Monster puppy destroys couch!

One monster-sized puppy can do a lot of damage!!  She is as sweet as can be, but destructive as the day is long.  My poor Ikea couch is exhausted!  It has served me well; ten years of use, tons of dinner party guests and countless kids and teens.  But one little 50 pound puppy was just one too many.  And I even covered it with a thick quilt, with hopes of extending its life.  No use though, she digs, romps and naps atop the backrest cushions.  Shucks, she even leaps over the back of the couch in pursuit of one of our cats.  It is time to get creative. Well, more so than simply masking the problem with a quilt.  

Considering I would cry if I purchased a couch that was immediately destroyed by a rambunctious puppy - it is time for an "outside the box" solution.  Namely, one new, low-cost or free,  couch - with removable covers - that can withstand the abuse of an over-sized puppy.  

I haven't decided if our new couch will be made from pallets or plywood, but it will be made soon. And I do know one thing for certain, it will be made in a way that allows me to wash the covers quickly and easily.  I am leaning towards a twin size sofa with sheets aplenty!  As you can see, she makes a mess wherever she goes, just as a toddler should.  :)

Learn Something New!

I love YouTube!  And Pinterest!  And learning new things!  There are so many video tutorials available, a crafty gal can't help but love seeing all of the ideas and demonstrations.  This year, I wanted to focus on handmade gifts for friends and family.  Although my mom taught me a basic crochet stitch years ago, I never really did anything with that knowledge.  Until now.

Thanks to a gift from the crafting universe, namely a very large bag of yarn, I found myself overwhelmed by possibilities.  Limited skills granted, but endless ideas.  However, a few minutes searching both Pinterest and YouTube brought both inspiration and instruction and saved my sanity. I have been one crocheting fool since!!  From scarves and ear warmers to chevron rugs and pot holders; you name it, I have tried it.  Some projects have been more successful than others, but that was due to my mistakes, not the video tutorials.  I can be a little slow on the uptake, so to speak. However, none of these projects would have been possible were it not for the generous YouTube and Pinterest posters who have shared their brilliance with the world.

For those who may be hesitant to try a new craft, take a look at my first crochet projects.  Obviously, I have much to learn, but feel these projects turned out reasonably well.  If I can learn to crochet, anyone can learn, as I am not the most patient person.  This process has been so much fun!  I even went out and bought more yarn.  Not because I needed it but rather because I wanted specific colors.

I am so thankful for the Internet and all of the wisdom it brings!  Since beginning this quest for knowledge and instruction, I have learned so many wonderful techniques.  I never knew how soothing and exciting it could be to create something with yarn and a hook.  Not only have I learned how to crochet with a variety of stitches, I have also realized what a great project this can be to have on hand.   Many hours a week, I am transporting my teenager from one activity or class to another. I spend a lot of time sitting in parking lots, waiting for my boy.  Now I have projects to work on while I wait.  It makes the time pass much more pleasantly.  And I feel as though I am doubly productive. Not only am I providing my homeschooled boy with a variety of activities and classes, I am also able to create while doing so.  That is a win-win situation, in my opinion.

Vanilla Bean Scarf

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pw9IXKbAqk

Corner to Corner pattern
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDGd-prTJes

Let There Be Light

I can get a little goofy when it comes time for SERIOUS cleaning.  There is the everyday type of cleaning which I do not get too worked up about.  You know what I mean when I say everyday cleaning, I am sure.  Just the basics; make beds, sweep floors, do laundry and dishes, etc.  Then there is the SERIOUS cleaning.  The type of cleaning which is performed prior to house guests arriving. Well, I am in the SERIOUS cleaning mode in preparation for my parents arrival next week.  Dusting ceiling fans, cleaning lamp shades, washing baseboards, etc.

I was busily cleaning and dusting yesterday; humming a happy little tune to myself, when I began working on the lamp shades.  A simple enough activity, one would think.   Remove shades, cart out to the garage and blast with an air compressor.  This works wonders for getting dust out of the strange fabric which seems to cover all of my shades.  It is probably perfectly normal fabric but affixed in such a way that I cannot throw it in the washing machine (my preferred method for cleaning).  While blasting the shades, I noticed the two from my bedroom were showing serious signs of age.  Perfectly normal considering I have had these lamps for at least a decade.  However, normal looking or not, I did not like the aged look.  Neither am I  one to run out and buy a replacement unless I absolutely must.  So I grabbed a can of spray paint and had a little fun.

The shade on the right is what each of these looked like prior to my painting frenzy - yuck.  The left sports a fresh coat of spray paint and a new lease on life.  In just minutes, I was able to transform something old into something not so old, also known as new (to me).

Granted, the odds of anyone commenting on the interior appearance of my lamp shades are slim.  However, it makes me feel better as a hostess to have things as neat and fresh looking as possible.  It is just a thing with me.  Obviously, I have been a homemaker for far too many years and need to get out more.  ;)  But that's a story for another day.

Perk TV - Another app and search engine that pays

Oh boy!  I just received another gift $25.00 card from Perk. I love this app and browser!  By simply watching videos on my phone, or searching from my laptop, I earn points that I may exchange for gift cards. Add in a survey or two or online shopping and the points add up even more quickly.

Join me using the Perk Browser and get rewarded!

http://perk.com/perk/invite/ff88e145 via @GetPerk  or the link for Android

http://perk.fm/3z0nk

You can earn 50 bonus points by using my code ff88e145.  Truth be told, you can earn the bonus points by using anyone's code but I did not know that when I first began using the app.  Free points equal free gift cards.  Oh well, live and learn.  Happy earning!

Top Down Cleaning

My parents are coming for a visit!!  You know what that means?  It is time for a thorough cleaning of the house; ceilings to floors, it all gets done.  Having guests over is one of my favorite things.  Not only do I have a chance to visit with family and friends in a relaxed environment, I also use these types of visits to do some serious cleaning.

Today's cleaning begins with the ceiling, namely the ceiling fans.  I love having ceiling fans!  Here in Florida, fans are perfect for keeping a cool breeze flowing throughout the house.  However, they accumulate some serious dust bunnies.  Especially so when I keep the house open throughout the majority of the year.

Several months ago, I was reading household cleaning tips found through searches across the Internet.  And yes, I am one of those oddball people who study cleaning tips.  One of the many clever ideas I kept coming across involved using a pillowcase to clean ceiling fans.  Turns out today was a good day to give it a try.

The instructions are simple.  Turn the fans off (obviously), find an old pillowcase and place it over a fan blade.  Wipe, pull off and repeat.

This clever cleaning trick worked wonders!  Not only was I able to clean the four ceiling fans quickly, the pillowcase trapped the majority of the dust.  Simply stated, the pillowcase trapped so much dust, I did not have to immediately clean the floors and furniture to prevent tracking the fluff throughout the house.  I did however, take the pillowcase outside, turned it inside out and released the dust bunnies back to their natural environment.  ;)  One final note, use a pillowcase you do not need or want.  Ceiling fan dust does not wash out easily.  It stains.

Next on the list of cleaning chores - lampshades.  I have the air compressor warming up as I finish writing this post.  All that is left is to remove the lampshades, take them to the garage and spray them with some air.  Ba-da-bing, ba-da-boom, done!