Friday, February 17, 2017

Last Acts

My daughter's plane took off at 10AM this morning so I am sad. Yesterday we went to a couple more Potato Barn's,  this is a unique architectural type decor store with furniture and decorations.  I am ready to redecorate the RV so I was looking for an inspiration  piece to buy.  I did find some signs I like but I will just make them.  I also saw a half chandelier that if I can figure out how to pull it off, I want to make and make the bedroom more elegant and girlie.
We also went to another soda shop.  That is Elizabeth the mixologist.   
I wanted to see the tapestry my Navajo weaving teacher had in the Mesa Art Center craft show.  
  
Then we walked around the show
       
   
We met friends at Minder Binder, a funky decor restaurant   
       
We never saw a tea bar before but we found one called Tea2Go.  I don't drink much tea but my daughter loves it.
Well this ends my short recap of the fun I had with my daughter.  Today I have to get caught on my Navajo Weaving homework.
 
 

Thursday, February 16, 2017

This is our last Week

This has been the most marvelous three Weeks .  I truly will miss my daughter when I put her on the plane tomorrow. My daughter and I went to the Street Eats Food Festival after my Navajo Weaving class.  The event was held at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick in Scottsdale from February 11-12.  I liked their idea that each of the 57 trucks had $2.00 samples.  I always want to try something but I don't because I am not sure what it taste like.  The event also had cooking demonstrations, two band stands on each end of the field, food eating contest like The Dirty Donut contest which comprised of three teams of 2.  One person lays on the ground face up, the other is standing with a string with a donut attached and they have to dip it in chocolate and then feed the person on the ground.  The food eating contest we saw was four people with a giant giant burrito in front of each.   One person could only eat with one hand, another had on these little rubber horse hooves on his hands, another  was blind folded and had to eat with a baby spoon, the last had  rubber chicken feet in each hand that he had to use like a fork.
I brought a new hair ornament  
 
Some of the food trucks.  I only show the food ones but there were coffee drinks trucks, beer trucks, wine trucks and a couple liquor trucks like tequila.
When we decided to eat poutine for our dinner instead of we a sample , this was  a heart attack in a carton.  French fries, gravy, bacon , and cheese curds.  My stomach is still hurting. 
 
 
 
Was a little surprised to see a clothes truck  
One of the bands 
And a Uncommon Market, the market showcased innovative artist from around the area.
The artist that takes old vinyl albums and turns them into art is amazing.  I am going to buy two at the next common market in March because I am redoing my R V bath into a music theme.  
I don't want I but there an innovative woodworker there  
It was a great day and great experience, I would do it again but just sample the food next time.
On Sunday we went to the 29th Arizona Renaissance Faire in Gold Canyon, AZ, which is held from February 11-April 2 this year. I have been to a lot of Faires but this one was spectacular. The Faire is builder as a Medival Amusement Park an I agree.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
I brought a new hair ornament  
Over 20 years ago, my daughter and I went to the VA Renaissance Faire and met this marvelous lady that braided hair.  My daughter and I had braids but she braided our braids into great styles every time we went to the Faire.  As my daughter and I was walking by the Twisted braiding booth, we heard a voice calling our name, it was Melanie, she remembered us  
I am having dinner with her next week.  I can't believe she remembered us.
 
Today will be a slow day and we are just going to sit around I will make dinner and we will have a glass of wine to reminisce about this great three Weeks. I won't see her again until May.
 
 
   
 
 
 

Monday, February 13, 2017

Part one of my Daughter's Three Week Visit

I was not supposed to stay in Mesa, AZ, for the winter but I discovered a fiber studio that teaches Navajo weaving and Inkle loom weaving.  Now, it look like I am staying in the area until April.  My daughter, TeAntae, called and asked me if I would like her to come visit for my birthday then called back to say she was staying three weeks.  You can only imagine how happy I was. She arrived on the 30th, the day before my birthday and the fun began.  She really laughed when she saw my calendar of what I was doing.  I explained that I had so much to do that I was overlapping classes and events I was going to. When she arrived, after a light brunch we went to Basha's Art Gallery.  I consider this place one of the best kept secrets in Chandler.

Eddie Basha grew up captivated by the American West. In 1971 under the encouragement and guidance of his Aunt Zelma, Eddie began collecting art. What began as a hobby quickly grew into an inspirational passion, combining his keen interest in the history of the American West, his admiration of the American Indian and his appreciation for art.

His collection has grown into one of the largest private collections of contemporary Western American and American Indian art in the world.

That evening, we met friends and went to  Organ Stop Pizza.  You do not go there for the pizza. What you go for is the Organ. They claim to have the one of the largest Wurlitzer Organs with over 6000 pipes and numerous percussions that or located all over the restaurant.  The Five organist are all award winning.  You would need to check the restaurants schedule to see which one is playing.

The next morning was my birthday.  My friends, Jean and Gene, was making dinner that night so we went to Roosevelt Row in Phoenix which is an arts distant with murals, art galleries and restaurants.  My fellow fiber artist, Jan, joined us to run around .  I had saw this place on television  called, Barnone which is a craftsman community in Gilbert. I wanted to check it out.  I think it was worth the trip.  We found 12 craftsman shops which included a farm co-op, woodworkers, experimental winery, paper makers, and  restaurants of which we decided to have pizza and wedge salad at Fire and Brimstone, a pizza restaurant there.

 

My daughter said she came to see me but since she is a jewelry artist and the Tucson Gem, fossil and Mineral show was going on.....I am not sure.  We drove the two hours to Tucson and had a blast. It is not actually one show but 40 located in dozens of locations.  We only made it to two and arrived when the show opened and stayed til it closed. 

 
 
My loot so my daughter can make me things
 
Our next adventure was a trip to Tortilla Flats.  I still can not believe this place with one building is a destination.
 
Thought it was time we spent some time in Sedona because I really love it there.  I booked a hotel for two nights and made the two hour drive from Mesa.
 
We took a hummer tour from Sedona Outdoor Adventures so we could get closer to the mountains and have someone explain what we were looking at.
The tour guide did a trick photo were it looks like we are pushing the hummer from both ends.
 

We also went wine tasting in Cornville

Enjoyed Tlaquepague

https://www.tlaq.com/ which is an arts and crafts village in Sedona.  The highlight was Chai tea at the Chai Spot.

I was excited to take my daughter to Jerome.  I think she enjoyed it as well.
Are last major stop was a trip to Toozigoot to view the Indian ruins
I have explained about the ruins in a previous post so I won't do that again.  
 
Now back to Mesa so I can go to class.