WOYWW and spring flowers.....

As you know Twiglet joins me here for a Fun Day Monday so, apart from her helping me to do the cutting when I have curtains to do, we do our best to keep Monday just for fun, laughter and crafting. This Monday was no exception and for those interested the poppy picture I blogged on Monday has now been uploaded in the shop. I don't shut up 'shop' for our fun day so my customers still come delivering more sewing jobs and therefore Tuesday is spent catching up on all my sewing as best I can [and boy did I have some catching up to do this week].

I know this is Wednesday and it's the day organised by 'Julia Queen of Snoop' for us all to show and tell our work spaces but I feel I must tell you all I did yesterday to explain the state of my 'to do' rail today cos I would hate to let any of you think I'm slacking this week :-)

Here goes......I managed to...
Shortened 3 pair curtains
Put velcro on the top of another pair curtains
Put leather elbow pads on a jumper
Repaired a torn dress
Take in the waist on a lined skirt
Put new elastic in a skirt
Shortened a pair of trousers
Take in the skirt sides of a dress
Take in the bodice of a boned posh frock



So..... my 'to do' rail today looks like this. It's only got one hanger on it :-)
This is another challenge I've been given. I have to convert a single white sheet and a union jack into a fancy dress outfit for Britannia :-) What fun.









What I'm gonna do is all planned so hopefully won't take me long and then I plan to attack this lot...



...These are my material boxes and I hope I can be allowed some time for crafty creations today. Who wouldn't want to delve into all that lush fabric and create something beautiful with it eh?
Also I have been given lots of new beads for Mother's Day and I am really looking forward to playing with them.



Lastly, but by no means least, I wanted to share with you all the lovely signs of spring that I found and snapped at the weekend. Isn't spring just the best time of the year? :-)



Our little violas have opened up their faces and are so bright and cheerful.










I have a bowl of gorgeous miniature daffs now in full bloom. How cute are they?







The flowering cherry tree is already in bud and the flowers are starting to open.








The pussy willows are starting to open up on our little weeping will tree.









Even the tiny red flowers on one of our conifers are all in bloom. They are so pretty close up and yet are easily missed when walking past.

Fun day Monday...

Twiglet and I have had another very successful day today. We started by getting the l'ove of my life'...curtains....out of the way. I now have 3 pair of curtains needing sewing tomorrow, and I really don't enjoy curtains, plus my to do rail has steadily filled since this morning. As I am having Friday off I have lots to get finished by Thursday afternoon :-)

As soon as the curtains were out of the way the fun began. Twiglet sat dumfing more brooches as she has sold lots lately and has had several requests for more. I'm sure she will show and tell on her blog very soon so I'm not giving away her secrets. I have been sat dumfing a new Poppy picture and thought you would like to share it so here goes.....
Its larger than I normally make and I have to say I'm really thrilled with the result. Hope you like it too and it helps to brighten up a damp, gloomy day.

I will be uploading it in the shop soon so anyone interested in buying it please just email me.

My Sunday Paula update...

For all who are wondering how our dear friend Paula is going on you will be pleased to hear she is home. They discharged her from hospital on Friday!!! Bless her she, I am certain, was rather frightened at going home rather earlier than they has previously planned. Still in lots of pain from the op and even worse pain when needing to cough, move and even breathe I'm sure it was a daunting prospect. I purposely haven't blogged this earlier because she was in desperate need of rest and lots of sleep to allow her body heal. She has today managed to get downstairs and with a little gentle exercise and lots of TLC she, I am certain, will now make a good steady progress but, as I have said to her, she must listen to her body and not expect too much too soon. It's pretty major surgery she has had and healing takes time and patience. I know everyone is sending her good vibes and I know she is very grateful for all the love and attention you have all given her. She is without her Internet provider until some time in April but has asked me to update you all and pass on her love and thanks to all her blogging friends.

Just a quick hospital update about Paula...

I've heard from Paula today. The physio has had her out of bed and walking but she is still suffering rather a lot of pain so she has had to increase her Morphine and other analgesia but as most of you will know these all come with side effects they don't always warn you about so laxatives have been prescribed too. I sometimes think it is not good to know everything before having these major operations or maybe you would think twice. She has asked me to thank you all for your very kind wishes and send you lots of love. Hopefully she will be back up and running very soon but, for now, every day has to be little steps of steady progress.

She did send me a photo of her wound but I promise I won't share that with you all....all I will say is ouch!!

Lastest update from Paula.....

I sent a text to Paula's phone to let her know we were all thinking of her and to pass on all your good wishes and this is the text I just had back from her.....

Hi Annie....thats great ta. no longer in my own room..Privaleges hav stopped. oh well.
Tell evetone thanx i'm hjhh on morphibe at mo n cant typr priprjy

Even on her hospital bed she managed to raise a few smiles bless her. It was so very good to get her reply but I've told her to get lots of rest and that I would pass on her message to all so she didn't feel the need to text everyone personally....I'm sure we will all forgive her spelling errors :-)

WOYWW and my latest Paula update

Firstly...and the most important bit this week...I have just had my latest update from Paula's hubby.....

She had her op as planned yesterday morning and although they won't know exactly what they have done until the Dr's round this morning she was on the right side of it all. She was in quite a bit of pain though last night so I'm really hoping they get that under control for her. At least now she has got rid of Tommy [the name she gave to her lung tumour] and now every day she should feel a little better. They have told her to expect to be in hospital for about a week. I'm sure we are all sending her lots of really positive vibes and lots of love.

Now for those who join Julia our Queen of snoop for the what's on your work desk Wednesday this is my space today.

I'm pleased to say this is my done rail. When I started my day yesterday I had 20 hangers on my to do rail ...should have been 21 but Twiglet had put two items on one hanger and yes she was given a written warning for such an over sight :-) :-)
I had a really good 'catch up Tuesday' and as you can see I have now reduced my to do rail to .......

.....just 4 hangers, but I'm afraid to say these are pretty tricky jobs on this rail so will take me the best part of today....especially as Twiglet has just text to say she is coming down this morning to cut some curtains for me...she really doesn't like to think of me taking time out to chill :-)
Seriously for those that don't know what a fab relationship I have with my big sister Twiglet she is one in a million and does her best to do the curtain cutting for me so I'm not kept waiting for her to do it [I have a replacement knee and can't kneel on the floor to cut out curtains]. We make just the best of teams.

Our fun day Monday was just that....fun. We laughed, drank tea and coffee, ate chocolate [an essential on a Monday] and we created. Thought I'd snap a bit of the creating to share with you all...



The friend that joins Twiglet and I was making the most gorgeous Faberge inspired eggs to put on Easter cards. She has dumfed wools and treads on felt and is now embellishing them with beads, gems etc.

(Twiglet sat here wetting herself - I meant dumfed wools and threads! - lol the thought of T. treading felt - like you would grapes has got us both howling - we are easily amused!)

Twiglet is using dissolving plastic and mounting wools, threads and pretty bits between two layers before fixing them there with machine stitching. I just love the colours she is using and am certain she will be blogging it all at some point....well, I hope she does :-)

This is a little Wedding inspired dumfling that I've been playing with. I've yet to stitch on the beads. Not sure how I will use this yet but may use one of the suggestions we have had in our Wedding challenge over in the blog shop.

Lastly but by no means least....This is a little treasure I found enjoying the sunshine on Sunday. I didn't see one ladybird in our garden all last year so was really thrilled to spot this one and thought I would share it with you all. :-)

Don't forget to pop over to the blog shop to check out the Bridal/Wedding blog challenge and be in with the chance to win.

Bridal department challenge.....

Spring is upon us and we are feeling perky and productive. It's the season for romance and wedding plans. So, we are taking the bridal theme for our latest challenge and we are hoping to involve all our blogging friends as well. We are planning to launch a Bridal department in our blog shop in the next few weeks.
The above pic shows some of the beautiful items we already make. These include bridal keepsakes, like hearts and little bears, ring cushions, wedding memory journals, wedding cards and brooches. So, now we want to extend our range so that we can create a new, well stocked bridal shelf.
We both have lots of ideas but would like to throw the challenge open to you wonderful, creative folk out there. We would appreciate your comments/feedback and any ideas, on a bridal theme, you have to offer.
We will give a little gift to the 3 ideas we like the best, so please put your thinking caps on.
We have had such lovely feedback and brilliant ideas that have helped us over the last months and feel we have made some wonderful friends through the contact you have made with us. Thanks lots.

An update for my caring friends...

For all those who left me such lovely comments yesterday I would say a big thank you. I'm sure you will all be pleased to here that the little baby is much improved this morning. It never fails to amaze me just how quickly they pick up from something that would have us feeling rough for days.


Also for those that asked to see the skirts I was making here is the first one finished. It has a placket down the centre front [that my customer has yet to buy buttons for], 3 pleats into the waistband each side on the front and an elasticated back waistband. It matches exactly the skirt she left with me so I'm sure she will be thrilled with it........I just have the other one to make now this morning :-)

WOYWW.....

Monday morning Twiglet came down and we started off our day cutting out 2 skirts using an existing skirt for the pattern. Yes they are cut out but no I haven't had time to make them yet :-)
Monday afternoons we are joined by another friend for our fun day Monday so skirts were shelved til Tuesday.....except that Tuesday was a manic day and they are still on the shelf awaiting making. I had a steady flow of customers yesterday and they all seemed to want more than just one job doing....in fact one came with a bag full of trousers [7 in total!] all needing patching, shortening or other little jobs needed.

I hope you will all pop over to Julia's to join in the fun of showing and telling all what is happening in your space today.

So.....today's work surfaces started off like this



7 pair working trousers still needing sewing!














The cards I made on Monday still needing finishing! I loved the daisy picture I made so much that I was inspired to make a set of cards to match.








2 skirts cut out ...still needing making!








Linby's parcel getting ready for the post.....now posted and winging it's way to her :-) Watch out for that postman Linby.



My day today actually started at 7.15 when my neighbour rang for advise because her baby was poorly. I quickly finished dressing and popped round to help. I spent 45 minutes with the baby who had a very high temp and was lethargic and floppy while mum waited for the Dr to be available. Every minute seems like an hour when you're a young mum and your hubby is away in the army doesn't it?....she has just popped round to let me know the Dr says she has a nasty ear infection. Bless her.
As I got back home at 8 15 this morning my neighbour from the other side shouted me to see if I was free. She then popped round needing moisturising cream put on a eczema type rash on her back. It's not the easiest area to reach when you're in your 80s is it?
As you can see it's rather more than a sewing business I have here and maybe I should add nursing duties to my banner at my gate :-) :-)

I have already had 3 customers this morning too so if it's a bit of a disjointed and rushed blog please forgive me. I will catch up with all my fellow WOYWWers at some point...I promise :-)

Daisy update

Linby really loved the Daisy picture on previous blog but gave me another challenge....

Oh I love it. Now I have a little request which I don't know if you can accommodate? In the film "You've got mail" Meg Ryan says "Aren't daisies just the friendliest flowers". Now I have been meaning to x-s this myself for some years, could you add it in some way to this picture?? I would like to purchase.

As most of you will know I'm always up for a challenge and these are what I have come up with...




I have done 3 versions so Linby can choose which one she likes best and will leave it to her to attach them because I can't decide where they look best.








Straight or





On a slant?








I imagine we would all choose a different version and have our own ideas as to how it looks best.

A well spent Saturday...

Twiglet joined me for an afternoon of fun and laughter while our hubbies were at the football today. She sat crocheting and I sat dumfing. As you saw on Wednesday this week I had 4 new canvasses to cover with loveliness so today I took the advise of Linby and gave white daisies a go and have to say I am thrilled with the results. Hope you like it Linby :-) Do let me know what you think.

Sunshine award...

I have been given this lovely award from a very talented friend who designs the most wonderful knitted characters.

Helen

She has recently knit several amazing characters that have been featured on telly and I am so pleased to be able to call her my blogging friend.
This award as all awards comes with a few rules

• Pass it on to 6 bloggers
• Put a link to your nominees within your post
• Let your nominees know that you are passing this award along to them by leaving by leaving a comment on their blog

• Link to the blog of the person who nominated you for this award

This is not the easiest of tasks because I have made so many really dear friends through blogging that have each, in their own, way brought sunshine into my life but here are just six of them

1. Twiglet...who as you will all know by now is a real ray of sunshine always. She is always there when I need to laugh or cry and has the best listening ear anyone could wish for.
2. Paula..... who is awaiting fairly major surgery but still always leaves a little ray of sunshine on every blog she visits. She is a gem.
3. Julia...who is the snoop queen who has connected so many blogging friends and brought extra sunshine into so very many lives.
4. Fi...who instigated the 20 minutes of creating crafting every day and this has really given so many of us real pleasure.
5. Chrissie...who regularly makes the most gorgeous card that I am certain brings sunshine into very many lives...including mine.
6. Gez...who this week sent us the most lovely thank you gift that was totally unexpected and really special.

These are just a very few of the blogging friends who deserve this award and to the rest I would like to say a huge Thank You for bringing sunshine into my days.

Latest lavender picture....

I have been dumfing again in my spare time today and have finished my latest lavender picture so thought I would show and tell before uploading it in the shop [if it gets that far this time :-) ]. I had had so much interest in the last one and several requests have been made to make another similar one [no two are the same] so do let me know what you think. Lavender is one of my favourite flowers...it's a colour I love and it comes with really happy memories.
I have also had a go at a tree with blossom on it but it still needs more work yet and I need to get a different frame to mount it on so I might show and tell that one another day.
Right....I am now off over to the shop to upload some new goodies :-)

Hmmm I have a dilemma...

Now come on my blogging friends I need some help with my dilemma. I have just received a parcel through the post and thought I would show and tell. The parcel has come from Gez as a thank you for her winning the blog shop draw so it was a total surprise. I am really thrilled with all the contents. There is a really gorgeous card, a hand made cube note pad box and two sets of bars of Thornton's chocolate.
Now I can hear you all saying "so what's the dilemma Annie?". Well I did say there was 2 sets of chocolate bars didn't I. The parcel is to share with Twiglet. So? Do I tell her or not? hehehe I'm sure she really doesn't like chocolate especially Thornton's cos we all know just how awful that tastes don't we?
I really want to say a huge thank you to Gez for the really special gift and to reassure her that I will be telling Twiglet about it all because I've just realised she reads my blog :-)

WOYWW and a catch up...

I have been away from my computer since Sunday morning so am well overdue with catching up with my blogging friends. It will take me a while but I will get there I promise.

Sunday we left home for our latest adventure....a few days in London. We were to catch a bus for the first part of our journey. It was organised by the Wrexham/London rail because there was work going on on the tracks. We were lucky to have checked on line before leaving because the replacement bus was leaving an hour before our train was meant to and no one had let us know. We caught the bus but it failed to reach our intended train station before the train left so 2 extra trains and an extra £81 later we arrived in London just in time for the Comedy Store show. It really doesn't encourage you to use trains does it?

The Comedy store was brilliant, as always. The show is ad lib comedy performed by 6 comedians...Paul Merton, Josie Lawrence, Neil Mullarkey, Andy Smart, Neil Simpson and Richard Vranch. They are so clever and all make a wonderful team. If you get the chance then make sure you get yourself tickets. We laughed til we cried and by the time we left our faces and sides ached....a wonderful tonic :-)

Monday was spent with some retail therapy in the morning...new Ecco shoes for us both :-) We popped back to the hotel to wash and change and then on to watch Legally Blonde at the theatre in the evening. What a brilliant show that was. The music/voices were really powerful. A really enjoyable evening for us both.

We came home yesterday afternoon batteries recharged if but rather exhausted.


This morning I had to get myself back into the working mode 'cos I had a rail full waiting for me plus curtains to do so I've had Twiglet here to do the grovelling on the floor to do the pinning up for me....hence a rather late WOYWW for me.
This was how my rail looked first thing and I have since emptied and filled it again. :-)







My table has no clever stuff going on as yet but I now have 4 new blank canvasses on to do my dumfing pictures on so if any of you have ideas as to what to do next please leave them in the comments for me. I'm always open to ideas.







I now have a wonderful display area on one of my walls for my pictures and there is plenety of room for my new pictures.




It might take me a day or so to catch up with you all but I promise I will catch up with all my fellow WOYWWers...if not today then tomorrow.....or the day after :-)

Lavender...

For those of you who showed interest in the latest dumfed picture on my table yesterday I thought I would show you it finished. Memories of the lavender fields in France ....

Hope you like it. I will be uploading it in the shop soon.

Edit.......Sorry but I wont be uploading this picture in the shop....It's sold already :-) :-)
I just may have to make another lavender picture....watch this space.....

An unusual WOYWW for me :-) .....

This is another WOYWW and Julia will be proud of me this week. The queen of the snoop will no doubt be popping in at some point and will see another side of me....yes I'm doing a few new swings this week. If you would like to join in the fun then pop over to Julia's where we all link up.

This has been another pretty busy week for me and I have been piling up my mess so, as most of you out there think I am always tidy, I think you may need to sit down before going any further.

This is my 'to do' rail with 2 gents suits that need sleeves of the jackets and the trousers shortening. Yep....that's pretty boring for all you snoopers isn't it?










This is my table with a sneaky preview of my latest dumfed picture I am working on. [Do check out the link if you want to know what dumfing is :-)]. This picture was inspired by Paula so I bet she will be zooming in for a better look. The colours of the fabric might give a few clues as to what it will be when it's finished.






Now it is at this stage that those who think I am tidy and organised should take a deep breath and sit down. This is honesty and what you see is just how it is....until I tidy it ;-)

This is the alcove in the old fireplace where my blind hemmer sits on the work surface....yes, there really is a work surface under all that mess and a blind hemmer! I will be needing to use my blind hemmer later to hem up the 2 pair suit trousers so it will all have to be put away but thought you might like to see that I do get pretty messy here [but I have hidden it from you til now]. You can see my ribbon dispenser on the right in the alcove [this only holds a fraction of my ribbons though]. You can possibly see a few of my pairs of scissors hanging on hooks at the back...I have many many pairs of scissors and God help you if you use the wrong ones for cutting paper. [I'm sure Twiglet will second that :-) ].

Underneath is no tidier...these are the boxes I keep my fur fabric in....do you know anyone who needs a dog, cow or lamb outfit making because I probably have enough fur fabric to make one :-)
Oh and yes that is a baby box but no I don't have a baby [well I do but he is now 22 and doesn't need his nappy changing any more]. That box is full to the brim with wool rovings...in fact I nearly have to sit on it to shut it :-)

There you go. See I do have messy spaces. Bet you can all guess what I will do first today....yes I have now shamed myself into tidying up. Hope you all have a fun day. I will catch up with you later.

Mayhem, Paper flowers and snowdrops...

Thought I'd better do a bit of catching up with my blog. Sunday we went for a walk to look at what is causing the chaos on our road. Our village is having major works done to it's bridge that will take about 15 weeks to complete! As we only live about 50 yards from the bridge you can imagine the traffic problems caused. Between us and the bridge is the post office, the chip shop and the butchers and as you will have seen from previous blogs we live opposite the church. You can imagine the traffic that therefore need to use this piece of road. I have told all my customers to use our drive but getting there isn't easy when they have to fight their way through queues of traffic waiting at the traffic lights. Mayhem!

This is a couple of photos of the temporary bridge they dropped
into place on Sunday with all the mud and mess involved.







Fun day Monday was spent making some of Paula's gorgeous paper flowers. These are the onse she made me the gorgeous little kit to make so I made templates for Twiglet and our other friend who joins us for fun.



We found some pretty papers and set to.










Drawing round templates and cutting them out.









Getting all inked up!

Hey presto....not bad eh?

These are mine [blue is the colour] and......






....these are Twiglet's. Not bad for a first attempt are they?






I thought I would also add this lovely picture taken of the snowdrops in the churchyard opposite our house. Aren't they just gorgeous? Enjoy.