Testimonial For the Win!

Y’'all. One of my lovely clients wrote me such a sweet testimonial that I had to share. For anyone who’s excited or nervous about some e-design, and doesn’t live in New York. Read away!

Carolyn S. Writes…

“When I reached out to Ashley for re-design services, I was hoping for some cute decorating ideas and a little spruce up of our living area. She delivered on that and SO MUCH MORE. The formal dining room in our 1950's ranch home was a total waste of space. Meanwhile, our kitchen, breakfast area, and living room were becoming super cramped with the addition of our first baby and ALL the baby things. The first miracle was Ashley convincing me and my husband to move our sectional and TV (What? But that's where they go!). The next miracle was watching her superwoman strength as we rearranged furniture throughout the day. Ashley repurposed the formal dining room as our living room and play area, freeing up the old kitchen/breakfast/living room for a spacious casual dining space, complete with the fireplace (which had been sinfully covered by the TV we thought couldn't move), and overlooking the back porch and yard. Switching up the rooms even gave us space for a convenient sitting area in the kitchen/casual dining room where we now enjoy morning coffee and family story time. All of this took place in ONE glorious day and Ashley even found time to perfectly place our favorite Christmas decorations (which reminds me.... she straight up MOVED our Christmas tree to the front of the house so we could enjoy it in our new living room and see it lit up from the street- girl power, y'all). Watching Ashley use her God-given gifts to make what we had look better and work better for our family was nothing short of magical (and budget-friendly!).

I was sad to see my friend/coworker move up north with her family, but lo and behold, the girl offers e-design. Not gonna lie - I was a littler nervous about this path after seeing Ashley work her magic in-person. But guys.. she helped me transform my master bedroom by email. My favorite part of the e-design process with Ashley is that she provides options within your budget and for me, I loved that I could do a little at a time. It makes it feel so much easier on the pocketbook when you can work through the shopping list at your own pace and not be wasting time/money on picking out the wrong things in the process! Can't wait to launch my guestroom e-design project with Ashley!”

Formal Foyer Goes Farmhouse

Hey Y’all!

I was honored when I got a call from the “R” family a few months back. They had purchased their dream home, in their dream location, on a dreamy plot of land. How exciting!

One PROBLEM. Inside the house…not quite as dreamy. Especially for a casual young family, full of little boys, who prefer rustic casual and have a fondness for antiques. The fancy Colonial must exit- the current formal/traditional fixtures won’t work. Cozy Farmhouse preferred.

Ummmm…. got it! Joanna Gaines is my spirit animal.

The “R” family decided to start with the entryway. They love that this is going to be a journey. And they realize that first impressions matter.

I couldn’t wait to start.

HERE are the BEFORE Photos…

BEFORE:

AND

THE

AFTER

PHOTOS…

AFTER: We incorporated existing antique dishes from the homeowners family collection. 24 hook spaces help with all the hospitality needs and downplay the traditional style. We used dark gel stain on the banisters.

AFTER: We changed out the foyer light with something more lantern-ish.

AFTER: We made a focal point with the coat closet double doors. We painted them and added depth with greenery in the form of wreaths.

AFTER: Everyone hates decorating 2nd story niches. They’re a bit dangerous and semi-dated. Make them feel on-purpose by adding architectural items like barn doors, old columns, or very large rustic pieces.

AFTER: A shelf over the door helps with bringing the eye down.

AFTER: Bird’s eye view for the WIN!

Thanks “R” family. Your new space is so totally cute!

XOXO

ASHLEY

Apple picking and grape eating in NY wine country

So I thought I'd share some inspiration.  Yes, not all of my inspiration, creatively, comes from inside the cozy place we all call 'home'.   Though I do feel guilty not giving y'all any design ideas today.

We are getting adjusted rather well to this new land of 'milk and honey', called New York.  Though I've eaten quite a bit of local honey already, it should be called the land of concord grapes and crisp apples.  And a side note, the reason I'm referring to this state as such, is because God is quite literally pouring blessings onto us.  I have successfully cooked 3 meals in one month.  And that is because almost all of our other meals have been made for us or brought to us by the wonderful people of Northridge Church, Rochester.  And have I ever eaten this good?  We are talking about absolutely amazing food from God's people.  Mmmmmm Mmmmmm.

But let me tell you about these apples.  Yes, my Georgia loves.  New York apples do hold the trump card every time.  They are so zesty it's not even funny.  The crisp is so crazy that juice flies everywhere.  And on this particular day in the orchard, Joelle and I ate about a dozen apples.  Literally.

So we went exploring on the Finger Lakes and ended up at a winery/orchard.  Yes, the pictures of the vineyards does have the massive lake in the backdrop.  It was a complete slice of heaven.  So I wanted to share.

Don't miss my blurb at the bottom of this post.  God certainly showed up in the vineyard yesterday!

The orchards were completely full of apples.

There is the lake!  Most impressive were the vineyards, grape clusters the size of my head hanging low.  Joelle and I then proceeded to eat so many grapes we felt sick.

What a beautiful day!  We enjoyed it so much.  I couldn't help but be reminded of the words in John:

"I am the vine; you are the branches.  If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing..."

"If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.  This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit." 

John 15: 5-8

As I ducked and dodged in between grape leaves to grasp hold of the massive bunches of grapes, this verse struck me.  

The Vine is referring to Christ.  And I could see that the base of the vine was strong and thick.  Very easy to understand why Christ is referring to himself as the anchor and foundation and source of life.  

The branches are thin and wispy, and the winemakers are required to hang wire from one end of the vineyard to the other because the branches are so thin and really struggle to hold the massive clusters of fruit.  Let's think about that as a metaphor.

You may consider yourself as someone who is weak.  Or maybe you don't feel you have much strength right now in your season of life.  No worries, my sweet reader.  I want to encourage you, your fruit can be much bigger then you.  The pressure is off.

You see, those grape clusters were massive and beautiful, it's almost comical that they cling to those wispy wimpy branches.  But God is showing you that when he is your source, you can produce things, through him, that are much bigger then yourself.

You can be used by God and have 'fruit' (or proof of your salvation) that is much sweeter and has much more impact then you can even imagine.

Our source, The Vine, is powerful and strong.  Let Him reside in you and help you to produce the fruits of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.

 All the things that we as rather wispy, wimpy branches, cannot produce on our own.  I know I cannot produce any of those beautiful fruits on my own.  However with HIS strength, I certainly can strive everyday, to glorify Him with my life.  

XOXO Love Y'all

Ashley

WELCOME TO NEW YORK (welcome to new york)

So...

Y'all know that ALOT has been happening in the Birchwood Blog household these days.  (See button below to get caught up)

Well, well well.

Oh come on, you remember!?  Remember when I told y'all that we'd sold our Taylor's Wood home and we were in a big transition?  It was kind of a serious post, I must say.  However, I bear good news.  The transition is over.  Did y'all hear that?!?  The TRANSITION IS OVER!  Praise the Lord.  Thank you, Jesus.  

The details are very special to our family.  I write this now, with tears in my eyes.  God has always, always watched over us.  We have been blessed beyond measure.  But when HE goes above and beyond, and takes the tiniest details you barely remember, and ties them together.   Well.  That's when grace gets crazy.  Crazy grace.  Friends this is real.

My loves, you cannot make this stuff up.  I couldn't orchestrate our transition if I had all the resources in the world.  

So we are moving.

YUP.  This Pennsylvania girl, who absolutely loves The South, and has lived in Georgia for all these years, is moving.  

I'm moving back up north.  

TO NEW YORK.  NEW YORK I tell you!

GASPPPPPPPPPP.

You know why, sweet readers?  Well let me tell ya.

Because Jesus means more.  Jesus means more to me then my deep love of the south.  Jesus means more to me then a warm climate.  And magnolia trees.  And 80 degree days in March.  Jesus means more then smocked dresses, and human hospitality.  Jesus means more then flower-filled cities, English architecture, and muscadines.  Jesus means more then friends, and people you love, and neighbors (though I have lots of special prayers asking if I can live near my southern family again in heaven).  Jesus means MORE.

It happened on our first date.  He busted out the P word.  My husband is a Pastor.  And that night, sitting in Macaroni Grill, he told me that he was going to pastor a church that did crazy things for Jesus.  To which I replied: "oh good!"

That was 10 years of ministry ago.

He knew, since he was 16, that God had called him NOT to do what everyone else in his family did (his entire family owns a third generation multi-site successful insurance business).  God had called him to NOT do what he was really good at naturally (he had a division 1 full ride scholarship for basketball).  God had called him to preach the gospel and be a full time pastor.

So about a year ago, the Lord started whispering to us.  It was time for Drew to become a lead pastor and finish his days in all his other ministries.  So we listened.

Well.  God usually calls us to trust him before things make actual sense.  Do you trust your heavenly Father?  That is the scary part.  Trusting when things don't make any sense.  Trusting when there isn't enough money to support your decision.  Trusting when there is no longer a house to live in.  Trusting when there is no longer a husband-paycheck.  Trusting when you move into a tiny cottage you don't own.  Trusting when your husband now stays at home with your baby and you continue to work two jobs.  Trusting, as you journal and pray, that the whispers you heard, actually were The Lord.

But now, we are moving to New York.  And Drew will be the lead pastor at Northridge Church in Rochester.  My loves, I am blown away.  The orchestration of THIS church in THIS city with our God-given gift set, couldn't be more perfect.    It's crazy.  For such a time as this.  That he has picked us.  

Have you ever felt unqualified?  Well guess what.  There is this beautiful worn book that I love to read and it's filled with amazing stories about unqualified people.  Murderers, prostitutes, wicked kings and poor teenagers who were TOTALLY unqualified.  The ones that were overlooked or under-appreciated, seemed to be the people God used to reach many.  

We may be unqualified, but God wants to use us.  I've never felt more humbled in my life.

So you may be asking...

How does THIS effect the blog?  

Well.  For one, I'll probably blog more!  Life will be crazy different.  In lots of good ways.  But one thing is for sure, I'll be inside a bit more when I live in New York!  They get a lot of this crazy white fluffy stuff called SNOW.  So you can be sure, I'll be more committed to bringing all of my readers juicy good posts!

I'll have a new perspective and a new city.  New architecture, new sights.  I'll have new friends to design for.  I'll have a new church to which I plan to use my gift-set at as well.  What's better then decorating God's house?

So please, dear friends.  Don't loose touch.  I have promised our Georgia-family that we will be back every year for hugs and kisses and design and muscadines and Lake Martin weekends.  

I love my Georgia friends and family.  These next few weeks will be, perhaps, one of the hardest things we have ever done.

But please know, that Jesus is worth it all.  And I gave him my heart a long time ago.

XOXOXO

Ashley

Dear Readers

Good Afternoon my loves!  I am ashamed to say hello after a quite a few months of NO BLOGGING.  Please please forgive.  And let me explain...

Life has become crazy and I wish I could unravel all of the amazing things that have happened to our family over the past 14 weeks.  God is truly amazing.  We have so much to be thankful for!  But it would take up entirely too much space and time to tell y'all all the beautiful details!  So, I give you, the quick-version.  

We moved out of our dream home after some successful staging and a wonderful sale!  Goodbye Taylor's Wood, you were good to us!

We now rent a tiny cottage as we endure a rather large 'life-transition' (more to come).

Decreased internet access at the cottage has made blogging almost impossible.  

I have been working many-a tender hour at the hospital taking care of my wonderful precious patients.  

My daughter is basically in college (not really, she's 20 months old) and talks non-stop in complete sentences. 

We are heading to Africa in July for some exciting missions and a pastor's conference!

I have NOT stopped design-work and have many exciting things to show you!

So please, my loves.  Keep us in your thoughts!  And keep an eye out for some of our stunning posts this month!

Still XOXOX!

Ashley

January Home Tour (how to survive after Christmas)

Hello my loves and welcome back.

Yes I am a lazy blogger.  I left y'all high and dry for almost two strait weeks.

Yes I ate a lot of high calorie food and spent a week in the Great White North.

Yes I missed y'all. 

Back to blogging.  And a sound resolution to be even more epic this year.

Holler.

So you pulled down all the Christmas decor.  Your house looks naked.  Naked.  Or if you're a southerner, you say "Necked".  Like neck-ed.  That's how you say it.

So this little photo shoot is to show y'all how I'm coping with the post-Christmas Neck-ed blues.  And it's the blues.

Now don't get me wrong, I was ready to rip down everything.  My live greens had long died.

We got off the plane from visiting family, walked in the house, and upon eyeing my spruce, knew it was over.  The poor thing was strait-up brown. 

Oh Lawd. 

More needles on the floor then on the tree.  Probably from Drew beating it to death on the night of installation (we found a snake skin in the tree).

Well we got the bright idea to take the tree down, start a bonfire, get baby J and the s'mores supplies, and make it a family event.  Burning the tree.  Quite sadistic I know.

Drew puts the tree on the stack of damp wood, lights one match, and KABOOOOOOOOM.  Without any gasoline, our poor spruce was nothing but ash in about 19 seconds.  Talk about eating on the run.  I barely had my marshmallow on the stick and I was running for my life.

All that to say. It's back to decorating.  But with what?

No elves, no greens.  NECK-ED HOUSE?!

Below my loves, you will see.  It's all my excuses to make the house look cute.  Even though it's January.

I hope this inspires even the dreariest of homes.

So I set the table.  It made me feel better.  Why not act like you're about to have a gorgeous brunch party?

So let's face it.  Color is the issue.  We all need color.  Our houses aren't red and green anymore.  Lemons did the trick here.  Citrus was traditionally given as a Christmas gift.  So I figured it wasn't too weird to use it as a pop of color in the winter time.  And a spray of tiny yellow flowers had to be added.  I had to y'all.  It's just too brown outside.

My formal dining room stayed ridiculously neutral.  I left the pheasant feathers in the cream pitcher on the lady's writing desk.  

A cluster of crocks got a greenery sprig as well.

Succulents seemed legal this time of year.  I was given a whole pot of them for Christmas by a dear friend.  Green color for the win!

The desk got a greenery, a weird little bust, and books.

My gigantic scale got low on the floor and a basket on top holds my Christmas gift: a Hudson Bay blanket.  Thank you to my sweet mother-in-law for a wonderful surprise!

Drew built my barn wood doors as an early Christmas gift.  I love them.  I left plaid on the couch because I'm still kickin' it with my plaid everything!  Cozy!

I changed it up and got frisky with my 3 tiered kitchen tray.  It took a non-traditional spin in the living room.  I filled it with reading material, a succulent, pine cones, and exra throw-blankets.

Thank you Tara! Your Christmas succulent gift inspired this whole search for color!

I scored these Turkish-towel-look-alikes at Ross for $3.  Use this time of year to freshen up with extremely in-expensive touches.  

Put a tray on your bed.  Go ahead and do it.  As a girl, I thought bed trays were absolutely dreamy.  Who can't love feeling like they live in a B&B?  Pears add color, teacups for fun, and the morning paper.

Back in the kitchen, a basket of herbs and my cute horse from Lancaster.

I even spruced it up in J's room.  She got my old living room lamps since I got new living room lamps as a Christmas gift.

Love y'all!

Here we go now. Here we go now.

Well.  This is it.  I have officially started a blog.  I can put a huge check mark in that box on my bucket list.  But this isn't about checking the proverbial box.  This is about something more.

My husband is the dreamer.  No seriously.  He tells people they can do anything and he believes it.   He once told me he daydreams about being the President and he truly believes that if he wanted to do it, he probably could.  He is the glass-half-full dude.  The guy everyone loves.  He told me to start a blog 4 years ago.  He told me it would be amazing and everyone would love it.  I thought that he was hilarious.  And crazy.

One night I came home from the hospital, smelling like alcohol swabs and vomit, and he had designed a beautiful logo.  I was out of excuses.  It was time. 

The true purpose of this blog is to show anyone that they can do anything within the scope of their home, garden, and lifestyle.  I am living proof of this.

I got married at age 21.  My husband was a student in Bible college and I worked the night shift as a nurse.  So, money wasn't exactly flowing abundantly.  I could NOT cook.  My mom was an amazing cook.  Growing up, my job was usually dish-washer or set-the-table-er.  I had always helped my parents with the flowers and landscaping, but I had never done it by myself.  I didn't own a sewing machine, or a drill, or a table saw.  

Then there was Drew.  He was 20 years old and looked like he was 13.  Great genes.  He had never built anything in his life.  He loved to cook, but nothing too gourmet.  His mom was a phenomenal Italian cook, but he was always sous chef.  DIY wasn't anywhere in his DNA.  His last wood-working project had been the Bible school Pinewood Derby.  You know, the little wooden cars you sand and paint and race in Bible School?  Yup.

And so we got married and had REALLY BIG DREAMS.  We wanted a beautiful home to invest in.  We wanted every room to be comfortable, gorgeous and full of memories.  It didn't have to be huge, but we wanted people to feel so overwhelmed with love and comfort and food that they stayed awhile.  We wanted to cook.  We wanted food to be fuel for our bodies.  Food that fought disease.  We wanted to be creative.  We wanted to enjoy home-cooked meals more then anything we ever found in a restaurant.   We wanted gardens and landscaping.  We wanted flowers we could cut and place in the house.  We wanted our yard to be our own oasis.  We wanted to enjoy our home and garden more then any hotel or vacation.  We wanted to someday grow our own food and herbs.  

Well that was 8 years ago.  And 4 homes ago.  And a thousand renovations, flower beds, and meals ago.  So I invite you to follow along as I share our journey.  Past, present and future.  It will be lots of DIY, lots of ideas, and lots of inspiration.  Follow me on Facebook or Instagram or just check in with this blog daily!  You can take whatever you have, and make it beautiful.  The Birchwood Blog is here to help you accomplish just that.  So here we go now...

Love y'all!

Ashley