The joy of gardening…
from nurturing tiny seedlings at spring time, to caring for them throughout the summer, then finally reaping the harvest of fresh vine-ripened tomatoes. They are juicy, sweet, delicious, and full of fiber, vitamin C and vitamin A.
Not everyone lives near the beach, but one can always bring a little bit of it into their home. These beach accessories and treats are some of my favorite things I’m currently enjoying and using in my home.
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1. Bring out decorative bright napkins {by Caspari } printed with coral, shells and starfish will put a little beach feel to a lunch or dinner. It’s available at many specialty retail stores, grocery stores and online store such as Paper Style.
2. Pewter shell/coral hors d’ oeuvre forks are great as a multipurpose picker-upper for cheese, shrimp, crab, veggies, fruits, and other yummy goodies. I purchased it at a local specialty store, hedge & vine. Here’s a link to an online store currently carrying these forks, The Bowl Company.
3. My new favorite candle scent is ocean by Linnea’s Lights. The scent is a soft ocean breeze, with a subtle hint of fresh citrus. It’s a nice addition to any room in the house.
4. Printable vintage coral print from the Zoological Society of London {1895}. To print a copy, click here.
5. Try a sailboat craft project made from driftwood. Click here for the tutorial.
6. A bowl of fun chocolate beach pebbles to snack on by Sunflower Food Company.
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posted by Kay
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I’ve been wanting to make driftwood sailboats for quite some time and finally I did it this week … three of them. This craft project has been formulating in my mind for awhile. I’ve combined bits and pieces of ideas from other driftwood sailboats I’ve seen in magazines, Pinterest, and at some retail stores to make these. The two steps during the process that took the most time and tested my patience were working with tiny eyelets and eyelet screws. Do not skip these steps because they gave the sailboats a clean finish. Last thing, there will be no sewing involve in this project.
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The driftwood I used were collected during our recent family trip to the beach at Seabrook, Washington, click here to read more.
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Puff pastry is the ingredient that makes the simple and/or ordinary dishes, such as ham and cheese sandwiches, a little more special. It’s a light, buttery, and flaky dough used in making croissants, palmiers, turnovers, beef Wellington, and tarts. It is also known as Pâté feuilletée, in France. Puff pastry is readily available in the frozen section at the grocery store and specialty stores. The three main brands I’ve used are Dufour, Trader Joe’s, and Pepperidge Farm. I like to keep puff pastry on hand in the freezer for whenever it is needed.
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It was a busy Sunday morning at my house preparing for brunch with friends after church. I decided to assemble the puff pastry sandwiches first thing in the morning, and have them ready in the refrigerator to be baked later in the afternoon. All that was needed when I got back home was to give them a quick brush of egg wash over the top and placed into the oven to bake.
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Mixed greens and strawberries drizzled with tangy-sweet homemade balsamic vinaigrette make for an ideal fresh and light summer salad. This is a nice side dish to accompany almost any entree {chicken, beef, pork, and salmon}.
