Seed Ticks Suck

Now, don't get all put off by my language in the title.  They do.  Literally.

In our backyard, the chickens do a great job of keeping ticks at bay, but the new farm is teeming with them.  So, I love the farm.  The farm is beautiful.  What is not beautiful are John's feet right now.  They are a nasty mess of seed tick bites.  (Sorry, honey, but it's true.  Normally, your feet are very attractive, of course.)

I was pretty much raised a city gal, and while I'd heard of and had a run-in or two with ticks, the first time I remember encountering a tiny seed tick was when Girl 1 was a teeny, tiny one-month-old.

We were living in New Orleans, but had made the long trek back to Arkansas to introduce our little bundle to all of her relatives who weren't able to make it to NOLA for her birth.  Here, she is pictured with MeeMee, her great-grandmother on John's side.  

Later that day, we were at John's parents' house when Amanda, my sister-in-law, came upstairs and nonchalantly asked me whether I had any tweezers.  I didn't really think much of it until I walked down the stairs and found my 1-month-old daughter naked and splayed out on the kitchen island, surrounded by 4 adults who all appeared to be performing some type of surgical procedure on her!  Apparently someone had spotted ALL the ticks, and they were trying to get them removed without causing me too much alarm.  Ahhhh!  It turned out that MeeMee had come in off the farm just before we arrived at her house to introduce her to her newest great-granddaughter.  Later that night, MeeMee discovered that she, too, had been tick bombed!  If we could magnify the picture above enough, we'd probably be able to see the little devils traveling between the two of them!

These ticks, that are in their larval stage are particularly awful because they are just hanging out there on the blade of grass en masse, waiting for something to latch onto.  Once they climb aboard, they pretty much look like dirt that is moving up your body.  They're so tiny, you have to look closer to even be able to tell what they are.  And, that's when you FREAK OUT!

So, I have some history with these crazy ticks, and John is definitely in some pain because of them right now, but I refuse to let them keep us from enjoying the farm, so I did a little research.

As for prevention, try to keep things covered up.  Tuck pants into your socks (it may not be on-trend for fall, but neither are red, itchy ankles) and spray your body with a deterrent.  If you'd rather not douse your body and clothes in products containing DEET, Mother Earth News suggests lemon eucalyptus oil, which can apparently be found in some Repel and Cutter products.

But, when you do look down and discover that your elbow has been tick bombed, don't just start swatting and scratching.  Reach, instead, for your holster and pull out your #1 weapon -- a lint roller.  Scratching and tweezing at these tiny insects will likely result in breaking off only part of the tick.  I know this is disgusting, but if that happens, it's likely that if they've latched on, the contents of their stomachs may be yucked out into your skin as the tick is torn apart.  This leads to serious itchiness and infection.

If you're already to the itchy or infected stage, try taking an oatmeal bath or treating bites with ChiggerX.  Antibiotic cream can help also prevent infection from setting in.

Anyone have any other ideas they can share for prevention or treatment of seed ticks bites?

Use Less

There are lots of more labor-intensive ways to go green and reduce your household carbon footprint, but perhaps the easiest way to reduce is to, ummm, just use less.

This may sound so obvious that it's not worth discussing, but even I need reminding sometimes that a little less will still get the job done.

The companies that bottle the products we use would love for use to use more than we need -- that just means they get to sell more!  A few months back, I had to buy some laundry detergent (I had some particularly foul athletic gear that needed a scented soap).  I was reading the directions and saw that I should fill to Line 1 of the cap for a regular load and Line 2 for a large or heavily-soiled load. So, what the heck was Line 3 for?  It's like they were trying to fool me into using more than is necessary to get the job done. ;)

And, what about shampoo?  Or hand soap?  Or anything else that we pump or pour.  I tried to limit myself to single pump of the shampoo bottle, but it just felt weird.  We're a two or three pump society, at least.

So, how can we overcome the tendency to use more than is necessary?  At our house, we like to water things down. Ever looked at the ingredient list on your shampoo, soap, conditioner, detergent, etc.?  The first ingredient is most likely water.  So, what's a little more?  I promise you, your hair/skin/clothes will still get clean, and you'll still get to do the double-pump, like you're used to.

When I buy John new face wash (pictured at right above), I pour about half of it into the old, empty bottle and fill both bottles the rest of the way with water.  Guess what?  The face wash still gets the job done.  And, I've gotten two bottles for the price of one!

What are some other simple ways to reduce our use of household and cleaning products?

Follow-up Friday: Goat Milk as Cure for Pink Eye!

Remember this post about whether or not goat milk can cure pink eye?

Well, (knock on wood) we still haven't had opportunity to try that remedy out at our house, but we did recently have a friend who tried it out.

Kim, a friend who'd read that blog entry messaged me and asked for some goat milk so that she could try it out on her daughter whose eye was showing signs of a pink-eye-type infection.

As soon as I had some raw goat milk ready, I carried some to her, and they began treatment.

Here's her testimonial:

"We put 2 drops in at around noon, then two more drops before bed. A's only complaint was that they were a little cold! Never any pain.  She woke up the next morning, and her eye wasn't matted together, but there was still a touch of redness to it.  We didn't use anymore drops, though, and by noon the eye looked normal again!"

Excellent news!  So, next time someone in your household is suffering and you'd like to give this little remedy a try, shoot me a message and we'll hook you up!

DIY Lead-Free Lipstick

Guess what?  I've got yet another guest post for you today.  Man!  I feel like I'm on vacation!

According to her mom, Bethany, today's guest blogger, "is currently a sixth-grader at Hallsville Jr. High School in Hallsville, Texas, and is anticipating her eleventh birthday in August.  She enjoys singing, acting, writing, and pretty much any activity that gives her the opportunity to demonstrate her creativity."

I saw on Facebook what this crafty little gal was up to with this DIY lipstick and just had to ask her to blog about it for me!  I know I can't wait to try out this project!  Enjoy!

It all started when I found out that most lipsticks contain lead. Since lead is poisonous to the body, why would I put it on my lips every day? A few days later, I found a video on YouTube for how to make lipstick out of Crayons. Being my curious self, I had to click it. This simple trick saves money, helps you mix and match to find your own style, and is completely safe.

First, you're going to need Castor Oil. You can find it at a local pharmacy. We found it at Walgreens. Then, you're going to need pure Shea Butter. We found it at our local Drug Emporium. Last but not least, crayons! Pick whatever color or combination of colors you want; there are hundreds to choose from!

Next, you need a double boiler, or improvise one like we did with a stainless bowl. Then, depending on how big your containers are, you'll need to put the unwrapped crayon, Castor Oil and Shea Butter in. Here, we are using half a crayon, half a teaspoon of Castor Oil, and half a teaspoon of Shea Butter. It doesn't matter what order you put them into the double boiler. Then, turn the stove to medium high and start stirring. It might take a while to warm up, but in only a short matter of time, you'll have a lipstick liquid. Make sure there are no lumps of crayon left.

Then, you're going to turn your heat off and immediately spoon the liquid into your container. We used a small container from the travel section at Target, but an old lipstick tube will work as well. Then, stick it into the refrigerator for about 10 minutes.

In this picture, we quadrupled the recipe to better fit these containers. After 10 minutes or so in the refrigerator, you just take it out and boom: you have your own lead free, low priced, quality lipstick.

These are some of the colors that we made. We prefer lighter colors, but the darker colors show up well and may suit your taste. Here, I am wearing the "Poppin Pink" and my mother is wearing "Mamacita Mango." It's optional to name your colors, but I think it's a ton of fun and enhances the experience. I hope you had fun making your lipstick.

You can find out here if your lipsticks contain lead.

DIY Microdermabrasion

Years ago, I attended my first ever Mary Kay party and absolutely fell for the microdermabrasion product.  I loved the feel of those tiny granules in my palm and couldn't believe how smooth my skin felt afterward.  Flash forward a few years to the present.  In my efforts to live a more frugal and natural life, it's hard to justify the price tag for such beauty products.  Luckily, I only have to look as far as the kitchen cabinet for a nice substitute for the Mary Kay product I loved.

Baking soda's texture is just abrasive enough to make it a great microdermabrasion alternative.  I use it in the shower where I keep a small sour-cream-sized tub of baking soda.  I suds up my face with my normal face wash and while it's still on, I dip my wet fingertips into the baking soda.  It sticks, of course, and in just the right amount for one use.  In a circular motion, I then buff away dead skin by adding the baking soda to the water and cleanser that are already on my skin.  There's no need to scrub vigorously, just keep the granules moving for 30 seconds or so, and they'll have done their job.  Rinse thoroughly (otherwise BS can be pretty drying), pat dry (when you get out of the shower) and follow by your favorite moisturizer. 

Beauty treatments don't get much easier or cheaper than this!  Give it a try, and I'll bet you'll fall for that smooth-skin feel, too. 

DIY Composting Toilet

So, either you're convinced or curious.  Either way, welcome back to our discussion of our new composting toilet.  (If you're lost, you need to read yesterday's entry about why I built one and why you should, too). 

Most of what you need to build your own, you may already have lying around. 

So, go gather up these items:

milk or filing crate

5-gallon bucket

scrap wood for the legs

toilet seat

zip ties

Tools I used:

pocket knife

jigsaw

chop saw

scissors

drill

I did have to buy the toilet seat (the cheapest plastic version I could find was $9 and change); everything else we had on hand.

1.  Place your 5-gallon bucket under your crate, and using the pocket knife, score the crate just outside where the bucket is to mark where you'll cut with the saw.  You want the bucket to just fit through the hole you'll create.

2.  Remove bucket and use jigsaw to cut along the line you made, creating a circular opening for the bucket.

3. Using the chop saw, cut the 4 legs to a length that just allows the bucket to peek above about a 1/2 inch.  I think I cut my legs 14.5" long.  (I spray-painted mine black to match the crate with paint I already had; while this does make for a nicer looking backyard 5-gallon-bucket pot, it's not a necessary step.  :)

4.  Attach the legs by threading zipties through the crate and tightening them around the legs.  Use scissors to snip off excess.  My zip ties happened to be black (how fortuitous!), so they are difficult to see, even in a photo.  Sorry.

5.  Attach your toilet seat.  My crate didn't have holes where I needed them, so I had to drill some.

6.  Set your finished toilet over the bucket and you're ready to go! 

I think we may add a toilet paper holder to the side, but I'll have to check the store for my options on that.  Since this crate lived a previous life in my high school English classoom, I removed a label from the front that read "Makeup Work."  I suggested we replace it with another one that says "Making Doo."  That idea was immediately shot down by very literal Girl 1 who was quick to point out that it doesn't work because we'll only use ours for #1.  Oh, well.

By the way, Little Boy is definitely the biggest fan of the potty thus far.  In fact, my plan to cut down on the flies let into the house when he runs in for a quick potty break is totally backfiring on me.  He's actually making extra trips outside just so that he can use the new toilet!  What is it with boys and al fresco urination?

I didn't take pictures during the process, so my explanations may be difficult to follow.  Please message me or comment with any questions.

Why I Built a Composting Toilet and Why You Should Too

I know that lots of you already think we're crazy around here.  For those of you who haven't yet made that judgment, let me just get this over with and move you over into the "Yep-They're-Crazy Camp" -- I built a composting toilet.  And we intend to use it.  Probably in the backyard.  Much like an outhouse.

Since I feel I may need to reel you in on this idea, let's devote today's post to WHY one should build a composting toilet and allow tomorrow's post to explain HOW to actually do it. 

Why Build a Composting Toilet:

(Okay.  I'm not going to get into the whole Humanure debate here.  We intend to use our toilet to catch urine only.  So, my arguments assume a #1-only potty.  If you're unfamiliar with the humanure debate and are bored, just Google it, and you'll have hours of entertaining reading.)

1.  You get to use power tools!  Don't let that scare you off, this thing came together in the span of about 15 hands-on minutes.  And, I guess, the fact that you get to use power tools is maybe not the most important reason to make a composting toilet, but it is the most exciting part of the process.

2.  Human urine is nitrogen rich.  If you grow a garden (or just pretty ornamentals), your soil needs regular fertilizer to keep plants productive and healthy.  Developing a compost pile is a must for the serious gardener.  But, studies show that the urine/compost combination is even that much more powerful.  So, why not just go pee on the plants?  Straight urine is too potent for plants and needs to be watered down.  Our plan is to empty our potty onto our active compost pile.  This will speed decomp and add nitrogen to our pile.  Rain will serve to dilute the urine as the pile develops over time.  Now, even if you do not have a compost pile, you can still use urine in your garden or flowerbeds.  Experts disagree on the urine-to-water ratio that is appropriate (suggestions I've read range from 1:3 to 1:10), but all advise that you apply your urine/water combo a few days ahead of a planned harvest.

3.  Who couldn't use an extra toilet?  We're thinking our toilet will live somewhere outside.  Especially this time of year, we spend large chunks of our day outdoors, so this could cut down on, say, the number of flies let into the house by Little Boy when he runs in for a quick pee before returing to his dirt pile outside.  Girl 1 refuses to use the new pot unless I enclose it in some way like a port-a-potty, though I was just thinking we'd hunt down a good, private spot that's not viewable from outside the yard.  We'll see. (For the record, Little Boy is pretty excited about the new potty and wanted to be very involved in in it's construction.  Girl 2 just shrugged her shoulders when I asked her how she felt about it, but she is thankful I've chosen not to include the photo I took of her trying it out.)

4.  Pee is free and abundant.  I guess you could go buy bags of nitrogen-rich fertilizer for your garden, but, if you have to stop for a pee while at the big-box store making your purchase, don't miss the irony.  Why not make use of what we already have?

5.  Our toilets use approximately 6 gallons of water per flush.  In our family of five, our flushing adds up to a lot of natural resources consumed in water usage, sewage treatment, etc. Generally speaking, less flushing is better. 

This may seem gross, but a lot of times (especially at night) we subscribe to the "if it's yellow, let it mellow; if it's brown, flush it down" philosophy.  This cuts down on flushing, but you can only let so much paper accumulate before a flush is necessary. 

Using the composting toilet regularly could greatly cut down on our environmental impact.  I mean, why would we want to expend valuable resources to dispose of something that, if harnessed, could actually be beneficial in growing our fruits and vegetables?

Instead of wondering why I should build a composting toilet, all of these reasons make me wonder why I haven't built one until now!

I realize, though, that this isn't for everyone.  And some of you may be thinking, "Remind me never again to accept the surplus vegetables Ashley offers me at church!"  :)  But, if you're at least a little intrigued, check back tomorrow to see how to build your own out of items you may already have lying around.

Making the Most of Less Heat

Meet our little gas space heater. 

Usually, we hook him up when the weather turns cold and turn him on every once in awhile.

This Lenten season, though, I've made different use of him and saved some cash along the way.

As a part of our Carbon Fast, I decided to program the central heat thermostat so that it drops down to 60 during the school day.  That may sound pretty extreme, but hear me out.  Right up until the girls leave for school and John for work, the central heater functions as usual, keeping us plenty warm.  Then, at 8:00, it turns off and (since it never actually gets as cool as 60 inside) stays off until 3:15 when it warms the house back up for when the girls get off the bus. 

What about me and Little Boy who are still home most school days? Even on the coldest days, it takes several hours before we start to get uncomfortable.  When/if that happens, I turn on the space heater which warms the kitchen and living room -- pretty  much the only areas we're in anyway. Now, Little Boy is the most warm-natured person I know.  He has sweaty palms and feet pretty much always.  So, by the time he lays down for his after-lunch nap, his room is nice and cool, just the way he likes it.  And, he is able to sleep comfortably, snuggled up with his favorite blanket.  (He's actually a much happier boy when he wakes up in a cool room than when he wakes up sweaty.)  As for me, this is my work time.  Sure, the house is cool, but it's just motivation for me to get moving.  I putter around working on projects or hit the treadmill to warm up. 

I'm not sure how much credit this new practice should receive, but our electricity bill was about $20 lower than it has been.

We may give this practice up soon, but it'll be because the weather's warming . . . not because Lent is over.  It's definitely something we'll put into practice again next winter. 

Now, I just need a plan for how to save $$ on our cooling bill come summertime!

Cost of Outfitting the Kids for Spring= $0

Outfitting 3 growing kids without breaking the bank is no small task.  When I look at it as an organizational challenge, it becomes a lot of fun for me (I know, I'm an organizational nerd). 

The whole process starts with three pages like this, one for each kiddo.  It's basically a list of all the clothes I think they need to make a full wardrobe.  I inventory their current closets and drawers full of out-of-season clothes and make notes of the holes that need to be filled.  Also, while going through those out-of-season items, I pull out anything outgrown that I'd previously missed and add it to the kids' sale stockpile.

Though there are tons of these consignment sales around now, I use the Popsicles Kids Sale in Jonesboro to both sell the kids' outgrown things and fill in the gaps in their closets.  I hang, price, and tag all my items for sell and haul them to the sale.  By being a consignor, I get the privilege of early shopping;  for the most recent sale, this was last Wednesday.

It's hard not to get carried away when shopping because there's so much cute stuff.  But, I keep my inventory sheets on hand and refer to them as needed during shopping.  As pictured here, I always surprise the kids with a treat from the sale.  I'm usually able to get them each a pretty cool toy for less than $5. 

This year, I spent $133 (including the toys) on the items I purchased.  And, I earned $151.80 on the items I sold.  I do have to drive a ways to participate in this sale, so I have to consider the price of gas, but the enjoyment I get in having a shopping night all alone is worth that price, easy!

For more on Kid Sale Consignment, check this out.  If you're interested in getting involved in one of these sales, check out the Popsicles website or like them on FaceBook to get info about their twice-yearly sales.

National Day of Unplugging

Get ready to unplug!  The National Day of Unplugging is sunset to sunset March 1 and 2.  Here's some info, straight from the official website for the event:

"Do you have multiple cell phones? Take your ipad to the beach on vacation? Ever find it hard to get through a conversation without posting an update to Facebook? Is your computer always on?

"We increasingly miss out on the important moments of our lives as we pass the hours with our noses buried in our iPhones and BlackBerry’s, chronicling our every move through Facebook and Twitter and shielding ourselves from the outside world with the bubble of 'silence' that our earphones create.

"If you recognize that in yourself – or your friends, families or colleagues— join us for the National Day of Unplugging, sign the Unplug pledge and start living a different life: connect with the people in your street, neighborhood and city, have an uninterrupted meal or read a book to your child.

The National Day of Unplugging is a 24 hour period – running from sunset to sunset – and starts on the first Friday in March. The project is an outgrowth of The Sabbath Manifesto, an adaption of our ancestors’ ritual of carving out one day per week to unwind, unplug, relax, reflect, get outdoors, and connect with loved ones."

Hmmm.  I read something the other day that talked about how we are taught from a young age not to interrupt -- it's rude.  And, yet, we interrupt ourselves (or allow ourselves to be interrupted)  all the time.  So true, right?  I'm engrossed in a book  in the evening and my phone dings to let me know I've got a new email.  (Insert bookmark and swipe finger across phone screen.)  Oh, good, it's a shipping notice for my soap making supplies.  Then, I notice the little icon hovering over my FaceBook button. Oh, look -- someone tagged me in a FaceBook post.  (Click on FaceBook tab.)  30 minutes later I'm all caught up on how everyone I've ever known has spent their day.  Now, what was I doing?  Oh, yeah, enjoying a book.

Those tabs in our internet browsers or app buttons on our phones or the equivalent, sure do make it easy for us to switch gears and cover a lot of mental ground quickly.  And, there are some times that that's great.  Other times, though, it would be good to be a little less distracted. 

Agree?  Want to unplug with me?  Check out the link below to sign the pledge to unplug on the National Day of Unplugging.

http://nationaldayofunplugging.com/

Experiments with the Laundry Line

In keeping with this week's Lenten Observance, I've rigged up a temporary clothesline to put to use.  If all goes well, I may erect a more permanent one later.

Here are some thoughts on the project thus far:

1.  Obviously (as pictured above), I didn't have the line taut enough at first.  Girl 1's jeans were dragging the ground!  I re-rigged it and now have a much more efficient line. 

2.  The current location is both good and bad:  I like that it's right outside the kitchen window so I can see the clothes easily from the house (and know, for example, when a cat has pulled down a towel and is using it as a bed), but one side of it doesn't get good sun until the afternoon because it's so shaded by the house.  I may have to rethink the location for a more permanent line.

3.  What to do with the skivvies?  You see, we live right next door to church -- and not just any church -- OUR church.  While our laundry is not viewable from the road, it is viewable to anyone who pulls into the church parking lot.  I have this fear that Girl 2 will walk into Sunday school and hear from a friend "I saw your 'Sunday' panties on the line this morning.  Shouldn't you have them on today?" 

4.  What to do with John's dress shirts?  I pretty much only get out the ironing board when I'm working on a sewing project.  I pretty much only work on a sewing project when Little Boy is sleeping.  Come to think of it, he may not even know what an iron is.  This has been made possible by John's choosing non-iron dress shirts and my refusal to buy anything for myself or the kids that requires ironing.  But, the non-iron dress shirts require the dryer to get them in perfect shape.

5.  Even with these hindrances, I've found that I'm able to drastically cut back on drying.  For example, yesterday, I washed 3 loads total.  As they came out of the washer, I tossed the undies and dress shirts into the dryer and carried everything else outside.  So, I washed three loads but only dried one in the dryer. 

6.  Even though it's cold, the clothes do get dry.  I wasn't really sure about this.  Obviously, if it were below freezing, this wouldn't be the case, but on a breezy but cold day, I can put clothes out mid-morning and bring them in late-afternoon.

7.  I DO enjoy the additional outside time hanging the clothes allows me.  I chat with the goats and chickens, and watch Little Boy run around.  I expected to enjoy this part of it, but I was surprised by how much I enjoy bringing some of the outdoors in.  As I was washing my face with a washcloth fresh off the line, I found myself deeply breathing in that fresh outdoor smell.

8.  I DO NOT like how Milkshake, our smallest kitten, keeps jumping into the laundry basket full of wet clothes while I'm working.  This morning I counted 8 times that I had to toss her out of the basket.  Suggestions?

Coconut Oil Hair Treatment

Okay.  I would like to begin this post by reminding you that I do sometimes have good ideas.  Right?

I wanted to establish that because part of the way I employed this hair treatment was NOT a good idea.  I freely admit it.

While I was "washing" my hair using baking soda, I noticed that my ends got overly dry.  To combat this, I decided to try a homemade hair treatment that I read about in Mother Earth Living.

To make it, as I did, you'll need  . . .

2 Tbs. coconut oil

2 Tbs. honey

1 large egg yolk

If oil is solid, warm it over low heat until melted.  Then, whisk in the honey.  Once combined, whisk in the yolk. 

It will look like egg, but, thankfully, it smells more like the honey.

Apply it to dry hair, massaging well into your ends.  I ran a pick through my hair at this point to be sure that I had the goo evenly distributed.  The directions I had said to cover with a shower cap for "as long as you can."  If you can stand it, you may even sleep in the shower cap (be sure to cover your pillowcase with a towel in case of leakage).  To help the oils penetrate, you could apply some heat.  Maybe forgo the shower cap (it might melt) and use a thin towel instead as you sit under a hair dryer with a diffuser. 

It's at this point in the process that I had the bad idea.   I still needed to fit in my run for the day.  Little Boy was about to go down for a nap.  Hey!  I could borrow Girl 1's Turbie Twist (see below), wrap my gooey hair up, run on the treadmill, and thus generate the heat needed to really activate the oils and help them penetrate.

Click on photo to visit the product page on Amazon.com

So, I ran 3 miles or so on the treadmill with my hair covered in oil, honey, and egg.  (As I'm typing this, I'm wondering what in world would make me think this was a good idea.)  What smelled like honey as I put it on my hair, started to smell more like scrambled egg around mile 2.  Thankfully, the Twist absorbed most of the sweat and hair run-off, so that I didn't have any yellow smears on my sweat towel during the run.  That probably would have sent me over the edge. 

And, no, I will not show you any photos of myself running with a Turbie Twist on my head.  You'll just have to use your imagination.

Okay, enough about my bad idea. 

Once you can stand it no longer (or just need to move on with life), jump in the shower and rinse out the goo.  Then, wash as usual. 

Despite the cooking egg aroma surrounding my afternoon run, I think the hair treatment did a great job.  It left my hair surprisingly soft, and I definitely plan to use it again (maybe on a cross-training day).

BS Shampoo

Did that title get your attention?   Apparently, in homesteading circles baking soda and other frequently used items go by their initials.  As in, I've been washing my hair with BS and ACV.  Yep, baking soda and apple cider vinegar. 

You've probably heard of this increasingly popular "No Poo" concept.  The idea is that traditional shampoos strip our hair of their natural oils, requiring heavy-duty conditioners to try to restore needed moisture.  The idea here, is that you don't really wash your hair.  The baking soda absorbs and removes excess oil from the scalp without stripping the hair shaft of its natural oils.  Supposedly, you can go much longer between washes once your hair adjusts to this new process.

According to my research, you should expect a 2-week adjustment period while your hair figures out how much oil it needs to be producing with this new system.  Most users cite frequent ponytails during this period (not an option for this short-haired chica).  Nevertheless, I pressed on for 3 and a half weeks before throwing in the towel. Yep. That's right -- I gave up.

Last night, I washed my hair with actual shampoo and conditioner and now I just can't stop touching it.  It actually feels like hair again instead of the straw I've been wearing around on my head for the better part of a month.

I'm sure that it's a great option for some people, and I may even give it a go again sometime.  But, for now, it's just not worth it.  The good news is that I tried it (at least I didn't just dismiss it without giving it a go) and, in the process, I learned about a great,all-natural deep conditioning techinique (you'll have to check back tomorrow!).

I attribute my BS failure to the following:
1. My hair is color-treated and thus tends to be drier than the average hair.
2.  I run (and sweat) at least every other day.  The sweat adds increased oil and requires me to wash after every run.  Therefore, I was never able to enjoy the supposed prolonged period between washes that so many BS users enjoy and was having to make use of the drying baking soda more frequently than is recommended.
3.  My hair is short.  Perhaps if my hair were longer and I could have swept it up into and out-of-sight-is-out-of-mind ponytail, I might've eventually found a balance and made it out of the weird straw-hair phase.  I don't know.
If the No Poo method sounds intriguing to you, despite reading about my failure with it, check out this blogger that I read to see how she went about it. 

As for me, I plan to take a stroll through the all-natural hair care section of Whole Foods on my next trek to the big city and see if I can't find a better option.  Does anyone else use an all-natural shampoo/conditioner that you'd recommend?

The Crazy Lady with All That Apple Cider Vinegar

At the store recently, I noticed a quizzical look on a fellow shopper's face as I piled multiple gallons of vinegar into my shopping cart.  What in the world could I be using ALL this apple cider vinegar for? 

Well, just today I used it to clean and disinfect eggs brought in from outside.  I also used it as a hair conditioner (the smell is gone by the time you're finished with the hair dryer).  I've also been adding a shot of it to my grapefruit juice in the mornings (it's said to have multiple health benefits, including helping to rid the body of toxins and lowering blood pressure).  And, we add it to the chickens' water periodically to keep them healthy.

Then, of course, there are the more traditional uses, such as pickling.

I also tend to pile the baking soda into the cart.  We make baking soda available to the goats (it eases stomach bloat).  Of course, I use it as a soft scrub for cleaning.  The other night as I got ready for bed, I noticed that I'd used it three times in the span of 10 minutes:  to exfoliate my face, wash my hair, and brush my teeth.  Oh, and I use it for baking occasionally, too.  ;)

If I you're thinking about taking on a more natural approach to household products, I'd definitely suggest building a stockpile of these two plus probably some white vinegar, olive oil, washing soda, and Borax.  I've found it's amazing how many cleaning/toiletries bottles I can toss because they've been replaced by different mixtures of these simple ingredients. 

Make Your Own Lotion!!

Remember this beautiful candle jar from yesterday's post? 

You could use it any number of ways. 

I decided to fill mine with some of my homemade, all-natural lotion (I've been going through it like crazy this winter!).

Believe it or not, this is really a very simple process. 

Here's what you need:

1/2 c. olive oil (not extra virgin)

2 Tbs. beeswax

(I use the little pearls because they melt well.  They can be purchased any number of places.  I order mine from Brambleberry, which is where I get all my soap/lotion supplies.)

1 c. tepid water, filtered or bottled

10 drops or so of essential oil

(I used Rose this time, but it's up to you.  Choosing your own scent is the fun part!)

This recipe will make about 1.5 cups of lotion.  Test your jar to be sure it'll easily hold that volume.

Also, to make it the way I do, you'll need an immersion blender.

Ready?  Here we go!

Combine your olive oil and beeswax in a double-boiler.  I used a makeshift one, a measuring cup balanced in water-filled pan.

 

Stir over medium heat until beeswax melts.

Meanwhile, fill your jar with VERY hot tap water.  We have our water heater set so that it doesn't get very hot, so I heated about 2 c. of water in the microwave then poured it into my jar.  This is not the water that'll be apart of your lotion; you'll actually pour this water out before filling the jar with the lotion ingredients. 

If you're one of those people who needs an explanation for everything, we're using the hot water to warm the jar.  If the jar is cool, the beeswax will reharden too quickly once it gets poured in. 

Once your beeswax has melted, act quickly. 

Dump out the hot water.

Pour in the oil/beeswax combo.

Add your essential oil.

As you blend, slowly pour the tepid water into the oils.

And blend.  And blend.  And blend.  And when you think, "Surely Ashley didn't mean that I should blend this long!" you might be half-way there.

You'll know you're finished when you give it a stir and can't see anymore unincorporated water.

Give the rim of your jar a good wipe down so that it looks pretty.

Allow it cool completely before putting the lid on.  If, as it cools, you notice some water on the surface, just pour it off and make a note-to-self that you probably should have blended longer.

Yum!!  This really is the most amazing moisturizer!

Now, some other good things to know.

1.  You do not have to make it in the storage container.  Another option is to make it in your blender then "pour" it into storage containers.  But, be warned:  the mixture is so thick that you'll have to do a lot of scraping down the sides as you work.  And, it may not pour well.  Also, the oil and wax combo is not easily cleaned up.  Making it in the container saves a lot of cleanup. 

That said, rubbing the oiled containers down with straight dishsoap before using water to wash them out seems to work pretty well to get tools clean.  Also, baking soda works to absorb the grease.

2.  This is an all-natural product made without artificial preservatives.  It should be stored at room temperature.  It should last a few months without going bad, but if you don't think you can possible use this much lotion in that amount of time, put some into another cute container and give it away to a lucky friend.  Signs that it may be past its prime include texture or color change.

3.  Making It, the amazing book this recipe comes from, suggests that this makes a good make-up remover/cold cream.  I personally have very touchy/oily skin, so the idea of slathering on an olive oil lotion makes me cringe, but if you have dry skin, this could be a good option for you.  I know that my sister has also used this lotion on the dry ends of her hair.

The first time you make this, it may take you awhile as you navigate the directions.  But, once you've made it a few times, you can turn out a batch in less than 15 minutes.

Please let me know if you decide to give this a try!

Reusing that Beautiful Candle Jar

I don't very often shell out the cash for nice candles, but this Christmas I wanted one that would put me in the Christmas spirit.  I picked one out from Bath and Body Works that came in this beautiful jar with a silver lid -- you know the kind I'm talking about.  And, enjoy it, I did!  I had it right there on the coffee table all season and lit it nearly everyday.  Once the wax was so low that the wicks would no longer burn, I put it on a candle warmer until the wax no longer had any scent remaining at all.

Still, not ready to be done with the beautiful jar, I threw it into the freezer for an hour or so.  This hardens and shrinks up the wax so that it pretty much falls out of the jar.

I used a dull knife to pry the wax loose.  It came out all in one big chunk.

I washed the jar with soap and water and used some trusty Goo Gone to remove the sticker residue from the bottom.

I gave it a good wipe down with vinegar to remove any last traces of wax.

Now, I've got a super-cute container that could be used in any number of ways.  Pictured above is one possibility.  But, I've got bigger plans for mine.

For that, you'll have to check back tomorrow!  ;)

Free Gift Wrap!

What could be better than free wrapping paper for the holidays?  How about gift wrap that allows you to reuse something you would otherwise throw away?  Or how about gift wrap that can be recycled once gifts have all been unwrapped?

Sounds good, huh?

Last year, we wrapped in newspaper, which was fun.  This year, I decided to use the packing paper that fills every package we get from Amazon (and because we live where it's hard to do much local Christmas shopping, we get A LOT of Amazon boxes around the holidays.)  The ribbons are salvaged from gifts we've received in years past, and the gift tags are made out of Christmas cards we received last year, cut out with fun scrapbooking scissors. 

They really pack so much of that paper into these boxes!  The boxes themselves make a great kill mulch outside.  If you have an area that you'd like to plant in the spring and need to kill the grass, lay down a bunch of cardboard now, hose it down, and you'll be ready to go come spring.

Oh, and since it's apparently the thing to do to post a pic of your tree online, here's ours.  John says it looks like it has hair!  ;)  This is "Momma's tree."  I decorate it, evenly spacing the ornaments that are all of one color family.  I LOVE my tree.  If I were choosing decorations again, I probably wouldn't go with these, but I'm not about to spend $ on new tree decorations.  It's the lights I enjoy most anyway.  I like to sit in its glow in the early morning with a cup of coffee.  Quiet Christmas tree moments are the best!

Upstairs, we have the kids' tree.  They decorate it entirely on their own, and it's full of the more colorful ornaments, including, of course, all the awesome handmade ones they bring home from school each year.  Of course, there are no ornaments at the top because they can't reach that high!  But, I love that about it.  They want their ornaments to be where they can see them anyway!  So, the downstairs tree may be classically beautful, but it's the upstairs tree that tells the stories.

Simpifying the Holidays

Do you ever have one of those moments when you think, "Where've you been all my life?"

I had one of those last week when I clicked on a link on another blogger's site and discovered The Center for a New American Dream.  Their mission is to "to cultivate a new American dream—one that emphasizes community, ecological sustainability, and a celebration of non-material values"  -- well, hallelujah!

John, who is naturally suspicious wanted to know how it was funded and who supports it, but after some quick research, even he gave it the seal of approval.  I've begun following their blog on my RSS feed and have loved every article thus far.  (Recent articles include the following:  "My Attempt to Buy Nothing this October," "Etsy Goes Beyond Online Sales to Support Local Economies," "Break Free from the Carbon Confusion," "A Smaller Piece of a Better Pie: Embracing 'Luxurious Frugality.'"  Hooked ya, yet?

They have an entire booklet devoted to simpifying the holidays (who's not interested in doing that?)
As a part of that page, they ask that viewers pledge to 5 of the following 15 suggestions in order to simplify the holidays.  I LOVE this list and thought I'd share.

 

GIVE THE GIFT OF TIME by creating your own gift card for a service (e.g., babysitting, carwashing, petsitting, chores, making dinner, organizing an outing).
GIVE A HANDMADE GIFT like a memoir of cherished memories with that person, a book of family recipes, a collage of pictures and mementos, or a calendar filled with the birthdays and anniversaries of friends and family.
OFFER TO TEACH A SKILL YOU POSSESS (e.g., knitting, photography, computer skills, financial planning, a foreign language, music lessons, canning tomatoes, cooking a favorite recipe).
CONSIDER LESS GIMMICKY, LESS COMMERCIAL GIFTS for children, such as arts/crafts supplies, books, a magnifying glass, or building blocks.
CREATE A PAPERLESS HOLIDAY LETTER on the computer and email it to friends and family.
HAVE A WHITE ELEPHANT PARTY at the office instead of a traditional gift exchange, where each person brings a wrapped secondhand item in good condition.
DRAW NAMES IN YOUR FAMILY FOR GIFT-GIVING (for extra fun and surprise, make it "Secret Santas"), so that you can put more time and thought into one gift instead of having to give to several people.
SHOP FOR USED ITEMS for all or most of your holiday gifts (e.g., local thrift store, Craigslist, Freecycle, used products on Amazon or eBay).
SHARE THE GIFT OF MUSIC by caroling, and include visits to elderly neighbors or a nursing home. Or, gather friends and family for an in-home holiday sing-a-long.
GIVE BACK TO YOUR COMMUNITY by preparing care packages for the homeless, or volunteering at an organization to help those in need during the holiday season.
ADOPT A "LESS IS MORE" ATTITUDE toward holiday decorating. Opt for natural trimmings such as clippings from local evergreens and holly bushes.
SAVE PAPER by wrapping gifts in newspaper comics, junk mail, paper bags decorated with markers, old maps, phone books, or other reused paper.
PREPARE YOUR HOLIDAY MEALS with as many seasonal, locally grown, and/or organic foods as possible.
REDUCE JUNK MAIL by removing your name from mailing lists of unwanted holiday catalogs.
CELEBRATE BUY NOTHING DAY on November 23 and spend that day doing community service, visiting an elderly friend, helping a neighbor, or just enjoying time with family.

 To join me and make your pledge to simplify the holidays, click here!  I doubt you'll regret it.   

An Entertaining Log: Every Hostess Needs One!

Something I've discovered about myself over the years is that I really enjoy entertaining.  While we don't tend to host big, fancy soirées, we love to have friends over to play, to eat, to laugh.  I'd like to eventually become that graceful hostess who makes entertaining a crowd look effortless.  In the meantime, I make use of my entertaining log to help things run a bit smoother.

Meet my Entertaining log.  It's a pretty humble affair -- just a paperback notebook filled with lined paper.  In it, I record what dishes I serve others, when I serve them, and how they liked them. 

Here are a few excerpts:

5/1/10  Sisters In Christ Mother/Daughter Brunch

Spinach Quiche -- Eaten up :)

Frozen Morning Delights -- too hard for plastic forks

Banana Nut Muffins -- not eaten

Berry Punch -- a big hit

Decked Out Water -- no one tried it

or this . . .

6/12/10  The Insells

Cucumber Dill Turkey Sandwiches -- eaten up, but Chris doesn't usually like mayo and Angie doesn't like cukes

Salami Mozzarella Pasta Salad -- eaten up

Fruit Cups -- eaten up

Frozen Berry Pie -- Angie didn't finish

or this . . .

5/29/11  Insells and Youngs

burger and hot dogs -- more adults ate hot dogs than expected

Are you beginning to see how useful this could be?  Can't remember what you took to your last church potluck or whether they liked it?  Look it up!  Can't remember whether you served this family burgers the last time they came over or not?  Look it up!  Thinking about cucumber salad for the Insells but seem to remember something about cucumbers for one of them?  Look it up!  Can't remember how long it's been since you hosted a certain group?  Look it up!  Can't recall what cookies you took to last year's cookie exchange?  Look it up! 

Of course, it doesn't have to be a pen and paper record.  There are much more techy ways to keep a record.  I'm just a pen and paper kind of gal. 

Also, today's the last day to tell me what you're thankful for and get entered into the drawing for the Thankfulness Journal.  Click here to visit the post and make your comment.

Onion Timesaver

With everything we've got going at dinnertime (homework, soccer practice, dance, backyard chores), it's a little daunting sometimes to reach for a recipe and see "1 c. chopped onion" on that recipe list.  Uggghh.  Either I've got to deal with hand slicing and dicing or the cleanup involved with pulling out the food processor.  In the moment, it's tempting to just grab some dinner-in-a-box and get on with it.

That's why I'm glad my mom taught me how to save time by keeping prepped onions in the freezer. 

This week, the 3 lb. bag of onions was only $.97 at my local store.  Did I need onions this week?  No.  But, I couldn't pass up the deal, so I decided to chop and freeze them for later use.

Peel and quarter them.

Throw them in the food processor and pulse until the desired texture is reached.

Fill snack-sized baggies with 1/2 c. of chopped onion each.

My 3 lb. bag yielded 12   1/2. c. baggies.

Arrange the snack baggies so that they'll lie flat inside a freezer gallon bag.  And, stick them in the freezer. 

When that recipe for pinto beans calls for "1 m. onion, chopped," just grab a baggie from the freezer and dump the onion brick into the CrockPot.  That's exactly what I did this morning!

Now, this may sound like extra work, but if you were already getting out your food processor to chop an onion for tonight's dinner, it wouldn't be.  Instead of just chopping one onion, chop a few pounds worth and freeze the excess.  You're still only cleaning up that food processor once!

Of course this kind of thinking works for lots of things.  Got a bell pepper about to go bad in the fridge?  Chop it and throw it into a freezer baggie for later use.  Corn?  Celery? 

You get the picture.