Makes me happy Monday..

Today on 'Makes me happy Monday' I want to show you a process that makes me really happy :o)!

I love, love, love, to makes pillows!

I could do it all day long,

yep, happy to spend all day sewing pillows :o)!

It is one of my favorite things to do...

I love the whole process...

it's like making a mini-quilt, then stuffing it!

Firstly, choosing the designs

picking the fabrics and threads

setting up the fabric to be embroidered ..

(I don't hoop, I set my fabrics in place onto the stabilizer with stitches - makes it so easy!)

then, beginning the embroidery

I love watching the design come to life..

it is like colouring in ....for big girls ;)!

This one is simple, only two thread colors...

then to trim off the jump threads and remove the stitched boarder...

next, quilting the panel..

I love the stippling,

its where I get to squiggle freehand on the fabric..

Ready to bind!

Alot of quilters say this I know,

but it really is true, my favorite part is the binding,

it's so relaxing...

a cup of tea and some hand stitching before bed, just makes me happy!

then a couple of buttons and we're all done,

But the part that makes me most happy will be giving it to my sister..

I hope it makes her happy!

hugs,

......sneaky .....peaky ..... :)

These Antiquity Jingle Sox, are gonna be stunning!

Will have them finished and up in the shop for sale tomorrow!

Cuffs embroidered for a customer in Alaska!

Bit hard to see but they look great, can't wait to get the fur on them!!

Hope you are all well, and that God is blessing you !!
If not, just ask him, He will!!!

Hugs!

What's on my sewing table...

There's a groovy kind of feeling around here :o)!!

All the purple, lime green and yellow is taking me way back to the 70's!

What's it all for, you ask, well I shall reveal that in time

but until then let just say this

My best friend Cherie + MOPS = a amazing, blessed time to be had by all!!

now, ... upon looking at this, the red needs to be alot bigger

so we bought some more of that today,

hope that changes the uneven-ness of the look!

Please remember that the pink card is just to give us an idea of sizing.
haha!! My terrible scribbled circular letters, will be replaced with beautiful embroidery.

I think they need to be a bit bigger - the letters,

what do you think?


This book, Momology is the theme ....

I am very excited to be making this project for my darling Cherie, in case you don't remember her, you can find out more about her here, (just scroll to the bottom of the post past all the fabric!) and here. And I am sure plenty of other places on my blog but that will roughly put you in the picture ;)!!

Back soon with more! Hugs, Jen xoxo

Monday madness ...and absolute Joy ! (very long post!)

Hello my lovelies!!

Hope you are all well and had a wonderful weekend!

Things here have been busy as always!
I can't believe that another weekend has come and gone...

sometimes I feel like one day just slips into the next!

Do you ever feel like that :o)!

I spent alot of time working on the weekend, lots of orders, which is good!!

I finished this Double Minky blankie for a sweet customer called Erica. It's for her little girl Ava who is just adorable!

Erica and her family live here in Perth so hubby delivered it for me on Saturday, she is thrilled with it!

Here is a photo I snaffled of Ava from her mama's facebook page. ..cheeky I am :o)!

Ooooohhh!!!! isn't she gorgeous!!!!

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Finished some other embroideries, all to go on cushions and blankies...

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Nearly finished Barb's Jingle Sox so here is a sneakie-peakie!Barb and Garry will be heading off on their amazing advernturous R-Ving lifestyle in the US soon, I am so excited for them!!!

I hope these Jingle Sox will make up for no Christmas tree!

Make sure you head on over to their blog so you can join in on the fun, and see what they get up too!!

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And I finished Amy's aprons!

(please excuse the quick snap but I need to get them on their way!)

Amy is the designer and owner of Giggleberry Creations,

She is amazing and is definately the " Queen of Bunting " .

She makes everything prettier with her stylish flowing flags, I love them!!

I want some for my Deekie Belle Designs and Jingle Sox!

Amy is doing her first fair soon so I have done some embroidery for her and made some aprons,

but look at this amazing bunting!!

Aint she a talented lady !!!

(I made that little embroidery... just thought I would throw that in amongst all the amazingness of Amy :o)!)
ooh!! there it is again!

I do love her logo!! and I am so happy with the way the embroidery turned out!!

So if you know of anyone who wants their logo embroidered, let me know,

and if they want bunting to show it off with - make sure you give Amy a holler!

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On the family front,

Mr Deekie Belle had the past 6 days off and it was soooooo lovely to have him home!

I enjoyed Lots of cuddles and snuggles, he cleaned for me and did washing, while I was working, and he even cooked dinner -

Oh my, I love that man!!

The Girls had a friend's 21st on Saturday night so Angel's hubby babysat Khye and Hunny so Angel could go and enjoy a night out, I snapped this when she came came over to pick up Alora...

Aren't they beautiful! ......................

And now for the exciting news!!!!

You all know our darling Danneeka

here she is at a Telethon appearance dancing and singing with Doopa Dog

(Up until she moved to Perth before John's and her wedding, she was the 'Doopa Girl' for Golden West Network, in the south west of WA. )

Well, she won't be doing much of that anymore,

.....unless maybe it's to the wiggles!!

Here is their little gift from God,

We call him/her Beanie (coz she/he looks like a bean!)

Isn't he/she beautiful!

Due February 6th, 2011.

Another grandbaby to snuggle!

It doesn't get better than that!

Back soon with much more!

Love and hugs to you all!

Jen xoxoxox

Quick post before the weekend..

Have been a bit unwell for the past few days.

Flu season is here and we have all had a nice dose.

I ended up with a weird stiff neck and back, but no runny nose like the rest of the family.

Ahh well, heat packs and pain medicine have helped :o)

I am still working on Jingle Sox orders and a few embroideries.

I love watching my machine embroider, it's like colouring in for big girls!!

This gorgeous fabric for Jingle Sox for Vicki arrived today, took a quick snap of it with one of my favorite craft books - lovely!

And before I go I have to show you this.

Our Alora has been fending for herself for a few days since hubby and I have been sick. I went to the fridge tonight to get myself a drink and found she had bought herself some "lunch" for work tomorrow ...

I slipped it out of it's packaging and took this photo.

What do you think.

A nice healthy lunch for an 18 year old.. hmmmm ? !

Hope you are all well!

Big hugs

Jen xo

Saturday afternoon quilting and a lovely blog award!

I bought this cars panel a few years ago with the intention of making my gorgeous nephew a quilt, but as happens quite often it got lost amongst my stash fabric. I found it the other day and decided, as Cooper has outgrown cars and is more into Ben 10, to make a play quilt for Khye with it.

It will be just the think to keep the biscuits off the carpet ;)! and here is the new redwork that I started on Friday. I love this little quote from May Ellen Chase and thought it would go great with the design...
Also, I have been honoured with a bloggy award from the gorgeous Donna of Rosebuds and Bluebells.. Thank you so much Donna!

Here are my list of 10 things that make me happy

.... and if you follow Rosebuds and Bluebells, (and you should!) you will see that Donna and I are totally kindred spirits!

1. My family. My hubby, my kids, my parents and my sisters, my nieces and nephews and even my bros-in-law!. I adore them, they are my world... 'nuff said!

2. My Friends. I have been blessed in my life to have some amazing friends. Honestly and truthfully they don't come any better! Or any smarter, my Cherie!! Without their advice and support in my life I know I would crash and burn. I just wish I was wonderful a friend to them as they are to me!

3. My home. It is not grand and fancy, it has a long way to go, but I love, it. and I love, love, love to decorate, fuss and froof it!! Sometimes I will just stand in the doorway of a room, look around and say to myself "I love this room!.... now what else can I do to it ;)"....

4. CANADA!!!! (are you getting it Donna!!!) I emigrated from England to Canada with my family when I was 3 and lived there till I was 11. There is nothing that I don't love about Canada!... The seasons, the snow, the lakes, the autumn leaves, the chipmunks and squirrels that live in your backyard trees, the Rocky mountains, the candy, the Baseball, the history, ....Niagra falls, ...I could keep going on... It has been many years since I was there but it is my childhood home and one day I will take my hubby there and enjoy it all again with him!

5. Sewing and crafting. I love it, I do it every day and all day if I can!! Any day that I don't sew feels like my day has was not complete ;)!

6. Thrift shopping. I love going to thrift shops and rummaging through to find the hidden treasure of yesteryear... or this year ;)! Fun with a capital F!! Another thing I could do all day long!

7. History. (I promise Donna, I am not making this up!!) I love history with a passion! Old buildings, old photos, old homes, old dress patterns, old jewellry, old crockery, old movies - I am fascinated by anything that has lived a full life long before I was born and has a story to tell. And most things do.

8. Romantic evenings with my darling hubby. I don't care where we are, but being married to a baker who spent the first 20 years of our married life working nights in front of a hot oven has totally made me appreciate every single evening I spend with my hubby, whether we are just watching an old movie together or we are painting the town red...

9. Blogging. I love the blogging world!

I love that with the stroke of a key I can be in a friend's kitchen in America sharing a recipe,

or in a friend's backyard in Queensland watching them re-design their patio.

I love the ladies I have met, and the friends I have made,

I love that I can see what is happening at Quilt Market without having to spend $3000 on a ticket.

I love the kindess of the human heart, when a sweet sewer from Brazil sends me her embroidery designs, for free.

I love that the blogging world allows me to walk around this big, wide world every day, learning, creating and being blessed!

10. My Lord. ... For God so love the world (me!), that he gave His only begotten Son (Jesus), that whosoever believes in Him (I do!) shall have everlasting life! (Yippee!)

... now that makes me a very happy girl :)!

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Back soon with more!

Hugs, Jen xo

Finished Redwork Pillow .

Another quick post...

I finished the little redwork pillow this afternoon. I used Patty Young Andalucia range 'Moorish Tiles' in fire for the sashing and binding.

I am pretty happy with how it turned out, and am working on another one, with a different design from the same Amberworld range.

Put this little bird on the back - thought it was cute ;)!

Back soon! Hugs, Jen xo

Redwork embroidery..

I did this little redwork embroidery last night - I saw it on flickr and fell in love with it!

It is called 'Ambe's World Redwork' and you can find it at Bunnycup Embroidery if you are interested!

The pics are a bit bright but I kept getting a big dull spot where my giant head was blocking the light, you can see it if you look for the shadows :-)

I chose the wording myself and was a bit worried when I finished, it was supposed mean that no matter what rain comes into your life, God is always there loving you and seeing you through.

...but does it look to you like God is there causing the rain?? I hope not!!

Oh well, Alora saw it on my cutting table this morning and has laid claim to it as a pillow so she knows what it's supposed to mean - next time perhaps I best choose my words a little more carefully ;)!

Back soon!

Hugs, Jen xoxo

Anatomy of a Baby Pillow

Hello lovely ladies!!

Hope you are all well and that you have all had a good start to the week.

I am making another embroidered 'baby name' pillow for a sweet young family's little boy, Taj. I thought I would go through the process as I do it.

I am hoping to add a little something special to the back and am just waiting on the mama to get back to me!

1. Pick a few fabrics that I think the mama will like, I usually try and have a look at either facebook photos of blog photos of the nursery colours - Danielle was very happy with these!

We chose a calico for the centre and I teamed with some Michael Miller frosts and a super sweet vintage look MM fabric called 'In Transit'..

2. I choose matching embroidery threads. I used Robison-Anton rayon thread, I find it sews out beautifully and is a very good price.. I get mine from Cockburn Sewing Centre, they have every colour of the rainbow, (and Lyn & Angie are always there with lots of helpful and friendly advice ..!)

I finished the border design and began the name, had actually chosen a different font - but after I stitched the first two letters was not happy with it. I knew I was going to stipple the panel so I thought I could risk unpicking it and 'whew' it came out very easily. 3. all stippled!! As you can see, I made another little badge for an embellishment, I liked the look of the last one I did and as I can't use bows or flowers on this pillow I needed something a little more manly... and what is more manly than a train ;) 4. I stitched on the borders...
5. I have found that the last couple of quilted panel pillows I have made had a little bit of a 'flat' look to them due to the thickness of the embroidered panel - two layers of fabric plus the batting. I decided to try something a bit different, so when I was sewing on the first (green) border I pulled the fabric a little tight hoping to give it a more rounded look. I am pretty sure it worked so (fingers crossed!) we will see when I finish it and put in the cushion insert. I sat it flat and put a lump of fabric under it and so far so good
Anyway, I am waiting for a photo from Taj's mummy and then I can finish off the back so will update this post soon!

Back soon!

Hugs, Jen xoxo

finished!

I finished the cushion for my friends little girl and am really happy with it...

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Also, as they say, better late then never!

as I have been away from my blog for a bit I still have not had a chance to do my Jingle Sox giveaway - Christmas is a while away yet but I want to get these done before I get stuck into my orders for this year!

So last call my lovelies !!

For your chance to win 2 custom made Jingle Sox please become a follower of my blog and don't forget to leave a comment!

I will be drawing it on Sunday afternoon! (finally!)

Big Hugs!

Jen xo