Progess

So busy these days!  It seems I have a month's worth of work to do and only 18 days to do it all.  Sigh.  Still, I am getting alot done.

The huppah is almost finished:

The hebrew scroll is finished and has been basted to the main pannel.  I now have to attach cord to the rim of the scroll and finish the lettering on the bottom of the pannel.  Then its attaching the thick canvas borders (for signing!) and the batting/backing then it'll be done.  Really done!

Next on the list:  the programs!  I've finished the first stage of our Program/CD wedding gift - inserting eyelets into the spine of the paperboard CD cases.  I've also completed the image for the front of the program, which is being made into a stamp as we speak.  Next up- embossing the stamp image onto each program...one by one. 

I've also nearly completed my veil/headpeice. 

I'm 95% done with this little puppy.  In fact, I'm hoping to finish it up tonight (while watching the season premeire of HEROES of course).  Once it's all finished, I'll post it!

Back to work.

The Huppah Sage Continues

Been a while since I showed you any progress on the huppah.
Getting Closer......Good news! I found the backing fabric for the huppah. I had it the whole time! So that saves me a pretty penny. Whew.

I've been thinking of creative guestbook alternatives for a few weeks now. Mom said people don't really look at their own guestbooks very often and that having something for people to sign that we can display would be a more meaningful alternative. Signed picture frames are a little too common for the likes of Tay and I. How about signing the huppah? I've been thinking of sewing a sturdy canvas-like border around the main huppah panel that would signable, but thick enough so that ink wouldn't seep through to the backing. I did some poking around today and spied out some grey canvas at a fabric store that would work. I think we could probably display it before the ceremony on the gift table where people could sign it as they enter, use it during the wedding, then lay it out again at the reception so it can continue to collect signatures.

What do you think?

So Much Done, So Much Advil Needed.

A little sneeky peeky at the invites.....
But thats all you get.

I've also been making some sweet progress on the huppah, all the leaves finished and onto the lettering:

Also....

I HAVE A WEDDING DRESS.

You know, no biggie, or whatever. Except for ITS PERFECT. It fits like a glove, it looks like a dream, and it feels like heaven. Blissful sigh. What's that? A picture? Of my dress? Well...OK!

Not! Just the box, today, not the dress. Sillies. You didn't really think I'd post my dress before the wedding did you? You're so cute.

Progress, Sweet Progress

Despite my absence, I really have been working on projects. And to prove it here's a wrap up of what I've accomplished this past week:

Huppah

I was right...this will take quite a while to finish. It took a week and a half to get the first leaf done. That's a long time. However, now that I have the embroidery game plan down, it shouldn't take nearly as long to get the second one done. I'm using a stem stitch all along the edge of the leaf and inside as well for the separate leaves.

I have just basted the second leaf on the front and interfacing on the back. Without the interfacing, the stitches would pull. Pulling=crappy result. These two leaf bunches are the largest pieces to embroider. After I get these down, its a bunch of small letters and leaf bunches. My goal is to have the second leaf bunch done by next Wednesday. We'll see!

Head Piece

I came across this several weeks ago on Ban.do's site.

Isn't it sweet? Just silk leaves, feathers and a broach. I wanted to have something similar (and cheaper) for the wedding. I compiled velvet leaves, silver and dark grey, grey Russian veiling, some stiff felt, grey and blue hackle feathers and thread.

I began by making a felt pad to sew the feathers and leaves to. I cut it into a tear drop shape, though any shape would work depending on what you want the end result to be. Then I pinned on the leaves, moving them around until I found the look I wanted. I went for the general idea of the inspirational picture- sort of random looking. Here's the first layer of leaves being sewn in:

I sewed the leaves in several layers, making sure to leave space around the sides to allow for the addition of feathers later. Here's a few more layers:

The base of the head piece is all done now. Yes! I still need to decide what to do with it. How to put the feathers on, how to attach the veil, put it on a clip or head band, etc. Once I figure all that out I'll let you know! Here are a few feather options:

More projects to come.

There's been a serious lull in blog comments. I miss the feedback. Feel free to post your comments, well wishes and advice!

The Chuppah Begins

With four months and one day until the wedding, I've started our chuppah (read: "huppah") fabric. Technically, the Tallit, or prayer shawl goes on top of the Chuppha, but since we don't have one just, you know, lying around, I'm making one.

For those of you who don't know what a Chuppah, or huppah is, its a Jewish wedding tradition. It consists of four poles topped with the tallit or some other cloth of meaning. I'm not 100% on this, but I believe the chuppah poles are held by the groom's family. The symbolism is wonderful. If you want the whole skinny, read my first post about it here.

I've been searching for meaningful symbols to put on the Chuppah cloth for a while. I stumbled on this while looking up quilting stencils:

It's the most important Sh'ma, or prayer in Judaism. In doing some of these more nontraditional ideas in our wedding, Tay and I are hoping to take the glory of the ceremony away from us and put it back on G-d. I think using this sh'ma as our Chuppah topper is a great way to work toward that goal. Plus, it's beautiful, isn't it? I've created a design around it that will incorporate our parents and wedding party as well. There will be scroll work around the sh'ma where they can write down scriptures and words of encouragement- Tay's idea.

I have a few pictures of the first leaves being embroidered.

.....This is going to take a while.

A little cultural flavor

Via Wikipedia: "The word chuppah originally appears in the Hebrew Bible (Joel 2:16; Psalms 19:5). The chuppah represents a Jewish home symbolized by the cloth canopy and the four poles. Just as a chuppah is open on all four sides, so was the tent of Abraham open for hospitality. Thus, the chuppah represents hospitality to one's guests. This "home" initially lacks furniture as a reminder that the basis of a Jewish home is the people within it, not the possessions."



Tay and I are thinking of making our own Huppah to say our vows under, not only because we want to incorporate lots of non traditional (At least, to us) ideas into our ceremony, but for the awesome reasons in the above wiki-article. We both hold the idea of Christianity as community very close to our hearts. We would like our hearts and therefore our home to always be open to everyone, i.e. the four open walls. We are also embracing the idea of being "stuff-less" or lacking. That is stripping ourselves of unwanted/un-needed possessions and wealth in order to depend on God more.


The question is...how do we go about making one? Research to come.