Entries Tagged as: wedding
Read and Regroup
October 22nd, 2007, Comments (7)
So, despite my best intentions, I did not have a very productive week. Tammy kindly asked what silly parental tapes I have playing in my head that say I should be cleaning and getting back to work right after my wedding after working so hard leading up to it. Well, I kinda wish I'd just reveled in a week of relaxation instead of feeling slightly guilty about it because I was exhausted and did little, but rest and read. My brain said, "get to work!" But the rest of me, plopped down on the couch and squarely refused to budge. Looking back, I know I needed it. My introverted being was on pure overload after all the social time, the anticipation and lack of sleep leading up to the big day. So, I'm glad I got some rest and I'm feeling refreshed and also a little anxious about all there is to do. Baby steps. Deep breaths.
One of the wonderful things I did last week was to read for fun. On Monday, while dropping off our marriage license and doing errands in town, the hubster (testing this out on whim) and I stopped in a cute local bookstore and we picked out a few fun reads. I devoured both of mine during the week, first reading A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore and then The Devil, The Lovers and Me by Kimberlee Auerbach. Both fun, frivolous reads and I enjoyed them both, but I absolutely adored Christopher Moore's book. I love his twisted sense of humor and wacky characters. It's a story about a man, who discovers that he's "Death" and while the story may not be for everyone, it was so up my alley. I think my favorite book by Moore may still be Lamb, but this one comes in for a close second. I think I need to read some more now. If you've read any Moore and like the weird sense of humor and wacky stories, check out books by Tom Robbins (I've read them all) and also Fool on the Hill by Matt Ruff are awesome reads. The second book, by Auerbach, was something I saw first at the library and started to read it there. It's a quick read, non-fiction, about a woman's experience with a tarot card reading (each card leads to flashbacks about her life). I find the tarot fascinating, so it was a fun way to read about another woman's journey and learn more about the meaning behind some of the cards. And oh, it was just good fun to devote long, drawn out periods to reading some page-turners.
Hey, I actually made some art this weekend! I've been doodling in my sketchbooks like crazy, sketching my kitties and my dream studio space and mermaids. This weekend I pulled out some watercolor paper and worked with caran d'ache and later just pen to make some whimsical drawings. It's too late to be taking pictures, so those will have to come later. And oh, my office/studio looks like a tornado/tsunami/earthquake rolled through it. It's frightening. So, I've got to attend to that tomorrow as well. At least so I can see the floor again. Oy. I'm feeling a major cleaning/purging coming on and woah nelly, is it time for it. I started my rampage in the bedroom today in a corner that had been taken over by wedding magazines and registry info and random books and paper and shoes and oh dear, it was scary (and dusty!) I'm amazed how long it took to conquer this one corner, so the office project may be a very long, ongoing one, but now that the wedding is over, I'm ready to begin. And seeing that corner all clean was quite satisfying.
Well, the wedding planning is over, but I'm still sorting through and dealing with the remnants of it...wedding cards, and supplies from the day, crafting tools scattered over the apartment, leftover programs, and two suitcases full of clothing that I haven't touched yet. I guess that's why I haven't opened the other gifts yet. We still have wedding presents, that were sent to my mom's (due to lack of space here), to go open and loads of thank you notes to write, but it's all good. Gotta try to tackle it one piece at a time. Life is wonderful. Gotta try not to stress myself out over details.
Oh and the Red Sox are going to the World Series! Again! Woohoo!
Art Every Day Month – Coming Soon!
October 17th, 2007, Comments (39)
It's amazing to me how fast this year has flown by! I'm a bit flabbergasted by the fact that 2007 is quickly coming to a close. Eeks! And with this, we are quickly approaching the 5th year of Art Every Day Month. I started out this project five years ago as a challenge to myself to create some art every day for one month and post it on my blog. I was inspired by Nanowrimo and wanted to do something similar with art. and thus Art Every Day Month was born. Posting my art on the blog every day helped to keep me accountable and it was fun to share my creations. The following year, I invited people to join in with me and each year since I've had great groups of creative people committing themselves to more creativity for the month of November with me. I've met some fantabulous people through AEDM and I'm thrilled to have anyone who is interested, join in this year!
I keep the rules for AEDM really simple and very loose. I encourage people to make something every day, but my goal is to foster more creativity, so if you make just one piece of art per week or just one for the whole month, that's fine with me. The idea is to bring more creativity into your life, not to make you feel overwhelmed, pressured or guilt-stricken. Art is also loosely defined here. I mean art in the sense of anything creative, whether that be painting, drawing, knitting, sewing, cooking, decorating, photography, clay, jewelry-making or whatever! Because my focus is on mixed media art, I tend to work on drawing, painting, and collage and I challenge myself complete a piece of art or do some work on a larger piece every day and post an image of what I'm working on on my blog. You can see what I've worked on in past years by checking out the photo albums I have in the left-hand column of this blog. I'll start a new one for this year on November 1st. I'll also keep a list of bloggers participating this year in my sidebar, so that you can check in on what others are up to. And if there's an interest, I can also set up a flickr group for people to post their art for the day in a common space.
If you've already commented that you're interested in participating, thanks! I'll post all the links at the beginning of the month. If you've decided to join in, then leave a comment or pop me an email and let me know.
I'm still unwinding from wedding madness. I used the word husband in public for the first time today which nearly made me giggle. Heh. I need to come with a good name to replace fiansor now. I've been playing around with "hubba-bubba" in person, but that feels a little long. Hmm, maybe the hub-bub or the h.b.. Oh, I don't know. It'll come to me. 
Some non-pro pics of wedding bliss
October 16th, 2007, Comments (46)
What a whirlwind this weekend was! And it was truly lovely. I'm super excited to see the professional pics, but in the meantime here are some pics from friends and family. Enjoy!
We’re Married!
October 14th, 2007, Comments (22)
It was beautiful, wonderful, romantic, amazing, everything I could have asked for and more. Enjoying our mini-moon now, I'll be back during the week with updates and maybe some pics!
Wellness Wednesday: Drink in the Love
October 11th, 2007, Comments (17)
I'm getting married in less than 48 hours. Eeeeeee! I'm wired and tired and very excited. Everything that's going to get done is done. I dropped off all sorts of stuff at the wedding venue today...programs and seating charts and guest books, oh my! I'll be away for the weekend, but back shortly thereafter as our honeymoon is slightly delayed because of a big business deal that could lead to very exciting things for the fiansor and I.
I've been so very busy tying up wedding stuff that I've hardly had room for anything else. I'm looking forward to being able to visit your blogs more regularly! If I owe you an email, I apologize. I'll get back to you as soon as I can.
So, today is Thursday, although I thought it was Wednesday for awhile there, so here's my slightly delayed Wellness Wednesday thoughts:
I got some good advice regarding my wedding recently. My best friend told me that I was going to be told all day long how beautiful I am, how amazing and glowy and all that. And she advised that instead of cringing or shrugging it off like I might feel inclined to do, that I should just take it all in; just drink up all the praise and love.
It's odd how difficult it can sometimes feel to accept, to receive praise and love and compliments. I know I have this issue and over time I've been learning how to take praise with a simple thank you, instead of responding with a dis-qualifier. For example, if someone says, "Wow, love those pants!" Instead of saying, "Oh, thanks. I should have had them tailored. They're way too long.", just say, "Thank you!" Or , if someone says, "I love that new painting!" instead of saying "Really? I'm not sure it's done. I could have done better.", just say, "Thanks so much!" Practice accepting love in all the forms it comes your way. Let it fill you up and see how wonderful it can make you feel when you stop trying to push it away. See what happens when the love stops bouncing off of you and starts sinking into your pours, lifting your spirits and storing itself away for rainy days.
So, in a couple days, when I'm all prettied up and glowing with happiness after our ceremony and people start showering me with love, I'm going to smile and say "Thank you, thank you!"
Wellness Wednesday – Self-Care for the Stressed
October 3rd, 2007, Comments (9)
O dear, wedding stuff has taken over and I'm afraid I may be scarce for awhile. All the little details that can't be done til the last minute are coming upon me and oh my, it's overwhelming! I'm staying fairly calm although I've had a few moments. Nothing bridezilla-ish or anything, just moments of feeling overly anxious and stressed. My cat Sadie got violently ill on Sunday night. I thought she was dying and it was extremely upsetting. She's fine now, but it was a tough night with not much sleeping going on.
So, I think for Wellness Wednesday, I'll talk about those things that have helped me stay calm or get back to calm when I've got something big coming up. I tend to get very anxious before big events whether that be a big party or the first day of school. My whole body reacts. In my mind, I don't necessarily think I'm stressed, but my body will show it through trouble sleeping, increased sensitivity, stomach problems, headaches, etc...Over the years, I've learned ways to not necessarily stop the anxiety all together, but ways to make it easier or less extreme. Here are some of the things I do. Maybe it will help you too!
1. Avoid greasy foods. If I'm stressed, my stomach is too and greasy/oily foods can make it much worse.
2. Cut way back, if not completely, on caffeine. Caffeine is an upper and if you're already anxious, caffeine will only aggravate that. Not to mention it will make sleeping more difficult.
3. Take time for something fun and relaxing. When I feel overwhelmed, I sometimes feel like I can't take time for myself because there's so much to do. But I'll end up getting little done if I don't take some time out for relaxation. Today I had my first pedicure ever! I went with my best friend and it was wonderful. What a treat! We had a little foot bath and moisturizer and massage chairs. I felt so pampered! I definitely needed that.
4. Move and stretch. When I get tense, my muscles get tense. It's important for me to get some kind of exercise whether that be at the gym, or a walk, or even just taking time out to do some yoga stretches during the day. Or dancing around.
5. Ask for help. I have a do it yourself attitude about things, but I've learned that it's essential to turn to those I love for help sometimes. They usually are happy to help too.
6. Do something creative! A wonderful release, creative play is so important!
Speaking of creativity, November is right around the corner and this will be the 5th year of Art-everyday-month!! I do this every year, a commitment to being creative (in whatever form that may be) for every day in the month of November. I welcome anyone who'd like to participate. It's a very easy going group with the goal of simply bringing more creativity into our lives and to meet some other creative folks along the way (I've met some of the most wonderful people through art everyday month!) If you'd like to participate, send along an email or comment and let me know. I'll write a bigger post about this soon.
And now, I've got to get back to work. Toodaloo!
Mawage, Sweet Mawage…
September 25th, 2007, Comments (6)
In all this wedding mania, sometimes it's easy to forget why I'm making myself so crazy over what is essentially a big party. So why this big, romantic, event? Why the public declaration? Why the fuss and muss? I hope this helps to explain.
I'm not the mushiest person you'll ever meet (except when it comes to babies (human babies, kittens, puppies, etc...). I'm not quick to shower a person with compliments or dole out hugs with abandon. It's just not how I was raised. It's not that I don't care, it's simply through my life experiences I've learned that it was safer to keep one's emotions tucked away, to remain calm and neutral. I've had to learn and practice how to be more outwardly affectionate, to express my gratitude and love. I learned much of this from the fiansor. And sometimes it's not so much that I've learned from him, but that he's encouraged me to grow.
I met the fiansor over six years ago. I was looking for a room to rent and he was looking for a roommate for his apartment. I answered his roommate ad online and we talked on the phone. I'll never forget that first conversation. I remember where I was and what we talked about. I remember how we instantly clicked, how our sense of humor matched up, and how we both laughed easily. I didn't take the room, but a month later he sent me an instant message saying that he was sorry I didn't take the room. We started talking and talking online for hours and then on the phone for longer and then he asked me out for drinks. On our first date we sat in a cute little pub and drank kamikaze shots (of all things) and talked. Then he sat with me for at least an hour outside while I sobered up. Among the highlights of our second date, were our first kiss and a long walk and talk that I totally loved. We held hands walking down a city street and he told me about his dreams and goals and I was hooked. On top of all that he loved my cats and had a cat of his own and he had the most beautiful eyes.
We've come a long way from where we started. There were times when things got rocky, but I know we're more in love and stronger all the time. The fiansor is a wellspring of creativity. He has encouraged me to see my weaknesses as strengths and to expand the idea of what I think is possible. From me he's learned more patience and a quieter way of communicating (not everyone likes to talk as loud as they do in NYC!) Together we work at understanding each other. We're both quite different and have enjoyed learning more about what makes the other tick. We've even read books (or he's read pieces of them and I share highlights of the rest, as he can't sit still for long!) about introversion and extroversion and Myers-Briggs. The more we understand about each other the better we are as people and as a couple, much like Megan has written about recently. We're a work in progress and that's a beautiful thing. Being engaged has really hit home the sense that we're a team now and we've really grown in the last year and a half in learning how to work together as a unit, to look out for each other, and move forward together.
So, all that to say, that despite my various bursts of excitement about wedding shoes or complaints about rsvp's, we're both still taking time to remember what this nuttiness is all about, our commitment to each other, a celebration of our love, and the beginning of a new family. And I'm just thrilled to pieces about it.
Above: The fiansor and I at the end of my bridal shower when he came to make an appearance and got to check out the cowgirl hat and bouquet decorated with ribbons from my gifts by my talented sister-in-law. Hehe. Oh, and by the way, I was careful to only break two ribbons, so only two kids for me! 
More wedding updates
September 25th, 2007, Comments (2)
At the end of the weekend, I felt drained, exhausted, and low, but I'm doing my darndest to lift my spirits. I took a nap when I got home yesterday, I've been drinking lots of water, eating healthy, and doing yoga and it seems to be helping. That and some time spent with the best friend was essential in brightening my draggy mood.
Worked on some computer stuff this morning and early afternoon and then headed off to meet the best friend and her cute lil baby and we drove up to New Hampshire, hoping to stop by the gallery in Portsmouth, but traffic was icky and we had to go straight to my fitting appointment at the dress shop. Best friend was there to see how the bustle would tie up and oh my, it looks so beautiful. I felt so beautiful in my dress. I was all grungy in jeans and beat up shoes when I got there and in a few short minutes I was transformed. Amazing. I was so excited. The best friend got a quick shot of the bustle with her phone and I would post it, but I don't want the fiansor to see! The seamstress there totally rocks. She's super sweet and she's done an amazing job with the dress. It fits like a glove and I'm so pleased.
I'm also thrilled with the sample necklaces that Maria of Believe Street sent me. I picked them up from the post office today and took them with me so I could show the best friend. It was really hard to choose our favorite one, but I think we have. Now I just need to check with my sister and see if she wants the same one or something different. We took them out at the bridal shop and all the women working there were oohing and ahhing over them. I even wrote out her website address on a piece of paper for them! I hope it leads to some sales, Maria!
Last minute r.s.v.p.'s are coming in and I'm about to delegate to parents a list of people to call who haven't sent theirs in. Our favors arrived in the mail today. I went with the Maple Trees in a box. They're super precious in person and come all boxed up in a pretty little package and ready to go. I could put a sticker on them or something with our names, but eh, not important. I love this company because they provide loads of great information about trees and part of the proceeds of the purchase goes towards planting trees. And if people are able to plant the trees outdoors, what a wonderful way to remember us!
Tomorrow we meet with the venue to hammer out details, Wednesday another hair trial, Thursday a meeting with the photographer, Saturday is my bachelorette party (we're going to paint pottery! yay!) Busy, busy. But I'm feeling excited again. Little moody? Yeah, but I'm ready and all the pieces are falling into place. Looking forward to fitting in some art making this week as I think it would be good for me. We shall see what comes out. Maybe just doodles, maybe more.
Smile, smile, Weddings, Smile Some More
September 22nd, 2007, Comments (4)
My little brother got married yesterday. Very sweet. Things went wrong as they do (my brother had an infected tooth and couldn't eat), but everything was beautiful and lovely. And now I'm tired and I have another wedding to go to. I'm so wedding-ed out!
My own wedding stuff is kicking in to high gear now. Lots of meetings and such this week to attend to. And I only got asked about five thousand times last night if I'm ready, excited, nervous, etc...I'm definitely ready already. Excited? Well, maybe when it gets a little closer. (Like someone I know who happens to be getting married today (good luck sweetie!) my mother is excited enough for the both of us, plus a million more. oy.) Nervous? Sure, but mostly about little stuff. Anxious, yes, but not too much yet. Oh, I so wish I was cuddled up with my kitties right now instead of putting on a pair of heels. Damn you heels!
Art and cats…what could be better??
September 18th, 2007, Comments (14)
I started this piece awhile ago and then I finished it up in Maine. It's 8"x8" with collage, paint, caran d'ache, and bronze powdered pigment. And I'm calling it, "The Key to These Roots." The roots and the bird came in towards the end and I'm liking them.
All in all, I'm keeping my sanity in the midst of weddingy stuff. I'm not being as good about food and exercise as I'd like, so I'm not going to be the most svelte I've ever been for my wedding. Ah well. I suppose it's better that I don't look the best I'll ever look in my wedding photos, so I don't have to worry about it all going downhill after that and never being that skinny or beautiful again. Geez, lovely the way my mind is working, eh? I'm being generally healthy and exercising here and there, had a great yoga session yesterday. So, I won't beat myself up and I'll just keep doing what I'm doing. I can't seem to motivate myself to be the most fit girl ever for my wedding. 10 years ago, I would have been totally obsessed about this, but today, well, I want to look my best, I want to be healthy, but I'm not going to kill myself over it either. I've got a lot of other wonderful things to attend to.
Helping to keep me grounded are my adorable kitties. With the weather getting a little cooler, they're ridiculously snuggly with me and with each other. Ack, the cuteness! Can't resist!
I've added a new print and a new piece of art to my store and wrote about it all on the Blue Tree Blog, so go check it out!
