Angel Ball Dress Shopping

[LynneB]

I better be careful! I have gained so much weight and since I have blonde hair, if I wear a silver dress, I will look like a baked potato!

[karahess]

My dress is light ivory. It's such a light ivory that it essentially looks like a dirty white.

[JudiToth]

I purchased my tickets on-line today! WOO WOO!!! But I didn't see anything about a discount for members anywhere except for one of the posts here.

PLEASE PRAY that my health allows me to attend! Thanks!

Also, I see that we have to make our reservations at the hotel before the 30th of this month in order to receive the discount. Do you have to pay the full amount at the time of the booking or just give a credit card number?

I bouught my dress about a month ago! I hope it's going to be ok since it's not a wedding dress or prom dress. I'm almost 50, never married (although engaged three times before the age of 26 - though never long enough to even make wedding plans, let alone trying on dresses). I've also got a huge problem with my weight - I lost 3 inches in height and am now 5'4 and I've balloned to let's say the 250 range due to medications, cortisone, being bed-bound a lot barely able to move - let alone trying to do a sit-up or push-up or walk, let alone run a half mile these days! I'm disgusted with my body from what it used to be like.

Anyhow, I saw a picture of a friend of mine who recently renewed her vows on her 50th anniversary in an outfit that I fell in love with. When I asked her where she got her dress, she told me Ross and that she paid $39.95 for it! I was doing errands one day when I actually felt good and decided to stop in at Ross on my way doing errands. I actually found this beautiful outfit, similar to Rita's, in my size. I hope it's ok to wear to the Ball since I think I'm getting to be too old (almost 50) to be looking for a wedding dress that I probably would look like a Michelline Tire Ballonman or Overstuffed Marshmallow Fluff person in, let alone a prom dress. I think it's more "age" appropriate, let alone "budget" appropriate.

The outfit is a 3 piece white suit. Long mid-knee length skirt, back zipper with elastic on both sides of the zipper (YEAH!!!!) . It has a sleeveless blouse (YEAH - for my excessive sweating) that has beautiful clear, but shimmering light pastel sequins in a beautiful design along the neckline. The jacket is hip length with long sleeves and absolutely beautiful with the same sequins in a beautiful design on both sides of the front of the jacket and also a smaller sequined design from 2 inches from the bottom of sleeves to about 6-7 inches in the outside area and it's surronds the whole sleeve. I thought that that was more "age" and "size" appropriate than trying to fit into an expensive wedding or prom dress that I probably would never wear again, let alone fit into. Oh, and the price was absolutely fabulous! $34.95!!!!!!!!! Hopefully, I won't put on more weight, even though I'm on such a strict diet - diabetic, renal and coumadin diets, but still putting on weight!!! URGH!!!

What is ya'll's opinion? Or should I look for a floor length dress?

Also, Dawn is there going to be a cake at the ball? If you haven't found a bakery that's willing to donate one, I'd be willing to donate the price for a wedding cake style cake decorated with angels from one of the local bakery's. Let me know and I can start finding a bakery in the Durham area that would be willing to do one at a discounted rate and have it delivered to the Ball location. If something happens and I can't make it, I'd at least like to have something that everyone can enjoy from me in Christopher's memory.

That's it for now. I've got to make something quick to eat and then take my afternoon meds and take a nap. I'm having a rough day with my back & hips today and have been flat on back today. Had cortisone shots in my hips yesterday and the sites are a bit sore today. Had so much planned for today before leaving for Walter Reed in the morning that I haven't even started. UGHHH!!! What I wouldn't give to be pain-free for just one day! Life sucks, but at least I have beautiful things that I can dream about attending and doing something about it! And like I said, even if I can't make it, if I can order the cake, it would still be giving me something beautiful that I can plan and execute for everyone to enjoy!

Do we have an approximate number of people attending yet? Are ALL the ladies wearing gowns? Is there a seamstress amongst us that can make all those togas that so many have mentioned? Maybe I could get one of those made out of Satin White King-sized sheets? LOL

Sending my love and prayers to everyone! xxoo Judi

[karahess]

Woo hoo, Judi for purchasing your tickets! Duh - that's something that I totally haven't even thought of doing. I'm so blond sometimes. But hey, at least I did book a hotel room. Which by the way, you just give a credit card number to hold the room.

Judi, I think your dress sounds just FAB, darling! You'll be stunning, simply stunning! I almost went for a tea length dress, so you're not the only one thinking that direction. Course I ended up with a full length one.

Oh my Judi! That's so generous and kind of you to offer a cake!

[Corin Nava]

Oh I wish I lived closer to NC-I would have so much fun designing an angel themed cake.... somehow I don't think one would travel the 700 miles in the heat very well

[JudiToth]

Oh Corin,

How I wish we lived closer to each other and then we could both work on the cake together, you leading & teaching, of course!! I've seen Duff travel all over the country, even LA, delivering cakes, but then again without all the baggage we'd be carrying! LOL

I have a vision of a beautifully teired white cake with angels floating all over the cake made out of sugar (no not the kind you'd find in the candy stores, but the handmade ones that you can see some of the cake designers doing on Food Network). With a beautiiul angel as the cake topper!

And I'd have each of the tiers/layers made out of different flavors/fillings. Yummy!

Can you tell that I've been watching too much of the Food Network, Duff, and their cake challenges? LOL

Let me know as soon as you can Dawn about the cake idea, so that I can start researching bakeries in the Durham area that can make this cake for us. It sometimes takes a couple of months to order of cake like this. Thanks!

Everyone have a wonderful day in the neighborhood! I'm off to Walter Reed in the next couple of hours and since I only have 1 doctor appt today and one tomorrow, hopefully I can catch up a little on emails in the hotel. xxoo Judi

[Barbara and KevinWagner]

Yesh! I got my dress!! Doing a happy dance!! LOL and Tara.....Shane does not wanna burn it..........or wear it.....woohoo 2 for 2 on that one! ROFL It is not puffy or floor length (but almost cuz I am so short lol) but I really like it and it has sleeves which "hide" my insuling pump.....well ok the sleeves are lace so it really just covers/conceals but I am HAPPY with that! See Dawn you were right....I shoulda listened.....u said that I would find something! LOL

[Corin Nava]

Judi- There is so many things you can do with sugar! thats why I love pastry arts! I have so much fun playing with cake! Some day I will have my own cake shop. Duff is my hero!

[karahess]

Do you have any pictures of the dress, Barb? Where did you find it?

I got curious the other day about what the consignment shops had in the way of formal white gowns, so I went to a couple of them. I was absolutely astonished to find that they were selling used white formal gowns for $175!!!! That's no bargain!

[JudiToth]

Corin - I agree totally!

I've been doing some on-line researching for a bakery, I've got to get a little more input from Dawn as far as for closeness to location, etc.

I'd love to get about a 3-4 tiered cake (depending on how many people attend) with the Angel Ball Angel logo in crystalize candy on top or around the layers. I'd also love to have a different flavor for each tier.

When I do finally locate a bakery (that will hopefully give us a nice discount for it being for a charity) I'll have to BEG Dawn to do the nasty, gritty, grimmy volunteer job of going to the bakery to do the taste testing! LOL Think she'll mind the really nasty job of tasting all the different flavors of cakes & fillings? ROFL!

Geez, if I was only closer!

BTW - Barb, your dress sounds beautiful! I'd love to see a picture of it! I'd love to post a picture of mine, but I don't have anyone around here that can take a picture of me in it. Same with yours Kara, it sounds beautiful.

Has anyone tried going onto E-Bay or Craig's list to find a "wedding" type dress? I get a TON of catalogs sent to me and although I pitch most of them at the PO so I don't have to schlep it out myself to the bin, I have taken a look through some of them and if you're thin enough (not plus size, like me) there are some really georgous white romantic dresses in them. If I find any links, I'll post them here for you to review if you want. xxoo Moi