Wedding Wednesday (#ww) @Shellibobbins & @TheMrBobbins Wedding Story

Rob & I met 7 years ago, we are like two peas in a pod, we are always laughing and he’s my soulmate. We knew that walking down the aisle would be difficult for me being disabled having had 2 knee replacements in the same leg, & recently being in bed for 6 & half months waiting for my new knee didn’t either help as I had gained weight with not being able to walk around, I knew once I was up and about the weight would eventually come off, every bride wants to look their best on their wedding day, and of course to wear high heels, this was a challenge!

In the run up to our wedding I was made redundant and we sold our house (after it had fallen through 3 times).We moved in to our new home in Aug 2008 & started major renovating work straight away, our wedding was in November! Good planning was the key.

Choosing our venue was difficult as we knew what we wanted,  we had both been to see a few places and nothing really stood out at all until visiting

www.Armathwaite-Hall.co.uk I’ll never forget the first time we saw this amazing place just the drive up to it was so exciting, It looked very grand & inviting, we really couldn’t wait to get inside, first impressions impressive, yes as we thought very welcoming staff walking passed smiling & saying hello, walked into one of the rooms, where the open fire place had been lit huge logs on it, we had arranged an appointment for our guided tour, we were met & greeted by the wedding coordinator  & taken in to the lake room, one word ‘WOW’  we both looked at each other, I knew we were going to get married here, I felt quite tearful  too, just stood in front of this amazing view over bassenthwaite lake, the staff there are fantastic , with the wedding coordinator everything’s done & made sure your day has been made very special,  food was out of this world, our coordinator mentioned we could arrive in a helicopter on the front lawn, we could have a falconry display for guest, we could also plant a tree in the grounds, we could even release white doves, Got the impression straight away that nothing was too much trouble, they also had fantastic packages for all budgets and also food /wine too. We decided to try the food so organised a family outing on Sunday to go back, taking both sets of parents & both daughters too, Sunday lunch was fantastic & impeccable  service just couldn’t be faulted, we took our drinks onto the patio & watched the falconry display & sat watching the croquet, this place was perfect, set in 400 acres of land too just stunning and perfect for our wedding ceremony &  evening function, we decided for the bridesmaids & myself to also stay & relax the night before which made getting into my dress with lots of help very appealing , we also decided to reserve 12 rooms for our guest that where travelling from far to be able to say and really enjoy themselves at such a stunning location.

We attended one of the wedding fairs there where we did book http://www.saunderschocolates.co.uk. Our theme was winter wonderland, Bob from Saunders chocolates made us the most amazing white chocolate boxes sprayed with silver edible paint!  We had our favourite chocolates champagne for me, tiramisu for rob and there was a box on each table, you could even eat the box ha ha.

We had our flower arrangements designed and made at

www.bloomsbury.co.uk another local company who were fantastic, when we said we wanted a winter wonderland theme Clint just knew, colour matching sparkles and snowball etc, he really understood what we wanted, nothing was too much trouble, the rose we liked was an avalanche rose, it took some time to find the colour but they found it and our flowers where stunning.

Finding jewellery for the wedding we knew what we wanted but I couldn’t find a head dress, I took my ideas to www.kingjewellery.com where I sat chatting and met a lovely lady called Stef, we decided to have everything made and I designed my own head dress and stef designed the necklaces, bridesmaids head dresses, bracelets and necklaces and gifts for both mums, my crown was amazing!! For Robs wedding ring I decided to take some gold jewellery that belonged to my nana, this was the most sentimental thing I could think of as I loved my nana so much & when she died I was left some of her gold jewellery so I used a few pieces that where then melted down to make robs wedding ring.

My dress designer was from Eddy K Milan & bought from www.countrydreamsbridal.co.uk  the only one which was pink hadn’t thought of buying a pink dress, but knew I wanted something a little different & very princess like too the bodice was white lace & hand sewn with crystals, Id tried a few dresses on 5 in total as I thought this idea would be best and therefore not forgetting which one actually suited me. I loved my dress & darling husband to be, didn’t see it either, I was so excited to see robs face on the day of the wedding x

Unknown to me the day before our wedding that one of my bridesmaids had hired a limo to take all our gorgeous dresses, bride & bridesmaids to the hotel with Christmas music & champagne flowing such a great start very relaxed too (your wedding day should be a very relaxed day) we all decided to take swim wear & try out the spa & pool which was lovely, then back to our room to start pampering for the big day, we laughed so much, champagne tipples too.

The Big Day.......

5 hours sleep due to being so excited, bucks fizz & cooked breakfast in bed, hairdresser was arriving at 7.30am & Chanel makeup artist was arriving soon after that, my sister arrived at 7am with bags of gifts!! And a beautiful handmade card all sewn and a personal message which made me cry.

Rob had also sent a silver gift bag up to the room on the morning a single red rose with it too, I opened the box to a charm bracelet it already had a wedding ring on it with a bride & groom, a wedding bell & ballet shoes this was my something new, rob had even put snow flake confetti  & wrapped in silver tissue  our theme for the wedding was winter wonderland, snowballs, snow & icicles mixed with silver birch & pale pink avalanche roses to match my dress, I had a gorgeous bouquet & bridesmaids had a handbag each & there flowers had magnets on the back, there flower bags looked amazing, & I had my stole used for these & the bridesmaid sashes too, it’s great to find a bride shop that does everything there cream satin dresses with an overlay of chiffon on their skirts shimmered when it caught the light, the organza stoles had tiny pearls attached and the contrast looked amazing, I made the pearl clips for their hair and wanted a Doris day look about it too and also with the style of their dresses it’s good to mix ideas with different styles, cream satin shoes, with freshwater pearls threaded on an real silver & quite heavy band, all had matching bracelets, necklaces, & earrings to keep as gift.

Coming down the stairs hearing the wedding music we had chosen together all that time ago & everything just flowing nicely on day made it so special, we had lots of pictures taken & hired  photographers www.martinsylvester.co.uk & a video man so we wouldn’t miss a thing. Decided to show off the bridesmaids and let them walk into the room first so everyone could see their stunning dresses walked in pairs to.

I linked my dad’s arm and entered the room didn’t really see anyone just my Husband to be in his gorgeous suit,

 I gave rob such a big hug & a kiss Id missed him so very much one night apart, we took our vows and exchanged rings everybody clapped tears too, we signed the register & had more pictures taken, off outside for some more and with a stunning back drop like that too.

We had our biodegradable confetti, it was time for the perfect shot martin & his lovely wife took some amazing pictures that day 1100 where taken. after the family pictures my lovely husband & I went off to relax on our own in the billiards room for a brandy & whisky the open fire was crackling too, we stood picking confetti of each other laughing saying your mine, no your mine ha ha we had left the guest to also sign a picture mount which at a later date we would have framed with our wedding picture in. everyone got told to make their way inside ready for the wedding breakfast to be served which was traditional Christmas dinner yummy as my lovely husband & I walked in as the toast master said “please be upstanding for Mr & Mrs Wall” lots of cheering and clapping,  being shown to the top table, crackers where pulled & silver party hats put on, the only two littlies there that day where our nephews Alex  (4) & Oliver (2), they both had their own goodie bag Oliver just about dragged it across the floor back to his seat, colouring book, pencils & a wooden toy town with cars & trucks they were both really happy, after our lovely Christmas dinner came the cutting of the cake & the speeches cards where read out from Alex robs best man , & my dad surprised rob (husband) with a T-shirt saying “Just Married”  It was such an amazing day and very relaxed, everyone tucked into their chocolate box too, my uncle Chris started on the chocolate lid they where amazing chocolates.

We made our way around relatives for more pictures, telling stories & drinking wine, and really enjoying spending quality time with everyone, we did this  while everything was being transferred over to the evening function room, we had just enough white porcelain snow men for the evening tables t-lights where put inside and also the 5 foot glass vases also had waterproof t-lights in which gave off a glow, when the lights were turned down, we had a 15 foot piece of birch on the top table & this was used in the buffet area along with church candles & snowball candles too. Lots of people arrived that night we all really enjoyed ourselves & our first dance was, White Christmas by Bing Crosby Little did everyone know for six weeks before hand we’d had dancing lessons & surprised everyone with our moves & on the screen behind us our first site of us on video taking our vows earlier that day

We had www.classicensembles.co.uk perform an arrangement for us I loved Pachelbel Canon in D & Rob really wanted Billy Idol White wedding – so we had to compromise and also make sure we could have this piece arranged in string & flute – so obliging we heard it on the day for the first time and it sounded amazing, I walked into Pachelbel Canon & we both walked out to Billy idol in strings – just awesome

With it being a winter wedding our favours which we had baubles made as rob had decided to arrive in a vintage classic split screen vw campervan we thought it would be a really nice idea for everyone to have & hang on their tree at Christmas & every Christmas then on we arranged with Michael from  www.bombki.co.uk  to have special ones made for certain guests mine had Swarovski crystals on it, Michael made a wonderful  land rover for rob’s dad, my dad had a Citroen 2CV & my sisters nickname is house(Wendy) so we had a little house made everyone else got a vintage campervan these are also sold in Harrods of London too. @harrodsoflondon (twitter)

As an extra special gift we had handmade crackers with gifts in too freshwater pearl bracelets for all the ladies, and lottery tickets & pens for men, Id organised pale pink bags with snowflakes on & hand tied ribboned tags with everyone’s name on which there wedding cake went in, also it had love heart sweets & organza wrapped pink heart soaps lovely for everyone to take home.

This day had been the best day ever and the following morning off home to collect our bags & drive to relax once again at the Hilton hotel for the night followed by a champagne flight to Cuba 2 for 2 weeks

Amazing start to married life only seems like yesterday and not 2008 Robs my soulmate I love him so very much, we both never take each other for granted and always try to compromise, I hope you enjoyed reading our story x

Love Michelle ( Shelly) & rob

©Shellybobbins 2008-2011

Silent Disability

My Lovely guest this week is disabled but you wouldn't know just to look, just like myself , having a disability is really hard to cope with then you here someone say "Well she/he looked ok the other day" being disabled doesn't stop you from doing anything always follow your dream.

Hello people! My name is Rich James and I am registered disabled. I am also a musician, and live in the UK.

My disability is not the kind you can see. I can walk and hop, skip and even jump (if you don't fear for your floorboards!). I suffer from mental illness. This is my story.

In 2001 I was working for a bank in an office. It was a dead-end job which I hated, but there was something else troubling me. Every day, all the people who were working around me, would whisper about me. They would constantly sad mean things about me - or so I thought. I had no evidence of what they were saying, I could not hear them. I just began to feel an ever-growing sense of paranoia, with heightened senses, and I KNEW they were talking about me.

It finally got to much for me, and I suffered a breakdown. One day at work I just burst into tears and knew I had to leave. Once left, I knew I couldn't go back. I went home to my wife who was on school holidays (she is a teacher, not a child bride!) and she immediately made me a doctor's appointment to see my GP.

My GP diagnosed depression and started me on anti-depressants straight away. They did not help much and I just felt very low indeed.

The days passed and I continued to feel that people were staring at me when I went out and were talking about me. This gave me a strange tunnel vision, which actually affected my vision for real. I also began to hear voices in my head. These were not 'the voice of reason' or that devil on your shoulder that I had always heard - the voice that helps you think things through and make decisions. These were previously unheard voices, always telling me to hurt myself. I just continued taking my anti-depressants and just waded through the days, doing nothing constructive. I would endlessly stare out of the window.  

Next, I began to see people who (my wife informed me) were not there. These were real 3D people that I saw, walking about, or sitting next to me. However they were always in fancy dress. I saw pirates and Nelson, among others. I knew something was wrong when I was driving home from a friend's house and stopped to let pedestrians cross the road. My wife asked me why I was stopping - there was no one there! This was very frightening to me.

I saw 2 psychiatrists, who both determined that I had experienced depression in the past but no longer had anything wrong with me. I felt cheated. Surely, seeing people who weren't there and hearing voices telling me to harm myself wasn't 'normal'?

I explained everything to my GP who instantly started me on anti-psychotic medication. From the second night of taking these pills, I stopped having hallucinations and stopped hearing the voices. It was like a miracle. I had been self-harming, cutting both my arms with a razor blade, for quite some months just to cope with the stress I was living under. Thanks to my GP and his belief in my symptoms and his quick action, I was able to stop this destructive habit.

However, the anti-psychotic medication left me feeling quite emotionally numb and unable to write or compose any music at all. I just had lost a huge part of myself.

A long period of recovery ensued (5 long years of doing nothing at all), but eventually I managed to feel that I could return to work. I knew, as I still suffered the paranoia, that I could never work in an office again. I found a job as a Chat Moderator for an online bingo site, that I could comfortably do from home. I am still working this day job and manage to turn up to every shift and complete my duties.

In January 2010, my inspiration for music came flooding back with a vengance, and I began writing again. This lead to my first album.

I still suffer from paranoia, so avoid crowded places like shops unless absolutely necessary. I cannot walk without a chaperone for very far at all, for fear of paranoia attacks. As long as I am accompanied, I can sometimes go and visit places. However, this having been said, I can act quite 'normally' in public and am very grateful for this fact. My medication gives me night sweats, and my poor long suffering wife has to change the sheets in the middle of the night on numerous occasions. I still suffer with many side effects of my mental illness and still suffer from depression, but I have learned to work with them to lead my life.

If anyone reading this isn't getting the help they need from their doctors, like I was failed by psychiatrists, then my message is "Don't give up!". Someone WILL listen to you and believe you and help you.

In March 2011, I released my second CD online through my own record label and one of my tunes was chosen to be used as the backing for an advert on the UK TV channel 5 (you can watch the 30 second advert at http://richj.biz/77). Things are looking up, so now I look to the future, although I still take each day as it comes.

Thank you to Shelly for allowing me to speak to you all about my experiences. You can find me and my music at http://www.richjamesmusic.com/

         

Website:     http://www.richjamesmusic.com/

 Twitter:     @richjamesmusic

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/richjamesmusicpage

MySpace:   http://www.myspace.com/richjamesmusicuk

Thank you rich & sarah for sharing such a personal story, this will help alot of people who are disabled on the inside I call it silent disability

Your music brilliant you have achieved so much and should be very proud of yourself & also having such amazin wife to support you along the way x

Love Shellybobbins xxx

"Heart of the Month" Winner for March Anna @funkydivadesign

Lovely Anna got nominated by lovely Lizzy from http://www.chicuniqueuk.co.uk/

chic_unique said...

I want to vote for @funkydivadesigns for being the hardest working most determined mum I have ever had the pleasure of meeting :)

12 March 2011 10:29

Winner gets certificate & handmade embroidered heart x

How lovely to write such nice things about people you've never met in person, & chat everyday over the internet. Anna "Heart Of The Month" Winner here in the picture with her lovely boys xx great picture and a real lovely story xx  

Why not check out Anna's & Lizzy site xx

www.funkydivadesigns.etsy.com

Love Shellybobbins xxx

Theo Paphitis #sbs Small Business Sunday Winner - Has it helped you ?

132 days ago I won a re tweet from Theo Paphitis "Dragons Den" on Small Business Sunday 14/11/2010 and on the day I get a tweet from Theo saying Congratulations, Wow Screaming, jumping for joy, tears too - one message that's all it took, from this yes I have gained followers, & facebook went a bit mad, then news paper, radio.  Looking back over the months my business has gone from strengh to strengh, Ive had to apply for more funding which I got and was able to buy a top of the range embroidery sewing machine, also been finding out about copyrights & how to go about it, always learning as Ive gone along - yes it would be great if there was one book I could of read with all the answers in, but I wouldn't of learned anything you have to learn as you go along taking the positive & leave the negative, I do get lots of Direct messages asking please could I put a good word in with Theo for this weeks SBS (Small Business Sunday) Ive not got a direct line to Theo, You all have the same opportunity's as I have.

This year has been an amazing year and also one of the hardest too, being dyslexic & dyscalculia (the arithmetical equivalent of dyslexia comonly known as number blindness) here a link to The Independent on Sunday http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/number-blindness-more-common-than-dyslexia-842781.html Finding out very recently (thank you Fi & Duncan Bannatyne) that this had a name to that I cant even spell (thanks Mr Bobbins)

Being bullied at school being in a wheelchair didn't help or being dyslexic hated having to read out aloud in English too my palms would go hot, Id feel so nervous and held me head down hoping not to be picked, felt physically ill, in infant school one person for about 6/7 years picked on me every time he saw me and greeted me with "spell tree" go on spell it, and then went off just laughing.

I am a very determined woman we only get one life, I have to be thankful that Ive been made redundant otherwise I would of never of done this,  I don't want to just been know as doing a few crafts or having a hobby making crafts, this is a full time business & want to be taken seriously as a small business do you have to then become Ltd company ?

I have now this week to contact and get my copyrights form filled out & sent off, this is definitely left to the professionals, of which I do have the funding for thanks to the http://www.wcda.co.uk/ I couldn't of done any of this without there help they have been amazing.  Also Ive been trying to sort out my label for my products & profit from this will be funding my rag doll family for children & my children's story book, if anyone has any advice on illustrating & publishing Id be really grateful. shellybobbins.2010@yahoo.co.uk Its nice to see a business come together I hope you enjoy reading this comments are appreciated very much

With Love Shellybobbins xxx

Shellybobbins Theo Paphitis - Royal Manchester Children's Hospital Charity - Many Hands Campaign Launc...

Im so please at last a fantastic charity for a hospital that I spent most of my childhood life in, then called Pendlebury Childrens hospital, I remember the Hospital so well, everything looked so big ! but thats because I started going there at the age of just 2, me & my family use to raise money all the time This is one of the many carnivals our family did Im stood behind the pram, Pendlebury even let us borrow the teddy & bed !! Dad covered his Beford Van with white sheets mum hand painted to look like an ambulance & friends, aunty's & uncles, mum & dad, sister, cousins all dressed up for the day to collect money for pendlebury, I remember the old hospital so well even had a royal visit !! Even though it was a hospital I really do have fond memories too, even cried at the age of 16 knowing I had to move up to the adult hospital, I loved the place that much, when I won carnival queen, I went back to pay them all a visit & very proud wearing my sash & took pictures of me stood with my amazing Dr Hilton, & even some of the original nursing staff where still there too, I actually got to thank for everything they had done for me too. Arthritis Is a very painful disease, I have good days & bad days I love having arthur as not having it would be & feel very strange, Its made me the very determined person I am today.

Little did I know that one day joining twitter & tweeting with Theo Paphitis that this would lead me straight back to my 2nd home Pendlebury ! Theo does support so many Charity's, but as you can imagine this ones very close to my heart.

http://www.rmchcharity.org.uk/ please take alook !

MEETING THEO PAPHITIS  

This was last nights tweet ! I'm meeting Theo Paphitis Not only on the most amazing day ever opening up Boux Avenue http://www.bouxavenue.com/blog  !!!! in Glasgow on the 1st April & 2nd April at Sheffield but to meet someone so dedicated to helping other special Charity's & of course lots of disabled people too

This is my dream & my goal this year, if you have been following my story from day one you will realise how amazin this is not just for me but my family too cant wait (What will I wear) remember If you don't ask you don't get

and for that reason

"IM OUT" ha ha ha ha always wanted to say that - giggles xx

SOOOOO EXCITED !!!

Love Shellybobbins xxx

"March Heart of the Month" Who will you Nominate ?

Hello Welcome to heart of the month this competition will run every month for a whole year, what id like you to do is very simple 'Just write a comment' and 'Nominate'

Nominate someone you think deserves shellys heart of the month, maybe your sister, your mum, It could even be someone you've never even met but get to know either through twitter or facebook,

Its nice to be nice, smile at someone, or simple just send them a message knowing you care, life is really too short, so take just a couple of mins to nominate someone - make them smile xx

A winner will be chosen at random on the 20th March 2011 at 8pm I will announce the winner on here, facebook & twitter too - I will then need there name and address to send there heart & certificate out in the post by recorded delivery

This will be your gift Its been handmade & embroidered too, the certificates lovely with nominated by .... so don't forget if your the winner to include your name too. then ....a space for the nominees name & also signed shellybobbins

Its a lovely gift

PS. please no nominating yourself x

With Love Shellybobbins xxx

©Shellybobbins 2011

Shellybobbins & Fi from childcareisfun - Interview with Duncan Bannatyne THE FILM

Thank you Duncan For letting Fi & myself interview you a really lovely kind caring man

more information found on here about prosopagnosia http://prosopagnosiaresearch.org/  Adults can take the test please click on here http://prosopagnosiaresearch.org/clinical-tests

Fi has
*just had a thankyou email from the Dr of research at prosopagnosia.org for highlighting the condition*

Thats brilliant we make good team work & thank goodness for twitter Goddesses

With Love Shelly & Fi xxxx

Theo Paphitis helps shellybobbins with his tweeting

Since August 2010, Ive been researching Branding & Logo's, these are such an important part of anyones business and this doesnt matter if Its big or small.

I want to know when you think of the word Shellybobbins or see my picture with the bobbins & tea cups what you think ? (adding face of rag doll at a later date when copyrights have been done) this would be such a help, as building this business on thin air, I need all the help I can get

I know when I see these logos I know & understand what they sell


 

Being on a thin air budget I wondered If this logo made today would be Ok, Nice, Really Good. ?? No point in paying for someone to print my stickers If no body thinks there any good xxx

this would be the sticker & also would say underneath what the item was too, Oh and wouldnt have the black lining around the edge x

please be honest with your comments

I tweeted theo last night and asked him to be honest x thank you theo it will have the rag doll on it somewhere which will then tie the two together, cant wait for copyrights to be done ! Thank you theo for taking the time to look at my blog & labelling as I really appreciate it so much x

Love Shellybobbins xxxx

An interview with Duncan Bannatyne Part One ..............

As you've probable already seen the contant tweets and facebook posts from shelly and myself, we went to meet the rather lovely Duncan Bannatyne yesterday to talk about a condition called Prosopagnosia.

Prosopagnosia, (also called face blindness,) is an impairment in the recongnition of faces.

It is often accompanied by other types of recognition impairments (place recognition, car recognition and facial expression of emotion,) though sometimes it appears to be restricted to facial identity.

Not surprisingly, prosopagnosia can create serious social problems. Prosopagnosics often have difficulty recongnizing family members, close friends, and even themselves. They often use alternative routes to recognition, but these routes are not as effective as recognition via the face.
Duncan tweeted about this Prosopagnosia a few months ago to make others aware of the condition. The condition can affect anyone, including children, so super Tweeter Shelly got in touch with me and Duncan right away !

                                              'We've got to make other aware of this!'

Several Tweets and emails later, a meeting was arranged with Duncan at his office near his Health club in Darlington. We had to keep quiet (which was very hard,) and counted down the days to meeting him.

I was up at 5am, left the house a 6am and set off up the motorway to meet Shelly, who I'd never met before !


Shelly was so calm! Not one inch of nervousness about her! While my lip was bitten to bits like jelly, she was chatting away about meeting him!

Im pleased to say as soon as we walked into his office he put me at ease. What a smile that man has ! pearly whites to die for !
Before getting onto our interview we chatted about his recent family holiday to Africa. He was very friendly and not at all how I had expected him to be ! I think I watch too much Dragons Den ! I was thinking ten minutes in and it'd be 'Thank you ladies, but I'm out!'

Duncan was so welcoming and so relaxed.




His friendly manner put me at ease and after a few stumbly words I got right into my interview mode and the questions began....

  The interview (filmed) will be available to view in full later on in the week together with more information on Prosopagnosia

This slideshow design made with Smilebox ©childcareisfun 2011 pictures & content