Tuesday already?

Monday holidays always throw me off. I want today to be Monday, but everyone is posting their Tuesday features (Tool Time Tuesday and Tuesday at the Table) so I guess I need to move on!

I managed to get a little crafting done last night. I was tasked with assembling posters for jazz night. The high school jazz band and chorus will perform this weekend in a party setting, with food and cash bar for adults. It's a fun night out! The photography teacher offered to take head shots of the seniors and did a fantastic job. All I needed to do was assemble the posters. I'm really happy with how they came out. How convenient that there are eight seniors!

 

I promised you a peak at my Ikea haul. The beer glasses will be used as candle holders at jazz night. I'm covering them with vellum printed with jazz music that looks really cool with the candle shining through. I'll set the candles on a vinyl album charger.

Pinterest is killing me and I feel  the need to transfer all the food in my pantry into storage containers. I picked up a few, but I need lots more! Again, Pinterest is responsible for the purchase of 2 spice racks. We want to paint them (black or white?) and store nail polish or crafts supplies on them. We desperately needed new cutting boards and there is a picture ledge for Pete's room to display graduation flair.

 The most exciting (for me) purchase was the cable system. I have been displaying wall hangings on this hallway wall for years. There is a long piece of wood trim that I feed through the quilt sleeves and set on nails in the wall. It worked, but it doesn't look great.

Ahh, that's better! With the cable system and hanging hooks, I can easily change out the quilts and can hang pieces without sleeves. And I can overlap/layer quilts so I don't have to search for ones that fit just right.

In family news, Pete marched in his last town parade. There is much more marching in his future, though! He's happy it will be done in a cooler uniform.

 

He stood at attention during the playing of the Marine Corps Hymn during the ceremony. Our church choir sang the Navy Hymn/Eternal Father on Sunday. I can't sing it! I start to cry by the end of the first verse and it just gets worse as the song progresses.

 

There was some sibling bonding over new airsoft guns. Do you believe he found Marine Corps airsoft? They actually have EGAs on them.

 I'd better get to work. I think it's a yard work day, before the heat arrives later this week. I need to buy red, white and blue annuals for my pots.

All Roads Lead to Rome

I took a little break from working on the wedding ring star. Shh. Don't tell the bride!

I wanted to test out a potential block for the 4 X 5 Modern Quilt Bee. The block is called Roads to Rome from Quilter's Cache. Pete saw a map of Rome recently and said, "Wow, all roads really do lead to Rome!"


The original pattern makes a 15" block, but I needed a 12" block, so I redrafted it and added the outside border. I wanted a block that was paper-pieced and had some flying geese. Bingo! I hope the girls in Hive 14 like it, too.

In other news...
Julia and Pete spent the past week at Jazz Camp at URI. There was an impressive concert this afternoon for the kids to show off their new skills. Julia sang beautifully and Pete totally rocks on drums! A great time was had by all!

Dots and Jazz

I haven't had much time for blogging as my mother recuperates from a fall two weeks ago. She is doing really well, but I've been juggling more than usual. That made receiving this package even more special, because it is just for me! I recently won a polka dot giveaway at Loft Creations. Isn't it fun?! Ribbon, tape, tissues, candy, buttons, stationery, cup cake papers, a little frame and a fat quarter! Thank you so much, Stephanie! I really needed that!


Last night, we attended the high school holiday jazz concert. Julia sings alto in the jazz chorus and plays trumpet in the jazz band. (She is in the middle row, all the way to the left.) She played her first improvised solo last night and we're so proud of her! Pete totally rocks (swings?) on drums and had a couple killer solo fills in the Count Basie medley.


We recently celebrated Pete's 15th birthday. Can I say again what an amazing drummer he is? He just missed out on All State this year on timpani. He is now 3rd in the state for 10th-12th graders (he is in 10th grade) and they use the top 2 in orchestra and concert band. Maybe next year!

There is a jazz combo rehearsing at our house once a week which has been so much fun! Their first gig is a benefit concert next week to raise funds to buy Christmas gift cards for teens. Several high school bands will be playing, which makes me tear up a little. I'm so grateful my kids have such awesome friends!

A Scouting Weekend

Where did this week go? Time seems to be flying faster and faster!
I spent most of the week preparing for our Community Bridging Ceremony. Girl Scouts come together to cross the bridge to the next age level and are greeted by an older scout. My troop bridged from Girl Scout Senior to Ambassador.

It was a gorgeous night for an outdoor ceremony. It seemed like there were hundreds of Girl Scout Daisies and Brownies! Julia impressed everyone (including the council representative on the right) by playing Taps on the bugle. She totally rocks!


The next morning, we attended an Eagle Scout Court of Honor.
Julia was the first one up to congratulate Manny, noting their scouting friendship, playing echo Taps together, and playing in jazz band. (Yes, she always wears her GS uniform to Boy Scout events!) Pete is in Manny's troop, but was unable to attend the ceremony.

For his Eagle project, Manny planted a Liberty Elm on the grounds of the Senior Center and built the stone wall around it. His mom planted the flowers! (Sorry the tree blends in with the ones behind it.) It was a pretty cool project!

After my father passed away, my mother and I planted a weigela in his memory. (She was a member of the garden club at the time.) You can see Manny's tree in the background, and a bocce court in between.

The jazz band played a dinner show at a local restaurant Saturday night. They blew the roof off the joint! Julia looked even prettier than this picture shows. She loves playing jazz, but won't play an ad lib solo. I wouldn't do it in high school, either, so I totally get what she's feeling. Grandma's putting pressure on her, though! (Manny played at least 7 solos. He's amazing! It was Manny Day.)

Pete went on his Jamboree shake out weekend and survived the heat and a severe thunderstorm. A perfect practice weekend for the Jambo! He had a camera with him, but never took it out. I hope he does a better job at the Jambo.

Irish, London, Jazz & Jambo

I think a little Irish Chain for St. Patrick's Day is in order.

I think I made this in the early 90's. I wish I had labeled it properly.


It was my first attempt at free-motion machine quilting. If I remember correctly, I marked the shamrocks by tracing around a cookie cutter. Some of them are a little wonky, but not horrible.

Julia and I have been drooling over the Liberty of London Target ads. We tried our best to find something to bring home, but most of the good stuff was already gone by Monday. I was happy to purchase this pretty mug for my morning tea.

Last weekend, we were the road crew for the high school jazz band trip to Berklee College of Music in Boston. The kids sounded great, but confessed it was not their best work. Everyone had fun, though, and enjoyed the evening concert with the winning ensembles.

Julia has become a mother hen to the freshman boys in the band. Here she is with her ducklings who followed her around all day. (Pete will be in the jazz band next year. For now, he's lugging equipment and playing tympani in the symphonic band.)


The First Official Jamboree Patch!
(Reminds me of the First Gift of Christmas in the Polar Express!)
Meet Pete at the Hill!

I'm sitting in the SUN! Yay!

Summer Fun

Here's what we've been up to lately...

Pete had a great week at Jazz Camp.

Julia's softball team won the league championship,
with a little help from Coach Dad.

My friend, Pat, made this awesome quilt for a retiring board member,
using league t-shirts, past and present.

The Girl Scouts washed a lot of cars to earn money
for our trip to Savannah.

And our patio table spontaneously crashed
into a million tiny pieces. weird.