Hello Monday

Hello Monday!
Hello to Koda! our new "little" puppy

Hello to new memories and fun times!...

Hello to her making a spot for herself on our couch...


Our couch is never really super clean... I wanted to make sure that I could put something down that I could wash is she made it messy... I had a blanket down.. but I didn't like the way it looked.. I had an idea maybe i could hake a slip cover for just the chase lounge part of the couch...

I found a few pieces of drop cloth that I have used for other projects and I found that if I sewed the scraps together I might have something large enough to cover the chase...

I didn't have enough to just use one piece so i added a "ruffle" to the sides to make it look girlie for my new baby girl... I didn't put a ruffle the whole way around.. I didn't have enough material and I didn't need it where I would tuck it into the other cushions on the couch.

It was hard getting her to pose on the couch she was much more interested in what the kiddo's were doing in the playroom...

the slip cover is not perfect... I literally threw it together with scraps.. so nothing was measured and nothing was pinned.. the ruffle's are not equal.. and I still have some threads to cut...

Hello Monday projects and cleaning the house.... (see the vacuum cleaner cord in the picture of Koda on the couch)
Hello to Daddy's solft-ball game tonight...
Hello Monday and Hello SUMMER!


Linking up with Lisa Leonard
~ Momma

Newest Addition

Who is this girl in this house? I finally got my Husky Puppy... and Puppy she is! Connor and I were looking at Dogs... I was looking at Black Labs.. He was sure that he did NOT want a black dog... as soon as we saw this one.. He said he wanted it... how could I resist?!? well I couldn't ... 

She will be 6 months on Friday and she is FULL of energy.. she plays nicely with the boys... jumps and pulls... has accidents in the house...and yipped for about an hour last night while we were tying to sleep... I am starting to wonder if I bit off more than I can chew... speaking of chewing we were told that she WILL chew furniture if bored... ahhhhh! what am I doing...

But how cute is she!?! we named her Koda... as in Dakota which is of Native American Indian origin meaning "Friend", "Ally". We hope she grows into a great fiend to the boys and a fun ally for the family. She is an absolutely terrible guard Dog... she is loving and very friendly to everyone that she meets...

It is going to be over 100 degrees out today.. so we already went on 2 walks... and it is almost 8:30 it may be an inside in the AC kinda day...

Well actually it is a pool kinda day.. The boys were already asking to go over to Carter's house...

~Momma

.75 cent Dining room make over

There is no room in my house off limits to changes.. This week it was the dining room.. This room seems to go through the most changes... I have already changed the paint color twice and we have only lived here 3 years.. Over the winter I bought and re-finished a dining room table (Here). The extra income that I was getting has ended for the summer and so we need to spend less money on little things... so that puts my projects on hold... but that is OK because I will enjoy the summer! But recently I was given a bunch of different things I had to find a place for in my house...

 I added some picture frames to the wall in the dining room.. the two white ones will eventually have pictures in them I just haven't found what I want yet...

The china hutch is a gift from my Husbands grandmother and I am still waiting on permission (from him) to change the color AKA my next project...

 

 I was given the painted frames via free-cycle and I made the book wreath myself... It was in the kitchen BUT everything in my house moves around... The white frames are the only purchase I made for this update.. I got them both at goodwill for .75 cents

 

what started this "makeover" was the two beveled mirrors my father gave me.. I don't think that is their final place, but until I make frames for them I am stumped at how to attach them to the walls...

the two coffee bags were given to my by the owner of Vintage Coffee works. I was given some previously and they became curtains for my kitchen windows (here)... Right now they are just hanging out on hangers also given to me by a friend... Honestly I guess I will take anything anyone is willing to give to me...

My nice little door... I will soon be putting shelves on the door... Just need some nice thicker wood... 

~Momma

Home Made Laundry Soap

I can't believe it has taken me this long to try it!
I finally made my 1st batch of laundry detergent.
It was my SIL who really gave me the kick in the butt to try it... she did it and loved it so I really had no excuse...
I I am ready to not spend my $ on laundry detergent anymore!
in case you haven't noticed laundry detergent is expensive.. my MIL pointed out to me that Tide is especially valuable and considered a "hi theft" item in the store she works in! I was a little shocked... but there have even been news reports on the subject! (Here) CRAZY! (NOT that I EVER bought Tide, but just saying)

I was browsing Pinterest and found a great pin for home made laundry soap (Here). I choose this one because of the simplicity!
I chose to do the powder recipe:
1 Bar Zote soap 
1 1/2 cup washing soda
1/12 cup Borax

I was able to find all of these products very close to one another at my local Walmart store

Most recipes called for Fels Naptha soap, but my husband has an allergy to Ivry soap so I looked a little harder and found that Fels Naptha has been called a skin and eye irritant. I found many people suggested ZOTE as an alternative, it is much milder on your skin and is safe for use with babies (so hopefully it will be safe for Husband). It is pink and has a soft sent, it is a low sudzing soap so it is safe for HE washer (which I have so I was sure to check)

I took the Zote and grated the entire bar intoa plastic container...
My Husband complains I am the messiest cook he knows... so true I even made a mess grating soap...

Then I added 1 1/2 cup washing soda and 1 1/2 cup borax
This was a recipe suggested by the Lewisville Love Blog
Whats great about making your won is you can add or omit an ingredient depending on the water in your area.
I learned by reading a BUNCH or recipes if you have hard water you may need more washing soda and Borax... so I may even tweak this recipe more if I find my laundry dingy.

And this is what the powered detergent looks like...

The instructions say to use 2-3 tablespoons for each load.

It took me about 5 Min. to grate the bar and mix everything together... SIMPLE!
and I have my first load in the washer now...

Price break down:
Zote soap: .97 (used all of it)
Washing soda: 3.24 ( used VERY little)
Borax: 3.38 (used VERY little)

10.83 for my first batch and I have about 10 more possible loads out of the Washing soda and Borax...  not too bad compared to Tide at about 10.00 a bottle.

~ Momma

Gifts my Grandama Gave Me

My Grandma has a lovely home and has spent many years decorating it...  a few years before Pinterest ... she was looking for idea's...

My Grandmother has a loft filled with older home decorating magazines and sometimes I get a chance to go up and grab a couple dozen magazines to take home for inspiration... 

somehow this Gem go into my pile...

 I just had to share this amazing find.... I love getting a peek into the past...the color schemes... The passion people put into decorating these spaces is awesome! even if I don't want to use their idea's in my house I still loved looking through their idea's... it is like a snapshot of a time... style... passion.

Spring- Summer 1969 Red, White and Blue was a trend...

Everything is so machey machey... from the material used in the curtains to the fabric used on the chairs...

 what I find cool is I like elements of the room... in the picture below I like the fabric on the chair in the foreground...just not with the matching curtains..and blue paneling...

This room just looks so... so... so... 1969.. I feel like you could have walked into any house and seen this very room... I guess to me it seems impersonal... I am eclectic...i have a bunch of stuff from different places and I feel like those things tell the story of me... I don't buy nick knacks to fill a room... my room fills up with the stuff I bring home from the places I have been... (flea market, goodwill)

When we were searching for a house within our budget many of the homes had left over remnants of these designs...  the linoleum floors...the stained plywood cabinets... fake brick island... frilly curtains... light fixtures...

this kitchen makes me cringe...

Triangle fireplace? Bold BOLD patterns and colors!

 Hope you enjoy a look back at design... I actually want to keep the magazine I just love it!

~Momma

* these are just pictures taken form McCalls do it yourself magazine from 1969 Magazine. I give the magazine all the credit for all of these photo's*