Tapgurl Bedazzles!

I have traded my knitting needles for craft glue.

Glitter doesn't make you talented, but rhinestones and sequins get you noticed.

My Homage to Nancy Botwin

I bought myself a present this weekend. No particular reason I just, felt that I deserved a little something to say "You done good so far Jones, and you haven't completely cracked up yet!"

At first I thought that it would be something knitting related, but after scouring some of my favorite yarn related sites, I couldn't come up with anything. Then I went to Amazon.com where nothing from my cart or my wish list jumped out and said "Buy Me Now". So I closed up the pink computer and decided to wait until the "buy me bug" bit. I didn't have to wait long.

Saturday as I'm going to the boys' house for a cook out with friends I realize that I need a decadent, caffeine filled drink.

So into the Starbucks I go. (In my opinion, this is by far the best time of the year to indulge in the Starbucks. All of those warm and fuzzy holiday inspired drinks just make me go all gooey and happy inside.)

So I'm waiting at the counter for my Creme Brulee Latte when I spy it .

What was once described to me as the Tickle Me Elmo of the Starbucks World, the cold tumbler. A couple of my knitting friends had these this summer and when I tried to get one they were out. Unless of course I wanted to go to Ebay and pay $50 for one......whatever.

But there in front of me on the counter it sat. Ready to be my "Happy Saturday, you haven't gone postal on anybody" gift. So I grabbed it and got back in line and bought myself a present.

Now why all the fuss on an overpriced, although planet friendly advertisement for Starbucks? Well let me tell you. Spring 2010 was kinda an unhappy time and suddenly I found myself running a dance studio and trying to keep my remaining family members and myself together. Heavy grown up stuff for the girl who would be Peter Pan.

But I sucked it up, bought a few bottles of wine and moved forward. But first I realized that I needed a heroine to emulate. My first thought was of course the fabulous Scarlett O'Hara, but I rethought that idea pretty quickly when I remembered that after Scarlett's mother died, her father went crazy and then broke his neck.

On to female heroine number two, Holly Golightly. The light came on with that one when I realized, I will never be that thin and I don't like throwing parties that much. Besides to emulate someone more self sufficient. As Georgette Mosbacher would say, a woman who used her femine force.

I always pictured myself as the Auntie Mame type, but I had reserved that mindset for when I got older and my eccentricities would be more accepted. Or I could at least say that I don't give a damn and really mean it.

And then one hermit-like weekend when I indulged myself by watching a marathon of the first four seasons of "Weeds", one of my all time favorite shows, it hit me. Nancy Botwin.

In the face of death she had to suddenly take care of her family and protect them in the most creative way that she knew how. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not selling the wacky up in here, I just like her spunk. Plus she did it all with a lot of style and the ever present Starbucks cup.

I recently (last week) got promoted, but I am not about to blow my raise on a daily Starbucks run. That would be stupid. But I can sip away at the overpriced yet earth friendly advertisement for Starbucks, while I contemplate my next covert move..... how to find a new take on the 3 year old class tapping to "Grandma got run over by a Reindeer".

Dishrag Tag Glory

My prize box arrived!

Thank you Emily and thank you to my team!

Love and Shuffles,

Carmen

We're #1

If you don't believe me check it out for yourself.
http://yarnmiracle.com

The Box has landed!

Can't type, gotta knit!

Needles at the Ready

Hello October!
One month down of classes and so far okay. But I will talk about that another time. For now it's all of about Dishrag Tag. I predicted that my team was in it to win it, and so far my girls have not dissappointed. If you don't believe me take a look at the standings that I have posted on my page, my team Doggone Dishrag Addicts are in the lead. Squeeeeeeee!
The box is on it's way to me and I am ready to KNIT!
Victory will be ours!!!!!

September?

I can't believe it's September already???
Part of me is astounded and part of me is glad that we made it through the summer.
I've been working on registration for the studio this past couple of weeks. Understandably we are starting a bit later than other studios, and that is partly by design.
It became apparent to me over the last couple of months that the studio was now completly under my direction. That reality hit home one day when I was at the studio listening to messages, when I heard this one.
"Hello, this is "Ms. Blah Blah Blah" from the City, calling in regards to your studio's grant. We understand that Mrs. CJ has recently died. We would like to express our condolences, and we are wondering who the new director will be?"
Oh! I think that is me?
For the past 17 years, I have happily flown under the masthead of dance teacher. In particularly as we have grown, tap teacher.(period) And I liked it.
Mama was able to run the studio any old way she wanted too, and I let her. I was the tap teacher.
I was happy with my title, and I enjoyed my role. It especially helped with the parade of dance teachers that my mother employed over the years who instantly took a disliking to me because I was Ms. CJ's daughter, and therefore couldn't really have to much talent. After all if my mother wasn't the owner I wouldn't be teaching, right.
Well three PLATINUM Level dance trophies to your Gold Level trophies and a full scholarship from Curtain Call Costumes and the Dance Council...B*&^%!", quickly put all of that noise to rest.
But I digress. I was the tap teacher, but now I am the director. And what does that mean? I'm still trying to figure that one out.
For now it means planning a scaled down schedule. And I think it will mean starting from scratch, which actually feels kinda good. Because as a few families have already realized, the studio under my direction is going be a whole lot different. By now a few students will have gone to other studios, while others have gotten involved in school activities. So I'm thinking of it more as starting anew as opposed to taking over.

And now in knitting news. RACE ON!!
Two years ago I entered the "DishRag Tag" and came in dead last! I took it in stride though. I was so excited to finally get the box, that I immediatly sat down on the couch ripped it open and started knitting. I think that I finished it around 11 or so. And at the time, I had a really zen like attitude about the whole thing. How I was connecting with all of the other knitters who had knit this same pattern before me. And how I was the last stitch in the thread, blah, blah, blah. I even took an early lunch break and ran to the post office to get it mailed off.
I then emailed Emily, the organizer, to let her know that my team was not the last place team in '08, but the First place team in '09. She blogged about my winning attitude and then her husband lit a firecracker off the top of my teams box.
Well to all you "Revenge of Dishrag Tag(ers)" out there, I just want you to know that this year I am back and darn it my team is in it to win it!
GAME ON!