Doctor, I think I have MTS. *gasp*

Dear reader,

If you have been following this blog for the last few months, you know I am on a mission to change my life for the better. This means getting organized, getting a "real" job, and pretty much just growing up and being a big girl. For the most part, I would say I've done OK. If you have been reading my blog and watching my videos, then you probably also know that I am sick pretty much all the time.

I feel you and I have been through so much together. We've had our ups and downs, and I am still your writer, and you are still my reader. It is a close bond. It is because of this tie that I feel I must share something with you. I have MTS, and I am afraid there is no cure.

Yes folks, I have Multiple Tank Syndrome. I have my 77-gallon hex tank, my 55-gallon long, another 55 in the barn, a 20 in the barn, and I just set up my new 5-gallon planted tank. I can't help myself! I would say that aquariums are my anti-drug, but I think I probably spend more on my tanks than I ever would on actual drugs, so I'm not quite so sure that is a good thing.

I should also warn you that MTS is highly contagious. Watch enough of my videos, talk with me about all my aquatic buddies, and soon you will have your own tank at home. Give it a year, maybe two, and you will have at least one more. Just wait, my friends. One day, you will all be infected with MTS and there is nothing you can do about it! *cue maniacal laugh*

Love,

Miss Oddi

p.s. Check out my latest video! In it, I show you my 5-gallon tank build from start to finish.

p.p.s. Please subscribe to this blog and my channel. I would love to know who is watching/reading. Oh yeah, please leave some comments, too. I heart dialogue.

Good morning, everyone! I just wanted to pop in here and share my newest video with you all!

So yeah, I know that was super random. However, it does nicely summarize what I've been up to of late.

Today, I start my bathroom makeover project! I'm really excited, but also lacking some motivation to go ahead and get on with it. I have a nasty cold (again) that is doing its very best to keep me in bed/on the couch. Luckily, I'm all caught up on my DVR, so at least I have that going for me. I've even run out of things to do with my fish tanks! In essence, I really don't have anything better to do at this point, which is probably the best motivator for me to get going on this project.

As usual, I will be working my way down a checklist today. I love lists because they make giant tasks seem fairly simple. They also help me maintain focus on what I want to accomplish. Without a list, I'll work for an hour, maybe two, and then head off into lala land.

Anyways, stay tuned for my bathroom project update in the next few days. I can't wait to share it with you!

Getting Crafty: DIY Cleaning Wipes

Hey everyone! One of the things I want to incorporate into this project is homemade items. I love making things. It really doesn't matter what it is as long as I can say I made it. Those of you who came to my graduation party in December will remember my Christmas tree with the 30+ handmade rosettes. I just think homemade items add a touch of charm to a room, and I really want to bring more crafts into my decor. 

While some crafts simply look cute, I love nothing more than a handmade item that is not only adorable, but is also practical and saves you money. Today's project, in my mind, fits the bill.

How to Make Your Own Cleaning Wipes

Materials:

• 1 roll of paper towels.
  I chose an off-brand type with the pick-your-size perforations. That way I won't go through the wipes as fast.

• 2 large resealable containers.
  I used these: 

• 1 large kitchen knife.
  I used a serrated one, and it made a huge mess. I would go with a regular, non-serrated blade if I were you.
•  2 cleaners of your choice.
  I wanted to make a general, multipurpose cleaner as well as some window cleaner, so I chose lavender-scented Pine-Sol and Windex.

• 1/2 cup measuring cup

• Con-tact paper

• A Sharpie

• Decorative scissors

Method:

1. Use your knife to cut the roll of paper towels in half. Do not attempt to remove the cardboard tube at this time.

2. Stuff one half of the roll into each canister. Do not worry if it is a tight fit; when you remove the cardboard roll, there will be more room.

Before:

After:

3. Measure out your cleaning solution and pour the contents into the canister. For my multipurpose cleaner, I used 1 cup of Pine-Sol and 2 cups of water. This made a pretty strong solution, and was more liquid than I really needed, so you could reduce the amount pretty easily. For my window cleaner, I just used 2 cups of straight Windex. You could dilute your solution or make one from scratch, but Windex is one of my favorite cleaners (my fish tanks made clean glass a bit of an obsession for me), so I just went with that.
4. Remove the cardboard tube from the center of each roll. Now that they are soggy, they should come right out.
5. Pull the center paper towel up. This is your first wipe!
6. Make your wipes labels. I tried to print a fancy label onto my Con-Tact paper, but it just smeared. I then got over it and used a Sharpie. It worked just fine. I cut my labels out with some fancy craft scissors to achieve a pretty edge.

7. Stick your labels on the appropriate containers, and then you are done! I would wait at least 15 minutes to let the solution soak into the paper towels. I rotated mine a few times to ensure even coverage.

YAY!!

Results:

To test the Windex wipes, I cleaned my bathroom mirror. I used about 5 wipes for the whole thing (the mirror is pretty huge). I also couldn't remember the last time I cleaned that mirror, so it was pretty bad. I should have taken before photos, but I didn't. Sorry. Needless to say, the wipes worked perfectly! There was no smearing, minimal lint (and I think most of that was just dust), and all the toothpaste and water marks came right up!

To test the multipurpose wipes, I cleaned my stovetop. It wasn't too bad to begin with, but it did have some food spots that I had neglected to wipe off from the other night. I used one wipe, and the stove was spotless. As an added bonus, my kitchen now smells like lavender.

Conclusion:

Overall, I feel like this first attempt at cleaning wipes was a huge success. I am super happy with the outcome. In my tutorial, I mentioned the things I would do differently. I would use a non-serrated blade, and I would use less solution for the multipurpose cleaner. Other than that, I don't think I would really change much.

In the future, I would like to try making my own facial cleansing wipes. I have smaller containers, so maybe I could make three different kinds, or give two to friends. If you have any other ideas for wipes, leave  a comment below!

Final notes:

I've seen several tutorials out there for these wipes, so there are many different cleaning recipes to try. Check out Cynthia Ewer's tutorial HERE. I found hers to be quite helpful.

Each time I find one of my attempted crafts to be remotely successful, I plan on posting a tutorial either on here or on my YouTube channel, depending on what it is. I have several planned already, so stay tuned and hit that subscribe button!