B&B pix

The whole cast on stage. My camera couldn't really zero in on a good photo. Too far away.

Christina Olindo and Gina Manfredi waiting to get mic'd before dress rehearsal for B&B.

Saige Martin was Cogsworth; Gina Manfredi was Belle; and Christina Olindo was Mrs. Potts. They all did excellent jobs. They truly owned their parts.

Cheryl Doughty played Babette. She is so cute. I so enjoy watching her every year. She is a senior and alas I will not see her in any more PHS shows....

Turck did an OK job as the Beast. He even sang on key most of the time. I was impressed. I'm not privvy to all the back stage gossip, so I don't how he really did back stage this year, but there were no broken bones, I don't think....

This is a closeup of the cast picture. My camera couldn't handle it all. You can see Gina and Turck as Beauty and the Beast.

Beauty and the Beast

Above is the Beast's Castle. My camera does not take good pictures in low light.

Next is Belle's Cottage.

Ken worked on the scenery. He made quite a few of the flats and other things.

Tonight was the second night of the musical. This musical is so awesome. Last night people were up on their feet before the bows even started! It was a really enthusiastic crowd!
Tonight they still got a standing ovation, but not until a few people took bows.
I remember when I was in shows, we got curtain calls. I haven't seen that for a while. I'm not sure I ever saw it at Pennridge. Maybe, but I don't remember.
If B&B doesn't get curtain calls, then nothing will.
The students really stepped up to their parts. They are doing an excellent job.musical. This musical is so awesome. Last night people were up on their feet before the bows even started! It was a really enthusiastic crowd!
Tonight they still got a standing ovation, but not until a few people took bows.

I remember when I was in shows, we got curtain calls. I haven't seen that for a while. I'm not sure I ever saw it at Pennridge. Maybe, but I don't remember. If B&B doesn't get curtain calls, then nothing will. The students really stepped up to their parts. They are doing an excellent job.

OSCI II course

So in September 07 I took the OSCI II course with Donna Dewberry.(wo...a little makeup would go a long way...)

This is Donna's yellow circle canvas. This is the reason why I took this course.
I thought it was so beautiful.
She created this look from tapestries she had seen and Oriental rugs, wallpaper.
I just loved it and wanted to learn it.

These black canvases were more artwork I HAD to learn.

There is a grouping of 4. Maybe one day I will do all four.

Right now I only did the one she went over in the class -- the "Audrey" from "Little Shop of Horrors" (there, I remembered the name of the musical). The plant on the left looks like Audrey--the man-eating plant.

Closeup of Donna's "Audrey."

more pix

I took the Donna Dewberry One Stroke Certification Instructor II course in September 07 just so I could paint this yellow number.

We called this one "Audrey" because it looks like the man-eating plant in that musical (I can't think of the name of it now). The plant's name was Audrey.

It does look like it!

So, mine aren't as good as Donna's, but I think they're passable.

I was lurking on Zannah's Facebook blog and found this cute picture of my girls. This was the first Sunday they were there and went to church together. Being apartment mates, they are in the same ward. Zannah teaches Gospel Principles and Jewely teaches Relief Society! How blessed I am to have two such good girls...

Bunny Blanket Bunnies

I just gave Lynn Schoendorfer a huge bag of crocheted items for my preemies down at Abington Hospital. She is a NICU nurse part-time, so I crochet up a storm, then send everything down with her. I found this cute pattern for a Bunny Blanket Buddy on-line and decided I would do them for the preemies. I also crocheted bunny ears on the hats to go with them.
Lynn sent me an e-mail the next day:
"Hi Susan, I just wish you could have been in the unit this morning when I took in the bag of items you made, first off the nurses loved the card you wrote and I told them that you did the painting on it, they were amazed, then we started to open up the bunny blanket bunnies, and we all (including myself) were so impressed, they are so beautiful, and clever. How do you ever do all that you do? Everything you make is so beautiful and well done, you are so talented and giving of yourself. One of the babies I was caring for today is a darling little trisomy 21 baby that has had some cardiac issues, etc. and his mom was so excited to receive one of the bunnies, it really made her day. Thanks again for all you do. Love, Lynn"

I think I am addicted to making these bunnies now. It's a good thing Easter is in March this year and I could send them in and not feel weird.
However, I think I will keep making them because they are so darn cute!

Patty Katzmar, left, is such a good friend. She stepped right up and booked an "In Home Art" party for me when I started that up. Wow, I think that was in 2006 now? Her husband, Jon, even took one of the seats. I had 4 in that class (but one went home early). Their birdhouses look really good for never having painted before.

Thanks, Patty, for believing in me and making me realize that I could teach this One Stroke art.

I think this was a bag for a baby gift, but now I'm not sure. Maybe a wedding?

Oh well...it's my own design. I see I have a lot to learn about design.

Here are some closeups of the work.

Some Collage -- Katie Ramsdens Wedding

I was so honored when Katie Ramsden asked me to do a piece of artwork as their announcement placard at their wedding reception. She basically gave me carte blanche to be as creative as I wanted. When I mentioned collage and tearing paper, she was all for it! Thank you, Katie! It's not often I could do something exactly as I wanted to.
I used torn paper, then inked it up to antique it. I used pressed flowers that I collected especially for her wedding.
She wanted calligraphy in it, so I did that for their names and date.
It was fun to go to the craft stores and pick out all the doodads to use.
I think the whole thing cost me about $75! It was my wedding gift to them.

This Week

So, this week I am working the spotlight for "Beauty and the Beast," the Pennridge High School musical.
Being around the stage and music brings back so many fond memories. I am living vicariously through the students. I feel their fatigue. I feel the hoarse voice. I feel the unexplicalbe excitement and thrill running through my veins through theirs. It's hard to explain.
I'm also very critical. I see a lot of ways I could make the play better. But that's me. I always think of myself as an innovator. Give me something and I'll make it work better. Let someone else do the legwork and I'll come in and clean it up. I'm glad I realize that about myself. I'm not so much creative; I'm innovative. (imagine me patting me on the back)
Maybe that's why I'm probably a better editor than writer. Give me your idea and I'll fix it.
Yeah, I love to write, too. Maybe I need an editor...hmmmm...

Some Thoughts

I have been perusing the blogs on my favorites and I get a lot of really good ideas from them, but, alas, when I return to my new blog, I think it is just fine the way it is. I like the plain black background. It's not busy.
I read all the young mothers' blogs and I think, "I used to do that," or "That was important to me, too."
Now, I'm old and my kids are almost gone. I have no desire to return to 'that way' of posting. I wanted this blog all to myself. To be about me.
It sounds narcisistic, but this is MY journal; not my kids.
Although, I am realizing, I can't get away from being me without my kids. They are so much a part of me and who I am.
C'est la vie -- c'est moi!