DIY,  Printables,  Recipes

When life hands you lemons create a party

May 16, 2012 / 26 Comments

So yesterday our church was suppose to have an evening where we had a guest speaker coming to show us all the tricks and trades of making your home a refuge from the world.  Five hours before the event she called and cancelled. After some extreme frustration my girlfriend Krystal and I decided that when life hands us lemons we make that dang lemonade!  So after crying, spewing a few angry words we set out to create an evening that the ladies who had committed to coming would enjoy!  Our theme for the night was “When life hands you lemons make lemonade” 

Lemonade display table

We came up with ways to use lemons for everyday cleaning, for decorating and to use with eating.
For decorating: I used a simple mason jar and cut a slit down the side of a plastic cup. I pushed the plastic cup into the center of the jar then proceeded to push lemon slices in around the edges. I filled the jar with water, then topped it with some flowers and ribbon! We gave each idea away as a gift when people gave their tips.

We did some cleaning tips using lemons (found on Good things by Jillee check out her site she has great ideas!)
1. Citrus Vinegar All-Purpose Cleanser
Fill a glass jar with clean chopped citrus peels. Pour vinegar over the peels until they are completely submersed and screw the lid on the jar. Allow the concoction to sit, occasionally shaking the jar to mix the liquid. After four weeks, pour the concoction through a mesh strainer and into a spray bottle. Use the cleanser to clean countertops, stovetops, appliances, floors and glass.
2. Powdered Citrus Cleanser
Combine 1 cup baking soda, 2 tsp. cream of tartar, 1/8 cup borax and 1/4 cup grated citrus peel in a bowl. Mix the ingredients well and pour the mixture into a glass jar. Sprinkle the mixture onto dried spills and scum. Use a sponge or soft brush to scrub the mixture into the mess, breaking it up. Wipe clean with a wet cloth.
3. Carpet Freshening Cleanser
Combine 2 cups baking soda, 1 cup borax and 3 tsp. citrus zest in a bowl. Let the mixture sit until all moisture has evaporated. Mix it well and store in a glass jar. Sprinkle it onto dirty carpets and allow it to sit, absorbing odors and loosening dirt. Vacuum the carpets well after at least five minutes.
4. Disinfecting Citrus Cleanser
Chop up the peel of a large citrus fruit. Combine it with 4 cups water and bring it to a boil in a saucepan. Allow it to cool until it is warm. Stir in 6 tbsp. vinegar and 3 tsp. borax. Mix well and pour the mixture into a spray bottle. Shake before use to mix the liquids. Spray hard surfaces with the cleaner and wipe clean.
5. Citrus Furniture Polish
In a jar, combine 1 cup lemon juice, 2 cups olive oil and 1/2 cup finely chopped citrus peel. Dip a rag into the concoction and use it to wipe wooden surfaces. Screw the lid onto the jar and store in a cool, dry place.
6. Citrus Disposal Degreaser
Drop the peels into the disposal with three or more ice cubes. The ice cubes cool the grease, solidifying it, and the acid in the peels cuts it away. Turn on the disposal until the peels, ice cubes and grease are gone. The citrus peels release a clean scent as they are broken down.
7. Citrus Microwave Degreaser
Combine 1 cup of water and 2 tbsp. of lemon juice in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave the liquid for about 3 minutes, or until hot and steaming. Remove the bowl from the microwave. Dip a clean rag into the liquid and use it to wipe down the inside of the microwave until it is clean.
8. Citrus Scrub Degreaser
Cut through caked-on grease on stovetops or kitchen counters. Sprinkle salt heavily over the grease. Cut a lime in half and squeeze the juice over the salt. Use as many limes as necessary to cover the salt. Allow it to sit for about five minutes. Scrub the salt and lime juice into the grease with a sponge or rag to loosen it. Wipe it up with paper towels or a wet rag.
9. Citrus Spray Degreaser
The acids found in the vinegar and lemon juice work together to quickly cut through grease. Mix together 1/2 cup lemon juice and 2 cups of white vinegar in a spray bottle. Keep it in the kitchen and quickly spray grease splatters with the solution. Wipe them up with paper towels.
10. Citrus Metal Polish
When it comes to copper, brass and chrome, nix harsh chemical polishes and instead put some elbow grease behind half a lemon. For extra oomph, before scrubbing, dip the fruit half in salt—it will help exfoliate the surface for added shine

I brought the lemonade stand that my husband made for my daughters last year which you can see in this post

We also showed how to make homeade lemonade syrup using this recipe for Raspberry Lemonade Did you know Costco sells a huge bag of lemons for only $6.00!!

I made some cute little handouts that included Lemon heads for each of the ladies. We also showed and talked about making cute lemon pillows like the one pictured below using freezer paper.

It was a very fun night topped off with all sort of yummy delicious treats you can dip in Orange cream dip.
You can find the recipe at madiganmade.com

Did you know you can also use orange zest mixed in with your sugar to sprinkle over rolls or onto your fruit?? There are so many ideas out there using lemons!

We used quite a few printables that we found off of pinterest under lemonade printables. I was in such a hurry when printing them out I didn’t keep track of where I got each one from but if you know let me know and I’ll add a link to the site!

Overall for only having 4 hours to prepare wouldn’t you say we did an awesome job? We had a great night with a great turn out!

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