"Save The Date" cards on a budget

Probably the simplest and easiest way to save money on your save the date cards is to send them by email!

Send a photo of the two of you and the details of your wedding or
use http://www.wordle.net/ to make a fabulous word cloud invitation! 

Or go to 
http://www.smilebox.com/wedding-announcements.html?partner=google&campaign=search_core_wedding_sitelink&gclid=COKw15jf17sCFfMctAodDVYAfg
For

Creative Wedding Announcements

Let friends and family know about your big day with memorable wedding announcements.

• Choose the perfect design for your announcement.
• Add your message, customize with photos and videos.
• Email, print or post your wedding announcement.
• It's FREE to download and personalise 

Have fun with this great app' 

I'd love to see what you create! Make sure you send me a copy and you may also go into my new book "Bride on a budget". 

Bride on a budget????

Are you, or do you know someone who is a bride on a very tight budget? 
If so, I think you're going to like this...

Those of you who know me, know that I am a wedding venue decorator and also that I love to craft. 

Weddings can be very expensive events - but I hope to show you how you don't have to spend thousands for a truly, magical wedding. 

Handmade bunting from scraps of fabric and lace -
perfect for the wedding day and to decorate your bedroom afterwards.

Over this year, I want to share with you ways that you can save by becoming a DIY bride! Each month I will choose a special subject (e.g. buttonholes, save the date cards, decorations, guest book etc) and will show you how you can make your own and save pounds. I'm giving some of my secrets away too, of ways to save on all aspects of your big day and will be adding links that you can source materials/ideas from too. 

There will also be "giveaways" and competitions that you can enter - so don't miss out on the chance to get some wedding freebies too! Simply follow our blog and comment on our posts to be entered in the prize draws. We want to know what you think and if there is a particular wedding item/subject you want us to post on then please just leave a comment. 

I will be advertising my own special offers/competitions  from my wedding website and Facebook page too :-) 

See you mid January... 

www.facebook.com/anniefloribunda
www.anniefloribunda.com

Weddings, Washing And Wonderment!!!!!!

Washing

That's what my day has been today all washing, weddings and wonderment!

The day started with a load of washing. 

Over 100 chair covers, to be precise,  so that they could be all nicely laundered ready for their next big event! 

Harry Grimwood was supervising of course - quality control etc. 

The wash was on the line just as the postman arrived - yippie!! 

My chalk pens had arrived!!! 

(is it wrong to get that excited about chalk pens??)

Scribbled a design onto the blackboard, just to try them out. Going to do something like this for the wedding fayre I'm doing in November...

Weddings

Quite excited, as I've been given a  display space at The Bridal Lounge so am working on some ideas to display there too. 

The trouble I have is, what to take? - 

there are so many ideas and different themes/colourways etc 

that sometimes it's a little overwhelming having to whittle out your favourites - I love them all! 

That's why I love pinterest so much - a library of ideas stored away until you need a little inspiration!

I found inspiration in the most unlikely place today...

my ironing pile! 

I thought I'd flick on the portable tv in the kitchen while I ironed

and one of my all time favourite films was on...

Breakfast at Tiffany s.

Holly Golightly - such a little minx!!! 

Anyway managed not to burn anything, whilst multi tasking 

although there were a few close shaves at 

moments where I got engrossed with the wonderful fashions 

of that era... 

Wonderment! 

Enjoy! 

Cool Alternatives to Wedding Guestbooks

Wedding guest books have pretty much had their day I think, don't you? 

Hastily scribbled in and then put in a cupboard after the event to gather dust for years to come. 

Decided to do a little digging around and see how many alternatives I could come up with...
Ideas that could become part of your home, a talking point, a lasting memory of your special day, or ones that are just fun to do! 

There were quite a few, but these are some of my favourites...

 Finger Print Canvas 

Draw the outline of a tree onto a blank canvas and colour in with permanent marker.

Then leave it on a table at your reception with some ink pads, a pen and some wet wipes. 

Ask all of your guests to place a finger on an ink pad and stamp their print onto your tree, giving it some leaves. They can then initial their print with the pen and clean off any ink from their hands with a wet wipe. This is a great idea and an activity that everyone can join in with.

You are then left with an attractive canvas for your home and a constant reminder of your special day.

(If you are unsure about your ability to draw the tree etc 

- you can buy a fingerprint tree kit from our website 
www.anniefloribunda.com for £20.00)

 Sew Special

If you love to stitch and craft - a wedding quilt is a nice idea. Cut out several patchwork squares and have each guest leave a quote or note on each one with a fabric marker pen. You can then spend some cold winter evenings sitting in by the fire, sewing them together to make a quilt or wall hanging. 

 Message in a bottle 

For this idea you will need: A paper bottle, a pen, 50 paper message tags, 50 ribbons, and an instruction card 

The instruction card should read something like 

"Please leave us a message today so we can read it on our 1st or "paper" wedding anniversary."

The guests then guests write their messages onto one of the tags, roll it up like a scroll, tie a ribbon around it and then pop the scroll into the bottle. All your messages will stay there until your 1st (paper) anniversary. Then you cut off the bottom of the paper bottle and read all your messages! 

(we sell these in kit forms at www.annifloribunda.com for £15.00) 

Jenga Memories

Every time you play jenga you will be reminded of your special day!
Tip out the Jenga pieces onto a tray with a couple of pens and ask your guests to decorate a brick with some words of wisdom or a picture!


 
Desert Island/Beach Message in a bottle

 Take a Memo Miss Moneypenny! 

If vintage is your theme, then how about your guests typing words of wisdom for you and filing them in a filing tray or box. You can then collect them at the end of the evening and keep the memos in a keepsake box or scrap book. At www.anniefloribunda.com  we have a lovely old typewriter that we doll up with some pretty ribbons and hire out for weddings. We provide the memorandum, typewrite and keepsake box for a £25 hire charge. 

For help with your wedding, or to buy any of our kits, please contact us at www.facebook.com/anniefloribunda
or
www.anniefloribunda.com 

Vintage Cup Cake Tea party / Wedding

Had to share these with you...

 

Cute cup cakes made with real flowers -

perfect for that very English tea party get together or vintage wedding.

Available to Hire from Anniefloribunda, Lincolnshire for just £5.00 each

 

They are part of a display piece I am doing for a Mad Hatters Tea Party at

Night Rose Bridal's wedding shop window...

 

I stuck lots of pretty plates together using glasses and small jars as spacers

 

Then added flowers, pearls, fairy, drink me bottle, keys cups etc.

You could make your own one and give it a very personal touch

(maybe line the jars with photo cameos of you and your partner?

I wanted it to look quirky, but still have a wedding feel to it.

Can you spot the fairy captured in a jar?

Still not finished -

a project that I don't really want to end!

 

Take a look at

www.facebook.com/anniefloribunda/

or

www.anniefloribunda.com

 

 

Bird of Paradise Candelabra

Had to share this pic with you of the latest candelabra I've prettied up for hire at weddings/events!

 

I used beautiful hackle feathers (which I bought by the meter from

The Embellishment Emporium - an online shop just full of gorgeous feather, bead and applique trims).

 

 

Dreamy Shabby Chic...

 

It's amazing what you can put together with a little creative thinking!

I've been looking for inspiration for vintage table centrepieces

I wanted something a little different to the norm'

I decided to use odd bits and bobs from around the house

to try out some ideas...

 

Top Hat n Tails!

 

A top hat makes a unique vase, filled with blooms and feathers (tails)

 

Or try old books, these look great piled on top of each other,

maybe even add a love letter poking out from the pages??

What will you use DIY Bride?

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Anniefloribunda/107524221727?ref=hl

 

 

 



Vintage / Shabby Chic Wedding Table Decorations

I made some more kusadumo flowers and popped them into a vintage cup and saucer.

(To make your own take a look at the video tutorial on this site).

 

I think they make the perfect table top decoration for a vintage or shabby chic wedding.

 

 

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Anniefloribunda/107524221727?ref=hl

Vintage Tea Cup Wedding

This is a cake topper that I made for one of my purple brides today...

but when i put it in a teacup to photograph it,

I thought it would also make a lovely centrepiece for a vintage wedding...

 

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151355479936728.1073741826.107524221727&type=3#!/photo.php?fbid=10151355481321728&set=a.10151355479936728.1073741826.107524221727&type=1&theater

 

Centre of attention!

 

Latest table centrepieces just completed...

Check back next week all you DIY brides to learn how to make one of these yourself...

 



 

Or take a look at our facebook page to hire, from just £5!!! 

 

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151351965711728.1073741825.107524221727&type=1#!/pages/Anniefloribunda/107524221727



Civil Ceremony?

Hi there, this is my latest make for those having a civil ceremony...

 

Made from wood.

Painted and decorated in your choice of colour or bling to match your wedding decor -

Great for the top table decoration!

 

Also available in Mrs & Mrs and Mr & Mrs

£9.95 from my folksy shop at

http://folksy.com/shops/bloominglovely

 

Hayfever bride - paper bouquet...

I've finished off the bridal bouquet for the bride with hay fever.

This forever bouquet flowers have been made with designer papers, card, buttons and beads in shades of purple.

 

 

Finished with a tightly bound ribbon handle and vintage brooch which is removable to be worn at future anniversary dinners etc.

 

 

I will be publishing a video tutorial of how to make your own - but if you don't feel confident at this, then please visit my Folksy shop or web page at www.anniefloribunda where you can buy one very similar.

Rosenations - cross between roses and carnations...

I was asked to make a wedding posy for a bride who suffers dreadfully with hayfever. She is getting married in May and wants something quite simple.

She's not really into bling - so the heirloom vintage brooch posies I make are out of the question, so I have been busy making several differenct kinds of flowers from paper and fabric to see what I come up with...

 

Paper roses and carnations - I might put these together and call them "Rosenations"!

Here are some I've been making and am going to add buttons and beads to and assemble into a posy...

 

 

I'll post a picture of the posy and a tutorial on how to make your own when I'm done x

Videa Tutorial for Kasudamu Flowers

A few of you have asked me for a worksheet on how to make Kasudamu flowers - a Japanese paper folding technique -

but I have gone one better than that

and have, at last, got round to doing my first ever video tutorial!!

Lol - Be gentle with me...

So here goes - I hope you enjoy it ... I need to do a follow up one to show how to add the stem and buttons - so watch this space ...

 

 

Mad as a hatter!

I had a photo shoot today with a couple of freinds.

We designed a Mad Hatters Table for photographs that we could all use...

Here are the results...

 

 

Bunting was from Heartfelt & Homely and The Cake Hole, Sleaford made us the amazing cake!

Happy (real) roses that had been dyed carnival colours were by Bouquet Centre, Sleaford.

 

 

The "Drink Me" labels and all other stationery was made by Lyndsey Glover

 

 

 

 The Vintage China was loaned to us by Bites to Banquets, Sleaford

 

 

 

I decorated the candelabra (which are available to hire, as is the birdcage. Sorry about this photo' - dont know why but several of my photos are loading sideways for some reason!!!

Most annoying!!!

 

Anyway... I made some napkin holders from playing cards...

 

 

We also set up a gold and cadburys purple table and a lovely vintage table...

photo's of those to follow shortly, for now I will leave you with this one because "We're all mad 'round here"!!!!

 

 

We're all mad in Wonderland

Table layout photo shoot on Sunday, so I am busy trying out new ideas for our "mad hatters tea party table"...

Wanted to create something a little different as a centre piece...

This is as far as I've got so far...

 

 

Hung a children's china tea set and assorted keys, etc from the candelabra with thin ribbons...

 

 

Using this broken clock as my prop of "I'm late...I'm late... for a very important date!!" - Just need to add some labels to that effect and have found some great free printables on pinterest that I'm going to use...

 

The lovely big red swirly lollipops (like the Cheshire Cats eyes!!) will go into a vintage milk jug as will all the flowers... vintage... vintage...vintage!!!

 

This would be perfect for an Alice in Wonderland party/wedding.

 

Cant wait to see it all laid out with labels, invites, place names, vintage china etc etc - come back and have a look next week for our photo's.

Keep calm and "cosy up" your life this winter...

Feeling pretty chilly, I decided to "cosy up" my life as much as I could and thought I'd share a few of the ideas I've tried -

please feel free to add your own cosy up ideas here.

 

1. PJ's on the radiator...

A really easy way to feel toasty warm - pop your PJ's on the radiator when you get in from work and after tea snuggle into them while you lounge on the sofa with...
 

 

 

2. Blankets, eiderdowns and scarves...

 

All of last year I "thrifted" tartan bits in preparation for the winter, Tartan scarves/shawls, blankets and a ruby red eiderdown were all squirrelled away into my loft last summer - ready for wintry evenings -

Now if I get a little chilly - I just snuggle under one of the blankets on my sofa -

D R E A M Y!

 

 

3. Play in the snow until your hands/paws are numb...

 

I love to wrap up really warm and go foraging in the woods with my little jack russel (Mr Harry Grimwood).

On our walks, we collect kindling and rose hips (well, I collect kindling and rose hips - Harrys far too busy snuffling!), and I make silly things out of the snow until I am really cold.

Then, the minute you step through the front door it just feels sooooooooo good to be home!

 

4. Light an open fire...

(5. & 6.) and make homemade bread and soup...

I use the kindling foraged from the wood to light an open fire

(and sprinkle on some pine needles I saved in a tin from the Christmas tree - fills the house with a lovely fresh pine smell).

Then maybe I'll get down to making some proper, wholesome. REAL, soup and home baked bread.

One of my favourite winter soup recipes is Carrot and Chestnut soup -
try it - you'll love it

 

 

Ingredients:

1 large onion chopped
2tblspn Olive oil
3 sage leaves (plus more to garnish)
200g (7oz) of chestnuts (vac packed) - chopped
500gms (1lb) carrots peeled and chopped

800ml (1pt 8oz) vegetable or chicken stock

3 Tblspns creme fraiche

 

Put all the ingredients (apart from the garnishing sage leaves and creme fraiche) into a pan and bring to the boil.  patially cover and simmer for 40 minutes. Pass the whole lot through a food processor until thick and smooth. Add cream to taste and serve with chopped sage leaves on top and freshly baked bread.

 After not having any success with baking from scratch in the oven (I think due to the fact that we always seem to live in drafty old houses!), I invested £10 in a bread maker at a car boot sale a few years ago - it's kind of cheating, but we've had some lovely loaves from it and once you get the hang of it you can make all your own flavoured breads.  

Just remembered that many years ago I made a tomato flowerpot bread which was heavenly - baked in a terracotta flower pot - must look out that recipe -

D E L I C I O U S!!!

 

7. Invest in a pure wool rug...

I was amazed at the difference a wool rug made to our lounge - not only does it look warmer, its soft and toasty underfoot rather than cold laminate flooring or wooden floorboards

 

8. Save electric and cosy up with candles...

 

The room always feels warmer with candles - sometimes I gather as many as I can find together and squeeze them all onto the mantle shelf!

 

9. Craft some winter warmers...

Visit sites like http://www.craftster.org/blog/crafty-diy-ways-to-keep-warm/

were you will find loads of tutorials on how to get crafty and keep warm at the same time - sewing, knitting and lots of other craft ideas to keep you occupied and warm for when it's just too cold to venture outside!

 

10. Check on older relatives and neighbours...

If you have elderly relatives and neighbours - pop in to see if they are warm enough. There are lots of government schemes to help older people or families on low incomes with heating bills etc.

Perhaps you can make a trip to the shops for them or help them to cook a meal?

 

Oh and don't forget the birds this time of year - put your scraps out for them (apple/pear cores, oats, cereal, etc) or any nuts left over from Christmas as a real treat.

 

Helping others always makes you feel cosy and warm inside.

 

KEEP TOASTY :-)