6/30/11

The 403 Garden

Come take a walk with me through the 403 Gardens. This is my sister's house. She got the green thumb in the family. So far this year, I've killed some marigolds and a tea rose bush. I'm afraid to try anything else. Her flowers are so beautiful that I thought you might want to walk through her gardens with me....















6/29/11

Upcoming projects....

It all started with my new pillows for the beach room. The room has went from a beach decor to a country decor and now I want it back as a beach room. Right now, I have a couple of these sconces hanging on either side of a picture. My new room is going to be light greens, blues, tans and white for the ocean. First thing, I'm going to do is paint these sconces.


Next, I'm going to get a wreath and some material and try my hand at a rag wreath. I love this one I found at Sandy Paw's Shop on Etsy.


I'm going to get a couple of shadow boxes and do this was some of maps of Myrtle Beach and Panama City Beach, my fave vacation spots.
Saw this in the All You magazine. I tested it out and the tea candles don't set level because of the arch in the bottom of the jar. I'm going to use some ribbon to go with my beach colors and put either sand or shells in the bottom of the jar so I can level out the candles.

I keep seeing shelfs and mantles with star fish on them. I have one and a friend is bringing one back from the beach. I'm going to get a shelf at AC Moore and spray paint it and incorporate the star fish and a few more items on it to keep up with the beach theme.
I would love to hear any ideas or see any links that would give me some more decorating tips for the beach room. 

6/28/11

Top 10 Cleaning Tips

Tuesday's Top 10 Cleaning Tips
1.  Peroxide for blood stains - One of the best ways to remove blood stain is to pour some peroxide on the stain and let it sit for 10 minutes, then rinse with cold water. This will usually take the stain right out. Launder as usual. Some fabrics may fade slightly, so do a test spot first.
2. Grass stains for baseball/football pants - We've all been there. The little boys who don't think it is a sport unless they slide into base or jump on the tackle. Grass stains are very hard to get out of those white pants so many teams wear. When my son played ball, I discovered that you could make a "paste" of Cascade dishwasher detergent and a little water and rub it into the stain. Scrub a little and let set for about an hour. Launder as usual and the stain should come right out.

3.  Ball caps - People of both genders and all ages love their baseball caps. Whether for work or play, they have a tendency to lose their shape when you wash them. For years, I have washed hubby's hats with Arm and Hammer detergent (it is good for removing sweat stains and odor). I then turn a sauce pan upside down and place the hat on it and sit it out in the sun to dry. They look brand new when it's done.

4. Laundry Baskets - I am a big fan of a laundry basket for easy clean up around the house. I start at the front of the house and walk through every room and collect items that are not where they are supposed to be (magazines, shoes, socks, etc.). After making a sweep through the whole house, I start back at the beginning and as I clean a room, I pull out items from the basket that belong in that room and put them back up. When I'm done, the basket is empty and things are where they should be.
5. Emergency Dusting - I hate to dust. I try to do it on a regular basis, but it seems like the minute you are done, it starts all over again. How many times have you received "the" phone call that says "I'm in your neighborhood and just wanted to stop by and visit." You immediately look around the house to see what absolutely needs to be done. A quick swipe of a Pledge Dust Cloth can get around the main items. But what about that knick-knack area that has so many things that need removed before dusting? It's simple. Keep a can of the computer air spray that you use on keyboards and simply "blow" the dust to one side of the shelf and make a quick wipe on that side.

6. Emergency Clean Up - The drop-by visit is another reason to use the trusted laundry basket. Simply walk through the house and put anything that's out of place in the basket and sit it in the laundry room or the floor of a closet until after the guests leave and then pull it out and put things away.
7.   Quick and Easy Floor Cleaning - We all have those high volume traffic areas across our kitchen linoleum that always looks dingier than the rest of the floor. I always keep a clean sponge and a bottle of Mean Green under the sink. When I start seeing that dingy area on the kitchen floor, I simply get the sponge wet, spray some Mean Green on the dirt spot and wipe it clean with the sponge. Instant shine and no more grime.

8. Laundry Spot Remover - We have tried them all....Spray & Wash, Shout, etc. But I recently found a new one that said "Stains Gone Guarantee" and "Triple Enzyme Remover". It is called Zout and it is exactly what it says "Stains Gone." I have never had a stain remover that works as well as this one. I even got a chocolate stain out of a shirt that had been laundered and tried 2-3 times with Shout to no avail. I love Zout and will never be without it.

9.   Tarnished Copper and Brass Pans - Anyone with copper pans knows how hard they are to keep clean. Here is a simple inexpensive way to clean them....Ketchup. Squeeze ketchup onto a cloth and rub it on your pots and pans. They should go back to their coppery color in minutes. Rinse with warm water and dry with a towel.

10.  Splatters in Microwave - We have all been there. We are heating up some spaghetti and the phone rings and next thing you know, it has splattered all over the microwave. This tip is more of a prevention than a clean up tip. For years, we have used napkins to cover bowls of items that might splatter. The motion of the microwave causes the napkins to blow off or drop into the bowl. My hubby found the perfect solution.  Coffee filters. We simply put one down inside the bowl so that it covers the food we are heating and the sides cover the top inside of the bowl. When it is heated, we simply dispose of the coffee filter and we still have a nice clean microwave.


Today, I'm linking to.......


Home Stories A to Z
Home Stories A2Z


Photobucket
Tuesday Train

6/27/11

Do you like change?

This should be a sign in my yard. I love change when it comes to my house. I love moving this piece of furniture there or putting a new twist on an old item. One of my dear readers made a comment the other day that she loves when we can "shop our house." I had never really thought about it that way, but it is something that holds true for most bloggers.

We can find that "one little item" that is such a bargain we just HAVE to have it. When we get it home, we will go from room to room, digging in closets and storage rooms until we find the necessary pieces to go with it to create a new decor or setting in our home.

I've been seeing a lot of posts lately that have incorporated star fish with a lot of white and blue items. They have been gorgeous.

I have a friend at the beach right now and she is going to buy me a star fish so I can create a new "scene" in my beach room. I've been shopping the house and I've found several things I want to use. I'm going to have to make a run to AC Moore this weekend to get a shelf, but other than that, I'll have everything I need. Watch for a post next week to show the results.

6/26/11

Pass the Faith, please....


As we walk through our daily lives, we encounter many people who can be a source of inspiration, a guiding light. It can be through deeds they do, prayers they pray, or simply a kind word. When we reach the lowest low and aren't sure what to do next, if we trust in God, He will put us where we need to be and provide us with the words we need to hear.

It is important that we be there for each other and that we continue to share God's Word, helping others to see the grace and mercy to be found at the throne. I think we should all participate in Passing the Faith.

If you see someone who is struggling or suffering, stop and give them some words of encouragement. Show them what a difference Faith can make in their lives.

Today's story of someone Passing the Faith, is from my dear blogging friend at
Dancing Again. Please visit her blog and read the story of how she recently guided a friend through some troubling times by Passing the Faith. You can read her story at A Plea to Christians.



6/25/11

Obsessed with vintage kitchenware...

My sister and I have become obsessed with vintage kitchen items such as Pyrex, Corelle, McCoy, Homer Laughlin and so on. She is constantly emailing me items she has found in her cabinets that fit in with our new obsession that she had forgotten she had. So I decided to go through my cabinets and see what pieces I might find that were from "yesteryear".

I found these bowls that I forgot I had. I'm sure everyone recognizes the big yellow bowl. In the 50's and 60's most homes had a set of these. The yellow was the biggest, then they dropped down in size with a green, then a red, then a blue one.

I found these old platters that we have had for years. The bottom left corner is a Homer Laughlin (which is the creator of Fiesta ware). It belonged to my husband's grandmother.


The pitcher below is a McCoy 7007. Back in my teen years, my cousin and I pooled our money and bought this for our Mamaw Eden to make ice tea in. When Mamaw passed away, I was given the pitcher. The blue plate was from a collection you could get at A & P grocery stores when my kids were babies (over 30 years ago). I got 2 plates and then our A & P closed. Every time I eat Franco American Spaghetti O's, this is the plate I use. (yes, I still love my Spaghetti O's) That is the only time it is ever used. Not sure why.


These are some odd and end restaurant quality pieces I picked up over the years at the Rebel Dish Barn in Sevierville, TN. These are some of my favorite pieces that I use the most. They are all made by the Howard Laughlin company.


What are YOUR favorite vintage pieces?

6/24/11

The wicker trunk....

When I got my new pillows yesterday, it left me with some country pillows that I didn't know what to do with.
So I started scouting around the house to see where else these colors would go and what I could use them for. There is a wicker trunk at the foot of my bed that I have never been happy with. It's just "sitting" there. I couldn't figure out how to make it look more welcoming.
So I looked around the house some more and I found this cute little prmitive pillow tucked in a storage box.
Then I went through the kids toys and found these teddy bears I had bought over the years at yard sales. The kids usually sleep with them when they visit.
So I put them all together and look what I came up with....
Now I ask you, doesn't it look cozy and welcoming now. Plus the bears are where the grandkids can get them easily when they stay over.I think it added a great touch to our master bedroom.

6/23/11

Back with the bargains....


My friend wanted me to go with her to the Donna Sharp Outlet Store today. I was just tagging along to look; not to buy. As we were checking out, my friend noticed some cute throw pillow cases and said I needed them for my beach room.

I took one look and fell in love. A quilted Donna Sharp pillow is around $36.00, but these were just the cases and were on clearance for $5.00 each. So I bought two and brought them home.

Aren't they so beachy and summery?


Then I dug in the back of the closet where I had placed the two throw pillow when we bought our patio swing, since I didn't want to use them on the swing, but never throw away pillows because you never know....


I slipped the pillows inside the quilted covers and tied the cute little ties on the back.


And ended up with two absolutely gorgeous pillow for the couch in the beach room for only $10.00.


You gotta love a good bargain! (And, to my sister...NO, you can't have them for your camper.)