The word is out! Read all about it.

http://www.theforecaster.net/content/n-fptfarmers-1

L.L.Bean is knocking on our door

 If you look to the left from this scene you will find our market!

During the spring/summer/fall market seasons, Freeport is one of the Cumberland Farmer's Market setup locations. In the past we could be found in the parking lot of the town office on Friday afternoons. This year marks a significant change in our Freeport experience because we have been invited by L.L.Bean to set up on their campus as the Freeport Community Market.

Freeport has always been a good market for my aprons and we could always count on a modest number of tourists stopping by our market to see what's going on beneath all the brightly colored tents. This spring we will now be within the actual realm of that legendary store and within spitting distance of the thousands of visitors who come to the mecca that is L.L.Bean.

Excited? Yes, I'm excited. Unlike the farmers who sell consumables to their regular customers each week, fresh faces are necessary when selling non-food items. And to be in the middle of all those fresh faces each week throughout the "tourist" season - well, you can't get any better than that.

My aprons and my daughter's jewelry (check out her wares on etsy) will be ready to go on the official opening day on Friday, May 28th, from 3:00 through 7PM.

See you there!

The washing machine ate my apron.

Bunny apron before

 My daughter asked for an apron to wear when washing dishes while on her job as a nanny. I made one for her out of a whimsical bunny print, which would appeal to her small charge. One day her employer added it to a load of laundry, probably with the thought of doing a simple favor. Unfortunately, when the apron came out of the wash its look wasn't improved but instead emerged much worse for the experience - the washing machine had grabbed onto that apron and mangled it. Rip, tear, shred and it was no longer wearable.

She brought it home, I hung it in the laundry room and promptly forgot about it until I found myself in a mood to take care of the incomplete apron odds and ends. Remembering my daughter's apron, I found it amongst other, older aprons and took a closer look at the damage that was done. I realized how simple it would be to fix and that it was definitely not worth the long period of procrastination. It was a matter of ripping out the stitches holding the torn binding to the apron, finding new matching binding and sewing away. It was finished in a few short minutes, ironed and ready to report to work once again.

It felt good to have finally put that repair behind me and was grateful for the easy fix that it was.  

Bunny apron after

How about a contest?

As I mentioned in my previous post, I learned about a day created to celebrate hanging laundry outside to dry:

 Every year, on April 19th, Project Laundry List joins together with hundreds of organizations from around the country to educate communities about energy consumption. National Hanging Out Day was created to demonstrate how it is possible to save money and energy by using a clothesline.

Because I think this is a great idea I've decided to spread the news by creating a contest to give away the clothespin apron pictured in my March 25th post. From now until April 19th I will accept entries in one of two ways: though becoming a fan of Yo Momma's Apron Strings on my facebook page or by posting a comment on my Apron Strings blog.

All you have to do on either site is post a comment. On facebook you first become a fan of Yo Momma's Apron Strings and then "Share" by mentioning something about the contest. On my blog you will need to post a comment under my contest entry post (dated March 26). I will keep both sites updated and use them to announce the winner. In the event the winner is not within delivery distance, I will cover all shipping charges. There is absolutely no cost to the winner other than participation on one of my web pages.

For lack of being able to think of a more creative method, my plan is to write each entry on a separate piece of paper, stash them in a hat(?) for safekeeping,  and draw one lucky winner on April 19th. If I can get my act together and find a person willing to hold my camera, I will post a video of the event. Sounds like fun to me!

Enter as many times as you'd like and tell your friends and don't forget to spread the word about National Hanging Out Day and this opportunity to win a clothespin apron.

Green up your laundry.

That time of year has arrived. Give your clothes dryer a rest and pull out those clothespins because it's time to hang out the laundry. Hanging your laundry outside to dry means you will NOT be using your clothes dryer, which are notorious for their energy-gulping ability. They are typically the second-biggest electricity-using appliance after the refrigerator, costing about $85 to operate annually.

Believe it or not there is an official day to commemorate the practice: National Hang Out Day. But don't wait until April 19th since an early spring is upon us here in Maine and that sun is shining warm and bright, a perfect combination for drying clothes outside.

There is no reason for laundry hanging to be a mundane chore when you can become a stylin' laundry hanger-outer and wear a clothespin apron. With an apron designed for easy clothespin access, they will be forever handy and in one place when you hang and then take down your sun-dried, sweet smelling laundry.

So be green and, while you're at it, buy a clothespin apron and be good looking.

Wow! Mind-blowing social networking overload. Thanks, Rich Brooks of Flyte New Media!

Fueled by caffeine and a mind roiling with more information than I can process, I am ready to put some of Rich's incredible knowledge to work for me. It doesn't hurt that it involves using my trusty laptop (MacBook Pro for those of you who care) and the internet, two of my favorite tools.

Blogging, facebook, twitter, website, rss, and more, more, more are all at my fingertips if I can figure out how make the best use of what they can do for my business. I have my blog, facebook page and website but definitely have not tapped their potential beyond their surface application.

Rich Brooks is the Social Networking Man and I am his convert. The test will be to see how well I mange to keep up with this whole new aspect of my business while still taking care of the other facets of my life.

Crossing my fingers and I'm off!

Head needed.

It's spring here in Maine so it's off with the winter hats and on with my reversible headbands so the hair can flow in the breeze (but not in the eyes). They're what is selling these days at my booth at the Brunswick Winter Market so I'm pulling out my fabric scraps and sewing up new combinations. I would like to post ...some images on my website but my dilemma is how to photograph them. My lovely half mannequin has a wig that slides off and a head that is sub-normal in size. I think I need to borrow a head....

facebook!

All right then. I've created a facebook page dedicated to 

Yo Momma's Apron Strings. 

Want to become a fan?