How to de-sparkle your nails!!

This isn't the normal sort of thing I blog about, but I found out about this fab tip a few days ago and it really does work, so I thought I'd share it!!

So, it's your hen do/christmas party/New years eve night out, and you want fabulous, sparkly, over the top nails... Then its the morning after the night before and you know your nails are gonna end up a right mess trying to turn them pretty and pastel, cue massive groan!!

Well now you don't have to worry!!

All you need is ten strips of tin foil, 3 cotton wool pads, nail varnish remover and about 5 minutes...

1. Cut your pads into quarters, this will leave half a pad for any little bits that are missed. Soak these in nail varnish remover, and place them on your nails.

2. Wrap strips around your cotton wool covered nails. Now just wait for about 5 minutes. As they're all wrapped up you can carry on like normal too!

3. After 5 minutes, give your nails a little rub then pull the foil and cotton wool off.

4. Voila!!! Almost all of the sparkly gloop that normally takes ages to remove is gone! Now just use your leftover half a pad to wipe off any bits of glitter left behind!

And there we have it, perfect post-party nails!!

xxx

A Bride Less Ordinary!

I fell in love with this Rock'n'Roll Bride photo shoot the very second I saw it...

I absolutely adore every single thing about it!! The beautiful pink hair, the gorgeous dresses, the originality, her pretty tattoos, and, ofcourse, Paris.

This got me thinking, I can't be the only person who's completely head-over-heels with this whole look... So I've recreated in a few different colours just for you!!!

Gold, bronze, and copper look competely amazing and add a really whimsical, fairytale side to a more steampunk look.

Buttons, pearls, gem stones, and feathers add glamour and personality!

If you're more cute and girly than glamour puss, pretty pink hues with a rock chick twist are really eye-catching!

If you want something abit more subtle but still with lots of personality, add flowers to personalised table centres. Notebooks, polaroid cameras, and typewriters make great centrepieces, and are fun ways for your guests to leave you messages rather than the more traditional guestbook.

Red makes the whole look much more kitsch, whilst adding lots of 50's rocker chic.

Add candy stripes, rather than polka-dots for something a bit different!

Whoever said that brides should be in white clearly hadn't seen any of these gorgeous dresses!!!

Choose a dress that you're comfortable in (you're the one that's got to wear it all day afterall!!), that flatters your figure, and suits your personality, and remember, it's your and your husband-to-be's day, not anyone else's, so do what you want to do!!!

XXX

Fascinating Fascinators!!!

Not every bride wants a traditional veil and tiara, so here I am with some of the most beautiful fascinators I could find!

If you're looking for something really eyecatching try Off With Her Head Millinery, I love the rich colours, luxurious fabrics, and vintage look...

Off With Her Head Millinery

Pin-up brides will fall in love with Diablo Jo's stunning fascinators and hair pieces! They come in loads of bright colours, as well as pretty pastels...

Diablo Jo's

For something more bridal but equally gorgeous have a little peak at Dornellie, with lots of lace, flowers and delicate details there's something for everyone! She also makes really amazing dresses!

Dornellie

For more amazing ideas why not visit my Facebook Page?!!

XXX

The Queen of Hearts...

The Queen of Hearts would never let a tacky heart appear at her big day, so why should you?!

Here's the Fit For a Queen guide to the coolest hearts, so that everyone gets to keep their head!!!

From cute candy coloured flowers, and romantic reds, to passionate Goth, and ladylike lace, it's all here...



For sexy, sultry, and oh so romantic, use deep reds such as scarlet and burgundy...

If your styles more individual, less traditional, and a bit more moody, black, white, and lots of greys give hearts a gorgeous contemporary look...

Or to keep it pretty and light use lots of lace, wicker, willow, and glass!

For beautiful hearts try: Ms Bee's Boutique, DotComGiftShop, Aye Do

XXX

Pondering Pom Poms?!

I LOVE pom poms!!!

Everything about them!!

They're girly, fluffy, cute, stylish, eccentric, eye-catching, fun, and floaty, come in literally any colour, almost any fabric, and any size... Making them perfect for any venue!!!

I adore these colours together! The dusky pinks, smoky greys, and vintage creams look fabulous together.

I love the way that pom poms can look blossomy too!

And, for those of you who haven't seen my piece about Doris Designs utterly gorgeous petticoats, look no further, they look amazing alongside pom poms too!!!



For a girly glamorous look try using lots of different shades of pastels, in lots of different fabrics. By making woollen pom poms and pretty detailing it also adds a nice homely, country cottage feel!



For a more modern, sleeker look, keep everything white or silvery grey, and incorporate delicate glass or white pieces at your tables.

I love this Vera Wang dress - it revels in the pom pom theme, whilst staying understated and glamorous!

The little girl in me loves this completely OTT combo!!! Bundles of frills, loads of pink, pretty dahlias, and a sprinkling of cupcakes make this fairytale look complete!

Why not get everyone involved in helping?! If woolly pom poms are your preference you could ask everyone from your flower girls and page boys, to your great granny making them in their favorite colours for a really personal touch. Try looking at Ms Bee's Boutique for cute, handmade pom pom garlands.

Paper pom poms are really pretty for a more modern take on the look, and are available all over the place in lots of different sizes and colours.

Fabric pom poms also look great, and could be made from old favorite dresses, abandoned scraps, or pretty patterns you've found in the local haberdashery.

Have I mentioned how much I love pom poms?!!

xxx

Guest Blog by Jamball. . .

If you're looking for something really different and unique to you rather than the same old wedding flowers then look no further!

I love everything about Jamball, the creativity, the sweet story behind the company, the colours, the buttons and brooches, the uniqueness... The list is endless!!!

Jamball is quite simply Mr and Mrs Pete and Jaime Ball working in their kitchen in a terraced house in Pennington (near Wigan) northern England.

"We've only been making bouquets for about three years now and fit in all our creative work between our "real" jobs. We both dream of quitting work and doing Jamball full-time but although we're always busy - we're never quite that busy yet."



"Our original source of inspiration came from a bitter/sweet time of our lives in late 2008. Well everything started with Jaime's Grandma's button tin and wanting something of her to be with us on our wedding day. She was a funny/crazy/full of life/party animal but past away a few years before we managed to tie the knot."

"We're both very crafty and knew we could include her buttons in our own wedding to make it more personal to us. Our idea was to make colour coded button trees to put on the table's so she'd be with every guest on every table. This developed into making a corsage for all the  guests, (150 simple felt and button corsage), nine button ball vases, felt and button place mats,  and  a wedding tree made of shirt buttons with luggage tag leaves for people to sign on the day."

Jaime's bouquet was a very simple purple felt and button number (above)

 and her sister had a smaller felt and button posy.

"When we look back we know we would do a much better job now but back then (just over four years ago- blimey) we just did everything as we went along and didn't really plan things too much. The top picture is of us both on the way to the reception. we couldn't resist pulling over for a quick smooch. The camper was our own called Daisy and was covered in shaving foam and dragging tin cans behind. We even made the topper to our 'cheese' wedding cake supplied by the local cheese factory over in Hawes."

"Saying that though, we had a great day and so did all our guests - a few of which started us making bouquets and corsage for their weddings and so got Jamball started."
"Obviously the bouquets we made for friends became better and better and we kept getting told that we should shout out about them-"this is just what todays brides want on their wedding day"- flowers they can keep with the added sentiments of their favourite family keepsakes included into their bouquet."

"So we started selling on craft websites such as Etsy and Folksy and started getting orders

from all over the world!"

"Each time we get an order we get super excited about the colours and specifics that each bride wants!"

 "Every bouquet we make is unique.

Not just because of the individual vintage buttons (that we scour the earth looking for!) but because they are all designed by the brides themselves."

"Colours of felts, beads, threads, buttons, ribbons are all down to the bride themselves. As is the way they are sewn together, the combination of flowers, the style of leaves….the combinations are endless and we love being able to bring our brides designs to life."

If you too would love one of these beautiful bouquets then head on over to Jamball to see more of

Jaime and Pete's extraordinary work!

 xxx

Feeling Patriotic?. . .

... Even if you're not, Red, White & Blue still make a fab colour pallette for your nuptuals and celebrations!!

They tie in with a family fun, summer fete theme...

Or a vintage, rockabilly theme just perfectly!!!

It's also very easy to incorporate these colours in to a more sophisticated, demure look by using garnet and navy rather than pillar-box and electric!

These colours also look great on both cupcakes and more traditional wedding cakes, as well as cake-pops (My favorite party treat!!) and mini desserts (check out the mini cheesecakes at the top!!!)...

I also adore these colours on tables, thnk gingham, stripes, polka-dots, and florals for gorgeous vintage glamour!

There was no way I could do this blog piece without any mention of Vivienne of Holloway and Doris Designs was there?!!

These dress and petticoat combos really are to die for,

and no pin-up bride or polka-dot princess can go without!!!!

xxx

There's nothing better than cuddling up in a warm and cosy piece of tartan in winter, or a picnic on a comfy tartan rug in summer, so why not have that comfy cosy feeling on your wedding day?!

Pretty tartan details can add a real warmth and lots of character to your big day, particularly if its an outdoors affair or in mid-winter.

There's so many beautiful tartan dresses out there, from the traditional...

To the more modern!



And the man in your life can wear anything from the traditional kilt to a stylish three-piece or quirky jacket!

For a really modern twist add tartan accesories like brooches, sashes, and bands...

Tweed jackets and fascinators, and homemade bunting!

To carry the theme right through the wedding, or to help bring the outside in, add homely tartan features like cosy blankets and comfy chairs for your guests!

xxx

Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed & Something... Made of Wool?!!

Whilst crocheting squares for a blanket it dawned on me that a handmade, woolen wedding could actually be really cool!!!

By going with wool you could have every single item at your wedding in the perfect colour and made with love by you, friends and family, you could even incorporate it in to your hen do!

I'm completely in love with the wedding dress above, it's made from pretty doilies layered over a vibrant green prom dress.

I also love these cute crocheted hearts! They could be used for bunting, favours, place settings, on the invites... The list is endless!!!

Now, if you, like me, loved making these pom poms as a child, then why not indulge in some reminiscing with friends whilst making them? They make fab table decorations and a fun alternative to flowers!

Knitting and crocheting is  no longer just for your granny and her scary Christmas jumpers (although I personally love them!!) If rainbow colours aren't for you then

have a look at what else you could try...

Use  greys, pinks and reds with lots of sparkle to keep the look modern and urban. Teamed up with diamontes and glass, wool looks much more edgy and cool!

Timeless elegance can be easily created by using creams and whites in silky,

shiny threads, to give a more lacy look.

Try a crocheted bolero for an autumn wedding, or crocheted bunting for a spring affair.

For a pretty, tea party feel use lots of pastel shades and pretty, traditional techniques to make unique table centres and button-holes, or more modern techniques for a more eye-catching take on pastels!

xxx

Picking the Best of the Bunch!

I don't think enough brides go seasonal when choosing their wedding flowers!

The UK has an abundance of beautiful, homegrown flowers that clearly aren't being used to their full potential, and, on top of supporting local flower growers, you really can create a gorgeous bouquet that's unique to you.

Why not be creative and grow your own, venture into the countryside and pick your own flowers, or arrange them yourself? You could even incorporate it into your hen-do!!

Here's the best seasonal delights that the UK has to offer...



Spring

For a beautiful, country cottage feel use delphinium, sweet peas, peonies, ranunculus, and cherry blossom, or for a more modern look go with tulips and daffodils.

Summer

If you want to bring out the sunshine try dahlias, marigolds, and pretty carnations, but if you'd rather be boho chic try lavender, freesia, and gypsophila.

Autumn

If you fancy a dramatic, autumnal feel, try calla lillies, amaryllis, hypericum, and black magic roses, or if you'd rather a more girly take on autumn, why not go for pretty nerine, hydrangeas, and gladioli.

Winter

For a luxurious, wintery wedding, without the Christmas vibe, use pine cones, snow berries, bouvarida, hellebore, and fern, and if you want to add a bit of Christmas flare add traditional holly, ivy,

and trailing winter berries.

If you want to make your wedding flowers really personal to you, you could opt for flowers that have traditional meanings. They could mean something to you and your partner, incorporate

promises to your husband-to-be, or represent things that you wish to have in your marriage.

Here's just a few...

Rose - Love & Happiness

Apple Blossom - Good Fortune

Heather - Good Luck

Gardenia - Joy

Ivy - Fidelity

Myrtle - Love

Snowdrop - Hope

Violet - Faithfulness

Honeysuckle - Generosity

xxx