Showing posts with label giveaway winners. Show all posts
Showing posts with label giveaway winners. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Upsides and Downsides, and two winners...

I think with every house move (remember, 19 of them in 21 years) we find upsides, and a few downsides.
The upsides are TREES, and green places around us...
...so much nicer than the bare, treeless, bird-less, breeze-less estate we lived in before.
This house is set high, and so we get the breezes from the ocean (just a few minutes away), and with a lot of trees around we also wake to BIRDS singing! \o/ 
No more machinery and construction site noises at 5.30am!
 
Another positive is space...spaces to breathe in the house and not be toppled over each other; unexpected alcoves for small vignettes (still to be tweaked, but you get the idea)...
 
The kitchen has lots of light, but is not part of the living area any more so I feel far more inclined to cook and prepare wholesome food. It also has an air conditioner facing straight into it - bliss (!) here in the tropics. 
 Whilst still unpacking, I did take time out for grocery shopping yesterday and an evening of kitchen play. My first ever homemade Tabbouleh (served with lamb cutlets and fresh bread)...
Top of my list is always getting the bedroom made up, and though not yet finished, it is still very welcoming after a day of hot and heavy work!
The room also has a little alcove at the entrance...
My sewing room is 'underway'....
...hopefully all done by tonight. 
I have a favourite little garden friend in place near the front door...
...and my desk is just about ready...
 ...with a new little book to fill with ideas for my blog this year!
So, there you have it so far. We're in, we're half unpacked, and we're tired and sore. But we're quite pleased with our new surroundings. 
On the downside, though. 
No broadband internet.The exchange is full.
2 businesses run from home;
4 people with laptops.
Not good.
We have been told by everyone to get wireless internet, but it will cost a fortune for 4 people using it almost all day, and two of our laptops do not have inbuilt modems for dial up (the business ones!!).
But, we got dial up for the kids ($1 a month unlimited download - yep, bizarre), and they will use their phones for more download speed.
In the end we'll figure it out (our son is a computer techie by trade and knows every angle), but it will all come down to cost in the long run. Hopefully a line will become available in our exchange and we can finally get broadband again. Love your prayers about that. 
In the meantime I have a very expensive little 3G stick to use for 30 days, and will not be doing any extra internet browsing. 
Another downside is that Blossom has come down with stomach flu. Please pray she recovers quickly. 
Thank you!
***

Now to draw the winners for a copy of Australian Patchwork & Stitching magazine, which features an article about my journey from homeschooler to designer!

and

Congratulations ladies!!
Please email me your addresses and I will post the magazines to you this week.

***

Have a lovely and blessed week, won't you?!


Monday, August 6, 2012

Stitching progress, and the winner of my giveaway!

Thank you to everyone who entered my giveaway last month!
Wow - 449 entries!! 

The winner of 1st prize - a kit to make my Daring Dresden cushion cover, which includes the 20 blue dresden blades pre-made by me - is LUCY from the blog, Lucy Sews Everyday!

The winner of 2nd prize - a 6-month subscription to my monthly e-zine, Elefantz HOME - is SHEILA from the blog, Sheila's Quilt World!

The winner of 3rd prize - a 3-month subscription to my monthly e-zine, Elefantz HOME - is ANTHEA from the blog Hibiscus Stitches!

Congratulations Lucy, Sheila and Anthea!!

I still have one Daring Dresden kit HERE in my shop if you didn't win but would still like to make it. The kit comes with the paper pattern as well!
 ~~~~~

Stitching over the weekend included these lovelies!

A new stitchery and applique design for Elefantz HOME which will also be available as a kit...
 ...and block 1 from our Betsy's Closet Stitch-a-long almost finished.
 
 ~~~~~
In my kitchen last night I made a luscious dessert for Mr E and I. 
I got it from the free August issue of the Coles recipe book, found at the checkouts of your local Coles supermarkets throughout Australia.

 "Passionfruit, Coconut and Vanilla Puddings" - step one...mixing!
 
Step two...piled into my red spotty cappuccino mugs for baking!
 Step three...out of the oven!
 Step four...making the passionfruit syrup sauce.
 Step five...a dollop of custard and we're ready to tantalise the tastebuds!
 YUMMO!! It was sooo good. Glad I made extra for tonight's dessert. 

What did you stitch and cook this weekend? 
Hugs
Jenny
xx