Make Your Own Leave-In Conditioner

So the night that I locked myself out of the house, I was feeling so horrible that I treated myself to a magazine.  First-the April 25th issue.  I like First-it's cheap and it usually has some neat, usable facts and tips...

One of them came from one of their readers about how to make your own leave-in conditioner.  The reader mixes 1 part conditioner to 10 parts water in a spray bottle and spritzes it on the trouble spots.  It's supposed to leave hair not greasy and conditioned.  Cheap and easy-let me know what you think!

Check back in the next couple of days....I'll have something special to share with you all!

How to Break Into Your House For Free-A Comedy

So last night, I did the unthinkable.  I locked myself out of my house.  So to give you all a laugh, and maybe some hints, here are steps of the night!

1.  After realizing you've locked yourself out, phone the property manager to ask if there's any way he can come to town to let you in.  Find out he is no longer the property manager as owner is back from Columbia, and property manager doesn't know his number.

2.  Shoulder the weakest door-just like the movies....does it work?  Nope...just gives a horrible shoulder ache... (did I mention standing in 2 feet of snow in sandles?)

3.  Find a neighbor with a crowbar-One not home, One refuses to answer door, and one is home.

4.  Find a neighbor who is willing to not just lend crowbar, but help...Done!

5.  While waiting, destroy one screen to see if you can get a window up.  Nope.

6.  Have neighbor check front door again-did I mention the neighbor is a firefighter?

7.  Check out other windows.  Find a window in the kitchen that does open.

8.  Get a lawn chair from the garage.

9.  While he offers, decide it should be you who tries to get through the window.  Note to all:  don't wear a skirt.  Can't get through as scared the skirt will hike up too much.

10.  Let the firefighter do his job and go through the window.

11.  Note to self:  get spare made as soon as you go to the city

Planning for the Future

So as all of you know, I've undergone some major changes this past year.  I still may be going under some more major changes to come.  I'm up for a permanent position in my teaching job, and providing I get it, I'm looking at moving again.  The reason?  I seriously need to be closer to work.  Right now, my travel is up to 45 minutes one way (in good weather conditions).  I probably pay up to $600, including insurance and gas just for school.  On top of it all, I still really don't have furniture yet.

The plan to save money?

1.  Move closer to work
2.  Yard sales-it's nearly that time to get going on Friday evenings and Saturday mornings...
3.  Auction Sales-I really want to hit an auction sale this summer...I'm all for finding quality pieces that I can refurbish to my tastes.

So, I'll keep you posted...

Reviewing Fruits and Passion Dish Soap

So I've never technically taken a product and reviewed it before for you all.  A while ago, I was in Fruits and Passions and they gave me a sample to try of their new dish soap:  Coriander and Olive Tree Cuchina.  I kind of forgot about it sitting on my counter until tonight.

So I placed my dishes in the sink and start filling the sink up with water.  One thing I noticed right away was that there wasn't a lot of bubbles, which had me adding more solution.  Right away though I noticed one major thing, the fragrance.  I think without a doubt, this is the best smelling soap I've ever come across.  It was calm and simply beautiful.  It might sound funny, but it made me enjoying my dishes more!

Within a couple of minutes, all the bubbles were gone.  It seemed to still be cleaning though.  I had dishes that had tomato sauce stains on them, even pots.  All were cleaned with no oily residue, and I only had to use some steel wool once on one pot.

The sink was left nice and clean and my hands soft.  I'm definitely eager to try the other half of my sample. And maybe, I'll just have to get me some in the future!

Head to your nearest Fruits and Passion or you can head to their website (the direct link), http://www.fruits-passion.com/concentrated-dish-detergent-coriander-olive-tree-16/

Tackling the Untackable...

Sometimes we have things that come into our lives that we think are not savable.  Whether it be a relationship or in this case, a stove.

Yup, a stove.  After living without a working oven for 5 months (due to a landlord who didn't want to spend a dime), I finally received a stove about a month ago.  While old, all the elements worked, and just as importantly, the oven worked.  Yay!  However, the stove was gross.  Number 1:  it stunk.  Imagine going into an old man's house who never cleans, smokes, and is filled with moldy things.  That's what this smelled like.  I could work with the smell.  I figured I didn't have a choice, and it really was precious just to have a working stove.

The second was that while it was clean inside, all of the elements and its rings looked like it had been through a fire.  They were scorch black.  The real color?  Chrome.  To even lift them up, I had to pry them with a butter knife.  I wish now I'd taken before pictures, but with hours of soaking, baking soda, and the magic of steel wool, they came out looking brand new.

The lesson is this:  before giving up something, always try to refurbish it before giving up hope.