Traditional Bunting

I can't do a series of posts about garlands and bunting without including some traditional bunting! I saw these stunning photographs of tradional bunting (apparently made by the bride herself) on the website of one of my favourite photographers and I fell head over heels in love with the fresh, but romantic look created with the bunting made from fabric in shades of mainly pink and blue.



Source: http://www.nastassjaharvey.com/2011/01/iaan-christine-29-october-2010-kleinevalleij/

Ribbon chandelier

I know I'm supposed to be on a bunting and garland spree and technically speaking a ribbon chandelier does not qualify as one of the two, but I wanted to do a post on it, as it is also something that you can hang up and use to decorate space above a table, under a tree, or wherever you want to! (And because I love ribbon and lace and am totally in love with any idea that promotes the use of these materials for projects that aren't too feminine and girly! I am married to a man who will probably move to the garden shed if I decided to decorate our home with ribbons tied in bows, but I'm sure even he can live with something this pretty!) The image below comes from 100 layer cake and there are general tips on how to make your own ribbon chandelier here, but the idea can easily be adapted, if you would prefer a ribbon garland.

The image below is from a wedding in Franschoek, South Africa, and I think this combination of ribbon, crystals and paper butterflies is absolutely stunning!

Here you can see a close-up:

Source for both these images: http://www.zara-zoo.com/blog/le-franschhoek-leverger-wedding/

Pompom Garland

I've seen this Pompom Garland on Etsy. Millalove describes the garland as "possibly the happiest thing I've created"! I must agree: this garland will bring happiness to any setting. Millalove is based in the UK, which means you won't have to wait too long for shipping if you want to order one!

Source: http://www.etsy.com/listing/41969765/pom-pom-garland

Pompoms are easy to make (many of us have made them as children) so you can also make your own pompom garland if you have some time on your hands. You can find instructions for making pompoms all over the web, for example here  (movie) and here (written instructions)!

Fabric Scrap Garland 2

I came across this beautiful garland that's in the same style as those in the previous post, so I thought I'll add this picture before moving on to different styles of bunting. This time the fabric strips are longer and closer together - almost ribbon-like. If you're lazy or pressed for time you can simply rip your fabric into strips to form ribbons and then cut them to the desired length afterwards!

Fabric Scrap Garland 1

Bunting and garlands are such a fun way to add festivity to a special celebration or to just add a bit of fun to a room in your home. There are just so many lovely ideas out there that I've decided to do a few different posts. Thought I'll start off with this one, which is so easy to do yourself, even if you're not good at sewing!

Source: http://www.stylemepretty.com/gallery/photo/90164

Source: http://www.stylemepretty.com/gallery/photo/90170

Source: http://www.stylemepretty.com/gallery/photo/90169

You can simply use a sewing machine to stitch random scraps of fabric (more or less rectangular) into a garland by stitching through the scraps and leaving some open spaces in between. What's great about this is that you can use fabric scraps and offcuts or go green and recycle some old clothes that you won't wear again, or other textiles from around the house. Or you may use fabric that holds some special memories for you ...

Don't own a sewing machine or intimidated by yours? Then you can create something similar by hand! Simply thread your fabric scraps onto embroidery thread with a needle. This will take a little longer, but it's an easy project to finish while watching your favourite tv programme!

Source: I don't know! If this photo belongs to you, please let me know the details. I would love to give you credit, but I can't remember where I found it!

Lasercut birdcages

Hello Everyone!

It is incredible hot here in the Netherlands and I'm sitting in my studio with a fan blowing directly on me! Those of you who know me personally will know that I don't really like the heat so much, but I'll try not to complain, because I know a lot of people who are very glad for some sunshine after the mostly miserable weather that we've been having lately. But enough about the weather:

Today a bit of news from my Etsy shop. I'm in the process of revamping my Etsy shop to give it a bit of a new look and I am also making some changes as far as products and pricing are concerned. So please pop in to see what I am up to. You can expect some more new products in the next week or so, but today I've added some pretty lasercut birdcages - ideal as wedding decor and to take home afterwards to feather your new nest. 

These birdcages were lasercut from 285gsm  shimmer cardstock. I sell them without ribbon so they can be colour coordinated with whatever you plan to do with them. For this photo I've added some French satin ribbon in shades and combinations of pink because I like a bit of a more playful, slightly mismatched or eclectic look. I think this particular design is especially suitable for weddings or a romantic bedroom. (Guess who's on the lookout for a nice vintage frame ... so that I can frame one to hang above our bed!)

You can find more details about these whimsical paper cages here and here or you can write to me directly at almostamsterdam(at)gmail(dot)com if you have any questions.

Change

Hello, Everyone! You should prepare yourselves to see some changes to my blog. The biggest change will be that I will in future publish in English. There are two reasons for this change: The first reason is that I receive more international queries than local ones! To make my blog more accessible to everyone and to try and standardise things a little I will in future blog in English. I  will bring you more information from all over the world, but with suggestions for vendors in Europe.

The second reason is more personal: I love blogging and talking to you all, but it still takes me very long to try and formulate perfect Dutch sentences when writing, as Dutch is not my mother tongue! By the time that I am more or less satisfied (take note: not convinced that there are no errors!) with a post it has become old news to me, which takes the fun out of publishing it. It will therefore be more practical for me to rather write in English. Since it will be much quicker to do, I will be able to also blog more often! This does not mean that I don't value my Dutch followers. You will still be welcome to leave your comments in Dutch or to write to me in Dutch!

I've decided to revamp my blog in more than one way, so you can expect to see a new logo up in the next few days, as well as some new categories for posts. I will talk to you again soon!