This week's smiles...week 121

Hello all.  What a wonderful week it's been.  

A lot of you will know what I mean by WOYWW and for those that don't you can find out all about it here at Julia's blog.  This week we all celebrated 6 years of blogging our creative spaces and linking up to folk from all over the world.  Thanks to Julia many Wednesdays of linking up our work desks with others has found many friendships being made....some meeting up in real life and others just enjoying the love and support our blogging friends give us in good times and bad from all corners of the world.  Each year we make ATCs [artist trading cards] to celebrate and swap them with our friends so each day this week my postman has brought me envelopes full of love.....every one of them making me smile.  I plan to snap pics of all I've been sent and will do a show and tell of them on Wednesday so please pop back then to see them.

Thanks to all who joined in our fun here last week again.  We all have so much to be thankful for and sharing our smiles makes the world a happier place doesn't it?  This week I'm featuring Elizabeth's post from last week.  The gorgeous flowers made me smile and her joke of the week really made me chuckle....thanks for sharing it Elizabeth.

This week has been half term holiday so I've not had Nanny school run duties [of course I have still seen them and enjoyed their company :-) ] so my smiles this week are a little different...

I've been playing with some of my favourite fabrics doing a bit more crazy patchwork....these only come out and get used for my special friends :-)

I really love the colours I've been working on here.

This is the next combination of colours I'm going to use for the next piece.  

I love sewing in my favourite colours.  How about you?  What are your favourites and do you tend to work with the colours you love or do you find it easy to work with other colours too?

This is another little project I've been working on.  Our garden bench and the two chairs linked with a table in the middle were in need of a lick of stain and thanks to Sam [Hettie] giving us the heads up on the colour she did hers with I have now done the bench.....still needs another coat and haven't started on the other yet.

Isn't it fab.....it makes me smile every time I look at it and will really make our new back garden look lovely when they are both finished.

The other pic I'm sharing with you this week is this one of a flock of starlings on our front lawn.  I'm not sure you will be able to see but the majority of the birds are babies and the adults had brought them down to feed on the ?ants in the lawn.

It was something like the film 'The Birds' at the time but to see so many weaning fledglings at once really made us smile.

There you go.  That's it from me for today.  I hope you have enjoyed my smiles and will link yours up below.

Hugs,

Annie

WOYWW....6th Anniversary celebrations

Happy 6th anniversary to you all.  What a wonderful 6 years it's been.  So many friendships have been made and so much fun has been had by all....and it's all down to a brilliant idea our wonderful Queen of snoop, Julia had all those years ago.

I know you don't like thanks Julia but today is one day we can all send you our love and thank you for keeping us all together.

So just a quick snap of my desk today...

It's the first bridesmaid's dress of the year for me....isn't it a lovely colour?

The other pic is of a fun time I had at Jo's [that much older sister of mine :-) ] yesterday.  We are sorting out our ATCs and putting them ready for the post today.  I have just a couple of left now so if you'd like to swap with me then please email me with your details today.

I made one special one for my pay it forward WOYWWer that will also be posted today....I wanted to make sure that if you are also someone who is swapping with me that you get two different ones :-)

So folks,  Please leave me a little hello message to let me know you've called in and I will pop over to yours as soon as I'm able.

Here's to many more happy years of blogging and many more special friendships being made.

Love and hugs to you all,

Annie x

This week's smiles...week 120

Here we are at yet another Friday when I share my smiles with you and hopefully you will link up below and share your smiles with us too.

I'd like to thank those that joined in last week and am featuring my big sister's blog today.  We both really love our birds as you know but round here we really do have some strange ducks.  We have both seen ducks sitting on roofs but she was able to capture hers on camera.....quackers or what?....they certainly make us smile :-)

Once my eye recovered enough to not have me pacing the floor in pain [scroll down for a pic if you dare!] I was able to enjoy life again and have def had a week of smiles so here's what I'm sharing today with you.....

Firstly I'm sharing two gorgeous Azaleas that we have inherited in our new garden.....they are only little bushes but they are really covered in blooms and are being shown off by Rocky who insisted in photo bombing my picture....he's always at my side :-)

Next I'm sharing two of the loves in my life...my hubby and my son.  It always makes me smile to see them working together on a project. :-)

And here's the finished result of their labours....a new post and chain boundary around the side on the front of our new home....it just might stop people reversing over our new garden!!  :-)

Here's a collage of the wonderful day spent with the twins on Wednesday.  If you click to enlarge the pics you will see that the fun park was enjoyed by all :-)

We went to Erddig near Wrexham and had a wonderful morning so if you're close and want to amuse grandchildren it comes highly recommended.

And last but by no means least here's a pic of the latest visitor to my bird feeders.  If you click to get a closer look you may well be able to see that feeding on the peanuts is a little mouse!!  He was a cheeky little thing too cos he sat there happily for me snap a few pics from literally 3 foot from him through the window [hence the poor quality pic].  :-)

There is always something here to make me smile and I really hope it's made you smile too.  Please snap a pic or two of your smiles and link them up below.  I promise I will pay you a visit and choose the one that makes me smile most to feature on next week's posting.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW.....

Hello folks.  It's been so lovely to see all the wonderful photos of the crop from last Saturday....it really did look like a lot of fun was had by all and I really do wish I'd managed to go this year. [Life just gets in the way at times doesn't it?].  In fact it was just as well I didn't plan to go this year because on Friday I had my routine diabetic eye screening check and this is what I ended up like!!!!

Ouch!!  I ended up needing a visit to A and E on Friday evening, having a very painful night all Friday night and having to see a Dr in the acute eye clinic on Saturday morning.  I think it was something to do with a blocked tear duct or something but I paced the floor with pain all day Saturday so if I'd planned to join in the fun at the crop it would all have been spoilt......thankfully my eye is now improving daily and the pain has now gone.

So what's on my desk this week?

This is my industrial sewing machine!

This is the little chair in my sewing room!!

This is the stair gate between my sewing room and where my new sewing room will be [when it's been built!].

And what you can see draped in every area of my life at the mo are b***** curtains!!.....and you all know what I think of curtains don't you?

I had to make two smaller pairs of curtains from a large pair so, with a bit of help with that much older sister of mine [that now lives just 5 mins away :-) :-) :-) ] they are well one their way to being done now :-)

What's rather more interesting is....I've now finished the quilted book cover using the poppy fabrics and I love it.

Also there's a new tissue box and the plans for my next project  on my desk today.

So there you go.  That's all from me for today.  My darling other half has a few days holiday this week so we will be having a fun day with the twins today and my bloggy visits will have to be done either later in the day or tomorrow but if you leave me a little hello message to say you've called in I will be over at yours as soon as I'm able.

Hugs,

Annie x

Don't forget to send me your details via email to wipso@toucansurf.com if you would like to swap ATCs with me next week....I've still got a few spare ones :-)

This week's smiles....week 119

Hi folks.  Here we are at another Friday when I share my smiles and hope to have as many of you joining in by linking up your smiles for the week.  There hasn't been so very many of you lately but I really do appreciate the efforts of those that the time to share......it really does make the world a happier place because 'Smile and the world smiles with you'.

Even though there was only four of you sharing your smiles I really felt the need to feature Kate's post from last week.  She usually writes a beautiful post sharing her life in Spain but her post from last week she also included a little about her four five [sorry Kate....a senior moment....I know you've got five :-) ]gorgeous sons....all so very different and all so very talented.  I only have to one son [and two gorgeous daughters too of course], who I am very proud of and I know the special love between a son and his mum so I really appreciated Kate's post.  It is so very full of pride and that very special love.....thanks for sharing Kate.

My smiles this week have been plenty as always....apart from being diagnosed as having asthma :-(

It is taking me a little while getting used to my inhalers and I still have to see an asthma nurse on Monday but I'm sure it will sort itself out soon.  

So, my smiles for today....

My baking session with my twinnie munchkins on Wednesday....there really is nothing quite dipping your fingers into the empty bowl is there?

And here's the results....for all those Minion lovers out there.  :-)

We then had a crafty session.  How cute are these puppets and the little peggy caterpillars?

I moved my bird window feeder closer to me to discourage all the cheeky little sparrows from eating all the meal worms and look what decided to sit on my window sill literally arms length from where I was sitting.  This was mummy blackbird but she also brought one of her babies to feed there too :-)

It's obvious from all my bird feeders that I have a real love of bird watching but I thought you might like to share the pic I took of the lesser spotted lumberjack in the tree in front of our bungalow......a pretty rare bird I'm sure but a rather noisy one :-) :-) :-)

There you go folks....are you smiling now?  Now please snap a pic or two of your smiles and link them below and let's make the world a happier place.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW....

Hi folks.  Here we are at another Wednesday full of fun.  I've not had a lot of customer's sewing to do this week so have been having creative fun so that's what I've got to share with you today.

Last week I showed you a pile of fat quarters that I had got out to give me inspiration for a little project I had in mind.  I chose a selection I felt went together well, took a big breath and actually cut into them to do some crazy patchwork with [not something I find easy to do but Julia gave me a good talking to last week ;-) ]

They are just my favourite colours and I really love the finished effects of the patchwork with the machine embroidery along the seams....can you tell I have really enjoyed playing with this little project?

And of course I have now used this finished piece of patchwork....to cover a book for a special little gift for a friend.

Of course I'd caught the crazy patchwork bug with that project so I am now using some more of my favourite fabrics and a more random patchwork style on my next project.

It's been so lovely to have time to be creative this week.....I wonder what my time this next week will be filled with?  :-)

That's all from me for today.  I'm still taking names for the 6th year anniversary ATC swap so if you are wanting to swap with me and haven't yet emailed me your details then let me know and I will put your name on one :-)  Hope you all have a great week.  Leave me a little comment to say you've called in and I will do my best to pay you a return visit.

Hugs,

Annie x

This week's smiles....week 118

Hello folks.  Here we are at the end of another week and although it's not been my best week health wise [I have a chesty cough/cold] it's certainly been one full of smiles as always for me.....plus it really does do me good to spend a little time focusing on the good things in life.

Thanks to the five who joined in again last week.  I'm featuring Laura's gorgeous picture of English bluebells today.  The mystery plant in our new garden that we have waited patiently to see what develops has done so with disappointment....they were Spanish bluebells and, beautiful though they may be, they are more vigorous than our native species and can crossbreed with the native to create a fertile hybrid so have had to go. Hence why I was so thrilled to see Laura's English ones.....thanks for sharing them with us Laura.

I have several pics to share with your this week......

Firstly, as I have spent many hours resting in my chair during the last week I'm sharing a pic of one of my little busy robins that have been feeding their babies with the dried meal worms I have been putting in my window feeder for them.  They have become so tame and almost tap on the window now when the feeding tray is empty. :-)

My next pic is of my sewing companion.  Since his sister had to be put to sleep Rocky spends all day following me around and finding somewhere close to lie....guess he misses his sister.  This was the first time he had decided to actually lie between my feet while sewing and he really made me smile.

On Friday we had a visit from our daughter Amy and her three and here are my big school girls dancing to make me smile.

Their mummy also sent me this pic of them both last night at their swimming lesson with their new goggles on....love them to bits :-)

My final pic for this week is this one.  Shell saw an idea on Pinterest to make a mug kitchen so she found herself an old palette, a saw and some nails/screws and made this for the twins.  She also made them a black board and ta da....I'm certain there will be many many hours spent making mug mud pies through the summer.  :-) :-)









There you go.....I've shown you mine, now please get snapping and show me your happy moments.
If you link them below I will be over asap to see what you've got to smile about and you will be helping to make the world a happier place to be.
Hugs,
Annie x

WOYWW......

Hello all. Since this time last week I've had a miserable chesty cough and head cold and although I've taken everything a chemist has to offer it has lingered rather longer than I'd like but I'm feeling hopeful that it is on it's way out now....keep everything crossed for me please.

So on my desk today is....

A pile of envelopes all ready for the WOYWW 6th anniversary swap of ATCs.....that's right I've finished them all and just need the names to put on the envelopes.  Julia tells me there is about 15 of you going to the crop so I will be sending a parcel full of them to Julia in time for you to pick one up while you are there.  I only have a couple of names of those not going to the crop that want to swap so far so please if you are wanting to swap then email me to wipso@toucansurf.com with your details and I will put your name on one ready.

It's been a week of shortening trousers, shortening curtains and making lots of zipped cushion covers this week but I didn't think I would bore you with pics of those.  Today I have been sorting fabrics for a little project I plan to make and thought your like a peep at all the yumminess on my desk.  I get such a buzz looking at all these beautiful colours.....just not sure I am going to be able to cut into any of them as yet. :-)

That's all from me for today so please leave me a little comment before you leave and I will do my best to pop over to yours to say hello.

Hugs,

Annie x

This week's smiles...week 117

There weren't so many of you last week with smiles to share so I'm not selecting just one of you out of the 5 that linked up but would like to say a big thank you to all 5 of them.....come on girls I'm sure you can all find a little something in your lives that has made you smile and you'd be willing to share with the rest of us....the world really is a happier place if you do.  How does the saying go?.....'Smile and the world smiles with you'

Thanks to those who also joined in the fun with a slogan for the pic....Loved them.  

This weeks write a slogan pic is...

And my slogan is....Three rounds in the boxing ring, two black eyes and still they only feed me bamboo shoots!

So my smiles I'm sharing this week.....of which there were loads :-)....

It was our daughter Amy's 30th birthday party last Saturday so you can well imagine we did a lot of smiling that night.  They held the party at their home and invited just close family and friends and what a wonderful time we all had.

There was a hog roast, a small marquee, live entertainment and drinks in cooling....what more could we ask for?

Sam thought it hilarious that the beer had been put in an old tin bath full of water to keep it cool.  :-)

After all the gorgeous sunshine we had been having it was a shame that it was so cold Saturday for the party but as you could see here the men in the family soon set to to light some fires....it's a man thing you know [the hunter / gatherer comes out in them all at times like these].  :-)

Lexi has started her ballet classes again and was happy to pose for us all in her new tutu, tights and ballet shoes....Isn't she growing up so quickly?  :-)

My last pic was of some of the creative fun I had with the twins this week....you might recognise Little Miss Muffet with her spider, Little Red Riding Hood, Grandma, 3 wolves , Tinky Winky and three little Piggies.  Oh what fun we have.  They both use scissors really well now even though Sam is a lefty and it took him a little longer than his sister to learn.

It's so good to see little ones being creative and their vocabulary seems to grow every day because of it.  :-)

Well there you go folks. Thanks for calling by.  Those are just some of my smiles.  Please try to find a little something in your lives that has made you smile this week and link them up below and lets see if we can make the world a happier place.

Hugs,

Annie x