Mismatched magic

Here's a single image and thought for the day - have you considered the idea of things being mismatched for your wedding? Variation makes the world go round! Are your bridesmaids wearing different style dresses that really suit them or shoes of the same colour but different styles?

Bridesmaids are great to design for too. I enjoy coming up with quirky variations to suit different hairstyles and personalities. The pins above are Portuguese hair ornaments from 17th/18th centuries with diamonds, rubies, emeralds, topazes, garnet and amethysts. Nowadays, the Swarovski crystal I use can replicate many of these jewel tones - pretty heirlooms for special + everyday wear!

Do you like the idea of mismatched elements or do you prefer a more classic look?

Image credit: The image above was taken from Five Centuries of Jewellery. National Museum of Ancient Art, Lisbon.

Indian Sapphire - new Rangoli headpieces

So what's happening in the Rangoli studio at the moment?! Apart from looking forward to my Easter hols, I'm designing a range of headpieces that are inspired by the moody shades of blue sapphire.

I'm always pinning pictures of delicate dresses on my wall and they inspire me to create accessories. The image below shows two very different dresses. Words that describe them in my mind are floatiness, fluid lines and delicacy. There is certainly drama in there too.

I can be totally free when I design collections like this. My customer is imaginary and she has given me free reign to design fantastical creations for her!

I love antique sapphire shades combined with silver or rhinestone and often bring them into my bridal designs. I'll keep you posted on these pieces - I'm hoping to do a photo-shoot with them soon.

Enjoy the long weekend and I'll see you when I get back! If you'd like to see some of my recent bespoke commissions, you can look through my blog archives. And if you're thinking of including a hint of blue in your accessories, I'd love to hear your ideas!

Gold - my favourite 2012 wedding trend

I'm going to let you in on a big secret... I've been in business for fourteen years and I've been waiting for this moment to come.

"One of the big trends for 2012 is metallics; gold in particular."

Little known facts about me - I have a rose gold wedding ring and a bathroom with gold leaf wallpaper. That's not to say that I don't love silver and platinum, it's just that I'm monogamous in my metal choice!

So are any of you choosing a dress with gold detailing or including some precious metallics into your colour theme? I'm already seeing lots of dresses with touches of gold embroidery or fabrics with a golden hue. The gorgeous gown above is by Badgley Mischka, (full credits below).

My sister Tara is looking into metallic icings for her cakes this year. I'll keep you posted on all developments and tasting sessions :-)

Let 2012 be the year of metallic opulence! Please indulge me by sending me pics of your favourite golden moments x

Image credits: 
Clockwise from top left - Rangoli bride Aisling wears a delicate crochet headpiece to match her Claire Pettibone gown, a glimmering cake to melt my heart, a set of Rangoli pale gold and pearl hairpins and a stunning Badgley Mischka gold and white gown.

Autumn amber shades

I'm designing a headpiece for this striking Vera Wang Evelyn dress. I love the lines of this contemporary gown. I'm incorporating gorgeous shades of amber, golden topaz and white opal crystal. Perfect for this time of the year!

I found this inspiration  board over on The Finer Things stationery blog and love the rich palette. Silver or white gold are still the most popular colours for accessories but gold is definitely a trend for 2012 weddings.

I'll be able to show you the finished piece in October when I get back back from holidays.

Below you can see the finished design. With this commission, the client was fairly open about the style of headpiece that she would like. Her only guidelines were that she wanted the piece to be in gold tones and not too vintage in style.

I asked her to send me pictures of combs that had elements that she liked. So, some incorporated the warm gold tones she liked, while others had floral or linear elements that appealed. This can be a great way to pinpoint the type of design you would like even if it seems a bit vague. It really helped me to narrow down the eventual design, shape and form. This piece will be worn at the back of the head. The dress design is very bold so simple gold rhinestone drop earrings will be the only other accessory.

I wish that more of you would choose these gorgeous golden shades. It seems that silver or white gold is still the most popular. I'd love to hear your thoughts on gold versus silver...

Botanic Garden Inspiration

Autumn is on the way and I'm designing a new collection of ready to wear jewellery which I can't wait to show you. When I saw these images over on Dust Jacket Attic, they jumped off the page for me  - they perfectly illustrate the combination of reality and fantasy that influences my designs.

When I start sketching new designs, my pencil creates the most fluid and magical lines. Any form is possible and I get totally carried away in the world of my imagination.

Fashion and nature are two great sources of inspiration for me. I took the pictures below in the National Botanic Gardens. The greenhouses are a wonderland of fantastical sculptures and a great way to spend a rainy afternoon!

I'm off on holidays at the end of the month but I'll keep you posted on the launch of the new collection towards Christmas!

Top photo credits -
by Owen Bruce and styled by Tasha Cain with watercolour art by Iveta Karpathyova for Pulp#3.
Botanic Garden photos by Aisling Nelson

Something blue

I love getting the opportunity to design for brides from different countries and cultures. I really need one of those spinning globes for my studio!

I'm heading off to Uzbekistan in the next few weeks for a travel adventure so I was so excited when Tahkmina told me that she was from Tajikistan; another amazing country on the Old Silk Route.


Tahkmina is a bride to be from Tajikistan, getting married in Turkey and wearing a traditional Chinese blue silk gown.

I designed this delicate beaded spray for the back of her hair as the dress fabric is quite elaborate. The piece is embellished with aquamarine, pearl and crystal. Wishing her all the very best for her wedding!

Check out my other recent bespoke commissions on the blog or get in touch to arrange an appointment to visit my showroom.

'Something Blue' sapphire crystal hairpins

Today someone collected these pretty pale sapphire crystal hairpins. I love including some colour in my designs and especially like this shade of pale grey/blue Swarovski faceted crystal. I've put together a colour board with hints of blue - hope you like it!

Photo credits for montage
Top left - Mariam Sitchinava Photography
Middle: Julianne Swartz
Bottom: Joni Niemela
Right: Via Pinterest

Lemon Daisy Cake

I'm back to work after a brilliant long weekend, filled with tasty food and good company. What a difference the sun makes!

My sister Tara made this gorgeous Easter cake...It's a pity she made it for her surfing friends and drove off with it in her camping van though :-( Aparently it was very tasty after an afternoon of surfing.

It's a lemon drizzle Madeira sponge with lemon fondant icing. I just love the pattern and big daisy flowers.

You can check out more of Tara's cakes on her CupCakeMe website or follow her latest creations via Facebook.

Vintage brooch bouquets

Wow - it's amazing when someone you know surprises you with a hidden talent! I've got to know Lisa O'Dwyer, seen right, and her gorgeous photography in the last few months. She mentioned her love for all things vintage and how she was designing some vintage brooch bouquets.

Lisa is originally from Pennsylvania, but now living in Ireland with her husband and two children. Herself and her Mum, also a 'vintage everything' enthusiast, collect brooches and earrings from 1930s-50s designers such as Coro, Lisner, and Hollycraft.

What I especially love about the bouquet below is that Lisa sourced delicate blue vintage paper flowers that had been made in Occupied Japan. Like all things vintage, it's amazing to imagine the interesting stories associated with each piece.

"I had seen brooch bouquets on wedding blogs. I showed it to my mom and she said she wanted to try to make one. She is really good at crafts, and is an expert at stained glass and sewing. She bought the brooches in the US, and made two bouquets and sent them to me but I tore them apart because some of the wires were showing! So I made two types: one with the floral form and brooches and paper flowers and the other with silk hydrangeas and brooches. I used good quality antique brooches, nothing new or reproduction. They take around 6hrs to make. I have some more to make more bouquets, and I'm sure my mom will find some more brooches for me to use when I visit this summer".


Lisa has an Etsy shop called Starry Flower Love and would love her bouquets to be held and treasured forever by some Irish brides! Check out more images from Lisa's Easter-themed shoot...full of dreamy dresses and accessories and the fluffiest white rabbit!

Credits
Images by Lisa O'Dwyer Photography
Lisa's Etsy shop - Starry Flower Love
Photo of Lisa by Christina Brosnan

Come on summer...

The sun is really trying hard to make an appearance in the last couple of weeks. If only we could *rely* on the weather here, we'd all be so much more adventurous in our wedding venue choices! We might even forward plan a picnic or two...



These images really captured my imagination. I adore the sixties outdoor wedding setting with mis-matched lounge couches. Hats would be a definite requirement along with legs crossed at a 45 degree angle. Please someone invite me to this wedding. Or how about the lavish velvet curtain back-drop at this circus-inspired celebration? It's nice to bring the inside out, don't you think? See the full wedding feature here which was photographed by Gabriel Ryan.

I'd love to hear your thoughts and ideas on outdoor celebrations!

Image credits
Top image via Enchanted Weddings. Original source PutAWittyHeadlineHere.
Circus wedding via Green Wedding Shoes. Photography by Gabriel Ryan Photographers.

Dreamy colour inspiration

Today I bring you soft muted colours to alter your mood - colour therapy for a misty, grey Irish day. There are hints of Spring in these palettes though!

These two images were found on the Colour Collective Blog. This is an amazing resource for colour inspiration. You might remember my previous post about creating your own palettes using your favourite pics. Use the online palette generator - you'll have lots of fun!

Cupcakes and Jewels and my 'lil sister!

Do you know that I have a sister who runs a cupcake business called CupCakeMe and makes the most delicious cakes for every sweet occasion? I'm so proud that she has launched such a successful business in just over a year. Sometimes redundancy can lead to the most amazing life changes ;-)

We collaborated with photographer Christina Brosnan for a photo-shoot that combined her sweet art with some of my sparkling jewels. We had so much fun coming up with ideas and themes.

A big thanks to Lisa from Bride and Joy for featuring us on her blog today! Lisa is a real bride documenting her personal wedding journey - her blog is full of useful advice for anyone planning a wedding. Hop over to her blog and check out the post and be sure to leave us some comments!

See more of Tara's cakes on CupCakeMe and Christina's photography on her website.

Christian Dior Couture 2011

I simply had to post this image from Christian Dior's 2011 Couture collection...I tried just tweeting about it but it wasn't enough. I'm not so wild about the headpiece but I could definitely find somewhere to wear this dress.

2011 Bridal trends

Whoooh - back to work and delighted to be sitting at my desk, surrounded by beads and full of ideas for new designs which I'll be sharing with you shortly.

Part of my design research involves keeping up to date with the latest in bridal trends so today I am sharing an idea that is going to be huge in 2011 weddings! Succulents - I love them for their crazy forms and variety of colours. They are sculptural yet simple and can be used in lots of creative ways.

This first photo is the one that wowed me - how about a headpiece made from a succulent that has been sprayed gold? This piece was designed by Clarissa Jones, who is an event planner in California. Her business is called JLDesigns - check out the other succulent ideas from this shoot.

This is a bouquet that I have featured before and was found via Style Me Pretty. I love the colour mix of soft greys and greens with yellow.

And here's a striking cake made by Erica O'Brien. The flower decorations are made from fondant sugar paste. I love when things are not what they appear to be. Totally scrumptious!

In the coming weeks, I'll be sharing 2011 bridal trends for everything from dresses to hairstyles. In the meantime, I need to get back to my design desk!

Rangoli Bridesmaid commission

Here's a recent commission that I loved working on. The wedding is not until the spring so it's nice to have images of floaty chiffon dresses to keep my mind off the chillyness!

The brief for this commission was for something soft and romantic. The client loved my hairwire styles and also wanted something with a side feature. I came up with the idea of incorporating a fine velvet ribbon to create a 'Jane Austin' inspired headpiece. I then sourced a selection of Swarovski crystals in lilac and opal pinks.

This piece ties at the back of the head. It also doubles up as a necklace or bracelet - probably one of my most versatile pieces! The beautiful dress is by J Crew - check out their website for the full collection.

I hope you enjoyed reading about this commission - check my archives for more Rangoli commissions and Rangoli wedding features or visit my website to view my collections.

'Three things' 1

The 'Three things' series is about things that inspire me to design. This is a visual diary of images I love... might be a colour, a form or simply something that triggers a happy emotion. Welcome to my world - I hope you enjoy leafing through my visual diary!

First up is the colour grey. Amazing by itself and happily harmonises with any colour palette.

Pattern is probably top of my list for inspiration ideas. I love this installation made from 60,000 quilting pins! Gorgeous colour, pattern and concept. It was made by Lisa Kellner.

And definitely not 'least', a stunning clutch bag by Alexander McQueen complete with four bejewelled rings :-)

This is the first in the series so I hope you enjoy seeing what inspires me to design over the coming months. Why don't you start a visual diary too?

Image sources and credits -
Top - Image via FeyHandmade
Middle - Lisa Kellner
Bottom: Alexander McQueen

Graduated colour palette

It's a very beautiful white world out there so it's a perfect canvas for some bold colours. I love the magical transparent colours in this Johnny Miller photograph. It's the graduation of colours that makes it so interesting though - from sea-green to blue.



You could have lots of flower fun by creating colour graduated displays or perhaps bridesmaids with different palettes of colour.


A magical idea for a magical white world!

Photo credits
Orange flowers via Design Sponge
Pink flowers via A Vintage Rose Garden
Colour wheel by Andy Gilmore via ffffound.com

Colour therapy for a grey day

It's so grey and wet outside today. As I sat in a coffee shop earlier, looking out the window, I realised that I love that heavy foreboding grey sky. The shade of grey that makes all other colours just pop alongside it.

Here's an image that I came across recently by the amazing Rodney Smith. What a dream-like scene and what magical and striking colours. I want to see what happens when this woman floats into the water but it's up to my imagination to visualise it! I suppose that what makes this image so engaging.

This blog is also about things that inspire me to design and colour is something that makes my heart sing, especially on a grey November day like today. And there's definitely some wedding colour palette inspiration in there too...

Lavin Honeymoon suitcases

Well, you'll need one won't you? And unless you're travelling with toy-sized Ryanair hand luggage, you'll want decent sized and very stylish luggage to see you through your first Mr & Mrs vacation...

This baby might be just what you're looking for. The Lavin Honeymoon Suitcase is not just a pretty case. We're talking a canvas suitcase with round corners and silver hardware. And there's more - once you open the case, you'll reveal its treasure of matching accessories. Your goody bag contains a matching printed cotton tote bag that has grosgrain handles, a small patterned drawstring bag, pompom-embellished raffia flip flops that come in one size and a large printed pareo. A pareo appears to be a sarong if I guess correctly :-) and those 'grosgrain' handles must be made of fancy-pants wood...

The price, (in small print) is €460, but I mean look at what you get for your money...
For more details, visit net-a-porter.com

Bespoke Rangoli headpiece

I thought I'd share some pictures of a recent Rangoli commission. I like the colour combinations - quite moody yet understated. There's lots of slate blues, greys and burgundy around at the moment.


I picked out the Cristal Reiss dress below and think it would work well with this headpiece. And a perhaps some opaque burgundy tights by Jonathan Aston...

The shoes I will leave up to you! Suggestions on a postcard please...I'm thinking patent leather!

Check out some of my other commissions too for ideas and inspiration.