Flat Susan Irish Dances

So in our final hoorah with our guest Flat Susan, we took her to the King O' Sullivan Winter Feis. (pronounced fesh) This was my daughter Bridget's first dance competition of the 2014 season. She has officially moved up to the U14 category. Time just flies too quickly.

Susan had a grand time meeting new people, learning all about how Irish dance and  competitions run, experiencing Ceili dancing, (team dancing) and even getting to attend the awards ceremony at the end where pinned to my daughters dress helped her accept her 3rd place award. All in all we all had a very long and full day of Dresses, Wigs, Make-Up, Shoes, Dancing, and best of all friends. 

This Feis was hosted at the Marriott Evergreen Resort at Stone Mountain by the King O' Sullivan school in the Atlanta,GA area. Several dancers from Irish dance schools all over the Southern region of the US participated. My daughter dances for 
Rince na h'Eireann School of Traditional Irish Dance. The schools name translates to Dance of Ireland. Our school host 2 Feis's a year. The Holy Angels Feis which we raise and donate all money to the Holy Angels foundation which is a Catholic Foundation which helps the disabled, and then our Feis in October.

There are several levels of dance. Bridget is a Preliminary Champion level dancer, and is working toward trying to move into Open Champion which is the highest level of dance. The levels are Beginner, Advanced Beginner, Novice, Prizewinner, Preliminary Champion, and Open Champion. You start as a beginner and move to each level by winning each of your dances in each of the levels. The dances are Single Jig, Light Jig, Slip Jig, and Reel, which are all soft shoe dances. In hardshoe there is Treble Jig and Hornpipe. Single Jig and Light Jig are not usually competed in after Novice. Once you reach Prelim and Open your dances are based on your birth year. So this year Bridget competes in Reel & Hornpipe. She has a Non-traditional set called "The Three Sea Captains" There are a total of 31 Non-Traditional set dances. Most dancers only learn a handful in their career. 

So this is what Susan has learned about Irish Dance. There is a whole lot more, but she can only visit for so long. She will be on her way to her next host on Monday or Tuesday. So I will now show you all the pics form her dance filled weekend. I hope you enjoyed reading about Flat Susan and her visit to Davidson,NC. We have enjoyed hosting her!!!! She will be missed a whole bunch!!!

Welcome to King O' Sullivan Feis

1st Place 4 hand Team

(L-R)Bridget, FS, Maggie, and Laura

Mom's Tracy & Holly

Bridget (FS is pinned R breast)

Bridget & Flat Susan

Bridget getting her 3rd place award

Flat Susan's & The Mystery Guest

So as you know Flat Susan is currently visiting with me in Davidson,NC. This area north of Charlotte is comprised of Cornelius, Davidson, and Huntersville. They are all kind of intertwined with each other. In Huntersville is the studio of the wonderful mixed media artist Donna Downey. With whom I know so many of you are familiar with. Donna is delightful, brilliant and talented. She hosts workshops at her studio with guest artist such as Mindy Lacefield, Jane Davenport, CD Muckosky, and many more. She also travels the world hosting workshops as well. Her website is http://donnadowney.com
 

I had contacted Donna and told her all about Flat Susan and her travels around the world and asked if she would be kind enough to take a minute to have a meet n’ greet with Susan, Well Donna was very happy to oblige. Not only was Flat Susan excited, admittedly I was as well. Though I had previously met Donna on a visit to her studio while shopping for art supplies, she is one of my favorite artist’s. I also had my daughter Bridget with me who after meeting Donna thought she is one of the coolest people on the planet. (My daughters words).

After I had set up a time to meet with Donna, I had kinda let the cat out of the bag and told Neet what I had planned. I wanted it to be a complete surprise, but like a little kid at Christmas, I couldn’t wait. Neet was beyond excited when I shared the news. Neet, who is visiting with her friend Mary in the US right now, had told me of a story about her and her friend Mary meeting Donna at a CHA once. When I had mentioned the story to Donna that Neet had told me about meeting at CHA, Donna had remembered them. It truly goes to show how small the world really is. 

So Flat Susan had her picture taken with Donna, who also kindly signed Susan’s passport. I was so excited and caught up with our visit, that the only picture I took was the one of Donna with FS. I actually had to go back to the studio the next day and take some extra photos of FS around Donna’s studio. Which really wasn't a problem, as I love going to Donna Downey Studio’s to shop and browse. I usually stop by there and shop about once a week, it’s only about 5 miles from my house. I can literally spend hours looking and browsing. I digress though..... So without further ado, the pictures from Flat Susan’s meet n’ greet, and her second visit while I did a supply shop. I hope you enjoy.

Kimmie & Flat Susan

Donna & Flat Susan

Checking out Daniel Smith WC's

All the glorious Paints & Mediums

Pom-Pom window display

Swinging on a Pom-Pom

A Rainbow of Colors

Some of Donna's paintings

The Altered Brush Project

http://donnadowney.typepad.com/simply_me/the-altered-brush-project/

Studio Shop

http://donnadowney.com

Flat Susan Arrives in Davidson, NC (look closely at the pictures and you will see her)

Well it has been quite sometime since I have done a blog post. I am happy to do this post, as it is honor of my tiny friend Flat Susan. She arrived safely from her visit with Sandee in Hendersonville,NC. 

Susan has been traveling the world in her tiny little suitcase seeing the sights and meeting lots of wonderful people along the way. She arrived in Davidson,NC shortly after Christmas. Davidson is just a tick north of Charlotte,NC. 

I happily took Susan around town and showed her where I live. Davidson is a small community with about 10,000 residents. Most of our local businesses on Main St are in buildings dating back to the early 1900's. In keeping Davidson a small town community there isn’t even a fast food restaurant. Susan enjoyed meeting local business owners who loved hearing about Flat Susan and her travels.We stopped at Summit Coffee first to get a coffee for the town tour. Though it is unusually cold right now, Kimmie is a lover of Ice Coffee. 

I have a few things in store for Susan while she is visiting. She has a visit planned with a mystery person, which will be exciting for Susan, and for Neet. Susan will also be taking a few Irish dance lessons and attending her very first Feis. (pronounced Fesh) My daughter Bridget is a comptitive Irish dancer.

I am not sure what happened, but some of our photos from the tour didn't take well, so I'll have to go back and add them later. I had planned this post so much sooner, but shortly after Susan's arrival, influenza hit our household. It knocked everyone on their backsides. Well hope you enjoy the first part of Flat Susan's visit. Please check out her blog at http://flatsusan.blogspot.co.uk, or just hit the button on the side bar of my blog. Look for the post with my visit with a mystery guest very very soon.(((((HUGS))))

Kimmie & Flat Susan

Having a White Chocolate Carmel Macchiato

Main St

Having a bite to eat at the Soda Shop (Kimmie's son Michael works here)

The Soda Shop

Great bunch of ladies work here.

I love this basket

You really must visit

Greetings everyone.  In case you were wondering what has happened to FS wonder no more as all is revealed on Kimberley's blog

 http://happyhomeschoolroom.blogspot.com/2014/01/flat-susan.html

Be sure to read her account and then go to the newer one, it is a real surprise.

The Lead Up to the Big Day

When Flat Susan arrived Sandee set her up in the awesome lodgings of the Smokey Mountain Retreat. A beautiful bed and breakfast Inn where she could enjoy the mountainscapes of North Carolina. The forest straddles the border between North Carolina and Tennessee. Susan said she wanted to get a taste of our southern Appalachian culture.

Susan discovered that in North Carolina there are 1,600 growers producing an estimated 50 million Fraser fir Christmas trees growing on over 25,000 acres which represents 90% of all species grown in North Carolina. She was impressed that we are ranked second in the nation in number of trees harvested. 

After her educational tour of the Christmas tree farms, Susan took an afternoon to watch some local kids playing hockey at a nearby school

They invited her to their clubhouse where she was given the honorary title of the "only girl allowed". They also built a snowman and she loved playing in the snow.

Unfortunately, she could not get a grasp of the tire swing, and the boys said she wasn't fit to be a member and they kicked her out of the club because she was, after all....a girl.

 Susan, dejected and rejected from the boys club, went to visit Santa in the hopes that he would cheer her up.

Santa, having claimed that Susan was indeed a very good girl indeed let her ride one of his reindeer.

And the elves said that she could join their club any day and took her sledding with them and for hot chocolate afterward. They told her that they just like to smile, that smiling was their favorite thing...and Susan replied that the best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear. :)

Next, Susan is on her way to visit Kimberley in Davidson, NC where she will have a great time.

Flat Susan's visit in GA

Hi Everyone. Gosh, I feel like I've hardly blogged for the last couple months. Well, I guess I haven't. Especially last month. Hopefully this month I can make up for it and get my cards, etc posted to share. 

In the meantime, I've had a little guest with me..her name is Flat Susan and you can find out all about her and her travels here. 

Last week she got a chance to play in the snow. I was completely shocked when I awoke the day before Thanksgiving to find snow had fallen. It was in the forecast for Atlanta, but I live about 30 minutes south so wasn't expecting anything. Well, I was wrong!!! 

I guess it was more of a snow/ice mixture. 

The next day we celebrated Thanksgiving. I made dinner and my sister, brother in law, and his mom came over. And Thanksgiving...was the coldest since 1911. Goodness gracious! 

Earlier this week we went to Callaway Gardens (about an hour south of my house) to see the Festival of Lights. It's one of the "Top 10 Places to See Holiday Lights" according to their website and National Geographic Traveler. Well it didn't disappoint...(but, it started raining, again, while we were driving through!)

Yesterday, Flat Susan got to pick out my Christmas Tree. We went to a tree farm to see what they have...

Oh, and remember the cold, snowy weather we had last week? Well, it was 70 degrees outside!!! Ca-razy weather (which just continues from spring and summer...). 

A Fraser Fir was picked out (pre-cut from NC). To me, they just seem more like a Christmas tree anyway. And here it is...

Flat Susan helped hang up some of my mom's ornaments. She used to make Lithuanian ornaments for years and years. Traditional ones are made with paper straw but these are made with white drinking straws.  

The crosses are my favorite. 

Today, Flat Susan left Georgia and is making her way to North Carolina. in the hills of North Carolina to be exact to visit with Sandee. I had the chance to meet Sandee last April. We had lunch and I saw where all her handmade goodies are displayed for sale at a fun artist's store. I have my 2 best friends that live quite close by so I stopped off to meet her. I'm sure FS will love her visit. Asheville, NC is gorgeous!