Tie-Dying T-Shirts... And Hands

The fog finally lifted last week and we saw the sun. Little C and I took full advantage of the weather and spent a lot of time in the backyard playing. One day, we dug out a tie dying kit we had bought at Michaels a few weeks ago and got to work.

The kit we bought was made by Tulip a few weeks ago. It was a one step Tie Dye Kit. We used a 50% off coupon, so we got it for a pretty good price. They have many different sized kits. They even have one for a tie dye party! We chose one with 5 colours. 

After buying the kit, we headed to Walmart for some cheap t-shirts. We found some great plan white tees on the clearance rack. You don't have to buy new t-shirts thought. I remember tie dying everything I could find when I was a kit - white t-shirts, socks, underwear, anything! 

What I like about this kit is that it's easy. The instructions are easy to follow and there are lots to pictures to help.

Step 1 - Wash your items. You can tie dye dry fabric or wet fabric. I decided to go with the wet method. I think the dye is able to spread inward better, although I'm really not sure.

Step 2 - Tie up your fabric. There were lots of suggestions in the instructions that came with the kit, so I showed C the shirt and he chose a design to try.  This is what our shirts looked like after I had them all tied up with elastics. We tried to do a big bulls-eye, some smaller bulls-eyes, a swirl, a crumpled up ball, and some stripes. The best part of this project is that anything goes! You can't really mess it up... it may not look like the picture, but it will still look okay!

Step 3:  Now, take a deep breath, because it's time to get messy. The kit we bought came with these awesome squirt bottles. The dye was already in the bottles. I just had to fill them with water up to the line, put the cap back on and shake, shake, shake. Easy.

Step 4: start applying the dye. Here is my big piece of advice. Use the gloves. Actually, get yourself a better pair of gloves before you start. The gloves in the kit weren't the best. They didn't fit my hands well, and they definitely didn't fit C's. We started with gloves, but they were soon dropped on the grass. Big mistake. Dye really works. Even on skin. Ugh. (Over a week later, I'm still cleaning dye out of my nailbeds.)

Step 5: Wait. Wrap your clothing up, so the dye can do its job. I put each project in a ziplock bag to make sure that it didn't leak. 

Step 6:  The next day, take each item out and rinse out all the extra dye. There will be a lot. I was surprised, and sure that the shirts would be white when I was done. Luckily, they weren't! It did take a LOT of water to do this. 

 

Step 7:  Dry time!  I would suggest washing again, with items of similar colours. I have a feeling they will run for a couple of washes. 

This was definitely a fun project for outdoors. Grab your coupons, head to Michaels, and then search your closet for white t-shirts for some budget friendly fun!

Crafty Adventures: Chalk Paint 101

On Saturday, I attended an Annie Sloan Chalk Paint workshop, at Suite Serendipity (in Saint John, NB), and I'm so glad that I did. I always see people refinishing furniture, and think it's a great way to affordably add new furniture to your home. I do not like the idea of having to sand, sand, sand before starting, and I've never had very good luck with painting. I always recoat too soon or paint on a humid day, so it always ends up sticky. And did I mention that I hate sanding. Ugh. When I first read about Annie Sloan paint, I liked the idea that you don't have to do any major sanding or stripping, that it dried quickly, and that there were no harsh fumes. (With a little boy in the house, that's really important.) I also like the folksy-rustic-shabby chic look, so I figured Chalk Paint was the thing for me.

I'm not going to get into a how-two, because there are so many of those out there, and if you're really interested, I suggest that you look for a workshop to learn from an expert, not a newbie.

In the workshop, we learned about the paint and got to use it to try out different techniques and colours:

The four basic finishes, clockwise, starting with the green:
Smooth Finish, Two Colour Wash, Two-Coloured Distressed, & Rustic Finish

Without getting into the technical details, here are a few things I learned:

1)  Chalk Paint is called Chalk Paint not because it's chalkboard paint; it's due to its matte, chalky  finish. I'm sure you could write on it with chalk, but that's not the best part. "Chalk Paint" is the trademarked name specifically for Annie Sloan paint.  All other "chalk paints" are imposters!

2)  Annie Sloan is a real person! Apparently, in the DIY up-cycle world, she's a total rock star. I'm not judging though, because I'm sure that after I watch some of her online videos, I'll feel the same.

3)  Chalk paint can be used on pretty much anything - wood, metal, plastic, glass - even upholstery.

4)   People who sell chalk paint are called "stockists." To earn the fun title, they are hand-picked to be trained as stockists. I love that Annie Sloan products are only sold in independent stores, so it's a great support for small, local businesses.  The training they receive makes them a perfect go-to resource to help with trouble shooting, or to learn how to use the paint. I think most offer workshops. I'll be watching for more workshops in the future.

5)  ASCP (Annie Sloan Chalk Paint) can give you a finish that is as rustic/shabby as you want. I worried that everything would turn out looking "dirty." I'm all for a rustic look, but I don't like my furniture to look TOO shabby.  There are four basic finishes - some are distressed, while others aren't. You can create that darker vintage "dirty" look with dark wax, but you don't have to use dark wax, and if you do, you don't have to use  a lot of it.  Overall, Annie Sloan products are pretty versatile.


I'm now working on my first project:

I've had this cart from Ikea in my kitchen for about 3 years, and I never did anything with it. Because it's unfinished, it has some staining on the top, from spills. I'm not sure how it will turn out, but I'm excited to get started!

If you want more information on Chalk Paint, I suggest checking out: https://www.facebook.com/suiteserendipity or http://suiteserendipity.com/ . Of course, as with all things in life, Pinterest is a great place to look, too! I've started pinning already!

2 DIY Saving Money Tips

I love saving money... almost as much as I like to spend money! I try to stay on a budget, so I can spend more money on the things I like and less on the things I need.

Being on maternity leave has meant that I have really needed to tighten up my budget. Some things were obvious changes - eat out less, more coffee at home, and in general, less frivolous spending. Other savings have been a little more creative. 

With the help of Pinterest, I have found some ways of cutting out expensive "must-haves" and replacing them with DIY versions. Here are some of my favourites:

1) DIY Foam Soap: I love nice smelly soap. I especially like the foam soap that can be bought by the handful at the mall. Unfortunately, each one costs over $6! Sure, they go on sale, but then I spend even more money, because I can't pass up a good deal.  To top it off, you're left with all these plastic bottles. It seems very wasteful.

Earlier this year, I saw a Pin about how to make your own foam soap, so I jumped at the chance. This is all you need:

• Liquid Castile soap - (~$12) I found Dr. Bronner's Pure Castile soap in the organic/natural section of the grocery store and have since found it at a natural store in town. It's certified fair trade and is made with organic oils. It comes in a lot of scents, like lavender, tea tree oil, peppermint, citrus, almond, and eucalyptus. I used the unscented one, because the store I bought my first bottle in didn't have many scents.
• Essential oil (~$5) - I used tea tree, but I've seen recipes with mint, lavender, and various citrus scents. I think mint and rosemary would be nice.
• Water (free!)
• A foaming pump (free!) - I reused some from my store-bought foam soap.)

This is all you have to do:
1.  Fill 1/3 of the bottle with Castile soap and 2/3 with water.
2. Add some essential oil for smell. I used about 10 drops or so. If you're not sure how much you want, add some, swirl it around and smell. Too weak? Add some more!
3. Gently roll the bottle around in your palm so everything mixes, without foaming up.

Voila! You have your very own foam soap!

You can find various "recipes" for this online. Be careful, because some seem a bit strange - like the one I saw about using shampoo and food colouring for hand soap.

I use tea tree oil, because I love the smell of it, and it has disinfecting properties. I think that I'll use the Tea Tree Oil Castile Soap next time, and buy different essential oils that compliment the tea tree oil. Maybe I'll give the rosemary/mint combo a try! Really, the possibilities are endless! 

I have refilled my bottle about 6 times and can probably refill it again at least twice more with the one bottle of Castile soap. The essential oil is still very full. I would say that each refill of soap costs about $1.50.  That's a great deal, and as a bonus, there aren't the chemicals that you'd find in the store bought foam soap!

2) Vinegar & Baking Soda: I guess I knew that mixing baking soda and vinegar is kind of magical, but I hadn't really taken advantage of the fact that they can also replace some more expensive (and chemical-filled) cleaners. They're like the dream team of simple cleaning products.

Here are some of the ways I use vinegar and baking soda:

Washing Machine: I have a love/hate relationship with my front-load washing machine. One of the downsides is that they can start smelling not so fresh - not something you want in a washing machine. In addition to leaving the door open when it's not in use, every month or so, I sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda inside the washer and about 1/2 a cup of vinegar into the detergent dispenser. Then I turn it on to the hottest (but shortest) setting I can. I think it's usually perm press on hot wash, cold rinse. It cleans everything out. After a quick wipe of the rubber on the front of the drum, it's all fresh and ready to keep washing!

Dishwasher: Similar to the washing machine, you start by sprinkling a generous amount of baking soda in the bottom of the dishwasher. Then, fill a mug with vinegar and place in the top rack of the dishwasher. Start a cycle that uses a high heat (although I try for the shortest cycle, to avoid wasting power.) Your dishwasher will smell better and it will get rid of left over residue from food and soap.

Kitchen Sink/Ceramic Stove Top: For the sink and stove top, it's a similar process. Sprinkle baking soda in the sink and on the stove. Then, I use a spray bottle filled with vinegar to generously spray over the baking soda. You'll see little reactions happening. That's the fun part - (carefully) involve the kids! I let it sit for a few minutes, then scrub off with a cloth. The baking soda will help scrub and shine the sink, without scratching. If the stove has any spots where pots have boiled over and burned, I use a "Scrunge" sponge to scrub without being abrasive. (Note: Make sure the stove is cooled off... I'm not sure what vinegar and baking soda would do on a hot surface.)

Microwave: This is great, because it takes such a short amount of time! vinegar and water into a microwavable bowl (I usually do one part vinegar, two parts water) and pop it in the microwave for about a couple of minutes on high. It really depends on your microwave, but at the end of the minute, you should see that it's steamed up a bit in there. Don't let it boil too much - you don't want things getting too hot. You don't want any explosions! The steam softens up the hard crusty bits and the vinegar up the microwave, softening everything while the vinegar gets rid of odours. Wait a couple of minutes before opening the door - make sure it's not too hot, then wipe off the sides of your microwave. It will be SO easy!

The only issue I've ever had was using red wine vinegar instead of white to clean my microwave when pregnant. I'm not really sure what I was thinking. I should have just steamed it with water. Let's just say the smell was like nothing I'd ever smelled before, so without going into details, you can imagine what happened when my pregnant-self caught a whiff of it! Not fun! (To this day, I can't smell red wine vinegar without getting a little queasy!)


These have all worked for me, so I hope that someone else finds them handy! What have you done to finds ways to cut down on materials commonly used in your house? I'd love to know!


(My next DIY money-saving project is to make my own Diaper Genie refills. Those suckers are expensive! Do you have any tips?)

My Favourite Pinterest Adventures

I love Pinterest.  Well, I have a bit of a love-hate thing going on with Pinterest. I love all the ideas, and it’s my go-to place online, when I’m looking for something new to make, but I hate that it’s such a time suck.  Luckily I have a baby to take care of now, so I only get to go on Pinterest in two to three minute bursts now, but towards the end of my pregnancy, I would waste an entire afternoon.

I really only pin within three categories:

Food: In general, I’m a fan of food.  I’ve mentioned before that I love cooking and like trying new things.  I’m always looking for new recipes, because I get bored easily.  I use Pinterest more than my recipe books now.  I like that there is always a picture, which isn’t always the case with a book. 

Home/Organization:  My house is also always in reno-mode, so I’m always looking for ideas.  I live in a post-WWII one and a half storey homes.  Many cities and towns have neighbourhoods like mine – filled with one or two versions of the same house built around 1950.  I’m always looking for ways to make my house feel a little different than others that I walk into. I should also mention that my house is SMALL! Small is good – less cleaning, more cozy, less to take care of, but in this case, small also means no practical storage. Despite being here for over 5 years, my dream of having a well organized house, where everything has a home, has not yet been achieved. And so I “pin” for inspiration.  Sometimes my pins even become reality!

DIY/Crafting: I want to be one of those super-crafty creative people.  I’m really not. All I end up with is glue gun burns, paint on my clothes, and a big mess to clean up.  I dabble in scrapbooking, but that’s about where my craftyness ends – cutting and gluing.  All of those “Pinterest Fail”/“Nailed It!” pictures floating around the internet crack me up, because I could have taken any of them, I’m sure.

I already shared some of the baking successes I’ve have, so I thought I’d share a couple of Pinterest inspired house projects I’ve had completed or are currently working on. 

1) User Manual Binders –

Original Pin: http://desiringvirtue.com/2011/07/when-you-get-stuff-you-get-papers/

My Version:

This may not be the most exciting project, but it has helped keep one thing in my life in order – manuals.  Ugh. I hate them.  They used to be all over my house.  You never knew where you’d find them.  The snowblower manual was in the kitchen. The stove manual was in the living room. The TV manual was in the basement.  The washing machine manual was in the spare room.  There was no rhyme or reason to where a manual was.  The problem? They didn’t have a home.  Now they do! I had found a pin that suggested that I use binders and page protector sheets.  Each manual gets its own page protector and they all get put in the binder.  When I need a manual, I just look in my binder! Sometimes, when I’ve been REALLY organized, I’ve even put the receipt with the manual. 

 

2) My Super Simple Recipe Binder –

Original Pin: There wasn't really ONE pin... I had found some ideas for storing recipes, and made this one my own.

My Version:

It’s great to have Pinterest, but you have to remember that the Internet is always changing. Just because something is there today, doesn’t mean it will be there tomorrow.  When I find a recipe I like, I always try to print it off. Of course, then it just gets bounced around from place to place until it eventually makes its way to the garbage or some random pile of papers.  One day, I sat down and made a Super Simple Recipe Binder, after looking at some examples on Pinterest.  Now, I have a place to put the recipes I’ve tried.  I can also keep note of changes I’ve made to the recipes, nutritional information, etc. I also made dividers to help organize my recipes - appetizers, soup, chicken, pasta, etc. Like the manual binder, it’s just a binder and page protectors.  Super cheap, super easy. It’s brilliant though, because if you’re a messy cook (like I am) the page protectors help keep your recipe clean as well as organized.  Also, if you print the recipe from a website, it will remind you where the recipe came from, in case you want to go back and look for more!!

Notice the Chocolate Cake recipe from a previous post?  Yummy!

3) My Happy Jar –

Original Pin: http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/600x/16/4e/f9/164ef96947bce17aed08b3a775428aa3.jpg (I guess this is just a picture, but it’s pretty self-explanatory)

My Version:

I love my Happy Jar.  I found this idea around Christmas time. I had had a baby two months before, the dark cold winter months were starting, and even though I was really happy, I was feeling a bit overwhelmed with my new normal. First time mums have a lot to learn.  I felt like we were finally settling in to a routine, and wanted to make sure that I was focusing on the good things in life, so I wouldn’t slip into a really bad case of the winter blues. This idea was perfect, and again, SO EASY! It’s kind of like a year-long time capsule or a different version of a scrapbook. All you need is paper, a pen and some sort of jar/bucket/vase.  Just keep a jar on a shelf and throughout the year, throw in LOLs, memorable moments, C’s firsts, funny things, basically anything that would be a good thing look back on.  On New Years Day 2015, we’ll open up the jar, think back on 2014 with a smile and then start all over again.  To help make sure it was easy to add to, I cut up little pieces of colourful paper (so the jar looks colourful as it gets filled up) and put them in a box next to the jar and always keep a pen or two in the jar, so everything is right there, ready to go. The hardest part is not allowing myself to going into the jar to reread notes I’ve put in!

 

4) M&M Garden Stones -

Original Pin: http://www.buzzfeed.com/peggy/51-budget-backyard-diys-that-are-borderline-genius

My Version:

This is actually from a buzzfeed list (which I then pinned.)  As soon as I saw the picture of the M&M garden stones, I knew I needed to make them for a family member who loves all things M&M. They look super cute and were fun to make.  I bought outdoor craft paint and collected a few M&M shaped rocks at the beach.  Each rock was painted with coats of M&M coloured paint.  Then I made a stencil of the “M,” traced it on the rock with a pencil and painted it with white paint. My original plan was to spray it with some sort of shellac, but since I bought outdoor paint, I skipped that step.  They turned out great! Also, since they were a gift from my son, I got him to “sign” the back, but putting a handprint on one and little thumbprints on the others.  They were a bit messy, because he was 7 months old, but still little and cute. (Plus, that side will be facing the ground!)   

 

Those are my favourite projects, but I’ve got some other Pinterest-inspired projects on the go, so I’ll keep you updated!

Do you have a favourite Pinterest-Inspired Project you've made?

Homemade Baby Food

Originally, I thought of making baby food as a mom skill, but I guess providing food is really an essential skill for any parent! Premade food from the grocery store is great and very easy, I’m sure. I keep a few jars in the diaper bag in case of an emergency.  Plus it comes in cute little jars that could be reused. (Canning? Crafting?) Since I am on maternity leave, and should have extra time (yeah, right!) I decided to make my son’s food.  I started for various reasons – to know where my son’s food was coming from, to reduce the amount of “extras” in his food, and to be budget friendly. What I didn’t know is how easy it is.  Other than the time element, it is SO easy!

All you do is buy fruits and veggies, and then cook ‘em, blend ‘em, and freeze ‘em.

Really, it’s that easy, and you get nutritious food for your baby – fresh and no “extras”. It just takes a little time.

This is how I do it:

1) Peel and roughly cut up fruit or vegetables. I started with orange veggies (squash, sweet potatoes, and carrots,) because I read that they were good vegetables to start with.  For fruit, I made apples and pears.

2) Steam or boil – I cook them all separate, so I have the flexibility to create different “combos” at meal time. I think this is also important when you’re first starting out, so you can control exactly what they’re getting and watch for allergies and intolerances. 

3) Drain liquid, but keep it in a bowl.  

4) Using a blender (I used a Magic Bullet) puree in small batches. (I think small batches are key. I tried to stuff the Magic Bullet full, and it exploded on me when I opened it up, and it hurt!) If it needs to be thinned down, add some of the cooking water, until it is blendable and a good consistency for your child. You can also thin it out with breastmilk or formula. Each week, I was able to let it get thicker, and as he got better at chewing and more teeth came in, I moved away from the blender and just started mashing. From what I’ve read, you want to expose babies to as many textures as possible, and as a bonus, getting rid of the blending step made the whole process much faster.

5) Measure small amounts into ice cube trays.  I usually put one or two tablespoons in each section.  I used a tablespoon size cookie dough scoop to measure the food into ice cube trays.

6) Freeze food cubes. Once they are frozen solid, empty into Ziploc bags or a container that is labelled with the date, name, and the amount in each cube.  Labels are important, because some vegetables look a lot alike once pureed. Sometimes the cubes get really frozen in the trays, but running the backside of the trays under hot water for a few seconds is enough to loosen them enough to pop out.

That's it! At meal time, I just take out the number of cubes I need, pop them in the microwave, and I’m ready to go!

 

How much time will it take? The first time I made baby food, it took me the afternoon.  I was able to prepare more than a two week supply that day. Now I try to do a few different items each week or two. Today, I did a lot.  I had bought two bags of pears, a bag of carrots, and three small turnips. It took me about half an hour to peel and chop, half an hour or so to cook, and then another half hour to mash and divide into cubes.  They’ll freeze over night and I will pop them into the bags tomorrow.

I think it more affordable than purchased baby food, and easy to store. Tonight’s batch made about 125 food cubes.  These alone would last about two weeks, and it cost less than $15.  As an added bonus, there was virtually no waste. The food scraps went into the composter, and everything else could be reused.

Once my son was introduced to single foods, we could start playing with different mixes – a squash, sweet potato, and spinach combo seems to be a favourite.  Pears are his favourite dessert, but apples cooked with cinnamon would be a close second.

Here are some suggestions on what to prepare for the freezer:

• Squash (I like butternut, because squash is tricky to cut and this type has the most “meat,” in my opinion.)
• Sweet potatoes
• Spinach (I still blend this, because it can get stringy)
• Carrots
• Peas
• Green Beans
• Carrots
• Pears
• Prunes (I used dried pitted prunes, poured boiling water over them, and then simmered on low for quite a while to soften and let the water plump up the prunes. I thought it looked pretty gross and had a funny smell, but my son loves them!)
• Apples (I prefer using Royal Gala, because they are naturally sweet. I’ve also been adding cinnamon.)

These are foods that I also use, but don’t cook.  I simply mash or cut up small:

• Bananas
• Avocado
• Pears
• Strawberries
• Watermelon
• Honeydew Melon
• Blueberries
• Meat – I have tried to blend meats, but my son didn’t like it, so now I cut/tear it up REALLY small. He’s still not a big fan of the texture or consistency, so I just try little bits.
• Eggs – scrambled and fully cooked

Making your own baby food is a way to control what your baby is eating while saving money.  I highly recommend, even if you just try for some of the foods your baby eats the most and mix with store bought food.