Tea and Tiaras at The Grand America!

Good Monday to you all!  I hope your weekend was one of wonderful events and happiness!  Mom and I had the opportunity this past weekend to take a short road trip adventure to Utah where we were hosted by Jennifer Rosbrugh and her husband Jeff, then took afternoon tea at the Grand America with Jennifer and her friend Lisa Hiller.  I think I need to go to Utah more often to partake of this fabulous tea!  It was incredible!!!

Below are some of the images that were captured of the day.  I played around with Picasa again just for the fun of it.  I also did a photo shoot with Jennifer to capture good images of her dress for her.  They turned out incredibly!  She has a lovely one up on her Facebook page that turned out really beautiful!

The entry of the hotel.  A handy security guard was kind enough to take our picture!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this picture of my gorgeous Mama!  The hall, the lighting, the way she holds herself...she is every inch a Regal Queen!!!  And I adore her!  I think this needs to be enlarged and framed....

Mama and Mama to be....Lana and Jennifer.

The two lavender and cream dresses!  Lisa and myself!  I was trying to get a picture of the bows we both put on our sleeves!  Great minds think alike!

All the pale ice cream colors in a row!

Had to take a picture of this room...it was labeled "The Gibson Girl Room".  I kid you not.  There were Gibson Girl drawings all over!

The tea room.  It was so beautifully situated and a harpist played the whole time we were there!  Dreamy!

 

And the menu?  Merciful heavens!  It was so delicious...Smoked salmon French macarons, asparagus sandwiches, fabulous cucumber puffs....I can't remember them all!

Mmmmmmmm....so delicious!

The dessert tray was just as fabulous.  Well, except for the squares of something that was really not delicious (the above yellow with chocolate fondant balls in it).  But the rest?  Oh yaaaaaa....

Fun black and white of Mom and me...

This flower arrangement was beyond spectacular!  It was HUGE!  And the smell of the yellow lilies...You could smell it clear into the tea room!

 We also took the time to do some antique shopping to grow my Wedding artifacts collection.  I photographed the findings and will probably do a new post about the fabulous things that were found along the way!!

Have a wonderfully blessed day my friends!  The family is crying "starvation" so I must away to the kitchen!

Be Blessed!

g

My Very Own Teck Crescent Tiara!!!

As any of you who have been reading my blog for any length of time know...I LOVE LOVE LOVE tiaras!!!  They make me so happy!!  They are glittery, shiny, girly, flowery, wheat-y, star-y, wonderfully awesome!

I have three favorite tiaras.  If there ever is a Zombie apocalypse and 99% of the world's population was gone and I was one of only a handful left, I would have to make my way to Europe to make sure these three tiaras were protected.  That's how much I LOVE these tiaras!!! (Yes I know that most people would be thinking of food, water and shelter, but you know, these tiaras need to be safe with me!)  These three are:

1) Wheat Tiara

2) Queen Maxima and Queen Emma's Star Tiara

and 

3) The Teck Crescent Tiara

I don't know what it is about the Teck Crescent Tiara.  I remember first seeing it when I first starting really researching the Royal Family online about 11 years ago.  I was checking out Queen Alexandra and her daughter-in-law Princess May.  That led me to see images of Princess May's mother Princess Mary Adelaide, Duchess of Teck.  The very first image I saw of her was of her wearing one of the most spectacular tiaras I had ever seen!  I instantly fell in LOVE!!  Not sure what it is about it, but it just makes this girl's magpie heart do flip flops!

I was perusing Ali Express one evening right before my birthday last month when my eyes saw what I was hoping they were seeing!!  The Teck Tiara!!!!  Ohmyholygoodhonks!!  I couldn't believe it!!  It wasn't an exact replica, having emerald colored stones and being cast in a coppery/antique gold finish, but I sooooo did not even care.  There was a copy of my beloved Teck Crescent Tiara!  I knew I would be getting some money from various people for my birthday and so decided that this tiara would be what that money would be going to!!  Huzzah!!!

Link to the Ali Express site for:

Teck Crescent Tiara Replica

I can most certainly tell you that I am very happy with this tiara.  I did just today pop out the emerald colored stones and replaced them with clear stones and I am even more thrilled with how it looks!!!

Stone swap out completed!!

Not that the emerald colored stones weren't pretty, I just prefer the clear ones!

It actually isn't bad having it the copper/antique gold metal!

I cannot say enough good things about Alice's Adventures in Wonderland store.  Mom ordered a tiara and I ordered another one and they stuck a smaller tiara, two jeweled hair pins and replacement stones in the box!!  How cool is that!?

Oh, and here is a Pinterest board on Tiaras: Real Ones and Their Reproductions!!  You can find some pretty fabulous repros from eBay and Ali Express!  What fun!

I hope you have all had a most wonderful Sunday!!

Be Blessed!!

g

The House of White Star Tiara

For some time now, I have been in lust with Star Tiaras, I don't know what it is about these beautiful tiaras, but my eyes dilate, my salivary glands go into overdrive, and I get warm fuzzies all over when I see them.  Before you ask, of course I have a Pinterest board... Tiaras: Stars.  I go there regularly to drool and dream and wish. 

   

I purchased this Star Tiara from Seperwar when they finally came out with one...but it was too small for my taste and while I do love it, I have been hankering for something more substantial.  I adore the Rundell Tiara that belonged to Queen Alexandra, Queen Maxima's Button/Star Tiara, and Queen Sophia's Star and Pearl Tiara.  I had been on the look out for quite some time for stars that I could use to make my own tiara.  I am not a jeweler and have no clue as to how to go about creating a tiara, so the tiara I had in mind had to be a simple one to create from other pieces...sort of a Frankentiara.  I finally found the perfect pieces on eBay, and they came in the mail on Saturday.  I spent last night and all this morning bring my Frankentiara to life...

Sheeeee liiiiiiiives!!!!!

I am pleased to introduce to you

The House of White Star Tiara

Inspiration

Inspiration for this simple tiara came from the following three tiaras.  Since I had to make it a simple design, I was more than thrilled to have these three babies on my Pinterest board for easy reference!

Source:  Christies

I really liked the curved "supports" that swoop between the stars on this circa 1880s tiara.  I used this inspiration to support the stars on my tiara.

Source:  Sotheby's

I like how there are just stars and nothing else on this circa 1890s tiara.  It is simple, but makes quite a statement!  

Source:  Marie's Jewels and Royals

This is such a lovely tiara.  I have tried to find more information on it, but to no avail....

Source:  Recycled Movie Costumes Tumblr

I noticed this fabulous star tiara worn by Estella, while watching the 2011 version of Great Expectations.  I thought, "Ohmygosh!  That would be so easy to make!  I just need stars in different sizes and time!!!"

I then found the stars on eBay and purchased them.  

Source:  Recycled Movie Costumes Tumblr

Theeeeeen, I was perusing Facebook and noticed that my fabulous friend Kat had posted a picture of the same tiara that had been worn on Great Expectations, being used on Galavant.  I have never seen this series, but after seeing that they used this tiara, perhaps I should!!

Ok!  On to the Star Frankentiara Tutorial!!!

Tools:

dykes

needle nose pliers

dremel tool, file, or rasp

your hands

Supplies:

super glue

stars

headpins

tiara base (I cannibalized a very old tiara for mine)

velvet ribbon or fabric cut on the bias and made into bias strips that match your hair

Star Brooch from eBay

I ordered 5 of this brooch thinking I needed 4 small tiaras and one extra, just in case.  It is a really nice brooch.  A bit darker alloy metal than the jewelry and tiaras I have ordered, but they still look pretty sweet!

I knew I would need some pretty stiff wire for the attachment of the stars.  I have used floral wire before and it is too flimsy.  So, I was happy to happen upon these wire headpins in the bead section of Michaels.

I know the headpin box says 3", but I thought I'd show the pin against the ruler.

Let's Begin!

Step 1:  Remove anything from the back from the star, such as the pin and in the case of my stars, the loop that was used to attach the chain to both stars.  Use your dykes to remove these pieces.  If you wish, you can use a dremel tool, file or rasp to smooth down the pieces of metal left behind after you remove the unwanted appendages.

I thought I'd show for reference the size of the stars.

Attaching the Stars to the Tiara Base

Step 2:  Using your super glue, affix the headpin wires to the stars.  I chose to have one of the long points be at the top, so my wire followed that design decision.  The glue and the alloy of the star had to really be coaxed into playing well with each other on some of the stars.  I found that the low setting on my hair dryer hastened the drying of the glue.  

Don't even bother working with the stars until the glue is truly and fully set.

Step 3:  Decide how tall you want your tiara.  This will determine the placement of the stars and the bending of the wire to attach the stars to the tiara base.  I just eyeballed mine.  

Step 4:  When you have decided the height of your tiara, bend the wire of the largest, middle star's wire to a 90 degree angle using the needle nosed pliers.

Step 5:  Attach your first star to the tiara base.  I just eyeballed where the center of the tiara base would be (I am sure you could measure to the exact center, but if you have been reading this blog for any time at all, you know that I don't measure...I eyeball)  Holding the wire very tightly to the tiara base, wrap the wire around the base.  Get the wire wrap as tight as you can.  Crimp with the needle nose pliers to tighten.  Then give the crimp a heavy dose of super glue.  Allow to dry.

Oh yes!!!  I bent my stars out from the tiara so they weren't sticking straight up and down...I noticed on many of the antique tiaras that they were attached at an angle....

Step 6:  Support curves.  I discovered that when I tried the tiara on after just the single wire attachment, the stars trembles and swayed...I did not like that one bit.  Searching Pinterest, I discovered the antique tiara above that has the curving support wires.  I simply bent the headpin wires in a lazy "J" formation and played around with the back of the stars until I got what I thought looked good.  I then used that one wire as a template for the rest of the wires...10 in all.

Step 7:  Attach the support wires to the right and left sides of the main wire, securing with super glue at both the tiara base and the star itself.  This will give the stars support and keep them from trembling.

Another picutre of the support wire next to the base wire.

All three wires holding the star correctly.

Use steps 1-7 to attach all 5 stars to the tiara base.  I eyeballed one side of the tiara then marked where the base wire met the tiara base on a piece of paper using a sharpie to use as a template for the other side.  If you are so inclined to use a measuring tape to place your star bases, go right on ahead!  hahahahaha!!! ;-)

I decided my stars needed to be sloped...not straight across.  Again, I eyeballed the decline in height to what looked good to me!

Attaching Bobby Pin Loops to the Tiara Base

To make the bobby pin loops, I needed a circular something to bend the headpin wire around.  I have a lovely antique, bone awl that belonged to my Great-Grandma Hazel.

For those of you who like measurements...here you go.

Step 1:  Take headpin wire and wrap it tightly around the awl making sure that it is a tight wrap.

Step 2:  Slide headpin wire off awl and cut ends so that the full length is about 1" with loop in the middle of the wire.

Step 3:  Glue loop wire in between the 2nd and 3rd star support wires on both sides of the tiara base.  Sorry for this picture...I didn't even think about photographing this step until after the tiara was completed.

I also added bobby pin loops to the very end of the tiara as this particular base didn't have any loops built into it....

Finishing the Tiara

During my research and general drool sessions on tiaras I discovered something fascinating.  One of the things that is used on many tiaras is ribbon or velvet, or velvet ribbon.  The Royal Order of Sartorial Splendor has a fabulous article about Tiaras and Hair where I learned about the ribbon wrap that many tiaras sport now a days.  You guessed it!!  I also have started a Pinterest board for further research...Tiaras: Velvet Cushion Base.

For my tiara, I didn't have any velvet ribbon that would match my hair, and I am pretty sure that without an act of God, I will more than likely never find any.  I raided my silk stash and discovered some dupioni silk in a reddish-brown that comes close enough to my hair color that I am very pleased with the occurance!

Step 1:  Cut fabric on the bias, 1.5" by about 3'.  I cut mine a bit shorter and was subsequently short when wrapping my tiara base.  Better to have too much than too little.

Step 2:  Using a hot iron (Mine was on high as I was using the dupioni silk), fold bias strip in half length wise, ironing as you go.  The strip is placed under a ruler for those of you who need it.

Step 3:  Unfold bias strip and lightly iron it open.  You don't want the crease to be removed, you simply want the strip to lay open easily for step 4.

Step 4:  Take one side and fold the edge to the center fold....ironing as you go down the length of the strip.

Step 5:  Do the other side.

Step 6:  A final spraying and ironing is needed to make the bias strips nice and crisp on their folds.  Looks like the final measurement is 3/8th of an inch...right?

Step 7:  Starting on the inside of one end of the tiara base, place the very end of the bias strip on the tiara base, wrap the bias strip around it once and start a diagonal wrapping of the tiara base.

Keep the diagonal wrapping of the bias strip around the tiara base up until you come to the opposite end.

You can see here where I stuck the bias strip under the support wires and around the bobby pin loops.  You can also see the ugly back sides of the stars.  I am thinking about how to make them pretty.  Or, I may just make my hair big and fluffy so no one can see the backs of the stars.

Use a line of super glue to hold the bias strip in place at the very end of the tiara base and your tiara is complete!!

Taaaaaa Daaaaaaa!!!!

Word of warning.  If you are allergic to super glue, you might have to think of a way that your fingers won't end up looking like mine!!!  Yes, that is a ton of super glue on my fingers!

The House of White Star Tiara...this is a clearer picture of the stars, but I still can't make my camera cooperate on the angle of the picture....

Aaaand from the side!

I didn't do my hair in a Royal fashion today, so I won't have any pictures of me wearing the tiara until I get all dressed up fancy like in the future...but it does fit and it looks great!!

I hope this inspires you to make your own star tiara and if you do, I would love to see your creation!

Blessings to you my friends!!

g