This week's smiles.....week 493

 It's not been a week where finding smiles has been easy for me sadly.  Both of us have been feeling pretty poorly right over the Festive week.  These winter bugs seem to be taking some shaking off and we have a long way to go yet....still feeling weak, shaky and running temperatures with tiresome coughs that keep us awake a lot in the night.....I'm sure it will go but when???

Enough about the doom and gloom of the week....I'm here to find some smiles and this one has really made me smile...

Louie is not quite crawling yet but as you can see he is a happy boy when he's stood up by the settee.....he seems to change every time we see him and is such a smiley boy.

Gina updated their Christmas collage to include the latest photo.....Theo looks so grown up now don't you think?

The only other thing I have to share is a lot of Christmas funnies so, before it's too late to share them I have collaged them all here together for you.

I hope you can find something here to make you smile. 

Here's wishing you all a very Happy New Year and hopefully we can  all have a healthy one.

Thanks to you all for joining in each week and for helping me to raise a few smiles.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW.....

 It's only a quick post from me today because there's nothing on my desk at all.....I've been taken down by a winter bug and haven't been in my sewing room once.....it fact I had to close earlier than planned because I felt so rough.  I'm really hoping to recover before I start back to work!!!

I can share this photo with you....

We had Phoebe, Lulu and Stephen here before Christmas and we enjoyed a couple of hours of crafty time. I had put everything ready for them to make little fabric trees the same I helped the twins to make and here they are proudly holding the trees they made.

I hope your have all enjoyed the festive break and the next time we meet to share our desks it will be 2023.

This week's smiles....week 492

 

I'm here today to wish you all a very happy Christmas and here's hoping 2023 is a good one for us all.

I'm sure many of you will remember the photo Shell takes every year of the twins in the stockings I made them. She  has made a collage of every one and it hangs up their stairs.

This is the latest photo....from their very first photo when they fitted inside almost completly to now when their feet barely fit in....they sure have grown :-)

Amy, Dave and family enjoyed their anual visit to see Father Christmas and, as you can see, Amy loves to take her chance to sit on his knee [embarass the kids]....I wonder who she takes after? ;-)

I do love how they maintain the magic of Christmas.

Here's just a few funnies to keep you smiling over the festive weekend.

I hope you all enjoy the celebrations and stay well and happy.  See you on the other side.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW....

 

To those that haven't recieved Christmas cards from me that normally do I'd like to say Happy Christmas to you all....the post seems to have lost a few....annoying but there's little I can do about it.

I have a few things to share with you...

I've made another School Memory bear...and the best bit is this was the secondary school I went to....the uniform was bottle green back then [including bottle green fleecy knickers!!]. 7 years in those gives you a clue why I dont like green :-)

I've also made two Memory Dogs in memory of a much loved 8 year old black labrador [hence the black ribbons around their necks].  The ears and tails are made out of parts of the dog's favourite toys....quite unique but just how my customer wanted them and we are hoping they bring comfort to the lady's autistic son.

My best friend who I have known for over 60 years [we started school together], has just had her first tiny Grandson....tiny because he was born at 32 weeks weighing just 2lb 4 ozs. I rooted out the prem baby knitting patterns I used when the twins were born and knitted a tiny cardigan.

I then made him a patchwork quilt....I love how it turned out and hope they will too....the little man is doing well so far and hopefully he will continue to do so.

I had a very special crafty time with the twins on Saturday.  We made these lovely Christmas trees....they were very proud of their finished results.

I have more cut out ready for Phoebe, Lulu and Stephen to make later in the week...I love having creative time with my  grandchildren....and it pays off because Phoebe and Lulu made their Christmas cards this year.

I hope you have enjoyed your visit this week and you all have a wonderful Christmas.  I will do my best to visit all who call in here when I get a minute.

Hugs,

Annie x

This week's smiles....week 491

 Here we are at another Friday's catch up of the smiles from the week.....and there's been lots thankfully.  A lot of then I am unable to share the photos with you because they are school photos and are not allowed to be put on but trust me when I say lots of memories have been made....

• We went to watch Theo's first Christmas play
• We went to watch Stephen's final Christmas play at his junior school
• We have seen videos of Lulu singing in her school choir...sadly the Christmas carols in the church had to be cancelled.
• We have watched the videos of Lexi dancing 

I can share a few of the photos we took in Sunday when some of our family came to ours to exchange gifts and to decorate our Christmas tree...

I love it when we can have family times.

Shell sent me this gorgeous photo of their two dogs snuggled up together...Reggie has grown so much now.

Of course we can't have a Friday without a few chuckles....

There's rather a lot this week but I decided we could never have too many smiles to have collaged them all for you. [Some are a bit cheeky so I hope none offend].

I hope all your Christmas preparations are going well and you're all keeping warm and cosy.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW...

 Hello all.  You're here to see what's on my desk today and surprise surprise there's only one little school Memory bear this week....but I do have another one coming later today :-)

This little school bear brings the number of schools I've made bears for up to 36 from all round the world.

It also brings the total number of Memory Characters up to 643 now....I've actually made 22 bears in the last 3 weeks!!

I was brought this jacket this week...it had a 7" zip in the top to be pulled over the head but my customer struggled to get in and out of it so he asked if I could add a panel down the front and put a full length zip in it.....I get asked to do all sorts of jobs and always love a challenge :-)

I will show you a few of my home made decorations that I have up in my sewing room now [no I didn't make the mat but I do rather like robins].

I will be shutting up shop on 23rd and will then be closed until Wednesday 4th January so will hopefully get a good rest and be able to enjoy lots of family times :-)

Hope you're all having a wonderful week.  I will call by to see as many as I can in between my sewing jobs later.

Hugs,

Annie x

This week's smiles....week 490

 It's been another busy week here at Sewing by Annie's and I have had many smiles seeing what effect my Memory Characters have on the customers I've made them for...I really love my job.  I've made 22 different ones in the last 3 weeks!!!

We enjoyed our first 'alone time' with little Louie on Tuesday while his Mummy was busy.  He was as good as gold and it was so lovely to see him sitting playing with the toys [a lot of which his Daddy had played with as a baby]....happy memories.

We have enjoyed seeing memories being made by Amy, Dave and their three.  Amy has always been our one to make the most of Christmas and she still makes special memories with Phoebe, Lulu and Stephen.  The magic of Christmas will always be kept in that household.

Of course it wouldn't be Friday without a few funnies....so many of these made us chuckle...and I hope they do you too.

Hugs,

Annie x

In the bottom left pic there is supposed to be misletoe hanging above the cat and dog but I couldn't get it to fit in the collage.

WOYWW...

 Another week has passed and we are creeping [at a very fast pace] towards Christmas.  I think everyone is getting Memory bear/characters for Christmas....and I'm making them!!

I have also shortened several pairs of trousers, replaced a few zips and even had a beautiful long navy dress to shorten this week....but mostly its been Memory bear/character making...

This was the little bear I made from the fairisle jumper that was on my desk last week...everyone likes how this one has turned out.

These were the next ones that were sat waiting to be made last week...These were for a returning customer from London who's daughter lives near me.  Her mum is spreading the word amongst her friends in London and I am to expect more orders from them after Christmas. :-)

I was then asked to make two different little Memory dogs from a dog's blanket.  The little dog had been put to sleep aged 12 years old and had been a big part of the family so there were lots of tears when deciding how she wanted these making.

The next ones I was asked to make were for another returning customer...a Memory Dog, Memory Elephant and a Memory bear...all made from a loved ones fluffy dressing gowns.

The last ones I have to share with you this week are for a family member to give in memory of their Nan who died this year...It's always special to make Memory bears when it's someone I have special memories of too.

When I get time I need to do an up to date count of all I've made because I've made so many lately and I've not managed to put their photos in my folder yet.

As you can see I have been really busy this week and I have more sewing jobs waiting on my desk for today and another bear on it's way soon too.....I think I will be ready for my Christmas break now :-)

I will do my best to pop round as many desk as I can when I can but until then I hope you're all having fun.

Hugs,

Annie x

This week's smiles....week 489

 It was with great sadness that I read the news that Lisca's hubby, Graham, had died.  He was such a lovely man and I had the pleasure to meet him in  real life when they both called in to see me a few years back.  My love and  thoughts go out to our friend Lisca and their family.

Of course you are here to share my smiles and although I have had a heavy heart at  times I have got smiles ....

On Wednesday we had a little visitor for an hour or so after school until his Daddy picked him up.  We don't see him often now he's a big school boy so it was so lovely to have some crafty fun together....he' s growing up so fast.

I was up at 6.30 yesterday and spent a long day sewing because I had so much to do. By 4.30 I was shattered and was drawing curtains and shutting up shop for the day when I had a knock at my door.  One of my customers had brought me this gorgeous bunch of flowers and thank you card...it reduced me to tears.

It's so lovely when you feel appreciated isn't it?

Of course it wouldn't be a Friday without a few funnies. I hope you have something to share with us today and will link up below.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW...

 Here we are catching up with all our creative friends around the world and checking out what is on their desks this week...I love my Wednesdays.

It's been another bear filled week for me and I'm loving life....

I made these 5 for a friend in memory of her mum.  They are to be given to the 5 grandchildren and are made from their Grandmother's favourite clothes.

This one was made from the same clothes but is being kept for a birthday present...I love the bright colours of this one.

I've finished my knitting and have sewn a piece of elastic to join the mittens so Louie doesn't drop one and lose it when he's wearing them.  I really love how the little Ugg boots have turned out and am sure they will keep his toes warm.

These are my desks this morning...I have 4 more bears to cut out and make today...and they all need stabilising with interfacing so that's 32 body pieces needed...as you can see I cut out the interfacing in batches ready for when the fabrics arrive [the black bear shapes].

The top three are for a returning customer [always the best ones] and the bottom pic is a fairisle jumper to make a bear out of...I think that one will be rather nice.

I am really enjoying the Christmas surge of bears to make but have also had 

• a really pretty bride to have her wedding dress fitting this week...it's needing major alterations and the wedding isn't until August so I will be doing the sewing in the New Year.
• a lady to have 2 skirts shortened and
• I have 5 pair of trousers to shorten and a zip to put in a pair of gents trousers!!
• Oh and I have to get my christmas cards ready for posting...they are all made now :-)

So, as you can guess, I'm keeping rather busy and I'm loving life.  I hope your week is as good as mine. Stay well and happy.

Hugs,

Annie x

This week's smiles...week 488

 The weeks seem to be flying past and Christmas will be here before we know it.  I have had a quieter week here at Sewing by Annie's and it's given me time to get on top of making my Christmas cards....now almost finished and that really makes me smile....cos I never know what's round the next corner workwise.

We've enjoyed lots of quality time with the grandchildren with having the twins before and after school on a Tuesday and Wednesday and Gina sent me this photo and that really makes me smile...

Louie is playing with a fabric book I made for Theo [and I'd actually forgotten I'd made it].  It's so lovely when the things I make and treasured and enjoyed.

I've even had time to get my paints out and I always love a bit of creative time....not had so much of that lately lol.

I really love these paint brush pens because each one is really loaded and they all blend together really well.....just need to get started now.

Of course it wouldnt be a Friday without a few funnies....these really made me chuckle and I hope they make you smile too.

I hope you've all had a good week and have smiles to share by linking them at the bottom of the page.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW...

Happy Wednesday to you all.  It's been another busy week here st Sewing by Annie's but I'm pleased to say I have had the work cos it's had to pay for my new glasses [ over £330!!!].  

 I had another huge bin bag full of factory trousers needing repairs and new zips....all done now thankfully.  I ended up with blisters!!!

I've made more Memory bears...these ones are in memory of a much loved Mum and are for a returning customer...always my favourite to make.

These Memory bears were made in memory of a special man who had been in the Welsh Guards from his blazer and ties...smart bears or what?

The lady who said she was coming Friday wanting 7 Memory bears making didn't turn up and hasn't replied to my messages...very annoying and I would say rude!!

When Theo was born I made a first Christmas star to hang on their tree and, when I found the material I had made it from this week, I just had to make one for little Louie :-)

My other desk this week is the one in front of me while the football has been on...I'm knitting a pair of mittens and a matching pair of knitted Ugg boots for Louie :-)

Knitting and me don't really go together any more because of the arthritis in my hands but I can manage short burts of knitting and these wont take me long.

I hope you have enjoyed your visit this week.  If you leave me a little message so I know  you've called by I will do my best to pay you a return visit.  Have a great week all.

Hugs,

Annie x

This week's smiles....week 487

I'm a little later today....I forgot to write it and automatically publish it last night so I'm up at silly o'clock this morning to write it [because I have a very full day sewing today and can't do it later].

It's been another manic week here at Sewing by Annie's but I have had lots of smiles on the way.

We went to watch Lexi and Sam performing in Nativity the Musical at Theatre Severn in Shrewsbury on Friday night....had to buy the programme of course because they were in it :-)

The show was amazing and made even more so when your grandchildren are in it.  It was Sam's first time on the big stage [Lexi has been living the dream for a couple of years now] and it is really lovely to see their confidence grow.

Tuesday saw me going to an opticians appointment and needing new glasses....over £300!!  Not something to smile about really but following that I have had enough work in to pay for them....it never fails to amaze me how this often happens to me.

Later in the day I had my Diabetic MOT and they are very pleased with my Diabetes now....losing over 3 stone has really helped.

Little Louie is growing fast and this week he's been to a photo shoot so I thought I would share a few of the gorgeous photos with you.  He's at such a lovely age now and seems to be changing every time we see him.

Of course it wouldn't be a Friday without a few funnies.  I hope you've all had a good week and have something you can link up at the bottom of the page to share with us.

Hugs,

Annie x