Luhya Wedding Traditions

The Luhya community mostly resides in the Western part of Kenya with a population of about three million. Known for their elaborate ceremonies, the Luhya enjoy holding big parties to celebrate occasions. Luhya weddings are very elaborate and important occasions. They are accompanied with many wedding photos and celebrations. Before one gets married, the groom will have taken bride wealth to the bride's parents as a sign of gratitude. Unlike Toronto wedding ceremonies, bride wealth is meant to cement relations between the two families.

The first step before a Luhya traditional wedding can take place is payment of the bride price. The groom is expected to take a token of appreciation to the bride's parents to show that the parents raised their daughter well. Traditionally, this token would be in the form of livestock or farm produce. This token would act as a token to show how much the man cares for his future wife and show that he can provide for his future family as well. The Luhya community is known to love chicken and these are provided in plenty for guests to eat. On the wedding day, the man would go to the bride's homestead and call out the girl's name. If the girl responds, the ceremony can then go on. In the past, guests in attendance dress in special traditional attire with paintings all over their bodies and dance the whole night. The ceremony would last for about three days. The married couple would then proceed to their new home.

Present day Luhya wedding ceremonies are more modern and include celebrating the event in a church. Dancing and singing accompany most luhya weddings. Groups of women who sing praise songs encircle the bride. The wedding party normally arrives at the church a few minutes before the ceremony starts. The ceremony is usually recorded on video and wedding photos taken. This is one attribute that both Luhya and Toronto weddings have. Once the church ceremony is over, the wedding party goes to the reception venue for wedding photos and food. Luhya weddings have plenty of traditional foods to offer as well as western cuisine. Entertainment in a luhya wedding involves singing traditional songs and dancing to their tunes. Luhya dancing is quite vigorous and is a very entertaining activity. Unlike in Toronto, Luhyas can hold their ceremonies for as long as two weeks.

A Luhya wedding is not complete without speeches. The speeches normally come after gifts are given and wedding photos are taken but before the cake is cut. The theme of most wedding speeches is usually advice to the groom and his bride on how to take care of their new family. Grooms are advised to take care of the wife and the bride is advised to cook properly for the husband. Different people who may use a lot of proverbs and sayings to drive the point home give variations of the same message.

After the main event, the bride and groom go to their new home. The wedding photos taken serve as a reminder of the wedding ceremony. They can be passed down from generation to generation and act as a teaching aid to their children on the importance of marriage and families.

The New Trend of Wedding Silk Invitation Boxes

Silk synonymous with luxury. Now silk is a good trend in the fashion world or the other. In fact, there are now designs wedding invitations with silk materials.

The times of sending a simple wedding invitation postcard to the whole family are over. More and more brides choose the exclusive way and order one of various invitation products including silk invitation boxes, silk pouches, folios and even silk envelopes.

Thai silk is one of the signature products from Thailand.
No question it suits just perfect to make exclusive wedding invitation boxes with pure Thai silk. There are no limits in creativity and extravaganza. For example embellished invitations with silk flowers or brooches with rhinestone crystals carefully ensembles on a padded silk envelope or silk pouches. My favorite is the rhinestone crystal rings with ribbon bands combined with a gatefold silk invitation box.

To plan a wedding invitation is truly a time-consuming process. Maybe because there are so many formats and possibilities the invitation box can be made in. Padded, not padded, embellished, simple, with or without flower arrangement and so on. It's all up to your time and budget.

Select the right material to meet your budget
Generally silk invitations are made with pure 100% silk or if your budget does not allow with Faux silk (artificial silk). Thai silk looks just so much more exclusive if you hold it against the light, but more and more brides choose the cheaper version of Faux silk invitations. No question, nobody wants to pay the debts of an expensive marriage until the silver wedding. Don't miss to contact me if you need support finding the right wedding favor, silk invitation box or wedding gifts.

Contact your invitation designer early to avoid delays
Thai silk invitations are hand made, so each item needs time to finish. If you place the order late, the manufacturer may not be able to manufacture high quality products. To get the best result, inquire 2 month before you actually need the invitation or wedding favor to arrive your home. This way you have around 4 weeks to discuss the design and look of your dream invitation box or silk invitation holder and the manufacturer has another 4 weeks to produce the order.

By : phie

Silky Wedding Flowers

Marriage is one of the sacred and historic events in our lives. Of course before getting married a lot of things that must be prepared and considered.

When brides choose their wedding flowers, one question they must ask themselves is: do I want real flowers, or silk?

Traditional brides always go for real flowers. Their delicate beauty can never be duplicated by artificial flowers. The mesmerizing scent of roses or lilies is a far cry from the artificially scented silk flowers. Scent is often associated with feelings or memories and a wedding is an emotional and memorable experience. And that is where real flowers score over silk ones.

Real flowers have their disadvantages, too. The main disadvantage with real flowers is their longevity. They wilt away very fast. Brides who want to preserve their wedding bouquets often settle for silk flowers. Moreover, brides who want exotic or out-of-season wedding flowers often opt for silk flowers because they are much more readily available and affordable. Silk flowers are also popular with brides who are allergic to real ones. No bride wants to be red-eyed and sneezing at her wedding.

Silk flowers have advantages and disadvantages too. Although not the traditional choice, silk is fast becoming a popular option. Silk flowers look almost as natural as real flowers and brides don’t have to worry about the availability of their preferred choice. Silk flowers are also much more affordable. Preservation of real flowers is very expensive, but not with silk. They always look as good as new.

Thus, both real and silk flowers have their positive and negative points. It depends on the bride to choose between them, according to her priorities.

By : Phie

CANDY STRIPE SAILORETTE

Sailor Tie Top - Tara Starlet (I love love love), Culottes - old H&M,
Lace kneesocks - Norlyn, Shoes - Fabbri

My dear friend K just turned 28 and held a tea party today with lots and lots of cakes, macaroons and mini cupcakes. All home made, all delicious.

K loves pink and candy so I gave her a gift with pink and candy on my mind. And I dressed up thinking pink and candy. And 1930's, sailors and sailorettes.

ANSWERS vol.1

I don't like to read long texts on a screen. I kind of of think that applies to everyone else (even though I know that it really doesn't) so I mostly try to keep my writings short. In order to avoid too much scrolling I'll answer the questions received so far now alrady.

Here's some Soft Sunday music to go along with the reading (or scrolling in case you don't give a F):




-I have always wondered what it is you really work with?
I work as a freelancing graphic designer, I do random commissions, but I also frequently work with a textile and apparel company together with my friend K. We do product planning, sketches and package design. I also work in the harbor as a cargo supervisor; we load and unload ships and I see that everything goes as planned. It's kind of blue collar.

Have you lived in Budapest? What did you do there.
-I studied graphic design in BP in 2003 at MIE; Magyar Iparmûvészeti Egyetem, which I believe is nowadays called MOME. My mentor told me "Budapest has a great nightlife, so don't take too many courses". I took his advide.

Any photoshop secrets or other editing tips and tricks you'd like to share ;)?
-Remember to save versions in between! And well, play around with adjustement layers etc. You learn a lot by doing and trying. And google up and read threads and forums.

How do you take such gorgeous pictures?!
-Heh, by taking many. Out of ten there should be one usable :)

Do you use hair extensions or is it ur real hair?
-Nips, it's all my own!

What's my favourite
Food: I like a lot, but tapas and meze dishes with good wine always works for me! And sushi.
Band : I used to say Interpol but nowadays I've distanced from it. I like rautalanka (and surf) the most, so bands that play that well! Most people find it rather geeky :D
Book : perhaps Orwell's 1984
Movie : Depends, it used to be A Clockwork Orange.
I don't really have a "number one" of anything, I like so many different things in different ways.

Do you work out?
-Too little these days - I used to work out six times a week at the gym, with yoga and savate (you get a little manic by doin it too often so that's not good either). Nowadays I go swimming about once a week and then try to squeeze in some hot yoga once or twice a month... I'm trying to make time for savate again, but haven't done it even once this year.

What languages do you speak?

-Swedish (mother toungue), Finnish, English, French, German. Some elementary Hungarian that I keep on forgetting more and more about. Since I speak Swedish I can get by on Norwegian and Dansih, it kind of comes as a bonus. I'd like to say Estonian too but I'm so bad at it I'm not sure it counts.

What do you usually eat during the day?

-Sandwiches

What is your favourite bar&club in Helsinki?

-For easy dining and wine Bar No9, otherwise perhaps Bar Loose. Right now all places seem a but dull. Autumn depression perhaps.

Are you one a diet or think what you are eating?
-
I eat whatever I want but in general rather healthy. I always have to have some uncooked vegetables with every meal. It feels great not to avoid anything anylonger, I don't care about carbs or calories.

Are you vegetarian?

-Yes, I've been quite a strict one but I have fish and eggs nowadays.

When did you became so stylish, have you always dressed that way? (oh thanks :)
-I've had different styles, some more some less stylish I guess but I've always paid attention to both details and the whole.

What kind of style you had when you were a teenager?
-
Black black black and slightly bohemian, after which I became something of an arty psychedelic hippie girl.

Height & weight?

-165 cm, I don't weight myself that often but something around 63 kilos I think.

How did you get the idea to start performing burlesque / How did you get involved in Burlesque performance?
-I've always loved the look of burlesque but it wasn't until I saw it live for the first time a couple of years ago (and Paula who was there with me told me "you have such a burlesque body!") I started thinking "I could do this!". Friends and friends of friends were also interested and we put together our group. Burlesque is new in Finland and the scene small, so it was easy to join in, we were definitaly in the right place at the right time!

What educations do you have?

-I'm a Bachelor of Arts, my major was graphic design. I studied painting before that for a year.

Do you have a boyfriend?
-Yes.

What's yout name?
-Ulrika

I would love to know the story behind your "förlåt mig" tattoo
-I took it after my previous relationship, when we broke off our engagement. It's says forgive me for his sake as well as my own.

Do you promise to answer me if I send you an email and ask about where to go and what to see in Helsinki if I ever end up there?
-Yes. But it might take some time before I answer it and you can remind me if it takes too long :)

How do you manage such a hectic lifestyle with freelancing, sewing, your job at the harbor, and burlesque and still manage to -look absolutely fabulous? (thanks again:)
Basically I never have any free time. Even if I take days off there is always something I should be working with... The good thing with my harbor job, and one of the main reasons why I'm still there, is that I have every third week free but still get paid for the whole month and have full vacations! That helps and also makes it pretty hard to quit.

Have you ever seen the comic Fritzi Ritz?
-
No, but now I have :D

Any tips on how to get the lipstick stay on your lips and how to avoid chapping at the same time?
-Hmm, I have sensitive skin and my lips get dry or irritated from time to time. I wear a fat cream from the pharmacy (like Bepanthen) during the night and put chapstick (like the blistex tube that doesn't really "stay on" the lips but) on in good time before the lipstick. Sometimes I just paint my lips with liner and put vaseline on for a more "lipstick look". (you need to bite it off a bit and add some more colour afterwards for an even result.) Have you tried changing to a more moisturizing lipstick? The Gosh soft n' Shine lipbalm has so much colour that it works more as a lipstick but is still pretty moist.

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

I'm not really an arrogant A hole. But I am rather unorganized. And very busy.
I tend to forget to answer questions I get in my comments. Sometimes it can take me a long time to answer blog related mails written to me too.

So I thought I'd do this thing were you can ask me anything and I will answer almost everything!

This is my sneaky-suspicious look when I say, ok, go ahead and ask then.

I'll answer a couple of questions/requests I remember now straight away
1. Make up
I get lots of questions about makeup. But the thing is, I will never do a makeup tutorial - there are tons of youtube tutorials out there that go for the same look and they're all pretty much similar to each other. I do the same make up almost every day, just make it heavier and add some glitter for shows. And in the end you still have to see what suits your own face the best.

But I will do a post about makeup; which products I use and some tricks I rely on, that I promise!

2. Photos
"I'm always curious about whether you take all your own photos and how you always manage to get the lighting so spot on? "
Well, first of all I have a pretty good camera. Not a great one, but an OK that can take great pics if you do it right. If there's not time nor good light for getting it right, I fix the photos in Photoshop afterwards, Levels, Curves etc. Basically there's nothing I can't do in Photoshop, although I prefer to get away as easily as possible. (Well as you can see the photo above has some more playing around than just levels and curves - sometimes that's real fun too - especially if you should be working with something different than making yourself look all 1939 for example :) I indulge quite a lot what I like to call "forced photography" -heheh- as I have my sister or a friend take some pics for my blog ("You have to take some pictures for my blog now!"), but I do take many of them on my own too.

That's it. If you post a question here during the weekend and perhaps the beginning of next week too I promise I'll answer them all by next weekend in a post!

Oh, and if you come here a lot and react a lot and I have forgotten to link you let me know!

RESULTS OF HAVING THE FLU pt.1

I've been ill the whole week and have spent my time here at home reading, drinking lots of tea and (yes! yes! finally!) organizing my desk and drawers ...and also, doing lots of online shopping. That's why I will never have space in my wardrobe - as son as I sell something away new items come in. Oh, materialism, oh vanity! (And that's why I'll never be rich either. But at least I'll die well dressed.)

A pair of boots I ordered late on wednesday night arrived today already, brought straight home to my door! What more can a little piggie-flu girl ask for?

So, here we go with a familiar pattern:

(the cat will, of course, be in the box the same second I take the shoes out of it...)

Oh yeah.


Oh yeah! The Melissa Ashanti flocked boot. Water resistant. Me likes.

Yeees. Rainy days, here we come!

The fact that I now own a pair of water resistant shoes for autumn make me very very happy. It's like I never really believed I could actually have a pair of pretty shoes that can master the nasty weathers to come. Plus that they're vegan too. I ordered mine from Luis Via Roma, and the FedEx home delivery was included in the price! (Well, with the range -and price- of the other items in their store, I'm not surprised.. :)

Both cats are in the box now.

Exotic Muslim Weddings

Anyone who has witnessed a Muslim wedding, live or on television, would be blind not to notice how colorful and exotic it can be. If there is one word that can describe one of these events, then it would be amazing.

What makes these occasions amazing is the fact that it follows years of tradition that has been passed from generation to generation. Muslim weddings are a lot different from Christian weddings not only because of their colorful attires but also because of the customs that are followed from the start of the couple's engagement.

While a Christian wedding is seen to be a romantic union of two people in love and united by the religious ceremony, a Muslim marriage is more of a social contract between the two families involved. Most, if not all of these marriages become possible due to the dowry system, which is more like an economic transaction rather than a romantic union. Here is how a Muslim wedding is celebrated in some parts of the world.

Iran

A wedding in Iran can last up to seven days. The focal point of the ceremony and the reception is the bride's home, which undergoes a customary banquet where the food is arranged so that it faces east. Iranian Muslims use a silk table cloth for the wedding table which has been passed from one generation to another.

Pakistan

An event in Pakistan can last up to three days, with the Mehndi taking place in the house of the bride and groom. It also follows a henna ceremony with the Nikah or the signing of official papers as its highlight. After the bride's family signs the papers in the Imam's presence, the family of the groom hosts a banquet as a way of formally announcing the marriage.

Malaysia

An affair in Malaysia is quite different in the sense that the henna ceremony takes place only for the bride. The signing of the contract is made in the presence of a Syariat Court official and is made official after a small amount of money is exchanged.

Singapore

A Muslim wedding in Singapore is characterized by the kidnapping of the groom by the bride's beautician and her family. The groom is allowed to enter only after he has given a reasonable amount of money as entrance fee.

Muslim weddings are celebrated in various ways depending on what country the couples reside. But whatever the differences, they will always be exotic and interesting to the western world.

Hairstyles For Brides With Long Hair

There is an old custom that when a woman gets engaged, she should start to grow her hair. There is no doubt that having long hair will give you a lot of flexibility in choosing both your hairstyle and headpiece for your wedding. There are a few things to keep in mind when choosing the perfect wedding hairdo for long hair.

The first question is whether to wear your hair up or down. This will depend, in part, on just how long your hair is. Very long hair, while very pretty, also requires a lot of brushing to look neat over the course of a long day. This type of maintenance is totally impractical during a busy wedding day. If your hair is only sort of long, flowing waves can be a very romantic look.

A nice compromise is to pull some of your hair back, and let the rest be down. This is great for brides who love their long hair and want to show it off. It's also a nice idea if your fiance has always loved to see your hair long and loose. Pulling some of your hair back will also give you better options for anchoring a pretty piece of hair bridal jewelry, like a comb or delicate tiara. When your bridal hairstyle is all down, the only type of hair jewelry that tends to work is a wreath, which has pretty limited uses.

Many brides with long hair will choose to wear it up, and having it long means that it can be sculpted into all sorts of intricate hairdos. When you are thinking of an updo, it is very important to have at least one trial run with your hairstylist before the wedding. Your regular stylist might be terrific at cut and color, but not all of them excel at formal hairstyles. With long hair, you might need to seek out a stylist who specializes in working with your hair length.

Finding the right stylist is particularly important for brides whose hair is very long, like waist length or even longer. A true story: the day of my wedding, all of my bridesmaids had come to my salon to have their hair styled. One of my bridesmaids had exceptionally long hair, and when the stylist saw it, he looked at her and said, "What am I supposed to do with this?"! Fortunately, a different stylist stepped forward to take care of her, and she looked beautiful in the end, but not before a few tears were shed. It is bad enough to see this happen to a bridesmaid, but imagine if it was you on your wedding day. That is why trial runs are so critical.

Another great reason to have a practice hairstyle is to see how it feels. If you have a lot of hair, or it is thick, having it all piled on top of your head can actually give you a headache! For brides who find that to be the case, a low bun at the nape of the neck can be a more comfortable option, as can wearing the hair half down.

There are so many wonderful looks that you can create for your wedding with long hair. One very pretty style is to have a series of braids woven into a bun at the lack of your head. A classic chignon is another lovely updo for a bride. It is a great idea to go through magazines and pick out a few looks that appeal to you. Don't limit yourself to wedding magazines, either - you can often find the most chic looks at celebrity events.

Long hair will give you so many choices for your wedding. All you have to do is narrow it down to your favorite look, whether it is classic, romantic, or cutting edge. With so many wonderful options, you are sure to find a style that makes you feel absolutely beautiful.

EXPOSURE

Sometimes I may wear something which makes me feel real preppy and active and almost makes it easier running here and there and everywhere to take care of tasks and errands one has around town. For me it may be voluminous skirts that go puff-puff when I walk and shirts in fresh colours that does the trick one day (but perhaps something totally different the next). This time it was exactly that, and I got tons of things and jobs done.

The photo is a bit over exposed and you can watch an even more overexposed video of our most girlie burlesque number here. Me on the other hand have been exposed to some germs or cold, I have the flu and will be spending most of my time in bed this week doing nothing. Atchoo.

(The skirt is Miss60, the bag vintage and the rest plain ol' H&M)

Wedding Decoration Favors - Why Favors Are Important to Weddings

Although there is a lot that goes into planning a wedding, one of the aspects that should be given the respect and time that it deserves is the wedding decoration favors. There are a few reasons why favors should be thought out carefully. The first reason is because it shows your thanks and gratitude to your guests. They took time out of their lives to watch you begin your new life with your partner. In addition, it is the best way for your guests to remember the wedding. For the guests that are not close to the family, it might be their only reminder of the event.

Because there is so much meaning attached to favors, they should not be overlooked as something you have to get. You should want to get the best keepsakes because you want your guests to have the long lasting memory of your special day. There is a reason why you invited this group of people to your wedding in the first place. You wanted them to share in the most important day of your life. Why not give them great wedding decoration favors? One of the newest trends in keepsakes is to give useful and practical gifts. So often people end up tossing their favor because they have no use for it, so you might as well get your money's worth.

Even if you are on a limited budget, there are great ways you can get wedding favors that can be used again by your guests. One of the easiest ways to do this is to give candles. If you have a specific theme or color for your wedding, you can incorporate that into the candles. If you have a beach wedding, you can make the candles be sailboats or seashells. The point is for them to be relevant to your wedding, or at least to the couple.

In addition to giving practical keepsakes, another popular trend when it comes to wedding decoration favors is to give items that relate to the bride and groom. If you both share a hobby, then tie that hobby into the favor. If there was a specific place the two of you met, then make that be the gift. It could be a photo of the place or a memorabilia from the place. It is a cute way to remind your guests where you met.

AN END FOR ONE MAY BE A BEGINNING FOR ANOTHER

You know how the story goes. You meet. It's either love at first sight, or then an interest slowly developing into something more. But either way, if everything goes well you get one another one fine day. You go on adventures together, as well as go through everyday life.

But, at some point you notice that things are not like before. You don't see each other that much anymore. You don't long for each other like you used to. You may have grown apart (literally). You realize you never go out together. You find new points of interest. You might even find it hard to believe you actually spent so much time together back in the days. You may seem so different from each other now. And even if feelings might still be warm, there just comes a point where you, even if it may hurt, have to take the guts to take action and say it out loud: I just don't see a future for us anymore.

I have done it.
In other words, I'm selling some more things away in my other blog!

My saffron colored skirt that should rather belong on a parade girl spinning a stick along with red jackets, white boots, trumpets and elephants (or on you :) than just hanging in my closet. My most wonderful bowed dress and my sandals that say True love!
I will go through some more breakups during the weeks to come so stay tuned.

Bridal Dresses

Brides wear specially designed gowns or dresses during their wedding ceremony. These are known as bridal dress and play a very important role in a wedding. It is important for the bride to select a wedding dress of a precise color, fashion and traditional importance often based on the religion and cultural background of the bride.

White has come to be known as the customary color of a wedding dress, but this was not the case in earlier times. This trend was started with the marriage of Queen Victoria to her cousin, Albert of SaxeCoburg in 1840. Her marriage is said to have had more influence on weddings than any other.

Bridal dresses are incomplete without a headpiece. A bride could choose to wear a tiara, a short headpiece, a veil covering her face or a flowing headpiece. The bridal dress may also have a train, a part of the wedding dress that trails behind the bride. This practice came into being from parallel trains worn by kings and queens. It is advisable to order a bridal dress well in advance. Once a wedding dress is selected, one must allow extra time for modifications or unexpected delays.

The range of bridal dress color choices may be perplexing. For example, eggshell, ecru, ivory, diamond white, candlelight and champagne are just a few common shades of white one can select. The cost of a wedding gown can be exorbitant, as well, and is something brides should take into account when choosing their dresses.

One of the most important purchases for a bride is her wedding attire. The gown and headpiece should match the occasion and her personality perfectly. It is important to shop for a gown that is stylish and just right for the bride. A wedding is a social event and many brides choose to take advice from a friend or family member who has previous experience with bridal dresses.

PRINT OF THE DAY

Peacocks by Klaus Haapaniemi.

A lot of illustrations today tend to have this folky, decoratvie vibe to it. I'd dare to say Klaus was among the first, if not the very first one, to start the trend.

Wedding Decoration Tips With Balloons

A balloon arch is ideal way to add up flair to your celebration or wedding. The simplest way to make this piece is to buy a pre-built wedding arch made of white metal. If in case the wedding arch is not available, you could even build an arch using strong bendable metal wire. Just be sure it is strong enough to stand on its own.

After placing the arch appropriately, just attach full balloons onto the arch using wire tires or string. Wrap the tie it up around the bottom of the balloon and then onto the arch. It is best to begin from the top and work your way down both the sides consistently to crate a wonderful look. This can also be done with multihued balloons or one shade of balloons. Balloons need to be filled with helium however. The more balloons you attach, the superior the piece would turn out.

The completed balloons arch could be used in varieties of places. Some brides prefer to place the balloons arch outside the way in to the ceremony. This permits guest to walk through the arch in addition to the bride and her attendants. Other brides prefer to use the balloons arch as a ceremonial highlight. They want to place it in the ceremony area so that they could stand under it while they are saying their vows. Lastly, many brides also feel this decoration is superior suited for the reception area and should be decorated for the after-ceremony event.

Tips for balloon arch decorations

• Make sure the hall is free before time - decorators would surely require time to setup. Some halls would have other events as well before yours, making it complex or impossible for decorators to finish their job.

• The higher the ceiling is better the look would be. Halls that have tall ceilings permit for more remarkable balloon arches and designs.

• Grand ballrooms have wide ceilings, use five balloon clusters on available tables, in its place of three. Increases the height of balloons as it makes the event more festive.

• Almost every hall puts off balloon decorators from attaching fixtures to walls or any ceilings. This might even prevent a balloon drop being rigged.

• Additional charges - Since stands, poles, bases are used to make these designs, a charge is accumulated, for setting up and then for removing. Balloon decorators would have to return to gather their materials, so a payment is almost forever charged for breakdown.

Balloon decorations for weddings are magnificent ways to add up fun and creativity. Brides could also make the decorations themselves with their family and friends. These ideas might be low-cost, but the end product surely looks beautiful!

BURLESQUE, BURLESQUE, ALL WEEKEND LONG

There will be a lot of pinupping, posing and burlesqueing about this weekend, as a matter of fact, nothing but it!


Pupuppiduu, the dress is from Vivien of Holloway.

Tonight we'll participate in the Books & Burlesque Happening, as part of the Night of Arts. You can draw us and a bunch of other burlesque boys and girls during the Dr. Sketchy's sessions in the window of Suomalainen Kirjakauppa from 18.00 to 22.00. Afterwards there will be shows in the bookstore!

Tomorrow it's time for Burlesque Goes Kapakka at Vanha, from 21.00 onwards. There is no entry fee since the happening is part of Art Goes Kapakka! We'll do a pinup vintage and retro lingerie fashionshow at 21:30, after which we do two half hour burlesque sets at 21:50 and 23:30. Gunmolls & Gansters play in between and Sweet Jeena and Her Sweethearts treat you with some swingin' tunes after our last show (and you might catch a glimpse of us doing some slight rockabilly-a gogo on stage too :)

So, if you're around Helsinki you'll know what not to miss!

(Bonus pic for a glimpse of the hair-do. All rolls rolled upwards, towards the head):

WEDNESDAY. BERET. SKELETONS.

Hi, this is the weather blog reporting.
This week it seems I will only be able to discuss the subject of the fact that I can't decide weather it's still summer or early autumn. (yey!)

Well anyway, it was rather chilly in the morning so I did a two-in-one by hiding my messy hair in my beret and saving my little ears from the nasty wind in the same time. You know I love my beret so I was a smoewhat happy to wear it again after its summer break. In the afternoon I fixed my locks and went to watch some dinosaur skeletons to the zoological museum and gladly put the beret on again. But by then it was hot as hell and my head started sweating and I felt stupid but the beret had already made my hair flat underneath so I couldn't take it off anymore. (=Vain welfare country problem.)

But after the skeletons (I just love the word skeleton. S k e l e t o n !) and dinner it was all chilly and fine again. End of story.

(Dress - Sans noblesse, Belt - random ribbon tied into a bow, Bag & beret - vintage, Shoes - ois, Cardigan - old)
-I have a strange pose and the pic is blurry but you can't always have it all you know -

Indian Bridal Saree

India, poppular with the saree.

Almost all Indian women wear.

Saree is considered to be the most elegant traditional Indian outfit of women. Indians believe wearing saree is a part of their tradition. As t defines the beauty of a woman, women in all over the world wear it in different special occasions. It is a simple and unique garment having various beautiful designs and colors which adds to her beauty.

A Saree--sari or shari--is a strip of unstitched cloth. It extends from four to nine metres in length. It is draped over the body in different styles. But obviously, the style of wearing a saree differs from place to place. The most common style to wear a saree is to the saree to be wrapped around the waist with the other end of the drape worn over the shoulder. This garment does not cover the abdomen part of our body. A blouse also known as choli or ravika forms the upper garment over which the saree is worn by women. This blouse has short has short sleeves and a low neck. It can be decorated with mirror or embroidered to make it more fancy and attractive so that it can be worn in different special occasions like on the wedding day. The saree is worn over an underskirt or a petticoat (pavada in south and shaya in east India). It helps to hold the saree and tuck in the pleats of the saree in it. The color of the petticoat must also match the color of the saree which is essential as it affects the whole presentation of the saree. If the whole saree and blouse is mirrored and embroidered, it would be best to wear it in various occasions especially, on the wedding day.

The Bridal saree is given very importance by any Indian women. It is available in different fabrics like cotton, silk, georgette, crepe, etc. A lot of different beautiful works are done on the bridal sarees like zari, embroidery, zardosy, organza, mirror work, cut work, patch work, pearl work, kundan, kasab and sequence that more beautify the bridal saree. The Bridal saree is available basically red in color. The Bridal sarees have their own unique style, designs, works, glamour and fabrics which looks extremely beautiful and unique when worn by a bride and this also adds to her beauty.

By : Phie

Elegant Handbags For Bridesmaids

Your bridesmaids will take good care of their hand bags when you present them with elegant bridal style clutches in satin, velvet, faux suede or leather. They say a beautiful purse completes the perfect outfit, and you can tell she loves it when she buys her next evening dress to match her handbag! Bridesmaids' handbags in different gorgeous colors are an ideal way to express your thanks to your bridesmaids. Check out these 5 handbags:

Bridesmaid's Pink Monogram Tote Bag - Pretty, pink, and personalized, this bag is perfect for your bridesmaids. A decidedly pink personalized tote bag is for the woman who thinks pink will never be out of style. Made of 100% polyester, you can also have it monogrammed with her initials. It also features black handles and a black monogram design, and has inner and outer side pockets for more storage.

Susie Satin Bridal Bag - Think confection candy colors and satin roses... this bridal bag is made just for bridesmaids. Include bridal jewelry, earrings or necklaces for a special gift to thank your bridesmaids for the part they play in your wedding. You will want to ask your wedding photographer for some photos of your bridesmaids carrying these beautiful purses. Furthermore, your flower girl will also look angelic holding a pink satin purse.

Marites Personalized Evening Clutch - This clutch is the perfect accessory and bridesmaids gift to help your lovely ladies transition from ceremony to reception. This polished personalized gift compliments your bridesmaids' evening look, and has plenty of room for their lipsticks, compact powder, and other essentials. It can be personalized with an elegantly scripted initial in sparkling Swarovski Austrian crystals to create a truly unique gift. This elegant purse is available in black satin polyester and features a snap closure and optional-use chain shoulder strap.

Adriana Personalized Evening Handbag - This evening handbag makes a wonderful bridesmaids gift. Give your bridal party these sleek, formal, personalized purses that will compliment any dress. These beautiful item, embellished with a splash of genuine Swarovski Crystal, will look stunning in your bridesmaids' arms at your reception.

Nancy Personalized Evening Purse - This evening purse was designed as an evening accessory that sparkles. Your bridesmaids will have a classic versatile evening bag that can also be carried as a clutch for other formal celebrations.

Source : http://ezinearticles.com/?Elegant-Handbags-For-Your-Bridesmaids&id=1212752

Bridal Bouquets

Your wedding should reflect your personality. Are you always the center of attention? Do people give you strange looks because you are one of those creative types? If that is the case, your wedding should be different too!

Every article, every book, even every piece of advice from Aunt Mary or mom is for the traditional bride; but what about the rest of you? Are you an actress who treats your wedding as a performance? Or, are you the artist with a baby- not a human one, but your work of art? The puppeteer who includes her puppets on the guest list? (Ok, I'm kidding about the last one- you need a doctor) Read on, this is for you.

As all brides know, it is all about the dress. It is all about one other tiny thing, too. What other detail besides your beautiful face and dress show up in your photographs forever?
The bridal bouquet!

Here are a few bridal bouquet ideas to make your wedding unique:

The Hollywood Starlet bridal bouquet

Who doesn't love anything embellished with Swarovski crystals! Attach these beautiful crystals to the petals of your flowers for a snazzy look. This alternative is most affective with a simple bridal gown with very little detail.

Starlight Star bright first star I see tonight... bridal bouquet

If you are having an evening candlelight ceremony: Arrange a string of lights in your bridal bouquet. (And you thought you could only use your Christmas lights once a year?) Adding the lights will pull together the whole candlelight theme and attract more attention to you!

One in a Million bridal bouquet

Let your guests know you are his "one in a million" with this special bouquet. This bouquet consists of one single red rose amidst all white roses. Share the message of your love story. White roses represent purity, and red roses stand for love. Convey how "true love waits".

Pick one of these bouquets and you will give guests something to talk about... at your baby shower! Oh, and the best part? Knowing how much this will aggravate your frazzled Aunt Sally, who is always telling your mom you need a normal job!

Source : http://ezinearticles.com/?Bridal-Bouquets-for-Creative-Brides&id=773495