More Spring and a few other things too...

Spring is in the air here...or should I say Summer...well..which is going to be...today the forecast high is in the 90's...yes...you heard me...the 90's! But, luckily it isn't supposed to last too many days. It should be back down to our normal 70's by the weekend...I hope anyway. It's too early to be that hot. We went from winter to summer in just a couple of days! Anyway...here is a picture of a rather large tree...well...it really is supposed to be a bush that we let grow into a tree...in our back yard. I went outside and saw that it was all in bloom! It noticed last week a couple blooms and now the whole thing is blooming and it smells really good...not to mention the 100's of bees that are buzzing around...they like it too! Here's another little bunny I added to my collection last year...I got her at the Pasadena Rose Bowl Flea Market...she's a little creamer...isn't she sweet!

Here's her side view...can you believe I only spent $7 on this cutie! She brings a bit of cheer into my hutch!

I want to show you a few bags I have made for some clients...their Grandma ordered them to use instead of the traditional Easter baskets...these were a lot of fun!

It was this fabric that inspired the outside...

This one was so much fun...this little one loves anything cupcake...

I used little beads for the sprinkles...

Can you see the lining fabric...little cupcakes...

Don said this one was his personal favorite...he liked the little snails and caterpillar...

This is the fabric I used for the lining...it inspired the outside...

Of course everyone got a wallet too...these were fun...I used a few different fabrics for all the pockets and they match all the bags I made for the children...I hope they like them!

No sewing today...I have some fabric shopping to do for some more orders I need to get done...so I'm off to my favorite fabric store...a small local place that has wonderful fabric for bags!

Have a great day!!

A little peek of Spring and a couple backpacks...

Spring is back in my neck of the woods...the weather is warming up and the clouds are pretty much gone...in fact...the forecast is for summer type weather by tomorrow!! I have done a bit of Spring decorating and here's a little peek...I have this little metal tray table in my living room and I like to keep something seasonal on it. I made this little mat last year right before Easter and this year I found these two bunnies... Mr.Bunny is so cute all dressed up in his finest...

And isn't Mrs. Bunny cute...they have just the right amount of glitter on them too...

Here is a close up of the little table mat.

I have two clients...brothers...who are 2 and 4 years old...they love baseball and trains and wanted backpacks their size...Don told me that my home plate wasn't correct...it's supposed to have a point on the bottom...I hope they won't notice...If I gave the pocket a point...I think things would get stuck in it...so I squared it off...I like it that way myself!

Here's a closeup of the glove and ball...two different wools make it look more real...this was a lot of fun!

Here's a peek of the inside...pockets all along one side...boys have lots of little things to carry too!

Here's the train backpack...

Both backpacks have adjustable straps that cinch at the top to close ...

A close up of the train...these two were lots of fun and right now I am working on little purses for three little girls...children's bags are more fun because they like just about everything...they love the bright colors and textures. I hope to finish up the girl's bags today, so I can garden a bit...with this warm weather...the outside is calling my name!

Enjoy the day, and I hope you find Spring where you are!!!

Last Day of Spring Training...

We started our last day in Arizona by visiting Diablo Stadium in Tempe...it wasn't too far from our hotel and we didn't plan on a game there this year...but it is home of the Angels...and I just wanted to stop by and take a peek... I think this is my favorite stadium...not because it's the home of our favorite team, but because of the views all around. The hills that surround Tempe are so pretty and the complex is built right into these hills...

It was a very pretty day and the field looks so nice...I also wanted to see if I could find a shirt...we always pick up shirts from Spring Training, but I always have a hard time finding one...you see I want a shirt cut for a gal...not a man...I am small and don't want man sleeves and a man fit...I was lucky and found a woman's shirt at Diablo Stadium.

We drove over to Maryvale...the home of the Brewers...it is a nice smaller park...one of the oldest and it has great seats anywhere in the park! It was such a nice day...See all the puffy clouds passing through...no rain this day...warm air and gentle breezes!

We found our seats right by first base...surrounded by fans from Wisconsin...that's one of the best parts of going to Spring Training is meeting people from all over our country...there are some wonderful people out there!!

I caught a little action at home plate...

And our favorite part...the sausage races!! They are lined up and getting ready to go!!

Here's Don with his favorite...the Polish Dog...

We left after the 7th inning stretch and that's weird for us because we always stay until the end of every game...but we had a long drive back home and it was already a long day in the sun...I wanted to show you this tree...it is so pretty...they are all over Arizona and all in bloom right now...I never did find out what kind of tree it is...but they are so pretty!

One last look at the Arizona desert and the Saguaro cactus...

Back over the Colorado River and through the border crossing in California...and soon we will be home...it was a great trip and I want to give a special Thank You to Don for taking me along on this journey!! I had a great time!!

Enjoy your day, my friends and I'll be back tomorrow to show you some projects I have been working on!!

Spring Training...Day Three...

The saddest phrase a baseball fan can hear is,"The game has been rained out"...and that's exactly what happened to the Dodger game...it is especially sad when you have traveled almost 400 miles just for baseball! We kind of knew this was going to happen..the weather report before we left said 60% chance of rain...but the residents of Arizona told us..."Don't worry...it really doesn't rain in Arizona!" Yeah...right! It rained all right!

But we went anyway...just on the off chance it wasn't raining too hard here. This is Camelback Ranch in Glendale...it was about 40 miles from our hotel in Tempe.The Dodgers share this stadium with the White Sox...we're not Dodger fans, but like I said before...we like to visit all the stadiums...See as many as we can...and we had two games planned for this day!

A friendly and I will add...Angel fan... was brave enough to take our picture...this is where our seats were...pretty darn good seats too...right down the third base line!

Since we couldn't do anything out doors, we decided to try a hamburger place we heard about at one of the games...it's right down the street from ASU...a local hang out I assumed. It is called Chuck Box...since it was raining pretty hard and by now I was pretty wet I just took a photo of the sign...and I was under some cover! I also forgot to take pictures of our burgers...they were pretty good and I was hungry! They prepare them right in front of you as you wait and then you add what you want...there's a big condiment bar with lettuce, pickles, tomatoes, onions, dressings...you name it...it was tasty!

Game two was a night game and luckily...it stopped raining by then. I'm so glad we decided on this game because we heard that the two other stadiums that had night games called the games because it was just too wet on the fields. We had decided on this game before we left home...it is at in Peoria at the home of the Padres.

It was really cold out for a baseball game...even the man who sat next to me remarked how cold it was and he was from Chicago! His son was signed to the minor league Padre team and so they were all here to watch the Padres. We sat right near the White Sox dug out though...and had a great time!

It is a very pretty field...of course I think most base ball fields in Arizona are pretty!

The color guard was there to present the flag for the Star Spangled Banner...

Let's play ball!! This is Dallas McPherson...he was once an Angel...now a back up 3rd baseman for the Sox...

Now it's the 7th inning stretch and we sing "Take Me Out to The Ballgame" and watch the Sonic Race...it was fun! The Smoothie won the race...Hot Dog came in a close second...Tater Tot finished last!

Doesn't Hot Dog look tired...he gave it his best! It was a fun game...the people sitting behind us were pretty funny...they were young teachers from San Diego who drove in just for one game!

Even though we had a rain out for one game...it was a great day...we we worn out and didn't get back to the hotel until very late...now for some sleep to prepare for another fun day of baseball in Arizona!

Enjoy your day, my friends!!

Spring Training...Day Two...

Day two of Spring Training found Phoenix a bit gloomy outside, but it was still beautiful. The temperatures was about 77 degrees at game time. We planned to see the newest ball park in the area, which opened just this year... so we left the hotel early, because we weren't sure exactly how to get there. Today we were going to see the Angels vs Rockies at the new Colorado facility in Scottsdale...Salt River Fields at Talking Stick...say that fast! Well...you guessed it...it's on the Pima Indian's land and they built the complex...as well as a casino! So since we got there way early...we took a short drive to look around at the casino...it looked pretty typical inside, but the landscaping is what we were really interested in...
It was beautifully landscaped in all of Arizona's native plants...really pretty!

There were quite a few in bloom...which is so nice about March in Arizona...

This one was really pretty...sort of fuzzy...

These beauties are on the end of a very long thorny plant...we learned about these a couple years ago when we went to the botanical gardens in Phoenix...the Indians used to plant these to use as fencing to keep their live stock contained...they would sure work...they have very long spikes on them! But isn't the flower pretty!

This little baby Magpie kept sticking it's head out waiting for breakfast...we heard the parents close by...these guys are all over the area...and boy do they make a racket!

On to the game...and it was SOLD OUT! Boy were we glad we bought the tickets on-line at home before we left!

Not a fancy entrance, but nice...let's see what's inside...

Sunscreen right by the entrance...boy they think of everything!

What a beautiful field!

The big scoreboard...

Don found our seats...right behind home plate!

The coaches exchange line-ups...Let's play ball!!

What's this?? Mike Scioscia looks a bit mad...we didn't see what happened...it looked good to us...a long fly ball caught and the base runner was tagged out...good play by the Angels! Next thing we know....

You're outta here!!! Wow...that was quick! Apparently...we learned later...they gave the Rockies a run because even though the man tagged at 2nd base was the third out they ruled that the runner coming from 3rd tagged up and scored before the third out...I guess Mike didn't agree!!

The game goes on...the final score after 10 innings...6 to 6...a tie...yes...they tie in Spring Training...we don't want to wear those guys out before the season starts!

Off to dinner now...it was a long game and we're hungry! We heard about Tee Pee from the desk clerks at our hotel...it a local favorite where everyone who is anyone goes to eat...even President Bush ate there and his meal is now called The Presidential Special. I thought it would be something fancy, but it was cheese enchiladas. This place was packed...and the history there...wow! There were pictures all around the place of all the famous people who have eaten there...and yes...I know you want to know...Charlie Sheen ate there too! It certainly wasn't fancy...quite the opposite...the best kind!!

Don ordered a Chile Rellano...the waiter explained that there's was a bit different...more a soufflet...which a chile inside...it was huge!

But wait...there's more!! This is his second plate...you gotta have rice, beans and some warm tortillas...How's he ever going to eat all that!

I thought I was ordering light...one grilled fish taco, rice and beans...boy...it was a big taco! Delicious too!!

After that meal...we need to be rolled out of the place! We went back to the hotel to rest and get a good night's sleep...after all...watching baseball and eating is hard work and really tires you out!!

Stayed tuned tomorrow for another exciting Spring Training Day!!

Enjoy your day, my friends!!