Ideas Needed!!

Last week I did some spring cleaning of closets.  I love to declutter.  It seems I am always shoving things into the closets over the winter and by springtime they are almost bursting.  So I find myself taking out the things I put there a few months earlier, and making extra work for myself.  I always think, "If I had just put this away where it belonged then, I wouldn't have to do this NOW!" 

I had my wedding dress stored in the guest room closet.  I had it cleaned and preserved after our wedding.  

So I got it out of the closet a week ago when I was cleaning.  It really is silly to have it taking up so much valuable space in the closet.  I could be cramming a lot of other stuff in there over the winter!!


 There are wonderful organizations I could donate it to but to be honest I want to keep it in some way.


I did some research on what I could do with it.  I would like to be able to enjoy it (or at least part of it) in some way - not just have it sitting in a closet.  

Here are some of the ideas I found:

****I found someone on Etsy who can take a piece of your wedding dress and make it into a glass pendant.  I love that idea. 



****I have also thought of pillows, but am not sure that white satin pillows that can't be washed easily would be very practical.  

****Christening gowns don't really make sense in our situation, nor do ring bearer pillows.  

****I have seen people post about making a Christmas tree skirt, but with two bassets and fur being shed I cant imagine the mess.

****Having it framed - (sounds expensive to me)



****Then there is the idea of a table runner... again... white silk?



****Some people have had a more casual dress  made -  doesn't really work with the style dress I had.



****I have also read of making a quilt,  but to be honest I already have enough money invested in the dress and then the preservation of it.  While I do not consider myself a cheapskate,  I do have to take into consideration how much more  I am going to invest in this dress worn just one time.

I don't know if a seamstress would be willing to make a few things out of it  and keep the remaining silk and beading (except for what I might want for a pendant) as pay.

So while I am in the thinking stage on this I have moved my dress to a DIFFERENT closet.  I guess it is an upgrade of sorts.

So I'm curious.  What did you do with YOUR wedding dress?  

And do you have any ideas for me?

PLEASE comment!!