Our Garden/Storage Shed And Cat House

Our garden/storage shed and cat house was once attached to our old mobile home and served as our laundry room. When we moved into our new home, DH saved our laundry room and with the help of my daddy attached to our outside storage shed, creating a bigger building with two separate sides. The old laundry became my garden/storage shed and the other building became the lawn mower shed. Years later when our rescue kitties came into our lives, it became their house where they sleep at night tucked safe away from the coyotes. With the help of DH's carpenter skills and my organizational skills, our garden shed has become a very functional tool in the caring of our simple home place. So today, I thought I would give you tour of the shed and how we organized it to work for us.

As you walk through the door, you will see a set of black metal storage shelves. We had used them in our old laundry room and were a perfect fit for our shed. I use these shelves to store a variety of items. I use various items to contain items. On the top shelf, you will see a coke crate full of small clay pots. We have an old radio to use outside. This is also where I store the cats canned food, which they get every night when I call them in for the night. The next shelf holds old glass bottles and other glass containers for fresh flowers to put the house. I have some of the small repurposed containers standing in old cake pans. I put old towels in the bottom to help them not wobble around too much.

The next shelf has seeds containers and gift wrapping supplies on it. I also have plastic containers that can be used for various things. The wooden box holds citronella candles for when we host an event outside in the summer. The pink crated holds old towels, sheets, and blankets. The cardboard box holds old dish cloths, kitchen towels, cloth napkins, hand towels, and wash cloths to be used for whatever they may be needed for.  

The bottom shelf is full of old coke crates that hold old sheets and pillowcases. It also house our rash can. A bucket for any leftover garden soil I haven't used, yet, and a bucket to hold the scooped litter from the kitties litter boxes. I have an old clothes basket stuffed full of old linens to provide a cozy spot for the kitties to curl up in. 

 

Underneath the window, between the black shelves, and the storage shelves DH built, he built me a potting table. As with most other areas I use, I have made it pretty and filled it with things that mean something to me. 

My sweet niece gave me the "Live, Laugh, Love" sign that is attached to the window, for my birthday last year. I love how it compliments the area ~ color, birds, and all. I found a pretty water can that sits on the window sill all year round. DH nailed some nails into the wall that separates the storage shelving from my table, so I could hang up all of my garden tools. 

On the right side of the table top, I have flower pots DD has given me as presents over the years. The watermelon one holds measuring spoons for measuring out flower food, etc. The bigger blue one holds garden markers I use to mark the veggies I sowed. The other small pot holds the cats' hair brush. 

On the left side of the table, I have two flower pots stacked on top of each other. The colors really don't well in our home, so I use them for tool storage. I lined the top one with old kitchen towels, then added my pruning scissors, pruning shears, and a other little items. Other either side are things I won when we were playing cards. I like candles in place I may need to see if the power goes out. The other jar holds a pair of old scissors and pencils. The little butterfly sat in my childhood room and just seemed to find a new home on my potting table. 

The potting table has a shelf where I have plastic storage containers that hold miscellaneous items and all of the baskets I use for gardening. The basket on the bottom with the orange towel in it is the basket I carry around with me as I work. I place all of my tools in it, as well as old hand towels to wipe dirty hand on and a bigger towel to place on the ground when I need to sit. The other baskets are what I carry to the garden when I gather produce. Below the shelf is an old toy scooter that belong to my brother. I am not sure how I wound up with it, but I put it to good use by storing Seven Dust, Miracle Grow, and clay pots one. The big white bucket holds dry cat food, which they nibble on all day long.

 

The storage shelves DH built are sturdy and hold a lot of boxes and tubs. All of our Christmas, winter, Easter, and fall decorations are stored here. The lowest shelf holds tubs that are covered with old towels, because the kitties like to sleep on top of them.  

DH's part of the storage shelves is much smaller than mine, but they contain a lot of items. His side doesn't always look that neat. I straightened them up before I took pictures. You can also see the cat have use of part of his shelves too. 

In the bottom picture, you can see a clean litter box and a little red wagon lined with blankets. I try to provide a lot of comfy, different places for the kitties to sleep. Underneath the wagon is another basket full of linens for them. In the right corner, you can see a little bit of white showing. It is my old play table that we keep around in case we need it. I store buckets and containers underneath it. I also separate the cats plates when I feed them at night. Miss Bashful gets her plate on top the table. Miss Cooper gets her plate underneath the table. 

I truly believe in decorating and making the places you use a lot pretty and meaningful. It makes work a little less of a chore when you are happy to be there. I even add decorative touches to the door of this room for different holidays. During the summer, I have a cute little welcome sign on it that puts a smile on my face. 

Well, that completes the tour of our garden/storage shed and cat house. This little shed and the pretty inside are just a simply good place to have at you disposal!

My Cookbooks: Cook's Country Cookbook

The Cook's Country Cookbook has a really long title ~ The Complete Cook's Country TV Show Cookbook. It is based on the Cook's Country TV show that is shown on PBS stations. It is one of the newest cookbooks in my collection and one I have wanted for a long time. I received it as a Christmas present from my MIL & FIL. 

This cookbook contains all of the recipes from the tv show and is updated every year. I have the season 9 cookbook, which is the latest addition. The book also includes all of the features of the show; such as ingredient testing and equipment ratings. Some of the other interesting things in this book are short histories of how some of the recipes came to be. They also include helpful tips on how to avoid some of the pit falls that may come when making a particular recipe. Valuable tips on how to prepare certain ingredients can also be found. 

There is a great range of recipes in this book; from old fashion favorites to ones with international flare. Grilling recipes have a devoted section all to itself. Breakfast recipes can also be found. I recently fixed one of the breakfast recipes ~ a Dutch Baby Pancake. It was yummy and something a little different. I have many, many more recipes marked to try. 

The Cook's Country Cookbook is one of those cookbooks you will want to add to our collection. The recipes are easy to follow. They also provide reasons why the recipe will work and things to avoid. It is simply a good thing! 

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If you having been following along all week, I hope I have shared a cookbook that might be of interest and helpful to you. I would love to hear some feedback from you, so, please leave a comment. If you have a favorite cookbook, I would love to hear about it, too. Finding and trying new recipes is one of those simple pleasures for me!  

My Cookbooks: Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook

Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook was a Christmas present from my youngest BIL and I love it. It is so Martha. It is laid out beautifully and crammed full of baking know how, but you wouldn't expect anything less from Martha Stewart. 

The first few pages of the book contain general baking tips, baking equipment, and techniques. The equipment section has pictures and what each piece is used for. The same goes for the technique pages, plus great insight from Martha's years of baking. 

At the beginning of each the recipe sections, there is information and tips on how to bake that type of baked goods. What type of equipment needed to make that particular baked good is covered, as well as a variety of helpful tips. The instructions are very well laid out and go step by step. I have never had any problem following any of Martha's recipes(...well, I did once because I didn't read the recipe all the way through before starting. My bad!) and everything has turned out well. I have tried only one recipe from this book to date ~ Chocolate Scones ~ and we liked them. I have many, many more marked to try. Now, I just have to find the time to get to baking.

I can't recommend Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook enough. It would be a great gift for a new bride to be or the budding baker in your family. Martha's Baking Handbook, as she would say, is simply a good thing!  

My Cookbooks: Laura Ingalls Wilder Country Cookbook

I grew up reading the Little House books and watching "Little House On The Prairie" on tv. I loved Laura Ingalls Wilder and the life she lived. I wanted to be a pioneer. So as an adult, I was thrilled when I came across "The Laura Ingalls Wider Country Cookbook." 

This cookbook is full of recipes that Laura fixed for her family from the things they grew on their farm. It also contains recipes using special ingredients that would have been expensive at the time, such as citrus fruits. All of the recipes are simple, hearty, country, home cooking. The potato pancake recipe I use comes from this cookbook. However, there is so much more to this cookbook, especially for a Laura Ingalls Wilder fan. 

"The Laura Ingalls Wilder Country Cookbook" is a book filled with stories about her life on the farm with Almanzo and Rose. It is full of pictures of their farm in Missouri. There are pictures of the inside of their home and pictures of their adventures around the farm. It talks about her writing for a local newspaper and how she would write down recipes on whatever she could put her hands on at the time. If you are a LIW fan, you will just enjoy reading this book. I have read it numerous times and will read it a few more times. It is simply a good thing! 

My Cookbooks: The Joy Of Cooking

If you are looking for an all purpose cookbook or a cookbook for a new bride, I highly recommend "The Joy Of Cooking." It is crammed full of valuable information and tons of recipes. First published in 1931, "The Joy Of Cooking" has been updated several times to reflect the current cooking knowledge. 

While I haven't used many of the recipes, this is my go to cookbook if I have a question on how to prepare something or how to cook/bake something. It has a whole section called ~ Know Your Ingredients. Here you can find 5 1/2 pages of equivalents and substitutions for common ingredients which is VERY helpful. This section also has measurement equivalents and conversion charts. You will also find tips on how to grow, harvest, dry, freeze, and use herbs, as well as how to use spices. Other chapters include; "The Foods We Eat", "Entertaining", and "Menus." 

As for recipes, you will find everything from drinks, to game, to pies, to cakes, to pickles, and relishes. I have a lot of recipes marked in here to try and even found a new favorite of ours homemade potato chips. There is a cheese blintzes recipe I want to try but I haven't worked up enough courage to try making crepes, yet. 

Not only is the cookbook a great tool to have on hand, there is also a "Joy Of Cooking" website that corresponds with the cookbook. Just don't expect to find all the recipes from the book on the site, however, you will find some new recipes thrown into the mix. It also has a ingredient and technique page you will find helpful. The site also gives a history of how the cookbook came to be and the history of it over the decades. It is one of those sites, you will want to bookmark for future reference.

"The Joy Of Cooking" has become a staple in my cookbook collection and in my cooking/baking efforts. I highly recommend it and think it is simply a good thing!  

I Love Cookbooks

I love cookbooks and not just for the recipes. I love to read them. They give insight to the history of recipes and the regions they come from. They also tell stories about the authors or surrounding how a recipe came to be. They also contain a lot of valuable information on different cooking techniques, tools for cooking/baking, and how to go about preparing certain cuts of meats. They are just a great resource to have on hand. They are also a great shower gift for a new bride to be. So all this week, I will be sharing some of my favorite, go to cookbooks. 

The books I will be sharing have helped me out a lot over the years as I grow in my cooking/baking skills. They have helped me branch out of my comfort zone to try new recipes and new techniques. Some of them, I love because of the story and history they tell. All of them I think would be welcomed by anyone that has a love for cooking/baking or a bride (or new couple) setting up a new household. All of them are simply perfect!

Reynold's Non-Stick Foil

Reynolds Non-Stick Foil is one of my favorite products. It is one of those non-stick products that actually works. I use it for all sorts of cooking, baking, or storing products. 

When I roast potatoes, I line the baking sheet with non-stick wrap. It helps the potatoes crisp up quicker and makes clean up easy. I also wrap potatoes in non-stick wrap when I bake them. I use it to cover up casseroles as they first start baking to keep the top getting extra crispy. When I take meat out of the oven to rest, I cover it in non-stick wrap to keep it warm. I will sometimes line a cake pan with it before I bake a cake, especially if I am using a cake pan that no matter how well I grease and flour it the cake always seems to stick. It won't stick when I use the non-stick wrap.

The non-stick wrap does have it down side. It cost more than the regular aluminum wrap, but since I really don't use it that often I don't mind paying a little extra for something that I know will work. Another little trick to keep in mind is to make sure you are using the non-stick side of the wrap when you want something not to stick. The non-stick side is the dull side of the wrap.

I know there are concerns about using aluminum foil when you are cooking, so I limit the times I use to those things I know will stick or make-up clean up a chore. Even with the concerns, I still think Reynolds Non-Stick Wrap is simply a perfect product!   

Simply Useful: Plastic Linen Bags

If you are like me, you like things neat and tidy, and an organized house is a must for me. However, buying containers and storage tubs to help keep things organized can be an expensive. So, you have to look for creative ways to find storage solutions. One of my favorite storage solutions is plastic linen bags. You know those plastic bags that often come with the set of sheets or bedspreads you buy. There are so useful and are perfect containers to store linens in. 

I use these plastic linen bags to store all of our camper linens in. After they are washed, I fold them up with a dryer sheet placed in the middle folds. The dryer sheet keeps them smelling fresh and the plastic linen bags keep the mice out of them.

I use plastic linen bags to store all of my linens in. For example, all of our camper linens are stored in our camper in these bags. They help to keep the mice away from them. All of my Christmas linens from towels, to dish towels, to place mats, to napkins are stored in these bags. As well as, any antique linens such as my great-grandmothers handkerchiefs are stored in them. Since one of the concerns about storing cloth in plastic is that moisture can form inside the plastic, I make sure all of my linens are completely dry before I put them in the bags. I also don't zip the zipper all the way shut. To keep all of the linens smelling fresh, I place a dryer sheet in the middle folds of the linens.  

It may take a few years to accumulate as many as I have right now, but they are definitely worth starting a collection. Plastic linen bags are simply a useful item!   

Simply Useful: Ziploc Bags

Ziploc bags are simply the best, especially the slider bags. They are the easiest to close and the easiest to make sure they are close. I use Ziplocs for more than food storage. I use them to store a variety of items in. They are easy to carry and can be flattened out which makes them stackable. So, today I thought I share with you all the ways I use Ziplocs and why they are a simply useful item when it comes to organizing. I find the slider bags work the best.

Ways To Use Ziplocs

• Use them to store all the little pieces from board games. This prevents all the little pieces form being scattered. The bag can be flattened out to fit nice in the boxes. 
• Use them to store cards in your camper if you don't have a card holder. 
• Use them to put crayons, markers, colored pencils, pens, etc. in. This makes them easy to transport and helps keep them contained. It also makes it easy for kids to use in a car on a long trip. 
• Use them for snacks for the kids on those long trips. They are easy to open and easy to close. 
• Use a gallon size bag to store the item you may be embroidering or cross stitching in as well the embroider thread, scissors, and needles. The project can easily be transported so you can use those few spare minutes to work on it. 
• When traveling, store all those hair items you may need; rubber bands, hair clips, hair bow, as well as your brush and comb. 
• When traveling, store your toothbrush and toothpaste in them. This will keep those items from making a mess and getting all over your other items. 
• Use the gallon or larger ones to send a spare pair of clothes in to day care or school. It will also provide the day care workers or teacher a bag to send the soiled items home in. 
• Use the to store bows you use for decorating your house in the various seasons and holidays. 
• Use them to store those open bags in your cabinet or freezer. I use them for my opened bag of noodles or marshmallows. It helps keep them fresh and from critters getting in them. I do the same with bags that are opened in the freezer. 

  

I could go on and on, because Ziplocs are so versatile. The possibilities of how to use them are endless. So the next time you need something to store an item in, think about Ziploc bags. They are simply a good thing! 

Simply Green: Old, Empty Bottles

I don't drink but I sure do love the bottles liquor comes in. Liquor bottles have very interesting designs and shapes. I especially like the Crown Royal bottle and Patron Tequila bottles. I collect them as well as other old bottles. The oldest one I have found is a Pepsi bottle from 1929. We found it in the dirt where we were putting in our first home. The only problem is what to do with them all. 

Over the years, my bottle collection has grown. I have even added empty maple syrup bottles to it. Some the older soft drink bottles I have are being stored, but I still have plenty of others to do something with.  I have some uses for them, but I am still looking for some other ideas.

Here are some of the ways I have come up with to reuse them:  

• Use them as flower vases. This is my favorite way to use them. I arrange a variety of bottles filled with flowers on a table top or in a tray. Using bottle of different heights, you can create a unique flower arrangement. 
• Use them as candle holders. Stick candles in them and allow the wax to melt and run down the sides to create an add effect. The glass of the bottles will help reflect the light which is an added plus. 

As you can see, I haven't thought of very many ways. So I have done a little research and have found some very creative ideas. 

• Use them as photo frames. Once the bottle is empty, you can insert photos; along with beads, pearls, shells, sand, rocks or any other trinkets you can squeeze in through the neck.
• Use them as soap dispensers. You can even leave the labels on them if it will add to the decor of the room it will sit in. 
• Make bottle lights out of them. Drill a hole in the back of a bottle and run a string of lights through it. This would work great for party lighting. 
• Glass Bottle Candles. Cut the bottom off of the bottle and place it over a lit candle. 

I really like some of the ideas I have found and will have to try them out. If you have any creative ideas on how to reuse old glass bottles, leave me a comment. I would love to hear form you! 

 

Simply green is a good thing!

 

Sources: 

• 15 Ingenious Ways To Reuse A Liquor Bottle 
• 15 DIY Ways To Reuse Glass Bottles

Simply Green: Those Odd Glasses

All of us have them. Those odd glasses left over from a set of glasses that started out as a set of 16 but slowly dwindles down to 2 or 3. You go buy a new set, but aren't sure what to with the odd ones you have left over. Don't throw them out! Reuse them in a new way. 

One of the ways I reuse old glasses.

Here are some ways I reuse our odd glasses: 

• Use them as pencil/pen holders. I have several odd glasses setting on or around our desk areas. I use the smaller ones, as well as the big ones. 
• Use the to hold utensils in for a buffet,BBQ, or a cookout. I line them with a cloth napkin first to keep the silverware from hitting the glass and breaking it. 
• Use the small or medium size ones for condiments. Put ketchup, mustard, mayo, or salad dressing in them when hosting a dinner or party. 
• Use the small ones to hold food items for an ice cream sundae bar. 
• Use the larger, taller ones as vases for flowers. 
• Use the small ones as candle holders. I placed a candle in one and place the glass on top of an upside down glass. Instant candle holder pedestal. 

Here are some other ways I found to use them: 

• Use them in you bathroom for toothbrush holders. 
• Use them as a flower pot. Start out with a few rocks on the bottom, then some soil. Find a plant and plant it. 
• Use them in your office area as containers for paper clips, push pins, and other office supplies. 
• Use them on your nightstand to hold your glasses in while you sleep.
• Use them as an instant speaker for your smart phone. By dropping them in an empty glass, it automatically amplifies the sound. 
• Use them as drinking glasses for a dinner or cookout you are having. There is something whimsical and casual about mismatched glasses and dishes. 

So the next time you are thinking about throwing out those glasses, stop and think of another way you could use them! 

Simply green is a good thing! 

Simply Green: Old Cake Pans

What do you do with old cake pans or pans that you no longer use because they are scratched, stain, or even has rust spots? Do you throw them away? Have you every thought of ways to reuse them? Did you know there are ways you can reuse them? 

Today's post is all about ways to reuse these pans. I have several pans that I received as wedding gifts and over the years they had become worn, stained, and rusted. I started to throw them out, but then I stopped myself. My mind immediately started thinking of ways to reuse them. 

Here are some of the things I came up with:

• Use them to water the little 6 annual flower packs you buy in the spring. The packs fit into a rectangular pan really well. Just pour a little water in the bottom to help keep the flowers moist until you can get them set out. 
• Use them to lay bulbs or tubers in to dry for winter storage. Last year I pulled up my sweet potato tubers and stored them in a large rectangular pan. I sat the pan on top of the frig in the laundry room over the winter. The tubers dried well in the pan and they were contained. 
• Use them to set other flowers in with water until you are ready to set the flowers back out in another spot. I have done this with day lilies. It works well. 
• Use them in to store items or collections in. In my garden shed, I am using several rectangular pans as containers for my vases. This helps me keep them together and organized. 
• Use the round cake pans underneath flower pots to catch any water that may come out. 
• Use them in the garden to put the veggies you are harvesting in.

While I have reused my for practical purposes, you can get very crafty with them. I have seen some of the round pans glued to a pedestal and used in kitchens to hold fruit or in bedrooms for a catch all for jewelry and other items. I have seen rectangular pans or bundt pans used for a cactus gardens. I have seen the round pans painted, a mirror inserted in them, and hung on a wall as mirrors. The possibilities are endless. 

 

So before you get ready to throw those old cake pans out, put your thinking cap on and get those creative juices flowing. You may just come up with some pretty and useful for your home or some nice to give as a Christmas gift. Or you may find that you have a use for them just in your every day life. 

 

Learning how to reuse things instead of throwing them out is simply a green thing!  

Halloween Safety Tips & Ideas

Happy Halloween, everyone! As the little ghosts, goblins, firemen, and princess are getting ready for a night of trick-or-treating, it never hurts to review a few safety tips to keep everyone safe. So as a review for everyone, I am sharing a few of the tips and ideas I have come across. 

Tips For Trick-Or-Treaters

• Avoid billowing costumes or a costume with a long train that could catch fire easily. Buy costumes that are fire resistant or if you are making your own use fire resistant materials.
• Use a flash light, glow sticks, or a battery operated jack-o-lantern to light your way as you trick-or-treat. 
• Make sure to look to your left, right, & left again before crossing the streets. Try to cross the street at corners, using traffic lights & cross walks if possible. Walk, don't run, when you are crossing a street.
• While trick-or-treating put your cell phone down. Keep your head up and be aware of your surroundings. 
• Children 12 and under should be accompanied by an adult. If they are responsible enough to go out alone, make sure they stick to familiar areas and go with a group of trick-or-treaters. 
• Decorate your bag or container for your candy with reflective stickers or tape. 
• If given a choice between face paint and a mask, go with the face paint. Masks can obstruct your view. 
• Make sure costume doesn't pose a tripping factor, such as being to long.  
• Wait until children are home to sort and check treats. Though tampering is rare, a responsible adult should closely examine all treats and throw away any spoiled, unwrapped or suspicious items.  
• Eat only factory-wrapped treats. Avoid eating homemade treats made by strangers. 

 

Tips For Hosting A Party

• Keep dried flowers, corn stalks, crepe paper, and hay away from open flames and other sources of heat. 
• Never use "indoor only" lighting sources outside. They could shock someone or do something worse. 
• Never block exits or escape routes. 
• Keep candle-lit jack o' lanterns and luminaries away from doorsteps, walkways, landings, and curtains. Place them on sturdy tables, keep them out of the reach of pets and small children, and never leave them unattended.
• Make sure your porches, walkways, and yard are free of anything that a person could trip on. Masks make it harder to see things clearly.

 

Tips For Driving On Halloween Night

• Slow down and keep alert. Excited children will move in unexpected ways. 
• Take extra time to look for children at intersections, around curbs, and medians. 
• Enter and exit driveway and alleys slowly. 
• Eliminate distractions inside your car so you can put your focus on the road and your surroundings. 
• Popular trick-or-treating hours are 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. so be especially alert for kids during those hours.
• Drive slowly, anticipate heavy pedestrian traffic and turn your headlights on earlier in the day to spot children from greater distances.

 

Be safe out there everyone and have fun! Try not to overload on candy! Happy Halloween!

 

Safety Tips Resources & Links:

1. Halloween Safety Tips
2. Halloween Health And Safety Tips
3. Are Your Halloween Traditions A Trick Or A Treat?
4. Halloween Party Safety 

Homemade Halloween: A Cinderella Costume

Cinderella was an obsession of DD's for a long time. We watched the movie almost every day. DD would also give a detailed reenactment of Cinderella being transformed for a maid to a princess. So that year, Cinderella was the inspiration for Halloween that year. 

Almost a year before, DD was a flower girl in my brother's wedding. My SIL picked out a silky, lacy, long white dress for her to wear. This dress served as Cinderella's dress. I pulled DD's hair up into a pony tail. I then took the pony tail and doubled it over toward her forehead and secured it with a big pearl hair clip. When I finished, her hair looked like it was up in a bun with a tiara on her head. She wore some of her frilly socks and a pair of clear plastic slippers she had in a dress up box. To collect her candy in, she carried a galvanized bucket with her Cinderella book tucked in it. She even performed her reenactment a few times.

All of these costume ideas, I have shared with you were easy to make. They just required a little imagination. DD was very comfortable in them too, because she wore most of the clothing we used to make the costumes. They also weren't tight, binding, or awkward for her to wear. The best part for us as family on a tight budget, they didn't cost us much which we liked a lot. 

Homemade Halloween is simply a good thing!  

Homemade Halloween: Minnie Mouse Costume

When she was around 3 years old, DD had a Minnie Mouse Doll she loved. Minnie slept with her most nights and spent many hours with DD playing. Minnie served as an inspiration for DD's costume that year. 

Minnie wore a dropped waist hot pink dress with white polka dots on it. She had a pearl necklace and a big hair bow in her hair, between her ears. She wore white socks and black shoes. I figured it wouldn't be too hard to come up with something close to her appearance with the clothes DD had in her closet. 

I found a hot pink short sleeved dropped waist dress. We put a black long sleeve turtle neck underneath it. I found some white ribbon which I made into a bow and attached it to the neck of the dress in the middle. I had a long yellow plastic pearl necklace leftover from my teenage years in the 80's for DD to wear. The socks and shoes were easy to do, because DD had a lot of frilly white shoes and a pair of black shoes. 

Figuring out the ears required a little more work. I used a black headband I had as the base. I made some ears out of cardboard and used permanent markers to color them. I stapled the ears on to the head band. When we put the ears on DD, we fastened a big white hair bow in the middle. When our Minnie Mouse was ready to go trick-or-treating, she carried her Minnie Mouse Doll with her. We used a ghost pail she got a Happy Meal in to collect the candy. 

DD really liked this outfit. We also received a lot of compliments on it. Once again, it was easy to come up with and didn't cost us any money. 

Homemade Halloween is simply a good thing! 

Homemade Halloween: A Black Cat Costume

The last year DD went trick-or-treating was her 6th grade year in school and she went as a black cat. Once again, we used clothes that she had in her closet. I figured out how to make some cat ears and her daddy came up with a tail. The only thing I did buy was a black eye liner. So, we spent a little money but it was less than $5.00.

DD had a black pair of jeans and a black turtle neck. Those items were the bases of the costume. To make the ears, I took a black headband I had and attached cat ears I made out of cardboard to it. We kept her hair long and loose. DH came up with the tail by looking at work for some leftover braiding used to trim furniture out with. We attached it to her jeans with a safety pin and frayed the end of the tail to give it bushy look to it. I used the black eye liner to draw a cat nose and whiskers on her nose and face. She carried a plastic jack-o-lantern to collect her candy in. 

We got a lot of compliments on her black cat costume. It was easy to throw together which is such a plus with me. It also hardly cost us anything, which is always a plus. 

Halloween is getting closer, so get those creative juice flowing. Look at what you have on hand and see what you can come up with. You might just surprise yourself! 

Homemade Halloween is simply a good thing!

Homemade Halloween: A Little Farm Girl

Another easy Halloween costume idea is a little farm girl costume. Again, it uses items that you probably already have on hand. The best part - it will cost next to nothing!

In the midst of a very busy year in our life, Halloween was upon us before I knew it. I had to come up with a costume, quick. After looking at DD's clothing, an idea quickly formed. 

She had a well worn pair of blue jean overalls that she wore around the house. We put a white turtle neck long sleeve shirt underneath them. She didn't have any boots so we pulled out the snow boots she had, to wear with the overalls. For her hair, I braided it into 2 braids, then we put on a Ford tractor baseball cap her daddy had that was a little worn and dirty. I then took a brown eye liner pencil to dots freckles across her nose and cheeks. To collect her candy in, we took a small galvanized bucket and lined it with a red handkerchief. That little extra touch just added to the whole thing.

Once her outfit was all set, she was ready to go trick-or-treating. It was a simple idea, but was very simple to throw together too. Not to mention the best part - it didn't cost us anything! 

Homemade Halloween is simply a good thing! 

Homemade Halloween: A Ghost Costume

Halloween has never been a big deal around our house. We did however take DD trick-or-treating when she was little. All of the costumes were homemade or had homemade elements added to it. Most of them were really easy to make. 

For the first Halloween we took DD trick-or-treating we dressed DD as a ghost, a friendly ghost. We took one of her daddy's white t-shirts and used a permanent black marker to draw eyes and a friendly smile. We put that over a mostly white jogging outfit she had. She wore white socks and white tennis shoes. I pulled what little hair she had on top of head in a pony tail and secured it with a white scrunchy. She carried a ghost pail she had got a "Happy Meal" in from MacDonald's. Viola, we had a friendly ghost!

She liked the costume because it was comfortable. We liked it because it didn't really cost us anything and it was easy to make. We received a lot of compliments are our friendly little ghost and her costume. 

Halloween costumes don't have to hard to make or cost a arm and a leg. Just get those creative juices going and work with the materials you have on hand. You will never know what kind of character maybe laying around your house. 

Homemade Halloween costumes are simply a good thing!  

Simple Perfect Product: Clorox Disinfecting Bathroom Cleaner

Our water comes from a well and is what you would call hard water. I mean really hard water that leaves a red mineral water stain on clothes and surfaces, especially if they happen to be white. In order to get surfaces clean, it requires elbow grease and the right cleaner. The right cleaner for me is Clorox Disinfecting Bathroom Cleaner.

Pic via Clorox.

When we first moved into our new home, I used those little scrubbing bubbles to clean the sinks, tubs, shower, and toilets. After a while the hard water stains became more difficult to get rid of using those bubbles. So, I started searching for a new cleaner. I choose a Clorox product because I use Clorox Clean-Up Cleaner w/ Bleach in my kitchen and love it. 

This disinfecting cleaner helps to cut through the hard water stains making it a little easier on my elbows. Its scent isn't to overpowering, which I like because I am sensitive to scents. The bottle is a good fit in my small hands. I have been using it now for about 6 years. I am very pleased at how well it keeps my sinks, tubs, and shower looking clean and white. 

Clorox Disinfecting Bathroom Cleaner is one of those simply perfect products! 

Simply Perfect Product: Windex

Over the years, I have tried a multitude of glass cleaners; from Glass Plus to organic cleaners to water and vinegar. However, I keep coming back to Windex. Glass Plus didn't give me the streak free shine I wanted. The organic products left streaks and the one I really liked that I could get at the grocery store isn't made anymore. Water and vinegar weren't strong enough to handle the hard water stains on our glass shower wall and door. 

I was looking at other products when I noticed that Windex made a product with vinegar in it and had the added bonus of being a multi-surface cleaner. I bought a bottle of Windex Vinegar Multi-Surface Cleaner  and stopped my searching. I had found my new glass cleaner. 

Pic via Windex

Not only do I use this to clean windows, but I use to spot clean places on our kitchen and bathroom floors. I also use on my knick knacks, picture frames, and our kitchen table. It doesn't have a smell to it and is just handy to have around. 

Windex Vinegar Multi-Surface Cleaner is just one of those simply perfect products!