Kate Middleton's Silk Tulle Veil--True Elegance!

Did you watch the Royal wedding last night?  Are you completely in love with Kate Middleton's veil?  She looked stunning, classic, elegant--in a word, regal.

Clearly, this woman is going to be a fashion icon.

Do you want Kate's veil for your own wedding?  Silk tulle veils can be incredibly hard to find, but we at Tradewind Tiaras are one of the very few makers of silk tulle veils in the world!  There's absolutely nothing like the flow and drape of silk tulle.  No wonder it's been the choice of royalty for centuries, and continues to be now, even when most veils are made out of bridal illusion.

If you want a veil just like Kate Middleton's, you need to order a silk tulle cage veil with lace edging, 72" diameter (fingertip length) size.

Edit:  Here's a link to our most recent post with pictures of our Kate Middleton silk tulle replica veil.

A Cupcake for You: A Special Easter for Friends

A neighborhood friend's two children are having a very big weekend.  Tomorrow, they're getting baptized, having their first communion, and being confirmed--all in one big ceremony.  Family is flying in from out of state for this very special Easter weekend, and I was asked if I might make a cake for the celebration.

Now, I'm swamped right now.  It's the height of our busy season at Tradewind Tiaras (all those last-minute June brides!)  I'm in crazy-crafting mode getting ready for Niamh's second birthday in two weeks.  Add to that birthday parties, Easter celebrations, playdates, and a session with the trainer and my weekend is swamped.  But of course I made time for my sweet neighbors.  That's not the kind of opportunity I can decline!

I opted to make cupcakes instead of one cake to save time.  Chocolate with chocolate frosting for Cade, the die-hard chocoholic.  Vanilla caramel cupcakes with salted caramel filling and salted caramel buttercream for Hailey, who gave me free rein on the flavor. 

Whenever I make gumpaste flowers for a cake, I usually make too many.  Just in case.  And I keep all the leftovers.  They're really small and easy to store and they last forever.  Why bother saving those odds and ends of different decorating projects?  Because they're great additions to last-minute cupcakes!  There are flowers from at least four different cakes on these cupcakes, but they look great together.  

Gumpaste letters are another quick way to make a custom cupcake topper.  They dry in a matter of hours, and with a little bit of disco dust sparkle, they look fabulous.   If you've seen any of my other cupcake posts, you know I'm in love with edible cupcake toppers.   Now you know two of my tricks for dealing with my near-obsession, even when I don't have much time to invest.

Happy holiday weekend, everyone!  

The Creative Process: Having Your Tiara Restrung

Seven years ago, I had the pleasure of designing a custom tiara for Maria's wedding.  She kept it as a keepsake for years, and then a couple months ago, decided that she wanted it restrung into a new piece of jewelry she could wear for special occasions.  First, she tried to do it herself.  And then quickly decided that it was worth it to send it back to us at Tradewind Tiaras to have us create a new necklace out of her treasured tiara.  ;-)

Where to start on such a project?  First, I took stock of the materials.  Then, I talked to Maria about her wishes.

A little edgy.  Modern.  Asymmetrical.  These kinds of words popped up as dominant themes in our discussion.  It sparked an idea.  I did a quick (super quick) mock-up with some materials I had on hand first, so I could give Maria a visual sense of what I was describing.

Once the basic idea was approved, I started creating the vision I had in my mind!

And I even had enough leftover materials to make a bonus bracelet.

Does it look a little familiar?  I liked the concept so much, it evolved into our newest design.

I love getting to connect with past customers and create something new out of a cherished heirloom!  May you have many more years of enjoyment out of your new necklace and bracelet, Maria!

How to Make Cake Balls That Look Like Ice Cream Cones

Looking for this?  we've moved the blog over to Tikkido.com!  Find the full tutorial and recipe here (and join us for all the new content!).

It's the Little Things that Count: Embellishing Straws

When I see a party that completely blows me away, it's all about the small details.  "That person thought of everything!" I gasp in wonder.  And that's what I try to achieve when I design an event.   Lots of little details, when added together, equal more than the sum of their parts.  Synergy at its best.

A perfect example of what I mean can be seen in the straws I used at the Neapolitan Ice Cream April Fool's Day party.  I threw the party together in just a few days, and didn't have any time to order any of the adorable straws that are available on the internet.  I would have loved something with pink polka-dots or barber shop stripes, but that just wasn't going to happen.  I did, however, have some hot pink straws in the house.  Those will just have to do, I thought to myself.  Mopishly.

And then I was at my local ribbon and lace store, buying some pink lace for the aprons I was making.

I looked at the price.  $.35 a yard!  Awesome!  I thought.  And then I looked again.

I was going to be buying 20 yards of lace.  $7.00.  Not bad.  But wait....I could buy the whole bolt for just $10?  Three hundred and seventy yards for just three dollars more?  SOLD!  Not that I had any clue what I'd do with the extra lace.

As planned, I used it on the aprons.  I used it on disposable paper place-mats I made for the table.  I used it on the rosettes on the dessert table.

I used the lace on the cake plates on the dessert table.

And my most favorite use, I used it on the straws.  The hot pink, not quite matching, weren't making me happy straws.

Just a little bit of tape and a little bit of lace (essentially the same technique as the lace-covered votives DIY), and the straws became so much more than they were.  They were intentional.  They were thematic.  They were pretty.

Never underestimate the power a very small touch can have at an event.  It's worth the thought and effort.

Event: Fundraiser for Renan Curtis Keesler's Cancer Care

When I heard about Kate's Crusade happening less than a mile from my house, I wanted to help out in some way, but I was too late to be able to donate to the silent auction.  But one of the coordinators told me about Renan Curtis Keesler, another little boy in our town who was recently diagnosed with cancer for whom she was coordinating another fundraiser.

These stories always pull at my heart.  Even when the prognosis is good, as it is in Renan's case, it's still such an incredible burden and drain--on the heart, on the family, and of course, on the finances.  I was more than happy to donate a Swarovski crystal necklace for the silent auction--a small gesture to help out a boy and a family in need.

If you want to help out and live in the Phoenix area, please attend Renan's fundraiser.  It's a carnival picnic in the park, this Friday, April 8th, from 4-9 p.m.  Lots of fun for families, fabulous items in the silent auction, and all for a very good cause!  All the details for the fundraiser and more information about Renan are on his website.

How to Make Meringues That Look Like Soft Serve Ice Cream Cones

Looking for this?  The blog has moved over to Tikkido.com!  Find this tutorial and recipe (and so much more) over on the new website.