This month, we've loved... November 2013

November is nearly through, and we've had such a great month! I cannot believe where this month, or even this year has gone. Time really does fly when you are having fun. Here is a little round up of what  happened this month 

1. We put together sample pieces of our new 'traditional range of wedding stationery. It's a little different to our usual style but we are often asked whether we can create this style for couples so we've decided to make it part of our range! Watch this space for more news!

2. We went to the awards ceremony of the Kent Wedding Awards 2013. We didn't win our category but we are so chuffed to have been nominated, and we had a great evening! 

3. Fireworks night at my parents-in-law house. It was a perfect night for fireworks, nice and chilly but dry and fine. I got some awesome photos of sparklers!

4. We have been married for 3 months now :)

5. I love love love shopping in curiosity shops and finding little vintage gems. This typewriter didn't make it home with me, but only because of the price (it made me cough a bit!) - if it had been a little less, it would have been all mine!

6. Winter is coming, so I can dig out all my winter nail varnishes and wear dark colours again.

7. Winter also means guilt-free comfort eating, and this chicken and mushroom pie Will made was delicious! Looking forward to trying more wintery recipes.

8. We went for a  Sunday stroll in the cold the other weekend, and it was perfect for refreshing our stuffy heads. Fingers crossed for some good weather this weekend for more fresh air.

9. I love the sunsets at this time of the year. You have to take a snap as soon as you see it, because it will be gone in a moment. You could apply that to life really - seize the moment because it will be gone in a flash. (profound for me!)

Friday Top Five: Moisturisers

Good morning and a happy Friday to you all!

We have a new feature on the blog today - 'Friday Top Five' where we shall showcase five of our favourite products of the week. This time, it's all about moisturisers. 

Alongside the healthy diet and drinking plenty of water, a hydrating moisturiser is essential for keeping your skin at it's best. Not only is a moisturiser essential for keeping your skin supple and radiant looking, hydrated skin will also create a fantastic base for make-up.

1. Elemis Pro-Radiance Illuminating Flash Balm - £32 for 50ml

Sweep on this soft balm and the benefits are instant! The finish has been created to deliver the optimum amount of sheen and luminosity for a healthy, vibrant glow. It's formulated with a powerful vitamin complex that helps protect against moisture loss, and the scent is a mood enhancing combination of neroli, bergamot and orange.

Our verdict: We loved the smell, although some people who aren't keen on a lot of scent might not. It didn't 'ball' under our fingertips when we applied it, like some balms can. Very light, and left our skin noticeably softer. 

2. Soap + Glory For Daily Youth - £12 for 50ml

A 6-in-1 'do it all' formulation, this is a light lotion with firming, toning, soothing and rejuvenating benefits. It fights wrinkles and improves elasticity. It smells gorgeous and is light but doesn't sink into the skin too quickly.

Our verdict: A beautifully light and simple moisturiser. Fab price from one of our favourite brands. Great packaging keeps it hygienic too. 

3. Bliss Triple Oxygen Ex-Glow-Sion Moisture Cream - £54 for 50ml

'Glow' to the extremes with this 'vitabead-infused' moisture cream with oxygen and micro-algae for an instant burst of radiance. It's formula provides an explosion of antioxidant vitamin E on contact as vitamin C and three forms of oxygen help deliver beautiful, younger-looking skin.

Our verdict: We were unsure of the beads to begin with, but after gently rubbing the mosituriser into the skin for 30seconds, they disapeared completely. The nest morning, our skin was so soft! It smells great too, well worth spending a little more for such a great result.

4. Clinique Moisture Surge Intense - £32 for 50ml

This light cream/gel plumps the skin with hydration for 24 hours. Fine lines, flakiness and tightness are diminished, and in their place is a supple and firm skin. Your skin looks and feels happier and healthier after just one 'drink'!

Our verdict: A classic product, we just love the gel like texture of this. It soaks in beautifully, leaving our skin supple and alive. We had comments the next day about how great our skin looked!

5. The Body Shop Vitamin E Nourishing Night Cream - £11 for 50ml

With rich wheat germ oil to replenish and revitalise skin, this nourishing cream replenishes moisture levels overnight, when skin is at its most receptive. It leaves skin feeling smooth and soft. A lighter night cream than some, it's fab for younger skin or people not keen on heavy creams.

Our verdict: The cheapest of our selection, this is a fantastic item for the price. The simple formula means it's suited to lots of people's skin type, and we were left with soft skin that didn't get oily half way through the day. 

What's your favourite moisturiser?

H&F xx

Wedding Blog Awards!

We are SO EXCITED to announce that we have been shortlisted for the Wedding Blog Awards, best wedding DIY blog! I don't think we have stopped grinning since we heard on Friday evening! 

We really want to thank everyone who voted for us in the first place, just to be nominated is incredible! If you can spare a moment to vote for us again, we would be so happy. You just have to select our blog 

"henryandflorablog.blogspot.co.uk" in the Best Wedding DIY blog

and enter your email address. 

We cannot thank you enough! Keep up to date with award info on twitter using the hashtag #weddingblogawards

Pinterest - Rustic Wedding Inspiration

To coincide with the release of our latest wedding invitation design - 'Chalkboard Charm', we have put together this Pinterest mood board, gathering together rustic, natural items that compliment our design.

Perfect for country, rustic themed weddings, we hope you enjoy looking at our favourite picks this week! See below for links to the items.

1. Chalkboard Charm Wedding Invitation - Henry and Flora

2.  Chalkboard Charm RSVP - Henry and Flora

3. Scented Cancle in Rustic Jam Jars - The Wedding of My Dreams

4. Wooden Log Tea Light Holder - The Wedding of My Dreams

5. Set of Five Wooden Heart Wedding Place Names - Letterfest   

6. Natural Lavender Mini Wedding Crackers -  FrouFrou & Thomas

7. 'Bride' and 'Groom' Chalkboard Signs - Sarah & Bendrix

8. 'Naked' Cake - Mai Fink, via Wedding Chicks

9. Rustic Dried Flower Wedding Bouquet - The Artisan Dried Flower Company

New Wedding Stationery Suite Design - Chalkboard Charm

We are so please to showcase our latest wedding stationery design - 'Chalkboard Charm'.  Sitting on a vintage chalkboard background, we have used a mix of stylish typefaces to create this wedding invitation design. A pretty wreath border is finished with a love heart at the bottom. It is printed on a textured card which really brings the background to life. 

It is available in three colour choices - peach, mint and pink. They are supplied with white envelopes free of charge. Coloured envelopes are available at an extra cost, please don't hesitate to get in touch if you have any queries - hello@henryandflora.com

We have also included folded thank you cards as part of our range. Chalkboard Charm comes at 148mm x 148mm, leaving the perfect amount of space to thank your friends and family in this personalised card.

We feel it is the perfect blend of vintage charm and rustic elegance to create a really romantic feel. 

Invitation prices start from £1.90, and £1.40 for RSVP cards. Available to purchase now from our online shop www.henryandflora.com

H and F xx

DIY - Sweet Jar Place Cards

Hurrah, the seating plan is sorted! Phew! Now, you'll need somehow to show guests where they are sitting on their table. Folded place cards are a lovely idea, but we've found that unless you or a friend has beautiful handwriting you can be left disappointed with the result.

We have put together a nifty way of creating quirky place cards, that also doubles as cute little favours.

You will need:

Paper for the names (it doesn't have to be brown kraft paper!)

Assortment of fabric - we love mis-matching patterns and colours!

Sweets

Twine or pretty ribbon to tie around the fabric

Mini pegs - widely available

Scallop circle punch - available here

Paper flowers - available at most haberdashery shops

Letter rubber stamps - like these

Ink pad - available in many colours, we used white!

So, get the lid from the jar and cut out a circle of fabric that's about 4 cm bigger all round. If you are careful, you can lay several pieces of fabric on top of one another and cut 2 or 3 pieces at one. Then, fill the jars with your sweets and screw the lid on. Place the fabric on top and secure with twine - tying in a bow. Cut a scalloped circle from the brown paper with the punch, and start stamping your guests' names. We suggest finding the middle letter of the name and stamping that right in the middle of the circle. Then work your way outwards - this way you won't have an off-centered name! Fix to the bow you tied with a mini peg, and if you want, add a paper flower! You could maybe glue on a button or even sparkly gemstones!

It's a simple idea but will look so sweet sitting on everyone's placemats. Also, it's a great way to create something for your wedding yourself without getting too stressed out, as once you have all your materials gathered they can take less than10 minutes each. And if you have lots of guests, why not invite people over to lend a hand - you can get your own little production line going!

You don't have to stop at sweets, perhaps loose tea, coffee or even homemade jam is more your style! Simple, sweet, and tasty - what's not to love?

Pinterest Love - Pom Poms!

We have gathered together some of our favourite images of pom poms from Pinterest. From hanging displays that add interest to an otherwise neglected space in a room, to decorating cakes and even adding wire hooks to create name cards, pom poms are so versatile! We love the idea of pom pom confetti - perhaps not the quickest, nor the most eco-friendly - but that aside, how cute would it be to throw pom poms over the newly wedded couple?!

Credits: 1. Potter and Butler 2. Pom Pom Factory 3. via. RuffledBlog 4. via. Rustic Wedding Chic 5. via. Style M ePretty 6. Aliexpress 7. via. Martha Stewart 8. via. Red Velvet Occasions 9. Pom Pom Factory 10. Antropologie 11. Pippi

Alphabet Bags = Our New Obsession!

We have fallen in love all over again.

Alphabet Bags is an online shop selling tote bags, purses, pouches and other lovely accessories all with beautiful and simple typography on them.

They have various collections for sale but, obviously, our favourite was their wedding collection.

Can you imagine anyone not being thrilled receiving one of these bags?! All designs come in a range of delightful colours so you are sure to be able to find something to match your theme. They are the ideal tote for your lovely bridesmaids or maid of honour - fill them with gifts and let them carry out their duties in style!

We nearly squealed when we saw this 'bride' pouch - so useful for all those little items you just can't do without on your big day!

Out of all their gorgeous designs, our favourite here at Henry and Flora has got to be the glittery heart pouch! The heart design has been printed in super sparkly gold glitter on soft natural canvas with a natural cotton lining.  Not just for weddings, these pouches are perfect for any party too - who wants a heavy, dull handbag when you could have one of these!?

The perfect accessory for your big day. Ideal for carrying essentials and they'd make a fun prop for photos! They are also a wonderful keepsake for when the big day is over.

All of these items are for sale at www.alphabetbags.com

You can also follow what Lucas and Hayley are up to over on their blog.

Work the Theme - Vintage Styling

With the vintage theme for weddings as popular as ever, we have put together a collection of the best beauty buys and stylish accessories to work this look. Whatever your budget, you can create a look that oozes subtle vintage glamour. 

We love this hair piece from 'Silver Sixpence in her Shoe.' It has such beauty in it's simplicity, but still adds a beautiful detail to the outfit. Keep your make-up simple, all that's needed is a subtle sweep of brown eyeliner, a rosy glow of blusher on the apples of your cheeks and a 'just-bitten' lip colour to complete the understated vintage look.

1. Anais Lace Headpiece - Silver Sixpence in her Shoe, £130

2. Bourjois Effet Smoky Sparkling Pencil in Mocha - Boots, £5.49

3. E.L.F. Mineral Blush in Joy - E.L.F, £5

4. Colourglide Shine Lip Colour in Shell Pink - The Body Shop, £10

5. Pearl Petal Stud Earring - Accessorize, £8

6. Stay Flawless 15 Hour Primer - Benefit, out June 13th

Scene Setter - Chalkboard Signs

We have just found a fantastic site and couldn't wait to share it with you. Scene Setter are based in the UK and was started with an idea to make fun items all your guests can enjoy; at a sensible price and to go some way to help create those lasting memories that are glorified in your photos. 

If you are after a finishing touch, then this chic collection of 11 tasteful signs is the perfect answer. Made in the UK, these signs are created from a managed card source and, of course, they are totally recyclable!

We love anything with interesting typography on, and these signs are right on trend with their chalkboard background. Perfect for vintage, monochrome, rustic or quirky themed weddings, these are perfect to make sure your wedding guests know where to go!

Available from their website, there are 11 signs in total and cost £50.

But wait, there's more!

Scene Setter are also running a prize draw to win not only a set of 11 wedding signs, but also the gorgeous sandwich board - altogehter that's worth over £100! All you have to do is sign up to their newsletter to be in with a chance to win! Go to their website and eneter your email address now! http://www.scene-setter.co.uk/

Prize worth over £100*

To enter simply register on our newsletter on the shop front page. That's it! 

1 winner will be picked at random by end of June 2013. Prize includes free delivery to mainland UK addresses only. To see the full rules please click here

(all images © Scene Setter)