Feathered Frenzies

So I wanted to finish the bracelet and the headband today.

Unfortunately, the feathers are proving a little more fractious than I anticipated... I can't seem to get them to stay flat, or rather they're too flat -to the point if dicing straight out when I need then to curve around the bracelet into a nice, tame cuff of eyes.

I also need to scrounge up the black it dark brown head band that would camouflage into my girls' hair better than the reddish tortoise shell one that I currently an using for my prototype. 

I also have decided feathers never again as all the little hairs and now all over, despite a good sweeping.

Bracelet idea

Something I found and want to try to recreate. 

Got a bracelet at Kohls (thanks Dad for those $10 coupons) for $0.04. 
Got the feathers from my 400 pack.

The problem I'm having is that peacock feathers aren't as small as these other feathers...so only two or three fit, but even then it's overlapping or haning off the sides.  I'm not sure how it will look or if the feathers will fall nicely...  I'm going to try to get it done this weekend.

PS Just read somewhere that brides are moving away from the matchy-matchy jewelry/accessories for their bridesmaids.  Look at us on the cutting edge of all things wedding... ;)

Check and check

(had this from May 7th... just never posted it...) Went to pick up Mei's dress, but it was still tight under her arms, so we'll pick it up when we get my dress.  Since it was slow and I really haven't had the time to work on the beading of my dress, I brought it down to be alerted (tighten the mermaid shape, shorten the length, add the bustle).

Mum also came along to see what the dress shop was all about. She talked with the lady at the shop about the styles she was interested in and the materials.  After much debate, and the lady's insistence that Mum pick something that wouldn't make people say "THAT's what the Mother of the Bride is wearing?" (apparently Mum's taste is too simple...), Mum has decided on a scoop necked dress with rosettes and short sleeves made out of a crinkled taffeta.  The lady is ordering samples of blues and greens of the materials from which the dress could be made.  She also suggested a rhinestone or something at the center of each rosette to make the dress, as Eddie might say, pop.

We'll head back to the dress place on May 21st to pick up my dress, Mei's dress, and talk more details and hopefully order Mum's dress.  We'll also probably have Becks along to get her dress altered and maybe Marianne's if she's free too.

I did forget to bring my cheong sam to have that taken in a smidge as well.  Maybe I'll just go to the alteration place across the street from the Highlang house.  A few times on the way to the Stater Bros, I've seen the little, old Korean lady working dilligently by the front windows of the shop with her sewing machine and reading glasses.

Headband ideas

Tada!

One down three to go

Mei's Dress Dilemma

Mei will always be my baby cousin.  Which makes me want to dress her up in something with cap sleeves and taffeta.  I know she's 16, but I don't want to scandalize her (and yes, I do realize there are MUCH more scandalizing things she sees every day in a public high school than a strapless dress, so maybe the word isn't so much scandalize as...ummm...tart her up?...)

In any case, we're going to get her dress today, and so I'm frantically searching for a dress with straps.

Here's one that I've found... It has some pleats in it, which I was thinking she would still have like the bridesmaids, but it's got straps and a fuller skirt.  

Or something maybe like this, but with straps:

Or this one, again with straps?

Or this one, which is very similar to the girls' dress...but again with straps for the ceremony.

DIY Clutches: The Saga Continues

So I started a new post about the clutches because with all the details I've collected, I could go on indefinitely, and I also realized that as I rambled and added more tags to the previous post, I would eventually end up using every single label, making it difficult to find specific information later on.

Monday's trip to the Garment District with Alexis was productive.  I found clasps that I was looking for so that the clutches would be longer than taller instead of vice versa as my rough draft currently is.  Alexis explained how to create a pattern and how to use the pattern when I got down to the actual sewing.  She also explained how the lining would be put in (basically sewing another of the same purse and sewing the two together.

I went to Joanns and picked up the interfacing (which would make the material more substantial/stiffer) and a tealish blue for the lining.  I think I'll stick with the champagne/beige/gold color of the remnant that I originally picked up to do the rough draft.  I wanted the teal so the bags would have additional umph to them.  ;)

Alexis sent me an awesome link to a tutorial with directions (and more importantly PICTURES) on how to sew the clutch!  After reading them, I can't even imagine how I was going to try to wing it!!  

So now I pretty much have all the materials that I need to start assembling a real clutch...not the rough draft anymore.  Oh, I do need a sewing machine, but I'll get that from Mum tomorrow.

Now I just need to create my pattern, cut out the pieces, sew on the beads, and put it all together!!...

So here goes..

This and that...

So I played around with the Adobe Premiere Elements, the movie making software program... I'm def. not feeling this photomontage...  I think I'm going to say we need to go with Alex on this.  If I had more time...or maybe I'm just feeling all my creative juices SAPPED from these clutches and the jewelry that I'm thinking of for the girls' accessories. 

Some of the invites have been sent out.  We're waiting on those "We're registered..." cards.  I've sent the invites out to the relatives who will probably be giving us ang-pows anyway.  We're still waiting on a few addresses from Eddie's side of the family too...we had them at one point, but can't find the paper that had all the addresses written down...

I brought my dress down for Pris ee ee to take  a look at what beadwork we could do to disguise the um... suggestive flowers.  :)  We're going to add more beading to the neckline so as to detract from the high concentration of beading in two particular places.  But to do so, I need to find the correct beads...which I went to Joanns and did not find what I was looking for. :(  I might have to make a trip out to the Garment District again.  Which would be fine with me, as I now have some particular beads that I'm looking for to make a bracelet with peacock feathers.

Mum, Pris ee ee, Joy ee ee and I also went to a baking shop on Beach and La Habra to look for bags for the favors...  The concern was that the bags that I had already bought were too small to fit the sugar cookie AND the pineapple tart.  Also, I think Pris ee ee just wants to make it look prettier too.  :)  We decided on 1 lb Cello bags...though they still might not be quite the right size for the favors...I guess we just have to keep looking and trying it out. 

Peacock hair clip

Thoughts?
Too small? Not enough peacock feathers? Not enough color? Head band instead of a clip?

To Friar Tux We Go...

After Six
Pearl Grey Savoy
$149
for Eddie

After Six
Grey Catalina
$129
for the groomsmen

Eddie and I detoured to the mall post-GSOE reception, but pre-dinner, our destination: Friar Tux. Here are the tuxes that caught his eye... PS the purple and teal are not to be worn together, we were merely trying to see if the purple and teal would clash horribly if the bridesmaids were in one color and the groomsmen in another.

I ready liked the teal for the groomsmen. My concern was that they would clash with the purple bridesmaids. I think it will be ok if I can add teal to the bridesmaids via a sash or wrap and purple to the groomsmen via people flower in the boutinnere.

Something cool was at Friar Tux they had a swatches book from David's Bridal and Alfred Angelo's to match with their swatches. If I absolutely cannot find the fabric in the right teal, I could get something from either David'sBridal or Alfred Angelo.

Mei's dress

Gaby's Bridal in Chino can make Mei's dress.  They need about 6 weeks, and can work off a picture and match material/fabric.

Now to find a day when Mei is free

Brocade Shawls

I do love JoAnns.

Today, as I was searching for some monkey fleece for a blanket for Pris ee ee, I happened across some brocade and sari materials in gorgeous, bold, jewel tones. I wonder how the girls would feel about brocade/sari material shawls. I'm thinking they'll be teal and gold to contrast against the plum/purple.

I wonder how you finish the edges of the sari material.

Bridesmaids' Gifts

Have an idea of part of the bridesmaid gifts and for my shoes...inspired by this Etsy shop...though I would be more interested in something made closer to home...as in by Pris ee ee. :)


I also plan on including something for blisters if the girls decide on heels!

Mei's Jr. Bridesmaid Dress

Gaby's Bridal in Chino

Found a place that would MAKE a dress similar to everyone else's dresses adding straps for Mei. They'd charge $101, and it'd be fitted to her size! We'll probably go back to order it in a couple weekends.



P.S. I found the bridesmaid dresses at Nordstrom for $78!! Though not sure it's in plum.

Pretty in Pink/Purple