Bridal season is upon us

The bridal season is well and truly upon us and because I have been involved in making bridal wear for such a long time and know how hard it is to get known in the bridal designing world I though I would give a mention to a great new blog called Folksy weddings all about hand made bridal related items by designers, as well as being a very good blog it is also a very good way to get some good ideas for your up and coming weddings, please have a look you will not be disappointed.

I have been very busy myself with designing some new bridal petticoats some short to suit the trendy 5o's style weddings and some long to suit the traditional wedding which are available for sale in my shop for those looking for the perfect bridal petticoat and accessories.

While we are on weddings would like you to share a few of my own personal favorites this one is from Lizziejayne on Etsy a beautiful design set off by a lovely contrasting sash, this dress would work well with one of my 50's style petticoat in a colour to match the sash.

What better to grace your wedding table than with these pretty favour boxes for a shabby chic or vintage feel to your day by Eviegeorge

I don't wear jewellery much but if I was to ever do the married bit again I would choose this Swarovski pearl necklace to wear as I love pearl and this is so beautifully made by SJ-Creative

Just a simple and elegant pearl and crystal tiara by Misha BrideIvory delicate soft tulle and gold edged veil by Annabella Designs

************************************************

Saturday jumble sale

To day (Sat 6th Feb) has been a very eventful day with an early start rising at 7 o'clock to help my daughter Jackie with a jumble sale she was running to help raise funds for her village (Shorwell on the Isle Of Wight) to get some playground equipment, OH and I arrived at village hall at 8 'clock after picking up another friend to help us, once inside hall there was so much jumble we could hardly get in hall and even more arriving as we set up stalls, I don't think we have worked so hard for a long time getting it arranged for 10 'clock onto tables and looking good to sell, doors were opened and a flood of dealers and buyers descended on us at once scrambling for what they wanted to buy, with teas coffee and cake being served to refresh them so they might just go buy some more, it was hard work but at the end of the day she raised £540.00, well done Jackie and every one who helped.

More white stuff

More pictures taken on my walk to the local post office this morning as the car is not a good idea at the moment in our village as you can see by the pictures below, there is still no post going in or out of the village or bus, if this goes on any longer I am going to have to walk to the super market which is 3 miles away as our little Post Office/shop is nearly empty of supplies all I could get was milk,toilet rolls,frozen chicken portions and some flour, I don't have a lot either in my freezer or store cupboard, hope this weather improves soon or I might have to eat the OH.

This is a picture taken coming down the 1 in 4 hill to the village the back way into St Lawrence shute

Picture going up St Lawrence shute

View from top of my garden down over our house


View from my balcony out to sea

Because I am shut up indoors today I though I would do some cleaning which just turned into a quick dust a site down the a quick hoover then another site down and a cuppa, nothing much to write so after loading up these pictures I'm just going to have another sit down find a good film and get my knitting out .

THE WHITE STUFF

The white stuff has been falling in St Lawrence on the Isle of Wight since yesterday tea time and has truly changed this island to Isle Of White, I look out to sea (2 min walk) and it is a beautiful sight at any time and with the snow falling it puts a magical touch to it (see pics below), this has made our Island come to a stand still ferries cancelled buses and trains in chaos, I have lived here 23 years and not seen the like, it took my sons partner from 6 o'clock tea time to 1 o'clock in the morning to travel 5 miles home, she had not taken her mobile phone with her so no news as to where she was till 10 o'clock when she had found a friendly person with a phone to let her phone home all that time she had been helping others on her drive home dig out their cars and give them a push to help them on there way, what a credit to the human race she is.

Exciting week

This week has been very exciting for me as on Wednesday afternoon when I had just finished all last weeks work I had an e.mail for a new customer with a request for 14 black Rock 'N' Roll petticoats,(this does not happen often) they only problem I had with this they need them by Monday 30 th November and I had no lining for the under slips (sods law) so a trip into town to purchase some which delayed me getting on with the job, I have been head down in my workroom ever since slaving away, just finished the last one ready to pack up tomorrow morning to catch the post and this is what my workroom looks like at the moment, hate working on black it leaves me with a head ache.

What a mess

Another exciting thing happened today (Friday) found out I am on an Etsy treasury with this petticoat below.

Please take a look and leave a comment for this very talented lady Kerrie Slade who has done this treasury, this is one of the most beautiful Treasury I have ever seen on Etsy and worth the front page.

by clicking on the picture below it will take you to this treasury

Poppy Supernova choker
by

Kerrie Slade

Below is a list of my wish list for Christmas

CakesKnitsandCosies

Handmade ~ from the Heart

Henny Penny Designs

More Christmas wishes coming soon

Rainy day job

Weather here (Isle Of Wight) has been awful so had to do something indoors, decided that its about time I finish waxing the pine kitchen cupboards, been living without the doors for a long time, (18 months) managed to get 5 done (8 and 4 draws to go) and put back, they look lovely but make the frame work look tatty so looks like I will have to do that as well, this is turning into a nightmare job…

Finished cupboards

With that job done and all the mess cleaned up I have made a nice cup of tea to drink while I crawl around Folksy to see if I can find some more busy bees

Bee Hair Slides

by

With Hugs and Kisses

*************************************************************

Bouncy Stripy Bumble Bee

by

Woolly Wotnots

**************************************************************

BEAUTIFUL ANTIQUE GOLD AND CREAM BABY BOOTIES WITH CUTE BEES MOTIFS

by

FunkyShapes

**************************************************************

beez kneez

by

lej jewellery

************************************************************

Petticoat talk

Making petticoats is a very hard and long process as there is so much cutting out before you can even start to make, first the lining, bask and waistband have to be cut then the netting has to be cut into long strips and joined together ready for gathering into tiers, then once gathered into tiers and made into layers its attached to a lining and put onto the bask which either needs elasticating or you make a waistband, you then have to finish the hems with lace or ribbon ,not all petticoats are the same style or fullness but they have yards and yards of netting my largest petticoat being my 7 layer which has 60 mtr in it and takes 3 days to make but its very rewarding at the end of the day to see the finished item and as with all things you make you do wonder at the end of the day if you customer is going to like it or even gives a though to how much work has gone into it, I do get lots of feedback saying how beautiful they are but get very few picture of them being worn and shown off on the day.

Here is just one sent to me over a week ago that I would like to share with you all, this one is a gold and ivory petticoat I made to go under her wedding dress................... a three layer with 3 tiers

Flower make

How to make a net flower (easy)

You will need

4 pieces of stiff net fabric 5 1/2 in x 5 1/2 in

4 pieces of stiff net fabric 5 x 5 in

Tape measure or ruler
2 Sewing needles

Sewing cotton

Scissors

No1

No 2 No 3

No 4

N0 5

N0 6

No 7Take one of your larger squares and fold in half corner to corner making a triangle shape and then fold again (picture2)
Thread needle with a long piece of thread making sure that its double and matching the colour of your fabric,run small running stitch along open edges (picture3)

Draw up thread ( picture 4) now do the same to the 3 remaining larger square making sure you do all this on the same thread, your flower should be looking like picture 5, 6, and ending looking like no 7 with all petals forming a circle making sure your centre is flat,join up the circle and secure stitches, cut cotton of.
Thread your second needle with thread the same as you did with first needle and do the same with 4 remaining smaller squares,

You should now have 2 circle's of petals, place them one on top of the other making sure they are placed looking like picture No 8 , secure them both together by stitching through centre,decorate your centre with beads or a button, stitch a hair come to back like picture No 10

No 8

No 9

No 10
You now have a lovely large flower hair comb, I use these flowers for decorating all sorts of things, you can reduce the size by cutting squares smaller as long as they are square, you can also do more petals on a single flower, try it now you have the basic idea

*************************************************************************************