cleansing oil

my post about coconut oil last week brought up some good questions both here and in person. one question was if the oil makes you break out. from my experience, no, it doesn't. but if you've been using conventional products, your skin may have a period of breakout to get used to the natural oil and kick the synthetic out. skin blemishes are often a by-product of the diet, although some are prone to the body 'letting off steam' through acne than others. for instance, when eating poorly, i'm more likely to get intestinal problems than skin problems. the same can go for what you put on your body. if the pores are used to being stripped and then clogged with synthetic chemicals, they may freak out when they are left to their own accord, causing a breakout before they balance out again. does that make sense?

i'm no skin expert, but i have skin, and that has led me to make some observations. when using products meant to take the natural oils off of the skin, i am more likely to have an oil imbalance. this is because my body works extra hard to restore the proper oil ratio for me. this is what led me to using coconut oil on my skin. but then it led me a step further, into using cleansing oil on my skin in place of a face soap. i make a cleansing oil that i use once a day. the rest of the day i use water only. during the summer i rarely have to use coconut oil on my face, but in the winter, i tend to dry out more, thus causing me to use the cleansing oil followed by the coconut oil for moisture.

making the oil is easy. i use a base of castor oil, which has cleansing properties. because i have drier skin, i use one part castor oil. if you have oilier skin, you would want to use more. to this i add some sort of carrier oil. this time i used 3 parts sunflower oil, which is high in vitamin e. i usually use a mix of grapeseed oil and sunflower oil, but i was out of the grapeseed. to this i add about a 1/2 part of neroli oil. neroli is fantastic for your skin(helps regenerate skin cells, reduce scarring, etc)! but it is pretty expensive, hence the stinginess. then i add a couple of drops of sweet orange essential oil for a nice smell.

when i'm ready to wash my face, i use the dropper and put about 5 drops in my hand. i massage it into my face and then rinse off. then i pat dry with a towel. if i feel like it is too oily, i'll use a wet wash rag and gently wipe it off.

i've been using this off and on for about a year now. i based it on a super fancy oil my sister bought from her super fancy facial lady. i just bought all the ingredients, added some castor to the mix and experimented with the measurements. the bottle i use is a leftover tincture bottle that i washed and peeled off the label.

if you decide to make your own (and i hope you do) experiment with different oils until you find the mix that is right for you!

dear jackson browne

they say you're coming town

you with your silky smooth voice

and that hair

offering lots of shows

so it seems

we were so excited to see you

long time fans that we are

you, a man for the people

against the man

"the pretender".

how could it be that you

and your hair

would charge $150 for a seat?

and you know i'd pay it

if i could

but i have this mortgage

and these mouths to feed.

your die hard fans

would be "runnin' on empty"

after that kind of show

so we'll just have to sit home

maybe wait for the cd.

don't worry

you'll still be my all time favorite pandora station

no one helps me cook up dinner like you.

your fan,

mandi

favorite bath and body products- #1

#1

nutiva coconut oil

i know. you've been unable to sleep. you can't wait to hear what my #1 favorite body product is. well, in an effort not to disappoint, i've chosen nutiva's unrefined coconut oil. to some, this may seem an unlikely candidate for a body product, but trust me, it's the best.

you may have picked up over the past couple of days that i like pure products. i feel that what you put on your body is just as important as what you put in your body. it has been very hard for me over the years to find a lotion that i can feel good about. over a year ago (or maybe it's been 2 now?), my friend jenny told me about the benefits of coconut oil- in my diet and on my skin. i will leave the beneficial nutrients to another discussion, but i have found nothing better for my skin. it is lighter than olive oil and absorbs pretty quickly.

after showering i put coconut oil on my face and all the way down to my toes. i use it in my hair, on my lips, and to take off eye make-up. if one of us has some sort of rash or skin inflammation, i use it on that too (it has anti-inflammatory properties). i've also used it as a carrier oil for essential oils. i should also mention that this is what i use on my children's skin in place of lotions (i'd use it on a baby too).

this product is so versatile! it is a great example of one of the benefits of a whole foods pantry- one product has a multitude of uses. think about it, if i buy a face cream, i am confined to using it on my face only. or in terms of food, if i buy pancake mix, i can make, umm, pancakes. but a bag of flour is limitless. well, for me, coconut oil works in the same way. one product, many uses.

when choosing a coconut oil for your pantry, make sure it is unrefined, cold pressed and organic. you can read more about that here.

there is one extra special benefit of using coconut oil as a body product- you get to walk around smelling like a lovely tropical lady all day! mmm....coconuts....

favorite bath and body products- #2

#2

dr. bronner's magic soap

ok, i know, 2 dr. bronner's products- how unoriginal. but i'm telling you, i love this stuff! we have been using dr. bronner's for a looooooooooooong time now and i never get tired of it. i like to change the fragrances for the seasons, right now i'm using almond (after a summer of citrus). i think almond is my number one favorite scent. it is so subtle and gentle. this is the same fragrance i used on my babies, so it's full of sweet memories for me as well.

on my shave gel post, there were a couple of comments about the labeling. man, these labels have led to some interesting bath times! sometimes i sit and really try to figure out what it's all about. and why he calls the earth 'spaceship earth'. i still haven't figured that one out yet. i recently watched a documentary about dr. bronner, it was VERY interesting and enlightening. i think the bottom line is that he was a man that wanted people to live in harmony with one another and live in a responsible way. he just had a different way of putting the message out there! at one point in the movie he says that the soap is merely a vehicle for getting the message of love into the world.

anyway, the point here is that i love how pure this product is and that the business works in a beyond ethical fashion (check out what they are doing in the holy land).

favorite bath and body products- #3

#3

weleda plant gel toothpaste

i love, love, love this toothpaste. i mentioned yesterday that i have chemical sensitivities. for years, my gums would occasionally swell and bleed after brushing. i always thought i had some sort of gum disease, but thankfully, it never was! when i started using natural toothpaste years ago, i started with tom's of maine. it was the only one readily available. and it was great. i used it for years with no problem. until one day, they sold the company to colgate. not too long after that, my gums started bleeding again. i turned the bottle over and discovered they began adding sodium laurel sulfate to the product. a-ha! after seeking out an alternative, i came across this weleda variety.

just like bronner's, i pretty much would use anything weleda puts out. they are one of the highest rated companies for purity. here are the ingredients for this toothpaste:

ingredients (INCI)
Glycerin, Water (Aqua), Hydrated Silica, Chamomilla Recutita Matricaria (Chamomile) Flower Extract,Krameria Triandra (Ratanhia) Root Extract,Commiphora Myrrha (Myrrh) Extract, Mentha Viridis (Spearmint) Leaf Oil, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil,Foeniculum Vulgare (Fennel) Oil, Algin, Alcohol,Esculin, Limonene*.
* from natural essential oils

needless to say, i never have any problems with my toothpaste anymore! (for the mommies out there, i use the weleda kid's toothpaste for the kiddos).

favorite bath and body products- #4

#4

dr. bronner's shaving gel

dr. bronner's is my all time favorite body product company, and i pretty much love everything they make. they have amazing principles (for the corporate world) and use the purest of ingredients. check out the ingredients for the shave gel:

NGREDIENTS:
Organic Shikakai Extract (Organic Sucrose*, Organic White Grape Juice, Organic Shikakai Powder), Saponified Organic Coconut* & Olive* Oils (with retained Organic Glycerin), Organic Hemp Oil, Organic Jojoba Oil, Organic Zea Mays Starch, Organic Lavender Oil, Citric Acid, Vitamin E
*CERTIFIED FAIR TRADE BY IMO

i seriously have 7 of those ingredients in my kitchen pantry right now!

this product works wonderfully. it isn't thick and fluffy, so that takes some getting used to. it has more of a thick soap consistency- so it's a little runny going on. my husband doesn't like using it for his face because of this, but i love it! i have tried the lavender and the unscented and like them both. the great thing about the unscented is that they don't add any masking chemicals to make it "unscented"- it just is what it says it is.

if you want to read a little about what dr. bronner's does in terms of activism, click here.

favorite bath and body products

#5

the diva cup

i have been wanting to post about my favorite body care products for a long time, but i kept getting hung up on sharing this one. i mean, it can lean towards tmi, and i wasn't sure if i wanted to go there. but here i am. this is an insanely good product and i would be remiss not to share it with other women.

the diva cup is a menstrual cup that is used similarly to a tampon. but it can be used up to 12 hours at a time, has no weird chemicals in it and is reusable.

i have rated the diva cup my #5 favorite product, because i find it to be a tad difficult to use. but once it is positioned properly, i love it! it's like the crock-pot, 'set it and forget it'. well ok, maybe not just like the crock-pot...

women have reported that using it cuts down on cramping. especially those with chemical sensitivity (like myself).

bottom line: the diva cup takes some getting used to, but once you get the rhythm down, it is great! and highly recommended!

(if you are more interested in a natural pad solution check out gladrags or make your own)

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i almost forgot! head over to gardenmama for a fantastic giveaway!

monkey britches tutorial

when i started sewing, i sat down with my sewing machine manual, some fabric, and a whole lot of courage! i didn't know what i was doing. and man, did it show! because of my ineptness with the machine, the thought of adding a pattern to the mix was too overwhelming. so i taught myself to sew by tracing around existing clothes and studying the seams in them. i would then try to re-create what i already had. this really worked for me. i was no good, but my husband was so encouraging. i would come to him with my wonky shirt, feeling pretty discouraged, and he would tell me "you are one project closer to being the seamstress you want to be". that kept me going. it really did... so this tutorial is basically how i learned to sew. i hope it is easy to follow. it's pretty picture heavy, because that always helps me, so i figure one or two of you out there may find it useful! here goes...

materials:

(based on size 3T)

1/2 yard of fabric

flat elastic (not rolled)

thread

safety pins

iron

pajama pants

grab a pair of pajama pants that fit a little loosely. if they are a snugger fit, you will need to adjust to allow a larger seam allowance.

fold the pants in half and place on top of your fabric. you could also do this step onto a sheet of newspaper and make your very own pattern. trace around the pants. be sure not to taper in at the waste. you want to go ahead and make that line straight all the way to the extra inch at the top of the fabric. i have placed the selvage on top to make the waste band easier to create.

add an inch to the bottom of the legs (around the ankles) to allow for turning and hemming later on.

i do this step on top of a folded piece of fabric so i end up with two pieces when i'm done. do this a second time and you should end up with 4 pieces in total.


these panels look like they are different sizes in the picture, but they aren't. they are all the same size (or close enough!).

take 2 panels and put right sides together. sew around the curve in the crotch area.

you can see in this shot that i serged the crotch first. i later went back and did a straight stitch to secure it even more. after all, they are for a 3 year old boy! when you're done with the crotch it should look like this. take a minute to congratulate yourself on making something that looks pants-like! after you're done high-fiving yourself, do this to the other 2 panels.

place the panels right side together and serge the legs on the outside and inside. it doesn't matter which you do first- mix it up! go nuts! go back and do a straight stitch to make them extra strong (sidenote- i generally do all my serging at once so i don't have to change my machine back and forth). if you don't have a serger, no worries. just straight stitch that puppy all around.

after your pants are sewn together, fold down the waste band wide enough to house your elastic. in this case, i folded mine down about an inch. if i hadn't used the selvage side of the fabric i would have folded 3/4 of an inch, ironed down, and then folded one inch- you know, to make it pretty.

top stitch all around, but leave a small opening to feed the elastic through. i usually leave my opening near the side seam, but it really doesn't matter where you do it. at this point the waste band will be too large for your child. measure the child's actual waste and cut your elastic this size (i tend to cut mine a smidge smaller). put a safety pin on each end of the elastic and feed through the hole you left.

once you get all the way around, you should have the 2 ends sticking out. remove the safety pins and sew these 2 ends together. do a couple of stitches to ensure it is extra strong (i usually make a square).

tuck the elastic securely in and top stitch the hole to close it.

now you are ready to finish up by hemming the ends of the pants. at this point you may want to try the pants on your child to see if they are the right length. or, if you're like me, you'll just forge ahead! your pants should still be inside out at this point, so just go ahead and fold 3/4 of an inch, iron it down, and the fold over 1/2 an inch. top stitch.

and you're done! that was pretty easy, right? turn those suckers outside in and you've got yourself a cozy little pair of monkey britches!

to up the cuteness, you may want to make an applique t-shirt to match!

finished product- a gift for our little friend, hunter!

i hope this was clear. if not, please let me know. ask any question and i'll try my best to answer!

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my friend brandi has started a new team blog called the family supper club. check out my newest post over there about shortcuts to a quick whole foods lunch!

menu plan monday

only a 3 day week this week!

monday
b- pancakes
l- leftover split pea soup
d- veggie lasagna and salad
(soak oats for breakfast)

tuesday
b- oatmeal w/ walnuts and raisins
l- veg stir-fry w/ brown rice
d- salmon w/ pesto & noodles and salad
(begin starter for bread)

wednesday
b- eggs
l- picnic at the park
d- pizza night!

thursday
hit the road- maybe muffins for the road???

by the way- i'm going to try get the monkey britches pajama pants tutorial up tomorrow night

what's going on in the backyard?

well, first off, it's pouring rain. wait, let me re-phrase that- "it's pouring rain!!!". this is good news. and since we never let good news spoil plans already made, here is what we're up to today:

i have cropped out the nudey moments. let's just say my husband is in the back, laying sod in his swim suit and the kids are nakey on the trampoline. we know how to celebrate a good rain, no?

and i'm busy preparing for my muddy friends. once they are pruned up beyond recognition, they are going to want to get cuddly warm.

not a bad place to be...

oh my stars!

look at what i picked up today at an early morning garage sale! i have been looking for months for one of these beauties! yahoo!

here's buddy modeling all the compartments. he is going to be very disappointed when he realizes that this is my new toy, not his.

wanna know how much i paid for it?

of course you do!

$1.

now i get to go organize thread!!!

monkey britches

there is a true imbalance in this household when it comes to sewing - most are for the lovely moonpie. i mean, once you get those little skirts down, it's hard not to sit and just crank out a few at a time. poor buddy!

he has been really loving pajamas lately. i call him diane keaton because he has to be dressed from head to toe at all times. bed time is no different. he wants a shirt, pants and a fedora! this is a new thing. a few weeks ago he was sleeping in nothing but a pull-up, so the pj resources around here are limited. the perfect excuse to wrap my boy in some hand made love!

pay no attention to the toy abyss around his feet. hey- there are my flip-flops!!!

making these little pants were super easy. i took his one and only pair that are a little big on him and traced them right onto the fabric. if i were to do this with a pair that fit snugly, i would add an inch or so for a seam allowance.

for the pajama shirt i dug around in his shirt basket for some shirts that had stains on them. not too hard to find! then i cut out and sewed on some simple appliques from fabric scraps i had lying around.

i have another pair cut and ready to sew up.

buddy just loves his new pajamas. he has been wearing them non-stop since they came off of the machine!

***if you'd like a quick tutorial on these little pants, please let me know.

we're in this together

my mind is swirling right now (in a good way- really!). this is our first official week of homeschooling, and i have to say, we're not loving it. and what that tells me is that what we are doing simply isn't working for us. i have found these past two days that the priorities i have set for my every day living with my family are not being met. my daily priorities are this:

1. to love and grow closer to jesus

2. live at peace with each other

3. to love and serve each other and those outside of our home

4. read really good books

5. go outside and observe, touch, think, play

6. inspire a love for learning and create the opportunities for it

so far our 'homeschooling' time has looked a bit like this but the peace is lacking. buddy is screaming, moonpie is pouting...and my heart is hurting (as is my head!). i have found that what we are doing is not inspiring a love for learning in our home- and that's just not ok. because the bottom line is that my children are young. very young. and if they stop wanting to learn as 3 or 5 year olds, then i've done something really wrong.

so we're ditching the plan and going back to just doing life together. i am wired to live intentionally, so maybe, for now, this is the best plan for us. for me to be near finding small moments to share and discuss. lots of discussion, lots of books, all on a quilt under a tree. so happy together.

***thanks to study in brown (which i found through another helpful blog) for the inspiration to set priorities!