Suzy Q Homemaker

When Mom Select sent me a bottle of new Sun Burst Clean & Fresh to try, I was nervous. I really don't like perfumes in my laundry detergent. Heavy fragrances in my clothes give me migraines so we usually buy laundry detergent that doesn't have any additives. We also buy laundry detergent that is plant-based so that we don't harm the environment. Our washer line empties directly into the woods behind our house instead of the septic tank. That water will eventually seep back into the ground and into the underground spring that feeds our well. We definitely don't want any harsh chemicals coming back to us!

From the manufacturer:


Sun Detergent combines strong stain-fighting power with irresistibly "Sunsational" scents inspired by the great outdoors. Your clothes will be left clean, soft and smelling like a fresh summer breeze.


Sun gets its cleaning power from a plant-based ingredient that is gentle on clothes and skin. And because it's made from a biorenewable resource, it's gentler on the planet as well."

I'm also impressed that, according to a press release, Sun's new corporate headquarters meet the US Green Building Council's Gold LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification. I love getting products from companies who do more than just make green products. And it appears Sun does just that.

Like I said, I was nervous about trying the Sun detergent because it is scented. The good news is that it is not a heavy fragrance at all. And I am SUPER sensitive to fragrances. Last week I had a headache every day for three days that I finally realized was from clothes I had just bought used. They smelled very strongly of fabric softener even after I washed them once. The Sun Clean & Fresh has a nice fragrance that isn't perfume-y. It also doesn't have much of a lingering fragrance after drying, which is what usually gives me headaches.

Oh, and it cleans my clothes well, too. Sun is concentrated so you don't have to use as much, plus it costs WAY less than most leading brands of laundry detergents. I don't know about you, but I seem to do a lot more laundry in the summer. With all the swimming, playing outside, and cleaning up messes the boys make now that their home from school, spending money on detergent can get pricey.

So I'm happy to report that I like the Sun Burst Clean & Fresh! I can't speak for the other fragrances that you can buy, but if you don't like any fragrance at all, it does come in a "Free & Clear" variety. We'll probably buy that in the future because I don't want to use anything scented on my cloth diapers.

And now for the giveaway!

Five readers will win a coupon for a FREE 42.4 oz 2X bottle of Sun Burst Liquid Laundry Detergent or a 49 oz Powder Laundry Detergent in any scent. To win, leave a comment on this post telling me how you're trying to save money this summer. Make sure that your email address is available in your profile or that you leave it in your comment so I can contact you if you're a winner!

For additional entries, leave a comment for each of the following:

• Follow or subscribe to my blog
• Add my button to your sidebar
• Tweet about this giveaway: "RT @terpsichore: Win a FREE bottle of Sun Laundry Detergent! http://bit.ly/ziAUr " (once a day)
  
• Use the Share button at the bottom of this post & let me know how you spread the word about this giveaway
• Follow Suzy Q Homemaker on Facebook

Giveaway ends Saturday, June 27 at midnight EST. Winners will be notified by email. US Residents only.

I have to say that our family isn't the flower-giving type.  Every now and then, Jamie will buy me an orchid, but I honestly can't remember the last time he bought me cut flowers.  And that's all fine because I personally don't like getting cut flowers.  I prefer getting a live plant that I know will last.

When it comes to special occasions like, say, Mother's Day, we like to give our moms plants instead of flowers.  For my mom, this is easy.  She's great at keeping plants alive (though not as adept as I AM at reblooming orchids!).  Jamie's mom has admitted that she has a hard time with some plants.

I asked Julie Mulligan who blogs for 1-800-FLOWERS what I should get for someone like Jamie's mom whose thumb isn't quite so green.  Here was her response:

"Ferns are great. If you give a fern, place it inside of an apothecary jar. It has a great modern look and keeping the top on will create a terrarium that will help it last longer."

Isn't that beautiful?

1-800-FLOWERS has offered to give one of my readers a $30 Gift Card!  Head on over to their website and leave a comment here telling me who in your life deserves a special gift and what you would get for them.

For extra entries (and be sure to leave me your email address or that it's viewable in your profile!):

• Subscribe or follow ths blog
• Follow me on twitter @terpsichore and tweet this giveaway (once a day)
• Add my button to your sidebar & leave me the link
• Blog about this giveaway & leave me the link
• Use the "Share" button at the end of this post
  

This giveaway ends on Saturday, May 16 at 10:00 a.m. Good Luck!

What would you do with an extra hour per day?  My list is pretty standard:

1. Take a nap
2. Take a bubble bath
3. Scrapbook
4. Knit
5. Read a book

Frigidaire also wants to know what you would do if you had an extra hour of blissful "me time." Moms can go to Frigidaire.com to report the five things they would do with an extra hour each day. All participants will be entered for a chance to win an entire suite of Frigidaire appliances. Plus, check out other prizes you can win - like a gorgeous new Frigidaire Affinity washer/dryer (I want these so bad it hurts). Also, if you are on Facebook, visit Frigidaire's fanpage at www.facebook.com/frigidaire, where you can learn more about the appliances and contests and connect with other Frigidaire moms!

I love that I've finally kept a phalaenopsis alive and it actually bloomed. This is the second time it's bloomed since my sister bought it for me. I'm made of orchid WIN.

So I'm going to have to start doing laundry for SIX people in about a month and the thought of that seriously frightens me.  I mean, it's not just the clothes I'm concerned about, it's all the diapers, burp cloths, baby clothes, spit-upon shirts, etc.  If I could save a little bit of green by washing a few of those small loads without electricity (oh, you heard me), I would.

Have you heard of this thing? The Wonder Wash?  It's for real, y'all.  You can wash a load of laundry in minutes. MINUTES.

Hey. Psst. You want one?  Here's what you have to do to win one of these snazzy machines plus a Mini Countertop Spin Dryer:

1. Blog on your site about what YOU would use the Wonderwash and Mini Countertop Spin Dryer to clean. 

2. Post a photo or a video of your mess and be sure to link back to Laundry Alternatives at www.laundry-alternative.com.

3. Fill out this secure participation form to be entered to win! (http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?key=pQkNiVcIl1QbQ7JMLtNHEHg&hl=en)

Then join us on Twitter Friday, March 13th from 9:00 to 10:00 p.m. (EST) to tweet with Green Cleaning experts and find out who won the grand prize!  Five attendees will also win The TrueGreen Laundry Washing Ball, which cleans your clothes without bleach or detergents in cold water.  It does not contain harmful synthetic detergents, perfumes, dyes, or oils!

RSVP here: http://resourcefulmommy.blogspot.com/2009/03/show-me-your-mess-and-win.html

Contest is open to all U.S. residents and runs from Friday, March 6th to Friday, March 13th at 8:00p.m. EST. All winners will be contacted within one week of closing to verify participation and obtain shipping information.

Monday again!  Is it me or is this year just flying by?  No matter how much I try to slow down, thing seem to happen overnight.  For example, the first bloom of the year on my orchid opened up while I was sleeping:


While I'm on the topic of gardening, I really need to repot all of my African violets, the poinsettia I nearly killed, and figure out when we should go to get all the tulips for the front garden.  I want to recreate a flower bed we saw at the Riverbanks Zoo three years ago.  It had petunias and contrasting tuliips.  So pretty.  Guess I'll be googling some gardening info today.

As soon as UPS was pulling out of my driveway, I had already ripped open my packages.  I decorated my Everyday Display within half an hour:

I am beside myself with anticipation.  Today, I'm expecting a special delivery.  No, not my fetus.  I still have two more months to wait for that (much to my chagrin and the shock of all the old ladies at church who think I could deliver tomorrow).  No, I'm expecting this:


Oh, I'm going to have SO much fun today with all of this stuff!  I have lots of plans for the Sweetheart Maker.  I'm envisioning a cute heart mobile, a garland, and so much more...

I've never been big into Valentine's Day decorating, but I'm feeling extra crafty these days.

Here are all the baskets I've acquired in the past couple days. The wicker ones were half-off at Goodwill yesterday. Can you say, "A nesting pregnant woman's heaven?" Jamie laughed a lot when I told him about the sale. But you know what? I bet he's not laughing about the fact that the pantry and other kitchen drawers are nice and organized.

Haha. I love this old picture of Simon.

I swear I don't organize my children into their own baskets. That would be going just a little TOO far. Or would it?

As parents and concerned citizens I’m sure most of us at one time or another have been confronted with the question of lead poisoning. But have you asked yourself what your government is doing to protect your children from lead contained in toys? The answer? They're banning toys, taking books from schools and libraries, hurting low income families, killing entrepreneurial spirit and risking putting the economy in an even greater depression than we've seen in decades. I'd like to introduce you to their solution: the CPSIA.

Do you know about the CPSIA? No? Then I ask you to take a few minutes to find out about it.

The CPSIA stands for Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, a new set of laws that will come into effect on 10 February, 2009 and will impact many, many people in a negative way. Make no mistake, this is very real. View it for yourself. If Forbes, the American Library Association and numerous other media are paying attention, perhaps you should too.

How will these new laws affect you? Well, here are a few examples:

To the Parents of Young Students:
Due to the new law, expect to see the cost of school supplies sky rocket. While those paper clips weren't originally intended for your student to use, they will need to be tested now that your 11-year-old needs them for his school project. This law applies to any and all school supplies (textbooks, pencils, crayons, paper, etc.) being used by children under 12.

To the Avid Reader:
Due to the new law, all children's books will be pulled from library and school shelves, as there is no exemption for them. That’s okay though, there's always television. Our children don’t need to learn the love of reading after all.
Article from the American Library Association http://www.wo.ala.org/districtdispatch/?p=1322

To the Lover of All Things Handmade:
Due to the new law, you will now be given a cotton ball and an instruction manual so you can make it yourself since that blanket you originally had your eye on for $50 will now cost you around $1,000 after it's passed testing. It won't even be the one-of-a-kind blanket you were hoping for. Items are destroyed in the testing process making one-of-a-kind items virtually impossible. So that gorgeous hand-knit hat you bought your child this past winter won’t be available next winter.

To the Environmentalist:
Due to the new law, all items in non-compliance will now be dumped into our already overflowing landfills. Imagine not just products from the small business owners, but the Big Box Stores as well. You can't sell it so you must toss it. Or be potentially sued for selling it. You can't even give them away. If you are caught, it is still a violation.

To the Second-Hand Shopper:
Due to the new law, you will now need to spend $20 for that brand new pair of jeans for your 2-year old, rather than shop at the Goodwill for second hand. Many resale shops are eliminating children's items all together to avoid future lawsuits.

To the Entrepreneur:
Due to this new law, you will be forced to adhere to strict testing of your unique products or discontinue to make and/or sell them. Small businesses will be likely to be unable to afford the cost of testing and be forced to close up shop. Due to the current economic state, you'll have to hope for the best when it comes to finding a new job in Corporate America.

To the Antique Toy Collector:
Due to the new law, you'd better start buying now because it's all going to private collection and will no longer be available to purchase. “Because the new rules apply retroactively, toys and clothes already on the shelf will have to be thrown out if they aren't certified as safe.” http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123189645948879745.html

To the American Economy:
Already struggling under an economy that hasn’t been this weak in decades, the American economy will be hit harder with the inevitable loss of jobs and revenues from suppliers, small businesses and consumers. The required testing is far too costly and restrictive for small businesses or individuals to undertake.

To the Worldwide Economy:
Due to this new law, many foreign manufacturers have already pulled out of the US market. You can imagine the impact of this on their businesses.

If you think this is exaggerating, here is a recent article from Forbes
http://www.forbes.com/2009/01/16/cpsia-safety-toys-oped-cx_wo_0116olson.html

And for those of you prepared to be stupefied and boggled, The New Law
http://www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/cpsia.html

Did you know? If this upsets or alarms you, please react.

What I love:

• Customizable message allows you to personalize each wall story
• Black frames complement any room
• Vinyl transfer artwork is easy to apply and remove
• Four different wall story sizes and configurations
• Transfer colors of black, white or silver coordinate with any room colors
• Three font styles make it fun and easy to be creative with text

Ask me how you can create your own Frame Frames^™ Wall Stories or visit the Inspired Surroundings section of my website.

I ran out of baskets.  Can you believe it?  There are a couple currently in use for the Great Toy Cleanup '09, so I'll have them back soon.  In the meantime, I bought a real pretty one at T.J. Maxx ($5, you guys) for my knitting.  It has a lid, too, so certain little alpaca-crazed creatures can't get into it.


My cabinets are still getting a makeover.  The pantry is far from done, but I need some more baskets before I can declare it officially organized.  Here are some before & after shots:


I need a better solution for the spices, but I think this temporary fix will do.  There were many-a-curse-word coming from my lips whenever I had to find something and I was knocking down all the jars in my hunting.  The little shelf helps tremendously.  When I figure out the best way to organize a really deep pantry, I'll let you know.  I'm also open to suggestions...especially if they involve BASKETS.

I swear this isn't a paid advertisement.  In fact, no one even asked me to post this.  I have just seriously never, EVER been more impressed with a product before now.  Here's a little background:

We live in the country, which means we have a well.  It runs deep into our Georgia clay, and with the abundance of cool, clear water, we also get an untold number of minerals and deposits.  Before we got our water softener, the pump filter, the filter under the house, under the sink, and running into the refridgerator, our dishes and clothes would turn ORANGE.  We don't have iron, just a bunch of other stuff that doesn't like for our clothes and dishes to actually appear clean.  Even with the water softener, stuff looks dingy and a lot of our dishes just ended up stained.

If there's a product out there for hard water, we tried everything, everything.  We tried The Works, Lime-Away, CLR, and every other "Hard Water Expert" product full of scary chemicals "guaranteed" to clean our tubs, toilets, and clothes.  But you know what? Nothing worked!

For the toilets, I found I needed to use one of those pumice stones and get down into the toilet to get the mineral deposits off.  I didn't mind that so much, but how the heck were my dishes and dishwasher supposed to get clean?  Every now and then we bought one of those bottles of Electrasol dishwasher cleaners, but you only get to use those one time.

So the other week, I looked up and down the cleaning aisle at Publix when I saw this glorious product, surrounded by a halo of light, angels in chorus singing all around:

I was skeptical, but went for it anyway.  Afterall, what could trying just one more thing hurt?  Besides, it's environmentally friendly, so...why not?

I'll let these pictures speak for themselves: