Wicca 101

I started a Wicca class last Sunday. I have been practicing Wicca since I was 15 (I'm now 28) so it is definitely the correct path for me. I tried doing spells and stuff with a couple girls in high school but it never amounted to much. I figured I would just continue on my solitary path.
Fast forward to this last year when James and I decided to be Handfasted. We contacted the lovely ladies from the Temple of the Green Cauldron, the local Wicca group in the area. I absolutely loved the mother and daughter duo who performed our ceremony. I signed up for their online newsletter and they announced that they would be offering an Introduction to Wicca course.
The course is based on Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft which I have actually never read but have always wanted to (for some reason it isn't usually in stores). I got my supplies list, took a trip to the crystal store and health food store, bought some candles at the dollar store and off I went.
The first class was mostly introduction -- an introduction to our teachers, each other, and Wicca in general. I left the class feeling really excited about the remainder of the course.
I am still waiting for the ladies to drop off my book (more people signed up for the class than they expected so not enough books) so I have been tiding myself over by organizing my Book of Shadows. I have been working on my Book of Shadows for a few years and haven't found a format that I liked. I think I've finally figured it out -- I got a binder and some of those clear sleeves to add papers and pictures to. I typed up and printed out pretty versions of various spells, chants, and rituals and added a bunch of faerie pictures I'd been collecting throughout the years. I think it's coming together fabulously.

Blessing Beads

I stole this idea from a baby shower I co-hosted. My wonderful MOH Heather, provided the paper and beads and got everyone at my bridal shower to write me/us a note/wish/blessing. The beads will be sewn on to our handfasting cords. I was so touched by these (even though I was the one who gave her the idea) and the fact that she put so much effort into them.

Here are the beads themselves. They were attached to the papers/wishes with wire that Heather twisted into spirals (a very auspicious symbol even if not done on purpose)

I LOVE M.A.C.!!! I just found this awesome look and I think I need to take a trip to the Bay MAC counter tomorrow!!!

M.A.C. Bridal Luciana

Wedding Cake

One of the first things about our wedding that we decided on was that we were going to have Buffy and Angel cake topper (from Buffy's prom episode). There was never any chance that we would have a *traditional* bride and groom topper. Very much not us!

The one thing that wasn't perfect was the colour of Buffy's dress. It was kind of a soft baby pink that just didn't go with anything else in our wedding. So......

I painted it red! yeah!!
(yeah... I still have to paint her shoes... I didn't want to paint them until I was sure I wouldn't be wearing my dream shoes.... WHICH I AM!!)

James had the idea to make a graveyard cake for the lovely couple to stand it. The idea was that we would put "Kathleen + James. Love is eternal" on the tombstone (or something similar). Well.... I have not been in love with this idea. Especially since James wanted to make it himself. I'm all for kitch but I just didn't want it in this instance. It was the one thing James seemed really excited about for our wedding so I figured, what the hey.

Then along comes James' mum (wondeful woman that she is) who offered to pay to get our cake made. This made James reconsider the "diy" approach that he was going for. He said since we're getting it made professionally we might as well get a "real" one. Yeah!! So I win and I didn't even have to fight for it. Below is my Cake Inspiration Board (because I make an Inspiration Board for absolutely everything)

I love Madhatter Cakes!!!!

I got my dream shoes

I am officially the happiest girl in the world. Not only am I marrying my dream man..... BUT I FOUND A PAIR OF MY DREAM WEDDING SHOES!!

This would be reason 1000000000...... why I love Offbeat Bride. I put up a couple posts about how I wanted to find these shoes (Betsey Johnson Merri fyi) and how they are sold out EVERYWHERE. I had everyone looking for them. My fabulous H2B even started a Facebook group dedicated to helping me find them. I put up another post the other day on OBB and one of the girls found them on Ebay.

Now I just have to actually get around to going to the doctor to see if my foot is broken and if there's anything I can do about it. xo

New Dress PIx

I went to try on my dress a couple days ago to get fitted for the bustle (which I'm really excited about) and I have to say that this is the prettiest I have ever felt. I feel like a princess or a model and I am so excited for James to see me in my dress. It is killing me that he won't let me show him the pix but I'm mostly really excited for the "BIG REVEAL" when he sees me for the first time. I think it will be really magical. I can't wait to see him on our wedding day all dressed up in his suit ready to get married to me.

That is my beautiful Maid of Honor, Heather, in the reflection. She has been so much help to me in my wedding planning.

This is more or less what the bustle will look like. But a bit more even :)

I need to trim the ribbon but I just love my shoes and the laces!

New Shoes

I hit my foot ridiculously hard the other day on my bed and I think I might have broken a small bone. It hurts LOTS and I haven't been able to wear high heels at all. So.... seeing as how my wedding is in 2 1/2 months I need a back up plan for shoes. I went to Michael's and got a bunch of red glitter and glue and went crazy on a pair of my Mary Jane's. End result.... I LOVE THEM!!!

Makeup Inspiration

My dress is way to "stand out" to not do full-on make-up. I bought MAC stay on lipstick that actually lasted through my test (having a nap and kissing James) so I'm pretty excited about the makeup for the day.

I've really been going wild with the Mad Tea Party Theme lately. I want a very "fantasy/faerie" feel to it -- in addition to the vampire stuff -- so these are my inspirations as of late.

Fashion

This was my original Inspiration Board. I love each and every item on it. The dress, tiara, and ring are all the actual items we will be using.

I will be wearing this necklace instead of the "Heart of the Ocean" inspired heart. It is a pink sapphire which James bought for me for Christmas.

I have not yet been able to acquire my dream shoes (Betsey Johnson "Merri") but I am still holding out hope. If I can't have those then these are the next best thing. James hates calf-height boots so granny boots were out of the question. When I saw these I knew they were perfect -- they had the right amount of "vintage-y witchy-ness" for me but the ankle height that James likes. The ribbon in the picture is just for show. I'm procrastinating purchasing the $12 a roll double-sided 1 inch thick red satin ribbon I will be using.

Wedding Hair

I haven't decided yet whether my hair will be up & messy or down & wavy but these are some of my inspiration pix:

I am most excited about my tiara which matches my dress beautifully:

I will be wearing a veil as well, similar to this style but in a deep red organza:

This was my first attempt at "wedding hair":

Wedding Decor

Our wedding theme is Gothic-Vampire-Faerie-Summer Solstice-Celtic Dream........ You get the picture. I am hoping for something regal and fancy but with a great summer party feel. So far our decor consists of tulle & faerie lights to hang in the trees, red glossy plate chargers with vanilla pillar candles and hurricane lamps as our centrepieces, and....... well I guess that's really it for now. I have lots of ideas (Chinese lanterns, red/black/pink table cloths, napkins and dishes) but we don't really have the $$$ to get any of it yet. We also aren't quite sure where we are going to seat these people (we haven't arranged tables and chairs yet) but James says he will "take care of it"......

my wonderful man

oh james.... the man who makes it all worthwhile. I didn't know what was missing until he was back in my life. I wandered and wondered and nothing seemed to work. I guess I just needed time to grow up. It seems he (and my mum) knew we would end up together but had they told me before, I wouldn't have believed it. I don't think I was a woman worthy of him back then. Sometimes I still don't. He is more beautiful than any person I have ever met. He treats me like a goddess and an angel and respects me and adores me. In return I take him for granted and give him random moments of absolute, all encompassing love. I wish he knew how much I love him and how much I hate myself for not treating him as well as he treats me. I just don't think I am capable of it. He treats me like a princess and I think I act like one in return. He is just so selfless compared to me. I wish I could show him how much I love him but I am so selfish that I always seem to put myself and my needs first. In the abstract I am selfless and giving and some people even seem to think that I am. I have every intention of being the perfect girlfriend/fiance/wife but I come off as a selfish brat who lashes out in anger and frustration. I try really hard, which leads to the previously mentioned moments of all-encompassing love but I sometimes wonder if he will get sick of the scattered tempo of my devotion and just say, "screw it.... I'm out"

oooo.... she's a blogger now

So kids, here's blog post number one. I though maybe I needed a place to put all of my ramblings and thoughts and plans and schemes. So... here goes something........