livinGreen: cleaning supplies + DIY all purpose cleaner

Arlo has started scooting around the house. not quite crawling, but close. He also reaches, grabs, and gets into anything he can. his new movements bring babyproofing the house to mind.


While Arlo will probably manage to find things (dangerous things at that) throughout the house I never knew I had, I know he will never get into any harmful chemicals. How can I be so sure? I simply won't have any in the house.


For the past few years, I've thought a lot about the way our society shapes us. It shapes us to be consumers.  My whole life, I thought that you needed a separate product for each chore to be done in the house. Glass cleaner for windows, dish soap for dishes, tile cleaner for tiles, etc. etc. etc. Not too long ago, I realized that this simply wasn't true. Although those products' ingredients are specified for certain actions, there are many natural, safe approaches to cleaning that work for many chores. Personally, I don't want to take any risk of my sweet son getting into chemicals that could involve a trip to the emergency room (and most of them will), so I have started cleaning my house the natural way.

With just a handful of basic ingredients (we'll start with just 3), you can clean your entire house without risk of harm to ANYONE in your house.

#1: CASTILE SOAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 it's probably my favorite cleaning ingredient ever. why? You can use it for anything you'd use "normal" soap for, but you can change the scent by adding a few drops of whatever essential oil that you want (if you get the unscented kind). also, you only need a few tablespoons of it in a big amount of water (dont know the ratio offhand)... basically, you buy some, and don't have to get anymore for about 6 months or so. the most perfect, money saving thing ever.

#2: VINEGAR
it smells disgusting, but it cleans ANYTHING. walls, windows, and whatnots. The smell can be taken care of by making an all purpose cleaner with citrus fruits (see DIY instructions below).



#3: BAKING SODA
I use this to scrub everything! EVERYTHING! Perfect for sinks, bathtubs, a little sprinkle in facewash for a scrub (i use honey for facewash... it really works people), and i even use it to wash my scalp. I have a head full of dreads, and rather than spending a ton of money on a no-residue shampoo, I use baking soda (also apple cider vinegar- another one to keep in the house, and lavender oil) to clean my locks. Keeps them sparklin clean and nice smelling.

Baking soda also eliminates smells from just about anything. Our diaper pail smells TERRIBLE unless we sprinkle baking soda in it about once every day. just a bit does the trick. and people think that they have to drop dozens of dollars on name brand diaper pails- HAHA! no, siree.



so there you have it. The three most important ingredients. No doubt I will be sharing more of these magical substances as time goes on, but start with those. Now, onto the DIY!
DIY ALL PURPOSE CLEANER (CITRUS SCENT)

Ingredients:
(these are estimations, as specific amounts aren't really necessary)
*a bottle of distilled white vinegar. just the kind you can buy at any general store (if you can, buy local!)
*a few citrus fruits. I used a grapefruit and two oranges, and filled 2 16 oz jars
*one or two old jars (from pickles or something) that you've washed out

Step 1: peel your fruits!!!! you won't need the meat from the fruits, so eat that up- it's good for you. 

 Step 2: Fill a jar (or jars) up with the peel, and pour in vinegar until the jar is full.

Step 3: let the mixture sit for 2 or 3 weeks, then pour into a spray bottle and voila!!!! You've got the cheapest, easiest, most natural cleaner ever.
wasn't so hard, was it?

He likes it, and so will you :)

(just so you know, i didn't "invent" this cleaner- SO many people long long ago used to use it. My mother had a love for eco friendly cleaning, and used vinegar to clean lots of things. adding citrus was simply a touch i'd heard of before to take away from the smell!)
<3


Chelsea, Arlo, and Olive

Easiest DIY Ever: Fruit Pops For Teething Babies

Arlo has been teething for about 1 1/2 months now, and it's just the worst.
For those who haven't had the pleasure of experiencing it, the process of sprouting teeth can turn the most cheerful, lovable baby into the most noisy and horrifying banshee imaginable. Watching your baby cry out in pain is one of the most difficult things for a mother to witness. Blind with sadness/hopelessness, I overlooked one of the most easy and effective ways to help my little one: ice.
Well, I'll be honest. This little bitty project didn't start because I'd suddenly realized the solution to my problem. It started because I wanted a snack. However, that doesn't make it any less awesome.

I've seen so many of the little popsicle do-dads at the store that cost about $3 a pop for 4-6 popsicles... I've thought about purchasing them. I would certainly use them... however, I'm really cheap. I happened to have a bunch of ice trays, and some popsicle sticks at home. I also have a "Baby Bullet" blender that we use to make Arlo's food. I only bring this up because if you're going to use these pops to help with your little one's teething troubles, a big popsicle probably won't help too much. it'll be too overwhelming. Ice trays make nice, little pops.




I'M GOING TO SAY IT RIGHT NOW: IF YOU'RE GOING TO USE THESE FOR YOUR TEETHING L.O., DO NOT, I REPEAT DO NOT LEAVE HER/HIM ALONE WITH THE POPSICLE. THE STICK IS DEFINITELY A CHOKING HAZARD, AS WELL AS THE POP WHEN IT GETS SMALL ENOUGH.
I let Arlo hold his own popsicle, but when the stick started showing at the top, I assisted him in eating it. Please don't even take the risk. Plus, it's the most adorable thing ever to watch a baby eat a popsicle. you will need a wet towel for clean up. probably a few.

 1: cut all of the meat out of 2 large mangoes, and throw them into a blender.

 2. pour the SMOOTH mango puree into the ice cube tray. put in the freezer for about 15 minutes, then put the sticks in, and freeze for another 40 minutes or so.

 3. ENJOY!

So cute.

DIY: gauged earrings (plugs)

I started stretching my earlobes when I was 15. (Was that really 7 years ago?!) My mom wasn't pleased with it, but I just loved it. I'm currently sized at about a 0. I plan to go bigger, but not quite yet. Anyway, my main issues with having stretched earlobes have always been versatility and price. I mean, you can't go into every accessory store and find earrings that will fit your lobes, much less that will fit your taste. If you go into a run of the mill place like Hot Topic, they only have things like tattoo print, animal print, skulls, and some other oddities. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that, but when I want something specific, I usually can't find it. If I DO end up finding it, it's at a tattoo/piercing shop, and I have to pay about $30 a pair. Not for me.



SO
I decided to make my own. It's affordable, easy, and you can be so, so creative with it. but WARNING: do NOT try to stretch your ears with polymer clay. This project is only appropriate for those who are satisfied with/want something to fit their current size.


HERE. WE. GO (sorry in advance for the weird color... idk what my camera was up to :S)

1. PAINT BRUSH
2. POLYMER CLAY (i use sculpey... but basically the small pack of any polymer clay will do. choose color if you know  you want that color, or white if you want to paint your own)
3. piece of embroidery thread, or thin yarn
4. aluminum foil
5. polymer clay glaze (i like to use satin glaze, not the glossy... just me)
6. sand paper
7. felt tip marker
8. acrylic paint in your choice of colors

Preheat your oven to about 300 degrees. Take a pair of gauged earrings that you already have, and measure the thickest part of it. Mark the embroidery thread/yarn with the felt tipped marker- you will use this to measure your hand-crafted gauged earrings.

pinch a small piece of your clay off of the mound

roll your piece of clay in a ball, then turn the ball into a cylinder about the width of your thumb. Use your marked yarn or thread to measure the center of the cylinder. If the cylinder is too big, take a small pinch of clay off of it, and then reroll it until it is the right size. If the cylinder is too small, simply put more clay onto the cylinder, and reroll.

 Repeat until you have the desired number of cylinders. If you want 3d effects on your new earrings, add them with the extra clay! Then place your earrings on the piece of aluminum foil, then on a cookie sheet (optional, but if you opt out- be careful!!). Pop them in the oven! It'll take around 20 minutes, maybe more. Check on them periodically, poking them with something like a toothpick, and if the toothpick doesn't leave a dot in the clay, they are done!

Let your new earrings cool for another 15 minutes or so, then try to put them in (carefully). If they are too big- grab your sand paper and sand around the earring, making it thinner. If you have a 3d design on the front and the earrings are too big, leave the front part alone, and sand the back parts. It'll look fine, promise. Dust off ALL of the clay powder before trying on again. When your gauges fit, dust all the clay dust off again. If you have finger prints on the 3d design, or on the front, go ahead and gently sand those too.  Next, paint them up!!! have fun :)! Depending on your paint, you might need to put an extra layer of paint on.

After the paint dries, put a layer of glaze on. Repeat two more times, so that the paint is fully protected. This process takes a while, but be patient, it's worth it!

When you're all done... PUT ON YOUR NEW FINISHED GAUGED EARRINGS! REJOICE!!!!! you've learned how to be creative AND save yourself some money!

check out the ones I made <3

hooray!!! i'm so very happy with mine. sculpey is so freakin cheap, it's just the best!

leave me pics of your creations, i'd LOVE to see them!!