Sunday, April 26, 2009

a wedding, an anniversary and a spoiler alert!!!

So much has happened in the last week and it is bitter sweet to see it all be done.

My best girlfriend in the world got married last weekend... what is it with weddings that turn me into a blubbering idiot? I think the people at the wedding who didn't know me thought I was lamenting my former girlfriend, watching her being married to another. I was just so happy for her, she was glowing!
Without boring you with a bunch of photos of people you don't know I just wanted to share the sweetest wedding cake... Isn't this so whimsical?

My DH and I escaped to the "vines" this weekend and it was amazing! Our 13th Anniversary is Monday so we decided to go to the wine country and celebrate (sans kiddos.) It was wonderful. We so easily forget how important it is to get back to why we decided to share this life together and time really does fly by. We spent a couple of nights at South Coast Resort and Winery and did nothing but relax, eat good food, and drink really, really, really good wine. Oh the sweet nectar of the vines...

We even got to meet Master Winemaker Jon McPherson! It was such a treat! He was the nicest most unassuming man ever, and what he knew about wine would knock your socks off!!!

He was so sweet, he even took me antiquing! And for a guy would would rather act as a human speed bump on the I-5 than do this, it was a super sweet gesture! Here is a photo of La Maison Rustique this weekend... those girls are amazing!
He also carted me out to Matilda's Mouse but we didn't get any photos while we were there, but it was equally as wonderful with Enya playing in the background while we shopped... I love places like these!!!

A view of the Vineyard from our villa and the mountains beyond...

Our Villa in the vineyard (it's the one furthest to the left)


SPOILER ALERT!!! IF YOU ARE ALISA. . . do not read this next part until
after Marie arrives!!!

I participated in the Marie Antoinette Swap hosted by the sweet Maria (of the Junk Drawer). We were to take a canvas size 8 1/2 inches by 11 inches and break it up into twelve squares. Other than following the theme of Marie Antoinette, this was all we had to do. Well, I did break up my canvas and it looked much like an Easter Quilt, UGH! But with much tweaking and totally straying from the directions, I came up with this...

Alisa, this is your last chance to turn back...


The vintage paper is and original scan of an early 19th century French birth certificate. It dates back to 1816 and was used because it refers to “Marie Antoinete” in the center of the document. Could this be the Marie Antoinette, the Queen of France who died an untimely death 23 years earlier… probably not, but it is fun to think so! (got it from an etsy shop)

The old jewel is an old broach I got from and estate sale, the trim on the crown is something I actually bought at an old barn sale… loved the color. The crown is adorned with fresh water pearls. The French cologne label is a little item I bought at Silver Bella Vendor night and at the top of the canvas, it says “Let them eat cake” in French.

Finally, the Marie Antoinette image in the center was created by Hope Wallace of Paper Relics and embellished by me. (I love her work!)

Well, that is it in a nutshell. More later!
~xo

7 comments:

Cheryl said...

Gina,
First of all, Happy Anniversary! What a sweet guy you have to plan such a great weekend! He's a keeper! That wedding cake is just adorable, and your Marie canvas is beautiful. Now, enjoy your Sunday evening and then...back to reality!
XOXO
Cheryl

Unknown said...

Happy Anniversary! How nice of your man to bring you antiquing! I love all the wonderful details on your canvas! Looks like we had the same idea to use the whole canvas (great minds think alike).

Hugs!

Sandy

Jeanne said...

Gina, the collage for Alisa is adorable! I love the style you chose. She's gonna be one happy gal!
xo
jeanne

Alisa Noble said...

Gina, I LOVE IT!!! Thank you SO much!
I can't wait to see you at Silver Bella and tell you how great I think it is, in person!

Alisa Noble said...

Oh, and Happy Anniversary!

Cheryl Carey Bass said...

Gina, your M.A. canvas was A-FREAKIN'-MAZING! I got to see it on here before Alisa got it in the mail and I was dying not to tell her how awesome it is and how much she would love it! Love love love the French Birth Certificate. Well, there are just so many other neat details, too! One funny thing, though. I asked Alisa what the "orgoglie" word in the bottom right corner meant? She said she didn't know for sure. I tried to look it up online on a French to English translator and the only word it kept giving me as a translation was "orgy". We had a good laugh out of that one! Alisa solved the riddle, though! She said it was Italian and found it to mean "Pride" which, was ever-more so appropriate! Thanks for my folly which gave us a good laugh! :)

rebecca said...

oh what a handsome couple you are! here's wishing you many, many more happy years together.