Homemade Liquid Dish Soap A lot of people seemed to be having problems with the original recipe I posted that I found on another blog. So I did some tweaking and the new results are much much better!! Plus it’s organic and antibacterial! Can’t get much better than that! Homemade Liquid Dish Soap Ingredients: 1/2 cup grated soap (I used Dr. Directions: Grate bar of soap. Side note: I used the citrus kind for the smell and because citrus helps cut grease! Thats it!!! This recipe will not create lots of bubbles! Are you as excited about this recipe as I am???? I party here…
26 Tips and Tricks To Simplify Life I have been collecting all kinds of clever tips to make life just a little bit more simple. Here are some of my favs! 1. Cord organization tips. I am SO doing this. {link} 2. 10. 19. Simple Lemon water. Want to be eco-friendly but not have to mess with cloth diapers? More From New Nostalgia: How to Make Homemade Peppermint Extract Part of the reason that I decided to grow mint this year was so that I could try making my own peppermint extract. Jesse and I are pretty much obsessed with mint (especially mint plus chocolate) so we go through a lot of mint extract. Even though I buy my extracts through Azure Standard, they’re not exactly cheap, so making my own seemed like a great way to save some money. I finally got down to it last weekend. The extract has only been sitting for a few days so far so I can’t tell you how it came out, but I wanted to share the method now in case anyone else has an abundance of mint just begging to be used for something. How to Make Peppermint Extract I did a quick Google search and found a multitude of recipes, all of which followed the same basic outline. Harvest a bunch of mint leaves from your mint plant. Harvested mint leaves Remove mint leaves from stalks (if applicable) and pack leaves into a measuring cup to determine how much mint you have. Mint leaves ready to be rinsed
Homemade Vanilla Extract I love the scent of vanilla in anything from candles to soap and the flavor of vanilla in baked goods and desserts is second to none. If a recipe calls for one teaspoon vanilla extract, I use at least two; but likely more and use a slow, heavy hand when pouring. All that pouring makes my food taste amazing but my wallet doesn’t like it. Homemade vanilla extract saves money and even if it didn’t, when it comes to taste and flavor, there is just no comparison. The only thing special that’s required when making vanilla extract is patience. To make vanilla extract you need vanilla beans. When selecting beans, they should be soft, pliable, tender, and flexible. Next, you need alcohol (at least 35% by volume) in order to extract the vanilla from the vanilla beans, thus the name, vanilla extract. Bourbon, rum, or brandy may be used instead of vodka. You need a glass jar that seals in which to make extract. I figured as long as this was a two-month project, I may as well extract in bulk. Notes
DIY Naturally Scented All-Purpose Citrus Vinegar Cleaners I've been on a quest to rid our home of toxic chemicals for both health and environmental reasons. Did you know? According to the Environmental Protection Agency, indoor air can be 10 times to 100 times more polluted than outdoor air. One of the culprits is common household cleaners emitting toxic fumes. UGH! After my recent post about using fruit, herbs, and spices for making natural home fragrances, it occurred to me that I could use some of those same scent combinations for making natural cleaners with vinegar. These scented cleaners don't completely eliminate the vinegar scent when first sprayed. THESE MAKE COOL, INEXPENSIVE GIFTS. HOW TO MAKE NATURAL CLEANERSwith vinegar, citrus, herbs, and spices Assemble these ingredients: view on Amazon: essential oils, bulk pricing on cinnamon sticks, whole cloves Assemble these supplies: Jars or other sealable containers. view on Amazon:half gallon mason jars, quart mason jars, spray bottles,jar funnel, mason jar lid strainer, wire mesh strainer 1.
* Maria's Self *: DIY Toilet Bombs - Deodorize & Kill Bacteria! Just Drop One in the Bowl;-))) Remember I told you in my previous post that the next product in my store will be an "outside the box" one? Well, you've been warned;-))) I came up with the idea of Toilet Bombs a few months ago. At first I thought it would be embarrassing to make a post about them but I fell so much in love with these toilet bombs that I just HAD to share the idea with you - I'm seriously addicted! WHAT I USE: (for approx. 24 bombs) --1 1/3 cup Baking Soda - amazing for all-natural cleaning AND deodorizing! --1/2 cup Citric Acid - (low-strength acid that exists naturally in fruits like lemons & oranges) - used in many kitchen & bathroom cleaners for its cleaning, whitening & deodorizing properties *** All three oils I use have great antimicrobial properties and kill odor-causing bacteria PLUS this combo smells heavenly!!! Since I work with citric acid and baking soda, I always put medical mask first and then mix together soda and acid. About me: Find this post helpful?
MAD IN CRAFTS: Stenciled Watercolors (for People Who Can’t Paint) I love abstract floral watercolors. I think they are so lovely and soft, but they also have a graphic punch. I tried to recreate that look with the watercolor curtains in my daughter’s bedroom, and I wanted some artwork to match. Unfortunately, I don’t have the artistic skills to create the finished product that I wanted. Instead, I found a hack that makes it possible for anyone who can hold a paintbrush to create gorgeous watercolor paintings! To make Stenciled Watercolor Paintings, you will need: Some of the following links are affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you choose to make a purchase after clicking through. watercolor paper watercolor paints (mine were kids paints from the dollar store!) paintbrush small bowl of water stencils stencil adhesive It’s important to use watercolor paper for this project. Add in more colors, using the water to blend them together. Remove the stencil and admire your artistry. The more colors used, the better. Did you like this post?
Love Stencilled Pillow - Free "Love & Life" Template Love Stencilled Pillow – a quick and easy way to breathe new life into a plain pillow. Love Stencilled Pillow – Free “Love & Life” Template - I’ve been on the search for the perfect pillows for our living room for over a year now. As you can see, it’s a very monochromatic room (which I like in this instance) but it really needed a pop of colour. I picked up some fabric paint, created a template for the words ‘LOVE” and ‘LIFE” in Adobe Illustrator and got down to business. Material: Pillow Acrylic craft or fabric paint (I used Martha Stewart Multi-Surface Craft Paint in Wedding Cake White) Vinyl (approx 12″ x 12″ for both words) with a sticky/adhesive backing (use whatever extra scraps you have – I used chalkboard vinyl because I have extra) Cutting machine or xacto knife (and some patience) ‘LOVE’ and ‘LIFE’ template – download svg file, ai8 file or pdf here Pouncer (small-medium size) Instructions: Download the printable template (above). About the author Like this: Like Loading...
Valentine's Day Frame Art DIY Valentine's day is coming up, and that means some cute lovey-dovey DIY's for you or your special friend :)! I was approached by DecoArt to try some of their products, and I thought that their glass paint would be perfect for this DIY. I have never used glass paint before, because it just doesn't always fit in my budget and I never knew if I would like it. Don't get me wrong, it isn't really expensive, I just try to do everything low budget, and something like glass paint isn't really replaceable by anything else, so I never really tried it before. So this was the perfect opportunity to try it out, and see if it was worth it to use in the future :) I used the glass paint to restyle an old picture frame. And I am so happy with the result! Here's how: You will need: Glass paint (I used Gloss Enamels Metallic Gold from DecoArt), FREE Template Printable, spray paint,sandpaper,glue stick, glue gun, sponge, alcohol or ammonia, Scissors, Printer. 1. 2. 3. 4. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. All done!