Friday 10 August 2012

Jason and Shannon in Malta and PPF.

It's Friday again, which means it's time for Darcy's Postcard Challenge, and Paint Party Friday, hosted as always by Eva and Kristin.

First to Cissie, Jason and Co.
The wedding on Wednesday went off almost without a hitch. They held it Toynbee Hall, a large, old hall near where they live. The Hall dates from the middle of the 19th century, and has welcomed Lenin, Ghandi and many others as orators at different times in its history. It is used today as a community centre, for adult education and also as a popular wedding venue.
Toynbee Hall about 1860

Toynbee Hall today


The great hall
The great hall can usually seat 100 people, but as they had more guests, they held a buffet-style reception. The weather was good, so people were able to go outside, too. The catering was splendid. Well, what would we expect when Cissie and Thelma organised it? They had  nearly driven the caterers mad in the past few weeks, requesting samples of all the food that was to be served. Of course, there was enough food to serve a large army, and sufficient  leftovers to last normal people for a month. Cissie and co might manage for a week on them.
Even Jason has been persuaded to wear his new, grey suit instead of one of his fave pullovers. ‘Sh*t! I look like a real poncy git now!’ was his comment, after his women folk had told him how lovely he looked. Shannon, his ‘Scrawny bird’, wore a lovely white, silk dress, and even allowed her Mum to dye her green strands of hair back to its natural red. Cissie, Thelma and Queenie all wore flowing creations in pale green chiffon and silk, decorated with lots of flowers. ‘They look like Hyde Park in springtime!’ giggles Shannon to Jason.
There were a few sticky moments, for example when Cissie kept nibbling the sugar roses on the cake. Or when Thelma broke a tooth biting into one of the pillars holding the tiers of the cake. She thought it was icing sugar, and it turned out to be plaster of Paris….And one of Latif’s many children was sick on the floor after eating a whole plate of chicken legs. But apart from that, a good time was had by all. Jason was a trifle miffed that he had to sit with Shannon and the family instead of with his mates, but they were all so happy with free beer and wine that they never even missed him….


After cutting the cake, the happy couple escaped, and set off for Malta. They spend their time there exploring the beautiful sites of the Island. They are staying in the honeymoon suite of a wonderful hotel in Valetta, and spend a considerable time in their room, enjoying being on their own, or swimming in the luxurious pool. They hire a car, which is no problem, as in Malta they drive on the left, just like in England, and visit the megalith temple remains in Mnajdra, see old Roman mosaics in Rabat, enjoy the Blue Lagoon Bay between Comino and Cominetto Islands, Mdina and Valetta. And of course, they enjoy the food. Jason also enjoys the Maltese Aquavit, although not as much as he would like, because Shannon starts pouting as she mustn’t drink alcohol!








(Photos courtesy of Wikipedia Commons)

This is the postcard they send home, showing the Maltese coat of arms:



I suppose we must now call them Mr and Mrs Shmitt!

For Paint Party Friday I want to show some mini-books I made with the marbled paper I made this week. I used hand made paper, with torn edges.








You can see the paper and the other pieces I made here and here




53 comments:

  1. So glad they are married at last! Love the story! The mini books you made are delightful, I wonder how you can work things that are so small! Have a good weekend, Hugs, Sarah

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  2. Came back especially to read about the wedding and I wasn't disappointed - so much fun reading your posts! Love the description of the spring in Hyde Park bridesmaids and biting on a cake pillar and breaking a tooth.Cutting the cake image is wonderful and that red hair is stunning. I love the way you think of all the details, even down to the stamps and postmark on your postcard AND the tourist pictures from Malta - Amazing!!!! What will happen now though? Is the wedding the end or do we go on??
    Your little books are really stunning and I do mean that! Trouble is, if I had one like those, I wouldn't want to put anything in it because it's too beautiful - sort of spoils the object of the exercise doesn't it??!!
    Waiting for the next big episode. . . . . .
    Juliaxx

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  3. I've been waiting for this all week! Hurrah, they married. Congratulations to the happy couple. I am so thrilled for them.

    I do hope your blog visitors also spend time admiring your books - they are beautiful!

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  4. Delighted to hear it all went well for them on their big day and don't they scrub up nicely! What a fab pic of them cutting the cake. Beautiful little notebooks too. Have a good weekend. xx

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  5. Well the happy day has been and gone!!! The young couple look lovely in their wedding pic. Wonder what on earth they will all get up to now however will they top the wedding. The patter of little feet maybe?

    Your Paint Friday book is fabulous.

    Right off to work cannot be late another Friday and blame you can I LOL XOXO Zoe

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  6. Oh Valerie, I love your story! What a great wedding. I want to live in Toynbee hall. Your books are beautiful, as usual! hugs, Donna

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  7. Hi Valerie
    Such a wonderful blog... I enjoyed reading quite a few posts.

    Thanks for entering my blog giveaway. The winners were chosen this morning local time 10am and the process was reported on the blog www.empresswu.blogspot.com

    Congratulations to the winners all of whom have been contacted
    1 Maegan chose the set of tags
    2 Leilani will also receive her first choice - the tea bag
    3 Jennifer will receive the two little dolls
    Best wishes
    Wilma
    Empress Wu Designs

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  8. Ooh, what fun! Great episode of your story.
    And I love the minis! Your marbled paper looks wonderful.
    Hugs xx

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  9. Yay for Mr & Mrs Shmitt, don't they make a lovely couple - and the alcohol ban eh.... I love how you've used you marbled paper Valerie, though how you manage to work in minature is beyond me. Have a fab weekend x

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  10. I missed a couple of weeks, but SO glad I did not miss the wedding!:-) I love what you did with your marbled papers...wow. Beautiful.

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  11. Smashing wedding picture and story. Love your papers as well. Happy PPF, Annette x

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  12. I would so have loved to have been at their wedding! I love your wedding picture- those plaster pillars and Cissie just make me smile. Your books are fabulous!

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  13. Congratulations to the happy couple!

    I'm glad their big day went well, apart from the tooth and a few other small probs!!!

    Malta looks lovely - I do love your weekly travel logs!

    Great marbling... the mini books are gorgeous

    Karenx

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  14. Lovely mini books, and congrats to the happy couple they almost seem real now! Malta's beautiful.

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  15. YAY Valerie! I wish the young couple much good luck and a long life together! Loved your accounting of the wedding...perfect card!! BEautiful books as well!

    Hugs,
    abby

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  16. Wedding pic is delightful! The books look good enough to eat-just like wedding cake.

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  17. Looks and sounds like a beautiful wedding and off to such an exotic (at least for me in the USA) honeymoon in Malta! Really enjoying the story!

    The books are gorgeous! Such lovely colors, too.

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  18. Loved that "Sticky" moment with Cissie! I really get a great laugh coming here on Fridays! Great pictures, story and of course your art! Wow! Enjoy the weekend!

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  19. I've been waiting all week for this episode! What a beautiful place for a wedding and I love all the details. Shannon and Jason look adorable cutting the cake. I like how you cleverly put his arm in the forefront so we can't see if there is any more big news to announce, lol. So nice to actually see what Shannon really looks like, she is quite the stunner, they make such a beautiful couple. The pictures of Malta are splendid, but not as magnificent as your beautiful mini books are! The hand made and marbled papers are exquisite! I love that glittered rose!

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  20. Roaring with Laughter at this end Valerie!!!!!!!!! You put so much work into your story telling and create the most amazing entertainment for us.
    As for the book, love the colours. The marbled papers were beautiful to begin with but now you have created the most gorgeous book.
    Wishes
    Lynne

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  21. You have been so creative with your story. I think I need to add Malta to my travel wish list. Love your handmade books!! I've been making books recently, too, and it's so much fun.

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  22. Oh wow, congrats to Jason and Shannon. What a beautiful hall and it looks like it was a lovely wedding and honeymoon. Thank you for the wonderful story Valerie, so exciting. Your piece is truly awesome!! I love it. The colors soft and inviting and the touches you added really make bring it them out. Great job.

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  23. Congrats to Jason and Shannon!! I loved your illustration of them cutting the cake! And as always you write such great travel pieces on the destinations that I want to go to Malta now as well! Your marbled paper is lovely and the books turned out beautifully.

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  24. Valeria the picture of the happy couple cutting the wedding cake is amazing the red manes both looking beautiful side by side, althought the cake looks like its about to topple over. The postcard is fantastic and love their little faces inside the emblem. Gorgeous marbled papers the books are fantastic. Thanks for all of the photos this post must have taken for ever !

    Marie

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  25. yay! congratumalations to the happy couple...Love the picture of them and the card...no alcohol huh? oooooo!

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  26. Wonderful picture of the happy couple, Valerie. And your mini books are just fantastic. Love all the work you showed on your wonderful post today.

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  27. Loved the wedding story it was worth waiting for. Now about Shannon not drinking? Is this a hint of episodes to come. The post card as always is fantastic. Also your other piece is stunning. Have a good weekend.
    Yvonne x

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  28. Ohhh, those mini books are gorgeous and the marbling and subtle glitter just elegant! Xo

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  29. They make such a lovely couple! Malta looks like a great place to honeymoon! Wonderful books. Happy PPF

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  30. Fun and creative post ~ Wow! ~ (A Creative Harbor)

    thanks for coming by and commenting!

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  31. Well perhaps I'm a late comer here as I can't tell if this is a real family wedding or a made up story...whichever, wishing happiness on the main characters!
    Seems she must be expecting and ready to start a family?

    Congrats!

    That water is so clear and blue I nearly dove into my computer screen!

    Your book is delightful with such lovely subtle colors! One could write or draw on those pages beautifully.

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  32. your handmade journals are lovely-- so soft and romantic. thanks for sharing!

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  33. Congratulations to the bride and groom. What a classy wedding, I must say.

    I always enjoy the photos, Valerie. Places I have never been whick makes your stories much more interesting.

    Have a great weekend. Your little books are precious.

    Hugs,
    Carolyn

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  34. Oh Val,
    loved your marbelized jornal...its is incredible! take care, gerri

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  35. Wonderful story, fantastic details on the wedding & their honeymoon! :)
    Absolutely love your mini books, Valerie. ~xx

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  36. I am glad the wedding went without a hitch. I love the illustration of the happy couple. Your journals are beautiful. Little treasure keepers.

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  37. Wonderful story Valerie:0) Love your books that paper works so well, they're gorgeous! Gay xxx

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  38. another great blog, really love reading it.your art work is so beautiful as well.
    a great place to have a wedding, would have loved to have seen the buffet.x

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  39. Oh your mini books are exquisite, Valerie! Fun to hear about Jason too.

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  40. Congrats to the happy couple! :-)

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  41. What a beautiful place for the wedding and even better place to honeymoon. Congrats to the lovely couple!

    Awesome books Valerie
    hugs Lynn

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  42. My very best wishes to the happy couple! Super story and postcard, the wedding snap, cutting the cake, is ace. Your mini books are divine.

    Janet xx

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  43. How lovely. thanks so much for sharing my friend. And your journals are simply stunning
    Hugs June

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  44. Congrats to Jason and Shannon! I'll bet you feel as thought you organized that wedding yourself, rather than Cissie and Thelma! Your mini books are beautiful. I'm surprised Aunt Cissie didn't ask you to whip out a hundred or so as wedding favors.

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  45. Hi Valerie. Sorry for the late visit. I have been waiting to see how the wedding went!! Soooo funny. For a moment I was there in the hall with them. Fab post. Stunning mini books. Take care.
    Millions of hugs,
    Florence x

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  46. Beautiful mini books!
    ♥♥♥
    Happy PPF!!
    Mary
    Mixed-Media Map Art

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  47. Ooooh lah lah! You know I loved the individual pages but now seeing them adorned.... wow!!!

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  48. Always love reading about weddings! Thanks for the enjoyable tale! And your cards are so pretty! Patsy

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  49. All that planning paid off looks like a wonderful wedding. Love your mini books, fabulous.
    Jen x

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  50. great story! gorgeous marbled paper!

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  51. Wow hard to believe only a Few things went wrong with the wedding- It looks like the Lovebirds had a great place to go on their honeymoon too! Okay so what's the next chapter about?

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  52. Love, love, LOVE your wedding story- it was perfect! I also loved the wedding picture and the way you can see both faces- can't wait to hear if they have any "happy news" yet!
    Your handmade paper is really beautiful- I love the way the colors are different but flow so perfectly together.
    Gorgeous work as always!
    xx

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