Are you wanting to see wedding pictures, or mystified as to why I am still blogging about it a month later?
The fact is, we are only now sorting things out. What with the Chief's mother falling ill and passing away, not to mention the late summer exigencies brought on by college preparations, job hunting, et cetera, we've been unable to keep the updates…up.
Some things about planning/hosting/preparing a wedding made me feel like I was choking, or maybe sinking under a very large wave.
Flowers are lovely, but a bit overwhelming…
I'm glad Rosie liked doing them.
Guest lists make me anxious. I want everyone and I want no one. I wish we could just throw a wedding and magically have everyone appear, or, possibly, stay away (just kidding! I think…).Even thinking about dresses makes me short of breath, and not in a good way. I love clothes as much as the next gal, but only mental gridlock results from visiting that intersection of your dreams, your sewing skills, and the stores.
I mightily enjoyed one little detail, I will admit, and that was making the “whimsical map” (you can Google this phrase and see what you get. It's a thing.).
I hesitated to suggest myself for the job, because some people (*Deirdre**cough*) are much better at this sort of thing, but circumstances (the timing of exams) made me do it.
I wish I had had more time and maybe even a little budget to add color, but wow, this was fun. Now I have ideas on how to make it better — more whimsical and more accurate. I want to do another one!
But what I really love is quilting, and I wanted to show you the quilt I'm making for Rosie and Philip for their wedding present.
I've always loved this quilt that I saw in the December 2006 issue of Country Living magazine:
Through many hours of searching online, as well as importuning a quilting history expert friend to ransack her archives, I have found out that the patch is called Rising Sun. My friend sent me a photocopy of the pattern and I discovered that I have an old book with another version!
Piece of cake, right?
After an initial sigh of relief, reality set in. You know that feeling when you look at the rock face and know you have to climb it? Or when you dump a quart of corn oil on the floor and know that only you can clean it up? You know that sinking feeling? That things are not going to be easy?
These patterns don't work. How do I know? I made test patches, and they went all spirally.
I had to draft my own, using ruler and compass…
Seven hundred little curved pieces later, this is where I am:Almost done with the twelfth patch, which I think will do it (or else I have to make about 8 more, but I think this is good)…and searching for just the right dark yellow for the background…and hopefully the hiatus will give my poor hand a chance to recover, in time for the quilting! And then, on to Nick and Natasha's quilt!
Anonymous says
Wow! I am awed by your quilting.Admiringly, Susan (DE)By the way, what are the light brown somethings around the cake? Coconut? Nuts? They look pretty…and they mystify me.
Leila says
Thanks, Susan! We'll see… :)It was a fabulous carrot cake made by a friend. The richness was not to be believed, and she put a garnish (is it called a garnish in cakes??) of toasted coconut around the middle layers, leaving it off the top because the Lieutenant isn't a fan 🙂
Rosie says
It's toasted coconut – and it was delicious!It was another homemade wedding gift, actually – an incredibly moist, rich, carrot cake (with coconut filling and, of course, cream cheese frosting) made by a (talented and brave) friend of ours.My one regret about the wedding was that I didn't eat enough cake.
skoots1mom says
how beautiful…prayers for the family and their loss.what a wonderful rememberance you gave her!
Anne R Triolo says
Have you chosen Nick and Natasha's quilt pattern yet?? Maybe I should come browse quilt patterns with you…Rosie, I don't know if you were joking about your one regret, but I regret that from my wedding too! I had the bight that John fed me and I think maybe one other and that was it! I never sat down and ate a piece and I wish I'd had about 10!! Maybe you can recreate the cake (smaller of course…or not) and eat more at some point. My mother gets a cake from the bakery where mine came from every so often (baptisms and firt communions) and I make sure to eat LOTS on those occassions!
Anonymous says
Can I ask you a few weddingish questions? Did you have any experience arranging your own flowers? How many arrangements (bouquets, bouts, centerpieces) did you have to make? Did you have the flowers sent via Sam's Club, Costco, etc. and how many days before the wedding did you receive the flowers? So, basically, I am asking for a flower post?I am sorry to hear about your grandmother.-Mary
woolnest says
I like the wedding pictures because looking at them, I don't need to think about my own wedding as we sink deeper and deeper into the boring parts of planning. (And I know just what you mean about guest lists!)-Alice
Sara says
Beautiful wedding and beautiful quilt! I'm learning what you mean about the hands.
Rosie says
Annie – I'm completely serious! The same thing happened to me. I had the bite Philip gave me, and then a few more from the piece they gave us to share, but I got distracted and he ate ALL THE REST. I'm going to ask Maria for the recipe she used, though, so I can recreate it (maybe for our second monthiversary?).Mary – a flower post is on the way! There, I said it. Now I have to do it. (did my mother put you up to this?)
Deirdre says
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Deirdre says
Mommy, you did such a good job on that whimsical map. I could not have done it better. Furthermore, I appreciate you working up the courage to do it, since attempting to get it done in the midst of my other end-of-semester madness would have driven me… well, mad. (Folks – in another life my mom would be an artist. I think of it as one of the things I get to channel for her while she's busy cooking and writing and doing other excellent things.)For those of you who aren't familiar with the "whimsical map" and didn't bother to google it, it was a very little slip of paper included with the invitations to out-of-town guests. Hotel & local info was on the back. It was adorable.
Anonymous says
Thanks, Leila and Rosie!I regret not eating more cake from MY wedding! I had the same experience — ate a few bites and WASN'T HUNGRY right then. Then I had perhaps a slightly different experience that someone (not sure who, but I have a suspicion — someone I love VERY, VERY much (not my hubby)) put our "top layer" into a deep freeze without wrapping or covering it in any way! The lady who owned the freezer came back from her little vacation, said, "This is ruined with freezer burn," and threw it out.WAAAAAHHH!!Seriously, I, too, am very sorry about your loss.I love your blog. Is the carrot cake recipe top secret, or can you post it when you get it or tell us where to find the recipe?Susan (DE)
Anonymous says
Oooh. I don't mean I DON'T love my sweet husband! I just mean he wasn't the one who put the cake in the freezer!! Honest!Susan
Leila says
Susan, you are so funny! We know you mean he didn't goof. What groom would even think about putting anything away!!I think I have the recipe somewhere. I will try to dig it up!
Anonymous says
Hi, this is Anonymous Mary.I am not crafty… but I am not breaking the bank for fancy centerpieces at a reception. No way, no how!When all of your wedding hoopla calms down, I'd love your flower post. Our wedding is planned for March 2010, so there is no rush. PS-Your mom did not put me up to asking.
patches of me says
Great wedding photo's, but my very favorite is the one of the bride and groom cutting the cake. Bride is wide eyed, proud pappa and Leila, the expression of your hands is definitely a Norman Rockwell painting in the making. Great job by the photographer! If I knew you all better I would have to frame this picture for display. I love it! I collect Rockwell, btw. 🙂