Thanksgiving 2014 = Me Sad

Normally by now I'm full fledged into planning my Thanksgiving tablescape.  It's truly something I enjoy as Thanksgiving is my all time FAVORITE sit down meal holiday!  Last year I scaled it down WAY back because we were traveling with the tablescape.  Hey...I even brought the flower arrangement with me.  LOL!

This year my mommy-in-law is hosting and I'm simply providing the organic turkey.  

2009 Thanksgiving Tablescape Planning

I didn't think I'd be ready to host so soon after the move so I gladly passed on it but now I'm all feeling some kinda way because I love, love, LOVE doing it.

2010 Thanksgiving Tablescape Planning

And now I have nothing Thanksgivingish to do.  

*sigh*

Well...I know you know this already but here are a few of the tools I use:  Thanksgiving Planning Worksheet

Here is how I made the topper for last year's tablescape:  Easy and Cheap Fabric Tablecloth!

Yall know that all of the archives from years past are here:  Rantings of a Creole Princess

Just search for whatever you're looking for.

Now I'm all depressed because I started thinking about where in the hell I can put my Christmas tree this year.  *sigh*

Tell me something good.  Any Thanksgiving prep questions I can answer for you?  Want me to help you brine your turkey this year?  What's on your menu?  Need help cooking something?  Have a tablescape idea you need a little lagniappe to pull together?  Holla atcha girl.  I need to feel useful.

#MeSad

On Energy Efficient Washing Machines

One thing I was very down about was leaving my washer and dryer.  I love them.  When our old washer died, I did the research and bought the best new set that could fit in our laundry closet.  

I love my Maytag Bravos.  LOVE.THEM!!!!!

When I saw the washer and dryer that we have now I got sad.

I mean...look at these lack of options on this control panel:

I was so depressed.  I immediately threw in the duvet that Robby used as a buffer between two pieces of furniture and which had become ridiculously dirty in the process.  When I got it out...I noticed how white and gleamy it was.  Yes...I said GLEAMY.

Then I tossed in Jaru's feet cleaning towels.

Um...GLEAMY-ER!

I started tossing ish in left and right.  Towels, pillowcases, PILLOWS!  

Dudes...I MISSED A WASHING MACHINE THAT USED A FULL BASIN OF WATER!!!!!!!!!  HOT WATER!  COLD WATER!  IN-BETWEEN WATER!

Yesterday I was on the phone with an Elder and mentioned the washing machine.  That started a 20 minute rant from him about these, BULLSHIT AZZ LOW FLOW ENERGY EFFICIENT BULLSHIT AZZ NEWFANGLED SHIT THEY FORCE US TO BUY!  I SWEAR I'VE BEEN MEANING TO GO DOWN TO THE SALVATION ARMY AND BUYING AN OLD SET OR TAKING A SET OUT OF ONE OF MY RENT HOUSES ONCE SOMEONE MOVES AND PUTTING THESE BULLSHIT AZZ ONES IN THERE!  I WASH MY JEANS AND THEY LOOK THE EXACT SAME!  THEY AREN'T EVEN WET!  JUST DAMP BEFORE I PUT THEM IN THE DRYER!  I GOT SO GOTDAMN MAD ONE TIME I TOOK MY JEANS DOWN TO THE LAUNDRY HOUSE AND PAID $50 TO USE THEIR DAMN MACHINE AND THEN BROUGHT MY JEANS BACK HOME SOAKING WET AND DRIED THEM!  I HATE MY DAMN MACHINES!

Um...okay.  I wasn't quite on THAT level but yeah...totally loving this non-energy efficient set.

Do you have a non-energy efficient set?  If you have an energy efficient set...any complaints?  Have you ever used a non-energy efficient set after getting used to using energy efficient ones?  Noticed any differences?

Musings on Window Treatments

I was talking to a framily member about curtains recently.  She doesn't like curtains and doesn't have many curtains in her home because she doesn't see the need.  I told her that hanging curtains is like putting on lipstick.  You know your outfit is on point.  Your hair is on point.  Your eyes are on point and then...BAM!  Add lipstick and your look is finished!  GO YOU!

She'd never thought of it like that.  

I'm having a curtain quandary currently in the living room.  The curtains we had in the living room at 13700 are too long and too wide to use here.  The windows are MUCH smaller as is the room.  I need curtains to "finish" the room but I don't want to spend the kind of money I spent on the curtains I already have because I'm unsure as to if I'd be able to use them once we leave here.  The window placement is in the center of a wall.  I can't decide if I should use panels or...if I should just put up valances.

With panels I could give the illusion that the window is larger by positioning them on either edge of the windows and stretching them across the wall mostly.  See...covering any portion of that window is going to make the windows look smaller than they already are.  I'd have to move that piece of wall art to do that which wouldn't be a problem I suppose if I find something with enough color to make that wall pop.

If I go the valance route, I could position them so that they drop down over the top of the windows only by a few inches and well...they'd look okay I suppose...I just don't think they'd add much to the room.

And...what color do I go with?  I found these on JCPenney and I'm thinking...Hmmmmmmmm...

The first set I like because of the color but I'm wondering if the print will clash in that room because of the chairs.  The second set (NOT WITH THE VALANCE AND TIE BACKS...PANELS ONLY) will give the wall more color but I wonder if they are too "heavy" for the colors in the room?  I wanted to stick with citrus colors.

I think I'm going to replace those icky plastic blinds with a scalloped roller shade.  I'd like the look of that much better.

The only valances I've found so far that I MIGHT like are these:

Valances only.  The room wouldn't support both valances and panels.

Well?  Whatcha think?  I need to make a decision soon so I can order something or do I need to keep looking?

What's YOUR personal take on curtains?  Do you like curtains?  Do you have them in every room?

We Finally Found the BEST Digital Antenna and Cut the Cable Cord!

“It should be noted that we would have probably never taken the leap had we not moved. Just keeping it real.”

The Robinator and I moved into our temporary digs and only set up the internet.  We decided that we'd finally, FINALLY cut the cord to cable!  I was excited because paying for a crapload of channels we don't watch really irked me greatly so I've been wanting to do this for over two years now.  Robby, on the other hand, found it difficult to let go of his total access to all sports all the time.  Because of this, I didn't think he'd ever go for it even though month-after-month paying that $250 Verizon Fios bill really annoyed him too.

But pay it we did.

We only have two televisions with us.  One in the living room and one in our bedroom.  

The one in the living room is a smart tv so it already had apps set up we could use when connected to the internet.  The bedroom tv isn't a smart tv so we use our Chromecast to watch television on it for now.  I'm going to buy an antenna for it too since I now know the best one to get.

The apps we use on our living room television are Netflix, HuluPlus, CNBC, Time, USA Today, BBC News, and Pandora.  We have more but those are the ones we use mostly.  

Now...the problem was network television and well...I need my "Scandal."  I could watch "Blackish" the next day, but I enjoy watching Olivia Pope while interacting online with our awesome group!  GO US!  So...I tried 4 different digital antennas to see which one would get ALL the DTV network channels available.  Seriously...I kept buying and returning them.  One I got 0 channels.  Seriously.  Nada.  LOL!  The next one, I got 6 channels but not ABC.  The next I got 7 channels but not CBS (I love CBS Sunday Morning.) and the next one, after scouring the internets for advice and reviews, I got 26 channels!  TWENTY SIX!  And that includes all the major networks and a whole lot of other channels I've heard of and some local ones I've never heard of.  I'm currently sitting here watching Shanti Lowry on the Bounce TV station.  GO SHANTI!!!!!!!!!!!!!  She's my favorite.  LOL!

Mohu Leaf 50 Amplified Indoor Antenna

The antenna is pretty cool in that it's super thin.  The cord is really long so you can play around with placing it properly to get the best reception.  Apparently you can paint over it so that it can blend in with the wall but I don't want to do that.  I hate the cord and am trying to hide it as much as possible but hey...I can only do so much now.  I'm considering moving it behind the mirror above the mantle so we can't see it but I'd still have to deal with the cord issue.  Needless to say...this battle might not be won.  I'm hoping that once I finish decorating the wall behind the television and the mantle...it will be much less obvious.

We are EXTREMELY happy with our decision to finally not be cable's witch with a b.  I was soooooooooooooo sick of cable and the stuff on cable that it annoyed me beyond reason.  With all of the streaming options we have plus the new one we pre-ordered and are waiting for:

Fire TV Stick

All total we've spent about $120 plus monthly fees for Netflix and HuluPlus which come to about $16 a month.  And honestly...we would have those even if we have cable because we enjoy bing watching shows together on the sofa.  I was going to get rid of Amazon Prime but I can't now since I'll be using Amazon Prime Pantry and Subscriptions for shopping more than ever now because of my current local limited shopping options.  So yeah...would have had that anyway too.  No matter what I'm spending however...it's less than even one month of what I was paying Verizon Fios (it should be noted that we had a bundle, internet, phone and all the premium channels except the nekkid ones).

Let me know if you try out that antennae.  It's seriously a case of I tried 4 so you don't have to.  LOL!  Hope it helps you kick the cable habit too!

Smooches!

Settling In Nicely!

This entire weekend was focused on unpacking as much as possible.  There is a lot of stuff it doesn't make any sense to unpack so sorting through everything and repacking what I won't need until we move is fun.  (Note sarcasm.)  I hung the key hook last night so yup...we've officially moved!

Jaru is used to going sit out on the deck and getting some sun whenever he wants to and has taken to standing at the backdoor staring at it until I open the door.  He seems to enjoy surveying all.  LOL!  Of course his majesty wouldn't actually lay down until I put a rug out.  *sigh*  When I put the rug down he gave me the most disgusted look as if to say..."Took you long enough."

I'm telling yall...that dog might not make it.

Of course that wasn't good enough so he's trying different spots.  I have to keep the door open so I'm sure Robby will be chasing down a fly or two once he comes home.  

I'm starting the quest today to find a hair salon.  Unfortunately, I haven't seen anyone yet whose hair made me want to ask them for a referral so I'm just going to try and find an Aveda salon somewhere and see if I can just get a blowout.  I'm currently sporting the air dried bohemian look which really doesn't do much for me.  LOL!  

I've decided I'm doing Thanksgiving this year and the thought of not cooking for my FAVORITE holiday has hurt my heart.  I simply won't be able to do it right so we'll go to family and I'll eat what I can.  I figure by the time Christmas rolls around I'll have more of the lay of the land and be able to plan appropriately.  I haven't even found a good florist yet.  *sigh*  I stopped buying flowers awhile ago at 13700 because while packing was going on it didn't make sense and now...I want flowers in my life again.  

How was your weekend?  Getting ready for Thanksgiving yet?  Are you traveling or hosting?

Making a Temporary House Home!

That next level exhaustion has totally hit me as I can't seem to move today.  My hands look and feel super rough from the bleach.  I've had toilet seats and handles replaced, drains replaced, mailbox replaced, new towel bars and other bathroom things replaced and I'm currently sitting here while a guy power washes the exterior and patio.  I was going to start hanging art but...guess who left the hammer, level and measuring tape in the storage of 13700?  That would us-ie.  #JOY

My mommy-in-law is going to come see me today and I'm sure we'll sit a spell and get some rest because she'll want to help do stuff I'm not going to let her help do.  LOL!  She's just like me in that she just wants to help and be of service and comfort but I'm not trying to let her lift a finger.  LOL!  

The challenge of making this place comfy is actually pretty cool.  I'm getting real creative with furniture placement, etc.   Even rug placement is a study because you can use rugs to add color to a room pretty quickly so if you have a lot of color with other accessories in the home you can get by with a neutral rug but if the room has lots of light in it, with neutral walls, you should put a colorful rug in that room to add color.  I mean...I'm literally sitting in a room making a decision about a rug right now.  Since this room has lots of color already...neutral rug.  Cool huh?

The house has all of those el cheapo plastic blinds at the windows so I plan to replace them in the living room with a scalloped roller shade since that will be the room we're in more than anything.  In the kitchen...I keep them up during the day anyway to let in more light so it's not a big deal because they will be up and hidden under the valences when they are up.  When they come down during the night...yeah...I can live with it.  LOL!

Trying to strike the balance between what I'd do to my own home to be comfortable and what to do to a temporary living situation is a bit of a challenge too.  I like things to be nice you know?  I like to see nice stuff and I like the flower beds to be nice too.  Your home should be your haven...but what is the balance between doing things you'd do in your own long-term home versus a short-term living situation?  Any tips?  What would YOU do?  I mean...I'd like to have some curb appeal but we all know I can't take that with me.  I'm going to paint the front door black (Got permission from the management company to do so because after coming here and seeing how I do things they felt comfortable letting me.  LOL!) but should I do the flower beds too?  They will take a LOT of work.  Right now it's horrible (to me) so I'd need to build up the dirt to something porous enough to grow stuff and then I'd have to plant stuff.  I'm already buying pelletized lime to spread over the grass so the PH balance will allow better grass to grow.  Should I just mulch and let is look the way it is?  Or just add some bags of gravel?  I can add flowers by using crates and sitting seasonal pots of flowers like mums in them.  Kinda like this:

From:  The Homes I Have Made

Tell me what you'd do.

Speaking of crates...look at this picture I found when I was looking for a picture of mums in crates:

From:  Steven Bruce Design

Isn't that STUNNING?  I shall be recreating this soon.  LOL!  Although...I called a local florist today to check out their prices and was told that hydrangea stems are $10 each.  *BLINK*  Um...now say what now?  So I have to keep looking for a florist since I clearly won't be using that one.  They were talking even the common variety green ones.

No.

I'm really  happy to say that I've stumbled on resources I didn't even know existed in the world of temporary home decor.  From an obvious place but that I never even gave thought to...MILITARY WIVES!!!!!!!!!!!  I've found so many blogs by military wives who go through this often and they have lots of ideas as to how to make things nice.  LOVE.THAT!  I mean...these women are super creative too.  Me likey.  No...me lovey!

Those of you who have rented a house (not an apartment), have you ever had any issues with the landlord?  I'm still feeling some kinda way about some things that went down the first day here.  The things have been handled, of course, and the person I'm dealing with now is an extremely reasonable and lovely person but the way things started on Tuesday morning pissed me off so badly I was ready to put my ish back on the truck and put it in storage while we found someplace ELSE to live.  I'm not about to be dealt with rudely when I ask a reasonable question and it always astonishes me when people are shocked that the response to rude ish is...um...RUDE ISH!  Come at me rudely and yeah...it's about to go DOWN-T!  I can't stand nasty acting people.  No ma'am pressed ham!  (TiffanyInHouston 2008).  Yall know my saying...I'm a good person, but I ain't Jesus cuz if I was Jesus all that crucifying stuff would have gone down WAAAAAAY differently.  Idda been like...Father...they know what they do but...GET 'EM DADDY!  SMOTE 'EM!  GET HIM FIRST!  AND THEN HIM AND HIM AND HIM!  

I know...I know...that was bad but hey...yall know I can be terrible.  LOL!

Temporary Digs!

Needless to say...it is going to take a lot of work to get a one level rental house with ecru walls in shape enough for us to call home.  I'm already missing 13700 big time.  I need color in my life and rent houses just won't let me be great.  I was going to do temporary wallpaper but the walls aren't smooth.  They are like...textured.  Ugh!  Why do builders even do that anymore?????  Does anyone know?

We arrived around 9:00pm last night and got up at 5:00am to start unpacking the truck before Robby rolled out.  Shelly is coming on Saturday to help but yall know I will probably be finished by then.

Our bedroom dresser has two extremely long scratches across the top.  Joy.  It's not a move unless something nice gets messed up.  *sigh*

That garage is going to be straight up storage.  In our old house we had three living spaces.  In the temporary digs?  One.  I'm not about to recreate the furniture wheel when we move in our new house because I like my furniture.

Now...everyone hold hands and sing an old Negro spiritual with me because baaaaaaaaaay...ever since Day 1 of The Monnie & Robby Show, he has had a mancave.  Did you read the part where it says we only have ONE living area?  Yup.  Dude no longer has a mancave so that means all sports all the tie in the one living space.  *sigh*  We might kill each other in this house.

This is going to be the office so I was wondering if I should just bite the bullet and make it a mancave.  Only problem with that is that the house is so small, this room is behind the living room so I will hear his games anyway.  LOL!

I'm sure the question everyone wants to ask is...Where is poor old Jaru and how did he fare on the trip?

Humph.  His stankin' azz is posted up.  He walked around confused for a minute looking for stairs.  Then he came back talking some...THIS IS?????  I can't stand that dog.

The micro patio is going to need some major creativity to get it right so I can get my outside chill on.  Once I do the powerwashing I think I will be able to make it uber cozy.  Since it is on concrete I can do a firepit thingy.  I've always wanted one but Robby wouldn't let me get one on the wood deck.  Go figure.  Humph.  He spoils all the fun.

The neighborhood is super quiet but, as always...one house stands out in particular.  They park a car on the lawn.  *BLINK*  WHERE THEY DO THAT 'ET?????  There is a two car garage with an adequate sized two car drive up to the garage.  Why in the hell do you have a car on the fuggin grass?  Come on people!  Have some class about your azz!  I'm sure I will meet them soon enough, smooze them and then gently ask WHY in a nice lady way that makes them question the same.

The drive was ecruciating and I am not looking forward to packing and moving ever again but baaaaaaaaaaaaby...in 16 months I am going to shoot up outta here like a cannon!

Okay...gotta go do the mandatory move-in Home Depot / Target run.  Oh...and MUST.HAVE.WINE for 5:30 on the dot so MUST.FIND.WINE.STORE.STAT!  If yall hear that I'm in the hospital for an infection, it won't be Ebola, it will be from bleach poisoning (which is a very real thing that I found out when Shelly got bleach poisoned disinfecting her house from her renters).  Send flowers.  You know...of the hydrangea variety I love so. (Reminds me...have to find a local florist.  UGH!  And a hair stylist!  DOUBLE UGH! AND LORD!!!!!!!  A BROW TECHNICIAN!  KILL.ME.NOW!)  

QUESTION:  The last time you moved...did anything nice get messed up or broken?

Scenario From Real Life

Your home owner's association is getting to be super damn annoying.

I mean...you get it.  They exist for a reason and in some cases...they can make you want to stare off into space for an hour just contemplating apartment living and how peaceful it was back then.

So...they amp up their process and start sending out annoying emails, letters and ish that you go ahead and mark as spam so you never see them.

You maintain your home well and never have problems anyway and you don't want to see/deal with the bull they have going on.

One of your neighbors asks you if you got a letter about powerwashing the siding on side of your house.  

You tell them no because you just powerwashed the side of your house that Spring.

The neighbor states that they got a letter and that your house has as much grime on it as theirs does and that they sent in an email saying exactly that.

You:  Wait...so you told them that my house SPECIFICALLY has the same amount of grime on it that yours does?

Them:  Yes.

You:  Well ain't that about some bullshit.  Who does that?

Them:  What?  I mean...your house is always nice so I just wanted them to see that ours is the same.

You:  How the hell you gonna pull me and my house into the bullshit you have going on with them people?  You know I can't STAND them people hell!

Them:  Oh.  I'm sorry.  I didn't think...

You:  You know what...lemme go.

You mad?  

Or would you have done the same?

Pinterest Secrets

A friend just asked me if I still used Pinterest because she never sees me post much over there anymore.  I was confused because I post on Pinterest all the time lately.  More than ever it seems because I'm dream house dreaming/planning.

Then I remembered...oh.  LOL!  

I kinda have those boards locked up.  LOL!

Do you have secret boards on Pinterest?  What do you tend to put in them?

Me on Pinterest:  http://www.pinterest.com/creoleindc/

How to Deep Clean an Area Rug!

I needed to deep clean the area rugs on the main level and didn't want to pay someone a few hundred dollars to do it.  I scoured the internet to see what other people did and then figured out how to do it on my own.  

GO ME!  It's easy enough to do...just time consuming!

Before I headed out to rent a powerwasher (I rented an electric one because I didn't want to deal with gas.) from Home Depot ($35 per day), I vacuumed the rugs and sprinkled them with baking soda letting them sit for a couple of hours.

One thing I learned was that everyone had their own version of solution to use.  Because of Jaru, I wanted to use a stain buster and a deodorizer in my solution so I seriously just mixed stuff up to include Oxy Clean, vinegar, LA Awesome, and Dr. Bronner's peppermint liquid soap (finally finished using that bottle up after realizing I couldn't used it for bubble bath after that tragic disaster...LOL!:  "Like Mother...NOT Like Daughter."). 

Make sure you do this on a day when you are going to get a couple of follow up days without rain.  I did this on Friday and the rugs weren't completely dry until Sunday.

It should be noted that the rugs I was cleaning were 100% wool pile so they weren't super expensive rugs.  If I had super expensive rugs I would definitely let a professional do them.  It should also be noted that I didn't have a problem with replacing these rugs if I screwed them up so I scrubbed them down something serious.  I would test an area first with your cleaning solution to make sure it didn't discolor a rug you wanted to make sure you didn't ruin.  

I made a quick video showing the process and I'm happy to say my rugs came out wonderfully clean and clean smelling!  GO ME!  Check me out getting my rug scrub on!

Question:  How do you deep clean YOUR rugs?  What solution do you use?  Do you make your own, or do you buy one?

Deodorizing Home of Dog Smells

Hard-knock Life

Yall know I love my doggie but sometimes he stinks.  He can't help it.  He's a dog and he doesn't get bathed daily.  To combat his dog stink (or burned bacon stink, or salmon cooking stink, or burned popcorn stink) I do simple stuff.

1.  Bowl of vinegar - A bowl of plain white vinegar absorbs odor perfectly.  Just sit it in the middle of the room needing to be de-funk-ti-fied and let it sit for a few hours or overnight. (I currently have a bowl of vinegar under the chest of drawers in our room right by his bed.)  

2.  Spray bottle of vinegar  -  Keep a spray bottle of vinegar handy for rugs that the dogs frequently lay on.  This can also be used on carpets.  Don't saturate the rugs and carpet...just spray a light mist over them.

3.  Arm & Hammer Baking Soda - I keep 2lb boxes of these on hand.  During deep cleaning day I sprinkle all over rugs and carpets and just let it sit while the rest of the house is being cleaned.  By the time it's time to vacuum, lingering odors have been absorbed.  Ever so often I notice my vacuum has a weird smell so I just dump a 1/2 cup of baking soda on a rug and vacuum it up and let it sit in the vacuum after I've cleaned the filter.  Works every time.  No more after-vacuum weird smell.  

4.  Lysol - I walk throughout the house every few days spraying Lysol above my head.  I hit every room starting with my bathroom and weaving in and out of rooms until I hit the basement bathroom.  I even do the closets.  I use the Lysol in the yellow can.  Why?  Because that's the Lysol my mommy used.  LOL!  I only have a different fragrance if they didn't have the yellow can at the store.  I have to get a new can of Lysol every 3 weeks or so.  $5 well worth it.  The other sprays don't do it for me.  I need to get clinical with it.  LOL!  

5.  When company is coming over, I go for something nice smelling so I use my wax / oil electric warmer by the door and a candle elsewhere.

Fleur-De-Lis Oil Warmer

I love using essential oils in the warmer because you can pretty much create your own scents.  I get real creative with it too.  Lavender, cedarwood, orange, grapefruit, etc. all mixed up together.  All you need is about 15 drops of any combination and you get an awesome smell good going.  Do that about 15 minutes before company arrives and they will always walk through the door saying, "Ooooh, it smells good in here!"  The only thing that smells better?  A slow cooking roast.  LOL!  If you have a roast in the oven...do nada else.  The roast brings all the boys and girls to the yard.  LOL!  I have had neighbors knock on the door to ask what I'm cooking when a slow cooking roast is in the oven.

6.  Mr. Clean wipe down. - At least once a week I put Mr. Clean and hot water in the sink and use it to wipe down the countertops, cabinets, appliances and walls.  You have to when you have a pet.  Jaru gets on my last nerve with his drool shake and that must be banished even if I don't see it.  He brushes up against the walls and scratches and whatnot so yeah...gotta be clean.

7.  Vacuum AT LEAST twice a week in the areas Jaru kicks it most.  His hair and dander can stack up pretty quickly.  

Oh...and that pillow?  It's his.  All humans who visit know this.  It has a removable cover and gets washed often because he posts up on it on the regular!  LOL!  It is indeed a lot of work but it's worth it for him.  Humph.

Do you have a doggie?  What do YOU do to keep doggie smells at bay?

Are You Making a Fall Wreath?