A Dash of Ash

What I Wore Wednesday...

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

So, this Wednesday I am THANKFUL that Thanksgiving is tomorrow, THANKFUL that today is a half-day at school, and THANKFUL that I am going to shop until I drop into an exhausted heap on Friday. Woohoo! Now, on to ze outfeets...

This is what I wore pretty much all week.

I kid. It's just what I wanted to be wearing all week but for the sake of ~~my job~~ my students I refrained and put some real clothes on.

School:

Dress- Ross

Cardigan- Target

Belt- New York and Company

Scarf- Target

Boots- Belk

School (not a New Year's Eve party as my shirt would suggest):

Tank- Target

Cardigan- Belk

Skirt- Walmart

Shoes- Target

Field Trip (to a pottery shop downtown... so fun!):

Lace tank- Ann Taylor

Cardigan and necklace- Target

Jean skirt- Ann Taylor Factory Store

Boots- Belk

Time out: can we all just agree that the word for burgundy/dark red/purplish-red is just one of those < and not "oxblood"??? Why anyone would want to describe their clothing as being a shade of bovine innards is beyond me. Ew, ew, ew. Let's kill that trend, shall we?

School:

Dress- Old Navy

Cardigan and Scarf- Target

Boots- Belk
Sad story about my boots... I bought them in September and wore them only once when the rubber around the heel started peeling off. I exchanged them for a new pair, hoping it was just a fluke. HA- no such luck. I returned/exchanged them FOUR TIMES hoping for a non-defective pair, but after my strongly worded email to Belk about the quality of this merchandise, etc, and a call from a customer service rep (who was very nice, to her credit), I learned that every pair of this style was messed up. Leave it to me to choose, out of hundreds of boots, the style that has a faulty sole glue or whatever. Oh well, now I have an excuse to shop for boots again. I really am sad because I just loved these... but not enough for the bottoms to fall off within like 2 weeks.

I hope everyone has a simply fabulous holiday and break this week... I know I will!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Ash

*Linked up at The Pleated Poppy.

Deck the Halls...

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

I know, I know... it's not even Thanksgiving yet, and I look like a total ingrate because I haven't posted a single word about the many things I'm thankful for.

All in good time, grasshoppers. Just be patient.

The truth is, I have had many blog posts planned over the last few days but since my life has been B-U-S-Y lately and will only continue to become increasingly more insane for the next few weeks, I have neglected to share these riveting accounts of my life. I do apologize. In the meantime, humor me by pretending you care about every detail of my Christmas decor.

I also apologize for the quality of these photos... this was the last thing I did last night before visions of sugarplums danced in my head... so it was slightly inky downstairs.

These are the four levels of our shelf... clockwise from top left:

Clock- Target, Chess Pieces- Hobby Lobby, Sparkly Tree- Ross (gift from Mamaw)

O Christmas Tree Frame- Marshall's, Owl- TJ Maxx, etc and candles- Target

(you can't really see it on the far right, but there is a little tree in a mason jar that I just love.)

HoHoHo- Target (last year), Chevron tree- Michael's (painted by me), Other stuff- Target

Glass tree- Walmart, Red lantern- Target, Paper tree- made by moi (scrapbook paper from Hobby Lobby)

Pretty much all of these things are from Target, except the Santa plate and framed Christmas print, which are from Hobby Lobby and Michael's, respectively.

Tablecloth- Target, Plates- Ross, Candlesticks- Ikea, Vase- borrowed from Brook,

Mini Tree-Skirt- Target, Beads- old... I am going to add some sort of spriggy-branch things to this but I've yet to find any that I could justify spending money on.

Dish- Target, Pinecones/Ornaments- Walmart

Cannister- Target, Poinsettias- Walmart

Tray- Target, Vase with Ornaments- around my house

Pinecone tree- Marshall's, Pinecone votives- Hobby Lobby, Reindeer- Target, Snowflake-Walmart

Eiffel tower- Target, beads- some Christmas bag in my attic

Banner- Target (I just love this!)

Rug- Dollar General?

Wreath- made last year by my sweet friend Brook

Tree- hand-me-down from the in-laws

Ornaments- Michael's? mostly, anyway.

Noel- made by me (more on that soon!)

Pillow- Ross

Frosty chalkboard- Ross

So, obviously this post isn't reminiscent of anything you'd see in Better Homes and Gardens or anything, but I have to say that my house makes me very happy right now. I made quite a bit of my decorations (can't you tell?) and while I am still scraping red and green paint out from my fingernails, it was really fun, plus even the things I bought didn't cost very much at all. (What, doesn't the song say, "I'm dreaming of a cheap Christmas"?) Other than a few little touches here and there (like adding some gold ribbon to my painfully boring tree skirt) this is pretty much how things are going to look around here until someone pries the ornaments away from me in January. :( I know I'm early but since we'll be in Goldsboro this week and I'm decorating my classroom on Saturday, I got a jump on everything so I can actually enjoy the next few weeks. Or, you know, get buried under a tinsel-covered mound of holiday events. Maybe both.

Have fun decking your halls!

Ash

Top Ten: Christmas Movies...

Thursday, November 15, 2012

I don't know about you and your family, but when I was growing up, we watched a LOT of Christmas movies. In fact, our collection was so extensive that an entire shelf of our VHS tapes was deemed the holiday section. (Ah, VHS... those were the good old days.) Anyway, one of my favorite things about the Christmas season is all the movies that come on tv... and the fact that I can watch them without my husband complaining that we don't celebrate Christmas in July. (I see no problem with this, but apparently it's frowned upon by the Scrooges of the world.)

So, without any more rambling, I present a list of my favorite Christmas movies (this is by no means extensive... I had to limit myself to ten because otherwise this would be the longest post ever.) And if your favorite isn't included, feel free to remind me. I'm sure there are some classics I've forgotten!

1. It's a Wonderful Life- I love this movie, though I must confess that I usually watch up until "Buffalo Gals" and then quit because I'm such a baby when it comes to sadness. But, if I'm feeling emotionally hardy I barrel through to the end, which of course is totally worth it to hear Zuzu say "I want to give my flower a drink" and know that Clarence gets his wings. And of course, I can rarely watch Harry say "To my big brother George... the richest man in town" without blubbering. A true classic, and Jimmy Stewart called it his favorite of all the films he made. I agree, Jim.

2. A Charlie Brown Christmas- I don't care if you're 2 or 102... this is just fun to watch. In my opinion, the biggest thing it has going for it is the Vince Guaraldi track (the man was a genius) but watching the kids dance around and wave their hands to magically transform the little bush into a full Christmas tree is also charming. Then of course, Linus's recitation of the Christmas story is one of my favorite moments in all Christmas shows. "That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown." Yes, indeed, Linus.

3. A Muppet Christmas Carol- I can hear my dad saying "Oh brother" and my mom cheering all the way from Georgia. My dad thinks this movie is dumb but it's my mom's favorite. I happen to love it, not only because it features Michael Caine (in his grumpy perfection) but it also has a really sweet soundtrack (it's a musical) and has the Muppets! Kermit as Bob Cratchet and Miss Piggy as Mrs. Cratchet? I love it. Watch it if you've never seen it before.... Gonzo as the narrator is hilarious.

4. Miracle on 34th Street (1994)- I love the 1947 version, which is obviously the first and a classic, but (don't shoot me) I actually prefer the newer version. Natalie Wood as Susan in the first movie is annoying to me, but I adore Mara Wilson as Susan and other than preferring Maureen O'Hara to Elizabeth Perkins, I pretty much like everyone in the new movie better. (Except for the fact that they changed the story and the store isn't Macy's, etc.) I guess I like old-fashioned story line better prefer the modern cast. Again, the casting of Susan in the '94 version just makes the movie for me. She is so adorable!

5. The Santa Clause- Please tell me you've seen this... it's one of Disney's funniest holiday movies in a long time. What happens when Tim Allen accidentally bumps off Santa and is now responsible for filling his shoes, er... boots? Sudden weight gain, overnight facial hair, and being forced to explain all this odd behavior to those around him. Pretty much, hilarity ensues. Oh, and the sweater jokes he makes about his ex-wife's husband are worth watching the whole movie.

6. The Santa Clause 2- I rarely enjoy sequels, but this one is really funny. Not quite as funny as the first movie, but I still really like it. Santa (aka Scott Calvin aka Tim Allen) is doing a great job at the North Pole and everything is peachy when he realizes a) his son Charlie is on the naughty list and b) he will lose his job a Santa unless he finds a Mrs. Clause. P.S. The scene where Scott goes on a blind date with a Christmas-obsessed woman who breaks into song is one of my favorite Christmas movie scenes of all time. You will laugh very hard.

7. Santa Clause is Comin' To Town/Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer- basically the whole collection of those clay-mation wonders is on my list. I love the Santa Clause story of how Kris Kringle became Santa (and I love that it's narrated by Fred Astaire) and the Rudolph story, with the whole misfit toys side story, is so cute. And again, both of these have great songs! ("There's Always Tomorrow" or "Put One Foot in Front of the Other" ring any bells?)

8. How the Grinch Stole Christmas- the Dr. Seuss version narrated by Boris Karloff... NOT the Jim Carrey version. I HATE the Jim Carrey version... don't be offended, I just really despise that movie. Anyway, the songs and animation of the 1966 movie are just great. If you've ever really listened to the lyrics of "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" you know the genius of Dr. Seuss. Read the book out loud sometime for a good laugh, especially to kids.

9. Holiday Inn- Shockingly, our family did not discover this cinematic gem until a couple of years ago, but we have made up for lost time in the amount of times we've watched it since then. The premise is that an entertainer, weary of his grueling schedule, decides to open an inn open ONLY on holidays... which means that his laziness is satisfied with only having to work about 15 days a year. Lots of other little twists are included, but I'll let you enjoy it yourself. =) Just know that Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire are wonderful as always, and this includes quite a few of Irving Berlin's best songs.

10. White Christmas- I saved the best for last, because this is my absolutely favorite Christmas movie of all time. In fact, I went through a stage when I was about 10 (in the month of June, of all things) where I watched this at least once a day for weeks in a row. In case your life has been very sad up to this point and you haven't actually seen it, two WWII vets become entertainment partners and join up with a sister act to save their former general's inn, just in time for Christmas, of course.

There you have it... my very favorite Christmas movies. Other favorites include Holiday Affair, Elf, Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas, Mickey's Christmas Carol, Home Alone, Christmas in Connecticut, Bells of St. Mary's, Boys Town, lots of Christmas episodes of my favorite shows (especially Psych) and probably more that I am just too tired and forgetful to remember.

What are your family's favorite Christmas movies? I would love to add to my collection!

Happy watching! May your days be merry and bright... and, well, you know the rest.

Ash

What I Wore Wednesday....

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Before I get to the oufits, may I just say that i'm pretty sure I could write a book entitled "Dressing Room Woes" or something! It seems to me that there are two light settings in fitting rooms... "Hollister Dim" in which everything looks decent because you are getting dressed in the flipping dark, or "Cornea-Searing Desert Sun" in which every possible flaw of your person shows up under the stadium lights shining down on your little cubicle. Clearly, neither of these is ideal and this issue will remain one of life's greatest mysteries. Am I right?

Ahh... just had to air out that grievance after visiting a couple of stores yesterday (a-HEM, TJ Maxx) while shopping on my day off (which was lovely, thankyouverymuch.) Okay, now I'm ready to talk about clothes. And as always, I'm linking up with Lindsey over at The Pleated Poppy!

School:

Floral top and olive scarf- Target

Cardigan- J.Crew outlet

Not the most exciting of outfits here, but I just love this little top (especially the lace on it) so I worked to make it into a fall outfit, which you now see. =)

Church:

Dress- Old Navy

Nude pumps- Target

I almost feel like wearing dresses that feel like pajamas is cheating, because they're so comfortable. Will that stop me from wearing them? Of course not, silly rabbit. They feel like PAJAMAS, but look dressy. Win-win.

Necklace- Banana Republic

(Ignore my pursed lips that indicate a feeling of displeasure.)

School:

Top and skirt- Target

Shoes- Cato

Necklace- Charming Charlie (pretty sure it cost like a dollar)

I really like the colors of this top, so much so that I can forgive the fact that it makes my already broad shoulders look even more linebacker-ish.

May I just take a moment to talk about how ridiculously long my hair is getting? I like it, but it's definitely time for a trim since I am lazy and the whole Rapunzel routine for curling/straightening in the morning when I am already in slow motion is not appealing. However, when I do feel the urge to chop it all off, I remember Grace's beautiful long locks and repeat my mantra, "eyes on the prize." I'm not sure what the prize is, because I'm fairly certain my freakishly thick hair will never look like Grace's, but I can dream.

My sisters and I were all wearing some form of animal print this weekend... worthy of WIWW shout-out, no? I miss them... even the days when we attempted to share clothes and nearly killed one another on a regular basis. (A certain red sweater comes to mind, April and Amanda!)

Top- Lucky Brand via Sam's Club

Scarf: Target

I am making this face because I was huddled up in our backseat, practically in the fetal position because we had to take our Christmas tree (the corner of which was precariously positioned about .5 inches from my face) back home from Goldsboro. Needless to say, Jonathan drove veeery carefully and I tried not to feel claustrophobic.

School:

Leopard button-down- Ann Taylor

Cardigan- Loft

Skirt- New York and Company

Flats- Target

This is my favorite cardigan of all time. The end.

Good grief... I didn't mean to be so wordy today. Actually, I'm wordy most of the time, but I try not to be when I've included a zillion pictures. Aaand now I'm being wordy about being wordy, so I should just stop before I use the word wordy again. Wordy. Last time. Promise.

Happy Wednesday!

Ash

Ladies Retreat (from my iPhone)...

Monday, November 12, 2012

This past weekend, I headed to Goldsboro the MOMENT that school got out to see my sisters and mom. (By the way, I rode up with Mrs. Jo and it was one of the jolliest road trips I've ever had the pleasure to be on.) In no time, we arrived at Mamaw's and the fun ensued...

Amy looks slightly perturbed at this display of affection...

Three generations...

With Aunt Peggy and Stephen (his being home was an unexpected treat!)

Me and Claire Bear... Love her!

This is what happens when you ask my mother to take a picture...

Laughing about something I said, no doubt.

Me and Ames.

I'm not sure where April was hiding... she seemed to disappear every time I wanted to take her picture. Or maybe she ruined too many with her duck faces and I gave up trying. =)

The one and only Ginger Baines in her full storm gear.

Back to normal... sort of.

Seesters 1 and 3.

Seesters 4, 3, 2, 1 (left to right)

Also pictured is April's unborn offspring, who is already proving to be like his sister who is just too busy for Auntie Ashley (he wouldn't kick for me.)

Andrea Holloman did a great job coordinating this event! It went off without a visible (or invisible) hitch that I know of!

Berean ladies!

Me and Mrs. Kay Chandler, who is so fun and a great lady!

Gigi and me... she really is one of a kind! (And the ladies from my church tell me she reminds them of me... ha!)

This weekend was really great. If you know me at all, this might shock you, and it almost pains me to admit it, because ladies' meetings are decidedly not my cup of tea, but this one was actually wonderful. The music, speakers (a-hem!), drama (which was incredible) and just the overall atmosphere was far more enjoyable than similar meetings I've attended in the past. (Not that all the past conferences have been terrible... more than likely I'm just growing up.) I know the ladies at Faith Church worked SO hard and it was very obvious! But even though my time with my family was faaarrr too short I am so glad they were able to come and that we got to sit on the front row and cause general pandemonium in the surrounding sections with our raucous laughter. =)

So, between hanging out with my seesters, seeing many dear friends, watching my mom don an umbrella hat contraption and belt out "Singing in the Rain" in front of 1100+ ladies, and hearing one of my favorite singers sing one of my favorite songs (looking at you, KD!) this weekend was a great success. Oh, and having today off school was icing on the cake. However, all good things must come to an end, so I am ending this glorious long weekend and getting myself off to bed. =)

Ash

Friday Faves...

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Normally I'm not a fan of shortening words (like totes, obvs, perf, etc.) so excuse my title. No reason for sharing this personal preference of mine other than to waste the first few lines of blog space.

Space wasted... let's move on to a few things from this week that were enjoyable, cute, nice... you get it with the positive descriptives.

1. Mrs. Jo and I got to hang out at our Fall Festival. She's pretty much my soul sister. =)

2. My little friend KK... she's a doll!

3. I got my Christmas craftiness on the other night. It looks like a mess (and it was) but this particular project turned out pretty cute.

4. I had my first of hopefully many peppermint mocha frappuccinos the other night, and it was so good. And I only winced a little as I handed over the $4 for it. (I remember when a tall cost $3.05. Stupid economy.)

5. Okay, best part of the this week... I get to see my SEESTERS tonight!!! I am so so so excited and I'm sure we will stay up way too late and eat a lot and laugh until we snort. You know, those precious moments all families should share.

I am so excited about seeing some good friends at the ladies conference we're going to this weekend. And... we don't have school Monday. Any holiday that falls on a Monday is a good one, eh? Hope you guys have a great weekend... I know I will!

Ash

P.S. I'm linking up with Lauren as usual for H54F!

What I Wore Wednesday...

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

It's outfit day again! I've been enjoying having pictures of my outfits to refer back to... who knows? Maybe this will help me get over my weird aversion to repeating outfits. Also, may I just say that I don't know if my taste is changing or if I'm just getting picky or what, but very little of what I'm seeing in stores right now appeals to me. Maybe some I just don't dig some of this season's trends or something. More than likely I'm just getting old. Eh. Anyway, on to my outfits... Oh, and as always, linking up with Lindsey at The Pleated Poppy!

This isn't really an outfit picture, but I used Kate's tutorial for making an infinity scarf out of a regular scarf, and put it to use on one I'd had for a couple years. Mustard is my favorite yellow, and I love how this turned out!