Homemade Bath Salts and Scrubs

Making homemade bath salts and scrubs is easy and decadent. These two recipes are so great you’ll find yourself making them again and again. 

How to Make Glitter and Floral Print Easter Eggs

These fun Easter egg decorating techniques give a nod to my girls, who love anything sparkly, and to my garden for the life it brings after a long winter’s sleep. Learning how to glitter your eggs and make floral print Easter eggs is easy, fun and colorful!

Creative Easter Egg Decorating Ideas

Easter's such a fun holiday. So why not step it up and use some creative Easter egg decorating ideas your whole family is sure to love.

As I grew up, we always bought our white eggs from the store and used a PAAS Easter egg kit to make beautiful Easter creations. It’s not that my mom didn’t know how to dye eggs with food coloring; I just think my sister and I loved buying our cool egg kits so much that she didn’t deny us the pleasure.

Fast forward to today, and at Easter, my egg customers have a definite preference for the white eggs laid by my Brown Leghorn chickens. They see all the kits in the store and fall for the myth that white eggs dye so much prettier than other colors. Nothing, in my opinion, can be farther from the truth. In my family, we prefer to dye the brown and green eggs laid by the rest of my flock. I love the deep, rich tones that the brown and green eggs provide when they’re dyed. And frankly, we don’t need a kit from the store. We use the food dye from our pantry and find that it’s so versatile that we can make tons of interesting combinations.

Polka dot, rubber band and flower decorated eggs. 

How to Make Marbled & Tie-Dyed Easter Eggs

Why make Easter decorating hard on yourself or expensive? You can make marbled eggs and tie-dyed eggs using everyday ingredients from your pantry including food coloring. These techniques produce beautiful eggs that look like they came from a fancy egg dyeing kit. Both you and your kids are sure to love them!

Marbled Eggs

How to Make Silk Tie Dyed Eggs

Silk tie-dye eggs are a beautiful way to reuse old silk (think ties) you may have around the house. They are mess-free and easy since they get the hard-boiling and dyeing done in one step. An added bonus is their wow-factor. Here's how to create your own... 

How to Turn a Chicken Egg Basket into Spring Farmhouse Decor

I've had the same chicken egg basket for years. Yes. It's been useful, but honestly, I usually forget to bring it with me to collect eggs and end up stuffing them into my pockets. I was thinking about my spring farmhouse decor and my old chicken egg basket came to mind. Here's how I combined a decor idea and an old egg basket for an updated and refreshed spring look. 

DIY Magnetic Valentine's Picture Frames

Here's a fun DIY Valentine's magnetic picture frame that's inexpensive, easy and a thoughtful gift for the chicken lover (or any loved one) in your life.

How to Make a Wine Cork Wreath

After the holidays or any time of year, making a wine cork wreath is a fun and crafty way to display wine corks you’ve saved over time. I love looking at my wreath and remembering fun trips that yielded a bottle, or two, of wine to enjoy later. 

How to Make a Homemade Snow Globe

Make a DIY Chicken-Themed Snow Globe to Celebrate Your Flock

Homemade snow globes are popular these days for good reason. They are one of the most rustic and versatile crafts you can make. Both adults and kids love them. They can be themed in any way you like. And you can make them with or without water.

How To Make Christmas Ornaments From Eggs

With all the beautifully colored eggs we have from our backyard flocks, why not take a few and turn them into Christmas ornaments. They require little crafting skill and are a great way to salvage eggs you're using for holiday baking.

How to Make Zipper Christmas Tree Ornaments

Learn how to make these beautiful Christmas tree ornaments made from zippers and beads. They are a no-sew way for adults and kids-alike to decorate your tree and make a great present for friends and family. They add sparkle to your tree and are lightweight so they don't pull down branches. Here's how...

Easy DIY Thanksgiving Decorations

Thanksgiving decorations don't have to be hard to make or require tons of craft supplies. For easy DIY Thanksgiving decorations, look no farther than your pantry. No need to stress over decor!

Depending on the glass piece you use, this can be a beautiful decoration for a living room table or a fireplace mantle. You can also use it for a centerpiece for your Thanksgiving spread. Maybe make a few and line them in the middle of your table as a decorative accent with candlelight to boot.

DIY Cinnamon Stick Candles

The fall and winter holidays are a time for warmth and home. Few smells define these holidays more than cinnamon. These DIY cinnamon stick candles will make your home smell beautiful and cover the range of holidays from Thanksgiving through Christmas and beyond.

DIY Spooky Halloween Bottles

Yes, Halloween's about costumes and candy, but you've got to dress up more than yourself. Raid your recycling bin and make these adorable, spooky bottles to dress up your house. They're easy to make and they'll last forever. 

How to Make a Burlap Wreath

If you're wondering how to make a burlap wreath, you're in luck. It's easy and it's popular. With farmhouse decorating being in fashion, burlap is homey and a reminder of simpler times. It can be dressed up or stand-alone, so it can fit any need.

How to Make Vintage Tobacco Stake Stars

Vintage tobacco stakes are a staple at antique shows and shops. I was gifted some from my uncle. If you're lucky enough to score some, here's a way to turn them into tobacco stake stars. Plus, learn the lore that surrounds these vintage finds.

DIY Holiday Spice Ornaments

You hear it said over and over again that nothing beats the smell of Christmas. I agree! That's why making these holiday spice ornaments has become a tradition in my house.

Make Your Own Herb Vinegar

If your garden's been prolific, you’ve got lots of herbs that you don’t want to go to waste. So, why not make some herb vinegar? This is a great way to preserve tender herbs, such as basil and lemon balm. It provides a tasty addition to your menus. And, if you make an extra batch or two, you can use it for homemade holiday gifts.

How To Make Christmas Burlap Ornaments

I recently wrote about making Christmas ornaments out of burlap and twine for Laura's Lean Beef and thought it would be fun to share.....

I had some extra burlap left over from making my burlap wreath last fall and I gathered some inspiration from a shopping trip in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. So, I made my own burlap and twine ornaments that lend a rustic look to my Christmas tree.

These ornaments don’t require much craftiness, but they do require a little patience since they don’t look great until the end.

Here’s what you’ll need:

Round glass ornaments,

Burlap,

Craft Glue,

Twine &

Glitter.

First, you’ll need to cover your ornament with burlap. Since the ornament is round, this can be a little tough, so I cut mine into a few pieces and glued them to the ornament. I didn't want the edges to be raised and look horrible. So, I spread some glue along all the cut edges to give a more uniform look. 

Once the burlap is dry, then it’s time to wrap the ornament in twine. This doesn’t require any skill and can take on any look you’d like. I wrapped mine randomly to give it a rustic appearance. You don’t have to completely glue the twine to the ornament, but I found it’s best to glue it as much as possible. This prevents those pieces from slipping when the ornament is handled. 

Once all that is dry; and frankly, waiting for things to dry is the hardest part! Then you need to mix some craft glue with a little water; just enough to make it runny, and spread that mixture all over the ornament. Sprinkle quickly with glitter before the glue starts to harden.

After that dries, you’re left with a sparkly and rustic ornament that can be enjoyed for years to come. Oh, and don’t be afraid to use any colors of burlap, twine and glitter that you’d like. That’s what makes it unique!

Chicken Statues & The Great Chicken Fry Off!

We recently took a day trip and happened upon the rural town of Brookville, Indiana and its chicken trail. It’s something you can’t miss. As you come into town there is a big painted statue of a rooster with a wrap-around its base proclaiming a Guinness World Records award for the world’s largest serving of fried chicken by the Canoefest Fryer’s Club – 1645 pounds! Apparently, they cooked up this culinary masterpiece in 2010 and served it in an Osagian canoe. Yes, it’s gitchy but cool.