Even though you scraped away excess mortar, there is almost certainly some leftover on the blocks. The washing process removes all of these imperfections, but not until the mortar has set. Give it 2-3 hours before you start washing.  This set time only makes the mortar strong enough for scrubbing. The mortar won’t reach it’s full strength until it’s set for several weeks. This job may take several hours, meaning that the first blocks you laid are dry enough for cleaning as soon as you complete installing the blocks. Dip a sponge in a bucket of plain, warm water and scrub any spots on the blocks that have mortar on them. Thin layers of mortar should come off easily with water and light scrubbing.  Dip the sponge back into the bucket periodically to wash off excess mortar. Only use plain water at this point. The mortar is not dry enough to handle cleaning from solvents or other chemicals. This wipes up any moisture and removes any remaining mortar remnants. Work in a circular motion and cover both sides of the block surface. Once the job is complete, leave the mortar to dry. Don't do any additional cleaning or maintenance until the mortar has fully cured. Avoid doing any construction near the blocks, or the vibrations could knock them out of place.  If the blocks are outside, cover them with plastic to prevent rain from getting on them. Different mortar may have different set times. Always check the instructions on the product you use for the specific dry time. After the mortar dries completely, start cleaning the glass blocks once a week. Make a solution of warm water and mild soap. Dip a fine cloth or sponge into the water and scrub the blocks in a circular motion. Then use a squeegee to wipe the water off. Remember to clean both sides of the installation.
++++++++++
One-sentence summary -- Let the mortar set for 2-3 hours before washing the blocks. Scrub the blocks with a wet sponge. Run a dry cloth over the blocks after cleaning them. Let the mortar cure for 14-21 days. Maintain your glass blocks by cleaning them once a week.


Whether your skinny jeans were a bargain or a hefty investment, one of the goals with your jeans is to maintain its original color. With the water and soap you use for washing your jeans, denim’s dye will erode over time, with soap quickening that process even more. Set the dye in the denim before you wash it for the first time.  Soak your skinny jeans in a bath containing cold water, a cup of white vinegar, and a tablespoon of salt. Allow it to soak for about an hour. This step is especially crucial for darker washes and black skinny denim jeans. After the salt and vinegar soak, allow the jeans to lay flat to dry. The vinegar smell will go away once the jeans have dried. Jeans are one of those clothing items that can be worn often without the need for regular daily washing. To help jeans keep their color and shape, keeping your washes to a minimum is necessary. If you’re on a regular schedule of giving your jeans a wash every 4-6 months, mist them instead of washing them.  Freshen up your pair of jeans by filling a spray bottle with equal parts cold water and Vodka. Give your jeans a mist with the solution. Allow them to air dry and then place them in the freezer overnight. Odor-causing bacteria will be kept at bay and will help keep any smells away. An Vodka-free alternative is hanging your jeans up and spraying it down with some Febreze to help with odors. A quick tumble dry in the dryer with a dryer sheet is also effective. So you dropped some ketchup onto your jeans while you were eating or got an ink stain from a pen, what should you do? Washing is a possibility, but it breaks down jeans if done too often and it might not get rid of the stain. Instead of that, use some things around the house as spot treatments to help give your jeans a clean look again.  If you ever happen to get some paint on your jeans, use Mötsenböcker’s  Lift Off to help you with your stained denim woes. Hairspray is a great way to remedy ink stains that might be drawn to your skinny jeans. For grease stains, use Pine Sol to remove them. A magic eraser also does the trick with most denim stains without excessive scrubbing or potential of disrupting the dye. Storage is as important as a step as any when it comes to caring for your denim properly. Avoid using hangers as a means for storing your jeans. The way you bought them folded up on that denim display is ultimately the best way to keep them. Fold your jeans to help them keep their shape over time. Jeans tend to get better the more you wear them. They hug you better, they gain a little character over time with fading and/or tears. It should be noted though, that excessively placing cell phones, cards, wallets, and chapsticks in your pockets can change the shape of your jeans, promote tearing, and leave permanent stains in those areas. So wear them, but consider using other things to hold your belongings to help them be worn the right way.
++++++++++
One-sentence summary -- Seal in the color of your jeans. Limit how often you give your jeans a thorough wash. Remove stains with household cleaners. Store your jeans correctly. Wear your jeans, but use your pockets sparingly.


Instead of tracing all the way around, create a straight line across the bottom where the point of your Pacman mouth hits. This will make triangles. Trace about 2-3 cm around your outline and cut your shape out along this outline. The extra fabric will give you plenty to work with to make your ears. If you’re using faux fur, make sure the hair is going upwards toward the tip of your ears. If you want to use separate kinds of fabric for the front and back of your ears, take your second fabric and trace the outline of the first cutouts you made. If you wish to use the same fabric, simply re-trace your first cutouts onto your original fabric. Use your scissors to cut these out. When you do this, you want the inside of the fabric to be facing you. Straight pin around the original outline that you made. Sew along the straight pins around the sides of your ears. Leave the bottom unsewn. Now that you’ve sewn your ears, use your scissors to cut the excess fabric off of the outside. Flip your ears. Now that you’ve sewn the sides together, flip your ears inside out. (This will make them right side out). Put the cutouts into your ears through the bottom slit. Glue them into place, starting with a drop of glue at the top point of the ear and working it down to the bottom. Your Packman mouth should still be sticking out. It will look like two triangles coming out from the bottom of your ears. The two triangles of your cutout that are sticking out of the bottom of your ears should be folded toward the back of the ear. Take glue and place it on the underside of the right triangle. Fold the ear so that this triangle lays over the top of the other to form a cone. Hold in place while the glue dries. Your ears have structure and support, they just need to be attached. You can either pin them to a headband, or you can pin them straight into your hair. Simply place the ear where you want on your head and slide the pin so that it catches the construction paper structure of your ear as well as your hair. Two pins is all it will take to hold them in place.
++++++++++
One-sentence summary --
Trace your pattern onto the inside of your fabric. Use your second fabric. Straight pin your ears together. Cut off excess fabric. Support your ears with your construction paper. Shape your ears. Use bobby pins.