EAB Designs

A Favorite House in Bergen, Norway

2013-06-19T09:28:46-04:00

The process of organizing photos from our trip will take a bit of time. All four of us brought along our own cameras and we managed to take almost 2,000 photos! Needless to say, we have a lot of deleting and editing ahead of us. I did want to share a couple photos of a charming house I fell in love with in Bergen. We took the Fløibanen funicular up to Fløyen (320 m above sea level) and hiked back down. (More on that later.) On the way down we came across this house.

After I took a few photos, the girls noticed the owners were out on the patio enjoying a meal together. The weather was perfect, their view spectacular and I would have loved to join them!

One Dish Summertime Meal

2013-06-17T21:56:41-04:00

Tonight I made a summertime pilaf that's easy to prepare with whatever fresh ingredients you have on hand. First step is to prepare the pilaf. While that's cooking, you can chop up your remaining ingredients & prepare the simple vinaigrette.

To speed along the process of cooling the rice down, I spread mine on a large platter. The recipe can be adapted to fit your favorite ingredients. Instead of the fruit you can add chopped tomatoes & fresh basil with a balsamic vinaigrette. Or if you'd like to replace the chicken, white beans or garbanzo beans are a great addition. The pilaf is perfect to package up and bring along on a picnic as well. Enjoy!

European Pastries

2013-06-11T11:26:09-04:00

I don't often eat pastries while at home, but when in Europe I confess I probably treat myself to one, (or maybe two) a day. Charming bakeries can be found on most corners filled with the most delicious pastries and cookies (especially in Copenhagen and Prague). I enjoy every bite without a single ounce of guilt, knowing the miles of walking we do each day will burn every calorie and then some. Definitely something I will miss...

Back from Europe...

2013-06-07T08:39:05-04:00

Copenhagen, Denmark

We just returned from our vacation late last night. I have lots to share with you from our visits to Copenhagen, Oslo, Bergen and Prague. For now, I wanted to let you know I have reopened my shops and will be back in the studio late Monday. We are headed to NYC this weekend but I will be responding to emails while we're away. Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Shop Announcements

2013-05-25T00:01:00-04:00

Hello! The Pemberley Collection and EAB Designs is currently closed for vacation and will reopen on June 7th. To view pieces from the collection while the shops are closed, I invite you to browse through our "sold items" found here and here. I'll look forward to responding to all of your inquiries upon my return to the studio. For future sale announcements & special offers, I invite you to become a fan of our facebook page.

Sweet Pea in the Kitchen

2013-05-24T00:01:00-04:00

Sweet Pea made this delicious vanilla-buttermilk cake yesterday

with a creamy buttermilk filling & buttermilk frosting.

She did a fabulous job making the white chocolate curls.

The recipes can be found in the current Southern Cakes magazine.

A special thanks to my sweet mom for sending her the magazine!

Place Cards & Party Favors In One

2013-05-23T09:58:08-04:00

When flowers from the garden are in abundance, I love incorporating them into petite bouquets which serve not only as place cards for our guests, but also as gifts to bring home at the end of the evening.

I love white ink on kraft colored card stock. If you're happy with your handwriting skills, you can simply cut a tag from your cardstock and write the guests names on it. For those who prefer to use their computer, simply insert a box with the colored background you prefer (in this case kraft color), insert a text box with your guest's name, change the font color to white, and print. From there you can proceed with cutting your tags out.

Punch a whole through the end of the tag and attach a bit of jute string, or ribbon, and tuck the ends into the bouquet.

I look for end of season sales, or clearance items throughout the year, to stock up on little vases for the bouquets. Tea light candle holders also work great and are an inexpensive alternative.

For the Love of Paper & Pen

2013-05-22T09:52:53-04:00

In a world of digital technology, my love for beautiful paper and colorful pens will never wane. Currently, I adore the whimsical and pretty designs from Rifle Paper Co. My recent purchase was this set of playful, vintage-inspired journals.

My go to brand is the Uni-ball Signo Broad Gel Ink Pens. The white pen in particular is my favorite. The ink flows out nicely and it's silky white color is perfect for writing on bright or dark colored papers. Silver and gold are other colors I always have on hand, especially for writing gift tags.

English Garden Roses

2013-05-17T13:32:02-04:00

Our English garden roses are blooming now and, as always,

they are just beautiful!

Little bouquets are popping up all over the house.

Even our sweet little gerbils, Holly and Ivy, took time out to smell the roses.

Packing & Traveling Light

2013-05-16T18:02:42-04:00

There are many things my husband has taught us - packing light is one of them. We are about to embark on a 12 day trip to Europe and each of us will be bringing only one "carry on" piece of luggage. No checked baggage. I know for some, the thought of this would make them quiver but it truly makes for happy travelers. We use public transportation while abroad, (quite often involving stairs & lots of walking), so we've come to appreciate the mobility and freedom it allows us. It also eliminates the need to worry over lost or delayed luggage as we fly from city to city.

In Brugge, we climbed three flights of these stairs to reach our beautiful apartment.

~ thrilled we didn't have to lug heavy luggage with us ~

With three girls in the family, the most challenging aspect of limiting ourselves to one carry on is the air transportation rule for liquids. Moisturizers, shampoos, cleansers, etc. can quickly fill the small ziplock bag you're allowed. If necessary, we purchase additional items as we go and it's actually fun to visit local stores in search of what we need. As for make-up, I pack just one each of my favorites (blush, eye shadow lipstick, etc.).

Sweet pea always finds space in her bag for a pillow & blanket for the plane ride.

~ we're always jealous ~

Friends ask how we accomplish packing so light and the answer is simply to bring very little with you. We pack nice clothing that can be worn repeatedly and neutrals to mix and match. We also dress in layers for chilly weather avoiding having to pack bulky clothing. If needed, it's easy to handwash something in our hotel or to sometimes visit a local laundromat. (A fun experience when in a foreign country!)

Sweet girl loading laundry in Rome with her Dad.

~ see how much fun she's having?~

The best part of packing light is once your plane lands you're ready to begin your adventure. No waiting at the carousel for heavy pieces of luggage you'll regret later you brought along. It's a challenge I hope you'll try. (Trust me, I wasn't always a light packer. On our honeymoon to Europe, I brought one small suitcase just for my toiletries! My husband's legs literally shook as he carried all of my luggage from place to place. Good thing we were newlyweds.)