My new obsession

Before I start, I know how weird this is...please remember this at the end of my post!

I am currently obsessed with straws. Yes, drinking straws. Now there's a sentence you never thought you'd say! But it's true. And it all started with a post on Project Wedding:
http://www.projectwedding.com/wedding-ideas/diy-an-old-fashioned-soda-bar

...and I fell in love. With the idea, with the colours, with the potential photo opportunities.

So, here's what I'm envisaging. Galvanised steel buckets full of crushed ice, laid on lawns in the shade of the trees. All the colours of the rainbow, the sound of fizz and bubbles and the clink of glass. Droplets sliding down glass on a hot summer's day. Happy guests and a riot of refreshment.

Which brings me back to reality and the straws. Look how fab these are!



These are from www.pipii.co.uk and I'm obsessed with how they will look in the bottles. I would have to go for grey as that's part of my colour scheme but I just think that they are so cute! Far more exciting than your normal straws - and trust me, I spent a long time searching for fabulous straws on t'internet. These are it!

Themed Airstreams...beautemous!

For the love of God...a-mazing!

My upcoming 30th birthday party

I was inspired by Charlotte of the Rock My Wedding blog, who had a British theme to her 30th. The photos are just fab....

So, I decided on a red, white and blue theme too...but I'm going for the good ol' US of A! I will readily admit to going a little bit crazy on my theme but then that's what I do.

Cue....red and blue sun visors, flags, cheerleader pom poms, M&Ms by the truckload, Oreos, a Cheers bar towel, Coca Cola merchandise, a Miss America tiara, an Elvis poster, Minnie Mouse ears, Alabama Slammers........

I have to say that I'm more bothered about the photo-corner with props (that I shamelessly stole from Charlotte), the debut of my original 1970s, free-standing cocktail bar and my decorations than I am about presents, my birthday, my outfit or anything else! Which tells me that I'm doing the right thing by starting this blog; details are everything!

Faith and hope in charity

I grew up in a lovely, friendly but run-down town. From the perspective of fashion, the shops there are completely low-end. But I love (and I mean love) shopping there every few Saturdays because of the amazing charity shops.

Yes, they smell; yes, they tend to have strange people in them (although that's part of the appeal for me! Some of the conversations!); yes, they are full of junk. But they also contain real treasures.

The things that adorn my home from a dusty old shop include a vintage glass sweet jar, an Art-deco round mirror, vintage blue liqueur glasses, a cream china jug used to water my plants....

....and now an ever-growing collection of vintage, all-white china. I'm collecting cups and saucers to use as table decorations for my wedding. I'll attach a photo of my two favourite finds. They were grimy and hidden away in the bottom of a cardboard box full of mismatched china but I brought them home, washed them til they were sparkling and just look how beautiful....

And they were 50p for the two.

My first moodboard!

Oh for God's sake....

...so no-one may ever read this but I have to try! That's my new mantra. So I'm back with a vengeance...even if it does feel like I'm speaking to myself!

So what have I been doing? Well, decorated my first venue for a wedding...Keele Hall for the lovely Amy. A combination of vintage glass, tulips, fairy-lights, vanilla candles and freesias made a dark stone stairway into a scented, sparkling walk-way.

Now I've been asked to make a table plan for my friend Bec who was officially my first ever client! I made her a mood-board for her wedding and came up with a personalised, hand-made I Do Ideas booklet (I just came up with that name - I must be inspired!). So that's my next project!

I've also been planning my All-American 30th birthday party. I may have gone a little to town with the theme but hey ho!

As for my own wedding...well, that's the plan for my summer holidays (I know, damn all teachers!).

So now let's see if I can keep on blogging..... x