Ailyex vs. Dogboyo

Mme. Suzanne may like matador-related schadenfreunde in Le Fabuleux Destin d’Amélie Poulain but seeing tennis players hurt and still completing their Wimbledon matches always gets me. Poor Julien Benneteau managed to rack up an impressive list of injuries on Centre Court against Djokovic but it was very gentlemanly of Novak to go over and offer him a towel.

I did wonder about posting a how-to of these button holes, seeing as I was inspired by Fritts Rosenow. However, I make no claims about replicating the aforementioned boutonnierres, or figuring out any trade secrets. I just like to make things. So . . . .

To make Rock ‘n Roll Button Holes you will need:

• Green florist’s tape
• 1 strand of hobby wire per button hole
• 4 plectrums per button hole
• 2 fabric leaves per button hole
• Ribbon - approx. 2″ per button hole (not pictured)
• Glue gun & mat (not pictured)
• Wire-cutters (too big for this photo)

I used two blue plectrums at the back of every button hole and two black Gibsons in front, but you could use any combination or number you fancy. I also picked out some cool picture plecs for my fiance and the best men to make them feel special like.

1. Glue a piece of wire to the back of a blue plectrum.
2. Glue another blue and two black plecs to the first. Then fan them out in a sort of guitar-flower shape.
3. Place your leaves at a slight angle and wind the stems around the original wire.
4. Wrap the whole stem with florist’s tape, and trim with wire-cutters.
5. Take a piece of ribbon and tie it in a double knot, just under the plectrums. Trim into points if you like. Et voila.

Like I said, I make no claims of originality, just the need to fiddle with craft wire and bimble around guitar shops.

So far my approach to trad wedding bumpf like favours and button holes has been “people are there for vows and cake” and to just opt out. But when I saw Fritts Rosenow’s plectrum boutonnierres on Brooklyn Bride, I was sold. Personally I would have loved to indulge in some peacock feather bouts from Whichgoose, but I didn’t think the boys would really be at home in something so pretty. So we wandered Wembley Guitar Centre and over the weekend I whipped up this dude:

Tutorial coming soon if you’re interested . . .

I am currently enjoying the warm feeling of coming home to a small pile of RSVPs  . . . It rules. I designed our wedding invitations and they were very kindly printed by my Uncle Keith. To be honest I never considered buying our invites, although I did spend way to much time looking at wedding invitations on Etsy and Hello Lucky. One of my hopes for our wedding was for it to be homemade and individual, which made DIY invites the only real option. That and the moola. There were many prototypes but our nearest and dearest eventually received this little lot:

I’m thrilled with the way they came out - simple, unique and not easily explained.

Asperatus Clouds in New Zealand. Photocredit: Merrick Davis

I’d sure like to, however these cool asperatus clouds also have a faintly Lovecraftian look about them. So maybe not.