Tuesday, December 16, 2008

"Behind the music" -- *THE* dress

I finally sat down and made a list of "required" pages for my wedding album. I have around 1000 photos, and I will never be able to scrap them all, so I decided that I'd just make a list of what I'd like to see in it.

Kinda like writing a list of goals or resolutions, it's really kicked me in the pants, because when I sit down, I don't hmm and haww over what to scrapbook. I have a list. I have pictures. I have paper. I have my cricut! GO!

So I wanted to share a page I finished this past week. It's about my dress. Yes, I know some of you think it's weird - guess what. *I*do*not*give*a*damn* It made me happy, I felt beautiful in it. I'll remember it the rest of my life. I'd wear it to the grocery store if I could.

Here's my journaling:

"They say when you find "the" dress, you'll just know it. Well, long before an engagement ring or a proposal, I happened to be watching a show. On this show, they featured a bride that got married during a concert, and she was wearing this American flag dress. I instantly fell in love, it was so different from anything that I've ever seen, and being a non-traditionalist, patriotic, and a republican, I knew it was the dress for me!

So it was the dress, that set the stage for the entire wedding. It took a bit of research, but I finally found the dress. It is designed by Lady Roi and was part of a line they did after September 11, 2001.

The dress received some flack from many, it's a love it or hate it type of dress, but it didn't matter what others thought, I loved it. Unfortunately (or fortunately??) it leaves pretty much one day of the year that you can really pull off a dress like this! July 4th.

I ordered it, and waited 3 months for it to come. I had it shipped to the glass shop in Riverside so that it wouldn't sit outside all day. I was so excited! Now, I was either optimistic, or stupid (or both) but I ordered it what I thought was one size smaller. Unfortunately it really was about 2-3 sizes too small (I suppose so they could get more $$ out of me). I could have probably lost 10-15 pounds, but 50? Yes, I suppose I could, but It wasn't happening. So, non-returnable dress had to be altered, and me, being the sewing queen, said NO WAY was I paying for alterations when I had a sewing machine, made my own prom dress, made patterns out of my own head. So I set out to alter it.

My original plan was to add straps and a 3/4 sleeve to it since I do not wear strapless or sleeveless. Sorry, I don't feel THAT good about myself. :) After a while, I realized, that it was going to have to go on over my head if I did that, and I wouldn't have an army of women to dress me so plan C. A jacket - which by the way, I made, and I merged 2 patterns into one, AND put all the beading on myself. Yes I'm a glutton for punishment.

Altering the dress was probably one of the hardest sewing experiences I've ever had. There were some tears, and it was very scary cutting down the middle of the back of the dress. You see, the zipper went up the side, and if I was going to give myself a couple more inches, I needed a panel in the back, so I had to CUT THE DRESS right down the back. That was scary! The panel went in, along with a corset. The first time I actually got the dress on, and zipped, was almost a year after I received it. I nearly cried! I had to add darts to the top to help keep it up properly, and it was done! I toyed with the idea of hemming it but decided that I'd be happy with it as it was - and I was tired of sewing on it. I rebeaded about 20% of the top, and it was ready!

Regardless of how anyone else feels about the dress, I loved it, and felt beautiful in it, and wish I had a reason to wear it again!"