It’s important to know that this is not a sponsored post. I have used  Bac-Out for years to clean the bathroom, and get the odors out of mattresses — and, after so many people asking me about bathroom odors, I just wanted to share how much I love this product. However, after researching enzyme cleaners for this post, I was surprised to find so many people enzymes as a powerful all-surface cleaner — floors, glass, etc. So, today, I put the cleaner to the test. I have a stainless steel sink that is impossible to keep clean. I greeted it today only to find “dried cheese” staring at me… one of the toughest grimes known to my sink. The enzyme cleaners, people say, eliminate the use of elbow grease. Caked-on cheese screams of elbow grease power —  – or a good, long soaking. If enzymes passed this test, I’d start using it for all of my cleaning.

I sprayed the cheese, and the sink with the enzyme cleaner, Bac-Out. Do I wait? Do I dare to just wipe it off right away, just to prove it’s not that powerful? I couldn’t wait. I wiped it right off… and I mean, that caked-on cheese came right off. See photos of my dirty sink, transformed with a few wipes, to a shinny sink.

One dirty sink… with a serving of hardened melted cheese.

Voila! Just a few squirts of enzymes, and one dirty rag later… And, not until I wrote this post, did I ever realize what a cleaning machine I had under my sink!

Hmmm… I just might have to look into those making your own enzyme recipes…

Funny that I pick Super Bowl weekend to post the answer to this long-sought after question. (Yes, people ask me this all the time.) To get your bathroom clean, you have to get it clean. I know you’ve tried that — but it’s not working. You’ve used bleach, ammonia, baking soda and vinegar — and your bathroom still has an “odor.” I know exactly what you’re talking about — I have four boys. The problem is not you, or your lack of thoroughness — it’s with the type of cleaner you’re using. Your goal is to remove odors, rather than mask them, by cleaning the source of the odor. Thankfully, you don’t need a “harsher” chemical. The key is in the enzymes.

Enzymes are a biodegradable, non-toxic cleaning agent that are quite effective at removing odors because they break down the grime causing the odors. Detergents do not do this. Enzymes also work faster on stains than regular chemical cleaners, by breaking down dirt and urine into their basic elements: oxygen, hydrogen and proteins.

Yet, they do this without damaging your surfaces, and pretty much eliminate the scrubbing. So, yes, you can safely clean the walls, ceramic tiles, and all of those surfaces (the ceiling) where the boys “splash.” And because this cleaner is not a harsh detergent, but yet still an aggressive cleaner, it’s perfect for grout and tile surfaces. Enzymes are actually “green cleaners” — but not all products
labeled “green” are enzyme cleaners.

So, you do not need a “harsher” chemical to get rid of those smells — you need an enzyme. Where to find them? You can usually find them in pet stores (for pet odors) but those products usually smell awful — and I’m not sure how well they work. The one I use is Bac-Out, which is usually on the shelves at Kroger (organic section) and Whole Foods. This one has a great citrus scent. I also use this to spray the mattresses the morning after an accident — and it does eliminate that horrible odor.

If you’re ambitious, you can also make your own enzyme cleaner…For that recipe, click here. There are also more tips on how to use this cleaner all around your house — including glass — which I had never thought of before!

Even though the party doesn’t start until 7:30, I like to have everything done before the kids walk into the door from school. Because, after that, I could loose my cool. Cucumbers, onions and tomatoes are already cut, covered and on the porch (it’s cool there) and waiting to be turned into Greek Nachos. (Don’t you just love the thought of cool, crunchy fresh vegetables in winter, smothered on top of something warm?)  The roast is simmering in the crock pot (smothered in Greek spices like mint, cinnamon), the yogurt is drained for the Tzatziki Sauce.

The cheese is cut on the board, with chalk labels on brown craft paper. The board is covered on the porch with the veggies.

I’m sipping this big chai latte that I made for myself…

trees are not done — but my friend suggested a dowel stuck in STYROFOAM! ( How genius is that?) … but I’m making these wreaths for the back kitchen windows. Honestly, they are not turning out. But with a sprig of fresh garlands, it should be fine.

I’m covering the tables in white and brown craft paper and the platters are sitting dining room table. All I have left to make are the onion crostinis.

‘Tis the season, right? So, that’s how we  ended up hosting a Christmas party this Friday night. Decided on Tuesday… this Friday. Crazy and twisted. But, tis the season. We’re at this awkward stage when we still have little ones who expect all this fancy Christmas tradition stuff — but not too young to prevent me from doing extra stuff.

Did you know I was in a Bunco group? I am. And this year’s Christmas party was an orphan — it had no parents. And this Friday night is the big night in the mallway with the Ice Sculptures, the Carriage Rides…it’s all very Charles Dickensy. And normally, we head into another friend’s house for dinner, after the host “forces” us out of her house into the cold streets to see the ice sculptures, and reindeer, (they are caged) and Santa. But this year, our friend is in Napa. So, no warm dinner to warm up to after seeing the ice.

So, I invited just a couple of friends over for “after” the ice. Then one friend said, “should I just invite the whole Bunco group?” Because that would mean, with husbands, and double the number. “Oh no!” I said, as I looked around my backpack strewn kitchen, with half-opened tubs full of Christmas decorations, sticky floor and counters.

Then, she offered help –as in, I don’t have to do all the food prep — because, you know — it’s last minute and everything. So, I got busy on Pinterest and created a party board, (would you expect anything less?!)  and started collecting recipes, and centerpiece ideas.

I told my friend, “OK… I can handle the apps (that’s short for appetizers) but I can’t do cookies this quick. Because Christmas cookies take extra fuss. So, the invitation goes out — bring cookies — or wine. We won’t know the difference.

Then, I called my other girlfriend, and broke the news — “you guys are coming here Friday night.” She laughed, and said, “I was going to offer to host it.. but I’m two months away from that.” (She just moved.)

“That’s OK. You can do Valentine’s Day.  But anyway, I think I’m ready, because I have the wreath on the door and everything… but I just wish I could figure out how to make those confetti-looking trees that came out on Anthropologie today….”

I was kidding, you know. But it would be nice.

She said, “Hmmmmmm. Sounds interesting. What day are we making those?”

My girlfriend was serious. And she is VERY crafty. I realized I had a bite. I LOVE friends like here. She fills me up!  ”Well, the base is hard to figure out — not sure how to make it work.” She asked me to send her the link.

So, in addition to cookies, and just make have some adorable trees by Friday.

I’m already wearing a scarf around my neck most days…some days, the chill is so heavy I am wearing an extra camisole beneath my t-shirt and cardigan sweater.

Fall is here, and the air is chilly. On good days, there may be a good solid 3.5 hours of heat, before that nippy Jack Frost chill creeps in and sweeps away the heat of the day. And even on those days, the heat is never enough to penetrate through the brick walls of our house.

My sweater, my camisole, and the cotton socks constantly on my feet are my personal “green” contribution to our home energy bill.

But there are more things we can do to keep our global footprint minimal. Last summer, we signed up for a free energy audit through our electric company. They provided us with free energy efficient light bulbs, showed us where we should insulate the attic, talked to us about insulating our basement windows and our hot water tank.

They were all little projects, and required very little investment. And yes, the little things, every second of every day, add up to big savings in the end. How much? There’s a calculation on Green Living that shows that energy efficient light bulbs can save you about $11 per month, or about 11% of your electric bill, if you pay about $100 per month.

Another thing we learned about was door sweeps. They are little wipers on the bottom of your exterior doors, that sort of “sweep” the floor when you open and close the door. The flap keeps the cold air out and the warm air in. We have door sweeps on all of our exterior doors, but they are getting thin, and a few spots on them are even torn. Boy, oh boy. Boys are hard on a house.

While windows attract most of the attention when it comes to home energy efficiency, doors can play a major part in keeping the house warm. You can weatherstrip the top and sides of the door, the toughest area to address is the threshold. Some replacement thresholds are complicated to install. They may require removing the door or even cutting off the bottom of the door. Others are easier to install but don’t last long in extreme environmental conditions.

Instead of ripping out the entire old threshold and replacing it with something new, we are installing door sweeps; they attach to the bottom of a door and can be adjusted to lightly graze the existing threshold as the door closes.

Door sweeps attach to the inside of the door near the bottom edge–the door does not have to be removed–and consist of a brush or pad that contacts the edge of the threshold as the door shuts. There are lots of little things you can do to keep your house warm this winter. Check out the latest Eco-friendly products at The Home Depot to learn more.

Want more tips on how to become eco-conscious? Visit the Prizes & Promotions Section on BlogHer!

Look closely.

This is an Indian Corn Husk Wreath. The corn husk are precisely what gives this wreath its flair. The corn husks are all wildly spread out around the symmetrical circle that the corn cobs create. If you attempt to make this wreath, don’t overlook the vital importance of the husks — and be sure to open them up and spread them out.

Let me be honest right now. I’m wondering if you are laughing at this wreath…or perhspa, you are disgusted, and wondering… what has gotten into her… that she would think that looks amazing…I think it looks amazing… but maybe it’s one of those things like when you hold your newborn seconds after birth, and you are convinced that this is the most beautiful thing in the world… because it is.

Yes, the inspiration for this wreath came from none other than Pinterest. I could not wait to make this. Pinterest has freed me from spending time and money searching for a fabulous wreath to adorn my door. It was tough to find a wreath that was not too frilly, and not too expensive. Pinterest has freed me from department store wreath shopping.

To make this wreath, use miniature Indian Corn. The Corn is heavy, and you will need a very firm wreath base to start with. We started with a simple cardboard base (my youngest proudly traced the circle and cut it from a cereal box), but it was woefully too weak to support the corn.

Not wanting to hurt his feelings for his contribution to the wreath, I took some wire coat hangers, 3, and unwound them, to create a circle that we wrapped, with twine to the cardboard base. A grapevine wreath would have been ideal, but in the interest of being creative and using what I have around the house — don’t buy something you don’t really need.

Next, I wrapped the cardboard base in burlap.

The second step? Be sure to treat your corn cobs with a dusting of  Diatomaceous Earth. The corn cobs are covered with nasty little bugs… and will attract them in your home.

Diatomaceous Earth is a simple powder that is safe for humans, yet deadly to insects. You can leave the powder on… I suggest you do… as all you need is a dusting, and it will keep your wreath from attracting fruit flies and everything else.

Start gluing with your glue gun.

Spread out the husks…

And be thankful. And, if appropriate, send me a gentle private email to let me know if this is hideous or not. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

It’s true. Surprisingly, decades of studies by National Institute’s of Health have revealed that the tiny insects, fruit flies, which, thankfully, bear little resemblance to people, share, alarmingly, much of our genetic heritage.  The list of human-related topics fruit fly researchers are currently working on is surprisingly broad in scope: cancer; birth defects; development of the respiratory and circulatory systems; cardiovascular development and disease; taste, sight, smell and hearing; learning and memory; brain disease; sleep; drug abuse; aging; and diabetes.

Fruit Flies are multiplying like crazy this year. Once I get rid of them in the house, they come home with me every single time I come home from the grocery store with a bundle of bananas, grapes or apples.

The grocery store is full of them, and I even see them in restaurants. I cringe when the waiter leaves the bottle of wine sitting open on the table. I just know those fruit flies, those tiny red-eyed animals — known to scientists as the species Drosophila melanogaster, are heading for my wine.

This fall, I’ve also noticed quite an increase in the number of google searchers looking for rememdies. The search string people type in makes me laugh:

How to catch fruit flies with honey?

I guess it goes from the adage that you can catch more flies with honey than vinegar? Perhaps. Actually, honey can play a dominate role in catching the fruit fly. You can trap the fly into your empty wine or beer bottle, and dab some honey around the top rim of the bottle to “catch” the fruit flies as they try to crawl out. That’s a yummy proposition. I’m ruthless when it comes to fruit flies, because, after all, researchers now know that flies don’t even have hearts.

What do fruit flies do when I’m sleeping?

Really? This is what concerns you? Maybe, this person was merely driven to madness trying to get rid of hte fruit fly… because they are so tenacious, and figuring out what they do at night, could give the searcher some insight. Interestingly,  Joan Hendricks, a sleep researcher at the University of Pennsylvania, has turned to Drosophila to study sleep. Information that has demonstrated a nearly identical set of working parts in higher organisms such as mice and people, by studying the circadian rhythm of flies. Hmmmmm.

Why are Fruit Flies attracted to Mirrors?

Good question. Because, they are always on my bathroom mirrors. Maybe they’re vain? But take advantage of this — put some poison, the Diatomaceous Earth on the mirrors, as you’ll know that’s where they’ll be walking. All you need is a thin film… a bit messy, but oh so effective.

Can an Exterminator Get Rid of Fruit Flies?

Interesting. I think you would have much better luck with a good plumber, to clean your drains, and heading to your hardware store for some  Diatomaceous Earth.

 The Scoop: How to Get Rid of Fruit Flies

• The ultimate fruit fly trap is still, a dark beer or wine bottle, with a bit of fruit, or vinegar inside as bait. Forget about covering the top with saran wrap, and sticking pin holes in them. The fruit flies will crawl right out. Instead, cover the top of the bottle with a sprinkling of Diatomaceous Earth. You could do the saran wrap thing with pin holes, just be sure to give the saran wrap a sprinkling of the DE.
• Clean your drains with baking soda and vinegar.
• Wipe a thin film of Diatomaceous Earth on your mirrors.
• Diatomaceous Earth is harmless to humans. Feel free to sprinkle some of the powder on the bannans you bring home from the store that are sitting in your fruit basket.
• Repeat every time you go to the grocery store.

The rats and mice used in research may be waning, as scientific labs are increasing the number of fruit flies used in research. Perhaps, those of use plagued with fruit flies could open our kitchen up to scientific labs who could have a field day working with the flies we have. Are we expecting a “fruit fly” activist group to stand up to protect their interest?

This is part II of the reorganization. It’s a  process. I wanted to stop and share this clever way I came up with to store sugar, baking soda, and all of those powder things you need to have quick access to around the kitchen.

Rather than a sugar bowl, why not have a sugar “jar.”  A recycled wine/pop bottle, and a cap, and a simple label with a permanent marker. (I can’t find the awesome chalkboard Chalkboard Contact Paper
I’ve been seeing on Pinterest… wouldn’t that make an awesome label?)

Seems simple, but can I say how nice it is to be able to pour sugar into my tea cup, without having to dip a spoon into the whole canister?  And who can ever get their measuring spoon into the baking soda and have it come out without that gap in the corner where the baking soda falls out, because of gravity?

Ahhhh…. using these bottles is making my life so much easier.

The new curtain over the off-centered window looks awesome….

but it still needed something else. So, while I was busy adding pom-pom fringe, I set my son to lay out the stencils on a board we had sitting in the garage.

He painted the words, and when it was dry, that artistic instinct in him knew the letters needed to be lightly sanded. (That drop cloth, by the way, hung in my Freshman dorm room, and we all signed it whenever we had something “witty” to say. Sometimes, a friend would appear at 2 a.m., knocking on our door, begging us to let her come in and sign the sheet, so that she could immortalize some brilliant insight she managed conjure up that night, before she drifted off to sleep and forgot about it. Did I tell you I’m so old that I went to college before we had paper?!)

Finally, 3 weeks later, (we’ve been busy) we finally got around to hanging “Sweet Dreams” just above the window.

I know that window looks really funky in this photo… with the light only coming through 3/4 of the panel… but in person, it looks so much like a room you’d like to, what my son calls,  be “old” in.

It could be considered a bad sign when your heart starts to race the minute you drive into the parking lot at Rural King. This store is a farmer’s supply store, and is basically a pile of vintage just waiting to be discovered… and it doesn’t even know it. There are galvanized metal washtubs in all sizes and shapes, baby chicks walking around the store (they living in a big oval washtub in the middle of the store) sacks of grain used to feed horses, twine in all sizes, and this big bin of coffee sacks. Each coffee sack, or should I use the term used at Rural King, Gunny Sack, is $1.99.  This is were I found the Gunny Sack for those awesome Rain Forest Curtains.

After that post appeared, I began to get requests from friends at home. (There is no Rural King where we live.) “Could you please pick up some burlap coffee bags for me? I want to make pillows.” So, while my older son was keeping the other boys busy at the free popcorn station, I took another look into the coffee sack bin, and I found this.

What a great way to start the morning. Who could argue with that? So, I added some black ribbon, and hung this in my kitchen at the lake.

Burlap is awesome. In the morning, the light comes through this window, and blinds you, and washes at the words just enough… and then later, when the sun goes down, the words come through, nice and dark… just like coffee.

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I saw many friends this weekend, and attempted to explain Pinterest to you… but I needed a visual. So, for all of you curious about how you can use Pinterest to boost your creativity and enhance your life (really, it does!), this is it.

Pinterest becomes, like a chameleon, what you need, giving you solutions to the problems you face throughout the day. You can find the motivation, and (skills)  to workout with the time you have, the inspiration you need to transform that hum-drum chicken breast that your family needs for nourishment tonight  into something you will enjoy cooking. And, I can’t describe the kind of “therapy” you can get from learning how to organize things and get rid of clutter you’ve lived with for years. (Click on the links as I’m talking…visuals always help.) And while you’re cooking,

show your children how mind-boggling  and beautiful the word is. Pinterest is a collection of “pins” from people all over the word sharing what they find beautiful, frugal, unique, and “why didn’t I think of that” ways to organize your home.

Pinterest is kind enough to keep track of what you love on virtual bulletin boards, divided into the categories you decide. So, this is your personal therapy. You may not care about what you’ll do to decorate for Christmas this year, but I do. So, you won’t create that board. But, you may want to find some quotes you’d like to live by, throw the most amazing Halloween party on the block, or discover the real life of all of those travel destinations you’d like to visit.

Don’t even get me started on the  gardening inspiration I’ve found. Best of all, I’m learning what to do with all the thread, yard, ribbon and buttons I inherited from my mom’s sewing basket. And, all I can say, is that you should see the wreaths, chandeliers, and window treatments I have up my sleeve.

To use Pinterest as a personal therapy… use the search bar at the top of the page. Type your problem there, and see what happens.

If you’d like to join the fun, you can just go to Pinterst. To create your own boards, you ‘ll need an invite. Send me an email at sjotest (@) yahoo.com and I’ll send you one.