make your own deodorant

my husband and i are running low on the deodorant that i made about 6 months ago and i am making more this morning. this is the site that i found a fantastic recipe from (she even has a video).

i like to add a few drops (5-10 ish...or more) of essential oils into the mix.  i tend to use tea tree oil for its anti-bacterial qualities and patchouli for its scent...  and because it smells like something a person who makes their own deodorant would use  :)

i tend to keep the bulk of it in a glass jar and i recently purchased a small plastic container to keep some in for when we travel.

the coconut oil will melt at 76 degrees so it is best to keep it in a cool place if possible; be careful if/when you do travel that it is in an airtight container so it does not ooze out.  the site mentioned above recommends keeping it in a fridge (or a cooler when you travel) on warmer days and then take it out about 10 minutes before use so it's not too hard to work with.  ...with all that said, i keep it on our dresser throughout the year and use it in its melted or hardened form.

apply with your fingers.  :)

did i mention that this is a really good recipe?  and inexpensive?

make your own yogurt

i am currently making yogurt and am reminded that i should share the recipe with my friends.  there are multiple ways to make it whether it be on stovetop or crock-pot.  sally fallon explains how to make yogurt on stovetop in her nourishing traditions cookbook.  i came across a crockpot recipe via another blog and decided that it was a better match for me.

i like this recipe because the work is pretty minimal; the main thing you want to think about before getting started is if you will be home/awake (or have a timer on your crockpot for the 1st stage) during the 3 timely stages.

i started at 2:30pm today.  i just turned off the crockpot and in 3 hours i will add some yogurt, stir it, then let it rest in a warm place for 8-12 hours.  i will have yogurt by 8 tomorrow morning.  and then i will mostly use my half gallon of yogurt to make some yogurt bread, smoothies... and more yogurt.

i use the plain brown cow yogurt to get it started and then my own for the next few batches of yogurt... ive gone as far as 8 batches with my own yogurt before we ate it all and i had to start over again

dont forget to go here for the full recipe!