First Pattern Release of 2015...

Hello! And Happy New Year! I hope 2015 is off to a very good start for you all! 

I am pleased to introduce the first home♥stitch♥ness pattern release for 2015 - 'Love Blossoms' - a delicate floral heart shaped wreath inspired by the pretty pink and white flowers of the Tea Tree, which is native to both South East Australia and New Zealand (and is a variety in the Myrtle family). 

'Love Blossoms' cross stitch design by home♥stitch♥ness

The Tea Tree (or 'Mānuka', as it is known in New Zealand) is valued for it's essential oil and the amazing health benefits of pure 'Mānuka Honey' that is naturally produced in New Zealand from the nectar found in Mānuka blossom - hence the option of stitching a sweet little honey bee has been included on this design. Create a beautiful future heirloom to display in your home or give as a gift.

The finished design is approximately 4.75" wide x 3.75" high or 12cm wide x 9.5cm high when stitched on the recommended fabric count (16 count aida or 32 count linen) and the finished project fits perfectly in a 5" x 7" photo frame. The PDF pattern is available in the home♥stitch♥ness Etsy shop for the special introductory price of NZ $6.00. 

Happy Stitching! :o)

Jenny x

Another Christmas Decoration Freebie...

Around this time last year, I released my first ever Christmas ornament design and - in the spirit of Christmas - I shared the pattern with you all as a GIFT :o) The response was so enthusiastic that I wanted to do the same again this year, and so today I am excited to release the FREE 2014 home♥stitch♥ness Christmas decoration design...

The FREE 'noël' Christmas Ornament design by home♥stitch♥ness

It's easy to forget when we're up to our knees in snow on this side of the world, that in New Zealand, Australia and the many other Southern Hemisphere countries, Christmas is a SUMMER holiday! It's during the festive season that I really miss family vacations at the beach! I wanted this design to have a summery feel and tie in with last year's freebie (which you can find here). I decided to go with a beach theme and feature a green sea urchin, which I think are so beautiful and just *look* like Christmas ornaments! I chose the classic word 'noël' for this design and stitched it in traditional Christmas colours, just like last year. 

Deciding how to finish the ornament...

This was a really quick and easy design to stitch and finish into a little decoration and it is perfect for both beginners and experienced stitchers alike. All you'll need is a small piece of aida or linen, a few skeins of floss and you're ready to go! The beads are optional but if you can find them in your local craft store, they definitely add some detail and texture to the sea urchin! 

In my stash I found some fabric that reminded me of Maori art that I'd bought here in the States a long time ago. I ended up choosing the red fabric and hand sewed it into a little pillow that hangs on the tree by a yellow ribbon bow. I was pleased with how it turned out and I even popped a couple of small jingle bells into the stuffing to make it extra 'Christmassy' :o) If that sounds too complicated, you could always display it in an embroidery hoop or a 4 x 6 frame.

Click on the image below to enlarge the pattern/print it...

The FREE 'noël' Christmas Ornament design by home♥stitch♥ness

Whether you are participating in an ornament swap this year, wanting to stitch something for your own tree or make a gift for a loved one, I hope this free pattern will encourage you to spend some quiet time being creative amidst the busy pre-Christmas rush! Feel free to email me a picture of your finished project or post it to the home♥stitch♥ness facebook page! You are welcome to share this link as much as you like on social media and most importantly - ENJOY :o)

Jenny x

New Designs and a New Direction...

Hello! It has been so long since I last posted here! Family life keeps me very busy, but I still manage to find a bit of time for stitching and if you follow me on Instagram (where I tend to post more updates - you can find me @homestitchness) you will have seen a few sneak peeks of what I've been working on lately... 

I began preparing for Christmas back in June - early, I know - but I'd had a couple of design ideas simmering away and to have them ready for release and to give people time to stitch them before the holiday season, I needed to get a head start!

Today I am very excited to present the following Christmas Ornament designs to you - the patterns are available now in the home♥stitch♥ness Etsy shop as PDF downloads. 

Flowering Pohutukawa Christmas Ornament
home♥stitch♥ness

Vibrant Pohutukawa flowers bursting into bloom with leaves that form a Pacifica style pattern.

Flowering Gum Christmas Ornament
home♥stitch♥ness

Vivid Gum Flowers in bloom, forming a unique pattern. Another, large white flower appears in the centre when you look at this design and focus on edges of the gum leaves.

Yes - a New Zealand themed ornament AND an Australian themed ornament! It occurred to me a while ago, as I was working on a Pohutukawa flower pattern, that among the many things New Zealand and Australia share in common is a red flower that blooms during the summer months and symbolises Christmas. Even to look at, the similarities between the Pohutukawa and Gum blossom are striking. I realised that by tweaking my Pohutukawa flower pattern a little, I could create a Flowering Gum pattern using the same colours I was already working with and I am very pleased with the way both have turned out - these designs look like they belong together, don't they? Just like the unique camaraderie between New Zealanders and Australians and the way our countries tend to stick together in this great big wide world. 

Where I grew up in Northland, New Zealand, you see Pohutukawa trees everywhere and native Australian flora also thrives in the sub-tropical climate there. I have a love and appreciation of these treasured flowers and wanted to capture the brightness of summer and happiness of Christmas in both New Zealand and Australia through these designs.

These ornaments also represent the beginning of a new direction for home♥stitch♥ness - along with continuing to focus on my New Zealand designs, I also have several Australian designs currently in the works, too, which will start to become available as soon as I can stitch them up! I am excited to explore this new area of design and creativity.

Thank you for your continued interest in and support of my work! Both patterns are available as PDF downloads at the special introductory price of NZ $5.00 each (through the rest of October) in the home♥stitch♥ness Etsy shop. 

As always, happy stitching!

Jenny x

Etsy Sale...

Just to let you know, for the rest of March, I am holding a birthday sale over at the home♥stitch♥ness Etsy shop! Receive 25% off your purchase by entering coupon code ONEYEAROLD at checkout. Free postage worldwide still applies on all patterns (does not include kits). Thank you for your support over the past year! Jenny x

:: Facebook GIVEAWAY ::

Hello! I just wanted to let you all know that the giveaway I mentioned in my last post is now on! Hop on over to the home♥stitch♥ness Facebook page and enter to win a kit of your choice from 'The Home Collection' range, pictured below: 

'The Home Collection' range of kits by home♥stitch♥ness

All you need to do is 'Like' the giveaway post and leave a comment saying which design you'd most like to win. It is open internationally and the winner will be drawn randomly on Friday, 28th March NZ time (Thursday 27th March US time). Make sure you follow the page so you can see when the winner is announced! Feel free to tell any of your stitching friends and family about it - the more the merrier :o) 

Good luck! 
Jenny x

A Couple of Announcements...

It was with great joy that we welcomed this sweet little lady into our family last month. She is a very settled and placid baby and we have been enjoying every precious moment with her! Already it feels like time is passing much too quickly - I have been savouring all my cuddles with her as I know very well that she won't stay tiny for long!

In other news, March 2014 marks a year since home♥stitch♥ness cross stitch patterns started appearing in specialty needlework shops throughout New Zealand! I am very thankful to my retailers for their support of my work and to all of YOU for your enthusiasm and interest in what I'm doing - it really means a lot!

I'm thinking about holding a little giveaway soon to celebrate my small business anniversary. I will hold it over on the home♥stitch♥ness Facebook page and I'd love it if you'd pop over and 'Like' it - I tend to post updates a lot more often there than I do here, so I encourage you to follow along, that way you'll be able to enter when the giveaway happens!

See you there! :o)
Jenny x

Nesting...

Hello there! 

It's been a little while since I last wrote - after all the preparation leading up to the release of 'The Home Collection' designs, it has been nice to be able to sit back and relax a little! Thank you for all your positive feedback on the new patterns/kits - it's been so nice to receive all your lovely comments, emails and 'Likes' over the last couple of weeks! 

Links to the talented creatives behind the handmade items: ~ Baby Shoes ~ Kiwi ~ Knitted Cardigan ~
Cross Stitch: 'Tulip Time' by Diane Graebner, stitched by me about 10 years ago!

I have since turned my attention to nesting this month, as we get ready to welcome our third child into our family! We are all very excited and looking forward to her arrival! So, if you happen to notice things are a little quiet around here over the next little while - you'll know why :o) My Etsy shop will remain open but shipping on any purchases may be delayed by a few days. 

In the meantime, I hope all is well with you and as always - happy stitching! 

Jenny x