Condo Blues

Wednesday, February 7, 2018

16 of the BEST DIY Green Cleaning Products and Solutions You Need to Try Right Now!

Often people ask me how I have time to do all of the DIY I do on Condo Blues. My not so secret secrete is most of my crazy experiments happen when I'm trying to find something, anything, to keep myself occupied during my yearly Cabin Fever. 

Otherwise this is what I'm like from mid January until June.

I don't know who made or owns this gif (please let me know so I can credit them)
 but it often the image in my head when I see one.more.gray.day. outside my window

Sunday, February 4, 2018

How to Clean an Essential Oil Nebulizing Aromatherapy Diffuser

 I’ve been poking around at upgrading my candle essential oil diffuser. I didn’t realize how many types and choices are available since I bought my ceramic diffuser ages ago:
1. Candle Essential Oil Diffuser – Good for a start but it’s too easy for the candle to boil the essential oil and water dry. Not to mention the whole never leave a burning candle unattended thing.

2. Reed diffuser – Swing and a miss. Slow acting and only good for small rooms like a bathroom. You need new reeds every time you want to use a different essential oil in it.

3. Ultrasonic essential oil diffuser – Uses water and heat to produce a mist of essential oil in the air. They are often made out of a ugly hunks of plastic. The last thing I need (per my allergist) is to add humidity to the air in my home due to my (rather annoying) seasonal allergies which makes it a no go.

4. Nebulizing essential oil diffuser -  Uses an air pump to release the essential oil from the diffuser as waterless mist. Many people feel a nebulizer is a better option because it doesn’t change the makeup of the essential oil with heat or weaken the aroma with water – which makes it the perfect type for me!

Thursday, February 1, 2018

Friday Favorites Linky Party 410

Let's get this party started! Time to link up and share your fantastic craft and DIY projects, recipes, tutorials, and ideas! I can't wait to see what you have in store for us this week.





Please support and follow our lovely blog party hostesses:

Jerri at Simply Sweet Home - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Maisy at Becoming Alice - FB | G+ | Pin
Sheree at Stage Presents - Twitter | FB | Pin | Inst | Inst
Lisa at Condo Blues - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
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Kelly at Under a Texas Sky - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL





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Monday, January 29, 2018

DIY Mad Scientist Mason Jar Bank

I need something in my laundry room to organize the loose change I sometimes find in the washing machine and dryer. My laundry room is too small for a cute piggy bank on the washing machine or dryer but I do have the wall space to make a hanging spare change organizer out of my favorite resource – a recycled glass jar.

My laundry room has a heroes and comedy horror movies theme since I think laundry is an evil chore (AND it keeps all of the odd toys and posters in one room  instead of throughout the house). I figure I shouldn’t make a normal laundry room spare change jar and instead made a Mad Scientist coin bank.

Hey, you never know, turning into a mad scientist could turn into a lucrative side hustle!

How to Make a Hanging Mason Jar Coin Bank


Thursday, January 25, 2018

Friday Favorites Linky Party 409

Let's get this party started! Time to link up and share your fantastic craft and DIY projects, recipes, tutorials, and ideas! I can't wait to see what you have in store for us this week.





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Monday, January 22, 2018

How to Make a Disinfecting All Purpose Cleaner without Vinegar

I like to keep the recipes to my homemade cleaners as simple as possible so they are easy to make on the fly. That’s why I clean my kitchen counter tops with one part vinegar to three parts water. Because in the world of being me, if I run out of counter cleaner, it is always when I am in the middle of cleaning something. Always!

Some of you tell me you don’t want to use A homemade cleaners made with vinegar. This is particularly true if you have granite or stone counter tops. The acid in the vinegar will damage or eat away at the finish.

I hear you. I have granite in my half bathroom.


Pin this idea for later and share it with your friends!


How to Make Homemade Granite, Natural Stone, and Countertop Cleaner


Thursday, January 18, 2018

Friday Favorites Linky Party 408

Let's get this party started! Time to link up and share your fantastic craft and DIY projects, recipes, tutorials, and ideas! I can't wait to see what you have in store for us this week.





Please support and follow our lovely blog party hostesses:

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Lisa at Condo Blues - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
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Wednesday, January 17, 2018

12 Easy Ways to Save Money on Your Hot Water Heating Bill

Tens years ago, in 2008 my family started a year long product to reduce how much energy we use and our bill in our new home because a ton of Greenzillas said I couldn’t until I trashed all of my conventional and came new with the house major appliances and systems and replaced them with new super duper high efficiency (and expensive) everything.

I blogged about our new habits and inexpensive energy efficient DIY projects right here on Condo Blues in the very first year of this blog. Long story short, we reduced our use by 32% and kept it that way while staying toasty warm, clean, and well fed.

And using less energy than comparable families and homes in our area – including the Energy Star rated homes of which we are not.

Until recently when natural gas bill started to creep higher. Not break the bank,  we’rel going to starve high, but high enough to knock our house from constantly rating Very Good to smack dab in the middle of  Good. 

I wanted to figure out what’s going on because I had bragging rights on the line!

Turns out we were wasting too much energy heating water and after addressing  Tips One through Three we lowered our energy and hot water heating bill. 

Sunday, January 14, 2018

How to Make a Hanging Mittens, Gloves, and Hat Closet Organizer – Winter Gear Storage Made Simple!

My coat closet is a big, hot, disorganized mess! Hats, gloves, mittens, and scarves play hide and seek way too often. I can’t tell you how many times I took Lacey outside wearing non matching gloves because I couldn’t find a pair in the hall closet.


Disorganized coat closet BEFORE
I am not proud of this


I resisted organizing our hats and gloves using a hanging shoe organizer on the back of the closet door for many years because the pockets aren’t large enough to store scarves (hand knitted courtesy of my mother in law. Thanks Mom!) and they rip easily with heavy use.

The solution was to sew my own custom hanging closet winter hat, glove, and mitten organizer. If you can sew a straight line, you can make this project. It only looks complicated but it is not. I promise!

How to Sew a Closet Door Pocket Organizer

Thursday, January 11, 2018

Friday Favorites Linky Party 407

Let's get this party started! Time to link up and share your fantastic craft and DIY projects, recipes, tutorials, and ideas! I can't wait to see what you have in store for us this week.





Please support and follow our lovely blog party hostesses:

Jerri at Simply Sweet Home - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Maisy at Becoming Alice - FB | G+ | Pin
Sheree at Stage Presents - Twitter | FB | Pin | Inst | Inst
Lisa at Condo Blues - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
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Sunday, January 7, 2018

6 Ways to Insulate a Drafty Sliding Glass Door

I walked from my toasty warm home office to the kitchen downstairs. It was so cold I almost felt like someone left a window open in the dead of winter. 

I found and sealed the interior air leaks around my windows, water pipes, and front and back doors years ago and mulled over what could be wrong when the cold air hit me.

I didn’t weatherize, weather strip, or check the sliding glass door for air leaks when I did the rest of the house.

I didn’t need to light a candle or stick of incense and run it along the patio door to find warm escaping because the air leak was so big and blatant it almost smacked me right in the face. There is absolutely no weather stripping between the stationary and sliding glass doors. Take a look!


how to winterize a sliding glass door
There’s yer problem!

Sliding doors can be tricky to weather-strip and seal to prevent drafts and leaking air if you need to use the door during the winter but it is not impossible.

6 Ideas for Winterizing a Sliding Patio Door

Thursday, January 4, 2018

Friday Favorites Linky Party 406

Welcome to our first creative roundup  of the new year! 

Let's get this party started! Time to link up and share your fantastic craft and DIY projects, recipes, tutorials, and ideas! I can't wait to see what you have in store for us this week.






Please support and follow our lovely blog party hostesses:

Jerri at Simply Sweet Home - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Maisy at Becoming Alice - FB | G+ | Pin
Sheree at Stage Presents - Twitter | FB | Pin | Inst | Inst
Lisa at Condo Blues - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Penny at Penny's Passion - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
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Tuesday, January 2, 2018

The 15 Best DIY and Green Living Ideas You Need to Try Right Now!

We’re celebrating the New Year by taking a look back at some of our favorite Condo Blues DIY projects for 2017.

From the looks of it, there are a bunch of you who like to garden but hating watering plant and  like to decorate and make things with recycled materials and add green home improvements to our homes, myself included!


Pin this post for later and to share with your friends!



Thursday, December 28, 2017

Friday Favorites Linky Party 405

Let's get this party started! Time to link up and share your fantastic craft and DIY projects, recipes, tutorials, and ideas!




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Jerri at Simply Sweet Home - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
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Jen at Creatively Homemade - Twitter | G+ | Pin
Dawn at LeroyLime - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL
Maisy at Becoming Alice - FB | G+ | Pin
Sheree at Stage Presents - Twitter | FB | Pin | Inst | Inst
Lisa at Condo Blues - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
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Thursday, December 21, 2017

Friday Favorites Linky Party 404

Let's get this party started! Time to link up and share your fantastic craft and DIY projects, recipes, tutorials, and ideas!




Please support and follow our lovely blog party hostesses:

Jerri at Simply Sweet Home - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Christine at Light and Savvy - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Jen at Creatively Homemade - Twitter | G+ | Pin
Dawn at LeroyLime - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL
Maisy at Becoming Alice - FB | G+ | Pin
Sheree at Stage Presents - Twitter | FB | Pin | Inst | Inst
Lisa at Condo Blues - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Penny at Penny's Passion - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Kelly at Under a Texas Sky - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL





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Sunday, December 17, 2017

Zero Waste DIY Recycled Penguin Gift Box

I finished the last of my birthday mango green tea (thanks sis!) just in time to recycle the tea container into a cute little penguin gift box.

Pin this idea for later! Share it with your friends!



If you don’t have a round tea container, you can use any round container you have like an oatmeal, snack container, or what have you.

You will need:

Thursday, December 14, 2017

Friday Favorites Linky Party 403

Let's get this party started! Time to link up and share your fantastic craft and DIY projects, recipes, tutorials, and ideas!




Please support and follow our lovely blog party hostesses:

Jerri at Simply Sweet Home - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Christine at Light and Savvy - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Jen at Creatively Homemade - Twitter | G+ | Pin
Dawn at LeroyLime - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL
Maisy at Becoming Alice - FB | G+ | Pin
Sheree at Stage Presents - Twitter | FB | Pin | Inst | Inst
Lisa at Condo Blues - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Penny at Penny's Passion - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Kelly at Under a Texas Sky - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL





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Sunday, December 10, 2017

How to Make Wine Cork Gnomes

 Danish nisse are gnomes who secretly live in your attic, or barn if you live on a farm, and help take care of the animals at night when you are asleep. They also protect your family from harm.

All these helpful creatures ask for is respect and a bowl of porridge with a pat of butter on top on Christmas Eve, otherwise they will get even by playing tricks on you. Can’t find your car keys the next day? A group of insulted nisser probably hid them!

Many Danish home decorate for Christmas with nisse (also called tomte) or as we call them in the United States, gnomes.The plural of nisse is nisser and they are pretty darn cute as well as helpful!

Let’s make some Christmas gnome decorations from recycled wine corks! Tomte like it when we recycle.


Reycled Wine Cork Craft Idea: Christmas Gnomes!


Thursday, December 7, 2017

Friday Favorites Linky Party 402

Let's get this party started! Time to link up and share your fantastic craft and DIY projects, recipes, tutorials, and ideas!




Please support and follow our lovely blog party hostesses:

Jerri at Simply Sweet Home - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Christine at Light and Savvy - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Jen at Creatively Homemade - Twitter | G+ | Pin
Dawn at LeroyLime - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL
Maisy at Becoming Alice - FB | G+ | Pin
Sheree at Stage Presents - Twitter | FB | Pin | Inst | Inst
Lisa at Condo Blues - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Penny at Penny's Passion - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Kelly at Under a Texas Sky - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL





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Tuesday, December 5, 2017

25 of the Best Gift Ideas Under 25 Dollars

Tis the season to think about gift giving! Fa, La, La, La, La. La, La, La, La!

My 2017 gift idea guide has something for every one on your give giving list whether it be a co worker, boss, or teacher, to the man, woman, or finicky teen in your life.







Pop on over to my food blog Lazy Budget Chef to read:

25 Unique Gift Ideas Under 25 Dollars



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Sunday, December 3, 2017

How to Make a Christmas Tree Topper Angel

I like to mix up our Christmas decorations from year to year to get a new look from ornaments and decorations I already have and love. I figure it is time for our Christmas tree angel to grace the top of the tree after several years of big fluffy  bows.


 Here's the BEFORE. Keep reading to see the AFTER!


Girlfriend is in some sad shape! Her wings are chipped and broken, her bust looks weirdly chesty, and she has always been too tall to sit properly on the top of our tree.

I hit the shops to drool over Christmas tree decorations find an elegant angel wearing a sumptuous brocade dress. I must be the Goldilocks of Christmas tree angels because I couldn’t find one that was Just Right.

I noticed that almost every angel in the store has  the same face as the Christmas angel I already own. Since I honed my sewing skills as a kid making doll clothes,  I knew I could satisfy my inner tree topper Goldilocks by repairing and making over our current Christmas tree angel into something elegant and fantastic!

Extreme Makeover Christmas Tree Angel Edition

Thursday, November 30, 2017

Friday Favorites Linky Party 401

Let's get this party started! Time to link up and share your fantastic craft and DIY projects, recipes, tutorials, and ideas!




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Jerri at Simply Sweet Home - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Christine at Light and Savvy - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Jen at Creatively Homemade - Twitter | G+ | Pin
Dawn at LeroyLime - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL
Maisy at Becoming Alice - FB | G+ | Pin
Sheree at Stage Presents - Twitter | FB | Pin | Inst | Inst
Lisa at Condo Blues - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Penny at Penny's Passion - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
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Wednesday, November 29, 2017

How to Make Awesome DIY Christmas Outdoor Projector Decorations!

I like to keep my Christmas decorations fresh by mixing and matching the decorations we already have sprinkled with a healthy dollop of DIY if I want to decorate with a new outdoor Christmas theme. Condo living means I don’t have the storage space for moving inflatables or  the life size animatronic Santas we see when we idea shop at the Christmas store.

Which is perfectly fine because this year I’m decorating my house with a life size live action Santa Claus and I’m repurposing my Halloween decorations to do it. It will be SO! FREAKING! COOL!


Pin this tutorial for later! Share it with your friends!


Saturday, November 25, 2017

25 Days of Alternative Christmas Movies

I like watching a good holiday movie but I swear Christmas movies only use four major plots they recycle, over, and over, and over, again:
  • Dickens' A Christmas Carol
  • It’s a Wonderful Life
  • Helping Santa/the town/an event/the disadvantaged overcome a mean or terrible obstacle or their will not be a Christmas/Event
  • And if you’re the Hallmark Channel, it usually involves a sappy sweet love story of finding a significant other, lost family member, or quite possible a puppy
Actually the puppy is wishful thinking on my part. I love dogs!

After one too may years of being forced to watch the same trite children’s Christmas special or ooey, gooey, and predictable December  movie (or coming home grumpy from being stuck in holiday traffic) makes the little pink haired punk rock girl who still lives inside me want to kick the doors off my holiday entertainment with a Christmas explosion or a monster or two.



Pin this list for later! Come on, you know you wanna.



If you need a break from watching  the holiday same old, same old, put the kiddoes to bed and break out my list of 25 non traditional Christmas movies – one for each day of December leading up to and including Christmas!

25 of the Best Non Traditional Christmas Movies for December   

Thursday, November 23, 2017

Friday Favorites Linky Party 400

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Let's get this party started! Time to link up and share your fantastic craft and DIY projects, recipes, tutorials, and ideas!




Please support and follow our lovely blog party hostesses:

Jerri at Simply Sweet Home - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
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Jen at Creatively Homemade - Twitter | G+ | Pin
Dawn at LeroyLime - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL
Maisy at Becoming Alice - FB | G+ | Pin
Sheree at Stage Presents - Twitter | FB | Pin | Inst | Inst
Lisa at Condo Blues - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Penny at Penny's Passion - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Kelly at Under a Texas Sky - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL





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Thursday, November 16, 2017

Friday Favorites Linky Party 399

Let's get this party started! Time to link up and share your fantastic craft and DIY projects, recipes, tutorials, and ideas!




Please support and follow our lovely blog party hostesses:

Jerri at Simply Sweet Home - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Christine at Light and Savvy - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Jen at Creatively Homemade - Twitter | G+ | Pin
Dawn at LeroyLime - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL
Maisy at Becoming Alice - FB | G+ | Pin
Sheree at Stage Presents - Twitter | FB | Pin | Inst | Inst
Lisa at Condo Blues - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Penny at Penny's Passion - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Kelly at Under a Texas Sky - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL





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Tuesday, November 14, 2017

Easy DIY Machine Embroidery Flour Sack Towels

I bought a scad of flour sack towels from Amazon here. (Amazon has has changed my life when it comes to researching and buying pretty much everyone in my house that I have no problem recommending it to you (and using my affiliate links.)

Flour sack towels are the world’s most flexible kitchen towel. They work with almost every kitchen design style – Mid Century Modern, contemporary, retro, and of course the ever so popular Fixer Upper farmhouse decor. Besides, flour sack towels are is less fiddly to machine embroider than terry cloth towels so the chances are high I’ll quickly get the hang and  be churning out cute embroidered towels for my kitchen, to give as gifts, and to use as gift wrap for wine and mason jar hostess gifts.
Cute, green, and practical zero waste gift wrap. What’s not to love about that?

As I also took the opportunity to see what some of the built in machine embroidery files of my Brother SE400 Sewing and Embroidery Machinelook like in IRL, I accidentally created red work embroidery simply by using red thread on open, one color designs to coordinate with the accent color in my kitchen.