Lana {hearts} Spaghetti

I figure I'm not going to be able to get away with a cleaning-only post, so here's a little dose of cute to ease me back in to this blogging thing. Obviously you can see from these photos why I have cleaning on the brain...

Folex Carpet Spot Remover = Magic!

I know, I know, it's been over 2 months. And, when I decide to make an appearance, I post about carpet cleaner?? Really, Brooke? Hey, whatever gets you motivated, right?!

Ok, so seriously, have you guys tried this stuff?? I picked up a bottle of Folex at Bed Bath & Beyond months ago. The stuff I had been using was worthless. Spray, blot, rinse, repeat. It would work...kinda. Then a week later I'd have a darker spot 3 times the size because the spot that had been wetted was now completely stained from being walked on, or? Who knows what. So, I'm left with spots all over my carpet because I feel like it's pointless to try to clean them.

Then, yesterday, I'm refilling a bunch of ink cartridges on my printer and, like an idiot, set one of the pieces of garbage on the floor while I work. So, of course, I end up with a blotch of wet blue ink on my carpet. Ugh! I blot it with a white cloth, then decide it's time to see if this Folex stuff is worth the floor to ceiling wall space it's earned in BB&B. I spray a little, agitate with my finger and blot, then....GASP! No, seriously, I gasped out loud! It disappeared! COMPLETELY! Like magic, I tell ya!

So then, because I'm super excited, I go to town on our runner. What possessed me to purchase a beige runner (you know, in the entry way, where you're constantly running with your dirty shoes and construction materials, etc, etc) I'll never know, but I digress. Point being, it's covered with spots and stains. The worst from an episode when Moose had a bloody paw and left tiny little spots on the rugs. They really weren't that noticeable, until I tried to clean them and was left with these big black gnarly blotches a couple days later! (Excuse the ugly photos, but I couldn't wait for natural light to try it!)

Before:

After:

MAGIC!

I obviously can't report yet that it won't end up leaving the nasty blotches like my other failure of a spray, but since this one doesn't require rinsing, I think it has a much better shot. Plus, I'm going to give it a couple days to dry before we walk on it again. Also, testing is probably a good idea. I'm testing on our couch upholstery now, and it seems to leave a little residue spot (or something). I think it'll still be worth trying on Raf's chocolate spot(!), but I'll just need to be careful to use the smallest amount necessary.

I'll do my best to let you know how it's looking in a week or two. And in the meantime, I'll see if I can't find the time to give you a couple updates on what the rest of our life looks like at the moment!

Any other magical cleaners or tools that I should know about in my quest to achieve and maintain a clean house??

June Photography Challenge, Day 28: Flowers

The skirt has flowers...COUNT IT! :)

My friend, Karaliese, bought me the pattern to make this doll almost a year ago. I just finished it. Moral of the story: I need to be given VERY specific deadlines (with the expectation that I may still lag)!

I actually finished the doll itself a few months ago...but didn't get around to embroidering her face on until this week. Why? Embroidering a face = scary. The result? Wonky, but still cute. And not nearly as terrifying as I expected. It did take me a couple naps worth of time (interpretation: I'm slow), but it was quicker than I thought it'd be. Moral of this story: Just do it already!!

Wanna make your own Mae doll? You can buy this pattern or tons of others through Bit of Whimsy's website. Not feeling so ambitious? You can buy finished dolls there too. She releases new dolls every Thursday night, and posts previews on her FB page. She has the most adorable stuff--it requires some serious will power for me to not buy every pattern!!

Curious why this doll was commissioned in the first place? Because it's more difficult than you might think to find a soft baby doll that's not blonde haired and blue eyed. And sometimes it's nice to give your child a toy that actually looks like them, or {gasp!} maybe even represents a bit of diversity! The wonderful thing about Mae is that she comes with 3 examples of different ethnicities in one pattern. All you need to do is change the skin, eye and hair color/style, and you've got a doll that can represent little girls from all corners of the world!

Now, to set a goal of making one of these babies for Solana before she turns 5! Except her name will be Mei instead of Mae. Obviously.  :)

June Photography Challenge, Day 27: From a Distance

If by "distance", you mean "across the deck", then cool. So, I'm not really staying on point with the assignments! At least I can prove that I actually do have my camera out daily, shooting in manual mode, and playing with Photoshop and Totally Rad when I find the time! And that's the point, darn it!

Yesterday, unlike today, was a gorgeous day. I spent pockets of time outside on and off all day--planting some new cucumbers, squash, and peppers (which will hopefully survive the crap weather to follow better than they did last time!), embroidering eyes on Maddy's doll (finally!!), and simply enjoying the sunshine. When Lana wasn't napping, she was kicking it on the deck, taking in the Redwoods and keeping mama company.

June Photography Challenge, Day 26: Close-up

Well, it's kinda close. Lana's first ride on a fire truck. She was all about it!

June Photography Challenge, Day 25: Something Pink

Well, the good news is that the one thing that I photographed on the 25th actually had some pink in it! Ok, so maybe I'm working a little backwards here, but you all know me better than to think I was going to be able to succeed with another daily photo post project (hello 365 Project!!) 

This is my first skirt since the itty bitty one I made for Maddy last year. I made this one for Julia, Raf's cousin, for her 7th birthday, so obviously it needed to be bigger and slightly more elaborate! I used this tutorial from MADE, and found it to be pretty simple. And it does make a darn cute skirt, doesn't it! I just hope it fits ok. 

After putting together this skirt, I decided I need a serger. Well, maybe NEED isn't the appropriate word, but you know what I mean! Too much time spent ironing hems and trying to sew over 8 layers of bulk! And as you can see here, the top of the skirt still didn't end up with a finished hem...?! Don't ask me how that happened.

If anyone out there has tips on a simple, effective, reasonably priced serger, let me know!

By the way, I included close up photos of my screw ups and wonky seams as inspiration to you all. You don't have to be a perfect seamstress to end up with a super cute finished product! And it'll probably still last twice as long as that spendy outfit from The Gap!

In the Bounce House with Ciocia

I think this amateur is finding better luck editing photos with free stuff than the spendy stuff. Go figure. At least I have something to salvage the crappy photos I capture in manual mode!

June Photography Challenge, Day 23: Sunflare

I decided to get crazy and actually post a photo on time today. I highly doubt it technically qualifies as a "sunflare", but it makes me happy, so whatever.

June Photography Challenge, Day 19: Something Orange

Fresh squeezed OJ from oranges that have been sitting in our fridge for months, accompanying a tasty breakfast cooked by the hubs. On Father's Day. (He doesn't trust me with breakfast. Oh well!)

June Photography Challenge, Day 18: Shoes

A very unexciting photo of very unexciting shoes. This is what you get when I live in a napless world, people!