The Art of the Wedding Shower

Wedding season is fast approaching! The Church Ladies' friend Seraphic walked down the aisle last weekend, and she'll be in good company before the summer's over.

There is an art to throwing a classy wedding shower in today's terribly tacky world. The Church Ladies provide some guidance.

-There can be nice showers at restaurants. But what better place is there to celebrate the beginning of a new "household of faith" than At Home? Your event will be more relaxed and personal.

-There is a time and a place for a co-ed party. It's called your wedding reception.

-Consider celebrating a culture of life and inviting girls and women in different seasons of their lives. (NB: This shuts down shenanigans like you wouldn't believe.)

-The ban on wearing a hat in your own home is lifted for wedding showers. Consider having a garland or veil on hand for the bride, depending on her taste.

-Light instrumental music sets the tone. Try some Saint-Saens or Elgar, available from your public library.

-This is the time for delightfully dainty food. Chicken salad on croissants, little cookies, and pink lemonade make for an elegant soiree that's easy on the cook. Who can easily be our friend Trader Joe if you're pressed for time.

-If the bride is without local relatives, ask her if she needs help with anything, like addressing invitations or packaging wedding favors.

-Sometimes wedding showers bring together women from different areas of the bride's life. Casual games can help people relax. A tray memory game can be fun: place wedding related items on a tray, give the guests a minute to look at, then cover the tray and test their powers of recall! From a more challenging activity, prepare a list of scripture verses pertaining to love and marriage, and see who can identify the most (an ecumenical party game, as the Protestants will do better). Or generate a list of saints connected to marriage and the family, such as Catherine, Gianna, Margaret, and Monica, and match them with their patronage.

-Thoughtful home-made gifts might include an apron, potholders, or a tea-cosy. Another favorite theme is "something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue." A gift should fall in one of those categories, like an antique hankie, a new cake pan, or a blue chaplet. Another much appreciated gift could be a gathering of household essentials around a theme, like pantry basics, spices, stationery, or cleaning necessities.

-The bride will get enough advice. Have everyone bring a favorite recipe for her instead. A nice story about the recipe is sweet too, such as "this was my husband's favorite casserole in our newlywed days." Cooking disasters are always amusing as well.

-Save the bows in a bouquet for the wedding rehearsal. Or, if you have some artificial flowers and ribbon looking for a new home, have each person pick one, and write a poem with their well wishes tying into the flower's symbolism, and gather whole creation together on a paper plate.

Good Luck!

Tea for two

She awoke early, long before it was light, and lay almost rigid, looking at her wristwatch every ten minutes, waiting for six o'clock, when she told herself it would be reasonable to get up and make tea. There was a tray in her room set with two large thick cups and saucers, a bowl containing tea bags, sachets of coffee and sugar, and a couple of biscuits. There was a small kettle, but no teapot. She supposed she was expected to make the tea in the cup.
[PD James, A Certain Justice]

Tea brewed in a teapot is more sociable, stays warm longer, and is just classier (an attribute the Church Ladies strive to emulate). Sadly most modern china patterns don't include with a teapot (and those that do often run 3 figures). What's a Church Lady to do?

If you have a more casual set, Fiesta makes teapots in a wide variety of colors. If you are looking for something formal, we recommend scouring garage sales and antique stores for a design that complements your pattern. Happy hunting!

Hankie Handiwork

"Have a good time dearies," said Mrs. March as the sisters went daintily down the walk. "Don't eat much supper and come away at eleven when I send Hannah for you." As the gate clashed behind them, a voice cried from a window,"Girls, girls! have you both got nice pocket handkerchiefs?"

"Yes, yes, spandy nice, and Meg has cologne on hers," cried Jo, adding with a laugh as they went on, "I do believe Marmee would ask that if we were all running away from an earthquake."

"It is one of her aristocratic tastes and quite proper for a real lady is always known by neat boots, gloves, and handkerchief," replied Meg who had a good many little aristocratic tastes of her own." [Louisa May Alcott, Little Women]

The Church Ladies are engaged in an on-going campaign to re-instate hankies.

Plain handkerchiefs are easily obtained at dollar discount stores, but lack decoration. This is a perfect opportunity to practice embroidery or lace knitting. Enter knitting-and.com, a handy site about hand knit lace edgings. You're good to go.

Need knows no season

From the Ravelry Knitters Cherish Life group:

In honor of our children and all children who have lost their lives by abortion Silent No More Minnesota will sponsor a baby shower on June 3rd. Gifts will be given to Robbinsdale Women’s Center, a pregnancy center located in Robbinsdale, MN. They are also located across the street from an abortion clinic.

We would be happy to receive donated knitted items you wish to send and forward them on to the center. You can mail them to Silient No More Minnesota, 4180 West Broadway Ave. No., Suite B, Robbinsdale, MN 55422.

Even if you can't finish an item by the deadline, I'm sure Silent No More would appreciate receiving it. It gets plenty cold in Minnesota.

Linen Primer

For the church ladies, caring for linen is a year-round concern, as many of the better surplices, etc, are crafted of this delightful fabric. And as Memorial Day approaches, our own chic linen sundresses and skirts are coming out of storage. Here are a few quick tips to make your linen look its best.

1. Start with a clean iron. If the sole-plate is dirty, heat the iron on the steam setting, then unplug it and let it cool for a few minutes. Scrub with a wet terry washcloth- the steam will loosen anything that's caked on.

2. To keep that crisp finish, iron your linen when its damp. If that's not possible, squirt it well with water and starch before ironing.

3. Dry-clean your fancier linen. Those Dryel bags make this affordable and easy at home.

4. For a more casual look, you can wash your linen. Separating the lights and darks is super important here, as is avoiding bleach, which can be harsh on this delicate fabric. Always use cold water.

Mindful Mondays

If you're against capital punishment, you must be more against capital punishment against babies, which is carried out without trial or jury or appeal or court-appointed lawyer.

If you're against war, you must be more against war conducted against babies by their parents and doctors, since unborn babies are the ultimate defenseless pacifists, only wanting to go about their own business of growing and living.

If you're against poverty, you must be more against babies being deprived of their only property, their own lives and bodies.

If you're for social justice, you must be more in favor of justice for babies as an integral part of religion and society.

There is no social ill, no injustice, no horror that is not intensified when it involves the unborn, for they have the least power and the most need. If we don't protect our young, we don't protect anyone.

From Maureen at Aliens in this World, Cloche tip to Amy

Not Quite Church-Worthy

A slideshow of hats from this year's Kentucky Derby.  Interestingly enough, the most conservative one was worn by (get this) Paris Hilton.

Soulwow

Just swimmingly

I know there is swimwear out there that resembles a dress but quite frankly, if I have to wear a dress in the pool I'm just going to stay home. That having been said, I don't believe we should be wearing Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikinis either. Lucky for us, there are plenty of adorable vintage-inspired swimsuits that I think strike a perfect balance between usability and modesty. Here are three of my favorite sources for retro bathing suits...

Betty Beguiles has done the hard work in researching some glamorous bathing suits.

May: Month of Mary

The Holy Father's Intentions for the Month of May 2009

General: That Christians may use literature, art and the media to greater advantage to favour a culture which defends and promotes the values of the human person.

Missionary: That just as she accompanied the Apostles in the early stages of the Church, may the Blessed Virgin Mary, Star of Evangelization and Queen of Apostles, continue to guide missionaries throughout the world with maternal affection.