Removing Red Wine Stains (and yellowed neck stains)

My husband works in a restaurant and has for almost the whole time I've known him. And though he comes home with all sorts of stains and spills on his white shirts, I was confronted with a new kind of stain this week. Red wine. We don't drink, so I've only heard rumors about it's mystical staining powers. I was a little scared. Mostly because I'm currently out of a laundry pretreater/stain remover.

So what did I do? Googled it, of course! I wish I could link you to the source, but unfortunately our internet was down and I was searching on my phone. I have no idea where I actually wound up online. Sorry.

So how to remove this monstrosity? Equal parts hydrogen peroxide and Dawn dish soap. Yup. It was that easy. I mixed it up, dabbed it on with a q-tip, and watched it disappear. And thank goodness for that. The stain just had to be on his one GOOD white shirt. And white I was removing stains, I was curious to know if the mixture would remove the yellow stains around the neckline. I applied it to about 1/4th of the neckline and just threw it in the wash. In the morning when I checked, the part that I applied the mixture to was gone! Yay!

The stain removal fun was late at night right before bed, so I left the mixture in a little ramekin overnight (because if it worked, I wanted to save it). When I woke up, the Hydrogen Peroxide had turned the blue mixture clear. I ended up just empyting it into an empty baby food jar and putting it in the laundry room.

Any fabulous stain removal tips you use?

10 Tips for Saving Money at the Grocery Store

After writing my Tips for Saving Money post, I thought it would be good to do a post specifically for saving money at the grocery store. I don't know about you, but besides rent, food is probably the biggest chunk of our budget. It's also where, in my opinion, you'll be able to save the most.

I should probably preface this by saying that we don't eat organic (I'd love to, but for right now those things really are out of our price range, even on sale), we don't have any food allergies that we have to work around or anything else that would limit what we can eat. If your family does have things you need to work around, then just implement the things you can!

Also, these are tips you can use without coupons. I'll talk about coupons in a later post.

1. Don't be afraid to try the generic/store brand products. It's true, some of them aren't as tasty. But really I can't tell a difference in most things. There are a few things I don't do generic - peanut butter (has to be Skippy) and my Aveeno lotion are probably the biggest things. You'll save so much money if you aren't particular about the brand. Don't worry that you'll wind up paying more in the end because you won't like it. Some stores have a 100% guarantee on their store brand products. I know that Wal-Mart and Smith's (a Kroger affiliate, so I think all Kroger brands would have it too) both have this policy in place. I don't know for sure, but I would think that Target would offer the same kind of guarantee also. I've used their guarantee  on different occasions at both Wal-Mart and Smith's. Wal-Mart will simply give you a refund but Kroger will actually give you the same product from the National Brand. If a store offers this kind of guarantee, most of the items should say it specifically on the label. If you still can't find it, ask someone at the customer service desk if they offer anything like that.

2. Know the Sales Cycles of your local stores. It doesn't matter if you're using coupons or not - things will go on sale and that's when you should stock up on those things that you know you'll use. Watch the ads for about 6-12 weeks and you'll see that the same sales start to repeat themselves. When an item is at it's lowest price, that's when you need to purchase enough to get you through 6-12 weeks (or however long, based on your sales cycles, until that item will go on sale again). Knowing that Quaker products are always on sale in January and that baking supplies start going on sale in October will save you lots of money! Here are a couple articles that explain the sales cycles a little better than I can.

Grocery Sale Cycles from Living Richly on a Budget
Real Extreme Couponing: Learning Sales Cycles (with a video!) from Southern Savers

3. Compare the price per ounce/unit, not just the price. This is a big one! Some stores make it easier on you and actually put the price per ounce on the shelf tag. but for stores that don't, simply pull out your calculator (or phone, in my case) and do the math. Taking a couple extra seconds to input some numbers is really worth it, to me anyway. The do an ounce/unit comparison, you just need to know the price and the number of ounces or units. Simple! Just divide the price by the ounce/units. For instance, a jumbo pack of diapers includes 23 diapers and costs $8.99. So $8.99/23 = $0.39/diaper. Once you have the per ounce/unit price, you can determine which is the better buy.

4. Take Advantage of reward programs offered by your stores. Nowadays, almost every store has some kind of rewards system. Smith's has their fuel rewards (earning points towards money off of gas purchases), Walgreen has Register Rewards, CVS has Extra Care Bucks, and so forth. Often times, signing up for that silly little card will mean big savings for you in the end. Occasionally, I'll end up waiting until the end of my purchase to have them scan my rewards card. Before they scan my card, my purchase will be around $80. After it scans and lowers the prices, it's down to around $40-$50. And that's even before coupons. Those silly little cards really do help lower your price. Often times, you don't get the sale price without the card. Be careful at places like Walgreens where they print the reward for you to use at a later time. Those little papers are easy to lose and will usually expire within 2 weeks time. Be sure to go back and use them!

5. Don't be mislead by the 10 for $10 sales. There are sales which require you to buy a certain amount of items (often times they're advertised as "Buy 10, get $5.00 off" or something like that). The 10 for $10 sales typically do not require you to actually buy 10 to get them each for $1. That's their way of trying to make you buy more. And, in my experience, the $1 price tag usually isn't that great of a price anyway! $1 for a can of spaghetti sauce? No thanks. I bought it during the case lot sales for $0.88/each! If you question whether or not you actually have to buy 10, speak with customer service at your store.

6. Know the price points at which to buy! I know this kind of ties in with the sales cycles, but it's important to know what are good prices for your area. In my area, I don't buy ground beef unless it's $2.49 or less per pound (it used to be $1.99 or less but the price has been steadily going up and not coming back down). It will probably take about 6-12 weeks (as you see the repeat of the sales cycles) to know what your optimum price points are, but you'll gradually be able to figure it out. If it helps, create a spreadsheet of items that your family uses the most. Take a look at your past receipts and start inputting that data on the spreadsheet. It will help you visually see what the lowest price point is.

7. Always, always, always shop from your list. What's that? You don't have a list? Well you need to start making one. This goes along with the meal planning that I wrote about previously. Plan your meals and make a shopping list based on those meals. Keep your list with you at the store - don't just stuff it in your purse and forget about it. Make sure you have everything before you leave the store. Having to make an extra trip to the store later in the week to pick up some forgotten enchilada sauce could mean picking up extra items and spending more money. Be honest. How often do you really go into the store and only get the one thing you need? Also, stick to your list. Sure, those ding dongs look tempting, but you're trying to stick to a budget!

8. Don't go shopping when you're hungry! You'll be more tempted by those ding dongs if your stomach is grumbling - which means you'll be more likely to throw some unnecessary items in your cart. Try to go after a meal, or at least after a good, healthy snack.

9. When it comes to fresh produce, know which items are in season. Apples and squashes are usually on sale in the fall and grapes are usually on sale during the late summer months. Find out which fruits and veggies are "in season" with this handy list from MoreMatters.org. Of course, what's in season for you will vary based on where you live.

10. Shop ALONE! I know this one can be hard to do. I actually do all my shopping with my mom and Andyroo in tow. I do the couponing and deal finding for both of us and she's so thrilled that she's saving so much that she's willing to help keep an eye on Andyroo. It works for us. You might consider trading babysitting with another mom so you can each go shopping in peace. I also prefer shopping without my husband. He's always finding things that he wants and I always feel bad saying no. He pretty much knows that I don't buy anything unless it's on sale or I have a coupon, but he still asks. I'm not heartless and I'll usually compromise for something like chips or a snack food. But there have been times when he's added as much as $10 worth of stuff to the cart. It doesn't sound like much, but if he tagged along every week, I could be looking at an additional $520/year! Yikes!

Do you have any tips for saving money at the grocery store? I'd love to hear what works for you!!

Some Help for Flat, Cripsy Cookies

My cookies need help. Seriously. Look at this stuff...

The cookies above were cooked on just a regular cookie sheet. Flat, crispy, and, in my opinion, yucky. I like cookies that are soft and chewy and a little...fluffy?

And these were cooked on a cookie sheet using my Silpat (a silicone "sheet" that you use for baking). While they came off of the sheet easily, rhey still spread a little too much for my liking. I know they didn't cook evenly because the cookie dough wasn't all the same size. But that's beside the point. 

These are the best of the batch. I was hoping for a more even bake, so I pulled out my pizza stone, preheated it, and baked them on there. Not as much spreading, but they still weren't what I wanted.

You should know that all the cookies above were baked from the same batch of cookie dough. I was trying different things using different methods.

And them my cookie life changed. Our Primary President brought in some cookies for sharing time and they seriously looked like the pictures on the packages of store bought cookie dough (which I can never get to turn out either). The other ladies in the presidency were also impressed and asked for her secret. It's not really a secret though. Want to know?

She uses shortening! Am I the last one to know about this? I've always used butter or margarine (the cookies above were done with butter). I think I've tried shortening in the past but didn't really get the result I was wanting so I didn't use it again. I decided to try it though.

Look at those beauties! She said she uses her grandma's recipe, which I didn't get. Instead I just used the recipe off the back of the chocolate chips bag (which is basically what I always use) and substituted shortening for the butter/margarine. She also said to let them cook ONLY until they looked almost done - not until they looked done. Then let them cool on the pan and they would keep cookin

It worked! These things were seriously so good!

No more burnt edges, underdone middles, or rocks. Just perfection!

Recycled Magnetic Organizers

One of the things that drives me nuts is having piles of paper scattered around the kitchen counter and tables. We have a small apartment, so I try my hardest to keep things put away and uncluttered. (No comments from those of you who have seen my house at it's not-so-great moments!) I would love the ability to set up a whole functional (and pretty) station or desk to keep myself organized. I just don't have the space for that, so I came up with this instead.

Want to know what I used?

That's right! A Pringles container and a couple of empty boxes!!! I had everything on hand, so this project was completely free. Free is awesome!

This project is pretty self-explanatory. Pick a couple of boxes. I used some fruit snack boxes because they were big enough to fit full-sized piece of paper. I contemplated using a couple of smaller boxes, but just stuck with 2 fruit snack boxes and the Pringles can.

The Pringles can cuts down easily with just a serrated kitchen knife.

Pick some paper and mod podge it onto your boxes.

Attach some magnets. Initially I used hot glue, but the magnets kept falling off, so I pulled out my trusty E600 which worked like a charm. I used 2 magnets on the can and 4 on each of the boxes. I didn't want them sliding around on the fridge.

I also used my Silhouette to cut out some vinyl labels. You could easily print labels or use stickers. One box is for things that I need to file and the other is for things that need my attention or that I don't want to lose. I think they might have looked a little better if I had put the vinyl on a solid piece of paper then glued it onto the boxes, but this will work for now!

Thanks to all the fabulous bloggers out there who take the time and effort to host these spectacular parties!! We're linking up here:


Mondays:
Just Something I Whipped Up, Craftastic Monday, Turquoise Lovin', Making the World Cuter Mondays, Making Mondays Marvelous, Creative Me Mondays

Tuesdays:
Get You Craft On, Tuesday Confessional, Who's Got Glam, Ta-Da Tuesdays, Tip Me Tuesdays, Take a Look Tuesdays, Show Me What You Got

Wednesdays:
Whatever Goes Wednesday, Idea Sharing Wednesday, What I Made Wednesday, DIY Under $5, Woot Woot Wednesday, Wow Me Wednesday, Your Whims Wednesday, Lil' Luna Link Party, Hoo's Got Talent

Thursdays:
Strut Your Stuff, DIY Diva Thursdays, Hookin' Up With House of Hepworths, Get Your Brag On

Fridays:
Frugal Friday, Creative-ly U, Feature Yourself Friday, PityParty, Look At Me

Saturdays/Sundays:
Lovely Little Linkup, Weekend Wander

Free Calendar Printable

One of the thinks that I think is crucial to running a household is a good calendar or scheduling system. We all have our own ways and preferences and we use what works best for us, but I thought I'd share what works for me!

After high school, I worked as a nanny for a family in Connecticut and I was in love with her calendaring system. She had a gigantic wall calendar and used a different color pen/marker for each family member. I thought it was pretty genius!I tucked that method away for future use - and I used that system after Hubs and I first got married. But for newlyweds, it was a little bit overkill. I loved the large spaces and the color coding though.

The apartment we're in now has amazing cabinet space, but not a lot of wall space. Which means my gigantic calendar is out, for now. Someday! About 3 year ago, I found an awesome "mommy" calendar on clearance at Borders. It had loads of room to write and a space for each member of the family. Something like this...

Source


It's hard to see, but can you see the spaces on the left hand side for family member's names? I LOVED THAT! The next year, I searched and waited for the same kind of calendar to go on sale but I never was able to find it. I needed a calendar though, so I created my own!

It has the spaces on the left for out names and space to write more than one word. I can customize it for whatever month I need and then print it out. You could even print it out and then get it spiral bound for easy hanging or reference. It prints as two pages .The picture above is the first page. On the second page, there are another 3 weeks worth of spaces and a space for notes.

Want to try it out? Click here to download your own!

When you print it out, you'll be able to better see that there's a small line above each of the weeks to write the date.

If you do use it, let me know. I'd love to hear what you think! I'd also love to hear what you use for a calendar or scheduling system!

10 Tips for Frosting a Cake

One of my favorite hobbies is decorating cakes, so I thought it would be fun to share some tips for layering and frosting a cake! Before we get to work layering and frosting though, be sure to check out the post I did a couple weeks ago about baking a better cake and about my favorite cake recipe.

So, here are a few tips to follow once you've baked and completely cooled your cake(s). In the pictures, you'll see that I used two 8" or 9" (I've never measured) rounds. You could easily follow these techniques with any diameter or shape of cake.

1. Level Your Cake. This can be a little difficult at first. There are a lot of handy tools out there to help you get it just right. Tools like this...

They typically either have a small wire or a gently serrated "knife" that essentially cuts through the cake. They're also adjustable so that you can change the height - you can change it to cut through the middle of the cake or just take off the domed top. But, you don't need those fancy little gadgets. You can use floss or even just a knife. Which is what I used.

See how the cake filled up over the top of the cake? When I do my round cakes, it's just easier to use the cake pan as a guide. It may not be perfectly level, but it's good enough for stacking. Frosting will help even out the rest! So, take your top off and set it aside.

I just have to say, if muffin tops are the best part of a muffin, then cake tops are the best part of a cake. Especially this yummy cake

Also, instead of just taking off the dome and putting the two layers together, you can make layers within the single layer to then fill and stack together.

2. Bring your cake up to a higher level and/or use a turntable.

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This is actually my cake taker reversed - the bottom part where the cake goes is actually sitting on top of the cover. I like this setup best for two reasons - it brings the cake up higher (about 10") and because I can easily turn it as I frost my cake. A raised turntable would accomplish the same thing, but I don't have the money for one of those.

3. Make sure your cake layers are even on the sides. My cake pans are ever so slightly angled outward towards the top. It really isn't a big deal in my case, but sometimes it's necessary to trim the outer edges of the cake so that the layers are even. Doing so will help in the icing and smoothing process. Just stack your layers together and then with a knife, gently trim off any parts that stick out of the side. This process is easier if your cake is frozen (it's so much easier to cut through when frozen) and should be done before filling/stacking your layers if you're going to be using a filling besides frosting. If you're just using frosting, then you could do this after stacking and filling your layers.

4. Use a good frosting. Despite the fact that making my own frosting can make a huge mess (think sifted flour EVERYWHERE), I think homemade frosting is so much better to work with and it's a little more natural (no additives or preservatives). Store bought frosting is much more sticky (which is horrible for when you're trying to not get crumbs in your frosting) and doesn't hold its shape as well when you're trying to decorate with it. The frosting recipe I use is just Wilton's Buttercream Frosting. I prefer a mixture of butter and shortening and I typically double the recipe, too. This is usually how I make it:

1 cup shortening
1 cup butter (if you're going for a completely white frosting, use only shortening or get a whiter butter)
2 lbs sifted powder sugar
2 tsp vanilla (I don't usually use clear vanilla -if you want a perfectly white frosting, go for clear though)
2 tbsp milk (or water)
additional milk or water for thinning

To frost the cake, you'll want to use a thinner consistency frosting so that it will spread easier. Your stiff frosting is used for decorations that need to hold their shape. A medium consistency is also used for decorations like borders and such. A thinner consistency is also used for piping and writing. Check out Wilton's information on icing consistency. They even have a video - way more that I can show you!

Even if you're going to be covering your cake with fondant, you'll want to give your cake a good, thin layer of frosting. The frosting will help keep the crumbs in (it's sometimes referred to as a crumb coat or crumb later) and will give the fondant something to stick to. You'll want to make sure your frosting is as smooth and even as possible so that any imperfections don't translate into imperfections in your fondant.

5. Filling your cake layers. You can really use any kind of filling. I prefer to just use icing, but you can also use any kind of jam or preserve. If you're going to use something other than frosting, then you'll want to add a step to the filling process. Fill a decorating bag with some frosting, and using a round tip (probably around a #12 or so) pipe an edge of frosting all the way around the edge of your layer of cake. Then fill the inside with your filling. Putting an edge of frosting will help keep the filling in and will help it from squishing out into your layer of frosting that you're going to be putting around the rest of the cake.

6. Choose your weapons of choice. I prefer to use a small straight spatula and a larger bent spatula.

 I like to use the smaller spatula for the initial smoothing and especially for the sides. I find it's easier to work with. I like the larger spatula for smoothing out the top or for a tall cake. There are also angled/pointed spatulas and all sorts of sizes in between.

I also like the large bag and flat tip to help get the frosting onto the cake.

Have you seen those gigantic bags they use on the cake decorating shows? My little 16" bag is about the closest I'll ever get, but it does the job. I fill that baby up and it's so much easier than trying to smooth it on with a spatula.

Once you've covered the side of the cake, use your spatula to remove excess and smooth it around. When smoothing the side of your cake, use your spatula at a 45 degree angle and spin the base/cake, if possible. You'll get a smoother edge by moving the cake instead of the spatula. If too much icing builds up on the spatula, just wipe it off and start again.

7. Ice your cake carefully. Once you get your cake onto your base, plop on some frosting and get to work. But be sure to frost carefully! Don't go sloshing the frosting around every which way. Use your spatula at an angle on the cake - not flat and not perfectly perpendicular either. Once you start moving your frosting in one direction on the cake, follow that direction through until you read the edge of the cake. Once you've moved your spatula off the cake, you can choose a different direction.

8. Use your icing to help even out the cake. If your cake isn't cut/leveled perfectly even, don't worry. You'll just want to add some frosting in some places to give the illusion of evenness. No big deal! If you're going to be covering your cake with fondant, you'll definitely want to make sure your cake is as even as possible.

9. Getting straight corners. This is probably the hardest part of the cake for me. And unfortunately I didn't get any pictures of this process. Basically it's just a lot of back and forth between going around the side and smoothing the top. I could do this part for probably almost an hour. If you're using fondant, don't stress too much about this part. Your fondant is pliable and you can still give it a few smooshes and use a fondant smoother to get the squared corner look.

10. Smoothing out the icing. This is another step that I could spend quite a while doing. You'll need a tall pitcher, cold water, and your spatulas. Cold water from the tap should be fine unless it's summer and/or your water runs warm. If that's the case, just use a few ice cubes or put it in the fridge before you start the frosting process. This process may sound weird, but it really does work, trust me! Unfortunately I was running short on time and didn't get to snap any pictures of this process either, so I'll try and explain it the best I can.

Dip your spatula into the cold water, then tap the excess water off. You don't actually need the water, you just need to make your spatula cold so it will easily glide over the frosting. Holding your spatula at a slight angle (around 45 degrees), run it across the top and sides of the cake. You'll notice that the frosting starts to take on kind of a glazed look. The imperfections are smoothed out with ease. Repeat this process across the whole cake. When the frosting builds up on your spatula, wipe it away with a napkin or on the side of your bowl. Be sure to dip the spatula back into the cold water after every or every other run across the frosting. If you see any beads of water, just gently dab at them with a napkin - don't wipe them if they're on the frosting otherwise you'll have to redo what you just did with your spatula. After this process, you should have a fairly smooth, beautiful cake.

Again, I was running out of time and didn't have time to make it perfect, so ignore the imperfections you see on the side. Also, the camera made them look way worse - you could hardly tell they were there!

Do you have any tips for getting a smooth, beautiful cake? I'd love to hear them!

I'll be doing some decorating tips in the next week or so, so be sure to check back. Also, if you have any questions or want to know how to do something particular, please let me know so I can (hopefully) share with everyone in the upcoming decorating posts!

Dollar Store Storage Bins

I'm in the process of redoing Andyroo's room. He never got a "proper" nursery when he was born, so I'm making up for lost time and giving him a new big boy room. Part of the new room is some cleaner, more efficient toy storage.

One of the things that drives me nuts about his room is the toys! I know I'm not the only mom out there who feels that way about their child(ren)'s toys. When he was younger and had fewer toys, I tried the shoe size (6 quart-ish) plastic bins. They worked, but he eventually got too many toys and the lids didn't fit or they were stepped on and broken. For a while, his favorite thing to do was dump out the little toy boxes. I finally gave up the insanity of separating the toys and just got him one big box.

But when he dumps that out because he's looking for his tiny green army men, I go crazy. I may be the mom, but I do NOT like cleaning up after the other people in this house!

I was considering making some canvas bins, but I'm afraid that they'll just get ruined very quickly - ripped or crushed or whatever. I wanted to do something that would be sturdy, so I was considering using cut up cereal boxes or plastic canvas as inserts in the middle of the canvas to make them stronger. But I kept thinking about how they would get destroyed so easily. So I put off making them for a few months.

Then as I was walking around the dollar store, I found the plastic bins in pink and light blue and my mind immediately went to the spray paint for plastics! So I grabbed 8 of them. There were only 10 on the shelf and while I considered taking all 10, I thought that was a little greedy. Instead I took 8. Hehe.

Krylon makes a great Plastics spray paint in quite a few colors. I found mine at Walmart for around $4, I think. It was windy, I got a little spray happy, and then towards the end the can wouldn't stop spraying. So the can only did the 3 I needed. *Phew* Even so, a total cost of less than $2.50 per bin isn't bad at all.

Only 6 would fit on Andyroo's shelf. Of the 8 I bought, 5 were a light blue and 3 were a bright pink. Since I needed 6, I was going to have to use one of the pink. I decided to use 3 light blue and 3 pink and paint the pink ones a darker shade of blue. I had pictures of the pink bins (so you could see just how pink they were), but they've disappeared somewhere into the abyss of my computer. Oh well. Use your imagination :)

The 2 shades of blue ended up matching the his Thomas the Train comforter (which I found on Clearance at Target - total score!) really well, which made me extra happy. I'm kind of pulling colors from his comforter for the rest of his room. Someday I'll get it finished and let you all see!

Much more tidy, don't you think?

Each bin is used for a different set of toy - potato head, cars, train, etc. Now everything has a place! And Andyroo doesn't have to dump out the whole bin when he wants to find Potato Head's moustache.

I think I want to add some picture labels, but I haven't decided yet. So far Andyroo's pretty good about just looking to see what is in each box. And I still usually have to help supervise clean up anyway, so I just grab a bin and tell him to put all his cars in it.

These have been in Andyroo's room for a little over a month now and they're working really well. The paint isn't peeling or being scratched off (another of my worries) and they're just so darn cute!

I'm also thinking of painting or redoing the book shelf. Any suggestions?

What system do you have to keep the toys from taking over your house?





We're linking up with these super awesome parties:


Whatever Goes Wednesday, Idea Sharing Wednseday, What I Made Wednesday, Creative-ly U, Feature Yourself Friday, Just Something I Whipped Up, Frugal Friday, Lovely Little Linkup, Craftastic Monday, Woot Woot Wednesday, Strut Your Stuff, Our House of Joyful Noise, Get You Craft On, Wow Me Wednesday, Weekend Wander, Turquoise Lovin', Pity Party

Homemade Cleaning Products

One of the small changes I've made over the last year, and even since Andyroo was born, is trying to use fewer chemicals in our house. I'm no expert and I'm not doing this to be considered more green. I just think that all of those harsh chemicals that we inhale and touch cannot be good us or our little ones. Besides being able to breathe easier, it's also cheaper to use homemade products. Even using coupons, I still save even more money by making my own cleaning products - it's seriously SO cheap!

Some of my favorite cleaning ingredients include vinegar and baking soda (not usually mixed together, though).

Why Vinegar?

I know most people tend to think of vinegar as pretty gross smelling, but it has many purposes and uses. It has anti-bacterial properties, deodorizes (the vinegar smell really doesn't stick around, honest), and leaves a great shine (especially on stainless steel) - just to name a few. It can be used in place of fabric softener sheets/liquid. Just add about 1/2 c to your laundry. As an added bonus, it will help brighten your whites and help rid your washer of any built up residue. Have a stinky washing machine? Run an empty load with some extra vinegar to clean it out and get rid of the smell.

Why Baking Soda?
Baking soda isn't just for baking! It's also a great deodorizer. Think of the commercials advertising the baking soda boxes for your fridge - they help absorb the smell! When you mix it with a little water, it creates a great paste which will remove all sorts of grime, scum, hard water, etc. No need to use harsh scouring clearners.

My favorite all-purpose cleaner is made with very simple, household ingredients. I use this to clean everything - the kitchen counters, stovetop, our tile floors, the bathroom counters and mirrors, and even the walls and anything else that I need to clean. It's non-abrasive, so it isn't going to scratch any delicate surfaces and I don't hesitate to spray it on.

All-Purpose Cleaner
1/2 c white vinegar
1 tsp Dawn dish soap
water

Add vinegar and Dawn to an empty spray bottle (about 20-26oz) and then fill with water. Gently shake to mix ingredients. You'll probably see some suds at first, but you won't be spraying suds on everything.

If you're looking for a replacement for your basic anti-bacterial spray and don't want to use vinegar, you can also use the following mixture:

Bleach Spray
1/2 c Bleach
Water

Pour bleach into a spray bottle (about 20-26oz) and then fill the bottle with water.

Here are a few other mixtures that I use...

Window/Glass Cleaner
1 c Rubbing Alcohol (the isopropyl stuff)
1 tbsp white vinegar
water

Mix in a spray bottle and you'll have a streak free shine better than Windex

Furtniture Polish
1 c Olive Oil
1/2 c Lemon Juice (the real stuff, not the extract)

Mix well and apply to a cloth, then rub onto your furniture. Use a dry area of your rag to shine.

There are a lot of recipes for homemade cleaning products out there. What are your favorites? Has anyone tried making their own laundry detergent? It's something I'd like to try but I've been a little hesitant. I'd love to hear about the homemade products you use!!

Tips for Saving Money

Let's face it. We all need to save money. Whether we're saving for a particular item or just need to scale back, it's really never a bad idea to make the most of our money. I've got some tips and tricks that I use to help our little family survive on one lonely little income. I'll be talking more about saving at the grocery store (without coupons) and saving with coupons later this week, so be sure to come back and check it out. Also, please feel free to offer any tips and tricks that you use! I'd love to hear them and I'm sure all of our other readers would too!

1. Track your spending for at least 30 days. This is probably the best tip of all. Get a notebook and write down all your income and expenditures. You'll be very surprised at where your "money leaks" (as I've heard them called) are. The trick to this though is to not modify your spending habits and to habitually write down EVERYTHING. If you modify your habits (meaning if you change how you spend because you're tracking it), it won't be as impactful at the end of the month when you're looking at how much you spend on coffee or diet cokes. The same goes if you're not writing everything down. You can't say, "Oh, it was only $1. It doesn't matter." Really, those dollars and cents add up quickly and they do matter. Once you see how you regularly spend your money, you can create a budget and be more conscious about your day-to-day spending. You'll save money by knowing how you spend your money.
2. Plan and eat your meals at home. This is one of the first things to go when our budget starts to get a little tighter. For me, I CAN cook at home. I know how, I don't mind doing it, I'm just usually too lazy to do it! Especially in the summer. I hate heating the house up and slaving away in the kitchen when it's so hot outside. What can you do to make eating at home more appealing?
1. Plan your meals. You don't have to schedule something specifically for each day (though you can if you want) but at least come up with about 7 meals (depending on how your family utilizes leftovers, you may just need 5 or 6). Write them down so you and the rest of your family can see them. In the morning, pick a meal, pull out anything that needs to defrost, and then you're not dreading the dinner rush.
2. Plan meals that your family will eat. It might be exciting to try new meals, and it's good to do that occasionally, but make most of your weekly/monthly menus with your family favorites.
3. Ask your kiddos/hubby what their favorites are and incorporate them too. Along with that, let them help in the kitchen. They'll be more inclined to eat if they get to help you make it!
4. Don't deprive yourself at home. If you're not eating out, you can still splurge on some goodies to have at home. Instead of going out for ice cream, pick up some at the store. No matter what you get, it will be cheaper than going to Coldstone!
3. Reexamine your phone bill.  Whether you have cell phones or a land line, you can still do this. If you have both, are they both necessary? If you just have cell phones, but you have the bells and whistles (text messaging, smart phones, internet, etc), can you cut back at all? Look at past bills and examine your actual usage. Can you move to a lower plan or eliminate some of the frills? It might be a hard adjustment for a while, but there was life before all of this newfangled technology. Also, remember to look around when your contract is up with your current provider. Do your research to see what other providers are offering. Just because you looked around 2 years ago doesn't mean things haven't changed in the market since then, If you just have a land line, is there anything you can cut? Or, can you combine services (TV, phone, internet) to save money? Don't be afraid to call your provider to ask about bundles, discounts, or about cutting services.
4. Reexamine your cable/satellite bill. This works about the same as your phone bill. Is there a lower package that you can purchase instead? Call and ask for any discounts or take a look at the other providers and see if they have a better option. If you find that you're not watching it or that you always think, "There's nothing to watch on TV," then think about doing away with it altogether. Hubs and I have never had cable or satellite and we don't regret it one bit. What have we done instead? For a while we took advantage of Hollywood Video's $15 a month plan, but when they did away with that, we switched to Netflix. There are so many affordable options available for streaming TV and movies to your TV - Hulu, Netflix, and Blockbuster are the main players. Sure we're usually behind in watching the "it" shows, but we can still rent them. I prefer to watch them on DVD or streaming - no (or very few) commercials and no breaks between episodes. If we want to stay up all night and watch 6 episodes of Lost, we can totally do that!
5. Consider your entertainment. What are the things you do for entertainment? Everyone needs to have some fun and get out, go on dates, etc. But Can you cut back a bit? If you enjoy going to the theater to see a movie, you might consider renting more often. Redbox, Blockbuster Express, and Netflix are all great, affordable options. If you absolutely must see a movie in theater, try to make it to a matinee (usually before 6pm) or don't spring for the 3-D showings. You'll save money on tickets both ways. You also might try cutting back on the snacks at the theater - have you see the prices of popcorn and soda? Insane! Also, check out your local library! We're a small town and have a fairly small library, but they have a pretty decent selection of movies (both adult and kids and not just educational stuff) - for FREE!  The library is also a good source for books. Check the library first instead of going out and buying new books! Look into any free activities that your city or nearby cities offer. Plan those as dates or family outings. Take advantage of discounts that you find!
6. Make sure to pay your bills on time. I know that sometimes it's tempting to just take the late fee (I'm guilty of this one) and wait for the next payday, but you're costing yourself money in the long run. Even if the late fee is just $5 (most are more, nowadays), that will still add up quickly. If you have a hard time remembering which bills are due when, consider using automatic bill pay through your bank.
7. Do some homework before making any big purchases. Everyone thinks about doing this for something like a car, which is very important also, but do this when you're purchasing any appliances, electronics, or furniture. Does one store provide a warranty but another store has a better price? See if the store that offers the warranty will match the price of the other store. Even if you're willing to pay more for quality, do some research and know what it is you're buying. If you're looking at purchasing a laptop, get to know the terminology, the processors, speeds, and all those other things that you're only thinking about when the sales person starts asking you questions.
8. Keep up on the regular maintenance of your car. This will help eliminate the need for some unnecessary and expensive repairs down the road. Change your oil according to your owners manual (in some models it's no longer necessary to go with the 3000/3 month rule). Look into the maintenance packages that are offered for certain mileage (50K, 75K, etc). I don't know much about cars, but I do know that these checkups will help keep your car running for longer!
9. Consider starting a babysitting co-op with your other mommy friends. Instead of paying upwards of $5 an hour for a teenager to come and sit with your kids, see if there are some other moms that would want to swap babysitting. You watch their kids on Friday night while they go out and then they watch your kiddos on Saturday while you enjoy a night with your hubby. You could rotate during the week, every other week, or however often you need to get out of the house. This also doesn't just go for date night. Need to do some grocery shopping without the kiddos? Swap babysitting and let another mommy get out of the house too!
10. Pay Cash/Start Saving for it now. You know that eventually you're going to want/need another or newer car. Start saving now. Want to upgrade your TV or gaming system? Save for it first. Planning a big vacation for next summer? Start planning, saving, and watching for deals now. If you can pay cash, do it. Especially when it comes to big ticket items that you might be tempted to pay for with credit. You'll save so much in interest by paying in cash.
11. Buy Clothing (especially kid stuff) on Clearance. This is one of my favorites. Seriously. If you're really into the really hip and fashionable clothing (the fact that I call it "hip and fashionable" shows that I'm not, lol) then this might not be the tip for you. But right now, I don't really care too much about what brand my son is wearing - as long as he has clothing! Buying Andyroo's clothes when they're on clearance is something I've been doing since he was born - and I've saved soooo much money. This means that you'll have to estimate how big your kiddo will be in a year and watch for the clothing clearance sales. Right now everyone is trying to make room for fall clothing, so they all have all of their summer stuff on clearance. In fact, last week I went over to K-Mart when they had all their clearance an extra 40% off (Old Navy also runs that kind of sale too) and scored everything for Andyroo for next summer for $40. FORTY BUCKS! That's about 9 or 10 outfits, some extra shorts, and a swimming outfit. Pretty much everything Andyroo owns was purchased on clearance. I've found that for where we live (Utah), the best clearance sales are during the spring and fall. So during the late summer and early fall, you'll want to watch for summer/spring stuff to be on clearance, in late winter and early spring, you'll see all the fall/winter stuff on clearance. Like I said, in Utah, even though we have 4 seasons, it's not really necessary to shop for all 4. In spring and summer, Andyroo basically wears the same things. His fall and winter clothes are about the same too. Depending on where you live and what your needs are, you might be shopping on a different schedule.  

Hopefully you've found something in here that will help you save some money. Do you have any other tips to offer? I'm sure we'd all love to hear them!

10 Tips for Baking a Better Cake

I love baking and I especially love making cakes! I'm always fascinated with the cakes that you see on shows like Ace of Cakes or Cake Boss. I'm so sad that they took Cake Boss off of Watch Instantly on Netflix. I didn't care for the drama and yelling, but I LOVED the cakes. I loved the process and the final creation and... just everything.

One of the things that I did to increase my cake decorating skills was to take a Wilton Cake Decorating class. My mom and I took all three courses together. Two hours a week for 12 weeks. I loved spending that time with my mom and having something that we could share together. Plus it was a night out of the house every week! If you're interested in the classes, you can take them at places like Michaels, Hobby Lobby, or Joanns (I think - if you have a bigger Joanns). Also some specialty stores offer the classes too. We took our classes at Michaels mostly because I worked there up until I had Andrew (dream job, right!) and I knew the instructor. I figured if I was going to pay for something, I would help a friend out, right?

But before you can really make awesome cakes like that, you need some fundamentals - you have to start with the basics. And what's more basic than the actual cake itself?! So I thought I'd give you all some tips on making a great cake.

Picture from cakes-you-can-bake.com

1. Cakes from scratch are usually always better, but if you're going to use a mix, use a higher quality mix. My favorite is Duncan Hines but I'll also use Betty Crocker or Pillsbury. Mostly I just stock up when they go on sale! I also HIGHLY recommend my favorite cake recipe in the whole world. It's a box mix with some additives. Best thing in the world!
2. Mix your cake mix VERY WELL. I don't know if you've ever actually read all the directions on the cake mix box, but it tells you to mix the cake mix for around 2 minutes. Do it! It is well worth it. Unlike brownies that you're only supposed to mix until moistened, a cake batter needs the smoothness and the air that it gets from being whipped for so long. And make sure that you're scraping the edge and bottom of the bowl two or three times during that 2 minutes so that everything is mixed evenly.
3. Use good, quality cake pans. And looks for pans that have cornered edges rather than round edges, especially if you're going to be stacking cakes. Rounded edges require more work - having to fill them in and such. Also, heavier pans just last longer and cook your cakes better.
4. Grease and flour your pans EVERY SINGLE TIME! Try and make it fairly smooth, also. Get into all the cracks and crevices of your pan with the shortening, especially if you're using the character-type pans that have lots of bumps in them. You want all of those details to show in your cake. Remember that you're trying to create a good covering on the cake - the crust. You want the cake to come out smoothly, evenly, and with nothing left behind in the pan. The non-stick sprays really aren't the best thing to use. If you want a spray, Wilton (and probably other cake decorating manufacturers) make a spray with the flour already in it.
5. Tap some of the air bubbles out of the batter after you pour it into your pan. If you want a firmer cake, tap out more for longer. If you like the crumblier type cake, then don't tap for so long. I usually just bang mine against the counter. I always feel like I'm going to drop it if I tap the edge of the pan against the edge of the counter, so I always just hold the pan firmly and bang the bottom of the pan against the top of the counter. You should see bubbles in the batter rising and popping when they reach the top.
6. DO NOT OVERBAKE YOUR CAKE! I can't stress that enough. Along with that though, don't underbake it either otherwise it will fall and you'll wind up with a crater in the middle of your cake.
7. Try not to open your oven within the first 20-25 minutes of baking. At at any point during the baking process, do not slam your oven door. Again - you'll wind up with a big gaping crater.
8. The old toothpick or knife trick to test for doneness is not the best way. If your cake is close to be doing done but not quite, then you could actually cause it to fall. That's no good. The best way to test for doneness is to A) look at the color, and B) test the springiness of the cake. To do that, gently touch the top of the cake with your finger. If it doesn't spring right back up, it's not done. Also, the best (and hardest) way is to listen to the cake. If when you push on it, you still hear a crackling or bubbling noise, it's not done yet either. Go for one or two more minutes and check it again.
9. Don't take the cake out of the pan right away. Let it cool for about 10 minutes before removing it from the pan. If you do it too soon, you may crack your crust. Too late and you'll have the same problem. If you wait until your cake and pan are cooled completely, you'll wind up with more craters. Instead of just taking it out, warm your oven up a big again and put the cake back in enough to help release the cake from the pan. What happens if you wait to long is the shortening that you greased your cake with firms up again and causes the cake to stick.
10. If I have time, I always freeze my cakes right away too (after the 10 minute cooling period). Have some plastic wrap ready before you take the cake out of the pan - enough to cover the cake completely. When you take it out, transfer it directly to your cake circle/cardboard and then immediately wrap it in the plastic wrap. Put it in your freezer (this is hard to finagle sometimes) for at least a few hours, preferably overnight. This not only speeds the cooling process, but wrapping it in plastic wrap keeps all that steam in as moisture. It then goes back into your cake to help keep the cake moist. Freezing the cake is also very helpful if you're going to be carving or shaping the cake. It's much easier to cut when frozen.

Do you have any additional words of advice? I'd love to hear them and I'm sure our readers would too!

Craft Organization for the Space-Impaired

Last week I showed you how I solved my space vs. ribbon storage dilemma and I thought this week I would show you my whole craft storage solution.

As I've said before, we live in a small basement apartment and we don't have a lot of storage space. For the last few years, my storage space has looked something like this...

What a mess. And this is in our bedroom!! Not very soothing or welcoming.

Across from our bed we have this awesome, but unsightly, storage space. On the very left (behind the printer) is where I've kept my scrapbook items (most of which are never used). The white drawers were just added around Valentine's Day. They held some of my sewing supplies. The rest of my crafting stuff was stuffed in random bags and shoved wherever it would fit. Pretty horrendous, right?

But not anymore! Here's what I've done to solve my problem!

About a month ago, Staples had a sale on the drawers (the black ones you see pictured), so I picked up 2 more of those. I liked the idea of stacked drawers because I have plenty of space to go up, but no so much to go out. At $10 a piece, they were well worth it!

My plan is to put some vinyl labels on them, but my machine totally screwed up the cutting process and I was out of black vinyl. Then I was out of transfer tape. And so it still hasn't been done.

You've already seen my ribbon storage solution, but here it is again. Simply put, ribbon on dowels in a plastic container.

The scrapbook mess has been eliminated from behind the printer and is accessible now. The paper is in two of the drawers. Another two drawers are filled with fabric. I imagine that one day I'll need to implement a better system, but for a new a couples drawers works for me. Another drawers holds my Silhouette accessories and vinyls. One drawer is dedicated to adhesives and glues and then the rest of the drawers are filled with other sewing notions and supplies.

I found these handy drawer dividers to go in some of the drawers. This particular drawer holds my buttons, sewing notions, and ribbon cuts.

Also in our bedroom is the desk where I keep my Silhouette out and available for easy access. Don't mind the stack of CDs - remember how we're short on space?

Next to the desk is a hanging file holder. I just put this up the other day, so there isn't much in it, but I'm planning to use it for business, primary secretary, and preschool stuff. I'll eventually put on some labels.

Also, I think my favorite part is the caddy. Not only is it pink (which is quickly becoming my favorite color since I'm surrounded by boy stuff), but I can come into my craft storage area, fill up my caddy, and easily take everything I need to my workspace (usually the dining room table). One trip and I have everything I need. No more multiple trips because I can't fit everything in my arms.

So what do you think? Do you have any tips for organizing when you're space-impaired like I am?





We're linking up with these super awesome parties:


Whatever Goes Wednesday, Idea Sharing Wednseday, What I Made Wednesday, Creative-ly U, Feature Yourself Friday, Just Something I Whipped Up, Frugal Friday, DIY Under $5, Lovely Little Linkup, Craftastic Monday, Woot Woot Wednesday, Strut Your Stuff, Our House of Joyful Noise, Get You Craft On, Wow Me Wednesday