+ Fashion
Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Wessex, dazzled on her wedding day on Saturday, wearing a beautiful diamond tiara lent to her by the Queen. The Queen Mary diamond bandeau tiara was made in 1932 for Queen Mary – our current HRH’s grandmother. The centre piece is a detachable brooch which was given to Mary of Teck (as she was then) in 1893 by the … Read More A tiara fit for a princess
+ Makes
Earlier I showed you how to make a vintage diamante side tiara. Next up is a hair pin made with a recycled vintage brooch. These pins look great added to an up-do and work well in thick or curly hair. Here I have used an old 1920’s brooch, two hair pins joined together, silver knitted wire and silver 0.2 wire. Firstly cut a length … Read More Making a Recycled Vintage Diamante Hair Pin
+ Makes
I have been making these side tiaras for a while now, but it all started in 2013 in response to an enquiry from a bride-to-be…. Paula loved vintage marcasite brooches and wanted a statement bridal headpiece made from them. I experimented with different techniques and ended up using silver plated wire to bind all the pieces together and fix them onto a blonde coloured … Read More Wiring together a Vintage Diamante Side Tiara
+ Makes
I was contacted earlier this year by fashion designer and dress-maker Emmie Miles to provide hair accessories for her to use in a bridal photo-shoot. Emmie was in the process of designing and making samples for her latest bridal wear collection, I saw the sketches and loved what she was doing, and instantly envisioned what hair pieces I could make to compliment them. Photos by … Read More Here’s One I Made Earlier…
The last few months have been focused on making new bridal pieces for the Bristol Vintage Wedding Fair. So focussed in fact that as I packed up the new stock at the studio I just kept finding more and more of it, pieces that I’d made and had then melted into the background as my workbench turned into a creative frenzy of sinamay fascinator … Read More A day out at the Zoo…for Bristol Vintage Wedding Fair
Firstly, Happy New Year to you all, and thanks for your support and encouragement throughout 2013. It’s been a while since I last wrote anything on here. The last few months have been a busy time, with lots of stock and orders to make for Christmas. The Flapper style headbands have been selling well through As Long as it Sparkles, my stockist in Stow-on-the-Wold, … Read More Farewell 2013…..and hello 2014!
I’m a little bit nervous. I foolishly agreed to do two fairs this weekend. Yes, two days in a row, setting up and taking down my stand and beautifully displayed stock, all day spent on my feet…….I feel tired just thinking about it! I’ve been busy making new stock, finalising new designs, and juggling two current bridal commissions and two orders from stockists! (It’s … Read More Two by Two
Today I had the unique experience of attending a dress fitting for four very gorgeous and excited young ladies, being a bride-to-be and her three bridesmaids, along with her mother and mother-in-law! I was dropping of a wedding commission, and we had arranged to meet at the studio of Laura of twentythree, a dress maker with a workshop at Cox & Baloney, Bristol. It’s … Read More Bristol Brides
+ Day to day, Makes
I have been collecting up old pearl necklaces, initially thinking of using them for flapper style head bands or tiaras, but after playing with coiling one round on a sinamay base and adding a diamante brooch for a bit of sparkle I came up with this design; This particular one is available at my new stockist in Bristol, Cox & Baloney (more on them … Read More Pearly Queen
Cotswolds milliner designing bespoke hats, fascinators & hair accessories 