DIY mercury glass

Make Your own Mercury glass!!

So I have been wanting to do something to some of my boring clear glass jars and vases, but i wasn't quite sure what to do, until i saw that wonderful looking glass spray paint at hobby lobby and remembered a pin on pinterest ages ago about making your own Mercury glass! So of course i HAD to do it. 

You can use this technique on pretty much all sorts of glass things. just as long as it doesn't touch food or something you drink. 

So for instance the beautiful container i did above holds food, but i only did the bottom half of it with my mercury glass so that it didn't even come close to touching it.

WHAT YOU NEED:

-any glass item

-a spray bottle with one cup vinegar and filled the rest of the way with water

-Krylon Looking Glass spray paint

-Painters tape

-a towel or sheet to pain on

-and a few napkins

First you want to make sure your glass item is clean and grease or dust free! Next tape off what parts you DON'T want paint on...

I only wanted the bottom half painted for a simple elegant look!

Next you want to go OUTSIDE to paint because this stuff is STRONG!!

I apply one coat, then spray the vinegar solution and repeat those steps a few times, BEFORE i pat the droplets dry

I like using a napkin because they usually don't have texture like a cloth or paper towel, plus it absorbs the vinegar stuff a lot better as well.

NOTE: the spray paint dries extremely fast, so you will have to do these steps relatively quickly!!

Now just take it back inside after your sure it's dry, take the tape off and use whatever way you want too!!

I added some pretty, realistic fake flowers to my creation, and popped it on the table as a centerpiece.

I LOVE this look!

I also did this technique to some vintage three pained windows i had, but i used a towel instead of a napkin and it left a weird texture... Lesson learned!!! But hey at least i messed up so you guys don't have to!  

I hope you enjoyed this post, and i can't wait to chat with you next time!!

-Hannah

AMAZING pancake recipe

Best Pancakes EVER!!!

For the past few months I've been experimenting with pancake recipes, because my husband loves them and as a wife you usually want to please your husband! I am not a pancake person however, which means I've gone through probably 20 different recipes just to find the perfect one! 

Most pancake recipes either had no flavor, didn't cook nicely, or were just.... ok. I wanted something to knock my socks of though, something that had the most amazing flavor, consistency, and cooked perfectly. Ladies and gentlmen I do believe I've found a winner, with these cinnamon vanilla buttermilk pancakes!! 

Now lets get started with this delicious recipe!

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

3 tablespoons white sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)

2 cups buttermilk

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 egg

1/4 cup butter (melted)

Tools:

one whisk

measuring spoons

measuring cups

large mixing bowl

liquid measuring cup

cooking pan 

flat spatula

Directions:

In your large mixing bowl combine buttermilk, vanilla, ground cinnamon, and whisked egg. Mix good and add melted butter, stir again.

TIP: If you do not have buttermilk on hand, you can make your own by doing this simple trick,

Pour your measuring cup up with the 2 cups of milk and then add a tablespoon of vinegar. The vinegar and milk somehow work together and create buttermilk, without having to rush to the store and spend money on a type of milk you probably don't drink much of....

Next add in your dry ingredients to your wet ingredients

               

I like to put them in the bowl in this order: white sugar, flour, baking soda, and baking powder

Mix well, until it is all combined

Now for cooking them turn your heat on between medium to low temp, 4 is my lucky pancake cooking temperature.

TIP: Add your batter into the pan using a ice cream scooper

One your pancakes get little bubbles on top, they are ready to flip!

Look at that gorgeous pancake!!!

Now apply toppings and enjoy!!!!!

P.S your kids will LOVE these too!!!

I hope you enjoy them as much as i have!

Until next time,

Hannah

Beat that Bug!

Recently my little man got sick with croup, which was pretty rough to see him not feeling good, BUT it could have been worse, so I'm counting that blessing. 

Now that he is better i knew that his toys needed a major deep clean, because this kid puts EVERYTHING in his mouth, even sunglasses!

He has small baskets of plastic balls with those little holes in them, those awesome teething rings, different toy vehicles, some cell phone cases, stuffed animals and some cloth food. So as you can see there is toys of all shapes and sizes that i had to figure out how to deep clean so he wouldn't get sick again. So of course i turned to pinterest to research, because we all know how awesome it is. 

I found several different way but most of them used chemicals that i don't feel comfortable using; which you probably know from my previous blog post. 

I'm going to show you the ones that i liked and that i feel have cleaned the toys the best!

First i gathered all the plastic toys that dont have batteries, these are a few of what J has for reference.

So gather all toys like this and pop them into your bathtub, or sink. I like to use the tub for this purpose because its big; Let me tell ya apartment sinks aren't anything to brag about. 

Fill your tub with HOT water until all the toys are covered. Next add two cups of vinegar. I like to use white vinegar for this type of thing, i don't know if other kinds work the same, but i'd assume so. 

For the balls that have those little holes in them that probably have spit, mildew, 1000 different kinds of bacteria growing inside, Take your vinegar and put it in a bowl then take each item with holes and retract the vinegar into the ball and set into the bath tub with the rest. Vinegar will kill the mildew and mold, and is child safe. Let these toys sit for about 30 minutes to an hour, for me it varied on how long J's nap would be. After that's over take a towel or if you have norwex grab your enviro cloth and dry off each toy. Squirt the vinegar out of the balls with holes in them. DON'T add water to them because that will cause problems again. 

Once all those toys are clean, make sure you wipe down whatever container or basket they are in. The toys rub against the sides of their homes and transfer their nasty's to it, so its important to make sure that gets cleaned as well!

next we have the cloth toys, like stuffed animals, cloth books, felt or cloth play food, etc..

Some examples

Make sure you read the tags first to see how they can be washed. Most toys can be washed in cold or mild temperature water, and can be air dryed. Those cute cloth veggies that we have can be washed and dried in our machines because their is only batting in them. If they have a squeaker or little plastic beans in them then you will want to air dry them.

Now we have just a few toys left, these are the ones that you can't submerge in water, so that means no soaking in the tub or washing in the washing machine. 

like these toys

It will usually say that on the tag, but if it doesn't these toys are usually the ones you should wipe down. Toys with batteries, anything electrical (obviously! please don't electrocute yourself), hard page books, crinkle page cloth books, big items, and some stuffed animals. 

For this if you dont have the amazing norwex enviro cloth, then take a rag and a spray bottle with half vinegar half HOT water, spritz on rag and wipe toys down. 

I make sure to clean off all surfaces that my child has touched, as well as wash bedding, and any blankets he likes to play with. 

Make sure to wipe down pacifiers, and their holders, as well as washing the changing pad cover! 

It's crazy how many things babies have, and you probably don't realize it until you have to disinfect them all....

So that's it for this post until next time,

-Hannah

Five reasons to THROW AWAY those cleaning chemicals!!!

This blog post is geared towards the amazing company and products of Norwex; and before you decide not to read this just listen for a second. Norwex has been around since 1994, making homes and families safe by limiting the use of harmful chemicals all around your home (if you want to know more click here->norwex heritage ) Not only has it changed the way you can clean, but also speeds up your cleaning routine, limits chemicals to use, and is kid friendly!!! 

As a stay at home mom that's a BIG deal to me, because my child is usually right next to me as i'm cleaning and i don't want him to inhale something harmful and cause him health issues

 down the road. So that's a huge reason why i use Norwex. 

So lets go over five reasons to get rid of those yucky expensive chemicals and switch to a healthy, environmentally awesome alternative!

#1- Harmful chemicals cause A LOT of health problems

According to the Consumer Protection Agency 150 chemicals found in the home are connected to allergies, birth defects, cancer and psychological disorders. There are 3 groups of people primarily affected by indoor chemical concentrations because they spend more time indoors and their immune systems are weaker. The 3 groups are: Infants and/or toddlers, Chronically ill, and the Elderly. Out of 2,435 pesticide poisonings in a one-year period, over 40% were due to exposure to disinfectants and similar cleaning products in the home. Most laundry detergent contains a form of NTA. NTA is a substance we may reasonably anticipate to be a carcinogen. Household Chlorine bleaches which claim to disinfect are classified as pesticides under the Federal Hazardous Substances Act. Inadvertently mixing bleach with other cleaners that contain ammonia produces a toxic chloramines gas. These toxic gases can cause coughing, loss of voice, a feeling of burning or suffocation, and even death.

Just picture this why do you have to wear gloves to handle your cleaning chemicals? Because we all know whatever ingredients are in it will burn, irritate or even "eat" your skin! If it does that to your outsides, can you even imagine what it does to your insides?!? Just remember back to when you were using that Clorox on your counter tops or that bleach on your toilet, how did you feel breathing that in? Could you take a deep breath and not cough or feel light headed? Probably not, because there are SO MANY bad things that you just sniffed, that your body doesn't like. one. bit.  

Norwex doesn't use harmful chemicals, for anything. If you want to clean your counters just use the AMAZING enviro cloth, and some water, and voila a clean disinfected, 99% germ free surface. Oh and you can breath as deeply as you want around it because hey, its just water!! 

#2- Your kids and pets

So we talked about how harmful those chemicals are to OUR skin, but now lets take a moment to talk about how they affect our CHILDREN and PETS. Ok, there is a reason why common household cleaners are labeled "Keep out of reach of children" and then it goes on about if they touch it or put it in their mouth to call the doctor, so on and so forth. I personally don't want ANYTHING in my house that has chemicals that I'm afraid my child will inhale, eat, or even touch. I know your probably thinking, "well make sure you keep it in a secure cupboard or something" but seriously my child is only 9 months and he gets into EVERYTHING hidden or not!! That's why I just keep it out of my house all together.

Some symptoms of a child inhaling household chemicals (yup just inhaling!) include giddiness, hyper behavior, dizziness, sluggishness, slurred speech or vision. Weakness, unsteadiness, and trembling are possible. Respiratory symptoms such as coughing or trouble breathing may occur. Prolonged exposure may cause a headache, irritability, nausea, sweating, and hallucinations. Direct exposure to a dangerous substance can cause seizures or coma.

-found on Fairview.org

I mean seriously that freaks me out.. and it should!!! Our children are our heritage, and I'm not going to drop the ball by using that nasty stuff in my home. 

Get this, Norwex is so safe it has its own kids line of cloths, mops, and dusters that are kid sizes. They also have baby body cloths (which are so awesome to clean your baby just using water), cute animal hand towels (called pet to dry), body towels, baby hooded towels, and more!!

There were a couple times that my son grabbed one of my cloths as I was getting ready to clean the window and he put it in his mouth (of course), I didn't have to freak out though because it's JUST WATER!!! I didn't have to keep him away from the area i was cleaning or make sure he didn't touch it as it was drying because i knew it wouldn't harm him in any way! That is a HUGE deal to me, because i can include him with my cleaning and i don't have to wait until he is down for a nap or like activities.

#3- Chemicals in Clothes

So laundry is something that we can NEVER be rid of.... unless you join a nudist colony which i wouldn't recommend... (seriously ewwwwwww).  We usually have two sets of clothes for a normal day like pajamas and work or play clothes. Unless of course your a baby and you poop through almost every outfit your mom puts you in... which is probably why washers were invented in the first place! All of that to say, we usually have clothing touching our bodies about 99% of our lifetime. That means 99% of your life, you have a harsh chemical touching your skin, giving it a hug of betrayal! Your laundry soap may smell amazing, make your clothes feel soft or "help the color stay vibrant" but all i see in those words is chemically man-made smell, harsh products eating away at the fiber of your clothes, and strong dyes soaking into every layer and strand. 

Here are 7 toxic chemicals in your everyday laundry routine.

1. Fragrance:  Manufacturers combine a number of chemicals to produce a fragrance—so you’ll believe your clothes are clean because they smell clean—and they don’t have to list those chemicals on the label because of trade protection. Some of those chemicals can be very toxic.
2. Cleaning agents (surfactants): These are included in the formula to help the product clean better. Examples include chemicals like quaternium-15 (known to release formaldehyde, a known carcinogen), diethanolamine (linked with skin and eye irritation and possibly liver problems), nonlphenol ethoxylate or NPE (toxic to nerves, irritating to skin, potential hormone disruptor, toxic to aquatic life), linear alkyl benzene sulfonates or LAS (irritating to skin and eyes and toxic to aquatic life; benzene on its own is a carcinogen), and petroleum distillates (linked to cancer and lung damage).
3. Stabilizers: These chemicals help stabilize the formula, so that it lasts longer on the shelf. Examples include polyalkylene oxide or ethylene oxide, which are linked with eye and lung irritation, and even dermatitis.
4. Bleach: Bleach may be used separately or may be included in the detergent itself. It’s known to irritate skin, eyes, and lungs, and when it mixes with wastewater, it can form toxic organic compounds that have been linked with respiratory issues, liver, and kidney damage.
5. 1,4-dioxane: This is a chemical by-product of detergent manufacturing. In independent tests, Women’s Voices for the Earth found 89 parts per million (ppm) in Tide Free & Gentle and 63 ppm in regular Tide. They helped increase awareness, and Proctor & Gamble agreed to reformulate to reduce levels to below 25 ppm. Future tests should show whether they made good on that promise.
6. Brighteners: You’ll find these in detergents advertising their “brightening” powers. Brighter whites! Brighter colors! What’s creating all this brightness? Chemicals that actually remain on the clothes to absorb UV light and help clothes “appear” brighter. We’re talking things like naphthotriazolystilbenes (linked with developmental and reproductive effects), benzoxazolyl, diaminostilbene disulfonate, and more. Since these remain on the clothes, they are likely to come into contact with skin.
7. Phosphates & EDTA: Manufacturers use these to make detergents more effective in hard water, and to help prevent dirt from settling back on clothes when they’re washing. These chemicals have long been associated with environmental damage, particularly in our streams and waterways. They cause algae blooms that damage ecosystems. Many detergents have eliminated these, but they’re often using ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) in its place, which does not readily biodegrade, and has been found to be toxic in animal studies.

All of this information was found here

Another thing to picture is dryer sheets feel very waxy and stiff before they are used, but after you will notice they aren't waxy, stiff or even as thick as they were before. That my friends is because all that "wax" is on your shirt that you just put on and it't seeping into your skin little by little. That's why we have skin irritations, rashes, allergic reactions, or whatever you want to call it. 

For my laundry routine i use the Norwex Ultra Power Plus detergent and their wool dryer balls (which come in a pack of three). If i want my clothes to smell good, ill add a few drops of my desired essential oil to said dryer balls. Now essential oils are great, but you should research those too, just to make sure your using them properly. I'm not a pro on essential oils, nor will i ever pretend to be, so if you want to know more about them, there are TONS of  google search results about them. 

#4- Save yo money!!

Ok, so lets go through a list of average cleaners you probably by every one to two months for a whole year. Ready? Lets go. 

• bleach $9.35
• Clorox spray $3.97
• toilet bowl cleaner $1.97
• Clorox wipes $4.63
• paper towels $5.74
• Windex $12.35
• laundry soap $17.97
• fabric softener $8.94
• dryer sheets $8.94 (240 count)
• pledge $4.23
• 409 or grease lightning (gallon cleaner is $24.65 ?!?!?)
• bar keepers friend (used to love this stuff) $4.72
• Swiffer duster $7.97
• duster refills $11.47
• Swiffer mop $22.97
• pads $12.97
• cleaner $13.07
• Mr. Clean eraser $5.76

As you can see i put the cost of each item next to them. I looked each item up on Walmart's website, and if you wanted to price check me go ahead :)

Ok so lets add those numbers up. I got a total of $181.67. Now your probably buying most if not all of that stuff at least every two months, so lets multiply that number by six (which is the number you get when dividing 12 by 2.) Ok so that's a total of $1,090.02 that you are spending on harmful chemicals. If i lay it out that way its kind of shocking, isn't it? 

Norwex sells three different size kits that are good for more than a years use. the most expensive one is the have it all package  that costs $395.99 and comes with-

• (1) Fluff and Tumble Dryer Balls (set of 3)
• (1) EnviroWand®
• (1) Cleaning Paste
• (1) EnviroCloth®
• (1) Window Cloth
• (1) Kitchen Cloth
• (1) Kitchen Towel
• (1) Body Pack (set of 3)
• (1) Ultra Power Plus® (1 kg / 2.2 lbs.)
• (1) Fresh Produce Wash
• (1) Mattress Cleaner
• (1) Dusting Mitt
• (1) Dish Cloth
• (1) SpiriSponge (pack of 2)
• (1) Rubber Brush
• (1) Telescopic Handle
• (1) Large Mop Base
• (1) Large Wet Mop Pad
• (1) Large Superior Dry Mop Pad

There are two other kits called Just add water package $257.99 and Safe haven package $154.49. Order your kit here!!!

I've had my norwex stuff for about two and a half years and its still in like new condition, which is amazing and crazy because i clean ALL THE TIME!! So it may seem like a lot of money up front but its saving you thousands in the long run!!! 

#5- Save time for better things.

When i was using all those cleaners from the store that we talked about above, it would take me more than a day to clean my house. just because i couldn't do it all in one sitting, certain parts of my cleaning routine were inhibited by the weather, and i had a full time job that i worked at Monday through Friday! I didn't even have my child yet, so i can't imagine how long it would take then...

I'm sure most of you can relate! Sometimes its so hard and time consuming to clean that we just don't do it.

I timed myself one day, because i was curious after i bought my norwex stuff, how my time cleaning with it compared to my time cleaning with all the other stuff.

It literally took me 4 1/2 full hours of almost none stop cleaning time, when i used all those nasty chemicals, and even after it was all done yes my house may have "smelled clean" (more like cleaning chemical smell) but it just seemed like there was a residue over every surface that just wouldn't come off. Then i timed myself a different day while using my Norwex. It took me an hour. yup you read that right. Just ONE hour to clean that SAME EXACT rooms, and items that i cleaned with the other stuff, but this time it actually felt clean and fresh! 

Now i know its not easy to take someone else's word for a product, especially when its not really that well known, or popular (cause lets face it us American love chemicals, medicines, processed foods etc...) But i promise I'm not steering you wrong, and if you decide to make the switch it WILL change your life for the better!!

I hope you enjoyed this post! If you have any questions or comments feel free to email me!

and until next time, have a GREAT day!

-Hannah