I'm in looooooove

Ok. First of all, it's impossible to take a decent photo inside our apartment unless it's mid-afternoon and the sun is shining very brightly outside. And even then it's tricky. But the sun certainly isn't shining right now. So my photos really aren't going to do justice, but I'm powering through nonetheless.


Second, happy Valentine's Day! I love February (sorry, February haters) because we almost always get some sort of snow (which is why the sun isn't shining right now) and because it's a month full of family birthdays.

So having said that, look what arrived in the mail (for my birthday)!

I'm in awe. Grandma said this type of embroidery is called "hen scratching," if she recalls correctly. The gingham pattern determines the placement of the stitches, as you can see. And in true Grandma style, look how beautifully the gingham matches at the pockets. It's perfect. You can't even tell it's a patch pocket unless you look very closely.


Grandma didn't stitch this: a friend of hers embroidered it many years ago, and Grandma put it together. I love everything about it: the pink is a soft non-bubble-gum-pink-but-still-certainly-pink pink and the white is more of a creme. But don't get me started on the color names again. I also adore the combination of pink and white with a touch of black. It feels sophisticated, feminine and elegant. And maybe a little dangerous.

This is an occasion apron. One that you keep carefully folded in tissue paper in a dresser drawer and wear only on, say, Valentine's Day. But I still haven't decided what one wears underneath an apron like this.


Unless, maybe, something in black lace? Hmmm.