This 'n' that on a Sunday afternoon...

"Drip, drip, drip, drop, splotch..."

That's the chorus Mr E and I listen to all night, every night, lately.

It's the wet season, and it's really wet alright. I don't mind rain, honest, but when there is a moat around the trees in your backyard and you can't drive your car past the front gate because it will get bogged - well, that's a wee bit more rain than I'd choose. 

And then there's the hole in the roof guttering, just ONE hole. And where is it? Right above our bedroom window. And what's above our bedroom window? A pretty, tin canopy. But what happens when water from that 20c sized hole in the guttering drips onto that canopy all night????

Mr E and I walk around like zombies all day from lack of sleep. That's what happens. And why is it that a noise which is tolerable all day, sounds like a thunderous herd of elephants all night?

The guttering is very high (two story Queenslander) so we can't get up there, however we're praying that the owner of the house will show mercy on us and get that hole plugged as soon as possible. There is no end to the rain in the forseeable weeks (months??!!).

Our plan at the moment is to pop our iPods in our ears and listen to something nicer all night. Tonight I'm tossing up between Enya, or an audio book. I know it's strange but I love falling asleep whilst listening to a book...maybe because I was never read to as a child?? I wonder. 

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The final scallop trims are on my Flower Fairies...

...and two are wrapped and ready to be posted away to their new owners. The other two are Christmas gifts. 

A number of you have asked me to share this pattern, but as I showed you a couple of weeks ago HERE, the pattern is not mine. You will find the pattern in an old copy of Homespun magazine, issue 66. 

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More new designs are being completed in my sewing room, some for magazines, and some for a book I'm writing that will be published next year. 

Do you like my new blog header? Little by little I make time to stitch a few of my Shabby Roses alphabet blocks, and I loved the photo of a few I'd finished as scissor keeps (more gifts)...

 

 I also made this tea towel as a gift, using one of my Oopsie Daisy designs on one end.

 

Do you like having bright, hand embellished tea towels? I love them! :-)

Last night I wrapped all 25 gifts for my partner, Carol, in Fee and Jo's Advent Swap. Tomorrow this box will be posted off to her, to arrive in time for her to unwrap one gift per day from December 1st till Christmas Day. By December 1st I'll have my own box of lovely presents from Carol to enjoy!

My Block pattern, Rainbird, from our Gum Tree Designer's "Springtime" quilt arrived on Friday - the cover all corrected. :-) 

You can contact Mary at Fresh Hope HERE to enquire about purchasing the Springtime quilt as a BOM, or the entire 9 block pattern set.

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Look what arrived in the mail last week?!

These are the sweetest lavender filled handbags! The gift sender has asked me not to identify her, but she knows how much I appreciate these gorgeous bags. They are now hanging in my wardrobe scenting my clothes in delightful lavender. Thanks so much V!! :-)

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Last but not least...

Something is happening next year, and I'm sooooooo excited!!!!!! 

Have a lovely Sunday evening. We've got ourselves a 400g box of Maltesers to share while we watch X-Factor. What are you up to?

Hugs

Jenny

xxx

My baby boy turns 18, and some giveaway winners!!

It's been 18 years since this wonderful young man announced he was ready to enter the world....

...and what an entrance it was! I won't go into the details but he fought to be born at 31 weeks, and over the following 6 weeks the doctors did all they could to stop him, but he still managed to make an entrance 3 weeks early. That's my boy! Not scared of life, just ready to get on with living it! :-)

Happy Birthday, Sam!!! We love you so much!!

His birthday breakfast was a bit of an invention (his own idea!) - Raspberry & Malteser muffins...

...great idea, they were YUM!

Blossom squeezed us into a photo...

...before she had to leave for work.

Sam had the day off work so he spent most of his time with Mr E, who also arranged to be home for our boy's 18th. They did some shopping, played some games, and generally 'hung out together'. It was great for them. :-)

Tonight Blossom has taken Sam to the movies, and we parents are left to marvel at how blessed we've been to raise such a loving and obedient young man. 

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The downside of today was waking with my fifth migraine in 10 days. I went back to bed mid-morning after taking my 'big' pills, then slept till mid-afternoon. The pain began to ease off so I settled down to finish the rest of my Flower Fairies. All four are almost complete now and ready to make their homes with friends as Christmas gifts...

...I just need to add trim above the scallop edging.

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A present arrived for me the other day from Robyn. She sent me some doilies! I love doilies, especially making them into something new and useful. I wonder what I'll be doing with these?? Thanks so much Robyn!

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And now to the giveaway winners!!

I have two pairs of these gorgeous scissors to share - Bella Blue and Polly Pink!

Mr Random's first pick was number 11 ~ Allie ~ !!!

Allie, you get choose whether you'd like to give Miss Bella Blue or Miss Polly Pink a home with you.

The second number drawn was 81 ~ Deb ~!!

Deb, I'll be posting you whichever pair Allie passes on. :-)

Congratulations girls!!! Please email me with your postal address. 

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Drop by tomorrow because I have an interesting tutorial for you. No hints! 

Hugs

Jenny

xxx

Flower Fairies, Springtime, a gift, and my Blossom...

No show and tells this week. :-(

Hopefully we'll be able to swoon over finished Daisy-Do quilts next week, though! :-)

The free block patterns will stay up until December 1st.

You can download all the blocks HERE by following the links in the various blog posts pertaining to Daisy-Do.

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She's finished!

She was very fiddly for my not-so-perfect fingers, but it was so worth the effort of making her.

 

 

One Flower Fairy finished, three more to go. Don't you think they make gorgeous Christmas gifts? She stands 7 1/2 inches tall...my little angel. I'll need to make an extra one just for me. :-)

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Blossom had a day off work yesterday (she is working on the checkout at Woolworths and *loves* it!), so with the rain drizzling outside we decided to sit tight on the couch with our various crafts and watch our just-arrived-from-the-UK 'Midsomer Murders' dvds. We love a good English murder mystery!

In between episodes Blossom put a colour through her hair, Violet Vision...

 

Doesn't matter what colour her hair is, she's just so gorgeous anyways! Can you tell I'm biased???

I'm also a very proud mumma because Blossom's block pattern for the 'Springtime' quilt that we Gum Tree Designers made for Fresh Hope, arrived in the mail!

Blossom's block, Freebird,  is Block 5 in the BOM.

My block, Raindrops,  is Block 1.

I don't have mine yet as the suppliers made a mistake with the spelling of my name and the spelling of Elefantz.

(Reynold instead of Reynolds, and Elephantz instead of Elefantz). 

I've asked to receive a copy of the corrected cover and should have it in a few weeks. Can't wait! :-)

The quilt pattern is being sold as a BOM, and for all pattern purchase enquiries you can contact Creative Abundance HERE for stockists. In time the pattern will also be available through the Fresh Hope website, but that may be a month or two away yet.

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This week a cross-stitched postard arrived from my very dear friend, Darcey, in Canada. The verse was perfect for me right now, so it's sitting on the ledge behind my desk where I can ponder it each and every morning. Darc, your a real sweetheart for making this for me! {{{thanks}}}

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Today I'm finishing up more hand sewing on some presents, then I need to make some nibblies as Mr E is taking me out to a wine-tasting at the school and we're all bringing a plate of some kind. I rarely drink so I'll be enjoying sparkling apple juice. 

What are you up to this weekend?

 ~~~~~

Blossom would like to leave you with this thought. It's on her favourite t-shirt...

 

Hugs

Jenny

xxx