Why not add a scientific vibe to your wedding decor with this cool idea, a test tube rack filled with single stem flowers. This is such an easy look to replicate, will keep costs down but still provide a really interesting and unusual centrepiece.
From Green Wedding Shoes
Michelle xx
I have soooo many gorgeous engagement shoots to share with you, seems the last few months there has been quite a flurry of them taking place. An engagement shoot is not really a new concept but I am still surprised by the number of newly engaged couples I speak to who haven’t even considered one. That is until I have bleeted on about how fab I think they are, I’m pretty sure I’ve influenced one or two couples I know into taking the plunge, one in particular absolutely loved every second and they were able to use the images across their wedding stationery, from the invitations to the table plan. This really helped to set the tone for the day, got so many people excited and talking about the wedding, giving that real excitable sense of anticipation of what was to come.
Honestly I cannot recommend an engagement shoot highly enough, and you will find many wedding photographers are now offering these as part of their package anyway, so use it to your advantage, get creative with it but most of all HAVE FUN.
Just like these guys did:
Cassie shared a little insight into her and Paddy’s relationship too “We met through Facebook! I have been friends with Paddy’s sister since I worked with her when I was 13, but never met or knew him.. Paddy added me a friend as my status updates always made him laugh when his sis read them out to him… so she asked me if it was cool for him to add me and I said yes.
Eventually we got to chatting online and realised we had a mutual love for tattoos and music. We met up as friends for a few drinks and the rest is history!
He proposed with a haribo ring as I have a huge love for anything sweet! haha and promised me the ring I deserved when he could afford it.
The wedding plans are to get married around our 2nd anniversary which is August 27th 2012. We’re aiming for a little bit of tradition, with a whole lot of VW’s, ska music and hippies thrown in.
We’re not conventional people so it will be a little bit special with my wedding car being an old beaten up split screen camper and a convoy of VW’s and an entourage of 7 bridesmaids and 3 page boys! Paddy’s best man is in a band called Faintest Idea, who are a ska/punk band and they will be providing the entertainment.”
This e-shoot was captured by Emma Walker of Walkabout Photography, based in Peterborough, Emma specialises in contemporary and vintage wedding and lifestyle/portrait photography. You can find out more about Walkabout Photography by visiting their website here.
Thanks so much to Emma for sharing this fab e-shoot with us today, and to Cassie and Paddy for telling us a little bit more about the people behind the piccies, I so love how Paddy proposed with a haribo ring, cutest thing ever. And how awesome does their wedding sound?
Michelle xx
So peeps it’s Wednesday, how on earth did Wednesday roll around so quickly?
If you read my blog over the weekend then you will know that I set myself a little challenge to begin a home makeover project that I have wanted to start for ages but always seem to find an excuse to put off.
Well true to my word I got totally stuck in over the long-weekend and made a mahoosive start on the project. It is probably fair to say I am more than a little bit knackered after spending 3 solid days at the DIY: sanding, painting, varnishing, cleaning, sanding, painting, varnishing, cleaning. You get the score. I now feel like someone has beaten me with a sledgehammer, I am so sore. Which reminds me also how totally unfit I am….must get back in the gym, that is of course once I stop aching from head to toe.
BUT….moaning aside, I am so pleased with the progress made. Just goes to show what a little focus and determination can do, I now have a completely renovated kitchen, with new wall colours, a cupboard and tile makeover and will soon have a newly tiled floor too. Not bad to say I only made this decision last Saturday. I just hope my motivation does not wane as there is still so much to do to get it finished, and now the boy is back at work I’m left alone to get it sorted 
. Anyways, I shall be sharing more on my progress with the kitchen makeover this Sunday so do call back then.
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For now I have a DIY project of the much easier variety. This tutorial is another one by Brittni Mehlhoff the founder of the art + handmade exhibition site papernstitch, who is also the editor of a handmade blog by the same name.
It’s a cute little wedding ring holder made out of an old vintage book, a lovely idea and one that could include a book which has sentimental meaning to the two of you, such as one where your readings are being taken from.
Old book, ruler, pencil, xacto knife, ribbon
1. Choose a book that has special meaning to you or your relationship. Or perhaps is the color(s) of your wedding.
2. Turn to almost halfway through your book (a little less than half), and draw a small two inch box center right (toward the outside of the book).
3. Using a straightedge and an xacto knife, follow the guide of your box and begin slicing through along the lines. You will want to press down hard and go over each line over and over, so that you go through as many layers as possible. I would recommend cutting over each line at least six times.
4. Once that is done, you can pop out the paper, revealing your hollowed out box. You may have to repeat step 3 several times to get the desired deepness for your “box”. Remember it only has to be as deep as the rings that will be going inside of it.
5. Now slip a ribbon through the cut box (making sure to go through all of the pages that are cut).
6. Slip the rings onto the ribbon and rest them inside your hollowed box. Close book and tie ribbon with a bow.
All images in the tutorial are courtesy of papernstitch a wonderful online exhibition space that was created to promote talented artists, designers, and makers selling handmade goods, the exhibition space is curated monthly and showcases the best of the best on an international level. Hence the tagline: hand-picked. handmade.
When Brittni is not working on papernstitch, she is dreaming up fun little tutorials and crafting projects for her home. If you love DIY as much as Brittni does, visit her free diy projects and tutorials section for more than sixty quick and easy projects.
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
With love from a blogger in need of a massage and some TLC
Michelle xxx
Now this idea is fabulous for a rustic autumn or winter wedding, it was originally intended as a place card holder but I actually think it could have a few uses.
From Home in the Country
Michelle xx
Hello peeps,
You know I have a thing about blush tones right? If not where have you been! I love this tone and think it’s perfect for that bride seeking a look that’s a little different from the classic bridal style. I still struggle to ever imagine wearing a full-on wedding dress, it’s just not me, maybe I will think differently when the time comes for me to start the search for that elusive dress. For now I am happy oooing and aahing over these gorgeous designer creations and imaging how amazing a hipster, fashion-forward bride would look in any one of them.
Today’s selection are from My-Wardrobe.com, which is just heavenly, I LOVE this place. Sadly I cannot afford to shop here all the time (Oh if only life was that kind), practically never in fact, but a girl can dream. Luxury, designer shopping at it’s best and you don’t even have to leave the house as it’s all available online.
The two dresses I have chosen include:
♥ This gorgeous and ethereal Project D tulle number, I could just see the blushing bride swirling and twirling all night long in this creation. Project D is of course the fashion label created by Dannii Minogue and her friend Tabitha, I understand Dannii is very hands-on when it comes to the designs for her label, and honestly I have been so impressed with it all so far. £425 from My-Wardrobe
♥ Add in a pair of eggplant suede platform shoes by DVF, this amazeballs chunky chain centrepiece necklace by Anton Heunis and you have yourself a pretty and chic yet edgy look for your wedding day. Would look perfect with a bouquet like the one above found on Wedding Chicks. Full of delicate vintage blush roses, pink-hued heather and the softest purple petals. Shoes £280 from My-Wardrobe. Necklace £243 from My-Wardrobe
♥ To jazz up the look for night you can add in this Halston Heritage rainbow monique snake skin clutch bag and channel your inner disco diva all night long. Halston Handbag £342 from My Wardrobe
♥ Dress your bridesmaids in these pretty purple babydoll dresses, with floaty chiffon skirt to match your dress and a nude block-heel shoe to contrast your own look. A simple all-blush, hand-tied bouquet would be perfect and look striking against the strong colour of the dress. Dress £38.00 Dorothy Perkins, Shoes £25.00 Dorothy Perkins
♥ I love Halston, always have and I think I always will. They’ve now brought out this gorgeous desert-gold, one-shoulder, grecian maxi-dress, which is so dazzling and statuesque, it would be prefect for a classy and sophisticated bride. Dress Halston £381 from My Wardrobe. Bag £495 Anya Hindmarch from My Wardrobe.
♥ I would love to see the dress funked up a little bit with these electric blue suede shoes by Larin and these silver mismatched flower crystal earings. A real eclectic and bohemian mix. Shoes £247 from My Wardrobe, Earings £124 from My-Wardrobe
♥ Your maids can then match your earings in bold blue and yellow dresses, like these cute prom dresses £15 from ASOS . The bouquet is a mix of peonies and blue-tinged succulents, a perfect match, yes?
So which bride are you the Blushing Bride or the Grecian Goddess, and how do you feel about a nude blush-toned wedding dress instead of a classic white? Would love to know what you think so please do leave me a comment below.
Michelle xx
……If you do and you’re near Manchester then I have just the thing for you.
Well boys and girls (are there any boys reading this?) if you’re a lover of all things beauty then you NEED to get yourself to this event. It’s going to be simply amazeballs. Plus I’ll be there, woohoo.
Selfridges Manchester Trafford are giving you the chance to meet the InStyle beauty team, exchange tips and tricks over a drink and enjoy an evening of pampering!
The event takes place on Thursday 15 September from 6 until 10pm and includes all manner of delights from complimentary eye, lip, nail and hair makeovers, to experienced make-up artists giving demos of all the new-season looks and teaching you those all important tricks of the trade.
This is the perfect opportunity for all you brides-to-be out there who want to do your own make-up on the day, but still need a few pointers, or perhaps you just want to try out a few new products or different colours to see what suits you.
I love these events, having been to many of them before at Selfridges, and I always end up coming away with a bag full of goodies, loads of samples and some new looks to try out. Plus it’s really good fun too, great for a girlie get-together.
Tickets are £10 and are redeemable against purchases made on the night (So basically if you buy something you get £10 knocked off and it’s cost you nothing to attend). Plus if you spend £50 or more, you’ll also receive a fabulous exclusive goodie bag* ~ I have it on good authority that these are not your average goodie bag either, you’ll be amazed at the fab products being given away.
There’s also a few raffles going on ~ one of the last events I attended they raffled a very expensive designer handbag, I will admit that I was a little devastated that I didn’t win!
You can book your tickets by calling 0161 748 3872 AND the best news……
How much do I spoil you?
So who is with me? I would be thrilled to meet some of you at this event, it’s sure to be a lot of fun and really who can resist all those shiny new goodies, a few free glasses of champers and the chance to go wild in Selfridges beauty aisles. Erm not me.
I do hope to see a few of you there, if you are going to come along let me know in the comments below and I can come say hi to you in person.
Hope to see you there.
Michelle xxx
Best Advice We’ve Ever Heard – by Instyle and Selfridges is a little black book of secret beauty advice, a range of tried and tested tips from A-listers, industry pros, the InStyle and Selfridges beauty teams and readers. This advice, collated through facebook is being presented in a standalone beauty bible; a 40 page perfect bound supplement to be distributed within the September issue of InStyle.
*One complimentary treat bag per customer, participating brands only
Yummy donuts, mixed in with pretty doily cones, with handwritten labels = cuteness overload.
How much would I love to be given one of these as a wedding favour. If you want to find out how to create these DIY Donut Hole Favours for yourself them visit the easy-peasy DIY tutorial on Ruffled blog.
Hello everyone,
It’s monday morning, and it’s a bank holiday monday morning at that, so I hope you are either hungover after lots of partying, stuffed after lots of feasting or raring to go on some new adventure. Isn’t that what bank holidays are all about?
Me I’m a little hungover after a day spent with a large group of friends and a pub lunch (which lasted all afternoon!).
So today’s inspiration is inspired by the bank holiday weekend, and what is synonymous to me about the August bank hol is of course the carnival. The sights, the sounds and the smells of our Notting Hill carnival will stay with me forever, if you’re there this weekend I hope you’ve had a wonderful time.
This ones for you…..
Image credits: 1. Gold Dress 2. Parrot Eye By Lady Pandacat von Nopants 3. Harpers Bazaar A/w 2011 4. Blue Green Bokeh By Seldom Scene Photography 5. Gold stitched artwork 6. Carnival Glass by wynnageorge 7. Flowers Rochelle Mort - Photography via Style Me Pretty 8. Peacock feather 9. Green dress via The Glitter Guide
The Carnival Queen is a bold lady, she dresses to thrill and dances all night. The colours are bright and daring in a palette of indigo blues and jade greens, with a little magenta thrown in the mix for that hint of the scarlet woman. Peacock feathers adorn her and she sips from venetian coloured glass goblets, a heady cocktail of course, full of rum. She sparkles, she shines and she shimmies to perfection.
Oh I do love the Carnival Queen.
Michelle xx
Hello boys and girls,
I hope you’re having a lovely Sunday. Today I wanted to give you a little glimpse into what’s been keeping me busy, not to mention awake at night dreaming and obsessing over….
Image Credit: 79 Ideas
I am of course talking about my latest project ‘Operation Home Makeover’, I fear I may have bitten off more than I can chew with this one, which is why I kind of need some help and support from all you lovely readers. (see below for how you can help)
This has been a project-in-waiting for about oooh 4 years! Gulp. I’m sure everyone will feel the same or have some tale of woe about their home decor and how it’s not quite right, or could do with a little tweak here and there. Well mine has been very basically decorated from the get-go and it’s about time I changed it.
I am very proud of the fact that I got onto the property ladder early, I was quite young when I bought my first house, just 21 and I am now on my third home. Which is quite mental when I think about it. Yes sensible Annie has been a good girl and stepped onto that property ladder as a young girl (alone I may add) and stayed there ever since. It’s not always been easy, especially when I’ve seen my happy-go-lucky friends, who still lived at home with their parents, off out every weekend, not a care in the world, while I worried about gas bills and council tax. Snore.
I have always been so glad to have my own home, my haven, it also used to make me feel very proud of myself for having done it all as a single gal. Sure I’m not single now, but the home is still my own. I’ve bought and sold two before this one, managed the renovations, the redecorating and the moves by myself too. I guess what I’m trying to say here is, you really can do anything if you set your mind to it (and you have amazing friends and family willing to lend a hand).
BUT…..I have kind of lost my mojo these past few years and not really put the love and attention into my current home that I should have done. Time and money have always been the problem, previously I had a pressured job, not to mention a 3-4 hour daily commute which meant the last thing I wanted to be doing in my precious free time was anything related to DIY. I’ve have now fallen out of love a little bit with my house, which makes me quite sad, as I look at the amazing interiors I see online and in glossy magazines, well the green-eyed-monster is taking over and I WANT everything I see.
Slight problem though, my funds are so limited I simply cannot afford a massive renovation project. So I have set myself a little challenge. Yes I want to makeover my home, I want to transform each space into a den of calm and tranquility and I want that transformation to resonate with me and make me feel not only comfortable in my home but also proud of it once again.
I read recently on Whole Living Daily that “Your home interior should be updated approximately every five years to avoid getting stuck in a rut,” according to New York City Feng shui practitioner Laura Benko and “When you begin the process of changing up your surroundings, you instigate a flow of transformation within yourself as well.”
Well this year for me has been all about the transformation, so ~ this is my challenge:
♥ Makeover 6 rooms over the next 12 months: Kitchen, My Bedroom, Office Space, Living Room, Spare Bedroom, Bathroom ~ potentially in that order but who knows!
♥ Rejuvenate the furniture and furnishings I already own ~ I cannot afford to buy all new
♥ Keep to a minimal budget per room ~ I am talking less than £200 per room here
♥ Be creative with the decor and details ~ Which I’ll have to be on such a limited budget!
And to keep me going on my little challenge I shall be posting all about it on here. Including my (rather embarrassing) BEFORE pictures of each room, my plans, ideas and moodboards which I will be using as my guide to transform said rooms, and of course those all-important AFTER pictures to show you my progress.
I just ask one thing – please help to motivate me as I will undoubtedly hit many brick walls with this project (metaphorically speaking, I’m not planning on taking any sledgehammers to the walls just yet), your words of encouragement, advice, hints and tips, or simply a virtual high-five will do. Hopefully you will join me on my home transformation journey which will entertain and encourage you as much as it nurtures and nourishes me.
My first dilemma is the kitchen, I really hate the tiling and I’m so bored of the bland cream cupboards, seriously they need changing. BUT no new kitchen for me unfortunately so I’m considering painting the tiles and the cupboards to give them a little makeover. I’ve read a lot of good and bad things about painting laminate kitchen fittings, and I’m still a little scared about doing it. I’m worried it will look good for a week or so but then be full of cracks and chips as general wear and tear takes hold. Does anyone have any advice or thoughts on this, have you done it and did it work?
Next week I’ll be sharing my BEFORE pictures of said kitchen as well as some of my ideas for transforming it.
Michelle xx
Hello and welcome to the weekend.
I have thought long and hard about what features I can bring to you at a weekend as I know, (unlike me) most people are off out, enjoying themselves, catching up with friends and family, having adventures and basically enjoying those precious moments when you’re not in work. Which means you’re unlikely to be blog browsing and stopping by to say hello as much as you are midweek.
I also know my own weekends are generally all about enjoyment, and the way I like to enjoy myself is with fantastic food….oh and a few drops of wine, maybe some champagne, or a cocktail or two. Ahem…..I’m not an alcoholic honest.
For me life is ALL about great food and drink, I love to cook, I love to eat out and I know just how fantastic good-food can make you feel from the inside out. I can also be quite critical if something doesn’t meet my high standards, I abhor tasteless, mass-produced and badly presented food. Too many restaurants nowadays get away with serving up rubbish and I don’t believe anyone should settle for mediocre when it comes to dining.
Food and drink can also make or break an event but it is so very often overlooked, or the mass-catered, set-menu option chosen. This is particularly true at weddings, a wedding should always be about the feast, it’s a celebration, it’s about enjoyment and there should be great food in abundance. You want your guests to feel special and satiated, not hungry, bored, or worse turned-off by the lacklustre menu you’ve dished up. (Pun intended).
You are paying a LOT of money for your wedding food and drink, often the most significant chunk of your budget so it just makes sense to make it spectacular.
And so dum, dum, dum, drum-roll please: Tipples and Treats is born.
This is my new feature which I hope to bring to you every weekend, to provide a little tasty inspiration for amazing food and drink ideas that you can serve up either on your wedding day, for entertaining, or just to try out at home as a little treat amidst the madness of all that wedding planning. Yes, of course there will be plenty of cake and dessert inspiration, but I also want to go that one step further and really get those mouths a-watering with inspiration for ALL types of food.
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
The first Tipples and Treats inspiration is a Cherry-tastic feast. For the tipple we have this Sweet Cherry Gin and Tonic and for the treat these single serving Cherry Hand Pies. Cherries are of course a summer fruit, which unfortunately are nearing their end-of-season right now (you can still pick them up in some supermarkets – or why not try the tinned and frozen varieties which are just as good for these recipes).
For weddings coming up next summer then this is potentially a perfect choice for your day. I can just see these cool Cherry Cocktails in the hand of a fifties-inspired glamourpuss at a kitschy wedding. Nom, nom, nom. And the individual servings of Cherry Pies, well they could be a unique favour idea, packaged up in a cute box or handed out on trays to your guests as an alternative to canapes.
Thanks to the lovely ladies Teri and Jenny at Spoon Fork Bacon who have kindly allowed me to share these recipes with you, as well as their amazing photography (there’s just something about food photography when done well that gets me so very excited).
Heres the recipes……
Ingredients:
cherry-lime simple syrup:
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons sweet cherry juice
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
½ cup granulated sugar
2 cups gin (“Tanqueray Rangpur” is my favorite for this)
¼ cup fresh lime juice
8 cups tonic water
fresh lime wedges
Directions:
1. Place the cherry juice, lime juice and sugar into a small sauce pan and simmer until the sugar dissolves.
2. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.
3. In a pitcher stir together the cherry-lime syrup, gin, and lime juice.
4. When ready to serve fill glasses with ice and pour ¼ cup of the gin mixture into each glass.
5. Fill the glasses with tonic water, stir and serve with lime wedges.
Cherry Hand Pies
Makes 12
Ingredients:
pie dough:
2 cups all purpose flour
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
¼ cup cold cream cheese, cut into cubes
2 Tablespoons buttermilk
filling:
3 cups cherries, pitted and quartered
2/3 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons minute tapioca
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons almond extract
egg wash:
1 egg
1 tablespoon heavy cream
cherry icing:
½ cup powdered sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons Kirshwasser
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. In a bowl sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
3. Add the cold cubs of butter and cream cheese and cut in with a pastry knife or your fingers until a fine crumble is made.
4. Add the buttermilk and gently work together, until a dough just comes together.
5. Form the dough into a disc, wrap it in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator.
6. While the dough chills prepare the filling. Place the filling ingredients into a bowl and mix together until well combined. Set aside and allow the mixture to sit for 10 to 15 minutes.
7. Roll the dough out onto a lightly floured surface until ¼ inch thick.
8. Cut twelve 4 inch circles from the dough and fill each with a small amount of cherry filling.
9. Whisk together the egg and cream.
10. Brush the perimeter of each hand pie with the egg wash and fold/pinch together, creating ½ circles.
11. Press the ends with the back of a fork to seal and brush the tops with the egg wash.
12. Using a pairing knife, cut 3 small slits on the tops of each hand pie.
13. Place them onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake in the oven for 15 to 18 minutes or until golden brown.
14. Allow the hand pies to cool completely on a cooling rack.
15. While the hand pies cool, place the powdered sugar, Kirshwasser, cream, and vanilla extract into a small bowl and gently stir together with a fork until fully incorporated and smooth.
16. Drizzle the icing over the hand pies and serve.
Once again a huge thank-you to Teri and Jenny at Spoon Fork Bacon for the recipes and images. Please do hop on over to their amazing blog to check out their other recipes, it really is a delectable foodie feast.
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
I do hope you have enjoyed reading and I would love your feedback on this feature, so please leave a comment below, you know I love to hear from you. Tell me what you’d like to see being featured here, or perhaps you have a recipe or idea to share. I would love to feature them, so ~ you know what to do. Comment….box…..below. Love ya.
Michelle xx
