Bleach Glass Jug

I like a neat and orderly house where everything is in it's place (My husband and I may be slight neat freaks - you should see his closet). Since we don't have children yet, it hasn't been too difficult to keep everything nice and tidy throughout the week, and to give our home a thorough cleaning once a week. But my cleaning supply cart had been driving me crazy (yes, I want even the cleaning supplies to be nicely displayed in our laundry room). It had all these pretty Mrs. Meyers cleaning supplies on it and then a big ugly bottle of bleach! The past few months I've been in search of an alternative storage solution. Last weekend I found the perfect fix! We have a store in town here - similar to a flea market- with vendors who sell used items/antiques/handmade crafts/etc. You never know what you might find at this place! I came across this large glass jug, and it is exactly what I have been looking for. The cost? $1.99! I'm so excited that I found this - it's much more tasteful then those big white plastic bottles, and what a cheap solution!

Homemade Soap

On my day off yesterday, I finally tackled a project I've been wanting to do for quite some time - make homemade soap. For my birthday this winter, my husband bought me some supplies. I've been patiently waiting to plant and grow my herbs ever since. I've never made soap before, so I started off the easy way - with a soap base. I have purchased lye, but I'm not confident enough yet to try it out. I've got a bit more researching to do :).

This turned out to be really fun. If you have kids, it's an easy project I'm sure they would love to help you with. 

To make this soap I used:

1lb of goats milk glycerin soap base

1/2 tsp lavender essential oil

4-5 sprigs of dried lavender flowers

4-5 sprigs of fresh lavender stems

Rubbing alcohol

Soap mold

First, I removed the dried buds from my lavender stalks, and chopped up my fresh stems. Then I chopped up my soap base into one inch cubes. I microwaved the soap base in a Pyrex measuring cup for 15 second intervals stirring in between. 

When my soap was fully melted, I added in my chopped lavender and essential oil.

Then I poured it into my soap molds, and sprayed with rubbing alcohol to remove the tiny bubbles. I let it cool for about 3-4 hours on the counter before popping them out of the molds.

Then I just had to make cute little labels for them. I'm so pleased with how they turned out!  You can incorporate any essential oil and herbs you'd like. My next scent is going to be lemongrass and rosemary. 

These homemade soaps would make perfect hostess gifts paired with a linen tea towels. 

Lavender Linen Spray

So as I've mentioned before, I think one of the greatest feelings is crawling into freshly washed sheets. What makes it even better is when they smell amazing! I use a homemade lavender linen spray on my sheets and towels every week, and on Saturday nights I get the best sleep ever! The lavender scent is so calming. Last Spring I saw a recipe for lavender linen spray in a Country Living magazine. I didn't have all the ingredients on hand, so I decided to concoct my own spray - the recipe is a keeper. 

I first boil water in a sauce pan, and then I let it cool to room temperature. This is done to make sure the spray is clear and not foggy.

All you need are a few ingredients - water, Isopropyl Alcohol, a 5 oz empty bottle, a funnel, and lavender essential oil. First, you funnel the water into your empty bottle with just a little room left at the top. Then you pour about 1/2 tsp of the alcohol into the bottle. Lastly, pour in about 30 drops of lavender essential oil in your bottle. Put on the cap, and shake it. I also had some cute labels custom made to add to my bottles. It is such a simple recipe, and it really does make your linens smell amazing! 

This also makes a great gift - Pair it with a linen tea towel, some homemade soap, or a turkish towel!

Apothecary Jars

Apothecary jars  - I love them!  I use them in the bathroom for q-tips, cotton balls, travel size guest shampoos, and bar soaps. When I open our linen closet, I'm no longer overwhelmed with disorganized shelves. Using these jars just makes for a much cleaner and elegant look. 

 For some reason these jars can be a bit expensive, though. I've searched on Amazon and one jar can be over $20 or $30! About a year ago, I found a three jar set for just under $30 at Sears. I also keep my eyes open for them anytime I go into TJMaxx (a favorite store!) I have found inexpensive, yet still lovely, jars there for $5-$8 each. 

These jars make great containers for my coffee beans. They can also be used for loose leaf tea, hot chocolate, candy, nuts, etc.  They are very practical and add a little bit of class! 

Cleaning day

It's Saturday morning,  and I have a date... with Mrs. Meyers - my favorite cleaning products! They work so well, and they smell amazing! Mrs. Meyers has so many different scents, and for the most part uses natural ingredients! They are much safer then your typical household cleaners and are about the same price.  

Saturday is cleaning and laundry day in our house. I used to dread cleaning, but now I get satisfaction from it. After a day of cleaning, when I walk by the bathroom, I breathe in the scent of lemon verbana, and in the kitchen - lavender. As I fold the clean laundry I'm welcomed by sunflowers and bluebells.  Knowing that by Saturday afternoon the whole house will be clean and tidy is a huge relief. My husband and I are both particular about things when it comes to our home. He needs everything to be perfectly organized, and I need everything to be clean. We work well together :) Saturday evenings are so relaxing and gratifying. The very best part is crawling into freshly washed sheets scented with lavender linen spray (I'll share the recipe sometime soon) on Saturday evenings.

Mrs. Meyers Products