Tag: vintage

Pure Soap Flakes—Your New (Old School) Secret Weapon to Clean EVERYTHING

When I was a kid, they still sold soap flakes in all the stores. Soap flakes are, well, soap flakes. Dried, 100% pure, vegetable based castile soap with no added preservatives, bleaches, phosphates, or perfumes. If you’re old enough to remember that, you’ll probably remember how amazingly versatile soap flakes were. You could use them to clean everything from delicate wood floors to laundry to newborn babies. They were magical and just like that, they started disappearing from the shelves at the grocery store and were replaced by all kinds of products containing heaps of toxins.

Anyway, I recently got my hands on some soap flakes and I’ve totally been on a cosmetic making rampage! I usually swear by Dr. Bronner’s liquid soaps, but some household products I make call for something a little bit thicker. Who doesn’t prefer creamy shampoo or laundry detergent? So I’ve been testing out some recipes for you lot, because of course I have. Not only are soap flakes extremely powerful (just imagine your laundry whites actually staying white), but they’re also gentle enough to use on the most sensitive of skin. This is an all in one kinda deal, folks!

Here are just a few of the many uses for soap flakes:

  • Laundering natural fibers and delicate fabrics including wool, cashmere, silk, linen, flannel, chiffon, cotton, and down.
  • Washing and cleaning children’s toys chemically free.
  • Cleaning precious ceramics, crystal and glassware, fragile china, porcelain and marble
  • Shampooing wool and other fine carpets and rugs.
  • Cleaning musical instruments, wood and metal.
  • Shampooing pets, show dogs and show horses.
  • Use in craft projects such as making frost for holiday trees, rock polishing, making soap crayons, carving soap sculptures.
  • Safely combine soap flakes with other natural cleaning ingredients such as baking soda, borax and washing soda for extra cleaning power.
  • Wash oak, pine, teak, walnut, linoleum and vinyl floors.
  • Wash walls and wallpaper, wood products, fine furniture and priceless antiques.
  • Wash boats, cars, and motorcycles with no harm to the environment.

Basic Laundry Detergent Directions

  1. Dissolve soap flakes thoroughly in hot water and allow to cool to skin temperature before use.
  2. Washing Items by Hand: 2 or 3 tablespoons per gallon of water. Work fabric in soapy mixture and rinse well. Squeeze or pat dry.
  3. Top Loading Washing Machines: 1/2 cup per load.
  4. Front Loading Machines: 2 tablespoons per load. Dissolve flakes in hot water before pouring into machine. Do not use machine’s detergent dispenser.

***Always wash garments according to garment label.

***Also, I like to add a few drops of lavender essential oil to the diluted mixture before throwing it in the washer. It smells divine!

Interior Design Trends to Look for in 2017

Interior Design Trends to Look for in 2017— Fixer Upper Friday

There’s no doubt that interior design trends over the past couple of years have been dominated by Scandinavian and minimalist aesthetics. The Scandinavian aesthetic has made grays and whites the go to color for everything from walls to textiles to tableware. While the minimalist aesthetic has favored function over form and furniture choices have definitely reflected that sentiment. Clean lines and hidden storage solutions have certainly been the most popular trends.

2017 is ushering in a thirst for color and texture and the hot new trends will embrace everything from floral prints to rich jewel tones and bold colors. The Scandinavian and minimalist design design trend will still dominate, but the name of the game this year is to incorporate bolder colors and mixed textures, in order to give homes a much more curated look.

If you find yourself cringing at the thought of floral wallpaper plastered on your crisp and clean living room walls, don’t be too alarmed. There are much more subtle ways to stay on trend with this year’s must have textures and colors. Rule of thumb: use small items to add that pop of color or that depth of texture then work your way up!

Textures

Raw, natural materials are set to make a big splash. While 2016 gave us shiny finishes like rose gold and copper, this year we’ll see more terracotta, cork, and even volcanic stone. Also, look out for velvet or floral accents like throw pillows and fabrics. Or take the plunge and try to get a hold of a vintage velvet couch! Thrift store time!!!

Colors

Earthy colors like powdery pink, sand, ochre, cinnamon, rust, and olive green will all make their mark this year. Deep Jewel tones will also appear, adding a romantic touch to interior spaces. Also, look for watercolors and the use of artwork to anchor spaces in unexpected ways like floor coverings.

Images: Dexigner, Interior Design, Vogue, Domain, Amara

21 Ways to Upgrade Your Butcher Paper Gift Wrap

21 Ways to Upgrade Your Butcher Paper Gift Wrap

I take a lot of pride in gift wrapping. It’s like fashion for presents. You don’t show up to a function with your dress on inside out. Ya dig what I’m saying? So when it comes to presentation, I like to keep my gift wrapping pretty and fashionable. I love to dress up the gifts I’m giving with a whole lot of attention to detail, and recently I’ve been experimenting with different color combinations and textures. I’m super in love with craft paper/butcher paper at the moment. It’s the perfect blank canvas for some pretty beautiful gift wrapping ideas. Check out the pics below.
21 Ways to Upgrade Your Butcher Paper Gift Wrap21 Ways to Upgrade Your Butcher Paper Gift Wrap21 Ways to Upgrade Your Butcher Paper Gift Wrap21 Ways to Upgrade Your Butcher Paper Gift Wrap21 Ways to Upgrade Your Butcher Paper Gift Wrap21 Ways to Upgrade Your Butcher Paper Gift Wrap21 Ways to Upgrade Your Butcher Paper Gift Wrap21 Ways to Upgrade Your Butcher Paper Gift Wrap21 Ways to Upgrade Your Butcher Paper Gift Wrap21 Ways to Upgrade Your Butcher Paper Gift Wrap21 Ways to Upgrade Your Butcher Paper Gift Wrap21 Ways to Upgrade Your Butcher Paper Gift Wrap21 Ways to Upgrade Your Butcher Paper Gift Wrap21 Ways to Upgrade Your Butcher Paper Gift Wrap21 Ways to Upgrade Your Butcher Paper Gift Wrap21 Ways to Upgrade Your Butcher Paper Gift Wrap21 Ways to Upgrade Your Butcher Paper Gift Wrap21 Ways to Upgrade Your Butcher Paper Gift Wrap21 Ways to Upgrade Your Butcher Paper Gift Wrap21 Ways to Upgrade Your Butcher Paper Gift Wrap

21 Ways to Upgrade Your Butcher Paper Gift Wrap

21 Ways to Upgrade Your Butcher Paper Gift Wrap

For the full run down on all of these beautiful gift wrapping ideas, follow the link below!

Source: Brit + Co

Source: Apartment Therapy

Fixer Upper Friday: Office Reveal

In a previous post I shared with you how I was rearranging/repurposing entire rooms in our fixer upper#2. The office space (formerly the master bedroom) was slowly coming along and I gave you this sneak peek.

Formerly the master bedroom, this new office space is slowly coming together.
Formerly the master bedroom, this new office space is slowly coming together.

Lots of progress has been made since this photo was taken! I’ve been bargain hunting for furniture and accent pieces and trying to figure out a pretty way to dress up those closet doors pictured above. I think I’m finally getting close to the look I’m after. Check out the pics below!

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I’m all about repurposing, so when I discovered that some old bookcases I had fit perfectly into that closet I was pretty happy. I removed the mirrors from the front of the closet doors and replaced them with some decorative metal sheeting (find it here). All of the furniture was purchased second hand and cost less than $100 total! As for the wall hanging, I got it for free from an acquaintance that was in the middle of a move. If you love it as much as I do, I found a comparable piece here. My next step is to find a light fixture to hang above the desk. I’m debating between several options like this flush mount chandelier or this three pendant light fixture.

It’s still a work in progress, but I’m really falling in love!

Fixer Upper Friday: 5 Steps to Getting That “Fixer Upper” Style

So I just binge-watched the first two seasons of HGTV’s Fixer Upper. I suppose I’m a little late to that party, but I absolutely love that farmhouse style! I love the paint colors, the simplicity, and the character of all of the designs. Joanna, Chip, and their entire team are some super talented folks, so is it even possible for a novice like myself to get that look? I think so!

Here are five easy steps to help achieve that “Fixer Upper” style:

1. Start with a neutral palette with some subtle light paint colors. In almost every one of Joanna’s fixer uppers she uses neutral paint colors and brings brighter colors in with a pop here and there. This gives a nice simple, fresh, and clean slate for your design. [Though the picture above gives a sampling of Sherwin-Williams paints, Joanna just launched a new paint line this year to make the process even easier. Find it here.]

2. Mix your materials and textures. Joanna uses a variety of mediums and materials- wood, metals, leather, cloth, etc. Hardwood floor is almost always a design feature in a Fixer Upper house. Wood elements help your space feel warm and inviting. But don’t stop there…. Layer textures with a high-pile textured rug such as a jute. You can also bring in the warmth of wood with a piece of wooden furniture.

3. Use something architectural and unexpected as a decor center piece. Whether it be large shutters behind your couch or some old windows above your fireplace. This is my favorite aspect of Jo’s designs. I love seeing how she uses different architectural and industrial pieces so effortlessly in her designs. Items like these are found at antique festivals and shops. Your not going to find these one-of-a-kind pieces at your normal home decor store. The hunt for the treasured item is half the fun.

4. Use greenery. Nothing says fresh and clean like a vase of flowers or some greenery. These do not have to be living plants. Hobby Lobby has a great selection of faux greenery that fit the “Fixer Upper” style.

5. Declutter and find new uses for things you already have. All of Jo’s designs appear effortlessly simple and fresh. She does not clutter or over decorate- and almost all items have a useful purpose. Sometimes less is more. 

The “Fixer Upper” style is not something you can achieve over night. Although Jo makes it seem that way on the show. But hours of planning have been spent before she ever even steps into”design day.” This style takes time and will evolve over time. Just as it has with Joanna Gaines. If you look back at some of her first design reveals you can truly see how far she has came as a designer. But starting with these 5 basic steps will get you on the right path to your very own fixer upper!

All Images: magnoliamarket.com

Source: Plum PrettyHow to get that “Fixer Upper” Style: Design Challenge —