My new sewing machine!

I was a super lucky girl this birthday! For my other gift Jamie gave me a brand new sewing machine! Good bye 13 year old machine from the 90's, with your 10 different stitches and very difficult button hole stitch. Hello brand new Pfaff Ambition 1.5.

I am in complete love with it. It has a ridiculous amount of stitches, which I have been testing out on lots of scraps of fabric. It has a touch screen that is used (amongest other things) to select stitches, adjust width and length, and even stitch in words and phrases.

There are lots of other neat gadgets on this machine. Like the button foot which actually sews a button onto fabric. And the button hole foot which automatically sews a button hole, simply by placing the button you are using at the end of the foot, it senses the button diameter and sews a button hole to the perfect matching size! Or the needle down button which makes the needle always finish every stitch in the down position, making it easy to pivot fabric around corners (such as in quilting). Or the automatic beep when it senses your bobbin is running low! Or the securing stitch button, which stitches a couple of securing stitches at the beginning and end of your stitching. No more reverse sewing here.

The machine can also quilt, which is really exciting. I had tried machine quilting on my old machine, but as it only had bottom feeders it would always end in a mess. This machine has top feed dogs too which makes quilting much neater. There are even a few "antique" quilting stitches to choose from which gives the illusion of hand quilting. Love it.

And because I couldn't snap a photo of myself using the machine, here is a photo of a random chick using a Pfaff Ambition 1.5...

Watch those fingers under that needle!

So I am officially in total love with this machine, and have been very tempted to take a day off work just to play with it. But I haven't. I've been good. Can't promise the housework will get done tomorrow though...

This makes turning 27 just a little bit easier ;-)

Sam xox

Sophie.

For my birthday this year my lovely husband gave me two very generous and wonderful gifts (the sewing-related one I will get to later this week).

My first gift was Sophie, a kitten we rescued from the RSPCA on Sunday. She was previously named Meow and had been through a lot in her short 10 month life. She began life as a kitten at the RSPCA, and found a new home quickly with a family. However, after scratching one of the children (you know what children do to cats) she was quickly returned to the RSPCA as 'unacceptable'. She was in a cage with a sign saying "no children", and no one was even considering her for adoption.

We saw her photo online a week ago, and finally met her in 'person' on Sunday. We spent over half an hour in her cage playing with her and cuddling her, trying to assess her personality (which is very hard to do mind you, when the poor thing is surrounded by other cats in their cages, the sounds of barking dogs close by, and three massive roosters walking just outside her enclosure!).

It was agreed that she would become part of our family. We paid the money, put on a brand spanking new pink diamante collar, and brought her home to meet Prada.

So far things are going brilliantly. She is a super loving cat who wants to snuggle up to us where ever we are. Prada has accepted her quickly and day by day they are getting to know each other. We are still keeping them in separate parts of the house during the day when we are at work, but hopefully this can stop sometime next week.

Thanks again Jamie, she is simply delightful!

Sam xox

Dolls house.

You know when you buy someone a present, and it is a little left-of-centre you begin to worry they might not like it?

Well, my friend Mel had a birthday at the beginning of this month. We have been friends for ages, and over the years she has spoken many times of the dolls house she used to have when she was a little girl. She loved the tiny furniture, the way each room was decorated, and the way the wooden object captured her childhood imagination for hours on end.

Years have past and Mel does not know what ever happened to that beloved toy. Recently, Frankie magazine did an article on a lady who keeps a retro dolls house in her linen cupboard. Mel and I both saw this and it reignited Mel's reminiscing about her old dolls house.

With a little over a month until her birthday, I knew what I wanted to give her for her birthday, and I began my ebay search for a dolls house.

The criteria?

- Not pink.

- Multi-story.

- Stairs with doorways (so many had stairs but no hole for the little people to walk through - how were they supposed to move about each room? I mean really...).

- Plain enough that Mel could make her own 'mark' on it without having to do too much prep work.

After an entire month of searching I had lost hope, and conceded that I wasn't going to be able to find Mel a dolls house, and would have to make Mel an apron instead. That was until, 5 days before her birthday, I came across this gem...

I bought it! I gave it to her! Mel LOVED it!

And she has already made some purchases for it off Etsy...

Retro Kitchen!

Tiny items!!!

Isn't the tiny stuff just too sweet! Mel it is going to look amazing! I'm so glad you like it :-)

Sam xox

Craft day.

This year I decided not to celebrate my birthday with dinner or drinks. Instead, today I celebrated by having a craft day with my crafty girlfriends at my home. We ate, we stitched, and we enjoyed each others company.

I already count myself lucky to have these girls in my life, but the cherry on the top really is that they are just as crafty as me!

Mill worked on her trademark Christmas stars. This year she is planning on making many to give as gifts, and has given herself the deadline of November 25 to have 20 complete. Every star she makes is a different combination of colours for the felt, thread and beads. They look really beautiful hanging on the Christmas tree as the lights reflect on the tiny beads.

Renae has been working on this cross stitch for a while now, remember I blogged about it here? Well, today we got to watch her complete the final stitches! I am really looking forward to what it will look like framed and hanging on her wall. Her next project is a similar theme but with an adult and baby giraffe.

Mel's blanket continues to grow and grow. I absolutely love the colour combination she has chosen!

I wanted some light craft today. I had seen a red and white Christmas decoration on a tree in the October issue of Country Living Magazine (British) and had a try at copying it. My heart turned out quite a different shape but I am happy with the end result. This will be my handmade Christmas decoration for 2010!

Beautiful books given to me by Mel - thank you!!!

Sam xox

Spoilt.

I couldn't imagine how Jamie could possibly top last years birthday gift... but oh how he has!

Thank you Jamie xxx

I now have approximately five months to plan his birthday present ... the pressure is on!

Sam xox

I didn't make this Double Wedding Ring quilt.

Elizabeth and a few others have noticed, admired, and commented on the Double Wedding Ring quilt I have on the bed in my sewing room.

I need to say that I did not make this little beauty. My darling husband gave it to me for my 25th birthday, as I have written about here. We found it on American eBay and got it for a great price. The person selling it had not labelled it as a Double Wedding Ring, so I don't think it had a lot of traffic on the site.

I love it so much. It took me quite a while to have the confidence to even let guests sleep under it, as I think it is very precious. I love the fabrics, the hand quilting, and the secret history it holds.

Sam xox

Happy birthday Jamie.

Wishing my wonderful husband Jamie a very happy 25th birthday!

We celebrated with cake! Do you like the beanie I gave him? :-)

Sam xox

My birthday.

Early in November I turned 25. My dear friend Michelle came over in the morning and cooked breakfast for Jamie and I. Then Mum and my brother Jack came in for lunch - and ended up staying for dinner as well!

I was very spoilt! Mum gave me some beautiful antique dessert bowls. Michelle gave me some gold earrings, and Mill sent me a handmade apron and tea towel from America! But Jamie saved the best until last. He gave me this antique double wedding ring quilt! He bought it from American eBay and had it sent to us. When I first got it out of the box it stank of cigarette smoke, and I mean stank. I did some 'googling' to figure out the best way to get the smell out. First I was told to vacuum it with a stocking covering the vacuum hose. That did not work at all. After further research it turned out all it needed was some fresh air (go figure). I hung it out on a windy day and left it all day. The result is a beautiful quilt that has no odour whatsoever! I am delighted!

My dear friend Mill also sent me an early Christmas present. This is a Royal Doulton trio from the early 1930's. It is an art deco styled trio and the pattern is called "Shower". I love it! Thanks again Mill!

My collection of Royal Doulton trios is growing!

Sam xox

Happy birthday Nan.

This post is dedicated to my Grandmother. Today is her birthday! She is the best Grandmother any granddaughter could wish for. The last couple of years with her have been especially wonderful as she has been living in Australia perminantly after moving here from the UK.

I saw her on the weekend just past, where I cooked her, pop and my family a birthday lunch. It was really nice to have the whole family together! She had a good time and everyone enjoyed the food.

The only bad part of the day? All us 'kids' feel asleep after lunch was over! Poor Nan! Tom (my 21 year old brother) is a police officer and had only finished his shift that morning. My other brother Jack (9 year old) had been at a friends place for a sleep over the previous night, and was suffering from the lack of sleep! And my excuse? Well I have the flu. No, not of the swine kind, but flu none-the-less.

So Nan, I hope you enjoyed the lunch, and have had a very happy birthday today!

Looking forward to seeing you soon.

All my love,

Sam xox