Rachel Lamb Bridal Design

Just a quick reminder to say I'll be at Burwash tomorrow for their Secret Garden Marquee Wedding Open Day. I shall take along some bespoke gowns kindly loaned back to me from previous brides and there shall be a mini fashion show too!

My husband bought me a new close up lens as a Christmas present for his camera. I'll leave you to work that one out in whichever way pleases you. Anyway, today I managed to get an hour to briefly play with it and took some pics of some 'textures' I've been working on. I don't do anything other than point and shoot as I get frustrated reading the chapters in photography books about how to take good pictures - I'd rather just see what happens, and if its in focus I consider that an achievement! As yet I've no idea what, if anything, they'll be used for, but it will probably be something bridal. I started them as part of a personal campaign to stop complaining I have no time to experiment and to just enjoy working on them in the evening instead of falling asleep the minute my backside hit the sofa. The ones with the swirly centres remind me of some sort of cake - a meringue perhaps? No, I know what it is but I can't remember the na...

On Saturday the 24th March I shall be at Burwash Manor in their Secret Garden Marquee for their annual Wedding Open Day. This year they are planning a mini fashion show using some of my dresses, which should be fun! In the meantime its back to the grindstone, work is very hectic this year. I'm not complaining but it leaves little time for regular updates, so I shall do my best to show and tell as and when time allows.

 Days of snow. And days of pinning and sewing lace applique onto what will be a fabulous dress. This is for a wedding in April so I can't show any more yet, but will do when the time comes. For now just a sneak preview.

I mentioned in a previous post that I would be photographing hair accessories on my sister's head, well due to the snow at the weekend I've had no sister's head to photograph my hair accessories on, so those will have to wait until a suitable head comes along. Instead I thought I'd show you a couple of designs I'm thinking of making as samples: Given the recent weather, this top one might be a good idea for a winter wedding as it has long sleeves. I intend it to be a floppy dress, made of silk crepe. It could also work well made with an all over lace as well. I see it as quite a sophisticated dress suitable for multiple venues. This one I've had in my files for ages, but not got around to making yet. Its quite a traditional look, and again has little cap sleeves which I like. I love the back. I see it as a church wedding dress, very feminine. A 'proper' wedding dress, but simple. Those are big pleats on the skirt, not gathers. The fl...

Do you have hair that needs, or just would like, something pretty in it? Don't want a tiara or something that sticks up? Just something flattish and decorative? Something that could be good not only for bridal hair accessories, but also just general summer prettiness? I've been playing about with lace and come up with these. They are wired underneath so you can curve them around the shape of your head or make some bits stick out if you desire. These ones are sewn onto a hair clip, but I'm going to put some on bands as well. These pics don't show proportion as yet, but at the weekend I will photograph them on my sister's head (she doesn't know this yet) so you can see how big they are. The top one is ivory with some twinkles, and the lower one - which is bigger - is ivory with some fine gold thread and twinkles. I shall be putting them in my long neglected Folksy shop for sale asap, or I can sell directly to you, if you fancy one just drop me an email...

Many of you who have visited me for appointments and fittings will more than likely have received a greeting from, or had your departure acknowledged by Dolly. Among other 'hobbies', she liked to stare at, miaow at, purr loudly to and generally be a bit of a flirt with all manner of bridal customers, whether they were interested or not. After a swift decline, Dolly died last week and we are very, very sad; to say she was loved is an understatement. If that wasn't sad enough, it felt compounded by the fact that our other cat, Bruno (equally adored), died two days before Christmas. They came to us together as rescue cats and it seems they have gone together as well. Although they weren't allowed in my workroom, Dolly especially was a faithful 'waiter' outside the door, always ready to greet me or a client everytime one of us went in or out the door. Perhaps it was because she was a girl :) Bruno preferred getting up to no good in the barns that surround us, an...