Sunday's Pictures - Garden art.

Good Morning.  It's still freezing here and it seems like the snow will never quit.  Our groundhog predicted an early spring but I don't think he really knew what he was talking about. I've gathered a few pictures from public domain this week to help take our minds off the weather.  Enjoy.   

 

 

 

Feel free to leave me a little note. I'd love to hear from you.

 

 

 

 

 

Saturday Roundup

A Saturday roundup of  posts so my busiest friends have a chance to catch up on what they missed .

A few wild turkeys that like to visit my yard

Horseshoe trophies turned coat hooks

Start your day with a great detox drink


























Choosing a makeover project for night tables.

Favorite Stenciled Furniture

I love stenciled furniture.  I've been thinking about doing a couple of small dressers as night tables and I've been looking for some inspiration.   Here are a few ideas I have been mulling over. I'm sure any of these pieces could be downsized and customized to create some unique bedside stands. What's your favorite? 

























This dresser stenciled with locations is fabulous.  I think I would choose some of the favorite places I've been or are still on my wish list.  You can see the details here : http://www.thediyvillage.com/2012/01/streets-and-city-word-art-dresser.html























This Paris skyline done by "Shab to Fab" has stuck in my memory ever since I first saw it over a year ago. I believe she hand painted this piece, I wish I was that talented.  I love the contrast of the white on black, it is so intense.  Such a beautiful piece.   See it here: https://www.facebook.com/ShabTaFab/photos/pb.418440068230533.-2207520000.1423670704./490270657714140/?type=3&theater

My husband is a musician who is also a huge Beatles fan.  This dresser would make great storage in his music room for all the paraphernalia that goes with playing in a band.  Find the story behind this dresser here: http://www.justalittlecreativity.com/2012/07/from-drab-to-fab-beatles-dresser.html

I love this cabinet painted with Marilyn Monroe quotes. Unfortunately I couldn't find a link that worked for this one. If anyone knows where it originated I would like to give credit where it is due.


There are a million ideas out there when you start looking.  What I need are some new night tables, so I am thinking a couple of little dressers like this Rast dresser from Ikea  Painted black with John Lennon song lyrics on his side and Marilyn quote on mine. 

I'd love to hear from you.

Leave a comment on  todays post.

My Favorite Morning Detox Drink

Let me start off by saying I am not a doctor and in no way is this post meant to be medical advice. It is just my own personal experience, and everyone should do their own research and discuss their particular symptoms with their own physician.
Since I was a child I have had Asthma.  About ten years ago I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia as well  and it comes with a ton of symptoms and seems to go hand in hand with arthritis, asthma, and some other nasty things like stomach problems caused no doubt by the amount of medication I have needed to take over the years for many different symptoms. More and more lately we hear about taking our own health into our own hands and not relying as much on perscription meds. No one should ever stop taking meds without first consulting their doctor, but we can do things like adding natural foods to our diet that are extra beneficial to our overall health.

About a year ago I decided I could use a good detox drink and started looking for something that could help my specific symptoms.  Pain and inflammation specifically.
I could have gone to the helath food store I guess and found a good detox drink but that seemed like I would just be adding one more thing to my system I didn't really know about, so I did a bit of reaserch instead. I kept coming across the same three things, over and over, that had a ton of benefits to promote overall good health. 

1-Raw Honey.

Note: Children under one year of age should never consume raw honey.

Raw honey has anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal properties. It promotes body and digestive health, is a powerful antioxidant, strengthens the immune system, helps eliminate allergies, and is an excellent remedy for skin wounds and all types of infections.
Raw honey's benefits don't stop there. Raw honey can also stabilize blood pressure, balance sugar levels, relieve pain, calm nerves, and it has been used to treat ulcers. Raw honey is also an  expectorant and anti-inflammatory and has been known to effectively treat respiratory conditions such as bronchitis and asthma.

After finding claims to all of this on my search it isn't any wonder I decided I needed to add this to my daily routine.


 2 - Apple Cider Vinegar

Not just any apple cider vinegar but organic vinegar which contains the mother. This is very important because  pasteurization removes the good bacteria in the vinegar we don't want that. Look for "unpasturized and unfiltered" on the label.

I make my own now from apple peels and cores. I'll share how in a later post, but for now this is why it is such a good food supplement.
Apple cider vinegar has been lauded as one of the most beneficial health tonics available. Medical research backs many of the healing claims attributed to apple cider vinegar while research even suggests that apple cider vinegar is effective for treating such widespread conditions as diabetes and obesity.
ACV has been described as one of natures greatest tonics. Among it's  active ingredients are soluble fiber in the form of pectin, vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin E, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, beta-carotene and lycopene. The compound also contains minerals such as sodium, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, iron and magnesium.
It is believed that apple cider vinegar alters the very way the digestive and circulatory systems function in a positive way, making them more efficient.
Read all this info and more here:http://www.earthclinic.com/remedies/acvinegar.html
 
3- Lemon Juice

We've all heard about the benefits of Lemon water as a detox but there is so much more to this little fruit. I love adding a squeeze of it to my water, but why not add it to my daily tonic as well. Here's a link to 16 reasons why we should drink lemon water: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/16-health-benefits-of-lemons.html/1

Armed with all this information I decided I would  start my day with a drink that I could make myself.  I triple the ingredients in a small jar and shake it up well so it is easy and convenient when I go to mix it with the water.

1 tbsp.  of my homemade Organic Apple Cider Vinegar
1 tbsp.  Lemon Juice
1 tbsp. of  unpasteurized  Honey.

 Mix into a small glass of warm water and drink. 

I   repeat this drink up to a couple of times a day when I'm home, especially during cold and flu season.   

What I've found since I started doing this about a year ago is that I have reduced the amount of prescription meds I am taking for both asthma and arthritis, and have felt better for it.  I don't take as many pain meds either, and anyone with Fibro knows it involves dealing with a lot of pain. I don't think this is a miracle tonic or anything , but by adding these three things to my diet and being careful what I eat and staying away from things I know are over processed, I really believe there has been and improvement in my overall health.

So take charge of your own health.  Do the research yourself and talk to your doctor openly.  Do what you need to do to feel better.  It's well worth it.     

I'd love to hear from you.

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what you think of todays post.

 　

Wood plaque to Coat Hook

I really wish I had taken a before picture of these little coat hooks,  but as usual I got an idea, and jumped right in.

I've been trying to de-clutter lately and I was sorting through a box of stuff that I hadn't been into for a long while and I found these little plaque trophies that my dear hubby had won playing horseshoes many years ago.  They were not really impressive trophies, just fun little wooden plaques with a little medallion and a metal plate stuck on with double sided tape.  I was about to throw them out when I had an idea to repurpose them instead.





















I removed the little medallions and engraved plates,  and sanded a tiny bit where the tape peeled some of the finish. 

Then I gave them  two coats of DIY chalky paint made from some black acrylic paint I had in my stash.

When  they were completely dry I used  red berry wine acrylic, about a tablespoon, watered down quite a bit and did a wash over the black. 

 

I left them to dry for a few hours.  Then I  did a bit of sanding to smooth the finish, and slightly distress them.  When I was happy with the blended colours I gave them a coat of dark paste wax to protect them and add that nice sheen you get with waxed paint finishes. 

All I had to do then was add the hooks.  I already had a bunch of these brushed nickel coat hooks so of course I used what I had.  I think black ones would have looked nice too.

I absolutely love the mahogany look of the finish, and the brushed nickel coat hooks.  These could be used in an entry for coats, or a bathroom for towels.  I wish I could keep them but I really don't have a place to use them, so off to my shop they will go to be sold. What would you use them for?

I'd love to hear from you.

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what you think of todays post.

Sundays Pictures from the Turkeys and Me

I sure hope everyone is inside with a nice hot mug of your favorite beverage because it's a frigid minus 22 deg. c. here  and the turkeys are looking for a meal under the evergreens.  This is a flock of wild turkeys that visits the neighbourhood on its route.  Notice how their feathers are all fluffed up trying to stay warm.  I wish the pictures were better but these guys and girls don't like to pose.

I'd love to hear from you.

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what you think of todays post.

Pretty Bathroom Storage

In December I made a few Apothecary Jars for storage in my bathroom. You can read that post here.  While I loved the idea I wasn't happy with the metallic champagne colour I choose.  The fixtures in my bathroom are chrome so I wanted a display to match.  I bought a can of chrome spray paint and brought together a few items I thought would make a good display.

I had this vintage dressing room tray that was a yard sale find many years ago.  I never really used it, it just landed in my stash of future projects.  It had a metal frame, a mirror that slid out  similar to  a picture frame and there were tiny little feet on it to protect your dresser top.  As much as I loved it I was never sure what to use it for.  Of course I always have jars in my stash and I had a couple of candlesticks as well.

I put the tray frame in my spray booth a cardboard box and gave it a good chrome paint job.  I painted the jar lids and the candlesticks as well. 

I used an epoxy to glue the candlesticks to two of the jars, I left the other two without stands.  I want some little glass knobs for the tops of the jars, so I left them for now hoping I will find just what I want later.

I assembled the tray, the jars, and my little perfume bottles on the bathroom counter below a shelf that was already there.

I like this little display much better than the original jars. All the little odds and ends for hair and nails are gathered in one place and my necklaces are hanging and easy to find,  instead of all tangled in a drawer. 

I'd love to hear from you.

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what you think of todays post.

DIY Hand Sanitizer

We are right in the middle of cold and flu season, and we all do our best to avoid getting sick.  We get a flu shot,  we wash our hands as often as possible, and when we're out and about we use hand sanitizer.

  No one wants to bring unwanted germs home from something as simple as a trip to the grocery store so I wanted a to make a natural hand sanitizer that I could throw in my bag.  Naturally I turned to my essential oils.

















I gathered together the items and  made up a spray in about 5 minutes. Honestly it takes longer to write about it than it does to make it. I had the little spray bottle in my stash (I am a container hoarder) and it was the perfect size so I didn't need to buy anything. A couple of little spritzes in the palm of your hand and a quick rub. 

Hand Sanitizer Spray Recipe

1/4 cup Witch Hazel (I use one with Aloe added)
1/4 cup of alcohol
 1tsp of vegetable glycerine  and
1tsp of vitamin E oil   for a little protection  for the skin

10 drops of Lemon essential oil   

10 drops of Clove bud essential oil  

 10 drops of Eucalyptus essential oil  

10 drops of Cinnamon  essential oil  

I put the ingredients into a spray bottle and gave it a shake. 
These oils combined have great antiseptic and antibacterial properties. Use the links to see for yourself what they can be used for.

TIP:  Add these oils to a larger spray bottle then top it up with  alcohol and water and you have a great spray to use around the house to kill germs in the air as well.  I add a little Tea Tree Oil in my spray as well.

I use this spray around the house regularly now.  It would really help during those times when everyone in your house seems to have some kind of a bug. 

 I spray regularly this time of year and so far this year we have been really lucky. We have had no colds or flu in our house.  Here's hoping we can all stay healthy this year.

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

I found this little rocking chair at a yard sale and it was right in my price range.  I think I got the chair, the two tall plant stands and a few other smaller items for $15 total. 

The woman having the sale said  it was her sons and he was in college now. I was quite happy that it was sturdy and had no broken rungs.  It was in really good shape.

I used a bit of vinegar and water to get rid of a little grime, and a blob of peanut butter took care of the little sticker. 

Two coats of the same peachy pink DIY chalky paint that was left over from a chalk board I had just done , and this little beauty was ready for it's new home...... almost.

I chose Twinkle Twinkle, because this rocker was for my granddaughter and she is definitely my Little Star.

I'd love to hear from you.

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All Purpose liquid cleaner.

Whenever I cleaned my house I used to cough, and my eyes would water and my skin would itch.  For hours after I was done I would feel like I had a cold, and I would have to use my inhalers to catch my breath.  I needed a DIY natural all purpose cleaner that I could use for everything.  Until this I had been trying to purchase as natural as possible but wasn't really happy with the results. The chemicals agents listed in the cleaning products you buy at the store are for the most part unpronouncable. And trying to look up what they are is next to impossible. I don't think they really want us to understand what we're using because if we did, we wouldn't. Besides, every time we use these cleaners, toxins are realeased into the air we are breathing in our homes. These toxins can contribute to a number of different things including -Breathing disorders -Skin irritations -Insomnia -Fatigue and Headaches to name a few. And the Natural cleaning products available are way too pricy and not all that "natural"
 I wanted a cleaner that would disinfect as well as clean. I wanted something that would work on greasy messes. I wanted something that could be diluted for a spray cleaner that would work great and smell nice, and I wanted something I could add full strength to a bucket of hot water and clean my floors with. I was looking for something that really worked with the least amount of elbow grease. Guess what? I think I have it ... something that works for everything. well almost everything, I don't use it on my laundry.

I knew that I could clean with just the vinegar, but I wanted to add an extra kick to it. I used a jug of vinegar that was almost empty  and started stuffing it full with all my other ingredients. Once it was almost full I topped it up with more vinegar. 

I  gave it a good shake and  put it under my kitchen sink. Then I forgot about it for a month.... well actually closer to two, because I really did forget about it. I wanted the vinegar to infuse with as much of the properties from the added ingredients as it possibly could.  When I use this I just strain what I need through a coffee filter and put the rest back under the sink.

To use as a floor cleaner just add about half a cup to a gallon of hot water and mop as usual. So far this has worked great on my vinyl floors and the tile in the entry. 

To use this as an all purpose spray cleaner  pour into a spray bottle til its about 1/3 full and fill the rest of the way with water. Spray directly onto surfaces and wipe with a cloth. It works on all the surfaces in my kitchen and bathroom removing grimy messes and makes everything smell great. The vinegar smell evaporates quickly leaving behind the natural, pleasant scent of the other ingredients.

 I even clean my stove and exhaust fan with it, full strength on a cloth , and if there is a true test for a grease cutter it's your exhaust and the back of your stove. I love this stuff. I've been using it since last fall now, and my only regret is that I didn't make more because I'm going to run out before my thyme and sage are ready in the garden again. Oh well , this summer I'll make extra just to be safe.

Here's what I used and why I used it:

White vinegar.

 


















according to this article at http://www.davidsuzuki.org/what-you-can-do/queen-of-green/faqs/cleaning/does-vinegar-kill-germs/?gclid=Cj0KEQiAgMKmBRDMjo_F9OfUubABEiQAp8Ky11Qr2H3qVi3JIGjM24FYRg1PbmDT-WHmGDu_Tdol3oAaAsoa8P8HAQ

Acetic acid or white vinegar is a great disinfectant. It also acts as a deodorizer and cuts grease.

And you can tackle household bacteria like salmonella, E. coli and other "gram-negative" bacteria with vinegar. Gram-negative bacteria can cause infections including pneumonia, bloodstream infections, wound or surgical site infections, and meningitis.
According to Canada's National Collaborating Centre for Environmental Health, the acid in vinegar crosses the cell membrane of bacteria and prompts a release of protons, which causes the cell to die. 

Orange peels.

A study published in the 2013 issue of "International Journal of Biotechnology" found that orange oil inhibited the growth of various pathogens, including the bacteria Escherichia coli and the fungus Candida albicans.

Lemon peels.

 













Lemon peels in vinegar will cut grease and smell really great. Who doesn't love a lemon fresh just cleaned smell. And in several articles I read, lemon essential oil had minor microbial and anti fungal properties. Lemon is also a great whitener and works great removing stains from white counter tops. Try using a fresh cut lemon half on a stain.

Tip: Save lemon and orange peels in a bag in the freezer to use later.

 

Thyme

  Thymol is an oil extracted from Thyme leaves. The label on a cleaning product I saw recently in the store stated that it kills 99.9% of household germs, including cold and flu viruses. I couldn't find anything to corroborate this fact, but I did find that it  inhibits bacterial growth, is a  good antiseptic, helps keep away insects, and is antifungal.

 

Sage

Sage has excellent antibacterial properties, and is an excellent natural disinfectant and deodorizer.

The thyme and sage came out of my garden. Whenever I have a choice I like to use what I can grow myself. This is part of the reason I choose these specific ingredients.

If you wanted to make your own you could use my recipe or you could make your own. I was thinking of adding a few drops of essential oils to my spray during cold and flu season for some extra kick. Maybe some euculyptus or tree tree oil. Try doing a little research of your own and see if the plants you have in your garden can be used to keep your home clean and healthy.  

On a more personal note, I have asthma and fibromyalgia, and since getting rid of the extra chemicals in my home, I have used less medication and had a great improvement in my overall health.  So think about what you are adding to your home when you clean. Are your cleaning supplies harming your air quality? and if so, your family's health?