Pure Castile Soap

Pure Castile soap is so simple to make and is used in several natural cleaner formulas. Making your own takes very little time and you can be sure you know all the ingredients in each bar you are using. Dish soap, laundry cleaner, all purpose cleaner, shower cleaners are just naming a few applications you can use this in. This also makes a great facial soap that has low foaming properties and just one ingredient. By adding essential oils you can boost this soap to do multiple things and because it just has olive oil the fear of allergic reactions or sensitivities drops tremendously. I recommend this soap for those that have had issues with soaps that irritate or cause reactions. 

I am doing this post and instructions for making this after a question from a friend led to a lot of different suggestions for laundry detergent. A lot of them had Castile soap as an ingredient. I had come across a person, Patrice, who had apprenticed under a master soap maker and had been a great help last time I made soap. I made sure that steps were right and got what she used as a guideline to ensure I was doing this all correctly. If you can find someone that has a lot of experience with soap or has done time, like Patrice, with a master soap maker I urge you to talk with them. Get ideas and ask questions. Soap making is easy, but yet has things that if not done right can either ruin the soap or injure a person if not done correctly. Know proper practices, find out what works best and how they do things. Like canning, having someone that can help you out the first few times can help the soap making process smoother and more comfortable. 

Onto the Castile soap, for those of you who aren't aware, pure Castile soap is just Olive oil and lye... Yup pure olive oil soap. A lot of soaps now that have the majority of their soap Olive oil call it Castile soap, but just for clarification, the original Castile soap was just Olive oil. Here are the amounts I used and it made a decent amount of soap for me to set aside and use for cleaner recipes. I added peppermint to a few so I can use them as hot weather soaps. With the peppermint EO added it gives it a cooling feeling and as long as you don't use it on sensitive parts (yes it feels like its burning) it works great to help cool you down!! 

REMEMBER DON'T EVER JUST TRUST SOMEONE'S CALCULATIONS, always run formulas through a lye calculator, if you change any ingredients or values you need to rerun the formula through the calculator also. 

Castile Soap Formula

48 oz. Olive oil (I used Extra Virgin Olive oil (EVOO))

14 oz. water

6.10 oz. Lye

1 teaspoon EO of choice (optional, if you are making this for cleaning choose one that will be one you use in your cleaner)

Great cleaning EO's can be, but aren't limited to:

• Lemon 
• Eucalyptus
• Melaleuca
• Peppermint 
• Lavender
• Mixes such as DōTERRA OnGuard,Young Living's Thieves oil or Plant Therapy's Germ Fighter blend for extra antibacterial cleaning

I first measure out my water into a glass bowl and mix my lye solution that I pour into a GLASS measuring cup then pour outside to avoid fumes inside, if you do it inside make sure you are in a well ventilated area or have some way to vent gasses caused by the chemical reaction away from you. REMEMBER to ALWAYS add lye to water and NOT water to the lye or you will cause an explosion of acid all over you and the surrounding area. ALWAYS use protective gloves (I use the gloves that you use when washing dishes) and I recommend safety goggles/glasses when mixing lye, I had a friend get a burn next to her eye and didn't even realize she had splashed the solution there. I use a metal spoon to stir the solution to ensure the lye gets mixed in. Then let the water sit for a while to get the fumes to disepate and the water to cool down (the chemical reaction causes the water to heat up) to around 110 degrees.

While waiting for the lye to stop fuming and cool down (ha, sounds like it's angry) I gently heated the EVOO to around 110 degrees to keep the temps consistent when I added the lye solution. Then once my lye solution has cooled (I just feel the outside of the bowl and make sure its warm but not hot or you can use a metal based thermometer to ensure it's around 110 degrees) and the oil is warmed I add the lye to my oil and use a hand held mixer to mix the lye solution in until I hit trace. 

You will know when you hit trace because it will get cloudy and thicken kind of like pudding, once you hit trace you don't need to continue to mix. You can go a little longer but too long and it will start to harden. Olive oil is one oil that doesn't take long to get to trace so don't be surprised if after a minute or two of mixing you are there. 

After you have gotten the soap to trace either pour into a silicone mold or bread pan lined with freezer paper works or just a plain old wooden box mold that has been lined with freezer paper for easy removal. I personally usually use silicone molds because I have found it needs the least prep work and my soaps come out of them very easily. As you can see in my picture the only problem was my bread mold was flimsy so I propped it until the soap became a little harder (less than 12 hours) and then just let them sit for 24-48 hours before you take them out from the mold. Make sure you wrap them in a towel during that first 24-48 hour period to allow the soaps to cook (they will be warm still due to the continuation of the chemical process with the lye). If you have them in a block, like I did with the bread mold, cut them into soaps right after you take them out from the mold. They should still be soft enough to easily cut at that point. 

Then put the soaps, covered, somewhere to finish with the chemical process and let the lye fully process through, it takes anywhere from 4-6 weeks. Using a bar before that time, with ANY lye based soaps, can result in burns caused by the lye not fully being processed out of the soap. 

While this seems like a lengthy process, you have a soap that is simple, inexpensive and a great first time soap to make!! Plus extremely handy if you make a lot of your own cleaning products or need a soap to use for yourself without a lot of extra ingredients that may cause irritation. 

Change is always a good thing, not easy, but good...

This week I took some time off from blogging to make some changes. Being a stay at home mom is awesome and I love being a wife, mother, coach, all around do it til you drop person. It is me, 100%. Those who follow my Facebook page know we are in the process of buying land for when we move "back home" after my husband is done with the job he has here. I don't want to give up being a supportive wife, a mother that is here and available. Right now I am so blessed to have the opportunity to do this, and I don't want to waste that I have been given this. I also have an obligation to be supportive to my husband in all ways including financially if that is needed from me. 

My "baby" goes to school next year and we discussed that would be a great time for me to go back out and get a part time job. So I started thinking, with all the things I make and give to friends that they love, why not try to take a leap of faith and see if I can't take that whole thing one step further... This week has been my week to walk out and see if I can do what I love, still stay home with my kiddos and bring my "virtuous woman" qualities further with making and selling my products online. 

This has been a slow progression, I started with this blog to see if I could truly put myself out there and talk about the things I do. The next thing was my Facebook page which brought that to a more daily level than the blog. Facebook has been an interesting part of this whole journey, I have met some very supportive and creative people through that. I have to say that part, so far has been very rewarding and fun to be a part of. I can't say enough about those who have encouraged, taught, contributed and just been there with a "like"... 

This week I put in paperwork to become an actual "company" and so I can sell legally and go to our local farmers markets as a vendor. The LLC stuff was scary, but I have it in now so that is being processed. Next comes getting product ready to go on etsy... Oh my gosh my stomach gets in knots just thinking about if people will want it? Will they buy it? Do I have what it takes? 

But nothing ventured nothing gained right??

Yet another big step in this process was making the leap to DōTERRA consultant. I mean, I already use oils, it was the fact of selling them that worried me. So I did research and the fact that I have a website that is my store, not me, and that I can go at my own pace and not have quotas and "parties" to do really helped to decide that was for me. The main reason right now for me doing this is to upgrade my current oils. This will take some time so I am starting with some of of my smaller recipes and using my regular oils for cleaners and larger batch stuff like soap. I am excited to start switching over and want to help others to see how to incorporate better oils and yet not break the bank by doing it all at once. 

Life is challenging enough without your fun homesteading ways being a financial burden and stressful right?

So change is good, scary to think I have all this going and don't know what will come of it all, but at the same time, like this whole blogging and putting myself out there stuff, it's an adventure!!! I love a good adventure, a challenge, anything to push myself to go further and outside my comfort zone. It makes life interesting and on top of that, shows my kids that not everything is easy, sometimes you have to push. It's ok to fail, it's not ok to not try because of fear of failure.

So with all that said, on with this great adventure!! :)

Infantino Squeeze Station, is it all that and a bag of chips??

So I bought one of these as a baby gift and loved the idea so much that I got one for myself. I have used the 'Yummi Pouch' brand food pouches and found them bigger but the caps come off and with school age kids they are hard to get back from school. The nice part about them is that other caps to store bought pouches work on them so I can grab one, let baby have a treat and keep the lid to replace the one that was lost. I have also used the the BooginHead head squeeze pouches and they are some of my favorites. Unfortunately according to the reviews I am about the only one. If you fill them too full the top is hard to secure at times BUT it had a connector for the lid and for snack time works great for my grade schoolers. The idea to try this unit after having the others was based on I am always willing to try new ideas and this little system was worth a go!

I make Applesauce in big batches to bag and freeze for lunches/snacks in the pouches for ease in transport by the kiddos and then bringing them back home to be cleaned. So to find a system that potentially would make it easier was pretty cool. Problem was this may be more fun than it is practical, with the wider openings (I am talking about the tubes on top of the unit) that the BooginHead (smaller than Yummi) and Yummi had to offer for filling. Plus there are other pouches out there that offer bigger openings. One thing I also didn't notice prior to purchasing is that the pouches are single use only,  I ask what's the point being I was trying to REDUCE waste, but I had purchased 50 bags for freezer applesauce. So I was bound and determined to wash and reuse these babies, and trust me I have. We just hand wash them instead of having the convenience of being able to throw them in the dishwasher like other reusable brands like these. 

I do love that I can can get a larger amount in at one time BUT I can't honestly say that I am saving any real time. I find myself enjoying filling more and with my mess more contained to the container, but is it more efficient? I would have to say no, not really. While I might have saved SOME time and cleanup on the back end you have more goofing around with getting the bags in and the tubes screwed on. Will I still use it? Heck yeah, I do like the fact that I get in a production mode and get those filled and set then only have the unit to clean up. It does clean up nice, quick, easy and then the whole unit stores within itself which is nice for storage. 

The bags aren't huge but I only use these for snacks, usually for applesauce or sweet potato applesauce for my grade schoolers , as I said before. So I fill the tubes one and 1/3 times to fill the bags to about all they can handle then cap them. For babies this process would definitely be quicker with smaller amounts being added. 

So let's look at pros and cons;

PROS:

• Great self containment and easy to clean
• If you want to clean the "one type use" bags they aren't that hard to hand was, this is a pro and con
• Fun to fill with the plunger vs. trying to spoon stuff into a small opening plus the bags are held in place for you
• Great size for young toddlers, first feeders and decent for snacks on the go for the family (about the same size as most of the store bought if you fill them full)
• At around $20 this makes a great gift for new mom's and there are extras,like spoon attachments, you can get for it. 
• They freeze well, even reused
• Even though they are "one time use" the extra set of pouches you can buy for this are reasonably priced, for 50 of them it was less than $17 dollars. 

CONS:

• You really don't save a lot of time when the whole project of making and packaging is done
• The pouches really are meant to be one time use which defeats the purpose of most of us and why we would get this. 
• For $20 you only get 10 non reusable pouches with the unit so you would need to order more if you planned to make and freeze any real amount of food. 
• There is a lot of extra steps that you don't have with the products like BooginHead and Yummi pouches. 
• More pieces to potentially lose or misplace
• The cap, once again, isn't attached like the BooginHead pouches

So, depending on what you are looking for you may either really like this unit, use it and love it OR really find it more work than its worth and wishing you had spent the $20 towards more pouches of a different kind. I love that I got all those pouches for <$17 and I am able to wash and reuse them vs. spending a ton on the "better" ones and feeling bad if anything happens to one of the caps or bags. For me, this is all that just with the bag of chips left off...

I hope this quick overview of this system helps if you are on the fence or just seeing this for the first time. I of course got mine off Amazon because of being the Amazon freak I am so here are those quick links for you to get your own if you are wanting this. :)

Gluten Free Banana Muffins

Who doesn't love a good banana muffin/bread recipe?? How about if I said it is gluten free?? Does that help? Well if it does this should make you smile. These muffins are moist and have plenty of flavor with the spices used (I use the higher amount because I love good flavorful banana muffin). While you can use chocolate chips in this recipe I do recommend, per everyone that has had them with those, that leaving them out has been far more popular. These make a great addition to any party or brunch that you may be hosting also!! :)

• Gluten Free Banana Muffins
• 1/2 cup + 1 Tablespoon coconut flour, I use Bob's Red Mill
• 1 tsp. aluminum free baking powder, again I use Bob's Red Mill
• 3/4 tsp. baking soda
• pinch of sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon (good quality matters)
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg, allspice, cloves (put all three or use 1/4 - 1/2 tsp. Pumpkin Pie spice)
• 3 ripe organic bananas, peeled
• 1 cup Greek yogurt (I used 'The Greek God's honey vanilla once and strawberry honey another time both turned out awesome)
• 1/2 stick of cultured or grassfed butter 
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 6 pasteurized eggs
• Otional - 1 cup organic fair trade chocolate (soy free), chopped, Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips, (chocolate chips were found to take away from the taste of the muffins, family prefers this without) OR 1 cup crispy walnuts (my favorite!! I do grind mine fairly fine to hide them from my kiddos that don't like nuts in their muffins. :))

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Whisk well with a wire whisk to combine and set aside.
2. Break the bananas into thirds and place the in the bowl of your food processor, pulse until chopped. Add 1 cup of sour cream to the bananas and process until combined and smooth. Reserve. (Alternately, you could mash bananas with a fork and whisk in the sour cream by hand.)
3. Using an standing electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and beat to combine. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat well until light and fluffy.
4. Add the flour mixture by half, alternating with the banana mixture, beating only until blended, until all of the dry and wet ingredients have been added.
5. Using a mini muffin tin, place a liner in each muffin tin and fill each cup with batter. Then place a few pieces of the chocolate into the center of each muffin if you chose to it in chocolate chips.
6. Bake in the middle of a pre-heated 350 degree F oven for 22-25 minutes, or until lightly browned and cooked throughout. Baking time will vary depending on your oven. The muffins are cooked when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, remove muffins and let cool completely on a wire rack before consuming.

Variations;

1. Oat Flour variation; Prepare as above, except switch to using 1 1/3 cups of gluten free oat flour (or sprouted oat flour), 1/4 cup coconut flour, 1/2 tsp. baking powder and 4 pastured eggs, all other ingredients remain the same.
2. Pumpkin variation; Prepare as above, except switch the banana out for 1 cup of organic pumpkin puree (I usually make my own, know that it may add extra liquid if you don't reduce it enough and get all the liquid out) and use the full amount of sugar allotted (if you chose) plus 1 Tbsp. organic maple syrup. Cook for 25-30.

Massage Oil Recipes

Who doesn't love a good massage?? I know I do, I also bring my own blends with me when I go, so when a friend told me if I made some she would help me sell them I was thrilled. Catch is this would be for Kiddos with special health care needs and their families. That poses a challenge to make sure I came up with good blends that were safe for them. Those who have done essential oils (EO's) for any amount of time can tell you some EO's cause reactions, some carrier oils pose risks to those with certain allergies. In some cases you can't know everything that will cause reactions, but just having a general knowledge base is good in helping identify things that may or may not work on you or your kiddo when using these.   

Along with the research, I really believe in Andrea's (from Frugally sustainable ) practice of selling something, but also sharing the recipe to allow others to make their own if they want. I love that I can grab recipes from her and learn why those ingredients do what they do. Even if I buy from her I have an understanding of why the ingredients she uses are in there.  I love that, I make better decisions on what to use and why. With that being said I will share that same information with you so you can use the carrier oils that benefit you most. 

My family has very few sensitivities and allergies so those don't always tend to be on my mind when I make a lot of the products I do. I forget that when looking for just a carrier oil things need to be taken into consideration. I will break down the few carrier oils that may cause issues with certain allergies and why. Hopefully this also can help some that have found they are sensitive to certain products but don't know why. I do want to note that while these oils may cause a reaction, I didn't find many that had a full blown anaphylactic reaction (in most cases) cause by their allergy to any of oils I am listing, more so it was some type of skin reaction. 

CARRIER OILS THAT MAY CAUSE ISSUES*;

Those with nut allergies should be aware of the following;

Sweet almond oil- One of the most popular with massage therapists, this is very commonly used. Sweet almond oil is made by pressing the dried kernels or nuts of the almond tree. This is the same tree that the almonds we eat come from. Whole or ground they are usually known as just almonds, the "sweet" in the oil just differentiates between the edible kind as opposed to the bitter almond which is poisonous. People with tree nut allergies should know that this is applying nut oil. There are few documented allergic reactions (most were not severe if any at all) to this oil, although there is concern that people have been noticing reactions to this oil who have tree nut allergies. 

Coconut oil**- a VERY popular oil to use in a lot of products right now. The FDA defines coconuts as a tree nut, and FAAN recommends speaking with your doctor if there is a concern for an allergic reaction. FAAN also has said this is actually classified as a seed not a nut so they are not against it's use if you have a tree nut allergy. Being that this was classified as a tree nut there is a lot of differing ideas out there about if it is safe. Other allergy experts have said this is from the palm tree and is concidered a seed not a nut and has been deemed safe. Botanists have classified this as a dry drupe which is a fruit with a hard stony covering. So do your research (if not just for the interesting discussions as to what a coconut is) and always be aware to check if the coconut oil you are using is made in a factory that also does tree nut products. 

**I know this one isn't on the "do not use" list for tree nut allergies, but it is one that comes up so I thought I would give some information for you to make your own decision about using this oil. 

Shea butter- FAAN and the FDA both classify this as a tree nut. Shea butter is extracted from the nut of the African Shea tree. It is thick and usually not used alone in massage oils but added for it's moisturizing properties. To my knowledge there is no documented cases of allergic reactions to Shea butter which is likely because the proteins left after made into an oil for skin care products is lower than just eating the nut itself. Being it's the proteins that cause the allergic reaction that would help to keep the allergy levels down. However, there are people who find that they have reactions to this and so I need to put this in. While it may not cause a reaction at first, using it for periods of time, like in a massage oil, may cause a reaction with more use. In products with higher doses it may cause the skin to become very itchy. 

Those with an allergy to Latex;

Shea butter- As stated above this is from the nut of the African Shea tree. This one I have actually found stories of people that, with repeated use and having a latex allergy, have had to take Benadryl to curb the allergic reaction they have had. In published medical literature it's hard to find anyone that has done an actual study with pure vs. blended Shea butter and what issues have arisen and if it is indeed from pure Shea butter or blends. There is enough people that have complained of issues though to make sure I post that this may be an issue if you have a latex allergy. While the Shea nut is not genetically related to the rubber plant who's sap is used to make latex products, a latex-type substance has been identified in some Shea butters. So if you have a latex allergy be aware that Shea butter may cause you to have issues, if not an allergic reaction if you are not aware of this. 

Avocado oil- WebMD states "people who are sensitive to latex can have an allergic reaction to avocado". Avocados contain certain enzymes called chitinases that are associated with the latex-fruit allergy syndrome. If you have a latex allergy you can very likely have an allergic reaction to this fruit due to the chitinase enzymes. 

* Note this list isn't exhaustive, I have just used some of the most popular carrier oils and ones that I found had people that had issues with the oils. There were other allergy possibilities listed but not enough documentation of people having issues to warrant mention. Always do a patch skin test before using any product if you have an allergy or skin sensitivity. Also note that it may take a few times being exposed to something to cause a reaction. 

Now that we have covered those lets get onto some carrier oils and their benefits shall we??

Sweet Almond oil- One of the most popular massage oils used. This is slightly oily which allows hands to glide easily, while absorbed fairly quickly it's not so quick you need to constantly reapply. Reasonably priced and generally doesn't cause skin irritation. 

Apricot Kernel oil- similar in texture and color to sweet almond oil but is slightly more costly. This is rich in vitamin E so naturally has a longer shelf life than other oils. This is absorbed well like sweet almond oil so you don't have as much of a "greasy" feeling afterward. This is a good alternative for people with nut allergies that want to stay away from sweet almond oil. 

Jojoba oil- this is made from the wax extracted from the seed of the jojoba plant. Due to the potential antibacterial properties of jojoba it is a good option for those that are prone to acne. It also contains long chain wax esters that closely resemble skin sebum. This also has a longer shelf life than other oils making it a good choice if you don't use your oils much. Being that this oil is usually non-irritating it makes a great oil, however it is more pricey than other oils, and is so silky and quickly absorbed that it is best mixed with other carrier oils. 

Sunflower oil- this light non-greasy oil won't leave skin feeling oily. It is rich in the essential fatty acid linoleic acid, along with palmitic and stearic acid which are all components of healthy skin. HOWEVER Sunflower oil goes rancid fairly quickly and should be mixed with pure vitamin E oil to help extend the shelf life. 

Avocado oil- this heavier oil is usually mixed with a lighter massage oil. While usually pretty expensive this oil has quite a few potential health benefits when used as a massage oil. It can be used to help psoriasis (usually combined with Vit. B12), healing wounds, promoting hair growth and other conditions. 

Coconut oil- composed of medium chain length fatty acids, or triglycerides MCT's, it has multiple health benefits along with being anti fungal and antibacterial in nature. Great moisturizer, light and not as greasy as some oils. 

I made these then put them on notes with each recipe underneath. Some of the recipes I made for my friend to use on the kiddos (EO free), also she asked for them to be lighter so I went with these;

3 oz. Apricot Kernel oil

1 oz. Jojoba (moisturizing, antibacterial)

(Carries a warning for latex allergies)

3 oz. Apricot Kernel oil

1 oz. Avocado (for the healing properties)

Lighter weight

2 oz. Apricot Kernel oil

2 oz. Grapeseed oil (absorbs quicker so needs to be mixed with something a little longer lasting)

For my friend and her family I did a couple blends just for them, those include;

Relaxing

1/2 oz. Jojoba oil

1/2 oz. Apricot Kernel oil

15 drops Lavender EO

3 drops Chamomile EO

Sore muscles/cold relief

1.5 oz. Coconut oil

.25 oz. Avocado oil

.25 oz. Jojoba oil

10 drops Peppermint EO

10 drops Lavender EO

5 drops Rosemary EO

Sore muscle relief 

.25 oz. Jojoba oil

.75 oz. Apricot kernel oil

9 drops Peppermint EO

6 drops Cajaput EO (remember that this causes a mild skin reaction which produces a warming action, some slight redness may be noted)

5 drops Camphor EO

If you add about 3 Tablespoons beeswax/1 oz. of oil you can make a "lotion" or closer to what looks like a salve out of any of the above mixes. If you would like softer add a little less, harder a little more. If you are using ones with EO's in them make sure that you add the EO's after melting the oils and beeswax together first, then poor into a glass container. All oils should be stored in an amber or blue bottle to keep the integrity and those that haven't been listed as longer lasting and won't be used in a short period of time you can add 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon of vitamin E oil to help lengthen the shelf time. I generally try to use mine within 6 months to keep the integrity of the oils and EO's intact. All the above recipes with the oils I have listed shouldnt need extra vitamin E added being they have a longer shelf life. 

I will be making more so watch for new recipes later, for now these are a few to get you started. Make your own and bring them with to your next massage!!! Add Essential Oils (EO's) to any of the plain mixes to create your own favorite scents!! :) Remember that using citrus oils may cause photo toxicity and it is advisable to wait 24 hrs after placing citrus oils on your skin prior to exposing that area of skin to the sun. Also if you mix your own and bring them with for massages, write down the ingredients to ensure your massage therapist is ok using those oils and combinations so you don't inadvertently cause issues with the person trying to help you out!! :)

Again, you can visit my Amazon Affliliate estore and go under the 'Massage Oils' category to find most of the products I have listed here easily and quickly. Amazon is awesome in supporting bloggers and allowing us to not increase your costs, but get benefits to help us out in our endeavors to bring new products, ideas and make new creative ways to do every day things at a lower overall cost to you than conventional stores!! I am currently using all benefits I receive to bring (hopefully) monthly giveaways to those who visit my blog and Facebook page. Currently, I am giving away all the products needed to make my DIY Tiger Balm (giveaway link). I would love to be able to do more of things like that so using my store enables me to cut some of my costs to do that. Thank you so much for all that have and continue to support me in that manner!!

I am also affiliated with Piping Rock here is some of the products you can obtain from them also!

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.