Guest Post: {long distance loving}

I am really excited to introduce you to Alison from {long distance loving}.  I found Alison's blog through another blog who was participating in her Friday's Fancies series and immediately knew I liked this girl after reading her about me  (she gets mad props for being "hoosier born")!  Her posts are always eye catching and this girl knows how to make really fun and inspiring collages! :)  Hop over to her {blog} after reading below to see more fabulous posts! Enjoy! xxoo - ashley  PS. Happy Birthday Natalie!!! :)

Happy Friday, a {little} dash of ash readers!  My name is {av}, the voice behind {long distance loving}. I'm honored to be filling in for Ashley as she lounges on the beach in Mexico.  Though I wish she would have tried to squeeze me in her suitcase, I think creating a Friday's Fancies look for her Mexican getaway is a decent compromise ;)  I envisioned a look which would work perfectly for a date night at the beach...

{all images are screenshots from the corresponding links below}

1) Take one look at the top of the Shoshanna stunner and you'll see why I chose these Kenneth Jay Lane Gold Hammered Teardrop Earrings.  I love to create fun connections between pieces in an outfit -- and these teardrops looked almost exactly like the bead work on the top of the dress!

2) I first fell in love with this Shoshanna Strapless Beaded Maxi Dress on Rend the Runway.  When Ashley asked me to create a Friday's Fancies dress, I knew I had to pick this beauty.  The flowy white and touch of gold would look incredible against sunkissed skin ;) 

3) Since the sea breezes can be a bite blustery, I chose this Aqua Bajra Solid Pashmina to protect me from the "cold" {though cold is relative of course!}.

4) Walking on the beach in heels is just not fun -- and for that reason, I picked these Joie "Free Fallin" Flat Sandals to complement the other gold elements in this dream outfit. 

5) The capstone piece in this Friday's Fancies look is absolutely this Prada Raso Pietre Clutch.  It would be a pipedream to own it, but it would certainly make this outfit shine!

Want to join in the Friday's Fancies fun?  Dream up the outfit you'd be wearing for your Friday's activities if money were no object!  Stop by {long distance loving} to see looks from other bloggers and find tricks for creating your own masterpiece!

An enormous thank you to Ashley for having me at a {little} dash of ash!

Her creativity and ingenuity showcased on this blog never ceases to impress me :)

Have a great Friday! xoxo {av}

Guest Post: {ten scenic drive}

Say hello to Kristin again -- as she is back with a really great inspiration piece!   This girl always finds the best and most beautiful editorial spreads!  When she sent me the one below, I was so excited to put it on my blog because you know I love amazing photography and anything that is bright, fun and happy!  Thanks Lady :)  xxoo, ashley

Happy Thursday!  This is Kristin from {ten scenic drive} super excited to be doing my second guest post while Ashley is off sunning herself on the beaches of Mexico.  Jealous much?  Although I did spend part of last week in Miami so I can't complain.  Traveling is one of my favorite things to do (minus the time spent at airports, gross) and I absolutely LOVE going to new places.  One of the perks of my job is that I have been fortunate enough to travel to some seriously amazing parts of the world that I probably wouldn't otherwise have had the opportunity to visit such as Guatemala, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Sri Lanka and India.  I also looooove to eat, so trying the local fare is one of my fave ways to experience the culture of a city.  There is nothing better than enjoying a gooey chocolaty crepe on the streets of Paris while sexy French men pass you by.  Amazeballs.  Anywho, for this travel-inspired post, I was going to put together a collage of destinations on my wish list, but then I stumbled upon this amazing editorial spread for Vogue UK that I just had to share!  Shot by Mario Testino, this shoot features the gorgeous Daria Werbowy and Lily Donaldson in different parts of the world.  The photography is beautiful with all of the amazing color and detail, and the outfits are absolutely stunning!  It makes me want to visit every singe one of these places!  And get to wear the fabulous clothes of course!  xxkristin

Images via {fashion gone rogue}

Guest Post: {little bits of lovely}

Welcome Rachel from little bits of lovely!  Rachel wow'd me the first time I visited her blog with one of her Wednesday Workspace posts -- probably because like her, I am also in love with a creative home office full of pretty elements, lovely stationary and gorgeous inspiration boards!  You can blame my mom for that... as she has one of the prettiest workspaces of all time! :)  Check out all of the beautiful photos below - just stunning! xxoo, ashley

Hello everyone, it's Rachel here from Little Bits of Lovely and I'm excited to be guest posting for Ashley while she is off having a fabulous time in Mexico! Today I thought I would share with you a few inspirations and key ingredients that make a fabulous workspace. I have always been drawn to beautifully styled and designed workspaces, which I think is a result of my love for pretty stationary and being very organised; for me an organised workspace means a productive workspace!

{one} Natural light

Natural light is very important in any workspace given we spend long hours in front of a computer screen.  Not only is natural light good for your eyes, but studies have shown that people who work in well lit spaces are happier, healthier and more productive.  

{Image Credit}

{two} A comfortable chair

This may seem obvious, but personal comfort significantly adds to your productivity and, when working for long periods, a comfortable chair is essential.  

{Image Credit}

{three} A place for everything, and everything in its place

Clutter does not bode well with being productive, so spending time ensuring your workspace is orderly and organised will help you in the long run.  

{Style at Home} via Captivated by Image

{four} A little bit of pretty

Adding some pretty elements to your workspace, like flowers or lovely stationary, will make it more enjoyable for you to work in and will help to create a cheerful environment that makes it a pleasure to work!

{Image Credit}

{five} Making it your own

As with making your workspace pretty, adding personal touches to your workspace that help to inspire you lends itself to being more productive.  Try creating an inspiration board above your workspace filled with images that you love, swatches of fabric that you have your eye on, and postcards from far away places to remind you of the beauty in the world. 

{Image Credit}

For more lovely workspace inspiration be sure to check out my regular  

'Wednesday Workspace' post each week!

Thank you for having me today Ashley!

Guest Post: {Afternoon Frosting}

Hi Friends!  Let me introduce you to my friend Julie from {Afternoon Frosting}.  She is a friend of my co-workers and I am so glad we "met"!  Not only does she have great style, but she is absolutely hilarious too!  Make sure you visit her blog for not only your afternoon inspiration, but your afternoon laugh as well! Enjoy! xxoo, ashley

a {little} dash of ash met Afternoon Frosting, and it was mutually...love at first sight.  I'm Julie, the glitterati behind Afternoon Frosting: Highly addictive, not always appropriate, but always entertaining.  I love (in this. exact. order) men, fashion, social media and good champagne (although you'll find I write about much, much more than that).  Think of Afternoon Frosting (well, think of me) as your personal stylist, relationship coach and best, best (crazy) friend.  It's all in good fun.  

Because the temperatures are rising and we can pull our mini cut-offs, sarongs and crystal-encrusted flip flops out from behind our racks of coats and scarves, I've decided to rehash the greatest bits about our favorite "holiday" of the year: Vacation.

Whether this year is St. Barts, the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas, or a cruise around the Caribbean, there are a few necessities to tote along on any proper vacation.  While I am a notorious light packer, I never forget a wide-brimmed hat, a pair of sturdy sunglasses, a variety of bathing suits, a chic (but practical) pair of flip-flops, beachy cosmentics and of course, a big-ass tote to carry it all in (on the plane, of course -- is it really necessary to check a thick piece of luggage? negative). 

I'm partial to aquamarine and Tiffany's-colored swimwear (they complement the crystal water so beautifully).  You can grab your own here, here and here!  These flipflops are Havainana's Navy/Gold peacock print; tote by Marc by Marc Jacobs; sunnies by Chloe Sevigny for Opening Ceremony, beach hat by Rag & Bone; jewels from Fantasy Jewelry Box; OPI polishes in Just Tea-sing + Yodel Me on My Cell; and Dolce + Gabbana Perfect Finish Powder Foundation.

Keep up with more frosting by subscribing to posts, joining Afternoon Frosting Facebook Fan page, or even following me on Twitter for all your fashion, relationships and fun frippery on the daily.

Guest Post: {Daily Crush}

Hi Friends!  Let me introduce you to Katie from Daily Crush!  Katie is one of the sweetest bloggers I have met -- and on top of that, she has a fantastic eye!  Her images and inspiration on her blog are always so fun and beautiful!  You definitely want to add her {blog} to your favorites!

Hello readers of a {little} dash of ash!  My name is Katie Carlin and I am the author of Daily Crush, a blog I started a few months ago to show my passion for fashion, interior design and all things creative.  I blog daily about my crushes and inspirations.  I am from Boston, MA but I go to school in Ohio!  Ash was so sweet and helpful and gave me lots of advice about my blog and I am so excited to guest blog!  She has adorable style and I enjoy reading her blog daily!  Since the summer is almost upon us I decided to compile a little collage of my current crushes and summer essentials.  I can not wait for weekends on the beach and hot summer days!  What is on your wish list for summer?

1. Coral accessories and make up (bracelet) (lipstick) (blush)

2. Essie (nail polish)

3. Chic Sunglasses (Ray-Bans) (Rialto)

4. The perfect swim suit (Matthew Williamson printed triangle bikini) (Calypso ikat bikini)

5. Colorful (shorts)

6. Summer (cookbook) and (mojito recipe)

7. The perfect beach (bag)

8. Shoes for (day) and (night)

You can find me at {little bits of lovely}

Little bits of lovely is one of my most favorite blogs to browse!  Rachel has an amazing eye for literally all things lovely!  When I started thinking about creating my own blog, I looked to Rachel's blog almost daily as inspiration! I hope you can imagine my excitement when I got a sweet email from Rachel complimenting my blog and asking me if I would like to participate in her '5 lovely things' series!  Hop over to her blog (because I know you will love it as much as I do) to see the 5 things I absolutely could not live without as well as some other great inspirations!  And... check back on Wednesday as Rachel will be guest blogging for me and sharing another lovely series she does!  xxoo!

My camera is just one of the items I absolutely could not live without.
Check out my others {here}.

Be Back Soon...

I am off to Puerto Vallarta with my girlfriends!  Have a great week... I know I will! :)  PS. I scheduled some fabulous guest posts for next week -- so check back daily!  xxoo!!

Drawing by {Inslee By Design}

Fab 5 Friday: Week 4

I am so excited that it is Friday - this week has definitely crawled by!  Maybe because I have been on vacation mode since the week started (oops!)  I wanted to share with you my five favorite things this week before I left!  Oh, and remind you to check my blog daily next week - there will be some great guest posts that I am very excited to share with you! :)  Hope you have a great weekend!  Lots of Love!

♥ arm candy
♥ the west coast 

♥ chunky guac

♥ neon accessories

♥ macarons

Images {1} {2} {3} {4} {5}

Beautiful Suitcases!

Since I made it my goal to be packed by yesterday (which I am not), I have been staring at an empty suitcase in the middle of my floor for 3 days!  Every time I see it I think, "I would love this so much more if it were a beautiful vintage suitcase" - kind of like the ones below! :)  Happy Thursday and Happy Birthday to my bestest friend Ashley!!  Wish I was there to celebrate with peanut M&M's and original 90210 reruns! xxoo.

images via {pinterest}

All things {Ten Scenic Drive}

Happy Wednesday!  Guess what - I did another guest post today!  You can find me at my friend Kristin's blog {ten scenic drive} chatting about my newest obsession - "arm candy"! :)  As many of you know Kristin is actually one of my good friends; Not only do we spend 40+ hours a week sitting across from each other at work, we also love going out to brunch, having dinner/blogging parties, taking photos  and going on mustache bar crawls (don't ask)!!  I thought since I guest blogged for her today, it would be the perfect opportunity to give her a few shout outs as well!

iPhone Mobile Uploa

Last week Kristin made me a fabulous DIY bracelet that she blogged about {here}!  I wanted to officially thank her and show you all the bracelet... super cute, huh?! :)

iPhone Mobile Upload

This past week I became obsessed with toast (yes, just regular, plain old toast)!  I've been mixing it up with peanut butter, apple butter and regular butter (oops, I hope my trainer doesn't read this) -- but I knew I had to try Kristin's recipe for {lemon avacado toast}!  Oh my goodness, I am in love with this simple recipe (there is a chance I may just love it because it is simple, haha) -- jk, soooo delicious!

iPhone Mobile Upload

Kristin and I have been working out with a trainer lately!  Usually it consists of strength training, planks and rowing machine, but this past Monday when it was really nice outside -- we were told to push a car around a parking lot!  Yup... and we did.  I almost made our trainer take a photo of us, but decided to just do the workout instead (now I'm regretting the photo decision) -- but picture Kristin and I in the photo below (at least we had each others help)!

Head on over to her {blog} to see her super creative and fun inspirations -- and check out her Sunday series about brunch for some great recipes!  Have a great day!

You can find me at {Mellow Fever}

Deanna at Mellow Fever invited me to do a guest post while she is on a fabulous Spring Escape to Puerto Rico!  Keeping with the beach vacation theme, I made a collage of decor inspiration for my dream vacation home!  Below is the view from "my" home -- but check out the rest {here}!  Thank you, Deanna!

{Christian Chaize}

Hello Prada. I love you.

I don't actually wear Prada... nor do I own anything Prada (wait, I believe I borrowed but never gave back a prada make up pouch from my old roommate in San Francisco)... but nonetheless, I absolutely love Prada advertisements!  My all time favorite Prada ad was from their Spring/Summer 2008 collection featuring whimsical printed bags & marketing designed by {James Jean} -- see below, absolutely beautiful.

{Prada 2008}

{Prada 2008}

However, all of their advertisements grab my attention when flipping through {Vogue} or {InStyle}.  Especially love their iconic posing (specifically 2009 ads)...

{Prada 2009}

{Prada 2009}

{Prada 2009}

...and loving their use of bright color (2010 and 2011) -- a photographers dream (especially a photographer who loves fashion and shoes)!!

{Prada 2010}

{Prada 2011}