The one where I reveal my secret Pinterest boards

I’ve spent the last 18 months hiding three Pinterest boards, on wedding dresses, wedding decorations and wedding flowers. See them at Pinterest.com/perrilewis. If you’re looking for something a little different (but not too left field), they might give you a few ideas.

Stay tuned for snaps of the wedding.

The one thing I learnt: Use Pinterest wisely. Sure, it’s amazing for inspiration, but the minute you start to feel like your wedding will never be as picture-perfect as the shots you’ve pinned, remember that it’s not real life (the bestest shots are usually super-styled). It took one of my bridesmaids talking straight to me to realise I was becoming a Pinterest mental.

Feeling free

I finally wrote a style guide for Mastered.com, which I shared with producers, directors and editors this week. It’s amazing how doing something you’ve been putting off for so long is so revitalising.

What I learned: I should put aside a few minutes a day to do things I want to do for long term, rather than letting the daily tasks get in the way.

Mastered x Pinterest

We hung out at Hand and Lock tonight, the 250-year-old embroidery house who work with everyone from Louis Vuitton to the royal family. It was a collaboration with Pinterest UK and Mastered and the studio was full of bloggers, journalists and super pinners (aka the Pinterati, apparently) learning how to do goldwork embroidery.

I tried: goldwork embroidery for the first time. I rather like it.
I met: Hand and Lock’s head of design, Scott Heron, who was wearing a fabulous oversized white shirt and beautiful eyeliner.
I learnt: There’s a reason why couture dresses like this are so expensive – it takes a bloody long time to do.

Behind-the-scenes at Mastered X Piers Atkinson

I’ve been away.

Four months of filming, fashion and frolics.

Here’s some behind-the-scenes snaps from our recent shoot with one of the most exciting milliners working today, Piers Atkinson.

My big new project: introducing Mastered

For the last couple of months I’ve been working on a secret project which I can now unveil. Mastered is a place where creatives can get access to the world’s best teachers, take online courses and secure exclusive career opportunities to help grow their business. It’s pretty exciting stuff – there’s nothing out there like this. I really hope that you like it.

 

 

There’s a couple of things I’m particularly proud of:

• We’ve put Hatton Garden-quality teaching online for the first time, ever. Holts Academy have a strong heritage in London and people across the world can now learn how to cast, at home, without the need for expensive equipment. It means jewellers wanting to up their game can, in their own time, on any device.

• We’ve brought Diana Springall, the first lady of embroidery, online. As a tutor, lecturer and artist she is in-demand across the world and she’s a very, very special lady. And on this creative embroidery course, you can have direct access to her anytime of the day or night and learn her unique way of designing and stitching.

• We’ve partnered with Hand and Lock, one of the most incredible heritage brands in this country: the 250-year-old embroidery company work with everyone from Louis Vuitton and Kate Moss to the Queen. On this tambour beading course we teach milliners, fashion designs, embroiderers, jewellers and all manner of designer-makers to bead in the same way as Parisian couture houses do.

I’d love to hear what you think of it – if you have any thoughts, feedback and advice please do let me know on perri [at] mastered [dot] co. And, because you’ve all been so good to me over the last few years, I’m delighted to be able to give my blog readers a whopping 25% off all courses until the end of January. Just use the code THANX.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I <3 Etsy's new ad.

John Lewis IS Christmas

As regular readers of MADWP will know, I don’t do a lot of blogger challenges/groups/things like that. I just don’t have the time.

That all changes when it’s John Lewis, though. Obvs.

I grew up with John Lewis. The Milton Keynes branch, specifically. It wasn’t just because they had the only slice of free parking out the front. It’s because, my mum and dad explained, they had everything you could ever need. And it’d always be good quality.

I have such fond memories of the store. Of trying to sit on the massive stack of rugs, but them always being too high. Of gazing at the chandeliers and knowing that, one day, I’d have one of my own (I don’t). Of getting my lime green Raleigh bike (I still have it). Of buying school uniforms and those little labels you send off and they come back with your name on.

I still love it now. I got my first sewing machine from them. Me and J got our first crockery together. I still buy linen year in the January sales (the best time to buy it) and I still buy all things electronic there (the staff actually know what they’re talking about – I was dissuaded from buying a more pricey Mac Book Pro because the staff didn’t think I needed it. And I don’t). Being in there makes me feel all grown-up, and a little more like my mum – if you knew her, you’d know that was A Very Good Thing.

That’s why I’m taking part in the John Lewis Secret Santa. Next week I’ll be picking a gift from John Lewis to give to another blogger, and they’ll do the same. Fun, right?

(Ps. Here’s the new ad)

Buy this book too.

Two lovely, lovely men wrote it. With the help of 150+ top comedians.

Secret Edinburgh, by Tim Clark and Andrew Mickel.

Buy this book now.

Betsy Greer is just mega (and a wonderful person to go for a pint with).

Plus, craftivism is big news, and as the lady who coined that term, she knows a thing or two about it.

Mega doors of Valencia

Everywhere we went, there were the most beautiful doorways. So I snapped my favourite.