clean your house in an hour

Very few of us have the luxury of spending all day a few times a week scouring our house, and during this time of year even if you are those lucky few who get to stay home who wants to spend that much of your time during the holidays cleaning. Me...um No thank you. I would rather get my craft on or decorate my home or shop for presents not clean. But it a very necessary evil unless you live in a bubble. Even on our best day here when the kids are in school all day and then we rush off to some sporting practice I still have to run the swiffer to capture all the dog hair and settled dust.

I wish I could take credit for this bit of helpful information but I can not. And since I can not claim this as my own I am posting the link to the website.

http://shine.yahoo.com/at-home/clean-house-less-hour-174000165.html

The title of the article is "How to clean your house in less than an hour". It breaks down each room allocates time and then gives you steps. Very helpful and as a matter of fact today I am going to put it in play and see how well it stands up.

I know we all have our own routines but give this a try, you just may find it helps and hey more time to craft?? Say it aint so!

OCD Tip #4

OCD Tip #4

When you want to cut dinner prep time in half, bake or boil an entire large package of chicken breasts, then dice them up in two-cup portions and freeze them. When your receipe calls for two cups of chopped chicken you are ready to go!

OCD Tip #3

OCD Tip #3

When your running low on Swiffer Sweeper pads, or if you just want to make them last a bit longer, use BOTH sides! When the first side is dirty and ready to be thrown away flip it over and use it again! Both sides pick up great.

 And they double as a duster! That's right, instead of using all the chemical products just grab a Swiffer Sweeper pad and get to dusting!

My Fall / Halloween Mantle

I am not a huge Halloween fan (gasp) I know I am so sorry! Can I still blog??? I am just not, I love this time of year more than any other, however I am just not over the moon about Halloween. So when decoration for this special holiday you wont see a lot of elaboration at all. I do tons of natural decorating with pumpkins, gourds, pine cones and mums, all that kind of stuff. However when it comes to webs, gooey eyes, witches and blood, not so much.

 But I realize that I have to at lease give a shout out to OCT 31, so here you go!

There you have it ladies and gents, my Halloween mantle A real spook!

Tutorial on banner coming soon!

Cha Cha Cha New Chairs! {Living Room Before/After}

I am excited, ecstatic thrilled, to the moon and why you may ask?! 

Well because we fiiiinally got some new chairs for our living room! Yay chairs!

Our sad little living room did look like this...note the sad empty spaces by the fireplace...wa wa wa

We had been holding out for the perfect chairs that were the perfect price...haha what a laugh. After 2 1/2 years I was beginning to thing the two did not go hand in hand. Finally last week we got a call from my mother in law who was getting rid of her chairs, she was looking for something different and just happened to remember me saying "Wow your chairs would look great in MY house..." Thank you MOM!
Perfect chairs for the perfect price ~ FREE! 

So now my living room is happy and looks like this

A few more pillows, small table, and  some kind of unique coffee table and I think we will be done! (for now...)


In case your curious about the chair fabric and pattern here is a close up, 
its a chenille fabric and I love the pattern!

the chalkboard wall and two boys

The picture speaks for itself ~ this is what happens when you have a chalkboard wall and two 7 year old boys. Need I say more?

OCD Tip #2

OCD Tip #2

Not sure how to keep your lunch sandwiches fresh? Try wrapping them in saran then put in a ziplock bag. If you are making a few days at a time freezing them helps too!

6 new uses for SANDPAPER

Sandpaper! We all have some in our home somewhere, maybe like me, you are a sandpaper fanatic and sand everything in sight or maybe it's just hanging out quietly in your husbands tool box. Either way break it out because you are bound to need it to solve one of these solutions!

1. Jar Opener - pesky jar wont open and no strong man around, grab any grit to help you open that jar!

2. Grout Cleaner - who wants to sit on the floor with a tooth brush and grout cleaner following endless steps on the back of a bottle - not me! Break out the medium grit sandpaper and get to work, your grout will be cleaner in minutes!

3. Suede Saver - For those who have the popular, easy to clean suede or micro fiber couches, this works great for you. Because they are neither popular or easy to clean. We have a micro fiber chair that the hubs loves, needless to say it is a bit nasty...a few quick rubs with the fine grit sandpaper and VOILA clean again!

4. Knit Depiller - unless you have that nifty knit knapper thing that cuts holes in your favorite knit sweater trying to take off the piling; this works great! Wipe fine grit sandpaper over your sweater gently in one direction to take those pesky pills away!

5. Sole Scuffer - Rub medium grit sandpaper over the bottoms of your new boots to give that slippery sole some traction.

6. Nail File - emery board no where in site - fine grit sandpaper if a great substitute to smooth out those nails!

Momma Fashion 101 {What 2 Wear 4}

 

I am loving that fall is here full swing! Fall means scarves, sweaters, jeans and occasionally flip flops. Yes I am one of those people. I wear flip flops until my little toes are going to fall off because it's so cold.  Anywho...this is what I wore last week!

1. Jeans: ANA from JCP, Top: Arizona from JCP the picture doesn't show it real well, it ties in the front and has lots of ruffles on the chest. Its a very feminine top. Sweater: Arizona from JCP, Scarf: Australian Angora my step mom got it for me while traveling to Australia, it is the softest and warmest scarf I have ever worn and by far on of my favs!

2. Pants: Ann Taylor wide leg brown pants, Long sleeve T: Target $7 special, Cardigan: Kohls brand Take Out, Scarf: Aeropostale last season and still in love

3. Jeans: Ann Taylor wide leg jean, Top: ANA from JCP with cream tank underneath, Cardigan: ANA from JCP 3/4 sleeve length 

4. Jeans: Anna Taylor wide leg jean, Top: White House Black Market black top with off to the side neckline I think this top is a few years old, but they always have great basic black tops at WHBM, Cardigan: White House Black Market black and sequin cardigan 3/4 sleeve length. I love this cardigan you can dress it up for and evening out our dress it down for and use it for some flash.

5. Jeans: Cruel Girl boot cut  from Cavenders, Frock: Dallas Sample Sale sorry girls there were only a few, although you see this type of frock all over the place, Sweater: Decree from JCP by far my fav this season, can you tell?

If you have questions, I am open, shoot me an email or comment right here!

Momma Fashion 101 {What to Wear 2}

Momma Fashion 101 {What 2 Wear} continues with on with week 2! I have had some great feedback on this series so that is always really exciting!

This W2W is actually from last week, I just did not have time to post it. I have been working a part time job to bring in some extra cash for the holidays and man oh man is it kicking my butt! But (haha) I am enjoying being in the working world for just a bit and making money is always nice! So with out further adue here we go!

1. ANA jeans, ANA sweater, plain white tshirt from Ross with white cami under. (we don't want to show our unmentionables!)

2. ANA jeans, black tank layered with white tank, sweater/top thing from Marshalls, necklace from Kohls last year. Every girl needs pearls (or fake ones at least).

3. Black leggings, Calvin Klein sun dress with pink tank under, Decree sweater, Justin boots.

4. ANA jeans, ANA 3/4 sleeve button up layered with Express short sleeve sweater.

Not on jeans: I really like the ANA jeans from JCPenny, I own several pairs of the same style and several in different styles. If you find a pant or jean you love wear it and buy many! Jeans will make or break an outfit so make sure you find a pair that is flattering to your body type and style. 

OCD Tip #1

OCD Tip #1

If you are like me and are to cheap to buy tinted moisturizer, mix a little of your liquid foundation with your morning face moisturizer in the palm of your hand and voila ~ tinted moisturizer!

What I Use: Maybeline 360 FIT liquid moisturizer and Oil of Olay Regenerist Face Moisturizer

still time to vote for the TOP 25

Calling all friends and bloggers! There is still time to vote for OCD on the Circle of Moms Top 25 Home Organizing blogs!

Please! go! vote! and help my sad little 18 person voted for blog get some love!

And of coarse check out all the other amazing home organizing blogs out there, there are some really great ones to read!

do you valance or drape?

I am always curious about what other people use in their homes for window coverings. I am a tooth person and a window person, those are the first things I notice, just the way I am.

I really love valances, especially because our windows give way to a pretty view. Although I do have one set of drapes in my dining room.

Sometimes I want to be a drape person, they are so luxurious and pretty...sometimes I look at my windows and want to dress them in linen, but I love the valances I have. They add height and color to the room while allowing us to look out into the backyard we work so hard on.

Sooo, while scouring Pininterst today I found these rooms that sparked my interest and thought...

What do you do? Do you valance or drape?

What are your thoughts when you have three windows all on one wall, two of which are in the living room and one that is in the eat in kitchen?

Do you dress them all the same? Would you drape one and valance the rest?

 I would love some feedback on what all my blog friends think!

(all photos from Pininterest)

And now for what I dress my windows with!

momma fashion 101 {what i wear week 1}

I am so excited to begin the next stage of momma fashion 101! Not pretending that I know every thing or always go by the "rules" here I go to show you how as a mom I dress on a daily basis. Unfortunately some of the pictures are kinda fuzzy, so next week I will try to be better at that, and also I hate the scrunchy face I seem to be making in all of them...really what is that! Any tips of the one handed pictures taking please I need them!

  

1. Jeans: JCPenny brand ANA, top: JCPenny brand ANA, cardigan: JCPenny brand ANA

2.  Jeans: JCPenny brand ANA, top: JCPenny brand ANA, cardigan: JCPenny brand Decree
3. Jeans: JCPenny brand ANA, top: JCPenny brand ANA, cardigan:

Kohls brand Take Out
4. Jeans: Kohls brand Candies, top: JCPenny brand St.John's Bay, cardigan: Ross

5. This was my job hunting outfit, and it won me a part time job!

Skirt: Harold's, top: JCPenny brand Arizona

I think I shop at JCPenny alot more than I realized...Come back next week for 5 all new outfits!

fence panel headboard

To cheap to buy a headboard for you kid? Love DIY projects? Have an old fence panel lying around that you cant get rid of because you know the minute you do you will need it? 

Then this post is for you!

I fall under all three categories, I hate spending money when I can DIY something crafty for free.

I never thought about blogging about the fence panel headboard in my sons room because we have had it for so long, but recently some friends came over for the first time and loved it so I thought "self, why not blog about it!" If my friends love it maybe my blog friends will too!" I know pallets are all the rage right now and yes I love them too but I really love the fence headboard!  Especially since I already have it...

The only things we had to do was cut the panel vertically to the width we wanted and then attach it to the bed. My son is a die hard cowboy, and on the ranches here in Texas you will see boots on the fence posts, thus the upside down boots.

Cheap. Quick. and Different. My three favorite things!

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