This hack is perfect for quickly and easily making scuffed up shoes nice and shiny again! Instead of just using shoe polish, start with a Sharpie and fill in the ugly spots with the black marker. Then, put on a light coat of shoe polish and give ’em a quick spit shine (yes, use actual spit). You get a full polish effect without a full polish, plus it...
One of my favorite treats is a milkshake made with Baskin Robbins Love Potion #31 ice cream. It’s white chocolate and raspberry ice cream with raspberry swirls and raspberry filled chocolate hearts. I used to enjoy these milkshakes a lot more but as I’ve become more health conscious and now eat mostly vegan, I find them too syrupy and too milky. But, I still love the flavor combination,...
Tea tree oil is a great essential oil. It smells refreshing and can be used for a variety of purposes. It has antimicrobial properties and I use it as a household disinfectant. However, while tea tree oil is good for many things, it is toxic if consumed – so, do not ingest it. Now, here are my 5 favorite ways to use tea tree oil. 1. Tea tree oil for body...
This time in my series on the versatility of common household products…citric acid! Citric acid is a crystalline powder that is most often sold for use in cooking, cleaning, caning, and gardening. It is a low cost product and a little goes a long way. It can be used straight or mixed with water or other substances depending on its use. Citric acid for cleaning I’ve mentioned before,...
The easiest way to clean a wedding ring is also my favorite – partly because it’s so easy and partly because it works so well. All you have to do is steam it. Steaming rings can be tricky, but I’ve figured out a really simple way to do it using a stove top kettle. Basically, you invert the rings into the spout of the kettle and boil water. The steam comes up through the spout...
This is a great waffle recipe. A lot of vegan waffle recipes call for things like molasses, barley malt syrup and apple cider vinegar, but this recipe gets its acidity and sweetness from beer instead. Plus, the beer gives the waffles a rich flavor that other waffles lack. This recipe also uses some whole wheat flour (because all-purpose flour is just too boring on its own) and coconut oil (because...
I like a clean house, but I don’t like harsh chemicals. I used to use whatever all-purpose disinfectant spray was cheapest. As I became more aware of the toxic effects of household cleaners, I started to phase them out of my home. Now, this alcohol vinegar tea tree & lavender spray is my main, multipurpose cleaning agent. This spray is a cheap and effective disinfectant and deodorizer....
Vegan Mexican Jewish Penicillin – what’s that? Well, chicken soup – with or without matzo balls – is commonly called Jewish Penicillin because it does such a good job of making you feel better when you’re sick. But, I don’t cook chicken, so this one is vegan. And, I like mine spicy – because it helps clear out my sinuses – and I add chiles, cilantro...
The other evening Arlo and I made some Valentine’s Day treats. He really is a good helper in the kitchen. He’s attentive and patient, and he even puts up with Mama stopping to take pictures for her blog all the time – I love baking and cooking with him! And, it’s really good quality time together that we both enjoy. As usual, I went into the kitchen not knowing exactly...
Yesterday morning we took a family walk to the park. It was uneventful – until we had to go. My son Kohl was staying to hang out with his friends and the rest of us were heading back – except Arlo, my 2 year old, did not want to leave Kohl. He screamed and flailed all the way home. When we got in the door, I put him down and let my husband and the other kids try to calm him. I...