Three Weddings

 

 

If you ever need an extra wedding guest (yeah, because who ever needs MORE people at their wedding?) invite me! I love weddings.  Totally, totally, love them.  My assistant has, in the past, accused me of “loving love” and I suppose she’s right, I do. 

I fell in love young-ish (21 or so) and knew immediately it was love.  We met online so I can’t say it was love at first sight, but at first sound.  One snowy January day when the busses weren’t running and I couldn’t get to our date, I called my now husband and left a message. He had me at “You’ve reached the voicemail…”

I still love the sound of his voice.  And he’s adorable, so that’s a bonus, and it means we make really cute children.  But I digress – I’d marry him all over again, not just because I love him so much, but because I love weddings, too.  The celebration of love and family, pretty dresses, lots of presents, food, cake, wine, dancing… what part of this sounds bad?

So since I can’t go to weddings every weekend, I’ll settle for making wedding gifts.  Recently I made a custom wine tote for one of my mom’s employees, and a former co-worker.  He’s a graphics guy, so of course he had a logo made for the wedding.

For a wedding that happened this past weekend, in Idaho, we first did the ten flasks on the left for the bridesmaids.  Each is a limited edition with our “Pressed” leather with an Idaho applique on the back.  The bride was following the progress on Instagram, and showed her smoke-jumper husband.  He decided to go for a set of woodgrain ones for the groomsmen!

This last piece is a valet tray that I made for a high-school classmate to give one of her friends as a wedding present. She and I hung out in the same circles when we were in school together (and I won’t say how long ago that was) but we weren’t close.  Working with her on this piece gave us a chance to reconnect – we both have small children, and are artists married to non-artists.  She is, of course, across the country from me but smart, creative, baby-loving people are always welcome in my life and I am glad that my work has given us an excuse to reconnect.

xo

c

Weddings and Anniversaries

 

That’s my hubby and me, ca. 2006.  Yesterday was our eight year wedding anniversary.  Can you believe it? I can’t.  He offered to take me out somewhere fancy – I looked at the menu and asked “isn’t there anywhere that takes the Prime/Passport card?”  It’s our dining discount card.  His co-workers don’t believe that (frugal) women like me exist.  Gotta save money on food if you want to keep yourself in cowgirl boots, right?

Anyway, we celebrated by going to a taproom near our house. We started our marriage on a beach in Mexico with 10 of our friends and family in attendance, plus two people we had just met (our photographer and his wife).  I’ve always been a no-frills kind of girl.  Recently I’ve been reading Hippie Homesteaders and realizing just how much of that translates into my work as well. I want things to look good, function better, and last forever. My work, my marriage – it’s the same no-frills functionality for everything.

Most of my wedding thoughts recently, though, have been occupied by other peoples.  This is wedding season, and that means that I am making a lot of monogram flasks for people to give as groomsmen gifts. Sometimes I think the initials are not really initials, but more an abbreviation for a nickname, like the money clip I did years ago that said “PITA” on it.

I’ve also been thinking about bridal party stuff. The pattern above is a new one of mine called “Aurora” – the name was a customer suggestion and she says it is inspired by the castle in Sleeping Beauty. I love that imagery and think it’s so appropriate for a wedding.  After 100 years of sleeping, the prince shows up and the thorns on the castle (that have killed every other suitor, at least in the version I have) shrivel away to let him pass.  These flowers don’t have thorns, but the gears combined with the soft flowers and vines create a feeling of rebirth, fusion of the natural and mechanical (perfect for marriage? maybe – I’m the natural in ours), and a lovely harmony.  I think these sweet clutches would make wonderful bridesmaid gifts, and maybe the larger one for the bride herself.

Those are all my musings for now.  Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

xo

c