Sea Salt in My Hair

I've been off having a sweet savory affair with summer, but now that my calendar is less full and I am more available, my thought process has to catch up and I  need to revel in the shallow tide of free time. Having nothing penciled in for the next couple of weekends, it is time to return to life as I know it from a much needed getaway to Rhode Island. Although my thoughts continue to drift to miles of pristine coastline, rolling blue surf, gorgeous desert like vegetation, crabs and clams by the bucket full, feet in the sand, cocktails in hand and lots of sunshine. I am fully rejuvenated!

 My husband surprised me with a sweet little camper, which instantly won my beating heart! At last, those faint whispers in his ear at night "buy a camper" took root and I am sincerely the happiest wife on the planet . I just adore her! Of course, if you know anything about me by now, I at once viewed her as my newest little project. Since he had purchased her a few weeks before our voyage to the sea, I had limited time to decide as to how I was going to glam her up, thus the terminology glamping.

 I really wanted to refurbish the material on all of the cushions, but time was not on my side so I had to scale down the project and settle for throws. Sticking to my thrifty vintage/boho theme,  I decided to see what Amazon had to offer and I was thrilled to find Mexican Falsa blankets at decent prices. Another cool offer, if you were willing to allow the seller to surprise you with the color combo then the price would be even less! I am always for surprises and lucky me, I was given my favorite color as well, purple :)

I had on hand two gorgeous grayish blue Aztec pillows that I had purchased some years ago. But I had torn them open with zero class to empty the stuffing and wash the covers at least a year ago and had never put them together again Silly me! So after a little bartering, my friend Debbie sewed them up like new and I used those to pretty up the dining and seating area of our camper. They worked out perfectly!!!

My husband stumbled across a box that we had stowed away in the attic of our garage. It contained a pot and pan set that had been handed down to me by a close friend, which I had completely forgotten about. It was such a wonderful find, since they totally went with my vintage theme. Perfection!!!

I made a quick trip to Goodwill to see what I could find in the home section. I have to confess, it was one of those finds that made my day complete! There are so many great little finds, I was having a field day collecting all sorts of necessities for our camper, including another vintage throw, a woven ikat rug, charming glass spice jars, rope pot mats.....I left there with my cart overflowing, I was in heaven!

I splurged on some indulgent candles at TJ Maxx (of couse!!) that made our tiny home on wheels smell like heaven. I then  hung a few canvas prints on her walls that I had from home. Lastly placing a bowl of fruit and veggies on her counter tops, she truly felt like home. It was one of the best vacations we had!

Being back has been bitter-sweet, but towards the beginning of summer there was so much to be accomplished at home. It is time to revisit those plans and get the ball rolling! I am someone who needs to be able to see rather envision, so on my current things to do, I am going to be creating a mood board to help myself organize my thoughts visually. No worries, I will be sharing once I have created my board. I would love to see yours as well! A few things that will be included are paint chips, colorful pokey cacti (current little obsession), white moon flowers, wildcrafting...the rest will be a surprise!

My Happy Place

My happy place is my home.

Lately Chip and I have been working hard transforming our home into a place that represents who we are. A place we both love and are creating together. It's been a slow progression, but this year really marks an ambitious year. It's hard work. There is testing of patience, lots of sweat and meeting in the middle. But I have enjoyed every second of it! Nothing brings a family closer than creating a home as a team. Logan has done his part of helping daddy with handing him tools and digging In the garden with me. While Chip has been building our beautiful new outdoor living area, I've been busy bringing our furniture back to life.

The outcome is more beautiful than expected. It's the best feeling when you have created your vision by using your imagination. As you know from past posts, I am all about refurbishing or using what is around you. We have 8 lawn chairs that were gifted to us from my sister when we were married on the beaches of New Hampshire and an old glass top patio table that my husband has had for decades which has started to rust. The chairs were a very boring beige and the table was a dark green that had started to look just  awful.

My vision for our outdoor living area included bright jewel tone colors..a little bit of an exotic bohemian feel. So the colors I chose to refurbish our old ratty furniture are citrus green for the chairs and a nice bright purple for the the table.

The project itself was super easy,  perfect for crafty beginners. I highly recommend the paint I chose, Krylon Maxx Ultimate Coverage, purchased at Walmart. One can of spray covered 2 chairs without having to apply an extra coat. For the table I used 3 cans. 

I am super happy with our new outdoor living area, it's the perfect place to host many summer gatherings!! 

I know I am a day late, but I hope everyone had a beautiful weekend! 

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• Love What is Free & Wild
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Cleaning, Scrubbing & Sweeping, OH MY!

Don't get me wrong, I love a clean house, but spending hours scrubbing and fetching various bottles of cleaner and high tech tools is not my priority. I want to get the job done as quickly and efficiently as possible! I would rather be out playing with my son, hands in the garden or out for ice cream with my family! So, I bring to you a list of simple "go to's" that I have acquired from research. Get ready to clean ladies (or gents!).

*Sponges - including a white/cream one

Deep cleaning your top loading washer machine: Washer machines collect so much gunk and residue, not to mention mildew. They need to be washed at least once a year. And if you are like myself, we have sulfur water, thus our washers need to be cleaned at least three times a year. And how you may ask? It's easy.

Simply start by filling your washer with HOT water on the LONGEST cycle. As it fills, add 4 cups of bleach. Once it has filled and starts to churn (wash cycle), pause. Let it sit for an hour. Once the hour is up, allow the cycle to run its full course (wash, rinse,spin). Repeat the first step, filling the washer with hot water set on the longest cycle, this time adding 4 cups of vinegar. Let that sit for an hour. Once the hour is up, dip a sponge into the vinegar/water solution and wash the basin of the washer, including the top inner rim and any space you can really get to with that sponge. If your fabric softener basin pops off, as well as the bleach dispenser, gently remove them and place them into the water/vinegar solution. Clean as much as you can within the two compartments that hold the fabric softener and bleach. Give a good cleaning to the softener basin and the bleach dispenser, then put them back where they belong. Once you are done, allow the washer to run its full cycle (wash, rinse, spin). And you are DONE!

What a difference eh?! Good job :)

Deep cleaning your micro-fiber couch: The micro-fiber couch is great for those who have little kids since they are pretty resilient to stains and wear. BUT if you spill any kind of liquid onto the fabric, the "water" stains are atrocious and just look nasty. For the longest time I was taking out the bulky shampooer and spending an hour or two scrubbing away and it could get pretty messy. Not to mention having to fill, empty and refill the water basin and empty the nasty water. I was super duper happy to come across a much simpler way of tackling the couches and it really works!

You will need your rubbing alcohol, a spray bottle, your white/cream sponge (as to not transfer color onto your couch) and your scrub brush. Fill the spray bottle with your rubbing alcohol. Simply spray each area of the couch, using your sponge (and muscles) wipe/scrub the couch. I did have a little bowl of water with a squirt of Dawn in it to rinse the sponge out as I went along, thought the instructions did not call for this. It still worked its magic! I almost used an entire bottle of rubbing alcohol since I have a kid and a dog, so I went to town. Once you are finished scrubbing and re-scrubbing areas where you may see that the water marks haven't fully dissipated, you are done and allow the couches to dry. Since rubbing alcohol evaporates pretty quickly, the drying time is less than half the time you would wait if you shampooed.  If you feel as though the fabric is a bit stiff, simply use your scrub brush to scrub (or fluff) it back to life.

Mopping your floors: I have laminate wood flooring throughout the majority of my home, which I love! I am not a big fan of carpeting,  since I feel it can never truly be 100% clean. And I am not a fan of the Swiffer Wet Jet when it comes to cleaning because I do not feel that it gives a true cleaning. I like to use it for quick spot cleaning, but that is about it. What I do like and use is the Hurricane Spin Mop , which was gifted to me from my parents and I swear by it! It's basically the old school mop, yet it spins dry, thus less of a mess. Grab your mop bucket and let's get to cleaning!

You will need your bleach, vinegar and Dawn soap. Fill your bucket with hot water. I add a 1/2 cup of bleach, 1/2 cup of vinegar and hefty squirt of Dawn dish soap. There you have it! I swear by this concoction,. Not only do I feel that my floors are truly clean, but they feel amazing and the house smells incredibly FRESH! Of course if you want to add to that fresh clean smell, add a few drops of lemon essential oil to the the water before mopping :)

Scrubbing the tub: My least favorite chore. As I stated earlier, we have sulfur water,which is nasty. It smells horrible, it tastes disgusting and it leaves a nasty yellow film in the tub after time. In the past in order to get the tub truly clean and back to white-ish (never ever white) I would have to purchase expensive nasty smelling cleaners specifically used to get the sulfur and lime off of the tubs surface. Until my little sister, who cleaned homes for a living, let me in on a big secret that changed my life forever (hahahaaaa the drama, but seriously, it did/has) The Works Toilet Bowl Cleaner (*not tile and tub cleaner, the toilet bowl cleaner is much more potent). And where might you be able to find this fabulous bottle of magic? The dollar store. You will thank and love me later spare the gifts (but if you must, a bottle of wine would be nice!). Let's begin darlin's!

First off, make sure the room is well ventilated and wear gloves! This cleaner does have some pretty aggressive chemicals, which includes, but is not limited to, hydrochloric acid. So use caution. Have a sponge handy. Once you are ready to begin, squirt the cleaner directly onto the tub's surface. At first you may be a little befuddled because where you squirt will be left with pure white streaks where the cleaner streams down. DON'T FRET. Using your sponge, gather some of the liquid and continue to scrub away. Repeat the process until you start to see the results you like. I am telling you now, you will weep with unadulterated joy as you see your tub transform into a brand new sparkling white vessel! The stuff is amazinggggggggg! And it doesn't stop there. I use it on metal surfaces, such as the faucets and the kitchen sink. They will gleam with pride!

 Again, use with caution and make sure, once you are done, to rinse or even use soap to wash any leftover residue.

Cleaning the fridge: The fridge can bestow some funky smells at times. I am here to show you how to maintain a fresh smelling place to hold our beloved foods and how to maintain clean shelves.

You will need a bowl of warm water, your sponge, baking soda and Dawn soap. I haven't ever measured how much of said ingredients I add, I typically just eyeball it. Eventually you will get to know your products and how much feels right to you. If it's a super tough job, I will even sprinkle baking soda directly onto the sight. Taking all of the items off the shelves, or I just start from the top of the fridge working my way down, emptying as I go, wipe the shelves down with your concoction using your sponge. Once I am done, I finish by filling a small bowl of fresh baking soda and adding about 10 to 12 drops of lemongrass essential oils and placing the open bowl on a shelf where it won't get knocked over. This will help absorb any funky smells, and every time you open the fridge door you will be welcomed with a whiff of clean lemongrass. Nice, eh?!

Wiping down the walls: This is typically a spring cleaning chore I do since we have a wood-stove in our living room which I love, but it creates such a mess with the black "dust".

You will need a bucket of warm water, a little bit of baking soda and Dawn soap. Using your sponge simply wipe your walls down. This does the job quite well!

Dusting: I use the same exact method above, nix the baking soda. Otherwise you will have a film left behind. Simply water and soap will do! No fancy dust cleaner here.

Additives to your laundry soap: Whatever laundry soap I use, I always add 1/2 cup of baking soda and a 1/2 cup of vinegar to the water as it fills the washer. I feel it helps to clean a little better and maintain that fresh smell. I have a small boy and a husband who is a contractor, which means very soiled clothing. So whatever I can add to help get those clothes clean is a big YAY for me!

And there you have it my friends!!! Of course my only other advice is to turn on your favorite tunes while cleaning and maybe even enjoy a glass of wine..anything to make it as fun as possible!

I would love to hear your cleaning tips!!

Resources:

Thank you to the following blogs that contributed to this post. Upon my frenzy in searching for the best ways to clean effectively, I happened upon these gems:

551 East: How to Clean Micro Fiber Couch

Practically Functional - How to clean a top loading washer machine

• Champagne Taste on a Water Budget
• A Perfect Afternoon

Love What is Free & Wild

{Romper. My new favorite piece for gardening and doing yard work! Looking cute while performing labor is a must, in my book anyway!}

I am a huge fan of recycling what is around us! I love to look at something and ponder as to how I can create something from raw material. For me, it is therapeutic. Rather than shop for a new side table to hold your outdoor cocktails or evening reads, why not re-purpose a tree stump! Or rather than hitting up Lowe's for a trellis to grow your pea's or green bean's on, why not search your brush line for fallen branches, trim them and create a "pea tepee"! As a child, I had a vast imagination, unfortunately as I aged that imagination or creativeness has suffered, I feel its a good thing for us to exercise it as much as possible. I also love to set an example for my son that being creative is FUN. Building is fun! These projects have been a great way to spend our weekends together. He has been my helper every step of the way. It is all about creating those memories and instilling a strong sense of being one with mother nature. We live in a world where we can purchase what we need right from our phones.....but creating something original has so much more fulfillment!!


My son and I had a great time trudging branches we had thrown down the bank after clearing an area earlier this year to start our tepee project. We dragged them to our driveway, broke off unwanted branches, trimmed them up together. He felt like such a big kid using the mini clippers (supervised!!) to cut the smaller branches for me. Once we were all done we then dragged them to our vegetable garden and I started creating our tepee while he plowed the tilled soil with his CAT bulldozers.....I told him he was helping daddy so that he wouldn't have to till the dirt again! After arranging the branches to my liking, I drove each one into the ground as best I could. I then used clear plastic zip ties to bind the branches together, creating a sturdy solid structure. Once I was done, I fetched our baby pea plants from our greenhouse and planted two plants around each branch of the tepee. I have to say, it looks great and thus far they are slowly taking to winding their fragile vines around each branch. They are still delicate and need some care. The weather in the Northeast has been keeping us on our toes, I know eventually the warmer weather will be visiting us for a few months. Until then I am crossing my fingers that my plants make it!

Last summer my husband had cut down tree's within our woods that weren't going to make it much longer. Some of them were monstrous and the logs that came from them were impressive. I am a huge fan trees and to have them come down really makes me sad, even if they are sick. I just have a keen respect for mother nature. So in honor of her, creating something from what we have reaped seems as though I am giving back and showing her due respect. Last summer I used the logs as seating around our bonfire pit for a party we hosted. I then rolled and lifted (be careful if you try to do so, I hurt my leg pretty badly doing this myself since they weigh a ton.....I need to figure out a better way to haul stumps) the stump onto our deck and has become a true statement piece to hold pots of flowers, drinks, etc. (or little boys, lol!) It goes perfectly with our lovely hand crafted Adirondack chairs! I absolutely ADORE this piece. We have alot of these logs and I have a lot of wonderful idea's for them! One of them involves drying the log out, peeling off the bark, giving it a light sanding and then using them as night stands within our bedroom! How awesome would that be?! I heard you can dry them out the quickest by hauling them up to the attic.....if anyone knows the best way of transporting these suckers, I am all ears (or technically eyes since I would be reading it).

Two weeks ago, when we were living it up like summer time folk in mid-80 degree weather, I drug a scrap board from the burn pile and placed it under the shade of a large oak tree. I then gathered the rocks my son and I had forged from around our property, placed them on the board along with paint brushes and paint and we had a grand time creating the markers for my herb garden! These are moments that I want to last a life time! I have no idea what I did with all my spare time as a single adult, because as a parent I value my time with my son so much, watching him grow into this individual and helping him along.....its similar to magic. I just love him to pieces!

{This is how we spend our summer as country folk living among the tree frogs away from society, without a stitch of clothing on!}

Another passion of mine is bringing the outdoors within the home. Using pieces from our property as art within our living quarters has a special and unique quality to it. Especially when they are pieces that as a family we forged on big adventures and hold memories. Two of the pieces came from a day out on the four wheeler with my son when we went treasure hunting and came back with some great finds. A birch branch and a large flat piece of birch bark. The birch branch I hung within my kitchen, which will be used to  hang and dry herbs when the time comes. Its perfect and beautiful!!! The birch bark, which is extraordinarily flat and perfectly square, I have showcased on my bookshelf. Eventually it will be framed and given full glory on a wall within our home.

I have so many more idea and cannot wait to keep you posted! I would enjoy hearing about all of your great outdoor finds, ideas or advice!

Back With a Bang!!

{Back with a Bang, get it?! LOL! Super corny! Still getting used this new look myself though....}

Now that tax season is over and I have been able to fully unwind, I feel as though I have truly hit the reset button and have gotten to enjoy the comforts of home. I had a much overdue date night with my husband accompanied with new business contacts that have become friends through my husband's business. They are such a great couple, I am in much hope for a future get together! We had a great time at a local brewery, I enjoyed a delicious dinner of bacon wrapped shrimp stuffed with wasabi sided with an array of fresh steamed veggies, it was heavenly! It was so nice to share laughs, great conversation and just relax. I was also able to see my husband's work (beautiful remodeled bathroom), which I rarely get to see in person. He is so talented and it was amazing to see his craftsmanship in real life, I am his number one fan-girl!  In all, Saturday was simply smashing!

{There is something so magical about spring and waiting for those first blooms. These are some beauts}

Sunday was just as divine. My husband took the day off to spend with Logan and I, we enjoyed a lavish homemade breakfast. That has always been a tradition of ours and its THE best way to start off a family day. I whipped up some scrambled eggs, used a heavy hand with shredded cheddar cheese. Then sauteed onions and potatoes, both of which came from our local CSA. Tossed in some fresh pork sausage, sprinkled it with dill and freshly ground pepper. Sided with apple slices and of course a frothy cup of coffee, it was delicious!

{So happy that my hens and chicks have made a comeback!!}

We then did some fun shopping together. My husband bought me a small greenhouse that I am completely over the moon with! Whilst the weather refuses to warm up, I am keeping it in our living room. As soon as it warms up, I will move it to our mudroom. But for now, I rather like it right where it is. I have never started a vegetable garden from seeds, but there is simply no going back. I have gotten the utmost enjoyment watching our baby plants grow, nurturing them. Its so exciting and amazing! Putting together my greenhouse and lining our little Dixie cups holding our future veggies on its shelves was a delightful way to spend my afternoon soaking up the little bit of sun that there was.

{All planted with organic love}

Afterwards, Logan and I took off on the four wheeler to do some forest foraging. We found all sorts of artifacts. We brought home a beautiful birch branch, which is now showcased in my kitchen waiting for herbs to be hung and dried. We also found a perfect sheet of birch bark which I will be framing, its AHHHHmazing. We then took off down towards the creek to collect rocks in which we will paint and use as markers in the herb garden. It was a grand adventure and seeing the excitement on my son's face as we collected together is always priceless.

        

{I was super duper excited when I came up with the idea to hang this little birdhouse from my branch and pop a tiny airplant in its hole! I mean, cereal?!?!}

The best ending to our afternoon ride was when he picked me some flowers and had us smell them together, he is just the best and I am so smitten with my little guy. He makes my heart swoon :)

{He is the blue to my sky} 

To end our perfect Sunday, we painted, one of our favorite crafting activities we do together. Then cuddled together and watched 101 Dalmatians, which he took a keen fascination to. It was by-far one of my favorite weekends of all!!!!! 

 I have missed you and now that I'm back, I'm feeling as though I've connected with an old friend and hopeful for the future! I am so glad to be back! Leave me a note, I would love to hear from you! 

{Love life, because life is too short NOT to!}

A Perfect Afternoon

{Dress: TJ Maxx & Bag: Just Fab}

The first hints of spring and warmer weather are here, at last!!! Its arrival has truly felt amazing, I can literally feel the sun seeping into my very being slowly melting away the winter blues. As much as I am bitter with winter, without her, I would take spring for granted I am sure. But as of right now, spring is my very favorite, she holds the most magic! I cannot wait for my garden's to grow....its always a moment of awe for me. 

{giving this new hairstyle a try, didn't turn out exactly how I envisioned, but I still rocked it! Thank you Promise Tangeman for the tutorial!!}

My girlfriend and I took a quick getaway during our lunch break to catch a few rays, enjoy the fresh air and enjoy our little town, it was amazing not to have to need a coat! You could see the smiles on everyone's faces welcoming the change, I feel as though I had perma-grin, loving everyone and everything!! There were definitely good vibes floating around ;)

{Coat: gift from hubby from Victoria Secret's}

As much as I loathed going back to the office, I felt refreshed and looked forward to taking a nice walk with my littlest guy in the evening. Some of the best things in life are truly free! Like great weather, awesome friendship and laughter.

{apparently someone loves SOUP, haha!}

Other things cost a little more. Like.....bright pretty pink nails to match my brighter spirits (cheesyyyyyyyyy! LOL!).

I am not one to fork over money to get my nails done. I used to. But now, I literally feel like its just something else I have to devote valuable time to. Aside from a few pedicures during the summer, I would rather spend the time and money elsewhere. That being said, I do like me some bright eye catching nails. I am more than capable of doing them myself. But finding a nail polish that stands up to constant cleaning and filing paperwork IS a challenge (not to mention gardening in the summer, yay!). I have bought high end nail polish and drug store brands.....nothing ticks me off more when my nails chip the very first day of wear. GRRRR.

{LOL! This picture makes me laugh every time! He thought my book prop was hilarious, so he had to replicate it as well!! And yes....he did his nails with mommy too!}

So, there are a couple of demands that I ask from a nail polish: quick drying and stay power. I want and need the ultimate super woman of nail polishes. And, I believe I have found it! 

{Spoiled nail polish, CVS exclusive, best lacquer around, I swear by it!! Two coats, clear coat and your ready to go! The shade I chose, Plastic Flamingo #S010}

Better brace yourself ladies: cost $1.99. Time: 15 - 20 minutes. Memories: a lifetime! 

Hope ya'll are enjoying this beautiful weather as much as I am!!