News From The Nest, October 27
Good Morning, Pumpkin!
Can you even believe November starts this weekend? Trust me, I’m shaking my head right along with you!
It has been said that I, from time to time, am prone to getting ‘a bee in my bonnet.’ When said bees get in my bonnet, watch out! I become a very single-minded, achieve-my-goal-at-all-costs, and in-the-quickest-way-possible, gal. While traveling the Midwest over the past two weeks, I decided (and Terry agreed) that we really need to replace our grown son’s twin beds with a queen bed before he and his girlfriend join us for Thanksgiving. To that end, within 24 hours of returning home on Monday, I had purchased a quite unique, very old queen bed headboard, footboard, slats, and side…things from a local furniture consignment store. And it really was a steal, $150 for all of it!
It was delivered the next day, and I began cleaning, priming, and painting said bed. I would have loved to keep the natural wood, but there is so much detail on this bed that I’d be stripping it for months, and that just wasn’t in the cards. I should finish painting it today. Mattresses are purchased, bedding is ordered, a friend is taking the twin beds and all that bedding this week, and… Bob’s your uncle, there will be a queen bed for Rob and his gal when they arrive for Thanksgiving!
See, sometimes those bees in bonnets are a good thing.
Table of Contents
New on the Blog
When cooler weather arrives and you’re craving something warm and comforting, this Masala Chai Recipe delivers authentic Indian flavors right to your kitchen. This bulk recipe offers two tea-to-spice ratios so that you can choose between a bold, spice-forward version and a mellower everyday blend. Using six traditional whole spices —cardamom, cinnamon, dried ginger, nutmeg, black pepper, and cloves —this bulk recipe makes enough to last for months. The post includes complete brewing instructions and printable gift tags, making it perfect for holiday or anytime gifting.
From the Knit + Crochet Studio
Get your home ready for the holidays with this Christmas Tree Knit Pillow Pattern featuring white-on-white Christmas trees, gold embroidered stars, and gold-speckled pom poms. Using only basic knit and purl stitches, this beginner-friendly pattern creates a reversible 18-by-18-inch pillow that works up quickly. The different textures between knit and purl stitches create a subtle contrast that makes the Christmas tree pattern pop. The pattern also includes instructions for creating the pom poms.
If you’ve been working on that Christmas pillow or any other knitting project that has pieces that need to be sewn together, you’ll want to master the Mattress Stitch. This tutorial covers both vertical seams along the side edges and horizontal seams at the cast-on and bind-off edges, making it comprehensive for any knitting project. The mattress stitch creates an almost invisible seam that’s both sturdy and professional-looking. With clear instructions and tips for beautiful results, this finishing technique will become your go-to method for seaming knitted pieces.
Who says practical can’t be pretty? This free Crochet Purse Pattern lets you build a custom tote square by square, making it perfect for grab-and-go crafting. The pattern features textured popcorn stitches worked into granny squares that come together to create a charming bag that’s as useful as it is eye-catching. The best part is the flexibility—make more squares for a roomy tote or fewer for a petite wristlet, choose your favorite colors, and decide whether you want to add a lining for polish or skip it for a breezy finish. With step-by-step instructions covering everything from joining squares to attaching strap tabs, this pattern gives you the jumping-off point to make it truly your own.
From the Kitchen
Fall flavors shine in these baked Pumpkin Spice Donut Holes that pack all the seasonal taste without the guilt of deep-frying. These bite-sized treats get double the pumpkin spice flavor from both the batter and the sugar coating they’re rolled in after baking. The recipe includes make-ahead tips so you can prep the batter components the night before, making it easy to serve warm, fresh donut holes for breakfast or brunch and making you the greatest person ever in the morning.
When the weather turns chilly and you need something that’ll warm you from the inside out, this Crock Pot Pea Soup with Ham delivers comfort by the bowlful. Inspired by the Dutch snert enjoyed at a cozy brown cafe in Amsterdam, this recipe lets the slow cooker do all the heavy lifting while you go about your day. Simply toss in dried split peas, smoked ham hocks, vegetables, and broth in the morning, and by evening you’ve got a rich, satisfying soup ready to go. The beauty of this recipe is its simplicity—no need to sauté anything beforehand—and reviewers love that it’s delicious and filling enough to serve to company.
For anyone dealing with nightshade intolerance or autoimmune issues, this Nomato Sauce provides a tomato-free alternative that’s surprisingly close to the real thing. Made with carrots, beets, pumpkin puree, celery, onion, and garlic, this sauce works beautifully in pasta dishes, as pizza sauce, or as a base for meat sauce. The recipe includes both stovetop and Instant Pot instructions, and you can adjust the color by combining red and yellow beets. Reviewer Brianna shared that this recipe has “helped me change the game for my son,” who needs to avoid tomatoes.
Put that sourdough discard to good use with these Sourdough Discard Waffles that are crisp on the outside, tender on the inside, and just the right amount of tangy. The buttermilk and separated eggs keep these waffles light and fluffy, while the sourdough discard adds depth of flavor without being overly sour. These waffles freeze beautifully for easy weekday breakfasts, and they’re not overly sweet on their own, making them the perfect vehicle for both sweet toppings like maple syrup or savory options like fried eggs and bacon.
It’s time to reclaim fruitcake’s reputation with this White Fruitcake Recipe that’s light, moist, and filled with naturally sweet dried fruits and crunchy nuts. Unlike traditional dark fruitcakes with artificially dyed cherries, this version uses natural dried cherries, white raisins, and candied citrus fruits soaked in brandy for days before baking. One reviewer from Ireland declared it “by far the best fruit cake I have ever tasted,” and that’s high praise from someone who grew up eating fruitcake at every celebration. The recipe makes multiple small cakes perfect for gifting, but you need to get started now as they definitely get better with age (and a healthy dose of brandy!)
Treat your four-legged friends to these Homemade Pumpkin Dog Treats that are both healthy and shelf-stable. The post includes a helpful guide to grain substitutions, listing acceptable flours like whole wheat, chickpea, coconut, oat, and brown rice that you can swap depending on what you have on hand. The key to keeping these treats fresh is to dehydrate them completely in the oven or a dehydrator, which removes all moisture and allows them to be stored at room temperature for a month. One reviewer noted that their dog loves these so much that they “give me the look” when given store-bought treats instead.
Your pups will love these Cheddar Cheese Dog Treats made with wholesome ingredients like whole wheat flour, wheat bran, coconut oil, honey, and eggs. The treats keep for several weeks in an airtight container as long as they’re baked until crisp. You’ll be the hit of the dog park when you show up with these treats! The recipe is easily customizable with different cheese varieties.
The 3-Ingredient Dog Treats Recipe is our most popular dog treat post, with reader Mary raving that she “can’t believe it’s that easy!” Made with just oats, peanut butter, and soft fruit or vegetables, these treats are incredibly versatile and help reduce food waste by using up wrinkly apples, overripe bananas, or aging carrots. The recipe includes detailed instructions for dehydrating the treats so they’ll stay fresh at room temperature for months.
From the Arts + Crafts Studio
When you’re packaging up those homemade dog treats for the pups on your gift list, these free printable Christmas Dog Treat Gift Tags add the perfect finishing touch. The tags feature adorable designs with little pawprints at the bottom, serving as “to” and “from” in dog-speak. The post includes all the instructions for printing on cardstock, cutting, and attaching to bags or jars of treats with baker’s twine or ribbon. Whether you’re gifting pumpkin, cheese, or three-ingredient treats, these tags make your homemade goodie gifts extra special.
Transform a salvaged window into festive holiday decor with this Painted Window project that’s surprisingly simple to create. Using an alcohol-based paint marker and a printed design taped to the front of the glass, you paint on the back side to create smooth, professional-looking lettering without visible brush strokes. This project requires minimal supplies, and if you can trace, you can make this charming bakery window sign. (And yes, I know I spelled ‘confectionery’ wrong! It pains me to look at that, but in all honesty, redoing it is really low on my to-do list.)
Turn empty Starbucks Frappuccino bottles into adorable Gingerbread Man Candles that make perfect holiday gifts. Using soy wax flakes, gingerbread fragrance, brown candle dye, and vinyl gingerbread man decals, these candles capture the cozy essence of the season. The tutorial walks through the entire candle-making process, including melting the wax, achieving the correct color, adding fragrance at the proper temperature, and applying the decorative vinyl.
Whatcha Reading or Listening to?
Well, it’s the end of the month, which means it’s time to update my book reviews. I’m still behind my goal, but I’m working hard at catching up!
For the past several years, I’ve joined the Goodreads Reading Challenge. If you need some book titles to add to your reading queue this year, check out my quick and dirty reviews of what I’ve read and listened to here.
I mentioned that I’ve thoroughly benefited from every penny of my Audible subscription. Last year, I listened to all of Charles Dickens’ books while I went about my daily chores and projects. I credit it with helping me stay on track with my exercise as I look for opportunities to get out and walk so that I can keep up with my stories!
If you like listening while you work, here’s a list of podcasts I’ve enjoyed.
Wow! That was A LOT of words I threw at you today!
Thanks for sticking with me to the bitter end.
As always, I’m working behind the scenes on some fun projects for you. I’m so excited about the Luminarias I’ll be sharing next week!
Until then, have a fantastic week!
Hugs,
