DIY - Check and Check!

I've been busy preparing for the wedding. As of today, we fly to the Philippines in 33 days. One of the things I am particularly proud of completing is the Ring Book and the Locket for the bouquet.

First the Ring Book. You may remember from this post, when I first picked up the book. Rather than being a single effort, the book became a team effort, and my two girls C & K put work into it. 

Here is the book closed. I taped up the sides since I painted the title on the spine over in gold. Despite, sensitive wall paint tape, even when I pulled it off, it took some of the cover off. I don't mind so much, I think it adds to the vintage look and feel.

I glued all the pages together so that it can only open to this page. C cut out the square for me, while K cut the felt piece and the ribbon. I did all the painting.

Again, it was the perfect page to choose. Look at all the references on the page!

Next is the locket. Here is the locket I bought from Etsy. It's a vintage piece which you can tell by some of the details.

Next, I scanned and changed the picture of my grandmothers to sepia. The picture on the left is my Grandma Lily, who recently passed away, on her wedding day. My other grandmother didn't have a picture as young, but this is a picture that included my grandfather, when they were still in the Philippines. 

Now, I don't have that many more crafty things to do. Mostly designing and paper things. But these will definitely add to our wedding's uniquness. Hooray!

All the Pretty Details

This weekend I went to a wedding of a friend from University. G, recently transfered to my building for work, so leading up to her wedding we had plenty to talk about! It was a gorgeous wedding overlooking the lake at the Argonaut Rowing Club in Toronto. The traffic was not on anyones side, so the ceremony started an hour late (I was just about crying in the car because I thought I would miss it).

Weddings are wonderful no matter what, but often, its the details that the couple adds that makes it feel like them. When we all sat together for the first time at the table and everyone observed the centerpieces, the giveaway, the menu, another friend from the student union days, said to me..."It's so her, isn't it?". THAT is what every couple strives for. A room full of their loved ones, who can readily identify you in the details. I loved it.

Anyways, for me, the details are for my own sentimental value as well. While going through albums with my Grandma Sol this weekend, looking for a picture of her to include in my locket as well, I was reminded of her and my grandfather's 50th Wedding Anniversary. I was 12 and it was 1995, and I remember loving every bit of it. They renewed their vows in the Church and all the grandchilren were bridesmaids and groomsmen. Then we had a big reception in our community center, where even family from California flew in. My grandpa said it was the happiest day of his life. He passed away, 7 months later. Now that I write this, maybe my family knew he was sick and thats why we had such a big wedding anniversary.

While looking at the pictures, my grandma told me how the dress and the veil came from the Philippines from her sister Ligaya. The veil caught my eye. A mantilla veil. I immediately asked my grandma if she still had it. She said she should and is now tasked at attempting to dig it up. I had originally thought about wearing a bird cage veil, but I may be able to do her veil for the ceremony, and the cage for the reception. Or the other thing I was thinking, was wearing a birdcage veil throughout, and using her veil as part of the cord and veil ceremony. Wouldn't it be lovely regardless? If she finds it, something borrowed, CHECK!

On the Road to the Ring Book

I got off a little early from work, so swung by the Toronto Public Library's used book store where they sell some withdrawn used books. I picked up this beauty for a dollar!

Different from most books, this had a leathery Red cover instead of a typical canvas one. The emblem on the cover has stars and an interesting design.

The spine, has a gold design, but the title in the blue we will be covering up.

The inside cover has an old map of Montreal from what looks like the 17th Century. I thought it was cool since R and I met in Montreal.

Right in the middle of the book, I found a page where two characters talk about being in love and wanting to get married. Perfect page to pick as the ring page!

So now the task is to actually put it together. More updates when that happens!

In honour of...

 Part of the reason I've been so swamped and unable to really focus on the wedding is because my grandmother is very sick. In fact, since 2008, both of my grandmothers have suffered from strokes. My grandmother on my mother's side suffered a stroke in 2008. It was days before anyone realized it was something serious and took her to the hospital. At the time, she had lost some of her language ability (especially with her 3rd language, English, and includes reading) and she didn't recognize family members. Her physical ability was not that bad - she could still walk with assistance. Luckily, she spent a month in the rehabilitation hospital, recovered and returned home. She is very active, and all her regular functions have returned. She is 86 years old, but you would think she is only in her early 70s.

My other grandmother however, suffered her first stroke in the Philippines in January 2010. She immediately returned home to receive care. Since then, she has had 3 other strokes. This past April, she suffered a more massive stroke that left her completely paralyzed on her right side, and unable to speak and swallow. After months in the hospital, she did not improve and was returned home. It was crazy because she was paralyzed, it meant she needed assistance in everything : from changing her diapers, to administering medication, feeding through a tube in her stomach, and even changing positions. My grandfather, 84, was the primary caregiver, and after he collapsed with the sheer volume of responsibility, my grandmother was moved to a nursing home by the province. Here, she is rapidly deteriorating, and suffering from dementia.

It has been difficult to watch, and all of the family is constantly thinking about her. However, because of this, our family is closer. My dad side has always been close, and have all helped each other in any way they could. But our ability to communicate with each other has increased, and I was able to connect with my cousins in the Philippines for the first time. My eldest cousin especially, I haven't seen since I was 10 and at her mother's funeral, is so excited about coming to the wedding to be with family. It's a wonderful thing actually.

Anyways, I always knew my grandma would not be able to come to the wedding. Even when she first got sick, and my cousins would say to her, "grandma, get better, so we can all be back in the Philippines for Camille's wedding", I knew she would want it so bad, but wouldn't be able to. Same with my other grandmother. I always knew they wouldn't be able to make it.

An aunt I haven't seen on my mother's side for months, I saw last weekend at a party, and she plopped back down beside me and said, "so you don't want anyone to come to the wedding". I guess referring to the fact it was in the Philippines, and obviously, people like grandma, couldn't go even if they wanted to. But, it's not that we didn't want them there, or didn't care if they weren't. At the time, I honestly thought Rodney and I would be bordering eloping and just going to the Philippines to do it alone. So the thought of the Philippines, and all the magic, seeped in, even as the reality kicked it that we would have guests.

Anyways, the point is, I want my grandmother's there. If not physically, but spiritually, and most importantly in my heart. In honour of my grandmothers and of our wedding, Rodney and I recently gave some money to the Heart and Stroke Foundation. In addition, on my bouquet I hope to be carrying a picture of each of my grandmother's in a locket. If I could find it, I want to find a picture in black and white when they are young, when things like strokes were so far away from their minds.

So I've narrowed down to these ones on Etsy:

 

Source

 Source

 

Source

Source

Source

Source

Source

I'm so torn!!! These are all less than $25 a pop, and from the U.S., so I MAY even get two, one for each grandma, and then include an older and a more recent pic. Decisions, decisions!