springtime with jane & friends

This past weekend, I had another craft fair!

I've only done a small handful of these, so each one is a learning experience.

I'm still in a state of non-commitment, because I borrow a table, don't have a tablecloth of any sort, and I totally wing my table setup the night before.

Doing these types of events is always hit and miss.
Will the weather be good, will people come, will I make up the participation fee, will the hours I spent preparing turn out to be worth it...

Business Card Holder by More Than Colors on Etsy

All in all, I feel that the amount of time and effort I put forth into these types of events is usually way more than the benefit.
And yet I still strive to make it work.
Practice makes perfect, right? I've had some utter failures and I've had some really great experiences.
While this fair didn't work out for me (it was cold, windy, I spilled my coffee, the crowds were small, I got sunburned...) I did happen to meet some lovely other crafting women, pass a few business cards out, and I had a boosted inventory.
I was also able to trade a few Posies for some local creamed cinnamon honey, which is delicious.

Brooches 

Headbands

Custom Magnets

Harry Potter Studs

Happily, I had a very fun day date planned for later that afternoon.
I went home and freshened up, jumped into a tea-drinking-worthy dress, and headed downtown to the Ploughcroft Tea Room!

I've only been there once before, which is a shame.
It's a darling little downtown treasure, and I hope to visit more often throughout our last year here.
Whoa. Our last year here.
Although even so, I won't be visiting it as much as our table mate does, let's just call him Bernard. But I'll get to him later.

I went on this lovely day date with my friend Angelica.

She's also leaving me, in case you were wondering.

She has been such a blessing to me. She's the co-leader of Dusty and I's life group at church. She's sweet, funny, smart, artistic, and has a way with words! (See her blog here). 

She has a passion for the Lord that is both refreshing and encouraging to me, and is one of the best people I know. It's an absolute tragedy that she's leaving, but also a complete victory. She's packing up her bags to go back to Canada (her home land) to go to an Art Therapy Institute. But that's after she's traversing around Europe for a month. Girl after my own heart!

We gathered on that fine Saturday to nerd out together and celebrate the 200th Anniversary of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.
Which as you know, I absolutely love (and if you read Angelica's blog at all, you know she really loves it as well!).
The tea room put on a lovely event with live music, a free copy of Pride and Prejudice, dramatic readings, and of course, the Afternoon Tea with assortments of goodies to eat.

They even played a song from one of the best parts of the 2005 movie version:

(Which of course, caused Angelica and I to start quoting the lines from this part of the movie). 

A local company provided the entertainment, which was a very abridged version of the book, dramatically reading various excerpts from beginning to end.
They were extremely entertaining, but my very favorite part was stealing glances at Angelica as she silently mouthed along with them!

Now...lets talk about Bernard.

When Angelica arrived she had been informed that a man would be joining us.

Little did we know, it would be...a very peculiar sort of man. 

Button-up, vest, plaid, pocket watch, soft southern voice. Disapproving glances. He was an expert in all things Austen and all things tea, so watch out, y'all.

A woman from the tea room sat with us periodically, and at one point he revealed to her that in college he spent 2-3 hours every Thursday at Ploughcroft. 

Dedication, people. And most likely cavities. Sugar cubes.

Anyway...he seemed unimpressed. Even though he and the tea room were BFFs, once the dramatic readings finished, he looked around seedily and huffed, "what...is that it?"

Angelica and I enjoyed giggly eye glances throughout the afternoon. 

All I know is that I will not be having Bernie over for tea any time soon.  

It was such a great day.
I'm so happy for Angelica, and her future is bright and beautiful. I can only hope we meet again someday.
But for now I'm glad I get the chance to be in her life for a little while!

After the tea room, I went and grabbed Dusty and we went to bring some dinner and dessert over to the Earls, who just had their beautiful baby girl, Brooklyn.
I'm so happy we got to meet her before they move! They leave next week.
Basically this post is mainly a pity party for myself.

But truthfully I'm in the depths of sadness over the friends we're losing. I'm so grateful I get to hold Brooklyn in her very first days. Meeting her for the first time this weekend was so exciting.
Last year, we were sitting in a frozen yogurt shop with our friend Heather, who was pregnant for the first time. There were four of us: me, Erica, Heather and Allison.
As we sat there eating our mounds of yogurt and various toppings, Heather made a comment: "Goodness, our babies are going to be fat!"
Then Allison smirked, "Yes, our babies are going to be very fat."
Erica was the first to catch it.
"Wha--what!? OUR babies!? What!"
Then Erica and I continued to shout nonsensically as Allison and Heather just basked in the glory of the surprise.
And thus, the first knowledge of little Brooklyn came to be. It was a beautiful and hilarious moment. And now both Heather and Allison have their little girls, within weeks of each other.

Meeting Brooklyn!

Dusty chose to have a super creepy Study Stache for this occasion. It makes me laugh out loud.

I just love her.
As we visit them over the years (and obviously when they visit us, like all the time), as Brooklyn gets older, I can tell her how I was her favorite from the very beginning.

it's raining

I know many of you west-coasters have been suffering from heat and exhaustion and full-out Fall envy.
Well, I don't mean to rub it in your face.

But I'm going to rub it in your face.

It's 70 degrees today, and very rainy. There's a light breeze and everyone is singing, skipping and splashing one another in a friendly fashion. Leaves are beginning to turn and everyone has a latte in their hand.
Bath and Body Works is sold out of all their Fall scented candles because everyone here is that festive.
Tonight, everyone will be cuddled up, watching their favorite movies and baking pies.

I may be exaggerating a little bit, but truly, it's a wonderful time.

But, so you won't hate me too much, things aren't perfect here.
For one, I realized everyone can see my underwear through my dress today. And even worse than that, I don't think this is the first time this has happened to me this year.
Secondly, Lynchburg drivers are awful in the rain. So there's that.

Going back to the subject of favorite movies, though...
Everyone has a favorite movie. Even if you're one of those, a person who never watches a movie twice, there has to be one movie that sticks out in your mind as having truly impacted you.
For a long time, I couldn't choose my favorite movie. I wasn't sure what qualified as a favorite film, and how I could possibly narrow it down.
But then I realized...my favorite movies aren't the most accomplished, or most witty, or most expensively-made ones.
For me, my favorite movies are the ones that I can wear out. The ones I can watch 57 times in a row in one week, and still crave it the next day.

The first movies I remember being like this with are Jurassic Park and The Matrix.
(I was a tom boy, I had three brothers...don't be too weirded out.)
Truthfully, I had every single scene memorized in The Matrix. I would mouth the words along with the characters, it was a problem.

I would get super intense at the end, whispering along with Trinity.
It's really a miracle I ever found someone to marry me.

[SPOILER ALERT]: Don't watch this if you've never seen the movie, dude.

Nowadays, my go-to movies are a little more acceptable for a sappy woman.
My top 5 are as follows...

1. Ever After
2. Mona Lisa Smile
3. Pride and Prejudice
4. The Holiday
5. Something Borrowed (just added this one this year)

This list occasionally shifts around, and Something Borrowed is a very new addition. I think I like it because I'm so far removed from the subject content, and it's both shocking and sad and totally wrong all at the same time. But there's true friendship somewhere in there, as well as love and confusion and totally misconstrued notions of happiness. I always get choked up at the end, Kate Hudson, darling, well done.

Soundtracks have about 76% to do with these choices. I crave the chills that all of these movie soundtracks produce. They're all brilliantly scored.

I really can't quite explain my bond with Ever After, though. My numero uno.
I tear up every single time the main title begins. It's one of the most powerful moments.

I remember seeing this movie in theaters in the 90's, absolutely loving it. I was ten years old. For some reason, it has become the perfect movie to me. I've lost count of how many times I've watched it. I remember swearing that I'd only marry a man who could kiss me like Dougray Scott kisses Drew Barrymore.
One time, I watched it, the credits began to roll, and I just said, "Again!"
And watched it 3 times in a row.
Most people that know me well know that this is my absolute favorite movie of all time.

I took a Facebook poll to see if anyone else was like me.
It seems like the theme of movie choices stayed about the same as mine :)
These were the most popular movie choices:

1. Tami, Heidi, Charissa: Pride and Prejudice (new, or the old BBC version)
2. Charissa, Philip, Amber: The Princess Bride
3. Miriam, Charissa, Me: Ever After
4. Melodee, Ashley: Penelope (which I've never seen!)
5. Sarah: Anne of Green Gables (which had the most likes)

I really, really loved hearing everyone's favorite movies. It's such a personal fact to know about someone. I immediately picture them totally vegged out on the couch, enjoying every second of the best movie in their own little world.
Usually, when I'm having an Ever After marathon, I'm not looking my best. It's usually when I'm lonely, sad, sick, or just feeling really sappy. Which means I'm shame-eating bad-for-me foods and wearing the same clothes from yesterday.
And I always watch it alone, because no one loves it like I do. Plus I look disgusting.
It's a very intimate, personal experience.

I'm looking forward to going home tonight and indulging in my comfiest pajamas.
I think we'll raise the blinds a little, so we can see and hear the rain outside.
Although it's not an Ever After night, since the SYTYCD finale is on tonight....(WOOT!)

Man, I wish work didn't have to get in the way of my plans. I'd be home right now if not for the whole money-making need.

Oh well.

In love,
Cait