Neato! I'm a featured artist.

http://freecraftfair.com/2009/04/sue-from-allofasutton/

Show Dawn some love by visiting her site!

I'm not a "real" news anchor....

I just sometimes play one on the radio. Like this last week for example, I was the afternoon anchor on our AM station (www.600kcol.com) while our regular PM guy was traveling with the Colorado Eagles hockey team in a play-off run. (www.coloradoeagles.com)

Doing the news means I actually have to pay attention to what is going on locally, in the US and the around the world. Unfortunately there is a lot of bad news everywhere and it wears you down! Most of the time I try and avoid news, newspapers news programs if I can-too depressing/upsetting/maddening!!

Just in our local area last week: a guilty verdict came in on a transgender murder case (first hate crime conviction), animal cruelty-a local resident finds newborn puppies in the trash, murders, extortion, job losses, threats of tax hikes, etc...I'm glad I only do fill in on the news-I might not be able to keep my sunny disposition if I had to deal with this every day!

and then...at the same time as I think the world has gone mad and humanity is all but lost, I see random acts of kindness and friendliness, get word that a local fundraiser DOUBLED it money raised this year for the first time ever and look into the hopeful faces of my children-who have no idea how creepy life can be. *sigh* all is not lost!

After Prom photos

I do alot of volunteering in my sons' schools and decided a long time ago that if I was doing it for free, I was always going to do something fun. This year, I am in charge of decorating for After Prom at my son's high school. (I know, I'm a weirdo for thinking that would be FUN!) It was last weekend and thankfully a success-whew!

I was nervous because this was the first year I was in charge, we are required to block off hallways and cover the bleachers with tons of visquine tarp and the monsoon rains (which rarely happens here on the high plains of Colorado) changed the humidity enough so nothing would stick right-not even duct tape!! Long story short-nearly everything we taped Friday night had to be redone on Saturday before the event! ahhhh! The Decorating Gods showed mercy, the rains had stopped by then and everything decided to stick properly the 2nd time

Although I had my camera with me, I didn't take one single picture! Thankfully another mom took some with her camera phone and sent them to me-so here is how it looked right before the event:

the balloon arch was beautiful the night before-standing tall all on its own... but helium likes to escape, so we had to secure it to the ceiling.This is the senior prize table and behind it the tarp covered bleachers with all the senior mask souvenirs (we had a Mardi Gras theme)

Prom Pics

and the rain keeps falling...

I'm so grateful it isn't the snow they predicted-we would be under FEET of it right now! It started raining Thursday night and hasn't quit yet. Other places closer to and in the mountains got the snow instead. Here's an article from the local newspaper:
http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/20090418/NEWS/904189947/1001

Although rain is always inconvenient for outdoor activities, everyone around here agrees, "we need the moisture." As soon as the sun comes out again, our lawns will be super green, the flowers and tree buds will be busting out and it will really feel like Spring...can't wait!

What I've been working on...

Mardi Gras masks for the high school after prom event this weekend. We traditionally make decorations that double as souvenirs for the seniors. With this year's theme being mardi gras (or Mardi Grizz since our mascot is the grizzly bear), all seniors get a mask with their name on it as a keepsake.

I decided to make them myself because the pre-made ones where a bit costly...now that I've finished 240 of them, I have to wonder if I add up time, money and effort, if it would have been easier to just buy the pre-made ones...nah, I probably know the answer and can't do anything about it anyway so why torture myself? =]

If you are so inclined to make your own masks like this, buy the non-glittered plain ones from Oriental Trading company (http://www.orientaltrading.com/) I bought the glittered ones and don't like them because the glitter rubs off real easy. (and now the glitter is all over my house!)

Other ingredients include:

dyed Popsicle sticks

misc feathers

multicolored yarn

hot glue

a friend's Cricut for the name border (thanks Julie!)

Stampin Up! punch for the name cut out

I'm pretty happy with how they turned out and even though most of the students will probably throw them carelessly into the back seat of their cars to be lost for all time, it's all good!

my favorite find in New York

I love clothes, shoes and accessories (duh...girl!), so my recent trip to New York City was a real treat! Because of the current times, I'm not able to spend like in years past, but that doesn't stop me from seeking out a great bargain. The street vendors of New York always have fun stuff at bargain prices so i scored a Pashmina scarf (two actually!) for just $5 each. I even talked Megan into one (she was into green to promote her love of Wicked).

Happy Eggs

Back from the Big Apple

whew! An action packed trip to New York city this last week is why I haven't posted on my blog until now. I'm at work right now and don't have access to all my photos, so go to this link to see the highlights:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2020070&id=1392885889&l=da4309a522

Off to the Big Apple

After a year of fundraising, we (32 students, chaperones and teachers) are heading off to NYC on a world wind tour during Spring Break. A few of us have experienced the Big Apple, most have not. Should be a great time seeing it through my 17 year old son's eyes! On tap is all the tourist stuff-Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, Broadway Shows "Wicked" and "Phantom" tours of Radio City and NBC, Central Park and Times Square...

I haven't been to New York since 1985...wow 24 years! My mom and I used to visit my uncle every year in October when my dad went out West hunting. We would see shows off and on Broadway, attend art openings of people we knew, eat great food in China Town, Little Italy and the Village, shop til we dropped, attend artist loft parties, see celebs, shop some more...it was the best! I then lived there for nearly a year and had some of the greatest, weirdest, strangest, fun times of my life! After that, I moved over to the West Coast for three years and ultimately settled in Colorado, got married and started a family.

I look forward to the trip (both physically and the one down memory lane) and will post pictures and thoughts upon my return.

My first TV ad

I'm excited to produce my first TV ad! This is for our new country station-it will run at the Budweiser Events Center (www.budweisereventscenter.com)