Finn's Mobile

So, here is the mobile we made for Finn. I contacted a lady on Etsy who custom made the disks for me. I  should have ordered twice as many so they were on each side of the string, but for a first time attempt, I don't think he will mind so much. 

First, Lily arranged the disks in a "pattern" (She wanted to help so bad, but I was working with hot glue so that was the only thing I could find for her to do.

The camera died after that, but I held a 2' length of fishing line in the middle of the strip and DH dotted some hot glue on the top and bottom to hold the string in place. This is where I wanted doubles, we could have just glued the disks together and no one would have seen the fishing line at all. 

Oh well...

I then wrapped the inner part of a wooden embroidery hoop with ribbon, dotting it with hot glue every few wraps to keep it tight.  

I finished it with a ribbon to hang it up and DH hung it from the ceiling with more fishing line (after I took this picture of course)

Overall, I was pretty happy with the way it turned out and it was the cheap modern mobile I wanted for his corner, with the gradation of color that is supposed to help them with their vison and seeing the differences in color.

BEST PART: Total Cost $ 6! 

Homemade Laundry Soap

I am getting my frugal homemaker on. I noticed that the soap we have been using, while it smelled great, seemed to make Chloe's cloth diapers leak. 

I really don't want to spend the money on the fancy diaper soaps like Rocking Green or Charlies, so I decided to see if the basic homemade soap recipe would work.

Guess what- it made her diapers smell fresh again (when they are clean anyway.

I had to really search to find a recipe that was not the large, fill up my garage stash of soap. 

I found this recipe on another blog. 

She went through the trouble of working on the directions and taking pictures so I'll give the credit where it is due!

I used the small batch, which is

1/4 bar Ivory soap

1/2 C Washing Soda

1/8 C Borax

Then I mixed it all up in the left over Purex container I had (and pulled the stickers off to make my own labels)

And tomorrow after it gels, I will see if it is possible to get 1 cup poured through the top. 

Next stop in my frugal quest: homemade dishwashing liquid.

UPDATE after using it for a few loads:


My clothes are not softer so I need to look into the homemade softener, but they smell amazing. Even the cloth diapers have a fresh scent that I was not able to get with the store bought detergent.

 I do not care for the Ivory soap, but when it is combined with everything else, the clothes come out so fresh and clean smelling. I also added a few drops of Lavender Essential Oils to the last bit of the batch and it added to the wonderful clean smell. 


I will say that this smaller batch did not last as long as I would like, so I am going to go ahead and make the larger batch and store it so I don't have to keep making more every other week.

Husbands love your wives, wives, honor your husbands

We had our Couple's Valentines dinner with the church at a very nice italian restaurant this past Sunday.

It was so refreshing to hear couples that are celebrating 10, 15,25, 48 years of marriage with their honey. In this world, divorce happens so quick because neither one is able to say their are sorry, or forego some of their own needs to love their spouse. Greed and selfishness has become the norm in society and there is a lack of love all over.

I am blessed to be part of a ministry that counsels and serves others so that love is shown to all who enter the doors. God is about love and loving your neighbor. If we are to love those around us, how much more should we love the very one that we share our lives and body with?

I love my husband. Sure, there are days when I don't understand what his logic is and I wish he would put the bag back when he takes the trash out. But I have to pick my battles and the very fact that he takes the trash out without fail every Monday should be enough for me to appreciate that the empty trash can (with no bag) means one less thing I have to do, because he has done it for me. 

So when I cook, I try to steer clear of things he does not like (mushrooms) to give him food that he enjoys and when he is happy I am happy. It is not only a happy wife that makes a happy home...

A happy marriage makes a happy home.

Are you happily married?

For all you expectant moms, or have expecting friends!

Keeper of the Home and Simply Nurtured is having a Baby Shower Giveaway!
Simply go to the Simply Nurtured site and you can enter to win and bless another mother, or be blessed yourself.


Since Finn is due in the next 3 weeks maybe we will get a little blessing.