BrianaE Designs

my new little man.

2011-03-28T14:57:00.000-07:00

Benjamin

Born: February 23, 2011

He's a big boy, 9 lbs 4 oz at birth, but now not at all like a newborn. That picture was taken at 7 days old, he was born with all that hair! I miss being pregnant a lot, I was very lucky because I had zero complaints. But I'm over the moon excited to finally meet my wee one, we'll have him on a pony in no time!

snow.

2011-03-27T09:29:00.000-07:00

This is what greeted me this morning when I walked to the barn to feed my wee horse in my PJ's and Wellies (classy, I know). Snow.

Dear Spring, hurry up and arrive already!

It's in March that I start thinking about Paris. I think about how green the grass is getting and how warm the days are now and more importantly all those pastries and espresso that aren't being consumed by me. What a waste!

I know, I just left and it was covered in snow even then. I actually considered staying and having my baby there, nothing wrong with dual citizenship, right?? But I grudgingly packed up my lovely apartment and left before I was too far along to fly.

I took this shot walking around in December.

But walking around in the blizzard was even Parisian sublime, people were smiling and chatting excitedly to strangers about all the snow. It felt like it brought everyone together, even my grouchy neighbor knocked on my door to ask me if I needed him to pick something up while he was out. Ah, the city of love and lights putting an end to grouchiness.........for a moment.

I want to be there.

peacock love

2010-10-28T15:58:00.001-07:00

I've fallen in love with the new Liberty of London peacock fabric I bought in England and just had to make a tote from it, I listed it and the first one already sold right away. I hope she loves it!

I've neglected my blog because of this little distraction.

21 weeks already! It's going much too fast and I want the time to slow down. This pregnancy has been totally blissful (I'm probably cursing myself by stating that!), I've loved every moment of it and now that the baby is kicking I love it even more. I'm knitting up a storm for him!

Meet my other new baby......

Her name is Cassiopeia and she's a Percheron Cross mare, she's only two years old (unbroken and still a bit gawky and has to grow into her body, she'll be about 16.3) so by the time I have the baby in March she and I will both be ready to go. Until then I'll be lunging her all fall and winter and handling her enough so she's ready by April. I can't wait to train her over some jumps!

So I've been a bit a very busy bee! I have 5 new clutches curing as we speak that I'll be posting here in the next week or so just in time for the holidays.

my tiny secret.....revealed. tada!

2010-08-04T16:08:00.000-07:00

It's been really hard keeping being pregnant a secret for so long, but I thought I should wait the normal three months before I announced the news. Yesterday I saw it, watched the heart flutter, and heard the heart beat!

I'M SO EXCITED! The little one looks like a gummy bear so far! ;)

I think I'm due for an "I'm so crafty I make people" shirt.

turquoise waters

2010-07-29T16:31:00.000-07:00

Driving to CDG last week was sad for me, I had to keep telling myself that I will be back in September, just a short number of weeks. But I when I flew into St. Martin and that warm, salty air hit me I couldn't help but smile. I jumped on a questionable looking boat and took the long ride to the other islands to begin my ten days alone on a beach and then an other week with my dear friends. I'm already a bit burnt. I'll buy a new camera while I'm here and post a few pictures, until then I only have my Droid. Now I'm off to drink some Ting!

Sweet, blissful solitude.

good things come is small packages

2010-07-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

Behold........my 6 inch clutches!

This fabric was just begging for a little 6 inch silk lined clutch!

The weather has been divine! I've been visiting the Philips Collection Museum, my favorite spot in DC for some solitude, even when I drag a friend or two there. I can't get enough of it, so I've become a member. And we've been eating outside while we can, DC is having a bit of a restaurant renaissance!

No knitting or spinning lately, I'm just too busy. My poor Shetland Triangle and Lady Eleanor that have been left on their needles for a very long time! I began knitting and spinning to relieve stress years ago and I was so stressed I became addicted to it. But life is so easy going now, but still busy, that I don't feel the need to knit! Maybe when the airs starts to get crisp again in the fall.....apple picking season!

Have a happy and safe 4th of July weekend!

it's been much too long.....

2010-06-28T10:09:00.000-07:00

Life's been busy and my wee blog has been left out in the cold, I've had so much to blog about though.....go figure! I'll catch up with all the good news soon!

Spring and summer has brought with it some lovely new Liberty of London fabrics that work perfectly with the eight inch clutches!

We also passed the first week in June with the annual Upperville Horse Show and my most favorite day is the The Jumper Classic, some highlights:

I'm off to Anguilla in a week for a much and long needed vacation, this will my first truly laid back vacation in 10 years!! And then I'm off to Seattle to visit a friend in August....it's time to enjoy life a bit, it's much too short!

wordless wednesday.

2010-03-24T18:14:00.001-07:00

Paris.

Cozy.

2010-03-09T15:34:00.000-08:00

Knitting and winding in bed, pure indulgence.

please pardon our dust.....

2010-02-11T13:14:00.000-08:00

....while I move the rest of my things to my new studio space, well new to my sewing machine, I have a weekday reprieve from the country I've rented since July. The cutest carriage house near Kalorama that I've made mine! Pictures coming as soon as I set up the wireless.

I'm also taking a break from all this snow starting next week (and the snowball fights in the streets of DC!) and it will be sourdough in Sausalito with a friend until I can take no more. So postings may be few, but I will be updating my shop remotely with my new clutches. Cheers!

ginkgo.

2010-01-26T07:14:00.000-08:00

I love this sateen fabric and I think it looks better in the 8 inch clutch size. (I'm no longer selling 12 in clutches in my Etsy shop, unless there is a special request.) The oranges, reds and army greens go perfect together. I have a new batch of Spring fabric, I'll be posting new clutches in a few days.

I'm off to shop for fabric, I have a fundraiser coming up in February and need a very special horse country fabric for the special event!

Other than that I'm LOVING our new Dim Sum place here in DC, Ping Pong, I wish it was open 24/7 (it almost is)!

Vacances.

2010-01-16T07:20:00.000-08:00

Much needed and well deserved. Au revoir pour maintenant!

Tote.

2010-01-15T13:08:00.000-08:00

My tote frame kisslock clutches have been finished and no sooner had I listed the first tote in my Etsy shop than someone had bought one! I hope they love it! I'm making a damask one for myself.

I'm looking forward to the Spring, that's the wonderful thing about the seasons and fashion/retail, you always get to look forward to the next season. Winter doldrums get brightened by Spring colors. I have a high stack of new fabrics I'm about to dive into for the Spring, things seem to be falling into place and we're getting ready planning for The Middleburg Hunt Spring Races in April and our very Valentiney Hunt Ball in February. A lot to be happy about for 2010, I'm happily saying goodbye to 2009!

good things come in small packages.

2009-12-07T11:55:00.000-08:00

I've made an eight inch version of the other Damask clutch and I love it, I'm making one for myself. I just listed it in ye olde shoppe.

I spent part of the weekend braving the wet snow during The Middleburg Christmas parade, it was treacherous!

That's me in the last two shots, I think the smile was frozen on my face.

I'm off making a new bag design and hope to get some up very soon, I think they'll be perfect for the spring!

thanksgiving birds.

2009-11-24T06:18:00.000-08:00

I've made another frame clutch purse with the lovely fabric from the Etsy painter Karin Grow, the blue chickadees are so very lovely.

This pretty clutch features sweet birds sitting on a branch on a blue background, this fabric is available in limited quantities and the first time to be offered as a clutch on Etsy, give it a look see: Briana E. Etsy Shop . Lined in complimentary cream white Silk Dupioni. This is my favorite fabric from Karin yet!

We're getting ready for Thanksgiving here, this year we've made it easier on ourselves so I won't be my usual.......what would you call it.......completely exhausted self. It leaves the morning for a chilly horse ride through the country. Although it will be a flurry of pie making on Wednesday, which is my favorite part of Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!

fall.

2009-11-09T08:35:00.000-08:00

I finished this colorful damask clutch last week and have already sold the first. I love the details of my new fall fabric, I wish the photos could capture the crispness of the pattern and the colors.
And it just so happened that the silk dupioni lining matches the sage green perfectly. Lucky day.

on holiday.

2009-10-20T11:44:00.000-07:00

I may not return. Ever.

Plumage.

2009-10-18T14:11:00.000-07:00

The first one of my Green Peacock clutches already sold. I love this fabric, It was hard letting it go, I'm running off now to make one for myself. The second is up in my Etsy shop.

naughty.

2009-10-16T04:27:00.000-07:00

That's me. I don't even want to admit the last time I was able to blog. But, it's been a flurry of purse frames and fabric and I've got the new fall clutches ready in my Etsy shop, with more to come.

This is the green and white embroidered clutch with a pink silk lining, I love the way the embroidery looks like Wedgewood Jasperware.

I've been enjoying the fall weather and foliage and riding horses on chilly mornings. We mixed the cool weather with a little bit of oppressive humid at Jekyll Island, GA for a lovely wedding last week. I'm VERY excited that the holidays are around the corner and the clutches are all lined up and ready.

love.

2009-08-14T08:16:00.001-07:00

I received a very large order of fabric a few weeks ago from the talented artist Karin Grow. I'm in love, true love. I'll be posting my clutches made with the pink, orange, and blue fabric very soon to add to the clutches in yellow and melon pink I've already made with her fabric. Thank you Karin!

black. white. repeat.

2009-08-04T04:52:00.000-07:00

I've recently found out that my favorite fabric has been discontinued. Of course. So I've been scouring the earth for the last thread of it. In the meantime I found some of the black and white that's left and I've paired it with a deep dark red silk dupioni lining. I think it's quite pretty.

I had a lovely day of riding on a carriage and riding two sets of horses yesterday, it was hot, really hot. But the moment we got trotting the breeze was sublime.

black. white.

2009-07-23T16:44:00.000-07:00

These kisslock clutches are a summer favorite so far, especially for the brides and bridesmaids. It seems to be the clean crisp lines of the black and white and then the little pop of color when they open up the bag that's winning them over. Thank you for your orders, I put a lot of care into every piece of jewelry and clutch!

It's been a whirlwind of fabric lately, so I will have more than 20 new clutches to add to the Etsy shop very soon and they will all be lined in dupioni silk or (cotton if you prefer). I tried to stay away from the silk because it's not very practical for everyday, that's what I've been told, but I love the look of it and finally gave in. I'm thinking a cotton sateen lining will be replacing the standard cotton very soon!

I've been eating every single piece of fruit in the DC area lately, the summer is the best time for berry picking in the woods of VA and the farmer's markets. And with the Eastern Market re-opening recently it's been all that much more sweet!

brilliant.

2009-07-17T07:55:00.000-07:00

This is from the "Anarmophic Cups" series from Ross McBride.

Had to share.

I found it at my new obsession: ShareSomeCandy.

lovely write up.

2009-07-14T22:32:00.001-07:00

I received an email today telling me that they had found my clutch on a blog. That there had been a wonderful write up from Jaye from Melbourne, Australia and she is the writer of Trampoline Days (<-----click here!).

She wrote about my favorite clutch:

Thanks Jaye, I'm honored!

studio 54.

2009-07-14T07:43:00.000-07:00

These clutches have been a summer favorite, especially for the wedding parties. I've been loving all the requests for the different color linings to make them their own! I'm really busy sewing and designing and so pleased things are going so well. They can be ordered through Etsy and many have been ordered through Flickr because that's where all my pictures are.

I'm subletting an artist friend's studio close to the "city" now, it's very decadent, even though it's teeny tiny. I'm very "Town and Country" now, I call them my country cottage and city flat! I have to laugh at myself really, otherwise I'd be lost.

I'm a lucky girl.

2009-07-11T14:11:00.001-07:00

Lucky Magazine and Jennifer Romolini honored me with a very sweet write up on my clutches:

Thank you Lucky Magazine and Jennifer!

Offbeat Bride and Groom

2009-07-02T18:24:00.000-07:00

My favorite necklace, the red coral Scarlet Necklace, has been all over the blogosphere and worn by one of my favorite brides, she's so sweet! Teneisha and Chris' wedding was amazing, just perfect in every way, so dreamy!

She was gorgeous (that dress!) and he had the BEST blue pants on earth (and so handsome)! And I do believe that everyone was sporting a stick on 'stache!

Offbeat Bride write up, details, and pictures: Teniesha and Chris' Las Vegas Wedding

I wish you both the best!

The pictures are curtesy of Holly Jones Photography

pink & green, a favorite.

2009-06-23T11:03:00.001-07:00

I can't say enough about the fabric for this white and green forest scene bag, but like all things I love it has been discontinued! I'm on a world wide search for a couple bolts of it, but in the mean time I'll just gaze lovingly at this clutch. I sent one off to an ETSY buyer last week and I hope she loves it!

I'm off to fill out my jewelry orders for all my summer brides. There seems to be a trend towards very large bridal parties, way to make it count ladies! I'm making necklaces for seven and eight necklace for each wedding!

pink chocolatey chickadees.

2009-06-20T10:26:00.001-07:00

I've made another frame clutch purse with the lovely fabric from the Etsy painter Karin Grow, the pink and chocolate brown is wonderful. I threw a little green in there with the lining.

This pretty clutch features sweet little birds sitting on a branch on a soft pink background, this fabric is available in limited quantities and the first time to be offered as a clutch on Etsy, give it a look see: Briana E. Pink Bird Clutch. Lined in contrasting, lovely, green cotton, with an optional silk lining.

It's wedding season! I can't tell you what it means to me to be a part of so many happy beginnings! The orders are flooding in lately for bags and jewelry to be made for brides' wedding parties and I've got to get cracking.

ETSY MONDAY, to get you through the week.

2009-06-15T10:15:00.000-07:00

I have been awestruck by Tinctory's jewerly for ages now, they are gorgeous and completely original! Please visit Tinctory's Etsy page to see for yourself.

Tune in next week for Etsy Monday. Same Etsy-time, same Etsy-channel.......

simple.

2009-06-06T18:01:00.000-07:00

I made this bracelet with what I thought were beads I may never use. But I think I need one of these for myself. This bracelet is big and bold. Made up of large Labradorite rondelles and faceted nuggets of crystal clear Quartz with just the right amount of inclusions to make them almost organic. I love how stark and cold it is, so simple.

my little chickadee

2009-06-04T16:23:00.000-07:00

I fell in love with this fabric designed by Karin Grow and just had to make it into a clutch!

This pretty clutch features sweet birds sitting on a branch on a yellow background, this fabric is available in limited quantities and the first time to be offered as a clutch on Etsy. Lined in contrasting, lovely, green cotton, with an optional silk lining.

My new addiction to wirework

2009-04-12T08:46:00.000-07:00

I've been working with Filigree silver findings and sterling silver wire and chain a bit lately. These necklaces were added to my shop, Briana E., last week. I think these necklaces are so sweet.

The top necklace is made up of Sterling Silver, Flashy Blue Labradorite and Crystal Clear Quartz with a square filigree silver focal piece. The other is made up of grey-cream pearls, clear faceted quartz and a floral filigree medallion. One of the pearl pieces was sent off last week for a June wedding, which makes me very happy.

ETSY MONDAY, to get you through the week.

2009-04-06T08:37:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorites, the shop is CamilleMarie at Etsy. She makes the most amazing crocheted jewelry in gorgeous colors. She designs her jewelry close to me in the DC area, check her shop out.

Tune in next week for Etsy Monday. Same Etsy-time, same Etsy-channel.......

A (surprising) favorite

2009-03-27T06:58:00.000-07:00

I put these earrings together not sure about the outcome and they have ended up being not only a favorite of mine but of others also.

A 10mm Clear Crystal Briolette hangs from a creamy 9mm Grey-White Pearl, all "Bird's Nest Wire Wrapped"™ in 14K solid gold, they are 1.5 inches from the ear wire. These pretty earrings can go from day to night with no problem.

ETSY MONDAY, to get you through the week.

2009-03-23T17:49:00.000-07:00

Wonderful pottery by Catheron Reece from Village Clayworks, perfect for a cuppa or over breakfast.

Tune in next week for Etsy Monday. Same Etsy-time, same Etsy-channel.......

Five carats of sapphires hanging from each ear? YES, please.

2009-03-18T06:56:00.000-07:00

I love the way these came out. I wore a copy of these to a dinner party on Saturday and ended up taking them off for a lovely lady and returning home bare-eared. How's that for a sale?!

They are ten carats of multi colored sapphires chosen for a subtle fade assembled with solid 14K gold wire and French hooks. They are also listed on my Etsy Store BrianaE in gold-fill.

I'm working on a pair with blues to the pinks now. The color of each of these stones is much more vibrant than pictured, I have to get my new SLR camera sorted out. There is a better photo HERE.

ETSY MONDAY, to get you through the week.

2009-03-16T08:10:00.000-07:00

Perfect portraits of a perfect world. Sharon Montrose takes photographs that are so lovely and stark that I don't have words to describe them. So all I can say is take a look at Sharon Montrose's Etsy Shop and see for yourself.

Tune in next week for Etsy Monday. Same Etsy-time, same Etsy-channel.......

J'adore pearls and tourmaline.....And gold of course!

2009-03-12T11:40:00.000-07:00

I've decided not to limit the amount of solid gold wire I'm using in my jewelry, I was worried about cost really. But it made it hard to make the jewelry I wanted. So.........Voila! My "Bird Nest Wire Wrapped"™ briolette tourmaline and pearl earrings highlighting my unabashedly excessive use of gold wire. I'm in love with pearls and tourmaline and this was the perfect pair of earrings to me. They're about 1.7" long from the ear wires.

My jewelry work space has spilled over from my studio upstairs to my living room coffee table. It seems easier to sew the clutches in the studio and make jewelry while I listen to NPR. I'm off to peruse Etsy!

ETSY MONDAY, to get you through the week.

2009-03-09T12:13:00.000-07:00

I love dots. One dot. A line of dots. Polka dots............

Lucky Little Dot is in the spotlight this week!

Tune in next week for Etsy Monday. Same Etsy-time, same Etsy-channel.......