Simple Pleasures of Nesting - Hardcover

Conari Press

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1573249629 ISBN 13: 9781573249621

Publisher: Conari Press,U.S., 2004

Synopsis

Simple Pleasures of Nestingoffers a treasure trove of stories, recipes, crafts, and ideas for fun times that enhance the joy of being at home. From homemade pretzels to indoor gardens, Simple Pleasures of Nesting inspires one to completely indulge in the art of being at home.

About this title

About the Author

Susannah Seton is the author of Simple Pleasures of the Home, Simple Pleasures of the Garden, Simple Pleasures for the Holidays, and coauthor of Simple Pleasures: Soothing Suggestions and Small Comforts for Living Well YearRound. She lives in Berkeley, California, with her husband and daughter.

The Editors of Conari Press have produced the bestselling Random Acts of Kindness series, with over 1 million copies sold.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

SIMPLE PLEASURES Nesting

By Susannah Seton

Red Wheel/Weiser, LLC

Copyright © 2004 Susannah Seton
All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-1-57324-962-1

CHAPTER 1

Nesting

Home. I love being at home. In fact, it's hard to blast me outof the house. Looking back at my life as a whole nowthat I'm in my forties, I realized I was bitten young by the domesticbug.

My instincts for creating a comfortable nest and sitting in itcontentedly have never left me. No matter what my circumstanceshave been—I've settled in with dozens of houseplants, tacked upa few pieces of artwork, and proceeded to needlepoint pillows,burn incense, and cook dinners from scratch every night. Evennow, often I don't leave the house for days on end.

It's been through homemaking that I have experienced someof the greatest pleasures in my life. And so, once again, I askedpeople to share their stories, recipes, crafts, and other homespuncreature comforts. Simple Pleasures of Nesting will help you toconnect with the heart of your home, to what truly matters toyou in your daily life.

MEMORY PLATES

A craft from Victorian times that seems to have gone outof favor is the making of memory plates. These are collagesthat are made from photos and other paper memorabiliaand then attached to the back of a clear glass plate and displayedin the living room or study. They can be very beautiful, becausethe colors in whatever artwork you've chosen are seen through theglass, making it look as if the artwork is under water.

My Brother, Ant 1 translucent glass plate
photos and images of your choice cut from magazines
or catalogs
decoupage fixative (available at craft stores)
tissue paper
spray glue
polyurethane

Create the design you want on a similar-sized plate and then transferthe images one at a time to the glass plate. Apply the decoupageglue to the front of the image and then press the image onto theback of the plate, carefully pressing out any bubbles or wrinkles.When your design is complete, cut out a piece of tissue paper thesame size as the plate and glue it to the back of the images, so thatfrom behind you will see only a white surface. Seal the back and therim of the plate with 3 coats of polyurethane, allowing it to dry completelybetween coats.

HANDMADE PRETZELS

Pretzels are great nonfat snacks that can easily be made at home.The longer you knead the dough, the softer the pretzel will be. Ifyou've got kids, enlist them—to make the process more fun, thedough can easily be formed in the shapes of letters and numbers.

1 #189; cups warm water
1 package yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt, plus more for tops
1 egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 425°. Put the warm water into a large bowl, sprinklein yeast, and stir until it dissolves. Add sugar, flour, and salt. Mixwell, then knead dough until it is smooth and soft. Roll and twistdough into desired shapes—letters, numbers, twists, and so on. Greasetwo cookie sheets. Lay the pretzel dough shapes onto cookie sheets.Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle lightly with salt. Bake for 12 to 15minutes, or until golden. Makes 1 to 2 dozen, depending on size.

BASKET OF LOVE

Do you want to surpriseyour paramoursome evening? Make a love basket. Simply find aheart-shaped basket, spray-paint it red (sandit slightly first so the paint will stick better),add a pretty ribbon to the handle, and fillit with your beloved's favorite things:chocolate-covered cherries, sexy underwear—whateverhe or she fancies. Then place it on yourlove's pillow to be discovered

A FRUGAL FEAST

In her reminiscence with recipes, We Called It Macaroni(Alfred A. Knopf, 1996), Nancy Verde Barr recalls that"pasta fazool" didn't seem like much of a treat when she wasgrowing up. But when she was pregnant with her first child, shebegan to crave this comforting soup, and made many a mad dashto Italian restaurants in Providence, Rhode Island, for a containerof hot, soothing soup to go. Here's one version, although as withmost comfort food, there are dozens of equally tasty variations.

PASTA E FAGIOLI

1 cup dried white or cranberry beans, or 2#189; cups
canned beans, drained and rinsed
¼ pound bacon, chopped or 2 ounces pancetta, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil (if using pancetta)
1 onion, finely chopped
1 rib celery, finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2–4 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
salt and fresh ground pepper
¼ pound small, tubular macaroni or noodles
Parmesan or pecorino cheese

If using dried beans, soak overnight in water, drain, cover again withwater and simmer for about 2 hours, or until beans are tender. Setaside.

In a large saucepan, fry bacon until barely crisp or saute pancettain olive oil about 4 minutes, until fat is rendered. Drain off most offat.

Add the onion, celery, carrot, and garlic, and saute gently about10 minutes, until vegetables are soft.

If using canned beans, heat in 4 cups water or meat broth. If usingdried beans, reheat in a large pot. Add bacon vegetable mixture andtomatoes to beans, return to a simmer, add macaroni or noodles andcook until pasta is tender. Serve warm with freshly ground pepperand grated Parmesan or pecorino cheese. Serves 6.

RESTORE A PIECE OF FURNITURE

Because so manyof us workprimarily with our heads,doing something withour hands can betremendously satisfying.I have an old pineblanket chest that Ibought about twentyyears ago. Over the yearsit has endured dogscratches, children'sscribbles, and scrapesfrom candle holders. Oneday I decided it neededsome help. So I sanded it down a bit and appliedcoat after coat of Briwax and then cream furniturepolish. Now it glows again, and I smile every timeI walk into the room. Find something withintrinsic quality and value. If someone once caredabout the piece, no matter how many layers ofpaint and neglect it has endured, you can restoreit. Enjoy your creativity and a sense of preservingthe past. Or do what my co-worker Brenda does.Find a junky wooden or metal chair that is beingthrown away and save it from the landfill. Useyour imagination and paint it to have a one-of-a-kindcreation. Each leg a different color? The skyon the seat? Let your imagination soar.

NOSTALGIC BROWNIES

2 ounces unsweetened
chocolate
¼ cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup all-purpose flour
pinch of salt
½ cup walnuts, broken into
pieces or chopped 16

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan, and line it withbaking parchment or waxed paper. Butter and flour the waxed paper.

Melt the chocolate and butter in a saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat,stir well, then lightly stir in the sugar, egg, vanilla, flour, salt, and nuts.

Spread into the pan and bake for about 30 minutes, until center is set. Donot overbake, or brownies will lose their chewy texture and become dry.

Remove pan from the oven and cool on a rack about 5 minutes.Turn out onto the rack and peel off the paper. While still warm, cutinto squares with a greased knife. Makes 16 brownies.

PRESSED FLOWERS

Making pressed flowersis incredibly easy. Itrequires no special equipmentand costs absolutely nothing.Here's how: When your new telephonebook comes, save the oldone and put it somewhere whereyou won't lose it. Find a meadowand collect small bouquets ofwildflowers. Lay them flat in differentparts of the phone book.Place a small boulder, or anythingelse that's heavy and notlikely to take off, on top of thephone book. Let sit for a fewmonths.

GREETING CARDS

Place pressed flowers in a pattern you likeon the front of blank cards or on stiff artists'paper you can get at a craft or variety store. Attachthem to the paper with a dab of glue. Peel an appropriateamount of transparent, self-stick plastic film(like contact paper) from the roll and carefully placeon top of the flowers, pressing from the center to theedge to eliminate air bubbles. Trim the edge of theplastic to match the card or paper. You can then sendthem to your friends for Christmas, birthdays,Valentine's Day, or no reason at all. Bookmarks canbe made in exactly the same way—just cut the paperto an appropriate size.

FABRIC-COVERED LAMP SHADE

If you would rather make a shade from a kit and are having troublefinding what you want, contact The Lamp Shop in NewHampshire (603-224-1603) or Wisconsin Lighting in Wisconsin(715-834-8707).

1 plain, white, unpleated, translucent shade
brown paper
spray glue or fabric glue
about 1 yard lightweight or medium-weight fabric
(length depends on size of shade)

First make a pattern by wrapping the brown paper around the shadeand taping it in place. Crimp the top and bottom to mark the edgesand cut excess.

Remove the paper and trace the pattern on the wrong side offabric, adding 1 inch to all sides for overlap. Cut out fabric.

Lightly coat theshade with glue.Beginning atthe seam lineof the shade, pressthe fabric in place(leaving 1 inch above andbelow the top and bottom of shade). Carefully wrap the fabricaround the shade, smoothing out wrinkles or air bubbles as yougo. When you reach the seam line again, fold the end of the fabricunder a half-inch and overlap the beginning end, covering it completely.Glue in place. At the top and bottom, clip thefabric every inch or so, then fold down and glue theseflaps to the inside.

NATURALLY DYED EASTER EGGS

Want to do something a little moresophisticated this Easter? You and yourolder kids might enjoy the subtlebeauty of these natural wonders. Butbe aware—these are for decorationonly. Do not eat.

1 red cabbage
3 very large brown-skinned onions
1 dozen eggs
36 rubber bands
2 dozen small fern fronds and/or fresh
and dried flower blossoms
1 tablespoon powdered alum
1 roll cheesecloth

My Brother, Ant Without cutting the cabbage in two, cut the central core out andseparate the leaves so that each leaf is as large as possible. Cut thetwo ends off the onions and peel the skin off, again keeping eachpiece of skin as large as possible.

Place a fern or flower against an egg on either side and wrap itcompletely with a red cabbage leaf, using two rubber bands to keepit on. Repeat for five more eggs. Use the onion skins and remainingflowers and ferns for the other six eggs, again using two rubber bandsto affix. Cut 12 pieces of cheesecloth big enough to wrap completelyaround each egg and secure with two more rubber bands.

Place the cabbage eggs in one pot and the onion eggs in another.Add water and 1 ½ teaspoon alum to each pot. Bring to a boil, reduceheat, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow eggsto cool in water. Unwrap and enjoy your designs. Makes 1 dozen.

PERSONALIZED REFRIGERATOR MAGNETS

Can you ever have enough kitchen magnets? With all the stuff Itack up on my fridge, I certainly can't. Here's an easy way to makeyour own (and they're great gifts for Grandma that kids can makeby themselves.)

Save the metal lids from frozen drink cans.

Find some favorite photos that will fit on the lids, and have colorcopies made of them.

Cut the copies to fit, and using white glue or spray glue, afix thepictures to the lids, smoothing out any bubbles or wrinkles with your fingers.

Glue a thin piece of ribbing around the edge and a magnet on the back.Presto!

THE ZEN OF VACUUMING

I never wear shoes unless I have to. I always go barefoot ifI'm painting or cooking. I like to feel the ground againstmy skin, with no interruption in the energy that comes throughmy feet. I prefer to live in the desert, where I don't need shoeseither inside or outside. And wherever I'm living, clean floors areessential.

My love affair with vacuuming began when I was a child. Thenoise blocked out my mother's scolding, and I could feel like Iwas doing something that made grownups proud of me.Vacuuming is still my joy and meditation. I totally check outwhen I'm running my Electrolux over the floor. Sometimes I goover the same spot over and over again. I feel about my Electroluxthe way some people feel about classic cars. It's like an old DeSotoor Studebaker. It never gets too old, it just keeps getting morestylish, and it gets the job done. The only thing better than walkingbarefoot on a freshly vacuumed floor is getting a foot massage.

PERSONALIZED FURNITURE

We don't have a lot of money. So when I was pregnant, my husbandand I hit all the garage sales looking for nursery items. Wefound an old chest of drawers for $20 and painted it white. Whenthe baby was born, we dipped her hands and feet in water-based,latex pastel paints and then gently stamped her hand- and footprintson the top and sides of the dresser. Now we have apermanent reminder of her babyhood that she, and we, will treasurealways.

LEMON BEESWAX POLISH

For those who love the glow of freshly polished wood furniture,here's a real treat—homemade furniture polish. Nothing beatsthe smell of lemon and beeswax!

2/3 cup boiling water
1 tablespoon liquid lemon dish detergent
2 ounces beeswax
#189; ounce paraffin
1 ¼ cups turpentine
10 drops lemon essential oil
wide-neck jar with lid

Pour the boiling water into the dish detergent and allow to cool. Ina double boiler, heat beeswax, paraffin, and turpentine over very lowheat, taking care that mixture doesn't get hot enough to flare up.Whisk soap water into wax to form an emulsion. Add essential oil.Store in a wide-neck jar with a lid. Makes about 2 cups.

SLEEP POTION

Here is a marvelous aromatherapyspray fromJudith Fitzsimmons' and Paula M. Bousquet's wonderful bookSeasons of Aromatherapy. Guaranteed to relax youand help you drift off.

2 drops chamomile essential oil
4 drops lavender essential oil
3 drops orange essential oil
5 ounces water

Mix all ingredients together in a spray bottle. Spray bed clothing andthe air before bedtime.

ICY SHEETS

I grew up in a part of theSouth where it wasoften so hot and muggy on summer nights that my sisters and Icouldn't get to sleep. Finally my parents came up with a solutionto the problem. They told us we could each put one sheet in thefridge at supper. By bedtime the sheet would be crisp and cold,and when I crawled under it, the cool cotton draped over my skinwas utterly calming. First I'd lie on the left side, and when that partof the sheet warmed up, I'd simply slide over one body width towhere it was still cool. The sheet was exactly four body widthswide, but I was usually asleep before I used them all up. It felt sogood I got to looking forward to going to bed, and sticky summernights became a pleasure instead of an irritation.

High on the list ofuniversal comfortfoods is potatoes. And when you are talking a real fall treat, thereis nothing to compare to garlic and potatoes together. Is it possiblethat no one combined mashed potatoes and garlic before "garlicmashed potatoes" appeared on trendy restaurant menus and foodmagazine covers in the 1990s? We think not. The ancient bulb thatthe Chinese were praising in 3000 B.C. and the tuber that Spanishconquistadors discovered in Peru in the 16th century A.D. weresurely meant for each other—two great underground resourcesmerged into creamy bliss.

You can, if you like, simply toss peeled garlic cloves into thewater when you boil potatoes and mash them together. But for alittle more elegance, simmer the garlic in milk and cream whilethe potatoes cook. It will all come together perfectly.

(Continues...)

Excerpted from SIMPLE PLEASURES Nesting by Susannah Seton. Copyright © 2004 Susannah Seton. Excerpted by permission of Red Wheel/Weiser, LLC.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

Edition details

• Publisher: Conari Press,U.S.
• Publication date: 2004
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1573249629
• ISBN 13: 9781573249621
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 62
• Editor: Conari Press