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You probably knew these were next before I did. They were bound to pop up on the sewing table among all the other bridal projects and here they are. Now on Etsy.
Fulfilling "something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue," they will also be darling as a cake topper. Of course, I think they would make a wonderful keepsake gift for a Mother of the Bride .... or Groom.
O, I do!
Today's first favorite find to tell you about is this. When the wedding is over, you know I'm going to tidy up my whole life .... and studio and basement warehouse too.
Also love these for future reference. Not just bridal but for rooms, outfits, art.
While you are out looking at links, stop by and see Abby Powell. She stopped by to introduce herself and say hello when I was at Artfiberfest. Completely adorable and I so love her photography. She has an online event coming up this weekend. The shop site is up for viewing and is set to open on Friday 10 am PST. I want that tansy yellow colored apron.
While thrifting for table vases, I found this copy of Happy Living! A Guidebook for Brides. Sat down to see what it advised. The introduction says, "While you may be dismayed by the stores of knowledge you have yet to acquire about homemaking, remember that as a woman, you are endowed with an instinct for domesticity."
I went right to the photos and illustrations. (Click to enlarge.)
Things have changed since 1965.
Like polishing silver, pewter, copper, and something called chromium.
Fortunately, food styling and menu selections have changed too.
Pity the brides in the 60's who were instructed here to make this entree in the "Cooking for Two" chapter. Creamed Eggs in a Corned Beef Crust should not have made the cut for one of only eight color photos. The author actually captioned it as, "This appetizing dish...."
I'd rather eat those potted bulbs. No wonder cocktails became so popular. You'd need 2 or 3 drinks before sitting down to that.
But wait! There's always Seafood Loaf for "Entertaining"!
Get comfy in the living room. Have another Whisky Sour. Dinner's almost ready.
The weekend's project is to finish up the runners for the wedding reception tables. I fell in love with this fabric from Jennifer Paganelli's new Sis Boom line called Flower Power. The colors and pattern connected with everything we have imagined here, as if she designed it just for Erin and John Paul. All the ideas we had thrown into the reception hopper suddenly distilled in this gorgeous fabric. At first, I thought I would just use it for cushions on two Victorian wire garden benches outside the tent. But then, what about the table runners?
Thanks to sweet Jennifer, I will be able to do both.
It is so soft to the touch, wonderful to quilt or to wear. (A matching dress for the Mother of the Bride would be a bit much, wouldn't it?)
On the Sis Boom blog, Jennifer is hosting a giveaway of 4 yards of your favorite SB fabric. Be sure to stop over before the 30th and sign in with a comment for a chance at that.
O, and by now, you've all seen this, right? Sets the bar pretty high for this summer's weddings.
Besides sharing the wedding planning with Erin and John Paul, we have welcomed helping hands from dear, generous friends. The invitation was designed and handmade by our Oak Park friends, Robin Winge and Michael Dinges. It is so incredibly beautiful. Can't even put into the words the feelings I had when ours arrived.
(Apologies that these photos aren't sharper. Can't get them to load without distortion for Typepad's format. So frustrating.)
I love the colors, the marbled paper strip to represent the river and the combined cultures, the concept of the sleeve holding 2 cards, differently sized, each with a different color ribbon. The beautifully scripted font. The repeated text in Spanish. Even the stamp is a perfect fit.
It is the loveliest invitation I ever saw. Thank you so much, Robin and Michael. For this, your generosity, dear friendship and your great affection for Erin and John Paul. xoxo
Some time ago I did a post and an article for Cloth Paper Scissors about collages made from bits and pieces of leftover scraps on the worktable. I love leftovers, including the smallest pieces of nearly nothing. Composed in an orderly grid with every little thing in its place, that kind of collage is a satisfying project.
I was thinking about those today.
Remembering that some bloggers were inspired to make them too. I think their pieces are so lovely, each with their own styles.
It's a good project for summer. For vacation. For porch tables and souvenirs and children and friends.
Dawn
Then today when I was visiting Amy, I thought this could be the next incarnation of that small, delightful grid for creative play. Or perhaps, Rebecca's wall of inspiration. Or Pam's tablecloth. Or Alicia's darling pillows.
And while I visited Alicia I saw that she posted today about the waffle window which is the same place where we met her for breakfast in Portland after Artfiberfest. I believe that's the same waffle creation I had that day. Mmmmm, good day. Everything about that breakfast with Alicia and Pam was memorable.
So now I'm moving on to thinking about waffles. Still have the little box.grid.squares, just filled with different sweets.
Blueberries on waffles for dinner.
Planning for the wedding is filling up the days here. It's a happy time. And an anxious one too.
This was a snapshot Erin took on the day we went to Fire Island a year ago to consider locations there. It would have been a great spot, home to our family vacations from recent years, but when I consider the extra layer of Logistics- schlepping everything on a ferry and finding cottage housing for guests, I'm glad we didn't choose that after all. It's hard enough to host a wedding close to home.
Except that we all could have been barefoot or in flip flops. (Still not a fan of fancy shoes.)
I had a nice long talk last night with my dear friend, Jill. Her second daughter, Lauren, is getting married in a few weeks out west. We aren't able to go (which is complete torture), but it was good to compare notes as we both approach the day. Her experience has always been a step ahead of mine and I rely on her sensible point of view when mine has gone completely wonky. As always, she calmed lots of my worries about the way it all shakes out on the day itself. There are so many things beyond anyone's control. At some point, you just have to let it be what it is. A day to celebrate and be joyful for Erin and John Paul.
That said, today I would love to take that taxi to the ferry dock, have my feet in the sand and water for a bit. An hour or two would do it, settle the excitement that borders on anxiety. Give me a clear perspective.
Maybe in September.
True to form, I will be wistfully longing for all of this- then.
If you could hop in one of these, where would you go?
Erin has been making regular weekend visits home to work on the plans for their August wedding. When she takes that notebook out, we all pay attention. There is a big agenda neatly tucked inside and she has worked so hard to whittle it down to keep us (i.e. her mother) from freaking out.
On the very first day of planning, she leaned across the table and whispered to me, Don't worry, Mom, I won't make you handle any logistics. And she has been true to her word. She has encouraged me to daydream out loud about decorations, colors, creative stuff.
Now it's time to take all those random ideas and Finalize. Which pretty much sounds like Logistics to me.
Weeks ago, we stopped at the nursery to think about tables and flowers. Options #229, 230, 231, 232.
Not quite the Finals, but probably the primer for this one.
Logistics even I can handle. Check that item off the list right now.
My felted cottage class at Artfiberfest was such a success and we all enjoyed a day of stitching and sharing. Seeing all the beautiful work come together was so gratifying because when you sketch out a class project, you can't really know what will develop in the class itself. Each student brought her own aesthetic, skills and materials to create something very personal and unique. Here are some of the lovely cottages underway:
Tracie's with cool flat rocks for window and door
Tammy's wild, colorful Key West house
Cindy's with a repurposed vintage hankie roof
Suzanne's "couture" house- amazing lace overlay
Jen's shingled roof and "letting off steam" chimney
Nikki's blue on blue
Juanita's with yummy vintage bits and fabrics
Jeanne's family wedding house
A few got away unphotographed- including Pam's, but I'm pretty sure everyone is still working on finishing touches. It's the kind of project that begs the maker to keep layering, tinkering, sewing.
Thanks, ladies! Hope you continue to adore (and adorn) your cottages. It was a pleasure to work with you. xoC
