Once again, as appears to be my habit this year, you're receiving the next block in my 2025 BOM, The Sewing Room, a day early. But I do not think you're compalining about that. ;-)
I had a few things I wanted to chat about in blog posts this past week, plus the recipe file I promised many of you, but a lot has been happening here and time got away from me. The Lord has allotted us just so many hours in the day, and lately my days have been full with homemaking, food storage and family.
But first today, let me tell you about Block 3 of The Sewing Room. I chose my sewing machine as the theme in the March pattern, as what is a sewing room without a sewing machine? It has so many functions and can be used to make almost anything to do with fabric decor, clothing, patchwork, dolls, mending, alterations and useful items around the home - and I'm sure you can think of other ways your sewing machine earns its keep.
MACHINE OPTIONS:
Now, you may not have a Janome like I do, and be disappointed that I've chosen 'my janome' to stitch above the applique machine - but do not be concerned, for I have eight different options on your pattern sheets!
You can choose from Janome, Singer, Husqvarna, Brother, Juki, Elna, Pfaff, or 'my machine'.
I wish my own machine was decorated with pretty roses like the fabric used in the applique. It looks so pretty.
Use the link below to download the pattern-
If you have missed either of the first two blocks they are HERE
Just out of curiosity, what make of sewing machine do you have?
Back to what's been happening here at home (interspersed with photos of some homemaking things from this week...)
On Monday hubby went to work at the car yard as usual. On Tuesday he handed in his notice. On Tuesday afternoon he accepted another job offer. On Thursday he started working in real estate.
You remember I wrote about the course he was doing to retrain in a different profession (risky when you're hitting 60)? Well the course ran for twelve months, but he completed it in two months. After all, the age clock is ticking and he's an intelligent bloke.
(lime and coconut tapioca pudding with fresh mango and lime zest)
With nudging from the Lord, he heard "Just do it now" instead of waiting to start a real estate position in May...so he rang the company again and asked if he could start now. They were excited and said YES! This firm has mostly older employees, and many of them have left the 'cut throat' RE businesses around town to build a firm of agents who encourage and support each other. Just one day in and my man told me how lovely it was to work with generous and hard working people all wanting each other to succeed.
(one of the bulk pantry items I've been putting together from individual ingredients - this is spaghetti sauce seasoning)
There's also been Bible study, yard work, preserving, bulk pantry building, Blossom and the children, deep cleaning, sewing - and very importantly, a new budget to plan because hubby is on base wage traineeship for a few months before receiving his full registration from the government to sell real estate. Hence my increased desire for conscious thrift and building up the pantry with homemade products that reduce trips to the supermarket. I am loving it!
(some of the bulk items for cooking made on Wednesday, and more are in progress - I was able to make them all from supplies already in my pantry)
After three near misses with his life this year, God stepping in every time to save him (two times when the tree split and fell in the monsoon, and another time I never told you about when he drilled through electrical wires in January), God's voice is strong and clear in my man's heart and head, and he knows that this path forward in our future is the one with God's light shining ahead of him.
(plum jam and tomato sauce, or you may call it ketchup, made this morning)
One thing I have often said to family and friends, is that if we're still here, God hasn't finished with us yet, and He still has a plan for our life and work to do, and hopefully we will live that life and work in that life for His glory.
(watching Olesya's latest video while I prepare strawberries for the freezer, and stew peaches)
Around the home I am busy as usual because there's always something to do, new ways to build up our home economy with common sense frugality and careful planning, a desire to learn and try new things, and a willingness to put my hand to the plough so to speak.
(yesterday's stewed plums with fresh yoghurt for lunch today)
Something I hadn't noticed until today is that the more work I do around home, on a daily basis, the easier it is on my body. There's a lot of pain in my hips (I have hip bursitis on both hips) every day and night, but I have found myself managing better a little more each day by working for a few hours, then sitting for one. Then more work for a few hours, and another hour of rest to follow. Every few days I take a breather, and rest for a whole morning or an entire afternoon, keeping my hands busy with sewing while I watch YouTube for homemaking ideas that tie in with running a home economy, preparing pantry staples in bulk, gardening or some solid biblical teaching for women.
It's wonderful how the more I do, the stronger I feel and the better I manage the pain. Praise God.
(A day before the monsoon began on February 1st, I hard pruned all my rose bushes...and that's what saved them. Two of them are already blooming again.)
It's really all about balance, and being reminded of those women who lived before us, the ones who never had an easy life, but worked hard and prepared season after season for the family from what they had grown or purchased in cheap abundance, and genuinely kept the home fires going, whether resources were abundant or scarce.
That's what I remember about Nana. I never realised just how poor we were until I was an adult, because it wasn't obvious. Pop worked hard for a low wage, and Nana stretched that wage to create for me the most wonderful childhood abundant in LOVE and simplicity. The older I get, the more I appreciate her example and the values she taught me along the way.
(Blossom saw this pattern in one of my Japanese embroidery books, so I stitched it for her and will complete it as a key holder over the weekend)
I shall definitely share the recipe file requested from last week, with some extras from this week's kitchen joys, in my next blog post.
How are you all doing in your corner of the world? Today is the last day of summer in Australia, though for us living in the top end of the country, summer heat won't subside till the very end of April or early May. I can't wait. I literally dream about the slightly cooler months of May, June, July and August, when we finally get to enjoy soups and stews for a while, and luscious hot puddings with vanilla custard. Oh, and hot chocolate before bed! I think I need to put aside a few wintry books to enjoy in those months as well, and I shall definitely be re-reading The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder as its one of my all time favourites at that time of the year.
May the Lord bless you day and night, keep watch over your dwelling place, and provide for every need. May His presence be felt in your coming and going, His ear attentive to your prayers, and His grace in a measure we cannot fathom. May your heart rejoice in His love for you, and in the faithful promise of eternity in His presence. Oh dear ones, bless you so much, and thank you for visiting with me here...you bless me.
I shall leave you with this thought which I found on Pinterest. It made me stop and consider many things...
Until next time, love and prayers,
You will find me on Instagram HERE @jennyofelefantz
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Stitch my free 2025 block of the month 'The Sewing Room' HERE
29 comments:
What a busy week and so many things to love. Do hope the new job works out well and those first frugal months will soon be gone. I love the little blackwork piece and of course your sewing machine block. Bless you all Jennifer. xx
How wonderful to read your post, Jennifer. God is so good, and it's great to hear that as you 'pace' yourself, you are healing along the way and getting more done.
My trusty sewing machine is an Elna - some 45 years old, and still going strong, although it is not use much now.
Here in NZ we also are coming to the end of summer, and I am picking tomatoes most days, and the zucchini just keep coming - I love cooking them together, then using the stick blender to make a puree, and freezing that ready for winter. I have also frozen rhubarb this summer, and will soon be dealing with peaches from the family tree.
I do love your final quote - that is sooooo true.
Love and blessings
Maxine
A beautiful encouraging post.
I understand completely trying to clean
your home with constant pain.
I do the same thing.
I have to work a bit and rest a bit.
As we age it gets harder to accomplish all we must do in a day.
We have to work within our limits.
Hi Jennifer,
Anytime is a great time to see your next sewing room BOM :)
A sewing machine :)
After earning my first pay check here I bought my first sewing machine :)
A Huskystar by Husqvarna. That's 24 years ago ! Wow ! I still use it !
I remember the guy in the shop as he worked layers of denim under the needel and it didn't miss a beat ! This machine is great for those tougher jobs as well as quilt blocks and long seams.
A few years ago I picked up a Husqvarna Viking Q . It's lighter , has a few decorative stitches and is easier to take to a workshop but doesn't have the power of the other which is fine :)
Then there are a few old hand turn swing machines that I love :) Those have such a history .
I'll be using " my machine"
I'm the same when it comes to housework and other stuff, pace yourself and take a breather . Enjoy the pretty things in life along the way. Yes indeed It's all about balance :)
Mr E. ... That's wonderful to hear ! Now that's inspiration to read about ! Real estate ! Might pick up a few building renovation ideas ? :) Have fun !
Have a great weekend !
hugs, take care,
Joanne
Beautiful new block - thank you Jennifer!
Since January, we have had snow nearly every day and my husband bought a roof rake for the first time to shovel snow off the roof, so there is no fear of it collapsing. We never had to worry about that before. We still have mounds of snow, and are praying for a slow melt, so no flooding occurs.
Love seeing all your lovely pictures and kitchen makings.
Wishing your husband all the best in his new job. Stay safe, my friend!
I thank you for your delightful blogs. I so enjoy them. I have a Singer machine and am sewing a hanky quilt for my bed and a dress and apron for my grand daughter 🩷. Praying for your pain to ease. Would love some of your mix recipes. I am allergic to corn. So have to make much from scratch. God bless you and yours!
Thank you so much for the inspiration and the companionship that your writing gives. May God grant you and your husband health and longevity. May He bless You richly and always.
Your posts are breaths of fresh air. It's lovely to read about your home life and all you do to create a peaceful, beautiful home. Congratulations on your hubby's new job! We pray it goes well for him. Thank you for the sweet block pattern. I'll probably use the Singer one. I have over 70 machines, most of them hand cranks and treadles. They all sew, though many are used for display, and many are "rescues." My oldest now is from 1874 and is such a beauty! I do much of my daily sewing on my Bernina electric from the 90s, but I do bring out the hand cranks often because they are so fun.
Praying for your pain to at least ease up.
Thank you so much for this new free series of stitcheries. They are wonderful.
I saw that you were going to share some recipes, are you going to share how you makes your own seasoning also? I started making my own several years ago (for now it’s taco and burrito seasoning and ribs for grilling) because my body has started rejecting foods I’ve eaten for years and when that happens I get deathly ill (I’m 65 and have never had a food problem until several years ago). Enough to put me down for 2 days so I like to have more control of what goes into my body. Packaged seasoning have a lot of unneeded ingredients including too much salt. I saw what you made and I’d love to make them also.
Anyways I just wanted to ask and thank you for your gift of embroidery patterns/projects. I’ve followed you for so long I can’t remember when I started.
Have a wonderful weekend.
I so enjoy your blog posts and your sweet patterns are always a delight!
As you look forward to your winter and some cooler months, we are getting ready to march into spring- I love this time of year when things start to grow and bloom!
My sewing machine is a Bernina. It's my second Bernina and a quilter's edition, which I love since most of my sewing is quilts. I'm currently working on recovering a swivel rocker and boy has it been a lesson in frustration! God is teaching me patience with this project for sure!
I pray the Lord continues to bless you and your hubby as you move forward in life. ❤️
We are now coming onto spring here in Arizona and too soon the summer heat will hit! I refurbish older sewing machines when I find them at thrift stores here and then gift them to people who have a need. I also teach sewing to those who want to learn, as I feel it is a wonderful way to keep within one's budget and still have nice clothes or home items. I have two treadle machines, some Singer Featherweights and vintage Elna machines that I keep at home for use by myself or when teaching. I can't wait to make the block you provided to hang in my "classroom" ! I also make my own mixes - it is a wonderful way to save money while not sacrificing our health with questionable ingredients. Thank you again Jennifer for the wonderful and inspirational blog post!
Karin
Phi. 4:13
Another wonderful and thoughtful post. I appreciate them so much. I have a Baby Lock that dh bought for me before we started on this RV journey. I also have my mother's featherweight which I have named Ellie, after her. Bless your dh for taking an ear to our Father - I pray his job goes well. It's never easy going from one job to another. And what you do at home to stretch his earnings is such a gift - I admire you so much. I hope Blossom and family are enjoying their new home and are getting settled well. Blessings to you all.
I always look forward to seeing your posts in my inbox. They always brighten my day. My sewing machine is a Janome. My old machine was a Viking. It broke and was unable to be fixed. My sister and niece gifted me this one. It sews like a dream and is very special to me due to their thoughtfulness. They realize how important sewing is to me. I also have learned to work a bit and then rest. There are days I just rest. But that's ok. God understands and I'm learning to understand also.
Hugs!
Mary from Florida
Singer...in several versions through the years. I even attended a Singer sewing school, one summer, after fifth grade, to learn the finer points that Moma didn't have the patience to teach. Thank you for the new pattern. Saw your strawberry tops...have you ever made strawberry top vinegar. It really is a nice change on salads.
Thank you for the new BOM. Your sewing machine appliqué is delightful and will be lovely on the wall of my sewing room. I am so fortunate to have that dedicated space and spend many happy productive hours there, usually creating a gift for family or friends.
Having had a hip replacement in 2023, I so sympathize with your hip pain. You are wise to keep moving as that is most important, but rest is very much needed too, so finding that good balance is tricky.
My best wishes to Mr. E in his new position!
Happy baking, sewing, homemaking and prepping for winter!
What a lovely post today! I, too, have found that some limited hard work, interspersed with a little rest, really helps my body (and sleep). We spent many months hauling 44 1/2 yards of rock from the driveway (delivered in 5-10 yard amounts) into wheelbarrows & my little wagon and pulled to the back yard, up the slope and delivered/spread where needed as we removed every blade of grass on the property - so hubby no longer mows. We both never felt better than during that time - he has a very bad back and I had 2 bad knees (one of which is now replaced). LOVE the embroidery on block #3, but I'm going to do one as "my Rose" which is what I named my 1938 Singer Featherweight. I actually have 4 machines - Rose does all the block piecing (what a marvel these machines are!), I have a Janome that I won online years ago for our daughter & she had me take it home recently as she doesn't sew (hope that changes as she gets older), I have a Bernina that we purchased probably 20 years ago, and the newest one is a mechanical Brother that was purchased as it has a 12" throat. I do my own quilting on every quilt I make and it was hurting my neck & shoulders but not anymore! So glad to hear about your husbands new career. He will head out to work with a happy heart every morning and enjoy his time so much more working with like-minded people. It's hard work getting that certification (I did the same many years ago), but well worth it. Thank you for sharing with all of us what you are doing, your thoughts, and the helpful tips!
You have inspired me Jennifer to make some jam. I have apricots in my freezer from my tree last year. I pulled up my lettuce from the garden got a good bounty. It was 77 degrees here yesterday sunny California. My sewing machine I have is a Babylock Crescendo. God is so good. Praying for you and the family. Take care
I started out on my mother's Singer sewing machine. My husband bought me a JC Penney sewing machine for my college graduation as I didn't have one. (My mother gave my sister's friend the Singer sewing machine after my dad bought her a new Kenmore. When my mother died, I inherited the Kenmore. I used it more than my JC Penney machine. I ended up giving that one to my sister when she wanted one (but she has never used it). I have gone over there a few times to try and teach her, but she just prefers to have me do it. When my Kenmore died and refused to be resuscitated, I traded it in on a used Husqvarna Viking (that's all computerized). I have not had a chance to use it. I don't understand how to use it and the store that promised me free classes for it reneged on that promise. It is more complicated than what I wanted. I am hoping I can trade it in on a simpler machine at another store.
I love your blogs and I have the same physical issues you have with your hips and also torn rotator cuffs. Praying your husband has good success in his new job. Sounds like the kind of place I would love to work at.
A sweet block. My machine is a Janome. I’ve had it for 20 years and still love it. It does everything I want. If I had to replace it the successor would be the latest equivalent. Wishing your hubby every success in his career change. Your fresh meals look so delicious.
Thank you for the new block dear Jennifer. My machine is a Janome & like you, I love it. I am starting the blocks to make a wallhanging for my refreshed sewing room. Some big changes ahead for you & Mr E with the new career - I do hope it works out wonderfully for him. The new Real Estate firm sounds great & perfect for him. Have a lovely weekend dear friend x0x
Thank you for your post, as I really enjoy reading about a whole different lifestyle in a very different part of the world from me. I love my Babylock Destiny Dream machine. Good luck to your husband in his new job.
Good morning Jenny! I am so encouraged by your posts. They are full of beauty and love for life, family and God. Thank you so much for being you.
Ciao Jennifer. Bello leggere le meraviglie che il Signore fa nella vostra vita. Io ora da agosto ho una Necchi, l'ho presa elettronica perchè aveva tanti punti decorativi. Però ho sempre avuto la Singer. Belle le foto della tua quotidianità famigliare. Buona domenica nel Signore.
Just love this sew along. I read about your tapioca pudding. My Mom would make it and when it was cooled down, she would beat up a couple of egg whites add a wee bit of sugar and when well beaten, fold it into the tapioca. Loved it.
Always touched by your work and word from you. I found a teacher long ago whom I miss dearly but am so Blessed to be able to meet up with many of Pastor Murray's students on zoom 2x a week. We have friends from all over the world including Ukraine and Russia! We kinda teach each other but there is a gifted gal of numbers and the 7 from 1948 can be happening soon. Watch Watchmen! PAM SC.
Jenny, I was blessed on Friday with a Brother Luminaire XP1 with all the bells and whistles of XP2 and XP3 also included at Black Friday's price from November. I never in my wildest dreams thought I would ever own a machine like this, but our Heavenly Father made it possible, removing all obstacles. So yes, we can dream big with Him at our side.
Thank you for again a lovely BOM... I just download them to hopefully make them later...
Thank you for the time And energy you put into sharing your life And encouragement with us. It is appreciated, thank you! Jen, Texas
Thank you so muvh, only reading now,many Congratulations to your husband well done!!I have been praying for you as a family asweather. I heard about the bad weather. Lovely nest and photos xxxx Mary-Lou
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