Make your house stink good, aka Stove-Top Potpourri

It's fall! And I'm lazy! So here is the easiest way EVER to make your house smell nice and fall-ish for cheap, and all in about 3 minutes.




1. Get a shallow pot
2. Get some cheap cinnamon sticks, if they are not too stiff, break them up. I usually use 3.
3. Get some whole cloves. Toss some into said pot.
4. Slice EITHER apples or oranges and add them. Pick a single fruit, I tried them both togther thinking I'd be fancy, and it was gross smelling.
5. Fill with water until they are covered.
6. Bring to a boil, then simmer. I usually just set the stovetop to medium and then turn it back down to a low setting. Keep an eye on the water level, you may need to refill it, you want your fruity slices covered so they don't burn.

I'm assuming you don't need step by step pictures for something this easy. So enjoy! Make your house stink good in 3 minutes! Keep using on and off as needed for about a week, or until the fruit gets funky.

---Claire 

Bring the Magic, and Your Fairy Garden, Inside! (Tutorial)

It's getting to be that time......the weather is cooling, it's raining (snowing!) more, and soon it will be full fledged fall and winter. You may have a fairy garden outside that needs to come in, or want to create a new magical miniature garden to have indoors.



Here is a basic tutorial on how to create an indoor fairy garden. You can find loads of accessories for your garden in our Etsy store, The Purple Fairy Shoppe.

Materials:

• A planter, perferably 10" or wider, any height is fine
• At least 3 different house plants, and try to get plants that require the same watering and light
• River rocks (dollar store!), shells, glass gems, or any other materials to create paths 
• Spanish Moss
• Potting Soil
• Miniature Garden furniture and accessories

Goop! A Toddler and Pre-school Activity

I wanted to share this, because it was so darn easy and just as fun for me as it was my son.

I have mentioned on here that I am disabled, and basically home bound. So I don't get to go to the park or do "normal" out of house activities with my kids. So I am always looking for new fun stuff we can do at home.

My daughter (20 months old) brought some artwork home from daycare one day, and her school had created "goop" and the kids painted with it. I tried to re-create it with my 5 year old son, who had a blast getting his hands dirty and making goopy pictures. It has since become a hit in our house and is a great rainy (or not feeling well) day activity.

How To Build A Container Fairy Garden

Not sure where to start? Here is a step by step tutorial with a few extra tips for creating a unique, beautiful, and affordable miniature garden!

Step 1: Find A Location

Choose where you want to display your fairy garden. In a container, directly in your garden, or against a tree? Inside or outside location? Make sure you have enough room for the plants, miniatures, and room to grow if you want expand. Some examples:

• Wine Barrels, or any other unique rustic planter
• Low dish style planters that are wide, around 12"-16". You can even use the base of a tall planter only, and they only cost between $5-$10!
• The base of a tree
• An area up against a shed or fence
• A spot in your garden near a stream or water feature
• A rock garden area
• Really though, any container will do - as long as you choose the right plants and miniatures to decorate with!

For this tutorial we will focus on container planting. For making little landscapes to display our newer products, I chose a 14" terra cotta planting dish.