Fall is here. There's no mistaking it. There are traces of it everywhere you look. Fall happens to be my favorite season. I love the cool weather, the warm colors outside, and the incredible scents that come from the kitchen and permeate the entire house. It's a very comforting time of year. We put on warm sweaters and heavy socks. Blankets come out and fireplaces are starting to light up our rooms and warm our hands, faces, hearts and souls. I love to bring bits of fall inside my home, whether it be colorful leaves, branches, pine cones, even river rocks. A couple of weekends ago my kids and I went apple picking. I have apples all over my home. I have some in a large glass bowl in the kitchen, on a large tortoise platter in the family room and a few neatly lined up on my fireplace mantel. This weekend the children and I will visit one of my most favorite pumpkin farms nestled in the hills of Shelton. There we will ogle over the amazing selection of pumpkins available in such varied shapes, colors and sizes. We will bring some back for their sheer beauty and we'll bring some back to carve. And we may just have a little fun with the spray paint... I love to spray paint pine cones and branches in silvers and golds to give them a bit more dressed up look!
I love, when the weather starts to get chilly, to make a stove-top potpourri. The steam adds moisture to the house and the scent is fabulous. You can use apples in the fall and oranges, pine or peppermint during the wintertime. I made a fresh batch of applesauce the other day and I just wanted the apples to keep simmering! In essence (no pun intended) that's what the stove-top potpourri is. I take whatever apples I have that may be about to turn and cut them into quarters - don't worry about stems, seeds and cores. Simply take your cut up apples and toss them into a large pot with boiling water. To the water you can add vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves... anything you'd like. I like to pour a little bit of vanilla into the water as well. As the water starts to evaporate the smell of the cooking apples will start to permeate your home. The lower the water levels are the stronger the aroma will be. Just remember to check your water levels from time to time. When the water level is almost gone, no need to toss the fruit, simply add more water and simmer. I did this often when my house was on the market and I wanted it to smell good.
Have a wonderful day!
Images via Better Homes and Gardens, CocoKelly, decoist, Casa Sugar, and The Entertaining House
I love, when the weather starts to get chilly, to make a stove-top potpourri. The steam adds moisture to the house and the scent is fabulous. You can use apples in the fall and oranges, pine or peppermint during the wintertime. I made a fresh batch of applesauce the other day and I just wanted the apples to keep simmering! In essence (no pun intended) that's what the stove-top potpourri is. I take whatever apples I have that may be about to turn and cut them into quarters - don't worry about stems, seeds and cores. Simply take your cut up apples and toss them into a large pot with boiling water. To the water you can add vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves... anything you'd like. I like to pour a little bit of vanilla into the water as well. As the water starts to evaporate the smell of the cooking apples will start to permeate your home. The lower the water levels are the stronger the aroma will be. Just remember to check your water levels from time to time. When the water level is almost gone, no need to toss the fruit, simply add more water and simmer. I did this often when my house was on the market and I wanted it to smell good.
Have a wonderful day!
Jessica
Images via Better Homes and Gardens, CocoKelly, decoist, Casa Sugar, and The Entertaining House