LAST STOP Y'ALL... get in the limo: debi!!!

y'all, we almost didn't make it to our last guest.  i thought she might be too busy to take a ride (and to be honest, this is One Busy Lady), but when i saw meg's beaming face in the virtual limo i knew we had to get to edinburgh and entice the ever lovely debi, of my happy sewing place, to jump in the cooper.  i think we can all agree, she makes the sewing blogisphere a very happy place indeed.  and let's not forget david, who i can only imagine will be giving ruggy a run for his money at this year's oscars.  (you may notice i've gone ahead and awarded ruggy a crown early.  he deserves it for all that driving.  rob, you best step up those sewing skillz if you hope to compete.)  woohoo debi!  get in the limo, and bring debonair david with you!!!

I'm super excited that Oona asked me to contribute to her party extravaganza!  And I have to say that at our next meet-up we should totally get a limo and then pick up all these lovely ladies (and gents) and so many more! How fun would that be??

Let's start with a bit of background on little Debi. As a child, I loved dressing up and I loved vintage fashion.  I would play for hours with paper dolls (the 1930s hollywood ones and the international paper dolls were my favourites).  It's weird because I now see so many parallels with my current love of sewing.  So, as you can imagine, any event that requires dressing up would have thrilled my little heart.

Moving onto little high school Debi...I was very studious, very shy and somewhat naive but once I made friends, they were friends for life.  I had so many interests and felt that all things were possible.  I saw no reason why I couldn't be the President of the Future Homemakers of America and also be in the Future Business Leaders of America clubs.  I'd never had a boyfriend (until senior year) and the entire scope of my universe was my hometown.....that is,until her junior year of high school.

I had been asked by a boy to go to junior prom.  He was very socially awkward and I really didn't enjoy hanging out with him but since there weren't really any boys in my life at that point, I agreed to go with him.  I bought a dress that I adored--the type of dress that says 'I am going to a ball!'  Not two days before the prom, this boy says he doesn't want to go.  HE STOOD ME UP!  Who does that???  I can't say I wasn't relieved but what was I going to do?

This is where Annika comes into the picture... but first a bit of backstory.  I started taking German my sophomore year in high school and I loved it.  Our high school participated in an informal exchange with a sister high school in Germany.  One day, my german teacher says that there are three german students that will be coming to our high school for a semester and she wondered if any of us wanted to host them.  My hand shot up in the air (I should mention that this is before actually talking to my parents....god bless teenagers....).  Well, somehow my strategy worked.  I told my parents what the teacher proposed and they thought about, talked about it...and I was waiting on edge for their answer...and they said yes--we could host an exchange student for six months!  I felt a little like Anne Shirley did with Diana--I just knew we would be kindred spirits. 

During the second semester of my junior year, Annika arrived to stay with us.  We were best friends the instant we met.  We had so much fun together.  In fact, not more than a week into her stay with us, she suggested that I come to Germany to stay with her family for a semester (which I did my senior year).  All of a sudden, my little world opened up.  I enjoyed spending time with Annika and the two other German students and learning about their experiences growing up, what their high school was like and just their whole way of looking at the world.

So when prom rolled around, the other two german students decided to go together (as friends) which left Annika without a date.  So you can see how my potential prom disaster turned into a much better night after all. Annika and I decided to go together and just enjoy the prom--dancing with our friends and dressing up!

And enjoy it we did....I had a blast...I then went on to stay with Annika and her family and that's when I first fell in love with Europe.  There were no proms, but there was a lot of disco dancing ;-)  I still keep in touch with Annika and my host family and that joyous feeling of exploring new cultures and traveling has never left me!

Fast forward to today and how I still love to dress up!  Luckily, I now have the perfect prom partner for life.  We recently attended a graduation ball and it was really fun to be back in a prom experience but as adults! 

OKAY Y'ALL!  if that wasn't an uplifting tale to end on, i don't know what is!  what an Awesome. Freaking.  Ride. i can't thank you lovely ladies (and gents) enough for joining us in the cooper.  


are you partying with us virtually?  holler at me with a link so we don't miss you in the wrap up!  now, between tonight's Sew LA shindig and my actual day du birth tomorrow, i'm guessing you'll have a little extra time to get those links & pics in.  


we're pulling up to promaballoona now... i can see the twinkling lights and smell the booze... cheers, peeps everywhere!