Baby Blessing

This past summer seemed so busy. I made friends with my sewing room, and worked on a costume for a friend, and a baby blessing dress for another friend's baby. These projects were fun, and I really do love sewing. As much as I like making quilts and doing other little projects, I really do adore sewing clothing. It was a lot of fun doing both these projects.

The baby blessing dress was a request from a dear friend from high school. She couldn't find what she wanted, so my sister volunteered my services to her. She emailed me a couple of pictures and asked what kind of fabric I recommended. With that tucked skirt, I immediately thought of dupioni silk! But for a baby blessing? So, I took some pictures of different fabrics, sent them to my friend, and told her what I would love to do if cost and fabric-care weren't issues...and gave some nice, less-expensive, easy-wash options. Well, she went to the fabric store, and agreed on the silk!

So it was decided. I found a pattern that had the same little cap sleeves, but that was the only thing. I had to draft a pattern for the skirt and then figure out what to do for the rhinestones across the bodice. She also wanted rhinestones at each tuck in the skirt, instead of a pearl. I found some neat heat-applied rhinestones, but the lady at the craft store said she wasn't sure if they dry-cleaned. We decided to use them anyway. Here is how the dress turned out.

I missed the blessing, and I've been assured pictures of the baby in the dress are coming, but I don't have them yet. This blessed event was filled with a little sorrow, however. As I was in the middle of making the dress, the baby's grandmother passed away very unexpectedly. When I gave it to my friend, though, she cried and said how much her mother would have loved this. It was a pleasure to work on, and I was so pleased with how beautiful it turned out, and even more pleased that it made my friend so happy.

Canterbury Cathedral Choir Boys

Here is the video I promised, and forgot to post.

London temple and Canterbur

On our fourth day (I realize this is a bit backwards to the previous post, which was day 5), we drove to the temple. Which really isn't in London, but is out in the countryside. It was a beautiful drive...which I can say because I was not the one white-knuckling it behind the wheel...yet. We experienced a gas station, and gas station restroom...which is no different than in the states. I stood in front of an isle of chocolate and candy and had a hard time choosing something to try. I can't remember what I got (and unfortunately didn't take a pic of it), but I remember it was delicious! It was some sort of candy bar that will haunt my dreams in years to come.

This is, I believe, the mission home for the London mission. It was a beautiful building on the temple grounds.

Beautiful temple, although, after seeing lots of catholic churches already on our trip, it was a bit "plain". 

The gardens around the temple are breathtakingly beautiful. I took some pictures of a few of the beautiful flowers.

After a session, which we both had a hard time staying awake through, we drove on to Canterbury...which is the Catholic seat in England. And has so much history, with Thomas Becket, and all. I was a Wiki nerd for a couple of days before going. Thomas Becket was one person I looked up and read about.

I was in charge of finding accommodations for the places we stayed outside of London. I was afraid of finding places that looked good online, but were either in the wrong neighborhoods, or were total dives...or both. It took me forever to decide on, and then I had to look at the street-views on Google Earth of the places, just to be sure. This tower and arch was what I first saw from Google Earth when looking at the hotel in Canterbury. And as we drove into the city center, I saw this and was so excited--I felt like I knew exactly where we were! (One of the many conveniences of the internet!) 

It was getting later in the day, and all of England closes shop at 5pm, so we were in a hurry to find the cathedral and see what we wanted to see. We didn't even have time for the gift shop, but they have an online store that I will have to hit someday. This was the road on the other side of the arch that we set off up, looking for an old Gothic cathedral.

We got a glimpse of it down a side street.

Amazing and breathtaking.

This cathedral did not mind you taking pictures, so I went a little overboard. It was incredible to think of how old it is. And, I might add, the goths got the air-conditioning right in this place! Just joking, of course...naturally an old stone cathedral is going to be cold inside. It felt wonderful after 3 days of walking around London in 85* temperatures!

Another mouth-open-gawking-at-the-ceiling experience.

Amazing stained glass.

St. Thomas shrine

I don't know what this is called. (Maybe someone could enlighten me.) I believe it's a podium. The carving of it was so intricate!

In the quire. We stayed for Evensong...which is when the choir boys sing and worship. It is open to the public, and takes place every night. It was beautiful. We were not allowed to record any of it, but as they were practicing we were able to capture some of their singing...which was so beautiful. It sounded like a choir of 100 boys filling that huge cathedral with music, but it was only 14 young boys! They had amazing voices. I'll put the video I took at the end of this post.

More intricate carving.

Cloisters

Cloisters, again.

Another view of the cathedral. They are restoring it, in places, hence the scaffolding on the right.

Ruins of an old aqueduct right outside the cathedral.

After seeing the cathedral, we had dinner, moaned that a bakery was not open for us to grab an eclair (which eluded us the whole time we were there), and turned in. The next morning, I awoke early (thanks to the jet lag that had finally set in) and decided it was time for a run in England. I took my camera and off I went. 

I found a beautiful path alongside a river (or stream?).

Had to take a pic of a medial practice, for Ben's sake.

Early morning street in Canterbury.