MaryJustice Competing at iPOP! LA 2010

It has taken some time to get the videos uploaded from MaryJustice's trip to Los Angeles in January.  Sorry, there has been so much going on around here! Excuses, excuses!
This first video was made during the stage performance audition. Ordinarily, contestants do not sing original material but something that is well know to the audience and judges.  However, she was given permission to play guitar and sing a song she wrote last fall just prior to the auditions to attend iPOP!  As you can see from the one minute performance....yes, one minute is all they could do as there were so many contestants...it was a big hit with the audience...and judges.

This second video of the same song was done on her call-back audition, which was the last audition for singing. Competition was stiff during the five days of auditions, workshops!  MaryJustice placed in the top ten in iSING! And got ten call-backs in singing and two in acting.  She also placed in the top ten in Commercial TV/Beauty.

That's all for now. Nothing happening on the sewing machine right now....need to sew up my purse that's cut out and ready for the machine. I do have a couple of knitting projects ...on needles and loom! But, finally the sun is shining here and it's starting to warm up after a very cold winter here.  My PPS muscles do not take well to severe cold weather.  I am most anxious to get into the yard...precious little that I can do there ... but I will get a couple more herbs planted and later a Roma tomato plant and some Basil.  I'm all for some "knock out roses"... gotta go shopping for those.

Happy Valentines Day

Merry, Merry, Merry Christmas!

Everyone NOT there missed a great show Friday night.  Of course I was "bustin' my buttons" with happiness and pride because my girls were singing.  I'm so blessed to have such a beautiful, talented daughter and granddaughter AND such great talented friends.

"My Girls, MaryJustice and Marcia"

Kenneth Cooper, Performing Songwriter, Musician, Rocket Scientist, Friend! He is also known as Coop and has written several songs performed by MaryJustice and Lisa.   A music mentor and encouraging friend to MaryJustice (Thanks!). Coop jumps into several genres that will make you laugh, make you cry ...  Country, Rock, Americana and Christian.  The song at the bottom of this post was written by Coop and performed by the crew on this page. 

Uncle Bethel...yeah, they look like serious business and tough customers, but don't let the rough exteriors fool you...they are really two of the sweetest "guys" you could ever meet and have as friends.  Smart and talented, too!  They are....

Lisa Carr, Performing Songwriter, Musician, Wife to Doug, as well as Rocket Scientist! Doug Budzak, Performing Songwriter, Musician, Husband to Lisa! Friends!  In addition to these talents, Lisa and Doug own and operate Rockit Juice Audio Recording Studio. Does that make your heads spin?  This couple has it all going and take the time to mentor MaryJustice and managed to pull Marcia back into the singing scene! Thanks, you two.

Tis The Season…

The end of Thanksgiving marks the beginning of the Christmas Season for me.  I think the preparation is as much fun as Christmas Day. Planning gifts, goodies to bake and shopping are all part of the tradition.  Christmas shopping with Mama is one of my most favorite memories of Christmases past.  We would “catch” the street car,  a block away from our house and take the short ride “downtown” … there were no malls back then.  We lived in a neighborhood with  our own shopping district, complete with grocery, mercantile , drug stores, movie theatre, etc. so an excursion downtown on the streetcar was special.  I always looked forward to these trips downtown with Mama.  She would sometimes take the three of us kids together, but made sure that she or Daddy took each of us shopping individually. Those were special trips for us… Oh, the memories I have! The stories I could tell… remind me later…
I think one of the nicest things about going downtown with Mama was stopping for a bite to eat, whether for lunch or just a bowl of ice cream. 
To me this was and still is  an important part of Christmas shopping. In later years as an adult, Mama and I would go Christmas shopping together “downtown” and even trekked off into the malls that started springing up, but we still found Woolworth or a similar place to stop, even if just for a cup of coffee, to reflect on gifts we bought and what was still on the list.  I miss those times.  I miss Mama even after all these years.  I thank God for her, the time she gave, the things she taught….
Make wonderful memories today!

Time In The Kitchen

This recipe has been a favorite around my house for 40 years.  This batter will keep in the refrigerator for at least five days and you take out the amount you want to use.  I mix the batter and store it in a 1 gallon plastic ice cream bucket ... you know the kind with the handle from the grocery store.  It gives the dough plenty of room and the action of the yeast won't pop the lid off.

Angel Biscuits

1 package dry yeast
1/2 cup lukewarm water
3/4 cup shortening
5 cups self-rising flour
2 cups buttermilk
1 teaspoon soda
3 tablespoons sugar

Dissolve yeast in water.  Cut shortening into flour.  Combine buttermilk and soda (beat until foamy).  Add buttermilk, sugar and yeast to flour.  Mix well (I use a wooden spoon). Place in air-tight container and refrigerate.  Will keep several days, taking out amounts as needed.  Bake 15-20 minutes at 400 degrees.  Makes 5 dozen.

This recipe is  limited only by your imagination!

1) biscuits,  2) knead grated cheddar cheese and a dash of red pepper for cheese biscuits 3) roll out and spread butter, garlic and herbs, for a small herb loaf, 4) pat into pizza pan and top with everything you would put in an apple pie and make apple (any fruit pizza), 5) make breakfast pizza with sausage, pour beaten eggs and cover with cheese, bake....

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
God Bless You All

Sue

Jumping Rope!

Come One, Come All ....

and enjoy a great show on November 13th ... yes it's a Friday, but come on out at 7:00 to the Coffee Tree for two hours of fun and music. Performing songwriters, MaryJustice and Ken Cooper will be joined by The Brewers and The Wild Onion Gang.  There is something bound to please and delight you in this great mix of music genres covering Pop, Inspirational Pop, Country, Southern Gospel and more. 

It couldn't get any better... warm family-friendly atmosphere ... great food ... great coffee! The Coffee Tree is a locally owned and operated shop with home-made goodies!

This is a fund-raiser event to help cover expenses to send MaryJustice to Los Angeles for a week of competition at the International Presentation of Performers, iPOP!,  January 2010. Please be generous to the  tip bucket at the door! On behalf of "The Entertainers" and the Coffee Tree Books & Brew crew, we thank you! We'll see you there!