Succulants

I am always over preachy about brides finding inspiration in unusual places.  Well, this example is more than perfect.  Amanda, who I will describe soon, wants flowers like succulents on her dress.  Doesn't that just take the cake.  This bride is so on my wave length that she likes the only plant that I will allow in my house.  I am not much for house plants... too much dusting, watering, etc, but I do love a good terracotta pot of succulents.   

Okay, should I start this story.  Plan on it being random and too wordy.  I have a lot to express on this one. 

Amanda and Viena are these great women.  Amanda, the bride, lives in San Fransisco and her mother, Viena, lives in New York City.  You think that is quite remarkable, the fact they inhabit the two best cities in the U.S.  They are as cool as the places they live.  

Here are a few reasons why:  

They were daring enough to come out to Utah to have this random dress maker design a wedding gown.  I have brides come from many places, but they usually have a friend who has worked with me.  She did it without knowing any of my brides.   

When Amanda called me from the Salt Lake Airport, she was so very excited about how beautiful the view was from the airport windows.  That is the kind of enthusiasm that just makes me happy. 

Viena raised Amanda in New York.  When I visit there I see these moms teaching their kids to ride a bike on the sidewalks of Manhattan.  Now I get to chat with these great people who had that experience of New York.

Viena has had been a career woman in Manhattan for many years.  I love the idea of that and have really enjoyed hearing her point of view.

Oh, and did I mention, Viena was "Miss Central America" at one point. 

Who leads that kind of life? 

I want to share all of these great things I have learned about these women but keep deleting because.... well, you just have to be there. 

Well, meet Amanda and Viena.  At the end of the long weekend where I sewed and they got to enjoy a snap shot of Utah, we took them up through camp.  They met the horses. 

I am hoping that the boys start calling them Aunt Amanda and Aunt Viena.

This horse was especially wanting some attention.

Here is just a taste of what is to come for Amanda's dress.  I, as you can tell, am pretty excited about this one.  I don't want to show much because it is just the start of the process and I have learned the more I work on a detail, the better it will be.  I am looking forward to being surprised. 

But really, isn't this just the best flower motif ever.  I love a good desert plant. 

Metal in the desert

I love the desert.  I consider it the most creative place I know.  I guess I am not the only one who feels this way.   Here are some great examples of creative people doing interesting things in the desert. 

Anyway, the boys and I got invited to Lake Powell for 2 days.  It was the perfect amount of time.  I had to wait for fabric to come from New York, so there were no reasons not to go.  On our way down, we stopped at Hanksville.... because it would be cool to get a picture of hank by the sign.  Well, as we toured through the small metropolis we passed the most amazing town project.... or so I assume it was a town project.  There were 30 sculptures in front of an old motel made of random car parts.  The inspiration was dinosaurs.  Another example of why I love the desert.

Slade looks like he isn't too sure about this one.

Okay, these two images are just random ones I have snapped in the last year.  I guess in a round about way, it fits the theme.  Love the color of the blue truck. 

 Just love the horse shot.  This horse is really quite remarkable.  It is located outside of my brother and sister-in-law's restaurant,  The Painted Pony, in St. George.