How to Recaulk a Bathtub or Shower

I solved my bathroom mold and mildew problem with a permanent non-toxic solution. I installed a larger bathroom exhaust fan.

The new fan made a world of difference! My bathroom doesn’t smell like a locker room two days after I clean it like it used to.

The photo isn't out of focus. That's drywall dust and a 

shining example of why I should have worn a dust mask.

Unfortunately, the caulk around the shower is stained. I scrub it with hydrogen peroxide based bleach. It doesn’t help much. It still looks gross.

   You don’t know how embarrassing this is for me to show you. YUCK!!!

Removing the caulk and caulking, the shower with new caulk is the only solution.

How to Deodorize a Smoky Cell Phone

For some crazy reason, as much as Husband and I love technology and gadgets, we are not quick to upgrade our cell phones. We were early adaptors when it came to being a cell phone only family. Our phone bill when down when we dumped our landline because we didn’t have to pay long distance charges to call our families. We waited for the free weekend calls instead. Best of all, no telemarketers!

My new to me phone!

We keep our phones until they are ready to gasp for air, but not for the greenest of green reason you think. Truthfully, we hang on to our phones for so long because comparison shopping cell phones and features are frustrating, almost impossible, and make me stabby. I wish I could research and buy the phone I want independent of the service, like they do in Europe. 

For many reasons, it’s time to replace my four year old Blackberry (or run over my Curve’s teeny tiny always full memory with my car in frustration.)

Husband and I trooped to the store to change our plan to their current special that gives us more features at the same cost as our current plan and to price new smart phones.  We left because the staff pushed what the carrier told them to sell, which wasn’t what we wanted – to change our service plan and buy a phone outright. The store staff tried to push into a “better” plan that cost more for the services we were already using and make small payments for the life of the plan on the phone plus pay extra for a warranty. Husband and I hate making interest payments unless we can’t help it like with our car. We left empty handed.

Glitter Tennis Shoes

 For Valentines Day I got:

• A dozen sustainability grown roses 
• A half dozen Godiva dark chocolate covered strawberries as big as a baby’s fist 
• And a kidney stone 

That explains why I’ve been carrying this kidney infection around like luggage for the last month. It won’t be gone in time for my Blissdom conference trip.

 Boo.

Needless to say, preparing for this conference is a little difficult because I feel like I’ve been kicked in the kidneys all day every day.

On the upside, it has kept me from being too nervous about my Newcomer Community Leader duties and the session discussions I will be leading for the Food niche bloggers.

I'm trying to conserve my personal energy to try to be well enough to be at my very best for Blissdom. I don't want to let everyone down! To reduce my running around, I shopped my closet for clothes to wear to the conference.


I still needed some cute and comfortable shoes to wear because the Gaylord Opryrland Hotel is ginormous! It's about the same size as an airport terminal. I don’t want to relive last year’s blisterfest which left my feet covered in swag SpongeBob Squarepants band aids. Which I rocked, of course :)

Board and Batten Waincoting

Kids rooms are one of the few rooms you can go nuts with colors and themes.

Until you move.

Or you buy a new house with a football themed bedroom and you have to put your not football room loving daughter in it,  like Alison from House of Hepworths.

I wonder how many coats of paint and primer Alison needed to cover that football field? Photo courtesy of House of Hepworths 

My Homemade Green Cleaner Labeling Privileges Have Been Revoked

I make homemade green cleaners. I know exactly what is in them, making them takes a few minutes, and they are less expensive. For the most part, my homemade cleaners clean the same or, as in the case of my homemade daily shower cleaner, better than their store bought counter parts. Woot! Woot!

 I store my cleaners in empty and repurposed spray bottles. I finally got around to making labels for the bottles  I worked too hard on my half bathroom remodel to ruin the granite counter tops with a homemade vinegar based cleaner from the other bathrooms by mistake!

I gave up printing designs in super cute and colorful ink because the cartridges in my inkjet dried out. AGAIN!

I went with black laser print ink that never runs dry instead of plunking down $80 for color ink cartridges to do a whim project. Since I could not do super cute and colorful label designs, I went with decorative fonts.

Should I Repaint My Kitchen?

Husband and I like to paint rooms with deep and saturated colors. I think it comes from renting white walled apartments for so long.

I did something a little different when I painted the kitchen walls. I went with a muted green/white wall color because my overall plan is to paint the kitchen cabinets a bright cheery red instead of replacing them. I want to play with deep and light color tones in this room. 

I’m not sure but I think I went too light on the wall color in this room.

Husband is taking advantage of this and pushing for an orange room. Especially after I took the personality and color quiz on My Colortopia. Based on my answers, My Colortopia gave us an orange paint color scheme we both like.