Two Hearts Together Jeff & Samantha » Summer

Sea Shell Wind Chime

Samantha — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 18:47:55 +0000

A set of seashell wind chimes is a great reminder of a summer vacation at the shore. Kids and adults love to collect shells, and here’s something creative to do with them!

Supplies Needed:
Whole Seashells (get more than you think you’ll need, because a few may break)
Clear plastic thread (fishing line)
A Phillips-head screwdriver or any tool with a point
Scissors
Sharpie
Something to hang your shells from, like a curved branch or a short wooden dowel

Directions:
1. PREPARE THE SHELL: Wash them! Clean out the sand, the bits of seaweed, whatever debris is stuck to the shell.
2. MAKE THE HOLES: Pick the spot you want the hole to be. You will need one hole at the top of the shell and one hole at the bottom. — mark it with a pen or marker if you need to. Using a twisting motion, bore a hole in the shell. Some shells are thicker than others; don’t use too much pressure or the shell can shatter.
3. STRING THE SHELLS: Measure out the string at desired length. Using plastic thread, thread shells by threading through both holes on each shell and tieing off securely before going on to the next shell. Leave enough string at the top to make a big loop that will be the “hook” to hang on the branch/dowel.
4. HANG THE SHELLS: Using loop on top of the sting of hanging shells, loop around branch/dowel.

Optional: Decorate Shells with stickers, markers, photos, colored sand, glitters, etc..

Summer Favorites

Samantha — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 18:35:33 +0000

Lets revisit some awesome posts I rounded up from last summer!

Click on the title to see full post and directions

Homeade Bubbles

Sponge Balls

Watermelon Slice Pops

Beach Sandcasting

Create an At Home Flower Press

10 Things to Do with Tomatoes

Samantha — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 18:21:14 +0000

Summer’s number one bounty and power food, the tomato. There are so many varities to choose from that have orginated many bold and sweet flavors.
Check out this list of 10 things to do with Tomatoes that are from the backyard, your neighboorhood farmer’s market, or storebought delights.

{Click on the title to see the full recipie}

Roasted Tomato and Creamy Goat Cheese Tart

Oven Roasted Plum Tomatoes

Heirloom Tomato Salad

Tomato Spinach Salsa

Spicy Pickled Green Tomatoes

Eggplant, Tomato, & Mozzarella Stack

Tuscan Stuffed Tomatoes

Greek Tomato and Feta Fritters

Herbed Sweet Corn and Tomato Salad

Cucumber-Tomato Bruschetta

Free Bachelorette Party Printable

Samantha — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 05:44:56 +0000

FREE Printable Bachelorette Party Printable Scavenger Hunt for the ladies! Get a little sassy and wild at the next Bachelorette party you attend or if you are the bride to be with this list of tasks to do throughout your night.

I created this myself in honor of my two gals who just had their Bachelorette Parties.

PLEASE COMMENT below if you do download and tell me what you favorite line is on the list…

Download Here —-> Bachelorette Scavenger Hunt.pdf

Food Carts Portland

Samantha — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 22:50:03 +0000

Budget Travel just crowned Portland, OR for best street food in the WORLD!
With 400+ mobile street carts scattered around neighborhoods and popular downtown streets, these carts have full menus and unique style. Some foodie carts are stationary, when others are on wheels selling everything from Korean tacos to Carolina-style barbecue. Portland streets are the new mecca of mobile meals.

Check out http://www.foodcartsportland.com/ for a practical guide where to find funky food carts in Portland and what to eat when you get there. They also have a map of carts all around town and write mini review posts regularly about feautured carts with menus, hours, and directions!

Thumbs up to these guys rockin’ up good food all year round, especially when its 90+ degrees outside! With high Portland temps in August, it is at least 20 degrees warmer in the carts!

Here are a few of my favorites:

The Grilled Cheese Grill (gourmet grilled cheese for grown-ups & kids)

Sugar Cube (desserts,drinks,cupcakes)

Garden State (Italian street food in the Northwest)

Grass Countertop Drying Rack

Samantha — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 21:49:36 +0000

This grass inspired drying rack made by Boon Inc. makes child tableware and plastics easy to dry in a sanitary way. The rack is a two piece set made to be set next the sink, it can be easily taken a part to be cleaned or thrown in the dishwasher. The flexible grass blades are specially made for products to air dry. Great for bottles, pacifiers, toys, and other lightweight items.

Other cool facts about the Grass Countertop Drying Rack

It’s BPA Free
PVC Free
Phthalate Free

10% of profits are donated to Children’s Charities!

Price: $20.00 from Boon

$17.49 from Amazon

July in Portland

Samantha — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 15:00:03 +0000

Portland has seen summer! It took a while with the sun hiding and temps mellowing in the 60’s, but last week we got our first taste of summer quite brutally with highs of 99! I loved it…until it was time to sleep then not so much. Thank goodness for fans.

Here is what I have been up to so far this summer…

Playing around with sparklers! We set the camera to a S L O W shutter speed, this is my version of TwoHearts!

We got this wooden flag this year at Ross! Under $10

4th of July Nails! I did them myself

cool flower display at my local grocery store!

Ft.Vancouver Fireworks, known to be the Best Fireworks show in the West

Beautiful basket I put together this year, I just grabbed a few things in the hanging basket isle and this is what came out.

Found this at the Dollar Store! They sell bigger versions on TV (two thumbs up for my nails designs!)

Mini Plant Genie

Summer Lasagna Skillet

Samantha — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 15:00:08 +0000

I love Lasagna but in the summer I never want to make it because by turning on the over it just heats up the house when its already too hot! I found this awesome recipe on Sisters Stuff blog on how to make this italian favorite all in one skillet on the stove! Genius!

Thanks ladies for the yummy post

Visit their blog for the FULL recipe! {HERE}

Crafty Wood Plaque

Samantha — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 15:00:29 +0000

This weekend I got crafty! I had a stack of wood plaques I picked up at the dollar store last year in hopes of turning them into something cute, so today I pulled one out along with paint and other odds and ends. My inspiration was to create something for my good friend Ashley.
Ashley and I take turns making handmade stuff for eachother, she has made me a knitted hats and dishcloths, cards, cookies, necklaces, and now it’s my turn to surprise her!

Here is what I came up with…

Supplies Used:

1 wood plauqe form the dollar store

2 different ribbons from 1$ section at Craft Warehouse

Scrapbook papers

Lime green acrylic paint $1 Craft Warehouse

Modge Podge

Embellishment Glue, used to glue onto wood

Tacky Glue

Paintbrush

3D stickers from Target

Colorful buttons

Aqua colored rheinstones from $1 section at Craft Warehouse

Chipboard letter shapes

Star pin from CraftWarehouse (came in a set with stars & hearts)

Sentiment “friends make life blossom” printed at home using fonts for peas from Kevinandamanda.com

[click on the image to see larger]

Sephora’s Perfect Summer Pony

Samantha — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 18:55:20 +0000

Warm Summer months has many of us with long hair in ponytails. Layered hair is popular and common for long and short ends which can make it difficult to pull all hair up and out of the way. Frizzy, frazzled ends that are highlighted, sunroof top down frayed, and pool water drenched doesn’t help to smooth into a sophisticated pony.

Sephora beauty has caught on to the modern girl’s summer dilemma and created a product called HerCut.

HerCut is a ponytail emollient styling lotion that smoothes and controls straight or wavy strands to create the perfect ponytail! I have NOT personally tried this, but sounds interesting and worth a try.

Not only does HerCut have styling lotion product for the perfect summer pony, they have a whole line of conditioners, and other balms for every type of haircut including the bob, the shag, the pixie, and more!

ONLINE FREEBIE: Be the first to try HerCut’s new Ponytail Styling Lotion—FREE with any Sephora online purchase. Enter PONYTAIL at checkout, choose either Straight or Curly formula, and create the sleekest, swingy-est ponytail, ever.

Check out the HerCut line at Sephora {HERE}