Clay Pot Wreath

 

I saw this wreath over at Cherry Hill Cottage awhile back.  SO cute!!

It took a very LONG time to collect enough clay pots, though!

Simple to make… clay pots individually wired to a grapevine wreath. 

A few notes –

Even with sales and 40% coupons the pots were around $30…. a lot more than I usually pay for wreath supplies.  It would definitely be cheaper to hunt for them at thrift stores and garage sales instead. 

(If you’re more patient than me).

This wreath is HEAVY!!  It weighs much more than I imagined!  So plan to have sturdy hanging supplies available. 

You may need a few extra clay pots to replace any that are broken, say, by an errant baseball ;) 

This post explains how the pots are wired to the wreath.

Powder Laundry Detergent Tutorial

 

If you like saving money and being crafty…. it’s your happy day!!

This soap is a compilation of several different powdered laundry detergent recipes.  I tried a bunch of them and ended up combining what worked best for us into my own secret formula. 

Except now I’m telling you all and it’s not really a secret anyway ;)

I have also made the liquid version of homemade laundry soap.  And I loved it.  I really did.  But it seemed a little bit more of a process to make.  We tended to go through it pretty fast and sometimes there just wasn’t the time or energy to make more.  So I went back to {gasp} store bought for awhile.

I find this powdered laundry soap comes together more quickly, lasts much longer and it’s much easier to keep it made up!

POWDERED LAUNDRY DETERGENT

2-4 bars Fels Naptha or Zote laundry soap (I use 3 if using Zote and 4 if using Fels Naptha)
1 box Borax
1 box Washing Soda
1-2 containers of Sun Oxygen cleaner (I use 2)
2-3 cups baking soda
1-2 containers of Purex fabric softener crystals (I use 2 - we have hard water and also I love lots of scent!)

I use my food processor to grate the bars of soap.  It sounds loud, but grates the soap just fine.

I cut the Zote bars into chunks and process 1 bar at a time.  I also add about 1/2 cup of washing soda into the food processor with each bar.  The soda powder seems to help the blades granulate the soap better.

The ingredients take up a LOT of room and you’ll need a BIG bowl or pot for mixing - I use a canning pot and stir until everything is evenly distributed.  I would suggest doing the mixing outdoors.  The borax and soda can kick up some dust while you’re stirring! 

Use a cup or scoop to portion your soap into containers.  I got 2 gallon jars + an ice cream bucket from this batch!

You only need 1-2 tablespoons.  If your clothes are dirtier than normal or you have hard water, you can use more.  We use 2 tablespoons for a normal load and 1/4 cup for really large or dirty loads.  Because of the Purex crystals, put the soap right in the drum before the clothes, if you have an HE washer.

Some notes:

Don’t be surprised if the ingredients don’t look completely mixed in the jar. Just grab your scoop of soap out and you’ll be fine.

Depending on how much soap you use in each load, this batch will last 6-12 months.  We find it lasts about 8 months for us… score!

This laundry soap produces very little suds, but don’t worry! Your clothes will smell amazing and be clean!  Because of the lack of suds, it is safe for use in HE washers.

We find the soap is gentle enough for our dry/eczema prone skin and it has caused no reactions.

The Purex crystals smell wonderful and soften the clothes without any additional fabric softener liquid or dryer sheets!

It should be easy to find all these ingredients.  They will be in your local supermarket or supercenter in the laundry/cleaning products aisle.  They even have the ingredients grouped together on the shelves now – making your own laundry soap must be getting popular! 

The Zote soap, borax, Purex crystals, washing & baking sodas cost just over $26 total…. I think that’s pretty good for 8 months worth of laundry!

Until next time,
  xo

Homemade Hand Cream

Wanted to share our time-tested recipe for hand cream.  I started making it when my 20-year-old daughter, Lacey, was 2 and had eczema.  Not only was it was a miracle for her skin, but we all loved it and have been using it ever since!

Here us our recipe, so you can make some too.  The original recipe calls for baby lotion.  We have found it works well with any lotion and not just the baby kind.  Just make sure to use the same number of ounces :)

Homemade Hand Cream:

2 (15-16 oz.) baby lotion
8 oz. Vaseline
2 jars (8 oz.) Vitamin E Cream

First, whip the petroleum jelly with a mixer, then add in the remaining ingredients:

Whip until fluffy.

It will look something like this:

I wash and reuse the jars from the vitamin E cream and petroleum jelly (and any other empty jars from creams, butters or lotions that I can find).  Any plastic container with a lid will work just fine.  No need to purchase fancy new jars…. unless you really want to :)

Use a rubber spatula to get every last bit of cream into the jars:

Don’t forget to fill a couple travel size jars to keep with you in your purse. 

It seriously looks like a LOT of hand cream, but we use it so quickly!  There is now only 1 jar left and it will be time to make more soon.  I am going to try using coconut oil instead of petroleum jelly in my next batch… I’ll let you know how it turns out!

Homemade Face Wash

A few years ago I started making my own olive oil face wash/cleanser.  I’ve tweaked the original recipe a few times and now find it almost perfect.  :)

Here’s why I LOVE it:

1.  It’s very cheap frugal.  You most likely already have the ingredients on hand.  If not, it should cost less than $7.00 to make 6-9 months worth of cleanser. 

2.  It removes makeup.  The olive oil naturally removes makeup, even stubborn eye makeup, and you won’t have to buy expensive makeup remover anymore!

3.  It’s moisturizing.  Traditional cleansers and face washes are formulated to strip skin of its natural oils, leaving your face tight and dry (and requiring you to purchase ample amounts of their moisturizer products).

4.  Only 4 ingredients and it’s really easy to make!

INGREDIENTS: 

1.  Olive oil.  I’ve been asked if you could use another oil or even coconut oil.  I have never tried anything other than olive oil, but if you’d like to experiment, other vegetable oils should work just fine.  Coconut oil would make more of a cleansing cream consistency.  

2.  Glycerin.  Glycerin is a humectant, which means it attracts moisture to your skin.  It is a natural by-product of the soap making process.  (Manufacturers actually remove the glycerin from their soaps, to be used in their more profitable lotions and creams).

3.  Liquid face soap.  Because I use it to remove eye makeup, I like to use a “tear-free” product such as baby body wash, but you can use any liquid soap that works for your skin. 

4.  Water. 

OLIVE OIL FACIAL CLEANSER

2 teaspoons liquid face soap or baby wash
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons glycerin
1/2 cup olive oil
Clean, empty pump bottle

Pour ingredients into a food processor or blender.  Mix until thickened, smooth and creamy. 

Use a funnel to pour your face wash into a pump bottle.  Isn’t it creamy and rich?!

I quadruple the recipe, to make enough to last at least 6 months.  Store any extra face wash in the empty olive oil bottle.  It keeps for up to a year. 

TO USE:  Pump a quarter-size amount of cleanser into your hand.  Gently massage into your neck area, face, eyelids and eyelashes for about one minute.  Remove with a warm washcloth.  Rinse washcloth in warm water and gently remove any remaining dirt or makeup off your face. 

EnJoY your smooth and moisturized skin!

Yarn wrapped Valentine hearts

 

I am really in love with anything yarn-wrapped lately.  A fast and easy way to use up leftover yarn. . . what’s not to love?!

Hearts are the latest thing I’ve subjected to the yarn wrap.  You could make them any size, but I made some smallish ones to use as bowl and vase fillers. 

Start by drawing hearts onto cardboard.  I traced around a cookie cutter onto a box leftover from Christmas morning. 

Cut them out.  Don’t worry if they’re not perfect!  The yarn will cover up any uneven edges or stray pen marks.  Begin wrapping around the heart.  You can secure the first strand of yarn with a piece of tape or just hold it for a few wraps, until it’s covered. 

Switch directions while continuing to wrap the heart.  Make sure as you wrap that you are covering the heart evenly and hiding the cardboard, so it doesn’t peek through at all. 

Once you’ve completely covered the heart, tuck the end under a few strands of yarn and add a dab of hot glue. 

Use as filler in bowls, vases, centerpieces.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

VaLeNTiNe BLeSSiNGs!

 

Top Posts in 2011

Hello!

Last year I enjoyed some of the top posts of the year parties and thought it was so fun to see all the projects!  Everyone listed their favorite or most viewed posts with links attached.  So this year, I'm joining in too.  Here are some of my posts from 2011.  Since the top 10 viewed posts are listed in my sidebar, I thought it would be fun to list the posts below in order of the most comments received :)

Thanksgiving subway sign.  This was my #1 viewed AND commented post of 2011… Wows!  Guess I’m not the only one who loves Thanksgiving!

Love Never Fails Valentine’s Box.  A simple old oak sewing drawer filled with handmade hearts, flowers and doves, along with some vintage Valentine lovelies.

Scarecrow Crunch – a jumble of crackers, cereal, pretzels and Reese’s Pieces, along with both candy and caramel corn. . . need I say more?

Pumpkin Spice Coffee Creamer was a big hit this year… a fun fall treat that you can enjoy more affordably (and more often) when you make it at home.

Embroidered John 3:16 Valentine.  The favorite verse is arranged to spell the word “Valentine” and embroidered on a pillow.  But, it’s not limited to embroidery.  This verse is so sweet to use in many different mediums and Valentine’s Day projects!

Americana Flag Placemats.  These grand old flags got a lot of views and comments, as did the patriotic star table runner in the background. . .

Clay pot wreath.  Not only did it get a lot of views and comments, this is the one I still get the most email questions from.  Start collecting your clay pots now to make a wreath this spring :)

Ranch Corn Salad.  A quick and easy comfort food that’s an especially yummy compliment to summer grilling menus.

Luke 1:49 Christmas Collage Art… My first attempt at collage art and a follow up to the Thanksgiving subway sign, it was a fun learning experience!

And {finally} my solution to the candy corn cookie dilemma :)

It's hard to believe how fast the year has gone by!  Many thanks to all of you who visited, commented and followed this year.  You all are a huge bright spot in my day!

xoxo

Shelley

Grand Ol’ Flag Placemats

I wanted to show you these strip pieced flag placemats from a few years ago….

waayyy before I had a blog, so no step-by-steps :)   

You’ll need red, white and blue fabric, a rotary cutter and mat, backing fabric, fusible fleece or cotton batting (optional).  Oh, and an iron – lots of pressing in this project!

I’m sure most of you sewing types out there will be able to figure it out, just from the pictures!!  Just in case, here’s a quick rundown:  The stripes are all 2 inches wide x the length of my fabric.  I sewed them in long sections before cutting them to final placemat widths.  The blue piece is 5 inches by 6 inches.  All seams are 1/4”.

I made the bottom (4 stripe) section and then top (3 stripe section) separately.  Press each time you sew a strip together… be sure to iron the seams toward the red stripes, so they won’t show through the white fabric!

When the top and bottom striped sections are finished, cut the bottom stripes to 18” wide.  Before cutting the top section, I sewed the blue piece to the left side, then cut the right side (the stripes) the same width as the bottom. 

Cut a backing piece the same size as your flag.  I didn’t use any batting, but you could use fusible fleece or cotton batting at this point.  Sew right sides together, leaving room to turn.  Clip corners, turn right side out, press.  Topstitch around the edge and be sure to get the opening securely sewn. 

I can’t wait to put them out every summer! 

HaPpy sEwiNg! 

Wishing for summer

I haven’t written much about the garden yet this year.  It’s been extremely cold, windy and wet – even by the standards of our high altitude weather! 

We do have a lot of “frost-free” growing days (up to 130).  The problem is that at LEAST 50% or more of those days the temperatures hover in the 40’s and low 50’s… okay for grasses, trees and hardy perennials, but not nice for warm weather gardening!

So while I wait for something photo-worthy to happen in the garden, I thought I’d show you how to make a tiered planter.

You will need: 
3 pots - small, medium and large (I use clay pots.  They’re less likely to blow over in our heavy winds :) 
2 smaller, but sturdy plastic pots
Filler 
Potting soil
Moo poo
Your plants :)

I first painted the pots and then sealed them with clear spray paint, but plain is just fine, too.  Take the biggest pot and place a smaller pot upside down, to later support the medium sized pot. 

Stuff your filler all around the pot.  You can use newspaper, packing peanuts or soda cans, anything light that will fill up the space.  The roots don’t go all the way to the bottom of the pot and you can save all that potting soil for other containers!  I use crumpled newspaper because it can go into the compost in the fall without having to pick out the packing peanuts first ;)

Repeat for the medium pot and stack – see the potting soil in the bottom pot?

There’s no need for a plastic pot inside the smallest clay pot at the top.  But I do still crumple some newspaper in the bottom before adding the potting soil. 

And finally…the planting!   Don’t forget magic moo poo.  A small handful mixed with the potting soil in each planting hole and your beautiful plants will thank you!  

Here they are all stacked together with a few of the plants in place:

More photos to come, as they grow…

Clay Pot Wreath

Remember my clay pot wreath from last year?

Sill LOVE it, but. . . 

THIS happened to some of the pots and they needed to be replaced: 

I thought I’d show you how the pots are attached.   The method is the same, whether you’re making a brand new wreath or adding one pot :)

Start with a grapevine wreath, wire and needle nose pliers.  Collect your pots… you can purchase new, but I love the character of thrift and garage sale pots.

Cut about a 10-12 inch piece of wire using your pliers.  Slip it under a few vines, leaving an equal amount of wire on each side: 

Decide which direction you want to the pot to face.  In this case, if you use the wire on the left as the top, the pot will face to the right.  But I wanted it to face the camera, so I used the portion on the right as the top wire. 

Thread your top wire through the bottom of the pot:

Twist the ends together like a twist tie.  Then use the needle nose pliers to roll the ends into a little coil: 

 

All better…  

 

The weight of the pots makes this wreath VERY heavy.  Take care to hang it securely and enjoy!

 

Let me know if you make a clay pot wreath. . . I’d love to see it!!