Happy Birthday son.

Completely non wedding related but a celebration nevertheless. Today is my son's 20th birthday and much like all but 1 of his 20 birthdays, we have been blessed with glorious weather. Crisp, but sunny and dry.

Today, apart from having a few sewing related jobs, I am devoting my time by preparing tonight's birthday meal. An avid Levi Roots lover, Sam has requested ital carrot and sweet potato soup to start, Martinique coconut chicken curry for mains and ginger, pecan and rum chocolate brownies. Also (by request) a chocolate gateaux-style cake with green icing. I always make the childrens birthday cakes just as I did for his 18th. He requested a three-tier cheescake. Not the hard cheese type nice with crackers, but the pudding type. A challenge as each tier was stabalized by dowels to stop them from sinking. The whole thing was drizzled with chocolate and topped off with mandarin orange segments. (tinned)

So, I hope you enjoy your day son and I just wanted to take the opportunity of saying how very, very proud of you I am.

Happy Birthday. x

http://www.reggae-reggae.co.uk/

When a customer says, "Thank you."

It's always a pleasure to see a client over the moon with their dress and even more so when you get those extra thank you's. The above flowers were fom a recent client, Nadia who said of her dress below. "I know I've already said thanks a few times!!! But just wanted to say a huge thanks...my dress was perfect. Love looking at photos of it!!!

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From Natalie, a client who I've never met. "Oh Linda! It's so beautiful I have goosebumps and I'm crying!!!! I absolutely love it and it fits perfectly!I LOVE the beading on it too! I shall be printing the construction photos all off and keeping them in my wedding box. Not many brides get to see pictures of their dress in all stages of construction so thank you for that also!Thank you so much firstly for your offer to make the dress and secondly for being so helpful and making the whole process extremely easy!"

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"Hi Linda I'm not sure I agree that it's been a pleasure working with me -, but I can definately say the reverse is true. Thank you for all your help, and for being so patient while I have got the colours right. Everything looks fabulous - I am extremely happy and excited to get the kids to try things on. I will be sure to send you a photo of them modelling your work!
Thanks again! Mel."

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"You're doing such a magnificent job!!..I couldn't have asked for a better dressmaker!!..they're more perfect then i'd ever imagined!!" Hazel.

Congratulations Hazel and Craig.

The recent bout of depressing October weather gave way today offering a window of sunshine for the wedding of Hazel and Craig at St. Bartholomews Church, Colne.

Hazel took the opportunity of my personal dressing service and I arrived at her home armed with my iron, essential emergency kit (which came in handy when one of the flower girls got mascara over her dress) and began pressing the brides gown, flower girls dresses and the adult bridesmaids outfits which Hazel had comissioned me to make.

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An autumnal colour theme mixing orange gerberas with red berries, ivory roses and a deep green foliage was chosen to match the gold silk dupion Hazel had picked for the bridesmaids. Originally opting for stoles, I suggested she consider the trendy shrug jackets which were welcomed by all three girls.

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After dressing the flowergirls and lacing up all three bridesmaid outfits, I helped Hazel step into her gown. With her hair dressed, tiara and veil attached, I never recommend a wedding gown going over someones head. I then helped with her petticoat, shoes and made final adjustments before the final moments on leaving the house.

Zoe with her wonderful bouquet.

Two of the three flower girls dressed in gold organza with faux fur jackets available from BHS.


Final moments before entering the church.


With one last flick of Hazel's train, we hugged and after I wished her all the very best, she entered the church to join Craig.

My personal wedding dressing service is available to anyone wishing to relieve some stress on their big day. If this is a service that could be of interest to you, please enquire for further details.

She wears it well.

I always tell my daughter, the art of great make-up application is to look like you're not wearing any. Natural and radiant, to enhance your features and not change your appearance.

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The key to your bridal make-up lies in shade choices and the application technique making it feel weightless and comfortable so it will last all day and is especially photo friendly.

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I met Audrey at the Ramada Hotel Wetherby on Sunday at a wedding fair.

Audrey is a Virgin Vie consultant and was approached by the company to become a cosmetic consultant. But in my opinion, Audrey is much more than a competent make-up artist. She has been a Cosmetic Camouflage Practitioner for five years running a camouflage clinic at a local hospital. She covers many types of skin imperfections from scars, birthmarks and even Tattoos. When Virgin Vie approached her Audrey saw it as an ideal opportunity to utilize the skills she has acquired and apply it to bridal make-up.

"I really love the buzz of seeing people feeling much happier and confident about their appearance." She said.

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Image supplied by kind permission of Audrey McCartney.

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Audrey McCartney is an independent consultant
and belongs to the British Association of Skin Camouflage Practitioners
Tel:07963 415 917
E-mail:audreymccartney@hotmail.com

Prices
Consultation fee £10 per person.
Bride- £50
Mother of the Bride/Groom -£50
Bridesmaids £15-£30 (Dependent
on age and amount of makeup required)

Choosing your veil length and style.

Client wearing a 59" veil.

It may seem obvious, but the best piece of advice is to choose your dress before your accessories.
When I worked for Pronuptia, it was the tiara and veil that transformed the beautiful bride into a stunning vision of perfection and maintaining that perfection means to have a balance where no one piece should overwhelm the other. That remains today. It was also the ability to know which one particular piece worked well with certain styles of wedding gowns.

A plain veil works perfectly with a detailed or elaborate wedding dress. Choose a short veil to end above the detail or a long one to end below, and if there is no train, try to allow your veil to end at the skirt hemline or a little beyond. And, just as a plain veil works with an ornate gown

an ornate or decorated veil such as lace or beading will add some instant glamour to the simplistic of dresses.

Many customers would avoid trying a veil, adament they didn't want one, especially if there was no intention to wear it over the face. But, the veil can act as the essential missing piece so I would encourage anyone to at least try (afterall, you only get to wear a veil once) so use it as an accessory.

Likewise, if mum really wants to see her little girl in the complete ensemble, don't feel pressured into wearing something if you really don't want to. An ornate headpiece alone can be just as stunning.

Veil lengths.

39" veil - often referred to as shoulder length
47" veil - often referred to as elbow length.
59" veil - often referred to as waist length.
72" veil - often referred to as fingertip length.

98" veil often referred to as floor length.
126" veil often referred to as chapel length
144" size veil often referred to as cathedral length.



Of course, a veil can be made to any length or style you require, so just as your wedding gown can be designed, it can be complimented with a bespoke silk or synthetic tulle veil.

Images of selected wedding lengths can be found at

http://www.glamourousgowns.co.uk/shopdata/gg_blog.php?id=57