Walnut Canyon National Monument

We recently met up with friends and hiked Walnut Canyon.  This is a beautiful area where the Sinagua Indians lived a long time ago.  

It located just 6 miles outside of Flagstaff off Interstate 40.  The hike down and around the island mountain is very pretty and a bit challenging, but very worth the effort.   You should check it out.
We are so lucky this is being preserved for all to see.  There are tons of rooms on all sides of the mountains in which they stored their goods, cooked and lived.

 

After our endurance hike we took time for a nice picnic lunch.

THE HARDY HIKERS

Recent Sewing

I embroidered some tea towels as  a gift.

Lot of fun.

What to do with fleece leftover pieces?

I belonged to a group of ladies who gathered for a nice lunch and good cheer.  During our two years of meetings we made over 100 fleece tied blankets for  several Childrens' Hospitals and Care Centers.  To prepare the fleece to tie into the blankets you need to cut squares of 4- 6" from each corner. Well , now what to do with the squares. I sewed the squares together and made over 40 pillows to donate along with the blankets.  Our group no longer meets and I had SOOOOOOO many squares left.  I just could not  bring myself to throw them out. I decided  to make some dog bed/mats with the remaining squares.  I have just completed 10  mats from the squares and will be donating them to a shelter soon.    And, I never want to see fleece for a VERY LONG time!

Here are pics of the mats.  I folded them up so you could see them all.

RECENT SEWING

I sent this Noah's Ark Quilt to Salt Lake City.  The beautiful baby Charlie is who it was made for.  I hope he enjoys it.  It was fun to make.

Flannel Burp clothes and Receiving blankets

PROJECT RUNWAY!

               Yeah! Project Runway started last night!  

So excited it is at a decent time  this year.

I think it will be a good season - we shall see.

MY HERO

M'S QUILTING INSPIRATIONS

WAY OUT WICKENBURG WAY -  visit  Marilyn's Quilt Shop

On our recent journey out to Wickenburg my DH stopped at the one Quilt Shop in Wickenburg.  The owner Marilyn Williams greeted me upon my arrival.  She is a very warm person and anxious to help in anyway. Her staff is just as nice and knowledgeable.  It is a small store but packed with beautiful fabric and patterns galore.  She is also a Pfaff dealer.   They offer many classes and clubs. 

Well you cannot visit a neighboring store  and not make a purchase so....  While looking at the wall of abundant patterns for bags, runners, quilts etc  - I noticed the Border Table Runner pattern.  I mentioned how I liked the pattern and had "Border" and "Spicy Spiral" Fever.  She laughed and then said "Oh you will love the new  border fabric that I just put out minutes ago."

Well I did  "LOVE IT" - and it did not hurt that it was a beautiful shade of purple!

I also purchased a Quilt pattern that is all Machine Applique and Embroidery.  It is of a beautiful Trout and Fishing Flies.  Fisherman Husband of course did not mind that purchase. 

Marilyn invited me to come up to a class anytime I could work it in.  I just might do that. 

Terrific Shop - visit anytime you are in town.  They are just West of town on Wickenburg Way - US 60. 

DESERT CABALLEROS MUSEUM AND THE CULTURE PASS

The Public Library has Culture Passes - You check out the pass  and get free admission to many wonderful museums and parks.  The Phoenix Zoo, Phoenix Art Museum, Heard Museum and many more.  This year they added the Desert Caballeros Museum in Wickenburg. 

My husband secured a pass for us and we took a trip up to see it yesterday. The Museum is in Old Town Wickenburg.  My expectation of the museum was to go in to some small space with a few items and leave.  Well, what a surprise I received!  This museum has been there for 50 yrs.  We were very lucky to have a very nice docent Ms. Butterfield.  They have a full room with huge diorama of Wickenburg and Vulture Mine. 

A large room with displays of hundreds of leather items - spurs, saddles, movie stuff, knife and guns, lariats, Bill Cody and Custer items.  The leather work is unbelievable . All on loan from one person from Scottsdale.  This is his private collection. 

The Gallery has revolving displays.  Currently it has many original Remington bronze pieces, a large display of western art and other items.  Beautiful pieces all.

In addition, there is a display on the Mules at the Grand Canyon.  Pictures and a video of the Livery people who take care of applying the horseshoes for these beasts of burden down the canyon trails.  Did you know they are re-shod every 45 days? Lots of hot work for both the Livery and the Mules.

Each year from Early March through May they have an event featuring  Women Artists  - this is also their main fund raising time.   It is called "Cow Girl Up."

                                This is really a must see. Well worth the time!


Lunch was at "Nana's Sandwich Shop" just around the corner. Great little place.  Huge sandwiches, homemade bread, good food and very nice ambiance. 

It was a nice treat and drive and really so close to the valley.  You should go sometime.  Also, be sure to check out the Culture Passes - Such a Deal!

Of course, I found the only Quilt Shop Wickenburg has - more on that later.

Projects from the Sew In Retreat

Here are a few of the items I worked on at the Sew In Retreat.

Dogs Border Table Runner

Close up of Springer a must!

Summer Placemats

Summer Border Table Runner

Table Runner

SPICEY SPIRAL FEVER

I got the fever.  I love this pattern.  Can you tell!

KARMA

Sometimes things are just meant to be.  I won these two items at the Sew- In raffle.  I wanted both of them ALOT! 

So I got my mantra going and I ummmed my way to my name being drawn for both items. 

 All in the positive thinking!

Patriotic Tablerunner - Made by Beverly Haffer



Batik Fabric Purse - Made by Karen Weaver

SEW-IN 2011 FUN

Each year I attend the Sew-In Retreat with my closest sewing buddies.  This was my 12th year of fun.  The Retreat is  held over 3 days Fri-Sun at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Tempe, AZ.  This year we added Thursday and had a workshop with Patrick Lose. 
We take over the ballroom and sew, sew, sew!

We have 72 ladies who bring their sewing and embroidery machines, lots of fabric, thread, patterns and love of sewing.  We all work on our own projects, but share ideas, and tips. Review new patterns and designs.  AND loads of laughs!

The Hotel provides a free fully cooked breakfast and breakfast bar every morning. Also, they have a free "HAPPY HOUR."  Oh yeah!  The Hotel's Chef Steve is phenomenal.  He loves to create extra special lunches and dinners for us to enjoy.  He is so talented and the food is out of this world.  Needless to say we put on a few pounds during this weekend.

Pretty Vegetables

Each year we support a charity with some of the funds made on our RuMage table and from our raffles.  This year we chose to give to "One Dress at a Time"  this organization provides clothing to underpriviliged children.  Some people sewed dresses, some donated patterns, fabric or money. The ladies who run this organization work very hard all year.  It was fun to sew girl's clothes for a change.

We had 100 dresses donated at the Sew-In.

We also raise money for our charity and gifted items with a raffle each year.  Several of our attendees donate the items to be raffled.  This year our theme was "Anything Quilted."   The items included large quilts, table runners, placemats, purse/bags, wall hangings and much more.  We had over 30 items for the raffle.  More fun!

Patriotic Table Runner

Dragon Fly Placemats.

My sewing table buddies and I always have a toast picture each year.  This year we were joined by a few additional dummies.   Say Cheese!

Toast to another year!

We had a wonderful time - it always goes to fast.  Can't wait for next year!

MY GARDEN BEAUTIES

Just a few of my beautiful home grown tomatoes.  Heirloom, Zebra Stripe, German etc.

They sure taste better than from the store.  However, with our terrific heat they are on their way out.    Such fun.

Heat Coming - Fires Blazing

I don't think there will be much camping comin up.... So it is laying around here in hotsville for now.  Me and Baby just chilllin as it were. 

I hear the folks talking about the mountains - whoopie camping - BUT it doesn't sound like we will be hitting the trail anytime soon with words like "fire" and "evacuation plans"  being bandied about.

I also have to go out earlier each day to get my Vitamin D rays in the back yard.    Heat is coming so they say.  I'll just stay in the coolness and under the fan until further notice.

TTFN    -  JAZ

WEST FORK TRAIL - OAK CREEK CANYON

This is such a beautiful place.  Last Wednesday we hiked the trail for over two and 1/2 hours.  You do cross the creek several times, but otherwise the trail is pretty easy.  Some elevation and sandy walking, but oh so BEAUTIFUL!   Great way to spend a morning near Sedona.  The parking lot for the Trail is a day fee area and does not hold many cars.  It fills up very fast!.  We arrived about 8:15am on Wednesday and there were 3 cars there.  When we came out at 11am there were no available spaces and about 10 cars waiting in hopes of finding a space.

This is a terrific trail - everyone should try it!

DON"T GO

Alert - Alert - Don't go to the Flagstaff Arboretum!
The Arboretum is 5 miles south of Interstate 40 on a Woody Mountain Road - a very washboard dirt road.  Seemed more like 10 miles.  Once there it had a nice pine shaded parking lot - nice meadow - view of Humphrey's peak - small pond - cute gift shop  and  nothing else.....

We thankfully have a reciprocal membership with Desert Botanical Garden - so DH and I did not pay the $6 each senior fee.    We were so glad we did not pay for this nothing experience.  I know it is a non-profit but.... It had lots of markers for plants that were not there.  Several raised beds with nothing in them. 

Anyhow ---- until it improves I would say don't waste your time and money.

RECENT SEWING

Some recent sewing: