Outside Oslo

Outside Oslo fabric sightings on Etsy featured at How About Orange.

That is my wristlet in the photo.

You can get the fabric at The Needle Shop on Etsy.

American Idol

So I have been slacking on my AI posts. I've been busy doing other things.

Last week, Erika, Heejun and DeAndre were in the bottom three. Sadly Erika went home. I didn't think she was the worst, she just didn't have a following.

Colton was awesome last week! I loved his version of The Piano Man.

I felt bad about Shannon Magrane 2 weeks ago. But she really should have chosen a better song, especially NOT a Mariah Carey song after she sucked at the Whitney song the week before. Girl should have known better. And I really liked her audition and the early rounds.

It's down to the Top 9. They are singing songs of their idols, so you know somebody is going to choose something they shouldn't have!

American Idol Top 13 Performances

Joshua Ledet - I thought this was alright. The singing was good, I'm just not a fan.

Elise Testone - She was not feeling this song, and it showed. I thought it was terrible.

Jermaine Jones - He looked nervous when the song started, but he loosened up towards the end. I thought it was pretty good.

Erika Van Pelt - I didn't feel this was the best she could have done. Was she holding back for some reason?

Colton Dixon - Oh, I love Colton. No hiding that fact. And I loved this performance. It started off a little too soft, but he picked it up and I think he really did a good job.

Shannon Magrane - Aw. She lost it. The judges were harsh - she's only 16. I'm surprised she didn't cry when they went off on her, especially at the end. I know she'll cry tonight.

Deandre Brackensick - Thank God he pulled his hair back tonight. I liked this performance. I thought his voice sounded really good and he looked comfortable up there. (On a side note, I have been calling him 'Milli Vanilli' all season because of the hair flopping and the way he moves while singing. Last weekend, while visiting the parents, my brother and his wife came over and we started talking about AI this season. My sister-in-law and I both like Phil Phillips (of course) and my brother felt bad for Eben because he won't be able to try again next year after making it into the top 24 this year. Then out of the blue my brother asks "How do you like Milli Vanilli?" I laughed so hard because we were both calling him the same name!)

Skylar Laine - Country or not, she still has a really good voice. I liked this performance.

Heejun Han - I love his voice. This performance started weak and too soft, but I thought it got better towards the end. I like Heejun.

Hollie Cavanagh - This was a good performance. Her voice sounded really great.

Jeremy Rosado - Poor Jeremy. Why was Randy giving him a hard time? I didn't think this was his best performance, but it was better than the judges thought.

Jessica Sanchez - Wow. Too many runs even after Jimmy and Mary told her not too. Yes, in the end it was a good performance and I can't believe she pulled it off.

Phillip Phillips - I love him. I don't compare him to what's his name... Dave Matthews because I'm not a fan of Dave Matthews so I have nothing to compare Phil to. But I like Phil. A little too growly sometimes, and I prefer when he actually SINGS. But I love him, and I love watching him perform.

So my pick for the bottom - well, they are doing it different this year with the lowest boy and the lowest girl, and letting the judges decide. So I will say Shannon based on performance alone. I don't know what kind of fan following she has. Elise didn't do too well either, so it may be her.

On the boy side, this is hard, but I say Jeremy. I like Jeremy, I just don't know if he has a bigger following than he had last week. And if the judges get rid of a boy, then it evens out the competition.

Totally safe this week - Phillip Phillips, Colton Dixon, Jessica Sanchez, Hollie Cavanagh, Heejun Han, Skylar Laine.

American Idol Top 25 Results Show

This is going to be a long night. We find out who made the Top 13 this year.

Jeremy Rosado, Chase Likens, and Philip Phillips are called up first. Well, this is either going to be really good or really bad... Come on and put me out of my misery..... oh I feel sick. Jeremy, Chase, and Philip are nervous. Jeremy did not make the top 10. Chase did not make the top 10. Wait - WhooHoo WhooHoo WhooHoo Philip made the top 10 baby! Woot woot woot woot.

Jessica, Hollie, Hallie, Brielle are called forward. Recaps. Brielle did not make the top 10. Hallie did not make it. Jessica and Holly made it. Good, they deserve it.

Back to the boys. Adam, Heejun, and Joshua. Joshua made the top 10. Heejun is in the top 10. Yay. Sorry for Adam and his big black woman that is trapped inside.

More girls. Bailey, Chelsea, Skyler, Shannen. Recaps. Shannen is in the top 10. Yay. Skyler is in the top 10! Bailey and Chelsea hit the couch.

Aaron, Creighton, and Reed are called forward. Aaron did not make the top 10. Creighton did not make the top 10. Reed is not in the top 10 either. That was cruel!!!

Elise, Erica, Hayley, Jenn are called down. Hayley did not make it. Erica did not make it. Aw. Elise made the top 10. Jenn goes to the couch.

De'Andre, Eben, Colton, and Jermaine are called down. De'Andre is not in the top 10. Colton is in the top 10! Ryan continues being cruel with the tease. Oh man. Jermaine made the top 10. Eben sits on the couch.

Jenn Hirsch sings for a wild card spot. Jeremy Rosado sings next. He makes Jennifer cry, then he cries too. Brielle gets picked to sing. Steven and Randy go off on her performance. Next is De'Andre. Singing Georgia again. The judges like it. Erica gets called up. Singing Gaga. Jennifer is crying again, Steven and Randy like it. Last is Reed. Wow. 'Different' is the nice way to say what the judges thought.

We're back with the picks. Randy picks Erica Van Pelt. Good for her. Jennifer picks Jeremy Rosado, who breaks down and cries. Aw. Steven picks De'Andre and his hair!

Next week the boys will sing Stevie Wonder and the girls will sing Whitney Houston.

American Idol Top 25 Performances

This week AI goes from the top 25 down to the top 13. I was way off on my pick of who the judges would bring back on the boys side. I still like Jermaine, I just don't think AI is right for him.

It's way too hard to pick who will be in the top 5 for the boys. I'll just tell who I liked and who I didn't.

The boys:

Reed Grimm - I still think he's too showy and Broadway-esque for AI.

Adam Brock - Eh. I wasn't feeling it. I get it - he thinks he has a large black woman trapped inside him. It's not Aretha Franklin though.

DeAndre Brackensick - Cousin It!! I like when he mixes up his falsetto with his regular singing voice, so this didn't do anything for me.

Colton Dixon - Love him. I was hoping he would go far this year. The song choice was fine, but ink he went overboard with the performance. I hope (pray) he sticks around for a while.

Jeremy Rosado - He's very nice, kinda cute, and I like his voice. I didn't like the song choice, so.. I don't know.

Aaron Marcellus - It was alright.

Chase Likens - I like his voice but he picked the wrong song to show off his voice.

Creighton Fraker - I liked this. I'm not sure if he is AI material though.

Philip Phillips - Oh I like this guy. I want him to be around for a while. I liked his performance.

Eben Franckewitz - Wrong song choice. Really bad with weak vocals. That's too bad.

Heejun Han - I love him but this song didn't show off his vocals very well. He can sing so much better than this.

Joshua Ledet - This was a good performance. Great vocals.

Jermaine Jones - I like the big fella.

And the girls:

Chelsea Sorrell - Karaoke version of Cowboy Casanova. Yuk.

Erika Van Pelt - I like her performance. Wish she would have picked a different song. How many times was this song on AI last year? A lot.

Jen Hirsh - Eeks. Her voice sounded off. I didn't like this at all.

Brielle Von Hugel - It starts really weak. Then it's just okay. I don't know how much experience she has sitting of the dock of the bay since she's only 16...

Hallie Day - I wasn't feeling good after hearing this.

Skyler Laine - She's alright. Country rock chick. Got it.

Baylie Brown - Painful to hear. More painful to watch. Someone grab the hook and pull her off the stage!

Hollie Cavanagh - It's pretty good. Does she sing anything other than ballads? I still like her performance.

Haley Johnsen - Terrible version of Sweet Dreams. Egads terrible.

Shannon Magrane - Love her! Reminds me of Carrie Underwood. Great vocals on this performance. And it doesn't hurt that her dad used to be a Cardinal back in the day.

Jessica Sanchez - Damn that girl can sing. What vocal problems????

Elise Testone - It was alright. I thought her voice sounded a little off tonight.

2 amazingly long hours tonight. Couldn't they fit it in like a 30 minute show? That would give me 1 1/2 to do something - anything - else.