Saturday, May 7, 2016

Magazine projects and a winner...

It's not easy keeping a design under wraps for almost a year, but that's what I did.
This week the new issue of Australian Homespun Magazine hit the newsstand with one of my designs featured inside, but blow me down, I had no idea it would make the cover!


Isn't the colouring page format wonderful!? 
But I think you may like to see it stitched, right?


My heart is for home and what nicer way to celebrate home than a trip down memory lane to fresh baked apple pie cooling on the windowsill, and naturally one of my sweet birdies needed a starring role too!
 

 It took me months to decide how best to display the stitchery.
Intent on creating a window frame border I waited for just the right idea to evolve. Patience paid off!
One day I found a big old wooden frame at a bargain store. It was just the right size and after painting it lemon it became the perfect window frame for "Dishing Up the Past"...


This design uses mostly back stitch for the embroidery, but there's also pops of chain stitch, stem stitch, satin stitch, cross stitch, running stitch and a lacy curtain edge made from long lazy daisies...



Australian Homespun is available in newsagents throughout Australia and New Zealand, Spotlight stores, and various suppliers internationally. You can also purchase the digital magazine from Zinio, Apple Newsstand and Google Play.

There's also an interview with me on page 52, and a few stitching tips scattered through the pattern!


IDEA:

Imagine a favourite family recipe written inside the window? Or perhaps you could pin it there? I'm going to pin a photo of Nana and Pop inside my hand stitched window because that's where love for home began in my life.

If you've got this project on your to-do list I hope you enjoy it immensely!



Thank you to everyone who entered my little orphan Tuesday stitchery giveaway.
Your kind words of encouragement in the hundreds of comments were indeed precious.

A winner was drawn yesterday, so imagine a drumroll as I announce her name okay?! 

BRENDA WINKLE, congratulations! 
I'll be emailing you very soon for your postage details, and as well as my orphan stitchery you'll receive a fat quarter of the gorgeous Tilda fabric shown in the photo above. 




Another magazine I was blessed to be featured in recently was Helen's "Bustle & Sew".


It's such a lovely e-mag full of interesting projects, articles, recipes and other marvellous things! 
In the May issue you'll find Helen's interview with me in her e-zine's 'Meet the Maker' section plus one of my designs to stitch. 

Helen and I have been online friends for a number of years and though our styles are quite different we both adore hand embroidery and are encouragers of each others work.

If you would like to read the interview, Helen has kindly allowed me to share it with all of you.

Download the interview HERE 

You may also like to brew a cuppa and head to Helen's website for a browse through all her lovely bits and pieces (she has some really sweet free patterns) which include video tutorials and e-books.

Have you ever wanted to make a softie but not sure how? 
Helen has a free e-book to teach you how!





Visit Bustle & Sew HERE
 




I've been a little quiet on the blog this past week as I damaged my sciatic nerve and sitting for any length of time at my desk is rather painful so while I continue to recover blog posts may be a bit sparse, but I shall still blog as much as I'm able because it's something I love. 

Have a blessed weekend my dear friends and readers, and to all you mothers -
HAPPY MOTHERS DAY
on Sunday.

hugs

22 comments:

Cheryl's Teapots2Quilting said...

Great cover!!! Congrats!

Christine M said...

Congratulations on making the cover, Jenny. I just love this design. xx

Maria McCabe said...

I am in the USA so I get my Homespun magazine through Zinio electronically. I got an email yesterday notifying me my new issue was available and the the first thing I thought was that someone was "copying" your style! I am so glad it is you! Now I can go and enjoy the issue! CONGRATULATIONS!!! WOW THE COVER!!!!!

Jacqueline said...

Wow. Not only published but a cover. Good for you. Happy Mother's Day to you too.

Anonymous said...

Love your design, so homey, what a perfect choice for the cover! Diane from Minnesota, USA

Createology said...

Oh My Jenny you are to be Congratulated and Feel Proud and Honored at being on the cover. Congratulations also on your feature with Helen's "Bustle and Sew". Also congratulations to Brenda for being the proud new keeper of your precious orphan stitchery. Now I must back up and review your post I have missed. Please do take care of your painful Sciatica and feel better very soon. Healing Energy Hugs...

selina said...

CONGRATULATIONS for both articles, wow.
ohhh dear, sciatic nerve damage isn't fun at all, did mine years ago & it still plays up & now am plagues with 'sore backs' everyday.
hope you have a speedy recovery
thanx for sharing

Martha Roberts said...

Congratulations on the magazine cover and interview. I wish you would do a coloring book of your designs. It would be a fun way to audition different colorways for your designs. So sorry about the sciatica problem. Feel your pain as I have had that awful problem myself. Hope your Mother's Day is spent with your loved ones. Love to you and Mr. E.

Martha Roberts said...

Congratulations on the magazine cover and interview. I wish you would do a coloring book of your designs. It would be a fun way to audition different colorways for your designs. So sorry about the sciatica problem. Feel your pain as I have had that awful problem myself. Hope your Mother's Day is spent with your loved ones. Love to you and Mr. E.

Guida said...

Congrats to Brenda on her win, hope you have a lovely Mothers Day Jenny. A very big congrats on the two projects in the magazines. Take care, Guida.

Águeda said...

CONGRATULATIONS!!! The cover magazine!!! It is wonderful!! Your work is beautiful, and Homespum see. Thank you for share it. Congrats to Brenda too : Lucky Girl!! :)
Have a Blessed day. Hugs.

Baa. xxx said...

Wow! You awesome woman! The front cover - how special is that!! And Bustle and Sew as well. Very exciting! Blessed! So sorry about your back - thoughts and prayers for you. Congrats to Brenda - she will love her prize.

Baa. xxx said...

By the way - pretty cool idea for some of your designs to be turned into colouring pages - maybe a job for the beautiful Blossom.

Carol- Beads and Birds said...

This is such a cute design. I love how you finished it in the frame too. Congratulations on the article AND the COVER STORY...how wonderful! Your work is certainly cover worthy. So happy that you received this recognition.
xx, Carol

Diane Garton said...

Congratulations Jenny! What a wonderful design - and to have it on the front page too, how special is that?? My Grandma was also very influential in my life when I was growing up AND she made scrumptious apple pie so I will stich this design and use a precious photo of her for the middle. What a truly beautiful thought you had and thank you for sharing your God-given gift so freely with us all. Praying for your pain to be eased as I know how excruciating sciatica can be. Have a restful weekend with your feet up, enjoy Mother's Day and let those around you spoil you - just a little!! God bless you Jenny, from Diane in UK xx

Julie said...

Congratulations to Brenda on her win. AND congratulations to YOU too dear Jenny ... I shall definately be looking out for that Honespun magazine Issue. I hope you have a wonderful Mothers Day Jenny & that your sciatica pain improves really quickly. When I hurt mine, I found that a hard backed dining chair was much better for it than a soft squishy lounge chair. Take care my friend x x x

shirley flavell said...

Congratulations to you with your Homespun design, it's lovely. Ouch for you re your back problem. It can make you so tired can't it. Everything takes twice as long to do. I do hope it starts to repair real quickly for you.Happy Mothers day for Sunday and hope you have a good week.Take care.

Ondrea said...

Healing angel hugs coming your way. Congrats on the mag cover! Woohoo! You must be so excited.

Judy1522 said...

I will remember you in my prayers that you will be out of pain soon. Congratulations on having your stitchery on the cover of Homespun. I really enjoyed your interview in Helen's Bustle and Sew magazine.

Anonymous said...

I'm so sorry you are in pain, Jenny. I hope it heals quickly, or you find a way to turn the time to your spiritual good. I love your window and the idea of a recipe on it is super. I also like that you are going to pin a photo of your grandparents in there, too. Thank you for sharing your interview, and thanks to Helen, as well. So kind of her to let us view that. What a great, filling post this was!

Rosie said...

WOW! What a beautiful project! I can't wait to stitch this one.

Little Penpen said...

Jenny, Congratulations!! the stitchery is beautiful and I love how they made your pattern the cover design!! The stitchery truly evokes a nostalgic feeling for home!