What I did Sunday!

I know you were all wondering "How did she spend her Sunday?"  Well I did the outside patios "Spring Clean Up."  I take everything off the patios and clean the items and them wash down the house and patios and clean the windows.   Dirt Be Gone!

Love it once it is done.  Baseball watching outside, Happy Hour , etc....

Now on to other jobs around the house. 

Playing Catch Up

Have been busy having fun. Here are some of the things I have been doing the past few weeks.

We went to the Grand Canyon for three days.  We had not been there in 38 years.  The hole is the same, but we had never stayed at the rim before.  We stayed in the Maswick Lodge.  It was about 1/4 mile from the rim.  Very clean and quiet.  It has a cafeteria style restaurant and a terrific pizza/beer pub.

We took all the bus routes and enjoyed EVERY stop on all of them.  We did one for the Sunset and it was very stunning.  The bus drivers were a hoot.

It is truly amazing all the different textures and colors you find there. 

We had quite a fun time with the Elk and Deer.  They were wandering all around the Visitor Center parking lot.  We had to walk by them at the hotel going to breakfast and to the bus several days.  It is their territory and they were eating away everywhere.  So fun to be so close.

 

 

My friend Cornelia had given me a zip tote pattern, along with zipper and fabric she bought a year ago at the Sewing Expo in Washington.  We finally got together to sew this tote.  Directions seemed complicated at first, but it was a very nice tote when finished.  If you want the bag unzips totally flat so you can travel with it and use only when needed.

  

LOVE this Fabric !!!  

 



In the last of my organizing I finished up in the garage.  I emptied the little attic above the garage and two huge cabinets that are 8 ft x 4 ft by 3 ft and gave stuff to Marshall Ranch School and Goodwill.

I now am done with organizing.   On to the yard and spring cleaning of windows patios etc.  I need it nice out there as  Dbacks baseball  season is upon us and I watch outside alot!!!

 

 

Today, Ed and I went on a Culture Pass to the Phoenix Zoo.  We were there when they opened at 9 am.  Glad we only wanted to stay a short while  ( two hours was really too long) - OMG !  I think that EVERY Kid age 6 months to 65 was there by 10 am!!! I guess with Spring Break still on - Grandparents visiting - Nice weather etc.  it was a true ZOO!!!

 

 

Have had several days out with my friend Prissy for Doctors, etc.  Meeting up with friends for Bunco night and  lunch and fabric store shopping.   Lovin Life.......

Madeleine Albright's pins

Regardless of your political affiliation you should really go see the Madeleine Albright pin collection at the Phoenix Art Museum.  She has several hundred pins on display all with a special meaning.  The stories about the pins and where and with what dignitaries she wore them is very interesting. This really is a must see.  Even Ed enjoyed them.  A side note - while we were viewing the pins there was an older lady (older than me) who had a bracelet that matched one of the pin designs.  She was definitely thrilled.

If you get a chance check it out.

What I have been doing!

I have been organizing all our drawers and closets - in Kitchen, Baths, Bedrooms etc.  It has gone very well. I have spent lots of time in my Sewing Studio purging and organizing.  It has taken awhile as I have had appointments etc, also.   FOR NOW  I know what I have and where it is.  I can see the countertop and I am ready to SEW!

Here is just a little of my stuff - labeled Tah Dah!  The piles you see will be organized and put in boxes to go to our Sewing Sisters Boutique at the Sew In held in June.

 

 

 

 

This will be gone soon  !

 

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY

To Everyone Happy Valentines Day.  Wishing you a day of love and happiness

Bev's Bag

My Friend Beverly celebrated a birthday in January.  It is so fun to be together.  We went to the Quilt and Sewing Show and then had a terrific lunch which included a decadent, luscious Bread Pudding dessert. 

The following are pictures of the bag I made for her for her day.  She had visited Europe last summer and really liked Paris - Thus the Fabric and Theme.

Front
 

Back

Inside flap

Elvis is in the Building

Maria's husband Bob is obsessed with anything Elvis. I made him four Elvis coasters as a thank you for the coffee he makes for our sewing group each week.

Monday Sew Buddies Christmas lunch

Our Monday Sewing group met this Friday for a Christmas lunch.  We sew each week and will begin our weekly laugh sessions with some stitching again in January after the holiday break. 

Made these Coasters for the girls  - I had camera a little too close for pics



 

Maria         Linda                             June              Lynn

Christmas Lunch

Each year four of us get together for birthday and Christmas lunches.  We recently had our Christmas lunch.  Our favorite place is the Pointe in Tyme at the Hilton.  Great food.  We then go to one of our homes and open our gifts and have dessert and coffee/tea .  Tons of laughter at the restaurant and at the house.  We have a very good time together.

Mary                   Lynn                    Beverly                                   Betsy

Camelback Inn Lunch

Our dear friend Priscilla invited Ed and I out to lunch with her daughter and our friend Mary.  We went to the Camelback Inn Resort.   It is a beautiful place and wonderfully landscaped grounds.   We had a wonderful lunch and terrific conversation and laughs.

Priscilla   Our Hostess

Betsy and Her Mom Priscilla

Christmas Bunco

I hosted our group Bunco in December.  I made a Christmas Tissue box cover for each person. 
I am posting most of them.   We had a wonderful evening.  It is so fun to have it at Christmas with the house all decorated.  I had a Nacho Cheese and hot Artichoke Dip first.   Dinner was Lasagna, Green Salad, Croissants, and dessert was Apple Pies in a little canning glass jars.  I also made Jingle Balls from Rice Krispies.  We had a great time.

Christmas Sewing

I went a little crazy with my friends Accu Quilt cutter.  I made three trees and four wreaths.  Once I  had them sewn and the borders on my friend Maria worked her magic and quilted them each in splendid designs.  Four of these left the state for Christmas and one to a friend here.   The other two are mine.

Recent Sewing Projects

I sew with a group of 4 ladies once a week except the summer.  We last met in April  and Maria challenged us to make an item from scraps.  We each drew a name - which we did not reveal.  We had all brought scraps of fabric to choose from.  We were to make anything we could come up with for the person whose name we drew.  We got together 2 weeks ago and exchanged our gifts.  Such wonderful surprises we had.

I drew Maria's name and made  tissue box covers  with different themes for her.

Cathy made me a beautiful eyeglass case

June made Coasters for Linda

Linda made an applique pillow for Cathy

Maria made coasters for June

This was so much fun!