Cherry Blossom

This is a quick post dedicated to the humble Cherry Blossom. I know we're coming into winter and it's not the time to be thinking about CB's but then I wonder if it could be precisely the time to be thinking about Cherry Blossoms. Something to look forward to. Perhaps to think about as an addition or the lone star of a bouquet or scattered about the place exuding charm and loveliness to all. 

I don't know if many brides have Cherry Blossoms, but they should. I do know that they are delicate and can fall about everywhere but I think that only adds to their beauty. They are the essence of impermanence and beginnings. They're fragile, just like beginnings can be.

My favourite garden in Mt Wilson has a spectacular Cherry Blossom walk. The branches curve over to each other and create a sort of tunnel. So when you look to the sky it is through a web of Cherry Blossoms. I especially love a weeping tree as that is exactly what I want to do when I see them!

Here are some lovely Cherry Blossoms to inspire.....

                                             

This one is especially lovely

CB's go perfectly blue skies. How could one not feel happy gazes up through these?

This one looks a bit like a peony doesn't it? I don't know the name of it which I guess I should try to find out....

Anyway, I'm thinking that maybe I could get Tim to come up with a CB design for our kitchen splash back. Then I could admire them while I'm cooking.

Real Brides - Wedding Pics

After months of working with a bride designing, fitting and making up her dress, it can be rather sad to see it walk out the door. And her too of course! My dresses are like children really and no one likes to see their kids leave home when they've just gotten used to them! So it's a very nice thing when I get sent some photos of the dress on it's big day. I have been quite astonished sometimes to notice how fetching a bride actually is when she's all polished and dressed to kill! Like most of us, she usually comes in wearing jeans, hair hardly done or not at all and not much make up to speak of...... I could almost be describing myself then!

Anyway, what I mean is that I love receiving photos of my bride in her dress looking fabulous, especially more fabulous than I expect. Throughout all the fittings it's me putting the effort in and finally on the day, the bride then gets to put in her side of the bargain. I'm rarely disappointed  and occasionally thrilled!

This is my lovely bride. Her dress is made from Silk satin underneath layers of French silk tulle and French Lace. Perfect for the beach. Soft, bohemian, glamourous and a little sexy. The colours are antique blush satin, bleached sand silk tulle and the lace has a metallic gold thread running through it. It has lots of lovely movement in the fabric and is quite swishy when you walk.

I also think her hair is rather fab. I'll have to find out who did it and post that information. Her photographer was Bradley Patrick from Sugarlove

   

     

     

I love a glamourous girl! What a great muse!

Tutu's for all women

I think every woman should wear a tutu at least once in her life. Although, as far as I'm aware, I haven't..... but every other woman should. I didn't get the idea of the tutu until I went to see Sylvie Guillem perform in the Sydney Festival a couple of years ago. Actually she wasn't wearing a tutu at the time but there was a book of all her performances in the foyer and it was in there that the beauty and extravagance of the tutu was revealed to me. See below for yourself...

Perhaps because of the romantic images they evoke and even the music one hears when thinking of them, they seem such magical things. Dainty, elegant and graceful, I'm sure one couldn't help but be all those things when swishing around in one. I think it would be such fun to wear one for a wedding. The right one of course.

There are many versions to be had of the tutu and I think there is a style for everyone. As long as the bodice is fitted and fine and there is tulle involved in some way, I think that qualifies as a tutu. Here below are some versions of the tutu that are good for inspiration.

Here's the lovely Gwen Stefani in a fab Chanel tutu style dress. I realised upon finding this image that I made a dress based on this for one of my brides last year. I'll have to harass her for a pic.

The fantastic Alexander McQueen and his versions.

This is a Christian Dior dress from 1950 photographed by  Norman Parkinson. I love the fabric.

This is Norman Parkinson again. I don't know whose dress this is (the book is in my studio) but apart from its loveliness I think this is a great shot for a wedding dress with a back detail and lots of drama in the skirt like this.

Tim sent me this image, not for any reason other than he thought I would like it and it happens to fit perfectly with this post. It's so handy having another designer in the family, the more eyes to see things with, the better.... See it's still lovely even when it's a wilting flower!

Anyway, there will be more on the tutu...... x