Joanne Ferguson Bridal

Something Old, something New.

2012-01-17T12:14:00.000-08:00

"Lace" and "Vintage" seem to be still here for 2012, but the new thing is the idea of colour. Vera Wang has followed the trend of being influenced with a hint of colour in her bridal range. It is easier to do if you are having no bridesmaids, then you don't have the problem of what colour to add for the bridesmaids. My own personal preference is that the bride should always be in the lightest colour. The bride that dares to be different, the idea of a colour however isn't different, has got a good chance that she will wear her dress again and again. Colour is evident in the collections of wedding dresses in the Ulster Museum and the Folk Museum as it was a more common practise at the beginning of the last century. To be honest colour is easier to wear than ivory or white.

Say it with lace

Something different with lace, note the sleeves.

Dresses at special offer

2012-01-12T05:52:00.000-08:00

Call in and see for yourself or make an appointment to try on dresses

If you can't find a dress off the peg that is perfect then it can be made for you.
Nothing but the best for you on your wedding day.

Still some sale items on offer this week.

2012-01-10T08:40:00.000-08:00

Thanks to everyone who supported me at my Open weekend. I have some things still on special offer if it is of interest to any of you.

classic strapless dress for £750

If you are the same size as this dummy then you ae in luck as I did this dress after seeing the dress that Kate wore for the night time of her wedding day. Mine has a train floating from a cirular skirt in the dress. I added the idea of the belt to show off a tiny waist. This dress is on offer off the peg to the first person that loves it.
It is ivory zibeline with silver and crystal beads as the decoration.

Open weekend from the 6th-9th Jan 2012, with brilliant offers.

2012-01-02T00:15:00.000-08:00

inquiry@joannefergusonbridal.com

Date and Time

Monday 9th January 2012 from 10am- 5pm

Venue

2 Frederick Place & Church Street, Newtownards

(Just opposite the Strangford Arms Hotel)

Open weekend

Come along and see for yourself, dresses that are normally £1500 with 50%

off you only pay £750 and Bridesmaids dresses normally £350 this weekend you only pay £175.

Come and see everything we have to offer all with 50% off.

Shoes, lingerie by Malizia and La Perla, and accessories.

Nothing but the best for less.

Happy New Year

2012-01-01T01:25:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to take this opportunity to say Happy New Year to you all, both old and new brides ( I was going to say) but I better change that to all my customers old and new. Last year I had a great time working for Bride and Groom's Mum's, so I want to wish you all the best for this incoming year. I also was lucky enough to make christening gown's and Holy communion dresses for some of my younger cliental. Sometime it is my younger clients that manage to follow my blog with all their expertise in the world of technology so I wanted to say Hi to you and thanks. Then there is the brave groom's who come to our shop to get the Men'swear. It is great when I can help the whole wedding party but sometimes the brides have found a dress elsewhere. We enjoy making everyone look their best and hopefully you all think we do that in the best way possible.

We love to hear your news and I am excited for all my brides both old and new. This year 2012 I have quite a few of you expecting a new arrival. Please keep in touch when you have good news for me. I think the first bundle of joy is due to arrive March so I can't wait. Keep in touch everyone. I want you to make it you New Year's Resolution to add a comment to my blog pages . It is best if I hear what you think so that I am always improving.

Happy New Year to All!!

2011-12-30T00:53:00.000-08:00

Mother of the Bride and Groom

Mother of the Brides or Mother's of the Groom I am here to help you. If you need advice and want something different then why not come and visit the shop so that I can help you. We have outfits for you to try on and I can do a design especially for you then we choose the colour and take your measurements and you are sorted. I love to do the fascinator/ hat and accessories to match, even the jewellery.

Lace with Silk

Plain silk, full length

Short & simple

To all the Mother of the Bride's and Groom's who kindly give me the opportunity to make their outfits this year, I say a big thank you. I enjoyed working with you all. I have had some great thank you cards which have inspired me to let more people know what I can do.

Thanks for the happy memories!

2011-12-15T14:59:00.000-08:00

Here comes the girls!!

Two "class" customers

Even the dog didn't want to miss out on the Day

The stars of the Show

Time flies when you are enjoying yourself!

2011-12-06T13:30:00.000-08:00

Time always flies with me, there are just not enough hours to my day. December already, another year nearly over. There are just not enough hours to get done all the work I always wish I could do. However I guess that is because I enjoy doing the work I do.

Here are some more ideas and examples of what I have been up to.

Blooming brilliant!!

2011-11-13T03:22:00.000-08:00

What a brilliant idea and all credit to my bride who spent a year collecting brooches to make her bouquets. Hours of work goes into collecting these wonderful visual feasts and it is so worth while.

There is a story behind every brooch, what memories it evokes and what it represents.

You can create something as magical just have fun, be creative and put your own stamp on the design.

Source vintage fairs, car boots and ebay for old brooches, earrings, necklaces and bracelets

Try Etsy for supplies, they have a range of sellers, mainly US based but a growing number in the UK also and are the perfect source for all kinds of crafting items

Ask your family and friends if they have any old jewellery knocking about that you can use. This is a particularly nice way of going about it as when the day rolls around and they see you walking down the aisle they will feel proud of the fact they have helped you create something so beautiful and special.

Don’t just stick to brooches and other jewellery, you can use ribbon, feathers and even a few fresh flowers to accompany your glistening jewels.

When the day is over, these beauties can be cherished forever as a keepsake or dismantled and shared out amongst close friends – this way they always have a little piece of your wedding day as a reminder of how fab it was.

I now am the proud owner of a beautiful green brooch which will always remind me of the pleasure I had working for this family.

Follow up on who is wearing what!

2011-11-08T12:16:00.000-08:00

It wasn’t only Lady Gaga who had several wardrobe changes during the 2011 MTV European Music Awards on Sunday night. As the host, Selena Gomez showcased several looks too.
Justin Bieber’s girl wore a Marchesa Fall 2011 dress.
Her ivory embroidered and tulle Marchesa look was actually presented as at top during Fashion Week.

She arrived on the red carpet wearing Marchesa, before going on to make eight more changes.
Another favourite look was her Moschino Spring 2010 dress.
The fruity mini dress, with an embellished cowl neck and a bubble skirt, was teamed with Swarovski jewels and Casadei gold crystallized peep-toes.

Katy Perry wore a Jeremy Scott Spring 2012 dress.

Her pink one-shoulder sunglasses-print dress was teamed with a matching studded leather jacket.
She also wore white ankle socks and Jeremy Scott saddle shoe ankle boots with pink platforms.
The pink theme continued with her fuchsia-coloured hair styled in 50s pin-up curls and fuchsia-pink lips.
White earrings with a pink happy face completed her typically quirky, retro look.

Lady Gaga, the queen of the night and the eccentric singer opted to wear nothing but looks from the Paco Rabanne Spring 2012 collection with alien-like headwear by Philip Treacy.
She was in the press room wearing a figure-hugging silver metallic Paco Rabanne Spring 2012 dress which ironically matched her awards.
With her hair tiered and swept to one side she completed her look with silver glitter eyebrows and a blue glitter lip colour.

For her stunning rendition of ‘Marry The Night’ the singer wore a red thronged metallic two-piece with two huge discs providing the backdrop.

She collected her award for Best Female wearing a similar silver disc Paco Rabanne Spring 2012 dress with a Philip Treacy hat.

Gaga picked up the Best Video award for her single ‘Born This Way’ wearing an olive-green metallic Paco Rabanne Spring 2012 dress with a peplum and an extravagant shoulder detail which almost upstaged her Philip Treacy hat.

I’m not sure how, but Gaga dropped to her knees before accepting an award from Bar Refaeli for Best Song for ‘Born This Way’ wearing another of my favourite looks of the night.
This Paco Rabanne Spring 2012 emerald-green skirt suit had an armour-like silver detailed bodice. Silver platform lace-up boots and yet another Philip Treacy hat topped off the look.

Hayden Panettiere joined her fellow American stars Lady Gaga, Katy Perry and Selena Gomez on the red carpet at the 2011 MTV European Music Awards.
The actress wore a Tibi Rococo cap sleeve dress from the Fall 2011 collection.
Her black and white Rococo printed cap-sleeve dress was teamed with Christian Louboutin black satin knot detailed platform pumps.
Silver statement earrings and a matching clutch accessorized her look.
All in all a brilliant night, a rare night of delights for Belfast, may there be some more.

Let see what is happening at Belfast's biggest party

2011-11-06T10:32:00.000-08:00

Katy Perry hits the pink carpet.

Stunning dress and shoes

Best dress so far!! Love it

Jennifer Metcalfe on the " Pink" carpet

The Hoff arriving at the Awards, says the Belfast girls are great.

Jessie J

Snow Patrol at the EMA's

LMFAO have just arrived at the Odyssey Arena

The Hoff presents Lady Gaga with the
award for best female.

Selena in another outfit

Lady Gaga took home four prizes at the MTV Europe awards, handed out at a ceremony in Belfast. The flamboyant star, who was nominated six times, won best female, best song and best video for Born This Way, the title track of her latest album, and the "biggest fan" award – a celebration of her devoted "little monsters", as the artist terms her followers.

Ready to Rock

2011-11-06T05:15:00.000-08:00

I can't wait to see the frocks!!!

Katy Perry, managed 12 costume changes at the 2008 show. What can we expect this year?

The boys have arrived, LMFAO have just arrived. They say they are Irish!!

What will Katy wear tonight?

Jessie J wear fantastic creations too.

Then there is Lady Gaga, she will be out to impress. She leads the nominees with nominations in six categories.
Surely we will get at least six changes of costume.

While Lady Sybil Crawley (Jessica Brown Findlay) turns heads in her trousers in Downton
Abbey.
Update from the Oddessy a photo of the shoes ready back stage

Selena Gomez who is hosting the MTV EMA's

Brides Beware!!

2011-09-28T02:50:00.000-07:00

As we start to get into the season where all the Hotels and Halls hold their "Wedding Fayre's"Brides beware. There are a few things to remember. This is an exciting time and you want your wedding to be brilliant but you mustn't get carried away. Firstly decide on your budget and keep it in mind all the time.

The first thing you will probably choose is your venue and as you go round the Wedding Fayre's you will meet many exhibitors trying to tempt you with their ideas.

Remember these few points to keep you right. Think where are they based and what do I know about them. Do they have an address and a land line telephone number? Who have they worked for, were they happy with their work? And how long have they been in business? If they are looking a deposit please stop and think!!! Once you hand over that deposit what have you signed up for and what would happen if they disappeared and let you down.

Too often the happy engaged couple are so carried away with the day of their dreams that you forget to think of the basic things. Sometime the little things are so important. The best advice I can give you is never part with your money until you are sure.

Exhibitors can go to these shows and put on a professional image for those few hours and you can be fooled into thinking they are the experts. When probably the people who are the experts in that field don't even need to go to these shows as they already have business premises and the client's coming to their doorstep.

So folks be careful with all the decisions you make before you put that ring on the finger. This is a very special occasion and you want to get it right and normally you only get one chance to do this.
Be safe, take care, best wishes and Good Luck.

The latest fashion

2011-09-25T03:30:00.000-07:00

The spotlight turned to British fashion on Friday as London Fashion Week opened its doors a day after the curtain came down on the catwalks of New York.

In a year when British designers have taken centre stage with the weddings of Kate Middleton and Kate Moss, London is determined to capitalise on the mood and prove it can compete on a global platform.

Opening the event in central London, London Mayor Boris Johnson highlighted the accolade recently bestowed on the city by a leading US consultancy as "the fashion capital of the world".

"That verdict is great news for our city and for our economy," he said, adding that the industry contributes 80,000 jobs to London and £21 billion ($33 billion, 24 billion euros) to the British economy.

"If London's fashion business is helping young Londoners in this difficult time by taking them on... then together we can not only reduce youth unemployment... we can also be untapping untold riches of talent, and we would be lengthening London's lead as the fashion capital of the world."

Am I ready for a move to London? I love it's energy and it's vib for my work but I don't think I would be into the social scene and being in with the in crowd.

The latest London Fashion Week, which includes 100 catwalk shows and 200 exhibitions, showcases women's and menswear collections for Spring-Summer 2012, when London will be in the throes of hosting the Olympic Games.

"As the whole country gears up for the Olympic year, the British Fashion Council has some very exciting plans," Tillman said, unveiling the Fashion 2012 project aimed at showcasing Britain's "creative excellence" and encouraging a new generation of fashionistas.

Joining him was a host of British Olympic athletes kitted out by home-grown designers.

As the catwalk shows got under way, however, emerging trends appeared to be giving a nod more to the past than the future, with retro influences prevailing.

London-based Irishman Paul Costelloe kicked off the schedule with his voluminous, babydoll dresses and cropped jackets in A-line sillhouettes, which he says are inspired by the 1962 film "What Ever Happened To Baby Jane".

The collection is dominated by neutral colours set off by brighter coral and lime green shades in luxurious, textured fabrics, as Parisian vintage chic is given a playful twist.

Caroline Charles' collection for the season glances back further still, to the 1930s and the French Rivieria, with wide-legged trouser suits teamed with boater hats alongside elegant, chiffon dresses in classic navy with dropped waistline.

Her black and white eveningwear, meanwhile, sparkles with jewels and sequins for pure glamour.

Charles, who trained with fashion legend Mary Quant, will be one of many British designers looking to entice international buyers in a gloomy economic climate. She describes the next move for her brand as "eastern approaches".

As always at the biannual event, celebrity appearances caused as much of a stir as the clothes themselves, with the sighting of royal Autumn Phillips and shoe designer Jimmy Choo on the front row of Costelloe's show sparking a frenzy of camera flashes.

Other well-known names in the line-up include Dame Vivienne Westwood, Julien Macdonald and Issa, one of the Duchess of Cambridge's favoured designers. Other shows by Mulberry, Nicole Farhi and Matthew Williamson will also catch my attention. For years you had to be in London to see what was happening, now we can follow it all on the internet, brilliant.

Something different

2011-09-18T05:32:00.000-07:00

Something different, why not choose something unique that you will really enjoy. It could be your venue and your whole notion of your wedding.

Your dress doesn't have to be white or ivory, it can be whatever you want. If you go to the museum you will see that years ago women wore coloured dresses to get married in and then they wore them again and again.

Recently I was talking to an "old bride" that is what I end up calling once you have had your wedding!, sorry have to get a better term. Well this bride left the shores of Northern Ireland and choose the sun and setting of the island of Mallorca. It is a magical hideaway, an ideal place for a unique wedding or a honeymoon.

The hotel we would both recommend is The Villa Italia, perched on a cliff top overlooking the port of Andratx and it's marina. You could create a truly memorable wedding reception in this wonderfully romantic place with incomparable views and the staff are very welcoming.

The hotel can look after your every need - from flowers to room dressing, and the venue is licensed to host a marriage ceremony.

A special range of wedding packages are available. A number of guests can be accommodated at the hotel or the port offers a selection of alternative accommodation.

Paradise, you can swim in the sea just 30 meters through the hotel's scented gardens is a small rocky cove to cool off from the sun's rays, what more could you ask for. Good food!

Great care has been taken over the decoration of the hotel,down to every last detail. Where better to celebrate your new married life together in this exclusive setting,where your every need it catered for.

Come sunset the hotel takes on a serene and seductive mood with low lighting and flickering candles and the restaurant comes into its own.

Something different!! truly special. Now for a dress suggestion to go with it.

Go for it something different what could be more magical

Some many ideas, it is your choice, enjoy it.

Something old,something new, something borrowed something blue.

2011-08-26T11:28:00.000-07:00

Something Old but very in fashion at present is lace.

Lace on dresses and on veils and as 3 dimensional adorment or emblishment. I love taking lace to a new level and giving it an up to date even new look to give it life and added interest. It is associated with flowers and femineity but it can be modern and different too. Lace can be any colour, as well as light and delicate which gives it romance and elegance.

This is a photo of a veil I worked with a deep scalloped lace edge.
The headdress was made of french corded lace worked to look like flowers in a garland for one of my brides.

Also the 1940's and 1950's seem to be having an influence on our fashion trends at the moment.

Something new, a dress for one of my brides this summer.

Something borrowed, the petticoat to make the bottom of the dress sit out more.

And something Blue!

To make sure all my brides have something blue I add a blue bow to my label.

Designing with detail

2011-08-22T00:03:00.000-07:00

For me it is all about the detail. The detail of cut how you make the dress flatter the client and the detail on the dress , knowing what detail to use and where to put it to make the client look and feel good. Smaller detail for a tiny bride and larger detail if the bride is able to carry it. The detail of the embroidery is for me what gives a dress personality and makes the dress especially personal to the bride. It can be traditional and classic or modern and wacky.

The detail of the design is that it flatters the wearer. The neckline is so important as it is in 99% of the brides photos. Alot of brides are opting for sleeves, there is an unlady like bit where are arms join our body and it is nice to hide it with a sleeve.

Lace has stayed a really strong feature of alot of outfits this season and will probably for another season. I make my own lace when it is needed which means I am not bond by what is on offer from the tradional lace suppliers. I can make my lace any width or shape and also modern and orginal so that it is not nesseccarily a repeat pattern. My lace is embroidery and embroidery is anything that you can do with a neddle and thread, should it be that you sew two biscuits together.

This is the detail of one of my dresses that went out this year.

Buttons are part of the detail. I love to embroidery buttons or in this case they are made from tiny pearls. Alot of clients love buttons and can't have too many. It is funny but the smaller the detail the more people seem to remember it. If there is something to draw the eye in and then they are amased and really appreciate all the work. I love that when someone comes up to a bride and they say they like her dress that she can then talk about it as she knows every detail and makes sure they don't miss what she wants them to see.

Design your own detail and have it embroidered on your dress.

This again is a photo of one of my dresses that went out in the summer. This is a close up of the neckline to show you some of my embroidery. You probably see it as lace, but lace that you would buy to trim a dress has a repeat pattern and can't always shape round what you want it too. Here I have cut out areas to make it more varied, quirky and unconventional.

Back view of the same dress showing the embroidery getting wider as it comes round spilling oveer the edges.

Update on the latest

2011-08-14T09:35:00.000-07:00

I have been busy with summer weddings and brides calling for next year, time just seems to fly.
We have had a fabulous year for celebrity weddings which has inspired brides to be and created a buzz with weddings. Glady brides are thinking of something different coming to me for something special. Clients seem to be really enjoying working together to get that personal touch.

One of my favourite weddings this year was Monaco Royal wedding.
The detail was spectacular, the embroidery and the cut of the Armani dress just were brilliant. If you love weddings, wedding flowers, wedding cakes and everything about them then this is one worth looking at.
For me it is all about the detail. The embroidery and beadwork in this dress are incredable. Everything about the dress impressed me. The flowing line, in off-white silk duchesse, with the long train. The crossover detail on the front and back forming a second "à l'andrienne" train. Ramage embroidery depicting flowers, crafted with stones in gold shades, and Swarovski crystals and mother of pearl teardrops in white and gold hues, the embellish the front of the dress, the trim and the central main section of the train, I just loved it all.
Long veil made from off-white silk tulle, with front tier and subtle embroidery.
UNIQUE FEATURES about the dress:
it took 2,500 hours of work
had 40,000 Swarovski crystals and 20,000 mother of pearl teardrops
and 30,000 stones in gold shades. Charlene travelled 3,000 kilometres for fittings in Montecarlo!
The embroidery work on the dress took 700 hours. The embroidery thread was coated in platinum. The dress used 50 meters of silk duchesse satin and 80 meters of silk organza. The veil used
20 meters of silk tulle, and had 100 hours of work for the embroidery on it.

Fabulous, just what I would love to do.

Zara's Royal Wedding dress

2011-07-30T10:20:00.000-07:00

She is the royal known for her unconventional dress sense, with leopard print hats, a pierced tongue and plenty of cleavage her trademark.

Today though, the Queen's granddaughter put aside her more outlandish image and transformed into a quintessential English bride.

A bouffant fine tulle veil, a full-skirted gown in silk faille and duchess satin, with a chevron pleated corseted bodice, as modest and appropriate as you would expect from such a safe pair of hands as the royal couturier Stewart Parvin.

Her dress, by the Queen's own couturier Stewart Parvin, was a picture of elegant sophistication.

The designer, who christens his dresses with such romantic names as Easy To Love and I've Got a Crush On You, seemed to have hit the mark today, as Zara appeared relaxed and happy - surely the goal of any bride on her big day.

The Queen also in Stewart Parvin

The three young bridesmaids wore ivory and the full-skirted, box pleated dresses cinched with pale china blue ribbon featured columns of covered buttons running down the back, reminiscent of the detailing on the back of Pippa Middleton's now iconic bridesmaid dress.

And the bidesmaid looked good too: Maid of Honour Dolly Maude looked pristine with her elegant up-do and neat dress.

Mother-of-the-bride Princess Anne performed impeccably from a style point of view, wearing a swishy coral pleated skirt with a vintage-inspired cropped jacket (knowing thrifty Anne, it could well really be vintage), its floral print adding the right amount of levity to the neat tailoring.

The happy couple.

The excitement before a wedding

2011-07-29T00:18:00.000-07:00

Every bride has people asking how nervious, excited,and organised they are. The day before a wedding hopefully you have nearly everything done and are starting to give yourself some me time. Time to pamper yourself with some beauty treatments.

It has been 30 years today since Charles and Dianna's wedding!! I heard David Emmanual reliving every second of it in a TV interview. You will carry the memory of your wedding day for ever.
How must Zara Phillips be feeling today the day before her wedding. They are having a pre wedding do tonight, I hope they all have clear heads for the morning. She must be pleased to think that she has been able to do the wedding her way. I like to think all brides can achieve this.
A bride of mine got married at Gretna Green this week and Zara Phillips has also picked Scotland to take her vows. It is thought that Zara has picked Stuart Parvin to design her wedding dress. This is the queens couturier, which is surprising as he tends to do very classic, tradition dresses. Zara's personality is so strong and she is full of fun, I had expected her to go more for someone like Sarah Burton as she designs more edgey different ensembles.
Celebraty weddings this year such as Lily Allen and Kate Moss have very much had a lace theme. Veils have had a big come back. Femine and romantic seem to be the mood.
I look forward to getting a glasp of Zara's wedding dress tomorrow, may the sun shine and the day be perfect.

This weeks update

2011-07-24T06:28:00.000-07:00

I seemed to lose a week. I was going to do a blog on Rose week but it has been and gone.

Photo of Rose embroidery on one of my wedding dressses

This week we were told about the exhibition of The Duchess of Cambridge’s Wedding Dress which was designed by Sarah Burton, Creative Director at Alexander McQueen. My husband says I will have to go and see it close up as he knows that it would mean alot to me to see it. The design shows the influence of Victorian dress in details such as the cinched in waist, the padded hips and the bustle at the top of the train. They say Kate had a big input into the design of her dress. I really want to see the detail but I am not sure how close you would be allowed.

The display is part of the Summer Opening of Buckingham Palace which includes the nineteen magnificent State Rooms (with complimentary audio tour), the special exhibition Royal Fabergé, and ends with a walk along the south side of the Palace garden. From £17.50 - £31 to £65 per person for a personal guide, I hope it would be worth the effort. It might be the gardens that will impress me the most, I don't know what I expect. I wish that the Queens wedding dress and a few other dressses, such as Princess Anne's wedding dress, were in the exhibition too.

Princess Anne's daughter, Zara Phillips and England rugby star Mike Tindall marry this week.
The couple will exchange their vows in an Edinburgh church surrounded by their families and friends.
But their nuptials are being billed as a low-key affair - in stark contrast to the recent wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

The doors of the Scottish capital's Canongate Kirk, where Tindall will first catch sight of his bride in her wedding gown, are to be closed to the press and public next Saturday afternoon.
However, large crowds are still expected in Edinburgh's Old Town to watch the arrival of the Royal Family who are all expected to attend. The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh will join Zara's parents the Princess Royal and Captain Mark Phillips at the Kirk.
Also believed to be attending are the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall, William and Kate, Prince Harry, the Duke of York and his daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.
Tindall is likely to have invited some of England's best-known rugby players who are colleagues and friends. Will he wear a kilt?
Zara says "My wedding preparations are going really well. It's actually quite scary, but I'm enjoying it. I'm looking forward to becoming Mrs Tindall."
I am looking forward to seeing her dress and everybody else's. More news on the Royal Wedding next week.

ABC

2011-07-17T12:40:00.000-07:00

A was for Ali

B is for Bag, this is a photo of a bag and Midi and beaded dress that I was working on recently.

C is for Champagne. Yes we all celebrated with champagne at the final fitting of one on my brides.
What a way to celebrate, many more days of happiness.

Thank you Ali

2011-06-27T00:49:00.000-07:00

Thank you Ali for making my day so special. When the postman came and I opening the envelope I was delighted with your card. It made me smile.

"How beautiful a day can be when kindness touches it."

As the world gets faster and time seems to fly it is lovely when someone takes time to say thank you. So thank you Ali for your photos and allowing me to put them on my blog.

More photo's of Aiveen

2011-06-19T01:56:00.000-07:00

Thanks Aiveen for letting me show you these photos on my blog.

Bright and beaming as always. Yes I did make her head piece as well as her dress and lace ensemble.

The bridesmaids had a one shoulder dress made in silk dupion to compliment Aiveen's dress and lace jacket. I made brooches for the shoulders, with 3 dimensional of leaves and flowers, that can be removed so that the girls will wear their dresses again as evening dresses.
Aiveen's Mum is also wearing one of my creations. Her accessories, her midi (head piece), her jewellery and her bag and shoes were all made by me to complete the look.

Cheery Thoughts

2011-06-17T13:10:00.000-07:00

I had a horrible start to the week. Sadly I was at the funeral of a lovely girl Christine who was a bridesmaid of one of my brides. What a cheery girl with a zest for life, who seemed to pack in so much to her tiny life. So her legacy to me is to live life to the full and make a point of doing all the things you want to do as we don't always know if we have tomorrow.

Thank fully one of "my old brides" called to see me and show me her photos and gave me good news which cheered me up.

Thank you Aiveen for sharing your photos, the smile on your face says it all.

I have a little book of cheery thoughts, here is one to ponder over.
Cheerfulness has been called the bright weather of the heart.

Fascinators or hats

2011-06-16T04:22:00.000-07:00

I heard a new name for the in between a hat and a fascinator this morning, it is a midi. A french word pronounced rather different than it is spelt. However I do think that something bigger than a fascinator and not quite a hat is the in thing.
With Ascot this week there has been plenty of inspiration.

I do enjoy making head wear, my clients seem to give me artistic license. I usually pin my creation together so that it can be approved before I finally assemble it. Usually if I have made the outfit I have a good notion of what the client will be happy with.

Say it with Flowers

2011-05-29T06:27:00.000-07:00

I have been watching Chelsea on the TV all week.

I get so much inspiration from my garden, from flowers, leaves and nature. So I thought I would show you some photos that show you some examples of what my work influenced by flowers.

There are just not enough hours in my days to do all the things I think of.

Flowers as surface decoration.

Flowers as three dimensional decoration, as brooches or

as headdresses.

I get endless hours of inspiration from flowers, there are just not enough hours to my days to do all the things I want to.

What you wear can give you confidence.

2011-05-24T13:22:00.000-07:00

The Obamha's visit London and it is the style I am interested in.

The First Lady has taken the world by storm for her bold fashion choices. She backs emerging US designers - and the high street. In the past she has worn UK designers as well, including an Alexander McQueen creation for a state dinner in January (pictured).

Her fashion choices were another way that people, particularly women, related to her.

We all find shapes we like and feel comfortable in - she is like every other woman in the way she dresses so we can relate to her.

Let your clothes help give you confidence. Feel good in what you wear.

This time last year.

2011-05-22T06:38:00.000-07:00

The Majestic bridge builder, what a name for the Queen and for Mary McAleese. I was so impressed by what the two ladies have achieved. Their care and consideration conquered all. Their style and sophistication were much appreciated. I imagine how tired she must be after her travels at 85, however she just seemed to be enjoying every minute. Reminded me of how a business trip to London last year just recharged my batteries for
months.
This time last year I had a trip to London. The Best of British Bridal Designers were having an exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery. This year Stewart Parvin, the Royal Couturier who did the Queens emerald green outfit when she arrived in Dublin,will show his 2012 collection.

He introduces covetable gowns with princess-line skirts and waist-cinching ruching to ensure the perfect silhouette. On the catwalk this year there will be dramatic fishtail silhouettes in sequined lace and tulle that will take your breath away. But I will not be there to see them.

I remember the sun was shining and I found myself in St James Park, it was just heaven on earth. The plants and birds were amazing, I just loved it.

Then we went to Harrods for a cup of Tea. I thought we would get a chance to go again this year at this time but circumstances changed are plans. Hopefully before the year is out we will make time to visit again.

There is so much to do and see in London.

This time last year I really could imagine moving to live there. I never could of imagined city life, but London seems to have it all.

Oh yes there was the Day Out at Chelsea Flower Show, just absolutely brilliant!!

That is no doubt where the Queen will be this week. The president and First Lady Michelle Obama will be guests of the Queen at Buckingham Palace for three days. More fashion for me to keep an eye on.

Inspiration everywhere, flowers and shops what more could you ask for?

Everybody needs to go and see this, the colours, the smells and the vision.
Maybe the Obama's will visit Chelsea while they are in London.

However seeing this photo has reminded me I better go and do some work.
I have an outfit to sort and I better go and do it.

Thanks for the encouragement you have been giving me that you do read my blog.
Yours for now Jo

The Queen wears Shamrocks

2011-05-19T10:31:00.000-07:00

The Queens outfit, when she made her significant speech at Dublin Castle, had over 2000 shamrocks hand sewn on the bodice.

So I thought I would show you photos of a dress I have already made with flowers used in the same idea and a dress with shamrocks in the embroidery detail.

The Queen said "These events have touched us all, many of us personally, and are a painful legacy. We can never forget those who have died or been injured or their families.

"With the benefit of historical hindsight we can all see things which we would wish had been done differently or not at all."

Trumpeters in military dress uniforms appeared on a balcony under the clock tower opposite the main entrance to announce the arrival of the most distinguished guests. Mrs McAleese wore an electric blue silk column evening dress with long bell sleeves by Irish designer Deborah Veale. She wore matching stilettos. The dress was teamed with an electric blue silk organza evening coat with black lace and beading on the cuffs and on a panel at the back of the coat.

The bodice and sleeves of the Queen’s white silk dress were adorned with 2,091 hand-sewn embroidered shamrocks, while a Swarovski-embellished Irish harp was pinned to the left shoulder.

It was the third outfit change of the day for both the Queen and Mrs McAleese. The Queen’s first outfit was a turquoise and white coat and day dress in Swiss wool, with a fawn fleck through the material. The buttons were hand-covered in silk. This was teamed with a turquoise hat and black gloves and shoes. The outfit was created by the Queen’s dresser Angela Kelly, a Liverpudlian of Irish descent, and her team at Buckingham Palace.

Good for the Queen to show the personal touch with embroidery.

More on the Irish theme

2011-05-18T11:46:00.000-07:00

I thought I would show you more work of mine on the theme of Shamrocks, while
the Queen takes part in an historic new act of Anglo-Irish reconciliation.

On day two of her State visit to Ireland she was taken to Dublin's Croke Park stadium to lay wreaths in memory of the men and women who died fighting for independence - and the 49,000 Irish soldiers killed in the First World War.

Please can we have true peace and reconciliation and let us all get on together in building a new prosperous future.

A very Special Day

2011-05-17T06:54:00.001-07:00

On this special day when the Queen visits Ireland, I thought I would commemorate it with some of my Shamrocks. A 3di idea which can be worn as a brooch or a hair ornament.

Shamrocks are to me the symbol of a peaceful Ireland, that ignores all flags.

This is the first State visit by an English head of State for 100 years. It is tremendous to think that two influential women have sorted an age old problem.
The two ladies greeted each other with beaming smiles
The Queen started the day in a Stewart Parvin vivid emerald green outfit for the occasion. Stewart Parvin is a name I recognise from the bridal world. I understand the Queen also wore one of his outfits to the races recently.
Mary McAleese wore a striking cerise pink outfit but sadly they didn't tell us who made that outfit. Then to keep me interested the two ladies did a quick change for their wreath laying at the Dublin Memorial Garden. The Queen wore a metallic pearl boucle ensemble with what they described as embroidery, which looked like olive green shamrocks to me. While President Mary McAleese ditched her peony pink ensemble for a more conservative black dress and jacket combination with contrasting white piping.
The two ladies have managed to transform this politically fraught state visit into a potential stylistic " happening".

What are we destined to do?

2011-05-16T12:32:00.000-07:00

I quite often think that I get the brides I am meant to get and the ones I am not meant to do slip away, it keeps me happy.

I get my inspiration from all around and these days I cannot help but notice the hedgerows full of the Whitethorn flower and the grass verges bursting with cow parsley.

Nature seems to be ahead of itself this year, I wish I was!

The gardens are bursting into life and the grass is growing faster than ever with a few showers of rain. Wisteria drapes from the doorways of the houses I pass on my way to work. This means I have ideas from everywhere.

From the three leaf clover to daisies in the grass, to dresses with embroidery with work inspired by the world around me and then veils embellished to match the dress.

Have your own personal detail embroidered into your ensemble, from your name and date or even just your initals or your favourite flower.

Fairytale ending? A Dream come true?

2011-05-08T03:44:00.000-07:00

A week on, Catherine Middleton is for now the people's Princess. It was a magical day, a spectacular triumph played out on the world stage.
With a resurging of lace, I have shown you a photo of my own lace I make, which reminds me of my own wedding dress and many of my past creations. Texts came in from "old" brides with comments of "it reminds me of mine".

A dream come true for many people, not just for Catherine and William, but for all the people involved. The build up to a wedding is so exciting, the actual day a dream and then it is back to "real-life"!! What are we destined to do?

The Royal Wedding boosted British produce and artisans as much as possible which is much appreciated. But it is back to earth with a bang as our politicians run round like headless chickens trying to get our vote. We need them to be promoting the Best of British otherwise they will be no industry and manufacturing left in this country.

So back to my dream of promoting the Made on N Ireland label.
Here are photos of the latest bag, jewellery and Hat/ fascinator, specially commissioned for a Bride's Mum, to match the outfit I made her.

Clients travel to London searching for their dream outfit and then when they come back and get something off me it raises my spirits.
I have had an up and down week, with girls interested in my notion of Pippa's dress but at a price! What price? They say if you work hard and are talented you will make it!! Make what? Brides seem to want the best with as little fuss and expense as possible. I feel I am working harder than ever for less, less thanks and less reward.
I really appreciate the brides who have come to me and let me make their dresses. I can think back over the years at all the brides who I have had great pleasure in making hopefully their dreams about their dresses come true. But they are getting few and far between, the market is getting smaller and smaller as brides opt for a quick fix, an off the peg dress without any trimmings. All the big chains and manufacturers have jumped on the wedding wagon. However I believe you only get out of life what you put into it. If you want a special day with brilliant memories you need to put the effort into it and work at it, make it personal and make it unique.

As long as I can make my Bride's feel special, make them feel that theirs is the best wedding dress I have ever made and make their day be a dream come true then I have done my job and fulfilled my dream too.

Copy of Pippa Middleton's dress

2011-05-04T01:42:00.000-07:00

Within hours of the wedding ceremony finishing, designers where taking inspiration from the dresses. One dress in particular seems to be being talked about, that is Kate Middleton's younger sister Pippa, a stunning Maid of Honour.
Her form-fitting dress, perfectly complemented the brides choice and has attracted lots of admirers.

Caroline Castigliano, the bridal designer, said: "The dress Pippa had on was just so special. It was very cleverly designed and I think you will see copies of something similar out in the market from that dress. A lot of London brides would get married in that. It was stunning."

Well that seems to be the consensus of the northern Ireland brides in my shop. So I have done a version of the dress with a few changes just to make it a bit different. The kept to the shape of the dress and worked it in an ivory crepe. The neckline and the sleeves and the detail are much the same as they were for me very stiking and lovely and femine. The back of the dress I have been a bit more daring with a low lace up back still going into a slight puddle train.
This dress is for sale in my shop. Please make an appointment to come and try it on. If you do want the buttons down a high necked back that is no problem.

The veil

2011-05-01T04:07:00.000-07:00

I have been excited to show you Mary's veil for months. I just loved working on it.

The moment I heard about the Royal engagement this was the one thing I really wished that I could of had a hand in. I would have done the English roses, the Irish shamrocks of course, the Scottish thistles and the Welsh daffodils. The way I did the roses on Mary's veil and exactly as I would have imagined them.

I love doing my work and I just wish I had more clients that

let me do such lovely things. I know what I am capable of doing. I just need customers to let me do it.

I hope that with the internet girls from all over the world

can have their veil especially made by me for them. I did one veil this year that went out to Australia. I don't know whether I need to move or whether I need to help brides find me. Veils are so light they will post easily.

This photo shows the detail in Mary's veil. The roses are made up of petals of silk

organza with a delicate silver centre.

Let me not forget Mary's buttons, each one with rows of tiny pearls to make up a button. Thank you Mary for letting me work for you.

More of Our Royal Wedding

2011-05-01T03:55:00.000-07:00

Mary's dress reflected her personal taste.

She had researched everything. Her favourite

dress in the past was grace Kelly's.

She loved delicate detail, lots of embroidery.

She had trawled the internet for inspiration,

and came up with a lovely idea for the veil.

Full blown roses and lily of the Valley

were her theme, pale pink was her colour.

Here are some photos of them as they got ready

on the morning.

My Royal Bride, April 2011

2011-05-01T03:28:00.001-07:00

As Mary and I watched the Royal wedding we texted each other! It was the day before Mary's wedding and so much of what we were watching on TV was Mary's notion.
A dress to flatter her shape, to cover her decretly, so feminine and Grace Kelly, a dress that showed her love of detail and embroidery. The veil well Mary had inspired me to make the most beautiful veil and I will show you all more photos of our veil. The flowers, well I had promised Mary Lily of the valley out of my garden a year ago. Only one problem mine weren't ready!! So I had to call my backup, a very kind Mother of one of my brides from a couple of years ago, Millie McLaughlin. I knew Millie had Lily of the Valley as this was the whole theme of her daughter's Anya's wedding. I had spent many a day embroidering Lily of the Valley on Anya's so it wasn't hard to remember.
Sadly I have no photos of this to show you as I sadly lost them with a computer virus. But back to happier thoughts, yes Millie got the Lily of the Valley and it just made Mary's dream come true. Thanks Millie

The florist is from Belfast!!

2011-04-29T04:14:00.000-07:00

Prince William wore the uniform of the Irish Guards with a shamrock embroidered on the collar. His choice of florist is Irish too.
Shane Connolly ,the 47-year-old flower designer said he will be treating the occasion “like any other wedding” and felt lucky to be involved after being asked by Prince William’s office in December last year.

Mr Connolly insisted fulfilling the expectations of his royal clients was his number one priority. “The pressure from the world isn’t important, it’s what they think that’s important,” he said.

He runs Shane Connolly Flowers with business partner Jamie Marlar in west London and holds a Royal Warrant awarded by the Prince of Wales, which marks him as the official supplier of flowers for royal events.

Not unfamiliar to the pressure of grand events, he was commissioned to arrange the flowers for the marriage of Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall in 2005.

Originally from Belfast, Mr Connolly read psychology at university before moving to London in 1986.

The importance is in the detail.

2011-04-29T04:13:00.000-07:00

Once you see the veil I have embroidered for my bride for the 30th of April hopefully you will understand why I would have loved to have had the opportunity to do Kate's veil. For safely reasons I would have done two!! I would have loved to have suggested some Irish shamrocks, Welsh daffodils, Scottish thistles and of course English roses. I was commissioned by our then Secretary of State, Peter Brooke, to do an embroidery piece in mermory of Sir Ian Gaw. This I did and got to take it to Stormont one day.
Maybe I missed my chance when Princess Dianna visited the University of Ulster Art and Design Centre and I was meant to met her and show her my work . Then I might of had a chance that someone would have remembered my embroidery at this time. I just hope that when we eventually hear about the details of the embroidery that it tells a story.
The overall notion of the wedding is very femine and pretty, much as I would have expected of Kate's taste. She has had a big part in the design. The neckline was the same "V" as her dress for her engagement photos. The lace sleeves and deatil on the dress where exactly as I had predicted. The similarity with Sarah Ferguson's dress which was such a sucess has had an influence on her I think. The flowergirls dresses where very traditional and the pageboys reflected Williams military ties.The uniform draws its insignia from the Irish Guards, whose Colonel is Prince William.
Yet I expected Sarah Burton would have taken it up one notch more. I long to hear that there is something unique and one off. I hear that Kate had Pippa's dress lining embroidered with the date. I wanted more detail seen. Fergie's dress had the personal touches embroidered into it for all to see. I think Kate has got everything perfect and loves detail, I just wanted more detail, lace is lace, I wanted the embroidery to tell a story. When someone says to a bride they love your dress I want the bride to say will we did this because.

The Dress finally

2011-04-29T03:25:00.000-07:00

The Wedding Dress
Some interesting facts, but with time to take it all in, it is just to easy for me to copy. I wanted something unique something one off. Cutting out bits form lace and hand sewing them on is traditional and a bit done. However it is unmistakingly beautiful just a bit less creative than i had expected from Sarah Burton. Yet it is typical Kate so at least it reflects who she is and her personality.
Miss Catherine Middleton’s Wedding Dress has been designed by Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen.

Miss Middleton chose British brand Alexander McQueen for the beauty of its craftsmanship and its respect for traditional workmanship and the technical construction of clothing. Miss Middleton wished for her dress to combine tradition and modernity with the artistic vision that characterises Alexander McQueen’s work. Miss Middleton worked closely with Sarah Burton in formulating the design of her dress.
The dress epitomises timeless British craftsmanship by drawing together talented and skilled workmanship from across the United Kingdom. The dress design pays tribute to the Arts and Crafts tradition, which advocated truth to materials and traditional craftsmanship using simple forms and often Romantic styles of decoration. Ms Burton’s design draws on this heritage, additionally giving the cut and the intricate embellishment a distinctive, contemporary and feminine character.
The design

The lace appliqué for the bodice and skirt was hand-made by the Royal School of Needlework, based at Hampton Court Palace. The lace design was hand-engineered (appliquéd) using the Carrickmacross lace-making technique, which originated in Ireland in the 1820s. Individual flowers have been hand-cut from lace and hand-engineered onto ivory silk tulle to create a unique and organic design.
Hand-cut English lace and French Chantilly lace has been used throughout the bodice and skirt, and has been used for the underskirt trim. With laces coming from different sources, much care was taken to ensure that each flower was the same colour. The whole process was overseen and put together by hand by Ms Burton and her team.
The dress is made with ivory and white satin gazar. The skirt echoes an opening flower, with white satin gazar arches and pleats. The train measures two metres 70 centimetres. The ivory satin bodice, which is narrowed at the waist and padded at the hips, draws on the Victorian tradition of corsetry and is a hallmark of Alexander McQueen’s designs. The back is finished with 58 gazar and organza covered buttons fastened by Rouleau loops. The underskirt is made of silk tulle trimmed with Cluny lace.
The Fabrics
French Chantilly lace was combined with English Cluny lace to be hand-worked in the Irish Carrickmacross needlework tradition.
All other fabrics used in the creation of the dress were sourced from and supplied by British companies. The choice of fabrics followed extensive research by Sarah Burton and her team.
The Royal School of Needlework
The Royal School of Needlework (RSN), based at Hampton Court Palace, assisted the Alexander McQueen team in accurately cutting out the delicate motifs from the lace fabrics and positioning the lace motifs with precision into the new design. The lace motifs were pinned, ‘framed up’ and applied with stab stitching every two to three millimetres around each lace motif. The workers washed their hands every thirty minutes to keep the lace and threads pristine, and the needles were renewed every three hours, to keep them sharp and clean.

The RSN workers included existing staff, former staff, tutors, graduates and students, with the youngest aged 19.
The RSN’s work was used primarily for the train and skirt of the Bride’s dress, the bodice and sleeves, the Bride’s shoes and the Bride’s veil.

Veil and Jewellery
The veil is made of layers of soft, ivory silk tulle with a trim of hand-embroidered flowers, which was embroidered by the Royal School of Needlework. The veil is held in place by a Cartier ‘halo’ tiara, lent to Miss Middleton by The Queen. The ‘halo’ tiara was made by Cartier in 1936 and was purchased by The Duke of York (later King George VI) for his Duchess (later Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother) three weeks before he succeeded his brother as King.

The tiara was presented to Princess Elizabeth (now The Queen) by her mother on the occasion of her 18th birthday.
The Bride’s earrings, by Robinson Pelham, are diamond-set stylised oak leaves with a pear shaped diamond set drop and a pavé set diamond acorn suspended in the centre. Inspiration for the design comes from the Middleton family's new coat of arms, which includes acorns and oak leaves. The earrings were made to echo the tiara.

Wedding Shoes
The wedding shoes have made hand-made by the team at Alexander McQueen and are made of ivory duchesse satin with lace hand-embroidered by the Royal School of Needlework.
The bouquet contains stems from a myrtle planted at Osborne House, Isle of Wight, by Queen Victoria in 1845, and a sprig from a plant grown from the myrtle used in The Queen’s wedding bouquet of 1947.
The tradition of carrying myrtle begun after Queen Victoria was given a nosegay containing myrtle by Prince Albert’s grandmother during a visit to Gotha in Germany. In the same year, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert bought Osborne House as a family retreat, and a sprig from the posy was planted against the terrace walls, where it continues to thrive today.
The myrtle was first carried by Queen Victoria eldest daughter, Princess Victoria, when she married in 1858, and was used to signify the traditional innocence of a bride.

The Bridesmaid's Dress

Miss Philippa Middleton’s dress was designed and created by Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen. It is of a heavy, ivory satin-based crepe, with a cowl front and with the same button detail and lace trims as the Bride’s dress.
The Young Bridesmaids’ Dresses
The young Bridesmaids’ dresses were designed by childrenswear designer Nicki Macfarlane to echo the Bride’s dress. The four dresses were hand-made by Ms Macfarlane and her daughter Charlotte Macfarlane at their homes in Wiltshire and Kent.

The Bridesmaids’ dresses have been created using the same fabrics as the Bride’s dress. The ballerina-length, full, box pleated skirt gives the dresses a sculptural quality, with the layering of ivory over white satin gazar adding depth of colour. They have all been hand-finished with delicate English Cluny lace, which is visible under the skirts, and four layers of net underskirt. The puff sleeves and neckline are trimmed with the same English lace as the Bride’s underskirt. The backs have been finished with the same button detail.
The sashes are made of pale gold, wild silk, which is tucked at the front and tied at the back in a sumptuous bow.
As a special memento, the Bridesmaid’s name and the date of the wedding have been hand-embroidered onto the lining of each dress.

Capes (These may or may not be worn dependent on the weather)

The waist-length capes, also created by Nicki Macfarlane, are made from ivory Yorkshire wool, edged in fine English lace and tied at the front in the same satin gazar as the dresses.

Shoes

The Bridesmaids’ shoes were designed and made by Devon-based Rainbow Club. A shoe firm we stock in my shop. The classic Mary Jane style shoes are made from satin and finished with a Swarovski crystal buckle. Devon-based Rainbow Club have been designing, making and colouring handmade wedding shoes since the mid-1980's

Pages’ Uniforms

The Pages are wearing a uniform in the style of that worn by a Foot Guards officer at the time of the Regency (the 1820s). The uniform draws its insignia from the Irish Guards, whose Colonel is Prince William.
The tunic is Guards’ Red with gold piping, Irish shamrocks are on the collars and its buttons are arranged in fours, denoting the Irish – or Fourth – Regiment of Foot Guards. The buttons feature the Harp of Ireland surmounted by the Crown Imperial. The breeches are ivory and are worn with white stockings and black buckle shoes
The Pages will wear a gold and crimson sash (with tassel) around their waists. The sash is worn by officers in the Irish Guards when in the presence of a Member of the Royal Family.
The uniforms were designed in the Royal Household and were created by Kashket and Partners, who have also fitted Prince William’s uniform for his Wedding Day. The collars and cuffs were created by the Royal School of Needlework.

What is Katie going to wear?

2011-04-29T01:44:00.001-07:00

My notion, it has got to reflect the bride's taste and the bride's personality.
A great day for British Fashion.

Who will be the designer of " The Royal Wedding Dress"?

2011-04-24T09:34:00.000-07:00

I am so excited that this is the week that we will find out who has designed Kate Middleton's dress and what it looks like. In the history of royal weddings there has never been such speculation about not only what the bride's dress will look like but also who has designed it.
Bruce Oldfield would prove a link to the past and specifically to William's late mother or could it be one of Alice Temperley's modern fairytale dresses, loved by many upper-middle-class brides, would maintain the status quo of Kate Middleton's feminine and relatively safe aesthetic but if it is Sarah Burton that surely would be a bold gesture, announcing a fiercely up-to-date princess.
My excitement is mounting with the odds being on Sarah Burton. I just want sometime different, something special, something that makes Kate feel and look fabulous and something that cannot be cheapened by them coping it within hours. Please may it have unique embroidery and do something to inspire brides throughout the country to be daring to have something different and something personal to reflect who there are.
It has to be a British Designer,this is surely one of the few things we can assume about the dress. That is why I haven't listed Daniella Issa Helay,the Brazilian-born designer who did Kate's dress for the engagement day. It would be unpatriotic on a day when the whole world is watching Great Britain but also very "off-trend" - even Michelle Obama wears British designers these days. Of course, it's also traditional for a royal bride. As Joanna Marschner, the senior curator at Kensington Palace, points out, in the past royalty did everything it could to promote the "Made in England" message, utilising British-produced fabrics.
I was talking to one of the Bridal Worlds leading producers at the weekend and she said that surely it would influence our industry and give us a much needed boost. Princess Elizabeth's romantic Norman Hartnell dress lifted postwar Britain's spirits. Since Queen Victoria the 'best of British' tradition became standard practise. Then the queen and her advisors decided the entire ensemble should be British-made, and promote the country's arts and crafts and lace industry. Thus, the silk-satin was woven in Spitalfields; and the lace for the deep flounce to decorate the skirt, was woven in Honiton and Beer, to a pattern of exotic flowers and scrolling foliage, designed by the distinguished, Scottish, pre-Raphaelite painter, William Dyce, the head of the new Government School of Design, later to become the Royal College of Art. Royal weddings became an opportunity to promote the best of British industry. I wonder could Kate's dress have the same influence, I wish.
Already there is a race on to be the first with a look-alike. "When the dress hits, we will be right on it," says Jim Hjelm, a bridal designer in New York. "We'll be on the computer that afternoon,sending a sketch." The company's factory in China will return samples within 24hours. Forget the idea of copyright laws, so long as there are subtle modifications no one can stop them.

So please for the sake of us all can we have an edgier wedding gown for the future royal. "The Royal wedding will be magical. Kate's dress should be a modern mix of traditional and contemporary" Monique Lhuillier.

Of Course it was Catherine Walker!

2011-04-14T09:41:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to thank the lady in my shop today who was able to tell me who it was that did the brilliant dress that Lady Helen Taylor wore. That has been on my mind with all the talk of the Royal Wedding and for the life of me all I could remember anything but the dress! Thank you, I was very impressed with your knowledge of the fashion world. I do hope by chance that you go online and read my blog as I really wish I could have thanked you more.
For any of you who are crazy enough to read my blog let me tell you more.This lady called to find out more about my bridesmaids for a friend of hers and in the course of us chatting I realised I was talking to a very keen fashion knowledgable lady.
Yes she not only knew that it was Catherine Walker who was the fashion couturier for Princess Diana and Lady Helen but she also had had an outfit made by her. To my delight and amazement the Lady went home and got the outfit and brought it back to show me. Girls you know I get excited over anything to do with a needle and thread but this was a Catherine Walker dress and jacket and I had my hands on it. The beautiful embroidery was cleverly angled over the dress just to be so flattering to the female shape. The very buttonholes were hand sewn and every inside seam hand sewn to perfection. " If only!!"

However the story of Catherine Walker is a bit sad. She was French and met her husband while she was working in London at the French Embassy. He was a solicitor who sadly died in an accident at the age of 32yrs. Catherine was left alone with her two daughters, worried about purpose as well as money.
She studied fashion at night school and started sewing for her daughters, simple sailor dresses. She built up a clientelle in Chelsea near her daughters school and studied more and eventually set up the Chelsea Design Company. So there is inspiration for us all.
Old- fashioned Parisian couture had had its influence on her. She wanted to work directly with her clients, rather than showing a catwalk collection as a loss leader for a wholesale line. Paris had abandoned this mode of business by the 70's, but Catherine attracted customers who appreciated couture integrity. What was discussed between couturier and client was never repeated outside workrooms, so both could be honest about hiding defects and revealing assets.
By 1981, she had enough clients for viability, and then Princess Diana chose her with intuitve trust. She made her over 1000 dresses, not the low, short,tight, black "revenge dress". Such was their closeness that Diana's butler, Paul Burrell, phoned Catherine after the princess's death to ask how she should be dressed in her coffin. So she did her a black dress in which Diana went to her Althorp grave.
To finish this sad story Catherine Walker herself faced death, but referred to her surgery for breast cancer in 1995 as a "hiccup" that must not interrupt business. She sponsored the charity Breast Cancer Haven but sadly her cancer returned. When certain of imminent death, she trained a design team to succeed her and planned her company portfolio up to 2012. She remarried and lived to see a grandchild wear a Catherine Walker, but finally on 23 September 2010 she lost her fight with cancer.

The Royal Wedding

2011-04-02T01:17:00.000-07:00

The more I am convinced it is going to be Sarah Burton who has designed Catherine's dress the more excited I am getting to see the creation.
Burton - who grew up in Manchester and graduated from Central Saint Martins in 1997 worked with McQueen for sixteen years. Having joined the brand in 1996, she has worked as head of womenswear design since 2000 and was credited with completing the designer's autumn/winter 2010-11 collection in time for Paris Fashion Week in March, following his suicide less than a month earlier.The appointment of Burton came as no surprise. She had been the late designer's right hand woman.
The collection received rave reviews!!
Did she catch Catherine's eye when she did the wedding of Sara Buys(Harpers and Queen fashion writer) and Tom Parker Bowles,the son of the Duchess of Cornwall, in 2005. Sara wore a corseted strapless cream silk and tulle wedding gown designed by Alexander McQueen / Sarah Burton. Her wedding veil was sheer ivory lace with a scalloped floral border of cream colored roses. Or maybe Sara reccommended her. I know that sometimes an "old bride" of mine is kind enough to reccommend their friends to come after their experiences.

Miss Middleton being widely hailed as a new British style icon, however she was criticised for her conservative dress sense by Dame Vivienne Westwood at London Fashion Week last month. Not in my opinion if she has selected Sarah Burton as her designer for her wedding dress!! I am really excited, my expectations for this will be something different! I had thought it would be Bruce Oldfield and I had expected elegant and classy. But with Mrs Burton in the frame I have great expectations for something different.Burton, who is from Manchester, designed a billowing red and black dress worn by Michelle Obama to a state dinner last year and has also worked on one-off creations for celebrities such as Cate Blanchett, Lady Gaga and Gwyneth Paltrow.
Check out any images you can find of her creations for way out shapes and styles and elaborate detail.

Something Special

2011-03-01T04:14:00.000-08:00

Here is a bride who was an absolute pleasure to work for. From the first day we met we trusted each other to do something different and fabulous.
Here are Mandy and her two righthand people, her son and daughter, ready for the day of their dreams.

The Galgorm Hotel was the venue for Eddie and Mandy's wedding. Everything was stunning, the venue, the flowers,the music, the setting and the people.
My husband and I were lucky enough to have been invited and we had a brilliant day and night. ( we didn't stop celebrating with everyone till 4.30am in the morning)
Absolutely fantastic, thank you to everyone.

This photo shows the "M" for mandy and the mirro image of "E" for eddie which was worked for the back of the dress.

The brooch detail at the front represented the "P" for Patrick the surname of the new married couple.

It was a pleasure to do the bridal ensemble for Mandy and the menswear for all the boys. Only thing I regret was not getting a photo of "Ruby May" the dog who did ring bearer to prefection with her custom made silk purse to hold the rings on her collar.

2011-02-13T04:16:00.000-08:00

Sorry it has been so long since I have sat down to do a blog, but that is a sign that I have just been too busy. They say time flies when you are enjoying yourself and I have been working away on some of my favourite dresses. We have changed the layout of the shop and moved the Menswear department so that brides can view the range quickly before they come with the groom.

How will a Royal wedding effect us?

2010-11-21T03:01:00.000-08:00

With the news of a Royal Wedding next year it started a whole excitement and debate. I began dreaming of what it would be like to be asked to make Kate's dress! Imagine if one of my brides were to be a princess in the waiting, it certainly set me thinking. I like to think I treat each one of my brides as the most special bride in the world. I like to think that each bride thinks that the dress I make her is the best one I have ever made. Could I handle the pressure?

I remember Diana's wedding 30 years ago, big sleeves and bows. "We wanted the dress to be every girl's fantasy wedding dress." said the Emanuels. Sadly the use of paper sillk taffeta in Diana's dress still means that clients of mine today think that silk creases, when actually it is one of the least creasable natural fabrics that exists. My opinion was that the Emanuals choose the wrong silk. Within hours people were copying the notion, every girl could have that fantasy wedding dress!

It has brought back memories of the day I was meant to meet Princess Diana. My claim to fame!! I had bben told to be at the Art College at my degree exhibition in the middle of the summer holidays. I usually have a good memory but this day I was at home listening to the radio when I heard that a Royal visitor was at The University of Ulster's Art College! I had forgotten to go. My mum has never let me forget again. She heard from one of my tutors that I had ben choosen to speak to her as they thought that my work would have been of interest to her. At least she saw my work. If she had of been hear today would she have remembered me or rather my work, if only!! Dream on Joanne.

In 1985 I started my business,and was inspired in 1987 by Fergie's dress, will it was fantastic!! It made her look her very best and the embroidery was so personal and sensational. Lindka Cierach, you are a genius! As Sarah Ferguson said " there will never be a dress to match it..." Copycat creators where beat on this one. What would Katie pick? Lindka has said that whoever designs Kate Middleton's wedding dress should prepare themselves for a time of high pressure,fun and excitment . She said she loved it. It was really exciting but there was also a lot of pressure.

The chat in London is that Bruce Oldfield is doing it. I think she will choose "Made in Britain". If Oldfield does it it will be incredibly stylish and glamourous.. He was once Diana's favourite couturiers. Will she have much input or will she just wear what someone tells her? How much influence will her Mum have? How will she cope with the pressure of the world's eye on her?

I thought about it, how could someone take on that pressure. I guess that the wedding will be sooner than later maybe April and I know I have my bride's for April well underway.

Just this week I have been putting the finishing touches to a veil for one of my brides for April. As I sewed the beads on before she came to see the finished result, I knew I loved it and was so proud of this veil that I do believe that it is fit for a princess. This is something I could do for Katie, if you are out here Katie reading my blog and you still need a veil I would love to do it for you. What about the idea of the detail on it having roses for England, shamrocks for N Ireland, the Scottish thistle and a daffodil or two for Wales, tastefully done so that it didn't look too contrived. I think I would have to do an extra one or two just encase something happened it. I could do the veil but the dress, even though I have years of experience I would want more time on it. I think I would be terrified with the pressure and yet this is what I do everyday for all my brides .

HRH Princess Elizabeth's wedding dress in 1947 had the most fantastic embroidery work on it. By dress designer Norman Hartnell, it is hard to believe that less than three months before the wedding date the design was approved. The white silk satin came from a Scottish firm near Dunfermline but sadly it hasn't kept well. The weight of the embroidery has dragged the skirt down away from the bodice. The left sleeve was badly frayed and so you have to find a picture of it to see it at its best. When you find a picture notice Her veil it is fantastic. Or is that the 15 foot train that looks like a veil? Whether it is the train or the veil it is" Breath taking", the detail of the embroidery as it cascades on the carpet! Her shoe was drawn for Vogue as a symbol of good luck. Vogue said " we hope that their lives will be as smooth as its satin - their spirit as bright as its buckle - and their happiness as perfect as its shape."

Whatever Kate's choice it is all about the detail , we like to notice every detail when it comes to a wedding. Thee days with

Plenty of Bridal dresses to see

2010-11-14T12:14:00.000-08:00

Dresses of all colours and styles, off the peg, couture and vintage. There is so much choice you need assistance to make sure you get the perfect bridal dress for you. Your dress sets the theme for your Big Day. Get your gown right and you feel brilliant and cannot wait to wear your dress on one of the best days of your life. It should suit your size and shape and also your personality. If you need guidance this is the place you need to visit or if you know what you want have it made especially for you.

Some brides on the phone and visitors to my shop said that they were not sure if I would have many dresses for them to see. Believe me we probably have every shape and style to help you realise which is the dream dress for you. Call and visit so that you can see for yourself. Get help and advice on what is right for you.

Mother of the Bride and Groom

2010-11-11T05:02:00.000-08:00

2010-11-01T04:02:00.000-07:00

A recent bridal survey conducted by Wedding Journal has revealed that the outlook is bright in Northern Ireland when it comes to organising the "big day" with a surprisingly 42% of couples stating that the current economic climate is NOT having an impact on their wedding plans - despite the fact that 58% of couples are paying for their wedding entirely by themselves without any external help from family members.

The Wedding Journal team understands how important choosing the right wedding dress and recently asked me to do their Style Stage. For anyone who has been to my shop you know how I can help you with what suits your figure and then listen to what your personal taste is and get the balance right. It is easy for me to do this in my shop as I have all my samples to help me guide and explain what I mean. However to take me out of my comfort zone and try to do this at one of their shows was just a step too far. In my shop it is a one to one consultation, personal and sincere. I was frightened that at the Kings Hall it would be the opposite and just look like I was trying to promote myself and not fisrt and foremost looking after my brides.

Am I mad or sane?

2010-10-17T03:01:00.000-07:00

Am I mad, I push myself to do as much as I can each day. There are just not enough hours in one day for all I want to achieve.

Those of you who have met me probably think I am mad, but it is my crazyness and passion for life that keeps me going.

I read an article last week that suggested that talking to ourselves was good for us. Recent research at the University of Toronto, said that talking to your self is healthy, and we should all be doing more of it.

So here goes yet again, as when I am doing my blog I never know if I am really just talking to myself or someone is actually listening to me. They say that exercising your inner voice can improve your self control, help to defuse an argument, reduce implusive behaviour, improve decision-making and even strengthen your will power ( great news for us how want to loss weight)

I think it helps me cope with life, there is method in my madness and hopefully it is what keeps me sane.

Where has the summer gone.

2010-10-13T05:46:00.000-07:00

Sorry girls , it has been ages since I last did my blog. I don't know where the time goes, but I have been sewing away.
Thought I would share with you some of the photos of what I have been up to this summer. Some show the details of a brides dress with lots of colour, intricate detail and a bit of sparkle. Vintage lace seems to have been a theme this year.
Then the other photo is of the detail of a Mother of the Brides outfit. The embroidery was worked to match her shoes.

I hope everyone enjoyed the day. Rumour has it that the Mum's trouser suit was very popular with everyone.

Let us not forget the Dad's outfit too, supplied and fit by Joanne.

Something Different

2010-07-01T05:10:00.000-07:00

One of my brides goes to Glastonbury for her honeymoon!

What a perfect year when the sun was shining and it just couldn't have been better.

I just wanted to share some of the photos as it was just great to be allowed to do something a bit different.

I loved every minute of working on the dress and it has inspired me along with my talk with Zandra Rhodes to go for it, not to be frightened to do something special. Zandra was never bound by the limits of thinking that you had to be commercial,

she was radical and away ahead of her times and an inspiration for fashion than and today.

The chance of a Life time

2010-06-24T03:30:00.000-07:00

It has been 25 years seen I have been back to the University of Ulster the Art College where I got my degree, June 1985. Gosh that takes me back a bit. It makes make think of the day I was meant to go to the Art College in the middle of our holidays and I forgot to go. Boy I have never been allowed to forget it! That was the day I could have spoken to H.R.H Princess Diana. It was her first visit to the province and one of her stops was the Art College. The Degree Shows were on and as my work they thought would have been of interest to her they had selected me to talk to her. However no-body told me till it was too late. I was at home listening to the news that she was in the province, at the college when the penny dropped!!! Thankfully I don't think I have ever forgotten anything important ever since.So brides don't worry I usually fulfill my commitments!
The wasn't missing this one! The College looked fantastic, it wasn't like this when I was here. It brought back loads of memories. I was very excited as to who I was going to meet. Would I see my old tutors and some fellow students? One sure thing was I was going to meet Zandra Rhodes!!!! You may not of heard of this person but your mother will have. You must look up and learn more about this character. She is one of the most influential people in the world of fashion. Her imagination, her inspiration, her use of colour and design, is extraordinary and unbeatable. She is brilliant! Zandra Rhodes defined British Fashion. Still with her coloured hair at the age of seventy she leads the way and has set up a museum of fashion and textiles in London, in the heart of Bermondsey. She is still full of passion and dedication to her work, what an inspiration to us all.
Thank you Zandra for taking time to visit Belfast and share with us your life experiences.

The Trip of a Life Time

2010-05-28T01:43:00.000-07:00

Girls, I have just had the time of a life. I got an invite to a Bridal Designers meeting in London. The area we stayed was fantastic, full of beautiful buildings, shops and restaurants. As we walked from the train to our hotel we passed a lovely Italian Bridal designers Shop, things were looking prosperous! Oh my Goodness! a certain hat designer was just across the road. Nuala, which was the hat you had seen at £950?I think he must have got his idea for Camilla's hat from the gates at Buckingham Palace. I was excited. I could feel my batteries being charged minute by minute. I was ready to move to London, inspiration everywhere, I just needed a million or 2 or 3 to buy a tiny establishment. We could live upstairs and have the shop downstairs. It would definitely be a down size though, I am spoilt for space in my shop here with over 3000 square feet, What would that cost in London? However I love the buzz, clients with money we only dream of,walking distance to lots of parks and everything on hand in the heart of the capital.
I found myself in St James Park taking in the planting, the ducklings and the sun shine. All dressed for the meeting I was meant to be going to but sitting on the grass happy where I was. Then the phone rang, it was someone who I consider one of the most influential people in the bridal industry " Hi Joanne, where are you??" "Mmm!!! I am sitting in the park taking in the rays- is this what you call sunshine!!" I said. " Joanne are you not meeting at the Saatchi Gallery?? Give me half an hour or so and i will join you. Let's go to Harrods for High Tea".
Brilliant!!The time flew and we chatted so much we didn't realise they were throwing us out of Harrods it was closing time. Then we jumped into a taxi and off to a fabulous hotel. We went 15 floors up and saw views all over London it was incredible. We had food too. I could get used to this.
Next morning finally I had to go and do some work. It all seemed a bit imtimidating, everyone was on tender hooks. It was a bit posed. There was an exciting Australian jewellery designer from Sydney who had a friendly girl, whose Dad lived in Belfast, telling us about his work. I think was my favorite part of the day. I meet up with other people with the same interests and we compared notes and ideas.
That bit over now I could go shopping for all the interesting things I can get in London that we don't have at home. Fabrics , beads and buttons all things nice.
It doesn't end here, there was more to come.
Well for those of you who know me,if I tell you I was staying an extra day have you worked out why? There were exhibitors staying at the same hotel. Could they get me in? So close and yet so far. Tickets had been sold out for months. It didn't look good my chances seemed bleak. But don't give up there try harder!!
It was walking distance, the crowds were gathering. There was a girl and fellow dressed as Adam and Eve with very few clothes on!! Did you need to dress like this to get in? I know it was sunny!!
Two ladies from my Flower Club had been selected to exhibit. It was a once in a life time,it was worth a try. So I found an offical in a pin striped suit. I told him my plea, he heard my accent and he got me in. It was meant to be! I actually felt a tear
I couldn't believe I was more overcome with excitement at getting in to this than any Bridal Show. Where was I ?? The Chelsea Flower Show, it was heaven, flowers everywhere. This is the best show I have ever been too. Anyone slightly interested in gardening and plants most make it one of there top 10 things to do. Everyone was so friendly and the atmosphere was brilliant. My faith in human beings was restored for now and my batteries were recharged ready for work.

2010-05-22T05:14:00.000-07:00

Well done everyone you have done a fabulous job. Brilliant King size Hanging baskets especially made by Nuala and Anne.
There is going to be dancing on the chequed floor!!
Good Luck and what a day to have a wedding!!
This is the girls doing the finishing touches.
I hope you all have a wonderful day, best wishes Joanne

2010-05-08T01:48:00.000-07:00

Yet again I am behind on my blogging!! My excuse is that I had an almighty cold or the flu and was struggling to keep going with my work load let alone do my blog too!! I haven't many new photos but my resolution is to make myself take a photo every week and keep you up to date with my latest work.

I seem to have a notion for brooches at the moment. It is something that you can use to embellish an outfit and then reuse again on another outfit.

2010-04-05T06:57:00.000-07:00

Sorry I have taken so long to get another blog done. I have been busy in work as you can guess getting my Easter Brides sorted. Finally I have got a day off. One of my favourite things is to get out in the garden, however it is so cold I just stayed out long enough to get some flowers to do a flower arrangement for the house. I wish you all a pleasant Easter break, a few days to recharge the batteries and tidy my house.

2010-03-15T03:40:00.000-07:00

Sorry it took so long to get this blog up. I had to wait to see if the Organisers of the Show were happy for me to use the photos. I haven't done a show like this for years. The night before it opened I wondered why I had gone to the trouble of coming out of my shop and taking the time to set up. Maybe I was just nervous. However once I got chatting to people the time flew and I have to say I enjoyed every minite of it. I would love to hear from those of you who went how useful you found it and did you enjoy it. Was it worth while for you? Would you go to the next show? Add a comment. Thanks Joanne

2010-02-01T06:34:00.000-08:00

Top 10 tips for choosing your wedding dress.

1 Set a budget.

First things first - set your wedding dress budget. Try not to look at dresses that are out of your price range, unless you plan on going over budget. If you don't, then use top of the range gowns as inspiration for a less expensive design, so you won't have to spend a fortune.

2 Choose a style.

Flick through magazines to get an idea of the style of dress you're looking for - it could be classic or contemporary, slinky or strapless. Consider your venue and the time of year, as well as what you like.

3 Book Appointments.

Most bridal shops prefer you to make an appointment so that you can get the individual attention you require.

4 Pick a Partner.

Pick someone that knows you and can give you an honest opinion, a helpful friend or your mum. Too many people can be confusing.

5 Be Open minded.

Try on various styles of dresses. You will learn from your experience, you may find that a style you think won't suit you actually looks fabulous!

Cathryn thought she was going to pick a short dress to keep her wedding as informal as possible. However after working through her thoughts she realised she wanted the effect of being a more romantic, traditional, modest bride with the personal touch. I love this photo of Cathryn so natural in the garden of her family home.

6 Don't rush.

Don't be rushed into any decisions. If you think you've found 'the one', you can always go away and think about it before making your mind up.If someone is pushing you stop and ask why.

7 Think things through.

Consider practicalities and accessories. If you want to a wear a veil, for example, try one on with the dress. Equally, put your hair up if you think that's how you'd like to wear it on the day. Make sure all your accessories match they can make or break an outfit.

8 Trust your choice.

When you've found the perfect dress, a nights sleep and you will know. Ask when you will have your first fitting. You can start looking at shoes as your feet will not change size. Hold off on getting underwear as you can change size, but start thinking about what underwear would be suitable for you to wear under your dress. Sometimes it is more functional than glamorous!! You can keep the nice underwear for your honeymoon.

9 What next.

While you don't have to show your bridesmaids your dress before their own dresses are chosen, make sure their gowns tie in with the theme and colours of your wedding as a whole.

10 Make sure.

Check on alterations, who will be doing them and if they cost extra.It's also worth asking the designer or retailer for advice on how you can clean the fabric of your gown in case you have any small spillages on the day! That way you can rest easy in the knowledge that whatever happens, you'll still look cool, calm and amazing.

Finally the Day Dream of Your Dreams

2010-01-04T04:49:00.000-08:00

It took too long to arrive for this Bride, she could not wait for her Big Day to come. Rain ,hail or snow she was going to enjoy it. Snow it did, this was the biggest amount of snow at any of my weddings in 25 years. It looks lovely in photographs but it can be a nightmare for organisers and for the guests. The ice and the poor road conditions made it dangerous.

First and foremost the bride was well looked after.

I went out to dress her just to make sure everything went as smoothly as possible. There were plenty of buttons that take a long time on this one.

Her dress will probably end up cleaner than a dress on a sunny fine day as it will have been so well lifted and laid.

If you look at the photos you can see I made the headdress and the brooch detail on the front of her dress to match. Thank fully with the cold we had done a jacket just to keep the chill away.

2009-12-30T10:13:00.000-08:00

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.

2009-12-12T00:40:00.000-08:00

Our Christmas cracker, lovely Marita on her wedding day.

2009-11-27T03:04:00.000-08:00

2009-11-27T03:03:00.000-08:00

Here comes the wedding car

2009-11-27T02:54:00.000-08:00

Back detail on flowergirls dresses

2009-11-27T02:47:00.000-08:00

Flowergirls made to match your wedding dress.

2009-11-18T01:38:00.000-08:00

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

2009-11-17T11:16:00.000-08:00

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.

2009-11-12T01:07:00.000-08:00

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.

2009-11-07T01:33:00.000-08:00

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

2009-11-07T01:29:00.000-08:00

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.

2009-11-05T03:15:00.000-08:00

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.

2009-10-28T09:21:00.000-07:00

2009-10-28T08:56:00.000-07:00

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

2009-10-28T08:54:00.000-07:00

2009-10-28T08:52:00.000-07:00

2009-10-25T01:23:00.000-07:00

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.

2009-10-21T10:40:00.000-07:00

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.

2009-10-18T04:20:00.000-07:00

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

2009-10-18T04:16:00.000-07:00

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

2009-10-18T04:05:00.000-07:00

Let us not forget to do everything up!

2009-10-18T03:57:00.000-07:00

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

2009-10-18T03:48:00.000-07:00

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.

2009-10-16T02:31:00.000-07:00

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.

2009-10-11T13:54:00.000-07:00

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!!)

2009-10-11T13:38:00.000-07:00

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.