Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Wool Dryer Balls

The last few days we have been enjoying some warm sunny weather with wonderful cool breezes. Perfect summer weather.

Ideal days for making refrigerator pickles.



A friend gave me this recipe for refrigerator pickles that are a little spicy and a little sweet. So delicious! I have a hard time waiting the two weeks it takes for them to really soak up all the flavors of the spices before I dig into them.

Also, ideal days for working in the garden.


Which, I'm gonna tell you was long overdue!



Oh were there weeds to be pulled!



It was very exciting, as I worked, to see how well my vegetable garden is coming along.



I'm going to have so many tomatoes!! -squeal-



And if I had a clothesline, these would be ideal days for hanging our clothing out to dry. I love the idea of hanging clothing out to dry in a lovely summer breeze. Plus it uses no electricity!

Unfortunately I don't have a clothesline. Which might actually be for the best as hanging clothing out to dry on top of subjecting the neighbors to our backyard chickens, which some only reluctantly agreed to, might be asking them to tolerate a little too much. Especially when Pookie has taken to the occasional loud, song of loneliness when the other ladies are in nesting boxes and she's all alone in the yard. Oh Lord help us!



Yep, definitely not the time to add a billowing, flapping parade of laundry drying in the backyard, no matter how much I love the idea.

Instead, to reduce some of our electricity usage, and to get rid of unnecessary chemicals in the home, I have begun to use wool dryer balls.



They're pretty, and functional! Love it!! 

And they are the newest product in my online store! Click the link to check them out!

Wool dryer balls are made of 100% wool that has been felted into a ball. 

Toss 2 to 4 dryer balls into your dryer, depending on the size of your laundry load - 2 for a small load, up to 4 for larger loads - with washed, wet laundry. The dryer balls will reduce drying time by efficiently circulating the air in your dryer. Saves on energy! 



They are reusable for hundreds of drying cycles. Get 2 wool dryer balls for $15 plus shipping and handling at the Unexpected Daisies Shop vs repeatedly purchasing chemical fabric softeners. Never buy fabric softeners again! And since wool dryer balls are scent and chemical free they are perfect for those who have sensitive skin.

For those who prefer to add scent to their laundry, 2 to 4 drops of a favorite essential oil can be added directly on to each dryer ball before they are placed in the dryer.



I found that a few drops of lemon essential oil very effectively removed a musty smell from some fabric I purchased from a garage sale. Whoop whoop!

Wool dryer balls absorb moisture from the wet clothes then slowly release the moisture during the drying cycle helping to reduce static electricity, remove wrinkles and soften clothes.

And they look a lot cuter sitting in a basket in the laundry room than that box or bottle of chemical fabric softener! Who doesn't want a cuter option when we can get one??

The dryers balls pictured below are the ones I have been using for months. They've gathered a little pilling along the way, but are still as pretty as the first time used them! 



These wool dryer balls have quickly become one of my favorite things! I'll never by a dryer sheet or liquid fabric softener again!

Purchase your own felted wool dryer balls today by clicking here!

Christine


Monday, July 6, 2015

Red, White, and Blue and a Garden Too

For the last few years we have had the good pleasure of being included in a friend's Independence Day celebration. With good food, laughter, and games, it's always a great time.  


Can you get over this little cutie-pie in her red, white and blue?? LOVE IT!!

The weather this year was so wonderful! 

In between all of the fun and games, I was completely drawn to the garden.


The roses were stunning!


Oh the purples,


and pinks,


and reds! 

Is there anything more exciting than a bud on the verge of bursting forth??




Wandering through a garden makes my heart rejoice! 

So lovely!

And of course no 4th of July celebration is complete without...

Okay, the kids would say glow in the dark, neon bracelets.


But we all know it's really the fireworks that make it a celebration!


OOOH


AAHH


More OOHS!


Lots more AAHS!


And we love a big finish!


You gotta love a good 4th of July celebration! 

Helps take your mind off of the fact that stores have already begun to stock back to school supplies. WHAT??

Christine