With this ring - A new line in my store inspired by Weddings!

Classic style black and white wedding by vmw1963 featuring maxi dresses

I have 3 friends getting married this year...so far.  I've been frantically searching on ebay for an outfit for one in April and  found a few Anthropologie beauties that I would love to wear but I'm nervous in case the post from the States is delayed ( I waited 7 weeks for my last U.S. parcel to arrive).

Weddings are such personal affairs and all 3 girls are approaching their weddings in vastly different ways, from the I refuse to be pressured by the commercialised wedding industry and doing it completely homemade and hands on, to I want a big fairytale wedding.

My husband and I paid for our own wedding, I had my dresses made, we hired suits we borrowed a friends car, another friend made the cake and another friend did our photos (we were his 1st wedding)  Our reception was largish (100) but we had it in the local pub down the road.  It wasn't magazine worthy  and it was the eighties (need I say more) but it is still one of the best days of my life.

Thanks to Pinterest we can visually shop and plan and be inspired by the thousands of beautiful wedding themes and pictures..  I helped one friend set up her Pinterest account just for the wedding!!  But at the end of the day it's still just 2 people saying I'll love you forever until death do us part (yes, I had traditional vows) and that's all that really matters.

This week inspired by weddings I created a new line of Wedding Ring Keepers and Ring Dishes.

I would love to hear your wedding stories.

Love, Hearts and Valentines

February -  the month of LOVE and with Valentines Day looming there are hearts aplenty fluttering through the craft world on Etsy and Madeit.  Also...it's a LEAP year so ladies choice!  Is there a special someone that your thinking of popping the question to??  (Oh please do tell)

Sitting at my desk I noticed I have quite a few love-inspired/themed bits and bobs and I'm not really a lovey dovey type of person but I AM a sucker for a true romance and I will weep a bit over true love - think Princess Bride and Notebook (no! don't think too hard about Notebook.. *tears forming).

Here's a few items from my craft space that are LOVE inspired/themed...

Ok from left to right starting at the top.

Heart Pin Cushion - One of my 1st attempts at hand sewing (no laughing!).  I made this for my 1st sewing kit, a fabric drawstring bag which I also still use.  Both are about 30 years old, not well made and starting to fray but I love the memories attached to them, they represent my journey into the craft world and all that I love about it.

Embossed heart tags -  repurposed vintage book pages + repurposed paint chips.  I use these a lot as gift tags and there are always some in my desk.

Fimo anatomical heart - I used up some fimo making anatomical bits for a assemblage piece I planned but haven't made yet. This, a few eyeballs and a hand are still on my desk (creepy much).

These are a couple of wedding snaps sent by a lovely customer who ordered a custom made vintage Pride and Prejudice journal to use as her wedding guest book... This makes me happy!

One of my new ideas for 2012 a heart shaped ring dish - this sits on my desk and holds my rings atm. :)

Ok this last one is a bit schmaltzy, but this little guy was part of a valentines gift (jewellery) given to me by my husband a few years ago.  He sits on my bookcase and reminds me that I am surrounded by love.  

My one and only true love is the man I married 29 years ago he is still my valentine, not the mushy, commercialised, sentimentality we are fed but the gutsy and real and enduring kind.  Love that grows through all the bitter and the sweet, and amazingly he still thinks I'm the most beautiful woman in the world, even after 4 kids and  20 extra kilos.  Yep I'm bragging but it's the month of love and I'm allowed.