With the craziness that the holidays always bring I have taken a little impromptu break from my shop. I didn’t close the shop but I haven’t been doing any active advertising, posting of new prints or adding new designs.

I didn’t really intend to take a break, it just kind of happened. We traveled “home” to see family for Christmas and New Years and then right when we got back we moved to a new home (still in the same city). As you can see things have been busy! Not only that but we are adding a new Lucy and Doyle fan to the club this May! I’m pregnant with baby #2 which has taken a lot out of me. I’m finally over the morning sickness which has been a huge blessing especially when it comes to being motivated to keep up on my shop! Morning sickness kind of puts you in survival mode when it comes to life.

For the last few months I was starting to feel a little overwhelmed with my business. Especially trying to manage everything the way I wanted to. It takes a lot of time and work to manage a business! It can be hard and stressful trying to get your name out there and connecting with customers. Often times it is discouraging when you put so much time, energy and money into your work and things don’t take off the way you hope. This break has been JUST what I needed.

I feel a renewed desire to continue to build my business, make functional AND fashionable clothing for children and help to further Alzheimer research through donations to the Ann Romney Foundation! I am grateful for all of you have made purchase through my shop and hope that you love your products as much as I do. I hope that my break hasn’t caused any of you to lose interest in my business! I promise I am still here! Constantly thinking about what I really want from my business and making sure I can give it 100% (which can be a hard thing to do as a wife and mom!)

This is basically a long rambling explanation that I haven’t really gone anywhere, I’m still here working on Lucy and Doyle behind the scenes. Im actually really excited because I am currently working on bringing new prints to the products I already sell and I’m also working on some completely new styles! To get the most recent updates and discounts make sure you follow @lucyanddoyle on instagram!!!!!

I am finally getting around to posting a fun photoshoot we did a few weeks ago with some of our fall skirts! Our fall skirts have been in the shop for about a month now and I am still loving them!

These little girls were all so cute and fun to take pictures of! I am so grateful for my amazing sister-in-law and her willingness to be my go to photographer! She does such amazing work!

One of my favorite things about these fall skirts is that they really are perfect year round! Go check them, and more, out in the shop today!!!!

Enjoy your fall day wherever you are!

THANK YOU to everyone that has supported me thus far in this journey! Whether you have made a purchase, help to spread the news or have offered me words of encouragement, THANK YOU! You have made it all worth it!

One of the number one things I have heard since opening my shop is that you want to see more sizes! While I specialize in toddler age clothes I also want to give you what you are wanting!

I am really excited to announce that I am working on adding more sizes to my shop! Right now I am specifically adding poppy skirts. While most of our items are still ONE OF A KIND you will see skirts in the following sizes on our website very soon (some are already listed, like our pink arrow skirt!)

12m/18m

18/24m

2/3

4/5

6/7

Here is our first skirt that is available the shop right now in sizes 12m/18m, 18m/24m and 2/3

I can’t wait to show you all of the fun new prints I am working on! Keep checking back! Be sure to FOLLOW the shop on instagram so you don’t miss any updates!!

@lucyanddoyle

Here are the before picture of the space:

my brother- in- law was using the space as a media room previously. They were willing to give that up for a little bit  Yeah!

Now onto the demolition.  First we had to rip up the carpet and a glued plywood floor that was laid on top of about 1/3 of the subfloor!

Such a mess! This part took forever and was a little bit of a set back that we weren’t expecting!

Next the guys did all the framing and wall building, while I supervised

The making of Jack’s tiny room. And when I say tiny I mean tiny

Jack was such a big helper Look how tiny he is!!!!

The plywood had to be ripped and sanded before we could lay it down. We probably could have had home depot rip the boards but Brian was determined to do it himself! I think he was just excited to have his table saw again since it had been in storage for 9 months! I have seen people do this both ways, sanding first then laying the floor down or laying the floor down and then sanding. The latter sounded way too messy so we sanded first!

This is what it looked like:

some of the boards waiting to be sanded! There were A LOT of boards! The room we did was just under 600 sqft! We used 18 sheets of plywood ripped into 8in planks! Thats 108 boards that had to be sanded! AHHHHH

Once all the boards were ripped and sanded we started laying them down. We glued each board down with liquid nail and then used the nail gun and brad nails to secure the boards onto the sub floor. We didn’t put anything between the planks and the sub floor and we haven’t had any problems with squeaking so that is good

(a peek into what is going to be Jacks little room)

ALL THE BOARDS FINALLY DOWN! This was a long process but so rewarding to see it come together!

After all the boards were laid we went through and caulked the spaces between the boards. We had a few hiccups so some of the spaces between the boards were bigger then we wanted. We decided it would be best to caulk them since we were going to white wash the floors in the end. I’m glad it didn’t take away from the “farm house” floor look I was hoping for!

After the floor was down we white washed it (part primer part water)

The final step was to seal the floor. We used 3 coats of a clear polyurethane.

Look at that beautiful finish!!!! Love it!

And it was actually kind of fun and  fulfilling just creating it ourselves !

Goes to show,  you can make your own beautiful space out of pretty much anywhere!

The hardest part was waiting for the polyurethane to cure so we could move everything in and decorate!

So if you’ve been holding back thinking a great space can’t be had in your current circumstances

think again! And just give it a try !

]]> http://lucyanddoyle.com/renovation/feed/ 1 http://lucyanddoyle.com/studio-love/ http://lucyanddoyle.com/studio-love/#comments Thu, 16 Jul 2015 08:30:54 +0000 http://lucyanddoyle.com/?p=488 “Love grows best in little houses, with fewer walls to separate. Where you eat and sleep so close together, you can’t help but communicate. Love grows best in houses just like this”

From the time that Brian and I were married we have lived in some form of a “little house”. As students we lived in an apartment and now we live in an even smaller apartment, a studio of sorts. After my husband finished his undergrad and before graduate school we accepted a job in Las Vegas. Not knowing where to live and wanting to be close to family we worked out a plan with my Sister and Brother-in-law. The house they had recently bought had a carriage house (studio type apartment above a garage). The previous owner had used the space fore a photography studio. We took on the task of turning the space into a studio apartment for our little family!

The first step was a renovation. I always have these awesome ideas and then my husband gets roped into carrying them out. I always help A LOT but someone has to feed and take care of the baby right He’s a trooper.

Here is a list of the things we did to make the apartment totally awesome!

1. Painted the whole thing (there was seriously 5 different colors of paint in the place!)

2. Framed in the “kitchen” and instal shelving

3. Frame in a tiny room for Jack. We knew it was going to be a studio apartment but we also were realistic with the fact that at the time we had a 6 month old. He needed a room separate from the commotion for nap time and bedtime.

4. Rip out carpet and install plywood floors!

#4 is my favorite! Have you seen the tutorials floating around Pinterest for this? Well I couldn’t wait to try it out! Let me tell you it was A LOT of work! WAY more then I expected. I’m not going to sugar coat it! But in the end was it worth it? YES! and Would I do it again? YES (just don’t tell my husband thats the plan)!

Lets start with the finished product  I seriously love this little space!

“Work Space”

 This is where all the Lucy and Doyle creating takes place! You can see my sewing machine peaking out on the ground. Usually my desk is covered in fabric, ties, velcro, labels and anything else I might need! 

Our Kitchen
I LOVE the way that open shelving makes a kitchen feel! My Grandparents had open shelving in their kitchen growing up and my parents do now as well! We painted the walls with a black chalkboard paint which brought the whole look together! I love seeing all of my beautiful dishes! Can you tell I have a little bit of an obsession

These are the jars that my Grandma and Grandpa had lining their kitchen shelves!

I found this hutch at habitat for humanity in LA and drove it all the way back to Las Vegas. It was the perfect piece for all of our kitchen gadgets! Now I just need some cute knobs any ideas?

Our “family room” area

(missing curtain divider that I had taken down to switch it out for something different )

(crazy bookshelf that needs some serious organization!)

Jacks Play area.

Although most of the time he ends up in the family room area with all of his toys. I think this little spot in the house is my favorite

Well I think I covered it all! I am excited about the way that our little Studio turned out! It has been perfect for us and has kept me busy getting everything set up just right! We put a lot of hard work into this place and it’s been fun to see how it all came together!

Hope you enjoyed a little peak into our space! Stay tuned our all the renovation pictures!

-Ashley

We spent the weekend boating, swimming and all around relaxing!

Happy 4th of July, from my family to yours!

This past weekend was just what I needed to rejuvenate and get back into sewing new skirts for the shop!

Stay tuned

Obviously I don’t sell stuff for dads, but I do sell stuff for those cute kids of yours that those daddys love!

I figured I with it being Fathers Day I would take a minute and tell you about my bow ties! Even though they aren’t for dads, most ofmy vintage bow ties come from a “dad” that is very special to me!

I make two types of bow ties. My standard bow ties are made of new cotton fabric that I love! I have a son of my own and I have LOVE being able to find neat prints to make bow ties for him. I take the same time and care when picking out fabric for the bow ties that I sell as I do my sons bow ties!

The vintage bow ties that I make are made from REAL vintage ties. I love our vintage ties so much. I have always loved tie patterns and there is just something about a GOOD vintage tie. Most of the vintage bow ties original came from ties that were my Grandpa Richardson. That is why I call them the LaVar bow tie, named after him.  My grandpa is very special to me. He was the best grandpa when I was little! When I was only 9 years old he passed away. I remember that week (after his stroke) like it was yesterday and it was almost 20 years ago! I remember being so sad and missing him so much. I was little and didn’t really understand more then that he was gone. Even though my Grandpa passed away when I was little he still has been a big part of my life. In just those short 9 years he taught me so much and the stories that I have been told about him help me to know him better. I also know that even though he is gone from this earth he is watching over me (and all of his family). I know that my Grandpa would support me 100% with my business if he was alive today. He would be so excited to know that his ties are being used in a way that is helping to fund research that will someday be able to help fight the awful disease that my Grandma and Great Uncle have had to live with.

I hope that as you look through our collection you will find patterns, colors and prints that you like! I know that you will be happy with any of our bow ties, vintage or standard! They are an essential piece of any little guys wardrobe!

]]> http://lucyanddoyle.com/happy-fathers-day/feed/ 0 http://lucyanddoyle.com/the-meaning-behind-the-name/ http://lucyanddoyle.com/the-meaning-behind-the-name/#comments Thu, 11 Jun 2015 04:12:06 +0000 http://lucyanddoyle.com/?p=325 Lucy and Doyle… not only are these names the cutest but they hold great meaning to me! I want to take a minute and tell you how and why I picked this name! Its funny how things seem to happen at a specific time. It is said that some people come into our lives and quickly go, some stay awhile and leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never the same.  Lucy and Doyle are some of these people to me.

The name Lucy comes from my grandma, Lucille (we don’t actually call her Lucy but that is okay J) When I was little my Grandma and Grandpa were some of my favorite people. I couldn’t wait to be able to spend the day with them, go on vacation or have sleepovers. I was lucky enough to grow up only 30 min away from them so we got to see them all the time. My grandpa was a pharmacist and later in life my grandma started working at the same drug store as a checker. At first just to be with my Grandpa but even after my Grandpa retired my grandma kept working. One of my favorite memories was going into the drug store when my grandma was still working and she would take us to the candy isle and let us pick out whatever piece of candy we wanted! Then when I was 9 my Grandpa passed away. Grandma kept working for a little while but after a series of other family trials and events it was just too much. She missed my Grandpa so much and was having a hard time living alone. That’s when my Grandma came to live with my family. In the beginning she would travel between her 3 kids spending time with everyone but eventually she started spending most of her time at my home. My beautiful Grandma just turned 90 this year and for the past 10 years has been battling life with dementia (Alzheimer’s is a form of Dementia).  I am so grateful that I grew up so close to my Grandma, I am a different person because of the things we have gone through as a family.

My Grandma came from a big family, 9 siblings. One of her younger brothers is Doyle. Doyle has always been a special person to my family. My mom grew up visiting Doyle and his family and even lived with Doyle and his wife Rose after high school before getting married. They were more like a second pair of parents and so growing up they became an extra set of grandparents. Every summer we would go to Utah to visit and stay a week with them. I wish I could sit forever and tell you Uncle Doyle stories and I wish that you all could have had the opportunity to know him. After my Grandpa passed away Doyle became a fill in grandpa in my eyes.

A few years ago Doyle was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Remember how I said things have interesting timing? My sweet Uncle Doyle passed away just today. My heart is breaking as I think of the great man this world has lost.

Now more then ever I am so happy to announce the meaning and reason behind the name of my shop! Alzheimer’s is a disease that affects tens of millions of people worldwide. There is AMAZING research being done to find ways to stop, reverse and fix the effects of Alzheimer’s on the brain.  As I have watched my Grandma and great Uncle struggle with the debilitating effects of this disease I have wanted to find a way to help in some way. I look at my shop, Lucy and Doyle as a way to do just that. We will be donating 10% of all profit to Alzheimer’s research. I have been looking for the perfect foundation to donate to and I am so excited to announce that the money will be donated to the Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Ann Romney is an amazing woman who has battled with MS, another debilitating neurological disease, for many years. She has funded a research facility that will be focused on accelerating treatments, prevention, and cures for five of the world’s most complex neurologic diseases: Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS), ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease), Parkinson’s disease, and brain tumors. You can read more about the research center by clicking here.

No matter how much I have the opportunity to donate I am hopeful that every bit counts, this quote rings true to me:

“One person can make a difference, and everyone should try” John F. Kennedy

I am so excited about this new adventure I am taking! I have always loved making things. I grew up watching my mom sew (she’s amazing by the way), and she has been a big help when it came to pursuing this idea to open my own shop. 

I wanted to take some time today and tell you more about “Lucy and Doyle” and how my shop came to be. I have toyed with different ideas of things to make and sell…necklaces, scarves, handmade cards… and over the past 4 years have sold at vintage markets, etsy shops, and various outlets and while I still love making all of these things nothing seemed the perfect fit for what I wanted to put a name to.

Then a few summers ago my mom and I made some maxi skirts. Maxi skirts were quickly becoming one of my favorite things to wear! I loved how comfortable they were and how easy they were to dress up or down.  That summer I was visiting my brother and sister-in-law in California and for fun we decided to make a mini maxi skirt for my cute niece, she was around 2 at the time. To no surprise she loved it! We weren’t sure how it would affect her movement, but were happy that the skirt didn’t seem to get in the way of her active little life.  Her mini maxi quickly became her favorite outfit of choice just like me! She wanted to wear it all the time so we made her a few more in different colors and patterns.

     I started thinking all little girls should have one of these to wear! And so from there the idea for my shop came to be.  And “Lucy and Doyle” took off.  I have been spending a lot of time working on the mini maxi skirt, finding great fabrics and sewing like crazy! I wanted to take time to get things just right before making my site live because well to be honest I’m a perfectionist. But good things come from waiting like the idea to add in poppy skirts (short cotton skirts), and vintage bow ties for little guys. You can read more about them on my site !

            One of these days I’ll explain more about the name of my shop “Lucy and Doyle” such as where it came from and why I chose it.  It’s pretty special. But that’s a blog for another day!

Thank you so much for checking out my shop! Whether you are just looking, thinking of buying something for your own little one or something as a gift I hope you love what you see!

                                            <3 Ashley