stovetop potpourri.

I’ve got a secret to a fabulous smelling holiday house without using expensive candles or chemical air fresheners, and it’s a “stovetop potpourri.” I’m not even sure where I got this idea but I definitely can’t claim it.

The base ingredients are cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, and orange peel, but sometimes I like to add a generous sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice and nutmeg.

Throw in a small saucepan and cover with a couple inches of water. Bring to a boil on the back of the stove, then turn heat down to “low.” The important thing to remember is to check your mixture from time to time to make sure the water hasn’t evaporated (and set a timer if you’re worried about turning the burner off before you leave the house).

I make this little concoction up first thing in the morning and our house smells wonderful all day. We even traveled for three days this week and walked in the door to a cozy spicy smell in the air (which if you live in an old house you know that’s a minor miracle).

Happy weekend!