You can find me here...

Hi everyone! I have recently upgraded to a new blogsite and will no longer be updating this blog. Please follow this link to see what I'm up to!

Bright Winter Stripes

It's been rather dreary in Arizona lately. We had a humdinger of a storm that dumped loads of rain on the Valley and even resulted in a tornado watch. The storms are gone, but the warm temps we enjoyed the week before seem to have disappeared. And while we're not as cold as the rest of the country, I still get the feeling that my fellow Valley dwellers are more than ready for spring.

Luckily none of us have to wait for spring to punch up our wardrobes and homes with some brightly colored (and striped -- of course) accessories. Take a look at these wonderful winter options that are sure to make you chipper.

Clockwise from top left: Uptown Coat, $138 here, Wellie Magee Bag, $195 here, iPhone 3G Cover, $30 here, Ojai Orange, Green and Yellow Dinnerware, $101.20 per set here.

Cakes for a Cause

I was contacted over the holidays by Ohio wedding planning superstar, Emilie Duncan. Emilie and I "met" over Twitter and have recently decided we may have been separated at birth. Our paths have seemingly crossed many times over the years, and we were completely oblivious. We both attended Michigan State University, roomed in the same dorms, got married at the same place, etc, etc, etc.

Anyway, back to the holidays: Emilie needed a logo for a charitable event she was spearheading. I happily volunteered, mainly because I was helping Emilie, helping hungry people, and because there was cake involved.

Here's the gist:

Cakes for a Cause is an evening of fun and networking benefiting the Mid Ohio Food Bank and Operation Feed. You'll find something to satisfy every sweet tooth, including live and silent cake auctions and raffles. In a word - YUM.

If you are in Ohio, you can get all the details right here.

I tried a few different logo treatments for this event, and this design won out. The only real requirement was something in a fun orange shade, so I chose bold typography paired with a more delicate scalloped cake platter. I think the juxtaposition works well -- it's a serious cause, but it's also going to be fun and delicious.

Thank you, Emilie, for this wonderful opportunity. If you're in Ohio, please consider attending this event. Something tells me your tummy will thank you.

Happy Belated New Year!

Happy New Year, peeps!

Apologies for the lack of posts, I had some big work-related projects over the holiday so I decided to give myself a bit of a break.

But now I'm back and ready to share my most favorite gift from the holidays. Aside from my new MacBook Pro (which is really a business expense...but rocks nonetheless), I am completely smitten with this little number:

small egg crate, $12 right here.

I can't tell you how long I have coveted this. Anthropologie apparently wants me to use it as an actual egg crate (it's ceramic), but I'm going to use it as a new home for my rings, earrings and extra buttons. It looks so pretty on my dresser, you have no idea.

It also comes in aqua. I may need one of those, too. We'll see.

Cookie Swap 2.0

Not surprisingly, people take their cookies seriously. In the midst of planning our cookie extravaganza, I was delighted with the cookie feedback I received via email, Facebook, Twitter, etc. Deliciousness via social networking? Who knew?

So here's a quick roundup of recipes. My oven is about to get a work out.

Christmas Wreaths: I know the green food coloring can be a bit off-putting, but once you get past that, (or just go au naturale and forgo the food coloring altogether) these treats are deee-lish. Recipe here. Photo provided by a trusty college pal who is THE authority on all things Christmas.

(Top) Oatmeal Cream Cheese Butterscotch Bars & (Bottom) Sunny's Crunchy Peanut Butter S'more Bites: submitted by the one and only Heather Crabtree of Outstanding Occasions fame. I have not tried either recipe. Yet. But I know Heather and according to her Twitter page, she has cooked an entire Thanksgiving dinner by herself, which I consider a serious feat. So I will henceforth trust any recommendation she may have when it comes to cooking. Oh, and she's also a doll.

Recipes here and here.

Magic Toffee Bars: My mom has a habit of digging up the most addictive sweet treat recipes during the holiday season. She calls these Magic Toffee Bars. I call them Crack on a Saltine. Plan on making several batches. You'll thank me later. Recipe here.

I am throwing these last two selections in because A) I have made them myself, 2) they are relatively simple recipes and C) they taste good no matter how bad they look.

Raspberry Pinwheels: I found this recipe last year and the cookies looked so pretty and relatively easy to make. A fair warning - unless you bake on a regular basis, your cookies probably won't look this pretty. But pop one in your mouth and SWEET MOTHER OF GOD ARE THEY DELICIOUS! I considered burning this recipe out of fear I would bake them every week and end up on one of those horrible TLC exposes. Half Ton Designer. So use this recipe with some discretion. Find it here.

Best Ever Butter Cookies: This is my best kept baking secret, are you ready? The best Christmas cookie recipe is not passed down from generation to generation, it's found on the back of a Land-O-Lakes butter container. My mother-in-law introduced me to this wizardry when my husband and I first started dating and I have made these babies every year since. I add a little extra orange juice to the dough. Splash some into the frosting recipe, too. This is where I'll start tomorrow - simple, basic and so insanely delicious. I can barely contain my excitement! Find it here.

Peace, Love & Cookies, peeps! Merry Christmas!

I Heart Cookies

If you follow me on Twitter, you may have noticed this little gem last week:

I'm making good on my tweet. I won't bake cookies until December 24th. Maybe even the 25th. In the meantime, I've been perusing my favorite magazines and websites for ideas and recipes for my cookie extravaganza. I'll post the top contenders this week.

But my inquiring mind wants to know – what is your favorite cookie recipe? Leave me a comment or shoot me an email – info@kellyashworthdesign.com – and I'll post your deliciousness for all the blogosphere to see. We'll call it "Cookie Swap 2.0". Yum.

{ image from Sweet and Saucy Shop. Did you gasp at this gorgeousness like I did? }

Pretty Floral Gifts

Have you heard of Olive and Cocoa? I received their catalog the other day, and now want everything they sell. This is what I want the most:

Snow arrangement, $108 right here.

In addition to some lovely floral prettiness, they also offer an amazing array of gift ideas. I'm somewhat averse to the idea of sending food (it seems a bit overdone, no?) but their packaging is so pretty and if you're a business owner you can have it customized with your logo. Swoon.

PS - Olive and Cocoa has not paid me for this post. They just put out a lovely catalog and I felt the need to share.

Holiday Design Promotion Reminder

Just a quick reminder that my Holiday Design Promotion will expire this Friday, December 11. Book me for any design service and you will receive 25 Free Holiday Greetings cards from my new line! It's not too late! Email info@kellyashworthdesign.com to get the ball rolling.

Slipper Love

Hope everyone had a delicious Thanksgiving! I am in the thick of Holiday Card Season and loving every minute of it. But if I ever get around to designing my own cards remains to be seen. C'est la Vie.

When I picked up the mail on Monday, I found a new LL Bean Catalog and nearly tossed it. But then these cuties caught my eye and I just had to share. Say hello to the newest additions to my Christmas list. Santa, are you listening? I'm a 10.5.

Hearthside Beaded Moccasin, $39.95 and Hearthside Slipper, $34.95 right here.

Sequin Love

There is no better time than the Holidays to break out the sequins, am I right? Check out these fabulous sequined finds; perfect for weddings, parties and other holiday revelry:

Scarf, $12.95 at H&M, Dress, $225 at Bluefly, Ornament, $5.95 at Crate and Barrel, Cardigan, $68 at Urban Outfitters, Shoes, $395 at Kate Spade, Clutch, $49.50 at JCrew

I saw the Scarf pictured above at our brand new H&M about a week ago. I gazed at it lovingly. The price tag was even lovelier. But I had no idea how to wear it. Any ideas?

Design Promotion for the Holidays!

I wanted the last promotion of 2009 to be big and exciting. I thought about hiring a guy in a cape to shout excitedly, Billy Mays style. But I've heard that can put people off.

So here's what I'm going to do:

From now until Friday, December 11th when you book me for any design service, you will receive 25 Free Holiday Greeting Cards from my new line. Select any design and we can customize with your own photo and message. Use them for business colleagues, friends, family, or whomever you choose. Isn't this exciting?

Free Holiday Greetings are available with the purchase of Logo Development, Postcards, Brochures, Flyers or Ad Design. Offer is good for 25 of the same design. Offer expires December 11, 2009. You must mention this offer to receive 25 free Holiday Greetings.

You can take a look at some of my most recent design work here, and you can contact me via email at: info@kellyashworthdesign.com.

Happy Holidays!

Kelly Ashworth Design Holiday Greetings are Back!

I figure since the red cups are out at Starbucks and Target is already decorated top to bottom in holiday decor, there is no better time to announce the arrival of my 2009 Holiday Greeting Cards!

I'm showing three designs below and you can also view the entire line in my Etsy shop. (And while you're there, maybe you need a baby announcement, invitation kit or Highlight book?)

Each Holiday Greeting design can be customized with your photo and color palate. I can also customize the greeting verbiage to fit your specific needs. You'll have your choice of three paper styles -- metallic shimmer, textured linen or smooth cover-- and each includes matching white envelopes with your return address pre-printed. How convenient!

For those of you who have a very specific idea in mind or just like the idea of sending out a custom piece, just shoot me an email! info@kellyashworthdesign.com.

To view the entire collection, click here. Special thanks for Jennifer Bowen for sharing some of her amazing photography! If you are looking for an amazingly talented photographer, Jen is your girl. Visit her new blog to view all of the gorgeousness. Happy Holidays!

Pretty Things for Parties

I've been hard at work on a few pet projects, but wanted to share a few fab finds from the new Boden catalog that graced my mailbox today.

I love this time of year because we get to see lots of sparkly, pretty dresses and such for the holidays. And Boden does it well in unexpected ways with loads of color and shine. LOVE me some sequined flats. Just because heels make me wobble around like a baby giraffe does not mean I don't enjoy fun shoes.

Show-Stopping Shift - $198, Ravishing Ruffle Jacket - $168, Cluster Ring - $34, Party Flats - $128. All available here.

Tree Trimming in October

OK, I'll admit I get just as annoyed as the next person when I see holiday displays before it's even officially fall. This is especially true in the desert where the thermometer is still registering triple digits and the rest of the country is already enjoying the comforting embrace of their Snuggie.

But when my new Ballard Designs catalog arrived and it contained these beauties, it was hard to contain my joy. I'm already having visions of a Black & White Christmas. Take a look:

Alphabet Ornaments - Set of 26, $69 right here.

Oh, and did you know that you can trim your tree with capiz button garland? No? Neither did I. But now that you know, don't you kind of want to? Like a lot?

Capiz Button Garland - Set of 3, $29 right here.

What fun ideas are you hoping to incorporate into your holiday decor?

Your Favorite Chair in Lucite

I found this in the new issue of House Beautiful and had to share. (Are you reading HB? It's divine.)

Take a look at this fresh new version of the classic chivari chair:

It's Lucite, people. I love the idea of incorporating this into a traditional wedding with modern elements. So often I run into couples with varying styles. The Bride will pick feminine floral prints and the Groom will love modern, geometric patterns. What a great way to marry (literally and figuratively) these two styles!

These chairs can be found at Ruby Beets, 2 for $450.

While I was checking out their site, I happened upon this little cutie (also made of Lucite). I will need this for my office immediately:

What fun ways will you incorporate varying styles into your wedding or event? Please share, inquiring minds want to know!

My Sweden Adventure: Part 2 - Svensk Tenn

My apologies for the so-so photos taken with my phone, but check out these marvelous vignettes. I shot these at Svensk Tenn, the coolest, most difficult to pronounce design shop in Stockholm.

If you're a fan of Josef Frank, this is a must see. You'll find his designs on fabrics, lampshades, dinnerware and wallpaper. All equally fantastic. But a fair warning: bring your kroners. All of them. Nothing in Stockholm is cheap and this place was certainly no exception.

Because I hadn't checked any luggage, I was only able to bring a few small pieces home with me, and they will serve as gifts. Which is all the better, because holy cow is that exchange rate brutal!

Check out the website for all of the loveliness. And enjoy my attempt at pretending I wasn't actually an obnoxious tourist taking photos of everything in sight below:

Love this pillow arrangement!

My favorite. Love the sofa. Love the chandelier. And those green drapes? Yum.

Thank you, Svensk Tenn for convincing my husband that wallpaper might actually be awesome in our bedroom. But just on one wall. That's the deal.

My Sweden Adventure: Part 1 - H&M Paradise Discovered

This year for my birthday, my husband surprised me with a trip to Sweden. This trip was a trifecta of aweseomeness: The Detroit Red Wings were playing their season opener in Stockholm, which was the main reason for the trip. But I have always ALWAYS wanted to travel to Sweden because it's the land of my great-grandparents AND amazing design. So amazing surprise indeed, no?

We arrived in Stockholm at around 7:30am, jet lagged and delirious. The receptionist at the hotel was kind enough to let us check in early, so we took a delicious 4-hour nap, showered, dressed and hit the town for a little exploration.

In addition to checking out the beautiful architecture in the Old Town, my husband was also kind enough to indulge me in a little retail therapy. I knew we'd find some amazing shops in Stockholm, but I had no idea just how many there would be. The Swedes love to shop. (What can I say? It's in my genes. Now I have a perfectly valid excuse.) I was particularly excited to see an H&M on just about every corner. Which makes sense, because H&M was born in Sweden over 60 years ago. Most of the shops had multiple levels, and at one store in particular, I noticed a level devoted to home accessories. And that's when I knew I was in trouble.

Fun display with clock pillows.

Pillows and blankets and linens and textiles galore. At H&M prices. Here are a few of my faves:

Of course, none of this loveliness is available stateside. But you can join my drool fest right here. Perhaps if we ask nicely, we can convince them that we need these goodies, too? Anyone on board to sign my petition?

Logo Design for Green Orchid Events

Another logo project to share!

Juliet Douglas, owner and lead planner of Green Orchid Events, contacted me recently to create a new logo to go along with her new website and other rebranding efforts.

In addition to having Juliet fill out a lengthy questionnaire, we also had a great chat about what she envisioned for her new look. She previously made use of a cartoon figure throughout her website, and wasn't sure if she wanted to retire it entirely. In the course of the design process, we tinkered with color, typography and various design elements. Here are a few designs that I presented:

And here is the winning design!

After a few tries, it became apparent that we needed to in some way incorporate Juliet herself into the design, thus replacing the cartoon figure of yore. So I had Juliet send some photos of herself, traced her silhouette, and voila! She now has a fresh, modern look that still incorporates her fun and sassy personality. What's great about this logo is that she can use it interchangeably. If she just wants to use the silhouette (perhaps as an avatar for social networking sites) or just the typography -- she can.

Thank you, Juliet, for such a fun project! If you're looking for a fabulous event planner in Las Vegas, be sure to give this lady a call.

And obviously, if you're looking for logo help -- info@kellyashworthdesign.com.

Fall Linens

Fall is in the air! At last!

In Arizona, this means open windows, eating outdoors and the end of living in a giant hair dryer. It's my favorite time of year.

But then again, it always has been my favorite time of year. As a kid, fall was ironing colorful leaves between sheets of wax paper, field trips to the cider mill, picking out pumpkins at the corner market. Fall is my wedding day.

My mailbox has been full of fun catalogs lately, many featuring some fabulous fall items that tempt me to empty my wallet. But do I really need a giant soup tureen in the shape of a pumpkin? Probably not. These cuties sure caught my eye, though. Take a look:

Pretty, modern and supremely autumnal. And much more affordable than the pumpkin tureen.

Foglia Print Dishtowel, $3.95 each right here.

What are some of your favorite fall finds? And does anyone know where I can find a cider mill in Arizona?

Should I Plaster My Walls With Birch Trees?

I happened upon this on the Urban Outfitters site the other day. At first I had a somewhat visceral reaction -- to be specific, "ick". It reminded me of a 70's era motel I stayed at in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Wood paneling, dark, smelled of stale ashtrays and Glade Plug-in's. An entire wall had been covered in a photo realist "Michigan Woods" motif that included a large buck with enormous antlers glaring at me. It was a great trip, though. I swear.

But the more I looked at this, I decided in the right setting it could be pretty cool. Perhaps in a library or study. Or maybe if you're having a kitschy event, you make this a portrait backdrop for your guests.

Then I remembered how much I loved shooting birch trees in my high school photography class. They were such an easy subject -- they stood still, provided an amazing amount of contrast and made for some easy abstract art.

After about five minutes of this, I had gone from "ick" to "yes, I think I need this immediately." Which I realize may expose my own neuroses, but the point of all this is to really consider the things you surround yourself with. Whether you're decorating your home or styling an event, it's important to pay attention to things that you have a reaction to - whether good or bad. You may find that what first seems "icky" will transform your space into something more fabulous than you ever imagined!

Do you have similar "ick" stories? Have you ever plastered your walls with arboreal splendor? Am I crazy?

Birch Tree Wall Mural, $140 right here.