Yes I know how exciting this title is – I mean how often do you get to talk about such fantastic awesome topics like vacuuming, dusting, and stain removal techniques! Well as boring as it is I have come to realize that there is a special gift to maintaining a clean home and B&B and whenever I get a trick that helps me with my chores is a trick that I want to share!
Water marks on your wood furniture – you know those white horrible foggy stains that you cover with a book or place-mat – well you can remove them with toothpaste! That’s right! Toothpaste! My dad told me this and I tried it on a new water stain on one of my dinning room tables and it came out. Simply rub it in with a cloth and then remove it – it is amazing! I then went around to the older stains and it got most of them out too!
Save the 3d whitening 5 dollar tubes for you – go to the dollar store and get some cheap toothpaste – and wipe away the stains! makes the room minty fresh too!
Windsor’s art community thrived in 2011 combining craft and charity through various local events. The Hants Community Hospital Auxiliary Society (HCHAS) hosted their 5th annual gala at the Cocoa Pesto featuring various local artists. Once again it was a huge success promoting art while raising funds for the Hospital! Paint Windsor continues to grow, also raising funds for the HCHAS. Last year Phoenix Hollow hosted the 3rd annual Paint Windsor with over 18 artists for the event and tripled the contributions to the charity. Featuring local visual and performing artists, Paint Windsor has evolved into a celebration of trade and community, involving everyone from iron welders and painters to musicians and cake decorators. Local restaurants came through donating coffee and treats for the tea while the neighborhood enjoyed watching artists create on site all around Windsor! This years 4th Annual Paint Windsor promises to be even better – held once again at Phoenix Hollow on September 9th 2012. Art also played a role with the local Christmas Angels telethon as Al Simm , David Cameron and myself came together for a Christmas show raising over $400 for Christmas Angels in one afternoon of creativity and community. It is clear that the Hants Community is abundant with talent and heart as artisans contribute both their work and their time for worthy local causes, creating self promotion and fun while also helping others.
Sometimes it is hard to be inspired when it is yourself that you are following. How do you regroup once the cycle has been broken? Things of habit and routine often get thrown aside for things of necessity or ease – Gym memberships don’t get renewed – Friends stop being called and lose touch – blogs get left behind for over a year…… And at some point the absence of these things make it uncomfortable to join them again – even if you want to. SOOOO how does one jump back on the horse and find you life back?
Well it is not the proverbial horse that is the problem – it is the ubiquitous comments and slags that partner your not so triumphant resurfacing – things like” OMG thought you were dead – We have a bet for how long you will be here this time – Oh now you have time” I am not saying these comments are unwarranted – they simply add salt to the wound and make you not want to rip the band-aid off and start anew…..
Well I say screw it – I make no excuses and no new years resolutions. Yesterday I phoned a friend after a year no phone calls and I feel great – I am painting everyday again and yes this is me on my blog after a year…
So hello world! I am fueling my own momentum and it feels great – I am my own biggest fan after all…. So what are you waiting for? Find your horse.
The festive music is gone. Shiny bobbles and velvet bows neatly tucked away for another year. You bring out the scale again and promptly swear off cheese and join the gym. Somehow you have gone from ” What the hell; its Christmas “, indulgence to ” suffer for your sins”, mode. So amidst the Zumba , carrot sticks, empty wallets and weekends-in, bring a little holiday cheer back in! For those of you who just pick up everything and go to Cuba – you suck. For the rest of us – use what is around you.
I believe that half the January/February blues is due to this immediate swing from everything to nothing. In order to cope with that I put a little bling back around the house and around my day to compensate for lack of tinsel and eggnog. For instance I went to the boxing day sales and bought some new centerpieces to replace the Christmas ones rather than leaving an empty space. I re-arranged my living room after the tree came down so that it would look shiny and new. I added fabulous streaks to my hair for a fresh winter start. I also got some snazy new gym cloths so that that if I have to sweat at least I can enjoy my new threads.
Every second weekend I either invite someone to the house for a diner party or invite myself to theirs( the later can be a bit tricky). I started Hat Day at work( as you can see here – not always fashionable). I make sure that there is always a vase of fresh flowers in the kitchen to remind me that spring is coming. I even get a few new plants to brighten up the rooms ( poor sacrificial plants – never make it for long).
The point is to fill the void with something more than work. Instead of counting down the days to Summer and wallowing in post festive regrets focus on a couple of little projects that can bring the bling back into your day. Otherwise you will end up with the winter blahs and do something desperate – like getting a puppy …..you know who you are…..
When I first purchased my century home I knew it needed a lot of care – but after all the major renovations were done so that the home was updated and structurally sound, I was a bit short on cash for the necessary aesthetic renovations inside. I decided to focus on one room at a time – devoting myself to the easily transitioned renovations such as paint and wall repair rather than refinishing the floors.
For my living room for example – I fixed all the cracks and water marks and painted it a deep bronze with white trim – this allowed more focus on the architectural features. The bronze color complimented a nice textured wall paper I chose for the main wall with the dark marble fireplace and then I focused on bringing the room together with silk drapes and an elegant area rug. This allowed ones attention to be drawn away from the marred floor and onto the beauty of the room.
Think of these quick fixes when sagging and watch my video for more information! Remember paint can do wonders!
Yes I know how exciting this title is – I mean how often do you get to talk about such fantastic awesome topics like vacuuming, dusting, and stain removal techniques! Well as boring as it is I have come to realize that there is a special gift to maintaining a clean home and B&B and whenever I get a trick that helps me with my chores is a trick that I want to share!
