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Let’s say, hypothetically speaking of course (cough, cough), that you were a complete idiot and lost your engagement ring.

Thankfully the insurance gods smiled down at you and accepted your claim. Now you have a pocket full of money and a shit ton of options as to what to do with it.

Would you…

A. Create an exact replica of your lost ring? Why?

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When I packed up for college - headed to North Carolina from Austin, Texas - I was looking forward to lots of things.  One of them (lame enough) was seasons!  Changing leaves and snowfall were foreign concepts to me, and I was thrilled to sport my meager winter wardrobe for months at a time, as opposed to three days out of the year.  Actually, “Boys in Sweaters” ranked pretty high up on the “Pros Column” when selecting Wake Forest University as my undergrad alma matter, if I remember correctly.

But people kept mentioning the rain.  ”Oh its rainy up there - pack your umbrella!”  ”Do you have a good raincoat?  North Carolina sees a lot of wet weather!”  Um, okay silly adults, I’m from Texas, remember?  I’ve been practicing tornado drills since kindergarten and survived some pretty severe thunderstorms… I’m pretty sure I can handle “the wet season.”  Bring it, North Carolina.

Yes, well.  By October, my foot was planted firmly in my mouth as rain - from drizzle to downpour - continued for days on end.  Some days, I felt like Forest Gump and Bubbah… hard rain, soft rain, sideways rain, upside-down rain - on and on and on!  And it was cold!  By Christmas-List-Making-Time, I was coveting the Northfaces that seemed standard fare for my South-Eastern classmates, and something nearly identical to this topped my wish-list.

Ever the practical shopper, my mom found a coat she claimed to be “the Northface’s twin!”  You won’t even know the difference, she promised.  I took the woman at her word… and subsequently walked around campus like this for several months a year for the next four years:

{source}

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ABCD Design is celebrating it’s SECOND Blog-i-versary on October 7th! I wanted to celebrate in a really big way as a thank you to all my lovely readers. When it comes to birthdays and anniversaries, what would you say is the best part? Yep, you got it. The presents! I figure when push comes to shove - what’s a blog-i-versary without prizes? I am super excited about the first ABCD Design gift because it is…

Since I design stationery for weddings, new babies and other big social events, I figured this milestone in life should be marked with a Bespoke Stationery giveaway! The winner will receive a completely bespoke personal stationery design by (yours truly) ABC Dragoo.

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photo by Zvone Lavric, Slovenia

I’ve been on the hunt for social calling cards. Before you say that I can buy them at my local corner store, I’m not looking for those kind of cards. I’m looking for what is also known as a visiting card. In Victorian times, they were were used when making introductions and home visits. They had their own set of rules and etiquette. It’s actually quite fascinating.  You can read about them here and here.

Essentially, social calling cards are just like business cards except they don’t “state your business”. They simply have your name and contact information. I am interested in them because frankly I’m tired of scribbling my name and personal email address for people. I could use my business cards, but there are instances where I’d like to give people my personal contact information and keep my business separate. Social calling cards are also useful while traveling. You can meet some wonderful people during your journeys and they make it very easy to exchange personal information. For Newlyweds, they are a great way to share your new name (if you went that route) and/or your new address. Because there are no rules for today’s social calling cards, they are great avenues of self-expression. These can be less serious than your business card.

Most calling cards have some, but not all of the following information:

• Name
• Phone Number
• Address
• Email address
• Blog or website address
• Twitter username
• Facebook or Myspace name (if it’s different than the one on the card)
• Instant message name
• Blackberry PIN

Here are some examples of social calling cards.

from Etsy Seller Armato Design

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I feel most privileged and honored to have been let in on the best-kept camping secret ever by a new friend of ours, and I’m so excited to share it with you now. Allow me to introduce…hobo eclairs!

So you take a broomstick (clean and unpainted, of course) and rub the end of it generously with a stick of butter. Then take a square of Pillsbury crescent dough (2 perforated triangles together) and wrap it around the end of the broomstick, making sure that the end is sealed. Roast it slowly over the campfire until it’s puffy and golden brown. Make sure you don’t get engrossed in conversation and let it burn!

Once it’s cooked, let it cool for a minute or so, then slide the cooked dough off the stick. Squirt a healthy dose of whipped cream inside, then drizzle (on top or inside) with chocolate syrup.

Brilliant, right?

Week #3 of my series on Etsy favorites was all about accessorizing your wardrobe… Week #4 is all about accessorizing your home!

Hijirik

I’ve sung the praises of Hirijik before but I’ll say it again: the “Live What You Love” letterpress post series is my favorite non-cheesy, gender-neutral art piece I’ve found!  We have the red in our living room and my computer background boasts the lime green at work!

Geninne

After seeing Geninne’s vibrant watercolor prints, I fell instantly in love.  An artist living in Mexico City, Geninne’s creations have both a vintage vibe with a bit of funk!  I’ve already determined that 4 of these little birdies are coming to roost in Dallas - I think they’ll look lovely framed in a foursome-square somewhere in our little cottage!

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I am addicted to the new generation of craft fairs that have been springing up. First, I wanted to inform Chicago EAD readers that the Chicago Renegade Craft Fair is coming up.

2009 Renegade Craft Fair in CHICAGO!

September 12 + 13 from 11am – 7pm, on Division St. between Damen + Paulina.

For the last couple of years, they have been hosting shows in Brooklyn, Chicago, and San Francisco. They were having their first show in L.A. I was ecstatic. It is very similar to Unique L.A., but is a little more established. They have a greater variety of vendors.

I sent an email to my craft afficionada friends inviting them to join me. Two of them decided to join me. It was the first day of the show. From what we could tell, the show seemed to have a great turnout.

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Welcome back to Week #2 of my series featuring my favorite Etsy finds!  If you missed last week’s post on ceramics, you can find it here. This week - as kiddos around the country pack their backpacks and brown-bag lunches - its all about the fashion!  Just think of this as a little Adult Back to School Shopping! Now let’s get on with it…

Liza Rietz

Portland-based designer Liza Rietz creates frocks, jackets and hats that are both softly feminine and architecturally modern at the same time.  Plus, can you really ever beat a garment that is custom-tailored to your measurements?   The Ruffle Dress, Kimono Jacket, and Ruffle Bib Dress are my picks for versatile investment pieces combining classic lines with up-to-date details.

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For those of you that read E.A., you know I’m mad for Etsy!  There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t scour its pages, hunting for unique items to feature in our home, my closet, or a gift bag for a friend.  There are so many incredibly talented people out there, and I love knowing that I’m purchasing something made by hand on a small, personal scale.  I like to think of it as shopping “global-locally!”

Anyhoo, in honor of my new favorite online pastime, I thought I’d do an EAD Living series featuring my favorite Etsy sellers in different categories, starting with my latest fixation: pottery and ceramics!

PrinceDesign UK

I just recently discovered PriceDesign UK when searching far and wide for a little bowl to sit sit on our kitchen window ledge to hold my engagement and wedding rings whilst cooking.

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Several inquiring minds have asked about my favorite items received off our registry and, while this may seem like a post more suited for the EAD Weddings, I decided to run with it over here in hopes that ya’ll like sneak-peeks into other folks’ homes just as much as I do!

Warning: I’m skipping over the items that I would guess 95% of American brides register for - we all know we love our colorful Kitchenaid mixers and our china pattern (if we went that route), and I would bet that most couples get great use out of their Calphalon / Le Creuset / All-Clad, etc.  So I’ll be concentrating on items that (a) surprised me with their usefulness and/or quality, or (b) are a bit out of the ordinary.

First up… a Good Quality Wood Cutting Board

We have the Artisan Cutting Board from Williams-Sonoma and I freakin’ love this thing!  Its big enough for a decent work station yet unobtrusive enough to leave out on the counter all the time.  Its light, making transfers to pots on the stove a snap.  And its good looks enable it to work double-duty as a serving platter (great for a cheese display).  Synthetic cutting boards definitely have their place in my kitchen, but I use this one every day and never put it away.

Basic White Dinnerware

If you know me, this one probably comes as a shocker because I love color!  I have candy-apple-red appliances, citrus-colored Le Creuset pieces, and the only thing in the “whites” laundry pile at our house are Evs’ undershirts and my athletic socks.  Even the china on our registry features a bright turquoise pattern.  But for some strange reason, my practical side took over when it came to everyday dinnerware (we chose Pottery Barn’s Great White Coupe collection).  I had half-convinced myself that we would end up taking all of it back in exchange for something more vibrant like Fiestaware (which I still adore), but food just looks so nice and clean and pretty atop the blank canvas of white dishes.  Plus, I love mixing these dishes with my collection of funky table linens and appetizer plates.

California Poppy Collection at World Market

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