Baby Fishies!

Me in my Tie Dye T and Loom Knit Drop Stitch Slouchy Hat

I was going to talk about the joy of successfully completing new (to me) designs or projects like this drop stitch slouchy hat, but then this happened instead:

Sometimes it's the little things, the very little things that make us happy. This morning I went to check out my Aquaponics system, and while I was cleaning leaves from the top tank I realized, there was a tiny black molly fish swimming around. I guess the fish are doing OK, because they had babies! There was one tiny black fish swimming away, and when I lifted one of the rafts to try and see the rest I only found one large adult clinging to the roots from the plants, so I gently lowered it back into the water thinking maybe other fish were hiding in there before I lifted it up, and screamed in child like glee, "Carlie we have baby fishies!!!!!!!!"

Apparently she'd gone inside without me realizing it, so I was just there talking to myself. Sorry, no photos of the fish, they're too quick! I had worried the Ph of the water was too high and all the fish would die, but so far they're all alive, and apparently they're healthy because I don't think sick fish would breed. What a joy it is to see even one tiny black molly swimming around that tank.

BABY FISHIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Making gifts rather than buying

I have been struggling with when to buy and when not to. For example, I have WAY too many pajama pants, but almost all of them are so big on me now that I can't even tie em tight enough to stay on. So I bought 2 new pajama pants size XL. Losing weight does mean I'll need to buy some clothes (Tho I do have some 42's  and XL's I stored so that I don't have to do TOO much unnecessary shopping) and I did get the pajamas on sale. Good stuff. It's the holidays and I did buy one gift, for a holiday gift exchange. Otherwise, most of my gifts planned for this season are home made.

Then I ran across this site: http://www.takepart.com/photos/better-store-bought-holiday-gifts/better-than-store-bought-homemade-dog-biscuits when looking for instructions to make our own dog biscuits, and thought I'd take this pledge. It may be a challenge, but I'm not going to buy any more holiday gifts. They'll all be home made.

My family called me a grinch when I tried to encourage no xmas gifts. We're not even Christian, why are we exchanging gifts due to someone else's traditions? But apparently they like the stockings, tree and xmas gifts of their youth and didn't want to give them up. I like to give people gifts any time of the year, not just when someone else tells me to. But this year I think at least I can hand make gifts :) 

How do you handle the holidays? 

Home Made Shampoo/Body Wash Review

The shampoo and body wash I made lasted about 2 weeks. The one made of aloe, tea tree oil, xantham gum and olive oil did not make my hair oily as some expected. It acted much like a volumizer shampoo and I will be making some again. In the two weeks of use, I found the dry flaky patches of skin disappearing, and surprisingly, the red splotchy areas of my face seemed to be disappearing as well!

To test if the results were as wonderful as they seemed, I used up the rest of my store bought shampoo afterwards and compared results. It was a 90% natural store bought shampoo, but apparently the 10% non natural bit is really not something my body likes, because the dry flaky patches are returning, and so are the red splotches on my face.  I have to admit, I am very surprised. I remember saying to Patch. I may as well use this other stuff up before recycling the bottle. I didn't want to waste something we had already paid for in an effort to reduce, reuse, recycle. Because when you think about it, waste is not green. Besides, I told myself it was a pretty well made shampoo, it probably wouldn't be any different. But it was.

The xantham gum was completely unnecessary if you are OK with washing with a liquid and not a gel. However I set out to make a combination shampoo and body washing gel, because I wanted something which was similar to what I have been using for years, just healthier, less taxing on the environment, and lower cost. If you do not happen to have any on hand, make the aloe shampoo without it and I am sure you will find it just as wonderful since the only thing the xantham gum was used for was a natural thickening agent.

The body wash I made with the flax seeds in it was a bit of a disappointment. I didn't like the smell or the texture. A friend liked the smell, so perhaps I should have offered it to her. On an up note, it did seem to be helping my skin problems. I just didn't like the smell of rosemary when mixed with tea tree oil.

I will however be making the original recipe again and using it as a shampoo/body wash instead, which was really my goal anyway. I still have aloe left, and the other ingredients are all in the pantry, so I am looking forward to using it again. I will wash the old shampoo bottle and reuse it to hold my home made shampoo/body wash, as it came in a nice dark green bottle which will help protect the aloe shampoo/body wash from light.

DIY Almond Extract

Apparently it is really easy to make your own Almond Extract. Or vanilla, orange, lemon, etc. For today I started with Almond because I had everything to make it. I may try orange as well, and promise to share the process if I do. This can be a money saver over time, because it's much cheaper to make your own than buy the good stuff, and actually also comes out cheaper than the dollar store variety. (not to mention it is supposed to be much more delicious) If this turns out the way I hope, I might put some in recycled extract bottles to trade with neighbors for fresh fruits and veggies from their gardens.

Here are some helpful links I found:
http://diybylorie.wordpress.com/2012/01/23/homemade-vanilla-extracts-orange-extract-and-almond-extract/
http://almondextract.net/how-to-make-almond-extract/

I happened to have vodka left over from a party we made jello shots for, so I used that, but apparently you can use rum or brandy for Almond or Vanilla extracts. I guess you could use them for orange and lemon as well, but they are not recommended for orange. Probably because it is a light flavor and might be overwhelmed by the rum or brandy. Vodka is a cleaner flavor, and by far the cheapest, so that's what I went with for now. I will probably try a bit of brandy and rum based extracts in the future. This is my first time doing this, I will post in a couple months or so with information about how it went.

Supplies/Ingredients:
1 cup Vodka
8 raw, peeled, chopped or roughly ground almonds
1 bottle (preferably with dark brown glass, but any bottle will do)
1 paper bag (if you can't find a dark brown glass bottle, this keeps the light out)

Directions:
Roughly chop or grind 8 raw almonds
Place in bottle or jar (I used an old peanut butter jar we had cleaned)
Poor 1 cup (8 oz) Vodka into jar over almonds
Tightly seal jar
Shake and place in a cool dark place (paper bag in the pantry)

Tips:
Mark the date and type of extract on the paper bag or jar, this will help you remember when it will be ready
Almonds can apparently be whole if they are peeled
Make sure whatever alcohol you use covers whatever ingredient you are extracting flavor from to prevent mold
You can filter the extract through a coffee filter when it is done to remove the bits of almond, vanilla, orange peel, etc. But some directions did not include this step
I am told this stuff will last forever. If you're a Prepper, this might be a good skill to have for later trade

Homemade Shampoo/Body Wash - Second Try

During my recent exploration into home made shampoo/body wash, I discovered that one could include Chamomile or Rosemary and that it would probably be good for my particular hair and skin type, as well as smelling nice.  The aloe shampoo with olive oil and tea tree oil was wonderful for my hair and scalp. I am uncertain yet how it will affect my skin. That will take more time and use to find out. One thing that I did not like about the previous recipe was that the xanthum gum I used to thicken it was very difficult to mix in. I probably should have added it to the blender and allowed it to be mixed in at that stage instead of adding it after the tea tree oil. As it was, it clumped up and I had to work pretty hard to get it to mix in. In the end I settled for a less gel like substance and just moved the clumps out of the way when pouring the shampoo/body wash into my hand.

Unfortunately I also just found this site:  http://www.homeremediesweb.com/chamomile_health_benefits.php which explained that since I am allergic to ragweed I might have problems with Chamomile. Since I am currently sick with a stomach virus, I do not want to possibly make it worse with tea. I don't think it could harm me in shampoo as I've drunk Chamomile tea before, but I still thought better safe than sorry, I'd hate to make my skin itch worse than it already does.

So instead, I have stuck to just Rosemary which should add a nice scent and be healing and rejuvenating to my skin. Here is some information about traditional uses of Rosemary and it's essential oils: http://www.livestrong.com/article/79580-rosemary-skin-care/. Please make note of any possible adverse reactions before using this. I'm not a doctor and not trying to give out advice, just sharing what I learn along the way. From what I've read, if you have oily hair and/or skin, you can reduce the olive oil and the rosemary should have a good effect.


I am looking forward to seeing how this works out. It was very easy to make, and I happened to have aloe gel from the garden already blended and left over from the previous version of Shampoo/Body Wash, so I thought I further experimentation would be fun. I will try this next time I shower and let you know how it turns out. I had hoped that the flax seed will thicken it up a bit and possibly be useful in exfoliation, but not clump like the xanthum gum did in the previous efforts. Unfortunately, although it seemed to at first, it did not hold up well in the blender. It does have exfoliating properties tho, so I'm happy with that. I added 1 teaspoon of Xanthum Gum instead, and that worked much better in the end as a thickener.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup rosemary

1/2 cup distilled water

1/2 cup aloe gel

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon ground flax seed (optional)

1/2 teaspoon xanthum gum (optional)

3 drops tea tree oil

Recipe:

Brew a mug of 1/2 cup distilled water with 1/4 cup rosemary. To do this put the rosemary directly into the mug of water, put it in the microwave on high for 2 minutes, then let it steep until cool. Strain the rosemary out with a fine strainer, and then put all the ingredients except the tea tree oil in the blender.  Blend until frothy, then check for lumps.  Pour into shampoo bottle, add 2 drops of tea tree oil, and shake well. 

Tips:

- You will probably have to blend a couple of times until no chunks remain if you are starting directly from an aloe leaf. 

- See 2 blog entries earlier for how to harvest aloe

- Store in a cool dark place 

- Use organic ingredients whenever possible
- I just didn't feel comfortable putting a substance I wouldn't eat into the blender. It will be washed later, but still, I'm finicky that way. This is the only reason I added the tea tree oil later. Please let me know if you find other ways that work better for you.

- Shake well before each use 

Homemade Shampoo/Body Wash - First Try

Shampoo/Body Wash

Yes, I have decided to take the step towards using simple ingredients we already have in our pantry to mix up a batch of natural, homemade shampoo and body wash. Since I have so many allergies and chemicals seem to effect me more than your average bear, it is actually surprising to me that it didn't occur to me before now to try making my own shampoo. Well, it occurred to me, but like many things I assumed it was too difficult an undertaking and outside my budget. Actually, it turns out I already have many ingredients that can be used to wash my hair. I found many sites with recipes for home made shampoo. Some include soap, others do not, and most can be used as a combination shampoo and body wash. I am going to go for a soap free gel like option, because I do not like the film soaps leave on my body, and I already have dry skin. Instead I will be attempting to make a cleansing yet moisture rich concoction. After reading many sites such as this one:  http://www.learningherbs.com/homemade_shampoo.html  ...and many personal blogs such as this one:  http://whsword.wordpress.com/2011/12/07/recipe-for-homemade-aloe-vera-shampoo/ ...it seems to me that a mixture of aloe vera, olive oil, and tea tree oil would probably be a good start.

This is just another area of my life that I have been living almost on remote by a set of pre-programmed habits. And as I have been looking at my life and trying to be more mindful of my actions, I have started to notice where I spend my time, energy, money, etc. does not always mesh with my goals and intentions. Some things that I do habitually are directly opposing to the way I want to live.   It has also been interesting to notice what I have been putting into my body without even thinking of it. Did you know that the skin is our largest organ? And it soaks things in much like other parts of our body, in a form of osmosis. So we are actually taking in our environments more than one might normally consider. It has occurred to me, that all the chemicals, preservatives and allergens hiding out in my shampoo and body wash are being applied to the largest organ of my body on a regular basis. Let's face it, this seems like a bad idea. But it's one that was so ingrained in my behavior that it took me a while to really consider changing it.

I remember a psychology proffesor saying that the definition of insanity is to repeat the same action expecting different results. Change is good. We do not always think so, but I am finding it to be more than a cliche. And so today I set about researching and mixing up my first batch of home made shampoo. Here is the recipe I have decided on for my first batch. I decided to use an old medicine bottle which I have cleaned out because it has a darker plastic which will help protect the ingredients from light and hopefully help them to not spoil as quickly, and because the bottle I had planned to use was accidentally put in the recycling and I didn't feel like digging through old dog food cans to retrieve it. I also am choosing to make a smaller batch both because this is a first attempt, and because I do worry that the aloe will spoil if I mix too large of a batch. Next time I will try steeping Rosemary to add to it as I believe it will be helpful to my skin type which is mixed oily and dry with acne.

1 Cup Aloe For Blender

Ingredients:
1 Teaspoon Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Drops Tea Tree Oil
1/4 cup Organic Aloe Vera Gel

Foamy Aloe Gel - After Blending

Recipe:
In blender, mix the gelatinous insides of about 1/2 leaf from an Aloe plant, or enough to create 1/4 cup Aloe gel with 1 teaspoon of Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Pour into shampoo bottle of your choosing, add 2 drops tea tree oil, close lid tightly, and shake to mix.


Tips:
- This will be very watery and not like normal shampoo consistency. I mixed in 1/4 teaspoon of Xantham Gum into mine and it gave it a more gel like consistency. (Guar Gum or ground Flax Seeds would probably work as well, I'll try Flax in the future and let you know)
- One can of course, alter ingredients to make shampoo that is more specific to your hair and skin type. That is what I have done here. I chose to mix ingredients which I believe will be of the most benefit to my skin and hair in their current state. I also went with ingredients we happened to already have on hand. Other ingredients I plan to try in the future are baking soda for exfoliation, apple cider vinegar for it's cleansing properties, almond oil or sesame oil in place of olive oil for moisture, chamomile tea, and rosemary. But since this was a first effort, I thought it best to keep things as simple as possible.
- I have been warned to be careful about getting essential oils such as Tea Tree Oil directly on the skin unless mixed with another natural oil like jojoba, almond, unflavored sesame, or olive oils.
- I have chosen to stick with organic versions of ingredients, and home grown whenever possible in an effort to stay away from chemical pesticides and the like.
- Keep in a dark cool place to extend the life of the product

Please let me know if you make your own natural shampoo and/or body wash, and what ingredients you use! I always enjoy hearing others ideas. None of the entries on this blog are intended as medical advice, and I am new to making my own hair and body care products, so I have much to learn. I hope you enjoy reading about the process along the way. Here is another helpful link I found about how much tea tree oil is recommended to mix into one's shampoo and why: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_many_drops_of_tea_tree_oil_should_you_put_into_an_entire_bottle_of_shampoo Since I already have used tea tree oil, I know that I am not hyper sensitive to it, and chose 2 drops for the whole container of shampoo.