DIY Fabric Softener

I guess, you can do-it-yourself almost anything.  I have always wanted to make DIY laundry detergent for awhile, now, but always forget to get the supplies needed.  I just love her etched glass containers, too, don't you?

So, you know, how they say out of desperation, comes invention? Yup!  You guess it!  I was completely out of Downy and needed to finish the laundry.  And while I didn't invent it, I did find this diy and decided to give it a go.


I used Suave green apple conditioner that I had it left over from my diy detangler try.  (fyi, it works really well, even on boys hair!)  I also halved her recipe since my Downy jug was 2.3L and not a full gallon.

3 cups water
1 1/2 cup white vinegar
1 cup hair condition or your choice.

Mix together. (oh yeah, please don't shake...it will bubble. Embarrassed to say I didn't listen.)

First load of towels are out.  I used the measuring cap from the Downy bottle in the rinse cycle. They are soft but  I wish they had more scent to them.  I'll finish out the rest of the bottle. Maybe it'll grow on me. I don't know.

What DIY's have you done lately?

Sugar Scrub

Folks, it's another scorcher here in Texas.  Yesterday afternoon, our little thermometer on the front porch read 115˚.  We aren't doing too much in the fun department these days.  Just like hot dog up there, we are sticking close to the AC.

I am taking advantage of the crock pot today.  Some awesome concoction with chicken, rum, pineapples, and you guessed it: lime juice.  I'll post the recipe next week. So, stay tuned.

I have to tell you a funny about last night's meal.  I had enough forethought about me to go ahead and cook the meatballs mid-morning, thinking that would be a good way to keep from heating up the house in the late afternoon.  All I had to do once Maintenance Man got home was take them out of the fridge, add marinara; ok spaghetti, sauce, and serve.  One thing....when it's this hot in Texas and there is any moisture at all in the air, what happens?  Yup, mold.  Our lovely loaf of Italian bread had mold growing on the top.  YUCKKKO.  In the garbage.  So, next best thing?  Hot Dog buns!  Ha!

They were very tasty.  We served the meatballs on buns, topped with Parmesan (stinky) cheese and some grated mozzarella.  Well, of course, all of us except the 5 year old.  He ate plain meatballs.

Ok, now I know you're wondering what all this has to do with sugar scrub.  When it's this hot outside, I start noticing things.  Weird things.  Like how, after 12+ years in the nursing field, the lack of water in my diet, and now baking/cooking all the time, and washing pots, my hands look like I'm 90.


I can't believe I'm even going to show you this.  But, here is a picture of my hand from this morning.

Wow!  Whose hand is that?  Not good.

But, there is a very simple, and I do mean simple, solution to this:

I used the Lavendar Silk version of the Dawn Hand Renewal dish soap.  You can tell if you click the link, there are many flavors scents/colors to choose from.  I, for one, have a soft-spot for purple.  Thinking back, and looking at the picture, probably not the wisest of choices.

Anyway... what you'll need to do is fill your jar 3/4 of the way with white sugar.

Start pouring in the dish soap.

Continue pouring until the soap starts sinking to the bottom of the jar.  Stir, stir, stir like the wind, Bullseye.

It will eventually mix all together.

Kind of looks like silly putty to me.  I guess I'll need a better color next time.  But, it smells wonderful.

Oh yeah, and it works!

The minute I had that lovely compound, I plopped some right on my hand. I wet it with just some warm water and scrubbed until I didn't feel the grittiness of the sugar, then rinsed.

Again:

After just one application!  My hands feel silky soft now.  I think I'm going to just set that jar by my kitchen sink and swipe some every couple of days.

Now, this opens up a whole window of opportunities.  Brown sugar; epsom salt, vitamin E oils, hmmmm.  I just may find a use for the other 3 jars that came in that package of Mason jars.


Freedom Friday #8, Terrific Tuesday #22

Fab Flowers with Molly O

Molly O Designs has done it again!  Our next class was The Fab Flower Class. 

This is a trend that is seen all over the place.  These flowers can be added to rings, shoes, bracelets, hair clips, and key fobs.

She sent me purple fabric, a great silver accent piece, and then a key fob.

This video was no different than the other ones on her site.  Very easy to follow with step-by-step instructions.

The whole thing only took minutes (and I only caught my fabric on fire once. lol).

And again, she has me antsy to get our next kit!  Here is my fab flower.  I just love it!

Typography

Another awesome trend in decor these days is Typography.  I blog-stalked for some ideas on how to make my own.  Almost all the blogs I found, started the DIY with "go to your local craft store and purchase some paper mache letters."  Well, I'm here to tell you, I don't have a 'local' craft store.  I have a distant craft store..almost 100 miles to the nearest craft store.  le sigh.   I know, I know, you're thinking, but Dana, there is alway online shopping.  BTDT!  I bought initial letters for our stockings over Christmas and they ended up being like an inch tall.  I have to see it.

So, I made my own.  I had an old 2x6 laying around.  We had actually cut it down, and I had painted it already for another craft. I  used it anyway. Again...rebel. 

I made my letters with Photoshop using good ole Arial Bold font at about 500pt.  My letters are about 5" tall. 

I copied the letters to my board. 

Then, I cut the letters out using a jig-saw.  A scroll saw would have been easier; as I was informed by my Maintenance Man as he was helping me with the 'A' cut-out. 

Here they are, nevertheless.  I used 60 grit sandpaper and sanded all the letters by hand.  For some reason, the wood was pretty torn up after cutting, so I needed the course-grit paper.  

I used an extremely cheap primer (like 1.89 cheap because it didn't scan when the cashier scanned it :oD) and Valspar Metallic spray paint.

After one coat of primer:

 

Then, I applied two coats of the Valspar paint.

To hang them, I just gently bent a soda can tab and hot glued it on the back.

You can see I left the back unfinished.  Very rustic. :)

Here they are hanging behind my stove.

I can tell in this picture that I must have had some little helpers in my paint.  Those fingerprints are not visible IRL, how strange.

Sharing: Serendipity and Spice's Manic Monday, C.R.A.F.T's Making Monday Marvelous, Making the World Cuter's Making the World Cuter Monday,  Sumo's Sweet Stuff's Market Yourself Monday, Our Delightful Home's Show Me What You Got, 

Father's Day Subway Art

Ok, you know it.  It's everywhere; Subway Art.  I was going to waste space with some examples..but I really have great confidence that you have seen it. :)

Father's Day has been on my mind lately.  My hubbers is so hard to buy for.  Probably because when he sees something he wants, he buys it.  Even in December.

With Father's Day approaching fast,(crazy how fast this year has gone by), I thought I would try my hand at some subway art.    

click to download

I made it 8X10, and it is available for download and printing.  But don't pass it off as yours; if you use my image somewhere else, please link back to me, and all that other happy blogging lingo. :)   I hope you enjoy it!  I would love to see pictures of it in your decor, so link up!

Sharing at: Sumo's Sweet Stuff's Market Yourself Monday,  C.R.A.F.T.'s Making Monday Marvelous, Tip Junkie's Tip Me Tuesday,  Making the World Cuter's Making the World Cuter Monday,  Uncommon Creating the Extraordinary's Uncommonly Yours, Toastie Studio's Made Monday , Kaylas Creation's Sunday Roundup, The Crafty Blog Stalker's Blog Stalking Thursday,  Our Delightful Home's Show Me What You Got, Liz Marie Blog's Link up with me, Liz Marie,   Homemaker's Challenge's DIY Accomplished,  The NY Family's Whimsy Wednesday, Goings on in Texas' Unveil Your Genius, Serendipity and Spice Manic Monday,   Saved by Love Creation's Thrifty Thursday, Six Sisters' Stuff's Strut Your Stuff Saturday

 

You + Me

I see so many cute ideas on Pinterest on how to display home states.

Source: theharpsterhome.wordpress.com via Dana on Pinterest

Source: lollyjaneboutique.blogspot.com via Dana on Pinterest

Source: thisdiylife.wordpress.com via Dana on Pinterest

 I love this idea.  It seems to work better if you and your mate came from different states; but, my home state, Texas is big enough to support 2 hearts.  So, here's where I open Photoshop.

I created 2 new 5x7 inch canvas with a transparent background.  A quick Google search led me to Photoshop Custom Shapes in what?  You guessed it!  The United States of America.  Perfect.

I created my state; Texas in white.  Not sure how that would show up on white card stock (ha!  It won't), I used the rectangle shape to create a blue background around it then lowered the opacity to around 50%.  This way, the little inlets in the bottom right corner off the Gulf of Mexico would look like water.  Then, using my custom heart shape, I created 2 hearts; one for Texas and one for Michigan.

I did the same thing for Michigan, and printed both on card stock.

Then I cut out the shapes and used spray adhesive to secure them to a piece of yellow construction paper.  Using double sided tape, I secured the hearts on the place of our births.  (I had to Google where hubby's town was located-bad wife).  Then I added a plus sign with a black sharpie and put it in a freshly painted frame.

It has it's place on our bedroom wall next to a framed quote I made last year and a cross that my best friend gave me.

Linking to:  Sew Much Ado's We Did It! Wednesday, Liz Marie Blog's Link up with me, Liz Marie   The Crafty Blog Stalker's Blog Stalking Thursday,

Plastic Jugs to Bird Feeders

Our trash service company does not provide a  recycling option.  So, I am still trying to repurpose much of the plastic that goes through this house.  Today, I decided Kolby, Riley and I would make bird feeders out of some of the plastic jugs we have laying around.

We gathered our supplies:

1. various plastic jugs

2. fishing line (very hard to see in the mid-day Texas sun)

3.  assortment of acrylic paints

4. wooden dowels

5. kitchen scissors

6. the razor knife is under Riley's arm (safely closed)

7. assortment of paintbrushes

8. two eager boys.

Then, with the razor knife, I cut holes into the jugs.

I let the boys paint away:

And the dowels

Is it just me, or does he not look happy with his results..He wasn't.  He thought it looked 'too clumpy'.  I told him it will be out in the weather and as long as it's good and dry, it will be fine.  

After they dried, I used the razor knife again to cut 4 smaller holes to poke the dowels through and thread the fishing line through.  

Not too bad..I don't think.. Come on Tweety

Linkin to:

 

From Creamer Jar to Straw Holder

I have been trying to use up my 'honey, I'm going to use that' pile.  But, coming up with crafty things to do can be a bit challenging.

They say 'necessity is the mother of all invention'.  Have you ever wondered who 'they' are? I do, sometimes.  

While making the 5 year old 'blue juice' or chocolate milk, I was digging through the junk drawer for a straw.  What a mess!  The straws were scattered all over in that drawer.  I had emptied my jar of creamer just last week, and thought it would make the perfect straw holder. {I'm sure I'm not the first to think of this, but I like to think I am :)} I apologize now for the crappy photography. 

Gather your materials:

scrapbook paper or scrap material (I made my own scrap book paper)

Spray adhesive

Scissors

old creamer jar

I started by spraying the jar with the adhesive and working the paper around the jar.

Once I finally got it around the jar (without my fingers attached), I cut out 'straws' that I printed using Howser font at 36 pt and glued that on as well.

Blog Stalking (Knife Block Redo)

I get into so much trouble blog stalking hopping.  In fact, my husband told me yesterday he is afraid to come home; he never knows what will be painted next. :)  He's so funny.

I saw this and knew I had to attempt it.  My knife block is very old. I don't even think all my knives match.  No, I know all my knives do not match. {embarrassed}

 Now, I had to Google 'St Croix Colors' to see if it was of any significance. :)  Found out, apparently, this was from Fingerhut.  I have not had a Fingerhut catalog in my house in the 10 years that DH and I have been married. So, that leads me to believe that this was either inherited from me before us or from him before us.  Follow that?

Anyway..I started out with my handy dandy 100 grit sand paper and sanded by hand for a while.  I quickly decided that the hand held would make my job much easier.  Here is after one coat of black spray paint.

 Who doesn't craft with kitty?
It became clear, that the sanding was not going to suffice.  'St Croix Colors' was still there. :(  I was going to have to use wood filler.

I have a hard time with wood filler, and my maintenance man is at work.  Well, here goes nothing.

I think I did okay.  I can say, that it did sand out fine.  I may need some pointers on how to use wood filler. And how to sand.  And possibly how to paint without getting all over the place.

Anyhoo.  As you can see, I also painted it red.  I really like how it came out. Especially after I 'roughed' it up a bit and let some of the black show through. :)

I wanted to add our initial 'B' to it, too.  I am a good copycatter student. :p  I opened up my Photoshop and created it, then I transferred it to the block with carbon paper and hand-painted it with black paint.

 Here it is nestled in it's place right between my Keurig and spice rack.

**updated 5/22/12

Well, turns out  didn't like the black on red so much.  I think it was too bright a red.  Maybe it was that the B was actually ugly. LOL.  IDK, but I decided I did not like it anymore.

So, I sanded it again and painted it black. Again.  I'm going to admit that I'm not the best crafter on the planet, and hand-painting isn't my 'thing'. Yet.

I like to use stencils, so I made my own 'reverse' stencil using Snappy Script Light.

DIY Welcome sign

Pinterest has become my new bff.  I am there many times a day.  I found a pin for a DIY welcome sign.  I thought this would be a perfect craft to start with.

So, my husband, the boys and I all went to our neighborhood hardware store for supplies.  All I needed was a 4x4 and a 1x4 and a cheap hanger.  And we got started. (I say we, because I am still scared to death of saws despite the fact that I am married to a maintenance man!)

I do not have a lot of pictures, and for that, I apologize, but I will go through the instructions. 

Maintenance Man cut (2) 5 1/2 inch X 5 1/2 inch squares and (2) 4 1/2 X 4 1/2 inch squares out of a 1x6 that we already had.  He cut my 4x4 to 24" and then cut the 1x4 to 11".

I Gorilla glued one 5 1/2 inch square to one 4 1/2 inch square and then repeated that process for the other two. I let them dry overnight.  Then we screwed the 2 'ends' to the 4x4.  Maintenance Man pre-drilled the holes in the 4x4, he says it keeps the wood from splitting, and I believe him. :)  I had him attach the hanger as well. 

Then the fun part....sanding.  I used 100 grit sandpaper and went to town on the boards until all smooth.  (I should have taken pictures of all my splinters....owie) 

I did not prime but I guess I could have.  I spray painted the boards with black.  It took two coats.  Once dried, I roughed them up a bit to make it look rustic.  

I painted the 11" 1x4 with white acrylic paint that I had around the house. I do not have a fancy schmancy vinyl cutting machine, so I painted the sign. There are many techniques out there to easily hand-paint a sign.  I could not make many of the work; outlining the words with a ball-point pin-didn't work for me, I saw somewhere to use newspaper to transfer the image to your board...didn't work for me either.  But, alas, Amazon had my answer.....  Transfer paper! (duh).

Transfer the image of your word 'welcome' on to your board.  I printed mine in light gray to save printer ink, and painted in the lines of the word. It wasn't perfect, by any stretch, but once it was dried, I sanded with the 100 grit paper again.

I thought I was finished with it but the top just looked empty.  I decided it would look great with a punch-tin candle holder.  Under my kitchen sink there is a 'honey, I'm going to use that for crafts' pile.  I figured I was pushing my luck with how big it was getting, so I pulled out a green bean can.  I was able to peel all the label off with ease and I filled the can with water and popped it into the freezer. (I was told it would keep the tin can from bending when you nail it; and I believe that too) :)  Once frozen, I traced a cookie cutter star and taped it to the can and tapped in the shape of the star.
Here it is with the punch-tin candle holder and some ivy that I found at the dollar store.  I love it!

 One Pinterest craft tackled, so many more to go.

I'm linking to: