cleaning day

So yesterday, I let the kids have the day off! Woohoo for my house! This home-schooling-work-at home-momma needed a long day off, with the windows open, and the iTunes cranking! One would think is was "all U2, all day," but no -- I went for girl rocker music of the mid 90's" Letters to Cleo, The Jody Grind (the one with Kelly Hogan) and Garbage. You know the neighbors and the kids loved it! Aidan just asked me to turn it down... yeah right! Some day this will be the other way around.

My house has been a pit for more than a month. YUCK! I can't take it ANYMORE! How did this happen and when? One day you wake up, and it has all just gone to hell in a hand-basket.



I started in the living room. My technique was to turn on Clean House and get inspired, nothing like seeing a really "messy" mess to get you motivated not to end up on intervention TV -- right?

Check this out. I made this while watching Candice from Divine Design. From start to finish I was done before she was. My inspiration has been these wonderful votive candles my girlfriend Suzanne gave me for my B-Day. They are oh so VERY Hollywood Regency! They reminded me of the Black Paradise Lace Oilcloth. I have been wanting to do a wall art project but I have been swamped with the kids and June.


So yesterday I just did it, after weeks wanting to. I went out in the shed and found a leftover piece of plywood and covered it with oilcloth and plopped it up on the mantle. Easy, peasy! You can follow the "how to" over at How About Orange's wall art tutorial. What I am not saying is when I did it, I was in "wing it mode".

I love it, I hope Don does. It was so cheap it was free. The great thing is when I tire of it I can turn it into a table top with some saw horses for a back yard BBQ. Fun, fun!

After dressing the mantle and giving the room a good dusting and vacuuming, I moved on the Dining Room -- I mean the pit of clutter hell. As of today, I can now see the corners of the room again.

This room has been a dumping ground for Modern June. (working at home sucks) All the stuff that did not have a home in the newly cleaned studio ended up in overflowing bins piled up in a corner. Also, cluttering up the room were the new lamps I bought for taking better pictures. Well, that is all gone now, Yoohoo. I dressed the mantles here too, same junk different lay out. I love my trays! Don, Janet and My MIL have been adding to the collection of years. They are a happy bunch-o-trays.

Look what I have done with my paper piles. Last spring I cut out some mini totes but never finished them, so yesterday I finished them off. But instead of making one tote with a lining I made two with out a lining, then I finished them off with left over webbing for handles. I have turned a messy pile to a cute take-along-tote-of-stuff. This one is for my current pile of papers, receipts, and Order Clip Board that need my immediate attention. I always have a pile on this spot now it looks nice and tidy. The other is my 2007 paperwork that I still have to tend to -- all of this was sitting in a corner of my dining room to now look how cute it is even if it is still on the dining room floor. (mental note: find that bag a real home!)

Well, I have done it. I have wasted a whole lot of time talking about housework. I am such a housewife, like my silly apron I wore, yes that is yellow polyester lace! LOVE it! I found it in a pile in the dining-room, of course. I really want to wax the wood floors -- now that would be the real spring cleaning! We shall see if that really happens -- I have my doubts. But for now, I can live a saner life with less mess!

The best thing about yesterday was no sewing! Not one little bit. I can't tell you the last day I went with out sewing, no matter how hard I try I just can't remember that far back. I just sent out a large wholesale order to a new boutique in Maryland last Friday and this Friday I have to send out another one to a funky consignment sale in Northern Virginia. (more info later this week) I am no way near ready to send that out. OMG! It will be a long week of late night sewing so a day off today will replenish a tired soul. It's kind-a sad when cleaning for hours and hours is replenishing.

Have a good one peeps! I must go work and teach! Peace out!