How to Make Leaf Skeletons I wanted to share with you a project from one of my readers who shares with us how to make leaf skeletons. I LOVE this! I have several leafs in various forms displayed in my home and knew I needed to make some of her leaf skeletons to add to my decor. I have spent hours and tried various ways of making these. You need washing soda, not baking soda! Gather your leaves. Washing soda is a strong base so you may want to wear gloves when handling the leaves. You will add 3/4 cup of washing soda and 4 cups of water to your pot of leaves. Keep going, you will need to add more water so your pan doesn’t dry out. When 1.75 hours are up fill a glass baking dish with cool water. I carefully removed them and rinsed with water and added clean water to the pan. If you’re still with me, this is what I ended up with… I have a maple leaf which turned out not so well. 37.1Kstumbleupon
Homemade Beauty Recipes These recipes are the intellectual property of the creators and may not be duplicated without their permission. We wish to thank Jeanne Rose, Noreen Finneran, Spa Index, SharAmbrosia and the National Honey Board for generously allowing us to share their recipes with you. For more information, or to ask permission to use specific recipes beyond your own personal use, please visit these web sites to find the formulators. Jeanne Rose.net Spa Index.com Honey.com SharAmbrosia.com We celebrate free speech and the sharing of ideas. Stealing is stealing, and we appreciate you for not doing it from our site. How to transfer an image to fabric with gel medium I experimented with transferring an image onto fabric the other day. For my test, I used this completely adorable dachshund drawing by Kayanna Nelson of June Craft. The little fellow is downloadable for personal use at Bloesem Kids. To try an image transfer, you'll need: Acrylic gel medium, available at art storesFabricA laser printed image (not inkjet!) With your finger—or a brush, but I prefer to feel what I'm doing—spread gel medium onto your fabric in the area where you want your image. Place your image printed side down onto the sticky fabric and press firmly. Dampen the paper with water, then gently rub the paper away from the image with your finger. The resulting fabric will be a bit stiffer where the gel medium was applied, and you'll be able to see it faintly. For a good drawstring bag tutorial, check out this one at Skip To My Lou.
Some of the ingredients in beauty products aren't that pretty. U.S. researchers report that one in eight of the 82,000 ingredients used in personal care products are industrial chemicals, including carcinogens, pesticides, reproductive toxins, and hormone disruptors. Many products include plasticizers (chemicals that keep concrete soft), degreasers (used to get grime off auto parts), and surfactants (they reduce surface tension in water, like in paint and inks). Imagine what that does to your skin, and to the environment. We surveyed Canadians to see how many of the Dirty Dozen ingredients below appeared in their cosmetics, and our findings show that 80 per cent of entered products contained at least one of these toxic chemicals. Sign up for our newsletter For more detailed information on the Dirty Dozen, please see below or check out our Dirty Dozen backgrounder 1. Used mainly in moisturizers and makeup as preservatives. 2. 3. 4. Used as a plasticizer in some nail care products. 5. 6. 7.
The 29 Healthiest Foods on the Planet | Belly Bytes The following is a "healthy food hot list" consisting of the 29 food that will give you the biggest nutritional bang for you caloric buck, as well as decrease your risk for deadly illnesses like cancer, diabetes and heart disease. Along with each description is a suggestion as to how to incorporate these power-foods into your diet. Fruits 01. The Power: Beta-carotene, which helps prevent free-radical damage and protect the eyes. 02. The Power: Oleic acid, an unsaturated fat that helps lower overall cholesterol and raise levels of HDL, plus a good dose of fiber. 03. The Power: Ellagic acid, which helps stall cancer-cell growth. 04. The Power: Stop aging, live longer and keep your mind sharp with blueberries. 05. The Power: Vitamin C (117mg in half a melon, almost twice the recommended daily dose) and beta-carotene - both powerful antioxidants that help protect cells from free-radical damage. 06. The Power: Helps fight bladder infections by preventing harmful bacteria from growing. 07.
8 hair care treatments you can make yourself | MNN - Mother Nature Network - StumbleUpon Eggs, yogurt and honey are, at first glance, all components of a tasty breakfast — but they also happen to be hair treatment ingredients, and affordable, all-natural ones at that. And they're not the only ones. Did you know, for instance, that the oils in avocados more closely resemble our own skin's oils than any product in the beauty aisle does? Or that the mild acidity in lemon is an effective — and gentler — alternative to chemical-laden products? Next time your locks need a lift, save money by using one of these kitchen fixes. For all hair types "The [raw] egg is really the best of all worlds," says Janice Cox, author of "Natural Beauty at Home". To use: For normal hair, use the entire egg to condition hair; use egg whites only to treat oily hair; use egg yolks only to moisturize dry, brittle hair, Cox says. For dull hair To Use: Massage 1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt into damp hair and let sit for 20 minutes. For itchy scalp For limp or fine hair For dry or sun-damaged hair
Instructions: How to Spring Clean With Nontoxic Home-made Products - Environment - GOOD Tackling spring-cleaning this month? Us too. But there's no sense in doing it if you're going to create a big mess for the planet (and your body) in the process. Cleaning up your act isn't as straightforward as running to the pharmacy and picking out a bottle covered in claims of eco-friendliness and biodegradability, however. When it comes to home cleaning products a lot of eco claims are unverified and—worse—unverifiable, with rare exceptions like Seventh Generation. Instead of wondering what kinds of toxic chemicals you're flushing down the toilet or dumping down the drain every time you decide your apartment's gotten a little grungy, stock up on a few things listed below, and keep these easy recipes handy. All-purpose cleaner. Windows and mirror cleaner. Floor soap. Carpet deodorizer. Tubs, countertops, and sink scrub. Oven cleaner. Natural drain cleaner. Wood cleaner. Moldy grout remover. Shower spray. Toilet. Stainless steel polish. Marble, granite, or stone countertop cleaner.
Felt Aquarium Magnets When I was in the third grade my class took a field trip to Point Reyes, California to look at the tide pools. I was fascinated by them, each pool was like a small secret world. There were orange and purple sea stars, tiny little fish, and flower-like sea anemones. When I stuck my finger in an anemone's mouth it's sticky petal-like tentacles would close around it, thinking it was food (this probably isn't a nice thing to do to an anemone, but it certainly made an impression on me). My love for the ocean and all of its creatures has only grown in the subsequent years. I did some snorkeling in Hawaii and saw fish of every size, shape and color though the crystal clear water. When we decided to make a set of felt-covered magnets I knew I wanted to make an underwater scene. This underwater world makes a great gift for a child, or even an adult, who loves the ocean. Materials To make 20 magnets: Tips for all Magnets Clownfish Finished size: 1 1/2-inches wide Cut out the pieces. Sea Anemone
10 Free Tote Bag Patterns and Tutorials Totes make great handmade gifts. Here is a Tuesday Ten that shows a round-up of lovely totes. If you love to sew you might also like these free sewing tutorials right here on Skip to my Lou! Pleated Zippered Pouch Lined Zippered Pouch 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. How to make fabric storage baskets Here are 10 terrific ways to make fabric containers, baskets and buckets. These fabric storage basket tutorials will get you organized in style! 1. Fabric Storage Bin Tutorial 2. Sturdy Fabric Storage Bins 3. 4. 5. 6.Fabric Scrap Baskets 7. 8. 9. 10.
Organizing Tips - Home Organization Strategies Ever pop in on a friend unexpectedly and everything’s in its place? She had no time to clean up, yet her house is immaculate. How does she do that? We wanted to know, so we went to the neat and organized— readers whose homes always look great— to find out their best strategies. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14.