Guest Post - From the Mistress of Monsters

I was trying to think about how and when I first got to know Jenny (aka the mistress of monsters) and I remembered I met her first through a mutual friend. We were watching my brother in law's performance at a play in the Tobacco Factory, apart from Tom and his sisters I didn't know anybody and she was kind enough to strike up conversation with me and ensure I felt welcome throughout the evening.  I remember really appreciating it as I am fairly shy and social situations can sometimes make me feel a little overwhelmed.
A short while after that I heard that she had been sick in hospital and I sent her a get well gift. I think since then we have only met once more in 'real life' but had corresponded lots as we found out we had lots in common! 
When Jenny first started making her monsters she was kind enough to send me one inspired by one of my illustrations! And then when it was my first mothers day she sent me the sweetest cross stitch patten to commemorate his birth date (which I have yet to blog about, its on my list). 
I have yet to meet Jenny's fiance 'Mr Monster' but I know that he is also a hugely creative person and they seem to be the perfect match! I am excitingly following their progress as they plan their big day and make it as creative and unique as they are.
I asked Jenny to guest post on the blog whilst I was away to share what it is she loves about Bristol and her experience of planning a crafty and creative wedding!


Bristol has been my adopted home for the last eight years. Whilst I’ve been here, I’ve made amazing friends, unleashed my creative side, and blossomed as an artist and as an individual. I grew up in a dreary commuter town in the Southeast. Where graffiti is ALWAYS considered vandalism, business and academia is valued way above artistic endeavour, and there is not a boutique coffee shop in sight. Had I stayed there, I think I would have turned out to be a very different person.

For that reason, when my Mr Monster asked me to marry him last year, the only place I wanted to tie the knot, was in my beloved Bristol. 

Planning our forthcoming wedding has been so much fun. Mr Monster is a designer by trade and a musician by night, we both come from creative families, and between us we have so many talented friends that putting a celebration together has been a breeze.  We didn’t want to get sucked into the multi-million pound ‘wedding business’ such as it is. We are lucky and grateful to have found one another and we just want to be married and enjoy everything that marriage stands for. Sometimes I feel like I’m just the worst bride ever because I couldn’t care less about spilling wine on my dress or travelling in a fancy car. I’ve even had an individual asking me in a concerned voice if I’m doing the right thing in getting married because, and I quote, “You don’t seem very excited about the wedding”. I politely explained that I am far more excited about the 50 or so years of happiness which comes after the day itself, only to be met with a blank and confused expression!

One of the worst experiences of my life, was going to a posh wedding fair at a local hotel. If I loitered near a stall for more than a millisecond, I was instantly accosted by a pushy saleswoman, asking whether I had booked my fake tan yet, or had I considered a bridal lingerie photo shoot? The overwhelming feeling I went away with was one of ‘Where is the love?’. Eloping for a quick, simple ceremony at Gretna Green started to look incredibly attractive.

My faith was restored when I went to an independent vintage and handmade wedding fair at Bristol Zoo. These kinds of fairs pop up all the time here and I found this one to be crammed with enthusiastic craftspeople and collectors who helped me to see that I didn’t have to paint myself orange and wear an overpriced meringue. We could be ourselves, and tie the knot in a way that reflected our relationship and wouldn’t cost the earth. Bristol spirit to the rescue, phew.

And so, Mr Monster and I set about planning a wedding our way. Our parents were very supportive of our decisions and couldn’t stress enough that it was OUR day, and that we could spend it however we want. So we abandoned any fancy expectations of grand ceremonies and three course meals, and looked into our options. 

Bristol is a live music city. We got engaged on an evening out to see my favourite local band play at a world-famous jazz pub in Bristol’s town centre. What better place to say our vows. We contacted the owners and they were more than happy to agree to close their doors for a couple of hours and conduct our blessing on their tiny stage. We have friends and family mucking in, playing live music as I walk down the aisle, reading self-penned poetry, and even officiating the ceremony itself. Perfect. The fun continues with a reception at a vintage bowling alley, where we’ve had many fun times throughout our time together. Guests can bowl all night and enjoy a simple buffet of pizzas, hotdogs and a messy tower of wedding donuts. If they still have some energy after all that, we have live music galore for a damn good boogie into the early hours.

Of course as a fabric artist I couldn’t resist using my craft to add to the day. The average bride spends around £400 on flowers. There’s a money saving opportunity right there! I’ve been spending the last few months cutting and embellishing hundreds of flowers from felt and assembling them into bouquets and button holes with florists wire and buttons. There are even a few googly monsters eyes in there if you look carefully. A labour of love certainly, but they look great and I’ll feel proud as punch walking down the aisle carrying my own handiwork. Aside from the flowers, the real biggie is the dress. I considered having a bash at making it from scratch, but I soon realised that that was probably a very bad idea, I don’t handle stress well at the best of times so would probably have had a mini-breakdown by now with an undertaking like that. To avoid whipping myself into a Bridezillaesque frenzy, I’ve opted to buy a really basic, cheap dress in the style I’m after, and am spending the few months before the wedding pimping it up. I can’t tell you too much about it in case the mister reads this post, but believe me; it’s going to be epic.

We wanted to have a ‘proper’ wedding day, rather than a quickie elopement, largely so as when we have children, we have tales to tell and photos to show them of the day we tied the knot. As it’s turned out, the kiddiewinks will be able to see mum and dad at their best. In familiar environments, with a backdrop of street art and the essence of the city we love. Bristol has been good to us. It was here that we met, fell in love, and realised that we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together, creating mischief, monsters and music. I just can’t imagine committing myself to my mister in marriage, anywhere else in the world.