it's a little crunchy around here.....

not sure what it is

being without work/stable income for almost a year?

realizing how much junk we put in and on our bodies?

reading '7, a mutiny against excess', by Jen Hatmaker?

not sure what it is, but i am more and more interested in making my own...whatever can be made at home...ok, not veggies. i have a purple thumb. but if i can make it from something that is ALREADY made, i am trying it.

here is a laundry soap i have made for a while now and really like it. it ends up costing .40 a gallon!!!! you just can't beat that! i always pick the most natural, cheap brand i can and i end up paying more than 15.00 for maybe a gallon.

laundry soap

it only takes 3 ingredients--4 if you want an essential oil for scent

• a soap of some sort,
• washing soda
• borax

the soap: i have used fels naptha. it is found in the laundry aisle. the other options for soap are ivory or another brand called, zote. any of these will work. if you use ivory or zote, you will need to use the whole bar. washing soda is sodium carbonate or soda ash (baking soda is sodium bicarbonate). it is a white powder. its purpose is to help remove dirt and orders. the brand to look for is arm & hammer washing soda. i find it in the laundry section of my grocery store. many people have a hard time finding this locally.

borax: borax is a naturally occurring mineral: sodium borate. It’s purpose is as a laundry whitener and deodorizer. The brand to look for is 20 Mule Team.

i have found all items at my local wal-mart

NOW: to make it :) 1/3 bar fels naptha, or soap of choice ½ cup washing soda ½ cup borax powder ~You will also need a small bucket, about 2 gallon size~(this makes it easier to mix, but I have used 2-1 gallon pitchers)

grate the soap and put it in a sauce pan. add 6 cups water and heat it until the soap melts. add the washing soda and the borax and stir until it is dissolved. remove from heat. pour 4 cups hot water into the bucket. next, add your soap mixture and stir. now add 1 gallon plus 6 cups of water and stir. let the soap sit for about 24 hours and it will gel. use ½ cup per load.

~the finished soap will not be a solid gel. it will be more of a watery/jelly type mixture~the soap is a low sudsing soap. so if you don’t see suds, that is ok. suds are not what does the cleaning, it is the ingredients in the soap.

if you DO want your soap to have some sort of scent you can scent this with ½ to 1 oz. of essential oil or fragrance oil of your choice. my favorite scent is called 'creative blend' that i get at sprouts

getting a little home made around here.......

i have always been interested in doing things the hard way the natural way.  and if i can do it where it is cheaper easier on the grocery bill....i am ALL IN.  i have been making my own {insert whatever comes to mind} for a while.  clothes, bread, cakes, brownies, dog biscuits ;)....you name it, i have tried it.  i have become more interested in what goes ON the skin verses IN the body recently...not that i am not interested in what goes in...i have been for a LONG time.  but we have had a hard time with finding things that don't irritate some of the more sensitive bodies around here......so.  with the help of pinterest, i decided to make my way to body wash and lotion. we love both of these things.  the body wash took a little getting used to and i am ready to make my next batch and will experiment with it, but the sensitive ones around here LOVE it.  they thought it was weird at first and was determined not to like it, but when they ran low, they came a runnin!

the lotion has been wonderful!  we just got back from the dry mountain air and it was a God-send for those chapped legs and arms.  i just made a new batch today to replenish what we used up.

i will post the recipes below, and as always, i will first post how written and then add my own touches ;)

It is getting harder and harder to find an all natural lotion these days. If you suffer from dry, sensitive skin, or have a child with eczema, you know how important it is to find a rich, natural lotion that has nourishing properties in it. Here is a recipe for an easy to make lotion with a coconut oil base. It is perfect for dry, sensitive skin types.

coconut oil lotion

Difficulty: Easy Instructions Things You'll Need

1/4 Cup Distilled water 3/4 Cup Extra Virgin Coconut Oil--i used half coconut oil and half almond oil....made easier by doubling the recipe 2 Tbsp beeswax, either grated or in pellets 1 tsp essential oil, such as lavender or rose--I used a 'creative blend' i found at sprouts 1/2 Cup Aloe Vera Gel 1.  MELT YOUR BEESWAX This first step is to melt the beeswax. Skin care products with beeswax as a main ingredient are much more nourishing to the skin. You will want to melt beeswax in a double boiler over medium heat. First, place your beeswax, either grated or in pellets, in a small pot. Place the small pot inside a medium pot filled about half way up with water. Gradually heat the beeswax over medium heat until it is just melted. then, remove the small pot from the heat source. 2.  COMBINE THE OIL WITH THE WAX Next, you will want to combine your oil with your wax. The oil you will be using should be Extra Virgin Coconut Oil. This is the best coconut oil available, and will make your lotion rich and creamy. You can find Extra Virgin Coconut Oil at any health food store or natural foods market. Add the coconut oil into the same pot that contains your melted beeswax, and stir until the coconut oil has melted and is combined with the beeswax. Set this aside. 3.  HEAT YOUR WATER In another pot, heat the distilled water until it is around the same temperature as the oil and wax. You can test this by using a candy thermometer. Once the ingredients are at the same temperature, you are ready to blend them together. 4.   BLEND INTO LOTION Pour your oil and wax mixture, along with your distilled water, into a blender. Blend on low for abut 1 minute. Gradually pour in the Aloe Vera and the essential oil you have chosen, and blend on high for around 2 minutes. You will be amazed at the results! Your handmade coconut oil lotion will be creamy and thick...just like a professional lotion! 5.  HANDMADE COCONUT LOTION FOR EVERYONE! Now that you have successfully created your own coconut oil lotion, you will want to share it with your friends and family. Fill small glass containers or bottles with your lotion to give as gifts. Your handmade coconut lotion will make a great gift for any occasion. Grandmothers especially love the soothing qualities of the coconut oil, and will love to use it knowing that you made it yourself!

homemade body wash

1/2 gallon distilled water 2 cups grated soap 2 Tbsp Vegetable Glycerin oil Minerals, colors and scents as desired

Melt 2 cups grated soap in 1/2 gallon distilled water  along with 2TBSP of Vegetable Glycerin oil.  Add scent or color if desired, which it wasn't for us - the simpler the better.

We poured it into mason jars and let it cool. It solidified into a fairly thick substance, which scared me at first, but after shaking it up a bit, it is the perfect consistency. One jar at a time gets poured into an old body wash bottle and there ya go.