This morning I seem to be on a bit of a cleaning bend. No complaints here, though. It was much needed! The windows are thrown open and two out of three kids are outside playing, which leaves me some peaceful time to mix up some potions and get to work.
I have been meaning to try making our own laundry detergent again for the last couple of months, but hadn't gotten to it yet.
So this morning I mixed up a batch using the first recipe from here. I only made a quarter of the recipe so I can see how it reacts with our water before making a full batch.
I also mixed up another bottle of all-purpose cleaner, just half vinegar and half water, along with some grapefruit essential oil. Smells great! It had been a little while since I had gone through my little collection of essential oils. I have some interesting ones in there. Not sure what I was thinking when I bought Sweet Birch, but it smells kind of like wintergreen. The bergamot smells wonderful, though a little weak. I think I may be a bit more adventurous when I make the next batch of cleaner. I've got rosemary, fir needle, peppermint, sweet orange, and lavender as well to try. What combination sounds good to you?
I also mixed up a bubble solution for the kids. When we were growing up I'm pretty sure my mom just mixed up some dish soap and water for us to use, but I found several "recipes" that included corn syrup, claiming that it helped make larger, stronger bubbles. We'll see about that. Now I just need to figure out some kind of wands for them to use.
And one last thing...
This is what you find in your washer when your husband decides to do a load of laundry and forgets to check his pockets. Along with a couple of shirts and pairs of pants that are completely covered in the tiny bits of paper and cardboard that used to be this notebook. That was a fun one to clean up...
What is on your agenda for the weekend?
I'm going to a baby shower, today. Tomorrow I work at B&N. I love working in a bookstore.
ReplyDeleteoh my RE: the laundry - I know that tiny bits of paper look! ;-)
ReplyDeleteGood for you for all the 'potions!' I used to make my/our own playdough - the kids loved making it & then playing with it with cookie cutters etc. Anyway - enjoy - sounds like you are being super housewifey!
I do that every week, and I can't blame the hubby for it at all. He's the good one that always checks his pockets and turns all his clothes inside out before he washes them. It's a pitty he doesn't fold them up when they are dry.
ReplyDeleteI've cut all the white pieces for my Swoon quilt and some of the other pattern pieces. Going to start sewing it tonight. Tomorrow will be in the garden I hope!
When you''re finished, drive down to my houses. My parents are coming tomorrow and I have lots of cleaning to do!!
ReplyDeleteWhere do you buy essential oils?
I have been cleaning and tidying up madly today as well, maybe its this lovely weather we have over here at the moment! Might even get time to do some sewing tomorrow!!
ReplyDeleteoh geez - the laundry, i've ton that with tissues too many times to count! haha
ReplyDeleteTry Bergamont and lemon. That smell could make mopping the floor intoxicating.
ReplyDeleteOh dear, I hope all the bits come off soon - are you going to put the kids to work with some sellotape?!!
ReplyDeleteWish I could throw open the doors and windows today too, but the SNOW would blow in!! Darn it! I guess Spring isn't here yet, so I am sewing and reading.
ReplyDeleteOOoh my husband would be in SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much trouble!
ReplyDeleteYou are so good making all that stuff, quite frankly, I am too lazy!
I have the joy of cleaning and shopping tomorrow :(
I love playing with essential oils too! Rosemary and Peppermint are awesome together and work well in the kitchen to combat strong smells like garlic. I made a hand scrub using these two together for that very purpose. I also like lavender and orange together. I think adding some to laundry detergent would be a great way to get some nice smelling sheets that also help you to drift off. Hum maybe I need to make some too!
ReplyDeleteBergamot is soooo good. I also like lavender but must say lemon verbena is my current fave cleaning scent.
ReplyDeleteSpring cleaning is in the air!
I had the living room and stair hall painted last week - it took a half day just getting the books back in the bookcase the way I thought they should be. Still don't know what should go back up on the walls and am enjoying them plain.
That little notebook looks like it would be a nightmare to clean up! Yikes. I have made my own cleaners like that, but minus the essential oils. :/ Went looking for them but couldn't find any. Need to keep looking, as your grapefruit scented cleaner SURELY smells better than my straight vinegar and water cleaner. lol
ReplyDeleteTry adding glycerin to the kids' bubbles for bigger, stronger bubbles. You should be able to get it at a drugstore or a hardware store.
ReplyDeleteOkay, again with our twinness, I also make my own laundry soap and all purpose cleaner and I use essential oils in mine...and guess what I often use, yep grapefruit. Weird! Chris always laughs at me because our bread box is where I keep all of that stuff and our bread is on the counter. :) I love sweet orange in my laundry soap mixed with a little juniper this last time. I love to see what concoctions I can come up with, because the smell fades, so I won't ruin anything even if the smell isn't great.
ReplyDelete