Spice Organization

 

Who can relate?

Through the years I've tried lots of different ways of organizing my spices.  Since we are nearing the end of our kitchen renovation, I thought it was time to give in and actually purchase some quality jars.  After lots of research and searching Pinterest, I decided on these Swommoly 66 Glass Jars Spice Set for 39.99.  

I liked that they had round lids but are actually square jars so they'll fit nicely together.  There were several things I really liked about these.

You get a list of all of the labels that are available and let me tell you . . . there are A LOT.  I thought I was familiar with just about every spice but Duqqa, Epazote and who knew there were so many options for Cardamom???

Another nice 'feature' is that there is a list that tells you what PAGE each label is on.

You get two sets of labels and all sheets are numbered.  These sheets are clear, rectangle labels for the sides of the jars.

These round labels go on the tops of the jars and are also numbered.  This is great because you can choose to store your jars on their side or standing up and still see what's in them!

The set also comes with a bunch of blank labels and a white marker for those rare times when you have a spice that ISN'T on this list (and yes . . . I had a few like Sazon, Adobo and a Lime Pepper.)

You also get a very useless funnel.  Useless because you'd have to wash it out after pretty much every spice you pour through it.  

It was just easy to use one of my measuring spoons.

Another 'plus' . . . each jar comes with a very nice lid for dispensing the spices in large or small amounts.

So after a few nights of therapeutic jar filling . . . this is now my new spice drawer.  And I'm glad these are labeled both top and sides because a friend is going to build me a pull out 'pantry' door to go next to my refrigerator. The spices will then be standing up in that, freeing up this drawer for something else!  I felt like this was a little bit of a splurge but definitely well worth the money and time.  And yes, I did alphabetize my spices haha!

Bleach Spot Rescue

 

We've all been there . . . the other day while doing a load of whites and adding bleach I obviously splattered some on a new dress that I've hardly worn!  Now the picture above doesn't look nearly as bad as it was because I neglected to take a picture before my first step which was to add some darning stitches over the stain to blend it a bit.  I did this because the contrast was SO stark, I wasn't sure my embroidery would cover it completely!

I purchased this embroidery file from a great online site called Embroidery Library for 1.99.  Using my embroidery machine I sewed a few test runs on scrap fabric to determine where to align it to get the most coverage of my bleach spots. 

The exposure of the photo shows white areas but that's from the photo.  The bleach spots were completely covered. Now, of course the stain was seriously, smack-dab in the middle of the front of the dress so having just ONE flower in the middle was kind of weird so . . .

I added more! By rotating and mirroring the one design, I was able to achieve what I think is a pretty, random garland of flowers falling from one shoulder, across the dress and down to the other edge.

Saved!  Phew!  

Now I know not everyone has an embroidery machine BUT, you could also do hand embroidery on this. My daughter does hand embroidery that is simply amazing and there are lots of kits and YouTube video tutorials that you could check out. 

Another thing I've done is used a permanent marker on spots. Depending on the color of the item, I can usually find something that will conceal the stain. I may have to touch up from time to time after washing and drying but for small spots, it does work. One tip: Start out LIGHT! Just lightly 'feather' the pen over the area slowly building the color. Most likely your pen will not exactly match your garment (unless it's black) so you are going for "less-noticeable-in-your-face-hey-do-you-know-you-have-a-spot-on-your-dress?" look, rather than total coverage.

A new-to-me dye product, Dylon, could also be an option.  Yes, probably most of us grew up on Rit Dye but this is a newer powder dye that from what I've observed gives great results especially if you are just changing the color completely of say a white shirt.  But I came across a video by Julia Caban on YouTube where she shows how to cover spots using this dye. It seems to work quite well and my guess is you could combine colors to get a custom color as well.

I know a lot of people don't use regular bleach any more but even though there's a risk involved (i.e. collateral clothing damage) I still will continue to use it.  I'll just try to be more careful and not wear brand new clothes when doing my whites!

Photo / Slide Scanning App

 

Living in a 'digital world', we sometimes forget (or weren't even around!!) when you inserted a roll of film into a camera, took pictures, put that film into an envelope, mailed it off and eagerly awaited the arrival of the envelope (or box in the case of SLIDES) to see what you captured . . . or didn't!  Recently when my dad passed away, my brother and I (that's him above!) began going through boxes and boxes and bags of not just photos but SLIDES.  My dad took a lot of slides! Wanting to find an easy, economical way to access the slides, I came across an app called SlideScan.  There is a free version but for just 7.99/month you get the full version.  With this app you can scan photos AND slides, save them, download them, share them . . . whatever you want!

In scanning these slides (I'll explain the simple process at the end of this post.) we discovered some very interesting things!

For example . . . apparently wallpaper on the ceiling was a 'thing'?? As well as coordinating paper and draperies.  We also found it funny that my mom was only holding up my DAD's gifts and not hers haha! She was pregnant with my brother in these photos.

Now look at these next three collages of me and my brother. Can you find the common denominator in all of these photos???

We learned some interesting things about my parents' wedding as well . . . Just look at all those hats!

I was delighted to have found my mom's wedding gown and veil in the attic when we cleaned everything out and both are in excellent condition!  Take note of the cake picture and read on . . .

We could not figure out why there were apparently TWO receptions.  One in the basement of the church and one at this restaurant.  Upon talking with my aunt we learned that back then you had a LUNCH with the wedding party in all of their clothes at a restaurant and THEN, you went visiting those who were 'shut in' and couldn't come to the wedding! Can you imagine!? What if you spilled ketchup on your dress at lunch?? The wedding ceremony took place at 7 p.m.! My aunt said several of the places they visited were FARMS and they had to tiptoe through the fields of mud and dirt to get to the houses!!

So at the church, they would have cake and punch for all who attended the ceremony.  It was just not affordable to feed the crowd more than cake and peanuts.  

We also marveled at the beautiful outfits my mom dressed us in!  What she must have spent!  

AND, what we noticed also is that in almost every picture of HER, she is wearing the same black suit dress . . . that explains it haha!

Even on Easter it was the same dress (Although she DID manage a new hat each year! I have the one in the lower right corner photo.  My dad always bought her and I corsages every single Easter!

Now realize, these photos are all from SLIDES!  And  here's a really cool feature from SlideScan . . . you can colorize photos!

This is my Aunt (the one who filled us in on the wedding information) and my grandpa who was widowed with ELEVEN children when my grandma died at age 42.  Here he is with six of those eleven! He was such a godly man who loved the Lord and could pray like no one I've ever heard before or since!

We came across LOTS of gems like this photo of my brother (we think taken in Atlantic City) on a piece of playground equipment from the days when playgrounds were playgrounds hahahaha! Can you even imagine?! How hot do you think that metal slide got on the beach??? And if each rung is 10" that thing has to be around 40 feet high!!!!

This was my baptism when I was nine years old!! I had no idea my dad had taken any pictures!

I get no reimbursement for this endorsement but I highly recommend you give this app a try if you have lots of pictures and especially slides you want to convert to digital.

The app directs you to a website where you have a 'white screen' on your computer.  You simply hold the slide up in front of your screen, tap a button on the app on your phone and it scans the image.  But wait, that's not all lol . . . It then straightens, crops and color adjusts the image before saving it!

One feature I found after scanning about 700 slides . . . you don't even have to tap the button to scan.  If you enable your microphone, you just say "Go" and it scans!!

I did approximately 1000 slides and about 200 photos in two days and I probably spent about 3 hours each day!  That's it!

What surprises have you found when looking at old photos??

Vintage Finds

 

I love estate sales and now that spring is here (Well at least that's what the CALENDAR says . . . the weather begs to differ right now!) estate sales are in abundance.  On a recent outing I came across this piece on the last day of a sale.  

I picked it up several times . . . and put it back. It was marked 10.00 but would be 5.00 that day.  I left that room.  And I came back.  I googled it . . . I couldn't find anything except a picture of one from Pinterest with it's original box.

It was made by Max Factor.  That's all I could find out.  But THAT is what will usually cause me to consider buying something. If you find a LOT of that "thing" online, it's probably not very rare.  The fact that every, single lipstick was there and totally untouched was really unbelievable.

So, I bought it.  I came home and for days tried to find even another picture of it and . . . nothing.  I didn't have a use for it so I listed it on eBay.  Immediately, I realized that this was a really good purchase lol.  It ended up selling for quite a tidy sum so my assumption that it was rare and collectible was a good assumption haha!  I'm glad someone has it who obviously appreciates and will enjoy it!

I'm always drawn to vintage linens and at the same sale I picked up some wonderful pieces that will be used in my kitchen once the renovation is complete.  I'm going to stick with my vintage/retro, red, yellow, black theme.  This large tablecloth MAY become curtains.  I kind of hate to cut it up as it's in excellent condition but I won't have a kitchen table to use it on so I think making curtains from it will be a good way to give it new life.

And while this has nothing to do with estate sales, I can't resist sharing these pictures of me on what was obviously my second birthday.  

Both of these were scanned from old SLIDES using a program I'll be blogging about soon called SlideScan.  It's an amazing app and I can't wait to share some of the pictures I scanned using it.

I must say that I do NOT feel the same way about birthdays, candles and cake today hahahahaha!!

Tea Cozy: Take Two

 I'm still having fun making tea cozies with vintage linens!  I wanted to try a slightly different shape so after measuring one of my pots from top to bottom and spout to handle, I created a slightly pointed cozy with straight sides.

I cut out my two lining pieces (FYI . . . I purchase plain, white sheets at estate or garage sales and use them for things like this!), my two outside pieces (from a vintage tea towel) and two fleece batting pieces.

The trim for this one was actually a scrap cut from a vintage pillow case.  I used the embroidery from the case for a project but glad I hung on to the edging!  This was stitched onto one of the outside pieces with the trim facing INWARD.

While sewing the two outside pieces, right sides together, I added a piece from the edging (placing it so the finished edge points INWARD) to create a little tab on top of the cozy.  Stitch top and sides, leaving bottom edge open. Turn this right side out and press.

Now sew the batting pieces to the wrong sides of the lining pieces, leaving bottoms open.  Then stitch these two pieces, right sides together on the top and sides, leaving bottom open.

Here's what you now have.  Leaving the lining inside out, slip the outside pieces inside the lining so that right sides are together.  Stitch the bottom edge, leaving about a 3" opening to turn.

Once you turn it all right side out, this is what it will look like.  Now, just push the lining up inside the other pieces and press all of the edges, pressing the opening in as well.

This is what it will then look like.  Next, stitch close to the bottom edge, catching in the edges that you left open.  Press and you're finished!

I love how this one turned out and I love the shape.  HOWEVER, with that slant in that I added at the bottom, it would NOT fit the teapot I intended . . . it was too tight.  

BUT, it DID fit this teapot which was smaller.  This pot belonged to my late mom (who never made a pot of tea in her life that I can recall haha!) and I just love using it and the cozy fits it perfectly.  So, if you're going to tape in the bottom, make the cozy overall about 1" bigger.

The kitchen reno continues above my head so I'm grateful for my sewing room downstairs where I have heat and my machines and lots of other blogs to visit and get inspiration from!!