I am a stay at home mom of 4 amazing kids. In my spare time I sew aprons. Evelyn (now age seven) shredded my vintage apron when she was just 18 months. So I made a new one for myself. It was horrible! So I changed the pattern, found some better quality fabrics, and came up with an apron I could live with. Since July of 2006 I have made just over 3,500 aprons in my spare time.
I love to touch fabrics all the time (never take me to a quilt shop!), and so I purchase high quality fabrics that not only look awesome, but fabrics that feel good, will not fade after repeated washings, and will last for years to come. Kind of like the apron of your grandmother, or favorite aunt.
For your information, I live in a smoke free/pet free home. I personally make every apron in the Not Your Mother’s Apron collection. Most of the designs are my own. The few that are not are adaptations of vintage apron patterns from designers such as Anne Adams and Marian Martin as well as other designs that I have only the pattern for, and no designer’s name to give credit to.
Natural home and beauty products are a newer endeavor for my family and I. With 4 children at home and having several allergies (including fragrance and formaldehyde), I decided my best bet would be to start making our lotions and creams. I have been making laundry soap since 2004, and have tweaked the recipe for our active family. All products are free of parabens, sulfates, fragrances, colorants,and formaldehyde (or formaldehyde releasing) ingredients. I use ingredients in their natural state in different formulas to get amazing products.
I use Optiphen as my preservative. The INCI is Phenoxyethanol Caprylyl (and) Glycol. I use this as 1% of the total volume of a product. Preservatives are a necessary evil, unless you love molds and bacteria to grow in your products. I use preservatives in any product with water in it (lotions and creams), or that may be exposed to water (scrubs). Anhydrous (products without water added like balms and lotion bars) are free of preservatives.
Thanks for checking the site out!
Sara Kujak