February 24, 2011: Recipe for a Broken Mirror

I’d hazard to guess that many of you readers have at least one mirrored surface in the bathroom (or elsewhere) that has a crack in it. For me, it’s the medicine cabinet doors in my bathroom; ever since we bought our house there’s been a large, jagged crack at the corner edge of one door and we just never got around to replacing it. Honestly, I think we’d have to replace the whole cabinet or do some delicate surgery and we can’t afford that at the moment.

So what can you do to get rid of that unsightly crack? My friend Kathy gave me this idea. You’re not really fixing the crack, but you are covering it up and preventing someone from cutting themselves if the fissure extends to the edge of the mirror.

The solution? Wallies.

These are basically cutout shapes of wallpaper that you moisten. They can be placed on just about any kind of surface – and they work particularly well on mirrors or glass. Now, I’m not being paid to endorse this product and in fact, there may be other similar alternatives, but Wallies are reasonably priced and they also come in a wide variety of styles and shapes – there’s something for any kind of décor.

Because my home is decorated with western and mountain décor, I chose these cute brown bears and pine trees - plus they were on sale for half off. Can't beat that with a stick! Although the mirrored door on the right side wasn’t broken, I added Wallies there, too, to make a balanced design.

Sorry for the somewhat confusing photo - because the Wallies are on my mirrored medicine cabinet and there is another mirror on the opposite wall, I got this unending mirror in a mirror photo effect! But you can see the Wallies best on the very upper right hand corner of the photo.

I still have several bears and trees left over from my mirror fix and I’m thinking of ways they can be used on other items in the bathroom to pull together my decorating theme. I haven’t come up with anything yet, but I’ll let you know when I do.

February 2, 2011: Homemade Air Fresheners

Looking for an inexpensive little gift for your friends or family this Valentine’s Day? Why not give them a homemade air freshener – a gift that’s always appreciated and used. They’re easy to make and the ingredients are inexpensive.

All you need to find are some ceramic or glass containers with a lid. I’ve used small little crocks, the kind with the wire bale closure, and these work really great. You could also use an apothecary-style or canning jar and put a pretty circle of fabric (cut the edges with pinking shears) over the lid and tie it around the neck with a ribbon.

Of course, since it’s Valentine’s Day, you will want to find some decorated containers – or you could just add an arrangement of heart stickers to the outside of a plain glass jar.

After you’ve made the air freshener, use a piece of pink or red satin to tie around the top rim and voila! You’ve got a lovely present that cost pennies but looks great.

Here’s the recipe.

Homemade Air Fresheners (courtesy of Linda Cobb, the Queen of Clean)

4 envelopes Knox unflavored gelatin
2 c. distilled water
Essential oil in scent of your choice (For Valentine’s Day, perhaps rose?)
2 T. salt
Food coloring (optional)

Boil one cup of the distilled water and add the gelatin packets. Stir until dissolved. Add 10 to 20 drops of the essential oil and the salt (to prevent mold – you can also use vodka but hey, that’s better for drinking!). Add food coloring if you wish (red is great for Valentine’s Day). Pour into containers and let them sit, undisturbed until the mixture cools and sets. Cover with the lid; open to smell the scent.

Tip: Use more essential oil to make the scent stronger. The scent tends to fade over time so these air fresheners are best used within a couple months.

If you’d like, you can also add pretty decorations such as glitter, confetti, leaves, etc. to the mixture – really looks nice if you are using a clear glass container.