azurerocket

'I'm Sorry!' Sale in the shop

2010-05-19T13:30:00.001-07:00

Today while my daughter was at preschool, my 18-month-old son destroyed her beloved netbook she got for her birthday. It was my fault; I left it out, and I feel awful. We can't afford to replace it right now since we spent thousands fixing up our house to sell and are looking at spending thousands to move. Looking on eBay, I can replace it with a used but working one for $150-160, so I'm holding

The OxiClean Bible, or "How I Reclaim 95% of My Family's Stained Clothes"

2010-05-19T00:04:00.004-07:00

I am not a domestic diva by any means, although I aspire to be. For any of you other aspirers out there, I'd like to share my methods of using OxiClean (often misspelled OxyClean) to get rid of most of our clothing stains.I don't know if you're like me, but seeing a label that says "As Seen on TV" on a product translates in my mind as "Piece-Of-Crap Rip-Off". It was only serendipity that caused

A Little Update

2010-05-07T12:05:00.003-07:00

Well, our house is under contract! Things have been super busy, so I haven't started listing for my destash sale, but some of the things already in my shop are on sale. Also, I have been able to come up with a couple of new designs:new EtsyNameSpace.Mini(4153, 'shop','thumbnail',5,4).renderIframe();I can't wait to be settled in my new place and start on all the projects banging around in my

It's Getting Cobwebby in Here!

2010-04-07T16:57:00.002-07:00

Well, I sure have neglected this blog as of late! Lately, I've been focusing mostly on selling my house and getting ready to move out-of-state - my husband has been accepted to a top graduate program!If I hit a lull soon, I'm planning to put new vinyl designs up in the shop and also have a moving sale of already-cut vinyl, jewelry, and some destash items. If you would like a heads-up on this

Black Friday Sale

2009-11-27T12:10:00.003-07:00

I am having a Black Friday sale on my handmade items. They would make great and inexpensive incidental Christmas gifts! (teachers, coworkers, classmates, acquaintances, etc.)* Chain necklaces and non-sterling earrings $6 if purchased through Etsy, or $5.59 if purchased directly through me* Sterling silver earrings $8 if purchased through Etsy, $7 if purchased directly through me* Quilted fabric

A Home for the Holidays: Day 22

2009-11-24T23:33:00.002-07:00

Whatever day you decide to do the final assignment for this week is fine.Clean your light fixtures inside and out. Replace any burnt bulbs. Be careful!! It is worth it to take a little extra time to be safe (safe things to stand on, turning off breakers, and handling glass carefully).If you have extra time, work on cleaning mirrors and windows.

A Home for the Holidays: Day 21

2009-11-24T13:53:00.000-07:00

Thanksgiving is near whether Day 21 falls on Tuesday or Wednesday for you, so let's spend today doing basic cleaning and maintenance and not dive into anything we might not be able to finish. ;) We only will have one more assignment this week. What day you decide to do it is up to you. I will post it tomorrow for the early birds.

A Home for the Holidays: Day 20

2009-11-23T13:50:00.002-07:00

It's been a while since we made our Christmas lists. Let's pull them out and see how things are going.What do you still need to buy? If you are making things, do you have all your supplies? Are your time estimates reasonable, or do you need to simplify (remember, you need to account for time ripping seams, picking up dropped stitches, etc.)?

A Home for the Holidays: Day 19

2009-11-22T01:48:00.000-07:00

Thanksgiving is this week!Take today to work on whatever preparations you need to get ready for the big day! This might include cleaning, shopping, meal planning, or packing your bags!

A Home for the Holidays: Day 18

2009-11-20T01:21:00.003-07:00

Today, spend your hour revisiting the areas you've worked on so far. It's impossible to keep things 100% pristine after you finish cleaning because we're all living life. Take today as a chance to do a little maintenance on the areas you've already improved. For me at least, it seems almost harder to keep my house clean than it is to clean it in the first place.

A Home for the Holidays: Day 17

2009-11-19T08:00:00.000-07:00

I'm sure you feel like I do that you are always doing laundry, but today we are going to do a little catch-up in that department. Do you have anything sitting on the sidelines that needs:* Ironing* Mending or altering* Special stain treatment/ bleaching* Starching (I admit, I have never done this!)* Bluing (Okay, I've done this once.)* Dry cleaning* Quarterly, semi-annual or annual cleaning (

A Home for the Holidays: Day 16

2009-11-18T00:57:00.004-07:00

Today we are going to do some re-stocking and maintenance. We are going to spend our hour on the following types of things: * Changing the furnace filter* Changing the water filter if you have a filtration system* Replenishing toilet paper and hand soap in the bathroom (other toiletries if needed)* Filling containers for napkins, paper towels, baby wipes, etc.* Taking out the trash* Making a

A Home for the Holidays: Day 15

2009-11-17T01:20:00.002-07:00

You've been working hard! Today is a day where you get to do the fun things on your to-do list, even though they're not the most important. I'm talking about things like:* Shopping for Christmas gifts* Taking care of yourself* Working on your hobby* Writing thank-you cards, or something else you'd like to do to add some niceness to your life* Doing some cooking or baking* Decorating* Copying

A Home for the Holidays Directory

2009-11-16T11:00:00.000-07:00

Here is a directory for all the daily posts for the A Home for the Holidays challenge:What this is all about & Pre-assignment 1Pre-assignment 2Pre-assignment 3Pre-assignment 4Grab our buttonAdd your blog to our rollInspirationFlickr PoolDay 1Day 2Day 3Day 4Day 5Day 6Day 7Day 8Day 9Day 10Day 11Day 12Day 13Day 14Feel free to start at the beginning or jump right in on the current day!A Home for the

A Home for the Holidays: Day 14

2009-11-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

Do you have a craft or hobby area or a workbench or garden shed? Spend an hour organizing and cleaning.If you don't or you want to spend more time today, go down the things on this list:* Work on your bedroom more, or spruce it up if you completed it* Do the same for your bathrooms* Do the same for other bedrooms in your house

A Home for the Holidays: Day 13

2009-11-15T08:00:00.000-07:00

Spend an hour de-junking, throwing away trash, and cleaning the interior of your car.

A Home for the Holidays: Day 12

2009-11-13T02:07:00.002-07:00

Thanks for all your feedback!It sounds like most of us can use some more work in the kitchen. Go back to the Day 1 list, and if you finish that, you can clean the oven, microwave, baseboards, walls, and windows or go through the cupboards.

A Home for the Holidays: Day 11

2009-11-12T01:29:00.003-07:00

We're getting far enough along in the challenge that it's hard to do something specific that applies to everyone. Today, pick one or two of the following areas and spend an hour cleaning, organizing, and decluttering:* Kids' room(s)* Outdoors/garage/carport/shed/porch* Home office/computer area* Entertainment area* Laundry room/laundry piles* Linens* Pantry* Pet areas* Hobby areas* Coat closet*

A Home for the Holidays: Day 10

2009-11-11T01:48:00.000-07:00

Day 10:Where do you receive visitors to your home? Most likely a living room or family room. Let's spend an hour sprucing this up. I'd like you to:* declutter* dust* vacuum* reconsider decorations and maybe rearrange things for a fresh feel* polish wood/clean glass, other maintenance

A Home for the Holidays: Day 9

2009-11-09T22:56:00.001-07:00

Day 9:Plan your Thanksgiving meal if you are having one. Create a meal plan and a shopping list. Make sure all invitations are made and DELEGATE side dishes and desserts to attendees! Think of decorations.If you have time left or are not hosting a Thanksgiving meal, work on one of the areas we've already started (kitchen, bedroom, bathroom).

A Home for the Holidays: Day 8

2009-11-08T18:26:00.004-07:00

Today, we are going to give some extra attention to the financial aspect of our lives. I know it's probably not something you like to think about, but clearing some of the clutter (both tangible and intangible) can definitely make it less stressful.Here is a list of suggestions to spend your hour or so on:* Pay any outstanding or upcoming bills* Gather all paper piles around the house, sort,

A Home for the Holidays: Day 7

2009-11-08T18:17:00.006-07:00

For those of you who don't take Sunday off, I'm sorry I missed posting this! I was still down with the flu today, but I think tomorrow I will be back to normal. I am finally feeling better now (Sunday evening).Here is the Day 7 assignment. If you want, you can put 1/2 of your Monday time toward this assignment and 1/2 toward the Day 8 assignment. Since I've been down for several days, I'm going

A Home for the Holidays: Day 6

2009-11-05T23:05:00.002-07:00

There will not be an assignment for Day 6; I have come down with the flu. Sorry!EDIT: This is Kathy's sister, Audrey, filling in for today. If you feel the need for an assignment today, you are welcome to dust the blinds. You know they need it. I have only lived in my house for four months and they need it! Also, think of other places that don't get dusted very often: the top of the fridge,

A Home for the Holidays: Day 5

2009-11-04T22:11:00.002-07:00

Day 5:Only one work day left this week!Today we are going to do a decluttering binge. The best declutterer will be getting a prize (that takes up very little space), mailed to you by yours truly! (It also comes with absolution of guilt if you decide to re-gift it or get rid of it at any point.)So, here is what I want you to do:* Get rid of at least 30 donatable items and get them out of your

A Home for the Holidays: Day 4

2009-11-03T23:57:00.002-07:00

How have you all been doing? I'd love to hear about it in a post or see your pictures in the Flickr pool.Take a deep breath and breathe out. Today we're going to have another low-key assignment. There are three parts to today's assignment:#1:Do something to take care of yourself. We've been working so hard on our houses, let's do a little self-maintenance. Take 20 minutes or so (don't set a

A Home for the Holidays Flickr Pool

2009-11-03T15:24:00.004-07:00

We have a Flickr pool!http://www.flickr.com/groups/ahfth/Please post pictures of your accomplishments (and before shots too, if you dare)! Flickr is free to join and you don't even have to sign up if you already have a Yahoo account.

A Home for the Holidays: Read this Post

2009-11-03T15:00:00.003-07:00

My friend and aHftH participant Juliana has written a wonderful piece about the emotional aspect of undertaking our challenge. I suggest you read it - it is beautifully written and probably echoes some of the things you've been feeling since starting:http://blog.geekuniverse.org/2009/11/home-for-holidays.html

A Home for the Holidays: Day 3

2009-11-02T22:57:00.000-07:00

We've had a couple of really intense days - good for you! Today we're going to have a little change of pace.First, sit down with a notebook or at your computer, and start thinking of Christmas gift and greeting cards (if you do them - you don't need to start just for this; we're all about simplifying).I hate it when stores pull out the Christmas stuff before Halloween too, but we're not going to

A Home for the Holidays: We Have a Button!

2009-11-02T15:40:00.005-07:00

Thanks to my fabulously talented sister, Audrey, we have a button and header for the A Home for the Holidays challenge! Grab the code here and put it on your blog to show you're participating!Copy and paste this code: