It’s Wednesday. And My Living Room is Still Gray.

House Theorem #17:Once you move into your house, you no longer want to remodel.

The things that just “had to go”, like peach tile in the guest bathroom, suddenly pale in comparison to just hoping for sheetrock and a working sink.

The green color that you painstakingly chose for the master bedroom and bathroom and at one point that you loved, soon is loathed each and every day. I blame my father’s army roots on this color choice.

But although you loathe it, it still takes you three long years to change it. Because you are waiting for it to “wear out” and earn its keep.

House Theorem #108: Once your walls are gray, you are scared to paint them a bold color, like this:

Aqua Blue with hints of bright orange, tan and browns. Because perhaps this is another green bedroom and you (and your guests) will have to live with it for years until this color too, has “earned its keep”.

So, it’s Wednesday. And my walls are still Gray. But, who knows-Sunday’s on the way.

(And if you know who I’m quoting from 80′s Christian pop music, then you deserve a hug. And some shoulder pads.)

Homemade Laundry Products

Third time’s a charm?

Once again, I will be LIVE on Fox23′s “Great Day, Green Country” this morning discussing my recipes for Homemade Laundry Products. Each of the recipes are easy to make and fit my frugal (cheap) lifestyle.

If any of the people at Fox23 ever read my blog, they would realize what a nervous, sweaty and dorky mess I am when I’m on air. That might deter them from another invitation. So, let’s just keep this information our little secret, shall we?

Here’s the video from this morning. Be kind….
Here are the links to my first and second appearances on Fox23.

Homemade Cleaning Products
Homemade Beauty Products

This morning, I highlighted Homemade Laundry Soap, Laundry Softener and Stain Stick, which I will briefly outline for you here.
If you click on the recipe titles, the links will take you to a more in-depth and pictorial step-by-step tutorial for each recipe. Also, these more in-depth tutorials offer printable recipes at the end of the posts.
(I also have a few links at the bottom of this post with more Homemade Household Cleansers, Homemade Beauty Products and Yummy Food Recipes.)

Easy, Homemade Laundry Soap makes 48 loads
1 Bar (14 oz) Fels-Naptha, Zote Soap or Ivory Soap
2 C Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda (make sure it says “Super Washing Soda”)
2 C Borax
Blender/Food Processor

Cut the soap into manageable chunks and grind in a food processor or blender. In a large bowl, combine the soap, Super Washing Soda and Borax. Stir until mixed. Store in an airtight container. Use 1/8 cup for a normal load, 1/4 cup for a dirty load.

Homemade Laundry Softener  makes about 6 Cups
Here’s all the you’ll need to make your own Laundry Softener:
Container
1 Cup of Baking Soda
6 Cups of White Vinegar
(8 drops of Essential Oil if you are worried about the vinegar smell in your house. There will not be a vinegar smell on your clothing.)
Pour the 1 Cup of Baking Soda into your container. Slowly add the vinegar a little at a time. It will fizz and bubble up. Allow it to recede and then add a little more. Add the essential oils if desired. I’m cheap so I skip this step. Allow the detergent to breathe for a little while (5 minutes or so) before capping it. Add about 1/2 Cup of this mixture to your laundry’s rinse cycle or in the detergent reservoir if you have one.

Homemade Stain Stick makes about 3.5-4 oz
Here’s all that you’ll need to make your very own Stain Stick:
1/6 of a Fels-Naptha Soap Bar
1/7 of a Kirk’s Castille Soap Bar
3 TBS Water
1 clean, recycled Deodorant Tube (about 3.5-4 oz)
Blender
Small Saucepan
Spatula
Slice about 1/6 off of the Fels-Naptha Bar and 1/7 off of the Castille Bar. Cut into smaller chunks and transfer to blender. Finely grind the soap. Transfer the soap particles to a small saucepan and turn the heat to medium-low. Add the 3 TBS of water and stir. When the soap has become a thick paste, remove from heat and let slightly cool. While the paste is still slightly warm, use a spatula to transfer the mixture into the empty deodorant tube. Let cool completely before placing the cap on.

•   •   •   •   •   •   •   •   •   •   •   •   •   •

I hope you have enjoyed these recipes! It may seem overwhelming at first to rid your home of toxins and store-bought everything. And maybe you don’t want to make these products, but would like the benefits of non-toxic products in your home without going broke. I have found some simple solutions to replace the things that I cannot make/don’t want to make myself by purchasing them from a non-toxic green company online. Without directly endorsing them, if you are interested in knowing more,  Feel free to email me with questions.

Here are links to my other Homemade Household Cleansers and Beauty Products:

Easy Laundry Soap
Homemade Stain Stick
Homemade Laundry Softener
Homemade Beauty Products
DIY Brass Cleaner
Organic Vegetable/Produce Cleaner
Homemade Household Cleaners

And here are a few Homemade Food Items to easily replace store-bought items:
Simple, Tasty Granola
Easy Crockpot Yogurt
Simple, Homemade Butter
Cooking and Freezing Beans, avoiding BPA
Homemade Hummus
Garden Fresh Salsa

If these parties are up, I link to them! (Here’s my complete Linky Party Page):
Monday: Crafts Keep Me Sane, The Better Baker, Skip to My Lou, DIY Showoff, Say Not, Sumo’s Sweet Stuff, Etcetorize, Sew Chatty, Brassy Apple, Flour Me With Love, Creating my Way, Mad in Crafts, Our Delightful Home, Sew Can Do, It’s So Very Cheri, Craft O Maniac, Polly Want a Crafter, Tuesday: Craft Edition, Inspiration Board , New Nostalgia , Lettered Life , Coastal Charm, Tip Junkie , Ladybug Blessings, Hope Studios , Todays Creative Blog, Wednesday: Someday Crafts , Day2DayJoys, Jillify It , Junk in the Trunk, We are that Family , Frugally Sustainable, Sew Much Ado, Fine Craft Guild , The Thrifty Home, My Girlish Whims , Quick, Easy, Cheap & Healthy, Trendy Treehouse, Thursday: Somewhat Simple, No Minimalist Here , A Glimpse Inside, The Mommy Club, The 36th Avenue, Cheap Chic Home, Beyond the Picket Fence, Fireflies and Jellybeans , House of Hepworths , The Shabby Chic Cottage, Friday: My Repurposed Life, It’s a HodgePodge Life, The Shabby Nest, Just Wingin’ It, One Artsy Momma, French Country Cottage, Finding Fabulous, Passionately Artistic, Petals and Picots, Simply Designing, Little Becky Homecky, My Romantic Home, Bacon Time, Simply Living, Saturday: Polkadot Pretties, Tatertots and Jello, Create and Inspire, Be Different, Act Normal, Craft Envy, Funky Junk Interiors, Petites Passion, Sunday: Under the Table, Natural Mothers, Mopping the Floor

DIY Laundry Stain Stick

Good-bye store bought stain stick. Hello, non-toxic, good smelling, homemade Stain Stick!

For most of this past year, I have been ridding my home of toxic chemicals by creating my own homemade products in the comfort of my kitchen, in my pj’s from time to time and usually accompanied by a glass of wine. (More of my DIY household recipes are at the bottom of this post.)

I don’t use a whole lot of stain stick, but when you need it, you need it. I came up with my own recipe that’s very simple to make, works great at removing stains, is super cheap ($.39 a tube) and smells fantastic.

Here’s all that you’ll need to make your very own Stain Stick:
1/6 of a Fels-Naptha Soap Bar
1/7 of a Kirk’s Castille Soap Bar
3 TBS Water
1 clean, recycled Deodorant Tube (about 3.5-4 oz)
Blender
Small Saucepan
Spatula

Slice about 1/6 off of the Fels-Naptha Bar and cut into smaller chunks.

Finely grind the soap up in a blender. Inhale the heavenly scent of the Fels-Naptha bar. Transfer the ground soap into the small saucepan.

Follow suit with the 1/7 of the Castille Bar Soap. Cut, chunk, grind, transfer.

Turn the burner to a medium low heat.

Add the 3 TBS of water and slowly stir the soaps as they are melting.

Once the soap is melted down to a consistency of paste, remove from heat and let slightly cool.

While the paste is still slightly warm, use a spatula to pack full the deodorant tube.

Let cool completely before placing the cap on. Use as you would any other stain stick, but do it with a little bit of cockiness knowing that you are saving some serious mula.
This recipe costs only $.39 a tube. Even the cheapest stain stick around can’t beat that price.
Here’s the financial breakdown:
1/6 of a Fels Naptha Bar ($1.50 / 6 = $.25)
1/7 of a Castile Bar ($1 / 7 = $.14)

•   •   •   •   •   •   •   •   •   •   •   •   •   •

I hope you have enjoyed these recipes! It may seem overwhelming at first to rid your home of toxins and store-bought everything. And maybe you don’t want to make these products, but would like the benefits of non-toxic products in your home without going broke. I have found some simple solutions to replace the things that I cannot make/don’t want to make myself by purchasing them from a non-toxic green company online. Without directly endorsing them, if you are interested in knowing more,  Feel free to email me with questions.

Here are links to my other Homemade Household Cleansers and Beauty Products:

Easy Laundry Soap
Homemade Laundry Softener
Homemade Beauty Products
DIY Brass Cleaner
Organic Vegetable/Produce Cleaner
Homemade Household Cleaners

And here are a few Homemade Food Items to easily replace store-bought items:
Simple, Tasty Granola
Easy Crockpot Yogurt
Simple, Homemade Butter
Cooking and Freezing Beans, avoiding BPA
Homemade Hummus
Garden Fresh Salsa

If these parties are up, I link to them! (Here’s my complete Linky Party Page):
Monday: Crafts Keep Me Sane, The Better Baker, Skip to My Lou, DIY Showoff, Say Not, Sumo’s Sweet Stuff, Etcetorize, Sew Chatty, Brassy Apple, Flour Me With Love, Creating my Way, Mad in Crafts, Our Delightful Home, Sew Can Do, It’s So Very Cheri, Craft O Maniac, Polly Want a Crafter, Tuesday: Craft Edition, Inspiration Board , New Nostalgia , Lettered Life , Coastal Charm, Tip Junkie , Ladybug Blessings, Hope Studios , Todays Creative Blog, Wednesday: Someday Crafts , Day2DayJoys, Jillify It , Junk in the Trunk, We are that Family , Frugally Sustainable, Sew Much Ado, Fine Craft Guild , The Thrifty Home, My Girlish Whims , Quick, Easy, Cheap & Healthy, Trendy Treehouse, Thursday: Somewhat Simple, No Minimalist Here , A Glimpse Inside, The Mommy Club, The 36th Avenue, Cheap Chic Home, Beyond the Picket Fence, Fireflies and Jellybeans , House of Hepworths , The Shabby Chic Cottage, Friday: My Repurposed Life, It’s a HodgePodge Life, The Shabby Nest, Just Wingin’ It, One Artsy Momma, French Country Cottage, Finding Fabulous, Passionately Artistic, Petals and Picots, Simply Designing, Little Becky Homecky, My Romantic Home, Bacon Time, Simply Living, Saturday: Polkadot Pretties, Tatertots and Jello, Create and Inspire, Be Different, Act Normal, Craft Envy, Funky Junk Interiors, Petites Passion, Sunday: Under the Table, Natural Mothers, Mopping the Floor

Give-Away! My Inspirational Wrapped Canvas Prints

Dear Readers:
I’m going to get very real right now.

Momma (me) needs to make some money. Biceps took a huge cut in pay to become a firefighter and our budget is getting tighter every month. If you know anything about me, you know that I am one seriously frugal girl. We operate on a debt-free mindset (no credit cards) and are determined to be completely debt-free (student loans, our rent houses and our house) in six years or less.

I am making every homemade product for myself that I possibly can to save money. I considered selling these, but determined the profit margin wouldn’t be there for me while making it affordable to others.

We drive a paid for, slightly used (hah!) 8 year old van that badly needs new tires. I happily bike all over town so that we don’t have to buy a second car and so that I can burn some extra calories.

That said-I need a job and have been sending out resumes one right after another. This blog pays me diddly squat and being a self-employed writer is either feast or famine. And, as of yet, no one has offered to pay me to sit around looking cute. Dang them.

“The Harvest”
After talking with my mom this morning, she got my creative juices flowing. She reminded me of the prints with scriptures that I made for their bookstore and wondered if it wouldn’t be feasible for me to sell them through Etsy (which she pronounces Es-ty) or something similar.

I instantly thought this was a brilliant idea! I have decided to sell the following prints as wrapped canvas prints.

And, I’m giving one away to a lucky winner! Enter now for your very own FREE inspiration wrapped canvas prints.!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

“His Sheep”
These inspirational wrapped canvas prints are made from original photographs that I have taken around the country as I travel. Each photograph has a significant meaning to me, which I will share with you in a personalized note along with your order.

Now, here’s the lowdown-these wrapped canvas prints are totally customizable with your choice of inspirational saying, scripture, last name-whatever!

The canvas is either .75″ or  1.5″ deep, with the print bleeding all the way to the edges. The best part is-there’s no need to frame this. When you receive the wrapped canvas print, all you need to do is decide on where you want to hang it.

“His Pathway”
These make great gifts for pastors, friends, grandparents-and they look perfect at home or in the office.

“He is my Rock”
If you don’t happen to win this giveaway and still can’t live without one of these, here are a few prices for you to reference (but you can email me if you have a particular size in mind that I haven’t listed):

8 x 10- $49
10 x 14- $59
12 x 16- $64
16 x 20- $75
20 x 36- $169

*These prices include Free Shipping! Please allow 2 weeks for delivery of your item.

“The Light”
Let me know if you have any suggestions or thoughts. I am excited to hear what you, my dear friends, have to say! Don’t forget to enter the give away!