DESIGNS IN PROGRESS

Wedding season is in full swing here at Emici Bridal. I have several custom orders that are being finished and I am so honored to be able to work with my clients to create memorable custom pieces for their wedding. I have been sewing and creating for years, changing and expanding my techniques and style. When I think back to when I was a child I remember my mother teaching me to sew using an oversized needle and pieces of felt. She would teach me how to space the stitches evenly, this grew into more complicated work like beading with sequins and glass seed beads. Through the eyes of a child I was bringing to life the most beautiful things the world had ever seen. This was my foundation.

Fast forward to today and it is interesting to look back and see how the past coupled with our personality and interests mold us into what we are. We are such a compilation of factors that create a certain result. Some of these factors are chosen by us and some are not. I like to compare that with design. You work with the materials that you have and you choose how they go together. The possibilities are endless and ever changing, just like us. Our own designs in progress.

NEW ITEMS

Some new items available from Emici Bridal. Just finished photographing these today and wanted to post them here! Periwinkle hydrangea ring pillow here.

This one is very different from the usual ring pillow. It is constructed out of silk dupioni. As you can see there are many elements to this design but what sets it apart the most is that you can remove the ribbons and use it as a decor pillow. Full Etsy listing here.

This luxe bow ring bearer pillow is topped with a little rhinestone sparkle. Full Etsy listing here.

IN MODERN BRIDE

I am very excited to say that Emici Bridal has been featured again in Modern Bride magazine for the August/September 2009 issue. This is a great thrill for me to see one of my designs in this wonderful publication. Thank you to Amber Furst at Modern Bride for helping me get the word out about Emici Bridal's products. It was a great pleasure to be able to work with you!


Emici Bridal appears under the feature "100 things we love" that starts on page 266 of the magazine. There are so many adorable offerings that you are sure to have something catch your eye. I love the work of the photographer Dasha Wright, such talent indeed! This is just the sort of layout of beautifully photographed products that launches your wedding design visions into high gear. Emici Bridal's yellow pomander consisting of yellow roses and peonies with an ombre wired ribbon handle and bows. Many wedding venues no longer allow petals to be dropped on the floor. A pomander solves that problem while still giving the flower girl something pretty and feminine to carry. You can also use these are decorations on pews or doors. They are so versatile and sweet! This pomander is a limited edition and already sold out but you can order your own custom pomander in your colors for between $30-$45. Or you can see the sister pomander to this in peach here for $14. Please don't hesitate to contact me at marieconrad@emicibridal.com with any questions at all.

SUMMER SOLSTICE

Today is the first day of Summer and the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year. Solstice comes from the Latin words sol (sun) and stice (to stand still) because the sun would appear to stand still in the sky. Pagans would call the Midsummer moon the "honey moon" for the drink called mead that was made from fermented honey that was often used at wedding ceremonies. I have read different things about the origination of the term honeymoon and some are more romantic than others. One is that the couple would get married under a full moon and tradition was to have enough mead to last one month for the moon to go through the phases of one cycle. This was thought to ensure happiness and fertility.

June is also thought to be a lucky month to get married although I think that a successful marriage needs much more than luck but a little can't hurt right? Summer is my favorite season and I am looking forward to being able to share it with my clients through my products.

BRIDAL DREAM TEAM CHALLENGE

It is time for another design challenge for Etsy's Bridal Dream Team. Everybody is so busy with the wedding season but we just love to work together and create these themed challenges. The current challenge is beach weddings. Of course I did email all the members ahead of time and ask that they be sure to create something that was hideously ugly but they never listen. I just really want to win and that would be a superb way to ensure my success up against this talented crowd. However since they obviously are as competitive as I am I will need to rely on votes. If you would be so kind as to click on this link and vote for your favorite that would be great! The winner gets bragging rights and a BRAND NEW CAR! Just kidding. I would settle for bragging rights any day of the week. Especially on Friday June 26th because that is when this challenge is over and voting is closed. So head on over and cast your vote!

QUICK UPDATE FROM ORANGE AND BLOSSOM

This just in! Orange and Blossom is having a sneak peek launch sale! Celebrate with $5.00 shipping (free w/$200 order) and $5.00 off any purchase over $50 with promo code BEAUTIFUL. Now through July 15th.

ORANGE AND BLOSSOM

I am proud to announce that Emici Bridal is now working with orangeandblossom.com to create exclusive and limited edition ring bearer pillows. Orange and Blossom is a highly edited shop curated from artists and vendors to appeal to modern couples. They work with the artists, designers and vendors to bring you the very best in weddings. You can learn more about the featured artists and their wonderful work here.

One of the pillows that I designed exclusively for orangeandblossom.com. I took a heavily embroidered eyelet dupioni silk in a bridal white and paired it with double face imported satin ribbon. Of course this little guy would not be complete without the handwired genuine freshwater pearl flower on the top. Remember this is an exclusive and only available here. If you are looking for a larger version of this pillow it is available here.

Also available only on orangeandblossom.com is this one of a kind creation here. Silk taffeta and Victorian net lace combine to create this luxurious pillow.

Last but certainly not least is the silk taffeta jeweled peony ring pillow. An off white silk taffeta pillow with light pink silk taffeta sashes. Top it off with a genuine freshwater pearl and Swarovski crystal jeweled peony and start swooning. Available here.

BE BACK SOON

Some of you may have noticed that I am missing some inventory from my Etsy store and my website. I had to remove some of these items temporarily since I am fully booked. If you want to place a back order for these items please contact me at marieconrad@emicibridal.com and I will be happy to assist you. I am still available for any questions at all so please don't hesitate to ask. Thank you!

SIDEWALK ART

I like the unexpected so recently while in beautiful Victoria BC this amazing sidewalk art caught my eye. They copy famous paintings in chalk and it is really interesting to me, I love seeing stuff like this. Some are more vibrant than others and have not had the chance to fade into ghostly images. I did not see the creator of this temporary gallery but maybe next time I will get to watch the work.

I love this one, the way that it is such a haunting memory of what it once was. Soon it will be gone and maybe another one will be drawn in its place.

"Woman Holding a Balance" Vermeer

"Girl with a Pearl Earring" Vermeer

DAISY DAYS

It is no secret that I love to use vintage mother of pearl pieces on my ring pillows. So I thought it was only appropriate to share this creation with you. This is an exceptional vintage brooch that I acquired and then paired with a small piece of embroidered silk fabric.

I wanted the pillow to be a bit larger than the silk I had available so I made some side paneling to better suit my design vision. I also like how it framed the embroidery.

This piece is sold but hopefully I will get to create something similiar soon.

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

This is the Victoria ring bearer pillow. It is constructed out of ivory dupioni silk with a dupioni silk ruffle bordered sash. I used a vintage rhinestone piece in the center to anchor the design.

You can learn more about this one of a kind pillow or place an order here.

PERFECTLY PEONY

I think that peonies may be my favorite flower. That is if I had to choose a favorite, it is sort of like asking an artist to pick a favorite color or a chef their favorite food. You may have a slight favorite but you know that the variety brings richness. Peonies are high on my list since they only bloom a very short time in the year. Plants take years to mature and produce masses of blooms. I have had my plants for two years now and below is their entire bouquet production. I can still count all the flowers on one hand.

I used my Grandfather's vase for this bouquet. He was a gardener and gatherer of treasures. When I would visit he would bring Grandma and I breakfast in bed of toast with jam on it that he cut into a heart shape with a cookie cutter. He was a jokester for sure, one time when I was a very little girl I saw a giant snake in the garden. I ran to tell Grandpa about it and he was very concerned and had me point it out to him. "You stay here!" he whispered sternly. I watched him ever so slowly creep up behind the snake and then dive on it like he was jumping into a pool. I was shocked as I watched him wrestle this massive beast and screamed, "GRANDPA BE CAREFUL!!!" He began roaring with laughter and produced the largest fake snake I had ever seen. He had placed it in the garden to scare birds and rabbits but that day an unsuspecting little girl would do just fine. He was so great.

So now I have his vase. Funny how things travel through the family. You never really own anything, you just take care of it. When I walk by these enormous masses of petals the fragrance is heavy in the air and I feel happy and uplifted. I can not wait until I have enough blooms to fill three or four vases. One would be placed on my nightstand so I can wake to their lovely allure.

Here I have created my very own impressionist image of my photo. I wish I could give it to Grandpa, I think he would have liked it.

ETSY FRONT PAGE

Emici Bridal was featured in a treasury that made it to the front page of Etsy! Etsy changes the front page often and chooses these treasuries from lists that are made by Etsy members. It is a lot of fun to do and a great way to display the wide array of artists that sell their work through the website. That is my chocolate bow flower girl basket in the third row. The curator moonthroughfog had emailed me when she created the treasury and I was so impressed. It was a beautiful collection and I was happy to be among all the other wonderful artists who were also featured. I really enjoy seeing all the picks of one person grouped together. Such an infinite amount of possibilities distilled down to a tidy group.

CALLA BRIDAL

If you live in the Seattle area and are interested in seeing my designs in person please visit Calla Bridal. I recently had the pleasure of meeting with Yachi in her beautiful store and I must tell you I could not stop looking at EVERYTHING! She has put together such a splendid assortment of bridal confections. All the gorgeous detailing on the dresses made my inner designer so curious about what would be on the next hanger.
All the dresses are displayed so you can appreciate each offering for the exquisite creation it is. Calla Bridal specializes in luxurious gowns for the discerning bride. You can also find bridal accessories that harmonize with your individual style.
Do you love the pictures? I do and that is why I contacted Azzura Photography in Bellevue for permission to use them. I just adore their work and you will too! You can visit their blog here to read the post on Calla Bridal. They have so many spectacular photos for your perusing pleasure!