DIY Pom Pom Keychain

Surely, you have seen the brightly colored pom pom trend floating around on social media, not to mention in real life. If not, I am thoroughly surprised and wonder if you live under a metaphoric rock. It seems to be everywhere; on shoes, clothing, key chains, purses, etc. Cute, brightly colored balls of fluff, sign me up! So, I decided to make my own key chains to give as gifts to my friends, and lets be honest- to myself. These will also make great stocking stuffers in different "winter" colors. You can find all of the supplies needed at Michaels or your local craft store. I linked everything I used at the bottom of this post, including the video tutorial I learned from on youtube :)

Knitting Loom Pom Pom Maker / Yarn / Clasps / Tutorial Video

Gotta Blast, God Bless!
-ash 

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The Perfect Summer Dress

Today, I'm sharing the perfect summer dress in bright yellow to replace the sun that seems to have gone missing here in South Florida. Not only has it been m.i.a for a few days now, but will continue to elude us for approximately 4 more days this week. Don't worry, I've just started the book "Me Before You" (who's seen the movie!?) Hopefully that, among other things, can keep me occupied inside on these dreary days. 

Now, about this dress...I wore it twice over the weekend, which should tell you something! The material is cotton, so of course it's super comfortable and lightweight. I will warn you to size up, because it is a bit short; I'm 5'3 and wearing a size 6 for reference. Asos has this dress in multiple colors, which I will be ordering at least one more (especially at $25). I can't tell you how much I adore when a piece makes me feel this feminine and chic. Off-the-shoulder is nothing new, but it is a classic style that looks great. It has made a huge appearance this season, and I for one am glad.

White / Black / Green / Orange 

Gotta Blast, God Bless!

-ash

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Vibrant Summer Maxi Dress

Happy Ash Wednesday, and hope you're having a great week so far. I utterly adore this maxi, especially for in the heat of the summer. Today, I styled this vibrant maxi-dress with some darling accessories. Normally, I wouldn't go for something with such a busy pattern or so many shades. After trying it on, I found it to be perfect for so many occasions and you're sure to stand out. You could wear something like this for a day in the city, date night, church, or a summer picnic.

Similar Maxi Dresses that I like: Pink / Tropical / Blush / Tie-Dye / Favorite!

God Bless, Gotta Blast!

-ash

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5 Tips to throw a Beautiful Bash!

Happy hump day, Blog Family! You've made it halfway through another week and can you believe it, May is almost over. This month there were so many celebrations and parties, some of which were for my college graduation, and some of which I hosted for birthdays. One of my favorite things to do is to give gifts to those I love and to have people over our home. I put together a cozy birthday party for my friend Shannon (all pink, everything!), and it got me thinking about what makes a celebration special. I'm sharing my top 5 tips on how to throw a memorable bash for those you cherish!

1.  Guest List- Decide how many people you can comfortably accommodate. You want to invite people that will enjoy this special time with the celebrated person or event. Also keep in mind what said person would appreciate. For myself, the more the merrier! But for someone like my husband, less is more ;)

2. Decor- Pick a color scheme of approximately 3 colors, and stick to it.  For this party I chose Pink, White, and Gold. Shannon absolutely loved it and appreciated all of the small and big details. Decorations don't have to break your bank, try to use items you already have and maybe purchase one centerpiece item that the person will love. In this case, it was the numbered balloons and they were such a fun touch! For the cake decor I used sprinkles and a heart shaped cookie cutter that I already had. Get creative!

3. Edibles- In my opinion, homemade is always the better choice if you have the energy and skill. If not, don't worry, surely they will appreciate any goodies you provide. For this party I made a white box cake with homemade raspberry buttercream frosting. The frosting is really the party maker, which is why I spent more time on it (Thank God for the Kitchen Aide). I also had ice cream in her two favorite flavors available.  

4. Planning & Preparation- Prepare as much as possible in the weeks or months leading up to the party, depending on size and what needs to be done. I baked the cake Thursday, decorated on Friday and put the finishing touches out right before the party on Saturday. This way you aren't feeling stressed during the event and can really enjoy it. I plan to do this same type of prep for my husband's birthday next month because it's only two days after my wisdom teeth removal surgery (wahhh :( ) so I want to have everything ready in case I'm not feeling up to par yet. 

5. Gifts- Thoughtful gifts encompassing who that person is. I remember last year for my birthday, my sister and Shannon got me a cart full of baking supplies. It's a dear hobby of mine and I truly loved that they spent such time and care picking out those gifts. A lovely gift idea is to give a meaningful card or something you have crafted just for them.

I hope that this post is helpful for you 
& thanks so much for dropping in!
-ash

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