I've been working on the bits and pieces for my wedding(s) and have chosen a Lilac theme for the service in May.

I've created earrings for the day



and have made a necklace... I really like the necklace but I'm not sold on it, so to speak.... I'd LOVE some -honest- opinions and criticisms from other crafty folks, if you'd be so kind.

Continuing from this http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=295873.msg3367779#msg3367779 thread (I didn't realise there was a Wedding discussion board. That's my "DUH" moment for the day) I made the bouquet for my upcoming (this Saturday) wedding.

We're having a small civil ceremony here in London before having the BIG shindig in May in southern Sweden (full gown, attendees, guests, the works).










Any and all comments are welcome! I love it, but then I am biased, so please feel free to critique )

Recently, I went absolutely bonkers and decided that my upcoming wedding would be as DIY as possible.

I'm making my dress, my maid of Dishonour's dress, The Man's tie, my shawl, my jewelry, my bouquet, my head piece, the STD cards, invitations and Thank You cards, etc... The list is virtually endless.

A very good friend of mine who is also a "maker" offered to make me some heart-shaped soaps at cost to have as wedding favours and since the theme of my wedding is Lilacs, they'll be coloured and scented appropriately.

To decorate the bags of soap (and stick with the Lilac theme) I decided to make lilac cell phone charms that can be tied to the bags with ribbon. In a further fit of madness, I decided they would be more memorable if they matched something I'm wearing, too!

So, I present to you my earrings and "matching" charms...





Please give honest opinions! (wedding will be in May in the south of Sweden)

Firstly, I sincerely apologise if this has been asked/answered before, but I used the search function and didn't really come up with anything useful/specific enough for what I'm really after...

"I read somewhere" that Beadalon wire is some of the best for creating things such as Tree of Life Pendants and the like where the main idea isn't necessarily the -stringing- of the beads but more the pliability of the wire to help create the piece.

(To be more specific; I want to make Tree of Life Pendants (and window hangers) for my Maid of DISHonour at my upcoming wedding and for mine and the groom's mothers.)

A. What is your opinion about Beadalon wire versus others? Would -you- recommend a different wire altogether? Should I go with just standard "craft wire" and pay more attention to the beads?

B. Do any of you know of any UK/London-based suppliers? I've found a couple of then on eBay but they only seem to carry a small selection.

Many many thanks in advance for all advice, hints, tips, suggestions and shoves in the right directions!

Apart from drooling all over every single other Tree of Life Pendant posted here, there's no back story to this piece.

It took me 30 minutes (?) and I am already completely addicted/planning/scheming/finding excuses to buy beads and wire and new pliers....





There are a few "tweaks" I'll make in any subsequent versions, but as this is my "how hard are these things/how badly can I mess this up?" piece, I'm pretty proud at how well it came out.

Due to unforeseen circumstances; my Fiancé and I have to wed twice this year.

Long story short, it's in order to satisfy the governments of England (where we live), The US (where I'm from), Germany (where my Fiancé is from), and Sweden (where we want(ed) to get married).

So, we will be "getting married" in Sweden in May as planned, but before then we will officially be wed on 14th March (basically turning the SwedishLeg of our nuptials into a ceremonial-only thing, but oh well.)

Because we both feel that we want our Swedish Wedding to mean more, we're "saving" our wedding rings for then, but want something to wear starting in March, as we will, officially, be married.

Being a "designer" (and I use that term loosely as I am barely above "bumbling amateur") I broke out my stash of "parts" and had a play last night while we were watching TV.

Please let me know what you think about the following as I am one of those crafters who can't see the woods for the trees once something has been created.

This ring is green craft wire wrapped around less pretty silver-coloured craft wire, Swarovski crystal bicones and cubes, Silver-coated wire, round silver beads, round plastic beads and the centre is a flower-shaped plastic bead. The theme for the wedding is Lilac...






These next two rings are silver-coated wire wrapped around less-pretty craft wire. The bead is an antique crystal bead that was my grandmother's...











I am thinking that I will wear the purple and green one for the SwedishLeg as it's a nice accessory and am "only" considering the other ones as LondonLeg set, but I am in love with them anyway and would love to know what other, fellow-crafty people think!

I'm sorry if this has been asked before or is a -really- stupid question, but this particular sewing pattern means so much to me that (I know) I'm being overly cautious.

I purchased the pattern for my wedding gown but need to (for my own sanity) do a run-through with cotton.

I want to make the cotton version shorter, however, and that would involve (obviously) cutting the length of the dress.

I'm not new to sewing, but it's been a LONG time since I've made anything (made prom dresses on my mom's old treadle and floor-length canopy for my bed when I was a teen) so feel a little rusty and not-trusting of my sewing-fu.

What I am asking is this:

If I cut the pattern to make the shorter version as my mock-up, will I give myself issues later when making the "real deal"?

In my head I am picturing just taping the pieces together and I -know- that it will work. If this were "just a dress" I would have done it by now but it's for my -wedding-. (I know, too, that worst-case scenario is that I'd have to buy a new pattern. Big Deal.)

I'd really appreciate some more seasoned sewers to pet my ego and calm my fears a little.

http://www.butterick.com/web/shop.cgi?s.item.B4919.x=1 ... is the pattern in case you're curious/it makes a difference

Very very many thanks in advance

...but this pretty much sums up how I feel about knitting..

http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1267

Dear Crafty Glaziers,

I am desperate to find alphabet molds (moulds) that are high-heat resistant.

I want to melt glass and plastic into an alphabet shape, but all I can seem to find are molds/moulds for this type of thing for resin (which I am imagining to NOT be very heat resistant).

I'm ever-so-grateful for any and all advice!

(metal cookie-cutters don't work as the pieces are all but impossible to remove after heating grrr)

I finally decided what I want for my bouquet for my upcoming (this Spring) wedding.

Beaded flowers? Ribbon roses? Something I made up on my own? Real flowers? and on and on...

Since I am making my dress (Butterick pattern 4919) and knitting my shawl (personal pattern, may write it up, depending on if it works or not).

Do any of you crafty people know of any sewing patterns for roses or other pretty flowers? (free or purchase-able, I don't mind )

Thanks in advance!