I love thee like puddings; if thou wert pie I’d eat thee.
John Ray (1627-1705)

Now there’s a chap after my own heart…….pity he is just a few hundred years too old!!

The following extracts have been taken from a 1950’s book ‘The Good Wives Guide’, Author Unknown

Have dinner ready, plan ahead, even the night before, to have a delicious meal ready on time for his return.  This is a way of letting him know you have been thinking about him and are concerned for his needs. ( Sound like anyone you know Jill?!!)

Prepare yourself.  Take 15 minutes to rest so you will be refreshed when he arrives.  Touch up your make up, put a ribbon in your hair and be fresh looking.  He has just been with a lot of work weary people. ( Oh paleeeze!!)

Listen to him. You may have a dozen important things to tell him, but the moment of his arrival is not the time. Let him talk first. remember, his topics of conversation are more important than yours. ( What ???!!!)

Over the cooler months of the year you should prepare and light a fire for him to unwind by. Your husband will feel he has reached a haven of rest and order, and it will give you a lift too. After all, catering for his comfort will provide you with immense personal satisfaction. (yeah right!!)

Durrrrr!!  That’s it, I can’t read any more of this twoddle never mind blog about it!!

Suffice to say that thankfully things have moved on somewhat  so knickers to the 1950’s and let’s shop for the best day of our lives girls!!

Vanessa Necklaca £68 ( Amanda's favourite!) Large Rose Hair Pin - £18.00 A stylish alternative to a Tiara!

Fruity Favours!! £27.50 for 10 & colour co-ordinated too!!

Simply Exquisite Hand Made Wedding Invitations POA

Gorgeously Hand Stitched Wedding Heart, Scented with English Lavender & Complete with Gift Box, £20

Something Blue.....Chocolate Bouquet! Wow!!

Who needs love when you have chocolate!! Chocolate Bouquet £30.95

Gorgeous Congratulations To All You Loved Up Couples Who Are Getting Married This Year!

Alison will agree with me when I say I am obsessed with interior design.  She has even been known to describe my spare room as looking like something from a magazine.  Ah if only!!  My obsession extends to rummaging through charity shops for any jewels of design couture I can find and I happened on a fabulous book by two interior design divas, the curvacious Colin and the juicylicious Justin!!  Here are 6 of their Deadly Design Cocktails, full of intoxicatingly bad taste .  Shake, stir and prepare to gag!!

1.  Walls and timber cladding in any room – retchworthy!!

2.  Pets and Shag Pile = either mow your moggy, shave your carpet or pop your pooch into pop socks.  Surprise, surprise whoopsies and piddles are a smelly issue in long haired carpets!!

3.  Carpet in the bathroom – Mega Yuk!!  Men always sprinkle when they tinkle, its a fact of life!

4.  Tiles and wallpaper – one or the other darlings please!

5.  Horrid orange pine and humanity – why would you ever want to mix the two?

6.  Nylon satin style sheets with nylon quilted bed shams.  Sparks will fly if you team these two up.  Who wants that kind of shock under the duvet!!!

Of course Gorgeous HQ is a haven of chic with each accessory lovingly produced by the members of  Team Gorgeous.  Thus we will save you from the grasps of bad taste with our beautiful accessories and gifts for your home.

Nautical Style Cushions From The Wilde

Union Jack Doggy Door Stopper

Lavender Scented Heart With Bird Applique

Refer to our guide any time you feel alone, frightened or on the point of buying a Barbie toilet-roll holder or a shell covered lamp base.

When kissing good bye to any addiction your resolve will waiver. 

Be strong!!  Be free!! Be Happy!! Be Gorgeous!!

Gorgeous Wishes,  Mwah!! Amanda & Alison xx

*Some written content taken from Colin & Justin’s ‘How Not To Decorate’

Time for another gorgeous blog and yes I am still wittering on about product photography.  The reason for this is simple.   I want our partner companies to succeed with their sales and also want to give them the chance to be published in a national magazine or newspaper.  Of course their success is our success and vice versa.  Take a look at the following very interesting testimonials about our Gorgeous Photographer, Mark Whitmore……….

 TESTIMONIAL ONE

“To be honest, when I discovered the macro icon on my digital camera, I thought I’d cracked the ‘photography thing’.  So when Amanda suggested I would benefit greatly from professional photography, I can honestly say it hadn’t occurred to me before, and it certainly hadn’t occurred to me that I would be in with a chance of seeing one of my designs published in the glossies!

I decided to follow Amanda’s advice and I got in touch with Mark Whitmore.  I figured that over the last few years I must have spent countless hours (and money!) on developing my ideas and perfecting my techniques, and so I ought to be able to justify a little extra investment in my designs by way of enlisting Marks expertise.

But it wasn’t until I received my first batch of pictures for proofing that I realised what a difference it would make.  Mark is clearly very talented at what he does – his attention to detail did not go unnoticed and his endeavours at ensuring that I was ‘1000% satisfied’ with my pictures was greatly appreciated.

Mark made the whole process a very easy and enjoyable one – seeing my jewellery pictured in such a way has given me great confidence to ‘keep going’.  Have a look at a few of my before and after pictures – the results speak for themselves …” Lynne Osborne

Three Wishes Tiara (before)

Three Wishes Tiara (After)

Festival Bracelet (Before)

TESTIMONIAL TWO

I have been making and selling jewellery for some years now had have a successful website up and running.  I wanted to promote my business further so I approached Amanda at Gift Wrapped & Gorgeous.

She loved my items but thought they needed a professional to take some photos to bring my jewellery to life.

 I had numerous 3 way conversations with Amanda and my husband regarding the cost and the whole process and then spent a few weeks trying to sort out photography.  This entailed hours of stress and tears as I struggled to do the photography myself; so much so that I actually decided to call it a day with Gift Wrapped & Gorgeous.  However Amanda convinced me to take the plunge for the last time and I agreed to ask Mark Whitmore to take the photos.   A few days went past and the first jpegs appeared via email.

 I could not believe the fantastic results that Mark had achieved.  Mark is a very talented guy who  excels in his profession and has given me new hope that when –  and I mean when my jewellery appears in a glossy mag –  it will down to my creativity and Mark’s photography.  Attention to detail is his middle name as you can see by the attached photos.  Once when  I remarked on the  special effects, he replied simply “No special effect,  just good old fashioned  water and a dropper !!!. Mark is a star and I personally recommend him and his skills to anyone struggling with product photography.”    Letitia Gibbons      

Serenity Pendant (Before)

Serenity Pendant (After)

Muddy Puddles Bracelet (Before)

Muddy Puddles Bracelet (After)

What we would say to anyone who wants the best chance of press coverage and sales alike is to make sure that your product photography is of the highest quality possible.  Not only does it show true professionalism and attention to details, it is an investment for the future success of your business.  

Till the next time………..Amanda & Alison xx

Directors Gift Wrapped & Gorgeous Ltd