I've mentioned before in this space how much I'm a fan of simple projects. For me, the idea of elaborate table decorations at dinner parties is beautiful in theory, but I often find that after making the dinner itself and setting out the plates and cutlery, I've about exhausted my hostess energy stores. Read More

I'm a big proponent of projects that don't take too much time to make. It's not that I don't appreciate the carefully wrought craft, but when I'm preparing for a festive gathering, I want things to look nice but I don't want to spend hour upon hour making that happen. Enter the garland. Read More

We think a lot about packaging in our house. As much as is possible, we buy foods in bulk and stay away from things that come wrapped up in boxes and bags. Sometimes though, a package is hard to avoid. Just last week we were making a Thai curry and needed to use a tin can of coconut milk. Normally we would have put the can out for collection by our city recycling program, but I decided to put it to use as a candle holder instead. I don't blame you if mention of a tin can craft has you thinking of your 3rd grade scout trip, but if you ask me, these candle holders can make a sweet addition to an adult tablescape, too. Read More

A spring ritual that my family had when I was growing up was to collect wild lilacs as soon as they began to bloom each year. Because I am my mother's daughter, I have inherited the same love of these beautiful spring flowers. Not only for their symbolism - harbingers of spring and symbolic of early love - but for their beauty and especially for their intoxicating scent. This year, as a bunch that a friend cut for me sat in my dining room, I wondered why I had not come across more commercial perfumes or oils which captured their fragrance, and looked into if it were possible to extract their scent myself. I discovered that it could be done at home using the oldest form of scent preservation called enfleurage. Read More

As you can probably tell from my last post, warmer weather gives me a real taste for icy cocktails. Unfortunately, when it’s 2pm on Tuesday a boozy cocktail isn’t exactly the recipe for a successful finish to the day. So instead of pouring a cocktail, you can compromise with an icy treat that has the look and feel of a fancy cocktail, without the actual alcohol. Read More

An easy and simple DIY that adds a classic touch to any table setting, while helping cut down on waste. Read More

A video and pattern download from our Eco Read Feature in Issue 6 - Lisa Occhipinti's The Repurposed Library. Read More