Spring Cleaning

Our farm is located in a predominately farming community.  When the weather has been good, we have been disking, along with all the other farmers preparing the fields by mowing in between the fruit trees; or rotatilling or making ridges to plant vegetables.  This means that with the wind, we have had loads of dust in the house which has been driving me crazy.  So I have been trying to spring clean to keep up with it.  And we are remodeling our hall bathroom making more messes and dust in the house.

I have started spring cleaning the back bedroom that we call the grand kid's room.  Frank had made these headboards and I covered them with linen fabric last fall.  As I was dusting every item in the room, I noticed that the dust ruffles were uneven.  If you have ever changed dust ruffles, you know what I mean when I say they are such a problem.  Especially the bigger the bed, the heavier it is to lift the mattress up to pull the dust ruffle between the top and bottom mattress.  Well I thought of a way to save me that time.

I purchased the Velcro, sticky back roll, 3/4", both sides tape.  I cut the Velcro into about 4-5 inch strips.  I cut off the center piece of the dust ruffle fabric, the part that goes under the mattress about 2" above the ruffle so you basically end up with just the long ruffle part, no center.  Next time I will sew the raw edge under to make a nice clean edging, but I was in a hurry and wanted it done.

I lifted up the top mattress at the headboard edge so I had access to the top of the box springs, pulled off the backing of the rough edged Velcro piece and placed it on the edge of the mattress.  I put it about 1" inside the top of the mattress so you can not see it with the top mattress is in place.  Then I took the edge of the dust ruffle and on the back side of it put the other Velcro cut piece that matches the one I just put on the mattress and lined it up with it, pushed down and the dust ruffle is in place. Go all around the edge of the mattress until at the other side of the bed.  If you think you need more Velcro when going around the bottom edges, then put more of the pieces down.  I placed the Velcro strips about every 2 feet, make sure you pull the ruffle tight as you go along.

I am now going to take all the dust ruffles off the other beds, cut the centers out; sew up raw edges and have them ready to go for future changing. 

I will soon be outside planting my fields but at least the house will be clean-temporarily!!! 

My last blog talked about collecting and I saw another "collection" on my wall yesterday that I missed.

Also purchased an item I saw talked about on another blogger site as a great purchase price that gives dramatic results.  They were right-Home Depot-I could have hung it up in a number of locations.

Thank you for visiting Windmill Farm and Country Design.  We are living a wonderful life here on the farm, fixing up an old house, growing our own food and fulfilling our dreams. 

Collections

I was pondering the word Collections this week as a friend commented on my McCoy/Bauer collection of vases and I looked around my gardens, house, rooms and even thinking about my friends.  People who love farms and country style love to hunt and gather and end up with collections of similar objects.  I have been planning out my vegetable garden to begin planting for our Community Supportive Agriculture (CSA) membership farm this year.  I am grouping my plants into sections and planning out additional flower beds for my cut flowers into collections of colors, heights and seasons, without originally thinking about it, they have become grouped into collections.

My friends seem to be collections of my interests too. I have gardening friends, farm friends, canning friends, knitting friends, friends that are couples with being friends with Frank and I; friends who are involved in chickens; friends that are involved in my CSA/Farmer's Markets.

Our farm is called Windmill Farm, as you can imagine, I wanted to carry that theme on into other areas of our farm where windmills would be part of the gardens.  I started giving my husband, Frank gifts for his birthday, our anniversary or just a surprise that carried that theme on to his exterior shop wall.  These are the tails of different antique windmills.

Collections of dogs

Need I say more? I guess my life is filled with just plain collecting but so much more interesting than just having one!  I love collecting anything that has to do with country design, farming and gardening.  How about you, do you collect?  Until next time, from my collections (not really clutter) to yours.

Paula Carli-Windmill Farm and Country Design