SEW FRANTASTIC: Do You Believe in Make Believe?

If I make believe that it was only yesterday that I last blogged and just continue on as if a whole year hasn't gone by, perhaps nobody will notice. Hmmmm........let's just give it a try. LOL!

Just to capsulize a tiny bit of my 2011 doin's, I will post a few pictures taken thru the year and before you know it, 2012 will be upon us and hopefully I will stay more up to date with blogging.

In July I took a trip with my son and his family to Catalina Island and we all had a grand time sightseeing, hiking, exploring, playing on the beach and enjoying a few of the island restaurants.

Even Dorothy, Scott's little princess Chihuahua enjoyed the boat trip over and back.

Another summertime favorite of mine is enjoying many of the amazing entertainers at the Hollywood Bowl.

The Hollywood Bowl is the largest natural outdoor amphitheater in the UnitedStates. The Bowl is a friendly sociable place where Southern Californians gather topicnic and enjoy outstanding music under the stars.

Throughout the summer the LA Phil presents the best in jazz, classical, Broadway, and world music, featuring artists that range from Sarah Chang to Diana Krall, John Williams to Pet ShopBoys, and Nancy Wilson to Arcade Fire.The Bowl is the summer home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

Both the food and the ambiance at The Rooftop Grill are simply amazing!

Not to be forgotten on my list of fun summer activities is the free outdoor concerts in the park right across the street! I've been enjoying these concerts in the park every summer for about 20 years!

There's nothing like special time with girlfriends, is there?

Here we are at some of our monthly happy hour get togethers.

While driving along Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu to enjoy my 9-11 birthday dinner with friends, we saw this amazing display of patriotism on the campus of Pepperdine University.

In October I travelled to PIQF with 3 good friends for a fabulous quilt show and days of fun and frolic while visiting Cambria and Hearst Castle on the return trip home

For the past three years the creative residents of Cambria have put their talents to work to create over 200 stuffed and wired fantastical and real-life creatures to decorate their little village by the sea. Up and down Main Street and along Moonstone Drive we found creatures and lifelike humans that fool you into thinking you are not alone in your meandering through town.

Hearst Castle is a National Historic Mansion located on the Central Coast of California It was designed by architect Julia Morgan between 1919 and 1947 for newspaper magnate Willian Randolph Hearst, who died in 1951. In 1957, the Hearst Corporation donated the property to the state of California.

Since that time it has been maintained as a state historic park where the estate, and its considerable collection of art and antiques, is open for public tours. Despite its location far from any urban center, the site attracts about one million visitors per year.

Hearst formally named the estate "La Cuesta Encantada" ("The Enchanted Hill"), but usually called it "the ranch".

The castle and grounds are also sometimes referred to as "San Simeon" without distinguishing between the Hearst property and the adjacent unincorporated area of the same name

It's been at least 30 years since the last time I visited Hearst Castle, and it was so nice to visit this beautiful place once again.

In November I participated in a 30's Scrappy Basket Swap.
Love these precious little blocks!

This year I participated in a Shoebox Swap with a group of quilting friends.

I received such a wonderful shoebox full of quilty goodies from my secret santa, complete with a handmade pincushion and potholders! I love my shoebox -- thank you Santa :)