Silk Scarf Party!

Yesterday I went to my first class at Wild Heather, the Silk Scarf Party. What a blast!

We started our first project with a slightly damp white (blank) silk scarf. Using Dye-Na-Flow paints with water and silk salt, we were encouraged to create on the spot, using colours that blend nicely. That one is my yellow-orange-red one.

The next technique was Shibori; we wrapped our pre-dyed scarves on a pole, tying and scrunching in increments, and then over-dying them. That one is my blue-green one.

The last technique was also Shibori, but this time our resists were tied and stitched. That is my pink-purple one.

I haven't had so much fun creating something in a long time! I think the girls and I will do a bunch as Christmas gifts- they are so fun to make and we can personalize them to the receiver.

Another one done!

Heidi and I just got back from the orthodontist. She has had braces since July 2007 and today they came off!

I will have to search my photo archives for an OLD braces photo- but for now, here is the before and after from this morning.

In Full Swing!

Well, the Columbine Rebel Marching Band is off and running- or should I say marching!?!?! lol

Last Saturday was the first event they participated in, the 81st Annual Western Welcome Week Parade here in Littleton, Colorado.

They are largely a new band this year- almost HALF of the band graduated last May! The largest number of them are sophomores like Heidi, and there are some newbies of course.

They had a full week of band camp, practicing all day for three days here at the high school, then the whole group went up to Mount Evans and stayed from Saturday to Tuesday afternoon, starting to learn the show they will perform in competition this year.

I am the uniform chair this year, and so it has been a busy time, but I think the biggest part of the job is over for now. Whew!

The band sounded great in the parade, they looked good, and it is always fun to see them perform.

Heidi is playing a new instrument in MB as you can see here- she will play mellophone for marching season then return to flute for the remainder of the year. We are at a turning point with the braces too; they are due to come off soon and that will impact her playing... Heidi is the short one in the middle of the photo.

Another good thing: my friend Joan, who is in charge of the Pit Crew, is happy to put Chloe to work as well! You can see Chloe kind of tucked behind everyone, pushing the water wagon. I couldn't get a better photo, they were all walking so close together and moving at a good clip.

Sprucing up the front

Everyone knows how much I LOVE my house. I love every single thing about it, and love to make it look inviting and pretty, both inside and out.

Many of our neighbors have been living here for many years; some have been here since the early sixties when they were just building the houses. So those neighbors have the most beautiful yards, full of big, gorgeous trees and lush perennial gardens, full of blooms and colour, and incredible landscaping. I see it, and that is what I want to see here in our yard too!

Last year, I planted perennials out front like a crazy person! I bought rose bushes in every colour (all beautifully scented of course- I can't have a rose that doesn't smell good!) and I filled the space with things I thought would give us lots of variety and colour.

It was a good plan. But I realized that plan depends a LOT on the weather. Our January and February were so mild, that the plants and trees thought it was spring and started too early. Having cold snow and ice in March and April messed the cycle up, and many of my flowers just didn't come up this year.

Being a new gardener, I have decided to wait it out another year before digging the failed plants up. I will keep my fingers crossed- I am hoping that this coming year brings more cooperative weather.

I have some vision for our front yard and am planning to do some landscaping before next spring- but I will need a little help and guidance with that... lol Rich gets a little nervous thinking about me digging up sprinkler heads and such!

So, in the interest of keeping things looking nice in the meantime, I thought I would add a few little details to the front to dress it up. I went to a little antique shop in Littleton, called Vandel Antiques. It has the most wonderful variety of things for sale, and is a terrific place to go when you need garden things! The owner, Sandy, is a friend of my next-door neighbor, and just a sweetheart. I found JUST what I was looking for!

I got a little bistro set for the front porch, a couple of small chair frames to hold flower pots, a sweet little birdbath, and a wind chime. I was so thrilled! We have a hummingbird theme going on now... lol While I was at O'Tooles, the best garden center in the city (and great supporter of the Columbine Music program), I found a daisy tree that just finished off the porch perfectly. I hung new flags (the old ones were faded after hanging outside for three years) and added some new mulch to finish things off.

Now I am content to wait; and I have a lovely place to do it!