30 Day Challenge of Things I LOVE...Day 2

My dad never talked about the war. He was in the Army and delivered mail to the soldiers in the trenches. He didn't actually do battle, himself, but the consensus is he saw some pretty horrific stuff. Before shipping out, he had been the Postmaster in Thatcher, AZ.

While convalescencing in a hospital in Okinawa, Japan, he made this aluminum tray. I believe it was an acid etching procedure, which I know nothing about except toxic chemicals are used. Seems weird to be doing something like that while staying in the hospital, but what do I know? Anyway, I have ALWAYS loved this tray. It was on display in our house while I was growing up. My mom knew how much I loved it, so after my dad died, she told me it was mine.

I have a love of old aluminum pieces now and am always on the lookout for interesting patterns and shapes. We had those aluminum tumblers with the little "sweaters" that slipped over them to keep your hands from freezing when you drank out of them. I wonder what ever happened to those? I see them pop up every once in awhile in antique shops I frequent. Not sure they're a good idea to drink out of, though. Seems like I remember reading about a link between aluminum and Alzheimer's disease. YIKES!

I just love this tray. It makes me smile. I like to touch the coolness of it and imagine my dad's fingers working this design, however he did it. I hope it brought him solace and peace. Thanks, dad....

30 Day Challenge of Things I LOVE...Day 1

It's been many months since I've written a blog and I've debated as to whether I ever wanted to write another one or not. It seems so time consuming, and I just can't ever seem to get myself to do it. When I first started, It thought it would be a creative outlet, but there are SO many amazingly talented bloggers out there, I just felt like a guppy in a sea of dolphins. So, I'm challenging myself to write every day for 30 days, about something I love. Something I own or have created that I love. I can do this, right? It doesn't have to be anything GRAND. I just have to let it flow and not over think it. I AM my own worst enemy! Ok, here I go...

DAY 1....MY DAUGHTER'S WEDDING DRESS

 I created and made this beauty this past summer for her September wedding. She had a vision and couldn't find anything she liked anywhere. One day, she said, "mom...you can make my dress!" Without a 2nd thought, I replied, "sure I can!" WHAT??? Did I REALLY just say that?

She lives in Utah and I live in Oklahoma, so this was going to be a challenge. She came to town in April, for her brother's wedding, (yeah, both my kids married within 6 months of each other) and the hunt was on for the perfect fabric and lace. She thought she wanted an English lace until we found....drum roll, please.....FRENCH lace! Straight from Paris! We almost passed out! If you've ever handled French lace, really held it and touched it, you'll NEVER go back to domestic lace again! The difference is night and day! We found it at shop here in OKC that specializes in wedding fabrics and lace. We bought all that she had left of this beauty and decided on silk chiffon for the fabric. DREAMY!

I started on the dress in May and actually sent the bodice to Kira, in UT, for a fitting. She had it pinned and shipped it back. The lace panel, front and back, had to be sewn on by hand. I had my husband hang a quilt on a wall in our bedroom and I pinned the dress up on it and hand sewed it from there. It was INSANE! I had a bum shoulder at the time (needed surgery, but that had to wait until after the wedding), but kept my eye on the prize and worked through the pain. I pretty much had the dress done when I left for UT in late July. We wanted to have that "WOW" moment when she tried it on...

"WOW" wasn't exactly what we got. It was more like slumped shoulders and tears. Something just wasn't right. It needed something more. After I calmed the bride out of her anxiety attack, we put our thinking caps back on and decided the skirt needed to be raised and it needed a big ruffly flounce on the bottom. Luckily, we found this tiny little shop in SLC that carried the silk chiffon in the right shade of ivory (close enough) and we bought YARDS of it. I sewed and hand gathered and pinned and it wasn't enough. We went back, time and time again, and Teresa, the wonderful, helpful, delightful shop owner, was thrilled every time we walked in because that stuff ain't cheap! I swear I gathered miles and miles of that silk chiffon. I was staying in a bedroom in the basement and layed it out on my bed. I had to keep it away from the groom, after all. Not only was there a 10" flounce on the dress, but there was a 5" flounce on the lining! Was I insane or WHAT???

Hand gathered INSANITY!

We finally had our "WOW" moment with GOOD tears this time and I had to BEG Kira to take the dress off. She was so in love with it and I was so in love with her for being so in love with it. It was so good to have it done with 2 weeks to spare!

This was her actual wedding day. What a GORGEOUS bride!

She couldn't figure out her something "blue", so I stitched their initials and wedding date under the lining of the dress. That was fun!

This is by far my greatest creative accomplishment and I doubt I'll ever out do it. It was an out of body experience of sorts. I look at it and I know I created it. I cut and stitched and sewed for HOURS, DAYS, MONTHS, and yet, it seems surreal. She was a beautiful bride and I miss that dress. It became a part of me, like a spare appendage and I really want it back, but she's not giving it up. I'll just have to go visit it. Sit and sip tea and have a chat with it. Feel that French lace and silk chiffon. Smile and sigh at my greatest creative accomplishment...EVER!

And...they will live happily ever after....Kira and McKay Montague!

Ooo...Ooooo...Witchy Woman...

I was recently in Salt Lake City for my daughter's wedding. I actually spent 2 months in preparation for it. I also made her dress, but that will be another post. There's a wonderful place called "Gardner's Village" and it was decked out for Halloween. The theme was witches...witches EVERYWHERE.  I should back up and tell you that it's a little village of shops and there's a restaurant and a bakery, fudge shop, kiddie  book store and spa and the shops are each unique in their own way. You can find clothes, home decor, quilts, jewelry, costumes and Halloween goodies coming out the....well, you get my drift. They have a night when everyone, store personnel AND patrons dress up as witches and they say it's INSANE!  Packed with witches! I swear next year I'm flying back there just for that. They have hay rides, bobbing for apples, etc.  So, without further ado....meet the witches!

I think she had a little trouble with her landing gear.

Kira, my daughter, with a trio.  They rotated in a circle.

Such manly hands!

Such a pretty setting.  I'm not sure this one can be trusted.

Uh OH...she's gonna blow the joint up!

Hoola Hoopin' Wild One!

She's calling for help with that painful wart on her knee.

Could that REALLY be her child?

This was inside of my favorite shops. Not a very good photo.

Just strolling through the grounds.

                                                            This needs no explanation! :)

My bff, Margo, a former "Hooters" gal.

This was on top of the most awesome quilt shop. Not a typical fabric shop, but beds covered in them and furniture.  HUGE shop. This village used to be some kind of mill, so some of the bigger shops actually have parts of the mill in them. I wish I had taken pictures, but I was so overwhelmed and in awe.

These two actually moved.  The one in the front "flew" back and forth on a wire and the one behind her moved her arms up and down directing her where to go.

This was my favorite.  Her legs pedaled and the bike went back and forth on the wire.

Ok...so this was another favorite.  She had no shame. When ya gotta poo, ya gotta poo!

Fun hats hanging on the porch of one of the shops.

The faucet's green water actually moved and "steam" came up from the caldron.

This restaurant has won awards and I had the best hot open faced turkey sandwich. Just got old home cooking.

Fun decor on a porch.

 The shop inside Archibalds. It was huge. Upstairs and downstairs. This building was actually part of the mill. Very cool inside.

Antiques mixed with the new.

I would love to have this in my yard. The flowers were beautiful all over SLC.

This shop had clothes. I bought several scarves there.

*sigh*

There goes mom and dad's insurance premiums!

Outside my favorite quilt shop. The porch was full of Halloween quilts and decor.

A babbling brook.

LOve!

Nothin' like a dog and a brew.

Thanks for stoppin' in. I'll see y'all for Witches Night Out!