Using sound judgment to be more self-reliant.
Why subject yourself and those who are close to you with a chemical cocktail when you can make perfume with non-toxic ingredients? Learn how to make perfume with essential oils and enjoy these blends for self-confidence, stress relief and more. These are great for your own use or as a gift. You may not find an exact match for your favorite perfumes, but you may find a new favorite signature scent.
The modern fragrance industry uses some pretty scary chemicals. [Read more…]
One of my favorite things about fall and winter is the availability of fresh citrus. The lower temperatures also mean cold and flu season, not to mention another season that is my favorite – the holiday season! I use citrus to do many things – quench my thirst, treat my colds and inspire my gifts. I let no part of the citrus fruit go to waste. In this post, I'll share some affordable and easy to make homemade citrus gifts that are sure to please. (You can also check out a delicious citrus cider blend in the spiced apple cider recipe roundup.) These gifts are simple enough to make that the kids can lend a hand, making them great for family project times. [Read more…]
So many types of produce come in mesh bags – from onion sets to citrus fruits. I hate to just throw them out, and I can only reuse so many for storage, so I decided to upcycle some of the produce bags into easy, no sew kitchen scrubbies. If you have more than you can use yourself, they also make a nice addition to a natural cleaning gift basket. I found that four mesh bags from oranges made a firm scrubbie that fits well in my hand. [Read more…]
This is a guest post by Leigh Dudenhoeffer of Frozen Tundra Fiber Arts.
A lot of people have brought it to my attention that my wool dryer balls are ‘too bouncy’ to be 100% wool. If you were to say this to me in person, I’d invite you to cut one in half and see for yourself. I would also consider it to be a waste of the hard work I put into my dryer balls. The halved ball, on the other hand, I would be able to recycle into new dryer balls.
I don’t like to share anything about my process or the processes my art or craft goes through to get from point a to point b. This time, I will share my process. I find that it’s necessary for a dryer ball to have some bounce in it to bounce its way around the clothes dryer. It’s this bouncing action that is what actually softens the clothes as they’re being propelled around the inside of the clothes dryer. The balls wedge themselves between the items of clothing, reducing drying time and saving you money. [Read more…]
I am not a super awesome housekeeper. Every so often I rehome rarely used items and do more thorough cleanings, but for the most part our home is unlikely to end up in a photoshoot for Better Homes and Gardens. That said, I do use a number of homemaking tips and tricks to keep the clutter under control and make things a little tidier and easier to use. A minute saved here and there; reusing, repurposing and extending the life of items so we don't need to buy replacements so quickly – every little thing adds up to make a difference. Plus – a new study has linked clutter with depression, so keeping things neater may help improve your mood! [Read more…]
