A New Design for the New Year!

Hello and Welcome to the newly redesigned EV Photo Chic blog.  I've been working on creating a new header and background design for a while, (mostly while on my lunch break) but here is it!!  What do you think? I'm working on adding more to the blog as well such as pages and other fun things to browse through.  I'd love to hear what else (if any) you'd like me to include.

Happiness Is....

* creating a DIY holiday
* spending Christmas with my best friend
* taking a week off to unwind and nest
* hosting dinner/cocktails for friends and family
* creating new memories
* thigh high socks
* creating photo calenders as gifts
* being so blessed to have a home, health, and family
* getting a great Groupon deal
* waking up to sunshine
* seeing where a little creative inspiration can take you
* growing out my hair
* paid time off
* making gingerbread cookies and royal icing from scratch
* decorating my first REAL Christmas tree
* comfy cozy nights on our new couch
* year end bonuses!
* ice skating on my Birthday (I'm turning 29, eek!)

EV Photography

What is happiness for you this holiday season? It's fun to look back on the years, here is my post on happiness from 2008 :)

I am taking a staycation for the next week and a half.  So I will be back to blogging next year :)
Thanks for tuning in this year,  and thank you for all your positive words. Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year to you!

xoxo,

~Liz

One to Watch

If you're looking to take a break from holiday favorites, then head to the theaters to see this psychological thriller Black Swan. Natalie's character, an obsessed ballerina seeks perfection but at what price? You'll just have to find out! Since most of the scenes are shot with a hand held camera, there's a realism factor, meaning you feel like your actually on stage with the actors as they dance. I my opinion, it's a must see on the big screen! It's up for at least 12 nominations, so I can't wait to see how many awards they take home. Are there any movies out now that you could recommend?

Today I Want: Scrapwood Wallpaper

What I wouldn't give to have all my walls covered in this perfectly un-perfect scrap wood wallpaper. I secretly want to live in a cabin in the city and this would just make any cabin like renovation much more doable, no?! Sigh... it's way out of any price range I can afford for paper. But a girl can still daydream!

Designed by Piet Hein Eek

Home Happenings

Happy Monday to you all. It felt great this morning to stretch my legs after spending a much needed weekend mostly at home. And for great reason too, our couch that we've been much anticipating has finally arrived!! Joe and I love it and after being without a comfy place to unwind at the end of the day for weeks now, it's a much needed piece of furniture especially around this time of year. The only changes I made in the solid pillows was a switch in color. I traded in the turquoise for a chartreuse pair. I love the pop of color against the charcoal gray couch.

I also treated myself to a sheepskin throw I've had my eye on for a while. I love the soft comfy texture against the Herman Miller chair.

Oh and a little greenery on my kitchen window sill is well on it's way to sprouting. I planted these paper whites a few weeks ago and am enjoying watching them grow a little more each day.

After the Gift Wrapping is Done...

I hope to be doing more of this real soon! Happy Friday to you all! I'm taking a half day from work today but just wanted to share with you some inspiring needle work from textile designer Karen Barbe. Her blog is so calming to scroll through, it makes me want to hibernate with my sewing machine for a week. It's been a while, but I feel like this time of the year just brings the sewing out of me. What kind of creative project is stirring in your brain this time of the year?

Photos by Karen Barbe

Cookie Exchange

Every year (for the past 8 years) the women in my family get together around the holidays to share in one another's favorite baked goodies. For my cookie of choice this year I decided to tackle the gingerbread variety. In part because I love anything with ginger in it and my favorite part is the decorating. I used this recipe from Martha Stewart, because one it calls for fresh and ground ginger and because I loved the photo as a source for decorating inspiration. You can find more if you pick up this months issue of Good Housekeeping too :) I decided to make and bake the cookies at my place so that we could relax and really enjoy decorating them the next day together. Today I have for you some of the cookie exchange highlights.

Scalloped graphics provided by Pugly Pixel.