Inspiration - Navy

Navy is a dark colour but lends itself well to luxury and granduer. As a fairly neutral colour Navy can be teamed with a variety of other colours to achieve a variety of looks.  By putting Navy with gold or silver you can acheive a regal theme, perhaps with sumptuous velvet or silk.  Yet by teaming navy with white we automatically think of sailors clad with bold striped tops or perhaps parisian chic would be the prefered option!

{Gina Michele}

{Emma Gordon London} {Yensew}

{Sherri Weese Designs} {Mermaids Dream}

{Chloe & Maddie} {Bernadette Winter} {Black Satin Shoes}

{Lilguy} {Cards By Sophie}

Handmade Wedding Giveaway Update

Due to many people failing to claim their prizes I have now chosen new winners.  So here are the new winners -

Yarn Art - Old Skool Retro

Ring Holder - Millzy79

Fascinator - April Marie

Earrings - Twannywun

Dolly Bag - Nice & Fizzy

Bracelet - Nora

Necklace - kiki725

Placecards - Jo (Pigtails)

Personalised Wedding Favours - Active Marketing Advice

Keepsake Ornament - Fallind Dew

Clutch Bag - Lileese


The only person I do not have contact details for is Kiki725 so please can you email me inspiredcelebrations{at}gmail{dot}com. Also please could Active marketing Advice, Jo and April Marie email me as I only have your Twitter names!

Thank you

GIFT LIST - New Baby

In my quest to find beautiful and fabulous ideas for parties and weddings I reguarly come across amazing gifts, so I thought I would start sharing these with you.  I have recently heard I am to be an Auntie later this year which is very exciting so I thought we would look today at gifts for celebrating and welcoming a new baby.

{Prints} {Bouquet} {Spoons}

{Samplers} {{Picture} {Cushion}

{Cookies} {Hearts}

{Blue Box} {Telegram} {Towel} {Pink Box}

INSPIRATION - Birds & Birdcages

It would seem that birds and bird cages are still a popular theme choice.  Whilst you could use birds in your stationery design, flower filled birdcages make fabulous table centrepieces.  As for favours you could make lavender filled fabric birds, as seen in Sew by Cath Kidston or make birdcage cookies as seen in Cake Decorating At Home by Zoe Clarke.  So let's take a look at some birdie inspiration!

Stationery

from Inviting Moments

from Whimsical Prints

from Cherry Gorgeous

from Beau Wedding Stationery

from To Have To Hold

Decorations

from Giddy Kipper

from Leah Halliday

from The Contemporary Home

from Kirsty Elson Designs

 

Favours

from Little Singing Bird

from Polka

from Prince Design UK

from Martha Stewart Weddings

from The Celebration Shoppe

 

Birdcage Veils

from Lily Bella

from Head Full of Feathers

from Talulah Blue

Cakes

from Ice Maiden Cakes

from Martha Stewart Weddings

Handmade Wedding Giveaway Winners

I am excited to annouce the winners of the Handmade Wedding Giveaway. I will contact each winner individually to confirm their email address and they will then be contacted by the designer of their prize.

Congratulations to -

Prickly Pinecone won the Button Bouquet

Ken won the Cake Topper

Twannywun won the Guest Book

Spotty n Stripy won the Bridesmaids Dress

Old Skool Retro won the Heart Pendant

auraobie won the Newspaper Yarn Art

Jo won the Wedding Ring Holder

Wendy won the Fascinator

Lesley won the Earrings

Simon won the Watch

Butterfly 2001 won the Dolly Bag

Dave won the Bracelet

Adalef won the Tiara

Sharon won the Necklace

Freeali won the Placecards

Clare won the Personalised Wedding Favours

Laura won the Keepsake Ornament

Millzy79 won the Wedding Favour Bags

Liam won the Garter

Thea won the Clutch Bag


All winners were randomly selected. 

I have contacted some of the winners however do not have contact details for all the winners.  Please could the following winners contact me (inspiredcelebrations@gmail.com) with their email address so I can pass on your details to the designer of your prize - Ken, Auraobie, Jo, Wendy, Lesley, Butterfly 2001, Dave, Sharon, Freeali, Clare, Laura, Millzy79, Liam and Thea.  If you do not contact me by Tuesday 22 February I will randomly select a new winner for the prize.


Congratulations and thank you for entering.

Handmade Wedding Giveaway - Damselfly Gemma

Today I would like to introduce you to another designer involved in the Handmade Wedding Giveaway

Damselfly Gemma

Handmade Wedding Giveaway Prize

Damselfly Gemma designs and creates sterling silver and costume jewellery.

Flower Earrings £20

Having tried many craft mediums  Gemma, the designer behind Damselfly Gemma, found her real passion was for jewellery making.

Hairclip £5

To see more of Gemma's designs visit her Folksy Shop.

Don't forget to enter the Handmade Wedding Giveaway.



Handmade Wedding Giveaway - Florio Designs

Today I would like to introduce you to another designer involved in the Handmade Wedding Giveaway

Florio Designs

Handmade Wedding Giveaway Prize

Florio Designs designs and makes fabulous bridal headwear.

Fascinator £30

Whether you are looking for a tiara, fascinator or hairpins, Florio Designs can create a bespoke piece to meet your designs and style needs.

Hairpin £5

To see more designs from Florio Designs visit their Folksy shop.

Don't forget to enter the Handmade Wedding Giveaway.

DIY Favours

Although traditionally favours were five sugared almonds, they now come in all shapes and sizes.  Whilst many wonder if there is any need for favours there are still plenty of brides and grooms who choose to use these little gifts to thank their guests for sharing their day.  However the extra expense of buying favour boxes or alternative favours may just be one thing that your budget does not stretch to. Also there is a growing trend for couples to go that extra mile and create their own favours. Whether it's jars of jam or decorated cookies by creating your own favours your guests will be even more delighted with their small gift. 

I thought for todays post I would find some fabulous ideas to inspire you to get creative and make your own favours.

These Bird House boxes from Celebration Shoppe's blog are so sweet and would also work really well for a birthday party or baby shower.

Bright and bold flower topped gifts from Martha Stewart

Who would have thought about using normal rubber stamps and food colouring as ink to decorate cookies?

Martha Stewart of course!

These rosemary sea salt favours are perfect for foodies to give as gifts.

This book will provide lots of inspiration for cookie favours.

Handmade Wedding Giveaway - Pants and Paper

Today I would like to introduce you to another designer involved with the Handmade Wedding Giveaway

Pants & Paper

Hnadmade Wedding Giveaway Prize

Pants and Paper creates unique purses, brooches and other gorgeous gifts.

Purse £22

Sam Sargeant, the designer behind the Pants and Paper name creates beautiful designs from the tiniest pieces of fabric and then adds all sorts of trims and buttons.

Brooch £10

Aswell as brooches, ACEO's, purses and pendants Sam also designs and creates Wedding Ring Holders, which is the prize in the Handmade Wedding Giveaway, a unique way to ensure your rings are safe.

Cuff Bracelet £10

To see more fabulous designs from Pants and Paper visit their Folksy shop

To win the Wedding Ring Holder from Pants and Paper or any of the other nineteen prizes enter the

Handmade Wedding Giveaway

(Giveaway closes at midnight on Valentines Day)

Inspiration - Country Fete

Open publication - Free publishing - More wedding

A couple of weeks ago I was chatting to somebody who said her sister wanted to have a Country Fete theme for her wedding next year and asked if I knew of any blogs that may help.  I put together this little magazine of inspiration, but know there is plenty more so will add to this theme in weeks to come. 

I will be adding bespoke inspiration boards and magazines to my portfolio later this week, so please contact me if you are planning a wedding or party but are a little stuck or overwhelmed with putting together ideas for your theme. 

Venue Friday - Romantic Escapes

Love is in the air and Valentines Day is fast approaching , so I thought I would look for some locations for a romantic getaway.  These properties from The Landmark Trust are perfect for escaping for a weekend whether it's for Valentines Day, an anniversary or just because. 

Castle Keep, Lundy - The Landmark Trust

This is a beautiful location on the tiny island of Lundy, situated in the Bristol Channel.  The island is only three miles long so the perfect escape for a romantic break.

Clavell Tower, Dorset - The Landmark Trust

Set on the wild and open coastline of Dorset Clavell Tower is an other remote location to share a romantic getaway.  A young Thomas Hardy courted a local coastguards daughter here and used the tower for a frontispiece for his Wessex Poems.

The Prospect Tower, Kent - The Landmark Trust

The Prospect Tower is set at the very edge of the gardens at Belmont Park approached through an avenue of walnut trees. 

The Banqueting House, Newcastle Upon Tyne - The Landmark Trust

The Banqueting House stands in the highest part of the Gibside Estate overlooking the Derwent Valley.  It is thought that The Banqueting House was designed by Daniel Garrett, a former assistant of Lord Burlington and was completed in 1746.