Beach Theme Laundry Room

As some may know, we moved into our new home just a few months ago so this will be our first Summer here at Spottswood Place.  Because the back yard patio and pool are just outside the laundry room, I wanted to give a "Beach" theme to our laundry room.  My hubby, grandma and guests will walk through the laundry room into the bathroom to change from their wet bathing suits into some dry clothes, I thought giving the laundry room a beach theme was a brilliant idea if I may say so myself.

I start out to show you my laundry room.  Since I was off of work this whole past week, this was one of my projects.  I started out by giving the laundry room a new color.  It was an eggshell color and now has a sandy brown tone.  My laundry room is off the kitchen.

Opposite view from last picture.  This is a fairly good size laundry room but it does have 4 doors.  One leads into the kitchen, another to the back patio/pool, another one to the garage and the last one into a bathroom.  There's still plenty of room for the washer and dryer.

This is the view of the outdoors as I stand in front of the washer & dryer.

This is the wall I'm going to decorate today (please excuse my laundry loads)

The wall I want to decorate is to the right.  That door there leads into the bathroom as my back is to the outdoors.

I plan to build a two-shelf unit above the washer and dryer but not today.

My daughter Elise's idea, I bought this box of 3 mason jars with a twisted metal handle for only $7.99 at Kirklands.  When we visited Pottery Barn an hour later, they were selling the jars individually for $7.99!!  Yay for Kirklands!!

The shells and sand I bought at Hobby Lobby.

So simple, I poured the sand in all three jars and threw in a couple of shells in each.  How good does that look?

Top view of one jar

and here they all are.  Aren't they adorable?

I bought these pictures at Kirklands.  Perfect for my beach theme project!!

I also included the best picture of all, a recent picture of my grandson.  His parents took him to VA Beach a couple of weekends ago and his mom is quite the photographer.  Isn't it perfect?  Anyway, I laid out the pictures on the floor, the way I wanted to lay them out on the wall.

From the floor to the wall with a fishnet

I could stare at this picture all day!

I moved the laundry soap and other junk off this shelf and put my beach jars on there, don't they look fantastic?

I also plan to add a lighthouse and some starfish as well as paint the bathroom a very light, soft sky blue and give it a nautical theme.   Can't wait!!!  A lot of the stores that we went shopping too had a great variety of beach theme and nautical decorations. Must be the thing this year and I am thrilled!!  This whole project including the wall paint cost around $75.00  ~isavortheweekend

I partied at:

Hershey Chocolate Mousse Pie

by Elise thanks to friend, Tabitha

• 1 (7 ounce) bar milk chocolate candy or 7 ounces chocolate chips. 
• 1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows 
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1 (9 inch) graham cracker crust, or chocolate crumb crust or pastry shell, baked 
• Topping: 1 Hershey’s candy bar broken into pieces

Directions:
1. In a heavy saucepan, heat the candy bar (white chocolate and chocolate chips), marshmallows(or fluff) and milk over low heat until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth, stirring constantly. 
2. Cool until it reaches about room temperature. 
3. Beat heavy whipping cream until soft peaks form. Fold in whipped cream to chocolate mixture; pour into crust. Top with Hershey bar if desired. 
4. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours and refrigerate leftovers.

Elise made two pies for her co-workers at TSA.  She said someone at work kept taking the chocolate candy out, but can you blame them??!  They're just sitting in that chocolatey mousse screaming "take me, take me".   She didn't take pictures as she made it but at least she took pictures of the end results which were by the way - deeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelicious!!!  Don't you wish you had an Elise at home ?  :)  ~isavortheweekend

Creamy Tomato Soup and a Sub Sandwich

2 cans tomato soup (I used Campbell's plain and Tomato Bisque)
1 can Hunt's roasted tomatoes
1/2 heavy cream
1/4 cup fresh basil
1 tbsp. fresh oregano
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
Fresh ground pepper for flavor
1 12" New York Club Sub, cut in thirds or half

In a medium size pot combine the cream, tomato soups, roasted tomatoes over medium heat.

With an immersion blender (a birthday gift from my daughter-in-love and son), blend tomato mixture until completely blended.

Then add the shredded parmesan cheese and blend in.  Sprinkle with pepper.  No salt is needed as it's salty enough - trust me, it is salty enough - and I love salt.  Simmer for 5 minutes.

Serve and enjoy

I'm on vacation.  Taking time off of work.  Enjoying being home.  Yesterday (Thursday) was my first day off and I spent it all day with my awesome, jolly 9 1/2 month old grandson :)  This morning, my mother-in-law (MIL) and I went to buy groceries and since I didn't have anything to eat before I left - not even my coffee!, I was starving by the time we got home.  While at the grocery store, I decided that I would make a soup and sandwich for lunch as I knew it would not only be quick and easy but delicious.  I bought two kinds of their 12" long sub sandwiches from their deli section making my lunch fixin's so much easier.  For the last couple of months, I've gone to Panera Bread a couple of times and each time, I bought their Creamy Tomato Soup and Turkey Sandwich on Foccocia bread.  The first time I had it I was smitten!  It was SOOO good and knew I had to learn to make it myself.  My attempt today would probably be graded a B-.  It was good and very satisfying but the tomato soup, if you can believe it or not, was not tomato-ee enough.  I'm convinced it's because I used canned soups - Campbells brand :\  So next time, I'm going to try to make it from real tomatoes, I may even try buying some grape tomatoes and try roasting them myself.  I didn't add salt at all and I'm notorious, just like the tv chefs in adding my kosher salt but unfortunately sometimes too much :\  but this recipe does not need it, it had plenty from the canned soups.  All in all, it was still a very satisfying, tasty, quick lunch big enough to be our "large" meal for the day, so I'm free tonight - I don't have to cook :)  ~isavortheweekend

Scrumptious Strawberry Shortcake

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup white sugar

4 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 cup butter

2/3 cup heavy cream

1 egg, beaten

3 cups sliced fresh strawberries

3 tablespoons white sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

In a large bowl, mix flour, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder and cream of tartar. Cut in butter with pastry blender or two knives. Stir in cream and egg. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead 2 minutes. Press into a half-inch thick sheet. Cut into squares. Place on baking sheets.

Bake in preheated oven 20 minutes, or until golden. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons sugar over sliced berries.

Let shortcakes cool before splitting and filling with sugared berries

I came home today to a scrumptious homemade lasagna meal followed by this scrumptious dessert thanks to our daughter, Elise.  The lasagna was awesome, so delicious.  The strawberry shortcake was a great treat.  It's strawberry season so it's normal to be in the mood to eat strawberries. mmmm-mmmmm! scrumptious!! Thanks Lisee!  ~isavortheweekend

Chicken Spaghetti - Mexican style

by Pioneer Woman


1 cut-up fryer chicken (or 3 chicken breasts)
1 16 oz. spaghetti
1/2 green pepper, diced

1 4oz. jar diced pimientos, drained

1 small onion, diced

2 cans cream of mushroom
2 1/2 cups fresh cheddar cheese, grated
1 tsp. seasoned salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1/8 to 1/4 tsp. tsp. cayenne pepper to taste
1 tsp. cumin (my addition)

Add chicken to a stock pot.  Cover with water and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the chicken is cooked, about 25 minutes.  Remove from water and set aside to cool.  Save broth but remove two cups of broth from the pot and set aside as well.

Break the spaghetti into 2 inch pieces

Bring the remaining broth back to a boil and add the spaghetti.  Cook it al dente.

Drain the spaghetti, discarding the cooking liquid.  Set aside in a large bowl.

With two forks (or your fingers) shred or cut the meat into bite-size chunks.

Dice green pepper, onions and tomatoes (I used  1/2 of a tomato since I didn't have any pimientos).

I couldn't resist but I had to saute the vegies even though the original recipe didn't say to.  I just don't like to bite into crunchy onions or green peppers.

Take both cans of cream of mushroom and dump them into the bowl of chicken

Add the 2 cups of cheese.  In my case I didn't have enough cheddar cheese but I had plenty of Cacique - Mexican cheese.  It was in a solid form so I shredded it along the cheddar cheese.  Oh by the way, speaking of shredding cheese, I am starting to shred my own cheese.  I read it from one of my fav chefs cookbooks that freshly shredded cheese is SOOOO much better than store bought already shredded cheese.  Obviously it's fresher, thicker and creamier and oh so cheesier!  They also say it's cheaper.

Then add the onion, green peppers and pimientos (or tomatoes in my case).  Add the seasoned salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper and cumin.  Take it easy on the cayenne if you can't handle the heat but if you can, then go for it!

Finally, add the chicken and broth.  stir together well, then taste to check the seasonings.  Pour mixture into a large baking dish and top with the remaining 1/2 cup cheddar cheese.  Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until bubbly.

Let set for about 5 minutes.  Serve warm and enjoy!

This was a nice treat over the weekend.  I needed to cook my chicken but wasn't in the mood for it to be fried nor baked.  When I looked through Pioneer Womans cookbook this recipe jumped out at me not only because it looked good but because I had most of the ingredients.  I said most and not all.  Instead of pimientos I added fresh tomatoes.  I didn't have enough cheddar cheese but enough of Cacique cheese to make up for it so since it started to take on a Mexican style dish, I decided to add cumin.  Mixed with all the other ingredients it turned out very well.  Hubby and grandma enjoyed it as well.

It was Mother's Day weekend, we had gorgeous beautiful weather and ideal temperatures, I enjoyed working out in my garden without being bothered by too many mosquitos or gnats.  We just moved into our this home about 5 months ago so now that Spring is here, weeds are growing just as much as everything else, so weeding is keeping my muscles and my back sore but you know what?  It's all worth it.  At the end of the day, it's nice to relax by the pool and enjoy the beauty around me.  

View from our swing in the backyard

View a little to the left from the above picture

View from my kitchen window as I get started on my Mexican Chicken Spaghetti :)

Spring Planting and Pool

I'm not a gardener, I do not have a green thumb but instead a brown thumb but I, like most everyone, love flowers, love all kinds of plants in and around my house.  I am very fortunate though to live with someone who does have a green thumb (my mother-in-law - MIL) and I go as far as to say that everything she touches, turns to ........green.  I joke around with her to please go around all my plants and flowers and just give them a gentle touch and that will insure a full healthy life with plenty of new growth and many blossoms to come :)

This is what I've planted so far . . . . .

Silhouette Pink Double Impatiens and Nonstop Fire Tuberous Begonia

I have these on my patio, in the shade.

My "twin" geraniums located out by the front entrance to our house

Purple Petunias

My MIL planted these beautiful purple Petunias by the front of the house, just below the living room picture window

Miniature Rose Bush

MIL's transplanted rose bush.  She brought from her apt. where she lived before.  I took this picture a week ago and it now has one beautiful red rose blossom.

Geranium

My MIL's geranium plant and I believe this one is also a transplant.  This geranium is planted some where near the rose and the petunias she planted.

Tulips and Hyacinth
I planted these Tulips and Hyacinth plants in the front of the house, just below the sunroom windows.  These were my indoor Easter plants but once Easter was over, I decided to transfer them into the ground.  I listened to Martha Stewart on her radio show the other day and she said she never had any good luck in transplanting these forced bulb plants from the pot to the ground so I'm a little worried if these are going to survive or not.  I mean if MS can't do it then who can?  I'll make sure my MIL touches & "blesses" them. :) and pray they multiply for next year since they are perennials.  I LOVE perennials.  

Gerbera

I have these two Gerbera plants on our table on the patio.

Herbs

The start of my new herb row.  I still need to find a nice pot for my Rosemary though.

Herb row continues

Don't ask me why I have so many Oregano plants, I couldn't tell you.

Purple Pansies

I could have my lawn filled with these, I love them so.

Blue Star Creeper - 
the perfect ground cover- I still can't find where I want to put it, so it stays in its pot until then.

Parsley

Two kinds of Parsley - flat leaf and curly

Sorry, I can't remember what these are named but they look like some kind of a daisy.  We have yet to buy some mulch but soon and very soon we will.

Clover
Just below the "Daisies" I transplanted this green Clover from the pot.  I bought the pot just before St. Patrick's Day and since it's been doing so well, I just figured I'd try to transplant it to see how it does.  It's been in the ground for almost two weeks and it's still going strong.

Creeping Phlox

This is one of my favorite plants in this area.  It's a perennial so not only does it return every year, it spreads. It's a ground cover and I can't wait to see what it looks like in a couple of years.  This picture makes the blossoms look much bigger than they appear.  They're normally the size of my thumbnail but when bunched together with many more, this plant is a perfect Spring decorative plant.  I have these planted on each corner wall by the pool.

Marigolds

MIL planted these Marigolds next to the gazebo by the pool.

Once again, I don't know what kind these are.  I just saw them and fell in love them and had to bring them home.  Hubby had not taken the top off the pool yet until just a couple of days ago but not when I took this picture.

Japanese Maple

This bush is in the patio by the pool, a very beautiful bush and as I do some research on it, it will turn green for the Summer and then a vibrant reddish/orangey color in the Fall.  I will make sure to take pictures of it as it changes color.

Sweet Violet
I still have them in the pots and need to find a spot for them.  I bought two pots and I believe they're supposed to bloom all Summer long.

Hubby opened the pool this past week.  He all of sudden had the itching to open it since we had a nice week of warm weather and sunshine.  

With this being our first Spring and first Summer here, I'm excited to see what plants and bushes are already here but I'm equally excited about doing our own planting and gardening and beautifying Spottswood Place. 

Happy Spring. . . . . Summer is just around the corner ~isavortheweekend