Jessica & Jeremy: April 2010

This week has been HUGE for our family. As of yesterday at 4:00 p.m., Jeremy and I became official homeowners! Yes, we are true grown-ups with a mortgage and a bean and weenie diet. It's been pretty exciting. But, to be honest, it doesn't quite feel real. You see, I am also in the middle of finals which means that our apartment is no where near packed. I'm talking about a room full of empty boxes. Thankfully, we have a month before we move in and I have a feeling it will become real at that point. :-) I can't wait!

Oh, and on an exciting side note. Apparently, my favorite Mexican restaurant in town heard of the Johnson Family move and they could not stand the thought of losing their most loyal and sweetest customer. Today, they so kindly announced to the rest of the world that they decided to open up another location just a mile down the road from our new home! Can you believe it?! They are fighting to keep my affection. No worries, Margaritas. You've won my heart.

On a side note: Sorry this post is a week late. I have sadly been sick with a stomach bug, lost 7 lbs, and am just now getting to a point where solid food brings me happy thoughts. I just didn't want you to think I was slacking on purpose.. now on to the blog!

I am obsessed with the bird cage veil. And I've got it bad.

photography by Jessica Claire

For over two months, I have drooled, dreamed, and thought about little else than this cute little veil. It has caused me to beg Jeremy to renew our vows, to spend hours looking at the wedding photographs of others, and pretty much made my friends' insane as I have begged them to wear one at their upcoming nuptials. I don't know what it is. Maybe it's that it is so unconventional. Maybe I have a need to relive the moment of bridal bliss over and over. Or maybe it's just the greatest fashion trend since the empire waist. Either way I couldn't let it go. Thankfully, one of my friends gets me and helps me see my dreams come true.

Yes, Kim. She loves DIY projects. So when I wouldn't shut up about the adorable, perfect veil, she casually said, "Well, why don't we make you one." WHAT??!! You mean, I don't have to be getting married to wear one??? You mean, I could wear it whenever I wanted? And I could have it, like, now?

Well, this conversation would lead to one of the weirdest and funniest nights of our friendship.

We started around 7 p.m. and as with any DIY projects, we decided to start at Hobby Lobby. Our list of items needed included the veil material, feathers, some sort of embellishment... we were going to wing the rest. How hard could that be??

Well... I'm a little indecisive...

Hobby Lobby had more feathers than a drag queen performing in a burlesque show in Vegas... in all kinds of colors... and shapes... and sizes... and.. and.. and.....

Sorry just thinking about it reminded me of the panic attack I almost had in the middle of the store...

Where were we?

Yes, well, we did decided to keep the veil simple so that I could wear it with a number of outfits. And we decided not to do white so that the veil didn't scream "bride want-to-be." You know, I can't make Jeremy thinking we are renewing our vows anytime soon... although we could... if he wanted... then, I could make a white one.. Yes, I will wear white at our second wedding.... Because I can.

But does the beige blend in too much??

Where's Kim??

Ok. So there were sooo many feathers and sooo many decisions to be made that we stood at this table for what seemed like hours trying to decide. Then, we decided to add up the cost of these feathers... HOLY COW! Who knew Hobby Lobby feathers would be that expensive??? So, we left the feathers and headed to Joann's... which would prove to be the best decision we would make all night.

Now, you should know that we arrived at Joann's around 9:00 p.m. and the store was practically vacant.

We started by trying to locate feathers... which... by the way... they had bundles of feathers made for this kind of project.

Two hours wasted at Hobby Lobby comparing feathers, finding more feathers, trying to envision the final product with all the millions of feathers... trying to figure out how to connect the feathers... all to find this one at Joann's that had multiple feathers, already bound, WITH A CLIP!! And you want to know the price of such an invention???

Can you believe it??? We were going to spend about $25 at Hobby Lobby to create the same affect. Oh, the irony.

But as with any adventure.. the fun was just getting started. I now needed to find dye for the feathers. And Joann's is big. So I went to ask the first employee I saw and asked where I could find fabric dye. Why? Because that's what you do, right?? No. Not at Joann's. When I asked the employee where I could find the dye, she kindly pointed me to the fabric cutting area and told me I would have to take a number and wait on the next available worker to ask my question... I was so shocked I think I just stood there frozen... What was she there for?? Looks?? Well, I was in a good mood and so went along with her antics and took my number. Waited behind the one customer in front of me. And, then, when the employee was available... and called my number over the loud speaker.. I approached her and asked her my question.

I can now only describe this employee as having stepped directly out of Deliverance. I swear. We tried to get a picture, but couldn't without being ridiculously obvious and offensive. So you'll just have to imagine her. She was extremely skinny, about 5' 2", with long straggly blond hair, and talked with a deep Appalachian drawl. She quickly walked us over to the dyes and then turned and said, "May I have the number back?" Well, how was I supposed to know they recycled their numbers?? Heck, once I had drawn it, I had crumbled it up and stuck it in my pocket. So with an apologetic look I explained the situation and pulled what was left of the number out of my pocket. She, then, rolled her eyes, took the paper from me, holding it between her thumb and index finger, grumbled something under her breath, and walked away. Seriously. This is where Kim and I burst into major laughter. Who was this person?? And what is going on in Joann's?? Oh, but the fun continued! No lie...

We now had our dye.

All we just needed was the right veil material. (We bought one material only to find out from the only normal, sane employee in Joann's that we had bought the wrong one and now needed to exchange it with the right one.) This required us to return to the infamous fabric table... which now had no line...

Except when I went to the employee to exchange the fabric, she told me I would still need to take a number...And here is how the conversation proceeded:

Me: "Really?? There's no line."

Employee: "Store policy." I took my number.

Employee: "What number do you have?"

Me: "52." Yes, she asked me what number I had after I drew the number...

Employee: "Please wait until I call you over the loud speaker and display your number."

Me: "Can I please take your picture while you do this?"

Employee: "Sure."

Me: "Thank you. I'm just not sure anyone would believe me when I tell them this story."

And here's the proof:

We, then, exchanged the fabrics and left. (Exchanging the fabrics worked out best because the right fabric was in the perfect beige shade and so would not need to be dyed like the feathers.)

After one more quick stop by Wal-Mart for hair clips to attach to the veil and Kim's use of mojo to gain some free gloves from Mr. Pharmacy, we went to Kim's to actually make the veil. It was now around 10:30 p.m.

Step 1: Dye the Feathers

The dyed feathers worried us for a minute. They were all knotted and shrunken. It reminded me of when I give Parker a bath.

Step 2: Dry the feathers.

They dried beautifully. We were so excited! The color came out perfect too!

Step 3: Attach the comb to the veil. (no picture.. sorry!)

Step 4: Attach the feathers.