Gnome, Sweet Gnome!

My mother received this sweet little gnome family for Christmas this year.  My sister and her family gifted her with the cuties early in December so that she could enjoy them throughout the season. This was her dog's holiday photo as she posed with the trio. (We won't mention the fact that she has secretly knocked over Mr. Gnome a time or two when my mother wasn't looking! 😉)

When Christmas was over, my mother decided to keep them in place through the winter and added a January snowflake for each to hold.

Now that it's nearly Valentine's Day, their snowflakes have been traded-in for something a little more seasonal. This decoration came from the dollar store---or I guess we should call it the dollar and a quarter store now!

I volunteered to separate the little wooden hearts, fill the stringer holes and spray paint them red.

We fashioned a garland by tying together three of the hearts with matching ribbon.

You have to love your gnome, sweet gnome!

Happy National Popcorn Day!

I'm just popping by to tell you about a product in honor of National Popcorn Day! This is my Micro Pop Popper which I have had for the butter part of a year and enjoy using for our occasional bowl of popcorn.

Using the lid as a scoop to measure the popcorn kernels, simply pour them into the temperature-safe glass vessel, replace the silicone lid and put it in the microwave for about three minutes. No oil is needed and the hot air circulates to prevent burning your treat as it pops. If desired, you can put butter on the lid. It is designed in such a way that it permits buttery goodness to drip onto the popcorn during cook time. Clean up is a breeze! Simply wash and dry Micro Pop. 

I like using Micro Pop because, at the risk of sounding corny, it is easy and provides a healthy option. While I am very satisfied with this method of popcorn preparation, I should mention that it may not be for everyone. In full disclosure, my husband is not a fan. 😉 He much prefers the flavor and taste of microwave packets. Regardless of how you pop it, remember that...

Love is sharing your popcorn. 🍿

                                                                                                        Charles M. Schulz

Crafting on a Snowy Day

I enjoy crafting and always find it to be an especially pleasant pastime on snowy days. Since I do not often spend too much time in my craft room, it was a treat to accomplish a tiny project this weekend during our first snow of the season.

I cannot take credit for the idea. The inspiration came to me while viewing a segment of Garden Answer on YouTube. The hostess is Laura and I like to see her lovely home and vast growing grounds as she shares tips and information about both annuals and perennials. She recently showed some wreaths she had made from a variety of natural materials which she glued on wooden plaques. Intrigued, I thought to myself it would be fun to try one someday...and that's where our snow day came into play!

Although I desired to dabble in this project, I wanted to try it on a smaller scale. We happened to have an extra corner block on hand and it seemed to me that the design would perfectly lend itself to the wreath. 

I applied a light coat of stain and allowed it to dry before I gathered my bagged preserved moss and very small snips from various dried plant materials I had stored in my craft room. Using tiny tufts of the moss, I glued a wreath base in the circular indention. Then I carefully added individual hydrangea blooms, bittersweet, Autumn Joy sedum and a few other florals.

Since the block is only 4 inches, I knew the completed plaque would be small enough to tuck into the decor without taking up much space.

If you ask me, a snowy day is the perfect opportunity to do a little crafting! 

A Warm and Cozy Winter Mantel

When I deconstructed the Christmas mantel a week ago, I opted to keep the garland in place since we find the white lights, boughs, pinecones and berries to be warm and cozy.  It feels inviting this time of year and so it's staying in place a bit longer. Since we packed away our beautiful nativity set which was on display all season, I decided a wintery look would be appropriate for upcoming weeks. 

I have used my red lantern in so many different applications over the years and I am pleased with its placement on the mantel. The snowflakes on the flameless candle really dance during the evening!

Take a look at my new platter! It was a gift from a friend and I love its design, color and "Celebrate Everything" motto. Although it will be ideal for serving treats for any holiday or birthday, it perfectly fits this space. I decided to highlight it on this winter mantel as a backdrop for a stack of antique books, a replica of an antique 1850s snowman and pinecones. 

I hope your Monday is warm and cozy!

Good 'Clean' Fun

The beginning of January seems to be a logical time to do some deep cleaning as Christmas decorations are packed away for the season. Today I am sharing a few of my favorite cleaning products and methods that I use throughout the year.

Hands down, this is my favorite way to keep mirrors and glass clean and sparkling! 

Several years ago a friend gave me a Zap cloth and ever since I have been hooked. You wet and wring out the cloth before using it. No cleaners are needed. For a highly polished finish, I follow up with a glass and polishing cloth (mine happens to be an e-cloth brand). 

Even though our shower doors are glass, I clean them differently. I have found that equal parts of Dawn (it must be the original blue formula) and white vinegar mixed in a new spray bottle to be the most effective and easiest way to routinely deep clean them. We always use a squeegee on the doors after using showers, but a bit of soap scum can still find a way to cling here and there. For that reason, I rely on this concoction when necessary. When the surface is already wet, spray on the Dawn/vinegar combination (always shake the spray bottle first to mix it well) and use a soft sponge to rub in a curcular motion. 

This picture was taken from the inside of the shower looking out. The blue rectangular shape that you see is a print which hangs on the nearby wall.

Then just let it sit for about 45 minutes (or longer depending upon your situation) before gently wiping down and rinsing off everything. It removes any scum or water spots, leaving smooth and perfectly clean  and shiny shower doors. 

For some surfaces, I think e-cloth general purpose cloths are wonderful. Using only water, this cloth will  remove grease, grime and over 99% of bacteria. No use of chemicals is a plus! Microfiber is one hundred times finer than a human hair so it easily traps everything on a surface. 

When it comes to oven upkeep, I use baking soda and vinegar. Although my oven has a self-cleaning steam system, I suspended that practice several years ago after a repairman strongly suggested doing so because of safety issues. He told me to use baking soda and vinegar instead and that's what I have been doing ever since. Sprinkle liberal amounts of baking soda directly on spots in the bottom of the oven and then pour vinegar over that. My favorite part is when it fizzes and bubbles because it's like an elementary science experiment! After it sits for about 30 minutes, you are able to gently wipe/scrub it clean. It works like a charm...even on this MESS!😲

Late last summer, I made our favorite vegetable casserole (which I have highlighted on this blog before; you can click here for the printable recipe). After it had been in the oven for maybe five minutes, I heard a loud pop! Curiously, I traced the sound back into the kitchen where I discovered what had happened. Obviously, my glass 9 by 13 pan had some sort of a hairline crack not visually detectable and its "explosion" coated the bottom of the oven and the racks with eight beaten eggs, several cups of freshly chopped vegetables, a pound of sausage, milk and cheese---not to mention million of glass shards. As you can imagine, it was disappointing and discouraging! After the glass was picked up, I was able to successfully restore the oven to its normal state using baking soda and vinegar...and some elbow grease. There were definitely spots that required a few appilications, but it did the trick! By the way, don't forget that patting a slice of soft bread is a highly effective way to pick up the tiniest slivers of glass. 

Do you keep some of this at your sink, too? It's absolutely great for pots and pans. My sister-in-law told me about when Dawn Powerwash first came out on the market a few years ago and I have not been without it since! 

Speaking of washing dishes, I adore these microfiber dishcloths. First introduced by a friend eons ago, I use nothing else in the kitchen sink. I used to be able to get them in stores and that was my source the last time I stocked-up. It is entirely likely that they would be an online purchase now. They do a great job and hold up very well. I bleach all of my whites when I do the laundry and my Scotch cloths still look new even though they have been washed a million times.

Although I have listed several natural approaches today and that is preferable to me in many situations, there are certainly places where traditional cleansers and bleach are essential. It's all good 'clean' fun, though! 

Tuesday Tablescape

Happy New Year to all of you! I hope that your Christmas was joyous and that 2022 will be a blessed year. The holiday season just flew by if you ask me! 🦉

Today's tablescape is actually my mother's. She has owl-ways had a fondness for these feathered friends and has collected a few cute statues of them over the years. Highlighting her owl luncheon plates to create a winter tablescape now that Christmas decor is all packed away, she has some of her collection roosting in the dining room. 

(By the way, the gate in the doorway leading into the kitchen is to keep her little four-legged cutie out of the dining room. In theory, it's a wise idea. In reality, the dog knows how to open the gate on her own! What a hoot ! 😉)

Whimsical and realistic, there are owls carved from wood and stone while some are made from glass, ceramics and natural materials. 

Let's get back to the tablescape since it is the focus of today's post!

Several years ago we gave her these plates depicting snow owls.  In addition to the subject matter, I knew she'd be happy with them since she and I both enjoy special dishes. Birds of a feather flock together!

As part of that gift, I also put together the greenery portion of the centerpiece (she later got the white owl at Hobby Lobby). Simply constructed from a wreath, I just added the burlap flowers, raffia bows, pinecones and berries. 

Since the table is all set, whoooo is ready to eat?!