A Coat

I finished the coat for Kristin's daughter.  I used the Oliver + S School Days Jacket pattern.  It is a quick and fairly easy pattern (really, don't be intimidated by this pattern).    The instructions are well written.  It came together in one weekend, only sewing in the evenings.

This is not the best picture (of my daughter wearing the coat).  Maybe Kristin will post cuter ones of her daughter wearing it! (hint, hint)

It is made up in a wool crepe which I underlined because it was a little thin for a coat.  The lining is a cute cotton print that Kristin picked.  Maybe she will get pictures of that as well? 

I know it has been some time since I last posted.  I have been busy.  Life with four kids and all.  I finally finished the love seat I started on- after nearly 1 year!  I haven't taken a picture of it yet, but I did get a before picture and will post before and afters later.  I still have the other one left to do.  I plan to start it after the holidays.  I am working on a coat for Kristen's (you know, the other contributor to this blog) daughter now.  I will probably get a picture of the coat on Brielle once it is completed and shipped to them.
I haven't forgotten the jacket for myself either.  I started it earlier this year, but got overwhelmed with all the fitting and all the other stuff going on around here.  It got put aside.  I pulled it out periodically but just never had the motivation to do anything with it.  I finally got back to it.  I adjusted the back, and it is better.  I need to do a few more things to tweak the muslin and then I can start sewing the real deal.  I am excited, as it has been cold around here as of late and I'd love a third layer.  I guess all the warm weather here in Vegas makes it hard to think about cold weather clothes- until you are stuck in cold!

Just wanted to update you so you'd know I am still around.
Laura

Bliss Handmade

So, my friend, April, is one of the organizers of a fantastic local craft showcase that happens twice a year.  The holiday show is coming up on Saturday, November 12th.  For more information about Bliss Handmade, follow this link.  They've got some seriously gorgeous stuff there and I'm so excited to attend.

Also, commenting on the vendor showcase posts on the blog gets you entered to win gift certificates to use at the show.  And, if you bring canned food to donate to Food For Lane County, you'll be entered to win a fabulous grand prize.

So, head on over to blisshandmade.blogspot.com and read all about it.  Hope to see you all there!

Argyle? Yes, Please

Laura, my dear friend, sent me a link awhile ago to a tutorial on how to make this fabulous argyle wreath.  She knows I adore argyle because I'm a big dork.  I, however am not as talented in the "scissor" arts as many of you are, so I had to make my own flowers, instead of making the fabulous felt roses that are so hot right now.

My other dear friend, April, taught me to make these flowers and they're super easy to do.  For a tutorial on making this argyle wreath, follow the link here.  And don't forget, just because it's a Christmas wreath or an Autumn wreath, that doesn't mean it has to be.  Make it for whatever ocassion you want it to be.  Make it personal, and you'll love it that much more.

Happy Creating!


Kristin

Paper Chain? Nope, It's Fabric

Okay, here's the thing, I have ridiculously expensive taste in everything.  I'm not joking.  I get catalogs in the mail for clothes that cost $200+ for a shirt...A SHIRT!!  Do I buy that stuff?  No, I'm cheap, I don't have that kind of money and even if I did, I wouldn't waste that much on one thing.  No way.

So when I saw this fabric paper chain in the Land of Nod Catalog for Christmas, I wanted it. 

But there's no way you're going to get me to pay $29 for it.  I mean, I know it's not THAT much money, but it's only 20 links long, which means I'd need a lot more links to have it go where I wanted it to go.

That leads me to "knockoffs".  Yes, I do knockoffs.  I figure out how to make something similar, using my know how, my supplies, and my hands.  And typically, when I make a knockoff, it looks almost the same, without the $$$.

Without futher ado, here is my knockoff  fabric paper chain.  Keep in mind, I've only done 8 links so far, simply because I have about 80 other projects going all at the same time, but I will have it done soon.  Oh, and this is the "Birthday" version.  I am also making a holiday version...tonight.

So, How did I do it?

Well, here's the rundown.  You will need:

3+ Coordinating Fat Quarters
Mod Podge
Sponge Paint Brush
4 Sheets Scrapbook Plastic
Sharpee Marker
Rotary Cutter/Mat
Iron & Board
Paper Scissors
Velcro Dots or 3/4 yard Velcro

*If you use the Velcro yardage, you will also need a hot glue gun.

All you have to do is this:

Cut the plastic into 8 1/2" x 1 1/2" strips.  I used the Sharpee marker and my rotary cutting mat to measure and mark so I could make sure I got them all exactly the same size.

Iron the fabric.  Cut the fabric into 9" x 4" strips.

Once you've got the fabric and the plastic cut, bust out the Mod Podge and the Brush (make sure you work on a protected surface so you don't cover your good dining room table with Mod Podge).

Start by brushing Mod Podge over one entire side of the plastic, then place the plastic Mod Podge side down on the WRONG side of the fabric, as centered as you can possibly get it (I just eyeball it).

Next, coat the plastic with Mod Podge (this is the side you didn't coat last time).  Fold the ends of the fabric in, coat the right side of the folded over ends with Mod Podge, then fold one long side of the fabric in and press it to the plastic and fabric ends.

Now you need to coat just the remaining 1/4" of raw edge of fabric on the wrong side with Mod Podge.  Fold that edge under.  Now coat the fabric side that hasn't been folded to the plastic with Mod Podge and fold it over, pressing it to the plastic and the fabric.  Your link should now look like this, sans the velcro.

Let the link dry, then attach velcro.  I am lazy and use sticky backed velcro dots or squares, but if you buy regular velcro, you can attach the velcro using hot glue.

To attach the velcro, you will need to position one side of the velcro on the inside of the link, and the other piece of velcro on the opposite end on the outside of the link.  When the velcro has had some time to adhere to the fabric, you can velcro the link together.

Why do we use velcro, you ask?  Well, this way, you can store your fabric paper chain flat during the "off season" and it won't get bent up, scrunched, or otherwise damaged.

Here's a couple of great things about making your own:

*Use your own taste in fabrics, or use your leftover scraps up.  This way, it's personalized for you.  No one else will ever have the exact same thing in their home.
*Choose fabric for any occassion (how about one for Independence Day, or for that tailgater you're throwing during football season).
*Cost:  For the whole chain...under $10.  Yep, under $10 and that's if you're lazy like me and buy the more expensive sticky velcro.

So, keep getting those catalogs and watching those great designers.  You can create amazing knockoffs for a fraction of the price, and your home can look like you spent a million bucks, when you really spent just a few.

Happy Creating!


Kristin

Argyle Fleece Throw

I am completely head over heels in love with argyle...and always have been.  I know, I'm a dork, but there's just something about argyle that makes my heart skip a beat.

So, when Laura sent me a link to this project, I was in complete love with it.  Now I will have to make one, but I will not be working on it until after the kids are in school and the weather is cold again.

Even though I wont be working on this project until winter, I wanted to share it here with everyone, because it's "to die for" as they say.

For Full instructions on how to make this fantastic argyle fleece throw and for more fantastic projects, head on over to craftstylish.com.

Happy Creating!


Kristin

Supper From the Garden

Tonight we had our first meal from our backyard garden.  It was sooooo great!!!  I didn't know I could be so satisfied from eating fruit, veggies, and some bread.  Yum!

So here's what we had and what I did:

3 Zucchini
3 Potatoes
3 Carrots
1/2 Onion
3 Cloves Garlic
Peas
Corn

So I minced the garlic and onion, then tossed it in the pot with some vegetable oil on medium heat until the garlic "spoke".  Then I tossed in the potatoes and carrots, then the zucchini.  I sauteed everything until it was fork tender, then added the peas and corn, until it was heated through.  Oh, I also seasoned with salt and pepper to taste.

On the table it went, with some fresh bread and butter, and watermelon and raw milk to drink.  That was it.  Nothing fancy, definitely filling for the whole family, and we had leftovers too (they're always Brad's favorite breakfast). 

It was simple, it was real, it was great, and I'm really enjoying the harvest from our backyard garden.  Now if only our tomatoes would turn red, so we could have those with dinner too.  That would be fantastic!

What kind of things are you making from your backyard garden?

Happy Creating!


Kristin

Gear Up For School

A new school year is swiftly approaching!  I'm not ready...yet.  So, in order to get ready for a new year, I have a few things that need to be made.

This year, I hope to have 2 kids in school, not just one, which means twice the school supplies and twice the preparations and twice the homework once school starts.

My 4 going on 5 year old, Brielle will be turning 5 just before school starts, but must test into kindergarten because her birthday falls after the deadline here.

However, even if she does not get to go, she will need some things for her birthday...and for winter.

So, in an effort to prepare early, I'm going to start now sewing her "school" dresses.  Brielle absolutely refuses to wear anything but dresses and tights or leggings.

One of the patterns I plan on using is this one:

This pattern is from Oliver + S.  It is called the "Family Reunion Dress"  and I love the simplicity of it.  I think that the subtle accents and pintucking add an elegance and playfulness that are perfect for Brielle.  Now to find the perfect fabric to pair with the pattern and showcase Brielle's personality.

I also plan to make this pattern, also from Oliver + S:

This is the Ice Cream Dress.  I love this one as well.  These dress patterns are perfect for little girls who like to look pretty but like to be able to move as well.

Of course, they have one other pattern I would like to tackle, but it's a "3 scissors" pattern, meaning it's a little more difficult than these 2, which are "2 scissors" patterns, so I think I need to practice up and hone my craft a little more before I attempt it.  But, I will share it here, simply because many of you are at a "3 scissors" level or better in your craft and you'd have no trouble with it.

Here it is, from Oliver + S:

 This one is called the "School Photo Dress".  I love it, but it's a little more than I'm able to handle right about now, so it will have to wait.

Oh, and in case you're wondering, I do not get paid to promote this line of patterns, or any other product for that matter.  In fact, I don't get paid at all.  I just really find the retro styling and clean lines of these patterns quite refreshing. 

After the dresses are made, I plan to make a few of Brielle's needed school supplies for her, instead of buying them.  The big one is (drumroll please) a pencil case.  It's not like it's a difficult project and I can use leftover fabric to sew one up.  In fact, I'm pretty sure I made one, complete with grommets when I was in 8th Grade.

So here I go, getting geared up for school, and sewing away, so that my hopefully brand new kindergarten girl can look fabulous and have some fun too, all while saving me money.

Happy Creating!


Kristin

Earlier this month I participated in a challenge of at Stay Cool- Stitch Up A Dress.  I made Vogue 1027 in a navy lycra fabric.  I love how this dress hangs, the fabric, the style.  I made a second dress in a purple knit.  Unfortunately the purple isn't as strong as the navy fabric, so the weight of the skirt pulls down the bodice more than I would like.  It is still a great dress, though.  This pattern is wonderful!  The dress is easy to make and I love the style.  I haven't found a dress that I liked on me since I was a teenager!  I will definitely be making this one again.

This is so cool!

Some of you may already know about this cool feature available from Google Reader, but I didn't until today.  You won't have to be stuck looking at blog posts in boring Reader format anymore.  I did this today, and changes everything!  Not that I won't go to Reader anymore, because I will.  Reader has lots of features that are useful and cool.  Check this post out!

Go to iheartfaces.com to see how to use NEXT.

2 Weeks: The Last Day

Yay!  It's our last day of our 2 week challenge.  We actually get to take Friday off.  How great is that?

Of course, on Saturday, if you're feeling ambitious, go ahead and tackle that garage, I won't stop you.  The garage is my husband's domain in our home, so I won't be joining you.

Well, for our last day, I decided that the best thing to do would be to tackle the Master Bedroom.  This way, you can sit back and enjoy it tonight and maybe have a bowl of ice cream to reward yourself.

The master bedroom is often the space that gets forgotten in my home, because I only sleep in there or change my clothes.  The rest of the time, I don't even see it.  I would love to spend more time in my master bedroom, and to have it be a place of peace for me, but right now, it cannot be that because I am not at peace in a messy place.

If we want our master bedroom to be the ultimate place of rest, it needs to be organized, tidy and comfortable.  You already know how to clean up the bedroom, so for this post, I'm going to talk about what to do to make your room even more relaxing once it's clean.

We'll start with the closet.  Even if you can't see it because the doors are closed, you know the mess is there, and while you lay in bed on Sunday morning, the mess calls your name.  Okay, maybe that's just me, but either way, it's probably messy in there, and could stand a little makeover.

First off, start by purging your closet of old stuff that you don't wear, that don't fit, or that you just don't need anymore.  Then, if you've got the cash to spare, install some closet organizers.  You can get customizable ones at most home improvement stores.  Brad and I have done them before.  They're easy and they maximize your storage space, while making it easier to find things, and making your closet look beautiful.

Now let's talk about the main room.  If you've got space, think about making a seating area in your master bedroom.  A rocking chair, an old armchair or loveseat, or even a large ottoman works well.  You could also use the extra pillows off your loveseat and sofa and an old rug to make a cozy corner to curl up and read or just breathe for a moment.

Also think about changing out your bedding with the seasons.  I have a few quilts that Brad's grandmother has made.  I put different ones on, depending on my mood.  If I'm feeling bored and cooped up in the winter, I put on my bright yellow quilt.  If I want some calming tranquility after all the go-go-go of summer, I put on a cream and brown silky comforter.  I love fall, so in the fall I put a quilt on that has lots of fall amber's, browns, and reds in it.  Changing up your bedding periodically can make your room feel refreshed.  Don't forget, when you get out of bed in the morning, make your bed.  It's make you want to spend more time in your room.

Clear off those dressers and nightstands.  Having lots of stuff sitting on the surfaces in your room, whether well organized or not, will leave you feeling like there's a mess to clean up.  The less stuff you have sitting out, the more calming your room will be.

Don't store things in your room that don't go with "bedroom" things.  If it's not for changing your clothes, sleeping, or doing "other" activities (you know what I mean) don't store it in your room.  You really don't need to keep that box of stationary on top of your dresser, or that sewing basket next to your bed.  That stuff may just cramp your "style" so to speak.

Dust!... and clean the windows.  When your room is actually clean, and not just tidy, you'll enjoy it more.

Last, hang something on those walls.  The walls in my bedroom are always blank.  The walls in the rest of my house always have cool stuff on them, but the bedroom gets neglected.  Hang some framed photographs, or a cluster of them, hang a clock, or grab some "knick-knack" shelves, but don't clutter them up.  Just 2-3 things per shelf should do it.  Even more romantic would be hanging some candle sconces, for some mood lighting (wink, wink).

One thing I would also recommend, don't put pictures of anyone but you and your husband in your bedroom.  Hang art (I go and take macro or landscape photos for this) or have a friend take some nice pictures of you and your husband.  You could hang wedding photos, anniversary photos, or photos of fun things you and your hubby have done together.  This way, when you're laying in bed on Sunday morning, instead of thinking about your messy closet, you can reminisce about the great times you've spent together.

Do you want to spend more time in your Master Bedroom yet?  I do.  I hope you've had a great time this last 2 weeks, as you've worked on your home.  Watch for more tips here at miymdiary.blogspot.com about how to get or keep your home clean and organized.  I will post as I work on more projects.  I've enjoyed writing this series and learned so much about my own self, my own habits, and better ways to do things as I've written and worked around the house.  Thank you for the opportunity to share this part of me and my life with you.

Good Luck!


Kristin

Needles- a basic tool.

Today I want to address the issue of sewing machine needles.  My mother didn't teach me a lot of the very basic things about sewing when I was learning to sew as a child/teen.  It wasn't until I was in my early 30s that I discovered stretch needles.  I also didn't know that you needed to change your needle regularly.  Here are some basic tips for sewing machine needles.

Choose the appropriate needle for your fabric.  Below are some pictures of different types of needles.  Pick the one that suits your needs appropriately.  You can go online to find descriptions of each needle to assess which one is best.  They may also tell you on the back of the card what purpose is best suited. (This is the brand that is available at my local store.  I am not compensated for this post.)

Change needles often.  Some say change it with every new project, but if you are making something small it probably isn't necessary.  Maybe every 8-10 hours of sewing time would be good.

Change you needle any time you hit a pin (or anything else).  It is really best to remove pins instead of stitching over them.  I try to remove them as I sew. 
If you are having trouble with your machine, try a new needle.  I think this is often the last thing people think to try.  Even the slightest bend (not noticeable to the naked eye) will mess the thread up.  If the point isn't sharp, it can tear your fabric or create runs.  Sewing machines are very precise instruments.  If you listen to your machine, you will hear it making a different noise when a needle is damaged.  The timing can be thrown of by hitting pins.  The timing is how the needle and bobbin casing move in sync with each other.  If they aren't just right, you will have problems.  Having your machine serviced regularly is important for this reason, as well as cleaning and oiling all the parts in there to keep it running smoothly.

Feel free to comment with any questions I may not have addressed!

2 Weeks: The Home Office

Do you have one of these?  Mine is a combo home office/baby's nursery, so it's messy to say the least.  Most likely you do have a place you could call a "home office" whether it's a table in the corner of the living room, a section of counter, an actual room in your home, or the top of your dresser.  We've all got important paperwork that must be dealt with, and we all need a place to deal with or drop said paperwork.

The thing about home offices is that no two are alike, and no two are going to function in the same way, which means that it's much more difficult to write a "one size fits most" post about how to take care of the home office, so there will be some generalities in some of the tasks that I write on, to illustrate the need for creativity on our own parts and the individualism that exists in the home office adventure.

So, let's go ahead and get started on the home office.  Most likely, as is the case with most home office areas I've seen, there is some paperwork to be filed.  If you do not have a file system set up, get one!!!  You must, I repeat MUST have a filing system that works for you.  Now, don't think that means that you need to invest a bunch of money in filing drawers, because you don't.  I don't have a file cabinet at all right now.  I use a plastic file box and hanging files to store things.  I have been known to use an expandable file folder with about 15 sections or more.  I believe in having lots of manila folders around.  I also believe that manila envelopes are quite helpful in organizing your files.  No matter what you decide, you don't need to spend lots of money and you do need to label things.  I love Sharpie Markers for this...they're bold.

Once you've gotten things filed I believe you will probably find a ton of pens, pencils, highlighters, and markers hanging out with no where to go.  Get an attractive coffee mug from the kitchen (something you don't mind getting pen on) and toss all the writing utensils in it.  Set it in a corner of your work area.  I also think it's a great idea to re-purpose things, so grab an old baby food jar or baby sized bowl and use it to hold all your paper clips, rubber bands, push pins and other fasteners that have been hiding under the paper pile.  You may even go so far as to have a separate container for each kind of fastener.  Now that's organized!

If you've got pictures hanging out everywhere (oh, wait, is that just a photographer thing?) you may want to think about investing in either a photo album or photo box to store these things.  Photo boxes are rather inexpensive and are also acid free, so they preserve your photos while you store them.  Then you can get to the albums later on.

You probably also have some garbage or recycling laying around.  Make sure that when you're disposing of important documents, you shred anything that has account numbers or identification information.  You never know who's going to get there hands on your stuff.  If you don't have a shredder, just rip it up into little pieces or rip off the important part, tear it up, and put it in a different garbage can or recycle box.  I like to have a recycle box in my home office and in my kitchen so that I can remember to recycle as much as possible.  I also have a garbage can in both places.

Chances are you probably have some flash drives and CD's hanging out in your space as well.  You will want to make sure these are safely stored so they don't become damaged and you cannot then get the information on them that you need.  Brad and I mostly keep our CD's in the boxes they came in, or in the paper sleeve they came in.  You can purchase paper sleeves for CD's at most office supply stores.  Flash drives are easier to take care of, pull out another baby food jar and stick them all in together.  Then you'll know where they all are.  You may want to have a file in your space for CD's or you may want a separate plastic box to store these.

Now it's down to the corded mess that seems to permeate every aspect of our lives anymore.  I have a cord jungle in my office.  I try to do my best to keep the cords at bay, which makes me feel like being in my home office a lot more.  I usually have as many of our cords hidden behind or under furniture as possible (also good for childproofing or personal safety) and if I'm feeling really ambitious and Brad's in a good mood, we zip tie our cords to keep them from going all crazy wild on us.  Apparently there are some velcro cord keeper straps you can purchase, which I think are really cool, but alas, we have zip ties so that's what we use.

I think we're getting pretty well organized (which is the most difficult part of office cleaning) but now we're down to the actual "cleaning" part of it.  Let's start with the keyboard of your computer.  Your keyboard is most likely harboring over a million bacteria at any given moment.  Yuk!  I mean, how could it not be, considering it's touched by our hands that touch everything all day long.  Wiping down the keys with a clorox wipe or spraying it with lysol might not be a bad idea.  I once worked at a place where the person who had my job before me ate while working... a lot.  Some of the keys wouldn't work very well on the keyboard, so my friend Ann who worked with me, showed me a great way to clean the keyboard under the keys.

She would literally lay a clean towel down on the desktop, pick up the keyboard and shake it upside down over the towel.  When nothing else would fall out, she'd set the keyboard back down and it would be as good as new.  I also recommend using a vacuum with the brush hand held attachment to suck up yuck out from in between the keys.

You'll also want to dust and vacuum/sweep your area and wipe down the desktop before you're through. 

The office is a place to keep your papers organized, but it's only as good as it's systems and the people who's job it is to implement the system.  Taking a few moments after you get them mail, or before you go to bed to file your paperwork and tidy your space will keep it clean and ready for you when you need to sit down and do the "heavier lifting" that goes along with office work.

Good Luck!


Kristin

2 Weeks: The Kids' Room

It's Tuesday!  It's time to tackle the ugly monster in the kids' room.  All my kids share a room, so I only have 1 room to do, and I certainly don't do it alone.  Grab those kids and get in there and help them clean their own room.  Our philosophy around here is, "If you can mess it up, you can clean it up."

We start by cleaning up and putting away all the toys, clothes, shoes, and miscellaneous "stuff" that's cluttering up their room.  My girls do have fantastic bin shelves from Ikea (no, I'm not paid to promote Ikea, I just love it), so cleaning up takes a bit more time than if they just had a toy box, but I love that they can find exactly what they want easily, and without digging and throwing things.

Following the great cleanup, we strip the beds and wash the sheets and pillowcases.  Then we remake the beds with fresh sheets and pillowcases.  One quick secret that I do is that I don't use flat sheets.  Instead, I cover the girls comforters with a duvet, so I can just pull the duvet off and wash it.  This makes it easier for the girls to make their own beds during the week.

After we get the beds taken care of, I usually sweep the floor and vacuum the rug, and we're done.  It's lots of fun if you pop in an obnoxious cd (think Justin Beiber or Hannah Montana) and rock out while you clean your hearts out, and your kids will be more motivated if you offer a reward at the end, like rice krispie treats or a popsicle.

Good Luck...and Have Fun!


Kristin

2 Weeks: The Bathroom(s)

So to kick off week two of our 2 Weeks project, I have decided to start with the bathrooms.  Bathrooms are the place we use to get the grime off ourselves each day, so it stands to reason that our grime might stick to some things in there.  Cleaning the bathroom is easier than it might seem, but you do need some "specialized" equipment to make it even easier.  Here's my list:

A few cloth baby wipes
Baking Soda
Vinegar
Lemon Juice
Kitchen Gloves
Window Cleaner
Scrubby Sponge
Peroxide/Water Spray
Broom/Dustpan
Bucket & Mop solution

Okay, to start I will tell you that if you mix equal portions of Hydrogen Peroxide and water in a spray bottle, you'll have a fantastic shower cleaner.  The rest of what we're doing is 1st grade science, and my kids are fascinated by it.

I always start in the bathroom by removing things like garbage cans, step stools, soap pumps, and bath mats and placing them outside the room.  Then I dump some baking soda, vinegar and lemon juice in the toilet and watching it fizz.  Now I wet my scrubby sponge in the sink and toss it into the shower, and then plug up the sink.  I do the "dumping" thing in there too, and then go spray the shower with shower cleaner.

Now I move back to the toilet.  I usually use a cloth baby wipe to clean the inside of the toilet, then flush, then use the clean water to rinse the cloth and wipe down the rim and underside of the toilet seat, and anywhere else on the toilet that's gotten dirty. 

Move back to the sink.  I use the same cloth (rinsed out again) to wash out the sink.  Then I rinse the sink and wipe down around the sink with the, yet again, rinsed out cloth.  Then clean the mirror using the window cleaner and a new cloth.  With that done, I move on to the shower and bathtub.

Here, I wipe down the shower walls with the scrubby sponge.  I rinse the walls, then work on the tub.  For the tub, I plug it up and do the "dumping" thing one more time.  I scrub all the tub surfaces with a scrubby sponge and the lemon "volcano" solution, then rinse really well.

Once everything is cleaned, I move on to the floors.  I sweep, then mop using the same mop solution we used on all the floors last week.  When the floor is dry, I go in and put up fresh towels, make sure things are put away properly and then leave the room, bringing any garbage and dirty laundry with me.

This whole project usually takes me about half an hour for 1 bathroom, so you should be able to do 2 in about an hour to an hour and a half.  You'll need to allot about a half hour to 45 minutes for each additional bathroom that needs to be cleaned.

I love the smell of my bathroom once it's clean!  How about you?

Good luck!


Kristin

2 Weeks: The Kitchen

Duhn, Duhn, Duhnnnnnnn!  (think cheesy horror film music)

The kitchen is supposed to be the heart of your home, your home's ultimate work space, and of course, the ultimate big mess area.  My kitchen is...(big swallow and fake smile inserted here) lovely.  It actually is really beautiful, aside from the mess, and the fact that it's still under construction, but honestly, I will love it much more when it's finished and when it's clean.  Yay for this project then.

The kitchen is also the most difficult area of your home to keep clean, simply because the whole thing you do in the kitchen is make a mess.  So, now seems like an appropriate time to talk about clean cycles, and the whole insanity of the phrase "keep it clean".

Everything in our home goes through what I call "cleanliness cycles".  Take the bathroom, for example.  You clean the bathroom and it's spotless, but then you go in and brush your teeth, and you get a splatter of toothpaste on the mirror.  Then your husband goes in and takes a shower, and then one of your kids goes in and brushes their hair.  So, toothpaste splatter, bathmat on the floor, and hair on the floor.  Although your bathroom isn't necessarily dirty, it's on it's way down to the bottom of the cleanliness cycle (picture a circle).  Once your bathroom is so dirty you have to clean it (or whenever you've scheduled that into your routine) then your bathroom is at the very bottom of the cycle, and as you clean it, the bathroom ascends back up to the top of the cycle to "clean".

It is this way with everything in our homes, and unless you clean your house top to bottom constantly, every place in your home will be at a different point in it's own cleanliness cycle at any given moment.  Some cycles move very fast, and some much slower.  The kitchen is an example of a fast moving cycle, but the office may move much more slowly.

Understanding these cycles can help us to schedule our days and weeks to keep each of the cycles moving.  The worst thing that can happen is for one or more of these cycles to stop moving and sit at the bottom, i.e. the dirty spot.  So, as I write and try to work through my own home of messiness and stagnant cycles, understanding the speed of my cycles can help me schedule a regular cleaning routine to maintain my home.

Okay, now to cleaning the kitchen.  Oh, boy is it a mess.  I think I will skip the supplies list, since you know you'll need things like dish soap and a bucket to clean your kitchen.  So, let's just jump in and get started.

First off, get your dirty dishes clean.  I have the luxury (thank you MIL, Cathy) of having a dishwasher in my kitchen.  Yay!  Usually, the dishes in my dishwasher are clean, and the dishes in my sink are dirty.  I hate unloading the dishwasher, and while living with my mom, she spoiled me and always unloaded the dishwasher before she left for work in the morning.  Now I have to remember to do it myself.

So I'm putting away all my clean dishes, in their proper and orderly places (one thing to keep you sane is having organized cabinets) and then loading the dishwasher with dirty dishes.  All my dirty stuff doesn't fit (shows how great of a housekeeper I am) so I have to hand wash some stuff.  I usually just hand wash the big stuff and put all the little stuff in the dishwasher.  It makes life easier.  Since my dishwasher is full, I will run it while I work on the rest of my kitchen.

Okay, clean stuff away, dirty stuff washing.  Cool!  One trick for making your home look cleaner is to eliminate clutter.  This rule still applies, even in the kitchen.  Do your best to clear as much up off the counters as possible.  I have tons of stuff on my counters right now.  I have tons of cabinet space that's not being used, so I will use my cabinet space to neatly store my "stuff".  If you don't have any cabinet space left and your counters are quite messy, you may want to go through your cabinets, see what you can eliminate from your home, eliminate from your kitchen and store elsewhere, or what things could be stored in a more efficient manner.

Another thing that can help is investing in some cabinet accessories, like a spice rack that screws to the wall or the inside of the cabinet door.  This will free up shelf space.  My mom has this really cool little lazy susan in her spice cupboard and it has 2 tiers.  she organizes it by like things, and it keeps her spice cabinet tidier.  Bed, Bath, and Beyond or other stores like it are a great place to get cabinet organizing "stuff".

Now that everything is put away all neat and tidy, you can work from top to bottom, wiping down the cabinet faces, the top of the range hood, the inside of the microwave (you know how nasty that can get) and then the counter tops.  One quick tip for the microwave.  There's often lovely stuck on food on the inside of the microwave, so before you put the dishes away, put a bowl of hot water and lemon slices and a couple teaspoons of baking soda in the microwave to "nuke" for a few minutes, then sit for a few minutes.  The lemon will freshen, the baking soda will deodorize and the water will steam all the stuck on stuff, so it's loosened up before you start scrubbing, saving you some elbow grease.

Clean your range by wiping up spills.  I even went so far as to take apart my stove top and clean the drip pans, and lift up the top to clean inside.  I also used Easy-off (I know, not very Eco-friendly, but it works well) to clean the inside of my oven.

Once all that is complete, go ahead and sweep and mop your floors.  Then you're done.  If you've got extra time, clean out your refrigerator.  Wash the spills off the shelves, and toss old yucky food.  Organize your shelves by like items so things are easier to find.  I had lots of milk drips in my fridge that were making the fridge smell a little off.  And I had some old yucky produce in the drawer.  Now my fridge is sparkling clean.  Yay!!

One last tip for the kitchen is that Mason Jars are a fantastic and very inexpensive organizational solution.  I use them for everything, from fresh berries and pineapple in the fridge, to granola and dried cranberries in the pantry, to laundry soap and baking soda in the laundry room.  I love mason jars.  If you're looking for high quality storage solution, pick up some mason jars and let them be your inexpensive, eco-friendly, BPA and Phalate free solution for your home.

My kitchen is so much cleaner.  How about yours?

Good Luck and Happy Cleaning!


Kristin

2 Weeks: The Dining Room

Okay, I admit it.  My dining room is...ahem, disgusting.  I mean, from a distance, it looks just fine, but when you get up close....eeeeewwwww!

I have 4 kids, I suppose it's inevitable that my dining room gets nasty right, along with every other place in my house.  So, today, it's time to clean the dining room.  In my home, the dining room flows right from the entryway and living room, so it's one of the first things you see when you walk in my front door.

The tricky part of my dining room is that it also doubles as a photography studio, so I have got to keep it clean.  Let's roll up our sleeves and get started.  Here's a list of supplies you might find helpful for this project:

Bucket of Hot water
Liquid Castile Soap
Small Rag
Broom and Dustpan or Vacuum

I don't have much in my dining room, so I will mostly be focusing on the table and chairs and the flooring.  First thing, clean your table and chairs...really well.

I have grime smooshed into all the crevices of my chairs, there's stuff stuck to the underside of my table, the cracks in my table probably have dried milk in between them.  Yuck!  So, let's start with the table and chairs.  Grab your rag and bucket of HOT water.  Dunk your rag, then ring it out well, and scrub the crevices and cracks and all the in between places on your table and chairs.  If your table comes apart to add a leaf, pull it apart and wash in between the sections.  Scrub the splattered milk off the legs and the spaghetti sauce off the underside of the chairs and table, then put everything back together.

When your table is clean, move on to the floor.  I am using the same bucket of hot water and just adding a couple squirts of soap to it.  Sweep all the yuck up off the floor, then scrub like crazy, until your floors positively gleam.  If you've got carpet (I wanna know who thought carpet in a dining room was a good idea) bust out the vacuum, suck all the loose stuff up, then grab your favorite carpet cleaning spray or foam and spot treat that stain that's been driving you crazy.

Once your floor is clean, put together a centerpiece for your table that breathes a little life into your space.  Now, if you've got a buffet or hutch, dust it and clean off any clutter that's accumulated.

Your dining room is an extension of the heart of your home, it should feel comfortable and look beautiful, and you should want to spend time with your family there.  With this cleaning project, hopefully you'll again learn to love your dining room and be able to use it to it's full potential.

Good Luck!

Kristin

2 Weeks: The Entryway and Living Room

So, yesterday, we dumped a bunch of stuff from the car directly into the entryway to be sorted later.  If you're like me, it's still sitting there, waiting to be sorted and put away.  Which means that my entryway which is, in fact, part of my living room, looks like a bomb went off.

My living room also looks like a bomb went off, as it is the most used room of our entire house.  There's piles of laundry ready to be put away, dirt on the floor in between all the toys, blankets, and pillows.  There's DVDs that need to be put away, books stacked up on the mantle, papers and mail on the end tables, empty water glasses out, computers (and cords) all over, shoes in the walkway, music scattered across the piano, and bags full of stuff for every activity right in the entryway, along with coats, sweatshirts, and other accessories cluttering up the entryway.  Hurricane Cook Family just came through and left a path of destruction in it's wake.

So, today is all about your most used areas of your home, and the ones that you want to be the most presentable when you open your door to someone.  To get these 2 areas (which I've combined due to proximity) I will be using the following supplies:

Vacuum
Smallish Rags (2)
Lemon Pledge (yes, I really do buy normal cleaning products sometimes)
Glass Cleaner
Paper Towels
Bucket
Liquid Castile (I'm using eucalyptus today)
Broom and Dustpan

Okay, let's start by cleaning up.  Put all the clothes, dirty dishes, shoes, bags, and general "junk" away where it belongs.  Get your family involved and become a tidy up whirlwind.  One thing I've learned over the course of the last 10 years of keeping my own house is that if your house is neat, people will automatically think that it's clean, that is unless there's muddy footprints across your black bamboo hardwood floors, but honestly, what would I know about that? (insert sarcasm here)

So try to make sure that you spend a few moments every day "neating" or "tidying up" your house.  You'll create an illusion of cleanliness even if you don't have time to dust, mop and vacuum.  Once everything is tidied up, I like to clear out any movable furniture and remove the rugs, then sweep.  You could vacuum if you want, but my vacuum scratches my black bamboo floors (which show everything btw) so I sweep with a broom and dustpan.  After sweeping I get a bucket of hot mop water with a squirt or two of castile soap and I mop the floors, again on my hands and knees because I don't believe in mops.   This may take a lot more time depending on how much flooring you have to mop, if any at all.  My floor takes lots of time, but once upon a time, floor mopping took just a few minutes because we had carpet in our living room.

When the floor is dry, move your furniture and rugs back into place (don't forget to vacuum the rugs).  Now, grab a rag and furniture polish and dust your main furniture pieces.  I do the piano, the end tables and the bookshelves.  We have other shelves on our walls, but I only dust them half the time, because they're high up and no one really sees the dust as much.  Dusting doesn't take that long and it's a great way to remove allergens from your home.  If you don't want to use furniture polish (which I also only use about half the time) but you don't want the dust getting airborne, get your dust rag wet, then ring it out really really well and dust with that.  Don't forget to dust lampshades.  They harbor tons of dust, and when they're dusted, they let more light filter through too.  Dusting done, check.

Now grab your window cleaner and clean windows in your space.  Don't forget to clean any windows in your door, as they probably have finger and nose prints on them, I know mine do.  Also, if you have a TV that you can clean with this method, do that now.  I have a special cloth to wipe my TV down with, and I do that while I dust.  With the dusting done, you're pretty much done.

I would like to think for a moment on organization before I go.  Your entryway and living room are the hub of your home.  You live in them constantly, and you have lots of stuff in them usually.  Organization is key to keeping these areas "clean".  I like to have coat hooks behind or next to the door, so that I don't have a pile of backpacks and coats right on the floor in the entry.  I also recommend (for your sanity) having a shoe bin near the door, if possible.  We don't wear shoes in the house (also for my sanity), so there's usually a pile of shoes right in front of the door that I feel obliged to trip on anytime I'm in the vicinity.  So, instead of continuing to nearly break my neck on tiny pink shoes, I decided to put a large basket near the door.  When we come inside, we all put our shoes in the shoe bin and it keeps the area much more clutter free.

I don't know about you, but my kids like to play with their toys in the living room.  I dislike this, but since it's their home too, I'm trying to embrace this concept.  It's a trial every day.  I have chosen to put a white plastic bin (with a lid) full of toys in the living room.  The kids are free to play with the toys, and at the end of the night, either they, or I, pick up the toys so they're not on the floor.  If the girls bring toys from their bedroom (or socks, or clothes, or, or, or...okay you get it) I keep another white plastic bin at the end of the hall.  This way, I can drop their stuff into the bin and then I can instruct them to put away the stuff in the bin.  It's a nice system.

Another thing about living rooms is that it's easy to grow out of your storage and then have overflow.  Pare down if this has happened to you.  Our DVD shelves are completely full, but our bookcases aren't, so I've tried to attractively incorporate the extra DVDs into the bookcase so Brad can have all the movies he wants.  We have tons of books, and if we ever grow out of our storage, we'll have to pare down a bit too.

When purchasing new furniture, keep storage in mind.  Do you love to cuddle up under a big blanket when watching TV in the evening, but your blanket is always in the way?  Think about investing in a storage ottoman if you're looking at getting something new.  Does your family love to play board games but you have no where to keep them, so they're stacked in a corner of the room?  Look into shelving, or a storage ottoman, or a coffee table with some storage in it.  When you are out to pick up a TV cabinet, make sure you get something that will accommodate your Wii or PS3 with all the controllers and games.  This way, you won't have to stare at all those wires hanging out there all the time.  Thinking about purchasing furniture that serves multiple purposes can maximize your storage space and help you make your living room work for your lifestyle.

Tomorrow we will be talking about your main dining area, and what you can do to help keep it looking great.

Good Luck!

Kristin

2 Weeks: The Car(s)

Okay, I know this isn't part of your actual physical home, but if you're anything like me, and probably many people across the country, you spend a ton of time in your car.

My car is, on any given day of the week, a complete pig sty.  Not kidding.  I have a huge car (chevy suburban) and 4 kids, a husband, and some of my kids' friends cruising around at any given moment.  So, my car gets disgusting really fast.  There's torn papers, dropped dumdum pop sticks and wrappers, cups, toys, shoes, socks, sweatshirts, tools my husband put in and didn't remove, not to mention all the dirt that gets tracked in from our shoes.  Yuk!

I'm surprised my car doesn't smell like the dump...honestly.  I try to keep it clean, I really do, but it always seems to be messy.  I've chosen to clean out the car at this stage in the game because, let's be honest here, 90% of what is in your car will end up in your home.  If we clean up the car now, then it wont make all your hard work in your house go to waste.

Let's get started.  You'll need the following supplies:

plastic shopping bags
window cleaner
paper towels
shop vac, vacuum, or hand held vac ( I love my Cone)

Okay, we'll start by cleaning out all the garbage.  I use an old grocery bag or something like that, load up the bag with garbage, while making a pile on the middle seat of all non-garbage "stuff" that I find.  When I've cleaned out under all the seats, in the center console, the glove box, the pockets on the back of the seats, the door pockets, the cup holders, and anywhere else in the car, I throw the garbage directly into my big green garbage bin outside.  Then I haul all the non-garbage stuff in the house and dump it by the front door to sort through later.

I remove any cup holder liners and bring them in to soak in hot water in the kitchen sink.  Meanwhile I go out and clean all the interior windows, the dashboard and steering wheel, the door handles, the center console, the cup holders and anywhere else that might need some cleaning with window cleaner and paper towels.  When I have a yucky paper towel and need to switch, I put the yucky one in a plastic shopping bag, and I continue that until I'm done wiping down sticky spots, finger prints, dust and grime off the inside of my car.  I put them in the plastic bag, because I learned in Rawlins that if I didn't, the wind would carry my garbage into the neighbor's yard and then I'd get to look like an idiot while chasing it around.  Not fun!

When everything is wiped down, I pull the floor mats out and shake them well.  I use the vacuum to suck up any rocks, dirt or general yuk off the carpets, then replace the mats.  I even usually unbuckle the carseats and clean under them, and depending on how nasty things are, I will wash the carseat covers so my girls have squeaky clean seats.  If you need to wash your carseat covers, this project will take a little longer than the 1 1/2 hours allotted in this project, but that's okay, it's better to finish the job right, than to stay within your time limit.

When everything is wiped down and lightly vacuumed, put the things back that you need to keep in the car with you.  I'll be honest, aside from my vehicle paperwork, I keep lots of stuff in my car...I am a mom after all.  Here's a few things that I find helpful in my car:

Paper towels and napkins
Playing Cards
Where's Waldo?
A book to read
Animal crackers
A canteen of water
Emergency supplies
Extra Blankets
Stroller
First Aid Kit


There's probably more, but I can't think of it all right now.  Now, here's the deal.  I hate washing and vacuuming my car, so I do the vacuuming often, and I let the car wash do my washing for me.  It's only $7 at my local car wash for an exterior wash, and I don't go very often, so it's worth it to me.  Besides, the kids like to ride through and smell the soap and watch the rags swish back and forth...okay, I do too.

When you're finished, take a deep breath.  Does your car smell better?  Do you feel better, maybe less embarrassed to give a friend a ride?  Well, here's how to keep it that way:

1.  Clean out garbage when you get out of the car (I am horrible about this)
2.  Teach your kids to take ALL their belongings out when they get out.
3.  Don't eat in your car if you can help it (I often cannot with my husband and children always being hungry)
3.  Keep a couple special toys or belongings for "in the car only" and don't let you kids bring other things with them that don't need to go.
4.  Check over your car once or twice a week, and clean out miscellaneous stuff as needed.  Vacuum regularly.

Tomorrow's project will be your working on your entry way and living room, as most people's homes have these two spaces flowing into one another.

Happy Cleaning!

Kristin

2 Weeks: Laundry Room

Okay, we're starting out this journey with the "workhorse" of your home, the laundry room.  It may be a room, it may be a closet, it may be a corner of your garage, but most everyone's got one, and it's probably the dirtiest room of your home.

If your laundry room is like mine, it's the dumping ground for all kinds of stuff.  The floor usually has dirty clothes on it, there's brooms stacked up in the corner, a vacuum in the walkway, and about 300 different kinds of cleaner in the cabinets.  It's my least favorite place to hang out, the place we feed our cat, and the place that we store the odds and ends we don't really know what to do with.

Well, we need to do something about that.  So lets roll our sleeves up and get started.

Supplies:

Laundry Soap
Bucket
Rags
Hot Water
Liquid Castile Soap (just a quick squeeze)

I started by getting my laundry done.  I don't have a place to keep a laundry sorter, but if you do, I highly recommend that you use one.  It's a great way to get those piles off the laundry room floor, because everything is sorted into separate baskets when you bring it in the laundry room.  I can't have one, so I have to continue with the piles, but if you're like me and you have to deal with piles, try to get your laundry done quickly and efficiently so you don't end up with the Mount Everest of Laundry in the middle of your space.

One really great tip for doing that is to follow a laundry schedule.  Some people feel like this works well.  Modify the schedule to fit your lifestyle and your families needs.  One may look like this:

Monday - 2 loads whites
Tuesday - 2 loads darks
Wednesday - 1 load towels
Thursday - 1 load whites, 1 load darks
Friday - 1 load sheets

Weekend - Take some time off!

This is not my actual schedule, as mine includes diapers and about 2-3 more loads, but it would be more typical of the average household in America.

Now that you can actually enter the room without climbing over a pile (okay, just me) let's get started purging all those extra cleaning products and rags that have built up over time.  Just because it's full and you bought it doesn't mean you need to keep it.  We're all guilty of falling for the attractive "make it easy to clean" ads on TV from time to time, so just embrace the purchase mistake and say goodbye to that bottle of whatever it is that didn't really work.  As for rags, if you have about 14 of differing sizes, you'll never run out.  You really don't need 22,000 rags.  I promise.

Okay, cabinets cleaned out.  Put all the stuff you're keeping out of the way, then use a bucket full of hot water and a rag to wipe down those shelves.  Why not?  You've already got all that stuff out of your space.  Clean it all up before you put everything back.

Speaking of putting things back, make sure that the things you use regularly are within easy reach.  Put stuff you don't really need so often up higher.  Put like things together.  I have a couple scrub brushes, I have them all in the same area on the same shelf.

If you're like me and you make your own laundry soap and keep the supplies in sealed jars, you may want to think about investing $15 in a label maker.  I did a couple weeks ago and I can't stop labeling things.  You'll find that you'll use it in so many other places if for no other reason than to stop your husband from saying things like "I don't know which one you're talking about."  Huh, can you read dear?

Okay, where are we?  Picked up, purged, washed, put away, labeled, good!  But we're not done yet.  Chances are there's a corner of your room that has old mops propped up, a couple brooms you hate, maybe one you don't and about a thousand "make it easy" mops and sweepers collecting dust.  Again, I say unto you, purge!!!!  Keep only your favorite broom for in the house.  If you use a mop, keep your favorite one of those too.  I use a dust bunny catcher sometimes that I really like so I'm keeping that.  The few things you do need to keep can be propped up, or even better, get a scrap piece of plywood, pound some nails into it, hang it on the wall, and hang your mops and brooms on that.  Use that wall space, that's what it's there for!  I will be doing this as soon as construction is complete in my laundry room area.

When all your supplies are tidied and put away, sweep your floors and mop if you actually have a mopable floor (I have plywood, not good to mop plywood). 

Let's talk mopping for a moment.  Honestly, I've never met a mop that actually works...and doesn't gross me out after a few uses.  So, I always use a bucket and a rag to mop floors, and yes, I know I have 1400 square feet of hardwood flooring.  Yep, I still get down on my hands and knees and scrub it with a rag.  I use about a squeeze or maybe 2 of my favorite scented liquid castile soap.  I love eucalyptus, almond, or lavender, just depending on my mood.  Add hot water to the small amount of soap, and mop away.  You'll love the shine on your floors, and the scent of clean.  If you're worried about disinfecting a floor, try adding a few drops of tea tree oil, or buy the tea tree castile soap.  Tea tree is a natural pesticide, and germicide, so you can rest assured that your floors are germ free when you're done.

When your floor is dry, dust off the top of your appliances and wipe off any sticky stuff (I usually wipe everything down with my mop solution), stash all the change you keep setting on top of the dryer, put away the trinkets your kids keep leaving for you, and stand back and look at how beautiful your laundry room looks.

This is my laundry room.

I still have stuff in here that I really don't want to store here, but since we're still under construction, I often don't have a choice until construction is complete.  Even with my green walls and unfinished floor, I'm loving the way this looks.  Now the trick is to keep it this way by putting things back where you want them, keeping up on laundry, and sweeping regularly.  If you sweep your laundry room floor once a week, then you can get away with not mopping for quite a bit longer.  I haven't mopped my floor since we moved in (hahahaha)!

Now that your "workhorse" room is cleaned up and ready to go, we can move onto bigger, and better things.  Check back in tomorrow for the project of the day.  Do you feel like you've accomplished something today?  I sure do.

Good Luck!


Kristin

2 Weeks To A Cleaner Home

We're doing a new unit here on the blog.  I've been thinking a lot about this topic and I've decided that this may be something that will help some, and definitely help me in my home.  We usually talk about things you can make yourself instead of going out and buying, but this topic is something that I think will help us all free up time for more projects by getting organized and keeping a cleaning schedule.

Hopefully, you and I will no longer feel behind on everything after we've gotten used to the daily schedule, and after doing a lot of the deeper cleaning required, we'll feel refreshed and ready to go out in the sun with our kids all summer long.

For me, this comes at a perfect time of year.  Just before the kids get out of school for summer and while it's still raining off and on is a great time to complete the spring cleaning checklist and be all ready for summer.

I hope you jump on board with me as the next 2 weeks evolve into hopefully a more organized tidier and more manageable home and routine.

So here's how it's gonna work.  I will write a blog for each day of the week for the next 2 weeks, except Sunday.  Each daily project should take about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.  There will be 2 weekend projects, one for each saturday, that will take approximately 3 hours.  We will do 1 project per day.

Don't forget that you will still need to do maintenance to keep each space looking great throughout each day or week.  You will also need to continue to do all your regular chores such as dishes and laundry each day/week.  If not, you and I will be in the same place at the end of the 2 weeks as we were at the beginning.

Now, down to the rules of housework.  Housework will never be done, and you'll always feel like something is a mess, especially if you have kids or a husband.  If you live alone, although housework is never done, you may actually get to a place where nothing will be a mess for a moment.

Those are the rules.  I will go ahead now, in this post and give you a list of general supplies I use in just about every room of my home.  You can modify this list as you see fit, but this way, if you're looking for something different, you might have some ideas.  Also, if you have a great product that you can't live without, leave a comment and tell me.  It may make my life easier too.  Thanks!

• Kitchen Gloves (I have about 2 pair at all times)
• Baking Soda (buy the big box)
• Borax
• Salt (Also a great abrasive)
• Washing Soda
• Lemon Juice (freshens lots of stuff)
• Liquid and Bar Castile Soap
• Hydrogen Peroxide (kills bacteria)
• Tea Tree Oil (a natural disinfectant and pesticide)
• Dawn Dish Liquid
• Vinegar
• Vacuum
• Broom/Dustpan
• Washcloth and hand towel sized rags
• Sponge with a scrubby side
• Empty spray bottles (for mixing different cleaners)
• Bucket

I think that's about it.  I will reference the supplies needed for each project so you'll know what you need to grab before getting started.

So, the work begins tomorrow.  Just remember, housework is never done, something will always be a mess, and take things one project, step, or day at a time.

Good Luck!


Kristin

Ginger Pattern

My pattern arrived in the mail yesterday!  I am so excited.  Now I need to take my measurements so I can get started.  I'm still deciding on fabric- but I am picking from my stash, so it is narrowed down very slightly!

Ginger Sew Along

I am joining in on a sew along!  I know, I still haven't finished a jacket for the Jacket A Month challenge.  It is still in the works.  I am just slow- and I get tired of working on the same thing.  I guess I am just so used to instant gratification that it is hard to stick with a project that requires actual thought and work.  This sew along, however, should be quick and simple.  I hope.
Sunni, over at A Fashionable Stitch, is running this sew along.  Check it out!

I have ordered my pattern and hope to get it within the week!

I Make Soap

Yep, I make soap.  Not bar soap, although I am planning on getting to that soon, but Laundry Soap.  It's really not hard, and I'm sure I've posted about it before, but I gotta tell you, if you don't make you're own, you're missing out.

Of course, I had to use up all my store bought laundry detergent before I started making my own, so it took me awhile to get there, but now, I hate it if I run out and have to use my backup bottle of store bought laundry detergent.  I try my best to make sure that doesn't happen, but, you know how it is when you're a busy mom, sometimes you forget or just don't have time.

So, because I love my laundry soap so much, I wanted to share the recipe I use, which I found on my friend Caitlin's blog.  She got it from someone else, and it's basically the same recipe all over the internet.  This is definitely not my original concoction, just something I love.

You will need:

Castile Soap (I use Kirk's Coco Castile)
Arm & Hammer Washing Soda
20 Mule Team Borax
Cheese Grater
Large Containers to store supplies in
1 cup measuring cup
Wide Mouth Funnel (only if you're messy like me)

This is how I do it.  I buy a bunch of castile soap all at once, usually 3-4 bars or so.  I grate all of it with the small grate side of a box grater and keep it in a glass jar with a sealed top.

I transfer the washing soda into a glass jar with a sealed top and I transfer the borax into a glass jar with a sealed top.  I do this because I find that these products tend to get hard and clumpy if I store them in their boxes, but if I put them in a sealed jar, they stay fresh and fluffy and they're easier to work with.

Once you've prepped all your stuff it becomes really easy to mix up a batch of soap.  All you do is use a 1:1:1 ratio.  This is how much I make at a time:

2 cups Grated Castile Soap
2 cups Washing Soda
2 cups Borax

You don't have to be perfectly exact, just close and don't worry about packing it down either.  This is elementary science not rocket science, it's meant to be a little inexact after all.

I keep my laundry soap in a sealed glass jar, but as long as you have a container that closes tightly, you're good to go.  A tightly closed container helps greatly with the next part, and it keeps your detergent fresh longer.

Seal your container and Shake It Up, Baby!  That's it, you've got the best laundry soap ever invented.  If you want a scented laundry soap, go for a scented Castile Soap like Dr. Bronner's instead of Kirk's which is unscented.

I am planning on learning how to make my own castile soap soon, and I'll make sure I post all about it when I've tested it out a few times.

Happy Creating!

Kristin

The Latest Dress

Okay, Brielle is a fashion diva.  She's got her own style going and no matter what I want her to wear or what I like, she's not going to wear it unless she thinks it's fabulous.

So, when it came time to make some new dresses for Brielle, I decided to let her design her own wardrobe, with some boundaries, of course. Basically, I let her pick her pattern, I let her pick her fabric, and I let her pick her ribbon.  I had to approve of what she chose, since I have to look at it, but we worked together and came up with some great new fashions, designed by Brielle.

This is the first dress in a line of 4 that she's "designed".  I think it turned out pretty cute.  I made a size 6, since her size 5's hanging in her closet are getting short, but I should've made a 5, because pattern sizes are always bigger than store bought clothes.  The next 3 will be made a 5 with the length of a 6 most likely. 

I tried Laura's tips on pressing and it really made a big difference in how accurately the dress came together.  The fabric also seemed much easier to work with than it usually does.

One other thing I do when I'm making dresses is serge any edges that will remain raw when the dress is fully assembled.  Not only does this eliminate the need for pinking shears, it keeps the fabric from fraying, and it makes the inside of the dress look more "professional" or "store bought."  If you don't have a serger and you sew a lot, I highly recommend investing in one.  Mine is a Kenmore, and I got it from sears for under $200.  It's not fancy, but it works and works well.

Personally, I love the contrast of this red dress with the sky blue ribbon.  The next fashion designer could be living in my home.  Okay, maybe not.

One thing I've learned from this experience is that if I let them pick as much as possible, they'll love it and wear it until they've worn it out.

Happy Creating!

Kristin

*This project was made using New Look pattern 6845 and Michael Miller CX3744_Red Quarter Dot and Offray 1 1/2" wide grosgrain ribbon.*

Our New Look

Check out the new look!  It's awesome, right? 

Laura recently undertook the task of redesigning the blog and it's gorgeous.  Great job, Laura!

Don't forget to grab a button from our right sidebar to put on your blog before you leave, and also, let us know what you think of our new look.

Happy Creating!

Kristin

Easter Egg Dye

Okay, so this year, I wanted to dye easter eggs with my kids, just like every year, but I did not want to haul them all to the store just to buy that little egg dye kit thing.  I mean, I already have eggs in my fridge and I have vinegar too, so I wanted to know, is there a way to make your own egg dye that actually works.

Well, I'm here to tell you there is.  I found this recipe on Food.com and it works really well.  I'm so glad too, because I would much rather pull the food coloring out of my cabinet than go down to the store with all 4 of my girls to buy 1 egg dye kit.

And, the bonus is that this dye is just as easy as the kit is to use.  Piece of cake (or should I say egg shell).  Follow the link here for the recipe and enjoy the endless color possibilities you can make from your own pantry.

Good Luck!

Kristin

How To: Remove Crayon From Furniture

Okay, here's the deal.  My kids, being kids, have on ocassion, colored with crayon on their toy bins or something like that.  I mean, it happens right.  But, no matter how much muscle you've got, you can't get that darn crayon off without a little help.

This happened to me the other day and I was in no mood to run to the store for some sort of goo remover to clean it up with (since I'm out and all). 

That got me thinking of all the cleaning tips I'd heard watching BBC America's "How Clean Is Your House?"  I remembered once that they said that hairspray removes lipstick from wood doors rather well.  In my opinion, lipstick and crayon are rather similar, considering they're both rather waxy in nature, so I tried it, and I'm here to tell you that using hairspray to remove crayon from hard, nonporous surfaces works really well.

Supplies needed:

• hairspray
• paper towels
• elbow grease

You still need the elbow grease associated with any scrubbing task, but it works and my furniture is back to looking brand new, shiny and beautiful.

So next time your toddler gets a little artistic on your kitchen table, rest assured that you can have it looking beautiful again in no time.  All you need to do is raid your beauty supplies.

Good Luck!

How To: Scrub Your Stainless Steel Pots

I am cheap, and I'm always looking for a nice, natural way of cleaning, without all the nasty chemicals that burn my skin, my nosehairs, and clutter up my cleaning supply cabinet.

The other day I did a big oops!  I accidentally burned tomato soup to the bottom of my stainless steel pot.  I didn't think it would ever come off, until I remembered this really great concoction that I periodically use on tough rings around my bathtub.

Sprinkle a bunch of baking soda in the pot, then add some coarse salt (mine is kosher salt) in with it.  Add just enough water to make a paste and scrub it with the scrubby side of a sponge.  Not only does it remove whatever nasties are burned on, it also shines your stainless steel and deoderizes your drains as you rinse it down.

Next time you get distracted and oops while you're making dinner, whip out some baking supplies and your pots will be sparkling clean again, without a trip to the grocery store.

Good Luck!

Winner!

...and the winner is...
Donna
who said
Where did my comment go?  I love the fabric, the way it's put together and the bag's size.  Laura, you are so talented.

The Giveaway Bag

I finished the bag for the giveaway on Thursday evening, but I was hoping to take a picture of it Friday morning in the sunshine.  Of course, I didn't get it done before we left for the weekend.  So here it is Sunday and I am finally getting it done!  Because of this I am extending the deadline to Thursday, March 24th, so go enter!

Click on the picture to go to the giveaway post OR

Click here to go to the giveaway post and comment to enter!

Giveaway!!

THE GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.

Okay, here it is!  I am giving away a tote bag.  This bag is approximately 13 inches wide, 16 inches tall, 4 inches deep, with 21 inch handles (making it a 10 inch drop).  It will have a pocket inside.  I was going to have a picture of the bag I made for my sister (same style but different fabric), but I don't have it yet.  The bag for the giveaway is under construction at the moment- I just finished fusing the interfacing to all of the pieces.  I will post a picture of it as soon as I am done (which will be by Friday afternoon).

 

This is the fabric.  The pieces are all cut out and ready to be sewn together.  The blue fabric is the outside and handles.  The green is the lining.  This bag will be perfect for a myriad of uses; carry your laptop, books, use it for shopping or work, as a travel bag, take it to yoga, use as an overnight bag or diaper bag, or a church bag.  It's up to you. 

To enter the giveaway just leave a comment on this post OR the giveaway post at my personal blog- no need to leave a comment on both, though.  If you don't have a blog please leave an email address (you may leave it as address(at)mail(d0t)com if you would prefer).  Sorry this is only open to US residents.  I will announce the winner right here on this blog on Thursday, March 24.