Spring Cleaning

I decided to take a break from flower making and organize my kitchen. I took on drawer that was a catch all for most of our cooking utensils and turn it into a tea, coffee and cocoa center. We drink a lot of coffee and tea in our house so I though that is would be a great place to store it all in one place. ( I do have extra K Cups in the pantry, but all of my tea fit in perfectly).

Here is the Video that inspired me to do this.
I love all of her videos. You might want to watch a few more for some great ideas.

I also organized my countertop with my Keurig and hot water pot. I also have a container of mini marshmellows as well as my French Press Coffee Maker. I have to find a better container for my sugar as this is only temporary. (My nice one got broken). The way this is set up is perfect for fixing breakfast in the mornings. I can use the toaster oven and make coffee in the same area without too much clutter. 

I really should have taken a before picture but it was bad, really, really bad. 

We have Puppies

Make Your Own Fabric Softener

A few months back I shared how to make your own laundry detergent for pennies and today I want to do a follow up. with a way to make your fabric softener for very little outlay and a lot of bang for your buck.

Supplies:

• A 2 Gallon Bucket with a tight fitting lid. I repurposed a bucket that was headed for the recycling bin
• Thin Sheet Sponges Cut into 6ths
• Conditioner of your choice. I used the VO5 because it only cost $0.98
• A Wire Whisk
• 2 Gallons of hot water I boiled mine

How-To-Make:

Fill the bucket half way with boiling water (this helps the conditioner blend better), then add your hair conditioner. Mix well with the whisk and then add the 2nd gallon of boiling water. Add your cut up sponges and let soak.

How-To-Use:

Toss 1 or 2 sponges into the dryer with your clothes (I squeeze them out a little but not all the way)  and your clothes. Dry are you normally would and they will come out static free and soft.

This batch will last you a long time and will help you cut down on cost. The Total cost of this project was only $1.49, a savings of over $8.00 compared to name brand fabric softeners

This week’s posts are sponsored by:

Go over and check them out and look for “Something New Everyday”!

From Sketch to Reality

Today’s post features a project that started in my sketchbook and when I decided to make another laundry hamper projects my daughter choose this design for her hamper. I love the way it turned out and I want to share it here with you and show you how I made it.

I started out this time with a Pink Fabric Hamper from the Target Dollar Spot for only $2.50

Supplies:

• Sketch from your sketchbook
• 1 White watercolor pencil
• fine tip Sharpie Marker
• Scribbles Fabric Paint in your choice of colors

Using the white pencil draw the name and the design onto the hamper. This is a step where you will be able to correct any mistakes with a wet cloth.

Start outlining your pattern design with your Sharpie marker. This will give your design an outline as well as giving you a easier pattern to fill in.

Start out with your first Scribbles Fabric Paint color and squeeze it around to fill the shape but not al the way.

Nest using a damp brush spread your paint around to cover the shape. The Paint will me thin and the background color might show through a little but this is fine.

Repeat these steps with the rest of your Scribbles Fabric Paint color choices.

Use the Scribble Fabric Paint color of your choice to outline the name and then let it dry according to the directions on the bottle.

Once it has dried you can use it to dress up your laundry room. I hope that you have enjoyed this tutorial on how to take it from Sketch to Reality.

More Decorations

My girls love to decorate and use everything that we have to now the whole house is finished and ready for Christmas. I want to share just a few of the vignettes that we have created. The first picture is the basket that is sitting on top of the TV.

These are vintage ornaments that I don’t want to get broken so they do not go on the tree. I have them in a crystal bowl sitting on the dining table.

These three ornaments are sitting on the piano.  I have some of these on the tree but I felt like there was more than enough ornaments there so we put a few of them here.

These hang from our light fixture over the dining table.

Fall Cleaning Week 1 Kitchen

Countertop Organization Idea

I don’t know what it is about fall weather that makes me want to clean. I am not a big spring cleaner. I feel that the fall is the best time to really deep clean everything because this is the time of year when we are going to spend the most time inside the house. In the spring I work on cleaning the yard and other outside chores that the winter weather has made me not really want to do.  See How-to after the jump.