It's been a really hectic couple of weeks work wise which, had I been more into the swing of things - i.e. hadn't returned after a two month absence only a few weeks ago, probably wouldn't have thrown me quite as much as it has done. But the past 2 weeks has been spent working pretty much most evenings (certainly for the past week and a half) and last weekend was spent on a course which I really loved but wasn't the best timing. I won't go into the utter tedium of what I've been so stressed out and frantic about, suffice to say that it's all over now and all worked out in the end. It did leave me wondering if all of the stress and worrying was necessary or if it would have gone OK without my flapping and I suspect it probably would have!
And the worst of it was that during that time I didn't have the brain space to be creative at all. OK, I made some cupcakes and some wedding party invitations but all that really involved was sticking some sequins on the cards. I really didn't have the urge to make anything and that's really not like me. Even on the evenings when I'd put my work away and was trying to chill, I couldn't be bothered even picking up my knitting needles or getting the sewing machine out. My creative juices had run dry.
And then Wednesday came along and Wednesday was D day at work. As I've mentioned, it all went well but that wasn't really what changed (OK I was relieved to get it over and done with so I could stop worrying so much.) Cole has been taking violin lessons at school and whilst he's only a beginner he's really enjoying playing. But on Wednesday the music teacher had arranged for some of them to take part in a concert at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester so along we went in the torrential rain and sat through the most beautiful concert I think I've ever been too. Not only was it a real treat to see my little boy concentrating so hard and playing his little heart out, but all of the other kids were fantastic too. And sitting there, listening to the music started my brain a whirring and by the time I came out, I had ideas for about 6 crafty projects.
But I need some honest opinions. Because the first project was the dress I'm going to wear to our wedding party. Now, it all started quite innocently - I was going to wear a yellow and black dress I'd bought in Anthropologie (my favourite shop in the world bar none) when I was in the States. But then a friend was asking me what I'm going to do with my wedding dress because I'd said that I really couldn't imagine wearing it again as it was. After all, it's a white strapless sundress which was perfect for the heat of Vegas but just isn't very suitable for the British climate. I mean, it rains here a lot and even when it's sunny, it's rarely hot enough to wear strapless white sundresses. Besides, I've got pasty celtic skin - white really isn't my colour. So my friend she said, 'knowing you, you'll probably dye it and stick a flower on it and it'll look like something out of Sex and the City' And that sowed a seed in my brain that's obviously been germinating for the past few weeks.
So I've been working on my wedding dress for the past few evenings and I love how it's turned out. But there's a fantastic line that Tim Gunn said to Chris in the last season of Project Runway. It was along the lines of: When you first go into the monkey house, you're overwhelmed by the terrible stink of the place. But after a while, you get accustomed to it and you don't smell it any more. But when somebody new comes into the monkey house, they are overwhelmed by the stink...You've grown so accustomed to it that you've lost the ability to smell it.
I think Tim was telling this story to Chris to try and convince him that using real human hair in his designs was maybe not such a good idea. And lets face it, he probably had a point! So in the context of radically altering my wedding dress, what i really need you to tell me is, have I spent too long in the monkey house?
I wanted to turn it into a little black dress but as I don't really suit black I went for a little navy dress instead. I love the shape of the dress and am really pleased with how it looks in it's new colour (God bless Dylon machine dye) and wanted to add some glamour too it.
So I was experimenting with making satin flower petals and decided to sew a load on them in a sort of flowing river shape down one side of the skirt. And I really liked the idea of having a red belt, which I think just goes really well with the cream flowers and navy fabric of the dress. And I'm 90% pleased with it - I need to play around with the formation of the flowers, but otherwise I'm really pleased with it. Only...
It's a party to celebrate my wedding and I don't want to be looking back at pictures in years to come thinking, 'why didn't somebody stop me from wearing that dress?' I like it now and I really love the idea of refashioning my wedding dress into something special that I can wear again. Only, is it 'special' in that self indulgent kind of way, or is it actually nice?
I've been in the monkey house too long - I don't know if it stinks!
So you're opinions would be really gratefully received. Please be as honest as you like - the last thing I want is to go to our party and just look a bit odd, or eccentric! I want to look beautiful and stylish - not 'ah bless, she made that herself!'
I'm not going to see my girl friends in person until next weekend so you guys are my first port of call. I have completely lost perspective on it - please help!
Jo x
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