This week's smiles.....week 519

 Firstly I must say sorry that I didn't manage to get around the blogs last week.....we were away on an adventure down in south Devon in our caravan and the internet at the campsite was poor.  We had a wonderful few days but I was very missed so have come home to a lot of work.

Here are a few snaps we took while away.  We visited Dartmouth, Plymouth, Salcombe to name but a few.  The sun shone all weekend and our batteries were well charged.

We saw some amazing sunsets from sitting out near the caravan and I managed to snap these pics of the sun getting lower in the sky.

As we arrived home and before we put the caravan back on the drive I took a few pics of the bees enjoying the lavender on the front garden.

I snapped these pics of the huge piles of factory trousers that my darling hubby and I had taken all the old zips out of one evening....I took these pics not really because they make me smile but because I wont be doing many more batches of these because.......

.....this arrived this week...it is now official ....I will be able to get my pension on 23rd October 2023.....and that definately made me smile.

I don't plan to stop sewing but I will be stopping doing the factory trousers....and my sore aching hands from doing this latest batch reminds me why.

Our back garden continues to make us smile.....everywhere you look there is something to make you smile.

Of course I have to end with a few funnies....I hope you leave here smiling and will link up at the bottom to share your own smiles of the week.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW....and more ATCs :-)

Hello folks....I've had a steady flow of extra ATCs dropping through my letter box all week so I'm quickly showing you the latest batch....

1. RosA
2. Peggy
3. Nikki
4. Elizabeth
5. Dolores

Thank you so much to each and every one of you.  They are each so special but each so very different and I will treasure them all.  I plan to make a book for them like I did for last  years....If only I could find the box it has been put in to remind me how I made it    ;-)

I still have one ATC waiting patiently here for an address to post it to...
Shazsilverwolf

 I will try to leave a message on her blog again this week .......but if you are here reading my blog could you please email me your details to wipso@toucansurf.com     :-)

On my desks today are.....

I have mounted up the dumfed pics I showed you last week and made lots of cards with them that are now drying and adorning all the surfaces in my sewing room!!!

For those that still don't know what dumfing is you can click on the link here or in the left side bar to find out more ;-)  ------->

As you can see my ironing board is also covered too....so no ironing will be done by me today!!!  Any excuse eh? :-)









I am also starting Wedding dress season....its started with my daughter-in-law to be's Wedding dress fitting last Sunday plus the first 3 of her bridesmaids are coming tomorrow night for their fittings [3 more big bridesmaids and 3 flower girls dresses to follow].
Also yesterday I had a phone call from a lady needing two bridesmaid's dresses shortening for a wedding a week on Saturday!!! [I normally start alterations for wedding/bridesmaids dresses 6-8 weeks before a wedding!!!].
I am expecting all the dresses for another 3 or 4 August Weddings too....and of course in the middle of all this I just might have a moving date  :-)  I have a feeling life is going to get just a little busy for me. :-)

On that note I am going to say thanks for calling by.  If you'd like to leave me a little hello comment I will do my best to pay you a return visit asap but if I fail please forgive me :-)
Hugs,
Annie x

WOYWW......ATCs galore

Wow wow wow what an amazing day last Wednesday was.  There was soooooo much love flying around the world in the form of ATCs between many folk that have never even met and I'm sure you are like me and consider each and every one of them a friend.  I had so many really special envelopes through the post box and will quickly do a show and tell to thank each and every one of you who took the time to swap with me.....

1.  Sandra de
2. Annette
3. Sam
4. Jill
5. Margaret
6. Big Sister Jo

1. Chris Porter
2. Sylvia
3. Chris Bedford....really love the dumfing extras xxxx
4. Nan
5. Laura...big thank you hugs from Lexi and Sam too xxxx
6. Janet
7. Eliza and Yoda
8. Chris Porter...not sure why this one is on twice :-)

1. LL Jan
2. Caro
3. Kyla
4. Minxy
5. Shazsilverwolf
6. Helen
7. Maggie C
8. Alison Haselgrove
9. Bluebeard and Elizabeth

1. Robyn Oliver
2. Neet
3. Julia

Aren't they all simply wonderful? Thank you all soooooooo much.  I love each and every one...all so different but each one made with love.  I have sent ATCs to you all..

that is except from.......

• Shazsilverwolf
• Ali H and 
• Robyn Oliver

I have left message for you each on your blogs but have had no reply as yet....I need your addresses to post your ATCs to you please.  Can you email me to wipso@toucansurf.com with your details.

And...what is on my desk today?

I have been really enjoying some quality creative time dumfing.

The poppies in the front have now had details machine embroidered in and I have sewn black seed beads to the centres of each flower....they are now ready to be mounted onto cards.

The 4 strips at the back I managed to dumf on Monday during an afternoon of fun and creativity with that big sister of mine...thanks for the distraction Jo.

That's about all from me for now.  Thanks for calling by. Please leave me a message so I know you've called by and I will do my best to pay you a return visit ASAP. 

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW...

Well folks it's as if I've never been away....except I have had my batteries recharged and I feel the break really did me good.  I'm sure life is the same for others in that we all have highs and lows but just sometimes I need to shut the door and chill out to cope with the lows and make the very best of the highs when they arrive.

You will see from my last post that the family excitement is growing well  :-)  I am blessed with just the best family in the world and can say that each one of them goes out in the world and makes the world a better place for them being in it so can't wait for the extra little family members to arrive.

Funday Monday was another brilliant day of laughter, chat, cuppas and, as always, a chocolate or two [thanks T].  Twiglet brought down her Cuttlebug with the new Tim's Tattered flower and leaf dies and she provided each of us with a wonderful ceramic button [thanks Jo].  We each chose fabrics to suit the colours of our buttons and cut flowers out using the new toy.  A bit of heating with the embellishing heater and a few stitches here and there and ta da here is the brooch I made.

I have spread out the knitted squares I have made so far for you to see so you know I did manage to do a few while away last week but I'm sorry to say Jo that I didn't manage to knit while in the car very successfully....I dropped my needles once or twice then had to put it away  cos it made me travel sick :-(

Nearly 15 now so that's 7 more since last week  :-)

I've been busy doing a few sewing jobs this morning but have still managed a batch of yummy wholemeal rolls for lunch.....feel free to cut one in half and fill it with what ever you choose.....they smell wonderful.

I usually like to share a little of my garden with you all and this week it's lavender.  We have lots of bushes around the garden and it's really looking and smelling wonderful at the mo.....even the little bee seems to be enjoying it  :-)

And how's about this for honeysuckle?  It's really beautiful and smells divine especially with a drop of rain on it.  :-)

Hope you all have a really fab week and can enjoy a few sunny days.  Please pop over to Julia's blog and join in the WOYWW fun.

Latest lavender picture....

I have been dumfing again in my spare time today and have finished my latest lavender picture so thought I would show and tell before uploading it in the shop [if it gets that far this time :-) ]. I had had so much interest in the last one and several requests have been made to make another similar one [no two are the same] so do let me know what you think. Lavender is one of my favourite flowers...it's a colour I love and it comes with really happy memories.
I have also had a go at a tree with blossom on it but it still needs more work yet and I need to get a different frame to mount it on so I might show and tell that one another day.
Right....I am now off over to the shop to upload some new goodies :-)

Lavender...

For those of you who showed interest in the latest dumfed picture on my table yesterday I thought I would show you it finished. Memories of the lavender fields in France ....

Hope you like it. I will be uploading it in the shop soon.

Edit.......Sorry but I wont be uploading this picture in the shop....It's sold already :-) :-)
I just may have to make another lavender picture....watch this space.....