Fun Friday: DIY T-shirt Infinity Scarf

The other day I grabbed a t-shirt out of my closet & noticed it had a hole in each armpit & on one of the sleeves. I was about to cut it up in pieces so my hubs could use the material for rags in the garage, when I suddenly thought about infinity scarves. Yep, right then was when I decided to save my old t-shirt from becoming just another garage rag & decided to give it a new life as an infinity scarf. And it only took my about 30 seconds to make it happen! 

Simply take an old t-shirt, cut below the armpits and above the bottom seam, then stretch it out as much as you can. You may get a better stretch if you treat it like a resistance band & step on it while pulling it up as far as you can with your hands. Either way, it's that simple!

Messy Monday: Homemade Dish Soap

It seems like I am forever running out of dish soap. Even when I stock up, I swear it disappears in an instant. So of course I had to figure out how to make my own. 

*Note: This isn't the creamy kind of dish soap that I'm accustomed to buying, but it gets the job done. 

Ingredients: 

• 1/3C. grated castile soap

• 1½C. boiling water

• 3Tbsp. Borax

• 10-20 drops tea tree oil (or other essential oil)

Directions:

• Stir all ingredients together in a large bowl to combine. 

• Carefully pour into an old dish soap container, soap dispenser or glass jar.

 

Fun Friday: DIY Zombie Costume

What happens when your kids get sick & you neglect to buy Halloween costumes? You make your own of course! But with less than two hours until trick-or-treat, your options are a bit limited (I don't care how many "quick & easy" costumes you saw on Pinterest). So you make due with what you've got.

Of course some white face paint, smeared eyeliner, fake liquid blood & crazy teased hair will complete the look. But if you don't have it, you can still rock it like you just stepped into the zombie apocalypse.

What You'll Need

•old clothes

•permanent marker

•scissors

•lighter

How To

•Start by having whoever is going to be the zombie, put the old clothes on. 

•Next, take the permanent marker & make quick marks where you plan on cutting. Doing this will help make sure that you don't end up leaving the zombie too exposed before going on a cutting spree.

•Have the zombie take off the old clothes & then start cutting on top of the permanent marker. 

•For a more zombie-like vibe, tear the cuts to distress the fabric a bit more. If you have a cotton shirt, you can take a lighter to it for a few seconds before extinguishing the singed parts by patting on them. (See below.) Be sure you do this step by a sink, just in case patting doesn't work & you need to submerge the clothing in water. 

Just don't forget the zombie walk!

Messy Monday: How To Get Crayon Out Of Your Laundry

The moment all mothers dread. You pull a full load of laundry out of the dryer & realize there was a crayon in the load. This happened to me not that long ago, but to harden the blow, about half the load was new school clothes. You know, worn once. I was in a state of shock. I wanted to cry, scream & drink a bottle of wine all at the same time. 

This is a photo of my dryer. I didn't even think to take one of the clothes that were inside it, but you can imagine just how awful it was. But the good news, is that I got it out. Almost all of it too! The only thing I wasn't able to remove the crayon from, was a house sweater (you know, that hideous sweater you wouldn't be caught dead in outside of your house but it's so warm & comfy that you just can't get rid of it), most likely because of the material it was made from. 

Now I know you're dying to find out how on earth I managed to not only get the crayon out of my laundry, but out of the dryer too! 

For the Clothing

•Start by spraying the areas of clothing that have crayon on them with a pre-treater & then let them sit for 15-20 min. 
•After spraying your clothing, start filling your washer with HOT water (the hottest possible water setting that could possibly be recommended for the clothing).
•While the washer is filling, add your laundry detergent (a tad extra than you usually use) & LA's Totally Awesome (found in most dollar stores & is extremely effective). If you need some extra assurance, you can add some Borax & Super Washing Soda as well.
•After the pre-treater has set in, place the clothing in the washer & begin the cycle just enough to make sure everything is thoroughly soaked. 
•Stop the washer & allow the load to soak for 1-2 hours.
•Finish the cycle & begin another one with just laundry detergent (or more LA's Totally Awesome if you can still see some crayon).
•Be sure to check the clothing before tossing it in the dryer again. 

For the Dryer

•In a large bowl, combine warm water with some Borax, Super Washing Soda, vinegar, LA's Totally Awesome & lots of salt. 
•Grab rubber gloves & a sponge with a scrubber side. 
•I never thought I was going to get the crayon out of the shiny smooth surface of my dryer, but the trick is to make it an abrasive scrub (hence all the salt). So just be sure you scoop up a bit onto your sponge to scrub with. 
•It's going to be messy & you're going to need a lot of elbow grease on top of being able to twist & turn inside your dryer (just as an FYI). Have some large bath towels handy to try to keep the watery mess inside to a minimum while you're scrubbing.
•When you think you've gotten all of it, grab an extra towel or two (in addition to the ones you were using), wet them & toss them into the dryer before turning it on. This will help clean up any of the scrub that was left behind. 
•If need be, give it another light scrub, a wipe &/or another dry cycle.

Work It Wednesday: DIY Liquid Soap

We seem to go through liquid soap like crazy in my house! But for some reason, I'm not really a fan of buying more. Of course that may have something to do with the couple dozen or so bar soaps I have tucked in the closet. Along with elephant & sea shell shaped soaps (thanks, mom!). It became obvious that it was time to whip up some DIY Liquid Soap, myself.

Making your own liquid soap is super simple! 

 ******

•Start by grating the soap & boiling the water. (One bar of soap to one gallon of water was the most common ration I found, but I used one elephant, two sea shells & 8C. of water.)

•Once the water has reached a full boil, remove from the heat & add the grated soap. Stir until thoroughly combined. 

•Allow the soap mixture to sit for 15-30 minutes before stirring again. At this point the soap will begin to thicken. 

•Next, let the mixture to sit for a few hours or overnight. If need be, you can add more soap or water until the desired consistency is reached. 

 

Messy Monday: Simple DIY Degreaser

Grease. It seems to get everywhere in my kitchen. Of course I'm sure that this wonderful humid summer we're having & my ceiling fan in the kitchen being on almost nonstop, had a bit to do with that problem too. But I'm not really a fan of spraying a chemical degreaser while the fan is on. Let alone when the fan is on & it still feels like a million degrees. 

This Simple DIY Degreaser is super easy to make & use. Of course if you have a really tough job, you may need to add a bit of elbow grease to the mix, which is no different if you used a store bought degreaser.

•1 part water

•1 part distilled white vinegar

•1-2 Tbsp. grease fighting dish soap (like Dawn)

Add all of the ingredients in a spray bottle & give it a gentle shake to blend. 

To use, simply spray degreaser onto surface or (directly onto a rag) & wipe off.

Fun Friday: Boutique Bow for Soccer

One day I was mindlessly wandering through the crafting aisles at the store, when I happened to spy some soccer ribbon. At that moment, I knew just what I wanted to do! 

The only problem was that I had no idea how to actually make a boutique bow. So I did what anyone else would do...I went to YouTube! I came across what seemed like a million tutorials, but this one seemed to be the easiest for me. At least the easiest one at 11:30PM when I was looking through them in a semi-tired state. But regardless, that was the one that I stuck to.

As you can see, I actually made two boutique bows. The first is the recommended 18in. of ribbon & the second is 12in. Ideally I would have a soccer ball resin of some sort in the center, but I haven't made it that far yet since I wasn't 100% sure how it would all turn out. So instead I placed a black gemstone resin in the center. Then it's all glued onto a small French barrette hair clip.

I actually tried a different style with the two ribbons layered, but this one won. And Paige is excited to wear it for her soccer pictures tomorrow. She wanted me to make some for all of the girls on her team, which was my original plan. But I told her instead that if they wanted one, all they had to do was ask & I'd make it for them.

Fun Friday: DIY Elastic Ribbon Hair Ties

Between my 8 year old & I, we have a decent collection of elastic ribbon hair ties. I love them because they don't pull or tear my hair, she loves them because they can double as a bracelet & come in a ton of different colors. But we wanted more! A lot more actually. Like at least two of every color or print (less fighting that way). But what I didn't want, was to pay anywhere from $4-$9 for a pack of them. So we decided to make our own! And let me tell you, it is so beyond simple, that you'll wonder why you ever paid for them in the first place!

All you need is some colorful elastic ribbon & a good pair of scissors. 

•First, start by measuring the ribbon by wrapping it around your wrist (just like a bracelet), but leaving a bit of excess to tie a knot.

•Then fold the ribbon in half, making sure the bottom side is facing each other, pull taut slightly & tie a single knot in the end. (At this point you can place the hair tie on your wrist & tighten the knot accordingly.)

•For the finishing touch, take your scissors & cut the end at an angle for a more polished look.

 

Work It Wednesday: Coffee Body Scrub

Anyone that knows me, can tell you how much I love my coffee. I love the taste, the aroma & the benefits of slathering it on my skin. Wait, what?! Yep, you read that right. Coffee makes an excellent body scrub for a couple of reasons...

•Ground coffee will act as an exfoliant to dead skin cells, which will leave your skin silky smooth. 

•The caffeine in coffee will draw water from your cells & help to constrict your blood vessels, leaving you with a smooth & even tone. Translation: Bye-bye cellulite. 

To make this Coffee Body Scrub, you just need three simple ingredients. 

•brown, white or raw sugar
•ground coffee (unused)
•coconut, jojoba or olive oil

For a thicker texture (like mine), use a 3:2:1 ratio of ingredients (in order given).

For a creamier texture, use a 3:2:2 or 3:2:3 ratio. 

But of course you can always alter the ratios to your liking. Or based on how much coffee you have in the house. Because let's face it, we all have those "oh crap" moments when we realize we only have enough left for one cup in the morning. 

Fun Friday: DIY Seed Starter Containers

When it comes to planting a garden, I prefer to start them indoors from seeds. Sure it's a lot more work than buying some plants & plopping them in the ground, but it's definitely more rewarding to start from seeds. 

One of the dilemmas I'm constantly facing, is where to keep them. I've tried the big flats, but those have to be kept outside - where the squirrel ninjas live. So inside it is, but I'm limited on where I can keep them because of the kids. Basically my only option is a very long, but very thin, shelf under an equally long kitchen window. Which means that my creativity had to kick into high gear to find a solution that would work. 

I made the DIY Cookie Basket {made from a paper plate!} that I've seen on facebook a million times, to hold two sections from a cardboard egg carton. With some waxed paper & aluminum foil to help contain the water. The best part though is that they fit perfectly on my shelf! Now if only the shelf was longer...

Work It Wednesday: Homemade Hair Mask

Let's face it, we put out hair through a lot! Which means that every now & then we should give it a little TLC. But with just two simple kitchen ingredients that just about everybody has on hand, you don't have to break the bank to do it. 

Combine egg & EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) in a small bowl. Apply to your hair like a conditioner & allow to sit for 15-20 min. before rinsing in the shower. Repeat monthly or as needed. 

Short hair - 1 egg & 1½ Tbsp. EVOO
Medium hair - 2 eggs & 3 Tbsp. EVOO
Long hair - 3 eggs & 4½ Tbsp. EVOO

Messy Monday: Homemade Steam Cleaner Solution

Having a KD kid, I always hear about the suspected link between professional carpet cleaners & Kawasaki Disease. Even though it has never been proven & I have never even used a professional carpet cleaner, it's enough to make me shy away from store bought steam cleaner solutions. Which is fine, since over the years I have managed to perfect a solution that I use every time I clean my carpets now.

 •hot water
•vinegar
•1Tbsp. dish soap
•1Tbsp. hydrogen peroxide

- Combine equal parts hot water & vinegar in the water reservoir of your steam cleaner. 
- Add dish soap & hydrogen peroxide.

*As with all carpet cleaners, first test in an inconspicuous area. 

Messy Monday: Homemade "Magic Eraser"

Years ago I fell in love with Mr. Clean Magic Erasers. I loved the simplicity of them, after all there were no extra steps or harsh fumes. All you had to was wet it & then happily scrub away (at least as happily as you could while you were scrubbing who knows what). Eventually it would begin to crumble away, which was OK since you got done what you needed to do. Too bad nowadays they seem to start crumbling almost instantly. That's when I decided to try to make my own version of a Magic Eraser.

• 1tsp. baking soda
• 1/2tsp. Borax
• 1/4tsp. super washing soda
 • 1/4tsp. salt
• 3/4C. hot water

- In a small bowl, stir all ingredient together until dissolved. 
- Dip a sponge into the cleaning solution & happily scrub away. Wipe surface off with a dry/damp cloth if needed. 


Mr. Clean Magic Erasers are simply melamine foam, that when wet, act as a superfine sandpaper to scrub your messes away.

Messy Monday: How to Make Your Faucets Shine

Nobody wants a dull or water spotted faucet. Of course, no one really wants to get in all the nooks & crannies with the chemical cleaner du jour either. At least i don't. Good thing it just takes a simple household product & a little bit of time to get the job done. 

If your faucet is in desperate need, soak a paper towel or two in vinegar & cover the faucet and handles thoroughly. Allow it to sit for 1-2 hrs, dampen the paper towel(s) again, wipe down the faucet & wipe dry with a microfiber towel. 

If you happen to be a bit OCD about keeping your faucets nice & shiny, just dampen a paper towel with vinegar, wipe your faucet & wipe dry with a microfiber towel. 

Messy Monday: Homemade "Comet" Style Cleanser

We all know I'm a fan of homemade cleaners, but did you know I'm also a fan of using Comet to clean my kitchen sink? The two obviously don't go together, but I love the clean I get from the slight abrasiveness of it. Then it dawned on me, I could probably make something pretty close to it. 

•1/2C. Borax
•1/2C. Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda
•1/2C. baking soda
•1.2C. salt

- Place all ingredients in a bowl & stir to combine. 
- Store in an airtight container.

To use:

- Sprinkle on damp surface & allow to sit for 1 min. 
- Scrub in a circular motion.
- For deep stains you can spritz a bit of vinegar & allow it to sit for an additional 30 sec. before scrubbing it again.
- Thoroughly rinse with hot water. 
 

Messy Monday: Homemade Dishwasher Detergent

Do you have a dishwasher? Do you hate constantly having to buy detergent for it? Of course those little action-pacs, or whatever they're called, get the job done. But boy, are they expensive! Especially if your house is like mine where you can easily run the dishwasher twice a day. 

•5C. Borax

•3 1/2C. Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda

•12pkg. lemonade flavored Kool-Aid

•1 1/2C. Epsom salt

- Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. 

- Place in a large airtight container for storage.

To use: Add 1Tbsp. dishwasher detergent to soap dispenser. 

I still use a store bought rinse aid with mine since I've noticed that vinegar just doesn't seem to do a very good job with this detergent.

* This detergent will harden over time. Just scrape off the top & continue to use. 

* This recipe can easily be doubled, just use a whole box of both the Borax & the Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda (saves from counting so many C's).

Recipe altered from Being Creative to Keep My Sanity

Messy Monday: Homemade Soft Scrub Cleanser

I used to swear by Soft Scrub. I would use it on virtually any surface I could. Then I realized the amount of money I was spending on it, so I cut back. But when I started paying attention to what cleaners I was using & made an effort to use more natural ones, I quit using it completely. At least the store bought version of it.

•1/2C. baking soda

•1/4C. dish soap

•3Tbsp. vinegar

- Stir dish soap into baking soda. 

- Carefully add vinegar & stir to combine.

- Store in an airtight container. 

Messy Monday: Homemade Anti-Static Spray

There are two things that just don't go together very well. Laundry & winter. The amount of static that produces is insane. I'm sure I have several lost socks that are hidden inside pajama pants, fitted sheets or something else that came out of the dryer. Which means that an anti-static spray is a must to keep my laundry from sticking to everything. Including myself. 

•2C. water

•2Tbsp. fabric softener

•2Tbsp. vinegar

- Combine all ingredients in a spray bottle. 

- Lightly spray to combat static cling. 

 

Messy Monday: How to Remove Road Salt Stains

The snow & ice that winter in Northeast Ohio brings is beautiful to look at. But it's no fun to drive (& sometimes even walk) in. Which means that road salt is a must. But while it's a great help, it can also stain clothing, boots & even carpets from getting tracked inside. 

The solution is as simple as vinegar & water.

•3 parts water

•1 part vinegar

You can combine it all in a spray bottle for easy use. Just spray & wipe up with a damp cloth. 

*Note: Be sure you check labels before using on shoes, boots & some clothing. 

Work It Wednesday: Homemade Sugar Scrub

Recently I fell in love with sugar scrubs. Not only do they exfoliate, but they moisturize like crazy! So me being me, decided I would try to make my own. 

Simply combine coconut oil & sugar until you get a Sno-cone-like consistency.

*Warning: This smells dangerously delicious. But luckily it is edible, so if you just have to try it, it's OK.