Wedding Bands

Nerd Alert!

Actually, we went to Jared! And like I posted before, picked out our wedding rings a month ago!!!  Well, both of them came in and I was able to pick them up a couple of weeks ago! I'm trying to hide my excitement --- clearly, not doing a great job.Without further a do, here they are in their cozy little nest!

I am pleased to say that we both really love our rings and are having a really hard time not wearing them around! Not to name names, but PATRICK wore his to come see my show on Saturday! Scandalous!!! I don't mind, it makes me really happy that he truly loves his ring and he said this morning he felt weird not wearing it to work! Love!

I'm really hoping to get his engraved! I have a few things in mind: 1. Just our wedding date. 2. A Quote (from our song, or our favorite sonnet) or 3. Our first initials a la R + J...

But with the initials engraved on the inside!
I do love the cursive engraving.

I am really leaning to the favorite quote from song or sonnet, but I think no matter what, I will include our date. My parents both engraved the title of their song into their bands, which I think is so romantic and sweet. I know not every couple wears wedding bands (I'm looking at you Prince William!), but it depends on their individual styles. Some wear only engagement rings, some wear both, some never wear rings. I guess Patrick and I are more traditional in that sense, that we want to have the outward symbols -- but hey, to each their own.

Having the rings in our possession really brings our wedding into focus! It's really happening and it's happening soon. It gives me tingles knowing that each day brings us closer and closer! I can't wait to wear both of my beautiful rings together as a symbol of our love and commitment to each other!

What do wedding rings symbolize for you? Are you wearing one? What's it like? Details!

Love,

Micah

Suddenly Soppy!

soppy [ˈsɒpɪ]

adj -pier, -piest

1. wet or soggy

2. Brit informal silly or sentimental

soppily  adv

soppiness  n

That's me, or at least, that's me these days! I know I have mentioned it before, that I am far more easily moved by movies, pictures, art, stories, anything since we've been engaged. Even at the since-broken wedding of Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries, I got a little teary-eyed (and yes, I am deeply embarrassed to admit this). The other night, I was watching Disney's Christmas Carol with Jim Carrey and I cried when my character's break-up scene happened. Guys, I was reading a 'Real Weddings' story in BRIDES magazine and teared up. (The bride wore her mother's dress!!!) When did I become such a mushy-stuff-cry-face???

Ever since Patrick and I got engaged, I've become more sensitive to romantic things. I get a little happy-teary eyed at poems about love and Shakespearean Sonnets, and Rom-Coms and everything in between. Now, I have always been a hopeless romantic, so I connect well with the emotional life of a story, poem or artwork. So,  it's not that I'm unsure of the cause, but it's just interesting to me to have such a strong spike in my Soppy-Scale. Don't get me wrong, I'm very much enjoying being mushy with every slightly wedding-related thing or small heart-shaped candy on top of my cupcake. It's just funny to me that there's an apparent difference in how I react to things. Probably its that I begin to think about our marriage and what it will symbolize. And how exhilarating it will be to begin our lives together.

Therefore, I am only slightly not embarrassed when I get a little teary finding my fiance wearing his wedding ring around the apartment, or seeing a bride walk down the aisle with her father in a movie, or lately during the song in our production of a "A Christmas Carol" when Young Ebenezer proposes to Belle. Whatever! I proudly am a soppy fiancee and don't care who knows it!

Best,

Micah

It's FRIDAY, FRIDAY... Gotta get Friday Finds on Friday!

...Everybody's looking forward to the blogpost, blogpost!

Happy Friday all!!! Sorry to get that song stuck in your head yet again but did you see what I did there?

Moving on. This week, I have been thinking a lot about the outfits that one wears  around, to, or in weddings; for instance if I were to have a Bridal Shower or Bachelorette...or for the rehearsal dinner, or simply being a guest, etc. Basically everything but, you know, THE White Dress. So that's what these Friday Finds are reminiscent of! Pretty/classy dresses to wear for not only those special occasions but anytime you need to look fancy! Enjoy!!!

Le Petit Jarden
From Etsy
Gorgeous for a tea-themed Shower I'd say

Beautiful to wear to a summer wedding!
From Etsy

Oh hai, gorgeous Bridesmaid's Dress, oh hai!
From Etsy

"Bold as Ice" Dress
From Modcloth.com
SUPER CUTE for the rehearsal dinner
or a bridal shower

Gorgeous for any occassion!
"Fashion Fantasy Heel"
From Modcloth.com

"Make a Good Impressionist" Dress
So sweet to wear for a Spring Wedding!
From Modcloth.com

"Go For Brocade" Dress (Loving the names!)
Unfortunately this is out of stock
but I am obsessed! WANT!
From Modcloth.com

"Check My Moves" Dress
Super slinky for Bachelorette Parties!
From Modcloth.com

You all know my obsession with blue shoes!
anthropologie.com

Heaven! Beautiful for anything fancy!
anthropologie.com

Enjoy the fancy doo-dads and dress up!

Happy Friday :)

-Micah

Le Petit Jardin Dress: http://www.etsy.com/listing/77623092/le-petit-jardin-asymmetrical-neckline?ref=cat2_gallery_11

Marie Antoinette Dress: http://www.etsy.com/listing/69487596/dreamy-cream-misty-earl-gray-rainy?ref=sc_2

Party Dress:http://www.etsy.com/listing/88268864/2-party-dresses-with-express-shipping?ref=cat2_gallery_25

"Bold as Ice" Dress: http://www.modcloth.com/shop/dresses/bold-as-ice-dressFashion Fantasy Heel: http://www.modcloth.com/shop/shoes-heels/fashion-fantasy-heel
"Make a Good Impressionist" Dress: http://www.modcloth.com/shop/dresses/make-a-good-impressionist-dress
"Go For Brocade!" Dress: http://www.modcloth.com/shop/dresses/go-for-brocade-dress
"Check My Moves" Dress: http://www.modcloth.com/shop/dresses/check-my-moves-dress
Cinched Satin Peep-Toes: http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/catalog/productdetail.jsp?id=22781637&catId=SHOES-HEELS&pushId=SHOES-HEELS&popId=SHOES&navCount=198&color=041&isProduct=true&fromCategoryPage=true&templateType=D
All Illuminated Heels: http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/catalog/productdetail.jsp?id=23083207&catId=SHOES-PARTY&pushId=SHOES-PARTY&popId=SHOES&navCount=780&color=070&isProduct=true&fromCategoryPage=true&templateType=D

Being A Bride v. Playing a Bride, Part the Second

I posted before about the art of playing a bride onstage, and now again in A Christmas Carol, I am playing a fiancee! (Actually, I get proposed to onstage). I have to confess with mild hubris, that this is my favorite part in the show. Here's a brief synopsis of the story if you have lived under a rock all your life if you haven't seen/read it.

In our production, the Ghost of Christmas Past shows Scrooge a few scenes from his childhood before moving on to his young adult life, when he was working for a jolly man named Fezziwig! The Fezziwigs always throw a wonderful Christmas party, and this particular memory Past shows Scrooge is of his young self proposing to his love, Belle during the festivities (That's me!). The carol we sing in the show is The Wassail Song, which is a joyous old English tune we all get to dance to. And then Young Ebenezer proposes to Belle a midst the hubbub of the dance! (See below)

I guess the reason why I am posting about this is because that moment in the show brings me back to the moment last January when Patrick proposed to me! It was such a time of warmth, excitement, nervousness, and being completely overwhelmed and this role brings me right back to that night! Patrick's proposal to me was so romantic and personal and I couldn't be more happy with it! He did a great job. Here's the proposal story. I am so lucky. And to have this role to remind me of that night is a blessing within itself! I love acting.

©2011 Erb Photography
Hanover Theatre 
December 2011

*Us*

Best,

Micah

And More Hair Flowers!

My apologies for not posting for awhile...I've had a terrible cold and began rehearsals for A Christmas Carol  with Hanover Theatre. (Also; side note of quick news; Patrick and I both got our wedding rings in! I picked them up last week and now both of us are trying our best not to wear them around! No! I'm totally not wearing it right now as I type am wearing it right now)

Here's the tutorial I promised for the silk hair flowers (I found it here, of course on the Bee. I changed a few things but here's the gist of it)! (This one is quite a lot more simple than the Tsunami flowers). Ready? Go!

Here's what you need:
White or Colorful (fake) flowers of choice from the craft store
Needle and Thread

A button or bead for the center
Hot glue
Barrette/Alligator clip

Here's what to do: First take your faux blooms and basically take them apart. Pull the backing (usually plastic made to look like the leaves of the flower bloom) off and remove each individual set of petals.

Here's the flower as it came from the store.

Removing the bottom plastic leafy thingy.

And here are all the individual petal sets.

Then, start stacking the petals to your hearts desire to get an idea of how you want the finished flower to look. With smaller petals up top of course. Make it fluffy as a poodle on a humid day, or maybe you want a lighter hair piece, whatever looks best to you! Once you have a clear picture, you can either pin the petals together or get to sewing and gluing (I'm not the best at free-hand sewing so, I used mostly my trusty hot glue gun).

I also experimented with different fabric and
simply cut out some petals to add to the fabric flower.

Begin gluing/sewing the stacks together. For you talented sewers, pass through each petal, up one side and down the other. Since I used the glue gun, I put a bead of glue in the center, and pressed the petals firmly down onto it (Careful not to burn your fingers!).

Once your flower is glued/sewn together its time to whip out the button, needle and thread. Using a fairly sharp needle, start beneath your flower and run the thread up through the center and through the button holes to secure the button, and subsequently the flower.

Try to pull it as tightly as you can while enabling yourself
to make the passage back down through the flower.

You should end your stitching below the flower once you've finished with the button. This way, you can tie the remaining thread to your alligator clip or barrette.

Lastly, run the needle and thread a few times again through the very bottom layer of petals and the clip or barrette, until it feels quite secure. Then voila! You have a beautiful hair flower for special occasions or just-because! And how easy is that? 

This one came out significantly better.
It's my bridal hair flower trial :)

Enjoy! I'm going to keep experimenting with more hair flowers (Especially as its getting colder outside and it will be nice to settle down with some nice crafting projects and steaming mug of hot chocolate)!

Best,

Micah