Tie One On Day | Apron Memories

KINDNESS MATTERS

On November 2, 2018 By EllynAnne In Blog

According to Oprah, “Kindness matters.” Her sentiment is ever so timely, especially in light of recent events to the contrary.

Despite the turmoil, kindness does abound!

To lift spirits, be encouraged, and find inspiration, join in celebrating the 13^th annual Tie One On Day!

Leave a comment at the end of this posting

sharing how you will participate in this year’s Tie One On Day.

Thanksgiving is a holiday of sharing, recollection and traditions, and the apron symbolizes these concepts.

Please join in and tie one on…an apron, of course! and make a difference in someone’s life with a gesture of kindness.

TIE ONE ON … GIVE FROM THE HEART … THEN GIVE THANKS

Gratefully, EllynAnne

TOODay & RAKfoundation #capturekindness

On November 23, 2017 By EllynAnne In Blog

Tie One On Day 2017 provided much reflection, as a means of honoring #nancyzieman and celebrating our recognition by the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation and its #capturekindness campaign.

Showcased by the RAKFoundation Week 2 challenge: Be Kind to Family, I considered the definition of family to include those we spend time with who support our endeavors.

Using that expanded definition of family, my TOODay 2017 recipients included two women I look forward to seeing at the gym, Roxanne and Karla. For almost 2 years, we’ve met four days a week at class, the commitment to attendance partially based on encouraging one another in our fitness goals. What better way to celebrate this sense of family than with cake! Taking a hint from the RAKfoundation website, personal notes expressed my appreciation of their friendship.

#capturekindness and TOODay 2017 with cake and a handwritten notes

Throughout the week, I continued to #capturekindness with deliveries of individual slices of pie, complete with napkins and forks for instant yummy indulging, to those whose paths

#capturekindness & TOODay deliveries of individual slices of pie

I cross who unfailingly greet me with a smile.

For Thanksgiving dinner, we’re gathering at the home of our son and daughter-in-law, who are hosting the evening with two full tables of family and friends. An undertaking that’s been days in the making of cooking and baking, we’re arriving with a TOODay #capturekindness offering – a lunch of hearty soup and freshly baked bread to nourish the host and hostess through an afternoon of final food preparation.

A TOODay #capturekindness delivery of nourishment to our Thanksgiving host and hostess

May your Thanksgiving #capturekindness and celebrate a bounty of family and friendships!

Gratefully, EllynAnne

Tie One On Day Kindness Catch-Up!

On November 16, 2017 By EllynAnne In Blog

Despite the recent events to the contrary, acts of kindness abound! To lift spirits, be encouraged, and find inspiration by others,

1. Visit the Tie One On Day page on EllynAnne’s website and honor #NancyZieman

2. Enter the Bernina USA / Tie One On Day apron event and giveaway

3. Join the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation’s #CaptureKindness Campaign

visit apronmemories.com to participate and enter the TOODay 2017 Giveaways!

TIME IS A-DWINDLING to participate in the 12th annual TOODay!

Tie One On Day’s loving sponsors are tied together by the belief that through kindness there will be change.

To bring attention to TOODay and encourage participation, sponsors Bernina USA, MikWright, Colonial Patterns, Heirloomed Collection , Amy Barickman/Indygo Junction, Andrews McMeel Publishing, Sarah Stitham-Workday Wear, author Paul Samuel Dolman, author Sherry Gore, Nails magazine, Union Stitch and Design, author Jill O’Connor, The Vintage Apron, Taste of Home, Schmetz Needles, Country Woman Magazine, American Sewing Guild, Cultivar Wine/Caspar Estate, and SewNews provide giveaways of their products, which are divided among four (4) randomly selected winners. Twelve years of TOODay giveaways = lots of very surprised and happy folks. To put your name in the giveaway hat, CLICK HERE FOR INFO AND ENTRY!

And this:

Gratefully, EllynAnne

Cake, I really, really love you!

On November 10, 2017 By EllynAnne In Blog

The occasion was a celebration, with champagne and a dessert, the menu. Only a most fabulous cake creation would do, and within the pages of

“Fruit is not dessert. Cake is dessert.” EllynAnne Geisel

CAKE, I LOVE YOU !, was this confection: a Dark Chocolate-Pudding Banana Cake. Author Jill O’Connor describes this cake’s chocolate pudding frosting as “…almost too decadent.” A chocolate pudding aficionado, I’d found the perfect dessert.

At first glance, this cake’s two-page recipe might intimidate; however, Jill’s talent as a cookbook author shines with straight forward, step-by-step instruction. For encouragement, I constantly referenced the photograph – three tiers of divine sumptuousness.

Bakers of all levels, take heed…if you can read, you can make this cake!

This is a cake completely from scratch. It’s helpful to study the recipe several times before breaking that first egg. Also helpful is noting you will need three cake pans of the same size (a detail I missed, which wasn’t a catastrophe but did have the cake looking a tad “Leaning Tower of Pisa”), and that the pudding must be made a day before use.

The day of, I baked the layers and assembled per the instructions. Minus the chocolate curls’ topping, the cake was a close enough approximation to have me pretty, pretty excited to present and serve.

Almost a week later, what’s left is still moist and delicious. Tonight’s dessert should finish it up, a sad note to what everyone who tasted agrees is the best cake ever!

Now, for some happy news – As a sponsor of Tie One On Day, Jill is giving away two (2) autographed copies of CAKE, I LOVE YOU!

In it’s 12th year, Tie One On Day is an annual opportunity to offer a gesture of kindness before giving thanks at Thanksgiving. Sponsors, like Jill, support TOODay because of the shared belief that through kindness comes change.

Give from the heart on Wednesday, then give thanks on Thursday!

CLICK HERE to be inspired by how others are embracing Tie One On Day and to enter for the giveaways provided by generous sponsors, like Jill O’Connor, the author of my now favorite cake cookbook, CAKE I LOVE YOU!

Thank you for participating in Tie One On Day – and making someone’s day brighter.

Gratefully, EllynAnne

Tie One On Day and Ellen March

On November 19, 2015 By EllynAnne In Blog

In 2009, I put together a mini-exhibit of my aprons and vintage domestic goods at the American Sewing Guild’s conference in Albuquerque. There, my path crossed with the sweetie pie editor of Sew News and Creative Machine Embroidery, Ellen March. Tying one on (…an apron, of course!), we discovered a shared passion for celebrating women of earlier generations and their talent in expressing themselves through needle and thread.

Ellen March_ea asg albu — Ellen March and EllynAnne first crossing paths at the 2009 ASG conference.

Two years later, Ellen invited me to appear as a guest on the inaugural season of her new venture, SewItAll TV. I was thrilled, very nervous and much relieved when Ellen brought her sewing skills to the Awesome Apron, and together we completed the project.

Ellen’s support of my love of aprons extends to her traditional sponsorship of Tie One On Day, my annual call-out to tie on an apron and bestow gestures of kindness to those in need. Responding to my yearly request for a TOODay goodie giveaway, she always provides…this year with a packed box of SewNews and Creative Machine Embroidery publications.

It was but a day or so after our TOODay giveaway emailing that I learned of Ellen’s concerns for her health and family’s well-being through her posting HERE. Please take a read, then take a look at this beautiful girl.

ellen m pic — Ellen March is asking for our **support** in her fight against breast cancer.

Wife, mama, daughter, sister, friend, colleague – Ellen is much-loved, admired and deserving of the very tenant of Tie One On Day: imparting gestures of kindness and especially in this situation, donations to her campaign: Ellen’s Breast Cancer Fight.

When considering kindness as a dollar point, imagine the campaign as the March family’s Thanksgiving dinner – instead of baking Ellen a pumpkin pie, donate the cost of the ingredients; in lieu of taking her a sweet potato casserole, donate the price of a sack of potatoes. I “fed” the fund a turkey dinner. Whatever your contribution, any amount will help to set the table.

The sooner the campaign’s goal is met, Ellen’s financial worries ease and she can completely concentrate on kickassing her cancer. So, please Tie One On (…an apron, of course!) and give from your heart and wallet to Ellen’s Breast Cancer Fight.

“Women clad in aprons have traditionally prepared the Thanksgiving meal, and it is within our historical linkage to share our bounty.”

TOOD 2015_x360 — visit www.apronmemories.com for TOODay inspiration, details and giveaway entry!

Thank you, everyone, for sharing this blog posting, participating in Tie One On Day, and putting the give back into Thanksgiving through acts of kindness to those in need.

xxEllynAnne

Nourishing Fare for TOODay Delivery

On November 11, 2015 By EllynAnne In Blog

“Women clad in aprons have traditionally prepared the Thanksgiving meal, and it is within our historical linkage to share our bounty.”

I’m sure it’s the time of year that has me preparing soups for Tie One On Day deliveries. A hearty soup with a side of corn bread and jam made up today’s basket of comfort and friendship.

TOOD bskt spbrjam — The simplest fare wrapped in bright kitchen cloths will brighten someone’s day.

“From scratch” is one way to put together a basket of comforting fare, but honestly, a quick mix with grated cheddar stirred into the batter bakes into a delicious cornbread. The same goes for repackaging a gourmet jam into a petite jar.

TOOD repackaging — Whether made from scratch or repacking of store-bought, a basket of comforting foods will be appreciated.

Participating in Tie One On Day is a way to put the “give” back into your Thanksgiving, and in doing so, bring joy to the life of someone in need! Supportive sponsors encourage your spreading the word and the love of TOODay with fabulous giveaways that will be won by four lucky participants. To Enter the Giveaways, click HERE.

When making a pot of soup to nourish others, I always set aside for us, too. Tripling the recipe will still have it a one-pot fixin’, and the extra can be frozen.

Sweet Potato Bean Soup

1 can (15 oz) chicken broth, 2 large sweet potato (peeled cut up), 1/2 medium onion, chopped, 3 celery thinly sliced, 1 carrot cut into small pieces, 1 T tomato paste, 1/4 tsp paprika, 1/4 tsp cumin, s&p to taste, 1 can (15.5 oz) white beans drained (1 nitrate-free beef sausage sliced and diced)

In a large pot over high heat, pour in broth and add sweet potatoes, onion, celery, tomato paste, paprika and cumin and bring to boil. Reduce heat and summer until vegetables are tender, 20-25 minutes. Stir in beans (& cut up sausage) until heated through.

For a creamy soup, puree 1 cup in a blender/mixer/processor and pour back into the pot.

The sponsors of Tie One On Day give from their hearts without expectation of payment – only that you help to spread the word and love of TOODay. So, thank you for that!

xxEllynAnne

“Let us live well, simply, economically, healthfully and artistically.”

Good Things to Eat (1909), A Blessing

Tie One On Day 2015

On November 4, 2015 By EllynAnne In Blog

“Women clad in aprons have traditionally prepared the Thanksgiving meal, and it is within our historical linkage to share our bounty.”

November 25, 2015 - Tie One On Day — Tie One On…Give from the heart…Then give thanks

On the eve of Thanksgiving some twelve years ago, I wrapped a pie in an apron with a handwritten note of sympathy slipped into the pocket, and delivered it to a neighbor experiencing more heartbreak than should be. Her response of delight and warmth was unexpected and very touching.

In offering a small gesture of recognition to the family’s situation, I was surprised at the unexpected joyfulness that I experienced. The win-win of the exchange was so memorable, I knew it had to be shared. So I created TIE ONE ON DAY™.

Celebrated on the eve of Thanksgiving – Wednesday, November 25 this year – TIE ONE ON DAY is an annual opportunity to share our good fortune by wrapping a loaf of bread or other baked good in domestic cloth and tuck in a sweet note; then tie one on…an apron, of course! and deliver the offering to a neighbor, friend or charity in need of a bit of kindness.

ENTER! ENTER! ENTER! ENTER! ENTER! ENTER! ENTER!

To encourage y’all adding TIE ONE ON DAY to your holiday tradition and embracing its message of sharing and gratefulness, a dedicated group of generous SPONSORS are putting some fabulous “give” into the TOODAY 2015 Goodie Giveaway!

To enter the TIE ONE ON DAY Giveaways, leave a comment at the end of this blog posting, sharing with others how you plan to be a part of this year’s TOOD. Your comment is your entry into the November 24th drawing for the giveaways. Four (4) Giveaway winners will be randomly selected and contacted via their provided email.

*TIE ONE ON DAY Giveaways are open only to entrants living within the United States

Thanksgiving is a holiday known for recollection, making new traditions and sharing. The apron symbolizes these concepts. A small bit of your time will make someone else’s day brilliantly brighter. And the more who participate, the more who receive. Such is the win-win of TOOD.

So please join me and tie one on…an apron, of course! and through Tie One On Day, make a difference in someone’s life.

Tie One On…Give from the heart…Then give thanks

xoxEllynAnne

To accompany your Tie One On Day delivery, this complimentary note card is available to download HERE.

PLEASE INCLUDE AN EMAIL WITH YOUR COMMENT, SO I CAN LET YOU KNOW IF YOU’RE A GIVEAWAY WINNER

Filling a Home with Cloths of Comfort

On November 21, 2013 By EllynAnne In Blog

When I approach a company or individual about sponsoring Tie One On Day, it’s because I believe they are perfectly aligned with the message that is the heart of TOOD: the value of kindness is priceless.

So when 2013 TOOD sponsor Kate Payne reached out to her hip girl’s community to bring light into a friend’s family’s darkest hours, I was immediately on board.

Victims of a flash flood, the family managed to salvage pieces of their lives, but lost forever were the mama’s sacred stash of recipes, handmade and family heirloom napkins, beautiful vintage aprons and tea towels…a household’s comforting cloth. Kate’s call-out asked for donations, to bring back a little handmade and vintage love into their lives. “This family of four will be adjusting to so many things over the coming weeks and months, let’s give them something to cherish.”

To replace the irreplaceable for a stranger gave me pause.

The selection of napkins was simple – a set so pristine they were likely never used; the selection of the apron required much consideration. From numerous possibles, I chose this one – a classic Fifties gingham with flowery cross stitching, tacking at the waist, and a pocket in need of minor mending – because as in life, it is less than perfect but gets the job done.

The homemaker who sewed this apron over sixty years ago would be flabbergasted that it still exists, much less that it will yet be worn again by a loving wife and mother.

A handwritten note accompanied the bundle, my message inspired by the apron story told to me by Vonetta Lee, the woman pictured: …when life happens, get your apron on and get goin’ !

Tie One On Day is the day before Thanksgiving because it offers an opportunity to give from the heart and then give thanks.

As I packaged the apron and mailed it to Kate, I could not stop smiling! and as I write this, my heart is filled with the happiness that comes from making someone else’s day a little brighter. Such is the win-win of TOOD.

xx EllynAnne

Oldie but Goodie

On November 18, 2013 By EllynAnne In Blog

Big excitement here when Kathryn Stockett, author of the Help, was the highlighted guest at the annual Library Ball. Following a month of city-wide events that utilized the book to enlighten and entertain, Kathryn arrived for the final week-end of activities and the big party. As a natural fit with the theme, a selection of aprons and storytellers from APRON CHRONICLES was displayed at the Ball.

Also as a natural fit to the very dressy occasion was my bunny stole.

A most elegant gift from my parents on my 18th birthday, I adored wearing my little white stole to the winter debutante parties of my friends. That was a long time ago, and life thereafter presented zero occasions for donning such a pouf, and until two weeks ago, it was packed away in the cedar chest.

I adored wearing “bunny” all these years later, especially with my favorite date of 40 years.

The winner of the 3rd Tie One On Day Fabulous Giveaway will be announced this Wednesday, November 20th. Sponsors and their generous giveaways this go-round include Heavenly Hostess, 5 green boxes, CK Media (SewNews & Creative Machine Embroidery), Andrews McMeel Publishing, Colonial Patterns, Susan Marks (Finding Betty Crocker), Simplicity and MyMemories. Sponsors provide their products because they believe in the power of acts of kindness, which is at the heart of Tie One On Day.

You need only enter once to be eligible for the Wednesday giveaways. To enter and learn more about Tie One On Day, click HERE.

The 1950s was the hey-day of aprons and entertaining, and history is repeating with today’s interest in tying one one (that apron, of course!) and having guests to our homes.

For this gathering of 12, this smart hostess is offering a variety of attractively displayed hors d’oeuvres, to encourage eating along with the drinking.

Budget-minded, her party menu includes a tossed salad, vegetables and dip, pickles, petite sandwiches with sliced olives as the topper décor, a gelatin salad, mints and cookies. Should no one disturb the centerpiece, the fruit will be cleaned out in the next week’s school lunch bags.

As to the likelihood of leftovers, the woman in black would never be the only female watching her figure. Cutting her appetite with a cigarette and dining on a delicately-selected mint, her husband will graze for two and fill up!

It’s not only my old bunny stole that’s new again. Vintage recipes of decades past are reappearing. For holiday entertaining, this dip is a pleaser.

Deviled Crab ‘n Spinach from Household magazine, November_1958

1 package (10 oz) frozen chopped spinach

salt and pepper

2 cans (6 oz each) crab meat, drained

3 Tbs mayonnaise

2 Tbs catsup

1 Tbs chili sauce

1 1/2 t prepared horseradish

1 t lemon juice

1/4 t salt

1 Tbs butter

fine dry breadcrumbs

Cook spinach as directed on the package; drain and season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon spinach into 6 to 8 buttered individual shells or into a baking dish. Flake crab meat, removing any bone or membrane. Combine crab meat with mayonnaise, catsup, chili sauce, horseradish, lemon juice and 1/4 t salt. Spoon mixture over spinach. Dot the top(s) with butter and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Heat in hot oven (400 degrees) for about 10 minutes. Garnish with pimiento stars, if desired. Serves 6-8.

There’s still time to tie one on (…..!) and give from the heart!

xx EllynAnne

2 Peas in a Pod Tie One On

On November 7, 2013 By EllynAnne In Blog

Some things are just meant to be, and so it is that after a year of chatting via skype, Retro Rad Chef Emily Ellyn and I meet up! As EE and EA, we’re two vintage-lovin’ peas in a pod with a penchant for cat eye glasses and tying one on…an apron, of course!

When we weren’t laughing, we talked. And one topic was Tie One On Day and food as a gesture of kindness.

As a sponsor of Tie One On Day, Emily Ellyn brought with her a neat idea for the packaging of a TOODay food delivery, which appears in this video:

EllynAnne and Emily Ellyn Tie One On Day chit chat and packaging ideas

We may live far from one another, but as two peas, our paths are destined to cross again and often. Stay tuned!

Tie One On Day participation and entry for the giveaways is easy. Clicking HERE will take you directly to the blog, where you can leave a comment and inspire others by describing your gesture of kindness.

Thank you for spreading the word and love of Tie One On Day, because the more who participate, the more who receive!

Give From the Heart. Then Give Thanks.

xx EllynAnne