Strawberry Apron and Strawberry Cake

In addition to being interested in all things related to cooking and eating, clothes are something that really get me excited.  While breakfast can motivate me to get up in the morning and looking forward to lunch and dinner keeps me going throughout the day, the right clothes can put me in a better mood and make things I do during the day more fun.  Nothing gets me motivated to go for a run like a new pair of running shorts or new running shoes, and nothing keeps me more motivated while running than the thought of what I can eat after my run.  While it takes no special clothing to get me into the kitchen, donning a fun apron while I'm cooking away makes all the time I spend in the kitchen even more enjoyable.  As I told my grandma, aprons are the one part of cooking having to do with clothes, so I can't help but love them.  

My first apron was a sturdy, pink number from Williams-Sonoma that my mom gave me for Valentine's Day at some point in college.  It's my old standby, and its hefty material will surely make it last for years to come.  

My second apron was made by my crafty friend, Sarah, who cut up her Ikea duvet cover and refashioned it into several aprons.  I happen to own the same duvet cover, so I can wear my apron, lay on my bed, and be totally camouflaged.  Here's a picture of me, Sarah, and our friend Natasha showing off our matching aprons and drinking our breakfast.  

My next two apron acquisitions were Anthropologie finds that I couldn't resist.  I love all of Anthro's kitchen stuff, and their aprons are no exception.  

My collection is doing anything but shrinking, and I am up three more aprons after my trip to Iowa last week.  Yes, three.  My grandma and I somehow got onto the topic of aprons, one thing led to another, and before I knew it I was walking out of her house with two aprons.  Two vintage aprons.  They were both made by my great-grandmother years and years ago, back when the apron you wore to the church potluck was of the utmost importance.  

The first one has a nice spattering of fruits and veggies.  

And the second one has more of a country motif.  

I am so happy to have these aprons.  They aren't something I would see in a store and think, "I love that print," but it isn't the print that makes them special.  It's the fact that an everyday item as simple as an apron is being passed down from one generation to another.  I can cook in my kitchen and wear the same thing my great-grandmother wore when she was cooking in her kitchen.  How cool is that?  

The third of my new aprons is one that I actually made, finally using a pattern that I got last winter.  Even though I was a home ec. superstar back in middle school, it took me several painstaking hours and a lot of guidance from my mom to end up with something wearable.  It was well worth all of the hard work, though.  I absolutely love it.  The strawberry fabric is from Home Ec. in Iowa City, and the linen segments are from Hobby Lobby.  

I would kill for a sewing machine so I could make fun things like this more often.  

 

I didn't want to ramble on and on and not include anything about food, but instead of putting up a recipe I will point you in the direction of an incredibly easy cake recipe that you should try.  It takes maybe 10 minutes to throw together, and you can load it with fresh fruit for a slightly healthier dessert.  I used a good two cups of strawberries and a cup of apricots, but you can use whatever you have on hand.  You can find the recipe here.