A Cultivated Nest

Crock Pot Apple Butter & Phyllis Hoffman Celebrate Magazine Giveaway

Last year I shared my easy no-fuss recipe for making apple butter in the crock pot and since so many apple varieties are beginning to be available, I thought I'd share it again. Also at the bottom is a giveaway for Phyllis Hoffman's Celebrate (Festive Fall Issue) Magazine. This is my basic recipe for Crock Pot Apple Butter. 5/6 lbs of apples cored and sliced (I don't peel mine because we ... Read More about Crock Pot Apple Butter & Phyllis Hoffman Celebrate Magazine Giveaway

Growing Carrots in Containers

Growing carrots in containers You know that you can grow all kinds of veggies in containers! Maybe you're renting or maybe you just don't have the space for a traditional vegetable garden. Try growing in containers! I had a few extra carrot seedlings (yes I started carrot seeds in my little Big Lots greenhouse and transplanted them - not usually recommended but I've found it works for ... Read More about Growing Carrots in Containers

A Simple Autumn Fireplace Mantel

I wanted to do a little something fallish for my fireplace mantel and decided I'd make an autumn leaf garland. Only I got rid of all my scrapbook paper last year :) I used to decoupage a lot but last year I was de-cluttering all my craft supplies and I was thinking about what types of projects I really wanted to do. Decoupage wasn't one of them. So since I had no scrapbook paper, I made some ... Read More about A Simple Autumn Fireplace Mantel

Laundry Room Love

We had a leak in a our laundry area and we're going to have the dry wall removed to have a look at the pipes so I think now is a good time to spruce that area up a bit. It's something I've always wanted to do anyway. I thought I'd share a few laundry room inspiration photos. There isn't one photo that has everything I like but there are bits and pieces in each one. Claduio Ortiz Design Group, ... Read More about Laundry Room Love

The Start of My Fall Vegetable Garden

I have room for several new raised beds in my kitchen garden area since my daughter and I expanded the veggie garden fence this summer. Normally we make our own raised beds from pine boards (see my tutorial on How To Build A Raised Bed). But I was recently able to get the last two clearanced cedar raised bed kits at Lowe's a few weeks ago and put one together by myself. It was so easy! All ... Read More about The Start of My Fall Vegetable Garden

Pumpkin Spice Monkey Bread

I try to eat healthy for the most part but must admit to loving a few really unhealthy treats. Yes, I am one of those people that cuts up refrigerator biscuits, fries them in oil and dusts them with sugar and calls them donuts. I also love that old fashioned sticky treat - monkey bread - made from frozen white bread (some people use refrigerator dinner rolls). Did you grow up eating this too? ... Read More about Pumpkin Spice Monkey Bread