OSF Here We Come!!!!

with my daughter in law Kristine, my daughters mother in law Robyn and my daughter, Robyn

It's here, finally here and less than 1 week away. My daughter is flying home on Thursday with her mother in law and almost as soon as the sun is up we will head north on Friday morning. The Oregon Shakespeare Festival has become an every other year event for myself and my dear friend Jacque. Ashland, Oregon is nestled against the Siskiyous and is enchanting in every way. The theater productions are first class events. On my first visit it rained during one of the shows. The theater is an outdoor theater and many seasoned event goers were prepared with rain ponchos. We were situated just under the eves of the roof, on the first row of the balcony and so we were protected. The stage was quite wet but the show went on and the rain was even worked into the play (she weeps.....and so do the heavens). We were hooked from that point on and the next year, when Jacque came with us, she too was hooked. If you read Shakespeare word for word you might get lost but taking it in as a whole I find it very easy to track with and so have enjoyed each and every show we have seen. Every trip has had a different vibe since we invite different guests to join us, one year with our husbands and another with the 2 of us. Mainly it is a girlfriends event and this year is a full crowd. I expect it to be just as magical as every other time and yet, unique in it's own way. Shakespeare.....I recommend it!

We eat (roadside picnic with Jacque, her daughter in law Ashley and my Robyn)

We shop ....Prize, with it's Parisienne flair is our favorite store

We take photos in Lithia Park, we peruse The Tudor Guild gift shop, we buy bread at Ashland Bakery, we eat dinner over looking Lithia Creek, we stay up late and talk.....can you see why we love it so?

A June Bride..

My how time flies. I kept thinking I would get to this...and now it has been 6 weeks since I last wrote! I went to visit Snickerdoodle and her big sister and baby brother but did not get a better picture so the trampoline shot will have to do. Besides....we have so moved on!

Here is a beauty. I have known this lovely creature all her life. She has been one of my youngest sons best friends and we have shared so many experiences. She is a hair sytlist and I like to tell people that she got her start at my house, cutting hair off  of my daughters Barbies, before turning the scissors on her own hair. She wore my smocked clothes as a little girl and I was honored when she asked me to create her veil. What fun I had trying to figure this out and when the actual sewing came along it went together like a breeze. For her veil she chose a "mantilla" style and it worked perfectly with her classic dress. Thank you Gracie, for allowing me to share in your special day...actual all of your special days. You are dear to me.

Wedding clothes are some of my favorite sewing projects. In 2009 I created a silk confection in red & white for my friends daughter to wear in her aunts wedding. We copied a dress she already had, using the wedding colors and adding some more formal details like a lovely, puffy bow and a sparkly button (not shown, dress still has pins in it at the time of the photo).

The summer prior to that I made a "little girl" dress for a 2 year old to prance down the aisle in. It was made of batiste so it quickly got that old fashioned, wrinkled look. I  made a self-fabric ruffled trim to outline the neck, armholes & hem, and attached ribbon bows under the arms.  So sweet, so pretty and so festive!

The wedding season is winding down around here, we have attended the majority of those we have been invited to this year. I always love attending weddings and seeing the personalities of the couple and families come through. Hope you enjoy a summer of celebrating!