27 January 2010

giveaway: silkscreen tea towel


today's giveaway is a pretty tea towel from pata pri
her modern designs & colors would be refreshing on my cinderella days!
giving :: one large tea towel, design of your choice
please comment today to enter to win
tell me how you make mundane household chores more fun

to the girl who makes hedgehogs cute, thank you yuko

congratulations...
abby, you are the winner! it's funny when someone i actually know wins a giveaway (completely fair and square of course). she comments, I sometimes have music on, but the fun we have is counting to 14 before turning on the vacuum. Jake loves to clean. Counts down for the vacuum, and gets the duster out to help. Love these towels!

144 comments:

kristi said...

Loud 80's/90's hair band music makes cleaning more fun to me....along with great smelling cleaning supplies.

Kim said...

What fun designs!!! Yaaaay!

We seriously crank up the tunes on cleaning day.

I have four kids (ages 4, 6, 9, and 11) and we all pitch in and dance and sing our way to a clean abode. It is actually a ton of fun. I'm sure our neighbors know when it's cleaning day over here.

The best part for me is to see how they all pitch in and help each other. We actually bond while we clean. :)

Kim
klbarth@comcast.net

Anonymous said...

Mrs. Meyer's are a favorite of mine! The lovely scents make it just a little less of a chore.
katie_ruder(at) yahoo (dot) come

Jenny said...

I love to have a purpose in cleaning--a party, a nice dinner, clean underwear....it all motivates me.
PS I used your CD mix idea (Christmas) for my daughter's wedding. She made the cases from beautiful paper, tied them with twine and attached a metal tag for favors. The songs were chosen by the bride and groom and it is precious! We refer to it as the Love CD.

Hmkim said...

Mundane household cleaning suddenly seems fun when I think about all the school work I have to tackle! Household cleaning > school work

tawnya said...

Music. And NO chemicals! And getting my 3 year old in on the gig...

iamrobyn said...

hmmm, I'm not sure! I LOVE cleaning, so I consider it fun without any thing else. I guess I usually have the TV on (always a good soap opera) to help keep me entertained! :)

(GREAT giveaway!!)

Kelly said...

by blasting music and doing them as quickly as possible! :)

xo
Kelly

Anonymous said...

I listen to Edith Piaf and The Beatles and dance and sing at the top of my lungs. For the Edith its better when no one is around because my french singing is probably worse than my french singing.

megan... said...

lots of music, and envisioning relaxing or inviting friends into a clean/organized abode, rather than a tornado hit one!

Pretty dishtowels to hang up are also good motivation to clean the house around it!

Jen said...

Yes, I agree with those above...music, good cleaning supplies (Method- all arranged and organized in a cute bucket). I also like to have something bakin in the oven while I'm cleaning...cookies, cake, banana bread, etc. The place smells great as I'm cleaning, which is a motivation to get it done faster...so I can reward myself with dessert at the end!

Betsy said...

I make them my workout. Because working out is worse!

Amy said...

I let my 1 year old 'help' me!
The colors in these are beautiful!

Katie @ makingthishome.com said...

Our house is 480 sf. I gaze out the window a lot in the kitchen.
Thank you - LOVE these.
Katie

Anonymous said...

Music, music, and more music! Nothing makes cleaning more fun than turning up the music and singing along while doing the chores. Cute giveaway!!

Olivia said...

Music, of course... and if I'm cleaning, maybe company is coming over and that is exciting.

talesofahummingbird said...

music and dancing and the joy of crossing it off my list at the end. oh-the-joy!!!!

LobotoME said...

one word. music. (especially works well with madonna or britney!) ;)

Anne said...

Love that tea towel!

I clean house every Saturday morning. It's become a ritual for me. Turn up some loud seventies music, tie back my hair and get down! Plus it's great to enjoy a sparkling clean home the rest of the weekend.

Hillary said...

I like to clean...I sort of love how I can have control over this one part of my life, however mundane a clean kitchen may seem to others.

Of course, a little music doesn't hurt either!

and those towels...LOVE

Katie {My Paisley Apron} said...

When I was little, my mom would turn up ABBA and dance while doing the cleaning.... and now I do the same thing!

Misty Bourne said...

I bust out my iPod and crank it up while I go around the house cleaning up. That way I have no distractions and I also get so involved in the music that I forget I'm cleaning. :) The only bad part is that I sing too loud... :P

sheena said...

Love to strap our scrub brushes to our feet and clean the house Pipply Long Stocking style....

ok, we only wish.

But we do turn the music up and go crazy!

The Mighty RandR said...

I love those towels! Household chores are made more fun by cranking up the music, sending the man grocery shopping to get him out of the way, and then, when all is said & done, sitting in the clean & quietness of it and enjoying the tidiest my home will be all week.

Molly said...

Sounds like lots of us use the same trick -- music! I'll either put on some upbeat jams (Phoenix is my current favorite) and clean away. If there's something good on TV (soap opera or cooking show) I'll put that on to.

Sarah said...

I love to use Method products. They smell great which makes cleaning a lot more fun!

Melissa A said...

What a bright and cheery tea towel. About the chores, to be honest, I have my husband do them, but if I have too, I turn on the music.

Unknown said...

I love these tea towels. I've been eyeing them for a while now. Household chores are always more fun when you have some good music playing!

mary plus vince said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
kate reymann said...

So cute! I listen to NPR while I'm ironing. I always feel oh so 1940's.

mary plus vince said...

so cute! and the one you pictured would actually match my kitchen perfectly!

i blast the tunes, so i can dance around + sing while i clean!

Tracy said...

Just like everyone else, always music.

Andria said...

I don't think it's more fun, but we got 2 new puppies just before Christmas, so we have to clean more often. It's fun to have the puppies jumping around us as we try to keep it clean.

Missy knits said...

I am addicted to pretty household textiles to help make cleaning more fun. I am a sucker for a pretty print and have way to many towels, dishclothes, etc.!!

Lena said...

I love a clean and organized space to I don't find much mundane in the work, but I enjoy it most in silence to think.

parsonslena@gmail.com

claytonandmandy said...

While the housework itself may not be the most fun, the feeling after I finish is worth every minute! It also helps that my husband is so willing to help with things, cleaning with a friend is much better than cleaning alone!

Anna Kristina said...

music or a tv show on DVD (Alias, LOST, and Pushing Daisies, specifically) make the dusting and straightening more fun. I also am switching over to eco-friendly and homemade cleaners (like baking soda + vinegar) which makes cleaning a fun experiment while knowing it's good for the environment.

amber, theAmberShow said...

I splurge on the all-natural cleaning products from small companies. They have pretty labels and unusual smells. This makes cleaning way more fun.

That and interesting podcasts.

Rosa said...

I start singing "A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes" and the mice and the little birds come out to help me, just like Cinderella. And before you know it "Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo" the cleaning is all done. If only it was really that easy and fun!

Unknown said...

I make chores more fun with the buddy system. I find that I enjoy chores and am more efficient when I am doing them with someone -- like my sweet husband!

Unknown said...

Like many have mentioned...MUSIC!!! It definitely gets me in the mood and moving.

kendall said...

Yummy smelling organic cleaning products make all the difference!

Anonymous said...

i tell my sisters to do it,
or with really loud music (seems to solve everything for me :D)

tarable said...

i try to convince my kids to clean/wash/sort/sweep along with me. i get a kick out of their efforts.

Cathleya said...

I refuse to do more than 20 mins a day of cleaning. I guess it doesn't make it more fun so much as it makes it seem like I don't do many chores! I try to clean a tiny bit every day. I'm a big mess maker :)

Dani said...

Music...and having my 2-year-old "help". It is super nice when my husband is home to help chase our active little guy so I can focus on cleaning.

Sylwia said...

Always madonna on:)

Thelma said...

Loud music and wearing a pretty apron. Fun might be a stretch but it does make things better.

Jennifer said...

I'm with everyone else on the music. And maybe just a little chocolate treat after each yucky job.

caitlin said...

That would be cranking the music up loud and rocking out while I do the mundane.

Anonymous said...

music, for sure, but I also tend to wear really wacky clothes that don't match, which always makes me giggle.

--elizabeth

Beth said...

Wow, this is gorgeous! I took like to crank up the music and rock out, though sometimes I also yell at the spots and stains (generally things I want to say to real people but don't) which makes me feel good too!

erica said...

music, apron, and good smelling cleaning supplies.

Marci said...

I let my friends on the tv keep me company! They are so easy to get along with!

I love the Pata Pri towels! I'm a sucker for a pretty kitchen towel!

marla said...

spruce up...
a little lip gloss...
a cute apron...
a good soundtrack...
makes the mundane merry.

Jennifer said...

Cleaning with my husband and some tunes makes it way more fun!

Carter's Mom said...

I made a little chart and instead of check boxes I have smiley faces. I put the chart on a cool clipboard that's fun to look at.

Lovely Little Nest said...

That tea towel is perfection!

I make cleaning more enjoyable by setting a timer for 10 minutes and going room by room throughout the house. When the 10 minutes is up, whether I am finished with the room or not, I move on to the next room. After I've spent 10 min. in each room, I go back to whatever rooms I hadn't finished and spend 10 more minutes in each until all of the cleaning is done.

It really helps break up the monotony!

Lacey Jane said...

Absolutely adorable! I love her designs... um- for me- music. Loud music!

apple slice said...

I iron while watching movies. Something like Sabrina or The Age of Innocence. Sigh.

Rossie said...

I put on the iPod...usually a podcast, sometimes an audiobook. It keeps my brian distracted from all the scrubbing and tidying!

carolyn said...

I play the most danceable music I can find very LOUDLY. Then I dance with my kids while cleaning to make it seem more like a party than a "have to do" chore.

MollieB said...

easy. mrs meyers geranium scent. makes every cleaning day feel like that first day of spring.

Cassie said...

Saw this tea-towel today and thought of your giveaway!
http://www.materialistic.com.au/catalog/good-homemaker-teatowels-pi-2022.html?s=2
Made me smile at least!
xx

H Yoho said...

Good loud pumpy music, and setting a timer help the time fly by faster.

holliyoho@hotmail.com

ashley morgan said...

Definitely music like everyone else. Or sometimes when I'm watching a show I like, I'll get up during the commercial breaks and try to get as much as possible done before the show comes back on. Breaking it into small increments like that helps.

Amy said...

letting the kids help...even when it takes longer.

and music blaring in the background.

Rosa Rivero said...

I guess I have no original idea: music seems to help! but also I break down the cleaning into smaller tasks and make a list that way as I am cleaning I can start crossing things off my list! it feels more productive that way
cute towel!

Jenni said...

Oh I really LOVE the apple tea towel and the beautiful spring ones! BEAUTIFUL! Great giveaway!

Unknown said...

I like to 1) listen to music, 2) take "reward breaks" and do something more pleasant to break up the monotony, 3) wait until I have so much to do that the cleaning is wonderful because my house looks so much better afterward!

Amanda said...

i try to do a little everyday so i don't feel like it takes me so darn long!

Unknown said...

I like to listen to music. It makes it seem to go faster.

Jaclyn said...

A to do list. I am a big geek and get great joy out of accomplishing a task and crossing it off my list. Such satisfaction :)

Malinda Llyod said...

I make sure that I'm not the only one in the house doing chores and turn up the music!!

Malinda Lloyd said...

I make sure that I'm not the only one in the house doing chores and turn up the music!!

e.louise {Liz} said...

Good music and Starbucks! Cute giveaway!!!

meredith cheng - munaluna said...

I like to rearrange the pillows and placement of my tea towels every once in a while - why do you have to be stuck with the same scenery at home? Since I work at home, I need to change things up!

I absolutely love Yuko's work - I would love to win this giveaway!

Hannah said...

doing chores with my husband always makes them a little more fun. we love cleaning while rocking out to regina spektor.

Anneliese said...

i turn on a good movie (i cross my fingers for annnnything on tcm). then i bustle about so that i don't miss any good parts! and laundry folding turns into the best b/c i can do it on the couch...in front of the tv!

Katie said...

I like to listen to dance music when I clean: Lady Gaga, Black Eyed Peas, Pink.

Megan Elyse said...

My roomates and I open the windows to let the fumes out, bleach everything (an use Mrs. Meyers Products, they smell so fresh!) and blast the music as loud as we can every Sunday afternoon. Sometimes we even dance. It's our little end-of-the-week party. :)

Andrea said...

One word: Music!!

If I am singing and dancing around household chores go faster. Promise!

Abby said...

I sometimes have music on, but the fun we have is coutning to 14 before turning on the vacuum. Jake loves to clean. Counts down for the vacuum, and gets the duster out to help. Love these towels!

Kristy said...

super cute towels!
cleaning is always fun around here with my tiny helpers (ages 4 & 2!) & with fun bum-shakin' music to clean to!
all though i am not sure how much "cleaning" actually gets done! :)

NSMOM said...

Haven't figured out how to make household chores fun except to skip them altogether :) thanks, Maureen (jnomaxx at hotmail dot com)

Karen said...

Oooh, pretty towels. And actually, pretty towels help make the chores more enjoyable. As does some good music and nice smelling candles.

sally said...

Diet Coke and Soul Music make housework better. But it's still house work.

Kathleen said...

I cheat and use the most convenient, easy-to-use products as I hate cleaning. Clorox wipes, Swiffers, all my friends.

w and w said...

trying to beat the clock. If I time myself to see if I can beat my last time in how fast I folded the laundry or what not, it makes it a game. The best part no matter what I win. Of course learning tricks from my 2 year old helps too. I'm amazed at how much she out-smarts me.

Andrea said...

Help from my 3 yr. old son makes everything more fun :)

angela hardison said...

i open all the blinds & let the sunlight in... and of course, turn up the music. i love cleaning and i would love this tea towel.

Are we there yet? said...

If it is just me then music but if my husband is helping I try to make it a competition and we each set out to conquer a room!

Unknown said...

Hip hip hooray... I thought I missed it. What a cute giveaway!

michelle said...

I am crazy about tea towels!

Music always helps make cleaning more fun. Also lemon-scented cleaning products, my favorite. And when my 4-year-old daughter wants to help, that's the best!

erin said...

how pretty! i like to include my 21-month-old in my chore time; she thinks sweeping and scrubbing is fun, so her enthusiam rubs off on me!

MA said...

Fabulous, I would love to win! Such lovely designs.

Kari said...

I do them first. They are my frog to be eaten.

Kiasa said...

Mundane chores are much more fun when my 3 yr old helps out. And, yes, music is so helpful. Sometimes I promise myself that I'll buy a small bouquet of flowers once the house is spit-spot and it helps motivate.

Tamara said...

wow, another lovely giveaway!

lately my 1-yr-old son and i have been enjoying "they might be giants" abc's & 123's music while doing the dishes and laundry. i've learned to let him help unload the dryer. it takes a little longer to fold, but he is so entertained and happy that the time flies by!

Ashley said...

Love pata pri! their designs are so fabulous!
cleaning... i'm not a fan, but making a list helps. i know it's not very exciting, but crossing things off that list makes me feel happy!

carrie said...

oh I didn't know they could be fun. still working on that part.

barrentree said...

I put some good music on!

Lisa said...

My babe really likes to "help" me fold laundry, so I let him.

Rebecca (Dog-Eared) said...

i beg my roommate to do 'em! or wait until i'm stressed.. then i enjoy cleaning :)

Jen Lee said...

fun giveaway~ i crank up my ipod and play a workout playlist to get me pumped up for cleaning my house

Amanda said...

What perfect designs!

I like cleaning to a familiar movie or a television show.

Catherine said...

I have an iPod dock in my kitchen and I blast music from it. Although with a 5 week old I'm lucky if I get any chores done at all:)

Shannon said...

singing....
and paying my son a quarter to clean the baseboards for me!

whitney said...

music and dancing, of course!!

Anne said...

I listen to classical music. And have the windows open when the weather permits it.
pretty towels!

Sarah said...

clean often and turn up the beats.

jonnajonna said...

It seems I'm with everyone else! MUSIC is what makes the job bearable for me! I have iTunes on three different computers in the house...plus use the iHome every chance I get. A little Franz Ferdinand and STYX ALWAYS helps me move!

It took me forever, but I also found the joy of cleaning with microfiber cloths and baking soda. Microfiber for the dusting and baking soda for the bathroom. (Baking soda on a washcloth gets my flat iron INCREDIBLY clean!!!)

j

Estee Renee said...

sunshine and a funny podcast make my housechores more do-able... plus a pretty apron and a handsome towel to hang up afterward!

Baboon said...

I eat a treat every time I complete a task...For example: dishes done, good! I get to eat a cracker with avocado...bathroom done: great, that piece of mango is mine. It works...

carla thorup said...

i usually listen to the really bad (but really awesome) girl bands ala brit, lady gaga, shakira to get me to clean better and faster.

AmandaB. said...

Music is always a great way to energize your cleaning routine! And a mop makes a great microphone!

This tea towel is lovely and could make my kitchen!

Rambles with Reese said...

What a sweet and lovely design!

I make mundane household chores more fun by enlisting my husband to help me and playing rock music in the background.

Here's to hoping....

Thanks!!

Have a happy week!

Courtney B said...

the anticipation of the outcome... a nice, orderly, neat house pumps me up... along with what everyone else said :)

MUSIC!!!

summer said...

i try to make my chores fun by doing them at weird times (like maybe when i just got done getting dolled up) and blasting bouncy music.

ps. wow, i'm loving this simple pattern and jazzy colors. thank you!

Melissa said...

I'm sure it's been said a million times, but some good music always makes cleaning more fun.
And nothing gives you motivation for cleaning like an episode of "Hoarders" from A&E!!

Amy C said...

By really throwing myself into it so I can appreciate as job well done!

Suzy said...

I try to think about how lucky I am to have a home and a family to care for, and beautiful things to look after... it helps snap me out of the "oh, why is it always me unpacking the dishwasher?" blues.

Robin said...

I break it up... small tasks for each day and I do brief cleanings each week and one room a week gets a full overhaul. Slow and steady... makes it bearable. Ha!

tara said...

I pump up the tunes as loud as neighborly possible and dance my house clean. I love it! A workout and a clean house. I love the towels! So cute!

katie said...

I break it up over the week - I'd go crazy if I did it all in one day!

Anonymous said...

i set a timer, turn up the music, and see if i can "beat" the timer! :)
-sarah

Unknown said...

i listen to music -- it somehow takes over and i don't realize i'm doing the dirty work. i keep a pace when it's on.

poo kah loo said...

thinking of my vacations, watching my year old son talk away, background movie, music, etc

Trude said...

That tea towel is too cute! Definitely blasting whatever guilty pleasure music you have is a must. :) And I often take advantage when I'm in the mood or need to work out some frustration. ;)

Anonymous said...

reaching waaaaay down, being a grownup, and being thankful. Saying thank you for being able to vacuum...others don't have a house...thank you for being able to clean my bathroom, others don't have indoor plumbing...you get the idea...
pschultz@weatherfordisd.com
Love this towel!

Nichole B said...

Yummy smelling cleaning products always makes cleaning more delightful.

The King Family said...

I have a 17 month old too, so he goes into the pack'n'play, music comes on loud, and I dance around from room to room singing to my little guy. He stays entertained, and I stay focused on mommy-duty!

Emily said...

That towel is adorable!
Blasting the jams and dancing in the kitchen is the way to go.

Alissa said...

Definitely more fun with my husband, both for the company and because he's better at cleaning than I am! Thanks for the intro to Yuko Uemura. We've been calling our new baby (due in April) our little Hedgehog, and I was so pleased to see her hedgehog towels.

Ginny said...

Music is about the only thing we do to make chores seem fun. Races too, who can clean something the quickest or beat the timer, etc.

Dansie Family said...

i wish i knew what to do to make chores more fun. i guess i should read all the comments.

Lindsay said...

music, music, and more music! without it, i don't know that the chores could even begin to get done! ;)
email:lindsaymutchler@yahoo.com

JJB said...

The only way to clean house is with the music turned up and singing at the top of your lungs.

Unknown said...

hmmm... thinking about how happy I'll be when it's done & listening to music. Thanks for the giveaway!

J Bird said...

i'm a long time lurker! :)
i listen to "the moth" podcast to make household chores more fun. i love listening to the stories!
chickpeasandpeonies@gmail.com

Jessica said...

I give my little one a dustrag and we chase each other around the room, dusting a little at a time. I also like to let her sweep and sort laundry. Doing chores is easy when your working with your best friend!

Rasmussen Family said...

I imagine how great it will feel when I'm done to have a spotless space...or I will remind myself of the reward I give myself when the chores are done: more blogging time:)

Mary Grace said...

honestly? While washing a load of dishes for instance, I'd be dancing to Lady Gaga with my headphones on as if no one was watching. I probably look RIDICULOUS. Or I'd be waltzing to James Hunter while I'm vacuuming or sweeping the floor.

Post Grad Hair Cut said...

I sing! I love singing! Especially when no one is home!

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...