Home is wherever I'm with you

Well, today marks three and a half weeks since Simon and I became home owners! And we are thoroughly enjoying our lovely little home so far. As you can imagine, we have been quite busy unpacking boxes, and sorting things out. The house doesn't have much storage space, so until we can arrange more permenant homes for items, most things are still living in boxes for now.

Already plans are in full swing for alterations we wish to make to the house and property. Simon and I often talk excitedly about what we would like to do - it's great fun! I'm sure that not even half the things on our 'to do list' will ever be accomplished, but it's great to dream and imagine.

Something that I was quite excited about was setting up my sewing room! Simon and I had a gift voucher to use at Ikea, so last Saturday we made the trip down to our local store (about an hour away.) I am an Ikea novice, so it was a fantastic experience for me! I had a lot of fun walking around and looking at things. But I was extremely excited when Simon and I purchased a beautiful Beech wood table with height adjustable legs for my sewing room. It's just brilliant and exactly what I wanted. It's been great fun setting things up! I still have alot more plans in store for the sewing room, but it's a slow work in progress. Hopefully I'll have further updates to show you soon!

And just to finish on a further sewing note - here is a quilt I finished a few weeks back. I actually had this one quilted by my work mate Clair back in February, but for some reason I was a bit busy, you know, getting married! So I finally sewed the binding on, and ta-da!

I love the colours in this quilt, and particularly LOVE the backing. Oh my gosh. How cute are big white polka dots!

As much as I love this quilt, it will probably be for sale soon. And for those interested, the range of fabrics in this quilt is an oldie, "Objects of desire," by Sandy Jervais.

Excuses, excuses...

We had a sermon about 'excuses' a week or so back at our church. Simon and I have since been teasing each other about the excuses we come up with in life. And when you actually stop and think about all the excuses you make - you realise there are alot!

So now that I have come to sit down and quickly write a post for here I was about ready to fire off some excuses for my lack of entries.

They were to go along the long of.... "I have so much to show you all, but my photos are on the camera.....I can't access a computer regularly at the moment....I'm so busy (the usual one...)"

So I won't bore the world with my excuses, but will only say that exciting things are happening in my life at the moment! Apart from the fact that I am now nearly 15 weeks into a wonderful and happy marriage, I have been having a great time running the home. I have really taken to cleaning and cooking and shopping for food. I know that all you older, wiser women will be quick to laugh and tell me that the novelty will wear off soon, and perhaps it will. But for now - I'm really enjoying it! I have also been able to do a lot of sewing lately, and I have quite a few exciting endeavours coming up shortly.

But my main exciting news is that Simon and I have bought our own home! Our very own home! We are incredibly happy and thrilled to bits. It is a lovely little house, and has been very well looked after by the previous owners. We are literally counting down the days till settlement - which is now only 8 days away!!! Once we are moved in and settled, I'll be able to set the computer up and show you lots of goodies!

Till then, my very good friend from work, Mary, and I have set ourselves a challenge. We are going to have a try at completing the 'Sylvias Bridal Sampler" quilt from the Elm Creek Quilts fame. I have not done much hand piecing, but I'm looking forward to learning more and testing myself. We have both decided to use 1930's style fabrics - yum, yum!! I have always been a big 30's fan, so I'm looking forward to playing with it!

I'll keep you posted on how things progress!

A beautiful day

On the 14th of May, I became a wife to a wonderful and amazing man. With rain bucketing down in the leadup to the day, we were blessed with a clear and beautiful day. It was an early start for us girls (4:30am!) and a not so early start for the boys. But, after alot of preening and hair spray, I arrived at the church (slightly late!) to marry my gorgeous man.

And what a lovely and beautiful ceremony it was, and such a fantastic day. We couldn't stop smiling the minute we saw each other, and we enjoyed every moment of the day.

We had some photos taken at Maroondah Reservoir here in Healesville, and then a private and small reception at a friends house in Yarra Glen.

There were alot of handmade elements to our day, from the order of service booklets (with a fabric binding!) to personalised stitchery hoops hanging from the end of each pew. I drew all the designs, and then asked some of the girls at work to help me stitch them. The end result was perfect, and all the stitcheries will then be used to make a quilt.

I also made fabric bunting to decorate, the pins for the men, my headband, the flowers for the cake, and table runners for the reception, amongst many other things! I had so much fun! Also, the bridesmaid dresses were sewn by the mothers of my two bridesmaids - a huge job, but a wonderful result.

The end result? A wonderful, beautiful and happy day. One that Simon and I will cherish and remember for a very long time to come.

To love and to cherish...

Well, this is what happens when you plan a wedding in 3 months - your sewing blog suffers greatly! Yup - 3 months. Things have been incredibly busy here with decisions to make, dresses to fit, flowers to find and food to organise. But, in literally 5 days, the 14th of May, it will all be here - and I will be married!!

I know it all sounds cliche, but I seriously can't believe that I will be getting married in 5 days time. The past few months have gone by so quickly, and I'm still wondering what on earth happened to April. I know I had a birthday in there somewhere, but that was about it.

So I thought I best put up a quick post to say that yes, I am still alive, and yep - the wedding is soon! I will of course be on my honeymoon for a few weeks after the wedding, but once we get back and things settle down to normality, I have great plans for this blog and my business. And I'm so keen to get back to some sewing! Sadly my machine has decided to die on me, and I'm currently using my mothers 35 year old Pfaff. I think I may be in need of a new machine if my one can't be repaired. I think the motor has packed it in. :(

But anyway, I just wanted to quickly share with you my latest publication. Whilst I knew my quilt was going to be in the May edition of Homespun Magazine, I had no idea it was going to be on the cover. And look, there it is!

Let me introduce you to "Cherish," a beautiful and simple quilt in gorgeous blues and greens. I LOVE this colour palette - it's so soothing and soft. "Cherish" has quite an interesting history, and the one photographed is not the first quilt I actually made. The first quilt was made and perfected, and then ruined by a 'professional quilter' who did a ghastly job on the quilting. I was devastated, and with 2 weeks to the deadline I started the whole project again. And thankfully, the most wonderful Clair Acres, quilted the quilt for me in a few days, and for free. Clair - you are a lifesaver - and you did a beautiful job!

So, it was quite a relief to finish the quilt and send it off, and also to see it in the magazine. Oh, there's also a profile on me aswell - mega exciting!!

Well for now, it's probably my final post as Samantha Mackenzie - I'll be back later, married and with a new name!!

I've been keeping a secret...

A rather big one actually!!! Simon and I are engaged!!

It's been a rather busy and an amazing time these last few weeks - and I think it's only going to get busier from now on. Whilst Simon and I had been talking about marriage for a while now, he got done on his knees and asked the all important question on the 3rd of February. Of course, he recieved a very enthusiastic yes!! We are both so excited about getting married and sharing in this wonderful journey called life together.

So, now the wedding plans start! We are planning a short engagement, and have set a date for in May. So - guess who is rather busy making invitations and shopping?! And I'm loving it all along the way of course! So, this sewing blog may turn a bit 'wedding-ish' for a few months! It's so exciting!

Our first Valentines Day together was spent having a picnic dinner in our favourite park, and talking about the future. Simon loved one of his gifts from me - a giant handmade chocolate heart freckle! The poor heart didn't last long though, and is now looking a bit 'half' hearted.

And I suppose I better show a scrap of fabric somewhere in here. This is another of my most recent loves - hessian. Love the texture and the feel. I think it may feature somewhat in the wedding. :)

New Year...New Quilts.

Well, it was a wonderful christmas season here, and much fun and food and festivities were shared by all. Probably a bit too much food. But that's always the way at Christmas, and I'm now doing a little diet to shed some unwanted kilos.

I was doing quite a bit of sewing before and during the christmas break. A week or so before Christmas I decided I wanted to make my boyfriend a quilt as a present. I was feeling horribly sick at the time of this decision mind you. But I'm the type of person, that when I am sick I actaully have to do something. I cannot stay in bed and just lie there. So I dragged out a Pure layercake I had bought months ago, and all I could manage in my sorry state was sto sew large squares together. But I think it looks great, especially when the borders were added later. It's a bit simple and plain, but I like it - and the main thing? The boyfriend loves it too.

I carried on a circle theme with the quilt, strangley enough, and quilted large circles in each block. I'm yet to take some better pics of it, but will do so soon.

I have also been busy sewing a comissioned quilt for a lady, Cathy. Her friend is sick with cancer, and she wanted a quilt to be made with photos. I haven't actually done a photo quilt before - but gosh it's easy. I used the Matildas Own Photo paper, and it was quick and simple and no fuss. I decided to print the photos in black and white, and I like the classy look it gives the quilt. I stipple quilted the whole thing, and I'm really happy with the finished quilt.

Cathy picked it up today, and loves it. So, I count that as a job well done!

I actually really like doing comissioned quilts and items for people. I don't feel much stress or pressure, and I enjoy the challenges.

I must say though, I'm feeling rather sombre tonight as I post this. I can't help but feel sick at the pictures on the news of the devastating floods in Queensland. The footage of this sheer torrent of unrelenting water flooding streets and destroying homes and lives is horrible.

I know I will be donating money to assist in the rebuilding, and I'm encouraging all to do the same. I'm sure alot of people from Queensland, who are now affected by these floods, were some of the kind and wonderful people who donated money to my area and region after the Black Saturday bushfires. I'd love to give them something back.

Winners!

Just a quick post to announce the winners from my giveaway.
The first winner of the 2 fat quarters and pattern is Lotta! And the second winner of a fat quarter is Margarita! Congratulations girls! Please let me know your postal address and I'll get your prizes to you soon.

Thanks for entering everyone, and for joining in my Chrissy giveaway. Have a Merry Christmas!

Heather Ross Giveaway!

Giveaway now closed.

Thanks for entering! Winner announced shortly.

Ok, so I have been in the dark, and didn't realise that Sew, Mama Sew! have an annual Blog Giveaway Day! Blogs from around the world can sign up to host a giveaway, and then Sew, Mama Sew! compile a huge big list of giveaway blogs -what fun! Check it out for your chance to win some goodies!

So, I'm too late to officially sign up to host a giveaway, but what the heck. I want to join in the fun too! And Christmas is all about giving, so consider this a Christmas Giveaway!

So, what's up for grabs? Well, we have two prizes. The first random person drawn from the ever reliable, random number generator, will win 2 Heather Ross 'Seagulls' from Lightning Bugs and Other Mysteries Fat Quarters and a Cinderberry Stitches pattern. The second person will win one Heather Ross Fat Quarter.

Now, I don't know if any of you know - but Heather Ross fabric is extremely desirable and WANTED by crafters. For example - just one of those fat quarters could sell for $20 - 50 AUD. Crazy, crazy stuff. I know.

So, how do you win? You've got two options. Simply leave a comment for one chance to win. Or for a second chance - leave a comment, and then make a post about the giveaway on your blog, and then come back and comment again to say you've posted. Got that? Easy!

Giveaway closes Sunday 19th of December 9am AEDST. Winner announced soon after! Oh,and it is open to International residents. :)
Good luck and have fun!

I'm back!

*gives shiny new computer a big smacking kiss*

Wow. It really feels so good to be back online! I've been able to use my little laptop for quick checks of emails - but had no access to my photos etc. What a strange generation of people we are - we get so lost without a computer and internet connection!

But at least I've had some quality time for sewing -so that's a good point!

We have been experiencing a lot of rain here lately - and I mean, a lot. It's been such a wonderful blessing and a lot of dams and lakes are now full - or in some cases, overflowing. It's great to see the grass looking so lush and green in the paddocks too.

This photo below is of the Yarra River in Healesville, looking a bit swollen and flooded.

Well, I'm amazed that Christmas is literally next week. Is anyone else scratching their head, wondering, "Where did October go to?"

Thankfully I think I'm somewhat ready for Christmas. I have nearly every present bought and made, and only a few bits to go. That being said - we still don't have the christmas tree up... or a wreath on the door...or lights flashing on the verandah... or table decorations made.... but at least the presents are nearly done!

Anyway - on to the sewing part!

I made the two aprons pictured above for work. A few of us girls like to wear aprons at work, as they protect our clothes, and have handy pockets for random stuff. My previous apron was looking a bit sad and 'well loved,' so it was definately time for an update. The brown apron is made using fabric from the "In the Pink II" range that was also used for the Homespun Breast of Friends quilt. The bright and colourful blue apron is made using the gorgeous fabric from Mellys new range, "Where the wind blows." Love it. Oh, and for inquiring minds - the pattern for the above aprons are from the fantastic book, "A is for Apron."

I made this little blue wallhanging quite a while ago, but have only just got around to taking a good piccy of it. I used the free motion foot on my machine for the flowers, and the stipple quilting. I love the simplicity of this little quilt.

A few weeks ago, my church, St Johns Anglican, held a local fete in town. As usual, I had completely forgotten about it, and left everything to the last minute. So I made these super quick, and rather cute, little bags to sell at the fete. And they are literally super quick. Like, really quick. It was so much fun!

This photo below is of a doily that I turned into a quilt label I made for a recent quilt. I love it! I'll be able to share this quilt with you in May next year - which seems ages away!

So, I have quite alot of other things to show and share, but I'll save it for another post soon. Things that will be coming soon are:

- Info on the Stringybark Farm BOM (finally!!!!)

- Some finished photos of my "For these I give thanks" quilt made by ladies around the world.

- The launch of my first pattern!! Yay!

- A new "Be Creative" challenge.

- Maybe even another "Paper Bag swap."

- And some finished quilts.

- And more. Most of which I can't remember now.

Such exciting stuff!

Now - finally I can go hunting through your blogs!

Blame technology.

Photo and quilt credit to Stitched in Colour

So, we've been having a few wee computer hiccups here of late. My rather old computer finally decided that it's life had come to a sad and miserable end. It was still operable, but the old beast was determined to make life impossible. From the time of pressing the 'on' button, to being able to access the internet - ten minutes would literally pass by. Seriously.

Photo and quilt credit to Film in the Fridge

So a new computer was bought, and my goodness - within 30 seconds I can be on the internet! It's amazing! And then I find out that everyone else has been enjoying such normal things like this for years. To me - it's quite an amazing experience, and such a novelty!

Photo and quilt credit to Where the Orchids Grow

But, until I clean out the study and get rid of the old beast from the computer desk, the lovely new (insert - incredibly amazing) computer is sitting unplugged on the billiard table. Just waiting. So I am relinquished to using an old laptop at the moment. Hence - the lack of posts, and no photos of all my latest things.

Photo and quilt credit to Merry Made Quilts

So, here are some goodies I've been admiring on the net recently. I never tire of seeing such interesting and fascinating ways to photograph quilts. And modern quilts? Yum. Mega yum!

Photo and quilt credit to Film in the Fridge