I'll have a consonant please.....

OK sorry tenuous Countdown reference there (oh I do love a bit of Countdown...!) but really my blog today is all about some of the big countdowns that I am facing over the next few months.

OK first one is Christmas....how many weeks is it now? Actually before that it's my birthday but that's getting a bit depressing (although I will still require pressies to cheer me up!).

The second is a very exciting countdown to January 29th 2010 when my sister's baby is due. I am so happy for her and her husband and of course the proudest big brother in the world, my lovely nephew George but as much as this arrival is incredibly exciting, it also heralds another imminent event concerning my baby, Tiararama.

You see there is another countdown. 3 weeks after the latest arrival to my sister's family, Tiararama will be exhibiting at The National Wedding Show at Olympia. OK so in many respects and to many this is nothing compared to the birth of a new baby but to me this is when my baby, my business begins to take it's first big steps into a whole new world. And to me this is very exciting!

When I set up Tiararama back in 2005 I set out a 5 year plan. Year 5 is nearly upon me and I have no idea where the time has gone! But in year 5 of my plan I had that I would be at the National Wedding Show and here I am all signed up and planning furiously for the last step in this stage of my business' life (of course I now have a year 5 to 10 plan - that is full of so many challenges I am quite beside myself with excitement!).

So what have we planned so far?

Well we have another photoshoot planned for the end of October and I am frantically planning my new showcase designs for the show in readiness for headshots and arty shots in the park as well as working out which bread and butter pieces will be available to purchase over the weekend. I think I have planned the furniture for the stand and the finishing touches (just a few things I need to clarify first), I've got the printing quote and then I just have to build the stand in our back room to make sure that everything is absolutely perfect. Oh and of course I need to create all of my designs as well. Doesn't sound alot does it? Well it will be consuming every available moment I (and at times my husband), have between now and the show. I am so looking forward to this challenge and showing off my designs and service to all those lovely brides. I'm sure that the late nights, the early starts, the sore fingers and the frayed nerves will reap some great rewards!

So as I countdown to the arrival of the latest member of my family, I will also be working to help Tiararama on the next stage of its life at the same time. All very exciting, all very nerve wracking but all very worth it!

And I can't really leave you without giving you a picture. Alas it isn't one of my new designs (they haven't been made up yet) but designed back in November 2008, our Danielle design has received quite alot of attention in recent weeks and I have been asked to customise it by a number of brides in the last few days. It is a beautifully encrusted headband style where the decoration encompasses all of the band. This means it looks fabulous around an up do or it can be worn as more of an alice band with short or long hair. Wonderfully textured with lovely sparkle it is easy to see why this design is now so popular.

Danielle by Tiararama

Final Cotswold Shoot Images

Stephanie tiara by Tiararama

Well finally Vikki and I have decided on our official photoshoot pictures from May. I know it has taken an age but between us this has been a very busy wedding season (and we can't complain about that now can we?). There is still a bit of touching up to be done on them but these are the images.

And of course I am pleased to say that Sarah, my old customer, Vikki's sister in law and our photographer for the day has turned her hobby into something a little more serious. She hasn't given up the day job (yet!) but this shoot gave her the push to set up a website to profile her work and since this shoot she has done lots of edgy and exciting shoots. Her new website is Assassynation and is well worth a look.

But here for your delectation and delight are the images that will most certainly be used on my website and will be popping up all over the place in advertising. I would love to hear what you think about them and I'll be more than happy to pass on any comments you may have for Vikki and her fab gowns at Liliia.

The picture above features the lovely Sammy in a beautiful mauve/lilac bridesmaid's gown with mulberry sash and Liliia's distinctive floral adornments walking through a tree lined dell. This coupled with our Stephanie tiara made from looped and twisted sections of wire interspersed with quartz crystal is the ideal fit. Sweet and feminine, classic and elegant but with a fantastic contemporary twist.

Double Maria headband by Tiararama

This image again features Sammy in the mauve/lilac bridesmaid's gown but this time she is waiting mischievously by a door. This time we have coupled the gown with our Double Maria headband with its wonderful textures in Swarovski crystal and pearl. This gives the ensemble a cheeky feel whilst still retaining its elegance and poise.


Un Fiore asymmetric tiara, Rosa corsage cuff and triple icicle drop choker by Tiararama

Of all the precarious poses Sarah asked our models to do on this shoot, this was one of the most precarious! This shot features Samita in Vikki's gorgeous white bridal gown with floral and butterfly embellishments. The accessories we chose to team with this gown were our Un Fiore asymmetric tiara which features one of Vikki's fabulous flowers and the lovely delicate but funky Rosa cuff with its wire and crystal corsage. Then to finish the sleek and funky triple icicle drop choker. I just love the textures in the shot - the beautiful dry stone Cotswold stone with the grass peaking through behind the gate and the lush leaves of the tree. And the gown and accessories are all about texture too.


Un Fiore asymmetric tiara, Rosa corsage cuff and triple icicle drop choker by Tiararama

This shot really shows Un Fiore and the Icicle Drop Choker off beautifully. I love the texture of the grass in this Sepia version of the shot as it really helps to make Samita and the gown and accessories stand out.


Liberty half crown and triple icicle drop choker by Tiararama

The colours and textures in the shot are also fab. The ruins at Minster Lovell and the early evening sun added a great backdrop and light to these shots and really helped to make the heavily encrusted Liberty tiara sparkle without being too blinding. And the embellished detail of the gown is also shown off very nicely.


Racquel tiara by Tiararama

As we all know the same gown worn by two different people can make the same gown look completely different. And this is exactly what happened when Rachel modelled the same gown as Samita. So to show this we used our Racquel tiara to add a different dimension to the ensemble and also I knew it would look fantastic against Rachel's fantastic red hair. I love the simplicity of this shot and love the way the ironwork on the door looks almost vine like.


Jadis crown by Tiararama

Until very recently Jadis was my very favourite design. Originally it was designed as a concept piece and there were very few who were brave enough to even try it on. So as soon as I knew we were going for a photoshoot I was desparate to get it on Sammy's head? Why you may ask! Well look at how fab her hair was in this shot. It was the hair that I envisaged when I designed Jadis and here it was being worn in an amazing setting on a fantastic model wearing a beautiful floaty, sleek gown. I love the way Vikki paints and dyes her fabrics to make a simple gown very special. I just love everything about this shot.


Corset by Angels Carrying Savage Weapons with Sarah's tiara by Tiararama

This is a lovely shot of Clair wearing Sarah's (the old customer, Vikki's sister in law and our photographer)gown and tiara. I loved the fact that we were able to use this fantastic gown and tiara again and this shot shows the tiara off beautifully.
And just for you here is the tiara being worn by Sarah at her wedding


I love these images for so many reasons and I look forward to getting the edited versions and being able to get them on the website. And we are in the process of organising an autumn shoot so expect some more images soon. And fear not I will have those images sorted out alot quicker than with these images as I will be taking them with me to The National Wedding Show at Olympia next February. But in the meantime I'd love to know what you think of these images. So until next time....