This 'n' that...and the T-shirt Challenge

How is your week coming along? 

I wonder if it's been busy, or have you had time to grab some r & r? I hope the latter. 

For those cleaning up after Hurricane Irene my heart goes out to you. Still fresh in my mind is the aftermath of Cyclone Yasi in February, and the massive clean-up through so much of our state. {{{hugs}}}

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This week has been my turn for a migraine, one long one since Monday afternoon. It finally lifted this afternoon (Thursday), but my throat is sore so I wonder what next? Mr E is coming down with a cold and has a bad throat as well. Spring colds? Yuk.

Still, once the migraine subsided I was able to finish this new design whilst watching an episode of Poirot...

 

 

Kezzie dropped by for a cuppa afterwards, and after she left I made a start on a new 'Give Thanks' verse.  If I can finish it tonight, I'll share with you tomorrow. :-)

A cute thing to find as I was sewing the 1" squares for the "Live Well..." border were these 'pin flowers' that Blossom had made in one of my pincushions. I never disturbed her flowers, but smiled and thought of her everytime I need to use a pin.

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 There were only three entrants in the T-shirt Challenge, but all of them were inspirational!

Robin made a dress for her grandaughter from this t-shirt...

 

...and Angela made a cushion from her t-shirt!

 

Fiona had two projects. She was really dissapointed in the first one, so she tried for a second time and was much happier.

All three ladies showed creativity, and I was inspired by all their finished projects. Well done!! \o/

 I have decided to award the Ruby charm pack to Fiona because she was able to see the funny side of the situation when her projects didn't pan out the way she'd hoped, and then she persevered and tried again!

You can read a funny story about Fiona's first challenge project HERE...

 ...and her second project and story HERE.

 Congratulations Fiona! Please email your address to me and I can post off that Ruby Charm Pack. I wonder what you'll be making with it, and if you'll have another funny story??

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IMPORTANT: Would 'pinkquilter' and 'B. Brohl' please email me because everytime I send you an email with the link for Issue 3 of Elefantz HOME the email bounces right back at me.

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Time now to put my feet up for the day and hopefully finish the 'Give Thanks' verse. I wonder if you've guessed what it will be?

Do you have something you'd like to give thanks for? Please leave a comment and tell me what it is - you never know, it may end up as a 'Give Thanks' design.

Hugs

Jenny

xxx

T-Shirt Challenge and a short tutorial...

Have you found a t-shirt to re-purpose yet?

Today I spent most of my daytime hours doing housework, but I grabbed the last sixty minutes before dusk to sew my first T-Shirt Challenge item! Let me show you a very simple way to impress a teenage girl. 

Take one t-shirt.

Cut away the sides, top and bottom to leave you with raw edges on the front and back.

Add some ribbons or embellishments that work with the design on the t-shirt.  I bought some black ribbon last week to use as bows on the peace sign...

I don't have an overloacker (serger), so I used a stretch stitch on my machine to stitch around 3 sides, and I left an 8 inch opening on the 4th side. 

Fold a cushion insert in half and push it through the opening. Make sure the insert is 4 inches bigger than the t-shirt cushion cover so that it stretches the t-shirt out. Ladder stitch the opening closed. 

Voila!

 

My teenager was thrilled when she came home from work and found this on her bed. 

It's two hours later and she's still hugging it. 

And this morning it was just a t-shirt. 

Now, what will you be making?

I've decided to run this Challenge all through August. Send me a photo of your repurposed t-shirt, or a link to your blog post, and you will go in the draw for a pretty Ruby charm square pack...

Remember, you must have made this item during the Challenge. 

Please do not send photos of items you have made previously. 

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Tomorrow I am going to start us off with Basics 101.

I get lots of emails asking how I do certain sewing things, so I am going to answer those questions with simple tutorials.

See you then!

Hugs

Jenny

xxx

Wendy visits at last - and other lovely things!

My dear friend Wendy had to postpone her visit last week, but yesterday she finally made it - after battling through a myriad of roadworks on the 170klm trip between her house and mine. One of the sweetest things in the world is to catch up with a friend you love, espcially when those visits are too few. 

To add to the delight of spending time with her, she came bearing gifts - totally unneccesary, but oooooh, so pretty!

Cottage Garden hand dyed ric rac (in my favourite colour!), and the cutest pussy cat charm...

(She also brought me a container of her hubby's wonderful Tiramisu!!! I confess, I did not share it with anyone...and I have nothing left of it to show you either. It was amazingly delicious, Joe!)

We also shared our 'show & tells', and I had to share with you these pics of a foundation pieced small quilt Wendy made to exhibit in her local quilt show. It has beautiful little feet and shoes!

 ...and here is Wendy holding her gorgeous work for you to see!

Too soon our day was over and already we have plans for my trip down to her in a few weeks - Blossom is insisting she tag along too. She loves her Wendy-fix as much as I do! 

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As we chatted, drank cappucinos, and generally enjoyed ourselves a lot, we stitched. Wendy stitched down the binding on the quilt above, and I worked on something pretty and new that I'll share next month...

I also finished a third design based on 'All You Need is Love". This one is a small framed stitchery...

 

No  more stitching for a few days now, though. It's only three more sleeps and Issue 2 of Elefantz HOME will be published, so I have some late nights ahead of me to write articles and fine tune the layout, patterns and tutorials.

If you haven't subscribed yet, you can do so over HERE. 

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As I have mentioned before, we live in a very small town. There are many things I cannot get here, so frequent trips to Townsville are essential - but as most of those trips are on Mr E's motorbike I still can't bring anything bulky home with me. 

Buying ingredients for a healthy diet is difficult, however I discovered a wonderful online store where I can get everything I need and it was postage free! Yesterday my first delivery arrived and I was very impressed! Now I can make some wonderfully healthy fare again, with the knowledge I can replenish my supplies easily in the future...

Last night I made one of Blossom's favourite meals, "Chorizo & Chick Peas on Mash"...

 

 

It was a recipe from an old Donna Hay magazine, and fast became a regular on the menu for Bloss and I. 

Unfortunately the boys are not interested in even trying it. Men. ;-)

Bloss is recovering once more and this time we're praying it is a full recovery so she can enjoy the lovely, sunny days of our tropical winter before it gets too warm.

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Have you chosen your t-shirt(s) for my "T-Shirt Challenge" yet?

These are the two I will be using...

They'll have to wait until after the magazine is published, but I already know how I am going to use them. So tell me, what will you make with your t-shirt??

You have until August 31st to enter, and this must be something you have made during the length of the Challenge (July 22nd - August 31st). I need to see a photo of your completed challenge project either on your blog or you can email me a photo, and I will show it on my blog.

One random winner will be chosen from the entries and win a 'Ruby' charm square pack! I will post worldwide, so come on and show me what you can do with a t-shirt. :-)

Okay, I'd better get back to working on the magazine. After a nice cappuccino. And maybe some chocolate bikkies. Yes, definitely the chokky bikkies.

Have a lovely day.

Tell someone you love them, and tell them why. 

Hugs

Jenny

xxx

PS: Something new happening next week on the blog! Let's get stitchy with Basics 101....

Comfort foods, a challenge, and a giveaway!

We are now smack dab in the middle of winter and as Blossom is once again unwell - this time with a head cold and loss of voice  - it was important to cook some nourishing food for her.

Date and Banana Muffins make lovely breakfast foods. The  natural sweetness of the dates and the  bananas mean you don't need to add much sugar.

I soak my chopped dates in boiling water for 10 minutes before I add them to the muffin mix as it softens them and makes their sweetness spread among the muffin dough.

I use rich, moist brown sugar as it caramelises whilst baking and is a perfect compliment to dates and bananas...

The bananas are from our own trees and I realise how blessed we are to have them as across our country at the moment you can pay up to $15 per kilo for them! Cyclone Yasi in February wiped out the majority of banana plantations in our state. 

A new magazine, and a Banana Date Muffin...

 Perfect!

Another healthy meal is soup, especially my Spicy Roasted Pumpkin and Garlic Soup! I make this all the time in winter, and though my children don't like pumpkin, they DO love this soup.

I add in some shredded chicken breast for protein, and the soup disappears before my eyes.

Do you like Blossom's bowl? She also wanted you to take note of her spoon. Nursery foods for sick babies, eh? (The recipe was in today's newsletter which was emailed out about an hour ago)

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Today I played a bit more with the remake of my second Affirmations design for the magazine. This is the original I made a couple of months ago...

...but I like to show you different ways to make the same design, so this time I am using leftover Robyn Pandolph fabrics, peach freshwater pearl beads, a coffee-dyed doily and extra doily flowers cut from a larger doily, and an very old brooch that has a peach pearl centre...

I couldn't believe the perfect match of peach pearls!

It's almost finished and I am loving how all the different fabrics and trims are harmonising in the design.

It's only one week until Issue 2 of Elefantz HOME is published. If you'd like to know what you'll find in this issue just visit HERE! 

Five designs this month! You'll love them all! 

And just $4 for the lot. Do you know how happy I am to offer you my designs in such an affordable way? :-)

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NEWS: I am going to have a Challenge for you! It's been many months since my last Challenge and I felt it was time to work those 'little grey cells' again (as Hercule Poirot would say!).

This time you'll need a t-shirt. A t-shirt you'd like to repurpose. Maybe two, or three...it's up to you.

I have two to play with, and I know one is destined for a new life as a cushion for Blossom. Not sure what I'll do with the other yet.

I wonder what you'll make with yours?

There will be a giveaway too! If you enter the T-shirt Challenge and email me a photo of your repurposed project, your name will go in the draw to win a 'Ruby' Charm Pack!

This is the latest fabric line from Bonnie & Camille, and I can't wait to start sewing with mine. 

The Challenge begins today, and finishes on August 15th.

PLEASE NOTE: You cannot enter items you have made previously. These must be projects you make from a t-shirt between today and August 31st. 

Have fun!!

Hugs

Jenny

xxx