Thursday 4 April 2013

New things for Spring.

If you read my blog post about being a big chicken a few weeks back or would like to read it now, you will either relate to it or you won't.  In the post I talked about my avoidant tendancies and my commitment to getting over myself and putting my creative head about the parapet with some new solo ventures.  Well shockingly I seem to be getting somewhere and would encourage anyone with similar issues to really try to listen to their non-avoidant friends and colleagues and go for it!

Amazingly, despite the endless hurdles brought about by my lack of knowledge and probably confidence too, I have managed to get a new web page up and running and am really excited about it.  The look is very personal but still quintessentially Wychbury with the more Victorian twist I've been leaning towards with my own collections recently.  Some of my favourite individual products are included in a traditional ecommerce format but what I'm really excited about are my new wholesale catalogue and some new design ideas that have come to me while I have been glued to the screen and starved of needle and thread!

So first off here is my brand new site Wychbury Designs which I did ALL by myself - I know right?? You'll see that I have a new blog where I will be rambling on about all of my new stuff and sharing my latest news. Google Friend Connect is no more but do bob over and comment on my musings, you can also add me on Google+.  Lesley and I will still both be posting over here about what's going on with Wychbury and all the stuff we are both passionate about, so you'll get the best of both!

During the design and construction of my new site it struck me that I really wanted a section for bespoke wedding collections, not just hair clips and corsages but much more.  I love to work with brides and their families and really wanted to take it that step further with my products to offer a much more comprehensive collection of work to cater for couples who share my kind of style.  Truthfully I don't have a single sample made yet as I've still not got away from the laptop but I thought I could share my sketches for a start off!    Weddings should be full of all the things that the couple loves - to excess if they so choose, it's their wedding!  Does everything really have to match?  I don't think so.  With this in mind I am designing items with all the things I like included in the hope that this will give the pieces an immediete versatility allowing brides to go wild with their customisation.

My sewing is better than my painting I promise!
When I was seven, my sister, cousin and I were bridesmaids for  my Auntie and Uncle, instead of posies we carried round balls of flowers on long, wide ribbons that we slid our little hands through - similar to pomanders.  I really wanted to make something with a romantic, Victorian twist that could be carried instead of a posy or bouquet and this is the first design - a heart shaped cushion with a posy of embroidered violas and velvet leaves at the top, my intention is to personalise these with printed vintage-style lettering for each bridesmaid on the back then extend the design into a range of ring pillows personalised for the couple. 

My hope is that this range will organically extend into larger floral pieces for brides and bridesmaids so I can offer a full service of hair adornments, corsages, buttonholes, favours and even table accessories for a really stunning wedding.   Yes I know being stamped all over someone's perfect big day in front of everyone would usually be something I would run a mile from but this is the new me! I would love a beautiful, romantic, nostalgic, Victorian wedding with everything just the way I want it and I'm sure I'm not alone so watch this space for Weddings by Wychbury Designs!

Big love 
Paula.