Archive   |   June, 2010

yet another green cleaner: citrus and salt

Posted by in cleaning, living green

saltgrapefruit

I hope we’re not annoying you with too many green cleaner posts, but when I saw this post at Re-Nest on how to scrub the tub with half a grapefruit and some salt, I had to give it a try. The comments at the original post were divided, with one person proclaiming it “Absurd!” (harsh) and more than one complaining that it was a waste of a grapefruit. Well, I figured one acidic citrus would do as well as another, so I bought a large lemon, halved it, and coupled it with some sea salt to take on my own tub and sink. For the tub, mixed reviews, but I’m starting to suspect it’s just my tub. I’ve written before about how our house is a work in progress — it was previously a rental, and it’s become apparent that someone cleaned the tub with something that removed a lot of the shiny finish. So while my tub smelled amazing after a scrubbing with lemon and salt, it didn’t look a whole lot cleaner to the eye. Our sink, however, has its porcelain finish, and it looks fantastic! Shiny as new! I will caution you that some of the commenters warn against using large-grain salt on an acrylic finish because it could scratch. See the how-to with grapefruit here. — Mary T.

Related:
Putting more green cleaners to the test
Make your own green cleaners

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geek love: dungeons and dragons soda

Posted by in collecting, drinking

DnDsodas

Cult beverage makers Jones Soda have with a new series of carbonated pop candy guaranteed to make you drop your 12-sided dice and fuel you through your “Firefly” marathon. Based on the Dungeons and Dragons game, the Spellcasting Soda series includes flavors with names like Potion of Healing, Dwarven Draught, and Illithid Brain Juice.The limited edition pops are available now: $10.99 for six or $18.99 for 12. — Katie D.

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come rain or shine: an indoor/outdoor rug roundup

Posted by in decorating, gardening

DiamondGreenWhiteBW

I’ve been trying — as many of us have, I’m sure — to spruce up our beyond-hideous deck for prime summer enjoyment. It’s a great space, don’t get me wrong — it’s just in dire need of a couple of repairs and a new coat of paint or two. But in the meantime (or at least until it stops raining for a few days) I’m planning on just covering it up with a cute indoor/outdoor rug. I’ve scoured the web for some options, and here’s what I’ve come up with so far, ranging from $35- $200:

Dash and Albert have a stunning diamond rug, above, starting at $34 for a 2′x3′.

redleafrug

I love the candy apple red design on this Henri Floral Rio Mat from Cost Plus World Market, $40 for a 6′x9′.

blockcolors

I’ve always been a fan of Chilewich placemats and runners, but I’m absolutely in love with these 24″x36″ spun vinyl utility mats, $75.

trompeloeil

If your tastes tend to the more traditional side, perhaps this trompe l’oeil Persian rug floor mat (made from polyester and foam) from Urban Outfitters, $148 for a 66″x46″, is a good choice.

geometric

I love the bold geometric design of this indoor/outdoor rug from Overstock.com, a large 7’10″x11′ for $178.

pegboard1

Last but definitely not least is the ultra-cool reversible pegboard rug from CB2, 5′x8′, $200.

I’ll probably end up getting more than one — what doesn’t go on the deck will be great in our sad dungeon of a basement! — Megan B.

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kinda genius: portable phone charging shelf

Posted by in organizing, traveling

drinnchargingshelf

Recently, I won tickets to a cage fight in St. Louis (seriously), so I packed my bags, hopped on Amtrak, and played house guest at a friend’s place. It’s a little thing, but I usually end up plugging my phone charger into the first available place and letting the cord and phone pool on the floor, hoping it won’t get stepped on or mistaken for a chew toy. No longer, fellow couch surfers! The Mobile Device Charging Holder from Driinn, $10, has quickly gone to the top of my travel essentials list. It’s a simple idea that turns any wall socket into a convenient, mess-free charging station. — Katie D.

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five things we learned last week

Posted by in surfing

fivethingspartylanterns

1) You wake up to bagpipers on holidays. Ellie says: “1. wake up to bag-pipers warming up on my front lawn as they prepare to march in the only parade that goes past my own house. 2. go home to parents’ even smaller town to watch their parade; entire town then follows behind end of parade and gathers at flag pole in front of school for veteran’s ceremony, which is just a way of making everyone listen to the marching band and our grandfathers until the chicken barbecue is ready… when the little pre-girl scouts float paper boats down the stream everyone knows it is chicken time.” We’re not even certain we follow that, Ellie, but we like it. How was your Memorial Day?

2) There’s a program that helps you organize your desktop. Amber says: “I use Fences; LOVE IT. Keeps everything organized, and I can change the categories, or add more, with ease.” Read more about organizing your desktop with images.

3) Yard sales make good neighbors. Sarah L. posted about her first yard sale, and Ellie chimed in with a great story here, too: “I had one last weekend and it was awesome! I met so many fantastic neighbors, and had just a great time in general. I also took the lazy way out though and only priced things en masse (this table is $1, this table is 2/$1, this pile is $5 each). I strong-armed an experienced friend into helping me and she repeatedly yelled at me for tossing more and more stuff into the free box. Then when I went to get drinks she sold a few things for twice my asking price.”

4) Everything’s better with bacon…and heat. Jenny says: “Add a little cayenne – maybe 1/4 to 1/2 t – to give it a little more pep. First sweet, then meat, then heat.” We love that line! Make your own bacon candy.

5) Vintage wedding registry items? You’re on it. Ellobie says: “That is exactly what we did! My fiance has the standard pieces of gorgeous Limoges china but the fun-side pieces are kind of hit-or-miss and we have a lot of onesie-twosies. We registered for a bunch of odds and ends on replacements.com! We’ve also used the “Add to MyRegistry” button through myregistry.com to include several items from Etsy sellers. Some of our older relatives are not huge fans of the online method of buying gifts, but they are so eager to get us vintage and one-of-a-kind items that they’ve gotten over their fears of the interwebs.” Something old, something old for wedding registries.

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