Scrubbing Gunk

Hi everyone!

Well, you know the metal part of the crockpot that holds the ceramic pot? Do you ever have “ooze over”? That is what recently happened (Traveling Super Bowl Chili) and I didn’t know it until I went to clean the pot. Looked inside and saw a nasty baked on gummy mess! (can you believe I am showing you this gross crockpot?)

See! I told ya!

I tried cleaning with Dawn dish soap. A little scrubbed off but not much. Time to bring out a little Jr. High science volcano action! Yup, Vinegar and baking soda paste!

Now, if you have never tried mixing these two ingredients together, then know that as soon as the vinegar hits the baking soda, it starts foaming up immediately! So, use a deep enough bowl to mix your cleaner. I just wanted a paste so, into the bowl went about 1/2 cup of baking soda and then I very slowly poured some vinegar in. Even if you don’t have anything to clean, this is just a fun thing to do when you are bored…er…I mean to show the kids.

Now slather all over your spilled gunky area and let it just sit there for at least an hour.

Okay, on to the big HONESTY moment. Did it work?

Yes it did (I still have some crevices to get to). However, this still took a LOT of elbow grease and one whole Magic Eraser! I think it would have taken a lot of work regardless of what I used. But, I did like that there was nothing toxic or chemically smell to this cleaner. And it was very thrifty at least as far as the ingredients went!

This cleaner has been a major “go-to” cleaner for me for years. It’s great for scrubbing grout, toilet, tub and tiles, around the faucets and numerous other places. It works great on stainless steel sinks as well. Basically anywhere you would use Ajax/Comet.  I keep a box of baking soda , jug of white vinegar and a old plastic bowl under my vanity in the bathroom. What is nice about this paste is you don’t have to keep trying to clean off the soapiness that the other cleaners leave.

Another place I use this every couple of weeks is the hot plate part of my coffee maker. The plate is black so you don’t realize how much coffee has dripped on it until you scrub it.

So, now I want to know what tip you may have for cleaning the baked on gunky gummy stuff!

You can still join this week’s Thrifty Things Friday party!

Thrifty Things Friday #46

Hi everyone!

I have something else I want to share with you that I bought after Christmas. these stocking holders came from Hobby Lobby.

They are very heavy! Everything Christmas was 90% off. and these look like everyday to me not just Christmas.

So, these went from $11.99 each to $1.19 each. When I picked them up, I was thinking I would take them over to my brother’s house and have him saw off the hook part. And then I would use them as bookends. I told Troy about this idea and he then said, “Diann, you are always hanging different garlands/banners for different holidays. Maybe you could keep them as they are and use them to hang things from.

Hum, not I am not sure which way to go! I will have to ponder for awhile!

Let’s check out some fun links from last week’s party!

Bob over at Island Rustic shared how he made chalk paint and did a redo on a vintage shelf.

Joy at Books and Life showed us a perfect thrifted shelf to house her teacups.

Danni over at Silo Hill Farm showed us how to make a fun photo jar.

Thank you everyone! I hope you will copy the “I was Featured” button for your blog! 

Please remember to link your post back to this party at The Thrifty Groove. I only feature those who show the link on their post! Thank you!

Update: The photography class I was going to take was cancelled! I am so bummed. I guess you guys are going to have to continue to put up with my experimenting with my new camera for awhile longer!

Okay, onto the thrifty party!

Adding a Small Touch of Whimsy

Hi everyone!

Well, y’all know that I buy my candles at after holiday sales and at thrift stores. I try to think ahead of the different upcoming holidays that I can use them for. So, after Christmas I bought the green candles thinking about St. Paddy’s Day. I have to tell you, these candles were pretty beaten up so, they were only .29 cents each.

If you are like me, you are really trying to be thrifty and use what you have. But, you want to add just some small touches of the different holidays.

That is me right now. I want a little fun and whimsy to reflect St. Patrick’s Day in my home. No full blown redecorating, just a touch.

Since time is also a factor these days for me, I need quick and easy!

I scrounged through my trims to find something simple to add to the green candles just for a fun touch. Of course, my brain is thinking I need something St. Paddy-ish. Then I realized that I don’t need to have everything all shamrocks and leprechauns to reflect St. Patrick's Day.

So, I spotted this pompom trim and just thought it would be cute around the green candles. Fun and whimsical.

I cut a few pieces to fit around the candle and pinned them in the back to hold the trim in place.

How fun and easy is that! I placed them on top of some brass candlesticks since gold is a St. Patrick’s day color as well.

I have another little craft things to do to add to this shelf and then fill in here and there with things I already have. I will share that later!

Join me for Thrifty Things Friday Linky Party.

(I generally have the party post up Thursday evening at 4:00 EST)

I’m joining:

Delightfully Inspiring

Living Well Wednesday

Creative Spark Wednesday

One Project at a Time

Catch as Catch Can

Inspire Me Fridays

Feature Yourself Fridays

Mission Organize~Craft Supplies

Hi everyone!

What I wouldn’t give to have an actual craft room! But, I don’t. So, I have crafting supplies tucked all over the house. And this makes me crazy!

Time to deal with it one way or another!

I wish I could show you this stunning craft center or something equally impressive but, alas, all you are getting here is my reality! LOL

I have a ton of is scrapbooking supplies. Fortunately, I have managed to keep them all together and relatively organized. But, all those misc. craft items, not so much!

They were all in a couple of big boxes. Just dumped in there. Every time I needed something, everything came out of the boxes and scattered all over the floor. So not acceptable!

Lovely huh?

So, with a free few hours at home alone, I dumped everything onto the floor and grabbed the clear bins I bought to deal with this mess and started sorting. At this point, you could not walk through my living room.

 I divided things into categories that made sense to me:

• RIBBONS
• TRIMS
• EMBELLISHMENTS/DOODADS (2 BINS)
• GLUES/SINGLE PAINTS
• SPRAY PAINTS (2)
• CRAFT BASICS

Into the bins they went.

I printed off plain black labels and taped them to the front of each bin.

I cleared off space in my closet on some shelves. Fortunately for me, I am tall and will have no problems reaching these bins. So, off they go!

Such an easy fix. Why didn’t I do this a long time ago? LOL I know I will be finding different craft supplies here and there but, at least now I have a home for each of them!

A quick add on to this post……

First of all, Happy Valentine’s Day to all of you!

This morning, before the Princess woke up, I thought I would just have a simple cute Valentine breakfast waiting for her. She gets so excited when I do the least little thing out of the ordinary.

So, Here is the Princess’s Valentine breakfast.

I used a heart shaped cookie cutter on her toast.

Cute little Valentine cupcake holders for her fresh fruit.

I added some maraschino cherry juice and a couple of cherries in her juice.

Some faux pink flowers and a paper fairy princess napkin.

It only takes a few extra minutes to add something fun for your little ones. She was just so excited to have her special Valentine breakfast. You would think she was having the best breakfast in the world this morning!

Another important thing about doing something like this for your child is it sets the tone for the rest of her day. She is one happy little girl this morning! She is wearing a special new twirly red dress to school and her hair has pink and red ribbons and small pink flowers. She really does look and feel like a princess on this Valentine’s Day!

Join me for Thrifty Things Friday Linky Party.

(I generally have the party post up Thursday evening at 4:00 EST)

I’m joining:

Anti-procrastination Tuesdays

Works for Me Wednesday

Rednesday

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Hi everyone!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

I thought I would set just a small little tea for today. I am using a soft delicate teacup Troy gave me for Christmas.

Tea’s liquor is like the sweetest dew from Heaven~Lu Yu 733-804

I am very behind on showing you my newest teacup gifts. So, I thought it was the perfect time to show this little one for Valentine’s day.

I always love teacups that have the design inside the cup.

This teacup is such a simple design but, so pretty. It is called Winterling made in Bavaria.

I used a soft pink and white polka dot pillow sham to start this little setting. I bought two of these at a thrift store for $1.00 (the pair). They are so pretty and girly.

You have to have pink roses and cupid at a Valentine tea! This cupid dish was a yard sale find for .50 cents.

And some vintage Valentines! (thanks Linda).

This sweet little china set was a find at a flea market a couple of years ago. I have loved it and used it (sits on my dresser) since I first brought it home.

Another Bavaria piece.

Oh, and I decided to give myself a Valentines gift. I am starting photography classes this week! Woohoo! I so need them!

 

February Tea Setting The Collectible Teapot & Tea Calendar 2112

Tea for The Boudoir

When tea arrived in the West in the 17th century, it was exotic, expensive and rare-in other words, ideally suited for a tryst. Retreating to a private room to drink tea became popular around 1830, thanks to Anna Russell (1783-1857) the 7th Duchess of Belford. Frustrated by the long gap between luncheon and dinner, she invited close friends to join her for tea and tempting tidbits in her personal boudoir in Woburn Abbey, Belfordshire, thus inventing the afternoon tea.

The above tea setting photos would a perfect tea for the boudoir.

A quick little info on how Valentine’s Day came about:

The ban on marriage was a great shock for the Romans. But they dared not voice their protest against the mighty emperor. The kindly bishop Valentine also realized the injustice of the decree. He saw the trauma of young lovers who gave up all hopes of being united in marriage. He planned to counter the monarch's orders in secrecy. Whenever lovers thought of marrying, they went to Valentine who met them afterwards in a secret place, and joined them in the sacrament of matrimony. And thus he secretly performed many marriages for young lovers. But such things cannot remain hidden for long. It was only a matter of time before Claudius came to know of this "friend of lovers," and had him arrested.

Lots of fun information regarding this can be found at the source I quoted above at The Holiday spot

Well, now I think I will go and make a cup of tea and maybe a little sweet treat. And just enjoy a few quiet moments with my book! I hope you have a lovely Valentine’s Day! Thank you for stopping by!

I’m joining:

Tea Time Tuesday

Tea Cup Tuesday

Return to Loveliness

Table Top Tuesday

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

Pink Saturday

 

Join me for Thrifty Things Friday Linky Party.

(I generally have the party post up Thursday evening at 4:00 EST)

Herb of The Year: Rose

Hi everyone!

Does that surprise you? The herb of the year is the Rose? It surprised me when I heard about it last summer! I never think of a rose as an herb. However, if we refer back to the definition I posted:

What the word “herb” really means
A very fitting definition that defines herbs by their usefulness rather than by their appearance or botanical structure was coined by Holly Shimizu, director of the U.S. Botanic Garden. Holly says, ―Herbs are defined as plants (trees, shrubs, vines, perennials, biennials or annuals) valued historically, presently, or potentially for their flavor, fragrance, medicinal qualities, insecticidal qualities, economic or industrial use, or in the case of dyes, for the coloring material they provide.

Roses definitely fit into that category.

**Very Important: ONLY use culinary roses. NEVER use roses from a florist. They are treated several times with chemicals. Use the roses you grow if you do not use chemicals on them or look for local organic growers.**

Culinary Use

Rose petal and rose hips are used a lot to make jams, jellies, cordials, vinegars and sweets. Rose flavoured Turkish delight has been produced in Turkey since the 15th century and is known there as lokum.

Rosehip syrup is a natural source of vitamin C, containing 20 times more vitamin C than oranges by weight.

Recipe - Rose Vinegar

I found this recipe for treating mild headaches and as a gargle for sore throats. It's also good to use as a facial toner.

Quantities

• 3 Handfuls Fresh Highly Scented Rose Petals (red or deep pink give the best colour).
• 7 Tbsp's Distilled White Vinegar.
• 1 Pint Distilled Water.

Method

• Place the rose petals in a glass container and add the white vinegar
• Leave the container in a cool, dark place for 1 week, shaking the liquid every day
• Strain through a muslin cloth and discard the petals
• To use, dilute the 1 Tbsp of rose vinegar with 1 pint of waterSource: Herb Society.org

I will be sharing different things I try with roses this year. There are so many fun and interesting uses for roses. Who knew?

I’m joining:

Foodie Friday

Weekend Cooking

Pink Saturday

Mosaic Monday