Made It:: deodorant

I've been wanting to try my own deodorant for a while, but I sort of had this little fantasy in my mind that maybe I don't need deodorant any more.  Like, maybe I magically stopped needing it.  However, the other night after a busy shift at work, I realized that I do, in fact, need deodorant.  I've been sporadically using just a little bit of baking soda rubbed on, but sometimes it just doesn't cut it.  

So here's what I used:

 1) Scoop 2 tablespoons of coconut oil into a bowl and microwave in small intervals just until it is spreadable.

2) Add  2 tablespoons each of cornstarch and baking soda.  Mix it up.  (The recipe I used suggested equal parts of the first 3 ingredients - I just figured that this would make a good amount for now, and 2 tablespoons is a nice round number)

3) Add 3-6 drops tea tree oil.  Apparently the tea tree has antiseptic and antifungal properties.  It also gives the deodorant a slightly minty smell.

4) Pour/scoop into a vessel of your choice.  This actually hardens quite a bit, so you could even put it into a regular deodorant container if you have one, or Dave was suggesting that I roll this into a ball and not have a container at all.  It's pretty tricky to get it out of this jar.  I had to scrape it out with a spoon and spread it on my skin with my fingertips like lotion. 

I should mention that this is not antiperspirant.  It doesn't stop you from sweating, just from being stinky while you sweat.  I can handle that.  No sweat...

Week 8: Back bow skirt

(February 23, 2011)

My new job has something of a dress code: black or white, must be nice, must have collared shirt.  I'm getting mighty tired of wearing the same pants over and over again.  It's an affliction I think: when I was pregnant, some of my darkest days where those when I realized that I only had one pair of pants I could wear.  (I suppose this also means that I was blessed with a mostly happy and stress-free pregnancy...)

At any rate, I decided this week that I need a skirt to wear to work.  So here it is:

This is a VERY simple skirt.

1. hem

2. sew back seam

3. make a casing for elastic waistband (I used quite a wide elastic)
4. thread elastic through & sew ends together
5. close waistband casing
6. bunch extra fabric at back of skirt. secure with a few stitches
7. make a bow and attach at the back

If you would like more detailed instructions, these are the ones I used.

Cost breakdown: I bought the fabric specifically for this skirt.  I spent around $15 for elastic, fabric (I have about half of it left still), and measuring tape.  If you have some other fabric you want to use for a project like this, that would work too.  I think it works best with something of a stiffer fabric, with little to no stretch.  That way the bunching (ugh, what is the real word for this??) will hold nicely.

Dave could probably make that... pizza

Here's another made by Dave, mostly in pictures:

Peekaboo dough!

Delish!

No 'Poo

In my search for an eco-friendly, non-toxic, won't-break-the-bank shampoo alternative, I have decided to stop using shampoo.  Seriously.  I've tried lots!  From the cheapo Herbal Essences and Tressemme (so cheap!  such pretty smells!) to the super expensive Aveda and Kevin Murphy (so nice, but I'm afraid to use it up!) to the moderately expensive but SLS-free LiveClean, I have tried many alternatives.

Except not washing. 

So here I go, on my no 'poo adventure!  I love it because it fits my bill:
- cheap
- healthy
- good
(This is the same bill I use for many things, coincidentally.  Recipes!  Body care!  Cleaning!  Also the home of a great blog!)

It is cheap because it uses very plain and easy to find (and cheap) ingredients.  These ingredients also will not cause harm to your body the way a normal paraben-laden shampoo will ( = healthy!).  And it is good because it works. 

I have only been doing this no 'poo thing for about 3 weeks, but I feel like I can confidently say that I am over the hump of the dreaded "transition period" and am back to my luscious shiny silky hair.  It's also possible that my hair's texture may be changing, but I really can't be sure about that yet. 

INGREDIENTS
baking soda
apple cider vinegar (ACV) or white vinegar (WV)
cinnamon stick
vanilla bean
2 squeeze bottles with skinny lids (like a restaurant squeeze salad dressing bottle)

I mix up a baking soda wash bottle and a vinegar rinse bottle.  Each bottle has an approximately 1:4 ratio of product to water, though I am still tinkering with these amounts.  I added extra baking soda this last time and found that all day my hair has felt a little dry and definitely staticky.  In my vinegar rinse, I also add the cinnamon stick and vanilla bean.  The bean I just took from our current jar of homemade vanilla extract (another post perhaps?).  These two things make my hair smell so WONDERFUL I just want to smell it all day!  Sadly, the smell wears off throughout the day.  But I know that some people complain about not smelling that nice shampoo smell you get from your regular shampoo and conditioner.  Which, by the way comes from parfum!

The Shower Routine
On dry hair, squeeze some BS solution all over your scalp, being sure to shake the bottle well first.  Once you have this all over your scalp (not hair!), scrub it in.  Do a nice little scalp massage for a few minutes.  Rinse.  Do not repeat!  (Well, you could.  I don't know what would happen, but you definitely don't need to!)  Then take the ACV rinse and squeeze that all over your hair, combing it through with your fingers.  Then you can either rinse or not.  I am still a beginner at this, but I've heard that you can leave it in much like a leave-in conditioner.  Or rinse out.  Generally I like to leave it in, just so that I can smell it a bit longer!

I have heard that this method is wonderful for those folks lucky enough to have curly hair.  And it works for straights too!  I've also heard that it can sort of change the appearance of your hair.  Slightly darker colour, shinier, or maybe even more curl.  Apparently shampoo strips your hair of its natural oils, and then you use conditioner to replace them.  Then because your hair has lost all its oil, your scalp needs to produce more oil, which is why some people need to shampoo every day and some people can wait several days between washes. 

This is also what influences the transition period.  My hair got really heavy and oily for about 2 weeks.  I was wearing it in braids quite a lot of the time!  But I'm hoping that's over now, and all I have to do is tinker with my recipe.  I also think that you can gradually add less and less BS and still have the same effects.  I don't have a picture of my hair now, but this is what it looked like before (on a very VERY good day...)

Here's hoping that I can get back to that, or better!

Made It: Cardboard Stamps Pt. II

I made the first part of this post several weeks ago, but had to wait until after Valentine's Day to share the rest with you because the original shirt was a present for my Valentine!

Here's what it looked like as I got my supplies organized:

I did not design this shirt.  I saw a picture of one like it and thought it was so awesome and perfect for my Dave.  Romantical, isn't it?  <3

And here's my tiny boy in his Valentine's shirt:

Week 7: Sam's Birthday

(February 17, 2011)

Yesterday was my little nephew Sam's 2nd birthday.  I wanted to make something fun and imaginative and versatile for a wonderful little boy who has just about anything a boy could want. Beanbags!

I don't think kids should be limited by their gender in what colours are appropriate for them.  So Sam gets bright orange and pink beanbags as well as green and blue. 

I also made Sam a little sticker book (because my little one has recently discovered that he LOVES stickers, and I thought Sam might too...) but it didn't turn out as well as I wanted it to.  If you want some instructions, this is the page I followed.   I will tell you, hot glue never turns out the way I want it to!  That, and I don't think wax paper is the same thing as freezer paper.

Happy birthday Sam!

Made It: Clif Bars

I didn't really make these.  ("What!" You exclaim, "This blog is a hack!  That's it I'm leaving...")  But don't run away just yet... please!

My dearest love David is a hardworkin' man who also chronically underestimates his lunchtime needs.  Sometimes he'll only pack something like two apples and a banana for his lunch.  For a full day.  Of pouring concrete.  I don't know if you know what pouring concrete is like, but it's basically just doing lunges and squats all day while pushing a giant weight around.  Shoveling heavy stuff.  Anyway, this is where the Clif Bars come in.  Those babies are expensive, yo.  So Dave decided he could probably make that.  And he did!

I don't know the exact recipe he used, and the silly boy has squirreled it away somewhere in a sneaky hidey hole so I can't share it with you at the moment.  But it's pretty easy!  Just a bunch of liquid type ingredients cooked in a pot (honey, PB, vanilla?) then mixed with the dry ingredients (oats, raisins, nuts?), pressed into a pan, and finito.   I think he also added protein powder to these to add to the lunch box punch, but that's not necessary.  The first batch he shaped them like regular Clif Bars, which is a lot more work, and I think these turned out better because they held together a bit more.  They are VERY sweet though.  Perhaps a bit less honey would work too!

Interlude

Well friends, there comes a time when finding the adventure and challenge in frugal living becomes desperate frugal living, and then it is no longer fun and exciting.  I'm feeling a bit of a low these days, and maybe it's because  of a new job I just started.  This job is pretty far from my chosen field and doesn't pay that well and is keeping me up late at night - three things that are fairly certain to take away from the excitement of finally working again.  I'm also working on several projects right now that I can't show you just yet because

- 1 is a valentine's gift and needs to be tried on for photos
- 2 are being sent as gifts in the mail so I don't want to spoil the surprise
- the last one is just so daunting that I am afraid to get going on it

 Hopefully later in the week I'll be able to share with you at least one.  Til then, here are a few pics of my silly valentine.  (My handsome valentine and I are sadly spending the whole day apart!!)

Here he's saying, "No more standing over there!  I wanna see the pic!"  Either that, or "AMBUSH HUG!!"

I hope the gifts get there in time!   (for Thursday, hint, hint...)

Made It: Notepad

Make it yourself!
 

Last week I found myself with a stack of one-sided pieces of paper to put in the recycling after going through our gigantic and neglected mail pile.  I also had been lamenting my lack of organization to keep up with my list habit.  I love making lists for stuff (to-do, groceries, projects, whatever...) and I like to use scrap paper for them, but often my little scraps get lost in the vortex of our computer desk.  I have in the past tried stapling scraps together, which is always slightly dissatisfying when you want to tear off a piece, and a paper clip might as well not even be there.  But I do have a sewing machine...

These are ridiculously easy to make, and another total no-brainer, but I LOVE them.  I love making my lists on them, I love tearing the pages off, I love knowing where my lists are now...  They're great.

Just cut your scrap pages into the size note pad you want (I cut in 3 sideways, where the folds would be to put it in an envelope).  I'm also pretty lax about the size of each page.  You can be as tidy or untidy as you want.  Then, using a wide straight stitch on my sewing machine I carefully feed the stack through, remembering to backstitch on both sides.  I didn't do that on one of mine, and now every time I tear off a page I can see the stitches pulling out.  I also have to do this very slowly, using the balance wheel on the side rather than the foot pedal, in order to help the needle through all the layers. 

The awesome part of this whole endeavor is that since the needle punches through the papers to sew them, it creates a perforation that makes tearing a page out of your notebook SO EASY!  This is one of my favourite little projects lately.  And you could totally dress up this project any way you like.  Right now I'm just doing it in a very utilitarian way, but you could use fancier papers, coloured thread, different sized pages... you are limited only by your imagination!

Made It: Breadcrumbs

I'm about to start a string of posts of things that are totally simple to make yourself.  So simple, in fact, that I almost feel silly posting about it.  Because they're that obvious.  Honestly, I don't think you are a moron.  I just thought I would share these awesome ideas with you!

Today's Made It is a total no-brainer.  We eat homemade bread here, which means that we slice it ourselves.  For some reason that is eluding me at the moment, the bread heels often don't get eaten.  They stay in the bread box until they get crusty and moldy and then we throw them out.  Stupid, right?  Until a little while ago, when Dave started collecting all of our unloved bread heels in a bag in the freezer.  Find a bread end?  Add it to the bag!  Until we had a decent sized bag full of various types of crusts.  (How many different words can I use for the same thing?)

Yesterday I wanted to make some oven fried chicken and needed breadcrumbs.  Project time!

I won't sport with your intelligence by telling you how to make breadcrumbs, but I will say that I recommend toasting them a bit.  Even after being in the freezer for several weeks (or months) the bread still held quite a bit of moisture.  After putting the pieces in the blender I toasted them in the oven for a while until they didn't have steam escaping them when I stirred them up.  That way I know they won't get soggy in their jar in the fridge!

This is just one of many small things you can do and make yourself around the house to save a few dollars.  An added bonus of this one is that I know exactly where everything came from.  It's like following the life cycle of my bread!  Hello little crumbs!  Thank you, you were delicious...

Made It: Coconut Milk Frosting

I like how on the stand the cake looks like it's rising out of a lava rock island or something...

So as part of my goals for frugality this year, I'm trying to use everything we have.  That means that box of random non-perishables that Dave brought home after helping his friend move last month all got tucked away in our cupboards in preparation for using in our kitchen.  Because who are we to turn away something a friend has to offer?   And I must admit that some of these items have caused me a bit of consternation.  Here I am, trying to live a green lifestyle, a health conscious lifestyle, a frugal lifestyle, and a homemade lifestyle simultaneously, and what do I do with this box of Hamburger Helper?  Lots of times these different lifestyles will intersect and help each other out.  Use vinegar for everything - done.  Go no 'poo - done.  Make your own laundry soap - done.  But the handed down food items, they just don't jive with so many of my ideals.  Though if I discard them, then what do I become?  How does that make economic sense?

Simple.  Quit worrying and bake a cake!  (from a box!)

It's actually quite delicious, and almost even too easy of a project to get 19 month old Charlie involved in.  There were only 3 things for him to put in the mixer!  And the saving grace of this cake (aside from the awesome castle cake pan we got as a wedding gift) is the frosting.  And again, using everything we have...  I had about 3/4 c. of coconut milk in the fridge that wasn't getting used, so I decided to make coconut milk frosting.  It's pretty much a regular frosting recipe with coconut milk substituted for milk.  But it is so light and fluffy and delicious, it feels like a revelation!  Just your basic butter, icing sugar, and milk recipe with a touch of vanilla.  The other thing about using coconut milk is that with only a few tweaks you could make this into a vegan frosting.  Or a delicious coconut frosting.  The only thing is, the coconut milk doesn't add very much coconut flavour, so you might want to add some shredded coconut or coconut extract. 

Delish!

Week 6: Slouchy Hat

(February 6, 2011)

So I signed up for this Facebook shenanigans: I promised to send something handmade to 5 people who responded to my profile, as long as they did the same thing.  Actually, I thought it was an awesome idea, because who doesn't love getting something handmade in the mail from their friends?  The only thing that would make it better is if, in addition to the 5 people who respond, you also had to make something for the person you initially responded to.  Because then that person would get like 5 handmade things in the mail!! 

... I really love getting things in the mail...  [ahem!]

I'm kind of biding my time to make most of my peoples' gifts, but I did have an in-town gift, so I started with that one!

I decided to make my friend Celia a soft, slouchy crochet hat because I do recall one evening she was lamenting the dearth of nice looking hats for those of us with, ah, bigger than the average head.  And I feel her pain!  I once worked at a bagel store where we had to wear these baseball caps as part of the uniform and none of them fit me!  The biggest one they had looked tiny on my giant melon!  But I digress...

I kind of just made up this hat as I went along, trying it on to make sure that it was big enough.  And not so big as to make the wearer feel like she's wearing a BIG HEAD HAT.  Because that's no fun either.  I intended to put a little brim on it too, but that looked ridiculous, so it ended up kind of being like a dread cap or something.  A place where a person can tuck all her hair inside if she wants!  Or just slouch it on the back of her head.  It's warm and cozy and so comfortable.  (I took it for a test wear the first evening and decided that I might like one for myself...)

So there you go Celia!  I hope you like your hat!

**possible pictures to come of Celia in her hat...

Made It: Cardboard Stamps

Just made this little cutie for my small boy.  It actually was inspired by another project, but that one is going to be a secret for now.  You can adapt it however you like!

Materials

cardboard
blank shirt
acrylic paint
fabric medium
paintbrush

I'm sure you could also use many different materials.  I'm just using the ones I had, though you definitely should use some type of fabric paint or fabric medium so that the image will stay on your clothes when you wash them.

It's pretty self explanatory I think... cut out your design, paint it, stamp it.  My first design I applied paint several times and carefully pressed down in the same spot, because I wanted better coverage.  This one I was cool with it being a bit more rustic looking.  I also found that the cardboard absorbed some of the paint, so a couple of layers worked better than just one.

PS- I also made a heart printed shirt, lest you may be thinking this boy is going to be too into scary things like skulls and zombies.  He's also into love!

Made It: Sugar Body Sugaring

So the last time I tried this whole sugaring thing (a whole week ago), I wasn't completely satisfied.  I went back to the drawing board (Internet), and got some new strategies.  

This new batch I made with only sugar, lemon juice, and water.  Here it is:

1) mix it up

2) microwave on high in a large bowl 30 seconds at a time stopping to stir until mixture reaches this amber colour and is about the thickness of honey

3) pour into your storage container

4) cool.  it'll be pretty toffee-like (you could eat it now if you wanted!  the lemon juice makes it taste a little weird though

5) take a scoop, smear it on your leg, and snap off, a la this video.

*this takes major practice to master because the paste will be more like taffy or something.  have you ever tried to get something sticky off your fingers using your fingers but without getting it stuck to your fingers?  yeah, this is how it turns out...

What I like about this method

- it doesn't use any strips so you're not limited by anything
- you can use the same tablespoon of paste over and over again and it's still effective
- the only ingredients are sugar and lemon juice, which is pretty thrifty!
- it seems to work just as well, if not better than the other sugaring I tried
- no granular bits
- there's kind of a knack to the snapping off and it feels like an art one might be proud to master

What I didn't like

- getting a snack for my son while having this gooey sticky all over my hands.  you should have seen what I looked like taking that last picture.  Yup, used my chin to press the button...
- my mixture was really thick, so it was pretty hard to spread.  I might try making it a bit thinner next time