My Latest Release...

Hello and happy August to you all! :o)

I can't believe the summer is almost over... this year is certainly flying by! I mentioned on social media, recently, that my goal for the rest of 2019 is to catch up on releasing more of my previously published designs in my Etsy shop. I am pleased to announce that my 'Herbs Sampler', which was originally published in Issue 270 of The World of Cross Stitching magazine (August 2018) is now available here.

My 'Herbs Sampler' ~ first published in issue 270 of The World of Cross Stitching magazine,
August 2018 ~ photo credit: WOXS

This design is a personal favourite and was well received by WOXS readers last summer. I really enjoyed the process of creating an English country kitchen style sampler and was inspired by my collection of glass jars and classic blue & white china, which I decided to depict as 'flower pots' for the various herb varieties I am most familiar with (many of these grow in our home garden).

To help me get this design ready for my Etsy shop, my lovely Mum in New Zealand offered to stitch the model, as she planned to display the finished sampler in her kitchen/dining area. As you can imagine, I was more than happy to have her do that - she definitely saved me a lot of time! Mum had the model all beautifully stitched and custom framed by the time we visited NZ earlier this year, so we were able to take photos of it during our stay. I absolutely love her choice of cream aida and painted wooden frame, the combination gives the piece such a soft and delicate look. Thanks again, Mum! x

Herbs Sampler by home♥stitch♥ness

My 'Herbs Sampler' has been popular since I released the chart a few weeks ago and it's lovely to see an older design do well for a second time around. If you missed the design when it was first published in the magazine, now is your chance to stitch this pretty sampler for yourself! :o)

Enjoy the rest of your summer and - as always - happy stitching!

Jenny x

Some Mid-Summer Fall Stitching...

Hello, again! :o) 

It's time for another update, since I am really trying to make a commitment to post more regularly in this space. Today I want to introduce to you all my newest design - a cute, autumn themed pattern that just might inspire you to get a head start on your fall stitching! ;o)

'Hello Gourd-Geous' by home♥stitch♥ness

As much as I love pumpkins, I wanted to do something a little different than usual for this design and here is the result: 'Hello Gourd-Geous' is a perfect mix of modern cross stitch and rustic charm and I think it would make a great addition to your seasonal decor this year! ;o) These decorative gourds were so much fun to stitch and the colour palette is definitely a new favourite. 

A little behind-the-scenes story about the design process... it was actually my husband that helped me come up with the wording. My original draft said 'have a gourd fall' and he took one look and said it wasn't catchy enough AT. ALL. He is usually right about these things, so I asked him what he'd suggest, instead... along with a few silly responses (of course - ha!) 'hello gourd-geous' sounded clever and witty, so that is how I settled on the phrase.

'Hello Gourd-Geous' by home♥stitch♥ness

The 'Hello Gourd-Geous' PDF pattern is now available in my Etsy shop and I'm very pleased with how it turned out. I will admit that I've had my finish on display for the past few weeks, even though it is still perhaps a little early... ;o) 

Thanks for stopping by! Happy stitching, everyone!

Jenny x

Time for a Catch Up...

Why, hello there! 

It's been over a year since I blogged and it is very much time to dust off the cobwebs and post an update. My oh my, where to begin? So much has happened! I think I will start with my most recent news and then work my way back through the last few months...

I have two brand new designs and the one I'd like to share with you today is a lovely little strawberry sampler called 'Berries in a Basket', which is available as a PDF pattern in my Etsy shop. This 'berry sweet' design has quickly become a best seller and I am ever so grateful - thank you! :o)

'Berries in a Basket' by home♥stitch♥ness

I've received lots of encouraging feedback about this pattern, most notably stitchers seem to really like it because it is a spring/summer themed design featuring a red cardinal, while typically we see red cardinals mostly in winter/Christmas patterns - something that never even crossed my mind when the idea came to me originally, so I find it interesting that this aspect has turned out to be such a novelty. 

The other comment many people have made is that they really like the fact that both a male and female cardinal are featured. Personally, I think female cardinals are just as beautiful as their male counterparts, so I wanted to make this pretty lady equally rich in colour using mostly golden thread... don't they make the cutest wee couple? :o) I should also mention that the chart caters for those of you that might wish to stitch a different bird by offering two other options, including a pair of European red robins and South Pacific silver eyes.

'Berries in a Basket' by home♥stitch♥ness

As a designer, it's always good to hear what resonates with an audience, as it really helps me when looking to turn more ideas into future cross stitch projects. I can't wait to show you my other release, soon - it's an autumn design, so for those of you ready to start your fall stitching, it may be your next new start! ;o)

Until then - happy stitching!

Jenny x

Cornish Village Scene...

Hi friends!

Spring has FINALLY arrived in the Northern Hemisphere, and I am very glad to be enjoying warm days, again, and seeing so many flowers in bloom! It's not long, now, until school will be out for the summer. Do you have any exciting holiday plans this year? We've already had our big trip to New Zealand, of course, but we still hope to get away for a couple of long weekends, here and there. 

One place on my list of future summer holiday destinations is definitely Cornwall, in South West England... you could say I became particularly interested in the region once I began watching the BBC's 'Poldark' a few years ago! ;o) The scenery looks truly breathtaking and I began browsing through all sorts of travel photos online - I was very inspired!

'Cornish Village Scene' published in the June 2018 Issue 268 of The World of Cross Stitching magazine ~ photo credit WOXS

Naturally, I started thinking about how I could capture a characteristically Cornish landscape scene in cross stitch, and this is what I came up with... it almost felt like I was working on a painting! :o) It is a large piece, done in a modern, poster art style, and it is my biggest design to date! In the foreground are some vibrant blue agapanthus, and I even managed to sneak a bit of 'kiwiana' into it - our native NZ cabbage trees are very popular in gardens around the UK! ;o) 

I am very happy with how this scene has turned out and if you'd like to stitch it yourself, you can find the pattern in the June 2018 Issue 268 of The World of Cross Stitching magazine, which is currently on sale in all the usual places. 

Thanks for visiting and - as always - happy stitching! :o)
Jenny x

Spring Street Scene...

Hello! :o) 

I'm back again this month ~ have actually been all the way to New Zealand since my last post! My husband, children and I enjoyed a lovely summer holiday (and escaped the last of the winter here in the States - YAY!) for a few weeks. I had not been home in 3 years, so it was really good to be able to catch up with friends and family there, as well as soak up plenty of beach time! :o)

As I mentioned previously, I have a new design to share with you that I think you will love... 

'Spring Street Scene' published in the April 2018 Issue 266 of The World of Cross Stitching magazine ~ photo credit WOXS

Here it is! :o) Published in the April 2018 Issue 266 of The World of Cross Stitching magazine, it is actually one of my largest designs, so far. It is a sweet, spring themed street scene ~ inspired by fancy London neighbourhoods full of pretty painted houses with overflowing window boxes! Not to mention all the magnolia trees and wisteria vines, laden with flowers, that have become such a stunning feature in those areas every year. 

I don't know about you, but I could very happily move into any one of these cute houses! If I had to choose, I think I'd pick the blue one... :o) Who wants to move in next door to me!? ;o)

Happy stitching!

Jenny x

Inspirational Hoop Art for Kids...

Hello! And happy 2018 to you all! :o)

Here we are, it's mid February already... am not sure where the time goes? I hope you've had plenty of opportunity to get some stitching done so far, this year! :o)

I've been back to work, mostly behind the scenes, ever since the holiday season finished. I am very excited to show you my latest designs published in the March 2018 Issue 265 of The World of Cross Stitching magazine - they are definitely some of my favourites to date! ;o)

'Inspirational Hoop Art' published in the March 2018 Issue 265 of The World of Cross Stitching magazine ~ photo credit WOXS

I love everything about this little scene - the vintage toys and books really complement the hoop art. These bright and colourful designs will appeal to kids of any age and stage - you can stitch them for the little adventurers and explorers in your life! :o)

March 2018 Issue 265 of The World of Cross Stitching magazine

To my surprise, I was featured again on the front cover of this issue - something I don't think I will ever quite get used to! At the same time - such a thrill! :o) I'll be back again next month with another design for WOXS that I think you are going to love... I certainly enjoyed creating it! ;o)

Take care and as always - happy stitching!
Jenny x

The Festive Season...

Hello again, friends!

I must say, it does feel good to be dusting away the cobwebs from my blog and writing posts once again. Can you believe it is November already!?! The pumpkins are now disappearing and Christmas decorations are starting to take their place... I haven't decided when I will put up our Christmas tree, yet. As much as I like to make my autumn decor last through until after Thanksgiving, it's a funny time of year as it really starts to feel a lot more like winter than fall.

I am excited to tell you about my latest collection of designs published in the latest December Issue 262 of The World of Cross Stitching magazine - a set of six Nautical Christmas Ornaments! 

Set of six 'Nautical Christmas Ornaments' published in the December 2017 Issue 262
of The World of Cross Stitching magazine ~ photo credit WOXS

Having grown up in New Zealand, where Christmas is a summer holiday, I still like to reminicse over warm days spent at the beach at this time of year. It was quite an adjustment for me, getting used to celebrating Christmas in the winter, and I still like to decorate our home with both winter and summer themed ornaments. This collection, to me, is a perfect mix of both! And not only that, they are perfect for the many stitchers who live near the coast. I am eager to get started on stitching these, myself - I think I might hoop them up for our tree with some red pom-pom trim! 

I hope you'll enjoy stitching these, too! :o)
Jenny x