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Helen's Mulberry Lane Farm Journal
March 5, 2010
Here are a few ideas I have used in my home lately. They blessed me so I thought you might like to be blessed too!
I have replaced the castors on my office chairs at least once because they get all hung up with hair (all the long-haired ladies in our family!), lint, threads etc. The chairs don't scoot like they are supposed to, but drag. They can be cleaned, but it is a real job for a very patient person, and since I'm not one of those and I'd rather my family do something else with their time, I decided to look around and see what my options were as far as office chair castors.
The old plastic castors.
Photo by Helen Aardsma, February, 2010.
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I looked at buying the same ones again, the plastic ones. But why do that? I would have to replace them again in a year or two. I asked Gerald if they made metal castors, more open ones that could easily be cleaned. We looked them up online on MSC and they had some nice ones, but the price of $40 scared me off. I checked out eBay and found a few vendors selling the exact same one as MSC for $6 including shipping. I made sure the shafts were the same length and that the top of the wheels looked like my old plastic ones. I ordered them and when they arrived Caleb (10) banged off the old ones with a hammer, banged on the new ones and voila! Nice new castors! I will admit that they don't roll as easily as the plastic ones, but I am happy with them. For the price and ease of cleaning, what more can I say?
The new metal wheels.
Photo by Helen Aardsma, February, 2010.
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Do you like to hear the sound of your dryer humming away? I don't. In the summer I hang out the laundry, but in the winter, I have had to use the dryer. The humming to me sounds like money going down the dryer tubes, and for me that is a lot of money flying away! (I sing this sad song as I do the daily laundry, "Why do I do it? What can it be?" You know, the song that Peter Rabbit sings.)
I had been dreaming for years on how I would like to hang my laundry inside. When we finally did our house remodel, I was determined to have some nice looking, practical, laundry lines of sorts, to hang up the wet laundry. I have always been a fan of Rubbermaid products and after researching their website I saw that they had a great solution to my problem. They have very nice closet shelves that have open fronts to them, to be used as closet rods and shelves combined. Why not put those shelves up around my laundry room? I did, and I love them. When I have company and don't want my "laundry lines" to show, I simply take down the hangers and I have nice looking laundry room. But most of the time my laundry room looks like this. I don't mind. It reminds me of all the money I'm saving!
Believe it or not, this is now my favorite room in the house!
Photo by Helen Aardsma, February, 2010.
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I've been meaning to get around to my mending pile, and so early this morning, before I lost heart, I attacked it with a vengeance! I did all the mundane stuff first---fixing a hole in a sheet, repairing a tear in Caleb's favorite hunting shirt and putting a button on a skirt. Then on to the fun project that I have been wanting to do all winter! Last summer the girls and I bought two pretty full skirts from the Goodwill. But when we wore then, we tripped on them because they were too long. The skirts had some really nice trim along the bottom. I cut the trim off and made scarves and hair bows out or them. The skirt is now mid-calf length. I was pleased with how they turned out. It took me about thirty minutes to do both outfits.
A very pretty, feminine outfit for a trip to town or church.
Photo by Helen Aardsma, February, 2010.
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Here I am wearing my "new outfit", on my way to church.
Photo by Rachel Aardsma, March, 2010.
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I love the new handy tubes of petroleum jelly (Vaseline) that they make now. I keep one in my van and one by my bed. I use it for my dry lips. I also use it as a kind of clear mascara and for shaping my eyebrows so they stay neat. I have also used it for the painful cracks that form on our fingers---a little application every night before bed and the cracks clear up quickly. The price is right for this product and it is relatively natural without colorings or chemicals. I buy the cheaper Equate brand rather than the Vaseline brand. They are both 100% pure petrolatum so why pay more?
God's beauty for our enjoyment.
Photo by 'Beka Aardsma, January 2010.
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I got a Gardens Alive catalogue in the mail last week, actually two of them. They had a great FREE $25 coupon on the cover. I went to their website because I wanted to make sure that I wouldn't be charged outrageous shipping on my $25 order. I was pleasantly surprised to find that I could order up to $25 (including shipping) and the order was completely FREE. Ask for their free catalog Gardens Alive! and you will receive your free $25 coupon along with it.
My husband and I have been busy setting up a new website. For many years we sold Dr. Aardsma's Spelling Drill and Dr. Aardsma's Math Drill in CD version, which my husband created and developed. We are excited to announce a brand new web-based (online) upgrade to Dr. Aardsma's Math Drill and Dr. Aardsma's Spelling Drill. Now students simply log on to Dr. Aardsmas Drills and do their math flash card and spelling flash card drills right on the website! A great time saving product for busy parents who want to see their children excel in math and spelling. Our logo "Learn it for life!" was created by our oldest daughter, Jennifer. She said that is what happened to her when she did her Dad's Dr. Aardsma's Math Drills all during her elementary school years---she learned it for life! Now her three homeschooled children are doing their grandpa's new web-based Dr. Aardsma's Math Drill and Dr. Aardsma's Spelling Drill every day. Jennifer's daughter Katelyn sent her Grandpa (Gerald) a voice email this week in which she said, "Hi Grandpa. I really like your math and spelling drills. You did a good job! I love you Grandpa." It was pretty adorable and we thought a great advertisment for the drills..
Try our demos at Dr. Aardsmas Drills. And thank you for helping spread the word about these great new educational resources!
How do you like our website banner?
Designed by Steve Hall, December, 2009.
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I love our logo!
Designed by Steve Hall and Gerald Aardsma, December, 2009.
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Thanks for droppin' in! Stop by again soon.
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