How to Scent Your Home Without Candles

A book that I have had by my side lately is How to Sew a Button: And Other Nifty Things Your Grandmother Knew by Erin Bried. Under the "Nesting" chapter contains a tip for creating a simmering potpourri to warm your home with wonderful smells of winter. 

What I put into my potpourri concoction:

• Orange peels leftover from the girls lunch
• about a dozen whole cloves
• a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice
• a sprig of evergreen cut from our newly decorated tree

Other additions for this simmering potpourri could be several cinnamon sticks (or a few shakes of ground cinnamon or nutmeg), peels from lemons and apples, and a few bay leaves. 

I put my ingredients into a small pot, with just enough water to cover. Placing it over the lowest heat, it slowly simmered making the house smell lovely and festive! Make sure to always keep an eye on the water level and add a bit more when it gets too low!