This week's smiles....week 306

Another week has passed and, as always, I'm chasing my tail with work.  I'm in the middle of making 6 Memory bears with a further 6 due through my door at any point so it's a quick round up of smiles this week....

At the weekend Amy, Dave. their 3 children plus their friends with their 2 boys had a couple of nights at the Welsh coast and yes it was cold and windy but it didn't stop these 5 donning their coats, hats, wellies and gloves to enjoy fun on the beach and making a sand castle....the weather never gets in the way of their fun and that always makes me smile.

On Wednesday night Lulu went to a birthday party which included pony rides....of course she had a wonderful time and would really like one of her own now. :-)

It's been really cold here lately and we have treated Milly to a waterproof coat....here she is trying it on and she seems very happy with it.

Yesterday morning was the coldest day of the year here and the ground outside was frozen hard but just look at the tulips shooting up through the gravel....isn't nature wonderful?

And finally I saw this on Facebook this week and for a moment thought it was Jo's dishwasher....she has so much wool I thought she had been hiding it again :-)

I hope you have found something here that has made you smile too and will now link up to your own smiles below.

Have a good week and stay warm and safe wherever you are.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW...

Hello folks.  Here we are on another Wednesday when a load of us link up over at Julia's at the Stamping Ground to expose and share our creative spaces....whether they be tables, desks, floor spaces or kitchen spaces.  We are a really friendly bunch, joining in is free and there are very few rules so why not pop over to Julia's to check out the details.

I hope you will check out my previous post if you'd like to see my poppy pics taken while my dearest darling hubby and I were on a 'have it away' weekend in London.  The poppies really were mind blowing and it was a weekend that will stay in my memory for ever.

Of course what you're really here to see today is my desk so I've stood back a little to snap you a quick pic of what's going on here.....

• As you can see I've mounted my machine embroidered Christmas card designs and been playing with the designs.  I've scanned each one and printed a page of each of them off to work out what I'm going to do with them.....as they say....watch this space :-)
• I've just had a packet of 1" wooden beads arrive with my postman.....I've got a few ideas in the pipeline as to what I'm going to go with these so keep your eyes open for results.
• In the bottom left of the pic you can see some of my many boxes/bags of fabric and wools....trust me when I say this really is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to fabric stash
• Middle top of the pic you can see my little temporary rail where you can see some of my customers sewing waiting to be collected....yes I'm getting a few callers each week now thankfully.
• at the back of the table, under the cupboard you can see a couple of boxes of overlocking threads and my button box....I can't wait to set up my new sewing room when it's built....the plans have now been sent to the planning office and, all being well, we should be able to start building etc in the new year :-)

I hope you've enjoyed your visit this week.  Please leave me a little message to let me know you've called by and I will pop over to yours as soon as I can.

Hugs,
Annie x

WOYWW...

Hello folks.  I am thankfully feeling rather better this week...both on the house front and the health front.  :-)  Isn't it funny how these things seem to go hand in hand?  For those that missed my Saturday blog post [ below] you might like to know that although we had 10 plus weeks fighting to get our sale completed on the bungalow we were hoping to move to the sale just wasn't to be and fell through.  We are now pushing for a quick sale on another bungalow and the more we think about it the more we know in our hearts that this was meant to be...the other one was causing a lot of heart ache, I'm sure wouldn't have been a happy house to move into and came with an awful lot of work to get it how we would have wanted it.  This one felt like home as we walked through the door  :-)

So folks?  What is on my work desk this week?

I have finished the little hoodie I was knitting.  It has turned out well and I'm really thrilled with it.

I have had little helpers with my crafting this week.....

Whilst Sam finished off his morning nap Lexi helped plan the blanket to be made with my knitted squares  :-)

What a lovely activity it was too....she counted, chose the colours and very carefully placed them all into patterns :-)

Yesterday I, very bravely, got my little munchkins to help me sort my big box of odd balls of knitting wools.  We had lengths of wool from one end of the living room to the other but they had lots of fun finding different colours, helping Nanny wind the balls up and deciding which ones were their favourites  :-)

"Oh Nanny what a lot of wool you've got!!"

So there you go....more about trying to encourage little ones to love crafting than showing you anything I have done creatively this week but it's so good to see them enjoying the colours and textures that yarns come with.  :-)

Thanks for calling by.  If you'd like to leave me a little hello comment I will do my best to call in on your to see what you've been up to this week.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW.....

Another week has passed and it's been another week of twinnie fun and juggling life/work to fit in and around our special times together.  Great Aunty Jo joined us for fun on Monday and she will be back down again today for more fun all being well.  This allows me to keep my sewing shop open so that customers can drop off and collect.....there will be more important things to be done today than actually sewing....like drawing, jigsaws, reading etc etc  :-)  My little munchkins will be all grown up and gone to school before we bat an eye and the sewing can wait  :-)

So for those that have called in to see what is on my desk today.....

I snapped a quick pic of the little cardigan I was knitting last week for those that asked to see it....Little Noah Timothy has now been allowed home with his mummy so tiny cardigans will be needed  :-)

And this is the next project I have on the go.  As you can see I have knitted two sleeves, two fronts and half way up the back but alas I wont have enough wool to knit the hood!  The ball band was tucked inside when I started knitting but alas I can't find it now.  These were two balls I had left over from another project and I thought it would be enough but no!  I ordered what I thought the wool was and guess what?  It was the wrong colour!  So I have ordered another one now....lets he hopeful eh?  I could end up with lots of new balls of wool all different colours....or should I say......I could end up with a lot more balls of wool all of different colours cos trust me when I say I have two boxes full of it already!!!  

See.......

Jo suggested making a quilt....or twenty  :-)

Thanks for popping by today.  It may be tomorrow before I can get to pay you a visit this week but if you leave me a little hello comment I promise I will do my best.

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW....

The weeks seem to pass so quickly and life always seem so very full of fun here at Sewing by Annie's.  

This week I have...

• Sewn....lots of customers at end of last week.
• Knitted...lots of different projects on the go at the mo.
• Played with Amy's gorgeous 3 Saturday afternoon when Amy brought them for a catch up.
• Babysat for Amy's 3 all day Sunday while they went to a friend's wedding
• Babysat the twinnies all day yesterday while Shell worked.
• Cooked....well, we do have to eat sometimes  :-)
• Shopped.....first time I've done supermarket alone for ages  [Normally my darling hubby comes with me to help].....why do they make the shelves so high?
• Taxied hubby and son to a coach on Saturday so they could go to Wimbledon to watch Shrewsbury Town play the last game this season....they lost 3-1 but it didn't matter as they are going up to First Division anyway.  :-)
• Oh yes I have slept an hour or two too  :-)

Here are just a few snaps to show you what I've been creating this week.

I've made a new 'V' cushion cover for the munchkins to use.

I've knitted the two fronts and am half way up on the two sleeves of the latest cardigan for Lexi.

Fab wool don't you think?....yes, it's been a 'work from 2 balls of wool' sort of project to get the pattern right.  :-)

 I've knitted nearly all the front of the next 'Fish and Chip' jumper.....please follow the link if you'd like to know more.

We can't use pastel colours [cos they are rarely washed] so I've done this one is some bright jazzy wool.  :-)

I've bought some lovely wool to knit two matching hoodies for the twins for next winter....I have to be prepared  [ I used to be a brownie you know  :-) ]

And this is what happens when you're all played out  when having a day at Nanny Annie's   [Lexi is still going strong]  :-)  :-)  :-)

I know just how Sam feels too  :-)

It's that time of year again so I just had to share a quick pic of our stunning crab apple blossom.  Isn't it amazing?

I hope you have enjoyed your visit here this week.  Thanks for calling by.  Before you pop over to Julia's to join in the WOYWW fun please leave me a little 'hello' comment and I will do my best to pay you a visit in between my sewing jobs,cooking, knitting, playing and nap taking.  :-)

Hugs,

Annie x

WOYWW....

Happy Wednesday to you all.

It's been another hectic week for me [but nothing new there!].  This week has included...

• A trip to BBC Television Studios to watch the show Pointless....brilliant afternoon's entertainment for free.
• A trip to the theatre with Michelle and Brent to see Billie Elliot....Magical
• An over night stay in a 4 star hotel in London.....felt really spoilt
• The filling of the rag doll shelf in our blog shop [please check it out and let me know what your think]....exciting times
• Precious family times with our grandbabies.
• A brilliant Funday Monday with two special people....I cut out more little dollies
• Bread making, cooking and even a little bit of housework  :-)

There really is NEVER a dull moment here.  I have to admit that after all the walking and climbing of stairs over the weekend that Nurofen has become my best friend to get rid of the aches and pains but I am happy to put up with those to have such quality times with my best friend in the world [I'm blessed with a hubby in a million and would like to thank him for all the wonderful planning he does to make a weekend like that possible].

Now for a few snaps to 'show and tell'  the world of sewing by Annie....

I've been sorting....

• neat pile of tiny print fabrics for my dollies
• box full of wools to use for dolly hair
• a bag with my dolly patterns in it

I emptied out one of my sweet jars full of ribbons to sort out pretty narrow ribbons for the dollies and then.....

.......managed to squash them all back in.  :-)
You wouldn't believe all that would go in one jar would you?.....lots of brute force and determination required  :-)

Today you can see [or possibly not!] that I am making shaped chair arm covers for one of my customers.  I've had to make a pattern and she wants them piping so they will take a while.

And here is a bit of fru fru for you girls who like to see the posh frocks I am working on [this one started off a size 6 and I've taken it in 4"!!!].  It's coming up to prom time and I have several dresses to alter this week.

Now, please pop over to check out my rag dolly shelf and leave me a comment before you dash off to visit Julia and join in the WOYWW fun.  I hope you all have a great week.  Stay well and creative.

Hugs,

Annie x

Did I have a holiday?....

Someone told me I have had my summer holiday. :-)

As you can imagine life very quickly returns to my normal plate spinning routine. You will be pleased to hear at the moment I am still able to save all the spinning plates from dropping.....just.

My 'to do' rail filled very rapidly on Friday....I had 3 male customers call all at once and all with arms full of sewing!

Having taken my neighbour B into hospital on Wednesday she was discharged on Friday back to the Care home so it was another settling in for her on Friday night [alas the hospital failed to inform anyone of what they found wrong with her]. Each move finds her more and more upset and frightened in her confused state. Bless her if only she could be anywhere long enough to settle in. Her feet managed to touch the ground on Saturday but bless her she was rushed back to hospital [with yours truly in close pursuit again] on Sunday morning. After yet more long hours in A & E she was again admitted to the ward for observation and as far as I'm aware that's where she remains. Today she has to attend a fracture clinic for her broken leg and very likely she will be transferred back to the care home either later today or tomorrow. Old age really doesn't have a lot going for it does it?


In between hospital visits, care home visits etc etc I have managed to fit in the most enjoyable Saturday afternoon at Shrewsbury theatre at a Knit and Natter group organised by the wonderful Suz.
She happily taught me to do the Spike stitch crochet that she has been doing on her blog and I came home with the most amazing 10 balls of wool bought from her stock. She sells it at a very reasonable price so if anyone wants some pop over to Suz blog to find out more.




I managed to quickly make another batch of beetroot chutney and here are all the chopped up ingredients ready to be simmered down....it made 6 more jars of yummyness :-)




I also had a wonderful couple of hours with my youngest daughter A and her gorgeous little girls P and L. P is now 21 months, a real little girl and loves having her hair put up into pig tails...she had such fun playing in the garden with a little bucket and the garden chippings and playing hide and seek with her Granddad along the paths that weave through our garden :-)
Little L is now 4 1/2 months and is so much like her mummy as a little girl with big brown eyes and the most gorgeous sandy red hair....oh aren't we blessed :-)

So girls that's my busy weekend.....How was yours?