News from the nest, February 19

Well, I can say that the Week of Work was a success!

We took down, chopped up, and disposed of the old pressboard doored cabinets, and installed open shelving. Not only can we now access the contents of shelves when the cars are in the garage, but we added an extra shelf so increased our storage space!

I know it doesn’t look like something to get excited about, but we are! It’s now a utilitarian space that works! Everything has a logical place and is easily accessible, which is key when keeping a space organized. Our biggest challenge previously was that we couldn’t access the storage, so items would get dumped where most convenient, which was that shelving unit on the far left.

Table of Contents

Then, we trimmed countless thousands of bushes! Well, it seemed like that. We initially targeted 30 bushes to trim, but we kept going since the weather was gorgeous and they needed it! As such, we didn’t get to work in the bathroom at all, which I think was Terry’s plan all along!

It will be a short week for us. We are heading to Florida this week for the wedding of a dear friend’s daughter. It is an Indian wedding, which is just the most fun ever! I have two gorgeous, colorful lehenga gowns and even Terry has a special outfit and shoes.

I’ll be one of eight ladies dancing in the Ambarsariya at the Sangeet on Saturday, which is the choreographed dance performed by the mom and ‘aunties.’ I’ve been dutifully practicing, but am honest about my limited dance prowess. That said, I know it will be so much fun and that’s all that really matters. We will be heading home next Monday, so you’ll be hearing from me from the road and I hope to have pics to show.

New on the Blog

• Do you remember those loom potholders you did when you were younger? I stumbled across a larger loom and more colorful loops last year and have enjoyed my time making potholders. Check it out! If you are looking for great gift ideas, a lovely, colorful potholder is always a great idea as is a loom potholder kit!

• Sourdough Focaccia! Did I get your attention? Once you’ve made it, you’ll find many opportunities to keep making it. It is quite easy to make, just allot time for the bulk fermenting. Our recipe walks you through the process, step-by-step, to help you achieve Focaccia Greatness!

• And because you’ll be making focaccia on the regular, here are some ideas of what to pair with focaccia.

From the Knit Studio

• This quick and easy-to-knit blanket pattern made with Bernat Blanket Big yarn uses the broken rib stitch to create a lovely pattern on this chunky blanket.

• This article walks you through how to resize blankets, dishcloths, etc…

From the Kitchen

• This Roasted Olives Recipe features a variety of olives, caperberries, garlic, herbs, and soft and mellow feta cheese to finish it off. It is a quick, easy, and elegant olive appetizer that will surely impress!

• This Butternut Squash Chili is a hearty, comforting dish perfect for a cozy night in or a festive gathering. It starts with a base of sautéed onions and garlic, to which diced butternut squash is added, lending a sweet, nutty flavor that pairs beautifully with the bold heat of jalapeños and the smokiness of chipotle in adobo. A dash of cocoa powder adds some rich and earthy depth to the chili.

• This crispy & crunchy brownie brittle recipe satisfies those of us who prefer the crunchy edges and corner pieces of a traditional brownie… you know who you are! And not for nothing, it’s quick and easy to make.

• These Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies are having a moment! If you like your cookie more chewy than cakey, with just a hint of crisp along the edges, then my friend, this is the oatmeal cookie recipe for you! And that texture combination is in addition to the tart dried cranberries, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and a hint of molasses for a flavorful cookie that will surely leave you wanting more!

• All the deliciousness of the Snickerdoodle without the work…let’s just go ahead and call these Snickerdoodle Bars the Lazy Girl’s Snickerdoodle Cookie! 

• This is a simple recipe for homemade cheese dog treats. These cheddar cheese treats are a healthy, delicious treat that is perfect for training your puppy, giving as gifts to pup play pals, or just anytime!

From the Arts + Crafts Studio

• These inexpensive and easy-to-make Oyster Shell Clusters will bring natural coastal charm to your home decor.

• I’m all about making my own art and this was a quick and easy project. I‘ll show you how I created this abstract art and how to apply gold leaf to paper.

In the Home

• If you’ve ever pondered trying your hand at reupholstering, check out these tips from my reupholstering experience.

• Downsizing your home, whether by choice or necessity, can be a daunting task. Having recently gone through this process, I’m sharing TEN downsizing tips for seniors, retirees, empty nesters, or anyone choosing to move to a smaller space. These are tips that worked for us or that we realized after the fact would have been helpful.

Some Fun Finds and a Few Favorites

Some of these links may be Amazon affiliate links and I may earn a small commission off of the sale of these products to help defray the costs of operating this site, but the price you are charged is not affected. You can see my full disclosure policy here.

• Need a sweet little hook for towels, purses, robes, or other clothes? These are just delightful.

• If you’ve been wanting to treat yourself to a Robot vacuum, there are a few on sale right now. I have a Shark Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum and my daughter has the Roomba. Both are on sale at this writing. I will say, I think the self-emptying feature is key! We run ours multiple times a week and it keeps the pet hair under control.

• Another one of my favorite tools is my Dyson Rechargeable Stick Vacuum, which is also on sale on Amazon right now. We mounted ours in our pantry and it is used regularly as a stick or hand-held vacuum. If you have a Costco membership, do check there as they often have specials on Dysons.

• I just purchased this Cool Mist Humidifier for my nightstand to help with winter dry skin and dry eyes. I like that it is super easy to clean and that the auto feature turns off when humidity reaches 60%. I’m a little gun-shy with humidifiers as I remember when we peeled the wallpaper off of the wall of our son’s room when he had RSV.🫨

Well, my friends, I’d love to get a little work done before we head out on Wednesday…wish me luck. In any event, I’ll ‘see’ you next Monday.

Hugs,

Thanks for making my day by SHARING!!