WOYWW....

Hi folks.  Here we are again meeting up with all our wonderful creative friends all round the world by linking up with Julia over and the Stamping Ground.....please pop over there to find out more and to join in the fun.

It's been another week of twiddling my thumbs waiting for news with the house move [and still none as yet!] so I have been using my time well by using some of the gifted fabric to make more items to sell for charity.   On my desk today is what I've been creating....

I loved making the last set of Japanese folded squares so much that I dipped in the bag, found two more fabrics I liked and made another set.

Next six mug rugs I made using crazy patchwork and embellished each one with machine embroidery....lovely sunny colours eh?

 I loved the bright sunny colours of the fabric I used for the last set of mug rugs so I searched Pinterest for some pocket tissue holders to use with a little of it.  I loved this design but alas the pattern to make them was no longer available so I set to with a piece of paper and worked out how it went together.....It's a very simple design and makes up quickly if anyone is interested.

So of course I........

.....chose some more fabrics and made 6 more, became hooked on making them and......

....I chose yet more fabric and made 9 more.  :-)

I've run out of tissue packets now so I'm looking to make other items to put together in my charity box....any good ideas are always welcome.  I have lots of fabric to play with.

So there you go.  That's what I've been making this week.  Thanks for popping by.  Please leave me a little hello in the comments and I will do my best to return the visit. 

 I just might get a little busy this week though as my son gets married on Monday....wahooo it's getting close now.

Hugs,

Annie x

This week's smiles...week 79

There were only a few of you joining in last week so a big thank you to those who made the effort...we all have such busy lives.

This week I'm featuring Sam's funny.....I've been loitering outside all the travel agents I could find but as yet I've not got lucky :-)  Thanks for the giggle Sam...trust me when I say I have needed it this week.  

It appears that how ever hard we have worked to get a moving date it's just not going to happen this side our son's wedding on the 4th August as we hoped.  We are only in a chain of 3 and we are the only ones ready as yet :-(  Even though extra money has been paid by both the others in the chain to fast track all the documents needed they still haven't got all required.....God knows how long these professionals would take normally!  It's all becoming one big joke and there are a lot of people being kept waiting.

So as you can imagine it's not been so easy to feel like smiling but trust me when I say I have a family in a million and many really good friends who have worked hard to lift the spirits for us.  I have pics to share with you that I'm certain will have you smiling too.

Amy has been making the best of the wonderful weather in their garden with her three.  She laid some of their used banners on the grass and let her three loose with paints....

Oh what fun Phoebe is having....I sort of wish I could have joined in.  :-)

Lulu looks like she's paint surfing.  :-)

I'm sure all the best artists started like this Steve.  :-)

A bowl of warm soapy water and a quick hose off in the garden and ta da three clean, happy munchkins....ready for the next adventure  :-)

And this is a picture is what every little girl does at some time in their life.....playing in her high heels in just her pants!!!  Lexi never fails to make me smile.  She is such a little character.  :-)


So folks....that's just a few of the things that has raised my spirits this week.  How about you?  Please share your smiles with us by linking them below and I will call by to say hello.
Hugs,
Annie x

WOYWW...

Hi all.....It's a quick show and tell from me today.  There has been lots more packing, cleaning and boxing up plus we took load 31 to the tip at the weekend!!!....but we still don't have a moving date!!!

There has also been lots of preparation for a very special day on 4th August too cos that's the day my baby gets married [he's 26 and drop dead gorgeous but will always be my baby ]   :-)....and yes we are still hoping to get moved before the big day!!...please keep everything crossed for us.

So what's on my desk today?.....

This is the latest set of 6 mug rugs I've made with the bags of gifted fabrics....I'm really enjoying my creative times learning new skills...this is called a Japanese Folded square and doesn't it make the perfect mug rugs?....there will be more of these made...just watch this space.

Well that's it from me for this week....Short and sweet just like Julia requests :-)

Leave me a little hello comment and I will do my best to pay you a return visit....I couldn't leave comments on several blogs last week....I think blogger was playing up so if you didn't get a comment please don't think I didn't visit.

Hugs,

Annie x

This week's smiles.....week 78

Hello all. The weeks seem to fly by so quickly and every day seems full of smiles for me so life is good when your cup is kept half full :-)  It could be easy to focus on the annoying moments cos of course I have many of those but I flatly refuse to let them get the better of me.

My featured blog for this week just had to be Jo's gorgeous pics of the lavender that made me go out into the garden and snap mine to use as my new header pic....don't you just love it?  Thanks Jo for the inspiration.

I have been allowing myself to plan and get excited about my new sewing room for when we manage to get this moving date and that's where I have found my smiles for this week....Pinterest! :-)

I will def need one of these won't I?

What a brilliant idea for using up some of that wool stash. :-)

Who is he?  Well you know I've got this fab new Bernina sewing machine....wonder if he'd be interested? :-)

Here he is again....the new work surfaces are def worth reinforcing aren't they?  :-)

That's it .....now I know he is just pure fantasy!!! :-)

I hope you have enjoyed my few chuckles for today and will link your smiles up below.

Please note...I only do my smiles on a Friday so you know when I will be here.  Feel free to link yours any time in the week.  It's just for a bit of fun so please don't feel you have to rush to get them here on a Friday....we need smiles all the time :-)

WOYWW...

Happy Wednesday to one and all and thanks for calling by again this week.  It's so lovely to be part of this wonderful group that meet up every Wednesday to snoop at the creative spaces all round the world.  If you still don't know what I'm talking about then please pop over to Julia's at the Stamping Ground to find out more.

Firstly I hope you like my latest header to my blog....it must be a really good year for the lavender because ours is just stunning at the mo and I couldn't resist updating my blog with a pic of it to share it with you.

So what is on my desk this week?

I decided to delve into the wonderful gifted bags of fabric that I shared with you over the last couple of weeks and make a start to use some of it.  These were the results of a day's playing...

I hope you like the look of my first set of 6 mug rugs [coasters] and the holder I made for them to go in.  I will be putting these together with other items to raise money for charity at some point and had lots of fun making them.

That's it from me for today.  Life here is pretty hectic...

• we took car  load 30 to the tip at the weekend [much more and there will be nothing left to move :-) ]
• we took more boxes of unwanted stash to the charity shop
• we are off to the solicitors this afternoon so will hopefully know more as to when we will get a moving date soon.
• we are still packing boxes ....it will soon be ready to be loaded into the van :-)
• ......the list goes on and on

So thanks again for calling by.  Please leave me a little hello comment and I will do my best to return your visit to see what you've been up to this week.

Hugs,

Annie x

This week's smiles....week 77

It's been another week of smiles here at Sewing by Annie's.  Thank you to all that joined in the fun last week....we all have so much to smile about and it's so lovely to share our happy times.

This week I am featuring Kate's super post.  Each week Kate find so much to share that never fails to make me smile and it was the way she described teaching her dogs to use their new dog flap that got me chuckling...I could just imagine them lining up for their lessons and each dog training the others.  Thanks Kate for sharing it with us.

This last week has been full of happy times for me so I'm starting off with a list and then sharing a few snaps.

Here's my list of smiles...

• We have now signed all the documents for our house sale [ again!!] and are ready to move...it's just playing the waiting game now for the others in the chain [again!!]
• We had a wonderful afternoon of family fun together at Amy's new house on Saturday [they have 5 acres of grounds around the house]
• Being given a second bag of fabric, even bigger than the first [pic of some it can be seen in last post] and sharing the excitement of it with friends on Monday
• Being treated to cinema tickets by Shell...we went to see Mrs Brown's Boys D'Movie...such a funny film....thanks Shell x

....my list goes on and on....it's been a great week full of smiles.

Our 5 little grandchildren all enjoying the freedom of the safe space to play at Amy and Dave's new house....childhood should be full of days like those.

Little Steve likes to help his Granddad doing any DIY that needs doing so he was really at home here helping his mummy put together a new Ikea cupboard :-)

The twins can often be seen hand in hand during a day and the first pic of them heading down the beach together made me smile.
The second pic is of Sam taking a quick 10 min power nap during the day and I asked if Lexi was also asleep cos she doesn't usually have a nap in the day now. The reply I got back was..."no, she was cuddling Sam, 'keeping her brother safe' while he had his nap".  Don't you just love them?


I hope you've enjoyed my smiles for this week and will share yours by linking them up below.
Hugs,
Annie x

WOYWW....

Hello folks. Another chaotic week here at sewing by Annie's.....nothing new there :-)  I had two fun days with my little twinnie munchkins last Wednesday and Thursday so I played catch up big time with my sewing on Friday.  I even did two bridesmaid fittings on Sunday and before the end of Sunday I'd shortened the two dresses and took the one in on the boned bodice!

Monday was a wonderful fun day with Jo and two other friends joined us for crafty fun in the morning.  The customer that sold me his wife's sewing machine and gave me a bin bag full of fabric last week brought me an even bigger bag full of amazing fabrics this week!  I tipped it all out on my table during our Monday morning's fun and the 4 of us did lots of oooing and awwing over it all.  We have decided that once we get moved we will have creative days together sewing items using the fabric and then donate our makes to our local hospice to raise funds :-).....sounds like a win win situation to me....fun, friendship and laughter will be had by all and the fabric will be used for the good of others :-)

Here's a glance at some of the fabric stash that will be put to good use....I was totally blown away by it all.

This is the state of my to do rail waiting for me today...shirts galore to alter, dresses to alter, trousers to shorten.....oh and I've got 4 zipped cushion covers to make, a top to shorten,.......the list goes on and on!!!! Yep I'm busy :-)

This is the last ATC I've received....thanks Kay I love it and the feathers [I'm guessing these were from the bird in the pic on the card but I hope you didn't pluck it :-) ].

And that's it from me for this week.  I shall be ploughing my way through my sewing mountain today but if you leave me a little hello comment I will do my best to pay you a return visit to see what you've been up to this week.

Hugs,

Annie x

This week's smiles.....week 76

Another week has flown past and it's been one full to the brim with things to smile about....some of which can be seen in the last post.  I count my blessings every day.

Many joined in again last week by linking up their smiles and I thank each and every one of you for taking the time out of your busy lives to share with us.  This week I am featuring two newcomers on our smiley link up...

1. Robyn over in Australia with her racy advert for a Peep magazine back 64 years ago :-) and
2. Eliza's post over in Australia with her stunning skies.

Welcome to you both from the other side of the world girls.  Thanks for joining in the fun and please come back again.

Now for my smiles this week, by popular demand, I am sharing some pics of the twinnies that have made me smile this week....

The first pic is one of a set of professional pics Shell had taken as a gift from her sister for her 3th Birthday....isn't it just stunning?

This one really makes me smile...they really do love each other this much....

........most of the time :-)

And don't you just love black and white photos?

I think this one says it all....Not sure whether the photo session was too long or whether Lexi was just showing the photographer just how she could do a moody pose for her.  I love it and it always makes me chuckle.

This is one of the latest artworks from Lexi.....it's a duck [of course!]

Sam has always been the artist up til now but this one shows Lexi has hidden talents doesn' it?....not bad for a 2 year old :-)

And this last photo is to make Shell smile...or not as the case may be :-)

My darling hubby and I went to the Shrewsbury Food Festival on Saturday to have a break from clearing out and boxing up getting ready for our move and as well as food stalls there was a lot of very talented creative stands there too.  This one had all sorts of wooden creations on from toadstool and wooden flowers to tables and chairs but what we saw on this table really made me squirm.

It was huge and far too realistic for my liking.  Shell is like me and has a real phobia for spiders but I just couldn't resist taking this pic to share with her.  :-)

So there you go....I really do have lots that has made me smile this week.  How about you?  Please join in the fun by linking up below.

WOYWW....

Here we are at another 'best day of the week' for me.  Wednesday gives us all the chance to catch up with our creative friends in all corners of the world by linking up with them at the Stamping Ground with Julia.   If you don't know what I'm talking about then I really don't know where you have been for the past 5 years but please click on the link and pop over to check us out.

This week has been another hectic on for me and I've lots to show you...

Firstly I must show you an ATC that has arrived this week...It was a little late arriving but it was well worth the wait...Thank you so much Rachel I love it and the little card it came with. x

I met a new customer this last week who needed 5 pair of trousers shortening.  When he arrived he explained he had lost his wife recently.  She had been a big sewer and he had lots of material to find homes for...'Was I interested'?

Of course I was interested!!!  and when he came to collect his trousers this is what he arrived with.  I truly felt Christmas had come early.  I promised it would all be put to good use and he said when I have finished with this bag full there was lots more I could have....of course it will be shared with that much older sister of mine and Monday was spent oooing and awwwing over it all.

In the bag was this piece of fabric and the moment I saw it I just knew what needed to be done with it.  Shell had mentioned she was needing some fabric to make curtains for the twin's Wendy house windows with.

Of course this was the perfect fabric and not only the perfect colour/pattern but it was as if it had arrived just to do this job with cos there was exactly the right amount to make the 4 pair of little curtains but enough to make a matching tablecloth with.....he works in mysterious ways!

In the bottom of the bag were these little treasures too....I love little wooden cotton reels and can almost sense the history that came with them when I hold them.

This picture shows you more of my week...

• the now completed 2 pair of curtains and curtain tie backs
• The rail full of wedding/bridesmaids dresses....8 dresses now completed and the last two are being fitted this Sunday.

......and if you look closely in the bottom right of the picture you will see the other real treasure the new customer brought me this week...

It's a brand new sewing machine that he bought his wife just before she died.  He brought it for me to try to see if I'm interested in buying it.....It is a top of the range Bernina and comes with lots of extras too.

I've had a play with it here as you can see.  It sews like a dream.

Do I want to buy it?

Do you need to ask?

It's far too good a machine to miss up on the opportunity so yes it will be my new 'toy' and I will be setting it up in the sewing room at our new home when we get there.

So there you go...has it been a good week here?.....You bet it has.  

Do I have news on the move?....No not yet.  We are still playing the waiting game.

Will I be over to yours to say hello?...Not til later today as I have swapped my usual twinnie days and will have my little visitors here today and tomorrow [and they no longer have a day time nap so they will be full days] and I will also have that big sister of mine here for two days to help out so I can keep my shop open for dropping off and collecting sewing....will be playing catch up again with it all on Friday this week!  :-)

Thanks for calling by.

Hugs,

Annie x