Art, Age and an Awesome Wedding

One of my New Years Resolutions was not to colour my hair for a year. Yes, a year, without putting those chemicals on my head. I have been colouring my hair for almost 20 years - blonde, red, chestnut, auburn, and my favourite Indian Summer. I lived with two hairdressers as an 19 year old - hence the early start -and some very creative colours. When planning for a dear friends wedding it was hard - very hard, to stay with natural, grey at the temples, three and a half inches of re-growth and more grey spattered through.
I had fun getting ready though - even found a few minutes for self portraits in the bathroom.

Painting my toe nails took hours. Choose a colour, apply first coat. Touch dry - umm too dark. Apply second different colour. Touch dry - apply third coat. Head for the shower, dry feet - wipe off most of the polish.

OK, no nail polish remover. Ummm what about that Tim Holtz stuff for removing alcohol inks. Nope that didn't work either. OK. Paint over toes again. Let dry - really dry. Add second coat. Yep - almost two hours and the toes were done. Cute? Yep. Make me feel good? Yep.
Kerry and Frank were married at a beautiful local vineyard. I don't think there was a dry eye as we joined in their day - and shared their joy. I am going to miss this woman so much as she moves to be with Frank, and yet I am overjoyed that she has found her 'Honey Bee' and is happy. ( I just accidentally deleted the photo of them together from here-will try to add it tomorrow).
Isn't Kerry beautiful, just glowing as she signs the register.

I had a wonderful night Kerry had sat me next to a good friend Ann (a stamper extraordinaire) who happens to be three years younger than I. This is mentioned because just as dinner was being served one of the 'Aunt's' asked if Ann was my daughter!!! Boy did I regret that NY Resolution!

Here's Mrs Kerry and her beautiful little friend Zana this morning (don't you love the way Z is wearing the bows from the gifts?). And this is the bird bath I commissioned my parents to make for them. The bottom is pieces of farm machinery welded and painted by my Dad and the top a plow disc - which my Mum mosaiced (um.. is that a word?). They are so talented!

For my own creation, I left it until the night before the wedding to decide what to wear and hence was making this looooonnnnnnnggg necklace until the early hours of Saturday morning. It includes three special beads my friend Dot gave me, a beautiful pearl shell heart from Sandy and a centre piece made of an escutcheon and a button.