Tub Writing

 It is exactly what it sounds like. I'm blogging from the tub. I made a pinterest board called Clean Freak for showcasing of products I"m into and ways to make life cleaner. I've sent some of my known readers invites for public pinning. I love seeing methods and madness that leads to a cleaner space, so bring on the pins. Here is a link for your viewing pleasure.
 I feel like I have been going a 100 mph the past couple of weeks with friends visiting, the Coheed show (which I would much rather talk about in person, but trust me Claudio is real and I don't take bruises from rambunctious crowds for just anyone), yoga and pilates to the max and now I am churning in all of my thoughts and ideas for new art work. I am no professional by any means. I do what I can with the talent that I have. To not use it when I have the urge feels like a terrible waste. So that is why there are 3 abstract pieces in the works, with another one already complete and ready to be handed over to the lovely Lace half of Moss. I'm really excited.
 I keep meaning to post a tutorial about my night table. The images however, are giving me fits. So when they decide to load, it'll happen.
 Will post soon. Leave a comment to let me know if you're still alive out there.

So You Want to Defeat Dust?

  Let us be honest with one another...dust exists. It threatens our possessions, nasal passages and sanity. It is dirty. It is gross. It comes from us. Ah the joys of humanity. Creating our own messes one particle at a time.
Since this is a real issue we face, and since I have given a bathroom and kitchen tutorial, I might as well continue.

You Will Need:
Dusting oil or wipes of your choice (love me some Pledge)
Cleaning cloth(s)
Glass cleaner
Feather Duster

Optional:
Background music
Cobweb removal tool of choice. (I use a Wooly )

  1.Turn on the lights. Even if it is a bright sunny day.

  2.As always the rule of thumb is top to bottom left to right. If you are really in the spirit of things, start first with your high duster and go through each room corner to corner. This will effectively remove cobwebs and dust that collects in the high places.. Don't forget ceiling fans, and blinds. This is so good for routine blind maintenance. You can also run it behind and under furniture to remove cobwebs and uninvited guests, and on the sides and fronts of furniture to remove the dust that clings there.

  3.Now, many people do not understand the proper way to combine the dynamic duo of feather duster and your hand cloth. Feather dusting should be used on high clutter areas (hopefully you don't have too many of those), stand alone knick-knacks, lamps and book shelves. By doing this you knock the dust to the surface the object sits on, or to the floor. I recommend hand wiping knick-knacks every other clean. 

  4. Once you feather dust a room, go back with your rag and dusting oil and hand wipe flat surfaces, baseboards, door knob areas, door frames, and light switches. Move your rag in one direction rather than side to side. A clean sweep. Get eye level with flat surfaces just like you would a kitchen counter. You can see any dust that you missed.

Tip: It is best not to go the cheap route when buying a feather duster. The stiffer ones that have colored feathers tend to knock things over easily. One like this hugs and glides over things and is worth the extra 5-10 dollars. I've had mine for almost two years and use it on an extremely regular basis. ;)

Tip: Keep glass cleaner and a separate rag nearby for annoying marks you might find on windows. You'll obviously need it for mirrors and glass surfaces as well.
 
 Feel free to post comments and questions below!

Glow

I keep waiting for the words to flow out of me like water and folks it just isn't going to happen. In my last post I mentioned posting about spiritual lessons that I learned from the Feast. I can't make it happen the way I wanted to. I know what I've learned. Written down it sounds cliche, icky and oh so like a delicious coke that has gone flat. Can't do it. Apologies. Perhaps another day.
I will try it this way...
I Peter 4:8 "Above all else remain fervent in your love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins." This is a building block of my heart and soul. God is love. Remain fervent in Him, and you will be refined. Your sins slowly but surely fading from the blackish crimson stains that twist us, and they shall be as white as snow. (Is. 1:18)
 Being fervent means being invested. Happy. Glowing. Being true. Being yourself. Listening to the broken. Keeping your mouth and mind away from condemnation. If we remain committed, on fire, zealous and all things true then love is like breathing. We just do. And mercy follows.
A friend just posted this to my facebook wall . . .

"One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life. That word is love." - Sophocles

Cleaning Tip - Grapefruit Seed Extract

  If you know me, you have probably at some point or another heard me singing praises of grapefruit seed extract. It is a powerful herbal supplement made from (what else?) the seeds and guts of a grapefruit. It is anti just about everything that can harm you. Bacteria, viral and fungal infections cower before it. Liquid drops or pills can be taken to take care of a nauseous stomach, flu like symptoms, diarrhea, ect. It works miracles.
 All of that brought me to thinking that the liquid could perform double duty as a household disinfectant. So many of the anti-bacterial cleaners we use aren't good for us, and wind up getting in our food when used in the kitchen. GSE is the perfect green solution.
 Most of the liquid supplements of GSE can be found for under $15, and with it serving multiple purposes, will surely earn its keep.

  You Will Need:
- 40 Drops of Grapefruit Seed Extract
- Medium or large spray bottle
- Water
   
  Add the GSE to the spray bottle. Add water. Shake it up. Spray, let sit for a few minutes and wipe away. For bigger jobs like cutting boards or toilets, let it sit at least ten minutes. Clean and rinse thoroughly. Enjoy the feeling of a clean green space.

Avena Susy ~ Long Post Ahead

  Cold oatmeal with pecans, sun flower seeds, amaranth, banana, apple, raisins and cinnamon. Avena Susy. That is what sat before me looking so delectable and healthy last Sunday morning at a fun little eatery called 100% Natural in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. And yet all I could do was stare at it. I was in the evil clutches of food poisoning. I was hungry, nauseous, sweaty and had the worst stomach and intestinal cramps of my life. Whats worse was that nothing was moving, if you get my drift. I'd spend some quality time with the toilet without making any sort of real conversation. It was awful. I was rescued by a friend who had charcoal and laxatives. Thanks Mindy! If I'm ever at 100% Natural again, I'll order the same thing, and will actually be able to eat it.
   That was the only real bad experience that I had while out of the country. The resort we stayed at was called Hotel Friendly. It did indeed live up to its name. The staff was always hard at work. I was amazed by and full of appreciation for them. Every shift, there were people cleaning (!). The lobby and common area floor was constantly swept, mopped, buffed, ect. The staff who cleaned the rooms went as far as to move furniture to clean underneath and left flowers on the bed. It was so nice to feel clean. It's important you know.
   The city itself is nestled in and below mountains that roll into the ocean. Temperature wise it is still summer down there, which made me incredibly grateful for the wind. It was humid, but not the unbearably stuffy kind that I know. The sun is just brutally hot until it sets over the ocean. I witnessed most of the sunsets from my spot in the Infinity Pool, drink in hand. So rad. I felt like a queen.
  We went on an all day excursion to Marietta Island, which is about an hour off the mainland. The island itself is a safe haven for birds and wildlife, and protected by the government. There are man made caves all over the island from military exercises many years ago. The water was too high to explore them the day we went. Major bummer. We did snorkel though, and that was probably the coolest thing I've ever gotten to do at a Feast. We were free to explore this huge, yet microscopic space of the planet. The water was so clear and unpolluted. I saw straight to the bottom. Sea grass and rocks and creatures everywhere.  I swam through giant rock formations and schools of brightly colored fish that were swimming works of art. I held a sea urchin. I chickened out when it came time to hold an octopus though. I felt like it would suck my fingers off or try to eat my hand. No thank you. Much love to the octopi population though.
  After snorkeling we were boated to a private beach. I would have liked to just stay there. Build a hut. Live off the land for the rest of my life. Eat some cactus. I was surrounded by my favorite color. Every shade of aqua imaginable. Splishing and splashing. We crawled into a very small cave, talked with some crabs. They were quite happy with their lives.
  Other days we spent time exploring the downtown as well. Parts of the city are lovely. Cool architecture, street art, old buildings, a rickety old wooden bridge. I got to haggle my way to a really lovely purse, similar to one that my Dana-cakes got me in Guatemala. Never pay what they ask for in Mexican markets. They usually tell you double what its worth. Start really low, but don't be stingy. You're still paying less than you would in the states. These people have very little in comparison to the luxury we live in.
  The zoo in PV is worth every peso. You buy bags of food, and can feed 90% of the animals they have there. I fed an ostrich. This is a big deal. Now I want to ride one.

    I plan on making a different post about the spiritual lessons I learned while at the Feast. In closing however, I can't even comprehend how blessed I am, through no doing of my own. I work hard, God works harder. He chooses to bless me, and to forget that, would surely mean calamity.

Morning

  Cambria. My chosen font. For obvious reasons.

  Hello readers/infinite universe. How have you been since my last post? I have been busy, sick and out of the country, sometimes all three at once. I have a lot to share, but not a lot of time at the moment. I plan to post later this evening with a full word meal rather than this day old word salad I’m chucking at you. Droopy lettuce in your hair, carrots dried out and tomato discolored. Yum.

  Have a great day and put away your shoes. 

Go! Use your muscle carve it out work it hustle...

 I recently got a membership to the YMCA here in the lovely Nash. I love the rows of the normal machines. Ellipticals, bikes, treadmills. With rad screens and plug ins. I can watch TV if I want! I don't though. I sweat it out to tunes blasting from my headphones. Just like I do everything else.
 I noticed something a few workouts ago, a portion of my brain was absolutely not with the program my body was trying to run. It was resisting. It was running, in the opposite direction. It was the child inside, and this time, she needed to be silenced. My thoughts were racing. This was IT. This was the moment that decided if I was going to be the person I was, or the one I wanted to be. This is the moment that people get off of the elliptical and think that they've done fine by burning 50 calories, barely breaking a sweat and "oh its just too hard I will try again tomorrow", I know that's what they think because I've been there and I'm there again. NO. That can't be me. It won't be me. This is too important.
   Pump those legs, wipe that sweat, skip that song. Why is it even on my playlist?! Ugh. Keep it up. Intervals. Incline. I hate everything. There is this creepy 60 year old checking me out and looking at my elliptical like he's cheating on a math test.  Get away mister. My husband will smash you. After I do. I will mop the floor with your overly bushy eyebrows. RAGE. Oh, I LOVE this song. Happy,genki,  whee.  Time: 15:33. Translates to 50% there. Halfway to getting off of this glorious machine. Screaming lyrics inside my head. All day everyday. I can feel my pants getting looser already. Take that genes prescribing big bones and flabby mid section! Get out of my way universe. You know Lord, I really like cheese. I think that is my problem. Why is it SO DELICIOUS?! I've stopped caring if you check me out 60 year old creeper. Whatever motivates ya dude. Yuck.  Oh wait I'm done...? I'm done! Woo! I'd like to thank my playlist. Behind every awesome work out is a an even more awesome playlist.

The Playlist:
Paparazzi - Lady Gaga
Paper Planes - M.I.A.
Looking Glass - The Birthday Massacre
Planetary (GO!) - My Chemical Romance
Airplanes, Pt. II (edited) - B.O.B feat. Eminem, Hayley Williams
Misery Business - Paramore
More - Usher
Comeback Kid - Sleigh Bells
Fresh I Stay  - Flo-Rida
Kids - MGMT
Bone House - The Dead Weather
Transparent - Porcelain and the Tramps
Let It Rock - Kevin Rudolf
Just Dance - Lady Gaga
 
I do switch certain songs out every week or so, but that is basically it. Whats on yours? Have a great Labor Day Weekend everyone!

Smoothie Sunday

    Summer mornings. Damp grass. Warm breeze. Empty tummy. Fruit in the fridge. Let us make smoothies.

Healthy, delicious and easy. Seriously the hardest part is clean up. Hold that lid down folks!

 I'll give you a basic list of what I put in mine, but you can be as creative as you want. I hear peanut butter is a popular ingredient. *shudder* 

- 4 Ice cubes

- 1 Banana (broken up)

- 1 Cup of mixed fruit (strawberries and blueberries usually)

- 1 scoop of protein powder (or else I get cranky) 

- 1/2 cup of Oatmeal ( Trader Joe's multi-grain of rye, barley, oats and wheat) 

- Small handful of spinach or kale (Just Do It.)

- Juice ( I don't usually measure this out. Start slow, add more if necessary) 

Blend it. Pour it. Drink it. Use the energy from this glorious smoothie to put one of my cleaning tutorials into action. 

Camp Reflections I.

  This year I had the honor of serving as a counselor at a United Youth Camp.  Camp Cotubic sits just outside the cute small town of Bellefontaine, OH. You go from an old town square surrounded by grand old homes with American flags flying high and gardens tended, to fields and spotty cell service in about two minutes. Here is a place full of green and laughter surrounding a glassy lake that makes the breeze much cooler than it would be without.

  Every year when applying as a camper or a staff member, you are required to answer the question of why you want to come to camp. You have but a few lines to explain this. For some, I suppose, that is quite enough and that’s fine. For me though, I always struggle to put all of my reasoning into a brief explanation. It isn’t the food (though Pinecrest goers may argue), it isn’t because I get to see my friends or meet new people or do another high ropes course. I want to go because of the most overwhelming will to help tend the extensive garden that God has been growing since the dawn of time.

  While I am there to support the campers and cultivate their personalities, nurturing them and guiding them in a safe environment, they often wind up teaching me more than I could possibly digest in a weeks time. The best part is that they don’t realize how amazing and developed they are. There are these little moments when joy paints their faces and I realize that I have to keep going. I have no choice. They are my family.  

The Clutter Bust

 Hello readers! Just a quick thought for today. . .

   If I could show you my room five to ten years ago, you might puke, cry , laugh or some gruesome combination of all three. I was disorganized, messy and just had too much stuff. Stuff that I no longer even remember because it did not hold lasting value. When de-cluttering, here are some things to remember.


-      You are not throwing anyone away
-      Your value is not in your things. Everyone has things that they love, and they are fine to have, but your true worth lies within.\
-      Paper is your enemy. Receipts, junk mail, bills, notes, cards, catalogs ect. Create a filing system and get a shredder. Go through the mail immediately. Thirty seconds now saves you minutes later.
-      If you haven’t worn that shirt in a year. . .how likely are you to wear it in the next six months?
-      Question yourself. Why are you keeping this?
-      Go at your own pace. De-cluttering is a process. It shouldn’t be done overnight. 

• 
  
      Don’t let it scare you! Fear holds us back from way too many things, including our own space. 

33 Pieces

Minimalism is a very streamlined and basic way of living, and it inspires me. We don’t need or use half of the things we own.  This country conditions us to think that we do need these things. More is better. Bigger is better. Buy a 1.2 million dollar home and fill it with awful tasteless things and spend the rest of your life paying for them because they were on sale or because you can’t let go of the 80 macaroni projects your three children did.  Can I take the twenty dresses in my closet and give ten of them to a women’s shelter? Do I really need fifteen pairs of pants? Three pairs of black heels? We have way too much going on here.

That being said, whenever I come across a minimalist wardrobe, I am bored to tears. I see a lot of the same thing, black item, black item, white item, accent color, repeat. BLAH. I cannot picture myself being simplistic enough to be satisfied or happy by limiting my wardrobe to solids. I would do it differently.  I enjoy minimalism because there is no strict set of rules. You find a form that works for you.  A person with what I think is a bland ward robe is be perfectly happy with the items they have chosen, because it’s what works for them and what satisfies their desires.

 Here I have created my minimalist inspired thirty-three piece wardrobe. It completely fits my needs. Since I am a weekly church goer, I need more dress up items than the average bear.  The majority of the items, both dressy and casual can be mixed and matched.  I did not count items like socks, underwear/bras and two cami’s and a swim cover-up. Some of the items you see are things that I already own. 

-         Two skirts

-         Two knee length dresses

-         Two maxi dresses

-         One nice top

-         Three Cardigans (because I have ice water in my veins)

-         One tank top for working out or to put under a cardigan

-         One pair of yoga pants

-         One pair of work out shorts

-         One pair of dark jeans

-         Four pairs of shorts

-         Four casual tank tops

-         Two casual shirts

-         One hoodie

-         One obligatory Angels and Airwaves t-shirt

-         Six pairs of shoes (that for me, is a miracle)

-         One swimsuit 

So I showed you mine.  What about yours? Comments welcome.

Krazy Kitchen

  Since the bathroom tutorial was a hit, I figured the next area to tackle would be the kitchen. It is probably dirtier than the bathroom and yep, we make food there. 

You will need: 

·        Common Sense

·        Rubber Gloves 

·        Surface appropriate cleaner, polish  or disinfectant

·        Magic Eraser 

·        Cleaning cloths

·        Glass cleaner

·        Toothbrush 

·        Dobie

  Begin by decluttering the counter tops. Mail, coupons, notes, these things do not belong here! Use a junk drawer, desk area or better yet, throw the garbage away. Last option is my favorite. 

  

1. Again, work in a left to right top to bottom manner. Spray your counter tops with your surface cleaner and microwave with the glass cleaner to give it time to loosen things up. Use the magic eraser to wipe/scrub the counter top and wipe it clean with a cloth. Work in small sections, that way you are less likely to miss things. As you wipe clean the sections, thoroughly wipe down any appliances or knick knacks in them.  Be sure to reach down and take care of the front of your dishwasher as you come to it. Same when you come to the fridge, clean what you come to.  Clean any glass with glass cleaner. Other cleaners will make it streak. Yes you have to tell some people this.

2. The Microwave. What fun. If you don't use a paper towel to cover dishes now, you will after you clean a dirty stained microwave. As said in step 1, it is important to pre-spray the microwave. It makes wiping it out so much easier. Make sure to use glass cleaner in there. Work from the inside out. Most microwaves are above the stove, so if debris fall, it’s no big deal. If the microwave is not above the stove, you would want to clean it out first before cleaning the countertop below it.

3. The Stove.  This is my least favorite, I must admit. It can be very difficult to cut through the grease and dirt that gets on a stove. Even after you clean it, it will streak and look awful.  Many companies make very specific stove top cleaners. I would shop around, but there is always dish soap.

   So, apply whatever concoction you use on your stove and use a magic eraser or a dobie to scrub it like crazy. You need thick suds, unless you are using a creamy base cleaner. Scrub for a good thirty seconds to a minute and don’t just get areas where you saw spills.

   Rinsing can be tricky and cause a mess itself. I recommend getting a wet cloth or sponge to water down the scrubbing . Then dry and polish. You may need a few rags for this. Do your best. Polishing with vinegar works well. Use with a coffee filter and your flat top will sparkle!

4. Details, details, details. When you have more time to spend, these things are completely necessary. Empty the crumb tray from the toaster or toaster oven. I do this almost everytime, It just keeps things from getting backed up.

  Wipe down your cabinets with a decent wood oil or green cleaner as to not harm wood. So much dust, food splashes, finger prints and more are happening on your cabinets. Show them some love.

  Take a toothbrush and scrub the edge of where the counter meets the back splash. Yummy. Also, toothbrush the drains and around fixtures by the sink. You can also use it to detail the knobs of the stove, which should be periodically removed and washed.

  Baseboards light switches and door frames. Wipe them. They’ll love you for it.

5. Scrub that sink! Bon Ami and a dobie works best. If you don’t have Bon Ami, Bar Keepers will do. Rinse and dry, making sure to shine the chrome on fixtures.

6. Make sure to vacuum or sweep your floor before you mop or hand wash. If you have tile with grout in the kitchen, I recommend getting a mop with removable parts so that you can screw on a scrub brush. Grout gets so nasty.

   Go about your mopping business and have a ball. Another option here is to mop the whole house if you have hardwood everywhere and do all of your cleaning at once.

7. The time has come for double checking. Get eye level with your counter tops! I CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH. Bend down and look at them as if you were going to lay on them! A good percent of the time you will have missed a hardened food spill or crumb.

Well look at that….you did it! 

For Josh

You are a fantastical human being Josh "Broseph" Bowdler! Here, I got you these cupcakes.

So You Want To Clean Your Bathroom?

 So today has me cleaning, bustling about my own home and thinking of ways to simplify the way we live. One way to save time and frustration is to spend time on keeping things clean. We all differ in the way that we clean, what products we use, ect. I'm going to share what I think is the best way.  ;) Today's topic. . .the bathroom. Hair, dirt, moisture. Yuck.

You will need:

• Common Sense 
• Rubber Gloves
• Glass cleaner 
• Magic eraser(s)
• Method All Purpose Cleaner ( I prefer the mint scent) 
• A disinfectant
• Cleaning cloths 
• Toilet Brush    

Extra Helpful Items:

• Toothbrush
• Scrub brush 
• Elbow Grease 

Time: Depending on the size of your bathroom, around 20 minutes

1.Turn on the lights. Seriously. Even if you have sun light streaming in. Remove rugs, shake outside, vacuum or throw them in the wash. Empty trash. Vacuum or sweep the floor with the broom. You want to do this first because it makes things easier when you actually wipe or mop the floor. Dirt and debris sticks to water, and water is sure to splash while cleaning and get on the floor. It will make sweeping pointless, and can ruin your vacuums motor.

2. (Though optional, now would be the time to pre-spray all the bathroom pieces, including the vanity, tub/shower and toilet. ) Begin with the vanity and scrub the sink. I use a magic eraser and Method products on the vanity, since they are green and not murder on my lungs. Thoroughly clean the vanity before cleaning the mirror. If you clean the mirror before the vanity, you risk splashing on your clean mirror. Dry the vanity.

Tip: Shine your chrome and toothbrush around the faucets/fixtures and drain! Details like this make a room look so much nicer!

3. Remove shampoo bottles/soap/products from the shower area. You want to be thorough. So much builds up under those things!  Scrub your tub or shower in a top to bottom left to right manner. It saves time and ensures that you wont miss a spot. If you have a shower combination, scrub all the walls first before focusing on the tub. Rinse with HOT water and check with your finger for soap scum. If it's still there, it's not clean. You may need to re-scrub a spot or two. This is normal. Put products back in their places after you've wiped them off.

Tip: Toothbrush or scrub brush in the grout every so often even if you don't see mold or mildew. There are still tons of bacteria living in there. Toothbrush around the drain as well.

4. Moving on to the toilet. I recommend a mild disinfectant for the seat, lid and tank. You can use a stronger product in the bowl if you want. Use a curved toilet brush to scrub the inside of the bowl first, make sure to get under the lip of the bowl where dirt and mildew builds up. More detailed scrubbing with a toothbrush is necessary from time to time. Wipe the tank, toilet seat and base thoroughly. Flush.

5. You're almost done! Prepare a mop if your bathroom is big, or get down on those hands and knees. I love my hands and knees for the bathroom because you are getting closer to what is actually dirty. Do what makes sense. It's easier to see things. Spray a disinfectant on the floor and wipe. If you use a lot of hair spray, you'll want to use a scrub brush, or toothbrush any grout. That is the only way it's coming off. So much dirt builds up in those crevices. Start in a corner and clean your way out of the bathroom.

Tip: This is more of a command. Wipe behind the toilet!

6. Take a moment to check over and admire your work. You just improved your house!

  I can't stress enough the importance of details if you want things to truly be clean. Quick de-cluttering and straightening has it's place, but there must be time to focus on the nitty gritty. Not making time for these things just leads to frustration, poor air quality and bacteria build up. Next time we'll focus on the kitchen! Feel free to leave comments or link back. :)

Freaky Friday

  So the wind is crazy right now. A sign of the weather we are about to get. I hate sitting here waiting for the storms to happen. I wish very much right now that we had a basement. Our safe place in a storm is the hallway because you can shut all the doors and it becomes its own little room. People need to take this seriously. I can't tell you how many times people have told me that they aren't worried about storms, they sleep through them or they ignore them. Tuscaloosa anyone? HELLO. We need to have a healthy fear and respect of these storms. God sends the rain, and He can hold it back. He's kind of a big deal.
  I started to draw the outlines of the prom frames onto a card board moving box using a ruler. Harder than I expected, simply because making all sides even and the same is not really my strong point. I'm not good at making straight edges, or walking in a straight line. I roll the crooked way in life. I'm okay with it. To solve the problem I found some of my lovely scrapbook paper that is covered in cute frame shapes. I'm going to take that bad boy to the library or kinkos and blow it up, cut it out and trace it. Then I'll cut. Does anyone know the best way to cut into cardboard? I have a feeling I'm really not going to like that part. I feel silly asking questions on a blog. "Uh google it dummy...." says my brain. My bad, I like human interaction.
  Sorry for the shortness. I have to go love on my puppy.
 

Hey It's Leap Day

  Today we had massive storms come screw everything up for a lot of people. I don't know what the death toll is right now, but somewhere around nine. There hasn't been any crazy damage or death in Nashville, only a bit of flooding. I think the casualties were mostly in other states, but Smithville, TN was just hit not long ago. Prayers for these people are needed. What a horrible way to remember Leap Day. In elementary school there was a girl named Emily and she was the only one who had a birthday on Leap Day. She turned "2" in the second or third grade. We all went in and sang happy birthday to her. I don' t think she wanted us to.
  So what do I do all day beside think of weird things and how to be three or more places at once? I clean. I clean my house, I clean the houses of others. I make art. I improve life. I'm not going to be shy about it. That is what I do. I come in and I make it better.  I don't mean to sound braggy or full of myself. None of it would be possible without the blessings that God chooses to bestow me with. I believe He wants me to spend my time this way.  I hope He wants me to spend time getting my degree....sooner or later it is happening.  (please.)
   Cleaning is not a cheap business. I have to laugh when I see people on craigslist who want to pay a professional cleaner $10 an hour to deep clean, do dishes, laundry and babysitting. HA. 'Scuse? I don't really do baby-sitting unless it's on the side and separate from cleaning. I really haven't done it in years. Kids are cool, I just haven't had the notion.... Yeah, I get that someday I'll be a mom and no one will pay me to clean my house. That is a-okay because when that time comes, I'll be a different person in many ways.
    Cleaning is good for the soul. Or mine at least. I know it can seem overwhelming, daunting, tedious, awful. It can be difficult if you've never been taught or don't have a working system to manage it. So, since I clean like a beast I'm putting together some lists, tips and tricks to share with my readers. Feel free to post a link to it whenever I post it. ( I love when you share.)
   I'm going to try and make cardboard frames tonight for the Southeast Regional Prom that my church hosts. If that goes well, maybe I'll post a tutorial. I've never done one of those before. ^_^ Should be fun. We have to cut and paint them ourselves. Love me some crafts. I need to do more of it. I'm shooting for the goal of one per week. For my sanity.
 

It's a Must Have Monday

 I have always loved music. I possess no talent to produce it, but I live in love and awe of the artists that touch me. Today I am reminded of how my life changed six years ago. A day when winter was still clinging, yet caving into spring and my heart was beating faster because of it. It had been a year of falling apart and looking for pieces that I wasn't sure fit into me anymore. I was growing wings. They seem to spread when I heard this song.

Puppy Power

Today is the one week anniversary of getting Penny. She's our red sable miniature dachshund. Full of energy and all around cuteness. Having a puppy is teaching Eric and I a lot of things. Like...

 1. I value fresh smells. Puppies are not always fresh. I gave her a bath on Friday and I don't know how long I can hold out...

2. We are not yet patient people. How hard is it to pee in the same place all the time? Puppies don't know. 

3. Praise is important. Couldn't we stand to dole out more praise, not only to a pet, but maybe a co-worker? Your spouse? Your parents? I'm willing to try this out. Something wonderful might happen. 

A New Adventure

  Here it is. My blog. If you can't guess from the title, this space will be chock full of things that inspire, provoke and obsess me. I'm pretty stoked about it.