Almond Joy Bars

So I was a little skeptical after tasting the "almond candy" portion of the bar. But the whole thing together? YUM. I think these taste great as a frozen treat, so I keep mine in the freezer. You can also keep them in the fridge or at room temperature. Your choice!

What you'll need:
1 1/2 cups shredded unsweetened coconut
1/4 cup coconut oil, solid + 1 tsp
2 tbsp maple syrup
1/2 cup chocolate chips
Almonds, chopped or slivers

What you do:
1. Combine the coconut, 1/4 cup coconut oil and maple syrup in a food processor. Blend until smooth, about 2 minutes.
2. Line a 9"x5" baking dish with wax paper. I didn't do this and it was a serious pain in the butt to get them out!
3. Pour the coconut mixture in the pan and pat down with a rubber spatula.
4. Freeze for 20 minutes.
5. A few minutes before you take the bars out, heat the chocolate chips and 1 tsp of coconut oil in the microwave. To make sure you don't burn the chocolate, heat for 20 seconds, then stir. Repeat until completely melted.
6. Remove the bars from the freeze and cut into 1"-2" sized pieces. Dip one side of the bar into the chocolate and place (chocolate-side up) onto a plate. Repeat until all of the bars are coated and place back into the freezer for 5 minutes, or until the chocolate is hardened.
7. Place the remaining chocolate into a plastic baggie, cutting one of the corners to create a piping bag (or use a piping bag if you're fancy like that ;). Remove the bars and drizzle the chocolate on top. Sprinkle almonds on the melted chocolate and drizzle a little more chocolate.

Beet Hummus

Totally digging this new hummus recipe. And thinking I may need to grow my own beets next summer!

What you'll need:
1 small beet
2 cloves garlic
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons tahini
1/3 cup olive oil
Pepper and salt, to taste

What you'll do:
1. Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees. Line a glass baking dish with tin foil.

2. Wash beet and trim the leaves and stem. Place in the baking dish and cover with foil. I baked several beets at the same time and it took approximately 65 minutes. You'll know when the beets are cooked because a fork will easily slide through the center.

3. Remove the beets from oven and let cool 10 minutes.

4. Peel the skin from the beet and chop into chunks. Place all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.

Beet Latte

You really have to love beets to drink a whole glass of this. But I do. And I did. 

And it's definitely A LOT of work for a non-caffeinated beverage.

What you need:

1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 tbsp honey
1 medium beet, peeled
1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

What you do:
1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Wrap beet in foil and roast for 30-40 minutes, or until easily pricked with a fork.
2. Blend together all ingredients.
3. Transfer to a pot on the stove and bring to a boil. Using a mesh strainer, pour the mixture into a cup.

4. Sprinkle with foamed milk and/or cinnamon and enjoy!

Overnight Oats

I made the big, bad mistake of buying unflavored protein powder. I have been purchasing the vanilla flavor for months and I really enjoy it. So why the switch? A sale.

Damn sales.

Anyway, I've been trying to get through it. I decided I'd try to use it in some recipes, including overnight oats. But gauged on the overwhelming response that the recipe is amazing - the powder sucks.

Regardless, I powered through two batches and look forward to trying the recipe again - with flavored protein!

What you need:
2/3 cup rolled oats
2 tbsp peanut butter (I used PB2)
4 tsp chia seeds
2 tsp maple syrup
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 scoop protein powder
1 banana, sliced

What you do:
1. Combine everything in a bowl.
2. Split mixture into two mason jars or tupperware containers.
3. Let sit in the fridge overnight.

92 Days of Summer

Year Six. Good thing my best friend is having the wedding of a lifetime in the Canary Islands or my list would be seriously lame this year.

Aunt Eileen

I've been lucky enough to have been surrounded by strong women my whole life. I know I have mentioned this through several blogs before, but when I was younger I wasn't sure I really realized it. Probably because those women were protecting me from what exactly they needed to be determined of....

Regardless, my Aunt Eileen was definitely one of those women. She is the only living sister of my grandfather (the only living Great relative I have left) and is a mere 95 years old. After a very unpleasant first marriage my Aunt and her friend packed up a convertible and headed out west. Santa Monica is stopped, renting an apartment and securing a job at Santa Monica High School as an Art Teacher. It was there she met the real love of her life, Tom. They bought a remodeled a house just eight blocks from the Pacific Ocean. They traveled the world together, as apparent through her home's decor - and photography she took that adorns several walls and photo albums (she was a photographer for the US Navy's WAVES).

It wasn't until I was in high school that my relationship with her had started to blossom. When she heard of my interest in journalism and photography, she insisted I come live with her and work for the L.A. Times. Because in her mind I was just that good to land a job working at one of the best newspapers in the country. She would send me sections of the newspapers, or clippings of their photo stories. She would help a little each semester with $50 check to put toward books and cards of inspiration.

I didn't make my first visit to her house until 2009, but I've been incredibly fortunate to experience her spark, her stories, her love of life and generous hospitality several times since. She is remarkable in so many ways. Some days she recognizes who we are, but others we're just a pretty face that she'll constantly remind you of over and over. Either way, she hasn't lost that flair and quick wit that has always made her Aunt Eileen.

Monterey in 36 Hours

Before we had made our way down to Santa Monica, my West Coast True Love, Mike and I had both decided we would prefer to live in Monterey out of all the cities we had visited. For me, it would take a little getting used to the chilly weather, but the location on the water, the quant shops, proximity to all the parks, hiking and beaches AND the cutest of cutest houses I may have ever seen stole my heart.

We stayed at a small hotel in Pacific Grove, called Lover's Point Inn. Spacious rooms and views of The Point made it a great stopping point for a few days. We were in Big Sur within an hour, and (a surprise to Mike) at Pebble Beach Golf Course within 20 minutes. We stumbled upon the 17-mile drive, a gorgeous - and pretty - drive through Del Monte Forest.

For eats we hit up Hula's in Monterey, which I was convinced was too gimmicky for my taste. However, it ended up Happy Hour all night and we scored big with strong drinks and lots of appetizers to share.

Even though it was just by chance I picked this charming sea town to stop at, I will definitely be putting it back on the must-stop places in the future.

July Self Portrait

There was a birthday card my sister sent me more than a decade ago. On it was a photograph she had taken from one of her excursions out west, with these adorable yet bizarre-looking seals. The message inside said:

Have a wonderful day of your celebration of birth in your 19th year! Leave all your worries behind and eat lots of pie, but do not set any fires! ... Do not fret any longer, fretting only uses up time and produces only doubt. That is unproductive, and you are the most productive person I know. I want you to know that you are the sweetest, most beautiful person in my life. You've kept me going ofr 19 years! Keep confident and stay honest to yourself and you will always be brilliant, I can promise you that.

Obviously, my sister is pretty awesome. And of course the photo and message stuck with me. I immediately added Elephant Seal Rookery and Big Sur to my Bucket List and tucked the card away.

Now, twelve years later, I am checking those boxes and realizing the card couldn't be more true. For starters, we ran into an impressive forest fire that shut down several of the hikes and view points. I was, of course, bummed as the overlooks were covered with a dusty-orange plum of smoke and the entrance path to infamous McWay Waterfall was draped in closed caution tape.

But what could we do? Not fret. We powered through the thick haze and made our way to a gorgeous hike in Lime Kiln where we met several larger-than-life Redwood trees. We took in these eerie, once-in-a-lifetime views of the Pacific Coast Highway sprinkled with firefighters. Mike confidently drove us up, down and around, pausing at every chance to get just one more photo. And yes, we finally met our Elephant Seals, just like the ones on my sister's card.

The whole trip was nothing short of brilliant. We didn't over plan or exhaust ourselves trying to see every site. We embraced every moment, even the ones in a gum-filled alley.

Farm Wayfinding

One of many things I enjoy about working at a Zoo is designing exhibit signage. My first task was creating a comprehensive signage package for the Animal Wellness Campus, which included several large-scaled signs, infographics and wayfinding signals. In May, I was tasked with the ZooFarm which just received a major facelift in the Spring. All of the barns were repainted in bright child-friendly colors, several new animals were added and all of signage needed to be replaced. 

I had about two weeks to create the look, research the animals and photos, determine size, placement and get approval! Needless-to-say, it was quite the test. But, don't we really all work best under pressure (and crazy tight deadlines)? The ZooFarm looks brighter and prettier than ever (mainly thanks to our amazing Horticulture Department), so stop in and say hello– and meet our newest arrivals!

Vowchella: Summer of Love

The icing on the cake of designing the Fall/Winter issue of Vow Bride is creating the Launch Party Invitation. This issue I'm so extremely proud of the beautiful images, unique stories, elegant design and stunning collaboration of so many wonderful LOCAL businesses.

Wanna know what's really sad? I won't even be able to attend my own party! Flowy, showy and flower crowns is totally my jam!! But, I'll be happily jamming with one of my besties at her Portland wedding and road tripping down the West Coast so I can't be sad for too long.

Publishing books

Honeymoon by Ashley D. G. Mars | Make Your Own Book

We finally did it! Our Honeymoon book is written, designed and on it's way.

Just in time for our next big West Coast trip. Note to self, take better notes this time...

Bachelorette Party Invites

New to the design portfolio - Bachelorette Party Invites. Unfortunately I can't take credit for this adorable theme, but the designs are all mine! Best of all? I actually get to attend the party as well. Can't wait to celebrate this very special bride-to-be and see what other fun surprises the hostesses have in store.

Pimento Cheese

So far this has been the Summer of delicious homemade meals. From chicken caesar salads to Mediterranean mash up, I'm glad I added so many food items to this year's 92 Days of Summer list. My next foodie check mark was pimento cheese. I combined several different recipes I found online and am pretty stoked to add this to our dip lineup.

What you need:

8 oz. low fat cream cheese

8 oz. (one bag) shredded sharp cheddar cheese

3 tbsp. mayo

1 jar (4 oz.) diced pimentos, drained well

1/4 tsp garlic salt

1/2 tsp paprika

fresh cracked pepper to taste

What you do:

Mix everything in a bowl by hand and serve. 

Mediterranean Night

I'm a big dip person. It's a serious weakness, but a delicious one. With this said, naturally I have two 92 Days of Summer list items that are dips. For this Wednesday night, I tried an original tzatziki recipe that I'm so excited to add to my dip routine. And a falafel recipe that is simple and tasty as well. So, let's go!

What you need:
for the tzatziki (it's ideal to make this first)
1 cup greek yogurt
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cucumber
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp dill
for dipping: cucumbers, radishes, bell peppers, banana peppers, tomatoes...you name it.

for the falafel
1 cup fresh parsley
1 cup cilantro
1 cup almonds, peanuts and carrots (almonds are ideal, but I didn't have enough - or of peanuts either so I improvised)
1 can chick peas, drained and rinsed
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp olive oil, more for the pan
optional: sun-dried tomatoes and/or sesame seeds

What you do:
for the tzatziki 
1. Grate the cucumber and place into a mesh strainer. Lots of recipes suggest letting it strain overnight, even through a cheesecloth...but I did not. I used a mesh colander and was able to reduce enough liquid to my satisfaction.
2. In a bowl, combine the yogurt, garlic, garlic and olive oil. Mix well.
3. Chill in the fridge and add the dill right before serving.

for the falafel
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and spray your baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. In a food processor, combine the parsley, cilantro and almonds/peanuts/carrots (if you are using carrots, be sure to chop first or even run them through the processor first).
3. Add in the chickpeas and chop until smooth.
4. Pulse in the oil, flour, soda and garlic. Here is where you could add the sun-dried tomatoes or sesame seeds.
5. Roll into 1.5-2" balls and place on the baking sheet. You can either leave as balls or pat them down into patties. Either way, top with a little oil.

#51: Coldbrew

I can't believe how easy - and delicious this was. I'm excited I decided to tackle this list item so early in the Summer so I can enjoy iced coffees during the hot days ahead. The recipe I followed made a pretty small batch, so I would recommend doubling this amount, especially if you have more than one coffee drinker in the house.

What you need:
6 oz of coffee, ground coarse with a few whole beans
6 cups of water
a pitcher, mesh colanders, coffee filters
creamer or liquor is optional, but very welcomed

What you do:
1. Combine water and coffee in a pitcher. Cover and let sit on your counter for 24 hours.
2. Run through your mesh strainer a few times. I ran the brew through my clever drip once to really strain out the fine grounds.
3. Refrigerate until cold.
4. Fill a glass with ice, add coffee, a splash of water (if the taste is too strong) and your creamer of choice.

92 Days of Summer Returns

You know the drill, 92 Days of Summer from June 1 to August 31.

This may be my most interesting Summer yet!

Follow along here and on my Instagram or by using #92daysofsummer to track your own adventure.

Well, it proved to be yet another intensely busy Summer. However, when people ask me how my Summer was, or what I did, I seem to draw a blank. I guess this is my answer.

1. Tassel banners
2. New hair clips
3. Inspiration photos
4. Relax
5. FREEBIE: Tides Game
6. Pop Up Shop
7. Succulent Brooches
8. Terrarium kits
9. Stuffed pretzels
10. Hang with a babe
11. New 'do
12. Craft kits
13. Eat waffles
14. New hummus
15. Catalog gift bags
16. Organize
17. Celebrate a birthday
18. Outdoor lights
19. Wear a hat
20. Volunteer
21. Zekes Beans & Bowls
22. Fantasy Fest
23. New beer
24. The Plot
25. Cotton Candy
26. Floral headpiece
27. Wedding book
28. Walk a new hood
29. FREEBIE: Crabcakes
30. Italy photos
31. Send care package
32. Cocktail napkins
33. Help a friend
34. Write an article
35. Beach
36. VOW
37. Exercise
38. Toast
39. Cocktail sticks
40. Garlic plate
41. Bike rides
42. Smoothie
43. Play chess
44. Grill
45. Date night
46. Attend speaker
47. Homemade goldfish
48. Write newsletter
49. Golf
50. Drink Tinto with Emily
51. Kiss
52. Freelance
53. BFF time
54. Cutout cookies
55. Replant African Violet
56. Chrysler Museum
57. FREEBIE
58. Color
59. Lock on bridge
60. Library card
61. FREEBIE: Diner en Blanc
62. Bake a pie
63. Girls night
64. Invite friends for dinner
65. Hot dogs
66. Animal bust
67. Pet a dog
68. Selfie
69. Paint toenails
70. Crossword puzzle
71. Governor's School
72. Brewery
73. Drinks on a deck
74. Glass Gardens stamp
75. Photo shoot
76. Porch planters
77. Sandwiches
78. Flower cart
79. DIY Noise Makers
80. A to Z Norfolk
81. Write a love letter
82. Engagement book
83. Glass Gardens buttons
84. Go thrifting
85. Felt corsage
86. FREEBIE: National Donut Day
87. Finish old projects
88. Purge and donate
89. Dirt pudding
90. Drink more water
91. New glasses
92. Vermouth 

A Crafty Little Kit

It's funny how we (those who make a 92 days list every year) leave some of our items a little open-ended. This isn't exactly what I had in mind for Craft Kits, but hey, it works! I'm eager to make more of the cocktail napkins that came from a bed sheet (as so did the tassel banner). What a great way to cut back on fabric costs. I'm hoping to debut these Crafted Cocktail Kits at a Winter Market this December...details to come on that :)

DIY Noise Makers [here]

DIY Cocktail Sticks [here]

Paper straws from Table Seven and Manila Tags from Fairview Place

DIY Vintage Fabric Cocktail Napkins [here]

DIY Tassel Banner [here]

#1: Tassel Banners

#12: Craft Kits

#32: Cocktail Napkins

#39: Cocktail Sticks

#79: DIY Noise Makers

I'm participating in the 92 Days of Summer challenge. Click here to see my 92 To-Do's for this Summer - and to see the brave souls tackling their own lists!

Saying my Vows.

These last few months have been pretty surreal. I cannot begin to express my gratitude for the encouragement and love, the thoughtful messages, those of you who talked me off the ledge (and those of you who pushed me right up to it) and the select few who listened to me whine and praise the whole time. I love every single one of you.

The one and only Kim Wadsworth

While I have many amazing ventures at my fingertips, I feel like my biggest project to date has been the latest issue of Vow Bride magazine. In May, I was hired as the Art Director of the celebrated wedding publication and had no idea just what was in store for me. I've met so many wonderful people, including my editor, Kim Wadsworth. I received a couple new freelance clients, and became more engaged with current ones. My design and writing skills were tested (yes, I actually wrote for this issue).

The girls from Table Seven Antiques

Delicious desserts from Incredible Edibles

But most importantly, I got to play a very important role in supporting the neighborhood businesses of Hampton Roads. One thing I absolutely adore about Vow is how much it loves its community. As you're flipping through the pages, you can really see just how many phenomenal small and local businesses we are fortunate to have in this area. And, how much these florists, photographers, designers and other talents give back - for free a majority of the time!

If you haven't seen the Fall and Winter issue, please pick one up today...or head over to the online version.

John from Glass Gardens

#36: Vow Bride

#52: Freelance

#34: Write an article

#78: Flower Cart

I'm participating in the 92 Days of Summer challenge. Click here to see my 92 To-Do's for this Summer - and to see the brave souls tackling their own lists!

Mid-Summer Fantasy Fest

After such a pleasant surprise stumbling upon the Mid-Summer Fantasy Fest last year, we put it high on our weekend to-do list last weekend. Riding bikes to Town Point Park, we ended up making a date night of Friday. We even hit up two wedding favorites, the Marriott Bar and The Taproom.

#41: Bike Rides

#45: Date Night

#22: Fantasy Fest

I'm participating in the 92 Days of Summer challenge. Click here to see my 92 To-Do's for this Summer - and to see the brave souls tackling their own lists!