Elizabeth Joy Designs

Morning lovelies! I have some things to show you and would love to hear some feedback. I'm working on something very exciting - Elizabeth Joy Designs - which I hope to softly launch on Etsy in the Spring of 2012.  Soon you'll be able to shop a line of my aesthetic in the form of chic home accessories online and hopefully in your favorite stores. This is something very new and challenging for me and I'm working passionately and hard, researching and learning every night when I get home from work to prepare for what hopefully will be a very successful product line.

Some very, VERY early sketches of inspiration I've been playing around with include:

   

 

{As you can see I am sooo not a graphic designer so please excuse the sloppiness - all of my ideas will eventually be drafted up by a professional :)}

But literally I just drafted these up and wanted to show you. I have tons more designs I'm working on but am loving the monograms and patterns. I'm looking forward to adding other images in place of monograms as well. 

I've been keeping this to myself because I hate to spread the word on something that is so new and in the wee early stages of development but I thought it would be cool if this could become a collaboration with style lovers like you. 

Do you have opinions, insights into the market, advice, contacts? Do share!

If you'd rather email me, please feel free:

liz@shorelychic.com (though I should get elizabeth@elizabethjoy.com going shouldn't I?)

Our First Married Christmas

We had a beautiful Christmas Eve spent at my parents' home with our whole family and Jack, who was a hit with his big red bow and giant bone.

 

 

We opened gifts and had a beautiful dinner prepared in the traditional Italian way with fish, fish, and more fish including lobster fra diavolo and filet of sole. 

Christmas morning Brian and I made a sweet little breakfast of pancakes and coffee and opened our gifts - I would have photos of us but I think we both know the camera isn't our friend the first thing in the morning. Our tree however was looking good: 

Brian and I spent Christmas night the two of us and borrowed my parent's house for their fireplace :) I set a nice table with all of our new china and the silver that my mom has been collecting for me since I was a little babe - it was so nice to use all of it and dine on the delicious filet mignon that Brian made.

It was a perfect way to spend our first married Christmas with Jack in between the table and the fire :) 

What did you do for Christmas?? 

OUR WEDDING - MY MANTILLA VEIL

I am so excited to finally start showing you OUR WEDDING!! The CD with all of the files came in this week, and I have been DYING to get them up on the blog! I decided I'm going to do a bit at a time since I know looking through millions of the same couple can get quite boring. Today's post is on my favorite part of my wedding attire - my veil. 

Passed down from my mother, the mantilla veil is made of belgian lace. When we went to try on dresses, she pulled it out of her bag and presented it to me just wondering if there was any interest. I knew I always loved it, and seeing it on with the dress was perfection.

 

Thank you, Mom for passing down your beautiful veil to me.

isn't she beautiful?

Images by Kat Braman Photography & unknown

COASTAL CHIC GIFT WRAPPING

Back from a lovely weekend in Vermont with my sweetie and all I can think about is Christmas is 6 days away! I still have a few presents to buy which may prove a bit challenging this week and I just can't wait to be done with the stores and home for the wrapping. I'm excited to delve into my creative side and pretty all these packages up. 

I'll be using brown kraft paper, striped paper if I can find it, twine, seashells, doily's, crocheted snowflakes, and some of the many branches we had to cut off our Christmas tree because we thought we lived in a mansion when we cut it down :) 

I will post pictures of my finished products once I get to them (hopefully soon), but in the meantime check out these beauties:

images via:

beachhouseliving

marthastewart.com

abeachcottage.com 

BIRTHDAY LOVE

Today is my 27th birthday and my sweet new husband is taking me to Stowe, VT for some cozy lodge time and skiing :) 

Images I found on Pinterest, that I though were birthday appropriate:

Thank you, Brian, for making this the best year of my life, which is the best present a girl could ask for <3

my prince

Happy Girls

I'm having fun learning photoshop - isn't this little cutie a winner?

 :) Happy Friday night

THE OCEAN HOUSE AT CHRISTMAS

My all time favorite hotel, The Ocean House in Watch Hill, Rhode Island, all dolled up for Christmas:

 

It just has this charm and coziness that I've never felt at any hotel before, and to see all the Christmas decorations with the ocean in the background just melts my heart (I know, I'm a little much...).

so sweet, my mother gave us this ornament for our tree this year to remind us of the special place where we got engaged:

What is your favorite hotel for Christmas??

MUSSELS AND PEARLS

I saw this the other day over on Completely Coastal and nearly died, I mean how cute is this!!

The creator of this lovely mussel shell and pearl Christmas tree is Dale Munsill. Dale currently has her trees on display at my all time favorite Ocean House in Watch Hill, RI :)

Aren't they divine?!

Thank you, Maya at Completely Coastal for sharing this lovely item :)

GIFT GUIDE: REMIND HER OF SUMMER

I had lots of fun with this one! We often go to dark blues, grays and jewel tones in the winter which are no doubt lovely and cozy, but sometimes we need a little bright to make us smile and think of the summer, don't you think?

1. Dana Gibson Ikat Frame

2. Kira Kira - Starlette Earrings with Pearls

3. Beach House Living Garden Markers

4. C. Wonder Ikat Mug

5. Monogram Pillow from The Zhush

6. Beach Candle from CocoCozy

7. Anchor Notepad on Etsy

8. Keep Calm and Think of the Beach print by Shorely Chic