"There is a serious need for the charity that gives attention to those who are unnoticed, hope to those who are discouraged, aid to those who are afficted. True charity is love in action. The need for charity is everywhere."

Thomas S Monson


During this time of year the rush all around us and everyone thinking of gift giving brings out the charitable soul of almost everyone. You see Toys for Tots boxes everywhere and other donation sites for food, jackets, bikes, etc.

During the first few days and couple of weeks after Hurricane Katrina swept through our area the compassion and love shown to fellow human beings was immense. Charity was shown to all we all were in the same boat exhausted and struggling day in and day out.

But after these events go by and the joy of the season or in the storm's case the electricity came back on the charity bug wears off and we go back to our own little boxes. Charity needs to be an unconscious act done daily, starting with our loved ones and moving on to all around us, even those we think are beneath us.

Our situations might be different, backgrounds, life choices, etc but in the end we are all children of a loving Heavenly Father whose love is unconditional and for each of us equally.

I hope you have a wonderfully blessed day.

Love,

Erika

Hand Lotion so Simple to Make...

I have wanted to make lotion for myself for awhile and last week I tried one recipe that I didn't like at all. But the other day found one I had to try, and it turned out beautiful. I wanted to use lavender essential oil but Yguy asked if I would use lemon since he does not like lavender. :0) I clean with it and he really dislikes it so I have gotten other oils to rotate around.

You start out with a liquid oil like olive oil or like what I used grapeseed oil you need 6 ozs of this. Pour it into a glass measuring cup with a handle. Then add 3 ozs solid oil like coconut. Place in a pan of water  and start heating it up to melt the solid oil add to this 1 oz beeswax. Stir to help melt the wax.

While this is melting measure out 9 oz of water. I added the essential oil to this, but you can add the oil at a later stage.

Bring oils and wax to room temp. It will start looking opaque as it cools, stir it while its cooling. I put it in a bowl with a couple of ice cubes and cool water.

Bring the 9oz of water to room temp and slowly add oils to water while mixing on high with your blender.

You have to keep mixing on high or the water and oils/wax mixture won't combine. Keep mixing till it turns a creamy color.

After this I tired the scent and added for essential oil to it. It smells like lemon cream pie and we could almost eat it. :0)

We are thinking of other ways we could use things to make our own lotions. Like oatmeal....

That is what I did today as well as Yguy making chain mail like the Knights of old wore. Well, not as big and elaborate, but still fun. Learning new skills is so much fun!

Love,

Erika

Simple Yet Basic

I thought I would give you an update on the no poo challenge I started in August. It has been 4 1/2 months and it has been going wonderful.

Ash has started doing it as well, and so we haven't had to buy shampoo in awhile. Which is nice.

I have also noticed that I don't have to wash my hair everyday anymore either. Every other day works and one time I went one day farther than that. I didn't want to wash my hair late at night so I decided to do it in the morning. Well, when I woke the next morning my hair didn't need it so I didn't.

I bought a gallon of apple cider vinegar in August and just ran out the other day. I think it lasted quite awhile one small box of baking soda lasts us about 2 weeks.

I have noticed that our hair has gotten lighter in color and it feels silkier. Every now and then I add lavender essential oil to the vinegar rinse.

I would say for now I plan on staying with this approach to washing my hair, I am far more pleased than I thought I would be.

Have a blessed day

Erika

Resolutions

I am not a resolution type of person. I think, every year we set up a basic, we want to do this, this year but it isn't set in stone somethings get done and some don't.

I know the standard loose weight, get out of debt, etc, etc. But there is more to all that than just those basic things. To love ourselves and others as our Heavenly Father loves us should be the top of that list. To have faith and trust in Him, is another.

With these basics so many things can stem from us making that effort. We will love ourselves so will want to take care of ourselves more etc etc.

I love the movie The Village the lifestyle that is protrayed is one I envy. There is a line in the movie hubby and I love..." The world moves for love, it bows down before it in awe"

Love can bring to pass so many things.

This year I don't want to set goals or resolutions I want to enjoy and love all around me and humble myself to learn and grow from it.

I have many things on my mind of late but all of them are meaningless and a little silly for me to put so much energy in.

This year is a year of slidding back into what is important to me and letting the world rush by me. Creating new and positive habits, I found this neat calender 100 Days Calender she also has some other neat and cute little things for bringing the postive into our daily lives.

Have a Blessed Day

Erika



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Simple Yet Basic

One of the things I have really tried to cultivate in our home is reusing items, repurposing something into an item I need or would use.

I am not nearly as good at it as most but I feel I can look outside the box when needed and be somewhat creative.

Clothing is something I am not into, Fashion Diva I am not, and do not plan on being. Since switching to skirts almost 2 yrs ago I have done away with all my jeans. I think I have 1 pair somewhere I kept just incase I needed to work in the yard. Since using a chainsaw or even being around one is not recommended with a skirt.

I turned 2 into long skirts and love them especially in the winter nice and warm. Last week I went thrift storing and at one they have their clothing for $1 so I bought some jeans and a nice lavender top. The jeans were turned into a long skirt, see below.

I have my hair pulled up in a bun since it was warm that day and my top is one I made. See the V at the bottom I used a pair of jeans that could not be fixed to fill in the V's. My daughter is not like me in the skirt department and the jeans I cut up were hers she ripped the pocket on them and it could not be fixed. Perfect solution.

Now, I have demin left from the jeans and have been wanting a new purse. Fashion is not my thing but I love purses and bags. I would love to find a little basket with a lid to use for a purse that would be so cute. Anyway I sewed the scraps I had together to make big enough pieces to cut out what I needed for the below bag

The contrasting fabric I bought  on the reminant shelf at walmart a couple years ago for a $1 or something. It has pockets on one side and pockets inside. I am always digging for my cellphone so I wanted something to put it in and I didn't want pockets all over the outside. I made the handles longer than the pattern said since I wanted a shoulder bag.

So for 2 pairs of jeans, one pair unfixablem, and some reminant fabric I was able to make 2 brand new items that I will use. SimpleYet Basic....

The purse pattern Simplicity 2830 well the base of it is I have changed it to what I wanted and the basic directions for the skirt is here. Or go to your search engine and type in skirt from jeans how to.

Simple Yet Basic

There are recipes all over the internet for your own laundry soap and many people make it, sell it, or sell kits for it. I am a self learner I like to teach myself everything I can. This is something I picked up quite a few years ago but then I made it with ivory soap, borox, and water. I didn't do it for very long, whites turned dingy.

I found a recipe 3 or so years ago that I use and I love it. So I thought I would share what I do in a visual way so that those who are visual learners, like me will maybe learn something simple yet basic.

The ingredients are:
Fels Naptha or Zoot or Octagon laundry soaps
Washing Soda
Borox
water

Items I use:
A big pot
2 1 gallon jugs
quart jar
wooden spoon

I cut the bar of laundry soap into 3rds from there I grate each 3rd up and place in individual containers like below. That is for 3 batches of soap.

Here they are on the laundry room shelf with the other ingredients I use. One of the jars of white stuff is baking soda I use that for dishwasher soap, washing my hair, and many other cleaning things. Zoot is my prefered soap but I can't always find it, when I do, I buy enough for a years worth of use. Or top off my supply I have 2 whole bars left as you can see so I will start looking in the 2 stores I usually find it and top my supply off when they have it.

Here are my 2, 1 gallon jugs empty. I use vinegar for cleaning so these are old vinegar jugs.

Place two quarts of water with your 1/3 bar of grated soap. Let simmer till soap is disolved don't boil, it will boil over. I use a deep pot since I have had it foam over.

Measure out 1/2 cup borox and washing soda to add to pot as soon as the soap is dissolved.

This is the washing soda I use. I can not buy Arm and Hammer Washing soda at our local stores and buying it online defeats the purpose of saving money. So I buy PH UP from the swimming pool supply aisle, it is the same exact thing, 100% Sodium Carbonate. This lasts me 6 months or so when I only use it to make soap but I also use it to bleach my whites so it lasts 3 or 4 months instead.

I sometimes add essentail oil. Right now I am using lavender oil and love it. I add it to my mop buckets of vinegar and water, sometimes to my vinegar hair rinse, when I fill a sink with water to wipe things down I add this, for making laundry soap I add 2 or 3 drops at the time I add the washing soda and borox.

While the soap is dissolving I fill my jugs with 3 quarts of cold water each.

Add the powder slowly they foam up and over really fast. I have learned this the hard way but my stove is really clean afterwards.

Stir well until the powders are dissolved I leave the heat on low for this step and stir it while it thickens. See how foamy it is?

I then add the hot mixture to the jugs a quart per jug. I you have less than 2 quarts of soap mixture because it boiled over that is ok just divide it evenly it will still turn out OK. Experience in this has taught me :0)

Here is the finished product on my shelf. Shake each time you use it to mix it up well or you'll have a glob at the top. I have gotten samples of liquid soaps in the mail and added it to the homemade soap and that has stopped it from clumping. But that takes away from the basic ingredients as well.

Making your own laundry soap saves money along with the feeling of self reliance. Its so easy my kids make it for me sometimes. This 2 gallon batch lasts me about 6 weeks and costs me less than a dollar to make. I use 1/2 cup of soap unless I have a really dirty load.

Have a Blessed Day

Erika