Everything Gives me a Rash Deodorant

Every deodorant we have come across so far gives Firebeard a rash eventually.  So far it has not mattered wether the deodorant is a major name brand, hypo-allergenic, all natural, or even organic.  They have all eventually given him a rash.  As a result I began researching natural deodorant ingredients to find out which ones might be the culprits.  Through my research, and a bit of experimentation, I believe I have now come up with a recipie for deodorant that won't give Firebeard a rash, and STILL WORKS! I decided to share this recipe with you in the hope that it will help others out there who get deodorant rash.  Enjoy, and please let me know if it works for you!

Everything Gives Me a Rash Deodorant

Ingredients:

• 2 tbl coconut oil
• 1 tsp shea butter
• 1 tsp cocoa butter
• 2 capsules vitamin E (optional preservative)
• 1/2 cup + 3-4 tbl corn starch

Directions:

1. Melt solid/semi-solid butters in a double broiler (or microwave)
2. Stir in liquid oils
3. Remove from heat, and mix in 1/2 cup cornstarch
4. Add up to 4 more tablespoons cornstarch to reach a firm consistency

Put this mixture into a container of your choice, (I used an old deodorant holder that I had cleaned out), and let it cool to room temperature before you use it.  Ta-da!  No more stinky, rashy pits.

So why no essential oil or baking soda?

I did not include baking soda because it has a slightly basic Ph, and human skin prefers neutral or slightly acidic Ph.  If you have very sensitive skin, the basic Ph of baking soda can irritate it.

Likewise I did not include essential oils because they can be irritating to sensitive skin; however, some are gentler than others.  Lavender is generally a good choice for sensitive skin, and tea tree oil, and neem oil will help keep stinky bacteria at bay, but try them in small amounts at first.

Perhaps I should also post the recipe for the deodorant I have made for myself as well, as I have insensitive underarm skin and my recipe is a bit different.

I will be taking off for memorial day, but with luck I will be back by Wednesday with more crafty goodness.

How does DIY Laundry Detergent Work?

After writing my previous article, DIY Laundry Detergent, I realized that there is no reason that any of you would trust a word I say on such a subject.  If I were you I wouldn't trust me, and I don't trust other bloggers on blind faith either.  When I find a topic I an interested in, I research.  Here is some of my findings on DIY Laundry Detergent, and a few links to help you begin your research if you are inclined. ~Gerwerken

How does DIY Laundry Detergent Work?

For thousands of years humans have been washing fabric in water.  At times we have also hit that fabric against rocks, with sticks, or against the beaters in our washing machines.  We have boiled the water, or added things to it, but the use of water hasn’t changed.  Why?  Water cleans really well.  That’s why it is often referred to as, “the universal solvent.”  We could wash our clothes in plain water alone, get pretty clean clothes, and save a lot of money.

So if water does such a good job, why do we bother with soaps and detergents?  The main reason when it comes to laundry is that oil and water don’t mix, soap acts like a match maker.  Soap, or saponified fats, act as emulsifying agents so that oil, and the dirt attracted to it, can be washed away by water.  Washing Soda, or Sodium Carbonate is added to the mix because we rarely wash our clothes in pure soft water.  Instead, we use tap water, hard, soft, or in-between (for a cute story about the difference between hard and soft water click here).  The washing soda bonds with some of the minerals in hard water, particularly magnesium and calcium, so the soap does not have to.  Without the washing soda, we would need a LOT more soap.

Finally Borax, or sodium borate, a naturally occurring alkaline mineral, helps whiten whites and brighten brighten.  Borax converts some of the water molecules to hydrogen peroxide, which you will know if you have ever seen a peroxide blond, acts similarly to bleach.  As an added bonus, it also kills roaches, I bet your old detergent didn’t do that.

Expanding the Garden

If you read my last post, you will know that one of my New Year's resolutions was to expand my garden, what you didn't know was that it had already begun.

Last year I planted a small garden bed that continues to provide my family with bell peppers.

  This year I plan on planting a much wider variety of vegetables, and enough tomatoes that a

 few can make it to our dinner table before my kid's devour them.  The first step was creating a raised garden bed that our dogs won't be able to run right through and trample our vegetables.

Here is what we did.  Keep in mind that we learned a few lessons along the way, and I point out what those lessons taught us below.

We created a 4' by 8' box, about 1' tall.  Mr. Incredible used 1" by 4" untreated pine (cull lumber).  He attached them with common sinker nails using overlap corners.

Next time we will use nails with a spiral or ring shank or wood screws because the sinker nails pulled out of the corners far too easily.

We then situated this box in a prepared bed (the soil had been turned to break up the heavy clay that lies just below the surface, and the soil had been leveled as much as possible).

We increased the height of the bed by installing 2" by 2" corner supports, and nailing the next level of pine boards to the supports.  He also installed 2" by 4" supports in the middle of the 8' spans to keep the wood from flexing or bowing under the pressure of the dirt.  In hindsight we probably should have made the entire structure before trying to stick it in the dirt.  Preassambly would have kept the joints from shifting and requireing clean up/trimming after assembly.  We may also use all 2" by 4" supports in the future.

He then trimmed off all the pieces of the supports that were above the top of the box using a sawsall.

He also ground off the ends of protruding screws to keeps hand from comming in contact with them while digging, as they could casue injury.

Then I layed landscape cloth in the bottom of the box, putting dirt in the corners to keep the cloth from blowing away.  The landscape cloth should help keep weeds at bay, slow water runnoff and erosion, and is deep enough that it shouldn't interfer with veggie growth.

After filling the rest of the box with dirt I layered on some compost (that was not quite as ready as I would have liked), then more dirt.  

Now I need to finish filling the box with more dirt, compost, and organic fertilizer.  Then all that is left is actually growing the plants.

~Gerwerken

Gift Idea 2: Recycled Candles Tutorial

My kids love candles. They take an especial fancy to expensive pillars and delicate tapers, taking chunks out of them with their sharp little finger nails (so they smell nice), or brandishing them as swords while they wage epic battles with one another. However, their favorite thing to do with candles is carry them by their wicks, breaking them off in the process. Needless to say, candles in my house rarely live out their natural lives, turning slowly into stumpy little bits of over used wax. Our candles are broken, nicked, shapeless, wickless, masses of wax that have never been used. I hate to throw it out. The result; recycled candles.

How to Make Recycled Candles:

Supplies:

1. Broken Candles (feel free to mix colors, but be warned, mixing complementary colors like red and green will make muddy brown)
2. Wick (salvaged, homemade, or store bought)
3. Pretty Heat Safe Jar that the finished product will reside in
4. Something stiff that is longer than the jar's opening - like a pencil
5. A small heavy object to attach to the wick -like a washer (may not be needed if using a store bought wick)
6. A disposable, microwave and heat safe container to melt the wax in - like a paper cup or something from the recycling bin
7. A Microwave
8. A knife and cutting surface

Steps:
Using your cutting board and knife, cut your wax so that it go from resembling small rocks, like this.........to small pebbles, like this.
Place your small pieces of wax in your microwave safe container, and microwave on high until the wax obtains a liquid texture. Make to to check that the wax has not escaped it's container every 30 seconds to one minute.

While you are waiting for your wax to melt, prepare your jar to receive it. First attach your heavy object to your wick. As you can see, I simply tied a square knot around a washer. This is to make sure your wick stays in place while the wax is poured in the container.

Next, place the wick in the jar with the heavy object in the bottom of the jar, and the other end wrapped around something stiff covering the opening of the jar (I used a wrench because it was on hand). Be sure to center the wick over the middle of the jar, unless you would like an avant guard and likely shorted lived candle.
When the wax reaches liquid state, pout it into the jar.....
.....and let it cool.Once it is cooled, snip the wick to 1/4th of an inch.An your beautiful candle is ready to go.

Enjoy!

Show your support

The July No Buy Challenge now has it's own button. Add it to your own page to show your support.

Just add the following text to your blog;

July No Buying Challenge

Nearly every eco-friendly blog or website I visit focuses a lot of it's content on the cool new green stuff you an buy, so that your consumption leaves a smaller footprint on the planet. They forget to mention that an even smaller foot print is left by NOT buying the cool new green stuff. Keeping and using your old stuff, even if the old stuff was not produced in an environmentally friendly manner, is almost always better for the environment then buying new green stuff (see note at bottom). Using your old stuff has the additional advantage of keeping a lot of green in your wallet.

This observation has led me to focus my blog on reusing products whenever possible, but I would like to do more. That is why I am officially issuing a challenge to friends, family, and readers. I challenge everyone to limit their purchases to necessary items only for the entire month of July. Lets try to do what is right for both our world, and our bank accounts.

Who: All of you, your friends, family, friendly strangers, whomever will listen.
What: Limiting purchases to only necessary items.
When: July 2008
Why: To open our eyes to truly sustainable living, both environmentally and economically.

What do you win? Potentially hundreds of dollars, and a new perspective on what is really needed, and what really contributes to our overall happiness and wellbeing.

What is necessary? I will leave this distinction up to you. My list of necessary items includes food (minimally processed, not including take out or eat out), prescription drugs, gas, personal higene products, and anything required for work, or basic home upkeep. It does not include shoes or clothes, craft supplies, or even gifts. I also plan on using items that have been building up in my house, like the speciality lotions that are often received as gifts, before I buy new ones.

Through out the month I plan on giving tips for buying less, and spending less, while living a eco-friendly, sustainable lifestyle. This will include eliminating many convenience items from your life, reusing items that would otherwise be discarded, and making or repairing items that would otherwise be bought.

I hope to hear from everyone that takes on this challenge. Please share both success and failure, as well as your own tips and tricks.

~Gerwerken

Note: When something must be replaced it is better for the environment to buy an environmentally friendly product; however, products are often replaced when they could be repaired or reused.