WOYWW.......

Good morning and a very happy Wednesday to you all.  You are saved from a lot of reading here today because life is, as always, pretty hectic.  My 'to do' rail is heaving and I have two little apprentices here this morning to help but with Phoebe being 3 years and Louise only 20 months I'm not allowed to get them working on the machines as yet  :-) .....it's a couple of hours of Nanny Annie time for me with lots of fun and giggles so I'm doing a quick 'show and tell' in pictures for you.

This is my, now finished, Ark that Jo from Jozart bought for me to make for one of the twins.  Thanks again Jo....I've loved putting this together and the little ones will have such fun with it [and their mummy].  It's now filled with all the little animals too.

Here are the first set of ABC bag contents all stitched, snipped, turned, stuffed and gaps sewn up.  :-)

This is the first 12 Christmas cards I've made with a close up of one of them for you.

Here is the next 12.  Another set made using a scanned x-stitch done by one of my daughter's many years ago.A bit of machine embroidery and a layering up of fabrics and ta da!

And a close up of one of them for you.

There you go.  Hope you enjoyed the quick peep at my desks today.  My 'to do' rail is calling.....I must do some of it before my little Granddaughters arrive so I will try to pop round to do my WOYWW visits later.  Have a great week and stay creative.

Hugs,

Annie x

Your Friday's smile.....

'I've heard Nanny is building an Ark.  Do you think my baby bath will float Mummy?'

Louise loves dressing up and the best toys of the day today are an old sun hat and her baby bath  :-)

Who says you have to spend a fortune on expensive toys?

Also for those wondering how her little brother Stephen is getting on here he is.  He, and his two big sisters, had a cold last week but is now thankfully feeling much better.  

Isn't he just gorgeous?....but of course I am biased.  :-)

Hope you all have a great weekend.

WOYWW....

Happy Wednesday to one and all.  These weeks are really whizzing by aren't they?  I'm having a catch up day today cos I had a 'Nanny Annie' day yesterday.  M popped out for the day with the twins so the sewing was firmly put on the 'to do' rail....it can always wait cos my little Grandies will be all grown up before I know it. 

So  folks whats on my desks today?

Here is my table covered with the gorgeous fabric kits Jo from Jozart bought for our new arrivals so I'm busy working on these in between other jobs....I know the babes will have to be rather older before they will play with them but I really am enjoying all the snipping, sewing and stuffing.

My kitchen is smelling wonderful cos these have just come out of the oven....Parmesan and sun dried tomato rolls today....please help yourselves to one for lunch.



My sewing desk is showing off two new Really Useful Boxes that now hold my cones of thread used for overlocking.....these should keep some of the dust out [that is if I ever put the tops on! ]




Here you can see two lovely pieces of fabric that I intend making a couple of little dresses for little Lexi.  Twiglet took a pattern off a little dress that fits Lexi well and has already made her 3 little dresses so running up a couple more will be easy.

My ironing board is covered with Christmas fabrics.  I have so many!  I plan to make my Christmas cards and stockings using these  :-)

Watch this space as they say  :-)

This is a pot full of Cuttlebugged flowers cut from some of the Christmas fabrics and a sheet of cross stitched little robins.....wonder what these will become?.....even I don't know yet  :-)

And finally for those that like to see how the twinnies are growing here is the latest photo.... awwwwww.  I snapped this quick for you yesterday while they were here with me for the day with their Mummy.
Their Mummy and Daddy are doing such a great job that they now weigh in at...

Sam 9lb 13oz
and
Lexi 7lb 14oz

So folks that's what's on my 'desks' today.  Clutter clutter everywhere and lots to do on my 'to do' rail too  :-)  Please leave me a little 'hello' comment before you move on to the 'Queen of snoop's' blog and join in the WOYWW fun [and of course to find out more if you are the one person in the world that hasn't heard what WOYWW is yet].

The need to adapt and an update...

I'm sure most of you will know that the lovely Jo from Jozart sent me some fabric panels to make up into a Noah's Ark and a couple of ABC bags for my new grandies.  I have been snipping, sewing and stuffing to my heart's content in my spare time making lots of little animals etc but needed some 1/2" foam to make the Ark with.

Last weekend I managed to get to Dunelm but as I was also going there to find a new blind for our 'being decorated' bathroom I managed to arrive home before realising that I had forgotten to look for the foam....it's an age thing!

So, this weekend it was a 'try again' and better 'luck this time' shopping trip.  Well, that's what I thought!  They have foam of every description....rolls of 1" and 2", seat pads of 1", 2" and even 3" but.....yes you've guessed it not one piece of 1/2"!!!!!  

So? What did I do?  I bought myself a piece of 1" foam and have spent my spare time over the weekend cutting out the shapes required then I've sliced them in half with a really sharp craft knife!  It's not perfect but as it will be sandwiched between two layers of fabric no one will see it so I'm rather pleased with my efforts......now all I need is some lining fabric for some of the pieces and I can then make the Ark......bet you didn't realise just how much you would be challenging me Jo  :-).....and I'm loving every minute so thanks again for the fab gifts.

Twiglet will be coming down this morning for our Funday Monday so I'm not sure how much more I will get done today.  Hope your day is full of fun and laughter too and if you're passing our door then please pop in for a cuppa and join in the fun.

Update.......Wahoooo it works too.....

I've not felt very creative today so have been following instructions and have been working on the Noah's Ark.  It's easier to follow instructions than to have to think of ideas for yourself  :-)

Here is a little of what I've been doing.  The hand made 1/2" foam works a treat.  I have made the drawbridge and the little house with it's roof that goes on the top of the Ark.  The roof isn't stitched down yet and I'm not even sure it's the right way round but you will get the idea.......I'm having fun  :-)

And the shopping goes where exactly?........

'Hello Nanny.  Mum says we have to hold the shopping or get out and walk!'

Amy sent me this snap to share with you today. Me thinks she won't be doing much shopping this week  :-)  Is there a need for tandem shopping trolleys?  Maybe a bit like a 'push-me-pull-you'.

A special gift from a special friend....

Have I met her?....No.

Could I pass her in the street without knowing?....Maybe. [Her accent might give her away if I heard her speak :-) ]

How long have I known her?....Seems like years.

But one for sure is ....She is one very special lady.

I met her through blogging and have followed her blog and she mine for what seems like years.  She is arty and creative.  She is, like me, a very proud Grandma who knits and sews for her gorgeous Grandchildren.  I've even spoken to her on the phone.  She knitted a gorgeous cardie with ladybird buttons on that I admired when she put it on her blog a little while ago and, today, this is what came through my door....

A gorgeous card....I have no idea how she's made it but it is really tactile and clever.

And a packet with all these gorgeous buttons in.  I am always knitting for our little grandbabies but the shop near us sells buttons for silly prices so I am really grateful for these gorgeous buttons to use. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Know who it is yet?

Yes its that wonderful lady from Liverpool.  The wonderful Jo from Jozart.  I certainly owe you that coffee and cake now Jo and look forward to meeting you in real life.  Hope you are having a really special time with your gorgeous family over from Germany at the mo.  Do give that little Grandie a big hug from me.

Thanks again Jo. x

WOYWW....

Good morning to one and all.  These weeks certainly are whizzing by for me at the mo.  What with sewing, knitting, baking, and the occasional bit of housework of course and fitting all that in between cuddling my gorgeous Grandbabies at every opportunity and enjoying our little Granddaughters 3rd birthday celebrations [see Monday's post].  It's been another busy week for me.  

Here's a few pics to share with you....

 Here's my rail today...it's a sign of the times when it's full of winter coats, warm skirts and thick cord trousers isn't it?

Brrrrrrrrr it's cold.

This was my table on Monday .....lots of fab activity and coffee drinking going on there [thanks for the chocolate brownies this week Jo].  

Jo made a gorgeous diamond wedding anniversary card [she might show you a pic of it on her blog], T made several dumfing creations and I made a little African dress [msg for Jo from Jozart....I know I told you I was gonna make up some of the little animals for my ABC bags but I got waylayed....so what's new I hear you say  :-) and huge thanks for the phone call ....it was so lovely that we could all chat together while [much older sister] Jo was here.....we will meet up for that coffee and cake one day  :-)]

Here is my, now finished, advent calendar from last week just to show you I actually do get some things finished  :-)

Here's little dress number 91 

I failed to snap numbers 88, 89 and 90 before we posted the latest parcel [27 dresses and 5 pair of shorts made by Jo and 10 dresses made by me] to Louise on Monday and they were 3 more gorgeous bright yellow ones made with the gorgeous fabric Tricia sent us....sorry Tricia.  I will try to let you know when Louise puts them on her blog so you get to see what I made with your gorgeous fabric.

Last night my darling hubby took me and that much older sister of mine to see Paul Zerdin at Oakengates Theatre.  Paul is a brilliant ventriloquist who appeared in the 1999 'Royal Variety Show' in the presence of the Queen. and here is a pic of him with the puppets he had with him last night.  What a talented young man he is.  I love the magic world of puppets and have to say I am still grinning.  If you get the chance to see him then I would guarantee you a great evening's entertainment.

Right folks,  I have to get my head down to sew now cos I have 7 flat sheets here that I have to make into fitted sheets today......hours of straight stitching, overlocking and a bit of threading in elastic....not much of a challenge there is there?  Do pop over to Julia's blog to join in the WOYWW fun but not before you leave me a little 'hello' comment.

Thanks for popping by and leaving such lovely comments always.  I will try to pay you a return visit as soon as I can get these sheets made  :-)  Have a great crafty week.

Big hugs,

Annie x

Happy Monday to one and all.

Yesterday was our oldest granddaughter Phoebe's 3rd Birthday and I just wanted to share a few snaps of the happy day with you.

We started off the partying at the Ballpool at the Flash in Welshpool for an hour of fun and laughter.  This was perfect because there were lots of little ones and Phoebe was the eldest.

Then we drove back to the house and had the party food and presents.  As you can see the first parcel that was opened was new wellies and she wore them for the rest of the day.  :-)  Here is the birthday girl entertaining us singing 'Postman Pat' on her new mike.

She had a new bike too for her birthday from her Mum and Dad and you can see she loves it.

The birthday cake was made by clever Auntie Gina [my son's girlfriend] and what an amazing job she did with it too don't you agree?

Here is little brother Stephen showing off one of the new bibs that Louise sent me for him.  Thank you so much Louise...they fit to perfect and are a big hit with the family.