A Winter Poodle Sock Craft

In which I become sentimental about socks. Fairly warned be ye, says I.

As I was browsing Pinterest the other day, I came across this really adorable pin of a sock snowman.  Of course my first thought was 'poodle socks?!'  Upon closer inspection, and after seeing the materials list, I just knew these adorable little snowmen had to be created.  I take no responsibility for the creation of this craft, so the tutorial can be found at this lovely blog.

On Sunday, I made a trip to my local Dollar Tree to find cheap ankle socks for sweaters and dry beans to stuff my snowmen.  After cutting up my loved pair of sparkle poodle socks (and raiding my prized crystal collection), this was the result.  Warning: cute overload.  Also, noses still needed.

These little guys are quite special to me.  As I acquired new (still unworn) sparkle socks in May, I felt the need to immortalize my previous pair.  these snowpeople are made of more than meets the eye.  These socks were bought in Florida for the 2010 nationals.  I was wearing these socks both times I won my prelim champion competitions.  They were worn for my first open champion feis, and also traveled with me to Dublin, Ireland as I danced at my first world championships.  These socks saw some lower moments too.  They were with me when I experienced the bittersweet sting of placing one spot shy of being a world qualifier...twice.  And the last time I wore these socks?  I tore three ligaments in my right ankle.

Do you have a special pair of socks?  Share your story below!

Goals: Finish stoning dress, don't overdo dancing
Days till Os: 12

Huge Update, Part 2: Feiseanna

Since nationals, I have been busy doing various feiseanna in the area, and placing rather well. I did not place lower than third in prelim since July, which is rather neat, and quite an accomplishment after only having been dancing for three years.

Nation's Capital feis: Keeping with the trend set forth at the CCE and Old Dominion feiseanna, a gentleman won this competition, and I got my first ever frustrating second place. Honestly, I'm going to admit that I hadn't practiced my steps since nationals three weeks prior to Nation's Capital, so I was acting on pure muscle memory and prayers that my stamina would hold out. I was surprised I placed as well as I did, considering the circumstances: 30+ dancers (16 and over competition), no practice, and bad stamina.

Baltimore Feis: Well, my first time competing my new Oireachtas steps was at this feis. While I thought my treble jig round was rather poopy technically, rhythmically, and stamina-wise, it was definitely my slip jig that saved my life (nothing new there). Two awesome things happened here. The first is that Kristin got her very first prelim first (and awesome perpetual cup), after being in this level for a few years, becoming the first of the three of us older Maple people in prelim to do so. The second was that despite what I thought was a poor performance, I still placed top three, and received my very first crystal award.

Rhythm of Ireland: The coolest part of this feis was not just that I got my first prelim first (and sash), but the fact that all three of us Maple dancers swept the podium for our competition. Jess received her highest placement ever (2nd), and Kristin just came off an illness and still danced really well. It's amazing the camaraderie between the three of us, when we could just take the low road and be catty and super competitive toward one another.

Feis Culkin: This was a busy day. I spent the week before praying to the feis gods that my competition would dance first since I had a choir concert that evening, and we did! I can honestly say that this is my favorite feis of the entire year. It is always well-run (we danced, got our awards, and were done by 10:45 AM), and a good pre-Oireachtas check up on how you're doing. Despite the slippery wood stages, I danced pretty well, but not quite full out on my treble jig, since I was trying to avoid the treble sit. The highlight of the morning (pre-awards) was a "beautiful slip jig" comment from Russel Beaton, who wasn't judging that day, but just watching. There were four Maple girls who danced this day, and all of us placed! The most exciting part? Winning my second prelim competition, and my dad being there to witness it.

I can now say that I'm officially an OPEN CHAMPION dancer, and have met and exceeded two our of three of my goals for the year (place regularly and win at least one prelim competition, and don't get last at nationals). I am both excited and extremely intimidated by the fact that I am now in the highest level of Irish dance. I remember three years ago when I started dance class thinking how wonderful those championship dancers are. In my eyes, I have put a lot of pressure on myself to be that inspiring figure to new dancers that the champs were to me when I first started. Don't get me wrong, I'm completely stoked to have achieved so much in such short time, but I feel very daunted just thinking about regularly competing against people who have been dancing their whole lives, and have qualified for worlds, and possibly even recalled there. Clearly, I am just psyching myself out by this thought, as I am currently more freaked out about dancing open at CCE in May than I am about dancing at the Oireachtas in two weeks.

Goals: Do my homework for REAL.

Days till Os: 14

Almost NANs time...

Feis report: Old Dominion Feis

So I don't have any pictures for this feis, but let me just say... it's so nice to have a place on the podium. I am really proud of all my other Maple girls in my competition for sweeping third through sixth places. I ended up third place over all. I am really proud of what I did at this feis. It was that first stepping stone to me feeling ready for nationals this Sunday.

Up next: NANs, July 4th-5th

I am currently recovering from a minor freak out. My iTunes library decided to vanish as I was going to do my last practice before nationals run through. I had to wait 20 minutes for my poor laptop to find all the music files and put them back... I haven't even gotten to re-making my playlists. I don't know what this is going to mean for my iPod when I plug it on to charge it. Hopefully it doesn't act too lost...

Goals: PACK

Days till NANs: 2!!

Say WHAT?

Got lots of updates here...

Feis Report: CCE Feis
Ta-da! The first time I've ever placed at a prelim feis! There I am in fourth place. I'm going to go ahead and say that the CCE feis is my favorite feis ever. I love the venue, the stages are nice (but slippery), and it's really well-run. The schedule this year surprised me. Typically, old ladies prelims is one of the last competitions of the day, but at the particular feis, we were the fifth competition. it was nice to be done and out of there by 1pm. Overall, I'm really pleased with how I did, the only thing that I felt I could have done away with was my nerves. I'm sure it was mostly due to it being my first feis since the Oireachtas in December. Luckily, I have one more to get nerves out of my system before nationals...
Up next: Old Dominion feis, June 19

Riverdance, farewell performance:
I went with a few other girls from dance class to the performance last Thursday, and seriously, it was the best I'd ever seen it. Aside from spending it with awesome people, and seeing about half the dancers from my dance school there, the experience was completely awesome. It was a refreshing change, having seen Lord of the Dance back in April. Live musicians, not pre-recording the dancers shoes, the dancers being spot on... My only complaint was that the lead singer had multiple issues from a pedogological standpoint, and I feel like I could've done it better... Other than that, it was a performance I will remember for the rest of my life. I know this will sound so cheesy, but it's things like this that remind me why I do this stuff. I act about the same as a kid in a candy store while I watch. One can also not forget the failed attempt at getting picture with the dancers. Oh, we stalked them alright, and stood outside of their bus giggling for a while with no proof of our efforts, other than feeling like a creeper.

And oh yeah, the senior ladies are doing jigs for the Oireachtas this year. (say WHAT?!) It's a good thing that I learned these at the workshop over new years and haven't practiced them since January when we found out senior ladies are doing reel/hornpipe for nationals. Tell me, on what planet does that make sense? At least I know I'm not alone in this craziness. All the other senior ladies are in the same boat as me, having to learn new dances with only five months to perfect them. Unless they have been super on the ball and been doing all four. Which I most certainly will be doing until nationals is over.

Nationals:
It's nice to see they have the schedule out for nationals. My days will look a little like this:
July 3rd: Arrive in Orlando at 5pm
July 4th: I'm in competition 1B, so hornpipes at 8am, reels at 9:30pm, and sets (if I recall) at 3pm. Awards at 6pm. Then Disney fireworks, probably at EPCOT, since it's just across from the Swan and Dolphin hotel where we're staying/the competition is happening.
July 5th: Figure at 5pm, awards at 7pm.
July 6th: Go crazy in Disney World
July 7th: Leave Orlando

Preparing for nationals is like a totally different mind frame from the Oireachtas. I am not feeling any pressure at all right now. Although there is less than a month, I am not freaking out. I don't know if this is because it hasn't hit me yet, or if I don't feel as anxious because I know how these big competitions work now. I nationals it is a good opportunity, if not to see how I place against dancers outside my region, then to see and watch dancers from around the world who have been doing this their entire lives. I'm really not going into this expecting anything spectacular. I think I will gain more from the experience, and if hey, I come home with a medal, than that's all the more icing on the cake. Going to Disney World with your best friend will be an experience in itself.

Goals: Re-learn slip jig and treble jig
Days till NANs: 26

Catching Up With Recent Happenings

Feis Report: Rhythm of Ireland (ROI)
My very first prelim feis! I think I did well, considering. I got 8th of 15 dancers in the prelim competition, and considering my goal was to not place last, I say I suceeded quite nicely. I was just one place away from getting a trophy, which is encouraging... I also competed my set (The Hunt) for the first time, and while I got 6th out of 9 dancers, I'm pleased with my performance of it. I love the venue of the Williamsburg Marriott. There's plenty of space to practice, and everything's set up very well. The prelim stage (and accompanying hall) was absolutely ENORMOUS though. I got practice showing off my travelling (or lack of) skills.
Up next: Feis Culkin, November 1st

I'm really very excited. The 2010 SROs will be held just down the road from where I live (if you think of 395 as near my house, which it's not...), at the Gaylord in National Harbor! I'm looking forward to next year, but I also realize I've still got to get through this Oireachtas first... Oh dear. Am I feeling ready? I guess more so now that I have at least one prelim competition under my belt. My goal for this Oireachtas is to recall. I'd be so thrilled with a recall. Making it to nationals would be icing on the cake. Making it to worlds, I might die right there on stage.

Goals: Place in top half of my prelim competition at Culkin, PRACTICE EVERY DAY
Days till Os: 47 (eep!)

Making it's debut:

My new dress arrived in the mail today, and I'm absolutely pleased by it. It's gorgeous and everything I dreamt it would be. It fits like a glove. It's my new good luck charm. I can't wait to dance in it at Rhythm of Ireland. I can't wait to go to my first prelim feis.

I LOVE DANCE!

Goals: Practice for ROI

Days till Os: 72

Onward, Upward, and Over to Prelim!

Can I have your attention please:
I'M NOW A CHAMPIONSHIP LEVEL DANCER
Goal number one for the year accomplished. :]

Baltimore feis report:
I may not have done as well as I hoped, I still didn't place first in my slip jig. I ended up getting 5th place. I also ended up with a 2nd place in both reel and treble jig, and many fearful glances from my competitors, however, I reassured them this is the last time I'll be in prizewinner, for their own sakes... I also love dancing on stages, which I go to do for my two soft shoe dances.
Up next: Rhythm of Ireland, October 17th

So I never got first in my slip jig, how am I in prelim, you ask?
Well, I did place first in my reel, and you do only need a first in a soft and hard shoe dance...
Yes, I may have cheated the system a little, but I need to practice this competition format for the Oireachtas, which are coming up in SEVENTY FIVE DAYS.

It's a bit of a neat feeling, to be a championship-level anything after only doing something for two years...

Upcoming:
The new dress!
Two year anniversary of starting dancing

Goals: get videos up here for TJ and The Hunt already! Prepare for ROI...
Days till Os: 75

Halfway to prelim!

Holey mackaroley!

Feis report: Old Dominion feis
It was such a long (HOT) day, I was there at 8am helping run the green stage, which was very handy since all my dances were on that stage one after another after lunch. It was the quickest dancing at a competition ever, and I didn't have to wait on other stages or worry about missing my competition. All feiseanna should be this way. Big shocker of the day: despite the fact that my hardshoe still needs ton of work, I managed to get a first in both treble jig and hornpipe in prizewinner. Phew. Now I know my softshoe needs a lot of work, I didn't place in reel or slip jig. I hope I get good comments back from my judge... One of the best parts was I got to stay and help check in the prelim 18&O competition, which is what I'll be doing once I win my slip jig. So I scoped out my future competition. Muahahaha (not).
Up next: Nation's Capital, July 26

So in short, what this all means is that I'm nearly there to achieving one of two goals I set at the beginning of 2009 for dance:

1. Become a preliminary champ dancer
2. Recall at the Oireachtas

Both, I'm now certain, are now achieveable, and I'm psyched to know that. I can't wait to start learning my Oireachtas level steps, my new non-trad. set, and the 8-hand. Right now, I'm very happy I'm an Irish dancer. Words can't really describe what it means to me to come from a little girl of 12 watching Lord of the Dance for the first time, to starting dance as a new college student, and achieving in a year and a half what others have worked a long time for. I'm so happy I've had this passion in my life for so long, and my love of the dance has never waned in the 8 years I've known about it. Irish dance is truly my kind of world.

Goals: sharpen up softshoe
Days till Os: 167

So I Welcome Myself Back to the Blogosphere...

(I need something to keep my dancing accomplishments straight. A place for goals and improvements. A place to tell everyone how much I love dance. A place to write about my journey to my first Oireachtas. For if it's written down, it's more likely to get done...)

Current:
Level: Prizewinner. (You non-dancers won't understand what this is, but basically I'm the level under champs. The really good people.)
Long-term goal: Make it to preliminary championships by the end of the year. That, and to recall at the Os for solos, and hopefully do a ceili too!
Thing I love about dance: Watching a group of complete beginners transform to solid dancers in reel and light jig, and knowing it was all because of me. (I teach a beginner class at Wakefield Friday afternoons)
Thing that irks me about dance: Prizewinner competitions. Dancers need somewhere between the Southern Region-required 2 first places, and the individual school-mandated 8 first places. This causes the same girls to win dances over and over again while they wait for that last first, not giving us other girls a chance. It forces us to be competing aganist all but prelim dancers as prizewinners. Fair? Not really. It does have it's good points: us not so good prizewinners now have motivation to really work hard and perfect our dances. This would be proof of that.

(I'm going to get some videos up here to show my current dances, just as soon as I set up my Jubilee tiles arranged correctly in the basement. Hopefully, some progress will be seen between now and the Os!)

Feis report: CCE feis
It was held at Mt. Saint Mary's on Memorial day weekend. I'll say it was my first real feis back since my transfer to Maple (Lady of Knock doesn't count, I didn't have all-Maple steps). I had all new steps for all four dances, and excepting the minor brain fart on my reel, they all went well. I won my treble jig and slip jig, my last two dances I needed to place out of novice (hence the prizewinner status now)! I didn't do so hot in my prizewinner dances (reel and hornpipe). The reel I understand: I screwed up. Hornpipe needs more confidence and sound. Watching my competitors beforehand, I realize how timid my hardshoe is.
Next feis: Old Dominion, June 20

Goals: set up Jubilee floor, make current videos to post
Days till Os: 182