Feathers: It's Not Just a Bunch of Fluff

Do you remember making crafts as a child with feathers? Maybe you traced the outline of your hand on some construction paper and cut it out, embellishing your new “hand-turkey” with big colored feathers and a pair of googly-eyes. Well, feathers (or our knowledge of them) have come along way since then! Feathers are available in so many sizes and styles, and in almost any color scheme, it would be hard not to find something that would work well as fashion, or decoration.

Do you want a little throwback to the older days? A fine feathered fascinator might do just the trick for you! Popular at cocktail parties of the past, and making a comeback to the fashion forward, these small hats adorned with feathers and birdcage netting are sure to draw attention to the wearer, whether she’s the star of the show or a member of the supporting cast.

And let’s not let the feminine side hog all the limelight, boutonnieres can have feathers too! You can still display a masculine quality in a feathered accessory if done right, but still compliment your other half’s feathered finery. If you just don’t know how to make frilly feathers work for the bridegroom, The Test Of Time Weddings can create custom-designed pieces for the soon-to-be-wed and your attendants!

There are a few more reasons why feathers are your friends, when it comes to the DIY crowd, you can make your feathered accessories way in advance! If you’re not sure if you want to include real flowers at all because they’ll just end up dying anyway, you can create bouquets/boutonnieres early and use that precious time within days of the wedding to attend to last minute items. They are a long lasting momento, or can also be a reusable accessory for your wedding party when they spend a night on the town!

Centerpieces, fashion statements, or the old stand-by guest book pen, adding feathers to the flock of fancies at your wedding will give your guests something to be tickled about!

This just in:

For the tatted up guys and dolls out there who are planning to tie the knot soon, or still trying to meet the right one to share your dream wedding with, check out this amazingly awesome and stunningly detailed cake topper that is custom made to include the two of you, down to the details of all your (visible) tattoos!

Source: To Hell In A Handbag Etsy Shop

Start Your Big Day with a Caffeine Fix!

Free Starbucks on your Wedding Day!

The best part... Starbucks is a supporter of marriage equality!

Photo by dianaelizabeth

Christmas In July

Many people think of the bbq’s, independence day, and the going to the beach when they talk about plans in the last month of summer, and those are great, but there’s always time to plan ahead and be inspired by Christmas in July

Now you don't have to get carried away and rent a snowman suit for your officiant to wear, because it’s easy to be cheesy with a Christmas themed wedding! If you're looking for a more timeless look, don't overdo it, or at least not in the wrong places! We have some tips on how to keep your wedding from looking like everyone should all be wearing matching holiday sweaters to the event.

To establish your theme inspired by the most wonderful time of the year, start out with your invitations! You can present both classic and Christmas by mixing a traditional damask, with a red ribbon and holly berries, as found in these custom invitations designed by us!

Carry that idea of the red ribbon and berries into your reception with decorative chair tie-backs, and for those who want to inspire future weddings, try adding a sprig of mistletoe to a few chairs, and wait to see what happens!

You can also use the colors of the season to accentuate items like the cake, bouquets and centerpieces, and adding a little sparkle will give them a special touch that reminds us of glistening snow.

We all know it’s the little things that make a big difference,

and in a chilly winter wedding, a hot cocoa bar is sure to be a big hit for young and old alike! Who doesn't smile when topping something off with whipped cream and tiny marshmallows? For those who want something a little stronger than a cinnamon stick in their drink, designate a signature drink to celebrate the

season (and your wedding) with a festive cranberry & vanilla martini!

Last, but most certainly not least, here’s how to overdo it, in all the right ways! Bring the

beauty of winter from outdoors to in, with your own snowy white forest! Covered in lights to brighten the room as if you're in the middle of a winter wonderland, you can go big, or scale it down to fit the room and your budget by taking the DIY approach by getting some curly willow branches and paint them a very wintery white!

And what is Christmas without a kiss under the mistletoe?

Website Launches

The Test Of Time Weddings has had a complete website overhaul. New look from top to bottom. Also, finally got the website for The Test Of Time Rentals up and running. So excited and can't wait to see what new adventures this will bring! Check out both websites www.thetestoftimeweddings.com and www.thetestoftimerentals.com! And don't forget to like us on Facebook too!

Zombie Wedding

Your wedding should reflect you as a couple be it traditional or crazy, fun, and off the wall. Now I'm not saying every wedding be as extreme as this but this zombie wedding is awesome!

The important thing is that your wedding honors your love for each other and shows off who you both are (yes, I said both).

Let The Test Of Time Weddings help in creating the perfect, customized wedding for you. Until Death Do You Part!

New Inventory

I have been picking up some great new pieces for our sister company, The Test Of Time Rentals! A couple of big pieces that that will need some work but they should be fun projects I can't wait to get started on. Check out the before pictures! And for the rest of the inventory check out www.thetestoftimeweddings.com.

Custom Wax Seal

Create your own custom wax seal. Use your initials, monogram, or wedding logo. Give your invitations and thank you note some classic elegance!

SUPPLIES:
wooden dowel
wood burning tool with a fine tip
pencil
printout of design
xacto knife
sandpaper
tape
stain
old rag
vegetable oil
paper towels
sealing wax
matches

STEPS:
1. Prep the dowel by sanding the end you plan on using as the seal. Try to get out the little dings and scratches, otherwise they will show up in the wax impression.

2. Measure the exact diameter of the wooden dowel and design your seal. If you are designing a simple monogram, such as our RageHaus seal, you can easily design it in a variety of computer applications. Start by drawing a circle that is the exact diameter of the dowel with a thin stroke. Then arrange the letters within the circle. Keep in mind that you should keep the detail relatively simple unless you have a lot of experience wood burning small detail into wood.
3. Print the final design and cut out the letters with an xacto knife. Think of this step as making a stencil. Keep in mind that it doesn’t have to be perfect, but you do want to capture the structure of the design.


4. Flip your stencil so it reads backwards and trace the image onto the dowel. Remember that your design needs to be backwards on the seal so the impression it leaves reads correctly. Tape the stencil onto the dowel and trace your design. Once you have a good trace, take off the stencil and fill out the design where you see fit.
5. Carve out the design with the wood burning tool. I found that this tool works well for this task. They are readily available in most craft stores and come with a fine point tip that can capture small detail. I will warn you that this is the hardest part of the tutorial. I went through about three dowels before I was able to get a carving I was happy with. As you carve your design, keep the depth you carve relativity the same for the entire design so you can create an even, smooth impression in the wax.

For full directions and more pictures go to:

http://ragehaus.com/?p=1215