tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52287206428525636852024-03-04T21:10:37.500-08:00Of Millinery & MotherhoodLisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15714664111848811364noreply@blogger.comBlogger72125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5228720642852563685.post-57745171446759903092015-05-21T05:08:00.002-07:002015-05-21T05:08:42.435-07:00Long time...Well HELLO! Can it really have been over a year since my last post... WOW where has the time gone! <br /><br />I'm in the process of revamping and relaunching the "Of Millinery & Motherhood" blog at the moment. Were having a custom design for the blog header done and we'll be featuring lots of guest bloggers in the future bringing you lots of hints and tips, craft projects and recipes that you can try out with your little ones as well as regular features of my millinery work and life with my growing family!<br /><br />More news soon!Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15714664111848811364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5228720642852563685.post-80705339325725083652014-04-29T01:16:00.002-07:002014-04-29T01:16:47.032-07:00Where have I been? (Did you miss me?)<br />
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So I realise I've been a bit remiss with this Blog over the past 8 months... sorry about that! Time to rectify that and start blogging again! </div>
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So firstly and most importantly its time I introduce you to the little person who has been taking up a great deal of time since she made her presence known in November of last year!</div>
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This beautiful little girl is Alice... she was delivered by c-section and weighed a tiny 5lb 12oz at 39 weeks!</div>
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She is simply adorable and completely loved by her big sister Kaylee! Between the two of them I've been kept rather busy for the past few months but things are slowly finding their way into a nice manageable routine!</div>
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<br />Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15714664111848811364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5228720642852563685.post-26330889925803368882013-08-03T00:20:00.002-07:002013-08-03T00:20:57.652-07:00Dealing with Pregnancy in Summer<div style="text-align: center;">
This week I've been dealt a harsh reminder that I am in fact now 26 weeks pregnant and need to take things a little easier!! On Thursday I was travelling to work (driving!!) when I felt extremely dizzy and nauseous. As I started to see blotches on front of my eyes I pulled over to the side of the road, switched on my hazard light and switched off the engine. Having never experienced anything like this with my first pregnancy I had no idea what was going on so I called my husband and got him to come and rescue me (just didn't feel safe enough to drive myself back home) and then called my midwife. It turns out that my blood pressure has been creeping lower, a common complaint in the later stages of pregnancy as your body undergoes many changes which can affect your fluid balance levels. This combined with the recent high temperatures had left me feeling generally unwell. So I though I'd share the advice I've been given for all the other women who have found themselves pregnant in this summer!!</div>
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1. DRINK PLENTY FLUIDS - seems like common sense but in this heat and in later stages of pregnancy its important to make sure your fluid levels are topped up regular. I've been advised to drink a 2l bottle of water over the course of a day as well as my usual cups of tea/fresh orange juice etc.</div>
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2. INCREASE YOUR SALT INTAKE - now this does not mean covering everything in salt... just increasing it a little. As someone who never adds salt when I'm cooking or after I know I need to start using a little more, thankfully I'm a fan of Salt & Vinegar crisps so I'm sure a packet of them will help me out!!</div>
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3. KEEP COOL - avoid over dressing in the hot weather and use a cool air fan (I picked one up from the Argos Value Range at £8.99, or why not try your local Freecycle or Freegle Groups!)</div>
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4. GET UP SLOWLY - take it easy when getting up from a sitting position (or if like me dealing with a toddler you're playing on the floor or sitting by the potty!!), get up slowly!!</div>
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5. EXERCISE - gentle, regular exercise helps to maintain good blood pressure! I know that in the later stages of pregnancy that its may feel like you're the size of a small house and its not conducive to most forms of exercise but gentle forms of exercise are great for ensuring a health pregnancy. Go out for a walk or go enjoy a swim!</div>
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6. FIND TIME TO TAKE IT EASY - this is the hardest one for me as I'm used to being on the go, and a three year old full of energy doesn't really understand that Mummy needs to rest!! But its really important to find some time each day to relax and unwind. For me... its reading!! I set aside time every day to pick up the latest book I'm reading (currently: A Feast For Crows by George R R Martin on my Kindle).</div>
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Please Note: This is a summary of the advice given to me by my midwife. However if you are pregnant and feel unwell in this summer heat then its it best to contact your Midwife or GP for full advice. If in doubt head to your local maternity assessment unit for a full check up.</div>
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Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15714664111848811364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5228720642852563685.post-71399068892959456142013-07-24T10:42:00.000-07:002013-07-24T10:42:51.487-07:00A round up...<div style="text-align: center;">
OK, so its been toooooooooooo long since I blogged!! I'm going to have to rectify that!! </div>
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Here's my pledge... from this week onwards I plan to blog at least once a week!! Please someone kick me up the backside if I don't!</div>
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First of all its seems only fitting that I round up what's been going on here over the past 6 months!!</div>
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Lets start with the BIG news!! We're expecting Baby Number 2!! Yep thats right... our family is growing and our new arrival will be with us at the start of November!! I'm currently at 24 weeks... and enjoying this part of the pregnancy!</div>
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The other BIG news is that Kaylee turned 3 this month... I cannot believe that she's almost ready to go off to nursery school after the summer!!</div>
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On the business front I've been really busy this Spring with a fantastic fashion show in Glasgow in which I showcased an 8 piece collection entitled 'Turning Japanese'. And I attended a wonderful business roadshow courtesy of The Girls Mean Business where I learned lots about marketing the business correctly!!</div>
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Its been a great first half of the year and looking like the second half on the year will be something really special too!!</div>
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<br />Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15714664111848811364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5228720642852563685.post-16891943307951973982012-12-02T01:03:00.000-08:002012-12-02T01:03:25.681-08:00Sunday Spotlight - Restoration Cake<br />
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As a new feature on my blog I have decided to dedicate Sundays to some truly wonderful, creative and talented people in what I am calling my Sunday Spotlight.<br />
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December's Sunday Spotlight is the amazing Restoration Cake!<br />
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A couple of months back I was casually reading the latest issue of Vintage Life Magazine when I turned the page to see one of my own creations atop the head of the amazing Charlotte from Restoration Cake, so I sent her a wee message to say thank you and to ask if she's mind doing a little interview for me as part of my Sunday Spotlight.<br />
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<span class="ecxapple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Lisa: In 100 words or less, tell me a little about yourself.</b></span></span></div>
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<span class="ecxapple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Charlotte: I
am a Cake Designer, living and working in London. I'm a history geek
who never grew out of playing 'dress up'. My family motto is 'never
knowingly underdressed'. I live in hats, high heels, and red lipstick. I
adore Marilyn Monroe and have 'Nobody's Perfect' tattooed on my wrist
because it is the last line of Some Like It Hot, my favourite movie. I
have an eclectic taste in music and play bass guitar - I even sang and
played at my own Wedding! </span></span></div>
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<span class="ecxapple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Lisa: How did you get started in the world of cakes?</b></span></span></div>
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<span class="ecxapple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Charlotte: As
a child I baked with my Nana. I have baked cakes all my life, it is
just something that I have always loved to do. I made my first
Wedding Cake in 2007 for friends and they then encouraged me to consider
cakes as a career. I took evening classes at my local community college
and learnt loads of techniques and set up Restoration Cake in 2009. </span></span></div>
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<span class="ecxapple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Charlotte: It
has to be Red Velvet. I make a fabulous Red Velvet cupcake with a cream
cheese frosting, which is pretty tasty! It is also hugely popular. I
lust admit, I am much more fond of Cake than Cupcakes.</span></span></div>
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<span class="ecxapple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Lisa: Any advice for people who’ve never given baking a try?</b></span></span></div>
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<span class="ecxapple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Charlotte: Take
your time and enjoy it! Baking is a science so you have to really read
the recipe and follow it to the letter for the cake to turn out nicely.
If you are rushing, this is when you will make a mistake. I cannot
recommend the recipes of Nigella Lawson enough for beginners... she
really talks you through each stage of the recipe so that you know you
are on the right track. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Lisa: You’ve
been featured with your amazing cakes in Vintage Life
Magazine wearing both the Cherries Jubilee and Monroe
Fascinators by Off With Her Head Millinery, so we know you love your
hats! How many Hats do you own and do you have a
favourite??</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Charlotte: I
have no idea how many hats I own! Isn't that awful. I am a sucker for a
beret. I own them in every colour... black, white, grey, red, royal
blue, baby blue, navy, pink, purple and that's just the berets. I love
hats in the 1940s style at the moment and I have a ladies trilby in
claret with three feathers in the front... I think this one is my
favourite this week! I have several 1940s style hats and loads of
fascinators too. I love wearing my Monroe fascinator in the summer
months when the sun is out.</span></div>
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<span class="ecxapple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Lisa: What are your plans/ambitions for the future?</b></span></span></div>
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<span class="ecxapple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Charlotte: I
have lots of lovely Weddings booking in for 2013 so I am looking
forward to another year of wonderful Brides and delicious cakes. There
are lots of exciting projects in the pipeline and I am excited to be
releasing my very first e-book of recipes and cake decorating tricks.
This will be available via the website very soon. I will also be
announcing more classes and teaching loads of lovely people how to
create beautiful cakes.</span></span></div>
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<span class="ecxapple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Lisa: How can people contact you to order your amazing cakes?</b></span></span></div>
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<span class="ecxapple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Charlotte: All of my contact details can be found on my website <a href="http://www.restorationcake.co.uk/">www.restorationcake.co.uk</a></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Charlotte from Restoration Cake wear 'Cherries Jubilee' Fascinator by Off With Her Head Millinery </td></tr>
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Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15714664111848811364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5228720642852563685.post-85874051092955545982012-11-08T12:08:00.001-08:002012-11-08T12:08:51.319-08:00We love to read!<div style="text-align: center;">
When I first found out I was pregnant with Kaylee, one of the first things I started to do was build up a collection of children's books, I wanted to share the ones I remember as a kid and remember reading to my two younger sisters when they we're little. Among these were 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar', 'The Cat in The Hat' and 'Funnybones', all classics I'm sure you'll agree. So I started to read to the bump from pretty early on! It was fantastic and gave me a real chance to bond with my little bug.</div>
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Kaylee is now two and adores her books, she'll read several books over the course of one day and has at least two stories before bedtime each night. Yes, she is a little bookworm!! Now she's 2 I've been busy trying to change her room from the nursery into a little girls room and one of the recent things I've done for her is to create a 'reading' corner. We purchased some paper mache letters from Hobbycraft and decoupaged them with tissue paper to spell out the work READ amounted it on the wall as a piece of art. We also got one of the inflatable Ladybirds from Ikea, but instead of using the air element we've filled it with bean bag beans making it a comfy place for Kaylee to sit with her books while she enjoys reading to herself and her toys! Her bookshelf was made by her Grumps (Grandad) and is filled with all her favourites!</div>
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I thought I'd share a couple of those favourites with you! First of all is 'The Gruffalo' by Julia Donaldson. This has been a favourite since she was very little and nowadays she joins in with the story describing the Gruffalo as we go along; with his terrible teeth and terrible claws, his knobbly knees and turned out toes and even his purple prickles!! As a parent I just love Julia Donaldson's stories. They are so imaginative and have a lovely rhyming style to them that makes them so very easy to read! I must confess that we actually have all of her books to date, many in not only hardback/paperback but also in board book format and some even in their 'sound book' format too!!</div>
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One of my other favourites by Julia Donaldson is 'Night Monkey, Day Monkey'. As a parent who often works night shift we use this one to help explain that I'm sleeping during the day and quite often when I come home from a shift in the morning I'll be greeted with 'Hello Night Monkey'!</div>
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We discovered 'Owl Babies' when we were in holiday in Spain in an english newsagents and it has become a firm favourite with Kaylee ever since. Again its another good story to help explain that I'm off to work at night but just like the Owl Mother will be back in the morning!!!</div>
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For reading by herself she can't get enough of the 'That's Not My...' books. She loves all the touchy feely bits and the simple style of them means she's picked up the basic story really easily.</div>
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I'm very happy my love of books has rubbed off onto my little girl... she has a whole world of adventures open to her now!!</div>
Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15714664111848811364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5228720642852563685.post-3418980477896418032012-07-19T00:50:00.000-07:002012-07-19T00:50:57.121-07:00Treasury Thursday - Happy 2nd Birthday<div style="text-align: center;">
So It's Thursday (not Tuesday!!), I know I'm a little behind this week with my Etsy Treasury, in fact I meant to post this last week but we got rather tied up with the birthday celebrations.</div>
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Yep, that's right, last week Kaylee celebrated her 2nd Birthday. I don't know where the past two years have gone!! She's becoming a proper little girl. She had a great time both on her Birthday and at her party on the Saturday! Family and friends all helped to make it a wonderful celebration. I must admit however to cheating on the bakery front this year with a shop bought Birthday Cake and fairy cakes which we decorated ourselves. Next year I'm going to do the cake from scratch!!</div>
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Anyway... here it is Treasury Thursday: Happy Birthday - 2 Today!</div>
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<a href="http://www.etsy.com/treasury/NTg1Nzg4OXwyNzIwNTE4NzA3/happy-birthday-2-today">http://www.etsy.com/treasury/NTg1Nzg4OXwyNzIwNTE4NzA3/happy-birthday-2-today</a>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crown by Glam Hatter<br />
<a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/90391146/2nd-birthday-crown-hat-or-any-number?">http://www.etsy.com/listing/90391146/2nd-birthday-crown-hat-or-any-number?</a>
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<br />Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15714664111848811364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5228720642852563685.post-16255552912110958962012-07-11T05:28:00.001-07:002012-07-11T05:28:33.611-07:00A little bit of fun on a grey and rainy day!Just for fun I decided to give this a go... am actually quite happy with those results!!<br />
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<tr><td align="center" height="1"><a href="http://www.myheritage.com/collage" target="_blank" title="MyHeritage.com - free family trees, genealogy and face recognition"><u>http://www.myheritage.com/collage</u></a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15714664111848811364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5228720642852563685.post-59727662931202974522012-07-08T08:40:00.001-07:002012-07-10T10:37:44.889-07:00Sunday Spotlight: Elfwitch Designs<div style="text-align: center;">
As a new feature on my blog I have decided to dedicate Sundays to some truley wonderful, creative and talented people in what I am calling my Sunday Spotlight.</div>
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The first of these is this weeks Crafty Witch, Arielle who runs Elfwitch Designs from her home in Edinburgh, making handcrafted jewellery and home crafts.
ElfWitch Designs was created 3 years ago, when Arielle decided to become her own boss for good and run a business which reflected her various passions and talents. The main aspect of the business is the beautiful crafts she designs, makes and sells. It started (and still is now) with hand-made beaded jewellery with an alternative edge, and last year saw the addition of fabric crafts and gothic patchwork in particular. </div>
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I asked Arielle to tell me a little about her personal backround, she said; "I have been suffering from various physical and mental illnesses for years and had to abandon a promising teaching career 10 years ago as a result. I decided to make a success of my life by becoming self-employed through necessity of course, but also thanks to my determination, survival instinct and sheer bloody mindedness!"
Elfwitch Designs now have an established Etsy shop (<a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/ElfWitchDesigns">www.etsy.com/shop/ElfWitchDesigns</a>), a popular Facebook page (<a href="http://www.facebook.com/ElfWitchDesigns">www.facebook.com/ElfWitchDesigns</a>) and have had stalls at the Whitby Gothic Weekend and the Out Of The Blue Drill Hall Arts Market in Edinburgh. </div>
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I myself own many pieces from Elfwitch Designs, as well as having bought several gifts for family and friends too. I too have been on the receiving end of a few 'Elfwitch' gifts. I received a gorgeous bookmark as a present from my little girl that featured a gorgeous purple turquoise skull and has become my favourite reading companion (that is when reading book rather than my kindle). Her jewellery designs are truley unique, with a quirky alternative edge and a flair for design! I commissioned her to make a set of skull earrings after I was so taken by my bookmark gift, and my bat watch necklace always garners attention whenever it is worn! </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/95942068/steampunk-vampire-bat-skeleton-clock">http://www.etsy.com/listing/95942068/steampunk-vampire-bat-skeleton-clock</a></td></tr>
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This year I asked Arielle to create a patchwork cushion for my tub chair, and to match the colour scheme of our living room: black and green. It would of course have to feature a few elements of our style, gothic tastes and love of music. The piece she created was beautiful and so well made and finished perfectly, as you can see Kaylee really liked it too!! </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/92206881/patchwork-cushion-by-elfwitch-designs">http://www.etsy.com/listing/92206881/patchwork-cushion-by-elfwitch-designs</a>
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Now readers... I have a little treat for you all... If you have enjoyed this spotlight and like what you have seen then why not leave me a wee comment. One reader will be picked at random next Sunday and will receive a custom bookmark from Elfwitch Designs just like the one pictured. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/98032053/personalised-glass-beads-bookmark-with">http://www.etsy.com/listing/98032053/personalised-glass-beads-bookmark-with</a>
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Please take a little look at her Etsy shop and pop on by her Facebook page too and tell her I sent you and remember to come back next week for another Sunday Spotlight!</div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15714664111848811364noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5228720642852563685.post-87628303767187759462012-07-06T13:58:00.000-07:002012-07-06T14:09:15.597-07:00The Parasol Protectorate<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0t4WDbg4sw5bUVdftxIndy7IJOdtsy6nj6BT4ZXhUadcDHMjiCYhVjNvn16wsvPF71yVEJKS3HcvGMlAUeDKcHZ6o7L7GcBhbBUey9TlchTItl_ZLJfdRDLzPWsgf0UCXSTOGRmXd/s1600/parasol-protectorate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0t4WDbg4sw5bUVdftxIndy7IJOdtsy6nj6BT4ZXhUadcDHMjiCYhVjNvn16wsvPF71yVEJKS3HcvGMlAUeDKcHZ6o7L7GcBhbBUey9TlchTItl_ZLJfdRDLzPWsgf0UCXSTOGRmXd/s320/parasol-protectorate.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Parasol Protectorate - Soulless, Changeless, Blameless, Heartless & Timeless</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In my teenage years I devoured fiction... I would spend a whole day engrossed in a new book, often starting and finishing a book in a day! My favourite authors being David Eddings and Neil Gaimen. In my 20's I found myself reading very little outside my sociology, economics and psychology, and then nursing textbooks. In my thirties I've enjoyed reading children's fiction to my soon to be two year old, our favourite being Julia Donaldson and her now famous Gruffalo! But not until recently have I found my way back into reading for myself... and that is thanks to two very special people!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Those people are my good friend Madeline and the author of the book she lent me one day - Gail Carriger. The books are known as 'The Parasol Protectorate', a series of 5 novels about out heroine Alexia Tarabotti, described as, "a woman with several critical problems: she is still searching for a husband, her late Italian father complicates her social standing in a rigid class system, and she has no soul", She reminds me of Elizabeth Bennett from Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice, strong willed and certainly able to take care of herself in a society that demands she finds a good husband to take care of her! In this alternative 'Steampunk' London everyday folk exist alongside a supernatural set which includes Vampires, Werewolves and Ghosts.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;">These novels are so delightfully written. They grab you from the early pages, tossing you into a world of drama and intrigue that envelops you completely, and keeps you gripped to the very end. I started the series with the copy Madeline gave me, and soon switched to my Kindle (my joint Anniversary and Mothers Day gift from Alan & Kaylee - it was our 1st wedding Anniversary this year and Alan found the idea of the Kindle as my gift appropriately perverse!!). That was in March of this year... by the middle of June I had competed the series. I have never wanted to read so much and so furiously as I have these past few months as I did when I was a teenager. And this new found love of reading hasn't stopped with Gail's novels... I'm currently reading The Long Earth by Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;">These books have inspired me with my millinery so very much - the covers of each book picture Alexia dressed in beautiful Victorian finery with the obligatory hat, the descriptions of Ivy's (Alexia's best friend with a flair for the dramatic) 'interesting' choices in millinery and of course the amazing descriptions of Madame LeFoux's hat shop with its hats suspended from the ceilings on chains!! Here are just two of my hats that I think really capture the essence of the series!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW232OVEc3E34b84XkDSqITaZ3KpUFrdw6HRetluWudrtZWWxtn4yCrm1gxuXR5kP6baVYc6NlXlMdKN8GPEMVC1PYUPokMKr9PrblOXw0uHtM-T6EwetKrNOPcmdS0mXmTl6rLLqF/s1600/241844_482732715074475_982675730_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW232OVEc3E34b84XkDSqITaZ3KpUFrdw6HRetluWudrtZWWxtn4yCrm1gxuXR5kP6baVYc6NlXlMdKN8GPEMVC1PYUPokMKr9PrblOXw0uHtM-T6EwetKrNOPcmdS0mXmTl6rLLqF/s320/241844_482732715074475_982675730_o.jpg" width="213" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Black & White Mini Top Hat by Off With Her Head Millinery</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Photography by Pyramid Clicks</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEOpij2ZQBTLadbAoO9MJyCqPtqXuHMZ6_OIW0_aG0UKglA9OH9ZNdUpJg8GnNwEwbkeA79mDkXaFYpxDifURMIg8SI4oa9gZb-sAZgO2L1cmkSS82OywaUkfZ1qUFyWNQGzNL9IUc/s1600/243451_10150196506081841_706221840_7323599_8204764_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEOpij2ZQBTLadbAoO9MJyCqPtqXuHMZ6_OIW0_aG0UKglA9OH9ZNdUpJg8GnNwEwbkeA79mDkXaFYpxDifURMIg8SI4oa9gZb-sAZgO2L1cmkSS82OywaUkfZ1qUFyWNQGzNL9IUc/s320/243451_10150196506081841_706221840_7323599_8204764_o.jpg" width="213" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Brown & Cream Print Mini Tricorn by Off With Her Head Millinery</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Photography by Ange Harper</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;">These books seem to be an inspiration to so very many of Gail's many, many fans... all you have to do is take a look on DeviantArt at the amount of fan pics to see how popular Gail and her heroine have become! This is one of my favourites, and I must confess of my favourite character 'Biffy', by Natalie (Tilwen).</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHUDfiex9AVIoPBAJxjbPMGXM9CaqJWxJnmFI3uBGNRUjoJR93DBFduDy6AasM0-9EdcDjVaPUPW8Y7DdI9Ilcjt2Ll6Ucf0Sxo_wPvskewaw2h9uFv9e9aO3y0c7cNeeBLRMSTs7Z/s1600/biffy_by_tilwen-d4hkjhc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHUDfiex9AVIoPBAJxjbPMGXM9CaqJWxJnmFI3uBGNRUjoJR93DBFduDy6AasM0-9EdcDjVaPUPW8Y7DdI9Ilcjt2Ll6Ucf0Sxo_wPvskewaw2h9uFv9e9aO3y0c7cNeeBLRMSTs7Z/s320/biffy_by_tilwen-d4hkjhc.jpg" width="277" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Biffy by Natalie (Tilwen)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://tilwen.deviantart.com/gallery/?q=alexia#/d4hkjhc">http://tilwen.deviantart.com/gallery/?q=alexia#/d4hkjhc</a>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">Gail herself writes the most charming little blog on Livejournal (</span><a href="http://gailcarriger.livejournal.com/">http://gailcarriger.livejournal.com/</a>) and is very active with her fans: you can find her on Facebook and posting in the Facebook group for the series here: <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"> </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/parasolprotectorate/">https://www.facebook.com/groups/parasolprotectorate/</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">She has just finished writing Ettiquete & Espionage (a new series of novels entitled 'Finishing School') due to be released in Feb 2013... but can be pre-ordered via Amazon here:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Etiquette-Espionage-Finishing-School-Carriger/dp/031619008X/ref=sr_1_sc_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1341607700&sr=8-2-spell">http://www.amazon.co.uk/Etiquette-Espionage-Finishing-School-Carriger/dp/031619008X/ref=sr_1_sc_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1341607700&sr=8-2-spell</a> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">(my copy is already on order).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">So I end this blog post by simply saying thank you ladies, thank you indeed!</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15714664111848811364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5228720642852563685.post-27092183773772451882012-07-05T11:40:00.000-07:002012-07-06T13:07:14.500-07:00Race for Life 2012<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibmFTeWg78AxwD_sM_CtWb04ClW3YH57epvSSWXUlF0m2GwueWktBPFT5aUYWTdAjcXgFKrRgcXJQZg1OFnrAtjGiHUdUfQ7pmvLRN2bJejzGBlMMIlihi-STejkeqhshVIhyphenhyphenl0xF4/s1600/cancer-research-uk-race-for-life-logo.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibmFTeWg78AxwD_sM_CtWb04ClW3YH57epvSSWXUlF0m2GwueWktBPFT5aUYWTdAjcXgFKrRgcXJQZg1OFnrAtjGiHUdUfQ7pmvLRN2bJejzGBlMMIlihi-STejkeqhshVIhyphenhyphenl0xF4/s320/cancer-research-uk-race-for-life-logo.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
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Since I lost my Mum to Cancer in 1994 I've always been active in raising funds for Cancer Research, and once again this year I took part in the Race for Life. This year I decided to come back to Kirkcaldy and took part in the race in Beveridge Park on the 24th June. My best time to date was 40mins and 40 seconds when I walked/ran at Holyrood in Edinburgh. I had made it my goal to beat that time and raise at least £100 in the process.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw_GRrDtXlRPmydG4ReeFEQFgWhkfmEmBQ2FNDrFxiAdKNfUTKQWdXEAUFYAzifHkT7Qv5BPtDLOTkKlyqXwCruggcgsfBdjgMaPHxj46T4ANX_5nSbqTF4dEhYrhgJhR9lmZkkACl/s1600/IMG_20120624_104725.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw_GRrDtXlRPmydG4ReeFEQFgWhkfmEmBQ2FNDrFxiAdKNfUTKQWdXEAUFYAzifHkT7Qv5BPtDLOTkKlyqXwCruggcgsfBdjgMaPHxj46T4ANX_5nSbqTF4dEhYrhgJhR9lmZkkACl/s320/IMG_20120624_104725.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Self Portrait - just before the warm up!</td></tr>
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Well I am really pleased to report that I came across the finish line at a time of 40 minutes dead!! So very happy with that result as my training time had been very limited by parental responsibilities and work commitments! As well as achieving that target, my final fundraising target (including gift aid donations) came to £187.25, which I will be personally be bringing up to £200!! So thank you to all the family and friends who supported me, donated their hard earned cash and kept me going to the finish line! Donations are still welcome though and can be made via my Just Giving page here: <a href="http://www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/lisamjones1977">http://www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/lisamjones1977</a></div>
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I will, of course, be taking part again next year, not sure which venue yet though (I really liked the Holyrood course).</div>
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There's a great report about the event in The Courier here: <a href="http://www.thecourier.co.uk/News/Fife/article/23524/fife-race-for-life-supported-by-thousands.html">http://www.thecourier.co.uk/News/Fife/article/23524/fife-race-for-life-supported-by-thousands.html</a></div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15714664111848811364noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5228720642852563685.post-87183264934482863192012-07-03T11:06:00.000-07:002012-07-03T11:06:26.087-07:00House of Pinheiro - Pincushion Swap<div style="text-align: center;">
A couple of months ago this fabulous pincushion swap was brought to my attention and I couldn't resist taking part. Hosted by the 'House of Pinheiro' Blog (<a href="http://houseofpinheiro.blogspot.co.uk/">http://houseofpinheiro.blogspot.co.uk/</a>), I was matched and paired with Jenny for our swap!</div>
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I knew straight away that I wanted to make a pincushion hat... after all millinery is my thing! And as the project was to be shipped by Jubilee Day I decided to go with a red, white and blue theme!!</div>
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My package arrived shortly after having sent mine and was full of vintage goodies. The pincushion was a sweet vintage egg cup, perfect for sitting on my desk while I sew. As well as that I received some vintage sewing accessories, scrabble tiles that spelled out my name and a swirly lolly pop, all wrapped in tissue paper and tied up with some gorgeous ribbon!!</div>
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Jenny is a fellow crafting Mum, and writes The Gingerbread House Blog (<a href="http://the-gingerbread-house.co.uk/">http://the-gingerbread-house.co.uk/</a>). Please pop over and take a look, especially for the Lego cookies... think I'm going to give those a go with Kaylee as a surprise for her Daddy who is Lego daft!</div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15714664111848811364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5228720642852563685.post-10608261410153004212012-07-03T04:06:00.003-07:002012-07-03T04:07:55.895-07:00Treasury Tuesday<div style="text-align: center;">
So this is the first in a new feature on my blog. Bringing you the best of Etsy (and mostly featuring the work of British sellers), every Tuesday!</div>
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This week I've decided to create my Treasury based around the theme of 'Rainy Day'... we've had so much rain this past week that its felt more like September than June/July that I felt it was only appropriate to search out some rain themed pieces to cheer us all up! There's something for everyone in my treasury from artwork to jewellery, housewares to patterns for the creative among us and a few things in between.</div>
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I hope you enjoy this weeks treasury... any suggestions for following weeks themes, then please leave a wee comment!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM2poa5htos4mAMpH0f-YKfQ6cMM39uRyKzXJOIbil4sRm2Twiy0Ot0XbzHLMjluZWVKtOxLBMAzhqbknRBIvzrzeqyoByTIRE0pvgodiv5TZrdy8X5ppRqmk_t1unvmC_SkCILl_b/s1600/Rain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM2poa5htos4mAMpH0f-YKfQ6cMM39uRyKzXJOIbil4sRm2Twiy0Ot0XbzHLMjluZWVKtOxLBMAzhqbknRBIvzrzeqyoByTIRE0pvgodiv5TZrdy8X5ppRqmk_t1unvmC_SkCILl_b/s320/Rain.jpg" width="248" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here Comes The Rain Print by Sparklehen £7.85 (plus postage)</td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.etsy.com/treasury/NTg1Nzg4OXwyNzIwNDU3NTE3/rain-rain-go-away">http://www.etsy.com/treasury/NTg1Nzg4OXwyNzIwNDU3NTE3/rain-rain-go-away</a>
</div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15714664111848811364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5228720642852563685.post-80938675894056168912012-05-10T04:00:00.002-07:002012-05-10T04:00:51.615-07:00Bridal Fascinator for Sonia<br />
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Back in February I met with Bride-to Be Sonia to discuss creating a special fascinator for her Big Day. She was having a Vintage/Scottish style wedding and wanted me to create a piece that would fit with the style of the event and her gorgeous dress!!</div>
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At our first consultation we spent a lot of time talking about her plans for the wedding, so that I could get a feel for her day and we discussed the style of fascinators that she had been looking at. Luckily for me Sonia also had been documenting her search for inspiration through Pintrest so I was really able to see the kind of thing she had in mind. After this meeting a drew up three different designs based on the styles she had liked and presented these to her at our second consultation. The piece she chose was my favourite by far... a circular ivory sinamay base trimmed with diamantés, sequins and pearls all echoing the design in her dress. One of the things Sonia was certain about was having a birdcage veil and this she wanted to be detachable so that she could wear the simple fascinator for the evening reception. We agreed to decorate the veil with diamantés for added sparkle!!</div>
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Then work began on the piece. First I had to block the base. This was done using 3 layers of sinamay, stretched over my vintage head block, coated with stiffener and allowed to dry for a full 24 hours. Next the base was cut to shape and trimmed with matching bias binding. Then began the task of trimming the base with diamantés, sequins and pearls in ivory and blue... each sewn on by hand... the process took 3 hours to complete but the effect was stunning and very organic.</div>
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A bow was created from ivory shot satin and a lucky silver sixpence hidden in its centre. The veil was spotted with diamantés and attached to the underside of the bow with a couple of ivory buttons.<br />
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I was so happy to be involved in creating this special piece and I'm sure you'll agree that Sonia looked stunning on her Big Day! Congratulations to Mr & Mrs Kerr!!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEK4hx8sVGwP2wQe94Sc-_7aj35KHMUWA4x40qon6mHfsS_h0PdF3-oP8VKPoq0G-29D6bpmK5L0wTnFCeoDJYyQ4dkB4hD1dI5Uo8-ySnOIQOCIFH4lRkYhWQF1r352NNeaT5T1QC6LcX/s1600/Sonia1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEK4hx8sVGwP2wQe94Sc-_7aj35KHMUWA4x40qon6mHfsS_h0PdF3-oP8VKPoq0G-29D6bpmK5L0wTnFCeoDJYyQ4dkB4hD1dI5Uo8-ySnOIQOCIFH4lRkYhWQF1r352NNeaT5T1QC6LcX/s400/Sonia1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15714664111848811364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5228720642852563685.post-73407963196992123582012-05-10T01:48:00.000-07:002012-05-10T01:48:43.835-07:00Queens Jubilee Pillbox by Lisa Jones (Off With Her Head Millinery)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMhK9nXPpJvywSueSGRVpzILu1ZwJ097iC8r3bhTyyQDuiILIiIAGwO282NfG_2Cznf2EFUW4OAsKsnHS3CC14qXUVBK7ooUf0XNwt2MGKr7XWKgfeo8lsE1985ATKT6iYShipfrp0/s1600/Jubilee+Pillbox.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMhK9nXPpJvywSueSGRVpzILu1ZwJ097iC8r3bhTyyQDuiILIiIAGwO282NfG_2Cznf2EFUW4OAsKsnHS3CC14qXUVBK7ooUf0XNwt2MGKr7XWKgfeo8lsE1985ATKT6iYShipfrp0/s400/Jubilee+Pillbox.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Back at the start of the year I was invited to participate
in a new design competition on Talenthouse. The brief was to make a hat to
celebrate the Queens Diamond Jubilee. I knew straight away that I wanted to create
something that celebrated Britishness, and used red, white and blue as my
colour scheme. I came across a lovely cream and gold crown print cotton and
knew this would be perfect for creating my hat base. I decided on a pillbox as it
is simple and elegant and I feel this style is really something that is
associated with the Queen.</div>
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So I blocked my pillbox in buckram and cotton interfacing,
covered it with the cotton print fabric and lined it with cream wool felt. For
decoration I decided to create a birdcage veil, spotted with diamantes and handmade
a trio of shot satin roses each finished with a heart shaped union jack button
in the centre. I finished the piece with a flourish of feathers.</div>
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Voting is currently underway as I’m sitting in the Top 50 at
the moment!</div>
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<a href="http://www.talenthouse.com/creativeinvites/preview/aff0c3e9ba631c73a0b12cb878a845bc/">You can take a look at my submission here and vote until 6pm on May11th.</a></div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15714664111848811364noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5228720642852563685.post-83868771938753184822012-03-30T06:30:00.001-07:002012-03-30T06:30:34.826-07:00Kinky Knickers<div style="text-align: center;">
For those of you in the UK, you may have like me just finished watching The Bottom Line with Mary Portas. Well I'm a big fan and when I heard that she was planning to try and bring back British-made knickers in her new show I was hooked on the idea. I love what Mary stands for and her work ethic is second to none! What she achieves in her shows is just amazing and I thoroughly enjoyed watching the show. </div>
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I was lucky enough to grab myself 3 pairs (one in each colour!) of her brand of 'Kinky Knickers' from John Lewis priced at £10.00 each, which I know may sound like a lot when compared to Primarks £1 a pair... BUT... these knickers are well worth their higher price point. Mary wanted to create a pair if knickers that were not only pretty but functional... comfortable to wear and with no VPL! Well she succeeded. The Nottingham Lace is so very beautiful and makes each pair special. They are amazingly comfortable to wear... to be honest they were so nice it felt as if I were going commando!!</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIoxUaxqOn5l2AeDwfhwsGVqLnvV9ZfNjNJaLc7L8h9PVykLa8oJ8y3vu-rE0-4szVSMWs20E18sI0jf6esZLMqQFr44ysmav674GdTkOQc0tROoaxR3puO5tBTe6asnM6OpCpFD4D/s1600/018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIoxUaxqOn5l2AeDwfhwsGVqLnvV9ZfNjNJaLc7L8h9PVykLa8oJ8y3vu-rE0-4szVSMWs20E18sI0jf6esZLMqQFr44ysmav674GdTkOQc0tROoaxR3puO5tBTe6asnM6OpCpFD4D/s320/018.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kinky Knickers in Pink (Size M)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
And the packaging... well I love vintage anyway but the little boxes that you knickers nestle in are just so sweet. The packaging reads, "Best worn when the Sun's up but the blinds are down, you're on top of your day (or under the milkman) and you're feeling just a little bit naughty underneath... Top Knickers for the Finest Bottoms", And proudly states MADE IN BRITAIN!! Simply adorable.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX8XU2gX0ME_qRRnp6z7WyzF16GhGuv2KsWKOPNjTqRKjUN7CVlVHQqd0IuaNItxkWphBJCZrqxz7orKe46NWsBNDIon6QssH4tDacQkhIGplIAuBWzbz2gok0-dI-sbx1tn9Yi8UP/s1600/019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX8XU2gX0ME_qRRnp6z7WyzF16GhGuv2KsWKOPNjTqRKjUN7CVlVHQqd0IuaNItxkWphBJCZrqxz7orKe46NWsBNDIon6QssH4tDacQkhIGplIAuBWzbz2gok0-dI-sbx1tn9Yi8UP/s320/019.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adorable Vintage Style Packaging... and its recyclable too!!</td></tr>
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The quirkiness of the product doesn't stop there as hidden away in the gusset of each pair you'll find a little ribbon label telling you exactly which one of Mary's recruits lovingly made you pair... two of mine were made by James and one by Adrian... thank you Boys!!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipvcR2T91xiZNhz-K2Icjv_Rsb5iyRsA9_gyzTnLroeWsbphJNy20zt82cUGr78wMVt39cXWxhP3-IP7aVq1_aLwvSTo5bb3twYWukX1BbgxKmxrvM27zZhyNMK0oTbBBwMoyLTpbG/s1600/020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipvcR2T91xiZNhz-K2Icjv_Rsb5iyRsA9_gyzTnLroeWsbphJNy20zt82cUGr78wMVt39cXWxhP3-IP7aVq1_aLwvSTo5bb3twYWukX1BbgxKmxrvM27zZhyNMK0oTbBBwMoyLTpbG/s320/020.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Knickers, Proudly Made in Britain By Adrian</td></tr>
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So I highly recommend that you go out a buy yourself at least one pair of these fabulous knickers... say knickers to the others and show Mary and her team your support!!</div>
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Buy British!!</div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15714664111848811364noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5228720642852563685.post-24617520903315923202012-03-30T06:03:00.002-07:002012-03-30T06:04:11.461-07:00A family holiday in Nerja.<div style="text-align: center;">
March and time for a family holiday! We'd been saving for a well deserved break from the everyday and booked ourselves a 5 night stay in Nerja, Andalucia.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKJyci6L6eqVPuajn_1zwMRddBMxt1yuPgZrBayZdnjm7LaiFihFL5W0aHLgK-lp3pw5lFT6taQaEzhJKyU1YtIylAUNEekMg2ouXxGmONkiFNdSLQZMy_xPJcYNYUs3i174_erVtv/s1600/042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKJyci6L6eqVPuajn_1zwMRddBMxt1yuPgZrBayZdnjm7LaiFihFL5W0aHLgK-lp3pw5lFT6taQaEzhJKyU1YtIylAUNEekMg2ouXxGmONkiFNdSLQZMy_xPJcYNYUs3i174_erVtv/s320/042.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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What a fantastic time we had! The weather was fantastic, temperatures of between 19 - 23 degrees, just nice with a pleasant sea breeze and not too warm overnight to be uncomfortable. The views in this unspoiled part of Spain were simply stunning and the old cobbled streets with white washed terraced homes were just beautiful.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQvWR1957d1ULbw0UeTNl7mupprOYf9m1iEwGNIWauTMQt0QtTNauvoTzod7FAMxYFn21Xr8sK-h7JUN1npmQLzzyQvOCTrPoMx_2f5-T4-HqLigTgoIPpyp-C1yzWknZwrVo6-nXm/s1600/018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQvWR1957d1ULbw0UeTNl7mupprOYf9m1iEwGNIWauTMQt0QtTNauvoTzod7FAMxYFn21Xr8sK-h7JUN1npmQLzzyQvOCTrPoMx_2f5-T4-HqLigTgoIPpyp-C1yzWknZwrVo6-nXm/s320/018.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7j0rW8Q2xoHU7uABTWzTitplinACAyeHa0PrwFvgXdCoqJv5AwOisXpF82eMKOjo6Lxcvrr14O_JLJtZfHhCzoZhEa5gUaMjxAqJKy-MKGKrc-aC6ycVMnIM1E2I4bA-uBMMaFL73/s1600/020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7j0rW8Q2xoHU7uABTWzTitplinACAyeHa0PrwFvgXdCoqJv5AwOisXpF82eMKOjo6Lxcvrr14O_JLJtZfHhCzoZhEa5gUaMjxAqJKy-MKGKrc-aC6ycVMnIM1E2I4bA-uBMMaFL73/s320/020.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIyh-Pn-v_AXQtcOUues8l_Rtp3FyqEv0ZSZoJVDCb4XTXh-jIkeZpVfgx4SElrbh6dG9-KD17vXTCZnsbxYaPWEMkX6hcVJk7JSv_afV1_mzEZroCGGsgGd-S9F-8qA-nbmy3hytM/s1600/038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIyh-Pn-v_AXQtcOUues8l_Rtp3FyqEv0ZSZoJVDCb4XTXh-jIkeZpVfgx4SElrbh6dG9-KD17vXTCZnsbxYaPWEMkX6hcVJk7JSv_afV1_mzEZroCGGsgGd-S9F-8qA-nbmy3hytM/s320/038.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQyZtuXV5UfKul2H_vPJvv5XuNC6BqbUon-KB7lM4LZZ-ENN8dwB9m9OGhsFNSZIDjtAW51I1yv4KDZ26flTajpXdHfLuvgL7pLcW9k_z-DmcZ0m59LbrkmMu7xb0pQP21miliwbYK/s1600/039.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQyZtuXV5UfKul2H_vPJvv5XuNC6BqbUon-KB7lM4LZZ-ENN8dwB9m9OGhsFNSZIDjtAW51I1yv4KDZ26flTajpXdHfLuvgL7pLcW9k_z-DmcZ0m59LbrkmMu7xb0pQP21miliwbYK/s320/039.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Balcon de Europa</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyse0MmxPWTQe9Npdb3rMhDzyhC0celCzXzOX1vbyo3iac1SJ6Y4mLghZHpravNk2E5GDr7OLrcTo29Ophu6TVqgZ3evQFiEDodgd20ARmthihyCB-YAd3sDXChP4R6x8FLEdpTtep/s1600/035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyse0MmxPWTQe9Npdb3rMhDzyhC0celCzXzOX1vbyo3iac1SJ6Y4mLghZHpravNk2E5GDr7OLrcTo29Ophu6TVqgZ3evQFiEDodgd20ARmthihyCB-YAd3sDXChP4R6x8FLEdpTtep/s320/035.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">C/ Caraebo</td></tr>
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Kaylee was well catered for almost everywhere we went, the only downside was the lack of high-chairs even in some family friendly establishments, however she weathered this by showing what a big girl she is becoming and sat on a grown up chair in most places! As for things to do, we all highly recommend the Nerja Donkey Sanctuary who do a fantastic job of looking after the Donkeys, Horses, Pigs, Sheep and Dogs in their care. We adopted Ginny and Ozzie, a Mum and her 5 day old baby! </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ginny the Donkey</td></tr>
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The land train was also a favourite for us, Kaylee loved being taken round the old streets waving to everyone who we passed. There was also no shortage of toddler friendly play areas dotted around the town! </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Little Blue Train</td></tr>
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I must also highly recommend the traditional 'Chocolate Y Churros', well worth the calories!!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Churros - sweet doughnuts best served dunked in think Hot Chocolate!!</td></tr>
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I was very pleased to see lots of little shops with independent crafters selling their wares instead of mass market tacky tourist trinkets!! Kaylee bought me a lovely bracelet from jewellery designer Isolda Navarro and I treated myself to a gorgeous little leather coin purse sculpted into the shape of a scallop shell!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRPKmbA9S_dpzBWrC_cXXMuh0nFwih6zgs22FZYDPFyntZA_9Z6-d4HD6Ec0ycObCmxxTQYhOVQ0RNjeRheN1Pa2VItsOpcXd2ovl95S01UROZE1qXtBZaREuXfVgTMibIJNmQLgn4/s1600/016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRPKmbA9S_dpzBWrC_cXXMuh0nFwih6zgs22FZYDPFyntZA_9Z6-d4HD6Ec0ycObCmxxTQYhOVQ0RNjeRheN1Pa2VItsOpcXd2ovl95S01UROZE1qXtBZaREuXfVgTMibIJNmQLgn4/s320/016.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bracelet by Isolda Navarro</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Isolda's Studio on C/ Carabeo</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scallop Shell Purse</td></tr>
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A lovely place, and we'll certainly be going back some day!</div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15714664111848811364noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5228720642852563685.post-89110091610081056972012-01-02T07:28:00.000-08:002012-01-02T07:43:18.014-08:00The last few months (Part Two)<div style="text-align: center;">
So to continue my review of the last few months...</div>
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The later part of 2011 saw me journey over 2 days to get to the fantastic Bridport Hat Festival. The journey started at 10pm on a Thursday night with an overnight coach to London. The next day saw two further coach trips, one from London to Bournemouth and then finally on to Bridport a small town in Dorset that hosts the annual Hat Festival. Now in its second year, the festival sees the town come alive sharing a love of hats all thanks to resident Mad-hatter Mr Snook who runs his hat business from the town. I wasn't alone in my journey with other milliners coming from Ireland and visitors from as far as Australia. I sat up my little stall on the Saturday in the Art Centre to a great reception. It is always so nice to get feedback from people and those I met seemed to really love what I'd produced. I showed of the newly finished Tattooed Heart range for the first time too, and was really happy with the comments I got!</div>
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On the Sunday before the mammoth trip home began I got the chance to have a look at some of the other designers showing their pieces. I met an amazing group of young women all having just finished at college including the very talented Holly Gaimen (yes, they have talent in spades in that family) who's caligraphy inspired piece I'd much admired in the Stephen Jones/Talenthouse competition we'd both entered earlier in they year. In fact it was Holly who one the public voting portion of the competition!</div>
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A little closer to home, in Glasgow, I met up with the University Steampunk Society for Glasgow by Gaslight II. The cabaret section of the day saw jugglers, magicians, belly-dancing and a guy playing classic game themes on a laser harp. I thoroughly enjoyed having a stall at this event and it gave me the change to dress up in my best Victoriana too!<br />
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Then came our bi-annual trip to the Yorkshire Coast and the little town of Whitby for Halloween. We had our usual stall at Alt Fest, but after a little accident and a trip to the towns hospital to determine if I'd broken my wrist we decided to call it a day on the Sunday and headed home instead, getting back just before midnight.</div>
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Its been a rather eventful year and my little girl is growing ever bigger an learning new things every day! We're still no closer to getting her to sleep a full 10 hours at night but we wouldn't change her for the world. 2012 promises to be an interesting year with lots of plans already taking shape. We're looking forward to a proper family holiday abroad this spring and time spent with friends, some who have just become parents for the first time too!</div>
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So its time to wish you all a Happy New Year! I'd like to end this post by sharing one of my favourite New Years Blessings by author Neil Gaimen!</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you're wonderful, and don't forget to make some art -- write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself."</span></span>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Have a fantastic 2012!</span></span></div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15714664111848811364noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5228720642852563685.post-19361440273023513502012-01-01T01:58:00.000-08:002012-01-01T01:59:43.381-08:00The last few months (Part One)<div style="text-align: center;">
So it seems I've been a little remiss with the blog for the past few months... oops! Since having gone back to work in March I've been getting used to juggling work, millinery, motherhood and just life and it seems to have all gotten away from me... I had plans for lots of blog posts for the remainder of last year that I just never got round to. So here I present a quick round up of how the later past of 2011 went for me and my little family... Part One!</div>
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August saw us visit Edinburgh on two separate occasions for the Edinburgh Book Festival. Firstly to see the fantastic Neil Gaimen, my favourite author, and listen to him speak about the amazing American Gods. It has always been on of my favourite books as I am drawn to the mythology used by Gaimen in this particular novel. I've always loved world mythology, especially from the Norse pantheon! Listening to Gaimen talk was wonderful I especially loved the part where the interviewer asked him whether it was all to much to expect the reader to believe that Shadow's wife Laura had risen from the dead and was there in the novel providing help and guidance along the way. Gaimen's response was simply... but there are millions of people all over the world who believe in Jesus and that he was resurrected so why would this be such a hard concept to understand??</div>
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I did treat myself to a new copy of American Gods (which I have to confess as to still reading as we enter the New Year... I just don't seem to have as much time to sit and read any more!) and was lucky enough to meet Neil Gaimen and have him sign my copy of Angels and Visitations. I also made myself a little fascinator to wear on the day... made from literary print fabric with Suffolk puff flowers, vintage buttons and a miniature copy of American Gods atop!</div>
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Our second trip to the Edinburgh Book Festival was to see Kaylee's favourite author Julia Donaldson (Author of The Gruffalo - Kaylee's favourite book!!) along side illustrator Lydia Monks. This was a storytelling session in which we heard the author read, among others, Sharing a Shell, The Princess and the Wizard and the new book Rhyming Rabbit. Julia Donaldson has such a talent for storytelling and the kids were all entranced by her! Kaylee even sat still for the full hour!! At the end we had the chance to meet both Lydia and Julia who signed a couple of items for us including Kaylee's giant Gruffalo poster which is not up on her bedroom wall!!</div>
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I've also had the chance to produce some fantastic custom pieces in the past few months. As much as I love making my stock pieces, I love the challenge that comes from creating custom pieces. This year I've had two very challenging pieces to work on. The first for Laura, who came to me with the idea to recreate the look of Sharpe (played by Sean Bean in the TV adaptation of the novels by Bernard Cornwell) for an event she was attending. The costume was being made by Marie from Forever in Black Designs, but Laura a previous customer of mine, knew to come to me for the hat. She wanted a miniature Shako Hat in the style worn by Sean, so after much research I set to work to create this piece! It was not a style I'd tackled before and I was very pleased with the result!!</div>
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The second piece was for the Pin-up for Heroes Calendar 2012. I was heavily involved in last years calendar and this year the organisers came to me looking for a very special piece. I was told that one of the shoots was to recreate this piece of artwork by Gil Elvgren and that they needed the hat! </div>
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What a challenge that proved to be. With a deadline of little over 2 weeks to complete and ship the piece I set to work. The first version proved disastrous as I have miscalculated one of my measurements, but after some careful planning and mathematics I was able to finish the project on time... and look at the resulting image from Egner Photography... stunning! The calendar is available to purchase at <a href="http://www.pinupforheroes.co.uk/">Pin-up For Heroes</a></div>
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and as always proceeds from the sales go to the Help for Heroes Charity!</div>
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Well that's it for part one of the round-up of the last 6 months... more to follow soon!</div>
<br />Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15714664111848811364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5228720642852563685.post-47674277879063041072011-08-04T06:55:00.001-07:002011-08-04T06:55:29.374-07:00The Dragstalgia Fascinator<div style="color: #effff1; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;">A few months ago a received a lovely email from burlesque and pin-up model Miss Phoenix, offering her modelling services for Off With Her Head. We got to talking and when she told me that she was going to be the official flag girl for this years Dragstalgia (<a href="http://www.santapod.co.uk/e_dragstalgia.php" style="color: #cdfff1; text-decoration: none;">http://www.santapod.co.uk/e_dragstalgia.php</a>) I offered to make her a fascinator for the event, and what we came up with is the Dragstalgia Fascinator.</div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #effff1; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br />
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</div><div style="color: #effff1; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;">I was inspired by the idea of the chequered flag and by hot rod flames and combined them to come up with this piece. The base was constructed from heavy cotton in a chequered print with cotton interfacing ironed to the reverse side, lined with wool felt and edged in with bias (I ended up using black bias instead of the red). The flames were constructed from 3 layers of sinamay in flame colours and decorated with Swarovski crystal accents.</div><div style="color: #effff1; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #effff1; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkcet-x-zx7UMfMI_m9tl7vtvCBLDfdtLIIw8UZr-uszQHImj9sv8-X7LlXD57QcGhKfPQJEFC7mHNO69_ByrIoiNQL0xVNmb3n89_IcGp4QJk8dARFJSTqEGZFpflaTtxsTZnFj6TSMg8/s1600/dragstalgia1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #cdfff1; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkcet-x-zx7UMfMI_m9tl7vtvCBLDfdtLIIw8UZr-uszQHImj9sv8-X7LlXD57QcGhKfPQJEFC7mHNO69_ByrIoiNQL0xVNmb3n89_IcGp4QJk8dARFJSTqEGZFpflaTtxsTZnFj6TSMg8/s320/dragstalgia1.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(35, 127, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: initial; border-left-color: rgb(35, 127, 0); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(35, 127, 0); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(35, 127, 0); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-width: initial; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; padding-bottom: 8px; padding-left: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px; position: relative;" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy9WJ6pGzd7Nwb6p3Bw0iVCNHYW_3RSNlS6Ilz7xSZo6a5IpPDuHyM8tx9Wmzc7cylPXQVuiU7r-9cfW5ifz5qGNC58VAJgXPyPS4ASF2AuFJ7U_xtoDX6q99c0t_R-8ZwC034XyumOe7H/s1600/dragstalgia3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #cdfff1; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy9WJ6pGzd7Nwb6p3Bw0iVCNHYW_3RSNlS6Ilz7xSZo6a5IpPDuHyM8tx9Wmzc7cylPXQVuiU7r-9cfW5ifz5qGNC58VAJgXPyPS4ASF2AuFJ7U_xtoDX6q99c0t_R-8ZwC034XyumOe7H/s320/dragstalgia3.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(35, 127, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: initial; border-left-color: rgb(35, 127, 0); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(35, 127, 0); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(35, 127, 0); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-width: initial; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; padding-bottom: 8px; padding-left: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px; position: relative;" width="213" /></a></div><div style="color: #effff1; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #effff1; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;">I was really pleased with the finished result and shipped the piece of to Miss Phoenix who, despite the windy, wet weather during the weekend, managed to wear the fascinator and get a few great shots during the day!</div><div style="color: #effff1; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #effff1; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5fwcfWDlT0RLnAI0XmXe435G-DUA7Pco2yfDcVo-gheBH4rCYVPmXsw8lePJeLWHZSyx-oJhWnt6UN1YgpLuRCazcBb7aSHyAZag46Tj-4eDTScs49i7S5l61fROIZgnhGY3kOwbOqrlN/s1600/5951581330_bbe4218e63_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #cdfff1; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5fwcfWDlT0RLnAI0XmXe435G-DUA7Pco2yfDcVo-gheBH4rCYVPmXsw8lePJeLWHZSyx-oJhWnt6UN1YgpLuRCazcBb7aSHyAZag46Tj-4eDTScs49i7S5l61fROIZgnhGY3kOwbOqrlN/s320/5951581330_bbe4218e63_b.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(35, 127, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: initial; border-left-color: rgb(35, 127, 0); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(35, 127, 0); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(35, 127, 0); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-width: initial; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; padding-bottom: 8px; padding-left: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px; position: relative;" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYR8y79QzGiPGHQYzFD8NNVwepbT2Ece3EYxZGVmQBbrBye6f-2w-MXjzylW_6TmSXoXEckkY_TWYjPH8NOHMOOKyECt69cUyYGgxxY7PPOXC4mk0UQUuH12NKeoA6WnFUhVZ5h_y-Z23X/s1600/5954134266_086dca9e1d_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #cdfff1; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYR8y79QzGiPGHQYzFD8NNVwepbT2Ece3EYxZGVmQBbrBye6f-2w-MXjzylW_6TmSXoXEckkY_TWYjPH8NOHMOOKyECt69cUyYGgxxY7PPOXC4mk0UQUuH12NKeoA6WnFUhVZ5h_y-Z23X/s320/5954134266_086dca9e1d_b.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(35, 127, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: initial; border-left-color: rgb(35, 127, 0); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(35, 127, 0); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(35, 127, 0); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-width: initial; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; padding-bottom: 8px; padding-left: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px; position: relative;" width="218" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #effff1; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #effff1; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI0jGMUAb0j832QcHa8Ok147ZWZV7gHp0y-DYUAn998cZJTSpp2xNb7lI9B623m5v3iw8d4QIP0KEnkcaBhZ3DKWLrQjm2xZDMOP3zXIb-nmwlnliLIkvTNoSQmN9NKMfVBIO0DLgG4GYf/s1600/5958358898_f770e409b6_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #cdfff1; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI0jGMUAb0j832QcHa8Ok147ZWZV7gHp0y-DYUAn998cZJTSpp2xNb7lI9B623m5v3iw8d4QIP0KEnkcaBhZ3DKWLrQjm2xZDMOP3zXIb-nmwlnliLIkvTNoSQmN9NKMfVBIO0DLgG4GYf/s320/5958358898_f770e409b6_b.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(35, 127, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: initial; border-left-color: rgb(35, 127, 0); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(35, 127, 0); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(35, 127, 0); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-width: initial; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; padding-bottom: 8px; padding-left: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px; position: relative;" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjos75j_buearMBVAHlzs800hi-0vmzC-1pPQepAIlajPernqV1VYT0RQhAY3cDJzNmnFEQNwToQlvOPX5UuTAH4B595S-eJHa_iF-cNnLAu4xZH5GPDFmR_oxbdOa_Q8WVzWzJr2JvnXxp/s1600/5958388942_d38008478c_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #cdfff1; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjos75j_buearMBVAHlzs800hi-0vmzC-1pPQepAIlajPernqV1VYT0RQhAY3cDJzNmnFEQNwToQlvOPX5UuTAH4B595S-eJHa_iF-cNnLAu4xZH5GPDFmR_oxbdOa_Q8WVzWzJr2JvnXxp/s320/5958388942_d38008478c_b.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(35, 127, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: initial; border-left-color: rgb(35, 127, 0); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(35, 127, 0); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(35, 127, 0); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-width: initial; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; padding-bottom: 8px; padding-left: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px; position: relative;" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #effff1; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #effff1; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;">Miss Phoenix can be contacted at the following:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #effff1; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 15px;"><a href="http://www.missphoenix.co.uk/" style="color: #cdfff1; text-decoration: none;">http://www.missphoenix.co.uk</a><br />
<a href="http://www.modelmayhem.com/2089874" style="color: #cdfff1; text-decoration: none;">http://www.modelmayhem.com/2089874</a><br />
<a href="http://www.purestorm.com/profile.aspx?id..." style="color: #cdfff1; text-decoration: none;">http://www.purestorm.com/profile.aspx?id...</a></span></div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15714664111848811364noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5228720642852563685.post-86419311826526380472011-08-04T03:51:00.000-07:002011-08-04T03:51:49.240-07:00Products I Love!<div style="text-align: center;">As a busy Mum, its important to me to finds beauty products that work and involve a minimum of fuss. I dye my hair, its a dark red/brown and I've been this colour for some time now. Normally I get my little sister round in an afternoon to help me dye my hair but with a one year old running around its not entirely practical. So, when I saw the adverts for the new John Freida Precision Foam Colour which promises a 'quick and easy application' I decided to give it a go.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmTKUBAXgbml1gcnSsScUtyp7edQ3tsLV8yRQreNtXjjUJG8oOocQhXnxE_1IXE0tr0aUMwVs7Mcv-yW_rOUSv34PrX_j6nzIZ1I9440qNLlTAd60TBWWSGUDddoj8YWwZwjI8M9IJ/s1600/colour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmTKUBAXgbml1gcnSsScUtyp7edQ3tsLV8yRQreNtXjjUJG8oOocQhXnxE_1IXE0tr0aUMwVs7Mcv-yW_rOUSv34PrX_j6nzIZ1I9440qNLlTAd60TBWWSGUDddoj8YWwZwjI8M9IJ/s1600/colour.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I selected shade 5R - Medium Red Brown which is as close to what I've been previously using and decided on Monday evening to set aside half an hour to dye my hair. I have to say I was very, very impressed! It is one of the easiest and mess free products I have ever tried. In the past I have had dye all over the bathroom, on the walls, (yep, bright red too on a cream wall!) carpet, radiator and all over the sink by the time I was finished, but the non-drip foam was fantastically easy to apply. I didn't need combs or clips to separate my hair or a third arm to make sure the back got covered properly. You simply add the colour to the developer, tilt 5 times to mix and then squeeze to get a foam which you just smooth over your roots and then massage into the rest of your hair, wait for 30 mins (no longer) then rinse and apply the conditioner and you're done! Easy!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-8_izexumjqi5D6AIUbB8qBN-b5Y91_-EAnuEU4us5qv95X26rBlB-EOLvUNkIxqgqhUl1BSC3NjCWOyfuMGJvAmkLEMZOLJ7nQYNb5a4WR1abJh4a3-6zvynfhpqBf8f2wOQVKUw/s1600/newhair+colour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-8_izexumjqi5D6AIUbB8qBN-b5Y91_-EAnuEU4us5qv95X26rBlB-EOLvUNkIxqgqhUl1BSC3NjCWOyfuMGJvAmkLEMZOLJ7nQYNb5a4WR1abJh4a3-6zvynfhpqBf8f2wOQVKUw/s320/newhair+colour.jpg" width="313" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">This product gets a 5 out of 5 from me, although the only downside for me personally is the limited colours available... I'd love a really vibrant bright red or purple please!</div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15714664111848811364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5228720642852563685.post-41283535529970543672011-08-03T07:12:00.000-07:002011-08-03T07:12:27.364-07:00So tell me, do you feel lucky??<div style="text-align: center;">This summer I've been busy working on a new range of fascinators inspired by the old school style tattoos, you know the ones... cherry red hearts with scrolls that have words like 'LOVE', 'ALWAYS' and 'MUM' written in script across them an popular tattoo imagery such as anchors, swallows and cherries! Well I've some up with a range of 6 designs, that I hope you'll love as much as I do and I thought I'd share the design process as well as the finished pieces.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Sometimes, not always, I start with a blank piece of paper and a box of coloured pencils and fine liner pens! Then from that concept drawing I produce a prototype from cotton and wool felt.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdjifhSIv-oGB5qbthby4-0QJmsKVoCpkqYv6NKAphgD-zwyzZg-NmNTBlMDJ4zIwNSCjA5aNyNMhHWgGjTlHNpbyyKuc9LeX7IjjMuX0MNKBlYBixdLEcgYaOjo1MciuXCSc-LQtr/s1600/003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdjifhSIv-oGB5qbthby4-0QJmsKVoCpkqYv6NKAphgD-zwyzZg-NmNTBlMDJ4zIwNSCjA5aNyNMhHWgGjTlHNpbyyKuc9LeX7IjjMuX0MNKBlYBixdLEcgYaOjo1MciuXCSc-LQtr/s320/003.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">There are 6 different designs for this range (at present, but I have a few ideas for some others!) - AHOY, LUCKY, LOVE, CHERRY, SWEET and ALOHA. Cotton print fabrics for each design are selected and each heart is cut from a template. Cotton interfacing is then ironed to the reverse of the fabric. Matching or sometimes contrasting wool felt hearts are also cut from the template and matched up with the cotton pieces which are then bound together and edged with bias.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnRYXxIzUYwA47JQ9zkxFxlFFKob3U-rb0lQ1Ex9Ki1uHXYUp5irXeSZ7lLABCFf-ZipjIlMAYedKbMp6T9KkJEm7Q5PK31_U3Akg71FjX2S4ygkyVPrL_PtB8HfW679MZKs2FHldz/s1600/004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnRYXxIzUYwA47JQ9zkxFxlFFKob3U-rb0lQ1Ex9Ki1uHXYUp5irXeSZ7lLABCFf-ZipjIlMAYedKbMp6T9KkJEm7Q5PK31_U3Akg71FjX2S4ygkyVPrL_PtB8HfW679MZKs2FHldz/s320/004.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Decorative elements for each piece are then selected. Pieces such as the banners, text, swallows and cherries are hand cut from wool felt and appliquéd to create a 3D effect.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV1BFbujFUTsja03Stkb7MxZ7JqSRoTN0pdlRGjdQs9ZX9COrDycnPpLjGhBleX80VCaQ9rT0OsO5qAX4xvNljP5fIOwZfQLbeqXQ-CRsgbh9-AIONkjb1B6AhvnZCDIFeVRi1fIAB/s1600/011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV1BFbujFUTsja03Stkb7MxZ7JqSRoTN0pdlRGjdQs9ZX9COrDycnPpLjGhBleX80VCaQ9rT0OsO5qAX4xvNljP5fIOwZfQLbeqXQ-CRsgbh9-AIONkjb1B6AhvnZCDIFeVRi1fIAB/s320/011.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I'm really please with the finished pieces! I think my favourite one has to be LOVE!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5KglL2fzZhZjOTE3x25eb-on7j060Ty9XNIEr1vBX7_NK416LLAdX64bWwPHBciSjovWvdVABZ3ZeTdaWo1qVeydyDZJ4cE_npyon_QSaeiIoaM0LK252OZ-eRhBTwSH313LeBYXL/s1600/039.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5KglL2fzZhZjOTE3x25eb-on7j060Ty9XNIEr1vBX7_NK416LLAdX64bWwPHBciSjovWvdVABZ3ZeTdaWo1qVeydyDZJ4cE_npyon_QSaeiIoaM0LK252OZ-eRhBTwSH313LeBYXL/s320/039.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">I took these with me to London for The Roost photo shoot with photographer, Ange Harper, and they received lots of positive feedback from both the models and photographers there. The lovely Lilah, who if you've seen my website over the years you will be well acquainted with, modelled a couple of designs for me, my favourite on her is LUCKY! Would you mess with this feisty Femme Fatale, tell me punk do you feel luck, well do ya??</div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">Tattoo Inspired Fascinators RRP £30.00, available from the website and Etsy store at <a href="http://www.offwithherheadmillinery.co.uk/">www.offwithherheadmillinery.co.uk</a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Introductory offer - get yours now for £25.00, offer ends 31st August.</div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15714664111848811364noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5228720642852563685.post-45739476430870942012011-08-02T05:38:00.000-07:002011-08-02T05:38:27.402-07:00Modelling for James Corrin/Captured LightAt the start of July I popped down to London for the day to take part in the annual Roost Photoshoot organised by Ange Harper (<a href="http://www4.clikpic.com/AngeHarper/">http://www4.clikpic.com/AngeHarper/</a>) and as well as supplying a large suitcase full of hats for the other models to use I got dressed up and modelled for a couple of the photographers too!<br />
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The first set I have to offer is by James Corrin (<a href="http://www.capturedlight.eu/">www.capturedlight.eu</a>), a fantastic photographer who really put me at ease, and as you can see he produced some fantastic images!<br />
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Cherry Fascinator by Off With Her Head (<a href="http://www.offwithherheadmillinery.co.uk/">www.offwithherheadmillinery.co.uk</a>)<br />
Clothes, Styling and Make-Up all models own.Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15714664111848811364noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5228720642852563685.post-77204164440263560802011-07-24T00:17:00.000-07:002011-07-24T00:17:43.183-07:00Labyrinth<div style="text-align: center;">Last night, Alan and I had a baby-free evening and headed off out to the DCA to see a showing of the 1986 movie 'Labyrinth' starring David Bowie and Jennifer Connelly. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUuDw1mSDE3k2gaCGLE2benEy2DT98OvH6n7zX08DB77qKi0IKtN3Yb5GiqSr3g3lrWbv1vyYanlppJQ7uZVk-VGQzOohH59dEHsKD3QZhH81vLP31eq41dD4vb4_awyqQh6bCztsX/s1600/Labyrinth+movie+poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUuDw1mSDE3k2gaCGLE2benEy2DT98OvH6n7zX08DB77qKi0IKtN3Yb5GiqSr3g3lrWbv1vyYanlppJQ7uZVk-VGQzOohH59dEHsKD3QZhH81vLP31eq41dD4vb4_awyqQh6bCztsX/s320/Labyrinth+movie+poster.jpg" width="214" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Having loved this film for as long as I can remember and owned it in many formats (VHS, DVD and now Blu-Ray), I was excited to see it in the cinema. This was the first time I had seen it on the big screen and I was not disappointed! There were around 100 off us fans packed into the cinema at the DCA (which has some of the comfiest cinema seats I'm sat in for a while). As the movie started there were murmurs of anticipation, the now somewhat dated CGI owl flew across the screen, and the opening scene of Sarah reciting lines from the Labyrinth commenced. Throughout the movie you could here others reciting lines that we all knew and loved, not least the whole 'You remind me of the Babe' part which I did too join in with! We all laughed and the goblins and at the gratuitous crotch shots, and sang along with the songs and a few of us even applauded at the end too!</div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">It has been, and will always remain one of my favourite movies of all time. Alan and I even had 'As the world falls down' played at our wedding this past march! I've always had a soft spot for anything Jim Henson and Brian Froud! This was a real treat for me and I highly recommend that if its coming to a cinema local to you, go and see it!</div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Finally... can anyone guess who this is... he was perhaps the 'star' of The Labyrinth back in the day... but my hasn't her grow up!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi31H4eMJ4sHtw2kMz57fnSiTm1tS978GiBZcXSufnECMgDyZL0MY8x1GOSILh4O5jfwdjDvESH5dbhyphenhyphenSzvSy4pPL4AdRWs9hkFN2kEYPx7elmZLsZuODzTiXcX0g6y-OvFpb5OkyMB/s1600/toby.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi31H4eMJ4sHtw2kMz57fnSiTm1tS978GiBZcXSufnECMgDyZL0MY8x1GOSILh4O5jfwdjDvESH5dbhyphenhyphenSzvSy4pPL4AdRWs9hkFN2kEYPx7elmZLsZuODzTiXcX0g6y-OvFpb5OkyMB/s320/toby.JPG" width="246" /></a></div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15714664111848811364noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5228720642852563685.post-9010672194005220022011-06-24T11:44:00.000-07:002011-06-24T11:44:12.906-07:00Fascinator Friday... How you can get involved?Well its a little late on this Friday, but here I am after a long shift at work, seeing off the Hubby for his weekend away gaming a settling Kaylee to bed, to tell you all about just how you can get involved in Fascinator Friday!<br />
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We all know that hats and particularly fascinators are becoming more and more popular, not least thanks to the many fascinators worn in recent months by the new Duchess of Cambridge! And I'd like to create a reason for us normal folks to wear their fascinators with pride... and so I give you 'Fascinator Friday'... the one day of the week when for no other reason than because you can, you don your favourite fascinator with pride!<br />
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And I'd like to see the results of our little campaign to bring back the hat into everyday wear, so please email me with your pics... and once a week as well as showcasing some of my favourite pieces I've found on Etsy I'll also pop up a couple of pictures from my Fascinator Friday gang... so if you'd like to get involved then simply send your pics to <a href="mailto:LisaJ@offwithherhead.co.uk">LisaJ@offwithherhead.co.uk</a><br />
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Thats all for this week... its been a hectic week and I'm going to settle down with a good book and the tennis for the rest of the night... talking of tennis, pop back next week for my Fascinator Friday, with a Wimbledon theme, just in time for the finals!!Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15714664111848811364noreply@blogger.com0