My aunt and cousin threw me a wonderful shower this weekend. It’s so
strange to be the guest of honor, but I must admit I loved it. And they
played to all my weeknesses: little green touches everywhere, candy on
the table, yummy sweets, loud fun family, and presents! Sciarrino
snapped some of me opening them.


I got lots of wonderful and unique things for my home that I can’t wait to use. But one thing was my absolute favorite gift, and that was from my great Aunt Mary.


It was a rug made by my great grandma Stewart on my mom’s side, her grandma. It  was one of the last ones she made. She was a woman after my own heart, and even when it got to hard for her to go thrifting she’d instruct her daughters (my grandma and her twin) to bring her cotton fabric when ever they found it. She’d then make the strips and do the braiding. My auntie Mary also gave me a framed picture of me and my great grandma from her 80th birthday party. I was only eight. It’s the first picture I have of her. The gift made me tear up, but in a great happy kind of way. I was lucky enough to receive other family heirlooms which mean so much to me. Also lots of fun? Getting to see the little baby Meg.


Everyone took turns keeping her entertained and she was quite a good baby, even when we did silly things like put ribbons on her very bald head. She’s my cousin Jen’s baby, remember her? I love her concerned "I can’t believe I was born into this family look." So funny. Of course we had to get out my aunt’s wedding pictures from 29 years ago:


That’s her and my mom on the right. They look so young, and they were, my aunt was only 19. But so pretty in her $27 dollar dress her friend made her (that’s dress and veil!). But the boys just look silly in those frilly tuxes. Really fun to look at, it makes me glad we spent the extra money to have a book made of our favorite photos. I had to get out my binder and show the ladies all my details:


Do you love my silly little outfit my cousin made me wear? I even had a wand! Mmmmm those jelly belly’s look good, but I have my first dress fitting in less than two weeks! And finally the family pictures:


Baby Megan


Me and auntie Eileen, my grandma’s twin.


Mom, me and the baby. We always compete for maximum baby hold time.


My great aunt Mary and grandma had already left, but can you believe I got everyone outside. It was pleas of natural light that did it. Thank you all, I loved it!

I actually scrapbooked! A little something I started at Sue’s crop. This little spiral is going to keep track of my bridal showers. It has places for guests, gifts, quotes, and pictures. I can’t wait for my first shower tomorrow!

Today I woke up and finished with the whole postage stamp thing. I really hope the people we did special combinations for "get it." To answer a question: To find a place where you can get awesome stamps go to the American Philatelic Society and look for your local branch.  I found a local club through this site and contacted the president. He contacted me right away with lots of helpful information. Anyway that part is all done (though I think I will continue to use these awesome stamps on all my letters from now on). So I worked on that, did Ribbon Jar business, and set out to Portland to do a mock table at the reception venue. I picked the most awesome color table cloth ever (seriously it rocks). I can’t wait to see the whole room done up. Then it was off to pick out a tux. If your in the Portland area I really recommend this place. They have the exact white tie I wanted from the Martha Stewart Winter 2001 Wedding issue… for $95!!! And that includes shoes, suspenders, vest, shirt, pants, jacket with tales, everything. Sweet. Plus since no one ever orders this type of material she getting all new shirts for the guys (Cotton pique, I’m a natural fiber girl, what can I say?). Then I rushed home to the invitation madness!


Oh man do I love my invitations. It’s so hard because I love paper, and type and design, and I knew I was only going to have one shot at this and Sciarrino nailed it. They are divine. The RSVP card is letterpress and the rest is done with a printing press here in Salem. The difference between this and say a laser, is that a plate is actually made, and then one specific ink is used (for us a very understated metallic green) instead of a combination of colors to get one shade. There is no better way to get the blackest black. It is oh so heavenly. We were about to be talked out of our font because it’s got such thin lines, that it was hard to read on the laser proofs, but on press? SWOON.


This basket is the result of: ripping, slicing, inserting, sewing, stuffing, licking, and twisting. Times 141.