Cloth Napkins vs Paper Towels

Cloth napkins vs paper towel... That is the real question.

Do you know how many paper towels are used in your house every month? Me neither... Until I counted... I buy my paper towel at Costco I think packages of 12. We used that package in 8 months... 

Whats all the hullaballoo?

Consider this, you'll probably use thousands and thousands of rolls, which is equivalent to an entire forest. Imagine a local forest that you've walked through being completely cut down just for paper towels! It isn't just trees that are being consumed, its the entire process of making them including chemicals that go into it. To increase absorbency, they've been subjected to dioxins and other ingredients (the process isn't disclosed on the roll of paper towels). They are also bleached to give them their white colour. The dangers of chlorine bleach have been well documented. Infants and toddlers are especially vulnerable to the effects of chlorine bleach. Finally, they can take up to a year to decompose but then again remember the chemicals that go into the process of making them? It is leaking into the water system and causing harmful effects.

For me and my family this was a no brainer and a simple fix! 

I went out and purchased some organic terry cloth and flannel for reusable cloth napkins. I purchased it with my Fabricland membership on the back isle that only cost $3 per meter and matching thread of course! 

I cut out 10" x 12" rectangles. I probably cut 30 of each. Then sewed right sides together close to the edges.

Make sure you leave a 2 inch opening to flip the fabric. 

 After flipping the fabric, tuck the opening in and iron flat.

Then top stitch along the edge. This makes a BIG difference! (I made 2 different colours so don't be confused...)

I wrapped them around a paper towel holder for the meantime but I think I would like to add snaps so they can be laid more evenly.

The man only started using them once I tucked the paper towel away. We have had them for 2 months now and we all love them! They feel so soft on our faces and are very durable. We use them for simple kitchen wipe ups and meal times. We have a whole other section of rags for cleaning the home instead of using paper towels. Our waste has gone down substantially just from not using paper towels and I must say I haven't noticed an increase in the laundry as they are quite thin.

Overall a great investment! Its Thrifty, natural, homemade, and a great present wrapped in a cloth bow!

Happy sewing and living a more environmentally conscious life!

DIY Natural Pet Stain Remover

We have a little pup. When we leave him for too long at home or if he is just extra anxious he goes to the bathroom on our carpet. First of all I cannot wait to have hardwood instead of carpet. This will solve most of our home pet problems when this gets changed over... Until then, we have carpet and a pet to clean up after!

This last one was a poop. It wasn't hard either. TMI? Sorry...

I got most of it off with a cloth... but the brown smelly colour was still there.

I know baking soda rids pups smells. I use it weekly before I vacuum the carpet. So I figured I would sprinkle some of that on. Then I remembered a grass stain that our little cookie had on her shirt. I took it off with baking soda and vinegar... just let it sit there for an hour.

I tried this on the carpet. Let it sit for 2 hours (for extra mess removal hoping with my fingers crossed) and wiped the area up. Don't let the mixture sit for longer then that as it will bleach the carpet. The smell and brown stain was gone! Phew! I can officially stop buying pet stain removers that are so costly and cannot be good to breath in due to the extra smells they add.

Pet Stain and Smell Remover:
Baking soda
Vinegar

Happy natural thrifty living!

How to Get Rid of Pre-packaged Food

I have been working on changing my habits from buying cans and pre-ackaged foods to making homemade meals from as scratch. (as much as someone can)

This year was the first year we had a garden... unfortunately we started it too late and they died before they ripened. So next year we are starting early and going to reap all the benefits of garden life! Including canning, thrifty living and going into the backyard to pick pick pick.

First off I have to admit, I am no saint. Sometimes I still buy frozen pizza and other unmentionables...

Why not buy things in a can or jar pre-made? They are filled with preservatives and proven toxic and cancer causing chemicals and hormones that I am choosing to help myself and my family avoid. There is also unnecessary sugars, fats and salt in most pre-packaged food that I know for a fact is not healthy.

Want to know my secrets?

So far I think the first secret might be making double batches of everything and freezing the left overs!

The second secret is don't let yourself buy the pre-packaged things! I know, harder said then done... but if you stop buying the prepackaged food and are at home you either starve... or you start making things from scratch!

My final secret to getting rid of pre-packaged foods? Buy a crockpot! You don't need a brand new one. Someone gave us their old one and it works fine! Or I see them at garage sales all the time. We have made sooo many meals and snacks in our crock pot. My latest DIY homemade foodies is apple sauce! I could eat apple sauce all day straight from the jar... Gross? Maybe... I use it in almost all of my baking as well as a substitution to butter and its a great dessert! I like to leave it a little lumpy for extra texture :)

Here are some links that might help out:

26 Things to do with your crockpot
Things that can and cant be frozen
Recipes that you can freeze
Way too many crockpot recipes
Allrecipes.com (they have made this process the easiest! People rate the meals and leave VERY helpful comments

We all have a choice to make and this just so happens to be mine. I'm not saying your going to die if you eat pre-packaged food, I am just trying to make a small change in my family's life that I believe in :)

Homemade Natural Deodorizers

You know that spot under the sink that occasionally smells thanks to the garbage can and compost under your sink?

Sure you can go out and buy something that gets rid of the smell in strange places, but firstly, where is the fun in that, secondly, consider all the chemicals that go into those products that covers the smell and how they are affecting your body. Research perfume and secret chemicals... Sooooo gross!

I found a chemical-free, thrifty, all natural and DIY deodorizing disk that you can make with ingredients that you have at home!  Huzzah! 

Remember I was talking about the million benefits of baking soda? Well here is another one. It deodorizes the fridge, carpet and under the sink! 

This recipe makes 4 deodorizing disks.

1 1/2 cup baking soda

1/2 cup hot water (distilled or boiled for 10 min)

Oil of your choice (I chose Vanilla the first time and lavender oil my second time)

 Mix all the ingredients into a bowl ensuring a very thick consistency. Add extra baking soda if you need to! (This will help it dry out faster)

 Scoop the baking soda mixture into the cupcake lined muffin tins. Tap the whole thing on the counter to smooth out or dabble your finger gently on the surface. (both works fine)

 And there you have it!

Your very own homemade deodorizing disks! They can be used in lots of different areas! Diaper bins, mud rooms, behind the boys bathroom toilet, or in the same room the athlete in the house keeps their gear in! 

When they finally dried (took 4 days) I live in BC Canada and its all rain right now... I left them in the cupcake liners and placed them in boy areas around the house.

Enjoy your fresh smelling rooms!

Sick... Or feeling better? Throw out the drug store brands

Cough, Cough, Cough....

How the heck did I get sick?! Oh yes, my sick man kissed me... and it probably does not help that we snuggle every night. TMI? No way!

For a few days I have been congested, sneezing with my entire body (sooo much pain), and completely stuffed up. All I want to do is sleep, TV hurts my eyes right now... I really don't like taking drug store medication so I am googling natural home remedies. Besides why spend $20 on something you use once a year when you can use things that are probably already in your home?

I am going to share some home remedies that I use that makes me feel better :)
Salt water rinse
Garlic
Ginger
Showers
Sleep

My momma always told me to rinse with salt water so I am doing salt water rinses and mixing up salt and warm water and putting it in one nostril and letting it drip through the other (I can't remember what this is called if any of you know).

How Salt Water Works: When your throat is sore it contains inflammations called edemas. These edemas are filled with water and bacteria. The bacteria makes you sick. Gargling with salt water gets the salt to the back of your throat where it can attack the edemas by dehydrating them. When the salt dehydrates the edema it takes the fluid out of the edema. The bacteria can not survive without the fluid so the bacteria dies. If there is no bacteria to keep you sick you will then return to optimal health. So while the salt isn't actually doing the curing, it is taking away the very thing that allows the bacteria to stay alive. Remember Osmosis in school? Just about the same thing.

Salt Water Rinse Recipe
3/4 teaspoon Salt
1 cup warm water

I am also eating a whole lot of soup piled mile high with garlic. It not only makes your breath stink it is incredibly tasty and therapeutic. So pile on the garlic sick people!

Garlic Benefits:
Fresh garlic has many active constituents including alliin, allicin, alliinase and unique sulfur compounds. Allicin and the sulfur compounds of garlic are the ingredients primarily responsible for garlic's potency as an antibiotic, anti-viral and a fungicide and for its use in treating high blood pressure, lowering cholesterol, and for helping to prevent certain types of cancer, as well as its use as an immune stimulant. Allicin is a strong antibiotic agent produced when the alliin and alliinase are merged together, as happens when a fresh garlic clove is crushed or chewed.

Today my man made me some homemade ginger lemon tea. When he wasn't looking I snuck into the kitchen to see what was in the pot. Uh... Strange... ginger chunks?

Ginger Lemon Honey Tea (makes about 4 servings)
2 inches of ginger root peeled
7 cups of water
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
Honey (as much or as little as you prefer)

This is just a few things that have really worked for me now that I am switching to more natural things.

Hope it helps you!