Going Cloth Over Paper

Missy Tippens

I hope everyone is staying well! I have a strange post today, not recipe related at all. I've been thinking of posting this for a while but never remembered to take photos. Now I have a few. :)

When the pandemic began back in March, I immediately took all the hand towels out of the kitchen and bathrooms and replaced them with rolls of paper towels. But after a few weeks, I felt bad about us using so many! Plus, it was getting more difficult to buy them and our supply was running low. So I took that opportunity to do something I had been meaning to do for months.

I started using individual, reusable towels. I had been doing some research and had been using paperless paper towels for a couple of years in the kitchen. However, it did not catch on with my family. They reached right past the folded towels and kept reaching for paper. So I then considered replacing paper with the flannel-type towels that stick together on a towel roller. Then also looked at washable fabric towels that snap together with actual snaps! But I knew I probably would abandon both of those systems quickly. I would not want to re-roll them every time I washed them.

Then I remembered my hair salon. When my stylist moved to a new salon a little over a year ago, I loved how they had individual washcloths for you to dry your hands on in the bathroom. They were individually rolled and placed in a tin holder. When done, you tossed your towel in a "trash" can.

So I went searching for washcloths. After a little more research, I decided on 100% cotton rather than using microfiber.

I know washing them uses water, so nothing is totally environmentally friendly. But I figured I could toss these in with my regular wash that I would be doing anyway.

With a family of three right now (plus other kids who come home sometimes), I knew I would need plenty so I don't have to wash more often. I ended up ordering a pack of 60 white, 100% cotton washcloths made by Amazon. I also ordered some racks to hold the towels in each bathroom.

In the beginning, I rolled the towels and washcloths like they do at my salon. Yes, I unrolled one to see how they did it and memorized the method. LOL

Fold the two side corners in

Then roll from the bottom. I actually found it's even faster to fold the bottom up, and then roll.

The little holders I have will hold 10 washcloths.

But through trial and error, I decided to do a quicker tri-fold (using a forward, then back motion so it's more like a fan fold).

I can still hold 10 in the container.

I also bought a small, narrow "trash" can to hold the discarded cloths for the bathrooms. I discovered I needed to move them away from the regular trashcan. (Don't ask.) :)

Plus, I bought a narrow can for the kitchen to hold the used cloth napkins and paperless towels because I knew telling my family to discard them in the laundry room would doom my effort.

For napkins and paperless towels, I shop at an Etsy store called Gina's Soft Cloth Shop. She's a Kentucky businesswoman, which I love (my home state). And I have really loved all her products. I buy seconds when I can. I have tried several sizes and fabrics. My favorites for napkins are the 8x8 two-ply cotton Birdseye fabric Little Wipes (they're made to be diaper wipes). I found the perfect holder for them. (And no, I obviously do not iron them! haha)

I hope y'all are inspired to try cloth! I've been really happy about making this change, and I hope I'm saving some trees.

P.S. There are NO affiliate links on this post. I only put links there to help you find products if you're interested. I get no benefit.

www.missytippens.com

Conference Wrap-Up

Last week I attended American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) annual conference in Nashville, Tennessee. I knew it was going to be great the moment I stepped into the lobby of the Gaylord Opryland Resort and saw this gorgeous glass sculpture.

A photo just doesn't do it justice, though.

One of the best things about a writers conference is connecting with friends, both new and old.

And chatting with the Love Inspired editors is always a treat.

The workshops are informative. I especially loved this one with Carrie Schmidt from Reading is My Superpower, Beth Erin from Faithfully bookish and other book bloggers.

And then there's the food. The night of the gala is always a treat.

That chocolate creation was absolutely divine.

But by the end of it all, I was ready to get back to the ranch. To pony tails and no makeup. To beautiful sunrises...

And nature in all its glory.

Now it's your turn. What have you been up to? Is it feeling like fall where you live?

Three-time Carol Award finalist, Mindy Obenhaus lives on a ranch in Texas with her husband, the youngest of her five children and two dogs. She's passionate about touching readers with Biblical truths in an entertaining, and sometimes adventurous, manner. When she’s not writing, she enjoys cooking and spending time with her grandchildren. Learn more at www.MindyObenhaus.com 

See Rock City!

Missy, here. I just returned from a visit to my parents' house in Kentucky. It's always such a beautiful drive from Georgia, up through Chattanooga, Tennessee, over Monteagle, then to Nashville and on up to Bowling Green, Kentucky (where I grew up and went to college).

Along the way, the rolling hills, mountains and acres of farmland call out to me, drawing me home. I think the mountains are in my DNA (I was born in the mountains of eastern Kentucky). But as I get closer to Bowling Green, the rolling fields of corn reach out to me, embracing me, giving me a sense of familiarity and peace .

I wish I could show you some photos. But each time I snap any, they never turn out as majestic as the actual view. I did try snapping a photo on a previous trip of one of the "See Rock City" signs on the side of a barn. It's situated beside a beautiful lake, and everything around it is so green. Unfortunately, the photo is taken while moving, and through a tinted, dirty windshield, and with the bridge in the foreground.

Zoom in and see if you can read the barn roof advertising Rock City. :) If you've ever driven along I-24 (and beyond!), you've seen the signs all over the place. It's fun to spot them, especially on barns. You can read the barn painting story (click here).

Since I was gone a good portion of this week, I only have my dad's cooking to share. For years, he's made us his homemade version of Egg McMuffins from McDonald's whenever we visit.

My dad and I made our version…

FIRST OFF, A SAFETY WARNING!! Do not singe off eyebrows while lighting gas stove!!! No, I don't cook with gas here, so it's always a learning curve when I go home. :)

Cook English muffins, split and buttered in a skillet. My dad has a weight to press them so they get crispy and YUMMY.

Fry an egg, trying to keep it muffin shaped.

Okay, so I didn't do so well cracking it into the skillet and keeping it round. My dad cut off the browned egg white to keep it round. Which was the best part! (Yes, I ate those edges!) And yes, I seem to get my perfectionist tendencies from my dad. :)

Top the muffin with a slice of American cheese. Then add sliced ham (we just use lunch meat or a baked ham, whatever we have available). This time, we used deli meat.

Now comes that nicely trimmed egg.

Top with the other half of the muffin and enjoy!

Oh, and here is the last bloom of my mom's peonies.

Gorgeous!

Favorite Friday: Home Fragrances!

Missy, here. And I'm a huge fan of fragrances--for me and for our home. I love to smell perfumes, body lotions, body wash, shampoos and conditioners. I love to smell soaps, air fresheners, potpourri, candles, and essential oils. I'm even crazy for fabric softeners! :)

So when I got a newsletter from Martha Stewart Whole Living about making your own natural air fresheners, I was intrigued. They list several simple "recipes." Just use 30-40 drops of essential oils (total combined) and add to a spray bottle with 1 cup of water. I have a lot of oils I love, so I plan to make this! Check out some of the recipes by clicking here. They give directions for making smaller amounts as well.

One easy way I love to scent our home (and us!) at the holidays is with hand soaps. It's sometimes tough to find fragrances that each of us enjoys. This year, I struck gold. Even my husband likes it:

Bath & Body Works Pumpkin Caramel Latte. Oh, it's so yummy! I went to find a photo to use, and it must be sold out. The only thing they have left is the Wallflower refill. But be sure to keep your eye out for it next year!

Another Bath & Body Works hand soap fragrance I adore (I use it at my bathroom sink since hubby isn't so crazy about it) is the Winter Caramel Apple. It smells good enough to eat! :)

This week, a friend let me try her antibacterial hand gel, and I fell in love with the it. It's Twisted Peppermint. Fresh and holiday-y (is that a word?). :) I hope to buy some this weekend before they run out. 

I'm just hoping they'll eventually bring back one of my all time favorites, Toasted Hazelnut. You can find it on e-bay, but it costs an arm and a leg. Maybe someday...

Do any of you love scents like I do, especially at the holidays? What's your favorite?