Home-made Swiffer cloths

Almost our entire downstairs is hardwood floors and boy, oh, boy are they hard to keep clean.  I invested in a Swiffer Mop when we first moved into our house and bought a large box of dry and wet cloths.  I went through them so quickly and just couldn't bring myself to buy more.  Too expensive.  I did some research and found some amazing ways to make YOUR OWN Swiffer cloths.  So after hiding away in a closet for a few months, my Swiffer is finally cleaning again.


1. Microfiber cloths: I placed this as number one because it is what I have found to be the most long lasting and cost effective.  You can usually find them at the Dollar Tree. Cut them down to fit the Swiffer and toss them in the wash after use. Reuse over and over.

2. Old Socks: All of those poor little socks whose pairs have been eaten by the dryer monster can be pulled out and put to work. Just slip them over the Swiffer and wash after use.

3. Rinse and reuse Swiffer clothes: They can only be washed and reused so many times, but it will make whatever stock of cloths you already have last longer.

4. Old washcloths: Just discard when they get  unbearably gross.

5. Old clothing: Several of my husbands old t-shirts have been cut up and used for cleaning.  You can cut them to the perfect size and use again and again.

There were a few more ideas that I came across but were not really worth mentioning if you are looking for a cost-effective solution.   If you love the concept of the Swiffer but hate the COST, here is the answer to your problem!!

Okay, I'm back!

Not going to say I have my life and schedule in total order, but I will say that things are finally beginning to feel like I've stepped off the carousel.  I'm falling back into the rhythm of the teaching year and finding that I have some extra time on my hands again.  You know what that means! Blog, I'm back!!

I'm going to start back slowly with just one post a week.  Trying to keep things in perspective is not one of my strong points. I always seem to bite off more than I can chew, so I'm proud of myself for committing to just one post a week.

I hope everyone is enjoying their chilly weather, fuzzy sweaters, and cozy evenings as much as I am.  Happy Fall!!

My Life Is Just Getting TOO Busy!

This is the post I've been dreading to write, but I somehow have known it's been coming for a couple of weeks now.  My school year starts at the end of this week, and with two new classes on my schedule, I'm finding my lovely and relaxing blogging time has been put on the back burner.  I hate quitting  my blog all together, so I'm going on a "break."  No, not like a dating break.  A little less serious.  I just need a few months to get my mind wrapped around these classes and get my music lesson semester started.  Hopefully by then I will have gotten ahead on some of my posting.
I feel like I'm giving up on something that I absolutely love doing.  But it is a luxury.  I have to remind myself that the Lord, my family, home, church, and jobs come first.  Thank you all for how supportive you've been over these last few months.  I've had a great time meeting new friends and discovering how much creativity is out there.  I'll see you in a few months!!

Is it a {picture} frame or a {shelf}?

These are ingenious! I really thought they were frames at first glance.  What a creative way to display books, DVDs, and CDs.  I'm just wondering how I can get these without paying the price. ???

Excuses, Excuses, Excuses...

I seem to be making way too many excuses about why I haven't been posting regularly.  But they are legitimate, I promise.  This summer has been crazy with my dad visiting, traveling to Ohio for two weeks, my husband coming home, going on a two week vacation with him, and his family visiting for a week.  Through all of that, I had hardly a moment to check my email, let alone blog.  And I haven't quite gotten ahead in my posts yet like some of these awesome bloggers I'm following.  I take my posts one day at a time.  I guess that's my problem. Anyway, I'm here to tell you that I'm DONE vacationing and having family visit, at least for awhile, so I'll be back on schedule very soon.

Thanks for not giving up on my and my little bloggy-blog.  Love you all!!

If I lived in a {Photograph}....

I'd want to visit this place as many times as I could afford cab fare.

Image found here.

{Vintage} Suitcase End Table

Last summer, I found these great vintage suitcases at a garage sale for only $.50 a piece.  I was ecstatic because I had been forever wanting to make a suitcase end table for my living room.  The idea stemmed from a Before & After feature on Design Sponge.  I completely fell in love with it, but wanted to make it my own by adding some color.

The one color I had been itching to find a place for in our living room was a certain very warm and rich blue. Instead of painting the suitcases, I decided to cover them in a fabric of this color.  After a long search through stores both online and off, I finally came across just what I was looking for.  Of all places, I found my fabric at Joann Fabrics! 

Well, you've seen the before, now here is the after:

I'm pretty excited about the final look.  One of the best parts, I only spent $20. 

Here's what you'll need to tackle this project:

• 4 wooden screw-in table legs 
• 4 metal plates 

• Material to cover suitcase(s)
• Mod Podge
• Brush or sponge to paint on Mod Podge (sorry, not in picture)
• Screw driver (sorry again, not in picture)
• Scissors (or even better a razor blade)

Step 1:  Lay material over top of suitcase and Mod Podge small sections at a time, letting each section dry before gluing the next section.  Don't start cutting yet! After you have covered the entire top section of the suitcase and it has completely dried, use scissors to carefully cut along the edge of the excess material.  If your glue is not completely dry, the material will just pull. A razor blade would be more efficient but be careful not to cut into the suitcase. 

Step 2: Cover the sides of your suitcase using the same method.  Be careful of the handles and locks.  They can be tricky.  Don't strive for too much perfection, though!

Step 3: Attach metal plates to all four corners of the base of the suitcase. 

As you can see, I used angled plates.  They also come in flat.  It took a little hunting for me to find these guys in the hardware store.  They are in the lumber section with all of the table legs.  Convenient since Step 4 is...

Paint your table legs.  That is, IF you want to paint them.  They are just raw wood when you buy them and can be used that way.  I spray painted mine black.

Step 5: Screw the table legs into the brackets.  Mine actually punched through the suitcase a little bit as well.  Didn't feel bad since I had just finished screwing 16 holes into the suitcase.  

And there you have it.  A brand new, completely one-of-a-kind end table.  

And Henry says is makes a great little perch, too.

Linking to these Lovely Parties!
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It's A Crafty Life