Tuesday Talk #18: DIY and Organization

I'm starting to feel better this week. Still tired. Still a little sick. But it comes and goes instead of constantly.

Sometimes I even get these spurts of energy where I feel like a racehorse just let out onto the track. And all of a sudden all I can see are cupboards that need organized, recipes that need made, and Pinterest projects to accomplish. *wink, wink*

Here are a few of the things I've been working on:

Homemade spice mixes. I love making tacos or fajitas for a quick meal but the recipes generally leave me two options-- throw in some spoonfuls of different spices on hand (tedious and not foolproof, lol) or toss in a packet of fajita seasoning from the store (which I don't buy because of the nasty ingredients like MSG or preservatives). So I searched on Pinterest and found these great DIY mixes! I'm excited to have them on hand for a weeknight meal-- and save money and our health.

Homemade cleaning products. My cleaning products (umm...and routine...what routine) need a desperate overhaul. Our supplies consist of my husband's harsh chemical products he brought from his apartment and my homemade cleaners from my apartment which are almost gone or the spray bottle no longer works (I hate that when you squeeze it and it won't go back to normal!). We also have a two-story home so my goal is to create two spaces (one up and one down) with all the homemade products we need for cleaning different surfaces. Here are the recipes I pinned.

What are your DIY projects or goals this month?

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Homemade Laundry Softener

Guys, I've been on the hunt for a good DIY laundry softener ever since we got married. I've always used white vinegar in my rinse cycle and it has done a pretty good job. But my hubby is used to dryer sheets and nothing natural can compete with those chemical-loaded sheets of nastiness. He lovingly allows me to use whatever I want (or is that a ploy to get me to do the laundry??) so I'm determined to find alternatives to mainstream laundry detergents and softeners.

I'm currently alternating between his old detergent and my homemade recipe for the washing cycle. I still put white vinegar in for the rinse but now I'm also adding this nifty homemade scented softener. I also use homemade wool dryer balls-- love those!

I've only used it twice so I'm not completely sold on it yet. I do think the clothing seems to be softer and not wrinkle as easily. The scent could definitely be stronger though. It smells great in the bottle but by the time I pull the damp laundry out and put it into the dryer, I can't smell much of the scent anymore.

I'll continue my search for the perfect blend of homemade laundry products. Do you have any recommendations for healthy options?

Here's what I came up with so far, based on several different Pinterest combinations.

You'll need Epsom salt, your choice of essential oils, a bowl, and a spoon!

I used grapefruit and vanilla because I had these on hand (and I wanted a warm yet fruity scent).

Pour in about 2 cups of Epsom salt and 20 drops of essential oil (at least 10 drops per cup of salt).
Stir until oil is well blended into salt. 

That's it!! Seriously! Just use about 1/4 cup (or two big scoops) per load.

And there you are. I wish I could give it more rave reviews but I think a few more loads of laundry are needed before I give my final verdict. (But from the looks of our baskets, it shouldn't be too hard to come up with a few hundred more loads.)

Happy homemaking!

"Have mercy on me, O God, in your faithful love, in your great tenderness wipe away my offenses. Wash me clean from my guilt, purify me from my sin." -Psalm 51:1,2

A Christmas Tour: Welcome to my home!

I've had some heavier-topic, reflective Advent posts lately so I decided it was time for a fun picture post! Ready to check out how I've decked my halls? Here we go...

A little reminder in the morning and night...O Come Let us Adore Him in the picture frame

Hot cocoa, anyone? I found a recipe for salted caramel hot chocolate as well as
dark chocolate with cinnamon...getting all sophisticated this year. ;)

My Advent wreath, created with the help of my mom :) I love real greenery!!!

Mmm...one of my favorite places to sip, pray, read...

This was to be one of my projects but alas...I couldn't find a shadow frame in my price range.
I want to trim the picture to 11x11 and then put a little straw in the bottom of a shadow frame for some added texture.
Next year. :)

My favorite spot this year.

Hand-me-down red bulbs from my mom added a new look this year.
I love the elegance of the red with the gold. And the little package underneath matches!
It's a decorative package that says "Joy." Love it.

Would you guess this picture is from an old Christmas card?? :)

A rustic touch to this end table. The snowman lantern fits a tea light inside, so adorable.

Going to try displaying Christmas cards this way...although I received a few more this week
so I'm afraid we're on to plan B!

I love decorating this chalkboard for each season!

Many of my decorations, including this one, are Pinterest inspired!
You can find the link to follow me to the right below my blog picture. :)

Nothing like nostalgia at Christmastime. It distracts me from pulling out goodies from the freezer,
which s a good thing. ;)

This garage-sale find always find its way into my kitchen each year!

A P. Graham Dunn print on my refrigerator. One of my favorite artists.

We can't forget the festive bathroom! It's pink and black decor
so I kept with that for Christmas. Pink lights and a black O Holy Night print.

Pinterest printable :)

I hope you enjoyed your virtual tour! Enjoy this last week of Advent!
The Word Made Flesh dwells among us.

Some DIY spa time for you!

I know, I know. You're tired of the book reviews and the quotes. You want something different. I aim to please...

So I'm sharing with you a few of my homemade spa recipes from Pinterest! Three easy recipes with simple ingredients! I'm on a health food kick right now and it has spread into my showering/skin care as well...why not put food on your face, too?! I've tried each of these a couple times and love the results so far. Tonight I showered after a long day of horseback riding and boating on the river-- was incredibly refreshed and pampered after using the lavender facial scrub and the coconut sugar shaving scrub! I'm so excited to share these with you!

One: Lavender Coconut Facial Scrub

This baby cleans, exfoliates, and moisturizes. And smells heavenly. I've been leaving it in my shower but only using it about every other day just so I'm not scrubbing too often or overdoing it with the coconut oil on my acne-prone skin. All you do is take equal amounts of coconut oil (virgin, non-refined please!) and baking soda and mix them together thoroughly until you have a grainy paste. You may then add 5-10 drops (depending on the amount of oil/soda) of lavender essential oil and finish stirring together. It's so fabulous! The baking soda granules smooth and scrub away while the coconut oil leaves you moisturized. And I love the lavender smell...so relaxing!

Two: Coconut Sugar Shaving Scrub

This stuff is pretty amazing too. Simply mix equal parts of coconut oil and white sugar together to form once again a grainy paste (will be more grainy than the baking soda mixture above...more like a typical sugar scrub would look). That's it! I know! I keep this one in the shower as well in a Mason jar with a spoon and then use it as my shaving gel...it scrubs and exfoliates my skin, provides an easy shave without knicks or scrapes, and leaves my legs looking shiny and smooth! It took awhile to get used to because the oil melts when it hits your skin so you don't have the cream or the lather you might be used to with other shaving products. But I haven't gotten a cut yet and I love the addition of the sugar for exfoliating so I don't have to put on lotion afterwards if I'm in a hurry.


Three: Spicy Honey Face Mask

This one is supposed to help with acne/inflammation. I've only used it a few times and didn't see miracle results but did see what I felt was improvement in my overall skin. Knowing that the ingredients have bacteria-fighting, anti-inflammatory effects, I'm sure it's not a placebo effect. And it feels and smells great, too. To make this recipe, mix equal parts of honey (I use raw honey), cinnamon, and nutmeg. It will be a thick brown paste. Spread onto your face and leave on for about 10-15 minutes (it will warm from your skin and be a little drippy!). Then rinse off thoroughly and enjoy the fresh, clean feeling.

I'd love to hear your homemade recipes for skin and hair care!