This Moment

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see. Via soulemama.

Homemade Lotion Bars

We have been testing and testing different homemade beauty products.  I just love these homemade lotion bars.  One application in the morning lasts me all day without having to reapply and are not full of toxic waste!

I have dry skin all the time.  No matter what time of the year it is my skin is dry. I stopped using soap because it would dry my skin out too much.  I tried everything store bought but no matter how thick the lotion is I always have to reapply it a few times during the day if I want my skin to be soft.  I finally bought this stuff the other day at a "real food" store which was all natural and felt so good on my skin.  But it was $14.99 an ounce.  That's just a little too expensive for me.

So I thought how can I make this myself?  I know I can make it myself for a lot cheaper than $14.99 an ounce with no chemicals or other crap in it.

I tried using straight up coconut oil.  Yeah, no.  I felt greasy and couldn't put real clothes on or sit on any furniture for about 2 hours.  My skin felt smooth but I do not have two hours to dry off everyday.  I think it is better left for a once a week deep moisturizer after a nice long soak in a warm tub, not for everyday application.  Who am I kidding about being able to take a long soak in the tub, some days I am happy if I can go to the bathroom all by myself!

These lotion bars are made out of a few relatively inexpensive ingredients and is much thicker feeling than store bought lotion.  I have found that I only need to put it on once a day and my skin stays soft all day long.  They are also super easy to make.  Besides the drying time, it took me about 20 minutes from start to pour.

Homemade Lotion Bars

1/2 cup beeswax
1/2 cup shea butter or cocoa butter
1/2 cup coconut oil
Essential oil (Optional)
2 tsp of Vitamin E

Using a double boiler on medium heat, get the water to a boil, then melt the beeswax, then the coconut oil, then the shea butter.  Shea butter turns grainy when you over heat it so I add it last.  Take off the heat and add the essential oil and vitamin E. I used about 30 drops for this recipe but you can use as much or as little as you like.  Stir thoroughly.  I use the paper cupcake cups in a muffin tin because it is what I have on hand but you can use any type of mold you please.  Allow them to dry for at least an hour or more depending on the size of your mold.  Use the warmth of your hands to melt the bar a bit and rub on any dry spots!

Just poured into the molds

CAUTION!!  Do not keep these in the car or anyplace it gets really warm. Since they do not have chemical stabilizers, they will melt.

Finished!  

These lotion bars are good for everyone. The coconut oil is a natural antiseptic so you can use these bars on raw, dried or cracked skin without the painful stinging like the store bought lotions.  Coconut oil is also naturally an SPF4, so you are getting some sun protection.  Shea butter is good for healing dry skin, reducing wrinkles and scars, and is a natural anti inflammatory.  The beeswax locks in the moisture, softens skin and protects the skin from environmental factors.  Beeswax also has anti inflammatory and antibacterial properties making it safe to use on raw, cracked skin.

Ready to toss your old chemical laden-store bought lotion and start making your own?  Let me know what you think!

This Moment

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see. Via soulemama.

What's happening around here?

Sorry guys, summertime has us busier than bees some days.  We have been testing out some fun things, enjoying family and friends company, celebrating so there has been little time left during the day to blog.

We have.........Good news, Our chickens started laying just the other day.  We enjoyed a tasty omelette this past weekend.  We look forward each afternoon going out and getting the eggs.

We have.........Bad news (only for those chickens!).Our Freedom Rangers will go for processing in about 2-3 weeks.  I won't lie, I hate those evil demon spawn and will laugh all the way to the farm!  Muhahahahahaha!

Freedom Rangers

We tested............Coconut oil, tooth powder, dishwasher detergent and homemade yogurt to be exact.  I am not crazy about the dishwasher soap via here.  My dishes just are not getting clean so I still have a bunch of testing to do. I hope to have a post about the coconut oil, tooth powder and yogurt soon.  PS...I am a total fan of all three of these things but I am totally hooked on the tooth powder!  The Hubs on the other hand is kind of on the fence.

Image via

We planned..........Figuring out where our duck house and bees will go has been a little trying.  Only having three quarters of an acre with one third of that being wooded makes fitting gardens, swing sets, trampolines, chicken coops, duck houses, duck ponds, and dog houses a little trickier.  Nonetheless we will find the room so everyone is happy.

2 Buff's peeking out of the chicken coop

We researched..........We have been researching ducks, the Hubs has wanted ducks (and goats) for a while now.  Since we had bad luck with the chickens last year, I wanted to concentrate on the chickens.  Now we are semi sure we know what we are doing so we are getting ducks, no goats right now.  It looks like we will be getting some Runners, Rouens, and Pekings, next month.  They are all docile ducks so the kids can help and I don't have to worry about one of them getting pecked.

Image via

We gardened.........Getting our butterfly and bee garden established.  This garden is three years in the making and I have to say it is coming along well!!  Thanks to our friend Frank. He sells the greatest perennials, never uses pesticides on his perennials and I have never had any problem with any plant he has ever sold me.  I make one or two trips there a year and just love seeing everything he has to offer!  We were out until about 10 pm Sunday evening trying to get the last of the mulch down.  We ran out of landscapers fabric and called it an evening!  Hopefully I will be able to finish this today!

A butterfly on an echinacea flower

We celebrated......... Little Bug turned 5 this past weekend.  She is such a love!  What a sweet and beautiful little girl!

So this is what we have been doing for the past week, with a little rain mixed in!  How is summer treating you?

Freedom Rangers

We decided that this year we would get meat chickens.  And after talking to a local chicken farmer, we decided to go with Freedom Rangers, which were suppose to be somewhere in the middle of Cornish X and a heritage breed.  We got them on June 1st and figured they would only be with us a short period of time, what could go wrong......

I have never hated an animal in my life as much as I hate these chickens.  They stink to the high heavens, they poop EVERYWHERE, they eat ALL THE TIME, they are the ugliest birds ever, I do not think they actually groom themselves and at one point I thought they all had tumors growing out of their breasts. Turns out they grow that way. We have gone through three bags of feed in the past six weeks.  They forage but they prefer the feed over foraging.  I only supplement feed with the egg layers, but these guys think they are going to starve to death and will follow you around until you feed them.  They are vile and disgusting and I actually cannot wait to send them to the farm.  I will never get Freedom Rangers again.   I think next time around we will go with an actual heritage breed.  They may take a little longer to grow but that is okay.  Having raised other dual-purpose breeds I know what to expect.

Freedom Rangers

Our egg layers, of which our three Buff Orpingtons are dual-purpose, do not smell, they forage, and they look like normal chickens.  I love our girls, they are polite and let us pick them up and pet them, they love their little mealy worm treats and kitchen scraps.  I gave them some grass clippings from the lawn mower and they went crazy!!

Our egg layers

So I will continue our quest for a meat bird that is slow growing, docile and doesn't eat like a pig!  I will let you know what breed we try next!!

Christmas in July- Really?

Yes, I am crazy for making a Christmas post in July.  But why not?  I LOVE Christmas!  It is absolutely the best time of the year.  I always feel like all is good with the world from about Thanksgiving to New Years.  But I digress!

I spent last December DIY'ing most of our Christmas presents to our family and I felt so rushed.  But I was browsing through the internet and Pinterest the other day and started finding all kinds of Christmas stuff to make and give!

I am inspired to start planning in July.

I made a Ornament wreath this past year for my sister, maybe I should make her some garland to match?

via Pretty Quirky

Or some glitter ornaments for our tree.

via Cook~Love~Craft

Or I could make more paint ornaments, like last year.

Handmade by me

And maybe I will let the girls get crafty with me again this summer and we can make these!

Little Bird's hand print snow family!

I have a new found love to make things and I am kind of good at it!  Toot! Toot!  And now that my family room is complete I have another Christmas tree to set up and decorate!  Yay!

When do you start feeling inspired for Christmas?  What do you do to keep yourself from becoming overwhelmed?

This Moment

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see. Via soulemama.