A new do....and stuff.

It didn't take long to go from this...

 ...to this!

She

Just 40 minutes in the hairdresser's chair.

I think I found the best cure for menopausal hot flushes. A bare neck and a cool breeze. 

~~~~~

Blossom had some fun last weekend. She had seen a photo of a mobile phone case on Annie Down's blog and after a few little changes to 'text speak' she made a cover for her phone with some yummy Minny Mu Mu fabric.

She would also like me to show you her new backpack...

His name is Emmet and she bought him from *that* shop! And yes, she is 15 (almost 16)...

Emmet spent this week at school with her, but the school holidays begin at 3pm today so he can enjoy a few weeks play at home with his new mistress.

~~~~~

I've been playing with these...

...and I'm going to play with this too. It's the cutest little box of pattern cards from Amy Butler, and included is a book, fabric & thread to make a tissue box cover. Blossom loved it so maybe she'll be the one to make it....

I bought it on Amazon for $8, my very first Amazon purchase.

~~~~~

These are the fabrics I'm using to make Slicer (17yods) a quilt...the design is something I've been playing with for a while now, and the stitcheries will intrigue all teenage boys. A few months and I should have something to show you.

~~~~~

I also thought I'd show you my Elefantz market bag. I designed and stitched this two years ago - before I began Elefantz. I'm thinking of writing up the pattern at last....what do you think? It just holds a purse, sunglasses and keys, with a long strap to sling over your shoulders while you stroll the markets, leaving both hands free.

~~~~~

Today is the last day to enter the March Charm Square Challenge. Have you put your photos into our Flickr Group yet? You can see the entries HERE. All entries go in the drawer for some beautiful shabby chic goodies from *that* shop!

I'd also like to show you these Ului Table Runners that Allie and Vickie made from my pattern as that sat with me in spirit over the Cyclone Ului weekend. (these are now entered in the Challenge too)

ALLIE made this one...

...and Vickie made this one.

I love them!!!

If you click on their names you can go and visit their blogs to see all the other lovely projects these talented women have been sewing.

Now it's time to get back to finishing some projects...you'll love them. Photos in a day or two, I promise. 

God bless you this Easter!!

Hugs

Jenny

xx

Those recipes...

I promised some of you that I would share my recipes for the Buttermilk Scones...

...and the Chick Pea Patties.

So I will. 

Click HERE for the Scones, and HERE for the Patties. 

(Or you can follow the links in my sidebar under 'Cook With Me')

It seems my ankle is not sprained, but I have done something to the area above the ankle, so I am off my feet once again after causing more injury laste night when I attempted to go walking around the grounds with the family. 

Yes, I am silly. 

No, I will not do that again. 

Yes, I will do as the doctor ordered and rest it some more. (Blossom even painted my toenails for me)

Of course I will keep stitching. ;-)

Thanks for caring,

Hugs

Jenny

xx

Reminiscing while I'm off my feet...

The other night after the rains from Cyclone Ului had subsided we went for our nightly walk around the school grounds. The earth was like quicksand in some places, and as we tend to walk after sunset, we missed avoiding some of those sink holes. This is how I have spent the week so far...

Of course the upside is that I'm pretty much tied to the house and that means I need to occupy myself with more sedentary pursuits like these new designs I came up with (sorry, just sneak peeks!!)...

...and I finally stitched the label to my Shabby Roses Quilt!

 Isn't it lovely how when you're having a bit of an off day a friend sends you a gift and it makes the day extra special?

This week I received two belated birthday gifts. My very dear friend Ruth, whom I have known and loved now for almost 10 years (she was a guiding hand when I was a fledgling homeschool mum all those years ago) has a delight for crochet, and she made these BEEOOTIFUL goodies for me from her talented hands...

And sweet Lurline, who is recovering right now from surgery (pray a healing prayer for her, would you please - and for her hubby too) sent me this precious bag filled with fabric that is *just right* (to quote Goldilocks).

Magazines have also arrived, and this month I have my "Oopsie Daisies" Door Stopper published in Creating Country Threads...

 ...and the "In My Garden" Bunting published in Patchwork & Stitching!

 Of course, with all that designing and stitching  I needed some good wholesome fare, so last night I made one of Blossom's and my favourite meals, Beef Casserole & Dumplings. It was soooo yummy!!!

Now that the weather is hovering around a much cooler 30C (86F) I plan on making more autumn casseroles and some tasty soups. Autumn food is my comfort food; those thick and flavoursome slow cooked meals remind me of my childhood and my nana who raised me on next-to-nothing, but was the BEST cook ever. The atmosphere in her kitchen, the aromas, the tablecloth and polished cutlery, the meals she prepared for me and my grandfather  - they all still linger in my memory decades later. 

She was a tiny, cuddly woman who gave me hugs that wrapped me, body and heart, to her forever. Whenever I need comfort food I make one of nana's luscious custards (she made 3 different kinds) and my all time favourite meal - sausages with onion gravy on creamy whipped mashed potato with fresh green peas scattered around - just the way she did.

Who's cooking do you remember from childhood? Do you have a certain comfort meal?

Hugs

Jenny

xx

It has passed...

It's passed.

Cyclone Ului crossed the coast in the early hours of Sunday morning as a category 3 cyclone (hurricane). It caused less damage than predicted, but there is still a lot of damage to be cleared in the coastal towns affected, as well as devastation for farmers who had 'bumper' crops ready for harvest. 

My prayers go out to them. Our farmers have had too many lean years.

To all of you who emailed to say you had family members in the Ului path, I pray they did not suffer damage to self or property.

It did not pass through our town, just the very edge swept over us about lunchtime bringing wind and rain. The end of our street has flooded (up to my knees), but the rain now is just a soft trickle. 

Thank you for your messages of concern, your prayers, and your enthusiasm for my Ului Table Runner project. I'm so glad I had it to keep me busy while we waited for the cyclone to land and pass. 

Here is mine, all finished and on the dining table.

How did you go with yours?

Please email me a photo of your Ului Table Runner, or leave a comment with a link to your blog if you've put a photo there. I'd love to see it. 

Right now I am ready for a shower (it's very sticky here with the warm rain), a big mug of cocoa, some toast and Vegemite, and a magazine to browse before I fall asleep. 

Sweet dreams dear friends,

Jenny

xxx

Ului is coming, so will you keep me company this weekend?

The news flash has just been televised advising our little town that we are officially on cyclone alert as we are in the path of Ului, due to touch down on the coast in the early hours of tomorrow morning. We are 130 klms from the coast but there is nothing between us and it. Locals have warned us of major flooding, roofs off houses, no power, and a lot of land damage...but we are not going to be impacted the way those on the coast will be. Pray for them, please! So much of Far North Queensland has been devastated by cyclones in the past years and now some areas must brace themselves once more.

This is my first cyclone...I admit I am a bit nervous about what we'll experience.

So, I thought you might want to keep me company this weekend by making a table runner alongside me while we sit out Cyclone Ului. Even though you are over there, and I am over here, we can still stitch something together don't you think?

I have drawn a simple Oopsie Daisy to applique into four corners of a table runner.

I am using 36, 5" charm squares PLUS 4, 5" appliqued squares for the outer corners.

This will be 40, 5" squares all together - my table runner will be 5 squares across by 8 squares in length.

When I cleaned out my sewing room yesterday I made plans for much of my fabrics, and for this project I am using my 'Blush' charm squares.

If you want to make this with me you can download the Oopsie Daisy template HERE.

Not sure what I'll bind mine with yet, but I have a few choices on my fabric shelf.

If you're joining my "Ului Table Runner" weekend challenge please send me a photo when you finish and I'll do a show and tell here on my blog next week. 

I'll also bend the rules on the 5" Charm Square Challenge this month and allow any one who makes this to add their name to the entries (I stipulated no more than 20 charm squares for the Challenge, but this project uses 40)....

So come on, grab that charm pack or start cutting 5" squares. :-) You'll be my sewing companions this weekend, and I really appreciate that.

~~~~

Before I sign off on this post I want to show you what some new stitchers have made!

Lone has finished the embroidery and colouring on Blossom's Garden Angel stitchery, and she has done beautifully!

And look at Karen's very first stitchery! She asked for some advice on stitches and when she sent me the photo of her finished work I was so impressed!! These primitives are wonderful!

~~~~~

Colleen is not a new stitcher, but she sent me a photo of her 'Pretty In Pink' Table Topper from my design in last month's Patchwork & Stitching magazine. It's so pretty!!!

Blossom's 'Garden Angel' design, and my 'Pretty In Pink' design can both be found HERE in my Etsy Store.

God bless you all, and may our Lord keep our coastline safe from the fury of this cyclone,

Hugs

Jenny

xxx

PS: The 'Buy 1 Get 1 free' pattern sale is still on in my Etsy Store until Sunday midnight. See HERE for details. 

Introducing * Miss Molly Moo *!!

Finally I can reveal to you my gorgeous new quilt design!!

I cannot tell you how much I have loved stitching this one - I sketched the blocks last year but had to wait until I had just the right fabrics before I began sewing. I used a mix of French General's "Rouenneries" and "Rural Jardin".

I hope you love *Miss Molly Moo* as much as I do!

The quilt uses applique, embroidery, and piecing. 

The pattern for *Miss Molly Moo* is available from today HERE in my Etsy Store for $6.

Your PDF pattern pack includes colour photographs, thread and stitch chart for the applique and embroidery, complete instructions for sewing and applique, quilt assembly instructions, clear and concise fabric cutting instructions, material requirements, templates for all individual applique pieces in reverse, plus designs for all stitchery blocks!

Once payment has been made I will email your pattern pack to you within 24 hours.

(Note to Australians - this pattern will be published in Country Threads next July)

Remember I have a sale in my Etsy Store until Sunday midnight on the 21st March - buy 1 pattern, get 1 free of equal or lesser value. Just leave a message when you purchase a pattern to let me know which pattern you would like as your freebie!

Hugs

Jenny

xxx

ETSY SALE!! Buy one get one free!!

From now until midnight Sunday March 21st I am having a 

'Buy 1, get 1 free!' SALE in my Etsy Shop!!

Just purchase a PDF pattern of your choice, then leave me a message in your Etsy transaction telling me which additional PDF pattern (of the same or lesser value) you would like to receive for free!!

Your free PDF pattern must be equal to or less than the value of your purchased pattern. You will not be able to purchase a $5 pattern and ask for a $25 pattern free...but you can purchase a $5 pattern and receive an additional $5 pattern free.

Buy 2 patterns and choose 2 patterns free!

Buy 3 patterns and choose 3 free!!...and so on.

Go HERE to my Etsy Shop and have fun stocking up on some new stitching projects!!

Hugs

Jenny

xxx

Charm squares & pin cushions, playing house, and a new design...

Thanks for all the prayers for Mr Elefantz on his trip away. He arrived home last night after two turbulent flights, all safe and sound!

What are you like when your beloved is away and the weather is not the best for travelling? I tend to do housework. LOTS of housework. And when I get into those moods I tend to move a lot of furniture around and try to do a bit of redecorating. Naturally, this is how I spent yesterday! 

As I scanned my home I had a good think about what style *really* reflects me, and whether or not that reflects my husband. Verdict? He is functional, like me, but I like to add atmosphere with soft furnishings. I now have a list if things to make over the cooler months of autumn and winter, but for yesterday I mostly played in the kitchen. 

Here is one area that had a revamp - the shelf that Mr Elefantz built me over Christmas.

I found a red teapot  in the op-shop the other day, with matching sugar bowl and creamer, and as I have a mix of red, eggshell blue, and mustard in the kitchen I handed over my $5 and brought the set home to dwell on my shelf. 

I also balanced on a chair and hammered picture hooks into the wall so that I could *finally* display my 'Wonky Houses' wallhanging! This was my very first original design, and my first published project (Country Threads Sep 09) - the pattern is available HERE.

~~~~~

Need ideas for the March 5" Charm Square Challenge?

Did you know that a CD or DVD fits inside a 5" charm?

 I used a 5" charm last month to make this pincushion. You can find my tutorial HERE...

...and today I made this pincushion using a 5" charm as a small gift for a friend.

 You can find a tutorial for a slightly larger pincushion HERE on Stephanie's blog.

If you had time you could embroider little flowers in each section, or applique something small and sweet. I used vintage buttons in the middle of mine for that something special. 

Remember, no more than 20, 5" charm squares, and you can cut them up if you need to!

~~~~~

Here's a little sneak peek of something gorgeous I've designed and stitched. It's part of a set I'm working on...

~~~~~

It's such a thrill to see finished Shabby Roses quilts!!

Steffi finished hers recently and emailed me a photo. I fell in love with my quilt all over again!

She beautifully added a fabric rose to the top corner and some prairie points in the final border!

It's gorgeous, Steffi!

Complete pattern sets for my Shabby Roses Quilt can be found HERE.

~~~~~

My gorgeous friend, and fellow Gum Tree Designer Vikki has shared her favourite wedding photos on her blog today - what a fairytale bride she was!! Be sure to go visit her blog and enjoy the celebrating with her.

Now, I'm off to make dinner - crumbed chicken breasts with guacamole and salad. I cannot get enough of avocadoes!!

 Hugs

Jenny

xxx

Feasting

There has been a cool breeze blowing our way the last couple of days and after so many months of stifling heat in the kitchen preventing me from frantic baking 'sessions' (have I told you how much I LOVE to cook?), this morning's low temperatures lured me back to my wooden spoons without any hesitation!

I began with Buttermilk Scones,  Lemon Coconut Slice, and Chocolate Cake...

....then baked the first of two loaves of Blossom's favourite bread, "Carrot & Sultana". (I forgot to add yeast to the first loaf so the birds were crowded around my back garden this afternoon picking over the heavy brick!) Fortunately the second loaf was perfect for human consumption.

To balance all this sweetness I cooked up a batch of my Spicy Chick Pea Patties, all ready to shallow fry for tomorrow's dinner. 

 ~~~~~

 Hubby is off to Cairns tomorrow for a one day conference to hear Steve Biddulph speak on teaching boys, and that means he'll be leaving home at 4am and not arriving back till after 10pm. He'll drive to Townsville before catching the flight to Cairns, then do the return trip. 

With a Category 5 cyclone heading our way and due to hit on Wednesday I'm more than a little nervous about his travelling to and from this conference. Can't wait till he gets home!

While he is away I'll continue in the autumn cleaning of the house. I love the autumn clean, don't you? I like changing over the bright summer colours to things more calming and nurturing to the soul as it winds down after a hot summer. Even though it's still hot here in the tropics there is definitely a drop in the nighttime temperature as last night we were able to sleep with the windows open and no air-conditioning - it was really revitalising! 

On the sewing front I have finished my gorgeous quilt,  one that I have had in my head for ages and finally drew up and then stitched. All those French General fabrics whispered 'autumn' as I sat and stitched down the final binding at 4am this morning. It was very special to sit in the cool quiet of the pre-dawn and finish my quilt as I spoke to God of my cares.

~~~~~

What are you making for the March 5" Charm Square Challenge?

Have you considered entering your Baseco Bag in the draw?? It takes 65 x 2 1/2" charm squares to make one Baseco Bag - the challenge this month is to use no more than 20 x 5" squares, but remember, one 5" square can but cut into four 2 1/2" squares!!

If you have made something for the challenge please put your photo onto our Challenge Flick Group HERE instead of emailing it to me. This blesses me as it allows me to spend less time at the computer and more time where I need to be. :-)

Every item you make for the Challenge gives you 1 entry into the giveaway draw on April 1st. Make 4 items and you have 4 entries!

This is what the winner will receive...

 ...some lovelies from *that* shop!

God bless you all!

Hugs

Jenny

xxx