I'm Cheap!

I love winter, the fuzzy sweaters, scarves, warm soups and hot toddies.  But, and isn't there always a "but", I hate laundry, specifically laundry in the winter!!  Is it just me, do you also notice the mega amounts of laundry in the winter?  It feels like it takes three times as long to finish (insert groan here).  More sweaters, sweatshirts, jeans etc.  And is it also just me that feels like I am spending a small fortune on laundry detergent?  Seriously, when I see 17+ dollars again, for a big container of detergent, I cringe!

So I finally got around to making my own powdered laundry detergent!  I know my sister and her friends have been doing this for quite awhile, but I just got around to it.  So here you go!  It's loads cheaper (pun intended) and it does a great job!

1 4 lb 12 oz box Borax (2.15 kg or 76 oz) found in the detergent isle

1 4 lb box Arm & Hammer Baking Soda (1.81 kg) found in the cooking isle

1  box Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda 55 oz (3 lb 7 oz) found in the detergent isle

3 bars of Fels-naptha soap, found in the detergent isle (you can also use pink Zote soap instead of Fels-naptha)

2 small containers of oxyclean or store brand oxyclean (try to get about 3.5 lbs total (1.58 kg)) found in the detergent isle.

(this is optional, I added it into mine because I'm a freak about white whites)

You should be able to find all of these items at your grocery store.

Start out by grating your Fels-naptha soap just like cheese. You can use a food processor (woohoo!) or just use your hand held grater, what ever you have.  Don't worry the Fels-naptha will dissolve in your washer, and yes, even in cold water.  

How do I love my food processor...let me count the ways

Toss all ingredients in a 5 gallon bucket lined with a garbage bag. This part makes your whole house smell great. Once everything is mixed, I twisted the bag closed and rolled it around on the floor to mix it up, store soap however you like.  I used the empty oxyclean to put a smaller amount in and I used the scoop included to measure the perfect amount for 1 load (2 scoops for heavily soiled loads).

Prettiest pic I ever put on my blog, oh yeah!

This detergent is fairly mild smelling, it is not over powering. If you love a strong scent you may have to add a fabric softener to each load.

Rub-a-dub-dub...laundry detergent in the tub!

This took me all of ten minutes to throw together. And I got to use my favorite food processor (have you seen my other blog?  You'll understand).  Aaannnnnd, I'm saving a ton of money!

Taa-Daa!  I'm Cheap and proud of it!

Namaste ~ LeslieMichele

Flannel Baby Rag Quilt

Sooo soft and perfect for our new grand-baby girl on the way!!

Like most of my ideas, the execution becomes a little larger than I anticipated.  This is certainly no different.  While roaming around Pinterest, as I am know to do...alright I am just slightly addicted..I found this cool blanket to make for one of our sweet grand-baby girls on the way.  Yes, you read right, there are two of them on the way, both in May.  My Daughter EliseNicole and Jess's daughter Amber are both due in May within 3 days of each other.  This blanket is for EliseNicole and I once I get the hang of it, or die trying, I will start one for Amber.  They better tell me they love them, lying is okay.  EliseNicole's baby style is a little different in that she really doesn't like pink.  You know the ones, the pinks we refer to as Monkey Bum, or Pepto Bismal or Bubblegum.  She's more of the BOHO style and her nursery is planned to ever detail.  Natural colors for walls, natural fibers and materials, think of jewel tones of ruby reds, emerald greens, blues of the ocean, sunset golds and you begin to get the idea.  No doubt, there will still be pink, it's just not the predominant color sceme.  In other words no Princess or Hello Kitty, you get the idea.

The reading nook she is putting together is probably my favorite area of the room.  A special area for snuggling in with lots of pillows of all different shapes and sizes, all made from gorgeous fabrics, a favorite old suitcase filled with old children's books and hopefully this *%$# blanket.

See, I don't really sew, problem numero uno.  Mind you, I am completely outfitted with all the right equipment, but I am learning by the seat of my pants.

Well, so far ~ so good.  Mostly.  I had originally planned to fill each stitch and piece of soft cozy fabric with love.  Instead, it appears it is filled with every bad word in my repitoure.  I'm working on that, I promise.  Now that I am getting the hang of things, it is getting much easier.  For someone that sews, this would be a piece of cake and really it's not that hard.  

Here is my progress so far, I'll get back to you with the final product and HERE at Do It Yourself Divas is the link for the place I got this idea.  And mine is going to look JUST LIKE THAT!!

Almost all of the fabric is cut!

Pattern made from Christmas paper

A fabric sandwich

It's coming together!!

Insert music from Friday The 13th movie

And yes, I do believe that hole could eat my hand, eeek!

Brown paper packages tied up with string....

Oh come on sing along with me!!!

My Favorite Things

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens
Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens
Brown paper packages tied up with strings
These are a few of my favorite things

Cream colored ponies and crisp apple streudels
Doorbells and sleigh bells and schnitzel with noodles
Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings
These are a few of my favorite things

Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes
Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes
Silver white winters that melt into springs
These are a few of my favorite things

When the dog bites
When the bee stings
When I'm feeling sad
I simply remember my favorite things
And then I don't feel so bad

Music link

Namaste ~LeslieMichele

PS Claire, thank you for singing along, I know you did!

For The Birds

For the birds to build their nests!!

This is the latest addition to my newly opened Etsy Shop, Before The End Of The Day.  I love these!  Hang them a tree or on your balcony.  The bright colors will attract the wild birds.  They can easily tug a tiny scrap of yarn to take away and build their nests with.  Watch for the beautiful pieces of color around your yard in the new nests they build. 

Each one is filled with an array of colors

from all of my crochet projects!!

I would love to be a baby bird surrounded by little bursts of color!