This week's smiles....week 110

Hello happy bloggers.  Here we are at another Friday when I post my week's smiles [well, at least some of them] and I reload my Mr Linky so you can link up your happy posts too.  There was such a lovely lot of you joining in last week and I'd like to thank each and every one of you.....it really is appreciated.

I am featuring someone who titled their post from last week...109 simple pleasures :-)

I must admit I was expecting a rather longer post than the one she shared but what she did share was a photo of her washing blowing outside in the sunshine....something I've always loved seeing esp when it was a line of my baby's white terry nappies.  Yes when I had my first baby it was terry nappies all the way :-)  Thanks for sharing that Janet....it took me back to lots of very happy memories even if you didn't have 109 simple pleasures to share ;-)

My week, as always has been full of smiles and today I'm sharing one that arrived through my door yesterday and more of my garden treasures.

I have joined a group of like minded sewing ladies on Facebook and one of the girls put a shout out for something I had that was surplus to my needs.  She wanted to pay for it but I suggested we did a swap and that I would be happy with a little fabric to go towards my next LillyBo quilt.  I haven't made one for a while as they had a good stock of quilts available but alas there will always be new children diagnosed with leukaemia and there will always be a need for their little comfort quilts so I plan to make a few more to send to Jo.  They are also always in need of the little bags for their bravery beads to go in and as my Facebook friend was so very generous with the fabric she sent me I plan to make a few of those too.  I really would like to say a huge thank you for all this gorgeous fabric [and the hand made bath bomb too of course] ....it sure did put a huge smile on my face.

As promised here is another collage of the beautiful treasures coming into bloom in our new garden......we have lots of miniature daffodils, hyacinth flowers and some stunning huge crocus flowers in bloom this week.......and there really is something to smile about appearing in every corner of our new garden.

I hope you have enjoyed my shares this week and link yours up below so we can share your smiles too.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW....

Hello fellow WOYWWers.  It's been another productive week here at Sewing by Annie's.  It is half term so I haven't had my little twinnie friends here this week.  Monday was the first Funday Monday Jo and I had had for a while so I managed to make a few extra quilt squares for the Children in Need appeal....see prev post.  I took all the finished quilt blocks and money to Jacquie yesterday and she asked me to say a huge Thank you to all that helped to raise the funds....think she was rather blown away that you had each made so many quilt squares.  :-)  I will do my best to get some photos of the finished quilts to share with you when they are made.

Yesterday was a day off for me [hehehe what's one of those I hear you ask ] so I had a day doing things I wanted to do.....yes of course most of it was spent sewing....cos it's what I love doing.  So on my desk today is the finished results of a day's fun....

I rummaged through my material boxes and made 14 little bravery bead bags for the children having treatment for Leukaemia at Alderhay hospital.  Jo [zart] had been making some so I felt I should make a few to help out.....if you want to know more please pop over to the LillyBo quilt blog.

I also bagged up another batch of LillyBo bears to go in the parcel for Jo [zart].  They use these to raise funds for the family's of the children suffering from Leukaemia and having treatment.....I will get these in the post to you soon Jo.

So there you go,  I've been rather busy trying to give a little back.  I feel so very lucky to have a happy and healthy family so like to use my talents to help other less fortunate.

Today I shall be doing my best to clear some of the rail full of customers sewing plus of course the two pair of ****** curtains that need shortening!!  It can't be all fun no work can it?  :-)

Thanks for dropping by to see what I've been up to this week.  I will do my best to pop over to pay you a return visit if you leave me a little hello comment.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW....

Thanks to all who called by on me last week.  I'm sorry that I was unable to make any return visits but as most of you will know we paid Jozart a surprise visit up in Liverpool last Wednesday [pics here for those that missed them].  I had to play catch up all day Thursday and Friday with all my customers sewing and didn't get a spare minute to pay you all visits....I really do hope I can do better this week but of course Monday and Tuesday were both spent with my little twinnie munchkins so I shall be playing catch up with my sewing today again....I seem to spend every day chasing my tail lately  :-)

I do have a few pics to share with you of what I have been sewing this week....

Here is the bag, zipped purse and zebra sock puppet I made to go with my LillyBo quilt number 9....cute eh?

We took our latest two quilts up to Jozart last Wednesday....she was so thrilled to see them too  :-)

Please follow this link to find out more about the LillyBo quilts and hopefully some of you might like to have a go at making one for this great cause.

 

You will have seen my first page for Nanny Annie's fun folder with Mr Potato head on it last week and this week I have made 3 more pages to share with you...

They are all made in felt and fabric and the pages all have button holes in the sides so they can be put in a big red jumbo file.  This means they can easily be taken out to be laid flat for playing with and can be shared by my 5 grandchildren....as you can see I've only made 4 pages so far so I need to get at least one more made so there is no falling out when they all come to Nanny's to play  :-)

As they are all made from snippets I just might link them up at Pixies Crafty Snippets Playground this week  :-)

I hope you like my latest pages....if you want a closer look you should be able to click on the pictures to enlarge them.

The last pic I am sharing with you is this one of .......

My new toys.....a huge cutting mat, a 6"x 24" clear rule and a rotary cutter.  I know a lot of you card makers will have similar but mine is for cutting fabric.....I'm so excited and can't wait to use it all.  It will be brilliant for making the LillyBo quilts and quiet book pages.

Can you tell I'm easily pleased?

Thanks for calling by.  I will do my best to pay you all a return visit this week....customers allowing  :-)

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW....

Good morning fellow WOYWWers.  So much happens between our Wednesday visits.  There is always something going on here  :-)

My pics to share today are.....

This is my  latest finished LillyBo quilt...Number 9

Do pop over here to find out more and hopefully you will make a quilt to join in the fun for this well worth while cause.

It has little zoo animals on the printed fabric so I have made a........

....little stripey Zebra sock puppet to go in the pocket of the bag [that I've yet to make!].  We are hoping to take our latest quilts up to Liverpool to meet Jo[zart] in person while she is in the Abakhan store doing her quilt making demo.  I'm so excited at the thought cos I've spoken to Jo many times on the phone and we have shared years of emails and blogging but as yet never actually met in real life.

The other fun thing I've been working on lately is my "Nanny Annie's Fun Book".  I have plans to make several activity pages for my little Grandees to play with and this is the first one well on it's way to being finished.  I found the idea over at Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows and have lots of different pages in the planning.  I will be including all sorts of fastenings and covering topics like colours, shapes, numbers etc.  I will make at least 5 pages before I let them loose on the little ones so there's no falling out

....well that's the idea  :-) :-) :-)

The other quich pic I'm sharing today is one of a little visitor pinching my bird food.  Cheeky little monkey sat there for ages and didn't mind me getting up close to snap him through the window....in fact I think he even smiled!!!

Thanks for calling by today and leaving me such lovely comments....I will be doing my return visits later today as I have a busy day planned.....more about that another time ;-)

Hugs,

Annie xxx

WOYWW....

Hi Folks.  Here we are at 4th Birthday celebrations plus one week  :-)

It's a quick post from me today cos I'm busy busy busy  :-)  I have my two maps to show you where I have sent 35 celebration ATCs to...

My UK friends

Plus so many friends all round the world too.  :-)

I have already had some really gorgeous ATCs from those who asked to swap with me and I have collaged them to share all the wonderful effort that has been put into making them.  I have been really busy with extra shifts with my gorgeous little munchkins so have been unable to email you each personally to say thank you so please accept an apology and my thanks now.  I love each and every one of them and plan to make another display with them when they have all arrived.  Please click on the collages to see them in more detail.

 1. Jo

2. Kerry

3. Annette

4. Jackie

5. Neet

6. Lynn

7. Jan

8. Kate

9. Robyn

10. Sue

11. Janet

12. Sam [Hettie]

13. Sandra De

14. Lisa

15. Jill

16. Julie Ann

17. Julia

18. Roudi

19. Jo [zart]

20. Caro

The other thing I have to share with you today is the latest LillyBo quilt I've made.  It was one of those times when all the word around me was filled with sad news and I am a great believer in keeping busy at times like that and doing something very positive.  I quickly sorted out some matching fabrics and the quilt just appeared...as if by magic.....guess I was rather lost in my thoughts.  Isn't it beautiful?  I just love how it's turned out and am certain a poorly little girl will just love it....esp the little doll that I've made to go in the pocket of the bag.....What do you think?

Of course it is made of lots of snippets of my fabric stash so I am entering it for Di's Crafty snippets playground challenge for this week....I haven't been to play there for a while so I do hope the playmates are kind to me.

 

Thanks for dropping by today.  I have a lot of catching up with sewing to do today but if you leave me a little hello I will pop by when I get a minute to see what you've been up to this week.

Hugs,

Annie x

What's On Your Workdesk Weddings Day....

What's on your work desk Weddings day.......

Jo and I spent the afternoon on Monday brainstorming ideas for Wedding keepsakes.  So today this is what is on my work desk......

I have an ironing board full of Wedding fabrics.....there is silk, satin, lace and frills of all sorts waiting to be transformed into bride dollies, posy bags, special book covers etc.

.....Well that's the theory. 

 Neither Jo or I have much Mojo at the mo but hope playing with all this beautiful fabric and trimmings will kick start something.  If anyone has an up and coming Wedding that they would like something special designing and making for please let us know.

The other thing I have to show you today is this...

Do you remember the last LillyBo quilt and bag I made a while back that needed a little someone to go in the pocket?  Well here it is....

Now come on little bunny they really are a friendly bunch that visit me here and there is no need to be shy.

That's much better.  I'm sure they will all love you as much as me and the little person you are given to will know you were made with lots of love so will treasure you.

I hope you have enjoyed your visit today and will leave me a little hello comment.  I will do my best to pop to yours to see what you've been up to this week in between my sewing jobs later.

Hugs,

Annie x

Another gorgeous parcel has arrived...

I feel so very blessed to have such special blogging friends.  Our good friend Jo from Jozart has been really busy making silk scarves for all who have made LillyBo quilts as a thank you for our efforts and for supporting the very worth while cause......there really was no need Jo as I just know we have all loved our quilt making but thank you for your generosity.

Here's mine...

 

Thank you for the heart headed pins too  :-)

It's in my favourite colour Jo so you really have put special thought and love into making it.

My quilt making has had to slow up a little with all that has been going on here but it hasn't stopped....after all I still have several little bags with fabrics all sorted into to make several more yet  :-)....it's just that life sometimes gets in the way.

Please follow this link.....LillyBo Quilts..... if you would like to have a go at quilt making for this very special cause or just to find out more about it.

Thanks again Jo xx

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW....

 Ive added the wrong link on Julia's blog today so instead of messing up Mr Linky can you please click here to find my Anniversary post

I'm here

Sorry folks xxxxx

Hello to all my Wednesday friends and fellow bloggers.  This week has been full of crafty fun, new sewing challenges and family together times.

Today I have 3 photos to share with you....

This first one is a different challenge for me that a new customer has brought me.  They are 4 different waste banner fabrics [PVC type strong fabrics] and he wants me to make simple reusable shopping bags out of them to trial the fabrics.  Jo helped me cut out a bag from each of the 4 fabrics and I just have to make the bags with it now.....watch this space.  :-)

This is my, now finished, LillyBo quilt number 7 with it's matching bag and I am linking it over at Di's snippets playground as my quilts are all made from the snippets of fabrics I have in my scrap boxes.

If you would like to see all the wonderful finished quilts and maybe check out the details of how to join in the fun of making one then please pop over to the LillyBo quilt blog.

Of course I needed to make a little something to go in the pocket on the bag so I am knitting a little.........

......rabbit to match the ones in the pictures on the fabric of the quilt.  My knitting is a bit slow going at the mo but I will get there.  :-)

I hope you have enjoyed my show and tell for this week and leave me a little hello comment so I can pay you a return visit to see what you've been up to this week.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW....updated to show you Bertie

What has happened this week?  I've had a 5 day weekend because not only was it Easter weekend but the twins are on a 2 week Easter holiday so I didn't have them yesterday and I don't open up the shop on a Tuesday.  

So?  Why oh why am I chasing my tail and finding myself writing this post now?  I am usually so organised and have this ready on Tuesday.....and look after two 18 month old twins at the same time [that's what nap times are for aren't they?] !!!  Oh well  I guess it's just part of my 'I don't even know what day it is' life at the mo.  :-)  We took two more loads of stash to the charity shop and load number 12 to the tip at the weekend so it's not surprising my world is crumbling around me is it hehehe.

So on my desk now this very minute is.....

The quilt I was working on yesterday.  This one is definitely one for a baby.  The panel of fabric in the middle has teddies on so I have appliqued more teddies etc on each end to go with it.  I have kept back one of the little pictures to go on the front of the bag to match.  This is my LillyBo quilt number 7.

For those wondering where the little teddies were flying off to last week I can now tell you that they have arrived safely with Jo[zart].  They are already working hard to raise money for Chics, the Children's cancer support group.  Big sister Jo wrote a LillyBo bear poem to go with each little bear and each little bear will work their little bit of magic to bring comfort to all that buy one.....after all they were all made with love and a little sprinkle of magic was added to their stuffing.  :-)

I have also been working on my fabric book that I started back in February.  Please click here is you'd like to see where the inspiration came from.  I am really enjoying watching this develop and deciding what to do next as I go along.

We don't do things by halves here in Shropshire!!!
I know it's not actually on my work desk but Bertie buzzard has just flown down onto next door's front lawn to feed and I just had to  run out with my camera to snap it for you.....Isn't he stunning?  He was really huge with probably a 4 foot wingspan when he flew off.......amazing to be so close to nature.

Well folks, that's all from me for today....better late than never as they say.  :-)

I hope you have enjoyed the little peep into my world for this week.  If you'd like to leave a little hello comment I will do my best to pay you a return visit asap.

Hugs,

Annie x

It's all going on here :-) .....

Look what went up outside our house on Wednesday this week.....

It's all so exciting.  I know you will all want to buy it so please feel free to have a look around...

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-26226387.html

 and guess what?

We have our first viewing this morning!!!!!!!

The other thing I promised to share with you was my latest LillyBo quilt....Number 6.

The finished quilt.....and who is that sitting on it?

A little knitted duck to go in the pocket.  :-)

And here they all are tucked up inside the matching bag.....I do love the bright cheery colours of this one.

I'm entering this quilt into Di's Crafty Snippets Playground for this week.

I'm planning number 7 all ready but of course now is not the time to have my sewing room in a mess  :-)

Please wish us luck for our viewing later and pray we can find somewhere we want to move to so we don't end up homeless if we get a quick sale   :-)

WOYWW....

Another eventful week over here at Sewing by Annie's.  We have had 3 different estate agents in to value the house and today the one we have selected to proceed is coming to take the photos so that it should be board up and on the market by the weekend....wahooooo.  It's so exciting.

 Monday wasn't as much fun as normal cos that big sister of mine was laid up with a head cold and, so as to not pass on the bugs, she stayed at home.  Mondays just aren't the same without her as you can imagine and I really hope she gets better very soon.

Yesterday was my Munchkin fun day so of course there was no sewing or crafting going on here then either....but we certainly had a lot of fun.  They are growing up so very quickly.

So?  What is on my desk today?....the answer is.....

....the start of my LillyBo Quilt number 6.  I needed something to brighten up my Monday so I chose a bag full of bright cheery colours for this next quilt and have already finished the front of it as you can see.  The fabric in the middle of the quilt has little yellow birds and clouds on it so I just might have to make a little bird or maybe even a duck to go with this one.  :-)

I see Jo[zart] has put her latest quilt on the LillyBo quilt blog  this week and it's really gorgeous....go have a peep.

The other thing I am sharing with you today is this gorgeous bunch of daffodils...they really were far too bright and cheery to keep all to myself.....and of course you have to have fresh flowers in the house when you're selling it don't you?....I can see this being my excuse for a while at least  :-)

Fresh baked bread might help too so feel free to help yourself to one of these for your lunch today.  :-)

I hope you have enjoyed your visit this week and will leave me a little hello comment.  I will do my best to pay you a return visit in between sewing jobs ....and of course showing all the people round who want to buy our house....keeping everything crossed here.  :-)

Hugs,

Annie x

LillyBo quilts number 5...

I really didn't know just how addictive this quilt making would become when I joined in the wonderful cause that Jo[zart] set up in Liverpool but I am really enjoying making these little quilts.  Each one is different and they are all made from from the snippets of fabrics and wools that I have in stock [ Oh OK then, yes I have bought a few extra bits :-) ].  Because of the snippets they are made from I am linking each one up with Di's snippets playground blog.

So here you are.  I have made a collage of my number 5 quilt to share with you....

You should be able to click on the image to enlarge it for a closer look if you wanted to.  Jo and I will be making a parcel up and sending our latest makes to Jo[zart] very soon.  If you would like to join in the fun of making little quilts for these very special children then please pop over to the LillyBo Quilt blog that Jo[zart] has set up for more details......and enjoy.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW....or maybe WNOYWW?

This has been a very different sort of week for me.  We are planning on downsizing and moving to a bungalow as soon as we can so the last few weeks there has been a lot of sorting, filling of boxes and dumping of rubbish at the local tip....4 [full to capacity] car loads so far!!!  and a good bit of....

.....finding the right colour tins of paint to touch up where needed.  It's all so exciting......the next big adventure in our lives. 

You can imagine what we have to sort through when I say this has been our family home for well over 60 years! [I wasn't alive for all of them I hasten to add :-)  ]

Yesterday we had the first estate agent here to give us a free valuation so on my desk today is....

....absolutely nothing.....not even my 'to do' rail is cluttering up my sewing room this morning!

We have another valuation being done on Saturday morning so I guess I have to keep it tidy too....but I have to work too so we will see.

What I do have to share with you today is my LillyBo quilt number 4 that is now finished and the....

.....little matching bag to put it in.  I still have to make a little something to go in the pocket that I've put inside the bag but I am sharing this on Di's Pixie's Crafty Snippets Playground for this week as my quilts are all made from the snippets of fabric I have in my many boxes.

I hope you have enjoyed the little peep into my world for this week.  If you'd like to leave a little hello comment I will do my best to pay you a return visit asap.

Hugs,

Annie x

There are just a few folk that have found something to share and make others smile this week.  It's not too late to join in so snap a happy pic and link it here to join in the fun......or if you have nothing to smile about then please feel free to check out the lovely posts of those that have already linked and I promise you will be smiling afterwards.  :-)

WOYWW...

As most of you will know our little Lexi caught the chicken pox last week and was pretty miserable with it but being the loving, caring , sharing sister she is [and here is the proof]...

....she passed it on to her brother Sam so this week we have two little spotty dotties.

Thank you for all your get well wishes on Friday but can you now please double them up so they will both be fit and well again very soon.  :-)

So what is on my desk today?...

 I found another box with fabric I'd forgotten about [how could I forget about all this yummy fabric?] and of course it is just perfect for making the little LillyBo Quilts with.

So with these 3 boxes full to overflowing already we just had to do a bit of sorting and actually half filled a bin bag with bits just too small to do anything with....yes I'm being firm with myself now cos we are putting the house on the market soon to downsize to a bungalow so I can't save every scrap of fabric......can I?

We then emptied 3 sweety jars of ribbon out onto the table to look for 1" wide pieces to go round the little quilts and even with all this lot we didn't find many pieces suitable to use....I just might have to go shopping  :-)

This ribbon is now all sorted into..

• Christmas ribbon jar
• satin ribbon jar and
• patterned ribbon jar.

Time well spent and thanks for your help Jo.

Some of the fabrics are now sorted into LillyBo quilt project bags so when I've got a spare minute or more I can grab a bag and get making instead of having to search for matching bits.

And here's a sneaky peep to show you that quilt number 4 has already been started  :-)

I hope you have enjoyed a quick look into my world this week.  If you leave me a comment I will do my best to call by later this evening cos today Jo and I and several other friends are off on a girly crafting fun day together.

...wahooooo wahooooo [can you tell how excited I am?].

Hugs,

Annie x

Don't forget to snap a happy pic and link it to this weeks Weekly smiles post here.  Please join in the fun and make the world a happier place to be.

LillyBo Quilt number three....

Another ta da moment from me today.  I have now finished my third LillyBo Quilt and have been asked to share it on my blog so here goes.....

I really loved choosing the fabrics for this one.  It's rather pink and girly but I love it.

Think the green on the bag has affected the photo but I'm sure you can tell that it matches the quilt and is made up of lots of scraps and snippets of the fabrics I had left over from making the quilt.

For this reason I am linking it over at Pixie's Playground.

In the lining of the bag I have put a pocket and it looks like there is a little friend peeping out wanting to say hello.

I've made a little matching teddy to go with the quilt so I hope the little girl this quilt goes to will love her as much as I loved making her.

I will probably hang onto this quilt til I've two to send together so you may be kept waiting for this one Jo[zart].....of course you can shout if you want it sooner.  :-)