Getting ready for Harrogate Christmas Market

Harrogate Christmas Market starts on Thursday and I'm finally almost ready.

Oranges are being strung into garlands. 

Yet more wreaths have been made.

Candelabra have been decorated.

Bath Bombs ordered and coming tomorrow - bit last min.com this one!

Lanterns filled with candles and decorated.

Plants have been planted.

Christmas trees have been made.

More Christmas trees have been stitched.

Gift sets are being made up shortly - honest!

Price tickets have been tied on.

And then I just need to find my baskets, carrier bags, scissors and hanging hooks. 

Carpet to walk on, a flask (or two) for tea, warm clothes, a hat, my ugly Uggs.

Some change for customers (I will need this - I hope)

OMG I'll never be ready!!!

Going to do a bit more now, but here are some more wreaths .....

Wedding Fair at Lakeside Restaurant & Bar, Heckmondwike

Hi, this post is from the Wedding Fair at Ponderosa, now known as the Lakeside Restaurant & Bar at Heckmondwike. I really like this venue, I did a couple of weddings here last year and the venue is perfect as it lends itself to any style of dressing.

Simple table decoration

with lovely crystal birds.

A top table idea.

A new take on the Martini glass with mini glasses

Rustic tables with a frame for table numbers or photos

Classic and timeless candelabra

Stunning crystal waterfall disply

Pearl cluster bride's posy bouquet

Our table today

And chairs, chairs are a big thing, the chairs here are lovely so if they suit your colour scheme why bother with chair covers?

This one just has a hessian and lace sash.

Double organza sashes, tied at the side

Navy blue striped organza sash, tied centre back

I like this, its very elegant

These are just a selection of what we can do, lots more are available.

Take care, Karen x

Christmas is coming!

I can't believe it but Harrogate Christmas Market is less than 2 weeks away!

I have spent the last few weeks making wreaths, choosing ribbons, baubles, decorating twiggy hearts and sewing Christmas trees with bells on!

This is a large size mesh wreath in red and gold decorated with berries and ribbons.

Can be used year after year and is weatherproof!

This one is a large size hessian wreath decorated with baubles, ribbons and a large angel.

This wreath can be used inside or outside, it would stand normal weather but would need a little shelter in a major down pour! Will last years with just a little care.

And finally (for now) this is a large hessian wreath decorated with ribbons, berries, a dotty heart and NOEL letters. This one is probably best inside and will last forever.

Harrogate Christmas Market is on from 19th to 22nd November taking up the Montpellier Quarter, come and see us, its a fabulous market, lots to see, lots to eat, lots to drink, Santa, reindeer and loads of lovely stalls - including us!

A Wedding in Italy

This post is about my favourite wedding this year, in fact my favourite wedding since my daughter got married 3 years ago. In August my son Dan married his fiance Jen in Malcesine on the edge of Lake Garda in Italy. And it was fabulous. I know I am a little bit biased, but it was really lovely, it still makes me teary and goose bumpy thinking about it, I loved every minute.

This is my son waiting for his bride on the terrace of the castle, not a bit nervous!

This is him again, in between his two Best Men. 

These three have been friends since school and he couldn't pick between them. 

I can remember when the one on the left had hair and the one on the right had less! 

Great lads, all three.

And then she arrived, God she looked gorgeous, absolutely stunning.

The serious bit, in Italian and English. Ian and I had front row seats.

And that was it, all done, married!

It was very lovely.

After the ceremony we had champagne and canapes on the lower terrace.

And the formal photos.

And the less formal ones - I know I've got my eyes closed, but I love this pic.

Then we all went to the castle gates to throw our confetti.

All the locals and holiday makers clapped and cheered, it really was perfect.

They got into their tuc-tuc and drove to the bar for drinks before going on to the reception.

And we all followed on foot (it wasn't far). 

It was so nice as everyone clapped as they passed, it made me teary.

We had an hour to chill and chat. It was happy, relaxed and nice.

We had the upstairs bar over looking the harbour until the boat arrived to take us to the reception further down the lake.

There was more champagne on the boat.

And just a bit of romance

And then on to the reception with amazing food

and a bit more champagne

And a bit more romance.

I loved it, every second was just perfect, one of the best days of my life.

And thats it, they are now married and happy and I know he has the right girl. 

She is everything I could have wanted for him, he's a lucky boy.

On a more formal note, if you fancy a wedding in Malcesine, Dan & Jan used an English wedding planner who lives and works out there. She was fantastic, message me for her details.

Karen x

Wedding Fairs

Hi. Sorry its been so long since my last post. My son got married in Italy in August which took two weeks up as we made a holiday out of it, and its been really busy since we got back. But I have lots to show now. This post is about the wedding fair we did this weekend at Cedar Court Hotel Leeds/Bradford. But I have other new things to show so I'll try to do another post tomorrow.

But first the Wedding Fair

We had two tables at the Fair. This one shows a selection of centrepieces and the other one is a single table set up with one centrepiece and plates etc.

We took a new twist on the Goldfish Bowls with the main one being surrounded by smaller bowls on their own little mirror plates. 

These all hold crystals and candles, but they can hold flowers or what ever you choose.

For a more country look this centrepiece is standing on a slice of tree trunk. It is a hessian wrapped vase of flowers, a small hear frame for a photo of the bride and groom, a candle in a pretty jar and a tea light in a tall heart candle holder. A table number holder completes the look.

Another addition are the lovely small martini glasses that surround the taller single glass, again standing on their own little mirror plates. These ones have pink crystals and floating candles, but they can be filled with floating flowers or anything else you like. The price includes all the bits shown.

This is a new one for us, A lovely glass vase with ivory 'twigs' standing on a mirror plate with gorgeous tea-light holders catching the light. We have hung further tea-lights and crystal birds and flowers from the branches.

Not the easiest to photograph but catch the light great in the flesh.

The wedding fair was quite busy on Sunday, we had a lot of interest in both fresh and faux flowers and in the Twinkle Backdrop you can see behind the tables. We met some lovely people and I hope we get to see them again.

Sleep well everyone.

Wedding Flowers

Hello out there. 

This post is to show you the flowers I did for a lovely church wedding at Batley and the reception afterwards at the Lakeside Restaurant at the Ponderosa Rare Breeds Centre at Heckmondwike. The couple chose a simple country look with traditional flowers with succulents to add a bit of a modern twist.

The wedding ceremony was in church and the bride asked for pew end decorations.
These were Gypsohila with white fabric and ribbon bows. 

We put them on alternate pews and they looked really effective.

For the bridal flowers we used 4 varieties of Roses, Peonies and Stocks with lovely silvery foliage, Molucella and succulents. The bride had colours in hers, with 'something blue' in the shape of one blue Hydrangea. This is not a good picture, I took it holding the flowers at arms length so it is fuzzy but a the bride has promised me a better one to follow.

The bridesmaid's were the same flowers but with no colour, just white and green so we used a few more Peony with a bit of Gyp and twisted Hazel. The picture shows them boxed up ready for delivery.

The Bride asked for 10 standard buttonholes, 2 children's buttonholes, 3 larger buttonholes for the Groom and his 2 Best Men and 2 Corsages for the Bride & Groom's mums.

This picture above shows the buttonholes boxed up ready for delivery.

The picture below shows one of the Mums' corsages. 

And here they all are on the day!

The Venue Flowers were really simple and clever and very cost effective! 

The bride had saved coffee jars which she wrapped in Hessian and a bit of ribbon and lace. We collected these from her the week before her date and then filled them with white carnations. 

Here they are waiting to go to the venue.

We provided the wooden stand and set them up but the bride did her own table numbers in cute frames.

A candle and tea-lite holder finished the look.

The simple country theme continued on the top table with these large LOVE letters and Mr & Mrs bunting, all available to hire.

The Bride Groom's mum made the wedding cake which we decorated with white roses in between the tiers, to match the bridal flowers.

The two ducks had the Bride and Grooms' names on.

And that's it, except for a quick look at the room, all ready for the wedding party to arrive!

This venue is the Lakeside Restaurant & Bar at the Ponerosa Rare Breeds Centre in Heckmondwike. It is a lovely venue, the decor lends itself to almost any style of wedding and it is light and fresh. It has its own bar and a terrace overlooking the lake and the staff are lovely. 

I hope to add some better pictures of the bride's and bridesmaids' flowers later, I never take any myself except boxed up ready to go as they always look how they are meant to when held by the bride, but the bride has promised some and if they come I will add them later.

Take care, Karen xx