Interactive and useful things...

I thought I'd share a few good links with you today; things you can participate in and things that are useful for monthly or yearly planning.

The Splendid Sampler:

When Jane Davidson and Pat Sloan invited me to be one of the 83 designers contributing to their brilliant 2016 sew along project, The Splendid Sampler, I couldn't refuse. 

Over a year there will be 100 free blocks shared with a mix of patchwork, embroidery, applique and paper piecing. No surprises that my block is an embroidery one, right?! 

You'll have to wait till late May to see my contribution to this project, but my goodness, what a bounty of gorgeous blocks you'll have to play with from other designers before then!

Click on THIS link to read all about The Splendid Sampler, and bookmark the page because there are two free blocks shared each week from February 14th....

Stitch-In Days:

Susan Nixon asked me last year if it was okay for her to open a new blog for those of you who stitch Elefantz designs, a blog where people could have link parties and build a sewing community.

After I picked myself up off the floor and the blush from cheeks faded, I said yes. 

Isn't she lovely!?

Now please remember, Stitch-in Days is not my blog  - it's Susan's - but it's built around her plan to sew one Elefantz design at a time and she asks you to join her. (and I think that's really cool)

Visit Susan's new blog HERE. The first linky party is up and running, too, so you can show your work from day one!

 2016 Planner Pages:

(free download) 

Kerryanne English of Shabby Art Boutique shares a new set of monthly planner pages each January, and they are always a feast for the eyes as well as being beautifully useful.

If you head over HERE you can download her set of 2016 pages. 

The new issue of The Stitchery Club was emailed to all members yesterday (completed on time by the grace of God) but if you're not a member and would still like to stitch the 'A Year in the Garden' project, I've uploaded the complete January issue HERE to my shop. This issue also includes the full quilt pattern for a final display.

 

Till tomorrow,

hugs

*Moment to Shine*...a challenge of freedom.

Thank you to all those wonderfully honest hearts who responded by comment and email to THIS blog post last week.

At times I wept as I read, prayed and responded...I wept for the burdens so many of you have carried through unrealistic, and unneeded, expectations.

I wept because it was all with hearts to do good; yet it had stolen from you precious time, joy in your craft, and a peaceful spirit.

I heard your regrets, and I understood because I have been there too.

You gave me a lot to ponder, on top of the sentiments I had already shared. 

In fact, you helped open my eyes even further.

The truth is we love to sew and craft. Making lovely things should bring joy, and when that joy is disabled by the weight of expectation we put on ourselves to complete project after project, and purchase fabric line upon fabric line, love for this craft turns into guilt, and even competition.

Today I want to take it one step further.

Today I ask that you walk into your craft storage area and take a good long look at the fabric and supplies you already own, and then ask yourself...

How far back does your stash go?

Can you identify fabrics you bought three years ago?

Five years ago?

Ten??

I've only been sewing since 2005, and I didn't start on my 'stash build' till 2007, but I still have some of those fabrics - unused and fading away.

With each passing year since, I've acquired more 'must-have' fabric lines, and used some of them with joy!

But I also possess fabrics I 'had to have' when I bought them, yet have never cut into.

So today, it was on those old and lonely, forgotten lengths of cotton print I let my eyes rest.

And a plan formed.

A plan to consciously give them their *Moment to Shine*.

This fabric line is Woodland Bloom from Lila Tueller (2008)...

 

 I'm remaking a few of my favourite Jenny of Elefantz originals from the first two years I was designing, and I've decided to give my Woodland Bloom stash a moment to shine in the "Hearts & Flowers" cushion cover (which will feature in something special January 2014)...

Is your fabric - the fabric already on your shelves, waiting for it's moment to shine too?

Let's make a difference, and use what we have.

A bit like the English war slogan, "Make Do & Mend", but we'll "Make Do & Shine".

Imagine the fun of planning projects for our home or loved ones from what we have on hand, ready and waiting to shine!?

Plus, think of all the $$ you will be saving in the process. Money that could be used to help your budget, reduce debt, or to bless those in need.

And if you find fabrics that just don't tickle your fancy the way they used to, give them away. I speak from experience when I tell you that is an amazingly freeing thing to do.

 Will you join me in this challenge over the next year? 

Let me know if you will in the comments.

And why not share the idea with your friends? To do this with a buddy or two would be even more fun!

Perhaps you have some Christmas fabrics from seasons past in your stash?

The lovely Kerryanne English of Shabby Art Boutique is once again hosting her...

 *Simply Christmas* runs for eight weeks, throughout November and on into Christmas Eve!

Kerryanne will be featuring all sorts of things you can do and make for a truly Handmade Christmas in your home.

There are many different contributors sharing their ideas and designs, and I happen to be one of them; but you'll have to be patient to see what pretty thing I have for you at Simply Christmas around the middle of November. 

Here's a little teaser peek...

 To read all about *Simply Christmas" go HERE, and then visit Kerryanne's blog HERE to follow along with the weekly fun!

She even has a free Christmas planner ready for you to download.

So, shall we start our *Moment to Shine* adventure together?

Feel free to share this photo on your blog, and link back to this blog post to explain what its about. 

hugs

jenny

Mid-week this 'n' that...

My husband calls Wednesday's 'hump day'. 

Half way into the working week, and closer to the weekend than it was was on Monday or Tuesday.

He likes 'hump day', but not as much as he likes Friday at 4pm. 

I spent my hump day fine-tuning the last pages of Elefantz Home's next issue, in time to be published this Friday. 

Do you like the cover?

 It has a real 50's kitschy feel to it, and I'm lovin' the red and blue. 

Red has become one of my favourite colours over the last year, and that was something Blossom found amazing. I was always so pastel pink - very predictable - but now she's never quite sure if I'll go for pastels or red. Nice to keep the teens guessing, sometimes. 

Yesterday she had an optometrist appointment, and afterwards we did a bit of window shopping. I spotted this cute little purse for $4.98, and lovin' red and white spots as I do, I bought it. But there was another reason behind my purchase.

You see, it looked so 'unfinished'. 

Like they'd forgotten to add something. 

I collect vintage buttons, and in my mind's eye I was sure I had the perfect one to give my little purse some personality!

Now, is this not the bees knees of little red and white spotty vintage styled coin purses?

Now that this issue has been 'put to bed', I want to spend some time working on other things, just for fun! 

I saw this gorgeous Angel pincushion on Kerryanne's blog a couple of weeks ago and knew it was something I'd love to make.

So, I purchased her e-pattern, printed it up, and patiently waited for the mailman to deliver the sweet little Tilda wings I ordered from Kerryanne as well.

Yesterday they arrived, and they are so much lovelier than I imagined...

This will be made over the next few days, and I'll even use some of my Tilda fabric stash purchased in 2010.

If you'd like to purchase the pattern too, just visit Kerryanne HERE at her Shabby Art Boutique blog. It's a pdf and will be emailed to you.

Enjoy your hump day, and the rest of the week. 

I hope you find time to sit back and be quiet for a while...I love my quiet times. It's when the nicest ideas begin to bloom.

Hugs

Jenny

xx