Weekly update - polka dot dresses & pink flowers

That's right, you heard me - weekly update! Well, that's the plan anyway. Signing up for The Blogcademy has made me determined to put more work into this blog and turn it into something that people would actually want to read. I love reading other designer's blogs to get to know the person behind the label, see what inspires them and what they've been working on. With bridal it can be hard to share what I'm doing all the time because I feel like I should wait until after the wedding day to show any dress details, but I'm sure there are plenty of other things I can show you in the mean time.

This week I've been working on another bridal sample which I've named Daphne. It's made from a soft polka dot tulle (also called swiss dot or hail spot) similar to the fabric I used for my own wedding dress. It turned out so pretty and frothy I just had to try it on and have a bit of a dance around in it. Isn't that the point of owning a bridal business?

This dress works perfectly with a ribbon sash. I only had a dark green grosgrain ribbon and a purple velvet ribbon handy to try on with it, but they both give it a lovely vintage look. 

I feel like the phrase "I've been enjoying my garden a lot lately" makes me sound like a 75 year old, but... I really have been enjoying my garden a lot lately. It looks bright and pretty in the daytime, and at night we can hang out there and have a drink before dinner. I never know if pot plants on a balcony count as a 'garden', but it's all I've ever had (as an adult) and I don't see myself having a real garden with grass and trees and things anytime soon - thank goodness, we both get terrible hayfever so I don't know who would do the mowing.

The bougainvillea makes me especially happy, partly because it's bright pink and partly because my grandpa used to hate them to the point of obsession so thinking about his famous 'killer bougainvillea' rants always makes me laugh. In fairness to him, I did cut myself on one of the thorns when I was taking these photos so he may have had a point. 

James brought home these colourful flowers on Thursday. Pink, orange, yellow... perfect!

I always take photos of my mannequin to set up self-timer shots and test the settings, and I love the lighting in this photo. If I started work at 6.30am I could enjoy this light every day, but there is breakfast to be eaten and tea to be drunk and internet to be read. I normally just catch up on blogs and instagram in the mornings, but I recently found a site called Show + Tell which I'm really loving. It's run by Monty Dimond, and her 'On the Couch' interviews with influential Australian women are just perfect to watch with a cup of tea and vegemite toast.