Grandma's favourite craft projects...

Who did you inherit your craft genes from?  For me, I got them from Grandma. She was passionate about crafting! Here is the gorgeous lady pictured with my daughter as a 3yo.Wow, that photo is now 10 years old. 

Grandma was my Mum's mother. She lived to the ripe old age of 97 and crafted up until she was 94. If she wasn't click clacking with her knitting or crochet needles, she was making slice. You would have got on with her like a house on fire. Everybody loved her. Her chatter and craft brought smiles to many people's faces.

Living through 2x world wars and the Depression period she crafted to recycle. She was part of the Country Women's Association of Tasmania which showcased Handcraft and Home Industry. She had little spare money so she used what was around her. She was even a craft demonstrator teaching lots of women her craft. She taught me how to knit and could pick up a dropped stitch in a flash (there were plenty of those).

I hope you can imagine her knitting in this her knitting chair in front of the fire. You can even see a cushion she crocheted.

Top 5 Grandma craft projects:
5. Crocheted afghans (usually acrylic yarn)
4. Easter bunny rabbit made from a folded face washer
3. Knitted bags using plastic bread bags
2. Knitted Christmas tree stockings (always filled with a Santa chocolate)
and the most famous of all...
1. Knitted toilet roll doll (if only we had kept one)!!!

Who did you get your crafting genes from?

Thank you for strolling through my MEMORY LANE..

                                                                               Jan x

It's all about Marjolein Bastin for my Theme-alicious update...

Thank you so much to all that drop by especially those that say "hi". I am having trouble with my email at present so cannot reply to you in person. Fingers crossed this problem is fixed soon. I get a glow from your comments.

Theme-alicious' Amazon April is over but not out as I haven't posted my update yet. My Amazon BAP (and I could only have one as I had to take my stitching on holidays with me) was none other than my Marjolein Bastin design.

I felt this squirrel part of the sampler was sooooo slow. Was it because I was stitching in bad light in caravan parks or was I too chilaxed from being on holidays? Any hoo I am plodding on with it and only have the scrubbing brush the squirrel is sitting on to finish.

When I photographed the whole sampler today I shocked myself at how little is left. The end is in sight.  How long do you think? Please keep in mind the next month is crazy with dancing costumes. Three months? Oooh, I so hope so. What will I start on then?  Shores of HRH?

Here are some links to others in Blogland stitching Marjolein Bastin designs:
* Elisabeth is a kindred soul and is stitching the English Garden sampler like me! Check out her gorgeous pics.
* The Shabby Stitcher has stitched MB's Summer Fruits. I have photo envy on this blog!
* PocandPoch has stitched the cutest MB bunny ever. I haven't seen that design before.

The next theme is May Memories. I am thinking that I need to get back to my HAED (which is a distant March memory) so that will be the goal and aim to get the first half page done.

Thank you for tossing Autumn leaves in my garden...

                                                                           Jan x

What's hot reading on my holiday?

A proper holiday demands good reading matter. After finishing The Hunger Games (along with the rest of the world), I needed some light relief (it's not for the faint hearted) and stumbled upon this mag.

Craft and Click has been produced by the team at Cross Stitcher. Want to know how to get the web to help you?  Then this is the mag for you.

Since reading the mag I have joined Flickr (under "thread garden"). It also caught me up on Twitter which is something I haven't done before (still not sure I will - yet anyway).

It also gave me some craft photography tips aside from what I learnt in a previous blog post. Now on my "to do list" from the mag is to make a light box to use when I take photos of my cross stitching projects.

Top 5 magazine moments:
5. 100 crafty blogs to visit
4. Top 10 cross stitching websites
3. Really cute pics of craft items
2. Finding out about craft podcasts (why weren't those ear phones in my ears earlier)

Drum roll...
1. Inspiration on designing cross stitch patterns

Have you got a favourite craft magazine or craft book? If so, I would love to hear about it!

Thanks for feeding the ducks in my pond...

                                                            Jan x

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Bunking down...

A warm and hearty hello!!! Yes I'm back from a super holiday. As I live on an island (it does sound more exotic than it is!) DH, three children and I travelled for 5 hours by plane to Western Australia. 

Holiday highlights included:
- sitting on the most amazing beach, Bunker Bay which would rival Wineglass Bay in Tasmania (although since returning home I have found out that Bunker Bay is known for a shark attack so Wineglass Bay might win the more friendlier beach competition)
- being part of my sister's 40th party
- learning the art of archery (that would make Katniss proud - if you have read or seen The Hunger Games)
- hearing Tom's new words: "gink" for drink, "wogga" for water, "oh no" (which are frightening words to hear on a plane)

Yes I did squeeze in some cross stitch. I took Marjolein Bastin with me and even found time to stitch her name. I will share that next time. Here is the little squirrel with all but his bushy tail done.

You will be proud of me as I did the holiday on crutches. Let's say, I didn't walk great distances and I got to ride in those special lifts onto the plane.  My leg injury is purely muscular so it is mending quicker than a broken bone.  I cannot say I even did the injury in some amazing, sporty way; I did it running down steps. Who knows? Maybe step running will be in the Olympics some day. I have obviously hit middle age.

Thank you for frolicking in my garden...
                                                           Jan x

March Madness Theme-alicious update...

How did Heather (the organiser of Theme-alicious) know March is Mad? I seem to have been running pillar to post with organising this and that. I will be relieved to get on the plane very soon and have a family holiday. Escape the madness!

Saying that though I have done multiple "Mad" projects in accordance with Theme-alicious due mostly to sewing for a school fair (the Aussie term for "fete").  So here we go...

March 1st:

March 2nd:

March 4th:

March 7th

March 11th: mobile phone covers

March 13th:

March 14th:

March 17th :

March 23rd: new purchase - budgie cushion cover

March 25th:

March 29th: my HAED "Love":

March 31st: a snood knit along

Theme-alicious' Amazon April will be easy - MB design and my HAED! Bring it on!!!

Thank you for strolling through my garden...  Jan x

Squirrel Nutkin...

Welcome to new and old readers.

This is my Marjolein Bastin sampler for those that have just started reading my blog. I have named this little squirrel Nutkin. Isn't he going to be cute? He will really come alive when I have stitched his eye as Marjolein Bastin sure knows about eyes.

I am getting so close to finishing this piece. It had humble beginnings. I would highly recommend it as a stitching BAP as the pictures are fairly quick to stitch and are really beautifully detailed. This is what I have left to stitch: a pile of pumpkins (so appropriate as I am about to pick mine in the veggie patch), the "Marjolein" on the other side, a pencil, half of the lower border and a 1/3 of the right border. Once completed I have a one stitch wide border to do around the whole stitching. This border is meant to be in a buttercup yellow but I think I will stitch it in a mushroom brown or olive green.

I will be away at Easter so I want to give you an early Easter treat with my TUSAL posing amongst my childhood soft toy collection (all of which are bunnies).

Happy early Easter!!!

Thanks for making a daisy chain in my garden...
                                                                          Jan x

The best tomato sauce recipe ever...

My favourite room is my sewing room and not my kitchen so for me to post a recipe is a BIG DEAL.
But I promised you earlier that I would share this Tomato Sauce recipe, the Australian version.

I enjoyed the company of cooking it with a friend and even better, using my own homegrown, organic tomatoes. The sauce is particularly devine with barbeque meat. So here it is...

Tomato sauce  - The Australian Recipe

For 8 kg tomatoes                          For 3kg tomatoes

1 tablespoon black pepper                                    0.34 of a tablespoon

0.75oz (21.3 gram) cloves                                      7.4 grams

1.5 oz (42.5 gram) all spice                                    14.8 grams

19 pound (8.63 kg) tomatoes        3kg

2 pounds (0.9kg) onions                                         0.31 kg

0.25 pound (114 gram) salt                                   39.6 grams

3.75 pounds (1.7 kg) sugar                                    0.6 kg

8 apples                                                                     3 apples

1 teaspoon cayenne                                               0.35 teaspoon

1.5 pints (0.7 litre) vinegar                                    0.243 litres

Put all spices into a calico pouch and tie securely.

Throw everything into a very large pot and simmer for 3 hours.

Allow to cool before passing the lot through a hand-cranked food mill (Mouli).  Fill sterilised containers and seal, preferably with wax.

Thank you for walking through my garden...

                                                                         

                                                                         Jan x

I'm late, I'm late for a very important WIPocalypse update...

The full moon has come and gone before I have even posted my third WIPocalypse update. Slack, I know, but I have been fighting for time at the laptop.  We have just had a Long Weekend in Tasmania which means that with everyone at home I have to wrestle the computer from the laptop hoggers to even check my emails.

Progress has been mediocre on the Marjolein Bastin design...

and the attic room in The Christmas House...

I am working out the colours for the Christmas House myself using DMC threads. I think I will have to lighten the darkest green in the dress.

Happy Jan here! I have won my first blog award. Thanks Ally from Everyday Miracles. Check out Ally's talented photography skills.

Some background: Liebster is a German word, meaning favourite, dearest or beloved and the Liebster is awarded by bloggers to other, newer bloggers, who have fewer than 200 followers, to spread the word and help the new(er)bies gain wider recognition. The award comes with four conditions that each recipient must satisfy when accepting:

1. Choose five up-and-coming blogs (with fewer than 200 followers) to award the Liebster to.
2. Show your thanks to the blogger who gave you the award by linking back to them.
3. Post the award on your blog. List the bloggers you are giving the award to with links to their sites. Leave comments on their blogs so they know about the award.
4. Share 5 random facts about yourself that people don't know about you.

My five blogs I bestow the Liebster award are:
1. Sarah from If Only I had Chocolate
2. Kaye from Kitten Stitching
3. Krista from Just Stitching Along
4. Linda from Stitchin' with my Furbabies
5. Melissa from Melissa's Stitching Room

5 random facts about myself:

1. I have a very good memory so don't tell me a story if you don't want me to remember it. One of my first memories is seeing my baby sister, Leanne, for the first time behind the glass at the maternity hospital. I was only 20 months old.
2. I don't like ice cream very much (or lollies) but a.d.o.r.e chocolate
3. I have learnt  Highland and Irish dancing
4. I don't like my hands getting dirty but pardoxically love gardening (hence, I wear gloves)
5. I am a great navigator. I have an internal GPS. Who says women can't read maps?

Thanks for making daisy chains in my garden...

                                                                     Jan x

Vessel of Madness...LOL

I am a bit late starting my Vessel of Madness for Theme-a-licious this March. I have been sewing and stitching for a school fete's craft stall instead. Well tonight is the time for ....................................the Vessel of Madness!!!

 I plunged my hand in and pulled out.....

...so it looks like I'm stitching on my Marjolein Bastin design again.  I'll plunge my hand in tomorrow night and pick another project to stitch.

Toddler Tom's grandmother, Mim (or Mimmy as he likes to call her) cross stitched him his own special blankie. Isn't this the cutest thing? I love it with the red gingham backing.  It is a preprinted design.  She chose all her own colours. If you knew my mum you would know what a stress that was. She did so well! Tom's favourite pictures on it are the raindrops which fall on the umbrella ("rain rain"). Who would have thought such a tiny detail would be the first picture he notices?

Thanks for sitting in my garden,
                                                  Jan x

Theme-a-licious Fangirl February...

The Summer is officially over here in the Land Downunder. This means that Fangirl February in the fun Theme-a-licious year long project is over. Did I achieve what I set out to do? Well not quite.
I managed a little time on my HAED (Marta Dahlig's Love)...the black has nearly been all filled in on this first page.

The bottom border of the MB design has progressed this week and is nearly a third of the way across.

I didn't make any start on The Prairie Schooler sampler at all :(  I am sewing and stitching for a school fete so that has taken up some of my "me" time. There's always March Madness I hear you say!

Next up in Theme-a-licious is March Madness!!!
Stitch or knit on something different every day...it's madness...of the funnest possible kind.

I might do what Heather  suggests and do the Vessel of Madness.  So stay tuned....

I know there are quite a few cat lovers out there so I'll leave some photos of Bob with Tom's toys.

The lego just wouldn't be comfortable to sleep on now would it?

Thanks for picking flowers in my garden...
                                                                     Jan x