Spending so much time inside is a time to get things done, and I've certainly gotten a lot of organizing done in my little crafting space, and that has felt wonderful.
Something else that has helped our home feel cozy and welcoming during the dreary days is this...
I use a candle warmer for a unique use... and that is that I fill a pot with sliced oranges, cinnamon sticks, cloves, anise and a few drops of essential oil and some water and set it on the candle warmer... the result is heavenly!
This is a wonderful way to scent your home with a lovely spicy aromatic smell that is not overwhelming, and just gives a lovely gentle fragrance through your home. The candle warmer does a great job of scenting the home and not overpowering it. Just what we need to "spice" up the dreary days around here :)
My cactus is still blooming!
But not for long... the blooms are starting to fade. It has been a beauty this season though, a bright spot in the window!
Winter is leaving us, it seems.
One raindrop at a time!
The turkeys no doubt are hoping for spring too, it will be much easier foraging for food than eating wet leftovers from our birds, lol!
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I've been in spring mode all week!!! Things are melting around here, too....mud season is coming early to the mountains, it seems!
ReplyDeleteOh how I wish we could bypass the mud season, lol! It is back to snowing here today, but probably won't stick. I'll take the snow over the rain though! :)
DeleteYou have a cozy sweet home. I bet your home smells divine. What a great idea!!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you, it is indeed probably the coziest home I've ever lived in, and the smallest one too, but we are loving it! Bigger is not always better :) And yes, the lovely smell gently floating in the air is marvelous. :)
DeleteYour home looks so coy and warm....I can almost smell that lovely spice all the way over here:)
ReplyDeleteThank you dear Shirley, indeed it helps to have a lovely gentle smell in the air when outside it is so dreary! :) Today it is snowing, and oh so lovely, I love the snow, and am thankful every time it snows! Have a wonderful day!
DeleteOH, how pretty! I love your cozy home, and your loving touch is evident everywhere. :) Seeing the piano with the open hymnbook is just so comforting to me. Thank you for sharing your lovely pictures...it is always such a dear blessing to see your sweet posts in my inbox! God bless you, my friend!
ReplyDeleteHymns are our favorite music around here! My daughter, son and I all play the piano, and my son plays the guitar, so there is always some sort of music being played, and what a joy it is to have the air filled with the old hymns. Of course we play other songs too, but I agree, hymns are my favorite :) Hoping you are having a blessed and wonderful day! :)
DeleteHello dear Marilyn...Friday blessings to you! Oh, how cosy your home looks indeed! Ah...now I am dreaming of chilly winter days which happen to be some of my favourite! Hot summer weather is always a trial for me! I love the scent you made...hmmm...I am sure it smells heavely! I will be making some of this for sure when cooler days come around again...
ReplyDeleteI always enjoy visiting with you, dear Marilyn! Blessings n' hugs!
You know, I get so excited at the beginning of every season, but then there comes the time when it your heart is preparing for the next season, and while I have loved winter, and still do, spring is looking good to me now! :) Hoping that your cooler days come soon, and that you are enjoying and reaping the benefits of your hard work in the garden! Blessings and hugs sent back your way as well, appreciate your sweetness my friend, it is always a joy to receive your comments! :)
DeleteI can just imagine the scent !
ReplyDeleteWinter is indeed a time for cosiness, warm blankets, hot soup and comforting scents. Lovely!
Indeed, this is the time for that! Staying cozy and warm, while the world outside is wet and cold! And longing for spring... although today it is snowing again, and I don't mind, because I love the snow, but the rain, not so much... lol! Appreciate your visit today :)
DeleteI love the idea of the sweet potpourri simmering and making the house smell so good.
ReplyDeleteWe might get some rain Saturday. I really do not want rain, we still want some snow. ;-) February is a good month for winter activities in Wisconsin.
Rain, no, I don't like it. Thankfully we are getting some snow today, and that makes me so very happy! February should still be winter, in my opinion too! :)
DeleteYour home must smell lovely with the simmering pot going. Spring, and sometimes late winter, is such a messy season isn't it with all the sloppy snow and mud but I'm looking forward to it anyway. Winter will carry on here for 8 more weeks at least although January has been very kind to us. Enjoy the weekend.
ReplyDeleteYes, having that simmering pot has been a joy, I'm thankful for the sweet deliciousness that it brings to the home. I don't like the first part of spring or the ending of winter either, which is always mud... awful! We have been having a thaw here, but today it is snowing, so... winter is still here, it seems, and that a-ok by me... I love the snow! :)
DeleteCan I visit your home, please? Oh, it looks so welcoming and cozy.
ReplyDeleteI would be honored to have you as my guest! :)
DeleteThank you for sharing the hint on how to make your home smell cozy and inviting. I would have never thought of that. It has been gray and raining here too and I can tell it is affecting my mood.
ReplyDeleteIt is a wonderful easy way to spruce up your house in the dark months of winter! The little things really do add the perfect touch to coziness. Have a blessed day :)
DeleteI do this on the stovetop, but it would be much better to use a candle warmer. The liquid wouldn't evaporate as quickly!
ReplyDeleteYes, I used to use the stovetop for this, and one day the lightbulb came on when I saw the candle warmer, and it works great! Hope you enjoy it in your home :)
DeleteHello,
ReplyDeletewhat a delightful idea using the candle warmer to warm a pot of fragrance for your home. I sounds cozy indeed. It is important to keep the home cheery and cozy, especially in winter. How pleasant for your family that you care so much.
:)Hope
I tend to think good memories are associated with good smells, and so I always try to have something yummy smelling in the kitchen, and the candle warmer certainly helps :) Appreciate your visit today very much!
DeleteNothing better than a cozy day indoors when the weather is dreary and gray! :)
ReplyDeleteThat is indeed the truth! Cozy is what winter is really all about, right! :)
DeleteBeautiful photos ~ Winter here has been on the mild side, but I can't hope too much for spring right now, because we've had some very snowy, icy, February and Marches. :-) I like the spice smell in the house too.
ReplyDeleteHave a nice weekend!♥
LOL... well, we are back full swing in "winter" today! It has been snowing since Saturday, and is absolutely gorgeous! You just never know about winter, it plays tricks on you, just when you think its gone, well its back, lol! :)
DeleteYou have a very cozy home and I can imagine the sweet scent everywhere. I have a cactus similar but with pink flowers we call it princess cactus. Beautiful photos!
ReplyDeleteHave a fabulous weekend!
Hugs and love from Portugal,
Ana Love Craft
www.lovecraft2012.blogspot.com
Oh I do so love the blooming cacti... and a pink princess one would be lovely to have! Hope you are having a wonderful day in Portugal.. it is snowing here :)
DeleteHi MM! I can almost smell that potpourri...I love cinnamon. It reminds me of baking. What essential oils do you use?
ReplyDeleteThose poor turkeys. We have geese that no longer fly south (lazy!) and it's hard times for them too. It's really nice out today though. I'm ready to take a stroll outside and enjoy it before the next storm comes through.
Happy Sunday,
Ceil
I like to use Thieves and lemon oil... love the cinnamon smell in the Thieves!
DeleteWe have a few geese hanging around too, although most of them did leave. It is hard to believe it is February already though!
Hope you are having a wonderful day :)
You have such a cosy home, thanks for a glimpse into all that cosiness !
ReplyDeleteIt is the smallest home we have ever had, yet I believe the coziest, and I am thankful for the choices we made to live simple, and this candle warmer is perfect for the small space we enjoy :)
DeleteHello, I also love the cozy looks of your home and I know it smells like an apple pie just came out of the oven! Do you play the piano? I just started taken lessons and we got a piano. I am very excited and overwhelmed in the same breath!
ReplyDeleteI do look forward to spring myself! It is the melting and mud that is another whole thing!
Love, Roxy
Yes, you are right, apple pie is just how it smells, simply divine! It is a wonderful way to create that cozy atmosphere I love in the home in the winter.
DeleteI do play the piano :) I am not a professional by any means, but have played in church for years. I enjoy playing hymns and songs about the Lord the most. Many times I will have my prayer time right at the piano, and the Lord and I have had wonderful times there together :)
Yes, we are looking forward to spring, although winter showed back up Saturday, and I do love the snow, so I am content! :)
My mother loves to make the house smell good just like that! Only without the anise and essential oils. It's such a lovely part of winter for me! :)
ReplyDeleteYes, anise is a bit of a strong smell, but I don't mind it, along with the other yummy smells, and I do love adding the essential oils as well. It is wonderful to have this beautiful scent wafting through your house on the cold winter days for sure :)
DeleteOH, I love the scent of potpourri on the stove or via candlelight!
ReplyDeleteLuscious warmth mid winter's chills!
;-}
It is a delightful thing, especially in the dark days of winter, isn't it! :)
DeleteYes, your home looks super cozy! I'd love to see your spring pics too. Coming from homemaking Monday's.
ReplyDeleteThank you for visiting me Tami, it is always a delight to meet new friends! I will be popping by to visit you as well... and spring just took a backseat here, because winter showed back up on Saturday, lol! :)
DeleteYes, your home looks super cozy! I'd love to see your spring pics too. Coming from homemaking Monday's.
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice idea to use with a candle warmer! Your home does indeed look cozy. Do you play the piano?
ReplyDeleteUsing a candle warmer was something that I stumbled upon after keeping a little spice mixture on the stovetop, and it has been a favorite thing to do in winter ever since!
DeleteYes, I do play the piano... I am not a professional at all, but just play quite simply, hymns and gospel songs are my favorites :)
Thank you for visiting today, praying you are having a blessed day! :)
I have a friend who simmers a homemade potpourri on her stove. I like your idea of the candle warmer better. Your living room looks so cozy and I love seeing your piano there. Beauty in scent and music makes your sweet home even sweeter. Hugs, Nancy P.S. I am ready for spring!
ReplyDeleteYes, I used to put the pot on the stove too, until one day I spotted my candle warmer, and wondered if it would do the job, and it does!
DeleteThe piano is a blessed part of our home, I can't imagine our home without it! There is always the sound of music here between myself, or the kids, and it is a joy indeed :)
I am ready for spring, even though winter showed back up on Saturday, lol... :)
A candle warmer would be an ideal way to keep a simmering pot going. I love those gentle scents in my home. I also enjoy the soft glow of candles and white fairy lights which I keep out all year in the family room. We are having an unusually mild winter this year; thanks to El Nino. I'm happy. And spring is on its way. Thanks for sharing with us and have a lovely day.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Sandi
I'm sure you are so thankful for the mild winter this year since last year was so horrible! I thought spring was coming here last week, but then ole' man winter showed back up on Saturday and it has been snowing every day since... lol! But indeed, little things like a gentle warming scent in the home helps to banish the dark winter days and keep the home cozy. I'm always happy to visit with you and the other wonderful ladies who share, a wonderful way to start the week! :)
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