Happy Harvest Day or Halloween, Whichever you Prefer

Happy Harvest Day or Halloween! It is hard to believe that we are already through Octoboer and heading very quickly into the holiday season. Above is my front door. Doug absolutely hates the scarecrow. There is a window behind him so it looks like there is someone in the doorway every time we look over at the front door. It scares him. :) I keep it there anyway. Ha! Ha!

Below is one of the pumpkins carved at our house two weekends ago. Doug's sister, Kate and her boyfriend, James, both came for the weekend and we decided to carve pumpkins. The one pictured is James' creation. He completely did this freehand - amazing! He and Kate both are great artists. Doug and I used a template on ours and it looks fantastic, only it is starting to wither away and no longer blog worthy. :)


I went to the doctor yesterday. The baby has already dropped - the reason for all the pain in the lower part of my body. I am also almost 2 cm dilated. My doctor was thrilled and told us it won't be long now. So... we just wait. Your prayers are greatly appreciated as we anticipate our new arrival.

Stay safe out there this evening. I am off to bake cupcakes for a Harvest party we are attending tonight at some friends.

Packed and Ready... Just About

37 weeks today. It is hard to believe. Finally it feels like things are coming together and we are actually ready for our little one to arrive. Her bag is packed and mine practically is. It is kind of hard to have everything in a bag waiting by the door when certain items have to be used everyday. So... right now I kind of feel like I am living out of a suitcase in a way - basically just living out of my toiletry bag. :)

The nursery is almost done. We have all the furniture but the changing table - which I have been told to wait on. Other than that I am working on the art work for the walls. Above the bed will be a wall plaque with her name on it. Of course I can't show you that until after she arrives. Other than that, the curtains, glider and furniture are in place. Look at the beautiful crib. We finally got all the pieces and Doug put it together this weekend. It soon will be filled with our little princess.


I am feeling well, just a little sore and wobbly. It is also hard for me to get in and out of bed, out of the car, off the sofa. Other than a few false labor contractions yesterday on the way to church (scared Doug to death) all is well. I guess we will just have to see when our little bit will decide she is ready to enter into this world. Not much longer now. Stay posted. :)

New Products and Exciting Redesign

When you go to my new esty site - www.alisaprons.etsy.com - you will find this great banner at the top of my page. www.loftybydesign.etsy.com designed it for me and I am thrilled with it. You will probably find me redesigning a few of my things - business cards, garment tags, etc. Let me know what you think, but I am very pleased.


This is the nursing apron I have been promising to post. It is for my sister-in-law, Mary Catherine. She is expecting my niece, Adeline Elizabeth, in January.


I got the idea for this ingenious garment from a gift I received for my little one. Courtney Dettling Sirmon gave me a nursing apron from another company and I thought it was incredibly clever (so did all the other seasoned mothers who did not have such a garment to cover with when they were breastfeeding). Of course I examined the one that I was given (which includes the boning above that allows you and baby to see each other while feeding, an adjustable strap, and a terry "towel" in the inside corner of the cover to help with messy mouths) and knew that I could make it. With a little research and a little help from the ladies at Joann Fabrics I was able to put something together. You will notice this one has my niece's monogram at the bottom in chocolate brown - her mother's favorite, pink and chocolate. Let me know what you think.


I couldn't help but make Mary some matching burp cloths. They turned out well and I hope she will love them both. All this will be up soon on www.alisaprons.etsy.com to buy. Until then, if you have someone in mind that you would like one or both of these for just let me know at alisonenglish@bellsouth.net. Thanks for looking!

Etsy, Betsy

Well, I believe I have found a solution to my website issues. I came across this website the other day after hearing about it on the Martha Stewart Show. It allows me to sell my goods in an online shop - and makes it easier for you purchase them. All you need is a Paypal account and you will have to set up an Etsy account in order to buy. Beware, though, there are all kinds of great things on this site. This website specializes in handmade items and there are all sorts of fun, original things to be had.

For my goods, please go to www.alisaprons.etsy.com. I will post a few aprons up there, but please note that your order is subject to delays. I have eight orders in the works right now (the reason why I have no inventory). Hope you enjoy looking. :)

Feelings of Fall

This morning I am home, cleaning house, catching up on calls, and planning to sew all afternoon. It is a beautiful, crisp fall morning that I wish would never end. It is quiet - which I know will change very soon - and peaceful and I am officially drinking my first cup of hot chocolate.

Mine doesn't look as elegant as the one pictured, but it marks for me a new season - my favorite season, Autumn.

There is nothing like a warm cup of hot chocolate, coffee or tea (whatever your preference) on a cool fall morning. It is sweet, yummy and full of warmth, kind of like the season.

For all of you that live more to the south than me I do not envy you. The falls here are beautiful. Growing up in south Alabama, autumn only lasted a couple of weeks - sometimes one week depending on the weather. Here, we actually have a season. The leaves have not changed yet, but they are slowly turning. Soon everything will be full of color and being outside is heavenly.

It is awesome to me to see how God created such beauty in what essentially is death. I guess there is beauty in everything. We just have to look for it.

So... my friends, take a minute. Sip a hot beverage tomorrow morning, relish in the cooler tempertures, and look for the beauty in whatever you are experiencing. Enjoy!

Scones Anyone

It is Monday and I am worn out. I worked a golf tournament this morning for my job and got home around 1:30 p.m. I usually don't have my afternoons because I have work to do, but since I had to be up bright and early for the tournament I decided I would finish my day in the early afternoon.

I came home to quickly retreat to my sewing room to finish up some burp cloths for my baby and start on a gift for my sister-in-law, Mary Catherine's, baby shower. I am almost through with the project and I can't wait to post it and show you what it is.

In addition to my sewing all afternoon I also undertook a new baking recipe, scones. The above are not mine - I cannot take credit for such a beautiful product - but mine didn't turn out too badly. The above were created by one of my favorite chefs', Ina Gartin of Barefoot Contessa (you Food Network junkies know who I am talking about). She made these look so easy the other day on her show. Doug and I both decided we had to try them. I actually formulated her recipe to make blueberry scones. The above are orange cranberry. They turned out pretty well, but they were quite the project. I believe it took me almost an hour just to assemble all the ingredients. Needless to say, I am beat.

We may never have scones again, but at least I tried and was somewhat successful. So fellow readers beware! Just because the recipe says that the prep time is only 20 minutes know that you may be in the kitchen for a much longer time. Did I mention the time it takes to clean the mess up? I don't think they added that time into the prep time on the recipe. Happy creating, whatever it may be. :)

Pink Showers

Has it really been over two weeks since my last post? I guess I have been busy. I had my first baby shower on the 23rd in my hometown of Atmore, Alabama. It was lovely and wonderful to see so many friends that have loved and supported me over the years. Everyone was so generous and needless to say, my little one will be beautifully dressed from head to toe. Thanks to all of you who so graciously remembered Doug and me during this special time in our lives.

No, the baby's name is not Katherine (as much as my sister-in-law would love that because that is her name). The above picture is of the bedding my grandmother gave me as a shower gift. It came last week and I LOVE it. Doug and I are painting the baby's room this weekend and as soon as all of our furniture arrives and is in place I will share a real picture of the nursery. I am really starting to get excited.

Less than 7 weeks left. It is hard to believe that our time is winding down and our little princess will be here soon. I am feeling well, just fatigued and like my stomach can't get any larger. People keep telling me just to wait and see. It is going to get much bigger.

Hopefully I will have some new posts soon of my designs. I have two in the works right now. Off to my sewing room...