We finally have internet in our new flat!! It's such a relief after living for so long in the Dark Ages. ;) We're also really enjoying having TiVo - I've already set all my favourite shows to Series Record. :) A feature I didn't actually think I'd missed was being able to rewind the tv, but we used it so much last night to show each other things we didn't see, or even just to pause for a bathroom break instead of waiting for adverts!
The only thing I am sad about now we have the new equipment is that some of it has to stay on all the time now. I tried turning the router off when we went out a few times, but it causes horrible connection problems when it's turned back on. We're turning the TiVo box off for now, but once it starts recording some of the shows it'll need to stay on or it won't record any shows from when it's off. I'm trying not to feel too guilty though, since everything else in the flat stays off unless in use. :)
I'm afraid it's just a short post for you today, I woke up early due to having a cold and used my time wisely as you can see! But now it's time to get ready for work. Then this evening we're going to my grandparents' 50th Wedding Anniversary party, which is going to be amazing. :) I have a little speech prepared for them (it's a surprise..shh!) as do a few other family members, so I'll post it for you over the weekend!
Have a lovely sunny day everyone! (I'm being optimistic - I can see a faint hint of sun coming in through the front door!)
0
LED Lights
Morning! Hope your week is going well. :)
We've just installed some LED lights at the coffee shop and they look fab. :) We bought 3 to start with to make sure they were compatible with our current fittings and now we know they work we'll be putting in another 9. They're so much better than our standard spotlights - when I asked if we could get them originally I was only thinking of the environmental benefits, but now they're in place I've found they're so much prettier too! They give a little sparkle effect rather than just a circle of light, so I'm very happy. :)
Speaking of the environmental benefits though, did you know an LED light uses 92% less electricity than your average bulb? And speaking from experience they actually give more light too! An LED light is supposed to last for up to 5 years, which is much longer than the few months we've been getting out of our current bulbs. So overall, you'd be mad not to get them. Their original outlay is more than a normal bulb, but it'll pay you back on your bills pretty quickly. :)
In other news, I'm off to Center Parcs for the weekend tomorrow! It's my grandparents' 50th Wedding Anniversary this year so they're getting the whole family together for a celebration. So I won't be around to post until next week now - not that it's anything out of the ordinary these days!
Have a wonderful weekend everyone. :)
We've just installed some LED lights at the coffee shop and they look fab. :) We bought 3 to start with to make sure they were compatible with our current fittings and now we know they work we'll be putting in another 9. They're so much better than our standard spotlights - when I asked if we could get them originally I was only thinking of the environmental benefits, but now they're in place I've found they're so much prettier too! They give a little sparkle effect rather than just a circle of light, so I'm very happy. :)
Speaking of the environmental benefits though, did you know an LED light uses 92% less electricity than your average bulb? And speaking from experience they actually give more light too! An LED light is supposed to last for up to 5 years, which is much longer than the few months we've been getting out of our current bulbs. So overall, you'd be mad not to get them. Their original outlay is more than a normal bulb, but it'll pay you back on your bills pretty quickly. :)
In other news, I'm off to Center Parcs for the weekend tomorrow! It's my grandparents' 50th Wedding Anniversary this year so they're getting the whole family together for a celebration. So I won't be around to post until next week now - not that it's anything out of the ordinary these days!
Have a wonderful weekend everyone. :)
Posted by
Ami Marshall
Eco-Friendly Hair Care
Hello! I've managed to get on the internet from work and wanted to squeeze in a sneaky blog post while I had the chance!
Earlier I saw an article about a shampoo bar by Lush explaining it's eco-credentials and it's had me thinking all day about the hair care products I use. I've heard of shampoo bars before but it's never been something I thought of using. Having read this article I'm seriously considering investing in some to see what it's like. I especially like the look of their Reincarnate Shampoo as it might revive the colour in my hair. :)
Up until now it only occurred to me to save water during a shower, but this has brought a whole new aspect in for me. I love that you just get a re-usable tin to store the shampoo, saving on hundreds of plastic bottles over the years! Plus they've come up with a solid conditioner bar too, so the entire hair care process becomes plastic free.
This has even lead me on to discover solid perfumes! So I'm guessing there are a whole host of products out there that I could be switching to and saving on packaging. As a result, this blog is now my pledge to replace any products I can with a solid counterpart as and when I run out. I still stand by my original aim: to become more eco-friendly without sacrificing the quality of my lifestyle, so if they really suck I'll be switching straight back! But if they do as good as/better than my current products there's no reason not to go Green!
Have you tried Solid Shampoos/other products before? Does anyone want to join me with this experiment? Let me know what you think. :)
Earlier I saw an article about a shampoo bar by Lush explaining it's eco-credentials and it's had me thinking all day about the hair care products I use. I've heard of shampoo bars before but it's never been something I thought of using. Having read this article I'm seriously considering investing in some to see what it's like. I especially like the look of their Reincarnate Shampoo as it might revive the colour in my hair. :)
Up until now it only occurred to me to save water during a shower, but this has brought a whole new aspect in for me. I love that you just get a re-usable tin to store the shampoo, saving on hundreds of plastic bottles over the years! Plus they've come up with a solid conditioner bar too, so the entire hair care process becomes plastic free.
 |
| I love that it's called The Smell of Weather Turning! |
This has even lead me on to discover solid perfumes! So I'm guessing there are a whole host of products out there that I could be switching to and saving on packaging. As a result, this blog is now my pledge to replace any products I can with a solid counterpart as and when I run out. I still stand by my original aim: to become more eco-friendly without sacrificing the quality of my lifestyle, so if they really suck I'll be switching straight back! But if they do as good as/better than my current products there's no reason not to go Green!
Have you tried Solid Shampoos/other products before? Does anyone want to join me with this experiment? Let me know what you think. :)
Posted by
Ami Marshall
3000 Views!
I only have about 30 seconds for a post, but I couldn't possibly let 3000 views go un-celebrated! That's amazing! :)
Once again I am super sorry for the lack of posts lately. This morning I waited in for 5 hours for someone to come and install internet for us and at the end of the 5 hours when I rang to complain no one showed up they told me they had changed our installation date but hadn't notified us! So now the new date is 12th July. I will be trying to find ways to post more before then, as I'm getting blog withdrawal!
Hope you're enjoying the sunshine while it lasts! :)
Once again I am super sorry for the lack of posts lately. This morning I waited in for 5 hours for someone to come and install internet for us and at the end of the 5 hours when I rang to complain no one showed up they told me they had changed our installation date but hadn't notified us! So now the new date is 12th July. I will be trying to find ways to post more before then, as I'm getting blog withdrawal!
Hope you're enjoying the sunshine while it lasts! :)
Posted by
Ami Marshall
Fascinating Facts
We all want to be more Green but without knowing the effect we're having it's hard to keep up motivation. So as promised I've put together a few interesting facts about recycling and the actual impact it has on the environment so we can keep the momentum going. :)
Laptops use 80% less energy than a desktop.
They're portable, last hours without being plugged in and can connect us to the internet on the go so we already love our laptops. Now you can also be smug that you're helping the environment at the same time!
If everyone re-used 2ft of wrapping ribbon just once it would save 38,000 miles worth.
That's enough to tie a bow around the earth!
A tumble drier uses 3x more energy than the washing machine.
So if you wash and dry your clothes with machines it's the equivalent of washing them 4 times over. An airer is more environmentally friendly and can be hidden out of sight if necessary. :)
85,000 litres of rain fall on your roof every year.
A water butt will allow you to use this water for your plants and washing your car instead of fresh water from the tap.
It takes 80% less energy to recycle an aluminium or steel can than make a new one.
To make it even more impressive; cans can be recycled endlessly so if everyone started recycling we'd never need to make another can again! (Unrealistic I know, but I'm a dreamer...)
A car club takes approx. 20 privately owned cars off the road.
If you're very car-reliant it may not be for you, but if you can rely on public transport a lot of the time and only need a car now and then car clubs can be extremely useful.
Glass milk bottles are reused approx. 13 times before they're recycled.
That's 13 times more than a plastic bottle! Plus the milkman delivers using an electric car so you can be smug when you don't have to go buy fresh milk instead of feeling lazy!
80% of the energy a washing machine uses is to heat the water.
Turn down the temperature and you turn down your electricity bill!
An urban cycler reaches speeds of approx. 15-22km/hour.
An urban driver reaches speeds of approx. 22-35km/hour in traffic. Add in time for searching for spaces and parking, then walking the 2 miles to work because you couldn't get closer... it could be quicker to just cycle!
You can save approx. 5000 litres of water a year if you have an old toilet.
Fill a 1L bottle with water (or 2 500ml bottles) and put them in your cistern. This will save 1L of water every time you flush, which accumulates to approx. 5000 litres of water over the year! (This only works if you have a normal flush - push buttons use a different mechanism.)
Insulating your roof will save approx. 25% more energy each year.
For the full details on insulating your loft check out this post.
Filling in draughts around the house - especially doors and windows - can save up to 10% on your energy bill.
More information is also in the link above - it's well worth getting draught excluders, lining thin curtains and keeping doors shut wherever possible!
Cotton production takes up 2.6% of our water usage.
Fixing up old clothes, donating those you don't want and buying from charity shops will all reduce the amount of new clothing that needs to be made and will cut down our water usage.
In the UK appliances left on stand-by use 2 power stations worth of electricity a year.
Some of the appliances can use up to 90% of their normal power use even on stand-by, so it really is worth turning them off at the plug. Some of the worst culprits are TVs, stereos and games consoles!
In 2010 hydropower accounted for approx. 16% of global electricity production!
Add to that solar energy, wind energy etc. and we can see that our efforts are making a global impact. :)
Laptops use 80% less energy than a desktop.
They're portable, last hours without being plugged in and can connect us to the internet on the go so we already love our laptops. Now you can also be smug that you're helping the environment at the same time!
If everyone re-used 2ft of wrapping ribbon just once it would save 38,000 miles worth.
That's enough to tie a bow around the earth!
A tumble drier uses 3x more energy than the washing machine.
So if you wash and dry your clothes with machines it's the equivalent of washing them 4 times over. An airer is more environmentally friendly and can be hidden out of sight if necessary. :)
85,000 litres of rain fall on your roof every year.
A water butt will allow you to use this water for your plants and washing your car instead of fresh water from the tap.
It takes 80% less energy to recycle an aluminium or steel can than make a new one.
To make it even more impressive; cans can be recycled endlessly so if everyone started recycling we'd never need to make another can again! (Unrealistic I know, but I'm a dreamer...)
A car club takes approx. 20 privately owned cars off the road.
If you're very car-reliant it may not be for you, but if you can rely on public transport a lot of the time and only need a car now and then car clubs can be extremely useful.
Glass milk bottles are reused approx. 13 times before they're recycled.
That's 13 times more than a plastic bottle! Plus the milkman delivers using an electric car so you can be smug when you don't have to go buy fresh milk instead of feeling lazy!
80% of the energy a washing machine uses is to heat the water.
Turn down the temperature and you turn down your electricity bill!
An urban cycler reaches speeds of approx. 15-22km/hour.
An urban driver reaches speeds of approx. 22-35km/hour in traffic. Add in time for searching for spaces and parking, then walking the 2 miles to work because you couldn't get closer... it could be quicker to just cycle!
You can save approx. 5000 litres of water a year if you have an old toilet.
Fill a 1L bottle with water (or 2 500ml bottles) and put them in your cistern. This will save 1L of water every time you flush, which accumulates to approx. 5000 litres of water over the year! (This only works if you have a normal flush - push buttons use a different mechanism.)
Insulating your roof will save approx. 25% more energy each year.
For the full details on insulating your loft check out this post.
Filling in draughts around the house - especially doors and windows - can save up to 10% on your energy bill.
More information is also in the link above - it's well worth getting draught excluders, lining thin curtains and keeping doors shut wherever possible!
Cotton production takes up 2.6% of our water usage.
Fixing up old clothes, donating those you don't want and buying from charity shops will all reduce the amount of new clothing that needs to be made and will cut down our water usage.
In the UK appliances left on stand-by use 2 power stations worth of electricity a year.
Some of the appliances can use up to 90% of their normal power use even on stand-by, so it really is worth turning them off at the plug. Some of the worst culprits are TVs, stereos and games consoles!
In 2010 hydropower accounted for approx. 16% of global electricity production!
Add to that solar energy, wind energy etc. and we can see that our efforts are making a global impact. :)
Posted by
Ami Marshall
New Flat: Week 2
It's officially 2 weeks today and the flat is starting to look like people live there rather than a dumping ground for boxes! ;)
We bought a cabinet for our bathroom yesterday so soon we can put all our things away instead of just in a box on the floor. It'll be nice not to stub my toe when brushing my teeth! We also got some lampshades for the lounge and our bedroom so we don't have plain hanging lightbulbs anymore. :)
This week we've learned valuable information ready for the winter. This may sound a bit random but the sucky weather has caused our neighbours to use their heating. As a consequence we've found just how hot our flat gets when they do! We've been watching tv in strap tops and joggers at 10pm this week because it's too toasty for anything else. :)
I know I haven't written any eco blogs for you recently, but I have plenty planned for when I return to modern technology! Including 180 uses for 9 every day items and some facts about just how much our Green efforts make an impact.
Until then I leave you with this incredible fact: A cyclist can travel 644 miles and use the same amount of energy as it takes to make just 1 litre of fuel.
We bought a cabinet for our bathroom yesterday so soon we can put all our things away instead of just in a box on the floor. It'll be nice not to stub my toe when brushing my teeth! We also got some lampshades for the lounge and our bedroom so we don't have plain hanging lightbulbs anymore. :)
This week we've learned valuable information ready for the winter. This may sound a bit random but the sucky weather has caused our neighbours to use their heating. As a consequence we've found just how hot our flat gets when they do! We've been watching tv in strap tops and joggers at 10pm this week because it's too toasty for anything else. :)
I know I haven't written any eco blogs for you recently, but I have plenty planned for when I return to modern technology! Including 180 uses for 9 every day items and some facts about just how much our Green efforts make an impact.
Until then I leave you with this incredible fact: A cyclist can travel 644 miles and use the same amount of energy as it takes to make just 1 litre of fuel.
Posted by
Ami Marshall
New Flat: Week 1
Hello lovely people!
We have officially been in our new flat over a week now and it's been pretty interesting! Moving in was a bit of drama which I won't bore you with, but suffice it to say that we have none of the furniture we were planning to move in with. It's all worked out well, but my plan of using all pre-loved furniture went a little down the drain thanks to some weather mishaps and sizing issues!
We have a new IKEA bedroom set, although I chose one that will be with us for many years to come so I had sustainability in mind there. A new tv, which will also be dead before we replace it - had no choice with this one since the old one got rained on in transit. We also have a brand new sofa and armchair, second hand! Crazy as that sounds, someone a family member knew had the 3 piece set in his garage because he'd bought it and it wasn't right. Still in its wrapping, it had sat there for over a year and after hearing our situation he was happy to give it to us for the low price of: our old sofa that wouldn't fit! So we have a brand new cream leather sofa and it didn't cost us a penny. :)
So minor furniture issues aside, everything has been beyond amazing this last week. I've suffered a few health issues (understatement of the year!) but Tom has been fantastic at looking after me and sorting all the official stuff I've not been able to take care of. We've had great fun playing board games, putting furniture together and moving it around to make it perfect, playing on the wii and generally just enjoyed having our own space. :)
One thing I've been having fun with is finding ways to cut down on our bills, not that we've had one yet! We're on a water meter and our heating is on the electric so we've been cutting back in every way we can without actually sacrificing anything. The heating hasn't gone on except to dry out the mattress when we moved in (seriously - weather mishaps!) and to give the washing a boost drying when it was particularly wet outside. It's actually pretty toasty in the flat until 8/9pm, at which point we pull the blanket off the bed and snuggle up. :)
We're also turning absolutely everything off when it isn't in use - including the oven and washing machine (at the wall that is)! The only things that are running 24/7 in our house are the hot water heater and the fridge/freezer. I'll be really interested to see what our bills come to at the end of the month. I'm hoping they're not that high because I'm not sure we could cut back much more without sacrificing something!
Today's post was a bit of a lengthy one, but I felt I owed you a decent post since I haven't been on much lately! Internet is arriving in our flat on the 25th June and I can't wait! Until then I'll be updating you as and when I can. :) I have a few ideas for some interesting posts so watch this space. ;)
Much love
xx
We have officially been in our new flat over a week now and it's been pretty interesting! Moving in was a bit of drama which I won't bore you with, but suffice it to say that we have none of the furniture we were planning to move in with. It's all worked out well, but my plan of using all pre-loved furniture went a little down the drain thanks to some weather mishaps and sizing issues!
We have a new IKEA bedroom set, although I chose one that will be with us for many years to come so I had sustainability in mind there. A new tv, which will also be dead before we replace it - had no choice with this one since the old one got rained on in transit. We also have a brand new sofa and armchair, second hand! Crazy as that sounds, someone a family member knew had the 3 piece set in his garage because he'd bought it and it wasn't right. Still in its wrapping, it had sat there for over a year and after hearing our situation he was happy to give it to us for the low price of: our old sofa that wouldn't fit! So we have a brand new cream leather sofa and it didn't cost us a penny. :)
So minor furniture issues aside, everything has been beyond amazing this last week. I've suffered a few health issues (understatement of the year!) but Tom has been fantastic at looking after me and sorting all the official stuff I've not been able to take care of. We've had great fun playing board games, putting furniture together and moving it around to make it perfect, playing on the wii and generally just enjoyed having our own space. :)
One thing I've been having fun with is finding ways to cut down on our bills, not that we've had one yet! We're on a water meter and our heating is on the electric so we've been cutting back in every way we can without actually sacrificing anything. The heating hasn't gone on except to dry out the mattress when we moved in (seriously - weather mishaps!) and to give the washing a boost drying when it was particularly wet outside. It's actually pretty toasty in the flat until 8/9pm, at which point we pull the blanket off the bed and snuggle up. :)
We're also turning absolutely everything off when it isn't in use - including the oven and washing machine (at the wall that is)! The only things that are running 24/7 in our house are the hot water heater and the fridge/freezer. I'll be really interested to see what our bills come to at the end of the month. I'm hoping they're not that high because I'm not sure we could cut back much more without sacrificing something!
Today's post was a bit of a lengthy one, but I felt I owed you a decent post since I haven't been on much lately! Internet is arriving in our flat on the 25th June and I can't wait! Until then I'll be updating you as and when I can. :) I have a few ideas for some interesting posts so watch this space. ;)
Much love
xx
Posted by
Ami Marshall
Quick update!
Hello lovely readers, I've missed you!
It's lovely to see I'm still getting views even though I'm not posting. :) I've had such a busy few weeks - first of all I got a severe case of tonsilitis which was not fun at all. I had quite a few trips to A&E and more than once I had to argue with them to avoid being admitted! But in the end I won the battle, got some antibiotics that actually worked and now I'm better. :)
We also moved into our new flat which was quite an ordeal in itself. I was still incapacitated with tonsilitis, so my mum and Tom had to pack up our entire house in just a morning. I'm still incredibly impressed that they managed it! I'll have to give you a more detailed run down of the events of the last week later on, I'm on borrowed internet at the moment. But the short of it all is that I have a very amazing partner. Tom has taken every problem thrown at us in his stride and fixed them all, while I looked on in despair (and usually tears). He's made us a lovely little home and we're very happy now. :)
We still don't have internet at the new flat yet, so I'm afraid I won't be posting regularly yet. But the good news is we officially get internet on the 25th of June (providing Virgin don't delay it at all!) so I'll be back to posting for you for definite then.
Sorry for the short post, but I missed you all and wanted to keep you updated! :)
Much love to you all,
Ami
It's lovely to see I'm still getting views even though I'm not posting. :) I've had such a busy few weeks - first of all I got a severe case of tonsilitis which was not fun at all. I had quite a few trips to A&E and more than once I had to argue with them to avoid being admitted! But in the end I won the battle, got some antibiotics that actually worked and now I'm better. :)
We also moved into our new flat which was quite an ordeal in itself. I was still incapacitated with tonsilitis, so my mum and Tom had to pack up our entire house in just a morning. I'm still incredibly impressed that they managed it! I'll have to give you a more detailed run down of the events of the last week later on, I'm on borrowed internet at the moment. But the short of it all is that I have a very amazing partner. Tom has taken every problem thrown at us in his stride and fixed them all, while I looked on in despair (and usually tears). He's made us a lovely little home and we're very happy now. :)
We still don't have internet at the new flat yet, so I'm afraid I won't be posting regularly yet. But the good news is we officially get internet on the 25th of June (providing Virgin don't delay it at all!) so I'll be back to posting for you for definite then.
Sorry for the short post, but I missed you all and wanted to keep you updated! :)
Much love to you all,
Ami
Posted by
Ami Marshall
Happy Jubilee Weekend!
Hello all you lovely people!
The Jubilee weekend is upon us and it's time to celebrate either the Queen or just an extra long weekend! I'll be heading down to the seaside from tomorrow until Sunday for a little getaway, so I'm afraid there'll be no blogs from me. I'll also be packing up our stuff Monday/Tuesday ready to move flat on Friday! So this might be the start of a little quiet time from me, depending on whether I can get internet or not. I promise to keep you updated whenever possible, so don't worry! I'll even post pictures of the new flat once we get there.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Ami
xx
The Jubilee weekend is upon us and it's time to celebrate either the Queen or just an extra long weekend! I'll be heading down to the seaside from tomorrow until Sunday for a little getaway, so I'm afraid there'll be no blogs from me. I'll also be packing up our stuff Monday/Tuesday ready to move flat on Friday! So this might be the start of a little quiet time from me, depending on whether I can get internet or not. I promise to keep you updated whenever possible, so don't worry! I'll even post pictures of the new flat once we get there.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Ami
xx
Posted by
Ami Marshall
Does this make me a grown up?
I'm very well known for being childish. Not in a refusing to grow up sense, I am just very childlike when it comes to having fun and my life perspective. Some people say "You shouldn't do that because *enter sensible reason here*..." whereas I think "Why the hell not?" and go out in the rain at 3am, or take a trip to the park just to feed the ducks in the middle of winter. It doesn't make sense, but it makes me happy and I think that's the point of life.
But lately I've started coming up with the sensible reasons and I'm starting to feel a little old. When I get invited out on an evening I have to work out what time I'll get home to make sure I get enough sleep. And the more I go furniture shopping, or spend time online looking into the cheapest phone/broadband combo (it's Sky right now by the way) the older I feel. I've even signed up to Ikea Family today to get discount on the bedroom furniture I'm buying tomorrow.
So my question is this: Does it make me a grown up?
Am I finally succumbing to age and all things 'adult'? Do we all reach a point where fun things become childish and silly? Or is it a state of mind that you sometimes forget but never lose? Have I just forgotten my inner child temporarily?
I like to think it's the latter and that I'm just a little worn out from working and trying to organise moving at the same time. I want to believe that once we're in the new flat it'll be back to fun and games, late nights for no reason and general silliness. I'm hoping to keep all the boxes from moving and turn the spare bedroom into a fort for a while, but I think my plans will be scuppered by the need of storage space in the spare room.. I may convert a corner of our room into one for funsies though..
I can feel the child in me screaming for attention and to be let out to play, so honestly I do think it's just a state of mind. I'm being old because that's what my life needs right now, but when all the sensible things are finished I'll be right back to being ridiculous and outrageous for no reason other than "Because I Can."
Anyone else feeling this way at the moment? Or at least know what I mean? Please tell me I'm not going crazy. :p
But lately I've started coming up with the sensible reasons and I'm starting to feel a little old. When I get invited out on an evening I have to work out what time I'll get home to make sure I get enough sleep. And the more I go furniture shopping, or spend time online looking into the cheapest phone/broadband combo (it's Sky right now by the way) the older I feel. I've even signed up to Ikea Family today to get discount on the bedroom furniture I'm buying tomorrow.
So my question is this: Does it make me a grown up?
Am I finally succumbing to age and all things 'adult'? Do we all reach a point where fun things become childish and silly? Or is it a state of mind that you sometimes forget but never lose? Have I just forgotten my inner child temporarily?
I like to think it's the latter and that I'm just a little worn out from working and trying to organise moving at the same time. I want to believe that once we're in the new flat it'll be back to fun and games, late nights for no reason and general silliness. I'm hoping to keep all the boxes from moving and turn the spare bedroom into a fort for a while, but I think my plans will be scuppered by the need of storage space in the spare room.. I may convert a corner of our room into one for funsies though..
I can feel the child in me screaming for attention and to be let out to play, so honestly I do think it's just a state of mind. I'm being old because that's what my life needs right now, but when all the sensible things are finished I'll be right back to being ridiculous and outrageous for no reason other than "Because I Can."
Anyone else feeling this way at the moment? Or at least know what I mean? Please tell me I'm not going crazy. :p
Posted by
Ami Marshall
Steam Cream Challenge
Good Afternoon!
I'm absolutely loving the unexpected arrival of summer! I've even brought the flip-flops out. :)
I receive the Start UK newsletter each month and in the latest they had a little competition running to win a pot of Steam Cream moisturiser. The first 4 people to email back an eco-beauty tip would receive a full-sized tin of the cream. I emailed back not expecting to get anything, but just before the weekend I received an email to say I'd won! I have to say I'm extremely impressed with the service, as this morning I already had the pot in my possession. :)
After a quick test of it I'm very pleased - you need very little to go a long way and the smell isn't overpowering either, a faint lavender scent. Because I've enjoyed it so much already I've decided to put it through its paces and do a proper review for you. My feet are like zombie feet - I spend a lot of time on them and I don't really look after them very well. They're often a dull grey or purpley colour which isn't pretty! I'm going to use the cream intensively on my feet for a week to see how well it can revive them. If it can make my feet look human again, this really is a miracle cream!
Has anyone else tried the cream out? What did you think of it?
I'm absolutely loving the unexpected arrival of summer! I've even brought the flip-flops out. :)
I receive the Start UK newsletter each month and in the latest they had a little competition running to win a pot of Steam Cream moisturiser. The first 4 people to email back an eco-beauty tip would receive a full-sized tin of the cream. I emailed back not expecting to get anything, but just before the weekend I received an email to say I'd won! I have to say I'm extremely impressed with the service, as this morning I already had the pot in my possession. :)
After a quick test of it I'm very pleased - you need very little to go a long way and the smell isn't overpowering either, a faint lavender scent. Because I've enjoyed it so much already I've decided to put it through its paces and do a proper review for you. My feet are like zombie feet - I spend a lot of time on them and I don't really look after them very well. They're often a dull grey or purpley colour which isn't pretty! I'm going to use the cream intensively on my feet for a week to see how well it can revive them. If it can make my feet look human again, this really is a miracle cream!
Has anyone else tried the cream out? What did you think of it?
Posted by
Ami Marshall
The Eurovision Drinking Game
Good morning!
It's that time of year again! Whether you watch it because you enjoy it or because it's funny laughing at each country's contribution, a lot of us will be tuning into The Eurovision Song Contest tonight. Some of you will even have heard of the third reason to watch: The Eurovision Drinking Game. But if you haven't, read on because your night just got more fun!
I was first introduced to the game 2 years ago, which was also the first time I'd even watched Eurovision. I enjoyed it so much that last year I arranged my own Eurovision Drinking Party with a Spanish theme, fancy dress and all. This year we'll still be playing along, but with moving and everyone being at uni for exams it's a much smaller occasion. Maybe next year we'll make it a big party when we have our own flat. :)
If you google the drinking game all kinds of rules come up - some funny, some bordering on ridiculous. So I've composed a much smaller list of the rules that tend to come up most and are fun to look out for. Feel free to have a google or add in some of your own if you think you can handle more than these!
The Rules
First of all you need to choose which country you are going to be. To keep things fair you need to choose a number between 1 and 20 before any of the acts start. That will then be your country for the evening. :)
Unless stated otherwise you must take one sip of your drink each time one of these events occurs. And I mean a proper gulp of your drink, not a pathetic excuse for a sip. You're not here because you wanted to stay sober tonight. ;)
Hosts
- If the hosts kiss passionately, drain your glass!
Singers/Back-up Singers
- Make a peace sign
- Have a moustache (drain your glass if it's a woman!)
- Rapping
Dancers/Musicians
- Anyone does an air guitar solo
- Playing an 'ethnic' instrument
- 'Ethnic' dancing
- If there's a contortionist on stage, drain your glass!
General Rules
- Anyone has a costume change (if for example wings pop up from behind someone, that counts as a costume change just as much as if they rip off one outfit to reveal another. Sounds far-fetched, but it's happened!)
- Any key change
- Use of props (be as creative as you like here - you'll need to decide as a group whether it counts or not)
- Use of fireworks (there are lots!)
- UK gets no points (drain your glass if they have none by the end!)
- If your country supporters/flag are on the screen
- Whenever your country gets a point (drain your glass if your country wins!)
And there you have the drinking game rules! If you do decide to play along this evening please let me know how you get on. :)
It's that time of year again! Whether you watch it because you enjoy it or because it's funny laughing at each country's contribution, a lot of us will be tuning into The Eurovision Song Contest tonight. Some of you will even have heard of the third reason to watch: The Eurovision Drinking Game. But if you haven't, read on because your night just got more fun!
I was first introduced to the game 2 years ago, which was also the first time I'd even watched Eurovision. I enjoyed it so much that last year I arranged my own Eurovision Drinking Party with a Spanish theme, fancy dress and all. This year we'll still be playing along, but with moving and everyone being at uni for exams it's a much smaller occasion. Maybe next year we'll make it a big party when we have our own flat. :)
If you google the drinking game all kinds of rules come up - some funny, some bordering on ridiculous. So I've composed a much smaller list of the rules that tend to come up most and are fun to look out for. Feel free to have a google or add in some of your own if you think you can handle more than these!
The Rules
First of all you need to choose which country you are going to be. To keep things fair you need to choose a number between 1 and 20 before any of the acts start. That will then be your country for the evening. :)
Unless stated otherwise you must take one sip of your drink each time one of these events occurs. And I mean a proper gulp of your drink, not a pathetic excuse for a sip. You're not here because you wanted to stay sober tonight. ;)
Hosts
- If the hosts kiss passionately, drain your glass!
Singers/Back-up Singers
- Make a peace sign
- Have a moustache (drain your glass if it's a woman!)
- Rapping
Dancers/Musicians
- Anyone does an air guitar solo
- Playing an 'ethnic' instrument
- 'Ethnic' dancing
- If there's a contortionist on stage, drain your glass!
General Rules
- Anyone has a costume change (if for example wings pop up from behind someone, that counts as a costume change just as much as if they rip off one outfit to reveal another. Sounds far-fetched, but it's happened!)
- Any key change
- Use of props (be as creative as you like here - you'll need to decide as a group whether it counts or not)
- Use of fireworks (there are lots!)
- UK gets no points (drain your glass if they have none by the end!)
- If your country supporters/flag are on the screen
- Whenever your country gets a point (drain your glass if your country wins!)
And there you have the drinking game rules! If you do decide to play along this evening please let me know how you get on. :)
Posted by
Ami Marshall
Saving Water
Hello wonderful readers!
Are you loving this weather as much as I am? I can't wait for the weekend to begin so we can get out and enjoy the sunshine!
As moving into our new flat draws closer I've started to think about ways we could save water once we're there. We'll be on a water meter, which means the more water we save the more money we save! But I'm having trouble getting past the obvious ones:
- Turning the tap off while brushing teeth/washing hands, which I do already
- Taking quick showers
- I'm going to get a water butt on the little balcony to water plants or wash the car with
- Put a bottle of water in the top of the toilet so it uses less water to flush
Beyond that I'm not really sure what we can do, but there must be more ways I'm not thinking of! Does anyone else have any ideas that I could use?
I love this picture that was posted by Start UK on facebook:
From what I hear they're really expensive, but it's definitely worth getting if you plan on being in your home long enough to benefit from the investment!
So answers on a postcard (in a comment) please! Do you have any tips on saving water?
Are you loving this weather as much as I am? I can't wait for the weekend to begin so we can get out and enjoy the sunshine!
As moving into our new flat draws closer I've started to think about ways we could save water once we're there. We'll be on a water meter, which means the more water we save the more money we save! But I'm having trouble getting past the obvious ones:
- Turning the tap off while brushing teeth/washing hands, which I do already
- Taking quick showers
- I'm going to get a water butt on the little balcony to water plants or wash the car with
- Put a bottle of water in the top of the toilet so it uses less water to flush
Beyond that I'm not really sure what we can do, but there must be more ways I'm not thinking of! Does anyone else have any ideas that I could use?
I love this picture that was posted by Start UK on facebook:
From what I hear they're really expensive, but it's definitely worth getting if you plan on being in your home long enough to benefit from the investment!
So answers on a postcard (in a comment) please! Do you have any tips on saving water?
Posted by
Ami Marshall
The MoneySavingExpert
A lot of you have probably already heard of Martin Lewis, the MoneySavingExpert. He's been on tv a lot over time and even if you haven't heard of him directly I bet you people will have passed on tips they got through him, his website or his newsletter. He's even got a team of people these days, dedicated to giving you sound financial tips and finding the best bargains.
I've been getting his newsletters for years now - I'm too young for a lot of their articles to be relevant to me, but I found it great for knowing when sales were coming up and keeping on top of freebies. As I embark on a new journey getting a flat with Tom, I've been finding the emails more and more useful - finding home insurance, electricity suppliers, even just getting some freebie toothpaste samples to keep the cost of living down! I find myself looking forward to the weekly emails and scouring through their freebies board regularly. Today alone I got 2 toothpaste samples (Aquafresh & Oral-B) and a Dove Conditioner sample. In the past I got a weeks' worth of Garnier body moisturiser samples and a free 3 month TasteCard too!
And that's just the free stuff! Not to mention how much I must have saved following his advice on comparison sites. My car insurance was £400 cheaper this year, which is just incredible. I don't pay Home Insurance yet, but through these emails I know exactly where will get me the cheapest quotes with the smallest amount of effort. Same will go for electricity rates when I look into that. Better yet - I'll even be getting cashback from going through a particular site! When I get a credit card I'll be looking to these emails for advice on the best rates and best rewards that come with them.
In short, I'll be running my financial life based on these emails. Of course common sense will come into it and I won't be jumping into any stupid contracts just because an email said so, I'm talking figuratively here! But you get what I mean. :)
This may all sound very boring to you - who cares about my freebies and finances? My point is not that I'm happy about my freebies (although trust me - I am!), it's that if you're not getting his emails already you should be. You may only want to for keeping on top of the latest finance news, or you could use them for keeping your own cost of living down. There's advice on the best bank accounts, credit cards, insurance companies, a budgeting tool to help assess your finances and plenty of free apps for various different things. It would be crazy not to take advantage of all there is on offer - especially as it's delivered straight to your inbox for free!
I have to say I'm a little bit in love with these emails... how about you?
I've been getting his newsletters for years now - I'm too young for a lot of their articles to be relevant to me, but I found it great for knowing when sales were coming up and keeping on top of freebies. As I embark on a new journey getting a flat with Tom, I've been finding the emails more and more useful - finding home insurance, electricity suppliers, even just getting some freebie toothpaste samples to keep the cost of living down! I find myself looking forward to the weekly emails and scouring through their freebies board regularly. Today alone I got 2 toothpaste samples (Aquafresh & Oral-B) and a Dove Conditioner sample. In the past I got a weeks' worth of Garnier body moisturiser samples and a free 3 month TasteCard too!
And that's just the free stuff! Not to mention how much I must have saved following his advice on comparison sites. My car insurance was £400 cheaper this year, which is just incredible. I don't pay Home Insurance yet, but through these emails I know exactly where will get me the cheapest quotes with the smallest amount of effort. Same will go for electricity rates when I look into that. Better yet - I'll even be getting cashback from going through a particular site! When I get a credit card I'll be looking to these emails for advice on the best rates and best rewards that come with them.
In short, I'll be running my financial life based on these emails. Of course common sense will come into it and I won't be jumping into any stupid contracts just because an email said so, I'm talking figuratively here! But you get what I mean. :)
This may all sound very boring to you - who cares about my freebies and finances? My point is not that I'm happy about my freebies (although trust me - I am!), it's that if you're not getting his emails already you should be. You may only want to for keeping on top of the latest finance news, or you could use them for keeping your own cost of living down. There's advice on the best bank accounts, credit cards, insurance companies, a budgeting tool to help assess your finances and plenty of free apps for various different things. It would be crazy not to take advantage of all there is on offer - especially as it's delivered straight to your inbox for free!
I have to say I'm a little bit in love with these emails... how about you?
Posted by
Ami Marshall
All Partied Out!
Hi everyone!
I'm so tired I could sleep for a weekend at the very least! But yesterday was such a fab day I wouldn't have traded it for anything. I was doing mini-treatments for £5 throughout the day with some amazing ladies. They were all very smiley and friendly and the whole day went by in a chilled but busy way. I was working right up until 6.30pm at which point I ran off to get Tom from work and brought him back for the rest of the party. A quick change and I was in my party dress and ready for the evening. A wonderful lady called Dawn did a quick manicure for me, which I was desperately in need of. My nails and so weak and in need of TLC it's unreal! The rest of the night was socialising and having nibbles, then once everyone had gone home and we'd tidied up Tom and I went to Blue Ginger which is an amazing Indian restaurant along the road. All their stuff is so yummy! I have leftover Banana Naan Bread for my lunch today. Mmmmmmmm.
Sorry for not having more to say about yesterday - it all went in a bit of a blur to be honest! Lots of chatting, treatments, laughing etc. :)
In other news, we're one step closer to getting our flat. :) The requests for references have been sent out to our bosses/landlord so providing they reply quickly all should be rolling along smoothly. This weekend Tom and I are planning a big sort out of the bathroom - going to box up any non-essential stuff and do a deep clean to make sure it's sparkling when we leave. He says I have to box my duckies up though which makes me sad! I'll post a picture of them all as we're doing it.
Plus another bag of clothes has gone to the charity shop. Making space for the new clothes we need to buy for the hot weather - it has been gorgeous the last few days! Bit grey today, but still nice and toasty. :)
What are your plans for the weekend? Intend to enjoy the weather?
I'm so tired I could sleep for a weekend at the very least! But yesterday was such a fab day I wouldn't have traded it for anything. I was doing mini-treatments for £5 throughout the day with some amazing ladies. They were all very smiley and friendly and the whole day went by in a chilled but busy way. I was working right up until 6.30pm at which point I ran off to get Tom from work and brought him back for the rest of the party. A quick change and I was in my party dress and ready for the evening. A wonderful lady called Dawn did a quick manicure for me, which I was desperately in need of. My nails and so weak and in need of TLC it's unreal! The rest of the night was socialising and having nibbles, then once everyone had gone home and we'd tidied up Tom and I went to Blue Ginger which is an amazing Indian restaurant along the road. All their stuff is so yummy! I have leftover Banana Naan Bread for my lunch today. Mmmmmmmm.
Sorry for not having more to say about yesterday - it all went in a bit of a blur to be honest! Lots of chatting, treatments, laughing etc. :)
In other news, we're one step closer to getting our flat. :) The requests for references have been sent out to our bosses/landlord so providing they reply quickly all should be rolling along smoothly. This weekend Tom and I are planning a big sort out of the bathroom - going to box up any non-essential stuff and do a deep clean to make sure it's sparkling when we leave. He says I have to box my duckies up though which makes me sad! I'll post a picture of them all as we're doing it.
Plus another bag of clothes has gone to the charity shop. Making space for the new clothes we need to buy for the hot weather - it has been gorgeous the last few days! Bit grey today, but still nice and toasty. :)
What are your plans for the weekend? Intend to enjoy the weather?
Posted by
Ami Marshall
Exciting Stuff!
Lots of good news to report today so I'm a very happy bunny!
First of all - I've hit 2000 views on this blog, which is a tiny number in the grand scheme of things but to think my opinions have been read 2000 times is actually such an amazing feeling for me. Thank you so much to everyone who has taken an interest!
Secondly, Tom and I have found a new flat and we're moving in on the 4th June! It's happened so quickly I haven't even had time to stop and think. I only started looking about 2 weeks ago and we're already in the referencing stages! It's all so exciting making a budget (I'm one of those sad people who gets excited over budgets okay?), trying to source free/very cheap furniture, making lists of things we'll need or already have.. The next 2 weeks seem to be going so slowly but I'm sure when it actually arrives it'll seem like no time at all.
Thirdly, we're having a birthday party for The Witches Brew this Wednesday (23rd)! The shop has been open just over 2 years now, so to celebrate we're having an all-day party with £5 taster treatments all day. I'm getting really busy with appointments already so it should be a good day for everyone. :) We're starting about 10am and going right through til 7pm for treatments and 9pm for nibbles and drinks, so maybe don't expect a blog from me unless I can schedule one. ;)
I've been so busy lately I haven't really had time to stop, but this weekend was a lovely chance to do nothing and get some rest so now I'm back on full power. :) I'll be starting to work on schduling some posts so that on days when I'm too busy to write for you I can still leave something for you to read. I'm especially looking forward to an event at the shop next week where we'll be making our own organic beauty products. A lovely lady is coming in to do a workshop for us and I get a free place for providing all the drinks/cake - awesome! If you want to come you can find out the details on the Facebook Page, but if you can't make it you can always look forward to my write up. :)
So that's all the news for now! I'm off to scour the internet for some more interesting things for you. Have a lovely day!
First of all - I've hit 2000 views on this blog, which is a tiny number in the grand scheme of things but to think my opinions have been read 2000 times is actually such an amazing feeling for me. Thank you so much to everyone who has taken an interest!
Secondly, Tom and I have found a new flat and we're moving in on the 4th June! It's happened so quickly I haven't even had time to stop and think. I only started looking about 2 weeks ago and we're already in the referencing stages! It's all so exciting making a budget (I'm one of those sad people who gets excited over budgets okay?), trying to source free/very cheap furniture, making lists of things we'll need or already have.. The next 2 weeks seem to be going so slowly but I'm sure when it actually arrives it'll seem like no time at all.
Thirdly, we're having a birthday party for The Witches Brew this Wednesday (23rd)! The shop has been open just over 2 years now, so to celebrate we're having an all-day party with £5 taster treatments all day. I'm getting really busy with appointments already so it should be a good day for everyone. :) We're starting about 10am and going right through til 7pm for treatments and 9pm for nibbles and drinks, so maybe don't expect a blog from me unless I can schedule one. ;)
I've been so busy lately I haven't really had time to stop, but this weekend was a lovely chance to do nothing and get some rest so now I'm back on full power. :) I'll be starting to work on schduling some posts so that on days when I'm too busy to write for you I can still leave something for you to read. I'm especially looking forward to an event at the shop next week where we'll be making our own organic beauty products. A lovely lady is coming in to do a workshop for us and I get a free place for providing all the drinks/cake - awesome! If you want to come you can find out the details on the Facebook Page, but if you can't make it you can always look forward to my write up. :)
So that's all the news for now! I'm off to scour the internet for some more interesting things for you. Have a lovely day!
Posted by
Ami Marshall
Just a quick post..
I've mentioned before that I have my own business doing beauty therapy, including facials and Reiki. I had a few weeks off from that as well as the coffee shop (and blogging apparently!) and now I'm better I've decided to do a re-launch of the business. I don't like to push the selling point, so don't worry I'm not asking you to buy my products or come in for a treatment (although you're more than welcome). As part of the re-launch I've decided to start writing a monthly newsletter. Nothing big - just a few updates, some offers and some beauty tips.
If any of you lovely readers are interested in joining my newsletter just leave a comment below or email me on amimarshallbeauty@gmail.com and I will add you to my list. If you join within May there's even a special offer for newsletter recipients only. :)
If any of you lovely readers are interested in joining my newsletter just leave a comment below or email me on amimarshallbeauty@gmail.com and I will add you to my list. If you join within May there's even a special offer for newsletter recipients only. :)
Posted by
Ami Marshall
People-Powered Gyms
While floating around on the internet as I tend to do, I found an interesting article about an outdoor gym that generates electricity. You can find the article itself here.
The concept of generating your own energy through exercise is a brilliant one and until recently was only a fun, experimental thing rather than a day to day experience. I remember watching a street performance in Bath years ago where the audience were invited to cycle on a machine and as you did you powered the music system. I took on the challenge single-handedly (I was always an optimistic child!) and managed about 20 seconds of powering it myself before collapsing exhausted. It displayed brilliantly the amount of energy needed to produce even the little things we take for granted every day. I've seen similar systems in Science Museums and other places with a similar goal.
However in the last 5 years we've started to take it more seriously, first in Hong Kong in 2007 and since then in gyms all over the world. The technology is starting to spread throughout America too, with a number of different companies creating gym equipment that stores electricity to be used by the facility. Check out this article for more information.
While the American gyms are doing their bit for the environment and gym-goers can brag of their moral superiority, if you're not someone who normally goes there's no real draw for you to start. However this new outdoor gym in England lets you see how much you're generating at each piece of equipment. They're even coming up with new technology that will allow you to charge your phone or MP3 with the electricity you generate! Being able to benefit from taking part in such an activity (health benefits are often lost on today's youth sadly) and actually take away the fruits of your effort will certainly encourage people to start working out at these places. I'm actually disappointed that the only gym currently resides in Hull - a 4 hour drive from where I live.
I actually cannot wait for this kind of technology to be local to me. I've been meaning to join a gym for ages and this would definitely be the final push that I needed!
What do you think of these new gyms? Is there one near you?
The concept of generating your own energy through exercise is a brilliant one and until recently was only a fun, experimental thing rather than a day to day experience. I remember watching a street performance in Bath years ago where the audience were invited to cycle on a machine and as you did you powered the music system. I took on the challenge single-handedly (I was always an optimistic child!) and managed about 20 seconds of powering it myself before collapsing exhausted. It displayed brilliantly the amount of energy needed to produce even the little things we take for granted every day. I've seen similar systems in Science Museums and other places with a similar goal.
However in the last 5 years we've started to take it more seriously, first in Hong Kong in 2007 and since then in gyms all over the world. The technology is starting to spread throughout America too, with a number of different companies creating gym equipment that stores electricity to be used by the facility. Check out this article for more information.
While the American gyms are doing their bit for the environment and gym-goers can brag of their moral superiority, if you're not someone who normally goes there's no real draw for you to start. However this new outdoor gym in England lets you see how much you're generating at each piece of equipment. They're even coming up with new technology that will allow you to charge your phone or MP3 with the electricity you generate! Being able to benefit from taking part in such an activity (health benefits are often lost on today's youth sadly) and actually take away the fruits of your effort will certainly encourage people to start working out at these places. I'm actually disappointed that the only gym currently resides in Hull - a 4 hour drive from where I live.
I actually cannot wait for this kind of technology to be local to me. I've been meaning to join a gym for ages and this would definitely be the final push that I needed!
What do you think of these new gyms? Is there one near you?
Posted by
Ami Marshall
Your Turn!
Hello you lovely lot!
I hope my last two blogs have been useful for you. :) Today I'm taking a break due to some exciting news that I'll share with you soon! There's tons of organisational stuff to do, people to call, things to arrange.. it's all very exciting. :) I wish I could share it with you right now but I have to keep a lid on it for a few days at least. I have a habit of getting over-excited and telling everyone at once, which always gets me in trouble!
So today I'd like to ask you all a question instead of rattling on about myself! What is your top eco tip? It doesn't have to be anything ground-breaking or new - just whatever you think you do that saves the most energy/water/raw materials etc. Maybe we'll all pick up some new tips we've never tried before! :)
Aaaaaaand GO!
I hope my last two blogs have been useful for you. :) Today I'm taking a break due to some exciting news that I'll share with you soon! There's tons of organisational stuff to do, people to call, things to arrange.. it's all very exciting. :) I wish I could share it with you right now but I have to keep a lid on it for a few days at least. I have a habit of getting over-excited and telling everyone at once, which always gets me in trouble!
So today I'd like to ask you all a question instead of rattling on about myself! What is your top eco tip? It doesn't have to be anything ground-breaking or new - just whatever you think you do that saves the most energy/water/raw materials etc. Maybe we'll all pick up some new tips we've never tried before! :)
Aaaaaaand GO!
Posted by
Ami Marshall
Stain Removing Secrets
After a conversation the other day about stains (don't be jealous of my fascinating life :p ) I was told I had to write a blog about it and share with you my secrets. I didn't know they were secrets, but surprisingly few people know about the magic powers of... *drum roll* salt and bicarbonate of soda!
(Sorry for the dramatics, I need to somehow make stains interesting...)
I've talked about bicarb of soda a few times before, both as a cleaning solution and for cooking. It really is an all-purpose product that you simply must have in your cupboard. When you can pick up a pot of it for 80p there really isn't an excuse. I've even used it to get cooked-on cheese off of pyrex dishes after a pastabake with no scrubbing, such is its power. You can even clean your teeth with it or use it as deodorant in desperate times!
Bicarb is good for most stains, but it really comes into its own as an alternative to bleach for whites. Simply make it into a paste with a little water and rub it into the stain, then leave it for about 30 minutes (1 hour for really tough stains). Then rinse the solution out with some lemon juice and dry in the sun to get the white really sparkling, or if you're in a hurry just a quick wash in the machine will be fine.
The other stain remover is salt. Just the common stuff you find in your cupboard will do, fabric isn't fussy. This one is especially good for getting out anything red - red wine, blood etc. As with any stain, your best chance of removing it is as soon as it happens. Grab some salt and rub it into the stain, letting it soak up the red liquid. Don't be afraid of using a lot, especially if its fine grain, as you don't want it to dissolve entirely. Once you think its soaked up all it can, sweep it up and get the bicarb on the job to finish things off. If you're lucky there won't be a stain left at all and if you're unlucky, at least it's not as obvious anymore!
So there you have it. :) A quick guide to getting rid of stains! Have you tried either of these? Or do you know of another magical stain remover without reaching for chemicals? Get in touch using the comments below!
(Sorry for the dramatics, I need to somehow make stains interesting...)
I've talked about bicarb of soda a few times before, both as a cleaning solution and for cooking. It really is an all-purpose product that you simply must have in your cupboard. When you can pick up a pot of it for 80p there really isn't an excuse. I've even used it to get cooked-on cheese off of pyrex dishes after a pastabake with no scrubbing, such is its power. You can even clean your teeth with it or use it as deodorant in desperate times!
Bicarb is good for most stains, but it really comes into its own as an alternative to bleach for whites. Simply make it into a paste with a little water and rub it into the stain, then leave it for about 30 minutes (1 hour for really tough stains). Then rinse the solution out with some lemon juice and dry in the sun to get the white really sparkling, or if you're in a hurry just a quick wash in the machine will be fine.
The other stain remover is salt. Just the common stuff you find in your cupboard will do, fabric isn't fussy. This one is especially good for getting out anything red - red wine, blood etc. As with any stain, your best chance of removing it is as soon as it happens. Grab some salt and rub it into the stain, letting it soak up the red liquid. Don't be afraid of using a lot, especially if its fine grain, as you don't want it to dissolve entirely. Once you think its soaked up all it can, sweep it up and get the bicarb on the job to finish things off. If you're lucky there won't be a stain left at all and if you're unlucky, at least it's not as obvious anymore!
So there you have it. :) A quick guide to getting rid of stains! Have you tried either of these? Or do you know of another magical stain remover without reaching for chemicals? Get in touch using the comments below!
Posted by
Ami Marshall
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
