Free to Feel

This photograph was shared on a blog - KindOverMatter. I think it's lovely!

(Thanks for the tip, Heather!)

My First Original Herbal DIY Tutorial - Deodorant

So...this is my first attempt at making my own herbal recipe. I chose deodorant, because really it is my most pressing need at this time (gross, I know). Since the active ingredient in most deodorants is some form of aluminum zirconium, I decided that I needed another option other than spreading a powdery metallic substance in my armpits. However, going without deodorant is definitely NOT an option.

I am really excited about this! So here is what I did...

First, I cleaned out some old deodorant containers...

Then I took the recipe from PassionateHomemaking and used her ingredients, but altered her method. Since I wanted to add some essential oils, I first melted 6 Tbsp. Organic Virgin Coconut Oil in the microwave, then I added in...

Top Note - 30 drops Orange Essential Oil

(Anti-cancer, anti-depressant, anti-inflammatory. Kills bacteria)

Middle Notes - 15 drops Tea Tree & Lavendar Essential Oil

(TT = Anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal. Kills pain)

(L = Cell regenerator. Anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory)

Base Note - 8 drops Patchouli Essential Oil

(Anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal. Cell regenerator)

*For more info on blending essential oils, you can visit Cranberry Lane

After that I added in 1/4 baking soda & 1/4 cornstarch, mixed it up, poured it in the containers and popped them in the freezer, so the oils wouldn't have time to separate or evaporate before the mixture solidified.

While they were solidifying themselves, I made some labels to mod podge on when they were finished.

(Bad Picture...I know)

Voila! Healthy, natural, deodorant. I will probably still sweat, but I will smell lovely doing it (I'm also thrilled to see what this does for those nasty little razor bumps)! :)

In a Nutshell - It's Soap!

I've been undertaking the task of making some of my own cleansing products & bath/body care. However, almost every recipe that I've looked at has lye or glycerin in it, neither of which do I want to use. I have read a good deal of info on it too, and everyone says that you really can't make a sudsy soap or cleaner without lye.

WELL! Look at what I found! :) These Soap Nuts have been used for centuries as a cleaning agent and for personal hygiene because of the substance "saponin" found in large amounts in the shell of this fruit. Our Latin root for soap is "sapo." Interesting, huh?

I'm looking forward to getting my sample of nuts in the mail soon. After I do, I'll post a tutorial on making soap and laundry detergent. For now, you can check out the NaturOli and SoapNuts websites for more info.

Wonderful/Crazy!

It has been a wonderful yet crazy couple of days. First, I had a lovely birthday with a breakfast made by my awesome husband, he got me my cartilage piercing as a gift, which as of yet is still in tip top shape. Then Elliot and I headed out to drive about five miles in my car, which would not accelerate out of 1st gear, so we turned around after about 500 ft and came home. Kayla picked us up and we headed out on a wild goose chase to find The Peony Tea House. I am always excited about trying a new tea place, but a little tentative because I'm not sure if it will meet my expectations. This one was beautiful with good food, good price, and great service. I still don't think we'll ever find anything to top Aunt Sue's, but the different experiences are so much fun and give me lots of different ideas.

Then Elliot and I came home. I did some surfing on Amazon and found some really cool fabrics, while he napped. Then we went out to dinner at Panera with the Heironimi and Joe, followed by an impromptu gift card shopping spree! :)

Yesterday was Gearfest! Ev is selling some gear there and managed to pick up a cool VOX guitar amp with some of the money he made. I hadn't been there for over six months, so it was interesting to go back in and see how things had changed. Sarah came over then for a quick chat about coffeehouse design, followed by a frenzied run through Menards to collect inspiring samples of wallpaper, paint, and tile. After this, Heather and I headed out to the mall, where I was able to get in a little early Christmas shopping (if you haven't been out shopping lately, because you're trying to save money and convince yourself that you don't really "need" anything - like me, head out just to see if you can get some Christmas stuff, because EVERYTHING is on sale for super cheap right now). We then grabbed some dinner with Joe and the Heironimi and headed back to our place for some stimulating conversation about....dreams, panic attacks, and vegetables.

Elliot and Ev are both coughing up their lungs, and today Ev heads back to Gearfest, while Elliot and I run to Elwood and Upland to help move and install Mimi's surprised $50 washer/dryer find for the new house. (Thanks Mimi!)

So there's the news. Crazy, yet wonderful!

Seriously Now?!

Okay...this seriously now is short and sweet. But when I saw it, I was honestly like, "SERIOUSLY NOW?! That is awesome!"

Glidden paint is having a free paint give away. You just go to their website here, put in your name and address and they send you a quart of your favorite paint color for free! Just one person can do it per household. But it's a great deal for a small accent wall or if you were wanting to do any crafty things!

How cool!!!

Housing - Take 2

We were able to walk through three houses yesterday, while all of them had different pros and cons. The one that we like best - feel safest, most comfortable and meets our personal needs - is the one in Upland that I posted pictures of last week. We also visited a nice house on the east side of Marion, that would be a fine second choice if the Upland house doesn't go through.

With the house in Upland though, we need to have everything signed and taken care of as far as the deposit goes by the third week in July. This I find hilarious...because that is three weeks away! And I go back to work next week. So I'll be doing a lot through the rest of this week to get some things packed up and then we'll start patching up walls and those sorts of things here.

To my incredible supportive family and friends -- I love you! Thank you so much for the irreplaceable role that each of you play in my life!

CUTE Name Blocks

SO CUTE! I love this! Check out TheCreativeCrate for the tutorial.

It would make a great wedding gift, but I was thinking of making one as a doorstop for our new house...possibly out of stone or tiles instead of wood.