Skip to Content

Clean up an ugly stove by using just three common household ingredients. This drip pan cleaning works over night to give you sparkling burner pans easily without a lot of elbow grease. One of my pet peeves is seeing my electric stove drip pans and knowing I have to make a trip to the store …

Read More about Drip Pan Cleaning Using Household Ammonia -Keep Those Burner Pans Clean

A Wine and Cheese party is so much fun! Pairing wine and cheese together is one of the great culinary pleasures. And making the pairing a party with loved ones and friends adds up to one special evening. The holidays are here and we are ready for a round of entertaining with our friends. That …

Read More about How to Host the Perfect Wine and Cheese Party – Tips for Wine Pairings

It’s time to welcome autumn with these tips for fall decorations. From easy and simple porch and patio decor and wreaths to table decor, these autumn decor ideas will say hello to the new season in all areas of your home. I love the last change of seasons during the year. The sights and textures …

Read More about Tips for Fall Decorations – Natural and Easy Autumn Decor Ideas

Many recipes call for shallots – a member of the onion family. But what can you do if you don’t have time to shop, or can’t find shallots for your recipe?  Use these shallot substitutes, instead! Shallots are a small bulb like plant with a taste that is somewhere between garlic and onion. The flavor …

Read More about Shallot Substitutes – Replacements to Use if You Don’t Have Time to Shop

Shallots are starting to be seen in grocery stores more and often lately. What are shallots? Like onions and garlic, shallots are a member of the allium family. They are a cold hardy vegetable and, like onions, are easy to grow. Their flavor is richer and sweeter and they are very versatile in recipes. This …

Read More about 15 Tested Tips for Using, Storing and Growing Shallots

Ever since it was established in 1970, people around the world take part in Earth Day Activities as a way to celebrate National Earth Day on April 22. This day is now a worldwide event where more than 1 billion people take part in a day of action. Here are some things that you can …

Read More about Earth Day Activities – Crafts, Food and Fun for April 22

A silicone baking mat can take high heat and replace parchment paper for baking & food preparation. I like to use them in lots of unusual ways in my kitchen. You can use them for cookies, of course, but there are lots of other creative Silpat baking mat uses, as well. With a silicone baking …

Read More about Silicone Baking Mat Uses – Tips for Using Silpat Baking Mats

Crock Pots are a huge help in the kitchen. They make meal prep a cinch and give a wonderful aroma as the meal cooks, almost by itself.  But be sure to avoid these slow cooker mistakes. If you open the lid, fill pot too full or add ingredients in the wrong order, you may end …

Read More about Slow Cooker Mistakes – 15 Crock Pot Blunders and Solutions

There are dozens of uses for license plates if you just think outside the box a bit. The colors and designs lend them selves to loads of home decor projects, both inside and outside the home. Have you ever thought about using number plates in DIY projects?  Using recycled items saves money on the projects …

Read More about Uses for License Plates – Using Number Plates in DIY Projects

There are many healthy kitchen swaps that you can use all year round for weight loss success. Implementing these food swaps will make sure that those extra pounds won’t find themselves on your thighs and rear next year.  For many of us, the start of the year means making a New Year’s resolution to lose …

Read More about Healthy Kitchen Swaps – Food Swaps for Weight Loss Success

This Fall Entryway Makeover takes my front door and entry through from fall and right into Thanksgiving with natural elements and the rustic colors of autumn leaves, pumpkins and more. From the robust colors of the foliage to flowering mums and on to the multitude of pumpkins, Indian corn, and gourds, Fall has it all.  …

Read More about Fall Entryway Makeover- Decorate your Front Door for Autumn

Seeing how many ways there are to dress up your home with window box planters was inspiring. They are a fabulous way to create curb appeal and are easy to take care of. I have recently discovered a love for window boxes.  During my summer vacation, we toured 10 states and visited many Botanical Gardens. …

Read More about Window Box Planters – How to Plant Window Boxes

Touring a botanical garden with children in tow can be a challenge. But this is not so with Beech Creek Botanical Garden and Nature Preserve. This delightful garden center seems tailor made for kids and is the perfect way to introduce them to flowers and nature! This delightful botanical garden is located in Alliance, Ohio and …

Read More about Beech Creek Botanical Garden & Nature Preserve

There are dozens of vinegar uses in the home. From soaking your sponges to keeping your counters free of ants, this product is a must have. Vinegar is a versatile and effective household product that is more useful than just for making salad dressing.  There are many vinegar uses around the house and garden.  One of the …

Read More about 50+ Tried and Tested Uses for Vinegar

Critters in the garden range from beneficial to invasive.  Some actually are listed by the US Department of Agriculture as invasive pests that need to be controlled.  See my tips for dealing with these unwanted bugs. This post was sponsored on behalf of the United States Department of Agriculture – Animal and Plant Health Inspection …

Read More about Tips for Dealing with Invasive Pests

If you are someone who follows a gluten free diet, either to lose weight or for your health, you will know that you sometimes need gluten free replacements and substitutes to cook your favorite recipes. One of the latest trends in the diet industry is a gluten free diet.  And for many of those people …

Read More about 16 Gluten Free Replacements and Substitutes

Since I don’t like to use chemicals in the garden, I have been trying to find natural treatments for poison Ivy prevention so that I don’t have to use poisons   We have a patch of poison ivy that seems to keep re-appearing in one of my garden beds every so often. You have all heard …

Read More about Poison Ivy and Poisonous Vines – Natural Preventative Measures

Growing great tomatoes doesn’t happen just by putting a few plants into the ground and turning on the hose. But anyone can master growing great tomatoes by following a few simple dos and don’ts. In the world of vegetable gardening, there is nothing quite like the taste of fresh home grown tomatoes. The flavor of …

Read More about Dos & Don’ts Tips for Growing Great Tomatoes

These Composting Tips will take the mystery out of making compost for you. If you enjoy vegetable gardening or growing flowers, adding organic matter formed by composting will give you great results.  Did you know that forgetting to compost is a common vegetable garden mistake? Have you always thought that making compost is difficult? The …

Read More about Composting Tips – Tricks for Creating Nature’s Black Gold

Dieffenbachia poisoning is talked about all the time when the plant is reviewed on line, but how toxic is the plant to your cats, dogs and children, really? Dieffenbachia one of the most common indoor plants, is easy to care and great as an office plant. However the plant can be poisonous so there are some situations …

Read More about Dieffenbachia Poisoning – How Toxic is this Houseplant?

Mother Nature has the perfect answer for summer bugs- mosquito repelling plants! We can grow annuals, perennials, and herbs that will keep the bugs away naturally. With summer comes lots of outdoor living.  Sadly, that can mean lots of mosquitoes. I don’t like to use chemical products so this natural solution is great for keeping …

Read More about Mosquito Repelling Plants – Keep Those Bugs Away!