Love this

I saw this on French Larkspur's blog and I love it so much, I just had to post it on mine.  I love the chalkboard frame, and the little vignette on the table, but most of all, I LOVE the message!  For those of us living in "the northland", it's a great reminder right about now!  Today, it was 60 degrees in SE Wisconsin.  The snow is melting, the gutters are dripping, and you can actually see your whole driveway!  
After a very long winter, it's finally Spring's turn!

Home Made Laundry Soap

Never in a million years, did I ever think I'd be making my own laundry soap!  With all the modern conveniences out there today, it seems like a step backwards.  It is indeed a step back in time, but a good one!  When I told my 84 year old mother what I was doing, she asked what I was using to make the soap.  I gave her the ingredients and she laughed and said, "That's the same way your grandmother made laundry soap!"  If it was good enough for my grandmother, (almost 100 years ago) then it's good enough for me!  Not to mention the fact that using this detergent ends up costing only $.05 a load!  

(Some things were better left alone!)

Find the ingredients at your local grocery store.

Grate the Fels-Naptha, mix it up with the other ingredients, and fill up some mason jars.  

You want to put the soap in airtight containers to keep the humidity out.

Make a fun little tag holding simple directions, and tie it up with a spoon.

Here is the recipe in case you'd like to make a batch!  I walked into our local grocery store and expected to have a hard time finding these, but they were ALL in stock!  The supplies pictured below will last a long, long time!

2 cups Fels Naptha soap - finely grated

1 cup washing soda

1 cup Borax

essential oils (I have read that you can add this to the recipe if you'd like 

to have scented laundry soap.  I haven't tried that yet.)

Mix well and store in an airtight container.

Use 2 teaspoons per load.

Kanzashi (Japanese Folded Flowers)

The heartbreaking disaster underway in Japan is the 'inspiration' for this post.  As I saw the devastation played again and again throughout the day, I thought of all we have gained through the creativity of these people. The Kanzashi is just one of their many traditional crafts.  They have been crafted from wood, metal, tortoiseshell and silk, and are considered collectibles.  The Kanzashi were first worn by Japanese women as hair ornaments.  Today, they are still worn as hair ornaments, but usually by Japanese brides.  There is also a current trend by young, Japanese women to wear them as an elegant decoration on a business suit.  

I know I speak for many when I express my deep sadness at what the Japanese people are facing.   I can't even begin to imagine what this will do to their future, the future of their country, and the world.  I do know that they are in the prayers of many around the world tonight, as they are in mine.

  

From old windows to old-looking mirrors . . .

I have two old windows that I love.  I purchased one of them at an antique store and the other at a resale shop.  They've been propped in different rooms of the house for years, and look great just the way they are.  Then, along came Krylon's Looking Glass Paint.  I love this stuff!  However, I couldn't find it anywhere in Milwaukee.  Plenty of places carry Krylon paint, but none of them had heard of "Looking Glass".  So I ordered it on Amazon for $10. 

It has arrived!

Krylon Looking Glass Paint claims to be able to transform plain glass into a mirror.  I've been waiting for the weather to warm up a bit so I could use it outside with some good ventilation.  Well, the high today is 38 degrees and I figured that's going to have to be warm enough because I'm out of patience in the weather department.  So . . . the directions say to lightly spray the glass and let it dry about a minute, then repeat five times.   Here are my results.  

Before . . .

and after.

   

Before . . .

    

and after.

Okay, you might be thinking, "Doesn't she have anything better to do on a Saturday morning?"  The change is not that drastic, but I think it's just enough to make a difference.  It's still an old window, but now it's been transformed into a room-expanding mirror with a time-worn look.  I like the depth the windows have now.  

Well, I have a little list going today - so it's off to project #2!

This project is linked up with Furniture Feature Friday.

Something a student made for ME!

So far, I have limited all of my posts to things I have made - not things made by anyone else.  Also, I have not placed much personal information on my blog.  I figure that might be interesting to the people who know me, but for those of you who don't know me at all . . . eh, not so interesting.  But, today is different.  I had to post this and explain it.  My 31 year old son had surgery on Christmas Eve for testicular cancer.  He has been very positive and has inspired me all the way through with how he has faced this thing head on and is determined to go through it in the most positive way possible.  You think that by the time your kids leave home, you know them really well.  Then something like this happens.  I've seen a depth of character and fortitude that makes me admire him even more.  During his time away from work, he has focused on fundraising for the LiveSTRONG Foundation.  So, in the middle of doctors' appointments and chemotherapy, he has raised well over $20,000 for cancer research! Now he is nearing the end of 4 rounds of chemo and it's getting kind of tough.  Well, this morning, I came into my classroom and a student walked up to me (11 years old) and said, "Mrs. Burger, I made this for you last night!"  Well, that about did me in for the day.  So sweet!!!  He knows I love to read and he made this bookmark out of duct tape.  It had to take awhile!  I knew I had to share it on my blog - because after all -
YOU COULD MAKE THAT!!!

Thank you Hayden!  You made my day!

My son, Andy. and his wife, Kate - taken on their wedding day almost 2 years ago.

Fabric Transfer with Citrasolv

Lots of words in this post.  Bear with me.  It's worth it.

I've been looking for a way to transfer a design from paper to fabric.  There are the iron-on transfer papers, but they leave a plastic-like residue on the fabric.  I really don't like that.  Stencils are a good way to get a design onto fabric and they're fine, but you're pretty limited to larger shapes and letters, plus they're expensive to buy and difficult to cut yourself.  

You see, I wanted to try to make my own "french laundry bag" looking fabric.  The Graphics Fairy has so many great designs and old ads and I wanted to put those onto fabric . . . and then use the fabric for pillows, towels, or fabric buckets.

So.

 I read about using Citrasolv to accomplish this.  It says you need to use copies that have been made on a toner based copy machine - not your typical home printer.   I went to Kinkos and asked.  Yes, all their printers are toner based.  So I pulled some art off the Graphics Fairy, and then combined them with some ideas of my own and printed them.  (Remember to print any letters, words, and numbers in the mirror image or you won't be able to read anything you transfer!)

Then, off to Kinkos with my copies.  

Next, to find Citrasolv (it's NOT readily available but I found some at our local health food store).  The large bottle was about $10.00.  It is very concentrated but you use it full strength for this project.  I figure what I don't use for transfer projects, I can use for cleaning!   

  

So I got started.  I folded a towel in half on the bathroom counter.  They say you need a padded surface under the fabric and paper so there's some "give".  On top of the towel I placed my 100% prewashed cotton fabric.   On top of THAT, I placed my printed paper design from Kinkos, face down.  Then use masking tape to hold it in place so your design transfers neatly without moving around.

Use a rag or cotton ball, dip it into a little bowl of Citrasolv, and wet the paper surface.  You'll see the design through the paper right away.  Don't douse it, just get it wet.  I let mine sit for about 3 minutes to let the Citrasolv really soak the paper and loosen that ink.  Then start to burnish the design using a big spoon.  It works best if you use the edge of the bowl of the spoon.  Just keep rubbing all over on the design, pressing hard, and pretty soon you'll be able to see that the paper is getting a little blurry.  That means the ink is coming off the paper and going onto the fabric.  That's good!  Be patient.  It takes a couple minutes.  Once the design has transferred (you can peek, but be careful you don't move the paper in case you need to burnish some more), you're supposed to set the ink on the fabric by ironing it, wash the fabric to get out the Citrasolv (it's kind of orangy colored), and iron it again.

Ta! Da!  You're done!
 I didn't really think it would work, because after quite a bit of rubbing nothing was happening.  But, again, be patient, because all of a sudden it starts to transfer.

I combined a few things for my pillow design.  I used a Paris postmark from the 1830s (The Graphics Fairy), and then added the house number, 601.  It makes a nice "thank you pillow" for Jan and Bob in McKinney - since that's their address!

The postmark part of the transfer.

And the house number.

Now you have a really neat little pillow that could very well be made from some old, antique, french laundry bag that you bought on your last visit to Paris for $129 from that pretty little antique store around the corner from your hotel after you enjoyed your cafe au lait and baguette with peach jam. 

Or.

It could be your very own imitation of the same.  

No one needs to know!



This post is shared on:
Transformation Thursday,

Thrifty Thursday,

White Wednesday,

The last McKinney post for THIS year!

Okay, here is the final set of pictures from my trip to Jan and Bob's in McKinney.  These were all taken outside and I went a little crazy.  I just walked around the house and clicked and clicked, it just all looks so pretty.

 Below, a little pint-sized garden set for the grandchildren!

 Flowers!  In February!

Below are pictures of the Porte Cochere.  I had to look this one up!  I had never heard of it when Jan told me what this area was called.  So here is the true dictionary meaning:

It is French for "coach door". It's original (1698) meaning was for a porch-like structure at an entrance to a building where a horse and carriage can pass through. It has been expanded to refer to a roofed structure that covers a driveway or at the entrance of a building that provides shelter for people entering or exiting a vehicle. A porte chochere is different from a carport in that vehicles do not park under them. In western culture, "porte cochere" is often spelled and pronounced "porta cache".

Things are just starting to pop up in the gardens.  Jan and Bob have many plans for the outside areas.  I can't wait to visit next year and take more pictures!  I just have to add, while the house is gorgeous, the real draw to McKinney is to spend time with my dearest, oldest friend, Jan.  I don't have a blood sister, but I have been blessed with the next best thing! 

Jan and Bob's second floor in McKinney, Texas

Here are the second story pictures from Jan and Bob's house in McKinney.

When I arrived, I walked into this beautiful guest room!  You feel like a princess staying in this room.

Everything is so soft and peaceful.

 And the second guest room below-

 Below are pictures of the master bedroom and bath.

 Through that fabulous mirror, you can see the door to the roomy porch that is off the master bedroom.  

Antique cigar boxes . . .

Master bathroom . . .

 A view from the upstairs landing window . . .

Here is the entrance to the "Grandchildren's Room", which is just off the master bedroom.  

What child wouldn't love a stay in this magical little room!

Look at that fabric!  A child could have so much fun imagining stories to go along with those little drawings!

 The upstairs hallway - you can see the guest room beyond.

 The beautiful, wide staircase.

Next up are some pictures of the outside!