EvaForeva

Nail Art

2012-01-27T14:58:00.004-05:00

I was so inspired by Paislea's post that I decided to play with my nail polish.

It was fun!

Happy weekend!

Vintage Pretty, Gallivanting Girls

2012-01-27T10:38:00.003-05:00

I realized this morning that I haven't posted on Vintage Pretty for a while so when I came across Gallivanting Girls curated by talented Kalyn McCutcheon I couldn't wait to feature some of these treasures. Obviously I am drawn to Kaylyn's shop because we have the same admiration for all things "modern vintage" and her photography and inspiring.

See for yourself.

Images from Gallivanting Girls

Oscar Lately

2012-01-26T09:12:00.002-05:00

Watching this adorable video led me to think about posting an Oscar-video here for all the cat lovers out there. What do you think?

P.S. In the last photo, no - it's not a violent attack, just a routine yawn.

Discoveries, Fashioned By

2012-01-25T09:59:00.003-05:00

Sometimes an unexpected combination of two unlikely mediums can create a true beauty. Like that, a mix of rough leather and delicate porcelain turns into these exquisite hanging pods.

Fashioned By is a collaboration between Brooklyn-based designers Farrah Sit and Dana D'Amico. Their website is such an eye candy.

Images from Fashioned By

I Stumbled Upon...

2012-01-24T15:39:00.002-05:00

...this face.

Image credit

Danish Fever

2012-01-24T11:11:00.003-05:00

So remember when I mentioned that we recently got a pair of the most wonderful Danish tables? Here is one of them! They are perfect; exactly what we were missing without even realizing it. You know how you get something new and all you can think about is, "How did we live without it all this time?" Yeah, kind of like that.

Weekend

2012-01-23T10:13:00.003-05:00

The weekend was great - we had a blast learning the basics of rollerskating (awesome!). I didn't take my camera with me but we loved it so much we plan to go every Saturday now so I will bring my camera next time.

Have you tried rollerskating? Are you a pro?

DIY Idea, Passport Leather Cover

2012-01-20T11:51:00.003-05:00

Having some leather left from my previous project I decided to make a passport cover. This handmade piece is quick and easy and is a perfect gift idea for the man in your life.

1. Cut three pieces of leather: one - 5.75" by 7.75" and two - 5.75" by 3.75".

2. Sew two smaller pieces along the edges of the larger piece as shown below. I reserved about 0.25" to 0.5" for seam allowance. Trim the edges with a rotary cutter.

3. Fit the cover on to your passport to make sure the size is right.

4. Design. I used water based acrylic paint and slightly stretched the leather during the drying time to minimize the cracking afterwords. Three layers was plenty.

Your passport cover is done! If you'd like to get some tips on sewing leather using standard sewing machine I recommend this post.

The Chair

2012-01-19T10:30:00.004-05:00

As promised, here is the thrifted Peter Opsvik's ergonomic chair. When we got it, it had the ugliest fuzzy eggplant upholstery so my father kindly offered to refresh it with this neutral gray wool that I got on a 50% off sale.

Surprisingly, this baby is very comfortable and Eva loves seating on it while she is eating or doing homework. She seems to twist and turn much less that usual so that makes me like this chair even more.

Couple of days ago we thrifted two Danish end tables. They are making my heart melt every time I lay my eye on them. I will share them with you very soon.

P.S. Thanks so very much for the kind e-mail you sent me about the new blog design! You made me cry. Well... not really, but I was close.

Welcome

2012-01-18T13:23:00.003-05:00

For the past couple of months I have been making attempts to redesign EvaForeva in order to give it a more distinctive and professional look. I am getting there.

You can see that EvaForeva has a fresh design that I hope you will like as much as I do. Designed by Ana Degenaar, this template is exactly what I was looking for.

I am still customizing it and making some changes but for the most part - it's complete.

So... What do you think?

I Stumbled Upon...

2012-01-18T09:37:00.002-05:00

...Carli Davidson's photography series "Shake" where she captured the dogs shaking the water off their faces. I adore photo projects that are unexpected and surprising.

via PetaPixel, Images from PetaPixel

Film, Weekend

2012-01-17T07:00:00.001-05:00

The weekend was split between thrifting and spending time at my grandma's and my parents house. We found some interesting pieces that I will be adding to the shop this Wednesday.

Oh, while "treasure hunting" this past weekend we came across a very cool chair. I will try to take some photos for you this week. It's simply awesome!

Film, Around The House

2012-01-16T07:10:00.000-05:00

Things have been pretty sweet around the house lately. We got a new rug for our living room and Oscar thought it was a good choice. It's a woven wool and is thinner than any other rugs we've had. We placed a slip-stopper under it but I am thinking of adding some kind of sticky double-sided circles for the corners.

The little plant that is about to bloom is from my friend's house in Seattle. I broke it off her plant and brought it home with me. I never thought it would make it but it rooted and seems to be thriving, surprisingly. I even bought a ceramic planter just for it.

Happy Monday!

I Stumbled Upon...

2012-01-12T10:05:00.003-05:00

...mind-blowing photographic work by Irina Werning. Featured above are just a few samples of the Back To The Future, Part 2. Irina is continuing to work on this project and is now accepting old photos from those who are residing in the Middle East, Istanbul and Iceland.

I strongly recommend to check out all of her series, especially After Army, A Day In Life Of My Muse, and Chini Project.

Lea B 1980 & 2011 Paris

Christoph 1990 & 2011 Berlin Wall

Andy 1964 & 2011 Los Angeles

Maria Jose 1983 & 2011 Buenos Aires

Johannes 1994 & 2011 Hambourg

Images from Irina Werning's website

Gold Antlers Sale - Take 20% Off

2012-01-11T10:41:00.004-05:00

If you found something over at Gold Antlers that you just can't live without, now is the time to grab it. No code required, just mention this sale during the check out and
I will refund 20% back to your Paypal account. Sale is effective today and tomorrow (1/11/12 and 1/12/12).

Here are some of the most recent additions.

Propeller

2012-01-10T12:34:00.000-05:00

For the last several weeks my father has been working on making this wooden propeller to give to his boss who is a pilot/businessman. There were countless formulas, sketches, and wood layers involved in this insane but majorly awesome project and it's finally ready for giving.

New Banner Design

2012-01-09T13:11:00.008-05:00

Have you noticed a new banner up there? I was lucky enough to have the very talented Christa Morris design it for me. It was a real pleasure working with Christa and I am thrilled with what she came up for EvaForeva.

Check out more of Christa's work on her blog.

Image from cjae

Discoveries, Grand Ole Bestiary

2012-01-09T11:18:00.002-05:00

The truth is, and some of you may know it, that Grand Ole Bestiary isn't really a discovery for me. I have been drooling over their prints for a long time and even featured them before on EvaForeva. Just now I came across their shop again and couldn't resist sharing a couple of my favorites with you again in hopes to make your day a little brighter.

Happy Monday!

Images from Grand Ole Bestiary

Film, Beginning of New Year, Part II of II

2012-01-06T14:17:00.004-05:00

In the last post I talked about film and how it actually costs money as opposed to the DSLR. I try to sustain a little "film budget" whenever possible but the truth is that every time I pick up a CD from the photo lab I constantly feel torn spending money on something is isn't a "necessity".

You might have noticed a very limited amount of ad spaces in my sidebar and I haven't really addressed the option to advertise here since I know that some people, in a way, disapprove of blogs that feature advertisement.

I thought about it quite extensively and decided that running a small amount of ad spaces promoting other bloggers with very similar interests and aesthetic would not offend you and, in return, help me pay for a pack of film every now and then.

Film, Beginning of New Year, Part I of II

2012-01-04T17:40:00.004-05:00

I woke up on Sunday with an urge to shoot film that day and I even scored four rolls on sale which made me feel better about spending the money on film when all of my family members say that it's senseless to pay for film when you have a DSLR. Gosh, that was a long sentence, wasn't it?

Anyway, film is not dead, at least not to me, not yet, I haven't played quite enough with it. So there you go, I hope you enjoy the outcomes of my addiction.

Is it time to take the tree and the lights down? It always takes me nearly a year to put all of that away.

Package from Heidelberg

2012-01-03T21:16:00.004-05:00

My friend Ira from Germany sent us a package full of goodies. I am not going to lie, marzipan candies were anticipated hugely. To my excitement the box included three kinds of marzipan (including that adorable tiny "loaf of bread").

I was also lucky to get a little wooden jewelry box and a decorated heart ornament - both handmade.

Ira sends us New Year packages every December and that always makes me feel guilty for not calling her enough.

I love you! Thanks so much for remembering me.

The Wedding in Two Photos

2012-01-02T21:55:00.002-05:00

I thought about it long and hard and came to the conclusion that I just didn't feel completely comfortable posting too many personal photos from the wedding but still wanted to give you a feel of our little ceremony.

I loved seeing these two photos above shot by Andy, she made me wish I owned a wide angle lens I never thought I'd want.

Everything was really laid back and casual and there was so much rain that evening that I even walked barefoot after a while since my shoes were soaked. We felt like every person there contributed to making this a very special night for us and we are truly grateful to our family and friends for not only helping us but simply for making it there and supporting us.

New Years' eve

2011-12-30T21:26:00.001-05:00

During the days that Eva has been on her winter holiday break we have been watching movies, thrifting, guest visiting, celebrating, exchanging gifts and more. Tomorrow is the New Years' eve - the most beloved holiday for our family. We are headed to our friend's house in the evening to celebrate, eat good food, drink champagne, unwrap more gifts, and watch TV.

I hope your New Years' eve is going to be awesome!

Above - a few random photos from around the apartment.

Oscar Lately

2011-12-28T10:26:00.002-05:00

This bad boy is enjoying every moment we spend with him at home. He runs like crazy, knocks the toys off the Christmas tree, regularly gets in trouble just to show how happy he is and win a little bit of extra attention. Just look at that first photo again, a mugshot is what it is. Guilty!

Hi!

2011-12-26T08:59:00.001-05:00

Image from Lucius Art where you will find a ton of awesomeness! Really!

...

2011-12-23T22:22:00.001-05:00

Thank you so much for keeping up with me, whether it's during the last couple of days or during the last couple of years.

Happy Holidays,
xo, Jenya

I Stumbled Upon...

2011-12-21T21:51:00.002-05:00

...this clever tutorial on how to decorate vintage suitcases with fabric and use them as home storage. I never thought it would be so easy. Love it!

Image from A Beautiful Mess

Discoveries, Good Night Day Knits

2011-12-19T09:12:00.002-05:00

I am smitten by the beautiful work of Tara-Lynn Morrison of Good Night Day Knits. Her creations are gorgeous but what makes her pieces stand out from the crowd is her photography. It's original and unexpected. Brilliant!

Images from Good Night Day Knits

Gold Antlers

2011-12-16T15:45:00.002-05:00

Here is a sneak peek of just a couple of new items that will be coming to Gold Antlers.

Have a lovely weekend!

xo, Jenya

DR, Pavement

2011-12-16T09:17:00.002-05:00

Dominican Republic

2011-12-15T10:42:00.006-05:00

So, La Romana ended up being one of the most beautiful places we've ever been to. It was a perfect place for Nelson and I to have a little wedding ceremony since back in August we only did the marriage-thing but never did the wedding-thing. Some of our friends and of course my parents were there. It was special.

Do you see that little white gazebo up there? We exchanged our vows there. One of our friends took the photos and I am hoping to get them soon. Although I usually don't post too many pictures of us here I might share a little peek with you.

We Are Back

2011-12-14T10:48:00.002-05:00

We are back and completely exhausted. I apologize for the Iphone shots but I will be sure to post some good photos tomorrow and Friday.

Thanks so much to everyone who stopped by here and commented in my absence - your warm words were much appreciated after returning home and hearing some unpleasant news (not bad news - just unpleasant). Thank you much! xoxo

Seattle, Film II

2011-12-13T08:00:00.001-05:00

I am coming back from Dominican Republic tonight.

Seattle, Film I

2011-12-12T08:00:00.000-05:00

Alesya got so intrigued with my slightly unhealthy fascination with film that she recently purchased herself an old Fujica AZ-1. While I was visiting Seattle she let me play with it. It was a bit hard to shoot with it in comparison to my own Fujica ST605N, but I had fun nonetheless.

Friday

2011-12-09T08:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Friday friends. I hope your weekend will be eventful.

If you stop by next Monday and Tuesday you might see some snapshots of my very last Seattle series in film. I love film.

Holiday Sale

2011-12-07T21:11:00.002-05:00

If you are in the area, be sure to stop by and check out the most amazing work of my fiend Julia of Rennes.

Vintage Pretty, Goree Lane

2011-12-07T11:35:00.000-05:00

Lovely finds from Goree Lane to brighten your day.

For the rest of today I will be packing and taking care of the last minute things before leaving for Dominican Republic tomorrow morning at shocking 3am. There will be some posts scheduled and Gold Antlers will remain open but all shipments will go out on the 14th of December.

I am so excited!!!

Seattle, Sun

2011-12-06T08:37:00.001-05:00

During the five days we spent in Seattle the sun came out for about two hours. Just thinking about it now makes me realize one more thing to be grateful about - living in a place where sun treats people a little better.

I still haven't finished posting all the photos from Seattle and in two days we are leaving for Dominican Republic. I will try my best to schedule some lovely posts for you during the time I am gone and when I am back there will be more photos. Is there anything you would like me to shoot while I am there?

Discoveries, Regal Rose

2011-12-05T10:11:00.002-05:00

I never considered hair extensions for myself but these feather pretties are so delicate and feathery-light that I think it might just be the perfect accessory for a New Year's party or even an unconventional wedding. Would you wear it?

Images are from Regal Rose

Seattle, The Conservatory, Part II

2011-12-02T13:43:00.007-05:00

Seattle, The Conservatory

2011-12-02T09:24:00.007-05:00

One of the best things we did in Seattle was visiting The Conservatory at the Volunteer Park. The funny thing is we didn't know about it and had a meeting arranged at the park. We noticed the glass house with what looked like plants inside and thought it would be a good place to warm up. We ended up spending the whole hour there.

The Friends of the Conservatory had to fight to keep the entrance free to the public so if you are in the area, please stop by - you will love it.

This is just half of the shots I took in The Conservatory. Did you want to see some cactus photos? Say what?

Oscar Lately

2011-12-01T10:30:00.003-05:00

I decided to take a short break from Seattle photos as to not overload you with them. For all of the Oscar-Lovers out there - here you go.

On unrelated subject, I have so many new fun treasures for Gold Antlers that I have to list. Shopping, restoring, photographing them is a fun part, listing them - that's another story. But in any case, I am getting there trying to add at least one new item to the shop daily. The bull horns and the brass lamp are my recent favorites. Oh, and there is a bird cage of course...

Seattle, Part II, Kids

2011-11-30T09:51:00.004-05:00

Seattle, Part II, Around The House

2011-11-29T09:45:00.001-05:00

Alesya and I know each other from the first grade and are now closer than ever. Although she lives on the other side of the country, we talk on the phone nearly daily and try our hardest to see one another at least once every two years. She is the funniest most sarcastic person ever and I love her for the way she is.

These are very few snapshots of her house. I wanted to take more photos there but the absence of natural light was rather debilitating.

Oh, Christine from Lovingly Simple featured Gold Antlers! I love how she mixed up the photos with colors and shapes!

P.S. sale is still on

SALE

2011-11-28T11:37:00.005-05:00

Shop Gold Antlers!

Seattle, Part I

2011-11-28T08:50:00.000-05:00

It's a new week! The winter holidays are just around the corner! Things are wonderful!

We got back from Seattle on Saturday evening and thankfully had a Sunday to recover from a five hour flight. Philadelphia welcomed us with much missed sun, something people of Seattle don't see very often.

I will be posting many photos from our trip all week here so I hope you check them out.

Also, thanks for all your comments and visits while I was away! It felt good knowing you stopped by.

Hi

2011-11-24T08:00:00.001-05:00

Not a big deal, just a German Shepperd looking out of the very bizarre whole in the wall. No big deal.

Happy turkey day!

Yellow Bird, Yellow Beard

2011-11-23T08:00:00.001-05:00

Do you love paper garlands? Janee makes the most stylish garlands that come in different shapes and colors. They are perfect for all kinds of occasions like weddings and baby showers.

My most favorite item in her shop is the customizable word banner. How cool would it be to surprise your office colleague with a fun message in their cubicle or a teacher with their name across the blackboard? The ideas for this banner are endless!

Images from Yellow Bird, Yellow Beard

Fresh

2011-11-22T08:00:00.003-05:00

I thought I'd share with you some of the items I added to the shop right before we left for the trip. The shop remains open while I am gone and all packages will be shipped Monday of next week.

Have a happy Tuesday!

Weekend

2011-11-21T09:37:00.005-05:00

Did you have a lovely weekend?

We came across some wonderful finds for the shop, had breakfast in Center City, shopped for art supplies, and took walks. It's a little hectic around here right now
as we just learned that there is a good chance that we will actually be able to fly to Seattle tomorrow (fingers crossed). If so, posting will be light although I will try to schedule something.

Roses

2011-11-18T10:13:00.004-05:00

I might have gone overboard with the roses here but hey, I wanted to celebrate the opening of Gold Antlers. We have the most beautiful park with roses near where we live and it's almost special to see blooming flowers this late in the fall.

Nelson, Eva and I have a short trip planned for next week but not sure if it's going to go through. Fingers crossed. If all is good, I should bring back a ton of fancy photos.

One more thing - I just wanted to thank everyone for their warm words about the new shop. Your kind comments and encouraging e-mails were so uplifting!

xoxo

Walk in the Park

2011-11-17T09:41:00.007-05:00

My parents, Eva and I took a walk in a park near us this past weekend and found gorgeous colors and textures all around. The air was filled with autumn.

It's that time of the year when one starts to think of what they are thankful for. I am thankful for having a loving family, living in a small but lovely apartment, for sunny days, and for you stopping by my blog, looking, commenting, coming back... Thank you!

Weekend

2011-11-15T18:43:00.003-05:00

I just wanted to give you a glimpse of our new living room floor and a couple of other snapshots from the house, including the final arrangement of the over-the-sofa wall art, a marzipan chocolate bar my dad got me, and my dining room window light, although not necessarily in that order. I will try to make the time to shot the whole living room and dining room soon.

I am excited to photograph more items for Gold Antlers tomorrow.

new shop, GOLD ANTLERS

2011-11-14T10:39:00.007-05:00

I am beyond thrilled to finally share the news about Gold Antlers - my new shop. It's a virtual vintage store featuring special finds for home and soul.

For the past several months I have been trying to figure out how to combine my love for vintage and my passion for photographing objects on a smaller scale (guilty of doing too many close-ups) and this is how Gold Antlers was born. I enjoy searching high and low for that special piece that someone would love one day and invest my time in cleaning it, photographing it, and then - bringing it to my virtual marketplace for that someone to find.

About the name, to me the word antlers signifies something that has been shed and is unwanted by some (often it is the case with vintage pieces) and gold is something that has always been treasured and cherished. Hence, Gold Antlers.

Please stop by and look around. Of course I would be forever grateful for helping me spread the word about the launch of Gold Antlers.

Much love,
Jenya

Light

2011-11-11T09:48:00.002-05:00

Are you having a good Friday?

I thought that today I will take a break from Others' Photos and share with you this photo I took with my iphone a couple of days ago. It's somewhat special to me as it signifies the light and all the good things that are to come.

About the news I promised to share with you - soon, very soon.

Thanks for sticking around!

Oscar Lately

2011-11-09T22:16:00.003-05:00

Mr. Oscar has been taking in the sun, looking out for birds and squirrels, and dieting. At the request of the vet, this kitty needs to loose a couple pounds.

Now that we are finishing laying the laminate flooring (yeeps), it is promising to be less comfortable for Oscar so we decided to buy a bed for him. If anyone knows where to look for stylish cat beds, do let me know please.

Shhhh!

2011-11-08T09:28:00.005-05:00

Lately I have been working hard on a new project that has been on my mind for a very long time but I never had the time and the balls to bring it to life. I made some time and I grew a pair and in the next couple of days I will share the news with you guys!

In addition to that, I am planning to invest even more time and soul into EvaForeva so your support here goes a long way. Your comments and e-mails make my day
but I am also grateful for you simply stopping by and looking around.

Discoveries, Jenna Rose

2011-11-07T13:26:00.005-05:00

When I was browsing through Etsy shops earlier I was craving some linen/leather goodness and then I found Jenna Rose's linen buckets. These buckets feature
a cotton lining and genuine leather handles and various illustrations are screen printed by hand. They make such a stylish alternative to weave baskets and other
storage containers. Since these buckets are breathable so they are perfect for storing wool yarn skeins.

Images from Jenna Rose

Forest Views

2011-11-04T12:58:00.004-04:00

I have some fantastic news friends! Remember the carpet bummer? Well, the management agreed for us to lay laminate flooring! Yep. I am super thrilled. Three of us celebrated this great news last night over sushi.

I am excited to do some thrifting this weekend and as well as perhaps planning a fun date for Nelson and I...

Have an eventful weekend!

Others' Photos

2011-11-04T11:28:00.003-04:00

I love their photos of mountains and tips of trees. The perspective from which most of them were taken makes me feel like they enjoyed being "on top of the world". I bet that all the good things were in their rich and they knew it.

Enjoy your Friday - Fridays are fun!

This Time in 2010

2011-11-02T09:54:00.003-04:00

Last evening we lost Internet connection so I browsed through my old photo files and found these shots from early November of last year. My dad, Eva and I went for a walk in a park. It was cold and sunny, just like today. And the air was filled with smell of autumn, just like today.

Sometimes it feels like time stands still for me while I watch my daughter grow and change so fast. It makes me want to do something profound, meaningful. It makes me want to be someone more important that I am right now. It makes me crave a change for the bigger and better. It makes me want to act.

Giveaway Winner is...

2011-11-02T09:50:00.001-04:00

Congrats to Shardi! I will be contacting you soon.

Eva

2011-10-31T21:37:00.001-04:00

Did you have a fun Halloween? Sadly I didn't take my camera with us last night but these photos above are from last Friday's Silly Hat Day Eva had at school. The day before that they had silly hair day but I didn't get the memo so I tried to overcompensate and managed to do both for her - silly hair and silly hat all at once.

Halloween

2011-10-31T12:07:00.000-04:00

This was one of my favorite posts on EvaForeva.

Halloween is such a fun holiday. Are you dressing up this year? Nelson and I are taking a break this time since we kind of overdid it during the last five or six years but Eva is going to be La Senorita Rosa. No kidding!

Happy Halloween!

Discoveries, Gloria Marigo

2011-10-31T09:41:00.003-04:00

I am smitten with the dreamy photography of Italian artist Gloria Marigo. You can't help but to think up an imaginary story when looking at one of her works; they are simple yet meaningful and mysterious, don't you think?

The giveaway is open until tomorrow!

Images from Gloria Marigo

Rocks

2011-10-28T13:58:00.000-04:00

I am so fortunate to have my parents near and, in fact, I see myself needing their company more and more lately. They are so understanding and supportive and I know that no matter what - I can always rely on them.

Every time we go to the park we always look for some special quartz rocks that I now enjoy collecting. I always thought it would be fun to see how they'd look sliced and polished. So there I go. To my dad. Asking him to help me with this new crazy idea of mine.

He sliced. He polished. He woke up all the neighbors while doing it. Isn't he amazing?

Have a lovely weekend and enter the giveaway if you didn't.

xoxo, Jenya

Others' Photos

2011-10-28T09:32:00.004-04:00

As I was looking through a dusty pile of others' photos trying to pick a special one and my eyes stopped on this image of a barn surrounded by fields of dandelions.
It's so peaceful and timeless like many other photos in this album.

The handwritten note on the back says: Field of Dandelions Outside Bennington. May 1964.

I have one little post for you before I wrap up for the weekend so stay tuned.

DIY Idea, Lavender Pyramids

2011-10-27T10:09:00.002-04:00

At first I used my lavender pyramids by placing one or two near our pillows. I looked forward to the relaxing, stress-melting scent of lavender before falling asleep. Then I decided to place one in my car and loved how the sun released the lovely scent. I thought it would be great to keep one in my office to help me remain my sanity at work. Now I just make them as little gifts to family and friends and they love receiving them.

Making lavender pyramids is easy and fun.

Start by printing the pattern and transferring it onto your fabric. I recommend using natural fabrics like linen or cotton. Cut along the lines, seam allowance is already included.

Begin with the handle. Fold it lengthwise in the middle, then fold each side in the middle again like shown in photo.

Sew along the edge.

Now is the most important part - take the edge A and fold it over to the edge B. Press on the folded part to mark the place where the handle will be inserted.

Open the fabric piece, place the folded handle inside like shown in photo and fold the piece again.

Sew along that side.

Now that the trickiest part is over, fold the other two sides as shown in photo and sew along that edge.

Move on to the last side. This time just sew half way.

Your pyramid should look like this.

Turn it right side out. Using a paper cone fill the pyramid with lavender.

Sew the opening by hand using a blind stitch.

You are done!

The giveaway is still on!

Discoveries, Bookhou at Home

2011-10-26T10:31:00.006-04:00

Just as I was getting this post ready, the amazing Bookhou at Home appeared as Etsy's Featured Seller. I've been admiring their beautiful textiles and true
craftsmanship of their work for a while.

It's great to see John and Arounna combine the edgy geometrical patterns with feminine flowery designs making their pieces current and classic at the same time.

Wouldn't Bookhou pouches make wonderful holiday gifts?

Images from Bookhou at Home

Giveaway, Shabby Apple

2011-10-24T10:28:00.006-04:00

Just in time for mid-winter vacations, I am thrilled to host a giveaway for Shabby Apple - a store that offers dresses for women, little girls, and even moms-to-be.

Not only does Shabby Apple sells dresses, it helps women worldwide. They are involved with 10 of India's most promising microfinance organizations that provide financial services to more than 1.6 million hard-working women and their families. Every $100 donation from Shabby Apple Dresses provides at least 20 women with access to financial services - and the chance to live a life without poverty.

If you'd like a chance to win this vintage inspired white Lighthouse dress, all you need to do is like Shabby Apple on Facebook and follow EvaForeva. Then simply leave a comment with your e-mail address so I can contact you. Sorry, this time US resident only. The winner will be announced November 1st and will have 24 hours to respond.

Shabby Apple is also generous enough to offer 10% off coupon to all EvaForeva followers. It will be valid for a month. Just enter "evaforeva10off" during check out.

Images from Shabby Apple

Weekend

2011-10-23T10:02:00.005-04:00

Although it was pretty bare around here during the last week, I am determined to deliver these next five days. Fear no more, Jenya is back - rested, renewed, improved and inspired!

I missed you! Oh, and thanks for your much needed input on the Wall Art post.

Wall Art

2011-10-20T10:23:00.004-04:00

Last couple of days have been a bit complicated and so I took a few days off from blogging. When there is a lot on my mind I find it hard to get inspired and I don't want to post just to ...post.

But today I am determined to figure out what I am going to do with my big empty wall over the sofa. I have been collecting some pictures for it but instead of making a ton of wholes in the wall trying to position the pieces I thought that I will do a couple of tries with the use of Photoshop first.

I was hoping you can help. Do you like any of these plans? Do you have another idea of how to position the pieces?

A little background on these.

The largest piece is a mind-blowing needlework Nelson and I picked up at the Goodwill not too long ago. It's from 1976. We paid $4. My father built a frame for it from reclaimed wood.

You met the ship/goat (people are still arguing about this one) from our recent trip to the Philly Zoo. I found the frame years ago on a street.

The letter A was built by my father from reclaimed wood. He designed it himself. I love the mid-century modern look.

The white frame features the film photo I took of the Brooklyn Bridge - our most favorite bridge.

Finally, the smallest two wooden frames, yes - built by my dad, hold very special film prints.

I do realize that these are all very different and perhaps only a fool would mix all of them together, but somehow I am feeling adventurous.

So what do you say? Crazy? Awesome? Despicable?

P.S. I might take Friday off as well and have more of "me" time. Others' Photos will be up next Friday. Have a great weekend.

Weekend, Around the House

2011-10-16T21:50:00.001-04:00

This weekend was one of the most relaxing ones in a long time. We did nothing and it felt good. I did, however, prepared a new DIY Idea post that will be shared with you soon. Here is a clue to what it might be - something for stress.

Other's Photos

2011-10-14T15:36:00.005-04:00

I found this photo to be super adorable. Isn't it sweet that while the wife was going down the hill in that rail seat, the husband snapped the photo of her in front of that beautiful background.

Looking through all of the other photos I haven't posted yet it's pretty clear that these guys were true nature lovers.

Oscar Lately

2011-10-13T09:47:00.004-04:00

Here is a little Oscar update for you cat-lovers out there.

This 16lb animal is just the same silly monster. Now that it's getting colder he likes to cuddle with us way more that he did during the summer. His favorite time of
the day is when Eva goes to sleep (cause he knows it's not wise to drift into a deep sleep when she can jump out of nowhere and start squeezing him) and Nelson
and I watch TV, he places his enormous body between us and lets go.

Oscar especially fancies the woven wool throw my grandma gave us.

I Stumbled Upon...

2011-10-12T12:54:00.004-04:00

...Ariko Inaoka's beautiful photography. These images look as if they were taken out from a mysterious fairytale book every child in the world would want to read. Such an inspiration!

Images from Ariko Inaoka's website

Weekend, Zoo

2011-10-10T16:31:00.004-04:00

Naturally, I took a bunch of photos during our trip to the zoo but when I looked through all of them at home that first image really stood out from the others. It seems screaming and silent at the same time. Silence of the Lambs, anyone?

Others' Photos

2011-10-10T10:16:00.005-04:00

Just catching up with my Friday's Others' Photos post. I couldn't wait to show you this gorgeous photo here - it's so reminiscent of the yearly season now and the colors and the crisp feel of the autumn air. This particular image seems so timeless and relate-able as if it could exist anywhere in the Universe. Every country I've ever been to has scenes like this one.

This post was supposed to go live last Friday but that Thursday evening Eva fell down the stairs and we had to take her to the hospital. She is completely fine now except for some scratches on her forehead and her neck but any head injury is so very scary. Now she is showing off her boo-boos to anyone who is willing to look.

The stamp on the back of the photo indicates the date: November 1976.

16 by 20

2011-10-08T16:37:00.000-04:00

We found a fancy vintage frame a long time ago and I knew I wanted to blow up one of my photos to fit its 16 by 20 size. I snapped these shots at the Philly Zoo and
am now thinking one of the might be the winner. I just don't know if I can handle a massive skull over my head while I am sitting on my couch, you know? But at the
same time I do like a certain degree of creepiness in it. Does that make me creepy?

Perhaps even black and white...

Film, Part II

2011-10-06T10:03:00.005-04:00

As promised, here is the second and final set of the film roll. Did you spot a pair of old reading glasses in the dirt? Crazy, no?

On an unrelated note, in my recent apartment photo post Rhiannon suggested that I should do more of the wide angle shots to reveal a larger picture of my home. The thing is that I have been wanting to do it for a while but was hoping that we would get permission to replace our living room carpet with laminate flooring. Well, two days ago we found out that we are officially not allowed to do it.

I know I should just give up and accept the thick furry carpet but it doesn't stop me from dreaming about ripping it out with my bare hands.

Anyway, now that we are at the point where we have to accept the unacceptable, I will surely take some of the larger scale photos of our living room that I was saving for when we would have the new flooring. Rrrright... I am currently in the process of figuring out the wall art over the sofa so once I am done - you know you are going to be the first ones to be invited to take a peek.

Film, Part I

2011-10-05T12:20:00.005-04:00

I finally got my film processed and was overjoyed with the results. These shots will be my little reminders of sweet events my family and I had.

The first instinct of sharing all of the photos at once almost overpowered me but I was able to hold myself together. I promise to share the second part very soon.

I hope you like them.

Hair

2011-10-03T21:00:00.000-04:00

Can I just say ...wow.

via gary pepper vintage

Weekend

2011-10-02T18:28:00.004-04:00

This weekend has been pretty awesome. We cleaned the apartment, visited friends, looked for pretty quartz clusters in the park. I was so eager to share the roll of
film I shot but the lab was not able to process it in time. Perhaps tomorrow or the day after I will have it for you guys.

Until then, here is a peek into our somewhat updated living room.

Above is a pretty rad new plant we got and a hanging vase with the flowers from my mom's yard.

New chair more photos of which I will be sharing soon. That yellow leather basket was a recent find at a publishing office/yard sale in New Hope. It's probably meant for magazines but I put my yarn in it.

I told you we hunted for quartz in the park... now I just have to figure out if it's possible to polish it somehow. The wooden vase and the mirror are also recent thrift finds. So wi the needlework wall art below.

More pretty rocks.

I hope you had a wonderful weekend. Don't you have a feeling like this is going to be a special week?

Others' Photos

2011-09-30T09:32:00.003-04:00

Well, there you go. The couple had a doggy, who apparently liked to pose for photos, a fenced yard and a tiny little shed.

Handwritten on the back:
Robin. Three and a half years old. 1964.

Have a great weekend!

Leather Bag

2011-09-29T09:18:00.003-04:00

A couple of weeks ago I came across a leather bag I really liked. I thought I could probably make it myself but I have never worked with a large piece of leather before and wasn't even sure where to buy it and what to look for. So I emailed Julia asking for suggestions. Several days later I come home to find a package by my door. It was two hides of lamb leather Julia so kindly sent to me. I was in haven; the leather was smooth and soft and the color was just dreamy!

Now let me tell you - working with leather is DIFFICULT! My heart was jumping out of my chest while I was holding my rotary cutter over it. There is no room for mistakes during cutting and especially sewing. My regular machine handled the two thin layers fine but places with four layers needed to be done by me manually spinning the wheel of the sewing machine. I used baby powder but that helped to glide the layers only slightly.

My bag turned out to be pretty awesome though and I still have little pieces of leather left so now I am thinking of something small I can make with it.

Julia, you are such a dear friend! Thanks for being awesome!

P.S. Can you believe that Eva took these photos above? I am so proud of her.

Vintage Pretty, Kibster

2011-09-28T11:57:00.003-04:00

Kibster is such a lovely shop full of charming mid-century pieces. Kimberly, the owner of Kibster, has such an eye when it comes to selecting the most lovely Danish style finds. I honestly don't know how she has the heart to part with them all.

Images from Kibster

Bits and Pieces

2011-09-27T08:26:00.005-04:00

These are all bits and pieces from the last two weeks of shooting film. The rose above is from my parents' neighboring yard. It belongs to two old Italian sisters that take such good care of their flower garden. Sometimes, after washing their vintage linens they hang them to dry outside and I love how their laundry, something so far from being appealing, transforms and even decorates the whole back yard.

Two photos above were shot on the way to the wine festival in New Jersey. NJ has some of the most beautiful corn and wild flower fields.

On Sunday Eva and I along with my parents and their friends went to a park we've never been to and I completely fell in love with it. to my disappointment I only had four shots left in my Fujica. Right above is a photo of my parents' friend and her dog Dasha. Syema used to be a dance champion back in the days and now she volunteers her time to teach dance to senior citizens.

I held Dasha in my arms and she felt really warm, like a wool blanket.

This photo was also taken in the park. A group of Chinese visitors were bringing food to the park for a picnic along with this huge bucket of grapes.

Coming back to visit my parents. All the roads seem to lead me back to them.

Today I have an appointment to see a dentist. Did I ever mention that my fear of dentists is actually a full-blown phobia. I am going to try laughing gas for the first time. Cross your fingers for me.

Weekend

2011-09-26T21:32:00.002-04:00

Time with friends, movies, thrifting, eating, drinking coffee.

Others' Photos

2011-09-26T09:48:00.004-04:00

I got a little carried away last Friday and totally forgot to update Others' Photos post. This morning I frantically looked through all the photos trying to pick the "one". Isn't it beautiful? On the back of it there is a handwritten note that says, "View of the MT Wash from Wildcat MT." The Kodak stamp indicates the date - September 64.

They must have been happy campers, judging from all the gorgeous photos that are to come. There are a lot of nature inspired photos and maybe even a doggy in their past ... Check back on Friday to see more.

Terrarium

2011-09-21T21:41:00.002-04:00

My terrarium from the City Planter is barely alive. The wrinkly and somewhat dried out plants in it lead me to think that I am killing them slowly, very slowly.

And then the moss terrarium is long gone.

Am I to give up? No sir. After stealing some moss from the nearby park and getting three lovely little plants (please don't die) I decided to make another terrarium for my friend - perhaps she will be more successful in growing the creep.

P.S. Unless you want to spend a big chunk of your wallet on the glass container, check your nearby thrift shops. I got mine for 90 cents. Crazy.

Hanging Planter

2011-09-21T09:51:00.003-04:00

This most amazing hanging planter is a new addition to our apartment. Yes, it's as smooth as it looks.

I explained to my dad how I envisioned my dream hanging pot to look like and one week later I had this wooden creation. It was supposedly a very complicated project that involved creating separate wooden rings that he stacked and glued together. He had a limited collection of reclaimed wood and somewhat insufficient turning equipment or else he would have made the whole thing out of one piece. He spent countless hours on sanding and polishing it.

Now, suspended by three leather cords, it hangs in the most visible corner of our living room and will, I am sure, be a conversation piece and one of the most cherished handmade possessions of mine.

Film, Wine Festival

2011-09-20T16:00:00.000-04:00

The next day after we got back from New York we decided to clean the apartment. Restlessly, we scrubbed one room after the next until everything sparkled.

Surely, as to reward ourselves, we headed to the wine festival in New Jersey. Tasting dozens of wine flavors was a perfect way to finish the weekend.

And now to the winner of the rose quartz necklace, congrats to Chandler! I will be e-mailing you shortly. For everyone else - a huge thanks for stopping by EvaForeva. I felt so honored that you seemed to like the necklace and wished that I could send one to every one of you. Perhaps another necklace giveaway some time soon?

EvaForeva

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