EAB Designs

Decorative Easter Eggs

 

Drawing inspiration from a few of my favorite spring magazines, I decorated some Easter eggs tonight using Prima paper flowers and butterflies which I cut out from my stash of decorative papers.  My intention was to blow out the eggs so I could save them for future years, but after breaking the egg shells on my first three attempts, I decided to just boil them (patience is definitely not my forte).  My favorite food coloring to use is soft gel paste in a bottle, which I keep on hand for decorating cookies.  Just mix some in with a teaspoon of vinegar and boiling water and you're able to achieve that perfect shade you're looking for.

Delivery from David Austin Roses

Came home from running errands and found this surprise on my porch.  My Abraham Darby English garden bare root roses have arrived for planting!

 

They don't look like much now....

But soon, they will blossom into these beauties...

 

I purchased these from David Austin Roses last fall and they ship them in the spring, just in time for planting.  I can hardly wait until early summer to see them in bloom.

Signs of Spring

 

Walking around our property, I look for signs of spring.  Our daffodils are at peak bloom, the hydrangea leaves are just beginning to bud, my perennial herbs are sprouting in the herb garden and you can hear flocks of birds in the trees.  However, with well below average temperatures, it still feels like winter.  For today, nature's beauty will inspire me from the indoors.

Tea in Brugge

Today it is cool and rainy and I am reminded of a charming little cafe we stopped in while visiting the beautiful city of Brugge, in Belgium, last summer.  When we arrived, it was also cool and rainy, and we decided to step into this cafe to rest a while with the hopes the rain would let up.  I loved the colors of the interior and the grand chandelier with its bronze silk shades.  We were each served individual teapots and crystallized honey on a wooden spoon to sweeten our tea.  The rain soon let up, yet none of us were in a hurry to leave.

 

   

T is for Tags

I love creating these little tags from the tiniest of vintage scraps which I've saved from previous projects.  They often find their way tucked into customers' orders as an unexpected surprise, or placed in a favorite book or magazine.

    

   

Flea Market Finds

 

Thought I'd share a few things I came home with on Saturday.  At the first booth I visited, I discovered this adorable Noritake children's porcelain tea set, from the early 1930's.  I just love the beautiful shape of the little teacups, the garlands of roses and forget-me-nots, and the beautiful shade of pink.  I think I'm going to use the two little platters as jewelry holders.  The owner was so sweet and offered the set for only $14.

 

My next find was an 1871 edition of the Lives of the Queens of England, Vol. VI, which covers Queen Elizabeth.  I originally purchased it thinking I would use the pages for my journal creations, but now I may want to read it.  On sale for 50% off, I took this home for $10.

 

The front page has a wonderful image of Queen Elizabeth.

 

There were beautiful vintage rhinestone earrings and brooches everywhere you looked.  Unfortunately, all of them were priced too high to use for my craft needs.  However, at one booth I spotted a few boxes that said .50 each, or 25 for $10.  With the help of my sweet husband, we dug through the boxes and came up with these beauties.

 

 

My last purchase of the day was an original deed, dated 1886.  I've used it as a backdrop for the above pictures.  I loved the the beautiful penmanship in brown ink (and of course, the pink lines).  A dear friend found it for me and asked the seller to hold it.  Thank you David!  It came home with me for just $5.

 

Vintage Wallpaper Creations

 

Received some lovely vintage wallpaper this week and combined them with some of my favorite buttons and vintage jewelry findings to create some new picture frames.  I'll be listing these in my Etsy shop by this weekend, along with a few others.  This one would be so sweet as a baby frame.

 

 

Hope I'm able to purchase more of this paper.  Had just enough to make this one large frame.  I just love the color combination.

 

 

Couldn't resist placing the baby photo in this one as well.  Too cute.

 

   

Hmmm, may have to keep this one for myself.  It looked so nice in my dining room.  Definitely need to get more of this pattern too.

 

 

Planning on attending the Big Flea antiques market at the Dulles Expo Center this weekend.  Need to replenish my vintage sheet music and rhinestone findings.  At last year's show, I came across the most beautifully carved, off-white, chippy frame that I wanted to use for a chalkboard in our kitchen.  Thought it was a little too high in price, and passed on it - big mistake - it would have been perfect. 

March Roars In Like A Lion

   

Although much of the country has received more snow than they wanted this winter, in our area we have only received a couple dustings.  However, a late storm came in last night and this is what we awoke to.  Schools are closed and sweet husband is outside shoveling the driveway.  Lots of warm cider and sledding to come this afternoon.

 

A view from our kitchen window.  Based on the birdfeeder, I'd guess we have about 6 - 7 inches.  Hard to believe spring sports have already begun and my daughter should have been on the tennis courts this afternoon.