Spring Cleaning

I love this time of year when everything starts to wake up. The woodpeckers are back and so are the song birds. At night we’ve slightly opened our windows, it’s chilly but this way we can fall asleep listening to the frogs chirp. I’m guessing to us it sounds like chirping but I have a feeling to them it sounds like the smooth songs of Barry White.

Did you have a nice holiday weekend? We certainly did (I even got my garden planted!) We got back from San Francisco last Friday and were very happy to be home, especially with all the great weather and the blue skies we’ve been having! Weather like that always makes me feel extra motivated. There is something about a blue sky that clears away any bit of sluggishness.  I guess that’s why spring cleaning happens, well, in the spring!  Or it could be because the sunshine lets us see how dirty our windows have gotten. The dirt blocks those tiny rays of sunshine and we can’t have that!

Yes, we were in San Francisco last week and it too was wonderful. It’s an amazing city and not just because of the hills, trolleys and bridges. In fact I didn’t even ride a trolley this time. We didn’t even make it across any bridges but I did walk a few big hills.  Mostly I walked around and soaked up the scenery and people watched.  It was such a treat not having to rush anywhere or to have to be anywhere in particular but just be an observer. This I find very rejuvenating and very inspiring. Not to mention they have the best food of anywhere we’ve ever traveled to. Even their food courts have healthy food everywhere, you just can’t go wrong.

I did get a chance to visit Britex Fabric and once again I spent most of my time (and my money) on the third floor, the floor with all the trims and buttons. Mostly I bought trims that I know I can’t get anywhere else. I was especially intrigued with the feathered trims-oo-la-la!  I plan on making us all new Christmas stockings this year. Our old stockings I made back in the 90’s. It’s definitely time for something new and decadent, as Christmas always is.

I also got a chance to visit Anthropologie, one of my all-time favourite stores! I have a secret to tell you. It’s kind of silly but true and since we’ve been going steady for a while now I figure I can let you in on it. The first time I went into an Anthropologie I teared up. I know silly right. I was like Sally Field but instead of, “You like me, you really like me!” It was more like, “You got me, you really got me!” I’ve never been in a store that I have ever felt so at home with.  We have one in Vancouver but I never get to it, oddly it feels more far away than San Francisco’s. Although maybe that’s why it’s so special, I only get to it once a year.

I always walk through the store and walk by each display savouring it. There are certain areas I always know I’ll find something special. This was my little indulgence that I found in the stationary section.  Okay, that’s not true! It wasn’t the only indulgence but since I only get to Anthropologie once a year, how could I leave it there?! I knew I’d regret it if I did. This was one part of San Francisco I really wanted to take back home with me.

Luckily with the wonderful weather this weekend it made easing back into real life a lot smoother.  Also with it came extra motivation and a titch of spring cleaning! In that spirit, I’ve been meaning to post these pics for a while now. These are some Fab Bee Blocks from January, Bea’s month whose theme was stars.  Chris, my husband kept singing Deep in the heart of Texas  while we sewed together. You see Bea is from Texas (she’s recently moved away form there) but my husband, who always seems to surprise me, of course knew all the lyrics to the song. Once he’s got a hold of a song he can’t stop! Then of course it’s kind of contagious.

The stars at night are shining bright…  clap-clap-clap-clap!

And these are the Fab Bee blocks for Sherri, from back in February. Chris and I took a different approach with Sherri’s and Bea’s blocks. We decided since we were sewing at the same time anyways we’d design together as well, instead of working independent of each other like on previous blocks. It worked out nicely. Plus Sherri ended up with a pair of socks that way!

Talk to you soon! Happy Spring!