with love from ashley

music i love: the girl.

2011-03-24T23:56:00.001-06:00

I might have teared up when I listened to this today. But I also cry when I watch Extreme Home Makeover and The Biggest Loser, so it really isn't all that surprising.

music i love: matt and kim.

2011-03-11T00:12:00.000-07:00

So I got the illustration job. It kinda rocks my world. Partly because it's awesome and partly because it is a huge transition. I'm excited to share projects that I work on, but it'll be awhile since I can't share any of it until it is publicly released due to the gag/confidentiality agreement that I had to sign before they hired me. Any who, I work at a computer all day so I'm always listening to something. Here's one of the 5 songs I've been playing over and over the past few days.

front page.

2011-02-24T00:39:00.000-07:00

One of my headbands finally made it to the front page of etsy. If you haven't spotted it, it's beside that adorable coordinating striped pillow. Now I can close the shop with a peaceful conscience. Kidding. Still don't know what I'm going to do about that. For now I suppose I will keep on trucking.

lettuce wraps!

2011-02-23T20:26:00.000-07:00

I haven't really cooked in months, so I decided to find a bunch of interesting recipes online and start making a few a week and see how long they stretch. I'm just one person, so they should last for awhile. I made these lettuce wraps tonight... except I didn't want to buy seseme seed oil or rice vinegar, so I just used a bottled orange ginger sauce. It was pretty tasty and healthy. And it made quite a bit. And I felt super fancy. Win/win/win. The original recipe (and picture) is from here and you can look at the other recipes I have been collecting here.

Chicken Cashew Lettuce Wraps (makes 6-8 lettuce wraps)
Ingredients for Chicken Cashew “Filling”

2 chicken breasts (about 3/4 lb. total), diced

8 leaves of greenleaf or iceburg lettuce

3 tablespoons canola oil (or oil of choice)

1 cup onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1/4 cup cashews, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Ingredients for stir fry sauce

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon sesame oil

Directions

For stir fry sauce mix all ingredients making sure to dissolve brown sugar. Set aside.

Heat canola oil in pan over medium to medium high heat. Add diced chicken and brown (about 4-5 minutes). Remove chicken from oil. Add onions, garlic and 1 teaspoon soy sauce to pan; brown. When onions and garlic are brown and tender add stir fry sauce, browned chicken and cashews. Saute mixture for a few minutes and remove from heat.

Spoon chicken mixture into individual lettuce leaves. Add your favorite hot sauce, more cashews or basil.

Enjoy!

french music.

2011-02-16T23:23:00.000-07:00

Possibly the creepiest music video ever. But I LOVE LOVE LOVE this song!

eat your veggies.

2011-02-10T23:55:00.001-07:00

So I just turned in my application for an illustration/graphic design position at Provo Craft. At the last minute (of course) I started freaking out about not having a good enough portfolio, so I spent all of this afternoon working on this little poster:

I'd like to go get it printed and start selling it. Or trying to at least :)

Cross your fingers for me. A full time arty job sounds SO good to me right now.

san fran blog banner.

2011-02-10T23:45:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Naomi asked me to make a banner for the Family Home Evening blog that she is in charge of for her ward in San Francisco. I looked at these images for inspiration:

And came up with this:

But then her San Franciscan co-chair told her that we had to change it to "City Kids FHE", because apparently only tourists call it San Fran. Whateves.

music i love: dance, dance, dance.

2011-02-06T00:30:00.001-07:00

Lykke Li AND Bon Iver? Wonderful. Also, I want her jeans. They'd be so much better for fat days than skinny jeans are. Plus they'd make me feel like a hippie.

braided bracelet love.

2011-02-02T16:37:00.000-07:00

Told you there would be more. Okay, so the inspiration bracelet is sparklier and daintier, but I still like my version too. And hopefully so will the friend that I'm giving it to as a birthday gift.

texas orange bow.

2011-02-02T00:00:00.000-07:00

Three things you need to know:

1. I've been obsessed with the styling from MAAN kids (see adorable outfit above).

2. I fell in love with this burnt (Texas) orange scarf when I was doing my digital window shopping while I was making my Christmas wish list.

3. Whilst I was in the DI last week I came accross THE most heinous puffy, silky, pirate shirt in that same beautiful Texas orange. So I bought said shirt thinking that I could make something out of it.

So because of these three things I took that nasty shirt and made myself a silky bow pin and I LOVE IT. And there will probably be many more burnt orange accessories in my future, because there was a lot of yardage in those puffy sleeves.

music i love: send me on my way.

2011-02-01T23:09:00.002-07:00

This video gives me a slight case of the creeps, but the song always reminds me of Matilda, and that makes me happy. I used to be able to recite every word to that movie. I still might be able to do two thirds of it if I start watching it. You'll never know.

late night ramblings on blogging.

2011-01-23T03:05:00.000-07:00

So it is late right now and I can't sleep. I guess that's what happens when you take naps at five in the evening. Well since I can't sleep I've been doing a lot of blog-browsing for the last two hours. And it got me thinking (well, I've been thinking about it for a long time, but it got me re-thinking) about my blog. Why do I even have it? There are SO many blogs out there- style blogs, life style blogs, design blogs, cooking blogs, kid's blogs, family blogs, interior design blogs... and those are just the kind that I read.

And my blog is just kind of a catch-all. I guess it really started just as a way for my parents to see pictures of what I was up to or things I wanted that I was trying to describe to them. And then because I was looking at so many design blogs I started re-posting things that I liked as a way to (kind of) keep track of them. And then Rob encouraged me to open the etsy shop and we tried to think of any way possible to market our headbands, and blogging is a great marketing tool for people who know how to do it right. I, however, did not really do it right. My blog really wasn't worth putting on my business card. Oh, and somewhere along the way I started posting youtube videos of songs I liked... most of them are on there because I'm too cheap to just pay the $1 for the song on itunes, so if I ever want to listen to it I just go to my blog and play the video.

Well, now I don't need to re-post design things that I like because I finally discovered Pinterest (thank goodness), and I'm not really trying to promote Wendy and Peter because I'd like to phase out of the whole headband thing soon (that's a whole other too-long entry). And blogging takes time, so if I'm going to have one, I want it to have a purpose/direction.

I know I don't want a design blog. There are already SO MANY great ones out there, and I don't want to compete with that. I'm kind of a "I want to be one of the best at what I do" person, so if I were to have that kind of a blog I would want it to be a really good one with lots of followers and stuff. And while doing that would be really fun and a great creative outlet (cause really, running a design blog is like editing your own little magazine), it would also require A LOT of time and blog browsing, which I am trying to steer away from. So that's just not what I want right now.

I know I don't want a style blog. Mostly because taking pictures of myself all posey-posey with a tri-pod in the snow in my parking lot in the middle of a college town does not sound fun to me. We live right across from the grocery store. There would be a lot of staring.

I know I don't want a really personal "these are all of my thoughts and personal experiences and struggles" blog because A) I've already been doing a pretty good job of keeping a private, personal journal here and B) I just don't want to share those things when people may or may not be reading them and I may or may not know these people.

Like I said, originally I started my blog as a "hey mom look at this cute thing I'm thinking about buying/bought/made/pictures of that fun thing I just did". That's kind of what I'd like. Like a photo journal with words. Part what I'm wearing, part what I'm listening to, part what I made, part what I did. I either want a good, visually pleasing, meaningful blog (even if it's just me and mom and dad and Naomi reading it, cause then I have an awesome day to day visual journal), or no blog at all.

And quite honestly, there's not a lot going on in my life right now, so there might not be a lot of blogging. But we'll see. Also, one day maybe I will want to make it more of a design or style based thing (like if I do end up quitting Wendy and Peter for good and need some kind of creative outlet), but right now I think I'll just stick with the photo journal thing.

And although this is already probably the longest post I've ever posted, there's more. The other aspect of blogging I've been thinking a lot about for quite a while is the sheer amount of time that I waste reading blogs. Seriously, there are a million interesting/pretty/inspiring ones out there that I could (and have) just get lost for hours bouncing from blog to blog to blog. And while being inspired and up-lifted by sweet people and pretty things is good, too much of anything is bad. And when it comes down to it, I'd rather be living life than watching other people live it. So I'm working to have more control over how much time I spend reading and or writing blogs. It's pretty darn hard for me to do right now just cause of where my life is at (i.e. nowhere... I'm trying to decide the next step to take) and I'm still waiting to hear from some jobs, so I'm at home alone for most of the day. And there are good, productive things that I could and should be doing, but with no set schedule it's SO easy to just waste time on-line. I am trying, I am doing other things, it's just a battle with my self discipline. My best idea so far is to pick the amount of time I'm aloud to browse and then set a timer. I'm serious. I bought one for this purpose. I'm just still not in the habit of using it. Yet.

And now it's almost an hour later and maybe I should try to fall asleep again. I'm going to be a zombie at church tomorrow... actually today I guess. And I'll break my "every post needs a picture" rule since this is already so long.

music i love: when u love somebody.

2011-01-19T21:36:00.001-07:00

This song just came up on my Pandora. I love it, even though I hate when people use "U" instead of "you". I will forgive them since the song is so sweet.

Isn't "When you love somebody and you bite your tongue all you get is a mouthful of blood" such a great line?!

food i love: quicky red velvet whoopie pies.

2011-01-18T00:06:00.001-07:00

Our apartment decided to host our own FHE tonight (in which we hand-picked the members of our family :). Our friend Joey gave an AMAZING lesson and we played a rousing game of Pit (yours truly was the Pit Master). And you can't have a Mormon gathering without treats, so Marti and Collin and I made red velvet whoopie pies. Because Marti loves red velvet cake. SO MUCH. We used this super easy recipe, though the consistency was more cookie-ish and less cake-ish than I think it should have been. Not sure if it was because of the recipe or because we didn't have an electric mixer. Either way, they were still quick and delectable.

1 box red velvet cake mix

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened to room temperature

2 eggs

1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened to room temperature

1 lb. powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Mix cake mix, 1/2 cup (1 stick) of butter and two eggs in electric mixer until combined.

3. Roll dough into balls and place onto baking sheet about two inches apart.

4. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, cream 1/2 cup of butter, cream cheese and vanilla in electric mixer. Gradually add powdered sugar and mix until smooth.

6. When cookies have cooled, spread filling over one, then top with a similar-sized cookie.

lost shirt love.

2011-01-15T17:30:00.000-07:00

If you know my little brother, you know that he's obsessed with LOST. He knows every detail of every single episode and pretty much falls asleep watching it nightly. So for Christmas I made him this shirt...

Well, I made him a similar shirt, I never actually got around to taking a picture of it, so this is just a mock-up done in photoshop. I don't have silk screening equipment anymore, so I made a freezer paper stencil (tutorial here), though it would have been A LOT quicker and easier to silk screen it. Anyways he LOVED it, which made me feel good. It can be really hard to think of meaningful/affordable gifts that people genuinely like.

Oh, and if you aren't a LOST junkie, those numbers are from the show. You can read about them here.

music i love: back to december.

2011-01-13T10:06:00.002-07:00

Oh, Taylor. You'll always be there for me when I need to blast you 15 times a day :)

desktop wallpaper and baroque pop.

2011-01-08T11:28:00.000-07:00

Yesterday in review...

I set about cleaning up the desktop on my computer. You'd laugh if you had seen it before- I just save everything straight to my desktop so 90% was covered in little icons. I filed everything away in a few folders and I'm hoping to keep it that way so that I can use my digital stickies rather than the real pieces of paper I have floating around everywhere. I also wanted a motivational quote to replace my Christmas wallpaper, so I put together this one:

I borrowed the colors from this AWESOME book cover:

Also Rob and I hit up Costa Vida for the first time since coming back from New England. And we went to this "baroque-pop" concert (??) with my new roommates and some of their friends (one of whom is from Winston-Salem and knows my cousins... it's a crazy world we live in). It was totally worth the $0 we paid to get in (not in a mean way, the lyrics were really witty, and I was darn impressed for it being their first show). I didn't get any pictures though, even though I had my camera in my pocket the whole time! Taking more pictures and documenting daily life is one of my New Years goals... baby steps, right?

so about that 30 for 30...

2011-01-07T13:36:00.000-07:00

The 30 days have been over for a LONG time, and I was terrible at documenting it, but I swear I did it. In fact, I actually ended up wearing the 30 items for about 50 days. It came time to pack stuff to go home for Christmas and rather than pick out clothes to take I just packed my 30 things. Easy. But needless to say I am way ready to wear the other things in my closet now. Anyways, while I was home I had myself a little photo shoot with some of the outfits I've worn over the last two months. It's not 30 looks, but it's all that I'm doing now that I'm back in Utah and have to look for a job/research post grad stuff/unpack all of my stuff.

Though I was terrible at keeping up with the pictures, doing this challenge was really insightful and I'd be interested in trying it again. Here are some of the things I learned:

1. I need to wear heels more. I can't tell you how many outfits I wore that I felt short and stumpy in and would have been so much more flattering with heels.

2. I don't wear jewelry that often. I think I'd like to wear it more?

3. Taking pictures of yourself will ALWAYS be terribly awkward. You will ALWAYS feel like a fool and pray that no one is watching.

4. I am missing some basics in my closet. Like black heels and button up shirts. This has been helpful because the next time I go shopping I have a list of things I know I could really use. I really would like to become a smarter shopper.

5. It's much easier to pick out what to wear when you have less in your closet.

6. It's time to let some items go. Likewise, some things were just bad purchases.

7. There are ways to wear some items of clothing that I had never thought about.

8. I need a haircut.

See what the 30 for 30 challenge is all about here and see my 30 items here.

someone has been keeping secrets from me.

2011-01-04T16:55:00.000-07:00

This morning I discovered the secret to looking like an adult- lipstick and heels. This may be a well known fact to other people in the world, but I honestly had no idea. I wear heels maybe once a month and I haven't worn lipstick since... well I've pretty much never worn it. Anyways, from this newly found fact I have composed the following rules:

1. wear lipstick and heels in social situations in which I don't wish to be mistaken for a seventeen year old

2. wear the usual Toms and Carmex when I'm feeling old and crusty because I'm not in school anymore

Problem solved.

music i love: rogue wave.

2011-01-02T22:54:00.000-07:00

Reason #22 that I love Pandora: songs will pop up that I haven't heard in years and I get to remember how much I love them. Happened three times tonight. This was one of them.

I guess that's the problem with having 23 days worth of music on itunes... you never get to listen to all of it :)

almost famous.

2010-12-23T13:41:00.000-07:00

I should probably share a couple of holiday things before... ya know... Christmas comes and goes in 2-3 days.

First up! The future of Wendy and Peter is currently up in the air, but something exciting happened a few months ago- I was contacted by Venuszine, who wanted to feature one of my headbands in their holiday gift guide! I had never heard of the magazine, but when I looked it up online I was thrilled to find out that they have featured some of my favorite musicians on the cover (M.I.A., Jenny Lewis, Jack White, She & Him, Feist, Bjork, Cat Power, along with some other cool people. Also they sent me a copy of the magazine and it is pretty cool... it's slightly alternative and focuses mostly on music, but also covers fashion, blogging, film, and a little bit of cooking.

Anywho, I was pretty happy with the way the spread turned out. Take a looksie:

all i want for christmas. part deux.

2010-12-16T11:34:00.001-07:00

Dear Mom,

I could make a lust list a mile long of all of the pretty things out there that I wouldn't mind having. However, these are the practical but slightly luxury items that I will probably end up buying at some point. Like when I have a job.

*1. Eat Pray Love $17

Because you know if Dad says I should read a chick book it must be true.

2. Fleece Active Pants $15 (xs)

Let's be honest. I currently live 2/3 of my life in sweats.

3. Creative Inc $11

Because I need some career guidance right now.

4. Gem Cluster Bib Necklace $27 (with code HOLIDAY at checkout)

For some reason I haven't worn necklaces in a long time. I need a new one to get me back into them.

5. Martha Stewart's Encyclopedia of Sewing and Fabric Crafts $23

I don't think I really need to explain this one :)

*6. The Happiness Project $12

Because I got half way through before I had to return it to the library. But it was so good. You should read it too... it'll change the way you live your life.

7. Ahoy Striped Hoodie $34 (s)

It's the name that sold me... remind me to tell you that story. Though it is probably only funny to 7 people.

8. Perfect Fit Mixed Tape Cardigan $20 (with code MUSTHAVE at checkout) (s)

I like the dark rosewood color, but for some reason that picture wasn't loading.

9. Suede Pump $50 (8.5)

Because I'm the only girl I know who doesn't have a pair of black heels. It's about time.

10. Guide to DSLR Photography $20

Because who knows when I'll have the funds to take a class.

11. Black Glitter Toms $54 (8.5)

Because Casey's brother's girlfriend had a pair a few nights ago and I almost snatched them. But then I remembered my manners.

*12. Gold Herringbone Toms $54 (8.5)

Because they are the best Toms I've ever seen.

Like I said, you guys have already done a lot for me lately, but if you wanted to cross a few off of this list that would be A-okay with me :)

(Stars mean I REALLY want them. Per your request.)

Love,

Ash

family christmas video that i love.

2010-12-11T10:58:00.000-07:00

I can only hope that my future family will be this cool. And that my husband and kids will go along with it and not think that I'm insane. Fingers are crossed.

Here Comes Santa Claus - A Christmas Video Greeting from Jared Foster on Vimeo.

the past month has been a blur.

2010-12-08T22:47:00.000-07:00

As an update:

1. Cruises are amazing. Leaving electronics behind was amazing. Not making any headbands was amazing.

2. New York at Christmastime is INSANE. But so are the window displays. In a good way.

3. I realized that I have not documented a single 30 for 30 outfit or a single New England trip (and trust me, there are many).

4. Almost finished driving across the country for the second time in 6 months. Think I've got my dad hooked on Harry Potter books on tape. I'm 2 for 2 now (Rob being the first one).

5. I miss my boy.

6. I've been wearing the same sweats for three days now. Trashy. But don't you worry, I did at least shower and change undies in between. TMI? Sorry.

7. I love Christmas!

In Roatan. Heavenly.

pom pom love. and 30 for 30.

2010-11-17T08:55:00.002-07:00

I will be making myself some of these soon. How could I not? They're even better than the ones that came with my cheerleader dress up I used to wear around all of the time when I was four.

Shoe clips from ban.do and collage from oh joy.
Oh! And about that 30 for 30... I'm doing it, I swear. I'm just having a really hard time getting pictures because a) it gets dark here at 4:00 now, which is way before Rob gets off of work and b) I look like a big goof in the pictures we have managed to take. Anyways, I'll probably end up posting the pics in two or three big posts.

giveaway: notes from a very red kitchen.

2010-11-12T13:51:00.001-07:00

Oh, also, forgot to mention that super sweet Katie is hosting a giveaway here on her blog! The giveaway goes through Tuesday and the winner is announced Wednesday.

AND look at this custom order someone asked me to make for her little girl's Christmas choir concert:

I liked it so much that I added one to the shop here.

beehive love.

2010-11-11T15:48:00.001-07:00

It's that time again! Make sure you do your Christmas shopping at the Beehive Bazaar... all of the cool kids are doing it. And because my cutie cute cousin is an angel who is willing to let me ship all of my stuff to her and then set it all up and take it all down... we will be selling there even though we'll still be in Connecticut!

You can check out the other vendors here.
Oh, and P.S. did you notice that the new flyer matches my blog banner perfectly? Am I a trend forecaster or what?

30 for 30: the picks.

2010-11-08T10:11:00.002-07:00

I'm already eating my words about this being easy. I think part of my problem is that I was trying to put in several pieces that I don't wear often/always wear the same outfit with because I can't be bothered to think of anything else to go with it in order to prove to myself that those pieces can be more versatile. But turns out shoving a bunch of those things together doesn't work all that well because they're so unique that they don't really work with each other.

In case you couldn't already tell, I spent entirely too long on this. However, I'm just going to chalk it up to styling/graphic design experience. Not to be mistaken for ironing or photography experience. Obviously.

feeling professional.

2010-11-08T07:09:00.000-07:00

You guys. I feel all official. It's because I have a website now. Rob and I have been working on it slowly since we got here, but then Hayley told me about this awesome job opportunity and we had to kick into superhero mode and finish everything enough to send it in with my resume. So you should look at it here!

Once again:

Oh, and don't be jealous because my boyfriend makes better websites than your boyfriend :)

music i love: scarlett johansson and pete yorn.

2010-11-06T23:57:00.000-06:00

This song was stuck in my head this morning and when I searched for it on my past posts here to listen to it (that's right, I just listen to the youtube video instead of spending the whopping $1 to buy it on itunes), I realized that I never did post it here. How could this have happened?? So without further ado...

30 for 30!

2010-11-05T08:30:00.001-06:00

So I have a secret...

For the last week I have secretly (unless you count telling Rob) wanted to be a fashion blogger. As in take pictures of what I'm wearing every day and post them on the internet. The only problem is that no one really wants to see pictures of me wearing various t-shirts, pj pants, and the same sweatshirt every day (minus the two days a week that I have to get cute to go to work). And okay, the other problem is that I have commitment issues and would never be able to dedicate myself to dressing cute every day.

But then I saw THIS challenge and decided that it is just the thing. If you are too lazy to click on the link, basically you choose 30 items of clothing (shoes included) and use them to make 30 outfits over 30 days. And take pictures of them. Which could be slightly awkward considering I can't take pictures by myself without laughting. But it'll get the desire to be a fashion blogger out of my system, it will force me to get dressed on a daily basis (hopefully for more than just a few hours), and I've been wanting to get myself to be more creative with what I wear for a LONG time. I mean what is the point of being obsessed with clothes and picking out cute outfits at work if I'm not going to wear them myself?

Anyways, I started picking out my 30 things today and so far it seems like it's going to be pretty easy. Probably because I only brought half of my clothes out here anyway. The only thing I'm concerned about is the cruise that we are going on for the week of Thanksgiving, because that would mean including shorts, sandals, and t-shirts in the mix that I will only wear for a few days. Maybe I'll take a hiatus that week and start back afterwards. We'll see.

And because every post needs a picture...

music i love: mr. pitiful.

2010-11-04T08:40:00.002-06:00

Dear Matt Costa,

You might be my new favorite person. You make happy music and I need happy music. This is why we have a beautiful relationship.

Love,

Ashley

happy spaces love.

2010-11-01T22:08:00.000-06:00

If you didn't already know this... I wanted to be an interior designer from the time I was like 9 until... well until I found out that BYU didn't have an interior design program. Like really, I had never considered anything else until then. I wrote my "when I grow up" papers on interior design, dreamed up the rooms that I would decorate while I was lying in bed at night, and watched countless hours of the Home and Garden channel with my Meme every summer (as well as Trading Spaces after school every day).

Anyways, seeing these rooms makes me want to be an interior designer again! They're just such happy spaces :)

Saw them all on Oh Dee Doh.

music i love: florence and the machine

2010-10-26T21:21:00.000-06:00

The video may be a little psychedelic clash of the cultures, but I love this song... every time I hear it her voice makes me think of Chan Marshall.

lounge wear love.

2010-10-21T21:16:00.000-06:00

Dear Seal Maiden,

You are making it really hard for me to resist my desire to wear sweats and t-shirts 20 hours of the day. Would you mind toning down the cuteness on these?

Thanks,

Ash

spooky treats!

2010-10-21T12:06:00.000-06:00

If you don't already know this about me, I love Halloween. I think it's just such a fun holiday with tons of cute things that you can do! And I love it so much that we are starting the festivities this weekend by hanging out in Boston and Salem! That's right, we're going to catch us a real witch. Also we are going to have yummy Halloween treats. I already have the world's best recipe for pumpkin cookies, and of course we'll make caramel apples, but I'm looking for another treat recipe and hopefully a themed dinner dish? These are some of the cutest things I came across on Martha Stewart:

music i love: let my love open the door.

2010-10-20T13:36:00.000-06:00

This came on at work the other night, and consequently I listened to it eleven times this morning. And it made me happy. Yay for Dan in Real Life and yay for Sondre Lerche!

retail love.

2010-10-12T23:53:00.000-06:00

So I realized something at work tonight. I want my home to feel like Anthropologie one day. Not that everything has to be from there, I just want it to feel special and happy the way it feels when I am walking through the store trying to find where the AG Stevie Cords are so that I can put them away. Tonight I was straightening up the front (slowly and thoroughly because there were probably a total of four customers during the last two hours we were open) and I got to really absorb the new displays that are going up and the new merchandise that came in during the last few days (these things change DAILY, no kidding, which is why I can never figure out where anything goes) and everything is just so... beautiful and special. Almost everything I came across I wanted to flip through or smell or try on or pick out an outfit to coordinate or take a mental note of the color scheme or patter to use in something else. And I'm excited, because that store is only going to get better (though busier and probably more tiring) as it gets closer to the holidays.

Speaking of, it's only the middle of October, but I've already got Christmas on the brain. Probably from being in a retail store. And partly because I'm excited to go home and see my family. But anyways, these were some things I noticed in the store tonight that would make cute gifts.

There were a few other things too, but they weren't online for some reason.

big paper flower love.

2010-10-06T15:40:00.000-06:00

Love everything about this wedding. Love anything with paper flowers really!

You should look at the whole thing- it's so fun! See it here.

home love.

2010-10-05T14:21:00.000-06:00

Can't get this song out of my head lately!

bangs part two.

2010-10-04T07:28:00.000-06:00

So last year at pretty much this same time I cut my bangs straight across and ended up pinning them back 9 out of 10 days because I couldn't get myself out of bed early enough to blow dry and straighten them AND get to my morning class on time. Well I've been wanting to cut them again since they grew out but I kept telling myself I'd do it when I lost 5 lbs or when my hair got longer etc, etc. But I was in the mall the other day and decided to just go for it. Well, bad news, cause the lady cutting my hair did a hack job and cut them way too short and thin. I was going for something like these rock stars:

And ended up looking like an anime character. I'm not too prideful to admit that I walked out of the mall with my hand over my forehead and crying (like real tears) on the phone to Rob. Luckily I was able to do some damage control I actually kind of like them now. I still think they'll look better when they (and the rest of my hair) are a little longer, but I'm not crying in the meantime :) So here they are:

free work out love.

2010-09-30T07:02:00.000-06:00

How did I never know about the Exercise TV site? It's completely awesome for people who don't love the gym/don't want to pay for a membership/don't want to pay for workout videos. I happen to fit all of the above. They have a whole slew of free workouts (that you can download and keep for cheap) and you can choose by category (cardio, strength training, weight loss, etc). And workouts range from 10 to 40 minutes. And I think they're pretty good... like this morning I thought "Oh, I'll just do this 20 min kick boxing workout and won't even break a sweat". WRONG. Which is a good thing :)

And no, this is not a paid ad... :)

grease love.

2010-09-29T21:46:00.000-06:00

How fun is this? Love a good cover.

(via chuckles and grins)

etsy love.

2010-09-15T07:24:00.000-06:00

Here are a few things around etsy that have jumped out at me lately... I've been liking colorful, bold, graphic things. And I'm too lazy to put the shop names or links on here. Bad, I know, but I'm trying not to spend so much time online.

hamburger love.

2010-09-11T09:31:00.000-06:00

The little town we live in is not completely off the map, but they don't have much in the way of chain restaurants. Pretty much there's a Taco Bell, Wendy's, and a Five Guys. So in lieu of Costa, Rio, and Jay Dawgs we tried the Five Guys and LOVED it. The bacon burger with grilled mushrooms, onions, and A1 was heavenly, and the fries are not quite Red Robin fries, but overall it gives them a run for their money... :)

meaghan smith love.

2010-08-31T12:20:00.002-06:00

Loving this cover today... and the guy in the video cracks me up :)

logo love.

2010-08-29T20:18:00.001-06:00

Guys, I'm really liking photoshop lately. And by lately I mean today...

Rob is building this website to help you find which of your ancestors need temple work done (it's called Tree Trails... like family tree) and I'm helping him out with the design stuff. I did a mock up of some logo ideas with the two fonts we liked (ok, I liked them both, he really wants the script). Let me know if you think one of them is obviously better than the others. And keep in mind that I'll probably polish it off (colors, proportions, etc), these are just rough drafts.

I'm partial to the pointy trees, but he's scared it looks too "campy"... he might be right.

new look, new stuff love.

2010-08-25T21:39:00.001-06:00

I've never been totally happy with the aesthetic of Wendy and Peter. When I started the shop I had no idea that I would even make any sales, much less be contacted by Shade (RIP) and local boutiques and craft fairs and sell ABOUT 600 PIECES to date. Being a full time student I didn't really have time to think things through, so I would just make whatever popped into my head first and put up crummy banners and crummy pictures and hair thingys that I thought were ok but didn't LOVE because it was just too darn overwhelming to spend time developing and perfecting ideas, keep up with orders and shows, spend time with friends and the boy, do school work and art work, AND attend church meetings and such.

But the nice thing about having graduated is that I can make things prettier! So since I've been here I've cleaned up my look by re-taking pictures on a plain background and using a lot more light. I think it just make things look so much cleaner and more fresh and modern than when I was having photo shoots on my bedspread by a poorly lit south facing window. I also made a simple but slightly more interesting shop banner and of course new headbands! I especially like the tiny flower stretchy headbands that won't be too overwhelming for babies or just girls who don't like the whole giant flower thing.

Anyways, I'm happy with it :) And I'm excited to finish another big project in the next couple of weeks!

leather love.

2010-08-24T22:11:00.000-06:00

These fun pieces are making me want to order some leather and see what I can do with it. Made by Love From Hetty and Dave and Scotatto.

a birthday picnic for my love.

2010-08-15T19:39:00.000-06:00

I missed the boy's birthday this year because I was at EFY... so we celebrated when I got back instead. He served his mission in Spain, so I surprised him by making Spanish tapas (appetizers) and setting up a little party picnic in the middle of a roundabout (it has all of this landscaping around it and a clearing in the middle so people weren't staring at us or anything :). It was my first time making anything Spanish and I will say that I'm a fan... especially of the marinated garbanzo beans and flan. Mmmm, flan. And Rob liked the little decorations that I made... a yarn and paper garland and our collection of photo booth pictures clipped to another piece of yarn.

And I got Rob those 2 shirts from etsy. I thought that they were highly appropriate since we've started biking together and because Rob is in love with his beard (not pictured). The shop I got that one from has some really cool stuff.

who has two thumbs and works at anthropologie?

2010-08-15T17:48:00.001-06:00

This guy... er, girl.

That's right, I got a job at Anthro! Rob helped me for hours last Sunday night and we put together a pretty killer resume (even I was impressed reading it J) and then Monday they had open interviews. I was super nervous and spent a couple hours picking out 6 outfits trying to get the perfect interview one, and then I researched how the interviews there go. A lot of reviews said that they were in a big group and asked all of these questions about what celebrity embodied the company’s look best and what magazine the target customer would read etc. So that’s what I was expecting, but I was the only one there and it took a bit for a manager to get to me. Which was just as well because I had to fill out the actual application and she came over before I was done with it and started chatting with me and reading my resume. She talked to me about what kind of stuff I did working at American Eagle (I can barely remember, it was so long ago) and asked me about who I thought the customer was and why I wanted to work there. That one was really easy… I told her about how I ultimately want to work on in store displays or be on a creative team for the company and that I just want to get my foot on the door while I’m here. Anyways, we chatted some more about other stuff and I she got excited when I said that I had some experience working on installation pieces. I guess they have one or two employees in charge of displays and then a team of interns (unpaid and doing it for school credit) that help execute the ideas. I told her that I would be willing to do some unpaid intern stuff on the side just for the experience/portfolio, and she said that I could definitely talk to the girl in charge and that things open up in the company all the time and that there’s room to move up and around. That was exciting to me and we got along really well and it sounded like she was planning on hiring me, but I had to take one of those lame questionnaire tests online (the ones that ask questions like “I think lots of people could do my supervisor’s job just as well as they do” agree, slightly agree, really agree, disagree… how am I supposed to answer that?). So I did that Tuesday night and then called the store on Friday to check on things and the hiring manager looked over my stuff and called me back 5 minutes later and offered me a position!

And no, working as a sales associate at a retail store is not my postgraduate dream job, but it is a step in the right direction. If I can help out with the displays and transfer to the Salt Lake store in January I think that I could get some really good experience in styling/displays/creative work. Plus just being in that store makes me feel good and it is definitely a blessing to get hired for a job I wanted when it is going to be short term. And the discount definitely doesn't hurt.

And that, my friends, is my hiring story. :)

more happy list love.

2010-08-11T07:17:00.000-06:00

(happy photo from here)

This move has been hard for me. Even though we know it is temporary and we'll be back after Christmas, it is still trying to up root your entire life and move somewhere you've never seen and have no connections at. I keep reminding myself to be positive, but I REALLY miss home (Texas) and other home (Provo) and cheap groceries and family and friends and Homemakers and frozen yogurt and Cafe Rio and school and roads that make sense (Texas) and roads that mostly make sense (Provo). So I thought making another Happy List yesterday might help. It did :)

-sleeping in until 9:00 makes me happy

-working on goals makes me happy

-crossing off things on my to-do list makes me happy

-mango babassu body wash makes me happy

-freshly shaved legs make me happy

-my legs finally being slightly tan makes me happy (thanks beach!)

-having somewhere to live makes me happy

-having a whole seperate room to sew and paint in makes me happy

-having groceries so cereal isn't my only option makes me happy

-my cool new phone and the cool things it can do makes me happy

-the trees make me happy

-Mad World by Gary Jules coming up on my Pandora while I was on a jog makes me happy

-the feeling I get after I go on a jog makes me happy

-seeing the pictures of my show makes me happy (will post when my new router comes in)

-the fact that I get to keep my green chair makes me happy

-Sweet Pea by Amos Lee makes me happy

-my EFY shirt makes me happy

-my silly band makes me happy

-Preach my Gospel and good spiritual study make me happy

-Project Runway makes me happy!

-J.Crew calling me to set up an interview makes me happy

-a good interview at Anthropologie makes me happy

-looking through old pictures makes me happy

-a dream job episode of Oprah with Sister Bell makes me happy

-taking a picnic to my boy and seeing him happy makes me happy

-laying on a blanket and looking up at tree branches with my boy makes me happy

-texts from friends I am missing make me happy

-happy lists make me happy

-fluffy white comforters make me happy

-my Texas flag makes me happy :)

-cleaning my room makes me happy

-Veggie Tales fruit snacks make me happy

-skirts make me happy

-making zucchini tacos with my boy makes me happy

-introducing Rob to Modern Family makes me happy

-going to bed early makes me happy

day dream love.

2010-08-04T12:19:00.000-06:00

Still no road trip/New England pictures, cause I have access to internet on a computer, but not internet on my computer (which is where my pictures are). And I've been spending the last 2 days (which have felt like 2 weeks) driving to 15 different cities looking at 62 different apartments (or something like that), so nothing new to share anyways.

Anyways, these pictures that this mommy takes of her little girl napping are brilliant, and I will most definitely be knocking off a few when I have a baby. She calls these her little one's "day dreams". Oh, cuteness. You can see more pictures and read an interview with her on Modern Kiddo.

finally here love.

2010-07-30T22:11:00.000-06:00

Got to Connecticut today. FINALLY. More to follow.

beirut in concert love.

2010-07-25T14:14:00.000-06:00

Thursday Rob and I went to Beirut in SLC. I was a little surprised, but he actually liked it (he thinks some of my music is too "twangy"). And we hit up the street taco cart before the show. It was great :) I'm really glad I got to go to my top pick of the Twilight Series shows, but I'm a little sad I won't get to go to any of the others, because the line up is pretty sweet this summer. But at least Rob promised we could go to some concerts while we're on the east coast!

Oh, and while we were there we came across this booth that sells pretty fantastic screen printed concert posters. You can buy them online here and they're super affordable ($20!) and they've got a good selection of bands. I'd love this one, but they're sold out. Boo.

food love.

2010-07-22T15:46:00.001-06:00

Robbie and I hit up the J Dawgs today for our last polishes (with onions and special sauce and a pickle for me) for the next 5 months. Oh J Dawgs, I'll miss you. Maybe I should buy a bottle of sauce for the move...

Also I took these two cutie cousins to the Sweet Tooth Fairy to celebrate Tay's birthday. P.S... her headband is A-dorable. I might have to try to make a knock-off for myself.

I had two thoughts while writing this post. 1) no wonder my pants don't fit anymore and 2) I am loving having a decent camera on my phone. Just so much more convenient.

music i love: the swell season.

2010-07-10T22:41:00.000-06:00

I FINALLY watched Once just now with my mommy (I had heard that the album was good right when the movie went mainstream and I bought it and have loved it ever since, but never did get around to watching the movie)... anyways, she wanted to hear more of their music, so I looked up some songs from their newer album on you tube and I think this one is GORGEOUS. And I like the album cover.

butterfly necklace and efy love.

2010-07-09T22:22:00.000-06:00

Still alive... at EFY (an awesome youth camp, I'm a counselor) and just sitting in the hallway of the dorms waiting for our girls to SHUT IT. (I love you girls, but I want to take a warm shower and crawl into bed.)

In the meantime, gorgeous necklace, no?

See it here.

hamster love.

2010-06-30T23:36:00.002-06:00

This is in no way related to my life or design, but Rob looooves this commercial :)

big bow skirt love.

2010-06-15T13:39:00.000-06:00

Another reason why it is a good idea to put a bow on anything and everything:

This adorable skirt on Say Yes to Hoboken. I made a pencil skirt a few years ago in my sewing class (also pink)... it ended up too small, but maybe I should try again...

summer trade love.

2010-06-15T09:11:00.001-06:00

Ok, please pardon my excitement if you don't understand blog or etsy speak... but this is a really big deal to me.

Maybe a month ago I just happened to be checking out some of my items and saw that Danni of the super cute and really popular blog oh hello friend had listed the georgette rosette headband and the matilda headband as some of her favorites on etsy (!). Again, big deal because she has great taste.

Then last week I submitted the shop to be considered for her summer trade guide that she was putting together (for shop owners to check out each other's goods and request to trade for items they like) and not only did she choose us for one of the six hair accessory shops featured, but she chose the nancy drew headband as one of the main pictures for the overall guide!!! Again, big deal. To me. And maybe Rob... haven't checked with him yet. Here's that pic:

So anyways, even if you don't have a shop to trade goods, anything Danni curates is worth checking out for shopping. To check out the guide go here:

fabric love.

2010-06-07T17:02:00.000-06:00

I'm super excited to order a few of these fabrics for a very special upcoming project... only I don't know how I'm going to choose just a few! You can find all of them here.

people who make neat art: dana ray.

2010-06-05T10:46:00.000-06:00

Etsy has this great new feature that suggests shops to you based on your other purchases and favorites, and that's where I found Dana Ray's lovely paintings. The colors, textures, and compositions are stunning and her prints are pretty affordable. And of course I love that she mixes her media :) Visit her website here and buy prints here.

macaron/macaroon love.

2010-06-04T16:42:00.000-06:00

A few weeks ago Alyssa and I tried to make French Macarons, but we failed miserably. But I just came across this recipe and I'd like to try it again. It's the same Martha recipe that we used, but she's added more detailed tips and explanations.

Or I could just buy this box on etsy...

You get to choose four of the following flavors:

White Peach and Apricot

Meyer Lemon

Dark Chocolate

Raspberry

Caramel Fleur de Sel

Cassis Black Currant

Pistachio

Matcha Green Tea

Yum.

bijou tomorrow!!!

2010-06-04T14:26:00.000-06:00

Be there or be square. And check out the new cute hair thingies that haven't made it to my etsy shop yet.

tik tok love.

2010-06-03T12:34:00.000-06:00

Much to the dismay of everyone around me, this song is always stuck in my head and then the lyrics unavoidably come out of my mouth. How white trash of me. But I love it :)

And that bike and sequined top? Gangsta.

top picks- bijou love.

2010-06-02T16:45:00.000-06:00

Miss Emily Frame (of this, this, and this) was sweet enough to choose the nancy drew in her top picks of the upcoming Bijou Market. And in the spirit of things (as well as for the sake of killing time (2 hours and 15 minutes to go)) I looked through all the vendors and chose my favorite things as well.

yellow leaf earrings, moccasins, lucy in the sky pillow cover, sorbet stripe blanket, love coupons, go and do poster, patricia earrings

black apple love.

2010-06-02T15:49:00.000-06:00

If you've been on etsy at least five times you've probably stumbled across The Black Apple. I think she has super cute style, but I haven't really LOVED many of her prints. However, recently she's done a series of circus/carnival (yay) folk that I quite like. Far better than the prints though (in my opinion) are her adorable corresponding dolls! See the following:

And I know that this one is kind of odd, but I love it:

And the coolest thing about Emily Martin is that she and Martha teach you how to make dolls here!

nautical love.

2010-06-02T14:53:00.000-06:00

I know that everyone and their mother has a roundup of their favorite sailor inspired pieces... and I was jealous so I thought I'd join them. It actually started with the desire to find the perfect red or navy and white striped, elbow length sleeved, flared out, pocketed, soft jersey top... but I still can't find it. But I did find these cuties while I was looking:

cruise shorts, button seeds tank, sailor knot bracelet, circus scarf, kimble swim set, swim dandy suit, licorice lane skirt, nautical anchor print shorts

I like that if you pair these with other things they just hint at being nautical instead of screaming it. Except for maybe the pin up one piece... but it was too darn sweet to pass up :)

airport love. or the lack thereof.

2010-06-02T13:30:00.001-06:00

I am coming to you from the large and lovely (I guess) Denver airport. I am on my way to the motherland to go to Conrad's graduations (congrats little bro), and when I booked my ticket I failed to notice the SEVEN HOUR layover in Denver. Consequently you will be getting many, many blog posts from me during this seven hour stretch. And to be honest you'll probably get a good number from Texas too as I will most likely get a little bored during the day while no one is home. Don't think I'm a freak because I have like 27 separate posts in one day, I'm just choosing to divide them up by topic/theme/whatever so that I can keep this digital space nice and tidy and organized. Unlike my bedroom. Sorry roomie.

And because I'm a firm believer that every post should include a picture:

temper trap love.

2010-05-27T12:05:00.000-06:00

I got the Temper Trap cd from Jena a few weeks ago and I may or may not have listened to it multiple times in the last couple of days. Hey, when something is good it's good, right? And I love that the lead singer is Asian. I feel like you just don't see that enough.

Alrighty, peace out, hairbows to make for Bijou.

2010-05-24T16:45:00.000-06:00

I'm working on this really exciting project for the last couple of days, and here are some of the beautiful images that I've been using for inspiration:

matthew rich, helen musselwhite, ashley g, studio mela, bombo, charley harper

Have I mentioned how much I love cut paper? How about illustration? I might be a little obsessive, but at least it's a cute obsession, right?

happy list.

2010-05-15T11:25:00.000-06:00

image via rockstar diaries

-I took out the trash and lit a candle cause it smelled rank in here. It made me happy because I felt useful.
-Jessica took that cardboard box filled with junk and stack of papers out of the living room. It made me happy because I like that it is less cluttered in here. Maybe to repay her I will take my IKEA bag out of the corner of the living room. Maybe.
-I ate some of Jessica's hershey kisses. Maybe not the healthiest, but it made me happy because I am kiss deprived right now. They are sitting in a bowl on the table, so that means free game, right?
-I just opened the blinds and it made me happy because sunshine makes me happy and it reminds me that summer weather is on the way and summer makes me happy.
-I just looked at Shalise's post-it TV guide and it made me happy.
-Working on this happy list makes me happy.
-I am wearing the sweater that I exchanged another sweater for yesterday and it makes me happy because it has a bow on it and bows make me happy.
-I just read some quotes that I had been keeping on a digital post it and they make me happy because they remind me that you can change anything about yourself that you want to if you put your mind to it. Here they are:
     "it is never too late to be what you might have been"
     "be the change you wish to see in the world"
     "inner peace"
     "remember that happiness is a way of travel and not a destination"
     "if you believe in what you're doing and cannot find anyone else who shares your belief, all you     can do is put your head down and press on"
     "become the person you want to be"
     "good homes are still the best source of good humans"
     "far from what i once was, but not yet what I'm going to be"
-I am listening to the Feist and Ben Gibbard song that I posted on my blog and it makes me happy because it is beautiful and beautiful songs make me happy.
-Now I am listening to Matt Costa's "Sunshine" and it makes me happy for similar reasons.
-Pepperjack cheese and pesto and chedder cheese Quaker rice snacks make me happy.
-The fact that sandwiches are better toasted makes me happy.
-Listening to This American Life from the very first episode makes me happy.
-Looking at a big stack of colorful felt makes me happy.
-The birds swimming in the water-filled pot hole in the parking lot make me happy.
-Finally getting myself to the temple makes me happy.
-Cherry carmex in a tube makes me SO happy.
-Microwave caramel popcorn makes me happy.
-Anna and Alyssa owning snuggies makes me happy :)

sewing love: audrey dress.

2010-05-12T14:48:00.000-06:00

So remember these? I finally broke them out! I made this little number from a 70's pattern... I wanted to start pretty simple since I haven't sewn in quite awhile. I'm pretty pleased with it and I can't wait to make more :)

train song love.

2010-05-11T14:01:00.000-06:00

Feist and Ben Gibbard? Yes please.

community love.

2010-05-07T09:39:00.000-06:00

Has anyone been watching this? HI-larious.

beehive love.

2010-05-02T16:03:00.001-06:00

I'll be selling here from the 5th to the 8th (it's at Thanksgiving Point this year)... there are lots of other super talented sellers that will be there, and opening night will be full of music, food, artists, and give aways! So if you live in the area you should get yourself over there and maybe I'll see you :)

paint by numbers love.

2010-04-17T08:28:00.000-06:00

I saw this awhile ago on design*sponge. I wonder if I'll ever get the guts to do it...

I always thought it would be cool to paint murals in kids rooms. Maybe I'll add that to my ever growing list of career options.

katie brandeburg love.

2010-04-10T11:58:00.002-06:00

I saw this girl here awhile back and thought she was cute, but didn't really give it much thought. Then last night Rob and I and his parents went on a double to Color Me Mine (way fun and I saw my EFY co-counselor there), and she was there singing! Her name is Katie Brandeburg and she has the sweetest voice and a very Zooey-ish look, and I promise every cover she sang was one of my favorites. Her original stuff is pretty good too. So I went up to her afterwards (I was a bit of a spaz cause I was so sure that this was fate) and she was the nicest girl and said that she could play at our wedding for what I think is a sweet deal. Yay :)

girls with glasses love.

2010-04-09T11:36:00.001-06:00

So I've seen this video a few places, but I hadn't taken the time to watch it until just now. I'm not sure how much I love their voices with the style of the song, but besides that... HOLY CUTENESS. And you know I love me some stop motion. One day (in the not so distant future) I will make amazing things like this.

I Am A Girl - The Girls With Glasses Theme Song from The Girls With Glasses

geo wedge love.

2010-04-08T11:05:00.000-06:00

Just quickly... I want these!

design*sponge design love.

2010-04-03T18:04:00.001-06:00

We've been working on some more photoshop skills today, and this is what we came up with:

I wanted to learn how to use paper and fabric textures and patterns like design*sponge, and I think it probably works better to scan in stuff, but I still learned quite a bit. I'm liking using the computer a LOT more than I thought I would :)

27 dresses. or something like that.

2010-03-30T11:05:00.001-06:00

Hey ladies, so turns out that cute dresses in specific colors are difficult to find and most of the really cute ones are pretty pricey. But I looked for hours to try to make it easier on you guys and these are what I rounded up:

corey lynn calter- $109 fig leaves- $54 asos- $48 suzy chin- $118 asos- $31 spiegel- $59 suzy chin- $58

Or if you have a grey skirt, you could wear one of these tops with it (this would be a thriftier option)

j crew- $15 kohl's- $22 asos- $48 (a dress, but I forgot to put it in the pic above) forever 21- $18

And not pictured- tribe- $108 free people- $40

Or if you find something else you like in a similar color just send me a pic of it. Also, two other options would be a) to find a cream/white/ivory top or dress and I could dye it for you (I know that sounds scary, but I have faith in myself :)

b) find a really simple dress or top in a similar color (j crew is a good place to look) and I can put some kind of ribbon/ruffle/flower embellishment on it to dress it up

Things to keep in mind:

-I was looking for LDS standard and non-standard things, cause I have friends that have to be covered up and friends that can wear what they want. So if something is too short or doesn't have sleeves or whatever, that's why.

-Those models are super tall and usually things look shorter on them than they really are. Check the measurement of the length, cause it might work even if it doesn't look like it.

-If you want to look for things on your own online shopstyle is a good place, you can set your price range and everything. If you're going to do any kind of search ginger, coral, peach, and apricot are the keywords I used.

-Try searching ebay. It's one of my best friends.

that little white dress.

2010-03-29T13:31:00.001-06:00

So now that this is all official business, I guess I can talk wedding stuff!

I tried on this fancy pants dress here, but as much as I loved it I just couldn't bring myself to pay so much money when I had found one for a very good price elsewhere.

Simple, but I thought it was lovely, and I was going to wear it with a wrap cardigan and fun accessories. Plus it has pockets, and I'm a sucker for pockets on dresses :)

But I couldn't get the idea of a vintage-y little number out of my head, so 7 shops, 26 dresses, and probably 8 hours later, I found a very nice lady who is going to re-create that beautiful dress that I fell in love with for a fraction of the price, and I am SOOO excited :)

And if you're in the market, here are some others that I loved:

avenia, vera wang, and bridal bliss designs

he liked it so he put a ring on it.

2010-03-28T13:50:00.002-06:00

So that big news?

The ring is on the finger.

He popped the question as the camera was going. And he thought of it all by himself. Look at his face in the first frame, right before he asked... isn't he a cutie?!

giveaway: for the love.

2010-03-23T11:54:00.001-06:00

Long time no blog. And that's cause I have a really big surprise coming super soon.

In the mean time, super sweet Sara (yay alliteration!) of For the Love is hosting a giveaway this week. So hop on over there to enter!

love note love.

2010-03-11T06:07:00.000-07:00

I don't remember where I found this, but it sure did put a smile on my face :)

photoshop love.

2010-03-07T00:29:00.000-07:00

I actually started off at BYU doing graphic design, but after my first class was a bust I decided that I'd rather work with my hands. But due to my recent career change decision, Rob decided that I needed some sure fire marketable skills and gave me my first good photoshop lesson tonight. And I LOVED it. Recreating this label from Martha Stewart Weddings was our first project and I think it turned out pretty darn good.

Isn't he a good teacher?!

music i love: five years time.

2010-03-06T10:49:00.000-07:00

So ready for the sunshine!

live what you love.

2010-03-05T15:18:00.001-07:00

So lately I have felt super overwhelmed with everything. And don't get me wrong, I have a lot of great things going for me, I've just still been overwhelmed. And then yesterday I realized something...

I don't think that I want to finish getting my el ed certification right now. It just doesn't feel right. All of the girls in my classes are so excited about it, and when they're talking about it I just sit there and think about how much I dread doing this for another year and about all of the other things that I would rather be doing. And sewing, and painting, and gluing. And then I realized that my heart just isn't in it. At least not right now. And I can't be a good teacher if my heart isn't in it. Mostly I've been sticking with it lately because of the security it offers and because my parents and Rob were really excited for me to do it. And that's not to say that I won't ever do it... I actually think that I could be a pretty good teacher if that's what I really wanted to do, and maybe 3, 5, 10, 15 years down the line I'll have that desire again. But I don't think it's right right now.

And I'm glad that the people I love that I've told in the last 24 hours have been so supportive, cause it's scary not to know exactly what I'm going to do now. But graduation actually feels real to me now, and I like that a lot. My future is pretty much open, and there are so many things that I would like to do that I can choose from. And I suppose in the mean time, while I'm figuring those things out and making them happen, I'll be working at Red Robin or something. But I'm ok with that... it's what artists do, right? Right. And even though it is scary, after I pretty much made this decision last night I just felt so good about it. Which I think is a good sign.

ANNND, these words of wisdom have really helped me in making this decision:

Brother Bott (the coolest old guy ever) was talking to us about a scripture (and I can't remember what it is right now) and told us that some of us were in the wrong major for the wrong reasons. He said to sit down and list the top three things that you would want to spend your free time doing. Then circle number 1 and find someone to pay you to do it.

This poster:

maranon second hand love.

2010-03-04T21:35:00.000-07:00

Remember how I posted about this awesome shop and this crazy cool necklace?

Well as much as I really wanted one, I just didn't have $65 lying around to spend on a necklace. So I decided that I'd try my hand at making one for a Christmas gift and one for myself over the holiday break... but I only ever got around to the gifted one. And I only finished that one a few weeks ago :)

Not quite as nice as the real deal, but I was still pretty happy with it... and so was the giftee. And this one only cost me a couple of bucks plus about 47 hours of my time. Which means I probably won't be getting one for myself any time soon. Unless I just buy one. And I'll tell you, that girl deserves every penny.

people who make neat art: mary blair.

2010-03-01T09:50:00.000-07:00

I know lots of people get creeped by the small world ride at Disney, but I loved it. And I recently found out that the lovely lady behind the ride (as well as the concept work behind lots of other Disney rides as well as movies like Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, and Cinderella) was illustrator Mary Blair.

Aren't they beautiful? And whimsical and colorful and fun!?

Blair also illustrated several children's books, some of which you can buy here. Which I will be doing at some point. Also, you can read more about her here.

i left my heart in san francisco.

2010-02-28T09:54:00.000-07:00

So I'm still a Texas girl at heart, but I fell in love with San Francisco during the few days that we were there. I definitely wouldn't mind living there when school is totally done with.

Here is Robbie and myself at Alcatraz... we wanted to go in, but didn't have the time or the money.

The seals at pier 39... I was sad that there weren't huge concourses of them... I guess they went somewhere else for the winter?

Roberto outside of the Oakland Temple.

We practiced using my new lenses outside of Chase's house... yep, this is the view from his yard. I thought places this pretty only existed in the countryside of Europe. And yep, this is actually the picture that I looked the least angry in.

Hottie McHotterson.

Also at pier 39... that water was FREEZING!

The whole gang (minus Zach, cause he was taking the picture) at Ghirardelli square... this was before we waited an hour for ice cream sundaes. At least they were pretty good :)

I'm really sad that I didn't take more pictures! That's what happens when you lose the charger for your point and shoot I guess. Just means that we'll have to take another trip there soon!

music i love: sunshine.

2010-02-27T09:08:00.002-07:00

one of those that i could listen to seven times in a row. and probably will. :)

more crew cuts love.

2010-02-22T19:43:00.000-07:00

I've been on a bit of a blog hiatus as of late. There are just more important things that I should be spending time on. And you know who you are ;) BUT. I needed just a teensy break. So-

Dear Crew Cuts,

You are too adorable for words. I am really hoping to start a comparable little girl line this summer. Also, if you made that little yellow number in my size I'd totally wear it. Just something to think about.

Love and Such,

Ashley

music i love: title and registration.

2010-02-10T20:44:00.000-07:00

I forgot how much I love love love this video until the song came up on pandora while Rob and I were working on homework and hair bows.

It's so magical :)

california, here we coooommme!

2010-02-09T12:32:00.000-07:00

We're going here this weekend:

Yayyy! It's my first real trip to California. And I'm hoping it's warmer than it is here.

And yep, I've already made a California themed playlist. Don't be jealous.

grumpy girl.

2010-02-09T08:13:00.000-07:00

(image by ashley g)

Dear Life,

Please get un-busy asap. I'm just too grumpy and high-strung lately. The sun must not even want to be around me cause it sure has been doing a good job hiding. And I miss it.

Love,

Ashley

P.S. Please don't think I'm too ungrateful, you really are rockin' in most ways :) Maybe I should go count my blessings...

diy love: jewelry bust.

2010-02-04T12:56:00.000-07:00

I'm loving this DIY jewelry bust from design sponge. Only I'm not crazy about the silhouette that they chose... I prefer something a little softer looking. But you can bet that I'm going to make one as soon as I get a free Saturday. So probably in a few years.

lost love.

2010-02-03T21:46:00.000-07:00

In honor of the season premiere:

Ty Mattson is the genius behind these awesome posters. And he says he's working on getting them printed! And I think I know a certain little brother who would REALLY like to have one... :)