This is Long. Oh the Humanity!

Ok so no, no *actual* news yet. My guy did come home from work saying that when he asked his boss, my sort-of-ex-boss, how things were coming along in the 'Miss HipScraps getting back to work department', he said something like 'tell her to expect some good news soon'. So yay? From what I understand, the account my sort-of-boss is taking over is NOT the one I'd be working if I go back as a direct hire. So if the other guy likes me for the other account, I'll be going in direct hire, meaning a raise in pay, and getting benefits (!). if not, I'll just go back to work, as a contractor, like before. Either way is good - I just need to be working.

In other news, I have been plotting and planning for years all the design and details for my second wedding. I am currently divorced, and am engaged to my guy, but I want this time around to be all I hoped for in a wedding, since the last time I got married on my parent's back porch, eight months pregnant, in a red dress and green velvet heels to my clad-in-black groom, by a J.O.P with a tracheotomy...who died shortly after. Omens, much?

In any case, this time around I want the white dress (or off white, whatever...), the fancy cake, the gathering of family and friends, the dancing, the whole shebang. So far, the plan is (in my head) for my guy and I to get hitched fast and dirty by a J.O.P at the courthouse, just his immediate family as witnesses. Then, after some time and money has been saved, I am hoping to book the German American Society's Building (it's purdy) and have a rally lovely vow renewal, with all of the family and firends there to attend, all proper-like.

I've designed the dress already, but although, yes, I *do* sew, this is a wedding dress after all, I want to have it made. I've sketched it a thousand times, but here's a few images of it..here and here , both link to my Facebook, I'm afraid...I can't pull the photos in a decent size, and I don't have them saved anywhere but there.

ANYWAY - the reason I'm on the subject is because I think I may have found the seamstress for the job. I was browsing Etsy when I found her, and I am still not 100% sure I will use her, but all of the customer testimonials are glowing, her work looks good...she may be the one! And she's amazingly affordable! I was bemoaning the fact that i would have to save up a grand or two for a decent dress, but now I may be able to do what I really want to do, which is have one ceremony gown, and a shorter cocktail version for the reception! Squee! Anyway, do have a look at YourFairyTaleWedding and see for yourselves. She also has a website here.

So although there is no date set yet, I am totally a girl right now, with visions of centerpieces and favors and flowers dancing in my head.

Because more and more venues are not allowing rice or confetti or anything to be thrown at the bride and groom anymore, for the bird's sake as well as their cleanup crews', I was actually looking at confetti alternatives when I found the dress shop. I did, later, find the neatest idea that I can make myself and that is inexpensive to use! Ribbon wands! They're basically dowels with satin ribbon/s attached to them that the guests wave maniacally  instead of throwing things at the happy couple. I even saw some with bells on them...so I think i'm going to see how much wooden dowels cost. Satin ribbon isn't too expensive, and I can buy bells in bulk. All I'd need would be ribbon in the right colors, dowels, the bells, jump rings, and teeny little eye head screws, and perhaps a can or two of spray paint and lacquer. The ribbon wands will be fun, pretty, make a nice noise, AND will make great toys to keep kids busy for a few minutes at home after the wedding, or to tease your cat with. Or even to just stick in a vase and look at or wave every now and then at.

Foe those of you curious, or the slightest bit interested, yes, I have picked the colors, and yes,  I have a 'theme'.  the colors are Labradorite and black, and the 'theme' is going to be 'Spiderwebs covered with dew.' Now, before you think, "Oh, how stupidly GOTH...ugh!" I want you to picture those dew-laden webs, the ones you see on a misty morning, perfectly shaped, the soft light that makes it through the low-hanging clouds is shining through the dew, making them appear as if they were carefully placed jewels, the web appearing to be made of silver. THAT's what i'm going after. That soft, pretty thing, not the stark black and slightly scary web that has a crouching insectoid predator lurking at its center, or in the shadows nearby. Nooo. No!

Pretty. Soft. Glowing. Those are the words I want associated with the ceremony. The reception...well that can be a little 'harder'.  Now, don't think that I plan to drape spiderwebs all over everything! This is actually the one of the photos that inspired the whole idea for me, a few years ago:

and also this:

Now, I don't want the decor to look anything like the Victoria's Secret model's wings above, but the photo reminded me that dew covered webs are prety, and that led me to dfoa web search for dewy webs, and that became my inspiration.

Spiderwebs have so much symbolism attached to them, too...they are the wheel of life, the rays of the sun, the starlit sky, the myriad choices we make in life laid out before us, they are a symbol of craft - and as someone who sews it is especially meaningful for me in that manner. I always loved the Greek/Roman mythologies, and the story of Arachne is one of the first I can remember...spiderwebs in dew just seem...right. For me.

I ask my guy often for input on the eventual wedding - he has had a few ideas....for instance he will be getting a groom's cake in the shape of K-9 - the robot dog from Doctor Who and The Sarah Jane Adventures. I am hoping to be able to find black low-top Converse All-Stars for all of the gromsmen - a nod to our love of Doctor Who AND a nod to his dislike of formalwear. Whether or not he gets to wear a German leather war-kilt down the aisle is still under debate. Methinks his family wouldn't really like it.

I found some jewelry once that I thought could replace the men having to wear flowered boutonierres:

And found matching earrings for the bridesmaids:

I even found dresses (for the 'maids) I thought fit the natural theme, but dislike the color:

There is SO much that goes into the planning of a wedding, and I want mine to be lovely. So just a warning to you all for the future: When I can't blog about HipScraps and Gypsy Wraps (yes I changed the name), expect me to blather on about wedding plans or work related whatevers. I'm very much a stream-of-consciousness kind of gal.