Wednesday, November 28, 2012

20 Best 20






From now till the end of December I have the privilege of being one of the twenty companies featured on this incredible site: www.20best20.com
Be sure to visit their site and blog so you can take advantage of their great gift picks as well as have a chance to win stuff from my company! To go directly to our company's feature, visit: http://www.20best20.com/designer/nest-designs/

Go now!
Don't wait!
Many ways to win!


Saturday, November 24, 2012

The Well-Traveled Pie

With us being out of town for this Thanksgiving, my husband and I were trying to figure out how we could contribute to the meal since we wouldn't be able to make anything. I usually make a salad or a few things; one of which is always a dessert. So this year couldn't be any different.
That question was answered while we were on a mini date in the Bishop Arts District. This great little pie shop, Emporium Pies, had just opened a couple months ago. Obviously it was amazing, because that was already our third time to stuff our faces with the unknown amount of calories you find there. Believe me, these are darn good pies! But much to our delight, they had just announced that they were accepting pre-orders on while pies for the holidays. Ding ding! We have a winner! The perfect solution.
So we ordered the "drunken pecan" since the pumpkin gingerbread aka "drop dead gourdgeous" doesn't travel well. Ordering online and pick-up wasn't only a breeze but a breathe of sweet, sugary air!
The drunken pecan traveled easily in the normal sense: it fit perfectly under the seat in front of me and even though we had to pick it up three days before Thanksgiving, it was delicious!
However, in a more comedic way, it was a somewhat challenging trip. Literally every TSA agent, flight attendant and pilot on every leg of our trip tried to confiscate our pie! It was a running joke but kept everyone in the holiday spirit with a smile and great attitude. (In fact because we had such a great time joking with all of them we may start traveling with pies wherever we go!)
Although, we did have to pretend that it was the first time we heard the joke rather than the 15th!
Dispite having to bob and weave through the airport to keep it intact, not to mention keeping the hubs at bay so he wouldn't sneak a slice mid flight, our pie made it intact.
And it was as delicious and decadent as if we were sitting in the cute lil' shop in Dallas.
Needless to say, it was a success and our pie saw some great views of Salt Lake and Idaho. I'm sure wherever we go in the future, an Emporium Pie will come will us.
Being a small business owner myself, I love to shop small business and help them to be known-especially when they're this good! Most of the time, we all learn about really good stuff through word-of-mouth and this is by far the tastiest word-of-mouth marketing I've ever done!
So, swing on by Emporium Pies for a tasty treat or just invite me over for Christmas and I'll bring some with me!

Now that we're back in Dallas, the drop dead gourdgeous is gonna be mine!


Saturday, November 17, 2012

leather neck

Since I don't have enough to do the weekend before Thanksgiving, besides: laundry, packing, finding a Birthday present for my newest nephew, picking up a delicious pie to travel with us (see next post), finally booking our hotels, church, fitting in several friend, husband and double dates, not to mention working until midnight the night before we leave...I have decided to start on some new necklaces for my leather-based jewelry line, the leather nest. 

You may think it's crazy to try to squeeze in yet another thing into the next two days, but when the creative bug bites, you just have to go with it.  So , I have.  But for me, it's not work- it's actually pretty fun because I design for myself first meaning I don't make anything I wouldn't wear or buy as a present for someone else. 

That's why the jewelry is my favorite! I have been obsessed with chevrons lately (like many others obviously) so I have been having a lot of fun creating new chevron-based designs out of leather.  To give you a hint at what's new to come, be prepared to see some neon paired with leather and some dramatic statement piece necklaces and bracelets.  Here are two of my current necklaces to give you a feel for my aesthetic. 


 This is my leather stacked necklace and my free falling chevron necklace

Friday, November 16, 2012

Welcome

So glad you came to visit my blog! This is the girl nest door where you will find an array of topics and fun finds! First a little about me.  I'm a northern girl married to a southern boy currently residing in Texas but dreaming of the mountains and snow.  So, hopefully, one day soon I will be writing this blog from a place with great trees and snow-capped mountains.  I am a designer, lover of sports, nature, fashion, food and travel.  So many of my posts will reflect those things.  I own a company called Nest Designs (thus the play on the words in the blog title) so check us out if you have the time at www.nest-designs.com. I hope you'll come visit my blog often- there are great things to come!

Well, until nest, I mean next time!
Ashley