My daughter is engaged!

And no, we haven't arranged a marriage between Baby O and a wealthy emirate! Not yet, at least!

This is apparently the proper, medical, way of saying that Baby O is in position. I had a doctor appointment yesterday and she confirmed that the baby is cephalic and her head is very low. Good to know she is on the right track! Apparently, she dropped considerably since our last appointment. Everything seems to be going as it should. Of course, there is no way to know at this point when she may come out but at least it is very good to know that she is cooperating and didn't get lost in there. Eleven days to go till the due date, and hopefully we won't need to pass that day! 

Sorry for the people who voted for the 16th and 17th (me and Rob included! Both Rob and I were born on the 17th, Rob in May and I was born in July - we were hoping to create a sort of brand here!); next guess on the poll is the 19th, we will see what happens.

Anyway, as good as the news was, the word engagement still evokes the magic world of jewellery to me...and to go off the baby topic for a bit, yesterday night I had a look at the catalogues of two high brands that I love...just to dream a little.

First on the list is an Italian jewellery house from Capri, Chantecler. I simply love their style, it is so Summery. I was in Capri with my best friend Ila a long time ago and still have the greatest memory of us entering the amazing world of Chantecler in the shop near the famous Piazzetta and trying all their beautiful rings on. In another life I want to be rich, filthy rich! In fact, I wouldn't mind owning a house in Capri. :) Anyway, Chantecler is mostly famous for their Campanelle (bells, in Italian). I have a silver one but what I really would  like to have is one with the precious stones, I don't really mind which one (although, if you are taking notes and feel generous, perhaps the pink and red coral or turquoise ones are my favourite!).

I love the charms and think they look wonderful with a small pearl necklace, although the rings are pretty awesome too and I like the sound they make when you move your hands and us, Italians, love using our hands when we speak! Imagine the music there. 

Anyway, for now, I think I will have to stick with my silver, medium size, charm and be happy with it.

Another brand I have been obsessing over for years now (and I still don't own anything!) is Van Cleef and Arpels, a French maison this time. Their iconic collection is the so called Alhambra, launched in 1968. The emblem of the collection, a sort of four-petal flower, has become a symbol of luck, health, fortune, and love. I pretty much fancy everything but it's the long gold and onyx necklace that I would like to have in my jewellery box at some point before I die!

It's all happening...

About a month ago, something beautiful happened...and I am now ready to tell you all about it!

It was tuesday, September the 14th and I spent the whole day at a conference. After the conference I had a waxing appointment so I headed to the salon when Rob called me. He had just got back from Paris and was on his way to the barber. Since the barber is close to the beauty salon, he suggested we'd meet up and walk home together. Once done with the beautician, Rob was already there waiting for me and, even better, he had booked a table at one of our favourite restaurants down the Tower Bridge area. It's the restaurant we chose to have dinner in when Rob finally found a job in London, now more than four years ago. I was so happy that I didn't have to cook, the conference absorbed all my energy. While walking, it started pouring down and it rained so hard I almost wanted to cry! We put our hoods up and started running but when we were very close to the Tower Bridge Rob stopped; I turned over to look at him and he was holding a ring. There, in our favourite spot in London, under a torrential rain, he asked me to marry him. It was so bad and so perfect at the same time! And the marvellous thing was that the ring was fake! So I looked at him and laughed and cried at the same time. It seemed to be in the set of a movie, the rain for a moment didn't seem to bother us, it was just the two of us, embracing each other, with the lights of the majestic Tower Bridge behind us. Of course I said yes! Rob and I have been talking about wedding, marriage, honeymoon, kids, growing old together, retirement...since the very first night we met. It was an easy question! I said yes without a ring, and I said yes with a plastic ring! The day after, we met for lunch, he told me he was going to be around my office, so we thought it would be nice to have lunch together. Instead, we *had lunch* at De Beers in the so elegant Bond Street and I confirmed my yes. Rob picked Aura, a very beautiful ring. I think it's delicious!

Unfortunately, it was a tiny bit big. At the store they didn't have my size. No other store in London had my size. Ironically, the only store in Europe that had my size was in Paris, and Rob was just there! Long story short, we had to order it. I waited a week before I was finally able to wear it and I simply love it! Every time I look at it, I remember that magic night, and I smile...

Since that day, all I can think of is the wedding! So, please friends, forgive me!

The first thing to think of, and finalise, was the date. Two days after the proposal we went to my hometown in Italy and started discussing wedding issues with my parents. In two days we picked a date, reserved two churches and designed and printed our Save the Date cards. We don't use Save the Date cards in Italy but Rob is American and I was more than happy to respect this tradition. Considering that I have never designed Save the Date cards before and that I had to do everything in two days, the reason for this being that we were going to the States soon after and I wanted them to be printed in Italy and hand them to people in person, I think I did a good job. You be the judge!

For the Save the Date I decided that an elegant gray would be my favourite option. I am a bit obsessed with baroque frames these days, so the choice of it as the main *character* was quite obvious.

The most difficult bit, as always, was to find the right fonts. I played around with several fonts for a while until I settled on these two: one for the save the date title and the other for the main text.

To give some extra relevance to the card, I added a little rhinestone, another thing I am quite obsessed with these days. I think it adds some luxe and I also, personally, find it cute.

The design was then printed on soft, layered, white paper, which I love. The final difficult bit of the process was to find the perfect envelopes and the perfect way to write the names on them. Bear in mind I had only two days! So calligraphy, for example, wasn't an option! I tried wrap-around labels but they looked cheap compared to the design; I tried to type-write the names but I struggled to find a typewriter that would work! I tried to stamp a baroque frame on the envelopes but the final result was a bit heavy. I liked the idea of using a stamp, however, hence the decision to use little, individual, alphabet stamps. I love the result! As for the envelopes, I went from transparent white, gray and light pink, to pearlescent white and light pink to finally settle on classic white and pale gray (I couldn't decide between the two, so I used them both!). What do you think, like them?

I should add: I made Save the Date cards only for the American folks, so if you are not American and haven't received a card, please don't panic, that doesn't mean that you are not on the guest list!

Soon with more details....