Mom in the Pink

Christmas Pom-Poms

2009-12-16T12:42:00.001-08:00

I wanted some creative and cheap new decorations for our house for Christmas this year. Well, a friend posted about these great pom-poms that she made for a friend's daughter's birthday and I decided that was it!

These are super easy to make. You just need some tissue paper (~8 sheets for each), jewelry making wire and whatever you want to hang them with (I used some old ribbon).

1. Stack 8 sheets of the tissue paper - one on top of the other - you can do one color or more than one.

2. Fold all of the sheets together at about 1.5 inches - think like the paper fans you made in church when you were little

3. Once the paper is folded, take 6" of the wire and wrap around the middle of the paper tightly, leaving enough wire to form a loop at the top (this is where you'll hang it from)

4. Cut the two ends - either rounded or "v" works best

5. Fan each side out, piece by piece. Don't worry if they rip a little - it adds to the whimsy

6. Hang them

Ta-da! Cute and very cheap!

Christmas Shopping

2009-12-09T10:08:00.001-08:00

I'm reposting a post from a friend of mine, Erica, who is one of the sweetest souls you will EVER meet. Here are some great options for Christmas gifts, if you aren't making yours, but want to give back in some way. Please consider supporting Erica and her husband as well. You can go to their blog to read more about what they are doing for the kingdom, but they are amazing, you will love them, promise!

Also, my friend, Kellie, another one of the sweetest people you will ever meet, also has a "shop" where you can buy beautiful clothing and household items that are mostly made by women who have been rescued out of slavery/trafficing situations. You can email her for more information at kellie@re-invention.org.

Here's Erica's post (go to her site to see all the really cute pictures):
Christmas Shopping :: The REAL Reason for the Season!
Posted in CHRISTmas by Ericka Jackson on 12/9/2009

Now, before you get all upset wondering if I think Christmas shopping IS the real reason for the season, I don't. (though I do love to shop! ;) What I DO think is, more people should do their Christmas shopping with a purpose, and with the REAL reason for the season in mind!

Christmas is about CHRIST. Jesus came to bring HOPE to the world, and as His followers, we should be doing the same! The good news is; we can do that this holiday season by choosing gifts that GIVE BACK - gifts that support orphans, provide for the poor, and give HOPE to the 'least of these' around the world! (Who knew a t-shirt, scarf, ring, or purse could have that much power?)

Below are some options for your Christmas shopping. There is a little bit of everything, from clothing to jewelry to coffee...and a link to another blog with about 15 more options! I encourage you to check it out this Christmas, and keep these options in mind when it comes time to buy other gifts around the year too!

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The Sound of Hope - click here to buy a T-shirt!
http://www.thesoundofhope.org/The proceeds from just one t-shirt is enough to feed an orphan in Swaziland one meal a day for over a month! The Sound of Hope is a campaign that raises money and awareness for orphans in Swaziland, Kenya, and India. Find out more by finding our fan page and group on Facebook, or add us as a friend on myspace!

Corridor of Hope - click here to buy handmade jewelry and beautiful silk scarves from Thailand and India!
http://www.corridorofhope.org/ At Corridor Of Hope we are devoted to connecting orphans, poverty stricken communities and YOU. We are the corridor, a passageway to help people who can't help themselves. We help bring them hope by bringing you quality and affordable products from these countries. In turn, Corridor Of Hope will donate these resources back into their communities by supporting orphans, thereby empowering YOU to help in a multifaceted way. We will bring you updates and newsletters regarding the orphans and how your purchase made a difference in their lives.

Timbali Crafts - click here to buy a handmade African purse, coin purse, or table-runner from Swaziland!

http://www.timbalicrafts.org/
TIMBALI CRAFTS are created by women who work as volunteer cooks at feeding centers for orphans in Swaziland, Africa, where over 40% of the population is HIV positive. Many of the women have been widowed or abandoned, are single mothers, or grandmothers raising grandchildren that have been orphaned. Craft sales help provide an income for these hard working women and their families who would otherwise have little or none. This year they have several new products available, as well as opportunities to BUY GIFTS for the women in Swaziland, such as a sewing machine, medicine pack, or food basket!

Land of 1000 Hills - DRINK COFFEE, DO GOOD! click here to buy coffee that supports orphans, widows, and entire farming communities in Rwanda!

www.drinkcoffeedogood.com

In April 1994, Rwanda (an African country half the size of the state of Maryland) experienced one of history's most atrocious genocides. In 2001, the founder of Land of a Thousand Hills recognized a simple and tangible opportunity to make a difference in the reconciliation of the Rwandan people. The introduction of Specialty Coffee to the healing fields of Rwanda proved to be an uncommon opportunity for once warring countrymen to not only rebuild their homesteads, but to work together toward lasting peace.

A commitment to excellence in coffee has brought dignity and hope to a nation that history suggested would never recover. A message of forgiveness is spreading through the hills of Rwanda, and by drinking Rwandan coffee, you promote justice in a place where injustice once reigned.

Land of 1000 Hills is also DOING GOOD in other ways, like supporting sustenance farms for orphans. To find out how you can get involved, click HERE!

With This Ring- click HERE to buy a wedding ring, engagement ring, or other jewelry that helps provide clean water for villages in Africa!
http://withthisring.org/

Ali Eastburn, Executive Director of With This Ring, offers a challenge to Christians who have accumulated more this Christmas than they'll ever need or use: Give It Away. In 2007, she sold her wedding ring after confronting herself with how much it was worth and how much good could be done with that money. With the proceeds from her wedding ring, Ali helped to fund a clean water project in Africa and founded a new ministry called With This Ring.

With This Ring exists to encourage Christians to offer their possessions-even their most precious ones-to God in radical acts of sacrificial giving. In the midst of a society gripped with materialism, Executive Director Ali Eastburn loves to share her story of how God broke that grip in her own life.

You can DONATE a wedding ring, engagement ring, class ring, or any other jewelry you're willing to give up. You can also BUY jewelry others have donated to support the cause!

Donate, Donate, DONATE! - choose one of these links to give to a great cause this Christmas!

If you're just looking to donate this Christmas as a gift from your family, or in honor (or memory) of someone, you can always DONATE to Adventures in Missions!

Rusty and I are still in GREAT NEED of supporters,
so you can donate to support our mission work HERE.

If you'd like to choose another option, click HERE. This page offers opportunities to donate to orphans, mission bases overseas, Mission Leadership Training schools, other staff, or general AIM needs. You can play a part in keeping our mission work going around the world!

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Don't see what you want here? Then visit this blog for more options!
(seriously, check it out -- there is some REALLY cute stuff for sale!)

http://joyportis.blogspot.com/2009/11/shopping-with-purpose.html

Christmas Shopping :: The REAL Reason for the Season!

2009-12-09T10:08:00.000-08:00

Christmas Shopping :: The REAL Reason for the Season!

Call me a slacker

2009-11-17T06:09:00.001-08:00

Go ahead...call me a slacker, I deserve it! I know I haven't posted much lately, but I've had so many other things going on at home that I haven't had time to make much. I've got to get on it though - Christmas is almost here!!

Just so I feel better about myself, here's one thing I did make while the in-laws were in town over the weekend. I'm such a slacker that I'm having to use the pictures from Our Best Bites because I completely forgot to take pictures.

So, I promise, I will try to do better. I have to, right! Christmas is only 38 days away...excuse me while I have a little breakdown!

OK, all better, thanks!

Easy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
1 spice cake mixes (Duncan Hines, although not pictured, is the best for this recipe)
1 15-oz. can pumpkin
1/2 - 12-oz. bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Combine cake mixes and pumpkin. Add in chocolate chips.

Spoon mixture into lined muffin tins. This can make as many as 24 muffins or as few as 12, just depending on how full the tins are filled. These really don't rise very much, so you can fill the tins pretty full. If aesthetics are a concern, keep in mind that how they look going into the oven is very much what they will look like coming out of the oven. So a cookie scoop works great to keep things on the prettier side.

Bake for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of one of the muffins comes out clean.

12 Weeks to a Peaceful Christmas

2009-10-28T12:42:00.000-07:00

I borrowed this from simplemom.net, but I definitely need it, and I'm sure others of you do to, so here's to a PEACEFUL Christmas!

Love Christmas, but hate the chaos? I’m with you. It’s a shame that the holiday created to focus on the birth of Christ somehow means overspending, crowded malls, and constant busyness. It shouldn’t be this way.

I’m all for holiday traditions, but only if they’re done sanely. Each year, Simple Mom starts exactly 12 weeks before Christmas and delivers one small task to do each week. In doing this, we’re eliminating the need to do these tasks all at once in December, which makes the holiday of peace much too stressful.

You can still enjoy the height of the season and relish in the little delights that Christmas brings. You just need to plan ahead, so that those things don’t make your end of the year a chaotic train to Busyville.

Plan ahead, and enjoy the season sanely.

2009 Checklist

12. Prepare Your Holiday Budget – October 2
11. Gather Your Addresses and Plan Your “Greetings” – October 9
10. Start (or finish!) Gift Shopping – October 16
9. Make Plans to Give Back – October 23
8. Inventory Your Decor and Watch for Sales – October 30
7. Finalize Your Family’s Holiday Calendar – November 6
6. Prepare a New Family Tradition – November 13
5. Get Your Christmas Cards and Address the Envelopes – November 20
4. Decorate for Christmas – November 27
3. Make Meal Plans; Batch Cook and Freeze Meals – December 4
2. Make and Freeze Cookie Dough and any Food Gifts – December 11
1. Prepare for guests, or Prepare to be a Guest – December 18
0. Celebrate! – December 25

Chalkboard Frame

2009-10-21T17:16:00.000-07:00

Tonight I'm going to focus on something that Glama made, since today is about her and her new business, Sylvia's Spaces. When Hubby, EC and I got back from the in-laws last weekend, I found this surprise waiting for me!

Glama and I found this empty frame at a local antique store a few weeks ago. She added the chalkboard and cork and painted the frame. How cute is this!?

We really needed a space for organization in the kitchen for all of the papers that tend to fly around our house. I LOVE this idea! Thanks Glama!

Sylvia's Spaces

2009-10-21T11:55:00.001-07:00

I am so excited to tell all of you that Glama has started a new business! Sylvia's Spaces is a interior design and staging company that can help you with all of your home interior needs - from organizing your pantry, to wrapping your Christmas gifts, to decorating your entire home. She will try to use what you have to keep costs down and so that even people on a budget can afford it! Try her, I promise, she's amazing!!

Sips N Strokes

2009-10-20T06:17:00.001-07:00

Last night, Glama, PS (my aunt), and I went to Sips N Strokes - a local painting/gathering place. It was amazing! Beth (the owner) and the whole crew were great to work with. I highly suggest taking a group of girfriends and going one night!

I went intending on creating a picture to give away as a Christmas present - because, as we all know, that's what I'm obsessing over right now - but, I may have to keep this one for decoration.

This one is mine.

I just love how everyone's turns out so different. This one is Glama's.

This one is PS's. Who said trees have to be green? They can be orange and blue!

Chocolate Dipped Pretzels

2009-10-16T05:34:00.001-07:00

Today is National Boss Day. So, last night, I decided to try my hand at dipping pretzels. I'm not much of a chocolate person, and honestly, white chocolate is not as easy to work with as I wish it was, so I haven't done these because of that, but I'm actually pretty happy about how they turned out. I think my boss likes them too!!

First, you melt 1 cup of white chocolate chips with 1 Tablespoon of vegetable shortening for 1 minute in the microwave.

Layout all of your "extras" while it is melting: sprinkles, colored sugar, or milk chocolate.

I wasn't terribly excited about the way the sprinkles/sugar covered ones were looking, so I decided to just drizzle milk chocolate over them once they cooled a little.

FYI...if you cook white chocolate too long, it will turn into a malleable plastic-y kind of paste. Not that I did that (ahem...), I'm just letting you know!

Happy National Boss Day to all you bosses out there!

Swap?

2009-10-12T12:38:00.000-07:00

I've been toying with the idea of having a yearly "Swap Meet". Here's the idea: say it's a housewares swap; that lamp that's covered in dust, but you're holding on to it because it's cute and you just "know" you'll use it somewhere...bring that (and any other items you have) to the swap. You get 1 ticket for each item you bring. For each ticket you have, you get to "purchase" one item. There's food and drinks and girl talk. And voila! You go home with way fun housewares and everyone else does too!!

Now, it doesn't have to be housewares, it can be kitchen stuff, baby clothes, women's clothes, or, like the picture says, a vintage apron swap, anything you can think of, basically. For all of you in and around the Auburn/Opelika area (or those of you who would come down for this), would this be something you're interested in? Which "Swap" would you like to come to?

Orange and Blue CAKE!

2009-10-09T09:50:00.000-07:00

Hubby's (29th) birthday was last week, but he was out of town, so we decided to have cake on Monday. Now normally, I would make a beautiful spice cake with piped icing...ok, I'm totally lying, but I would normally at least make him some cupcakes. These past few weeks have been SO busy though, that I decided to order his cake from a local bakery. It was MAGNIFICENT folks! I'm not talking just "good" birthday cake here, I mean, it was melt in your mouth good! And...it was orange and blue! I think this would be pretty easy to make with just a simple layer cake. I need to try it for Christmas!

Halloween Sneak Peak...

2009-10-08T11:13:00.000-07:00

I decided to try my hand at making EC's Halloween costume. Last year (EC's 1st Halloween), she didn't dress up because me, Glama and EC were all sick, and it was cold, so we stayed in. This year, I think she will really like it - and I'm excited because I'm calling it her 1st!

You may not know about my obsession with birds yet, but you will! :-) So, this year, EC is going to be a blue bird! She hasn't tried it on yet because there are still a few things to tweak, but here is a sneak peak of the girly birdy...

That crazy little blue thing is a hairbow. All of the patterns I looked at, called for a bonnet type hat, and my child does NOT like things on her head, so I thought maybe a feather hairbow would work better.

I'll work on getting pictures of her in her getup soon!

My First Wreath!

2009-10-07T05:08:00.001-07:00

I have been searching the world over for the perfect wreath for our front door - with no luck! I just couldn't find that perfect one (OK, so I'm a little picky). So, I decided to try my hand at making one and it was SO easy!

I bought 2 grapevine wreaths at Hobby Lobby for $3 TOTAL! They were half off this weekend. While I was there, I also got 3 rolls of ribbon at $1.50 each (also half off) and a bag of moss for $2 (not half off, but I had a 40% off one item coupon). So, I got everything I needed for $6.50!

Anyway, you take the small grapevine wreath and use Elmer's spray adhesive to glue on the moss. It makes a mess, so do this part outside.

Take the widest ribbon and wrap the large wreath with ribbon, or be creative, do this part however you'd like.

After the small wreath is dry (about and hour or so), use floral wire to secure it to the larger wreath.

Take the other wide ribbon and the one small ribbon and cut them to the length you need for your door. Layer the two ribbons and hang the wreath from the middle of them.

Secure both ends of the ribbons to the top of the door (where it closes) with a tack or t-pin.

Tada! You're done! Told you it was easy! All the wreaths I found on etsy were at least $40 without shipping, so I'd say we saved some money on this project! Yay!

(Don't you just love my little pumpkin! Glama bought him for me this weekend at this great antique store in town.)

Bracelets and Bags

2009-10-06T05:18:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the hiatous...don't know what happened there. I have still been making things, just got a little busy I guess. Glama and I went back to Perch. They taught me how to hammer sterling silver and how to put initials and words on it.

This picture is pretty awful and doesn't do it justice, but this was my practice piece - it has my initials on it.

This is the necklace I made for my aunt. Again, a horrible picture, but it has 3 tiny purple stones and at the end has a piece of sterling silver that says "Faith" with a small cross charm attached to it. I think she'll love it!

On our way to Perch, we stopped by a new store that just located beside it. It has some very interesting things. I picked up this little goody there.

OK, I know it's not handmade, but I just couldn't resist this for my cousin's little girl!

Happy Tuesday!

Penne Pasta with Vodka Sauce

2009-10-01T16:49:00.000-07:00

Hubby is out of town tonight, so EC and I are with Glama and Pappy. Glama found a recipe for Penne Pasta with Vodka Sauce. It was AMAZING and so easy!

EC ate almost 2 plate fulls! For a very picky toddler, that is pretty good!

Happy birthday Hubby! Love you!!

Here's the recipe!

1/4 lb. diced pancetta

1/4 c. butter

1/3 c. vodka

1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 lb. penne pasta

1 1/2 c. heavy cream

1 1/2 c. tomato sauce

Melt the butter in a large frying pan. When the butter foams, add the diced pancetta. When the pancetta browns slightly (takes 3 - 4 minutes), add the vodka and stir.

After the alcohol burns off, stir in the tomato sauce and cream (the alcohol only takes a minute or two to burn off).

Stir continuously for 5 - 8 minutes. Place drained pasta into frying pan, add Parmesan cheese, and mix thoroughly for about 2 minutes.

Serves 4 - 6.

Notebooks for Little Ones

2009-09-30T07:00:00.000-07:00

When I asked my 6 year old cousin what she wanted for Christmas, she quickly replied "Sharpies". Now, I love Sharpies, but I wasn't sure that was a Christmas gift. So, I decided to make her a notebook to go along with her Sharpies.

It's not quite finished yet. It needs a few extra touches, but I'm not sure what they are just yet. This was a fairly simple project and very forgiving, so I think it'd be a great place to start, if you're not a great seamstress. I'd got this idea from Your Homebased Mom.

Sweet Potato Pancakes

2009-09-29T07:21:00.000-07:00

Lately, I've beent trying to figure out how to get EC to eat more vegetables. We don't eat a lot, so it's no surprise that she doesn't either, but a child can not live on french fries and pizza! Anyway, I decided to try Jerry Seinfeld wife's cookbook, Deceptively Delicious.

Saturday night, we tried the hamburgers with cauliflower - AWFUL! I didn't take pictures and we all took one bite and decided we were no longer hungry. Oh well...it happens.

Sunday night, I decided to try the sweet potato pancakes. They were a huge hit! YUMMY! I would definitely suggest trying these.

Ingredients:

1 cup water

1/2 cup sweet potato puree

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1 cup pancake mix

non stick cooking spray

1 Tsp vegetable oil (I would suggest not using quite that much)

1. In a large bowl, mix the water, sweet potato puree, and cinnamon. Add the pancake mix and stir just to combine, the batter should be lumpy.

2. Coat a griddle or large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and set it over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the oil and spoon the batter onto the griddle or pan, using 1/4 cup batter for each pancake.

3. Cook until bubbles form on top of the pancakes and the batter is set, 2 to 3 minutes. Then use a spatula to flip the pancakes and cook them until golden brown on the other side, 2 to 3 minutes.

Serve warm with syrup. Enjoy!

Nominate Me!

2009-09-28T11:37:00.000-07:00

OK, everyone stop reading this and look to the right of your screen...do you see it? The new button there? Click on that button and nominate me for the Best Crafty Mommy blog! If I win, I will get $1000. I could definitely use that! And who couldn't?

For all who nominate me, please come back here and leave a comment saying that you did. A part of the win could be yours! :-) It ends October 9. Thanks!

WINNER!!

2009-09-27T18:17:00.000-07:00

We have a winner and I couldn't be more excited about who it is! CARRIE F. - Congratulations! I couldn't be more excited about sending you a prize. Actually, it's for Bow Baby! Thanks for everyone who became a follower! I'd love to give you all a prize, but random.org picked #3.

Carrie, I am sending you your prize tomorrow! Happy Monday!

Stuffed Pizza Rolls

2009-09-26T14:21:00.001-07:00

Today for lunch, I made stuffed pizza rolls. WOW! They were great! Everyone loved them. I got the recipe from Our Best Bites - I also had to borrow their picture because my family ate ours before I was able to get a picture! Enjoy!

Stuffed Pizza Rolls
(I don't really measure, so you get what you get here!)

1 roll refrigerated pizza dough
marinara/pizza sauce
2 T grated Parmesan cheese
1 T olive oil or melted butter
1/2 t garlic powder
1 t dried Italian seasoning
mozzerella cheese
Pizza toppings of your choice: ie, ham and pineapple, pepperoni slices, sausage, etc.

Preheat oven to heat specified on pizza dough package. Usually it's 400 degrees. If you make your own dough, 400 is usually a good heat as well.

Unroll your pizza dough onto a lightly floured surface. Pat or roll the dough so it's about 12" by 8". You're going to want to cut it into 24 squares, so just eyeball it if you need to. Use a pizza cutter to slice the dough into 24 squares

Place cheese and desired toppings on each square. (Note that you're not putting the marinara sauce on the dough- it's for dipping after) You guys are smart, right? Just eyeball how much. You just need to be able to enclose the toppings in the dough so keep that in mind. For these ones pictured I used a teaspoon each of cheese, canadian bacon, and pineapple.

When all of your dough squares have cheese and toppings on them, carefully lift up each square and wrap the dough around the toppings. Pinch to make sure each ball is sealed shut and then place them seam side down in a lightly sprayed pie pan (or similar sized dish).

Brush the tops of the dough balls with olive oil or melted butter (I've used both and there's not much difference in result) and then sprinkle with the garlic and Italian seasoning and top with Parmesan cheese.

Cook them in the oven for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown on top. Keep an eye on them! Doughs vary, so I'd check them after even 10 minutes.

Serve warm with warmed marinara sauce on the side for dipping.

Consignment and Prizes!

2009-09-24T19:41:00.000-07:00

Tonight, I went shopping at our local kids consignment event, Kids Clothes Connection. The consigners get to shop 2 days earlier than the public. This is my first time as I consigner and I LOVED it! It was so nice not to have to fight over a place to stand and look through clothes. I went alone, which I don't do much, and that was nice too. I just took my time and enjoyed looking for my sweet girl's fall and winter clothing. I found a lot of great stuff! I found 27+ outfits and spent $129. Pretty good deal!

I am working on some new crafts and recipes to post and will do that this weekend. Until then, we only have 6 followers to go to make my goal for this week! I will announce the prize and the winner on Monday.

Until then...have a great night! I'm going to enjoy Project Runway - woohoo!

Followers

2009-09-23T13:26:00.000-07:00

I hate that term. Why can't they call it friends, or people I like, or people that read my blog...anyway, I guess they didn't ask me.

I just added the "followers" section to the right side of my blog. Will you become my "follower," please?

I'd LOVE to get 20 followers by the end of the week. Rumor has it, there might be a prize involved to a randomly selected follower! ;-) I'm just sayin...

Candy!!

2009-09-22T19:30:00.000-07:00

No, I didn't make any candy (maybe soon!), but I made a place to hold candy - halloween candy, to be exact! I found some fabric covered halloween buckets on etsy, but they were $30 - $40...outrageous! I decided that I could do that.

Glama found a bucket on clearance in a local craft store for $2 and bought a yard of fabric for me to use. She is so great! Anyway, cost for the project...about 20 minutes and glue sticks! :-)

A fuzzy picture of my handy xacto knife!

(1) Make a pattern (I used printer paper) of your bucket and cut out your fabric, leaving about an inch on each side for the finish. If there is a handle that can be taken out, take it out now, you will replace it later.

(2) Fold in the extra inch on each side and iron down. Measure the fabric to make sure that it still has the right measurements to cover your bucket.

(3) Sew all four sides to make it look like a finished rectangle.

(4) Add any embellishments (I used medium ric-rac across the bottom, but you can embroider it or add other fun stuff!)

(5) Use my FAVORITE tool, the glue gun, to glue the fabric on the top and bottom of the bucket, pulling the fabric tightly as you go, or you will end up with bubbles in the fabric.

(6) Let it dry overnight, reapply the handle, and ta-da - the finished product!

This one had a lid, so Glama hand-painted a candy corn with EC's initials on it.

Woohoo...very cheap and CUTE alternative to Halloween buckets!

Perch Bead Studio

2009-09-21T19:35:00.001-07:00

My mom asked me if we could take a wire wrapping class at Perch Bead Studio, a local shop, for her birthday. I have to admit...I was SO excited! They teach you how to make all this amazing stuff there and the environment is beautiful! She and I each made a necklace - we are both keeping ours for ourselves, but we'll be going back quite a bit over the next few months to make more Christmas presents. Here's a little taste of our trip:

I should have known this place was perfect when they handed me this bowl to put my beads in.

Isn't this mantle beautiful?

Our Ah-mazing teacher!

Look at this decorating people!!

The samples we had to get inspiration from.

OK, so I'm horrible and can't find a good close-up picture of the finished products, so I'll work on that tomorrow and get back to you. It's been a long night and I'm EXHAUSTED! Good night!

Fels Naptha

2009-09-20T18:20:00.000-07:00

Today was a day full of projects! One of the main projects I finished today, I have been waiting to do for a while.

Just as everyone else, I am doing my best to save money any way that I can. So today, I decided to make my own laundry detergent. I have to say, I was skeptical at first, but it smells lovely and it wasn't too hard.

First, let me tell you the two things I have

learned from making detergent:

1. Slicing your knuckle on a cheese grater hurts...don't try it!

2. If you have a Kitchenaid mixer, but don't have the grater attachment, get one! I'm sure it is worth it and your hands will thank you later.

I wanted to use the Pink Zote soap, mainly because it's pink and I think the name is funny, but I couldn't find a local store that carries it, so I had to use Fels Naptha. It's yellow and kind of looks like butter, but it has a lovely, clean, soapy smell.

After grating my first two bars. See, told ya it looked like cheese!

The finished product!

Sorry for the poor quality in the pictures, but it has been raining in my part of the world for a week now, and is supposed to for another week, oh well...

I haven't used it for laundry yet, but will let you know how it is once I do.

Here's the recipe from The Beehive Cottage:

3 bars Fels Naptha (or 1 1/3 bars Pink Zote soap)

4 lbs. Borax

4 lbs. Arm & Hammer Washing Soda

4 lbs. Arm & Hammer Baking Soda

Mix and store in airtight container.

Use 1 to 2 tablespoons per load.

Here's a sneak peak at what else I'm working on that I'll tell you about later. Have a great Monday!