Not a pretty post, but IT WORKS!!!

CLEANING THE DREADED GROUT...

After trying lots of expensive products and a few tips I found online, nothing ever gets the grout clean on the bathroom floor...UNTIL NOW!!!...I found this wonderful advice here http://holidaysparkle.blogspot.com/2013/11/grout-cleaner.html

and I'm sooo happy right now...All you need is a bottle of Clorox toilet bowl gel cleaner and a scrub brush!!! ($2.29 total cost)

I'll let the photos speak for themselves...

Look at this crazy before and after....

This is ALL you need...
I poured it on the grout lines, let it sit about 15 minutes,
came back and gave it a quick scrub with the scrub brush
and wiped it up with water and a towel...

EWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!
(and this is after I've mopped it clean...jeesh)

Can you believe this????

So go on and try it...
all you've got to lose is $2.29...
I'm sooooo happy with the results...
now on to bathroom #2...
xo, Mariaelena

I needed this....LOL

With the everyday snow and below 0 temps here in Hudson Valley, I felt the need to post these pics of late spring at our house in the "burbs".....

it's hard to remember that it can look like this....

Below is what it looks like now.....
WAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, let's just take a sec to remember and dream of warmer temps, sunshine & fun in the sun that is to come...

So to all my Northeast friends,
try to embrace and enjoy the winter....
there's an end in sight....
Thanks for stopping by...
xo, Mariaelena

My new no cost "hidden" message center...

  For years I've been taping school notices, to do lists, menus etc. to the inside of my pantry cabinet...Last week I decided to make it a little bit more user friendly...this little project cost me nothing as I already had everything I needed in the house...

take a look...

now you see it...

now you don't...

before:  a complete mess....

I glued 2 cork squares...
they fit perfectly inside my cabinet...

This is after 2 coats...I did 3...
I had a ton of chalkboard paint left over from our BIG CHALKBOARD project a couple of months ago...
you can see it here:
 http://cottagelivingfrombeachtoburbs.blogspot.com/2014/12/making-giant-chalkboard.html

My little helper treating the chalkboard....

And there you have it....
a no cost organization/message center!!

thanks for stopping by...
xo, Mariaelena

linking up to these party people:

http://northernnesting