Tiffany & Co.

Happy Halloween from me to you.
straight from 5th Avenue in New York City (hey, a girl can dream....)

Any fun plans for HALLOWEEN lovelies?!

little joys of life

the other night we had some of our male friends over for dinner.
(we were trying to impress them...)
we baked them delish apple crisp and grilled on our cute little grill even.
well, ever since then, i've been cravin apple crisp everyDAY

so, a few nights ago, the roomie and i decided to venture out into the chilly autumn evening
and went to get the supplies for said apple crisp.

i forgot to take a photo of the finished product, but you get the picture...

it was so yummy!

we were SICK to our tummies because it was so rich.

man, we're so domestic!

happy haunting

well, it's that time of the year again...the time when we get together and go buy overpriced pumpkins and gut them.

yeah, its pumpkin carving time. 

this post is a little late, but oh well.

a week or so ago, some of my friends and i decided

to carve our pumpkins.  

i carved jack, the pumpkin king (how fitting, eh?)

do you have any fun halloween traditions?!

i love this time of year! 

Sloanbook: Guest Post

Hey lovelies...guess what?!  I have another guest post today!
Featuring the ever-so lovely, Ashley from SLOANBOOK is being featured today!
We are like best blog friends since we are both named Ashley, oh and I love the fact that she has a pup named Katinka!  What a cute name, huh?!

I love reading Ashley's blog, she's so witty and clever and so sweet!  go show her some love...after you read her post of course!

Hey hey readers of All Things Ashley!
I am excited to be here!
Guess what? My name is Ashley too...
we both rock because of that :)

Anywho, I'm Ashley from Sloanbook, the blog, here. I blog about my husband, Kevin, and I and our little long-haired chihuahua, Katinka! We both just graduated from BYU in Business and just moved from Utah to Colorado! I post on our random happenings so you never know what you will get :) I guess I am biased but I think it is a fun blog haha...decide for yourself!

Today I am going to tell you why I blog!
Fun right?

1) Document Our Lives:
I started this blog the summer of 2009. Kevin and I got married August of 2008. I didn't start a blog as soon as we got married because I didn't know much about them. My sister-in-law, Tara, had a blog then and still has a super cute blog where she documents her family and their life by sharing pictures, thoughts, and stories! I thought that it would be a fun idea to make one so I could document things that Kevin and I did on the weekends and share funny stories. For me, it is easier than writing in a journal by hand. It is just so fast to type it all out! So my main reason of starting this blog and still is, is to document our lives. I think it is so important to do that, not only for ourselves, but for our posterity. I know that someday my kids and grand-kids will think I am a weird/funny lady with a chihuahua lol.

2) Inspiration:
I don't know about you but I am not very creative or crafty...okay...I bet I could be if I tried, but I am too lazy haha. I love discovering new blogs that have tutorials on how to sew, re-do furniture, decorate, organize, and cook yummy fun meals! I also love fashion blogs because I love to see how other girls put together outfits. I have gotten some great ideas from other bloggers on how to use pieces of clothing that I already have in different and unique ways! If it weren't for these awesome blogs and Pinterest, I'd be lost! http://pinterest.com/ashley_katinka/">Pinterest friend, much? :)
 

3) Friends:
I have taught so many of my friends how to make blogs, how to write posts, how to add backgrounds, etc...because I love blogging and I love that lots of my friends have blogs! I love being able to see what friends are doing after graduation in their new area! Not only is it great to help keep up on your friends' lives but it is a great way to MEET friends! I have found some really great girl friends through blogging! So great that I even helped host a blog party to meet them! Sweet Ashley (not me but Ashley from this blog) was helping and got sick so she couldn't go so that was way sad! Maybe someday we can meet at another blogger meet up :) Positive thinking right?

Anyways, there are numerous reasons why I blog but I just had to narrow it down to those 3 otherwise it would be way long!
Thanks so much for having me Ashley! You are so sweet! :)
I love making new friends so if you'd like, stop by my blog here!
 Say hi!!! Happy day all!

Why do you blog?

healthy living: 30 day challenge

here's the deal.  I am trying to get healthier and make it fun for myself.  I also think it's so much easier to be 'healthy' and good at changing a health habit when i have someone to answer to, don't you?!  well...here's where YOU come into the equation.

 i've come up with a fun little challenge....

Here's the deets:

healthy living: 30 day challenge RULES

1 month (30 days)

8 points possible per day

must keep a log of points you earn each day

must be totally honest with yourself

1 free day per week (can only log a total of 48 points per week)

must put in $5 bones to the challenge jackpot

sound easy, right?  I am sure you're now wondering

"how do I go about earning my points for the day, Ashley?"

Let me tell you....

* no sweets *

* 64 oz of water daily (at least) *

* at least 7 hours of sleep *

* 5 daily servings of fruits or veggies *

* keeping a food journal *

* no junk food (ie: nothing of poor nutritional value.

yes, oreos are against the rules!!!) *

* 30 minutes of exercise*

* 30 additional minutes of exercise *

doing one of each of these on a daily basis will earn you 1 point per task.

every Tuesday evening everyone MUST email me their points for the week then i'll email everyone and let you know who is 'winning' for that week

so, what's the catch? 

well, this is going to be totally based on the honor code people.

i am not going to come hunt you down and make sure you're doing what you're supposed to be doing.

this is ALL ON YOU.

to make it even MORE fun, (and competitive) I've decided that everyone who wants to actively participate can put in $5 bones and get themselves put into the challenge jackpot for a fabulous PRIZE.

(once you join the challenge, there is no refund. sorry)

Yes, that's right.  the challenge winner will get the GRAND PRIZE of a gift certificate to Nordstrom, Target, or whatever...

(the winner decides - SCORE)

The grand prize money depends solely upon YOU, dearest reader.

The more people who enter the challenge, the more money you're able to win.

So, SPREAD THE WORD! 

Let's get the grand prize dollar value up to $100 bones...or more!

Contest will begin on Tuesday, November 1st and will last until December 1st

Are you in?

Ready, Set, Go!

(email me if you're interested in getting entered into the 30 day challenge)

ashley.warner88@gmail.com

fall playlist

do you make playlists?
i always do.
if you're an ATA reader, you'll know how much i love music.

i made a fall playlist a few days ago and have been so delighted with it.
i wanted to share it with you, since i loved it so.


fall 2011
heart of the world - lady antebellum
brown eyed girl - van morrison
when it rains - paramore*
the sound of silence - simon and garfunkel
wouldn't it be nice - the beach boys
what you know - two door cinema club
i need you - tim mcgraw/faith hill*
maps - yeah yeah yeahs
anchor - mindy gledhill
all my only dreams - the wonders*
crash into me - dave matthews band
junk of the heart - the kooks
silver springs - stevie nicks
pumped up kicks - foster the people
your love - the outfield
do it, do it - steven stucki
beast of burden - the stones
cough syrup - young the giant*
home - edward sharpe and the magnetic zeros
naive - the kooks*

(* songs have a link to the song...check em out)

what are some of your favorite "fall-ish" songs?!?!

{insta photo}

i love my iPhone.
more importantly, i love the instagram app.
i spend way too much time on that app.

here's what i've been seeing lately.

1 - my favorite snack (orange.cinnamon yogurt).

2 - kevin the owl.

3 - leaves candle. smells like fall in my house.

4 - coral nail polish. nuff said.

5 - one of my favorite movies.

6 - miss t out for her birthday dinner. (pretty teeth!).

this is what i've been listening to.

obsessed with Lady Antebellums new CD

i love this song

i think you should go listen to it.

like, NOW.

merci!

means thank you in french.
suze speaks french, did you know?
so that's why i decided to say merci...i hope its right (help me Suze!)


i am saying thanks to my dear Suze
(if you haven't been to her slice of the blog pie, you better hop on over there)
she has awarded me the versatile blogger award.  her blog is so pretty and i just love
how optimistic she is!  she is one lovely blogger! go visit her.
pronto!

so now i'm supposed to tell you 7 exciting things about me...wow

i hope you're ready for this...

you honestly should just scroll past and see who i've awarded this to, i would!

1. my roommate and i have an addiction to SWEET TOOTH FAIRY sugar cookies and we go at least 2x a week (ya, it's a severe problem) (and i'm not exaggerating when i say 2x a week. its usually more than that)

2. i drink at least 100 oz. of water. on a daily basis.

3. i am trying to learn how to do the 'party rock' dance (see it here)

4. i have a problem with dirty dishes.  i cannot go to bed, get in the shower, go to work, etc. unless my sink is empty and has no dishes.  yeah, i know...it's a problem.

5. i have grown up a lot in the last little while, i am asking santa claus for one of these:

6. i am a laundry detergent snob.  i have to use tide with bleach and downy (the pink one) as my soap combo.  it makes my clothes smell delish.  try it sometime.  you'll thank me for life.

7. i ate 4 sticks of string cheese today. i love it.

ok, now this award goes to:

drumroll please

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

1. siri from "of pumpkin thieves and buffalo wings"

2. katie from "sparky"

3. karly from "plums and mustard"

i love finding new blogs and these are some of the newest. i adore their creativity and their lovely words they have to say.

what are you waiting for?! go check em out! :)

lots of love from ashley.

19.

nineteen is the number of days left until something incredible happens.
something i have been waiting for since october 2009.
my sweet brother comes home.
that's right ladies, in 19 days my brother will be back on american soil.

he's been serving an LDS full-time mission for our church in lithuania.
he's been gone since october 2009 and will return just over 2 years later.

i cannot wait to see this amazing dude.
serious now.
this boy and i are best friends.
i love my brother dearly.

eeeeeeeeek!

handsome lad

on his mission (he's on the right)

my bro and i (long time ago peeps)

a fire still burning

brandon flowers.
the killers.


i am a huge killers fan.  i also love brandon flowers.
i am a member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
brandon flowers is too.


we are mormons.


how cool is this video?!
check it out!

sponsor me?

hey lovely readers.
i am offering sponsorship for November.

can you believe its almost November?!
neither can i, but i am offering a KILLER deal for the month of thanks!

sponsorship slots will start at $3.00 for the month.
(basically, a dime a day!)
uber cheap, right?!  i thought so too.

are you interested in being a sponsor?!

i'd be honored to have you

email me: ashley.warner88@gmail.com

new job

guess what?
i don't blog much because i got a big girl job.
yup, i did.

my company, Crate Paper, was sold to American Crafts

we announced the merger on Tuesday earlier this week.

and i am so excited about it all.

i now work at the crack of dawn (7 am)

and i am in the accounting department.

yup, big girl job.

i crunch numbers all day long, write checks, i even have a cool desk.

yup, i feel so official.

also, crate paper is getting ready to release a valentine's day line:

ready for a little sneak peak?!

i love the color pallet and color schemes.

oh and guess what?

i had a great lunch break today with

some of the warehouse dudes (who are all cuties, like Roy from The Office)

all in all i can say that i absolutely LOVE my new job.

love it all - even the 7 am start time, which means i get to have a fun night.

speaking of which, i gotsta get my buns to the gym.

"i be up in da gym juss workin on mah fitness, he's mah witness" (thanks Roy)

why i blog by {gentri lee}

One of my favorite bloggers is being so generous to be a guest blogger today: GENTRI LEE
holla girl! i love this lady! she is so inspiring, creative, goregous, takes amazing photos, spiritual, sweet, caring, kind, etc, etc. 
i echo her when i say we are BBFF's (best blogging friends forever) i have come to love this girl!  she's so inspiring!  so if you don't, head on over to her blog right now, well after you read this post of course!

. . .

Hello Ashley's wonderful readers! I am so excited to be here today! I love Ashley and am honored to have this opportunity to guest post on her blog. I would consider Ashley one of my BBFF's (Best Blogging Friends Forever). I can't wait for the opportunity to meet her in real life!


My name is Gentri and I blog over at Gentri Lee. Today I'm going to talk about what I have gained from being a blogger. This is such a wonderful world that we are all so lucky to be a part of. I have definitely grown in many ways just since I started blogging.

Before I became a serious blogger I was going through a really hard time. A while ago I had my heart broken and had a really hard time recovering. I eventually got over it, but I was left with a shrivel of a human being. I had completely let myself go. I didn't have a job, I didn't have many friends, I had become so unhealthy in every way possible.

I needed somewhere to gain inspiration from and I just happened to stumble upon some wonderful blogs. I kept clicking and found out there was an entire world of bloggers who post about all the things I love... Or had loved. I started following them and reading and loving. Soon I had decided to take my little ol' blog that maybe two people read and join in this magical world.

I learned about photography- something I never really thought I'd get into, cooking skills, fashion tips and tricks, home decor, and so much more. Just tapping into my creative side made me feel alive again. I have grown and expanded my horizons. I have direction in my life again. I've explored and become adventurous once again. Blogging has opened up so many windows and I've learned so much.

Not only was I able to gain personally, but I was able to reach out to others. To make friends from all over the world. People I would never have ever known otherwise. We're friends! We email and send each other presents! We help with words of encouragement when one of us is having a rough day. I know there are people I can count on to make me smile. I even took it so far as to meet a bunch of bloggers from my area!

Just from blogging I've learned that it's the little things that really matter. It's that sunset that makes your breath catch, that thank you note you received in the mail, the hat you bought that had been on your wishlist for so long, the cake that didn't quite turn out, the way the blueberries burst in your mouth, the taste of garden fresh vegetables, the bright colors of balloons. I could go on forever.



I'm not saying that blogging is the ONLY reason that I've become what I am today. Because that would be a lie. But blogging is what made me feel alive again, and I believe that it wasn't just coincidence. I know that I've met people through blogging for a reason, that I am gaining skills to use in the future, etc. By exploring the blogging world- my normal everyday life has become more beautiful.
So basicallllyyyy I love blogging. I'm a blogging nerd and I don't care who knows it!! I love being "surrounded" by others who love the same things I do and who can inspire me every single day. So thank YOU for taking the time to blog and for saving someone like me. :)

Thank you Ashley for letting me express my gratitued for the blogging world by guest posting on her blog. And thank you to all who read this. I'd love to "meet" you sometime! So stop by my blog and say hello! :)


Love,

Gentri

favor {ites}

 

why i blog: Becca

today i have a guest blogger - one of my friends Becca.
I actually met becca a few years back when i was living at a nasty ghetto apartment complex
in provo.  she and her roomie were friends with my roomie (brooke) and we'd go swimming a lot at night.  love this girl.
she's amazing, gorgeous, funny, smart, talented, caring, etc.
without further ado, here's Becca explaining why she blogs:



 

I have a love/hate relationships with a couple blogs out there in the online blogging world. I love the cute outfit ideas, but hate the perfect, thin, and gorgeous girls wearing the clothes. I love getting cute ideas for home decor, but hate the beautiful, lush, and perfect homes. I love laughing at ridiculous blog posts, but hate the braggy-brag-brag ladies who's days consists of perfect shopping trips, children, and girl night outs. Do we see a word trend here? Yes, perfect.


My wonderful friend Stephanie just posted the most wonderful post on her blog. Check it out. Not only did she share her wonderful Birthday weekend with us, she shared the reason why she began blogging. Her post really got me thinking and inspired me. I loved how she brought up the reason she blogged was for herself.


The good days.


The bad days.


The everyday simple pleasures in life.


I realized that I loved blogging for those reasons as well. I enjoy sharing our life, adventures, and even the hard times with those who read my blog. I like to think of it as my journal. I have never been one to write, because when I do, I start to doo-doo-doodle away. So, let's ask ourselves the question... Why do I blog?


I blog for me,


because my life isn't perfect.

winners

hello dearest bloglies.
i have been sick with the stomach flu (still am)
i feel just like mr. skeleton here...yucky!

i wanted to announce my winners for the crate paper giveaway
in no particular order, here are the winners:

 Gentri said...

Ah!! I can't pick! I love the farmhouse and random and emmas shoppe and portrait collections!!

 megan danielle said...

oh my gosh i love scrapbooking!!!!! you may have just had me make the hardest decision of my life...but i think id go with the restoration collection. man that was hard! thanks for the giveaway!! by far my favorite!

 Janee Lookerse said...

Hi Ashley! Thanks for stopping by my blog today, I'm so happy to have you! I came by to check out your giveaway, SO FUN! I'm totally obsessed with the "Neighborhood Collection {http://www.cratepaper.com/neighborhood_collection.html}

!!! Amazing :)
 Thanks!

xoxo
Janee
www.yellowbirdyellowbeard.blogspot.com

(winners were selected using random.org)

Congrats to Janee, Gentri, and Megan!

please email me today with your shipping address so i can get your gifts out the door to you!
ashley.warner88@gmail.com


Happy Friday bloglies!


(wish me luck to feel better...because if i don't, i cannot make it to the blogger meet up tonight...eeek.  i will be depressed if i miss this!)

i am going to go lay back down and snuggle up in my electric blanket...

obsession.

   

               

1 - rain puddles outside the office

2 - magelby's fresh house salad

3 - vitamin water - zero "orange"

4 - pear/apple from papa's garden

i bought myself a very lovely gift the other night - the iphone4
i am obsessed.

obsessed with the HD camera, pinterest, music, instagram, face time, heytell, etc.
i love the camera most of all.
i don't take photos that often, but now, i'll be snappin away.

beware ya'll.
you've been warned.

giveaway

who likes paper?
scrapbooking?
making cards?

if you answered YES to any of these, then this giveaway is FOR YOU.
i work for Crate Paper, Inc. which is a successful scrapbooking company.

i love the gorgeous paper designs we have, but i don't make the time to scrapbook/make cards/etc.

so, i thought i'd share the wealth with 3 of my lucky readers.

all you have to do to enter this giveaway is leave me a comment - but i want to know what collection from CRATE PAPER you'd choose to win...

go to the Crate Paper website and tell me in your comment which collection you like the most... then you'll be entered into the giveaway


if you win, i'll send you the collection you've chosen. (papers and embellishments)
so what are you waiting for, go check the collections out and COMMENT AWAY

(this giveaway will close tomorrow evening at midnight)

Good luck to all!