Saving the Date....

After seeing an amazing 'Save The Date' postcard on Martha Stewart's wedding site, I had my heart set on a photoshoot with Jimmy and I holding vintage-styled gilt frames with 'save the date' and '11.02.12' in them... and then my brain began to tick...........I had already begun collecting teacups as flower vessels for our wedding, and thought this might be just the opportunity to bust out my creativity bone and style a vintage tea party styled shoot, along the lines of an english high tea.  Jimmy's parents are English, and all his family still live in England. Jimmy lived in England after he left college for 12 months, and came home to Australia to earn some money and move back to England with his aunt and uncle for good.  3 months after returning to Australia, he met me, and the rest, as they say, is history!! We have been together for 6 years, and we travelled to England last year together, spending a weekend in Paris where Jimmy proposed. I loved England, and although it sounds strange, it felt like home, and I dream of moving there to live for a few years.  Whilst there, my love affair with Cath Kidston began, and has been steadily growing ever since! 
So I figured that a high-tea photoshoot would be not only something that I would love, but in a way, pay homage to Jimmy's past and family. 
The lovely and amazing Megan Bourn from Megan Bourn Photography  agreed to photograph our shoot, and the end result was beyond my wildest dreams!!  I was so amazed at what Megan created out of Jimmy and I mucking about and being silly.  The photos turned out so beautifully, and she interpreted what must have seemed like crazy ideas into stunning images that I will treasure forever. I have designed postcards with several of the images, and will receive my samples in the mail on Wednesday!!Can't wait to get them!!
Here is a little sample of Megan's amazing and beautiful work....

Easy Like Sunday Morning....

I love bunting in every way, shape and form, and this weekend, I have attempted it for myself!!  Friday afternoon was pink, today was blue!
This bunting is for my friend Meg's little boy Ryley's bedroom :) and is one of my very first major attempts at sewing!

Why is Sunday such an amazing day?  Theres just something about Sunday that makes you wish it would go on forever..... sleepins, cooked breakfast, staying in your pyjamas all day, crafting, cooking, lazing about.  Perhaps it's because we know tomorrow is the dreaded beast also known as Monday. *sigh* Back to work, early mornings, and structure. 

The Beginning.... which will appear at the end.....?

So how does one start off on a blog? I know very little to nothing about blogging or blogs, other than I love to look at other people's crafty creations, and weddingy goodness on them! A recent friend, Allana Parker aka 'High Maintenance Hippy', has encouraged me to start a blog, after seeing my Instagram profile.  And upon further investigation into the blogosphere, it appears that I have, in fact, been using my Instagram profile as a makeshift blog! So here I am, blogging. 

So who am I?  Well, My name is Emma Gleeson, I live in Somerset, Tasmania, and I love to craft.  I have a teaching degree in early childhood education, taught for 12 months, and decided that at this stage of my life, after being at school for all but 4 of my 24 years, teaching is not for me.  Last year, I went to Europe, where my now fiancee proposed in Paris, and this year, after working there part time for almost 8 years, I am working full time in a newsagency, which I completely (suprisingly!!) enjoy!  I now spend half my life explaining why I have chosen not to teach, as people can't understand why I would spend 4 years at uni only to not use my degree.  I loved teaching, and I loved the classroom and the kids, but I felt that I needed to be away from the school environment for a few years, and in the long run, I think it will make me a far better teacher for getting out and getting some true life experience to apply to my teaching. 

As far as my crafting goes, I have had my finger in many, many pies.  I started out as a stamper and cardmaker, changed to a scrapbooker, became sick of scrapbooking and evolved into 'off the page' scrapbook work, and my current passions are kusudama flower balls, cross-stitching and learning to sew.

My fiancee Jimmy and I are getting married on Feb 11, 2012, at Highfield House in Stanley.  Our wedding theme is 'vintage tea party', teacups being my current love, which sends me to the dusty, dank, musty, corners of second-hand stores on the hunt for gorgeous vintage teacups filled with flowers to use as part of my table centrepieces, set amonsgt stacks of vintage hardcover books, and vintage candlesticks and various other vintage props. Hence, my blog name. 

Today's misadventure occured when I filled in for one of the work girls this morning, and a regular customer came in for her regular Saturday lotto.  She told me that she was going to help at a local charity garage sale organised by the Soroptimist's.  I casually asked (with hope in my heart and bated breath!!) whether there were any teacups there, to which her reply was 'oh yes! heaps!' She must have seen the flash of 'omggetmethererightnow' in my eyes, as she offered to put them aside for me until I finished work. They say that a watched clock goes slowly............ Never has a half-day shift taken so long to pass!!  My bridesmaid Jess also happens to be my workmate, so she had to listen to me whinge half the morning about how much I wanted to go.... poor Jess!! When I arrived there, she proudly showed me the Royal Doulton trio treasures that she had set aside for me and carefully wrapped and placed in a box.  Some were marked $8 and $10, and there were 10 sets in the box, which she told me I could have for $20. I almost died and went to heaven then and there!! I also managed to find a box of 22 old hardcover books, a silver tea tray, a serving plate, 2 little vases, a small leaf-shaped plate, and 2 silver serving baskets..... total haul cost? $41.50. Ahhhh how I love being a vintage shopper!
Emma xx