Sweater Boots

I love reusing and re-purposing things! So when I saw this project from Urban Threads I just had to try it!

I made these boots in just a couple hours!

The instructions where well written and easy to follow.

I love my new sweater boots!

Thanks Urban Threads!

DIY Firestarters

This is all we use to start our fire in our wood burning stove!

Start by collecting;

Old or ugly candles

No. 10 tin can

old spoon

egg cartons

dryer lint

old hot pad

 Start off by stuffing all the holes in the egg carton with dryer lint. You will need quite a bit of lint, so start collecting it a few weeks ahead of time

Then you need to melt your wax.

To melt wax you need to create a double boiler.

I use an old number 10 can and an old wooden spoon and I should add that I also use an old hot pad, because you will probably get wax on that too.

I use the same can, spoon and hot pad every time.

To create a double boiler get a pan that the no. 10 can will fit in with room to spare.

Fill the pan with about 2 inches of water.

Heat it on medium.

Don't let the water boil.

The old candles go in the no. 10 can. Remember that wax and water do not mix. So don't get any water in the no. 10 can.

This is where the hot pad comes in. I use it to hold the no. 10 can while I'm stirring the candles.

You need to frequently stir the candles until the wax is completely melted.

 Then you remove the no. 10 can from the water and carefully dry the bottom of the can.

Then carefully pour the hot wax into the egg carton cups.

You will probably drip a little, I usually do. So either put paper under the egg cartons or get your credit card ready to scrap off the drips.

I like to fill the cups until the list is soaked through. You don't need to have a pool of wax sitting on top of the lint.

 Let them cool, cut the cups apart and there you go, 12 fire starters from one egg carton!

Usually I only need to use one fire starter to get the fire going.

 

Homemade Laundry Soap

I love this stuff!

1 cup washing soda
1 cup Borax
2 cups bar soap grated and then run through a food processor to make it be ultra fine. If you wash your clothes in cold water (like me) the soap dissolves quicker the smaller it's grated.
*Bar soaps; Fels Naptha, Ivory, Sunlight bar soap, Kirk’s Hardwater Castile, and Zote. Don’t use heavily perfumed soaps.
*I have read that you can use goats milk bar soap if you are trying to stay away from chemicals in some bar soaps.
I personally use Fels Naptha.

Mix it all together and store it in a container with a lid. Use 2 TBS for a regular load.
If you have hard water it is suggested that you use more Borax in the recipe.



Some reasons I'd recommend making your own soap;
~It's sooo stinkin' cheap!
~It is great for front load or top load washing machines (it is low sudsing)
~Works just as good as the previous brand-name (expensive) laundry soap I  was using! (I have 4 kids under 10 and a very muddy yard, so this is saying something)
~You can decide for yourself what smell you want by the choice of bar soap you use.

I got this recipe from this great blog http://tipnut.com/10-homemade-laundry-soap-detergent-recipes/ 
She actually has 10 different laundry soap recipes to choose from. The one I listed above is what works the best for me. I'm not promising anything, but for the price it's totally worth a try! 

Ear Infections

For ear infections don't bother with antibiotics, try Xylitol. Xylitol is supposed to regulate the natural levels of bacteria in the ear and even the mouth. I tried giving my son Xylitol pills after he became completely immune to all antibiotics because he had so many ear infections as a toddler. The Xylitol worked like magic! Now, as soon as he feels pressure in his ear I give him Xylitol for a couple days and it goes away without ever becoming a full blown ear infection. I'm defiantly not against antibiotics, I just think they are being over used.
Check your health food store in the ear section for chewable Xylitol pills.
*Always check with your doctor before taking supplements.

Dealing with Mastitis and Other Yeast Infections

If you've ever had to deal with Mastitis in your life I feel your pain! Since I had the pleasure of having chronic Mastitis I have some experience with it! I have heard horror stories from moms that got Mastitis and had doctors that wouldn't give them antibiotics, thankfully my doctor wasn't so mean. But, I didn't want to live on antibiotics the whole time I was breastfeeding, so I did some research and discovered that mastitis is a yeast infection and cranberry juice regulates the natural yeast in your body. So I started chugging cranberry juice every time I felt mastitis starting. It worked!! Then I got smart and talked to my doctor about taking a cranberry fruit supplement. He OK'd it and that solved my problem! So now when I feel an infection coming on I just take one or two cranberry fruit pills and it goes away with out ever becoming an infection! It also works for any kind of yeast infection ie. bladder infection.

*Always check with your doctor before using any supplements, especially if your taking other medications.

Are You A Porcupine?

I can defiantly be a porcupine at times!

But since I've read this book I've been trying really hard not to be.

I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone!

I have gotten more out of this book than any other book I've ever read!

It helps you deal with 'hard to handle' people and it tells you step by step how to be 'emotionally healthy' which equals being a happy and confident person.

If you live with someone who is always right, always has to have their way and is always making you feel inferior, then you need to read this book!

Reading this book and using the techniques from the book has helped me be a much more patient and understanding mom. Our home is a lot less stressful and everyone is happier!

I seriously can't say enough about this book!

It is well written and easy to understand and defiantly worth reading!

How to Hug a Porcupine

By John Lewis Lund

Food Inc.

This movie is a 'must see' unless you are of the opinion that ignorance is bliss!