WOYWW....

Hello all.  I hope you're all managing to steer clear of all the bugs that seem to be about at the mo.  My family seem to be dropping like flies so we've kept away from all as much as we can...so far apart from the cough/cold that we've both had for what seems like weeks we are both well enough to work thankfully....and for those that have asked me yes I still have the my sciatica but apart from the aches/tingles down my leg and stiffness first thing most mornings it's manageable thankfully.

So what have I been up to this week and what's on my desk today?

I've planned and plotted with the squares I had cut out ready for making a cover for my Memory bear file and then sewed them all together to make the length needed.

I found a teddy design I liked for the front and cut out all the pieces to applique on the front.

I machine embroidered all the pieces in place using a lovely random stitch to make him look like a 'Tatty teddy' and then machine stitched all the rest of the details it needed.

I've then wadded, lined and made the cover to fit my A4 file and

.....Ta da!  I'm rather chuffed with the finished cover and it certainly looks better than the plain black file that it was.

The other thing sitting on my desk today is the 200th Memory bear that I made yesterday because Theo's mummy was too poorly to go to work so she stayed at home with him and I therefore didn't have my little playmate for the day.

This bear was made out of a special Grandad's jumper so needed stabilising with interfacing before making but was a really lovely bear to make.

I am expecting the items of clothing to make another 6 bears today and already have another order for a further 6 to come soon so I'm really enjoying making special memories for a lot of really lovely people.

I hope you have enjoyed your visit today and will leave me a little message to let me know you've called in....I will do my best to pay you a return visit between bears :-)

Hugs,

Annie x

This week's smiles....week 305

Another week has flown by and I guess that means it's been a busy one for me....how about you?  My workload has increased and my energy levels and enthusiasm for doing it has also increased so that's good too.

Here's what's been making me smile this week....

We've had our first covering of the white stuff and I'm smiling cos I didn't have to go out in it and could look at it from my cosy sewing room.....very pretty but brrrrr.  Thankfully it went as quickly as it came.

We're having our drive tarmacked this week....they have cleared out the edges and taken all the old loose tarmac off the rest and hopefully [weather permitting] they will be tarmacking it today......it's looked pretty shabby since we moved in but we needed to get all the building work done with the skips and lorries before laying a new drive.

I've been very busy bear making this week....the top 4 are the ones I was making on Wednesday and I made the other two yesterday.  The good thing is that I have many more ordered too....that's made me smile.

I love being kept busy with sewing for my customers but I now also have a couple of jobs lined up ready for me to do if I get free time and that's made me smile too.

So, I've shown you mine now show me what's been making you smile this week....it does us all good to focus on the happy times each week.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW....

Wahoooooo it's Wednesday and, for me, it's the best day of the week when I catch up with all my creative blogging friends around the world.  My Mojo has returned from his holiday and I've actually been feeling creative as well as being busier with customers too.

So, on my desks.....yes it's a toofer this week.

This is the table [it's behind where I normally sew] where I use the lap top [I'm typing this now on here], set up my embellisher or one of my other sewing machines when I have a project on the go so I can still use my main machine on my desk.  

Today you can see [from left to right]...

• The pieces now all cut out [apart from the wadding] to make my new bag with
• In the middle are 40 squares all cut out to make a quilted cover for the folder I keep my Memory bear pics in.
• The pile of clothes that I've been cutting up to make my latest order for 4 Memory bears out of.

It was a busy day on Monday as you can see but on my other desk is....

The pile of Memory bears in the making and of course these will have to be made before any bag or quilting gets done.

That's all from my desks for today but I would really like to share something with anyone wanting to read it.  Back in September I made a lap quilt for my cousin who was by then in a care home.  At the time I thought it might be nice for her to have a little hug from me each day.  Little did I know just how special it was to become.  She loved her quilt and proudly showed it off to everyone who saw it and when she was taken seriously ill just before Christmas she had taken it into hospital with her.  Sadly she her condition deteriorated, she lost her fight and passed away on Christmas eve....wrapped in her quilt.  It not only gave her a lot of comfort but to her family around her to know that when they had to go home at the end of visiting time she was still wrapped in my love....it was a blessing.  We attended her funeral last Friday and not only did the quilt get a mention in the eulogy but many folk thanked me for making it for her.  I always feel that the love I put into my sewing benefits many but I really feel very honoured to be able to give comfort to so many at such a sad time.  She was a very special lady who deserved the best.....I'm just glad I could help.

Thanks for popping by to see what I've been up to this week.  If you leave me a little message then I will do my best to pop over to yours to see what you're sharing this week.

Hugs,

Annie x

This week's smiles.....week 304

It's Friday and that means one thing for me....it's time to look back at my week to see what's made me smile.  

• Mr Mojo has returned from his holiday and that's given me lots to smile about....I've been feeling creative.
• I've made my first three Memory bears of the new year and that's really made me smile.
• Spring is fast approaching [ I know cos I've seen the signs] and that always make me smile.

So I've got a few snaps to share my smiles...

I've been delving into my fabrics and deciding which I'm going to use to make a new bag for me to use. I plan to make one like the one I made in a workshop a few years back....here's the link to the last one.

Here's my first three Memory bears of 2019...the one was for the young lady who won my Christmas bear but her two sisters asked to have matching bears made for them too....in memory of their much loved mum who died far too soon.

I love my job. :-)

My little Milly makes me smile every day....she's the very best of company, she loves me unconditionally and where ever I go she goes....here she is curled up on her bed in my sewing room fast asleep....until I leave the room.

Here's a few snaps of the promise of Spring.....my first snowdrops.

Now, if none of those has got you smiling then, it's over to you to find your smiles and share them with us by linking them below.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW...

Here we are at our Wednesday catch up with our blogging friends around the world.... it's my favourite day of the week.

I'm pleased to report that my Mojo has returned from his holiday ...he's well rested but isn't feeling much like work as yet.  I certainly didn't waste my time while he was on holiday.  I used it wisely and...

• Got the records up to date of my sales on my Memory bears....I've now made 190 in total so far.....and more in the making :-)
• I got my business records up to date....I'd not done them since last April so they had been badly neglected....I have now had 303 customers to my door since we moved house and many of those have been many times so business is good  :-)
• I wrote several posts for my Sewing by Annie Facebook page and now have 873 Followers on there....if anyone is wanting memory bears making don't forget to check out the January special offer that's pinned at the top of the page   :-)
• Theo has outgrown the travel cot he sleeps in here during the day so we have set him up with a little day bed but couldn't get fitted sheets for it so we bought a single flat sheet and I made a fitted one out of it....as you do :-)

So, what pics have I got to share with you this week?

 

 

I've been at it again...Phoebe and Lulu save up their Brownie badges for me and I've just stitched another 21 on between them....I'm such a proud Nanny at their achievements.

On my desk today is my next order for 3 Memory bears cut out ready to sew....so that's what I will be busy with today.

That's all from me for today.  Please leave me a little hello message to let me know you've called in and I will do my best to pay you a return visit ASAP.

Hugs,

Annie x

This week's smiles....week 303

We've reached the end of another week and I'm here to find a few smiles to share with you.  I've had very few customers through my door since Christmas and my Mojo is still enjoying his holiday but I've managed to find a few things to do and many of them have made me smile....

You all know I have little Theo to play on a Tuesday, well this week was the first early shift back after Christmas for me so I was up in the dark at silly o'clock and a really excited little man arrived soon after 7 am.  We had a wonderful morning filled with lots of smiles and his mummy collected him about 1.15 pm.....It was a long morning for me and this was Theo just 2 mins down the road.....don't your just love a sleeping child?....I'd call that a very successful morning wouldn't you?

Theo's little friend Grace has just had her second birthday and Gina asked me to make her a few peg dolls like the ones I made Theo.....I love painting them so I didn't need asking twice.

I painted 4 little extra ones...2 little boys and 2 little girls so that Theo and Grace can have a set each.

I'm sure they will have a lot of fun with those and it was a lovely thing to do while my Mojo was on holiday.  

I've also spent time getting my business records up to date....they were very neglected so, even though they aren't all finished yet, it's a lovely feeling to get on top of some of them......especially when I've added up numbers for my Memory bears and now know I've made 190!!!  That's certainly something that has made me smile especially when I know they have given so much pleasure to all they have been made for.....I've had a lot of really lovely feedback from the ones I made before Christmas and that's always lovely isn't it?

Well that's all from me for this week.  Please leave me a little message so I know you've called in and if at all possible then please link up to your own smiles below....it's always lovely to see what's been making your smile too.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW....

Here we are at another catch up with our creative friends and their desks around the globe. I'm open for business but sadly my customers are still away on holiday I think cos, in contrast to the month leading up to Christmas, I've been really quiet with sewing.

You'd thing I would be making the best of the quiet time wouldn't you?.....I wish!  I have a feeling my Mojo has gone on holidays with my customers because, however I try, I just can't get creative.  It will return I'm sure but it's taking it's time. 

So I'm showing you my clean and tidy workspace this week [yes I've cleaned, tidied and put everything away where it belongs]....

Feel free to step inside and have a rummage round.  You would think that with all the gorgeous supplies you will find in there that I'd be tearing at the leash to be creative...but it's just not happening.

I did make these two on Monday morning......

Two little sock glove puppets....it's as good as it gets for me but of course I did have a special little friend coming for a play date on Tuesday morning and I just knew they would put a smile on his face.

Here's the proof that my efforts were appreciated.  We had a really lovely morning with them too.....of course Nanny Annie had to wear the red one and be mummy dog while Theo wore the blue one [most of the morning!] while we made jigsaws, played with the train track and played shops.  He's growing up so quickly and is such a delight to look after.

That's all from me for this week.  I hope by next week my Mojo has returned with my customers and I've something to show you all.

Hugs,

Annie x

This week's smiles....week 302

I'm back!  I've had a few weeks off....needed to focus on other things and get my head round what life was throwing at us.  I'm so glad that we are a strong family and when life throws us challenges we are able to support each other and get through it....it doesn't happen over night but we are all recovering and hoping 2019 is a kinder one to us all.

When life throws me challenges I like to be kept busy which I certainly was leading up to Christmas with my Memory bears and what a lot of smiles they have caused so many people....I've had lots of lovely feedback and I feel truly blessed.

Having 6 gorgeous grandchildren has certainly helped...you can't sit dwelling on things with little ones around you plus there has been so many happy times shared with them over the festive season.  I have found just a few of my pics to share with your today.....

When Father Christmas asked little Theo what he wanted for Christmas he said...'A guitar like Daddy's please'.

I know it's a ukulele but he's one very happy little boy as you can see....here he is jamming with his daddy and grandad. 

'One careful driver'

Have a feeling this little girl loves her Nanny....she's so like her mummy and I really love this photo.

On 27th we were asked to a house party over the road at our neighbours...the theme was 'Old before your time'.  A difficult one for us of course cos we already have the grey hair, glasses and walking sticks but of course you just have to make an effort....the scary thing is when I look at my pic I see my mum looking back at me  :-)

The weather was lovely last weekend so, as we were badly needing a breath of fresh air and a stretch of the legs, we headed off on an adventure in the motor home.  As you can see Biscuit bear is posing in front of the window....can you see where we are?....answer at the bottom of the page.

The best part of our adventure was baking fresh bread rolls in the oven and frying bacon to make these yummy bacon rolls....I bet you can smell them from there....and they were every bit as yummy as you imagine.

We enjoyed a lovely walk with Milly on the beach and along the promenade...it was really good to get out in the fresh air.

I hope you have enjoyed my smiles for this week.  Thanks for all the love and support I've been given over the last few weeks...you're all such lovely people.

Here's hoping we can all share lots of happy smiles over the next year.

Hugs,

Annie x

The answer to where we went is....Colwn Bay :-)

WOYWW....

Happy New Year to all my wonderful blogging friends.  The end of 2018 threw our family a few challenges and I felt the need to take a break and concentrate on what was important.  It was a difficult time but we are a strong family and we are now looking towards 2019 for happier times and good health for us all.  I would like to thank those who supported us from a distance...you know who you are....I'm so lucky to have such good friends.

I had a really busy last few weeks leading up to Christmas with orders for my Memory bears [I like to be kept busy at difficult times] so here's a collage of some of them....

Also I promised to show you pics of the finished shark onesie I made for Mooshie rabbit...

As you can see he's very proud of the onesie but as he was just modelling it for the original Rabbit I also made Mooshie his own pair of dungarees to wear.

I imagine there was one very happy little boy on Christmas morning.  :-)

My chuckle for you today is the jigsaw Shell bought us for Christmas.  We normally do a jigsaw over Christmas but this one was a real challenge!

I never did like sprouts and I like them a lot less now :-) :-) :-)

That's all from me for today.  Here's hoping 2019 brings you all everything you wish for yourselves.

Hugs,

Annie x