A Marvelous Mini-Meme!

This go-round the meme is not actually required, since you are just about all already at work on your aprons! But, still, we're tagging ALL of you to do this for fun and to get to know a little more about each other. Please answer as soon as you're able and we'll post links to everyone's answers when we're all done!

1. What is your first food memory?
2. What was your favorite dish/food as a child?
3. Name one of your mini's favorite foods:
4. What was your mini's first solid food? Did they love it or hate it?
5. What was something you were excited to make for your mini for the first time?
6. What is your favorite food memory?
7. Your mini's birthday party : All out theme with perfect kid food ala Martha? or Quiet family home party with scrumptious cupcakes? Something in-between?
8. Name one thing you absolutely love to make and eat when you are feeling like a kid again:
9. Name something you ate as a kid that you now look back on and wonder "what were my childhood taste buds thinking??" :
10. Name 3 things your mini loves (doesn't have to be food related):

All About Recipe Cards!

Here's the scoop on the recipe cards. You need to pick out three recipes that fit the theme. Then make three 3"x5" recipe cards (if you really need more room, you can make a 2-part card in there if you need to) to fit the theme and maybe even coordinate with your apron! Craftiness is encouraged, with a few limits: no significant 3-D elements, and nothing projecting outside of the card's edges. Also remember; while the recipes all need to be kid-tested favorites, the recipe cards are for your swap partner, not their mini!

Here's some samples from previous swaps:


made by Thien-Kim for swap 2


made by Sarah for swap 1


made by Kim for swap 2

You can check previous swap posts for lots more ideas!

If you are not all that crafty on paper, it is totally fine to go find yourself some cute pre-made cards and use those. There are tons of cute 3x5 cards out there, I looked on etsy and found these adorable parisian motif cards, cute owl cards (no size listed though, so check before buying!), and my favorites, the Domestic Divas cards! If you want to print something out, I found a cool recipe card maker online that will format 3x5 cards for you (with art!) for free; or you can download free recipe card templates for MS Word.

Any questions? Drop us a line!

meet & greet!

Well, our party is started, and here's this go-round's guest list:

Amy
Ann
Cate
Catrina
Crystal
Danesha
Kirie
Lauri
Mary
Megan
Nancy
Patricia
Raesha
Sarah
Shanna

Now mingle, everybody!

apron ideas!

Hey everybody! This party's about to get started -- in the meantime, how about a little inspiration...

Are you all ready to start thinking about aprons? Just remember, you'll need to keep your partner's mini in mind: what kinds of things they'll be doing and what sort of fabrics and colors they might like. (And don't forget, size will be important!) Since we're talking kids here, washable and dryable is probably a must -- a test pre-washing of fabrics, notions, and maybe even the finished apron may be a good idea here. (Although please use no scented products when washing & drying -- washing alone with no products at all is probably best!)


from Babyfairies' photostream on flickr

Some neat ideas I've found floating around the web:

How cute are these adorable kid's aprons from Furnis? I'm partial to the egg, but the cheese and duck are cute too!

"Apron-dresses" from L'oiseau Bateau - the design is great and the decorations amazing. Totally knock-off-able!

Isn't this little boy's art smock from our beloved Ticky Tacky awesome? (Pattern here and some girly versions here.)

Check out this sleeveless smock - I love the kappa pocket detail!

Don't forget the half-apron, it works surprisingly well on a little one -- this one was a birthday present for my mini from Mary Ann.

I am having real trouble finding a photo of the classic pullover Japanese art smock (the one that you will find in practically every Japanese pattern book) -- here's the best I could do. And how about the aprons on his two friends?

This Marimekko apron is a classic design in an eye-popping print - great idea!

And for a million other ideas (okay, 222 as of right now), check out kid's aprons on flickr.

the doors are closing

We're going to close signups tonight around 9pm and get this party started! See you then!

still some seats left!

We've still got a handful of openings, so let us know if you want to join us.

ALSO: I found one sign-up email in our spam folder last night, and I'm afraid there may have been more. If you emailed yesterday and did not hear back, please write us again! thanks!

sign up today!

We'll start taking sign-ups at noon today! Please send us an email with your name, a link to your blog, and where you are located.

And in case you were wondering, since I totally forgot to put it in the last post...aprons and recipe cards will be due to your partner by April 5th, and we'll be asking everyone to post about their swap goodies (both sent and received) between April 6th-8th for our big apron party! (Sending early is okay! But please don't post until the party starts on April 6th.)