A Great Homemade Natural Carpet Stain Remover That Works! :)

So I got this stain remover recipe from Youtube. Thanks Youtube!! And tried it out on the various stains I had consisting of food, dirt, glue and paint and who knows what else from my little munchkins. :) Not any really bad stains, but I wouldn't be surprised if it worked on hard ones as well, considering how fast it worked on the easier ones.

All you need is:

1. Hot water (I just turned my kitchen/bathroom faucet on hot and waited until it got very hot and then filled up.)
2. Distilled white vinegar
3. A cup or squirt bottle
4. A bristled sponge or brush
5. A dry towel

I didn't have any white vinegar so I bought a 32 oz. bottle from dollar tree. 
(Gotta love dollar tree!) :) They have squirt bottles too. I also bought some carpet sponges (2-pack) at dollar tree that worked incredibly well at agitating the stain from the carpet without tearing it apart. You could use anything that has plastic bristles.   

Directions:

Put hot water in squirt bottle or cup and fill 3/4 full. Add around 1/8-1/4 cup of white vinegar. Spray stain with vinegar water generously or carefully pour some from your cup. I did the pouring thing first and then switched to just dipping my sponge into the vinegar water and then scrubbing that way. You don't need a whole lot, just enough to wet it thoroughly. Scrub somewhat gently at first and then gradually stronger and watch your stain disappear from your very eyes! Lol! You can use your free hand to spread the carpet threads to reach the deeper part of the stain. After the stain is gone, You can wet the carpet with some clean regular temp water and then place the dry towel on top and step on it with your feet to draw up solution. Don't rub it just press on it with the towel. This will draw up the solution the best. Let it air dry and keep feet from walking on it and attracting dirt until it is fully dry.

Hope this works for you as it did for me!! 

Hello!!!! Cute Curtains Coming Your Way!!

With fabric trim

With painted stripes

                        







Go on over to shanty-2-chic.com and check out how to make the cutest curtains ever and for a great price! She used canvas drop cloths from your local hardware store to make two panels! No way! I love getting ideas like this!! This will be how I plan to make all the curtains for my home! 
I will post pics of my finished curtains... when that happens. :)  

DIY- Door Wreath

Here is my dollar tree homemade door wreath. I used an old shirt and a placemat for the rosettes and made the letter by cutting it out from the thicker backing to an old ruled notebook and wrapping it with hemp string. And yes, all from dollar tree! Even the woven wreath frame! (or whatever you call it!) Lol!

Here is what I purchased from dollar tree:

• woven wreath frame
• mini glue sticks for my glue gun :) 
• hemp string
• straw twine stuff... can't remember what its called exactly, but its what I used to tie a bow at the top of the letter.

And you just assemble as shown with a glue gun. A glue gun really is a necessity if you are a crafty momma!

DIY: Children's Wooden Kitchen

So I came across this the other day and fell in love!! I SOOO.. want to make this. I have two girls and I want them to have a little kitchen to play with. I love the wooden ones, but they are pretty pricey so I kind of just gave up and hoped to just maybe find one at a consignment store for a good deal. Then I saw this and my hopes got higher! It is a future project of mine, so when the time comes I will post photos of my progress and any tips I learned along the way. :)

This is the link to the designer of the kitchen plans. Other moms have posted pics of the kitchens they have made from her plans. Oh, so adorable and great ideas!:

Ana White Homemaker

I like this style the best.  photo credit

Here is the link to the lady's website who made this kitchen:

Shanty 2 Chic

She has some great ideas such as a garden hose holder and a way cool farmhouse style dining table that I want to make some day. :) Besides the kitchen set I also want to make this children's table...

photo credit

Here is the direct link on how to make the Kids Play Table.

These are my two goals for this year! I probably won't get started on them until after the summer is over. I can't wait!! 

Blessings!

Paper Star Snowflake Tutorial

   Ok, so there are a few tutorials out there on how to do this, but to be honest they were pretty cheesy and not that easy to follow. You could though, still google how to make these and watch them anyhow.  I'm just warning yah! :o) Which is why I decided to go ahead and just take photos while I made it. I didn't want to put a link to any of the videos I was finding. (I also couldn't find the video tutorial I had originally watched, which was really pretty good.)

   I had a fall wreath on my door, but wanted to hang something up that represented the winter season. Well a huge snowflake sounded perfect. I just didn't know how I was going to do it, until I saw this! Hope this tutorial is easy to follow! Note: I used a glue stick which did great for the most part. I have seen these made with different colored paper too. You could add all kinds of embellishments to make these really sparkle! :o)

What you need. (Also a stapler and/or tape.)

1. Fold to form a square

2. Cut excess paper and
leave square folded as triangle

3. Fold triangle in half

5. Cut six 1 cm thick diagonal slits,
stopping 1/4" from edge.  Open paper up carefully.

4. Triangles fold is on the bottom

Paper Snowflake Home Decor

Here is a simple tutorial for making 3D paper snowflakes. These are used to make a card, but I used them to hang instead. I just love how beautiful they turned out! They make for a lovely winter decor for your home and are easy to do! Try them out and get creative!  I recently watched a lady make a paper snowflake out of recycled paper from a book. The added font print made them look so unique and added a vintage flavor to it. :)

Abigail's 3rd Birthday!

Thought I would share some photos from my daughters 3rd birthday, and pass on some fun ideas for simple and frugal party decor.  :) Afterwards, I took the paper lanterns and hung them up in the kids rooms for some fun bedroom decor! Didn't really feel like throwing them away. :o)

    I usually draw out the letters for a banner, but decided to print them out this year and then color them in with crayons. Here is the link to the large printable letters I used. I also did a wavy trim with some scissors around the letters to cut off some of the white paper. I printed out clusters of hearts and stars that I created in the Paint program on the computer and cut them into small groups to scatter around the banner and use as the exclamation mark.

    For decorating the dining area, I found this video tutorial on how to make paper chinese lanterns. I absolutely love chinese lanterns and wanted to try and make one myself. I like the more round ball like ones that you can put a (battery-powered) tea light candle in, but I wasn't able to make a trip to dollar tree. They have carried them before, but thats not to say they would for sure have them! :o) So this paper lantern worked just fine. They were so easy and only took like a few minutes to make! I like how the light shines through the slits in the paper.





    I then made the popular paper chain to hang them on. I also made some paper balloons that are hanging on the chandelier. I want to try and make a larger version of these and then put a tea light (battery-powered) inside. Maybe for the next b-day in our family I will give it a go. :o) Here is a video tutorial on how to make the paper balloon.

Jedidiah (being a boy) and Abigail
(admiring her cake.)

Little fingers had already begun to find this cake...

She says, "cheese"!!

Walking Barefoot!

Stride Rite shoes (left) and EMU Australia boots (right) 

UPDATE: Since posting this a few things have changed. I have decided to wait on getting shoes for my daughter until she is a bit older. At least until she is in a child's size 9 or 10, which is the size of my sons first Pedipeds. Now I do prefer getting a soft soled shoe as often as possible, and also buying second hand. Right now my 3 yr. old daughter is wearing some EMU Australia boots and some Stride Rites flats with a strap. Both of these I got at my local kids consignments store for a great deal. There seems to always be a plethora of girls shoes! :o) So even though the idea of walking barefoot makes sense, there is a process for your feet to make the switch. Starting out with soft soles, in my opinion, allows for children's feet to be flexible and have better posture while walking. The hard rubber soles that most shoes have aren't really necessary. If the sole doesn't bend well then it isn't good for my child's feet!

Abigail's newborn toesies :) Photo Credit

Scroll down to watch a cute little video promoting the VivoBarefoot shoes!

Right now, my youngest (almost 1 yr.) doesn't wear shoes, other than some soft sole slip on shoes. My 2 1/2 yr. old is about out of her sandals from Walmart :o) and will be needing a new fall/winter shoe. My husband and I haven't decided yet which shoe we will be getting her. It will be either a VivoBarefoot shoe or a Pediped.

My 4 yr. old son wears the Flex Hayden Pediped shoe and runs like a ninja in them! After watching this little video from Vivobarefoot, I went back and looked at the sole of his Pediped shoes.

Herbal Hand Sanitizer!!

Enjoy this video on making your own herbal hand sanitizer from Shoshanna's Kitchen.
This sounds SO great! And SUPER easy!! What a great thing to have when you are out and about! I just love getting ideas and tips from Shoshanna's Kitchen!

Shoshanna's Kitchen - Home decor!

Enjoy this great video of ideas for decorating your home! I think I will give it a try. I'll let you know how it goes!

A little more from Shoshanna's Kitchen

   Ok so I was watching these videos a little bit ago and just had to share them! I learned things I didn't know and really want to make some myself now!  They are so easy to make! These would be nice to use after I give birth to Liberty! I am sure you girls will love watching these as much as I have! Hope you decide to make some of them too! They would be a great replacement for any store bought face wash/cleanse/scrub!
Blessings and enjoy!

~Strawberry Facial



~Milk Wash




~Healthy Mask/Scrub

BabySteals & KidSteals Online Deals!

A friend of mine told me about the BabySteals.com website. Then from there, I found the KidSteals.com website. They also have one for scrap booking. Basically they offer item(s) two different times a day, 9am and 9pm (depending on what time zone you are in). It is a website that offers deals on various baby or kid items. So far I haven't heard of any of the brands listed, so I am assuming they are either "boutique", or very high end brands. It gives the percent off that the deal is, which is usually 50% off and sometimes more. Today the item was a shopping cart cover in various patterns and colors (very cute by the way) and they were 50%- 54% off. I haven't bought anything yet, but I have been checking almost every day just to see what they have. I am hoping one of these days they put up the Ergo Baby Carrier! 

So, if you want, just bookmark the websites and check them twice a day. They do have limited quantities, so if it says sold out, then they don't have anymore. But if it says "Steal Me", your good to go! :o)

My Sewing Showcase Part 2

 For my Sewing Showcase part 2, I have quite a variety of selections. I decided to put all of them in just one post. The list is as follows:  

• Maternity Skirt made from some "too small" maternity pants and print fabric.
• Jean skirt made from jean flared Bermuda shorts and some left over denim fabric.
• A tiered skirt made from some pretty green fabric. 
• A rag quilt.
• A nursing cover I made from one of my previous posts. 

I have posted photos for each piece. I will give very short instructions, if any, but if any one wants a more detailed version, just comment and let me know. For the rag quilt I have given pretty good instructions, but if you are confused about anything just comment and let me know. In my previous post on the nursing cover, I gave the link for the instructions. I followed those same instructions and it turned out great!

Front of maternity tiered skirt

Here is a maternity tiered skirt I made from some pretty khaki with light green flowers fabric and the waist/ top part of some khaki maternity pants that were too small. I basically just did a gather stitch on two tiers of fabric and sewed one to the waist/ top and the second to the other tier.  (Below and right)

Back of maternity tiered skirt

This jean skirt I made from a pair of jean Bermuda shorts that had a bit of a flare to them. The flare is excellent for making skirts!! I made this skirt the same way I did the long jean skirts in my last showcase post. (Below)

Back of Jean skirt

Front of Jean skirt

FREE! - No Greater Joy Ministries Magazine

NGJ Magazine

    My husband and I have greatly enjoyed receiving the NGJ ministries magazine this past spring. 

Inside you will find their catalog of books, CD's,, and MP3's that they offer and a variety of articles to read. Some are written by Mike and Debi Pearl and some written by their children and friends. The articles are so encouraging, uplifting and convicting. They all have been beneficial to us in some way or another! There are recipes, fun things for kids to do and more. They send an issue every two months. You have the option of receiving it via email or in the mail. And it is totally free!! Click here to sign up to receive the NGJ magazine mailed to your home. You can also read some of the articles on their website here.

Here is their own description of their magazine: 

"No Greater Joy Magazine is a free, bi-monthly publication dedicated to successful child training, strengthening marriages and families, and supporting home schooling."

Hope you all enjoy the magazine as much as we have!

Shoshanna's Kitchen -- Bulk Herb Store

I just recently watched a few episodes from Shoshanna's Kitchen and absolutely loved them!!! Shoshanna is one of the daughters of Debi Pearl, (whom I posted about recently). Shoshanna has given me tons of things I want to do, but most importantly to start using more herbs in my diet!! Her smoothies look so yummy and quite simple to put together. I am glad she does offer herb mixes already made up at her store called, Bulk Herb Store. I hope of course to soon be growing some of my own herbs. Enjoy watching her videos!

Links:  
Bulk Herb Store
Bulk Herb Store YouTube Channel

Here is a video from Shoshanna's Kitchen:




And here is a trailer for her up and coming DVD set called, Making Babies. I definitely want to get this!

Sewing a Nursing Cover

This nursing cover looks really easy to make.
I just bought some fabric to make me a few skirts
and I think I am going to use the left over to make
me one of these nursing covers. I don't have any boning, but I found the handle on my son's sand bucket will work perfect! ;o) 

Learn how to make it at Passionate Homemaking: Nursing Cover

My Sewing Showcase Part 1

Maternity Peasant Blouse (front)

Sewing has become something I love to do. I find it quite relaxing and exciting as I watch my finished product unfold. I am thankful for my Mother's influence in my love for sewing. I remember watching her sewing away on various projects. From fixing our clothes to making new outfits. I definitely get my craftiness from her! Thanks Mom! What's funny is that I thread my needle the same way my Mom does, wet the thread with my mouth and then slide it through the eye of the needle. I also stop and trim the threads after sewing the same way she does too. I remember when the thought came to me. I was starting this peasant blouse and did a sample stitch on some scrap fabric just to get into the groove of sewing again. (The last time I had sewn I'm pretty sure was 6 grade Home EC.) As I stopped the machine, pulled the needle up and down while at the same time slightly pulling the threads until they pulled smoothly, then trimmed the threads, it dawned on me that I had just repeated what I had watched my Mother do so many times. I had to smile.  It's like I did it without even thinking! 

Homestead Blessings, with the West Ladies

A while back my husband bought me the Homestead Blessings DVD set, just because he loves me and wants to help me in my homemaking skills. :o) I have to say that I have loved it!!! I've watched probably every DVD at least a couple times. I thought I would post about what I have learned and enjoyed from the West Ladies. (I have posted the trailer for their DVD set down below.)

The DVD set includes the following; The Art of Sewing, The Art of Bread Making, The Art of Candle Making, The Art of Soap Making, The Art of Cooking, The Art of Dairy Delights, The Art of Gardening, The Art of Herbs, & The Art of Canning.

The Art of Sewing: I really like the rag quilt they show you how to make and I also like their pattern for a tiered skirt. It looks SO comfortable. I plan on making both during this next fall and winter.
The Art of Canning: This was a fun DVD to watch! Their canning set up outdoors looked so cool and fun! I love how they always have green beans and tomato sauce ready to use at anytime! Even in the winter! I hope to have my own system of canning from garden left overs to store up for the cold months.
The Art of Bread Making: On this DVD, they show you how to make bread from scratch along with a different types of bread. This is something I have been wanting to do, but just haven't taken the time too. :o) I love the taste of home made bread and hope to make some of my own soon!
The Art of Candle Making: I really enjoyed this DVD! Candle making looks so fun and easy! I hope to do this someday with friends.
The Art of Soap Making: This also was a fun one to watch. They give great ideas for gifts. Soap making now days is much easier to do. 
The Art of Dairy Delights: Here they show you how to make homemade butter, ice cream, yogurt and mozzarella cheese with other ideas and tips.
The Art of Herbs: I really like how they made their own herbal tea. I plan on growing some herbs this summer, hopefully!
The Art of Gardening: I so hope to have a garden like theirs someday! It was beautiful! And big too! They give great gardening tips and ways to be frugal with what you have. One big thing is saving your food scraps! They make great fertilizer! They show you how to make your own compost too. One tip that I thought was hilarious and cool  too, was that you can collect the bugs that are attacking your garden and blend them up to make bug juice and then spray it back on your garden and the bugs won't come back!! Crazy huh! Who would have thought? Bug juice! I love it!
The Art of Cooking: I have made their peach cobbler, pot roast, homemade gravy (the best gravy ever!), and biscuits (easier to do than I thought). Very yummy! They have some more recipes on their website that aren't in the DVD's.

Watch this trailer for the Homestead Blessings - 9 pack.



There are two new DVD's, The Art of Quilting and The Art of Crafting. You can watch their trailers on the Homestead Blessings website here.

Hope you have enjoyed hearing about the the West Ladies at Homestead Blessings!