Handmade ethical jewellery for Valentine’s Day

Image: thegreenorchard photography

With Valentine’s Day just around that corner I thought it only right to start February with some beautiful handmade jewellery from one of our sponsors

There is also a fantastic 10% discount to readers of The Natural Wedding Company blog – just use the following discount code when ordering NW10.

Karina Anne is based in Suffolk and makes handmade unique jewellery including necklaces, bracelets and earrings.  She has a strong committment to making jewellery in a responsible way, and much of her jewellery is made from Fair Trade silver.

The damage caused to the environment by mining for gemstones has inspired Karina Anne to stop using gemstones in her designs and focus on handmade glass beads and freshwater pearls.  You can read more about the products Karina Anne uses in her designs here on her website.

So here is a selection of the gorgeous handmade jewellery from Karina Anne – absolutely perfect for a special Valentine’s Day gift or a beautiful bride:

*Pearl Clusters*
Made with Fair Trade sterling silver and freshwater pearls

*Swarovski sparkle necklace in fuchsia and garnet*
Made with Fair Trade sterling silver chain – matching earrings available (see below)

*Swarovski sparkle earrings in fuchsia and garnet*
Made with Fair Trade sterling silver – matching necklace available (see above)

Karina Anne also sells a pretty range of ceramic gifts made in England.  These cute ceramic cupcake pots (available in a variety of designs) would be ideal to store precious jewellery, make an ideal gift for bridesmaids, or maybe they could hide an engagement ring for those romantic men out there…? 

I particularly like this sweet strawberry inspired design:

*Ceramic Cupcake Pot with strawberry*
Handmade in England

Or how about these adorable ceramic rosebud vases with heart decoration?  For anyone planning a romantic inspired wedding I think a collection of these vases filled with single blousy pink roses would make a stunning centrepiece.  Equally lovely for everyday use at home – I will definitely be putting them on my birthday wish list!

*Ceramic Rosebud Vase*
Handmade in England

These are just a few of the beautiful designs from Karina Anne, so head over to her website and check out more of her lovely jewellery.  And don’t forget to use the 10% discount code NW10 when ordering!

Daffodils and brown paper for a pretty spring wedding

These pretty little miniature daffodils are making an appearance in local florists at the moment, so I couldn’t resist but make them the centre of attention in this month’s creative project.

There is just something so uplifting about a pot of jolly yellow daffodils after a long, cold, bleak winter.  Simply wrapped up with brown paper and tied with pale raffia they make ideal decorations or centrepieces – or just to make your home look nice. 

You should be able to pick up these small pots of daffodil bulbs from most florists or garden centres.  You will find that some of the pots available have only just sprouted so will take longer before they flower – if you keep them well watered and in a warm room it should encourage them to flower.

Pretty daffodil and brown paper table decorations

You will need:

Pots of miniature daffodils
Brown paper
Raffia
Plastic bags (optional)

You will need to roughly measure out and cut out squares of brown paper big enough to wrap round the pots.  This doesn’t need to be exact or even that neat – once you gather them round the pots you won’t notice any wonky cutting.

To make the pots easier to water once wrapped in paper, cut out smaller squares from old plastic bags – these can be placed between the pot and the brown paper to protect the paper.

Cut a length of raffia ready to secure the paper.

Place a square of plastic on top of the square of paper and place a pot in the middle.  Gather up the paper round the pot and wrap the raffia around the pot tightly before tying in a knot.  Finish the pot off by tying the raffia into a bow.

And that’s it!  They are quick to make but look stunning when placed around your wedding venue or ceremony location.  At work we use these all the time at events to brighten up a room and everyone always comments how lovely they are.

A short update

I have been somewhat absent from the blog for a number of weeks, maybe even months now, I have lost track. 

I haven’t been well over the Christmas break but am slowly making steps to change parts of my life to get me back on track.  Already I am starting to feel myself returning and with that I hope to be back with lots of wedding loveliness, and perhaps even some news on my own wedding planning.

Recycled homemade bunting for festive New Year wedding

Wishing everyone a very happy New Year!  This creative project might be short but hopefully sweet as I’m getting ready for a lovely New Year’s eve with my family.

I wanted to do something festive and jolly that would be lovely for anyone having a New Year’s eve wedding (there was one in our village today!). 

This bunting is easy to make and uses up any leftover scraps of paper from Christmas – I found some brown paper (my favourite wrapping paper of choice) and some blue crepe paper.

You will need:
A long length of thread, string, wool or raffia
Scraps of paper in different colours, textures or patterns
Glue, such as Pritstick

Cut your scraps of paper into long lengths – I cut the brown paper and crepe paper into length of about 5-6 inches.  It would also be a lovely effect if you cut your strips with pinking shears.

Cut a long length of thread, I used raffia, which seemed to be a good choice as the paper glued to it well.  Take a scrap of paper and apply a dab of glue to one end, then fold this end over the raffia and press together. 

Continue doing this until you have filled the entire length of thread.  I alternated the colours to create a nice effect, but you could do any combination - how about all one colour; a rainbow; or using two or three different colours?

All images: The Green Orchard Photography (my little sister)

Wishing you all a very merry Christmas!

Image: County Living

Wishing everyone a happy Christmas!

The ultimate green wedding venue – Eden Project

I have just heard that the Eden Project is opening its doors as a beautiful wedding venue.  If you’re dreaming of a luscious rainforest backdrop for your wedding day, but don’t want the carbon footprint of flying half way round the world can now tie the knot at the Eden project.

The Eden Project now allows weddings amid the rich foliage of the jungle in the Rainforest Biome, the fragrant surroundings of the Mediterranean Biome or overlooking the world-famous domes themselves.

There is a professional in-house events and hospitality team who can help you to organise a day that ticks all your ethical boxes,including the cake, flowers, wedding favours, and a seasonal banquet with a strong focus on locally produced food.

For stunning photos there are a number of locations around the site including the Rainforest Biome’s cascading waterfall, the secluded Malaysian Hut and the Mediterranean Biome after-dark, where reflecting lights create the illusion of thousands of stars. 

Eden’s eco credentials also include composting waste, recycling, harvesting rainwater to irrigate the Biomes and flush the toilets and producing renewable power on site.

Di Hall, the events and hospitality manager says, “It is truly amazing seeing the look on people’s faces when I show them the unique venues for the first time.  We are really excited to be part of the bride and groom’s special day – and to help them live out their values in this iconic place.”

For more information on holding your wedding at the Eden Project, or to discuss wedding options, get in contact with Di Hall on 01726 818 771 or by email dhall@edenproject.com.

Tiny Christmas gifts

With Christmas fast approaching I have been busy crafting gifts for friends and family.  These tiny bundles of sugary biscuits are perfect for work colleagues, friends or neighbours – a pretty token of Christmassy giving.

I made these quite simply, using small cardboard cake boxes, brown paper, twine, and red bells.  The biscuits are designed for dunking - so quite hard and perfect for dunking into tea and other hot drinks because they don’t dissolve or go all mushy.  You can find the recipe over here on my other blog.  I used a cute bunny rabbit shaped biscuit cutter but you could use any shape you like.

Once you have baked your biscuits and let them cool, simply cut out a square of brown paper and arrange it inside the mini cake box (I bought mine from Lakeland but I’m sure other good cookery shops will sell them).  Pop in a handful of biscuits and arrange nicely.

Take a length of twine and wrap it round the box as you would a present.  Tie the twine securely in a knot.  Take two bells (bought from Paperchase) and thread one onto each piece of the twine and then tie in another knot to hold in place.  You could either tie the remaining twine into a bow or unravel it like I’ve done here for a more rustic look.

I just think it looks so Christmassy – brown paper, bright red bells, and golden biscuits glistening with sugar crystals.  Give out to good friends and lovely neighbours as a Christmas treat.

A greener guide to wrapping wedding gifts

Image: The Natural Wedding Company

A wedding gift list is a lovely opportunity for family and friends to give a present that will last a lifetime.  But all that mass-produced shiny paper and glittery tags can pose a dilemma for couples planning an eco-friendly wedding.

Don’t despair!  Encourage your guests to wrap your wedding gifts in reusable or recyclable materials using some of my top tips and advice on greener ways to wrap presents.

Wrapping with fabric

Image: Persimmon & Pine

The Green Giving Company produce a beautiful selection of kerchiefs that can be used to wrap presents.  These kerchiefs are handmade in the UK and come in variety of fabrics.  They provide easy-to-follow instructions on how to tie your kerchief which can be downloaded from their website.

Also known as furoshiki, these traditional Japanese wrapping cloths can be used to wrap all kinds of gifts.  Mandy at Persimmon & Pine, who is based in Seattle, handcrafts artisan furoshikis in eco chic designs which she sells in her Etsy shop.

Another lovely idea is to ask each of your guests to wrap their gifts in a scrap of fabric that you can then have sewn into a beautiful keepsake patchwork quilt.  Not only will your quilt be a lovely memento of your wedding day, but it will likely become a treasured heirloom that can be passed down the generations.

Image: The Natural Wedding Company

Some great ideas for natural and eco-friendly present wrapping

• Brown paper
• String, twine and raffia
• Recycled tissue paper
• Homemade cloth tote bags
• Luggage labels
• Handmade paper
• Hessian bags
• Old maps or sheet music

Image: Red Stamp

Top Tips for greener gift wrapping

• Sticky tape is not recyclable, so why not fasten your wrapping paper with twine or string
• If you want to use wrapping paper look for recycled options or support a good cause and buy it from a charity
• Avoid using metallic and glittery papers that are not always recyclable
• Brown paper, used newspaper, or old magazines can be a lovely alternative for wrapping presents – tie them with colourful ribbons or raffia
• Natural foliage like ivy, hawthorn berries and pine cones can spruce up an ordinary parcel
• Why not skip paper altogether and use a pretty tin, bow or willow basket to package your gift that can be used again

Image: Survival International

Gorgeous eco wedding dress on Etsy

It’s been a wet and wild Saturday here, so this evening N has been watching the rugby and I’ve been browsing the beautiful ’shops’ over at Etsy.  Handmade heaven if you’ve not been before.

I was delighted to see that Morgan Boszilkov who is listed in the directory in the wedding dress category, also sells her gorgeous eco wedding dresses via her Etsy shop NaturalBridals. 

I am most in-love with this dress.

Image: Morgan Boszilkov at NaturalBridals

 

 

Paolo Nutini *Candy*

This song is just so beautiful, I could listen to it over and over.  It would certainly be in my Top 10 for consideration if we have a first dance.  And I just love the wedding featured in the video – so relaxed and so romantic.