Boudoir of Paris: sheets

Friday, September 21, 2012

It works! Homemade Laundry Powder!

And what do you think Sacha and I do when we're not cleaning, listing, flea marketing,

listing more, and just plain working?

We play of course!

I found a recipe for homemade laundry soap and being as that we have to wash everything that comes through our doors, anything to save some money I'm going to give a try!

Of course I was skeptical. I've been using Tide since my Mom used it on my clothes and I'm 53.

So getting me to use something else was going to be impressive!

And as soon as I remember WHERE I found this on the internet, I'll link back to it.

Not that I stayed with the original recipe or anything..but still...

HOMEMADE LAUNDRY POWDER

I tried the grating method on my first batch. It works like a charm in the washing machine.

I hand wash and soak a lot of linens,

so my next batch I put in the food processor and ground it small.

Love it!

Found it! Being Creative

This was the original recipe:

1 4 lb 12 oz box Borax (2.15 kg or 76 oz) found in the detergent isle

1 4 lb box Arm & Hammer Baking Soda (1.81 kg) found in the cooking isle

1 box Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda 55 oz (3 lb 7 oz) found in the detergent isle

3 bars of Fels-Naptha soap, found in the detergent isle (if you use Zote bars use 2 bars instead, Zote can be found at Home Depot)

2 small containers of Oxy Clean or store brand Oxy Clean (try to get about 3.5 lbs total (1.58 kg)) found in the detergent isle.

(this is optional, I added it into mine because I have pretty messy kids and the cleaner the better)

You should be able to find all of these items at your grocery store.

**Use 1-2 Tablespoons per load. I know that does not seem like enough but this recipe does not have fillers like the store bought detergent so you only need 1-2 Tablespoons.**

My recipe:

And yay! I found a new use for my pink depression glass cookie jar!

I left out the oxy clean and used the baking soda, laundry powder, and Borax.

I used the 3 bars of Fels-naptha. 1.00 each at walmart!

Put a bar of Dr. Brommers Lavender Castile soap in for the smell good factor.

And next time I'll try some Kirks Castile soap. .99 a bar off the internet.

Mixed it all up in a 5 gallon bucket and I've used most of my first batch and have never looked back! So long Tide!!!

Shared this on:

Coastal Charm

The Thrify Home

Knick of Time

http://myuncommonsliceofsuburbia.com/

Making Mondays Marvelous

Adorned From Above

Beverly's Pink Saturday

How to make a French Bed

People are often complaining how it's just too bad that the antique French linen sheets are too small to make a 21st century bed properly.

It's possible though. I'll show you in this picture 'how to', how I've done mine!

Every bed is different and has it's own challenge. My bed starts with being 1m80 x 2m00 (70.8" x 78.7") with a matress of 1m60 x 2m00 (63" x 78.7") and open.

So first thing I did, was planting my scissors into an antique linen sheet. Brenda forced me to say that it was a 'project sheet'. So I'll just say that to make her happy...

There are lots of sheets that have so many tears and wears that it's just no longer possible to use them other than for projects and they are cheaper than perfect antique sheets. I turned one of those sheets into a custom bedskirt...

I didn't particularly liked the ceiling above the bed, therefore I put up curtains there. Nothing fancy. Simple cotton Ikea curtains that had been lying in my studio for several years. It's for covering up, anchor the bed into the space and adding a little more romance. And I sew some pillows for the head of the bed.

I covered the matress with a 'modern' white fitted sheet. Then I took a simple antique 'fil de lin' sheet without monogram. Fil de lin is the finer linen, not the extreme thick heavy weight one. I like the way that feels on my skin better than the other one. Might be a personal thing, but it feels more luxurious. This sheet I put across the bed ("length to width" so to speak). Just to get some drape on the side and cover up the hole in between my matrass and bed...

Of course now I've got way too much drape, for I made the bedskirt on the side of the bed as well...

I simply folded it back on both sides of the bed to show off my bedskirt.

Time to get the duvets on the bed. I've got two single person duvets in that wonderful duvet blue color. Way too nice color to hide in a duvet cover. So I fold them double and put them on top of the sheet.

And here it comes. The crème de la crème. The diamond amongst the Linen Bedsheets. A 19th century bedsheet that has been made on a 1m05 (41") loom, so it's only 2m (82") width (they are always two panels). With a wonderful hand embroidered, centered monogram. The really heavy weight linen sheet. All handmade. Indistructable. The sheet that is a slight bit more expensive, but is the centerpiece of a bed. The eyecatcher. The cream on the coffee. Or something like that.

I've put this wonderful sheet over the duvets and folded it back to the middle of the bed. I really want the monogram to stand out and not get lost by attention drawing pillowcases and such.

Now I'm in the luxurious position of owning a 2m x 2m (82" x 82") vintage French cotton white blanket that I topped over the sheet. But depending on the climate, an extra layer might not be necessary in every area.

And of course... A French bed cannot... I repeat... CANNOT go without a "traversin", a bolster. That is a basic French bed essential. They are still to be found everywhere. It's a common pillow. And isn't it romantic to use one pillow with your loved one?

Mine is fit into an antique simple crochet trimming decorated linen cover.

Then throw in some pillows. I don't like to take too much attention away from my monogram centerpiece, so I'm always going easy on the pillows. There's just one rule...

It is NOT allowed to use two of the same pillowcases. It's an antique French bed. That has been made with all unique (handmade) items. Having two of the same pillowcases just doesn't fit into that picture.

To finish the bed off, I like to hang some beautiful panels on the bed. Either for their nice trimmings or for their extravagently beautiful monogram. Or just a 'simple' antique hand laced fichu.