{ Greener } Gift Giving for the Holidays

Instead of shopping on Black Friday, support Small Business Saturday.

Sure, shopping Black Friday might net you a deep discount on the latest “must have” gadget at the big box stores. I guarantee, heading out on Black Friday will put me in a black mood. Instead, check out your local small businesses or follow Small Business Saturday on Facebook for updates.

Dive in and make your own gifts:

Handmade gifts truly come from the heart. And they don’t have to be elaborate. These are easy enough that even a beginner can do.

Herb-infused sugars.

Candied orange peels.

Christmas rosemary bath salts.

Easy facial lotion bars.

Security puppy/blanket for a new baby.

Minty hot cocoa mix.

                                             

 

Give books:

But as a book lover, I know there’s nothing better than finding a good book under the tree. They are truly the gift that keeps on giving — especially if we’re talking about non-fiction books to build a library of knowledge. Click through for my take on some of these.

Kitchen:

• Classic Snacks Made From Scratch
• The Kitchen Counter Cooking School
• Parents Need to Eat Too
• The Organized Kitchen
• The Muffin Tin Cookbook

Consider reusable gift wrap:

Recycle t-shirts into sweet little pouches adorned with a snowflake image.

Sew reusable gift bags.

Cover a canister (such as a coffee can) with cute paper for a darling package.

Make your own gift bags from recycled newspaper.

Take a cue from nature and really wrap green.

 

                                                                           Courtesy of: Attainable Sustainable

 

Happy Veteran's' Day

Prepare For the Holidays!

Give the gift of homemade cleaning products to your family and friends. Preparing early is key to keeping your stress low so you can enjoy family and friends. Here are some holiday gift suggestions to give you a jump start...

1.) Homemade Spray Cleaner Recipe:

Mix in a sprayer bottle:
     * 1 cup white vinegar
     * 1 cup water

In the kitchen, use vinegar and water spray to clean countertops, lightly soiled range surfaces and backsplash areas.

In the bathroom, use the vinegar spray cleaner to clean countertops, floors and exterior surfaces of the toilet.

2.) Cutting Boards:

Sanitize by spraying first with vinegar and then with 3% hydrogen peroxide.

3.) Furniture polish:

Mix olive oil and vinegar in a one-to- one ratio and polish with a soft cloth.

4.) Brass, copper, bronze and aluminum:

To remove tarnish, rub metal with sliced lemons. For tough jobs sprinkle baking soda on the lemon and then rub.

5.) Sterling silver:

Put a sheet of aluminum foil into a plastic or glass bowl. Sprinkle the foil with salt and baking soda, and then fill the bowl with warm water. Soak your silver in the bowl, and the tarnish will migrate to the aluminum foil. Rinse and dry the silver, then buff with a soft cloth.


                                                                             

Courtesy of: Dr. Dan's Natural Healing Center

Home Remedies for Congestion

It’s that time of year again for many of us – less daylight, busy holiday schedules and colds and flus making the rounds.  The discomfort (and even pain) associated with congestion is one of the most common symptoms.  (Not to mention that the inability to breath is just plain annoying.)  In this post I’ve gathered together several home remedies for congestion that will hopefully get you breathing right and on the fast track to healing the next time you’re battling congestion.

Home Remedy for Sinus Congestion #1 – Tomato Tea

From Earth Clinic, a great site for home remedies, the top choice for sinus congestion is a recipe called “Jean’s Famous Tomato Tea“.  This recipe has received rave reviews for its ability to clear congestion.

TOMATO TEA RECIPE
2 cups V8 Juice
2-3 cloves Garlic crushed (use more if you can)
2 T Lemon Juice
Hot Sauce (the more the better, so as much as you can handle)

 Mix and heat in a pan or in the microwave. Sip slowly and re-warm as needed to get the full effects of the fumes. Let it sit in the back of your throat to bathe it. Suck the fumes through your sinuses and also down into your lungs. Its all natural and healthy, so drink as much of it as you want or need until you are SURE the infection is gone. This is past the time when you “feel better.”

Home Remedy for Sinus Congestion #2 – Apple Cider Vinegar

Whether you drink it, inhale it, gargle it or squirt it up your nose, Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) is another popular choice for treating congestion. For drinking, some folks take a shot of it straight up, others add lemon juice and cayenne, or mix it with water and honey. Popular proportions on Earth Clinic are 6 ounces of water, two tablespoons ACV, two – four teaspoons honey, consumed warm, every 6 to 8 hours.
To inhale ACV, boil some ACV on the stove and breathe the fumes, or mix a drop or two in your saline nose spray.

Home Remedy for Sinus Congestion #3 – Steam – With or Without Herbs

A hot, steamy shower is a godsend when you’re stuffed up, but you can sneak it a little relief in a much smaller area by using a bowl of boiling water tented with a towel. Take a large bowl and add fresh or dried herbs such as eucalyptus, rosemary, peppermint or New England Aster. (A few drops of high quality essential oils may also be used, or you can skip herbs altogether, but in my experience they do help.) Pour in boiling water. Lean over bowl and inhale as best you can, tenting your head with a towel to trap the vapors.

Home Remedy for Sinus Congestion #4 – Hot Tea – Herbal or “Regular”

Hot tea with lemon and honey has been a congestion fighting favorite of mine for years.  Momma always stocked Lipton tea bags, but now I buy my black, green and oolong in bulk, and sometimes enjoy some tulsi (holy basil) tea blends as well.  Lemon is a great mucus clearer on it’s own, and can provide extra vitamin C, and honey is naturally antibacterial, so do include them in your brew.
For extra “oomph”, try herbal tea such as mullein, sage, ginger, peppermint, chamomile, eucalyptus, wild thyme and blackberry.
To make an herbal tea, cover 2 teaspoons dried leaves or 1/4 cup fresh leaves with 1 cup boiling water, steep for five to ten minutes, then strain and enjoy.  (For ginger root, use about a 1/2 inch piece of fresh root, or 1/2 tsp-1 tsp of dried root bits.)  I like to steep in a tea pot or cover my tea mug to keep the vapors from escaping.
                                                                  

Courtesy of Common Sense Homesteading 11/08/2012 

Benefits of using green cleaning products and homemade cleaners

Synthetic household products contain harmful chemicals that react with ozone from the air, creating toxins like formaldehyde. The inside of homes contain around two to five times as many of common chemical pollutants than areas outside of homes, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Considering people spend around 90 percent of their time inside, the denser concentration of chemicals is significant. Indoor pollutants can cause headaches, flu-like symptoms, neurological issues and possibly increase the risk of respiratory disease. Natural products for cleaning are therefore better for health. Using green cleaning products is also better for the environment. Buying natural cleaning products helps to support green companies, but if cost is an issue people can still participate in eco-friendly cleaning practices by making homemade cleaners.

Natural Products for Cleaning and Disinfecting...

Make homemade cleaners with simple ingredients such as vinegar, club soda and baking soda. Make an all-purpose cleaner by combining:

• 1/4 cup baking soda
• 1/2 cup vinegar
• 1/2 gallon water

A spray bottle filled with club soda makes a perfectly efficient glass cleaner.

Homemade cleaners for floors are also simple. To clean linoleum or vinyl, combine:

• 1 cup vinegar
• 3 drops of baby oil
• 1 gallon of warm water

People can still get tough jobs done and stick to natural cleaning solutions by adding 1/4 cup of borax to the floor cleaner.

Wooden floors are easy to clean with a mixture of equal parts vinegar and vegetable oil.

Most homes do not need strong, chemical disinfectants. A natural disinfectant can be made by mixing:

• 4 tablespoons vinegar
• 2 teaspoons borax
• 1/4 teaspoon liquid castile soap
• 3 cups hot water

Homemade cleaners for bathrooms:

Natural cleaning products keep toilets, bathtubs and showers sparkling without harsh chemicals and unpleasant bleach smells. To clean a toilet, add 10 drops tea tree oil and 3 cups white vinegar into the toilet bowl and let sit for 15 minutes.

Vinegar is an excellent ingredient for homemade cleaners used in bathtubs and showers because unlike soap, vinegar does not leave a residue. Fill a spray bottle with half water and half vinegar for a basic shower cleaner. Add liquid detergent for extra strength. Leave the spray for 30 minutes before rinsing off.

Remove rust stains with a paste made from water and cream of tartar.
Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products for Kitchens:

Most commercial dishwasher soaps have bleach or phosphates. Some manufacturers do sell low-phosphate detergents, but homemade cleaners work just as well for dishes and dishwashers as they do for other items.

Make a natural dishwasher soap by combining equal parts washing soda and borax.

To hand wash dishes, use a liquid soap and add 3 tablespoons of vinegar to the soapy water.

There is also a natural cleaning solution to a dirty oven. Make a paste by combining:

• 1 1/2 cups baking soda
• 1/2 cup salt
• 1/2 cup water

Spread the paste inside the oven, but not on the metal areas. Leave the paste in the oven overnight. When morning comes, add 1/4 cup of vinegar with 1/4 cup of water in a spray bottle and spray inside the oven. The solution must be rinsed off well to avoid a residue.

Houses maintained with natural cleaning products are less toxic and even smell better, which is beneficial because synthetic air fresheners can trigger asthma and allergies. A natural way to make the house smell sweeter is to dip cotton balls in vanilla extract and place them around the home. Houseplants help to freshen air too.

                                                                     Courtesy Of: Sarka-Jonae Miller of The Natural News

5 Cleaning Myths Debunked

We trust the things that have been handed down by the generations. After all wasn't our grandmother a fabulous cleaner? Didn't our mom always seem to have everything in order? Is it really possible that some of the old tricks are myths?

1. Is Bleach the Ultimate Cleaner?

I remember growing up thinking that bleach was the ultimate cleaner. After all, anything that can take the color out of any surface has got to be a great cleaner. It took me awhile to realize that the real power of bleach isn't actually in its ability to clean. Actually bleach doesn't clean much. Find out what it's really for and what it's not so great at.

2. Does Professional Carpet Cleaning Shrink Carpet?

Carpet is a huge investment. We want it to last. But no matter how careful we are, carpets get stained and dirty. And when they do, we often call in professional help. But what if the carpet cleaning could actually damage your carpet. It's a scary thought. You hire someone to clean your carpet, and as it dries, it shrinks. Is it really possible? If not...how did this idea get started?

3. Does Vinegar Clean Everything?

I love vinegar. It can clean nearly everything. In fact, it is such a versatile cleaner and so green friendly that it has earned a reputation it may not always deserve. There are some surfaces that shouldn't come into contact with vinegar. Contrary to popular belief, using vinegar on these surface only leads to a lot of damage and very little clean.

4. Does More Soap or Detergent Equal More Cleaning Power?

It's a common misconception that the more dirty something is, the more soap it needs. It seems to make sense, more dirt needs more soap. In reality, while soaps and detergents are great and necessary for cleaning too much of a good thing can create its own problems. So if more soap doesn't equal more cleaning power, what does it equal?

5. How Can Dye-Free and Preservative-Free Cleaners Serve Any Purpose?

It's all the rage to be dye free and preservative free. And while that may make a lot of sense for the things we put into our body, there may actually be a reason for some cleaners to have dyes or preservatives. It's easy to label dye-free and preservative-free cleaners as better than their counterparts. Is it really possible that cleaners with dyes and preservatives might serve some purpose?


                                             
                                                                                Courtesy of: Sarah Aguirre
                                                                                                     About.com

Five Unexpected Natural Cleaners

Around-the-house staples that moonlight as dirt-busting superstars...

1.)

White Bread and Ketchup

Use white bread to: Dust an oil painting. Gently dab a slice of white bread over the surface to pick up dirt and grime.

Use ketchup to: Remove tarnish from copper and brass cookware. Squeeze ketchup onto a cloth and rub it on pots and pans. They should go back to their coppery color in minutes. Rinse with warm water and dry with a towel.

2.)

Oatmeal

Use it to: Scrub very dirty hands. Make a thick paste of oatmeal and water; rinse well.

3.)

Rice

Use it to: Clean the inside of a vase or a thin-necked bottle. Fill three quarters of the vessel with warm water and add a tablespoon of uncooked rice. Cup your hand over the opening, shake vigor-ously, and rinse.

4.)

Tea

Use it to: Scour rusty garden tools. Brew a few pots of strong black tea. When cool, pour into a bucket. Soak the tools for a few hours. Wipe each one with a cloth. (Wear rubber gloves or your hands will be stained.)

5.)

Glycerin

Use it to: Remove dried wax drippings from candlesticks. Peel off as much wax as possible, then moisten a cotton ball with glycerin and rub until clean.



                                                                           

Courtesy of: Real Simple