This week's smiles....week 467

 Here we are at the end of yet another busy week catching up on what's made us smile....and there's been plenty to smile about here and I hope with you too.

Theo is proudly showing me the award he was given at school...it's for Maths and he was awarded it for 'challenging himself to think of different ways to make numbers using addition and subtraction and for describing his favourite shape, a nonagon.'....it's so easy to forget he's only 5!!

He had to make an Easter bonnet for school too and thought he'd pull a face in the photo he sent me....he's so funny.

This has to be one of my favourite photos....and of course as Gina is to be induced on Monday there wont be many more photo opportunities like this.

Gina has rested lots all week and is now uncomfortable all the time so I'm sure she will be glad to get it all over now....but hopefully not until Mark has a negative Covid test!!...I really don't want him to miss out on the birth of his second son. It's so exciting.

This really made me smile [and no I wasn't just sitting watching him!].  On Wednesday morning we gave my sewing room a deep clean...I do make an awful lot of fluffy dust! We got it finished just in time to find a home for my new industrial machine I have been given.  The old one we bought just wasn't up to the job we got it for sadly.

Finally here's a couple more collages of Friday funnies to share with you all.  I hope you've had a good week and will share the smiles you've got by linking them below....we can never have too many smiles and everyone is welcome.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW...

 Here we are at another Wednesday catch up with our creative friends around the world thanks to the wonderful Julia over at the Stamping Ground...I just love Wednesdays.

Firstly I'm sharing my latest School Memory bear with you....this is another new school for me and brings the number of schools I've now made bears for to 32.

It's such a lovely way to use old school uniform to remember happy days at Primary school before moving on to 'big' school and I have  more heading my way to make soon.

I'm now showing you a very rare couple of desk shots ....I hoovered and damp dusted everywhere on Monday morning....I do make an awful lot of dust with all the fabrics I use.  All the cupboards were moved out and the dust bunnies evicted from underneath them all and my machine was cleaned and serviced....I even changed my needle!!

Are you asking why?

If so here's the answer....

I had a Wedding dress fitting lunchtime on Monday. It's a sort of pale coffee/champagne colour with lots of beading/embroidery  on the bodice....and its gorgeous.

I have to alter the bodice to make it fit [lots of hand sewing involved because of the beading and embroidery] and then shorten the 4 hems and add a 'hold up' underneath to hold up the train when she's dancing.

That's what is on my desk today because although I've made a start I am a long way off finishing it yet but as yesterday was a Theo day and today is an extra Theo day because his mummy has a transition day in school for all those that are moving up in September.....so its a bonus day for us as yesterday was supposed to be our last day with him before he starts school....of course we will still see him often but these are our last 'on duty' days while his mummy works.

As you can imagine, I may be a little late in doing my visits this week but I will do my best to get round as many desk as I can.  I hope you all have a happy creative week.

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

WOYWW....

Firstly I want to thank you all for the get well wishes from last week....they worked a treat and I woke up Saturday morning feeling rather better thankfully....it's not prefect but the pain is much less and I can cope with it now......It's just a shame old age doesn't come on it's own isn't it?

It's just as well too because.....

• Monday morning started with making a sewing a frill on a dress for Phoebe to give it a little extra length for the character she's playing in her school play.
• I had 3 more badges to sew onto their Brownie hoodies
• Then I had a school memory bear to make but before I'd finished that one....
• I had a customer arrive with special items of clothing to make 4 more memory bears!!!
• I have been making a few more fir cone characters to take with me to the craft fair I have a table at on Saturday....Ford village hall from 11 o'clock onwards if you're passing please call in and say hello.
• Tuesday morning Jo came round for a coffee, catch up and a bit of crafty fun and even though it is my day off I had a customer drop of a sewing job for me to do....I never like to turn work away.
• This morning I have our daughter in law, Gina calling in for a fitting of her bridesmaids dress and little Theo with his suit plus I have the boiler man coming to service the boiler.....it's all go here.

So here's my room with all it's chaos and a quick snap of a few of the little fir cone Christmas tree elves....

I've snapped it from the other direction to show you the chaos at it's best....there's 4 Memory bears in the making, bags of customers sewing needing doing and lots of last minute making, planning and getting ready for the craft fair. 

On the other side there's yet more chaos. The little Christmas tree is to go as display on my craft fair table, the boxes are filled with items to sell and the little tin on the top of them has all the emergency things you might need when at a craft fair....scissors, blue tack, drawing pins etc.

Here's 4 of the 11 little fir cone elves I've made....I thought the boys might prefer these to the Christmas angels.

And that's all from me for today....as you can see I'm having a rather busy week but I will do my best to call in at yours to say hello in between the Sewing by Annie chaos.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW.....

Another week has passed and still no Christmas card making here for me....I just may have to buy some this year!!!

I have a few pics and tales to share with you of course.....

Yes just look at these two pics....I have dusted and cleaned and cleared the decks ready for a crafty morning with that much older sister of mine and our friend Toni [and taken pics before we messed it up again!].

Jo brought her rug that she's making and some knitting and Toni brought her dumfing machine with her....something she hadn't done for a while but as we say 'it's like riding a bike' [not that I can do that!].  I'm sorry to say that we chatted, drank coffee, ate chocolate brownies [thanks Jo] and crafted but alas I missed to take any pics.....but I'm sharing my clean/tidy room with you.

These are the three latest Memory bears I've made...

This one is to remember a special dad called Bob who always carried a hankie in his pocket so of course Bob the bear had to have a pocket with a little hankie in it.

And these two are the ones I've made for the foster mum to put in the memory boxes of the latest two little ones she has in her care ready for when they move on to their forever homes when they are adopted.....there should be more foster carers like this one shouldn't there....she's special?

This is what's on my desk this morning.  I have cut up two tiny babygros ready to make two little hearts in memory of a little baby who was born 'sleeping'.  I do get asked to make some really special things don't I?.....I just hope I can do just what is needed to give the parents some comfort in the years to come.

There you go.  I always say no two days are the same here at Sewing by Annie's and this week has proved it.

I have a draw over at my Facebook page so that on Christmas day I will choose one lucky winner to win one of my Memory bears so please head over there and get liking, sharing and tagging all your friends because the more you help me to spread the word the more chances you get to win it.  Good luck folks.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW...

Firstly of course it's my 'Didn't we have a lovely day, the day we went to Bangor'.....well, it was actually Llandudno and it was for the weekend and lovely was an understatement. It was a really special weekend spent with just the best of people.....what a lovely group we belong to.

Friday night Margaret very kindly invited us with a few others for dinner.....and very yummy it was too.....Thank you Margaret for making us feel so very welcome.

Here are all the lovely girls at the crop on Saturday..

Back row, [L-R] .... Jan, Eva, Elizabeth, Me, Sarah, Neet, Julia 

Front row, [L-R] .... Dolores, Christine, Margaret, Chris, Anne

 

It was sooooo lovely to meet people I feel I have known for years and to hear the dialects from all round the UK and beyond. 

 

 

I took my dumfing machine and those that wanted to had a little go on it...what lovely results they achieved too.....I have a feeling Dolores may have already bought herself a dumfer.  :-)

 

 

 

 

 

That much older sister of mine, Jo and Maxine her daughter didn't come to the crop but they did send one of Maxine's little pictures to go in the raffle and Dolores was the lucky winner....here she is holding it up so I can share a pic with Jo and Max.

 

What a lovely weekend eh?  I will be back  :-)

Now, as I'm here to share my desk, I'd better put a pic here of it in all it's glory....I've stood back and taken a couple of long shots today so you can all have a good snoop and even stay for a little play if you want to.....

 I really love my sewing room....it's such a lovely light room to work in and on sunny days I open the door at the end to enjoy the garden too. As you can see I have a little friend who likes to keep me company and as she had her hair cut yesterday she's looking rather pleased with herself.

I hope you have enjoyed my show and tell today.  Please leave me a little comment and I will do my best to pay you a return visit as soon as I can.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW....

Hello to you all and thank you for calling by.  What's on my work desk today....

.....I really couldn't say cos there is a bed on it's side in the way.  Yes, it's more mayhem here this week because yesterday we had to clear out the new bedroom, the new kitchen, two halls and the new bathroom to have new flooring laid.

I'm sure one day we will have a lovely home but for now we will just wallow in the mess and clutter :-)

I haven't had a decent night's sleep for days because I have been playing nurse maid to my darling hubby who has had tonsillitis and his throat has been so sore he couldn't even swallow his own spit [not that I've been doing that for him lol].  I have almost had to sit on him to get him to rest but I'm hoping the worse is over now and he doesn't pass it on to me or the rest of the family.

So that's really all I can show you this week.  Hopefully I can share more exciting photos in the new year.  I really hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and a happy and very healthy 2016.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW.....

Another week has passed and I'm thrilled to say my new sewing room is almost completed but while the floors and walls are being done in the rest of the new part it is being used to store the plaster boards etc.  I am now emptying the cupboards in the make-do sewing room ready for the wall to be knocked down so my work desk is looking like this today....

I'm sure you can tell that to actually do any sewing I now have to move even more to get to my machines....it's chaos to say the least but in another few weeks we will have more space than we know what to do with hehehe.

This is the other thing on show today.....bathroom and tile catalogues to check out a few ideas.

Underneath are some new Expedit boxes we picked up from Ikea to go in my new sewing room....they are going to be used to store the contents of the wall cupboards that I need to empty for the next stage in the building works.....it all takes time but we will get there :-)

Thanks for calling in today.  If you leave me a little comment to let me know you've called then I will pay you a return visit ASAP.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW....

Hi folks.  It's been one of those weeks when I really can't wait to get my new sewing room set up and organised.  "Why Annie?" I hear you ask....you did didn't you?

Well.....

....this beautiful dress came through my door requiring a little job that was crying out for a few sequins and gems.

"Where were they?"

Well!!! .....they could be just about anywhere as this was my first wedding dress through my door since the house move.  So out came boxes, tins and jars!!

So my room today is looking like this!!!!....click on the pics if you dare for a closer look :-)

Chaos reigns! .....but, as I know you will want to know, I did eventually find what I was looking for and yes you guessed it....they were in the last place I looked!!

Oh how I long to get this lot organised and all sorted in places I can put my hand on everything.

I hope you've enjoyed your visit today.  If you would like to leave me a little hello comment to let me know you've called in then I will call by at yours as soon as I'm able.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW.....

Hello to all on this gorgeous sunny Wednesday.  For those few that still don't know what WOYWW is all about then please go to the Stamping Ground where our wonderful Queen of Snoop, Julia will explain all about it.  We are such a friendly group and many wonderful friendships have been made because of it so please feel you can join in to have fun.

For those that have called in this week to see what's been going on here at Sewing by Annie's I have snapped a few pics to show you that there really is a sewing room here and that it is still in full working order ....even if it's rather temporarily set up ready for the move that as yet still hasn't happened.

• Top left...my computerised machine and my overlocker
• Bottom left....my industrial machine
• Right....my blind hemmer

As I say my machines are still in full use but all my work surfaces have been removed from the walls and the machines are perched on make do surfaces now.....just didn't want any of you thinking I was sat here with my feet up  :-)

And this was my table on Monday....in full creative flow showing you what Jo and I get up to on a Funday Monday when the twins are on school holidays with their mummy.

....yessssss it was full of fabrics and fun.  :-)

Jo even caught me in full flow being creative making some mug rugs [like coasters made in fabric].

Please note the plaster on my finger....yes my kitchen knife was very sharp!!!

And here are the results....6 quilted mug rugs using patchwork and applique skills plus a wadded fabric holder to keep them all in.......dare I say these would look good in a new house!!!

Hope you have enjoyed your visit today.  It's been really good therapy to be rather more creative this week and share my creations with you all.  If you leave me a little hello comment I will do my best to pop over to yours to see what you've been up to this week.

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.  :-)