I have just over 5 weeks to bring everything together for the exhibition and I don't think 5 weeks is enough! 

I've had a real problem remembering what I have been up to since I last updated you on 9 June!  So I reached for my diary and had a look over the last seven days and here's what I have been up to (thank goodness for diaries ..my whole life would fall apart without one ... I can't control my hair so I have no hope of controlling my life!).

I have been doing the usual things like sending emails, taking telephone calls and picking up dresses but one job that I had to complete was our funding application to Lincolnshire County Council.  There is a lot riding on this application and we won't hear the result until Monday 19 July!!!!!!!!!!!! aaaaaaarrrrrrgggghhhhhh.  We have to start setting up on 26 July so you will appreciate that I have had to put a Plan B into action.  So rest assured, if we receive the grant funding, you won't hear a lot from me apart from groans and screams of agony between 19 and 26 July as I shall be chasing my tail. 

I have been banging on about a 'special dress' which I hoped I would be able to tell you about by now but you will have to wait a little longer ..... 19 July to be exact.  I will tell you 'what dress' whether we get funding or not. 

Last Monday, I went to collect two dresses but before that myself, Amy Claridge (Doddington's Press Officer) and Claire Birch, the owner of the Hall had great fun photographing some of the dresses - well Amy and Claire had great fun ... I was treated like a wardrobe mistress!  The dresses photographed were an Elizabethan dress which had been designed and made by Angela Vickers (http://www.angela-vickers.co.uk/), a Hardy Amies designed dress belonging to Vicky Jarvis (Claire's mother), Claire's own dress and a dress belonging to Emma Milligan-Manby which was designed by Caroline Parker - Caroline will be contributing to the exhibition too.  Claire was married to her husband James on 12 July 1986 ..... the dress still fits!   It really is a simple and stunning dress made of cream taffeta.  It was made by Angela Holmes of Droopy and Brown who, I think, are/were based in York.  You will be able to see Claire's dress which will be shown alongside her mother's dress (shown on the left) as well as her two sisters', Katharine and Sophie ... how stunning will it be to have these four dresses on show together.

Claire Birch with Emma Milligan-Manby's dress and

the Elizabethan styled dress by Angela Vickers

Claire with her Mother's dress

The first dress that I collected belongs to a wonderful lady called Pam Withers who made her own dress for her wedding in 1960.  It is made of pink brocade and has a wonderful matching veil and headress.  Unfortunately, the winkle picker shoes that she wore were given to the Salvation Army (I think).  Pam was a tonic after such a hectic week.  Her dress is now safely at the Hall and I will be there to take some photos tomorrow. 

After collecting Pam's dress, I went to Eagle (a village about 2 miles from Doddington Hall) to meet Mrs Bushell - she is the lady I mentioned in my last update who rang me out of the blue enquire whether I would like to have her dress for the exhibition.    Again, another wonderful lady with a wonderful dress and the original pattern for the dress.  The spooky thing is that the material is nearly identical to that of Pam's dress.  

I didn't take that dress away with me, as Mrs Bushell is going to pop it over to the Hall when we are setting up.... it's wonderful when people want to be involved in the setting up process...... they get to appreciate  the chaos behind the scenes and, belive me, there will be chaos. 

The photograph on the left shows the happy couple immediately after their wedding at Southwell Minster.  Whilst the one below shows Mrs Bushell arriving at the Minster on the arm of her father.  She told me that she could tell her father was very emotional by the look on his face.  My favourite thing about this photo is the fact that her father is carrying a Bowler hat.

On Tuesday, I was attending another training workshop - the very last one before I am allowed out on my own to record and video the masses.  The equipment I need to do this, arrived at the Hall on Wednesday and I have spent the last few days working out how to use it because ..... TOMORROW I HAVE 20 ODD STUDENTS FROM BOSTON GRAMMAR SCHOOL VISITING THE HALL AS THEY ARE TARKING PART IN THE WEDDING DRESS COMPETITION ..... no sleep for me tonight.    I am really looking forward to the visit because it means that things are starting to fall into place.

After finishing the blog, I will need to plan the visit as well as thinking about what I will be photographing, videoing and recording.  Mark Ellis from Sound Delivery expect a phone call sometime tomorrow evening or early Tuesday morning.

Next week it is a varied and busy week - I am especially looking forward to the school visit tomorrow.