Easy Way to Clean Silver Jewelry

 

I’m not that much of a girly girl, but am realizing that I can get away with wearing the same plain shirt and jeans quite often if I switch up my jewelry. Recently, my friend Jennifer’s (yes, I realize ALL my friends are named Jennifer..) mom started selling jewelry, which means I’ve started to buy more pieces.

I love my new jewelry, but find that real silver tarnishes much too quick for my liking, and I stop wearing it completely after a few months. After a bit of googling, I discovered the quickest and easiest way to wash it all at once to remove the tarnish: a salt water bath with aluminum foil. The hot water and salt loosens the dirt and grime, while the aluminum foil attracts the tarnish (for the super-geeky, this is an ion exchange), and it then wipes away from the jewelry (or silver pieces) easily with a soft towel.

This wiki post intrigued me, but it was the testimonials from this message board that won me over.

I would not use this method to clean jewelry with precious stones. All the stones I dropped in the solution were made from glass.

The Ingredients.

tarnished silver jewelry, silver pieces (flatware, etc) (I also threw in a hammered copper pendant, which cleaned beautifully)

aluminum foil

1 tablespoon table salt

hot water

glass container or jar

 

The Directions.

Fill a glass jar or container with hot water, and stir in a tablespoon of table salt. Make sure the salt has dissolved completely, and throw in a few (I did three) 1-inch aluminum foil strips. Add jewelry. Let soak for a few hours, stirring every so often to remove dirt (the water will get brownish in color).

Dry jewelry completely with a soft towel and store in a silver cloth or tarnish-free tissue paper to keep this from happening over and over and over and over and over again. Sigh.

 

The Verdict.

This worked much better than I expected it to– the dirt and tarnish just wiped away with the towel. I found some of my really badly tarnished chains needed to soak longer, but they still were ready to go in a few hours. I only wish I was gutsy enough to tie the crockpot in with this one…

Getting Ready for Easter

Easter is coming, and the bunny’s getting fat.

or something along those lines…

It looks like we’ll have a full house this year, and I couldn’t be happier. Adam and I really enjoy having everybody over to our house, rather than having to hop (HA! HOP! so didn’t plan that) around from house to house to ensure we see all of the relatives.

We’ve usually got the cooking stuff squared away, but in the last day or two we do need to kick it up a notch around the house in order to feel relaxed and comfortable when guests arrive. The good news is that our family is a team, and nothing fully rests upon any one person (like me. ) If you find that you are feeling overwhelmed, take a deep breath and remember that your family loves you no matter what, and they are not judging you for the layer of dust clinging for it’s life from the ceiling fan blade.

really. they aren’t.

but in the mean time, press pause, climb on the table with a box of baby wipes (or clorox wipes) and clean that puppy off before someone inadvertantly flips the switch and you’ve got dust bunnies (HA! again! but I felt that one coming on…) stuck to the deviled eggs.

Here are some past articles to help you out:

Clean Less, Play More

Spring Cleaning for the Sane

How to Company Clean in 30 Minutes–or less!

if you’re on top of things, why don’t you cross a few things off of your Punch List this weekend. It’s amazing how a tiny bit of touch-up paint around the doorjams really brightens and freshens a room. If that’s not possible, IT’S OKAY. Use a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser and call it a day.

Your family is here to see you and the kids. It’s your house, your rules, your day.

life is good.

I‘ve got a new interview up with Michelle Stern, of What’s Cooking With Kids that you should totally check out. She went from being a Pampered Chef consultant to starting her own certified-green cooking school, wrote a cookbook, and visited the White House for the Chefs In Schools initiative! I’m giving away a copy of her new cookbook, The Whole Family Cookbook.

Making the Most of Your Time

Ah, time. There just never seems to be enough, and no matter how hard you try to stop or freeze it, it just keeps on passing.

Everyone always says they would like more money, but is it really money that they want, or is it the freedom of time they believe money can buy?

time to travel. time to garden. time to have a hobby. time to read. time to do yoga.

time to collect garden gnomes.

time to sleep.

Everyone is allotted the same 24 hours each day, so why is it that some people get more done in the day? Are they sacrificing something important? Do they not eat or sleep? Do they have a secret space-time continuum they enter when no one’s looking?

maybe.

Or maybe “these people” have made a conscious decision to treat time as an endangered resource and deliberately choose how each minute/hour is spent instead of allowing it to pass by without notice.

I have always said that I hate rules and I hate people telling me what to do. I still say that, but I know it’s not really true. It’s not true because I never feel more on top of my game as I do when I’ve got a plan in place and follow through. This could be as simple as a meal plan, a plan to pay off a certain bill, a list of chores to check off, or a game plan of how I’m going to teach math facts to my 6-year-old.

so why am I so hesitant to make a daily plan?

Human nature. I know what works for me, but the idea of making a set plan, or list of chores, or daily schedule sounds daunting and overwhelming so I don’t do anything and instead sit on the couch watching OTHER people live their lives on the television.

sound familiar?

We need to end this cycle.

This is it. Move forward from today. Onwards and Upwards!

The difference between successful and unsuccessful people is that the successful people do the things that the unsuccessful do not. –Brian Tracy

related posts:

time management and social media (an oxymoron?)

how to be blissfully happy

making a (non-cheesy) vision board

meal planning for dummies

the Daily 7 For a Highly Successful Household

Wednesday, vacuum. dust. mop.

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It’s another Wednesday. Chances are, you’re feeling run down and worn out. I’m sorry. Me too. Do a quick speed dust, vacuum, and mop today. Don’t obsess, just get it done—super quick. Delegate to the kids if they’re home. A lot of dust can be erradicated with a carton of baby wipes!

Today:

daily 7

quick clean

listen to fun music and sing really loud and off-key. just for fun.

monday!

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Good morning!

I am late with this today’s post—I completely forgot to write it last night! I hope you had a wonderful weekend. Ours was quite productive—filled with PROMing, errands, visits, and laughter.

Today:

kids are off school— can today be a jammy day?

finish all wrapping

candy making/baking

keep up with the Daily 7, especially the laundry so it doesn’t get out of control

drink extra water, try to limit the sweets if you can

have a great day!

monday all over again

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Doesn’t it feel like we just had a Monday? What’s on the agenda for this week? School parties? Sing-a-longs? Pageants?

write everything down—every last detail.

you can do it.

Today:

daily 7

weekend recovery

FRIDAY!

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I started this week so well. I got up at 4am on Monday morning, cranked out some review posts and then a crockpot post, got the baby to the doctor, got the big kids to their schtuff, did the chores, made dinner, and went to a pta meeting.

it’s all gone downhill since then, and I am so glad the week is over.

I’ve got a book signing on Saturday, and I always have so much fun meeting new people. I’m really looking forward to it.

and I’m looking forward to next week.

in other news, we were given an Elf on the Shelf book and doll. The kids haven’t unwrapped it yet. Do you have one of these? Twitter says they’re creepy—what do you think? The sentiment is neat…

happy friday!! xxo

Today:

daily 7

play catch up

monday, weekend recovery. again!

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There are 32 days left in 2010. I become misty when I think of how fast the year has passed—I really wish time would slow down. My kids are already bouncing off the walls with excitement for Christmas, and are wishing it to arrive faster. to arrive tomorrow. or the next day.

I wish for more moment when I catch myself enjoying the moment. They don’t happen often enough. I’m definitely better at slowing down and taking in the sights, smells, sounds, and peaceful quiet—-but it’s an effort. It doesn’t come naturally to me.

Thanksgiving was wonderful. Everyone got along, the food was great, and the company was even better. My grandpa and grandma complimented the children (and me) and said that they were very well-behaved and calm. They said it was because I was laid-back and easy-going. After my laugh attack, I asked them to repeat their words to Adam. so they did.

and you know? I’m getting there. It’s definitely a process, but I do think I’m remembering to stop, relax, and enjoy the moment more and more each year. Maybe by the time I’m 67, I’ll finally be there!

This is my challenge for you, for the next 32 days. This is hands-down, the most stressful time of the year. Don’t let that be the case for you, for your family.

Change. Make new rules, make a new normal. Become different. Be different.

today:

weekend recovery

meal plan

daily 7

saturday and sunday

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I hope you’re having a wonderful weekend and are surrounded by loved ones. If you’re in the midst of crazy weather, please be careful if you need to go out. Stay warm and cozy!

This weekend:

put the serving dishes away

take down pumpkins, turkeys, and other fallish garb

break out the winter Holiday decorations. If you feel like decorating, go for it. If not, figure out when it makes the most sense for your family.

keep up with the Daily 7 (yes, even the laundry! )

The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart. Wishing you happiness.
– Helen Keller

it’s my birthday!

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so I’m taking the day off.

HAHAHAHAHAHAAA!!

Today:

keep a thankful heart

remember that every little bit you do IS important and IS appreciated

if you have to go to the store, go early and be cheerful. If you have to go late in the day, still be cheerful.

daily 7

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