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!

MY HOME COMMAND CENTER

As a mother of 6, I can honestly say that I have lots to remember and also lots to forget. That's where this command center comes in. It stares at me from directly to my right while I stand at the stove and feed the masses! I look at it numerous times during the day so I cannot use the excuse, "I forgot." But I still forget! Moving on...

I will explain each item in the command center from left to right...
BOTTOM LEFT: I made each child a folder with his/her name on it where I put papers after I have signed them, as well as any other papers they may need for school. I made mine out of card stock but you could use actual file folders, which may work better~I was too impatient, and cheap, so I used what I had. They are to check their folder each morning before leaving for school; that way I am not responsible for putting things in their bookbags. Lord knows I have enough to remember!
TOP LEFT: This is where our school district yearly calendar is. I think that's a necessity when you have 6 children in public school!
MIDDLE TOP: Ok, I made a 'dry erase' calendar out of a 10x13 frame. On the under side of the glass I made my calendar grid with a sharpie marker, along with anything that I wanted to remain there. You can use any paper you like as a background. I put white tissue paper directly under the grid so I could still see the printed paper and see my daily appointments at the same time. You can write the month, dates, and daily appointments directly on the glass with a dry erase marker & just wipe it clean each month! It has been a lifesaver!
MIDDLE BOTTOM: I made this file box out of an empty cereal box. I hot-glued the top closed, turned the box on its side and cut the side off to make an opening. After some spray paint it was ready for its purpose. I don't know how things go in your house but in mine the kids always bring me papers to sign while I'm doing 5 other things. In times past I would have taken said paper & put it on the kitchen counter where it would have either gotten wet, thrown away, or forgotten. Now when they give me a paper, either to read or sign, I tell them to put it in the box. At the end of each night I check the box and put each child's paper in their folder. Problem solved...now if I could get them to be sure to put a name on the paper so I would know which folder to put it in! One thing at a time, I guess!
***I have added something since this pic was taken. I painted another cereal box and placed it under the 'please sign these' box. It is used for any other important school papers that we may need to keep on hand for future needs.
TOP RIGHT: This is our church's Bible reading schedule. In 2010 we have been reading the New Testament together as a congregation and having this schedule up and visible has helped my husband and I keep on track!
MIDDLE RIGHT: This is where we keep the school breakfast/lunch menu. I check this as much as the kids because I try my best not to make something for dinner that they may have had for lunch.
BOTTOM RIGHT: This is our family home dry erase menu that I again made it out of an 8x10 frame. I normally only post dinners through the week, unless there is a day without school.