Wednesday, June 12, 2013

The Upcycled Garden June Volume 4


Spring and summer always seem to pass by so quickly! I figured I had better
get on the ball and share some more of these beautiful upcycled garden art ideas
while we are in the season. It's the time of year for planting, decorating, and 
enjoying our gardens and outdoor landscapes, so take a look below at this 
collection I gathered together for June, and be inspired!
Let me know which is your favorite!


And old metal bed headboard repurposed as a garden gate



Fish sculpture made from roof flashing by Mark Noll via Etsy



An old whiskey barrel hides a trashcan




Daisy garden flower planter by VaVasVintage via Etsy




Add a glass top to a container with succulents for an instant mini greenhouse




These old doors from Forever Vintage Rentals are perfect for taking photos in 
at an outdoor wedding, but I'd love them in my garden every day!




Recycled spoon flower by nbillmeyer via Etsy




Birdhouse made with reclaimed objects via Pinterest




Beautiful succulent garden from lacallefloridajardins




It's a piano garden...



Tin Man flamingo recycled garden art by CedarMoon via Etsy




Plant a flower garden in an old boat




Adirondack chair with wine glass holder made from wine barrels





Alligator tires by artist Eric Langert will surely keep your garden pests away





Yellow dump truck planter from House of Hawthornes








Painted salad bowl atop a tree stump = mushroom 
from mykidseatoffthefloor





Flowerpots placed in old dresser drawers




What do you think?



Tuesday, June 11, 2013

My Refreshing Escape With Seagram's Escapes!

 

Disclosure: This is a Seagram’s Escapes sponsored post. I have personally tested the product myself and all opinions on this product are my own honest opinions. I have been compensated for my time to review this product. I am not employed by Seagram’s.

After working for weeks to get my new studio ready it was finally time to celebrate the occasion with my family and a few of my closest friends. Yay! The timing couldn’t have been better because I was just about to do a review of the new flavors of Seagram’s Escapes and now I had the perfect opportunity to try out all of the new flavors and let my family and friends try them too. I LOVE trying new things (and introducing my friends to new things) so I was really excited.
 
The first thing that impressed me before I even tasted my first sample was the assortment of flavors that were available. Seventeen flavors! First we sampled the frozen varieties. These are pouches that are pre-mixed. Yep, the alcohol is already mixed inside the pouch with all of the other ingredients. All I had to do was pop them into my freezer for a few hours until they froze up a bit. That’s it. Freeze, open, pour into a glass, and enjoy. No blenders, no extra ingredients to measure and add, no extra dishes to wash, just out of the pouch and into the glass! I’m going to tell you right off the bat that the frozen sangria was my ultimate favorite! It was fruity and refreshing and had the perfect consistency. I was in love.  
 
Seagram's Escapes Frozen Sangria
 
 
The other frozen varieties we tried were Frozen Margarita, Frozen Daiquiri Strawberry, Frozen Jamaican Me Happy, Frozen Blue Hawaiian, and Frozen Pina Colada. Overall, I was completely impressed with the taste, high quality, colors, consistency, and effortless preparation of the Seagram’s Escapes Frozen Pouches. The Frozen Margarita was another one of my favorites. It tasted like fresh squeezed lime.
 
 
 
 
Next we sampled the bottled varieties. Again I was incredibly impressed with the sheer variety of different flavors and varieties. The flavors were unlike any other that I’ve tried in the past from other brands. We sampled: Black Cherry Cherry Fizz, Strawberry Daiquiri, Jamaican Me Happy, Calypso Colada, Classic Lime Margarita, Blackberry Breezer, Peach Fuzzy Navel, Raspberry Lemonade, and Aloha-Tini.
 
Check out the variety of flavors! 
 

You couldn’t ask for anything more convenient because, like the frozen pouch varieties, these were also ready to drink. Again, no mixing in alcohol, no dirty blenders or extra dishes to wash. I’ve spent more time than I care to admit at my own picnics and parties missing out on spending time with my guests because I was too busy preparing cocktails and measuring and mixing up drinks. Not anymore! I’m a busy mom of two girls, a blogger, and a writer, and I run a full time business. I don’t have time to fuss with things like running to the store to pick up extra ingredients and washing blenders. I would much rather spend my time socializing with family and friends. I am sold on Seagram’s Escapes!
 
 
 
The comments from my friends and family echoed my own. I asked everyone what they thought of the flavors and varieties and the overwhelming response was “fruity” and “refreshing.” 
 
Check out these colors! They're so pretty! 
 
 
Everyone seemed to comment on the colors too. Being an artist and a completely visual person, I always like my drinks and food to be visually appealing when I throw a party or a get-together. The Seagram’s Escapes are colorful and attractive, and add a great burst of color to your party. One thing that I didn’t know is that you can also create fun cocktails that have a little more of a kick to them by adding in some white or dark spirits. (Check out some of the recipes at http://www.seagramsescapes.com/Recipes/).
 
One thing is for sure. I’ll be enjoying Seagram’s Escapes over and over this summer. You should try them too!
 
Now here’s a question for you:  What is your favorite drink flavor for summertime entertaining? 
 
For a complete list of flavors or to find a store near you, check out Seagram's Escapes website, Facebook, and Pinterest pages!  Win a trip to the Hilton Rose Hall Resort & Spa in JAMAICA! Just tell Seagram's Escapes: Who is Jamaican You Happy?  

©2013 The Seagram Beverage Company, Rochester, NY. Please unwind with our flavored malt beverages responsibly

Monday, June 10, 2013

I Miss You Cincinnati! (Home From My Book Photo Shoot)


Last week I traveled to Cincinnati, Ohio for a week long photo shoot for my new
jewelry instruction book, and it was so much fun! I snapped a few photos while I was 
there so you could have a sneak peek at what the process was like. Although it's
always nice to get home after traveling, I honestly have to say that I had such a
good time that I could have stayed another month!  

Everyone at FW Media was top notch, so kind, and treated me so well. They work 
very hard at what they do and it's evident in the outstandingly beautiful publications 
that they produce. Christine Polomsky was my photographer, and she 
complete pro! She made what at first seemed like an overwhelming process into 
real breeze, and not only did the photo shoot go quickly, it seemed like it just flew by. 
But the best part was that we laughed a lot and had so much fun! 
What a great experience!



The photo and video studios at FW (above and below) are completely separate
buildings from the editorial buildings




Photo and video studios



Photo and video studios




This is where I worked!




My awesome photographer, Christine Polomsky, she's the best!




All of my projects & project parts organized and waiting to be photographed




Some of my smaller tools and materials. I shipped them out
ahead of time for the photo shoot.




My book is being published by FW Media under the imprint North Light Books
 and will be released on February 17, 2014. The book's title isn't decided until 
closer to the publication date, but once the title is decided upon, you will be 
the first to know! 







Sunday, June 9, 2013

The Alchemic Collection - New Mixed Metal Jewelry


Here's a peek at some new jewelry I've been working on, it's a mixed-metal
collection I've named The Alchemic Collection, due to the mix of materials
used (sterling silver, copper, and silver solder) and the unique look and feel of 
the pieces. I'm highly influenced by Art Nouveau, Art Deco, Mystical and Organic
styles, and with this collection my goal was to combine some combinations of 
those styles and create something a little different. It kind of keeps with the 
theme of "new vintage" - I combine elements of vintage designs, but 
give them a modern or contemporary twist. Check it out!








Ivy & blue-green Magnesite














Tree pendant with Turquoise Howlite




This wing pendant turned out to be my favorite, and I can't part with it!


What do you think?




all designs copyright Laura Beth Love 2013