DIY Mocha Blended Coffee

I always thought I didn’t like coffee. I didn’t like the taste, it was FAR too bitter for me. I didn’t like how it was so warm. And I didn’t like how it wasn’t hot chocolate on a cold day. However, my lovely younger sister decided to introduce me to the joy that is blended coffee drinks. And since then I haven’t been able to get enough! Often this summer, in the mornings I would blend up one of these puppies and take it with me to Camp, or if I was really dragging in the evening I would blend one and take it to rehearsal. It got me through many a day and it is SOOOO super easy!You will need a blender that can crush ice for this recipe. Alex and I have a small one serving smoothie blender that works perfectly for this. I haven’t tried it in my food processor but I would imagine it could work if you wanted to make a large batch of these.Typically you would make this recipe with cold pressed coffee. However, since I’m new to this whole coffee experience I just make a cup of coffee with my Keurig then put it in the fridge till cold. It’s not as strong as it would be if you used cold pressed coffee but for me it does the trick. If you really want to take a shortcut you should try getting a large bottle of cold press from Trader Joes and then you eliminate the step of cooling the coffee!Personally I like to use Almond milk when making this. It is just like making skim milk but I find that it doesn’t add any taste at all to the drink like regular milk does. It also is great if you have a lactose intolerance. If you don’t like almond milk, or don’t have it you can simply use regular milk or even soy or coconut milk. Just adjust the amount to make sure things keep moving around in the blender.[amd-yrecipe-recipe:223]

Homemade Bug Repellent

Alex and I really hate using bug sprays with Deet. However, it seems to be necessary, especially when we go to Northern Minnesota. There is a running joke among Minnesotans that Minnesota‘s state bird is not the Loon as commonly thought…it is in fact, the Mosquito. While I have yet to be able to test this big repellent in Northern Minnesota, it works fantastically in the southern half of the state and here at home in Iowa.This recipe will make 2oz worth of bug spray. I’ve included quite a list of essential oils for this recipe. However, you may not have all of these on hand. If you do, great! Use them all. If not you can pick and choose what you have on hand and use those. In my option one of the reasons this recipe works so well is the fact it includes citronella essential oils. This does make it smell strongly, but in my opinion it’s worth it. Here are a few EO’s that work well:

• Mosquitoes: Peppermint, Lemongrass, Lemon, Citronella, Eucalyptus, Lavender, Geranium, Clove, Sage
• Ticks: Geranium, Eucalyptus, Myrrh
• Gnats: Peppermint, Eucalyptus, Geranium, Spearmint
• Horse Flies: Tea Tree, Rosemary, Peppermint, Lemon, Lemongrass, Thyme

I purchased these blue glass spray bottles from Amazon. It is highly suggested to use glass bottles when your blend contains EO’s. This will keep your oils from breaking down and will help your blend stay potent for longer. When you go to use your blend simply spray liberally all over your body and clothes as you would with a regular bug spray. Simply make sure that you shake the bottle each time before you spray.[amd-yrecipe-recipe:87]

Handy Hubby: Mason Jar Table Box

Cruising Pinterest always gives me a ton of ideas, way more than I could ever implement. However a couple of weeks ago I saw this amazing weathered box on Etsy (through Pinterest) and I just had to have one.Thankfully I have an extraordinarily handy husband! I showed Alex the photo and he said it would be very easy for him to make me one. I changed a couple of things in the design, like I wanted it to hold 5 Mason jars instead of 4, and I wanted it to be a dark color rather than a weathered gray.

To create the box Alex took 2x6 pine boards and cut them down to the size we wanted with a circular saw. He then took Wood glue and attached all of the pieces together.He then clamped the box together. Alex says that you need at least 8 clamps for this project in order to hold it together adequately. Leave the clamps on the box for at least 24 hours, or longer if your wood glue instructions say to. After the glue is dry remove the clamps from the box.

Sand the box to get a smooth finish on all sides. After you have sanded the surface smooth stain the box. We used Minwax- Red Oak stain that we picked up at Fleet Farm. Make sure you stain the box in a well ventilated area. There a lot of fumes that you really don’t want to be breathing in. Make sure you follow the instructions on the container for the best coverage. We left the stain on the box for approximately a minute before wiping off. If you leave the stain on longer you will get a deeper color. Likewise if you want a lighter color leave the stain on for less than a minute before wiping off.

Let the stain dry overnight, being sure to follow any instructions on your stain container. Once the box is dry you can cover with Polyurethane if you want. I chose not to since I liked the more rustic look it has. For the Mason jars I used one quart jar in the middle and four pint jars around the sides.

I’ve decided to use this box as a table decoration. I can put flowers in the large mason jar in the middle and use the smaller ones for napkins or candles depending on what I want. This would be a fantastic decoration for a coffee table or mantle though.

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Handy Hubby is a feature showcasing projects designed and created by my husband Alex. All work has been done by Alex unless otherwise stated, posts and photos are by Housewife’s Whimsy.

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Exfoliating Face Scrub

I love using exfoliating body products. I just love how soft my skin is after using them. Since I’ve moved from using an exfoliating face cleanser on a normal basis (over to my honey face wash), I’ve been missing the regular exfoliation. I love the post-shaving sugar scrub that I use on my legs so I changed the recipe to suit my needs.This is a fantastic exfoliator but it is slightly on the oily side. It is great for occasional use to help moisturize that dry winter skin. By using the tea tree and lavender oil you get great antiseptic properties to help heal any skin blemishes.

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Face Scrub:¼ Cup Water1 ½ Cup Sugar1 Teaspoon Sweet Almond Oil20 Drops Tea Tree Essential Oil40 Drops Lavender Essential Oil

Mix the ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight container.

Eucalyptus Citrus Lotion

Since I struggle with extremely dry skin during the winter I love being able to make my own lotion combinations.  I made this Eucalyptus Citrus Lotion for my extended family at Christmas. I put it into small 8oz mason jars and gave them as presents.While my Lavender Lemon Lotion has more of a body butter this recipe has more of a lotion consistency.  It gives a nice coverage and dries quickly. The lotion is a tad bit oily when you first put it on but it absorbs quickly and is very hydrating.

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Organic Eucalyptus Citrus Lotion:1 Cup Coconut Oil½ Cup Sunflower Oil½ Cup Sweet Almond Oil1 Teaspoon Shea Butter½ Cup Beeswax¼ Cup Distilled Water30 Drops Lemon Essential Oil30 Drops Sweet Orange Essential Oil15 Drops Eucalyptus Essential Oil

Melt the Coconut Oil, Shea Butter, Beeswax, Sunflower and Sweet Almond Oil, on the stove, stirring consistently.

You want to take the mixture off the stove right before the beeswax has fully melted. Finish the melting process by continuing to stir the mixture until everything has melted.

Once melted pour into a bowl add the distilled water and essential oils.

Mix with a hand mixer until it looks like lotion (approximately 1 minute).Let it sit for 15 minutes.

Spoon into an airtight container.

Exfoliating Sugar Scrub

I love exfoliating scrubs. They are especially great right after I shave my legs! This recipe has a bunch of fantastic oils that are sure to keep your skin super hydrated.I chose to add peppermint essential oil since it encourages circulation. You could use whatever oil or oil blend you like. Make sure you store your scrub in an airtight container.

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Exfoliating Sugar Scrub:2 Tablespoons Coconut Oil (Melted)2 Tablespoons Sunflower Oil3 Tablespoons Almond Oil1 Teaspoon Coarse Sea Salt1 ½ Cup Sugar30 Drops Peppermint Essential Oil

Melt the coconut oil in a bowl, add the rest of the oils and mix. Add the sugar, salt and essential oils. Mix thoroughly and store in an airtight container.

Life Hacks: Swiffer Pads

I don’t know about you but I love my Swiffer broom. However, those Swiffer pads are SO expensive! So I was searching online for an alternative and the idea of using fuzzy socks was all over pinterest. For me this is a super easy life hack since I have a bunch of pairs of fuzzy socks that I don’t wear often anymore.

The basic premise is that you take a fuzzy sock and put it on the end of your Swiffer mop.

You then Swiffer like normal. If you want a Swiffer wet pad just spray some of the natural cleaner onto the fuzzy sock.

The sock will pick up all sorts of things up off your floor.

The best part is when you’re done just turn the sock inside out to take it off of the mop and then toss it in the laundry.

If you don’t have a pair of fuzzy socks you can pick up great ones for $1-$2 at Old Navy. This is a great price for reusable Swiffer pads!

Homemade Dryer Sheets

In my quest to find more ways to save money I decided that I wanted to do something about my dryer sheet problem. They were just so expensive I was having a hard time justifying purchasing them. So after I made my own laundry detergent I decided to try my hand at dryer sheets.I was skeptical at first that this would actually work, but wikihow knows its stuff! This softener is economical to make and will last you a very long time, especially if you are just making dryer sheets. I can’t speak to how it works in the laundry since I never actually use fabric softener in my loads.The dryer sheets work just as well, if not better than the store bought ones. I also really love the fact that I can use one sheet in more than one load.

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Homemade Fabric Softener:6 Cups Water3 Cups Vinegar2 Cups Conditioner OPTIONAL: 25-50 Drops of Essential Oils that compliment your scentMix ingredients being careful not to make suds. Store in an airtight container.If you want to add this straight to your wash use about ¼ of a cup per load. You can use any type of conditioner you have on hand. You also do not need to use the essential oils, they will simply intensify the scent of the softener. (I used Suave Rosemary Mint conditioner and Rosemary/Peppermint EO’s because I saw the scent combination on another blog and thought it would be good.)  If you’re looking for an unscented dryer sheet just use an unscented conditioner and don’t add the oils.

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Homemade Dryer Sheets:Squares of fabric – These can be washcloths, small squares of fabric or just about anything you have on handHomemade Fabric Softener Soak the squares of fabric in the softener.Squeeze out so they are just damp.Let them sit out until they are completely dry.Use as normal in your dryer. One sheet will last you approximately 12-15 loads. I’ve used extra homemade potholders that I had on hand. They were the right size and easy to use. I’ve also found that adding a safety pin to the dryer sheet helps prevent static cling!

DIY: Makeup Brush Roll

I finally replaced the makeup brushes that I’d had for about 8 years.  When I bought the new ones I wanted a better way to store them. I’d just been storing my old ones in my makeup bag and they got all dirty from the powder. I looked at Sephora and saw makeup bag rolls and decided that was how I wanted to store my new brushes.However, I didn’t want to spend the money to purchase one of those, especially not when they looked so easy to make. So I decided to try my hand at making one of these and I found it was way easier than I first imagined!If you are looking for a neat way to store your brushes then this might be for you. I also made it out of washable fabric so when it gets suitably dirty I can just pop it in the washing machine and its as good as new.I made mine with a sewing machine. If you don’t happen to have one you could easily make this by hand, it will just take a little while longer.Start by hemming your top piece of fabric. This will be what holds the brushes onto the makeup roll. You want to hem the top of this before you sew it onto the makeup roll, you won’t be able to do this after you sew it together.

Next take two pieces of fabric cut to the size you want your makeup roll to be. Mine ended up being about 12 inches high by 16 inches wide.  Place the two sides you want showing against each other. Place the piece you hemmed earlier in between the two pieces of fabric. You also want to put your ribbons on the inside now. Place the longest parts of the ribbon between the two pieces of fabric leaving a small bit outside the edge.Sew the edges of the makeup roll together, leaving a small hole in a corner. Trim the edges to about ¼ of an inch.

Turn the bag inside out so that all of the right sides are showing, pulling it though the small hole that you left.Sew the hole shut with a short seam.

In order to store the brushes you need to sew seams to hold the brushes in. I took my brushes and measured the size of the holes that I wanted. I marked them with a pin and then sewed a straight seam at each of the intervals needed.

After I finished mine it turned out so well that I made two more for each of my sisters! These are super easy and would make great gifts for anyone who wears makeup. If you want to be able to fold the top portion of the makeup roll over your brushes be sure to factor that into your measurements.

Owl Door Hanger

So a couple months ago my Mother gave me a random plastic wreath form she didn't have any use for. She thought I might have an idea to use it. Now, I’ve seen several variations on this craft on Pinterest and thought it would be the perfect way to use the wreath form!  I’ve been decorating with Owls this fall and thought this would be the perfect way to welcome guests at our door.I took the wreath form and covered it in a wide burlap ribbon. I loved the chevron pattern and thought it would be a great visual pattern for my Owl. I secured the starting end with hot glue and wrapped the ribbon tightly around the form. I secured the end with hot glue again.For the eyes I used the tops of fake flowers I had on hand. The wings and beak are made of cork. I found a roll of cork covering at Hobby Lobby that I used for this project. Because it came in a roll I had to press it for a couple of days before it would actually lay flat. Once they were flattened I used hot glue to affix them to the wreath.The ribbon to hold it put on the door was stuff I had on hand from my Sister’s bridal shower. It came in approximately 12in pieces. To get the length I wanted I tied several of them together. I secured the ends on the Owl with hot glue. I tied the top with a bow to get the final look that I wanted.Alternatively you could use a single piece of ribbon; you wouldn’t have a bow or knots detracting from your project. Happy crafting!

Pumpkin, Bacon, Peanut Butter Dog Cookies

When we first got Pond I decided I wanted to try making homemade doggy treats for her. I had been looking on the back of the treats we were purchasing her and I couldn’t pronounce half the ingredients. I happened on this awesome site with a bunch of great recipes! So far I’ve made two of the recipes, the pumpkin/peanut butter cookies and the carrot/applesauce cookies. Pond enjoyed both kinds but she REALLY loved the pumpkin and peanut butter ones.I decided to play around with the recipe a little bit in order to get something tailored to Pond’s tastes. She adores these cookies! We are planning to take them to the Thanksgiving family gathering to share with her “pack” (there are three dogs in the extended family that “Pond” wants to share these with).Because the ingredients are all natural you don’t have to worry as much that your dog will overeat these treats. They are healthy for the dog. I’ve tried them too. They are pretty plain but have a pretty good flavor if you aren’t expecting a sugary snack.

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Pond's Cookies Recipe:1 Cup Pumpkin Puree2 Eggs2 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil3 Tablespoon of All Natural Peanut Butter1 Teaspoon Bacon Grease½ Teaspoon Cinnamon (optional)½ Teaspoon Salt (optional)½  Cup Oats3 Cups Whole Wheat Flour1 Tablespoon Oat BranDIRECTIONS:Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.Stir first three ingredients together in a bowl.Slowly add the remaining ingredients. I don’t have a cute bone cookie cutter so I simply rolled the dough out on my counter to the approximate size of my  baking sheet. I then transferred the dough to the greased baking sheet and filled in the cracks. I cut the dough into cookie sized chunks before putting in the oven. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until golden brown.These cookies will harden as they cool. Make sure that you start breaking them apart before they are completely cool. As they bake they will puff up and fuse to the cookie next to them so you need to make sure to start breaking them apart while they are still warm. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. They should last about a week and a half this way. The salt in the recipe will help them last slightly longer than cookies without it.

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Source:Adapted from: http://www.mybakingaddiction.com/homemade-dog-treats/

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Make sure you only use cinnamon for the cookies. Don't use any sort of pumpkin spice blend. Nutmeg is poisonous to dogs. 

How to Puree a Pumpkin

With the holidays right around the corner I’m sure you’re starting to plan your holiday baking. I know I am! One thing I’m sure you’re thinking about with Thanksgiving this week is the traditional pumpkin desserts. Now, these are great with the normal canned pumpkin, but have you ever considered taking them to the next level by pureeing your own pumpkin? My Dad has been doing this for as long as I can remember. When I was a kid I remember helping out in the kitchen a few days before Thanksgiving while he prepped everything. It was always so exciting as a kid to have him cook the pumpkin because it meant the holidays and family gatherings were right around the corner!This year I picked up a GIANT pumpkin for $2.99 at Aldi back a few weeks before Halloween. I used it to decorate our porch for several weeks before I brought it inside to cook. So not only are you saving money by making your own pumpkin puree you can also use it as decoration for several weeks. Make sure you cook it before it starts to mold, although you can cut off portions with mold on them as long as it’s not invasive.To get started you want to bring a pot of water to boil on the stove. Do not salt the water, this will give the pumpkin a salty taste that you don’t want.Scrape all the seeds from the inside of the pumpkin. I find it easiest to cut the pumpkin into quarters and scrape from there. Then you want to cut your pumpkin into 6in (ish) chunks. Boil the chunks in the water until they are soft. This will take approximately 20-25 minutes per batch.Once they have been boiled you want to cool them so that you can touch them. I leave them on a baking sheet until they are cool enough to handle.You then want to cut the rind off. If you’ve cooked the pumpkin long enough the rind will pretty much come right off. I use a butter knife so there is less of a chance I’ll hurt myself.Once the rind is off, put the pumpkin in a food processor using the puree attachment. Puree until there are no chunks left. Store the puree in the freezer until ready to use. Because there are no additives the puree will only last a few days in the fridge before it molds. I like to store the puree in 1 Cup baggies so I can easily defrost as much as I need for a recipe.Use this pumpkin as you would the canned stuff in a recipe. The pumpkin has more water content than the canned stuff so make sure you take this into account when using it. You may have to add additional flour to a recipe to make it the right consistency.