WOYWW.....

Whoops is it Wednesday?  My oh my I'm not gonna miss out on my usual fun even if all is chaos here today   :-)

I will now go and snap what is on my desk today....

 Oh exciting times ahead....My darling hubby has treated me to a set to do lino cutting and printing with so that's what's sitting on my desk waiting for play time.

• Will I be using it today?..........Nope

• Why not?.......cos I am baking, laying special tables and preparing the house for all my wonderful family to come this afternoon for our family festive get together.

• Will I be able to do my rounds of all your blogs today?.....Probably not but I will do my best to catch up with you all very soon.

I just have to say I really hope you are all having a wonderful festive time....I know I am  :-)
I will be back soon.

Love and hugs,
Annie x

A Christmassy Friday's post...

As this is the last Friday's post before Christmas I thought I would share the pics that have made me smile for Christmas.....

 Amy's three have donned their Christmas hats to say a happy Christmas to one and all.

Here are the twins wearing their Christmas jumpers to wish you all a very happy Christmas.

....and finally this gorgeous little puppy is the latest addition for Shell and Brent.  She is a little black Labradoodle and her name is Roxy....I can hear you all....awwwwwwwwwwwww.  She has obviously decided she has come to the best of homes 'cos she has settled in brilliantly.  Toilet training is going really well and the twins love her.

I hope you have enjoyed my happy Friday posts and they have brought a little happiness into your world.

I would now just like to wish you all a very Happy Christmas and hope that 2013 brings you all good health so you can enjoy the year ahead.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW....

Here we are at the last Wednesday before the big day!!!  If you're not ready now then don't worry cos it will come and go without all the stress.  My last bit of crafting is on my desk to share with you today...

You will all have seen the little hand dumfed reindeer that I made last week.  As soon as I had made him Shell said she would love him to hang on her tree but I felt he was too big to go on a tree so I put Rudolph over in the blog shop, where he sold the same day and he is now happy in his new home down in Cornwall.  Of course I wouldn't let Shell down so I set to and made her a smaller version with a hanging loop :-)  ....cute or what?

Each year I try to make a new little something for each of my little Grandchildren to hang on their trees and this year I thought I'd make reindeer.  I made a paper pattern that I stitched round on the machine,  I cut these out and stuffed them and added antlers and a hanging loop.  A little heart shaped nose and a couple of beads for eyes and hey presto.  :-)

Easy peasy.

Now that just leaves me to wish each and every one of you a wonderful Christmas and to thank you for another wonderful year of love and support through the good times....and bad.  Let's hope 2013 comes with good health and much happiness for you all.

Hugs,

Annie x

Meet Ellie...

I have been having such fun making new feltie characters and thought you just might like to meet the one I have made during my Funday Monday with Jo.

This is Ellie.  I have been using some of that gorgeous new wool rovings that I bought a few weeks back from Sara at Crafts of Texture.  If you are a dumfer like me you really should try out Sara's wool rovings cos they felt up so beautifully.  I have really enjoyed making all of my latest little characters with it......of course I did have to spend some time stroking it first cos they were such yummy colours.  This does of course mean I just may be tempted to buy some more now....I popped over to her site earlier and I see she has lots more gorgeous new colours over there.

I have put Ellie on the feltie shelf over in our blog shop and she has been making friends with Huffle the baby dragon.  Please email me if you wanted to offer her a good home.

Hugs,

Annie x

My second Christmas angel has arrived....

I got home from shopping yesterday afternoon to find something very special waiting for me in my post box.  I had joined in the angel swap that Jo from Jozart had organised.  I swapped the first angel with Jo and the second one was kept a secret.  I have been waiting patiently not knowing where she was coming from and had really hoped she hadn't got lost in the post but yesterday my secret angel arrived.....it was well worth the wait too cos she had flown all the way from Slovenia  :-)  She is called Michaela and was made for me by Dolores [aka Cardarian].

Here she is with the gorgeous card Dolores has made too.  Thank you so much....I love her and she is even more special cos she is from a blogging friend from over the seas....Isn't this WOYWW group just wonderful?

Thanks must go to Julia for organising the group, to Jo for organising the swap and of course to Dolores for all the work she put in to making my angel so special.

Hugs,

Annie xxxx

Friday's smiles....

I have found a few snaps that have made me smile this week that I hope you will all enjoy.  I love how my little Grandchildren all look after each other.....

Phoebe is holding Louise's hand to keep her feeling safe while they go through the car wash!

The twins often hold hands but what you can't see here is that Lexi was really just trying to get hold of her brother's glove to give it a twang!!

They have their gloves on a piece of elastic through their coat sleeves so they don't lose them.

Some of you will remember Shell and Brent having two very tiny bundles in their stockings last year.......

....well, this year the twins have stockings of their own of course and think it is such fun to have their pic taken this now!!!  That is of course when they would sit still long enough.  :-)

I hope my snaps have made you smile today and you all have a wonderful weekend.

Hugs,

Annie x

My love of Puppets...

Many years ago I was commissioned to make a set of 6 puppets for use with a puppet theatre....I ended up making 6 sets of these!....and that's when it started.....my love of puppets.  :-)

Since then I have designed many and over the years have made...

• Mr Oakley the farmer
• Mrs Oakley the farmer's wife
• Cassy the cow [1 available]
• Clive the clever clown
• Dotty the dog [1 available]
• Ellie the elephant
• Feed back Freddy the parrot
• Fire chief Charlie....used at the fire station for when children are involved
• Frog and toad
• Hatty the hen [2 available]
• Iggy the instruction iguana [2 available]....got to be my favourite.
• McPuppet....special design that travelled up to Scotland.
• Percy pig
• Polly parrot
• Reggie reindeer [1 available]
• Ruby rat
• Sherbet the sheep [1 available]

Many of these were designed for use as teaching aids.....I made many for Jo when she was a deputy head in a school up in Yorkshire and have made many for Michelle and Gina to use in their schools....and the children just love them of course.  The children respond so well to a 'talking' character and it is often possible to get the message across so much easier whilst using a puppet.  As you can see from the list there are a few in stock so if anyone fancies buying one in time for Christmas please email me.  I am happy to take special orders and will do my best but can't guarantee being able to make them in time for Christmas.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW...

Another week has gone and we creep even closer to Christmas....Most of my cards are now made, written and sent  :-)  It's been a busy week of festivities too. 

15 of us went on the Llangollen Santa train on Saturday.  

You should be able to click on the pics for a closer look if you'd like to......happy memories were made :-)

I have also been busy sewing and crafting this week.

These are 3 of the 5 little mice I made this week that are already on their way to a new home in Belgium as I type.  :-)

Some of you gave me inspiration last week for a new feltie but I bet you have 'no eye deer' what this is  :-) :-) :-)

Of course you just knew it was a little reindeer didn't you?  Here he is finished and he is now sitting on the feltie shelf over in the shop waiting for a new home for Christmas.

The last pic I have to share with your today is of Rocky and Wispa with their new hair cuts....yes of course their cushions have now been put by the radiator cos since they had their trims the weather has turned very cold here....it was -3 here this morning and guess what?

....our central heating boiler started throwing out black smoke Monday afternoon so the heating had to go off til it's fixed!!! Brrrrrrr

Well folks that's all from me for today.  Hope you have enjoyed your visit and are all well and happy and looking forward to Christmas now.  If you leave me a comment I will pop over to say hello in between my sewing jobs.  Have a great week.

Hugs,

Annie x

5 little pixies [and 2 bit bigger ones!]...

Wednesday night most of you will know I had my 5 little pixies round with their mummies [and one of their daddies too] to decorate our Christmas tree so I have made a collage of the pics I snapped to make you smile today.....magical memories in the making eh?

You can click on the pics to have a closer look if you'd like to and you can add these titles where you think they fit best...  :-)

• 5 little pixies all together....very briefly!
• No I won't got on the top mum!
• Even a little elf needs his milk at bedtime!
• A little reindeer gets a bit of tinsel!
• My two little pixies....when did they grow up and become so beautiful?
• The biggest pixie can reach the highest up the tree!
• We painted these today to go on your tree Nanny Annie.
• Can you put this on the tree please Aunty Amy...I can't quite reach!
• That looks pretty Mum.

I do so love my family times...I'm such a proud mum and nanny.

..... [but I guess that is pretty obvious :-) ]

Really hope you have enjoyed sharing my snaps today and you have a wonderful weekend.

Hugs,

Annie xxxx

Huffle is finished....

You may have seen my latest little feltie character in the making on yesterday's post and wondered what would develop.  

Well here he is.....

 

Meet Huffle the latest baby dragon to be put on the Feltie shelf over in the blog shop.  He was made with some really yummy sunshiny random wool rovings so this has given him a cheery little character.  I'm sure he will brighten up the day of who ever decides to adopt him but for now he is sat with his new friends Monty mouse and Charlotte over on the shelf.  If you would like to offer any of my felties good, loving, caring homes please email me.  :-) [They each come boxed and with their own adoption certificate.]

Now for those that thought he just might have been a certain reindeer with a red nose....that has given me ideas....after all I did see a couple of those last night and they just might pop up to say hello to you all in my Friday's post for this week.  :-)

WOYWW....

Happy Wednesday to you all.  It's been another fun filled week over here at Sewing by Annie's. 

First and foremost I must say a huge thank you to all of you lovely people out there that popped over to our new Facebook shop and 'liking' us.  It seems there are lots of you out there that really do like us.  :-)  We now have 50 likes on the site and a lot of interest in the things we make.  For any that couldn't make it last week but would like to support us then it's not too late to pop over to 'like' us too.  As they say the more the merrier....

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sisters-Crafty-Creations/111840862314900

I have been busy hand dumfing this week and if you check out Monday's post you will see that Pufflette the baby dragon had hardly got comfy on the shelf over in out blog shop when he was offered a new home.  He headed off towards Manchester yesterday so I'm sure he will be landing there soon.

So.....on my desk today is.....

Monty Mouse sporting his new knitted scarf.  He is now waiting in the blog shop for a new home so if anyone is interested just email me to let me know.

My next little character in the making using some of that fab new wool rovings I showed you last week.

Can you tell what it is yet?....... Will reveal all when finished so be sure to pop back.

My table it covered with mousey bits and bobs.  I sold the last of my little Christmas mice at the weekend so Funday Monday was spent preparing more mouse parts ready for putting together.

As you can see I'm keeping busy and managing to stay out of mischief.  I had a fun day with the twins yesterday so today will be spent catching up with my sewing and I will pop over to see what you've all been up to in between jobs.  I have all 5 of the Grandchildren coming with their mummies to play Christmas elves and decorate our Christmas tree tonight so the fun never ends here.  

Hope you're having a great week too.

Hugs,

Annie x

Pufflette needs a home....

I have been busy dumfing whilst watching telly in the evenings over the weekend and thought you might like to see the latest feltie that has gone into the blog shop this morning....

I made him from some of my new wool rovings that I bought from Sara last week.  This was the blended merino wool rovings called Summer fruits.  It was so lovely to work with and is such a yummy colour.  If you would like to give Pufflette a home [and of course he can only go to the best of homes] then please pop over to the shop to check out details and email me so I can mark him up as sold  :-).

Jo will be down later for our Funday Monday and I think we will be making a few more little Christmas mice as I sold the last of them over the weekend.  

Hope you have a great day......I know we will  :-)

Hugs,

Annie x

Friday's smiles...

I have a few snaps to make you smile today.....

The first one is of the twins sat studying a Christmas catalogue to choose what they want Father Christmas to bring them.  :-)

I wonder what goes through their minds?

The second one is of Amy's three in their Christmas jumpers.  :-)  We are all off on the Santa's train ride at the weekend and all 5 of the Grandchildren have new Christmas jumpers for the event.  :-)  

There will be 15 of us going including a new little family member [a new baby cousin for Amy's three].....welcome to the family little Harry...he arrived safely 4 1/2 weeks early [was due Christmas day!] and weighed in at 5lb 13 oz.  Mum and baby went home from hospital the day after he was born and both are doing well thankfully.

Penny asked me to get Lexi to model the little hat I knit for her so she could see how it fitted and of course Lexi is more than willing to oblige.  She loves her new hat...it fits to perfection and is really warm and cosy as you can see.

The last pic I want to share with you today is one of the gorgeous angel Jo sent me in her angel swap.  Her name is Mical and she is the angel of miracles so is quite appropriate for some of the days I've had here lately.  I love her to bits Jo and want to thank you for choosing this one for me.


I hope my snaps have raised a smile today and you all have a great weekend.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW...

Phew it's Wednesday again!....where do the other days in between go?

My weeks seem to fly by and every one seems to be pretty manic.  This week I have...

• Had a table at Marton Craft Fair on Saturday with much older sister Jo and her daughter Maxine [pics below].
• Been treated to tea out and a night at the theatre in Shrewsbury on Sunday by that much older sister of mine.  We went to see Greg Davies...very funny.  Thanks Jo.
• Had a FUNDAY Monday with just Jo this week....we talked over ways to sell our hand made crafts and made a display of them in my sewing room for my customers to see.

• I opened up a Facebook page for our shop to try to advertise it more....if you would like to check it out and maybe 'like' it for us I would be really grateful.  I'm pretty new to it all but it does say we need 30 likes before we can move on to the next step [I think!  :-) ]   Click on this link.  Sorry if this is advertising Julia....we just want to be 'liked'.  :-)
• I had a munchkin day with my gorgeous twin Grandchildren yesterday....much a fun time was had by all... so today I will be playing catch up with my sewing jobs.

So what is on my desk today I hear you shout....

My latest batch of quick Christmas cards I have made.....yes just a bit of simple paper craft ones this time.

And my latest parcel of gorgeous new wool rovings I have bought from Sara.  What yummy colours they are too....have a feeling I will need to stroke these a while before I will be using them  :-)

That's about it from me for today.  I will do my best to call by to visit all who leave me comments in between my sewing jobs.  Thanks for calling by and I really hope you all have a great week.
Hugs,
Annie x

Thanks to blogging friends...

I just wanted to quickly post a couple of photos to thank two blogging friends for their patterns.

Karen posted a pattern for a cute little bear and I promised I would show and tell if I made one so here she is...

The pattern was easy to use and made up beautifully.  With a bit of stuffing and finishing off here she is...

She came to the craft fair with us on Saturday, sat proudly on the middle of the table and was chosen by little Lexi to take home with her.  :-)

The other pattern I was given from a blogging friend was of a hat for Lexi that Penny sent me.  I knit it up in some gorgeous pink chunky wool [it's actually better than it looks in the photos] and am really pleased with the finished hat but have yet to get Lexi to model it for me [that is presuming it actually fits her  :-)  ].  The pattern had little buttons down the overlapped seam but I rather liked these little crocheted flowers.

Thanks so much girls for sharing your patterns.  I've had a lot of fun making them.

Hugs,

Annie x

Craft fair at Marton...

Several of you asked to see our table full of goodies that we set up at Marton Village hall yesterday.  I would like to say thank you to Felicity for organising the event.

• The venue was perfect...its a new village hall.
• Our table was in a corner spot with tables at the back of us that we could also display on so that was perfect too.
• The room was filled with beautiful crafts.... everything from oil paintings and home made cakes to jewellery and fabric crafts [ours].
• There was a well run cafe area with drinks and refreshments of all sorts.

This was our table...

To the left.

To the right.

And here are the three of us waiting for the sale to start.  :-) 

.......from left to right are Jo, me [note the WOYWW badge] and Maxine [Jo's daughter]

Sadly we barely made enough to pay for the table  :-)  There were several other craft fairs on in the area on the same day and the weather was awful so footfall was sparse most of the day.  We did however have a lovely time meeting other crafters, chatting, drinking coffee, eating buns and giggling and most of my family came along to support us [thank you all] so all in all of course it was worth the effort but it would have been nice to have sold rather more.

Friday's smiles....or What they get up to when your back is turned!

As the title suggests this week I'm sharing a bit of mischief with you to make you smile.

Amy popped out of the room for a few minutes and came back to her three having a picnic!  The three of them had got bowls out and helped themselves to dry breakfast cereals....don't they look to be having a great time?  :-)

Think it's called independence!

This pic was labelled...

"anyone would think I don't feed them!"

This one goes to show you can't leave twins with a box of tissues when you leave the room for a moment!

I bet it was like a magic trick...you pull one out and another one appears!

It came via a text with the label....

"It wasn't me honest!"

I hope my pics have made you smile today.




Don't forget that Jo and I have a table at a craft fair tomorrow so if you're in the area why not call in and say hello......

Marton Village Hall Craft Fair

Saturday 24th November

10am - 4 pm

(About 18 miles from Shrewsbury on the B4386).

We would love to see you.  Have a great weekend.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW....

Hello to all my Wednesday visitors.  As always it's been another hectic week over here at Sewing by Annie's.

Jo and I were joined by another new crafty friend on Monday afternoon and the three of us enjoyed creative fun, giggles and most of all friendship.  They say most folk can count good friends on the fingers of one hand...well I know I am truly blessed cos I just don't have enough fingers for all mine.  :-)

Yesterday was my day with the munchkins so it was another day of fun and giggles for me.  They are both growing up so quickly and I am loving every minute of watching them develop....for those who like to see them you will enjoy my Friday pics this week....they are up to mischief and were caught in the act!

So for those calling by to see what I've been creating this week here are a few pics....

My table started off like this this week with lots and lots of chosen wool rovings on it and the start of a week of hand dumfing....yes teddies this week.  I buy my rovings from Sara and am now waiting for my next order.  My biggest job was to decide which colours to get next cos she has such a lovely selection.  Do pop over to browse if you're looking to buy rovings.

By the end of my week I had completed a large order of requested felted bears....Aren't they just gorgeous?  Each one takes on it's own little character and I've had such fun making them all.

I was also challenged to dumf a cock and this is the little character I came up with....What do you think?

I was also commissioned to make a special dolly for one of my friend's little Granddaughter.  She had to have curly blond hair and a dress designed to match the little girl's.  I can now share this pic of her with you cos she has arrived safely through the post and I'm thrilled to say she loves her as much as I did.

The other thing I thought I'd share with you today is a shoe box I was given by one of my newest customers.  She said she had been clearing out and could I use any of the contents.  It was like Christmas come early for me.....there are buttons, bias tapes, velcro, safety pins, elbow patches, iron on hemming tape, etc etc  As you can imagine it will all get used here in due course so this was a real gift to me.

Well folks, that's all from me for now.  Don't forget to pop by on Friday to see what children get up to when your back is turned!

If you leave me a comment I will do my best to call by at yours to see what you've been up to this week.

Hugs,

Annie x

Friday's smile...

Each Friday I do my best to find you a snap or two of what has made me smile each week and this week I have several photos to share....

The new suction dishes have arrived and work a treat.  As you can see the twins love them too.  :-)

My smiley boy, Steve, has learned to play peek a boo using a towel and is having real fun here.

Phoebe has brought home the school mascot for the week.....meet Rory the rabbit.

Rory is helping her make bread here.  :-)
...and it looks like they are both having lots of fun.

Lulu is making bread too but mummy thought there might have been more flour on the floor than in the bread dough.  :-)

And last but by no means least...It's a Granddad's job to make the new jigsaws first to make sure all the pieces are present [that was his excuse anyway  :-) ].

He certainly got pretty excited when he finished one and made me smile  :-)

Hope you have enjoyed my happy pics this week and all have a wonderful weekend.
Hugs,
Annie x