Royal-wedding-with-this-kiss
. . . must confess, still a little caught up in the romance of it all, the stolen glances and secret smiles, the horse-drawn carriages and chantilly lace, the balcony kisses and moments so breathtakingly lovely, can barely stand it . . .
prince william & catherine, the duke & duchess of cambridge
detail of the exquisite wedding gown, put together by hand by sarah burton of alexander mcqueen, it is a perfect intermingling of tradition and modernity, with a bodice of ivory satin made of hand-cut english lace and french chantilly lace, over ivory and white satin gazar {a sheer, lightweight silk organza with a glaze-like sheen and moderate stiffness}; individual flowers were hand cut from lace and hand-engineered onto the ivory silk tulle to create the design, which features rose, thistle, daffodil, and shamrocks, the national flowers of england, ireland, scotland, and wales; 58 gazar & organza covered buttons ran up the back
the eight-tiered royal wedding cake was decorated with 900 delicate sugar-paste flowers, including 17 different blooms and foliage for their meaning and symbolism, known as the language of flowers
the veil was made of layers of ivory silk tulle and trimmed with hand-embroidered flowers, sewn on by the royal school of needlework at hampton court palace
the bridal bouquet included myrtle, lily-of-the-valley, hyacinth and sweet william blooms; in keeping with royal tradition, stems from a myrtle planted by queen victoria in 1845 were also added; according to tradition, the bouquet of a royal bride will be left on the tomb of the unknown solider in westminster abbey; the late queen mother began the ritual by leaving her wedding bouquet at the grave in 1923 in memory of her brother, fergus, who was killed in the first world war 
. . . and of course, with all of this week's talk of tiaras . . . kate's 'something borrowed' was the cartier halo tiara, made in 1936 and purchased by king george VI for his wife queen elizabeth {the queen mother} three weeks before he succeeded his brother as king; the tiara was presented to princess elizabeth, now the queen, by her mother on the occasion of her 18th birthday; the new princess catherine matched the tiara with earrings by robinson pelham, a gift from her parents inspired by the new middleton coat of arms
{p.s.} for the royal wedding reception, catherine changed into a second alexander mcqueen gown, and her sister pippa changed out of the stunning mcqueen into temperley london
every great dream begins with a dreamer
. . . while it may feel like the weeks are whirling by lately, each day brings us a little closer to the loveliest time of all, and new weeks are such wonderful things, {this one being filled with photo shoots and plans, letters, emails, and late-lunch dates} . . . and so, for today, the prettiest pencil skirt and a romantic ruffled blouse, a perfect trench with the sleeves pushed back and it's monday, monday . . .
pleats and peonies + hello
. . . hello again! had known the week would be a busy one, but was not prepared for the beautiful whirlwind it has become, and through the all the running around since it began -- the meetings, appointments, lunch dates, flower markets, shops and photo shoots, have not had as much time to stop in to say hello as much as would like, but in all the while, the most utterly charming and impossibly thoughtful messages have been coming through . . . how delightful! {& thank you} . . .
favourite five: food editor & author, donna hay
When one thinks of food -- one of life’s greatest passions -- style and design aren’t usually the first things that come to mind. But Donna Hay, Australian-based food stylist, author and magazine editor, beautifully unifies the two potentially contrasting worlds of glamour and gourmet food.
Donna, who has a flair for food styling, knows that good food never goes out of style -- in fact, it signifies the very essence of style. Cooking since she was just eight years of age, Donna's passion for food would lead her to an extraordinary career as a best-selling cookbook author {18 books to date}, a homewares designer, and a leading food editor, becoming the food editor at Marie Claire at the age of 25. She was named one of the ‘Magnificent Seven’ cookbook authors by the international Gourmand Awards in January 2007.
Donna's signature style is comprised of the display of delectable recipes made with basic ingredients, and all beautifully photographed -- a style that has become the standard for food publishing worldwide, and the inspiration for a new generation of amateur cooks and would-be chefs alike.
Today, what's on your dinner plate and inside your pantry has become a kind of self-expression -- much like the contents of one’s wardrobe or jewelry box -- and of course, who doesn’t love to indulge in a little of both!
So, this week, we're positively thrilled to invite Donna to share with us:
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{the top five most essential items for your pantry:}
1. Cheat’s Ingredients
These ingredients are an easy way to add plenty of flavour. Chilli Jam is great for stir-fries, mixed through vegetables, or spread over chicken, fish or pork as an easy marinade. Caramelised onion relish, makes a great base to an onion tart, or a tasty pizza mixed with shaved potato and gorgonzola.
2. Wide Neck Glass Storage Jars
I like the convenience of seeing exactly what and how much of an ingredient is inside. Plus, the large neck opening makes them easy to scoop from - you can get a full size measuring cup and your hand inside.
3. Good Selection of Dried Pasta, Rice and Noodles
They are pantry staples and make a great base for a simple home-made meal. Just throw in a few fresh ingredients and in no time you have a fuss-free lunch or dinner, perfect for the family or unexpected guests.
4. Time Poor, Sweet Solution
This is a self indulgent one, but being as time-poor as I am, I love baking and my friends often expect a home-baked sweet treat when they drop over for a coffee. That’s why I developed my new range of baking mixes including cupcakes, an indulgent chunky brownie and chocolate-filled macaron – they’ll never know they were made from a mix and you don’t have to spend half their visit working in the kitchen.
5. Asian Based Ingredients
My favourite vibrant ingredients: soy, fish sauce, palm sugar, sesame oil, all combine for great sauces and dressings on Asian salads or noodles. Simply mix with fresh flavours such as lime juice, coriander and mint, and you’ll have an Asian feast in no time.
{style inspiration: perfect platforms}
. . . a new pair of white strappy summer wedges earlier last week, for traipsing about town and blossom-laden walks with the dog, the third pair of wedges already this spring, and summer has yet to begin, and yet, after happening across these utterly charming prada platforms {above}, perfectly paired with pressed trousers turned in an ultra-chic french cuff in the most enchanting shade of august sunrise, am becoming quite smitten with platforms and their teetering heights and already imagine them with romantically flirty & lacy summer dresses for quiet lunch dates on cobbled terraces surrounded by spring flower boxes of pussy willows and daffodils . . .
1. chloë sevigny for opening ceremony platform mary janes | 2. lanvin patent wedge| 3. prada t-strap cork platform sandals | 4. prada suede sandals | 5. { & last} giuseppe zanotti high platform clog heels | 6. krugh t-strap crochet platform pumps | 7. chloë sevigny for o.c. mary jane platform | 8. charlotte olympia carmen raffia wedge
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