"The falling leaves drift by my window, the Autumn leaves of red and gold. I see your face, the summer kisses, the sun-burned hands I used to hold. But I miss you most of all my darling, when Autumn leaves start to fall." -Nat King Cole

Outfit of the day, inspiration of the week.

 well it's that time, fall, the leaves start to change, women dye their hair darker, the stores finally carry pumpkin and apple cinnamon scented candles again. But what I love most, is the earthy tones we get to wear. When I was brunette I would wear a lot of brown, but now that I'm blond I like experimenting with lighter colors. I bought this ruffled half sleeve top at Forever 21 a few weeks ago and I am in love with it! It's simple but it can also be dressed up! Then this navy blue polka-dot knee length skirt (also from forever). Too many skirts and dresser are too short these days so when I find one I find appropriate I have to buy it right away. I paired my black ankle boots from Charlotte Russe. Some people think navy blue and black don't go together, but in this case I disagree, just because you can't really tell the difference. Brown braided belt to separate the skirt and shirt. And to top it all off a big floppy hat. By far my favorite outfit of the season.

" 'Cuz I Need Freedom Now, And I Need To Know How To Live My Life As It's Meant To Be" - Mumford And Sons

Yesterday I voted for the first time, really it should have been my second time but I was a slacker in turning in my registration, all in all the experience was pretty amazing, I finally felt plugged in to the political on goings on the news. But most importantly, I finally felt like a true American. My "I voted" sticker was my favorite accessory of the day.

This is Halloween

This year I was so in the mood to dress up but there were no parties to go to, I guess what they say is true, as you get older the holidays just aren't as interesting. That really is too bad, because I do love to dress up. On the day of Halloween I decided "You know what? I'm going to dress up any way." So I decided to Disneybound as a chimney sweep from Marry Poppins. If you want to dress as a chimney sweep in the future, it is very simple and can be made using things you already have around the house. Here is what you will need:

• Jacket
• Vest
• Poor boy hat
• Jeans
• Boots
• Scarf
• A pair finger-less gloves or a pair of socks that you don't mind ruining 
• Scrap fabric
• Pvc pipe or a broomstick 
• Pipe cleaners
• Black eye shadow

I used some fabric and fashioned them in to patches, and stuck them all over my hat, jacket, vest, and pants. I didn't have any finger-less gloves so I cut up a pair of (new) socks. Then I took some pipe cleaners and wrapped them around the twist in end of a broomstick (to make the actual chimney sweep). Added some black "ash" to my face for soot to look like I've been cleaning chimneys all day. Then, to make my hair look ratty, I crimped some areas, waved other areas, (my hair was already curled that day), straightened some parts, hid a few braids in there and a few twists, and presto...

the final look.

A spontaneous idea and a patch of pumpkins

My mom and I had a mother daughter date that was sort-of spontaneous, we went to Oak Glen and ate at Apple Annie's and had a nice talk and a delicious lunch and shared a cinnamon bun for dessert that was so good it could have killed me stone dead if I ate it on my own. After coming down the hill we realized we did not take one single photo of us, so I said "Lets go to the pumpkin patch!" and my mom was down of course because she likes to follow the sun sometimes, that's just who she is.

we had a really nice time just walking around and talking about the fun times we had when I was a kid, around the holidays. But my mother has a photographers heart and we had to make up for the pictures we missed out on, an I was in a goofy mood.

I wanted to be Sasquatch in the corn, I like to call this one Ash-squatch 

(I apologise for my hair, this was a last minute outing lol)

What I Wore

Clinging on to the last bit of summer I wore my blue floral skirt and shirt from Jason wu's Target collection, people always confuse it for Lauren Conrad but it's not, I like her clothes too though. But I am excited for the earthy tones that we get to wear in this season, I saw lots of fall inspired fashion at the pumpkin patch and I was in love.

XOXO AshLEIGH

DIY Decoupage Notebook

Wow, it has been a while since I last wrote hasn't it? Well to make up for it, I come bearing gifts... that you can make for yourself yay!!! I promised to put up some of my DIY projects so I'll start off with an easy one. This is a good trick for poor college students like me, in out lives we buy lots of notebooks but do any of them express who we truly are? No. That would be impossible, but we can take it upon ourselves to create a notebook that says here I am. So here we go, this is so simple I don't know why I  didn't think of this years ago.

Alright, three simple steps and a few simple supplies:

Here is what you will need:

• Magazines {or what ever you want your notebook to feature, I had some old Life magazines from the 60's that I've been wanting to use for some time (because I am a huge nerd for old ads)}
• Notebook
• Scissors 
• Mod Podge
• Paint brush

How to:

• First gather your supplies
• Cut out what you wish your notebook to feature
• (Tip: I like to lay out my cut outs on the notebook arrange and rearrange until I'm sure that is the pattern I want before I do the next step)
• Spread mod podge evenly on surface of notebook (avoid getting mod podge in three hole punch your pages will stick together)
• Take your cut out and spread flatly over wet mod podge (gently smooth over air bubbles with your finger)
• Let sit until first layer of mod podge is dry
• Gently spread mod podge over the surface of your cut outs make sure all of the cut outs that over lap are glued down, you wouldn't want to accidentally rip all the hard work you just did while you're using it at school  (mod podge may smear ink)
• Let dry 
• Show it off

I use mine at school and I get compliments on it all the time, they wont believe you made it yourself!

Enjoy your notebooks everyone keep checking in every so often for more DIY projects!

XOXO AshLEIGH

Gidget is the one for me

I was thinking about things that make me happy, and you know what came to my mind? My Gramma, so I thought, "hey, my Gramma lives just a little ways away from my school, and she rarely sleeps so why don't I just pop in after my Tuesday night class?" so I popped in. And I nearly scared her half to death. Once she caught her breath I came inside and I asked, "Gramma? do you know what I love?"

 "What?" she asked. "Musicals. but you know what's funny? My Mom does not like them. But you and your  sister love them, and my sister and I love them." Then Gramma said, "I guess it skips a generation..." So I told my Gramma how I loved spending time at her house as a child because we would always watch old movies, which at the time I don't think I appreciated, but looking back those really were great movies, that I still remember. My Gramma would have my sister and I watch old movies, My Great Aunt would have us watch musicals. And I just love them. So, my Gramma lent me some old movies, and I've been watching some of my own on Netflix, trying to see which Merlin Monroe, and Audrey Hepburn movies I like the best. And taking in the speech and the clothing and the mannerisms, and realizing just how different "my generation" is makes me so heartbroken, I wish the girls of today still behaved as they did back then. After watching a lot of these films I decided to review them. I'm going to start with the one I watched most recently, because it's fresh in my mind. 

Gidget (1959)

Gidget is one of my all time favorite movies, I used to watch it at my Aunt Gidget's house when I was younger, and I remember watching it on a loop when I got my tonsils removed when I was twelve.

 Encase you have never seen this movie here is the plot: Sandra Dee plays a young 16 year old girl named Francie who docent quite fit in anywhere, until she stumbles upon a group of boys who love nothing more than to "surf the curl", so she too takes up the sport, and although the boys giver a heard time she continues to prove to them she's more than "just a little girl", she can do what ever the boys can do better. She grows concerned that she is different because she docent like dates the way her friends do, will she ever feel that knock in the head with a sledge hammer love feeling her mom makes sound so attractive? well that's just how she feels when ever Moondoggie is around her, but she runs in to trouble when she sets up a fake date to make him jealous, and ends up on the date with Moondoggie himself! what will become of her ruse? 

There could have been more chemistry between the two main characters, you still root for the two to get together, still, the audience never fully realized how Moondoggie feels in return until the last few scenes of the film. Sandra Dee is marvelous in this, she comes off as so young, and so awkward, just like a young 16 year old girl would have if she were trying to impress a large group of men. Regardless of how I feel about the connection between Gidget and Moondoggie, if you have not seen this movie you really should, it is and always will be one of my favorites. 

I give it ******* out of ten. 

until next time when i will be reviewing another of my favorites Tammy And The Bachelor (1957) staring Debbie Reynolds and Leslie Neilson

XOXO, ashLEIGH

Millions of girls float on their one quote, living on their last hope,on their last hope.

I just have the most fun time when I'm with my sister, this is us at a wedding. Savannah hates weddings, she says they have become too commercial; I on the other hand LOVE weddings they are a way to not only watch two people become one but also a way to dance and not get groped by random sleez-balls. Man oh man we danced at that wedding... You see, Savannah and I are not only white girls, we also don't know how to dance, not only that, but when we get together and we start dancing we tend to steal the show because of it's intense look-at-me-look-at-me hilarity. I have so much fun with this girl, I hardly even noticed the guests video taping us. Just kidding, I was painfully aware of those cameras fixed on us. But I don't regret busting those sweet moves on the dance floor because I felt happy while I was doing them. And you know what? If those old men ever figure out how to upload those videos on YouTube, I will watch them and laugh along with America remembering that the smile on my face was out of pure joy. XOXO ashLEIGH

Red, white, blue's in the skies, Summer's in the air and baby, Heaven's in your eyes.

Last night Davis bleached my hair, now I am blond, it's so weird. I dye my hair all the time but I still looked like me, don't get me wrong I like it, it's still in transition of becoming what I want, I knew it would be a process. I'm getting a lot of positive comments about it which is nice, I don't have a lot of people in my life that I have known for less than thirteen years so my new color comes as a shock to most every one, when i picked up my "little girl" from school today she said "you're so cute!" I love my job :)
I'm looking forward to what it will look like in the end, and I'm lucky Davis was willing to do this for me, I love him; probably because he's one of the people I've known for over fourteen years...
xoxo ashLEIGH

The State Of Dreaming

well it's that time of year again, school has started. And after a summer of looking through classes and pre-selecting them community college once again proves how unbelievably stupid it is. If I could go back in time and talk to my High School self I would have said "forget about community college, believe in yourself get scholarships and go to real college. It will be worth it."
I promised myself that this year I would turn it around, but after being skewed over by the secret rules of my school AGAIN I have decided this will be my last semester at SBVC I'm done with that place, yes I met many nice people, with whom I still keep in touch but if I ever want to get in to cosmetology school I need to get in gear.
I love my job, the little girl I watch over has stolen my heart and I miss her so much after not seeing her for more than a few days. I'll still have a lot of free time on my hands which worries me, but I am making a commitment to myself, (and maybe the fact that I'm putting this on the internet too will help me keep it) but I'm committing to myself and the person I want to become, I want to start working out more, I'm starting out small, just walks around the neighborhood  and not very long ones because sometimes I see shady people about. So I'm working on the new me, part of that is a new look, pretty soon I'll be blond, I can't wait!! And I'll get my tattoo I've been wanting! (key hole on the back of my neck, I'll explain the significance later). Despite the fact that all of my friends are away at school I'm really happy right now, in fact I haven't been this happy in a really long time, I think it has to do with my summer, It was amazing. So, because of my friend absence I need to step in to more social situations; I have always been pretty out going but this year I am forcing myself to make friends."Do something that scares you, often." so I will.

xoxo ashLEIGH

a trip through time and space to a galaxy far far away, Allons-y!

Anyone who knows me well, knows that I am a total sucker for anything "Syfy". It started when I was a child, I was raised on Star Wars, A New Hope, Empire Strikes Back, Return Of The Jedi. So of course I celebrate May the Fourth as best as I can... 

I wear my Awesome Japanese Star Wars shirt from the happiest place on earth, Disneyland, AND i do my nails...

So we have Vader of course, Boba Fett, some light sabers, a storm trooper, the rebel insignia, and my favorite character, R2 D2.

 Because of my love for SW is it any wonder why I fell in love with the Doctor?

This is my first post ever featuring my obsession with Doctor Who and I am super excited because it really is my favorite show, in the theme of syfy nails right now I did some in honor of my favorite time lord!

here's a close up...

Dalek's are my all time favorite villains of DW so of course I had to use them, a TARDIS in the middle, a bow tie in honor of 11, and, the word Allons-y in honor of 10, and last, a Cyber man because they are my second favorite villains.

Any way.... this post was sort of thrown together, because, I feel bad when I don't post when I have free time. And I've been wanting to share these for a while. 

If you have any ideas for nail designs I'd love to hear them! My comment boxes are always open...

xoxo, ashLEIGH

Feel it all around

Today was the last day of school for me and I am going to miss it so much, I took a  theater arts class because I knew the nicest people I would ever meet at my new school would be in that class, and you know what? I was right. Like most people, I am afraid of change. After going to such a small school for so many years with the same people, I grew comfortable wrapped in the arms of its ever-present constant. Now I have fled the cocoon of safety and I felt utterly alone, it is a true shock to be separated from friends you love not only by a few towns like before, but by hundreds of miles. After being so myself with the same people, how would I make new friends in a new school? Will I be liked? Will I be judged? Will I need to buy new clothes to impress my fellow students? I had made up my mind, "I'm not here to make friends," I told myself, "I'm here to learn."  the first day of school I got to the door of my class and waited with a large group of people. I could tell right away the people who knew each other and who were new. I asked a girl if she knew what the teacher looked like and how I couldn't tell students and teachers apart at community colleges. We laughed and waited together for the teacher. That was the first person I talked to at school her name is Paola and we are now close friends. over the next few weeks I got quite comfortable with Paola and just acted like myself, people began to approach me and tell me that they thought I dressed nice and I had a cute personality, I finally felt that I belonged. Sure it wasn't all easy, it was after all a drama class so there was a bit off stage too. I was having a bit of boy trouble, but Cindy, Paola, Heather, and Cinda helped me out a lot.

We worked very hard together and put on a play called Medea,

it's a Greek play about betrayal, revenge, and murder. I played a chorus leader, I'm the only non-returning student to get a part with that many lines. The chorus are basically the town's people, we didn't stand on stage we stood surrounding the audience to have the sound of our united voices bounce around the room. Because I wasn't on stage I didn't invite anyone besides my immediate family to come see it, they were so sweet and they got to meet my friends which I was happy about. They gave me flowers after the performance, isn't that the cutest?

here is what I'll miss most, the people I have met, obviously, but what I'll miss most is what we did back stage together...

(Paola)

playing with the plastic forks that were always there but had no reason to be...

creeping each other out with our weird masks...

(Paola and Cindy)

hanging out with my girls...

our little photo shoots...

(Cindy, Cinda, Heather)

Johnny's dance lessons before the show.

It's really flabbergasting to me to realize that I have only known there people for five months and yet I feel as if they too went to High School with me; to know what they would so for me, to protect me from harm, and what I in turn would do for them. "I give you my heart (for love is not blind) as you are forced to part from friends who love you, and will love you forever, alone."

XOXO, ashLEIGH.

"My world would be a wonderland" - Alice

I suppose it is not until you are much older when you see what little things played such a big role in your life, for me it was classic Walt Disney movies.

 This weekend I went to Disneyland for the seventh time in my life and while my friend Jessica and I were finding things to do that I had never done I realized there were a lot of things I had never seen or done there this is me with Excalibur, I had never seen tried to pull it out before because I had never seen it. I was really excited to try, I know that it only releases once a day... it did not release for me :( but that is okay.

 That day I realized just how much i learned from those movies and stories.

I realized that when i was a kid I hated sitting through the opening credits when it was just a chorus singing, paintings of main characters and names of people I didn't know... And now I love it! I get so excited when i see that castle and tinker bell, and the Walt Disney Pictures title.

Steam Boat Willy is my favorite! I really loved all of the black and white cartoons. I loved waking up on Saturday mornings and singing "M-I-C*K-E-Y*M-O-U-S-E"

Disney taught me that family is where you feel safest,

 where your heart is where your home is, family is a sanctuary

Disney taught me that family, is the most important thing of all.

Disney taught me to never give up. Especially on myself.

Disney taught me to be who I want to be, and to always dream, because nothing is impossible.

Now I'm learning that even though I'm grown, I can still keep some of my child hood, and that is what I intend to do by disneybounding every outfit! (Family, this is Disneybound click here but be where its addicting... )

Most importantly Disney taught me to believe in happy endings because life would be awfully sad without them.

so I will continue to wait for my prince charming...

I'll keep having fun and sometimes act childish...

And I'll live happily ever after.

Now I have to go, because lord knows...

XOXO, ashLEIGH

The things that are started out of boredom

 One day I decide to paint my nails but I didn't want just one color, I wanted something special! So I bagan to look up nail tutorials on you tube, I found some really fun ones ant it just took off from there...
Now I'm addicted! I'm like a pro at painting left handed now :) which helps me with one of my life goals, becoming ambidextrous. (score!)
Sometimes I'll get an idea from Pintrest, or my friends will challenge me :) at school I get a lot of compliments on them so I decided to post some of my latest ones...






Valentines day.

 

 Cupcakes! (I was missing my Jamie, she calls me cupcake so I did these for her.)

 Strawberries, good enough to eat.

 Owls, in honor of Harry potter on blue ray.

Tuxedos, because i was feelin' fancy ;)

these are inspired by the stain glass windows of castio's in Italy (I was missing it a lot)






XOXO, ashLEIGH