Peonies are Perfect Brooch Bridal Bouquet

I have been working with a wonderful bride on creating her custom brooch bridal bouquet, and as always I asked the brides for feedback throughout because I want them to be super happy with their bouquet. I always send photos when I get the base of the bouquet set up and the bling positioned pretty much where I want it to see how the bride feels about it, and this bride fell in love with the satin and lace peonies.

They are really darling, and I also have been in love with them in this latte color since I started making them for this bouquet. There is just something about the latte color of the satin with the lace and pearl centers that is just so romantic and charming. I actually made a couple extra to make bridal accessories such as hair clips, a boutineer, and a sash; these flowers were just so captivating I will post pics soon of the matching accessories for this bouquet so stay tuned.

Anyway, the sweet bride-to-be requested that I add some more of these darling little flowers, and I gladly did. The bouquet turned out completely exquisite, and I thought I would share some pics with you!

***If you would like to purchase a bouquet like this it can be made to your custom specifications check out this link

This bouquet is made using satin ans lace peonies, satin ribbon roses, a cotton hydrangea base, and a lace skirt. The jewelry is gold and silver with purple, latte, and clear crystals and rhinestones, and pearls. The handle is french knotted in purple and latte.

A Charming Brooch Bouquet for a Charming Lady Part 2

So you saw the last pics of this pretty chiffon and satin brooch bouquet; now check out the completed product. The last pictures you saw were the handmade flowers, jewelry, and filler flower base. This is the bouquet after the shell has been created and the instead is stuffed with more fabric to make it strong and full. The tulle skirt has been added and the handle is wrapped with ivory satin.

*If you are interested in a custom bouquet like this one check out this listing,  my etsy shop, or email me directly at artforahome@yahoo.com

A Charming Brooch Bouquet for a Charming Lady!

This brooch bouquet has been a pleasure to work on; the bride-to-be is a doll, and I think that is reflected in this bouquet quite nicely. The brooch bouquet is mainly ivory with subtle hint of baby pink. The sparkle and shine of this bouquet comes from gold, pearl, and silver brooches, cocktail rings, and several other sparkly vintage jewelry findings. Vintage pearls strands are draped lightly through out the bouquet, and the entire piece will be finished with a tulle skirt and ivory satin ribbon handle. I think this bouquet is one of my favorite so far. It is gorgeous, and it reflects the sweet personality of the customer.

To see this bouquet completed check out this post. 

*If you are interested in a custom bouquet like this one feel free to check out my etsy shop or email me directly at artforahome@yahoo.com

 

If you are interested in a custom bouquet like this one feel free to check out my etsy or email me directly. 

My Bridal Bouquets Displayed at Planning Pretty Bridal Event on Feb 24th

I am excited to announce that my bridal bouquets and accessories will be displayed at this event. There will be a very pretty toss bouquet up for raffle, and special handmade fabric flower accessories in the goodie bags. Check back later this week for a sneak peak at what the lucky bride-to-be will receive. This event is going to be a lot of fun for brides, and here is some more details.

Westchester Hair Stylist, Melissa Scrofani and Meredith Hayman, Makeup Artist invite you to learn hair and makeup looks for your bridal shower, bachelorette party, and honeymoon that you can do yourself with confidence and ease. Get wedding planning tips from other top Hudson Valley wedding professionals including Monica from Antique Honey Photography, David Nazario from APB Entertainment, Sarah Lusardi from NY Engagements and Jason from JDS Hometraining. Join us for cocktails, snacks, raffles, and try out a pose or two in a custom Antique Honey photo booth! Invitation only. We expect a big turn-out so choose one special friend (who is also engaged) or your Maid-of-Honor to bring with you. This event requires registration: http://www.punchbowl.com/parties/3370055-planning-pretty

How to Make a Fabric Flower Corsages Easily and Inexpensively

I have been making all sorts of fabric flowers and bouquets lately, and it is a complete obsession I think at this point. I am thinking about flowers when I fall asleep at night. I made some corsages yesterday, and I thought I would share with you by providing simple steps on how to make a fabric  flower corsage easily and inexpensively.

Here are some pics to help you see the finished fabric flower corsage.You can also click the pic if you liked the corsage but didn't want to make it yourself.

                                                              Dahlia and Peony Corsage

This corsage is easy enough to make; you will need cotton fabric, chiffon fabric, pearls, wire, lace, satin ribbon, scissors, and needle and thread. A burning candle is also important. 

Start by cutting a couple of circles out of the chiffon, and make sure to vary the sizes. Then cut a 12" x 3" long strip from the cotton. Also cut three 4" long strips of lace and a 12" long piece of satin ribbon. Then cut triangles out of one side of the cotton strip. This will create the zigzag edge of the dahlia. 

Cut 2 short pieces of wire and thread a pearl on each. Twist the wire right underneath the pearl to make a small stem. Use the candle to slightly melt the edge of the chiffon circles. This will create a cup like shape. Then use the candle to seal the end of the satin ribbon.

Thread the needle and sew all the chiffon cupped petals on top of each other. Then sew a straight stitch across the botton of the cotton strip that is straight. Pull the thread tight so the strip forms a circle. Sew the 2 ends together.

Stick the wired pearl into the center of the cotton bud and sew shut. Then stick the other wired pearl through the center of the chiffon peony and sew around the base of the wire. Wrap the ends of the wire together so the flowers are facing away from each other, but still close to each other. 

Then wrap the lace strips around the wire to cover it and tie in a knot. Sew the completed embellishment to the ribbon, and your handmade fabric flower corsage is complete. 

 Here are some pics of other corsages I made yesterday as well. You can see how similar steps in this corsage are used in the other ones.

Chiffon Peony and Dahlia Buds on Satin Ribbon and Pearl Beaded Lace

Lace and Satin Ruffle Rosette Corsage on Satin Ribbon

Hope this how to helped you and if you have questions, comments, tips, and tricks I would love to hear them!

You can check out more wedding items and pretty accessories here on my etsy shop!

Stay tuned for more fun how to articles!

Valentine's Day Crafts for Adults

With all the kids craft ideas out there adults can sometimes get left by the wayside, but this Valentine's Day there are plenty of fun crafts that adults can do. Valentine's Day is not just for eating chocolate and giving roses; it is a great holiday for crafting. This article will provide adults with several Valentine's Day crafts that they can enjoy.

Abstract Love Emotion Painting

Love is a mysterious thing, and it is a simple word, but it is hard to put it into imagery. Instead of focusing on the regular images associated with love this Valentine's Day try making an abstract love emotion painting. For this you will need music that reminds you of love, tempera, acrylic, or watercolor paint, paper, a paintbrush, and a marker.

Start this craft by finding a comfortable spot to work and gathering your materials. Put on the music you have chosen, and get comfortable. Write the word love somewhere on the paper; feel free to put it wherever you like and make it whatever size you like. Next think about love and how it makes you feel and paint. Use whatever colors you like, and whatever images or symbols you like. Try to go with your gut and just paint. When you are satisfied with your love inspired craft you can hang it on your wall for Valentine's Day.

Quote Wall Hanging

For this Valentine's Day craft you will need to find a quote that encompasses what love means to you. It can be short and sweet or a paragraph long. Print the quote out or write it neatly on a piece of paper. Use other mediums to embellish the quote. You can make the first letter much bigger than the rest and make a nice border around that letter and the top and side of the quote, or you can write the quote simply and add some small hearts underneath it. Decorate the quote however you like and frame it. This Valentine's Day craft is a nice way to bring the reminder of love into your home.

Love Collage

Making a love collage is a fun way to examine how you feel about love while making a nice piece of art. For this craft project you will need a piece of cardboard, old magazines, scissors, and glue. Start by cutting out the letters L,O,V, and E, and glue these letters to the middle of the collage. Next cut out several images that remind you of love; if you are thinking about a specific person you can add photos and items that remind you of them. Glue all of these items to the cardboard, and attach a piece of ribbon to the back so you can hang it up for Valentine's Day.

Adults can make many fun and inspiring crafts for Valentine's Day, and spreading love is always a good idea; so why not get out your crafting supplies and start getting artsy!

Interesting Facts About Valentine's Day

When many people think of Valentine's Day they think of roses, cards, and chocolate all covered in red and pink, but there are many other fascinating parts of Valentine's Day. This article will discuss several interesting facts about Valentine's Day.

1. Romeo and Juliet is probably the most famous of all love stories. On Valentine's Day the town of Verona "receives about 1,000 letters every year sent to Juliet" (A.,2007).

2. Valentine's Day is a day of love and affection, but it may have started in an usual way. It is believed that Emperor Claudius II ordered his soldiers to not get married because he believed it impacted their ability to fight, but a priest named Valentine conducted secret weddings anyway. It is amazing that outlawing marriage could start a holiday about love.

3. It is also believed that the origin of referring to someone as your valentine came from a letter the priest named Valentine wrote to a woman he had fallen in love with. After Claudius realized what Valentine had done he order him to be executed. While he was in jail he fell in love and wrote his amore a love letter that was signed, "From Your Valentine".

4. Wearing your heart on your sleeve is a common phrase, but it originated because of Valentine's Day. In the middle ages young men and women drew names from a hat to choose who would be their valentine that year, and they would pin the name to their sleeve to show their feelings.

5. During Valentine's Day "around 1 billion cards" are sent across the U.S. (A., 2007).

6. Valentine's Day may have its name because of a saint, but it has long had links to love and fertility. February 14^th is the traditional day in nature when bird choose their mates.

7. On the 15^th of February the Romans would hold a lottery where the winner would choose their woman.

8. In the Middle Ages it was believed that the first person you met on Valentine's Day would be your future significant other.

9. You may think mothers or significant others are the recipients of the most Valentine's Day cards, but teachers actually receive the most valentines.

10. Children from the age of 6-10 are will give and receive more than 650 million Valentine's Day cards.

11. The rose is the traditional flower of Valentine's Day, and it signifies romance and passion. The rose was also the flower associated with the Roman goddess known as Venus.

12. Cupid is another famous symbol of this holiday, and he is always shown with his bow and arrow. Cupid was the son of the goddess of love, and if you were shot with his arrow you would automatically fall in love with the next person you saw.

13. During the Medieval times young girls would traditionally eat strange and sometimes bizarre foods; this was said to cause them to dream of their future husbands at night.

14. 15% of women will send themselves flowers on Valentine's Day.

15. Casanova is probably the world's most famous lover, and he was known for eating chocolate as an aphrodisiac.

16. Love poems are a perfect gift for Valentine's Day, and people have been writing each other love poems for a very long time. In fact the first love poem was written on a clay tablet during the time of the "Sumerians" which was around "3500 B.C." (A.,2007).

17. Giving chocolate and roses has been a long held tradition during Valentine's Day, but wooden spoons were carved and given as gifts in Wales for this holiday. They are decorated with keys and lock to symbolize the heart belonging to the owner of the spoon.

18. The pilgrims would send all sorts of sugary treats to their loved ones on Valentine's Day, and this was highly valued because sugar was a rare commodity during these times.

19. Lace is a common item during Valentine's Day, and its link to romance started when women would use a lace handkerchief to strike up conversation with the person admired. A woman would drop their handkerchief in front of a man, and he would pick it up and initiate communication.

20. The heart is symbolic of Valentine's Day, and it symbolizes love and affection. The symbol of a heart originated with mans first attempt to draw something they could not see. The heart is also representative of love because it is where Cupid would shoot his arrow to make you fall in love. The heart was also believed to be where the soul resided.

Valentine's Day is a day of love and emotion, and although it started with secret marriages it is now a day of celebrating your love in front of the whole world.

Reference:A., A. (2007). Valentine day facts. Retrieved from http://www.mydearvalentine.com/valentines-day-facts/

Brooch Bridal Bouquet Cinderella Style White Ivory Cream Silver and Gold Pearls and Crystals

Brooch Bridal Bouquet Cinderella Style White Ivory Cream Silver and Gold Pearls and Crystals

This fabric flower bouquet is made using cotton, satin, and lace in a white and ivory color. This bridal bouquet contains white peonies made using lace, pearls, and satin. Satin ribbon roses in cream, and hydrangeas in soft cotton ivory. They hydrangeas are not handmade bit the edge of each petal is hand detailed with the lightest touch of glitter for a magical effect. 

Several strands of vintage pearls are strung throughout the bouquet and each is sewn in place to create a surreal and stunning look. I have also added many different vintage brooches, earrings, charms, necklaces, and rings to this bouquet to give it a glamorous feeling. I have used a variety of vintage and modern re purposed jewelry items in silver and gold to create this one of a kind bouquet. Everything is hand sewn, together to keep the delicate round shape of the bouquet in place.

How to Curl a Synthetic Wig Using a Curling Iron

So you found the perfect wig, but it is straight and it needs to be curly. Well, you can curl your wig yourself without spending a lot of money or time. This article describes how to curl your synthetic wig using the curling iron method.

For this method of curling a synthetic wig you will need a curling iron that has a low temperature setting and few claw clips. It is a good idea to rest your wig on a mannequin or another sturdy object so it does not move while you work on it. Using pins to keep it in place will solve this problem in most cases. The claw clips can help you section off the hair as you work.

Start by brushing your wig so the hair is straight and the ends are nice and even. Tangles in your wig will cause problems and your curls will not look as intended. While you are making your wig nice and neat you can plug in your curling iron so it has time to heat up. Remember to use the low heat setting because you do not want to melt the wig. This is also a good time to do a test strand because synthetic wigs are made from plastic; too little heat will not set the curl and too much heat will melt the hair fibers.

After you have tested out the heat of your curling iron and brushed all the hair neatly you can start curling your wig. It is a good idea to start from the bottom of the wig and work your way up. Pull the top section of the hair up and clip it to the top of the wig. Separate a 1 inch section of hair and start at the tip like you would when curling regular hair. Roll the hair around the barrel of the curling iron and heat for 30 - 45 seconds.

Gently unroll the section of hair, but do not let it hang down. Keep your hand under the curl as you unroll it so it can maintain the circular shape. Hold the curl in your hand for at least 10 seconds. This will let the synthetic wig hair cool down in the correct shape. After 10 seconds has elapsed you will have a beautiful ringlet.

Continue styling the rest of the wig until all of the hair is curled. The curls will last until the hair is straightened. This method of curling a synthetic wig is easy enough for even a hair styling novice to complete. It allows your wig to look completely new without spending any money.

Also if you like this tail or are looking for fun wigs and other costume items check out my site! 

Funny Love Cards and Anti Valentine Cards

Here is a collection of funny love cards and anti valentine's cards I made recently. 

You can find these and more here.