A farewell...and a free design!

Goodbye summer!

It was not nice knowing you.

But thanks for the abundant corn you gave us...

Last night's farewell to summer dinner. 

"Mexican Superbowl" from Kemi's Raw Kitchen dvd...

 

Delicious doesn't adequately describe it.

So, I woke this morning and it was autumn.

The idea of that just makes me smile.

But the truth of the matter is that here in the tropics it will be at least another 6 weeks before this dratted heat subsides and an actual hint of autumn will fill the air.

And yet - summer is officially over and that pleases me no end because being on the way out of summer is sooooo much better than being on the way in!

Because I love to celebrate my favourite season of the year, for the rest of March you can download an older design of mine HERE in my shop for free!

...the autumn tree...

This wall hanging now lives over in the USA with my sweet friend Nancy Jo.

It's the perfect project for scrap threads, and scrap fabrics (remember that 2014 is your stash fabric's "Moment to Shine") and apart from hand stitching the words 'autumn falling' the rest of it is made with your sewing machine...

I rarely do machine applique because I love to blanket stitch applique on my designs, but the raw edging on this was just right for the look I was after at the time.

This took me only a long afternoon to make, so if you have the day free perhaps you can stitch it yourself and celebrate autumn's arrival in the southern  hemisphere with me?

hugs

 

A New Year gift for you!

Remember when I shared the step-by-step tutorial to make this sweet journal cover?

If you missed it, the tutorial post is HERE.

Today I am sharing the bluebirds & heart 2014 stitchery that featured on the cover!

The  pattern is available HERE in my shop as a free instant pdf download.

I'm thinking of stitching it again onto some tea towels for our new rental home. How will you use this design?

A makeover in the Elefantz online pattern shop over the next week...

...so if there is a pattern there that you would like, it might be best to grab it in the next few days as I will be 'cleaning out the shelves' of many of those designs and restocking through January with different ones. I'm excited about a fresh look in the New Year!

All the issues of Elefantz Magazine will be removed, but I know they have been incredibly popular so they will be in the shop until January 7th if you still want to purchase them.

Shop HERE before the patterns are discontinued.

Drop by tomorrow because I'm sharing a step by step tutorial for making a lovely framed calendar display...

Happy New Year everyone!

See you in 2014!

hugs

jenny

*Christmas Roses* ~ a free design for you!

Have you visited the lovely Kerryanne English's blog before?

Her simply shabby style just oozes calm to my soul, and that is no surprise as she is one of the kindest and loveliest of ladies you'll have the joy of meeting in life. 

Every year she hosts "Simply Christmas" on her blog through November and December, sharing wonderful ideas from herself and other contributors for bringing the 'homemade' and 'home-baked' back into your Christmas planning and celebrations.

This year I am so blessed to be a part of *Simply Christmas*!

Today on her blog I have a step by step tutorial for making my very sweet 

"Christmas Roses Penny Pocket"...

Go HERE to Kerryanne's Shabby Art Boutique webpage for the list of materials required, stitching instructions, and the step by step photo tutorial, and then HERE to download the stitchery design free from my shop...

This can be made up in day, and would be perfect for using orphan Christmas fabrics, or any lovely rose themed fabric. I can't wait to hang this in December!

PS: Don't forget...

My special 'Christmas Quad pattern offer' is only available for another five days.

Four Christmas patterns for $5 US as an instant pdf download HERE until November 18th only.

Tell me, what are your favourite Christmas decorations to make?

hugs

jenny

Colour change, and a free little bird...

Isn't it amazing how a change of colour can completely alter a design, or even a photo?

I love this photo of Blossom and I taken in May this year...

But today I was playing around with it, and discovered that the black and white effect has captured my heart as well! In fact, I am going to have this one framed...

When I designed and stitched the "Bless Each Heart" pattern in country colours earlier this year, it was on the suggestion of a magazine editor...

They're not what I'd normally choose, and though she loved it this way, I really wanted to re-make the design in pastels, so I did...

 

...and chose to add some applique.

 The pastels were definitely 'me'!

Are you adventurous when you stitch? Do you have one style, or do you play around with different colour schemes and layouts?

Early in 2010 I designed and stitched my "Shabby Roses - A Christmas Story" quilt. I was in love with Robyn Pandolph's "Roses de Noel" fabric range at the time and the deep green and burgundy colours had that comforting winter feel to them that I associated with a frosty Northern Hemisphere Christmas...

But I am a Southern Hemisphere girl, and our summer Christmases are rather hot, so when I re-made the quilt late in 2011, I chose the softer palette of 'Aviary' by 3 Sisters as my fabric choice...

Then of course, there are times when a re-make ends up in almost the same soft palette as the original!

This happened after I made my original version of "Shabby Roses"...

I loved the fabrics, so when I decided to make the quilt again I chose different colours, but still maintaining a gently romantic appearance. There was one major difference with the second version, though; can you spot it?

I changed the layout of the blocks, and thus altered the appearance of the quilt!

Little things can be changed too. Like using one small stitchery many different ways.

This is my "Little Bird in Tree" design. It began as a freebie on the blog in 2010, just in stitchery form...

...and then I stitched a new version that I coloured with pencils to make a zippered pouch...

 ...before adding some applique to a third version that became a journal cover!

Now, you'd think that might be the end of that design, right?

Nope!

It truly is one of my all time favourite originals. 

So where else did I use it?

On the front of a sewing companion I made for my sweet daughter Kezzie's 2011 Christmas gift...

There are many ways you can take one design (or photo!) and give it your individual twist. A different use of colour; change of design layout; adding another technique such as applique to add depth to a stitchery, or vice-versa...we're all only limited by our imagination.

SOOOOoooo....

I thought you may like to stitch "Little Bird in Tree"??

The pattern is free to download HERE.

I wonder what lovelies you will create?! Leave a comment and tell me how you might use "Little Bird in Tree"...

 hugs,

Jenny

xx

A free Christmas design for you!

Just as promised, today I am sharing a lovely Christmas design with you!

**Hearts Come Home for Christmas**

I stitched my finished block into a cushion cover using some lovely Robyn Pandolph fabrics from my stash...

Down one side I appliqued some simple heart shapes and added mother-of-pearl buttons to the centre...

 

...and I have used ribbons to close the top of the cushion.

One of my lovely friends will receive this as a gift very soon, but I can't tell you who. 

All will be revealed on Christmas Day!

You can happily download the stitchery pattern HERE.

Mr E and I are off to test ride some Harley Davidsons tomorrow before he flies south to Melbourne on Sunday for a few days work training. I wish I was going with him, but Blossom needs me to drive her to and from work all week.

I'm sure I'll just get lost in stitching while he's gone, and of course Bloss and I will squeeze in two or three 'after dark' tea parties and some Miss Marple...maybe even a trip up the mountain with our cameras and sketch pads? Mmmm. We'll see.

What plans do you have for the weekend?

All done, and things to share!

My new look web page is beautiful, don't you think?!

The very talented Keren Dukes from the blog "Free Pretty Things" was the webpage designer, and I am thrilled with the work she did for me.

If you're after a makeover for your blog be sure to visit her HERE.

You'll also find Keren's blog button down on the bottom right sidebar of this page.

LINKS to my social networks -

If you want to see my Facebook page, click on the F in the aqua circle to your right. 

For Etsy click on the E, and for Pinterest click on the P. 

If you'd like to add my Elefantz button to your blog page you'll find the code to cut and paste down in the right sidebar.

How cool is that??  Keren is amazing!

*****

I have had a few requests for the Chia Pudding recipe I made the other day. I have this as both a dessert and a breakfast - either way, with fresh fruit it is yummy!

The recipe is one of Carrie Vitt's and can be found HERE on her blog. I have made both the vanilla and chocolate versions and can't decide which is my favourite!

Now, see that pretty tea towel under the bowl of chia pudding above? That was a free design I shared early in 2010.

With Christmas on the way I thought I'd share it with you again as it stitches up quickly and would be lovely as a gift, perhaps with a baked loaf wrapped inside?

You'll find the pattern HERE on my Free Designs page (or click the button under my blog header!)

The bread in the photo is my Carrot & Sultana loaf. You'll find the recipe HERE on my Recipes page (or click the button under my blog header!).

*****

I've really embraced my kitchen again this week, and the key was beginning a habit I had for all our homeschooling years but one I stopped when the kids grew up and started work. Menu planning! How easy it makes my life, and the $$ it saves on not going to the supermarket every day or two. I haven't been to the supermarket in five days and we've been eating so well!

Last night I made a beautiful meatloaf (my own recipe). 

Before the oven...

After baking and adding some BBQ sauce across the top for the final 10 minutes...

Served with creamy potato mash and fresh veggies it was YUMMY!!

Helping my menu planning has been a new folder I've put together with all our favourite recipes and ideas. I have a plan to cover this and make pretty section dividers next year. I'll show you when it's done!

On Monday night we had Peri Peri chicken (no photos, it disappeared too fast!), and I made fresh chapati breads to serve with them. I've been making these for about 30 years now and never tire of them. We finished up scooping fresh yoghurt raita onto torn pieces for lunch yesterday with a salad. They're so versatile.

Making the balls and rolling them out...

They are cooked in a very hot dry pan, patting them all the time with a damp rolled tea towel until they puff...

...and lastly they are flipped and cooked on the other side the same way. Wrap them in a tea towel to keep warm and soft for serving!

Usually we have these with curry or dhal. Have you tried them?

All you need is a few cups of plain flour, 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil, and enough water to make a dough. You can add a twist of salt too if you like. They're that simple!

*****

Remember my dreadfully sparse backyard?

Well, my pots are thriving, and I have tomatoes growing!

 

We're waiting to see if we're going to stay in this rental next year before I fill any more pots, but for now I have herbs, a few flowers, and tomatoes. Happy. 

*****

The countdown is now three days to the wedding, and tonight we have Kezzie, Bert and the boys for dinner. I have to lock my sewing room door to keep her sneaky eyes from looking for wedding gifts I've made!

Today I'll be playing a bit more with one of them...

She has no internet at the moment, so all is well. \o/

*****

Enjoy the rest of your week!

Let me know what you've been cooking too, ok?

A day with Wendy...and a free design!

Yesterday my mate Wendy and I spent the day wandering through the Townsville Craft & Sewing Show at the Entertainment Centre. 

The day began with Mr E and coffee by the beach, then he left us girls to our own devices (and our credit cards - eek!!) for a day of browsing, laughing and of course, shopping.

I missed the Show the last couple of years, so it was good to get out and see new products being demonstrated, and have the opportunity to pick up some nifty bargains in the process. 

My plan was only to buy what I would use, so if it didn't have a purpose then I couldn't get it. 

Great theory, and actually, I pretty much stayed on course with it - though there were a few tiny impulse purchases!

So I'll share some photos of our day, ok?

Wendy shopping...

 Wendy checking out some lovely art quilts on display...

 

Wendy hamming it up...

Wendy holding a tiny crochet dress for me to photograph....

Wendy drooling over ribbon...

Wendy and I crowned...

Fun was had ALL day long!

Some things that caught my attention and some serious gasping...

 

This quilt really caught my eye because it's made up of individual stitcheries, and you know how much I LOVE stitchery! Wendy took my pic with it...

And there was so much more to drool over...

 

 The dolls below were photographed at the Tropical Topsies Doll Club stand...

   

I met Jenny King, a crochet designer, who got me so inspired by her work that I came home with a hank of variegated silk to crochet a scarf!

 

 

 I figure if I conquer a Queen Anne's Lace scarf (free pattern HERE on Ravelry), then my next project will be this...

So what did I eventually come home with??

These lovelies!

Like I said, it was a great day! Actually, any day spent with my Wendy is a great one. :-)

~~~~~

Last weekend it was my friend Michelle's 50th birthday party, and this is what I made her. A pincushion with a special Scripture verse...

 

I thought perhaps you may have a friend who'd like to receive a similar gift, so I am sharing the design free from today. 

You can download the "Freedom" pattern HERE.

*****

Have a wonderful weekend! We're getting ready for our favourite race of the year, the Bathurst 1000!!

Hopefully we'll see this guy win again!

Hugs

Jenny

xx