The Little Dishcloth that Could....

Last year, while on family vacation in South Carolina, we visited the Magnolia Plantation.

Besides the amazing tour of the house...

the gardens...

the slave houses...(which in fact were actually USED by SLAVES up until the late 1980's..)

the petting zoo...(where Eliel got his first "hear" of a peacock and panicked...loudly)

and even the swamp garden...

what I looked forward to was visiting the Gift Shop. Call me silly, but I wanted to see if I could find a "Southern" apron or dish cloth set. We had just renovated our kitchen (in what I call a farmhouse-cottage by the sea style) and I wanted some finishing touches.

Well, I nearly squealed when I saw a dish cloth that would be perfect. A pretty blue and green plaid print.

At first, I thought I was that much closer to the country kitchen diva I so wanted to be and then I had an idea. The dish cloth was larger than most regular cloths (but then again, isn't everything in the South so....or is it just in Texas...? anyhow.). So, I took it home, telling my husband that I was going to do something really special with it. He didn't seem convinced -- he was probably tired of my spending, so I discussed the hidden benefits because I was gonna make this into something else that was on my "must-buy" list -- an apron --- so I was actually saving money. Okay, see how much I love ya. I am helping you and your checkbook out. Yeah you can give me a high-five for that.

So.....good thing we didn't talk about any compounding interest for it was almost a YEAR later that I actually got around to this project.

I went to Walmart for post-Christmas sales and actually found this pink paisley ribbon for oooohhhh $1.22! It was wired, so I just took that out and used some for the waistband and for around the neck. At first, I thought the pink was too bright in contrast to the pastel blue and green (tho' it's not that bright as how it shows in the pictures...) but I am totally okay with the contrast. You know, it brings attention to my hips when I am shaking it like Shakira.

I even made an organza and silk flower and added a little (well, not so little...) rhinestone. For some extra detail, I added green leafs and a stalk.

By the way, some other items I purchased there (cuz I was saving y'know..) was a gorgeous (gorgeous, I repeat) blue lotus candleholder and a glass starfish from the Science Museum.

I didn't have a camera handy when I was making it, but if enough people ask, I can write up a tutorial. It was VERY easy. Under an hour. Even with a 2 year old around :)

Linky Parties that my apron and I are attending...

The Thrifty House
Blue Cricket Designs
The Shabby Chic Cottage
Fireflys and Jellybeans
Somewhat Simple
Tales from Bloggerritaville
Beyond the Picket Fence
Life as Lori
Just a Girl