November 17, 2009

my love affair with lace

I have a love affair with Lace...the beautiful fabric that seems to be either sorely OUT, or majorly IN!

I'm confident that a huge part of my obsession stems from my great-grandmother, whose everyday kitchen table was covered with a gorgeous cream colored french lace tablecloth. I LOVED this tablecloth! And..more importantly, I loved all of the deep conversations we had & all the games of checkers she would win [ :) ],while we sat together at that gorgeous table covered in lace.

On a personal level, my great-grandmother has been the biggest inspiration in my life...not necessarily because she always got it right, but because when she got it wrong, she grew from the experience and became a better person. She taught me so much...she was the kind of woman who fought for independence, owned her own home at a time when that wasn't necessarily acceptable, and gave voice to the challenges and mistakes that she made along the way. She wasn't the best mother, but was a fantastic grandmother, and an even more amazing great-grandmother, proving that learning to love gets better with time.

My great-grandmother was also the woman who consistently reminded me of the personal power of choice: "If you want to do something, just do it! Don't wish, don't whine, just do it!" She must have taught the same lesson to my mother, who has always pushed me to pursue my dreams and to choose to do the things that make me happy.

When I think of my own wedding day, and what I will wear, it's always been about lace. And...the Melissa Sweet Hallie dress:

The intricate design and floral undertones remind me so much of my great-grandmother. It's been years since her passing, but I know that wearing this dress would instantly bring me right back to her side, sitting at that gorgeous table, playing a game of checkers and talking about all things life. It's amazing how a simple piece of fabric can provide such inspiration...truly, fabric is at the very core one of many "inspirational time-machine[s]" that can take us back to those we've cherished and loved.

Lace will always be my ultimate "inspirational time-machine". I'm curious...what brings you back?

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