September 29, 2014

plant + plow video!



recently, i had the pleasure of creating a logo for one of my sweet friends in california, who is one of the warmest, kindest people i know...... megan has been working with video for awhile and God kept bringing people her way, so she decided to make it official and start a business! it's been so cool to see His faithfulness just in the last few months as i've been able to work with her and create a logo - it came so easily and naturally and i really feel like He placed the vision right in our laps!

so excited for this new chapter in her video journey, and can't wait to see all that God continues to do through this endeavor! honored to work with you megs! loved every minute. :)

check out plant + plow's inspiring blog and don't hesitate to contact her if you need a video! :)

happy monday!
xo!


September 16, 2014

plain *jungle* jane



i like simple things, and i tend to think of myself as a plain jane - my wardrobe is mostly neutral in color, my house is mostly neutral in color, i'll choose white anything over whatever the other option is, i don't accessorize a ton, maybe a hat here + bracelet there...

so i think the wild / colorful / adventurous side of me comes out in my illustrations and story writing... *enter jungle pattern on a thursday night*
i love this green thing!! i want to plaster it all over my walls! i'm still seriously considering painting giant murals in every room of the house, but i've resorted to keep this little tropical ditty on my phone... and you're welcome to use it on yours too!

hope you're all having a lovely summer's end!
xo!
ashley


September 15, 2014

a little peek into my story...



i was asked by with hearts united to share a bit of my story in Christ [you can read it here], and i ended up writing a lot more than i expected! isn't so funny how we tend to think that our lives are 'simple' but when you sit down to write your story, you realize the plot is thick with so many twists and turns, so many finely sewn threads that lead you to where you are now... it's the flawless weaving of a Master at work. oh that fills my soul with so much hope and peace for the future. the seemingly good and the seemingly bad all intertwine with each other, making something completely beautiful with our lives.

we are profoundly loved and refined, day in and day out, moment by moment, by the Creator of the intricately shaped universe, the Author of thousands of heroic, redemptive stories... and i can't believe i get to be a piece penned and molded by Him. i pray i always let Him write it and that i don't try to skip ahead a few chapters and try to write it myself!

let's allow Him to write our stories, it'll be one of love when all hope is lost, peace in the darkest of moments, and victory against all odds. as His workmanship, friends, our stories are anything but simple.

"the Lord will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy, O Lord, endures forever; do not forsake the works of Your hands."
psalm 138:8 

September 5, 2014

floral invites for amy + ryan!!



illustrating florals is such a favorite of mine, especially for wedding invitations! amy + ryan were so sweet + lovely to work with, and i was absolutely giddy to create floral invites for them... their color scheme + vibe was right up my romantic alley! :)

a warm thanks to amy + ryan for having me design their invites... i loved doing so!

xo!
ash

[p.s. above is a digital mockup of the invitation, because amy + ryan decided to print themselves! i offer the option of home printing for anyone looking to cut costs where they can!]

September 3, 2014

the need for silence



"truly my soul silently waits for God; from Him comes my salvation.
my soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him."
psalm 62:1, 5

i love that david had to remind himself to keep quiet, because silence isn't something i naturally seek either. with all the avenues of entertainment, it's honestly really hard for me to choose silence over noise. silence often feels lonely; it often feels weird and uncomfortable because we're so comfortable and used to the voices of others... even right now i'm listening to music while i type this!! [insert blushing/embarrassed emoji] ....and now i'm sheepishly clicking 'stop'. see!! i can't even write about silence without struggling to keep silent! i'm forever grateful for God's patience with this hyperactive heart of mine. sheesh.

our hearts and minds are constantly filled with thoughts and plans and distractions and praise [clearly]. it's all a jumbled noisy mess inside - all that's peaceful fights against all that's distracting. encouraging thoughts war against discouraging thoughts. feeble prayers war against ever-present sin and temptation.... and in the most chaotic of moments, i usually turn to writing in an attempt to release some of the noise. fragments of thoughts and incomplete sentences fill my journal, and by the end of these scribble sessions, the noise has subsided because i've finally taken my eyes off what's going on in my heart and onto Jesus - who can always be found in quiet places.

isn't that something we so often forget?? Jesus loves solitude with us. He desires those quiet intimate moments of refreshing... where we've run out of things on our list and finally sit quietly, waiting for Him to speak.... gosh, how often do i wait patiently for Him to speak? not nearly enough. oh, i'll chatter all day long to God - "help me with this, help me with that, show that person they're wrong, intervene here, heal so-and-so" - and of course, God loves when we share all that's on our hearts, but we forget that He, more importantly, should have a turn to speak. i want to listen to Him as much as He patiently listens to me.

...and sometimes, even when i shut my mouth and make room for Him, He chooses not to say anything. sometimes He'll be silent too. His voice isn't "on-demand" like my favorite shows on hulu or music on spotify. i think He allows silence for our own good... so that we'll learn to trust without hearing and walk without seeing.... so that we'll learn to submit to His timing and not ours. His silence then is rich in love and lessons, just like His word. so whether He chooses to speak volumes to us today, or chooses to keep silent, let's accept both with rejoicing because both have their purpose and both are for our best and both are for His glory.

praying our hearts find rest in that lovely silence today!

xo,
ash

September 2, 2014

birch tree invitations for sarah + josh!


oh, how i love wedding invitations! it's not every day that i get to work on these incredibly special pieces, but when i do, i'm smitten through the entire process! the love + new life represented in this particular set of wedding stationery is really second to none. reading through this couple's sweet love story and seeing their beautiful engagement photos, it was easy to see they're meant to be... and what a delight it was to design invitations for them!

heartfelt thanks to sarah + josh for having me create these special pieces, it was an honor!

xo!
ash