Laurie's Everyday Notions

Needed: glass jar, orange peels,vinegar, salt, water and a spray bottle Fill jar with orange peels. Sprinkle a little salt on the peels and shake. The salt will help "release" the oils in the peels. Let oranges and salt sit for 20-30 min. (this is a perfect time to check Facebook while eating the oranges). Fill jar with equal amounts of water and vinegar. Shake and find a place for mixture to "fester" for a week, shaking daily. My favorite brewing spot is the top of my refrigerator. This is helpful in that I see my brews that need daily shaking. Place in a spray bottle and use for cleaning (I use mine for a daily shower spray but this could also be used to clean about anything!) Brews: orange cleaner, elderberry tonic, and lavender infused olive oil This all purpose cleaning spray is AWESOME in that it's cheap and easy to make plus the oils from the orange peels give it a subtle orange-y scent......much better that ...

Last summer, after thinking that weaving t-shirt rugs was a great idea, I enlisted the help of family and friends to obtain used t-shirts. I was excited about all the rugs that I'd make with the SIX garbage bags full of tees...until I found that weaving rugs just wasn't my "thing". I've been slowly going through these bags and finding other ways to re purpose the clothing. Today, I decided to make a few bibs! The striped shirt on the top of my pile shows that I simply cut from the shoulder to the bottom of the shirt making an easy slip over the head bib. Nothing fancy. Simple and useful. Not pretty but practical. On the right side of my pile is a stack of shirts that I cut into various sizes and will be used for runny noses and baby bottoms. (Don't worry, I keep these separated). I hate spending money on supplies that are disposable. Sometimes I wash my cloth wipes/Kleenexes to use again but occasionally I will throw my wipes away after one use. Poop wipes ...

Chili, burrito pie, and my lunch (burrito pie served on top of spring greens and tomatoes. I try to make meat stretch by adding starches, veggies and/or beans. On Sunday, after a two week grocery strike in which I only prepared foods found in my freezer and pantry, I bought my groceries for the week. I know all the planners and home organization/management gurus stress the importance of menu planning BEFORE grocery shopping but I do it a little backwards. I had a vague menu planned before heading out but my planning often occurs in the meat department after I find what meats are CHEAP. I would love to say that I buy only organic, grass fed meats but my budget doesn't make this a reality. Compromise is sometimes necessary. So on Sunday night I found that ground beef was cheap ($2.24/lb) and I also found a 4lb. ham on sale for $5.99. Now I was able to come up with a menu and shop for the needed supplies. I bought two pounds of ground beef which created two b...