A Letter To Summer...

Dear Summer,

I always look forward to you. In March, I always think I might die without you. But, by the end of August, I'm ready to see you go. It's not that I don't love you, Summer, it's just that, sometimes you bring more trouble than your worth. This summer has been sweet and sour to say the least. Made new friends, lost some friends, reconnected with some, saw others drift further away, saw my business continue to grow, questioned my path, questioned my decisions. Summer, you always seem so much more dramatic than I remember you being the year before. Why? I swear, sometimes I just don't understand you Summer. I just don't.

Now it's the last day of August, and I'm ready to say goodbye to you for another 9 months. I'm sure by the time Christmas rolls around I'll be begging to get you back. But thats just how life works. You always want what you can't have, the grass is always greener, yadda yadda yadda...

But hey, Summer, no hard feelings. Let's see where life takes us next year. Until then...

Your Friend,
Ashley

Autumn Photoshoot: Meet The Poiriers

This past weekend, I spent some time shooting family portraits for my lovely neighbors, The Poiriers, all around Saratoga Springs. We had a lot of fun and I'm really happy with the images that came out of the session!

It was FREEZING and pretty blustery but we managed! Mama Poirier was a trooper despite her belly full o' baby! I've never seen such a super pregnant woman move around so easily! She will be welcoming baby #2 on October 30th, so we got these pictures just in time. I can't wait to take some newborn shots for them when the little chicken nugget arrives!

Mama and Papa Poiriers little girl, Emma, has such a magnetic smile! She wasn't so into the whole picture thing for the most part, but who could blame her when there are so many more interesting things for a 2 yr old to do! Luckily, we got some giggles and smiles out of her and I managed to capture some on film!

Anyway, on to the pictures! Enjoy!

Recipe Vault: Melt In Your Mouth Pumpkin Apple Muffins with Cinnamon Sugar Streusel

"Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie." ~Jim Davis

Autumn is in full swing here in Upstate New York. Which means, the colors are vibrant, the air is crisp, and my family is baking Pumpkin Apple Muffins! Last weekend, my Mom and I baked the first batch, and it was pretty much gone in 36 hours! Pumpkin Apple Muffins are a tradition in my family as soon as Autumn gets it's foot in the door, we all LOVE them, we even have them on Thanksgiving. They are moist, flavorful and comforting. I'm hard pressed to find something more comforting and delicious than a fresh Pumpkin Apple muffin, still warm from the over. Mmmm! I'm drooling just thinking about it! But OK OK, enough with the chit chat, let's get to the good stuff, the recipe!

For Pumpkin Apple Muffins you will need....

2 1/2 Cups Flour
2 Cups Sugar
1 Tablespoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
2 Eggs, slightly beaten
1 Cup Solid Packed Pumpkin ( Be careful not to use Pumpkin Pie Filling!)
1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil
2 Cups Peeled Chopped Apples ( We use fresh Macs or Granny Smith Apples)

In a medium bowl, combine the first five ingredients and set aside

. In a large bowl, combine eggs, pumpkin, and oil. Next, add the dry ingrediants into the wet ingredient bowl by sifting the dry ingredients into the large bowl (don't take shortcuts! It's worth the extra 30 seconds), stir until just moistened.

Next, fold in chopped apples (we chop them into about 1/4-1/2" cubes). Be sure not to over stir! Spoon batter into greased or lined muffin tins, filling 3/4 full. We like to use an ice cream scoop for this. Now your ready to set the muffins aside and make the streusel topping! Yum!

For the Cinnamon Sugar Streusel Topping you will need...

1/4 Cups Sugar
4 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoons Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon

In a small bowl, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, and mix together well. Cut in the 4 tablespoons of butter, until the mixture is crumbly. Once the crumbly texture is achieved your ready to sprinkle over the tops of each muffin. Bake in a 350 degree over for 35-40 mins, or until a toothpick comes out clean :)

NOTE: For more figure friendly muffins, skip the streusel, I do this from time to time, equally as delicious just a little less decadent!

Finally, let the muffins cool a bit before taking them out and putting them on a cooling rack, otherwise they might fall apart, and we don't want that! Enjoy with your coffee for breakfast, a mid-day snack, or as a yummy dessert! You might find you need to make a couple batches to share with your friends, because these babies don't last long!

Enjoy all! Happy Baking!

Etsy Featured Seller: 1 Year Later

Today marks the one year anniversary of becoming an Etsy Featured Seller. One year ago today, October 6th, 2008, my stomach was in knots, filled with butterflies and wonder, while my mind raced a mile a minute as I anxiously awaited for my feature to go live on the front page at 1pm. It was such a fun and stressful time all at once!

When I was contacted by Etsy Admin, Adam, it was 6 days before my feature was to go live on Etsy. The first thing I did was seriously think about throwing up, and then called my Etsy/Jewelry Buddy Allison of RockLove Jewelry to share the big news! Allison and I frequently chatted about evil schemes to become a Etsy Featured Seller, but never, in my wildest dreams, did I expect I would actually ever make it to that magical land where Featured Sellers run free in their natural habitat. No, but seriously, all jokes aside, I was as shocked as I could have possibly been. Of course, right after I called Allison, I called my Mom to share the news. After I made my calls, I spent the rest of that night having a minor freak out, and ended up obsessively cleaning my apartment until I was so tired I could clean no more. It somehow helped me clear my mind and get mentally prepared for what was to come.

6 days to prepare for my feature, and I spent all 6 days in an all out scramble. First thing was first, I had to sit down and write out my responses for the interview questions Adam had sent me, which took a bit more time and effort than I initially expected. One thing I did that was really helpful in prepping for my feature, was Convo a past Featured Seller, and fellow jeweler, Lauren of locallibrary, to just ask her what to expect and for a little advice. This proved to be one one very smart decision! A big thanks to her :) Heeding Lauren's advice, I of course ordered supplies right away. Stocking up on chain, sterling silver sheet metal, findings and packaging materials. I even made the last minute decision to run to a Gem Show, 2.5 hours away in Springfield, MA, to stock up on gemstones. I don't think I've ever had a more efficient Gem Show trip in all my life. I was motivated by my mile long "To-Do" list to make it there and back in less than 6 hours. I wasn't even inside the show for more than 45mins max. When I got home, I started sawing, soldering and sanding for the remainder of the time left before my feature and focused on getting as little sleep as possible.

Once my feature went live, I had to relinquish all control to the Etsy gods and just hope for the best. For some reason, I was really worried that my feature would go horribly and nobody would like my stuff! Thankfully, I was totally wrong and I was flooded by "Congrats" Convo's from some fellow Etsy Sellers and previous customers, and lots of sales and custom orders. I think the "Congrats" Convo's were really the best part, it is really heartwarming and encouraging to know you have people in your corner, rooting for you to succeed. Throughout my feature, I was glued to my laptop and my Blackberry, answering convo's and re-listing. I feel like I slept with one eye and ear open during my feature, just to be able to hear the dinging of my Blackberry to alert me of a sale or a convo throughout the night.

By the end of my feature, I was swamped with sales and full of pride. I would call my feature a big success, and it was a prelude to a wonderful holiday season on Etsy too! Since then, my sales have continued to be steady and I've happily watched my business grow by leaps and bounds. And while I don't think I can say I owe it ALL to Etsy, I certainly owe quite a large chunk :) Thanks to the team at Etsy, you guys are super excellent! :)

If you haven't seen my Etsy Featured Seller Interview, you can check it out HERE and learn a little more about what makes me tick. Thanks for reading!

Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn...

Goodbye Summer, see you soon...

I'm never especially sad to see summer go. Sure, I will miss Lake George, I will miss summer BBQ's, impromptu gatherings at night and laying out in the sun, but Autumn is always welcome in my life. There's something about the change of seasons that makes me feel more alive, more inspired, more like, myself. Autumn is easily my very favorite season. I've already spent a good amount of time lounging on my deck in the crisp night air of the impending Autumn, enjoying just 'being'. I've had some really great talks with myself out on that deck at night, and have come to appreciate the simple beauty of these garden lights I have strewn across my railing. So lovely. So simple. So perfect.

Hello Autumn, I've missed you.

Extra, Extra! My Weekend DEAL Fabulousness!

Well I have good news cherubs, this weekend, from Friday 8/21 thru Sun 8/23 I am running my very first "Weekend Deal" on Etsy! Why? Well because I love you guys, silly's! 

What is it you ask? An Early Bird Special on my incredibly popular Halloween Collection! I am offering 10% OFF all items in my "HAPPY HALLOWEEN" section, with the discount refunded via Paypal after purchase :) Don't miss out because this line WILL NOT be discounted again.

  As luck would have it, I was chosen to have my Weekend Deal featured in The Storque, Etsy Finds Email and they even used a photo of my Oxidized Bat In The Belfry Necklace as the banner image for the Weekend Deals on the Front Page of Etsy. I couldn't be more excited! Hope your excited too :)

Happy Shopping!

Interpol & Inspiration

"If time is my vessel, then learning to love will be my way back to sea." -Interpol

I've loved the band Interpol for, well, a long, long time. There has always been something about their sound that could really stir things up inside me and help me to create, especially their first two albums. As I've said before, inspiration does not come easy for me, so when I find a bit of music, a movie or maybe even another designer who can manage to make me break out of my uninspired shell, I latch on.

Even though it's only mid- July, I am steadily preparing for what I hope will be a busy and successful Fall and Holiday Season. I'm working out new seasonal designs and tweaking new fall line concepts daily at this point. So much so, that I'm really itching for the crisp clean and nostalgic air that comes to NY every Fall. I will still enjoy the remainder of my summer, stocking up on sun and laughs, but I won't be sad to see the change of seasons.

For me, Fall and Interpol go hand in hand, but I'm not totally sure why that is. I think it has a little to do though with all of the crisp Autumn nights I spent on my rooftop terrace 40 stories above Manhattan, listening to Interpol on my trusty iPod, sketching, and taking in the city lights. I never tired of the view from that terrace, and anytime I think of it, and of Interpol, I miss my days in New York City more than ever. Maybe one day I will go back, but for now, I have work to do here in Saratoga Springs. I will be posting some pics from my NYC days soon, of my INCREDIBLE view. I'm telling you, it is...well, inspiring :)

Here's one of my favorite Interpol songs, "C'mere", Enjoy!

more about "Interpol & Inspiration", posted with vodpod