Refresh Your Vacuum Filter!

Need to refresh your vacuum cleaner filter?  

I wanted to replace my Eureka vacuum filter, because the nice Febreze smell was gone, and it was kinda yukky looking.  After looking at the prices for replacing the filter at the various Large Box Retailers (Walmart & Target), I found myself rethinking that what I have would be just fine!  Average replacement cost was $13.00 - $20.00!  

Wow, that's kinda high.  

So I was out and about doing some shopping the other day after an eye appointment when I went down the potpourri aisle in Walmart.  I wonder if I could use the liquid potpourri to refresh my vacuum filter!  I bought a bottle of the Linen smell (32 oz) for $3.00.  Once I got home I found a small plastic coffee container that I could put my extra filter & liquid potpourri in.  The one I found is not quite tall enough, but would hold the filter and the liquid potpourri just fine.  I let the filter soak in the potpourri for about an hour or so, then took it out & let it dry on a plate.  

On a side note....I let it dry on top of my refrigerator and every time I walked pass or opened my refrigerator I could smell the filter!  I think this is going to work!  I also kept the liquid I poured into the coffee container & labeled it for future use!

So, today I replaced my newly potpourri-ed vacuum filter and started vacuuming my carpet!  OMGolly!  It works!  Makes the air smell like clean Linen!!  Yippee!!  Not only have I saved money, but I have all the extra liquid potpourri to continue refreshing my filters for a long time to come!!  I am also going to try soaking my filters in a bleach & water mixture after I hose them off!  I should have nice white and clean smelling vacuum filters, and with two dogs everyone knows its a must to have clean & smell pretty filters!

Filter sitting in the coffee container, I tried a wide mouth mason jar, but the filter is just a tad to large!  I will find another container I can seal and soak the filter in one day, but until then this small coffee container will work.

Linen Liquid Potpourri from Walmart $3.00

My Eureka Filter, but I am sure you can use any type vacuum filter that is made to be cleaned!

Wreaths Across America - Houston 2012

Our family outing to Houston National Cemetery 

December 15, 2012

We volunteered this year to help put out wreaths at the National Cemetery in Houston.  What a moving and wonderful way to spend the day.  I encourage  you to volunteer next year for this special event done across these United States!  What a great way to honor our fallen hero's.  Take the kids out with you!  For more information please click on the link below...

http://www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/

Homemade Stove Top / Crock Pot Smell-Y Jars as a Holiday Gift!

Great Holiday Visiting Gift!

I used one small Mini Mason Jar, added fresh cut Rosemary from my garden to the bottom, then poured in about two tablespoons of Vanilla extract (I use the the extract from Mexico that is too strong to cook with).  Next I pick one fresh Meyer lemon off my tree and sliced it.  I placed the lemon on top of the Rosemary and vanilla.  I then topped it off with some more Rosemary & added water to fill the jar.  I have them in my refrigerator right now.  Now all I need is some ribbon to place around the jar and these will make great gifts to give to people when I go to their homes this holiday season!  I also make a similar Quart Mason Jar gift that is dry.  It contains Cinnamon sticks, Cloves and dried Orange peels.  I also place dried pine cones in it to fill the jar up, plus it gives a nice Christmas look! 

Instructions for Simmering:

Place all ingredients in a stove top pan, add a cup of water and simmer on the stove.  Never Under Any Circumstances leave a pot simmering on a stove unless you are in the kitchen to watch it!  I usually will get mine to a boiling point and then turn off the stove top, or I leave it on the back burner that vents the oven, so when I am cooking it heats it without me having to turn on the stove top!  I have used this particular amount for about 3 weeks of smelling until I had to throw it out.  I also add extra Rosemary once a week to kick it up a notch. You can also use a crock pot for simmering, again remember to fill it with water every hour or so!!  You can never be to careful...Please!!

Ingredients:

 Vanilla, Rosemary & Citrus Smell Jar

1 - Mini Mason Jar (or any Size you want)

3 - Sprigs of Rosemary

1 - Lemon ~ Sliced

2 - Tablespoons Vanilla Extract

Water as needed

Christmas Spice Smell Jar

1 - Quart Mason Jar

1 - Dried Orange Peel

6 - Dried Cinnamon Sticks

10 - Dried Clove Sticks

4 - Dried Pine Cones 

(I do not use the Pine Cones when simmering)

Water as needed

I found the ingredients for the Rosemary/Lemon/Vanilla off Pinterest of course, and the Christmas Spice ingredients are from my Mother, as her house always smells like this during the holiday season! 

Pendant Star Light

 Pendant Star Light

Mason Jar Chandelier

Side View of Chandelier 

Looking up at chandelier 

Mason Jar Chandelier

With all the different Mason Jar lights that you see on Pinterest here lately, I knew I could & would make one myself!  I saw this "Texas" star a couple of months ago, and I knew I wanted to make my first chandelier with it. I found the mason jars I wanted to use, and they are green reproductions of the 1858 mason jars & made of recycled glass! My next step was to set out on a journey to find the lighting.  I have a basic idea of how lightening works, but by gosh I did not realize all the  whatchamacallits & thingamajigs one might need to make a chandelier!  I got my drill out and with the exception of one slip (no injuries to myself, just the star) I made my very first chandelier!!!  I will be displaying it at a trade show this weekend, and I will be very interested to see if I can get a commission to do another one!  If I do....Will I be able to call myself an artist!  Do you call people who make chandeliers artists?   

Materials I used

1 - Texas Metal Star

5 - Quart Mason Jar

5 - Six foot of wire (I used clear)

5 - Brass 1/8" nipple

5 - 2" keyless socket 1/8" IP

5 - Crystal Clear bulbs "B" Type

5 - 1/8 Brass Hex Nut

1 - 13/32" Drill Bit 

1 - 1/8 Drill Bit

1 - 1/2" Hose clamp

1 - Can brown spray paint

1 - Wire stripper

1 - Phillips screw driver

1- Wrench

1 - Box Cutter

Drilled one large hole in the top of each mason jar lid and then four smaller holes in the lids for heat to escape. I attached the wire to the sockets.  I put the nipple through the lid hole and attached the socket, and then tightened the nipple to the lid with the hex nut.  I drilled a hole at the end of each star point and ran the wire through the hole. I spray painted the hose clamp brown to hided the chrome finish.  I used the hose clamp around all the wires, and this will allow me to lower or raise the mason jars, as well as hold all the wires together.  I will have an electrician come in and direct wire the light!  

I am an Artist!  

JES/JIS Pool Party 2012 - Photo Montage Video

JES/JIS Pool Party

Doubletree - Houston, Texas

August 2- 5, 2012

Dragon Alumni

Plants from my Garden

These are some of the plants I have in the Garden this year!

The flowers have been beautiful, the Vegetables were not so hot this year.  I got great Green Beans, & Red Potato's, however the Tomato's were horrible as were the Zucchini.