Things to make from a Sampler...

I shared last week that the March Stitchery Club patterns will be a little different from previous months.

Instead of the normal six stitchery set, our members will be receiving the complete Simple Alphabet Sampler to play with...

...and when I say "play" with this Sampler, I really mean it!

It's a beautiful project to stitch in one piece, but there's so much more you can do with it.

Like stitching words for special projects...

(the bird is also part of the main sampler...)

(see more of the kitchen towel HERE...)

Use single letters to embellish small items like this sweet fridge magnet frame! I made this as a small house-warming gift for Blossom (Elizabeth) recently...

Included in the March Stitchery Club will be a few frame patterns you can stitch around individual letters as a stand alone piece of art. Here are two of them...

I've also been playing around with individual family initials on a scrap of embellished linen cut from an old shirt...

You are only limited by your imagination with canvasses to display all or part of the Simple Alphabet Sampler.

Do you like how I've used it so far?

This pattern will ONLY be available to Club members.

Why don't you join?

Go HERE to do so - it's very easy, and I'd love to have you along for the journey!

Thank you for all your prayers and well wishes over this spate of weather-related migraines.

I've found the nausea is relieved when I stick to fresh vegetable juices, ginger loaded protein balls, fruit, and freshly made apple jelly/jello (recipe HERE)...

 

Some belated birthday gifts arrived in the mail this week and they are so pretty I just had to show you!

My precious friend Fee knows me so well, and this gorgeous bundle of pretties certainly made my heart sing.

The tiniest pincushion, a cute as pie felt elephant, inspiration framed and ready to remind me every day that being happy is a choice, and a gorgeous shabby chic style tin that I'm treasuring forever....

A surprise gift from Jan Skinner also left my heart racing.

This exquisite little bear, dressed in a fine J initialed handkerchief, is actually a needle-book!

Isn't she adorable?

Have a joyful weekend won't you?

It's like happiness - choose to find the good and embrace it. 

You see, though there is much sadness in my life there is also JOY, and choosing to walk in that joy is life-giving...think about it. xx

I'm praying for each of you today.

Hugs

A week winds down and I breathe...

The week before Elefantz HOME publishing day is always tiring - both mentally and physically. As a one-woman show I have to spread myself thin, but once that last word is typed, and the magazine has been emailed to my faithful proof-reading crew, I sit back in my chair and breathe long and deep. 

Satisfaction. Relief. 

That is what I feel today because my work is done for another month.

 ~~~~~

I've finished the Angel block from my Christmas Story quilt again. This is the third time I've stitched the quilt, but this time I am doing step by step photos for one block a month in my magazine.

This will spread over the next eight issues (starting this coming issue July 29th). I started with 'Angel' because it's my favourite...

Then background this time is handkerchief linen - I am so hooked on hanky linen!! It's beautiful to embroider on. 

I have this idea for making some different Angel blocks and putting them all into one quilt top...I'll keep you posted on that. The picture I'm forming in my mind is quite enchanting.

~~~~~

Of course, once an issue is done I am already planning the next!

I'm auditioning some bright colours at the moment, deciding whether this project will make my final choice of patterns for next month...

 

 Blossom has run off with this declaring it MUST appear in the magazine- she's even suggested I have a "Blossom's Choice" each issue! Hmmm....what do you think of that??

~~~~~

Some lovely mail arrived this week. Angela made me the sweetest card as a thank you for last Friday's sewing day with Wendy...

Angela had no idea that I love little dresses!! She would have been surprised to see what I had just bought.

In another parcel that same day I received this gorgeous pattern of Brenda Riddle's that I'd ordered a few weeks ago. I had been patiently stalking my postie for at least the last seven days as I became anxious about it's late arrival!

"Betsy's Closet In Stitches"

Originally Bren designed this quilt in applique, but she's recently re-designed it as a stitchery quilt - and I am so glad she did! This will be my 'chill-out' project between stitching my own designs. 

You'll find the pattern on Bren's site HERE.

~~~~~

I've also just printed out this Sampler from Helen of Bustle & Sew (yes, I do love samplers!) to slowly stitch during my down time. It's so cute!

You will find this in Helen's shop HERE (or if you subscribe to her e-zine it's in Issue 16 May 2012)

~~~~~

So tell me, what do you like to stitch when you need to relax?

~~~~~

Have a wonderful weekend. 

Mine will be full with stitching project preparations, hopefully a Greek lunch with Mr E on Saturday, a ride up to the Ingham Italian Festival on Sunday (for canoli!) and of course, cooking, washing, ironing...

I choose to focus on the positives. ;-)

Hugs

Jenny

xx

The 3rd project, and a finished sampler!

Sometimes I don't really like the way one of my designs turns out.

Sometimes I want to scrap the project and start over.

Sometimes I do just that.

But most times when I feel dissatisfied, I put the project away for a few days and work on something completely different. When I pull the project back out two or three days later I see it with new eyes and then excitement builds again as I add my 'Jenny' touches, and eventually I fall in love with it.

This has taught me perseverance, and also helped me not to waste fabric, time, and effort.

This month, I struggled with a design for Issue 14 of Elefantz HOME.

I designed my set of four 'Faith, Hope, Love and Family' stitcheries to sit inside four Dresden blocks, but after I made the 'Family' stitchery into a cushion....

...I just couldn't find inspiration to make another three Dresdens.

My plan was to use them together in a table runner, and I had all the Dresden blades cut and stitched already, BUT, my creative heart was heavy and quite un-enthused about the project.

So I put it aside and worked on finishing that ABC sampler!

Two days passed, and inspiration struck. I put aside the Dresden blades - they can be used at another time - and drew up a completely new design. I was in love, and couldn't stop stitching until it was finished!

 

This is my Happy Table Runner.

It is 14.5" x 33" - perfect size for my table, and hopefully yours!

 

 

Do you like it?

This is the third new Elefantz project for July 29th's magazine.

~~~~~

And a first for me - I am selling kits to make this project!! 

If you're a free newsletter subscriber, you'll be the first to hear about them later this week. If you haven't yet subscribed to my free newsletter, you can do so by putting your email address in that little box near the top of the right hand side bar.

Occasionally I share free designs, so it's well worth subscribing!

I'm selling kits for the Dresden 'Family' cushion cover too. :-)

~~~~~

Now, back to that sampler. It's done!!

I wanted to fill in the 'O' because it seemed too open, and Allie suggested I add my own sweet shabby roses, so I did! (thank you Allie-girl!)

I also added my initials and the year. Next step is to frame it - I think a washed out blue would be nice, but I will have to see what my little budget can afford. 

 

 

I love making samplers. Do you?

I have designed three samplers of my own over the last couple of years, and enjoyed stitching them all!

First there was the Rose Cottage Applique sampler...

 

 Then the Rose Cottage Stitchery sampler...

 ...and the Little Houses stitchery sampler!

For the next week, I am selling the set of all three sampler PDF patterns for just $5 AUD! (about $5 US)

If you'd like them just click on the Paypal button below.

I will email them to you within 12 hours, depending on where in the world you are. :-)

(Please use a valid email address so the patterns can find their way to you)

~~~~~
Yesterday I had coffee with my friend Wendy, and she had this gift for me from her recent trip to Brisbane. She saw the elephants and immediately thought of me...

And you know what? The notebook doesn't just have elephants on the cover!
It is all made from Elephant poop!!!

I'm all for recycling...really....but....
It gave Mr E a good laugh. ;-)
Hugs
Jenny
xx