Happy Memorial Day

Happy Memorial Day . In between the BBQing and opening weekend for the pools, lakes and beaches, just wanted stop and take a moment to think about the real meaning of this holiday weekend

Also to share this information about

Quilts of Valor . What a great way to say thank you to our troops !!! Be back soon! Toodles, Mary Anne (aka Mare)

Cat on a hat (and other NYC adventures)

So, in New York City you see all sorts of interesting stuff .....

for example : Fred Flintstone with a cat sitting on his head !

..... a GIANT button and sewing needle

.....and a statue of a man sewing

And even though sight seeing was fun , the real reason for the NYC trip this past weekend was a Girls' Weekend to celebrate my sister Boop's xx birthday. One of our fun activities was going out Saturday night to see the new musical Once .

SUCH a GOOD show !!!!

Here's the whole gang after the show in front of the theater (except for Beth and Jenny who were taking the pictures)

....the birthday girl herself (wearing her birthday hat) being sung to by this suave guy at a GREAT Italian restaurant we went to after the show. Don't you just LOVE Girls' Weekends !!!!!! (lots and lots of fun .... but now I need a week to recuperate ! ) Be back soon! Toodles, Mary Anne (aka Mare)

Polka Dots ..... Lots O Polka Dots !!!

Lookie what I found whilst out and about shopping at Michael's today .....

....the CUTEST polka dotted stuff !!!! in the CUTEST colors (turquoise and red !!!!) LOVE those little journals with the pretend ric rac edges ! .....and that polka dotted pen !!! AND the little mushroom (filled with candy) ..... do you SEE that little mushroom?!?!?!? Don't you just LOVE it !!!!!!! I bought this stuff for some fun little gifty gifts for a Girls' NYC Birthday Weekend coming up, but its all so dang cute I might just have to keep some of it ....or all of it ....

AND, speaking of polka dots... this partially polka dotted quilt is getting it's name tag sewn on and is.....

being packed up by the MBIAJ Packing Up Dept to leave home and go all by itself on an exciting big adventure !! Don't forget to send a postcard little quilt ! Be back soon! Toodles, Mary Anne (aka Mare)

(gasp) ....SWOONING !!!!!

Well, it's 2 AM here at MBIAJ Headquarters and I really, really, REALLY should hit the hay and get my desperately needed beauty sleep, BUT I happened to spot ....

...the new summer issue of "Stitch, Craft, Create" at the grocery store today and I just can't put it down !!!! I LOVED the Christmas issue and couldn't wait to see the new summer issue.

....look !

......look at all of this GREAT stuff !!!! I think I would make every single project in this magazine .... yes, yes I would ! I don't think there isn't a project in here that I don't like ! .......OK , so now I have to come down off of my "Stitch , Craft , Create" high and try and get some of that beauty sleep . Be back soon! Toodles, Mary Anne (aka Mare)