beh-bee {baby} ...

Kylie loves her baby. Adores her baby. When she is upset, just the fact that I even says the WORD, makes her belly laugh. She often will hug and kiss her baby, just like mommy and daddy do to her! Cute how they imitate.

snake park ...

A friend introduced me to this park and I love it. Most parks in our immediate area aren't suited for the little ones, but this one has a great area for the little ones and a separate are for the bigger kids {and I love the padded ground ... it makes it easier for Kylie to balance while she tries to walk}!

county fair ...

We went last night and it was fun! We grabbed some fair food for dinner, walked through all 3 petting zoo areas {we even got to play with some of them!}, Daddy won Kylie a "gog" {dog}, and took some fun pictures. Next year we will be able to go on some of the rides. I can't justify the $6/ride for a 1 year old! I just love all the colors of a fair ... It seems so vintage to me.

happy 4th ...

Sorry I haven't visited my blog in a while. Be back after the weekend :) What did you do for the 4th of July???

wake up slow ...

Except, we are out of creamer this morning! I have been loving my cup or two of coffee in the morning. But when the husband is home on the weekend, that darn creamer seems to disappear. Quickly! I guess we both enjoy our cups of coffee :)

reading ...

Kylie loves reading her books to anyone who will listen ... And she makes sure to point at everything on the page, while looking up at you, just to see if you are really paying attention! I love that she loves books. I hope it is something that she continues to enjoy throughout life. I am not a reader ... Wish I was.

for the month of july ...

Go shop at www.cristinaashleydesign.etsy.com!
{make sure to make a note that you saw this on my blog}.

contest ...

I get Parents Magazine in the mail each month. I love it ... The inspiration I get thumbing through each page. I enjoy the crafty kid's projects (although we aren't quite there yet), the creative recipes for kids' snacks, helpful tips for us Moms, etc. I created a file of all the tear-outs that I have gathered over the months. It's fun to go through them every once in a while to get inspired all over again!

My point in sharing this with you is that in one of my quiet afternoons of thumbing through my Parents magazine, I came across a contest ... THE contest. Kylie could be on the cover of the November 2009 issue!!! We submitted our photos yesterday and we are excited to see if we make it to the next round. We are not counting on anything, but it's fun to have something to look forward to. Something silly to be hopeful for :)

So ... Here is a small handful of the photos I took to submit to the magazine.

what it takes ...

To get good pictures of a 15 month old baby:

Not letting the 90* afternoon get the best of you
Food ... Lots and lots of food!
Her favorite baby doll
Allowing her to crawl around on dirty pavement and scuffing her knees up
Being an absolute nerd to get even one little smile
Not getting discouraged by the tears ... Keep trying new things

* I am working on a project that is due tomorrow! I procrastinated ... Something I am quite good at! I will share some of the pictures, along with the reason why I took on this absurd thing in the first place, tomorrow :)

father's day ...

Today, I am reminded of how thankful I am to have such wonderful fathers and a great husband. I hope all the fathers in your life felt loved and appreciated today.

We had a wonderful weekend together (my husband, myself and my daughter). Unfortunately, we don't liver near our Dads so we made the most of the weekend we had together as our "little" family.

I am so thankful for my husband and the love he has for our daughter. He is the best at getting smiles, giggles and kisses from her. He just has a way with her ... it is so fun to see.

*Kylie and I love you, Brian*

summer sale ...

To celebrate the first day of Summer, which is June 20th, we will be having a sale this Saturday and Sunday! Enjoy 10% off all orders placed those 2 days. E-mail me your order requests (cristinaashleydesigns@gmail.com) and I will send an invoice to your email inbox. There have been lots of new designs added over the past couple months, so if you haven't seen them yet, bet sure to go check them out:

www.cristinaashleydesign.etsy.com

Happy shopping!

(hint, hint ... have any overdue graduation gifts to buy, weddings coming up this summer, baby showers or wedding showers? personalized jewelry makes a great gift for any of these occasions!)

renovation ...

I am in the process of renovating my blog ... sorry for all the changes during the process! Sale coming soon :) Check back for more details within the next couple days!

I will leave you with a few pictures from our weekend at the park with family ...

get creative ...

I had a customer order this "diaper bag tag", but turned it into a Father's Day gift (key chain) by simply changing the text stamped on the tag. So simple, but such a sweet gift for Dad ... a nice reminder throughout the day of how much his little kiddos love him! Father's Day is June 21st. Order by next Thursday (June 18th) to receive it by THE big day!
Ideas for wording:
1) We Love You Daddy
with kid's names
2) Happy Fathers Day
with kid's names
3) My Daddy . My Hero
with kid's names
4) Worlds Best Dad
with kid's names
5) Father . Story-Teller . Friend . Snuggler . Hero . Encourager . My Dad

this weekend ...

Was filled with errand running (returns, father's day gift buying, groceries), cool weather, walks, laundry, eating junk food and feeding the ducks up the street. After the next few days of packing and doing last minute purchases, I will definitely be looking forward to our 4 days of relaxation in San Diego for our anniversary. It will be 4 years for us ... time has flown by! I never would have imagined the blessings we have in just 4 short years of marriage ... obviously, our daughter being the biggest of those blessings :) I hope you found some relaxation this weekend.

inspiration ...

I took this (horrible) picture with my iPhone at Anthropologie in Fashion Island when I was visiting my mom a few weeks back. I LOVED the display they did with these vintage-y jam jars. Online they have an adorable picture with these hanging from a tree branch. They have such a seaside feel to them with the blues, greens and yellows. If only I had a room to do this ... or even a tree would be nice!

learning to listen ...

Sometimes it is so hard to see something you want right in front of us and know that we can't have it. I would love to buy a house, I want to splurge on a $115 Fossil watch that I LOVE, I have a desire to buy Kylie something everywhere I go, etc ... etc ... etc. BUT, lately I have been practicing my ability to be still and listen to what God is putting on our hearts and recognize what His plans are for our life. It's hard because sometimes it's not what we necessarily thought we wanted for our life, but it's worth the sacrifice because we are choosing God's way and not our own, and with that comes His blessings.

a couple more new designs ...

I have been busy creating some new designs. Mostly dog tags lately, but I have a new necklace to introduce to you as well! Other than making jewelry, Kylie and I have been busy with swim lessons, spending time with family, planning visits to see family, and learning how to walk!

Here are the new designs ...

giveaway winner is ...

Our sixth comment on the giveaway post ... Susan D!!! Susan, email me your address and we will get this necklace in the mail :) Thanks for your comments!

Here is the giveaway necklace, once again ...

join me on facebook ...

I just joined Facebook! If any of you have an account, I would love to see you on there. Send me a message and we can keep in touch! Hope to see you soon.

can't wait ...

For summer beach days!

Sand tickling our toes, buckets and shovels, sunscreen, watermelon, searching for seashells ... yummy.

swim lessons ...

Kylie started swim lessons last week! Stinky thing is she's the youngest one in the class ... by about 8 months ... so we are kind of on our own, doing our own thing. At least it's in a stinkin' cute pool! It's like a little beach ... and the best thing is the water is like bath water.

Off to swim ...

featured on etsy ...

Cristina Ashley Designs has a "showcase" item on Etsy in the pet section for the "bad to the bone" dog tag!!! I think this will be a huge hit ... I got an order within a few hours of listing this item :) I love it!

giveaway ...

So here we go! To enter your name in the giveaway, leave a comment at the end of this post letting me know which new design is your favorite and why. Winner will be drawn on Friday :) Come back and visit to see who won so I can get your name and address!

You can view all the new designs in the previous posts or go to my shops:
www.cristinaashleydesign.etsy.com
www.cristinaashleysilver.bigcartel.com

Here is the giveaway necklace ...

more new designs ...

I have been having fun creating some new designs these past few days. I bought the supplies necessary to start soldering a few months ago and it is so fun to see how much more opportunity there is to get creative!

Here are some of the new designs ...



Come visit tomorrow for a giveaway!

found it ...

Dont they say that guys are usually the ones who cant find something that's right in front of their face? Well, this time it was me! My husband was able to find my camera cord so I could upload my pictures.

I have more new products coming, but here are a couple new necklaces! I think the "dream" one would look so cute with a child's name on it.

those days ...

Do you have those days when you can't seem to find anything you need. I am trying to be productive by adding a couple new items to my shops and I can't find my camera cord to upload the pictures. So frustrating!!!

Check back soon for a giveaway and some new necklaces :)

seasons ...

I am in the "busy" season of life right now ... if there is such thing! With business being a little slow right now (thanks to the stinky economy) I have been focusing a lot of my attention on completely re-organizing my home and devoting lots of time to Kylie. She just turned one so she is experiencing lots of new opportunities! She finds everything fascinating, she is almost ready to walk, we are about to start swim lessons, she loves to dance and listen to music ... eager to learn in every area and I am loving the attention she is craving. Except when I am trying to get one last load of laundry done or empty the dishwasher :)

Hence my absence on the blog front and lack of new jewelry designs. I have been drained, creatively speaking. I am hoping to learn how to conquer both areas! I would like to get back to doing regular giveaways and debuting new designs every month. Hang in there with me ... I'm hoping to get there soon!

This is going to be a super busy Summer for us ... traveling to see family and an anniversary trip to San Diego! Woo-hoo :) What are your plans for this Summer?

I'll leave you with a picture of Kylie getting into my spice drawer ... this is a regular occurrence! Kinda cute, kind of annoying :)

mother's day orders ...

Last day to place is THIS Sunday, April 26th!!! Get your order in so you wont incur extra shipping fees!

Happy Friday :)

where in the world have I been, you ask?...

The answer is ... I'm not really sure myself! I have been home and present, but apparently not on my blog. Sorry about that! So what have I been up to? Simple things like ...

Enjoying the warm weather with Kylie
Going in her little plastic pool on the patio together
Eating snacks at the pool, then dipping our feet in
Having our playgroup at the park
Picnic at the park later that night
Long walks in the evening
Planning a visit (just Kylie and I) to see my Mom for 4 days!!!

Going to the beach today ... go figure I pick the coolest day of the week to go somewhere! Here are a few pictures of Kylie's first time in "pig tails". What do you think? A keeper or just a fun one-time-only hairdo?



Come visit me soon for a giveaway!

we're back in action ...

Home from a short weekend away with family and friends to celebrate Kylie's first birthday! We had a great trip ... lots of hugs, tons of laughs, heaps of presents, and a few tears made for a wonderful first birthday! The only bummer is ... I am sick :( But with a little medicine and some hugs from Kylie, I'll be better in no time!

Here are a few pictures from her special day ...

just an fyi ...

Blogging will be sparse these next few days. We will be out of town visiting family and celebrating Kylie's "REAL" first birthday!!!

Hope the rain slows just long enough for us to get there??? Have a wonderful weekend, friends!

fab finds ...

Here are a few things I saw this week in a Crate and Barrel catalog that I absolutely fell in love with. They are picnic related, so going into Spring I felt these were the perfect Spring/Summer must-haves for the many trips to the park we will be taking! ***DONT KNOW WHY THE PICTURES ARE SO small ... SORRY!***

This is the "Tiffin Box". I love how you can store so many different foods in separate compartments for your picnic and it still be so portable and compact.

Cooler Tote. Just all around practical. Love all the different pouches on the outside.

Just your average melamine bowl set with lids. Perfect for the cool foods to store in your tote! A cute alternative to the boring Tupperware.

Hope you get some picnic inspiration out of this post ... unfortunately we wont be picnicking any time soon with the weather being so up and down :(

almost ONE!!! ...

A few pictures from her party on Saturday!

things that make me smile ...

Kylie turning 1.
Celebrating with family and friends.
Clear, blue, sunny skies.
A gentle breeze.
Kylie's giggles.
Her curiosity.
Her gentleness.

My life ... when I am with my family, sharing the special moments and the normal moments, I know exactly what my purpose is and what I was created for.

A wife.
A mom.
An example ... a light.
A believer and follower.

Happy Sunday!

craft idea ...

I was browsing around online this morning and came across this super sweet craft for a little girl. If you can't tell, it's one of Martha Stewart's crafts ... that explains its perfection! I may have to gather up some moms and tackle this craft. This reminds me of the hair clip holder I made a while back and how it has come in so useful ... this one seems just as useful and not too bad to look at either!

You all can "ooh" and "ahh" with me while looking at this adorable craft.

party details ...

I got a good handful of small details prepared yesterday for Kylie's first birthday party. The theme is "bubbles" but you wont really be able to tell from these pictures. I will share the actual party pictures with you once the party is done. It will make more sense!

Here they are ... are you ready for this? There's a ton!

for easter ...

This post is filled with fun crafts and decorating ideas compliments of Hostess with the Mostess (www.hostessblog.com). It is a great ... SUPER cute ... blog that has daily hostess inspiration. I get lots of ideas from them when I am anticipating a get-together at our place, or even a day in the park.

Here are my favorites for Easter ...

marshmallow frozen yogurt ...

Has anyone ever had this before ... or even heard of it??? Me neither, until this past Sunday. Oh.My.Gosh. It was delicious. My new favorite dessert I think ... and it was fat-free. That doesn't mean it was sugar-free or carb-free ... but at least it's one step in the right direction!

I think I am now slightly addicted to it because I made my husband truck us down to the yogurt shop Monday night as well! Find it somewhere near you, try it, and tell me what you think. You'll be in love too!

Image from Google.

for the month of april ...

The "Tweet Tweet" design will be on sale ... 10% off! This would be the perfect accessory for any outfit this spring and summer :) Or maybe for an Easter celebration!

Enjoy ...

today ...

Begins the week of "THE" party ... Kylie's first birthday party, that is! It is on Saturday, so I may be slow on blogging. Thought I would give you the heads up! I will share pictures of her "bubble" party with you next week ... I am very excited about it and I think/hope it turns out as cute as I'm envisioning.

Jewelry has been very slow the past few weeks ... hence all the posts of Kylie and I having so much fun outdoors while the nice weather holds up :)

Anything in particular you would like to see? A specific design? Different metals? Share your ideas ... even creative minds run a bit dry sometimes!

enjoying the weather ...

It was about 76* today! We headed out this morning to Half Moon Bay for a walk and lunch. We came home and put Kylie in her plastic pool on the patio, then went to the park ... we took FULL advantage of the great weather!

What did you do today?

follow up from yesterday ...

Here are a few pictures from our park day!



Full of dreams today ... for my business, for our future, etc. Its exciting, but hard because I wonder what's attainable and what's not. Although, I know anything is capable of happening through God! That's encouraging :)

fab finds ...

Yesterday was SUCH a beautiful day!!! Kylie and I went to a nearby park and ate lunch and played on the swings. It was her first time on the baby swing ... still a little too small, but it lasted a few minutes at least! Just long enough for me to snap a few cute pictures :)

Here are the things I came across this week while browsing through my Parents magazine. Some old issues, some new.

Kodak Zi6 HiDef Pocket Video Camera. Love the pink! My husband said this is comparible to the new "Flip" that's out right now too? All I know is I want this! My video camera is small, but we have yet to purchase a cord to upload the video to our computer to share it! That's about 6 full tapes full and waiting. This one has a built in USB to upload immediately. LOVE it!

Custom Books by Tikatok. Take the kids drawings, add text to it, mail the goods and they create your personalized book! Its about $20 ... not bad.

Shoe Clues. I wont be needing these for a bit, but how cute are they? Little helpers for the kids to learn right and left when putting on their own shoes!

Super cute lunch tote. Plain and simple. Nice for the walks to the park to eat lunch ... like we did yesterday!

Bumpy Name custom labels for kids' sippy cups. Perfect for playgroup, park days and school! I think they are about $15 for 4 labels. I love the lavender :)

Speaking of playgroup ... we are off to ours in just a bit! Better go get ready :) Enjoy this beautiful Tuesday!

mothers day ...

Is right around the corner! Remember, it's May 10th :) Start thinking about what she might want ... earrings, bracelet, necklace ... or all 3! Keep in mind, the earlier you place the order, the cheaper the shipping. Depending on the amount of orders we receive this Mother's Day, there may be longer lead time. Please allow 2 weeks for the creation and shipment of your order. Orders placed after April 26th may incur extra shipping charges to RUSH the order to guarantee delivery prior to Mother's Day!

Happy Monday!

a little fun ...

I have been feeling crafty lately and bought some baby shoe patterns off Etsy so that I can fill my time with sewing shoes for Kylie. Not that I don't have 1000 other things on my to-do list each day, but hey ... we all need something (or lots of things) to take our mind off of what has to get done!

Here are a couple pairs that I have made, along with a headband ... don't look too closely or you may find some mistakes! I never claimed to be good at sewing :)

loving the water ...

Yesterdays weather was amazing ... sunny and warm, but not too hot. It felt like a summer day. SO, I decided to get one of Kylie's bathing suits out and fill up her plastic pool on the patio. She had a blast! She also loves bath time, but this was even better because she could actually crawl around and had room to play.

Here are a few pictures of our fun ...

like the new layout ...

I was getting tired of my boring old blog look, so I changed it up a bit! Do you like it? I added a couple new things ... you can become a "follower" of my blog and you can "subscribe" to my blog so you can stay up to date on any new product and sales happening from time to time with notifications.

Hope you enjoy!

fab finds & things i love ...

Really cute headband from a shop on Etsy called Miajoie. Love it!

Kylie being so stinkin cute in a patch of mustard seed ... you can't see the mustard seed because she is so small!

Pretty vintage-y dress from Ruche. I would love for this to be my next splurge on myself?

A pretty barn (where we took our Christmas pictures this last year) near our house, down a windy country road.

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!

winners for the suprise necklaces ...

Thank you to all who participated in the "want to make someone's day" post! There are quite a few deserving women. I want to make sure they all get them before Christmas, so please e-mail me their address as soon as you get a chance! cristinaashleydesigns@gmail.com.

New jewelry coming tomorrow!!! I promise to be back on a regular blogging schedule with pictures, inspiration, updates, and jewelry ... of course. It has been crazy crazy in our neck of the woods!

holiday boutique ...

I am participating in a Holiday Boutique with the "Womens Ministry" at Church this Saturday, December 6th. I have a couple new designs to share with you after we get past the rush of preparation for this! I will updating my shops on Sunday, so be sure to check them out. I will, of course, post pictures on here as well.

P.S.
I have some pictures to post later today of what we have been up to the past week or so ... Thanksgiving, Christmas tree shopping, baby dressing, crafting, etc.

go SHOP ...

Visit my shops and enjoy 20% off ALL orders TODAY ONLY!!!

www.cristina-ashleysilver.bigcartel.com
www.cristinaashleydesign.etsy.com

Place orders via e-mail to cristinaashleydesigns@gmail.com

Have FUN and happy December 1st!!!

7 months ...

My babe is almost 7 1/2 months already!!! We have sleepovers with her every once in a while in our room, and last night was one of them. I love those nights when we are all together in one room and I know we are all safe and together. We pulled her pack 'n' play in there ... next to my side of the bed, of course! When we put her down in there, Brian and I realized just how big she has gotten. She used to take up a tiny section of the bassinet part. Now she is almost touching both ends ... head and feet! Crazy. People always say they get big so fast, but you don't believe it until it happens!

Here are a few pictures from her 7 month photo shoot ...

discounts and holiday orders ...

Just wanted to let everyone know that Monday, December 1st ... there will be a 20% discount on EVERY order ... BIG or small! This is the perfect day to start your holiday gift buying for all of your Moms, Sisters, Aunts, Grandmas, Daughters, Friends, Teachers, etc. Please place all orders through me via e-mail. I don't have discount codes on Etsy and Bigcartel. Sorry for the inconvenience, but it will be sooo worth it. Happy Shopping!!!

Last day to place Holiday orders (guaranteed by December 23rd) is Wednesday, December 10th. Please keep this in mind! Any orders placed after that date will be on a RUSH basis and there will be an extra RUSH fee of $20 + any expedited shipping charges. Thanks for keeping me in mind for your Holiday shopping!

want to make someone's day ???

I have 5 necklaces I want to give to 5 women who are REALLY deserving of them! Here's the deal ... If you know someone who has an inspirational or encouraging story, or even someone who is just in a very challenging struggle in life right now (I'm sure there are plenty with the way the economy is right now, unfortunately), share their story with us! Out of the stories sent to me, I will choose 5 women who I feel have made a difference in the lives of others, who may not get the "thanks" they deserve. I will be giving each woman a beautiful necklace ... delivered to their doorstep for Christmas! This will be an anonymous thing ... we want them to be surprised and feel SO special ... so don't tell them you shared their story with us (if you must tell, wait until after they receive the necklace)! Sound like fun? It does to me :)

Share your story ...

san francisco ...

My family was in town this weekend and we had an awesome day in San Francisco on Sunday. We started the day off with a mile-long walk in Muir Woods ... absolutely beautiful. A walk that should take about an hour, took us over two hours! There was so much to stop and take in along the path. The weather was perfect and we had good company! I would highly suggest this place if you are looking for an outdoors-y day hike. After our walk we went to Academy of Science Museum in Golden Gate Park. This place was amazing, but more crowded then I ever imagined. It was a little overwhelming with all the people. So many things to see ... tide pools, rain forest, coral reefs, etc. Really neat place.

Muir Woods ...




Academy of Science Museum ...

playgroup ...

Today was our first day in our new playgroup and we LOVED it! I just organized a group of about 6 moms and our kids (between the ages of 6 months and 4 years)to get together once a week for a bit of playtime and Mommy time! Today we met at our place and walked to the park. Next week we will go to the farm for story time and to feed the animals! I look forward to our future craft days, too. So much fun! I will have to post some pictures of all the cute babies/toddlers in the group soon ... they are all so adorable and have such fun, different personalities.

giveaway winner ...

So, we have a winner! Jenny (A Baby Peach) is the lucky one this month. Your comment was SO touching and special. I loved it. E-mail me your address and I will send you your new necklace! Hope you enjoy your new jewelry :)

fall decoration idea ...

While at the pumpkin patch a few weeks back, my Mom and I saw a pile of gourds and immediately started thinking of ways we could make these fun guys useful. Here is the end result ... thanks to my hubby for slaving over them for a whole 15 minutes to get them drilled out!

some fun, new designs ...

I just posted some new designs on Esty! Go check them out at www.cristinaashleydesign.etsy.com. The link is also on the sidebar of this page.

Here is one design for preview ...

feeling crafty ...

I have so many projects I want to start. I just don't know when I will get around to completing them, or even starting them! Here are a few ...

-Make new stockings for all 3 of us
-Make a tool holder for all my jewelry stamping supplies
-Make decorations for Thanksgiving (table decor and place cards)
-Make Christmas cards
-Start mapping out a plan for Kylie's 1 year birthday (it's still 5 months away!)

Most of them are holiday related, so that is given with the time of year! All fun projects to look forward to.

Do you have any fun projects you are working on?

it's a sad day ...

I don't know ... for some strange reason I was absolutely LOVING the rain we have had the past few days. I was so into it! Staying in my warm pajamas, bundling Kylie up, sipping hot cocoa, watching the rain come down. It was so nice ... I felt like it was a subtle reminder that not everything needs to get done on the to-do list. Just sit and relax. But now it's gone and time to get things done!

I guess I'll have to put these away ...

pumpkin patch ...

I meant to post these ... uh, before the Halloween post! We went to the pumpkin patch with my Mom and got some stinkin' cute pictures of my little sweetie pie. She is SO cooperative with all my demanding poses for pictures!

Hope you enjoy these ...

my angel ...

Kylie was an angel for Halloween this year. We fully intended for her to be a fairy, but while we were at the fabric store, we fell in love with all the pastels. And fairies are bright and colorful ... so she was a soft, light fairy! We went up to Santa Rosa for Halloween to visit our brother and sister-in-law and their kids. The kids were so cute!

Here are a few pictures

november design and giveaway ...

Hey there! Today is a rainy Saturday and I am SO excited!!! I have a new design that I want to share with you ... and it will be our giveaway necklace for this month. Super cute. Super simple. Just right! A copper butterfly and a tiny sterling circle hang from a dainty 18" sterling ball chain.

Leave a comment to enter the drawing ... the winner will be drawn next Saturday, so check back then to see if you are the winner!

What is your favorite piece of jewelry? A Grandmother's necklace, a special bracelet, your wedding ring?

spread your wings.

oops ...

I have to admit ... I kind of forgot about my poor little blog there for a while! We have been blessed by having family around often and that has kept us pretty busy the past few weeks.

Stay tuned Saturday for the November design and giveaway! A winner will be chosen the following Saturday.

I added 3 new items to my Etsy shop and BigCartel shop. The link to get you there is on the left side of my blog ... go check them out! Pictured below is one of the "new items" that is featured on there. I love it because it is super simple, but unique as well. Each sterling pendant is stamped with JUMBO lettering and has an antique finish, so it isn't as shiny as your typical sterling silver. Very pretty and timeless. Customize your own!

Here it is ...

it's beginning to feel alot like ...

Fall!!! I am so excited about the new crisp, cool air we've been having lately. I love the beginnings of fall ... the crisp air, slightly windy, falling leaves, pumpkin spice candles, warm apple crisp with vanilla bean ice cream ... mmm :)

What do you love about fall?

shoes ...

Aren't baby feet and shoes so sweet? I wanted to share some pictures of Kylie's baby shoes ... she wont be in these much longer. So sad.

props ...

Every month I have a photoshoot with Kylie for her "monthly pictures". We do this so we can see how much she has changed since day 1. Yesterday we did her 6 month pictures ... YES 6 MONTHS!!! Where has the time gone? Crazy. I am running out of creative juices ... I try to do a theme, and this month was a Campbells Tomato Soup can! I dressed her up in a yellow and red strawberry outfit (she doesn't have alot any other red clothes ... as matchy as we were going to get!) and we went to town taking pictures. It was kind of fun to see her size compared to the soup can.

Here are a few ...

giveaway winner ...

The lucky winner for the "family" keychain is ... Alice! She said her favorite Halloween costume as a kid was spiderman. Alice, e-mail me at cristinaashleydesigns@gmail.com with your address and I will send you the keychain ... congratulations!

To be honest, I don't even remember dressing up a ton for Halloween, but I am thinking about dressing Kylie up as Tinkerbell or some sort of fairy. I think she would look SO cute! I just have to figure out how I am going to make the darn skirt :)

I will leave you with a cute picture of my sweets ... I know she's crying and I think it's cute!

it's been a while ...

Well, I let the time slip away without posts the last week, huh? We have been having some fun. My sister-in-law came into town and took some family photos for us ... much needed! They turned out fun. We went to an old white barn off a back road by our house and also took some pictures at an elementary school. Have a look!

On a sidenote ... I messed up. I wrote in the giveaway post that I would choose the winner at the end of the month, but it is only supposed to be one week before the winner is chosen ... and that is TOMORROW!!! So sorry about that. Stay tuned!

For the family photos, here are a few of my faves ... or alot of my faves!