{ Almost Done!! }

That's right only 1 more coat of this and I'll post pictures of our Farmhouse Bed!
See you soon!

{ Getting Organized & A ? }

Yes I'm "trying" to get organized with all my craft/scrapbook stuff. We out grew this house about 2 kids ago which means I no longer have a craft room, and having my crafts in 3+ different areas is driving me to drink, or at least making me want to drink unhealthy amounts of caffeinated Dr. Pepper.
So I have bit the bullet and have designated one end of my bedroom (yes my bedroom) to all things crafty. I hope that being organized will help me get more things done. My husband isn't thrilled with the idea of having my crafts in our bedroom but in the words of Tim Gunn who says "Make it work" that is what I am doing.

Here is a sneak peek of what I have done so far, it's not much..... The red shelf will be painted white (thanks for the tip Tausha) on Saturday and sanded to death so she's more shabby chic.
Hopefully she turns out how I see her in my head, things are always prettier in there.

And while I try to get my life in order I am stitching like a mad woman trying to get all my Stitchery orders out the door. Man these babies are time consuming......
Don't worry ladies they are coming.

One bloggy ? for all of you out there.... 
How do some of you blog everyday?? 
Do you have actual magical powers that I don't? 
I can't seem to find the time to blog twice a week let along daily. 
Sometimes it feels like blogging is a chore and trying to come up with something to blog about that is super cute & cheap, yet completely awesome seems so daunting.
 How do you get it all done?

Maybe I'm the only one who feels this way, but I don't think I am alone here. Do any of you ever feel this way? Anyone.... Anyone......

{ New Couches - Ikea Ektorp Style }

After donating these well loved couches to Deseret Industries

We went & got new furniture from here!

(this is my new favorite store if only it were a little closer to home)

Yes I fit ----- 1 Couch, 1 Love seat, 1 Ottoman & 4 pillows in my truck.
I love my truck!
That's right Cherry I sprung for the ottoman thanks for the tip! :)

We decided that the kids are still young enough that FINE FURNITURE will have to wait until they are older.
So enter Slip Cover Heaven!!

I love Ikea's details on their slipcovers, which I think are WELL BUILT!

My Mom bought me 4 pillows as an early Birthday present! I love that I can take the feather pillows out and make covers to match my other slip covers.

They are even Addison approved...

Don't mind her inside out clothing.
She dresses herself about 7 times a day.. Bless her.....

I have 3 slipcover sets. Don't get me wrong I love the solid beige covers but my WHOLE LIVING ROOM IS BEIGE, walls, couches........

And at this point it's just soooooooo darn BEIGE!
So here is my latest purchase.......
These were discontinued a couple years ago but thanks to eBay I now have a set for my new couches. I know that white slipcovers are all the rage right now but with 5 kids and 2 daycare kids roaming around,
White covers scare me a little...
Okay, they scare me alot...

As I put on my new slipcovers (after I iron them) I'll have to post pictures!
PS. The couches are holding up beautifully, much better then our last new set!
I love our new furniture!

{ Farmhouse Bed Part 1 }

Long time no post!!! Sorry about that we have been B.U.S.Y. for the past week. Here is a sneak peek at just one of our many projects that we have going on. This is the Farmhouse Bed that I loved from the Knock Off Wood Blog. We are building it for our bedroom. I still have to paint her but oh she is oh so pretty.... I think I'm in love! The kids have already placed their orders for new bunk beds.

Here is a small list of all the other things that have been going on:

*Putting in a new laundry room window
*Dr. Appointments
*X-Rays
*Brinley badly sprained her ankle & is currently on crutches
*I had a dentist appointment thanks to loose filling.
*I also had a hair cut, & I'm talking a completely new look!
*Parker has basketball games
*Spaghetti feed at the church
*Scouts, scouts and more scouts
*Daycare kids
*Etsy orders being stitched like mad
*School Rock & Roll Concert
*Sick kids, gotta love this cold season

I could go on but I think I'll stop here. I'm getting tired just thinking about it all. Okay my Etsy stuff calls, I better get back to work & I hear the bus so that means the kids are home. Have a great Tuesday!

Oh and YES I did get new couches I will post soon.

{ Homemade Laundry Soap }

I know this recipe is used by many of my friends and fellow bloggers, but I have been asked to post the recipe so here you go!

EDITED: Yes, Wal-Mart carries the Fels-Naptha as well as the Super Washing soda.
This is also can be used in any HE washer. 

If your not feeling in the mood to make soap but need a good stain stick:
the Fels Naptha Bar soap is the BEST STAIN STICK EVER.
Just get it wet and rub into any stain. Brinley got chocolate on her new Aeropostale shirt which she informed me of after it had dried, so I just rubbed it with the Fels naptha and it disappeared while I was rubbing it. Amazing stuff.
Oh and I also still use Fabric Softener when I launder my clothes because I just love the stuff.

Liquid Laundry Soap-Family Sized Batch

1 bar grated Fels Naptha soap

5 gallon bucket

1 cup washing soda (Again, Arm and Hammer)

1 cup 20 Mule Team Borax

4 1/2 gallons water

Put grated Fels Naptha in saucepan and cover with water. Heat on low until dissolved. Fill bucket 1/2 way with hot water and add soap. Stir to combine. Add 1 cup washing soda and 1 cup borax and mix well. Fill bucket with more HOT water (I add enough water so it reaches the rings near the top of the bucket) As it cools, it will thicken.
If mixture becomes too thick, add hot water to thin it to desired consistency. May be used immediately. Mix well before each use. Use 1/2(normal) to 1 cup per load (heavy). Cost per load .04

Edited to add:
TIPS:
When mixing the melted soap into the hot water, it's best to add some boiling water to the bucket, it helps break down the lumps better.
I ladle my soap into a used Orange juice container as shown above and just give it a good shake before using.

Liquid Laundry soap- Small batch

3 Pints Water

1/3 bar Fels Naptha Soap, grated

1/2 cup Washing Soda (Arm and Hammer, NOT baking soda though!!)

1/2 cup 20 Mule Team Borax

2 Gallon bucket to mix it in

1 Quart hot water Hot Water

Mix Fels Naptha soap in a saucepan with 3 pints hot water and heat on low until dissolved. Stir in Washing Soda and Borax. Stir until thickened, and remove from heat. Add 1 Quart Hot Water to 2 gallon Bucket. Add soap mixture, and mix well. Fill bucket completely with additional hot water, and mix well. Set aside for 24 hours, or until mixture thickens. You may add additional HOT water if the mixture becomes too thick. Mix Well before each use. Use 1/2 cup of mixture per load. Makes 64 loads. Cost per load .03

　

Powdered Laundry Detergent

1 cup grated Fels Naptha Soap

1/2 cup washing soda

1/2 cup 20 mule team borax

Mix and store in airtight container or bag. For light or small loads, use 1 tablespoon. For normal loads, use 2 tablespoons. For heavy loads, use 3 tablespoons. Cost per load .15

To make a large batch - grate 6 bars of Fels Naptha Soap and then add 3 cups of Washing Soda and 3 cups of 20 Mule Team Borax. Mix well and store in covered container.

TIP: The above recipes will NOT make suds in your washer so don't be alarmed. Fels Naptha Soap is a pure soap and typically makes little or no suds in the water. This makes it perfect for use in the new HE washers as well as traditional washers. You will also notice the need to either reduce your laundry softener or in most cases you can even eliminate the use of softener completely, depending on your preference.

ANOTHER TIP: After this cools down it will be a huge mass o' congealed soap. Get your whisk out and get your hand down in that bucket and whisk, whisk, whisk! You will not be able to get this to be smooth like a store bought liquid. 
BUT
 whisk it enough to put it into another container using a funnel 
(mine is in an old orange juice container). 
When it's in the container  you can shake it up, that will help it break down even further. I usually have to shake it a little everytime I use it.....

{ Making Over Miley }

Item's needed:
Scissors
2 minutes of your time
Miley Cyrus Clearance Clothing from Wal-Mart (these are $3.00)
A daughter who loves skirts

Carefully cut the knit top off of the wide band of elastic.

The seam is inside so you don't see anything when finished, talk about quick & easy.

Now Brinley has 2 more skirts for cheap and they are cute to boot.

{ The Tale Of Two Couches}

So here are the VISIBLE reasons why we sent back our new couches to get a full refund. This is after only 5 days and we were soooooo dang careful with these. No toys, food, pencils, NOTHING only socks and blankets. The upholstery fabric isn't even a snaggy type of material.

These are made by ASHELY who we will never buy from again, and they are from the ELLISON AMBER line. We have a recliner (also Ashley) which you see in the above picture, the rocker/glider mechanism only lasted 1 year before pooping out. I should have known better then to buy more Ashley but thought the couches would be different. Maybe this has only happened to our Ashley furniture, because we are lucky like that.

But I just thought I would give any of you looking at this furniture line the FYI.

And there they go...... Kinda sad huh? I really did love these couches.

Ps. My Portland trip went GREAT, I had such a fun time with my Mom, I'm so glad she was able to go with me. It's been over 12 years since we've had a girl day together! So shopping at IKEA (both our first time) was a blast! Now the next time I go I need a bigger budget, more time and a trailer. That's not so much to ask for is it? ;)