Gifts for the Kids

I love giving gifts and especially love buying for and giving gifts to my little sister. There's nothing more fun than seeing the joy on the face of a little one when she opens a gift.

Below are goodies for the kiddos on your shopping list. I'm particularly excited about the GoldieBlox game (here), which I am giving to my sister. The company helps girls discover the world of engineering through construction games and offers girls other toy options than the typical pink-and-frilly fare. 

You can read more about GoldieBlox here and check out their awesome "Princess Machine" commercial below!

Stackable crayons | Plush fox | Sweater | Goldieblox game | Art print | Pajamas | Cubebot | 

Puffin Classics book set | Sneakers | Plush kitty (40% off!)

Urban flair

Just in time for your holiday shopping, items for the cool, hip city girl in your life.

Jacket | iPhone case | Wristlet | Earrings | Sunglasses | Watch | High tops | Headphones

Thankful.

Arney Walker Calligraphy

At the end of the day, Lord I pray
I have a life that's good

Wishing you a happy week with your loved ones.

Gifts that give back

With Christmas right around the corner, I have started - and started crossing off - my shopping lists for friends and family.

I really like the idea of buying a gift someone will love and that donates to charitable causes.

Have you started your holiday shopping yet? Have any great gift ideas that give back?

Silk necklace | Candle | Shea Butter products | Backpack | Journal | Vitamin E kit | Brave bracelet | Purse

Black accent pieces

Via, original source unknown

I have been loving darker spaces lately, especially dark walls, which can make a room feel sophisticated and sexy.

I'm dreaming of painting our bedroom a dark, smoky grey, but it will be a big change, since our walls have always been light neutrals. 

If you're not ready to commit to dark walls, try adding a few dark accent pieces to for that moody glamour. 

Vase | Placemat | Jewelry Box | Stone Box | Plant | Coasters | Pillow | Bar cart

Styling an entryway table

I am so excited to finally, finally share our completed DIY Parsons table! I previously posted the tutorial for this inexpensive and relatively easy DIY (here) and I finally get to show you the finished product, upholstered in faux crocodile vinyl fabric.

All of the credit for making and upholstering the table goes to my husband who built the table in no time, and then painstakingly wrapped every inch of this table in not-so-easy to work with vinyl. He did such a great job and I'm thrilled with how it turned out!

James Roy Photography

Once it was done, I styled our entryway table with: 

• Gold and white pieces from Erie Drive (here)
• Target lamp and shade (here and here)
• Decorative box from Homegoods
• Restoration Hardware mirrored coasters (old - similar here)
• Vintage candlesticks found at antiques store in Wisconsin
• Fresh flowers

On my bookshelf

I love a good book (contemporary literature preferred), but I think I might enjoy the hunt for a good book even more. This past weekend, we visited my favorite used book store in Chicago, Myopic Books, to pick up some new reads.

This time, I brought my "To Read" list, downloaded from Goodreads because if I don't come  prepared with a list, I could spend hours scanning the bookshelves. If I haven't mentioned it before, I'm a huge fan of Goodreads for keeping track of books I want to read and for checking out which books my friends are reading and enjoying.

I'm pretty happy with my haul! Have you read any of these books? What is on your bookshelf these days?

1. Plainsong by Kent Harfug

2. A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan: Winner of the 2011 Pulitzer Prize

3. The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta

4. Snow by Orhan Pamuk

Christmas cards

It's that time of year - time to order cards for the holidays! Because I just can't help myself, I ordered ours early (again) and from Minted (again) this year. I still love our design from last year (see it here), but I couldn't resist minimalist golden "peace" design this year.

Will you be sending cards out this season? If so, what are some of your favorite designs and messages for the holidays?

Midnight in Paris Party

This past weekend, our friends hosted a Midnight in Paris themed dinner party, complete with classic cocktails, music from the 1920s, and a delicious homemade dinner. We stayed up talking and laughing far past midnight and I can't wait to do it again!

And thanks to my talented husband, we have great photos of the night.

James Roy Photography

Loving: Black & Gold

Maybe it's the holidays right around the corner, but I am loving black and gold pieces lately! There is something so glamorous and chic about pitch black paired with a shiny gold. Here are a few of the pieces I have my eye one.

Purse | Bracelet | Necklace | Pumps | Clutch | Watch

Favorite fall boots

As much as I didn't want to let go of summer, I do love fall for the changing leaves, cozy sweaters, and pumpkin-flavorered everything. And with cooler weather, every gal needs a great pair of boots. If you're in the market for a new pair, I highly recommend checking out the selection on Onlineshoes.com!

I first became acquainted with Onlineshoes.com when I participated in a blogger styling contest (here) and thanks to them, I have a gorgeous pair of Clark's boots (here) that have become my go-to fall boots. The site is great because it has a huge inventory of name brand, quality shoes and easy searching and filtering capabilities.

Below are few of my favorite boots for fall. The are all are available on Onlineshoes.com, so check them out (here)!

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 

And if you wan to try a different look...

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Disclosure: Gift certificate was provided by Onlineshoes.com. All opinions expressed herein are my own. 

Lately

Hi, friends. I haven't been posting as much as I'd like and I haven't been a great blogger friend lately, but to be honest, I just have a lot going on right now.

Work has been busy, some exciting things in the works, and some very heavy things too. 

I'll be back with some new content soon and in the meantime, I'm meditating on the quote below.

via

1920s Parisian Party

One of my best gals, Aravinda (of foodie blog, Linguini & Colette) is hosting a Midnight in Paris dinner party and I can't wait! She's amazing in the kitchen, so I'm excited to see the menu and a 1920s Paris is probably the chicest theme for a party ever! 

I also happen to love the movie Midnight in Paris!

via

I'm still trying to decide what to wear, but my bachelorette party dress is a big contender. The look below would be pretty perfect too, don't you think?

Dress | Heels | Headband | Lipstick | Ring | Clutch

I Spy with My Little Eye

It's clear my husband is the photographer in this relationship, but I've taken to snapping photos with my iPhone as the mood strikes. I often see a scene or notice a detail that moves me in a particular way, and I'm trying to capture those moments as they come. I try not to linger or worry about taking the "perfect" shot, but focus more on the capturing the feeling that the subject sparks in me.

All photos Copyright ashley nicole catherine 2013

2-day Yosemite Itinerary and Gear List

James Roy Photography            

DAY 1 - Vernal and Nevada Falls
3 miles to Vernal Fall, 7 miles to Nevada Fall roundtrip, Difficulty: Strenuous
- From Yosemite Valley, take the free shuttle service to station 16 at Happy Isles or walk 1 mile SE from Curry Village to the Mist trailhead
- Follow the signs for Vernal Fall
- If you're ready for more, continue on to Nevada Fall
- For new views and less steep descent, take the John Muir trail back to the trailhead
- For more info, click here

via

DAY 2 - Lembert Dome

2.8 miles round trip, Difficulty: Moderate
- From Yosemite Valley, take Highway 120 ten miles to the Crane Flat turnoff onto Tioga Road, then take Tioga Road 40 miles East to reach the trailhead at the far eastern edge of Tuolumne Meadows
- The top of Lembert Dome offers beautiful views of Tuolomne Meadows
- For more info, click here

James Roy Photography

Gear list for day hikes:
I borrowed generously from our friends Oren's and Cassie's gear list. You can check out their year-long around-the-world travels at 42nd Class (here).
- Layers of sweat-wicking clothes
- Pack and Camelbak reservoir
- If hiking with a partner, additional Camelbak

- Plenty of food and high-energy snacks
- Hiking shoes (men/women)
- Hat and/or sunglasses
- Hand sanitizer
- Tissues

Yosemite and Lake Tahoe

Below are the stunning photos my husband took of our trip to Yosemite National Park and Lake Tahoe. James really has become an amazing photographer and I'm in awe of how well he captured the beauty of those areas.

It was such an incredible trip, especially Yosemite, and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a little adventure.

Update: On Monday, I will be sharing our 2-day Yosemite itinerary and what we enjoyed most while we were there.

James Roy Photography

I'm Back!

Hi, friends! I've been MIA for a bit, but if you follow me on Instagram (here), you know I've been celebrating in Sonoma for my best friend's wedding and exploring in Yosemite and Lake Tahoe!

I can't wait to share pictures from our hiking trip, but first and foremost, get a load of my sweet friend's gorgeous wedding. 

I couldn't be happier for you, Nixie!!

James Roy Photography

Introducing Wantable

Have you heard about Wantable? Wantable is a subscription service offering full-sized, premium beauty products and fashion accessories.

I  hadn't heard about the company, but the good folks at Wantable offered to send me a box and were curious to hear my thoughts. Here's the low down:

How does it work?

Wantable creates a customer profile for you by asking a series of product and personality questions and then using the data to introduce you to products perfectly suited to your taste.

What's different than other subscription services?

Wantable sends full-size, premium beauty products and personalized, on-trend fashion accessories based on your personality and style.

What's inside the box?

4-5 full-sized beauty products or 3-4 boutique accessories hand-picked to match your preferences.

How much does it cost?

You can choose from a one-time purchase for $40 or to subscribe for $36. Subscriptions are monthly and can be paused or canceled at anytime, no strings attached.

The verdict?
I was impressed with the speed of delivery and the professional packaging. I also found their website easy to navigate and the style quiz thorough and fun to fill out.

My box contained 5 full-sized makeup products and 1 sample and retailed over $80. While I didn't recognize most of the brands, the products are high quality were in definitely in line with my style - the color palette in particular was pretty spot on for what I would purchase off the shelf.

I would love to see an option to receive all-natural or non-toxic products, but maybe that's something they'll add in the future?

Bottom line: if you're looking to treat yourself (or a friend) and discover new products and brands, Wantable might just be what you're looking for!

James Roy Photography