There she stands in a silken gown, silver lights shining down

Based on my overly-long hiatus, you may have come to the conclusion that one of the following had occurred:

A.) I was abducted by aliens
B.) I moved to Siberia
C.) I got frostbite whilst in Siberia, resulting in having my hands amputated, and I can no longer type

I am happy to report that the answer is D.) none of the above! I have just been very busy with new business endeavors and wedding planning. Three and a half months to go! I guess I should get around to ordering the fabric for my dress pretty soon...

Anyhow, I do have pix of Miss W (now Mrs. K) to share with you all, finally! Thank you so much for your patience, everyone (particularly Mrs. K!)





Doesn't she look beautiful? Mr. K is a lucky man!

I hope to be back on track now, blog-wise. I have a few interesting designs to post over the next few months, and then in December, I'll have my own gown to post as well. I'm pretty excited about it- I hope it comes out as good as it looks in my mind!

And the beat goes on

Surprise! I am still alive and kicking, believe it or not. Things have been especially hectic lately, which brings us to the news:

I have recently made a big decision regarding Jewel Couture. Due to professional and personal reasons, I will no longer be accepting new clients for the foreseeable future. I have enjoyed your friendship and support over the years, and appreciate all the referrals that you have all sent my way. However, I feel that the time is right for me to make this change, and while it is bittersweet, I'm content with my decision.

I still plan to update my blog occasionally (hopefully!) with pix of my unique brides and their dresses. In fact, I have several whose wedding dates are in the next month or two. And, let us not forget Miss W, who got hitched on February 16. (Congratulations, by the way!) I'm keeping an eye out for her photographer to post the photos. So look for those in the upcoming weeks!

Thanks again to everyone who has seen me through these last several years, and to all the wonderful brides (and bridesmaids, moms, grooms, dads, flower girls, ringbearers, groomsmen, wedding planners, and other vendors) I've had the honor of working with! You have all given me so much.

News of you has come down the line

Last night I saw my girl C-Ro and she was asking me about Miss W. Yes, I realize I haven't updated you all on her status! The last time I posted about her, we had decided to trade the silvery lace in for some subtle sparkly beads. Well, since then we've had two fittings, and her dress is all but done! The reason I don't have pix is because we used Miss W's camera (mine was on the fritz) and for some reason, her email and mine are not simpatico! So there are photos, except you won't see them here (yet).

However, Miss W's wedding is next month, so I'll be seeing her again very soon- and hopefully with a camera that works!

All is quiet on New Year's Day

Happy New Year! I am back in town after a much-needed vacation, and I'm ready to get back to work. (Sort of- it's been nice having some time off!)

However, I had a great Christmas, and I would like to share with you all the two best gifts ever:

#1. The leg lamp from "A Christmas Story". I don't know what possessed my brother to buy this, but it is the best! Too bad we don't have a front window to put it in. (Sorry for the poor photography!)


#2. An engagement ring! Yes, my honey popped the question, and I happily accepted. So now I must face the daunting task of planning a wedding myself... good thing I have so many fantastic resources and creative minds in my address book. (You know who you are-expect phone calls from me in the near future!)

I hope you all have had a wonderful holiday, and I look forward to spending 2008 with you!

Play the game, everybody play the game

Okay girls, we've all been to bridal showers that included the inevitable Toilet Paper Wedding Gown game. Love it or hate it, I don't see it going away anytime soon. But next time you find yourself with a roll in your hand and two minutes to pull off a feat a la Project Runway, remember these designs from Cheap Chic Weddings' 2007 TP Wedding Dress Contest. Pretty amazing; I sure don't have the patience for something like that!

For the record, I detest the TPWG game at bridal showers. Who's with me?

Thoughts meander like a restless wind inside a letter box

Just a few thoughts today!

If you're looking for a string quartet for your wedding or other occasion, I'm happy to be able to recommend the Classic Quartet. The members are some colleagues of mine from the Tempe Symphony, and I know you will be pleased with their sound!

Also, I did a wedding gown fitting for the lovely Krystal this weekend, and when she saw her dress, she cried. I have never had anyone have that kind of reaction before! (Especially not when the dress is only half done, and still full of pins!) It was so touching and it made me feel so happy about what I do for a living. Thank you to all of my wonderful brides who remind me what's important!

Working my way back to you babe

I'm posting two days in a row? What is going on here? Well, I have an entry for the Dress Diary! If you recall, we last left Miss W trying to decide whether to use the lace as planned, or to change it up a little. Since then, we have both been very busy with her friend's wedding, which was last month. Miss W has been very patient during the hiatus! But now it's her turn again, so here we go!

As for the lace, if you guessed C) neither; let's replace the lace with some subtle beading, then you win!

Yes, Miss W liked the look of the ruching so much that she thought the lace might detract from it. So we got together one Saturday, along with her mom, sister, and friend and went to my favorite bead place, Beads Galore. If you have any interest in jewelry-making or beading (or just like sparkly objects), you have to pay Beads Galore a visit. They have everything- crystal, stone, glass, bone, metal, semi-precious stone, interesting synthetics, tools and supplies, and all kinds of odds and ends. One tip- don't head over there if you only have a few minutes to kill. You will definitely end up staying longer than planned!

After an hour of debate, we finally settled on a combination of freshwater pearls, Czech glass, and tiny silvered seed beads. I think it's looking pretty nice, and I hope Miss W will agree. I'm seeing her for a fitting on Monday, so I'll have more pix to post soon.