A Wedding Tale

As we are approaching Wedding frenzy, I thought I'd share my wedding day with you guys!  Well, to be exact - my first wedding day!!!

Here is the story of a wedding.  Just a normal wedding, where the bride wore white and the groom had a top hat.  The guests were happy and the bubbles flowed.  Where at the end of the wedding the bride and groom were not really married....but everyone at the event thought they were...!!

It all started when I remembered that the registrar needed my birth certificate.  I had three weeks before the big day, but called him to let him know I was on the case. 

'I am getting my husband's mum to look out his birth certificate, but it might be a few days as she is sending it from NZ'  I said.

Silence.  'Cough...umm is your fiancee from NZ?' asked the tentative registrar.

Me, laughing 'Yes!...did I not tell you?'

Registrar, not laughing 'Do you have the correct visa to marry him?'

Me, not laughing either.  Stomach dropping.  White knuckles tight on the phone. 'No - what visa?  What do you mean?' Nervous laugh.  Ha ha.

Registrar, realising the consequenses.'Umm, you need a visa to get married to someone from NZ.  It usually takes approximately three months to get one issued'

Me, not wanting to hear.  Thinking of solutions, any solution.  Breezily,'Oh, I'm sure there'll be a fast track.  I'll call you back.'

Me, on the phone to the home office.  'Oh.  There is no fast track'.  Silence.  Silent.

But I have a huge dress which is so beautiful!  I have the shoes, the bridesmaids outfits, the location, the booze, the place settings, visitors from NZ.... all the stuff that too me so long to plan.

Boyfriend 'We'll just have to have a party and not a wedding' 

Imagining myself dancing in my wedding dress, not married.  Tragic.  No. No. NO.

Me, calling a humanist.  Not having cried yet, holding it together..  Asking, casully, laughing, explaining.  Can you do a wedding, a non legal wedding, for me, in three weeks time?. ..

The humanist.  Soft voiced, grasping the situation staright away.  'No,' says she 'No.  But I will find someone.  Don't worry.  I'll make sure you get married'.  Me, crying for the first time to a lady I didn't know, but who said she would help and wouldn't stop until everything was ok.  My relief came out in big gulps.

I was found a humanist.  Duncan.  The lovliest and most gentle man who made such an effort and put my mind at ease.

On the day of my wedding only the parents and the official 'witnesses' knew the story.  Duncan did a beautiful wedding and everyone was moved.  We left to sign the registry book.  Except we didn't.  As we were not married.

We were toasted, husband and wife.  Except we weren't.

We got legally married by Duncan, in our living room, approximately one year later.

Still not everyone knows that they attended a wedding which was not real.  It was one of the best days of our lives, and one of the oddest and funniest too.

Easter - Put a sock in it!

Buttons the Rabbit

This little guy is made from socks!  He's an odd easter bunny, but in these days of healthy eating, assuage your guilt as the children's BMI creep higher due to granny and get Buttons the Rabbit to hop on over.


When I first realised what you could achieve with socks, I tried myself.  Three mutant scary monster animals later, I needed something to calm my nerves....Hand made chocolate egg filled with hand made truffles anyone??  These organic eggs are made in Edinburgh and had me floating on a coco cloud, where I could look down and see my odd sock animals from afar...and that was close enough!  I'll leave sock animals to the experts...

For the most divine hand made chocolate: http://www.cocochocolate.co.uk/produce.htm

For funky sock animals visit Peekaboo:

http://www.peekaboogifts4kids.co.uk/Peekaboo-Pets.html

Butterflies, Lavender, and Bears...Picnic time!



If you go down to the woods today, you're sure of a big surprise!  Have a teddy bear picnic with some of the gorgeous crafts I discovered in Midlothian.



Butterflies



The first discovery is a lady called Margaret, who makes Bears out of old blankets.  They are all jointed and beautifully made.  Sadly I can't show any pictures as Mage is not computer savvy.  However she will be at Midlothian Crafters next few fairs so keep your eyes peeled.



Dragonflies

The second is Stable Cottage Glass.  Who knew so many mums at my primary school were so talented?  Fiona makes the most divine, retro and funky stained glass.  Prints of butterflies and spots with ribbons galore makes the end result very moreish.  I have already bought one piece, and have my eye on other bits already!  Fiona has a fast turn around too, so one to keep in mind for last minute pressies.

Last but not least, I found the most heavenly scented soap and lotions, made in the incongrious old mining town of Bonnyrigg, (which is where I grew up!). It is not a place I associate with hand made, naturally sourced ingredients, or with classy, modern packaging, but here it is!  The soap looks like slices of tablet, the lotions looked like whisked cream, and the smells transported me to a spa...

New Babies Galore!

 Spring has definately sprung, and my friends are all having babies.  Along with the all new bairns comes new Baby Birth Print ideas.  I have immortalised one of my sons favourite teddies and Ted is now available by himself, as a Baby Birth Print, as a christening gift block - and in any colour at all, (but predictabley in pink and blue).

I also had a dedication request, which is similar to a christening or a naming ceremony.  I asked for some information from the Pastor and ended up with lots of highly relevant material - aargh.. almost too much.  After many hours in the shed, I finally emerged with a dedication block which I think is gorgeous!

Dedication...it's what you need!

Unique and unusual Mother's day gifts

Mother's Day Gift

Mother's day gifts are funny.  On a quest to find my mum a great mother's day gift, and looking for myself too, I have whittled down my wants to a top five:

1. GraceInk design - Anything from Grace is on my top 5 list.  I managed to get my hands on one of GraceInk designs tea towels.  Too lovely to dry dishes on but a great piece of art. 
2. Organic Anti Ageing Beauty Serum - I need all the help I can get, and the thought of sleeping and wakening to a smooth(er) face sounds pretty good. 
3. Blockart Childrens Quote - Not on the high street but online.  (OK, I can guarantee I'll receive one of these really...!)
4. A pen.  Not just any pen.  Rotring 0.12, which is about £25.  Bah.
5. Slippers from M&S.  Yes, rock and Roll.  Keeps my feet warm in the shed.

What's on your list?

Shabby Chic - or just Shabby?



Shabby Chic - or just shabby?

This chair is old...but not quite old enough.  Bought in the late '60's it is not quite retro enough to have found its second coming.  My parents hung on to these chairs for years, re-upholstering them to match their various room themes.  As you can see, the last colour scheme was pink...and grey.  This was around twenty years ago.  Since then, the stuffing has been flattened to mm thick.  The varnish is peeling off and the upholstery has holes.  I thought I'd fling them out.  Buy some new chairs, which match and look great.  Not too new looking though.  Maybe the kind of chair which has been distressed, which has paint rubbed off to give them that pre-loved lived in look.  Hang on...

My trendy friend previously told me that these chairs were cool and had potential.  She also mentioned casually that if I didn't want them, then she did.  Never one to give away something which someone else wants; I am going to save them.  Sand down, paint up, and re-upholster.  Sounds like lots of work.   

So today is the fist day in my rescue operation.  But the question is: am I wasting my time - or have these chairs got life in them yet?

The dinosaurs are coming!

Yes, the dinosaurs are coming, but not to worry, they are certainly not scary!  Designed for the little guys who know their stegosaurus from their brontosaurus, these nursery art pictures help encourage their imagination and education.

http://www.blockart.co.uk/collections/educational-childrens-art