Journal Cover.

I recently admired a journal cover on Jenny's blog. Jenny said if she got enough interest she'd make it into a pattern. I asked Jenny if she would do so. To my surprise i received an email asking if i would "test" the pattern for Jenny. Imagine my thrill. I was so excited that i didn't re-read my email to make sure i'd not made any mistakes typing my reply. :). After some soul searching as to whether to buy "special" fabrics thereby breaking my promise to myself about not spending willy nilly this year or use my stash i went with "stash-busting". Here is my finished journal.

The front. Oh i forgot to tell Jenny the button was one from the little bag of purple buttons i received in the Advent swap.

And the back with embroidered rose. I'm also making the little bag to go with the journal. The bag is featured in this months Australian Homespun.

Hugs,

 Jeanette

Sewing Day.

I was recently invited to attend a sewing morning & yesterday was the day. Judy is having the sewing morning at her patchwork shop. It was a lovely morning sitting chatting & sewing with other crafty ladies. I met up with some old faces & some new faces. I had a wonderful time & can't wait to share a morning again with the lovely ladies. In case you are wondering no i didn't buy a thing in the patchwork shop.

However i will show you a recent purchase.

Isn't it so cute. I bought this from Cath & her hubby Ron.

Below is a photo of the plaque attached to the top of the drawers.

Gorgeous little bears.

 Have a fabulous day.

Hugs, Jeanette

A finish & 2 half finishes

Yay a first finish for February. I couldn't decide whether to make the blocks from Jenny's Wonky Houses BOM into a wallhanging or a cushion. The cushion won out as i have lots of wallhangings. This is the result.

 I did this yesterday along with finally putting together the tops of 2 other BOM's from last year. Just need to buy some wadding & backing to finish these completely. :)

Cheryl's Verandah Views BOM

And Gail's Christmas BOM. Note to self. Don't use daughter as a holding model. :)

Hugs, Jeanette

Another pattern :)

Saw the back of this bag on Bronwyn's blog the other day & said to myself  "i want it".  Didn't realise when i'd seen it advertised on the web that the lady was holding a cat. So i couldn't let this baby pass me by. Now to get some fabrics & handles & i'll be set to go. If you haven't discovered Bronwyn's blog do drop over & see the wonderful cat stitcheries she is offering for free to make up a quilt. The first posting is of the cat that is on my teatowel bag in a post below this one.

Hugs, Jeanette

books, patterns & a new toy.

After seeing all the good comments about the Book Depository i decided to bite the bullet & purchase some books from them. The service was so good i've ordered another book.  These are the first 3 i ordered. I've ordered the first book by the writer of the book in the middle & can't wait for it to arrive. I have a lot of trouble getting Wanda E Brunstetter books here & usually have to go to a specialty store & have it ordered in which takes ages. All i waited with the Book Depository was about a week. How good was that.

Yes i've been buying patterns again. I really should resist. Yeh right. :)

Lovely summery looking bag from Natalie Ross.

Gorgeous needlebook pattern from Natalie Lymer. Sorry about the flash reflection. Didn't seem to matter what i did every photo had the reflection & this was the best one.

Cute pincushions & matching needlecases by Gail Pan. They use gorgeous hand-dyed threads. Can't wait to make these up. Anyone would think i had a fetish for bags, needlecases, pincushions & scissor holders/keeps. :)

And here's my new toy. A Compaq laptop. Like the cute little mousie. It's very tiny.

Hugs, Jeanette

Finishes for January

Well i made it by the skin of my teeth but i have several finishes for January not to mention something made from teatowels for Jenny's January challenge.

This is a Christmas cup pattern from Bronwyn Hayes. At least its all ready for this year since i didn't quite get it done for last year.

This cute embroidered heart is from Rosalie Quinlans book, A Stitch In Time. I spotted this heart made up on a blog last year & mentioned that i had the book & wanted to make the heart. I was told i hope i was inspired to do so & here it is.(finally)

A Christmas bag from Teddlywinks. This is the front.

And the back.

3 Easter baskets. I had these prepared for my daughters for last Easter but they didn't get finished. Well i'm prepeared this year. Another cute Teddlywinks pattern.

This is the bag i made from teatowels. I changed the original pattern by making a large pocket at the front & used a stitchery pattern of Bronwyn Hayes.

Hugs, Jeanette

Pattern & Birthday

Have i mentioned before that i just loooove Bronwyn Hayes' designs. :) LOL. When i discovered her very latest one had been released i quickly purchased it. So the last few days have been tracing embroidery designs, templates & applique pieces along with choosing fabrics for the Sweet Project Bag & matching needlecase as well as the Apron pattern. Will have to make a trip to Bargies for fabrics for the Apron though. :)

Aren't they just the custest aprons?

Today my daughter is 15. She hadn't decided on a cake & i needed to use up some buttermilk. Recently Esther had a post about a Red Velvet cake. Voila solution for the buttermilk & birthday cake.

Here is the Red velvet cake all iced with cream cheese icing

All nicely decorated. In case you are wondering yes the cake is actually coloured red.

Hope the hot weather breaks soon as i'd really like to have some finishes to show for January,

Hugs, Jeanette

Another Christmas finish, Pattern & Good News.

Don't know how i forgot this photo yesterday but here is another thing i made in December. I won this pattern from Carole last year.  All the fabrics came in the pattern to make up the 3 Santa's and the sack.

Now for my good news. In a post last year i mentioned about my friend Cathy who's little boy passed away. Well at 5:30am this morning i got a text message to say that Cathy had given birth to a little girl at 12:07 this morning. I'm so pleased for my friends. Mind you this was one text message i didn't mind being woken up for. It wouldn't have even bothered me if the proud Dad text me at 1am to tell me.

Hugs, Jeanette

My December sewing

Here are the finishes i didn't get to add to the OPAM 2009 because of being offline for that month. Anyone who knows me knows i love Bronwyn Hayes' patterns.

Here's Santa riding his reindeer from Bronwyn's Christmas Hanger pattern.

Jolly Santa from Bronwyn's Christmas Basket pattern.

Santa in his sleigh full of pressies from Bronwyn's Christmas Buckets pattern.

 Snowmen having a party. Bronwyn's Jingle Cone pattern.

Santa again. Boy he sure gets around. Also from the Jingle Cone pattern.

This stitchery was sent to me by my Christmas in July partner. Yvonne also sent a Christmas fat 1/4 so i used it for the sashing & binding.

Oh look here's Santa's  Reindeer. 2 Rudy's from Melly & Me pattern. Aren't they so cute. These were made for my daughters. But they wouldn't let me pack them away. They've taken them to their room so i'll have to make another now for display next Christmas just for me. :)

Last but not least these gorgeous little stitchery patterns from Lisa.

All 12 were needleturned onto felt. I didn't have enough room to hang them so at the after Christmas sales i discovered a Christmas tree on sale for 1/4 of the price it was before Christmas. So i snapped that bargain up & it's bigger than my old tree. Though i may have to put both them up this year. lol :)

Hugs, Jeanette

Gifts from a good friend

 

Last year my good friend Kim who lives in the USA emailed me to say an Advent parcel was on it's way to me.  This is how it looked when it arrived.

As each day progressed i opened all sorts of wonderful goodies

I was even spoilt with a box of choccies that had cherries in the centre. Yummmmm. Kim must have been reading my mind as i was about to buy more stringbows when her parcel arrived & voila i opened up a packet. Blast. You can't see them properly but on the green Christmas fabric is a lovely little crystal angel for hanging & a cute bookmark. I just loved the pen(in the front in plastic bag). If you twist the top it lights up blue. Must say i entertained myself a while playing with it & showing the family. :) To many yumy recipes in the recipe book.

 My lovely Christmas apron.

Some goodies for my tree. Socks to keep my toes warm in winter.

Some wonderful smelling soap, shampoo & conditioner which i've used up. The cloth that is underneath has a white tiger machine embroidered on it which Kim made especially for me. :)

And this is what i found on Christmas Day. A gorgeous round table cloth.

So who was a lucky girl then. :)

Hugs, Jeanette

Gifts I received in the Advent swap, SSCS Swap & the Angel Swap

Week 2 of the Advent swap saw me opening all these lovely gifties from Jenny. Lovely fabrics, DMC threads, ribbons & lavender handcream,

Week 3 saw me opening a lovely box of notecards, coffee mug, plaque,bauble for my tree, rose incence,

 quick unpick & a lovely pattern of a mouse to hold my needles & cotton reel & on it's tail.

Week 4 i opened up more lovely fabrics, some tassles, red buttons & a roll of ribbon. As Jenny put the ribbons, tassles & buttons in small bags i have them as an added present to. :)

And for the main present?

This gorgeous bag with an embroidered panel & i just realised you can hardly see it but on the right is a tea bag folder Jenny made to match the bag. But wait there was one more surprise in my main present.

This delightful bag was included. The bags & tea bag holder were wrapped in another lovely piece of fabric, tied with a green ribbon. Aren't i a lucky girl to have recieved all these lovely gifties. Thanks Jenny & thanks to Fiona & Jo for running the swap.

This is my present from the SSCS swap. It was made for me by Missy in the USA. An apron done in my favourite colour. Thanks Missy. It will find a lot of use in my home.

 Now for the lucky last photo's. I was minding  my own business on the 4th of January when i heard a noise out the front. Thought to myself "that soumds like the parcel man but i'm not expecting anything". As i walked up the hallway to see i saw the parcelman leaving through my front gate. " Ahhh he did deliver to me" So out the front door i pop to discover a rather large box on the stairs. So there i am retrieving the box wondering who on earth sent me a parcel. Boy was i so excited when i read where it was from. Guess what had finally arrived after 2 months of waiting. You see my lovely Angel Jacqueline had emailed me to say my parcel had been posted on the 29th of October so where the parcel has been in those 2 months i've no idea. Apart from being opened by quarantine all arrived safe & sound. Here's what i found in the box.

Pincushion, needle holder, scissor holder, & a covered tape measure. All in purples just for me. :).

These gorgeous china clogs, windmill & bowl with a beautiful card

These lovely edible goodies. Only the box at the back hasn't been eaten yet.

Last of all are 2 pieces of fabrics and a pin that is shaped lik a cabin with a log cabin block on it. The bottom says "The Log Cabin Hillensberg 1997-2007". So i've been very blessed with all the lovely things i've received.

 Hugs, Jeanette

PS: Don't go away as i'll be back with more tomorrow. :)