Marie Barone: I stopped using a recipe years ago. I cook from here. [Marie points at her heart]
Frank Barone: And you nag from here. [Frank motions toward his mouth]
everybody loves raymond
Like good ol' Mrs. Barone, I craft "from here" [pointing to my heart]. I'm not a perfectionist, I don't cut very straight, I usually make a huge mess, I usually start crafting with one goal in mind and end with a completely different finished product! I'm impatient, I'm imperfect. Often this average made crafting comes from sheer excitement and determination that I hardly notice the flaws. Then I'm all done... And notice "Oh, that looks weird" or "Wow, that is very crooked." But when I get in the zone, it's hard to deter me ;)
My first wedding craft (of who knows how many I'll end up with ;) haha) started with an idea, lots and lots of love, and a $2.39 box of 1960 Children's Encyclopedia Britannica's. After lots and lots and even more help from my mama bear and my bridesmaid,
Lydia Jane, we finished a darling, flawed, made-from-here craft.
Bridesmaids books! My wedding theme is yet to be announced on the interwebs, but I'll tell you enough that storybooks play a role in this vision of our wedding ;) I've seen very sweet cards, boxes, gifts and videos brides create to ask their friends to be their bridesmaids. I had this wild idea to make mini storybooks. We cut out pictures from about 10 encyclopedia's and collaged and massaged these babies into being. Each book has a cover:
 |
| becca's cover |
And each book has a title page with me and my friends initials and a brief book dedication.
 |
| elizabeth's title page |
 |
| becca's title page |
 |
| abbie's title page |
 |
| lydia's title page |
 |
| katie's title page |
After the title page each book has an "about us" spread. I wrote a personalized stanza for each girl with pictures to match. I tried my best to make it personal and specific to each bridesmaid ;)
 |
| katie's "about us" page |
 |
| becca's "about us" page |
 |
| lydia's "about us" page |
After the girls read about us, they got to a little spread about me meeting my hunkyhunky dude, who made me laugh a lot and fed me food... which is really why I fell in love with him. I'm pretty sure.
 |
| lydia's "boy meets girl" page |
 |
| elizabeth's "boy meets girl" page |
 |
| courtney's "boy meets girl" page |
 |
| katie's "boy meets girl" page |
The final spread is the announcement of a wedding! With a special request for my very loved friend...
... will she be my bridesmaid?
Mom, Lyd and I had a great time sorting through pretty pictures, cutting out words for a collage, folding card stock and watching a tiny dream take shape into tangible reality.
I love all the colorssss.
The books are stitched together with green thread. Special thank you to mama and Caleb for getting all the sewing supplies and hooking me up with a machine to sew on... Especially after just getting out of the hospital, mom!
These four-inch, four-spread, cardstock books and the joy in making them is but a speck of the love I have for the girls I gave these to. I'm so blessed.
I can't wait to get married with their support, laughter, honesty, help and love. Maybe even a little but of their nagging ;)
