Strawberries on the
Menu

Kids in the Kitchen
Vegetable Lentil Soup
CTV News at Noon
Meatball w Spicy Tomato Sauce
"Mulled" Parsnip and Apple Shooters
Rain &Snow Day Activities
CTV Ottawa Morning Live

Organization 101:
Get The Most Out of 
Your Day!
 CTV Ottawa Morning Live


Jerk-Style Trout with
Apple Carrot Relish
Global News Morning 
Apple Picking 
Ample Apple Recipes
CTV Morning Live
Pumpkin Pie with 
Cookie Crumb Crust
Global News Morning
Back to School:
Study Space and More
CTV Morning Live

Outdoor Education Easy
CTV News at Noon
Fresh From the Market
CTV Morning Live
Garden Starters!
CTV Morning Live
One Meal Five Ways:
Making the Most of It
CTV Morning Live
Easter Made Easy
CTV Ottawa Morning Live
Homeade:
Covid Health Hacks:
Saving you time and money
CTV Ottawa Morning Live
Valentines Inspiration
PIZZA X 2
Chicken Pot Pie 
Apple Cheesecake 
Rogers Daytime


Comfort Food -
Chipolte Meatload Muffins
Global News Morning

Warm Barley Lentil Salad
with Roasted Vegetables
Global News Morning

Soups On-
Creamy Roasted Parsnip
& Celeriac Soup

Global New Morning



Everyday Muffin

 Global News 

 

Parenting Panel- Back to School

CTV Morning Live

 

Summer Fun Ideas

CTV News at Noon

 

 Weekday Recipes:

 The Morning Show on CKWS

RAINBOW TROUT 

 

Sheet Pan Turkey Dinner

 

Apple Oat Skillet Cookies

 

Kids in the Kitchen! All Things Local

Rogers Daytime Ottawa

 

Kids in the Kitchen! Pizza Many Ways

CTV Morning Live

 

Keep The Kids Warm and Dry!

CTV Morning Live

 

 

EVeryday ART CAMP! CTV NEWS

Not just for March Break

 

Fun & Easy Valentines Day Ideas!

 

Parenting Panel -
Some of Your Questions Answered 
CTV Ottawa Morning Live

 

Hosting A Howling Good Halloween
October 2018 - CTV Ottawa Morning Live

 

Great Cracking 
A Twist on Some Fall Classics
October 2018- Rogers Daytime Ottawa

 

Quick Meals - On the Go! 
September 2018 CTV Ottawa Morning Live


 Back to School - Set Up For Sucess
September 2108- Daytime Ottawa

 

It's Maple Season, Let's Cook - March 13, 2018
CTV 

 

Kids in the Kitchen - March 8, 2018
Rogers TV

March Break Ideas for Kids - February 21, 2018
CTV

 

Honey Oat Apple Muffins & Slow Cooker Lasagna - January 2018

Keeping Kids Warm and Dry - January 2018

 

A Little Goes a Long Way - Decemeber 8, 2017

 

Leek Apple and Brie Tarts - December 7, 2017

 

Game Day - November 15, 2017

 

Recipes for Leftover Halloween Candy -  November 3, 2017

Thanksgiving Desserts - October 8, 2017

Muffin Tin Fritattas - September 13, 2017

First Time Back to School - August 25, 2017

Back to School Must Haves - August 14, 2017

Back to School Snacks - August 14, 2017


Long Weekend Games - August 1, 2017

Packing 101 - August 1, 2017

Camping Treats - July 13, 2017

Cooking with Kids - July 5, 2017

Maple Mustard Turkey Burgers  - June 6, 2017

Butter Tart Maple Apple Squares - March 14, 2017


 

Januaury 1, 2017 - Cooking Up Ideas for a Healthy 2017

 

 

November 23 - Kid's Week on CTV

 

September 6 - CTV Morning Live

Fresh Ideas from Foodland

September 23 - CTV Morning Live

Grilling with Rob Rainford

 

September 21 - CTV Morning Live

Fall Home Decorating and Hacks

 

September 6 - CTV Morning Live

Get Cracking #wakeupyellow


August 15 - City Montreal

Back to School

 

August 12 - Rogers TV - Daytime


August 10 - Rogers TV - Daytime

 

August 9 - CTV Morning Live

Twists on Breakfast

 

 

 

 

 facebook icon facebookicon pinterest icon email icon

 

 

 



 

« Make the Most of an Indoor Day with Online Educational Fun! | Main | Back to School - Back to Routines »
Wednesday
Oct032018

Easy Ways to Cozy Up Your Home for Fall

 

 

The nights are getting cooler and the leaves will soon begin to change.  Fall is here and with it comes sweater weather, baking, colourful leaves, warm soups and harvest stews.  I can almost feel the seasons changing when I step outside and that’s my cue to make some seasonal changes indoors too. 

Inspiration is Right Outside Your Door

Take a walk outdoors with the kids to find things to bring inside. This is such a fun family activity.  Small branches can be brought inside and bundled together, tied up with pretty ribbon in autumnal colours and placed around your home.

Short, thin twigs can be glued onto clear glass jars to create seasonal votives. Pinecones can be collected and placed in large glass bowls or onto plates and platters. Children can glue pinecones to a paper plate to create a decorative wreath.  Add a little English Ivy to your displays. They are not only beautiful, but they are also a natural air purifier.

Bring your hydrangea inside and let them dry naturally.  The beautiful fall hues will add warmth to your home. 

 

Take a Trip to the Farmer’s Market

Stop by your local farmers market and pick up seasonal fruits and vegetables to decorate your home.  The rich colours and textures of apples, pears, clementines, squash, gourdes and pumpkins really stand our when clustered together in your kitchen or family room. 

Throughout the month, swap out fruit with fresher varieties and use your ripened pieces in your fall baking. Nothing says fall like an apple pie or cobbler fresh out of the oven. 

Simmer Some Stovetop Potpourri for Natural Warmth 

Bring the scents of fall indoors with a simmering stovetop potpourri.   Add any combination of your favourite fall fruits and spices to a large pot of boiling water.  Reduce the water to a simmer.  This will not only make your home smell like fall, but the steam from the pot will add moisture back into the dry air caused by the heat.

  • Apple slices
  • Orange slices 
  • Whole nuts with shells
  • Cinnamon sticks
  • Vanilla 
  • Whole cloves
  • Cinnamon
  • Star of anise
  • Berries
  • Essential oils 

Create a Cozy Corner

Create a cozy corner in your home that invites your family to relax and unwind. Add inviting blankets and scatter some soft cushions in fall colours.  Set out puzzles, games and some great fall reads.  Here are my suggestions.   

Kids

  • Apple Farmer Annie – Monica Wellington
  • Time to Sleep - Denise Fleming 
  • Halloween Day – Anne Rockwell
  • Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf – Lois Ehlert
  • Giving Thanks – Jonathan London 
  • Leaf Jumpers – Carole Gerber 
  • Applesauce Season – Eden Ross
  • Pumpkin Circle – Shmuel Thaler

Adults

  • The Couple Next Door – Shari Lapena
  • The Best Kind of People – Zoe Whittall
  • Commonwealth – Ann Patchette
  • Wenjack – Joseph Boyden 
  • The Wonder – Emma Donoghue
  • Born to Run – Bruce Springsteen
  • Two by Two – Nicholas Sparks 
  • Small Great Things – Jodi Picoult 

Pumpkin Spice is Always Nice

Stock up on fall spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, mulling spice, thyme and vanilla.  Fill your pantry with new, fresh ingredients so you are ready on a whim to whip up your favourite fall recipes.

Make and Entrance

From Thanksgiving guests to trick-or-treaters, your front door is a busy place in the fall.  Carry your fall decorating right out the door by adding a few potted mums to add an instant pop of autumn colour. Welcome your guests with a cheerful fall doormat and pile on the pumpkins.  Don’t be shy to experiment with containers.  An old wagon makes a perfect display for hay bales, flowers and gourds. 

Freshen up for Fall

Fall cleaning is not as common a phrase as “spring cleaning,” but preparing your nest for the long winter is just as wonderful as cleaning out the cobwebs after a cold season spent indoors. 

  1. Clean your blinds with 50-50 vinegar and water mixture and an old sock. 
  2. Use a razor to remove paint and lint from clothing.  Bring out your favourite cozy sweater.  It will get you excited for cool weather. 
  3. Freshen your dresser drawers with a sachet of fall spices.  
  4. Remove tough carpet stains using an iron and a damp washcloth. 
  5. Scrub your cutting boards with half of a lemon and some kosher salt.   Rinse off with warm water and dish soap.
  6. Get your cookie sheets ready for holiday baking.  Scrub with a mixture of 1/4 cup baking soda and enough hydrogen peroxide to make a paste. Rub the paste all over your sheets in small circles. Let sit for 2-3 hours and rinse. 
  7. Freshen your mattress by first vacuuming the surface. Follow by sprinkling with baking soda.  Let the soda sit for 2 hours before vacuuming off.
  8. Clean your microwave by filling a bowl with equal parts water and vinegar. Microwave on high for 2 minutes. This will steam clean the microwave from the inside allowing you to simply wipe the walls clean. 
  9. Wash plastic toys in the dishwasher using the short cycle.  
  10. Rub a half bagel over a dusty painting to remove particles from the surface.  

A special thanks to  Flowers by Maggie, who inspired me with her expertise in bringing "the outside in.

Reader Comments

There are no comments for this journal entry. To create a new comment, use the form below.

PostPost a New Comment

Enter your information below to add a new comment.

My response is on my own website »
Author Email (optional):
Author URL (optional):
Post:
 
Some HTML allowed: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <code> <em> <i> <strike> <strong>