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If you’re observant, you may notice I have a favorite pair of boots.  They are my go-to for events, photo-shoots, videos, church, tooling around, etc.  Basically any time I need to wear “real clothes”.

They are the Deerfield boots from LL Bean and Jeff bought them for me for Christmas a few years ago.  They don’t carry the exact style any longer, but they offer a few that are similar.  Anyway, they are comfy and they just get better with age.

I honestly don’t mind that they are scuffed and wrinkled, but I figured they could use a little TLC.

Kriste wrote a post for the MMSMP blog about hydrating and polishing her leather booths with our Hemp Oil and 100% Beeswax Finish.  Her boots looked amazing and I happened to have both products on hand (duh), so I tried it on my favorite boots.

Believe it or not, I haven’t used Hemp Oil on my leather boots before!  I’ve used it on a lot of other leather pieces, but I don’t wear my boots to the studio very often, so I just didn’t think of it.

Well, the Hemp Oil hydrates the leather and cleans it a bit as well.  I applied it like I would on a piece of furniture – brushing it on and then wiping off all excess with a microfiber cloth.  I then applied some 100% Beeswax Finish to polish to boots and bring back some shine, again, using a microfiber cloth.  The nice thing about the Beeswax is it adds a very warm, natural shine.  These boots just wouldn’t look right really glossy.

And wow!  I couldn’t do the other boot fast enough!  Well, I had to take a picture first, but then I couldn’t do the other boot fast enough.  I am a blogger, after all.

The color did fade again as the oil dried, but they looked so rich an beautiful.  I have another pair of favorite boots that will be getting this treatment.

Kriste shared more of a detailed tutorial on the process, so you can check that out on the MMSMP blog, if you’re interested.

It does make me happy, though, that our products are so versatile.  If something does one thing well, that’s awesome.  If it does a lot of things well, that’s a staple.

I do need to take my boots to a cobbler (Are they still called that?), though, and have some repair done to the heel.  They are such beautiful boots that it will be worth it.

Since I’m sharing about wearable items today, I thought I would also share about the linen smock apron I’ve been wearing lately.  I spotted it at Stephanie’s shop when I was teaching the workshops at Me & Mrs Jones.  There was one on a mannequin and I gravitated right to it.  There’s something nostalgic about a smock-style, cross-backed apron and this one was linen.

I tried it on and asked Shaunna if it looked like a linen sack on me.

She smiled and answered in her southern drawl,  “Um…  Yes.  It does.  But, not really in a bad way.”

I shrugged the apron off and scrunched my nose.  I really don’t need to wear things that are sack-like.  They just don’t do anything for me.

But, I really, really loved it.  I’m sure you’ve been there before.  You know what you’re wearing might be a shapeless sack…it might even constitute a moo-moo, but you still love it.

Well, I borrowed one of Stephanie’s paint-splattered cotton aprons in the same style as I prepared for the workshop and I fell in love with the apron even more.  It has cute pleated pockets I could keep things in or tuck my hands in, which I tend to do when I feel fidgety.  I like the cross-back style and how generous the fabric is, so it’s comfortable and not cinched around my waste.

I grabbed it back off the mannequin before the workshop started and thrusted it in Stephanie’s hands in resignation.

 “I’m buying it.  I don’t care if it’s a sack.”

Stephanie ended up gifting it to me, but I had to argue with her over it for a little bit.  Our horns were locked.  She wanted to give her guest a gift and I wanted to support my hostess and fellow creative entrepreneur.

She said I could show my support to the vendors at the Fancy Little Flea.  I backed down and accepted the smock.

I have received several comments and e-mails asking where they can be purchased.  If you live in the Memphis, TN area, you can buy them at either of the Me & Mrs. Jones locations.  (They are made by a local seamstress for Stephanie.)

Me & Mrs Jones does not have an online shop, but if you’re not local to her and interested in purchasing one, you can send an e-mail to Stephanie (stephanie@mrsjonespaintedfinishes.com) to get pricing, measurements, and to place an order.

I wear mine all the time and I find that it makes me want to wear actual clothes to the studio, not just my painting clothes.  I’ll wear those when I know I’m going to be doing a lot of dirty work, but it’s nice to wear a pair of jeans and a nice shirt, or some leggings and a casual dress sometimes.  I can just throw my smock on and not worry about paint splatters.

And, this is totally silly, but it does make me feel a bit more like a “real artist”.

Any preschool student knows that an artist needs a smock…

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    44 Comments

    1. Botanic Bleu

      Marian,
      Even though the apron is sack-like, you are as cute as a bug in it. Wear it proudly. 🙂

      Judith

    2. Botanic Bleu

      Being cute as a bug is a compliment in the Deep South. Judith

        • Bonnie

          I also think you’re “cute as a bug” and yes, that’s a real compliment!@

    3. Gail

      I think there is beauty in utility.

      Regards, Gail

    4. betsy

      I’m doing that to my boots today! Wow!

    5. Barbara

      Marian,
      I have those same boots from LL Bean. Mine are so worn too, and I happen to have some of your Hemp Oil on my shelf! I know what I am doing today!!! haha Anyway, I was wearing them the other day and noticed the back heals were kinda peeling and wearing down at the edge. I also need to take mine to the shoe repair. I wear them all the time.. They are so comfy. Anyway, thanks for the tip. BTW you look great in your apron!!! Blessings

    6. Nancy

      I like the apron. I think you are rocking that look, Marian. It has a “sense and sensibility” with Emma Stone, “Elinor in the garden ” vibe, like you found it in an English country antique shop and use it for artsy creative stuff. I think it’s great, and how often I put off doing creative things at home because I don’t want to change clothes- a quick and stylish way to get covered and eliminate excuses!

      • Miss Mustard Seed

        Well, I love Jane Austen and period movies/miniseries in general, so I’m sure that has something to do with it!

    7. Jo

      Great pix, thanks for sharing!

    8. Rick S

      The smock looks great, maybe just needs a cross stitched monogram 🙂
      rick

    9. Jeanne

      Love the mix of Leather and Linen in this post…an artist needs a smock…my favorite quote of the day. 🙂

    10. judith

      You do look cute in the smock, Marian. But your new, longer hair makes you look really pretty. The new length suits you!

    11. Vickie white

      take a look at the linen pinafores at roughlinen.com I have a couple of them and wear them all the time!!!

    12. KIm O.

      I love your boot “taste” looked for those LL bean ones and the style has definitely changed. Bought the Timberline ones that you’ve spoke about and love them. However, I feel your emotion about the Smock. I feel happy every time I step into my fur-lined Crocs, and my fashion-forward daughters all roll their eyes and give me and “eeeww” mom! The comfort and ease just win them over. I think your smock looks adorable on you!

      • Miss Mustard Seed

        Yes, those Timberlands are my 2nd favorite. They are just a little harder to wear with jeans, since they are tight against the calf, but they are so comfortable and I love the laces.

        So funny about the crocks. I wear fur-lined crocks to the studio during the cold months. I realize they are so dumpy-looking and not fashionable at all, but they are comfortable and I can wash the insert and hose off the shoes, which is important since I can do some pretty grungy work.

    13. AnnW

      I have several feed sacks and lots of that hemp/flax fabric with stripes. I think I’ll make one. Thanks or the idea!

    14. Lucy Doane

      Love the linen smock. Put your hemp oil on my boots. They look great. Thank you.

    15. Colette J.

      I didn’t even realize it was a “smock”, I love it!

    16. Laura

      Just before you get a cobbler to fix your boots,I’m pretty sure LL Bean guarantees their products for life. Lived in Maine briefly but when Bean boots were backordered for 3+ months in 2014, the owner of the company my husband worked for said, “I have a pair of those. Bought ’em 50 or so years ago. When the soles wear out, I send them back to LL Bean and they fix them. for free “. Just sayin’. Check first.

    17. Jessica | Petal + Ply

      I’ve been meaning to get my hemp oil out to use on my leather boots. The toe especially is scuffed up and worn and Could use some
      hydration. 🙂 The smock is very cute on you. If it was fitted I don’t think it wouldn’t be very comfortable to work in

    18. shirley l wells

      I wonder if the hemp oil/beeswax treatment would work on my leather sofa?

    19. Patty

      LL Bean will fix those boots – 100% satisfaction guaranteed for life. Please call them.

      • Miss Mustard Seed

        That’s right!! I can’t believe I didn’t think of that. We’ve returned or exchanged many things over the years with LL Bean and they are always great about it. I’ll definitely look into it.

    20. Debbie

      I’ve looked for an apron/pattern in that style for a while. Sadly, I don’t paint, but I do cook and that apron looks so comfortable! Thank you for posting!

    21. Marie

      Did we ever get to see what you purchased for yourself at the Fancy Little Flea?

    22. Mary S

      I’ve looked for a pattern for a smock like Marian’s but haven’t been able to find one. So if anyone has a hint about how to make one I’d be interested. Rough Linen website has some really nice ones but very expensive. I don’t have any linen or any grain sack laying around so I was planning to use drop cloth to make one. Marion’s is very cute!!

      • Victoria Love

        It’s a pinny! Pinafore ?. I have made a couple, and wear them around town and, my Christmas one, for dressup.

        I copied Rough Linen‘s design by looking at the photos on the website. Basically a rectangle with the straps that cross over in back. For the first one I cannibalized an old linen jumper, the Christmas one was made from a gorgeous plaid curtain panel that had first served as a tablecloth and then Christmas tree skirt! I matched up the plaid for the pockets, and Bob’s your uncle! With a white tunic shirt, black stretch pants and boots, it looks amazing. I get all kinds of compliments and questions about it.

    23. Vicki K

      If we made one, I wonder how seersucker would look for the smock if one did not have any linen or such. It’s a summer fabric, tho. Check out how the seamstress made the pocket before sewing it on! So cute! I sure could use a smock like that, but a tad over my budget at Ms. Jones.

    24. Sandy R

      A quick search on pinterest for free cross back apron pattern turned up several to choose from. None had the cute pockets like Marian’s but they don’t look too hard to DIY. Love the idea of using a drop cloth to make one, would be a good weight to protect clothes. Marian, I hope you will give us some warning as to when you are adding items to your shop–Washington state is a little far for me to make it to Luckett’s!

      • Marian Parsons

        Yes, I think this style of apron would be great in a drop cloth or cotton duck fabric. The one I was wearing during the workshop was made of a white cotton duck. It’s definitely a more economical choice than linen. Best of luck!

    25. Vicki K

      Yes, every time you announce your online shop is open, I immediately go there, and almost everything is already sold out. It’s very frustrating to a devoted reader and admirer of MMS. Anyone else? Guess people sit online for hours waiting to pounce? Every. Single. Time. So. Far. I will keep trying. Love your taste. They don’t have grain sacks here. They had printed flour sacks in the pioneer days, not the same thing. I’m glad things are going so well for you. Your star is definitely rising.

      • Marian Parsons

        Vicki, I know! I’ve tried launching sales a lot of different ways and the best thing seems to be to schedule it, but that does cause a rush and things go quickly. I think you do have to be ready to pounce!

    26. Monica

      Wow, I love what that did to your boots! They look great, and you look great in the smock too! Leather and linen, so sweet together!

    27. Chris Moore

      Just found a very interesting and inspiring book,” Upcyclist”. European. Their upholstery and rugs are amazing, all out of reclaimed materials. I thought of your painting/sketches when I saw their upholstery. They use embroidery, you could use your paintings.

    28. Sharon

      LL Bean’s promise is a good one. But, I do not think it will cover normal wear of a product, such as heel wearing down on boots from wearing them over time. It just does not seem right to me. Just my opinion…

    29. Margie

      Muu muu, not moo moo!

      • Marian Parsons

        doh!

    30. Deborah D

      Well you’ve done it again. Made me want a pair of boots! Now I need to plan a trip to Memphis to visit Me&Mrs Jones also!

    31. Naomi S.

      Well, yes, that smock does look like a sack on you, BUT, it would look like that on anybody that wore it! I really like it’s look because it’ just so basic and unassuming and I love linen. It’s a garment that says, “I am down-to-earth and serious about my work.” So there!

      That hemp oil sure did a great job reviving your boots. I might try some on my black loafers.

    32. anna

      I am a lover of boots and actually could do with another wardrobe to store them in. so many of them are falling apart, great job with the hemp oil which i certainly will try and maybe salvage a pair or two. Admittedly though i have never teemed any of them up with an apron…

    33. Sophia

      Very cute boots and pix! You look like you are having the time of your life!

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