Spring Cleaning Starts In Bed

A Little Vintage Laundry Ad (I wonder if this would whiten my pillows)

By the title of this post, you may guess Spring Cleaning is easy.  However, I just decided to start with the beds this year.  I was inspired by the coolest pillow whitening tips.  This is the link http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2013/02/how-to-wash-whiten-yellowed-pillows.html

Please, click on it to find some inspiration yourself. 

Now that you are inspired, here is a little step by step on how to deep clean the beds in your home.

Materials:

Washing Machine

Laundry Detergent

Bleach (or Bleach Alternative)

Borax

Powdered Dishwashing Detergent (I didn't have any, but I had washing soda, and used that)

Baking Soda and Essential oil mixed, Plain Baking Soda, or Scented Carpet Powder

 First Step:  Throw the pillows in the wash with hot water and the first three ingredients.  Naughty me threw 4 pillows in the first load.  I'm probably going to have to do several loads (frown). Well, at least I have a washing machine to do the grunt work.  I'm not that vintage! 

Step Two: Strip the beds of all linens (which will need to be washed).  Now, I have made a little mixture of 2 cups baking soda and a couple drops lavender essential oil.  If you do this, stir it to make sure the lavender oil is evenly distributed.  Sprinkle this (or carpet cleaner or plain baking soda on your mattresses.  Let it sit for a few minutes.  Then, take your vaccum and vaccum the mattresses.  Now for the grunt work.

Step Three: Find a helper and flip those mattresses!

Now, repeat step two on the other side of all the mattresses.

Step Four: Dust the headboards, footboards with the item of your choice.

Step Five: Vaccum under the beds with an attachment.

Step Six: Pat yourself on the back!  You have successfully Spring Cleaned the beds.  Now you just have to wait for all the laundry to be done so you can make the bed.

Please, comment and let me know if you have any tricks or tips (or website links) for cleaning your beds.

My Cozy Bed all fresh and clean 12 hours later....

Hunting For Spring

After all that glorious snow dumped on us, I felt like I was able to say a final good-bye to winter.  Thankfully, the groundhog saw his shadow, so perhaps an early Spring is due.  The last two days have had that feeling, and I have heard some chirping birds.  Plus, there was a gross old spider in the shower yesterday(maybe unfrozen by the warmer temps).  So I thought I would go check out the garden to see if there were any signs of spring.  Sure enough, there were some baby bulbs.

I think this one is a tulip.

 

 

 

I put a little frog to watch over it.

 

 

 

This is one of my Allium babys.  Isn't it cute?  I put a little gnome to keep it company.

 

Going on this little scavenger hunt really brightened my day.  Perhaps you have some baby bulbs peeking out of the ground.  Why don't you go on your own little hunt for spring?  Feel free to send me pictures of what you find.  I would love to see them.

Fat Tuesday

Tonight was one of the funnest family nights ever.  We celebrated Fat Tuesday!  Had I thought ahead, I would have planned on having Jambalaya tonight.  I had already planned the week's meals, so we had Chicken Tetrazzini, but I did go to the store for some crafts and a cake. Plus, when I got home, I cranked Pandora radio to New Orleans by Louis Armstrong.  I must say that station rocks.   I have seen some recipes for a king cake, and perhaps I will do it next year, but tonight, I just bought a tiny storebought cake, and washed one of my kids barbie baby figures to put inside.  Traditionally, the person who gets the cake with the baby host next years party, but we did something different this year.  We let our kids choose the prize.  If my daughter got it, she could plan next years Fat Tues. party, and if my son got it, he could choose where we ate dinner next time we go out (with no complaints from anyone in the family).  We made little Mardis Gras masks, and they were so cute.  It was great fun, and perhaps next year will be even more fun.  I hope you all enjoyed your Fat Tuesday.  Hopefully it is the beginning of a fun year to come.

Blizzard Warning

Something wicked this way comes...a blizzard.  There is always something scary about nature's forces, but sometimes I can't help but feel giddy when all the family is safely tucked inside the house with a beautiful whiteout outdoors.  There is hot chocolate and cider to be drunk, games of Uno, Chess, Monopoly, and what not to be played, and books to be devoured.  If I had a fireplace, it would most certainly be lit, and some of those scented pinecones would be thrown in.  I do hope for everyone's safety in the oncoming storm, as well as in the winter storm in the northeast.  Then, hopefully, there will be eight inches of snow to be played in when the blizzard takes its leave.

Pico Pico

Tonight, we are watching the superbowl together as a family.  It is so fun to make and eat yummy game food, and tonight I am making some stupendous nachos.  Here is a step by step delicious recipe for Pico De Gallo.  All you need to do is chop.  You need four tomatoes, one onion, one jalepeno, some chopped parsley (or cilantro), and some salt.

 I start by cutting the ends off the tomatoes and squeezing them over the sink to get rid of the seeds.  Then, chop the tomatoes, and place them in the bowl. 

Next, chop the onion and place it in the bowl.

Then, wearing gloves, seed and chop the jalepeno and add it.

Then, chop the parsley and add it.

 

Next, add the salt. ( I like to keep mine in a fun bowl)

 

Look how pretty it is.  Let it sit in the fridge covered until you are ready to use it.

 Ok, now to make some yummy nachos to go with this.  Brown some beef, onion, garlic and jalepeno, and add some taco seasoning (or if you don't have some, put some salt, pepper, sugar, chili powder, and cumin).  Put this mix on some tortilla chips on an oven safe dish.  Sprinkle with some sharp cheddar or pepperjack, and bake in the oven at 350 until the cheese melts.  Top with the pico de gallo, some avocado or guac, olives, sour cream or whatever suits your needs.  Maybe you could set everything out and let people choose.  Enjoy the game.

 

Snood Giveaway

My mom introduced me to my first snood around 7th grade.  She bought me an ivory one, and a black one.  Since my hair is usually unruly, I felt so beautiful when I wore it.  That was until the day a popular classmate sitting behind me in class said it looked like a hair net.  I was crushed, and I never wore a snood again.  However, those days are over.  I am going to buy some snoods to go with every outfit.  If I ever see her I will smile and wave, and in my brain I will say, "How do you like my snood?"  If you would like to win a beautiful snood of your own, please enter on the following blog.  You must blog about this giveaway, follow her blog, and let her know you did it.  Happy snood.

Vintage Phrase of the Day...

Put on the dog:  to behave in an elegant or extravagant manner

In doing some research, I came across something that said “putting on the dog” came from a colonial custom of making shoes or gloves out of dog skin.  However, it has also been suggested as far back as 1865 that the newly rich displayed their wealth by keeping pampered lapdogs.  Wherever it comes from, I think it is a dandy term, and I love to hear old people utter this phrase.  I’m going to find excuses to use it in my own vocabulary.

Another cute phrase that means about the same thing is "Putting On The Ritz".  You may remember the early 80's song by Taco, but it was done much earlier by the likes of Bing Crosby and others.  I have included a link to a cute Youtube video.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAZhHXsknd8

"Putting On The Ritz" was used in the 1920's, and named from the fancy Ritz hotels.