowances. Once I had the main part cut out from the olive fabric, I cut out an identical piece from the cute fabric. I sewed them together and top stitched and viola...an apron. I used scraps to make the neck strap. For the ties, I opened up the thin ties from the apron with my seam ripper and ironed them flat, which made them the perfect width for my new apron. The last finishing touch was re-using one of the pockets and adding some trim to the top and some cut-out designs I appliqued onto the pocket. Pretty cute right? I love it!

Mission Accomplished

I finally received my diploma! 

And looky-here! I graduated with honors :)

It only took me 15 years! Hopefully now I can stop having those dreams about having to go back to high school to finish that last class that I didn't take so I can graduate; Or searching for my locker on the first day of school and then not having the combination; Or the one where I don't know what classes I'm supposed to be in or where to go. Do you see a theme here? I definitely feel a lot of relief about finally having a degree! 

The best part is that I know how proud my Mom would be that I finally finished. She always reminded me that I had the potential and I know she was probably frustrated with me for not taking college very serious when I was younger.  I don't regret all the fun and work experience I had over the years, but the one thing I do regret is that my Mom was not alive to see me finish. She was definitely one of my huge motivators for finishing and also for finally figuring out what I wanted to major in. 

So what's next? Well I am not 100% sure I will be walking the stage, which kind of bums me out. At least it is because of a joyous reason! I'm hoping this baby boy will be early like Fletch. I have no problem wobbling my way across the stage, with or without a baby in my belly though. 

I don't plan to teach right away because I plan to stay home with baby boy, like I did with Fletch. I am also considering getting my Masters in Learning Disabilities.  When I took Psychology of Individuals with Disabilities, I really felt a connection to my Mom and knowing I can use art as a method of reaching students with learning disabilities. We will have to see how my schedule with baby and our finances can handle that idea. I'm not quite ready to get started right away anyway. I just want to bask in the glory of reaching the finish line.