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I was explaining to someone how to create a recipe the other day, and after it was all said and done, I felt compelled to make my own. I only decided to do this after I checked online for a heavy duty homemade hand cleaner to use after gardening or doing mechanical work and found one posting. That was a video that wasn't working at the time. So, I came up with my own recipe.
I made sure to lift the hood on my van and rub my hands around in the grease so I can test my product.
Heavy Duty Hand Cleaner
Ingredients:
1/2 cup baking soda (for abrasion)
1/2 cup bentonite clay (to pull and hold onto dirt particles)
1/2 cup coconut oil (as a degreaser and moisturizer)
1/4 cup sea salt (for getting into tiny cracks)
1 cup liquid castile soap base (I make my own liquid castile base, but you may use a store-bought version)
6 drops of grapefruit essential oil
In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients together with a hand mixer. Pour into a small jar to keep by the sink. Do not use a metal container as it will cause the bentonite clay to lose its effectiveness. To use, simply scoop up a small amount and scrub hands as you would with any other soap/cleaner. Rub them together under water.
Repeat if necessary. Will leave your hands feeling silky smooth!
Disclaimer: This blog is intended for educational purposes only and cannot diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. None of these statements have been evaluated by the FDA. Please see my full disclaimer here.
Note: Some people are having reactions to Essential Oils that are not 100% Therapeutic Grade. Oils that do not have the word "therapeutic" on the bottle and do not provide the Latin name should probably be avoided for application to your body or ingestion. I recommend Young Living essential oils. Don't trust "therapeutic" in the titles written by sellers!! So many companies and people are shady. If it's not on the bottle-- don't trust it! Read this for more information about how there is an increase in promoting adulterated essential oils!
I recommend signing up with Young Living. There really is no obligation when you sign up except they ask that you spend $50 a year in essential oil purchases, which is kind of like a Sam's or Costco membership. Signing up as a wholesale member allows you to get wholesale prices!
Monday, June 16, 2014
My Own Natural Recipes
by Kimberly S. Jones
06/16/14
Because I've been holding classes to show others how to get started on that road to natural living, I wanted to be able to show you that it does get easier as you go. I've been on this path since November 2013. Now, just 7 months later, I am making my own creations! Starting small can lead to big differences in the end. As you learn more about the products you're using (in recipes that you were given by others to begin with, no doubt), you'll discover more and more uses for them.
Please keep in mind as you go that your body is different from other people's bodies and you may respond in a different way. What works great for me, may not work as well for you (or your dishwasher because of soft or hard water, etc.) Feel free to make each recipe you find your own. There's usually more than one way to skin a cat...or whatever it is you're trying to do. (Who came up with that one, anyway? Sicko!)
First, let me tell you what I use that I call a liquid castile base. If you know me at all, you'll know that I am very penurious! I do not spend money lightly. Oh, I can spend money freely, but if I can save anything, I will work very hard to do so. You may go out and buy a bottle of liquid castile soap and be done with it, but I can't bring myself to do that. So, here's how to make the liquid castile base (not my own recipe):
Liquid Castile Base
Ingredients:
1 bar pure castile soap (I get this one here; usually on sale at EarthFare for 2/$7,00)
16 cups distilled water
Directions:
Boil the 16 cups of distilled water. Once the water starts to boil even slightly, you may turn the heat off. In the meantime, grate the bar of soap with a standard grater. You don't have to do grate it too finely.
Add soap to water in pot after the heat has been turned off and stir it in.
Leave it to set over night. It will thicken up quite a bit. You can leave it in the pot, or add it to a jug (milk, water, or other).
In the morning, you can start using your Liquid Castile Base in recipes (or as is). Here's one...
Face Cleaner for Acne
In a small glass bowl or measuring cup, combine the following:
1/2 cup Liquid Castile Base - removes everyday dirt, oil, and impurities
1/2 cup Witch Hazel - Controls oil, eliminates shine, and balances skin
12 drops tea tree oil - an anti-bacterial astringent
10 drops lavender oil - tones the skin, reduces inflammation, and promotes healing
6 drops palmarosa oil - helps stimulate cellular regeneration and add moisture
8 drops lemon oil - helps break down oil molecules and cleanses the top layer of skin to reveal a smooth, soft complexion
Once combined, pour mixture into a 4-ounce glass jar (like this one). If you do not already know, essential oils are so powerful against toxins they will eventually eat through plastics. An amber or cobalt jar will protect the oils from damaging light and allow your product to last longer. Store in a cool dark place and shake before each use.
Facial Mist for Acne
In a small glass bowl or measuring cup, combine the following:
1/2 cup pure liquid aloe vera - a lubricating astringent
5 drops Vitamin E - a natural preservative
20 drops geranium oil - decreases sebum production and balances the skin; also has wound-healing properties to help with scarring
10 drops rosemary oil - has antibacterial and antiseptic properties and is high in antioxidants, it increases blood circulation and promotes healing while reducing scarring of damaged skin
18 drops lavender oil - tones the skin, reduces inflammation, and promotes healing
14 drops lemongrass oil - constricts the skin, which minimizes pores and limits secretions of oil (Lemongrass is very powerful and may cause irritation. If this occurs, you may consider limiting the number of drops in your recipe)
3 drops rosehip seed oil - regenerates the skin so it's good for problem skin. Adds moisture back to the recipe, but should not be used in large quantities on oily skin.
4 - 10 drops coconut oil - pulls oils from pores, adds moisture back to the recipe, and alleviates inflammation
Once combined, pour mixture into a 4-ounce glass jar (like this one). Add a sprayer to the top of the jar. Mist after cleaning and if face starts to appear shiny.
Hemorrhoid and/or Itchy Anus Medicine
This is one of those "Necessity is the mother of invention" creations. I'm embarrassed to say that I created this one in the middle of the night when I found it very hard to sleep with an itchy, burning anus. It was caused by my allowing myself a few treats that my body didn't approve of and so I had to suffer through the results. Well, at least until I came up with some relief, as shown below (note: this is not for severe issues. Seek medical help for more-than-mild symptoms).
In a small glass bowl or measuring cup, combine the following:
1/2 cup Witch Hazel - astringent that cleanses and soothes problem area
1/2 tablespoon coconut oil - dilutes essential oils and spreads them further
5 drops lavender oil - reduces inflammation, and promotes healing
5 drops peppermint oil - provides cooling relief of burning and itching. If fissures are present, this may burn a little initially but will calm down after several minutes
2 drops Vitamin E oil - a natural preservative
Pour this mixture into a small 4 ounce jar like this. Add 12 or so 100% cotton pads like this (I found mine at Wal-Mart for $2.04). Now, you're done!
To make a cream, add more coconut oil and emulsify in the blender. Either method of application is beneficial.
Oh, did I mention that the uses aren't limited to your bootie? The ingredients make this a perfect remedy for bags under the eyes, sinus issues, or minor cuts, bruises, or burns...just don't get too close to the eyes. If you do, just dilute with more natural fats, such as olive oil or milk. I like a little peppermint under my eyes because it wakes me up, but too much may cause some irritation.
Have fun creating! Let me know if you come up with any of your own ideas.
Disclaimer: This blog is intended for educational purposes only and cannot diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. None of these statements have been evaluated by the FDA. Please see my full disclaimer here.
Note: Some people are having reactions to Essential Oils that are not 100% Therapeutic Grade. Oils that do not have the word "therapeutic" on the bottle and do not provide the Latin name should probably be avoided for application to your body or ingestion. I recommend Young Living essential oils. Don't trust "therapeutic" in the titles written by sellers!! So many companies and people are shady. If it's not on the bottle-- don't trust it! Read this for more information about how there is an increase in promoting adulterated essential oils!
I recommend signing up with Young Living. There really is no obligation when you sign up except they ask that you spend $50 a year in essential oil purchases, which is kind of like a Sam's or Costco membership. Signing up as a wholesale member allows you to get wholesale prices!
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These girls Rock!...especially Skidd Rock, my sister!
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Day Zero Progress, October 02, 2013 (Day 171)
Anything with no writing beside it means I've done nothing recently towards that goal.
1 Buy a Minivan
2 Travel to Hawaii
3 Paint the boy's room
4 Make $400 in one month doing consignment sales - Done!
5 Listen to the entire bible - Put this to the side while we're so busy, but it should be started back on!
6 Travel to Key West
7 South Carolina Beach Vacation
8Find a new church- Done!
9 Trip to Washington D.C
10 Make a quilt for David - bought most of the material. Have the pattern planned.
11 Make a quilt for Daniel - bought most of the material. Have the pattern planned. Worked on some of this quilt during the month.
12 Make a quilt for Benjamin - bought most of the material. Have the pattern planned.
13 Make a quilt for Simon - I have worked a lot on Simon's quilt.
14 Make a quilt for me
15 Make a Star Trek Blanket- bought the material and have started working on it.
16 Get a new best friend – Just forget it!
17 Do a 10 day juice fast
18 Read 10 books –
1. Kahless - Done
2. Einstein's Theory of Relativity - paused
3. Frankenstein - paused
4. Jane Eyre - working on
5. ?
6. ?
7. ?
8. ?
9. ?
10. ?
19 Make Benjamin's baby scrapbook - heavy on my mind!
20 Do some volunteer work - essentially not volunteer work, but I made a board with natural, non-toxic recipes for health, body, and cleaning aides for the doctor's office to give to clients:
21 Visit the Jack Daniel’s Distillery TENNESSEE
22 Take a free online class
23 Host a board games night
24 Host my poker party
25 Host a Star Trek party
26 Learn 50 new things by clicking the random articles button on Wikipedia
6. Silvia Olmedo, (Silvia Olmedo MacMahon), Psychologist PhD, MA on Sexology, TV-host, producer and author. She has worked in Spain, USA, UK, Netherlands, Australia and Mexico, where currently hosts two TV shows named Cuentamelove and Amor-didas. Both shows are focused on educating people on psychology, sexology and health habits.
28 Identify 100 things that make me happy - the list is up to 67 currently (that sounds right, anyway).
29 Go horseback riding
30 Get down to a healthy weight - eating better
31 Reverse-pickpocket someone - Done!
The kids and I took our tithe money to the grocery stores and to a couple of drive-thrus where we paid for people's lunches and slipped money into people's grocery carts. So much fun!
32 Find 12 Free things to do with the kids locally
33 Get or buy storage units for the basement
34 Organize the basement Went through several bins downstairs and gave several boxes of things to a charity for their yard sale and some to Goodwill.
35 Don't speak a single word for a day
36 Create 100 Note Cards to sell - Made 8 so far
37 Become debt free – Finished paying the doctor bill last month. Working out a new plan for continued maintenance. Still paying on other bills. Going good.
38 Become a published author -- obtained a free how-to brochure and a contact at a publisher.
39 Go to New Orleans during Mardi Gras
40 Become a millionaire - buying lottery tickets.
41 Spend Christmas in a mountain cottage
42 Learn sign language - Found a book. Learned two words.
43 Take a painting class
44 Build Lego displays for my cabinet - In process...
45 Get the entire 1976 Star Trek card and sticker set - Have one sticker and 1/4 of the cards.
46 Go on a spa retreat weekend
47 Attend a couples retreat
48 Get a degree
49 Learn the piano
50 Donate blood again
51 Attend an opera
52Send something to someone I love monthly - I didn't do this for August or September. I'm just not finding the time, money, or desire for this one.
53 Join a church group - tried several times and no one is getting back to us since it's the start of a new year.
54 Go camping Done! Went camping as a family with the Boy Scouts. First time one had ever been camping and the first time two had been fishing.
55 Make a will
56 Send flowers to my mother and sisters for no reason
57 Get the teapot to go with my dinnerware set
58 Get a big screen tv – We did that, but we were completely schmoozled! It’s a piece of crap. Now we still have to get another one…so…this was Done! And now it’s not.
59 Create and sell one or more comic book furniture pieces – bought more comic books and the supplies to use for creation.
60 Take the kids to the Space Museum
61 Have $3,000 in a savings account - $5
62 Complete 24 Swap-bot Swaps -
13. Lego Jewelry - August 2013 14. Lego Address Labels - October 1, 2013
15. September 101 Things Progress - October 2, 2013
63 Read 10 classics I should have read but have never got around to
1.Reading Frankenstein and 2. Jane Eyre
64 Have dessert before dinner at a restaurant
65 Perform 5 random acts of kindness - 2 done. I could count making the board for the doctor's office and giving my tithes to strangers, but I counted those in different goals, so I'll leave this where it's at.
66 Go barefoot for a whole day - Done!
67 Learn a new word every day for a month
68 Get rid of 100 things – Done!
69 Compliment someone every day for 10 days straight
70 Bake something new each month for 12+ months (April 2012 - May 2013)
August - ???? - dropped the ball
September - Homemade cleaners and lip balm
71 Memorize the presidents in order
72 Get my handwriting analyzed
73 Complete a daily challenge every day for one year - 224 day streak
74 Go to 5 different museums
75 Go vegetarian for a week
76 Scan and print photos to replace kids artwork in albums
77 Create family recipe book with sisters
78 Organize the files on my computer
79 Print out photos and organize for scrapbooking
80 Private - Done!!! This was only private while I was waiting, but my husband adopted my two older boys on Monday, September 30th! It's exciting!
81 Decorate my house like I really want it to be
82 Finish all sewing repairs - Two left!
83 Finish Final Fantasy 8
84 Start and Finish a journal
85 Listen to 26 bands I’ve never heard of, each starting with a different letter of the alphabet
·A - Angelle, Lisa - Country - ***
·E - Eager - Rock - *** ½
·I – Innovators – New Age - **
86 Win a contest - Done! I signed my son up for a checking account at his middle school so he could learn about money. All new enrollees were entered into a drawing to win a $25 gift card for the student and for the parent. We won! Of course, we haven't learned much yet...should have saved it, spent it fast! :)
87 Learn to play the Star Trek CCG Game - Got more cards and found a site with different instructions. I still wish I could find a trainer because I’m very kinesthetic.
88 Get Benjamin potty trained – almost there! Benjamin is now wearing big boy underwear throughout the day and going to the potty on his own. We still have him in diapers at night, for just in case.
89 Make my wardrobe mine
90 Buy a house
91 Serve Thanksgiving dinners as a family at KARM
92 Attend the gym at least twice a week – Work stopped paying for this, so I may as well give it up.
93 Drink 4 big glasses of water daily for one month – backsliding...backsliding...
94 Watch 10 documentary films
95 Tip a server $100 - Done! Wow...that was a lot of fun!
96 Buy another coffee pot with automatic off– Done!
97 Go to the Egyptian restaurant in Knoxville
98 Open Benjamin's Savings Account...contribute to all three
99 Find ways to declutter house - Done! Sold a bunch of stuff, gave stuff away, moved stuff downstairs into storage, and then rearranged the living room / dining room areas. I also went through and moved items from my bedroom. I'm actually quite pleased with myself. I'm going to call this done!
100 Pull all non-Lego Brand blocks out of collection
101 Grow a Big Flower Garden – This probably won’t happen until next year.
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