Friday, August 20, 2010

7th Friday Show & Tell....

It's Friday Show and Tell once more, but no-one emailed me any photos this week so you'll have to be content with my own show and tell piccies...hope that's ok?
I'll start with the August Re-invention Challenge.
So far from one 50c orange linen/cotton shirt I have made a cushion using a stitchery I finished more than a year ago...
...and discovered how EASY it is to make cushion backs from the front of shirt! The buttonholes are already made for you....
That took a care of most of the fabric from the shirt front, and a bit of a sleeve. I used the other sleeve to make this gorgeous pincushion and scissor keep...
I had a lovely little bit of 'Snippets' left and the colours complemented the orange really well. This will be going into my box of Christmas gifts for Judith's Early Bird Christmas Crafting.
I must admit that I stole this idea from Michelle at Raspberry Rabbits! This is hers...
....and I love the whites, so I will be making one for myself in whites very soon!
I hope by next week you will have sent me some photos of your own August Challenge items. :-)
~~~~~
Do you remember the small *M* monogramme stitchery I shared for the Gum Trees Mother's Day freebies? You can find it HERE.
I am designing a whole alphabet of monogrammes, so I've tested some on some sweet scissor keeps...
The plan is to have them published in a little book, with project patterns, in the New Year. Keep watching for it - they will be perfect for small personal gifts. :-)
~~~~~
You all know about Slicer and Blossom, but today I'd like to tell you about my eldest daughter, Kezzie. 
From an early age the only stitching I could do was cross stitch (I did not learn to embroider or quilt until 2005), and it was the one handiwork skill I was able to teach all my children - yes, even Slicer! 
Kezzie has made some beautiful cross-stitch pieces over the years, but last year for my 50th birthday she presented me with this...
Sorry there is glare on the glass but the house is SO light that it catches everywhere. Here is what she added to the bottom...
Isn't that precious?
I cherish this work of art from Kezzie...all around the centre roses she has stitched the names of my husband, grandparents, parents, children (and some with their spouses) and grandchildren. 
Kezzie and her hubby and children live way down the bottom of Australia whilst I am right up the top so it's been two years since we were together for a photo, but this is one taken in July 2008 with myself, Blossom and Kezzie...
...and these are her two beautiful boys, my grandsons Cal and Dee.
For my 50th I chose the theme 'roses and pearls' - the cross-stitch had the roses, Mr Elefantz bought me fresh roses, and then both Kezzie and her hubby Bert, and Mr E with Slicer and Blossom bought me pearl earrings.
Well, my dear friends, that was a little 'Jenny of Elefantz' show and tell for this Friday. :-)
~~~~~
Have a wonderful weekend everyone!
Here in Australia we will be electing a Prime Minister and political party to lead us through the next 3 years...it's going to be a very close election! 
Hugs
Jenny
xxx

19 comments:

Allie said...

Jenny, you clever girl, I love the cushion - you're right, a shirt is PERFECT with the buttonholes there! I'm going to have to use this idea at some point! And I love your pincushion and scissors keeps - so darling!
What Kezzie made for you is beyond precious. She's lovely and your grandsons are adorable. I hope somehow you can get together more often!

FlourishingPalms said...

Your orange fabric upcycling is wonderful! You are so ingenious! I especially like the pin cushion/scissor keeper.

Thanks for sharing about your family. The pictures are so nice. I totally empathize with how difficult it must be for you to be so far from Kezzie and her family - those grandies! You poor thing. They look precious and I am sure you miss them.

I hope your finger is bending a little further each day. You were included in my morning prayers.

Anonymous said...

Jenny, it is so uplifting to come by your blog every day and see what you have been up to. Thanks for sharing your wonderful work and family and house. You have been blessed with a lovely family even though your daughter lives so far away, and I do hope your finger will get better for every day. Many thoughts from Dorte Kreiberg.
www.dortekreiberg.dk

BubzRugz said...

The cushion is great and the colours worked out really nice - thanks for the tip on using the front for the ready made buttons.....
I have done my Daisy-Do but forgot to send a picture - I'll snap it and send for next week!
I enjoyed the read about your family - I also have grandchildren far away and it is hard to go without regular hugs!!
Have a lovely weekend.... will see who our PM is???? Hugz

Maria said...

You have made some gorgeous things out of the 50c shirt. Just love the pincushion/scissors keeper.
Was nice to met Kezzie and her family. A very talented young lady too. What a beautiful gift she made for you.
Hope your finger is on the mend and enjoy the weekend.

Sabine said...

I saw the scissorkeep a while ago at MIchelle and liked it a lot. Nice to see another scissorkeep. This color works out nice too.
Maybe I'll make a pink one :-)

Abby and Stephanie said...

I see talent runs deep in your family. I'm sure it's difficult to be so far away from family but what a special treasure from your daughter to help bring her closer. LOVE snippets and LOVE the pincushion/scissor keeper.

John'aLee said...

That is a beautiful piece your daughter made you. Where would we be without our kids?

Terry said...

Love the cushion and the scissors keep/pincushion! Love the cross stitch your daughter made too! What a beautiful keepsake that is! :0)

Jocelyn said...

What a wonderful picture of you and your girls. And the grands are adorable. The embroidery that Kezzie made for you in awesome! What a special gift.

cottonreel said...

Hi Jenny, I,ll tell you a story . Myself and my two sons went to a funeral a few months ago . My eldest son wore a crombie overcoat because it was cold .I wore my pearl earings , I love pearls too , and I wore them because my brother bought them for me many years ago , it was his funeral .

My younger son remarked "he in his overcoat and you in your pearls , we look like gypsies ". I still laugh as I remember him saying it .I have a vivid imagination---cottonreel

cottonreel said...

I also live far away from my family. 170 miles away but my daughter,in law Alison came by coach to spend 4 days with me this week . It was wonderful. .
I hope your finger is soon o,k. I love the stuff you are showing .
My shabby roses quilt will be ready next week--cottonreel

Carrie P. said...

We love seeing your projects.
What a sweet treasure you have made your daughter. Love the photo of you 3 and your grandsons are so cute.

Julia said...

Great upcycling Jenny..and I love the buttoned shirt for cushion backs..
love the scissor keeper..
I wonder, will it be Julia or Tony!
Julia ♥

Margaret said...

You just amaze me, what a nifty idea with the cushions and the buttons.

manda said...

Grab a cuppa as my comment will be a long one! lol
I LOVE that cushion cover!!! Jenny, you are seriously amazing, especially as you've only been quilting/stitching since 2005! (I seriously have trouble believing that!)
Love the scissor keeps! Your M for mother pdf has been sitting in my folder on my to do list since it was posted for mothers day! lol Have you done a J yet? I would love to see the J! And the A....and the L too! lol
I remember before you came up to QLD your two youngest stayed with your oldest for a week and you met them there....has it really been 2 years already?!
That cross-stitch is just divine!!!
I had no idea you were a grandma!! You're too young to be a grandma! Although those boys are just gorgeous and I can see you being their Nana!
I love pearls too! I have a single beautiful cream pearl on a necklace, and I wear it to church whenever I remember. I love wearing it, it always reminds me of Heaven. The Bible says that there are 12 gates in Heaven, and each is carved from a single Pearl. Which just astounds me! I can't even begin to imagine the intricate detail that God has put into making the New Jerusalem a beautiful place for us! The streets are made of pure gold. You know that pure gold is transparent, right? It's the impurities in it that give gold its gold colour. The purer it is the less colour it has! Can you picture that?! Oh how wonderful it will be! I've love to see some stitcheries made by you on a series of Heaven, according to what the Bible says, with the verse! Wouldn't that just be wonderful!!? I hope you do, I would love that so much!!
Hugs Jenny!! Hugs Blossom!!

Robin in New Jersey said...

I love this post! Thank you for sharing your family with us. Adorable grandbabies you've got there! Your family is very creative. Those pearl earrings are to die for. Some women love diamonds, I love pearls.

Michelle May-The Raspberry Rabbits said...

Your scissor keep turned out so pretty! Oh and you didn't steal the idea as I'm happy to "inspire" good friends. :)
What a beautiful gift Kezzie made you. An heirloom for sure. It's lovely. Such a fantastic family you have.
xx, shell and sugie bunny

KaHolly said...

You are just too darned clever, Miss Jenny of ELEFANTZ!! You blow me away! I prepared a few of your patterns to have on hand for traveling, and happily, I've been kept too busy to stitch!! ~karen