7/12/11

Good morning, all! Wow, I didn't realize how long it'd been since I've been on here, so it's probably a good thing that I ran across a great money saving tip yesterday.

So, I found myself in an annoying spot while I was cleaning my house yesterday. I usually use one of that plastic handle things that has the flushable scrubbing pad. Well, of course, when I went to reach for a pad from under the sink, guess what? They were all gone! Great! I had no idea what I was going to do. But, then I remembered that I always keep my sponges when they're too yucko to wash our dishes with. So, I improvised!

I cut the sponge into fourths, popped it into the little blue part on the head of the handle, got my trusty old toilet bowl cleanser out, and scrubbed away. It worked like a charm! And he best part about it, it worked BETTER than the usual cleaning pad in less time! It also seems to be staying clean longer than with the stuff made by the company that makes this product. So here's what I got:

AND:

 Put em all together, and you've got the best toiler cleaner you've used in years! FYI: If you don't want to throw the sponges away, simply throw them in the dishwasher or washing machine, and you'll be able to reuse them!

6/26/11

    Merry Sunday, everyone! I hope you all are having a superb weekend! The weekend in my house means laundry day, and I have to confess our family is hard on clothes! So, I've become quite good at getting stains out. So much so that my hubs calls me the queen of stains, and my daughter calls me Wonder Woman. There isn't a stain out there that scares me!



    So, here's a trick I thought up yesterday. My husband had this HUGE dark looking circle of who knows what on an AWESOME new t shirt that I'd gotten him. Shout hadn't worked very well before, not that it usually does on stubborn stains, so I had to come up with something else. I looked at the stain, and saw that it looked like a food grease stain or something like that. Then, I saw the KA-BOOM sitting on the shelf. AHA, "I yelled,"! (Yes, I actually yelled, AHA!) and I sprayed the heck out of that spot! Do you know what happened next? I had to put it in the dryer to see if the stain had come out. It's a dark green shirt, and the stain area was hard to see when wet. THEN, I put it in the dryer. When I pulled it out of the dryer, THE STAIN WAS GONE! Whoopee! So, the moral of this long and drawn out tip is to use a kitchen degreasing cleaner on stubborn grease-like stains. I will warn you, as every cleaning product does, to test it on part of your clothes to make sure it doesn't ruin anything. I just took a chance cause it had already been washed and dried several times, to that stain was set in anyway. Good luck!

6/18/11

Woo hoo! It's definitely summer here in AZ!!! That's why I like to keeps lot of water, iced tea, ice cream, and popsicles on hand. I like to make my own out of the plastic mold you can by at the store. 
One of my favorite ways to make them is out of juice that's been in the fridge a while. I have never figured out what can be used for what period of time after the sell by date. So, if there's ever any fruit juice in the fridge that no one seems to be drinking, I just pour it in the popsicle mold and pop it in the freezer. I'm currently waiting for my mango lemonade popsicles to freeze!

6/12/11

WOW! How did Sunday come so fast??? My list of chores and home improvements isn't nearly finished. It seems like the list is too long and the days are too short! Did you get all of your chores done?

If your home improvement includes painting, here's a little trick I read about:

 
Summer means flying insects that are attracted to A/C and weird smells. To keep bugs from sticking to wet pain, add vanilla to your paint. You can also use Citronella oil, but I haven't been able to find it. Now you can re-paint that fence in your yard without all the little gnat bodies left over!

6/11/11

Merry Saturday, everyone! I hope everyone had a great week and is ready to have an even better weekend. 
Since summer is upon us, especially here in Phoenix, don't forget to do some important things everyday!
#1 Drink LOTS of water. Sure, an ice cold soda on a very hot day is great, but water is SO important to keep you're body looking and feeling hydrated.
#2 Wear sunBLOCK! Sunscreen is great, but there is a difference. Hence, the different names. Make sure you put it on at least 15 minutes BEFORE you go outside or get in the pool. And, make sure you reapply according to the SPF on the bottle. Some people may not know that the SPF number is how many minutes the lotion works.
#3 Take care of your hair, too. There are a number of ways to protect your hair from sun and chlorine damage. You can wet your hair with regular water and that should keep the chlorine from soaking in too fast. You can also spray a leave in conditioner and comb it through your hair. And it's important to also rinse your hair after you leave the pool. That should help get the chlorine out. 
#4 Pay close attention to kids and pets, since they're probably not sure what cues to listen to with their bodies. Well....and pets can't talk. Little kids especially will keep playing until they drop. Hats and sunglasses are a great way to protect the kiddos.
WOW....that's the longest blog yet. I hope the truly simple tips help you all have a safe and fun summer!

6/9/11

I don't know about you, but I love to give gifts that I make myself. There's just something about presenting someone with something that you put your time and thought into.

Here's a super easy way to make home made soap.

Gather any pieces from bars of soap. Tie them lightly in a piece of soft flannel, and dip into boiling water until soft. Place the flannel into cold water until it's firm. After removing the flannel, a good ball of soap is ready to use!

5/8/11

Happy Hump Day!!! YES! Another weekend us almost upon us. Here's a sweet treat that's been a favorite of mine since I was a little girl. I have MANY memories of  visiting family and being so excited to eat the "Red Applesauce." It was a summer staple for me, so now I'm making it for my daughter. It's also super easy to make, so the littlest cook can help!

"RED HOT APPLESAUCE"

It's SO easy. Buy a plain jar of applesauce, no cinnamon flavor. Buy red hots, not Hot Tamales, red hots. Put the red hots in the jar. There's no specific amount, it just depends on how much you like red hots. Put in the fridge over night before eating. ENJOY!

6/5/11

Hello my Loverlies! Sorry it's been a few days since I last left a post. It's been a crazy week in our household.

Today's tip is just a way I like to save a little money.

I absolutely ADORE the Mrs. Meyer's hand soaps and cleaning products, but can't always find it. Or, when I do find it, it's not cheap by any means. So, I went onto the website and discovered that not only was it MUCH cheaper to buy from them than from a store, but they also offer free shipping! That got me thinking, are there any other "MUST HAVES" that this will work for??? Sure enough, 75% of the websites I went to offer free shipping. Hey, they're probably hurting by this economy, too! So, to be thrifty, cut out the middle man and buy straight from the company! Happy internet shopping!!

5/31/11

Did you know.....

That you can use Pine Sol as a stain remover on clothes? Yep, read the label on the back. It works really well, too!!! Just follow the instructions, and you'll not only have clean floors, but stain free clothes as well!

Have a great day all!

5/30/11

Don't forget to wear your sun block if you're outside today! Especially my Arizona Loverlies!!!!
Also, take time out to remember those who have fallen in service of our country, and those who continue to protect and serve. Have a fun and safe Memorial Day!

5/28/11

Off to my first show! Wish me luck!!!

5/27/11

Freaky Friday!!! Hey all, hope you have some great things planned for the LONG weekend! I know I'm ready for Monday! It's gonna be a busy weekend for me, and I'm gonna be ready to lay by the pool and tan, tan, tan! Wearing sun block, of course! Here's a tip to get those legs smooth and silky by the poolside!

Anytime you shave, it's best to let your legs get used to the water temp, so shave towards the end of you bath or shower. To get maximum razor results, you MUST exfoliate. I've tried several methods of exfoliation. (I can't STAND stubbly legs!) And the one I've found that works the best is a fingernail brush. I know, OUCH! It doesn't feel the best, but get it good and wet before you use it. That will soften the bristles. And you don't have to scrub really hard, like with your nails. Just nice, soft, circular motions will do. It will helps get rid of the dead skin and loosen up any ingrown hairs. I would also recommend a lotion based shaving cream, or even just lotion. Just make sure you rinse your razor often, or it can get clogged!

5/26/11

Got a head ache, stomach ache, or colicy baby?! Here's a great tip for you!

Boil fresh mint in water. Don't worry, it's supposed to look like green jello! Put it in the the fridge, in a quart jar, aka mason jar. If you want to dilute it, just add water.

NOTE: When giving to babies for colic or gas, add a little sugar and warm in a bottle. 

5/24/11

Okay...so here's another food tip for you. Seems like a no brainer, but I didn't learn this til last night.

If you really want a really juicy steak, season the HECK out of the outside, sear on both sides on high heat on your grill, then lower heat to medium and cook til desired doneness. If "doneness" isn't a word, I just made it up...call the dictionary people!

Anyway, had one tender and juicy steak last night, even my 3 year old said, "I like when my meat is juicy!" Smart kid!

5/23/11

Sorry it's been a few days since I've left a tip. I caught a nasty cold and can't seem to think of loverly tips for the masses.

I just wanted to share a comfort food recipe that I make when I'm not feeling very well. I make some white rice, usually the prepackaged kind that you just toss in the microwave for 90 seconds. Then I put it in a bowl with some butter and some coconut milk. "Silk" makes vanilla coconut milk in the dairy section. It's almost like rice pudding, but yummier. 

Oh, and you can add cinnamon, too!

5/20/11

Happy Friday, my loverlies!!! Today's tip isn't going to be like the others. Today's tip is more to help you expand your horizons. Let me tell where I'm coming from here.

As I was standing in HTC, my piercing shop, and talking to Marylin (who is an exceptionally superb individual) about how people seem to stay withing their comfort zones and personal boundaries, it got me thinking. How can I expand MY own horizons and breach my zones o comfort? So, here it is....

No matter where you live, AZ, IA, NY, Iceland, drive to a different part of town that is not known by you. Check out the shops in the neighborhood, talk to some who doesn't look like you, or might not even be in the same political class (gasp!) as you. Meet some new people. Who knows. You may meet your future business partner, or a great baby sitter. And you better hurry, with judgement day being tomorrow and all!!!

5/19/11

Hello everyone! I hope you all are having a wonderful day. 

With recycling becoming more important then ever, I thought I'd share a fun project that my daughter and I will be doing this weekend.

About a week ago, my daughter was playing with her 12 pack of play dough, and we discovered that all the colors, but one, had dried out since the last time she played with it. So, I proceeded to throw everything away, dough in the trash, containers in the recycle bin. Then I had a fun and wonderful idea. Why not revitalize those yellow plastic cups by making them into an indoor garden???

I saved the cardboard holder, and washed out each cup. Then, we'll put soil into each cup and decide what seeds we want to buy. I do also plan on using the lids to add a little color to the garden. I'm going to cut the center out, and slide it down on the cup. Also, I protected the cardboard with a glue....any sealant will do. 

I will post pics when it's all done. I hope this has given you ideas about what you can turn into a fun, indoor garden!

5/18/11

I want to say Happy birthday to my sister!!!!

Okay, back to the tip...I went through a phase of buying the "glade" candles from the store, and then found myself saving the holders with the unused wax. So, there I was with tons of the holders with unusable wax, taking up space in my pantry. I, of course, couldn't just throw them away. What a waste! Finally, I had an idea of what to do with them.

I turned my oven onto 350 degrees, placed about 6 on the candle holders onto an old cookie sheet, and put them into the oven. (use a cookie sheet you don't plan on cooking with again) After about 10 min, the wax should be melted enough to pour out. I poured it right in the trash, but you can use an old can or something else. Be careful not to pick up the holders without pot holders. Yes, I did that and OUCH!!! Before the holder cools off, take a dry paper towel and wipe the inside out so you can get as much of the wax out as possible. 

Now, they won't get clean enough to drink out of or anything, but now you have perfectly good candle holders that you can decorate and give as gifts. Or keep them around the house with water and a few drops of you favorite scented oil! 

5/17/11

Good morrow! Sorry I missed yesterday....I was under the weather.

Anyhow! Here's a cooking tip for all you loverlies. If you want any easier way to control those potatoes while baking them in the oven, this tip is for you.

Put the potatoes in your muffin pan. That way you only have to reach into the oven once to grab those tater when they're done! You can also use it for bake apples and stuffed peppers. And, it leaves room for you cook other things at the same time.

5/15/11

Sorry there was no tip yesterday. I had my first public outing! It was a local neighborhood block garage sale. I had such a great time meeting people, and explaining what Be Loverly is all about. It was a great time!!!

Anyway....here's a fun, playful tip since I missed yesterday. I saw this on a science type website with my daughter, and we both thought it looked REALLY cool! If you have outdated milk, not stink but just a few days over that you won't drink, here's a funky way to use it and have a little bit of fun.

Pour some milk in a small paper plate, I'm sure any plate with sides will work. Grab a few different colors of food coloring. Place a few dots of each color in the center of the milk, I don't think you can use too much. Once that's done, put 1 or 2 drops of dish soap in the center of the food coloring. Then, watch what happens!!!! You can keep adding dish soap wherever the color pools to create some awesome affects! It will make you feel like a mad scientist! Bwah ha ha ha ha!!!!!

5/13/11

5/12/11

Well folks, it's that time of year again. No, I don't mean summer, well I DO mean summer, but that's not what I'm writing about. What I'm talking about are the B-U-G-S!!! Time for those skeeters and other pesky insects to start taking bites out of your skin. You have bug repellent, you say? Sure, it works okay, but it stinks, is sticky, and if you get too crazy with the spraying, it will end up in your eyes, hair, and mouth. ICK!

Well, I've found a solution. Apply undiluted, white vinegar  directly to your skin with a cotton ball. Yes, you read that right....white vinegar!!!! The smell goes away as soon as it touches your skin, and the bugs HATE the way you taste!

5/11/11

Hot fun in the summertime means shorts, skirts, and swim suits. It also means staying caught up on shaving your legs. And I don't know about you, but I HATE forking over $20 for 3 blades. Here's a way to keep those razors nice and sharp.

First, keep the razor away from the running water will help immensely! Next, wipe the blades down with rubbing alcohol. It helps take all the shaving gel/soap residue off of the razor blades. This should extend the life of you razor more than twice over! You know when your razor is dull, so keep an eye on it. With the different types of water, shaving products, and skin types, there's no exact time frame on when to change your razor. 

Have a great humpday!!!

5/10/11

Is it Tuesday? The app on my phone tells me it is. Hope everyone's week has started of great! Here's today's tip, that is friendly both towards you and the environment.

For those of you that have stainless steel appliances, and hate the toxins in the cleansers, try this (on a small portion of what you're cleaning, of course). Take a clean piece of cloth that's damp and dip it into diluted white vinegar or olive oil. For smaller surfaces, like a sink, Dump some club soda on a damp cloth and wipe away the grime! No matter which one you use, you'll have to wipe it down with a clean clothe afterwards. Happy cleaning!!!

5/9/11

Monday, Monday....so good to me! Hello everyone! Hope you all had a great weekend and are refreshed for the week. If you need a little pick me up, I suggest you use the "duct tape" of  the medicine world....Epsom Salt. 

I highly recommend that everyone have at least one carton of Epsom Salt in their house. There are SO many uses for it, that I don't have time to list them all. The one thing I use it for is bath time. If you add some of the Epsom Salts to your bath, it relieves anything from achy muscles to helping removes toxins from your body to relieving stress. The slats added to you bath enter your skin through reverse osmosis, and absorbs through the pores in your skin. For the many other uses, Google them and see the ginormous list of uses.

Have a great day!

Happy Mother's Day

This is a poem I wrote 14 years ago for my mother. I still mean it today, if not more.

         "The sun shines when I see you. You are my shelter from the storm, my water when dry. I can come to my shelter day or night, no matter the time. No matter how many rocks I throw, the windows won't break. The strength in my weakness will never fail, how powerful the hurt may be. Sometimes, I take advantage of the rainfall, just soak it up in my cracked desert. No thanks or praise. Yet, the rain keeps falling until I am full."

(This is a picture of me with my daughter. My heart beat full for the first time when she came into my life.)

5/7/11

Happy Saturday, all! Mother's day is tomorrow. Have you gotten mommy a gift yet? If you're trying to pinch the pennies, here's a a gift that won't cost too much. Did you see the tip about the scented oil? Did you follow said tip?

Well, if you have some that is skin friendly, mix some of that with olive oil. (Yes, olive oil!) If you go to a craft store, they have empty bottles with droppers. Mix the two oils together, decorate the bottle. Now you have a scented bath solution to give mom so she can have a relaxing, yet useful bath. The olive oil will make soap lather better and keep the skin from getting rough. Remember, a little bit of that scent goes a LONG way. Have fun.

5/6/11

Yay!! Summer, summer, summer time is here. Break out the sandals and the flip flops! What is that you say? You need to go buy new flip flops because the one's you have are SUPER dirty and turn your feet black? Not this year! Instead throwing away those rubber thongs, just give 'em a good washing.

Throw them in a lingerie back, with the bottoms facing out, and toss them into the washing machine. I would definitely recommend washing them in cold water, but if you feel adventurous, try warm water. My mom even washed ones with baubles on them, and they stayed on. Now if you want to go buy more flip flops, you can splurge and buy the expensive ones since they're no longer so 'disposable'!!

Thanks to my mother, Gretchen Irmen for being my tester on this one.

5/5/11

Happy Cinco De Mayo, everyone! In keeping up with our cake tip from yesterday, here's one for the best part, the frosting!!!!
Frosting SHOULD be the best part of the cake, but when you need to use black frosting, you cringe thinking about the taste. Well, not anymore. The solution is simple, chocolate frosting! All you need is some blue food coloring, and Voila!, black frosting! Now you can eat it all up, frosting and all!

5/4/11

As an AVID recycler, I'm always looking for ways to reuse things. Here's a GREAT one. Instead of throwing that circular piece of cardboard that comes with frozen pizzas, save them, wipe them down, and cover with foil. Then, use them as round cake platters instead of trekking your coveted one around with you! That way, when finished, you can recover OR throw in the recycle bin.

Since cakes are the new knitting, I have a feeling a few you will you this one. Happy baking!!!

5/3/11

HOORAY!!! It's almost sweet corn time! BOO that I'm in AZ and can't eat corn anyway. But, for those of you lucky one's that can eat it, but want it off the cob, here's a little trick for you.

Grab an Angel Food cake pan, put the corn in the center, and cut the kernels off, cooked of course. That way, the corn will fall into the pan, and it will be easy to gather. You could even leave in there and make casseroles or home made corn bread. It's because I love all of you that I'm sharing this secret because I'm EXTREMELY jealous that I can't eat it. ENJOY!

5/2/11

Since I'm feeling a little yucky today, I wanted to share something a dear friend of mine told me about. If you want something warm and comforting to drink, but want to try something other than tea or coffee, try ginger/cinnamon tea.

Here's how it works. Get a large sauce pan, about 4 quarts depending on how much you want. Peel a FRESH piece of ginger, about 3/4' to 1" long. Put it in the boiling water with a few cinnamon sticks for flavor, and let it boil. I usually let it boil for about an hour, but you can leave it simmering for quite a long time. Plus, we all know that ginger has a multitude of uses. It helps nausea, headaches, inflammation....the list goes on.

***Joy Schneider is to thank for the tip. If you have anything to add, Joyful, please do!!!***

5/1/11

Happy May Day!!! And May means spring. And spring means spring cleaning. And spring cleaning means garbage. And garbage means yucky, stinky garbage cans. (Get to the point already! I know) When the hot weather arrives, so does the warm, yucky, icky, garbage which usually attracts flies and other buzzing buggies.

Try this. Next time you clean your cans (the garbage kind), toss a handful of dry laundry detergent in them. It will repel those annoying insects. Don't use dry detergent? Go to the dollar store and get el cheapo brand. $1 is a wise investment if it means not having to play lord of the flies when you want to take the garbage out!

4/30/11 part 2

Okay....so now that have you scented oil of choice, what do you do with it? There are several things you can do with it. I like to get an old, small sauce pan, fill it with water, and add a few drops of the oil. Turn the heat up so it will boil, and the scent will fill your kitchen. Just don't forget that the water is on the stove cause it will evaporate quickly. You can also get a small votive holder and put a few drops in the there. That method doesn't work as fast as the water, but it will leave a soft scent as long as it's there. There are many other ways to use the oil, if you come up with any, post it on here.

Now you can actually stop and smell the roses, or lilacs, or jasmine....

4/30/11 part 1

Love aromatherapy, but hate the price of some of the fancy oils??? Here's a little secret....go to your local craft store, i.e. Michael's, Hobby Lobby, etc, and go to their candle making section. They have TONS of different scents for you to choose from! You can buy 3 or 4 for the same price as a boutique bottle!

4/28/11

Okay....so you've all heard about pouring juice or Kool-Aid into the reuasable, popsicle makers. Well, use that same idea and pour chocolate milk into them. I personally use chocolate almond milk or chocolate coconut milk. And with the flavored alternative milks, you don't even need to add the chocolate. My daughter can't get enough of them. (And they're not to bad for the big people in the house, either!)

4/26/11

Do you love waffles? Do you not eat waffles cause they're not healthy? Well, you're gonna love this! 2 chocolate chip Eggo waffles only have 110 calories and 7 grams of fat. The unhealthy part is, of course, the syrup. So, lately, I've been putting different things on my waffles. Some days peanut butter, or just plain heart healthy butter, or cinnamon and sugar. Even jelly would be good. Just remember to use the correct serving size so it stays "healthy".

     So next time you wanna scream leggo my Eggo, pop 2 in the toaster, and put something body friendly on top. The best part of the chocolate chip waffles is that they smell like cake while they're toasting!

4/25/11

Tired of having that ugly dish soap bottle clutter up your sink area, or sick of bending down every time you want to do the dishes? I have a solution for you. Get creative with how you store your soap.

     I use an olive oil container. The stylish glass is much prettier than that see through plastic, and the slow pour nozzle let's me get just enough soap on the sponge or to 'sprinkle' on the dirty pots and pans. Brava!!!

4/24/11

It's Sunday, so tips are gonna be a little different. I'm gonna give ya'll something fun to do, and I wanna hear, or see, how it went. And they won't take a long time, so I know you'll find a way to do it.

Today: Grab a camera, any camera. Be it, digital, your cell phone, a disposable, fancy schmancy....whatever. Go and document spring, where you live, as of today! Unless there's a tornado coming your way, then take a pic of how you're spending your time indoors. Now...GO my loverlies, and don't forget to post your pics!

4/23/11

Want to make the yummiest mashed potatoes you'll ever taste? Use evaporated milk instead of water or milk. You'll find yourself using less butter and salt, and since evaporated milk has a long shelf life, it's easy to keep it on hand! (I have at least 3 cans on hand at all times.)

       Trust me, you'll have everyone who tastes them saying they're better than their mom's! Enjoy!

And as my loverly, Paula pointed out, boil the potatoes in chicken broth, not water. Thanks for the reminder, Paula!

4/22/11

Hippity hoppity, Easter's on it's way. And along with Easter comes a lot of garbage that isn't exactly Earth friendly. Instead of buying the plastic grass that you stuff into your Easter baskets, try this. Get some paper that you need to recycle, dye it green, or whatever color you like. Let it completely dry, and then shred. Not only is it better for the environment, but you won't be picking up those little plastic strands of grass for weeks after Easter! 

     Thanks to my loverly, Jennifer Elliott for this great idea for a tip. If you have a tip you'd like to share, shoot me a message and I'll put it on my page.

4/21/11

Okay, this one I am "borrowing" from my mom, and many of you may already know this.

      If you're ever in need of a quick dust, and don't have the dusting spray and rag handy, grab a used dryer sheet from the pile of clothes you're folding, and wipe that dust away! It works in a pinch in case you're having guests and you don't have time to do a thorough dusting job. Of course, when you have time, you may want to dust the old fashioned way, but this definitely works in a pinch!

4/20/11

Do you have fruit in the fridge that is gonna go bad in a few days? If you're like me, you hate to waste the fruit, but can't eat it once it get's to a certain point of "mushiness". When that happens, I cut up the fruit, place it in a sandwich bag, and pop it in the freezer. Then, when I need ice cubes, I use the fruit cubes instead. It helps to sweeten tea, or add a different flavor to juice, or even make a fruit flavored soda drink when put into soda water. It's also a great way to add some more vitamins to your daily diet.

       So, next time those berries, melons, or grapes start to go bad, pop 'em in the freezer. FYI, frozen grapes make a great snack when the temp rises!

4/19/11

Are you like me in the fact that you can't stand the fact that you can't pump the last little bit of lotion out of the bottle? Well, if you are, you know that stacking the bottles end to end doesn't always get the lotion into the newer bottle. So....you may have a cabinet full of lotion bottles that 98% empty. You know you're never going to take the time to pound the remainder of the lotion out into your palm....you know it and I know it. So...what to do?

         After several threats from my husband that he was just going to throw them away (I am an AVID recycler!) I started to wash the bottles, and the unused wasted lotion, down the bathtub drain. Then, an epiphany! Mixing warm water in the bottle makes for a great addition to those relaxing baths, or great to squirt on a pumice stone before you scrape your feet, or even great to shave with. So, go, get rid of those "empty" lotion bottles!