Popcorn-one of my favorite snacks!

I love to do what I call "mindless eating." The problem is, it doesn't always love me. Chips are my favorite; but unhealthy-oh yeah! Popcorn to the rescue! It can be made as a sweet OR salty snack so I'm really in love. Now, I'm not talking about the microwave junk here. I'm talking about the real popcorn sold in bags that will make gallons of popcorn. By the way, the stuff is cheap! Here's what I do given that I don't have an air popper: Put 1-2 tablespoons of extra-virgin coconut oil in a heavy, large pot (I promise, it won't taste sweet or like coconuts). Be sure you have a lid. Let warm on medium to medium-high then add about 3 tablespoons popcorn kernels. PUT THE LID ON! After a few minutes the poppin' will begin. Just shake occasionally until most of the kernels are popped. Now, you can dress it up. Sprinkle it with garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and a bit of cheddar cheese powder for pizza flavored. For taco flavor just sprinkle with taco seasoning, store bought or homemade. The possibilities are endless. If you wanna make some to satisfy your sweet tooth just sprinkle with splenda and cinnamon or even some of a pouch of hot chocolate mix.

If you don't mind the unhealthy aspect of it, you can add butter and salt to it but coconut oil is actually good for you. Don't buy into the misconceptions about it. Dr. Oz agrees with me. Just check out his site and see for yourself. And don't be surprised when you find yourself using it as a moisturizer. Trust me. This stuff is like a miracle in a jar!

Anywho...it"s about time for me to make the popcorn! Happy Snackin', y'all!

Homemade Deodorant

Yes, I use homemade D.O for my B.O, and I don't even stink! The main reasons I make my own are (1) I am too cheap to buy something that I KNOW I can make myself and (2) I don't know what's in that stuff they sale in the stores. I know it's been said that the aluminum in deodorant can cause cancer but these days it seems as if breathing can cause cancer. I'm not a science freak nor do I know anything about science, but I have found out that the ingredient in deodorant that makes you not stink also clogs up your pores...that's how it works. Now, why is that a good thing? Anyway, I have been using homemade deodorant for about 6 months now and it works amazingly well. You normally have to go through an adjustment period of about 2 weeks. In that time your body pushes out years worth of junk from your armpit pores. Be patient...your body will balance out.

There are two ways to make deodorant. One way is in a paste, just like what we are used to buying in the stores. You can even mix it up and smush it into a clean, empty deodorant tube to use like any store bought kind. I just keep mine in an air-tight container in the bathroom and use a spoon to get out the amount I need then rub it on my pits. It only takes a little. The other way is in powder form. For both of these you will need basically the same ingredients: virgin coconut oil, baking soda, cornstarch, tea tree oil (which is an essential oil) and optional lavender and/or ylang-ylang essential oils. Virgin coconut oil has anti-bacterial properties, as do tea tree and lavender essential oils. I will tell you that I seem to have a sensitivity to too much baking soda on my skin. It burns...bad. To offset that I add more cornstarch in my deodorant. If you find that the recipes, as written, burn your pits then maybe you could try adding more cornstarch. It's trial and error. Ok, for the recipes...

HOMEMADE PASTE DEODORANT

5 Tablespoons virgin coconut oil
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup baking soda
2 drops tea tree oil
3 drops each ylang-ylang & lavender essential oils (optional)
~~~mix up and use small amount on armpits daily

HOMEMADE POWDER DEODORANT

virgin coconut oil
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup baking soda
2 drops tea tree oil
3 drops each ylang-ylang & lavender essential oils (optional)
~~~~~mix baking soda and cornstarch with essential oils. I store mine in an old powder container but you could use and old make up brush to apply. To use: rub on a small amount of coconut oil on your pits then use powder. That's it!

I tend to use both, because I am afraid I will stink! After my bath I will use the paste then at any point during the day that I feel 'less than fresh' I will use a bit of the powder. I even have a container of the paste in my purse!

HOMEMADE AFTER "POO" SPRAY

Well, it's inevitable and it's one thing that unites us all...we all poo. It's no secret that poo leaves an unwanted smell in the bathroom and, occasionally, in other rooms; i.e. pets. Most bathrooms have a bottle of air freshener in them but do you really want to be breathing in all of that stuff, not to mention paying outrageous amounts of money to do so? I don't, which is why I researched the topics of getting rid of "poo" smell as well as homemade air freshener. In that research I found that peppermint naturally neutralizes the smell of "poo". We have been using this homemade bathroom spray for a couple months now and it really works. Another option is to put a drop or two of peppermint essential oil in the toilet before you "poo".

Here is the recipe for the After "POO" Spray:
~Fill either a store-bought spray bottle or a recycled bottle 2/3 full with distilled water.
~Add 2-3 tablespoons of rubbing alcohol or vodka (I used rubbing alcohol). This step isn't necessary, it just helps the ingredients mix, or emulsify. If you don't use it just be sure to shake your spray well before spraying.
~Add about 20 drops of peppermint essential oil. I also add 10 drops of eucalyptus essential oil. You can add more or less oil, depending on how strong you want your spray to be.
****I buy my essential oils through Amazon from a company called Eden's Garden*****

That's it! It's cheap, easy and you know what's in it! I also make a linen spray for my bedroom using lavender and ylang-ylang essential oils. This is a basic homemade air freshener recipe that you can change up by using different essential oils. So go make some for each room in your home, or for your stinky bathroom!

Ok, y'all may be thinking that I am very weird after this post but, oh well. I am...there, I said it. I make homemade toothpaste! My kids aren't onto it just yet but there is still time to convert them. There are many reasons why I plan to be a totally homemade toothpaste family. The first is cost. Yes, I know I can get it cheap, even free, with coupons...which brings me to reason #2:what the heck is even in that stuff? I'm sorry, but I won't use junk, even if I can get it for free! That's the whole reason I have backed away from coupons, but I digress. Back to the point. If you haven't researched the effects of fluoride, please do so. I won't put all of my reasons here but please do your own research. It will be worth your while. Aside from the fluoride debate, just read the ingredients that are listed right there on the package of toothpaste. I bet you can't pronounce most of them. The third reason is waste. When did we, as Americans, begin to think it is ok for us to just throw things away in the dump? Seriously, why is that an acceptable practice? When you make things yourself at home you eliminate much of the waste that your family produces. There are as many excuses for why people don't make their own things as there are things for them to make. We need to stop being lazy and get rid of this 'entitled' mentality that we have and stop depending on corporations to take care of our families. Here's a news flash...if they poison you or a family member with junk they put in their products, you're on your own! They aren't gonna give a rip. With the internet we have no valid excuse not to research and make our own things.

Anyway, sorry about that. I get on my soap box from time to time. On with the recipes...

Here is one that I haven't tried yet, but I plan to very soon! Through my research I have found that cloves are great for a toothache. This recipes uses cloves. This one is more of a powder, while the other is an actual paste.
*1 Tablespoon baking soda
*1/2 Tablespoon salt
*1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
~just mix and use on wet toothbrush! If you like it you could mix up a large batch of it.

This is my favorite one, by far! I keep mine in a lidded container and I use a small spoon to scoop a little bit onto my wet toothbrush. You could even repurpose an old toothpaste tube! It's up to you!
* 3 Tbsp coconut oil
* 3 Tbsp baking soda
* 25 drops peppermint essential oil
* 1 packet stevia
* 2 tsp vegetable glycerin (optional)
~Put the coconut oil and baking soda in a bowl and mash up with a fork until blended. Add the peppermint essential oil, stevia and optional vegetable glycerin and continue to mash and stir until you’ve reached toothpaste consistency. Just be warned that coconut oil is a solid oil, kind of like shortening, and it liquefies when it gets warm. In the same sense, when cold it is solid. It softens quite nicely at 98.6.

I hope someone gets something good out of this info. I also hope for lots of comments. Now, go make something, for cryin' out loud!!!!!!!

WASTE NOT, WANT NOT

I don't know about y'all, but I don't have lots of money to burn. And honestly, if I did, I wouldn't. I was brought up to me mindful of what I spend and I try to pass on that same mindset to my children, as well as anyone who is willing to learn. Some of the things we do in our family may seem a bit odd to most but it allows us to be more at ease and less stressed than what I would consider most Americans are in today's society. God has given us blessings to be a blessing, not to be selfish with those blessings. Being consumers and materialistic has gotten this country in a lot of debt, and I presume the same for the majority of American families. Let's stop trying to "keep up with the Joneses" and be better stewards of the money God has seen fit to bless us with, huh?

In this post, and future posts, I will share tips on how to be cheap. Let me start by saying that anyone who wants to start this endeavor must be willing to completely change the way they think, eat, shop, live, etc. Get rid of any and all ideas you may have of 'cheap' people being poor and/or dirty. That is almost never the case. By looking at me and my family on any normal outing you would not think of us as being a 'cheap' family. Any family can do this, if they really want it. I choose to do this so that I can stay home for my children. This is a big deal for my husband and me, as we think that is the best way to raise our family. If I worked we would have more money, yes, but the chaos would far outweigh any money we would have. And what would we do with that money? ~eat out more, shop more, be home even less? No thanks, I will pass. Having said that, here are what I consider to be my top five tips when beginning a 'cheap,' or frugal, lifestyle. Please leave any comments or questions you would like. Just remember, if you don't have something nice to say choose to say nothing at all.:) This way of life has worked for thousands of families in generations past and has worked quite well for my family for three years. It's a choice, and a necessary one for some. Be blessed!

1~MEAL PLAN: In my family of 8 I plan every meal down to the snacks according to what I have on hand and what is on sale at my local grocery store. I rarely use coupons, although I have, because I tend to shop for more fresh items and less prepackaged foods. The kids know that the kitchen is not open 24 hours a day. We have three set meals and occasional snacks. That's it~no sodas, premade cookies or cakes. I make 2-3 desserts a week, sometimes. There are some weeks when I make none. My monthly budget for a family of 8, with no coupons, averages $400-$450. That includes pet food, soap, cleaning items, paper products, etc. I also only shop at the store closest to my home. The prices may seem higher to some but when you calculate the price of gas and wear & tear on the car to get to another store it makes better sense to stay close to home. When shopping ask yourself, "Can I reuse this packaging?" If the answer is "no" you should think twice about buying it. In my opinion we throw too much stuff in the landfill. Buy things in glass jars, or other type reusable packaging. Just put more thought into it, that's all.

2~NO ADDED EXTRAS: We have very little unnecessary things around our home. No cable, no new car, no fancy clothes or expensive video games. We do have video games, but they were very cheaply bought in good working condition. We do subscribe to an online monthly movie rental and we do occasionally go out to eat and even to the movies...but VERY rarely. If both parents are working just so the family can have these things the parents should really reevaluate the situation. Cable or HDTV or a new, fancy car or big, nice house isn't necessary, having parental guidance for the children is. Downsize...your stress level will drop and you will be able to rest.

3~BUY USED 90% OF THE TIME: We buy used as much as possible for most things. Why? Because it's just plain cheaper. There is nothing wrong with Goodwill clothes or dishes. When we can't find what we need at Goodwill or another thrift store or at yard sales, we go to reduced-price stores like Ross or TJ Maxx. I also happen to love any store with "dollar" in the name! Those stores just make me happy! When it comes to shopping unnecessarily follow this rule "If you don't go in a store, you won't buy anything." Simple, huh? Only go shopping when you need something-end of story.

4~LEARN HOW TO MAKE THINGS FROM SCRATCH: I make lots of things myself, food wise and otherwise. I bake bread, but I still buy loaf bread from the store because the kids like it better(you can't win 'em all), laundry detergent, fabric softener, automatic dish detergent, most cleaning supplies, deodorant(although I'm the only one who will use it-lol), my own face cleansing oil, etc. I also make most of our meals from scratch. I do, however, prefer boxed brownie mix. I'm not a complete naturalist! Anyway, what I am getting at here is that you can make anything you can buy in the store. I have just learned how to make soap using lye and oil or fat. Pretty cool, I thought! The sky's the limit. Don't be intimidated. If I can do it, anybody can.

5~REDUCE UTILITIES: Simply, in the summer keep your thermostat up (75) & just tough it out and in the winter keep it down (68) & wear layers in the house. It won't kill you or your kids, trust me. Also, turn the lights off when you're not in a room! I used to get so irritated with my dad for saying that to me at least 100 times a day but I get it now. TURN THEM OFF!!!!!! Did you know that things continue to use electricity while plugged into an outlet, even when they're turned off. Unplug anything that you can when not is use. Obviously, you cannot unplug the refrigerator, but you can unplug the TV, hair dryers, etc. Get in the habit and watch your electric bill go down. Get a clothes line to use when weather permits or indoor drying racks to use when the weather does not. Drying clothes indoors in the winter also helps with the problem of dry air. I sometimes put the rack over the heat vents at night and the clothes are dry by morning. Where water in concerned, just use less. You've all heard it, turn off the water when brushing your teeth, but it's true. Take shorter showers or baths with less water. Only wash full loads of dishes and clothes. Just use your brain. Conserve a little bit here and there at a time and build on it each month. It's doable. My children and I also only take baths every other day. It saves water and it's better for your skin and hair and isn't gross at all. Trust me.

So, there you have it. I have many other tips that will be harder for a newbie to swallow but these are the basics. If anyone wants any of the above recipes just let me know! I am eager to share things I have learned with anyone who wants to learn them.

SALSA JARS REPURPOSED!

SALSA JARS REPURPOSED!

I don't know about you, but our family eats a lot of Mexican food and that means we have lots of empty salsa jars! I refuse to toss them in the trash so I use them, and other glass jars, for different things around the house. I often buy things with the reuse of their container in mind~I reuse candle jars, baby food jars, spaghetti sauce jars, etc. Not only is this Bi-Lo brand (Southern Home) picante sauce really good and a great price, the jar is a pretty shape, too.
Being the cheapo that I am, I started thinking that I could turn these jars into drink jars for my younger children, as opposed to buying some. They also fit into the cup holder of your car quite well.
Here's how I did it: remove label then glue and the printed numbers with nail polish remover. Clean jar and lid very well, let dry. If it still smells like salsa, soak in vinegar then let air dry overnight-works like a charm! For the top, I used a hammer and large nail to make the hole, checking the size often with a straw. You want the straw to fit loosely. File down any rough edges with a nail file, then use! I would love to find a waterproof way to decorate the top but for now they will stay the same. The kids think they are cool that way, anyway. I used a glass etching tool that I found at the Dollar Tree, of all places, to put my daughter's monogram on the glass jar. For the boys' jars, I just simply put their initial to be able to tell them apart-they will fight over anything! I think that is my new favorite tool! You could also use glass etching cream, either would be a cute way to decorate a jar for a gift~fill jar with homemade bath salts then the recipient has a pretty jar to use after the bath salts are gone!
So there ya go! Have fun but whatever you do, KEEP YOUR GLASS JARS! They are too useful to throw away!

Tart Warmer Tips!!!!!

I love to burn wax tarts in my home but the really highly scented ones are generally very pricey...I'm too cheap for that. My first idea a couple years ago was to cut one in half, or even in quarters, to get more bang for my buck. Then I discovered fragrance oils and my life changed! LOL! I buy mine from www.naturesgardencandles.com. They are inexpensive, average $2-$3 per for a small bottle, and they smell really good! They even have some of the name brand 'type' scents, which works great for me!

So, here is what I do...
~Take the wick out of an unscented tea light candle and place it in the top, yes the top, of the tart burner. You will also need one for the bottom, but you already knew that-right?!?!?! Then add 2-5 drops of your favorite fragrance oil and burn as usual. You can add a drop each time you burn it just to refresh the scent.

If you wanted to gift these you could buy bulk wax or just use the tea light method and then add fragrance oil and pour into molds. To do that, melt the wax in a clean tin can that is in a pot of simmering water; very easy clean up! Easy peasy!

A Homemade Christmas-hand scrubs

Christmas is coming...are you ready? I sure am not but I have hopes of being there pretty soon! Last Christmas I made lots of our gifts for friends and teachers, and hand scrub is just one quick and inexpensive choice. Hand scrubs are something I make quite often to use in my home, and with three teenage daughters they are used quite frequently. I make several different scents & kinds so I will post just my three favorite ones for the holidays. These will keep for several months out of direct sunlight. The amounts are not exact so you can try more or less of an ingredient to see how you like it.

I will be posting ideas of other hand made Christmas gifts in the coming weeks. If y'all have ideas to share, please do! I am always on the outlook for new gift ideas and my readers would welcome them.

PUMPKIN SPICE SUGAR SCRUB
~equal parts white and brown sugar (measure this is in the jar you will be using)
~1 to 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, more for a larger jar
~1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
~enough canola oil to make a 'wet sand' consistency
****Mix well and spoon into a lidded glass jar. Mason jars or clean candle jars are great for this. I usually make a hand-written label and tie it onto the jar with twine, that way it can be removed.

MAPLE/VANILLA SUGAR SCRUB
~equal parts white and brown sugar
~1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
~1/4 teaspoon maple flavoring
~enough canola oil to make a 'wet sand' consistency
****Mix well and spoon into a lidded glass jar.

COCONUT SUGAR SCRUB (my personal favorite)
~white sugar
~coconut oil (sold in the baking aisle, it is a firm oil kind of like shortening-a little goes a long way)
~enough olive oil to loosen mixture
~1 teaspoon coconut extract
****Mix well and spoon into a lidded glass jar.

Another great idea is to mix any scented body soap that you like with white sugar to make a cleansing scrub.

Let me add that if you know me personally and you get one of these scrubs as a gift, just act like you never read this. K? Thanks! ;)

Faux Vinyl

I love all the vinyl wall art all over blogland but I am too cheap to have some made & I am not lucky enough to have a cricut. After seeing lots of examples of wall vinyl I decided to make 'faux vinyl' out of cardstock and high gloss paint. Maybe it's things like this that have me nicknamed the redneck Martha Stewart (I am NOT a redneck, just from a redneck town). Anyway, they have turned out really well and have gotten lots of compliments. Here's how you do it: use a stencil to trace the letters that you need for your words then cut them out, I used black cardstock. Then I tacked each letter down with that tacky gum stuff (I don't know the name of it) onto a scrap piece of cardboard and sprayed painted them with high-gloss burgundy paint~you could use any color. After the letters were dry I used the same tacky gum stuff to attach them to the walls. Easy peasy! Now, go look for cute sayings to make your own!
The picture on the top is in my living room. I though that quote was a cute way to tie in all of the pictures of my husband and I & our blended family. The picture on the bottom is in my bedroom. It is a Bible verse that I thought would be a good reminder for my husband...lol! ;)