A simple centerpiece for a coffee table in my home with plants growing in bottles.The dragonfly is crafted from dry palm leaves, purchased from a street vendor in Vietnam. It remains one of my most treasured possessions. — A simple centerpiece for a coffee table in my home with plants growing in bottles.
The dragonfly is crafted from dry palm leaves, purchased from a street vendor in Vietnam. It remains one of my most treasured possessions.

Tips on how to love staying at home

Tip 1. Bring nature into your home. Going to a florist is not a priority item at this point, so my tip is to go cut some green leaves and branches growing near your home and create your own arrangements at home or grow them in bottles with water. Use some of the beautiful wine bottles or glass jars that you may have at your disposal. You can add drama by placing the colored bottles on window ledges to get the light to shine through them!

See Athena Calderone's video on Foraging.

Go here for a list of plants that can easily grow in bottles with cuttings.

Tip 2: Institute a winding down ritual. Start an evening ritual of burning simple incense or a scented candle after sunset. This will be a signal for the family to wind down, take a breath, tune out work and social media and focus on leisure. Keep the lights low in the evening, try to stay away from jarring bright ceiling or wall lights. Instead rely on lamps to light up your living and sleeping spaces. Adjust the brightness of a lamp by simply covering your lamps with a scarf, your zero cost dimmer!

Tip 3: Bust out the fancy! Make this a time for celebration with your immediate loved ones. Set the dinner table, add a floral (or plant) arrangement, add a candle and bring out the fancy dinnerware. This is really a time to make everyday special and to count on our blessings each and everyday!

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