This week's smiles....week 302

I'm back!  I've had a few weeks off....needed to focus on other things and get my head round what life was throwing at us.  I'm so glad that we are a strong family and when life throws us challenges we are able to support each other and get through it....it doesn't happen over night but we are all recovering and hoping 2019 is a kinder one to us all.

When life throws me challenges I like to be kept busy which I certainly was leading up to Christmas with my Memory bears and what a lot of smiles they have caused so many people....I've had lots of lovely feedback and I feel truly blessed.

Having 6 gorgeous grandchildren has certainly helped...you can't sit dwelling on things with little ones around you plus there has been so many happy times shared with them over the festive season.  I have found just a few of my pics to share with your today.....

When Father Christmas asked little Theo what he wanted for Christmas he said...'A guitar like Daddy's please'.

I know it's a ukulele but he's one very happy little boy as you can see....here he is jamming with his daddy and grandad. 

'One careful driver'

Have a feeling this little girl loves her Nanny....she's so like her mummy and I really love this photo.

On 27th we were asked to a house party over the road at our neighbours...the theme was 'Old before your time'.  A difficult one for us of course cos we already have the grey hair, glasses and walking sticks but of course you just have to make an effort....the scary thing is when I look at my pic I see my mum looking back at me  :-)

The weather was lovely last weekend so, as we were badly needing a breath of fresh air and a stretch of the legs, we headed off on an adventure in the motor home.  As you can see Biscuit bear is posing in front of the window....can you see where we are?....answer at the bottom of the page.

The best part of our adventure was baking fresh bread rolls in the oven and frying bacon to make these yummy bacon rolls....I bet you can smell them from there....and they were every bit as yummy as you imagine.

We enjoyed a lovely walk with Milly on the beach and along the promenade...it was really good to get out in the fresh air.

I hope you have enjoyed my smiles for this week.  Thanks for all the love and support I've been given over the last few weeks...you're all such lovely people.

Here's hoping we can all share lots of happy smiles over the next year.

Hugs,

Annie x

The answer to where we went is....Colwn Bay :-)

WOYWW....

Happy New Year to all my wonderful blogging friends.  The end of 2018 threw our family a few challenges and I felt the need to take a break and concentrate on what was important.  It was a difficult time but we are a strong family and we are now looking towards 2019 for happier times and good health for us all.  I would like to thank those who supported us from a distance...you know who you are....I'm so lucky to have such good friends.

I had a really busy last few weeks leading up to Christmas with orders for my Memory bears [I like to be kept busy at difficult times] so here's a collage of some of them....

Also I promised to show you pics of the finished shark onesie I made for Mooshie rabbit...

As you can see he's very proud of the onesie but as he was just modelling it for the original Rabbit I also made Mooshie his own pair of dungarees to wear.

I imagine there was one very happy little boy on Christmas morning.  :-)

My chuckle for you today is the jigsaw Shell bought us for Christmas.  We normally do a jigsaw over Christmas but this one was a real challenge!

I never did like sprouts and I like them a lot less now :-) :-) :-)

That's all from me for today.  Here's hoping 2019 brings you all everything you wish for yourselves.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW......

As we creep ever closer to the big day my sewing seems to be piling in through my door and guess what?....I took a long weekend off to go to Centre Parcs with my darling hubby, Mark Gina and little Theo....just what the Dr ordered if it wasn't for the long walks needed to get everywhere.  I must say though that I took my walking stick with me and I managed most of them.  I have photos to share but I will keep those for my Friday Smiles Post so please call back on Friday and why not join in the fun by linking up your own smiles too....all are welcome.

So on my desk today is....

The latest 4 completed bears, made to hold special memories for 4 young children who lost their daddy far too soon....I really hope they will help them to get through their first painful Christmas without him.

Meet Mooshie Rabbit.  He has come to be fitted for a blue onsie with a shark fin on the back!.....Don't I get some challenges?

The outfit is actually for Rabbit who Mooshie was bought to replace if Rabbit was lost...but of course he never will because Rabbit is now well 'loved' and looks nothing like Mooshie :-)  

I hope to complete the challenge later today so, if I remember, I will try to show you a pic of him next week.

On my sewing machine are the next three Memory bears awaiting completion.  I am expecting another one later today and several more are coming tomorrow.....all wanted for Christmas!

Along side all this I do hope to finish my Christmas cards and get them in the post and to finish the peg people for the Grandchildren to hang on their trees this year......busy busy busy.  I do plan to get round as many of you as I can later.....but that may mean in the next day or so. :-)

Hugs,

Annie x

This week's smiles....week 301

Here we are catching up with the weekly smiles.....I will be absent this Friday so have posted automatically so everyone can link up but I may not be able to leave you comments for a few days....but I will be reading your posts on my Ipad so please link them up below.

My smiles are all Christmas related this week.  My family have been enjoying early celebrations.....

Amy and gang enjoyed a weekend in Whitby with friends and these 5 are just the best of friends....it's so lovely to see them enjoying time together.....and I really love their matching onsies.

Here they are playing 'pass the snowball'.....don't ask.  I really don't know how to play it but I know they enjoyed it. 

Here they are colouring in the Christmas table cloth....what fun :-)

Michelle and gang moved houses last weekend and even in all the chaos Bob and Betty elves turned up on Dec 1st and this year they have brought their cousin Buster with them for fun and games each night.

When you're a teacher you just have to go that extra mile for the kids in your class and this is Shell playing Rudolph one of the days this week.  What fun eh?

That's my smiles for this week.  I will catch up with your all as soon as I can this week.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW.....

Hello. Happy Wednesday to you all.  The big day is fast approaching and, as yet,  I've still not had time to finish making my Christmas cards or painting the peg dolls to give the Grandchildren for their Christmas trees yet.  My sewing days have been filled to the brim and, as frustrating as that is, it has to come first but it's not been all work no play....

Phoebe [my eldest Granddaughter] has to briefly play the part of Mary in her school play but she has to be able to get her outfit on and off quickly so it couldn't be a full outfit so Nanny put her thinking cap on and Monday night Phoebe came for an hour while her brother was at his kick boxing club and she helped me design and make her outfit.  She was that thrilled to be able to help me and was really pleased with the results....she can get it on and off in a couple of minutes so it certainly does the job.

At one point, while we were creating together, she looked up at me and said 'your'e so clever with your sewing Nanny'....she just melted my heart.  She really is growing up into a lovely young lady.

Here's the latest two bears I've made and today I have 4 more coming this morning and another two this afternoon plus I have a toy rabbit coming to be fitted for a pair of trousers and a shirt that I've been asked to make.....I get all sorts of challenges  :-)

Last week Angela asked if I ever take photos of my bears to keep so I thought I'd show you that I have taken photos of every bear I've ever made, put them together in collages, printed them off and laminated them all....ALL 175 OF THEM!!

I really love making my bears and the responses I get when they are collected make my job all so worth while.

That's all from me for today.  Please leave me a little message and I will do my best to pay you a return visit when I can.

Hugs,

Annie x

This week's smiles.....week 300

Oh wow....I've just realised I've now written 300 of these weekly happy posts....that's a lot to smile about isn't it?  Some weeks it's easy to find a smile but sometimes I have to focus a little harder to find them and to be honest this week is one of those weeks.  Life likes to throw us all challenges at times doesn't it?  Enough of that, I have found something to make you smile....I hope.

I had little Theo for an early morning play date on Tuesday and as early morning is my worst time with this b****** sciatica [I'm stiff and uncomfy but thankfully not needing pain tablets now so that's also something to make me smile isn't it?] my darling hubby took the day off to help with childcare.  This photo really makes me smile because they were having such a fun time and were deep in conversation about the garden they were building.....happy memories.

Now you know I've spent a lot of time with little ones and I've always enjoyed reading books especially those with rhymes in so when I saw these pics I just had to....

8 Little teddies all waiting in a line,

I sat and made another one and.....

 ...then there was nine.

It's the most bears I've had here at one time so I just had to take pics.  Don't they all look fab together?  They certainly make me smile. 

That's all from me for this week my friends.  Please leave me a little message and if you can then link up to your own smiles below.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW.....

Wow what a week it's been here at sewing by Annie's.  Thankfully my sciatica has now improved sufficiently for me to be BUSY.....and I mean REALLY BUSY......here's the proof...

I had so much work arrive by Friday last week that you would have seen me working all day Sunday to get on top of some of it and prepping it ready for Monday morning.

I had an order of 4 Memory bears to make from 'Grandad's' favourite jumpers....this meant that all 16 panels had to be stabilised by ironing interfacing on the backs [so they had to be cut out twice!].  Here they are all lined up ready to sew for Monday morning.

These are the bears I've made since last Wednesday...

• the 3 on the left started out being just 1 wanted but by the time she arrived here she decided she wanted 2 and when she saw the finished pair she decided she wanted a third!
• the one in the middle is using a baby boy's babygros
• the 4 on the right are the, now finished, 4 bears made from the panels I cut out on Sunday.

Waiting on my machine for me to start today is another little bear...this time being given to a foster child for when she goes to her forever home....it's made from her tiny baby clothes she wore at her foster home.

On my to do rail there's two lined skirts to shorten and a jumpsuit to alter and I've more sewing jobs coming today.

Plus I have another customer coming Thursday to bring me special items of clothing to make more Memory bears and cushions!!

Oh and in between my sewing to fill my spare minutes I've made a start painting some Christmas peg dolls to give to the Grandchildren to hang on their Christmas trees.

Never a dull minute here eh?

I hope you've enjoyed your visit.  I will do my best to call by at yours when I can.

Hugs,

Annie x

This week's smiles.....week 299

Hello all.  Thankfully I'm feeling more like me.....less pain now so less pain tablets needed tablets......not so drowsy and clearer head makes living a lot easier.  Just as well really cos I've had a busy week with my sewing so I've had lots to smile about.

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

My play date with little Theo on Tuesday saw us playing with big boy's Lego and what a fun time we had.  We built houses, boats, horses, and here you can see his playing with the aeroplane we made....and what lovely stories he made up while playing with his plane....he's growing up sooooooo quickly.
Just look at those  eye lashes....isn't he gorgeous?

I had a sneaky little visitor by the back door that obviously knows we have a little dog....she was so cautious and can think herself lucky it was me that saw her and not Milly.....the little cat lives next door but she dices with death coming into our garden cos Milly would put her to run if she could and the cat only has 3 legs so Milly would have an advantage over her.

Little Biscuit bear had his first adventure in the Motor Home at the weekend....we went to New Brighton for the day.  The sun shone for us and as you can see he was very happy to pose for a pic for me.

This is my last smile for this week.  I saw this on Facebook and it made me chuckle....it's not true at all of course

                   :-) :-) :-) :-)

I hope you've enjoyed my smiles for this week and will now share yours below.

Hugs,

Annie x