Feathers and lace headpiece

Looking through the Monique L'Huillier Fall 2010 collection I saw that the headpieces used were very similar in shape to a Kingston Design comb called Feathers and Lace. This comb is based on a 'pad' of feathers which is layered up with corded lace and then accented with Swarovski crystals and pearls and also some really pretty genuine vintage 1950s gold glass pearls. The whole effect is really soft, feminine and pretty. It lends itself quite well to the vintage 1930s style but also looks great as a statement piece with more modern styled bridal dresses.

Daughter Cambodia

I came across the NGO charity Daughter Cambodia early in 2009-based in Phnom Penh, they help to resuce girls from the sex trafficking trade in Cambodia. As well as giving the girls somewhere to live safely, the charity also help the girls to reclaim their dignity by giving them the skills to support themselves. By working with the charity, the girls are provided with childacre facilities and are paid above-average wages. There are a variety of products they make, but I fell in love with their silk roses! After putting in an order for them, I couldn't wait for them to arrive and was brimming with ideas for them and I certainly wasn't disappointed! They are so gorgeous, it's almost a shame to add to them-each petal is hand cut and stitched together, ensuring that every single rose is beautifully unique. I have been in talks with the charity to set up a scheme whereby a portion of each sale made by Kingston Design's range using the roses, will go directly back to the charity. The Vera Fokina piece in the post below is an example of the range.
You can read more about the charity by visiting their website at: http://www.daughterscambodia.org/index.php

Family Wedding

After over 13 years together my brother decided to get married over the summer! It was a joint celebration of the wedding and also the christening of their daughter. I was involved in making the bride's jewellery, but also offered to make her veil-a cathedral length, one tier scattered with lots of Swarovski diamantés. I also did all the flowers for the wedding, I offered without really thinking about it and the only flowers I had ever done before were the ones for my own wedding 2 years ago, so I was mildly panicked about the idea! But they turned out well and a really great day was had by all! To see more pictures of this wedding please look in the current edition of RSVP.