CLEANING UP MY ACT

Every since Isaac's hands went from looking like this...

to this...

They're actually even better than this now.  Read about what we changed to get them healed up here.  Anyway, I've been wanting to learn how to make our own natural soap. 

You can't make soap without lye.  Guess who can't find lye?  Evidently, it's getting harder to come by in the stores because - wonder of wonders - it's not only an ingredient in soap, but it's also used for making Meth.  Hmmm... can you sell that on Etsy?  Just joking, people.  Geesh.

Well, looky what some really smokin' hot married man was able to acquire for me this past week:

That is 8 pounds of lye right there.

And a butt load of essential oils.

Guess who's going to be learning how to clean up her act in the not-too-distant future?  I'll be keeping you updated.

Happy Homemaking!

FABRIC SOFTENER

I am a homemaker and I take my job seriously.  That's right I said JOB.  Because it's WORK.  I feel that part of my job as a homemaker is to find ways to stretch our one income as far as it will go.  This is an on-going procedure that is constantly being tweaked as I learn more and improve my homemaking skills.

One of the easiest areas I've found to shave $$ is in the laundry room.  I began making my own laundry soap probably a year or so ago.  I began using straight vinegar in the place of fabric softener about that same time.  Oh, we tried going back to store-bought fabric softener a couple of times 'just to see' - but, we  like what the vinegar does for our clothes better.  It's really much better at cutting down on static, too.  Not to mention...it's way cheaper. 

Well, a few weeks ago I ran across a recipe for homemade fabric softener that piqued my interest.  I wish I could remember where I saw it, because I would give credit where credit is due.  But the recipe was so simple I remembered it.  It used vinegar, water and baking soda. 

My homemaking wheels began to churn.  I pay $2.69 for a gallon of vinegar.  If I could successfully dilute it, then I could stretch my vinegar further - therefore saving some fundage.  So, I tried it yesterday.  I don't have any pictures, but really, there's not much to see.  Just use your imagination.

I used an empty gallon sized vinegar container to make it in.

FABRIC SOFTENER

1/2 c. baking soda
6 c. vinegar 
8 c. water.
10-15 drops of essential oil.

First, put the baking soda in your gallon sized container and add the vinegar.  Shake a little at a time to incorporate baking soda without cause an eruption. Not that I did that or anything. OK. Yes, I did. I was lying. Sue me.:0)  Well, not really.  Anyway...  add the water already. 

I don't think that the essential oil would be necessary, but I had it so I went ahead and added some.  It smells sooo good.

I haven't completely worked out the economics of it.  But, I figure I can get at least two batches out of the vinegar this way cutting my cost from $2.69 to about $1.35.  I have the added cost of baking soda, but I can get that for about $.50 per box and only need a 1/2 cup per batch.  So, I figure that the cost for a gallon of fabric softener would come in around $1.50 - probably less.
 
I washed our sheets with this new fabric softener yesterday and my husband said that he thought they felt softer.  I thought they did, too.  I don't know what would cause this - unless the baking soda has some sort of effect on it.  But, I'm pretty pleased with it.  I'm sure I'll continue to make it.
 
Happy Homemaking!

HOMEMADE SUGAR SCRUB

This sugar scrub is something that I've used for years.  I always keep it made up in a Lock-N-Lock container in my shower.  I use it everywhere - from my face to my feet and all the spaces in between.

There is no set formula - it all depends of the size of the container you use.  It's definitely not rocket science.  But, it feels oh-so-good!

Pour a little lemon juice into the bottom of your container.  The lemon juice has alpha hydroxy acids in it and helps loosen dead skin cells.

Pour in some sugar.  This is your abrasive - it helps remove all those dead skin cells.  I read once where a dermatologist said that you should never put anything on your skin more abrasive than sugar.  My thought:  Why not just use sugar?  Yes, I am simple minded.

Stir it together to make a thick paste.  You may need to add a little more sugar or lemon juice to get it to the consistency you want.

Add a little bit of olive oil.  This will help moisturize your skin.  You can also add honey.  Some people wash their faces with straight honey due to it's cleansing and anti-bacterial qualities.  Sometimes I add it.  Sometimes I don't.

Stir to combine.  Viola!  You're done.

Put a lid on it and stick it where the sun don't shine - I mean stick it in the shower.

I use mine about every other day and it does a great job of keeping the dry, flaky skin away - even on those tough places like knees and elbows.

Happy Homemaking!

HOMEMADE HERBAL SHAMPOO

I have been using my own homemade herbal shampoo for a while now. I've experimented with a few different recipes. Did you know there is a whole movement called No Poo ? I kid you not! I can't say that I'm a part of that (When I hear the name I don't know whether to giggle or cringe!), but I don't like the idea of all the chemicals in store bought shampoo. So, I try to find a happy medium.

I found (and modified slightly) a version that really works for me at Parisienne Farmgirl. It's super simple to make and does absolute wonders for my hair! I love this stuff! Honestly, the difference in my hair when I shampoo with this versus the store-bought stuff is unbelievable.

You need some herbs. I had rosemary - so, that's what I used. Put it in a pot with 2 cups of water on low heat for 20 - 30 minutes. It makes the house smell divine!

Strain it into a bottle when it's done. I use a plastic water bottle with a sports cap. I wouldn't want to put anything glass into the shower, ya know? Next, I added 3/4 cup Castile Soap. Honestly, next time I'll cut that amount down to 1/2 cup because it's so sudsy. Then I finished filling my bottle up with water. That's it.

The original recipe calls for 2 cups of herbal water and 1 1/2 cups of Castile Soap. That's just too much soap for my liking. I think that a ratio of 1/2 cup soap to 3 cups herbal water would be just perfect.

The Castile Soap I have is peppermint scented. So the final product ended up being a heavenly combination of rosemary and mint. You could do whatever combination suits you. Also, the rosemary I used was the last of what I had. So, after I steeped it the first time - I put more water in the pot with the rosemary and steeped it again for about a half hour. Then I strained it into a canning jar and refrigerated it. I'll have enough for another batch of shampoo when I need it.

My hair is much shinier, full and manageable with this herbal shampoo. I also do a cider vinegar rinse before I condition. If you have any herbs hanging around that you don't know what to do with - or if you just don't know what to do with your hair - you should really give this a try. I'm hooked.

Happy Homemaking!