This week's smiles...week 125

Oh how the weeks are whizzing by....is it just an age thing?  I remember my mum saying how quickly time flew for her and guess that's the age I've got to now eh?

There were only five of you who joined in and linked last week so thanks to each and every one of you for taking the time out of your busy lives to share your smiles with us.  I'm featuring Robyn's weird and wonderful flowers from last week....some of them are like nothing I've seen before and it really makes me smile when I'm able to share them from around the world so thanks Robyn for snapping them and sharing them with me.

I've had a fab week as always.  It highlighted on Monday when Jo and I had a visit from our blogging friend Sam [scroll down to the prev post if you didn't see the pics].  It's so very special when friendships are made through linking up to the WOYWW Wednesday fun and even more so when they happen in real life.

I have a couple of pics to share with your today...

You will know that I'm blessed to have my family living close to me and that we get together as often as we can but this pic really made us all chuckle.  The five grandchildren all love their Uncle Mark, as he does them, and they all wanted to be in on having a pic taken with him......aren't they gorgeous....such happy times together making memories. :-)

Phoebe, Lulu and Steve sent me this pic to let me know they had arrived on their holidays safely.....just look at that blue sky.  I really hope they are all having a wonderful week.  :-)

That's all from me for this week.  Please link up your smiles below and let's put a few smiles on the faces of all that visit.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW...

Hi folks.  There's not a lot going on on my desk today see...

There is my next top all ready for sewing waiting but it's been cut out and ready for weeks and as yet I've not even done the pin tucks.

But I do have something else to share with you.  

Look who drove up to meet Jo and I on Monday....it's our very own Sam [Hetticraft].  I feel like I've known her for years but until Monday we had never met in real life......It's yet another friendship made because of our wonderful WOYWW and she's just as lovely as I imagined.  We chatted, ate cake, visited our local fabric shop, chatted, lunched, ate more cake, chatted, drank coffee/tea ....oh and did I mention ate cake? [thanks for making such yummy cakes Jo].  Our time flew by so quickly but we parted with the promise we will do it again....as soon as...

Thanks for coming Sam xxxx

Of course with Sam comes Fergus and as you can see he made himself at home reading the latest book Jo had made for little Ben while us ladies chatted....and ate cake!

The only other thing I've got to share with you is the latest before pic of the end of my new sewing room [in the making].  The doors on the right and left of this pic will eventually be blocked up but, this week, we hope to have a builder coming to put in a new door and two new windows in the end wall.....keep everything crossed for us please and I will try to keep you up to date with developments.  :-)

Thanks for calling by.  Please leave me a little hello message to let me know you've called by and I will pay you a return visit as soon as I can.

Hugs,

Annie x

This week's smiles....week 124

There were rather more of you joining in last week....it's so lovely to think you all had smiles you wanted to share....keep it up folks :-)  Thanks to you all for linking up.

I am featuring Elizabeth's post....The Altered Book Lover.  Her description of the cats racing around the house really made me chuckle and her knowledge of her herbs and what to do with them really made me smile....and for those that don't read the comments of others here's what she left for me...

The rosemary is to season sweet potatoes, corn, and zucchini. The dill is for dill butter, baking (white) potatoes, potato salad, cottage cheese, eggs, and just about everything. The sweet basil is for pesto, eggs, and tomatoes. I also hope to make a lemon sorbet this summer. I also like sweet basil on top of mozzarella. Thai basil is for Thai food. Cilantro is for anything Mexican, and also for eggs, soups, and salads. Both mints are for tea, garnishes for summer fruits, watermelon, etc. I add spearmint to carrots and chocolate mint to my spaghetti sauce. Thyme is for veggies, both fresh and frozen. Of course, I like to pair it with other herbs because it goes well with oregano, parsley, and sage. Parsley is best for cleaning my palette. I like to chew on it between dishes and after a meal. It's also good for cooking with veggies.

Oh how I wish I knew how to use more herbs....I've got the book, just not got the time to read it :-)  Thanks for sharing it all Elizabeth.

I have a few pics of what is making me smile this week to share with you....

Amy's three have been enjoying the lovely weather in their field with their dog [hasn't Poppy the puppy grown!] and sent me a thumbs up pic to make me smile.  :-)

The two girls have just received their latest swimming certificate and are proudly showing them off.....they have taken to the water like little fish and have gained lots of confidence now. :-)

This pic came with the caption....

" Can I wear these shoes to town Mummy....they match my dress!!".

What a young lady she looks now don't you think?  :-)

My life is so full of smiles...I am blessed and I really hope my pics make you smile too.  Please link up your smiles below and lets all try to make the world a happier place to be.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW...

These weeks seem to be flying by don't they?....Or is it just me?

There is never a dull moment over here at Sewing by Annie's.

What with......

• minding the Grandees
• sewing for my ever growing numbers of customers
• planting out a few bedding plants and weeding in the garden
• planning and preparing for the building work to start
• time to do some creative sewing
• a shopping trip to Ikea
• dressmaking for myself
• oh and of course cooking, cleaning and general housework too :-)

Here's just a few quick pics to share with you...

My latest piece of crazy patchwork using some of my fav fabrics....well you do don't you when you're sewing for special friends :-)

My latest top I 've made for myself this week....I cut two tops out ages ago but had never found the time to run them up so more on the way some time soon :-)

My 'man that does' putting together my latest purchase from Ikea....it's a 6 drawer cupboard on casters [it's called an Alex] for my new sewing room.  I plan to put all my threads in here so it can be moved to which ever of my 6 machines I'm working at :-).....this girl has been making room plans for the sewing room.....getting soooooooo excited now :-)

That's all from me for this week folks.  Busy busy busy....but nothing new there :-)  Please leave me a little comment to say you've called in and I will pop over to yours as soon as I can.  I'm sorry to say that there are still some of the google+ blogs that I am unable to leave comments on but believe me I do read your blogs.

Hugs,

Annie x

This week's smiles....week 123

Hi all.   Thanks so much to all of you who find something to link up that has made you smile in the week.....it really does make the world a happier place.

This week I'm sharing Judy's blog because she shared very special celebration pics of her Mum's up and coming 90th birthday.....let's all wish her a very Happy Birthday.

 I'm sure we all have weeks when finding a smile isn't so easy and other weeks that are full of smiles.....well this week has been one full to the rafters with smiles for me....I could fill a book :-)  

My smiles include....

• Special family times.....I know I have these every week and I really do know just how lucky I am to have my family close.....I'm blessed  :-)
• A special day out with my darling hubby on Sunday to watch T20 cricket at Worcester....I bet you didn't know how much I love cricket.  :-)
• On the way to Worcester we must have seen literally 100s of motor bikes [sorry no pic]
• On the bridge we walked across to get to the cricket ground we could see probably 30 beautiful swans  [sorry no pic]
• I've been enjoying more creative sewing this week using my most favourite fabrics....when sewing for special friends it's each to cut into the best fabrics :-)
• We are progressing well now with the plans to make a start with our building alterations...We have found a builder that we really like [he went to the same school as my hubby and his wife is an ex nurse like me and she trained at the same hospital....small world eh? :-) ].  He hopes to make a start by putting the new door and windows in the end of my new sewing room in about 3 weeks and then hopes to start our extension by the end of July......things are getting exciting now.  :-)

Of course those are just a few of my smiles and I do have just a couple of pics to share with you...

My little friend, Rocky, is never far from me these days.  He's just had a hair cut [me too :-) ] and this week I think he was doing his best to stop me sewing.  First he lay right in front of my industrial machine and kept lifting his head to look at me as if to say "What you going to do now Mum?"

But quickly realised I wasn't using that machine so he......

.....disappeared under my chair and came up between my knees :-)

When he's had his hair cut you can really see his big brown eyes and I have to admit I did give in to the pleading looks I was getting and quickly finished the job I was doing to spend some special time with my little friend.  :-)

My last show and tell this week are of two more of the latest flowers in our new back garden....Aren't they pretty?

There you go....just a few of my smiles to share with you but I really do hope they have made you smile too.  Please link your smiles up below and I will pop over to yours to see what has made you smile this week.  Hope it's a good one for you.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW....

Here we are at another Wednesday fun day when we all expose our creative spaces to the world.  If you'd like to find out more and maybe join in then please pop over to Julia's to check out the details.

I've had a busy and very messy week here at Sewing by Annie's....

And of course you'd all like to see just how messy I get from time to time.  I was making a couple of rather tricky cushion covers but the fabric was very static and fraying so not only was there a lot of threads but I ended up covered in them!!!....nice colour though hehehe

It's Prom time again and this week has seen the first of the prom dresses I've got to shorten and alter this year.....these are for twin girls. :-)  Pretty colours aren't they?

My postman has brought me several more wonderful ATCs again this week......Each one makes me smile.....thanks so much girls I love them.

And last but by no means least here's a few snaps from a rather special 2 1/2 hours of one to one with Lexi this week.  Shell had to take Sam for an appointment and of course it's so much easier when you can take just the one so she asked if I would have Lexi for her......of course I would :-)

She came with a little Early Learning Dolly to make and who better to have a sewing session with eh?  What a special time we had. .....and wow just look at the results [please feel free to click on the pick to have a closer look].  The kit said age 5-8 years on it but this little 3 1/2 year old did a pretty good job of it didn't she?

I hope you've enjoyed my show and tell this week.  If you leave me a little hello comment I will call by at yours ASAP to see what you've been up to this week....bet you've not made as much mess as me :-)

Hugs,

Annie x

This week's smiles...week 122

Here we are at another happy Friday when we share our smiles.  Please feel free to link yours at the bottom of this post so we can all help to make the world a happier place.

Thank you to those of you who linked up last week.  I'm featuring Sam's post because it really got me chuckling.  From one silver surfer to any others out there....I'm sure we have all had moments like that.  :-) :-) :-)  Thanks Sam.

My smiles this week, as always, have been many.  It was supposed to be the first day of summer this week but until yesterday there was no sign of it in the weather......but as you can see from these two pics my 5 little grandees have been buying new hats ready for the sun...

They never fail to make me smile  :-)

Our week has been filled with appointments with builders, all coming to check out what work we are needing doing and hopefully very soon they will each be coming back to us with quotes and to give us some idea when they would be able to start the work......please keep everything crossed for us.

Well folks that's all from me for now.  If you'd like to link your smiles below I will be along to check them out as soon as I can....thanks for joining in the fun.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW....

Well haven't we been keeping the postmen busy over the last few feeks?  I have filled my table with the ATCs that have come through my letter box already and here's a couple of pics to share them with you...

Aren't they all really gorgeous?  They are all so very different but each one is made with love and without WOYWW they would have never been made.  Thank you so much to each and every one of you....I love them.  :-) :-) :-) :-)

And just quickie to show you what is on my desk this week ...

I've been shortening lots of pairs of trousers and......

......yes I've also been making more b***** curtains.  This time I had to make two pairs of curtains from one large pair plus line them too.....with a little help from my best friend and [much older] sister who does the cutting for me....thanks Jo xxxx

So that's it from me for today.  Please leave me a little hello comment to let me know you've called in and I will pop over to yours to return the visit.

Hugs,

Annie x