Winter Wonderland

1. Decking the halls with fresh pine

2. Christmas tree farm

3. Getting in the Christmas spirit

4. Christmas tree farm

5. Our first ever real Christmas tree 

6. Essential oil lavender with lemon glaze shortbread cookies

7. Wesley questions out Christmas decor

Essential Oil Lavender Shortbread Cookies with Lemon Glaze

Feel free to edit your oil options for this recipe as needed. Keep in mind not all oils are safe for consuming and some oils are stronger than others!

Lavender cookie:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

2 sticks (1 cup) of unsalted room temperature butter

1/2 cup powdered sugar

3 drops lavender essential oil (Young Living)

Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat. Whisk flour and salt in a medium size bowl and set aside. Using a hand held mixer, beat the butter until smooth then stir in sugar and beat for 2 minutes before adding the lavender oil. Stir in flour mixture until combined. Pat dough into ball and wrap in celephane to refrigerate for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Roll out dough on lightly floured surface into a 1/4 inch circle. Use a cookie cutter to cut out shapes of cookies and place on prepared baking sheet. Place in refrigerator for 15 minutes. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden. Cool on wire rack.

Lemon glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoons water

2 drops lemon essential oil (Young Living)

Mix ingredients in a bowl with a wire whisk. Drizzle over cooled cookies.

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DIY: Fresh Pine Tree Garland

Christmas decorating doesn't have to cost money or time. I whipped this garland up in about 20 minutes and it's not Christnas without the smell of pine!

Supplies:

- Several trim pieces from any type of pine tree.

- Scissors

- Twine

- Nails or tacks

Instructions:

1. Soak trim pieces in water so they stay fresh longer. The more time they soak the longer they will last.

2. Arrange trim pieces so they face the same direction and overlap slightly.

3. Cut 3 inch pieces of twine and tie trim pieces together.

4. Use small nails or tacks to hang garland by the twine pieces.

Make sure you do not hang your garland near a heater vent and never use your fireplace with garland hanging over it. The closer your garland is to a heat source, the quicker it will dry out. Be sure to spritz water on your garland occasionally to keep it fresh.

A Journey to Simplicity

We've been on a journey to simplicity over the last year. It used to feel as if we were carrying this heavy weight and we couldn't figure out what it was. Our home was made up of tangled cords from electronics we never used and more clothing and food storage containers than we knew what to do with. As soon as we started moving things to paint our walls white, we realized we didn't want to put things back. We found that the more we donated to Goodwill and threw away, the more of that weight was lifted. Less stuff means less to clean and more focus is put on the things we love that we could now display prominately. If you're wanting to move towards a more simplified life, here are some things to consider:

1. Start small

Begin with a small project like going through your sock drawer. Throw out socks with holes or no mate.

2. Closet clutter

Do you really need 20 belts and all that outdated costume jewelry?

Donate any clothing you have not worn in a year. If you are not sure if you can part with it, put it in a storage bin out of sight to give you time to decide (along with any sentimental clothing like wedding gowns). If you come upon it later and realize you didn't miss it, let it go.

Buy nice wooden hangers to display your clothing. Once organized, you will find getting ready in the morning quicker and less frustrating as you have simplified your choices.

3. Kind kitchen

Will you ever need that many mixing bowls? Do you really need to keep the lid for that storage bowl you never did find? There's really no reason to have mismatched dishes and coffee mugs when you can donate them and get a set of matching white dinnerware. Will you ever use that fine china that is collecting dust? If you get rid of the china you can get rid of the china cabinet. All those plastic cooking utensils and scratched Teflon pans need to go and be replaced with bamboo utensils and a good cast iron skillet (for health and clutter reasons). 

4. Better bathroom

Have you checked the dates on the medicine in the medicine cabinet?

5. Lovely living room

Will you ever really read that book again? Do you really need that oversized couch or would individual chairs be better at opening up the room? Have you always longed to use your fireplace but can't because there is a giant flat screen TV sitting above it? 

5.  Craigslist cash

You don't have to donate or grow out all of your things. You can always have a garage sale or sell on Craigslist. Those never worn brand name shoes with the tag still on them or that giant flat screen television that you never watched and was too big for your living room will get a good home and some extra cash for your effort in the end.

DIY Natural Cat Repellent Spray for Plants

Anyone that owns a cat has learned the hard way that cats and plants cannot coexist in the same habitat. But if you love plants as much as I do, there is an all-natural way to keep your cats away from house plants. And it smells great, too!

• What you need:
• 
  

• 2 oz. spray bottle
• 6 drops citrus essential oil (lime, lemon, lemongrass or orange)
• Enough water to top off spray bottle

• Instructions:
• 
  
• Shake bottle well.
• Spray plant soil (avoid leaves) and outside of plant pot.

If citrus is not your favorite scent, other essential oils that work are lavendar, peppermint and eucalyptus. You can also mix scents to your liking.

The Great Whiteout

When we purchased our 1920s bungalow home six years ago, we loved everything about it. There was so much character and so little that needed updating (other than some beige carpet removal). We loved the idea that we didn't need to paint as the neutral colored walls were already to our liking.

But over the summer, I noticed that every pin I was pinning on Pinterest was of rooms with white walls. As a teacher with the summer off and time on her hands, I decided to test the waters and paint our downstairs bathroom. Not only was I nervous that white walls would be too modern, but I also worried what my husband would think. It was a success. The white color made the bathroom appear larger AND it matched the white tiles. The next thing I knew, I was buying more paint and more rooms were being transformed. We already had white trim and white ceilings so the white inevitably made each room lead into the next room so there was no where for your eye to stop. Everything came together and with every room now painted white our home became more cohesive. We also made the decision to remove the blinds from our original 1920s pressed glass windows in the living room so we could enjoy them instead of covering them up. That decision not only helped open up the room and let more natural light in, but it cuts back on all the dusting that comes with having blinds.

How to make the transition

Before:

After:

There are hundreds and hundreds of options when choosing a white paint. Needless to say, it can be overwhelming. We chose BEHR Premium Plus Ultra interior eggshell enamel in the color "White".

• It's better to go with a warm white instead of a cool bright white
• You will want an eggshell finish. Eggshell is a great finish for any room (including the kitchen) because it has just enough gloss for easy cleaning but not enough to make your walls look constantly wet.
• 2 coats for coverage and 3 coats when painting over darker paint colors.

We are so happy with our transformed home and it goes so well with our recent decision to simplify our lives. More on that in a future blog.

DIY Scented Wood Car Air Freshener

I have yet to find a car air freshener that is both attractive and natural smelling. Luckily, there are ways to scent your car to mask any pet or fast food smells. 

• What you need:
• 
  

• An old fashioned clothing line pin
• Container with lid (Mason jar)
• Your favorite scented oil

• Instructions:
• 
  
• Place clothes pin inside glass jar with several drops of scented oil.
• Close lid and let sit overnight to let the natural wood absorb the oil
• Remove clothes pin and insert into car vent

As you drive, the air from the vent will blow the scent throughout the car.

DIY All Natural Rosemary Carpet Powder

I've always been drawn to natural cleaning products but also enjoy having a clean smelling home. Because artificially scented products produce headaches for my husband who has a sensitive nose, I've researched ways to incorporate natural scents into my homemade cleaning products to still have that clean smell without making my husband nauseous.

Because our home consists of 2 dogs and 2 cats, we need to vacuum frequently. Our hardwood floors are adorned with large area rugs that like to grab onto pet fur as well as pet odors. My solution to this problem is homemade carpet powder.

• Ingredients:
• 
  

• Baking soda (I like Bob's Red Mill)
• Dried lavender or rosemary
• Container with lid (Mason jar or Bonne Maman)

• Instructions:
• 
  
• Fill jar with baking soda.
• Add as much dried lavender or rosemary as needed, depending on your cleaning needs and desired scent strength.
• Put lid on jar and shake to mix.
• Sprinkle powder onto carpet sparingly.
• Let sit for at least 15 minutes to absorb odors.
• Vacuum until no powder or dried herbs remain.

This is a great way to use up any baking soda that has been in the fridge to freshen stored food and lavender or rosemary from your garden that has dried up for the season.

Forever Autumn

1. Evening bike ride to the sound of popping acorns and crunching leaves.
2. Chilly autumn weather inspired sausage, aged cheddar and thyme cornbread for dinner.
3. Autumn forever with my Penny girl by my side.
4. Cozy slow Saturday.
5. Drying out firewood and gathering warm blankets in autumn anticipation.

Bacon Parmesan Crusted Scalloped Potatoes

With fall weather comes hearty meals like ham and beans, cornbread, stew, soup and chili. This recipe for scalloped potatoes is perfect for any chilly autumn afternoon as the addition of bacon transforms this side dish into a full meal for your family.

• 
  
• Ingredients:
• 
  

• 4-6 slices of bacon
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• Pinch of nutmeg
• 2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch thick slices
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 9 tablespoons grated Parmesan, divided, plus more for broiling

• 
  
• Instructions:
• 
  

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Cook bacon on medium heat in a large cast iron skillet until browned and crisp (do not drain grease).
• In a medium saucepan, combine heavy cream, garlic, thyme and nutmeg over medium heat until heated through, about 1-2 minutes.
• Add a layer of potatoes on top of bacon in an overlapping pattern; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Pour 1/3 cup cream mixture over potatoes; sprinkle with 3 tablespoons Parmesan. Repeat with remaining potato slices, cream mixture and Parmesan to create 2 more layers.
• Place skillet into the oven and bake until cooked through, about 35-40 minutes. Sprinkle with additional Parmesan and broil for 8-10 minutes, or until top becomes golden brown and crusted.

Adapted from Damn Delicioius