Art and Housekeeping

Yesterday I sold a couple of olive oil and pink clay swirled soaps. That was exciting. It's always a thrill to make a sale.   Today I spent a good portion of the day on housekeeping. I vacuumed the living room, bedroom and kitchen. I moved the furniture and wiped down the baseboards with a rag doused in white vinegar and water. There were a few dirty spots along the wall and front door from where Lana had  laid against it, so I rubbed off those stains. Fortunately, my house is painted with a semi gloss paint, so the walls are easy to clean.

I vacuumed the couch and cushions. Afterward, I wiped the couch down with a wet rag, and was amazed at how much dog hair had been removed. No wonder the couch looked dusty. Carlie, my German Shepherd, used to shed profusely, and I think most of it was leftover from when she was still with us.

I found this really cute little chair down in front of  my neighbor's house. She left it out for whoever wanted it, so I brought it home. I had been searching for a vintage chair or stool to use with my Singer Featherweight sewing machine. This looks really sweet. I'm pleased with it. I plan to polish it up with some olive oil or Old English furniture oil.

I cleared out some stereo equipment that I used to use when I was teaching dance and yoga. There's no point in holding on to a CD player that no longer works. I'm going to tackle my closet tomorrow. It feels good to be addressing the chores and tasks that I had been avoiding. I need to clean the refrigerator, as well.

This little drawing was given to me by my neighbor on my bike ride this morning. I think she is a wonderful little artist. I told her that I will find a special place to hang it. I also love this little ceramic house that I bought years ago. It was made in Italy. The colors and detail are so pretty.  

After running the dogs this morning, I came home and  washed my alpaca throw. I filled the bathtub with a few inches of water, and  used some of the liquid soap that I make on the stove. After rinsing it, I hung it out to dry on the pomegranate bush. It worked really well, and the fresh air blew through the hand knit stitches. I also washed a cashmere sweater in the sink. Tomorrow I will mend a small hole in it that I discovered underneath the arm. That Nina Spinner really pulls the water out of hand washables. They dry so quickly after using it. It's fabulous! How is your housekeeping going?