October 30, 2012

printable dinner invites!

victoria [a subtle revelry] is such a party genius and i absolutely love working with her! for this project, she asked if i would illustrate food items for three themed dinner parties... check out the full post here and feel free to download as many as you'd like for your cozy gathering!



[photos by victoria]

hope you're all having a safe tuesday... thinking and praying for my friends on the east coast!!

love you all!
xo,
ashley

October 29, 2012

rough sketch: amber of typologie & co.

today's featured artist, amber, is the lovely face behind typologie & co [which just so happens to be a shop we founded together in 2009] and one of my closest friends! our shop days are some of my favorite memories - carpooling to the studio, taking breaks at the nearby cafe, planning shindigs + shoots, staying up wayyyy too late working on invitations..... it was difficult to leave typologie & co behind, but i'm so excited to collaborate again in the future! [yep, we've got some fun in the works!]

i'm always inspired when i chat with amber, and i know you'll be inspired by her too! :)



q. // when did you start creating invitations + what prompted you to start?

[ a. ] I started creating invitations for TYPOLOGIE & CO. around 2009. I was prompted to start creating my own invitations because I've always loved unique cards, graphic design and events. I think a card or invite says a lot about the person who gives it and the shindig they are planning, so it's important to have the perfect one!

q. // what inspires you + where do you find it?

[ a. ] So many people inspire me but a few would have to be Bri Emery from Design Love Fest, her style is amazing! My husband Jesse - he is a writer/artist and just an all together amazing person with so much to give and his creative process when writing a piece is very inspiring; he is super dedicated to his art. And lastly, my artist friends like Thorn + Sparrow, I'm not sure if the Thorn + Sparrow readers/followers know this but we created T&Co. together late one night in my little home! We literally started the process with just a conversation about art and how to inspire others and it turned into TYPOLOGIE & CO.! We literally came up with the name, created our branding, and set up a blog in a week and that's how T&Co. was born! So of course, Thorn + Sparrow inspired me then and inspires me now! So all that to say, I'm seriously looking forward to a new collaboration/fusion between us both.

I find inspiration in so many places, fashion magazines, blogs, sometimes pinterest, a warm cup of coffee, a crisp fall day, a great conversation, love, adventures... seriously the list goes on and on.

q. // when you're not designing, what's your favorite thing to do?

[ a. ] My favorite thing to do besides design and create would be hangout with my husband Jesse! We LOVE to go on adventures together, take long walks, drink coffee, get breakfast on weekends, go on record hunting expeditions, listen to music, hang out with friends and just plain be together! Oh and play with my little nephew Colin and be silly with my twin sister Ashley!

fill in the blank:
i have a penchant for... a good magazine, a warm coffee beverage, and a record spinning all at the same time!




[photos by mark brooke photography, featured here!]

check out all of amber's pretty work here!!

happy monday friends!!
xo,
ashley

October 23, 2012

latest obsession + handwritten fall menu!



if you guys ever find yourselves in whitefish, mt, you must grab a coffee at the red caboose - it's my favorite shop in town! i wrote this menu out for them a couple weeks ago, but i have yet to try any of the festive delights... my drink of choice for the last week has been a chai latte with a shot of espresso aka christmas in a cup.

what's your favorite beverage this time of year?




p.s. this is what it looks like right now. yes, it's october and that's a ton of snow... but i'm not complaining... it's just more reason to have said coffee obsession in hand! :)

stay cozy everyone! :)

xo,
ashley

October 22, 2012

rough sketch: mark brooke photography

happy monday everyone! as we all sip on our coffee of choice this morning, i'd like to introduce you to one of my fave husband and wife teams in the photosphere - mark and candice of mark brooke photography.

i've had the delight of knowing mark and candice for years... and yes, they're just as fun as they seem!! laughs are inevitable with these two - making anyone feel comfortable in front of the camera. i love these guys so much, and i know you will too after you read a little bit about them. :)



q. // when did you start photography + what prompted you to start?

[ a ] i picked up a camera about 6 years ago... it seemed foreign. at the time it frightened me. all those knobs and buttons... but i knew i wanted OUT. out of the life i had! i worked for a high paced, very stressful, awful work environment corporate job. and despite the amount of awards and the amount of goals i hit, my boss and the company never seemed happy, and in turn, i was not happy! so i wanted OUT! this is when i picked up a camera. as mentioned, it frightened me, but not as much as the life i was currently living. i stared at it for about a half hour and decided i was IN. that night i made a commitment to tak over 1000 photos a day for the next few months... and i did! my husband mark was a natural, so whenever i needed help i would turn to him. but slowly after a few months, i stopped going to mark with questions. i had become confident, i had shot several weddings, and i began to inspire others.

q. // what inspires you + where do you find it?

[ a ] our inspiration comes from art. i know that sounds cheesy but it's true! mark and i both value good design. whether that be from a single tree standing in an open field, to a new logo a friend just made, we become inspired. our goal with mark brooke photography is to bring our clients photos that they are actually going to like years after we take them. we love to find the "lines and the color" in each shot.

q. // when you're not shooting things, what's your favorite thing to do?

[ a ] i wish i could be with my children all day long! i'm in love with them!!! honestly i can't get enough. wyatt and oslo are our two little boys who are the reason we have become who we are today! because of them we want to work hard, build a future, and be better people.

if i'm not with my boys, i am probably in the office working on our two other businesses: cloud parade and hello studios...

and if i'm not in the office, you can find me with a cup of coffee, in comfy clothes, and catching up with my close girl friends.

fill in the blank:
i have a penchant for... being a christian - "follower of Christ".



[photos by hugh forte]

click here to see their beautiful work!

xo,
ashley

October 20, 2012

sue wheelock photography!

there's nothing i love more than whimsical foresty illustrations... so when sue wheelock [an incredible photographer] shared what she wanted in a logo, i couldn't wait to paint it!



i loved collaborating with sue and giving her a fresh new look with pretty shades of emerald, forest green, and pinky peach. check out her lovely work here!



a huge thanks and hug to sue for letting me create her new branding; you are quite the gem!! so blessed to know you!

happy weekend!
xo,
ashley :)

October 16, 2012

thank you postcards

some of my dearest friends - tyler + lindsay [of gipe photography] - are expecting a baby girl, penny, next month! hooray!

i was so bummed to miss lindsay's shower, but i was thrilled to be able to illustrate her thank you postcards...



[illustrated with ink + watercolor]

...the theme for penny's baby shower, nursery, etc. is lion + lamb - adorable! it will also be a super cute way to teach little penny about God, being the lion + the lamb. 

i loved illustrating these cuddly guys with baby penny in mind... can't wait to meet her!! 

xo,
ashley

October 15, 2012

rough sketch: sam of sealeg pottery

happy monday friends! oh my. i bought whole milk this weekend as a treat for my lattes + let me say, they have never tasted so good! every sip is joyous... anyways, enough about the super important details of my morning beverage, moving on...

pottery has always been a huge part of my life. my dad is an amazingly talented potter [just sells locally] + used to let me sculpt the extra chunks of clay laying around his workshop; i loved it! i have the utmost appreciation for potters, so when i found out that my friend, sam, was diving into the art, i couldn't wait to feature him + share his work!




q. // when did you start making pottery + what prompted you to start?

[ a ] I started about 2 years ago. My brother and a friend were taking a class in Santa Ana. I remember liking pottery the few times I tried it before, so I started taking the class with them.

q. // what inspires you + where do you find it?

[ a ] I get inspired from other artists, ceramic magazines, sculpture, architecture, simplicity, basic line and form, abstraction, impressionism. Sometimes ideas just come, sometimes I see something somewhere which sparks a thought to a finished piece, sometimes I just start drawing shapes and then something materializes from there.

q. // when you're not shaping clay, what's your favorite thing to do?

[ a ] surf, beach day with friends, music, coffee or tea, dinner with friends, camping, campfires, and designing for Tea in the Woods.

fill in the blank:
i have a penchant for... tacos, listening to good songs or cd's over and over, putting words together.






[photos by gipe photography]


check out his shop - sealeg pottery - on etsy.... or if you're in southern california, you can pick up his work at seed people's market at the camp or almond surfboards in newport.


hope you feel inspired + ready to take on the week!!

xo,
ashley

October 12, 2012

friday, finally

this week has been absolute madness in my workspace - with all amazing projects - but madness nonetheless. i'm learning the importance + necessity of scheduling out projects + creating a home/work balance. i love grace bonney's [design*sponge] podcast about being self-employed + juggling those very things [read it here].

anyways, yay! it's friday + what better way to celebrate than answer a fun questionnaire that carrie [cue the confetti] tagged me in. i seriously love these! haha... i remember sitting in an office cubicle, getting so excited when something like this came my way... oh the days of the cubicle...

the rules:
- post the rules
- answer 11 questions the tagger posted to you
- create 11 questions to ask people [i'm writing 9 because 2 of them are sort of two-part]
- tag 11 people [yeah, i'm tagging 8... so i guess i'm not really following the rules]
- let them know you've tagged them

my answers:
1. How do you take your coffee?
i drink lattes or straight up green tea. i live on the edge.

2. What's the last book you read?
miracles by c.s. lewis

3. Who inspires you?
i have a lot of inspiring friends, + the common thread is their passion for life.

4. What is your favorite online store?
anthropologie

5. If time travel existed, when would you visit?
paris in the 1920s

6. What is a food you couldn't live without?
sushi

7. What is your favorite color to decorate with?
black + white

8. What is your favorite season and why?
yikes, that's tough... fall + winter are tied - baking, christmas music, rosy cheeks, wool coats...

9. What party trend are you liking right now?
the minimalistic, natural vibe

10. Your top 2 must read blogs?
design*sponge + kinfolk

11. Someone gives you one hundred dollars, how do you spend it?
hmm i'd probably spend it on art supplies, books, shoes + coffee. i would stretch that as far as i could!

i'm tagging:
crystal lewis
montana's city girl
typologie & co.
sara lucero photographer
we go to & fro
vintage whites market
mark brooke photographers
matthieu photography


the questions:
1. what movie best describes your life?
2. if you could have coffee with one of the beatles, who would it be?
3. books: fiction or non-fiction?
4. what's your favorite meal of the day + why?
5. favorite place of retreat?
6. rain or shine?
7. what's your go-to record?
8. favorite tv show, past or present, go!
9. what's your favorite era + why?


if anyone else wants to participate, i'd love to read your answers! just post in the comments! :)
have a great weekend everyone!

xo,
ashley

October 8, 2012

rough sketch: the new look

since i'm launching the new design today, i thought i would chat a little bit about it in place of the normal 'rough sketch' monday post [but it will be back next week... with another super cool artist!].

keep checking back for new prints + products in the new shop!

q. // when did you start designing it + what prompted you to start?

[ a ] the new look has been a long time coming, but it was really in the last month that i started brainstorming + planning it out. i felt like the old site wasn't representing me + my designs well, it wasn't cohesive. i think the "aha!" moment was when i got an email from someone asking if i could design something like 'so-and-so' [a well known designer]... i felt a little deflated, but it made me realize that i don't want to do what this or that person is doing, but have a look that's unique + true to my aesthetic... so i hope to do that now with the redesign. :)

q. // what inspires you + where do you find it?

[ a ] i'm drawn to clean looks + minimal color palettes, but also stuff that looks a little imperfect - pencil or ink sketches + watercolor strokes outside the lines. i glean inspiration from a wide range of things - walking in nature, fashion magazines + documentaries, interior design books, other artists, good music, + having a latte in hand.

q. // when you're not designing, what's your favorite thing to do?

[ a ] i love having coffee or meals with friends + family, reading the Bible, traveling, + spending time with my handsome husband + adorable bunny.

fill in the blank:
i have a penchant for... coffee, france, christmas, pinterest.


xo,
ashley :)

October 3, 2012

granola + suits logo!

i adore that name!! when carissa emailed me asking about logo design for her blog - granola + suits - i couldn't wait to get started! her blog is so cute + down to earth + when you read her posts, you just feel like you've known her + her family for years! love it.

besides that, carissa was a dream to work with... one of the sweetest, most upbeat person i've ever met!! so blessed + thankful to have met her. :) 

read all about her adventures as a wife + mom in california here! :)

xo,
ashley

October 1, 2012

october desktop + iphone wallpaper!

i know i probably say this every month, but gosh the months are just flying by! it's funny - every month i get a little sad that i'll have to change out my wallpapers but once kelli + i begin brainstorming about the coming month's design, i can't wait to swap them out!


this one was especially fun - changing it up a little bit with the quote + calendar actually photographed instead of arranging it digitally, + officially bringing in autumn to the shot with a cute pumpkin i bought at the last farmers market of the year.

i think the quote is especially convicting to me right now. hard work can oftentimes go unnoticed by others + it's easy to get discouraged when there isn't visible fruit displayed for that work... but when you think about an actual garden - how tedious + time consuming tilling/planting/watering can be, + how long you have to wait to see that first little sprout... + then waiting some more for the actual harvest... it so easily applies to whatever endeavor we're investing our energy.

don't lose heart friends! you will see the harvest soon... just be patient + press on!
[psalm 27 is a good reminder... the last couple lines are epic!] :)

[just click on each image + save to your desktop!]

xo,
ashley


rough sketch: tyler thorney

wow, it's monday + the first day of october! that means - a new desktop + a new artist to kick off the month! yay!

last week, i had the chance to meet up with today's artist for a little creative collab over coffee + was amazed by the work he shared with me. tyler is a graphic designer who also has a knack for hunting, building things, + baking... yeah, the guy is seriously multi-talented!




check out his awesome website, 110  1/3, + keep an eye out for his new blog... definitely bookmark worthy. :)



q. // when did you start designing + what prompted you to start?

[ a ] I started designing three years ago when i was 19 years old. My friend Devan is a great graphic artist and it inspired me to try it too. I realized that not only did I have a passion for graphic design, but also a talent.

q. // what inspires you + where do you find it?

[ a ] Inspiration is a HUGE part of the design process. For me, it's something that can come from almost anywhere and anything. Most commonly I'm inspired by design blogs/websites and music. But I'm also heavily inspired by magazines and video games. I've enjoyed playing video games for the majority of my life and because of that I have a strong appreciation for their art and design. But then again, sometimes all I need to get inspired for a project is to get out of the office for a minute and drive to get a cup of coffee.

q. // when you're not creating an awesome design, what's your favorite thing to do?

[ a ] I actually have a very diverse list of things I enjoy doing, which is pretty funny because some of them are so different from one another. Most of all, I love to just hang out with my wife, Becky. We watch a lot of movies together. I also play video games like I said previously. I love to cook and bake. I've gotten a hard time from other guys for liking to bake, but I always just say... "when I say the word 'Baker,' do you think of a man or a woman?" I always win that one. I love to hunt in the fall. That's probably the thing I do that differs the most from everything else. But once you've experienced the adrenaline of shooting your own food, it's hard not to get addicted.  I drink a lot of coffee. Autumn is my favorite season, so I love driving around and sipping coffee while looking at the changing leaves. I like camping and kayaking in summer.

fill in the blank:
I have a penchant for... tattoos, coffee, folk music, movies, video games, cooking, autumn, my wife.

---

happy inspiration!

check back in a little bit for the new desktop + iphone wallpaper!!

xo,
ashley