Wedding #1, Our Civil Ceremony [About Me]

When I was last posting to this blog, I was planning my weddings (yep, two of them). Our first was a civil ceremony in January of 2011, an intimate gathering of our families. I'll post photos from our big Italian wedding soon.

Now that both events have come and gone, I thought I'd share some of the photos . I always meant to share links to the great shops and suppliers I found when planning our weddings. Now's my chance to express some thanks, too! Links to dress shops, hair dressers, our venue and more below.

January 29, 2011

 

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For those who are wondering, here are a few notes about the lovely shops that helped us make this day so  beautiful and special.

 Our civil ceremony took place at the truly beautiful Weybridge, Surrey (UK)  registry office. Simon wore a beautiful brown suit and matching shoes from House of Fraser. I wore the most amazing 1950s party dress from Xtabay Vintage in Portland, Oregon ($250). My mom's dress is also from Xtabay. For hair and makeup, I took an opportunity to save a bit of money and had my hair done at Headmasters in Shepherds Bush, London (50 GBP) and makeup at MAC cosmetics in Westfield (25 GBP). I found the white coat at Brass Plum in Nordstrom ($60). My vintage handbag was a real find, from The Rag and Bone in State College, Pennsylvania ($15). My adorable vintage heels came from Aureolin Lake Fine Antiques on Etsy ($32).

Special thanks to Grandma Dean for the lovely faceted glass drop earrings, and to the Antiques Fair in Shere, Surrey (UK) for my engagement ring and our wedding rings.

And even more special thanks to Ewan for taking these amazing photos! He doesn't typically take wedding snaps, but shot a few at both our civil ceremony and our big Italian wedding, too. Right now his work is on display at Box Brownie in Stratford, Warwickshire (UK). Anyone looking for striking and colourful photo prints for their office or home walls, do check out his pics (especially the ones from Italy, they're fabulous)!

Back in Action

Today, I reopened my Etsy shop. This may not seem like a big deal to the random blogger who stumbles across my small little blog, but to me, this is HUGE.

 For me, today is the day that I return to things that I am most passionate about, the small things in life that mean the most. I've been away from my shop for nearly two and a half years of Etsy vacation. Those two and a half years have been filled with not one, but two weddings between my husband and I, and my appearance within the world of 9-5.

Don't get me wrong. I like my job, and I know that what I do helps students to experience and learn things here in London that they otherwise never would...but my job is not all of me. But is my job so far from me personally? Perhaps not as much as I have been treating it. That is, until recently, and until I found a little help in the expertise of a friend.

Over the course of the days, weeks, months and hopefully years to come, I'll be recognizing many of my friends for their amazing accomplishments, but I want to be certain to give credit for today to one very special friend: Fritha. Fritha is a performance coach, and the owner and founder of Believe YOU
Can Make a Difference. Fritha is exceptional at what she does, so I want to spend a few moments right now to thank her.

 

So, how did Fritha help me? Here's the story: from 9am to 5:30pm, every weekday, I am the Assistant Director of Academic Affairs at a wonderful study abroad program here in London. As part of my job, I am currently teaching a class that helps our students intellectually and academically contextualize the experiences working as interns in a wide variety of businesses while studying abroad.

Just last week, Fritha appeared as a guest speaker in my class. She told my students about her journey, and then conducted a short speed coaching session with all of us. I was probably the most eager participant of all. Through this speed coaching session, I realized just how out-of-touch I had become with my own loves and passions over the course of the past two years. I learned that I DO have the time and creative space to pursue BOTH my ambitions on the job, as well as my personal interests. I actually have a fantastic opportunity to do both simultaneously. I can integrate my own interests into what I can teach to students on my program, a great opportunity to find personal satisfaction through my job. Conversely, I can use the students' impressions of and experiences studying in London to inform and inspire my designs. Win! Win!

My professional goals and my personal do not have to be as discrete. I realized that it is up to me to make BOTH happen. Nobody else can do that for me. So thank you Fritha. I hope that the goodies I design and post to my shop will please my new clients as much as they make me feel satisfaction and fulfilment.

Hats off to you Fritha! You are an inspiration, and a motivator. I'm so lucky to know you.

New Year's Resolutions [About Me]

2010 has been good to me. I spent six months in Buenos Aires, three months in Guildford with Si and his family, a month in Pennsylvania with all of my lovely friends and two months home in Portland. In that time, I managed to write my dissertation and defend it, as well as start two websites that I am now very proud of (this blog and LandingPadLondon.com). This of course is not to mention (yet again) our engagement last July and the beginning of my side career as a craftsperson on Etsy. Pfew! That's a lot for just one year.

I have already been through so much, but it's looking like 2011 will be just as busy. This year I will move to London for good (finally), officially graduate and become "Dr. Dean," and start my life as both a professional and a married person (fingers crossed on finding a job in this economy).

With so much to come, I wanted to take a moment to set aside a few New Year's resolutions. My resolutions this year all revolve around regaining what I lost touch with while in Buenos Aires. Truth be told, I was intimidated by Buenos Aires. I'm not proud to say that. That same intimidation kept me from some of the things I love most, and ultimately led to missed opportunities to meet new and interesting people. It's a shame and I don't want that to happen again when I get to London.

In 2011, I would like to learn to be a better seamstress. This of course means that I will need to buy a sewing machine once I am in England, and hopefully find a lovely person to teach me this trade. Once I've learned how, I'd like to try my hand at making some things for me, for my friends and family and for our house.

photo by Claudia Assad

In 2011, I would like to get back in touch with my green thumb. I realize it is difficult to find allotments in London, but perhaps I can find someone willing to share their allotment with me in exchange for splitting water duties. Ah, I can almost taste the vine ripened heirlooms now.

photo by London Permaculture

In 2011, I would like to regain direction in my career. The dissertation and defense process left me jaded and in need of a new direction. I know that at least for the moment I worry about the pressures of taking on the responsibility of a lecturer at a manor research university. Within the next year, I want to have regained that old, comfortable sense of direction, but to pursue a different goal (at least for a while). I want to know where I'm going and have something to work for again.

photo by Stefan

In 2011, I would like to become part of a new community of friends who share my interests in things like the arts, gardening, crafts, good beer, good food, etc. etc. Moving is always hard, but by actively pursuing my own interests I'm bound to meet some good people along the way right?

As this post is published I am leaving to get on a plane to go to London. I arrive at noon on New Year's Day, literally starting off the New Year with an absolutely clean slate. New house, new city, new life. I am both excited and afraid right now, both feelings will eventually subside regretfully. Only time will tell what will happen in the next months. I can't wait to find out!

Happy New Year to you all, and my best of wishes for 2011!

Dang, it's been a good couple of years! [About Me]

As I am preparing the house for Christmas and getting ready to move to London at New Year, I decided that now would be a good time to reflect on the last couple years. I left the US in February 2009. Then, I was a student at Penn State working on my PhD. Well, I suppose I will technically be a grad student at Penn State until graduation next May 2011 when I officially become Dr. Dean (oh yeah!). Regardless, it was that February when this Oregon girl left Pennsylvania, left this whole country to live in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Since then I've been so lucky to travel to Uruguay, throughout Argentina, as well as to parts of England I had yet to see. I've seen some amazing places and made some great friends. My only regret is that I didn't take advantage of it enough. Oh well. I guess I'll just have to spend the rest of my life making up for that mistake. And how lucky I am to have such a great partner in crime to continue to travel and explore with me. Si, you're my geekqual. You know.

It has been a great past couple of years and I need to remind myself of that more often. Here are a few snaps to share.

Simon and I in London, August 2009

Puente de la Mujer, Puerto Madero, Buenos Aires

Tanicu Festival, Santiago del Estero, Argentina
October 2009

Simon and I in Punta del Este, Uruguay
November 2009

I taught myself how to make homemade gnocchi for Si's 30th. 

Tour of Widmer Brewery, Portland, Oregon
Thanksgiving 2010

Notice the large gap between Si's 30th and his trip to the states for this last Thanksgiving. AAAAH, of course, my dissertation took over. Well, yet another tragedy that I'll have to make up for. Dear Santa: I would like a new digital camera for Christmas so I might take more photos of our adventures from here on out. 

Radio Silence Explained [About Me]

It has been months since I last posted. I have been neglecting my blog horribly, as well as my website, but I am back. I have been finishing my dissertation and have gone through a series of major life changes since I last published anything here. In short, here's what's been up:

--I have finished my research and have moved away from Buenos Aires. I will miss my friends in BA, but I am really happy and excited for what's to come.

--I am nearing the end with my dissertation (knock on wood, please!). The thing is in some semblance of draft form. From here on out my biggest hurdle is myself.

and the BIGGEST changes since I last wrote?

--Simon's now and uncle for the first time and I'll be an aunty soon because...

--Simon and I got ENGAGED!!! Here are the photos from our announcement: