Coconuts and scrolls...

It's a tradition in our family to bake Cinnamon Scrolls on Blossom's birthday, but I had such a nasty head cold last weekend that I gave her a rain check on them.

Today was rain check day!

Actually, it all starts the night before.

I make the dough, and roll the scrolls at night, then pop them in the fridge until early the next morning...

Surprisingly the dough will continue to rise in the fridge, so when I get up next morning they go straight in the oven for a hot breakfast treat!

 Served with a hot cappuccino, we celebrated Blossom's 19th once more.

YUM.

Would you like to make them too?

The recipe for the sweet dough comes from an old favourite bread book of mine...

Just add these ingredients, in order, to your bread machine and set to 'dough'...

The measures above are Australian metric, so for my US friends here they are in Imperial...

1 1/4 cups water (300ml water)

1 large egg

2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons butter (40g)

1 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons of sugar (60g)

3 3/4 cups white bread flour (525g)

4 tablespoons milk powder (60g)

1 teaspoon bread improver

2 1/4 teaspoons dried yeast

(I suggest you weigh the ingredients for the best results)

 

Once the dough cycle is finished, roll out the dough to a rectangle - about 10" x 14".

Mix one third of a cup of soft butter with 2 teaspoons of cinnamon powder. Spread this over the dough.

Roll up the dough like a Swiss Roll. Cut into 12 slices, and lay them in a baking dish lined with baking paper.

Place in the fridge overnight.

Next morning heat your oven to 190C (390F). Bake the scrolls for about 15-20 minutes.

Mix together a heaped cup of icing sugar (powdered sugar), a teaspoon of strawberry essence, and enough milk to make a smooth icing.

Drizzle over the hot scrolls as soon as they come out of the oven. 

Have I ever told you that we have a Coconut Palm growing right outside our front door?

I was outside this morning taking photos of the original version of Romeo Roses made into a cushion .....

 

...when I realised you may not know about my coconuts. I think it's pretty neat to have coconuts in the front yard!

 I can't wait until they are ready. Mmmm, fresh coconut is wonderful!

(The Romeo Roses pattern is available HERE)

Don't forget to sign up for my Free Friday Newsletter as soon as possible because in tomorrow's newsletter I am sharing the pattern for this gorgeous vase wrap with all subscribers!

 

It's easy to sign up - just go HERE to the sign up page.

Have a lovely evening! Mr E is back from his working trip away so I am smiling from ear to ear...

Hugs

Jenny

xx

Romeo Roses at last, and a giveaway!

You have been so patient waiting for me to have the pattern for Romeo Roses ready for purchase.

Thank you!

Today, I can finally say, "It's ready!"

~Romeo Roses~

(click on the photo for a much larger view)

The pattern is in my Craftsy Shop HERE, and it's an instant PDF download, so you can begin stitching it today!

There are just four different embroidery stitches used, and I have included stitch diagrams, as well as large close-up photos of the actual stitching in Romeo Roses. 

 The pattern also includes step-by-step instructions for preparation and stitching, plus an idea for alternate thread colour choice.

I think you'll love it!

Elefantz HOME E-zine Volume 2 Issue 1 has been published, and all subscribers should have received their copies by now.

If you are not a subscriber, but would like to purchase this issue, you'll find it HERE in my shop today as an instant download. It's jam packed with new Elefantz patterns and other goodies!

GIVEAWAY time!!

It's been a while since I have had a giveaway, but in celebration of my Elefantz HOME re-launch and releasing the pattern for Romeo Roses, I just wanted to bless you.

Remember these Elefantz designs?

Miss Molly Moo Quilt

Rose House Sampler Quilt

Cutie Key Fobs

Buttons 'n' Bows Bag

Well, I have two bundles of these paper patterns to give away!

 

Would you like to win one?

 

You have two chances to win!

First chance : leave a comment here on this blog post. Just one comment, and you must leave a way for me to contact you, whether through your blog, or an email address, in case you win.

If I cannot contact you I will draw another winner.

Second Chance : go HERE to my Jenny of Elefantz Facebook page, and share my post about the giveaway on your own FB page.

I will draw one winner from my blog comments, and one winner from those who share my FB post.

You'll find out if you are the lucky winners next Friday, April 12th. 

Good luck!!

Have a wonderful weekend! Mr E and I have planned a Saturday evening ride up to Ingham (about 100 klms north) for dinner. Can't wait!

Hugs

Jenny

xx

GIVEAWAY is now CLOSED!
The winners were Larissa and Vangie.
Thanks to everyone who entered!

Romeo Roses!

Do you get excited when you finish a project that seems to have taken forever?

I sure do!

After stitching Romeo Roses in January, and then not being happy with the final thread colour choices, I decided to re-stitch it in February, using the sweetest of Cottage Garden threads as my palette. 

I really wanted this design to compliment my style, and now that it is complete I couldn't be happier.

So, without further ado, may I present my newest pattern, Romeo Roses...

 

 

The fabric in the border is a print from Joanna Figueroa's "Gypsy Rose" line, the colours matching perfectly with the threads I used...

The photos were taken using my new 'birthday' camera, and as I was setting the scene a little friend thought he'd pop himself into the photo shoot too...

 

The stitchery pattern will be available very soon, already printed onto handkerchief linen - so much easier than tracing!

****

Have a happy and joy-filled weekend! 

We'll probably go for a ride when it's fine, then potter around home between the predicted rain storms.

I'll leave you with this photo I took last weekend when Mr E and I rode up the mountain just before sunset...

 ...it was breathtaking. 

Monogram Mondays ~ D ~....

Let's give ~D~ a welcome this week!

 

My words for D are for daring, delicious, daisies, and devotion.

What are yours?

Download ~D~ HERE.

 *****

Today was our sewing get-together for the Four Mad Maids, but dear Wendy had obligations elsewhere and could not make it. Boy, was she missed!

But Michelle, Angela and I had a replacement fourth at our table - Blossom! She sat and stitched with us, and that was lovely because she rarely stitches anymore.

Michelle and Angela brought me some beautiful birthday gifts, and I made gluten free lemon curd cupcakes for morning tea...

 Michelle gave me some wonderful books that I will begin reading tonight...

...and Angela brought me a new pear to add to my collection! A green one this time...

I was blessed.

*****

Another new colour was added to Romeo Roses yesterday.

Butter Bean....

I'll be uses this thread for the stem stitch borders. 

Don't you LOVE the names Cottage Garden give their threads?!

Sweet Melon...Latte...Butter Bean...Sweet Gum...mmmmm...

My plan is to finish Romeo Roses tonight and frame it tomorrow. I'm really excited about this design!

*****

Over the weekend I spent time making gifts for my young grandsons.

A craft apron for Deegan, and a new cushion for Calab. 

I think they'll be happy, as every stitch was made with LOVE. I miss them so much since they moved away. 

One of the things I thank the Lord for is the ability to make gifts for my loved ones.

I also thank the Lord for the thoughtful gifts my loved ones give me. You see, I have a real love of nature and trees (especially trees!), and I quite often snap a whole heap of photos of unusual trees for no reason other than they give me pleasure.

This birthday my sweet Blossom gave me my own tree...

Again, I give thanks for my blessings.

*****

Mr E is away working for the next few days, so I have someone else 'guarding' me at the moment. 

While I catch up on 'stitchy things' in my sewing room, little Bob-the-Dog sits faithfully across the doorway...

Have a wonderful week, won't you?

Introducing...

...the next Cottage Garden thread in "Romeo Roses".

~Latte 808 ~

...beautiful variegated coffee colours...

...and you know how much I love my coffee. ;-)

****

It's only a couple of hours away from my birthday. 

Today Blossom and I went out together for my un-birthday celebration.

You see, in our family we celebrate the day before a birthday, and the day after a birthday, as 'un-birthdays'.

The family sing "happy un-birthday to you..." numerous times during those two days! It's a fun tradition Mr E began about 12 years ago, and we've kept it going because it's such a happy thing for the family.

Look at the present that arrived in the mail today from my very dear friend, Barb. 

This sweet thimble, and the little cask it fits inside...

So cute! Thank you, Barb. xx

Not sure what tomorrow will bring me, but as long as the Lord is by my side, it's always a blessed day.

May yours be blessed too.

Romeo Roses - version II....

After many weeks of hand stitching, it was a real wrench for me to admit the thread colours I had used in the first version of 'Romeo Roses' just weren't *me*.

BUT...then I retraced the design, and chose new threads....

...and after the first few days of stitching the second version I have butterflies in my tummy when I look at it because it's SO pretty, and definitely *me* this time...

 

 

What do you think?

Hopefully this will be completed by the end of February, and the pattern probably sold pre-printed on this lovely handkerchief linen that I am addicted  to. 

I get a lot of emails about the linen I use. Honest, it's a delight to stitch with, and so very gentle on the hands. 

If you ask at your quilt shop they may have it in stock or be able to get it in for you. It's also available HERE at Under The Mulberry Tree if you have no success locally.

(The linen is distributed through Charles Parsons Australia. so if you really get stuck sourcing the linen, perhaps you can email them and ask if they supply a shop near you.)

Yesterday in my free Elefantz newsletter I shared a slightly belated Valentines design. 

If you are not a newsletter subscriber you may miss out on some of the special offers I share throughout the year, so why not sign up today?

 Just pop your email in the box below and after you have confirmed your email address, you'll begin receiving my regular Friday newsletters direct to your inbox. :-)

I will never share your email, so be assured you are safe to sign up and reap the benefits of being a regular newsletter subscriber.

In case you hadn't heard about my newsletter before, just this time, I will share the link to download "Lovebirds" here on my blog.

Download LOVEBIRDS here.

I originally stitched this in  2010 as a wedding gift for my lovely friend in Norway, Synnoeve.
I wonder how you would use this design?

NOTE: You will need to sign in to Google in order to download the pattern. Sorry, but I have no control over that.

Have a wonderfully relaxing weekend, won't you!?
Mr E has already taken me on a morning ride today, so I think some stitching time is ahead of me! \o/