RAINBOW

I walked out of my store to find this view. It was right in the field across the road.

Pretty kewl!

Miss Ebby

Here's my Brussels Griffon (in desperate need of a haircut) inside my shop door. Isn't she cute?????? Of course, the photographer could have done a better job, and Ebby should have kept her snout away from the loose threads around my sewing machine...guess we won't win a prize for this photo! I rescued Ebby a few years ago. She was found wandering around the countryside and no one claimed her. It was obvious she had lived a hard life in a crate, not in a home, as everything scared her. Afraid of people, afraid of any noise. She's come a long way, but it makes me sad to know that she suffered neglect, and perhaps even abuse, in her younger days. She follows me everywhere and gets very upset when I go outside the door without her. This breed is often called "velcro dog" because they do like to stick close to their favorite person. It is an honor and a pleasure to be Miss Ebby's pet. hehehe!

HELPFUL HINT SATURDAY - BAKING SODA USES

Here's a bunch of uses for baking soda. I'm sure there's lots more, so feel free to add yours to the comments! Some of these may be new to you, some may not.

Do you have some great old pieces of graniteware/enamelware that is stained? Try cleaning it by soaking for an hour or two in a bath of one tablespoon of baking soda added to a sinkful of HOT soapy water.

To remove pencil, ink or crayon marks from walls or painted surfaces, rub with a damp cloth dipped in dry baking soda.

Coffee or tea stains on china cups? Use the same method as for pencil marks above.

Want to test your carpet or upholstery for color fastness before cleaning? Use baking soda to test a hidden area for color-fastness by mixing 1/2 tablespoon in 1/2 cup of water and apply a small amount to the carpet or upholstery. Let dry, then vacuum and check area.

Baking soda is a safe and effective cleaner for kitchens and bathroom surfaces - countertops and sinks, tub and tile, chrome, steel, enamel or plastic throughout your home. When it is not fully dissolved, like when it is sprinkled dry from a shaker onto a clean damp sponge, baking soda is perfect to use as a gentle scouring powder - it won't scratch your shiny appliance surfaces, but it's abrasive enough to lift dirt and stains for easy removal.

In the laundry baking soda works with your liquid laundry detergent to make it work harder for you (it's a pH thing!). Just add 1/2 cup of to your wash with the usual amount of liquid detergent. It can also help your chlorine bleach work harder for you… add 1/2 cup of baking soda with a 1/2 cup of bleach (instead of the usual 1 cup) to get whites whiter without smelly harsh chemicals that can damage clothes.

Deodorizing Clothes—Freshen any smelly laundry—work shirts, baby bibs, musty towels—by adding 1/2 cup baking soda in the rinse cycle to neutralize and eliminate odors.

Freshen Sink Drains any time with 2 sprinkled tablespoons baking soda while running warm water from the tap for 1-2 minutes. Of course, it's a great odor absorber in the refrigerator, too. You can even purchase special boxes for just this purpose.

Calm that rumbly in your tummy with baking soda. It's is safe and effective as an antacid to relieve heartburn, acid indigestion, sour stomach, and upset stomach due to these symptoms when used as directed.

SUNDAY NEWS

Boy, have I got NEWS to post today! In our efforts to expand our business here on the farm, we have decided to use the buildings we have rather than "add on". These have more character & will make use of what's already here. Only problem, they need help and lots of it.

Building #1 Project
OLD SMOKEHOUSE
Move & Fix

 We just decided today to MOVE this puppy, and got right to it! We'd used to to store our kids' bicycles, flower pots & what not over the years. Now, transformation is happening! What a job, though! It wasn't on blocks, just setting on the ground, so around the bottom the boards were all rotting. We will be doing some restoration work to help keep it lasting a lot more years yet, but at least we got it into place and in one piece.

Per usual, I forgot to take pictures from where it was located before, and while precariously on the trailer moving, etc. Sheesh! You'd think I'd learn. When we got it by my shop, Tim removed the chain and the building just FELL off the trailer and landed like this. It scared me at first as it hit so hard I thought it was going to fall apart into a million pieces, but thank God it held up! Here's how it looked when it landed. Notice the bucket on the front of our tractor is holding the building up!

Tim got busy. The front of the building was very much busted up from the move. After a bit of thought, I decided to remove the front & have it open, at least for now. We can go back later and put a front back on if & when needed.

Here it is now setting straight and on some bricks, etc. to sit as best we could get it until we get the concrete blocks and new foundation boards attached. I set some of my plants that require shade inside for now as they were getting a little bit too much sun. My plans are to use this for dried flowers, dried floral wreaths I make for the fall, and for whatever I need for the flower & garden part of my business. Looks like we may get a few more years of service out of this old fellow after all!

HELPFUL HINT WEEKEND TIP - Removing Beverage Rings

Finally made it back to my helpful hint weekend post. This is one that so many of us have had to deal with over the years. If you have successfully fixed this problem in another way, please post take a minute to post it to the comments for this blog entry. This weekly feature is all about us helping each other.

Do you have some of those ugly old white old rings left from condensation of a glass or vase that once sat upon your table? There's hope!

Now. I'm not a smoker and have no friends that are, but this remedy would actually get me out to buy one pack and just let some burn into a tray outside. Collect and mix cigarette ash with some beeswax furniture paste. Rub on lightly on your piece of furniture and buff with a dry soft cloth.

Rewax your item if needed.

VINTAGE GOSSIP BENCH

Yesterday I completely refurbished this old gossip bench! The paint color is so pretty (it was a wrong mix because my hubby gave the store the wrong codes) and I told him this was no mistake! You can see the proof is in the pudding!
Looks great, doesn't it? 

It's listed for sale in my
Rag Bag Treasures store.
Sorry, but we will not ship this.
Pick up only.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/46137622/updated-vintage-telephone-gossip-bench

HELPFUL HINT WEEKEND TIP

HAPPY WEEKEND!!!

Use regular isopropyl alcohol to remove glue residue from glossy porcelain. First, very gently remove what you can of the glue with an emery board, then use a clean, soft cloth dipped in the rubbing alcohol.

Also, great for cleaning the crystals on chandeliers! Simpy wipe the crystals with a cloth moistened with alcohol.

A sink full of warm water (not hot) mixed with 1/4 cup of clear ammonia is an excellent glass cleaner. Soak for a few minutes, rinse & dry. In your bathroom sink, use warm water again and a tablespoon or two of ammonia to soak combs & hair brushes to clean them. Use an old toothbrush for scrubbing as needed.

REMEMBER: Never put old glassware in the dishwasher!

Do you have any other uses for alcohol & ammonia? Please share yours in the comments section!