sweet days and roses

...planning your wedding day during the initial stages seems newly exciting, a little exhausting, uncontrollably addictive...lots of wedding magazines are cradled in your arms, sat for many hours into the early morning searching for that 'life changing web site' and then discovering the world of blog hopping that stops you from sleeping as you say to yourself 'ohhh just another 5 minutes' and then you see dawn break between the curtains and you have work in less than three hours...........phew!

...well......have you ever thought of hiring a planner..a person who knows exactly which venue, the perfect florist, 'CREATIVE STATIONER', where to go, how much, the valued service, the right look, within location....I have met just the perfect vintage loving creative this week who could be the answer to your endless planning lists...let me introduce Janey from 'Sweet Days and Roses' - a like minded soul who is also inspired by all that is vintage...

Janey runs a bespoke wedding planning company who is based in Cheshire who specialises in vintage weddings, here's a few words from her web site...

"...whether you would like a natural, extravagant, organic or gorgeously romantic wedding - we have the skills, expertise and passion to create a wedding for you that will be truly special, visually stunning and one that will live in your hearts and memories forever...."

Just think of the time you will save and the invested time you will gain in endless chats and meetings with someone who is just as passionate about your wedding as you are....

daydreaming in derbyshire

...for the last week the studio door has been closed and I have been daydreaming in derbyshire...so this is just to let you know that we are back and ready to tip toe through the emails and post from the last week so apologies if you are awaiting replies...

shop open!!!!

...finally, finally, finally, got round to building the new (easier to use) 'PAPER STORE'. We've lots of creative bits n bobs to still come. The idea behind the little shop is so you can buy little bits and pieces even after your wedding (and also during). Place cards for a party or dinner party, pin badges, greetings cards, gift tags, a little christmas shop (shelves being filled in September), an area for little 'vintage finds' we come across and then pass to you and a 'bottom drawer' where we will sell anything from little drawings and prints to frame along with other hand made creations......so keep watching, make it one of your favourites and keep stopping by. The postage and packing is included in most price totals and easy to pay via PayPal......... click here to take a look...

and finally.....

...well, after many long hours and a frustrating power cut last night, finally got to upgrade the web site with all the new colour palettes for the English and Vintage Rose Collections and not forgetting the new 'Miss Fondant' Collection, here's a few pics for you to glance over and make you feel all summery and don't forget to pop over to the site............

new "miss fondant"

...the new miss fondant collection hasn't even launched on the web site as of yet (although should be there by wednesday..) and already we have had our first little order for some menus. The order came from a client who was already ordering from us and couldn't resist the idea of a little bit of summer fun to dress her tables...

time out

...my clients out there know the hours I work and if you were to email me at two in the morning then I would probably reply!!! but today, although i am in the studio til 2, will be basking in the sunshine (if any can find its way through cloud!). It's the bbq life for me..

...made sure I had an early start this morning and worked on the best 'to do' job first - wrapping gifts - enjoy your weekend...

very sweet and a little bit cheeky

...the day has been a wash of colour. Every surface has been cluttered with vintage plates, cups and sauces, ribbons, stationery, roses, cotton lace....I've been prepping for the photos for the new updated vintage and english rose collections to be launched on the site over the next week or so. There's also a new addition to the rose collection 'Miss Fondant' - very sweet and a little bit cheeky....there's four colour palettes within this new side collection - Lime & Rosehip, Fondant Fancy, Lemon Cream and Raspberry & Chantilly..all filled with plenty of vintage charm...

pondering over grey

...repainting the studio walls, can't decide which grey - as if that 's all I have got to do in life is ponder between 'lamp grey' and 'pearl ashes'!!!...especially in this intense and humid heat....(driving the husband mad as I am now onto No16 in sample pots...it's got to be right, it's got to be soooo right as I live in this studio for 12 hours a day...not too brown in tone, swinging towards blue, better if duck egg, but can't be too green it has to be grey! and Jamie keeps looking at the Dulux Once White thinking 'life could be so so simple' - it's his chemistry background) - think I need to get out more!..

... we are just about to put our feet up after an exhausting 6th birthday party. Every year I insist on having parties in the garden and every year the idea of hiring a venue seems much more appealling but I am sure next year I'll still be stringing the bunting across the trellis, battling with the gazebo 'just in case it rains!' and painting more tigers, garden fairies, pirates and butterflies to keep the face painting industry going for another year....right... just going to hop over a jelly spotted path that leads to my favourite spot in the garden, catch the last bit of sun and stare at all the unwanted party food embedded in the hosta leaves....why do kids do that??????

snippet in wedding flowers magazine

We don't tend to report when we feature in magazines but we thought we should on this occasion as the palette does not appear on our main site.

The latest feature is in 'wedding flowers' on the style inspiration page and features a collection that was specially produced for the magazine. Samples are available - just quote Cartmel - 'Mandarin & Anemone'....If you are in the early stages of planning this glossy is perfect for collating ideas and starting to formulate a palette....and if you are uncertain of the names of flowers then there is an excellent 'flower encyclopedia' at the back, so you can secretly revise and then impress your florist by reciting back the particular flowers you are wanting - 'in Latin!!!!'