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halloween fun 2024

October 25, 2024

carved blue pumpkin

Although I’m not a big Halloween fan, I usually will carve a pumpkin or two – or, create something in the Halloween spirit.

evergreen

This year, my pumpkin was carved in a little less than traditional manner.  I used wood carving tools rather than a knife.  Carving in this manner is much easier and, I think, can be more interesting.

carving blue pumpkin

I was inspired by an evergreen tree in my yard.  The tree has the traditional needles and tons of little mini pine cones.  My idea was to carve the pumpkin with ‘needles’ and then add some of the pine cones from my tree.

carving pumpkin

I purchased what is called a blue pumpkin, rather than an orange one, to complete the task.  Because the blue heirloom pumpkin looked almost green, I thought it would work well as my ‘evergreen’ pumpkin.

pumpkin carving

blue pumpkin carving

I used woodworking tools to carve the needles.  I had planned on adding the pine cones with straight pins, but I began to wonder if the pumpkin would not live as long with holes punched in it!  With this in mind, after I finished carving, I ended up using my glue gun to add the pine cones.

evergreen pumpkin

I have to say, using the woodworking tools is much easier on the hands than the traditional method of carving through the pumpkin with a knife!

pumpkin with pinecones

After I completed my pumpkin, I carved a few baby boos to use at place settings for an upcoming brunch.  I love little white baby boos!  I did a little bit of carving and added a ribbon.  I did end up adding some pins on these little guys – some pretty gold ones!

baby boo white carved

white baby boo

In the Halloween spirit, I also created some favors for my brunch.  I made some butter cookies in the shape of candy corn and packaged them in the holiday theme!  Why are they not the traditional yellow and orange?  Well, I made them totally organic – so I couldn’t use red dye!  I used organic cocoa to create color variations.

packaging candy corn

So, that’s the extent of my Halloween preparations!  I hope you are also creating something fun!

candy corn cookies

Thanks for stopping by!

Have a fabulous weekend and remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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lavender iced coffee

May 31, 2024

lavender iced coffee

I love culinary lavender.

A subtle taste of lavender in a drink or a baked item is delicious!  So, I was very excited when I heard Starbucks added lavender drinks to its menu.  An iced coffee with a hint of lavender sounded very appealing to me!  That is, until I actually visited my local Starbucks and found out the only way to get a lavender drink was with the addition of a lavender sugar syrup!   “Is there any way to add the lavender to a drink without adding the sugar?”  I asked the barista.  “The lavender is part of a sugar syrup.  That is the only lavender we have” was the response I received.  Yuck!  Determined to enjoy a lavender iced coffee without sugar, I set out to make my own.

diy iced coffee

The usual iced coffee I make at home is made from organic coffee.  I combine brewed coffee I keep in the fridge with walnut ‘milk’.  The walnut ‘milk’ I buy is from Elmhurst and has two ingredients – water, walnuts – that’s it!  (These ingredients make my everyday coffee very clean!)  Using my usual iced coffee ingredients, I was determined to create a lavender iced coffee.  I came up with a very simple way to accomplish this!

I filled a tea infusion ball with culinary lavender and dropped it into a glass jar filled with my walnut ‘milk’.  (Use whatever nut ‘milk’ you prefer.)  I left this jar in the fridge overnight and by the next morning the milk was infused with a lovely, subtle lavender flavor!

infuse lavender

I combined my infused ‘milk’ with some of my cold, pre-brewed coffee and voila! I had a lavender iced coffee with no sugar or other unwanted added ingredients!

lavender coffee iced

The taste of my lavender iced coffee was perfect!  (Of course, the longer the lavender remains in the ‘milk’, the stronger the flavor.  Overnight was just the right subtle flavor for me.)  Mission accomplished!

I hope you will try your own iced coffee creation by creating your favorite flavor(s) in a clean way!

Thanks for stopping by!

Have a fabulous weekend and remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

P.S. Be sure to use culinary grade lavender – lavender that is intended for ingesting!  It will be marked accordingly.  I usually can find it at a bargain at Home Goods or TJ Maxx – in the food aisle.  Try it in your scones!

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free gingerbread house gift wrap

November 24, 2023

free giftwrap diy

Start saving your grocery bags!  Trader Joe’s has started using its holiday bags and they are super cute to use as holiday gift wrap!  So, forget about adding the bags to your recycling bin and start adding them to your holiday wrapping station!

christmas bags

holiday gift wrap diy

This year’s holiday bags sport a cute gingerbread house pattern with a light blue accent.

gingerbread house bags

free wrapping

White or light blue ribbon make for a great addition to complete a package.

free wrapping diy

free gift tags

 

After wrapping gifts with the bags, use the scraps to make gift tags.

I hope I have inspired you to create some free gift wrap from holiday bags!

Thanks for stopping by!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

P.S.  Would you like some other ideas on how to repurpose brown bags?  Click here!

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shades of green pumpkins

November 17, 2023

misc pumpkins

I did a couple posts this fall about color and styling of pumpkins.  There is one more color palette I want to mention before we leave this topic!

tower of pumpkins

When styling pumpkins for fall, green is an option we hadn’t really seen in the past.  What fun varieties there are now!  So, in this post, I am offering up some examples of how the color green can be added to pumpkin vignettes!

green striped pumpkin

green and orange pumpkins

Not only are pumpkins offered in a variety of colors, but have you noticed there are pumpkin offerings in softer, muted looking tones?

pile of green pumpkins

pumpkin tower

Of course, a multi-color theme is a styling option as well and incorporating fall flowers is so fun!   And though pumpkins come in a variety of colors, fall flowers, like the colors of the falling leaves, are available in even more!

green squash

No matter your preference, I hope you are having fun with color this fall – whether it be with pumpkins and/or flowers!

bunch of pumpkins

And yes, I know Christmas décor is coming in hot, but it is technically still fall and I like to embrace the fall décor at least until Thanksgiving!

3 green squash

green striped squash

Have a wonderful weekend and thanks for stopping by!

squash snakes

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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leaf candle diy

October 27, 2023

DIY leaf candles

Remember using an iron to press leaves between two sheets of wax paper?  I loved this activity as a kid.  Collecting the most colorful leaves I could find and preserving them was so much fun!  I would hang my finished masterpiece from yarn in front of a sun-filled window.

As an adult, there are so many variations of this craft that can provide satisfying DIY results.

diy leaf candle instruction

One of these variations, you have probably seen, is to use wax paper and an iron to apply leaves to a pillar candle.

As an adult, my taste is a little more sophisticated than back in the day of multi-colored leaves and I shy away from rainbow color palettes – preferring neutral or monochromatic themes.  So, my pillar candle creation will not be full of multi-color leaves!

pretty fall candle

For this project, I went out and collected as many leaves as I could find in a burgundy color palette – burgundy being a favorite accent color of mine.

burgandy leaves

Once the leaves had been collected, the project is really simple to create.  All that is needed, in addition to the leaves, is a pillar candle, wax paper, and an iron.

diy candle supplies

I just cut a strip of wax paper the width of the candle – long enough to wrap around it.  I plugged in my iron to get it nice and hot (not using the steam setting).  Once the leaves are positioned where I wanted them, I put the wax paper (wax side down) over the leaves.  Holding it in place, I ironed the wax paper until I could see the wax melting.  After waiting a few seconds, I removed the wax paper.  Viola!  A beautiful fall candle!

leaves to candles

I hope I have inspired you to create a candle decorated with fall leaves!  Maybe give new life to some old candles and use them for your Thanksgiving table!

easy leaf candle

Thanks for stopping by!

Have a fabulous weekend and remember to take pleasure in simple things,

Jackie

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coat closet to pantry diy

April 14, 2023

pantry shelf

I have a small coat closet off my kitchen that I hadn’t opened all winter.  Not because I don’t have coats.  Believe me, I have tons of coats!  But I wore the same warmest, longest winter parka I have for the entire winter and there had been no room for switching it up!

before pantry conversion

Every time I looked at the closet, I thought about what a waste of space it was.  One day I was just fed up with that closet and I took out every last coat and piled them up on my couch.  I looked at the empty closet and got so excited about the possibilities!  The only thing left in the closet was a single shelf and the bar where the coats had hung.  My first inclination was to remove the bar and fill the closet with shelves.  But, when I started thinking about what would be most convenient to store in the closet, I changed my mind.

What would be great to have in that closet?  My lunch bag and a couple other bags I use on a regular basis for starters.  Well, those things would be great to hang on the existing bar!  I decided to use S hooks (Which I happen to LOVE for organizing – it’s how I hang all my jeans in my closet!) to hang these items on the bar.

closet redo

pantry conversion

What else would be handy?  Definitely some cleaning products – mops and my Dyson.  So, I added mop holders first off and also mounted my Dyson to the inside of the door.  After mounting the Dyson, I examined the inside of the door and I saw more available space.  Next, I added a really cool rack I found on Amazon to store a couple pair of exercise shoes that usually lived on my kitchen floor.

closet door shoe storage

This closet already felt like heaven!  Next, I needed a place to put returnable cans.  Presently, I was hanging a plastic bag on the closet door handle for this purpose and it just had to go!  I bought a waste bin that fit nicely inside the closet to throw my empty cans and water bottles until I returned them to the store.

new pantry floor

This closet was everything already!  And, I still had some room!  I put a large basket on the floor and decided to keep the shelf that existed in the closet; adding two more.  I used my favorite IKEA baskets (Byholma) on the shelves to store some health books and cleaning products.

My son cut some wood for my two added shelves and I painted them the same as the rest of the closet (BM Simply White).

I added a hook for that one coat I wear all winter and a couple of bins to the inside of the door – I wanted to utilize every bit of space.

closet door makeover

Point is – the coat closet wasn’t working for me so I needed to find something that would!  Moral of the story is not to accept what is there just because it is there lol!

Now this closet makes me SO happy!  I use it ALL the time and it is so much more practical as a pantry type closet rather than a coat closet.

What, you ask, happened to all the coats?  I purchased two wardrobes (Brimnes) from IKEA for storing the coats and that is where they stay until the rare occasions they are needed!

I hope I have inspired you to rethink/rework some of your space!

Thanks for stopping by!

Have a great weekend and remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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diy floral egg cups

March 10, 2023

diy flower egg cup

Using egg cups as part of your spring décor is super simple.  Egg cups are very easy to come by this time of year and are very inexpensive.  I think most of mine came from the bargain bin at Target, but I have found vintage ones at thrift stores as well.  Sometimes I add my own embellishments – like the white egg cup in these photos where I added a painted gold metallic rim.

daffodil egg cup

In addition to displaying painted or decorated eggs in egg cups, they also come in handy as vessels for flowers.  Adding fresh flowers to an egg cup is an easy DIY and can serve as a wonderful addition to any Easter table!

diy pussy willow egg cup

To make a floral egg cup; first, cut a piece of floral foam to fit into the chosen egg cup.  (If working with fresh flowers, be sure to use an egg cup that can hold water!)  Decide on the flowers you will be using and bundle them together. Pick a flower with a stiff stem and use a small piece of floral wire to tie the stems together.  The wire will also be helpful when sticking the flowers into the floral foam – making it easier to push the stems into the foam.  Add water if you are using fresh flowers.  Finish your arrangement with some moss to cover the floral foam.

collage diy egg cupsAren’t these sweet?  Make a bunch to use as place cards on your Easter table and/or as a cute takeaway for each guest.  If you have snowdrops blooming in your yard, they would be perfect to use for this project.  If not, you can find small fresh flowers in plants from your local grocery store or Trader Joe’s.  (I was able to make 4 egg cups from one $3.99 plant from the grocery store.)

diy spring egg cup

I hope I have inspired you to create some egg cup floral arrangements!

daffodil diy egg cup

pussywillow egg cup

 

 

 

Thanks for stopping by!

Have a fabulous weekend and remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

 

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boycotting egg painting

March 4, 2023

Wow!   This is my first post of 2023!  Since I started this blog in 2012, never before have I had such a lapse in posts!  It is very sad to think I haven’t been using my creative side in quite some time!

The good news is that I have been busy organizing myself in finances, work, and wellness and making great progress!

I’m happy to say, I do now, have a couple projects in the works!

One is a coffee table and the second is the transformation of a coat closet into a pantry. (More on these projects as they develop!)

Normally, at this time of year, I would already be working on Easter eggs…coming up with a theme and painting them appropriately.  This year, in a kind of personal protest against grocery prices, I decided not to paint eggs.  I don’t normally buy eggs, except at Easter time, and I decided I am not going to purchase them to paint this year.

For the purposes of this post, I am including photos of one of my favorite past Easter egg themes – topiary.  (Cactus, picnic, and constellation were also some of my most favorite themes).

topiary easter egg handpainted

I enjoy having some of the topiary eggs out in a bowl – I don’t think skipping a year of painting eggs will bother me!  I did put out a little bit of Easter/Spring décor – have you?  Remember to bring in some cut branches (magnolia, forsythia, etc.) – it’s the perfect time to force blooming!

fireplace decor easter

I’m counting down the days when the clocks will change because I really dislike leaving for work in the dark and coming home from work in the dark!

Have a fabulous weekend!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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easy diy gingerbread gift wrap

December 2, 2022

gingerbread giftwrap diy

Hi!  I know it has been a minute…but, I’m happy today to have some time to show you a really simple, very low-cost way to wrap your holiday packages!  These DIY gingerbread gift tags are made from discarded cardboard and a marker!  So easy!

diy gingerbread giftwrap

If you don’t already have a white, oil-based marker or a white permanent chalkboard marker, purchase one from the craft store to complete this project.  If you want to make coordinating wrapping paper, purchasing kraft paper is not necessary – brown bags work just as well!  (Note:  Trader Joe’s holiday shopping bags work great since they already have a gingerbread house design on brown paper bags!)

neutral christmas

A pencil can be used to draw some basic shapes onto corrugated cardboard.  (There is certainly plenty of this around with all the holiday deliveries rolling in!)  Then, draw the shapes onto the cardboard using a white, oil-based marker and decorate them as you would gingerbread – except use a marker instead of royal icing!

easy diy holiday tags

When the drawings are completed, cut out the shapes and add a hole in the top for hanging.  Simple!

gingerbread house gift tag

To coordinate gift bags, just use the same white marker to add a blizzard of ‘snowflake’ dots.

Isn’t this a great project to do with children?  All their original drawings can easily be transformed into gingerbread gift tags!

holiday giftbag diy

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a great weekend!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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mini pumpkins and faded blooms

October 14, 2022

mini pumpkin hydrangea

As the garden starts to fade and all things pumpkin are amped-up, it seems a no-brainer to combine the two!

decorated white boo

I collected some faded garden blooms and some sweet little pine cones from a tree out front to use as baby boo embellishments.

pinecones and mini pumpkin

Little white baby boos are my favorite pumpkins and combining them with items from my yard is a really easy, no-cost way to create some fall decor!

faded blooms mini pumpkin

I hope you are inspired to use some of the items in your yard to create some pretty fall décor for your home or to gift.

boo on blanket

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a great weekend!

Remember to find pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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