DIY, fashion, house and home, How To, humor, self-help

Un-decorating My-Summer Party | Part One

Un-decorating My-Summer Party.

Conflicting party vibes, only need apply. *wink

Isn’t it oh, so bittersweet?! On one hand, I find myself longing for these warm, summertime vibes of oceanic breezes to linger. While on the other hand, I can hardly contain thine excitement, boisterously espousing:

“Only a few more weeks to go before our beloved pumpkin spice err’ything gets popp’n !”  

One thing’s for sure, I have found that I have much to do before summer’s end!

And, it’s most dizzying!

Alas, I’ll be sharing my many, unfinished outdoor projects, half-ass gardening results from this year (not all my fault tho… darn you, lack of rain!), some hasty decluttering indoors, refreshing of spaces and wow!

That’s a lot of content to send your way before we get back to my real life of hustling for those acting jobs, running a business, and oh yes, writing.

Ohhhhh…. So. Much. Writing. To be done.

Un-decorating My Summer Party |Part 1 |Shift your focus!

Un-decorating My-Summer Party - Part One

So, before we get too overwhelmed, check out the last two videos posted on the YouTube (and Rumble) Channel, where I guide you on where to start when it comes to getting ready for fall, decluttering a space, and how to work with the wardrobe that you got instead of heading to the stores for the latest fashions, or opting into the fast fashions from those beyond-cheap apps using essentially, slave labor!

This week, let’s start with the fact that I had two – yes, count them _ TWO, different un-decorating reveals! We’ll start with part one below. This was the un-decorating I began before I decided to go all HGTV and give my kitchen, dressing room, and office small makeovers.

Decluttering Your Closet : a few tips to try

There are always a few questions the experts ask us to query when decluttering.

  • Does it fit?
  • Did I wear it?
  • Have I worn it…. ever?
  • Would I buy it again?

While all very good, I also add this into my decluttering routine.

  • How do I feel when I look at it? Good? Bad? So-so?
  • Is this who I still am? Who I want to convey to the world?
  • Is this still working with my current style?
  • Is this still working with my current body shape? Clothes, over time, can misshapen, shrink, or we can outgrow them.
  • The “One in, Two out” Rule – for every item purchased, two like-items should be prepared to go. Ex. I bought 3 new dresses; 6 old dresses gotta go.
  • For “on the fence” items, I use the black box (or black trash bag) method. I put it inside, let some time pass, and if I have not thought about it, or searched for it, take it back out and wear it, it goes. It’s a goner. Bye-bye.

When it comes to what the Minimal Mom likes to call the, “Time Will Tell” bin/box/bag; pick a time that works with your lifestyle. Meaning, I will allow my black box to hang tight with all my other donations boxes/bags for about a season.*Okay, sometimes four seasons – Ha! But for real, If I haven’t pulled WHATEVER it is I was unsure about, it’s clear it’s time for it to go. This way my actual decision was made for me in a way. It removes the stress of regretting that I tossed it as it sits there in its waiting basket, awaiting it’s final destination. haha.

Maybe you have items you might be able to resell. Great idea! If you have the time, energy, space, and mental bandwidth to execute the next set of tasks of helping you move said “sellable” items along – then I say, “Go for it!”

Mid-Summer’s Gardening Woes : Or is it?

And, while it may be too late to plant anything for harvest this year – at this point – except maybe three radishes… I will be giving planting my onions, and garlic another go round this year as I think my timing was just way off in prior seasons. I just learned about something in gardening called “over-wintering.”

But, before we go conversating with that future fall-planting self, let’s give some mid-season planting and crop love updates, in the video below:

How To, humor, self-help

A Shed, Some Bread, & A Dog… Oh My!

It’s summer and it’s diy time! Today we tackle a shed, some bread, & a dog… Oh My!

Between the extreme heat warnings, the readiness to jump out the door for poolside fun, and oh yeah! Those, oh so dire, attempts at trying to get ANY work done in the office…. An overwhelm of brain fragmenting, and seriously, my brain just keeps crossing it’s wires. Shutting off. No thoughts. No thinking. Just that ‘knock! knock! ‘No one’s home type of action. It’s too hot. I’m so sweaty. Where’s fall, already? And, I’m definitely off track. Again. So, I digress.

The Unofficial Hocus Pocus Cookbook: Bewitchingly Delicious Recipes for Fans of the Halloween Classic (Unofficial Hocus Pocus Books)


  • If your projects seem to be never-ending this summer, then you are not alone! I’m rowing that same canoe.
  • If you’re one of those peeps who enjoys their summer time sans projects and good at incorporating sun rays and beach waves; good for you! I’m jelly.

And since laying around, watching the birds chirp just isn’t my thing –

– not for lack of want but bc I cannot sit still for nuthin’ – it was time to dust off the list, and check an item off the list of outdoor construction projects… the shed. This thing was just so disgusting. Termites, voles living underneath the structure, nests of other bugs within the walls, deterioration of the wood, black mold, wood rot due to improper insulation and/or the build itself not properly sealed.


Take a look at the video below to see how I de-constructed that gnarly thang! I did it fairly quickly in three stages. I started with the roof, then attacked the walls, and finally removed the foundation. The word foundation is used loosely here as it was also rotten and foul.

Maybe you’re not even a “go outdoors in the summer” kinda gal (or dude) and prefer an indoor activity? While, I have some good (indoor) stuff in store for you in upcoming posts, today’s I ventured indoors to bake some bread. It’s the easiest recipe I’ve ever used and I get perfect results every time. It’s technically a ‘french bread, high altitude’ recipe I found online; but from what I’ve heard, high altitude recipes just call for a higher heat time while baking. Let me know if this is true, and if this is the only reason that it’s high altitude! I’d love some confirmation on this!

No time to watch any videos?

Check out my free printable BREAD RECIPE CARD below and get baking right away!

CLICK RECIPE CARD TO PRINT <3 

bruno taste testing fresh bread

Naturally, I had to grab my number one taste tester, Bruno! My labpei is quirky guy, with tons of personality and he is NOT shy when it comes to food. He knows what he loves, and spits out what he don’t! And, I think we can say that Bruno was definitely loving today’s loaf!

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gardening gnome newbie spring summer series returns rita slanina
house and home, How To, humor, self-help

Gnome Gardening Newbie Returns

The gnome gardening newbie returns to the scene of the garden for yet another go! THE GARDENING GNOME NEWBIE DITL DECLUTTER REFRESH

GARDENING GNOME NEWBIE DITL DECLUTTER REFRESH

We’re back for another season of the SPRING SUMMER SERIES FOR 2022! Okay, I’m not a gnome, but I sure as heck feel like one as I roll around in the soil, plucking, planting, kicking up my heels in the dirt! It’s declutter, refresh time and It’s my second year to plan the dirt kicking, plant the seeds and somehow I don’t feel like I’m getting much better at this squash sitting thing. I digress. Let’s DITL!

BRUNO

Bruno the puppy has more gnome-like qualities though as he goobers mischief as soon as my back is turned! So, with high humidity, soon-to-be lazy days ahead this fine Summer, and loads of videos and television watching in my future, I thought it was time to hit ya with the first installment of how my garden started this year, how I prepped and planned it!  So… let’s…..

GET SEEDS & GET GROWING!

A FEW LESSONS LEARNED IN R2

Ah… the monsoons are back, and the garden is a’growin’!

  • ITS NEVER TOO LATE! If you haven’t gotten your seeds for your garden and aren’t getting it growing; you are NOT missing out! But, don’t continue to sleep on it, y’all! There is still plenty of time to get outside and throw down some seeds! I was binging some vids the past couple days on what seeds to put out in your garden in July for you slackers that will produce a harvest that you can still rave about to your friends as though your a gardening savant!

CORN, RADISHES, BEETS, BEANS, CAULIFLOWER, SQUASH

  • FIND YOUR ZONE! I find it’s best to check the farmer’s almanac to find out what ZONE you are in first to make sure but the veggies mentioned above should fare well regardless. I’m in zone 8a, which means, I get humid heat & snow in the winter. But I also average a 200 day growing season… what luck!! Woo! However, what works in fall/winter does NOT necessarily work in spring/summer. But it’s fun to just try and see how it goes. That’s literally half the fun of gardening.
  • DON’T TAKE GARDENING TOO SERIOUSLY! It WILL drive you nuts. Just enjoy the journey. For real. Some plants will make it and some won’t. That was probably my biggest hurdle last year. I was so frustrated but this year, I realized, it’s a learning process and until you toss down the seeds and see what happens… just for the fun of seeing what happens… that’s when you will get it.
  • BUY SEEDS FROM YOUR LOCAL FARMGIRL, HOMESTEADER, FARMER’S MARKET. Another lesson I learned from last year is that all the seeds bought commercially are pretty much one size fits all. They come from the same place, no matter where you have bought them. While – in theory – this sounds fantastic, it’s not always practical in application. Sure, you’ll harvest something but when I started buying from the farm girl in my town who literally has been doing this her whole life, my gardening took off! For roses, I did buy from Jacksons & Perkins, and they have fared quite well. My grapevines from Gurney’s, were a 50/50, one made it/one didn’t. I purchased some seeds from Lowe’s online and some are doing great and others were buttkiss.

The upswing in homesteading, growing one’s own food, or learning how to just rock a great herb container in the windowsill has skyrocketed in all our homes. A lot of peeps are now thinking – Holy Poo! – what if this no-grocery store thing – goes down again? How will we eat? An economic collapse bc of a tyrannical government is feeling less conspiracy and more probable these days! How do we handle it if something this cray cray goes down?

*uh oh.. impending tangent ahead?

No lol ..but my interest in this topic is deep.

Circling back… *wink

oh thank goodness.

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PLAN. PLANT. DECLUTTER. REFRESH.

broccoli leaves gardening rita slanina GARDENING GNOME NEWBIE DITL DECLUTTER REFRESH
Broccoli leaves are just as tasty & useful as the florets themselves!

This is my second year gardening and believe me, when I say, I used to believe I could keep a plant alive to save my life  and now I am harvesting my own greens for salads everyday… it’s awesome to know that anyone can learn to do this! ANYONE!

So… show us!

Geesh , so impatient. Check out the fun on my DITL on how I got organized this year, what I planted and my blunders! THE GARDENING GNOME NEWBIE DITL DECLUTTER REFRESH! Hopefully this full 20 minute video on Rumble will inspire you but if you’re short on time cruise down to the shortened version!

FULL 20 MINUTE VIDEO ON RUMBLE BELOW

OR CHECK OUT SHORT VIDEO ON YOUTUBE HERE:

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