MAKE POTPOURRI FROM DRIED FLOWERS



WHY DO THIS?


Why waste money on store-bought potpourri that’s not perfect for you? With the right blend of flowers, herbs and oils you can make your own! It’s cheaper, more personal and can double as décor anywhere you want to add a little fragrance.
Difficulty:


what you'll need
dried flowers
decorative bowl
essential oils
spices or herbs of your choice (like cloves or lavender)
decorative rocks (optional)
trinkets (optional)


how to:
1 Make sure your flowers are completely dry! There are a few ways to do this, but the easiest way is to just tie a string around a bouquet and hang them upside down for a few weeks.

2 Gather your ingredients! The best part about making your own potpourri is that you get to choose exactly what your aroma will be! Choose your favorite essential oils and additional filler. (Some popular fillers are lavender, pinecones and cedar.) For herbs and spices, try mint, thyme, rosemary, cinnamon, cloves or vanilla beans! Apple peels or lemon peels work great, too.

3 Place your flowers in a mason jar or other airtight, sealable container. Add a few drops of essential oil to the jar as well as any other spices you want to include. Tightly seal the jar, and let this mixture sit for about two weeks. The longer the container is sealed, the stronger the scent of your potpourri!

4 Open the container and add your dried, scented flowers and spices to a decorative bowl or centerpiece. Arrange along with the rocks or other trinkets you’ve chosen. That’s it! Enjoy your homemade potpourri.

https://brightnest.com/todos/make-potpourri-from-dried-flowers

MAKE ECO-FRIENDLY DRAIN CLEANER

WHY DO THIS?

Drain cleaners typically contain lye or sulfuric acid, both of which are capable of causing an extremely serious chemical burn if splashed on the skin and are very toxic to drink. If drain cleaner hits your eyes, it may cause blindness. To avoid the scary side effects, make an eco-friendly drain cleaner instead with nontoxic ingredients you already own.

what you'll need

• ½ cup baking soda
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1 gallon hot water
• the juice that comes from half a lemon

how to:

1. 1
   First, pour the baking soda down the drain. Baking soda is alkaline, so it will cut through grease and other gunk left in your pipe.
2. 2
   Then, mix the white vinegar and lemon juice. Pour the mixture down the drain after the baking soda. Vinegar is an acid and will make the baking soda foam, providing some agitation to clean your drain.
3. 3
   Wait five minutes, then pour the gallon of hot water down the drain. The water will wash out your foam mixture, leaving you with a clean drain.

https://brightnest.com/todos/make-eco-friendly-drain-cleaner

CREATE HOMEMADE DISINFECTANT SPRAY

WHY DO THIS?

It’s not the most pleasant topic, but germs are pretty common around the house. To prevent illnesses and bacteria from spreading to you and your family, it’s important to disinfect liberally. This homemade disinfectant recipe was developed by a food scientist at Virginia Tech to remove salmonella from meat and vegetables, but it also works great for getting rid of cold and flu germs.

what you'll need

• hydrogen peroxide (3% solution)
• undiluted white vinegar
• 2 spray nozzles
• one spray bottle

how to:

1. 1
   Hydrogen peroxide comes in a brown bottle because it’s extremely light sensitive. So leave it in the original bottle! Instead of transferring the liquid to another spray bottle, simply put a nozzle on the brown bottle from the store.
2. 2
   Fill an empty spray bottle with undiluted white vinegar.
3. 3
   Hold your hydrogen peroxide bottle in one hand and vinegar bottle in the other. Mist the surface you’d like to disinfect with the hydrogen peroxide and then follow up with a mist of the vinegar. Important:Don’t combine the two liquids into one bottle – they will form a new chemical if they’re combine that doesn’t work as well.
4. 4
   This technique was developed to be sprayed directly onto food, but you can use it to disinfect anything in your house. (This is especially handy when you have a sick person in your house). If you do use the spray on fruit or vegetables, rinse the food with water after you’ve disinfected to remove any lingering flavors.
5. https://brightnest.com/todos/create-homemade-disinfectant-spray

DECORATE YOUR TERRA COTTA POTS

WHY DO THIS?

A traditional terra cotta flowerpot isn’t exactly an eyesore, but we think leaving it in its original state squanders some serious design potential! Whether your décor style skews modern or antique chic, these inexpensive gardening staples are basically a blank canvas of opportunity. Here are four easy ways to pump up your terra cotta flowerpots.

Difficulty: 

 

 

Time: 45 minutes

how to:

1. 1
   

   Gold-dipped. Give your planter the Midas touch by dipping the bottom half in gold paint. Spray the pot with a clear acrylic sealant and let it dry overnight before you start planting.
2. 2
   

   Lace. This upgrade is simple, so it’s perfect to do with kids! Apply a coating of no-heat fabric glue to the area on your planter that you want to be lace, and then adhere your lace to the pot. Apply a second layer of glue to the lace to secure it in place.
3. 3
   

   Fabric. We want to let you in on a little designer secret: that scrap fabric you have stuffed into your craft drawer has a lot of potential. To give a terra cotta planter a pattern, spray an even coat of adhesive on the outside of the pot. Then, quickly and carefully apply your fabric to the pot. Smooth out any edges with a plastic knife and trim any excess fabric with a pair of scissors. That’s it!
4. 4
   

   Spray paint. This is one of the easiest ways to give your terra cotta pot an upgrade. Grab a bit of painters tape and tape off sections of your planter to create a pattern. Spray paint just the inside rim of your planter to give it a pop of color, or mix it up with alternating shades. When done, make sure you spray your pots with a clear acrylic sealant to protect the paint from water!

https://brightnest.com/todos/decorate-your-terra-cotta-potsD