» Things of Beauty

Color Burst Baby Shower

evie s. — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 19:07:07 +0000

Hey ya! Today is my b-day and my gift from my husband is FREE TIME with no kids. So I’m blogging! Ha! It’s been a great day so far.

Anyway, I’ve felt so fulfilled lately since I’ve been able to work on some creative things again. Recently, I hosted a baby shower for a friend of mine and I got to work on invitations and decor. I loved it! Many of my friends asked how I did it with a new baby…my answer: I planned a month and a half in advance, and did a little bit each day. Here are some of the highlights:

Invitations – I loved how these turned out. They are bright, colorful and so pretty.

Favors and party decor – I really didn’t spend a dime on decorations. I used colored paper that I had on hand to create pinwheels of different sizes, large paper flowers, confetti garland and a name garland. It’s amazing what you can do with paper!

More pinwheels! So easy to make and so inexpensive, but really creates a festive look!

Cupcakes by a friend of the expectant mama’s, and beautiful flowers.

Let me know if you have any questions about any of the decor…I can post a tutorial if I get enough requests. *Wink*

Utterly Beautiful

evie s. — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 15:25:07 +0000

I’ve blogged about Utterly Engaged before, and I thought I would post some inspiration I found from their most recent issue.

beautiful product tags from lovely bridal shop in New York // creative display at the lovely store // Lace and painted paper flowers // artistic cookies by sweet heather anne

If you haven’t looked at an issue, check it out…even if you aren’t getting married it’s a terrific source of inspiring and beautiful ideas.

I Love: Kenya

evie s. — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 22:07:04 +0000

As my husband embarks on an amazing 10-day trip to Kenya with Compassion International, I thought it would make me feel closer to him and his adventure by posting some beautiful things inspired by and from this African country.

Photo left: Samburu Girl in Full Traditional Dress

Amazing jewelry from Kenyan artisans (launching exclusively with Urban Outfitters in Spring 2009)

Maasai Princess // African Dress

Liquid Gold – a gorgeous strand of African Trade Beads from Kenya // Handcarved, handpainted wooden hearts

I love Africa! The bright bold colors, patterns and textures…and the people! So precious and beautiful. So while I can’t travel thousands of miles this time around, I hope to visit in the future.

Where are you dreaming of going someday?

Why I Love Autumn

evie s. — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 00:26:33 +0000

Summer is my favorite season. Fall is a close second. Our days get shorter, the scarves come out, and oh, the beautiful dark rich colors! It makes me want to run to the store for some cocoa, but it’s still 80 degrees in my office. Oh well, I know the cool temps will come soon enough. Here are some inspiring photos, one of them is a new product available in my etsy store, for a limited time.

BOO Cake Topper by me // Velvet Pumpkins // Pumpkin Baskets // Amy Atlas tablescape // Vintage Feather Hair Piece

Cutest Handmade Birds

evie s. — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 18:50:18 +0000

Anyone getting married soon? I found the cutest little handmade birdie cake toppers. They are PRECIOUS! Ashley Anna Brown is the creator of these little wonders, and each one is unique.

Favorites from Lush Bella

evie s. — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 20:54:37 +0000

I stumbled on this flickr favorites set from Lush Bella and was hypnotized by all the pretty eye candy. Lately in my estate sale shopping I’ve been picking up little miniature objects and random items just because I think they are neat but certainly not for any practical use. These photos are rich in small objects that are unique and have a story in and of themselves.

I like how she’s created real life collages of these trinkets and made them into cohesive piece of art through photography.

Just lovely!

Amazing Photos of Space

evie s. — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 01:02:52 +0000

I just had to post these images from the new Hubble telescope. Amazing huh? On the right photo, a dying star five times the mass of the sun on the verge of exploding creates a cosmic “butterfly” in which the “wings,” together span about two light-years. Wow!

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows his handywork.
— Psalms 19:1

[ Via Unruly Things ]

Inspired by Utterly Engaged

evie s. — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 01:06:24 +0000

After only 3 issues, Utterly Engaged has really captured the attention of the wedding industry. For good reason. The content, photography and articles are so well done and full of inspiration – even if you aren’t planning a wedding. Just look at these images!

Love this idea of a spool note.

I especially can appreciate the Big Talent with Heart section at the end of every issue. This one features Jeffrey Neal, a photography with an incredible gift, who brings hope to others. He has great advice – “Do what you love. Do it now and pour your whole life into it…”

[ originally found via creature comforts ]

Inspiring Embroidery

evie s. — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 01:56:38 +0000

Embroidery has always intimated me for some reason. Maybe because in order to do it right, I feel like I need to be willing to work on it for days — and I just love the quick projects too much. But these images make me want to attempt an embroidery piece pretty bad.

Embroidery in Color by wardi

From left to right:

freehand embroidery by ashley // silk embroidery from MS mag // work from feeling stitchy // embroidered floral tee from jcrew // Tiny Scapes // Silk embroidery by jordan ferney

Eye Candy for the Weekend

evie s. — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 01:20:45 +0000

I woke up this morning to a small buzz on my new ring pillows and several sales on etsy. Style Me Pretty blogged about them and my bunting was highlighted by Eat Drink Chic. (Thanks ladies!) Southern Weddings Magazine asked me to send them a sample, and who knows what that will bring! So I am excited for a great start in the wedding ring pillow business.

On to some inspiration, I love the images from this post on color by decor8. I just love the hue of pinks, melons, black, white and a touch of gold together don’t you?

I’m off to the lake for the weekend. Kind of the last hoorah for my week of birthday merriment. Have a great weekend everyone!