Every year, I barter a gift basket for our Christmas tree. It’s one of my very favorite traditions — not just because of the tree, but because I get to gather goodies, thrift for a creative container, and doll it up to look festive. Some baskets I make are for individuals — a teacher, a friend, or e...

There’s something special about preparing for Christmas in a way that’s both simple and steeped in tradition. Advent has always been my favorite time of year — a time to prepare our hearts and homes for the coming of the Savior. And when Christmas finally arrives, there’s nothing that warms my heart...

The first time I made my own lip balm, I felt like I’d uncovered one of homemaking’s best-kept secrets: it’s easy, it’s fun, and it actually works.

Lip balm was one of my very first herbal DIY projects—partly because I was already using so much of it! Once I learned what was actually in those littl...

On the farm, our go-to is usually a wild cherry bark syrup I keep on hand for the colder months. But let’s be honest—there are times when the kids are coughing, and I realize I haven’t brewed a fresh batch yet. That’s when I head to the kitchen and grab what’s already there: honey, garlic, onion, gi...

Elderberries grow all over where we are, at the foothills of the Cascade Mountain Range. My grandfather used to tell me that when they first moved here, they would go up and down the country roads collecting elderberries. 

I firmly believe that our Creator left us all sorts of useful plants that...

I don’t even want to think about flu season, but here we are in September, and if some sort of illness hasn’t hit everyone yet, it's a matter of when, not if. The most important thing to remember is that being ready for flu season is half of the battle. Making sure your immune system has everything ...

It’s the end of fall, and winter is near. The pumpkins are soon going into the compost, and the last leaves have fallen from the trees. The color is mostly gone from the landscape. The summer flowers are long past the point of bringing those daily bouquets into the house. It's sad, I know, but here ...

There was a time when there was no Hobby Lobby. I know… isn’t that horrible? But it’s true, no craft stores with pre-made decorations for every season. It wasn’t really that long ago, but I can still remember when the craft stores only had materials to make your own decorations. Yes, I’m that old. 

In the days following the passing of Charlie Kirk, the internet filled with memories—not only of his words but of the small details that reminded many who followed him. Many of those people were you our readers. One memory that quickly spread was his go-to Starbucks order: a Mint Majesty Tea with tw...

Here in the Pacific Northwest, elderberries grow wild along roadsides and riverbanks. Most people pass them by, never realizing there’s a powerful, immune-supporting plant right there waiting to be foraged. Each season, I face the same choice: do I snip the creamy, fragrant flowers or wait for the d...

Here’s something about that first bite of ice cream on a warm day that sends you right back to childhood—sticky fingers, barefoot grass, and the hum of bees nearby. Whether it’s high summer or one of those lingering sunny days of early fall, a cool treat made with real ingredients feels just right. ...

When I think of gummies, I tend to think of the brightly colored red, green, and yellow gummy bears of my childhood. While they bring back nostalgic memories of traveling to California to visit family, I shudder now as an adult when I think about what they are made with… corn syrup, synthetic dyes l...