out of town ...

We will be leaving for out of town later this evening ... so excited to go relax!!! If you have any orders to place to take advantage of the sale, be sure to place them via email, cristinaashleydesigns@gmail.com, on or before Sunday. I will have some access to email and will get the paypal invoice to you as soon as I can. Please be as specific as possible if placing a custom order. Thanks!

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend. Here is a peek at what is over in my Etsy shop ... www.cristinaashleydesign.etsy.com. Go shop!

fab finds ...

Because I am such an avid blog reader, I come across WAY too many cute things on the net. I get on inspiration overload, and today is no exception! Kylie took a 2 hour nap today and of course I had nothing better to do than surf the internet, right? Uh huh :)

I am going to start a new weekly post that will be titles "fab finds" and I will post pictures of some of my favorite findings from that week. Some might be photos, some may clothes, decor, baby stuff, etc.

So here we go ...

"Mommy's Helper Half Apron" for toddlers ... too cute for words. I think Kylie will be getting one of these in her Easter basket???

Chocolate Settee. 2 words = I WANT!!!

Sweet, whimsical stationery from Paper-Source. Trying to think of an excuse to need this :)

Fun vintage-y top from a store called "Ruche"

Orange Armless Chair. So stinkin' cool I can't stand it!

is it possible ... ?

To be stressed and relaxed at the same time? I have a sleeping baby on a cold, rainy morning, which makes for a nice quiet chunk of time ... but SO much to get done today. Here is my TO DO list for today:

Story and music time at a local baby boutique
Target ... need a few last minute things
Oil change
Grocery store
2 sets of people coming over to look at an armoir we have for sale
Pre-make food for this weekend in Genoa
Pack

Uggghhh, reading through the list again makes me stressed all over! It gets pounded through quicker than it looks most of the time, which is encouraging!

an errand kind of day ...

Kylie and I are about to head out to get some errands ran before the weekend. We are leaving for Genoa on Friday night ... yay! We SO need a relaxing weekend. Oh, and to play in the snow ... how could I forget that :)

sale + this week = go shop ...

Enjoy 15% off your order from Sunday to Sunday ... go shop! Sale ends this Sunday, March 1st. Please submit all orders to me, via e-mail so I can send you an invoice with the discount! Click on the links to the left to view my jewelry.

I will leave you with a picture of Kylie with her beloved celery stick! Every time I sit down to have a snack (specifically: celery and organic peanut butter), she always manages to sneak over and steal one. And oh boy, if she doesn't get one ... not good!

Off to playgroup. Enjoy your Tuesday ... the weather is beautiful here!

happy almost valentines day ...

I hope everyone has had a wonderful week so far. The rain has kept us inside off and on this week, but it has been nice to stay home and catch up on things around the house! Tomorrow is Valentines Day :) Do something special for someone! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and a special day tomorrow.

*** I know this isn't an uplifting part of the post, but I would like to share this story with you because it has affected me in a way that I cannot ignore this issue that is going on.

My husband was driving home from work one night last week and, as usual, was listening to Christian talk radio. A woman came on the radio and was sharing her story in hopes that it would gain more publicity and attention.

This woman was a nurse at a hospital in Illinois (I think) and one day came across something that would change her life forever. In this hospital that she worked at, they were performing abortions for those girls/women who had discovered they didn't want their child anymore. So the doctors would perform an abortion ... in many cases, late in their 2nd trimester and into their third ... that would often start labor. These babies were born, some as early as 23 weeks, and these precious babies would be taken to a soiled utility room to be left for dead. The nurses would leave them on cold scales, metal shelves ... and "some were lucky enough to be wrapped up tight in a blanket under a heat lamp" without oxygen, food or medical care. Just to die ... alone. Cold, weak and innocent. When this particular nurse discovered what was going on she pleaded for medical care for these babies, but was rejected every time. The final straw was when she went into that utility room and took one of the babies, who was denied help, and held that baby close to her and rocked it until it took it's last breath. It broke her heart and soon after, she started speaking publicly about what was going on in many hospitals throughout the country. Because of the negative attention she was bringing in, she was soon fired from this hospital and has created a website that has more information in hopes that more people will hear this story and be touched enough to help.

This tore me apart inside because these precious little babies don't have a say in how they are treated. I don't understand how someone could be so heartless to deny a baby the health care it needs. They are LIVING human beings!!! I will be creating a sale in the next week or two and 20% of the proceeds will go to this organization to help spread the word. Stay tuned!

I am sorry for such a morbid post, but Valentines day to me is about loving everyone in our lives, not just our spouses. I want to love these babies and help them live the life that we were all blessed to live. I hope you will help me :)

Visit her website for more information: www.bornalivetruth.org. Thank you in advance!

nana is gone ...

It was so wonderful having my Mom up here to hang out and help with Kylie. Nana always brings about new things ... more babbling (seriously sounding like she is trying to say words), crawling faster than ever, more personality, etc. It has always been that way with Kylie. She seems to blossom and start new things when others are around! We are working on "Thank You" right now. My Mom started this one and we loved hearing Kylie try to say it, so my husband and I continue to do this multiple times a day!

Hope you are enjoying the little things this weekend. Happy Sunday!

*** Blogging may be a bit slower for now (on top of no giveaways ... sorry), due to all the changes going on. It wont be much different than it has been lately! Sorry for the blogging absence. But stick around because when I do get back into the swing of things, it will be WONDERFUL!!! Lots of new stuff.

nana is coming ...

My Mom is coming into town on Monday morning ... and she is staying for 4 days!!! The thing is, Kylie always decides to change her sleeping patterns right before she gets here. Sooo, this past week my husband and I have been dealing with getting up 2 times a night ... last night was midnight and 4am (the 4am one she was awake for about an hour). Then she woke up again at 6:30am for food! Either she is having a growth spurt, or she is just getting herself ready to spend lots of time with Nana :)

The thing that I find funny is that she waited for my Mom to get to the delivery room before she came out. My Mom had to fly into town from Southern California and I had been pushing for about an hour and 45 minutes. Literally, within 5 minutes of my Mom getting there, she came out! Something about her Nana gets her all excited :) Me too!

Getting ready to go on a walk with a sweet friend. Then the dreaded grocery shopping :(

story time ...

Kylie and I met some friends at the library today for story time! It was short and sweet ... songs, clapping, smiles, reading, jumping. They really encourage interaction with the kids during song time and story time, which makes it more fun and entertaining for the little ones. I think we will make this a weekly tradition!

some new things ...

I have some fun new things in the works that have been taking up a lot of my time ... hence the absence here on my blog! I am sorry for not posting consistently. I feel bad that I have been neglecting this so much lately ... please forgive me :) These new fun things wont be up and going for a few weeks probably, but I will be sure to give you a sneak peak soon!

Hope you all had a restful chilly weekend. We got a little hail about an hour ago ... kinda fun!

What did you do this weekend?

sorry it's been so long ...

Kylie is finally coming around and starting to feel better. It's been 7 days of this ... yuck! My husband and I are trying not to come down with it too, but I think it may be too late. We are feeling a little under the weather, unfortunately.

Things I got checked off my list today:

- Completed my orders
- Continued laundry
- Made TONS of baby food to replenish our freezer
- Walked to the park and fed Kylie on the bench while watching the kids play (we needed a break from the house)
- Wrapped a present for an upcoming birthday
- Organized some activities for Kylie and I ... and our playgroup (baby swim lessons, CPR class, story time at our public library)

I didn't do too bad. I am sooo tired ... I think we are all hitting bed pretty soon. Stirring up some inspiration for our February design and giveaway! Hope you all aren't too sick ... I think pretty much everyone is sick right now :(

my little sicky ...

The past couple days have been a bit of a bummer around here. Kylie came down with a yucky cold and has been battling a fever for the past 3 days, along with the sniffles, sneezes and coughing. Poor baby. This is her very first time being sick ... which I am thankful for, with her being 9 months.

Sorry for the boring post, but there is nothing too exiting going on right now! Just trying to get her better and not come down with it myself.

I will share a few picture from her 9 month photo session ... sick and all. Oh, and please ignore the spit up on her shirt. Go figure!

play day fun ...

Feeding the ducks! Kylie didn't get to do much today at playgroup because she is still too young to do some of the activities. But she still has a fun time watching and anticipating when she will get to be a "big girl" and do those things!

pictures, finally ...

Drum roll please! Sooo, the craft that we did was a clip/bow holder. Kylie is just starting to get a bit of length to her hair, so I bought her some fun clips (as you will see) ... so, of course I need a cute and practical way of storing them! It has a loop at the top so it can be hung on the wall.

I almost need to make another one! That will be a project for another day ...

a windy monday ...

This week, I am looking forward to:

A relaxing Monday, to follow a relaxing Sunday :)
Bible study tonight with our awesome friends
Kylie's 9 month well check tomorrow morning
Playgroup tomorrow (we're feeding ducks ... how fun is that!)
Planning a trip for my Mom to come up to visit
Making Kylie's birthday invitations


What are you looking forward to this week?

winner ...

The winner for the necklace giveaway is JAN!!! It sounds like everyone gave such wonderful, fun (and some practical) gifts this year! I am sure they were much appreciated.

Jan, e-mail me your address when you get a chance and I will get it in the mail :) cristinaashleydesigns@gmail.com

I don't have my camera at the moment, but when I get it back I will post a picture of my craft ... it turned out SOOOO cute! I'm going to have to make another one soon because I am so in love with it :)

Happy Saturday!

inspired craft ...

Each day I set aside a little time to check out all my favorite blogs for my daily inspiration. A couple days ago I came across something that I was tempted to purchase, but decided to make instead. So, I invited friends over and we will be doing a craft! It ends up that mine may be a little more expensive than if I were to just buy it offline, but creating it and being with a friend is what makes it fun!

I will post a picture when it is complete ... it's a surprise :)

What crafts do you love?

bubbles ...

A couple weeks back, Kylie and I took a walk to the corner of our street where there is a grassy patch. We parked her stroller, pulled out her blanket, set her and "tickle toes" down and blew bubbles! Kylie, much like most children, is fascinated with bubbles. She spreads her arms out wide and takes deep breaths, enjoying every bubble that pops on her! It is adorable to see.

Her first birthday is coming up quick ... beginning of April ... so we have decided to plan a bubble party for her. It is going to be so stinkin fun! I have started what I can on the planning process and I am getting really excited about it. There are so many fun, unique things you can do with a bubble theme.

Here are a few pictures of Kylie from our day ...

something we have in common ...

Kylie and I have a lot in common, but one thing is for sure. We both love our shoes. I like shoes that are simple, flat and can slip right on without a fuss. I am sure Kylie loves that too ... but these days she needs the kind that can slip on but not slip off! The kind with the velcro strap around the top so she can't rip them off. So her shoes aren't so simple anymore, but she still loves them and they are still cute!

this is what happens ...

When Daddy dresses me.



It's not like it's cold out there or anything!!!

new design & giveaway ...

Here is the new design and giveaway for January. Very simple ... very sweet. I will be selecting the winner next Friday, so check back then! I hope everyone is having a wonderful start to the new year. New memories, new traditions, new inspiration!

What was your favorite gift that you either gave or received this year???

Happy New Years Eve ...

I am sorry I have been so absent from blogging! I promise, promise I will start up again after the new year ... it has been so stinkin' busy settling back in after Christmas. We are heading out of town today ... I will be out of commission for the next couple days = no featured design tomorrow :( I will have it up by Friday. Guaranteed! Check back then :) Hope everyone has a wonderful, safe New Years!!!

What are you doing for New Years Eve???

merry Christmas to all ...

And to all a very busy week ahead, I am sure! We are leaving for Southern California tonight and wont be back until Saturday. I wont be blogging until then, at least. Remember to check back January 1st, if you think of it, to enter your comment into the giveaway!

Merry Christmas ...

another rainy day ...

I have to admit ... again ... that I am loving the rain! It makes it feel so much more like Winter (Christmas, too!). It has been so cold here this past week that we had a hail storm for about 20 minutes. Kinda fun :) You should have seen me running around the house trying to find my camera, then going to check on Kylie, then going outside to snap a picture, then to check on Kylie again and so on! Lame I tell ya ... but hey, we don't get those too often!!!

Here's proof ...

time to relax ...

So the Christmas order rush is done!!! Now begins all the other holiday to-dos, but first comes the fun stuff:

1) Enjoy the Christmas tree
2) Play with Kylie uninterrupted
3) Wrap Christmas gifts
4) Make Christmas cards
5) Clean the house (finally a good one!)
6) Pack for our 4 day trip to Southern California
7) Family time ... should have been #1
8) Bake cookies!!!

Hope everyone is enjoying time with their families and all the fun smells, sights, and sounds that come along with this season! Thanks for all of your orders ... I really appreciate the business. It is overwhelming during this time of year, but such a blessing! Thank you.

Here is a funny picture of the gift my husband took to his "white elephant" gift exchange at work ...

holiday orders ...

An FYI for all of you who have not received your orders yet:

They will be shipping Monday or Tuesday!!! Sorry for the lag time ... I have been swamped with all the orders and am trying to get them all finished up all by myself :) My wish for next year is that I can hire a bit of help! Complete craziness the past few weeks ... you don't even want to see my house right now. Disgusting is all I can think!!! Hasn't been cleaned in about 2 weeks. Disgusting. But I have been blessed with wonderful people placing orders and being so understanding :) Thank you.

Go enjoy a quiet day at home with family on this cloudy, gloomy Sunday!

my Christmas baby ...

She is 8 months old!!!

washers have been discontinued ...

Just an FYI for all my customers who are wanting to place an order ... I am no longer offering washers until further notice. They have been placed on back order from the manufacturer and we don't know when they will be available again. I will keep you posted as I know more. We have some cute designs with the washer pendant, so I am excited to get them back in as soon as possible. Thanks for your understanding ... I hope you will find another design you like just as much!

Also ... the larger hammered flowers are running a bit low and they are on back order as well. I do have other sizes available. Please contact me if you are interested! We have plenty of options :)

Happy Wednesday!!!

i love this time of year ...

Because I feel all warm and fuzzy when I look around and see all the Christmas decorations! I love sipping hot cocoa sitting in front of the Christmas tree with its twinkling lights ... mmm. I wish it were Christmastime all year long. Isn't there a song written about that :)

Some holiday warm and fuzzies ...

new product & another SALE ...

Tomorrow is the LAST day to place holiday orders and have a guaranteed delivery before Christmas! Soooo, I am having another day of sales for those of you who were not able to hop online and order on December 1st at our 20% off sale. Tomorrows will be just as good though! I am offering a 10% discount off ALL orders ... big or small ... AND a FREE pair of white freshwater pearl earrings with every order!!! Remember to check out my shops (links are on the left side of the blog) for new product. Please place orders through me via email. Thanks!

Here are a few of the pieces from the holiday boutique I did this past weekend ... I LOVE these ones because they are so simple, but really pretty!