Conserving Energy

It is becoming more frequent for me to see posts and articles about conserving energy and or going green. Everyone has their reasons but for me it is keeping the bills down. Spring is here and it is already the temperature is getting into the low 90′s .

With the heat comes water the yard more often and running air conditioning. For us the only air conditioning is a window unit that the previous owner built into the wall of our kitchen but even that does not keep the house cool. We have to use fans to move that cool air around the house. Moving air from the kitchen presents a concern for me when I am doing laundry.

The door from our kitchen to the garage as a cat door in it which is always open so heat comes in through it. Plus the air conditioning unit is on the same wall as the dryer vent which can cause the unit to work harder to produce cool air if the dryer is running.

I went to the Dollar Store by our house to look around. You never know what kind of organization, storage or fun things you are going to find. They had a rope laundry line and the wooden clothes line clips. Eureka!! At home I asked our room mate to install the laundry line for me. He is tall so he could put it up higher for me.

Of course the location that choose makes it a challenge to move the lawns because you have to duck under it. Luckily it is just high enough that I, being the shortest in our house, do not have to duck too much!

This morning I went out to hang the clothes on the line before leaving for work and I learned something else. My sprinklers were running and it reminded me that I have to be sure to remove the clothes before the system turns on or I will end up having to wait for the clothes to re-dry LOL!

Overall I am pleased with the laundry line and our reduction of dryer use! Now time to look into making the house more energy efficient, but that it for another day.

What do you do to be more energy efficient? Do you have any good ideas to share?

Organizing Pre Weekend to Do List

I have been following Simplify 101 for a few months now and I love her weekend to do list posts because they inspire me to make a list and do my best to complete everything on it.

After the busy weekend we had last week and the busy one coming up I thought that I would take her advice and create a pre-weekend to do checklist!

Done

• Mow Lawns – needed to be careful moving because I have some plants that decided to grow in the lawn and I am curious to see what they are.
• Weed the right side of the back yard
• Weed the garden
• Clean up after pets

Still to do

• Weed the left side of the back yard
• Touch up weeding in the front yard
• Zumba
• Succulent Gardens Workshop at Home Depot
• Clean the house – Complete top to bottom cleaning to remove all pet dander and dust
• Change the sheets on the beds
• Laundry

Considering that my goal is to have this all done by tomorrow I am thinking that I will be a very sleepy girl tonight. BUT!!!! It will all be worth it when my Mom arrives tomorrow and we can relax and have fun with no chores waiting for me!!! Most of the projects I have been sharing with you, she has not seen in person so I am excited to get her opinion first hand! Then it is off to the thrift stores we go!

What are you plans? Do you have anything that you need to get done before the weekend? Do you have anything fun and exciting to do this weekend?

Graduation Present Realized

Trying to decide on a personal and special present for my sister-in-law Ellie’s college graduation was difficult. For a week I was excited because I found a beautiful cross stitch pattern that I was going to make and frame for her. After starting it and having to ripe out a lot and start over I realized that I was not going to be able to complete it by Mother’s Day weekend! Eeek!!!

Luckily this dawned on me as I was walking around Joann’s Fabric store shopping for fabric samples for the curtains in the kitchen. So I picked up a couple of towels with the cross stitch design area. My hope was to get at least one completed for her. I plan to cross stitch a design on yellow flowers and lady bugs.Working every evening before the trip and while there I completed the towel. I am very pleased with it! Almost didn’t want to let it go

In Idaho I got the remaining prices of her gift, a yellow towel and a teal towel to match the towel I made and the dish drying mat a got her. It was perfect!!!

Happy Mother’s Day

I wanted to wish all the mother’s, whether you are a pet mom or a mother of children,

We are in Idaho for Ellie’s graduation and celebrating Mother’s Day with Ash’s mom while we are all together. This is the first year that I will be celebrating this holiday with my mother-in-law and I wanted to make her something, so I made her a scarf. I know a scarf sounds a bit odd for this time of the year but they live on an island off the coast of Washington so it is a bit colder there year round.

We sent flowers to my mom for mother’s day since we will not be close enough to spend anytime with you.

I hope that they enjoy their presents and that everyone has a wonderful day!!

Kitchen Update Phase 3: Back Splash Completed

Working on the back splash is making me smile. Seems odd I admit, to be smiling because I am doing work but…. well I am smiling because while creating this I feel more like my mother.

Anyways, last I shared I had completed the painting of the design and the stenciled flowers but there was something missing. I decided add my own grout work.

After selecting another sample color from Home Depot I was ready to start. I took  a sponge for the package in the garage and cut a corner from it, then cut that corner in two because our room mate was helping me with the grouting. Using the sponge we lightly dabbed the paint onto the wall between the squares. We had some of the sponged new color lap over the edges of the squares. I liked the effect so we continued till all the walls were done. The edges of the design is soft and warm. We sealed the walls so that they have a semi gloss sheen which will also make it easier to keep the walls clean. Tada!!!!!

The impression that I get when I look at the kitchen is warm country cottage. I love it!!!!!

For more of where I get my creativity from visit my Mom’s site Design by Cyn

Front Yard Phase 1 Part 2: Continuing to add flowers

The weather has been nice which makes me itch to be outside. I could not resist so I went out into the front yard to plan what I was going to do next. During a recent shopping trip to Costco I found 3 cala lily plants for $6. I was in shock and took them home as fast as I could so no one could tell me it was a mistake. Just the week before I bought one for $6, now I got 3 for that price! All I could do was smile!

In the yard I gathering all the flowers that needed to be planted. Some were from my parents and the rest were the cala lillies. Placing the pots on top of the ground I was able to get a visual idea of how they would look planted. Once I had them in place Ash came out to dig the holes for me. I am not a weak person or against manual labor but these holes were beyond me because the front yard has roots everywhere. I tried to dig holes before and I hit so many roots that I was exhausted by the time I got one hole finished. Sad but true =/ Once all the holes were dug, I planted the flowers and sat back to admire.

The flowers are wonderful and I can’t help but smile when I see them because they brighten the front of the house! But I was not satisfied enough to just sit back and let them grow. When I was looking around on craigslist I found that someone was getting rid of planter edger kits. Luckily I was the first to respond and picked them up earlier in the week.

Our room mate and I sat down in yawn chairs to put the border together. We got one kit all put together and our hands were hurting really bad, so we put the edge in place and got out the bark. I love the contrast of the black bark and the bright flowers!

It is not finished. Obviously I need more bark but the yard is already transforming before my eyes and I am loving it!!! What do you think?

I know it is not the best to show all the work and flowers but I am learning to take better pictures.

For more of where I get my creativity from visit my Mom’s site Design by Cyn

Straight from Mom…..Refinished Card Table

Steven and I have always made all our gifts, whenever possible.  Sometimes it was refurbishing a thrift store find, creating from our ceramic catalog was always on the menu, and my love of cross stitching and crocheting came in handy too.   In the beginning, it was from necessity.  We chose to keep me home with the kids, so we became very creative with the budget we had.  Let me tell you for us, it was also so much more fun and satisfying to create instead of buying retail.

Gosh, it had to be at least 3 years ago I came across a very old card table.  It was in need of some tender loving care and when I saw it I knew my brother would love one.  (He was always borrowing my Moms)  The table was a steal at $10.00 and I knew with some elbow grease and patience it would become a beautiful piece of furniture.

This is the table taken apart.  It originally had felt backed plastic covering the center section of the table.  I removed all of it and found this lovely grained wood underneath!  All it needed was to be sanded and then I could start the design I had in mind.

My brother lives near the south entrance to Yosemite National Park.  It is a beautiful area of California!  When I saw this table I thought of all the huge pinecones which litter the floor of Yosemite and the outer lying areas.  With the wood grain and some patience I intended to burn a pinecone themed design in the middle of the table, then stain and seal.

Thankfully, the wood was soft and the wood burning was all the easier for it.  I was so excited about this and it really did turn out beautiful!  Take a look………..

I am not sure this picture does it justice, too far away to see the design.  My bother opened it up for Christmas and was thrilled!  It is used constantly and he now has his own, so no more borrowing Moms anymore.  For some people, it is hard to see an item in pretty bad shape and formulate a picture in their heads of what it could be transformed into.  As you return to visit Colleen’s blog, you will come to understand what I mean.  It is so much fun to take the ordinary and create the extraordinary!   See you next time………….. Cyn