Household Management Tip #3 - Water Rings

It's an inevitable fate of almost every piece of wood furniture: the dreaded water ring. Either someone forgot to use a coaster, or the plant was over-watered. Without fail, it seems these ghostly white rings tend to pop up in the most obvious spots. In my case, it was dead center of my less-than-a-year-old espresso wood table.

My search for a cure to these unsightly marks began a few days ago, when I decided my ceramic tart burner needed to be cleaned. I carefully removed all the old, excess wax and proceeded to wash with warm soapy water. I towel dried it completely, but apparently that wasn't enough. The porous unglazed ceramic base trapped water very nicely, so that when placed on the table it slowly transferred it's moisture. After nearly two days, I went to dust, and there it was. A bright white ring against my dark espresso table.

Ugly water mark :(

Furiously, I began searching for a solution, besides succumbing to a lifetime of tablecloths. I found toothpaste solutions, salt scrubs, and all kinds of potentially abrasive ideas. Being that my table is not solid wood and has a sheen, I was worried what all these solutions might do to its surface. I then remembered and old cure-all for carpet stains using an iron and lots of kitchen towels. I had no idea if this would work on furniture as well, but for the sake of blogging and Domestic Diva's everywhere, I put my poor table to the test.

DIY Removing Water Rings From Wood Furniture

What you need: Absorbent cloth (I used a Sham-Wow), and a hot iron

• Set iron to Cotton, or similar heat setting. NO STEAM (this is very important!)
• Place cloth over the water mark and press down firmly with hot iron for 10-15 seconds
• Repeat several times, this may take 20-30 tries
• Table needs to get very hot, so be careful!
• CAUTION: Some veneers may not be able to withstand high heat, so use this method with caution

Using an absorbent cloth and hot dry iron to remove a water mark

 After about 10 minutes of moving the iron back and forth, I learned that simply pressing down firmly (actually with all my weight) was the best method. After a that, the ring seemed to disappear before my eyes! Of course, the logic behind this is that heat causes the remaining water molecules to evaporate (turning from a liquid into a gas) and is trapped by the absorbent cloth. Interesting, right? 

The water mark-GONE!

Not to say I will forgo the use of coasters, but I do feel at ease knowing there is a simple solution to a longtime problem.

Super Bowl Quickie: Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers!

For an impromptu invite to a Super Bowl party, I decided to make bacon wrapped jalapeno poppers. It's one of the easiest appetizers to make, and a huge crowd pleaser! The most difficult task is removing the seeds from the jalapeno and remembering to not rub your eyes. That never ends well! To prevent the post-seed removal sting I have heard everything from soaking hands in milk, to rubbing vigorously with a scrub brush using soap and water. A sure fire method is to use rubber gloves. Once finished, just remove, and throw away. No hidden jalapeno heat under the nails to worry about.  So simple! 

Without further ado, here is the recipe:

Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers

 

prep time :	15 Minutes
yield :	15 each
baking/cooking time :	30 Minutes

Ingredients

• 15 jalapeños (cut in half, seeded)
• 2 packages cream cheese
• 1 package bacon
• Light Brown Sugar (1/4 of box or so will work)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F.

1. Fill jalapeño halves with cream cheese. (I mix a few tablespoons of brown sugar in with the cream cheese before filling the halves.)
2. Wrap two halves back together with bacon, secure with toothpick.
3. Sprinkle with brown sugar.
4. Bake for 30 minutes, then 5 minutes under the broiler for a crispier bacon.

I hope everyone enjoys their Super Bowl Sunday!

Blog Giveaway at Keep it Classy, Alabama!

The wonderful Miss Lindsey Leigh is having a blog giveaway! If you love Lilly Pulitzer, this is your lucky day! Check her out at Keep it Classy, Alabama!

Rue La La

If you've never heard of Rue La La, then you might as well be living under a rock. They are known as a "Flash Sale" site, where every day a new shop opens at 8AM PST and closes a short time later. Access to these sale shops are by invite only. You can obtain a free personal invite here.

I'm so very excited, tomorrow is a Vineyard Vines sales for the entire family! Just a warning though, once you start shopping at Rue La La, it's kind of hard to stop!

Suggestions for Success

I don't think anyone could say it better.

Household Management Tip #2

Every house has a cleaning cabinet, stocked with all the necessary cleansers and disinfectants. At one point, mine was overflowing into the garage. I looked like a hoarder of cleaning supplies, except every one was for a different purpose. I honestly though it was necessary to have a specialty cleaner for everything. It wasn't until after a hundred dollar shopping trip and countless times of gassing myself out with potent cleaners, that I knew there had to be an alternative.

As a collector of vintage home-management books,  I scoured the pages for articles on the best cleaning knowledge. And lo-and-behold, I read nothing about needing any specialty cleaner. In fact, most homemakers relied on three (yes, only three!) items. There was an all-purpose cleaner, window cleaner, and an abrasive cleaner. These were the foundation for a clean home. The staples necessary in everyone's closet. And the best part? They were cheap. Really cheap. I've listed the items below and have made a selection of my favorite products, as well as inexpensive and super easy DIY versions!

Cleaning Closet Staples

1. All-Purpose Cleaner

• (Ready to Buy) Mrs. Meyers Lavender being one of my personal favorites. Useable on almost any surface, non-abrasive, and gentle around children and pets. Plus it instantly makes your house smell amazing!

•  (DIY) 
• 2 tablespoons of a mild dish-washing liquid
• 2 cups of water
• Mix together in a spray bottle. Voila!

2. Window Cleaner

• (Ready to Buy) I previously used Windex religiously, but the chemicals began to irritate my skin and eyes, so I tried Seventh Generation. I've never looked back! This brand is fantastic and I surprisingly use much less than other brands! Seventh Generation is sustainable and eco-friendly, but more importantly wallet-friendly!

• (DIY)
• 1 part white vinegar
• 1 part water
• Mix together in a spray bottle.

3. Abrasive Cleaner

• (Ready to Buy) Bon Ami is one of the best gentle abrasive cleaners on the market. It really works! Whenever my pots and pans are looking kind of dingy, I'll simply use this and they look practically new. Truly amazing stuff!

•  (DIY) 
• Baking Soda
• Water
• Combine and make a paste. Works great as cleaner and deodorizer!

So there you have it, just three items you need for use in your home and not one do you need to worry about around your children or pets! By switching to these three formula's I've not only saved time and money, but my cleaning cabinet is remarkably more organized! What could be simpler?

Puppy Tales

Right before Christmas, we were blessed with the opportunity to rescue a wonderful beagle through the Northern California Beagle Rescue. These puppies were used for laboratory testing at a facility in the San Jose area. We found out two days prior that the facility was releasing eight male beagles. My sister (visiting from Wisconsin) and I, made the four hour trip North to foster and adopt one of beagle boys. It was such an exciting moment, I could hardly wait! Those four hours in the car could not go fast enough.

Once at the holding facility, which was a local veterinarians office, we were introduced to each beagle. They were shy, awkward, and very unsure. Each one had a slightly different personality, yet only known by the federal identification number tattooed to the inside of their ear. I know people say that animals choose you, but it wasn't until meeting the eighth beagle, that I knew this to be true. 

Jackson came bounding out the door and straight into my lap, putting his two front paws on my chest and kissing my nose. It was love at first sight! There was no question he would be coming home with us and our lives have never been the same. He has fit in so well with our family and loves his beagle sister, Penny. It hasn't been easy. There are aspects that can be challenging, but it is all worth it in the end. There's nothing Jackson needs more than love and patience.

Even though I will never know the details of his life as a research animal, I do know that he was not allowed to be a real dog. He had never seen grass, the sun, cars, or even cats! Whenever he sees (or hears!) new things he'll stop in his tracks, pause and cock his head to side, trying to figure everything out. Seeing the world through this little boy has given me a new outlook on life. Like Jack, I pause to take it all in. 

 

Jackson (aka Jack) The sweetest, bravest, gentlest puppy around. 

 

The only name, Jackson ever knew. A constant reminder of his past.

Please, think of Jack the next time you're out shopping and stop to see if that product is Cruelty-Free. 

Jack and I thank you!