Summer has arrived!

Those days when you can have all the windows open seem to always boil down to a brief, fleeting moment. In no time flat the weather switches and that breeze comes to a halt and the air thickens. Now we've got the AC going in one room and we'll be sure to fire up the other one soon. But for that mini moment it was great. And we get so so much light in our place I just had to take a pic of a tiny corner of our tiny apartment. We took a drive the other day and this little antique shop that is never ever open when we pass it was finally open. The guy had great stuff. I scored that top itty bitty cream jewelry box for 2.00! :)

I found this 30 day Photo Fun Challenge on Pinterest. It's hosted by White Peach Photography. I never did one before. Probably because I wasn't sure I could actually do it. I didn't want to slack or miss days. But this time I'm gonna challenge myself. It's just the nudge I need. To blog daily...to see the little things...like really see them...and document them...share them. And each prompt is certainly open to interpretation. I'm excited to do it and hope a ton of people will join me. Let's have fun with this! Who is gonna party with me? Join the flickr group!!

So Day 1 already proved to be a challenge. Our water heater sprung a leak...then there was a HUGE gas leak. The guy from the gas company came and his meter was reading off the charts. He shut off the gas but he said we should stay out of the house for the rest of the day. So, after finally getting back in the house...no hot water...oh wait, NO WATER at all. So the above photo was taken ON THE MORNING AFTER the day that I spent roaming up and down the street for hours with the dogs waiting for the gas man...so day old limp, sticky hair, old hair spray, and bedhead...just dying for a cool shower. And I had to pull through...I couldn't miss DAY 1.
The scar above my eye brow is from a bike fall at 6 yrs old. It was mid July... super duper hot...and it was my first ride with the training wheels off. My poor Uncle Ron was supervising me, and there I am...riding for mere seconds and I go right down...tons of blood...probably looked like my whole eyebrow came off. He had to bring me back inside to my parents looking like that! I remember being so reluctant to the doctors, the stitches, the whole thing... they had to wrap me in a papoose...aka: straight jacket.

Working on a big batch of these candy colored cuties! We listed this one the other night and it was grabbed up within minutes. I'm so happy to see that so many of our online friends are looking to add some vintage inspired signage to their homes and shops!

Wood signs are what we started with...waaaay back! Inspired by vintage Boardwalk signage, old fashioned bakeries...etc. Back when hand painted was the ONLY option.
This "cupcakes" sign is on a very old board that we picked up somewhere in our travels and we immediately sketched this design out once we got it home. With carnival like letters in aqua, turquoise, & a thin outline of red...set against a well worn pale pink...this is the perfect piece for your sweetest room at home or shop. Excellent size for over a door or window...or stove.

Lots more of these to come in all different shapes, sizes and designs! Really, we've got so so many designs sketched out...just gotta squeeze them into our schedule.

Ok, I'll be back tomorrow. Please join the 30 day photo challenge...it will be fun and motivational.

xoxo, Jenny

Happy Memorial Day!...and a SALE!

Well the Summer has officially begun and I've always found it so fitting that we start with a day that memorializes those that fought for freedom. Because Summer is such a physical embodiment of freedom. Being out in the sun and air...swimming in the ocean or pool...shedding those winter layers of clothes (and chub hopefully!)...riding bikes...gardening...sunbathing (spf 30 please!! listen to me...my sis is an esthetician!). It's our Patriotic duty to feel free to go out and have a blast!
I feel blessed to be in New Jersey, where we seem to get a fair share of every season (though lately, winter has been overstaying her welcome!)...we get a fantastic fall...and ok, I'll admit, a brief spring...but we seem to get just the right amount of Summer down here at the Shore where it's about 10 degrees cooler due to our proximity to the ocean. Anyway...you've heard me rave plenty about the boardwalks and such! I'm just trying to say Happy Summer to all!!

I always think of my Dad on this weekend because to him it's so much more than a time to BBQ. Being a Vietnam vet he of course lost so many friends who were side by side with him in the worst of times. Above is a pic of him during that time...and to think that he was much younger than my littlest bro Walty is right now...it's just so crazy that mere tots go to places we could never fathom.
Below is a pic of my Dad in 2009 at the NJ Vietnam Memorial where he received some long overdue recognition to add to his 3 Purple Hearts.

Well, lastly I'd like to announce our Memorial Day Weekend sale...which we're extending til late Tuesday night. Purchase any 2 items and send us a message through paypal, or an email to let us know which 8" x 10" you'd like for free! Down the bottom is our newly listed Patriotic Cupcakes...that's a good suggestion for ya!
Ok...once again...Happy Summer and all our best to you and yours! Get out there and have some fun! xoxo, Jenny

Click HERE to shop!

Gilded Sweetness

The weather is absolutely amazing here at the Jersey Shore...all the windows are open...and we're gilding everything that's sweet! Just wanted to pop in and give you guys a peek at what we're up to in the studio. Taking classic bakery sweets and dressing them up in frilly, fancy, handpainted faux frames. As artists our roots are in antiques restoration so we love any chance to mix equal parts of our two worlds.
I just love pastel tones set against baroque gilded frames...all scrolly and ornamental. I set about designing these pieces the same way I'd love to put a fashion collection together...pairing layers of pale pink, cream & aqua cotton & linen with over-the-top gold bamboo earrings...etc...

photos found on Pinterest.

So this is what's been going on the past couple of days. We'll expand on this collection a bit more...but the big wooden signs seem to be calling for us. We've got all of these sketches of big vintage style boardwalk, lemonade, cakes, cupcakes, ice cream etc...And just hearing the seagulls and smelling the ocean is so so inspiring! So those will be coming real soon.
I hope everyone has a great Holiday weekend! Back soon! xoxo, Jenny

Let it ride!

May is a busy month...in general, and for me specifically. On the 9th me and Aaron celebrated our 18th anniversary ( holy cow right!? ) & on the 10th we celebrated my littlest bro Walt's 21st bday. And for little Walty we went all out! My sister Missy booked a room at the Borgata in Atlantic City and we roved the casinos into the wee hours. It was funny to see every dealer's eyes light up when they checked Walt's ID...that he was 21 on the dot...that day! We kept asking if he get's complimentary chips for his bday and they'd just laugh at us. We're kinda a funny crew for partying all night in Atlantic City...because none of us drink. When the cocktail waitresses came around we just kept ordering sodas & coffees. And boy oh boy...I myself am soo not a gambler...I see each dollar lost as a possible dollar spent on etsy or on cool art supplies. I swear...I "cash out" once I see 5.00 or 10.00 gone! My sis on the other hand likes roulette and blackjack. And she does pretty well! Walt, on his virgin voyage into the world of gambling, went a little nuts at the roulette table...sliding big stacks on Black again and again (yelling "let it ride") ...and those stacks would grow....but you know how it goes...in the end he was empty handed! It was a lot of fun though....we even got room 21 for his bday!
I'm sorry if I'm straying from my usual subject matter here...but you'll see very soon that I'm headed back into very familiar Jenny Holiday territory. And that of course is FOOD! Down in AC we started the evening off at White House Subs. This place has been there forever and the walls are lined with photos of every celeb you can think of...they even have a towel hanging up that Sinatra wiped the sweat from his brow with on stage! And I believe White House subs were the first experience The Beatles had with a sub sandwich. The subs and burgers are so so good! AND this is so cool...New York Magazine's food blog just published an article of the 50 food treks worth taking this summer...(one for each state)...and for New Jersey they selected White House...and used MY PHOTO in their article! So Cool! (they even linked to my blog!)
So yeah, after getting fueled at White House we hit the casinos and then strolled the boardwalk at night....going from casino to casino. The candy colored facades and big pin up girls were so fun to see. And just the huge over the top themed casinos...inside and out, are sensory overload to the max.
And what do you do when your visual and audio senses get overloaded?....You got to Fatburger at 3 am! And then you play more roulette...and then bed.
But the party wasn't over...The next day was the Deftones show. You wouldnt think that this vintage kitchen loving, cupcake painting gal would be into these guys...but yep...LOVE them to bits! The sold out tickets were a surprise from Missy! Cause she's so cool like that.




What an Amazing whirlwind few days.

So it's sorta Missy's fault for making us party so hard that we've got lots of work to catch up on. packing orders...working on new paintings. We've got so so much new stuff that we are on the verge of launching. I feel like I've been saying it for more than a month...but very soon we'll have the stuff available. We like to work on a ton of stuff at once, sorta like a collection. So there will be lot's to come. But right now we are so psyched about the first piece in our newest collection. We're painting cakes...and we're painting faux Gilded frames around them. So the image you see at the top of the blog is one painting...the frame is part of the painting. And we're mounting them on 11 x 14 wood plaques, and then we paint the edges gold...so it looks like a framed painting on your wall. We love the fancy and sweet juxtaposition. And there are more to come! Some aqua...some polka dots...some cupcakes! everybody has been asking for ready to hang wood signs...so here they are.

The inspiration for the faux gilded frame came when we framed our large cupcakes print and temporarily hung it in our kitchen...just to take a pic before delivering it to a new local bakery... ( which I'll blog all about real soon! )

Also, after many requests for wood signs we brought back our large menu board...which we are honored to say hangs in Back in the Day Bakery in Savannah GA !
Alright, so so sorry that this post came after such a long absence. I will super duper try to post much more frequently. We've got so much eye candy waiting in the wings that I just can't wait to share!
xoxo, Jenny

Wishing you a very...

To all of you Awesome Moms...Enjoy your special day!!
(Mom's of fur babies as well!)
xoxo Jenny

Spring has Sprung!

Could it really be? Has spring sprung? Between the spots of rain it seems like every other day is perfect here in NJ....flowers sprouting...greenery growing....blue skies with crisp white clouds.


Though I may be guilty of having windows open prematurely. I just love the sun shining through the creamy white dotted curtains, blowing slightly in the breeze. Sure, I always end up chilly but I'd rather wear a hoodie around the house than to give up that lil bit of happy. It almost becomes an aesthetic to me...like a vase of flowers, or a spring time table scape. We NEED that wind blown curtain as a back drop to our springtime crafting, and baking, and dreaming... anyone agree? ;)


Lots of outdoor events happening around town. Town wide yard sales, and sidewalk sales, vintage car shows... even the big garbage pick up! Which..we looove!! The other day we scored a suuuper cute shelf for the kitchen. We had been looking for something just like it. It was painted a crazy cobalt blue, but we knew it would be creamy white by bedtime! :) It was funny to be going street after street like a grid with 2 other pickers on our tail. Would they beat us to the next reclaimed treasure?





Speaking of car shows, Our town hosted a Vintage British Car show. I must tell you that our town is a seaside town and that most of the homes are strictly summer, we have about 200 registered voters. So the turnout to these sort of things is light but everyone who does attend is psyched to have it going on right down the street...the entire town is just a few blocks wide. So at the car show (which was right across the street from our local antiques center) had a line up of some of the coolest James Bond-y type wheels...circa Sean Connery.





And to accompany the vintage cars they booked an early Beatles/early Rolling Stones cover band, which Aaron and I are guessing were 2 dads and their sons? They were set up outside of the Antique Center.


Another recent fun filled day was spent at Greetings From Geralyn, in Asbury Park. Geralyn is seriously one of the nicest gals we know. Me and Aar instantly felt like we knew her forever...I'm thinking she has that effect on everyone. Her store name couldn't be more apropos...she's a huge BRUCE fan and she's in Asbury. Her and husband and kids are really close and they make everything a family affair. She had an ATC party to celebrate her move across town to the legendary Convention Hall, which is right on the Atlantic Ocean in Asbury Park. Geralyn's husband creates all kinds of super cool household items and gifts from vintage vinyl records!



The ATC party was at the now former shop. A handful of jersey girls, and Aaron collaging all afternoon. My sis even came! She made some of the most hilarious ATC's ever. To say that they made no sense is an understatement. They were GREAT! I just Laughed out loud as I typed that. Aaron's were so so cute. I myself have no idea how everyone completed all of their cards. I never realized that I was so slow nor so bad under pressure...haha.







We just listed some super sweet garlands in the shop..... 2 styles to choose from. Perfect hanging across a window, or a favorite kitchen cupboard or shelf, your little one's headboard, or above a bakery case!

Lots of things are in the works...not enough hours in the day. And I still have some recent adventures to blog so expect me back very soon. Happy Mother's Day weekend!!
xoxo, Jenny