Laundry day!

My oh my! Because I've been trying to cut costs due to my husband's job re-location, I've been making & using homemade cleaning ideas that I find here in blogland...My wonderful friend, Carrie has an AWESOME recipe for fabric softener that works like a charm! Here it is:
Fabric Softener Recipe
1 cup vinegar
2 cups hair conditioner ( I used Suave's new Wild Cherry Blossom this time)
6 cups of water

Mix all this together. You may use this like any other Fabric Softener. ***I forgot to add that you must shake your bottle or container each time you use and I use 1/2 cup per load...

If you prefer dryer sheets you can try this~I diluted this down with water~ 3 parts water, 1 part softener. I then poured it into this glass container. Next I added sponges. For each load~ wring out the sponge and add to the dryer as you would fabric sheets. I added a few drops of Downy scent! Smells wonderful! I have used other hair conditioner scents, but have found the Wild Cherry Blossom best. One recipe lasts me about a week to 10 days, because I wash alot! And the best part of it is it only costs me $1.50 to make if I can get the conditioner on sale, at which time I buy oodles! Hurry! Go try it out!

I've caught the "thrifting bug"!!!

So...I guess I got a kick-start when I helped my "sister" rummage thru all that neat fabric & trims the other week! Lately I've been checking out the local Goodwill & "Sally" shops & have now found oodles of vintage sheets & pillowcases! YAY! I've only been interested in the white pillowcases so I can embellish them to my heart's desire & let me tell you....I am having so much fun!!! Again, I really wish I had a camera to be able to show off my goodies! I guess my Christmas stockings project will have to wait a little bit longer now...
~until we "meet" again, be blessed~

It IS raining!!

I never thought I'd be so happy to say "It's raining!" but after this LONG drought, I AM! We've had too long a time of Hawai'i's summer weather, and it finally started raining on this side of the Big Island 2 days ago. I had almost forgotten what it felt like to wake up in the CHILLY morning...ran out to check the thermometer this morning & it read 64 degrees! It has been a long time, alright! Time to get out my down comforter! Yay! And now my garden can get back to life!
Otherwise, I've been thrilled to be helping my "sister" go thru her mom's storage. Her mom is a retired professional seamstress,(specializing in wedding gowns~ooooh!) so she has many years of accumulated fabric & trims! Do I feel like a kid in a candy store? OF COURSE! Oodles & oodles of silks, satins & velvets to make a bunch of Christmas stockings for my grandchildren! And loads of old linens & cottons for my hobo bags for more Christmas gifts! I only wish I had a camera again to show y'all!
I've also been keeping busy doing needlework on all my white pillowcases for my bedroom once I'm finally done re-decorating! I'm making white lace-trimmed curtains for the room too! You know, the kind that will blow so gently in the breeze! Ooooh! All accents in my room will be the Copenhagen-ish blue! Can't wait!
I have been visiting all of your blogs lately & am so happy to see all of the busy-ness y'all have been up to! Please keep our friend, Teresa & her family in prayer...Her husband, Jack was found collapsed on the floor of his hotel room & is now in ICU in the hospital.
~Blessings to you all~

It's been way too long!

I must say...these past few months have been such an adjustment for me! I am glad to finally be back, now that I've "caught my balance"...My hubby's job required his transfer to another island here in Hawai'i back in February & since then I've been thrown into the role of full-time raising of our 3 grandaughters alone, most of the time! What a journey that has been...I really did try my best to keep up with all of you, so full of inspiration!!! But then, life happened! So for now, I'm back, catching up with all of your beautiful & fun creations! Maybe that's what I need for a kick-start to get going with my projects! Have a great weekend!
~blessings~
Leona

Merry Monarch Festival 2010

Every year,Easter Sunday marks the beginning of a week long celebration of the Hawaiian culture here in Hilo. We have hula exhibitions, competitions (said to be the "Olympics of hula") Hawaiian crafts and lots of "ono" (delicious) Hawaiian food! It is always one of my favorite times of the year mainly because everyone's decked out in their mu'umu'us & aloha shirts...many wearing leis, either around their neck or as hatbands on their lauhala(woven pandanus) or good 'ole cowboy (paniolo) hats! Such a joyous time! The lady on horseback is typical of our pa'u riders in the parade during the festival...The riders have a whole unit on horseback, each unit representing one of our islands in color...she is representing Kaua'i...purple..and the green lei she wears is the mokihana berry from Kaua'i...Beautiful!

While I've been away....

Oh my! How time does fly! The past few months have been such a whirlwind...I've been mainly in a cloud since the start of this year...when it became very obvious that yes, indeed, my husband would have to leave us for his job transfer to another island...So he has been gone since February, leaving ME to hold down the fort!!! It has been very trying at times, but it IS such a great thing that I DO KNOW WHERE MY STRENGTH COMES FROM!
So...hopefully soon...I will get out of this slump & be able to focus, once again, on sewing...or my needlework...or SOMETHING! In the meantime, thank you all for the inspiration! I do keep up with all of your beautiful creations & lighthearted moments that you all share on your blogs! Thank you friends!
Oh! Happy Spring to all! And I thought I'd share this picture of some of our well known quilters here on the Big Island...see our pretty Hawaiian quilts!