Sunday, September 28, 2008

WEDDING DAY: Rustic Wedding with Handmade Dresses at Pioneer Farms

Our son and daughter-in-law were married at Pioneer Farms, a living history museum in Austin, Texas. The historic buildings, country setting, handmade wedding dresses, bluegrass music, and hayride reception created a memorable rustic wedding that perfectly matched their vision.

Well, the big day had finally arrived.

The ceremony was so beautiful and Caitlin's wedding dress was STUNNING. The wedding dress and bridesmaid dresses were all handmade. After the ceremony, we walked a trail to the creek for the reception and enjoyed some live music from the Bluegrass band, The Old Holdouts.

What a lovely country wedding! I can't believe my son is married.



Mother and Son.


Alan (Josh's dad), Nathan (brother) and Josh.


Jonathan - rehearsing tunes for the wedding.


Boarding the hayride to the German farm for wedding.






Here comes the bride.






Husband and Wife.







The girls did a reenactment of how Caitlin and Josh met.


The first dance.






Tossing the garter.



A hug from little sister.


Leaving for honeymoon.



Rehearsal the night before.

Josh and Caitlin.


Handmade Wedding Dress: Timeless Elegance Created by a Talented Seamstress

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Wrapping things up: Handmade Pioneer Barbie Dress Inspired by 1800s Fashion

One of my Pioneer/Victorian designs for Barbie.


One of my favorite creative hobbies has always been designing historical clothing for Barbie dolls. I especially enjoy making pioneer and Victorian-inspired dresses that reflect the fashions of the 1800s. This simple design was one of my early creations and was inspired by the living history programs and pioneer events our family enjoyed for many years.

Behind the Inspiration

At the time I made this dress, our family was also busy preparing for a pioneer-style wedding at Pioneer Farms near Austin, Texas. Between helping clean the historic grounds, preparing for hundreds of guests, and looking forward to a bluegrass band beside the creek, pioneer life was very much on my mind.

It's probably no surprise that those same historical influences found their way into my sewing projects. Looking back, this little Barbie dress reminds me of a very busy—and very special—week in our lives.


I'm in the throes of wedding preparations. I went out to the farm today and helped raked leaves, rocks, and yes, poison ivy. The German farm is looking really good. Got a new fence around the premise. I'm not sure how we are going to fit 300+ people in front of the cabin. The reception is going to be at the creek. Got a blue grass band for the occasion. So far, the weather looks promising.
Not much else to report. I'll have a houseful by tomorrow. Stay tuned for after the weekend. Wedding pictures to post!

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

NATURAL GARDENER: One of Texas' Best Garden Centers in Austin Texas


A friend and I decided to spend our morning today at the Natural Gardener -- what a treat! There was so much to see and do. Definitely a great place to take the kids and walk around.


Texas Gardener magazine


If you love gardening, native plants, or simply spending time outdoors, The Natural Gardener in Austin, Texas, is worth a visit. More than just a garden center, it's a destination where visitors can wander through beautiful display gardens, discover unusual plants, attend educational workshops, and gather inspiration for their own backyards. During one of our visits, we spent the morning exploring the nursery, browsing gardening books, and enjoying everything this unique Texas landmark had to offer.

While browsing inside the store, I decided to purchase a copy of the Texas Gardener magazine. Imagine my surprise when I recognized a local blogger as one of the feature stories. Blogging has been taking off as a great way for Austin gardeners to network and share information and tips.



I also purchased the Texas Bug Book. This was originally Pamela's idea to own the copy. But after I started digging through the pages, I realized this was a VALUABLE book to own! Not only are there pictures of all the Texas bugs, but information on pest control for your home and garden. A must have!

The Texas Bug Book became one of my favorite gardening references.

 
Texas gardening books available in the gift shop.


The nursery was very well kept and full of surprises. The kids got to see lots of animals, the butterfly garden, and an amazing variety of plants. And the staff, by the way, are very friendly.

I'll most definitely be back -- especially to take advantage of their free workshops. This will especially be an asset for Pamela's horticulture 4-H projects.

Beautiful display gardens at The Natural Gardener.

Friendly nursery staff and a sense of humor






Native Texas plants throughout the nursery.








chickens go well with gardens. Compost! 


Plenty of displays for inspiration on what to grow


Walking paths through the gardens.


Plenty of windchimes to choose from




Colorful seasonal flowers.


Garden art and sculptures.





Butterfly-friendly flowers in bloom.


Love the creative arbors at Natural Gardener


Teepee displays


beautiful pottery throughout the garden for purchase


Afterwards, we decided to go vegetarian for lunch and eat at Mr. Natural. I had an incredible spinach, rice, and bean dish (can't remember what it was called) and for my drink, spinach pineapple juice. Not bad!

Well, time to start working on my FALL GARDEN! (Hoping for "fall" anyways... we had a nice surprise earlier this week with 70-degree temps... but now we're expecting our temps to rise back to the 90's.
Hoping for COOL WEATHER for the wedding!

Why We Keep Going Back

One of the things I appreciate most about The Natural Gardener is that it's much more than a place to buy plants. Every visit gives me new ideas for gardening, landscaping, composting, wildlife habitat, and growing vegetables naturally.

If you're visiting Austin and enjoy gardening, I'd definitely recommend adding it to your itinerary. Whether you're shopping for plants, attending one of their educational workshops, or simply walking through the gardens, it's an enjoyable way to spend a few hours surrounded by nature.