DIY Reusable Dryer Sheets - The Natural Way

Pinching pennies and all, I am tired of paying for dryer sheets. They aren't horribly expensive and I'm sure it sounds silly, but it seems like it doesn't matter how bulky the box is, we still go through them quickly. Doesn't mean I'd ever look for a substitute for t.p.(gross me out!) but anything I can save on, I will try!

With such a simple thing to make, I just couldn't pass it up and wanted to share! These are all things I already had so it didn't cost me any extra to make!

All you need

1/2 cup White Distilled Vinegar

1 Sponge OR 1 Washcloth cut in pieces

10 drops of Tea Tree Oil plus extra drops of essential oil for a nice scent if you choose (I didn't have any extra essential oils so I only used tea tree oil) 

This is an all natural recipe and so far I haven't had any trouble with it and I also haven't had static cling. It's definitely worth a try. So far I've been using these for a couple of months.

All you do is cut a sponge in strips. Pour 1/2 cup of vinegar into a sealable container and add ten drops of tea tree oil. You can add another essential oil if you prefer a different scent. Then put the sponge in the container and seal. Let the sponge soak up the mixture. You can keep using the sponges for a while. I've been using the same solution for about a month so far and haven't had to replenish. I just put the sponge back in the container when I'm done and it soaks up more. My husband doesn't like the smell of vinegar but so far he hasn't even noticed. I think the scent is fresh when it comes out of the dryer so it's hardly something to worry about. Do you think you would try this??? 

Microfiber In The Kitchen? Yay OR Nay?

Just finished cooking lunch in the kitchen, and not that anyone needs my opinion, but I don't really care for microfiber dish towels. I have been thinking it for a while but have never really said it. I got these a year ago or so and I love the whimsical roosters in bright colors but I don't LOVE the way they feel on my hands.  I prefer good old terry cloth something or another all the way, baby! HA!

I mean, for dusting and using the microfiber cloths for damp cleaning seems to be okay but I'm not a fan of a dry microfiber cloth. It pulls at my hands and makes my skin feel even drier. Now that I have given you my opinion, what do YOU think about microfiber dish towels???

Chrysanthemum Spoon Mirror

So how are you doing? Can't believe it has been a week since I last posted. Just goes to show how busy a week can get. So what have you been up to??? 

I'm excited to share the latest craft project I've done. A good friend found this and we started it together. LOTS of trial and error on this one but it was fun! 

My friend found the project on Pinterest by Addicted To Decorating. The blogger Kristi, who came up with this, is very creative and did an awesome job instructing on how to do this. I love hers. I think we learned some things along the way but it was a lot of fun to make!

  

Supplies Needed

• 6 Boxes of plastic spoons 48 count
• 2 MDF wreaths from craft store - an 18-inch one and a 12-inch one
• 1 Mirror - 12"
• Spray paint w/ primer OR acrylic paint and paint brushes - I used Rustoleum spray paint
• Duct tape
• Glue gun

 

First tip - Find heavy duty package cutters instead of regular scissors. Also maybe test your spoons and scissors to make sure you are able to cut them okay. We bought white spoons that were Harris Teeter brand. We tried using scissors and Dollar Tree spoons and it just didn't cut it. Get it?!?!  

I didn't get any good pictures of the start of the project but you use the handles of a handful of spoons and glue the two MDF wreaths together. Next glue scrap book paper over the gap between the two wreaths. After you do this, you can begin cutting and gluing the spoons to the front of the wreath. I started on the outside edge and worked my way in.

The inner edge of the circle was a little tricky. I tried to use my "cleanest" cut spoons so the center part looked fairly clean. I went all the way to the edge.

After I was done attaching spoons, I took the wreath outside and spray painted. I used this paint below to prime the spoons and after it dried, I gave it a color coat. You could easily just use a paint that has the primer built in but I did it this way because I already had a can of the color I wanted to use.

 

Painting was fun. The only issue I ran into was trying to get glue strings off of the spoons. Be sure to do that before you paint!

I glued the mirror to the back of the wreath. I traced it so I would know where to glue the wreath.

The glue gun didn't work because the glue dried too fast for the mirror to adhere so I scraped it off and used a tacky glue and then duct tape but didn't get a picture of it.

Here is the final and I really like it. I kept it a solid color and I think I have decided where to hang it but want to get my friend's opinion first! What do you think? Do you think you would ever try this???

I’m linking up to the Something to Talk About Link Party today.  Go on over and see all the fabulous diy, crafts, furniture makeovers and more.

I Heart Crafts!

How has your weekend been? Hopefully GOOD! The weather was nice today so I was actually able to get outside and work on a craft I have been working on with a friend! Woot! Woot! I will try and finish up this week and post it so you can see. Enjoy the rest of your Sunday night!

DIY Granite Cleaner!

How are you? Did you get snow? We were pounded and it has been so much fun to play in. It's awesome what playing in the snow does for the psyche! It is quickly melting now though. Hopefully you are safe if you've lost power. I know there are a lot of people without power still...  

Since we've been stuck inside the past few days, I'm trying to be productive so I thought I'd share this concoction with you. When it comes to spending money, I'm pretty frugal. I have been making most of our house cleaning products for years to try and pinch pennies. Here is one I make to clean our granite counter tops and I think it works better than ones I have purchased in the past. The store bought ones tend to leave the counters streaked. This one doesn't. I found it at a fellow blogger's site. 

 

You can find spray bottles at Dollar Tree.

Granite Cleaner

1/4 Cup Rubbing Alcohol

3-4 Drops Dish Soap

Water

Instructions for Granite Cleaner

Pour 1/4 cup of rubbing alcohol in your bottle. Add 3-4 drops of dish soap and slowly fill the bottle up with water. Do it slowly because you don't want the water sudsy. Then shake the bottle a little to mix it up and SPRAY!

I use microfiber cloths in a circular motion on the granite. It gives your granite a nice shine! 

Have a a great rest of the weekend!

Plastic Grocery Bags

First off I am a recycle nut! I recycle everything I can! At first it was just paper and cardboard and anything that goes in the recycling bin. Now it's a lot more than that so when we put the garbage can and recycling bin out on trash day, the garbage can is mostly empty.

Grocery bags are something I started recycling a couple years ago. As soon as the grocery and hardware stores started putting recycling bins near their entrances I jumped on that wagon too. I have also begun recycling every other type of plastic bag, the plastic bread and veggies bags, tp plastic packaging, all of it. I clean all bags and let them dry before taking them to recycle each week. It pains me to see all that goes in the trash and landfills. Not sure what has come over me but I want to recycle all that I can!!!

So anyway, here is a story relating to grocery bags I wanted to share. It doesn't have to do with recycling but offered me a new perspective yesterday. I sometimes lose sight of what is important in my daily activities - I try with everything I can not to, but there are those days and moments... Yesterday I was having one.

Yesterday I was struggling at the grocery store. I cruised the aisles to try and quickly pick up a few items and it seemed like no matter how fast I went, time dragged and it took forever just to pick up a few things. I had both my kids with me, they weren't behaving how I wanted them to. They fussed over riding in the cart so I let them walk. I got them free cookies at checkout to help keep them quiet. They were dancing around and you wouldn't have thought I had just taken them to a public gym to get all their energy out. 

Anyhow I had parked really close to the front door and as I walked our groceries out, with a child on either side of the cart, I was getting kind of frustrated. I caught the eye of a middle-aged man and tried to humorously joke with him, commenting on how my grocery trip would take a lot less time if I came at night without my kids. He smiled a warm smile. I thought he was going to joke back, but instead he asked for prayers saying he had four kids at home and was struggling to feed them because of a job loss and lack of money. He reluctantly asked me if I had any money to help and to please pray for him and his family. He rode his bike to the store. He stood away from my car giving space as not to scare me.

After I got my kids in the car, I dug into my purse and found a $5 bill. I NEVER have cash on me but found some and he was extremely appreciative. I think there was good reason I actually had cash on me. Anyway, I was unloading my groceries and asked myself what Jesus would do. I put a bag of chicken and a package of rice in a plastic grocery bag and asked if he would like that for his family. He was extremely appreciative again and offered to return my cart for me so I wouldn't have to leave my car. I took him up on it and he again asked me to keep his family in my prayers.

I'm not normally trusting of strangers safety first and I teach my children that you cannot trust a stranger. This was one of those situations though where I was struggling and this man helped me to see what was important in that moment. I know I helped him too. It's so weird how something can happen to totally shift your perspective on what is right. Yes, I was a stranger to him and he was a stranger to me but we each helped each other and I'll be keeping him in my prayers.

On that note, have a great rest of the week. xoxo

Cleaning Schedule Adjusted

So I had to adjust my list in a major way! HAHA
********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Cleaning For The Week

Monday: laundry, mirrors, bathroom sinks, toilets, tubs, shower & empty trash cans

Tuesday: dust all furniture
mirrors, bathroom sinks, toilets, tubs, shower & empty trash cans

Wednesday: baseboards

dust all furniture

Thursday: vacuum & mop & empty trash cans because the trash gets picked up on Fridays!

Friday: do once over before weekend

Enjoy the Weekend!

Christmas Wreath Turned Into Valentine's Day Wreath

So any of you Mommies out there have boys? I am having some difficulties with my oldest in public restrooms at potty time. He is at the age where he doesn't want to go in a women's restroom but I'm not all that comfortable sending him in the men's by himself just yet. When we are at church I'll let him go in the men's room while I wait but that is about it. He has to go with me when it's just me and both boys. At what age did you start letting your son use a public restroom in the men's room?

So off of my tangent... My latest little decoration was for Valentine's Day. I did a simple little trick to turn our Christmas wreath into a Valentine's Day Wreath! Below is our Christmas wreath. It was a straw wreath I painted white and wrapped with polka dotted red and white ribbon.

I picked up a foam heart and strung a piece of twine through it and looped it on the under side of the ribbon on top so it would hang in the center of the wreath.

Simple Enough!

Staircase Basket BEFORE and AFTER

How is your weekend going? It's been a good one here. The weather has been so nice. Our oldest had a basketball game yesterday and I must say it was so much fun to watch. His team played well as a team and it's great to watch young children learn and progress and work together for a goal! He made one of his foul shots too! The weather has warmed up so we were able to get outside some too. Yippie!

So here is a fun little Before and After. I found this beauty below in my mom and dad's garage last time I visited. They don't have a staircase and my mom had me go through her old baskets. It was cute but not my colors or taste. 

I spray painted the whole basket with a blue Rustoleum and instead of gluing or threading ribbon to add a little something to it, I wrapped the basket with a ribbon and tied it under the top "step" of the basket. It's not perfect but handmade and hand-done never is. That is why I love doing something by hand so much. It's much more personal. It's cute and it holds all the randoms we find downstairs that need to go upstairs. On that note have a wonderful rest of your weekend!

New Garage Door

Never thought I'd be so excited over a new garage door. It's funny how when something breaks and you go shopping for that one single item, you start noticing that item everywhere. Or at least I do. A couple years ago our garage door broke and I mean BROKE. It fell off the tracks and luckily we were in the living room, safe, and our cars were parked outside the garage. All we heard was a loud BOOM and we went running!

So the door had a big fat crack in the front and it had buckled and was bent out of shape in a few spots. We paid to have it reinforced and it lasted a while but has recently begun creaking and it was making us nervous. Well once we decided to look at garage doors, which I didn't have much interest in at first, I started thinking "decorative"! Not sure what clicked and light bulb turned on but I LOVE the craftsman style house. My mind just thinks decorating! If I could, I would transform ours into a craftsman but that would cost a fortune!

That being said, we found something we both liked that we thought would make a nice impression. As far as garage doors we wanted something solid with great insulation and steel backing. The room above the garage is barely useable because of poor insulation. We found this garage door - it fit all our needs and it's so pretty ON! It dresses the house up nicely. We had to change the rails and opener and the darn thing is super quiet and has a key pad and is helping our bonus room stay more comfortable temperature-wise. Those were the really important things and the decoration was the plus. We are so behind the times with a lot of the modern conveniences (smart phones) but are really excited about our brand new garage door we got today. Who would have ever thought?!?!?! What was the last upgrade you got really excited about????? I'd love to hear!