ashleybeatricedesigns

Christmas 2011

2012-01-04T18:02:00.000-08:00

1. Christmas was my first time to play hostess to my friends who didn't travel home. So I busted out my Anthro apron (black friday steal), and got my hostess on. I made a killer Chipotle Bean Dip and Cheesy Bread Bake that went faster than I could've hoped for!

2. My amazing boyfriend did something extremely special by writing individual notes about each present he got me. There were 13 notes in total. There was a note about candy canes all the way up to my big gift of Original Green Tall Hunter Wellies!!

3. Next to the fire that I stubbornly built, upside down (which he quickly fixed), is my amazing, generous, patient, adoring, kind, manly, musically gifted, God fearing, loving, poetic, handsome, beard donning, plaid wearing, dream of a man. Jimmy is pretty extraordinary! We were blessed to have most of our closest friends there with us. Nothing beats a relaxing Christmas Eve evening filled with festivities, fire and friendship! We all ran a hard December at work, so this night was well worth it.

4. Christmas morning was all me. I kind of went Clark Griswold meets Martha Stewart on the table setting, menu and array of food. We enjoyed (my Family Christmas Tradition) Fried Dough, (Jimmy's Tradition) Cinnamon Rolls, Eggs, THICK applewood smoked bacon and a petite fruit salad. There was supposed to be sweet potato hash browns, but I grated too many and didn't really have a plan. So to the trash they went -- which *shrug* I wasn't too upset about.

5. The GingerBread House can either get really crazy competitive, back hurts and people snap OR you can just embrace being silly and carefree with the haphazard 11pm house challenge. I was surprised that Jimmy got a bit more competitive and focused than expected, actually ALL THE GUYS DID. Where as, the two designers (Tessa and I) and our easy going friend Dani, just decided NOT to take it seriously. BEST CHOICE.

Insta-Happiness

2012-01-04T17:16:00.000-08:00

I found some SWEET 1950's Combat boots in my grandpa's workshop when I went home over the summer. So I've been trying to rock them as much as my feet can handle. They need a bit of work to keep in the shape I found them, but Free is Free.

On your left, is a sweet little girl (3/3) that I've watched a bit over the year. Impromptu style shoot was just what was needed to kill some time while her older sisters were on playdates. I think my babysitting income (even in my 20s) helps support my clothing addiction and love of expensive food! On the right is an aerial view of NYC, my favorite city, my second home. This was from a trip back home in October. I say NYC is like home, but realistically I am from Connecticut -- so the train ride is all that stands between me and my "backyard"

My 2011 find was this guy. Meet Jimmy. He's an amazing electric guitar player, beard grower and note writer. What an artisan of words and music.

No post would be complete without showcasing how freaking cool my dad is. I found these personality capturing moments of my father back when he was my age. My dad was such an original hipster.

Some of these are my instagrams from throughout 2011.

Houston Family : Christmas Mini's

2012-01-04T17:09:00.000-08:00

Photography

2011-07-25T18:36:00.000-07:00

Obsessed

2011-05-23T13:42:00.000-07:00

Lately I have been BEYOND obsessed with floral print. I cleaned up my closet (a tiny bit) and sure enough I found about 5-10 floral pieces. Indeed, I am a hoarder of all things floral, silky, lightweight & airy.

1. Jcrew

2. Fossil

3. Anthropologie

obsessed

2011-05-23T08:41:00.000-07:00

1.2.3.

music crave

2011-05-18T16:10:00.000-07:00

Always am in the mood for a little Paul Simon.

photo source

photo/baby

2011-05-18T15:52:00.001-07:00

2011-05-18T15:41:00.001-07:00

obsessed/pixel

2011-05-18T15:32:00.000-07:00

I don't have kids, but I have this little bundle of cuddles named Pixel. You might see more of her and hear me go on about how much Pixel is awesome. She's my high class rescue maltese/poodle/bijon mutt. LOVE HER. And if you look below, you'll see why she's sweet pixel.

this&that

2011-05-18T07:56:00.000-07:00

1.2.3.4