A happy post for happy post!

Well hi there, been a while hasn't it?! I think I easily must be the most inconsistent blogger out there. But anyway, I have been keeping busy bringing up baby, my 8 month old wee man continues to bring joy and happiness to the Mill (which has also relocated, moving house with a 4 month old is great fun...the words "never again" have been common place over the last few months!)

And yet what has drawn me to blog again today...well the nicest, loveliest parcel dropping through my door, that's what!  I missed out on this swap lat time round..oh how I wanted those yummy lv charms but not to be. So when the next Low Volume swap came round I thought, do I really want some 10" charms for my stash? Actually I think I rather do...wouldn't you?!





 

There are texts and dots, cross-hatches and chains, ducks, lobsters and pinwheels (and maybe a few "mid" volume charms but hey they're pretty so it's all ok ;). Now to work out what to do with them.  A big word of thanks, arms in the air, jumping up and down, cheering and whooping is required for Rebecca who did so much work in organising this swap. She even let us international entrants send our 2 yards of fabric directly to her which she cut to size and meant we saved on postage. The girl's a gem! Thanks so much! 

I have actually started back to some sewing lately but, as ever, the projects remain unfinished at the moment. Not for much longer! I am a changed woman, a rehabilitated blogger (for now!) and I'll be back with some finishes in the next few days.

Someone got a little bored during the photoshoot!

Au Revoir, speak soon!

A x

My best creation ever!

I've been quiet online for a while now but I have a good excuse as I've been kept somewhat busy with this little fella. Meet Alfie, our precious wee gift, now 4 weeks old and growing like a mushroom!

The wee man is doing brilliantly, it's his mum and dad who are finding the adjustment a bit harder to handle - shell shocked is not the word! But I think we are coming out of the craziness a little bit...or maybe we are just get used to it. I'm still getting over his birth, a routine ante-natal appointment turned into a 5 day stay in hospital with high blood pressure, a failed induction and emergency c-section not to mention a touch of anaemia but what can I say - Alfie was just too comfortable and wasn't for moving!

Now life has changed forever and my hubby and I are everyday amazed at the changes to our son and the wee miracle he is. The sewing machine will not be dusted off for a while I don't think but I'll get there eventually - Alfie is going to need his quilt finished soon enough. 

I'm looking forward to catching up with what is going on on in blogland and have to settle for living vicariously through everyone elses creativity - I'm thinking breakfast and blogs washed down with a huge cup of coffee - heaven - but to be honest I'd settle for 5 minutes to myself!

Hope everyone out there is keeping well!

Ainslie x

An enforced break, a finish and a new project!

Well that took much longer than I thought it would! After some bad health news from an immediate member of my family, a laptop breakdown and a minor hiccup with my Pfaff I am finally back to blogland and actually got a project finished. Phew.  My hubby turned 30 last week and so what better present than a new iPad and fancy smancy new handmade iPad cover. After a bit of surfing I decided on using this great tutorial from Fresh Lemon Quilts, bit of a challenge for me - following a pattern, inserting a zipper, putting in a pocket, you know general sewing stuff but I persevered and got it done...

I have to say I'm pretty pleased with myself, aside from the fact it doesn't exactly fit with the protective cover he has on his iPad - a small price to pay for some pretty (in a manly kind of way) lineny melody miller goodness. And hubby loves it too- except for the not fitting part. Think I might need to do some unpicking and try and thin my seams down a bit, I remain undefeated! 

But that is for another time- much to keen to get on with some other projects- I have a baby quilt which is severely devoid of quilting, a metre of Bambi kokka fabric that is begging to be sliced and diced into charms for the Japanese charm swap and this beauty awaits:

My lovely mum bought me this for feeding the baby when he/she finally puts in an appearance and I absolutely love it. I just need to make some cushions to comfy it up a bit. Maybe some Japanese charm cushions are just what it is crying out for, who knows...anyways I'm off to peruse the interweb for some inspiration. Feel free to shout any ideas!

Massacre at the Mill!

After doing a few errands this morning, I came home to this carnage...

 

Massacre!







The victim



It wasn't me...honest!

Exhibit 1



Case closed - Guilty verdict!

 But then Audrey is just so darn cute that she tends to get away with anything!

Today has not been the most productive - I have managed not to complete any projects but I'm hoping with the weather being as rotten as it is that I will batten down the hatches and get to some quilting tomorrow.  A trip to a local fabric shop was surprising fruitful however, with some lovely ribbons and a wee piece of ultra sweet vintage looking Winnie the Pooh fabric which is going to have to go into some baby-themed project very soon! It's rare that this happens but I love it when it does! :)

Room for some renovation!

So this is my very first post on my very own new shiny blog! So what to write, how to lay it out, what photos to put in, how many, how to get a photo onto my computer in the first place?! So many questions, I'm confused already! All I can say first off is welcome to the Mill! It is very basic in layout and I have no idea what I'm doing but being one of the many inspired by the lovely Judith I'm going to give this blogging thingy a bit of a rattle.

Please be patient while I get my bearings - the furnishings might change a little and I have a lot to learn about blogging etiquette but I hope to get there in the end.

On to introductions! My name is Ainslie and I am one of Judith's pupils. She is a brilliant teacher and has literally taught me how to switch a sewing machine on but now I'm officially hooked! Just to be clear - Judith is not sponsor of this blog; no, she is simply my dealer (of fabric, patterns and general haberdashery) which will become evident when you see a lot of my upcoming projects!

Other than sewing, this blog will hopefully cover something of my other interests and life in general - my attempts at home cooking, crafting and my new adventures into motherhood ( I have a little one due in 5 weeks!).

Ok, so this post is already a lot wordier (and less photo-ier, first black mark but I'm serious about not knowing how to upload a photo to my computer!)than I intended so I will sign off for now. Maybe you will find this blog interesting, maybe not, maybe no-one will read it at all, but I'm looking forward to getting started - I have another 5 weeks of maternity leave before the madness begins! :)