22 September 2014

A Few of My Favorite Things

When the dog bites...when the bees sting...actually, we don't have a dog, and the only time I've been stung by our bees is when I grabbed a towel outside where a bee was resting to wait out a thunderstorm, so it was very much deserved sting.  So!  When I told Ryan I was posting about some of my favorite things this morning, he asked if he was on the list. I had to think quickly and told him that he was not a "thing".  ;)  I thought it would be fun to share with you and you to share back with me some of our favorites.  Kind of like a good friend over, sitting down to chat about our discoveries of things that make our life easier.  Ready?!
I recently had our dishwasher rack repaired and the servicemen always leave me with great tips of what makes doing dishes easier and more efficient.  The first is always to run your hot water in the sink when you start your dishwasher because it will have the water heated up as your dishwasher begins.  But he gave me a new tip which, if I knew his name and number, I'd call him up and take over some warm bread and backyard honey, because it has done miracles, a term I don't use lightly.  Ever since phosphates were banned in dishwashing detergents (is that what was banned?) I've had a hard time getting our dished REEEEEEALLY clean.  In fact, we have some frosted glasses that I thought were ruined until I tried this Lemi Shine.  It's powdered citric acid.  That's it.  Nothing chemically derived or harsh to the environment (or us!).  I was lamenting that I didn't have a before and after of our glasses, but I found this bowl that had pennies for our vintage scale and represents very well what things were looking like.  All you do is add it to the "prewash" section of the soap container, with your soap in the main compartment and run your dishwasher as normal.  I love it.  It's available at our local grocery store, so I imagine you can get it at any of the big box retailers.  You're welcome, all you hard water users out there.
My next favorite is this eyeliner.  I thought all liquid eyeliners were the same: difficult to use.  Until I found this one.  It has a very fine felt tip, like a pen, so no dipping and trying to get the eyeliner equally applied.  It supposedly contains a serum to boost eyelash production, and I'm not confident that it really does, it applies like a dream.  Trust me, if I can use it, you can, too. (Target carries it.)
And then we move to the nails.  Have you tried Jamberry, yet?  I'm hosting my second party here if you missed out on the first one.  And while my collection is a very limited color pallet ;), there is something for everyone, even little girls.  (Start stocking up for Christmas stocking stuffers!)  They've got 150 new designs including holiday designs.  As always, if you buy 3, your 4th set is free, and if you order within the first 3 days, you will be entered to win their new heater (it's as small as a cell phone!)  They really do have something for everyone.  If you don't want anything too flashy, they have clear wraps with a design and hint of color, or you can go all the way with bright colors and sparkles and fireworks (well, not the fireworks part).  When you check out, click No Big Dill Katy as your party name (because, in full disclosure, I get credit when you buy through my part ;)  They getting easier to apply, and they're cheaper and faster than a manicure.  Go ahead and treat yourself.  
Favorite thing number four.  This little clippers!  They're made by Clover brand and I keep them right by my sewing machine for quick and easy thread clipping.  Although don't take them traveling because they were confiscated at security the last time I flew. :(  The guard kept asking me what they were, turning them over and over in his gloved hand, eyeing my suspiciously.  I'm a harmless seamstress, sir.  Please don't take my thread clippers.  They can be used as a weapon, ma'am.  Grrr.
And my final favorite thing.  What are these?  You ask.  Quick story first.  A. We live where there is high humidity all the time.  B. Ryan has the most sensitive nose you will ever meet.  When something is sour, he will smell it from the moment he walks in the house.  Perhaps a bit of an exaggeration, but not really.  We've had an issue with our towels not drying after a single use.  It was getting to be a sore point in our marriage (not really ;) when he'd throw a towel into the dirty clothes basket after a single use and I'd say, I just washed that!  They were simply not drying in between uses.  Well.  When I stayed at my parents house over the summer, they had these Turkish towels in their guest bath and I began wondering if these were the answer to our sour problem.  I ordered some on Amazon and when they came all folded up Ryan said, they're so small!  But they aren't.  They're just thin.  Americans have a tendency to think bigger is better, but when researching these, I discovered that this is what most Europeans use (am I right, my European friends?)  I got 100% cotton, but they also make 100% linen which I would be curious to try.  I wasn't sure if the fringes were going to be annoying or exotic, but right now I'm leaning toward exotic. ;)  And they've gotten even softer with a few washings.  I'm a fan.  And Ryan's nose is, too.

So, now tell me what some of your favorite things are!

31 comments:

  1. Not sure if my first comment went through so sorry if this is a duplicate: We love lemishine! It changed our lives! I have used it for 5 years or so since I first saw the Pioneer Woman's post about it. Then earlier this year I just started buying citric acid (amazon or azurestandard.com) in bulk. It saves money and of course works just as well!

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    1. Oooooooh! Thanks for the extra tip, Angela!

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    2. I was wondering if just a good old citric acid would work! Thanks Angela for adding that. I have been dumping in vinegar every cycle I run to deal with the same problem. I go through a gallon or so every couple weeks. I will have to try this!

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  2. I love Physicians Formula!! I use the tinted moisturizer!! Im not big on make up but my dry skin screams for moisture! It is light and lovely and non comedogenic!! Sadly our Target stopped carrying it!! :(

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  3. The towels-I assume they're the same or similar to these, yes?: http://www.amazon.com/Pestemal-Turkish-Shower-Unisex-Silver/dp/B00AIN65M6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1411417759&sr=8-1&keywords=turkish+bath+towels

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  4. I love lemi shine too! My new favorite discovery is Pamper's sensitive baby wipes- they're fine for tiny bums, but way better for eye makeup removal! I've already moved them all to my makeup basket ☺️

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  5. Link to the towels, please? I'll have to try that dishwasher stuff. I mostly have a hate hate relationship with my dishwasher. :-\

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  6. Oh, I love favorite things lists! We have a couple of Turkish towels, and I love them. They're really great to travel with or camp with as they're so light and dry so quickly. One of my favorite lipsticks is Nars "Heatwave" . It's this orangey red that looks good on practically everyone. One of my favorite apps is Stitcher which allows me to organize all of my podcasts. I love Mrs. Meyers and Method cleaning products--they smell so nice and are good for the environment.

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    1. You always have the best lipsticks. And Mrs. Meyers everything, right?!

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  7. I thought of a couple more: My favorite eye makeup remover is the Target brand (up and up)--it's the one in the clear bottle with purple text. Better than any other eye makeup remover I've tried. I also use Bag Balm on my lips at night, and I never get chapped lips anymore (hallelujah!).

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    1. I love Bag Balm, too. We will also be set when we have cows. ;)

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  8. I use Aquaphor for everything from chapped lips to diaper rash to eye makeup remover.

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    1. Good to know! I love a multi-purpose product! :)

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  9. I went straight out and bought lemi shine...we have the hardest of hard water so I can't wait to see what it does, it is in my dishwasher AND washing machine at this very moment. Fingers crossed for a miracle. One of my favorite things right now is...sadly...ice cream. The two best ice creams in production are Ben and Jerry's New York Super Fudge Chunk and Tillamook Mudslide.

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    1. Ice cream is not sad at all. Very important. I've never tried the Tillamook brand.

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  10. I too have a sensitive nose to mold, like Ryan! I've discovered that if I wash our towels with vinegar, maybe 1/2-1 cup, in addition to soap, every 5 or so washes it reduces/rids the smell of mold- and they don't smell like vinegar... And making sure they dry fully in the dryer, so they don't mold waiting to get used. Thanks for sharing your list!

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    1. Vinegar is highly underutilized. I buy it buy the 2 gallon jug.

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  11. great tips! especially the citric acid and the turkish towels :). here, in the czech republic, everyone is into getting thick and fluffy "american" towels, but i really apperciate the thin, fast drying czech ones! but the turkish towel sounds great, i'll have get one - should be great for traveling too!

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    1. Don't do it! Turkish towels are the way to go!

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  12. A few of my favorite things...small metal whisk from crate and barrel - I use it almost daily, Radio Lab on NPR- I download and listen to it while cleaning my house, roasted coconut chips from Trader Joes - so yummy in trail mix! Thanks for sharing yours!

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    1. I put the coconut chips on cookie bars yesterday and they were better than ever.

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  13. My favorite things...up and up's hand sanitizing wipes (like wet ones, but cheaper)--great for cleaning up after diaper changes on the side of the road or when the chicken packages are leaky at the grocery store...happened yesterday so gross!
    I also love dritz's elastic threaders (they are $2 or less too!)---so nice to put elastic in casings in a flash. I hated threading casings before, now we're pals.
    My last favorite is Shout's Advanced Heavy Duty Spray Gel. It's in a blue spray bottle--the white one is okay, but this one can get grease, chocolate, etc. I recently gave it for a baby gift! :)
    Thanks for sharing your favorites, the lemi shine trick will be being tried soon. I was so frustrated when they took out the phosphates too!

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    1. Oh, man! I have the white one! Maybe I'll buy the blue one and pour it into the white one....you know, to match ;)

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  14. Thanks for the Turkish towels recommendation! We have that problem, too, with the towels not totally drying. And, with the hard water (I am a HUGE lemon shine fan!!) I think it just makes the towels even more stinky! I'll have to try one of those towels out and see if my husband with the sensitive nose who likes to vocalize about how smelly things are (I totally related to your post today, obvs) thinks about using a Turkish towel!

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  15. Here in Spain we use the "normal" towels, but we call them... rizo americano (american curl!). These thin towels have been "banned" from spanish homes for years, but they are now in fashion again. Mostly for the beach (in big sizes, of course) because they are easier to carry in a bag and dry faster. I have a beach towel 1.80m x 1.80m and I almost need a shopping cart to carry it when it's wet :P

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  16. 1. My scentsy wax warmer. No flame and easy to switch scents!
    2. Coconut oil. I use it for everything! Seriously.... Everything. Cooking/baking, skin cleanser, makeup remover, hair conditioner, carrier oil for my essential oils! Best stuff ever!
    3. dOterra essential oils and my diffuser. I diffuse at night, and the oils not only make my house smell like a spa, they really do change the whole vibe in the house. We "settle down" so much better when I diffuse, and if last years record holds true, by diffusing the OnGuard blend, we will enjoy being cold and flu free this year again!
    4. Chocolate Almond Milk. Yum. Just a couple of ounces helps me kick my serious chocolate craving without blowing my whole day!
    5. Little washable mesh laundry bags with a zipper. I put all of A's socks in one before I toss them in the wash, and no more missing socks!

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  17. My aunt and uncle in England live in a 300 year old stone cottage, which is almost as romantic as it sounds, except it's always cold and your towel never dries. They have a heated towel rack in their bathroom, so towels are always dry, warm and fluffy, which feels like the pointiest peak of luxury when you are cold, wet and naked.

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