365DC: Day 4

Well... I didn't bring my camera anywhere today, so I've got this boring picture from Photobooth. I'm actually quite pleased with the way it turned out; I love colored pencil effect! :D The "hello." has no meaning, it just jazzed up the picture the perfect way.

(edited with Ribbet using Rascunho Errado font)

~Ashley

365DC: Day 3

SORRY!!!! We got home at 11:00 last night and I didn't have time to post! But I DO have a photo for it, ok?!!!! (justifications are everything.)

~Ashley

365DC: Day 2

Haha.... yes, this picture has a story behind it :) We were waiting for the parents to come down to see the recital, and so we were being "nervous". Yeah.

~Ashley

365DC: Day 1

I decided to simply take some pictures of my reminders...
I've got one on my desktop screen, one on my light switch, one taped inside my journal, and one taped on my computer :)

Let's Do This Thing.

~Ashley

365 Day Challenge: Introduction

I've decided I want to force myself to do more weird things with my camera and go outside of my comfort zone- so I've decided to do a 365 day challenge. Basically, I'm going to try to take/blog one picture every day until June 27th, 2014. Are you with me? You have my permission to spam my email if you don't see a picture a day.
Here's my rules:
I have to have taken the picture that day, and I must blog it that day.
I can take a picture of anything I want.
I can take a picture WITH anything I want- i.e. I can use Photobooth instead of my DSLR.
Yeah.
I will still be posting all the pictures from a photoshoot on my photography blog, just my favorite one will go here- some days there might be more than one.
So without further ado, I give you-
The 365 Day Challenge (i.e. 365DC).
~Ashley

Hurrahstagram

I got an Instagram! It's acrutchy :)

Come on, guys! I know you can follow me!!! Please?

~Ashley

Banana Ice Cream Heaven

And guess what? It's not at. all. bad for you.

Just blend several frozen bananas and a spoonful (or more if you're feeling fierce) of nutella in the FOOD PROCESSOR!!!! NOT blender! Food processor! Then top with some chocolate syrup if you're feeling super fierce.

~Ashley

Jeans Headband

So I made a headband the other day with a pair of old jeans and a piece of elastic- the positive? It took about five minutes.

I pinned the piece of jeans fabric so that it made sort of a... banana? shape? No.... well, here's a picture to illustrate.

Uhhhh.... yeah. You have to fold the fabric overlapping each other at the ends. Then stick the end of elastic into the end and measure it around your head and pin it at both sides.

Sew all the hems and elastic in, and you're done!!!

Ashley

Book Review: The Book Thief

Since only two people READ this, and no one else will FOLLOW me, I'll just keep writing! Ha!

Yeah.

I read a fantabulous book. The Book Thief was amazing! I loved the way the narrator told the story of the girl, and also told his own story. If that makes sense. It was a little hard to get used to, but then it was great.

The story was narrated by the Grim Reaper. I know. A little creepy, right? But when he'd "gather souls", it wasn't evil- if anything, he felt bad for the people. And the whole book was clean, apart from a bit of cussing. Not a ton. A little.

So yeah. It's set during World War II, and there are some sad parts. I admit- I did cry. I NEVER cry for books.  (Apart from when Fred and everyone else die in The Deathly Hallows.) But I did.

So yes. I seriously recommend The Book Thief (by Markus Zusak or something weird like that.) It's a good thinker.

~Ashley

Does Anyone Even Read This?

Huh?

UPDATE: Photography Blog

Just so you all know, if you want to follow my photography blog, you have to go follow it. It doesn't come automatically with the follow from this blog; it's actually a completely separate blog with the same background and page labels!! Aren't I sneaky?
So yeah, please go follow that blog! And, uh, this one? I only have like, three followers, guys.
I expect better from you!
~Ashley

Photography Blog!

I now have a photography blog.

Just scroll your mouse UP.

That's it, keep going.

When you get to the tab above the posts that says, "Home", start moving your finger to the right.

Yes, nice job.

Go until you see the word "Photography." That's spelled p-h-o-t-o-g-r-a-p-h-y.

Good. Now push hard on the mouse so that it clicks.

You are just so good at this.

~Ashley

Fashion Finds

While searching through junk to find yard sale items, I happened upon this cute pair of shoes from my time at Veritas. While slightly babyish, I'm sure I can find something to make them look good :)

for some reason, I remember them being called MaryJanes. Maybe so, maybe not so.

with socks? definitely NOT.

I also recently had a photoshoot with two friends, and discovered an incredibly cute outfit....

Ugly picture, but cute clothes....

PS. The shoes are from Paris!!!!!!!!!!

I ALSO recently found a little chalkboard that I put in place of the picture that said "sisters" on the frame (sorry Megan :D). I like little quotes, so I really enjoy having this here.

That's about it.... I'm making a photography blog to put pictures on, so soon there will be a link at the top of the blog for that- stay posted!!!

~Ashley

In Which We Make Blueberry Mud Cookies and Mushroom Flowers

WARNING!!! THE PICTURE DISPLAYED AT THIS LINK DISPLAYS LIES!!!!! DO NOT EXPECT WHAT YOU SEE IN SAID PICTURE, OR YOU WILL BE SORELY DISAPPOINTED! IT TURNS OUT, WHEN YOU MIX BLUEBERRIES, THEY BURST AND TURN ALL YOUR DOUGH PURPLE, NOT THE LOVELY SHADE OF GOLDEN THAT THE COOKIES ON THIS PAGE DISPLAY!!!!! PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!

BLUEBERRY LEMON "MUD" CHEESECAKE COOKIES                                     

WARNING! THESE COOKIES ARE EXTREMELY MESSY TO MAKE! ONLY MAKE WITH A FRIEND IF YOU WANT TO HAVE LOTS OF FUN AND LAUGHS!!!

yuck and yum.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons lemon zest (1 lemon)
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups flour
• 1 cup blueberries
• Cream Cheese (just cut pieces that fit inside the dough as you go)

DIRECTIONS

forming them is the hardest part- the part in which you
laugh the most.

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and position a rack in the center. Line your baking sheets with parchment paper and set them aside.
2. In a large bowl with an electric mixer cream together the butter and sugar until it's light and fluffy. Blend in the lemon zest and eggs. Make sure to scrape off any bits of zest that stick to the mixer paddle.
3. In a separate bowl whisk together the baking soda, baking powder, salt and flour then mix it into the wet ingredients. Gently fold in the blueberries so as not to burst any. Refrigerate the dough for about 15 – 20 minutes to make it stiff enough to roll.



they ended up cooking right! hurray!

4. For each cookie, roll 1 heaping tbsp of dough into a ball then flatten it slightly into a disc shape. Place a 1 tsp cream cheese cube into the center and form the dough around it creating a ball again. Bake them for about 10 - 14 minutes until the edges brown slightly. Transfer them to a cooling rack and enjoy!

the "nose cookie", dubbed by Rachel.

 They turned out incredibly delicious, after all the hard work. I think I ate half the dough while Rachel refrained... :D

SO after this facade of blueberry mud pies, we went upstairs and attempted to make these little sweater flowers...... Unfortunately, we only had a thickly ribbed red sweater to recycle, and so instead of the cute vintage flowers shown in the pictures, we ended up with this. Not TOO bad, it could be worse.

But still pretty bad.

~Ashley

That Awkward Moment When.....

-On FSF, there are 6 pageviews from Russia and 2 from Germany- SHOW YOURSELVES!!! Comment if you are one of those 8 pageviews!

-You decide to eat some of a gluten free strawberry shortcake and your friend asks for a spoonful of hummus instead... You know who you are.

-You get yelled at (ok, talked to) by the grass-mower at Rockford Plantation for taking amateur photography. (hey look! there's a sign... *innocent grin*)

-The stinking website that was selling your $990 5d Mark II shuts down! Which probably means it was a scam. Which probably means I would have been scammed. Which probably means I would have wasted $990...

~Ashley

The Creepy, The Random, and The Terrifying

I shall say no more.

~Ashley

Europe: France Pictures

notre dame

notre dame window

mass at notre dame

notre dame inside

the padlock bridge- you write your name/initials on a padlock, lock it on the bridge, and throw the key in the river.

the louvre

mona lisa!

the arc du triumph

a view from the eiffel tower

our nice suited-up friends... not.

the eiffel tower

us with the eiffel tower

the eiffel tower

the sacre cour

getting our charcoal drawing done!

mont saint michel

the view from mont saint michel

~Ashley

Europe: England Pictures

on the airplane to europe!

first view of the london eye

us and big ben :)

driving under the Tower Bridge on our bus tour

us with the tower of london

the tower bridge from the tower of london

the london eye

changing of the guard at buckingham palace

parliament from the london eye

westminister abbey

platform 9 and 3/4

high tea!!!!!!

the city from the london eye

windsor castle

highclere castle, aka downton abbey!

the roman baths

stonehenge

bath abbey

~Ashley