However, like many, I have some creepy Martha Stewart desire to decorate our house in everything tinsel, and I squeal with glee anytime I see something covered in Santa Clauses.  Hey, I’m not proud of it, but there you go.

So during my daily Anthropologie browse a couple weeks ago (ah, but to dream), I stumbled upon a beautiful tree ornament. I won’t show it here (again, scared of copywright ramifications…thanks, lawyers, for screwing with my craftiness), but you can probably find it on their site.  Anyway, this little item happened to cost a pretty $398.  Um, yeah.  Here’s my interpretation of the same tree topper, with exciting step-by-step instructions!

This project cost me about $20…only 5% of the store-bought cost!

Here’s what you’ll need:

-small grapevine wreath (I think this one is 6 or 7 inches in diameter)
-bundles of sticks and other decorative items of your choice
-glue gun and glue sticks

Step one: cut your bunches of sticks into separate twigs of varying length, but no longer than 5 inches.

Step two: use the glue gun to attach the twigs all the way around the grapevine wreath.

Step three: continue with other twigs and curios.  I liked this swag with pinecones and thistles in gold tones, it added some whimsy.

Step 4: Continue glueing on twigs and branches until grapevine wreath is densely decorated.

I found these great little decorating pieces to add.

I also added some gold holly leaves around the bottom to make it look a bit thicker.  You can go pretty crazy with this craft and use either gold or silver branches.

I mean…it’s not an exact replica, but come on! An hour and 5% of the cost of the original? Not bad friends!  You could  fill it with evergreen branches as a centerpiece or use as a tree topper.  Or wear as a crown on Christmas Eve after too much eggnog?

Much love,

-B

© Elizabeth Anne Designs Living, 2009 | Permalink | Comments | Add to del.icio.us | StumbleUpon It!
Posted in: briana, christmas, crafts

Join us here too! EAD Weddings, Message Boards, Bulletin Board, The EAD Library

In high school, I took a home economics type class. I made a lop-sided duffle bag and a deformed chocolate chip cookie pillow. I had a such a terrible time making both projects that I didn’t sew again. I’ve always been envious of my friends who can sew.

All the craft shows that I’ve been to in the past year have inspired me. I decided that I wanted to learn/relearn is how to sew with a sewing machine. I want to do basic things like make decorative pillows, maybe some pajamas.

I used trusty Yelp.com to find sewing classes. My search led me to Sew L.A. It’s this hip sewing studio in Silver Lake. It’s definitely not like your grandma’s sewing shop. They teach classes and have a small shop. They carry some great specialty and import fabrics.

Learning to sew was much easier this time around.

After the 1st class, I made this.

The second class was about different stitches and what they are used for. Here are some of my sample stitches.

I’m addicted. I plan to take more classes soon, but the break in my design schedule is almost up. My mind is racing with all the different things I can make. For now, I’m really hoping Santa will bring one of these.

For those that are more experienced with sewing, any tips?

© Elizabeth Anne Designs Living, 2009 | Permalink | 3 comments | Add to del.icio.us | StumbleUpon It!
Posted in: anne k, authors, crafts, sewing

Join us here too! EAD Weddings, Message Boards, Bulletin Board, The EAD Library

I’ve been busy creating a whole slew of DIY crafts (oh, 6 or 7!) for decorating your house on the cheap for the upcoming holiday.  I like to call it…Craftmas.  Though I suppose you could always call it Craftukkah or Craftzaa.  Anyway, I’m getting ahead of myself.

Get ready for installation #1 of Craftmas in the next day or so.  Little hint: it’s a replica of a pricey little item sold at a store that rhymes with “shmanthropologie.”

Much love,

-B

© Elizabeth Anne Designs Living, 2009 | Permalink | 2 comments | Add to del.icio.us | StumbleUpon It!
Posted in: briana

Join us here too! EAD Weddings, Message Boards, Bulletin Board, The EAD Library

My loving fellow-crafty lady mother come up to The Great North to visit her only daughter a few weeks ago. Our sole mission was to pump out as many projects as humanly possible in 2 full days. So we first went fabric shopping and found a literal JACKPOT at a local quilting store. Narrowing it down to just three prints was painstaking but I’m really happy with what we chose:

My mom got to work on the sewing machine (since I still haven’t sucked it up and learned how to sew) and made two sets of orange curtains with green tie backs, a green window seat cushion, and two yellow cushions for the rocking chair. The window seat is definitely one of my favorite spots in the room so far.

Meanwhile, I became familiar with repainting woodwork. We found this awesome changing table/dresser on Craigslist for $75. It is solid wood and 15 years old, so it needed a bit of revamping. I swapped the wooden red knobs for some simple brushed nickel ones and voila….a brand new dresser!

And after scouring the internet for The Perfect Rocker, I decided we could not justify spending hundreds of dollars on a nice upholstered rocker that would probably only be used in the baby’s room. Well what do you know, but my in-laws had a handmade rocker created by my father-in-law back in 1972. The clean lines made it a little more modern and he didn’t mind if we painted it. And so, painting cane became my nemesis but I succeeded after sanding, priming and painting the heck out of it.

And with the fatty cushions my mom made, we have a modern and functional rocker for next to nothing. And isn’t the changing table/dresser cute sitting next to the rocker?

Henry totally digs ‘his’ new chair. I tried to rock him like a baby in it but he was mortified and refused.

The dog that inspired the doggie prints in the nursery:

He really thinks he owns the whole room, poor guy.

And a few shots of the whole thing:

Now all that is left is making a bumper and bed skirt, getting some small shelves for the empty wall, and going crazy with frames and wall decor! Plus the closet needs a renovation for sure but I might put that off awhile longer.

Moral of the story? Craiglist is your friend. Quilting stores have amazing fabric for things other than quilting. And if you try to do too many projects in a weekend you will literally start slurring your speech. But it’s so worth it, my friends:)

© Elizabeth Anne Designs Living, 2009 | Permalink | 5 comments | Add to del.icio.us | StumbleUpon It!
Posted in: crafts, decor, fabric, furniture, julia, modern, pregnancy

Join us here too! EAD Weddings, Message Boards, Bulletin Board, The EAD Library

Making this recipe was an interesting exercise in editing. I found it on the Food Network website, where, last time I checked, the recipe had 1,277 comments. While the overall rating of the recipe was 5 stars out of a possible 5, fans had lots to say about how to improve or tweak this dish for the best possible results. I actually really enjoyed the process of whittling through just a few pages of those 1,277 comments and trying to decide which tips and modifications I was going to follow (the recipe below reflects my changes).

My gut was pretty spot on, because this came out as nothing short of divine. I served it with a strawberry sauce made from throwing thawed frozen strawberries (I used strawberries we picked in June), their juices, and sugar into the blender; adding sugar until I got just the right balance of sweet and tart. I was worried that the sauce was going to be completely unnecessary or too over-the-top with the rest of the bread-y goodness, but it wound up being the ideal complement.

I think Paula and I are friends now. Maybe in a year or so my body will have recovered from the lethal amounts of cream, butter, and sugar that I fed myself today, and I’ll be ready to tackle another one of her sinfully delicious creations!

Baked French Toast with Praline Topping
Adapted from Paula Deen
Printable Recipe

For Casserole:
1 loaf French bread (13 to 16 ounces)
8 large eggs
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Dash salt

For Praline Topping:
1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1. Slice French bread into 20 slices, 1-inch each. (Use any extra bread for garlic toast or bread crumbs). Arrange slices in a generously buttered (or sprayed with non-stick baking spray) 9 by 13-inch flat baking dish in 2 rows, overlapping the slices. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and salt and beat with a rotary beater or whisk until blended but not too bubbly. Pour mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the mixture. Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

2. The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

3. Bake for 25 minutes. While baking, prepare Praline Topping (combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well). Remove baking dish from oven and spread topping evenly over the bread. Return to oven and bake for 15-20 more minutes, or until custard is absorbed and casserole is puffed and golden. Let cool for at least 20 minutes before serving. Serve with maple syrup or strawberry sauce.

© Elizabeth Anne Designs Living, 2009 | Permalink | 4 comments | Add to del.icio.us | StumbleUpon It!
Posted in: amy i, breakfast, cooking and food, recipes

Join us here too! EAD Weddings, Message Boards, Bulletin Board, The EAD Library

Fabulous Foaming Face Wash, $29

Pore Perfecting Facial Polish, $30

Best of Skintentions Moisturizer, $35

And the splurge, Lemon + Sage Soapy Suds Body Wash, $18. I love this so much that when we had guests spend the night recently I hid it and made them use something else. Awful I know.

I’ve been using the skincare set for a few weeks now and I don’t think my skin is clearer, but I blame that on the pregnancy. It is definitely smoother though, and I get lots of comments on how I am “glowing” lately, although that could be chalked up to the pregnancy as well I guess. The Soapy Suds though, is heavenly. I love the combination of lemon and sage, and I swear the smell sits on my skin even after I get out of the shower.

My Christmas wish list now includes the Lemon + Sage Body Butter Lite to really help the smell last through the day. Anyone have any suggestions for perfumes with lemon or sage notes that would complete the set for me?

© Elizabeth Anne Designs Living, 2009 | Permalink | 17 comments | Add to del.icio.us | StumbleUpon It!
Posted in: beauty, jenna

Join us here too! EAD Weddings, Message Boards, Bulletin Board, The EAD Library

A few weeks ago, we traveled to the beautiful island of Ometepe, located in the middle of Lake Cocibolca. This lake is the largest lake in Central America and the 21st largest in the world. The island of Ometepe is large enough to take several hours to travel around via car or boat. It is made up of two volcanoes, one of which is still moderately active. I wish I had pictures of all the modes of transportation, but we were so rushed there and back that we couldn’t stop to breathe let alone take pictures. We took the bus from Granada to Rivas, a taxi from Rivas to San Jorge, and a ferry from San Jorge to Ometepe. From the ferry port, we took a taxi to the hotel. Two days later, we took the same trip in reverse. Travel time took about 5 hours in total. We left on Friday afternoon, and came back on Sunday afternoon. The ferry ride was my favorite part, as we were able to get a lot of pictures of the island from the distance. Mid way to port, a rainbow appeared in between the two volcanoes. It was so incredibly beautiful. As the hubby put it, “When in your life are you guaranteed to see this again?” I can’t describe how amazing it was to slowly chug through the water watching the rainbow shimmer and shift through the clouds.

The island was filled with wildlife. From cows to monkeys (on a string! or in trees), we were constantly surrounded by animals. Pigs are plentiful on the island, as are dogs. They are definitely well fed, even better than the dogs you find in the cities.

This is quite possibly the funniest sign I have ever seen in my life.

We had a series of mishaps during the weekend. From almost missing the bus and ferry (literally pulling up as both were leaving), to flat tires (less than 5 minutes after renting the bikes) to torrential rains with more than three kilometers to bike to the hotel, we had quite the adventure. We also ran out of money on the last day and had to stop at the ATM before running to the ferry.

We spent most of Sunday morning hiking to a coffee farm on the smaller of the two volcanoes. It took about an hour, and the last kilometer was very strenuous. If you don’t have a car, don’t go to the island if you aren’t willing to hike, walk, bike, kayak or otherwise exert yourself.

We stayed at two hotels, I can’t remember the first hotel and El Encanto. We enjoyed both, but Encanta had much better food, was in a slightly better location, had a good selection of vegetarian meals, and the owner spoke English. The rooms are very budget based, and other than eating there isn’t much to do. We all loved the fresh homemade bread, french toast and lemongrass tea. We also used the facilities at Hacienda Merida and Finca Magdalena.

The first was my favorite hotel by far, having a variety of activities and equipment. It was our first choice to stay, but all of the private rooms were taken. Magdalena was a coffee farm with slightly rundown facilities, favored by hippies, and fantastic coffee. It was well worth the hike up to see the view and flowers. My favorite moment by far was getting caught in the rain on the bike ride back to El Encanto. When I say downpour, I mean DOWNPOUR. The road is already hard to navigate when dry (because of the millions of large rocks). In the rain it was nearly impossible. Ditches became lakes and bike seats became our nightmare as we slogged through the road.

I can’t wait to go back and explore more, but other destinations call our names first!

{all images from author’s personal collection}

© Elizabeth Anne Designs Living, 2009 | Permalink | 1 comment | Add to del.icio.us | StumbleUpon It!
Posted in: central america, rebekah, travel

Join us here too! EAD Weddings, Message Boards, Bulletin Board, The EAD Library

I’m talking Christmas Wish Lists + The In-Laws… i.e.: Sticky Situation in the Making, right?

Telling Evs’ parental units what I want for Christmas continues to be awkward for me… This is definitely one of those aspects of marriage that I never considered when we got engaged.  Last year, I was overwhelmed by the generosity of his mom and dad.  However, while I do love a pretty package under the tree with my name on it, if it were 100% up to me, I wouldn’t make any specific requests from my new side of the family for the holidays.

However, my Mother-in-Law insists upon the submission of a Christmas Wish List prior to Halloween.  Yep, we have an Early Shopper on our hands.  Which, kudos to her - I always find myself, eight days before Christmas, circling the mall parking garage aimlessly, stalking exiting shoppers for their parking stops and beating my head against the steering wheel in time to Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.

Ahem.

Anyhoo, as instructed, I recently submitted my In-Law Wish List.  As always (”always” being relative since really this is my first year to have technical “in-laws” but whatever), I followed the Three Cardinal Rules of Gift-Requesting-From-Non-Blood-Relations-You-Don’t-Have-Sex-With:

(1) Lots of options
(2) Lots of price-points but nothing over $50
(3) No clothes (don’t ask me why - just feels weird)

Now, without further adieu… The In-Laws Wish List!

Taylor Elite Oven Thermometer

Taylor Elite Digital Instant Read Thermometer
(yes, I’m a Thermometer Fool)

Le Creuset Silicone Prep Bowls, Set of 4

OXO Food Mill

Nonstick Tart Pan with Removable Bottom, 9.5 inch

Food Made Fast: One Pot Meals

Gourmet Today

Anthropologie Skystones Necklace, in Raspberry

Anthropologie Scattered Seeds Necklace

Do you make an In-Law Wish List?  If so, do you abide by any tried and true “rules”?

© Elizabeth Anne Designs Living, 2009 | Permalink | 6 comments | Add to del.icio.us | StumbleUpon It!
Posted in: christmas, cooking and food, gift guides, kate, newlywed life

Join us here too! EAD Weddings, Message Boards, Bulletin Board, The EAD Library

But here’s the thing: I really don’t like old-fashioned quilts. In fact our nursery is very bold, modern, and not at all traditional (pictures of updates to follow). So I think that a modern baby quilt would be the best for her to make but it’s hard to find a cute pattern out there. Probably part of the problem is that I focus on the colors of the quilt instead of the actual pattern. But ours will probably be full of aquas, oranges, yellows, and bright greens if that helps create a mental image in your mind.

I used my Googling skillz to find a few ideas and want your input. A few websites out there offer a TON of gorgeous ideas, so here we go:

1. Modern Cotton Quilt by Red Pepper :

2. Sew Girly! Bird quilt:

3. A zig zag quilt by Red Pepper, I think this one is a ‘coin quilt’ style:

4. Modern patchwork baby/toddler quilt by Red Pepper

5. Munki in the Middle quilt by Film in the Fridge

6. Film in the fridge picnic quilt:

So whaddya think? Aren’t they all gorge? Any faves? Or any other suggestions for fun, modern baby quilting sites?

Some day I shall learn to sew. Until then, Mom is doing a fabulous job being the fabric queen in the family!

© Elizabeth Anne Designs Living, 2009 | Permalink | 6 comments | Add to del.icio.us | StumbleUpon It!
Posted in: beautiful things, fabric, julia, pregnancy, sewing

Join us here too! EAD Weddings, Message Boards, Bulletin Board, The EAD Library

{photos by Sean Slinsky}

I’m thinking I’d love to do this on one of the large blank walls in our living room choosing favorite photos from our engagement session, wedding and honeymoon. I would probably stick with all black frames, but I’d definitely switch up sizes and styles. Perhaps some are ornate with traditional white mats while others are clean, sleek and modern. I love groupings of mismatched but alike items so I like the thought of a dynamic photo display that, over time, would likely evolve as our lives do. So the architect in me (practicing or not, you can’t shake 4 years of architecture school and obsessive measuring) is thinking I might grab a level and a chalk line and start blocking out a wall and then from there let it grow organically. Heck, soon enough I might even have a disc of wedding photos so I can get this party started right.

Anyone else put together – or looking to put together – a gallery wall in your house? I would loooove to see pictures!

© Elizabeth Anne Designs Living, 2009 | Permalink | 6 comments | Add to del.icio.us | StumbleUpon It!
Posted in: cyd, decor

Join us here too! EAD Weddings, Message Boards, Bulletin Board, The EAD Library