Redwork rice bag, and Cully May...

 Well, wasn't it a bit strange to have commenters unable to leave their comments on Blogger blogs last week? Many of my blogging friends had the same problem as me, and though we tried leaving comments on each others blogs (multiple times) it just would not work for days. Apparently Blogger updated everything but a glitch was found in the comments update so it took a couple of days to get that sorted, but thankfully we're all back to normal again. :-) If you took the time to leave a comment on last week's blog post and could not get it published, thank you for trying. It means a great deal to have you write back to me, and share your own thoughts and experiences, as well as updates on how your own days have been. (((hugs)))

This week had ups and downs at our place. After doing a bit better with my leg/knee situation for a few weeks, I found this past week to be akin to "taking two steps back", so lots of rest times were required each day between home and garden tasks. I admit to feeling a tad frustrated at this unpredictable roller coaster effect on whether I have good days/weeks or the more difficult ones, BUT...every day has it's own rhythm, and no matter what, I seek out opportunities to do what I can around home, and also to be creative with my hands during the needed intermittent hours of resting my leg. 

Last weekend I decided to begin a new project, one that has long been on my list of things to learn or make. In last week's post I wrote there were six things on my list which I hoped to do in the months ahead, and as I needed a lot of down-time this past week, I chose to start with some redwork slow stitching and the making of a Japanese rice bag. 

Many years ago I purchased some pieces of vintage French linen, the kind with red stripes and a bumpy weave. I've read that many people do not like hand-stitching on this kind of linen, preferring smooth fabric instead, but I really love how it can give a more rustic finish to hand embroidery so I chose to finally make use of it all.

I began by drawing up four little designs to stitch, which would incorporate a bit of applique. The white French linen fabrics (above) with the thick red lines were to be my embroidery backgrounds, and the fuller red striped fabric behind them is repurposed from an old linen top I had. Together they worked beautifully for what would eventually become a rice bag. 

I blanket stitched the applique pieces with a single strand of off-white thread...

Using the white thread allowed the applique to blend more easily into the linen background, rather than standing out and taking centre stage in each of the embroideries. 

Each day I would embroider one small block, and took my time to use different stitches, or add lines of running stitch - my sketches are a basic rough outline and any enhancements are made during the stitching. 

It's been a while since I did a design just in redwork, but the vision in my minds eye of a vintage style well-loved rice bag was a project I was excited to finally create. 

Rice bags are made in many sizes, but I chose to make a small one, with the base and all four sides measuring 6" square, so that should give you an idea of how small the stitcheries are. 

I waited a day before sewing the sides together and finishing the rice bag, because I like to give myself a bit of pondering time before the end of a project, just in case a few changes or new ideas come to mind. I was still not sure whether to line the bag with more of the striped linen, or whether to use plain white linen. 

The white linen won in the end, and I also used it for the double drawstring closure. Once the bag was completed (yesterday) my heart was so very happy with how it turned out because it's even nicer than I'd hoped. 

 

Once it's sewn, each side and the base measures 5.5" square. The lining is made the same as the outer bag but with no embroidery. Across the top there are channels, one on each of the sides, to thread the drawstrings through...

Now you may be wondering what I'll use this sweet little bag for? First I shall draw up a couple of new designs for more redwork using leftover fabrics from the rice bag, and then I will use them to make a small needlebook, scissor fob, and pincushion to keep inside the bag. 

Embroidering small projects is one of my favourite things, and this little bag will be perfect for storing what I need, plus a project-on-the-go. 

On my pondering day, between completing the embroideries and eventually sewing the bag together, I did a little more redwork to personalise a couple of Japanese style cross-back aprons I'd purchased recently from Temu. I genuinely like these cotton aprons, and am thrilled with the quality. Not having to tie apron strings or adjust neck ties, these simply slip over your head and cover the body very comfortably. The cotton fabric is thin admittedly, but I've not had a problem with that, especially as our tropical summer arrived this week (completely skipped spring!) and thin cotton or linen clothing is once again a must. 

What I did not like was the little decorative tag on the front of each apron, and as I had some nice thick cotton twill tape in my drawer (came wrapped around sheets we purchased last year), and red thread on hand, I decided to personalise my aprons and drew up two tiny embroideries to replace the generic ones that came with the aprons. Much nicer...

My week of redwork costs me nothing but time. It's so much fun using what you have, especially what you've had for a long time and waited to use 'one day'. My outlook on life is very much about using the good crockery all the time, making things with special fabrics I collected years ago, and enjoying all that we have today. Why wait to use what's already in my possession? And why waste money on buying more when I have enough now? 

I thank God for all He provides, and for the commonsense needed to create beauty from what is already in my hands, the things He has gifted me with and allowed me to source over the years. 

One more thing before I close off this post. I'll be having some regular days with Cully May as my companion and helper. You know, she turned 10 last month! Many of you will remember her birth back in 2016 and the JOY of seeing our precious Blossom bloom into motherhood. I still can't believe its been a decade since I held the first of three babies...I am a blessed Nana indeed!

Anyhow, Cully May and I love spending time together, but it has not been as often since my accident last year, so Blossom and I decided we'd make a regular day of it, and this past Wednesday we began. 

We took a trip to the library (just up the road), had an early lunch in the library cafe, and then back home to watch a favourite show, The Great Australian Bake-Off. 

Ever since she was a toddler, Cully May has loved watching baking shows with me, and this particular day we got inspired to make a few simple things before Blossom arrived to take her home. 

Firstly we made Hedgehog Slice, a family favourite, and as a bonus it's a no-bake recipe (we used THIS recipe). She was able to take most of it home for the family to enjoy, but left a few pieces here for Poppy to enjoy after work - which he did!

Then Blossom arrived an hour earlier than expected, so we raided the garden for tomatoes, leeks and basil to make a sauce, and cooked fried gnocchi which was then folded through the sauce with some fresh garlic, cream and a squeeze of lemon juice. It is one of my husband's favourite meals and was a real hit with Cully May and Blossom as well. 

Cully May took this photo of us...a bit blurry and a tiny pic, but so very special.

I hope you enjoyed today's blog post. Last week I received notifications from some of you that yes, you would like me to share some of my favourite YouTube channels, so I'll have that done for the next post. 

In the meantime, my prayers are with you and for you. May your hearts be full of joy and gratitude for what you already have, and I pray the Lord will bless you with extra creativity to make your home even lovelier by the addition of what you can make with your own two hands. 

Much love!!

Until next time,

PS: My Etsy Shop is always open, so please drop by if you are in the mood for something new to stitch.

CLICK HERE

The story of an apron, and a swap!

 Aprons. 

You either wear them or you don't. You either love them or you don't. Or perhaps I should say you do love the look of them, but wearing them isn't your thing? Regardless of personal preferences, I shall raise my hand high to affirm my delight in making and wearing the humble apron.

Yesterday I dashed out for a quick trip to Spotlight for some embroidery threads, and whilst there decided to choose fabric for a new summer apron. As we're only three weeks away from yet another hot Australian summer (although it began a couple of months ago here in the tropics) I thought it would be nice to sew up a couple of new ones as my regular daily aprons are very well used indeed. I don't think a homemaker can have too many aprons (or tea towels) in her possession, for they have many practical uses alongside the obvious one of saving your clothes from spatter and stain. My most-used aprons have pockets for gathering up the small items left around the house each day, and I used to gather hen's eggs in those pockets when we had the chooks. 

I wipe my wet or floury hands on an apron, use the billowing hem to wipe away grandchildren's tears when they fall or hurt themselves, fold up the ends as a make-do basket for collecting salad greens and herbs from the garden...and so many other little things which seem inconsequential and yet become easier when wearing an apron. 

This is the pretty rose adorned fabric I chose yesterday. Fortunately it was marked at 40% off, so I purchased an extra metre for another apron, which I'll tell you about later. 

The pattern I shall use is the Magic Slip-Over Apron, my favourite one, and also the most difficult to figure out the first time you make it as the only instructions are how many inches to cut from where and this line drawing showing where you need to start, finish, and draw freehand curves. 

If you've been reading my blog for a long time, you will remember my first attempt at making this style of apron early in 2015. It was in January, right at the start of my first "Year of Gentle Domesticity" theme. The pattern was inside Amy Barickman's 2010 book "Vintage Notions" (which is very pricey these days, but still available).

It was my favourite apron that year, but I passed it along to Blossom mid-2016 when she was very pregnant with Cully May and needed some tummy cover in the kitchen. 

In that 2015 post I wrote about the making of this apron - 

*** It's not actually a pattern in the sense that you trace it and sew it, but as a diagram with written notes suitable for a 1929 geometry freak...I'm a clear thinker first thing in the morning, so ask me why I decided at 8pm last night to make the magic apron? No idea. I probably had too much coffee yesterday because after dinner my beans were still jumping and my mind declared it could master the instructions...

Mr E graciously excused himself from the area and during the following two hours his replies to my repeated self-monologue (honest, I had to read and re-read the instructions out loud over and over...how can I forget 'g meets k at 8 inches on a right angle parallel to h' between the desk and the cutting table???)  were answered with, "Not talking to you, darling. Talking to this pattern!" Did I mention you need to freehand draw all those curves??***

I can laugh now, but at the time it was a crash refresher course in basic geometry. My darling husband took a photo of me modelling the new apron (pic above) next morning, when I was in a deliriously relieved and accomplished state of mind. Ha ha!! Since then I've made a few more, but never as nice as the original. Hopefully this new rosey-fabric apron will be just as loved. 

This morning, whilst enjoying a cup of hot tea accompanied by a delicious lemon tart, I went through some of my homemaking and craft books for more apron ideas, because I'd like to sew three or four new aprons this month. 

Back in 2019 I led us through a year long book study of Jane Brocket's "The Gentle Art of Domesticity" (you can read all the study posts HERE) so that was the first book I opened for apron inspiration. Jane wore many different aprons throughout the book, but I especially loved the photos of her daughters in aprons. 

This one, worn by her youngest daughter, always catches my eye and I'm fairly sure it was purchased at a thrift shop (op-shop/ charity shop) because Jane did frequent them and the style looks rather wonderfully vintage.

I'd love a pattern for this style myself...

Here's a few others I came across in my browsing of the book shelf...

The photo above is from Tif Fussell's book "Granny Chic" which I bought back in the day because I loved the quirky style she displayed in her old blog, Dottie Angel. She really veered away from that after a while and started a new  blog which I did not like at all. But her old blog is still HERE if you want to browse for re-cycled apron design inspiration. 

Let's backtrack a bit to yesterday's trip to Spotlight, shall we? On my list of things to look for, apart from replenishing some needed DMC threads, were some baking items to create unicorn cakes or biscuits (cookies) as 4yo Rafaella will be here for the day on Tuesday and she asked if we could make unicorn cupcakes. I said yes, but then needed to consider 'how' we would do that. 

Browsing the baking aisles I found a unicorn cookie cutter shape and quickly decided we could make gingerbread unicorn cookies instead. I already have a little rolling pin she can use, but I bought a small icing spatula as well as a box of professional vanilla icing mix on clearance for $1 (originally $24 - crikey!) and some pastel unicorn-y sprinkles. 

Then, I rummaged through my apron shelf because I remembered a couple of pretty children's chicken scratch aprons purchased years ago for 50c each at an op-shop. The purple penguin apron is the smallest so I shall gift this to her on Tuesday...

I'll give it another wash and then press it ready for our big day in the kitchen! And of course, my own new apron will be made by then as well. I say that with hope in my heart as life really does come with tumbles and turns we rarely expect. 

Our baking day was meant to be last Tuesday but Blossom and the children all came down with nasty head colds again, and Rafaella fared the worst with a fever that refused to budge for days. So all going well, I want to make our day together next week extra special and fun. 

Nana always, always, wore an apron, mostly a half apron...

If I knew back then what I know now, I would have gathered together her beloved aprons after the funeral and treasured them for always...but I was a 23yo mother of three at the time and hadn't fully developed the homemaker heart which would bloom in season at age 33. 

If you'd like to download the free 1929 apron pattern I will be making again this weekend, the link is shared by Amy Barickman HERE

I thought some of you may be interested in doing a few simple swaps over the coming year, one every second month? 

Let's kick it off with an apron swap, shall we? I'll be adding my name to the swap list too (which is why I purchased that extra metre of the rose fabric!).

Go HERE to email me if you'd like to be involved

I'll try and partner you with someone in your own country or continent if possible, and there's only a few rules to follow...

* You must make an apron of the quality you would love to receive yourself. It can be simple, embellished, a full or half-apron - but make it with love and care for your swap partner.

* You must email your swap partner when you receive their details from me, and then again when you have posted the apron to them. Just knowing whether they prefer a certain colour helps a lot when creating for someone you do not know. 

* Only send an apron...nothing else. I know from years past people can get carried away and send all sorts of extras in their swap parcel, but not everyone can afford the time or finances to do the same, so in the spirit of keeping the next Year of Gentle Domesticity stress-free and simple, put your love and time into making just that one special apron for your swap partner. 

* The apron must be handmade and not purchased. 

* Give your swap partner the tracking number when you post the apron so they can follow it's journey - this is a very exciting part for those expecting a parcel! 

* You must post your apron by December 9th.

* You have until Friday 18th November to sign up for the Swap. Go HERE to email me. 

I hang two aprons at a time in my kitchen, alternating them every week or so. They always make me smile! 

Now, you may not want to be part of the swap this time, or any time, but perhaps you want to make yourself a new apron? What style do you like? Is there a pattern you already have or one you're planning on purchasing? Let me know in the comments...for I love to hear about aprons! And I really enjoy getting new ideas for making my own as well. 

Dear friends, I shall leave you today with a prayer for God's blessing on your heart and home, and this quote by Jane Brocket, which I find very inspiring to homemakers of all walks of life...

Bless you heaps, dear creative women,

hugs

Don't miss out on any Elefantz news or free patterns. 

Subscribe to my blog posts HERE and receive them direct to your email inbox.  

Ups and downs of life...

Miss Rafaella and our adventure...

 Yesterday was a definite day of ups because I had as my companion 3yo Rafaella, and we had a day of 'adventuring'. Whenever Cully May or Rafaella spend the day with me they declare it to be an adventure, so I try to do fun things with them, the kind of things us adults don't often do ourselves.

Cully May goes to kindy every Monday at the moment, as next year she will attend school Mon-Fri. These few months of spending one day a week at kindy have shown us all that her natural extrovert personality is ready and eager for school when the first term begins at the end of January. For those overseas who may not know, our Australian school year runs from January to December and is broken up into four terms.

So these Mondays of late have given Rafaella some extra time with mummy (Blossom), daddy and baby Charlie, but it's also gave her and I the opportunity to go off and adventure alone, something we've never done without Cully May present.

Our morning began at the library, because she simply loves our library trips. Being surrounded by books, and in the cool quiet space of the children's section, her little introvert self is very happy and content...

I stopped counting after reading nine books because once I'd finished a book she would replace it carefully on the shelf and bring me another. Eventually she decided it was time to leave the library and go down to the beach for ice-cream, but first I suggested we stop off at the shopping centre so I could buy her (and Cully May) a pair of sunglasses. She was thrilled! "I will get pink sunglasses, Nana!" she declared...and so she did. 

I chose children's Cancer Council glasses as the sun here in the tropics is fierce on eyes, young and old alike. She choose a red polka dot pair for her big sister and then we got back in the car and drove to the beach...

We walked along the shore and collected seas shells, as she loves playing with my own collection of shells whenever she visits, and carefully put them in my pocket for her to take home later.

Ice cream was well deserved after our walk along the scorching shore line, though we had to eat fast as it melted quickly. 

After leaving the beach we dropped in to visit Poppy at his work and then picked up a Happy Meal at McDonalds before arriving at my house where we could relax in the air conditioning. 

Once lunch was over we played with jigsaw puzzles (she is VERY good at them), painted, did some colouring, and then I gave Rafaella her first lesson in hand embroidery. She got a little bit frustrated because the yarn kept coming out of the needle (we used a large plastic needle and yarn) but eventually got the knack of holding the needle in such a way that the yarn didn't slip out. Apparently sewing with Nana was her most talked about topic with mummy and Cully May today and she's looking forward to doing more. 

After dropping her home later in the afternoon, this Nana was very tired and needed a nice cup of tea with a bit of quiet time before getting started on dinner. What a wonderful day it was!

Pantry Preparedness and utilising more storage...

Have you noticed a lot of empty shelves in your local supermarket lately? I have. In fact many of the items I regularly purchase have disappeared, and though we have seen the signs of this shortage coming for quite a while, it's still a shock when it happens.

I decided to move things around in the kitchen after Blossom offered us an old bookcase, planning to use the shelves for more pantry preparedness. I shifted the old cookbook shelves across into the hall and spent this morning compiling a fresh list of items to purchase and store in these larger shelves. I am also going to add a bit of prettiness, as you do, right? Wicker baskets too easily become mouldy in the wet season due to the constant heat and high humidity, so I have a few clear plastic baskets which I intend lining with pretty fabric next week. I also intend making shelf liners and/or edging...which will take time, but having a homemaking project on the go always makes me happy. 

Once my large shopping list was written I made the order online and it will be delivered tomorrow morning, though I do wonder how much of it will arrive. Even as I was doing the online order, so many items were marked 'out of stock', and some which were in stock had limits of one or two only.

Making use of the space you have for storing extra food items is wise, even in a small house. My husband has shelving in his study dedicated to cans and jars, and that's great, but as he is at work during the day the air conditioning in the study is not used and that room becomes very hot indeed.

The kitchen however, which has the walk-in-pantry just opposite, has the air conditioning on all day so in the new shelving I will place items that really should be stored in a slightly cooler place than hubby's study.

New aprons...

I recently purchased two new aprons from makers on Etsy. They are lovely floral prints with ruffled edges and pockets - just my style, and they look lovely hanging in the kitchen when not being worn as I cook and do housework. I had plans to make more aprons myself, but just as you support my home-business by purchasing patterns, I also like to support the home businesses of others. 

The seller of the cream apron has no more, but the seller of the blue polka dot apron (which comes fully lined!) has many aprons in her store - perfect for gift giving. If you're interested she is HERE, and believe me even the wrapping is delightful. Her parcel brightened my day, and the apron brightened my kitchen!

A Quiet Life...

Do you remember last year when I shared this pattern? I stitched it in two colourways, one pastel and one more of a 50's palette. Over the weekend I needed something simple and calming to make (I'll explain later) so I chose to turn the retro block into a wrap for our coffee plunger...

The colours work well in our kitchen, and though I've never liked the creamy latte brown of the cupboards and fittings, it does lend itself to allowing bright colours like the ones I scatter around to stand out. Even those aprons lift the gloom of the brown. 

The back is tied with two bows - as I said, a very simple and relaxing project, and also a new UFO finish for November. It's gratifying to make wonderfully functional items from orphan stitcheries!

The downs of life...

I've been quiet here again because of a long run of very nasty migraines. They came in all manner - barometric migraines, migraine with aura, silent migraines which left me unable to walk and my whole body a wobbly mess...and each one came on just as the previous one was ending. 

So many food triggers have been eliminated with great success in the past year or two, but it only occurred to me on Sunday that I had once more introduced chocolate into my diet, as well as a single cup of real coffee each morning (after drinking only decaf for a year). It appears those two changes have been my undoing and a hard and painful lesson learned. 

I was just coming good yesterday morning in time to pick up Rafaella, as I had cancelled on her last Friday and though very understanding, her 3yo heart was sad at not spending a day alone with Nana. That's why yesterday was so important, I just couldn't bear to disappoint her again. Fortunately the pain was gone after breakfast and since then I've been careful to exclude the two nasties - chocolate and real coffee - once again. Sigh. I shall miss them, though not the pain they cause.

In my quiet times...

I am re-reading The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder and gaining much appreciation for the labours of homemaking back in the 1800's. It's been about fifteen years since I read this book to my children, so in many ways it feels 'new' again because this time around I'm reading through my homemaker eyes and not from a desire to teach good life principles to my children. 

I'm also stitching a wedding memento for hubby and I as we approach the celebration of 30 years of marriage, just a few days after Christmas. It will be part of my Faith, Heart & Home pattern club next year because I get many requests for this kind of design. Most people will think of this design as a lovely gift for a new couple, but I'm looking with new eyes once more...it is a continuing remembrance of my own marriage.

Back to that "A Quiet Life" stitchery...

If you missed the original free download of the pattern, it's here again for you now. Use the link below and you can be stitching it today. 

DOWNLOAD "A Quiet Life" pattern

Let me know what things in your life are being viewed through 'new eyes' these days? Are you finding a shortage of grocery supplies in your own area? Have you finished any UFO's this month?

I'd love to hear from you, and as my readers have told me in emails, they love reading your comments and thoughts too. 

So dear hearts, don't hold back but share your own thoughts in the comments for you may inspire others by doing so. I am so blessed to receive every comment, but I do understand why many prefer to email me privately. 

Bless you lovely friends, and may the days ahead overflow with the wisdom of God so that you may make good and sound decisions. May He prepare you for all that is yet to come, and give you a heart which offers genuine kindness and grace towards others. 

hugs

End of a full and satisfying week...

 Considering Tuesday was Australia Day holiday and we genuinely took it easy, the rest of the week seemed like an overflowing barrel of apples as I tried to keep life running smoothly and not topple anything over.

But the thing is I really enjoy weeks like this because there is not a moment to be bored and when I look back over the previous days and what was accomplished there is a deep satisfaction to be had...much like the satisfaction of eating thick slices of juicy apple pie. Which reminds me I need to bake one, or perhaps apple rolls as I saw a friend had made the other day and which caused me to salivate just looking at her photo. 

In the last post I showed the fabric and doilies I intended using to sew a new "miracle apron" and now that it's made I can show you how it turned out.

It did do my head in again, but as I was very aware of what to expect things managed to go smoothly. Those doilies became pockets and honest, they just make the apron even lovelier than I'd hoped. When you look at the photo you'll notice I did not cut the top off the doilies but turned over one end for the straight edge these pockets needed.

All the edgings are made with bias binding which gives the apron a really nice finish. I had enough cream bias binding (you need around 5 yards/4.5 metres) and though I would rather have used a soft blue you can't see the binding so I'm rather chuffed.

Blossom has decided to make me another in gorgeous blue 'houses' fabric for my birthday next month which has me very happy indeed. I just LOVE full aprons like these! 

I know now that the original link for this free pattern had disappeared from my original 2015 blog post but a dear reader found another so I have updated it and you'll have no problems downloading this time. Pop over HERE to that original post. 

A new apron means it needs to be broken in and yesterday this was done by scrubbing the bathroom, shower, toilet and laundry from top to bottom. Actually I did such a thorough job that every muscle aches today. Not complaining though...deep cleans are fun to me. I just need chocolate afterwards as an energy boost, which I'm sure you understand, yes?

One appliance that gets a deep clean every 8 weeks or so is the washing machine. We have a front loader and the gasket can get a build up of grime which requires lots of 'miracle spray' and grit to remove. Also a slightly contortionist movement of the hands and arms to get inside the rubbery bits. 

BEFORE...

I pulled out the soap dispenser and scrubbed that, washed out where the dispenser is housed in the machine and polished the glass and everywhere else. I use a paper towel (above) to clean the gasket as it needs to be thrown away, but for everything else I use the washable cleaning rags I made last year and more of the miracle spray.

Once everything is clean I run the machine on an empty cycle with a cup of vinegar as this is great for cleaning the inside of the hoses and removing the remnants of the miracle spray before I add clothes to the next load.

Lastly I tidied up the laundry and scrubbed it down as well, which is when I noticed the window outside needed a clean too. 

I'm a shorty at just 5'1" (155cm) so I needed a high stool to get up and clean it, and then I found it necessary to wash all the windows along the back of the house - do you do that? Start one chore and find it leads you on to many others? I'm renowned for it. Sigh. But as I said before - there's satisfaction and chocolate once it's done. 

I cooled off in the pool after about three hours of non stop scrubbing and climbing and then went out to run some errands. Feeling the need for some floral cheeriness on my desk I came home with groceries AND a bunch of gorgeous pink carnations and the prettiest yellow chrysanthemums. 

It was only as I popped the vase on my desk that I noticed their colours matched my favourite computer wallpaper. 

I was never much for yellow, you know. I still only own five yellow fabrics. Though my car is yellow, nothing much else at home is. 

But things change, people's likes and dislikes change, styles change - and one day you discover a love growing for yellow and suddenly you want to add a splash of it everywhere. That's how my mind is running these days as I "walk the room" and write notes on what I'd like to do or change or repair in each room of the house.

My afternoon was spent cleaning floors and repotting house plants, folding washing and doing the ironing. A long productive day is always a good day.

That handmade tag challenge...

I didn't get to make the fourth handmade gift tag last weekend as I spent the day with beautiful Blossom instead and it wasn't until this morning that I was able to settle into relaxed pottering mode in the sewing room and see what I could come up with. 

HOPE kept swimming through my mind, which in reality was not at all related to the theme for week 4 - Fly Stitch. But there's nothing to stop a girl from combining both so I did just that. 

Very simplistic this one, yet it resonates in my heart. That need to always HOPE, to hold fast to God in all circumstances and never lose hope. 

Now I have the first four tags completed I can start planning week 5's tag theme which is crosses and cross stitch. Here's my first four (I changed some of week 3's scrappy tag today as I hadn't been happy with it initially and now I am)...

The week 3 tag is scrappy lace simply because I love it and have so many pieces.

If you need more info on anything I shared in the post today here's a list of links -

recipe for Miracle Spray  (or read it in my free Homemakers Heart magazine here)

free Miracle Apron pattern

Walk the Room downloadable sheets inside the Homemakers Heart

What is Walk the Room about?  (or read about it and download the latest walk the room sheets in the Homemakers Heart)

#52tagshannemade challenge (or read about it here)

I bought a bag of ten huge mangos at the market last Sunday for $10 and they are still not ripe so today I'm going to make a Green Mango Salad for hubby when he gets home from work. It's full of delicious Asian flavours (our favourite) and I will shred a little chicken through it as well. 

HERE's the recipe I'm going to use if you'd like to try it yourself. We like rice vermicelli noodles so I'll toss them through as well. 

I do hope your own weekend is a joyful one, overflowing with goodness, kindness and renewed HOPE. May the Lord bless you and keep you ever so close to His loving heart.

Hugs 

PS: Memberships to Let's Stitch Again close at midnight Sunday if you'd like to receive the February set of patterns. Pop over HERE to take a look.