Sunday, January 2, 2022

Books and Roses BOM - let's begin!

 


Happy New Year everyone!

This year we'll be stitching something different for my regular free BOM. Rather than a quilt I'm sharing a bookmark of the month, "Books and Roses". 

Each month I'll offer you a small embroidery design featuring books and roses which you'll be able to make into a unique bookmark of your own style. Of course, you might want to make them into a small wall quilt (like we made last year with Posies) or stitch them onto small projects...but for me, they will become bookmarks. 

All of my bookmarks will be a bit different from each other and perhaps that will give you ideas of your own. I've gathered lots of ribbons, lace, fabric scraps and buttons, and chosen a red, blue, green and white colour scheme. There's a tiny pop of applique and the designs are stitched onto lovely white linen.


I have chosen a book to read in January, a very old one which I've read many lovely quotes from the past few months. I didn't even realise I had it on my shelf! So my new bookmark will mark the place in Alison Uttley's "The Country Child", which was written in 1931 and tells the story of her childhood in Derbyshire. 



There's even a chapter on January, though the book takes you through the months so all of them are covered. I'll probably find some wonderful quotes about home and garden to use in new designs as the year goes on.



Use the link below to download the free pattern.

DOWNLOAD January "Books and Roses" bookmark.

If you missed the 2022 bonus bookmark I shared in December pop over HERE.


I hope your family time these past couple of weeks was refreshing, loving and memorable. I know ours was. 

Blossom, Ross, Cully May, Rafaella and Charlie David were here on the 25th and we feasted, exchanged gifts, laughed, swam and gave thanks for the greatest gift of all, the Christ Child. We are a very relaxed family, no airs and graces here...we tend to go with the flow and end up simply enjoying each other and the children. 


I made everyone's favourites - chicken pasta salad, spanakopita, samosas, sour dough bread, chocolate brownies and caramel cream tarts. Oh my, happy faces all around!!








Little Charlie David was plumb tuckered out by later afternoon and pretty much collapsed in Poppy's arms before the family packed the car with gifts and leftovers for the trip home.


We had loads of rain between Christmas and New Year, which the garden loved, though hubby was less enthused about how happy the weeds were. Weeding is what he does every morning before work for about twenty minutes while I fix breakfast. Bless him!





I've really fallen in love with growing roses, my three large roses and one miniature rose fill our vases with roses all the time now. What a blessing to have such gorgeous blooms to admire inside.

Blossom and Ross bought me three new miniature roses for Christmas and they are gorgeous. Yellow/orange, pale pink, and peach colours...



They also loved the rain! I re-potted them into some pretty ceramic pots on New Years Eve and am still deciding where to place them in the garden. It's ghastly hot and humid here, a normal summer for us really, and if the roses get too much sun they burn so I have all my roses in semi-shade, though I still need to cut the blooms for inside display before they open right out as this keeps them pretty.


Yesterday I spent a few hours working on the blog, giving it a new dress for a new year. Hope you like it. The sidebar is a bit cleaner and easier to find things too.


My Year of Contentment series will begin later this month, plus I have my regular January tea towel post (and pattern) for you as well, but for now I shall sign off and pray that you find hidden joys and blessings every day in 2022, even if things seem difficult or dark. Put your faith in Jesus and remember that handing over our burdens to Him will always lighten the load and bring refreshment and hope.

bless you heaps,


23 comments:

Joanne said...

Hi Jennifer,
Happy New Year!
Thank you for a wonderful new and creative way to stitch a long this year!
The festive meal looks so good ! Christmas crackers too :)
Wishing you and your family lots of laughter, love and moments together in 2022
hugs,
Joanne

diana said...

Good morning Jenny. What a wonderful Christmas and a beautiful family❤️Stay safe and well🥳

Shelina (formerly known as Shasta) said...

Happy New Year! That meal looks so festive! Thank you so much for this beautiful pattern. I am making little stitcheries and this will be a great addition!

Jenny said...

I haven't commented in awhile but I do still read every post & I still follow on Instagram (@jennylovescharlie)

Oh I would love to have this book! It's very expensive used but I decided to go ahead & buy the Kindle version. I love reading with the seasons so I'll mark my calendar & read a chapter a month.
I've never participated in your BOMs because I'm just don't seem to do needlework as much as I think I'd like to....I always choose to do something else. But I do so enjoy seeing what you are creating.

Do your roses grow well in pots? I've had poor luck with roses. Maybe I should try containers.

Patti said...

Thank you for the lovely pattern. Bookmarks...wonderful idea!

Dots said...

Hi Jennifer, I love your red gingham table cloth. I actually have red gingham in my home,too. Everyone looks relaxed and happy at the table. What a nice looking feast! And the RED rose is very pretty! Colors online look so rich and bold. I love that. A new year, 2022. Sounds almost unreal. Time is moving so fast it seems to me. I am sitting with the blanket I crocheted a couple years ago with a CAL with Lucy from Attic 24. I think it is by far my favorite one. Prettiest one, too.
Be well, Jennifer. Happy New Year.

Rosie said...

Happy New Year. Love the title of that book and it looks like a good read! Maybe I'll have to invest in one and read along. The roses are looking very pretty.

Julie said...

Happy New Year dear Jennifer. Thank You for the gift of these bookmark patterns. I have two elderly friends with birthdays soon & was unsure what on earth to get them. So after reading your post today I thought perhaps stitch them each a bookmark & then pop it with a book voucher. That sounds perfect to me 😊 Your Christmas celebrations look wonderful ... family time - the best of all. xxx

Lin said...

Happy New Year Jennifer. Your Christmas celebrations sound perfect, such a lovely family time. Pretty bookmark - I am thinking I should make these for Christmas presents next winter. Looking forward to seeing the bloom in our new garden but for the time being just enjoying some mild weather here in France and the opportunity to sit outside in January! xx

Lin said...

Roses bloom! I really should read before I press publish. xx

MissParker said...

Belle et heureuse année 2022, ainsi qu'une bonne santé à toute ta petite famille, bisous

Pilarín said...

Feliz Año Nuevo 2022 lleno de salud, paz y alegría!!!!
Disfruta de los buenos momentos con la familia!!!

Muchas gracias por el nuevo diseño!! Eres muy generosa.

Besos desde España,
Pilarín

Mama C said...

Happy New Year Jennifer! What a lovely family and beautiful home you have. Thank you so much for the gift, I hope to do some small stitching very soon....maybe 2022 will be my year to get started.

vintage ellen said...

Thank you for sharing your Christmas with us. It looks like you had a very happy time. I love seasonal books like the one you mentioned so I went ahead and ordered it. Thank you for the suggestion. A very Happy New Year to you and your family!

Christine M said...

Happy New Year Jennifer. Looks like you had a lovely Christmas Day. That is such a lovely bookmark. Beautiful roses! xx

Allie said...

Oh what a DARLING idea - I love the bookmarks, thank you!!! I read at least a book a day, I might buy that book on kindle, it looks great. Dear girl, you are so blessed with such a beautiful family...love love love the pictures. Happy New Year!!!!

Ondrea said...

Bookmarks are a wonderful idea for us avid readers as well as for gifts. Thankyou. Such a happy bunch on Christmas Day and much enjoyed by the looks of things. So pleased you had such a lovely day.

Kim said...

Thank you so much, again, for freely sharing your gift of embroidery design. I love both roses and books. Speaking of books, I really didn't need another book to go on my "To Be Read" list, but The Country Child looks so delightful. Hmmm.

Karna O'Dea said...

Alison Utley's book, The country child is a book I loved as well, along with the Elizabeth Goudge books, Flora Thompsons Larkrise to Candleford etc

Fiona said...

Happy New Year Jenny, I love the idea of these pretty bookmarks.... very sweet...
Hugz

KingsailK said...

Thank you so much! Happy New year to you and your family XxML

jp said...

Jenny, thank you so much for the time and effort you put into your posts. I look forward to your posts and love that I can always find something pretty to make but, even more importantly to me, something gentle yet uplifting to read. Sometimes the general negativity of the world and the constant pressure to buy more is a bit overwhelming but your posts are a reminder that the most important things in life cannot be bought in a shop. And now you have inspired me to pick a rose from my garden and enjoy its perfume inside the house rather than let in frizzle in the hot sun (Queensland summers......)

MJ Gibbs said...

Thankyou so much Jennifer - I discovered you on instagram in the early hours of this morning, and spent the next few hours exploring and gawking over your beautiful designs! I am going to make the bookmarks and can't wait to get started. I live in Western Australia and am currently obsessed with making a red and cream patchwork quilt for my living room. Embroidery is how I spend my relaxation time curled up in my comfy armchair by the window! Again, many thanks, Blessings to you, MJ