Million Dollar Quartet

On Dec. 4, 1956, an amazing musical harmonic convergence occurred when four of the giants of early rock ’n’ roll and rockabilly just happened to be in the same Memphis studio at the same time.
Carl Perkins, of “Blue Suede Shoes” fame, was in the Sun Records studio recording some new material. Accompanying him on piano was a young, energetic and still unknown Jerry Lee Lewis.
Johnny Cash, who’d had a recent hit on Sun with “I Walk the Line,” dropped in to hear Perkins. So did a young former Sun recording artist who was by then a star on RCA Records: Elvis Presley.

As often happens when musicians get together around instruments and equipment, they held an impromptu jam session. Sun Records owner Sam Phillips left a tape running and recorded the session. Then he called a reporter from the Memphis Press-Scimitar and had him come to the studio with a photographer.

In the next day’s paper, the headline for the story and accompanying photo of the four musicians read “Million Dollar Quartet.”

Half-a-century later, that session would morph into a Tony Award-winning Broadway musical with the same title.  And, if you missed it during it's New York City Broadway run -- IT'S TOURING THE COUNTRY.  And you know what I'm going to say, right??

YES, INDEED -- I was lucky enough to see it for myself.  And it was totally, 100% AMAZING...

Elvis was such a talented singer -- and Johnny Cash -- are you kidding me??

But the guy who stole the show was Jerry Lee Lewis!!

John Countryman played the role of Jerry Lee Lewis -- and his piano playing was SPECTACULAR!!

I went with my niece Amy and her gifted musician son, Cale.  It was a spur of the moment decision (we bought our tickets right before the show).  And we had the BEST TIME...

The Adler Theater -- has been beautifully restored to it's Art Deco glory...

It is right next to the stunning Blackhawk Hotel.

Of course, they are always selling the souvenir t-shirts. I DID manage to resist that..(barely).

Once again -- the BEST things happen to me at the last minute. Without a lot of advance planning. When Amy called the morning of the concert -- I didn't hesitate one little bit. Before she even got the words out of her mouth, I was saying, "count me in -- and THANKS FOR THINKING OF ME..."

So that's my best advice. Anybody invites you anyplace -- JUST DO IT.

And -- hey -- right now, the Million Dollar Quartet is touring all over the country.  Here's the website -- do yourself a favor -- GO BUY A TICKET...

Blackhawk Hotel

I love the Blackhawk Hotel. After a multi-million dollar restoration, it has once again taken it's rightful place as the premiere meeting place in downtown Davenport, Iowa.

There are two entrances.  This is the new side lobby -- the third floor is the indoor swimming pool...

Inside this entrance, you find a huge marble facade with a gas fireplace.

A group I belong to, the PR Network, had their February meeting at the Blackhawk...

So, of course, I HAD to attend...

This is surely the classiest hotel bathroom in the entire State of Iowa (yes, I realize that is a pretty low bar)...

Yesterday, on the official FIRST DAY OF SPRING -- my PR group had their March meeting. This time, the meeting was at the Quad City Botanical Center. The March topic is "Supporting your Brand" and the people at John Deere are providing the program. So -- guess who I invited to join me? OF COURSE -- RHONDA PIERCE from Schmetz Needles. Even though it's a two hour drive -- that's like her regular daily commute!! I'll be sure to blog about our day. And our SPRING WEATHER (maybe 50 degrees today). Once I get the official clearance from Rhonda -- I can tell you WHAT I'VE BEEN WORKING ON...

Impromptu Party

This year, February was about a whole lot more of a long hard winter. We'd been stuck in the house for weeks. This was the cold, gray view out our living room window...ugh...

We were all getting a little weary of the jigsaw-puzzle-a-thon...

There was always a new snow fall to deal with...

To get Lilly out of the house, one day I picked her up for a ride-a-long to the grocery store. HEY -- how exciting is it that Little Debbie makes heart shaped cupcakes for Valentine's Day??

Hummm...they would be good for a party, don't you think??  All we need is a few little kids...

AS RITALUCK WOULD HAVE IT -- it was a Wednesday, and I happen to know where there is a room full of beautiful friendly little kids...(here's the best part -- when I walk into the room -- they all run to give me a hug!  Yep -- this is the PERFECT crowd!)

My sister Deena has a "family supper" Wednesday night.  Lilly and I packed up our party bag, and put on our Valentine outfits....

We had gifts, snacks, and even a CRAFT activity!!  (Yes, I do have some Grandma game!)

Although, Grandma Deena and Mommy Brenda took the gluing of sparkle a little too seriously...

Lilly tried to line everybody up on the sofa -- so she could give them each a party gift...

A Valentine stuffed animal for everybody!

Parties can be a real pain. Sending invitations, cleaning, planning, cooking, shopping. Then, of course -- it can go up in smoke, depending on the weather or the road conditions. An impromptu party is NONE OF THAT. I had been collecting the various Valentine stuff for awhile...the heart shaped foam picture frames, some Valentine cards, many Valentine stuffed animals...it was a Party In A Bag just waiting to happen.

When I called Deena (at 4:00 PM) -- we decided the party would happen right after they they ate supper.  The kids all had a GREAT TIME. The "Party" was over in about an hour. PERFECT for all of us!! 

Button/String Game

On this day, Lilly was playing with her button box when we got a visitor. As it turned out, KATHY remembered exactly how to set up the button-on-a-string game. Can you see the magic??

First, choose a large button with only two holes.  Then, put the string in both holes. 48"inches of string makes a loop about 2 feet long...

Then, holding each end, you swing it around and around (like jump rope) with the button in the middle...

After it's all wound up, when you move your hands in and out, the button will humm...and you could go on FOR A VERY LONG TIME this way....

Lillian doesn't quite have it figured out yet. But, hey, IF IT WAS EASY -- anybody could do it, eh? Perfecting this skill could take some time. Of course, the time you invest in any skill or accomplishment is what makes it worthwhile, don't you think?

Mary Mulari's Ponytail Holders

Thanks to my friend Mary Mulari -- my life has been changed by the modest little ponytail holder. And I am always amazed at how frequently they come in handy. Recently, I used a ponytail holder to add a closure to a cellphone pocket on my remodeled purse (blog post to follow).

Around the holidays, I used many ponytail holders to create closures for my carseat blankets..and I took some pictures to explain  a few techniques...

The first step is to pick the right kind of button.  You want one with a SHANK on the back.

Then, pull the ponytail holder through the shank -- then, loop it back into itself.  See?

This is what it will look like from the front side

When I sew the button in place -- I put a plain white button on the BACK side...

Finished -- it is very secure...

In this case, the blue ponytail holder (on the back of the button) will be pulled through the white ponytail holder (doubled) ...and then BACK onto itself...

See how it works?  Genius...

Happy St. Patrick's Day

YES, I know -- after last year's Expo -- the Hey Rita tote had a VERY EXCITING YEAR. Thanks for your emails and comments about her travels. It was a really fun adventure to read about -- and I'll be writing the REST of the story one day soon. I told her foster-mother (Liz) that my new goal is to travel to all the places my totebag has visited!! And Jan (Hey-Rita's birth-mother) was completely thrilled to read about Hey Rita's fabulous trip.

Today -- it's ALL ABOUT THE IRISH...

I don't really know if I'm Irish - but John's grandma Lucy was 100% -- so what I do know for sure is that I gave birth to two boys who have Irish blood in their veins.  And I LOVE them both very much...

Since I got married, we always eat corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick's Day...

You've got to love the Irish wit and wisdom...

One of the BEST TRIPS I ever went on was with my sisters to Ireland. WHAT A WONDERFUL TIME WE HAD...

You know what a big fan I am of books on tape. And, if you are Irish -- THIS IS ONE YOU SHOULD GET...

It's a wonderful read -- and it makes you PROUD to be Irish. (even those of us who are not)

The Mystery Within a Mystery...!!

On the last day of the 2013 Sewing and Stitchery Expo -- the Hey Rita Tote was kidnapped by a nefarious quilter who then swept her away to Europe for an adventure before she was ransomed back to her owner.

Rita, enjoying a sunny evening in Rapallo, Italy. Good food, good wine, good kidnappers. (Vroom, vroom in the background)

Ransom note to the owner of Rita. Pay up or she goes into the Grand Canal. (Just kidding).

Rita, being shown the sights in Warnemunde, Germany.

Rita, outside of Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen.

Rita “I’m ready for my close-up.”

Apparently, it’s all she needed to sleep.

Rita, getting ready for a shower in Copenhagen.

Rita, fully clothed, in the shower.

Rita, enjoying glasnost in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Keeping dry on a double decker bus during the rain in Helsinki, Finland.

Rita, chilling with her new best buddie (until it morphs into a new animal after dinner).

Rita, enjoying the culture in Stockholm.

Rita, paying the driving fine we received during the trip. After all she was the one driving.

After a year of around-the-world traveling -- the Hey Rita tote made it back to the 2013 Sew Expo...and she will soon be reunited with her owner...