The Bohemian Cherry is now OPEN!

I have been working furiously to get all the photos and listings done in my etsy shop. I finally decided to do it after all the feed back I was receiving through social media. I put together a small collection of items (there are more, but it's a process).





This has to be on of my favorites. It was a favorite maxi dress at some point. It was sheer and flowing. But I slowly I wore down the straps. I didnt want to part with it so I stashed it away with my sewing for a later date. Now it has been reborn in to something that can be worn in all seasons!




My collection reflects a Boho influence, and lots of up cycling! The hardest part is putting it for sale, because I love it all! Even the skirts I hoarded... and they were not even my size!


I did that with many summer dresses and maxi's. I gave life to some boring light weight skirts. Now with denim and add a pair of color tights you have a new fall skirt!

Add some tights, and boots now a all season skirt!

This denim number is the ultimate winter skirt. At ankle length its long enough and just short enough to show off some awesome boots. for this I used two pair of denim and added denim to the front and the back to create a very full skirt. These are really easy wearing.

If you saw in the pictures there are a couple of necklaces. These are just the cutest things. 

To compliment the Boho style I went with a mixed media look. I also recycle lots of old fabric.

Yellow 4-strand.

Boho Bib.

Boho Elephant

These are just some favorites. I still have a lot of work to do.

 Please come by The Bohemian Cherry soon!

One seam PJ's and a use for old bed sheets, a Camera phone tutorial!

Only I can take the easiest PJ tutorial, and find a short cut. But I personally am proud because I am calling it a repurpose (sneaky cheat move).

I have accidently held on to some bed sheets that just don't fit any of the beds in the house, and my eldest daughter has grown out of a set too. I also didn't want to spend any money on making PJ's pants. I had some old Nightmare before Christmas sheets and I knew I had to use them for something. I was also hanging on to a link for a 'one seam PJ tutorial' link off Pinterest. I had to give the tutorial a try before I moved to the sheets. I used some remnants I had to make my son some. He was in a growth spurt so I had to make some things to hang out in the house. Because I would be washing the few pair of nice pants constantly (he is the spit up King). They were easy to whip up. After that I was hooked! Holla! <---Said that!

The tutorial calls for a cute cuff that you can make in different but coordinated fabric. I was like, “Nuh-uuuhh, this is supposed to be The Lazy Mama's tutorial!”. Then I was like, '”Ah-ha!”. You know why? Your old flat sheets and pillow cases already come with a ready made hem, and cuff. And if you have an older nicer flat sheet might have that ribbon detail! There you go I just Lazy-ified easy! I mean I got crafty on crafty!



Lay out your fabric, or flat sheet. You will be tracing plus a bit (seam), around a pair of pants, or other PJ's. 

Fold your fabric lengthwise, this will create your first leg, and one less seam! Pa-pow!


At this moment I realized I am wearing the pants I want to trace... so it is now a, 'ass out' tutorial!

Fold your pants in half and trace and cut. You now have your pattern, use the one you have just cut, and trace again on another folded area of your fabric.




When I am winging it making my own pattern I do take a moment to pin it the two legs on top of each other just to trip up and make sure it's not all out of whack!

Now you should have two legs! Open them up, sew just the crotch on either side.


Open them up! Then stack them.


When they the two legs are on top of each other make sure they are inside out! Because next you will start to sew.


The pins mark where you will be sewing


Pins show where you will be sewing first. Remember you are only sewing the rise first.

Now fold them back so you are looking at the front of them, you now have PJ chaps! Just sew the inseam of each leg. Remember you already have your bottom seams done :-)


By now you are on the radar of your kids, they will be such great helpers (ahhhh!). There ya go, the rise (crotch) sewn, and folded back to look like pants.

To make a waist band, simply fold over the width of your elastic with a little room for your seam. Too much you risk rolling elastic, to tight, well your elastic just won't fit :-) Sew all the way around leaving about an inch to feed your (measured to your PJ recipients waist) elastic through by using a safety pin.


Measure your waist band.


Sew around creating a waist band, leave room though! You have to thread your elastic.


Sew your elastic together, before you sew up the opening.

When all the way through sew your elastic together, then sew up your hole.



DONE!


Then I ran downstairs to my daughters room, only full length mirror with space. Love the haze? The toddler happened all over it! HA!

To see more pictures, or the tutorial with the cuff go HERE.

Dawn of a New Budget; The other stuff... Stain Fighter, LaundryBooster, and DIY Swiffer Pads.

There has been so much on my plate, and I have been filling up drive space with pictures! I have to get them here, that's the whole purpose. Got to make more time. But this week is perfect timing I have to make more goodies for cleaning.

The BIG chore in our house is the washing. I make our own laundry detergent, and softener and have saved a lot. But as all laundry there are always issues. Having kids there are MORE issues. The biggest one is my youngest, he is now self feeding. If thats what you want to call it. I forgot how the first few months are...' interesting'. I remember my little girl used to rub her mash potatoes in her hair, and tomato sauce all over her legs. Luckily for me during this time we have them in training wearing a diaper only. Much easier to hose off. But there's those times in between their finger food meals where every thing is a bit of that and a bit of jar. And those are the times I could just kick myself. I mix it up during lunch, half jar, half finger foods. This is when I am not thinking and we forget down to diapers. DOH! Stains stains stains! Valen loves to wipe his food on his sleeve up into his hair, and I always find goodies in his lap. Yummy!

My whole life I haven't been using laundry boosters or pre-treater's! *Gasp* I'd gather up a bunch of 'ucky-ness' and do a bleach soak (yeah, I know, I still have some in my house left over). But I hate the bleach, it can be touch and go using the stuff. I have never really justified buying "Shout" or anything similar, until I saw an earth friendly brand on close-out sale at King Soopers. Less than $2, score!  But this would never happen again,  so it was time to add to my DIY arsenal. Because I WAS going to run out of the store bought stuff, and the kids ARE getting grosser! 

After I consulted all mighty Google I had one answer. There really is one standard recipe, that is going to save me testing time!  

• 2/3 cups Dawn ( the blue stuff)
  


• 2/3 cups (Generic Ammonia, in the laundry section)


• 6 Tbl (I actually am going to try Super Washing soda next)


• 2 cups warm water

Using a glass measuring jug I first mixed the baking soda into the water to make sure it dissolves then slowly stir in the Dawn. Add your Dawn, and use a funnel to transfer into your spray bottle. Once the ammonia is in the bottle it will be OK to shake before use, it will separate.   I did two methods. Spray and rub, and spray and soak. Both worked great! 

Next batch I am going to use Super Washing Soda, because it is in my laundry soap!

 

Dissolve your baking soda, add soap to measuring jug for easier mixing.

 

So here's a few things I sprayed. Didn't think to take a picture of the onesie before I sprayed, thought it would be there long enough to take this picture like the bib!

 

After! Ta-Dah!

Laundry Booster

I do own a generic version of Oxi-Clean just to toss in my wash but again I did not want to rely on store bought.. I needed a booster/soak for my super-gross-don't-leave-those-towels-out-if-you-have-guests-over-kitchen-towels. Yeah, you know those floor scrubbers, all purpose things we all have as a 'go to' for kid spills, and more. Laundry booster also works for those over used items like sheets, pillow cases, and blankets. I consulted Google again.. and DUH! My favorite all purpose buddy, Hydrogen Peroxide! And my home slice, Super Washing Soda (that's why I am putting SWS in my pretreat next batch). In the morning I filled up my washer with hot water I added 1/4 cup of Hydrogen Peroxide, and 1/4 cup of Super Washing Soda and dumped in the good, the bad, and the ugly. Closed the lid and went on with Mommy-ing. I have no idea how long I left them in there, I lost track of time, but the next time I got a break was just after lunch. I tossed in my detergent and started that puppy up. All I have to say is; Not-Too-Shabby! I will be doing this a lot more. Soaks take much longer, so I will  save it for an over-night project, but I am impressed.

 

These are the towels no one should see... But now, I wouldn't mind if I left one out! How crazy, that bib has gone through the wash twice in one post. Bibs are a revolving door! But it's gotten whiter 

DIY Swiffers, wash and reuse! 

Now I will brag, I am a Shark Steamer owner. Last year it was a huge thing on my personal FB page. It led to many in depth conversations. No. Really. But some times I don't want to drag it out and fill it with water, and wind up that damn cord (I don't do cords, ask my husband). I have to sweep daily, I have two dogs, one crawling baby,a toddler, and a lot of hard wood! So I pull out the old Swiffer for in between floor mop downs with Sharkie. In the past ( pre-Sharkie) I have always used it with a bar towel for mopping, who knew I was so green then. Even then I did not want to buy the generic Swiffer sheets. It doesn't make any sense to me, I just might as well dive to a land fill and throw my money directly in!  

So I was inspired by this: DIY Swiffer Pads

But I did this: Reversible. I wanted one side to dust, then flip it to mop or spot clean. 

Take your chenille ,fleece or micro fiber and cut to size of your mop head. If you get the Dollar Store 2 packs of wash cloths just cut in half (for a standard Swiffer). 

Cut your fabric to match the long side, add for seams. then the width double the length it takes to wrap and tuck in the holder. I did 6 inches to leave for seams. Down all the edges of the folded side I turned in to make a small hem to stop from fraying. Now you have a hemmed rectangle. Fold over, take the edge of your pad and insert between the two long sides of your fabric. Like a sandwich! Now just run a stitch down to attach.

 

One side to dust, then flip it over and mop!

 

Sandwich the pad, and attach!

 

Run a stitch or two to attach. Make it sturdy for the washer!

 

There ya go! Flaws and all!

I got my cloth from the dollar store. A pack of two wash cloths made 4 Swiffer pads. I also used scraps and fat quarters for my material. I used no patterns, just measured my Swiffer. I am not a seamstress, and this was my first project after MANY years of not sewing. I received a sewing machine as a gift, and I couldn't be more happier. So these were great warm up projects!

Soon after this my Swiffer broke... Luckily I had a back up in the garage, it has velcro and tuck in attachments. Good and bad thing, it's bigger!!!! Drat! This is now how I roll:

 

I am using a dollar store micro fiber hair towel! I can tuck it in, so fair enough! I will sew later:-)

 

Under, for picture purposes (I don't keep them doubled up) is an old pair of my kids cheap velvet pants. Just so happened the 6-9 months were the same length. So I chopped off the legs, cut down the inside seam to open them up! And they tuck in! As I said... I will sew later!!!

I will so sew later... soon after I do those 19 other things I have scribbled on the white board :-)

Dawn of a New Budget, Part 4: Bad Ass Balls

Dryer Balls! You know how awesome they are? Well if you don't it's time to find out. They will be the easiest thing to make, and fast too. Except when it jumps out of your hands and a toddler runs off with it... just follow the string. The best part about them is they are re-useable, natural, shorten dryer time, save energy, and don't contain gross things like animal fat like your dryer sheets. All you need is a ball of 100% wool. You can get yourself some at Wal-Mart for about $7. Last few times I was there they were gone, so I went to Michael's, the same thing was over $11! Lame! BUT... I did find some yarn that was 100% wool, and on the front said great for felting. AND... on sale for $4, another bonus I got to choose a color. I chose the ball with all the colors in it. I got about 3 balls out of this, which is perfect because I am adding it to the three I made out of the Fisherman's Wool from Wal-mart. Which by the way will make more, I made some for me and some for my Mom :-)

I love these colors, because it's ALL of them.

First start wrapping it around your two fingers.

Did my balls my 7 month old son watched Super Why!

Then take off your finger, and wrap it in the middle, now you have a bow tie looking thing.

Now just go to town start wrapping and it will  build into a ball.



A good size is about a tennis ball, mine are not all the same at all. They will last you for years, but will decrease in size over time.

At the end just wrap the end around itself a few times and pull tight, then a small knot. All done, now repeat!  Time to felt.

Just place in size some old nylon panty hose, or a zipper bag. These are great agitators to felt. Toss it in with a load of laundry on HOT. Some yarns felt differently, some do not require hot. I just stick to the hot method just so I know it will get done. Then toss into the dryer with your load, again HOT. Still keep in your hosiery ball, you are still felting. Make sure this load though you do not use a dryer sheet. You do not want that animal fat to transfer on to your lovely natural balls. Once out of the dryer, open up your package and gaze upon your fuzzy balls ;-)

Tie a knot in between each ball too.

The best thing about the dryer balls you can scent one or more with essential oils. I use a lot of tea tree and lavender. Depending on whose load it is. I use 6 balls, and only one scented, thats enough for me. I use about 10 drops on one. You can experiment because it does fade after a few washes. Just make sure you are using 100% essential oils. Now you will have some awesome smelling laundry, with aromatherapy benefits with out the headache of chemicals.

Dawn of a New Budget, Part 2 & 3

This one has to be one of my favorite things to make. Laundry softener! There are so many possibilities. I love to stock up at The Dollar Store with conditioner so I can have a few scents on hand at all times. My husband does not want to smell like a cherry blossom like I do, so I keep some thing fresher for him.

Gather your ingredients:

•  2 cups conditioner


•  3 cups white vinegar


•  6 cups hot water

(Conditioner tip: 2 cups is 16oz. So check your bottles. The VO5 is 15 ounces, but I keep all my left overs from the Suave 22.5 ounces . I cant stress enough, get funnels to put your left overs together and pour your ingredients. The Three pack I have is from the Dollar Store, and they are quality! Going to add the last of that VO5 in that Suave bottle and  I am going to use it :-)

Laundry softener is a "Gateway DIY", because now with your completed product you can now make two more things that can cost you!

Replace your dryer sheets! You know how they get the fragrance to stay on there? Animal fat, thats what is rubbing all over your kids clean clothes. Might as well just toss some scented bacon in there. I use homemade dryer balls but today I am going to whip up my rainbow batch and make some reusable dryer sheets. Here goes....

I make it in a big Dollar Store jug. Just add and stir. Thats it. It makes my laundry soooooo soft, especially when used with Home made laundry soap :-)

But you don't have to stop there, now you can do a few more little tasks...

DIY dryer sheets

Now I use dryer balls, but here in Colorado it's dry.... beyond dry in January. So static has decided to appear in the worse way. I am using an added DIY dryer sheet this month, because well I lost my wool yarn, can't make more balls!  Above we just made a batch of DIY softener. Well don't put it away.

You will need:

• Fabric softener, store bought, or your DIY


• Rags, cut up towel, or Dollar Store towels to cut in to pieces about the size of a dryer sheet. Bigger will be better, longer lasting.

Dunk, give them a soak to make sure it's really in there. Squeeze out a little so they are not a sloppy mess I place on a plate, or plastic bag to start drying before I hang them to dry. I don't want them dripping every where. And there you go. That is it. They will last a few washes, so you really only have to do a couple at a time. :-)

Don't put away that softener!

I have one more project: Febreze.

• 1/8 cup of Fabric softener


• 2Tbs Baking soda


• Hot water

Add ingredients to your old fabric spray bottle, then just fill the rest with water. My bottle is a Glade bottle which is 22 Fl. OZ. Any of those bottles will work.

OK, if you don't have laundry to do... you can put your softener away now.

**Dryer balls will be a separate post.... I lost my yarn and I don't want to buy another one. trying to save money here people!

Dawn of a New Budget , Part 1

Oh how close minded I feel! In the world of pinning and blogging I forget thats there's another world other than the one we live in. Yeah I know, scary huh? I kid, I kid... but digress.  We have the world on boards, or in our reader so to us we know  it all, and have seen it all. But yesterday I had an eye opening Facebook moment. I answered a post to a friend on my personal page. The question was how to cut back the family budget. Well I responded with my big list of things I do in my house, like make every thing. It was just a vague list assuming that every one has heard of all this before. Her response was kind of a: "Wow, I am a mom and  have a full time job, how can I do all of that and still have time to see my family?!"  

That's when I was like "woah", you mean not every one blogs and lives on Pinterest. Shame on me. Well I better have answers then. (She's found the joys of  the crock pot, so a lot of time after work just opened up).

A lot of the simple things I do to skip the most expensive aisle in the grocery store are easy, and kid's can get involved. Of course use your judgement with your kids. These recipes do include HOT water.

My easiest and biggest money saver is making my families laundry soap, and softener.  This is how I make mine, it's the most popular, and proven. Many others have gone as far to do the break down of cost.  But all I need to know is hundreds of loads for about 6 cents per load.



Gather your things:

• 5 gallon bucket with lid. (Home depot, Wal-mart)


• Fels-Naptha soap (grocery store, Wal-mart in laundry aisle)


• Arm and Hammer Super washing soda (not baking soda! I got this also @ Wal-mart in laundry)


• Borax (again Wal-mart)

The soap is less than a buck @ Wal-Mart, and the Super washing soda is around $3-4. Get a new clean bucket too. You're looking at spending what ONE big jug or box of Tide. But you will be getting about 600 loads. (That's an average, 600 is for HE washers, lower for top load and your personal usage preference.) But think, 5 gallons for the price of your Tide.

How to:

• Grate your entire bar of soap (Smells SO good).


• Put in a pot with 4 cups of water already hot (much easier).


• Also fill your bucket half way with HOT water set aside on floor.


• Now stir your soap continuously on medium-low. You don't want it to boil! (It took me under 10 minutes. That's why I make sure the water was already hot. It should be nice and smooth, no chunks.)


• Pour your soap mixture into your bucket of hot water.


• Add 1 cup of Washing Soda, and 1/2 cup of Borax.


• Stir! Use something long enough thats going to reach the bottom of the bucket.


• Now fill your bucket the rest of the way up with water. Stir again. 


• Put the lid on tight and let sit over night.

In the morning you will have a bucket of goop since it thickens over night. I HIGHLY recommend that you now separate into separate containers. It keeps the concentration much more evenly. I lucked out and my Mum gave me these awesome bird seed containers. But I also got a few from the Dollar Store. I also use a jug for the detergent that is in use. I also got that from the Dollar Store. 

This is a lot of soap! Behind my jugs are the bird seed ones I reused. The one thats empty is one I used already. Its a great Dollar Store container. I love these giant jugs, much easier to pour. I kept a cup from my old liquid detergent to measure my mixture. It's about 1/4 of a cup. But you might want to try different amounts for yourself. Some times I dump in more if it's a large load of kids clothes :-).

I have done test's too. I washed some clothes in a free sample pack of some other liquid detergent, and a load  in the homemade. Same!

You will also see my home made softener, very cheap to make all sorts of scents! Making your own softener will also lead you to making your own dryer sheets, and fabric fresher spray!

Comming soon in part 2...

DIY Softeners

Part 3

Fabric sheets, and dryer balls

Part 4

DIY stain fighter, and laundry boosters

Part 5

DIY reusable Swiffer Sheets

Nin-ten-do, It's for breakfast now.

I ran into this this evening. I just want mine back. I miss it so! I remember playing endless hours playing in insane chunks of time. I remember playing Super Mario Brothers ALL THE WAY TO THE VERY END, AND DYING. Yeah the first taste of that just still resinates deep in my very soul.  After doing that several times I stopped playing. But then I found Simons' Quest. Damn that kicked ass. I got do good at killing stuff with my whip. Then my first taste of  RPG on a console, Ultima! I still have to get my kicks every now and then and load up some Ultima on DosDose.com. 

I was so attached to my console I remember coming home after school. I had got it for Christmas so I played for two weeks straight. I came in my room and got ready to settle in. But I felt a strange feeling in my gut when I walked past my TV. There was something amiss in the Force. I felt it. I felt the violation. I shrugged it off and started playing. Later I found out my mum was vacuuming and gave gaming a go for the first time!

So I found this lunch box below. I was a little sad because I really want a working console... But I soon started to seep into my consciousness... how would I change it. Now I am thinking it needs a woman's touch.  I would start with a nicer handle, the dad case handle isn't my cup of tea. Then I am thinking a make up case, put dividers in it... No wait, a craft box... well any way. I was looking at prices at my local store, I could buy two. I will let you know if I beat that final level of Mario Brothers.



I would so remove the hardware, find something in the more brushed silver look. It needs more of a design to it. Something that matches! I need to charge my power tools.