Liquid Laundry Detergent

The link to my friend's site no longer works, so I'm reposting her laundry detergent recipe here. I have a HE front load washer and have been using this detergent for about a year now with no problems whatsoever...

So fresh and so clean, clean...

The only thing I hate worse than doing laundry is paying for laundry detergent. Thank goodness for this recipe. When I made this recipe, I cut the amounts in half, making one gallon. That amount filled my old, empty laundry detergent container and cost about $1. The original detergent (ALL free and clear) cost about $10... that's a significant savings for a few minutes of work.

Ingredients (makes approx 1 gallon of liquid laundry detergent):

1/3 bar grated laundry soap (Zote, Fels-Naptha, Dr Bronners)

1/3 cup washing soda (NOT baking soda)

1/4 cup Borax

1 gallon of water, divided in half

Directions:

Place a large stock pot on the stove. Add 2 quarts (8 cups) water and the grated soap.

    ** I've found it easiest to "shave" the soap with a sharp knife kind of like making chocolate shavings. 

        It makes less mess and has easier cleanup than a cheese grater and works just as quickly

Heat the mixture over medium heat just to a simmer. Let simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring until the soap is completely dissolved. A wire whisk works pretty well for this

Once the bar soap is dissolved, add the Washing Soda and the Borax. Continue to stir until they are both dissolved. This will take another minute or two.

Remove from heat and add the other 2 quarts. Stir to combine.

Cover and let sit for 24 hours. The mixture will separate with a thick congealed layer on top. Just give it another good whisk or use an electric mixer to reincorporate. Last time I made it, I put it in my blender and it came out really smooth and pourable. Use a funnel and ladle to pour the mixture into an old detergent container or other container of your choice.

     **The mixture will have a tendency to continue separate a little even after it has cooled. 

         Just give it a good shake before using.

Use just like brand name laundry detergent!!

Here's an easy reference chart to show how I came up with the $1 per gallon price

Personally, I prefer not to have extra fragrance in my laundry detergent, so this recipe is perfect for me. To soften my clothes and add a light fragrance, I fill a downy ball 1/3 full with white vinegar (yes, more vinegar...you'll see that a lot on this page) and add about 10 drops of lavender essential oil.

And, instead of using fabric softener sheets, you can made your own economical and eco-friendly dryer balls using only wool yarn. Add a little essential oils before throwing them in the dryer with your clothes, and you end up with a nice light laundry scent with no waste!!

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I am OBSESSED with sugar skulls. I found this image here

Refashion: Scarf to Vest

Here is a quick, no-sew way to turn a scarf into a lose, flowy vest.

I can't take the credit for the idea. (I saw it here first) Some of the commenters had complained that the directions were a little unclear, so I thought I'd try to make it easier to follow.

Homemade Weed Spray (Non-toxic)

I can't take credit for this recipe. However, I've seen it posted on so many different sites that I don't feel bad about stealing and reposting.

(Sorry... I know the hose in the picture is annoying and distracting, but I had to set up a temporary sprinkler for some freshly planted bulbs. I could have moved it for the picture, but I'm not a fan of doing work just so I can re-do it when I'm done)

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I'll admit it. I have been a total slacker lately. I have a whole list of projects I want to get started on, but I haven't had the motivation.

I had 3 days off in a row this week and thought that I would have plenty of time to hippie it up. However, my first day off happened to be my bestie's birthday, so I spent the day preparing for that... making reservations, picking out decorations, etc.

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Everything has pretty much come together, finally! I'm sure we'll be adding and adjusting, but here is the finished craftroom...

ARTS AND CRAFTS: Kids' Craftroom Redo on the Cheap (part 5)

All of the big projects are done now. The space is brighter and more defined. The Wigglets have 3 separate playhouses and a whole art wall. It's looking good, but I still have a LOT of boring blank space to fill; most of it is cold, hard concrete, too.

Off to the fabric store for inspiration...

ARTS AND CRAFTS: Kids' Craftroom Redo on the Cheap (part 4)

I still had my paint supplies out, but I was running low on my free paint. So I decided to paint a border around the floor. I figured it would brighten up the boring concrete a little and would also help define the space (play area versus craft area vs off-limits area). I started out just planning on making a sidewalk design around the outside. This would give them a path between their houses. Plus, I was planning on putting an area rug in the middle anyway. No point painting something that's just going to be covered up.

TEMPLATE: Make your Own Labels (Tattoo Motif)

Here is a template page for labels with an old school tattoo theme.

Just [Right Click] the picture and save to your photos or your documents.

Then, you can open in either "Paint" or "Word" and add your own wording to customize.

Either print onto adhesive backed paper, or print on regular paper and tape or glue to your bottles!

ARTS AND CRAFTS: Kids' Craftroom Redo on the Cheap (part 3)

My basement is fairly large. It runs the entire length of the house, but doesn't have any dividing walls. Like most basements, it's used as my catch-all storage. That being said, it's probably not a good idea to let kids have free reign down there. I couldn't put up actual walls, because as I said in my first post, I didn't want anything permanent or even semi-permanent, and I didn't want to spend a lot of money.

Also, I didn't want to box these kids in, I just wanted to define their space a little. So, how do I provide a barrier, make it fun and keep it cheap? PLAYHOUSES! Those are definitely fun. There's no point exploring the rest of the room is they have their own little world to play in. But, cheap? Hmmmm

GUEST POST: Homemade Laundry Detergent

So fresh and so clean, clean...

The only thing I hate worse than doing laundry is paying for laundry detergent. Thank goodness for this recipe. When I made this recipe, I cut the amounts in half, making one gallon. That amount filled my old, empty laundry detergent container and cost about $1. The original detergent (ALL free and clear) cost about $10... that's a significant savings for a few minutes of work.

TEMPLATE: Make your own labels (Art Nouveau Motif)

Here is a template page for some Art Nouveau style labels to use for your homemade products.

I LOVE This style. It originated in the early 20th century and had a resurgence in the 1960s and 1970s...

Just [Right Click] the picture and save to your photos or your documents.

Then, you can open in either "Paint" or "Word" and add your own wording to customize.

Either print onto adhesive backed paper, or print on regular paper and tape or glue to your bottles!

TEMPLATE: Make your own labels (Black and White Outlines)

Here is a template page of the simple Black and White labels that I use for my homemade products.

Just [Right Click] the picture and save to your photos or your documents.

Then, you can open in either "Paint" or "Word" and add your own wording to customize.

Either print onto adhesive backed paper, or print on regular paper and tape or glue to your bottles!

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Last time I posted about this project, I had just painted all of the walls in (FREE) white paint, gathered from a friend's house...

Seeing the room as a blank canvas gave me the idea to keep that theme for the kids. I would do most of the room in white with some black outlines, and they could use the entire space as a coloring book, when we weren't doing other activities.

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Here is another item I picked up for $1 a pound.

I'm not totally sure if it was a night gown or a dress, but it was so close to being cute that I had to pick it up. It was super soft and comfortable, but it had NO shape. So, I started by turning it inside out and laying it out on my sewing table. I had a summer dress in my closet that fit perfectly, so I used that as a guide.

ARTS AND CRAFTS: Kids' Craftroom Redo on the Cheap

Disclaimer: I am not an expert on children. I do not have children of my own. I do not claim to know anything about kids. In fact, kids freak me out a little.

However...

Last fall, my boyfriends kids (AKA: the Wigglets), started showing an interest in art. WOOHOO!! What I lack in knowledge about kids, I make up for with knowledge about arts and crafts. Art was a HUGE part of my childhood. And I couldn't wait to introduce them to paint and glue and GLITTER!!

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About a year ago, I went scavenging through one of those "$1 per Pound" thrift store outlets. I grabbed a few sweaters with the sole intention of turning them into scarves or hats someday. I threw them in my sewing room, and there they sat, waiting for a moment of inspiration (or boredom, but mostly inspiration)

This one had decent bones: 100% cotton, neutral colors, good condition. But the neckline was wonky, It was too wide to be a turtleneck, too narrow to be a cowl, and it had a these weird flaps to tie it down in front.

Creamsicle Bath Fizz

These bath bombs are just as soothing to the skin as the Lavender Vanilla ones I posted last week, but the bright Orange-Vanilla scent will perk you up, even during these gloomy winter months.

Lavender Vanilla Bath Fizz

These bath bombs are like a mini trip to the spa. They are soothing to the skin and calming to the senses. Unlike a spa visit, these bad boys won't kill your bank account. (They cost roughly $0.80 per bath)