Art

I love when you get an idea in your mind and when you get it out it is exactly how you wanted it to be.  That is what happened yesterday.  Last weekend I had this vision for some art for a friend of mine and I knew I had to get some canvas.  It’s a multimedia piece.  The background is fabric (attached with mod podge).  Other elements include a stick I found outside and painted gold, a variety of buttons, and a poem I cut out in the shape of a bird.  I just love how it all came together and it was so much fun to make.  What do you all think?

Dishwasher Detergent

So I am trying to make most of the things we usually buy at home.  Sometimes it’s worth the trouble sometimes I chalk it up with a learning experience.  I have been researching dish detergents for a while now.  I love using organic detergent without all of the nasty chemicals in them but they get so expensive.  I finally came up with a recipe with help of many blogs and forums and decided to give it a try.  What would it hurt right?

Here’s the recipe I used:

1 Cup Washing Soda (NOT baking soda, totally different)
1 Cup Borax
1/2 Cup Sea Salt (I used fine grain)
1/2 Cup Citric Acid
40 Drops Lavender EO
45 Drops Grapefruit EO

I put everything in a mason jar and shook it well to combine.  I just ran my first load and … It works great!  No residue, no food stuck on anything.  I am impressed.  We also do a vinegar rinse in our jet dry thing since we have hard water.  It didn’t cost me much… I had the washing soda and borax already from making my own laundry detergent.  You could use whatever EO’s you wanted but I chose mine because of their specific properties.

Lavender EO: Lavender is known to have antibacterial, antimicrobial, antiseptic, and aromatic properties (mountainroseherbs.com)

Grapefruit EO: Grapefruit is known to have antibacterial, antiseptic, and astringent properties (mountainroseherbs.com).  The citrus also helps cut grease which is nice for dishes as well.

I am surprised it worked out so well.  Usually things have to be tweaked a bit because of things like the type of dishwasher you have, type of water you have, etc.  I love it when things work out, don’t you!?!

 

Look at my newest batch

This is my newest creation, Tea Tree Bastille Facial Soap (though you can totally use this on your body too!).  What is Bastille soap?  It is soap where the main ingredient is Olive Oil but also contains other oils as well.  Mine has Olive Oil and Castor Oil.  Castile Soap is Olive Oil only though many companies out there don’t follow this rule (ahem Dr. Bronner).  Anyways what’s in my soap that makes it great for the face (and body too!)?

Olive Oil: This creates a mild soap great for sensitive skin.  It’s highly conditioning and is said to also help with dry skin, minimizing scars, helps eczema and psoriasis, and rashes and it helps the skin hold in the moisture.

Castor Oil: Helps add lather to the soap while still adding conditioning properties.

Calendula:  has anti-inflammatory qualities that can prevent infection in minor skin wounds when applied topically. It can reduce itching, redness, pain, and swelling of insect bites and rashes. It is soothing for sunburns, cuts, scrapes, dry and chapped hands, and minor burns.

Spirulina Powder: is a type of blue-green algae that is rich in protein, vitamins, minerals, and carotenoids (a type of antioxidant that can help protect cells from damage). It contains nutrients, including B complex vitamins, beta-carotene, vitamin E, manganese, zinc, copper, iron, selenium, and gamma linolenic acid (an essential fatty acid).

French Green Clay: French Green Clay (Also Known as Illite Clay or Sea Clay) is very absorbent, and literally “drinks” oils, toxic substances, and impurities from your skin.  Its toning action stimulates the skin by bringing fresh blood to damaged skin cells, revitalizing the complexion, and tightening pores. Mined from bedrock quarries in France, it is sun-dried, completely natural, unscented, and fragrance free.  Green clay is a bio-mineral, and contains decomposed plant matter as well as many trace minerals, such as: silica, aluminum, magnesium, calcium, iron, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, copper, zinc, selenium, cobalt, manganese, phosphorous, silicon, micro-algaes, kelp, and phyto-nutrients. Green Clay has analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties which make it beneficial for muscular pain, swelling, and arthritic or rheumatic conditions. Cosmetically, French Green clay is revered for its ability to stimulate blood and lymph circulation, remove dead skin cells, absorb impurities and fats, and tone and strengthen connective tissues.  After using French Green clay, skin feels fresh, smooth, radiant, and soft.  French Green Clay is also marvelous for helping to clear problem skin areas, and is gentle enough to use weekly, or even daily on problem spots. (mountainroseherbs.com)

Coconut Milk: According to OptiDerma, coconut milk can treat a variety of skin ailments when applied topically. Coconut milk’s moisturizing properties soothe the symptoms of psoriasis, dermatitis and eczema. It also prevents wrinkles, sagging skin and age spots. The natural fatty acids found in coconut milk make it an excellent topical treatment for dry, irritated skin, according to CareFair.com. These fatty acids allow coconut milk to remove harmful bacteria from your skin without overdrying. (Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/132040-home-skin-remedies-that-use-coconut-milk/#ixzz1X847fDQk)

Tea Tree Essential Oil: Has healing properties as well as being an antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and antiseptic.

It’s now cut and currently on the drying rack to sit for a few months.  It will then be a gentile moisturizing facial soap. Can’t wait!

No sew cafe curtains

I love bargains and I hate above all else paying full price for anything.  I have been on the hunt for some cute cafe curtains for the window above the kitchen sink.  The pre-made curtains are always expensive (at least to me) and kind of cheesy.  I am a young hip modern gal I should have young hip modern curtains.  As I was tooling around Target today it came to me:
What you need for this awesomness:
1 tension rod: $3.78
2 sets of clip rings: $9.78
2 fabric napkins in a cute design: $4.98

Total for the project: $18.54

The best part about this set up is that I can easily change the curtains as I find new ones, get sick of the old ones, or want to do something seasonal.  Also, since these are made of cotton they are washable.  So what do you think?  I ❤ them!