Hi everyone,
I had an exceptionally busy weekend and thought I’d share just a snippet of one event today and the other tomorrow. (tomorrow’s post DOES include some sewing like I haven’t done in probably a year or more!) :o)
I mentioned in a few posts back that our Pastor is getting married… in just over 2 weeks now! There is lots going on, but we wanted to have a bridal shower for his very sweet bride-to-be. With everyone pitching in, we pulled it off and it was beautiful. We used the chapel upstairs and the decorating crew did a beautiful job using lavender and sage colors.
If you click on the pictures they will enlarge!
One of the ladies made this “Towel Cake” with the top layer having 2 washcloths, the middle layer having 2 hand towels and the bottom layer with 2 full size towels. It was so nice, we opened it up and used it for the bright colors it lent to the rest of the decorations.
We found a cake at the Food Pantry, Friday, that was from Sam’s, and it was a carrot cake! It was BIG so we decided to use it for the cake… (actually it was big enough that we only had to use half of it… the other half will be for a BABY shower this Wednesday evening!) I took the carrot cake home and decorated it with some lavender and sage buttercream flowers and leaves. I’m not the greatest at cake decorating, but it worked!
The hardest part was getting the cake out of the original cardboard box and onto the glass platter I wanted to use. The platter was round and the cake was square! Anyone see any problems there? Well, it took my hubby and I both to get half of that cake slid off the cardboard and onto the platter without it shifting or crumbling apart. We got the cake cut in half, then used a very thin cutting board and slowly pushed it underneath the cake. We both held onto one side and moved it over to the glass platter, then we used another thin cutting board and CAREFYULLY pushed the cake onto the platter. It was touching the glass edges on all four corners, but it was in place. I wasn’t going to fuss with trying to shift it at all!
Someone had made Chicken Shawarma Wraps, I made Strawberry Salad, there were chocolate chip cookies, fresh fruit, decorated cupcakes all all different kinds of tea… even Lavender Tea and Lavender Infused Lemonade! It was very pretty and VERY delicious!
Here are a few more pictures…
Here is Cindy, listening to one of the ladies who gave a devotion.
Actually there were 4 ladies who gave a short devotion… and guess what? I was one of them… I was nervous! I’ll show you a picture…
I had props for mine!
I’ll give you the short version of my talk. I compared sewing to marriage. I talked about how in sewing you need an instruction sheet and you have to follow the directions for things to turn out the way they are supposed to.
In marriage, there’s a guide too, that can help you along the way. It’s the Bible. You can find principles from the Lord that will help you in any situation you are in.
I talked about how taking shortcuts in your sewing doesn’t usually get you the best looking garment. You have to take the extra steps if you want things to look nice.
I had those things shown in my picture, on a platter and I passed them around, telling them about how I was 8 when I made most of them. Some of them were when I was younger. Then I told them how by practicing and learning and studying how things go together, I got better and the little jeans on the platter were made when I was 68… 60 years of practicing and what a difference it made.
Shortcuts aren’t really something that works too well in marriages… You both need to be ALL IN for things to work.
I shared more but I then shared some things that I think made our marriage a wonderful one.
~ Keep things simple
~ Always respect your husband
~ Help him when you can
~ Let there be laughter in your home
There was more, but that was the gist of it.
I got some really nice feedback and it felt nice to know that several ladies totally related to how sewing was like marriage in so many ways!
Here are some of us… a few had to leave early. I think we had 36 there at one time.
Well, we just got home from a 2 1/2 hour event tonight that I’ll tell you about tomorrow, so I’m heading to bed.
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
What a lovely shower you all gave your pastor’s bride-to-be! Such a nice way to welcome her to your church family, if she wasn’t already a member. That was a good save on that large cake, too–nice that it could fill two purposes! Your decorations looked very nice. I used to decorate cakes a lot (just as a hobby), but the last time I tried, I found my hands don’t have enough strength to squeeze the frosting bags adequately any more, and it was really difficult for me to get a controlled border on the cake.
You said something about a cake made from towels. Did you have a picture of that? Or is it that white thing with purple flowers that’s on the little table that you had set up with the chairs and gifts, etc.?
I have started digging out my sewing room this weekend, as the heat allows (we finally got our summer, I think!), and so far have found tops or blocks or even parts of blocks for EIGHT small quilts!! And I know there’s at least a couple more in there somewhere. Looks like I know what I’ll be doing this winter!!
Charlotte, I believe it is the cake in the back ground of the first photo, click on it to examine thoroughly.
Really a marvelous idea!!
Hi Charlotte,
I have added a picture of the towel cake. It was perfect to use as extra decorations. Darlene really took a lot of time making it!
Keep on digging!
Blessings, Jeanne
Jeanne, I have gone to wedding and baby showers in fancy hotels but this one is one takes the cake, since it is based on love! What a beautiful tribute to marriage you gave, and yes, it works exactly like that!
The “wedding cake” made from towels reminds me of diaper cakes for baby showers. Are you going to try that for the next shower? I think I see the cake in the picture on the table between the chairs. Beautiful!
Wow, your cupcake decorating is just beautful and also the serving piece they are sitting on with the crystals! Who wouldn’t know they didn’t come from an exclusive bakery? And that serving platter for the carrot cake! I have several of that very same design that belonged to my mother!
What a wonderful party this must have been to welcome your pastor’s new wife! Your church is certainly giving them a good start and may they have many wonderful years together!
Hi Linda,
I had the picture of the towel cake but it wouldn’t load last night.. then I tried again this morning and it worked…
That glass platter was George’s moms. It is very heavy… I’m guessing leaded glass.
We all had a really nice time and got to know Cindy pretty well this time. George and I have been privy to a few things that others didn’t know so it was fun to have ALL secrets out in the open.
Thanks Linda,
Blessings, Jeanne
Jeanne, this looks massively wonderful. How very sweet the bride looks.
I just love wedding shower parties! This is really a beautiful gathering of lovely friends
Hi Rosemary,
She really is just adorable.. inside and out. We had a great time getting to know her better.
Blessings, Jeanne
Well a Monday morning surprise. A very special wedding shower. I’m amazed what Jeanne can do with a store carrot cake and all of the other special decorations. What a lovely welcome and shower.
Thanks Joy,
It really was a lovely day and the company and delicious foods were over the top. We all had such a good time!
Now I’ve got to figure out how I’m going to decorate the other half of the cake for our Baby Boy shower.
Maybe blue, yellow and greens…
We’ll see.
Blessings, Jeanne
Blessings, Jeanne
Your devotional was exceptional!❤️
Awww… thank you Joy! I appreciate your kind words! You’ll have to finish telling me about your little change in your sewing rooms… sorry we got interrupted!
Blessings, Jeanne
What a lovely wedding shower for the new bride to be. I’m sure she appreciated the warm welcome into your church.
Thank you Laura,
You would have liked it… it seemed kind of old fashioned and very girlie!
Blessings, Jeanne
What a beautiful Bridal Shower. I am so happy for your pastor and his lovely bride-to-be. You did a phenomenal job on the cake. I heard of diaper cakes for baby showers but never a towel cake. What a great idea and so pretty. I love the lavender and sage color scheme. Two of my favorite colors.
We had a baby shower for a couple at church yesterday. They have no family here and were so appreciative. I remember when we started attending a church several years ago and Sean and Dionne went there too. We were new to the church. Dionne was pregnant with Skyy and the women gave her a lovely baby shower. We totally did not expect it since we were so new to the congregation, and it was a real blessing because it was her only shower since she had no friends in the area to throw her a shower or even invite to one.
Thanks for your compliments on the cake decorating, Barbara!
I’ve never gone to any cake decorating classes, but I love to watch videos on what tips to use for all the different flowers. It’s just a little piddly thing I like to do .
What a nice thing to do for your family, and especially when you were new. Sounds like they just decided all babies need to get a little attention… moms too! How sweet that they did this.
Well, I have things tugging at me again.
Blessings, Jeanne