Twinkle Loon

This past weekend we had some friends over which, for me, is another reason to finally get to various DIY projects on my list. A few weeks ago I saw a beautiful, modern wall decoration that consisted of cut cardboard tubes (can’t remember what blog it was on :/ …Apartment Therapy? maybe?). I used the stiff paper from the inside of a wrapping paper roll. By using stiff paper instead of cardboard tubes I was able to change the sizes of the circles.

I’m really happy with the way they turned out. I’m thinking about adding more to the wall and maybe painting the inside of every circle dark grey. You know, just to make my life more difficult.

Yet another free item of clothing I took from the clothing swap was the white jacket below. Of course I realized after taking it home that it had a few stains on it. Gah! what to do? I am usually the stain remover queen! But I always make sure to get to the stains before they are washed and (most importantly) dried. The dryer is the downfall of stain removal! It’s evil I tell you!

But there is one trick that my Mom learned from an old lady that owned this awesome frame and antiques shop by our house. We only used the following method on cotton and rayon. I have no idea what this would do to silk or wool! So be warned. You will need a large plastic tub, powdered dishwasher detergent, cold water and a lot of time. Make sure that you get the powdered detergent without the blue bits. Very important! No blue bits! Unless you want blue dots on your heirloom antique white tablecloth… but I don’t think you do.

First make sure you have enough water in the bucket to completely cover the stained item. Before you add the clothing sprinkle about two tablespoons of the detergent into the water and agitate with your hand to mix. Then add the piece of clothing and make sure that it is fully saturated with the soapy water. Now comes the time for patience! For the next four days you want to move the clothing around and check on the stains. On the fourth day make a new mixture of soapy water and dump the old water out. You might have to do this for weeks. Seriously. But don’t give up! Keep checking it every day and changing out the water.

If that doesn’t work or takes too much time (as is the case with me) then it is time to get creative! Sure you could cut t up and turn it into something else. You could buy a “Kiss me I’m Greek” patch and cover up the stain. Or you could whip out your needle and embroidery thread (wiggling eyebrows up and down)! You see what I’m getting at?

Voila! A beautiful flower where there was once an ugly stain. I have a feeling that this jacket will be filled with embroidery in a few years time. Not because of me! I’m quite neat, my boyfriend however… well, lucky for him I’m crafty.

Before

After

A few days ago I had my 29th birthday and guess what? I can’t wait for next year! I don’t like to make a big deal of my birthday but I do usually treat my self to something just for fun. This year, as you can see in the photo above, I got a haircut and wild coloring I went to this really great salon nearby called Sprout. It is an organic salon, but yes they do have to use some chemicals in hair dye (I’m way passed my henna days! sorry). They are very nice and love to do hair styles that are a bit more… experimental.

My favorite thing to do is going out to eat with some family and friends. Don’t give me presents, I just want food But I do like getting older. I think it’s exciting that next year I will be thirty! And I love thinking about my 13 year old musings on the future. Why do we always think that when we get older things will all be figured out? That all the puzzle pieces will suddenly fit together? Well I am very glad that is not true! It would be an extremly boring life if that happened to me. Challenges are what make life exciting!

I was just talking to a friend about aging and we were both complaining about the complainers. Those people that lament getting older. “Ohhh my Goood, I’m sooo ooollld” Pa-lease! Be happy you are alive! For all the wonderful people I have loved that passed away well before they should have, I simply cannot do anything but appreciate every single day that I have.