News from the Nest, March 18

First, the projects!

A pack of wildflower seeds and two cheap frames from the dollar store are all you need to purchase to make seed paper! You can use the seed paper for your own correspondence, make cards to give as gifts, use the paper for gift tags, or wrap your handknit washcloths. Truly, there are many great opportunities to use your handmade seed paper.

This first post teaches you how to make seed paper with a step-by-step illustrated tutorial.

This second post shows you how to use your seed paper to make Wildflower Seed Paper Cards.

Then, the Recipe!

If you bake sourdough, you are like me, always looking for ways to use your discard. Enter these Cheesy and Crunchy Sourdough Discard Crackers! They are super easy to make: 10 minutes of active prep time, 30 minutes in the fridge, and 15-20 minutes in the oven. The only downside is that they are dangerously yummy. Bake several batches and give them to your favorite people!

A friend’s mom gave me several of these hand-knit washcloths during the dark days of Covid. I asked her for the pattern, which she readily shared, and then I shared the pattern, which I named after her, on the blog. Little did I know this was already a well-known pattern! I still call it the Bridget Knit Dishcloth in honor of her kindness. It’s a great pattern for new knitters or experienced knitters who need a mindless project in front of the TV or the car.

• This curry salad dressing recipe is one of our all-time favorite salad dressings. It is perfect with a simple bowl of greens or a heartier salad. Just a little bit of this dressing adds a unique and delightful taste profile to your salad, and it will quickly become one of your go-to dressings.

• Like a gougères recipe or a pão de queijo recipe (Brazilian cheese puffs), this Gruyère Cheese Puff Recipe is based on a simple choux pastry recipe, using flour, eggs, water, and butter. Substituting tapioca flour for wheat flour results in a gluten-free choux pastry (essentially what Brazilian cheese puffs are), elevated with Gruyère cheese and chives for these delightful and easy-to-make cheese puffs. These treats are perfect anytime, but especially for brunch or luncheon.

• This simple carrot bread recipe is similar to carrot cake but healthier with less sugar. But you’ll never miss the sugar in this moist and flavorful quick bread.

• If you are looking for a more decadent carrot cake, this is the Best Ever Cake Recipe we’ve ever had, and we love our carrot cake!

• This is a quick and easy way to make moss balls for spring or anytime home decor. I keep mine out year-round.

• Here are some more ‘mossy’ ideas if you’d like to bring that gorgeous green into your home and table decor. You’ll notice my Grandma’s milk glass urns are busy in my home.

• Using (mostly) household items, you can whip up a chemical-free dye recipe to decorate eggs this Easter. After you’ve hardboiled and cooled your eggs, soak them in one of these homemade solutions to achieve a variety of hues. Here are five of the best ways to naturally dye Easter eggs.

• Keep tomatoes away from your potatoes, but surround them with herbs! Learn which plants are some of the best Potato Companion Plants.

• Learn the top 10 onion companion plants and how their interactions help your garden thrive. We’ll also cover the vegetables, herbs, and flowers you should keep away from your onions to prevent stunting growth and spreading diseases.

• Why are tomatoes and alliums are great Carrot Companion Plants, but dill is not? Learn the ten best plants to accompany your carrots in the garden and, as importantly, which ones to avoid.

• If you previously printed our companion planting printable, make sure to grab the new one, which is two pages and includes companion plants for ten common garden vegetables. I updated it this week; you can find it in the Subscriber Library. Remember, your super secret password is at the bottom of every Monday’s News from the Nest.

• Here are Six Kitchen Organization Tips and Ideas that have helped me organize my kitchen to work for me.

• Have you ever considered stenciling a wall in your home? I did and I’m spilling eight tips for successful wall stenciling.

Some Fun Finds + a Few Favorites

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A lovely, lightweight woven throw in gorgeous colors.

If you need to fill a space on a wall.

I’m looking for a blanket basket or chest. I’m still pondering, but this looks promising.

This is a cool floating wall shelf that also has a drawer! Perfect for beside a bed.

I bought this plant light for my kitchen herbs, and it’s doing its job perfectly! I wanted something as unobtrusive as possible, which would give enough light for more than one plant. I’m still looking for two more herbs to add to my parsley. There’s a timer to have it on for 6, 12 or 16 hours.