WOYWW....

What's on my work desk today?....can't even get to it to show you today sorry cos we have the plumbers in putting in the new radiators.  They have drained the heating system and turned the boiler off so for the past two days I've had no heating.....brrrrrrrr.  Hopefully by the time you are reading this they will have finished and have fired up the heating again.

So my pics today are...

One of me I took yesterday....the twins were concerned that Nanny Annie had no heating so Sam brought me a tin of soup for me to have for my lunch to warm me up on the inside and Lexi loaned me her snuggle blanket to keep me warm on the outside.  They are such funny bunnies ....I love them to bits and made them chuckle with my pic.

And this was the pic to show you what I've been doing to keep out of the plumbers way......I'm just like Dori from the film 'Finding Nemo' only in my case it's 'just keep knitting, just keep knitting'  :-)

The other thing I've been keeping busy with is my new mini Ipad I was treated to for my birthday....we have been becoming quite good friends and, with the help of my IT assistant [my son Mark] have managed to set it up just the way I like it.  Pinterest has taken quite a hammering already :-)

So folks that's about it from me for today.  Short and sweet just the way Julia likes it.  Please leave me a little hello message to let me know you've called by and I will do my best to return the visit ASAP.  Please note I do read the blogs of my google+ visitors but am unable to leave them a comment.  Sorry.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW......

What's on my work desk today?......Nothing at all because.....

Between the sitting room and my sewing room is where our new kitchen is going to be and those of you who call in on a Friday will see that my builders knocked the wall through last week so to get to my sewing room I have to climb over all the building materials and get in the builders way.  Plus this morning when I popped through, before the builders arrived,  this is what I have leaning up against the door and window outside making my sewing room dark and gloomy.

Also the builders use my sewing room to access the rest of the bungalow so there are dust sheets on the floor.....and a lot of dust on my work desk!!

Before I can get in there to sew I will now need to dust and clean it from top to bottom so for now I'm......

Back to knitting squares on my lap in the sitting room  :-)  It will be a baby blanket when I have made enough squares....not that I have a baby in mind just yet  :-)

It's what I do to keep me awake in the evenings :-)

So that's it from me for today.  Short and sweet just how Julia likes it.  Please leave me a little hello message to let me know you've called in and I will pop over to yours to see what you've been up to this week.  I'm certain it will be more interesting than mine.  :-)

Have a great week.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW.....

Hello fellow bloggers.  Another week has passed and it's been another nail biting, stress busting, knitting week for me.  We had another viewing last Saturday that seemed to go very well and yesterday we had positive feedback so are keeping everything crossed that they come back with an offer for the house.....something good has got to happen soon....doesn't it?

 

So what I have to show you this week is....

 

 

 

 

The progress of the second quilty blanket....I've decided where the squares will go and have started to crochet them together before crocheting the border to match the other blanket.

I have now knit 10 squares in the gorgeous turquoise wool and have bought a pretty flecked wool to match plus some pretty pale creamy yellow to go with it.....don't you think this will make a pretty baby cot blanket?

Well folks that's about all from me creatively for this week cos I have been busy looking after those twinnie munchkins for an extra day this week while their other Granddad is in hospital with Pneumonia....get well soon Alan.  Thanks for calling by.  I will do my best to pay you a return visit when I can if you leave me a little hello message to let me know you've called in.

Hugs,

Annie x

 

 ATC reminder

As those that join in the Wednesday fun will know we are coming up to our 5th year birthday celebrations....If you want to know the details click on this link to Julia's wonderful instructions.

I usually offer a swap to any that would like to swap with me as well as the one after me on the list on the day and this year is no different.  I've made my ATCs well in advance this year and will be putting them ready to post so if you'd like to swap with me please leave me your name here in the comments and email me your details to wipso@toucansurf.com........I'm getting excited already :-)

WOYWW ....and ATC swap.....

As those that join in the Wednesday fun will know we are coming up to our 5th year birthday celebrations....If you want to know the details click on this link to Julia's wonderful instructions.

I usually offer a swap to any that would like to swap with me as well as the one after me on the list on the day and this year is no different.  I've made my ATCs well in advance this year and will be putting them ready to post so if you'd like to swap with me please leave me your name here in the comments and email me your details to wipso@toucansurf.com........I'm getting excited already :-)

This week has found me needing more stress busting knitting...

Yep....I'm up to 9 already!!!

Our lovely little bungalow that we made plans for, invested a lot of time, money [we will have to pay solicitors for all the searches etc now!] and emotions on  [and bought new settees and curtains for] has now been sold.  :-(
Our buyers still haven't got their mortgage :-(
It's no fun having to trust strangers when you come to buying and selling of houses.

These two rather old chair throws needed my love and attention this week....they needed careful darning as they were starting to fall apart and their owner wanted to have them dry cleaned.....what with these and the horse blankets of last week [check out the mad masked woman in the prev post if you want a giggle!] I certainly have a varied job.....no two days are the same!!

And finally I am leaving you with some pics from our garden that have kept me smiling this week.  The Lilac smells amazing [that is a full sized shed next to the light purple lilac so you can see just how big it is!] and the Wisteria will be in full bloom soon and looks simply stunning......Enjoy.  :-)

If you leave me a little hello comment I will do my best to pop over to yours to say hi when I get a free moment.  :-)  Don't forget to email me with your details if you'd like to swap ATCs with me this year.
Hugs,
Annie

WOYWW.....

It's been another week of celebrating here.  Our youngest daughter Amy was 29 this week and Sunday we all got together for lunch at Shell's new house....I do so love family together times. 

Here on the right is a quick snap of the 5 little ones while we were all together.....

....haven't they all grown since the snap on the left?  :-)

Now I know you have really come to see what I've been busy with this week so here is a snap of Jo helping me to arrange the stress busting, house moving squares I've knitted [160 in total now!!!]....

We are both Librans so to have to make decisions about anything really isn't easy for either of us :-) ...do we go with a boy one and a girl one?, a pastel one and a bright one?....Ooer decisions decisions.  In the end I decided two fairly random coloured ones would be best.

Well?  What do you think?

I've crocheted the big squares together and then went round the outside with 3 rows to tie some of the colours together.  This is the first one finished and the good news is I still have another to complete.

I decided that maybe, just maybe our house move was waiting for the blankets to be finished....Hoping now that I will have news to share soon  :-)

The other things I want to share with you are the two little dolls that Jo [hers is on the left] and I [mine is the one on the right] have now completed for  Margaret over at Glitter and Glue.  They made friends yesterday as soon as I had finished mine and are now winging their way together to Margaret.....hope they arrive safely :-)

If you'd like to knit a little doll for Margaret please pop over to her blog here at Glitter and Glue and help to raise funds for her charity.

Well folks, that's all from me for today.  I have an extra play day with my little twinnies today so it will be later today or tomorrow that I will be able to pay you a return visit but if you leave me a little hello comment I will do my best to pop over to say hello.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW....

Hello to all who pop by each week to catch up on a little of my world.....it pretty much fell through this week when we were told that the lady at the bungalow we have set our hopes on moving to had put it back on the market cos we are unable to complete the sale thanks to our buyers but getting their mortgage!!! Life sucks as they say....and none of it is of our doing :-(

The viewing we had on Sunday went very well though.....they really would love to buy our house so all is not lost...it's just back to 'the waiting game' [for someone to find the money to buy the house] and 'the hoping game' [that the bungalow hasn't been bought in the meantime!].

So for me it was back to the knitting needles after that much older sister of mine and little old me treated ourselves to a bit of retail therapy on Saturday afternoon....she bought material and I bought some fun wool.....

It's Robin Paintbox double knitting wool and don't you just love the colours?  It's really lovely wool to knit with too so I shall be having fun with it.

As you can see the piles at the back of the table are still growing well too.  :-)

I have also had a few customers this week....the first really since Christmas!  This  b****** house moving lark really has killed my business....it's been a case of the minds willing but the for sale sign seems to have put them off!!.....roll on better times all round eh?

At least I have a rail full of sewing to keep me busy this week :-) :-) :-)

There you go folks....another 'not very exciting week' from me but I do do my best for you. :-)

Thanks for calling by....I will do my best to pop over to see what you've been up to if you'd like to leave me a little hello message to let me know you've called by.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW.....

Hello all on this beautiful Spring day. Yesssssss I'm actually feeling better thanks to all the lovely comments, kind thoughts and prayers you've all sent me (think the antibiotics helped too). You are such a lovely bunch. Hope you like the new Spring header for my blog....it's a photo of the gorgeous flowering cherry that's in our garden right now and I just had to share it with you all.

A quick update on the house move....we have put it back on the market this week. Our buyers are a long way off from getting their mortgage at the mo and even when they submit their end of year accounts at the end of April there is no guarantee of them getting what they need so we really had no choice. We really don't want to lose yet another bungalow that we have set our hearts on.....please keep everything crossed for us.

...latest news is that we have already got a viewing on Sunday with a couple who really want to buy the house.....fingers crossed.

So? What is on my work desk today?

Of course I have a huge pile of knitted squares now.....up to 129 at last count!! 120 of them have been joined together in 2 x 2 squares now and I've crocheted around them in white....I love the effect.  :-)

I was running out of nice cheery colours in yarn so these three new balls just jumped in my basket at Charlies at the weekend  :-)....I may have a while to knit yet after all!

 The only other thing I have to share with you today are the gorgeous flowers that are coming out all round the garden here....stunning or what?  Really wish you could smell that magnolia.  Enjoy.

I hope you have enjoyed your visit today and will leave me a little hello comment to say you've been.  I must say a huge sorry to a few of you last week who I just couldn't get round to....I really was feeling pretty rough all week so hope you forgive me.  I hope to call in on as many as possible later today to make up for it.

Hugs,
Annie x

WOYWW...

Hi friends.  It's a quick post from me today from off my sick bed.....yes I'm not a lot better and Monday saw me paying the Dr a visit for some antibiotics for my chest infection.  :-)  I am feeling pretty shaky still and as I've not slept properly for a week and a half because of my cough I'm feeling pretty washed out.  I've not been able to have my little twinnie munchkins to look after so am really missing normal life....if there ever is such a thing here at Sewing by Annie's!!!

So what do I have to show you today?

I've now sewn together into 2x2 blocks most of the stress busting, house moving knitted squares I've made so far and Jo and I decided they would look best with a crocheted border in the same colour to tie them all together so I've made a start.

On the left you can see the stack of blocks I still have to crochet round and on the right are 3 more piles of squares now ready to be sewn into blocks.

These are 3 odd knitted squares that I have to knit extra squares to make blocks out of but search as I might I can't find odd balls of wool to go with them as yet....I just might have to buy some more wool!!   ;-)

Well folks, I'm sorry there is not much to show you today but I have had to find crafting I have been able to do on my knee whilst resting and hopefully getting better....it's taking it's time!!!

House moving update for all my blogging friends.....
Yesterday saw 17 weeks from the day we accepted the offer on our house....It's been a looooooong wait.  We were told yesterday that all the contracts have now been signed and we are all ready to name a moving date....that is apart from our buyers who at this late date have now told us they are unable to get their mortgage! As they say if it can go wrong it has gone wrong.....watch this space.

Thanks for popping in.  If you leave me a little hello comment to say you've called in I will do my best to pay you a return visit later.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW.....

Here you are folks...please put a face mask on before venturing and further.  Alas I have caught some of the unfriendly bugs that my family have had lately and have a b****** annoying cough, dry sore throat and the occasional high temp to go with it. Personally I put a lot of it down to the high pollen count from all the tree pollens about at the mo and all the dust that has been stirred up here while packing boxes but I've had enough of it now and would like to be feeling rather better.

I have had a lot of forced sitting down rest and get well time so have been busy knitting, sewing together my squares, making ATCs for the swap etc etc so that's what I'm sharing with you today...

I've sorted out the 111 squares that I've knitted so far and have sewn them together into 2x2 blocks each with 3 squares the same and one toning square.

There are 25 completed squares which together would make a rather good sized blanket but I'm still undecided whether to make one big one or two smaller ones....what do you think?

There are 11 odd squares that I've been matching up with others so will be knitting yet a while to use them all up  :-)

This is the mess I made on my sewing room floor whilst making over 40 ATCs ready for the 5th birthday celebration swap....I felt the need to get them all made ready because we are hoping for more news on the house move later today and wasn't too sure what time I would have to get them made.  Knowing my luck I will lose them in the move hehehe.

Here is just a little tease of what my ATCs for this year look like  :-)  Do you recognise the colours?

I would love you to swap with me again this year so hopefully nearer the time you will email me with your details so I can send you one.

Thanks for dropping by. Hope you made use of the masks and don't take away more than you came with.  I promise to wear one when I pay you a visit later.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW...

Another busy week here at Sewing by Annie's....just a shame that doesn't mean I've had lots of customers....I think they all think we have moved!!!

I have had busy days with my little twinnie munchkins but not because their mummy was at work....she's poorly.  :-(  She has a viral throat infection and has been really rough so I'm really hoping she gets well very soon.

So? what have I got to show you today?

My finished pin boards for the twins bedrooms in their new house when they get there. :-)

They are really excited about them.  :-)

My house moving, stress busting knitted squares....now over 100 so I'm trying to work out if I can make a pattern with them.  :-)

My guilty pleasure for this week    :-)

I bought these gorgeous fat quarters from My Fabric House.....I had a 10% off offer so of course I just had to buy them didn't I?

I love the colours....they have lots of great fabrics over there so it's well worth clicking on the link and checking them out.

Well folks that's it from me for today.  Hope you like my show and tell for this week.  If you leave me a little hello comment to let me know you've called by I will pay you a return visit when I get a minute.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW...

Another week has passed and wow it's been a great one here.....My darling hubby celebrated his 60th birthday on Monday.  Our wonderful family planned and organised a surprise party for their dad on Sunday without even me knowing anything about it!!!  There was about 30 of our closest family and friends there and it was really really special.....a few pics will follow on Friday cos there certainly was lots there to smile about  :-)

So? Being as you are all here today to see my desk I'd best show you what's on there...

My table seems covered with my house moving, stress busting, knitted squares....now up to 85 completed  :-)  I have a feeling by the time we get into this new home of ours I will have enough for blankets for every bed there  :-)

Shell has asked me to make pin boards for the twin's new bedrooms and here is the fabric they want them making with....

Lexi wants an owl theme and Sam wants robots on his.

Hopefully some time this week I will get these made so you might get to see them finished on next week's post.

And lastly here is a pic of the candle lit meal for two that we shared Monday night to celebrate the BIG birthday.  He had been given several restaurant vouchers from a collection they had for him where he works and thankfully he chose to take me with him  :-)

Cheers....here's to many many more happy birthdays to celebrate together.....love you lots xxxx

Thanks for calling by today.  If you leave me a little hello comment I will call in on you later to see what you've been up to this week.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW....

Hello to all my visitors.  This is the day, every week, when I link up to the wonderful Julia's blog over at the Stamping ground and expose my crafty space to the world.  Why not pop over there and join in the fun.....be warned though, it's addictive  :-)

This week I do actually have a bit of creative crafting to share with you [it's been ages since I felt creative].....

I rummaged through my fabric boxes and made some bed head protectors to match the new bedding and curtains we have bought to go in our new bungalow....when we get there!  Our bed has a metal bed head that rattles on the wall when you turn over in bed and it had ones with poppies on til now. :-)

Of course my knitting needles haven't been idle either and here is a pic of this week's stress busting knitting squares  :-)

 I'm also sharing some pics of the twins checking up on the snowdrops in the churchyard over the road from our house....they love them.

For those who have asked snowdrops do grow from bulbs and as you can see they do spread...aren't they gorgeous?

I hope you have enjoyed your visit this week and will leave me a little hello comment so I know you've called by....I will do my best to call in on you as soon as I can to see what you've been up to this week.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW....

Hello fellow snoopers WOYWWers.  I have been AWOL for a few special days over the weekend so if you've blogged anything special and I've missed it then I'm sorry.

We had a long weekend with all our gorgeous family [yes, all 13 of us :-) ] at Centre Parcs up in the lake district.  When we arrived it was cold and very very wet.  It was raining/snowing/sleeting and the wind would cut you in two.  Thankfully the weather only got better and we had an amazing weekend together.  We made many very special memories and saw lots of nature around us.  I will be sharing more about our weekend in my Friday's smiley post so if you'd like to hear more and see a few snaps please call by later in the week.

Of course today you are here to see my desk and of course there isn't a lot for you to see but here is a snap of this week's knitted squares.  

My squares are wonderful for stress busting while we are still waiting for a moving date....things are progressing with the new bungalow and I am constantly being the driving force to get a quick turn round but these things take their time!

As I have little to share with you creatively I am also sharing my pot of little garden treasures that we will be taking to our new home with us.  There are lots of snowdrops all round the garden here but I didn't see any at the new bungalow so I have potted up just a few to take with us....I am guessing in years to come the twins will be hunting for these little treasures to pop up in their new home  :-)

Hope you all have a great week.  Thanks for calling by and for all you lovely comments.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW...

Hello folks.  I am thankfully feeling rather better this week...both on the house front and the health front.  :-)  Isn't it funny how these things seem to go hand in hand?  For those that missed my Saturday blog post [ below] you might like to know that although we had 10 plus weeks fighting to get our sale completed on the bungalow we were hoping to move to the sale just wasn't to be and fell through.  We are now pushing for a quick sale on another bungalow and the more we think about it the more we know in our hearts that this was meant to be...the other one was causing a lot of heart ache, I'm sure wouldn't have been a happy house to move into and came with an awful lot of work to get it how we would have wanted it.  This one felt like home as we walked through the door  :-)

So folks?  What is on my work desk this week?

I have finished the little hoodie I was knitting.  It has turned out well and I'm really thrilled with it.

I have had little helpers with my crafting this week.....

Whilst Sam finished off his morning nap Lexi helped plan the blanket to be made with my knitted squares  :-)

What a lovely activity it was too....she counted, chose the colours and very carefully placed them all into patterns :-)

Yesterday I, very bravely, got my little munchkins to help me sort my big box of odd balls of knitting wools.  We had lengths of wool from one end of the living room to the other but they had lots of fun finding different colours, helping Nanny wind the balls up and deciding which ones were their favourites  :-)

"Oh Nanny what a lot of wool you've got!!"

So there you go....more about trying to encourage little ones to love crafting than showing you anything I have done creatively this week but it's so good to see them enjoying the colours and textures that yarns come with.  :-)

Thanks for calling by.  If you'd like to leave me a little hello comment I will do my best to call in on your to see what you've been up to this week.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW....

Happy snooping day to all that call in this week.  I am joining in because I really think I would have withdrawal symptoms if I didn't but I'm really not feeling very creative or productive at all this week.  My cold has come back and I'm fed up to the back teeth with chasing estate agents and solicitors over our house move.....I'm not sure why they have to be paid so much money cos I seem to be the one that's doing the work.  We had a 4th viewing from our buyers on Sunday and they have now moved out, put their furniture in store and are waiting to move in here asap so I've spent my spare time chasing all concerned to get a moving date soon....keep everything crossed folks.

I am sharing my rainbows of knitted squares with you today because I just love the colours...

That's all I have to share today but hope my 'rainbow' made you smile.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW...

I could say in answer to what's on my work desk for this week...pretty much the same as last week.....but with a few changes.  :-)

I have a to do rail full of shirts to take in for my 1285th customer!  The numbers keep climbing and I have a feeling if we ever get to this new bungalow they may well climb further as it is opposite a school  so lots of potential new customers :-) ....but I've still no more news to share on the house moving date.

The same pile of knitted squares as last but, wow, look how it's grown...it's now twice Mitzy monkey's height!

There is definitely girl colours and boy colours too so they may well be made into two blankets  :-)

The same little knitted hoodie but I have now completed a back, two cable knit fronts and am now knitting both sleeves....yes I like to knit them both together  :-)

So there you go...a very similar desk but progress has been made.  I had the twins Monday, Tuesday and they are here again to play today so I will try to catch up on you if and when they have naps later.  Have a great week.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW...

Another week has passed with yet more sorting, packing into yet more boxes and, yes, yet another load of rubbish taken to the local tip....yes, that's load 22!!!

Every spare minute seems occupied with new houses and plans for a move.....not only us but we went with our son and his financee to look at the new house they are buying last Saturday and on Sunday we babysat for the twins so their mummy and daddy could go to look at a larger house that they would like to buy......this house moving lark is spreading like wild fire round here  :-)

So?  What's on my work desk for you to look at today?

Here you can see Mitzy Monkey looking after my growing pile of knitted blanket squares.

For those that asked last week...my squares are knitted diagonally and the pattern I use is one I have adapted so if anyone was interested I'd be happy to share the instructions if you fancied knitting some.

The other thing I've got on the go is a little knitted hoodie for one of the babies expected locally in the next month.  They don't know the sex of the baby and I really love this pale turquoise wool for either a boy or girl.  Can you see the pretty cable pattern up the left hand side?  I've not knitted cable for a few years so am really chuffed with how it's turning out...a bit like riding a bike I guess [not that I can actually ride one!!].

Well folks thats all from me for today.  Short and sweet, just like Julia requests  :-)  I hope you have enjoyed your visit and will leave me a little hello message so I know you've called by.  I will do my best to pay you a return visit as soon as possible.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW.....we survived :-)

As most of you will know 2011 was a real challenge for us.  We seemed to go from one emergency to another.  We thought Christmas with little Lexi in hospital would be the last emergency of the year but her daddy managed to squeeze in one more!  He was rushed to hospital New Year's Eve morning in an ambulance with severe kidney pain [and those that have suffered it will know just how painful it is].  We had an early morning call to help with twin care and another day was spent feeling anxious worrying about another loved one.  He was given an injection to relieve the pain, blood tests, xrays etc and then sent back home with more pain tablets and antibiotics with instructions that if it got worse he would need to see the urologist after the holiday break!!! [Do people really not get proper care during the holidays?].  Thankfully his pain seems to have settled down now and he returned to work yesterday so we are all hoping that the new year has arrived with better health and rather less emergencies.

So, on my desk today you can see a pile of Christmas cards....yes we have taken down all our decorations [have a feeling we were both just glad to have survived it all].  I will be cutting up my cards to make labels ready for next year's pressies when I have a spare few minutes.

Also you can see the progress with the latest baby blanket.  I've just had them all out to count how many more I need to knit...20 made and just 10 more to go now  :-)  It's been a real God send to me cos I have had something to grab when shooting out the door on emergency call out.....I don't need a pattern now cos I have knit so many that I can almost knit them in my sleep.....and have been really glad to have something to keep me busy.






So folks it's a really Happy New Year to you all.  Thanks you for your wonderful support over the last twelve months.  Life just wouldn't be the same without each and every one of you.  Special thanks must of course go to Julia who holds us all together [she's like the Wednesday super glue  :-)  ]

Hope you all have a really creative year ahead of you.  I will enjoy popping in to see what you're all up to so do 'show and tell' all the wonderful things you're making. Having shut up 'Sewing by Annie' for the festive celebrations I had a steady flow of customers yesterday but also had little twinny visitors with their Mummy for the day so my 'to do' rail is now full.  I promise I will call in on as many as I can in between my sewing jobs.

Love and hugs to you all,
Annie x