We are back....and some DIY toiletries....

My laptop had been giving me major problems this past month - problems so bad that it was unusable. I was barely able checking my emails on hubby's computer (which he is using all the time) each night. While I was moving it around a few days ago I dropped it on the ground, and then incredibly, it started working like before again! I still don't know what caused the problem but I'm backing up everything in case it decided to stop working again. Oh how I love and loathe technology!

I have been doing a little bit of sewing and will post those projects soon. In the meantime, I have been trying to figure out how I can further reduce my carbon footprint and live a less toxic life. My preschooler will be going to some summer day camps and one of the location is about 30 min brisk walk from my house. It's actually not that far but since there are major construction happening in my neighbourhood, I'll need to take the long way around which takes about another 12 minutes more than necessary. I think in the mornings when he is going to that day camp, I'll try to push the stroller (with my toddler sitting in it) while my preschooler is standing at the foot rest at the back. That will save me a car trip and will be a good workout for me. I think I'll use the car when I pick him up at noon because it'll be way too hot to do that trip again for everyone. I don't want the kids or myself to get a heat stroke.

I have also been using my homemade toothpaste for a few weeks. I think it's working out great! I noticed that my teeth appeared whiter even only after 1 week of use. I checked many DIY blogs and it seemed that most recipes are 50:50 Coconut oil and Baking Soda. I also added drops of Peppermint and Spearmint essential oils to get that fresh taste in my mouth. The toxins in the commercial toothpaste has really scared me after I read about them on the Environmental Working Group site. I go to that site very often, not only to read up on the hazard levels of different commercial ingredients, but also to copy the ingredients of those that the site approve of to make my own concoctions.

The only drawback (and it's an annoying one) is that my sink is a bit plugged by all the DIY toiletries I'm using. They are all based on Coconut Oil or Olive Oil. I'll try to use a Vinegar/Water solution to spray everything down every night and see if that helps.

Next I'll be making the DIY deodorant with what else but what I have stocked up already - Coconut Oil and Baking Soda and Lavender essential Oil. I'll also be making the DIY Insect Repellent with Citronella essential oil and sunflower oil. Will report on the effectiveness of those soon!

New Homemade Organic Face/Body/Hand lotion

My family and I have been using my own homemade organic Face/Body/Hand/Feet Butter for a long time. The previous formulation had beeswax in it and it is a bit heavy for the warmer seasons. So I did some trial and error and made a new formulation. This batch is more 'lotion-like' and works very well with the pump bottles. And it's sooooo easy to make!

Recipe:
1. 3 parts Organic Virgin Coconut Oil
2. 1 part Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Steps:
1. Melt the 2 oils in a double boiler over medium heat.
2. Once everything is melted, remove from heat. Use a stick blender to blend the oil mixture until the mixture is luke warm.
3. Pour the mixture into a glass mason jar, put the lid on and put the jar in the freezer to cool.
4. Take the jar out of the freezer after about half a day. Leave the jar at room temperature. The mixture will soften gradually and will be ready for use in a few hours.

You can leave the lotion in the jar or pour it into a pump bottle with a funnel for ease of use.

The main step I find that works for me is to freeze the mixed oils in the freezer instead of letting it cool down on the counter. I find the consistency is much better after it was frozen and thawed.

This lotion is much easier to apply all over the body than the previous body butter with beeswax. And I love the coconut scent all over my body and face. I don't even need to add any essential oils as a fragrant. I think I might include this as a X'mas gift for friends/family this year!

The Great Hair Experiment has come to a halt....

After reading Meggipeg's blog about her 'all-water' hair experiment (see here) in March, I decided to try that myself too. For 2 months straight, I was washing my hair with water only. Nothing else. No shampoo, no conditioner, no hair spray, no gel, no mousse, etc, etc etc. It felt a bit greasy at the root but also a bit dry at the ends. I thought I could stick it out for another month to see how every goes....

....that was until I went swimming at a chlorinated pool with my daughter. We have resumed our weekly swim and there was no way I was going to let the chlorine stay on my hair. Unfortunately baking soda didn't wash away that film of chlorine. So I had to use shampoo to wash out my hair. Sigh! So much for trying to live a less toxic life! I guess I should start researching on what non-toxic alternatives there may be to wash off chlorine off my hair?

2nd Hand Clothes and Shoes....and a long rant!

I am a big fan of Zoe of the blog 'So, Zo.....what do you know?'. She is a very talented sewist/refashionista and has lots of measured thoughts that I can completely relate to. She recently posted about her purchases of 2nd hand shoes (see here), which made me thing of how I consume as well.

I love sewing, thrifting, and refashioning for myself, my family and my house. I haven't shopped for brand new clothes and shoes for a long time (just a couple of slip ups) and this year, I have pledged not to buy 2nd hand clothes/shoes unless I/my family actually need them. It hasn't been difficult at all; it's not like there was a period when I was craving to shop at the malls. I just adapted to it naturally.

My hubby and my kids don't know or care that they wear home-made/home-refashioned/2nd hand clothes. My kids love the 2nd hand books and toys I got them. They don't bug us to buy new things for them when we go to the malls because we rarely buy anything in front of them (except groceries). I use homemade olive oil/coconut oil/beeswax cream for our family's skin care (see here for recipe). And I started washing my hair only with water (no shampoo/conditioner/gel/spray/etc) after reading about it on Meggipeg's blog (her hair is gorgeous!).

I don't think of myself as an early adapter of any trends. I rarely talk about my sewing/refashioning/thrifting/homemade creams because my family, friends and acquaintances don't react kindly to it. They often think of me as some cheapo-crazy-treehugger-radical. Or they think I was disapproving their consumption habits when I talk enthusiastically about something I made. I made the mistake of talking about the 'magic' of using a water/apple cider/olive oil mixture to detangle my toddler's tangly hair and just had the other mom roll her eyes at me (she was endorsing this tiny bottle of $40 all natural ingredients detangler for her kids).  I just wish that I could find another suburban mom like me in my town (somewhere within 10 km!! LOL!) who shares my passion of sewing/crafting/thrifting/making your own skin care and hair care products, and the curiosity for alternative ways to make a less-toxic life for ourselves and our kids. Perhaps I need to start a local mom group myself?

I think we living in the west think buying something will solve any of our issue/need/want. I'm trying to break away from that. When I go walking in the malls for exercise with my toddler (it's snowy and windy outside 6 months of the year), I actually love going into the higher end stores and look at the underworkings of the jackets, dresses and pants in case I want to copy them (yea the sales assistants were rolling their eyes at me - LOL)! And I like looking at the windows at H&M and Forever 21 to see how they put their outfits together.  I take pictures so that I can put together something similar from my closet. I don't feel bad going to shopping centres at all.

Sorry about the rant! Sometimes it feels a bit lonely just doing all these 'wacky' projects by myself and no one to share this with face to face. When I go to the local thrift store or the fabric store, I'm surrounded by seniors and the rare student. So if you also like sewing/crafting/thrifting/making your own creams, give me a holler!