Ooops! It's been a while hasn't it....

Ooops! Days pass so quickly when Mr E is home that I think I just did a blog post and discover, no, it's been almost a week. I know you'll forgive me. Time with him at home is most precious to me. 

Yesterday he took the mine bus from Townsville for the first time. He was beginning his first rotation of four, 12 hour night shifts, and riding 500 klms home on a motor bike after coming off four days of night shifts just doesn't seem the smart thing to do.

We drove in at 5am, and after the bus left I had a coffee by the beach, then turned round and drove the 132 klms home....

Back home with the animals, I settled in for some sewing time. 

The final few of my remade "A Christmas Story" blocks are finished now. I am loving them made up from my Aviary scraps; so different to the original.

 

 

 

Also completed are the remade "Shabby Roses" blocks, and I've now begun piecing them with my Tilda stash....

I'm tweaking the quilt design as I go; it will be mostly the same layout as my original, just a wee bit different.

Also come to life from my sketch book is a new design for the next issue of Elefantz HOME. 

I'm doing this in two styles - one redwork, and one applique - but I'm still undecided on how I'll finish them. 

 ~~~~~

Slowly I'm working through this new stage of adult life; the part where your children have grown up and left home, and you find yourself with more time on your hands than ever before, especially when your husband works away 60% of the time. Fortunately, they call me on the phone (a lot) and even bring me gifts.

Blossom gave me a little stitchery to finish as a leaving home gift. She started it a few nights before she moved into her new house and there's not much more to do, but I kinda like it the way it is...unfinished. It reminds me of her life, still more to be lived and enjoyed...

(the Christmas baubles design was a free one shared a Christmas or two ago, but I can't remember where from, so can't give you a link)

Kezzie dropped by this morning just to say "I love you, Mum", and gave me these pretty flowers. I put them in the vase she gave me for my birthday ~ perfect.

 

Another gift arrived in the mail yesterday, but this was from the very sweet Mary who found something at the op-shop where she volunteers, and immediately thought it would be perfect for me! I think you'll agree....

I really do have a soft spot for anything with elephants. Thank you so much, Mary! :-)

~~~~~

Before I go and cook some dinner for myself, and feed Sophie and Bob-the-dog, (both are at my feet right now looking up at me with love-lorn and hungry eyes) I have a favour to ask of you.

A magazine I faithfully read was cancelled last year. It had wonderful homely, crafty, money-saving, healthy living ideas and articles, and the day it simply vanished from the newsagents display without any forewarning was the day I realised how much I truly enjoyed it. 

Since then I have scoured op-shops and garage sales to purchase all the copies I missed. There are always a few stacked by my sewing chair to flick through during a coffee break....

...and every time I am left feeling nourished as a woman, mother, wife, and homemaker. Can you see why I am missing it?

Well, it seems I am not the only one who is longing for it's return!

Fellow designer Amanda has started up a Facebook page to see if she can drum up enough of a following that the publishers take note and bring back our beloved Notebook: magazine!

You can read about Amanda's campaign HERE on her blog, or go straight to the Bring Back Notebook Magazine FB page and 'like' it.

Please?

Thank you. :-)

~~~~~

I will return tomorrow with a show and tell of project photos sent in by lovely bloggers, but right now I'd best go and feed the little ones so I can have my feet back. 

Hugs

Jenny

xxx

8th Friday Show and Tell!

It's a big one this week! You'd better go brew a good cup of tea or coffee and settle in for some wonderful eye-candy.

Let's begin with two completed Shabby Roses Quilts - both gorgeous!

Carrie's version of my quilt had me intirugued from the start. She used fabrics that weren't what I'd expected - so much so that she called her quilt, Retro Roses, and I *love* it! Visit her blog for close-up photos of the blocks - it's so worth it.

Kathleen's (Cottonreel) quilt is also a stunner! And what really impressed me was the quilting - she did it all herself on an ordinary domestic sewing machine. It's just beautiful! See more photos on her blog. 

 

 ~~~~~

Virgina in Chile has been working on her Daisy-do blocks, and she's added beading to the daisy centres - very effective and so pretty!

 Fiona has also made a start on Daisy-do, and once more a very pretty display!

Fiona is also working on the August Re-Invention Challenge by felting old jumpers (sweaters) - I'm looking forward to seeing what she makes. Maybe next week a photo, Fiona? :-)

(I felted some last year and had forgotten about them - hmmm...maybe I should dig them out and have a play myself.)

~~~~~

Now to some clever girls who have been making things in the August Re-Invention Challenge!

Carla made use of a stitchery when she cut up an old skirt for a bag...

...then used more of the skirt fabric for a journal cover!

Carla even designed the floral stitchery on the journal cover and is offering it as a free download on her blog! She's also made a pincushion, bookmark....so much! Be sure to visit and see how creative she has been!
Janet made a handy decorative bag from a heavily embroidered jacket - quite the eye-popper! You can see the jacket before it's re-invention on her blog.

Paulette made use of a whole pile of 100% cotton men's shirts for this fantastic quilt top! How ingenious!!

(and with Father's Day in Australia just two Sunday's away this would be a great idea if you are stuck on what to get dad!!)

Beige Club has been busy making aprons from tea towels! (Didn't we have fun with the Tea Towel Challenge earlier this year?! - Maybe we'll make than an annual event?...) They are so pretty, and great for gifts!

Lastly for this week is Susan! I am going to tease you with her Challenge projects by only showing you what she used....

Now go over to Susan's blog and see what great things she made from the jeans and the ice-cream container!! How brilliant is she?!

Susan thought outside the box, and that has me wondering just how far I can go with Re-inventing...

What about you?

~~~~~

Today I'll finish using up the last little pieces of my orange shirt. Who would have thought orange and I would have worked so well together? (A confession though - I played with pink last night because I was missing it so!!)

Have a wonderful Friday!

Hugs

Jenny

xxx

More SHABBY ROSES, sneak peek, Tilda, and Mothers Day Mania!

I feel quite humbled when a fellow quilter likes one of my designs so much that they want to make it.

Last year's BOM, (and my first original quilt design HERE) - Shabby Roses - is still very popular. I will confess to you today that this quilt will always hold a very special place in my heart because every block represents an emotion connected with a time, place, or person in my life thus far. It was me allowing my 'voice' to flow through my designs.

Since then I have seen a number of completed Shabby Roses quilts and each one excites me! Seeing *my* Shabby Roses, made by hands other than my own, and transformed from the original with different fabrics or embellishments is amazing. 

Recently Anna Rosa posted her completed Shabby Roses quilt on her blog, and she has kindly allowed me to share the photo with you.

I have to say that I *LOVE* the 'smile' block, standing forthright in the bottom row! It MADE me smile as soon as I saw it! Anna, you have done yourself proud...your quilt is gorgeous. :-)

Anna Rosa is a wonderful painter, too. Go visit her blog HERE and drool over her amazing talent!

~~~~~

My final Tilda fabric purchases arrived last week, all the way from Denmark. 

A lovely blogger, LONE, responded to my question about purchasing Tilda fabrics with news of a sale on these lovely fabrics at a store in Denmark HERE. Converted to Australian dollars they became a real bargain at less than $10 per metre, so LONE arranged for me to purchase some as I cannot understand any language other than English. LOL! 

Anyhow, the fabrics have arrived (thank you LONE!!), and I now have my own little Tilda corner of the sewing room! I have stored the fabrics in those lovely rose boxes I bought a couple of weeks ago. 

As soon as I clear my sewing table of UFOs and some secret new designs I'll begin my Tilda sewing.

~~~~~

Here is a sneak peek of something secret...

...some lovely VERNA fabrics are going to play with my design and bring it to life. I'm hoping to finish this over the next week or so as what started as something small has grown in my mind and will be much larger and more interesting than I originally imagined. 

~~~~~

Thank you to everyone who responded about their favourite threads! I'm now interested in trying Prescencia as a number of you mentioned them. I'll see what I can track down!  :-)

Don't forget, this week on our Gum Tree Designers blog we are having a Mothers Day Mania!! Free designs, recipes, poems and ideas to bless your mother this Mothers Day, May 9th! Be sure to visit HERE!

Vikki shared a gorgeous fabric envelope on Monday, and Fiona shared the sweetest stitchery today.

Tomorrow it's my turn to share something - wonder what it will be?

God bless all of you!

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

~BOUQUET~ block 2 ...

Today I have block 2 of my beautiful ~BOUQUET~ quilt to share with you!

You can download the instructions for block 2, *Bucket of Roses*, HERE

Block 2 will be available free until March 6th only, after which it will be sold as a single block download through my Etsy Shop.

~~~~~

 Block 1 is now available for purchase from my Etsy Shop HERE for $4.25 US

If you would like to purchase the complete ~BOUQUET~ quilt pattern now, which includes all 9 blocks, it is available through my Etsy Shop for $25 - the pattern is a pdf download complete with instructions, fabric and notion requirements, templates, reverse templates for the applique, colour photographs and more - 18 pages in all!

 ~~~~~

 For those who missed out on last year's quilt 'Shabby Roses', I also have it available now as a PDF pattern purchase in my Etsy  Shop. It has 12 beautiful embroidered and appliqued blocks plus quilt label - and if you did not want to make the quilt you could find so many wonderful ways to use each of the blocks individually in gifts such as bags, pillows, smaller hangings - you are only limited by your imagination! 

The complete Shabby Roses pattern pack is available HERE as a pdf download emailed to you for $29, or as a special offer this month you can purchase the complete paper pattern pack HERE posted free of charge to your home anywhere in the world for the same price, a saving of $10!

~~~~~

Last night I finished the runner I made using Stina's Valentines blocks. It looks so pretty on the chest of drawers in our bedroom! Thank you for such pretty blocks, Stina!

I also finished a sweet and simple new design I sketched over the Christmas holidays, featuring my favourite fragrance, lavender.

Sweet and simple, fragranced by nature...just how I like life.

Hugs

Jenny

xxx

SHABBY ROSES - the label, and a new design!!,

The day has come.
The final day to share my very first Shabby Roses quilt block - this time the quilt label.
When you've sewn the label on a quilt it's a project completed, and then it's time to stand back and admire the work of your hands, the beauty of a created piece.
Even though the designs are mine, the finished appearance is all yours. Give yourselves a big {{hug}} from me.
You chose the fabrics, the threads. You made choices that took my work and gave it special magic using your own imagination and style! Well done!! I am so humbled by the beautiful photos coming through to me of finished quilts - you are so talented, so incredibly kind to have made my quilt, so generous in your words of encouragement to me along the journey.
~ thank you ~


**The Shabby Roses Quilt label will not be available as a free download after December 31st, 2009. It will be available as part of the purchase set of blocks 10, 11 & 12 in my Etsy Store.



If you haven't downloaded the assembly instructions to complete your quilt, you can download the file HERE.

~~~~~

I had fabrics left over after I finished my Shabby Roses Quilt, so I decided it would make good sense to add the Shabby Roses Bolster Cushion to the collection!

The cushion is 20 inches long, and 27 inches in circumference.
This was my gift to Blossom as she has been such a help in the Shabby Roses journey, and she's been patiently waiting for a bolster cushion for two years! She says it was 'well worth the wait!'

But I really loved the new design, HOPE, so using different, but just as beautiful fabrics, I made the HOPE wallhanging and hung it with an organza ribbon. There is a little hanging sleeve hidden behind where I could thread the ribbon through.

The wallhanging is 10 1/2 inches X 7 1/4 inches, and is bound with fabric that reminded me of ripe raspberries, my favourite fruit.

The HOPE pattern set - for both the bolster cushion & the wallhanging - are available to purchase HERE through my Etsy store! for $8.95 USD.

If you would like to purchase the HOPE set in Australian currency, you can do so at my shop blog HERE.
~~~~~

Next year I have another gorgeous BOM for you!!
This time it will be in blues...and with some more of my Shabby Roses!

Hugs
Jenny
xxx

'Shabby' sneak peek, published again, and mail...

Look what arrived in the mail!
It's my box of Advent presents from Jeanette!
Now I have to sit and look at this bright and bubbly box in my sewing room, unopened, for the next two weeks! I knew there would be a down side to this Swap.
Jeanette's parcel from me has arrived at her door too, so we're both bursting with anticipation at the daily treats from each other through December. Thanks to Jo and Fiona for hosting the Advent Swap - wonderful idea!

Speaking of Swaps ~ earlier this year I signed up for Maree's Paper Bag Swap. The idea was to post off some fabric, threads and trimmings in a paper bag (with some chocolate!) to your swap partner and they were to make you something from them, then post the finished item back to you.
My partner was Peg, and she is a real sweetheart (look at her blog, she does gorgeous work)...I designed this for her, stitched it up and posted it off just as we were leaving Esperance to move across country.

Creating Country Threads magazine showed an interest in it, so I decided to remake it for them to publish but I altered it slightly so that Peg's was her very own 'original'. :-)
The latest issue of Creating Country Threads arrived in the mail this week and now you too can make 'Hearts for Peg"...

If those outside of Australia, or unable to purchase this issue of Creating Country Threads, would like to purchase this design please let me know in the comments and I'll do up a pattern pack this week for my Etsy Store. :-)
~~~~~
What are you going to make for yourself in the coming months? Are you like me and send most of what you make off to friends and family as gifts?
In the current issue of Homespun there is a gorgeous bag design from Natalie Lymer of Cinderberry Stitches, and when I saw it I knew I wanted my own version. At the end of the pattern instructions there is the supplier details for the lovely leather handles Natalie used - so guess what else arrived in the mail for me this week?
Yep, those leather handles!

I bought them from Studio Mio, and in the package they had added a little pack of fabrics - so cute!
I'll be using Snippets from Moda for my bag, because I love the fabrics, and also because the bag is made using a honey bun and I have one sitting on my shelf waiting for a purpose. It must have been destined for this. ;-)

Hmmm...can you guess which DMC thread is my favourite colour???

More mail goodies! Dawn, a fellow Gum Tree Designer, knows how much I *love* DMC 99.
News has been buzzing around that this is one of the colours DMC will be discontinuing so within hours of learning how frantic I was at being denied my precious #99 she planned her strike on the local Spotlight Store and armed with purse and babies she gathered 10 skeins off the rack, packed them with military precision and sent them off through the post to the opposite side of the country and into my waiting hands. Now, is that a friend or what?!

And of course, when one receives a gift like that one decides a new stitchery must be had to display the lovely and soon to be rare thread. So to my sketch pad I turned, then to tracing and fusing applique pieces...

...all ready to stitch now. Thank you darling Dawn!

And look at this sweet teaspoon another of my Gum Tree Designer sisters sent me! Vikki is a tea lover too, and when she saw this she knew it would bless me. It's too pretty to use of course so I have it in a gorgeous china bowl of lavender petals. Thank you darling Vikki!
(Vikki has a giveaway on her blog right now to celebrate her new designs!! You should hurry on over and enter because there are 3 double pattern packs to win!)

~~~~~

How are you going with your Shabby Roses quilt blocks? Have you caught up? All the blocks, 1 - 12, have been released, and if you haven't begun this quilt I really hope you do soon. It was a true labour of love to design and make, and an experience that I will always cherish.
On December 1st I will release the free quilt label design for you to download, as well as the quilt assembly instructions. Today, however, I'll give you a sneak peek of the label....

Blocks 10, 11, and 12 are available for free download until December 31st.

Blocks 1 - 9 are available to purchase in sets of three as PDF downloads I will email to you, through my Etsy Store.
Perhaps you prefer a paper pattern set? You can choose to purchase the complete printed pattern set with all instructions and photograph for free postage worldwide through my Etsy Store as well.

If you are Scandinavian, you can purchase the complete printed pattern set with all instructions and photograph, in your own language, from Maggi's Handmade in Sweden. Just click on the photo below to visit her store!
Maggi's Handmade
~~~~~

Today Blossom has been sent home from school with a very sick stomach so she's back in bed with the fan on to keep her cool. I pray she recovers quickly as she is going to receive an Academic Excellence award at the end of year Speech Day on Friday, so if you could offer a pray for her that would be most welcome. :-)

It's very hot here every day, but Bob-the-dog sits by the door at dawn when it's cool enough to have it open, and watches me as I sew through the sunrise...

...and the sun is rising high in the sky now, so I'll go make my Blossom a cool drink and sit close by and stitch while she rests. Bob-the-dog will be by our side, of course. My little shadow.

I'll do another post later today as there have been some questions asked that need answering.

Hugs
Jenny
xxx