home-and-garden

Storing Out of Season Clothes

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 00:30:22 +0100

'Tis the season to dig through tubs of out of season clothes, and pass along or save the items to reuse next year. If you're into that sort of thing. Personally, I get giddy when bags of nice hand-me-downs are passed my way, and just as giddy to pass along our gently used items when we're done. The storage and managing of all of this, for four kids, however does NOT make me giddy. I pretty much dreaded seasonal clothing swap time.

My sweet husband built some large bin shelving for me, which is SO nice! Just being able to pull out a bin when I need to put something away helped tremendously. But, as you can see above, it all just got tossed into the bin willy-nilly. All seasons, sizes, and even shoes for each kid were safely stored with all of the order of a tossed salad. Ugh. And as hard as I'd TRY to at least get a layered salad going (with sizes and seasons layered in some sort of order), it was *impossible* to keep it that way. I would rummage around looking for something, and add things to the bin through the year, and when it came time for clothing change: tossed salad.

But I have seen the light, friends! Thanks to my genius sister...and it's called GIANT ZIPLOCK BAGS. These:

That's right. You can usually find them on the top or bottom shelf where the ziplock containers and bags are sold in the grocery store. They are...they are the gold standard of clothing tub organization. Behold!

Notice the tote handle, the roomy interior, and the write-on label section on the front so I can write "Girls 2T-3T Winter". I got some smaller bags in on the action too, to hold socks and smaller items that always ended up tangled around everything else. I also LOVE the fact that I can seal the bags, so moisture and anything-creepy-crawley-that-I'd-rather-not-know-about in our basement is locked out. It took a while to sort through everything, and several packs of giant ziplock bags, but the finished product is EVERY bit worth it.

Here it is after I finished: a vertical file, if you will, of seasonal and age appropriate clothing. THIS makes me giddy!

It's easy to add things to the right size/season bag, and when the time for the summer of 3T-4T rolls around, I just grab that bag and go! As they outgrow a size, I just move that bag to the back, and mark over it later when I begin gathering the bigger sizes that they are going to grow into. Even though the photos above were taken a couple years ago, when I first implemented this system, the bins look essentially the exact same today. It's *really* easy to maintain the organization now.

The grow into shoes are now stored in flat tubs under the bed, which gave us a lot more room in the bins as well.

Sending out a HUGE thank you to my sister. You've given me back hours of my life for each clothing swap season, and saved me lots of frustration with this nice organizing trick!

Hope that you and yours have a very happy and organized clothes swap day(s)! If you've got a favorite organization trick for out of season clothing, please let me know in the comments.

In a Different Light

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:05:03 +0100

Sometimes, it's just little changes around here that make me VERY happy. I recently made a discovery that has really made a difference in my kitchen, and even here on the recipe blog. I changed the light bulb.

I've noticed that on the occasions when I've photographed food in the evening, that the photos turned out really yellow. I was peeved, and ended up spending a lot of time in Photoshop for not very good results.
We had standard cef bulbs, and I always thought that they were a nice quality of light. I never really noticed them looking this yellowish in real life, but I guess the camera doesn't lie.

This is my kitchen with the old cef bulbs, completely un-retouched:

Jaundice, anyone?

And this is what I was getting when I'd photograph in my kitchen at night.

yellewwww...

Of course, I try to photograph the recipes during the daytime, because the natural light is so much nicer. So, it occurred to me that maybe I should take a close look at the full spectrum light bulbs that mimic natural light.

THIS is the difference it made!

I'm thinking I may also change the bulb in the lamp that I read by at night. I really love the crisp, cool light from these bulbs! Such a small change, and such a nice difference in my home. Plus, it saves me MUCH time in photoshop if I do have to photograph at night. This is what I purchased, and it was worth the little extra!

I love you, new lightbulbs!!!

Contigo Water Bottles

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 13:47:01 +0100

After seeing a review of Contigo water bottles on Tammy's Recipes last year, I was really interested in getting some for our family. My sister also purchased some last year for her family, and was very impressed with the quality and contruction as well. She always had her water bottle with her. However, the $12-$15 a piece price tag put them in the 'save for' category. Just after Christmas, I noticed that the style that Tammy reviewed is currently on clearance at Target for $10 or less, but with 6 in our family...I was still going to 'think about it' for a while longer.

Then, my sister suggested that we take a trip to Costco, and lo and behold, they have the new Contigo Autospout Adison water bottles on sale...a 3 pack for $15! SCORE! They're usually 3 for $20 at Costco, which is still a GREAT deal!

Showing off the new handle design..."I can hold it with one singer!"

Here is my review: I love them! We are enjoying them even more than I thought we would, and the color coding has solved several annoying issues with drink cups that I used to have.

These are the 'pros' from my perspective:

We use WAY fewer glasses now, since each of us has our own, personal water bottle.
They're BPA free!!!
The colors are really cute. Each one of us got to pick our favorite. The three packs come in either orange, green, and purple, or pink, blue, and gray. If we had more than 6 in our family, I'd make key-chain tags to hang off the handles to ID the cups.
The bottles are pretty much spill proof...as much as a good sippie cup. You might get a tiny dribble from water left in the straw, but they won't empty into the carpeting and cause our vehicle to start smelling like a bacteria farm, like some other water bottles that we've had first hand experience with.
I'm getting rid of ALL other beverage bottles and all but 2 of the sippie cups...so I'm gaining cabinet space!
They're really easy to pop open...even the 22 month old loves pushing the button to pop out his drinking nozzle.
...and speaking of the nozzle, they're really comfortable to drink out of. It's a sort of soft-ish silicone type material that is really comfortable to drink from. But it feels firm enough to where it wouldn't be easy to bite into or absorb mouth ick.
You don't have to tip it up to drink from it...I find that nice. I like straws.
The bottles are see-through, so it's easy to tell if you need to refill.
Contigo water bottles are also calibrated in ounces (24) and ml, so you can keep track of how much you're drinking throughout the day...and how much your kids are drinking. They hold 3 cups if they're full, and that's a goodly amount!
We're drinking more water now. The older kids, especially, have enjoyed having their bottle with them during school, and keep track of how many refills they are getting.

Five bottles in one hand!

The built in handle is AWESOME...awesomely awesome. It's the next best thing to growing an extra hand per kid. I can hold all 6 bottles in one hand by poking my fingers through the handles. The handles are raised, and solid...not a floppy thing that you have to fiddle around with to grab hold of. It's ready and at your service. Seriously, it's one of my favorite parts of the design. I think the slightly 'stand up' handle is a big design improvement over the previous model, because it's SO easy to just grab.
The mouthpiece is covered when not in use. Which is really comforting when you're at the zoo, in public places, or around people who you may or may not be related to who sneeze, belch or...you know. Gross stuff doesn't get on the mouthpiece.
The bottles are narrow enough to fit into standard cup holders and diaper bag pockets.

Our new Contigo Autospout bottles fit nicely in the fridge door!

And the cons:

You have to suck a little bit hard to get your water out...since the bottles are spill proof, they have a vacuum seal. It's not terribly difficult, and the little ones even do fine, but it's different than a non-spill-proof straw cup for sure. (The seals may get looser/easier to drink from as we break them in.)*
I solved this last night, by gently pressing on the top of the little black seal, until it *barely* moved. The water now comes out noticably faster/easier, and the seal still seems to work just as well after the 'modification'. Yay!
When you flip the spout open, it flicks a few drops of water in your face. The little ones close their eyes and look away. :) I just keep my finger on the spout so it doesn't flick open as fast.
Closing the bottles is a little tricky for the under 2 crowd. But this doesn't stop him from trying.
...and speaking of the under 2 crowd, backwash is still possible. I'll spare you that picture.
Top rack dishwasher safe...the bottles can and do melt a bit if you wash them in the bottom rack, as my sister discovered with her last batch of bottles (they're still useable, just not as cute). Since we're only using ours for water, I plan to hand-wash every few days to keep them fresh. Especially for those who backwash.
when the bottles are empty, they're top heavy, and fall over easily. It's a little annoying. (Solution: keep them filled)
Since they hold 3 cups, and have to be narrow enough to fit into a cup holder, they are a little tall for your average cup holder, and thus top-heavy when they're in the car cupholders (like all other decent sized water bottles we've tried). Which is why I'm SO sold on the leak proof thing.
The Contigo Autospout bottles work almost exactly like a sippie cup, but the size is a bit overkill for small people. I choose to use small zip up duffel bags that my little ones carry themselves...so I'm keeping a couple of the smaller sippies on hand for when they go to Sunday School or when we're out and about. Contigo also makes a smaller 'kid sized' cup, so that would be an option if you wanted a junior size.

And now, a video review from our favorite 3 year old. This is just something that I did spur of the moment, because she was telling me all about her new bottle today at lunch and it was SO cute. I literally just picked up my camera and started filming with no prepping...I think she did a GREAT job! She demonstrates her favorite features, and gives it two thumbs down...or up...if she can find her other thumb. :)

Baby Bunny Nest

Sat, 08 Oct 2011 19:46:51 +0100

I discovered these photos the other day and thought you guys might enjoy this. A couple of years ago, my brother called us, and said "Come over...I want to show you what I found while doing yard work!"

He's just up the road in another neighborhood, so we all piled into the van and headed down to his house. You can see a lattice fence in the picture above...that sits just about 10 feet from his back door, and they have some wild roses climbing over it. He had been out working in the yard, and when he trimmed around the trellis, he noticed a little patch of dried grass that had some fur in it.

So he bent down to see what it was...

and he found...

four baby bunnies!!!

Isn't this amazing!

We covered them back up. My sister in law watched over the next few days, and saw the Mama bunny come back and lie low over this spot to let the babies nurse. I'm so shocked that the mother places the nest in such a 'plain view' spot, but it's so well camouflaged, and the babies lie so still and quiet that they probably go unnoticed a majority of the time.

Aren't they cute!!!

P.S. After reading more about baby rabbits, we learned it's best not to disturb a baby bunny nest at all. Don't try to pick them up...they can escape when startled, which puts them at risk to predators. Just leave them where you found them, and the Mother will return twice a day to care for them.

My Favorite Necklace!

Wed, 11 May 2011 05:20:21 +0100

If y'all read this post, then you'll know that I've been reading and working through the book "It's Just My Nature" by Carol Tuttle. One of the things about this profiling system is that she also incorporates a book and online training program called 'Dressing Your Truth," where you learn to dress according to your true nature.

So I've been playing around with my wardrobe and jewelry to reflect what I really and truly love, and just letting go of the 'nice' things that just aren't so nice on me. It's been SO fun!

On Mother's Day, my dear Mama hosted a luncheon at her house. We each brought a dish, and she had the kids and Dads on serving and kitchen duty. It was *so* sweet. And delicious!

Then, she presented us with necklaces that she had made, using beads and also crocheted flowers that my Grandmother had made years ago. Here is mine:

I just love it. Mom also included the colors of my children's birthstones on the center of the butterfly. ♥

She told me afterward, that I could play around with the colors, since she knew that the brighter/bolder tones are not really 'me'.

So today, since I've been a bit crazy with the craft paints lately, I decided to give it a go.

I cautiously added a bit of gray to the darker colors...

and got a little bit on some of the lighter colors as well...oops!

Loving the effect, I began to experiment with adding a few more undercurrents of blues and raspberry colors. The more I toned down the colors, the more I loved it!

The end result is just so beautiful to me! I love the soft colors, and it's my favorite necklace *ever*.

I love, love, love it. It's special because it's my Mom, my Grandma, and my babies, all rolled into one beautiful necklace that just glows with my favorite colors.

The only drawback being that I cannot really look at it when it's on my own neck.

Thank you Mom! You're amazing, and I am so glad that you shared your joy of creating with us.
Remember gluing sequins on my treasure box with me when I was 5? I do! I still love making things with you, for you, and so enjoy the pretty things you make. I love you!

{P.S. Sorry about the no-makeup and the Barbara Walters filter. It was necessary. Very, very necessary.)

Painted Chair Cushions

Fri, 08 Apr 2011 14:59:46 +0100

This is my dining room. It's my favorite room in the house, because of the beautiful light and view that we get through the french doors. I also LOVE the dining room set that Kyle's Grandmother willed to us. It's *exactly* what I would have chosen if I could have had my pick of anything in the world. I love it.

What I do not love about this room:
carpet.
Who carpets a dining room!?!
This seriously drives me bonkers. And we've recently dealt with it...you'll get a sneak peek in this post. I feel like I won the hardwood floor lottery! After enjoying the 'new' old floor for a few days, I started getting a hankering to deal with the other issue I have with this room.

The other thing I do not love: the goldenrod and white 1960's brocade on the seats of the chairs.

Eesh.

And worsened by the years of stains, that are the result of it being the family dining table, both for her family and mine, lo these many years.

I actually love the pattern of the brocade, and the seat covers were done professionally. It's mainly just the stains and color combo that I'm not loving.

The whole time, I've been thinking about recovering them, and adding clean plastic over them
(yuck, I know...but when kids are in the picture, it makes cleaning that much easier.)

Then I saw this post about a painted wingback chair.
and my wheels started turning.

I waited a stunning 48 hours, silently, not revealing my ideas and intentions to my hubby. For good reason. He already questions my sanity about many things, so no need to fuel that fire, right?

My thoughts were as follows:

I really like the design of the fabric, and so did his grandmother.
Worst case scenario, I will just follow through with the recovering.
Only our bums touch the seat fabric, so no big deal if they turn out stiff and weird feeling.
They may even be easier to clean if the fabric is sealed by the paint.
Touchups will be easy if I just keep some paint on hand.
It's a $4.00 project, at most.
It's easier to ask forgiveness than permission.
What are we waiting for???

So, after 48 hours, I rushed out and bought four .99 bottles of green craft paint, and the kids and I had a painting day!

I know a girl who uses regular craft paints to make custom painted clothing. She's done it for years, and it washes nicely and is better than fabric paints. So I felt totally comfortable using it for my painted chair cushions. So I skipped directly to the final paint application, with great results.

This is our final result:

sorry about the blurry photos...after I took them I discovered tiny smeary fingerprints on the lens.

The big reveal was less than stellar with my hubby, as he got home a bit early and discovered us *PAINTING* his grandmother's chair cushions. Oops.
After stewing about the house mumbling things like 'fabric should be dyed,' the weather man finally got cozy with the new/old green chairs seats. He is giving me glowing feedback, such as, "They're OK."

And as we all know, in weatherman language, that means, "I love them."

See!!! Alls well that ends well, right!

The final verdict on the fabric texture is that it is only *slightly* stiffer than before, but it was pretty stiff fabric to start out with. It's not really a noticeable texture change on a heavier fabric, in my opinion. I won't be painting my velvet duvet though...and I probably wouldn't use this treatment on fabrics that are supposed to have a soft feel to them. I'm very texture/comfort oriented, so I know that would be a big deal to me.

It really does give a fresh, new feel to the whole room.
What do you think?

Would you do something this crazy? And if so...I wanna see!!!

Wiggley Sleeper Bedside Bumpers

Thu, 27 Jan 2011 05:29:15 +0100

A wiggleworm sleeps next door to my bedroom. Her bed shares a wall to our bedroom, and she is prone to kick the wall in the middle of the night. Multiple times. So in an effort to protect her little legs (and preserve my sleep), I decided that the wall needed to become padded. At the earliest convenience.

I dug out the bumper pads that went around the crib, and folded it in half lengthwise. Then I tied all the ties, and tucked it in along the side of the bed.

Now she can kick to her heart's content against a soft, cushy pillow bumper.

And the really nice things about it are that it didn't cost me anything, and it keeps the sheets and blankets from getting pulled out from behind the bed.

I love getting a bit more use out of something that I already owned.

Hat and Glove Basket

Tue, 30 Nov 2010 06:51:47 +0100

I found an old, sturdy wicker bicycle basket at the thrift store the other day, and I knew just where I wanted to put it...

I added a leather belt through the slits in the back, so that I could hang it up...

on the coat rack.

It makes a perfect spot to toss gloves, hats and scarves.

And, no...it doesn't stay this neat and organized.
But it works great!

Country Garden Farms

Fri, 05 Nov 2010 15:56:24 +0100

This was the perfect afternoon...the kids and I went to Country Garden Farms, our local dairy farm/nursery/organic farm. It's such a fun and gorgeous place to hang out for a little while on a late summer afternoon. (I know, I know...I'm behind in my posting!) Enjoy the glimpse of late summer with me.

On the way...

we spotted a family of Canadian Geese.

They were in a hurry, and we were not. We gave them right of way and enjoyed watching them waddle across.

What shall we do first at the farm? The nursery garden is so beautiful...

and tempts us with the sound of running water.

There are fish and tadpoles, even!

I am tempted by these Lacecap Hydrangeas. My favorite.

Livestock is spotted on the other side of the parking lot. We move to investigate further.

This is what a free range chicken looks like.

There was a shed full of baby chicks. The nice man who was feeding them even let us hold one!

This little trio cracked me up. Pony, goat, and bunny all live together in this little pen. It's like the Bremen Town Musicians, no? Each one got plenty of grass and petting.

It's time to be getting home...

but first we come say hello to the farm doggies that 'guard' the store. Their job is to lay on the cool concrete floors in the summer, soak up the warmth of the overhead heaters in the winter, and wait for kids to pet them. My kids love to oblige, and she rolls onto her back to soak in the love.

Then we pick up our milk and head home.

On the way home, we get another treat!

A group of classic cars is headed the same way we are.

This was the one of the most perfect afternoons in recent memory.

As Seen on Tee Vee

Sat, 23 Oct 2010 01:53:17 +0100

I have a confession.

I love the Dollar Tree.

As if the $1 for 12 AA battery deal isn't enough to keep me coming back, I am occasionally drawn in by an item that looks too good to be true. And for only $1, I can splurge and then not have to kick myself too hard when it hits the bottom of the trashcan.

But this one...this one surprised me!

Meet the EZ Engraver.
I mean, it's gotta be good. It's been seen on Tee Vee!

The Handy Engraver is really worth that $1.08. (It took two of my batteries)

So, the first test, I did on the bottom of a glass jar. It actually worked! Then I was on the hunt for something to engrave for real.

Bingo! Cheesy spice recipe labels that have been on my lovely bottles since <ummmm>

labels, ca. 1998

Really! Time for those to go.

Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

So, all you have to do is push the little white button with your finger, and write in your best handwriting. Don't bear down, as it will stop the engraver.

Oh. MUCH better! I love!

Now to dig up some more things to engrave...
my cell phone
camera
keys
serving utensils &
casserole dishes (potlucks are not so lucky for my kitchenware at times)
sippy cups
pacifiers
homemade gift ideas
making my own pre-measured salad dressing recipe jar
or even engraving the glass canister that I use with my easy bread recipe

I might not be back for a while. :)

P.S. after trying this on high density plastics, it doesn't work as well as on glass and metals. I think a hot engraver would be a better tool for plastic items.