Floating Walnut Candles

 

Floating walnut candles with cranberries and greenery.

Mason Jar Greenhouse

 

Candle Making Tip

 Use clothes pins to hold wicks in place when making candles.

Salt Dough Advent / Solstice Spiral

 Love this with the greenery.

Nice Cream

 2 peaches, peeled, sliced, and pitted
2 tbsp water
4 bananas, peeled, sliced and frozen
2/3 cup non-dairy milk of choice
2tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Directions
In a medium skillet, heat peaches and 2 tablespoons water over medium-high. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until peaches are softened, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes. Carefully transfer peaches and any accumulated juices to a blender and puree until smooth. Place purée in an airtight container and freeze for six hours or overnight. (An ice cube tray works really well for freezing it too). Once frozen, place the peaches along with the bananas, milk, vanilla and cinnamon in a high-powered blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Transfer to an airtight container, cover, and place in the freezer for 30 minutes or until frozen. Garnish with peaches and mint leaves from the garden.

Preserved Lemons

 Ingredients 

 Clean quart size mason jar

5 lemons (Meyer's are particularly good)

4 Tbsp. Kosher Salt

Directions

Wash and pat dry the lemons, Then slice the ends to create a flat top and bottom. Place lemon on flat end and slice an “x” through the middle to quarter it from the top to within ½ inch of the bottom, leaving the base attached.

Gently open the lemon and sprinkle 1/2 tbsp of salt on the exposed flesh, then reshape the fruit. Once the lemons are salted, place 1 tbsp salt on the bottom of the mason jar. Place the lemons into the jar, one at a time, and pack them down to release their juices.

When all the lemons are in the jar, add 1 tbsp of salt. If the lemons are not submerged in juices, top them off with fresh lemon juice, leaving one inch of headspace.

Seal the jar and store the lemons in a cool, dry place for 30 days, shaking them daily to disperse the juice and salt. To use, remove lemons from the liquid and rinse well to remove the salt. Discard the seeds and pulp (unless you want to use it), and slice the lemon rinds into thin strips or cut into small dices. Most people use the rind in dishes, but the flesh is perfectly fine to use as well. It makes a great addition to vinaigrettes and sauces.

Preserved peels will keep for up to 6 months to a year in the refrigerator, although technically, because they’re preserved in brine, they’ll keep at room temperature as well.

Embroidered Jar Toppers

 

Quilted Corner Bookmarks

 

DIY Dryer Sheets

 Mason clamp jar

Old rags, or new!

Dampen with vinegar and a bit of essential oil. 

Seed Savers

 Old basket, recycled cardboard dividers, labels, envelopes.

Pine Tree Sugar Cookies

 

Pretty Christmas Setting

 

Firestarters

 

Pinecones

Juniper berries

Cedar sprigs,

Pour into cupcake liners add a wick + wax and it makes a festive little firestarter!

Brown Paper Packages

 

Lovely Tablescape

 

Lemon Poppyseed Muffins

1 + 3/4 cups of regular OR gluten-free all purpose flour
3/4 cups of coconut sugar OR organic golden sugar.. coconut sugar goes so well with the lemony flavors!
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
1/4 tsp of sea salt
2 Tbsp of poppy seeds
1 cup of Greek lemon yogurt OR use vanilla yogurt mixed in with the juice of 1 lemon
1 large egg at room temp
1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup of melted butter OR ghee; feel free to sub vegan butter!
2 Tbsp of grated lemon zest
2.5 Tbsp of fresh lemon juice

Lemon Glaze
1/3 cup of fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup of organic icing sugar

Instructions
Preheat your oven to 400F and line a 12-cup muffin pan with muffin cups OR do what I did and grease it with butter or non-stick cooking spray. Don’t grease the entire cup; just the bottom and halfway up the sides. In a large bowl, combine your dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, poppy seeds and sea salt. In a smaller bowl, add your wet ingredients: egg, vanilla, butter, yogurt, lemon juice and lemon zest. Use a hand mixer or whisk to beat until smooth- both work fine!
Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients until combined; don’t over mix or stir as it takes a toll on the texture and makes them hard. Bake for 18-20 mins or until edges are starting to turn nice and brown. If you make the glaze, allow them to cool on a cooling rack for 10 mins before adding it. 

Pro tip: poke small holes with a fork at the top of each muffin so that the glaze seeps through all the way inside. .

Baked Brie With Cranberries, Blackberries, Pecans and Honey

- Place an 8oz brie wheel on baking sheet lines with parchment. Bake 10 to 15 minutes at 375F until soft and gooey.
- Top with cranberry sauce and blackberries , sprinkle with pecans or walnuts.
- Bake an additional 5-8 minutes until sauce is warm.
- Drizzle honey on top before serving.

Woodland Winter Stovetop Potpourri

 Yield: one 14-oz glass jar.

5-6 evergreen sprigs (pine, spruce, fir, cedar, juniper, or cypress all work well)
1 lemon or lime, thinly sliced and dehydrated
1 handful of juniper berries, tiny pinecones, or acorns (decorative only)

First, dehydrate the citrus by thinly slicing them and baking them at 200 degrees Fahrenheit for about 2.5 hours or until the peels are dry, and the flesh is translucent.

If you’re giving this as a gift, then the presentation is key! It’s best to layer the ingredients directly in the jar in a way that’s visibly pleasing to the eye. Evergreen sprigs and citrus slices will take up the most space, and you can fill in the gaps with the smaller items.

Cap the jars and decorate each one with a label and twine.

To use, add the entire mix to a stockpot or crockpot, cover with water, then simmer on and off for a few days. Turn the heat off any time the scent becomes overpowering or if you feel your home smells sufficiently delightful. After a few hours have passed, and the smell has faded, turn the heat back on for a fresh infusion. This blend will last 3-4 days and should be stored in the fridge overnight.

After you’ve extracted as much of the smell as possible, compost your spent herbs and spices and use any remaining water to give your houseplants an evergreen-inspired drink.

Another Take On Paper Stars

 This one looks pretty simple. Accordian fold long, bend in middle and tie with string. 

Fan out and glue at each end.

Brown Paper Bag Stars

 Tutorial

Waldorf Window Stars

Found in Whimsical Winter Window Scene .pdf 

(in files)

Pine Needle Peppermint Play Dough

Begin by finely chopping a handful of pine needles and set aside.
Place the following ingredients into a large pot;,
-2 c white flour
-3/4c salt
-2c water
-2Tbsp coconut oil
-4tsp cream of tartar
-4drops peppermint essential oil
-6 drops pine essential oil
-(optional; 3-6 drops of another piney-scented oil such as rosemary or northern lights black spruce, etc!) 3. Stir with a wooden spoon on medium heat over the stove until the dough pulls completely away from the side of the pot and clumps around the spoon into a ball.
4. Dump the ball onto a piece of parchment paper, let cool for a minute or so, and then knead a few times until smooth. 5. Finally, poke a hole into the middle of your ball of dough, dump in the chopped pine needles, and knead it all together again until the pine needles are fully incorporated into the dough.
6. Enjoy your fragrant creation!

Letting Go In The New Year

 On New Year's Eve, write out all the things you want to leave behind and not take with you 

into the new year. Roll it up around some greenery and a cinnamon stick. 

Light it on fire and let it burn.

Moon Cake For The Winter Solstice

Just place a small bowl or other round object on top of cake and sprinkle around it 

with powdered suar to form the moon. Surround with blueberries. 

Little Touches For Winter

 Pine sprigs in little vases. 

Chickens

 I want chickens, specifically these hens, but the rooster is lovely, as well!

- Find out what breed these are.