Kitchen Love

Posted August 25, 2009 by erin under Inspiration

Image from xJavierx

Don’t you just love how clean and bright this kitchen feels.  And I love how the cabinets are painted green inside!  What a nice surprise.  (And I bet you didn’t even realize that the kitchen floor is painted too.)

Image from SarahLeeab

Love the mixture of the blue and red.  Looks fabulous!

Tags: clean, Kitchen, Modern, Painted

Dorm Room Inspiration

Posted August 24, 2009 by deb under Space Redesigns

I still have back to school on the mind so I’m here today with a fun dorm room design.  This would be for a girl with modern style with a hint of vintage.  If I could go back to college, and live in a teeny, tiny space again, I would like to think this is what my room would be like.

And now for the break down of goodies:

1. This bedding is from PB Teen and I think it’s fun and girly, but not over the top.  I love the bed that it sits on too, it reminds me a lot of this DIY PVC frame.
2. This matching lamp goes perfect with the theme.  Yes, I’m all over PB Teen today. 
3. And let’s not forget seating for guests with this matching bean bag.  What can I say?  I just love it. 
4. Place this mat outside your front door to set you apart from all your neighbors.  It’s cute and fun, and I love owls.
5. Every college student needs a sleek and comfy computer chair.  I really like this white one from west elm.
6. The biggest problem with most dorm rooms is they are painted a sterile white, and more than likely, you’re not able to paint the walls.  Here’s the perfect solution.  Use temporary wall paper- in a yellow faux linen to spruce up your space.  It will immediately start to feel like home.

So what do you think?  Are you getting someone you know ready for college?  What would you have done differently about your college dorm room? 

Don’t forget to enter our current giveaway from Laundry Tree for a SoapNut Starter Kit!  The giveaway ends Wednesday.

Tags: college, dorm, girl, Modern, teen

DIY Wall Decor

Posted August 21, 2009 by deb under DIY

Need a quick and easy piece of wall art?  {And inexpensive too!}  Here are the step by step instructions:  

Materials needed:

• Piece of large scale fabric- with a large scale print {(mine was about 40″ x 44″}
• Heavy duty Stapler
• 4 pieces of wood and a drill {or buy the regular canvas stretcher bars like these - you can find them at most art supply stores}

Step by Step instructions:

1. Put your wooden frame together.  We used a drill to place triangle braces on the corners of the frame.  If you are using canvas stretcher bars instead, they will interlock and the only tool you will need for this project is a heavy duty stapler.
2. Lay the fabric face down with the frame on top {make sure you iron it first}.  Position the fabric and make sure it’s straight before you start stapling.  Allow for a couple inches of fabrics on each side of the frame.  {My frame ended up being 32″x 36″}.  Pull the fabric up and over your frame and start stapling. 
3. For the corners, I wrapped it like a present.  Before I stapled it down, I made sure it looked okay from the front.
4. Attach a picture hanger on the back, and it’s ready to hang.

The cost of this project is very minimal, and it’s a very easy wall decor project.  Now I have something fun to look at when I’m ironing.

Tags: art, decor, DIY, fabric, staples, wall, wood

Quick Stain Removal Guide

Posted August 21, 2009 by erin under Remedies

Now that the children are back in school you can’t be there to change their clothing as soon as a stain happens.  Here are a few reminders for easily removing various stains.

Ink: Use hairspray.  You probably have that right?  The alcohol in the spray helps to break up the ink.  Just spray and let it sit, the spray again.  Repeat this until the ink is gone.  Then wash it out with your regular detergent.

Fruit Juice: Make a paste with cream of tarter and warm water and spread on the stain.  Let it sit for 1/2 to 1 hour and then rinse and wash regularily with your other laundry.

Oil: Scrub some dishwasher detergent on the oil spot and let it sit for a little bit.  Wash in warm water as normal.

Crayon (or melted crayon from those ones that accidentally stayed in someone’s pocket): Place the item in the freezer until the crayon is hard and brittle.  Shatter and shake off the excess.  Sponge the excess with a spot stain remover and you’re good to go!

Do you have a special remedy you’d like to share?  Be sure to leave us a comment!

Tags: How to, laundry, stain remover, stains

Giveaway- Laundry Tree Soapnuts

Posted August 20, 2009 by deb under Giveaway

I am terrible at laundry.  Terrible at getting out the spots.  Terrible about line drying nicer clothes.  It’s something I just struggle with.  I met Lisa from Laundry Tree back in February at the Mom 2.0 Summit.  We connected instantly as she is bubbly and full of fun.  She was there promoting her soapnuts and even though I loved her, I had a hard time buying into the fact that a berry could clean my laundry.  We reconnect about a month ago and she quickly sent me a sample.  I couldn’t believe how soft my clothes were after the first time I ran them through with the soapnuts!  It was unbelievable.  I also loved that I could change scents with each load depending on what mood I was in.

Just to give you a little more information about soapnuts.  They are 100% natural and are free of harsh chemicals so they are gentle on clothes and skin.  Soapnuts are the fruit of a tree.  The outer shell of the soapnut contains saponin, a natural substance known for its ability to cleanse and wash.  To read more about the process and how it works, go to Laundry Tree’s website. 

Lisa is here today sharing her soapnuts with a giveaway.  Two lucky readers will receive a LaundryTree SoapNut Starter Kit {100g soapnuts, an essential or fragrant oil, an extra washbag and a sample bag}.  Just leave a comment below.  The giveaway will go until Wednesday, August 26th and the winner will be announced on Thursday!

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Tags: LaundryTree, soapnuts