CUT and DRY : DIY

Showing posts with label DIY. Show all posts

How to Make Your Home Smell Like the Holidays Year - Round

Happy New Year! Hope you all have a great 2017. I'm so psyched about the New Year and all that is to come.
Although the holidays are over (ah, the magic and wonder of the holiday season...), those heavenly scents that remind us of Christmas are too delightful not to share. Here is how I intend to make my home smell like the holidays year-round.

Citrus, sliced - Oranges, lemons, limes, nectarines.
Herbs - Lavender, Rosemary, and bay leaves.
Pine twigs (or other fragrant twigs).
Spices - Whole Cinnamon, Cloves, Nutmeg, Allspice.
Extracts - Vanilla, Mint.

I absolutely love these natural room scents. Since I started using these I have threw out all chemical air fresheners and scented candles.
I have found that cinnamon and clove combine beautifully together and have the most scent staying power.

DIY Natural Holiday Scents

Just fill a pot with water, add sliced oranges, lemons, vanilla flavoring, and spices like whole cinnamon and clove, and simmer the recipe on low heat. You can also heat the mixture in a slow cooker with the lid off. Vary your fave citrus, spices, and other ingredients depending on your mood. In the meantime, sit back and enjoy some holiday scented goodness.
Added bonus: These mixes can be reused several times. They keep on giving. Just make sure to add more water to your pot when the water is half way down.

I use my big coffee pot as a warming method. I fill it with sliced oranges, vanilla flavoring, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves (actually stuff it), and water. My pot has a keep-warm setting that lasts about two hours so it's set and forget. Sometimes I keep a small pot simmering on the stove and it makes the house smell so nice all day.
The orange, cinnamon, clove combination is amazing! It has a strong holiday spell to it! It smells great, and can be customized to personal needs and tastes. There are literally endless scent possibilities too. And the best part? You can really use whatever you have on hand.

To most people, a smell isn't just a fragrance - it's a memory.

Hope you have a great weekend! xx

Christmas is Coming

It is officially three weeks until Christmas! I can hardly believe it!

There are plenty of reasons why "it's the most wonderful time of year."

What's not to like about twinkle lights, all the reindeer, sugar cookies, Starbucks holiday drinks, candy canes, Christmas decorations and trees, mistletoe, snowflakes, Vintage Santas (that my family had collected over the years), and Christmas music...they all easily make me happy and get me into the Christmas spirit!

This is always a busy time of year and it's just so wonderful to slow down and take in the beauty and true meaning of the holiday season.

It's a season of love, anticipation, and giving. Remember, "Christmas is not as much about opening our presents as opening our heart."

-Janice Maeditere

Hope you have a great weekend! Enjoy the holiday season! xx

What are the twelve days of Christmas.

How to make a large bow in a professional way.

24 DIY Christmas decor ideas. I love this!

Top 13 Christmas movies .

Halloween Awesomeness - No-Carve Pumpkin Decorating Ideas

Ghost dog. Getting ready for Halloween. :)

I can't believe that is nearly the end of October and Halloween will soon be here! Where has this...

A bunch of fabric flowers spotted at a charming little shop the other day. Gosh, don't they look lovely!

Fabulous fabric flowers.

Hey there! So these last few weeks have been hard and overwhelmingly filled with busyness and this week is no exception. But I thought I'd pause and...

It's one of the coziest scents out there. Lavender calms the mind and relaxes the body almost instantly. Let's pause and relax. I so enjoy short but high-quality pauses everyday.

A lovely tissue case can give your bathroom a stylish look.

A vintage looking mirror frame. Here are 15 creative DIY mirror frames ideas. My favourite is the wine barrel mirror.

Beautiful candy jars spotted at a shop the other day.

Wouldn't be wonderful if fresh roses could last for several weeks?

Thank you so much for all your great G+ re-shares...you guys are very awesome!:)

Have a great Tuesday! xx

P.S. On Dreaming: Shelter your dreams in nothing less than finest.

In the Summer Heat

Can't believe June is almost over! This month has just gone by so...

So it's finally warming up. Need inspiration for summer fun? Try some of these fun ideas for things to do this summer, so that you can make the most of those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer...

Polca Dot. Found on La Receta de la Felicidad

We love the new ideas for decorating Easter Eggs. Here's a lovely collection of ideas for dyeing and decorating your eggs this year.

Decoupage Easter Eggs. Found on Dizzy Maiden

Black and White Easter Eggs. Found on Obviously Sweet

Dye-ving Dudes. Found on Spoonful

Easter Egg Pinatas. Found on Corner Blog

Painterly Pastel Eggs. Found on Paper and Stitch

Message in an Egg. Found on Poppytalk

Fresh Flower Egg Decorations. Found on A Daily Something

Watercolor Easter Eggs. Found on Spoon Fork Bacon

Silk Tie Dyed Eggs. Found on Boulder Locavore

How awesomely creative and fun these egg decorating ideas are. I just want to decorate eggs this year! :)

Happy April 1st, everyone! xx

What cute Easter Yard Decorations- Hanging Easter Eggs

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Hello, Gorgeous!

So I thought...yeah, a nice bouquet of roses would brighten up our cold and snowy days. Just to make you
smile.

Hope your pre-Christmas season is filled with wonderful days! Have a lovely weekend and do stay warm! xx

P.S. We heart Homemade Ornaments for Christmas

Linking to: Today's Flowers , From The Farm

Are We Really Making The Most of The Fall Season?

St. James's Park, City of Westminster, central London, UK-the oldest of the Royal Parks of London.{Photo taken two years ago.}

So...I have a confession to make. I've become accustomed to just ignoring the beauty of the cooler seasons and I just pack myself around my TV and ignore the world around me just because it's colder. That's definitely not making the most of any season. So I've decided, in this fall season, to make it a practice to take in the season itself. Yes, it's that time of year again-time to welcome in a brand new season.

Since the first day of autumn was 5 days ago, here's a list of things I'm planning on doing this year.

1. Go for a hike.

Breath in the cool, crisp air. Listen to the sound of leaves crunching under my feet.
There's nothing better than a walk on a forest trail this time of year. As long as you have a way to be out and about, you'll be able to enjoy this new season.

2. Collect colourful fall leaves.

3. Watch geese flying south for the winter.

4. Make a big batch of applesauce or cider as the weather gets colder. There's nothing better than applesauce or cider to fit in the season's settings.

5. Bake an apple or pumpkin pie.

(Btw. I got up early and made an apple pie. Yeah. Apple pies have always been a fall favourite of mine.)

6. Throw a Halloween party.

Ready for Halloween yet? We sure are! We love the festivities of Halloween. Emily (Corpse Bride) Halloween Makeup is full of awesome. Getting this Emily (Corpse Bride) Halloween Look is super simple.

Here's an amazing tutorial, Emily (Corpse Bride) Halloween Makeup Look.

By dope2111

7. Learn to make my own yarn pom poms.

This is a fun and very easy project that you'll really love doing! Making a pom pom requires some yarn (extremely cheap and also likely laying in the closet if your home is like ours.) Here's a detailed tutorial...I loved it so much.

By creaturescomfortblog

8. Wear my favourite jeans and sweaters. I can't wait to wear this .

What's on your to-do list this fall? I'd love to hear.