My Favorite Things: Bathroom Edition

I, like many busy women, struggle with keeping up with the house and life. Therefore, I love products that make my life simpler and do the job right the first time. I'm not compensated by any of these products, I'm sharing what works for me-and my home!

My least favorite chore is cleaning the bathroom. It goes back to my teenage years when that was my chore. Yuck! By swishing and swiping them daily, it cuts down on the ick factor. I use Method's spray to wipe down the counters and toilet bowl. I love the scent and it makes them sparkle!

We have giant mirrors over our vanities. The only glass cleaner I like (and can tolerate the smell of) is Windex Crystal Rain. If I can't find that, then I whip up vinegar, water and lavender oil.

I have a surround in my shower, which I thought would be easier to keep clean than tile. It is to a certain extent, but it still requires regular maintenance. I clean every day with Mr. Clean bath scrubber, which keeps the dirt level down. Yes, I clean the shower every day. Again, it's keeping the yuck at bay.
After every shower, we spray with Method daily shower cleaner. I love that scent! To me, it makes it smell super clean.
Once a week, I use kaboom to keep the shower looking good. It's exciting to watch it go from purple to white!
I also use car wax once a month on the surround walls. Just like on the road, it keeps it shiny and repels dirt and water.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fULNUr0rvEc&feature=youtube_gdata_player

If nothing, I am brand loyal. Once I find a product, I stick with it. If it gets discontinued, it can be devastating. About 10 years ago, Lysol came out with a toilet bowl cleaner that got inserted into the brush. Best invention ever! However, I guess it didn't sell very well, and it went off the market. I still use lysol toilet bowl cleaner, but I miss the other stuff too.

Every few nights, I drop a denture tablet in the toilet bowl, which keeps it looking better.

Favorite Things: Mother's Day Edition

Mother's Day is just around the corner and time is ticking away to buy mom a present that she would absolutely love. While I wish I had swag to give away or be sponsored by someone, alas I am not. I'm just a mom sharing some of my favorite things.
If you are on Twitter, come follow me @craftychicky! As you could probably tell, I love doing crafty things. When I read other blogs, most of them are crafting blogs, because they totally inspire me and want me to try something new. It's been a tough climb out of that pit, but I'm working on it and my hobbies are part of it. One of my favorite crafting blogs is Brassy Apple. Megan has some amazing tutorials and is so incredibly creative too. One of my most favorite things are her mosaic jeans. I saw them in her store and was psyched she sold the pattern (http://brassyapple.com/category_9/Mosaic-Jean-Kit--Women.htm) She also carries fabric scrap bags that are amazing!
Speaking of fashion (and I have a Pinterest board called Passion for Fashion so you know I'm serious!), one of my favorite on line stores is Shabby Apple. I love the style of their site, and I love the clothes too. There is a nice selection of plus size (http://www.shabbyapple.com/c-38-woman.aspx?size=plussize) fashions. My two favorites are Study Break-I love that mustard color-and West Coast Swing. You have to read the stories that go along with the items too!
I blogged about my desire for The Vintage Pearl's I Love You to the Moon and back here (http://mommydomchronicles.blogspot.com/2012/04/moon-river.html?m=1). There are so many great things in her store, but that's my favorite.
I love to scrapbook and have been doing it for years and years and years. I tend to set up photo ops for scrapbook pages. My brain just thinks like that. Thanks to my iPhone, I snap tons of candid shots, and can just upload them to the Walgreens app and order them. Way too cool. My biggest issue is sitting down and actually scrapping them. It's a combination of time and attention span (or a lack of both of them). So, I decided Becky Higgins Project Life would be perfect to share our story (see my article about it here: http://mommydomchronicles.blogspot.com/2012/04/what-story-morning-glory.html?m=1)
I've been a big fan of Whippy Cake going way back when, and while I love everything in her store, I do have a few current favorites. Right now I'm totally drooling over the Swanky Souffle collection (http://whippycake.com/shop/swanky-souffle/). Even though I had about 6 inches cut off my hair a few weeks ago I still have more than enough to add these to it! I especially love Klepto (which coordinates with most of my wardrobe) and Vanity.
I am a music fan, and have fairly diverse taste. I listen to it all day long at work, and my iPhone literally contains everything from alt country to zydeco, Abba to Frank Zappa. However, I only have a few complete albums on it: The Clash London Calling (read more about my love of the only band that matters here:http://mommydomchronicles.blogspot.com/2012/02/clash-city-rockers.html?m=1) and Mindy Gledhill's Anchor. Its the perfect soundtrack for most days. Whenever I hear Hourglass, I get a lump in my throat because as the mom of a little boy, I could have written that one myself! I love the whole album, period. Buy it, you won't be disappointed. Click here and it can be yours: http://bluemorphmusic.mybigcommerce.com/!
One of my Mommy blog inspirations going way back was Nie Nie (http://nieniedialogues.blogspot.com/?m=1) We have very different styles but we are both telling similiar stories. She wrote a book that I'm currently reading (http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/heaven-is-here-stephanie-nielson/1104239810) which is so inspirational. I'm still reading it and will have it as a Friday reads soon, but right now I'm enjoying the journey with it.
Any of these make a perfect mother's day gift (or gift period). And tell them I sent you!

Moon River

I like very simple, plain jewelry. Some people like a lot of flash, but that's not me. I don't do gaudy well either. I like silver over gold. And I like it to have a personal connection.
My wedding ring.
My grandmother's pearls.
They are like a warm blanket of love.
Speaking of that warm blanket, when the little man was younger, one of our favorite bed time stories was Guess How Much I Love You. It is a story of how much a parent loves their child-and the child loves their parent. There is love as high as they can reach, down the lane, to the river, to the moon. As the little bunny falls asleep, the story ends with the classic lines:

"I love you right up to the MOON," he said, and closed his eyes.

"Oh, that's far," said Big Nutbrown Hare. "That is very, very far."

Big Nutbrown Hare settled Little Nutbrown Hare into his bed of leaves. He leaned over and kissed him good night.

Then he lay down close by and whispered with a smile, "I love you right up to the moon - AND BACK."

Since he was 4, I have told my son each night as I tuck him, under a warm blanket, that I love him to the moon and back.
The Vintage Pearl (which has some beautiful things) has THE perfect mother's day gift for me: a personalized necklace saying I love you to the moon and back.
I don't normally covet, but this is inspiring me to covet big time. Check it out here and see if you agree with me:

http://www.thevintagepearl.com/products/iloveyoutothemoonandback_p16