Striped top. Jeans. Red lipstick. Blonde hair.

The uniform requirements given to my entourage for the wedding at Claridges.

So that they all looked like me.

Except that they were taller.

They are also my sisters.

For one day only I was the boss of them.

It was brilliant.

More tomorrow.

Whenever, wherever

We're meant to be together
I'll be there and you'll be near
and that's the deal my dear.

Shakira shakira provided the soundtrack to this wedding.

Anyone who reads between the lines will know my love life is a tale of highs and lows. I seem completely unable to spot a scoundrel, and likewise fail quite often to see a Prince standing right in front of me.

But like a modern day Emma, I am brilliant at observing other peoples relationships.

I got the sense that this groom would go to the end of the world and back for his bride. Over hot coals.
A lot like The Captain, or Jake Humphrey.

You can't say that about every groom, but sometimes they are marrying a bridezilla.

This wedding was brought to you by the help of Angela, Mr F. and his heroics, and tortilla wraps.

also i love that you are all chatting amongst yourselves in the comments.

see you on the other side of Claridges.

Bon weekend
xxx

Also although Castle Ashby is a really big house, it is quite easy to lose.....

Guest blogger: Becca goes to the #LMD Soiree

Whilst i was still conditioning roses and frantically wondering where all your dutch crates disappear to, Becca was partying on our behalf....

Last Wednesday I went to the LMD Soiree hosted by the lovely Annabel from the Love my Dress blog held at the Newcastle Baltic.

Don't arrive first. Don't wear a work suit. If you do? To the bar.

Don't try and sneak around twice to get another goody bag for Miss P.

The flowers were stunning. I spent the night trying to find the Appointment Only Design boys. They were hiding. Probably because I almost knocked over the urn trying to steal a flower to wear in my hair. Sorry.

I squealed at Aisling from anyotherwedding  and gossiped with Rebecca Norris. I was fluffed by Severin Hubert and met Annabel, hostess extraordinaire.

I met 200 other people and realised that people are shorter in real life than on the Internet.

There was a burlesque dancer dressed like a butterfly. There was a jazz band. There was cake pops.

OK so you all want to know about the goody bags? Handmade Bookmarks, shortbread shaped like wedding dresses, badges, champagne pops, flags and more cake. I bought something for everyone and am posting to Miss P for distribution.

Thank you Becca, who gets top marks as a guest blogger for providing all the URL's as well.

Another post later from myself of........weddings.

Oh these times are hard

Yeah they're making us crazy
don't give up on us baby.

I just caught the last lines of this song. Seemed apt.

Today is business as usual, a time to look at the good. Whilst politicians lay blame at each others doors, and call us a broken society, we know we are better than this.

So back to the hidden meanings, the sarcasm and the showing you weird and wonderful things i find on my travels.

1. The Mother Hen has switched from being a Margot to a Barbara.
2. You get potatoes to take home too. In a brown paper bag.
3. Floral pictures
4. Good books, rocks and minerals are my current obsession.
5. Old pots and fern.
5. Our postcards have arrived.

In other news I am back to eating mainly carbs, as it has suddenly dawned me that I am never actually going to Marbs.

and this weekend we are doing a wedding at Claridges. I have been out and got myself an entourage.

I'll stand in front of you

I'll take the force of the blow
Protection
Massive Attack.

Last night, whilst curled up on the sofa in my rural idyll, I watched the news unfold. The city I called home for 13 years in turmoil.

My heart goes out to those affected, and my respect and admiration to the firefighters, police and ambulance crews.

images via BBC

Spring for a day

Earlier in the week, there was a funeral and for one day only it was once again Spring.

Lily of the valley and tulips bound with Stephanotis, sat next to summery sweetpeas.

Today it might as well be November, the rain hasn't stopped. Today's bride seemingly unperturbed. It is another secret wedding. Loving these.

With 1 down, we are carb loading on Nasi Goreng before starting on the next 4. August is crazy.

In other news, The Hound not content with sitting for some of the finest photographers, has turned to artists. We love it.

He is in discussion to have mugs/bags/cards/anything made.

and Becca made it to the #LMDsoiree and back. We await news.

Also lots of people have brought me their business cards with the presumption that i will give them to my brides. Somebody asked me whilst eating a sausage roll from Greggs out of the paper bag.

I'm not a  fan of  people who hammer home their brand every 5 minutes, but nor am i a fan of people talking with a mouthful of crumbs.

and news just in, Emily and Stef's wedding is on Rock'n'Roll bride today.

Start with beautiful things

The first rule of floristry a la Miss P.

You can't make a silk purse and all that.

Flowers for weddings.
Francesca and Matt are you loving this colour hydrangea? Me too.

There is a lot to catch up on, but i am tres busy doing the aforementioned weddings and the perpetual motion of puffing on an inhaler to facilitate breathing. Yes Mama i will go to the doctors, when i have time, after the weddings....xxx

We haven't discussed the fact that McLaren have WON the last 2 Grand Prix's, or Zara's wedding.

I liked it, it was no fuss, it wasn't styled to within an inch of it's life, and they looked very happy. These are all good things in my book.

Are you going to the #LMDsoiree ? I can't i have too many weddings to do, but Becca is going and is going to report back on all the gossip. Such fun.

and i meant to mention this in the last post, but didn't, so here it is now.

When Clara my BFF and I were sitting around the kitchen table, we had much fun critiquing magazines and blogs and photographers and other things.

there was a lot of OMG do you know this one?

I didn't know this one, but now i do, go and look at the wonder that is Lottie Davies. Don't blog the images, don't pin, them just appreciate them right there, and be inspired to do great things.

A toast to friendship

I wasn't great at making friends at school. A combination of joining a girls' school in the second term of the L4th, and my shyness being misconstrued as haughtiness.

I remember walking into a classroom on the first day to find the word YORKSHIRE written on the blackboard. It was where i had come from, they expected me to sound like a character from Last of the Summer Wine. I didn't.

We've all moved on since then.

In adult life i am better at it, and cherish friendships made. When The Sunday Telegraph sent photographer Clara Molden to my door, she became a friend. A friend you can tweet, text and have late night phone calls about boys, and a friend who comes to stay Chez Miss P.

Who brings gifts of chocolate, and a beautiful print of one of her images from the Royal Wedding (you can see all the guests, and no Becca you can't have it)

In return i filled the house with sweet peas, fed her cheese, a lot of cheese, and variety pack cereal and chocolate, and wine and gin. We talked of photography, and flowers, and boys, and The Hound, and boys.

and we toasted friendship. Good times.

Special thanks to Mr F, who when Ocado cancelled their delivery to me, took my shopping list and headed to Waitrose.

Did you eat variety pack too? Have Ocado ever cancelled your delivery? Do you hate jaunty-angled photos?

The sum of its parts

Gardeny. Doing what we do.

I have a very very good weekend planned.

I am very excited.

I hope yours is as wonderful.

Let's chat on Tuesday.

xxxx

Happy Birthday

Not actually his birthday, more 5 years since he came to live Chez Miss P.

I'm not sure how old he is, possibly 7.

but like the kids from fame, he is going to live forever.

Swallows and Amazons

or sweetpeas and herons.

Whichever.

I have no words, i am too busy driving a man crazy.

Not intentionally.

xxx

f1.8

There has been no escaping my rather bad mood, another hair dryer has bitten the dust, I am all about curly hair this week. I hate my curly hair.

and I have received another invitation that i am going to have to turn down because of work. I will be very surprised if i have any friends left by October.

From now if you want to me my friend, you can only have a birthday, wedding, christening etc. in the first 2 weeks of October, the middle 2 weeks of November or the last week in February. That way i won't feel like i am constantly letting you down. Deal?

So i have slipped the 50mm lens on, and made everything all dreamy and fuzzy.

and had my spirits greatly lifted by 3 brides.

and suddenly realised it is The Hound's birthday on Friday.........

What does one buy a celebrity dog?

Cowboys and hand dryers

The new window is very slowly taking shape, cowboys and succulents.

Evidently it is confusing for some

"You don't look like a florist, i am very confused by your window"

She felt the need to come and shout this at me, and then bought a plant.

Confusing maybe, but seemingly effective as a marketing tool, she came she bought. Had the window of been full of silk peonies, she may have bought 2 plants.

We will never know.

Also during a rummage i found a Polaroid Land camera for swingers. Best place to buy Polaroid film from if you please. Of course it means now i can go on this Polaroid course if i had the money, and didn't work over Valentine's....

and in other news, this morning a large anonymous parcel. Not the new postcards (you knew the business cards were just a precursor to me selling my images as postcards didn't you??) nor a gift from a lover.

No, because my life isn't quirky enough, a hand dryer, wall mountable, for a loo.

You couldn't make it up.