So . . . we have our homemade laundry detergent (or homemade liquid detergent), our homemade dishwasher detergent, homemade dish soap, our homemade wet jet cleaner (whoops, looks like I still need to tell you about that ;-) ), our homemade rug deodorizer, homemade soft scrub . . . and on and on . . . we must also have our homemade dusting spray.
Right?
Of course.
This blend will give your furniture a sweet shine with a great fragrance (of your choice) and will not be greasy, sticky or tacky to the touch, causing your what-nots and antiques to leave a ring when you pick them up.
You Will Need:
~1 c. distilled water
~1 ts. liquid castile soap
~1/4 c. distilled white vinegar
~2 TB. olive oil
~15 drops essential oil ~ I recommend EITHER: lemon, lemongrass, sweet orange, lavender or rosemary
~spray bottle; glass or plastic
Directions:
1) in the spray bottle, add the essential oils FIRST
2) add all other ingredients
3) attach spray lid and shake to blend
To Use:
1) shake well before using
2) you may apply to dust cloth, but it works better if you spray directly onto the furniture
3) wipe to clean, be sure to get into the intricate details of any antique furniture, picture frames or other wooden antiques
How do you like it? Let me know.
Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><
Just in case you don't know, I live in an old house. The original part of the house is 170+ years old. Of course, there have been many, many up-dates through the years and even some of those up-dates are old.
For instance, my range cover. The "dear" (eh-hem) old people who lived in this house for about 40 years before us, merely "up-dated" (and I say that with MUCH GRACE) simply to make it livable for themselves. In the 17 years we've lived here, each time we repair or improve something we find out just how good God has been to us, in that, this house hasn't burned down over our heads!
One of the "improvements" that came with the house was an old range hood with the obligatory over-the-stove light and exhaust fan . . . only . . . we can't use the exhaust fan because it goes up into my cupboards and into the wall.
*sigh*
And without an exhaust fan, all the icky-sticky grease from everyday cooking attaches itself onto the stove back splash and the exhaust hood.
Over the years I have used commercial cleaners, grease cutters and my own homemade soft scrub, which only go "so far." My soft scrub is one of my favorite cleaners but it is, admittedly, better for counter tops, sinks, tubs and showers.
Earlier today, I had a EUREKA moment ~ I was making some of my homemade toothpaste and while pouring in the hydrogen peroxide, I thought, "why not try this with some baking soda on the range hood?" I grabbed my hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, mixed them in a shallow dish, wet a sponge and went to work . . .
WELL! . . .
Sure enough! Not only did it completely whisk away the icky-sticky greasy crud from my range hood like butter . . . but . . . it also got the formerly unremovable grease marks off of the tile back splash!!!!
Looks like new. I am tickled pink.
Just had to tell you. So, leave me a comment and let me know how much you LOVE this cleaner.
Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><
I know it's been a while since we refurbished our downstairs bathroom, but as I was putting towels away, tonight, it occurred to me that I hadn't shown you my rebuilt, prim painted cupboards.
So . . . that's the last of the bathroom photos to show you ~ promise. ~lol~ The left-upper cupboard was already there, but prim painted to match the sink/vanity. The tall 2-door cupboard is new & about 6" taller that the one before it & it goes all the way to the floor.
If you want to look back at the progress of the re-do, click HERE & scroll down.
And now you know the rest of the story. '-)
Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><
What is it about those wonderful, cozy, comfy cottage kitchens that attracts us (ME) so much? I suppose it's because they ARE wonderful, cozy & comfy.
My favorite look is a combination of primitive/shabby/cottage. I'm getting there . . . little by little. We recently re-did our downstairs bathroom ~ which I LOVE. If a bathroom could be warm & cozy, this one is! Ha!
Now, I am hoping to move on to the kitchen. Give me anything dented, warn, historic, & best yet ~ handed down from family ~ & I am in love with it. Another great thing about redecorating in a primitive/shabby style is that you don't have to worry about messing up when you paint ~ all the dings & show-through paint is exactly the look you're going for anyway.
What is it that we love about those old kitchens? Is it a sense of our childhood ~ visiting grandparents & other older relatives from days gone by? Is it the old stoves or the old sinks (LOVE the old sinks!) or the old hardware (or reproductions)? I have to say that I am especially "in love" w/the old sinks & stoves.
Here are some of my favorite looks ~ from the humble to the bright & cheery ~ which ones do you like?
And, of course, honorable mention HAS to go to everyone's favorite ~ Iris' Rosehill Cottage from The Holiday . . .
OK. Now that we've all had our ahhhh for the day, let me know your favorites.
Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim
We (that being The Royal "We" ~ meaning us giving our handyman a break :-D) took some time off the bathroom renovation for the Holidays. But I just wanted to show you a little bit of the neat little extras that help w/the look.
One of THE Man's wishes were fulfilled by getting this bowed shower rod. It makes for a little more room for your extended elbows while reaching up to shampoo your hair. No more of the icky, clingy feeling of the shower curtain "grabbing" you.
The other is the matching small tile above the tub surround. It turned out much nicer than I thought it would. That's always a good thing.
Wish we could "talk" more but I have a busy, busy day today! Leave me some love!
Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><
Yes! The throne is back to it's rightful place & we are thankfully back to having two. :-) I don't know who "suffered" more while we were down to 1, THE Man b/c he had to put up w/2 women trying to have their "private" time, or we women just simply trying to have our "private" time! Ha!
So . . . Let's review. When this remodel adventure 1st started, our poor, tired bathroom looked like this . . . eww . . .
Now, when you walk in, it looks like this! . . .
Aren't those little lights cute? Usually, I keep an electric candle lit in my bathroom all the time (it helps during those nightly visits to have a low light on so that you don't have to turn on the bright bathroom light & blind yourself), but I found this strand of lovely, soft-glowing silicone coated lights at the primitive store where I got my paint. LOVE them! They are just "enough."
I am so happy w/how the floors look & how the distressed paint on the vanity looks. I will stain the floor-boards today or tomorrow & then they will be put down. Oh, & I even painted & distressed the light switches & electrical outlet plates.
The door to our small wall cabinet is painted & distressed & waiting to be reattached, & the hole in the wall by the tub will soon house our newly made linen closet, which will also be painted & distressed to match the vanity.
When I stain the base-boards they will match the window frame & large wall mirror. But I'm thinking of painting & distressing the new door like the vanity & cabinets instead of staining it like the wood floor trim. What do you think?
I can't tell you how grateful I am that we are blessed to get this done. This old 170+ year old house needs a face-lift & we have been through a lot together in the past 14 years. Thank You, Lord, for making this possible.
More to come . . .
Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><
Another week of the downstairs bathroom renovation . . . but things are moving on & are starting to transform. I'm very excited.
One afternoon this week, I left for work & the bathroom floor looked like this:
When I came home it looked like this! . . .
Oooh! It's starting to look very "purdyful"!So, while my bathroom vanity is sitting in my kitchen, I took the opportunity to paint & "age" it ~ you know, I just love that Primitive look. I'm trying to use all historic colors & most of them are coming from Olde Century Colors, but a few may be coming from the Eddie Bauer Home collection.
The under-coat for the vanity is Olde Century's Tinderbox Brown . . .
and the over-coat is Tavern Yellow.
I used a bristle brush to paint with so that the under-coat shows through like old, faded paint & then I used my fingers or a rag & lightly brushed over the places where wear would occur over time.
Looks better in person. :-/I will also use these colors & technique to paint the new wall cabinet that the handyman will be making & my light switch plates, I will paint the bathroom walls in Bittersweet. I'm going back to the hardware store, today, to pick up the bronze drawer pulls I forgot (sheesh) the last time I was there; they will match my sink faucet & shower hardware.
Then . . . on to redoing the kitchen!
I'll do the same technique on the kitchen cupboards w/the Tinderbox Brown under but use the Goldenrod Yellow over; take off the wallpaper & paint the walls Olde Brick Red. Hopefully, we'll be able to move on to the living room & I'll paint the walls in Eddie Bauer's Pine Needle (which is really a light sage) & THEN . . . hopefully . . . those hard-wood floors we were going to put in before THE Man got laid off in '09!! Woohoo! And believe me ~ this 170+ year old house NEEDS every bit of TLC it's getting!And another good part of the week . . . my Earth Shoe boots came in! They are so comfy, cozy & fuzzy ~ it will be such a shame to have to put them away in the spring! '-)
Thank You, LORD, for the gift that my parents left me in order to do all this. All because they loved us, their blessings are still benefiting my family. God IS good.
Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><
Edinburgh
