Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Curtains on the Cheap

After years of discontent with the home office that I work from; I decided to make some changes.

We went from a ho-hum tan to a color called Relaxed Navy. This was our first decorating attempt with blue in our home. I was a little worried. Either way, it came out fantastic. Along with the freshly painted room I wanted to add a some pattern with curtains. I searched and searched for curtains that were economical and exactly what I envisioned.

Well, that didn't go so well. I had my mind set of a pattern from Pottery Barn that would have been $139 a panel x 4 panels would be $556 !!! Yikes!
So, I set-forth and expanded my own vision and found something at Target. Then as I was standing in the curtain  aisle at Target; it came to me. I should cut these buggers in half vertically!! I was only looking for more or a decorative accent versus covering the whole window for privacy. 

I bought two panels and proceeded home to cut them down the center. Here is the final product that cost me a whole $39.98 vs the $556 or even $278 for just two.
Tips
*Measure twice and cut once
*Insert original hemmed edge on the insides of the window where it would be the most visible
*Use iron-on hem tape to create a hem on the cut edge if necessary


Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Fifty Shades of ....Enjoyment


I'm baaaack!  Things have been crazy with my life and family life. But what else is new!!??  So, let's get down to business ;)

I want to talk about Fifty Shades of Grey. Gasp! This book has spanked women in North America with pleasure...... Sorry, I couldn't resist.  Seriously, this book has been very spellbinding to many of the ladies in my circle. Its full of passion, pleasure, and believe it or not; a great storyline.  In the past I have found myself not finishing novels or any form of fiction.  My attention span to free time ratio is way off. But this book had me begging for more after each page.  It has sparked a fire in my soul and my relationship. This book captured me to the fullest extent.


The Fifty Shades trilogy have been on the NY Times bestseller list for multiple weeks in a row and fills the 1,  2, and 3 spot on the list. Amazing!  There really is something to this trilogy that pulls us into the characters of Christian and Anastasia. E L James' writing is easy to breeze through.  And in my experience left me with a messy house because my "duties" sat untouched for days while reading. Strangely, I didn't care.  Even so, I enjoyed every second of my "life" with this couple.  I highly doubt that these book will win any great literary awards, but I think the sales and word of mouth promotion speaks for itself. There is even a compilation of the noted songs from each of the books on Spotify. Here's one song below.



I know many of you may be thinking "Well, its porn". I suppose you can argue this detail forever. Yes, there is lots and lots of sex in this book.  And, yes, it happens to be in very well explained detail.  It's really for the reader to decide.  However, these books probably wouldn't be as "gripping" without many of the rendezvous captured.  Say or think what you will but this book is a great escape for anything that may be plaguing you in your "real" life.  Many of my friends have enjoyed this book so much that I decided to host a book party to chat about the ways of the two loved charters.  Almost a going away party now that I think of it.  Enjoy these books!  As its been said  " Erotic, amusing, and deeply moving, the Fifty Shades Trilogy is a tale that will obsess you, possess you, and stay with you forever". 

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

"In A Pikle"



I am so excited to write this post and to share this awesome product with you! I just ordered my first "Pikle" this morning and can't wait to get it. As I was checking out other blogs that I follow; I found this awesome product. Basically, it's the "swiss army knife" of preparedness kits. And what's even better is that the product was invented by two moms.

So what is it?

"The "In A Pikle" bag is small enough to fit in your purse, backpack, or briefcase. It organizes all the "little" essential items that are needed on the go. The In A Pikle bag comes with over 20 items that fit conveniently in 4 double sided clear bags for easy retrieval. The bags can be removed for cleaning or for a different cover. Fill it with your favorite gum, lozenges, or cough drops. Don’t forget to add your essential medicine or antacid. There is plenty of room in the In A Pikle bag to always have the things you need!"

What in it?

·     4 double sided clear bags
·     1 hand sanitizer pen
·     1 spot remover pen
·     3 individually wrapped antibacterial wipes
·     1 credit card size mirror and floss combo
·     1 pair of tweezers
·     1 pair of fingernail clippers
·     2 emery boards
·     1 travel size sewing kit
·     1 retractable mini scissors
·     1 24" tailor tape
·     3 hair bands
·     5 rubber bands
·     5 bobby pins
·     5 safety pins
·     5 paper clips
·     1 phillips head mini screw driver
·     1 straight head mini screw driver
·     1 mini pen
·     1 "In A Pikle" sticky notepad
·     10 adhesive bandages
·     1 package travel tissues
·     1 pill box


 As a mother, this is a nifty little kit for the car, purse, or diaper bag. Oh, and they are TSA compliant for all my traveling ladies. And don't despair if you run out of the kit contents! 
You can order them online.

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Fashion Friday

Spring Style - Mommy Fresh


Hollister Co boyfriend cardigan
$30 - hollisterco.com

Dorothy Perkins tall pants
$49 - dorothyperkins.com

TOMS ballerina flat
$79 - toms.com

Jessica simpson handbag
$88 - zappos.com

Drop earrings
$8.40 - kohls.com

NARS Lip Gloss
$24 - bloomingdales.com

Homemade Fabric Softener

One of my newest muses is making my own "stuff" like the laundry detergent here in mt blog. Well, fabric softener seems to be the next best item for you DIY-ers. 


Why should you make this when you can just buy it off the shelf?? The nasty ingredients in most conventional products is number one. These include carcinogenic, neurotoxic, and Tallow. What the hell is Tallow? Brace yourself : Its a derivative of rendered fat from cattle, sheep and horses. Enough said for me! 



Homemade Fabric Softener

Ingredients:
6 cups water
3 cups white vinegar
2 cups Suave Rosemary Mint Conditioner or another more natural brand such as Jason. 



Mix all ingredients together gently and store in a clean empty gallon jug. You only need to use the same amount you would usually use in your rinse cycle. For in the dryer; spray some on a washcloth or dishtowel.

Now, this isn't a 100% chemical free option but it sure does cut back on those toxic chemicals.


Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Cook Once - Eat Twice : Pork Edition



Looking for an easy dinner or two? A pork shoulder is the way to go. They are inexpensive per pound and are very versatile.The below instructions are just a base to get your other meals going. See below for ideas/recipes for the cooked meat. But experiment with some of your own ideas too.


Crockpot Version
1 (3 pound) pork shoulder
1 tbs of Adobo seasoning - Goya sells this. I use the one with the green cap.
1 bottle or can of light beer or lager
Directions
1.    Please the pork shoulder in the ceramic bowl of the Crockpot.
2.    Season the pork with the adobo seasoning  and pour in the beer.
3.    Place the bowl into the base of the slow cooker and cook on High until the pork is tender and falls apart easily, 8 to 10 hours.
4.    Carefully remove the pork to a cutting board; shred the meat into strands using a pair of forks. Remove and discard any excess fat and bone.

Divide the pork for 2 meals.

Meal  Ideas

Basic BBQ Pulled Pork
This recipe is very easy. Simmer the pork in a pot with a half cup of your favorite bbq sauce and half a cup of beer. I am partial to Wegmans brand Brown Sugar sauce. Cook for about 20 minutes or until your desired consistency. Or to keep it extra simple: heat the pork and add to roll with some bbq sauce on top. This is a great summer-like dinner.

Shredded pork tacos
Another easy recipe. Grab your favorite taco seasoning packet and follow the directions on the back. The preparation for this will be ever faster because your starting with cooked meat.