The fever breaks...

Thank you to everyone who has prayed and offered their heartfelt hope that Blossom recovers. 

You certainly lifted her spirits, and mine.

Her temp was still very high during the night.

However, around 8.30 this morning the fever had broken and we can see recovery on the way. Her tonsils and glands are a mess and very swollen, but the penicillin is working now so each hour will see an improvement. She is in bed still, watching her favourite British murder mysteries (Midsomer Murders at the moment, Miss Marple or Poirot to follow...)

I am going to attempt to make some fresh orange jelly today.  Karen sent me an email suggesting jelly for Bloss, so thank you Karen! I'd like to make fresh though, so we'll see if it works. 

Yesterday I told you that I was going to recover an ugly lamp shade - well, I hoped I could. I haven't done this before but life is full of  things I've never attempted, and I like to dabble in unknowns occasionally. 

It was such a fiddly thing to do, but worth every needle prick and bitten tongue...

I removed the original shade, and cut up the sheet set to use the frill and some of the white cotton...

I measured out the old shade cover and made hems for gathering in the cotton sheet portion I'd cut. Thick cotton thread was sewn in a small running stitch around the hems and the new cover was fitted over the lamp shade frame for handsewing in place...

The gathering threads were tightened around top and bottom, and a length of white organza ribbon wrapped around the curved upper frame...

 

 

The lamp base was a $10 find at an op shop...

I'm happy with it,  but it has this Easter Bonnet feel about it. Never mind, it fits our style. 

The 'our' being Blossom and I. Last week she moved her desk out of her room and into the office half of my creative space. 

It's lovely having her right next to me. :-)

Now that I have covered one old lampo shade, I'm ready to play with more. Just need to find some! 

 For those who are making my BOM, "Circles of Life", a  number of you have asked where I got the fabrics to make mine. 

 

 As mentioned in Elefantz HOME magazine, I used Carrie Nelson's "Fresh Palette"....

 ...and I purchased mine through the Fat Quarter Shop, but they have sold out of all but 2 of the fabrics.

The lovely Di Jobbins emailed me to share the news that she has tracked down a shop in the US which still has the fabric range! You can visit the Desperate Quilters HERE and cross your fingers that they can help.

Another range that is similar and would look just as lovely is "Bliss" by Bonnie and Camille. The same store has some in stock, but if you google I think you'll find more about.

 ~~~~~

Now to go shopping for ingredients to make that orange jelly!

Have a wonderful day!

Hugs

Jenny

xxx

What a day!

It's 11.09 Wednesday morning and already it feels as though an entire day has passed by.

My sweet Blossom went to bed last night with a horrid migraine, and we had prayed that the medication and the sleep would see her recovered and back to her sunny self this morning.

At 6.30am she was worse than ever, and unable to walk. Mr E carried her to the car and I took her to the emergency department of our tiny country hospital.

She was put on a drip as she has an extremely high temperature and is dehydrated. Along with the migraine she was diagnosed with tonsilitis. They were going to keep her in for a couple of days, but as we only have a small number of beds here, and we live right around the corner from the hospital it was decided she should come home and recuperate. She is fast asleep in her bed now, all medicated and with plenty of fluids to drink.

We'd really appreciate your prayers for a swift and complete recovery. Blossom doesn't have very robust health at the best of times. {{thank you}}

 Elefantz HOME magazine has been sent off in emails all over the world now!

I am overwhelmed at the number of positive responses to the first issue. My inbox is overflowing with kind words and encouraging comments from subscribers. 

I am blessed beyond measure, and very humbled that you love it so much. Thank you for taking a chance on me. :-)

If your issue has not arrived in an email yet, please contact me and I'll resend. I use the email addresses that Paypal send me unless you have let me know otherwise. 

I am holding the 1st Issue open for subscription a little while longer, so if you want to receive it please subscribe HERE before Friday 1st July (because we're going on holiday for a few days after that)

The three patterns in Issue 1 of Elefantz HOME are now also available as single purchases HERE in my Etsy Shop.

Ellie...

Believe...

and Block 1 in my Circles of Life BOM, "The Sewing Circle"...

The Block 1 pattern also contains the full materials list and cutting instructions for the complete quilt.

The BOM will run over 7 months, and each new block will be released on the 29th of each month through my Elefantz HOME magazine, and my Etsy Shop.

Yesterday I made this Pineapple Cheesecake from a recipe Allie shared HERE on her blog.

Needing to add my own 'Jenny wants to be a Master Chef' touch, I decided to use the leftover pineapple juice to make a syrup that could be drizzled over the cheesecake when served.

I boiled the pineapple juice, castor sugar, and some split vanilla bean pods until the liquid had reduced by half.

Then let it cool, still with the vanilla pods...

...and when I served this yummy cheesecake last night I let the syrup flow lovingly across each slice.

Using the vanilla bean pod in the syrup cut through the sweetness and gave it that something extra. See all the wee vanilla bean seeds in the syrup? 

Thank you Allie's friend Shirley for this beautiful cheesecake recipe! 

And thank you Master Chef for teaching me how to add something extra to the things I bake. 

Today I am going to use these...

...to recover this!

Wish me luck. :-)

Hugs

Jenny

xxx

Keeping calm...

Great advice!

The magazine has been put to bed and after a rest day tomorrow it will be published!!

Keep calm...yes, must keep calm. 

But I'm so excited!! \o/ 

36 hours and every subscriber will have a download link arrive in their inbox. So easy for you, so NOT calming for me! I have tingles from my head to my toes. 

And I'm happy. 

But it's the waiting that will do me in. 

Sit, drink tea, eat honey cakes, and wait. 

This issue is only available for $4 if you subscribe before 8am on Wednesday (Australia time). That's about late afternoon on Tuesday in the USA, and 11pm Tuesday evening in London. 

I'll have copies for sale in my Etsy Shop for $7 once the subscribers receive theirs. 

If you want to get your copy for $4 visit HERE.

(and you can unsubscribe anytime you like, assured that we'll always stay friends)

Don't forget, block 1 from my "Circles of Life" BOM is in the first issue!

 

Back to that tea. In a new mug. 

Yeh, might be pushing the truth a bit...

Hugs

Jenny

xxx

Pie, Ellie and my other man...

{{{Thank you}}} to each of you for the concern you showed over my latest migraine. You have beautiful hearts and I am so appreciative of every one of you.

My head is much better today, so I was able to play around a bit with Ellie...

It all began with some Swarovski crystals...

...and some vintage silk fabrics. 

Doesn't she look pretty all dressed in silk and crystal?

Only 4 more sleeps until Elefantz HOME is published, and the pattern for Ellie and her wallhanging will be inside! 

If you want to subscribe there is still time. Just click HERE for details. 

~~~~~

I am really finding my lost mojo in the kitchen these days!

Cooking used to be a great hobby of mine until I discovered the world of embroidery and patchwork in 2005; after that the time I had to mix and bake, stew and brew, reduced dramatically. One of the reasons for publishing my own magazine online was to free up the time I'd previously given to designing for other magazines, and step back into the kitchen each day to bless my family with regular home-made healthy meals and treats.  After all, there has to be benefits to being your own boss. ;-)

The name of the magazine, Elefantz HOME, reflects my deepest desire to focus most of my attention on my family, our home, and keeping alive the traditions we have built on these last 20+ years.  Sometime in August our two grandsons will run through the door and down the hallway into my kitchen, and I want them to remember days with me where I let them shape and bake cookies, and I wasn't too busy to just 'be' their nana. 

But, back to the kitchen...

Today I made an old favourite dessert, Lemon Meringue Pie...

 

I smiled the whole time I was cooking, and after it was baked I roasted a beautiful leg of lamb with rosemary and garlic, served with roasted potatoes, parsnips, and pumpkin. If you think that sounds yum, it tasted even better. Mr E is a well satisfied man tonight. :-)

~~~~~

Now,  you know how much I adore my sweet husband. He is the apple of my eye and my one true love. But he allows me one other man in my life (because he likes him too!). A few weeks back he even took a photo of me and the other man...

It's me and Casey Stoner!!!!

Okay, okay...it's not actually me and Casey, but that cardboard cut-out sure looked real, and I was happy to have Mr E snap a pic with our Moto GP hero. If we can ever save up enough to go to the race at Phillip Island this photo could be the real deal.  

"wishin' and hopin' and..."

~~~~~

I'll leave you with the latest antics of Miss Sophie. She likes to sit atop the archway at our front gate amidst the branches of the hibiscus tree, gazing at the world from her high and lofty vantage point...

 

Oh, the life of Sophie. ;-)

If you would like something *really* lovely, go visit Anna Rosa! She is having a 100th blog post giveaway

Anna is one very talented lady indeed! 

 Have a blessed and joy-filled day,

Hugs

Jenny

xxx

A Friday Show & Tell!

It's been a little while since the last Show & Tell, but sit back and enjoy because some very talented ladies have some Elefantz projects to show you!

Sue Butler stitched her version of "Elizabeth's Dress" and to add even more class she beaded the roses around the hem! Gorgeous, Sue!

Debra Schefe was the lucky winner of a full set of "Springtime" quilt patterns (a joint project by 8 of the Gum Tree Designers, and my daughter Blossom to raise funds for Fresh Hope last year). She has stitched three of the nine main blocks, and all the poem verse blocks already! The block in the photo below is my 'Raindrops' block...

The patterns for "Springtime" are still available through Fresh Hope HERE. 

~~~~~

Jytte has been stitching the blocks from my free "Give Thanks" BOM. She shared with me that as she was stitching the block, "Shelter in the storm", her husband opened up about his own experience of sheltering for 7 hours in darkness during a fierce storm in Greenland many years ago. The verse has a very real meaning to them both. 

 Is there a Give Thanks verse that has meant something special to you?

~~~~~

My friend Robin in the US has finished her Shabby Roses quilt! It's beautiful, and a real labour of love...

Ladies, you make me so proud. Each of you have made an idea formed in my head to be something very special indeed. Thank you!

~~~~~

Now to something else that made me smile!

A year ago I designed the "Morning Glory" tea and coffee sets...

... and before I sent two of the items away to be published I asked my very talented friend, Jeanette, if she'd be my pattern tester. She made the designs her own, and they were so pretty!

Below are photos of the tea cosy, tablecloth, and tea cupboard. I love how she fussy cut her flowers!

 

 

Thanks so much for being the best pattern tester, Jeanette!

~~~~~

I have had a migraine all day, and it is still simmering away now, but I did not want to miss sharing this Show & Tell. 

Have a wonderful weekend, and be sure to tell someone how much they mean to you,

Hugs

Jenny

xxxx