Vacation week is almost over and here is some of the artwork I got done in my Art Journal (all except the angel!).  I saw the two at the top on the internet and loved them so much that I had to draw them in my journal.  Love the humor of them!   I will use them for journaling pages also.   I'm really pleased with the one at the bottom.  She turned out much better than I anticipated!  Scott makes fun of my people with no hands.    I just wanted simple....nothing complicated.  

I ran across this beauty recipe today in "The Good Earth Bath, Beauty & Health Book", and want to try making it!

THE GOOD EARTH FACIAL MASK FROM CUCUMBER AND GREEN CLAY

1/8 cup French Clay
1 medium cucumber, peeled and mashed
Water (enough to make into a paste)
1 teaspoon sweet almond oil

Mix the French Clay, cucumber and oil together in a bowl.  Use the water to make a very moist paste (a medium cucumber will vary in moisture level so you will just have to add enough water to make a very soft clay).  Put on your face and let set until dry, usually 10 - 15 minutes (the moisture will evaporate from the mask, causing a "pulling" action, which presses out whiteheads/blackheads from you skin and tightens your pores), then wash off.  

I think I have all the ingredients, so just may try making this while I am on vacation this week!  Will post a pic of it if I decide to make it!

Most of you who know me know that I am definitely not blessed with a Gardener's know-how, but I love unique garden  art and I love birds so when I saw one of these, I had to make one for our back yard!   So, at the first big yard sale I saw, I stopped and came home with a really pretty cup and saucer.     Since I already have a desk full of craft items,  I used my trusty tube of E6000 glue to glue the cup to the saucer, then let it sit overnight.  This morning before church, I filled it with sunflower seeds and general seed and hung it from a shepherd's hook near the birdbath.  As with anything new in the yard, it will take a while for the birds to get used to it being there.  It is small, but I am hoping the little nuthatches and downy woodpeckers and finches find it!

I never would  have thought that it would be a pleasure to wash the dishes....by HAND! The dish liquid I made with the scent of cucumber melon smells heavenly and I willingly wash every little dish just to smell it!  Even the pots and pans which I have always hated to wash!    My first mistake in making it was to shred 2 bars of natural soap and NOT wait for it to cool completely before putting it in bottles.  Lets just say that TWO  bars were WAY too much and the bottles were full of super thick soap in the morning!  I transferred soap into two more bottles and have been adding, adding, and adding water to get just one bottle to the right consistency.  I think it is finally the way I want it, but now doubt if I could ever recreate it!
I should have used the recipe from an earlier post, but instead of using liquid castile, I used the shredded bar soap.  Maybe I will try the liquid soap next time.

It has been so much fun (and satisfying) in making my own shampoo, soap, detergent, hand creme, etc.  Today I want to share the recipe for  Coconut milk shampoo.  Since I have started using it, I no longer have to use gel or mousse on my hair and it is so soft and silky!  I will never buy store shampoo again!

COCONUT MILK SHAMPOO

1/4 cup coconut milk (You can find canned coconut milk at Walmart)1/3 cup liquid Castile soap (I used Baby Mild unscented Dr Bonners)
1 teaspoon Vitamin E, olive oil or almond oil

Combine all in a bottle or jar, shake well to mix and before each use.  Use only about 1 teaspoon with each use.
I bought a plastic bottle at Hobby Lobby and used an old pump cap on it.  It really conserves and you only need one squirt.  It has wonderful lather!  My husband even loves using it!

As I have said many time,  a gardener I am NOT, but for some reason lately, I have been interested in plants!  Last fall I planted a few bulbs in the back yard and was so pleased that they bloomed this Spring.  My BIL gave me one of his hibiscus plants around Christmas time and it is also blooming!

Was pleased with the colors of the tulips!  The hyacynths (sp) were white, yellow and pink.

Hibiscus are one of my favorite flowering plants (next to lilacs!).  When we lived in Florida, I had a potted  red hibiscus tree on our patio.  It was beautiful!

Scott picked these flowers from my sister, Lorene's old overgrown garden.  They bring back wonderful memories of her!   It doesn't seem possible she has been gone for 12 years and her flowers are still blooming!

New Project for the Home

It has been a while since I have posted. Where does the time go? Over the past couple of months I have been doing DIY laundry detergent, lotions, creams and soap. Here is a recipe I want to try next.

Homemade Liquid Dish Soap Recipe

Ingredients:
-1 ½ cup of hot water
-½ cup castile soap (I usually use Dr. Bronner’s baby mild liquid soap, but feel free to use any scent just be sure to adjust/omit essential oils accordingly. You may want to use a variety that is already scented for a more frugal option.)
-1 tablespoon of white vinegar
-1 tablespoon of Arm&Hammer’s Super Washing Soda (used to thicken the soap)
-1/8 teaspoon of tea tree oil (optional)

Directions:
1. Whisk all ingredients together until thoroughly blended.
2. Store in any dish soap dispensing bottle and use as you would the commercial brands.

Note: You may choose to naturally increase the anti-bacterial qualities of the soap by adding 1/4 tsp. of lavender or eucalyptus essential oils.

The switch to making your own household cleaning products may seem overwhelming at first, but once you establish a routine it will become second nature. From the following items, 100% of my basic cleaning needs are met:

• Borax
• Baking Soda
• Super Washing Soda
• White Vinegar
• Castile Soap
• Essential oils are not necessary but they can be fun to experiment with (I order mine from here. They’re generally less expensive)

Will let you know how I like it!