One of my favorite things to do is create stovetop infusions. They fill your home with light, pleasant fragrances and are so easy and inexpensive to make.

I’m sensitive to most home fragrance products, especially scented candles and plug–ins. I run through the perfume counters at Macy’s like an Olympic sprinter! But the fragrances from stovetop infusions are light and all–natural, and they don’t bother me a bit. : )

I follow an easy formula:
fruit + herb + something sweet + water

The something sweet is often an essential oil.

winter
apple + rosemary + cinnamon
persimmon + whole cloves + nutmeg

spring
lemon peel + lavender + clary sage essential oil
satsuma peel + basil + eucalyptus essential oil

summer
lemon peel + rosemary + clary sage essential oil
lime peel + chives + lemon essential oil

fall—My favorite scents!
apple + whole cloves + cinnamon and nutmeg
pear + whole cloves + pumpkin pie spice

Put the ingredients in a small saucepan, then fill with water (about 2 / 3 of the way). Boil, then immediately lower heat to the lowest setting. Let it simmer, filling your house with a delightful fragrance.

If you check it every now and then and add water as needed, you can really leave this simmering all day. I’ll turn off the heat at night and reuse the same mix the next day or so, depending on how long the ingredients stay fresh.

What are your favorite ways to add coziness to your home?