My favorite time of day

As a relatively new, working mom, finding time to just enjoy my baby is limited.  I mean we play, 'sing', I nurse her, feed her, change her, read to her, but all the while something is slightly distracting me. The phone is ringing, the dogs need to go out, I can see the mess on the counter in the kitchen. I try not to mentally bring my work home with me but that happens occasionally too.
But, bath time is just for us. She loved to take a bath, a ritual I started as part of our nighttime routine around three months in preparation of daycare. (I know in theory she's a baby and not really that dirty, but I want to clean the daycare germs/ dirt off of her.) We get clean but that is a relatively quick process. The real fun is the splashing, the playing with ducks and her boats, looking up at the light in awe, see the dogs lay down on the floor next to us just to keep an eye on their baby. The whole experience is the most relaxing and enjoyable time of my day. Lill's fussy time is nighttime but as soon as she gets in her bath she's all smiles.

I know as soon as she goes to sleep I will clean what needs it in the house, do laundry, watch a show (if I'm lucky), and prep for the next day but, during those minutes in the tub, I don't think about any of that. I just try to enjoy the ducks as much as she does.

Pumpkin spice and all things nice

It's a little early for me but the mood struck me. Orange has entered my house and we are looking ready for fall. My garden flag is changed, my scarcrow out and my pumpkins on display. 

Whenever I take it my seasonal decor, I thin out my stuff or at least consider whether I want to keep it. Holiday decor is still decor, a reflection of your home and your style. Some things have sentimental value and some things are just for looks. 

Regardless, you need to decide whenever you decorate your house whether the items make you happy and work in your home. I also always rearrange when I put things out. That makes old things feel new. Hope my  little tips help when decorating for the next changing season. 

Dried Spray Paint Removal from Clothes!

I had bought a few new things around mothers day as a getting ready to go back to work present. I hadn't really bought new things in a few years and my resistance to maternity clothes had ruined some of my favorite items. my wardrobe needed a refresh. One thing I bought was a bright pink shirt that I LOVED for this summer.

Now it should be noted that during this time I was also wrapping up some projects that I wanted done before I returned to work. One included metallic spray paint. Now I have several pairs of painting clothes but apparently I decided to do a touchup in my new pink shirt, the first time I wore it.... and I got some on it.. and I didn't realize it until it had been washed and put away and I went to wear it again. So now I have a nice new shirt with dried spray paint. I wanted to cry but I wasn't willing to admit defeat.

There laid my shirt for two days while I thought about this. I looked up cleaning techniques in my good housekeeping stain removal book (thanks mom) but that basically told me I was out of luck.
I decided that the shirt was already ruined what could I lose? That's when I got out the acetone nail polish remover. I put some on a cotton ball and blotted it onto the paint marks in an effort to soften it. I only left it on a minute and then rinsed it really well with warm water. Then I made a mixture that I found on Pinterest that is 2 parts hydrogen peroxide, 2 parts baking soda, one part Dawn dish soap. (this was a recipe to get the organic stains off of the collar and underarm of white shirts for my husband. I have since used it on towels, clothes, anything with a stain).I spooned some of this mixture onto my shirt, over the paint, and began rubbing the fabric together with vigor. (on whites and more durable fabric I use a scrub brush but I was afraid to on this fabric). I noticed it start to lighten. I then took my fingernail and rain it in the grain of the shirt and after a few minutes of vigorous rubbing and scratching the stain came almost completely off!!!  This entire process took me about 15-20 minutes. Because I was concerned that the hydrogen peroxide would bleach the shirt, I then put it right in the washing machine. And guess what? The fabric color and texture is intact and there is such a faint mark from the paint that only I see it ( I asked my mother and sister if they saw any stains and they did not.) Its really really faint.  So that's how you save a brand new shirt that was tainted by a rushed mother who forgot to change her clothes before she sprayed.
 Hope this helps!

Tough Carpet Stains

I wanted to share my secret to nice clean cream carpets. It will come as no surprise to anyone that has used it , and honestly who hasn't, its OxiClean. But the application is the secret here.
Let me go back a few years...
My husband has a knack for making a mess right as I'm headed to a funeral. Tears his pants, breaks something and in this particular case, decides that I'm wrong and its fine to use shoe polish in the house. Well the top flies off of the liquid polish and there is a huge black stain on my cream carpet. Not in the corner or by the door, right in the middle of the room.  I was already in tears over the loss of my grandfather but now I was in tears over my less that one year old carpet.
What should you do when you get a stain- act fast. What cant you do when you are heading to your grandfathers funeral? Stop to clean your carpet. So I used paper towels to soak up some of the excess and I had to leave the stain to set.
In the following days I tried all the conventional carpet cleaners, I shampooed, I used resolve, Woolite, I used head and shoulders (another of my go to cleaners). I tried everything, nothing took it out. I was about ready to call the carpet company to get it replaced when my uncle suggested OxiClean, which I had tried but not the way he suggested.

He told me to make a small bucket/bowl of hot water. Like as hot as my faucet would get it. then add double the OxiClean to the amount of water as suggested on the OxiCleanbox. With a scrub brush liberally apply the mixture to the stain and scrub with all your might, in every direction (don't just go left to right or up or down.) It takes a lot of elbow grease, so be ready. Periodically with a rag/ old towel rub the spot to get the excess water/dirt/stain source out of the carpet. Continue until stain in no longer apparent. Then use a clean rag/towel to rub the spot of excess water. Let dry. Then vacuum.

Let me tell you - this works! It took black shoe polish out of cream carpet. It takes set pet stains out. Pizza grease from my husbands friends when watching football on our big screen tv. You name it, it takes it out.

So while this is probably a cleaner you have worked with before, I hope this technique helps keep your carpets looking great for years to come.

*I have no relationship with OxiClean, this is not a sponsored post.

Diaper Bag Dilemma

When I was pregnant I was sure that my diaper bag would be a passing problem and that I would resume the use of my beautiful designer bags with haste. The reality is that the diaper bag is designed for more than diapers, it holds everything: bibs, toys, baby food, emergency formula for the longer than expected quick trip to the store, lip gloss, my clutch, cell phone, first aid kit, and yes stuff for a diaper change.

When I registered for my diaper bag I originally planned on picking a Vera Bradley bag. But, I wasn't sure I wanted to commit to a pattern and as of late I haven't been as happy with how the corners of my Vera bags have been wearing (they just don't make them like they used to); so in the end went for a less expensive more my 'style' carters bag. (Black, white turquoise what's not to like)


 I also received a JJ Cole bag (a brand I've been raving about).

After using both I have some critiques. The Carters bag- I wish the outside pocket that had the fold out changing pad would stay closed, basically you cant store anything in this pocket. Further I wish it had more interior pockets. JJ Cole is a great bag with a lot of pockets but the seams needed reinforcing. I still would recommend either depending on your price point, size requirements and style.

I subscribe to a few other blogs with new mommy's and one bag that has caught my eye is the petunia pickle bottom bags (some pictures below). At the time I thought these expensive bags were a waste of money, though really not more than a Vera Bradley bag. In retrospect, I may have underestimated the importance of the diaper bag.

We use the carters bag as our daycare bag as it seems to hold her day to day needs well. As with the numerous pockets of the JJ Cole holding my emergency items for our shopping trips for our around town travels. Is one brand better than another? One shape better than another? Must you have the most expensive bag? I can't answer these questions as I think its very personal. But, I will say this: you will carry this bag everywhere you take your child. Whether you like it or not. And, when you have bags of groceries, shopping bags, recycles/ garbage as your walking out the door, the dogs on a lease and a baby in your arms or in a carrier, you will no longer be willing to add your purse to the mix, at least I'm not. So pick wisely, you will use this bag long after your baby swing, rock n play, momaroo, and all the other highly researched items you purchased/ registered for. (Note I have a coach diaper bag that I've had for years and use as a briefcase type bag, it has held up well but I wasn't willing to let go of its use at work to return it to its creator's intended purpose)

Maybe this is a good place to splurge. Maybe you think I'm crazy and throw all your baby gear in a canvas tote. Either way, think about it because it will be something you use day in and day out for years to come.

PS- get a bottle cooler. You can thank me later.


UPDATE: I am having some issues with the durability of the jj-cole handles. The coating is coming off, very disappointing. I saw my friends this weekend with Vera diaper bags and I'm not wondering why I was so turned off. I noticed the piping on my newer Vera bags fraying but was it so bad? I just don't know. If someone has a recommendation, I'd surely take it. I also heard good things about pottery barn diaper bags but I don't have any first hand experience.
*I am not the owner of these images, they were found on Google images.

Poison Ivy Cure

Its poison ivy season here in New York and I thought I would share a old fashioned remedy. My great grandmother passed this down. Use Fels naptha laundry soap (a picture below), or as my family calls it 'the yellow soap', to wash yourself with after possible exposure. So instead of your bath bar/ liquid body wash, use this to wash with. Use the bar right on your skin I wouldn't recommend a washrag or a loofa.  I sometimes use this first and then my regular bath wash but, that's really a mental thing. You may have some dry skin from washing with the fels naptha too regularly but its better than poison ivy. I use it a lot, in fact I keep some in my shower all spring/summer because of my gardening habits.  I would assume this would work for poison oak, sumac and for those of us allergic to Virginia creeper.

If you already contracted poison ivy then dampen the area of the rash and rub the bar of soap on it. Don't rinse it off, let it flake off. Because this can be kind of gross looking and hard to leave alone, I recommend doing it at night closer to going to bed. The next day the rash will be dried up , the itching greatly reduced or not at all and the rash gone in a few days (it could be gone that day but if you scratched it the larger spots that opened need to heal). Poison ivy is just a allergic reaction to the plants oils. This bar is harsh so it helps to pull off/dry the oils on the skin causing the reaction.
Also, don't use lotion when you have poison ivy, because it holds the moisture/ oil that you need to dry up and can spread the rash.

An Office Update

Coming back to work after my materity leave was not easy. The first day was a lot of crying, on my part, only consoled by a warm welcome from my coworkers (they even cleaned the microwave for my arrival). I always keep my work space clean and I try to keep it decorated with being cluttered and over the top. I have brought in plants for my office and the common spaces. I bought some Ansel Adams prints on sale at art.com for our common space, the plain white walls made me crazy when I started two years ago.  I organized the library, supply closet, files and tables. It is so much better now.  I swear a lined up stapler and tape dispenser, a few prints, a few plants and a pretty tissue box does wonders. #beautify

I share my office and another attorney, who is the best and tolerates my putzing and decorating. He made sure people didn't dump on my desk so I didn't return to a mess but, my photos needed a refreshing and I need to make a few changes. While on my leave I kept seeing gold desk accents but I didn't want to spend my money when I have work issued items. So what did I do? I bought a 3 dollar can of Rustoleum metallic gold spray paint and took my items home. (Note: I have a job that doesn't care and I didn't interfere with the function of these items. They are theirs so if I leave the now gold items stay).  Here's some shots of my workspace now. Its a lot better for me, things that didn't match are now gold and shiny and feminine. Its a lot easier to leave my beautiful baby when I'm in a workspace that doesn't make miserable.

 

I was worried the gold would clash with my silver frames but I like it. Its bright and feminine. Everyone comments on how nice my office is :)

 

An old pier one pillow I had in my home office that I never use.

The flower pot was from an orchid that I killed (my green thumb does not work on orchids and violets, I over love them). The flowers are flower pens I made at home: thin duck tape, faux flowers from something and some purple pens.

These are much better than the standard black.

A painted letter I don't use in my home décor anymore. I hyphenated my name but go by my husbands in my private life and my maiden name at work.

These are dollar frames I bought at Michaels and just found some free vintage printables online. The hooks were all different colors but the gold makes it look more sophisticated and less like a dorm room.

So now my office is aqua (of course my signature color), pink, white and metallics.  And this little bit of effort really made coming back easier.