I am a Janome girl, I have a few of the $100 models (none Hello Kitty) that I use to teach girls how to quilt and they are really good little machine--each girl has made a quilt from beginning to end with it, SID quilting. I think you both would be happy with a Janome. If you can sway her to a white one just tell a machine can be personalized with stickers, paint pens, crystals and I am sure a ton of other things to make it cute and hers. Even my long arm has purple swirls on it to let the "me" shine on ;-)
Happy Sewing
T