The Funkey Smell

When I got up today and the kids went skating I noticed a strange smell from one of the room. Moms you know that smell of an upset tummy but no little one hiding in the room. I just got some Melanuca products and thought I would try them out as I searched for the smell. I tried the glass cleaner because I like immediate feedback and wow my windows were cleaner and no chemical smell. I then polished the furniture and while it cleaned and polished I could not get rid of the smell. There were spots on the walls from little fingers so I used the general cleaner and that worked but the smell was still in the room. I took out the disinfectant and sprayed the room and then vacuumed. Smell was less but still there. Short of cleaning the rug I could not find it. And yes, I did sniff on all fours. Room was clean but where was it from….


I decided to trim the dead leaves from my rubber plant. I needed to do that and just reshape it a little. Boy was that smell stronger. I checked around the pot and looked inside. It seemed my little ones had over watered the pot and by rubber plant had this RED algae growing in the excess water. Anyway, I sniffed and sure enough that was the source of the stink. Outside went the plant (we are warm enough now for it to stay near the house) and outside went all the water containers. I cleaned them with vinegar and doused them with my new disinfectant. Smell is now gone.

So my lesson is don’t blame the little ones even though all signs point to them. I was so sure one of mine had had an accident of some type and did not want to tell Mommy about the mess. But no it was a simple overwatering of a plant. I really think Dad did it but do not tell him I said that. Well my new products work like a charm. The front room is clean and now I am going to clean my whole house. The products don’t make my hands feel like they were in chemicals but do make the house look and feel cleaner. The jury is still out but so far I am happy with them. DM me for more info on them but check your plants for too much water.

Hmm I guess I should repot my rubber plant???

Clutter and More Clutter

I love to store things and since I have a green home, I do not like to use plastic.  I found these on-line and love them.  I took some old sheets and cut out some liners for them.  I like to attach them with this Velcro washable tape Velcro Brand Fabric Fusion Tape 3/4"X5' White 91029  That way, when the liner gets soiled, I can stick it in the washer.  I always liked the lined baskets but could never get the liner out and washed and then back in.  This velcro was the solution.

I store my sweaters in them with some cedar planks Kingsford KWP10 Cedar Planks.  That keeps the moths away and does not use harmful chemicals.  In the winter I switch and put my polo's in them. 

Clean winter boots go in the big one.  They are safe and out of mind.  Labels on the outside help keep me organized. I use some pretty ones made for the garden and I plant them down the front side.  I write in calligraphy and that makes even the most mundane item look nice.

I found a great tip for getting rid of old cloths.  I stick a clothespin on ever item.  Then I give it the season.  If I only gave it a month or two, I could talk my way into keeping the item.  When I wear an item, the pin comes off.  Anything that still has a pin at the end of the season gets put into a basket for donation or gets thrown in the rag box.

DONATION HINT.  Keep a writing tablet in the box with a pen or pencil attached by a cord in the basket.  When you put something in write it.  Check out the donation value at these sites Salvation Army  or Good Will and write down the value of each item.  With the proper receipt you can get a deduction.

Spring Cleaning 101

Its spring and its time for the yearly clean up and spruce up of the house. Get out the old jeans tea shirt and tie your hair back. Find a big basket to hold your tools and cloves. Tackle one room at a time top to bottom. That way if your like me doing this as awe watch the kids feed the dog etc we will have at least one room clean.


Kitchen

Into the basket goes, a botanical germ killer, cloth wipes, sponges, glass cleaner, duster, vacuum (little one), all purpose cleaner. I love the MelaMagic and Tough & Tender but there are many other great products out there.  See link for ideas.  Contact me if you want more info on what I use.

Climb on the couter top and with the little vacuum, vacuum all the tops of the cabinets. I line the tops of my cabinets with newspaper. I change it every year and use the old one to stop weeds in the garden. Put fresh paper. Take down the décor and wash it . Wash down the cabinets. Look inside the cabinets and take out all the stuff you never use. Do you need to save it ? Yes wash and put back. No, then pack for a donation or to sell.

While up there clean the windows and the exhaust fan and hood.

Take a break and have a cup of tea as you look out your clean windows.

Check the cupboard for expired packages of dried food. What you can compost do. All else throw out. When in doubt throw it out. Organize your cupboard. What treasures have you found? While you are doing this spritze the inside of the stove with water and backing soda. This natural cleaner will clean without the smell.

Clean the counters and all the storage areas. Clean the fridge inside and out. Clean the coils and underside as best you can.

Now finish up by chasing all the little ones and pets out and cleaning the floor.

Now how many rooms do you have???

Email Woes

The change of an email address is no easy task. Unfortunately, you use your email to access all sorts of websites and accounts. It is not a simple thing to change once you change a provider. Now that I think of it I should have gotten one of the free emails not tied to a provider and had all my accounts registered to it. I fear not being able to change it latter or worse having them bounce me out for an invalid email.


I just created my Amazone associate link and now find that I must change a provider. Not to change would cost me $100’s of dollars and right now things being what they are we must watch every penny.

From a marketing point of view I want users with valid emails. From a customer point of view I want to be able to change my email and transfer my history and info to another username if needed.

What do you think about this? Please comment and let me know.

Take time to recharge

Can you believe it? We are already at St. Patty’s day this year. Time is sure moving fast and we need to catch up. So what have you done for yourself today? As a Mommy, I always do stuff for the little ones the school, work, my hubby and the dog and never get to me. But we need to take care of ourselves or we cannot take care of our families.

If you enjoy working in the garden then that’s a great release. It has to be done and yet it can be your escape. You can still watch the little ones play while you tend to the garden and slip into the world of nature. Smell the soil, work the earth, smell the plants, see the butterflies.

If you like horses, then steal away and mount up. The weather is bright and crisp, a good day to steal an hour for a good ride. It is expensive but it sure beats paying a shrink. At least a horse is my therapy when I can get away for a bit.

If cooking is your passion, then make a meal or a cake for no reason that the love of the art. If we put off for tomorrow then it may never come. Make the meal for yourself for your family. Make the special cupcakes your daughter likes with the sparkles just because you have fun making it. Or make the cookies the boys like because they are so fancy when Mom makes them and you love to escape in the process.

If you are like my girlfriend, she looks at my Arbonne webpage and orders some Spa things to escape for an hour and be spoiled. Her husband even calls and asks me to send some of her favorite stuff just because he knows she needs a bit of down time. And yes by the end of the bath, her littlest one plunges in to take advantage of the bubbles. But by then Mommy has had at least some time to recharge.

Now once you are recharged lets talk about spring cleaning. That’s my next blog. I am going to help you be organized, ready and able to take on the world. Follow me to a better you, more informed and happier.

Egg Shell Gardening

Why should I even bother to plant in an egg shell? The answer is quite simple:

1. it is a cheap pot and very good for the soil. You can have pots that go right in the soil lessoning the transplant shock to the plants.
2. Egg shells provide calcium which is needed for fast growing plants. It is quickly depleted from the soil so egg shells are a good way to keep the balance.
3. Egg shells can be used on the bottom of pots to help with drainage instead of stones. They are lighter and give nutrients back.
4. Egg shells also deter the slugs and cutworms that love tender plants such as; peppers tomatoes, broccoli, and cabbage . Just place the egg shell around the stem of the plant.
5. Tomatoes, these are fast growing plants who tend to suffer from blossom end rot. Egg shells help prevent the end rot. Either grow the plant in a shell and then add more egg shells near the soil .

Where do we start?

1. When you bake, make eggs, save the shells. You can use them one of two ways in the garden , either as pots or an additive.
2. Wash the shells out well with water. VERY IMPORTANT
3. Moisten the starter soil or medium. It is easier to work with this way and less is loss. I use GreenSoil’s tea listed below since it gives the seeds an extra boost.
4. Fill the shell with the medium and press one or two seeds down to the depth the package recommends.
5. Finally mist with the water or “tea”.
6. Place the eggs in an egg carton and cover with a clear top. Plastic bag or cover or glass work well.
7. Place in an area where you can control the temperature and light the seeds will receive. The closer you match the recommendations on the seed packet the better.
8. Make sure that the soil is moist but not water logged. Look for signs of life.
9. If two seeds have sprouted in your container remove the smaller one and plant in its own container. I use one seed and if nothing sprouted I plant another seed and mark the date. I try to have seeds started 10 days apart to extend the growing season, when one ripens another is still a wk away.
10. I use the “tea” every 10 days to ensure proper growth.
11. Transplant your seeds when you see three sets of leaves. Water your plants. Carefully squeeze the shell. You want to break the shell but not the membrane. The membrane will help keep moisture around the seed. It’s okay if it breaks. The broken shell will break down easier into the soil. Place at the proper depth in the soil wither in a garden or a pot.
12. Crush up other shells for you tomatoes plants.

There is how you do it. Leave me a comment please. What other info can I give you?

What do we plant?

I have washed and saved the egg shells of our eggs for a month. They are needed to plant little seeds in. They make great organic containers for little seeds and are away to individually plant the plants without worrying about the netting in some other seed starters. I also just saw a wonderful tool that I think I will purchase. It is a wooden tool to make newspaper pots. They are great to start the plants and then transfer to the garden. I will test this out and see how they hold up to watering.

My family has picked out the seeds that we want to plant. The parsley in the window is growing very nicely. I picked some for an omelet already. The parsley has a nice strong flavor not like the kind from the grocery store. We are expecting a Nor’easter this weekend and planting the seeds will give my children something to do.

I have prepared @Greensoil’s tea and that is waiting to water the seeds. The blog below explains more about her wonderful tea. Check out the link on the right for more info on her tea.

We will plant tomatoes, basil, peas, carrots and peppers. We have no idea where pumpkins will grow this year, but they seem to come up all by themselves. I think Baron, our dog has something to do with this as he loves to run around with one in his mouth after Halloween and then we can’t find it. What are you planting?