Morning all! Hoping this regular ol' Sunday Serving finds you relaxed and feeling good this morning?
So, what's this week been like for you? A good one? It's been pretty busy over here at Love My Dress H.Q. First of all - the dreaded tax bill came through. Anyone who is in the same situation as me and paying their first ever self-employed tax bill - don't you just love payment on account?
Tax aside, this week has been another exciting one for me. On Thursday evening I hopped on a train down to the big smoke where I met my lovely friend Paul Antonio - calligrapher and scribe - and all-round gentleman with a huge heart. I was in London for two appointments I had the next day, the first of which was an early morning stop at Temperley, who had invited myself and a small selection of other bloggers for an exclusive opportunity to preview the new 2012 bridal wear collection...
Love My Dress Wedding Blog - Photography Copyright (c) 2012, Kirsten Mavric
Alice Temperley is a genius designer. Her attention to detail is out of this world. Here ability to cut and drape fabric phenomenal. Her new bridal wear collection ventures bravely away from the familiar bohemian bride Temperley signature style, but still delivers that full impact 'wow' factor.
Full blog feature coming up tomorrow and huge thanks to lovely Kirsten Mavric for joining me that morning to take some photos for you all. Of course, I couldn't help myself but try one or two beautiful little items on whilst I was there...
My second appointment of the day was at the delightfully named Fur Coat No Knickers. I've been meaning to hook up with the two girls who run this business, Laura and Emma, for yonks and to get the chance to hang out and chat with these inspirational ladies on Friday afternoon was a lot of fun. Here are a few sneak peak images taken by lovely Eliza Claire, who joined me that afternoon to take some photographs to share with you all. Blog post coming up very soon!
Love My Dress Wedding Blog - Photography Copyright (c) 2012, Eliza Claire Photography
From Mouse to Minx...
As I sat down on my train yesterday {with seconds to spare, why do I do that to myself?!}, I logged on to Twitter and happened to notice a link to this shocking feature on the 'hidden homeless', in the Telegraph. I rather quickly found myself feeling tearfully devastated for these ladies.
What frightened me most was that the notion that the two subjects featured in the article had simply buried their heads in the sand about their respective financial difficulties - to the point where it was quite literally too late to get any help - well, help as in that provided by 'the system' anyway. These were respected working/middle class women who had paid their taxes, one of whom who had raised children, both of whom had worked hard to run their own businesses - all of a sudden, they owned nothing, and were homeless and facing a daily battle to survive? A woman sleeping rough in her car each night with her dog, or on the floor in her son's halls of residence - a lady who once had a £60k a year job with no bed, no roof over her head and only the hope her friends could provide somewhere comfortable for the night.
Really?!?
How, in this day and age, could this possibly happen?
Image Source: The Telegraph
Getting yourself into financial difficulty is such a shameful thing to admit in this modern-day society, but I've been there, and it's utterly awful. Luckily I did get help when I knew I needed to and have managed to turn my situation around since, but it was one of the scariest and depressing experiences I ever went through. The guilt, shame, fear and sense of failure were all-consuming. To have thought that I might have left it too late and found myself kicked out of my home is simply unthinkable. Please, let this be a wise lesson to anyone struggling to pay their bills - there IS help out there. Try the Consumer Credit Counselling Service if you are truly struggling.
The good thing that came out of me reading this article was that I discovered the wonderful little website Mouse to Minx, a cute online vintage emporium full of all kinds of little treasures - and which is run by Paula Daly, one of the 'homeless' ladies featured in the Telegraph article. I think you should go and check out from Mouse to Minx, because it's really rather lovely and full of cute vintage inspired finds including fashion, lingerie and accessories....
What you might have missed on Love My Dress this week...
♥ A Bride Designs Her Own Dress For Her Relaxed Summer, Vintage Vibe Wedding...
♥ Win A Hermione Harbutt Handmade Bridal Headpiece Valued Up To £1000...*you have until midnight tonight to apply!*
♥ A Guide to Super-8mm Wedding Films, by Mark W Brown *with several more beautiful film samples available within the feature*
Love My Dress Wedding Blog - Photography Copyright (c) 2012, Britt Spring
♥ Rock n' Roll Meets 60's French Chic ~ A Jetset Honeymoon Inspiration Shoot...
Love My Dress Wedding Blog - Photography Copyright (c) 2012, Alicia Swedenborg
♥ How to Create Rustic Bunting {Burlap, Lace & Tweed} ~ A DIY Tutorial & **Reader Giveaway**...
♥ A Cinematic Celebration at Pinewood Studios for an Audrey Inspired Bride...
♥ Modern Photographic ~ Modern Documentary Wedding Photograohy With A Vintage Edge...
♥ A Pretty Pastel Colour Vintage Inspired Wedding in Wales...
Love My Dress Wedding Blog - Photography Copyright (c) 2012 o&c Photography
♥ Unique Wedding Styling Idea ~ Couture Illustrated Drink Stirs/Swizzlesticks, Inspired By The 1950s...
♥ Bridal Inspiration Board #33 ~ Relaxed, 1920s, Outdoor Summer Celebration...
♥ Reader Vote Required ~ Love Illustrated 'Save The Date' Competition + 25% Discount For ALL Entrants...*you have until midnight tomorrow, Monday 30th January, to vote!*
What's coming up next week?
A little bit of this....
Love My Dress Wedding Blog - Photography Copyright (c) 2012, Eliza Claire Photography
....and this....
Love My Dress Wedding Blog - Photography Copyright (c) 2012, Green Photographic
...and how do you fancy winning these signs, all personalised with your names, of course, courtesy of Delightful Living Weddings, via Not On The High Street? Yes? Check in tomorrow afternoon :)
What's made me happy this week...
Being stopped on Oxford Street on Friday by the designer of the dress I was wearing and them asking if they could take a photograph of me in it! ♥ Spending time at Fur Coat No Knickers ♥ Seeing Kirsten Mavric for a trip to Temperley ♥ Bumping into Alexis from 'OMG I'm Getting Married!' on our way into Temperley ♥ Lunching/working/drinking with with Eliza Claire ♥ Hanging out with my dear friend Paul Antonio ♥ Coming home to my husband and girls after 2 nights away ♥ blog hits going through the roof - simply amazing! ♥ Dinner at Carluccio's with Penny from Tigerlily Weddings ♥ An impromptu visit to twobirds Bridesmaid on Friday ♥ The prospect of snow - come on!! ♥ Making arrangements to hook up with friends at the Designer Wedding Show - can't wait! ♥ Over 10,000 Twitter followers - whaaaat???
What has made you happy this week?
I'm sat finishing this blog post in a dimly lit lounge downstairs as my children potter about with their toys with half an eye on Dora The Explorer - I think I may just sneak back upstairs under the covers for a little while. I don't think they'll notice.....
Annabel
♥
ps - I'm sorry that I didn't run with the 'inspirational women in business' feature this week, it couldn't be helped I'm afraid due to a tight blogging schedule and the need to publish the winners and shortlisted entrants for the Love Illustrated competition
pps - You can follow Love My Dress on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest...
