Ashley Hackshaw | Lil Blue Boo

Pretty Party Table Decor

May 18, 2013 By Ashley Hackshaw 3 Comments

Today I went to a surprise luncheon/party for my mother-in-law’s 60th birthday. My sister-in-law Jen (“TT”) planned the entire event so I showed up early to take some photos because I knew the table would be amazing. Her tables are always amazing!

I loved the coral, gold and chevron accents. The party favors were little inspiration rocks and the card read: Thanks for being my mother’s rock.

My sister-in-law Carolyn, me, mother-in-law Gale and sister-in-law “TT”:

I love that TT’s dress even matched the party decor….adorable as always:

Here’s another beautiful table she did:

Filed Under: Party, Photography, Uncategorized

40 Frappucinos

May 15, 2013 By Ashley Hackshaw 3 Comments

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Disney Story. To find out more about this brand-new story-creation app – and how it puts the power of storytelling in your hands – click here.

Boo: I don’t understand, why would someone BUILD a Tower of Terror?

Good question. The things we do for entertainment, right?! We spent the last 2 days at Disneyland and California Adventure. Twenty-two of us in total for my mother-in-law Gale’s (Mimi) 60th birthday:

All twenty-two of us the day before we left for Disney….Lisa took a family photo for us….with all the grandchildren in their “Mimi’s grand___” shirts:

We spent the first day at California Adventure….where we went on some pretty tame rides. (Favorite: Soarin’ over California) Boo doesn’t really like rollercoasters or anything scary. She was so brave and tried out the rapids….and cried every time she got soaked (don’t tell her I told you that!). It was so dramatic I couldn’t stop laughing……

The second day was spent at Disney and due to a little cousin peer pressure Boo agreed to go on the Indiana Jones ride. I didn’t even see any of the ride because I was trying to hold her and keep her calm. When we stopped she was literally hyperventilating and through her tears she cried:

I just had a REAL heart attack.

A little later she wanted to try Splash Mountain….the first time was scary but then she decided she wanted to do it again so that she could get her photo taken again (the first time you couldn’t see her in the back)….somehow I was tricked into being in the front. I was so worried about her you can see I tried to hold onto her…..but then if you look closely she’s smiling and making a “hang loose” symbol with her left hand. She was determined to be caught on camera with a smile on her face:

It’s hard keeping up with her 5 boy cousins….they are all so brave and fearless. Boo is so sensitive and doesn’t trust machinery (like her mother). But she was so happy just to be with all of them…and they include her in everything. She stays close with my nephew Jackson because he has such pretty blonde hair and doesn’t mind when Boo calls him “she” lol…..

We had a blast. And you know I love statistics so….

10 cousins
4 bottles of sunblock
3 lost pairs of sunglasses
40 Frappucinos
124 Disney Meals
220 Fast Passes
200 total miles walked

….and then we headed home.

I put together a short story of our 2 days at Disney using the new Disney Story App…check it out here...it’s a fun way to share multiple photos with family and friends and add captions:

Download the Disney Story app from iTunes – for FREE – right here!
Disney Story Twitter
Disney Story Facebook

Filed Under: Friends and Family

Wow Love It

May 12, 2013 By Ashley Hackshaw 5 Comments

I woke up this morning and Boo had a little gift for me…she picked it out herself:

My sweet little girl:

Last night we went out to celebrate my mother-in-law’s 60th birthday. Early in the night, my sister-in-law Jen was using Boo’s room to get ready….she did a final spritz of perfume and walked down the hall. Boo stepped out into the hall and said in all seriousness, as if Jen had left her the most amazing gift:

Aunt TT (Jen), THANK you for the smell you just left in my room.

We laughed about it all night.

I don’t dress up a lot and when I walked out of my closet last night in my little black dress Boo lit up and said with amazing enthusiasm: Mommy….wow. LOVE it. I’d love a dress with one shoulder. She’s great at compliments.

I was reflecting on how much I love being a mother….the little things that Boo does that bring me so much joy every day. I love watching her wade through everyday life…..I love recording her sayings, her actions, and every little thing I learn from her. I love reading back on the things my mother wrote down about me at the same age….all those records are such a wonderful gift my mother gave me.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Filed Under: Friends and Family

Introducing the LBB Dress of the Month

May 12, 2013 By Ashley Hackshaw 1 Comment

I’m so excited to introduce the Lil Blue Boo Dress of the Month! I have an ongoing list of themed dresses I’ve been dreaming of….so on the 15th of every month a new dress will be released, along with the pre-order listing for the following month. We are even working towards a subscription option so that you’ll be able to pick your size and be surprised each month when your dress shows up! Each themed box will include a dress along with a hand picked special gift and two double sided trading cards (one for a friend!) to collect or frame. The Watermelon Dress is kicking things off! So, mark your calendars for May 15th when the first dress of the month will launch. The trading card this month has tips for picking the perfect watermelon along with a sweet little poem and hand illustrated pictures.

For the inaugural first dress you may purchase at any time as long as limited supplies last. However, when you pre-order the following month’s dress you will guarantee your size and receive free domestic shipping (handling charges will apply for international buyers). I’ve even given you a hint of next month’s theme!

Click here to preview!

Filed Under: LBB Clothing Tagged With: dress of the month

Someone’s In Trouble

May 10, 2013 By Ashley Hackshaw 4 Comments

The teacher found this note in Boo’s backpack today….that Boo had written to herself as a reminder:

We aren’t quite sure when she wrote it…..but apparently it was to remind herself to tell her teacher that Mr. LBB put my new Mother’s Day coffee mug (made by Boo) in the dishwasher. The crime? The mug was NOT dishwasher safe.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

The Pursuit of Happiness

May 8, 2013 By Ashley Hackshaw 9 Comments

Me: Why were you crying after your performance?
Boo: Because I was just so happy.

Oh goodness….I gave her my crying gene.

Filed Under: Friends and Family

15 Craft Supplies You Can Make at Home

May 8, 2013 By Ashley Hackshaw 3 Comments

15 Craft Supplies You Can Make at Home via lilblueboo.com

We have rounded up 15 of our favorite craft supplies you can make at home!

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Craft Supplies you Can Make at Home: Play Dough Recipe at AdelynStone via lilblueboo.com

Best play dough recipe via AdelynSTONE.

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Filed Under: Roundup, Supplies Tagged With: art supplies, craft supplies, crafting, crafts, roundup

Little Ordinary Things

May 6, 2013 By Ashley Hackshaw 6 Comments

The sky was amazing today in the desert. I took these photos in the parking lot of Boo’s school/church this afternoon. You can see the tiny cross way up on the hill in the background. I didn’t notice the green sun flare in front of the cross window until I pulled this photo from Instagram this evening:

Seconds before I took this second photo, I opened my car door, and then Boo opened hers, and a huge gust of wind flew through and took EVERY piece of paper in the car down towards the wash (canal). I’m sure none of it was too important……Boo did manage to recover a little slip of paper that my mother had written Romans 5:8 onto for her.

Filed Under: Quote

Making Mini Memory Photo Albums From My Dad’s Ties

May 6, 2013 By Ashley Hackshaw 17 Comments

It’s been almost two years since my dad passed away and I’ve been saving all of his ties to make something from. I wanted to make something for my mom, sister and brother. My dad’s ties represented so many different parts of his life….from special events to all of his favorite golf clubs and important tournaments he played in. I came up with the idea of making a photo album using bits and pieces of each tie so that everyone would have a patch:

I added a little tag into the front of each album: Made from the neckties of Norman Virgil Swenson Jr., 1947 – 2011, “Golf’s Ultimate Gentleman”:

Every tie reminds me of some part of my dad’s life….like the pretty blue tie he wore in my sister’s wedding:

To make the albums I purchased simple 4″x6″ albums from the craft store:

Other supplies you may need: sew-on snaps, fusible interfacing, etc.

Here are the ties I used:

I even took the ribbon off of this belt to work the DeBordieu design into it. We used to own a house at DeBordieu beach when we were little….it’s where most of my childhood summers were spent:

Here’s how I made the albums…..they only took me a few hours with an assembly line:

Step 1: Cut apart the ties and press them flat with an iron. Add fusible (iron-on) interfacing to the back of each tie. Begin cutting pieces of the ties into random angles and piece them together until you have a large enough piece to cut for the main piece of the album (approx. 11″ x 7.25″ for my album). Iron all your seams open and flat. Apply fusible interfacing to the back of the finished patchwork.

Step 2: Cut the front of the album (approx. 11″ x 7.25″ for my album). Cut two pieces (with fusible interfacing) for the front and back inside cover (approximately 5.5″ x 7.25″). If you would like a personalized tag in the front, create text and print onto iron-on transfer paper.

Step 3: Turn over the inside edge of each of the inside covers, iron flat and sew with a 1/4″ seam. For a tab closure, cut the end of a tie off and sew it to one side of the front to keep it in place as you assemble the rest of your album cover. Finish the top and bottom edge of the front cover with a serger or zig zag stitch.

Step 4: Lay the two inside cover pieces onto the top of the outside cover piece and sew the seams using a 1/4″ seam. Your album covers should look like the ones in the 2nd photo below. Use some fusible web or a few pins to secure your “tag” to the inside front cover and stitch it into place.

Step 5: Stitch the top and bottom seams of the cover as shown in the first photo with a 1/4″ seam. Carefully trim your corners and turn the cover right side out using a small pencil or stick to push out the corners. Sew your snaps into place on the “tab” and the cover”.

Your finished album! Use an iron to carefully press the piece flat.

Everyone that opens these albums will know where the ties came from….it makes a nice family hierloom.

They all look so pretty together:

I know that Boo will love keeping ours forever and probably pass it down to her children:

I love the idea of “memory” bears….but this is a great way to make something for the whole family:

Filed Under: Things I've Made, Thrifting, Toys and Accessories, Tutorial, Uncategorized, Upcycled

A Short Guide to a Happy Marriage

May 5, 2013 By Ashley Hackshaw 14 Comments

That is a true story for me. Today Mr. LBB and I celebrated our 12th anniversary: we went to church, we spent the day with Boo at home, we watched a Netflix movie, we made taco salads for dinner. It was a typical day and one where we are most content. Over our gourmet (McCormick’s Taco Seasoning) dinner, we came up with a short list of what makes our marriage successful: