Mexican Tissue Flowers

So I was alerted today that there is a bride in need. I was walking to the ladies room outside the tea room at the Langham hotel in Pasadena. Sadie and I went there to have tea and complain about our made up problems and stuff our faces with crumpets and cucumber sandwiches. We were the only people there, in this GIANT room overlooking the lawn. The poor lady playing piano must have felt like we were assholes. I would have. Like geez, if only you too broads could take your problems somewhere else, I could lay off the ivories until the noon rush begins. Sorry lady. Maybe that's why she insisted on playing the theme song from St. Elmo's Fire, and Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue.

Sorry, back to the bride. Sadie mentioned off handedly (is that a word? my spell check didn't say no to it) that her babysitter Miranda is getting married in 7 weeks, and she needed some help with centerpieces. It took everything in me not to grab Sadie by the shoulders and shout "WHERE IS MIRANDA RIGHT NOW?!!! WE CAN DO THIS!!!" I get a little excited.

They are getting married in 7 weeks in the Bay Area. Miranda is working full time, she doesn't have a dress yet, and she's on a budget. Like who isn't?! I immediately thought of these beautiful paper flowers this priest I used to drink with in college (another time, I promise) brought me from Mexico. They were multicolored, and so festive. I had them for years. After I had moved them from several apartments and with me to LA, they were faded and they must have ended up in the heap. BUT I had them for years, and they always put a smile on my face.

I googled "Mexican paper (or tissue) flower" and found a gagillion links. She could buy them if she ran out of time to make them, or, easy as pie, she, and her friends, and *ahem* very artistic fiance could make them themselves in whatever colors her little bride heart desires. (I'm for this option, and if I wasn't typing this post, I'd already be folding and tying).

When I mentioned the idea, Sadie said they were indeed having a taco truck, which is the yummiest and best thing ever, and now I kind of wish I was going to be there. Perfect. Miranda, I know you don't know me that well, but if I show at your wedding with a bouquet of paper flowers, can I get a taco from the truck?

This is a good solution for a bride who isn't actually in the city she's going to get married in because they are quick to make, and she doesn't have to worry about tracking down a florist, or the local flower market. Plus they last for years, and people can take them home from the wedding. Not that people do that. Not that I TAKE things from weddings I go to. Not that I have EVER taken say a bathroom floral arrangement or a tabletop horse piñata from anyone's wedding, ever. I'm not that kind of girl. I make no promises for the clergy I drink with.

You can see examples, and get directions for making them  yourself here and here and all kinds of place on the interwebs. Oh and here is a link to a wedding that I think did a super cute job using them and other very inexpensive (as in $2 from the party supply) paper decorations to make their wedding look super cute.

Good luck Miranda my dear, let me know if you need any more "help" with your wedding.

p.s. all the pictures in this post are from other people's sites. I did not make any of these flowers or take any of these pictures. If you want to find them, google image search Mexican Paper Flowers for your own dang self. I'm too tired to make links tonight.

Someone better put a filter on me quick!

I'm sorry I haven't posted all week. Not much actually got done this week, save me reading a chapter a day of a technical manual to learn Final Cut Pro. That pretty much left my mind and body devoid of the will to live. So instead of writing, I've been doing lots of hugging Jack, and eating chocolate in my down time. It's only like 14 or 15 chapters, so, you know, pray for me. 

Yesterday Sadie treated me to high tea at the Langham. Location of the infamous Christmas date. It was great. We laughed, we cried. We fit right in with all the other old biddies having tea. We were younger than everyone else in the room by 70 years. We were talking about how although that place is not either of our style (Annie Hall for her, schizophrenic gypsy for me) it really felt comfortable and always just right. Maybe it's because it was built before some of these modern mega hotels. It feels solid. It doesn't feel like "fake nice hotel nice". It actually feels like some sort of old timey stone mason, who may or may not have been named Giuseppe, brought his precious pallet of pink marble all the way from Perugia just to make the tea room bathroom nice for all the nice ladies. 

I wore my MJ mouse shoes, because I figured that's what a lady would do. Unfortunately, I wore them with what I realized in the bathroom mirror looked like my pajamas. Whatevs. Suck it ladies who lunch!

Ok, I know that's psychotic, but do you know what I mean? When I was in my 20's I loved staying in hotels. As I get older hotels, even the nice ones feel kind of shabby to me. Especially the mod boutique hotels. The ones where it used to be some run down 50's motel, and then someone hired Kelly Wearstler to redecorate. It's like the sensible mother part of me has taken over my brain, and knows that even though I'm surrounded by imperial trellis fabric, (Keri, I totally get it) and apple green subway tile, the bones of the room have seen a whole lot of sad times. Maybe I'm an architectural psychic. Maybe it's just because I finally own a comfortable couch and would rather stay home. 


Ok, you see what reading technical manuals does to me?


While I get together another blog post, drive to Palm Springs for an easter egg hunt, read another chapter of my training manual, finish quilting my quilt, check out this post by Smacksy on censorship. So great. In another time my whole life would have been bleeped out. 


"Hi my name is Mrs Nipper Knapp and I bleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep"


"WHAT on earth is that woman wearing?!?! How sad for that little boy, his mother is a clearly crazy."