Canning Peaches

As one of my 30 by 30 goals, I wanted to learn to can peaches.  Earlier this summer, I made a trip to Chilton County aka the Holy Land of peach growing.  I purchased two large baskets of beautiful peaches & made my merry way home.

"The times they are a changin'..."

There's something about the seasons changing that makes me feel the need to declutter.  Now my husband would say it wouldn't take a change of seasons as much as it would a change of underwear.  I.  love. to purge.  I mean- I really love to clean out crap & need no excuse if I'm being honest.  But something about the change in the weather just makes me feel like it's time to change everything around me from my wardrobe to my mindset.

Cleaning Your Top Load Washer

Now that we've talked about how to revive your dingy towels, let's discuss cleaning that nasty ole washer so you can remove any smells from it also.  Obviously you want to give the entire machine a good scrub down.  After that, you want to tackle the drum.  The best way to give it a good clean is to soak the washer in hot water & bleach.

Renew Your Towels

I've recently noticed our towels have had that funky, soured smell.  (Gross)  Even after ensuring we hang them up properly & wash them with fabric softener for added freshness, they still have been coming out smelling less than fresh.  I tried cleaning the washer but nothing was working.  I took to the internet again & found some helpful tips on how to breathe new life into my grungy towels.  I tried this on one set of foul smelling items & was blown away at how effective it was.  Not only did it make my towels smell fresher but they were brighter & fluffier!  Give it a try to refresh your towels!

DIY Antiqued Mercury Glass

One of my favorite blogs, 17 Apart, posted this tutorial for creating your own antiqued mercury glass.  I loved the idea of this & after purchasing a lamp from T.J. Maxx with a similar finish I decided to attempt it myself.  I had two Crate & Barrel vases that I purchased a few years ago.  Both were grey & had different finishes.  In order to make these two fit in with the rest of the decor I decided to give this tutorial a try.  

Soda Bottle Seed Starters

 I found a few packets of seeds stowed away in my office closet the other day (why?) & realized I needed to boogie to get them started.  Considering I have exhausted every pot & usable square inch of soil, I had to get crafty.  To the recycling bin I go!

DIY Acne Fighting Toner

I'm always looking for natural but inexpensive beauty products, especially ones that I can easily make at home.  I absolutely love LUSH products for their nautral ingredients.  But let's be honest, their prices are pretty steep & they're not (sadly) readily available in Alabama.  Some of my favorite LUSH products include their toner waters, specifically Breath of Fresh Air & Tea Tree Water.  If you look at the ingredients, these don't seem that hard to make at home.

Office Reno: Part 2

Last we left off, we had covered the process I used to revamp my vanity.  Today's post will show how I remade the bookcase. 

Office Reno: Part 1

Recently I acquired a nesting bug- commonplace around our house once the weather turns frosty.  As a result, I decided that the extra bedroom needed a revamp. 

DIY Etched Glass

As a result of my first Saturday off work (yay!), I thought I'd spend some time with my sweet husband.  Instead he had plans to scream at the tv for four hours during the Ironbowl... Plan B was to enjoy the sunshine we've had so little of recently. 

DIY Fire Pit for $50!

I love fall more than anything.  The crisp air, the changing of the leaves, the feel of fresh pumpkin goo in my palm- well ok, I'm sure you were on board until that last one. 

Homemade Stevia Extract

I have this fantasy of using exclusively all natural products in every facet of my life and eliminating those nasty harsh chemicals and preservatives from my cleaning products, food, makeup, etc.  It's so trendy these days to eat organic and go all natur-al, but quite honestly I'm just really freaked out by all the chemicals that are so prevalent in our lives.