Too Cool For School

These pieces of art are so ingenious! I have had a small love affair with books for as long as I could read. I'm pretty sure I'm the only person my age that still has an active library card. Spineless Classics have created art work from the entire text of multiple books.

 I love how they space the words out to create images from the book.

This would be so neat in a library or a kid's playroom!

Happy Monday Y'all. My goal for tonight is to upload my pictures from Spring Fling! We did a cupcake fundraiser that was so easy and successful. The world must know about it! haha.

Spring Fling

I'm am in full spring mode! Yes, February has not ended, BUT  with temperatures reaching the 80's in Texas, how can you not want to slip on your favorite Spring dress? I will be taking a break from blogging starting after this post until Monday. I'm am working our big fundraiser for Junior League.. SPRING FLING. It has great merchants coming from all over the country,  and when you live in the deserts of West Texas, outside merchants is exciting! Here are some fashions from Mod Cloth that are making me really happy! Have you guys shopped Mod Cloth? I think the prices and quality are really reasonable!

Bright colors are in this season people! At least that is the word on the street...

by street I mean blog land.

PS. If you live in the Midland/Odessa area: come see us at Spring Fling

over 80 different booths full of clothing, jewelry,

kids stuff, home decor and my favorite... food!

Midland Center

Friday- 10-6

Saturday 10-6

Sunday- 12-4

Tickets are $5.00 at the door.

Signing off!

Ashley

Creative Cake Topper

This cake topper is so cute. Grab your wooden or cardboard letter from your local craft store, and give it a cute coat of paint, or cover it in your favorite scrap book paper and voila,

instant cake style!

Image: Souther Belle's Charm

I WON!

I actually won something! I don't enter a ton of give-aways on blogs, but when I do I usually forget I even entered, because I know I'm not going to win. Well low and behold Sadie and Stella contacted me on Sunday to tell me I won something! And on my birthday no less!

I'm so excited to get these yellow ikat pillows from Modern Thread! I might put them outside on our sectional or in the living room, I can't decide. I'm loving the fresh pop of color!

Thank you girls for putting this give-a-away together!

Let them eat cake!

Or cookies! In celebration of my own Birthday, I'm highlighting the cookies and milk birthday theme. Delish, and could really work for all ages. Cookies are the best!!

You could even turn this into a wedding shower theme or baby shower!

TomKat Studio

design dazzle

 The treat bags! Have you're guests take home some cookies in these cute paper sacks!

Invitation: Etsy
Display: Unknown
Cookie Cupcake: Hello Cupcake
Smash Cake: TomKat Studios
Cookie Display: Design Dazzle
Milk Display: TomKat Studios
Take Away Bags: Frost Me Blog

Kitchens....where the magic happens.

I post about food alot. I love food, I love cooking, I love sharing a great meal with loved ones, there just isn't much about cooking I don't love (maybe the clean up). These kitchens are so fresh and clean. I never thought I'd love white kitchens, but I do. I LOVE THEM.

So what do y'all think of white kitchens? Gorgeous or intimidating?

sources: Traditional Home, Candice Olson, Decorpad, Atlanta Home

Oscar Bingo

This could officially qualify as stalking now, but I love How About Orange blog ( I know I said this yesterday). She created Oscar Bingo. Genius. Print off the cards and let the fun begin. Make sure to have a great prize everyone is salivating over for the winner!

How About Orange

Click here to download all 12 variations!

Not just for the birds!

This gorgeous weather we're having is making me turn to our patio! Here is a great re-use project. This pretty display that isn’t just for the birds. Make your garden glow by placing floating candles in it, or if it is windy drain the container and place votives in glass holders.

Sunset Magazine

Plant shallow-rooted succulents in the birdbath with soil. The lack of drainage will keep the soil moist, so you’ll need to water even less frequently than usual. If you don't already have a birdbath, you can pick up one cheap at your local garage sales or "antique" store.

real simple

I love succulents. I'm going to try my hand at some this year, by the time July hits my poor flowers are usually dead due to my lack of diligence in watering them. Maybe I can keep a succulent alive!



Brides.com





Printable Freebie Round Up

I love free. Especially CUTE free stuff. How About Orange blog is loaded with great finds. Here are some of my favorites. Cruise over there to see all your options!

Chocolate Bar Wrappers

Great little favors!

Printable Lists!

I love lists! Click here to download your favorite.

Mailing Labels

I'd be excited to find this envelope in my mailbox.

Canister Decals

Yes Please.

Weekly Menu Printable

I use something like this every Sunday and plan my meals. It is a lifesaver, and I only have to go to the store once.

Calling Cards

Click here to download the pdf

Happy Valentine's Day!

My Valentine's celebration will not look anything like this, but a girl can dream!

Hope every has a good one with lots of sweets and flowers!

AND thank you everyone for reading my blog! It makes me feel nice I'm not just sending posts into cyberspace for no one to see!

x0x0- Ashley 

Revealing your Baby's gender party

I think this is one of the CUTEST ideas I've heard. I was reading my friend's blog and this is how her sister told their family they were having a girl!

Have a party to reveal the gender of your baby! Have your guests wear either blue or pink depending of what they guess the gender is! How fun is that?!

It is also very amusing to see men wear pink.

Team Blue vs. Team Pink

Mmmmm! Look at this cake!

sources: etsy, MD Photography, hostess with the mostess

DIY Valentine Coffee Cup Labels

Nothing like a little caffeine to say I LOVE YOU.

These printable coffee wraps are just so cute I can't take it.

 Click here to get the downloads! These would make great office gifts too!

I'm ready for the weekend!! Getting my first facial, very excited!

My birthday is coming up! I really want artwork.

Not just any artwork, something really neat that means something. Not hard right?

Well the Empire Hotel in New York City caught my eye.

I love the art, it looks like old letters blown up and transferred onto canvas.

 I also love the handwriting, it was such an art back then.

On an unrelated note. Look at those floor in the lobby! Gorgeous! I guess Gossip Girl films here alot, I loved the books, don't watch the show, but that is the word on the street.

Trendy setting + celebs= yes please!

The Empire Hotel

Stuffed Strawberries

Look at me being all nice, posting a light dessert option to make for your sweetie for V-day. Honestly these look better to me than all those cupcakes.

 I think I'm going to make these on Sunday.

They are super easy and insanely delicious! It would be very easy to lighten the recipe by using fat free cream cheese and fat free whip cream or a sugar substitute.

Stuffed Strawberries

1 8 oz package of cream cheese, softened (I used 1/3 less fat)

1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar

1 tsp almond or vanilla extract

1 quart strawberries, capped

Chocolate shavings

Directions: In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, and almond/vanilla extract until smooth. Spoon cream cheese mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a medium star tip. (You could also use a ziplock baggie, and just cut the corner). Chill for 1 hour (I skipped this step and they still turned out great). Quarter strawberries from tip to stem end without cutting them all the way through. . Pipe cream cheese mixture into strawberries. Sprinkle with chocolate shavings. Chill until ready to serve.

Happy Thursday! We're almost there!
~Ashley

Love thy Neighbor

I guess Philadelphia really is the city of brotherly love!  These neighbors turned a vacant lot into a community garden. They host regular pot luck dinners there in the warm months. This makes me want to be friends with our neighbors, and do things like this. This space they created looks so inviting. I could see many  summer nights spent chatting with neighbors while sampling the fresh grown veggies.

You can buy these hanging mason jars right now at Kirklands, I think 3 for $6.99.

Heirloom Tomato Salad with Herbs

Grilled Corn with cilantro butter

Their cupcake display. The center is piled on blackberries. These images just warm me right up on this cold day. I can't wait for my own spring dinner parties! All these images were found at Martha Stewart.com, the recipes are also available there.

I will be trying this corn for myself!