Monday 9 August 2010

Personalised napkins make a unique wedding gift....

When I was planning my own wedding in 2008, I embroidered monogrammed napkins for all our guests for our wedding breakfast...
And a few months after the wedding, I thought of setting up my own business to create personalised napkins to make other couples weddings unique.
We use our napkins regularly now at home, and they finish off table decorations for special occasions.
The flowers have be cut from our garden, and I love the casual display in a vintage mug.
Today we have family coming for Sunday dinner, and I thought this would be an ideal opportunity to show you how monogrammed napkins can be used after your wedding day.

Friday 4 June 2010

Vintage Lace Garters

I have been collecting vintage lace from various shops and market, where ever I see something beautiful!
I eventually had chance to play this week in the evenings and finalised my design and I'm sure you'll agree, the vintage lace makes the garters look fabulous!
Due to the nature of using vintage lace, each garter is a one off... and I think this makes it extra special to wear on your wedding day! Prices start at £18 - £25 for the wider lace garters.
I will add them to the website soon, but if there is anything you like, please contact me to purchase. I have added more photographs to my Flickr account.

Thursday 27 May 2010

Personalised Monogrammed Wedding Stationery

We have a wonderful classy range of monogrammed wedding stationery.... we can use any font to create a traditional or contempory feel...

Saturday 22 May 2010

Eden Lodge, Cumbria - unique wedding venue!


I was away with work this week in Cumbria and stayed at this wonderful hotel! Set in its own plush gardens, this would be a wonderful venue for a uique wedding!

Inside the hotel has wonderful original features, but has been decorated to such a high standard that every detail is completely perfect!



Look at the wonderful taps in my bathroom!
My tuna salad room service couldn't have been any better!
And look at the views from my bedroom window!
Check out Eden Lodge website at http://www.eden-lodge.com/
It is "Beyond Expectations"...

Thursday 14 January 2010

Personalised teddybear for the happy couple..

This gorgeous teddy bear would be a cute gift for the happy couple, personalised with bride & groom names and date of the wedding. You could even change the wording and the teddy would be a ideal thank you gift for a young bridesmaid or pageboy.

It will be found on our website in the next few days.

www.extraspecialtouch.co.uk


Sunday 10 January 2010

Make your own chocolate favours.....

I found this on the net today and thought it would be a great idea to add to this blog.

To keep your costs down and to add that extra special touch to your wedding breakfast table decorations... how about making Chocolate Truffles to use as favours for your guest? You can put them in a small box and add a personal message for each guest or place them in small organza bags in the colour theme of your wedding?






I have found a recipe below to get you started!

Step one: Buy the ingredients
To make around 40 Truffles you'll need 800g of ganache and 300g of chocolate (milk, white or dark - you decide).

Step two: Ingredients for the the Ganache filling

You'll need 800g of the chocolate of your choice, 45g of liquid glucose (available from supermarkets) and 220ml of whipping cream (that's the one with the green top in case you're sending hubby to be out for the ingredients), 60g of unsalted butter and if you want to flavour, the liquer of your choice or why not try mint, vanilla, coffee or orange extract (not essence).

Step three: Ready steady, begin to cook
Start with the ganache.Break the chocolate into individual squares - you can whack it on your work top (whilst still in the wrapper) and don't believe all the nonsense about boiling pans and pyrex bowls, stick it in the microwave for about a minute and a half, give it a stir ,and then in for about another minute. Remember the chocolate carrys on melting after you've taken it out - stir the chocolate if you have a few small lumps, they'll soon disappear, if not then give them another blast for approx 20 seconds.

Step four: Add the rest of the ingredients
Next put your cream, butter and liquid glucose in a pan - Tip of the day, heat a tea spoon over the spout of a boiling kettle,wipe dry.This heats up the spoon and the glucose will slide off of the spoon more easily. Heat until the butter has all melted and as soon as the mixture starts to boil remove from the heat.

Add this to the melted chocolate and stir thoroughly. Wait for the mixture to cool before adding any flavourings.

Step five: Get whisking
Once the ganache has cooled, whisk with an electric whisk until smooth and creamy, place teaspoons of the mixture onto a greasproof baking tray, place in the fridge for about half an hour. Take out the fridge and roll them into a ball - work quickly because the chocolate will start to melt (and accept the fact that this is messy), return them to the fridge for about an hour.

Melt the remaining chocolate and leave it to cool slightly, take the truffles from the fridge and roll in the melted chocolate, then return to the fridge. You can repeat this after about half an hour if you so wish.

Step 6: Packaging
You should now be looking at beautiful handmade truffles, pop them in an airtight box and leave in the fridge, they'll last up to six months.

To wrap them buy some celophane from a florist, cut it into squares, wrap them up, tie with a ribbon and make a name tag if you like. You can even buy individual bags top put them in (see image above.)