March 26, 2013

springtime in MT





well... to be honest, there's not much of a 'springtime' in montana, but it's worth celebrating nonetheless with lovely friends. on the first day of spring, we made pancakes and cut up a variety of fruit while it rained outside. we had planned on making iced lattes... but it was just too cold, so we stuck to hot lattes... no complaints here. :)



there was so much sunshine today that i only needed two layers outside [this is a big deal]!! i just want to soak it all up, so i took a snapshot outside our house so you can see the beauty.... there's still a bit of snow on the ground but most of it's melted. if you're quiet enough, you can actually hear the snow crackling as it melts in the sun.

how is springtime at your place?
xo

March 25, 2013

v for vera!


my dear friend leah is about to welcome a baby girl into her family of three - little miss vera!!  last weekend i drew this giant monogram for her baby shower at crystal's house... more photos of the loveliness coming soon! there were lots of gold, pink, and sweets.... can't wait to share! :)

happy monday!!
xo,
ashley

March 20, 2013

happy spring!



today is the first official day of spring! yay! the husband + i are on our way over to a friend's house to celebrate the new season! we're making pancakes + iced lattes... what better way to ring in spring?!

i can't wait to ride bikes and wear shorts.....well, there's still snow on the ground and a chill in the air over here... but i'm breaking out my colors and buying fresh cut flowers nonetheless!

happy spring everyone! xo!

March 19, 2013

lindsey jane photography!



back in december, i had the pleasure of collaborating with lindsey jane on her new look! i was so inspired by her fun, bright studio in whitefish and i just knew we had to incorporate that brightness into the logo... lindsey wanted something artsy, something different, with a hint of vintage, so i took a more abstract approach this time, working with the freedom of watercolor + all it's pretty textures paired with a vintage inspired typeface!

thanks so much lindsey, honored to be apart of your new branding... you're such a gem!! :)

xo!
ashley

March 18, 2013

little miss lily lavik's announcement!



isn't she just adorable?! i loved collaborating with stephanie lavik again [illustrated them for christmas, when lily was still inside steph's belly!] to illustrate the announcement of their baby girl's arrival! steph wanted a floral border around each side of the postcard, so of course, they had to be pink!! they are just the most beautiful family + i love seeing them grow!!

xo!

March 16, 2013

life with jack



i had the absolute honor of creating a new logo for life with jack, a blog that's just so incredibly inspiring that i couldn't stop reading it the first time i visited... i probably spent a good hour reading post after post of this miraculous journey of jessi's son jack, a micro preemie. my heart was wrenched + warmed at the same time. she is a pillar of encouragement through hard times. i only met her via email about a month ago and love her so much already... and i'm so excited to share her new look with you.

xo!

March 15, 2013

stepping stones



for the last couple days, i've found myself thinking about all the jobs i had prior to becoming a 'full time' artist last year... which is still so weird to say by the way!! and i was inspired by joy's post to share about it...
i've been a receptionist at a socal christian radio station, an admin assistant at the newport beach chamber, a project coordinator at a super cool architecture firm, and then a part time nanny...

i can honestly say that even though there were moments of wishing/praying myself out of corporate america, i learned so so so much from each place. i'm now so thankful for those experiences that have helped pave the path i'm on right now- being an artist/business owner/customer service rep/designer/accountant... you know, all the hats you didn't realize you'd have to wear as a self-employed artist. all of them were necessary stepping stones, i needed each one to prepare me for what i'm doing now... and all the tough lessons i've learned, all the mistakes i've made in the last year as a newbie freelancer, is all a stepping stone to being a better business owner and artist.

i guess the point i'm trying to share with you is that i'm learning [slowly] to be present, to be open to *learning*, and not resent the stepping stones... they're just as important as the destination.

happy friday everyone!! any st. patty's plans? do we even know what corned beef is?? i'm 1/4 irish and i've never tasted it... maybe i'll do that this weekend, i owe it to my heritage right?! :)

xo!

March 13, 2013

freshly picked: pot o' gold

with st. patrick's day right around the corner, i was inspired to round up a few golden treasures that don't actually require a huge pot-of-gold budget to buy them! :)





oh... and isn't this diy gold star clip from refinery 29 amazing?? i'm really not the biggest crafter, but i may set aside some time to work on this whimsical piece!!

xo!

March 12, 2013

open house

i remember them well - those annual nights where all your work was plastered on the walls of each classroom, your essays + reports neatly arrayed on tables, showing your parents what you've been doing in school all year... hopefully making those private school dollars all worth it. ;)

well, i admit it's been quite a few years since those open house days, but my goal has been to keep learning new things, have the mind of a student, even if it's not in the desk-and-whiteboard setting.
when katie rodgers of paper fashion announced she was going to be offering an online fashion illustration class, i knew i wanted in on it! for so long the world of fashion has inspired me - everything from the initial sketches to the myriad of fabrics, and i'm so excited to learn from the best!!

so i thought i would host my own little open house at the end of the 2-week course [it's not too late to sign up!]... here's a sneak peek of my inspiration for the course....

speaking of fashion, anyone else watching project runway?? i feel like it's anyone's game right now, but i'm rooting for stanley!

March 8, 2013

in pursuit of silence

a few years ago, my husband met patrick [the guy behind the video] through a mutual friend, and we've been kept in the loop of his work ever since. the most recent teaser he released is so beautiful + intriguing, so i thought i'd share it with you... can't wait to watch the documentary!



IN PURSUIT OF SILENCE Teaser 05 - "Ansel" from transcendental media on Vimeo.

if you're moved by the video like i was, there's still a chance to contribute here.

cheers to relaxing weekend! 
xo!

elements for kelli + vanessa!!


i can't believe it's almost been a year since i created kelli + vanessa's logo....when they were still sporting baby bumps!! gosh, so much has happened, their kids are adorable, and i couldn't be happier to collaborate with them again!

these two lovely ladies recently started a 'mom' spotlight on instagram that's become such an amazing, inspiring community for moms + non-moms alike! they've highlighted some of my favorite mom friends who are also creatives, so it was super fun to create the camera + creator symbol for the series.
i went with a needle + paintbrush for the symbol to encompass most of the creative realm, using ink + acrylic paint. :)





happy friday everyone!! any plans for the weekend??

March 6, 2013

resting + dreaming....

[photo from kinfolk]

doesn't sickness just come at the most inopportune times?? i've been battling this cold for about 3 days now and am so ready for this unwanted guest to leave... but i have to admit, it's been a good time of catching up on my 90-day reading plan, because yes, i confess i've fallen behind... about a week's worth to be exact. but instead of beating myself up [the cold is already doing that!] i'm just cozied up on the couch, kleenex in hand, tea in the other, reading.

..... also, i've been dreaming of paris lately... more than usual.

hope you're all staying nice and healthy!
xo!
ashley

[photo from kinfolk]

March 1, 2013

march desktop + iphone wallpaper!


where do i even begin?! if we're being honest, reading that verse up there just leaves me speechless....
God doesn't just come over with a pretty key to free us from our shackles... but breaks + shatters those chains with His bare hands. well, that's what i picture anyways....

Jesus was hands on. He washed His disciples' feet. He wrote messages in the sand. He walked on water. He cooked meals + broke bread. those very hands that made blind men see, and those feet that walked miles from city to city to reach + love people, were nailed to a rugged, splintery cross.
for you. for me.

that's why i know that Jesus breaks our chains of bondage with His own hands, He wouldn't have it any other way... and only HE is able to do that. only He, not me, will tread down my enemies. gosh, isn't that so freeing?!

as easter quickly approaches [march 31st!], kelli + i hope that this desktop + wallpaper would be a reminder of the powerful, ongoing victory we have in Christ....don't we all need that?! me! i do! [raising my hand]

also, i've had a couple requests, so this month we're providing iphone4 + iphone5 wallpapers [see below].

love you all, happy beginning of march!! :)

xo!
ashley

iphone 4 wallpaper:
iphone 5 wallpaper: