Well for Christmas your friends and family appreciate it if you go to the trouble of making them a gift. So that is what I did. I made a brooch for my mum. You can make it so that it can be worn as a brooch or a head piece. Since Michelle Obama came on the scene I have noticed how often she wears a brooch just to give a simple stylish outfit a subtle lift. Depending on the occasion the brooch can have sparkly or wooden beads, polished pearls to feathers and tweeds. I have so many ideas there are just not enough hours to my days.

Our Christmas cracker, lovely Marita on her wedding day.

Here comes the wedding car

Back detail on flowergirls dresses

Flowergirls made to match your wedding dress.

Pleat it, gather it, be inspired. Silk taffeta pleated and silk tulle gathered, highlighted with silver lined glass beads, another creation.

Thanks to Inspirations, Carla Barbaglia comes to Northern Ireland!! The most amazing floral artist from Italy comes to demonstrate to us, creating masterpieces with shape, form and colour. I just love what she does with leaves!! You will never look at leaves in the same light, chop them, fold them, pleat them, knot them don't let your imagination stop and then add a few flowers. The containers seem to be the first guidance to the colours and shapes of the flowers and foliage that you are inspired to use. I just loved the whole experience and loved what Carla did with the flowers and foliage.

I saw an advert in the local paper for an exhibition up at Queens in the Naughton Gallery. It was by Michael Brennand-Wood, the man that probably 28 years ago made me realise how exciting embroidery could be. This guy is a true fine artist that uses embroidery as his medium. Look him up on his website to learn more about his work. He definitely inspired me to do embroidery as I felt it was such a versatile medium. Forget thie idea of embroidered table clothes this guy did massive pieces of work on wooden frames, something origina.This latest exhibition was called "Pretty Deadly". It was poignant that it was Remembrance Sunday that I saw it as there was quite alot of reference to dead soldiers. It was exploring the symbolism of flowers, it was colourful, imposing and strong. Look him up and see his work. Embroidery is anything you do with a needle and thread.

Once you get started then there will be no stopping you. Have fun enjoy playing with beads laid down to create something personal.

Get a needle and thread, a packet of beads and have a go. If nothing else it will teach you to appreciate how much time and effort is involved, but hopefully you will enjoy it too.

It is just beading, I could teach anyone to do it, as long as you have got the patience. By simply graduating the pearls you can get lovely simple effects. Hope this inspires you to have a go.

The couples initials and date of the wedding were embroidered on the back of the veil entwining two horseshoes.

Thank you Tara & the crew for making sure with editing that the shop and what I said came across well.

I need that extra hour now to catch up on work I should have got done earlier this week.

I had to do a quick tidy, check everything was looking good, tip top, spick & span, as at 2pm the BBC were arriving!!

They were doing a feature on how the recession was effecting Newtownards. They seem to think weddings were recession proof. That brides will always get what they really want, because you only get married once!! What do you think? Post a comment.

No doubt I said all the wrong things, too late now!!

I may go and do some proper work now.

The lucky umbrella worked, the sun came out, and Pamela had a brilliant day.

Accessories at the ready. All we needed was for the rain to disappear! The lucky umbrella also ready.

Let us not forget to do everything up!

In the meantime we had Pamela to get ready and looking the part. Headdress, earrings and necklace,we are getting there.

Todd and Rachel, flew in from Australia the week before their wedding!! Rachel OKed what I had done so far on her dress and then I completed some final hand work on the train of the dress and made the bride a headdress.The happy couple are now on their honeymoon stopping off at fabulous locations before arriving back to work in Australia.

The wonders of modern technology!

A lady emailed me from the other side of the world and asked me to do a horseshoe for her niece. I have done it and posted it, so hopefully it will arrive safely.

I wanted to see how the detail would show up and since Rebekah was the bride who inspired me to do this I had to show you a photo of her dress.

The first thing I will have to do is improve my lighting when taking my photos.

Secondly maybe I could ask Santa Claus for a new camera.(A bad workman blames his tools!!)

Hi all, I have to work out how I do this. Here we go!!

I cannot believe how easy that was. I have been thinking about starting a blog since 12th August and finally I managed it while watching TV as well. I take photos every week of things that interest me and work that I am doing. I love chatting to people and have always been a good letter writer. So hopefully if I do this some of you will give me feedback and comment on my work.