Homemade Eye Shadow

Eye shadow is one of my favorite things to wear. You can totally change your look by simply changing the color of your shadow! I tend to stick with neutral colors though when I do wear makeup.  You can use different spices to get different color shadows.If you’d like to get a pink shadow use beetroot or hibiscus powder, if you want a yellow color use ginger or turmeric. Cinnamon will give you a reddish brown color and cocoa powder will be pretty dark. Use arrowroot powder to get a silky smooth base and bentonite clay to help it stick.I’ve use a combination of the spices listed below to come out with three different neutral colors that work for my coloring.

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Eye shadow:Arrowroot PowderCinnamonGinger½ Teaspoon Bentonite

Mix until you get the coloring you want. Store in an airtight container.

Homemade Blush and Bronzer

The other two powders I use aside from foundation are blush and bronzer. These recipes use the same natural premise as the foundation.  You can create whatever shade you want by adding additional beetroot powder (for blush) or cocoa powder (for bronzer).The Bentonite clay helps the makeup adhere to your skin and stay longer. You can use any type of cosmetic clay you may have on hand.

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Blush:2 Tablespoons Arrowroot Powder½ Teaspoon Bentonite Clay1 Tablespoon Beetroot PowderMix until you achieve the color you are wanting. Store in an airtight container.

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Bronzer:2 Tablespoons Arrowroot Powder2 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder2 Teaspoons Cinnamon1 Teaspoon Bentonite Clay½ Teaspoon GingerMix until you achieve the color you are wanting. Store in an airtight container.

Homemade Foundation

After converting my shower products to all natural I decided to try and make my own makeup.  I don’t tend to wear a lot of makeup mostly because a lot of makeups tend to irritate my extremely sensitive skin. I decided to try making my own makeup to try and help keep my skin from getting irritated. I also wanted to take out the nasty chemicals that are in the makeup.Each person’s recipe for foundation will be different. I have super light skin so this mixture works for me. If you have darker skin you can add more cocoa powder, if you have more of a yellowish tint you can add additional ginger.You can use any type of cosmetic clay that you have on hand. The clay will help the makeup adhere to your skin and stay. This can also be turned into concealer by taking some pure aloe vera gel and some of your foundation mixture and mixing until you get the correct consistency.

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 Foundation:5 Tablespoons Arrowroot Powder1 Teaspoon Bentonite Clay1 Tablespoon Cocoa Powder1 Teaspoon Cinnamon½ Teaspoon Ginger

Mix until the color matches your skin. Store in an airtight container.

My No-Poo Experiment

I decided to try going shampoo free to see if I could completely rid my shower of nasty chemicals. After doing a lot of research I decided not to try the baking soda wash since there are so many stories emerging about the baking soda destroying hair.I researched and found an alternative from Kanelstrand: Rye Flour Shampoo. This blog does a fantastic job of explaining in scientific terms what your hair needs out of your shampoo regime. If you are thinking about going no-poo you should definitely check out this site to learn more about his.However, my hair did not like the Rye Flour shampoo. It was quite unfortunate. I was really hoping to come out of this experiment with an alternative to shampooing. I started off by clarifying my hair since I’d been using products with silicone in them. My experience went something like this:Week 1: Woah! Greasy hair galore! Hopefully my hair will get used to this soon.Week 2: Still greasy hair. It won’t lay flat at all and since I’m not using silicone products any more I don’t want to regularly straighten my hair.Week 3: Still extremely greasy.Week 4: A month of greasy hair, this is getting old.Week 5: Not getting any better.Week 6: Still greasy! With the holidays coming up I need to actually wash my hair so I look acceptable in pictures.The one good thing to come out of this experiment was the Apple Cider Vinegar rinse. I will NEVER go back to conditioner again! Take 1 Tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in 8oz of water. Pour it over the hair, let it sit for a minute then rinse out. I haven’t had any sort of vinegar smell from doing this and my hair has been SO soft and manageable. ACV is a natural detangler and will close your hair cuticles just like conditioner. The key to getting this to work is to comb your hair after shampooing it before applying the rinse.I also found this natural shampoo that I would recommend if your hair isn’t enjoying no-poo. It is Tea Tree Triple Treat shampoo. It really cleans my hair and it doesn’t have any of the nasty chemicals I’m trying to avoid. I would highly recommend this shampoo along with an Apple Cider Vinegar rinse.  Your hair and scalp will thank you for it!

Lavender and Lemon Shower Gel

One thing I’ve had trouble finding an alternative to has been my Bath & Body Works shower gels. I have used shower gels for years and I love their ease. I tried using Dr Bronner’s Soap in bar form for a while but I just didn’t like the final feeling it left on my skin.After not finding anything that quite fit what I was looking for I decided to create my own. I used Dr Bronners bar soap as the base to keep the shower gel all natural. I added Coconut Milk for a moisturizing element and Vegetable Glycerin in order to get suds. I used the same essential oils as my lotion so that I have a cohesive scent throughout my body products.

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Lavender and Lemon Shower Gel1 Cup Grated Soap Flakes1 Cup Water¼ Cup Coconut Milk (Not the stuff in the refrigerated aisle, the real stuff from the can)2 Tablespoons Vegetable Glycerin20 Drops Lavender Essential Oils10 Drops Lemon Essential Oils5 Drops Tea Tree Essential Oils1 ½ Teaspoons Xanthan Gum (Optional, this will thicken the shower gel so it is more like a shave gel)

Grate the soap flakes in a food processor.

You can store the left over soap flakes in a Mason jar for your next batch.

Put the soap flakes and water on the stove and stir until melted.

Once melted add the coconut milk, vegetable glycerin, and essential oils. (If you are adding Xanthan Gum to thicken it to a shave gel add this now.)

Once it is thoroughly mixed pour the cooling liquid into a container. (If you make shave gel put it into a wide mouth Mason jar, this will make it easy to get it out later.)

Wait until the shower gel has fully cooled to use!

Lavender and Lemon Body Cream

I tend to struggle with very dry skin during the winter months. I have only ever purchased one lotion that works well. I decided to try and make a thick lotion to help with my dry skin. I also have super sensitive skin so I needed to make  one that didn’t have anything I’d react to.I formulated this lotion to be crazy thick and perfect for my sensitive dry winter skin. If you aren’t interested in it being quite so thick you can add an additional tablespoon of Aloe Vera Gel to make it thinner. Because of the coconut oil this will be slightly solid during the winter.

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Lavender and Lemon Body Cream¼ Cup Coconut Oil2 Tablespoons Shea Butter2 Tablespoons Grapeseed Oil2 Tablespoons Beeswax1 Teaspoon Vitamin E Oil2 Tablespoons Pure Aloe Vera20 Drops Lavender Essential Oil15 Drops Lemon Essential Oil5 Drops Tea Tree Oil

Melt the Coconut Oil, Shea Butter, Grapeseed Oil,  Beeswax, and Vitamin E 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 Aloe 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.

Homemade Natural Deodorant

Natural deodorant can be so expensive so I wanted to try and find an alternative that I could make on my own. Not only would this save money but I would also be able to get a deodorant without all of the nasty additives. I tried a couple of different recipes and I found on that works very well for my body.You can try different levels of baking soda and essential oils in order to get an odor coverage that works for your body type. Because I have such sensitive skin I have used very little baking soda since it is so abrasive. During the summer you can add a tablespoon of beeswax to help it keep shape since Coconut Oil is liquid above 76 degrees. If you don’t add beeswax in the summer you will want to keep your deodorant in the fridge.

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Homemade Natural Deodorant:2 Tablespoons Baking Soda¼ Cup Arrowroot Starch5 Tablespoons Coconut Oil4 Drops Lavender Essential Oil3 Drops Lemon Essential Oil2 Drops Tea Tree Essential Oil Melt the coconut oil in the microwave, you want it to be liquid so everything will mix evenly.

When the oil is melted add the baking soda, arrowroot starch and essential  oils.

Pour the mixture into a clean deodorant container or a container with a lid.

Use as you would normal deodorant. I find that it takes a few extra minutes to dry. I've never had any issues with smell as long as I use it consistently.

Honey Face Wash

Over the last few months I have been on a quest to remove nasty chemicals from our bathing products. I was wary at first because I assumed that nothing would be able to measure up to the chemical laden products I had been using.  Over the last few months I have tried making/using SO many different body products.  This week I’m going to give you my findings, and honestly some of them surprised me!Let’s start with my face routine. I have never truly had an issue with acne or breakouts. The breakouts I did have were few and centered around my period.  When I first threw out chemicals I tried making my own exfoliating face scrub. And it was good, but still not exactly what I wanted. I felt like it just left my face slightly too oily and it didn’t truly feel clean to me when I was done. So back to my internet research I went. I found a bunch of suggestions on face cleansers, but one I kept coming back around to was: raw organic Honey.Yes, you read that right, raw organic HONEY. In my head I was going…this is something to put in TEA, why am I going to put this on my face?!?! But being curious I tried it. OH. MY. WORD! This stuff is AMAZING! The honey that I found still has bits of the honeycomb inside the jar so I get a slight exfoliation (which is super important to me).Using the raw honey I have noticed that my face needs less moisturizer after I’m done. Typically two or three drops of Grapeseed Oil do the trick for me. My face feels fresh and clean after every application. I haven’t had any trouble with breakouts and my face feels fantastic.Now you may ask: How does one go about using honey as a face wash? Well here is what works for me. About five minutes before I take a shower I take about a tablespoon of honey from the jar an smear it evenly over my face. I let it sit for a few minutes to sink in then hop in the shower! It comes right off with warm water and even if I accidentally get it in my hair it comes right out.I totally suggest trying this face wash method, and following it up with a couple of drops of organic Grapeseed (for sensitive skin) or Sweet Almond oil as a moisturizer.  I’m sure you’ll be amazed at the results!

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.

How to: Water Bath Canning

Last year I decided to try canning for the first time. The experience was absolutely exhilarating! There is just something so exciting about taking extra fruit and vegetables fresh from the garden and putting them up for winter.You need to be very careful when you are canning. If you improperly can something the food can develop Botulism which can make your family very sick. The National Center for Food Preservation has some very good tips and recipes for properly canning food.When you are canning food you need to follow the recipe to the letter to avoid spoilage when it sits on the shelf. I have found the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving to be an excellent resource for how to properly can various foods.I have only tried the Water Bath Canning method. But I have found it to preserve food excellently. So far I’ve made: Applesauce, Tomato Sauce, Pickles and low sugar Grape Jelly.  Later this week I am going to post directions for canning no-sugar Applesauce and Tomato Sauce. Here are basic directions for water bath canning.You will need:Water Bath CannerEmpty Canning Jars and bandsFresh LidsCanning ToolsSomething to Can!You are able to reuse the glass jars and bands. But each time you can something you need to use a fresh lid. The assures that the jar properly seals after you process it.You first need to sterilize your jars, lids and bands. Prepare your water bath canner by placing the open jars on the metal removal tray and filling with water. Since there is so much water in the pot you will want to start this when you begin making whatever you are going to can.You then want to put all of your lids and bands in another pot with water and boil them.You typically pack each of the jars while the food is hot. So once your food is ready to can and the jars, bands and lids are boiling you can begin.Remove a jar from the water and place on the counter. I put a hot pad beneath to help with heat dispersal and if I need to touch it.Fill your jar, I find it is best to use a funnel to fill my jars. It is not necessary but it certainly makes the job easier.Check your headspace and make sure it matches what is specified in your recipe. Too little headspace can make the jar overflow when you process it and too little can cause spoilage.Wipe the rim of the jar once you have finished filling it. This assures you get a good seal. Put a lid and band onto the jar and tighten until it is fingertip tight.Put the jar back into the water bath canner. Process the cans for the time specified in your recipe.When the time is up remove the water bath canner from heat and wait for 5 minutes. Remove the jars and set them on a towel.At this point they should begin to seal. You will hear a popping sound as they seal. Leave them overnight on the counter. Test the seal by pushing in the center of the lid. If it does not give the jar has sealed. Any jars that haven’t sealed after 24 hours should be put in the refrigerator and used in the next few weeks.Make sure the bands are tight on the jars and store in a cool dark place.Happy Canning!

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!

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.

Homemade Laundry Detergent (Powdered)

Several years ago after I had just graduated college I started making my own laundry detergent. I was sick and tired of purchasing expensive detergent and I wanted something less expensive since I had just begun working full time and money was tight. After looking through several detergent recipes I came up with one that I enjoyed.When I recently made this the total cost was about $25.00. The amount of detergent this makes will last Hubby and I about two years. We do about 8-10 loads of laundry every two weeks. This means that we will get approximately 400 loads of laundry out of this recipe making our final price per load around $0.06. I would say that’s not a bad price for a load of laundry! The detergent I was purchasing before tended to be between $0.11 and $0.22 per load. As you can see it is much more cost efficient for me to make my own.Now you may wonder how it does on extra grimy clothes. Hubby does a lot of work on the car and other household projects. We’ve always been happy with the way this detergent cleans and it always seems to get his extra greasy or dirty clothes back to squeaky clean. For extra bad stains you may want to pretreat. Since it does not suds at all it is ok to use in an HE washer.

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Ingredients:1 (4lb 12oz) Box of Borax1 (3lb 7oz) Box of Super Washing Soda1 (3lb) Container of Oxy Clean2 (14.1oz) Bars Fels Naptha Soap (Zote Soap will also work)4 (1lb) Boxes Baking Soda1 (55oz) Bottle of Purex CrystalsDirections:Grate the Fels Naptha bars (I use my food processor to do this). Combine all of the ingredients well and store in an airtight container. I use the leftover Purex bottle to store the detergent for easy access and I refill it from the airtight container when it’s empty. I use about a half a Purex cap for a normal load, and a full cap for Hubby’s overly dirty work clothes. 

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I’ve used both the Oxy Clean brand and the Target brand Oxy Clean for this recipe and have not noticed a difference in the cleanliness of our clothes. I will probably use the Target brand again since it is considerably less expensive.The only downside to making your own detergent is that you don’t really get that overly fresh clean laundry scent. I have found our clothes to be pretty scentless when I’m done. However, that is something I am willing to give up for the savings when I make my own.