Thanks for Giving

When I was in elementary school, my mom started a tradition. Every year at thanksgiving time we would make fresh homemade apple juice and take it to our teachers. Mom called it "thanks for giving" juice. I loved making it with her--and I loved giving it to my teachers.

As you may know, I've been making aprons. They've been a great healing, creative process for me over the past couple of months. I realize, though, that these aprons are thanks-for-giving aprons. I have so many dear friends and each apron is a tribute to a wonderful person. Here are my latest creations:This is for the wife (whose name I cannot remember!) of the sweet mechanic friend of a friend who replaced my timing belt. Not only did he do it at his house on his day off so I could save a TON of money, but he replaced my windshield wiper blades. He loaned me his car while he had mine, and they fed me dinner when I went to pick up my car. Incredible.


This apron was for my sweet friend Shireen. She was my next door neighbor at Heritage Halls my frieshman year at BYU, and I quickly knew I had found a kindred spirit. She and her husband Aaron (whose shrine I met in Shireen's dorm room) moved out to DC after they graduated from BYU. They have welcomed me into their home several times and I've had many a delectable meal at their house. Shireen is an incredible cook, so I'm sure she'll put this to good use.Stacie Perkins was my roommate for a very brief six-week window in between the crazy comings and goings of my house this summer. Not only is she a capable, talented, beautiful woman, but she is a sensitive, kind-hearted person. I was so grateful for her emails and words of support and thought for me over the past couple of months. I hope she can use this feminine apron in the next phase of her life...This little deal was for my great roommate Jenette. What a champ. I'm so grateful for her laid-back, easy-going approach to life. I love that she loves museums and books and football. I'm so glad she's been around the past few months. You all need to get to know her. She is GREAT.
This was a very late birthday present for an old roommate Janel. Janel and I lived together in Arizona several years ago. Our birthdays are very, very close, and after a quick visit together in the spring, she sent me a really sweet birthday present. I had a crazy couple of months in there with a conference and a family wedding and vacation, and then other events, and got around to sending her this apron (which I duplicated for myself!) to her new home and adventurs in Tennessee.This little orange number was for my friend Autumn. We ran the Baltimore half marathon together. I think Autumn is an amazing person, doing amazing things, all with an amazing little family. I love sitting next to them at church--Avery is one of the most entertaining little guys ever, with a smile so big it'll crack his face open.
And whil this isn't an apron, it's still a thanks-for-giving project. This little quilt came of the quilt block exchange this past spring. I put together these four blocks for my new little nephew, Luke. I met him this past week in Colorado (pictures coming up!), and he filled my heart in so many different ways. Only two months old and he's a giver! Boy do I love that baby.

Just a sample of my thanks-for-giving gig...