Wrap Up

How is this the last week of December?

Where did the time go? Christmas is officially over 

{ insert crying emoji } and 2016 is coming to an end. 

Since I didn't post any Christmas Eve outfits, I thought

I would share my latest Instagram posts. Enjoy! 

P.S. 2016 was SO incredible and 2017 will be even better

{ mainly because I'm getting MARRIED! }

Sincerely,

Ashley Nicole, xo

Festive Sweater

Hi friends! 

Today I want to share with you this adorable

festive Christmas sweater. Old Navy had some pretty 

cute sweaters for less than $20. I think what drew me to

this sweater was the sequins :-) I love the pops of color making

it different than most traditional Christmas sweaters. I paired

it with dark skinny jeans, riding boots and gold accessories. 

Sincerely,

Ashley Nicole, xo

A new furry friend...

Stephen & I rescued a darling little kitty this

past weekend. Meet Ginger :-) she's very cuddly and 

has moments of being rambunctious throughout the day. 

We both wanted a pet for awhile and decided a cat was

the best option for now. We're excited to have a furry friend

to come home to and spend time with in the evenings + weekends.

She hasn't been alone yet so I'm curious when we do leave if my

Christmas trees will still be up....we shall see! 

Sincerely,

Ashley Nicole, xo

Tis the Season!

December is one of my favorite months with Christmas shopping, 

eating delicious foods, hanging ornaments on the tree, looking at lights,

 and enjoying all the fun festivities. With that being said, today I put together
my Christmas Bucket List. What's your Christmas Bucket List? Enjoy!  

Sincerely,

Ashley Nichole, xo 

The color of November

Hi friends.

I decided to title this post "The color of November" 

because this dark maroon shade is exactly what I think

of for the month of November + Thanksgiving gatherings. 

The color is perfect for transitioning into the holiday 

season. What's also great about this color is it pairs

nicely with beige, dark brown or black. For this outfit

I decided to pair my top with this gorgeous plaid 

scarf. When I saw this scarf in Quebec City I instantly 

thought "This would look great with my maroon 

shirt!" Ha. Anyone else plan outfits in their head

before purchasing? 

Sincerely,

Ashley Nicole, xo 

Black Bean Burger!

Hello friends.

Today I want to share you with this amazing black bean burger

recipe. When I first saw this reciepe on Pinterest I was a little 

skeptical. "Who would want to eat black bean burgers?"
But after hearing several people tell me they were impressed,

 I decided to give it a chance. I love a good ole juicy burger but I

have to admit that these taste just as good! Even my fiance loves them,
which is saying a lot since he loves his meat! The burgers pair 

well with sweet potatoe fries or chips + salsa :-) 

Enjoy!

Items you will need:

1-15 oz of black beans, rinsed & drained

1/2 cup corn kernels (I use frozen)

3/4 cup of cooked brown rice

1/4 cup of died red pepper

1/4 cup of chopped cilantro

1 small yellow onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 tsp of cumin

1 tsp of chili powder

salt + pepper 

olive oil

Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large soup pan.
Add onion, garlic, cumin, chili powder and 
salt + pepper to taste. Add rice and beans
to the pot and cook for 5 minutes.

Transfer the rice and beans to a bowl,
add the corn and let the mixture cool.
You can place mixture in fridge to
speed up process. 

 

Add cilantro and get ready to mash!
Using a fork, press mixture until it reaches
a paste-like consistency, or until it has 
potential to be shaped like a patty. Add mixture
into equal patty parts. P.S. This part is tricky for me
because the patty tends to crumble. If mixture wont
hold the reciepe says to add one egg white.

 

Bring a large pan to medium heat and coat 
with thin layer of olive oil. Cook patty 
for 5 minutes on each side or until browned.

Reciepe off Pinterest

http://www.thefitcook.net/home/black-bean-burgers

Sincerely,

Ashley Nicole, xo

Instagram Recap

Today I thought I would share a few of my Insta outfits 

I've posted over the last two months. 

The wrap necklaces I'm wearing towards the end are made by 

my talented best friend, Jacky. Each necklace is unique and is

a hand-crafted accessory that is inspired by hemp, natural remedies & 

metallic elements with a twist of new age design.

Zaklin Instagram: @zaklinchicago

Zaklin Facebook: @zaklinchicago

Zaklin Website

Enjoy!

Sincerely,

Ashley Nicole, xo

Fallin' for Fall

Hello Autumn! 

Today I thought I would share a few of my

favorite Fall pins on Pinterest. Enjoy! 

Sincerely,

Ashley Nicole, xo 

Maroon + Lace

Hi lovelies.

Today I want to share with you this gorgeous maroon lace

top from Marshall's. I absolutely love the details on this, 

especially the neckline. I don't think I've owned this 

shade of maroon before and now I want to buy more

items in this color! I decided to pair the top with booties,

brown purse and gold jewelry. Oh, and my lipstick may or

may not match....;-)

Sincerely, 

Ashley Nicole, xo

Transitioning Into Fall

Hello!

Today I want to share with you how to transition any dress from

Summer to Fall. If you're like me, I practically live in dresses 

therefore my collection is huge. Instead of shoving my dresses

in the back of my closet, I like to incorporate them into my

Fall wardrobe. With a few style tricks, you can easily

transition any Summer dress into a Fall look.

This dress is perfect for Summer, right? 

It's short sleeved, knee length, and looks great 

with cute wedges. What's also great about this dress is

adding in a few accessories for an instant new look.

A jean jacket or cardigan, floppy hat and 

booties can completely change the outfit. Any form

of jacket automatically creates a sense of 

coziness, which is great for chilly weather. Adding in

neutral tones: floppy hat, booties, etc. gives

 a warmth vibe and tones down the overall look.

Fall is my ABSOLUTE favorite season and I can't wait 

to transform more dresses into my wardrobe.

Sincerely,

Ashley Nicole, xo 

New York Minute

Hi world!

Today's post will be showing off what I wore in NYC.

NYC is one of my favorite places to travel. It's busy streets,

mixed cultural and endless amount of scenery makes for

one whirlwind of a trip. Even though I've crossed off all the

major tourist spots { including Christmas time in NYC } there

always seems to be SOMETHING to see or do, which is what I love
about the city.

Once again, I snagged up another maxi { surprise } and

absolutely adore it. I don't own a maxi that has short/flowy 

sleeves, which is one of the reasons I purchased it.

 I also love all the colors in it, it's more a of warm-toned

maxi, making it perfect to transition for Fall. I must say, 

this may be my new favorite dress right now :) 

Sincerely,

Ashley Nicole

Desk Organization Tips

Hello, Hello!

Today I want to share with you my cubical at work.

I absolutely love decorating and being organized.

If I'm already spending 8 hours at a desk, I want to enjoy

my space and for it look cute, right? I'm all about keeping things

clean and tidy. Everyone is different however I work much better in a 

non-clutter environment.  Below are a few photos of my desk, enjoy!

First off, I love having a cute background on my 

computer. It makes me happy to see bright and cheery flowers 

every time I pull up the screen. I also stray away from multiple icons 

on my desktop, as they can become cluttery and can take away 

from the background picture. 

As for drawers, I like to keep desk items { tape, scissors, paper clips } in these black organization containers. It helps keep everything in one place and clears off space on your desk.  Call me crazy but I like to keep a survival drawer. It's where I keep my own stach of paper plates, silverware, snacks, wipes, etc. You wouldn't believe what a life savor it is to keep these items at your desk. 

Now on to decor, my favorite part! A few staple pieces for me would be a

flower+ plant, photos, pen holder, inspiration quote and
themed decor. Yes, I said themed because I may or may not switch
 out my decor pieces based off the season { insert hands covering face here } 
Oh, and you can't forget a cute planner and notes, a must-have!

I hope you enjoyed a few organization tips! 

What do you do to stay organized?

Sincerely,

Ashley Nicole, xo