In praise of my sister Nancy

OK to bring those hanging on the progress of the wrap-that-looks-like-a-baby-blanket (we are not even going to discuss what could have been made if Mom had been given more time and access to internet fabric sources) yesterday's trip to Fabricville produced nothing in the way of a trim to dress this thing up. Trim a couch I could have done, a bridal wrap no.

After about six calls from intense extended family in Winnipeg, I finally got on the phone with my sister Nancy was was just unpacking from another family wedding on her husband's side in Baltimore last weekend.

"Not to worry," she said, "we have the fifth best bridal store in Canada here in Winnipeg, I'm going over there now"

Next call was from Nancy and staff at the fifth best bridal store in Canada.

"Who is the designer of her dress? OK we have the dresses by that designer here and we are matching the satin. Pearls? Silver or gold beading? OK we have six wraps here. Fringe or no fringe? 24" X 70" OK? "

"OK I am buying a wrap here, should be a perfect match, will bring it in Thursday."

I love my family. They are crazy and over-involved and workshop the death out of anything but they never let you down. As we are hosting a three day event we have a lot of work to do and I have lists with names on them right on the table by my front door. Thursday my husband is taking the day off to cook for the crowd that flies in, in three shifts, that night. One of my dear stepdaughters is renting a car and going down four hours before everyone else to advance the lodge for us to make sure everything is OK. Her sister is getting up Saturday morning early to make coffee for everyone's cabin. My sons are polishing speeches and someone is getting the dogs ready. The hairdresser has in fact decided to come out of retirement for us and trek through the woods to do our hair.

This family has tremendous back-up and the groom's family are exactly who we would want to be spending the weekend with. In a challenging world, with all we have gone through together, on both sides, we have so much to celebrate this weekend.

Oh and even though I couldn't find trim, guess what Fabricville did have? Pant weight crepe, 2 meters for $1.00. Unbelievable. The gods are with me.

Weddings and life

I can just tell, two weeks before the wedding, that this is all going to cut seriously into my sewing time. Not that I mind, I am very excited about acquiring the world's best son-in-law, about my daughter being so happy, and about the weekend long family reunion, now extended to another family that I really enjoy, that this event has been designed to be.

We are of course also having our challenges. The 50 potted plants that the bride decided to nurture all summer and put on the tables for centre pieces have done what plants sensibly decide to do this time of year in Nova Scotia, and shut down. They have all been moved in for restorative work but we might have to implement plan B as soon as we determine what plan B is.

And the hair stylist who was booked to come and stay and do hair has suddenly decided to "leave the industry." So two weeks before the wedding no hairdresser. I have spent the morning on the phone to rural hair salons trying to line up a replacement. When they stopped laughing and being sympathetic they told me everyone was booked.

I was able, finally, to find a fellow though who is free, will do a trial run next weekend, and will travel to the lodge on the day to do the hair.

Mom saves the day again.

Of course I haven't told her yet that his regular job is on a military base ...

Now when the going gets tough, the tough start sewing in their minds. Which is what I have been doing.

I have decided to work on pant fitting until I get a decent pattern. I will be framing up the details of that project while I bake today.

Later.

Weddings and crafts

I am behind in my sewing since I got back from my trip, but all for very good reasons. In four weeks my beautiful daughter is getting married to a great, great guy and good friend of everyone in the family. I am so happy. 

Of course weddings are a bit of work. We are having the wedding as sort of a big family reunion at an old fishing camp we had family holidays at when the kids were younger. It has a main lodge and 20+ cabins built 1920-1923 around a lake. You can see it here  Milford House. The upgrades have been minimal since it was built (think moose heads over the fireplaces, docks and canoes) but the place is rustic, charming and to us, familiar. We are planning a 2 day get together for family and friends and Katrina will be married on the steps that come out the back porch. The big plan is for her brothers to each open one of the double screen doors, she will pause at the doors so we can all see her, come down the steps, turn and get married. 

Now having explained to my mother how her granddaughter is getting married in front of screen door and not an altar, even I could see that didn't have a lot of presence. So I got the bright idea that I would make a swag thing out of tasteful fake plant things and have my husband get up on a ladder and hang it off the gutter above the door on the back of the porch.

So off we went and bought a bunch of stuff that looked green and we hoped rustic.

The problem is that although I sew I have zero, or less, skill as a crafter. I am the sort of crafter who used to take her ribbons to the fabric store and ask my friends there to tie my bows for me for wreaths.

However my motto is "how hard can it be" and I attached the greenery with a few miles of green wire and the tin snips this afternoon into sort of an arch. It really is a lot harder than I thought to do this stuff. First all the flowers were on one side, then the only thing you could see in the middle of the arch was a sort of bird's nest of green wire, then it drooped up and then too far down, and then it was too symmetrical, and then not enough, and finally about 4:00 I gave up and we decided who looks up at the gutter over a porch at a wedding anyway, and we took this picture of Katrina holding up the Wedding Arch. My husband should have fun nailing it onto the gutter. Of course with such a beautiful bride who will look at anything else, at least that's what I am hoping, particularly in reference to my sister the florist ...