Coconut Oil Laundry Stick

Since I went to making my own laundry detergent, I figured I should make my own laundry stain stick to treat stains. Knowing that coconut oil and Eucalyptus worked well for cleaning and stains, I put the two together to make my own stain stick. I have also added lemon essential oil to help with the cleaning factor. I make the stick towards the harder side of a soap making process so that I can just wet the clothes first and not get a mushy mess when I use my stick. This can be done in bar form too, I just like putting it in a container to help keep my hands from getting all soapy. 

The "recipe" is quite simple...

10 oz. coconut oil

1.75 oz. lye *

3 oz. water

1 Tablespoon Eucalyptus oil

1-2 teaspoons Lemon EO (you can add more or omit this)

* REMEMBER - don't take my calculations for granted, make sure to run your numbers through a lye calculator. I used the Majestic Mountain Sage, MMS to calculate this one. ALSO, remember add the lye to the water, NEVER the water to the lye (water to lye your going to die), it will explode hot water all over. 

First off I always get my sink filled with vinegar and water... Just FYI it truly takes a LOT of vinegar to neutralize lye solutions. I have usually not added as much as it would truly take to fully neutralize the lye. I still do it more for my own peace of mind but I thoroughly wash all my equipment after using it and my hands and arms to ensure I don't have any small lye crystals on my arms. I, personally, have never had an issue with making sure I neutralize and remove all lye from the equipment I use. That being said I encourage people to look up a solution that will best fit their sink, or wherever they are washing equipment, to make sure you have an adequate solution to neutralize the acid. There is a lot of differing opinions on what is the best method for cleaning soap making equipment. 

Next I ready my lye solution outside so it cools before I need it. How long I leave it outside definitely depends on the temperature and weather. I check it usually while my oils are melting. 

With this recipe I usually just melt my coconut oil in my little crockpot because I don't make a huge batch since I don't use this as quickly as my bath soap. Plus coconut oil doesn't take long to melt. Yes, the picture is of me doing it in my pot... I also like to let my lye solution cool a bit before adding to my oils to try to get them at the same temperature. 

Once my oils are melted I add the lye solution and then use a hand mixer to mix all the oils together with the lye and bring it to trace. Trace is when it starts to get really "cloudy" and starts to thicken to a runny pudding like state. Once you have achieved this you can add your essential oils and start pouring into your containers or molds for soap bars. Personally once I reach that state I do mix just a little bit more to ensure I have all the oils mixed with the lye. You have now started the saphonation process that is going to make your soap actual soap. 

Just like with soap you use on your body, you need to let the saphonization process happen for 4 wks to allow all the lye to process out. To use the bar after it's processed just wet your fabric and rub the bar over the area to be treated. 

Disclaimer: Please understand that this information is for educational purposes only. I am a mom, I am not a doctor, I enjoy passing on the knowledge I have learned in doing these types of projects and through my research. The statements made here have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration and they are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure or prevent any disease. Don’t take my word for it…you should always engage conventional wisdom and consult with your medical professional to determine potential drug interactions and safety of use. Always when using essential oils for a medical condition or if on prescribed or over the counter drugs, seek advice from a medical professional (DR./PA/NP/Naturopath/pharmacist) on whether the oils will cause potential adverse reactions. 

These practices are what work for me and my family, if you chose to take and use them I encourage you take my research and do some of your own prior to using the tips I give. While I do a lot of research when putting these posts out it generally fits into what I would do with and for my family. If you have specific issues, allergies or conditions these practices may not work or may be detrimental to what you are intending to do for yourself. Again, I encourage wisdom and discussions with your healthcare provider to determine safe use of all posts that I provide that can be used for health reasons. 

Also know most of my posts contain links to products I have an affiliate association with. As a blogger I don't make much (if anything at all) and when you use links that any blogger, not just me, posts you help us to continue to buy supplies to provide fun posts with ideas and recipes that can be used. None of the links I post cost you any more because you have used my link, but do benefit the posts I do. We are thankful that affiliate sites have chosen to use their marketing budgets to help out those of us who love doing what we do and chose this way to market versus  bigger ad campaigns. This is definitely a great way to support more local businesses/venues!!!

DIY Baby Wash Cloths

I make a lot of "Mommy" products and needed a good addition to the collection. I know I STILL use my baby washcloths on my 4 year old. These are easy to make, affordable, and CUTE! I made sure to have a few different patterns and grabbed some terry cloth from the store also. I would HIGHLY suggest that a good thrift store look around would yield some cheaper and very nice terry cloth. 

I first picked a size that I wanted, I went with 6" x 7". Then I put "right sides together" and pinned them. 

Then I sewed the edges, leaving a small space to turn this back so I had the right side out...

Once the cloth is where it should be I actually ironed them flat THEN sewed it shut since I was able to get the opening set so it was easier to try to sew it shut and keep it not as noticeable. 

Since these are to sell and give as gifts I can easily add some Dr. Bronner's to be mixed with water and used on these great little washcloths!! :)

Homemade Honey Vanilla Greek Yogurt

My hubby bought me the best birthday gift this past year, a proofer. I have made yogurt before, but the process to allow the yogurt to culture has always left me with watery yogurt. I am so excited to say that hasn't been the case since!!! Not to say you can't do this process in an oven or crockpot but the consistent temps have really helped me to get super creamy yogurt, consistently. I have made up to two gallons at a time (my family eats a quart and half every morning we have it) and it holds them easily. 

I use part of the recipe that came with the Brod and Taylor Proofer for temps and times but the rest is what my family and I like for taste. We really enjoy honey and vanilla flavored yogurt. I tried adding the honey after it had processed but that really didn't work for us being the raw honey balled up with the coldness of the yogurt. So basically it ended up plain vanilla Greek yogurt with hard honey balls. I kept at it, and this is how it has worked and blended nicely. I also tried a more expensive "starter culture" yogurt from Sprouts thinking this great Bulgarian yogurt would make awesome yogurt... Yeah, well sad to say the plain yogurt I used from my favorite Greek God's Greek yogurt line worked FAR better!!! So now I just run to the local market and use my Greek God's plain Greek yogurt for a starter. 

First measure out how much milk you will be using. I do gallons at a time but starting out with 4 cups is what I will be using for measurements here. Before I heat my milk I scrape 3-4 vanilla beans and then put the used beans into the milk so it infuses while heating. Then heat your 4 cups milk (on med - medium high) to 119 degrees, keeping just below or right at 120 degrees. I keep a candy thermometer in the pot the whole time to ensure correct temperatures. Once you get the milk up to that 120 degree range keep it there for 10 minutes. I don't stir constantly but you really have to watch your milk because it will scald on the bottom, I use a whisk to stir frequently. 

Once the milk is done heating, remove from the heat source and let cool down to 115 degrees. This will take up to, and occasionally over an hour to happen. It depends on the temperature of your house and where you set your milk to cool. I do other things and check mine often. If you are using a proofer make sure, as your milk gets closer to the 115 degrees, that you turn it on setting the temp to 120 degrees. I also set out my honey and sterilized glass quart jars so they are ready for when my milk cools. 

When the milk is at 115 degrees add 1 tablespoon of yogurt per 2 cups. So with the 4 cups you will add 2 tablespoons. Take out about half a cup of yogurt and add the starter yogurt. I don't ever fully mix up the starter yogurt, I stir until it is incorporated. Note in the picture that I do have lumps of yogurt still in there, that's fine. Then pour into the jar you will be culturing your yogurt in. 

Pour in the rest of the milk, straining out the vanilla beans at this time. This is when I add 1/8th to 1/4 cup raw local honey to my milk. Stir to incorporate but don't over mix. It helps to have the starter yogurt culture not overly mixed. 

Obviously this pic is from my 2 gallon yogurt adventure but at this point I put my yogurt in my proofer that has been preheated to 120 degrees. If you are using another method you need to keep your yogurt at 120 degrees for one hour, then decrease the temp to 86 degrees and allow your yogurt to finish culturing. This takes anywhere from 3-8 hours, and for some longer. I have left mine in the proofer over night sometimes. Know that the longer you let it culture the thicker it will get but also the more sour/tangy.  

Once the yogurt gets to the thickness you would like either place in the fridge and eat as is (it will be runnier than Greek yogurt). You can use a strainer with a coffee filter, or there is a really good strainer I found that has a cover and really strains the yogurt nicely. This is how you get that nice creamy, thick Greek style yogurt. You will also end up with a bunch of whey that is great to feed to your dog or chickens, DILUTE and put in your garden (make sure to dilute so it doesn't burn your plants), use in pancakes or shakes... I let my yogurt drain for 5-8 hours at a minimum because I really like mine thick and creamy. Then I place in containers and refrigerate until we are ready to eat it. 

 I also usually make homemade granola to top the yogurt with.  ENJOY!!

**EDIT: I had a reader use her Excalibur Dehydrator (trays removed) as a proofer to make her yogurt and it was very successful so I have included that in the links below. 

As usual here are some links to the proofer and strainer I used... Note that the 1/4 lb bag of vanilla beans will last you quite a few batches!! When looking at $10 for 2 beans a lot of times in a grocery store, $35 dollars is definitely getting a lot more for your money!! 

   

Disclaimer: Please understand that this information is for educational purposes only. I am a mom, I am not a doctor, I enjoy passing on the knowledge I have learned in doing these types of projects and through my research. The statements made here have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration and they are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure or prevent any disease. Don’t take my word for it…you should always engage conventional wisdom and consult with your medical professional to determine potential drug interactions and safety of use. Always when using essential oils for a medical condition or if on prescribed or over the counter drugs, seek advice from a medical professional (DR./PA/NP/Naturopath/pharmacist) on whether the oils will cause potential adverse reactions. 

These practices are what work for me and my family, if you chose to take and use them I encourage you take my research and do some of your own prior to using the tips I give. While I do a lot of research when putting these posts out it generally fits into what I would do with and for my family. If you have specific issues, allergies or conditions these practices may not work or may be detrimental to what you are intending to do for yourself. Again, I encourage wisdom and discussions with your healthcare provider to determine safe use of all posts that I provide that can be used for health reasons. 

Also know most of my posts contain links to products I have an affiliate association with. As a blogger I don't make much (if anything at all) and when you use links that any blogger, not just me, posts you help us to continue to buy supplies to provide fun posts with ideas and recipes that can be used. None of the links I post cost you any more because you have used my link, but do benefit the posts I do. We are thankful that affiliate sites have chosen to use their marketing budgets to help out those of us who love doing what we do and chose this way to market versus  bigger ad campaigns. This is definitely a great way to support more local businesses/venues!!!

New Year, New Goals...

Ha, a new year... Not really a clean slate but as the the old year's issues come into the new year it is always fun to see them with a renewed sense of being able to take them and the new year's challenges on!! While my day to day life has plenty going on, I am looking forward to bringing more into the homesteading adventure in my little urban life. December brought a new yogurt proofer from my wonderful hubby to allow me to do more probiotic yummies for our family. I picked up the crochet and knitting needles I haven't touched in oh, well, about 20 years now (ugh, I can say that and not be exaggerating!!) and look to start making that a part of my growing list of homesteading projects. 

Looking forward, I can't wait for more adventures and learning better and more uses for all my oils. I can't wait to share that and hopefully encourage others that are looking to start or expand in those. I want to can more, knit, sew and crochet more... Can you see where this year offers some new fun projects??? My kiddos are getting older which allows me the chance to include them in all this and give them skills they can use and pass on as they get older. 

I have plans this week to get seeding to build more in my garden before prime desert planting is over, I mean what city homesteader isn't happy to have a whole backyard dedicated to fresh produce growing and ready to pick and eat?? 

So while I had to take some time off lately due to a busy life schedule, just know more is coming... And soon. Sometimes you just need a bit of time to sit back and not make life more difficult. That's what I have done, took a break, a breath, it was SOOOO needed. Some days everything else can wait so you can catch up... 

Moisturizing Body Soap

I made this soap quite a while ago but needed to age it and try it before posting the instructions and "recipe" for making it. I didn't want it not to be the soap I was hoping for, it hasn't disappointed me, so now sharing!!! Ok, that and a REALLY good friend of mine has been on me to post this because she wants to make it... :)

This is the first soap I did that made me nervous. Mine, this time, was oils I wanted to use and my own "recipe". So it had never been tested or tried by me before. I had always made a soap recipe off Andrea's site Frugally Sustainable and hers was definitely one that when I poured I needed to do it quick because it hardened fast. I don't know if I brought Andrea's too far to trace or what, but that was always the case. This one poured like pudding and stayed softer longer. I posted my fears about the fact I thought I had ruined my soap on my Facebook site and ended up having a really supportive follower, Patrice, walk me through the soap making process, checking what I did, and assured me I was correct. So I waited, and low and behold it started to harden and turn into an awesome bar of great soap that I love. I am so thankful for this community of people that we have that encourages, teaches and helps us all become more self reliant and able to make things healthier and with less junk!

Once you get that the soap making process, even with the lye, can be easily done and doesn't need to be as scary as it sounds it becomes fun!! It's the Lye that always makes me nervous. I do the whole process outside in my rocked area to keep the fumes and any spills out of the house. That has definitely helped one part of what scares me about lye. Also, the fact that Patrice, who has studied under a master soap maker, helped me to see that letting the process cure, like it's supposed to for 4-6 weeks, I don't have to think about getting lye burns from it not completing the saphonation process. Most soap "recipes" out there call for keeping and using one bar of soap right away, the problem with that is the reason you let it sit is to allow the chemical process that happens with the lye and fats to finish. It's not done at trace, that is actually only the beginning, so if you do not allow that lye to finish processing for the full 4-6 weeks then you run the risk of actually having lye still in the soap and causing irritations and burns to your skin. 

Once that was out of the way I just always double check that I am running anything I make through a lye calculator prior to making. Even if they have the whole thing laid out and they have done it successfully, I run it again to assure that I am correct on measurements and have the correct fat:lye ratio to complete the chemical process and make the end result I want. Here is a link to the lye calculator I use, or they now have an app for that (I do see it has lower ratings so not sure if that's a viable option). 

The reason I made my own combination was because I wanted a moisturizing soap that had the oils I wanted and a lathering effect that was more than what I was using. After doing some research I came up with this combination and so far, like I said, I love it. I am going to give you the "recipe" but again, I always encourage you to not take my word but PLEASE run this through the calculator on your own so that you ensure I haven't made an error somewhere in my calculations or even when writing this. While I double check, I am still human. 

I used infused olive oil with lavender and one with calendula, both for their healing properties. I did this the night before by placing calendula flower petals (dried) and one with lavender flowers (dried) into a canning jar then covered with olive oil and placed in a small crock pot with water added around the jar on low to gently infuse the oils with both of the flowers. I left them in there over night. I then took and strained the flowers out and used the oils in the soap. Calendula has been used for inflammation, viruses and bacteria and that along with some of the same properties of germ fighting in lavender were why I did that to add a little more antibacterial properties to my soap. 

Make sure when you are using and working with the lye that you have proper safety equipment, gloves and goggles, to protect your skin and all equipment that comes in contact with the lye is put into a sink or rinse area with water and vinegar to ensure you get the acid neutralized. When working with lye ensure that you are doing so in a well ventilated area to avoid the fumes produced with you add the lye to the water (NEVER ADD WATER TO LYE, that will cause a chemical reaction that will cause the water to explode back out and can cause serious burns, especially to your hands and face if you are close to the bowl). If you splash lye water onto your skin immediately rinse with the vinegar water to neutralize, and get medical help if needed for severe burns. I recommend using a glass bowl to put the water in and know that once you pour the lye the chemical process will cause the bowl to become hot. Make sure you have something to carry the bowl with so you don't burn yourself. I have found my rubber gloves insulation enough but others may not, just be aware. I usually mix and leave it outside to cool down a bit so it becomes the same temperature as the oils I melt down. 

Here are the ingredients for this soap;

• 10.5 oz. Calendula infused Olive oil *
• 10 oz. Lavender infused Olive oil *
• 12 oz. Coconut oil (helps produce the lather I wanted)
• 4 oz. Shea Butter
• 4 oz. Avocado oil
• 5.61 oz. Lye
• 13 fl.oz. water
• About .5-1 oz. of essential oils can be added for scent and beneficial properties but are not necessary

* if you don't want to infuse oils just use 20.5 oz Olive oil

First off I always get my sink filled with vinegar and water... Just FYI it truly takes a LOT of vinegar to neutralize lye solutions. I have usually not added as much as it would truly take to fully neutralize the lye. I still do it more for my own peace of mind but I thoroughly wash all my equipment after using it and my hands and arms to ensure I don't have any small lye crystals on my arms. I, personally, have never had an issue with making sure I neutralize and remove all lye from the equipment I use. That being said I encourage people to look up a solution that will best fit their sink, or wherever they are washing equipment, to make sure you have an adequate solution to neutralize the acid. There is a lot of differing opinions on what is the best method for cleaning soap making equipment. 

Next I ready my lye solution outside so it cools before I need it. How long I leave it outside definitely depends on the temperature and weather. I check it usually while my oils are melting. 

Then I start measuring out oils and get them into a big stock pan. I learned early that something a friend and I did, during the adding lye part, caused it to boil over onto my stove, LESSON LEARNED TO USE A BIG POT CUZ THAT WAS A MESS!! I use a scale and make sure the measurements are as exact as I can make them. Then I put it on the stove on low to let all the oils slowly melt so I don't burn them. 

Once my oils are melted I add the lye solution and then use a hand mixer to mix all the oils together with the lye and bring it to trace. Trace is when it starts to get really "cloudy" and starts to thicken to a runny pudding like state. Once you have achieved this you can start pouring into molds. Personally once I reach that state I do mix just a little bit more to ensure I have all the oils mixed with the lye. You have now started the saphonation process that is going to make your soap actual soap. 

Then I added lavender essential oils to help strengthen the antibacterial properties and enhance the already lavender infused oil scent. I added almost an oz. of lavender to the batch. I never use perfumes or anything that doesn't offer a natural quality to my soap... Kinda would defeat the purpose of why I make my own in my book. Then pour directly into molds or a box shaped mold covered in wax paper. 

I then let my molds sit for 24-48 hours before I unmold them and set them on a rack to finish processing for 4-6 weeks. It is a tough wait but SO worth it when it's done. 

I hope you enjoy this soap as much as I have been, this also makes a great gift!! I am doing some soon that has holiday scented oils to give as Christmas gifts as friends. 

As always here are some links to the products I used in this post...

Disclaimer: Please understand that this information is for educational purposes only. I am a mom, I am not a doctor, I enjoy passing on the knowledge I have learned in doing these types of projects and through my research. The statements made here have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration and they are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure or prevent any disease. Don’t take my word for it…you should always engage conventional wisdom and consult with your medical professional to determine potential drug interactions and safety of use. Always when using essential oils for a medical condition or if on prescribed or over the counter drugs, seek advice from a medical professional (DR./PA/NP/Naturopath/pharmacist) on whether the oils will cause potential adverse reactions. 

These practices are what work for me and my family, if you chose to take and use them I encourage you take my research and do some of your own prior to using the tips I give. While I do a lot of research when putting these posts out it generally fits into what I would do with and for my family. If you have specific issues, allergies or conditions these practices may not work or may be detrimental to what you are intending to do for yourself. Again, I encourage wisdom and discussions with your healthcare provider to determine safe use of all posts that I provide that can be used for health reasons. 

Also know most of my posts contain links to products I have an affiliate association with. As a blogger I don't make much (if anything at all) and when you use links that any blogger, not just me, posts you help us to continue to buy supplies to provide fun posts with ideas and recipes that can be used. None of the links I post cost you any more because you have used my link, but do benefit the posts I do. We are thankful that affiliate sites have chosen to use their marketing budgets to help out those of us who love doing what we do and chose this way to market versus  bigger ad campaigns. This is definitely a great way to support more local businesses/venues!!!