This week's smiles.....week 495

 It's been another busy week for me....I've had a couple of days busy with customers and the rest of my week I've filled with Charity makes....bunting and reversible bags...and I'm loving using my time to hopefully raise funds for a great cause.  I've had lots to smile about and I've got a pic or two to share with you...

This is a photo of Louie playing with a fabric ark I made for the twins....It makes my heart sing watching these things being shared between the grandchildren.

The other news is he has starting crawling this week. :-)

I found this mug on the internet and it said everything to me....I retire in October this year in 10 month 10 days [not that I'm counting  :-)].

I have no plans to stop sewing but there are some jobs I will be giving up...I can be selective can't I ?

Of course it wouldn't be Friday without a few funnies so here you go.

I hope you've found something here to make you smile and will now leave me a little message before linking to your own smiles.

Hugs,

Annie x

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

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  :-)

WOYWW....

Good morning to one and all.  It's another of those wonderful days when we all buzz round the world dropping in on our blogging friends who have exposed all to share their space with others.  Our wonderful leader Julia is still doing a brilliant job of linking us all together so I thank her for that.  Before you pop over to Julia's please leave me a 'hello' in the comment box and I will do my best to pop over to as many of you as possible to check out your spaces.

So? Whats been going on in my space this week?  The answer is lots...as always :-)

As promised yesterday this is what is now on my desk today thanks to an industrial weekend and a very busy Funday Monday.  The lovely Jo from Jozart sent me several fabric panels to make up for my new grandchildren and I have been preparing them all...the ABC bags have 26 little pockets for 26 little toys to fit in and each has two sides to cut out, the Noah's Ark has lots of pairs of little animals to make too so it's taken quite a while to get this far  [I need 4 x16"zips, lining fabrics, wadding, some 1/2" foam and some stuffing to complete them so will get to work on these soon].  I have also now nearly finished making one of the new Advent calendars that I bought on Saturday...it just needs wadding, backing and hanging loops. 

This is the latest little knittie I have finished...it just needs a button.  Isn't it pretty wool? It's a Sirdar Snuggly Baby Crofter wool and I love the Fair Isle effect it gives.

This is a new top I made this week and a little pic of the machine embroidery detail on the front....of course you will have seen that I have now bought 3 more pieces of fabric to make some more in my spare time.

These are two more little African dresses I managed to make too this week.  These are numbers 86 and 87 for me.  I will soon reach my 100  :-)

 

This is my 'to do' rail today so I will have to clear this before I can enjoy catching up with you all but I will get there as soon as I can.  Hope you all have a really great week.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW....

I'm determined to keep life 'normal'....well as normal as it is ever here  :-)

Firstly a quick update for all my wonderful blogging friends that have kept me going through the worst week of my life....and yes Donna the rock does crumble at times but with all the wonderful support I have I know there will be better times ahead so we just have to 'do what needs doing at the time' and 'hang in there'.  

When we called to see M last night she was still on the labour ward where they could keep a close eye on her because she had become very light sensitive and had another headache but things seemed to be settling down again and they were planning to move her back out onto the main maternity ward later....I've not heard from them this morning as yet.  They have told her that there has not been another known case like hers in the whole of the country and the only written cases they can find are American so although I have always said she was one in a million it seems now the percentage is actually much higher!  :-)

We took a 'put you up' bed in with us last night so B could be a little more comfy as the one they gave him was awful and of course he needs his sleep too......If you haven't seen the pics then scroll down for your awwwww moment.

Now as to what is on my desk today.....

This is a play mat I am making for the new babes to use while they are here at Nanny's.  I've quilted it and added little ribbon loops to attach toys to....now all I need to do is add a few more toys  :-)

These are two wonderful kits to make a Noah's Ark and an ABC Play Bag that my very special friend Jo from Jozarty sent me to make for the twinnies.  They are going to be really colourful and so much fun to make but I need to feel a little more creative first.

Thank you sooooo much Jo. x

Well folks that all from me today.....bet a few of you are surprised I'm here at all  :-)  It will take a little more time yet til I feel 'normal' [as if I ever was!] but we will get there.  Huge hugs to all that have left me comments and for those that have been praying for us...it really is working so please keep up the good work.

Hugs,

Annie x