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Cheryl Mendelson: Laundry : The Home Comforts Book of Caring for Clothes and Linens
Cheryl Mendelson: Home Comforts : The Art and Science of Keeping House
Cindy Harris: Keeping House: Hints and Tips for a Beautifully Clean Home
Lynda Brown: Organic Living: Simple Solutions for a Better Life (Organic)
Want to know what gets "vintage wine" lipstick off of a fiberglass tub and all of the walls and counters surrounding it? Witch hazel astringent from the health foods store! How do I know this, you ask? Well, let's just say that the twins didn't exactly come straight downstairs after their nap, and I didn't hear them sneaking about in the bathroom in our room.... So, now you know another trick for when the kiddos decide to get artsy-craftsy with the makeup drawer!
Since today's lesson in HK 101 pertains to laundry instructions and how-to's, I thought I would share the charts from the lesson with everyone, not just the students....
Here is a handy laundry chart to share with you: Download laundry_charts.doc You can print this out and hang it up in your laundry room to use as a reference for care labels. Those things can be so confusing! For more great laundry tips, go to cleaning101.com and browse their site. Lots of good stuff there...
Miss Flossy tipped me off to a wonderful website called Rosanna that has so many different, gorgeous pieces of china and bakeware. I fell so deeply in love with these that I just had to have them. And not just because I am weak when it comes to cute retro stuff-- I really wanted to give it a test drive as I am considering putting this line in the shop.
Isn't the inside of the pie dish adorable? Each of them has their own recipe imprinted in/on it...
The brownie pan is currently in my oven with a batch of actual brownies in it! I made regular fudge-y gooey brownies but stirred a handful each of butterscotch chips and mini marshmallows before pouring them into the pan to bake. They smell heavenly and they will be a yummy dessert after dinner tonight. On the table this evening: grilled chicken breasts, salad, steamed veggies, and whole grain rolls...
It's here! It's here!
This is even better in real life than online! I can't wait to use this on Wednesday when I take the kids over to the greenhouse/nursery on our little adventure. It is much bigger than I thought, but not too big to be useful. It will comfortably hold enough drinks and lunches for all of us. And sturdy, wow! If you were even mildly thinking about getting one of these (OK, little Miss Holly GoLightly, I know you are!) I strongly urge you to do it before the sale on them ends! Seriously, they are so worth it! So are their tv trays, by the way. Love them! Dinner tonight was definitely more fun using them. If you are so inclined to add those to the shopping cart, I give them two thumbs up as well!
For dessert tonight we had a lovely little blueberry concoction of mine. If you would like to try it yourself, here's the recipe. My kids devoured it! And it not only is great by itself warm, but would be wonderful over vanilla ice cream or pancakes, too!
BLUEBERRY "BUCKLE"
4 cups fresh blueberries
1 tsp butter
1/2 c sugar
2 tbsp. water
Combine in a large nonstick skillet, and bring to a simmer over med-hi heat. Stir a tbsp or so of cornstarch into 1/4 cup of warm water to dissolve. Add this mixture to the berries in the skillet. Reduce heat to med, med-lo and stir the cornstarch liquid in thoroughly. Simmer until thick and bubbly. Serve warm. (It will thicken even more as it cools, by the way.)
This lavender bundle is one of the things that is calling to me over at Stonewall Kitchen. Many of you have either commented or emailed me asking where my darling mum found the caddies at. Well, I must be a good hostess and share my secrets with you! For all of you housekeepers who are dying to have these just as I was, you can get them from Stonewall Kitchen online. I need to stay away from this site. Seriously. If I don't, I'll have to change the name of my card from Master Card to Major Debt! What a scrumptious site, though!
Just check out these goodies:
Yummy sounding soaps...
Moth chaser sachets...
And this 1950's Cooler, which is on it's way to me as you read this!
Be careful, ladies, you had better be sitting at your computer when browsing this site. You just might swoon!
Over the weekend I received these lovely items above from my mom. How did she know I had been secretly wishing for these caddies? I love them! Inside the cleaning caddy were lavender mint and grapefruit thyme dishsoaps, and lavender mint handmilled soap. In the laundry tin there was a package of lavender mint laundry powder. And if that wasn't enough, she also gave me a gorgeous double balloon whisk (which I needed!) and a baggie with 10 quilt squares in it that were from a quilt of my great grandmothers! Feels like Christmas around here! She also sent a monogrammed royal blue apron with "Club House" embroidered across the front (not shown because I had it on!). Thanks Mom, I love it all!
Well, the results are in from my trial of the Kaboom cleaners. While the "Ultra Scrub" did clean the messes I applied it to, it wasn't exactly "never scrub". You had to exert just as much effort with this cleaner as with any other commercial cleanser. I almost went crazy letting the soap scum build up in the tubs and shower, but held off cleaning until it was good and yucky. Yes, it did clean it, but not in the miraculous manner they portray on the infomercials. On the plus side, it has a nice pleasant fragrance and actually did clean. On the minus side, it didn't clean as fast as promised, and the scent might be lovely but at what chemical cost? I know the package says that no gloves are needed, but this stuff isn't safe for the environment, so it can't be that great for your health, either. I guess it depends on your standards. It's not a terrible product, but not stellar in my opinion. I won't be purchasing it as we all know I tend to favor the environmentally friendly methods, but if you choose to use it you will hopefully be satisfied with it's performance.
The "Never Scrub" toilet cleaning system seems a bit useless to me. Again, not great for the enviroment, although if your pets drink from your toilet it won't kill them. Also, there is a heavy chemical smell with this after you flush. Reminds me of the hotel bathrooms where they use a bleach solution on everything and then don't rinse. Or perhaps a public pool that is over-chlorinated. So, how is this considered safe? And it's been in the tank for a while now, but you still have to clean your toilet. Again, not the miracle from the infomercials.
I'll leave it up to you all, but personally I'll leave them on the shelf when heading past the cleaning products. (I guess that just killed my chances of being a famous spokesperson, right!?!?)
I have been contacted by the company that makes Kaboom Cleaners. They want me to try their products and then post the feedback here for you all to see. They are looking for a recommendation. Here's what I told them:
I will test a product if you can meet the following criteria --
Lo and behold, they responded. I have the MSDS's for them, and the products are on their way with all other information enclosed. One thing -- the products are ABSOLUTELY not environmentally safe. SOOOOO, it's highly unlikely already that I would recommend them, let alone even test them. But once I receive them, I will let you all know what my review results are. They should be here within the week... if anyone currently uses these products, drop me a line at my email address and let me know what your experience has been like!
Here is a handy laundry chart to share with you: Download laundry_charts.doc You can print this out and hang it up in your laundry room to use as a reference for care labels. Those things can be so confusing! For more great laundry tips, go to cleaning101.com and browse their site. Lots of good stuff there...
I never endorse specific cleaning products because I've found most of them to be complete frauds. They never deliver on the promises. OxyClean is my biggest offender in this area! It didn't do any of the miracle things it claimed to be capable of. There are many others I've tried that just didn't live up to their promises either. But this one does! This one is amazing! It actually removed dry blood from my husband's shirt and pants. It took ketchup off the front of my daughter's shirt. It got coffee out of my white blouse. This is one product I will shout the praises for! I bought one for the car, one for the diaper bag, one for my purse, one for the kitchen drawer, and one for my cleaning kit. I love this thing! Tide to Go.... Go get it -- you won't be sorry!
My stand mixer was on it's last legs. Yes, it still worked, but not as well as it used to. It was even dropped from the countertop once and the speed lever was bent and didn't want to lock into place when it was being used, so you had to hold it there. And it was only a 4-quart mixing bowl. I got it about 6 years ago when KitchenAid first came out with their "Ultra" line of kitchen counter appliances. Well, I've been longing for a new one and decided to approach the topic with my darling husband recently. I told him we needed a new one and that I wanted to do some research on them to find the best brand, the most reliable, in a size that would work for me. If it cost a lot of money, would I still be able to get it considering it would be a long-term purchase with lots of use? Why, of course, honey. Whatever... go find what you want and we'll discuss it.
Flash forward to now. (Well, after midnight on Friday, actually, when we decided to exchange anniversary cards while packing for the weekend trip.) I feel terrible as it is, because I only got him a card. Yes, it was from Hallmark, but still!!! He surprised me with the mixer shown above! He actually heard me when I told him which one I wanted, and he took it upon himself to go get it as an anniversary/mother's day gift for me!
Now, I can just see my mother rolling her eyes because this isn't a romantic gift. Ladies, if you know me, this is as romantic as it can get! I love this kind of thing! And so does Andy, because it means more goodies for him from the kitchen! The way to my man's heart truly is through his stomach, and the way to mine is through kitchen gadgets, so we are a match made in heaven! I love it!
This baby has 575 watts of power, a 6 quart mixing bowl (and with 4 kids, I'm cooking in quanitities now anyway!), all three mixing attachements, a pouring shield, a lift-bowl system, 10 speeds, and a mail in rebate slip to get either a free pasta rolling attachment or ice cream maker attachment. I think I'm going to get the pasta roller.... I'm hungry for some fresh linguine with vodka cream sauce! I had better get my act together for Father's Day this year....
Here are some natural cleaning recipes, courtesy of Frontier Co-op.
Lavender Carpet Freshener
Imagine yourself in a field of lavender flowers as you wpread this blend on your carpet. It will absorb odors and dirt and impart a lovely scent as you vacuum it up.
3/4 cup baking soda
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup lavender flowers
Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Sprinkle over carpet and let sit overnight. Vacuum it up in the morning.
Cinderella Cleaner
Use this all-purpose cleaner on washable walls, courntertops -- you name it! The herbs contribute both scent and antiseptic properties.
1 cup liquid castile soap
6 cups water
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup eucalyptus leaf or thyme leaf tea, strained
Swish all ingredients together in a a cleaning bucket, and use with soft, colorful cotton rags!
By the way, girls, today's HK 101 lesson is in your email inbox now... go get it and get busy!
Happy Dusting!
Have you ever taken a really good look at your dishwasher door? I have. YUCK! On a very regular basis I scrupulously clean that thing because it grosses me out that my dishes would come out of something that has such nasty gunk stuck in the crevices. Take a look at this:
This is with regular cleanings, too, so if you've never done it, you might want to look at your dishwasher door. And the absolute best tool for this job? A toothpick! Just slide it along the crevices (using new ones as you need to, of course!) and it will pull all that yuck right out. Then spray a little vinegar into it, pour a cup of vinegar into your empty dishwasher, and run a normal wash cycle with no dishes inside. Your dishwasher will be sparkling and fresh again! You'll thank me for this disgusting post, I promise... Now get to it!
The new official email address for this site is: thehelpfulhousewife@hotmail.com
All future emails and questions should be sent to this address. Since typepad won't allow me to change the previous email link to this address, I simply removed that link from the sidebar and will be sure to include this email link in the closing portion of each post. That way it is always accessible to click on it! Be sure to add it to your address book!
If you want to see me get red-faced with steam coming out of my ears, just ask me how I feel about the difference between men and women's clothing. The price is just the starting point! And the fact that we pay twice as much as men do for the same darn thing really is frustrating when everything made for women shrinks or gets misshapen the first time you wash it! So, my solution to keeping my clothing looking like new after laundry day? I don't put any of my things in the dryer during the spring and summer months. I hang them out to dry on my drying racks. In the fall and winter, I do put them in the dryer on gentle, permanent press with low-heat. And I pull them out just before they are completely dry. It has really saved my wardrobe since I figured this out! If you happen to find that everytime you wash a new pretty top or a pair of jeans they get smaller all over, it probably is the dryer. No one gains 10 pounds overnight. (But if the size decrease is gradual? Then perhaps one fewer Krispy Kreme per week is in order!)
And if you like to have freshly scented clothing, toss some lavender or other fragrance sachets in your drawers and closets. Or simply spritz with linen spray a minute or two before wearing. It can completely change your energy level for the day!
I know that when I was in high school, there was only 1 period where Home-Ec was offered, and now you can't even find it in most curriculums. I wasn't able to take that class as it was offered at the same time as Physics, and, well, back then I was much more interested in getting into the Navy's Nuclear Program than getting into an apron. How foolish I was! I never did join the Navy, and now I find that I didn't even like working with the engineers I once collaborated with on highway designs. Nope, now I am in love with wearing aprons and all things domestic! Go figure...
So, my personal mission this week is to try and find out if there is a movement to save the Home-Ec instruction in our schools. And if there isn't? I think I'm going to start one! And I don't want it to be exclusive to girls. Many men are waiting longer and longer to marry and settle down. They need to know how to take care of home as well, and when they do have a family, a little knowledge would be a good thing in order to get them to pitch in when the baby's been up all night with fever and mom needs a rest.
Back to my original thought, it seems that very few of us have ever been taught the right way to "keep house". Since I felt that this site needed a more definite plan and a path to follow, that's what is going to be found here at The Helpful Housewife. I'm going to continue to put the little tidbits out here that have been characteristic of the site all along. But as a concurrent theme, I will start posting about the way to keep house properly. Not a strict, this-is-the-only-way methodology, but a general guideline of hygenic standards and pleasant added touches. I hope you enjoy this new format. I'm going to try to post daily, Monday through Friday, with a longer post on Friday to carry throughout the weekend. (Hey, even I need a break! I'm a little tired out suddenly between the three sites, the kids, the farmers market, the aprons, the husband, the laundry....shall I go on?!)
And, as another new item, I want you to utilize the "email me" link on the page. If you have any question about a housekeeping issue (cooking, cleaning, laundry, gardening, pets, anything at all) please email me your question. I will then post it with the answer on the site (no names mentioned unless you want it there!) so that all can benefit from it.
Now, go get dinner started and freshen yourself up before hubby gets home! Tomorrow will be the beginning of our new education!
OK, I don't know why the pictures aren't clear but I haven't changed the settings on the camera at all! Anyway, here is the wonderful collection of goodies my parents brought to me this weekend! Other than the two prom dresses and two pair of prom shoes hanging over the ironing board, and the jar collections, everything else belonged to my Great-Grandmother Attie. The amazing woman that my daughter is named after. I have lots of pictures, so if you don't mind, I'm going to share all these goodies with you!
First is the wooden ironing board. It is in excellent condition, and I can't wait to sew a cover for it! Under the green shoes is a quilt made entirely of feedsacks, turned to the inside so you can't see the printing on them. Here's a closer look:
Here is a photo of the things on the bench in front of the ironing board:
There is a set of 4 nesting canisters, 4 lovely (3 are vintage) dishtowels, and a selection of glass jars that my father was collecting. The blue ones are part of a complete set and the white ones are original smooth ground top jars that are self-sealing from the first year they were ever made. Here are the other jars:
Here is a view of the jars that I've already decided to use as vases. Don't they look beautiful? Perfectly suited to the purpose...
Two of them are the largest blue jars and I just love them. The other two are little pint milk jars! They are so sweet! And the neat thing about them is that they are slightly pink, and the more they are exposed to sunlight, the more pink they will get! How scrumptious! Here's a closer look at them:
Then there are these two quart size milk jars that were on top of the ironing board in the first picture. The caps that you use to cover them are in front on the table here...
And now the absolute best item of the entire collection...the absolute treasure for me of all time...Great-Grandma's flour sifter! If I never had another kitchen momento of hers, that would be just fine, as I am in love with this!!!!! In fact, in this book:
on page 162:
Did you see it? From the center of the ironing board? You got it!!!! My Great-Grandmother had the yellow version, and it is in pristine condition considering it's age! I've never been in love with a kitchen gadget in my life as much as I am in love with this one. It was hers, which I love the most, but it has my absolute favorite type of print on it! Don't you just adore it? Here's the one I now have:
And Meghan, at your bridal shower today you said that you would like to have some of these things as well. Next time you are here, please please please feel free to pick through them! Mom and Dad said they were bringing more stuff down as they are starting to clean out the basement and there are some real treasures in the boxes and cabinets they are going through... You are welcome to the things that you would like to have, since you will now be a part of our family and Ryan has lovely memories of the farm himself. I know he would love you to have a part of his history, too!
As a housewife loyal to her calling, I feel compelled to do research for my sister housewives. Therefore, I placed an order a while ago with Feather Your Nest to make sure that it was indeed worthy of mention to you. This is where the beautiful cake stands and the cherry glasses were from that I posted about here. I must say that it was more than worthy! I just love all of the selections I purchased. There is a pair of pink gloveables for my dishwashing duties along with two tea towels for the Christmas season. They appear to be handmade and are adorable! I also restocked my pancake mix and tried a new item: carmel apple butter! Doesn't that just sound scrumptious?! The cookbook, "101 Things to Do With A Slow Cooker" is filled with delightfully mouth-watering recipes that I will be making very often. But the best part? The soaps and lotion. Pictured from left to right are: White Lilac hand soap, White Lilac dish soap, and White Lilac hand lotion. All smell divine. So fresh and springy! I promptly put them in the hall bathroom and on my sink to make it really feel like spring here. So if you do get a chance to check them out, I highly recommend shopping with Feather Your Nest!
Good morning, darling Housewives! Now that our refrigerators are sparkling and pretty inside, it's time to move on to our next task. We are going to tackle the pantry now. And in case you were wondering why in the world I could admonish everyone by saying the pantry is NOT a mushroom, it is because most people treat the pantry that way. They keep it in the dark and it's covered in dirt! I know that us Housewives don't do that, but you would be surprised to peek into the pantries of those who are homekeeping-phobic or those who would love to be an efficient homemaker but have no idea where to start or what to do. Pantries tend to be neglected more than any other area of the home with exception of the utility closet, but most use their pantries as a utility closet as well.
I'm going to tackle this as if your pantry is a multi-purpose area. If you are fortunate enough to have separate closets for brooms and paper/cleaning goods, and the like, then only take out the points that would pertain to you. Let's get started!
To keep foods fresh and to prevent pest infestation, we need to keep the pantry clean and dry at all times. This doesn't mean filling a bucket with bleach water and scrubbing it down everyday. You can maintain a high level of cleanliness with afew simple preventative measures. But a good, thorough initial cleaning is in order, as well as at least one per year thereafter. Here are the steps to take for that initial scrub-down:
For more information on a sparkly pantry, you can go to the following places for some great tips, ideas and instructions: Real Simple Magazine, Home Comforts : The Art and Science of Keeping House, Keeping House: Hints and Tips for a Beautifully Clean Home , and of course, Alison has the most wonderful site on all things housekeeping vintage-style!
