I used the bottles....and I got more!!

I walked down to my local shit shop yesterday ( I call it that because it has all sorts of shit, no disrespect meant) and I bought out all the bottles they had on hand. So I have added 26 more of those little bottles to my collection!! I also found a hideously beautiful bowl that I will use for offerings and I picked up a small silver spoon that I will probably use for my loose incense. I got such an amazing deal on it all that I was giddy all day :) Plus I saw a gazillion squirrels on my walk. It took me twice as long to get home because I had to stop and talk to them all lol
Ok back to the bottles.I had a previous post here about them and I was looking for ideas for their use. I sincerely want to thank you all for giving me ideas! I haven't had time to get to all of them but I will.

I have a very very small alter that is not even set up yet, its just got stuff tossed on it :( But to be honest it doesn't feel like I should set it up yet. I don't feel ready for whatever reason. So I have been going with my gut and not done it. Anyway the lack of space on there got me thinking of how I could represent the elements and then I got a idea :) I made element bottles.Here they are.

The earth one is dirt I got from under my fav squirrel tree outside.The air one has 3 feathers shed from my mothers bird.The fire one has 3 match sticks and the water one is moon water that I got during July's full moon.
I'm still looking for ideas since I have alot of bottles to use here, so keep the ideas coming.
Also there will be giveaway very soon ;) Keep a eye out!!

Does anyone have a toothpaste recipe? Edited

Im not very satisfied with my own toothpaste recipe anymore, its a bit lacking IMO. I have just found a new recipe but Im nervous to try it :{
I am wondering if anyone has a tried and true homemade toothpaste recipe they would like to share? One with common ingredients also, cause Im broke lol

Edit: Here is the recipe that I use now :
Baking soda
A few drops of peroxide ( I heard it is bad for daily use so I want to cut that out)
Veg. glycerin
And wintergreen EO ( food grade)
Mixed into a paste

What would you do?

Just to tell you all up front I have a bottle fetish.I don't know what it is but I LOVE bottles, jars and containers in general.They don't even have to be cute,I still love them.But I horde them then I don't really use them.I have found a fantastic deal on some little corked bottles and a I have a few larger ones.I am DYING to do something with them.

But I'm not really sure what to use them for.I have a few ideas but I wanted some ideas from all of you :)

As of right now I have 23 of the little corked bottles and I have 7 or 8 of the other ones.I have it set up to go later this week and buy up a whole bunch more :)
Ok so I'm up for any and all suggestions! What would you use them for?

My eyes are about to pop out

I have been thinking about Halloween/Samhain alot lately.I want to get started as soon as possible.Halloween has a bit of a special meaning to me and I might share that on another post.Also my friend got married on Halloween which is beyond kickass.Well tonight I was in the spirit and I erroneously thought to myself 'Hey I think I will see if I can make up a blog background/header, it shouldn't take too long'
0_0
ummm I have been at it for hours! The program I use for digital editing is free so its a bit limited.I try to stretch its possibilities as far as I can, but to do the simplest things it takes so much time.I tried Photoshop once and I couldn't figure it out.I think that I will have to unlearn everything I already know about my program and then try to relearn photoshop.I just don't have it in me to do that so I use what I'm familiar with.
So anyway... here I was, it was about 1am, I just got done watching a old episode of American Gladiator ( You have no idea how ashamed I am to admit that) and I thought to myself that it was chilly tonight and it reminded me of fall and then I got Halloween on the brain.So I decided to mess around with a Halloween idea for this here blog.
Now my eyes are rebelling, my back hates me and I feel like a loser for not being able to quite pull off what I wanted to.So Lucky for you all I thought I would come on here and whine about it lol All I know is I could totally use one (or 3) of those candy corn cocktails Mrs.B was talking about.
I will probably end up switching my layout tomorrow sometime.I hate that I put this much time into it so I have to use it.I'm so scared it wont work and I did all that for nothing.


Maybe it wont look so gloomy in the morning, right?? :)

My Poo life

Being 'poo' free is the shit( what a cheesy play on words huh? lol) But its true.I NEVER have to run to the store to get shampoo or conditioner cause I always have the stuff on hand.I can make the shampoo/conditioner to fit my hair style and personal needs.Its all natural and almost everything I use you can eat.I do not like to put things on my body that I would not put in it.So if I wont eat it chances are I wont use it.BUT the recipes I use for my 'shampoo' and 'conditioner' have essential oils in them.MOST that I use are safe for consumption ( however tea tree and neem oil should not be ingested).But other than that everything I use is right there in the kitchen.What I use to wash my hair I make up everytime I need it.The conditioner I make ahead of time and let sit.I have used the conditioner mix right after mixing and its ok but letting it marinate for a while makes it so you get all the goodness out of the herbs.I like to let mine sit in a cool dark place, for atleast 2 weeks, giving it a good shake everyday.
Hair is not as dirty as people think.Unless your rolling around in the mud ( ohh fun!) or something equally as messy, then you hair isn't all that 'dirty'.From what I have read, heard from others and dealt with personally I can tell you that if your hair is extra oily, then its your hairs way of rebelling against the product you are using on it.It feels the need to kick out oils to protect whats being done with it.Like someone who commented in my last post I used to have unbelievably oily hair at the root but it was dry as a bone on the ends.What I was using was stripping my hair of its all natural oils and so it was producing tons to replace it and I never gave it a chance to right itself.
I shouldn't even say that I wash my hair because that's not very accurate.What I wash is my scalp.My hair gets washed in the process but I don't 'wash' it.And I only 'wash' my hair about 2 times a week, the rest of the time I only use the 'conditioner'.On the off days I just rinse my hair as if there was shampoo in it.Its called water washing it.Its not healthy to cleanse your hair everyday.I was weary of this in the beginning and of my hair not getting clean enough, so if anyone is reading this and sitting there thinking ewwww, just know I was in your shoes before I switched also.I couldnt get my mind to switch from a bottle telling to 'wash, rinse and repeat'... to no bottle, no lather and more rinsing than washing.The lack of lather was what took me the longest to get used to.I used to think lather was what cleaned my hair.I'm glad I know better now.
At the end of this I'm going to post what herbs work best for what hair type and hair issue, so you all can personalize your mixes.Here is what I use and how I use it.Just a heads up I have hair to the middle of my back, you might need more or less mix for yourself.

For my 'shampoo' I mix:

• About 4 cups of very warm water ( Not too hot that you burn your scalp)
• About 2 TBSP of baking soda
• About 1/4 cup of my homemade Orange Oil Cleaner
  
• Sometimes I add a drop or two of Tea tree and Neem oils
  

That's it.I mix the orange oil and baking soda together ( cause I like to watch it bubble and fizz lol) then I add the water.The baking soda and orange oil cleans the hair like you would not believe! You dont have to use the orange oil cleaner, but its super easy to make and does work better.Baking soda and water will work as well.But I love how the orange oil cleans and plus I love the orange smell :) The white vinegar in the orange oil cleaner practically dissolves dandruff and keeps it at bay.Its amazing! I mix this up, take it to the shower and scrub my scalp while I pour it on.I grab my hair and squish it through my hair like I'm milking it.Then I let it sit for a minute or two and then rinse.Now, for me anyway, when its in my hair my hair feels very matted and I was scared the 1st time I used it.I don't know why this happens but its something I had to get used to.I just wanted to give you a heads up in case it happens to anyone who tries this, don't freak out.It goes away :) Ok so after its sets I rinse, scrubbing while the water runs through it.You have to rinse very thoroughly with this.If you leave any left on you will be able to tell.Next step is to condition.Now this recipe is for MANY conditioning treatments and this is what I let sit for atleast 2 weeks.You can use right away too if you wish.

For my 'conditioner' I mix:

• 1 bottle of Apple Cider Vinegar
• Whatever herb suits your needs, I'll post some of them later.

I add rosemary,sage,chamomile,catnip,lavender and the essential oils Neem and peppermint to mine.I use more of some than of others but its usually a big handful of each per large jug of Apple Cider Vinegar.I really pack them in there.I'll post the properties of the different herbs at the end of this.I have, in a pinch, just used apple cider vinegar alone.
I apply the conditioner by using a old condiment bottle.I strain the vinegar mix into the bottle about 1/4 to 1/2 way up the bottle and then fill the rest with water.I use about 1/4 to 1/2 of the bottle each time I use it.I coat my hair with the mix and scrub it into my scalp same as I do with the shampoo.And I milk it just like the shampoo.Then I let this sit for atleast 3 minutes.Since I have curly hair I pick my hair out with the conditioner in it to help detangle it and make sure it worked its way through.To keep my curls intact I NEVER pick my hair out any other time then that.Not after I get out of the shower or when its dry.I will finger pick it if I need to, but pulling on curls takes the spring out of them.So after the conditioner has sat a few minutes I rinse but this time I don't rinse as thoroughly as I do with the shampoo.I want some of this to stay in.Just to warn you there IS a vinegar smell, I have come to like it and it does not bother me in the least.Don't be scared of this.It goes away completely once your hair is dry.I went to one of my sons track meets last year with my hair still wet.One of the boys on his team asked me if I had been eating Salt and Vinegar chips lol The same day people there were having a terrible time because of gnats or some little bug flying up in their faces.They must not like the smell of my hair cause I didn't have one bother me :)
If anyone has any questions please let me know.I will answer them as best I can and if I dont know the answer I will get it for you.Now there were some people who left comments in my other poo post ( lol that sounds funny ) who were concerned about ethnic hair.When I started out researching this MOST of the info I got was from sites for natural ethnic hair care.My children are multi racial, my sons hair is very thick but my daughters hair is thinner than mine.So my family's hair goes from thick to thin.This works on us all.I have also seen women with bone straight baby fine hair who have a very similar hair care regime.You just need to find out what works for you, and tweak your recipes accordingly.Some might need less baking soda or more to cleanse their hair.You will just know and it wont take long to figure it out.There also was another comment about dandruff.Seriously if you do not wish to go all out and go this natural just use a treatment of white vinegar.Mix 1/2 vinegar with 1/2 water and let it sit in your hair for a few mins, scrub then rinse.You will see the difference right away.I told you in my other post that I tried many recipes in the beginning of my natural hair journey that did not work for me.I was going to post those here but I can see how long this post is getting so Im going to pass for now.If anyone wants to know those just leave me a comment and I will put up a post with those recipes.
Ok here's a list of herbs and their properties.Some research on your own will pull up more but this will start you out.

• Burdock: root helps prevent dandruff

• Catmint/Catnip: leaves encourage hair growth and soothes scalp irritations
  

• Chamomile: flowers soften and lighten hair

• Lavender: antiseptic, antibiotic, stimulates hair growth, and degreases hair loss
  

• Parsley: enriches hair color and gives a nice luster

• Rosemary: tonic and conditioner, one of the best herbs to use, gives luster and body, also slightly darkens the hair
  

• Sage: tonic and conditioning, darkens the hair

• Stinging Nettle: tonic and conditioning and helps prevent dandruff
  

There are tons more but this is a good list to start out with.I was going to post pics with this but I think its long enough as it is.I will post one pic at the end because Hyla requested it :) Its the Aloe Vera that we use as our only styling product.Ok that's not true, sometimes I use coconut oil too.But not all that often.If anyone tries this out PLEASE come back and let me know how it worked for you.If you have decided to try this out please realize that it IS a process and like I talked about in the other post, there is a transition you have to go through but it is TOTALLY worth it.Unless your lucky like my daughter and switched over without a hitch, that lucky duck.Alright enough rambling from me, here's your pic Hyla.Just so you know its on the back wall of our walmart before you get to the pet dept.Its on the bottom row.( Hyla and I are neighbors so we go to the same wally world :D )

Merry Mixing!!!

I am Poo free! (almost)

I am poo free!! Not that kind of poo, I'm still full of it ;)The 'poo' I'm talking about is shampoo. I said almost in the title cause I'm a big fat cheater and I have given in a few times.
I decided to go poo free about 2 yrs ago.I was chicken for almost a year.Then I decided to let my daughter be my guinea pig.My daughter transitioned about a yr ago and her transition went smoother than expected.Well she had ZERO transition actually.My daughter is multi racial and has very fine curly hair.I'm not sure if this is what helped her switch over so easily or not.She co washes...which means washes her hair with conditioner.I have yet to find a homemade conditioner that works for her and she refuses to use the conditioner I use.So I still buy hers,But she is 'poo' free.I am taking baby steps to get her totally off any store bought hair care products, even ones marked natural.But for now I worry less about all those chemicals in the shampoo.Like methylisothiazolinone(eeek).Or any number of these: sodium laureth, sodium lauryl sulfate, diethanolamine, momothanolamine, triethanolamine...I can go on.Check this place out, it breaks it all down for you.And these just name a few.They are tons of little evil chemical compounds in every little drop of shampoo.
Since I have made my own transition I have MUCH healthier hair.I have loose curly hair that loved to frizz up, not a issue anymore.And it grows much faster.My transition was ugly and lasted far longer than it should have because I'm a cheater.You hair goes through a bit of a rebellious stage when you switch over.It did not help that I tried many different home made shampoos that I HATED.If I had used in the beginning what I use now I would not have had so many issues.Ahh live and learn.So since I have switched over, about 7 months ago, I have used a store bought(but all natural) shampoo maybe 4/5 times.Most of those times were in the beginning weeks and I used a homemade shampoo what was horrid for my hair type.I had to fix the damage :\ But I'm getting in the swing of things now and think I'm in the clear.I have a bit of psoriasis and things are MUCH better now that I stopped using shampoo.When I was still using shampoo I would have to switch every few months because I would get flakes, or it would stop working well on my hair or the fragrance would end up making me itch like crazy or my psoriasis would act up.I haven't had to worry about any of those things in the past few months.My hair doesn't stink or smell dirty, it just smells like clean hair.If I want my hair to smell fresh and purty I have a spray bottle with water and essential oils in it and if I want to freshen up I can give it a spritz.I never feel the need to though, ok its cause I'm lazy and never think of it.
I have also cut out all styling products for myself and my daughter.Now her hair is unruly.It takes me 20 mins ( at least) in the morning to just pick it all out.But to style it and keep it in line what we both use is all natural Aloe Vera.It's fantastic!! We use the clear kind, not the green kind with all the extra stuff in it.I buy mine from Walmart.I use it when I braid her hair also and it holds great.If you have curly hair give it a try, I swear you will not be disappointed.But on the up side if you are disappointed you can still use it. Aloe has a million uses.
Tomorrow I am going to post my hair care routine and the recipes I use/have used. Some didn't work for me but they might work for someone else :)
Love & Light

Natural solutions to your monthly cycle

I have been using a natural product for my moon cycle (menstrual cycle) for over the past 6 months.I decided to switch over from store bought for many many reasons.I didnt like the chemicals used in either tampons or pads, I didnt like the HUGE waste it produces and I like to save money.I couldnt see buying something that just gets wasted every month and thrown into the waste pile.I havent used tampons for years because after I had my son they were no longer comfortable for me.So I went out on a search for a more eco friendly alternative.I found cloth pads and I LOVE them.I have had no issues with them other than there is more work involved with them since you have to wash them and all.I hand wash mine because I dont want them in the washer with everything else and I want to make sure they are extra clean.I do not mind hand washing them and for me there was no yuck factor.Mine are handmade and I have bought mine from a few women on Etsy.
But then I began to view my moon cycle in a spiritual light.I already blogged about that and I will again, just to warn ya'll. I had read up on uses of menstrual blood and its significance in cultures.Since my moon time came to mean a time of power for me I thought it was wasteful to just throw it away.Some women collect their menstrual blood every month and mix it with water and feed their plants.They claim that they grow faster and fuller,which I believe to be true.Some women collect theirs every month for magickal purposes.I thought of using mine for both.....since its a sustainable resource and all lol I doubt I will run out any time soon.
So in my quest to find ways to collect my moon flow AND be gentle on the earth I came across two products.One you may have heard of but the other thats not so often spoke of.I contacted a few companies and asked them if I could do a product review on their product and 2 said yes.
I will be posting a review of one of the products tomorrow...or later tonight since Im so excited lol I have tons of pics ( of the product, nothing yucky lol) and just to give a warning I will be VERY open in my review.So if your squeamish you may want to use caution.
Does anyone have any natural or alternative solutions to their moon cycle that they would like to share?
Love & Light

Homemade: Green Tea Facial

Let me start by saying I am a firm believer that you shouldn't put anything on your body that you wont put in it.The skin absorbs EVERYTHING.All of these recipes are made from things you can eat and are more than likely in your kitchen cupboards.Just think,within minutes you could be treating your skin to a gourmet facial!
Green tea has such beneficial qualities that its a shame to only drink it.It not only works as a detox for your body it can detox your face as well.And if you happen to have any left over in your mug theres no longer need to waste it by pouring it down the drain! Green tea is chock full of antioxidants and many crucial elements that we need, if you sweeten up your tea with sugar or honey all the better.(But more on that later)Green tea is cheap and readily available.If you use a bag to cleanse your face you wont miss it out of the box.It can also be used as a daily toner and as a soother for sunburn.There are many simple recipes that are easy to alter to suit your needs.I have a few basic ones that you can have fun with.
*Please take care to avoid the eye area with all of these recipes.

Basic tea cleaner

• 1-2 bags of green tea
  
• 1/3-3/4 cup boiling water

That's it.This is the base for all the other recipes.Let the tea bags steep in the water for 10-15 mins.Much longer then if you are going to drink it but you want all the goodness extracted from the tea and your skin wont mind the bitterness.Let the tea cool, to speed it up put it in the fridge.Then use it to wash your face.Or instead of cooling it use this as a steam to open and cleanse the pores.
If your looking for a exfoliant try this out.


Green tea Sugar exfoliant

• 1-2 tbsp of the basic tea cleaner
• 3 tbsp sugar of your choice ( white, brown or a mix)

With tea at lukewarm temp mix with 2 tbsp sugar.( Don't use hot tea, it will melt the sugar)Add the rest of the sugar till it is at the texture you want.Apply using your fingers to your face and GENTLY massage into the skin for 1-2 mins.Then rinse well with warm water and pat dry.If you notice any redness to your skin after exfoliating this is normal and should subside within minutes.Exfoliating is great for the skin because it removes dead skin cells and opens pores for a thorough cleaning.It helps in circulation of the area and promotes the repair of stressed skin.

Next if you chose to you can apply the green tea as a toner.This will further help detox the skin and sooth it.Simply take some of the left over basic tea cleanser and apply it to your skin and let dry.

There are countless things you can add to the basic cleaner tomake this fit your skins needs
.
Here are a few to start you off:

Honey: Helps sooth sensitive skin and moisturizes.

Lemon: Works as a deep cleaner and is good for oily skin.

Yogurt: Is for sensitive skin and soothes problem skin.

Olive oil: Works great as a deep moisturizer for dry skin.


Green Tea Mask:

• 1/4 cup of the basic tea cleaner

Add one or many of the following.

Rice or Oatmeal flour:Easy enough to make if you have a food processor.Soother, moisturizes and makes skin super smooth.

Powdered milk:Will moisturize your skin and make it smoother than you have felt in years.

*Herbs: Since there are too many to cover and some people should avoid certain ones due to health issues or pregnancy I wont list any.Do your research.

So give these a try.They are cheap and you have nothing to lose.All of these recipes are safe to use on children (research thoroughly the herbs if you chose to use).So why not pamper yourself and have a fun spa day right there in your kitchen?
Merry Mixing!

Homemade: All purpose orange oil cleaner

I have switched most of my household cleaners to homemade ones.This one is fantastic(no cleaning pun intended).Orange oil cuts through grease amazingly and almost everyone I know uses a cleaning product that has orange oil in it.It has been over a year since I started making this and I LOVE how well it cleans and I also love the scent.It makes me want to drink it, and I could since there are no chemicals in it.My daughter has (had) terrible asthma but since I have taken most chemicals out of my house it has cut down dramatically. She was on a rescue inhaler and a preventive one.Both of which she used everyday.She no longer is on the preventive one and hardly uses the rescue one.Changing over is one of the best choices I have made.Not to mention the fact that this stuff is super cheap to make....which Im all for. It does take time, but it isnt time consuming.The worst part of the process is waiting since this isnt something you can whip up and use on the spot.(I have another cleaner like that if anyone wants me to post it, let me know)This is made with items you probably have on hand and if not you will find in the grocery store.The vinegar used in this is a great disinfectant and deodorizer.And the oranges cut through grease better than anything else I have tried and they are yummy too!

Heres what you will need:

• Orange peels ~ I use organic so it's not coated with chemicals
  
• Vinegar
• Spray bottle

That's all it takes. Seriously. Well that and time.Save all of your orange peels when you eat them, it can be one at a time.You dont have to eat them all at once lol Then add them to your bottle of vinegar.Store the vinegar in a cool dark place.Mine is under the kitchen sink.Every day or so take the bottle out and give it a few hard shakes.I let mine sit for about 4 weeks before I use it to clean with.Fill up your spray bottle anywhere from 1/4 to 1/2 full of the orange/vinegar mix and the rest with water.Then clean away.When the bottle gets low get a new bottle ready to go.I save some of the orange/vinegar mix and add it to my new batch to get things started.When I start a new batch I take the peels from the old bottle and wring them out to get all their goodness and that helps the start of the new batch also.I have other uses for the cleaner also but I will save that for another post.If you have any questions about this please click on the contact button and I will get back to you as soon as I can.Merry mixing!

Homemade : All natural deodorant

If you haven't heard of the evils of store bought deodorant and the chemical poisons that are used in it you might want to look into it ASAP.Run to google and you will find tons of sites with lots of info.Go on now.Scoot!( I could spend hours telling you but I just want to get to the recipe lol)

Ok,Back? Did you see what I was talking about? Ready for a all natural substitute you can make at home with items you likely have on hand? One that has a handful of ingredients and is organic? Did I mention it takes less than 5 mins to make? Seriously, what could be more appealing than a item that stops you from stinkin up the place, is all natural, handmade by you in minutes, and is CHEAP?? And let me say this right now.I can sweat!I used to buy the clinical strength commercial deodorants and I still had issues with sweat and smell.But this stuff is AMAZING!

Here's what it takes:

• ~Coconut oil
• ~Baking Soda
• ~Corn Starch
• ~Tea Tree Oil
• ~Lavender Oil

That's it.You can also add other essential oils of your choice but this is all I use.The tea tree oil and the lavender oil are used for their antibacterial properties.That is what kills the funky smell.The baking soda works as the same but it also keeps you dry along with the corn starch.The coconut oil holds it all together and makes your skin smooth.
In a bowl mix 1/4 cup baking soda and 1/4 cup corn starch.Mix well.Melt 1/4 cup of coconut oil and add a couple TBSP at a time till you get a texture mud.You want it to end up thick like a paste BUT this stuff thickens as it sits.What you have in the beginning is not what you will have in about 24 hrs.So make it about 1/2 as thin as you want it to be in the end.My 1st batch came out THICK( I don't know if you can tell in the pic below).Whats great about this is that it still works no matter what the consistency is.It just makes it easier to work with if its on the creamier side.And if it doesn't get to the texture you want tweaking it is easy.Just add a bit of what you need till its where you want it.( Too thin add Baking soda/corn starch and too thick add coconut oil) I am also thinking about coming up with a liquid deodorant that I can put in a little spritz bottle.

Anyway here it is:


My container is the glass one on the right.I have had it for about 2 months and that's what is missing.Granted I don't use it everyday, but almost.I just scoop a little bit (very little) out and spread it on.A little goes a long way with this stuff.I don't have to reapply it either.This stuff is that good.I will NEVER go back to store bought.The plastic container on the left is my sisters that I just made.If you can see it the consistency is goopy like mud.In a few hours it should thicken up quite a bit and be creamy but firm.Go ahead and try it out! It works great, costs pennies and you wont have to run to the store and buy poison in a stick.Plus the containers you put this stuff in can be found in the kitchen OR you can even reused your old deodorant stick( save them from the landfill).Just fill them up,let them sit overnight to thicken, then use. If anyone tries it out please let me know what you thought.Merry Mixing!