First Day of the Arabian Horse Show

Another event that I have enjoyed the last 3 years, is the Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show. We have gotten a two for one ticket every year. It's the best 5$ you can spend! You park out a ways and then they pick you up in a golf cart and take you right to the entry way. I haven't owned a horse since I was in high school, but it is so fun to look at all the beautiful animals. Everyone is gracious, happy to explain things if you don't know.

We walk through luxury horse trailer/RV's. The salesmen are nice even though they know we are just gawkers. It's a completely different lifestyle but fun to look at once a year. And the horses....just amazingly beautiful. So many different classes. It's about 10 days long. We are going to go twice this year. I can't help myself but take a ton of photos. There is a lot here. Some not so good, but I wanted to include them. My camera battery died, so some are from my phone. There will probably be a second installment after my next trip.

Comfy dogs

National champions

Sidesaddle

close up of tack

 

Serious about what she's doing

Ribbons waiting for winners

English pleasure

Long tail

 Beautiful

 More English pleasure

 Hunter class. These are half Arabs

Stallion Western Pleasure class. Aren't they magnificent?

 Mixed up phots, more english pleasure

Yearling colt harness class

 The winner of the yearling class

 Half arab paint

 Second place winner

 Winner of the two year old colt class

Crocheted Purse

 I found some crochet thread at Tuesday Morning that I really liked. I really didn't have any business buying it. I decided to make a crocheted purse. I started with a pattern but then completly changed for reasons of my own. :)
I decided if I was putting this much effort into it, that I should add features that I really liked in a purse. Most crocheted bags have flat crocheted handles. I like my bag handles to have more substance to stay on my shoulder. I found some cord used in upoholstery. Then crocheted a cover for it. The alternating colors make me think of Dr. Suess a bit.
Then I lined it and put some pockets inside for cell phone, whatever. I always need pockets inside of a bag. My niece thought it should have a zipper closure. I was a little challenged about how to sew it on and had trouble with the handles. My friend Juanita came to my rescue and helped me figure that out.
It isn't perfect. There is a couple of spots that I had to ease the excess "fabric" of the purse on the outside, and so it doesn't lay perfectly flat.
Still.
I made it all up myself. I put some plastic canvas inside under the lining on the bottom and ends to help give it some shape and so it wouldn't completely collapse on itself when standing.
But after all that work.
I recently got a new Vera Bradley bag and don't really need one just now. I don't need/want to store it. It's a great spring color.
Anybody really want a spring crocheted bag?
Tell me why you want it and I will choose some "lucky" recipient.

Love the Gem and Mineral Show

I have enjoyed going to the gem and mineral show down in Tucson the last several years. Museums and governments come to buy some of the specimans. The beauty that God makes with these things is astounding to me. I usually end up with a few small inexpensive fossils, some beads and maybe a pair of earrings.

Here are just a few pics from this year's trip with my sister, niece and frieind Penny.

These mineral specimans were outside. It's hard to tell the scale but they are aboout 5 to 8 feet across. Amazing.

This geode was as tall as me.

And who can resist these beads! I am in heaven there!