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While I was making the DIY Jewelry Organizer last week, one of the brass rods I ordered for making the necklace and bracelet “hooks” arrived tarnished. I had a limited number of the same size and was pressed for time, so I had to figure out a quick way to clean the brass without creating an entirely new project. I found that if I grabbed the ‘ ketchup bottle out of the fridge and a paper towel, I could easily clean the brass rods in a matter of seconds. I’ve heard vinegar also works, and the acid helps to clean a number of other things (like copper too, so I’m going to try that on my Moscow Mule mugs! ).

How to use the library: Just type in your name and the email address you subscribed with in the box on the library homepage, and it will pass you through to the library of this pattern and all other free patterns I’ve shared on the blog before. If you are new to subscribing or haven’t been able to get access, it’s likely because you still need to confirm your subscription (every signup has a confirmation email and it’s I know this is one of several lately that I haven’t stitched myself, but it’s for good reason There aren’t many bloggers I know of who do BOTH woodworking and cross stitch I do, and she’s one of the few (that I know of) who does!

This year, I’ve decided to create a small tip list (for you and for me) with some spring cleaning tips. It really would be better to redesign a single cleaning hub and not wind up having to search the house for a refill I’m looking for or winding up with duplicates that aren’t needed (I do find it useful to keep duplicates of the things we use most upstairs and down, but there’s a difference in strategic duplicating and buying multiples because you can’t find it! ). I appreciate how Swiffer products fall right in line with my lazy attitude toward spring cleaning and double duty; the solution dissolves dirt (especially from the family dogs) but is gentle on the floor, while the pad traps and locks the dirt away. Use products that are safe for cleaning electronics, but give things a good wipe so you can get back to business, like googling terrifying germ data.

* Use a jigsaw on a solid piece of 1/2″ plywood (any species) and glue a walnut plywood face on top (this is basically how I drew up my plans, to make things a little easier because the scrap I used had some warp) Note: if you go with a solid piece of walnut (3/4″ thickness), you can nix the walnut edge banding and the shelf will wind up a little thicker. The stud earrings used a 5/64″ bit and are 1/2″ apart, and the dangle earrings used a 5/32″ bit and are 1″ apart (though I mention in the video coming later today that going slightly larger drill bit might have worked better to compensate for thicker backings — don’t be afraid to go with a larger drill bit if you think necessary or if you simply don’t have these exact sizes). For the bracelet and necklace areas, I drilled just enough to help mount/secure the brass rods (15/64″ bit for the bracelets and 5/16″ bit for the necklace rods —