Wedding By Pinterest

Pinterest is a wonderful thing.

Especially when you're planning a wedding.

I think weddings should be tailor made for the bride.

My daughter, Kate, wanted her wedding to be small, intimate, simple and relaxed.

Oh.   And my goal?  I wanted her to be happy.

I don't believe you have to spend a fortune to have a wonderful wedding.

Just a little inspiration.

So, here's how we did it last summer.    I'm including the inspiration photos from
my beloved Pinterest -- as well as the ones of the finished product at the Dublin-Deese
wedding.

Here's some of the ideas we captured:

We took this idea from Pinterest --- a unique sign-in for guests and created our own
tree as guests arrived at the church.

Now the tree painting is filled with signatures of friends and family that attended the ceremony.
After it's framed, it'll be a cool memento and treasured wall art.

Likewise, we loved the look of this bouquet on Pinterest:

And created our own using burlap and twine - with a personal touch -- a cameo that Kate's
dad gave to me at our first Christmas together in 1975.

Pretty cool, huh?  Yeah, Scott's the one with the big hair -- and that's our prom picture
from the 11th grade.  We did all of our own floral arrangements, including Kate's bouquet
to keep expenses down.   We mixed fresh greenery (from our yard) with dried billy balls
(from Etsy) & nice looking silk flowers (from Hobby Lobby.)


This was the inspiration  below from Pinterest for simple arrangements to go on the ends
of the church pews.

And this is the one we made ourselves. Fresh greenery with a nice silk Magnolia
tied up with ribbon and tulle.

For flowers in the church, we liked this inspiration on Pinterest:

So we bought simple ivory vases from Hobby Lobby.......collected some branches from the
woods around our house and added silk pussy willows and an unusual sunflower as the
accent for this result:

We also tackled boutineer's for Josh and his groomsmen, with this inspiration on
Pinterest:

We assembled the supplies to do our own:

Dried billy balls, twine, silk leaves (which I covered with scrapbook paper in a cool
green design and stuck them on with an adhesive spray.)


And this is how it actually looked on Josh:

We found Kate's wedding dress at David's Bridal in Greenville.  Affordable and
beautiful.

She wore some really cute coral colored flats.

We saw some really unique necklaces on pinterest, like this one:

And after a search on Etsy, we bought this one to compliment Kate's dress:

Beautiful.   And unique.


I loved this idea on Pinterest for just inside the sanctuary:

So I got an old window frame and applied burlap as a backdrop behind the glass
- and did the lettering with acrylic paint to personalize a sign for Kate & Josh:

After the ceremony, we hosted a backyard wedding reception at our home in
Greenwood.

One of the key decorating inspirations on Pinterest was this simple bunting idea:

We stepped off the twine in our backyard....bought and cut some simple, brightly
colored cotton fabric into triangle shapes and with one staple, attached them to the twine.  
The bunting hung low in the trees and created an intimate "ceiling" with this simple
decoration:

There's lots of creative details on Pinterest.  This one I liked:

So using a chalkboard, we created this one for the entrance gate at our backyard:

And yes, it was June, so we had bug spray available as well.

The idea of hay bales for seating came from pinterest:

So we adapted a little, using quilts - and this was our hay bale seating:

And p.s.  this quilt belonged to Scott's grandma Dublin -- and the hydrangeas came from
my favorite next door neighbors, Linda & Norris Wilson (who provided tons of fresh flowers
from their backyard for the reception!)

And other seating came from whatever we had at our house....chairs, rockers and a hammock:

Another inspiration on Pinterest was using the couple's initials:

So using lightweight cardboard letters from Hobby Lobby --we covered them with
scrapbook paper and hung their initials with a colorful ribbon:

And more hydrangeas from the neighbor's!

Plus, these beautiful quilts strung across our fences and loaned to me by a friend,
Vanessa Wideman:

There were lots of mason jar arrangements on Pinterest, like this one:

And we took the idea for our reception and hung these on our fence posts and in a
backyard crab apple tree with the Wilson's hydrangeas:

The idea of a vintage truck also came from Pinterest - and thanks to a local attorney in
Greenwood, Peter Manning, he offered his baby blue Chevy truck as the centerpiece for
the reception:

What a gorgeous truck!      And....it made a great backdrop for photos that afternoon,
including one with my mom:

We got our inspiration for the wedding cake on Pinterest:

So the cake we settled on was very similar, with fresh succulents (a favorite of Kate's)
and displayed on a tree stump that Scott spotted on the side of the road!  He leveled it up
a bit & it was ready to go!

Yep.   We set the cake up on our screened in back porch.   Notice the cake topper?
We bought a plain wooden cake topper off Etsy, like this:

And I painted it to match Kate's dress and Josh's suit:

Pretty cute!

Dance floors were very costly to rent, so we improvised.   Scott built a temporary plywood
dance floor -- and the wood will later be recycled to use as flooring in our attic!

The inspiration for a backyard photo booth also came from Pinterest:

And by moving an antique hall tree to the backyard (it belonged to my grandpa Wister's
family) - we filled an old suit case with masks and hats and other fun props.   Our guests
stopped by for many poses!

The idea for a couple's table for Kate & Josh in the backyard came from Pinterest:

And this is the one we made for the newlyweds:

We wanted to display Kate & Josh's childhood photos -- and loved this idea on Pinterest:

Scott actually picked up an old screen door up off the side of the road!  We removed the
screen and stapled ribbon end to end and clipped photos of Kate & Josh with wooden
clothes pins:

This was a Pinterest inspiration too - a memory table:

So, we collected photos of Kate & Josh's grandparents - and created a memory
table to include them in the day:

The table runner on the memory table was made by Scott's grandma Dublin.

I saw this graphic on Pinterest and loved it:

And again, using an old window - some burlap and acrylic paint, this artwork was created
and displayed above an old mantel on our screened in porch -- just above the wedding
cake:

Yard sale glass vases and fresh cut hydrangeas from the neighbor's frame out this
area on our porch mantel.   Nice!

Of course, Pinterest had plenty of ideas for Southern weddings......including cornhole:

So we had a young friend make a set of cornhole boards from scratch -- and Taylor
sewed up the cornhole bags & filled them with dried corn.

Becca & Andrew join their classmates in a cornhole game at the reception.


Pinterest had great ideas for displaying a "honeymoon jar"

We adapted that idea a little -- found a large jar at Hobby Lobby and added it to the gift
table inside our house:

It was a sweet day - full of love and wonderful moments and little details that made it a
wedding to remember.    The bride was very happy with the result.   So was her mama.

With special thanks to Pinterest!

Holding Out A Cup

When I started my blog last year, I promised myself two things:

1)    It wouldn't be a soapbox for me to voice "opinion."

       And no, there's nothing wrong with sharing your "opinion." There's
       just plenty of those out there already.  

2)    I would use it to share my life.  My story.   But even more important.
       I  would use my blog to show what God is teaching and showing me.

       Now, that's something worth blogging about.


So.   Here's one thing He's been teaching me....... for a while.

A hard truth.

I've really struggled much of my life with feeling "significant."

Down deep.     Just feeling significant in this world.

That's a little pathetic, huh?

But.......maybe you know a little about this?

I've made the mistake of often trying to find my significance in other people.  

Of finding my value in what others might think of me.

If "they" think I'm worthy, then I must be.

Do they think I'm smart enough?  spiritual enough?   personable enough?

The problem with looking to other people for my value and worth?

It will never be enough.....and they were never meant to have that responsibility.

I heard Beth Moore once say, that it's like holding out a cup in your hand all day.

We keep moving from one person to the next -  holding out our cup -- expecting
and looking for other people to fill it up --- to fill us up.

I'm a visual person.   So I totally started seeing myself that way.

One person may drop in  a coin or two.....and I move onto the next person.

Won't you make me feel good about myself?  Do you think I'm valuable?

I sometimes hold my cup out to my friends...

My family.   My husband.  My children.

My co-workers.  

Beth was right.   Holding out my cup to the people around me can be exhausting
for them.   They were never meant to fill me up.....or fill any void I have in my life.

Like I said.   I'm visual.   Once I heard the "cup" story, I became more aware that
was what I was doing myself.

I'm understanding better (thank you, Lord, I'm a work in progress!)  that my value
comes from Jesus.  No one else.

He finds me valuable.   He gives me significance.

And the thing is.    And don't miss this.   When He provides it for me.  
I don't need  it so much from others.    

Even as I write that.     I'm taking a deep sigh.      And Jesus is probably saying.

Maybe she finally get's it. 

And maybe, I finally do.


"I want you to experience the Joy of being loved constantly and perfectly.  You make
a practice of judging yourself, based on how you look or behave or feel.  If you like
what you see in the mirror, you feel a bit more worthy of My love.  When things go
smoothly and your performance seems adequate, you find it easier to believe you are
My beloved child.  When you feel discouraged, you tend to look inward so you can
correct what is wrong.  

Instead of trying to "fix" yourself, fix your gaze on Me, the Lover of your soul.  Rather
than using your energy to judge yourself, redirect it to praising Me.  Remember that I
clothed you in righteousness, radiant in My perfect love."

Sarah Young, "Jesus Calling."  

A Trail of Windows

Do you ever think about leaving a trail behind you?  For me, the trail is scattered with

windows -  "stained glass mosaic windows."   As an artist (of sorts) I love the idea that 

my work will live on long after I'm gone.    I really like that.

I learned how to handle, score and cut glass in a traditional stained glass class here in

Greenwood.    Although I love to look at traditional stained glass -- I didn't really "take"

to  the actual doing it.    It was very restrictive and precise.   That's not me....especially '

when it comes to "creating" art.

Of all places, I actually saw the technique of making "stained glass mosaics" on HGTV.   

(all good things really DO come from HGTV, you know.)  Mosaics are are more free 

flowing and less restrictive to create. That appealed much more to me.   Very soon, I 

started picking up old single pane windows from salvage businesses and started creating.

My technique has improved through the years.   I hope its evidenced from my first tree 

below (made in 2005) to the one directly under it (I made just a few months ago.)  I've 

also gotten much faster.  I can complete a window now in two-three days (if I can steady

work on it)  instead of a couple of weeks.

I've kept a log - and I've now created 47 windows since  2005.    I've given most of 

them away to friends......and family.....only a few have I actually sold or done 

on commission.

My inspiration comes from lots of things.   My favorite subject is probably trees.  I've 

done a lot of those.

this was my very first tree made in 2005 - and the first one I ever entered into a Juried Art Show.

this one I made a few months ago - i've used my glass to fund my last two trips to Kenya.
this piece was raffled on facebook over the course of two months & earned over
$2000 for my traveling costs.   not too shabby.

And I've done many other trees:

this one was done for my friend, Jana & her husband.

I raffled this tree to help pay for a mission trip to Kenya in 2011.

Many of my trees have been given as wedding gifts.  This one
was given to Jennings & Ryan with the inscription at the base of the
tree "Let Love Rest Here"

this one was a wedding gift to Kelly, with her married initial "B" added at the base.

this one was a wedding gift to Hannah & Traylor.

other trees were given for special occasions - Kate's graduation from PT school.

a house warming gift for a co-worker.

Sun's are also a favorite subject for my glass:

I tried my hand at lettering on a couple of pieces:

This was a special memorial window for a friend.

a friend's initials.

And others:

dandelions.

this one a surprise gift for a friend's mom -- four season runner.

a fun piece for a high flying friend.

growing vines for a friend's growing children.

a special birthday gift for someone that loves lighthouses.

And a wide variety of others:

a friend asked for a mosaic that depicted the Holy Spirit -- tough concept to capture!

Other pieces related to faith:

Other's were taken from unusual/fun sources for inspiration:

this graphic idea came from a Christmas gift bag.

this one from a Pier One coffee mug.

this one from a flower garden.

this one from Taylor's love for owls.

I've had a number of people express an interest in learning how to do mosaics.   Watch 

for a future blog on how to make them - start to finish.   It's not hard at all.   

My hope?  that my mosaics get handed down for a generation or two in the families of 

my friends.....hanging in windows or on porches long after I'm gone.   

That would be pretty cool.

Tears of a Woman Named Agnes

I've been thinking about sharing this story on my blog since I arrived home from Kenya
about six weeks ago.

It's Agnes's story - a shy, young Masai woman that lives in an isolated area of Kenya
called Mbogonia.

It was our last afternoon working in the area.   Our team divided up into three groups and
headed off in opposite directions to do a home visit.    As God would have it, my group
trekked off on a footpath to Agnes's hut - a short distance away.  I was about to have an
encounter I don't think I'll ever be able to forget.

We brought some tea, and sugar and a bible printed in Agnes's language as a
welcoming gift.  She  was shy and a little guarded with us at first.  When I think about
it though --how strange we must have seemed to Agnes.   Six Americans.....bounding
toward her home.   I'm sure it was quite an experience for her too.

Our plan that afternoon was to build a relationship.  We came to meet Agnes and her
family and to help her with household chores.   It was clear right away that she was
there alone with her children.   Unlike the outgoing kids we had been playing with and
loving on all week, Agnes's children seemed much more withdrawn.    They remained a
good distance away, at the back of their home while we were there.

Agnes has a family dog -- and some chicks.  Her place is neat and well kept.

Agnes shared tea with our group and made us feel very welcome. With the help of our
interpreter, she soon shared with us that she was a believer.    As we asked if there
was anything we could pray for her about, she told us about her abusive husband.

He was gone for long periods of time, so the responsibility of running her home,
taking care of her children and all the animals fell on her.  Agnes has five children.
Her husband won't allow any of the children to go to school -- and he forbids Agnes
from going to church.

As she opened up more, she shared that the last time she was able to attend
church was last Christmas Eve.   She went to a special service at a nearby church.
When her husband learned she was there, he drug her out of the church building
in front of all it's members -- and stoned her.

Agnes said that her husband was once a believer too, but had hardened his heart
toward God and toward her.   She asked that we pray that God would soften
his heart again - and that she would be able to return to church.

We prayed over Agnes.  I was sitting on a low wooden bench beside
her when the prayers began.   Our interpreter repeated our prayers in Agnes's
language so she could understand.   Almost immediately, Agnes buried her face
in the young baby she carried on her hip - and began to sob her heart out.

The memory of her sobs that afternoon is something I don't think I'll ever forget.

As the prayer finished, we were all crying with her.

That afternoon, we shoveled cow dung around Agnes's hut and drank chai tea out of
her tin cups.  Scott told me later it was the most satisfying day of work he had ever
done.

Before we left an hour or so later, we prayed with her again -- this
time joining hands with her in a circle.   As she held our hands - her tears dropped onto
the ground below -- like rain.

What difference did we make there that afternoon?  I believe Agnes was encouraged
that we cared.  She believed we were sent by God to her -- and I saw a smile on
her face before we left.    The Bible that we brought had to come back with us.
She said she couldn't keep it.   Her husband would never allow it.

If there was a difference made that day, it was made in each of us.  We were impacted
by Agnes.   By her plight in this world and her burden.

Do this for me if you will.    If you've read this blog and have seen Agnes's face,
would you commit to pray for her?    Pray for her to be encouraged.   Pray that God
will work in her husband's life.  That He would change her husband's heart.  that
the children would be allowed to attend school -- and that Agnes and her children
can return to church.

She's a real person in a very hard circumstance.

I bet if Agnes knew that believers on the other side of the world were praying for her
right now, that smile would return to her face -- and she would look up to God in that
HUGE African sky -- and cry to Him in thanks.

Pray.     And remember her story.      It's staying with me.
  

Starting the New Year With Beth Moore

If any of my Greenwood area blog friends would like to participate in a Beth Moore
Bible Study of  "James: Mercy Triumphs" - I'll be leading it at my home on Monday
nights (for 8 weeks) beginning January 28th from 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Here's a youtube video clip:

http://youtu.be/siJzZrmUdS4

We'll kick off our shoes, enjoy a cup of hot tea, comfie sofas & the fellowship of other
women and hear an excellent word from this DVD series.    

Respond with a comment below if you'd like to come.   We have room for about
12 women.

Happy New Year!