Tiny bears, jar covers and a free pattern...

How was your weekend? Did you get out and about to enjoy the sunshine and breathe in some clear fresh air? 

UNEXPECTED THINGS:

Our weekends are usually spent that way but alas, this past weekend was overflowing with unexpected home maintenance work for my husband - I was there to hand him a cool drink, and to hold a flashlight, but not much else. There's a rather large hole in the kitchen ceiling now due to heavy rain and a leaking skylight the previous owners covered up and never secured when they plastered over it. We've had torrential rain for days, and hubby had to climb on the roof in that rain to see where the leak was coming from. Turns out the old skylight had cracked open, so when he removed it to cover the roof with a temporary tarpaulin, the other end of the skylight, hidden unsecured above the thin plastering of our kitchen ceiling, fell right through the plaster and shattered over the floor. Aah, the fun of it all. And I won't bother to explain about the water coming through the bedroom...just know that he fixed that problem and all is well in that room again. Until he can fix the roof, he's temporarily screwed a slab of wood over the hole in the kitchen ceiling. So we're nice and dry again, but unsure about how things will go now that we're in the tropical wet season and the rain is not letting up. 

I just laughed by the time the bedroom welcomed rain without my permission, and handed it all over to God. After all, He sees all and He will guide my man along his maintenance journey, just as He always has in the past. 

TINY BEARS:

So what was I doing while my beloved was on the roof, inside the roof, and mending ceiling holes?? In the sewing room of course, out of his way, just as most men like us to be when they are in the midst of a challenging project. 

And this is what I was making...

Tiny Tilda woodland bears for Rafaella's Christmas gift. Oh my goodness, these are barely 5 inches high, and so fiddly with all those wee bits and pieces that need to be stuffed and sewn on individually. My plan was to make the bears, the fox, the deer and the bunny, and lots of little skirts and scarves that she could mix and match with because she adores little things like this and they help with her sensory issues...but to be honest,  after the first one (below)...

...I was not going to make another. It was just so fiddly and my fingers hurt, but by the next morning I was ready to begin another, and found it slightly easier as this time I knew what I was doing.

I am so thankful for Olesya's videos on YouTube as apart from homemaking in Belarus, she cooks and sews, with wonderful tutorials within some of her videos. I watched her step by step making four of these tiny woodland creatures on Saturday as I worked on the first bear...

They are found in this Tilda book....

...but the instructions are not very good. So Olesya's skill shone forth on Saturday as by watching her I "got it". She's made quite a few Tilda dolls in her videos over the past couple of years and once I have finished these little ones for Rafaella, I'm going to make myself a doll, but a much larger one. ;-)

JAR COVERS: 

Earlier in the year I showed you the lovely jar covers I was making, and then I progressed to crocheting the edges which made them ever lovelier. But then I was cleaning out my sewing supplies and found that I had far more lace than I'd originally thought, so I began using it to trim more jar covers. 

I have made plenty as gifts, and I highly recommend you consider adding this idea to your own gift making this Christmas and through next year because they're very pretty and liven up a drab pantry full of jars. 

I hand-sew the lace into the very edge of the cover so that it looks the same on both sides (the covers are lined)...

Sometimes I make an embroidered side, while still keeping the other side floral or check or spots. Lining all the jar covers gives you a lot of options. 

I have completed all the covers needed for gifts now, so I'm working on a lot of gingham and spots for myself as I love a vintage look to the kitchen pantry, and spots and checks really do add that feel to the space. You can see in the first jar cover photo some of my checks and spots, but I have many more to make, and they're really simple once you get going. 

Once again it was Olesya whom I watched make one of these, and from there I changed sizes for different jars, and began adding crochet or lace, or embroidery. 

If you'd like me to do a quick tutorial here on the blog just let me know in the comments. 

FREE PATTERN: 

Over the next couple of weeks I'll be sharing a number of free patterns with you. Today's can be stitched up rather quickly (I tend to stitch while listening to an audio book or 'watching' a favourite episode of Marple or Poirot to avoid having to look up very often), and finishing it simply as a pincushion would make a lovely gift for Christmas. But you could also pop it inside a little hoop as an ornament, or use it in a handmade card. If you have other ideas please share them in the comments as we're all welcome to ideas, especially at this time of the year. :-)

Use the link below to download the free JOY pattern.

DOWNLOAD Joy Pincushion Pattern

Okay, that's enough for today, as my tummy is rumbling and I need to make some lunch and probably a lovely decaf soy cappuccino before I finish another project to share soon. I'll be back tomorrow or Friday with another freebie, and if you would like to stay on top of things and not miss any of my blog posts or freebies, just click on the photo below and subscribe to my new Free Friday Newsletter...

Did you notice the Christmassey new blog dress? As hot and wet as our summer is here in the tropics, I still love the look of a cool wintry Christmas. 

God bless you, one and all, and may this season of contemplating our Saviour's birth be more vivid and life-giving than ever this year. There may be wars and struggles and darkness around us in the world, but HE is the Light of the World, the Light this world needs. Praise Him always, dear friends, and walk in His Light. 

Love and hugs

A new love...

During my two month break from blogging I had time to tinker with a couple of things I'd wanted to try for a while but never had mental space or time to give them a go. One of those things was appliqueing with woven wool felt.

Anni Down's "Day in Happyland" quilt pattern and the woven wool felt were sitting on my shelf for about a year, so what a relief to finally make a start, as I truly loved the pattern when I first saw it.

The applique is sewn with whipstitch, and the instructions I read said the stitches were angled, but I preferred them straight so that is what I did. It's such a gentle thing to stitch with woolen felt, and I know this is something I would like to use in my own designs next year, but for now, making these large blocks brings me a great deal of joy and calm during my afternoon rest break, and at night when hubby and I sit together listening to a sermon or podcast. 

There are twelve blocks in this quilt, and they measure 13" x 17.5" each. I decided to start with block 12 as I love pears of all kinds (real, fabric, glass, or in pictures). There are a number of small, medium and large pieces that are stitched depending on what block you're doing, with a few fabric squares or felt circles scattered within. 

Once they are done, you fold under the edges and secure with a running stitch...

...before positioning on the background fabric and appliqueing in place. I think the folded-under running stitch border really adds to the overall finish of the block.

Here's block 12 completed...

Whenh Rafaella was here last Sunday I asked her to choose what block I should make next, and she immediately chose "the one with a cat" (block 11) so this past week I have been stitching all the little bits for it.  Yesterday at Rosie's (she made us a delicious morning tea!) I completed the folded running stitch edges, and later at home I positioned everything on the background fabric so that I can begin the applique. 

It's been a long time since I enjoyed a 'larger' project this much, and it's really down to the simplicity of woven wool felt applique, and not as much hand embroidery. And that sounds strange coming from a hand embroidery designer, but I have loved applique for many years and incorporate it in most of my designs, but until now I'd never tried it with woven wool felt. Well, I'm in love with this, and look forward to playing around with it in 2025...perhaps remaking some of my older patterns this way. We shall see. 

Update on our Cully May: she is much happier in the paediatric wheelchair and is zooming all over the house with ease. Thank you for praying. She has a long way to go with healing, but you can definitely describe our girl as 'glass half full' because she looks for the bright side in everything. 

I'm not one for taking note of public holidays in countries other than my own Australian ones, but I have to say that I think Thanksgiving sounds marvellous, and have often thought we need a celebration day like that here. So to all my American friends, I hope your Thanksgiving was wonderful and overflowing with gratitude, family, laughter and friendship. 

I shall leave you today with a few other loves...our garden birds taking turns at the bird feeder, our beautifully fragrant roses that are blooming abundantly right now, the first Christmas beetle of the season in the elder tree, and a morning rainbow over Toolakea Beach when we were there last week. 

Next week I'll have my Christmas hat on, with some thoughts and ideas, and a free pattern. For some reason I feel a desire to put the tree up early, and embrace the season in a fresh way...but the most important thing for us is JESUS right at the centre. And that's not a one day a year thing, it is an every day reason to rejoice, a thankfulness each morning for the day ahead, and gratitude at bedtime for all that has happened in the hours beforehand - whether struggles or celebrations, we were never alone for He is with us in all circumstances. Wow, how blessed I feel!

Before I go, don't forget to sign up HERE for my free weekly newsletter and you won't miss a blog post, a free pattern, or any other Elefantz news. I'll be sending one out every Friday, and if you don't receive it, check your spam or junk folder as it may be hiding away in there. :-)

God bless you all,

Till next time...

Last post, BOM blocks and an extra pattern...

 

As promised in my previous post, today I'm sharing the final two blocks in this year's free BOM, Joy in the Ordinary. 

The Sewing Machine - Block 11...now where would the world be without equipment to sew?? Dresses, curtains, bedding, repairs, baby wear, furnishings...it's a true 'maidservant' in our homes and I'm so very grateful to have a good solid machine to help me create and mend in this wonderfully ordinary life. 

Baking Essentials - Block 12...when I was a child watching Nana 'whip things up' in her tiny kitchen, it was like magic. How she could take a few plain ingredients and bring them together in a marriage of flavour and lightness never ceased to amaze my little girl mind, and I knew that when I grew up I wanted to be just like her. 

So I chose flour and sugar for the final block in this Joy in the Ordinary project in honour of Nana and the JOY she gave me watching her at work in her little home. We never know what little eyes are watching us as we go about our daily chores, but it is important to remember that if they see us grumbling and annoyed about cooking, cleaning, tidying, and serving our families, they will never want to do it when they grow up for it will be to them a burden that makes mummies (or Nanas) grumpy. 

Nana showed me there was JOY in caring for Pop and I, and her little home, so I grew up knowing this was the life I wanted one day too. And God blessed me. 

Use the links below to download the free patterns -

DOWNLOAD Block 11 

DOWNLOAD Block 12

Another free pattern I would like to bless you with before I take my extended leave from blogging for this year, is another Scripture design from the Promises series I began in early July. 

Like the first pattern in this series, I chose another Scripture about God being our light in the darkness. So many of us see the world through an ever darkening lens, and it can sometimes be a trigger to fearfulness and anxiety about what's going to happen in the months and years ahead. 

But God will always shine His Light to dispel those emotions, if we just trust in Him, look to Jesus - the true Light which came in to the world - and rest in His promises. 

As I said in my previous post, I do not know whether I'll continue blogging in 2025..and from today I am taking an extended blogging break for possibly a few months, or even till the end of the year, when I will have an answer for you all. So there will be at least one more blog post later in the year to share what direction the Lord is taking me in...and I am prepared for that to mean the end of the blog, if it be His will. The thing is, until I walk away for a good while, I will not know for sure. 

Use the link below to download the second free Promises pattern - 

DOWNLOAD Promises 18:28 free pattern

(the first pattern is HERE)

In regard to answering the questions which have come through in emails or comments, I have emailed many of them this week with my responses, but there's a few which I was unable to answer that way so here they are...

Q: How do you make the closure on the button bracelets? 

A: As the bracelets are made from felt, I only needed to cut a buttonhole through the felt as felt does not fray.

Q: What Bible do you read? 

A: I read a number of translations, though I do not read paraphrase Bibles. Mostly I read the ESV, NKJV, CSB and the CJB. 

Q: How do you study the Bible?

A: I read it. Every day, slowly, with a concordance to learn the exact meaning of the words. I also read the Bible in context, so I ignore chapters, but read through in the way it was written originally (with no chapter or verse or headings) to discover the full meaning of a passage/message, which can sometimes run for many chapters without a break. 

My husband and I also use the Complete Jewish Study Bible, and the Jewish New Testament Commentary, both which are compiled by Messianic Jewish scholars to teach in depth the meanings behind many of the events in the Bible, especially the New Testament and the teachings and miracles of Jesus as understood by His first century Jewish audience. 

For example - after the feeding of the five thousand the disciples gathered up twelve baskets of bread scraps. Over the years I have heard numerous sermons and teachings on this event, each one spiritualised in one way or another, but the simple purpose for that gathering up is that according to Jewish law in Jesus day, the destructions of food was prohibited. In feeding the 5000, our Messiah honours the edicts of Judaism by stating, "Gather the leftover pieces so that nothing is wasted." 

These are wonderful tools for really opening up the New and Old Testaments. Here's an interesting observation about the woman with an issue of blood...

Q: Am I still using spelt flour for my sour dough? 

A: Not at the moment. Spelt grain is four times the cost of local wheat grain. 

Q: Is your sour dough starter made from Spelt?

A: Not anymore. Just regular milled wheat flour.

So my friends, this is a good bye for a while. Let me pray for you...

Dear Heavenly Father, 

Thank you for every kind and caring heart which has been revealed to me through this blog over the past fifteen years. Thank You for bringing us together, from far and wide across the globe, to share our lives, our crafts, our recipes, our ups and downs, our prayer needs, and most especially our love for YOU.

Lord, in my absence, may you grow each dear woman here, and myself, closer and closer to the truth in Your Word, and to your Son. 

May we shed all those things that hold us back from walking in the bright Light of Your ways, and fill our hearts to overflowing with HOPE, gratitude, repentance, kindness, self-control, courage and selfless love. 

May we have Your purpose for our lives revealed each new morn, that we may know just how unique and lovingly created we are by Your design, no matter how many years have passed behind us. 

Use us to Your glory, Lord, and keep our minds fixed on the promise of Christ's return so that we do not become foolish and let our lamps go out. 

May every heart here know that YOU are God, the God who saves, the God who cares, and the God who sent His precious Son to die for us. 

To Him be all Glory and Honour and Praise forever more...

Amen 

From my heart to yours...

your friend, and sister-in-Christ,

EARLY - blocks 9 and 10 Joy in the Ordinary BOM...

 

Yes, these blocks are very early, but for a good reason. After much prayer, I have decided to take a break from blogging beginning September 1st. Not sure how long yet, but time is needed to wait on the Lord, and prayerfully consider whether to continue the blog in 2025, or to gently close the door instead. After 16 years, I do believe that a blogging break will do me good, regardless of the final outcome. xx

As many of you are working on my free Joy in the Ordinary BOM this year, and as I'm not sure whether it will be a one, two or three months blog break I'll have before sharing my decision moving forward next year, I shall share with you Blocks 9 and 10 today, and then Blocks 11 and 12 in a few days time. 

Block 9 - The Coathangers...such normal, ordinary things to be found in our homes. How reliable they are, and how very needful too - yet they are so ordinary that I rarely give them a thought other than to hang, or remove, items of clothing. I think it may be that way with the people in our lives sometimes - we're so used to them being around that we may forget to stop and take notice as to how they're faring right now, or to encourage them by sharing what we appreciate about their character, and perhaps how they inspire us. A seemingly small thing like this can lift a precious heart from the valley, and fill it with kindness, care and love. Who do you know that needs to be checked on, or may need a boost of loving care?

Block 10 - Reading...this year I have begun to read more from an actual book, and not much from the internet. Our local library has become a regular place to visit and as I browse through subjects which interest me (a mix of herbal medicines, Mediterannean cooking, gardening, healthy living) there's a delightful joy in coming home to brew a cup of herb tea and sit quietly turning the pages of a real book, discovering new things, whilst carefully sifting out what is uneccesary. Learning this way is gentle, and slow, and quite enjoyable. If I find a book that would be valubale to my studies in various areas, I try to find a second hand copy, and if that fails, only then do I purchase a new one. 

My book shelves have slimmed down over the past year, as I have donated and sold many of my sewing/craft books, but now they are slowly being refilled with books on topics which my husband and I find welcome in this season of life. After all, why hold on to what is no longer of interest or required? Having less these days is proving to be 'more' because what we have, is what we will read or reference from. 

One shelf which never slims though, is our collection of Bibles, as we enjoy comparing versions next to our Concordance, and the Jewish commentary we have on the culture and traditions at the time Jesus walked through Israel. It's incredibly eye-opening to understand so much of what He spoke and did through the lens of who He was minstering to (Jews), and how they would have known exactly what He meant. 

Use the links below to download the free blocks 9 and 10

DOWNLOAD the free pattern for Block 9

DOWNLOAD the free pattern for Block 10

I will be back on Tuesday with another blog post, and the patterns for blocks 11 and 12. In that next post I'll answer some of your questions too.

God bless you all!

hugs

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Keeping busy and making time to breathe...

 

This quote by Laura Ingalls Wilder is one that I come back to regularly, as it encourages my choice to live a quiet life, a life unhurried, closed away from the world outside by a tall fence on all sides. Surrounded by the many trees my husband has planted in our six years here, and the gardens we created to provide beauty, food, herbs, restful places to sit and watch the numerous birdlife our quarter acre attracts each day - this is our sanctuary, our quiet place, where we truly do take time to think our own thoughts, talk to God, and separate ourselves (as much as we can) from the chaos of a world that shouts increasingly louder, demanding more attention than we choose to give.

 

(the garden is flourishing right now)

It sounds as though we live somewhere out in the country I suppose, but in reality we live on a very busy main road, and when we first moved here this challenged our heartfelt desire for peace and quiet. For those of you who were reading the blog back in 2017/18 you may remember that we spent almost a year searching for our first ever home, after renting all our married life. We had a list of things that we felt were important, and we offered this list to God each day, trusting that in His perfect timing, He would lead us to the right home - and He did, just weeks before our rental lease expired. 

(winter blueberries ripe for the picking)

It was a sunny end-of-winter August day, exactly six years ago last weekend, when we first came to see the house. The road had traffic, but not so much that we thought about it on that Sunday morning. Going through our list of requirments we were surprised to see that it had everything, plus a swimming pool - the one thing we did not want. Ha ha! The price was a bit more than we could spend, but we went away and sat by the river to pray and wait on God. About a half hour later we went back and made an offer 20K below the asking price, fairly sure this was what we were meant to do, and completely putting our trust in the Lord...and the offer was accepted. The house had been empty for months and the owners just wanted it off their hands.

(the cosmos are self seeding everywhere)

It wasn't until we moved in that the almost constant stream of traffic drew a line through "peace and quiet" on our list of requirements. Fortunately the excitement of setting up a real home of our own subdued that particular disappointment for a couple of months, but eventually reality took hold and we struggled to sleep with the zoom zoom of cars and trucks passing through the night. 

(lemon balm, chives and pentas mixed with morrocan mint)

The neighbours assured us "you'll get used to it" but we found that hard to believe. Our greatest desire in having a home was to live in peace and quiet, to have sanctuary away from the outside world, a place to refresh, renew, and flourish in our later years. It had been a family joke for decades that whenever our children asked their father what he wanted for his birthday/Fathers day/Christmas, his answer never changed from "peace and quiet, please."

(white yarrow, so pretty, and lovely in teas)

God's plans are regularly not the ones we'd choose for ourself - have you found that? The swimming pool we did not want has become an integral part of our health regime, with both of us swimming year-round, regardless of the weather or temperature. It's a blessing we never forsaw, yet we cannot imagine being without it now. 

(another self-seeder, sweet basil)

But that lack of peace and quiet...mmm...?? Well, as the years passed by I learned a very big lesson. Peace and quiet can be found anywhere, if you just focus on what's important within your home, the people within, and the GOD who is the real peacegiver, the One who will meet you in the storm, in the scorching summer days, in the noisy daytime traffic, in the partying of neighbours, in the (eventual) quieting darkness of the night...in your prayers, and in His Word. That changed everything for us.

(more self-seeding, pretty marigolds)

Seeking peace in a loud world is something many of us need more than ever these days, especially since 2020, as that year triggered more rapid changes across the globe than any year in my lifetime, and the changes continue to increase. Life as we know it now, especially for children, is nothing like the life my husband and I grew up in. I won't go into that too much, but I do lament the loss of those carefree years of old which my grandchildren have never experienced. But what I can rejoice in is their visits to our quarter acre, where they roam and play and wonder and explore and discover in complete freedom for hours on end...and that is something I am sure God planned when He led us here. 

(we have so much sage, lovely in teas and cooking)

So where am I going with all this? Well, we may never get all we ask for, and God may lead us in ways we do not understand at the time, but with our very limited view of tomorrow, next month or next year, we can be confident  that when we lay all aside to trust the Lord and follow His lead, we will one day see with fresh eyes all that He was preparing for us, all the goodness of God displayed for we who love and worship Him. 

The past few days have been very busy with not much time to rest up, but oh what a wonderfully productive few days it has been! I go to bed each night aching, but arise happy to start a new day. 

Last post I think I showed you how I am growing and drying calendula again. Our calendula flowers are harvested every day, and left to dry outside on the back table. Once dry they are stored in a glass jar, ready for using in herbal medicines/balms/tinctures. 

Firstly I make a calendula infusion of the dried flowers in extra virgin olive oil, leaving it sit in the dark for a month or more. Then I strain it and bottle the calendula infused oil, or use some to make balms and salves. 

Last Sunday afternoon (after a visit to the farmers market that morning) my kitchen looked more like an apothecary's back room, but I did tidy along the way so that ingredients didn't get mixed up. 

The final result was worth the month long wait for the infusion to be ready, as I ended up with pure calendula oil, calendula & lavender balm, and calendula & lavender salve - all of which I share with my daughters Blossom and Kezzie. 

Of all the many books I have on making herbal treatments, this is my current favourite, The Garden Apothecary. The pure oil is beautiful as skin care and also put away for making more balms and salves. The balm is lovely for dry patches on the skin and on my hands after gardening, and the salve is especially made for Cully May who comes up in the most painful sores when bitten by mosquitoes. It really makes a difference for her, praise God. 

I've run out of the shea butter component, but have ordered more, so when my next infusion is ready at the end of September I can make more salve and balms, plus some lip balms too. 

Sunday morning we had been to the farmer's market and arrived home with a bounty of fresh produce - far more, and much cheaper than the supermarket. Weighed down with overflowing bags of produce, hubby and I both were surprised when our bill was just $23! 

I spent all day Monday in the kitchen, storing, preserving, roasting, pickling...and baking some sweet treats for us and Blossom's family of course! 

Here's just a few things I made for the week ahead (the rest was preserved in other ways, or vacuumed sealed in the refrigerator to use fresh) - pesto made from the green radish tops, pickled radishes, pickled red onions, garlic mayonnaise, fresh tomato salsa, roasted garlic & chive labne (made after hanging Greek yoghurt for 36 hours), and herbal tea to serve over ice. 

Blossom and Cully May LOVE the labne and enjoyed a batch with crackers yesterday. I now need to make more!

On Monday I also made 2 litres of almond milk, trays of roasted capsicums and tomatoes, a tray of peanut butter stuffed medjool dates, and some sweeties were baked - ginger & coconut slice, and a chocolate slice. 

On Tuesday I spent the morning in the garden as I had potted plants that needed to be moved into shaded areas, seedlings planted out, fertilising and a bit of pruning, and planting out the coriander roots from the two huge bunches of coriander (cilantro) we got at the farmers market. I had removed all the coriander leaves and stems for use in salads, curries, and salsa, plus a lot was frozen (for use in future curries), leaving around 4 inches above the root base for planting out. In just 24 hours they were already sprouting new leaves, so we will probably be able to harvest right up to November hopefully. Coriander doesn't like our heat or humidity and when I grow it, it just withers by mid spring, and this winter (when it normally flourishes) it just didn't grow well at all. 

After gardening, I went back to the kitchen and roasted pumpkin for salads, mashed pumpkin for pumpkin bread and muffins later this week, made a huge batch of meatballs and sauce (using some of my roasted tomatoes, garlic and capsicums from the previous day), made a bowl of French chicken salad to have on rolls, sliced up the pineapple and some watermelon, and made a chocolate avocado pudding. 

So you can see that I had three busy days back to back...and then yesterday (Wednesday) I did our regular grocery shop, and popped over to visit Blossom and the children who were excitedly waiting for Ross to return from a work trip away in Brisbane. 

When I arrived back home, and after watering the garden, I decided it was time to stop, to allow the satisfaction of a productive few days to settle in my thoughts, and take some time to breathe...a good reminder from one of my Gentle Domesticity designs. 

A cuppa, some ginger slice, and time with my sketch pad brought the afternoon to an end. I prepared another pattern for my free Promises Project (here), and shall spend the next few afternoons stitching it.

A long blog post, I know, but I hope it encouraged you in some small way to trust the Lord with His plans for your life, be they large or small, and to find delights within the sanctuary of your own home. 

This verse says it all really...

Oh, and I have been working on more UFO projects for this month, another three blocks in the Anni Downs quilt pattern, and more of that cross-stitch a began a few months back. Have you been working on some August finishes too??

There's a number of questions which readers have emailed me or left in comments the past couple of months, so I shall endeavour to do a blog post to answer what I can in the near future. But for right now, I'm taking time to breathe, to rest from my labours, and possibly to give the blog a bit of a holiday very soon. 

God bless, and many prayers, 

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

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