A Compilation of Recent Custom Pieces (a.k.a. "PRETTY" OVERLOAD)

 Lately, I have been creating several custom pieces (hello wedding season)! I love creating custom items that turn out exactly how my customers envisioned their pretty pieces. I adore the different colors and variations of treasures that have left my craft studio here in So Cal that are now in the hands of their new owners.

I have compiled a few of these recent custom made orders. 

Enjoy

This sweet floral crown was made specially for a young girl to match her momma's floral crown. The bride, who is renewing her vows in Jamaica (10 years of marriage!!) will be wearing the Leigh Crown while her daughter wears this pretty crown with added blue detail to match her brother's adorable suspenders and bow tie. I swoon over these stories behind the hand crafted pieces!

This floral crown was custom created for a bride who wanted a piece that was minimal yet beautiful. I used pops of coral hues within the greenery and white and ivory blossoms.

This crown was created for a bride who wanted a floral crown to really stun in the back. With hues of cream and pale pink, this crown also has hand sewn clips underneath to hold the pretty veil that the bride will be wearing on her big day.

This custom crown was also created for a bride who wanted a mix of pretty hues and intertwined natural bark for a bit of whimsical charm. I am in love with this colorful piece!

I had to display this crown on an early afternoon in the craft room. It's just so refreshing! Thank you Tara of Laila's Charming Pieces for my music sheet print! It's a beautiful reminder every day.

This minimal and natural-inspired design is one of my favorites! I love the greenery and small pops of lavender hues. I created this piece for a bride in the Virgin Islands (can't wait to see THOSE stunning photos)! She was the sweetest customer and I'm so thankful I get to work with people like her on a regular basis.

Kelsey, a bride in Arizona (getting married in just a few days!!) contacted me about creating a small custom veil (with removable brooch) and rhinestone sash. I was so excited to make these pieces for her and after sorting through lots of details, we finally came to 2 rhinestone and pearl designs that go together perfectly! So happy for you Kelsey and so thankful I got to work with you!

Back in February, I created this custom piece for a bride in PA. I hand sewn 2 different pieces together to create this flower and leaf design and also added a bit of gold shimmer to a few of the leaves by cutting and shaping floral blossoms. I then hand stiched gorgeous rhinestones throughout the design to complete this pretty bridal comb. It's amazing what you can create with several totally separate items! I just may add this comb to the shop soon!

Emily, a bride in Georgia just recently said "I Do" a few days ago. She wore the Intricately Beaded Feather Headband from the shop for her Gatsy-inspired vintage wedding. This piece wasn't necessarily completely custom but I just adore the photos that I have seen from her photographer-Leslie West Photography so far. I just had to share. :) Congrats again Emily!!

Now how about a bit of baby love? 

These pieces weren't really custom either but these sweet girls bring such joy through their photos taken with floral pieces from Love Sparkle Pretty.

This is my beautiful friend Aurora's daughter (see more of her story and sweetness on her blog here).

Oh Sydney love! You are just too precious for words! Happy 2nd birthday! (Wearing the Ainsleigh Floral Crown).

Photo Credit: Aurora Vilchis

This adorable little gal had her photos taken by Khim from Snaptastic Shots. She is wearing the Ivory and Gold Floral Crown. I just adore her!

Photo Credit: Snaptastic Shots

That's about it for my most recent custom orders round up! It's always such a joy to create beauty for others. If you'd like to place a custom order, please visit the shop or send an email to lovesparklepretty@aol.com.

Thank you so much my friends!

Have a lovely Tuesday!!

Our Summer into Fall Mantel

Yesterday, I decorated a little bit differently to bring in some of the fall ambiance. I was given a really pretty floral arrangement from my mother as well as a gorgeous vase to go with it. The flowers though, didn't all fit in the vase so I recreated a few different arrangements for our mantel.
I realized how much I miss playing with flowers since I decided not to take the advanced floral class this semester. This brought me to a relaxing creative place and gives our home more of an "inviting" feel.
The mantel right night now has a summer into fall presence. As much as I'm hanging onto my warm summer days, I'm definitely awaiting fall's humble welcome.

{enjoy}

What are some of your favorite ways to decorate for fall season?

Floral Design + Wedding/Event Planning Course {UPDATE}

I have taken a HUGE break from my floral design and event planning course updates so, here's a 2 week update!

In floral design class a couple weeks ago, we created a "puppy in a basket" arrangement. I never really understood the point of this design. Like, why give a flower dog to someone?! Ha! Never the less, I made one anyways because that was the assignment. I was supposed to add a little "tongue" and bows to the dog but I had to leave class early this day so it went without.  I have to admit though, it turned out pretty cute!
We used carnations, daisies, wax flower, asters, lemon leaf and ming fern to create this design.

This past week, we created 2 designs. First, we made a corsage using a rose, daisies, alstromeria, babies breath and ming fern.

We also made a topiary last week using alstroemeria, daisies, mini carns, babies breath, ming fern and topped with a butterfly. I think the original arrangement would have looked much better if my alstroemeria actually matched the other flowers because it looks like a big disconnect from the rest of the arrangement. I ended up removing the "ball" of alstroemeria when I got home and created a round arrangement with the alstroemeria throughout.

As for the wedding and event planning course, I just finished up the lesson all about attire. This one made me want to go wedding dress shopping again! Maybe I can just pretend to be a bride and go to some bridal salons to try on pretty dresses??? Hmmmm

I re-learned about all of the different dress styles, cuts, veils as well as bridesmaids and groom attire. For the groom, I had NO IDEA that there were so many different choices of wear. There's formal daytime wear, formal evening wear, semi-formal daytime wear, semi-formal evening wear and informal daytime and evening wear with all of these consisting of different style suites and jackets (tuxedos, dinner jackets, cutaway coats, morning suits, etc.). I always thought that you either wear a tux or a nice shirt with a vest or jacket with trousers as a groom. Does anyone else know of all these different styles?! This goes to show my lack of knowledge when it comes to men's wear. lol

The next lesson is titled "All the Parties." This one should be fun! :)

Have a beautiful day my friends!

Floral Design (+ prom set) + Wedding/Event Planning course {update}

The week of the 8th was Spring Break for our floral design class so I didn't do an update. The arrangement that we came back to was called "Imagination Blooms." It was definitely the most interesting design I've done and I actually really liked it! This was also the easiest and quickest piece I've done in the class.
We used asiatic lilies, spray roses, dendrobium orchids, green button mums, bear grass, solidago, curly willow, orgonia, Ti leaves, orgonia, and ming fern.
It's kinda "wild" but it's fun and it looks expensive!

 I also created a corsage and boutonniere set for my pastor's son and his girlfriend . They went to prom together (so cute) and I was asked to create the corsage and boutonniere using red and silver. So, I used red  spray roses, white wax flower, lemon leaf, clear rhinestones, gray pearls, silver glitter leaves, silver ribbon and silver tulle with bits of glitter on it.
Here's what I came up with.

As for my wedding and event planning course, I am now on Unit 2 where I am starting to get into the "business side of things." This weeks lesson is all about the budget.
Talking about money isn't the easiest thing to do but it was certainly interesting and when planning a large event that requires so many details and different vendors, it's important to really be open and talk numbers.
Since the audio portion of this lesson is done by a wedding planner out of NY, it's mind-boggling to hear the cost of a wedding in that state! Just for catering alone can be hundreds of dollars per person!
I also read that the average cost per person to have as a guest at a wedding is $118 in the U.S. and is usually more than $200 in the northeastern part of the country. *Note to self, don't get our vow renewals done in NY. This cost includes food, drink, cake, music, invites, thank-you notes and facility costs. It's kinda crazy to think of each guest as a Benjamin Franklin (+ an Andrew Jackson) but it may be necessary if you want to keep costs down.
Going over contracts and what should be in them is also covered in this lesson which is quite helpful yet sounds exhausting. lol
I still have a couple more pages with this lesson and then I'm onto reading about wedding attire. It's been a productive week recently!

{Inspiration} A fun mini tablescape

Two weeks ago in floral design class, I created a colorful springtime arrangement. Since I am horrible at constantly watering any flower, the arrangement that served as a centerpiece on our kitchen table started wilting away. Before I decided to throw it out, I plucked some of the flowers that were still decent and decided to create a mini inspiration post for a simple, yet fun tablescape.

{enjoy}

I wrapped a few of the flower stems in lace trimming, used some glitter clothespins from my shop and attached a chalkboard tag (which was created with card stock and chalkboard paint) to each.

For the centerpiece, I used a milk vase which I just recently thrifted and filled it with daisies and mini carnations. I also added a paper doily and a small ornate frame for a bit of extra detail.

It's so fun for spring and I'm happy I was able to "recycle" my dying floral arrangement! :D

Have a beautiful week my friends!

Floral Design + Wedding/Event Planning course updates

This week in Floral Design class, we created a very colorful all around arrangement. We used irises, daffodils, carnations, daisies, goldenrod, eucalyptus leaves and ming fern.
I really loved this arrangement and was so excited to work with different flowers than we had the previous weeks. I have noticed that it's also getting easier to place flowers and we have been getting out of class on time lately. Whoop!

Here's this weeks arrangement.

By the way, I was dying to work with Eucalyptus leaves and I was ecstatic when I found out that this past week we had them for this design. I just LOVE the way they photograph and cascade out of arrangements. I can't wait to create a bouquet with these leaves in it!

As far as the Wedding and Event Planning course goes, I am finishing up Unit 1 with "Ceremonies" where I have learned a bit more in depth of the different types that take place among different religions and cultures. Also, in the audio portion of this lesson, they talk about different ways to go about a ceremony if the couple doesn't want any type of religious mention or vice versa. They also go over ideas if the bride is a part of one culture and the groom is another, how to go about blending the two.
It's a good way to end the first Unit and I am now moving on to Unit 2!

Have a beautiful weekend my friends!

Floral Design class + Wedding/Event Planning course update//FUN FACTS

This past week was full of fun facts and pretty spring blossoms!
Since Easter is tomorrow, we created our first all around arrangement within a colorful Easter basket for Floral Design class this week. We used daisies, carnations (which have been in all of our designs so far), alstroemeria, ming fern, and wax flower.
I really enjoyed creating this arrangement and guess what? We even got out of class on time! This never happens by the way, but hopefully we can keep this momentum up. For the bow, we were supposed to place one on each side but I cheated and just plopped it on top. Ha!
Here's the arrangement from this week.

One side.

Other side.

A fun fact I learned in floral class this week was that you can put a bit of clear lemon lime soda in a vase of flowers to help expand their life. The sugar in the soda will help nourish the flowers and the carbonation will help keep the vase clean. Cool right?

I also completed lesson 3 of my first unit of Wedding and Event Planning. This lesson was my favorite so far because of all the interesting customs and traditions of weddings within several different cultures.

Here are some fun facts I learned about the traditions we still carry out today in weddings:
*The tradition of a bridal bouquet originated in ancient Rome with the belief that fragrant florals and herbs would ward off evil spirits.
*The wedding cake originally symbolized fertility. Same with the tossing of rice.
*The kiss at the end of the ceremony symbolizes an exchange of spirits, uniting the couple in both body and spirit.
*The reason why we have bridesmaids started within some cultures that the idea of hiding the bride among similarly dressed women would confuse any evil spirits. This also applied to groomsmen.
*Having the groom stand on the bride's right side started in ancient times when men armed themselves with swords. If any danger came to the couple, the groom would easily be able to draw his weapon with his right hand. This is the same reason why we place a knife to the right of our dinner plate when we set a table.

I also learned of some pretty interesting customs from many other countries including:
*In the Chinese culture, the bride and groom will have a drink with each table as they visit the guests. (I can imagine the photos by the end of the night!)
*In the German culture, on the night before the wedding, it is tradition for the guests to break pottery and play pranks on the bride and groom. Also, during a German ceremony, the groom will kneel on the hem of the bride's dress to symbolize his control over her and the bride will rise and step on the groom's foot to assert her power within the marriage.
*In the Scottish culture, when a couple first decides to wed, they will notify the baker who will create a dense wedding cake for them. Then, brandy is poured over it once a week up until the wedding day.
*Russian newlyweds will tie a doll on their wedding "getaway car" if they want their first born to be a girl or tie a bear to the car if they want to have a boy.

There was SO much more that I learned and as you can see, it was a lot of fun! I love how ancient custom still plays a role in why we do things today during weddings. Whether or not they still have the same meaning, there is a reason why each tradition started in the first place and it's quite fascinating! Even for the most "non-traditional" bride, there is always something that companies a wedding which rooted from ancient meaning.

Are there any intriguing wedding traditions or customs that you've learned about?