Jam making two ways and shopping from home...

 I only make two types of jam. Plum for myself and Cully May, and strawberry for the rest of the family. January is the season for plum making, as is March, and you may wonder why both months?  

January, because plums are abundant and both Cully May and myself are scraping the bottom of our last jars from 2023, and March because plums are at the end of the season and can usually be bought at their lowest price. Thinking about that now, I should plan to make double the amount of plum jam in March so we do not run out by the following January. Now why did I not think of that before?? ;-)

Most of my family prefer smooth jam (I like lumpy) so for the past couple of years I have washed, cut, and then chopped the fruit in my food processor and found this to be the easiest way to make the jams they like best. 

The pulp is smooth, and the jam cooks quicker too. 

Then I add the sugar and a split vanilla pod, and let it all marinate together in a covered pot for about 3 or 4 hours.

We don't like jam that's too sweet, so my ratios are mostly fruit, with about 40% less sugar than most jam recipes. For this batch of jam I began with 1.8 kg of plum pulp, and added 1 kg of sugar. 

(That's around 4 pounds of plum pulp and 2.2 pound of sugar, for those in the USA)

After the 4 hours I boil the mix, and just before it's ready to fill my pre-sterilised jars, I add a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice and 25g of Jamsetta. Then boil for another 5 minutes before testing a teaspoonful in the fridge.

I use exactly the same method for strawberry jam and it always works perfectly. If apricots were cheaper I'd love to make apricot jam, but the prices at the moment, and usually all through summer, are beyond my budget. Also, I don't make strawberry jam in summer, as here in the tropics, our strawberry season is winter and come August they are the cheapest price all year - so I buy a lot and make loads of strawberry jam. 

Did you notice the lovely lids for my jam jars?

If we want a marmalade, or an apricot jam, I usually buy Bonne Maman, as does my neighbour and Blossom, so I have a regular source of Bonne Maman jam jars (I now have a cupboard full) for preserving my own jams. 

Last year I went on the hunt for new lids for those jars, and discovered these gorgeous gingham ones from Amazon, which fit the jars perfectly, and now I use them for all my jam making. They measure 82mm if you're after something similar and I bought them HERE on Amazon Australia (I am not an affiliate, just sharing the link in case it helps you). 

What I love about these gingham jam jar lids, and the fabric jar toppers I make a lot of, is that they brighten my pantry shelves! Recently I made a new batch of jar toppers from leftover Tilda Sunday Brunch fabric, but I also made a rather different type of jam jar to sit on the shelf as well. 

This is actually a pin cushion, and I made it on the weekend from Amy Sinibaldi's 2014 book, "Sweetly Stitched Handmades". It cost me nothing but my time as I am shopping from my stash this year to decorate my home and make gifts...but I also didn't have to buy a pattern. Admittedly, I failed in the first attempt because of a missed step in the pattern instructions, but I soon worked it out and the second attempt made my heart sing as its so cute on my pantry shelf among the remaining jars of strawberry jam.

It occurred to me last week as I was considering things I'd like to make for the kitchen and pantry, that I have a lovely big shelf of craft books, and some of them 10-15 years old. So I decided to brew a cuppa and sit down with a few and browse their pages for projects to make this year. I mean, after all, they are a free resource, another way of shopping from home!

Here's a project idea that will soon be on my cutting table with associated threads. It's from Caroline Zoob's 2013 book "Hand-Stitched Home", and she has two options in the pattern section for an embroidered shelf edging, one is red...

...and the other is blue.

The book has all the pattern sheets to trace, and it is full of many other gorgeous vintage style designs too. Like this one, an embroidered egding for a chair cover...

I am actually considering using the chair embroidery for my planned shelf edging...it's so sweet and simple and perfect for my kitchen style. 

Do you have craft or sewing books on your shelves that are gathering dust? Perhaps a nice afternoon could be spent browsing through them, making notes, and planning a few slow-stitched projects for your home?

Sewing for the home is an aspect of Gentle Domesticity that I love, especially unrushed, slow-stitching, that has a purpose. Creating beauty in your home is indeed a worthwhile purpose. When God created in the beginning, just ponder the extraordinary joy it gave him, far beyond anything we can understand or have the imagination for, and the satisfaction at the end of the day when He looked over all He had made and said, "It is good." He could have created the world in one instant if it had been His desire, but day by day He added to His vision, until all was complete and ready for us.

Little by little this year I shall be bringing beauty to our home, by the work of my hands, and using what is already here. I'm so excited about this, and added to this plan, I began an extra Instagram account that focuses just on the home, homemaking, home crafts, home cooking, faith...yeh, all things to do with HOME. You'll find it HERE or search for @elefantzhome on Instagram. (My original IG account will now just focus on designing) 

So I'd best sign off for today as my plum jam mix is still marinating in the pot, and it's about time to begin cooking it. Cully May will be thrilled!

Thank you for praying for Blossom and her family. It just might be possible that they'll find out today about a house, after missing out on about thirty others. I designed and stitched this little framed stitchery late last year (inspired by an old one with the same message that I did many years ago), and yesterday the Holy Spirit prompted me to take it over to her, so I did. The message was very clear. 

We do believe in miracles, and we do believe they come in God's perfect timing, so we keep the faith and let Him work it all out. That has brought our family a whole lot of peace recently. 

If you're interested in the pattern for someone you know, or for yourself, its HERE in my shop. 

God bless you today, and every day, and may He garciously impart a portion of His creativity into your own life this year. 

Hugs,

You will find me on Instagram HERE @jennyofelefantz

And my NEW IG account just for homemaking HERE @elefantzhome

Subscribe to my free newsletter HERE and never miss a blog post, pattern or tutorial

Stitch my free 2025 block of the month 'The Sewing Room' HERE

Intentional slowing in a crockpot life...

Every Sunday I add a list of things I'd like to do before the next weekend in my diary. Over time I have learned that it's best to get the big household jobs done on Monday and Tuesday mornings, then my own Elefantz work in the afternoons. I usually have a quiet day on Wednesday, with perhaps some baking and sewing. Thursdays are for grocery shopping, with more Elefantz work after lunch, and Fridays are pretty much 'do whatever still needs to be done'. 

Now this isn't all carved in stone, because life rarely runs to plan, and I never turn down a spontaneous invtiation to visit Blossom, or a morning tea with Rosie, butI like having a simple structure to the week. In fact I just enjoy structure in general as it gives me a starting point and a direction to take as each week progresses. Over time I see progress, and I find that wonderfully satisfying. 

Last week I finally quilted last year's free BOM, Joy in the Ordinary, and hung it near my desk...

...and it wasn't in my diary that week, but one afternoon I just felt like doing it. That's the kind of flexibility which makes sense to me, and brings joy. In the ordinary of course! :-)

The pattern is still free to download HERE, but only until March 1st, when it will be listed in my Etsy Shop, so if you have missed any month of this BOM just pop over there and download it soon.  

Over the past twelve months especially, I've slowed down more, and I think its fair to say that I'm pretty much going at half the pace of perhaps five years ago, quite intentionally, but also because at my age it's taking a bit longer to do things. I also take more care with the things I do now, as a slower life allows me leniency in completing projects or tasks.

It ocurred to me recently that this life had similarities with a crockpot (slow cooker). Food left to slowly simmer for eight hours in a crockpot almost always tastes better than the same meal cooked for 30 minutes in a pan on the stovetop. There's a richness, a comforting pleasure, when sitting down to a meal that's taken all day to satisfy our tastebuds...and that's like my life these days. Things are slower paced, intentionally, and I'm not concerned if something which used to take me two days to stitch and sew, is spread out over two weeks, or whether this kitchen deep clean I am in the middle of at the moment flows along all week and into next week, instead of the one day superclean (my daughters used to call me Wonder Woman) of years past. What I feel now is a deeper personal satisfaction and delight (!) in the fruit of my labours, without neeeding or wanting praise, or approval. It's simply joyful to accomplish everyday tasks, and to sew with a refreshed heart for our home and for others - there is indeed a new richness in my slower life. 

With my husband doing a course this year, most of his home time is spent studying, so after we have our hour catch up when he arrives home, he goes off to his office to study, and I am free to play in the sewing room, read a book, or write. And that's given me time to try new things, or am I just learning new aspects of sewing because there's no hurry? Hmmm. I doubt I would ever have made those tiny dolls and clothing for Rafaella a year ago, but now I look at a pattern and think, "I have time, so just make a start". Instead of balking at trying something new, especially on the sewing machine, now I simply make a start. Now most of you probably make tons of different things on your machine, but I've not been very drawn to that, focusing solely on hand embroidery, with the occasional simple quilt or some other 'simple' display for my completed designs. What a relief to begin making other things! Learning to work with thick compressed foam was a real learning curve, but I persisted (with THIS writing compendium) and now I want to make more things from it. Actually, I'm excited to do so.

Last blog post I told you about the kitchen items I had plans to make this month, and on the weekend a start was made with this oven mitt. In the past the only oven mitt I'd made was a simple square, no fuss at all, but I really balked at sewing a 'proper' mitt...and yet, now I have done it. 

Following Olesya's tutorial, and using four layers - outer fabric, Insul-Bright, cotton quilt wadding/batting, and lining fabric - I was thrilled that it actually came together so well! It took me about two hours on Saturday afternoon, and I did not rush. Some binding and a hanging tag were added, before giving it a trial in the kitchen whilst baking the next day. That's when I realised I needed two of them, so perhaps next weekend a partner will be sewn. :-)

My baking, as you see beside the mitt, was one of Olesya's pastry recipes that we've had twice before, and the men in this family love them. I filled them with the last of my homemade plum jam, but as it's plum season now I'll restock the pantry when I do quite a lot of jars later this month - Cully May can eat a jar on her own in days as its her favourite jam. Mine too, btw. 

I also made soft inserts for my ceramic cookware with that white towelling you saw in the previous blog post. When I checked my bias binding supplies I remembered that Blossom had given me twenty metres of white - perfect for sewing around the towelling!

I made three large and two medium size, and they fit the pans perfectly. I think it took me about 20 minutes to make them. 

Something interesting I tried whilst cleaning the bedroom last week was to vacuum the walls. Now I know that sounds very odd, but we live in what is known as a block house. When we lived in cooler climates everyone had brick or wooden houses, but where we are now it is rare to see an actual brick home. Instead of brick they have blocks, which are much larger and have lots of holes and ridges and indents. If they are exposed inside the house, which they are in most of our rooms, their roughness collects an enormous amount of dust over time, and are painstaking to clean by hand. So I thought last week, would vacuuming them be an efficient way to clean the block walls? It was. Truly, I was amazed at how easy it was, and how lovely and clean the walls were in just minutes!

In the garden things don't do very well at this time of the year due to the high temperatures, humity and wet season rains and storms, but for the first time, my sage has not died off, but has taken over one of the raised garden beds, and as I love sage, this is very exciting. I'll be cutting a lot tomorrow and will hang it to dry out in the kitchen...I love seeing herbs drying in peoples homes.

On Friday I shall show you what's been made behind the scenes for the launch of Tilda's new fabric collection, Sunday Brunch. I've made four projects so far (I am sent the fabrics to design with by Two Green Zebras a few months before the release date each year), and I showed you one back HERE, with a free pattern. 

In the meantime, I have a lovely little idea that you could stitch along with if you were so inclined, as I want to use up all the tiny offcuts of Sunday Brunch, plus some older Tilda tinies, but you could use small scraps of any fabrics you have. Tonight I'll begin with 3/4" hexagons...

God bless you for reading this far. I hope you're doing well, and for my readers in the USA, I pray you are not affected by those horrific fires over the ocean in California...we need to pray for those who have lost their homes, as well as the people still homeless in North Carolina. May God provide for them, refresh them, comfort them, and carry them as they face the future. 

Till Friday, my dear ones...

hugs

You will find me on Instagram HERE

Subscribe to my free newsletter HERE and never miss a blog post, pattern or tutorial

Stitch my free 2025 block of the month 'The Sewing Room' HERE

The creative ways of a homemaker...

 We woke around 5am this morning to flashes of lightning, loud rumbling thunder, and then the wonderful, cooling rain which soon followed. On days like this I love to stand at the front window and watch the transformation of our dry, and often parched summer gardens, to a lush green as it soaks up the gift of heaven and hydrates once again. 

As hubby starts work a half hour later on Saturdays, I took the extra time to make gluten-free waffles and a blueberry compote for breakfast, served with homemade strawberry jam and sour cream on the side. I often see Olesya, in Belarus, making pancakes served with jam and sour cream, so this morning we tried something similar. I shall confirm it is delicious to have the compote, or jam, with sour cream. 

You've heard me speak often about watching Olesya's YouTube channel. Her simple life, creativity, positive and caring character, along with her sewing skills, all combine to inspire my own homemaker heart. Recently I started over with the videos she has made over the past two years, with the intention of writing down many of her recipes, and saving a lot of her sewing tutorials and patterns. There's no fanfare with Olesya, just a happy smile and straight forward instruction and encouragement for the homemaker. 

So, with my own homemaker heart inspired, I thought about the things I'd like to do this year in our home, and what I'd like to make that is pretty, useful and practical. There's a number of items I am sorely in need of for the kitchen, such as pan liners for the ceramic cookware my husband bought me for Christmas 2023. In the year that we've had them I have used old cloths to place between the frying pans, baking pans and saucepans. The brand is Greenpan and I LOVE them. They are the best investment we have ever made in cookware...

...but as they are ceramic, you can't stack them without a liner, or you will crack the ceramic coating. These old facewashers and dishcloth have saved the pans over the past twelve months, but I really want to sew some proper pan liners this month. 

Blossom recently gave me a huge piece of soft and thick white terry towelling, so my plan is to use this between my pots and pans...probably bound with scraps of fabric that I save for just such a project. 

Another thing I need in the kitchen are oven mitts, as my old ones fell apart many months ago and I've just been using a folded tea towel since then.

Yesterday and this morning I watched Olesya make two styles of oven mitt HERE and HERE and her method was much nicer than others I have seen, as hers are lined, and she also shares the template to download. I have it printed up and waiting on my sewing table right now! Fortunately there's still a good size piece of Insul-bright on my shelves, and that will be wonderful for padding and insulation inside the oven mitts.

Another kitchen project is to make a cover for the KitchenAid Bowl Lift Mixer that my husband bought me for Christmas 2024. Perhaps you see a trend in his gift giving at Christmases? He always asks what 'big thing' I'd like, and we both know it will be something useful that is meant to last a very long time. 

We got it on special for less than the cost of a regular KitchAid stand mixer and as we are facing an exceptionally lean year in 2025 while he completes a year of study for a late-in-life career change I at first declined his offer...but he was insistent and so it was purchased. I shall make jolly good use of it, too. Having the stand-lift is wonderful for arthritic wrists. :-)

For now I just have a tea towel covering it...

So there are three projects for the kitchen which shall be made, hopefully before February, as I'd like to focus on one room at a time, wisely making things that add to the homeliness of each space, whilst also being very practical and useful. 

I'd also like to make some microwave bowl cosies, something my clever friend Rosie makes a lot of as gifts, and I shall also be sewing bowl covers - I made my first two for Rosie at Christmas, and I lined them, so even though they were fine, I believe the pattern needs tweaking because they do not need to be lined. 

I have a Pinterest Board HERE, "Homemade Stitched With Heartstrings"  that has loads of links saved over the years to inspire and instruct me in sewing for the home, and sewing for gifts as well. People can share so many wonderful tutorials and patterns for the things we enjoy making, or need to make, on Pinterest, that its always where I look first for ideas and sometimes answers. You may find some useful things on my board for your own homemaking plans.

I also gain inspiration from books. They may not necessarily have instructions for things to sew or make, but they often give me ideas about what I could make and how to bring even more homeliness into our dwelling. These books have been saved over the years, some purchased new, others found at garage sales or the op-shop. I have more on my shelf, but these are the ones I mostly peruse on a rainy day with a hot cuppa.

And I really want to sew a pretty ruffled liner for this basket, something I have watched Olesya make (I truly do get SO much inspiration from her!)...but I shan't make one until I am very sure about what fabric to use from what I already have. 

One final thing which I shall be making, though not for the kitchen, is a cover for my ironing table in the sewing room. Today is the day for this project! As you can see below, the old faded pink fabric has just been folded around a block of wood hubby had in his shed (there's also a layer of Insul-bright and cotton quilt wadding), but I'd like to make a fitted cover with elastic edging, similar to an actual ironing board cover. 

Wish me luck with this, as it is an experiment. First though, I need to choose the fabric. Perhaps I can use some of the recycled linen sheet which has been so great for other projects this year? I shall have a play around today and share the results next week. 

Tell me, what would you like to make for your kitchen? Or for your home? I'm ready for more ideas as this year is well underway now, and having rediscovered the joy of using my sewing machine (a big change from designing hand embroidery patterns and focusing almost solely on stitching them for fifteen years) I am actively looking with fresh eyes around our home...I just need to get those kitchen things done soon as they are rather needful. 

Along with this year's blog theme of...

...I am also focused on my role as a Bible-believing homemaker, and the accompanying blessing and warning for women found in Proverbs 14:1. 

I dearly long to be wise with regards to my God-gifted role in our family, and that only comes about by being in God's Word every day, and being still long enough for Him to illuminate new truths through the sixty-six books of His Divine Word. The last thing I want is to tear down my home through a lack of integrity, wisdom, godly character, and Biblical instruction. So Proverbs 14:1 is another verse I shall ponder and pray over in 2025 (the other is John 2:5 which I wrote about HERE)...

I wonder if you have a verse or two that you'll be focused on this year? Or perhaps a quote that resonates with you? 

Whatever we do, sweet friends, let us love our homes and families, love the Lord, and make our dwelling places somewhere we, and our loved ones, long to be. 

Have a wonderful weekend!

Love,

You will find me on Instagram HERE

Subscribe to my free newsletter HERE and never miss a blog post, pattern or tutorial

Stitch my free 2025 block of the month 'The Sewing Room' HERE