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Mrs. Crab Cake, Columbus, GA Age and Occupation: 25, Registered Nurse Fiance's Age and Occupation: 31, Director of Education and Living History for a museum Engagement Date: April 6, 2008 Wedding Date: June, 2009 Blogging Since: November 26, 2008 Venue: Holy Family Catholic Church, reception: National Infantry Museum About Me: I'm a perfectionist trying to balance two jobs, motherhood, my craft obsession, and wedding planning. I am obsessed with all things wedding, especially creative ideas for saving money and DIY projects. A Southern Belle at heart, I love anything southern, especially sweet tea, grits, afternoon thunder storms, crab cakes, and good old Southern hospitality. Mr. Crab Cake and I are planning a vintage inspired wedding with tons of Southern flare (can y'all say that with a thick Southern drawl?).
About Mrs. Crab Cake

A Confession…

February 28th, 2009 @ 3:00 pm by Mrs. Crab Cake

Before I unveil our invitations, I have a confession to make.

I am a textile whore. A fiber snob.

That’s right. I love textiles! I need to touch everything. I can’t make a purchase, any purchase, without touching the item first. It’s very hard for me to order clothing and fabric online because I can’t touch it. I have to rely on natural fibers to guide me towards good fabric online. I even have a hard time with simple things like pots, pans, and dishes, because I need to touch and feel them. Silly? Yeah, probably, but my skin has a strong aversion to synthetic fibers.

How did I get to be this way? It’s all Mr. CC’s fault. Before I met him, I loved textile arts, and by that I mean knitting and sewing. I liked natural fibers, but I was not nearly as snobby about them back then. I was able to justify sacrificing natural fiber for price (in some instances). Then I met Mr. CC. And soon, I was introduced to Civil War reenacting. Now, I know what you all are thinking. Yes, it’s redneck and Southern. I don’t care. It’s fun. I get to go camping, which I’ve always loved, and wear (as) authentic (as possible) Civil War Era gowns, complete with corsets and hoop skirts. Anyway, it is an extremely expensive hobby. A good dress runs anywhere from $200-$400, depending on the material, and a ball gown runs upwards of $600. People, this is highway robbery. Okay, I’m totally getting off topic. Long story short, I couldn’t afford to buy my gowns, so I make all my own clothing, right down to the crotch-less drawers (yes ma’am!) and corsets. And that’s where my fiber snobbery was born. You cannot wear synthetic fibers in Civil War reenacting. Period. You will die. Okay, so the wool is bad enough. And with 6-8 layers of clothing on during the dead of summer, you need to get some air in there. Plus, polyester didn’t exist in 1861. All of my gowns and garments are 100% natural. They’re mostly cotton, but there’s some silk in there too. The snobbery spilled over into my knitting as well. You won’t find me knitting with anything synthetic anymore.

So, let me show you the array of fabrics that have been purchased in honor of our nuptials.

A Confession... :  wedding invitations Cc1 cc1

My first fabric purchase was 100% raw dupioni silk. I bought 6 yards in the most gorgeous blush pink with the intention of turning it into my rehearsal dinner dress. I have since thrown those plans right out of the window and now have no concrete plans for this fabric. Any ideas? It actually still matches our color palette nicely.

A Confession... :  wedding invitations Cc2 cc2

I bought this “silk” brocade, only 2 yards, with the idea that it would scan nicely into my computer and I could make envelopes with it. So, first of all, it didn’t scan nicely at all, and secondly, Mr. CC hated the fuchsia and orange color palette with a passion (too modern for Mr. Traditional). It’s really beautiful in person, but it’s synthetic, and kinda makes my skin crawl. It would make a lovely corset though. I’m not sure what it will end up as.

A Confession... :  wedding invitations Cc3 cc3

I bought this brocade off an Etsy seller who was going out of business. It’s also “silk” but it’s of higher quality and actually feels ok. It matched our burgundy and sage color palette (which I decided was too wintery for our June nuptials). There’s a lot of it. I’m not sure what I’ll do with it, but I think it’s beautiful.

A Confession... :  wedding invitations Cc4 cc4

This is a recent purchase. It matches our color palette perfectly, and I love love love paisley. I got a great deal on this at Jo-Ann’s. I bought the whole bolt. It’s 100% cotton lightweight upholstery fabric. I’ll share the project this was used for later.

A Confession... :  wedding invitations Cc5 cc5

This is also a recent purchase. It’s Jo-Ann’s version of Celadon, and it is just a touch lighter than Alfred Angelo’s version. But at $7.99/yard (compared to AA’s $11.00/yard), I just couldn’t pass it up. I bought a lot of this too (yay for coupons!).

So, what does all this have to do with our invitations? Well, I’m a textile girl. Until I started on our invitations, I knew nothing of paper, Photoshop, Illustrator, or the tools I might need. So, I’m basically pre-apologizing for our invitations. I love them, but they certainly aren’t anything nearly as fancy as some of the invitation suites I’ve seen on Weddingbee. They pale in comparison to Mrs. Cupcake’s unbelievable invitations. But they are ours and I’m extremely proud of them, and you all shall see them soon.

Are you a sucker for fabrics? What is your favorite place to buy fabric?

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19 Responses to “A Confession…”

1.
Bee Icon
Bee
Miss Bruschetta (message)  5,565 posts, Bee Keeper

Oooo, show us one of your reenactment gowns!

 
2.
sal75
Member
sal75 (message)  134 posts, Blushing bee

those are beautiful!!

 
3.
Gilneas
Member
Gilneas (message)  1,393 posts, Bumble bee

I also love fabric. I don’t sew as much as I used to (I used to quilt and costume design more in college), but I am still drawn to fabric stores and the beautiful textiles that lie within.

I got a $50 gift card to Joann’s for Christmas, and ended up buying a few yards of a beautiful fabric, a faux satin (I think it’s fake) that is the exact color we were looking at for bridal accents, to make a sash and any accessories with for my dress. And then I found some beautiful purple brocade that was the exact color for the bridesmaids, so I bought three yards of that, with absolutely no intention or ideas of what to use it for!

Now sometimes I take them out and pet them and wait for inspiration. I’m excited to see how you incorporated fabric into your invitations! I am practically drooling over that sage “silk” brocade - so freaking beautiful!!

Isn’t fabric awesome?

 
4.
HistoryBride
Member
HistoryBride (message)  409 posts, Helper bee

I agree completely on sharing your reenactment gowns! That’d be so cool!

 
5.
ggsb
Member
ggsb (message)  1,245 posts, Bumble bee

I’m not sure what your table covering choices are, but several of those fabrics would make lovely options.

It might be a bit of a drive for you, but OHCO is having their fabric by the pound sale next week in Covington,GA. I have a co-worker who did lightweight upholstery table overlays for her daughter’s wedding for $10 with material from this annual sale. http://www.ohcoinc.com

 
6.
Mrs. Cupcake
Bee
Mrs. Cupcake (message)  1,456 posts, Bumble bee

I’m sure your invitations are beautifully, because they are uniquely YOURS! I am an insane designer woman who obsessed for months over our invites because it’s what I do for a living, and I had lots of work connections to help me produce them :-) I realize I’m a lucky dog in that sense! Just think of your amazing sewing/fiber skills as equivalent to my invitation design skills! Everyone has their strengths. And I know that your invites are going to get your wedding guests just as excited for your wedding as if you had spent a gazillion dollars on them, because it’s the sentiment that matters the most, not the invitations themselves.

 
7.
happilywaiting
Member
happilywaiting (message)  1,389 posts, Bumble bee

Miss Crab Cake - I too am a tactile gal - I simply love to touch fabrics, pillows, clothing etc…and have the same struggle with online shopping…although I haven’t sewed for years I love to go to Joann’s for the sheer joy of seeing AND touching the different fabrics.

 
8.
bridgetjones2010
Member
bridgetjones2010 (message)  167 posts, Blushing bee

I would LOVE to see photos of your reenactment gowns. PLEASE POST!

 
9.
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Member
kenziegirl (message)  339 posts, Helper bee

I heart Joann big time, especially when I have a coupon! We also have S.R. Harris Fabric Outlet and also Mill Ends Textiles Outlet nearby. I am spoiled!

 
10.
MightySapphire
Hostess
MightySapphire (message)  7,632 posts, Bee Keeper

I’m not really a textile snob, but I do have my preferences!! I love JoAnns but I also love this cute little mom and pop fabric store near my house in CA. They have the best stuff!!

 
11.
Guest Icon
Guest
K

I used to do the all the dressing up, hoop skirts, corsets, whole-nine-yards for reenactments, too! :D And that brocade is GORGEOUS!

 
12.
Guest Icon
Guest
BunnyBlue

LMAO. I swear I was reading my own post her. I too am a textile snob! When I was big into the Ren Fest thing I was all about being authentic ( as much as i could i’m highly allergic to wool). simply could not comprehend why people would wear hoop skirts under their Ren Fest attire.

 
13.
Member Icon
Member
peonypink (message)  44 posts, Newbee

the fabric you bought is just fabulous! perhaps you can use them for little accents at your wedding… bouquet wrap, ring bearer pillow, a clutch, guest book table, draping for the altar. Can’t wait to see what great ideas you end up with!

 
14.
mmc4474
Member
mmc4474 (message)  71 posts, Worker bee

I totally agree with peonypink above! PS let me know if you want to sell the brocade you bought from the OOB etsy shop. I loooove it

 
15.
Bee Icon
Bee
Miss D'orsay (message)  2,272 posts, Buzzing bee

I have no idea about Civil War reenactments, but are there are reenactment wedding gowns? I’m sure those would be awesome to see!

 
16.
frenchbulldog
Bee
frenchbulldog (message)  7,730 posts, Bee Keeper

@Miss D’orsay: I was thinking the same thing!
Miss CC can we see some of the gowns you’ve made?

 
17.
Bee Icon
Bee
Miss Taffy (message)  3,104 posts, Sugar bee

I am also a natural fiber snob! I can’t stand anything synthetic against my skin. I would also love to see your gowns!

 
18.
Shay
Member
Shay (message)  438 posts, Helper bee

I love fabric as well! (as i stand up) I too touch everything! I dont know what it is either but its just a must.
I get a good portion of my fabric from JoAnn’s but there are a few fabric houses in the area (Connecticut) that have a great selection.

Cant wait to see your invites!

 
19.
Piaffette
Member
Piaffette (message)  150 posts, Blushing bee

The fuschia and orange fabric is just screaming to be made into a big purse. It’s GORGEOUS. I am anxious to go buy a ton of brocade for the same purpose… So pretty! I also am really dependent on getting to feel things before I purchase them. It makes a difference!

 

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Mrs. Crab Cake
Mrs. Crab Cake

Mrs. Crab Cake, Columbus, GA Age and Occupation: 25, Registered Nurse Fiance's Age and Occupation: 31, Director of Education and Living History for a museum Engagement Date: April 6, 2008 Wedding Date: June, 2009 Blogging Since: November 26, 2008 Venue: Holy Family Catholic Church, reception: National Infantry Museum About Me: I'm a perfectionist trying to balance two jobs, motherhood, my craft obsession, and wedding planning. I am obsessed with all things wedding, especially creative ideas for saving money and DIY projects. A Southern Belle at heart, I love anything southern, especially sweet tea, grits, afternoon thunder storms, crab cakes, and good old Southern hospitality. Mr. Crab Cake and I are planning a vintage inspired wedding with tons of Southern flare (can y'all say that with a thick Southern drawl?).

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