Osmaston Park Wedding Fayre, nr Ashbourne, Derbyshire

 

Osmaton Park near Ashbourne.... well, what a stunning venue! In the middle of rolling countryside, this private estate is the perfect place to hold your wedding. On Sunday was their wedding fayre, organised by the brilliant Ben and Hannah from Derbyshire Wedding Fayres. The very busy event was held in their luxurious markee and a great day was had by all!

 We had our range of vintage inspired wedding accessories on show, from personalised embroidered wedding napkins (ideal for the wedding breakfast or as a wedding gift), bridal bags made from vintage hand embroidered textiles...

 Handmade millinery, ideal for the Bride, Mums of the Bride and Groom, Bridesmaids and guests...

 Little cute birdcage veils...

Simple satin bow, cream leather teardrop, and textured silk fascinators...

 

 I love my old glass dressing table set to dispaly our business cards!

 

Such a gorgeous venue... I had a have a quick photo of myself after the fayre!

 and we saw fighting pheasants on the way out!

Too see all our wedding accessories and milliney, check out our Extra Special Touch website

Girls of Elegance use one of our fascinators in thier vintage bridesmaid photo shoot!

Girls of Elegance is a fabulous online boutique for everything wedding! 

Sarah, from GOE contacted me a few months ago when they were organising the photo shoot of their new vintage bridesmaid dresses and wanted to use one of our handmade fascinators.

 

Sarah fell in love with this little number above, which can be worn as in the close up here, or in the GOE bridesmaids photo. This fascinator was a one-off.... but if you like it too... I can make you something similar. It has individually embroidered petals on silk with lacey edges to make the flower, and a teardrop base covered with silk and decorated with pearls.

 The Girls of Elegance vintage style bridesmaid dresses are available in a range of colours and you can buy the full underskirt as well to get the big full skirt effect. The dresses are designed and made by "Call me Betty" Vintage, who creates the most wonderful pieces. 

 For full information of Girls of Elegance products, check out their Website, or follow them on Facebook?

And "Call me Betty" Vintage sell from her website and Facebook page too.

To see my full range of fascinators, check out my website and Folksy Shop

Photographs are by Andy Cahill at Photoworks.

Hemswell Court Wedding Fayre

Hemswell Court in in North Lincolnshire and used to be an old Officer's Mess and was built in the 1930's. The venue isn't normally open to the public, and it only available to hire for weddings and conferences, so you have the whole run of the gorgeous antique filled rooms and colourful gardens.

Extra Special Touch was flattered to be invited to this exclusive wedding fayre on the 15th May, and our table had a fabulous location in front of the fireplace that you can see if this photo.  (Many thanks to http://aurorastudio.co.uk/blog/?p=80 where I have used this photo from ).

This is a new wedding hair accessory / fascinator I have been working on, and extra large embroidered Rose, with a vintage 1930's Pearl and diamante button in the centre.... this style can be made in your own colour choice, and I'm going to make myself a pink one for a wedding I'm going to in the summer.

Also, the first time my new bridal clasp bags have been shown, and everyone loved them! Made from vintage hand embroidered textiles, lined with silk fabric and an antique style bag clasp... not only a gorgeous vintage bag... but doubles up as your "something old"!!

And another new product! Personalised embroidered chair sash... can be embroidered with any wording in any colour to match your wedding theme. Check out our website for more information.

The beautiful perfume bottles were loaned for our dressing table display from Bernadette from Lincolnshire Lanterns, than you so much...they added to our display perfectly.

For more information on any of our vintage inspired wedding accessories and fascinators, have a look at our website and Folksy Shop

Wedding Fayre at the gorgeous Woodborough Hall

We had a wonderful day out at Woodborough Hall wedding fayre in April. The weather was sunny and hot and luckily, we were by the open doors in the garden room and could catch a few rays while we were working!

Lots of lovely brides to be, Mum's, bridesmaid and friends tried on our hats... and I took a few snaps to show you... don't they look fab!

The gray suited this lovely lady beautifully.

We were really pleased with our display, which had it's first showing at Woodborough Hall. The hat stands are large candle sticks!

I painted the mirror this week with crackle paint... and it has a lovely aged, vintage feel.

White embroidered monogram on white cotton napkins looks so vintage! Many thanks to Cakes Etcetera for the display cupcakes :)

The view from our little corner of the garden room....

Woodborough Hall is close to my heart, as I got married there in 2008.... the weather was gorgeous that day to!

For more information on our products, check out our website, and click HERE for more information on Woodborough Hall.

And the winner is....

Thank you all all of you who entered the little competition to win an embroidered wedding photo album.....

the correct answer was that the Love of Stitch exhibition at Killerton House will be running until 2nd May.

Well done to Brenda Mossop who name was randomly selected from all the entries. You photo album will be with you very soon!

Brenda also loves to sew and makes the most wonderful baby and children's clothes, check out her Facebook page by clicking on the image below.

Competition Time!!!

In celebration of reaching 900 likers on our Facebook page, we are running a little competition....and the first prize is an Embroidered Wedding Album (this isn't made by us, but still lovely)... the album will be gorgeous to save all your wedding snaps your friends and family take on the big day....

Q. I am currently exhibiting at an exhibition at Killerton Hall, near Exeter, what date does this finish? and what is the exhibition called?

The answer can be found on my website

Please email the answer to heidi@extraspecialtouch.co.uk

The closing date will be Sunday 10th April about 6pm.

Good luck everyone!!!

For the Love of Stitch Exhibition @ Killerton House

I have just arrived home after a lovely weekend at Killerton House, near Exeter.

 For the Love of Stitch exhibition opened yesterday until the end of April, and has a selection of work from the KIngcombe Group of embroiderer's.

 There is a selection of my fascinators and wedding garters and gifts.

 A gorgeous room to display in...

 One of the main rooms of the house.... and someone was playing the piano earlier today :)

 The whole room... lots of other beautiful work to see...(and buy)

 My complete display..

Gorgeous house! Check out their website for opening times and events HERE and their Facebook page HERE

Roaring Lion Studios: New Featured Artist-Heidi Lawton and her "Extra Sp...

Roaring Lion Studios: New Featured Artist-Heidi Lawton and her "Extra Sp...: "..."

Photo Shoot with Bliss Hair and our fascinators!

This week has been very exciting, we have had our first professional photo shoot with gorgeous models for our embroidered fascinators!

My friend Nick, owns Bliss Hair in Nottingham, and this week we got together with the beautiful Hannah and Philipa (normally stylists!) and Sarah (Head Stylist in the salon) to style the hair and make-up.

Philipa and Hannah were so natural in front of the camera, and I'm sure you'll agree the photo's look fabulous!

I am so pleased with the results and would like to thank everyone involved so much! And hope they enjoyed the bottles of Rose I left them :))

The photo's have been edited and added to my listings in my Folksy Shop and updated my website.

The Stargazer Lilly fascinator, was only just finished the night before, the petals are completed created by free machine embroidery....

We had some fun at the end with some fantastically fun wigs.... but the girls still look gorgeous!!!

To see the full range of fascinators, check out my Folksy Shop, and check out BlissHair website and Facebook page as well!

A productive weekend!

After last weekend in Dorset with the Kingcombe Group, I felt inspired to finished my stargazer lily free machine embroidered fascinator.... and I'm really pleased with the finished result!

 The feather and wired crystal stamens were fiddly, but I think it was worth it.

 I've also finished this weekend, my dusty pink flowered fascinator with birdcage veil

and suffolk puffs with pearls and crystals on the back. 

 I have been busy making vintage lace garters as well..... as you can see they are all different... and can be personalised with a secret message embroidered to the inside... check out my Folksy Shop for more details.

 I think this is my favourite this time...Cotton lace made on old Nottingham Lace looms in Nottingham with "something blue" ribbon bow and diamante heart...

 and my new "handmade by www.extraspecialtouch.co.uk" label.

A wonderful time in Dorset.....

I arrived home late Sunday night after a wonderful two days at the Kingcombe Centre in Dorset, with the Kingcombe Embroidery Group. This is a group of ladies, ran by Sandra Coleridge, that have been meeting over the last ten years. The members are textile artists, that exhibit regularly over the UK and teach workshops and write articles about their textile art. I feel very honored to be invited to join the group, and I'm looking forward to by first exhibition at Killerton Hall, near Exeter in April.

Showing my work to the group was pretty scary! But, I had lovely comments and great tips of advice.... new supplier information and a few ideas of new stockists.

The setting for the meeting is the Kingcombe Centre, which is in the middle of the Dorset Conservation area, and simply stunning.... look at the lane outside our Beech Cottage!

I have been working hard during the weekend, and the three pieces below are nearly finished....

Dusty pink silk fascinator with crystals and net....

Stargazer Lily fascinator with feathers and wired crystals... and ivory silk embroidered rose fascinator with lots of feathers.....

These will be on display at Killerton Hall in April (unless they are sold first!)

A huge Thank You to Sandra for inviting me to the group... and looking forward to seeing you again in a few weeks xx