Laundry Day.

Happy Monday everyone.

My morning started by having to make Laundry Liquid before

I could start the washing, so I thought I would share the recipe with you.

10 Litres water

1 cup lux soap flakes

1/2 cup WASHING soda

1/2 cup bi-carb.

Heat 2 litres of water on stove with soap flakes, until dissolved, then add washing soda

mix  until mixture thickens then add bicarb.

I then pour the  hot soap  liquid into my plastic tub and SLOWLY add

water to make up to 10 litres. I use my stick blender to continually mix while adding water

other wise the mixture can go lumpy. I also like to add a fragrant oil at this time. Today I used peppermint.

One liquid is thoroughly mixed I pour it into my empty vinegar bottles. How easy is that, 5 mins that all it takes to make 10 litres of laundry liquid, quicker than running down to shops.

Tip- Leave a gape in each bottle so you can shake the mixture as it sometimes gets thick.

My laundry is a small room but it works for me, one side is the washing machine,

and the other is a bench that I fold the clothes on into piles for everyone. Above

the bench is my vases as I also bring my cut flowers from the garden here. The basket on the 

washing machine has my gardening gloves  in it.

I love my clothes line, I went from a hills hoist to this about 6 years ago now,

a great old guy built the deck and line for me. What I love most is it doesn't swing around in the wind.

Do you line dry your clothes? I love the smell of sunshine on my clothes.

I know a lot of countries only use a clothes dryer and have no line.

My laundry isn't big enough to iron in so i do that here in the 

family room next to the laundry.

So the washing is done and not yet dry so I'm off to do some gardening.

We have a student free day in in QLD today so I am going to put 

my boys to work helping me in the garden,

 They don't know that yet and I still have to get Robbie out of bed but that's the plan. :)

Have a great Monday what ever you are doing today.

Mandy

Time to play....

How is Wednesday going for you all ......

So far I have had a nice day, I'm of to work late today as I have to take William to the Dentist at 12.30pm...

Laundry before

 Walking into the laundry to do a load of washing I thought that it could do with sprucing up, you can see it's not dirty just in need of some attention...

Laundry after

I cleaned the walls and shelf, put my nappisan into a nice clear bottle I have had laying around. A bunch of silk flowers.......so much better. Having a morning at home to fluff around had been nice.

Laundry shelf

Next the kitchen

 I want to do some thing with the phone table in the kitchen. I got my retro phone from the Sunday markets a while ago and love it to bits. Because it is red I don't want to put in the office which is next to the kitchen.

As you can see there isn't a lot of room here but it does need something done...Any suggestions????????????

I thought of bringing my desk from my bedroom as I don't use it that much there and would probably get  more use in the kitchen. BUT  Then I would have to find something else for this wall in my room as it is a large space........

Hmmmm I'm thinking maybe I should go to work and stop thinking about it all and it will come to me.

It has been fun rearanging and playing with my things....

Enjoy your day

Mandy

A Pantry Clean up...

 I have been busy over the week end. Busy getting my cup boards organized. Above is a photo of my pantry   before I got in and cleaned and reorganized it.

Below is the laundry cupboard before.

 And now all nice and clean.

 I even got around to tiding my laundry,

 and putting a shelf up that has been sitting there waiting.

 For some reason blogger has uploaded all the photos in the wrong order arghhhh.

Here are all the teatowels and table clothes in there new home.

 I now have all the kitchen linen sorted and in baskets.

 I have now got more in here than when I started as I have emptied the linen cupboard and stored it all in the drawers at the bottom.

 I am happy how organized it all is now, funny how I let things get into such a mess then I have a major clean out on my hands.

The week end was full of cleaning and gardening, but so much was done that I'm happy. What did you get up to on your week end.

Come In....

Welcome to the new look Family Room..

Down the stairs we go,Look at all this creams and white.yummmmy, the leather lounge is new I got it for a real bargain, how much you ask well I have to tell you $400 ....now you see why I couldn't leave it there.

The little white coffee table is new as well...reduced from $240 to $120 at LOOT. It has a crack in the top of the wood that is why it was reduced, if they hadn't have shown me I wouldn't even had noticed..

The brown T.V unit to the left is yet to be painted. Below is the laundry which comes off this room..I have new laundry tub and taps also a new toilet down here, toilet is door to the left.

The laundry has always been on bore water and the sink was cruddy and the taps corroded up. Greg always said when ALL the tanks are full we will change the laundry to tank water. Well with all the rain we had they are FULL!!!! The shelves have all been painted white and I love the fresh green and white colour scheme now. If you click laundry on the side bar you will see how it was before.

There is still blinds and curtains to put up and wall hangings to hang but it is coming together. The hardest part is other than the trimmings now all being white the room is basically the same. But believe me it has all been rebuilt..remember those white ant photos ....aghhhh.

Thanks for comming in and having a look, now what room is next??????????

Blessings

Mandy

Lovely, lovely rain.......50mls of it........

Our house tank was nearly out of water so the rain last night was greatly appreciated

Hubby and I sat on the veranda with a glass of wine and watched the rain fall

and run into the tank........

It was better than any show on T.V that's for sure.

All the roses and budlias are starting to flower,

this is my back garden, the bulbs are all dying off and look a bit untidy.

But the day lillies are all starting to flower, I have lots of different colours this season as

last summer I planted alot of new ones I got

from the markets.

Below are two patterns that I found in a shop at Charters Towers.

They were only $2 each.

I can't wait to give the top nightie a go. The bottom one is winter nighties, so that will be awhile

before I try it.

I have lots of left over lace and bits and pieces that will go

on to them. I love my PJs to look pretty.

This is the material that DIL Karen picked out for her "stack and whack" quilt.

I had a busy day in the sewing room yesterday making all the squares.

They look so good all these colours together.

I may give you a sneak peak, but not much as DIL reads this blog and I don't want to

ruin the surprise for her..

O! While I was away my washing machine blew up. ......

It has been making awful noises for about 12mths and I new it was on the

way out.So of course it had to happen while I'm away.

I didn't realize how bad the other one was until I used the new one. Funny how you get used to things. All my clothes are coming out so much cleaner.

O.K I spend alot of time in my laundry but come on doesn't

Miss Kleenmaid look pretty........

I have to get to know her though, as I have been missing the grey water.

I use the grey water on my garden so I really need to learn when it is going to pump out and collect my water.

Today is a quiet day as being Thursday I am looking after my niece and nephew.

As the baby is only 8 mths old I don't get alot done with him here.

I would like to say hello to all the new ladies that have stopped by.

And thank you all for the comments that you leave, I love

reading them.

Olives......

Jacqui when we picked the olives we used little rakes

just like the ones the kiddies use in the sand pit.

You put a tarp under the tree and rake through the branches and the olives fall

onto the tarp.

I then soaked my olives in salt water for about 3 weeks.

Changing the water every 2 days.

By the end of 3 weeks they weren't bitter any more and were soft.

I then bottled then with clean salted water.

This was the first time I have done olives and they turned out great.

I hope this has given you an idea any way, come olive season I will go through it again..........

Well Baby is waking up so I must go

until tomorrow

Mandy

Happy Birthday

Isn't she elegant????????


Today is my birthday and this beautiful Lady is a gift from my husband.....

Behind her is a notice board that the children got me, I love the pink of this.

And this clock that looks like it is straight out of a French farmhouse. Love it!!!!!!!

I think that I have been rather spoilt today.
I have just finished having coffee and chocolates with my girlfriend at the local coffee place(my front yard)

I have been working though, I have got the Laundry spring cleaned............

This room is so tiny that I have had to stand in the corner to take these photos.

I love my little laundry,this room opens of the family room and is just big enough for one person.
I have every thing I need in this room though. A bench to do all the folding on, shelves to keep my vases. I spend so much time in this room that I like to keep it pretty. Though the bench is usually covered in folded clothes.
I fold all my washing as I bring it in from the line, then sort it into every ones piles inside.




Slowly getting the house clean there is a simple pleasure in having a room fully cleaned and smelling of sunshine.

I am going to catch up on some new blogs now and enjoy a quiet afternoon here at home.

Hello to those new friends that have left comments I am enjoying getting to know you through blogging.........

Have a Blessed Day

Mandy