This week's smiles ....week 526

 It's been a lovely week here at Sewing by Annie's.  I've had a few customers but have also had time to sew for pleasure too...just the way I like it.  I have had sooooo much to make me smile too so will share this week with lots of pics....

 On their way back from their holiday in France Mark, Gina and the boys called in at Rocmador ...this is somewhere we had been to many years ago so it was lovely to see the boys enjoying it there.....I really love the first pic of Louie...he looks like he's skipping and it makes me smile.  

                                                                

     On their way home through England they called in at Legoland in Windsor and had a really lovely day.        

 Sam has given me lots to smile about this week.  He rang me to see if I had some pink and blue fur fabric he could 'borrow' ....of course I do and it's what Nanny's stash is for.  He wanted to make some puppets with it and, as you can see he made two amazing puppets which he is now using to make short films :-)

Of course he is now hooked and asked if I had any more colours I could let him have so we dropped off a bag with 4 more colours for him to use.

What makes me smile most is that he is using one of my old sewing  machines to make them on...and it's the one I made my Wedding dress on :-) 

Our garden has given us lots to smile about.

The tomatoes are ripening fast and furious now and are so yummy....there are red large, red small, yellow and 'black' ones.

We harvested the beetroot and had lots to eat fresh plus it made 3 jars of pickled beetroot and then I made many jars of beetroot chutney with the rest...and I love it.  

 The garden is also still blooming and has colour in all areas.      

Of course it wouldn't be Friday without a few funnies and I hope you will find something here to make you smile.  Please leave me a little message before linking to your own smiles at the bottome of the page.

Have a great week.

Hugs,

Annie x

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

This week's smiles....week 297

Hello all.  Happy Friday.  Firstly I will say sorry for the speed of my post today and for the lack of comments because I'm really struggling with my sciatica.  Since last weekend it's got progressively worse and after a phone call back from my Dr yesterday I'm now on strong pain tablets and muscle relaxants and I'm off to see her this morning so I'm hoping things improve soon.

I've managed to keep all my sewing jobs up to date but have done little else all week and sleep has been in short bursts being woken in pain in between but, you know me, I've still had lots to smile about.  I have the most wonderful, loving, caring family and bless him my darling hubby has even had to help me dress this week as my feet appear to have moved into the next room and I can no longer reach them!....I will conquer it and will reach them again soon I hope.

Since we moved in here there has been a very overgrown garden at the side of us and Monday saw two tree surgeons sawing, shredding and generally clearing the whole garden giving us so much more daylight.  It was sad to see some of the trees go but it had all become far too overgrown.....I think our new neighbours have gained about 12 foot of extra garden and it will be so much more manageable for them.

It's gone from this.......

......to this.

Of course I wasn't the only one watching the goings on closely.

Milly is the only dog we've ever had that likes to sit up and beg.....I guess she can see a little more of what's going on from there.

The only other thing I'm sharing with you today is this 'over the years' collage of our eldest Granddaughter, Phoebe who was ten this week.  She's a beautiful girl with a good heart and a gorgeous dimple in her cheek.

It really only seems like 10 mins since I had a phone call from my daughter Amy in the middle of the night to tell me she had just given birth and just how much she had fallen in love with her new baby daughter.  :-) :-) :-)

That's all my shares this week.  I hope you've got lots of lovely things you can share with us this week by linking them up below.

Hugs,

Annie x

This week's smiles....week 233

Where do the days go to?  I seem to turn round once or twice and hey presto here we are back at my weekly catch up of smiles.  Many thanks, as always, to the loyal few who join in each week.  Between us I'm sure we make the world just a little happier folks so please keep up the good work.

I've had by darling hubby at home on holidays from work this week so we have enjoyed lots of smiles together so I've put a few photos together to share with you....

These are the before shots of our back garden....it's all starting to grow and develop how we want it but we have a few four legged friends who seem to want to 'help'.  There are lots of local cats who have decided it was lovely black soil to use as their toilet and we have our own little four legged friend who rather likes eating the results making her feel sick [and us at just the thought of it!!].  Plus she loves digging in between the plants and chasing the little birds so getting her paws rather dirty.  

So my darling hubby has ordered several dumpy bags of lovely white stone and this is what it looks like now.  It looks really lovely and the gravel will also keep the weeds down too....so win win.

Of course when you have little visitors they like to lend a helping hand and that makes me smile the most.

The other pics I'm sharing with you are of the lovely day out we had on Tuesday.  We went to Westonbury Mill Water gardens near Leominster and what a gorgeous place that is....well worth a visit folks.  There are lots of follies and features for you to explore and a lovely little coffee shop where you can get a yummy lunch too.  We loved it and Milly did too.

You should be able to click on the pics if you'd like a closer look.....you just might see my darling hubby peeping from behind a tree at you  :-)

That's all from me for today.  Please leave me a little comment so I know you've called by and if you can then link to a few pics of your smiles from the week.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW.....

Here we are at yet another Wednesday catching up with all our creative friends all round the world by linking up over at Julia's....please pop over there for details if you'd like to join in the fun.

This week we have benefited from some gorgeous Spring weather and have been enjoying making a start in our new garden to change what needs to be changed in readiness for the building work we have planned.  One of the gardens has to be moved to make a patio in front of our new kitchen doors so we have been making a raised bed to take at least some of the surplus soil...

The area to the right of the steps will become the patio....well, that's the plan :-)

This little bed has really filled with the bulbs in bloom now but as you can see the weeds have taken over too so yesterday morning while the sun was shining [it really is a sun trap in our new back garden] I made this my work desk and .......

.....pulled this lot out so it now looks like this.....

....and doesn't it look better now? :-)

I can't have hyacinths in the house because the heady perfume gives me a sort of asthma attack but I love the smell and am really enjoying all the gorgeous blooms in the garden.

My indoor desk this week had another challenge for me.  Some of you might recognise this waistcoat as I've shown it on here before.  It belongs to a special gent that I sew for and this was a real favourite of his.  I have repaired many areas several times over the years.  It has special pockets in it that he could keep his mobile phone easily accessible to his good hand....he's had a stroke and relies heavily on his good side.  The waistcoat has become very worn now and beyond repair so I've been asked to use the area unworn on the back to make a special cushion cover for his fav chair.

 

Ta da!!  Here is the finished cushion cover.....It's for a surprise birthday present and I'm sure he will really love it. :-)

Don't you just love it when you know what you've done will put a huge smile on the face of someone special? :-)

That's all from me for this week.  I hope you've enjoyed your visit and will leave me a little hello comment so I know you've called by.  I will do my best to pay you a return visit as soon as I am able.

Hugs,

Annie x

This week's smiles....week 106

It's so lovely seeing those of you taking time out of their busy lives each week to make the world a happier place by sharing their smiles.

This week I'm sharing someone that joins in every week.  I always make a cuppa and give myself time to read all she's written.  She shares her life in Spain with her lovely family and always adds all the smiles she's enjoyed during her week....esp all the wonderful skies that we both really enjoy finding faces in.  Thank you so much Kate for making the time to share your world with us.

My smiles this week have been many as always.  My family are always top of my list when it comes to reasons to smile.  I am such a proud Mum and Nanny and wallow in their achievements.  

Little Phoebe has had her first swimming badge but has to send away for her badge and certificate so I don't have a pic of that to share as yet.

Little Sam has had a nasty sicky bug this week so little Lexi had to go to playschool without her twinnie on Tuesday.  Mummy left her in tears but she very quickly stopped crying and managed her first day without him....they were really pleased at home time to be together again though and spent the evening hugging, cuddling and laughing together....they really do have a very special bond.  Get well soon little man.

My snaps for today are...

 Shell having fun time with Lexi...just in case you can't tell they are both being Anna from Frozen  :-)

These have given me sooooo much to smile about this week.  

As most of you will know we moved into our new little bungalow last August so this is the first Spring in our new home.  We had no idea at all what hidden treasures were planted but our back garden is coming to life at the mo.  I am so excited and really can't wait for it all to burst into bloom so I can share it all with you.  Isn't nature just amazing.  All these little treasures have been hiding from us, we had no idea at all that they were there and they feel like very special gifts emerging from the cold, frozen ground.  They are all coming up in the part of the garden we will be moving to build our new extension so once they have bloomed we will be moving them but will enjoy them where they are for this year.

I hope you have enjoyed your visit this week and will share all that's making you smile this week by linking them below.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW....

Another week has passed and  life here is always pretty hectic,,,,,that's the way I like it  :-)
This week has included...

• Knitting
• Sewing
• Opening wonderful parcels of donated fabrics
• Cutting out of very many little dresses for little girls in Africa
• Gardening
• Chopping down trees 
• Picking wonderful fresh vegetables and eating them same day
• Enjoying family times
• Going to the cinema to see the latest Harry Potter film
• Baking bread
• Shopping
• Writing yet more letters for solicitors to sort out our dear neighbours affairs
• Oh yes....and a little cooking, cleaning and housework  :-)

How many hours are there in a day?  Did I manage to sleep?
What's on my desk today then?

Shhhhhhh....Please don't tell anyone cos I only have one pair of trousers on my 'to do' rail today.  Only a little picture cos I hope no one will notice  :-)

But I do have a box overflowing with ready cut out little dresses to run up and that's what I plan to fill my day with today.

And for all those who love to see a little of what's happening in the garden I just thought I'd add a couple of snaps to show you I'm in the pink today  :-)  Hope you leave a quick comment before you leave and pop over to Julia's blog to join in the WOYWW madness.  Have a great week.

Don't forget to take time out to smell the roses...

We have had a really special weekend.  

Saturday afternoon / evening was spent babysitting our gorgeous granddaughters.  They really are a delight to care for.  We had lots of fun and laughter.  I cooked them tea which they tucked into with no fuss or bother.  We bathed them and had lots of fun with bubbles and their bath toys and then we read stories and tucked both down in bed.  It's so lovely to see what a wonderful job our daughter and her hubby are doing of bringing them up....I'm such a proud mummy and nanny.

Sunday was a day for enjoying our little bit of heaven down the bottom of our garden.  We hoovered and cleaned out our bird hide [yes, we need a couple of extension leads to reach the bottom of our garden with a hoover!]....lots of spiders had moved in during the winter and to be honest I can't relax down there with so many little critters watching me.  We then set to and cleared out a lot of the overgrown weeds from the 'back to nature' bit......even nature needs a bit of help once or twice a year.  We enjoyed our morning coffee and lunch in the bird hide watching 2 squirrels play, an adult robin feeding it's baby, a black cap, a chiffchaff and more baby tits, of all sorts, than I could count......maybe now you can see why I call it our little bit of heaven?

I've snapped a few pics to share with you.

Triffid update.....It's now over 6 foot tall and has pretty yellow flowers on the top.  The top bends over towards the sun and tends to follow the sun around the sky during the day  :-)  Skye reluctantly posed in from of it for you to give it a bit of scale  :-)

The flowers on the top....they seem to only last a day or so then drop off.

This is a little of our back to nature bit now we have cleared out some of the weeds.  It all has a canopy of hazel nut trees and is such a wonderful place to sit and enjoy nature at it's best.

The veg garden is looking pretty good and everything seems to have benefited from the drop of rain of late.

And finally just a bit of colour I snapped around the garden.  I love the vivid blue of this geranium.

 

Finally....don't forget to smell the roses.  These are just two of the lovely roses around our garden and I thought I'd share them with you.  Enjoy your week but remember to take time out to enjoy the magic that's all around you.

Blog Update

Having seen Mrs A's comment below I thought you might like to see another unseen area of my garden.

This is the stone circle that we will be dancing around naked on mid summer's eve  :-)

WOYWW.....103

Happy Wednesday to all who pass by here.

Yet again it's been a manic week here at Sewing by Annie's. The weekend was a really successful one with the wonderful Church Gardening Club Sale on our front garden on Saturday.  Sunday came with even more success....Twiglet grabbed us a real bargain from Churchstoke Sunday market....I have been searching for a clean, light weight, second hand, double buggy to keep here for when I look after the twins.  She text me to say there were two up there this week....one at £30 and the other at £80 and the cheaper of the two was immaculate and just what I had been looking for [but up til now had only found ones on ebay for over £50 plus postage!].  I told her to use her judgement and to try to knock her down on the price a bit [well you have to don't you?]......AND she got it for £20 and that includes waterproof covers!!!!!  It's spotless and we really can't believe our luck....thank you so much Jo [especially cos she then pushed it all the way up her bank to get home].

This was our Funday Monday table full of goodies.  Twiglet and our friend T were planning making fabric hearts so all the yummy fabrics and lace trims filled the table.  At the front you can see one of my WIPs...another crocheted baby shawl for yet another pregnant friend's daughter.

Hmmmm I see we haven't hidden the Monday treats very well today so I guess I'd best say help yourself girls....yes we really didn't eat them all  :-)

This is my 'to do' rail today so you can see I wont be sat idle today.  I have 3 posh dresses and a jacket on there as well as many other jobs plus on my long dress hanging rail.......

.....I still have a really gorgeous Wedding dress under wraps that needs a lot of work doing cos I have to shorten the very many layers it has......quite a challenge!

Here is another of my WIPs.....as we have two little boys expected I have been asked to make a patchwork blanket for one of them and these are the colours we have chosen......I rarely have only one project on the go and tend to swap between them when my arthritis plays me up.

 Finally for all you garden lovers [you might want to click to enlarge this one].....I am stood literally just the other side of the window from this cheeky little devil!  He just sat there watching me while I snapped away with my camera! I love to feed the birds but really squirrels are just rats with furry tails even if they do have such cheeky little faces!

Now girls please pop over to Julia's to join in the WOYWW fun.....and don't forget next week is our second year celebrations so make sure your PIF gifts are all ready to post.....mine is  :-)

WOYWW....

Happy Wednesday to all who pass by here.  Another week has passed and there have been more fun times to share.

Sunday was spent dodging showers and our gorgeous little boy [now  of course 23 and quite a hunky young man!] came to help his Dad dig fence post holes ready to put up a new fence in the back garden......sorry girls he refused to take his top off for you  ;-)

 ....and as you can see they managed to get most of it done....think I must have taken the pic at an angle cos that last post looks wonky and I can assure you they were all very carefully put upright my the two fencing experts :-)

Twiglet and our friend T joined me for our Funday Monday.  This was the first time we had all had a Funday Monday since the beginning of April so, as you can all imagine, there was a lot of catching up to do.  I'm afraid to say that I have no crafting to share with you....cos none was done!  I sat knitting and the other two sat browsing magazines while we talked, giggled and caught up with all the good news, sad news, frustrating news and of course exciting news [that's my fav kind].

Thankfully I had only a few customers on Monday so that Tuesday came with very little catching up of the sewing jobs because it was another FUN day for us  :-) .....yes folks a girl can never have too many fun days.  Twiglet came down to join me [again!] and we had two little visitors for the day.

Little P enjoyed a special time with her Great Auntie Jo and I know the feeling was mutual.  :-)

Little L is so nearly walking but is still very happy crawling from one lot of mischief to the next  :-)  Just wish I had half their energy.






So folks as you can imagine with such a fun day yesterday, and I have to add I had loads of customers, I now have lots of sewing to be going on with....plus on top of all that I had an evening dress and a bridesmaid's fitting yesterday, another bridesmaid today, another bridesmaid tomorrow and on Friday I have a bride and a bridesmaid's fitting.....oh and at some point I have also got a prom dress to do a fitting on!  I have a feeling someone is trying to tell me I have had enough fun for one week  :-)

Lastly I just wanted to say I have now finished my WOYWW PIF gift and thought I would tease you all with a sneaky pic of just a little of it  :-)

Do pop over to Julia's now to join in the WOYWW fun.  Have a brilliant week and thanks for calling by.