WOYWW.....

Some of you that visited me last week didn't get a return visit and for that I must apologise.....I was a poorly girl so I hope you will forgive me.  In fact I was so poorly that I didn't manage to do a Happy Friday post at all. :-(  It's really not like me but sometimes life has other ideas and rest was the order of the day....thankfully, although I'm not fully recovered I am now on the road to recovery.....these things take a little longer as you get older don't they?

So, you have come here to see what's on my work desk haven't you?

My cutting station was piled high and the whole room was a mess because my darling hubby had to sort out a little problem I was having with my new shelves....

Because of the weight of the little storage boxes that I keep on these shelves he has had to put some supporting brackets underneath for me....where would I be without him? [one thing is for sure all that I expected this shelf to support would have ended up on the floor lol ].

I have found a couple of little jobs that I could do while resting.  I needed storage for my collection of bobbins for my new sewing machine so.....a plastic sandwich box, my glue gun and some lolly sticks and job done :-)  I'm rather chuffed with the result too.

The other little job I've done this week too is to make two little tooth fairy pillows for my eldest two granddaughters.....rather pretty don't you think?

That's all from me for today.  I will do my best to get round a few more of you this week....promise.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW....

So?  You want to know what's on my desk today do you?  Well, there is pretty much nothing but that is really good news because what it actually means is I have managed to get in there to clean the 6" of dust covering every surface in my sewing room......now all I need is a steady flow of customers :-)

I still have dust sheets on the floor to protect the new flooring from the builders dirty boots but the good news is they wont be around for very much longer.  They are doing the second fix with all the skirting boards, door surrounds etc and finishing off the last of the little jobs today and tomorrow and then just plan to come back one day next week to fit our new kitchen french doors and side window panels that should arrive this Friday..........and that really should be the end of all the building work. :-) :-) -) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) 

This little sign has been very patiently for the new door to be hung on and this will be fitted either today or tomorrow.  

So it's short and sweet from me today [just the way Julia likes it].  It's a busy week for me and my darling hubby has taken a few days off to make a start on the very many jobs we have to do once the builders leave....painting, stripping wall paper, fitting new bathrooms and a kitchen to name but a few.  If you leave me a little message to let me know you've called in then I will do my best to return the visit when I can....I must say sorry to those I failed to get to last week but life just got in the way.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW......

I've spent the week sorting and folding fabric.....and even had that big sister here to help on Saturday while the men were at the footy [thanks Jo].  There's still loads to do and it's not easy getting in there while my builders are here but we will get there.  The builders are putting a roof on the extension at the mo so it's bang bang bang and drill drill drill and they hope to knock the wall out on Thursday knocking the kitchen / diner into one so it will be mess mess and yet more mess and will probably put a real stop to the access to the sewing room until it's done but......they are hoping to have all the building work finished by the end of this month so it really shouldn't be much longer now  :-)

So here's what I've been up to in my sewing room this week....

Having spent weeks waiting to set up my sewing room I had plenty of time to check out ideas on Pinterest and couldn't wait to have a go at one of them.

I found all the bits I needed, did some measuring and cutting and got everything ready.......

.....a bit of sewing and hand stitching and hey presto. 

 Do you know what it is yet?

My foot pedals like to slide on the new laminate flooring so I've made the first I intend to make of these....

....grippy mats to hold my foot pedals in place   :-)

What do you think?

That's all I have to share with you today.  Please leave me a little message to let me know you've called in and I will return the visit as soon as I can.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW...

Hello all. I know you've come to see my work desk so I will get straight to the point and show you what I've been up to since you were here last....

I had an idea in mind so...

• I filled my new cutting station with lots of yummy fabrics.  
• I did some measuring
• I made a pattern and then I.....

I cut out a lot of fabric ovals in the yummy colours to match my new sewing room.

• I backed them all with some permastiff
• I cut them all in half
• I snipped all the curves and
• turned them all right sides out then
• I attached them to long strips of permastiff and........

Hey presto I decorated my new shelves  with it all.  Pretty eh?

More shelves have been put up on the other side of the room to hold all my little Ikea sets of drawers that have now been sorted, tidied and labelled so I can find everything....and of course those new shelves have been decorated too.  :-)  As you can see I really am enjoying making my new sewing room look pretty.....hope you like it too.

Thanks for popping by.  Please leave me a little comment to let me know you've called in and I will drop by at yours as soon as I can.

I also want to say a big sorry to the google+ bloggers that visit me because I am able to read their posts but am unable to leave them a comment.....I do try honest.

Have a great week,

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW.....

Hello all.  It's been a hive of industry here this week.
I've been sorting out some of my fabrics....

I have lots of fabric stored away in large boxes that are too heavy to be lifting out each time I want to find something so I am sorting....and even throwing out bits I don't feel will ever get used!!!

I made a cardboard template to fit in my Ikea Expedit boxes and I'm folding my fabrics to fit.....time consuming but I'm sure being able to see it all will help 

I'm staking it all in the boxes on their sides like this and when full will then be able to tip it over....

.....like this.  I have decided it is best to fold it all first then I can lift it all out and sort it into colours, uses, fabrics etc......I'm rather indecisive as to how it will be sorted yet but at the mo I'm just folding it all to fit in my new boxes [and there is rather a lot of fabric to sort yet :-) ].

And just when you think you're doing well an elderly lady that lives around the corner rings you up to say she is moving into a care home and do you want a bag of fabric!!!   Of course I couldn't say no could I?

Well that's it from me for today.  Thanks for calling by.  Leave me a little hello message to let me know you've called in and I will pop over to visit you as soon as I can.  Have a great week.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW....

Wahooooooo I have proper desks to show you today and I've been sewing on them too  :-)

To the left as you come in the room is my long work desk with my Janome and Bernina computerised machines on and my embellishing machine....or dumfer :-)  My darling hubby has also put me up shelves for my ribbon jars....don't they look fab?

To the right is my industrial sewing machine down the far end behind my cutting station....this is on casters so it can be moved to where ever it's needed.  :-)

Turn around and on the left as you go out the door is another work desk with my blind hemmer and over locker on.

There are more shelves to go up yet and more finishing touches but I love it.  The boxes you can see in the Ikea Expedit cupboard under my over locker will be filled with my fabrics [well some of it at least] so I can't wait to have time to sort it all......feel free to pop over to give a hand if you're free :-)

Thanks for calling by to see my work desk.  If you leave me a little message so I know you've called in I will pop over to yours to see what you've been up to this week.....Oh and if you can please try to snap a happy pic and link up to my Friday smiles cos we can never have too many smiles.
Hugs,
Annie x

This week's smiles....week 137

Hi  all.  Here we are at my catch up of the week full of smiles again.  If you'd like to join in then please just snap something of your week that's made you smile and link it up below any time between now and next Friday.  We have  a good number that join in every week now but if you can only join in now and then that's fine too....we can never have too many smiles and the world really is a better place when you smile.

Thanks to those that linked up last week.  I've chosen to feature Sam's post.  She always has a funny to share with us [ a little risque at times but they always make me smile and we are all adults here aren't we?].  Needless to say the sales of hats were reported to have gone up last week.  :-)  Thanks for making me smile Sam.

My smiles this week have been many as you can imagine with my new sewing room slowly coming together and having my wonderful family in my life.

I have set up my machine in my new room and yesterday I did my first [paid] sewing job in there.

I wanted a string of bunting to hang over the windows and door to the garden so I set to to make some after finishing my customer's sewing yesterday.

Once finished I hung it up across the wall cupboards....doesn't it look pretty?  It will look even better as window dressing.

It seems I'm not the only one to love my new sewing room.  Rocky loves being in there with me and enjoys standing looking out of the glass door to the garden.

Those that follow my blog will remember these two little munchkins being born and the joy they brought with them.

I love the way Lexi is holding her brother's arm in this pic taken while they were still in hospital soon after being born.

Well, those two little munchkins will be 4 on Sunday 20th and as you can see they still enjoy a cuddle.  They have a Disney Princess and Superhero birthday party planned on Saturday to celebrate so you will probably see a few more pics of them next week too.  :-)

I hope you have enjoyed my smiles and will now add your own by linking up below.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW.....

I have to be honest and say no sewing has been done since last week and there is no working desk to show you but there has been real progress in the new sewing room [sorry this is rather picture heavy but I know many are watching developments with interest].

I have a newly painted room and my darling hubby and I have been busy setting it all up.

There are three new double wall cupboards on the one wall.

Of course I have already started to fill them :-)

Our gorgeous son has done the second fix of the electric boxes and our wonderful son-in-law came Sunday to change the mains electric box, check all the electrics and sign it off for us....isn't it wonderful when you have such useful, willing family members?

And here is the first socket in my new sewing room....and it works too  :-)

Saturday saw my darling hubby and I fitting a light oak laminate flooring in there....we've never done it before but it went down like a dream.

And doesn't it look gorgeous?

We've fitted a large double wardrobe in the one corner [now with mirror doors].

And yes, you've guessed it, It's already been filled :-)

The work tops are starting to go in....this one to the left of the door.

Another one is on the right of the door and my industrial machine has been lifted through to come next.

The other end on the room, opposite the wardrobe, we are fitting an Ikea Expedit unit with a work surface to be fitted on the top.....this will eventually be filled with at least some of my fabrics :-)

As you can see it's all coming together nicely and I'm so very thrilled with it.  As you would expect, I'm tearing at the leash to get in there to sort out my fabrics and really make it mine but I hope you're enjoying coming along with me while it's all being done.

Thanks for calling by.  Please leave me a little message to let me know what you think and I will pop over to yours as soon as I can.

Hugs,

Annie x

This week's smiles....week 136

Here we are at the time of the week when I thank all that joined in last week by sharing their smiles, I feature one of those that took part and I share some of my smiles from the last week.  Please not that you are welcome to link your smiles up at any point in the week.  I just do mine on a Friday so that you all know when the new Mr Linky will be there for you to link up to.

So....

• Thanks to all who joined in last week....we can never have too many smiles so please keep up the good work folks.
• My featured blog from last week is the one Elizabeth shared.  My comment to her was.....I have lots of NESTYs, far too many PIGs, and enough STABLEs for several lives :-).....If only I could find it all!!  It certainly made me smile so if you want to find out more then pop over to Elizabeth's  :-)  Thanks for sharing it Elizabeth.
• And of course last but by no means least my smiles for this week.....

Our garden is just full of gorgeous flowers at the moment....in between all the building mess and clutter of course :-)

There are so many vibrant colours out there that you just have to smile :-)

We even have lots of little violets still flowering....I thought these only flowered in the Spring??

But this just has to be my biggest smile of my week....It's the very last piece of skirting board that's just gone on in my new sewing room....wahooooooooo it's all finished and ready to be decorated and moved into now.......I can't stop grinning.  My darling hubby has a day off work today so we can paint walls and fit cupboards.  There is still loads to do with the rest of the bungalow but who cares?  I've got my sewing room  :-)

Well you will all know where to find me today but I do promise that I will pop over to yours as soon as I can.....probably still with a paint brush in my hand  :-)

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW....

Hello all.  I know you've called by to see what's on my desk this week but I have to say it's been a quiet one there for me with sewing because we have been busy elsewhere  :-)

My new sewing room is nearly finished....it just needs skirting boards and a few finishing touches.  The carpets will come at a later date.  So,  I'm guessing you would like a peep at what we've been doing?.....

All the bare plastered walls and ceiling had to have a covering of half/half paint and water first. Then the ceiling had another covering of white paint and....

.....so far the one long wall has had two coats of pale dusky pink paint [crem de la rose] ready to put up my new wall cupboards.

Sunday we payed a visit to Ikea and filled our trolley with new cupboards and work tops to go in my new room.

With a bit of careful loading we managed to get it all in the car.  :-)

Sadly when we got it all home we found that two out of the three wall cupboards were faulty and we had to have them replaced yesterday [but when the delivery men arrived with the two new replacement cupboards one of those was also faulty!....thankfully I checked before they left and we were able to swap the faulty side pieces so that we now have two complete cupboards :-) ].

All being well by the time you come back next week there will be new developments in my sewing room and before long I will be able to move in there and get busy creating [I guess there will be lots of boxes/bags emptied and sorted first].  :-) :-) :-)

Thanks for calling by.  Leave me a little message and I will pop over to yours ASAP.

Hugs,

Annie x

This week's smiles....week 134

So, here we are at another Friday when I share my smiles and many of you link up your smiles to make the world a happier place.  Smiles really are contagious :-)

Thank you to those that joined in last week.....it's really appreciated.  I am featuring something that made me smile....mostly because I didn't see exactly what was in the photo to start with.  Barb shared a photo of two Oxford taxis with scientific charts on the sides....that in itself made me smile but even more so because initially I saw tape measures along their sides....can you see it or is it just me?  Thanks for joining in the fun Barb....keep those smiles coming please.

My smiles today are of course many.  I'm surrounded by bricks, building supplies, mess and dust....and yes, I'm still smiling.  :-)  I am constantly snapping pics of the developments and here's a couple that have made me chuckle...

Ready for surgery?  Afraid not.  It's just my darling hubby dressed up ready to go in the attic with the fibreglass insulation .  The kids said he looked like something out of a horror movie :-)

This was my new sewing room first thing yesterday morning.  Do you like my new assault course?  Not sure what my customers will think of it  :-)

Our builder was all set up to skim the ceiling with plaster.  Walls to plaster next then new floor will go down and [dare I say it?] it will be nearly ready for completion  :-) :-) :-)

Wednesday saw delivery of more building supplies...bricks, sand, floor boarding etc etc

I'm just like a child when cranes are being used.  I stood out there, camera in hand, watching it all.  Yes we now look like we are living on a builders yard but who cares.....I just want to watch all these piles reducing as they use it all now. :-)

Of course I have had lots of smiles from my grandees lately and these were some pics Amy sent me of a fun day all five of them had together while Shell and Brent were at a wedding.  I get such a thrill seeing them all playing together and there really is nowhere better than Amy's for children to grow up.

I hope you've enjoyed sharing my smiles and will now link yours up below.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW....

So?  You've come here to see my desk?  Well, as you know we are having building work and many of you will know that my little make-do sewing room, that I've been using in the last year since we have been here, will become part of our kitchen / dining room.  My mojo has gone on holiday so I have been using my energy planning and designing my new sewing room.

I have snapped a few pics of all my clutter in it's glory to show you what I have to pack up and move so that a wall can be knocked through into the new extension. You really wouldn't believe how much I can fit in such a small space......

This is where I sit to sew using a 'push to one side' method to use the particular machine I'm needing at the time.  The wall you are looking at with the window in it is the one that is to be removed!!

This a pic of what is right behind me when I sew....two crammed full wall cupboards, a hanging rail for customers items, a small table and lots of boxes and clutter!!

This is a 'bare all' set of pics of my three wall cupboards full of clutter

....and you thought I was such a tidy worker didn't you?....I just hide a lot behind cupboard doors. :-)

In the first pic you will see my new set of Ikea drawers well this is what I have sorted into the top 4 drawers......top one has the bobbins for two of my machines [.....there are more somewhere in a box for my other sewing machine!]

The next three drawers hold my sewing threads.....hmmm I do have rather a lot but, whether you believe it or not, there are times when I still don't have thread the right colour!!.....like Saturday when I wanted to shorten the sleeves on a jacket for me [isn't it always the way?].

I'm still running my sewing business but it really isn't easy when all around you is clutter and it's never easy to find what I need to do the job.  So I've been planning and thought you might like to see the floor plan for my new room....

This is just a rough plan and of course there will be wall cupboards and shelves too.  I intend my room to be a pretty, light, airy space for all my crafty friends to come to play with all my fabric and stash and machines to hand so I can create just when the mood takes me.....Oh I can't wait.

If you follow me on Pinterest you will see that I've been pinning lots of lovely ideas and hopefully at least some of them will take shape fairly soon  :-)

I hope you have enjoyed your visit today and will leave me a little message to let me know you've called by so I can pay you a return visit.

Hugs,

Annie x