Well, weekend's upon us. Usually time to rejuvenate, restock and prepare for another week. The chores (primarily the loads and loads of laundry),would be monumentally more bearable in any of these spaces. A girl can dream....

 

 

 

Homemade Laundry Detergent Recipe

Ingredients {Washes 42 – 62 Loads}

• 6 cups washing soda (where to buy washing soda, how to make your own) 
• Three bars of 4.5 – 5 ounce soap, finely grated (One made with coconut oil works best. Here’s how to make it, here’s where to buy it, and here’s another brand that also works well)) 
• lemon essential oil, optional (where to buy lemon essential oil) 

Additional Items You’ll Want To Have On Hand: 

More on what to do with this stuff in the instructions below

• non-GMO white vinegar 
• peroxide or Oxiclean Free (Oxiclean is fairly inexpensive and can be found in most grocery stores or online ) 
• Downy ball, optional (where to buy a Downy ball) 
• wool dryer balls (where to buy them, how to make your own) 
• food processor (this is the one I have) 

To Make:
Cut soap into small chunks. Add to the food processor along with the washing soda.

1. Blend until you have a fine powder. You may want to lay a dish towel over the top of your food processor to prevent a fine mist of powder from floating into the air. Also, let it settle a bit before opening the container or the powder will float onto your kitchen counter! 
2. Pour into a clean container (keep the essential oil next to the jar and add 5 drops with each load) 

To Use:
These instructions are for a top loader. I don’t have any experience with front loaders, sorry!

1. Add 2-3 tablespoons laundry detergent per load ( If you are washing in cold water, dissolve it in hot water before adding it in. I prefer to start each load with a little hot water to dissolve and then put my laundry in) 
2. If desired, add about five drops of lemon essential oil as a degreaser 
3. If washing whites, add a scoop of Oxiclean or pour 1/2 cup peroxide in the bleach compartment 
4. Add 1/2 cup vinegar to a Downy ball or the fabric softener compartment 
5. For extra fabric softening goodness and a shorter drying time, toss some felted wool dryer balls in the dryer with your clothes. 

Tell me if you try this concoction, I want to hear all of your results!

Quick tutorial ..

Some ABC HOME pieces I'm loving...

Quotable Quotes...

Spring has Sprung..Apricot

Lovely Green..Emerald

 Saint Patricks Day Indulgences.

Lovely Town & Country fragrance ad

Suggested Mistakes

http://www.housebeautiful.com/decorating/ideas/most-common-decorating-mistakes-elledecor

N.Y.C.

To be back in N.Y.C is a great thing. It's frigid! Since landing, I've been chomping at the bit to get to the MET. I had not been in 6 years, and was just as inspired today as I was the first time.

Because there is soo much to see, I had to be selective, and focus on what calls to me.
Period Rooms and the Antique Furniture Obviously!
The fabrics and materials and lines were stunning. People actually lived like this!

P.S. Thanks to Higbee & Associates for their scrupulous attention to what I post photos of. 

Frank Lloyd Wright Room at The Metropolitain

Shaker Room at The Metrpolitain