Facebook Giveaway Pretty Butterfly Necklaces

Happy Saturday all!

I’m having a little giveaway on my Facebook page at the moment and one of these pretty butterfly necklaces will be fluttering away to a lucky winner on the 18th of November.

The necklaces are made by taking the watch face out of a pocket watch style necklace and putting pretty patterned paper and butterflies inside. The little butterflies all have raised wings giving the design a 3D effect. The butterflies are embellished with gems to add some sparkle.

The necklaces have a long chain with a 40cm drop and the pendants measure 2.5cm in diameter as can be seen in the photos. They are made from base metals and are designed to be worn as costume jewellery. They will stand some minor splashing but swimming in them is not recommended.

The necklaces are handmade by me and I will be adding them to a Handmade & Hitched shop which will be coming soon. I have sold lots of these through my previous little business and family and friends have loved receiving them as birthday treats.

To be in with a chance of winning all you have to do is nip over to www.facebook.com/handmadeandhitched, like the facebook page and comment on the giveaway photo stating which necklace you would like if you were to win. The three necklaces are numbered in the photo (as shown below) so you just need to say whether you would like 1,2 or 3.

I will be pulling names from a hat on Monday 18th November when one of my little creations could be on its way to you!

Good luck!

Michelle x

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Unique Wedding Stationery by The Love Paper Co

Handmade and Hitched

“Life’s loveliest celebrations deserve beautifully designed and printed stationery and cards”.

Stacey from The Love Paper Co.

And so they do! And how much more loveliness can you get than this…

The images above are from the Beau & Arrow Wedding Range designed by Stacey. There are all sorts of other gorgeous items from this range and many others, all stocked in her Etsy and Folksy shops.

While Stacey was getting married she stumbled across some of the big handmade marketplaces and really liked the idea of trying to set up her own business. A year down the line things have really taken off, she now ships orders all over the world. Stacey is really passionate about paper stocks and typography and enjoys using these to create eye catching invites and stationery for couples planning their big day. The Love Paper Co is based within Scotland in the UK. Samples are available for a small fee should you wish to check the quality prior to making a larger order. Stacey is able to customise her ranges based on colours, wording and quantities and a full set of co-ordinating items are available from each range. Just a few of the items that are available include wedding invites, wedding programs, favours, table plans and numbers, save the date cards and wedding menus.

Stacey really has thought of every little detail when setting up her business and even creates invites slightly smaller to fit the standard A2 envelope size for American and Canadian customers.

Have a little nosey at her shops, I think you will be more than pleased with what you see.

Etsy Shop: www.etsy.com/shop/TheLovePaperCo

Folksy Shop: www.folksy.com/shops/TheLovePaperCo

Twitter: @LovePaperCo

Images Courtesy of The Love Paper Co.

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Wedding and Event Styling with Boris and Betty

Handmade and Hitched

Over the last couple of weeks I have been working with a lovely wedding and event styling company called Boris and Betty to find out more about what they do and the special touches they can bring to your wedding day.

Boris and Betty is the brainchild of two sisters, Sheena and Shelley who come from an interior design and fashion background. This certainly explains their incredible eye for style and how they keep one step ahead of the current trends. Based within the UK, working across the North West, Kent and London they can transform your event into something spectacular and unique to you.

I completely lost myself in their drool-worthy photo gallery which shows all of the events that they have waved their magical styling wand over recently. Feast your eyes on this…

Image by Celynnen Photography

Image by Capture Memories Photography

Image by Celynnen Photography

Image by Capture Memories Photography

Image by Celynnen Photography

Image by Capture Memories Photography

Image by Celynnen Photography

Sheena and Shelley have kindly put together some further details about Boris and Betty, including some DIY styling tips to inspire you…

Boris and Betty’s Styling Process

Free styling consultation – you’ll get to know the stylist and she’ll get to know you. She’ll find out about your personality, likes, dislikes, colour scheme, ideas around decor and how you envisage the day. It’s a good time here to share any ideas you may have with the stylist.

Research – every client’s theme is researched and a proposal created based on the style Boris and Betty propose. This includes details on the types of decor, as well as a selection of images to give you an idea of how we’d produce your theme.

Bespoke style board – once clients’ are happy with the proposal, a contract is drawn up between Boris and Betty and the bride and groom. A bespoke / complimentary style board is then produced for the bride to treasure.

Communication – Boris and Betty will update clients’ throughout the process and is available to attend supplier meetings or liaise with suppliers to ensure they’re in-line with the couples theme and Boris and Betty’s styling.

Your wedding – Boris and Betty will always set up the day before, where possible meaning you can see your venue styled beautifully prior to your wedding.

Boris and Betty’s Top Styling Tips

Break the mold – say goodbye to the traditional and uniform centre pieces. Don’t be scared to try something different by mismatching eclectic pieces on your tables and styling each table individually. If you’re unsure where to start, research on Pinterest and save any images you like. Your stylist should be able to identify your style and develop the theme for you.

Have a particular hobby or interest? – Do let your stylist know. Your stylist should be able to gather enough information about you to bring out your personality throughout the styling.

Speak to your stylist – check that you get along, can have fun with them and can be yourself. Many people don’t have the opportunity to speak to their stylist until the day. Ask who your stylist will be and get to know them beforehand.

Don’t be scared – if you feel your stylist hasn’t given you depth to your style board, hasn’t really demonstrated your personality and hasn’t quite made it clear which items of stock they will use to create your theme , ask them. They can always set up a mock table beforehand and supply images.

Compliment your venue – style your reception to compliment your type of venue and theme.

Have fun together! – It’s the biggest day of your life. It will go quickly so ensure you take time to absorb your wedding, the styling and your guests. Watch them have fun and make sure you and your husband have fun.

Finally, DO book Boris and Betty! – We’ll do all the hard work so you can both enjoy being engaged and doing what you love together, stress free.

Images by Capture Memories Photography

For more beautiful decor hop over to www.borisandbetty.co.uk.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/borisandbetty
Twitter: @BorisandBetty

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Little Bird Wedding Cake Toppers

Handmade and Hitched

Today I’m bringing you some cute little creations from overseas. While having a nosey on Etsy I came across Blossom Hill, a beautiful shop selling handmade wedding cake toppers, cake bunting and tiny wool felt animals. How cute are these chaps and chapesses…

Vintage wedding cake topper birds – storm cloud grey and white. Image courtesy of Blossom Hill

The little birds are so sweet and lifelike; they look as if they all have their own personalities. Hazel the shop owner is able to make these to your own specifications, so you can style them and have them made to match your wedding colours.

Vintage and woodland style cake topper birds. Image courtesy of Blossom Hill

Wedding cake topper birds – Two grooms – same sex wedding. Image courtesy of Blossom Hill

Mini Bunting. Image courtesy of Blossom Hill

Hazel opened Blossom Hill in 2006 starting with just a few vintage patterns for tiny woodland animals. Since then her collection has expanded and she has developed a number of her own designs. Each animal is sewn lovingly by hand with soft merino wool blend felt and embroidery cotton. Originally from the UK, Hazel is now based in Canada and she is happy to send her little animals off on their travels worldwide. The items displayed in her shop are ready to be shipped within 3 business days. If you would like a custom order you can contact Hazel through her Etsy shop and she can have your item ready within 3-5 days depending on her current fabric stock. Orders are all beautifully packaged in tissue paper and come inside a gift a box.

Blossom Hill has received over 1,300 positive customer reviews, which is a testimony to how much care Hazel takes over each order. She has made lasting impressions on her customers based on her skills for perfectly matching fabrics and colours to those required. People have been thrilled to add such a unique item to their wedding day. I think they are just fantastic!

Vintage wedding cake topper birds -shabby chic keepsake love birds. Image courtesy of Blossom Hill

Shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/BlossomHill
Blog: http://blossomhillcottons.blogspot.co.uk/

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How to Make a Ring Pillow

Handmade and Hitched

Here’s a little tutorial that I put together based on my own ideas of how to make a ring pillow. I’m a big fan of pretty vintage style fabrics so this is what I have gone for. You can use any kind of fabric you like for your own designs. I’ve also decorated my cushion with little flowers but you could use something a bit different like sparkly buttons or gems. Get your creative thinking cap on and give it a whirl.

You will need:

A sewing machine or needle and thread if you are doing it by hand.
Your choice of fabric
Lace
Ribbon
Fabric flowers
Wadding
Scissors
Tape measure

1. Select your fabric and lay it out ready to use

2. Measure out two squares. I’ve gone for 8″ squares as this seems to be about the standard size of a ring pillow but the size is really your choice. You may want to iron your pieces at this stage too if they are very creased. I found that the pieces creased when turning the fabric inside out so I opted to iron them once I had sewn them together.

3. Measure out a piece of lace twice the size of your square so that you can fold it over like this…

4. Sew half of the lace on to the patterned side of one of the fabric squares by running a stitch straight down the middle. The other half will be hanging off the end of the fabric at this point.

5. Now that the lace is attached fold the other half over and pin it on top of the stitched lace. The loose piece of lace will create your handle.

6. Place the fabric pieces on top of each other so that the patterned sides are facing inwards.

7. Sew the pieces together leaving a 2-3″ gap so that you can turn the fabric inside out (the right way round again).

8. once you have turned the pieces the right way round make sure that the lace is on each side of the cushion. If both pieces are on one side then pull the loose piece round to the other side. You can iron any creases out of the fabric taking care to avoid the lace as it may melt under the heat of the iron.

9. Sew your piece of ribbon on to the side with the lace stitched down. Put a few stitches in the middle of the ribbon to attach it to the cushion. You will attach your rings to this ribbon. Sew your flowers over the top to hide the stitching on the ribbon.

You may want to do this part before sewing your pieces together but I prefer to do it this way so that I know it will be symmetrical and my flowers will be exactly in the middle of the cushion. If you leave a big enough opening so that you can get your fingers inside the cushion then you should be fine doing it like this.