Having a sweet smelling home is a goal of mine and one that’s a constant challenge, due to living in a place that was poorly built and is not very well ventilated. Neither of the bathrooms have windows and there seems to be a bad air flow throughout the entire floor plan.

The best thing, obviously, is to have fresh air coming in. When the weather is nice, I try to keep the windows open for at least a few hours a day. That helps some, but since the weather here in New England can be so unpredictable, I can’t count on it. I also suffer from allergies and humidity/pollen/heat can be a problem for me.

One thing I’ve been doing this past week is putting a few drops of essential oils on dryer balls and throwing it in with each load of laundry. It has really made our laundry area smell wonderful and the clothes/towels that come out of the dryer smell much fresher, too.

Another option is to use candles. Since I got so many Glade candles for free last winter with coupons, I’ve been slowly using them up.  They just add such a warm, homey feeling and also aid in relaxation. 

My third strategy has been to simmer a pot filled with water, lemon slices, and cinnamon on the stove. This works best when I’m in the kitchen for an extended period of time, like a bulk cooking day, because it’s not safe to leave the stove unattended.

And, my most favorite idea of all is to incorporate fresh flowers. I don’t regularly buy them, but when roses go on sale for less than $10/dozen, it’s a splurge that’s worth every penny to me. I’m also a huge fan of tulip bouquets in the springtime. Look for deals at the grocery store and avoid florists to cut down on cost.

How do you keep your home smelling fresh?

I love to decorate my home, but I don’t like to spend a lot, so I look for affordable updates that offer a lot of style for the money. Sometimes changing things up and giving a new fresh look to your space is as easy as adding a pop of color.

Pillows are a great example. Most of us don’t want to replace our sofa, but everyone can easily swap out the pillows which can change the entire look of a room. I love fun, modern, graphic, bold pillows that have flair and provide comfort. Mix, match, play with color. You can’t go wrong!

You can also add some beach-inspired towels to help perk up your bathroom. They’re also a beautiful addition poolside. Wrap yourself in luxurious comfort with soft, beautiful, absorbent towels that add subtle nautical flair with stripes in muted colors.

Another affordable update is a tablecloth. A simple, breezy tablecloth with an unexpected dip dye look adds an unexpected splash of whimsy to your dining experience and is perfect whether you’re dining indoors or entertaining alfresco.

These easy updates from Nine Space can add beauty to any home.

I’ve always been a huge fan of anything personalized and when the generous folks at Name Factory offered to let me review a necklace, I was super excited!

Name Factory is a Florida-based jewelry company that offers high quality, unique designs. These personalized necklaces are available in 14K solid yellow gold, 14K solid white gold, yellow gold-plated, and sterling silver. Along with name and initial necklaces for women, they offer mother’s jewelry, birthstones, couples’ jewelry, and even a collection for men.

Because there are so many gorgeous designs to pick from, I spent about an hour looking over the site. I wear gold mostly but I’ve been wanting to try something new in silver, so that narrowed it down a bit. I also wanted something delicate and feminine that would coordinate with many outfits. Finding this beauty was a dream come true!

It can be customized further by selecting your preferred thickness and chain length. (I used standard thickness and a 16-inch chain.) Whenever I order something online, I’m always curious to see if I’ll like it as much in person and my “Victoria” necklace didn’t disappoint. It was super-shiny out of the box, smooth, and lightweight in feel without being flimsy.

I’ve worn it three times since it arrived last week and it’s great for day or night events. When I wore it to the dentist, the receptionist even commented on how pretty it looks (love that!). I can see myself enjoying this necklace for years to come.

In addition to the name necklace, I also found nice options in the religious collection. While many companies don’t make anything for the Jewish community, Name Factory does! This Hamsa necklace is just darling and I’m planning to buy it for my sister’s birthday in September.

Anyone who enjoys personalized jewelry should select Name Factory. They offer an incredible product for a reasonable price. To create your own personalized design, check out their website.

This post contains affiliate links and I may be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

If you read last week’s post, you now know why Cricut’s Explore One™ and Explore Air™ machines are so incredible – and a must-have for any crafter.

But what bridges the gap between the creative ideas in your head and the Cricut machine is the Cricut Design Space™.

Cricut’s Design Space™ is software for PC, Mac®, iPhone® and iPad® that you get for free with your Cricut machine of choice.

Instead of trying to figure out how to make your project, Design Space gives you the ability to focus on what you want to make. Your Cricut machine takes it from there and brings it to life.

With Design Space, you can start designing from scratch on your computer, iPhone® or iPad®, or you can use a pre-designed, Make It Now™ project. These ready-to-make projects are created by professional artists and include everything from home décor to fashion to paper crafting, and even a variety of FREE projects.

If you want to use one of Cricut’s 50K+ images, you can try them out in the Design Space to see which will look best in your project before you commit to purchasing it.

Uploading Images

When you’re ready to start designing, you can either use one of Cricut’s 50K+ images or easily upload your own using the “Upload Images” tool in Design Space. You can upload and cut .svg, .jpg, .png, .bmp, .gif, and .dxf files absolutely FREE. You can even use fonts already installed on your computer.

Cut What You Want® tool

The Design Space’s Cut What You Want® tool makes it easy to convert your design into a cuttable image in just a few clicks!

The Cricut Design Space™ app for iPad® and iPhone®

Cricut’s easy-to-use app for the iPad® and iPhone® makes it possible for you can design anytime and anywhere inspiration strikes you.

It also allows you to access all the project’s that you’ve personally designed, whether on your iOs device or your PC or Mac, and gives you access to all the Make-it-Now projects. 

With this app, you can start a project while at the beach, enhance it at the ice-cream shop, add some embellishments while cozying up on your couch, and then cut it on the Cricut Explore in your craft room. Plus, it’s cloud-based, so your projects are always synced across all your devices. 

In a nutshell, Cricut Design Space™ gives you the creative freedom to design just about anything! Make party invitations, decorations, and favors. Create seasonal home décor or personalize wedding gifts. Add embellishments to your favorite photo memories.

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg! Next week’s post (the last one in this series) will focus on some really fun and interesting projects that people have created using their Cricut machine and the Cricut Design Space.