This weeks smiles.....week 17

I hope you all had a great week.  Lots joined in last week by linking up pics of what made them smile....thanks to each and every one of you.

My featured blog this week just had to be Linda's at Such is life with her picture of little Max who had made himself at home in her pyjamas while she was out!!!  Such a little cutie he is too.  :-)  Thanks for joining in Linda and sharing your photo.

This week has been spent mowing lawns and tidying up out in our garden [I hasten to add most of the work being done by my wonderful hubby  :-) ].  I'm pretty good at being a supervisor and supplying the refreshments [sugar free ones of course! ].  I have been out with the camera on my mobile phone snapping away at all the gorgeous plants coming into life out there at the moment and thought I'd make you smile to by sharing a collage of them with you.  You should be able to click on the pictures to get a closer look if you'd like to.

Isn't nature wonderful?

So,  I've shown you what has made me smile this week.  Why not look at the world around you and snap a few pics of the things that are making you smile to share with your blogging friends.  It really does make the world a happier place to be.

Hugs,
Annie x

My postman came knocking :-)

I have just had a lovely surprise and just have to share it.  My postman has just brought me a little parcel from overseas.  

Here it is...

The front  :-)

The back  :-)

Don't you just love happy mail?  :-)

And inside was a wonderful set of cards made using photos that Kay had taken.  I won them on a quiz over on her blog.  I had no idea what it was that I had won so what a lovely surprise it was when my parcel arrived.  I love them all but especially this one...

For obviously reasons  :-)  How fab is this old sewing machine.

Thanks so much Kay.  I'm not sure I will be able to use the cards....will certainly have to stroke them a while first and the one of the sewing machine just might find it's way on the wall of my new sewing room...that is of course if we ever manage to move. :-)

WOYWW....

Hello to all my wonderful visitors this week.  Another Wednesday means another day of showing and telling and sharing our spaces with blogging friends all over the world.....and yes I do mean all over the world.  I have so far had 19 requests to swap ATC with me for the 4th year celebrations of this wonderful group and at least 8 of those are from over sea friends [and yes I do consider you as friends....just ones I haven't met as yet].  If your name isn't on my list to swap and you'd like it to be please email me at wipso@toucansurf.com with your details.

This week saw the situation changed for one of my WOYWW friends.  On Thursday my darling hubby took me to a local pub to stalk Neet who was in the area [ I had warned her first of course :-)  ] and wahooooooo I can now say I have met her....... trust me when I say she is just as lovely as I though she was.  We sat and chatted as though we had known each other for years [which of course we had!].  Life should be filled with days like that.

And here's the proof  :-)

I haven't had a lot of time for crafting this week but will show you what I have been up to...

My work rail has filled and emptied several times.  

 

Here there is...

• 9 pair of shortened trousers
• 2 altered dresses
• a jacket that I've shortened the sleeves on

and that's not all.

I had to redesign a couple of chair pads to make a fitted seat pad for an elderly gentleman to use in his can to aid with comfort after hip surgery.  This all had to be hand sewn!

A trip to Ikea resulted in a new Expedit storage unit....alas not for crafting storage though!

This was needed to house toys for the grandchildren.  We had bags and boxes full of toys everywhere and needed to tidy things up for all the house viewing we are hoping to get now we have reduced the sale price  :-)

Keep your fingers crossed for us please.

On top of all that...

• You might have seen on Jo's blog that we have also fitted in a theatre night out to see 'Made in Brum'....a brilliant night out.  
• We have visited our good friend in her care home...she is always thrilled to see us on our fortnightly visits.
• Caught up with the family
• Oh and I've done a bit of dusting, cleaning, tidying, ironing etc etc....you know, all those little things that need keeping up to date when your house is on the market  :-)

So....it's been just a normal sort of week over here.....how about you?
If you leave me a little hello comment I will do my best to pay you a return visit in between this weeks activities  :-)

Hugs,
Annie x

This week's smiles....week 16

We had several more joining in the fun this week so I must thank you all for your efforts in helping to make the world a happier place.  Lin in the Pink Chaves was one of my new bloggers but I was unable to leave her a comment so I would just like to say thank you for joining in the fun.  The other new name to join in the fun is my featured blog for this week....

Kerry from Kezzys Crafty Journey joined in for the first time this week with a gorgeous pic of the blossom in her garden and the most humongous ice cream.  Even though I can no longer enjoy an ice cream like that I am allowed to share the enjoyment of others having one  :-)  Thanks for joining in Kerry.

This week I am sharing a video with you. Turn your sound up and I just know you will be chuckling when you've watched it.

I guess you are now grinning from ear to ear and if you are like me will have listened to it several times.  I wish I could bottle that giggle....I'm certain it would sell well.  :-)

Thanks for dropping by this week.  Please do your best to snap a pic of something that has made you smile this week and link it up below.  Not only will you feel good for focusing in on your happy times but you will feel the benefits of sharing it with others.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW....

I have had a really industrious week.  I've made lots that I cant show you and I've used lots of snippets but can't link them on Di's blog cos they have to stay hidden....for a while at least  :-)

So what is on my desk this week?.....

Do you remember this from a couple of weeks back?

 Well, I have now used that yummy fabric and bits and made 24 completed ATCs for the 4th Birthday swap that's coming up next month and I've also made cards for them to go inside....wont show you them yet but here they all are proudly standing up in my little box waiting to be posted.

If you haven't sent me your details yet but would like to swap with me then please email me your details so I can add you to my list....I'm happy to make more if needed  :-)

Teddy hospital has been open this week

I had these two, very sad, special friends arrive needing loving attention because they had been attacked by a dog and  come off worse.  Wolfie had lost two eyes and his nose and little teddy had lost an eye and needed restuffing.

Here they are, all lovingly repaired and waiting patiently for their owner to come and collect them.

As you can see I get all sorts of jobs to do here and get trusted with very special friends to put right....I guess being a nurse in my former life helps when it comes to giving anaesthetics and performing life saving surgery.  :-)

For all those who left such caring comments last week I must add a huge thank you and let you know that Sam has now bounced back to full health....and I'm sure all your get well wishes played a huge part so big hugs to each and every one of you.

Thanks for dropping by to see what I've been up to this week.  If you leave me a comment I will do my best to pay you a return visit but I not only had the twinnie munchkins yesterday but they have an extra day with me today so it will have to be either tonight or tomorrow when I get round to popping in to say hello.

Hugs,

Annie x

This week's smiles....week 15

Here we are at another Friday with a happy post to share.  I am thrilled to share with you the news that little Sam seems much better now and hopefully that is the last we shall see of the inside of a hospital for a while at least  :-)

There were some photos of wonderful flowers shared this week....it really makes us all feel better to see the sun and the spring flowers showing their bright colourful faces doesn't it?

My featured blog this week just has to be Sam's over at Hettiecraft.  She posts a funny every Friday to make us laugh and this week really made me chuckle....I always have a lot of problems opening a jar ;-)

The pic I am sharing this week is this one...

Little Steve is Mummy's little helper especially now both his big sisters have mornings at school and this week he enjoyed fetching the shopping delivery from the front door to his mummy in the kitchen in his little shopping trolley....couldn't we all do with a little helper like Steve?

Now come on folk go look around you and snap away with your camera at all the wonderful things in your life that are making you smile this week....... and why not share them with your blogging friends?  There is enough doom and gloom on the telly and it really does us all good to focus on happy things.  Link your happy pictures below any time during the next week.....it really doesn't just have to be today....and next Friday I will choose one of you as my week's best smiles.

WOYWW....

As you can see this week I have changed my header pic to show you the beautiful blossom in our garden.....yes spring is really here.....and just look at that blue sky too  :-) :-) :-)

Another 'different' week for me here at Sewing by Annie's.  I managed to complete all the huge sewing pile I had here last week including that gorgeous lacy wedding dress that had 4 hems to shorten!  The rest of my week has been spent full of challenges!

• Little Sam has been in and out of hospital all week with his severe tummy pain and this included a blue light ambulance ride from Shrewsbury hospital to Birmingham's childrens hospital to be seen by the specialists on Saturday.....needless to say they still haven't found the cause but think it may be a nasty gut infection and they sent him home on Sunday with a bag full of different medicines.
• Shell has been here with the both twins for last couple of days just in case Sam needed hospital again so that I could look after Lexi....bless them it's been such a worrying time.
• Oh yes and on Thursday last week I was diagnosed as being diabetic!!!  So no more chocolate or cake for me now  :-(  Thankfully I had had a blood test that picked it up cos I had had no signs or symptoms at all.

Of course you've not come here to hear my troubles but you'd like to see what's on my desk today wouldn't you?  Well, here it is....

Nothing very exciting really to see but there is...

• Lace trimmings from the wedding dress.....if bride doesn't want this I promise it will be put to good use  :-)
• Mitzy monkey is sat watching all that goes on in my sewing room....but she keeps all my secrets  :-)
• the pin cushion Jo[zart] gave me is on the side of the machine on the left of the pic....it gets used every day Jo  :-)
• my Tax form is in the middle of the pic waiting for me to do my end of year books up to date  :-(
• two of my many pair of pink snippers , pins, cotton reels etc

So there you go,  I have sun beaming through the window and my magnolia is starting to open up just outside in the garden and  already smells wonderful....have a good snoop but I'm sure you will find nothing very exciting today....sorry, it's been one of those weeks!

To those who said they would like to swap ATCs with me for the 4 year WOYWW celebrations can you please check you have sent me your details via email cos there are still some that have forgotten and to anyone else wanting to swap......I'd love you to send me your details :-)

Thanks for dropping by.  I will do my best to pay you a return visit if you leave me a little hello message.  Take care and have a great week.

Hugs,

Annie x

I need help with a template.....

Grovel grovel.......

Do any of my wonderful, card making, blogging friends have a template to make a wedding invitation card with a pocket inside that extra info cards can be tucked into?  

Our son is getting married August next year [I know, I know.... we are getting ideas and getting as much as we can done well in advance!! ] and a lot of his fiance's family will be coming from Italy so there maybe extra info cards [hotels available in the area etc] needed to pop into the invitation cards.  Gina rather fancies a pocket of some sort inside the main invitations and we have seen some on line but we want to make our own.......Any ideas would be very welcome.

I'm even willing to share the gorgeous flowers I had from my darling hubby last week for our 31st Wedding Anniversary with you......after all they are far too gorgeous to keep them all to myself.  :-)