Evolution of the Jersey Shore

Jersey Shore 1905 via Shorpy

Jersey Shore cast Season 2

I saw this great vintage picture of the Jersey Shore in 1905 via Shorpy, (which is the best site for old photos by the way) and couldn't resist posting it with a picture of the cast of the Jersey Shore Season 2, which just happens to be starting up again on Thursday July 29th. I think my form is better suited to the old-time bathing costumes!

Ashlyn

Message on a rock...

What does your rock say about you?

A ring around a rock means you can throw it in the water and make a wish.

A heart shaped rock means you love.

A rock on top of a napkin will keep it from blowing away.

A rock in your garden can serve a purpose.

And rocks that are flat are fun to paint....

Who knew rocks could be so much fun?

A grown ups version of a Popsicle party...


An amazing wine, a special frame, and a message of love...

See any 4 leaf clovers among the weeds?...

Celebrate in style...

Wake up with a message...

Celebrate friendship!

NO matter what your rock says, or what its purpose, have fun!

-Tracy

ps.... yes, I will be selling fun rocks at our next Trash Trunk party in September. We will keep you posted on the date, place and time.

mosaic planter project

The inspiration photo
planter
breaking the tile
broken plates and bits and pieces

the mixed mortar

the end of the afternoon, all the pieces are on!
putting on the grout...messy!
after a sponge bath

The girls with our finished planter!

I have always wanted to make some kind of mosaic project, preferably like the beautiful urn in the first photo. I also wanted to have a project to do with the girls....so we said "let's mosaic" (or something like that.)

First, we got our supplies together. I bought the planter at Home Depot, then we got some seashells and glass disk pieces at the craft store. I collected a couple of Fiesta ware plates that I don't use anymore, leftover glass tiles from tiling projects, and some broken pottery.

I then broke the plates and tiles into pieces by placing them between layers of a towel, and then hitting them with a hammer. I kept breaking them until I had the sizes that we needed.

Next we needed the adhesive. We used mortar leftover from a kitchen backsplash project. I read that people use Welbond Glue for mosaic projects too....but I decided to go with what we had on hand. The mortar is the adhesive we applied to the back of each piece of tile we put on the planter. I mixed it up in an old cut down milk jug. We used painters stir sticks to apply the mortar to the back of each piece, but you could use plastic knives, painter's palette knives, spatulas or whatever you have on hand. Make sure to use sponges to wipe away the excess grout. We had plenty of that! By the end of the afternoon we had all the pieces applied to the planter. We let that sit overnight.

The next step is grouting. This is the grout I used for the planter. The grout is the material that fills in the spaces between the tiles in mosaic designs. It comes in fine grain for narrow spaces and coarse grain for larger gaps. Again, I mixed the grout in an old cut down milk jug. The best method for me to get all the grout between the spaces was my hands. Again you need to use sponges after the grout has set for about ten minutes to clean all of the excess. When you are done grouting the whole piece keep wringing out a damp sponge and wiping it over your piece. The next day you can wipe down the haze with a piece of cheesecloth. Lastly because the planter will be outside, purchase a sealant to protect it from the elements.

This was a really fun project for kids.... today we are going to sign our names on the bottom of the planter!

Ashlyn

around the globe

via countryliving, apartmenttherapy, countryliving, ashleyawheaton.com, pollypainting on Flickr, hownowdesign on Flickr

Happy Friday!!

Ashlyn

eclectic

photos from Light Locations via House of Turquoise and Freshhome

bohemian

via mylittleapartment.blogspot

via Gaitainteriors.com
via darkgardyner on Flickr

Bookshelf Painting

Check out Jane Mount's Etsy shop. She has limited edition prints of Ideal Bookshelf pieces...or you can commission a painting of yours or a friends bookshelf. All you have to do is send a photo of the books you want included. I don't know about you, but I'm thinking this is a pretty cool gift idea.

Best Ever Peanut Butter Brownies

the goods
in goes the Hersheys

swirling the peanut butter and chocolate

yum!

This recipe is from a bakery in New York, and was published in a magazine that I read about 20 years ago (I have no memory of which bakery or which magazine..I copied it onto a recipe card.) I have been using it ever since and it it so good and so rich!!

Ingredients

1 Cup Flour

1/2 tsp Salt

1/2 Cup (1 stick) Butter softened

1 Cup Sugar

4 Eggs

1 tsp Vanilla

1 Can Chocolate Syrup (I use Hersheys)

1 Tbsp Butter

1 1/4 Cup Peanut Butter

12 oz. Semisweet Chocolate

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9 x 13 pan.

Beat butter, sugar, and eggs until fluffy. Stir in vanilla. Stir in flour and salt until well blended. Stir in chocolate syrup. Bake for 25 minutes. Cool completely.

Melt peanut butter in saucepan on low heat and spread on completely cooled bars. Melt chocolate with butter and dribble on bars. Swirl chocolate with wooden pick.

Enjoy!!

Ashlyn

Sign, Sign, everywhere a sign

Signage from Mummert Sign Company.

Ashlyn