Spring Cleaning- the homemade way

It's time for SPRING CLEANING!  So it's a great time to share my favorite CLEANING RECIPES with you all.  We've all seen them before....I've probably tried them all.  But here are the 3 recipes I call my favorites.  All three come from MaryJanes Farm magazine, which also happens to be one of my favorites! 

 

Powdered Laundry Soap

1 bar (4-6 oz) Castile Soap, grated (Fels Naptha can be substituted)

2 cups Borax

2 cups washing soda

1 cup baking soda

Combine and use 1/4-1/2 per load.  This is low sudsing.

I often double or triple this recipe just for convenience.  Also, with this batch, I used Fels Naptha Soap because it's easier to find in my area. 

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All Purpose Cleaner

1 T white vinegar

1 T lemon juice

1 T liquid Castile soap

1 T Borax

1 cup distilled water

Combine all ingredients in a spray bottle

(I usually triple this recipe)

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Window Cleaner

1/4-1/2 t liquid Castile soap

3 T white vinegar

2 cups distilled water

Combine all ingredients in a spray bottle.  Shake gently before using.

Castile soap and other interesting items can be purchased online at Lehmans.

And Remember............Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Col 3:23

Happy Cleaning.............

Scrappy Saturday

This Scrapbook page is dedicated to spending a morning with Ashely sharing tips on how to make pie crust. 

She was a quick study and her pie turned out beautiful!

If you would like a few pointers on making pretty pies like this one, click here!

Ashley's first pie!

Our boy all decked out for St. Patrick's Day.  

Our little leprechaun

Feel free to click on the pages to enlarge them!  

Until Next time.....

ANTICIPATING SPRING

It's  been a while since my last post.  Life is so busy.... even for a "simple" girl like me.  My little man keeps me very busy.  He is in my care while his mommy works in the afternoons.








And Miss Josie keeps me hoppin'!  To be honest, there isn't a whole lot of difference between Jack and Josie!

Trash cans are so much fun!

Jack has discovered Josie's water dish, oh my!

You have to watch them like a HAWK, because they are always up to NO-GOOD!

Around these parts, we are eagerly looking forward to spring.  Hubs and I are planning our garden with great anticipation.  The seeds have been ordered and delivered, and I will soon begin starting seeds, transforming our dining room table into a plant nursery.  

My seeds and planting supplies, ready to go!

Over the weekend, I was able to begin cleanup of the flower beds.  (Begin is the key word!)  We had a VERY rainy Sunday, that ended with some unwanted sleet and snow.   I awoke to this ...............
YUK! (Notice the bird feeders are totally decimated.) This is wearing very old!





When I walked outside, I saw this....

All the chicken netting (to keep the hawks out) has been damaged from the ice. Guess I'll have to put on my handy-woman hat  today!

But alas, there are some signs of SPRING.

And check this out.  My wagon filled with the debris from cleaning out the flower bed on Saturday.

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On the Homestead front....we have added 2 wild  turkeys  to our menagerie of animals.  I have to say, I wasn't too happy about this, since I'm the one who carries the 5 gallon buckets of water to the chicken yard everyday.  I've declared these creatures are not mine, therefore not my responsibility!  The goal is to keep them well fed for a while and then release them back into the wild with hopes they will stay around.  We'll see how that all plays out.

My girlfriend, Barb.

The title of this post is Anticipating Spring. I'm really trying to wait patiently for its arrival.  In the meantime, I have been trying to do some fun, yet simple things that will help with the winter doldrums.  So last weekend, I spent Saturday morning with a good friend.


We went for breakfast at the local Cracker Barrel and then headed out to do some "JUNKIN"!

I came across this find, just minutes into it.  Its a perfect addition to my collection of (Hall's) red poppy glassware. It gave me a little high to hold me over until spring officially arrives in just 15 days.

They say, time flies when you're having fun, so hang in there and go have some fun today!!  Spring will be here soon...... REALLY!

 May God bless you richly on this brisk Monday morning!!