Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Hello to a New Friend & Holiday Potpourri

Last week I had to say goodbye to my dear old vintage oven/cooking range...you can read the sad tale by going here...but today I want to introduce you to my new buddy---my brand new oven & stove! There's nothing spectacular about it, but it works, which is something our old oven couldn't boast! I not really a fan of the modern more rounded chunky look that this oven has, but I don't want to complain. I am grateful that we have it just in time for Thanksgiving, and I'm sure my guests will be glad for it as well...otherwise it would have been frozen TV dinners cooked in the toaster oven! Okay, probably not, but I was going to have to use some major creativity if our oven hadn't arrived in time!

Right now as I'm writing this the wonderful aroma of the easiest ever potpourri to make is wafting through the air in our home. It is so simple that I'm almost embarrassed of how amazingly good it smells. Sometimes the simplest things are the best though, aren't they?! If you want your home to smell delightful for the holidays, all you need to do is get a small sauce pan, fill it 3/4 full with water and set it on the stove on low. Add the peel of one orange, about 1 tablespoon of whole cloves and about 6 cinnamon sticks. That's it! Let it slowly simmer all day and your mouth will be watering with the delicious smell that will permeate your home. Caution: Just check the water level throughout the day. I made the mistake of not doing that a few weeks back which resulted in my pot getting a 7 day soak before all the burned on gunk would come off!

Okay, ladies, I'm off to continue making my little pretties for my Thanksgiving table! Sneak peek to come soon! Have a great Tuesday!

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The rounded top of the oven where the dials are keeps me from using it as a shelf like I did with my old stove...I miss that!

Since our new oven is quite a bit smaller (width-wise) I brought in a little round table to stick in the empty spot in the corner. I covered it with a vintage linen table cloth that I purchased a couple of weeks back.

Cozy little kitchen!

While I was eating an orange this morning I was inspired to make my potpourri. No sense in letting all that good peel go to waste!

This stuff smells so good you'll wish you could eat it!

7 comments:

  1. I like your new oven/stove, Gracie! And...I think I'm going to make some homemade popouri! YUM!

    Love,

    Gail

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  2. Your kitchen is cute!

    I will be making that potpourri...thanks for posting it!

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  3. Love simmering potpourri - I put mine right on our fireplace insert. Makes the house smell so good! Thanks for stopping by!

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  4. Mmm... I can practically smell your potpourri from here :) Sounds like something the children can get involved in, too. Fun!

    I know you're mourning your cute vintage stove, but you kitchen still kept much of its vintage-y vibe somehow, even with the new one. I think your kitchen is really charming. I would totally stand there sipping tea and chatting :)

    Thanks for your sweet comments on our "new" door. I looked so pretty Saturday night before it fell apart! Ha ha. Hopefully, like you said, we can cover up the screws well enough that they won't be too awfully noticeable.

    Have a great day!!

    Jacci

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  5. Typoes galore - the biggest one was "I looked so pretty" - funny. I meant "IT looked so pretty". Hate when I do stuff like that in a comment. Shame on me for trying to type quickly, I guess :]

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  6. I usually do potpourri closer to Christmas- I just love how it makes the house smell.....but perhaps I will start early this year!

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  7. I've not been on your blog in a while so I'm having to catch up. :) This potpourri sounds awesome! I'll have to bookmark this so I can remember it next Christmas! :)

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