bits and bobs: A random assortment of things; small remaining pieces and things
Please… If you are ever home alone and you find yourself picking up the phone to order a 4 pack of lip balm for $56.00 + $3.00 shipping from QVC… HANG UP and call a friend instead. Even if it’s like 2 am because friends don’t let friends over pay for lip balm. Actually, friends don’t let friends acquire more than 2 lip balms in their car without doing an intervention… but that’s a totally different story.
If you pack an old fashioned wooden potato masher in your carry on… the folks at TSA will want to investigate. And chances are they won’t give a flip when you tell them what you’re going to do it with either. Or have a sense of humor when your travel companion points out that it would be good to whack someone over the head with if need be.
Seriously? Are there people out there who think beans contain meat?
If I ever have a big barn, I want to make this someday.
Chino the Handyman stopped by the other day, remember him? I love it when old neighbors stop to borrow something.
Last year when I was on a spending freeze one of the things I really wished I could buy was a bottle of Clinique yellow lotion. The HH bought me one for Christmas. The funny thing is… I haven’t used it once this year. In fact I just came across it two days ago because it was hidden behind the sunscreen. I’ve been using all those free hotel lotions my mom gave us in her Christmas surprise boxes.
CLEARLY…. the person I share a bathroom with {cough, cough} has been using my lotion!!!! And that’s just wrong.
Please settle this argument for me:
The flat top sheet on your bed….
My husband {who doesn’t even make beds} says the correct way to put the top sheet on the mattress is to have the plain side facing down towards the fitted sheet and the printed side up.
I think the top sheet should be facing downward against the sheet so that when it gets folded over the comforter, you see the pattern and not the plain side of the fabric. But what so I know? I’ve only been making our bed for 25 years.
So which is it? Because CLEARLY… after all these years of marriage, we are still working things out and trying to function cohesively as a married couple.
~Mavis
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Teresa says
Sheets: The pattern faces the fitted sheet. My mother taught me that. “So when you turn down the bed, it looks pretty.”
Been doing that way since I was old enough to make my own bed…about 50 years!!
Jennifer says
Omigosh! My mom says the same thing. However, I do the exact opposite.
kcb says
Teresa & you are correct!
Judy B says
You are correct. Top sheet faces down so the fold back is pretty. It makes getting in bed pleasant.
jessica says
Printed side down!!!
Rosaleen says
Mavis,
Vegetarian beans ate cooked without bacon, salt pork, or other meat for seasoning.
Yes, the flat sheet goes face down so the decorative top edge can be folded down over the blanket or a third sheet that protects the blanket.
Lesley says
You are totally right about the bed sheet. Fancy side down!
Megan C. says
Sometimes beans are cooked in stock such as Chicken or beef- so that wouldn’t work for a Vegetarian now would it, lol.
I agree with the HH, however just don’t fold it back so far, the line where the print stops and white starts is where you fold it at.
Leanna says
I agree with you about the sheet. BUT I’m pretty sure my hubby would agree with yours. 😉
Mariska says
Same here! In fact, I remember discussions about this with my husband in the past.
KC says
As far as I have determined, the most common male opinion is that the printed sheet side goes up (as per your husband) and the female opinion is with you on the printed sides facing together, so that the folded-down sheet is prettier.
I don’t know *why* that is, though!
Christine says
I’m with you, KC, or at least that is also how it works in our house (of course noticing/ caring is optional for the one who may help with the bed making).
Pork & Beans is more common in Canada than Vegetarian, so you have to look if it matters.
Knico says
Print side down, absolutely. Sorry HH. Look at a sleeping bag and the sleeping bag liners that are on the market, the print is on the inside, not the outside. That would be like wearing your underwear inside out !!
Vegetarian beans are canned with no animal products used in the production. No animal broth, fats or meats.
Cathy says
I’m with you, Mavis, on the top sheet issue! Face down, then you get a pretty flip-over 🙂
We bed-makers need to stick together!!
Patty P says
I agree with you Mavis! The printed sides of the bedsheets face each other….however, I don’t even buy the flat sheets…they drive me crazy!
Kristina says
Ditch the top sheet altogether. Just use a bottom sheet and a duvet, and wash the cover with the bottom sheet every time. Much easier to make the bed, plus you never get tangled in the sheet. This is the standard way of making up a bed in a lot of the western world. (You get used to putting the cover back on when you do it every week, promise!)
Sarah says
Kristina, this was my first thought! We ditched the flat sheet a couple years ago, putting a fresh cover on the duvet/comforter weekly.
tia in boise says
I’m with Kristina (can’t believe we are the minority!) Hate that top sheet—always gets so twisted! I use them to hide stockpile and stuff I don’t want to sell during garage sales and as drop cloths!
Marcia says
Totally this!
Lynda says
You are right: printed side down so the fold-over at the top reveals the print. But if the sheet came from the 1960’s and you don’t like the print, do it his way.
Vivian says
Sadly, something went horribly wrong when boys were created. My husband agrees with yours about the sheets. What’s up with them??
Deborah says
All boys have testosterone poisoning around puberty. LOL My daughter, mother of 2 boys, told me this when her oldest hit puberty.
As for as a top sheet? I grew up with plain white sheets, so it didn’t matter. Now, if I use a bedspread (where did they go anyway?), I put it printed side up. Ok, so I do it like that every time. I put the sheet and cover all the way to the top of the mattress, and just put the pillows on top of it anyway. We fold the cover back when we crawl in.
AmyWW says
Printed (right) side of the flat sheet faces down so when you get into bed you are between the two right sides of the sheets. I never fold the sheet over the blanket or comforter but still do it this way because at night when I turn the covers back I want to see two right sides of the sheets. If you put the printed side facing up and then put a blanket over that your husband would never see it at all since he never makes the bed. He’s wrong. But it’s one of those things (like the way the TP roll goes on the spindle, over or under) that doesn’t really matter and doesn’t change your life at all either way. Not worth fighting over but it is always nice to know you’re right. Hahaha!
andrea d. says
I don’t know about ‘whole’ canned beans, but with re-fried beans they use lard so it is possible they add beef fat or broth to the non-vegetarian canned beans.
LILLI says
Person making the bed gets to decide. The same goes for how the toilet paper goes on the roll. The person driving gets to pick the music played. I just love my rules…..
Darla says
Absolutely right! You took the words right out of my mouth.
R.M. says
A friend who is a nurse was taught that right sides go together so a patient with sensitive skin won’t feel any seam or roughness. Sometimes the right side feels smoother. Looks great turned down, too.
MEM says
Yes! That’s how my mother and grandmother taught me – both were nurses.
Barb says
Of course, Mavis is correct, but if someone else is going to make up the bed, I don’t care how they face the sheets!
Melissa says
You are definitely right about the sheet facing down, duh, so that the fold over shows the design – not even a debate 😉
Also just a venting comment I have for you – I love reading what you write and I figure it is totally your prerogative to try to monetize this site that takes up so much of your time – ads don’t usually matter to me any – I just don’t click on anything, and if it can help you make money, great. It seems like lately though, the ads in here are more intrusive? Like every paragraph I am scrolling past an ad just as long as that paragraph was and now instead of just a clickable picture they are preceded or followed by text that the advertiser puts in font that looks like yours (keeps me from scrolling past as quickly because I am tricked into thinking that I am back to your writing) – anyway, just my observation – wondering if there is a way for the page design to read a little easier with ads back to the sides or more at the bottom or whatever…..but hey I know it’s not my page 🙂 – just food for thought for you – really appreciate you Mavis – sad at the thought of you moving away – I love relating to your local posts (I’m in Tacoma) – keep on keeping on and I will keep reading regardless!
Tracy T says
beans – maybe flavored with bacon? only way beans should be eaten 🙂
how were the bottles hung up there? they are beautiful
Print side has to go down so that when you turn back the covers the “pretty side” shows.
Christine Hagen says
Here in the South, baked beans always have meat in them-even if it just bacon grease.
Absolutely, print side down so it looks pretty when you slide I .
A says
I agree on the beans– I was not eating pork when I moved from CA to TX, and I had the (apparently wrong) idea that “normal” beans are vegetarian. I soon discovered that ALL beans, including green beans, in TX seem to contain bacon bits or something like that. 🙂
Chris M says
It’s not about the print pattern; it’s all about the right/wrong side of the sheet as determined by the hem stitching. The flat/top sheet should be positioned so that the right side faces the bed. That way when you pull the sheet up around your face, you don’t have the scratchy hem on your delicate skin 🙂 That said, it looks far more polished to have the right side up folded over the blanket, if you do so.
The bottles are beautiful!
Stacie says
I’ve never owned any printed sheets…only solid colors here!! I think I need to live a little 🙂
Heather in Idaho says
I have never in my life heard of putting the printed side down, and I was taught by mother 45 years ago how to make a perfect bed, even to “corner” the sheet at the end. But then again, I wasn’t taught to fold the sheet over.
I’d think it would truly depend on how you apply the bedspread?
Wendi says
Sorry Hubby, she’s right. I was trained by the best in bed making and there is simply no question.
Karin says
The right side of the top sheet faces down. When you are in in bed, both right sides of the sheets should face the person in the bed! No-one sees the top of the top sheet, there is always a blanket or bedspread on it. Sheets need to face the bed occupants. My husband does not understand this no matter how hard I try to explain!!!
Lace Faerie says
Yep, I second this!
Carole says
Sheets, who cares? You’re asleep!!
Traci says
Exactly!!
Leslie says
Right! I’m getting a little weirded out by how passionate feelings can be about this.
Nancy says
As far as sheets go – for me it depends on the weather. In our hot summers, when all we have on the bed is sheets – no comforter, I put the pretty side up, and just turn the hem down at the top. Otherwise you will mostly see just the underside of a sheet when you come in the room. Then, because I didn’t want to have to teach the DH two different ways to make the bed, oh 40 years ago or so, in the winter we do it the same way.
Rebekah U says
Pattern side down for sure. You are correct! And I LOVE the bottle art!
Michele says
Mavis of course is right! Come on now…was there really any doubt to begin with?
Marvis you are Awesome!
Earlene says
My husband doesn’t care if the bed gets made everyday or not, which it does or about clean sheets, which he gets every week, so he won’t care a hoot about the top sheet which I do, hahaha!!! He’s thankful for the clean and nice bed, I however, love clean sheets! I love the smell!!
Pam says
I don’t know what this says about me but I have never really given it much thought. Until now. Now I can see where having the print side down so it shows when the bed is made makes sense. I flip the comforter but stopped flipping the top sheet because I didn’t like the way it looked. It never occurred to me to put the top sheet pattern side down! Even at 53 we can still learn new things lol!
debbie in alaska says
I remember being told by someone in the hospitality profession that the printed/fancy/pattern side faces the fitted sheet for the exact reason everyone has already mentioned — the folding back of the sheet. It’s all about presentation. It’s also the side you see when getting into bed. The argument about it being because it’s the part that touches our skin doesn’t hold as much water when you consider how we wear our clothes..
Lace Faerie says
Haha! Love the clothes comment! Toakes me back to high school when I got a fuzzy velour bathrobe for Christmas. The fabric’s underside was horribly scratchy and was sewn with pokey nylon thread. I wore it inside out till it fell apart. Made my Mama laugh every night!
Chris says
Bed making…Team Mavis all the way! The real husband/wife disagreements concern the proper way to load a dishwasher – hahaha!
Marsha says
Lol reading through the comments I must be a minority! From what I have heard Mavis is correct, however I feel like the not patterned side should be against your body to keep the pattern side cleaner/nicer looking. So I am a female on team Hubby’s side!
SandyF says
RE: QVC
My sister has a make up line that she used to sell on QVC. The first time she was on-the entire family gathered to watch her. Her son -5 yrs old at the time saw her on TV and sad” My Mom is waving at me-she sees me” Cutest thing ever.
QVC is a high quality, tight ship. Each package is inspected, each product is tested. Pretty interesting. You have to fund your product and ship it. Its a risk for sellers, but pays off.
I have never purchased anything on QVC, but it was fun watching her.
As far as the sheet-printed side down, turn over to see pattern. No question. Sorry HH.
Love your blog-and come to Southern CA to Blackmarket Bakery, we will put you to work for a day. cheers
Louise says
The Asian model tipped me off. $56 for luxury Japanese lip balm. You’re worth it. 😉
“Why it’s different: Hand-laid 23-karat gold leaf adds a touch of sensual shimmer.”
You really should do a post on AB (Asian Beauty). Snails and bees and ginseng, with the Mavis touch.
Amy says
It’s not about the “pattern” at all…or prettiness! Just like lots of fabrics have “fronts” or “good sides” or whatever term you use, sheets can be the same. The softest, gentlest, most luxurious side is to surround the sleeper. The sheet makers sew the seams accordingly, so that they’re the smoothest, too. Don’t go by pattern…go by seams, but most of the time, they correspond. 🙂
Lisa MTB says
Erm, no clue– I buy solid color sheets … and what’s up with not using the top sheet? I had no idea that was a thing.
Brianna says
I am in the minority on the sheet. I would put it print side up because I accordion fold the top of my sheet down about 10″ from the top of the bed, otherwise if I tuck it in at the top sides everybody sleeps on the sheet and that drives me nuts. Nothing is worse than crawling into bed next to your hubby after he has been sleeping for awhile to discover he didn’t notice the flat sheet to pull it down and is sleeping on top of it. Then I have to make a decision to either climb under the sheet and feel trapped or to sleep on top of the sheet too. I battled it for a few years and found the accordion folding style after reading it in a really old housekeeping book. Now if I could just find a solution to get the hubby to put on something more than his Birthday suit when he sleeps….another battle for another day.
Pamela says
wow I didn’t know I did so many things “wrong”. Since I am the only one in the bed and I don’t use any covers except a top sheet in the summer, why would I put the pretty print side down and only see the ugly underside?
Mari says
Re: sheets–yes, printed side down for reasons mentioned above. HOWEVER, if temps are high and I’m not putting a bedspread or anything on top of the flat sheet, I do prefer to put the printed side up. The bed looks nicer that way. 🙂
Danielle Diakoff-King says
Printed side down. And if there’s no print you still look to see which side the rough seam on the top of the sheet is on and that side goes up and away from your face. And when folded over the comforter it doesn’t look inside out. I was a housekeeper for ultra picky clientele for years. Sheets ironed with a mangle. Nough said.
Anne says
My Husband and I just had the same disagreement, can’t believe he would want the wrong side facing the fitted sheet, like you said when you turn it down you get the back of the sheet!
Tami Lewis says
I leave pretty side of top sheet showing…if I don’t cover up with quilt then I have the plain side showing and it annoys me! Lol. I just fold it do pretty side shows when making it.
Connie says
You are totally right about the bed sheet. The pretty side should show, when folded down. My Mom taught me that as soon as I was old enough to make my bed.
Cindy says
I thought I’d weigh in on your sheet question, but I see most of the responses already line up with your position!
My mom taught me that you sleep between the design, so that’s how I do it. My husband and I also disagree about the right way to put the toilet paper on the roll. (LOL)
Michelle says
What’s up with these men that don’t know how to put the sheets on right? Is it so they can get out of making the bed? 😉 I agree with Mavis but my husband does it the other way. Silly boys.
Sherri says
On You implying beans being that they they normally don’t contain meat in them, many do. It is very traditional to add bacon, or at least bacon fat. Read other beans labels. Many do. And check out recipes on the internet. Unfortunately, I do not have a recipe for baked beans. Since I am the only one that likes them, I always get my share at picnics.
Leslie says
Sheets: I side with you husband and my husband sides with you. He also wants the sheet pulled up high enough to cover the pillows, and I want it pulled up to the same place as the blankets.