Friday 23 June 2017

This week's smiles....week 226

Wow. What a week it's been here for me.  Before I get started I will thank all my wonderful friends who join in each week to help make the world around us a happier place to be.  Smiling really is contagious so lets keep spreading them.

It's been a really busy week with sewing for me and today I will be at a craft fair at Belvidere Primary school between 3 - 6 so I've not only been busy with customers but I've been making a few last minute bits to take with me and getting everything ready to take.

So what's been making me smile?  It's taken nearly three years of living at our new home....
  • the first year of course was making plans and getting planning permission to alter our new home
  • the second year was spent with building work to structurally change the bungalow to make it ours
  • the third year has been spent painting, tiling, fitting carpets / flooring etc and we are just finishing the last room being the utility....it's not easy to get it all done when you both work full time and we have been determined to take our time and to enjoy life too.
I have worked hard during this time to keep my sewing business going but I can now see growth in my customer numbers and each one of them is happy to spread the word so I'm buzzing.  This week I have had orders for 6.....yes 6!! Memory bears with the promise of more to come and I really love everything about making them [UPDATE.....I had another order last night so that makes 7 bears ordered in just 4 days and 5 of them already made  :-) :-) :-) ].  I've met some really lovely people and have really enjoyed making very special memories for each and every one. 

I have recently worked hard [with the help of my wonderful family] to test all the baby toys etc that I make so I can put a CE logo of safety on them.  To do this I also had to contact my fabric suppliers to ask them for safety certificates for the materials I use.  One particular supplier has been really helpful in doing this and I feel I must give Denise at Cabin Crafts recognition for doing this for me.  As a thank you for her help I felt it was right to give her my business and put an order in for some more of her 100% cotton fabrics......You would wouldn't you?  Buying fabric from Denise is really easy and the fabrics are of such lovely quality at good prices so I feel well able to recommend her to any of you fabric crafters out there.

These are the 10 pieces of children's print fabrics I bought from her....aren't they gorgeous [I haven't taken my scissors to any of them as yet but I will because I can rely on being able to buy more when I need it].  Of course my fabric just might not be enough to make you all smile but I'm also sharing a few funnies I found on Pinterest with you and for those of you that know me well I'm sure you will understand why I'm sat here chuckling now just reading them.

There you go....it's been a bit of a long post today but I hope you will understand why I'm buzzing and wanted to share it with you all.  Please leave me a little message and if at all possible then link to your own smiles below.  Have a great week.
Hugs,
Annie x

7 comments:

Helen said...

I can't believe you've been there 3 years already!! where does time go... Good luck with the fair.

tilly said...

what a wonderful week you have had, well done gaining more customers and hope the fayre goes well
Tilly

Lisca said...

Wow! Time flies! I'm so glad your sewing business is doing well and you have satisfied customars. That's such a satisfying feeling. Well done you!
The new fabric is lovely. They deserve a mention. I smiled at your funnies about buying fabric. It's addictive.(Perhaps luckily) we can't get those nice fabrics here. I would have to go online and order, but that is not the same as feeling, touching and smelling them.
I hope the fayre at the school goes well, and you get many more orders (to keep you out of mischief, my husband would say)
Have a good week with lots of smiles,
Hugs,
Lisca

Felix the Crafty Cat said...

I just can't believe that you've been in the new house for nearly three years, where does the time go! When I retired people kept asking me "what will you do with your time" they must be mad Lol! So pleased your customer numbers are going up, it's well deserved. Interestingly I have a friend who's daughter had been poorly with a stress related illness and had to stop working. Her sewing has been an absolute god send as it's taken her mind off her problems and gradually she's getting back to her old self so I fully agree that sewing can be a great therapy. Maybe they should stop giving people all those expensive drugs and just buy them a sewing machine!
Have a great weekend, Angela xXx

Twiglet said...

I love those funnies Annie - so appropriate for us both!! Good luck this afternoon. Sell loads! xx

505whimsygirl said...

Hi Annie,

I'm so glad you've made SO MUCH progress on your new home. I'm hoping that I'll be able to just get organized! I took two bags of clothes to the charity shop and that's just the beginning!!

Congratulations for your very thriving sewing business. That's great that you've had so many requests for the memory bears. The new fabrics you received from Denise are beautiful.

Love all the funnies! That's how I feel about my yarn and paper products!! Oh, and all the other stuff that comes along!

Have a wonderful weekend and good luck that the sale!!

Hugs,
Kay

mamapez5 said...

Well done on all the sewing commissions Annie. I understand your love of fabric even though it is pretty cards and papers that do it for me. I especially like the fabric with little pink elephants on it. I hope you do well at the school sale.
All your 'funnies' made me smile too. I am so happy to hear how well everything is going for you just now. Don't work too hard, even though it is work you love doing. Kate x