Wednesday, June 20, 2012

DIY pergo floor cleaner

 I have blonde pergo floor all acrossed my front living space, front room, kitchen, and dining room.
It opens everything up and makes it nice and spacey looking, BUT it shows dirt like no ones business.
Anyone who knows me personally, knows that I have some major OCD when it comes to my floors.
I mop almost every single day....eeeekkkk...I know....it is a pain. But I HATE to see footprints, etc on my floor.

I am spending close to $40.00 a month on swiffer disposable wet mops. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE them. But let's face it there has to be a more thrifty way. So I scoured Pinterest, sure I would find something, and  didn't. So then I Googled floor cleaner and found a recipe I decided to give it a try!

DYI Pergo laminate floor cleaner
to a measuring cup or jar, add the following:
  • 1 part Water
  • 1 part White Vinegar
  • 1 part 2% Isopropyl Alcohol
  • Few drops of liquid dish detergent
  • opt. 5 drops essential oil for smell
Mix all ingredients together and pour into a fine mist spray bottle.
Like so.....

How to Use Homemade (DIY) ‘Pergo' Laminate Flooring Cleaner

  1. Sweep or vacuum your floors first
  2. Spray the cleaner in a fine mist, low over the surface area to be cleaned
  3. Allow to set for a few minutes, then use a microfiber mop or towel to wipe it up. 
Since I had the swiffer wet mop I decided that I would still use it with a towel. But then I got to thinking that a regular wash cloth isn't as absorbent as some of the towels out there. I remembered seeing some knock off Sham-Wows @ the dollar store.  So I ran to pick up a few. You get 2 per pack @ $1.00 (they are called Shammie Whammies) The best part is they are reusable, so no more wasting!
I just attatched them like so....

I simply spritz the DYI cleaner across the floor and mopped....
One Shammie Whammie does the whole floor. I was using 3 wet mops per day before.
You'll notice right away that this mixture cleans effectively and with ease, dries quickly, and it is so simple to use. The best part is there is NO BUCKET REQUIRED and it is SO INEXPENSIVE!

(* side note, if you by the $ store Shammie Whammies....wash them and hang them to dry. Don't dry int he dryer or use fabric softner.)

Look at how well this cleans!!
Ewwwwww.......I KNOW!

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Light Fixtures

So I have had this chintzy gold light fixtures FOREVER now. I have had every intention of taking them down and spraying them, but let's face it, I forget half of the time. 
Finally my husband took them down for me.
Here are the befores....
 The shade of gold is not my fav unless it is real gold worth some $$.
I don't hate the white ceiling fan, but it shows dust all the time.
And this one needs to go too!

So I got out my favorite spray for metal.....
Hammered Brown by Rust-oleum
....and sprayed away!
Now I am asking myself WHY on earth it took me so long. It looks SO SO much better!

Here are the afters....

 I can't wait to do my white ceiling fans downstairs now.
Check out my sister Ali's before and afters as well....HERE

XOXO,
Bon

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Lamp Makeover

I have lots of lamps. 
Whenever I find one at a thrift store for $3.00 or less I add it to my cart.
 I've had this one laying around for awhile now and it definitely needed some tlc.
So I spray painted it white....
....and slightly sanded the edges to give it a shabby chic feel.
Then I found this lamp shade.....
....and gave it a good coat of blue spray paint also. 

An easy peasy lamp makeover! Perfect for my craft room.

Monday, May 14, 2012

Craft Center

So I have this all wood book shelf.
I love it, but there are two problems.
First, since I made this TV Hutch into a book shelf, it is empty.
Second, my son used Rub n' Buff as finger paints and painted on it! Ugh!
 I debated whether or not to get rid of it, but then decided since it was all wood I should keep it. So I painted it with some antiqued white. (Well, lets be honest....I painted a little, my husband painted a lot, and then my sister and sister-in-law finished it off.) 
So after I finally decided what the heck I was going to do with it, I antiqued the edges.
Then I piled on my craft supplies!
Perfect for my organized crap...er....I mean craft chaos!
HA!

Now I can easily grab what I want without digging and making such a mess!

 XOXO,
Bon

Thursday, May 10, 2012

~TeAchEr GiFt~

Seriously this is a super easy project to tackle, and the effects of letting our teachers know how much we LOVE and APPRECIATE them is even longer lasting.
I heard from a friend recently "I don't do teachers gifts because I can't afford it." 
GASP.....cough....Gasp again...
I am one of those peeps who believe in showing appreciation for our teachers and all of their hard work. 
It doesn't even have to cost money or you can spend hardly anything! 
It is the thought the matters, right?!

So here is a quick and simple gift idea.

First get out some frames. If you don't have any then hit the thrift stores or dollar store.
These are 5x7 frames that I already had on hand.

Next, pull out your tole paints, spray paints, whatever you want to bring your frames to life!
 I used a spray paint I already had on hand.

Then design, in your word perfect, word pad,  or photo editing program, a favorite quote.
And if you don't want to come up with one on your own...I did all the work for you.
I found this fun quote and designed it with a chevron background!
(Just right click, save in your files, and print. This is a 5x7 sz., but you could re-size it smaller too.)


After your frames are done drying, give them a light sanding.
 
Print out your quote or the one above and simply frame it!

All for the cost of $0.00

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Spring Fever

Does anyone else have major spring fever? 
My long lists of projects to get done, ways to decorate, foods to try, and more, are majorly on my mind! The warmer weather makes me want to get all my spray painting projects done.

First up.....this.....
I love this piece.
Anyone who knows me can tell you what a sucker I am for pots, vases, and containers!
So of course, I can't throw it out. 
So I took out this lovely shade of Krylon...(one of my favs)
I gave this vase a good coat and then sanded the edges slightly.
Next,  I filled it full of some faux grass and rocks.
It fits perfectly in my bathroom.
 I love the freshness of the green...don't you?
Now to do something about that wretched sink...hmmmm...

XOXO,
Bon

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Little Changes

I am in FULL NESTING mode. 
I want to get a million projects done, but move like a sloth.  It seems like I am getting lots done but they are little things here and there.
 It is amazing how simple little things can change a look or feel of a room!
I have been adding to my lamp shades like crazy!
I took this same "HOW TO" and made some flowers to add a little extra to some of my lamp shades.

Girls Room Lamp Before....
and AFTER...
 So much better and easy to make a difference!
I decided these need some refreshing too!
A little sewing and some new fresh fabric sure makes a HUGE difference!
And look at this HUGE project I am going to tackle soon for my girls room!
Oh, I am so in love with this piece. 
I picked this up for $35 @ a thrift store.
 She needs some TLC but she is going to be fabulous. 
So watch for that transformation!
Now onto my Bedroom.
 Lamp Before.....
And AFTER......
 It added a perfect color splash.
And I followed the color splash theme and added a little extra to my candlesticks too!

Before....
I simply painted a frame yellow, sanded it and hooked it on!
Hopefully I can show you the other fun things I have been working on big and small soon!
Until then
 XoxO,
Bon