Homemade Purple Shampoo - Get Rid of Yellow and Orange Tinges


Silvers and light tones tend to turn yellow and blondes tend to get brassy or orange.  Sunlight and chlorine are color killers for treated hair.

If you dye your hair blonde or even simply highlight it, you have probably discovered just what that summer sun and swimming can do to treated hair.

Purple shampoo is a fast fix that works quite well.  It can get expensive, so I came across this awesome recipe to make your own using grape kool-aid and your own favorite shampoo.

Homemade Purple Shampoo - Check it out:

3/4 teaspoon of grape Kool-Aid powder

4 x tablespoons of your shampoo

Combine in a bowl.

Lather into already damp hair from the roots to the ends.

Let it sit on your head for at least 5 minutes

Rinse and use your conditioner.

If you use this formula twice a week especially in the summer months, you will get rid of that yellow, orange or unnatural brassiness.

How Does it Work?

The purple pigments cancel out the yellow and orange tones.

Don't worry that your hair will turn purple.. it won't

Give Your Hair a Break from Chemicals

I have had friends that simply go back and get their hair re-dyed more often in the summer to get rid of that brassiness, but this is so harsh on your hair.

Try this recipe or if you prefer not to get into a DIY for your hair, you can purchase purple shampoo and purple conditioner that will do the same thing between dye jobs.


This product will keep your hair looking natural.

Recycle Bubble Wrap - 5 great DIY Ways to Reuse and Save Time and Money

Whether you just moved to a new place or received things in the mail, chances are you have some bubble wrap kicking around.  Before you simply toss it, check out these awesome ideas to recycle it!

1.  Line Veggie Drawers

If you just happen to have a refrigerator with the freezer on the bottom, one of the downfalls to this setup is the things in the veggie drawers have a habit of freezing or simply getting too cold.

Line the Veggie drawer with a couple pieces of bubble wrap and not only will this insulate against freezing, it will protect delicate fruits and veggies from bruising.


2.  Stop Frosted Car Windows

When the temps begin to dip, save on the scrapping the next morning, by laying a piece of bubble wrap on your windshield and holding it down with the wipers.

Simply take off and your windshield is frost free, saving you scrapping time. 

Store it in your car, as it can also be an emergency warmth insulator for yourself if you ever get stranded on a cold day.



3.  Insulating a Grocery Bag

If you are shopping on a hot day, and you don't have an insulated bag or cooler, then create your own insulator bag by lining a cloth bag with bubble wrap.  This will keep that ice cream cold until you get home.

4.  Bubble Wrap Chocolate Wafers!

Check out this video:


5.  Bubble Wrap Canvas Wall Art

Anyone can do this!  If you don't mind a little bit of DIY, this is a fun no pressure art project to reuse that bubble wrap you just got in the mail or from packing boxes.

Check out this video:

If you use a few colors, this could definitely be a conversation piece!  Abstract art that you have created!

Also great for kids art projects too!.

I hope the above 5 have inspired you to recycle, reduce, reuse the best you can.  Bubble wrap is so useful for more than just popping the bubbles!  (I know everyone does this).

Popping the bubbles is a great stress reliever, so keep a few squares around for those types of days!

How to Kill Ants in the House - 3 Natural Ways - Without Pesticides

Ants are just one of the things that come along with the nice weather.  It is amazing just how they find themselves in your house, but they do.

I had an issue near the front door and noticed them under the mat and around the shoes.  I have 3 cats and a dog, and I didn't want to use any pesticides.

I vacuumed up the first batch, but when they returned, I knew they had added my house to their list of places to check out and party!

I have tried all 3 of these, and most of these products are already in your house, so try these first.

1.  White Vinegar

Mix 50/50 white vinegar and water into a spray bottle (dollar store sells these)

Spray the window sills or the door sills where you have seen ants, no matter how tiny or large they are.  Spray it right on any ants that are there right now. 

With a paper towel, wipe up the vinegar.  It will leave a smell behind that they cannot stand and you will have a clean sill (added bonus).

If you do this often and clean your counters and floors with a vinegar mixture, not only is this a natural cleaner, but ants HATE IT.

2.  Dish Soap

If you don't like the smell of vinegar, or you simply don't have any in the house and you can see a party of ants having a great time on your counter, use this soap method.

Mix one part dish soap to 2 parts water in a spray bottle.

Spray the ants and the surrounding area and wipe away with a paper towel and discard.

3.  Lemon Juice

This is another ant killer and deterrent.

Mix one part lemon juice to 3 parts water in a spray bottle and spray on the ants.  Citric acid will kill them and they can't stand the stuff.

Find the Entrance if you Can

See if you can find where they are coming in.  Check around your window sills and door sills.  Go outside and see if there are ant hills nearby.

Spray Outside Too

If you have found their ant hill or simply where they are hanging out and getting in, then take your spray bottle and spray all around the entrance.  Cut off their path with dish soap, vinegar or lemon juice spray and they will turn around and leave.

Don't Use Commercial Pesticides, Try the Above First.

I made the mistake of putting out those little tins of ant killer and my dog thought they would be nice to chew.  It make him quite sick.  So this is why I don't EVER buy pesticides.


Staircase Ideas - 3 Ways to Decorate Your Stairs on the Cheap

A staircase quite often is the first thing you see when you enter a 2 story house.  No matter how cute you make the entrance those worn out stairs can take away from your hard work.

Just how to decorate your stairs on the Cheap?

Check out these 3 ideas, and hopefully you become inspired.

1.  Stair Decals

These are basically removable stair stickers that you place on the riser.  If you have painted risers and they don't look their best, you can repaint them or simply add some decals.  You can get either inspirational or cute or funny!


If the stair risers are ugly and not in the best of shape, instead of sanding and repainting, add full decals such as the above. If you like inspirational quotes, and your stairs are basic white and you just want to add some pizzaz, these are a whimsical idea and a fun way to remind you and motivate you each time you climb the staircase. If you really want to add a statement, check out this mural idea!

Any of the above will take your eye away from ugly scuffed risers and add some life to your staircase.  They are also removable so if you are renting this is a good idea.

2.  Non Slip Removable Carpet Stair Treads

These will not only keep hardwood or painted steps safe for everyone, it will cover up worn and scratched areas.


This will instantly upgrade and just make your staircase look instantly better with out replacement. Usually the worn ugly areas are the center of the step, so by cleaning and covering them with these non slip treads it will look awesome. There is no glue residue left behind if you need to remove them. So, if you add the new treads and some riser decals, you already have a new staircase on the cheap!

3.  Paint

If you don't mind DIY, you can paint your entire staircase and then add some of the above, or simply paint your railing.

If you railing or banister is glossy or oil based paint or you are not sure, you don't have to sand.

Simply clean with a degreaser and use a high adhesion primer first such as ZINSSER.  I use this on any surface I am not sure of.  I have painted furniture without removing old surface and to this day it sticks.


Try just painting the railing if it is wood. This may brighten up everything right away. Use the Zinsser primer and then any color of latex paint you want. The gloss looks nicer on a railing.

Each Idea Under 50 Bucks!

 The above 3 staircase ideas should get you inspired to take a closer look at your stairs.

Whether you are selling your home or just moving in and don't want the expense of hardwood renewal or sanding, these products make a staircase DIY affordable.

 The stairs cannot be out of commission for long, so if you can do something quickly, then the above ideas will work. Renovations can be expensive, so why not try these ideas?

 Even if you just paint the scuffed up risers and/or add some decals they will look 100% better.

In our house we removed worn carpet from the stairs.  It took some work but was well worth it.  We then painted and used stair treads instead.  Looks 100% better!

Lawn Chair Webbing - Retro Lawn Furniture on the Cheap - Less Than 10 Bucks a Chair

When I was a kid, that was the only lawn furniture our family had.

Every spring we would get the folding aluminum webbed lawn chairs out of the shed and hose them down and let them dry in the sun.

But eventually the webbing would become brittle and break and the frame would work it's way to the back of the shed never to be seen again, and new ones would appear.

I personally have found these webbed chairs to be more comfy than many of the modern plastic formed ones, and were always great to take to kids games because they would fold.

If you have any of these aluminum frames kicking around, then get them out, and use one of these webbing kits.

For less than 10 bucks you can resurrect and upgrade a new lawn chair!  Check garage sales, I have seen many there.



How to Re-Web a Lawn Chair

 I found this video that will help.  I also found the webbing kits online (above).  You can get different colors or mix and match for fun.



If you like DIY, then this would be a great project to outfit your patio with affordable lawn chairs as outdoor furniture is getting very expensive.

I love that these will fold and fit in the car easily and ready to go to the beach or the kids games.  If they get wet they dry fast.  Hose them down if they get dirty and as long as you store them away for the winter they will last a few seasons.

Store Easily As they Fold To Take Up Less Space

Retro styles are back as well as shabby chic, and having fun with yard furniture is an awesome way to express your personality and save money!!

Saving money is a good thing.  No reason why you can't enjoy the outdoors this year without breaking the bank.

If you are NOT big on DIY ... but love the idea of the webbed chairs, you can still get them online with Amazon.  Here is one:

I still love the idea of finding them in garage sales but this is another option to re-webbing them yourself. The above one is made in the USA and comes in many different colors.

I love webbed chairs as they don't need cushions and transport or fold easily and dry fast.  Give them a 70s look and feel with multi-colors. 

Have fun!




How to Clean Yellowed Pillows

 When changing my bedding, I started to notice the "yellowing" on my pillows when I took off the pillow cases. It turns out it is ...