Love, Letters…

I’m now right in the middle of exams (which is why I have been rubbish about posting on here) but taking respite from studying with the fun of ‘Summer Party’ planning (or wedding planning as most normal non freaked out people call it) and marathon training (it is fun I promise!).

I always allow myself a little treat each day to search out there on the blogosphere for design inspiration and DIY projects, as we’re hoping to do a completely homespun party – as a result my lounge is currently covered in tissue paper scraps and a growing mountain of brightly coloured homemade decorations – haven’t really considered where these are going to be stored until the summer but never mind.

I’m slightly concerned I might comehome one day and will only be able to locate my future husband by his little eyes poking out from a pile of pom poms. Oh well, at least it will be a colourful way to go.

I’ve also been on the lookout for other crafty bits that can be used on the day, and love these heart prints from the very talented Hijiri at HeartFish Press who (luckily for me) has just opened a new online shop. Hijiri made me an excellent custom made letter press print for our anniversary (pre-engagement ring even being a teeny sparkle in his eye) which he was pretty impressed with – so it will be nice to have some of her cards or prints incorporated somehow. Check out her website or etsy shop for heaps of beautiful letterpress.

photo pictures from www.etsy.com/shop/hijirik

Cariad and YSL jewellery (Because Magazine)

YSL JEWELLERY (Because Magazine).

Beautiful jewellery, cakes from the Hummingbird bakery and Cariad stands – what more could you ask for?!

Handmade to Measure

Ola…I have been rather slack of late and indeed haven’t been making much in the way of cakestands. Being back at uni has unfortunately otherwise occupied me. As a result I don’t have any nice pictures of new ones etc to put up, so I thought I would instead put up a little link to a very talented lady’s site instead! I met Linda at a craft fair, she is part of the Seaside Sisters who often appear at craft fairs doing workshops – they made bunting bikinis at Vintage at Goodwood and are shortly appearing at the Eco Design Fair in London.

Linda’s website has lots of goodies and bits to ogle, and she also made some amazing bunting which I gave my sister as a birthday present – complete with cowboys. I’ve also got my beady eyes on the sticks of rock bolsters, which I think will be amazing at a ‘summer party’ (aka my non wedding wedding!).

She has also has some lovely purses and bags for sale all made from vintage fabrics (I particularly like this one below!) So if you’re looking for a cool birthday (or Christmas…) present then look no further! www.handmadetomeasure.com

(picture from www.seasidesisters.co.uk)

A Cariad indeed…

eeek! I have been rather busy these past few weeks and haven’t posted for ages…leaving my job, getting all my hair chopped off to become a little pixie and preparing for the start of uni will do that to you. Added to that was the extremely happy news in that my lovely Cariad Cake Stands assistant (aka my long suffering boyfriend) proposed…after all his help and excellent sales technique at Vintage at Goodwood (not to mention his general all round brilliance) how could I possibly say no?! It came as a big, but I must admit very pleasant, surprise and consequently I have been rather distracted! Bit crazy to think that my life has changed radically in the space of two short weeks thanks to all of the above…

However I will be shortly posting details on upcoming Christmas Fairs and details of new cake stands, as university starts on Monday this will be my only mode of employment…which I’ll be honest, is pretty daunting.

2010 – A Very Good Vintage

Phewee pretty exhausted after a few long days at Vintage at Goodwood…and then straight back to work today! Here are some pictures of the festival

Had a great time, and after all as Cariad was started last year as a way to help get me back to uni…and enrolment is w now only a month away, it was amazing to take it along to an event like that and know how far it has come. Thanks to all my friends and the lovely Toan (who was on the stall for 10 hours every day) for all your support xxx

Tea for two…or three

Well this has been a busy weekend, preparation for this week’s impending Vintage at Goodwood festival has meant I have been hitting London’s markets in earnest and am now about to embark on a major plate off. Although, managed to find time for a spot of afternoon tea today, outside on the patio in the (intermittent) sunshine! I used one of the cake stands, one of my favourites with a coronation plate in the middle (click below for images) https://cariadcakestands.wordpress.com/2010/04/20/caking-and-baking/

 I love this one (and it was used today as afternoon tea was to celebrate a young man’s birthday and I thought this stand was a bit more masculine!). Here’s hoping it will find a new home and someone to entertain at the festival this weekend.

Pierre saw quite a bit of action this weekend, think I must have done about 20 miles all in all and I also went to meet my friend off the Eurostar at Kings Cross for a cup of coffee and to collect some new Parisienne plates just in time for the festival. Looking forward to making up some good ones from these, so thanks Ditte!

Now…I better be off as my whole flat is covered in plates and I need to make some and tidy the plates away before my boyfriend gets home (as he is like a giant magnet for plate breaking, he just steps into the room and the plates disintegrate before your very eyes). Although I hope that this, almost impressive in a way, skill for dropping plates and stands will improve before the weekend seeing as he is going to be my glamourous assistant on the stall this weekend.

p.s is anyone else camping at Vintage at Goodwood? My flowery tent (brings a second meaning to ‘camp’) is ready to be pitched, it hasn’t had an outing for a while!

Vintage At Goodwood

1 week to go…very exciting!! Cariad Cake Stands are going to be appearing at the brilliant new festival Vintage at Goodwood. Check out the link below for more information.

http://www.vintageatgoodwood.com/home.aspx

More information and details of special offers and stands available will be appearing very soon. Having moved out of one house, been temporarily homeless and then moved into a new house and had my birthday party the past two weeks have been pretty hectic so haven’t had time to update. Promise this weekend will be entirely dedicated to Cariad…….

On the plus point it has meant new stuff for the flat, and some amazing finds on ebay so it’s not all bad!

Summer dreams…celebrating sixty

Well a few cake stands had quite the adventure at the weekend, being safely packed up and taken to Oxford to ‘Art in Action’ to celebrate my boyfriend’s mum’s super 60th birthday. Here are a few pictures of them being used for the afternoon tea picnic, with teeny tiny sandwiches and homemade scones. There is also a pic of my whopper of a sponge cake, which did all get eaten!

Pierre’s Pedal Power

Bit of a hectic time this weekend, moving house is always stressful but even more so when you have a party to attend in Oxford on the same weekend and then your removal van and driver doesn’t turn up on the day…meaning you are stranded on the street – although at least we were comfortable as the sofas were outside! On the bright side my lovely friends suprised me in the afternoon with a picnic on Primrose Hill for my birthday, and two more cake stands found a lovely home after an early morning delivery on Saturday. Thanks to Pierre I was able to whizz round on Saturday morning, then freewheel back down Regents Park Road before hightailing it to Oxford for a picnic. This is trusty Pierre in action early on Saturday morning, with his cargo.

The Octopus was right…

well, we drove all the way to Amsterdam (on the invitation of, and in honour of Georgie – an Amsterdammer born and bred) to watch the world cup final on the big screens there…and for the good times. So the result wasn’t quite what we wanted, as honourary Dutchies – but a cake stand has now found a new home in a beautiful townhouse along the canal, and we had a great party, which was of course the whole reason for going! Thanks to the best ever good time girl Georgie, Spencer  and Mr and Mrs Bayliff for a brilliant weekend, and for being such great hosts. Amsterdam is a beautiful city in normal times – never mind a baking hot summer’s day when their football team has made the World Cup Finals. Definitely worth the road trip!

The most amazing moment when the helicopters flying above threw out huge bunches of freshly cut flowers – beautiful