This week's smiles.....week 406

 Hello all.  Firstly I must say sorry for not leaving any comments last week.  I was feeling pretty rubbish [and are still recovering !!].  It's been a particularly horrid bug that has taken some shifting...but I will get there.

It was our weekend to have the boys so we had lots of fun with them even though little Louie was still recovering from the bug.

We had some lovely time outside in the garden getting some fresh air in the sunshine.

We also had some fun making rockets that propelled themselves into the air using elastic bands.

The Spring flowers are starting to come out all around the garden....and that really makes me smile.

Of course I have a few funnies to share with you too...and there do seem rather a lot this week too....have fun.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW...

 Hello all.  Sorry for not joining in last week.  Firstly I was poorly [cough/sore throat/high temp]  and sadly I'm still getting over it....I'm sure it will go and it just needs time and rest.

Secondly I had an order for 18 memory bears and just knew that blogging would have to wait.

So how do I set about making 18 bears?.....

All 18 bears needed stabilising with interfacing because of the fabrics used. So I had to cut out the 72 panels twice. [yes 144 panels needed!!]  

Each bear was to have 2 panels of one of the tops provided and 2 panels of the trousers/leggings..so a lot of cutting out and sorting was required.

Plus every bear is different!!!

I did all the sewing and stuffed the arms and legs then it was over to my chief stuffer to stuff the tummies....he really does a wonderful job.

Here they all are stuffed and I've started to sew up the gaps in the back seams where they are stuffed and then I gather up the necks of each bear.

Yes, that's me in the middle of the chaos while I'm stitching on their faces.

And here they are with their purple ribbons on...the favourite colour of the elderly Grandmother they are in memory of.  These 18 are for her 9 children and her eldest grandchildren.  There are over 40 great grandchildren that may want bears when they see these so watch this space.

I hope you have enjoyed a little peep into my world this week.  I love making my bears and just know how much comfort my customers have from them.

Thanks for calling in.  I will do my best to pay you a visit to see what you've been up to.

Hugs,

Annie x

This week's smiles....week 405

 Hello all.  I was missing on WOYWW this week.....firstly I was poorly and I had a lot of work to do so thought I should concentrate my efforts where needed most.

We had a weekend away in a cottage near Aberaeron in Wales to celebrate my darling hubby's birthday.  The sun shone and the cottage was perfect...

It was Peggy's first weekend away from home and she really loved the underfloor heating....even if she didn't enjoy travelling in the car [it made her sick sadly].

We came home on Monday but sadly I've been poorly since...a tiresome cough, sore throat and temperature.....and the sewing kept coming through my door....

.......this is my largest order of Memory bears ever....18 in total....and there may be more to come yet.

They are in memory of  an elderly lady who had 9 children and many grandchildren and over 40 great grandchildren.

The 18 are for her children and the oldest of her grandchildren so there may be more wanting one when these are collected!!

The only other things I have to share with you are a few funnies...I hope something here makes you smile.

Please leave me a little comment and link up to your own smiles below.

I hope to be feeling rather better by next week...please send me some good vibes.

Hugs,

Annie x

This week's smiles....week 404

 Oh what a week.  I managed to make 12 Memory bears around a wonderful weekend in Blackpool.  We went up on Saturday morning and were treated to a really sunny day.  We booked into a Travelodge for the night and caught a tram from just over the road to right outside the Tower Ballroom....couldn't have been better.

Our little Lexi really did us proud.  She danced her heart out with her group.  They performed two different dances and really made our hearts sing.  It was so very special to see them in such a huge venue and their dance teacher should be very proud of herself for their performances.

The only other things I have for you is a couple of collages of funnies....I hope none offend and something here makes you smile.

Have a great week my friends.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW....

 Hello all and happy Wednesday to you all.  It's been a very busy week here while I've been here....we had a night over in Blackpool on Saturday to watch Lexi dancing at the Tower Ballroom.  Lots of very proud moments and I will share a few pics on Friday if you'd like to see.

On my desk this week has been a lot of bear making.

I managed to cut out the 12 bears I had to make before going away so Monday morning saw my desk looking like this....the 9 at the back are already sewn and the 3 on my ironing board are cut out and pinned together ready.

They all needed backing with iron on interfacing to stabilise them so that meant cutting out 48 panels to make the 12 bears!!

I had the help of my bear stuffer...he's a gem.  We make a great team.

I managed to make these 9 on Monday.  They are made in memory of a much loved Grandad and the two on the front with purple on also had panels added to remember a daughter/mum.

I made these three yesterday in memory of a 14 year old young man who died on his quad bike....so sad.

I get to share so many sad stories but I know just how much these bears will help his family.

That's all from me for this week.  I hope you're all keeping well and happy.  I hope to pop to see what you're busy with when I can find a minute between my sewing jobs.

Hugs,

Annie x

This week's smiles....week 403

 Hello all.  If you read my Wednesday post you will see that I am busy with sewing this week...mainly the 12 Memory bears I have been asked to make so I have lots to smile about.

One of my biggest smiles was that Little Louie came to us on Tursday and for the first time in, what seems like weeks he was well.  It had been such a nasty virus so it was soooooo lovely for him to be better.  Here he is trying on his Daddy's kick boxing helmet...what a cutie.

The only other things I have to share with you this week are a few funnies.

I will have lots to smile about this weekend because we are off to the Tower Ballroom at Blackpool to watch Lexi dance....I'm so excited and plan to take a few tissues with me for the proud moments....I'm a big softy at heart.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW.....

 I've been making the best of the lull before the storm here this week...

I finished off the little rabbit bags I showed you last week and now have a basket full.

I have also made 10 little felt carrots to hold little chocolate rabbits....these are for the charity I sew for and were fun to make.

I had to buy a new magnetic pin holder because I dropped my old one...it broke and the pins went to every corner of my room!!  I treated myself to new pins too because a lot of the ones I'd been using were bent or blunt.

That's all from me for today because I will be head down busy sewing now....I have several pairs of trousers coming in today and 12 memory bears coming in before the end of the week!!  It's all or nothing here :-)

Hugs,

Annie x

This week's smiles....week 402

It's been a busy week here with having the boys here for a long weekend [Thursday to Sunday].. Sadly little Louie was very poorly with a virus that caused him to run very high temperatures.  He needed lots of sponging down and hugs [ ...and Calpol/Nurofen] but thankfully I'm hoping he's now on the mend.  His Daddy took him to see a Dr on Saturday morning but she couldn't find anything that was obviously causing the high temperatures saying it was probably just a virus.

We did manage some lovely crafty time with them both while they were here....they painted a garden gnome or garden dinosaur each, decorated several wooden key rings and did some amazing building from our crafty box of goodies....they love creative play.

Lexi entered several dancing competitions on Sunday and came away with a second in her Jazz solo, second in her Commercial Solo, a first in her Senior dance team performance and her group also won the overal Ist in the whole team performance.

She  was also given the award for the most potential in the morning's competition....talk about a superstar.  We are so very proud of her.

Sam had his first day session with Emil Dale Associates down in London.  He came home buzzing.  It sounded like he had an awesome day. :-)

The only other things I have to share are a few funnies.  I hope something here makes you smile and you will leave me a little comment before linking up to your own smiles at the bottom of the page.

Hugs,

Annie x