Happy Easter!

Hi friends! It's almost time for the Easter weekend here. Are you getting ready for it? What are your plans? Our family is doing a large feast tomorrow night and celebrating with my brother and his girlfriend who will be home from school for a few days. The three of us will also be working on a mini photoshoot which has me super excited. I'm in the process of making things and pulling props together today. I can't wait to share it here. My brother will even be modeling for us. Should be fun!

Are you crafting anything for the weekend? Since I'm busy with the shoot I don't have much planned. But I found these cute little chicks stuffed away in my studio that just might make an appearance somewhere.

They are quite cute!

Have a great Easter weekend everyone and I'll see you back here next week with some fun posts and DIY projects.  

Houzz March Ideabook: Watercolors in the Home

On this lovely morning I'd like to share my March ideabook that I put together for Houzz. Being spring, I am so inspired by colors right now and I wanted this curated gallery to be a reflection of that. If you follow along here regularly you also know that I have been doing a lot of watercolors lately, using it personally as well as in a few projects for clients. I decided to go on a search for homegoods that were not only colorful but also evocative of watercolors, brush strokes, and paint washes.

handpainted light blue wash pillow { ABC Home }  

watercolor paints { photo by me }

I found some gorgeous products from both handmade, independent artisans as well as big brand shops. I think all of the items have great textural qualities and would be a perfect infusion of color into any home. If you are a fan of watercolor, might I recommend these twenty finds:

Guest Picks: Watercolors In The Home

Houzz- Kitchen Remodel, Bathroom Remodel and More»

Browse Outdoor Products on Houzz- For Example:

Gazebos · Hammocks · Doormats · House Numbers · Outdoor Pillows · Outdoor Umbrellas · Outdoor Chaise Lounges · Outdoor Tables ·

 

You can visit my Houzz profile at Lauren Elise Crafted to see more of my ideabooks. Houzz is an amazing resource for those wanting to gather home inspiration for remodels or projects. Not only can you search products like the ones I've featured here but also thousands of pictures of real homes in different cities and different styles. It is visual cataloging, similar to Pinterest, but the searching is so much more specific and defined. So check it out, sign up, and start creating your own galleries for your upcoming home projects. 

I hope you enjoyed the color inspiration today. Happy Wednesday!

Fashion & Florals, Edition II

Hi everyone! How is your Tuesday going? Today I'm bringing you a second edition of Fashion & Florals, where I pair together some of my favorite floral and clothing inspiration. For me, finding new clothing brands that really speak to me and capture my style is not always an easy task. My tastes have gotten more discerning as I've gotten older. I buy a lot of things from Anthropologie because I work there but at times they can even miss the mark for me. Lately the brand Madewell has sparked my interest. Everything feels very simple and classic which I like. I love the styling and the attitude and all the pops of color. Take a look at their latest catalog to get a better feel for their brand. They have some pastel neutrals now that feel so fresh for spring. So for today, I chose one of their dresses to highlight.

dress { Madewell } Colorband Slipdress via Madewell Tumblr

florals { picture by Fieldguided } flowers styled by Coriander Girl

I paired the Madewell dress with this bouquet I found on Fieldguided. The blushy, muted tones compliment each other and the hint of blue-gray color in both the dress and the flowers make a nice match. The flowers were arranged and styled by the talented Alison Westlake of Coriander Girl. Browse her beautiful portfolio of arrangements for more inspiration. I just discovered her lovely work and I'm so glad I did. 

Enjoy the rest of your day friends!

Anthropologie in the Spring

Hi everyone! It's time for a super late post on this Thursday evening. How was your day now that it's almost over? The last few days I've been busy helping out the visual team at my Anthropologie. I work there part-time, just as a sales associate, but occasionally they call me in to help with visuals. It's fun, creative work (but hard work) and it's nice switching up the job description every once in awhile. The store is going through a lot of changes for spring and not only are we getting in fresh, new apparel and home decor but also changing up the displays and concepts. It's exciting! I snapped a few iPhone pictures and thought I would share some of the spaces at my Anthro. Each store is different so if you go into your local store, you'll find new designs and interpretations. Here is what spring is looking like...

The lamps in the bottom picture just got installed and I love the character they have. They remind me of the Pixar lamp. Even though they are stationary, they convey a sense of movement which I like. This concrete-looking slab thing in the bottom picture is actually a headboard for a bed display. That cubby is quite ingenious, don't you think? I wouldn't mind having something like that beside my bed for my little odds and ends.

Those ceramic juicers in the top picture are my new favorite thing. We have an electrical orange juicer at home which is quite convenient and easy but nothing can beat the look of these hand painted ones. The store is always stocked with fresh plants and flowers but recently we've been putting out a lot of cacti and succulents. Being a succulent aficionado, I of course approve of this decision. Actually if you look at those plants on that top shelf, there are two on the left that have long tendrils hanging down. The one on the right is not a real plant. It's made out of braided/twisted yarn and rope. Now that's a plant you can't kill.

Those green lily pad looking things hanging in the top picture are made out of wax. I helped make and install them. You dip a water balloon in hot wax which is how they get their shape. They are like those chocolate bowls that I have been seeing all over Pinterest. They aren't easy to make though and it definitely takes some time to master the skill. 

Mostly I'm just really excited about all the color we're seeing in the store. It is very fun after all the muted tones and neutrals that you see at winter. What are some of your favorite design details at Anthropologie?

If you don't have an Anthro nearby, check out their Flickr stream anthropologie+you for ideas and inspiration. 

Backyard Blooms

Southern California weather is so crazy. Yesterday rain threatened the southland and dark, gloomy clouds hung over our heads all day. Apparently it did rain closer to the coast, in San Diego and Los Angeles, but it stayed dry where I am, east of LA. And this morning I wake up and what do I see? Clear, sunny, blue skies again. You would never imagine yesterday's gloominess after today. Those of you who are getting tired of winter probably think I'm crazy. And you're right. I shouldn't complain about sunny skies.

Yesterday in my styling vignettes feature I included some fruit tree blooms from my backyard. Today I wanted to share a few pictures I captured of our blooming tree. 

For now it seems winter has passed us by and because of this fruit trees are blooming like crazy. They are so beautiful and cheerful. As I walk around my neighborhood I spot so many spring hues. You can't help but feel inspired. 

Bees were buzzing around the flowers. I was so surprised to actually catch this little guy in action. 

If you are still surrounded by winter gloom, hang in there. Spring will come. And it will be all the more wonderful when it does. 

Have a beautiful Wednesday!