Tips: How to Depill Clothing (The Impossible Lint)!

Have you ever heard of fabric pilling? I hadn't, but I sure have experience with it! It's the mysterious fuzz that appears on your clothing during washing, but cannot be removed with a lint-roller. It usually happens after accidentally washing a new towel or fuzzy robe with your regular load. It seems nearly impossible to fix unless you have the time and patience to pluck the fabric like a fresh chicken. lol. Neither do I...

As luck would have it, there are two tricks that can tame this furry mess. One being this funny tool called a Fabric Comb, Sweater Comb or Clothing Depiller. These can cost around $5.00 and are great for sweaters, cashmere, etc., but I wanted an easier, cheaper, "it's already laying around the house" kind of option.

Disposable razor??

Yup, under the right conditions, you can remove pilling from your fabrics easily with a simple disposable razor. The cheaper ones are perfect, in fact you'll want the ones that have a single blade if you can find them. Since you'll only use one or two, this should cost mere pennies to fix your garment (or sofa pillows, stuffed animals, etc.).

What you'll need:

• Disposable razor
• Lint roller
• Ironing board

1. Pull your garment over the ironing board like you would if you were planning to iron. This will give you a flat and taught surface to work with. Some suggest using a table or your lap, however this will not hold your item in place and cause potential snags. For delicate fabrics, you're best bet is using a board made for clothing.
2. Try finding a hidden or inconspicuous spot to start. It's best to test! Gently pull the razor over your garment, much like shaving your legs, lol.
3. Be cautious around buttons, hems and seams. These can easily snag and you may find it's better to work around them.
4. As you go along, use the lint roller to remove the lint you've trimmed. The lint roller will reveal stubborn or missed spots along the way, plus keep your project tidy.

And here's an after photo... The lighting in my hallway changed the color of the dress, but I promise, it's the same. As you can see, good-bye lint!

I also used this trick on my sofa cushions / decorative pillows. They had reached the point of "fix it or ditch it" and honestly, I wasn't sure about finding a matching pair to replace them. The razors worked well on the upholstery fabric, but I couldn't use an ironing board for this. I was simply careful to pull the pillow taught and the results were great!

Do you have other sewing tips? I'd love to hear them! Share with us in the comments below...

Tip: 5 Fun and Tasty Uses for Nesquik

Mmmm, Nesquik is one of those handy comfort foods to keep for a rainy day. Plus with the great deals we've been finding (especially the powder packs at the 99 Cent Only Stores), now is a great time to stock up! But did you know that you can do more with powdered Nesquik than adding it to milk? Here are some sweet treats that are easy and affordable to make on the fly.

Make a "Better Than Starbucks" Mocha at Home

• Coffee, brewed
• 3 Tbs. extra Coffee-mate extra sweet & creamy creamer
• 1 Tbs Nesquik chocolate powder

Brew coffee to taste. In the bottom of coffee cup, add Coffee-mate extra sweet & creamy creamer and Nesquik. Stir. Add coffee and stir again. Can be served with cool-whip topping!

Easy 2 Ingredient Chocolate "Mousse"

• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 2 Tbs Nesquik chocolate powder

Carefully fold ingredients together until blended. Makes a sweet chocolate dessert. Serve cold.

Copycat Wendy's Frosty

• ⅓ cup Milk
• 2 tbs. Nesquik Powder
• 2 cups Vanilla Ice Cream

Let your ice cream soften a bit, or place in microwave for 10 seconds. Add Nesquik and milk and stir or mix in blender if the consistency is too thick.

DIY: Three Steps to the Perfect (At Home) Pedicure

I'll admit, pedicures aren't my thing. Even though they are considered a pampering session and adored by both women and men, it still feels like just a "necessity" for me. That being said, I like to hurry it up, get it done and move on to other things, like, well, blogging, lol!

Here are some boiled down, easy and sure fire ways to have a soft beautiful pedicure, without the visit to the spa.

Stay Healthy

Stay hydrated: Drinking plenty of water throughout the day has several benefits, yada, yada. we've heard it all before. But your skin cannot look luscious and luxurious without the basic moisture it needs. If you want that natural glow, try increasing your fluid intake, use fruit infused water bottles or trade a soda for a flavor enhanced water. Just a little change can go a long way!

Vitamins: In our prepackaged, "everything is convenient" world, it's easy to find we aren't getting the nutrition we need. Vitamin deficiencies can cause a wide range of symptoms from poor skin and nails to paralysis and brain fog. No joke. If you don't take a multivitamin, start. (Hey, y'all. I'm not a doctor, but I'm speaking from my personal experience. Talk with your primary care physician before starting a new routine).

Get the Right Tools

Clippers: Have you ever noticed nail clippers come in two sizes? Many people assume these are sizes for men and women, but they're actually for your hands or feet. Make sure you grab toe clippers for your pedicure. You'll have an easier time grasping them and getting an even cut.

Nail Brush: I like to use a nail brush with an Epsom salt bath or while I exfoliate my tired feet. I use this for my whole foot, not just the nails. It does a great quick job of brushing away old skin and leaves my skin feeling smooth and refreshed.

Tips: How to Affordably Fill Your Kindle Book Library

My friend Elli just messaged me about this great service from Amazon called Kindle Unlimited. Have you heard of it? It's just $9.99 per month which can save you a bunch if you read on a regular basis! Check this out:

Kindle Unlimited is a new service that allows you to read as much as you want, choosing from over 700,000 titles and thousands of audiobooks. Freely explore new authors, books, and genres from mysteries and romance to sci-fi and more. You can read on any device. It's available for $9.99 a month and you can cancel anytime. You can even try it out FREE for 30 days!

There are even more ways to enjoy Kindle books and eBooks. If you have Prime AND own a Kindle, you are already set up with the Kindle Owners' Lending Library; a free service from Amazon that lets you borrow a few Kindle books every month. There are thousands to choose from. See a list of eligible books for borrowing, here.

The local library also has some great digital content online. As I mentioned earlier this week, you can borrow from the library itself, or it's content partners by simply entering your library card. These eBooks are free to borrow and expire when "due". So no more "mad-dash" to the return bin or late fees. Check out Hoopla Digital, Comics Plus​ or the Greater Phoenix Digital Library.

Want even more FREE resources? Justen English has put together an exhaustive list of free (and legal) sources to download literature. You can find plays, textbooks, classic novels and more; choose from more than 100 websites!

UPDATE: Fran just introduced me to BookBub, a free daily email that notifies you about deep discounts on acclaimed ebooks. You choose the genres you'd like to get notified about — with categories ranging from mysteries to cookbooks — and BookBub alerts you to limited-time offers matching your interests. It's more than a book club, it's BookBub!

(Thank you Elli and Fran!)

Do you have a Kindle, Nook or eReader? Where do you like to go for great reading material? 

 

Making the Most: 5 Services You Don't Have to Pay For

Sometimes we don't have the resources we need to get things done - or we don't know they are already at our disposal. This is the main reason I started Janie Girl; to share resources, encourage and build each other up to Make the Most and live fully. I've posted services that were free in the past, but I wanted to share some others that are more basic and meaningful.

Have you ever needed a service and thought, "Ugh, I wish this was free"? Or did you have an outage and desperately needed an alternative? Here are five services you don't need to pay for... at least in a pinch!

Fax without the machine

FaxZero: Have you ever needed to fax a document from home? It's last minute and too late to mail. It's an urgent time-sensitive form and you need it there now? But who has a fax machine? Check out FaxZero. It's a free internet faxing service that lest you send faxes to anywhere in the U.S. and Canada, up to three pages per fax and five faxes per day. The best part, you don't need a secondary phone line! Go to FaxZero.com

Text from your computer

Joopz: I know many of my readers don't text or don't have the option with their phone service. Offers come often that require texting, but that doesn't mean you can't participate! Check out Joopz, It's a free web-based text messaging service that enables two-way communications from the Web to any mobile phone in the U.S. and Canada.. and back! That means you can text with friends, family or even companies for coupons and offers - all for FREE without using your cell phone! All you need is an internet connection (desktop computer, laptop or tablet). Go to Joopz.com

Make a call from your email

Gmail: If you have a Gmail account, did you know you can make calls directly from an email that you send or receive. When you open an email with a phone number in the text, the number will be in blue. Click the phone number in the email. On the keypad that appears, click Call. Make sure you have speakers and a microphone installed prior to using this feature. If you want to have inbound calls, you can also sign up for Google voice. This requires a bit of registration, but offers several features and integrates your current phone. Go to Gmail.com

Use Your Smart Phone to Browse the Internet

Tethering: I'm not talking about using your smartphone to browse, I mean use your phone as a hot spot so you can see the internet on your home computer. It's called internet tethering - the method is different for each smartphone, but there are so many options, and most are FREE! This is a great option to have if your provider is known for going down from time to time. PC Advisor has some great tips on how to set this up for your devices.

Free Media Borrowing

Hoopla: We all love reading books on Kindle, which is cheaper than purchasing a hard copy. And getting DVDs from Redbox or even having a Netflix or Hulu subscription is a huge money saver over cable... but did you know there is a free service that lets you digitally access the resources from your local library online? For FREE?! Introducing Hoopla: instantly borrow digital movies, music and audiobooks by simply being a library cardholder. Titles stream instantly and are automatically returned at the end of the lending period. It's that simple! FYI: Your local public library must have an account set up with Hoopla Digital before you can use the Hoopla app. Check to see participating libraries. Go to HooplaDigital.com

Greater Phoenix Digital Library: And if you were looking for eBooks, the local Phoenix Public Library doesn't disappoint. Add in streaming video and audiobooks, here are thousands of titles to choose from without leaving the comfort of your home. PDL likely offers more than Hoopla, but is (unfortunately) regional. Check your library website, or ask your local librarian if your region offers digital borrowing. Go to The Greater Phoenix Digital Library.

And I want to throw an extra in. It's not really a service, but this is a awesome learning tool that I just had to share...

Tumble Books: While we're on the subject of reading, here's a great resource for your little ones! Check out Tumble Books: an online collection of animated, talking picture books that help children learn to read in a fun way. TumbleBookBiblioteca, a collection of Spanish books, is also available. Go to TumbleBooks.com

Tip: Clean Kitchen Appliances with less Elbow Grease

I love cooking with my crock pot. It's a great option for a not-so-busy morning - There's something relaxing about "set it and forget it!" I thought I would share my recipe on Janie Girl today when I realized a common problem. I try to keep clean surfaces, but the grime that appears on my small appliances is a challenge. Tons of scrubbing and experimenting with different cleaners... Does anyone else have this issue? My crock pot never looks as clean as the day we brought it home. Yuck!

I put so much effort in scrubbing, but achieve so little. Then I realized one small detail: this baked on crud was cemented on by heat during the baking process. So what if I cleaned with heat instead of blood, sweat and tears?

Turn it on!

Either after serving dinner or before the next - while the crock pot is warm but not too hot - use basic dish soap and water to scrub your appliance surface. I like to use my padded cloth scrubby because the pot can get super hot if it's on high and scold. Be cautious! Only clean when the crock pot is first warming up or cooling down. 

That's it! Do you have cleaning tips for the kitchen?

Tip: Quick Wall Fix with Soap

I had to move some artwork around today and realized there were several pin holes in my living room wall - many of which were overlooked during the last coat of paint. What a bummer! Instead of pulling out spackle or some wall repair (which would need to be painted over) I turned to my handy Olay bar. I know it sounds crazy but the easiest way to fix nail, staple, or pin holes is to grab a white bar of soap. It blends in nicely and takes seconds to do!

Here's the step-by-step: 

1. Use a piece of newspaper or brown paper bag to smooth out the tiny drywall that might be popping out. There shouldn't be much since we're talking about small holes, but you definitely want to start with a smooth surface. The results are much cleaner. 
2. Use a white bar of soap and gently rub across the holes you trying to fill-in. 
3. If there's some residue, you can use your newspaper again to smooth it out or a damp dishcloth - since it is soap you will get a nice smooth surface.

(finished on the right, identical pin hole on the left) 

This works on color painted walls as well. The soap glides on light or almost clear. If you are unsure, you might want to try a test area in a corner or behind a piece of furniture. Also, a damp cloth will wash away any soap on the wall - in case you don't like it, you can undo it! And you don't need to use an Olay bar per se, it's just what I had available. Ivory, Dial, Dove, etc. Any bar soap will do. Enjoy!

Quick Tip: Cleaning Jewelry, Easy and Cheap!

Silver jewelry is probably my biggest love when it comes to accessories, but with this Arizona heat my silver doesn't stay bright. I've tried several cleaning products, most of which fill the house with toxic fumes, and all of which cost a pretty penny. Polishing cloths are handy too, but hard to find and last not so long. So when I found this great cleaning tip using things around the house I just had to try it. To my surprise, this works better than anything I've tried before!

What you need:

• Hot Water
• Aluminum Foil
• Baking Soda
• Small Bowl

 How to clean:

1. Heat some water on the stove top or in the microwave. I used a kettle, but you can use whatever, just to make the water steaming hot, not boiling.
2. While the water heats up, line a bowl with aluminum foil.
3. Pour baking soda in the bottom of the bowl and add the hot water making a "soup". You can use a spoon to stir, but not too much. The fizzing is the chemical reaction that will remove the tarnish.
4. Add your jewelry to water mixture. Let sit for 5 - 10 minutes.
5. Almost done! If your jewelry needs a little more cleaning and shine, try gently rubbing each piece between your hands along with baking soda from the bowl.
6. Rinse under cold water and pat dry with a towel.

As you can tell, some of these aren't real silver and they came out great too! There were some spots on the heart necklace that have worn away, but everywhere else shined up like new. I suggest watching yours closely until you know if this is safe to use.

The bracelet above was extremely tarnished, starting out brown. If you have some pieces that need a little extra cleaning power, try this approach before soaking:

1. Add hot water to baking soda making a paste in a small dish or mini Dixie cup.
2. Take a medium square of aluminum foil and ball it up (loosely).
3. Dip your crunched aluminum foil into the baking soda paste and use it to scrub tarnished areas. Try avoiding inlays and jewels because this may scratch other materials.
4. Follow up with above soaking method to get an even greater shine!

The scrubbing method is a life saver and works faster than anything I've seen. (And funny enough, it was a complete accident. Oops, for reading directions carefully!)

Do you have a great cleaning tip?

More Forms? Are the Freebies Worth It?

With all the free samples I post you're probably wondering the same thing I did when I started this bargain adventure: "Are they really worth it?" Filling out all those forms by hand does seem daunting, and for what? A packet of shampoo?

So, why spend so much time on freebies? Well, surprisingly these samples can be a little goldmine. Take for example, the Natura freebie. This was advertised as a "sample" but instead we got a free bag of pet food. The Neti-pot is actually a full size product. The Taster's choice samples sent out a packet of 6 coffee packets (a small box has 7) and so on. I even signed up for an Always sample once, got the sample PLUS there was a bonus coupon for a free package, up to a $5 value. Samples often come with coupons too. You won't see these high value coupons in the paper or mail. This can really maximize your savings at the store.

Freebies are definitely worth it, but oh, those forms! They drive me nuts. So much time spent filling out the same information over and over. I finally got tired of forms... but not tired of the freebies.

Ever heard of auto fill? There are three plug-ins you can use that will automatically fill in your information into any form with one click. Sweet!

1. Norton's Form Fill - If you have Norton Anti-Virus, you already have this feature. Form fill (part of the Norton Toolbar) gives you the ability to fill in the information in an online form that was previously saved on a Card, including name, address, and other details. Plus you can save multiple cards (if you want different information to show like your email address).
2. Google Auto Fill - This is a feature of the Google toolbar. Simply set up an auto fill card (or cards) and a pull down will show when you are filling out a form. Select by name and the whole form will automatically be completed.
3. RoboForm - this does much the same as the first two. I haven't tried it, but it's widely used among the freebie community.

What's your freebie tip? Got anything exciting in the mail recently?