Cha-Cha-Cha-Changes....

So there are a few changes around these parts to share...

First of all, the most obvious, a new design.

A simpler design, at that.

I loved my old design, but it was a bit much for me. I wanted something easier on the eyes.
This design is much more "me". 

I also recently updated the "About Me" page and my profile (along with my profile picture, as well).
There is also a new "Features" page. My sidebar was getting a little too busy for my taste, so this page will house all future features....as soon as I get more...

So, be sure to click around and check out all the new stuff.
I also added new social networking tools, if you haven't already, feel free to follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook (it's always a hoot over there) by clicking on the yellow buttons at the top right.

Finally, I am very excited/terrified/a little pee came out to announce, I am officially accepting sponsors! 

So if you are a small business, blog, or just like seeing your pretty face on the internet, E-mail me at AshliHerself@designsbyashli.com for stats and more information. Let's do business...

Brighter than the sun...

I love the starburst mirrors that are popping up all over. They add so much fun and whimsy to a space, plus anytime I can add a mirror that can reflect light everywhere, I'm all for it.
 I was set on creating my own...and here she blows:

Here's what went down...
I bought these:

Yes, those are $3 shims from Home Depot, and a $1.50 craft mirror from Hobby Lobby...which brings me to a whopping $4.50 total. Also not shown is the stain and brushes, that I already had.

I stained the shims (only used about half of the package, for future reference). I traced the mirror, and created a template out of cardboard to glue the shims to. I used hot glue to attach the shims to my template.

Exhibit A:

Also, eating delicious desert while doing this step is muy importante...

After, I finished that I glued another round piece of cardboard (much smaller than the mirror, so you cannot see the cardboard from the side) to the top of the shims, and attached my mirror to it (I used liquid nails, this time for extra security). Then I just whipped it around and added picture hangers. Voila:

I'm pretty happy with it...Ignore the finger prints all over the mirror, I got excited and hung it, as soon as it was dry, but had to take it back down to let it off-gas a little more in the garage....you know, trying not to poison the whole family...

So, what new projects have you been up to lately? Anyone else love the sunburst mirrors? Do tell...
Oh and btw, I'm sharing this little project...

and for the Inspiration Gallery Party over at Design, Dining, and Diapers!

Let me get that chair for you...

It's no secret that I'm not a huge fan of our dining set. It's a cheap set, that looks it, it is nothing special. In fact I wrote about desperately trying to find new chairs, to no avail, here. I finally decided to do something about it, something small and probably not extremely noticeable to most of you, but to me it makes all the difference:

Here's the boring/practically new/feel too guilty to get rid of chairs before...

Why do pictures have to turn out sooo much worse when it's a rainy day?...Ugh..
See...boring...
Lately I've been in a "work with whatcha got" mindset, so I decided to try to add some uniqueness to the chairs myself. I felt like they just needed something, anything to make them a little more special. Then I came across this:

via

and this:

via

And then these:

Vintage brass pulls...and gorgeous...and only $6....

It's been a long time fad to add pulls to the back of dining chairs. Most people claim it's because they don't like everyone touching the top of the chair to pull it in and out from the table, therefore the pulls serve this purpose, and maybe sometimes this is true (I could see it for upholstered chairs with children in the house), but generally speaking, I don't buy it. I think we, as designers or simply decorators of our own homes, tend to think we have to give function to every beautiful thing in our house...an excuse if you will, and t's not necessary. Some things we do because it looks good.
I added a light coat of gold spray paint to these beauties:

I know, Gasp...yes I sprayed vintage hardware, but they are mine, all mine...Enter evil laugh here...Also, this awkward shot shows the only way to spray them...

I am not going to say I added these pulls to my chairs because they serve any purpose, other than I love the way they look. In fact, I didn't screw them in, I simply used liquid nails. Here they are drying:

They are absolutely sturdy enough to be used to pull the chairs out, but I don't know that they necessarily make that task any easier, or keep the top of my chairs any cleaner.
But they sure are pretty...and here's proof:

Yes, it's a very small update, but those are always my favorite.

How about you? Any other pretty updates to ugly furniture?