Issue 9 projects and a free offer!!

Issue 9 of Elefantz HOME magazine is just days away from publishing!

Have you subscribed yet? This issue has four gorgeous new designs to entice you!

The theme for this issue is "My Kitchen", and the designs and articles inside the magazine reflect just that!

My three new designs are...

~A Kitchen Prayer~

 ~ Cook With Love ~

  ~Eat With Gratitude~

Do you like them!? Each one is bright and cheery, with an affirmation to inspire you!

~~~~~

My guest designer in this issue is someone you already know, my daughter Blossom - or as she is officially know, Elizabeth Reynolds.

Blossom designed and stitched this cute Owl Kitchen Clock stitchery and framed it...

I love her quirky style!

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BIG NEWS!!

For a limited time I am going to share Issue 1 of Elefantz HOME for *free*!!

This is for all my readers who have not yet subscribed, but would like to see what an Elefantz HOME magazine is like before making that $4 per month commitment.

View Issue 1 HERE

If you like what you read, consider becoming a subscriber. It's very easy - just click on that button below.

If at any time you need to unsubscribe, you are free to do so without any penalties. We'll stay friends always, and hopefully you'll continue to follow my blog. 

The cost is $4 per monthly issue, and it arrives promptly on the 29th of each month via your email inbox. 

Hugs

Jenny

xx

Sniffles in my birthday week...

The only think I dislike more than a head cold is a summer head cold.

Hot, humid, stifling weather + a sore throat and running nose.

These do not compliment each other. Not in my world, anyhow.

The last few days I have been writing the patterns for Issue 9 of Elefantz HOME magazine, and today I am attempting to finish all the articles...not easy when your nose insists on dripping like a leaking tap. However, I am living on freshly juiced vegetables and plenty of fresh fruit salad, plus organic apple cider vinegar in water three times a day, so I am hopeful of a swift recovery.

The culprit who passed this head cold on to me is my own beloved son, Sam, who was the recipient of many fierce mother-hugs last Friday when I was visiting Kezzie, so I will not complain any longer. Hugging my lad is far more important than the prospect of catching his head cold. ;-)

~~~~~

All three of my kitchen themed designs for Issue 9 are now complete...

 

I've shown you the first two designs over the last week or so, but today I can show you the third one.

This is my Kitchen Prayer hanging. I have loved this prayer for many years, and finally decided to stitch it!

I thought the wooden spoon as the hanger was rather cute, too!

(Perhaps I should have called this the 'wooden spoon issue' as all designs now sport one!)

You can find more kitchen prayers HERE.

**Blossom will finish her gorgeous design over the weekend and we can share a photo with you on Monday. It's really cute!

~~~~~

The other day I promised I'd show you how the birthday lampshade Kezzie made for me looks on my vintage lamp base. This base was purchased on an op-shopping trip with my friend Janelle earlier last year...

It was perfect to show off Kezzie's gift!

I also wanted to show you the gifts I received from my two grandsons. 11yo Cal gave me a beautiful double display of lavender, and 4yo Dee gave me the sweetest little notebook...

Blossom had been waiting for a week for me to tell her what I'd like for my birthday, and I had no answer. Last night, after I picked her up from work, we went window shopping to see if something caught my eye, and something certainly did!

You all know by now that I LOVE English tea parties. You should also know that I have quite a thing for birds in many of my designs. When I saw this tea cup and saucer set in a gift shop Blossom knew it was the perfect gift for her mum...

 

(*and it's pink! My favourite colour!*)

 

Let me also show you how I've been spoiled by friends.

Angela is a blog follower and Elefantz HOME subscriber. When we moved here to Townsville in January, she emailed to let me know she lives not too far from me, so I assured her we would catch up in March for a cuppa. (February was one very full month in the Elefantz household so I made no plans!)

Bless her heart, she sent me a surprise birthday gift in the mail this week!

I had only just mentioned that I needed to make myself a loyalty wallet (there is a wonderful tutorial HERE on Joy's blog!), and then Angela's gift arrived and my prayer was answered! Thank you so much, Angela.

~~~~~

Today another parcel arrived, and this time is was from my sweet friend, Peg!

Peg and I have never met in person, but we've been online buddies since 2009 when we did a paper-bag swap with each other. The design I made for Peg in that swap ended up published in "Creating Country Threads" magazine Vol 10.4

I called it "Hearts for Peg".

This is the original I made Peg...

 ...and the one I made for the magazine.

If you are a free newsletter subscriber, start smiling, because I am going to share this design with you in my next free newsletter, sometime over the weekend!!! 

(to subscribe to my free newsletter, put your email address in the box up there on the top right of my sidebar)

Now to that birthday parcel from Peg!

She knows me well. Wrapped in shabby rose fabric and a lace bow...

A beautiful journal, and more shabby fabrics. I am in love.

Thank you dear Peg! You made me forget all about my cold. xxx

~~~~~

In case you are wondering what Peg made for me in the 2009 Paper-Bag Swap, it was this gorgeous needle-book!

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Well, I'd best brew a nice cup of lemon and honey tea, and get back to writing the magazine. 

The pets are keeping me company, though offering no help whatsoever. They live a cushy life, don't they?

Hugs

Jenny

xxx

Gifts, a giveaway win, and sneak peeks...

Thank you for all your sweet birthday wishes! I am feeling very loved right now. :-)

I am in a birthday fat quarter swap, and there are six in our group, so five bundles of pretty fabrics and other gorgeous things arrived in the mail over the last few days.

Thank you Maree, Shez, Carol, Tarnyia, and Christine for my bundles of delight - you all chose the prettiest fabrics and I can't wait to make something special just for me with them!

I also received gifts from two Vicki/Vikki's!

Vicki in Canada sent me a really cute boot pattern that I am going to enjoy playing with...

...and my little 'adopted' sis, Vikki from Sew Useful Designs! sent me two pears!

You see, I have been trying to collect pears for the last two years, and when I saw THIS gorgeous pear on Vikki's blog I told her of my own pear obsession. 

My beautiful friend made me a pear, and bought me another! 

 I squealed with happiness when I opened the presents as up till now I've only found two pears to begin my collection with, but now I have four!

Pear-fect!!

~~~~~

Earlier this month I won a giveaway on Elyse's blog, Tinkered Treasures.

I rarely enter a giveaway, but if it's for handmade jewellery I can't help myself!

The prize was a gift certificate for a piece of artisan jewellery purchased through NOVICA, and I have to say that when these earrings arrived they were even more beautiful than the photo on the website!

Silver, turquoise and pearls...my style. The artisan is a talented man, Guillermo Arregui from Mexico.

Thank you, Elyse!!

~~~~~

Yesterday I asked you what you thought this portion of my design would become in its finished project...

There were many ideas left in the comments, and some were correct!

I have used the design on a tea towel...

  "Eat with Gratitude" is a perfect accompaniment to my "Cook with Love" apron...

Both these designs will be in Issue 9 of Elefantz HOME magazine, as well as this....

...and a design by Blossom! But I'm only sharing sneak peeks of these last two designs. :-)

Elefantz HOME is still just $4 per month, and subscribing is as easy as clicking on the Elefantz HOME button in the left hand sidebar or visiting the magazine page HERE!

~~~~~

After all that excitement I think I deserve a nice cup of English Afternoon Tea and leftover Jaffa Kisses...I can be healthy tomorrow. ;-)

Hugs

Jenny

xxxx

Birthdays and other things...

Today is my 53rd birthday. 

There, I said it out loud. 

I was not nervous, nor did I shudder at that number...I simply thought how very blessed I am to have been given 53 years of life and spent the entire day smiling. 

Tomorrow I'll share pics of some lovely gifts I have been given, but today I want to share some photos that were taken last week at Kezzie's.

You see I had an early birthday last Friday with her and my boys back in Charters Towers...

Look at the beautiful cake she baked me!

It was yummy!!

Then she gave me a present. Wow - it is gorgeous!! My girl had painstakingly hand-stitched a cover for an empty lampshade frame she found at a garage sale. There are thousands of tiny stitches all around it holding on lace, braid, crosses, buttons, ribbon and beading!

I have the perfect lamp base for it and will show you a photo of it 'all together' in my next post. 

Isn't my girl talented!!? She has only been learning to hand sew the last couple of months (though she has long been an accomplished cross-stitcher), and is now stitching the blocks from my "Promises & Borders" BOM.

~~~~~

Mr E bought me a lovely pair of gold hoop earrings, and took me out for coffee and cake this morning down by the sea. The rest of the day we spent relaxing at home, and it was perfect.

I'll take photos of my other gifts tomorrow and share in my next post. I'll also share a pic of a very special pair of earrings I won in a recent giveaway! 

~~~~~

Before I go I wanted to share some photos my blogging friends have sent me.

Robin in the USA is a long time friend, and a great encouragement in my spiritual life. She stitched my "Ellie" design into a cushion for her daughter, Rachel. Isn't it pretty!?

Vicki sent me these photos of a quilt and a bag she made by re-purposing jeans...

 These are fabulous, Vicki!!

How are you going with your re-purposing this month? (Don't forget about the giveaway!)

~~~~~

Here is a sneak peek of the second kitchen-themed design for Issue 9 of Elefantz HOME magazine. 

"Eat with gratitude"

Can you guess what it will be used on? Leave a comment if you think you know.

I'll share the finished project photo tomorrow!

Time to get back to my husband and enjoy the last few hours of my big day. 

Be blessed,

Hugs

Jenny

xxx

PS: the pattern for "Ellie" can be found HERE.

Family time....

It has been a month since we left Charters Towers for the humid, beach-side city of Townsville. I have discovered that even though my son Sam, and daughter Kezzie, live just two hours west of us, it's not easy to get together any more!

So when Sam said he was coming to visit for the weekend I was over the moon!! My boy was finally going to see where we live, and we could celebrate him getting his drivers license the week before.

Blossom was extra thrilled at her big brother's arrival and it was only minutes before the fun and laughter began...

They spent all Saturday cruising around town in Sam's car, as well as visiting the toy sections of a few department stores. The Nerf Gun (above) was a huge hit in more ways than one! 

On Sunday Mr E and I left home early for a beach-side breakfast with the Ulysses Club...

It was very hot, so we stayed put under the shade most of the time. At 9am we all rode up to the Hervey Range Heritage Tea Rooms for a leisurely coffee and morning tea. I love riding with a large group! We visit the Tea Rooms every few months - you can see photos HERE from one of our previous trips.

After Mr E and I said farewell to our fellow Ulyssians, we rode to the Townsville Showgrounds to meet up with Sam and Blossom, who had taken part in a 300-car police escorted cruise around the city raising awareness of the need for a...

There were many classic cars, vintage cars, motorbikes, and regular rides all gathered at the Showground, so we walked around for an hour checking out as many as we could. Naturally Mr E was drawn to the bikes, while Sam headed round the cars...

Too soon the weekend was over and Sam had to leave. He has been doing up his car the last couple of months, and is so relieved to finally have his license, so we're sure to see him again soon. Yay!!

~~~~~

Blossom has settled into life here fairly well, though she spent most of her first two weeks looking for a new job. Praise God, she started work yesterday at a Pharmacy where she will undergo a 4-year traineeship as a Naturopath!

She is also picking up the needle and thread once more and setting her mind to some designing. In the next issue of Elefantz HOME you will find she is my guest designer, and I know you'll love what she has for you...

I am still working on my three Kitchen-themed designs for this issue, but I think I'll show you one of them to whet your stitching appetite!

My friend Wendy's husband, Joe, has a saying, "Cook with love...", and it's a pretty important component of my time in the kitchen as well. This cafe apron is sure to put a loving smile on your face as you cook, too!

Plenty of pocket space, and  don't you love the buckle!?

You'll love the other two designs I have for this issue, but I'll wait until just before the 29th to show you. 

If you want to subscribe to the magazine go HERE to do so.

~~~~~

Have a wonderful day!

Hugs

Jenny

xx