This week's smiles....week 327

So many weeks are whizzing by and each one comes with so many smiles....I feel blessed.

They had a WWF day at school so they each child had to go dressed up as something that was on the endangered list so here we have a Panther, a Jaguar and a Flamingo....of course, what else could they be?  I really love how their school takes part in so many things cos the children learn so much more when they are having fun.

Theo is showing his Grandad how he can match his colours and fasten  buttons and poppers and count each one in turn.

Here they are playing marbles together....I think Theo heard that his Grandad was losing his marbles and he's helping him to find them  :-)

This week's garden treasures....there's something new to smile about each week.  The bees, butterflies and insects are really enjoying the flowers too.

The strawberries are ripening fast and furious now....this makes me smile but I think Theo enjoys them even more than me :-)

Our son Mark sent me this pic....he says that he now knows why we have a Motor home :-)

I hope I've made something that's made you smile this week and you will share your smiles by linking them below.....everyone is welcome to join in the fun.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW....

Well folks what a busy week I've had here at Sewing by Annie's.  It's not so much what's on my work desk but what's on my rail today....

This little lot all came in Monday!!  It was very much a case of one in and one out with my customers and, as always, everyone wanted it by Friday [including the man who wanted me to take his shorts in at the waist for him....yes I could have done it if he could have actually brought them to me! but these days I refuse to work out of hours and even though his mum could have brought them to me I didn't think it would work well fitting them on her!! much to his surprise].

On my rail....and now finished and ready for collection is...

• 4 dresses taken up at the shoulders
• 1 top taken up at the shoulders
• 1 waistcoat stitched up at the front
• 1 ball gown shortened 2 hems
• 2 pair of trousers shortened
• 1 pair trousers let out at the waist and seat

I did also have another lady who wanted to bring a dress this morning to have major alterations done on a prom dress by tomorrow night but surprisingly enough I could neither guarantee I could do what she wanted or tell her if I could do it in time until I'd actually seen it on her daughter.  A certain saying came to mind....The impossible I do at once but miracles take a little longer! Don't you agree?

Of course I do have my latest little Memory bear to share with you.....he's to be use as a draw prize to raise money for a local Ukulele band and is made out of one of their t shirts.....I think he will be wearing a Ukulele badge too.  That brings my completed bear numbers up to 242 now :-)

As you can see it's been a busy one here but I'm buzzing and love it.

If you leave me a little message to let me know you've called in I will do my best to pay you a return visit when I can.

Hugs,

Annie x

This week's smiles....week 326

It's been another wet week here at Sewing by Annie's but the smiles keep on coming thankfully.  We were away last weekend in our Motor home on a really lovely campsite with reliably excellent facilities in Builth Wells....we used to go there when our family was small and we had either a towing caravan or a trailer tent.  It's a family run site [the same family since 30 years ago] and is now run by the next generation who played with our three as children.

As you can see Milly loves the life of adventure.

Whilst there we had visitors....the children didn't know where they were coming to so were very surprised to see us.  We enjoyed lunch together and then went for a walk around the wild water swimming/boating lake on the site...I think next time they will be bringing their wetsuits :-)

Lexi was in Shrewsbury carnival on Saturday with her drama group and Shell volunteered to walk round with them so of course she had to dress up to.

Lexi also had to perform her tap dancing routine on stage in the quarry with her dance group.

Well done Lexi ....so proud of you.

Tuesday saw our little man helping his Grandad picking the first strawberries....all the rain has mean the slugs has got to some of them before us but as you can see there's still plenty to go round.....and Theo loves them :-)

Don't you just love this pic of Poppy and Molly?  Molly has really grown now and as you can see they are the best of friends.

I put a pic of the mystery plant in our garden on here on Wednesday and my clever friend Elizabeth has identified it for us.....its Purple Loosestrife, for those wanting to know, and at some point it should reward us with lovely purple flowers......Thanks Ellie [you're so clever].

I'm sure many of you will have noticed my new blog header....aren't the poppies gorgeous?
Here's my latest collage of garden flowers out and making us smile this week.

Finally I thought you'd smile when I show you the proof that I really do have something missing....it's been rumoured for many years now.

I hope I've managed to make you smile and you will now share your smiles by linking them up below.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW.....

Hello all and welcome to my weekly catch up on what's been going on this week here at Sewing by Annie's.  

It's been another busy and varied week with everything from.....

The next Bridesmaids dresses to alter....the big one is actually a lovely purple in colour and the little flowers I've sewn on the front of the little dress are the same purple to match....very pretty too.

Gina and Mark had  large curtains cut down to make smaller ones to fit the windows in their new house so of course what was cut off was perfect to make two large floor cushions to match.  I used the curtain lining to make big cushions then made the cushion covers to match the curtains....they already have smaller cushions to match.

Little Theo says he's a big bot now and was far too big to want to sit on the plastic booster cushion 'like a baby'! so last week we bought two foam cushion seat pads and since then I've cut them to fit our kitchen chairs and covered them in Noddy fabric to make 'big boy's' cushion to so he can reach the table at meal times.....Cos he's not quite as big as he thinks yet :-) :-) 

My last pic is a puzzle for all you expert gardeners out there.  These plants have grown from a packet of wild flower seeds we scattered and are a complete mystery to us.  I thought they were Evening Primrose plants but as yet they have no flowers [or any signs of flowers coming yet either].  They are now about 5 foot tall!  Do any of you have any idea what they might be?  Please help us solve our puzzle.

Thanks for calling by.  Please leave me a little message so I know you've been and I will do my best to pay you a return visit ASAP.

Hugs,

Annie x

This week's smiles....week 325

Another week and yet more smiles to share.  Although it's not stopped raining hardly all week I've still been kept busy with sewing and have found plenty to make me smile so here's my shares for this week.....

Lexi and Sam have gained more swimming badges and are proudly showing me their certificates....keep it up twinnies I'm so proud of you.

Phoebe, Lulu and Steve have been off enjoying adventures in their Campervan at the weekend....this time up over the Horseshoe Pass.....stunning scenery up there isn't it?

I love making each and every Memory bear but I love it all the more when I'm asked to make a second one because they loved the first one so much....that's real job satisfaction.

I'm not sure you can see the detail in my photo but my Nigella plants are covered in tiny droplets of water from all the rain we've been having....even in the rain we can find something to smile about eh?

That's all from me.  Just a quick post today cos life is pretty hectic here.  Hope you've plenty to keep you smiling.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW....

Here we are again, happy as can be.......  I'm sure there's a song about that. :-)

It's been a varied and busy week for me.  Wedding season has started so I've had the first two of three bridesmaids to shorten...the third is coming today....

Pretty in pink eh?

Apart from being kept busy shortening these pretty pair I've also been busy shortening trousers, putting new zips in skirts and of course more bear making....

.....this is the first bear I've made for this local school and....

......these two will be parcelled up later to go to their home in the Wirral.....I'm slowly spreading Memory bear love around the country now.

As you can see I'm keeping busy and out of mischief....and I'm loving it.

Hope you have enjoyed your visit and will leave me a little message so I know you've called by.  I will do my best to pay you a return visit ASAP.

Hugs,

Annie x

This week's smiles....week 324

Oh what a week it's been.  So many smiles and lots of Grandparent duties  too so I'm sharing just a few with you now...

I didn't manage to take any photos on the day but have pinched this from one of the other bloggers.  Saturday was spent in a hall with all these wonderful blogging friends.  It was just magical.  We chatted, laughed, ate cake, celebrated 10 wonderful years of friendship with a special cake and Prosecco and it was all over far too quickly.....but we are now hoping to do the same again next year if they want us to.  Most of the girls I'd met before but there were a few that I'd known for years but had not met before so that was very special.....and Catriona had even brought Harris bear with her in his kilt that I had made earlier in the year.  The wonderful banner was made by our daughter Amy and her hubby Dave so many thanks to them for that.

I came home with orders for three bears....this one for Anne Williams [Copper beech]

....and these two for Carolyn Staton.

I love making my Memory bears but its made all so much more special when I'm making them for special blogging friends.

My Tuesday fun day was spent with this little man.  He enjoyed special time with his Grandad and we then went for a ride on the Llangollen steam train....the last photo tells you just how much he'd enjoyed it....I love a sleeping baby.

Whilst out with Theo Shell rang to say could we pick the twins up for her from the childminder, take them home, bath them and put them to bed for her because her school had just been notified that the following day they had OFSTED coming!!....my heart went out to her because these people turn over every stone in schools like Shell works in.  There are many troubled children in her school and yet OFSTED expect them all to reach the same milestones....and it just isn't possible!

Wednesday saw Phoebe going away with her school to Condover adventure centre for a 2 night residential trip.  She was a little nervous to go but it sounds like the days have been filled to the brim with wonderful activities so I'm sure she will have enjoyed it.

That's all from me for this week.  I'm very busy with sewing because I have bridesmaids dresses to do this week on top of my bears etc.  I hope you're all having a wonderful time with days filled with smiles and you will share them with us by linking them up below.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW....

Didn't we all have a wonderful day Saturday?   Well I know I did.  To be in a room surrounded by so many wonderful friends was simply perfect.  Since then my feet haven't touched the ground [I took the day off work on Monday to spend it with Jan while she was close by and then had lots of Grandparent duties] so I'm afraid to say I am writing a very quick post today mainly to say a HUGE THANK YOU to all concerned.

During the day on Saturday I didn't get the chance to take a photo but I know many that have so please go over to their blogs to check out all the fun that was had on the day.

I came home with a bag full of ATCs and other wonderful shared gifts and as yet still have to find time to check them all out properly but I've spread them over on my desk for you to see them all.

I won a fabulous bag made by Elizabeth Worthington filled with goodies plus a selection of books for colouring in the draw.

These were the items of stash given to me.....trust me girls they will all be put to good use so thank you sooooo much.

I came home with orders for three Memory bears....so guess what I will be doing today?

For hosting our party Jo and I were both given these wonderful pictures that will be very proudly be hung on the walls in our sewing rooms....thank you so much girls.....and a big thank you must go to the wonderful man holding the picture for me for all his help and support leading up to and on the day to make it all go so well.

I hope you can tell just how blown away I am by the generosity, love and friendship shown to me on Saturday....hopefully normal service will resume next week but for now I have to clear my desks of all my wonderful gifts and get sewing.

Love you all lots,

Hugs,

Annie x