The winding down of a big year...and a giveaway!

Well, it's almost 2103.

The heavy door of 2012 is about to close behind us forever, and in front? Adventure.

At least, that's what I am going to look for. 

Our packing up of the house has slowed since Christmas, but it will be back in full swing on New Years Day. We begin our move on January 4th! 

Back in the fold is our son, Sam, who after sharing a house with mates for the last 16 months, has decided it's time to move to Townsville and live back with us.

This decision made it necessary to find a larger home, with enough bedrooms, living area, and office space for Mr E and I. God blessed us, and we have signed the lease on a lovely 'tree fronted' home close to the beach. \o/ 

Whilst lazing through Christmas, I have done a little stitching of a brand new design...

 

 ...and continued my dabbling with crochet.

Blossom is almost finished knitting another dishcloth...

...and our reading this weekend was all about ME!

 

 

Patchwork & Stitching's Yearbook (Issue 13.11) includes a beautifully written article about my journey from homeschool mum and passionate cook, to stitchery and quilt designer!

The magazine will be in the newsagents next week, so if you've ever wanted to know a bit more about my roots, don't miss it. It also has loads of wonderful projects, as well as two of my own. 

I know that those of you overseas have a hard time tracking down these Australian craft magazines, so I think I should have a GIVEAWAY for international blog followers only. OK!?

If you are NOT in Australia, please leave 1 comment below this blog post, and I will randomly choose two winners on January 8th!

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One of the doors to close in 2012 was my Elefantz HOME magazine.

At Mr E's suggestion, we have printed up a limited number of Elefantz HOME Cds that will be available for purchase in my Big Cartel shop until sold out. 

The Cds hold all 18 issues of the magazine, which contain over 70 original Elefantz designs, stories, articles, recipes, hints, guests...and more!

The complete "Elefantz HOME CD - Issues 1-18" is $34.99 AUD, posted free worldwide.

Once sold, all gone. 

You can purchase your CD HERE, but be quick!

Have a safe and happy New Year, everyone!!

See you again in 2013!

Merry Christmas 2012

Thank you for being a part of the Elefantz family this year. You made me laugh, smile, cry, and grow. I hope I was of some encouragement to you as well. xxx

I am taking a blogging break for a week (or maybe longer) while we celebrate our Saviour's birth, celebrate our 21st wedding anniversary, welcome our son back home, and pack up our house to move after New Year.

So, please...

...be safe, be happy, be kind, be forgiving, be hospitable, and don't forget to celebrate Jesus' birthday and have a very merry Christmas!

Love and hugs

Jenny

xxx

Stitch, knit and crochet...

Still packing up the sewing room because as I go through all my bits and pieces I am culling what I don't need, gathering ideas, and taking notes.

I also took a LOT of hours today sketching, fine tuning, and redrawing my next design until it was 'just right'. I showed Blossom when she came home from work and you know what she said?

"Mum!! This is gorgeous!"

Well, there you have it. The official seal of approval.

It's anther big stitchery. LOVE doing 'just' stitcheries.

After dinner I traced it on to white handkerchief linen, and tomorrow in the natural light I will choose the thread colours. 

This will keep me occupied in between packing, Christmas, New Year, and moving. \o/

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Have I shown you my finished "Shabby Roses Stitchery" yet??

In the New Year I'll have all the information about purchasing the design! Thanks for your patience. 

I think 2013 will see me focusing mainly on large stitcheries - the kind that you can really take your time with and enjoy. 

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The other crafting interest that has kept my fingers from idleness is crochet. Just very basic stuff, though! I finished my third face washer yesterday while watching a movie with Blossom and Mr E.

Now I'm working on a red and turquoise granny square, using a smaller crochet hook and finer cotton. I hope to make THIS mandala when we've moved and my crochet skills have improved.

Blossom, on the other hand has been knitting! She has finished one dishcloth, and is half way through her second...

She loves the wonderful wool and pattern Stephanie sent from the US!

Blossom also got very excited when the mailman delivered Stephanie's latest pattern, 'Peek-a-Boo Street'...

 

The little houses reminded her of England, so during my packing up I picked through some spotty and striped fabrics with the idea of making this quilt for her next year. It would be lovely to post a new quilt to my baby girl when she is settled in Derby. 

Stephanie's pattern is available HERE in her shop.

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The linen pincushion set I've been stitching with the Weeks Dye Works thread is ready to be made up now, but that stage will have to wait until I resettle after we move. I love how the colours 'pop'!

I used my creative license to use different stitches than the pattern...do you do that too?

Time to pack up for the night.

Sweet dreams...

Preparing to move again...

We are moving again!

If you are a long time blog follower of mine, this news will not surprise you as since beginning this blog in 2008 we have moved states once, towns three times, and homes five times.

Our next move will be early January, and will be to our 19th home in 21 years!

We were called gypsies on my Facebook page when I shared the news, and I think that is a perfect description!

So, first and foremost, I need to pack up my sewing room as our son is moving back home and will still need a bedroom in this current house for the next couple of weeks before we move to the larger house.

 

 

 In between packing, Mr E, Blossom and I are watching through the extended edition of the Lord of the Rings trilogy as we wait for the release of the The Hobbit on Boxing Day...

...and while Blossom knits a dishcloth (with the cotton and pattern Stephanie sent me a little while ago)...

...I am stitching a pincushion from a recent issue of Australian Better Homes & Gardens magazine.

The threads I am using are from Weeks Dye Works; a prize I received earlier this year. LOVE the colours! The fabric is linen from a pair of trousers I found in an op-shop last year. It's wonderful to embroider on...

For those in Australia and NZ - in this month's issue of Patchwork and Stitching magazine you'll find two of my patterns!

I've been gradually collecting a set of crochet hooks, and needed somewhere to store them. Vicki in Canada sent me two beautiful handkerchiefs early in 2011. She said at the time that she knew I'd find a use for them - well, I used one of the hankies, and a favourite piece of fabric, to make a vintage style crochet hook hanger!

 

This is one of the patterns in Patchwork & Stitching, Issue 13/10, on sale now. 

The second pattern in P&S is my lovely Lavender Fields small scented cushion. I love how they photographed it!

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Best get back to some packing, then more Lord of the Rings. Fortunately the family don't mind simple lunches. 

SAO's, Vegemite, and cheese. Now who'd complain about that?!

Have a wonderful day.

You've been stitching my designs!

It's been a couple of months since I shared the final block for my free 2012 BOM, 'Promises & Borders", and it's such a blessing to receive photos from those who have finished the quilt or used blocks for other projects.

Here is one I received from Alo at All Things Pretty Her version has the blocks machine embroidered, a different quilt layout, and she used verses of her own. It's simply lovely! Visit her blog to see more blocks...

(this BOM is permanently free HERE on my blog)

Two lovely ladies have also been busy with more of my designs.

Kaylee has been following along in my magazine, making the blocks for 'A Christmas Story'. Here are a couple, and you can see more on her lovely blog...

Gunn used my free 'Hearts Come Home for Christmas' design in a table runner. What a great idea!

  

 Thank you for sharing your photos with me!

Today we begin celebrating...

It was time.

We sat together and watched 'Christmas with the Kranks' while I stitched.

Mr E hatched a plan.

Blossom was enlisted as his helper, and as I waved them off in the car my part in the plan began.

Today we would decorate the house in preparation for Christmas Day!

 

 

 

 

A couple of hours later with my part of the plan completed, Mr E and Blossom arrived home with the next step of his plan. 

A new tree. White. Like snow. 

Blossom had a free hand to bring the white snowy branches and the blue, silver and white ornaments to life.

 

 An hour later, soft beauty worth a photo...

 Mr E takes over the final step. Lights...lots of lights...

Round and round the tree they wrap the lights...

Ah, pretty.

And so we begin our days of celebration.

If you are new to my blog this year, let me share with you a free Christmas design.

I have been sharing this same design since Christmas 2009, so long time readers will have seen it before.

Merry Christmas!

O Holy Night can be downloaded HERE.