Solid Perfume Recipe by Leah B.

Please enjoy this solid perfume recipe and article from our guest writer, Leah B!

This is the perfect homemade gift for every girl on your list!  Mother, co-worker, friend, grandma, or neighbor.  Perfume is a classic present, and when it's made by hand it makes it even more special!  This recipe is very easy, but you would never guess that.

Solid perfume has recently become very popular...you just pour this in a small jar or container (with lid) and it will last forever!  Beeswax and essential oils can become pricey depending on where you live, but you use very little in this recipe, which means you can use one batch of either over and over again.  This makes it very inexpensive gift.

3 Tablespoons grated beeswax
6 Tablespoons almond oil
4 Vitamin E capsules
Essential or Fragrance Oils

Combine beeswax and almond oil.  Melt mixture in a double broiler.  Remove from heat and add the Vitamin E by puncturing the capsules (with a pin) and squirting the contents into the bowl.  Fill a small container almost to the top.  Add 8-10 drops of oil and stir with toothpick.  Leave mixture undisturbed until it solidifies.  Wrap and give! 

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Natural Remedies: Colds

I am sorry this was late!  My life has been crazy so I did not get this posted on Wednesday -- sorry for the delay!

COLDS 

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Symptoms

§  Sore throat & swollen tonsils

§  Stuffed or runny nose

§  Coughing or sneezing

§  Watery eyes

§  Fever & headache

Home Remedies

§  STEAM: Inhale steam to release congestion and relieve a dripping nose.  This can be done through boiling water or with a humidifier in the house.

§  BLOW: Blow your nose often!  This is your body’s way of getting rid of infection!

§  GARGLE: Gargle with warm salt water or with apple cider vinegar.  This will moisten a sore or scratchy throat, bring temporary relief, and help kill those bad germs.

§  SHOWERS: Take lots of showers.  This will assist your body by keeping you clean, warm, and enveloping yourself with steam.

§  HOT PACKS: Apply hot packs around your congested sinuses.  These hot packs are better if moist/wet.

§  SLEEP: Sleep with an extra pillow on your head.  This will allow for drainage of the sinuses, allowing you to heal faster.

§  GARLIC: Consume as much garlic as possible – be it mixed with drinks, soups, or eating raw garlic.

§  HERBAL REMEDIES: Don’t forget to take your Vitamin C, Echinacea, and Zinc!

§  HONEY: Consume a tablespoon of honey at various times throughout the day in order to provide relief for sore or scratchy throats.  Honey also contains a high amount of antioxidants helping you fight the infection.  Honey can also be mixed with lemon juice or teas for a more tasty concoction.

§  GINGER TEA: Ginger tea (often mixed with honey) is known as a highly effective combatant against viruses.

§  VICK’S VAPOR RUB: Rub Vick’s Vapor Rub on the feet, back, and chest in order to help relieve congestion.

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Diet

§  ORANGES & APPLES: Give energy and increases body resistance to infection.

§  GREEN LEAFY VEGETABLES: will regulate digestion and help remove toxins.

§  BROTHS: Broths are a very effective way of gaining nutrition, as well as staying hydrated.  These warmed broths will also sooth sore throats.

§  DRINK at all times.  Be sure to drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses per day.  It is beneficial to drink lots of hot liquids, although the cold liquids will help keep you hydrated just as much. 

§  AVOID: ALL oily and spicy food, along with all sweets/sugar/caffeine and ALL dairy.

Other

§  REST as much as possible.

§  WARMTH: keep your body warm, as this will help keep your energy up (instead of your body having to fight to keep you warm!).

§  MEDICATION: Medicines are appropriate to use to bring relief if all natural remedies seem to be ineffective.  Just be careful to follow allow appropriate directions.

PLEASE NOTE: These are only natural home remedies that no professional has reviewed or written.  This is not to take the place of professional medical advice, it is merely to aid you at home.  If you are concerned, it is best to call your doctor and follow instructions given by him/her.

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Bath Salts Recipe!

We hope you enjoy this bath salts recipe from our guest writer, Leah B! 

Bath Salts - from Leah B.

Epsom Salts

Food Coloring

Scents (Soap scents can be found very reasonably at craft stores, but essential or fragrance oils work as well)

By combining these three simple ingredients, this is one of the sweetest things you can make for someone for Christmas.  Simply mix scents, food coloring, and epsom salts to the desired smell and color and quantity.  Allow it to dry on a paper towel for several hours and then package as desired. 

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Natural Remedies: Fevers

FEVERS

Symptoms

§  A fever is any body temperature over 99 degrees Fahrenheit

When to be Concerned and Call the Doctor

§  Newborns: Anytime there is a fever over 99 degrees Fahrenheit

§  Infants: Anytime there is a fever over 101 degrees Fahrenheit (anything lower than 97 degrees is a concern as well

§  Children & Adults: anything over 103 degrees Fahrenheit

§  If the fever lasts for more than two days straight, is accompanied by confusion and a stiff neck

§  IF THE FEVER IS OVER 105 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT, THIS IS A LIFE THREATENING EMERGENCY.  Call 911.

Home Remedies

§  HONEY & GINGER: Combine 1 tablespoon of honey with 2-3 drops of ginger.  Swallow this to help bring down a fever.  Honey is also effective by itself.

§  ELDERFLOWER TEA: Elderflower tea is believed to draw the fever down, especially in children.

§  VINEGAR SOCKS: Soak socks or towels in white vinegar.  Wrap around feet and wrists to bring down fever within an hour.  The socks can also be soaked in 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with 1 cup of water instead of straight white vinegar.

§  EGG WHITE SOCKS: Soak socks in egg whites.  Wrap around feet to draw the fever down.

§  BATHS: Take room-temperature baths (NOT cold) to help bring the body’s temperature down.

§  VICK’S VAPOR RUB: Rub Vick’s Vapor Rub on the feet and back to help bring down fever.

Diet

§  ORANGES & APPLES: Give energy and increases body resistance to infection.

§  GREEN LEAFY VEGETABLES: will regulate digestion and help remove toxins.

§  DRINK at all times.  If accompanied with stomach ailment, sip often to keep hydrated but not fill stomach too fast.

§  AVOID: ALL oily and spicy food, along with all sweets/sugar.

Other

§  REST as much as possible

§  AVOID sudden changes in temperature

§  MEDICATION: If medication is necessary, Tylenol/Acetaminophen is preferred over aspirin and ibuprofen, especially in children.  If taking medication for longer amounts of time, alternate between Acetaminophen & Ibuprofen.

§  SWEAT: Allow your body to sweat.  This is your body’s way of naturally releasing the heat and toxins.

PLEASE NOTE: These are only natural home remedies that no professional has reviewed or written.  This is not to take the place of professional medical advice, it is merely to aid you at home.  If you are concerned, it is best to call your doctor and follow instructions given by him/her.

Home Remedies Notebook

I know we've all been there at some point in time.  That time where you have the chills, a fever, and some sort of virus is plaguing you.  It's a miserable place to be...but oftentimes there are natural home remedies to make you feel so much better WITHOUT taking medicine.  Now don't get me wrong, I'm not anti-medicine.  I'm just anti-too-much medicine!  I've had times where I've  been really sick and needed to go on antibiotics and they've helped.  I also have had times where the antibiotics have helped one thing and made my life miserable for months in other ways.  It's all a balance.

There are times when you'll need to go to the doctor...and when

Organization: Family Management Notebook

I've been working on getting my life organized before the baby comes and one of the things I have been working on is a family management notebook for our household.  I first thought it was a good idea when I ran across this post while surfing through some blogs: http://www.thebettermom.com/2011/08/family-management-in-emergency-situations-legos-optional/

To put it lightly, I LOVED her idea.  Now, there are some parts where I thought this very ingenious lady was a wee bit crazy.  For instance, no thanks, but I am NOT keeping important information such as bank account numbers, driver's license numbers, and social security cards in one notebook so that anyone could just snatch it.  Sorry, but that just sounds like identity theft in the making.  I suppose that if you are very careful with the information (as I am sure Amy Bayliss is) you could do it safely, but I want this notebook to be available and easy to find.  I don't want to be worried about where I place it, who sees it, etc.  So I will not be putting any sort of HIGHLY sensitive information in it.

This is what I HAVE put in it thus far, however.  I currently took her front cover template and changed it just

Baby Clothing Ideas

So, I have been perusing the price of clothes for babies...and can we just say ridiculous?!  I am not spending $40 on some outfits that my child is going to wear for 3 months.  ::Shakes head::  So....I started thinking.  A lot.  Here is my thought process.

It started with "THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS."  And then I went to Joann.com for something totally different.  While there I found out that I can get McCall's patterns on sale this week for $1.29.  Then I realized I can get fleece and flannels on sale for 50% off.  Then I realized I had a 25% off coupon for the 4th-6th on sale and full-price items.  I was originally going to use all of these discounts (minus the patterns) on different items for other Christmas presents (which I still plan on doing)....  But....I then started thinking about baby clothes.

So I started looking up McCall's patterns for infants.  And I found some that I REALLY want to try.  These are some of my ideas:

McCall's Patterns: 6426

This is the first pattern I am going to work on.  I am definitely going to make these sacks, as EVERYONE tells me