A Pink Wash Day

I'm up early today.

I want to get a jump on my chores before the temperatures heat up.

And

It's wash day!

Two loads of laundry are already washed and hanging out in the bright early morning sunshine.

The good thing about the summery temps is that the laundry dries on the clothesline almost as fast as it would in the electric dryer, and it smells so much better.

It's got to be a good day when it starts off pink. I dressed in a cool, cotton flower-print summer skirt with a pink tank top and flip flops this morning.

My laundry soap is even pink!  I make it with Zote soap.

I'm loving it!  It has a light citrus scent and cleans the clothes so well. I've discovered that Zote is scented with citronella oil (but not too much).  Is it my imagination, or have the mosquitoes been leaving me alone more since I've been using my homemade detergent?

ZoteSoap.com

It's so easy to make!

Here's the recipe I use:

Powdered Laundry Soap

1/2 cup grated Zote Soap

1 cup washing soda

1 cup borax

I let my food processor grate the soap for me. Then I throw in the other ingredients and give them all a whirl and...

Voila!!!

Beautiful light pink soap!

I only use about 1 tablespoon of the soap for a medium size load of laundry that isn't very dirty but would use up to 2 tablespoons if it's a large and/or heavily soiled load.

Notes:  I've been asked where I got the Zote soap.  I found mine at a Kmart that was going out of business.  Since then, I've looked at other Kmarts along with several other stores, and haven't been able to find Zote.  If anyone knows where the soap can be purchased please let me know.

And another question I've had was about the embroidery piece on my clothesline.  I made it by cutting a piece of muslin to size, hemming it on the sewing machine, crocheting the edging and then stamping and embroidering the piece.  I fell in love with embroidery many years ago in my junior high home ec class. :)

I'm so happy to be joining in for Pink Saturday this week!  It's been quite a while since I've participated and I've been missing my Pink Day friends.  Thank you for coming by!

This post is also linked to Show and Tell Friday.

I Finally Got a Round Tuit!

       And in honor of Pink Saturday it's

(of course)

Pink!

Wishy-washy (me!) can't decide which button she likes best though.

Will you help me?

Do you like the pink button best ~ the one I made here: CoolText.com

or

the quilty-looking one (which I made myself!)?

***

But wait, I got the cart before the horse here.

I need to back up and tell you my plans for the button.

I'm having my very own Linky Party and you're invited!

I hope to make it a weekly party where you can come by my blog and link up to your post about something you've done that you've been putting off until you got a Round Tuit (around to it :)

For Instance:

• getting a haircut
• a crochet project
• learning to sew
• trying a new recipe
• going outside for a walk
• visiting a special place
• going on a diet
• trying a new deli
• hugging a child

You get the idea.

It could be anything you've been planning to do when you got a Round Tuit.

Doesn't it sound like fun?

 Would you be interested in participating?

I'm planning the party for Tuesdays (beginning next Tuesday).

Doesn't Tuit Tuesdays just have a lilting sound?

 

So, start planning your post now and come back to get your Round Tuit on Tuesday.

Okay, now back to the button.

I want to have a button for anyone that wants to participate and link back to my blog for the party.

So, again I ask:

Which button do you like best?

The Pink button

or

 the quilty button?

Don't be nervous, speak right up!

Just leave your vote in the Comments section.

Your help is deeply appreciated (and needed)!

This post ~ and the buttons~ are dedicated to my Pink Saturday friends and Beverly at

How Sweet the Sound.

I'm so glad Beverly got a Round Tuit and started Pink Saturday!

It's the reason I started my blog Way Back When!

Wishing you all a Happy Pink Saturday!

I hope you come back for

Tuit Tuesday!

Post is linked to:  Show and Tell Friday

Just a Busy Little Bee

The sun is just beginning to peek through the trees in our backyard this morning as I'm out hanging out my first load of laundry.

I wanted to get an early start for my busy day.

My laundry is now finished.

I've watered my garden.

I've taken my early morning walk.

I've got a little time to enjoy the outside beauty before beginning my inside chores.

The Blackeyed Susans are cheering me on as I check off my To-Do list.

One in particular teaches me a lesson as I pause to snap its picture.

It seems to ask me the question, "Do you have to be perfect to bring beauty into the lives of others?"

I spread out my newly completed Log Cabin quilt table topper.

Another cheery spot to my morning.

Looking around for a special centerpiece for the table, I spy my gardenia bush right outside my breakfast room window and it's covered with heavenly scented white blooms!

Perfection!

The reason I've got such a long To-Do list today is because sweet hubby and I are heading out on an anniversary celebration trip!

This post is linked to:  Outdoor Wednesday, Whatever You Want Wednesday, Show and Tell Friday

Happy to be Me!

I brush up against my lavender plant while hanging sheets on the line this morning. It sends up its heavenly peaceful scent, reminding me to stop and enjoy the simple pleasures of my day. Wasn't that my intention when I planted it at the clothesline post? It's doing its job well this morning.

While outside I stop to enjoy the other miracles God has blessed me with.

I'm never lonely in my backyard.

My little Maggie

Oh, Joyous Monday!

My floors are vacuumed.  The laundry is all washed and out on the line enjoying the fresh breezes and the shy little glimpses of the sun.

I finished my Happy Apron...

...all the way down to the zig-zaggiest details.

The quilt blocks for my new table cover are stacking up, one happy square at a time.

What a joyous beginning to a new week!

The dreams dearest to my heart are right here. 

 ~ Anne Shirley of Green Gables ~

Happiness in My Sewing Corner

It's been a dark, bone-chilling cold, rainy week.  And today is no different. But it's bright and cheery in my corner of the world!

I got my fabric for my reward apron! I spreaded it out on my breakfast room table and it cheered up the room so much that I left it there for a day.

In fact, it gave me the idea of making a bright and cheery table cover. So I'm in my little corner of Paradise (my sewing corner) this morning, working on a project that I just know will bring sunshine into my cloudy days.

This post is linked to:  Show and Tell Friday, Pink Saturday

Will the Real Me Please Stand Up?

I love pink kitchens!



from Country Living's 500 Kitchen Ideas


In fact, my kitchen has been through it's pink phase for the last few years.  Then I made THE curtain.  I loved the brightness and cheeriness that it brought into my  little kitchen again.  It made me wonder if I wanted to put my kitchen back through it's red phase.  Then I found the picture below,

from Country Living's 500 Kitchen Ideas

and thought, why not just be me? More eclectic. Forget color schemes and trying to make my kitchen fit the latest style.  So, here's one last peek of my kitchen "before."  Because it's soon going to be much more me, uncluttered but with splashes of bright color!

While reading this book (which I thoroughly enjoyed),

I came across this wonderful quote:

You know what?  I think it works for me!  Have a great day!

~ Sherry ~

Post linked to: Show and Tell Friday, Pink Saturday

Playing on a rainy day

This is quite the rainy day in our neighborhood. It follows on the heels of quite the rainy night. But that's okay. I turn on all the lights in my little spot of the world and everything is bright and cheery here.

Since I did today's homey chores yesterday, I have the whole day (until time to cook supper) to just play and indulge my inner giggly girl's whims! Believe it or not, she first wants to play house. So we catch up on a little sewing.  Just little odds and ends of things. Then I take out my ironing board and lavender water spray. The bottle's original lavender water is long gone, so I replaced it with tap water and a few drops of lavender essential oil. Mmm, it smells even better than the original stuff.

My little inner girl (I call her Little Sherry) wants to iron her newest favorite sweater. And while ironing, Little Sherry and I start thinking of how best to accessorize the new antique sweater.

So we move on to our closet where we choose a creamy color skirt and pearly accessories to go with the soft pinkness of the sweater.

There's nothing like pearls, whether real or make-believe, to make a girl feel even more girly.

We choose our pearliest looking purse to complete the look.  Now we have the perfect outfit all picked out, wrinkle-freed, and smelling of heavenly lavender.  We're all ready and waiting  for our next sunny day.

Aren't we blessed to have a whole rainy day in which to indulge our playful mood?

~ Sherry and Little Sherry ~

This post is linked to:  Frugal Friday, Show and Tell Friday, Pink Saturday

50's Style Cafe Curtain ~ homemade version

I've been wanting to replace the curtain over my kitchen sink for several months now. It's actually just a piece of pink chiffon fabric draped over a tension curtain rod. I wasn't sure what I wanted to hang up in its place though.

Then I saw the perfect pink and red 50's cafe curtain at an antique mall a couple of weeks ago. Perfect in every way except the length, too long, and the price, $38! So, I came up with a plan.

I got sweet hubby to design a scallop pattern for the top of the curtain.  We make a great team; if he can design it, I can make it. I bought pink and red paisley, vintage-looking fabric at Hobby Lobby along with a package of plastic cafe curtain rings. Using an old white sheet for the lining, I made it just like the one in the antique mall.  Except the price of mine was only $12.

And, TA-DA! It absolutely brightens up and cheers up the whole room! It puts a smile on my face when I walk into the kitchen every morning to make my coffee.

Thanks for stopping by!  Your visits and comments make me as happy as my little curtain does.

~Sherry~

Post linked to: Not Just a Housewife, We Did it Wednesday, Show and Tell Friday, Frugal Friday, Made By You Monday, More the Merrier

A day of little pleasures

My Monday was a day filled with simple pleasures.

A basket of love on the table and sunshine streaming through the window.

My "new" thrifted sweater soaking in its sweet-smelling rinse water.

My sparkly new vanity top in our little bathroom.

Visiting my clothesline to hang out my freshly washed sweater in the warm sunshine.

I love everything about my new sweater; the cuddly softness, the cotton candy color, the rose buttons I replaced the old yellowed ones with. And especially the label. Old labels look like a work of art and love to me.  Not the stamped in or rough, prickly ones we must endure now, but the soft, carefully embroidered ones of yesteryear.  What pleasure I get for a mere $1.79. 

  

And now, on this glorius new day, I'm going to slip on my new pink friend and take a happy trip to the grocery store. 

This post is linked to: Rednesday, Show and Tell Friday,  Friday Pretties, Inspiration Friday, Feathered Nest Friday, Pink Saturday