Marriage or Wedding? Both please!

The former Archbishop of Canterbury has commented that the pressure to have the 'perfect' wedding has become one of the biggest threats to marriage itself. With the focus being on the wedding rather than the marriage, profiteers take over and turn what in his opinion should be a 'simple public declaration of commitment' into a 'showy and expensive day'.  He comments that the enormous shows of wealth and extravagance (which many can barely afford) last a day but leave little time to focus on the day to day normalitities that couples then have to struggle through.

You may be surprised to hear that I am with him (despite possibly being one of the 'profiteers' he mentions). I especially agree with his presumption "This is an aspect I think of the short term, unimaginative, emotionally unintelligent climate that sometimes we seem forced to inhabit". Despite charging money to help make people's weddings and parties beautiful events my main focus is to make it a memorable event. Not for the reasons you may assume. A wedding may be memorable because of the enormous amount of money spent on it or it may be memorable because the bride wore an enormous dress, but neither of those reasons create positive and happy memories for the bride, groom, their families and friends.

Positive memories are created when an aspect of the wedding ceremony or reception speaks to the guests and warms their heart. Memories of the couple putting together a time capsule at the altar to be opened in 10, 20, 30 years time. Memories of the day two people you care about promised so much to each other when you look at the flowers growing from the seeds that were your wedding favour. Memories of the photos of  relatives who could not be with the couple on their day, blowing in the wind in a 'family tree'. These are positive memories that I am interested in and that can be created for very little money but with plenty of imagination and emotional intelligence that help focus couples in the long term. These are the things that I believe create the 'perfect wedding'.

I am interested in creating memorable events for the couple. When happy memories last amongst people who love a couple, they grow and add to the love and commitment of the couple. 

For more ideas about how to create the emotionally intelligent wedding see my Pintrest Board: 

It's the little things.

www.festoon.jux.com

2014's Brides and Party Princesses to go Paleo for New Year Detox.

The annual detox that is January is more important for those who will be on a podium at some point in the year ahead. Brides to be and those who are hosting big parties want to look and feel their best. The health trends of 2014 interestingly include many ideas that I have incorporated into my own lifestyle since having a child 18 months ago, and I can safely say they work!

A constant appetite for all things naughty will be the main battle for most January detoxers as they will have consumed more sugar over Christmas than normal, usually in the form of chocolate and alcohol. Sugar is our number one beauty enemy causing cravings as well as blotchy skin, acne, dry skin, enlarged pores, eczema and bloodshot eyes . Candida grows in the sugar addict's tummy and every health problem under the sun can be aggravated, not to mention the suggested link that sugar feeds Cancer.

So, how to heal our gut and thereafter our skin, eyes, hair, nails and energy levels? Cutting out all sugar and alcohol is the first step, then I would suggest gluten, yeast, cow's dairy and all things labelled 'diet'. What to add in? Greens, greens and more greens, chilli, garlic (fight those January colds), lots of fruits and vegetables and meat. Yes folks, I said meat and detox in the same article. Humans have evolved, eating as hunters and gathers so therefore our gut has evolved to consume meat, vegetables and fruit most effectively. The 'Paleo' (as in Paleolithic) diet is not a faddy diet it's a way of life for many Americans and I've noticed it is heading this way. Add that together with the brilliant vitamin boost of a green juice and I think we are on to a winner.

Sounds extreme? Not at all! Here are some eating suggestions that makes your New Year Glow easy to achieve.

Breakfast ideas:
Green Juice (lemon, apple, kale, celery)
Rye bread (yeast free such as Biona. Not strictly Paleo but I find it really good) toast with  hummus or goats butter
Omelet
Eggs on rye bread 

Lunch:
Salad (watercress, rocket, grated carrot, beetroot, cucumber, tomato) with either goats cheese or chicken or Salmon
Soup Butternut squash & celeriac is particularly easy just chop up and boil in good quality chicken stock till soft then liquidise but any vegetable works or good old Chicken Soup.

Dinner:
Roast dinner! A joint of meat with roast veggies. (Don't forget to make a stock from the bones) then you have the next few day's soups).
Pudding: in a blender 2 ripe bananas and a tin of coconut milk - freeze and you have the tastiest no sugar no dairy ice cream known to womankind. Seriously no one will know this is health food.

You can eat as much of the above as you like. You can add as much fat to your food as you like as long as it is a whole fat and not processed (coconut, olive oil, goats butter, rapeseed oil, lard, nut butters - all good for you! Will decrease your appetite and make your skin glow). And you will look and feel incredible... when those sugar and caffine shivers have worn off!

For more information see:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/netherlands/10314705/Sugar-is-addictive-and-the-most-dangerous-drug-of-the-times.html

http://thepaleodiet.com/getting-started-with-the-paleo-diet/

http://www.thebestofrawfood.com/

Festoon will see you down the aisle in style.
www.festoon.jux.com

(Please note I am not a nutritionist, I'm just talking from my own research.)

Tilley's Vintage becomes Festoon.

Tilley's Vintage has n the last 12 months become Festoon - an event styling, planning and decorating company.

www.festoon.jux.com

I will be available for all event needs at very affordable prices for 2014.

Here is the start of a Festoon Christmas table...

Christmas begins

Christmas in the new house arrived yesterday via Ludlow market and a hunt for a Christmas tree. We wondered if it was cheeky to nick one from the woods behind our house but decided not to this year at least as farmers around here can be a little trigger happy! 

Here is the beginning of Christmas 2012. Our first with the little man, and the last for a few years with any breakable ornaments about! 

I'm in the process of making some snowflakes and a felt garland, will show you later in the week.

The beautiful frosty woods are also deserving of some blog space...

Vintage Nation 2012

Vintage Nation

 As my final project before baby arrives I was keen to do a good job, but the physical effort of dressing four enormous conference rooms was a bit much so thank god for my helpers from Judy's Affordable Vintage team and Brighton Racecourse. Hope I wasn't too bossy!!

Summer's New Dress

A perfect summer dress: vibrant colours and patterns for this season, plus an important elasticated waistline - as mine is getting bigger by the day.To wear with a long pendant necklace, to break up the bust and some boots while still chill then leather flat sandals all summer long.

Styling Projects 2012

Dear all,

I'm working on two styling projects at the moment and feel so blessed to be putting my energies into such exciting and brilliant people and plans.

Vintage Nation is a huge Vintage Festival happening in Brighton in June. Ran by Judy Berger of Judy's Affordable Vintage Fair fame, it should be a huge hit. She knows what she’s doing! Tickets will all be very affordable and there will be an enormous selection of Vintage to trawl through. 

Styling for the event so far is including buckets full of wild flowers; projectors playing 20's dancing girls onto walls, a huuugeee amount of bunting to zig zag across rooms, and floor to ceiling piles of vintage books. 

The second project ongoing is working with the brilliant band Thompson Oldman. They are four talented young folk whose band is going from strength to strength. Radio play, London gigs, and a sucessful audition for Live and Unsigned have all happened in the last month. Really original, gorgeous music check it out on the link below! I am styling them to get them as original looking as their music sounds. Lewis (bass) already has a signature top hat and big hair which will soon be matched with lots of similarly novel clothes. Can’t wait to see the finished project at their big final – Derby Live and Unsigned Saturday 14^th April at The Riverside Centre, come along and support them! Hopefully leading onto the O2 Arena later in the year.

 Thompson Oldman Music

Vintage Nation

Tilley's Vintage is very proud to be working for Judy's Affordable Vintage Fair's newest, most exciting venture yet ...

Not just a day long little Vintage Fair, or a tent at a music festival but a whole Vintage Festival, for and run by, Vintage enthusiasts! Tilleys will be styling the event - adding the Vintage style to the Vintage Festival. Very exciting.

Watch this space for updates!

Life has taken over!

So sorry I have neglected you all. There has been many big life changing things occuring in the last month. Not least this little issue....

I'm three months pregnant with this little bean! More beautiful than anything I've created before, and I hope to make this one's life as amazing as possible.

Life's a Voyage That's Homeward Bound

Househunting for the perfect space to fill with love, light and old things! It seems things are much cheaper the further north (or west!) we go, so these beauties are looking within reach... 

The Old Hall

Church Cottage

Pear Cottage

Fingers crossed! xx

Tilley's Vintage Shop and Interior, Design and Styling.

Dear All,

Tilley's Vintage Clothes is sadly no more but I have met so many amazing people; learnt so much about life and the universe and been part of so many incredible events that there are no tears being shed at Tilley’s HQ. Far from moping around in a Vintage frock I have been turning my creative fairy wand to interiors.. styling, designing, drooling over the Harrods interiors catalogue and generally discovering that I can put together a gorgeous Vintage look for alot less molah than the average Larry. 

My general inspiration is that of the Old School Circus, a smidge of Theatre and some Shabby Glamour as illustrated below......

Music Inspiration.

Click here for a playlist of video inspiration

Gifford's Circus

http://www.giffordscircus.com/

Isabella Blow R.I.P.

Les Trois Garcon.

http://www.loungelover.co.uk/

James and Hannah Plumb.

 

http://www.jamesplumb.co.uk/site/index.html

If any of this has floated your boat and you would like to see how I could use an element of this style to combine with your stock and create a shop display, shop window or market stall that would draw in customers do get in touch. 

I am offering 5 shop keepers or market stall owners a free design, style and installation. This will help build my portfolio and hopefully meet lots more wonderful people in the process! We can work together to come up with a design or idea that I will go away and work on. You will give me the date you need the window or stall completed and a budget (for items mentioned further down). I’ll then present you with a finished plan and suggested pricing (for the installation ... wires, pins etc and any items that we don’t already have between us, such as balloons, fabric etc. My time, designs and travel are free).  

Please get in touch at tilleysvintage@hotmail.co.uk with details of your shop/ stall dimentions, ideas, stock, your location and the date you would like to have installation completed.
 
The offer is open to UK shop owners or stall holders.  I reserve the right to choose the final 3 with travelling priorities in mind. 

Tilley x

London Fashion Weekend

There was not a huge amount of fashion for me at LFW, more Champagne than anything but here you go. 

I kicked off in a 1930's silk dress, Vivienne Jacket, 40's fur collar, biker boots and top knot, and the next morning we needed a very large cooked breakfast!

 

 

And the morning after: