Inspiring, Inspired

So my dear friend from way back when (that I gave the chicken pox to in 6th grade) sent me a message on facebook to tell me that she FINALLY tried making her own laundry soap. Yeah! I love it so much and I was glad to know that someone else had tried it, too. I waited to hear how her first load went and when I did, she was so happy with how it had turned out for her. Double yeah! Me inspiring her and hearing how much she liked it, inspired me again. I am planning to make a big ol' batch again today! After a trip to Wally World to get some more Fels Naptha soap. But I am very appreciative to learn that my friend used her food processor to get the soap finely grated and mixed in with the other ingredients. Now I don't have a food processor. I have been using a handheld grater and my mini chopper (which does not hold much and the mess I make each time putting the soap in and dumping it out, ugh!). So I decided that since the last batch was clumpy (not waiting to mix the ingredients when the soap was freshly grated) I would run it through my blender, which just occupies space in the cupboard. Viola! It's perfect. Better than the first batch that I waited the day and ran through the mini chopper ... So thankful that I was inspired after being inspiring and figured out a solution to my (not so big of a) problem.

I also learned, from her words and going back to the website, that I've been using too much detergent. I've used a handy dandy 1/4 cup measuring cup. WHAT I SHOULD HAVE BEEN USING was only 1-2 Tablespoons per load. Oops! Well ... now I'm on a mission to find a proper scoop so that I am not overusing the detergent, thus making it last even longer. That and to find a cute, inexpensive container to store it in. Something better than the old Tupperware container that was in the pile to donate to Goodwill that I scavenged for when I couldn't wait to try the recipe and had nothing else. And I am inspired to check not only Wally World but the dollar stores thanks to a fan of my fave blog (iheartorganizing) who posted about another reader who redid her cupboards from dollar store purchases ... read the article from 3/14/12 on the iheartorganizing blog to see pictures; it's simply fabulous!

And all of this inspires me more to finally finish the laundry room so I can show pictures of it's prettiness. It's on my to-do list. I promise. But I'm taking my sweet ol' time doing it. Even though I'd rather have it done and my dining room back to be able to sit and eat at the table with the kids! I'll get there. Soon. I promise.