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Is Your Olive Oil The Real Thing?

by Jennifer | No Comments Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Olive oil is a staple product in virtually every home. It has numerous culinary uses, and is even great for your beauty regimen (we talk about some of its uses in another one of our blogs Here.)

The problem is most brands are not the genuine thing. The oil is either cut with less expensive refined oils such as canola, or lesser grade olive oils to reduce the cost of production, therefore skyrocketing the profit margin. When the product is bottled, it is very difficult to tell if it is real or fake by taste or texture. In 2010, researchers at UC Davis tested 124 samples of oil from major brands, and found that over 70% were adulterated! Click Here To See Their Report.

For more information on this subject, check out these links to The Food Renegade, or Mama Natural’s Blog.

All in all, the general consensus on this subject is that your best bet is to buy local (or as close to local as you can, depending on where you live.) It may be a little pricier, but you know you will be getting exactly what you pay for, and not lining the pockets of those who find it appropriate to trick the consumer for a higher profit.

Why You Are Always Late In The Morning

by Jennifer | No Comments Tuesday, October 2, 2012

As a full-time working mom, I found this comic to be especially hilarious. My kids are still very young, but mornings can be pretty hectic to say the least!

(And of course, dad’s can appreciate this as well!)

How Your Kids Can Wake Up at 4:45 a.m. and Yet You’re STILL Late Getting Out the Door

For more great comics and other things to chuckle at, check them out at nickmom.com 

Choosing The Right All-Purpose Cleaner For Your Home

by Jennifer | No Comments Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Every home needs a good all-purpose cleaner. It will keep you from having too many products, since it can clean multiple surfaces. But with so many out there, how do you choose which one is right for you? Whether you are looking to change the one you have, or are just completely lost on the idea of products, here are a few guidelines to help you choose.

What Type Of Surfaces Are In Your Home?

If your home is mostly laminate and tile, almost any type of cleaner will work, as those surfaces are designed for durability. If you have granite, marble, and other high end surfaces, you want to be very careful about what you choose and make sure your cleaner is safe for those surfaces.

Do You Want Green Cleaning Or Chemicals?

Hopefully your answer is green, because you can clean just as effectively without chemicals, and it is safe for you and your family and pets. But some people love the smell, and don’t have children or pets, and that’s ok as long as you are very careful and use sparingly. If you do choose to use chemicals, we recommend watering them down if possible. Antibacterial cleaners are typically just as effective at killing germs when diluted, but read the labelling carefully to make sure, and don’t ever mix chemicals to avoid creating a highly toxic product that can seriously harm your health.

Now that you have answered these questions, we have a few suggestions for what will work best for you:

-If your home does not have high-end surfaces and you want a green cleaning, try putting 2 tbsp. of vinegar in a spray bottle, fill with water and add a couple drops of peppermint oil, and you’re ready to go! Just be sure to shake the bottle before use. Vinegar is antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral. For stuck on messes, let it sit for a few minutes and then scrub.

-If you have high-end surfaces and want a green clean, we recommend Mrs. Meyer’s All Purpose Cleaners. They are safe to use on any surface, and it comes in a concentrated formula that you dilute yourself, so the bottle will last ages. If you do not clean regularly, we find that using a magic eraser with the cleaner does wonders!

-If completely natural isn’t your thing, try Clorox Green-Works. It is mostly green, but not 100% and is safe to use on all surfaces.

We Have The Best Clients!

by Jennifer | No Comments Wednesday, August 29, 2012

We have had such a great week so far, and I wanted to share with you just a few comments from our clients who went out of their way to let us know what they think!

“Just wanted to let you know how glad I am that Sara’s back! She does such a good job, it’s like she reads my mind :) ” – Talia

“Totally great that you are so accommodating!  Thank you so much.” – Angela

“Very pleased with everything!” – Rhonda

 

DIY French Memo Board

by Jennifer | No Comments Thursday, August 9, 2012

Our office at Bit a Bliss has this one area with no decor. It’s so…boring! So we got the great idea of a memo board! We can use it to post any notes, and have a fun place to feature our employee of the month. They’re so easy to make, and cost a lot less to do yourself. So I took on the challenge, and this is what happened!

You will need:
-A canvas in the size you want the memo board to be
-Fabric in a print of your choice
-Ribbon
-Quilting padding
-Some sort of embellishment, I used rhinestone brads so I wouldn’t have to staple the ribbon down to give it that quilted look, but you can use whatever you think looks good
-Any clear glue (for reinforcement)
-A staple gun with staples

On a flat surface, lay down the quilting padding to your desired thickness and put the canvas on top of it. Pull on the padding a little bit to make sure there are no big seams and staple it to the frame. And then add the fabric, making sure there are no seams (sometimes it helps to iron it first) and staple that as well.

Then I cut the ribbon to the length I needed, making sure they were long enough to be stapled onto the frame. I put them on one by one, checking myself in-between to make sure everything was even and where I wanted it to be.

Once all the ribbons were in place, I poked small holes in the canvas and through the padding and fabric where each ribbon intersected and put the rhinestone brads through.

Once everything was in place, I reinforced the brads and the ribbon on the back with a little bit of glue. Then all you need to do is attach a wire or string to hang it up with, and you’re done! Now you just need to let the glue dry, and your memo board is ready to go!