Money Saver: Home-made Laundry Detergent

Do the Math

If I said you could have 15 gallons of laundry detergent for about $13.00, would you spend the minimal amount of time and work to make it?

My sister and I just priced Arm&Hammer brand Washing Soda ($4.00 for 3-pound box) and Twenty Mule Team brand Borax ($4.00 for 4-pound box) at Wal*Mart. We have a Dollar Tree here that sells full-sized bar soap for $1.00.

Now, since my recipe calls for 1 cup dry measure each of washing soda and borax, I used a converter from dry pounds to dry cups (rounding up 1 number value to the right of the decimal):
3-pounds equates to 5.8 cups
4-pounds equates to 7.7 cups.
Assuming I have .8 cups of washing soda and 2.7 cups of borax left over for the next time I need to buy ingredients to make this: 5 cups of each will make FIVE batches.
Each batch requires 1-bar of soap.
Therefore, $4.00 (washing soda) + $4.00 (borax) + $5.00 (five bars of soap) =$13.00 for five batches or fifteen gallons of laundry detergent.

Let's Make It!

You'll need:

• 1 bar of castille type soap (no glycerine or moisturizer soaps)
• 1 cup of Arm&Hammer brand washing soda
• 1 cup of Twenty Mule Team brand borax
• 1 large pot (2-1/2 gallon or larger)
• grater
• long, wooden spoon
• large funnel
• 3 empty 1-gallon jugs

Directions:

• Fill two 1-gallon jugs with cold water
• Grate one bar of soap into the pot
• Pour one 1-gallon jug of water into the pot with the grated soap. Cook on medium heat, stirring until the grated soap dissolves.
• Add 1 cup of washing soda and 1 cup of borax and bring to a boil while stirring. Mixture will coagulate.
• Turn off heat and add one 1-gallon jug of water into the pot. Stir well.
• Using the funnel, pour equal amounts of mixture into three 1-gallon jugs. Fill remainder of each jug with water, put on lid, and shake well.

Shake before each use, it may separate if left to sit.
Use 1/2 cup for a regular load, 1 cup for large or heavily soiled load.


Other Important Information:

• Borax, alone, is harmful to animals and children. Follow the directions on the box for safe storage!
• Since this is a low-suds recipe, it is safe for newer washers.
• Instead of regular bar soap, you can buy FELS-Naptha Laundry Bar Soap (Dial Corporation) for better/heavier stain removal. Also, this product boasts its ability to remove poison ivy from skin and clothing.

Project 7: Crepe Paper + Dowel = Cat Fun

I find inspiration EVERYWHERE!
This morning, my sister tagged me in today's "Cuteness Dose". It was a video, not unlike many on the webernet, of kittens playing. The inspiration, was the crepe paper they seemed to having a blast with.
Of course, yes, I have crepe paper streamers on hand in my craftroom. At first, I hung them from a doorway, but it seemed to lack something, as it didn't really invoke much interest from our kitties.
However, after a moment of thought, it came to me. They love the toys that dangle from the dowel rods. A LOT.

MATERIALS:

• Crepe Paper Streamers
• 1/4" dowel
• tape

I used two different lengths of the crepe paper. Though, I'm sure you could use more than two, but one didn't seem to be as interesting to the kitties.

Line up the ends of the two streamers and fold lengthwise.

Wrap around the end of the dowel, as shown above.

Then tape, as shown above, making sure that the tape wraps around both the crepe paper AND the dowel.

You'll want to smoosh each streamer seperately, so that they "fly" independently of each other. Otherwise, they will just stick together as you play.

This is 2Dot on the left, waiting ever so patiently for this to be finished. He's already shredded and "killed" this toy several times. But it's okay. It cleans up quickly, easily and is easy to make again. It takes all of 5 minutes to do and I've had a BLAST playing with all the kitties this morning.

I'll update shortly with a video of this little fatty getting his exercise.

Money Saver: Mince Your Own Garlic/Freeze Garlic?

Store-Bought vs. Fresh

We've all bought this at the grocery store, pre-minced garlic in a jar. I am in no way belittling this grocery store item. However, I can tell you if you are on a super-tight grocery budget, this is one of those items that gets stuck on the "maybe next time" list.

Everyone likes to save a buck when they can, so I pass this on to you. (I hope it makes enough sense; as always, sleep deprivation leaves me rather wordy LOL)

An 8 oz.  jar similar to the one above costs approximately $2.88 at Wal*Mart. We bought a 24 oz. package of already peeled garlic cloves for $7.98 at Sam's Club.

Now, I mince 20 garlic cloves from that 24 oz. package (and it barely made a dent) and put it in a 15 oz. jar that I re-use solely for this purpose; those 20 garlic cloves fills it 3/4 full. I'll be able to do this at the very least 7 more times.

Let's do the math:
Store-bought minced garlic 8 oz. @ $2.88 per jar.
24 oz. package of already peeled garlic cloves @ $7.98 (enough to mince garlic equal to eight -  at the very least - of the store bought jars)
$2.88 (store bought cost) x 8 (how many I'd have to buy to equal to the large bag of cloves)= $23.04
$23.04 - $7.98 (cost of the large bag of cloves)= $15.06 - what I save by purchasing that 24 oz. package and mincing it myself.

$15.00 for the gas tank folks AND you get your minced garlic in a jar, for the next eight, or more, months.

 

Here's what you need:

• 1 jar
• fresh garlic cloves
• extra virgin olive oil

(No, I did not include the price of the olive oil, because it is bought regardless of whether or not I do this AND so very little is used)

 

Directions:

In my research for this, it seemed to be common practice to use 1-part garlic cloves to 2-parts olive oil. In other words, they'd have your minced garlic swimming in oil.
When I buy it, it's not swimming in oil, so I don't make it that way.

I mince the garlic and put it in the jar as I go; every once in a while, as it fills up, I add just enough oil so that it comes just below the top of the minced garlic. I guess you could say that's just about 1-part to 1-part equal. I don't stop there, however. Personally, I have an aversion to any food tasting like the oil it is cooked in or stored in. It could be my imagination, but adding just enough water so that the entirety of the garlic is submerged seems to cut the oily flavor to me. Screw the lid on and give it a good shake (no, I'm not expecting the oil and the water to mix - we all know that's not going to happen), and refrigerate.

**NOTE**
You CAN freeze garlic. Here are the suggestions I've found:
1) Whole cloves - leave unpeeled, store in freezer bag and toss into the freezer. Pull cloves off as needed, peel and use immediately.
2) Minced - leave out the water (if you chose to follow my directions above). Store in freezer-safe plastic container and toss into the freezer. The oil prevents complete solid freeze. Spoon out desired measure for your recipe and use immediately. I should note here, that it was highly suggested that if you use this method, that you do not allow for thaw time. Period. From freezer to pot/pan/baking dish/slow cooker, etc.

*    *    *

I'd also like to just say, that mincing and storing fresh garlic this way, seems to keep the flavor punch of the garlic more so than buying it already prepared. Should I mention for those of you who DO care, by preparing your own jar of ready-to-use minced garlic yourself, you absolutely know what's going into that jar and what's not.

Cooking something yummy!
  



 

Crochet: Double-Sided Hot Pad

 

Skill: Easy
Size: 10" x 10"
Materials: Cotton Heat Resistant Crochet Thread
Crochet Hook: Steel Size J

**PLEASE NOTE** I made this a while back, so my stitch count is a little fuzzy LOL

Ch 30, sc in first ch; sc in each ch st across. Ch 1 and turn.

(Here's where the fuzzy comes in.) Repeat until square. LOL
Honestly, this is so basic a pattern, any stitch count can be done, depending on the maker's desired size.

Use that basic pattern to create two blocks. (As pictured above)
I chose a single crochet stitch, because it's a close weave and if used as a pot holder, fingers would be less likely to slip through and get burned.

Line the two pieces up and use a single crochet stitch to connect them.
I single crocheted 3 times in the corner stitches so as not to have cinched or puckered corners. Once you've gone all the way around, Sl st into first ch (sc). Ch 1 and single crochet all the way around again (This time you won't have to sc 3 times in the corner stitches). Weave in all excess yarn and you're done.

 

*    *    *

I'm sure there are patterns galore out the for this type of thing. My mom taught me (later in life) how to crochet the basic stitches and I went from there. When you're learning how to crochet or knit, you end up with a lot of squares. What do you do with them?

I got tired of the clanking of the spoon being put onto the spoon rest and the clanking of the glass sugar and powered creamer containers onto the countertop, by the coffee maker. So I took two of those useless squares that had the best uniformity to them, attached them together as described above. What I ended up with - I put the sugar/powdered creamer containers on it, ditched the spoon and spoon rest for a glass swizzle stick and had myself a nifty little coffee station.

(front)

(back)

My mom liked the idea so much, I made her one. This one. This poor thing is almost 15 years old, and as you can see, it's had better days. Yes, it's coffee stained, but it's still sturdy and useable.


There is no one to credit for this idea or general pattern. I came up with it, whether it was an original idea or not.

Project 6: Too Many Trick or Treat Buckets?

Trick-or-Treat Buckets Galore!

My nephew had amassed a few of the pumpkin Trick-or-Treat buckets. Mostly, because on a successful Halloween night, one bucket just wasn't enough to carry his candy loot. My nephew is autistic and is insistent on using these buckets as opposed to the always handy pillow case. So my sister came to me and requested they be melded, somehow, to make one large bucket.

NOT a problem!

• Use a utility knife to cut the bottom out of one bucket (that will be the top one). To avoid any owies when reaching down into the bucket, I used a metal nail file (they really come in handy when crafting) to smooth the edges of the bucket where I cut out the bottom. 
• Remove the little handle from the bottom bucket.
• Line up the bucket seams - and hot glue the "snot out of them". Pretty sure that's not a technical term lol.
• Be sure to go all the way around and squirt plenty down into the second bucket where the two meet.
• Once that is dried, I applied a second beading of hot glue around the outside so that it completely covered where the two met.
• Again, once dried, I used a mini glue gun to put another beading around the INSIDE between the lip of the top bucket and the bottom bucket.

Voila! It was plenty sturdy enough to carry his candy loot.

Project 5: Scratched CDs/DVDs

Don't Toss Those Scratched CDs/DVDs!

CDs and DVDs become scratched and useless. It's a fact of life. But that doesn't mean you have to throw it away.
If you like alternative forms of art, this one's for you. It's fairly easy, but depending on the pattern you choose, it can be a little time consuming.


I use PLAID brand Apple Barrel 20404 Black Acrylic Paint (found in the crafts section of Wal*Mart, or at HobbyLobby or Michael's). Paint the data side of the CD/DVD, edge to edge. (BluRay, I'm not sure how it would come out unless you'd use a lighter color)

Once dried, use a pencil to draw your pattern onto the CD. Now, here's where the time-consuming bit comes in. I used the tip of a metal nail file to scrape off the paint. You may find a utensil that works better for you. I will say, I made a "test" CD before this one and used a razor blade - did NOT work out so well.

Once you're satisfied with your piece, you'll need to seal it to avoid accidental scratching of the surface. I used ModPodge Clear Acrylic Sealer. You can buy that in Gloss and Matte. I happened to have Gloss on hand, but, in all honesty, I think I'd like the way a Matte finish would look better.

Project 4: Safe Toy Mouse

Cat toy mice. We used to buy ours at the Dollar Tree, a pack of 3 for a $1.00. The same fuzzy mice they sell for much more at Wal*Mart or other stores like it.

I say "used to", because we no longer buy toy mice. Period. After watching one of our cats appear to choke on and then finally throw-up a red, gooey tail from one of those mice, I decided once and for all, that would NEVER happen again.

It is a fairly easy project. You need only minimal sewing skills and the materials.

I designed my own stencil and then cut it out of one of those thick plastic 3-ring binder dividers. You'll want to make it a little bigger than your desired finished mouse size, for sewing purposes.

If you're going to use just one color or pattern of felt, you can cut it like above so that it is all one piece. Otherwise, you cut one side out of each color/patterned felt. One piece of felt can make several mice.

I pre-sew "X's" for eyes and install whiskers. At this point, you'll want to cut off a length of something for a tail. You can use shoestring, cording, ribbon, a strip of leather, etc. I would advise against using a strip of felt, because in a strip - it's fairly flimsy and can rip apart easily.

When you are ready to begin sewing, remember that you will sew the majority of the body inside-out. Place the tail inside the two sides, as pictured above.

This is what you should end up with. Note that where the tail is sticking out of the body should be left unsewn. Also, when sewing around the tail, make sure to put a couple stiches into whatever material you used a couple of times before continuing on. I always start from the mouse's behind and sew towards the nose.

 

 

Now, you are ready to begin the stuffing process. Turn your mouse right-side out. To stuff my mice, I use cotton balls from the Dollar Tree ($1.00 for a rather large bag, can't beat it, and it's cotton fiber rather than blended fibers). I use traditional catnip (also obtained from the Dollar Tree, and it's "organic" LOL) which I put a good sized pinch into the mouse before I stuff it. I spray the cotton balls with Catnip Mist (Wal*Mart, and a little goes a loooong way).

 

 

You're ready to finish up. I use what I call a "zipper" stitch to close. Start the stitch from inside on one side of the body and then over into the inside of the other side of the body, and so on.

 

 

Your finished mouse toy should look something like this, like a closed zipper, underneath. (See top of page for completed mouse photo)

 

*     *     *

 

I make about 3 of these once every other month, it only takes about an hour. They lose most of them, but every once in a while we go on a search and rescue, and I clean them up - trimming off the felt pills. We do this until they are what I consider "dead", which is ripped stitching, or the felt has just become "thread bare".

We've had no problems with these safer mice. No scary choking, no yucky gooey pieces vomited up.

 

I hope you consider undertaking this project if you have kitties of your own. While the faux fur on the store bought mice makes them look super cute while laying around on your floor, trust me when I say, your cat's don't care if they aren't fuzzy. I've even used this method using a cow-patterned heavy-duty material. Our kitties give these mice a two-paws up review!

 



 

Crap Room to Craft Room (Part 1)

My sister and I have been trying (for what seems like an eternity) to turn our "crap room" into a proper, functioning Craft Room. Doing so on an almost non-existant budget can be a bit overwhelming... UNLESS you can think outside of your own ideas. LOL

Thrift stores and roadside freebies are THE best! Period. Remember those military-style metal desks? Your teacher had one, the bank was full of them, they had them at the library, etc. They are sturdy. They are big. They are bulky and weigh a ton. My sister and I just happened to luck into picking one up at the local thrift store for $25! That my friends, is a STEAL. Then a couple days later as she was out and about in town, she found one curbside for FREE!! Both are in immaculate condition.

This had once been a pull-out file system. The wire rack that the hanging folders were hung from, no longer exists. However, it was a perfect fit for mounting my sewing machine, almost custom specifically for it! You open the door located on the left, grab the platform and full forward.

Then you simply lift up and perch it on a lip located on the door, and the door becomes the leg for the platform. How awesome is that?? Now, when not in use, the sewing machine can be put away, but it's always ready and waiting.

The middle drawer is shallow, but wide and long with plenty of room for lengthy knitting needles, paint brushes, rulers and straight edges. There are three drawers on the left with varying depths but all are equal in length. I keep tools like hot glue guns, wood burners, engravers, my bedazzler and such in the middle one. The bottom one houses miscellaneous bins containing markers, gel pens, colored pencils and the like. The top one is the shallowest of the three and is designed with a built in "inbox" type slot system.

Both desks had hutches with adjustable shelving areas. (I think this was probably an aftermarket upgradeable option, oooorrrr, went to other pieces of furniture). The shelves were not with the hutches, but in my case, I was fine with that. I had come up with this idea for my hutch after seeing a ton of organizational pins on Pinterest. What else do you do with miscellaneous spools of ribbon and Duck Tape brand tapes?

Add another shelf above the hutch for extra storage and I've got an ideal workspace that is perfect for me.

There is still much to do to complete this room. I need shelving to house many, many, many beads LOL and my sister is still working on her own space to make her desk work for her.

All in all, our "crap room" feels more like a "Crafting Room", finally.

Project 3: In a Pinch Push Pins

 

So, the other day, I ran out of pushpins. The reason for this inconvenience was mostly because the plastic pushpins I had, were broken (as you can see in the above photo, this yellow pushpin was the best of the bunch) or just plain MIA.

We don't exactly have the money to just go pick up a pack. Fortunately for us, in amongst all the freebie stuffs I've procured, I had a container of Upholstery tacks (or what they call "nails").

I cannot express just how useful a block of styrofoam can be. (This particular piece, I rescued from other bits of useless packing foam bits and also use it for crochet blocking). I painted the caps of the tacks a pretty and bright red, using ordinary crafting acrylic paint (Plaid Folk Art 414 "Cardinal Red") and let dry, before painting white dots (using the same type of paint).



Then, I finished them off, using what else? Mod Podge Clear Acrylic Sealer.

I use push pins for a variety of uses, and now I have some very sturdy "toad stools".
My sister has requested her own set of "lady bug" push pins. The cap designs are limited only by your imagination.

I hope you find this idea useful and fun, enjoy!

Crochet: Sister Blanket

This, is a work in progress. So, sometime before the next century passes, I'll be adding more to this particular blog entry.

This is a block I've designed for a blanket I'm crocheting for my sister. It's dimensions are 20"x15". There will be four of these across and six of them long.

**Update Nov. 7, 2014**
I've finished the gray block (photo below). This will give a better idea of what I'm going for here.

The two blocks will be staggered: one purple block, one gray block, one purple block, one gray block, etc.

I am excited about this project and hope it turns out as well as I have it pictured in my mind. Once it is complete, I will update this blog to include pictures and the pattern.

Crochet: Pink Doily

Skill: Easy
Size: About 6 inches across
Materials: Size 10 Cotton Crochet Thread: Orchid Pink
Crochet Hook: Steel No. 7 (1.65 mm)

Rnd 1: Ch 6; join with sl st to first ch to form ring; ch 3 (counts as first dc now and throughout), 23 dc in ring; join with sl st to first dc. (24 dc)

Rnd 2: Ch 4 (counts as first dc and ch 1), [dc in next dc, ch 1] around; join as before. (24 dc and 24 ch-1 sps)

Rnd 3: Sl st in ch-1 sp, ch 1, sc in same sp, ch 3, [sc in next ch-1 sp, ch 3] around; join with sl st to first sc. (24 sc and 24 ch-3 sps)

Rnd 4: Sl st in next 3 ch (center of ch-sp), ch 1, sc in same sp, ch 4, [sc in next ch-sp, ch 4] around; join with sl st to first sc. (24 sc and 24 ch-4 sps)

Rnd 5: Sl st in next 4 ch, ch 1, sc in same sp, ch 6, [sc in next ch-sp, ch 6] around; join with sl st to first sc. (24 sc and 24 ch-6 sps)

Rnds 6 & 7: Sl st in next 6 ch, ch 1, sc in same sp, ch 6, [sc in next ch-sp, ch 6] around; join with sl st to first sc. (24 sc and 24 ch-6 sps)

Rnd 8: Sl st in next 6 ch, ch 1, sc in same sp, ch 1, 7 dc in next ch-6 sp, ch 1, [sc in next ch-sp, ch 1, 7 dc in next ch-6 sp, ch 1] around; join with sl st to first sc. (12 sc, 84 dc and 24 ch-1 sps) Finish off and weave in ends.

While you are working this, it will seem to awfully ruffly. By the time I got to round 8, all I could think was, "I hope blocking fixes this otherwise this pattern becomes useless as a doily!"

I find that using styrofoam to block is the easiest. I can reuse it numerous times with no issues and it doesn't take forever and a day to dry.

I typically like to use laundry starch, but when my sister went to pick some up for me (some time ago), they had NONE! However, she was directed to the craft section of the store where she found this. (Gotta love Mod Podge - they've got something for everything!) I did dilute it down considerably and it worked like a charm!

Please keep in mind, this doily on completion is ONLY 6 inches wide, from point to point. That will vary according to individuals, and according to type of yarn used and hook size used.
I have decided that what I'd like to do for this doily, is to make a matching companion, using a size 9 hook, then to matte and frame them. I have decided after lengthy thought, that I do like how that presentation looks.
If you use this pattern, I hope you enjoy and feel free, please, to come back and share a photo of yours!

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Note: this is not a pattern of mine. I cannot remember where I picked it up. Could've been a tear-off freebie at Wal*Mart or HobbyLobby or Michaels, it could've been in a pattern book that I bought or borrowed that ended up printed out in my crochet craft binder. It may have even come off the internet, I'm just not sure. My apologies for not being able to give proper credits.
Having said that, in this day and age, crochet seems to be becoming a dwindling art form. You can go to Wal*Mart or any other retailer and buy sweaters, blankets, even doilies, and all the other wonderful crochet items. Kids today (I say this in general, I realize it does not apply to all, but a majority) do not have an interest in such things, if there isn't a cord attached, a battery inserted or wifi enabled.
As such, I don't really believe patterns should have a cost to them. Let's face it, we can barely pay an electric bill, let alone pay for a book of instructions. Yes, it costs money to publish them via print media or fancy websites. However, It cost me minimal to share this one - electricity to turn on the computer (we pay for that anyway) and internet (which again, we pay for anyway).
At any point, when I blog a crochet pattern here, I will, to my best abilities, include my source for the pattern.

Freebie Fix-up

Decorative Footrest

We come across the best freebies when neighbors decide to move.
This morning, our neighbor had put a decorative footrest out by the garbage. It apparently was bought only 3 months ago, and between then and this morning, someone had sat on it, ultimately breaking a leg. They had even so nicely included the leg with it, curbside.

As you can see in the forefront of the photo, a missing leg. I removed it, as it was chronically loose and missing one of the two bolts that held it to the cross member. Upon inspection, it became quite obvious someone had attempted to fix the leg, but had no idea what they were doing. Inside the leg (and each of the others) were two holes. In those holes of the "broken" leg, should have been a coupling sleeve; wide, large, wood-grabbing threads on the outside and smaller threads on the inside to receive a bolt. A bolt passes through a washer and then into the cross-member and into the coupling sleeve in the leg.

The broken leg was in no way, shape or form, fixed in such a manner. I found a coupling sleeve inside the cross-member, some sort of foam-like glue inside the leg holes as well as in each of the holes of all the cross-members. I have NO idea what was even holding the leg on. The holes of the leg had been enlarged and was in no way held in place by the bolt (as the holes were now twice the size of the bolt). And did I mention. the bolt and coupling sleeve for the second hole were completely missing?

Not a problem. A few months ago, my sister's dad (hey Pops! *waves*) purchased from Wal*Mart, a platform bed and a dresser for me, both of which required assembly. As in the past with assembly required furniture, and with my latest bedroom suit, I had various extra bolts, washers, & nuts. From this, I found a bolt of the same length (as the other bolt in the leg) AND a nut that matched the bolt threads. I used this nut in place of the missing coupling sleeve, working it into the hole in the leg. I placed the other coupling sleeve back where it belonged inside the second hole in the leg. Put in the bolts, tightened them down. I tightened all the other legs as well.

Voila! What was three legs, now has four. And much sturdier, to say the least, than before.
I also reminded my sister, this piece was intended as a DECORATIVE footrest, and nothing more. Even though I am confident in my work, it is what it is, and was never intended for behinds to sit on.
Sister needed a footrest anyway, and I'd say, this is a handsome find and well worth the price tag!


Project 2: Flower Mobile

Yarn Flower Mobile

 

 

Any idea what this little wheel is for? I've seen them before and I think it's a type of loom? At any rate, this is what I used it as. I wound yarn around in a back & forth pattern, then I made two rounds in the middle with the yarn and tied it off in the back.

 



 



These are what I came up with. cute little flowerets, 8 of each color, though I didn't end up using all of them for the mobile.

You just gotta luv wire hangers for craft projects! (Try finding them LOL) So, I cut and formed one into a square, roughly 5 or 6 inches per side. Then I slip-stitched yarn around it.

Then I strung them on lightweight fishing line; alternating colors on each of 4 strands; added a crystal bead to the end of each. Then I attached 4 more lines, strung one more flower on each, tied it off at the top, slipped it onto a tiny little "S hook" and Voila! Magically floating flowers. I made it for my sister to add more purple to her room, she can't have too much purple.

I  have two more color schemes from other yarns I have. I think I'll make a couple more - one for my own room and maybe one for the living room. I'll post those as well... when I get them done.