love.

waxed paper. flower. gift wrap.
this could come in handy.... for more than just the holidays!

find out how to make it here.

happy december!

winter is officially here!  snow is falling and cheeks are rosey. 
and! the countdown has begun for christmas shopping... any good gift ideas? i think this year i am going to purchase gifts off etsy - ive been finding some really great shops lately and am having a hard time not ordering from all!

image via ChelseaVictoria

treasury!



i just completed my very first etsy treasury!

it was pretty fun searching through everyones shops... i found a lot of really talented artists!

check it out here.

happy thanksgiving!

in just a few hours, i will be on a cozy train headed home to btown :)

going home is really one of my favorite things - and thanksgiving especially.  its a longer weekend, meaning extra family time and extra food time! im looking forward to baking with my mom, mini photo-shoots with my sis, seeing my little cousin who now has hair and talks!, catching up on project runway dvr's... and maybe a bit of shopping. just a little.

before the long holiday weekend, i'll leave you with a craft i completed monday night.  homemade cards are always more special - and theyre easy too. just big enough to do something fun, but small enough to finish in one night. this one features my new calligraphy pens and festive bunting (using leftover paper from these!)

 have a happy thanksgiving!

new fav....

ive been seeing the cutest stamp sets on etsy lately... its ridiculous. 
i just want to make cards and tags and prints.  why cant i have all the time in the world to do artsy stuff?

 

 

1. lemontree77
2. littlejane
3. eatpraycreate
4. cupcaketree
5. olivemanna

inked.

last night i broke out my brand new calligraphy pen and ink. exciting :)  i really enjoyed how the ink flowed and how dark and rich it was. i think after a little more practice, id use the pen for tons of things! i can see it becoming my new best friend.



here's two of my best - trust me there were some ugly ones!
both are a similar style - i like that style.  long and elegant.

doggie-wear

all i want for christmas....is this little pup and his coat.

how cute!
buy it here.

collection: vintage clocks

a couple years ago, while on an antique run with olivia, i picked up a little vintage clock.  its really one of my favorite things to set out.  its a nice turquoise blue with little gold feet - and small enough that it can fit in anywhere.

here's a few more id love:

images via:
whatkatiedoes
avintageobsession
clockworkuniverse

weekend

another week done... and this weekend has some exciting plans!

im returning to my alma mater - visiting my sister, watching some football and catching up with old friends!

and hopefully finishing my halloween costume on the car ride down. hopefully.

what are your plans?

image via etsy



h e a v e n

i can't even imagine.....

found via freshlypicked



etsy find.

absolutely love this etsy find.
see it at whitney smith pottery




ranunculus rose flower ceramic bowls



poached.

you know those times when you accomplish something you never thought you'd ever get the hang of?
a task thats near impossible - as if only martha can do it. like when i folded a fitted sheet for the first time, and it didnt turn out as a wad of pink fabric...i felt like a real grown up! success. i got it.

well after a delicious eggs benedict with elaine on saturday, i decided i was going to master the poached egg.  the poached egg.  its intimidating! how hot does the water need to be? how does the egg stay together? how do you know its done?

i woke up sunday morning, still dreaming of the ooey goodness, and told matt we were making them, no matter how many eggs we went through.  and after one try.... we got it. (ok, it took me two times, while matt mastered it first try) i was so excited, success. :)

so excited, that i took pics before digging in.

orangey paintings

new etsy shop fav.

tastesorangey

im really liking her paintings today. maybe because i wish i was still in bed hugging my pillows... this cool weather makes me want to stay inside all day and just be comfy!

or i could be here, too:

found via poppytalk

angel oak tree

one of my favorite parts of visiting charleston this fall, was seeing the angel oak tree.  it's a huuggggeeee live oak about 15 minutes outside of charleston (the turn off to the oak is marked by a simple white wooden sign - we almost missed it!). matt and i spent a good part of our afternoon one day at the angel tree - i think about a third of the photos i took on our little trip were taken here. so many branches and so beautiful!

the angel oak is believed to be over 1500 years old. and the longest branch was over 90 feet long! it was really just amazing to see.

 

   

chi-town

a cool kid sent me this cool link.

its a documentation of people in the neighborhoods of chicago. really interesting! its like people watching without being creepy. i like comparing the styles...and poses.  some people have pretty killer poses. better than what my pose would have been - standing plain with a shy demeanor. 

im a mix of uptown and lakeview....buena park is smack in the middle :) whats your 'hood?

lakeview
via iamchicago.net

uptown
via iamchicago.net

shop update!

i finally got a relaxing weekend. both days included sleeping in, good breakfast, and crafting.  matt layed on the couch watching sports...i sat in the leftover space crafting. it was absolutely perfect!

and the product of this unproductive weekend... confetti garland :)
check it out!

loving the warm colors!
http://www.prettystanley.etsy.com/

the hand painted confetti is from
my scrapbooking night with brit!

new collection!

last weekend i took a trip home, and stopped at 'the peddler' aka: my mom's favorite little shop.  i've been eyeing vintage rolling pins for a while now, and found two great old ones with tons of character at this place. i'm imagining a collection of five - red, green, turquoise vintage rolling pins, all different shapes and sizes, stacked vertically on my kitchen wall. the warm wood tones and scuffed colored handles would really look nice against my gray walls!

here are a few more i'm really trying not to buy:

http://www.thevintagewife.etsy.com/

http://www.spooningshop.etsy.com/

love the handle...
http://www.cozycottagevintage.etsy.com/

instant collection!
www.ladyfran.etsy.com 

look how tiny!
(i just bought this.)
http://www.lynnesfinds.etsy.com/

::nerd alert::

i love fonts.

the shapes, curves, thickness, spaces... the graphic quality. i love how a good font can turn something from boring to spectacular! (i've even watched a documentary on a font)

its an obsession.

my new project, for the winter, is to teach myself calligraphy. i think its so beautiful and elegant! can you imagine how special it would be to recieve a little envelope in the mail like this?



www.ampersandity.etsy.com



back jack.

i have returned! against my will of course... because my week away at the east coast was fantastic. good sites, good food, good company :)

first feature: ansonborough inn

after staying the first couple nights of charleston with matt's brother, we checked into the coolest hotel i've ever been to! it was right downtown, had exposed timbers, hundreds of oil paintings in chunky gold frames, and unlimited sweet tea!

inside the inn

our room - loved the chandelier!

dog portrait wall

my favorite painting :)

matt and i took off exploring downtown charleston after checking into the ansonborough, and was welcomed back by a wine and cheese tasting! neither of us are really wine drinkers, but tried a little white. our cheese plates however...packed :)

next up: angel oak tree

cafe ba ba reeba

i'm so honored that prettystanley invited me to do a guest post. and i hope you enjoy it! i had the pleasure of meeting up with a group of 5 girls for dinner and drinks at lincoln park's own cafe ba ba reeba. we were nestled away tucked in the back corner of the restaurant. the restaurant was dimly lit. our waiter was patient and very attentive. spanish tapas is perfect when you can't decide what you want to eat. we ordered the world:

• bacon wrapped dates
• goat cheese+tomato sauce
• tomato bread+machego cheese
• grilled shrimp in garlic sauce
• giant crab cake
• chicken kabobs
• spicy potatoes
• paella with shrimp and scallops
• 2 pitchers of sangria! white peach + blue raspberry

all the dishes we ordered were fairly small but enough to share between 6 girls. i never got sick of anything especially because it was just a small portion of this and that. the paella was perfect and had tons of seafood. the drinks were light and fruity and of course dangerous to a light weight like myself. i was definitely feeling the buzz as we finished off our 2nd pitcher. this is a great place for an intimate date, a family affair, or a girls night out! come hungry and leave a bit tipsy. definitely try the sangria, it's amazing!

cafe ba ba reeba

2024 halsted st

chicago, il 60614

-elaine

e.l.p.