My sister-in-law, Lucinda, is one of my favorite people on the planet (and not just because she is the main caretaker to the cutest kid under 18 on the planet, my niece, Elsa…) She’s a great cook, a huge encouragement to my kids, and she puts up with my baby brother on a daily basis. A saint, really.
But little did I know the secret talents that my sister-in-law possessed in the stain-removal area. (Honed to perfection by the cute girl sliding down the tube, pictured…)
My mom told me, with great admiration in her voice, that Lucinda could “Get any stain out of anything.”
And since this blog is all about getting to the good stuff in life, I thought that if we all had a sure fire stain removal system, that could free up hours every year to do more exciting things like write a book, start a non-profit, or redecorate a room. (Or perhaps I am just REALLY bad at stain removal…)
Here is Lucinda’s surefire strategy:
How to Remove Laundry Stains
Spray with stain remover. Honestly – what kind doesn’t really matter. Pick your favorite and really douse it.
Rub and let set for a while. Patience is important here.
Put garment in 1/4 c of Oxi Clean and 1 gallons of water and let soak until you wash a load of clothes.
Wash with other like clothes.
Check the stained items before transferring them to dryer; if the stain is still visible put the garment aside and start the process over again (though the stains often come out even after going through the dryer). Sun exposure helps lighten stains.
Other note on how to remove laundry stains from Lucinda: “Peroxide with liquid laundry detergent works wonders on wine stains, and my mom even used it to clean a doggie vomit stain from her carpet. I rarely follow the advice of testing for color fastness on a section of fabric that is inconspicuous; I either try to get rid of the stain or just live with it.”
“I think it all comes down to a little elbow grease & persistence (like many things in life). Oh, and it is probably true that smarter women (and/or men) worry far less about the stains in their children’s clothes.”
I couldn’t agree with her last couple of sentences more…
I have had several people in my life, recently, who have been through the journey of cancer. Besides friends, my mom has had two cancers in the past couple of years (uterin and skin,) and has come through each of those situations with grace, healthy, and a fast recovery.
I know that many of you do not have such Lifetime Channel happy endings. Perhaps you are a caretaker or have a roll in a cancer patient’s life. I would like to offer a resource for you to check out.
Author Cynthia Siegfried. Cancer Journey: A Caregiver’s View from the Passenger Seat offers practical tips and spiritual guidance to people living with serious diseases. Most importantly, the author shows you how to find hope and even joy in the midst of spirit-crushing illness.
And now, a question for you – If you have been a caretaker when someone was ill, what did you most need support-wise? What could a friend do to take care of you – the caretaker?
I’ve had a dream. A dream about T-shirts. And I love how God can work out the silliest of dreams and bless some marriages along the way…
Here’s the story: Ever since I wrote THE HUSBAND PROJECT, I’ve wanted to have a T-shirt that says, “My Husband is a Hottie”. It seems like a simple enough dream, right?
Oy Vey.
I spent a lot of time getting in my own way, not feeling like I knew enough about T-Shirts, printing, etc. I was like that person who always says, “I want to write a book,” but never writes anything down.
Fast forward a couple of years and I innocently order a very cute sweatshirt from a company called DressBlessed.com and waited for my adorable sweatshirt to arrive. Instead, I got a call from the owner of the company, Jackie Fairleigh, double checking the size of the sweatshirt I wanted.
And that’s when I said, “Hey, while I have you on the line…”
Jackie, as an experienced T-shirt, sweatshirt retailer, gave me the low down on how to buy shirts, what to look for in a printer, what sizes to order, and even sent me samples of her own T-shirts so I could do this right. With the support of my ever-patient husband Roger, we went to a T-shirt printer, put down a lot of money,and now we have…
Isn’t that the cutest thing you have ever seen? (Modeled by my adorable, but reluctant, assistant, Sunnie…)
I love the shirts, they look great, they feel great, and the reactions from the husbands is OFF THE HOOK. (BTW – the secret is to not tell him about the shirt, just wear it one day and let the blushing begin…) And they are a hit. I just got them on the 11th of this month and we’ve already placed a reorder!
If you are interested in ordering a shirt (they run just a little on the generous size, so if you are between sizes, go for the smaller one…) you can go to my store to get your very own shirt. The are high-quality Hanes Pre-shrunk T-shirts that are soft and wonderful and designed for women. We have them in sizes from Small -2x Large.
Next week, we are going to be starting a 5-Day ME PROJECT Challenge. The challenge is to get started, just started, on a dream you have.
My dream was T-Shirts. That dream has come true. Now I’m on to the next dream.
What is one of the many dreams that you have? Share it here – it could be as simple as learning how to decorate a cupcake (which, upon further thought, might be really, really, hard. I wouldn’t know. I don’t know much about cupcakes except I like frosting…) or it might be as complicated as opening a bakery.
Today – I want you to leave a Valentine in the comments – Tell me why you love that special person in your life – Declare your love to the world! And then give them the link! (Everyone love knowing they have been bragged on in public!)
And to each of you – Thanks for sharing your love and wisdom here. You each are a blessing to me.
One of the things I love about my publisher, Harvest House, is that I am their own personal lab rat.
And trust me, I say that with a lot of affection.
When Abby – Harvest’s Queen of all Things Social Media – saw this new film maker from Google – creating your own snappy commercial – she decided to make me her guinea pig.
It’s only 35 seconds, and at the end you can make your own commercial. If you do, be sure to link it here so I can see it.
