Thiss week's smiles....week 445

 Another week has passed and I'm very thankful that I'm very nearly back up to normal energy levels. We enjoyed a lovely weekend away recharging my batteries....a lot of sleeping was done but on my birthday we went to Minehead and enjoyed a little walk on the front plus fish and chips lunch in one of the beach shelters and a Mr Whippy ice cream on our walk back to the motor home....bliss.

It's lucky that I'm feeling rather better now because I've needed my  energy this week....  

• A lady came to me wanting 5 Memory bears making....she then decided to have 6 made.
• A lady came to me to have a dress altered and it turned out to be her Wedding dress.
• Another lady came wanting a dress fitting....she brought two dresses with her
• Another lady came wanting 5 Memory bears making and decided to have 6 instead then messaged me later to say she'd decided  to have 7 made

The amount of work being done is still being decided by my body but each day I am feeling better thankfully and I'm working my way through all that's needed.

We enjoyed a meal out at Cote Brasserie in Shrewsbury Wednesday night and then we watched the screening of Cliff Richard live at the Albert Hall at the Old Market Hall Cinema....it was really good and I just wish I was as fit as Cliff at aged 81!

We went to watch Stephen play a football tournamant on Monday night.

He won 2 games and lost 1 but he only let one goal in which he was very pleased about.

Here he is in his new team football strip.

It's been a week of baking by the Grandchildren  while they have been on half term holidays. 

These are the twins buns....yum yum

And these were the biscuits and buns Phoebe and Lulu made.

Last night we 'babysat' for Amy and the girls cooked us our tea then we all enjoyed some fun time on the sewing machines before bed....there may be photos to share with you next week.

That's all from me for this week.  Please share your smiles by linking up at the bottom and I will do my best to call by at yours to see what you've been doing this week.

Hugs,

Annie x

This week's smiles...week 385

 It's been another lovely week filled with plenty to smile about here this week.  I'm going to start off with our little Yoda...

"Love you lots, nanny I do" .  Isn't he just gorgeous?...maybe I'm just biased :-)

Phoebe and Lulu have been baking [just look at the concentration on their faces]...flapjacks and rocky road cakes this time.  They love helping in the kitchen and can now cook all sorts...they are a credit to their mum and dad.

 

 

Little Milly is our guard dog [I think she thinks she's an Alsatian].  This week, because it had been so hot, we opened the front door and put a stair gate across the gap to keep her safe.  She really loved the fact she could see so much more.

This is my collage of the smiles that keep coming out in our garden.  Our sweet peas are now blooming and I love them.  I can see them from my sewing room and they make me smile every time I look at them.

I hope you have enjoyed my smiles for this week and will leave me a little comment before sharing yours by linking up below.

Hugs,

Annie x

This week's smiles ....week 374

Another week has passed and although the lockdown restrictions have lessoned in hasn't made a huge difference for us as yet [nor do I expect it to].  I've still had a steady flow of requests for face masks so that is keeping me ticking over but on top of that I also had an order for face masks from Barclays Bank in Chelsea, London....and there may be more of the same to follow for other branches of the bank....it put a huge grin on my face.....Fancy that!  Little old me!!!

Now for my round up of the pics I can share with you....

It seemed a while since I shared a photo of the girls...they lead busy lives...so I asked Amy to snap me a couple.  They really seem to be growing up so quickly now....real young ladies now.

Lexi has been enjoying musical drama/dance classes and of course has to be dressed appropriately for each session.. clockwise from top left is Matilda, Dog trainer, Mouse from Nutcracker and Jasmine.

She has gained so much confidence through her drama group and is always singing and dancing now....beautiful.

Gina sent me this pic of Theo this week.  She said he'd wanted to play out in the paddling pool while she was getting tea so she filled the sink and popped him in there instead...she said he'd looked like her as if she's gone mad but he had actually had a real fun time there for nearly an hour.

I just said that all children should be bathed at least once in the kitchen sink...I have such happy memories of mine doing exactly the same at some point in their lives.

My darling hubby has been baking again...2 coconut cakes this week....and they taste every bit as much as they look.

Amy's three have been creating rainbows with fabrics.  Aren't they lovely?

Here's my round up of this weeks new blooms in the garden...it never fails to keep giving and makes me smile every day.

The vegetables are doing really well too....we have enjoyed 3 means of new potatoes, our first courgette and the first two beetroot as well as salad leaves and radishes....and all really yummy.

Finally I just wanted to share a few of the giggles I've had this week [I'm sorry if any offend you].  hey really made me chuckle so hope they make you laugh too.

Please leave me a little comment before linking up to share your smiles at the bottom.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW...

Actually what isn't on my desks today might be a shorter list :-)

Firstly I would like to show you this...

This was the elastic I had ordered last week.  I had many trying to guess how much I'd ordered to win themselves a couple of my masks.

When it arrived there was actually 480 metres [needless to say a lot of it has already gone] so with a guess at 400 metres the lucky winner was Helen....I will contact you on messenger Helen so you can choose your prize.

I've had a really busy week making masks and am struggling to keep up with the demand for them but in between times I've also done some special sewing...

Meet Bun bun.  He belongs to a special little girl who has Autism and her mummy asked me to make school uniform for him because he goes to school with the little girl every day.  I really enjoyed this challenge.  Bun bun didn't come with a pattern so I had to adjust the patterns I had to make his clothes fit.

I've been told that the little girl was thrilled to bits with him so that makes the challenge well worth the effort.

My next challenge was to make a cushion using fabrics from a wedding dress.  The bridesmaids were pale pink and I was asked to use a little to embellish it.

Rather pretty eh?

My darling hubby has been turning his hand to more baking...this time it was two coconut cakes and a batch of apple cakes....yummy too.

Mid sewing face masks in top gear my sewing machine started groaning and on closer inspection I decided it just might be because of all this grot that I had to clean out of it!!

Yes I am rather ashamed to show you that it had got this full of fluff.

I have shown you my boxes filled with fat quarters  before and it might surprise you to know they are very nearly all gone now on mask making so I had to order more materials....this is the first batch and I have more on it's way  :-)

I love new fabrics.  :-)

Now I've shared all that with you I'm going to show you what is actually on my desk this morning....yes it's a batch of 7 Memory bears.  I cut them out first thing yesterday morning but had lots of orders for face masks so I am planning on shutting myself away in my sewing room today to make these bears.

...if I don't get over to yours til later in the week  hope you will understand...but I will do my best.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW....

Another week of self isolation has passed and we have been enjoying some really lovely sunny days in the garden.  No weed has felt safe in our because the minute he pops his head up he's pulled out....our garden has never looked better :-)

I've moved a lot of the fabric off my desk and have even put some of it away to make room for the activities of the moment.....

I know it's far too early to mention the C word but I decided now would be a good time to do some painting while I can get it all out and leave it on my desk until I've finished what I'm doing with having no customers to disturb me.  At the begining of the year I ordered some wood slices to make some tree decorations with so that's what I have been up to.  It's something that I will enjoy dipping in and out of over the next couple of weeks.

I have also been sewing but as they are for birthday presents later in the year I can't share those with you yet and we have both enjoyed a few baking/cooking sessions together....

...fruity flapjacks and naan breads this week.  I think like most of you we are using up things from the store cupboard and finding recipes to adapt if we don't have all that's needed.  The naan breads were made without yeast as we didn't have any.  We found a recipe using baking powder instead and I have to say they were really yummy....and what we didn't eat were frozen and are ready for the next curry we make.....it's surprising what you can do when you try eh?

That's all from me for today.  I hope you are all staying home and are well and happy.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW.....

Here we are at another Wednesday catch up with our creative friends from all around the world.  I hope you are all managing to stay well and happy and are finding plenty to occupy your days....we are and I'm nowhere near bored enough yet to feel like doing housework  :-)

I managed to finish the Luna Lapin rabbit that I was making for Gina's birthday but I wont be sharing that on my blog until after her birthday in September and I have also dressed Nanny rabbit....although I do have a few ideas for her to come yet....

I can proudly say my room has had a lot of use this week and I have really enjoyed getting lots out and not having to keep tidying it away for customers.....bliss.  So I have snapped it from various angles and am sharing it in all it's glory this week....

Feel free to click on the collage if you want a closer look....and don't be afraid to ask if there's anything more you want to know about it.

We have also enjoyed several baking sessions together and I thought you might like to help yourselves to a freshly baked scone with your cuppa today...

I have now been asked to make rabbits for Michelle and Amy for their next birthdays [hence why my room is in such a mess ] so there will be lots going on here that I wont be able to share with you for next week and I will have to work extra hard to find things I can share.....that is if I can still move as we did the Joe Wicks workout for Seniors this morning and plan to do it each morning to keep us fit!!....give it a go because it really caused a chuckle here.

Hugs,

Annie x

This week's smiles....week 341

I've had a really busy week this week with sewing but have still had lots to smiles about so here's a few snaps that have made me smile....

These three went to the coast for the day on Saturday and sent me this photo to make me laugh....blue lollies!!

It's Stephen's 8th birthday this weekend but we wont see him as we are off on adventures in our motorhome so he had an early birthday present from us....its a Shrewsbury Town top with a zipped front and, as you can see it was a really hit.....I actually think his mummy may have to sneak it in the wash when he's at school cos he's not taken it off since :-)

On Tuesday we had a baking morning with little Theo and he proudly handed them around when we had a special visitor later.  Before he went home he suddenly said 'Can I have a cuddle Grandad?'.....don't you just love moments like that?

This photo of Lexi really made me smile....she is taking the shells off a bag of conkers.  I have really happy memories of doing the same as a child because we used to have a huge conker tree in the bottom of our garden so we always had the very best of conkers to play with.

I hope something I've shared has made you smile too.  Please leave me a little comment and then link up to your own smiles below....the more the merrier.

Hugs,

Annie x

This week's smiles...week 337

What a week it's been and it's been filled with smiles here so I shall share some of them with you....

Whilst away at Euro Disney last week Lexi challenged Micky Mouse to a dance off....I think Lexi won don't you?

Just wish I could!!

At the weekend, and before the children went back to school Amy, Dave and the children enjoyed a few days away in Anglesey....I really love seeing the three of them playing together and enjoying the freedom of a beach to themselves.

On Sunday we went for walk in the Dingle in Shrewsbury's Quarry Park....just look at those gorgeous flowers.

I love this photo of Milly...she's sat on the arm of the chair by me looking out of the window...probably for cats daring to walk past!

We pulled the first carrots and beetroot from our little raised veg garden at the weekend and I just had to share them with you....there's nothing quite like freshly pulled veg is there?

We had Theo for a full day on Tuesday so we went out for the day in our motor home for a day of adventures.  Sadly the beach we were going to had been fenced off but we found a country park we could enjoy our picnic at and on the way back we found a garden centre with a play park and ice creams.....just perfect.

Before going back to school Phoebe, Lulu and Steve wanted to have a baking session to make treats to go in their sandwich boxes.....don't the results look yummy?

Each year Amy makes up a collage of back to school photos...oh how they have grown!  It doesn't seem 5 mins since the first pic in the top left corner was taken when Phoebe started school and she goes to big school next September!!

Here's the back to school pic of the twins too...Year 3!! The years pass so quickly don't they?

There you go.  I hope you've made it to the end this week.  I had so many smiles I wanted to record on my blog for this week.  I hope at least some of them made you smile too.  I will probably not be able to post smiles next Friday, as we are off North on an adventure in the motor home, but trust me when I say I will have lots to smile about so will have two weeks of smiles to share with you the week after.

Hugs,

Annie x

This week's smiles....week 308

Hello all.  Happy Friday to one and all. Firstly, I hope you like my new Spring header pic.....I thought it was about time I changed it and I'm looking forward to warmer Spring days.  It's been a quiet week with sewing for me so I've used my time catching up on all those jobs that have to wait for more important things to be done first....like cleaning and servicing my sewing machines!

I've a few snaps to share with you of my smiles this week and if that last one offends then don't look at it ;-)

Last weekend Mark and Gina treated me, my hubby and Mark's best friend to an escape room session at the Adventure Vault in Shrewsbury....if you've never done one then it's something for your bucket list because it was a lot of fun.  It was a little like The Crystal Maze on the telly....we were locked in a room and had to solve puzzles and tasks before we could unlock the door to get out.  We not only really enjoyed it but we escaped quick enough to get on the leader board of scores.....Thanks so much Mark and Gina for spoiling us.

As most of you will know I had a baking session with my little playmate on Tuesday.....here he is on the little set of steps getting ready.  I'd just said look at Nanny so I could take a picture...the head turned but his eyes were far more interested on the baking ingredients as you can see.  :-)

He helped put each ingredient into my food mixer and happily pressed the button to mix, mix, mix  :-)

I have a feeling the washing up was the best bit....bubbles everywhere  :-)

"What do you want to do Theo while our buns are cooking?"

"Can we make a den Nanny with blankets?"

....your wish is my command :-)

"Peep Nanny"

Buns cooked so guess we needed to decorate them next.

Result....6 little iced buns and 6 little jammy butterfly buns.

Yum yum....sorry but they have all gone now....of course :-)

Warning....look away now if you're easily offended.

We had our drive done a couple of weeks back but it was left with areas of loose tarmac in places so this week they came back to redo it for us.  I was watching the progress and taking pics to send hubby and this loomed up in front of me!  It was a cold day and I was so tempted to offer to pull his trousers up for him and tuck his vest in!! :-) :-)

I hope you have enjoyed your visit today and will link up and share your smiles below.

Hugs,

Annie x

This week's smiles....week 253

Well......there is was, gone.  No sooner than Christmas was coming than it's been and gone and so has the New Year celebrations so life can return to normal for another year.

So here we are on the first Friday of 2018 and I'm thankful that life is still giving me plenty to smile about.  Here you go......

Milly is sat watching us doing the Christmas jigsaw....yes she likes to sit on a stool up at the table so she doesn't miss out on the fun!

Amy's three children were late finishing school before Christmas so are later than most going back after the holidays and have been enjoying this week with their mum.

Phoebe wanted to make some cakes so she has, all by herself weighed and measured the ingredients and made a really yummy batch of buns......Amy was proud that she was able to make them and I was even prouder because her mummy had spent the time with her to teach her so she could do it.  Just look how she decorated them too.....well done Phoebe.

Lulu was given a kit to decorate your own birdhouse for Christmas and she has had a lovely time decorating and making it....here she is proudly showing it off to me.

They were given some money for Christmas and, as a special treat, Amy took them to a local build a bear factory for them to choose and make their own special furry friend.

Well that's my smiles for this week.  Leave me a little comment so I know you've called by and, if you can, then please link up to your own smiles below.

Hugs,

Annie x