Baby Nurseries: Go Modern WithNurseryworks Parent, especially moms, have thelast say when it comes to decorating the nursery.  It is usuallythe mothers who spend the most time taking care of the baby, so thereis a valid reason that when it comes to nursery decorating, mothersknow best. Way before the baby is born, so many hours are spentplanning the nursery and nowadays, more and more nurseries take on amodern look.  One of the obvious reasons thatparents choose to go the modern route is the fact that clean, sleeklines of a modern nursery is very appealing. With the advent ofmodern nursery furniture, it is quite easy to furnish a plain roomand come up with something modern. Take for example the Vetro acrylicbaby crib from Nurseryworks whichlooks absolutely stunning! It is made of transparent non-toxic Lucitewhich will enable you to see your baby at any angle. Nurseryworksalso has the multi-functioning StudioCustom Modern Crib with Built-in Changing Table and Conversion … [Read more...]

How to Make Your Own Cleaning Supplies Store bought cleaning supplies generally contain a lot of harmful chemicals and are pretty costly. There are lots of cleaning supplies that you can make at home with simple, non-toxic ingredients. Believe it or not, you probably already have all the ingredients you need right in your pantry.  All Purpose Cleaner An all purpose cleaner can be used almost anywhere in the house. The problem with most cleaners is that they leave behind noxious chemicals on every surface they clean. If these chemicals get on your counter or your baby's high chair tray, they could easily be transferred onto food. If you want to  avoid rinsing things off after using a cleaning spray, create your own mix by combining 1 cup of water with 1 cup of white vinegar. There is nothing harmful that could get left behind, and you can use it just about anywhere.  Glass Cleaner A mix of alcohol, water, and white vinegar makes a very good glass cleaner. Don’t be afraid to … [Read more...]

  Canning Tips for Beginners If you have ever grown a garden, youknow that you sometimes you end up with more produce than you knowwhat to do with. You may give some to family, friends, and neighbors,but you probably want to keep the majority for your household.Canning is a great way to preserve all of that produce, and willallow you to enjoy it long after the harvest is over. You may thinkthat canning is a difficult process, but it’s really fairly simpleprovided you follow instructions and have the right equipment. Someuseful tips on canning should help you get through your first canningexperience. Canning Tip #1 It is best to use produce that isfreshly picked and perfectly ripe. Canning fresh produce will yieldthe best taste results. If you use fruits and vegetables that areoverly ripe or not ripe enough, the flavor may not be what you hadhoped for. Also, try using produce that isn’t too badly bruised orblemished, since that can make the results less than perfect … [Read more...]

Here’s a solution for those who love a clean house, but  dread cleaning day…SKIP CLEANING DAY and start a  HOUSE CLEANING SCHEDULE! Instead of planning a marathon day of cleaning every week  or two, start setting aside 15 minutes a day for cleaning.  Even better…delegate some of your cleaning chores to  your children! I’ll be happy to teach you how to make  a chore chart! Doesn’t 15 minutes a day sound better than spending half  your Saturday cleaning or going crazy the day of your  party to make the house look perfect? The key is to  make a house cleaning schedule, so that every room  in your house will be cleaned every 2 weeks. If you tackle one room each day or one task each day,  you’ll never feel like a maid again! Here’s a suggested  house cleaning schedule to get you started, just  customize it for your house and let the cleaning begin! Monday: run the dust mop under all furniture,  beds, etc. Tuesday: vacuum downstairs Wednesday: vacuum … [Read more...]

Deck the Halls on a Budget & with Creativity this Holiday Season By Sandy Sandler I know that not everyone was born with a creative gene. If you are creatively challenged, I have some easy tips and crafts to help you “Deck the Halls” this season – and they’re budget-friendly, too! So, get over the fact that you are don’t have a creative bone in your body and get some family and friends involved in some holiday cheer. Mr. & Mrs. Reindeer Apples: Red apples are a versatile decorating item for the holidays. Some brown pipe cleaners and some candy canes will quickly turn the apples into adorable and fun reindeer. This craft is so fun for children and can be given as gifts to teachers, neighbors, or children’s classroom friends. Beaded Pinecones: Collect pinecones during the fall on your nature walk; get the children involved and see how many they can find. Thread some beads and eclectic thread onto some wire and wrap them in between the scales on the pinecone. You … [Read more...]

Easy, Inexpensive Ways to Prepare Your Home for the Holidays When the air begins to get that holiday feel, but the house looks anything but festive, there is no need to throw up your hands and concede defeat. Even the most frugal moms can make a big difference in the appearance of their homes in a short time period. When guests are arriving in less than a week, rather than panicking, use some of these simple ideas to make your home more appealing and pleasant: HIDE THE PROBLEMS • Take boxes with lids from room to room, clearing surfaces and floors of unnecessary items. If you do not have time to put them away before holiday parties, stack the boxes in a closet, basement, attic or garage until you have time for decision making later. If you discover that you have not missed the items after the holidays, donate them to charity, so someone else can use them. • Borrow card tables and chairs from friends or relatives and cover with a holiday table cloth or wrapping paper to make space … [Read more...]

Getting the Most Out of Your Dishwasher After a number of years since their invention the dishwasher it has risen to the status of the range and the refrigerator in its place in the kitchens of America with builders even putting a spot by your sink specifically for your dishwasher.   There were of course problems with the beginning models and some problems that persist to this day.  One being that the thing turned out to be very loud and they didn’t clean nearly as well as you would hope and the amounts of electricity used would be a shock to your electric bill.  In fact some people were pre washing the dishes and then letting the dishwasher finish it off.  Basically they were doing half of the work while the dishwasher did the other half.  Not something that was of much help if you ask me.  Of course the long march of technology continues on and now although the dishwashers are very powerful you still have to keep some things in mind to get everything cleaned correctly.  You … [Read more...]

                                                                                                      Decorating Fitted Bedroom While Enjoying Heavenly Savings People may find getting confused to choose the right wardrobes for their bedroom furniture. When shopping for bedroom furniture, there are several things to keep in mind to make your room look the best it possibly can and you can save lot of money. Bedroom furniture has such a lot of variation today with such a wide range of dressers, wardrobes and beds that we actually don't know the way to select the perfect furniture for the home. Bedroom furniture is an easy and it reflects the stylishness and makes a fashion statement of its owner. A bedroom wardrobe is a standing closet that is utilized for storing clothes, bed sheets, and other personal items. It's important to feel very comfortable and relaxed in your bedroom so you can get a proper night's sleep, or be relaxed for other more intimate activities. The major … [Read more...]

Welcome Spring With This Quick and Easy DIY Grass Planter Get your “green on” and give a warm springtime hug to yourself or to someone special with this fun eco-friendly planter. Supplies Decorative Container Garden or Potting Soil *Pebbles – Only necessary if your container does not have drainage holes. Rye Grass Seeds – Rye grass is very inexpensive, and is readily available at Walmart, Kmart, Lowes, Home Depot and similar stores. You can substitute any type of grass, or if you’re feeling kinda swanky, try using wheat kernels. Water Directions Fill and level your container with soil, leaving just about 1 to 2 inches of space at the top. If your container doesn’t have drainage holes, this is where you’ll want to put in a 1 inch layer of pebbles; then top with soil. Next, sprinkle a solid layer (don’t be stingy) of grass seeds over soil. Cover seeds with ¼ inch of soil. Then water till moist; but not soggy. To keep your soil and seeds from drying … [Read more...]