EAB Designs

Important Announcement To My Google Friend Connect Followers!

Many of you are probably aware that as of tomorrow Google is discontinuing "Google Friend Connect (GFC)" for non-Blogger blogs.  My blog is hosted by Typepad, so this affects me.  As a result, Google Friend Connect will no longer work here as of tomorrow and my posts may no longer show up in your Blogger Dashboard or Google Reader.

If you happen to be one of my readers who follows this blog through Google Friend Connect, there are other ways to continue to follow or subscribe to my blog:

RSS Feed:  You can click on the "Subscribe in a reader" link which is located at the very top of the right sidebar of my blog.  This will allow you to continue to receive each of my posts to your favorite RSS reader of choice.  Some favorites inclue Google Reader (if you have a Gmail account, your Google Reader is usually linked at the top of your Gmail inbox, or sometimes under the link “More”),  My Yahoo!, Newsgator, Bloglines, and Netvibes, just to name a few.

You can also choose to receive email notices when a new post is added to my blog.  This option can also be found on the top right sidebar of my blog.

I'm so thankful for the lovely people I have met through this blog and I hope you will take the time today to resubscribe to my blog throught the RSS Feed link in my sidebar.  I would hate to lose any of my dear followers as a result of Google's decision to discontinue GFC for Typepad and other users.

As a result of the change, if I follow your blog on GFC, you will also notice that I will no longer show up as a GFC follower on your blog.  Today, I will be transferring all of my subcriptions through GFC over to my Google Reader to ensure I don't miss a single one of your posts!

Thank you for taking the time to visit me and for resubscribing through my RSS Feed link!

Script and Posy

I enjoy pairing colorful accent pieces with my cream and white dinnerware sets.  These script and posy dishes are a new favorite of mine.  There are four different watercolor patterns and I especially love the charming hand-written phrases.  

I set the table with these dishes last Friday evening before I received the beautiful floral bouquet with the blue, orange and white flowers.  They were a perfect match with the dishes.  And speaking of the bouquet, I would like to send a special thank you to Julie of jam*and*jilly for identifying the blue flowers for me.  They are wax flowers, and so pretty.  I discovered they grow on the Chamelaucium shrub, which is native to Western Australia. Here's wishing everyone good company and many friends to laugh and talk with!

Lovely Blue Flowers - What Kind are They???

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend.  Ours was especially fun-filled.  On Friday evening, a friend joined us for dinner and she brought us the most beautiful flowers.

I loved the combination of the orange roses, white calla lillies and these amazing petite blue flowers.  Does anyone know what kind they are?  I would love to grow some in our garden!  If you recognize them, please let me know.

We also just returned from visiting sweet girl this weekend.  We celebrated her birthday and took in a college basketball game, which was super exciting.  Keeping our fingers crossed the team will receive an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament.  In the meantime, both of our girls' college teams could meet next Saturday in the quarterfinals of the CAA tournament.  Now that would be exciting!

2/27th update:  Some of you have asked for a closer look of the blue flowers.  I found this image on flickr of the same flower.  They have needle-like leaves, black centers and woody stems.

Valentine's Dinner Tablescape

Thought I would share a few photos and details of our Valentine's dinner party.

For the tablescape, I opted for a casual French country decor. The red striped runner was made from the "faux grain-sack material" I purchased on a previous trip.  Mercury glass votives were placed down the center of the table, which looked beautiful when lit in the evening.

Each guest's individual silveware was bundled with ribbon I made from cotton muslin and hand-stamped with "Monsieur" and "Mademoiselle".  This is a simple process and a fun way to personalize place settings. Just cut a slit in your muslin, the width you would like your ribbon to be, and tear the muslin from selvage to selvage.  Pull a few of the strings on each end to achieve a frayed effect and then hand-stamp with the image of your choice.

The napkin rings were made from vintage spoons, so each place setting was different.  Once I find some free time to do some antiquing, I hope to be able to add some of these to my shop.  The cloth napkins are by April Cornell.  I've had them forever and they're one of my favorite patterns. 

 

The cream and red paper circles added just the right amount of whimsy.

I love how the colors complimented the paint color in our adjacent living room. 

And of course, I included some beautiful cream roses which I simply trimmed to the same length, placed in a plastic cup with water, and added to our antique urns.  I like to buy the roses a couple days in advance so they have a chance to open up beforehand.

The best part was almost everything I cooked was prepared the day before, so I got to relax and enjoy the party as well.

I Once Dreamed...

I was out last night for dinner, followed by a bit of shopping, when this window display stopped me in my tracks.  I snapped this photo with my iphone right before my husband practically had to drag me away.  If you've been a long time follower of my blog, you know how much I adore fabric and love to sew.  What you probably didn't know is that I would have loved to been a children's formal wear dress designer, with my own label.  When I come across sweet little dresses with so many charming details, I'm reminded of that dream.

Bannetons - Classic French Bread Baskets

Yesterday, was the first time I used my new bannetons to make bread and I was so happy with the results.  Bannetons are typically used in artisan bread making to support the dough while it rises giving it structure and a beautiful crust pattern.  Mine are made from cane and were purchased from here.

After the first rising, I formed the dough into a ring and placed it in the banneton which was dusted with flour to ensure the dough wouldn't stick.

After the dough's second rising it's ready to go into the oven.  To release the dough from the banneton, I just tipped the banneton onto a board which I covered with a sheet of parchment. This made it very easy to transfer the loaf onto my preheated clay baking stone.

I love the crusted ridges the banneton formed on top of the bread.  The only disadvantage to baking your own bread is it's so delicious you end up eating too much!  

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A Gift from My Heart

My husband and I have a standing date each Saturday morning - a very early breakfast and then grocery shopping at Wegman's.  (He actually loves to shop for everything ... I'm so lucky.)  The last thing he puts in the grocery cart is a rosemary roll which he eats on our twenty minute drive home. Last Saturday, I was watching him enjoy his roll and thought "I bet I could make that for him" and decided to do so for Valentine's Day.  I searched the internet and came up with a recipe for a Rosemary-Semolina Round with Sesame and Sea Salt .  (Perfect as he also loves sesame seeds.) As soon as he left for work today, I started on the bread so I could surprise him when he came home.  And here is the result - tied with a bow and ready for my Valentine.  I used my new bannetons (love them!) to make the bread and I'll share more about those tomorrow.

Wishing you all a lovely Valentine's Day!

Bridesmaid Necklaces

I've just packaged up the last of my orders for the week.  This set of six necklaces was one of my favorites.  They were created for a bridal party who will be wearing beautiful blush chiffon dresses and silver Badgley Mischka pumps with a ruffle embellishment. I loved how the rhinestone piece and subtle grey ribbon complimented the silver findings and pearls so I decided to make one for myself as well.

Sweetpea is home from school this weekend on an unexpected visit and I'm so excited to spend the weekend with her.  We miss doing so many things together while she is away, and plan on packing in as much as possible before she heads home on Sunday.  Wishing you all a fun filled weekend!

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More French Cooking

I'm continuing to enjoy trying one delicious recipe after another from my new French cookbook, and this provencal soup did not disappoint.  Filled with fresh vegetables and herbs it was a welcome and comforting dinner on what was a chilly and rainy evening.

I topped ours with a chiffonade of basil and freshly grated parmesan cheese.  So yummy... Next up gougeres, or cheese puffs with Gruyere.

Have you seen HUGO?

We headed to the movies this weekend and saw "HUGO".  I loved it and found it to be incredibly entertaining and moving.  Definitely a favorite of those nominated for best picture.  I'm usually not a big fan of 3D movies, but this was an exception.  It's beautifully filmed, has a wonderful music score and is simply magical.  If you haven't seen it - please do.  You'll want to enjoy it while it's still in theatres.

Swarovski Crystal Earrings, in New Colors

Added to the shop today are Swarovski crystal tear drop earrings in four of the most beautiful new colors.  It's difficult to pick a favorite as I love them all!  On the top left is padparadscha, which is the most unique shade of delicate pink and orange.  Top right is deep ruby red, perfect for Valentine's Day.  The lower left is my go to color, champagne - so elegant!  And lastly, a beautiful crystal copper color to compliment all of your earth tones.  Which color is your favorite?

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