Masks

And our earlier craftiness has been Daddy approved!




Alexandra says "I'm a princess, your a princess queen, and Daddy's a Kingdom."
Wow. A whole Kingdom. Impressive :D

Crafty girl

Firstly, here's a few pics of the start of the blackpool hen weekend album. I can't get much further than this though, because I still need to get the chosen photos printed. I hung on for a while so I could choose photos taken by all the girls, not just mine, but as I'm still waiting, I'll just have to get on with it.

Front cover

page title detail

1 large photo to add

Invitation page

But far more interesting is what my crafty daughter and I have been up to this afternoon. I actually feel quite bad and neglectful for not doing my proper crafty mummy duties. Normally we spend at least a little time every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and sometimes Sundays too, doing something creative together. Collages, painting, stamping, clay/play dough, card making, model making, baking, you name it. Since I took on the many (many) furry costumes for her nursery, we haven't been doing it quite so much. Well, I'm starting to get back on track.

After reading this blog post on Blueberry Park's blog I felt inspired to rifle though Alex's craft stash and make some masks of our own. On the small person's instructions we had to make 3. One for me, one for daddy and one for her. Disappointed to see we've ran out of funky foam, so we had to use good old card. She had tons of fun sticking and creating special masks for each of us.

Whilst raiding the craft drawer, I found a mini foam bead kit she was given at christmas with a load of other bits and pieces, so she patiently sat there sorting them into shapes and then threading every one to make herself a "princess necklace". Well done my crafty girl :)

The wedding and my Blackpool scrapbook

Now I have a bit more time, I'll give you a bit more info about this last Saturday's wedding. The actual service took place at St John Baptist Church in Claines, Worcester. It's such a lovely pretty little church and it was doubly special because the groom used to serve in the choir there. (His family is from Worcester and he met the bride whilst they were both at University in Leicester. When they graduated, he moved up here with her.) I would love to show you some of our pictures, but as they are the professional ones from the day I can't :( So Instead I've been trawling the internet to find a few.

We spent the morning at the groom's parents house where the bride and bridesmaids were getting ready. There were 4 adult bridesmaids who wore long strapless cornflower blue dresses, and 2 littlies (including our little Alex) who wore full skirted long white dresses. The brides dress was beautiful. Sweetheart strapless top, fitted bodice which drew to a point at the back, large full princess skirt with a lovely train at the back. The bodice and going down the train was textured and beaded. It was all off white, and she wore a veil, but not over her face.

We did a quick run over to the groom's grandad's house where he and the groomsmen were getting ready. It was really quite sad though because the grandad had passed away just 4 weeks previously. That was a very sad part included in the speeches. A very touching moment with quite a few tears around the room.

Then it was back to the bride to discover the hairdresser had had a little tantrum and walked out without finishing the job, slamming the door as he went. The bride had quite rightly not been happy with the bridesmaids hair (they were all starting to fall down for god's sake!) He said she was "being to anal" and that he "Just can't deal with this" and left. Charming I'm sure. So Bridesmaid to the rescue who did a fantastic job of fixing them all. Well done Linsey!

(photo from wdcra.org.uk)

Then it was off again (can you tell we ran around a bit!?) to the pub opposite the church for some Men group shots, and for Rob to speak with the vicar about photography during the ceremony. I stayed at the pub/church to snap guests arriving, Rob returned to the bride. Phew! I took the bridesmaid shots as they arrived, then Rob just managed to beat the bride to church for the rest.

(picture from geograph.org.uk)

I didn't have a very good seat in church (behind a pillar) but I could hear it all clearly, and it was a very nice ceremony. It seemed to go so quickly! Then it was back outside for the main group shots! (I'm sure this day seemed to pass quicker than my own wedding!) They had the bells ringing, which was lovely, but I had the group shot list and Rob couldn't hear a word I was saying! This was the point where I got sunburned :( We did get all the required piccies though, then onward to reception (via the graveyard and climbing the church fence for our small person. result? Grass stains and mud on her white bridesmaid dress).

(all pear tree photographs from thepeartree.co.uk)

The reception was held at the Pear Tree hotel not far away from the church. Lovely inside and friendly staff. The bride and groom had paid for us to stay there on the Friday night and also the night of the wedding, which was greatly appreciated. Thanks guys!

(the main reception room taken from the balcony and stairs the bride and groom made their entrance from)

The bride and groom made and entrance into room down a lovely stairway, and then we all sat and waited for our tables to be called for the hot buffet. Salmon, turkey, glazed ham, nicoise salad, pasta salad, buttered new potatoes, Waldorf salad, garlic bread etc, followed by a selection of gateaus. (Anyone that knows Rob, wont be surprised he made sure he had seconds!). There were 5 speeches given by the brides 2 unlces (who gave her away) the chief bridesmaid, the groom and the best man. All very entertaining and not too long.

(the patio area where Princess slug met her untimely end))

Then we partied into the night, although Rob and I were seriously flagging by this point. The evening meal was supposed to be a hog roast outside. but ended up being a BBQ with large piece of pork inside, which was a shame.

(the pondy bit where Rob took the bride and groom for a shot or 2. I don't remember any swans though, although there was a lovely big heron)

The first dance had been worrying the groom since it was chosen the previous Saturday. I thought it was much more like the bride than a serious slow dance, and really fun to watch. It started out slow dance to "Everything I do" by Bryan Adams then cut into "Can't touch this" by MC Hammer where they did a full on routine. I so need to borrow their wedding video!

We retreated to our room about 10:30 'cos we were so cream crackered, but we really had an ace time. The best thing was, because we were doing the photos (well Rob was, and I was carrying stuff and keeping track of the shot list!) we were there for almost every part of the day, and it just felt so nice to share that much of their special day with them.

(this is where we had breakfast the 2 mornings, with Joey the parrot just around the corner)

They've now gone to St Ives for a few days with the brides aunt and uncle who are from Canada, then they're jetting off for a week abroad just the 2 of them. I hope they have a fantastic time. Their piccies will be ready to view when the return, and I'm sure they're gonna love them. Rob did a great job.

Slightly more unusual parts of the day I will remember?

• Alex hitting the other little bridesmaid with a wooden garden Jenga brick for "Ruining her stage". Oh the shame.
  
• Having no where to put the lens cap from the camera whilst at the pub, so putting it down the cleavage of my dress and nearly losing it. Yes, not so smart, I know.


• The look on the groom's face as he had more confetti shoved down the back of his neck. Too funny!


• Alex coming to me in almost in tears at the disco part of the proceedings because she couldn't find her bear she'd been given as a gift for being a bridesmaid. I told her to look for it around the room, at which point she looked confused for a second then raced towards the bride and checked under her dress! Oh dear.


• Alexandra introducing everyone to "Princess slug" on the steps of the patio who was her "bestest friend", and then the bride squashing Princess slug by accident.


• And finally, I didn't see it, but I wish I had. One of our friends who is well known for enjoying getting merry at gatherings like this, having sooooo much to drink he was falling asleep standing up on the dance floor (then every now and then springing into life with a bit of a dance, then back to sleep!) Well done Steve! Only you ;)

Well, I'm sorry to have bored you with a complete run down of the day, it's just, I love weddings! So thanks for indulging me!

Crafty wise I am now onto the album about the hen weekend that took place in June. The album is an intended surprise gift for the bride to be who's wedding is coming up very soon. (Friday 4th September) so I'd better get a wriggle on! I'm keeping it to the same theme as the invites I made.

Oh! And I had a lovely thank you message via facebook from the new mum, who has now received her little parcel including the crochet blanket I made. She's very welcome :)

Just popping in

Just a quick post to say what a lovely time we had at the wedding this last weekend. Everyone looked fantastic and everyone was so chatty and friendly. The sun even came out (I got sunburn :C). Rob's Photos have turned out well , so he's pleased and Alexandra loved being a princess bridesmaid (even if she was covered in grass stains and mud before we left the church for the reception!). I hope our lovely friends (the newly married Monty's) have a fantastic holiday and I can't wait to see them when they return.

Progress

Just the hem and the zip to go and I'm really quite pleased (despite the look on my face in the photo - I was getting rained on) but I think I would have liked the skirt to stand out a bit more. If I get time, I might add some more net. Now I'm going to reward myself with birthday chocolates and a cup of tea. Ooo, the excitment :)

Today I have mostly been....

...Making my dress for the wedding this Saturday. I've got on quite well with it today, and I know it will definately be finished in time. I may even get it finished tomorrow. I need to get my nan to pin the bodice whilst it's on me, so I get a nice snug fit, so I'll do that when I take Alex there for lunch tomorrow.

The groom of said wedding has popped over tonight to finalise photo details. He's got to that point where he just wants to get on with it and it be finished. Poor guy. He's also dreading the first dance. It'll all be lovely on the day and he'll have a great time.

I was trying to explain to Alexandra (again) what's going to happen at the weekend. She was bridesmaid for us, but was too young to remember. When I told her everyone would be dressed up and there'd be "princesses" she wanted to know if she could wear her Lilo dress. I think the bride may object.

Of castles and princesses

This last weekend, Rob was doing a couples shoot for a friend of mine and her fella (the one of the lovely potato salad) and they chose Warwick Castle as their location. Her brother works there so we got free tickets and me and the small person got to go off and enjoy ourselves whilst they were getting snap happy in the grounds. Saturday unfortunately didn't turn out too well weather wise and we all got soaked.

They have a new attraction called the Princess tower. (It used to be the ghost tower, but it was too similar to the dungeons, so got and overhaul) We (including Rob and our 2 friends) stood queuing in the pouring rain so that Alex could have her turn in the throne. Rob was the least well prepared and yet with just an umbrella, he was the least wet. The rest of us in waterproofs were soaked through! Have you ever seen a princess with rat tail hair and muddy knees?

It wasn't the best of pictures (in fact, considering the lighting rig and equipment they had, this is apalling), but it's that mummy thing again where you feel compelled to buy pictures. She now has grand ideas for princess dresses and swords and shields. She intends to be a modern princess who can rescue herself and fight her own battles :D

So, awful weather Saturday, much better Sunday, as we spent our second (and far more successful) day at Warwick Castle. They got some lovely shots, whilst me and Alexandra went to see the peacocks (who Alex swears were shouting help), spoke to the birds of prey, ran around the rose garden, walked around the water mill and along the river, had a close look at the trebuchet before seeing it fired and met Jingles the jolly jester, who it turns out I know! She is a friend of a friend and lives in our village. She is also Dave Willett's (Phantom of the Opera) eldest daughter, and I have to say, she was a fantastic jester, and Alex's favourite part of the day. I can now see a jester costume in my future too! I love running into unexpected people whilst we're out and about. We were very busy for just a few hours.

We met up with the others just in time to watch Jingles perform her magic show. Alex spoke to a carrot (long story!) and then we had a yummy roast dinner in the undercroft followed by ice cream in the grounds. A very lovely way to spend a weekend. So thank you Heather and Andy, and thank you Heather's brother for the free entry.