Homemade Liquid Laundry Detergent

OK . . . as much as I have enjoyed using my gel-type laundry detergent over the years, I'm often asked if I have a recipe for a liquid laundry detergent. And I have to admit, I'm interested in trying it, myself.

Well, my friend, sweet Nanny Dearest, was the one who pushed me over the edge & caused me to research an easy-to-make, easy-to-use, EFFECTIVE liquid detergent recipe. And I believe I have found it . . . with, as always, a little tweaking of my own. lol ~ you KNOW I have to. O:-)

***This recipe makes 2 gallons, it's VERY EASY to cut in 1/2 if you only want to make 1 gallon.

You will need:

~3/4 c. LIQUID castile soap ~I always use Dr. Bronner's because it's a product that I trust for quality & effectiveness. If using "green" products is important to you, this is the one for you, too. I also usually buy the UNscented/Baby soap. These products are available at health food stores & many major grocery stores that are adding "healthy" areas (like Kroger) now carry them.
~1/2 c. Arm & Hammer Washing Soda (NOT baking soda!!!)
~1/2 c. 20 Mule Team Borax
~25-50 drops of your favorite essential oil. I usually use Lavender b/c it is anti-bacterial, anti-fungal & it smells lovely. If you would like some ideas of other essential oils for the laundry check out this post.
~2 gallon bucket, dedicated only to making soaps & laundry products. Be sure to LABEL it so that no one in your family accidentally uses it for cooking. 
~HOT water
~Measuring cup for liquids
~Large-mouth Funnel
~large spoon or whisk
~2 empty gallon jugs or old liquid laundry bottles OR 1 if you are using the 1/2 recipe. 

Directions:

1) In the bucket, mix the 2 powdered products WELL. Whisking blends a little better than using a spoon.
2) Add enough HOT water to cover the dry products. Whisk or stir until the powders are COMPLETELY dissolved.
3) Slowly add the Castile soap; if you add it too fast it will suds. Using a large spoon, stir to mix completely.
4) Using HOT water, slowly fill to the 2 gallon mark OR 1 gallon mark for 1/2 recipe.
5) Add your favorite essential oil & mix well, using the spoon.
6) Use the measuring cup & funnel to fill your container. As these photos (from Google Images) shows, you can use nearly anything that hold liquid & has a good cap/lid for your detergent. :-)

 To show you what you can use, this is what I used to keep my gel-type detergent in. It would work for the liquid, too.

To Use:
1) Shake well before each use.
2) Use approximately 1/3 c for each load. 2 gallons is good for about 90-100 loads!!  

I will up-date this next week w/my own photos. :-) 

Let me know how you LOVE this!

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><

Homemade Translucent Face Powder

Yesterday, I had one of those days where I saw something on Pinterest & thought, "Hey! I make that. Why haven't I blogged about it, yet?"

So, today, I'm going to share my very simple, very effective recipe for homemade translucent face powder. 

Now, admittedly, I have 2 favorite "store-bought" powders that I still use from time-to-time simply because I enjoy them ~ Clinique's Stay Matt Oil Free Pressed Powder, & Christina's Natural Qualities mineral make-up (we sell her products at the health food store I work at, & I talked about her products when I blogged about mineral make-ups).

But a girl needs her options :-) & I am ALWAYS all for the option of making my own cosmetics & skin care. There's nothing like fresh and nothing like knowing & being able to pronounce everything that touches your skin . . . AND saving money by making a product that you love using.

You will need:

~1/2 TB conrstarch
~1 ts baby powder OR talc (if you have talc allergies, you can skip this)
~1/8 ts. (approximately) cocoa powder OR your favorite mineral make-up for a light tint of color
~a clean jar or clean, used mineral make-up container
~a small whisk
~a small mixing bowl

Directions:

1) In a bowl, GENTLY whisk all powdered product together until nicely blended. **NOTE** when adding your cocoa powder OR mineral make-up for light tint, BE SURE TO START SMALL. Add it only until it matches your skin color. You can always add a little more, IF needed ~ depending upon your skin tone & if your have a tan or not. REMEMBER, the idea of powder is to blend it so as NOT to see it. :-)   

2) To apply powder to your face: a] use a large powder brush, a Kabuki brush (above) or a large, fluffy cotton ball 2] Gently dip brush into powder 3] lightly tap brush on inside edge of jar to remove excess 4] lightly dot brush on cheeks, chin, nose & forehead 5] then use brush to blend powder evenly around your whole face.  

3) May be applied over foundation or wear alone.

Let me know how you LOVE this!

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><

Word-Filled Wednesday ~#74~ Better Than I Deserve

"The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor His anger forever; He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us." ~Psalm 103:9-12

"The he said to his servants, 'The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come." ~Matt. 22:8

There is a man who comes into the store where I work, he's a regular customer and a Christian. Whenever he comes in, one of us will say, "Hi Andy, how are ya?" EVERY TIME, he will say, "Better than I deserve!"

. . . And aren't we all doing better than we deserve?

I know I am. When you look up "Sinner saved by grace," you'll find my picture right next to it. Because of Christ's redeeming grace, I have been saved from the sure fires of hell; my eternity will be "better than I deserve."

As Christians, we have all been forgiven much. But we have a bad habit, as time goes on, of "forgetting" just how much the Lord has done for us. We "forget" what we have been saved from. That is the one thing that we must NOT do.

Taking our salvation for granted will cause us to not be the witness we may need to be; to not take it seriously. Eternity in heaven or hell looms before every person who draws breath. Everyday brings us closer to the Lord's return. Will He return in our lifetime? Maybe . . . maybe not. But, all the same, we are not promised tomorrow. 

Everyone we meet who does not know the Lord as their Savior, who has not been forgiven their sins, needs to know ~ needs to be forgiven. They need to know the freedom and love of Jesus Christ. Someone told us, now we need to be there for others ~ they could be family members, neighbors, friends, school-mates, co-workers . . . maybe even the person sitting next to you at church. You never know where someone is in their Christian walk; we are in their lives for a reason. We can introduce them to the Person Who can give them a gift that they, too, do not deserve but is freely given.

Next time someone asks you, "Who are you today?" Tell them, "Better than I deserve!" You never know what opportunities to witness your answer may open up. 

Blessings from Ohio . . .  Kim<><

The Simple Woman's Daybook ~#171~ 11/26/12

For today . . . 

Outside my window . . . lovely blue skies & sunshine with a few clouds here & there. We may have snow flurries tonight.

I am thinking . . . that I am ready for snow. :-)

I am thankful . . . for a great Thanksgiving. Our newly married DD#1 & her husband came over & all of us ~ THE Man, DD#2, Maggie the dog & I ~ had a wonderful day. Good food, good conversation, lots of laughs, football & movies. The way it should be.

From the kitchen . . . fresh loaf of my flax bread.

I am wearing . . . Jeans, red & black "Lakeside" hoodie. To see why our family loves Lakeside, Ohio click HERE & HERE. This is one of our family's favorite places on earth. It's like Mayberry on Lake Erie.

I am creating . . . a peaceful, Christ-centered home.

I am going . . . to go to work later today. Monday's are like that . . . THE Man comes home & I leave. :-(

I am wondering . . . what the new year will bring. I'm praying for GOOD things.

I am hoping . . . that my brother will find peace in his life.

I am reading . . . "A Patriot's History of the United States." I wish this would have been available when we were homeschooling, it would have been required reading as our American history book. It will take a while to read ~ I'm sure I will go back & forth several times ~ but it is fascinating reading from the perspective of someone who LOVES America and tells the truth of our founding and history.

I am looking forward to . . . coming home from work, tonight! Ha!

I am learning . . . that I am not responsible for the choices extended family members make. As much as I love them, sometimes it's best to be around them as little as possible. It takes two. But my prayers continue.

Around the house . . . general pick-up. Getting my bedroom ready to move in my mom's antique bedroom suit. What a treasure, what a blessing to have. I'll try to remember to post some pictures.

One of my favorite things . . . antiques that have been passed through the family. The fingerprints of loving hands now gone.

A few plans for the rest of the week . . . family time, work, reading, blogging, writing church newsletter's weekly devotion, making some plans . . .

A favorite quote for the day . . . "Forgiveness is costly. I must be willing to give up something I think is rightfully mine. Jesus gave up His life to purchase forgiveness of my many sins." ~From my Sunday's sermon notes.

Scripture thought . . ."Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." ~Colossians 3:12-14

A picture thought for you . . . 

I've used this picture as a blog header & as wall paper on my PC for several winters past. This simple scene is very sweet & sentimental to me ~ to me, it looks quite a bit like the farmhouse where my grandpa spent his last few years "at home" as a teenager in southern Ohio; when his family moved from Kentucky.

Read 100's of other Daybooks at Peggy's Simple Woman's Daybook!

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><   

Lincoln's Thanksgiving Proclamation

Unless you homeschool and teach your children accurate history, then it's been a long time since many of us were in school and studied the writings of President Abraham Lincoln. Or maybe you, dear reader, are not a citizen of the United States of America and have no idea of the beginnings of this national holiday. Tomorrow, we celebrate one of our most-loved holidays ~ Thanksgiving. In most homes, is it a day of family get-togethers with yummy, traditional American foods like turkey, mashed potatoes & gravy, green beans, corn, rolls; desserts of many kinds but tradition holds out for pumpkin pie ~ with emphasis on the turkey and pumpkin pie with a little bit of football for good measure. :-)

But the greatest emphasis for the day in our family ~ and many other Americans on this holiday ~ is that of THANKFULNESS. Thankfulness for our great country and the freedoms will have enjoyed during our 236 year history and hope to keep ~ but mostly, the recognizing from WHOM they come from. Almighty God. THE One True God of heaven and earth. Creator, Sustainer and Redeemer of all.

To Him, we are eternally grateful for all He has done for ourselves and for our great country.

In remembrance of the celebration of Thanksgiving Day, here is the Proclamation that President Abraham Lincoln wrote on October 3rd, 1863, establishing the last Thursday of November as a national day of thanksgiving to God Almighty for the blessings He has bestowed upon our great nation . . .

 A Proclamation.

The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful
fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are
prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of
so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart
which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God.

In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes
seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been
preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected
and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military
conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union.

Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested
the plough, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and
coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased,
notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the
consiousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom.

No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the
Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me
fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the
whole American People.

I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are
sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and
Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions
justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national
perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or
sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the
Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to
(/insurance)
the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the City of Washington, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-
three, and of the Independence of the Unites States the Eighty-eighth.

By the President: Abraham Lincoln

Blessings and Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours . . . Kim<><