DIY Fall Decorations - Leaf Bowl

Fall has been here for a while now, but to me there is a quite a difference between Halloween decorations and Fall Decorations. In my house we put up the Halloween decorations in October and take them down right after the 31st. Then, goes up the fall decorations. This is the leaves and plain pumpkins, gourds and harvest themed attire. While Halloween decorations are usually fun and creepy I try to make my Fall decorations a bit more classy because I host our family's Thanksgiving every year.

Now, we all know I like to save money and make things at home when possible so this year I am making my fall decorations myself. There was an earlier post of decorations made by my munchkins, you can find that here. But now I need something classier to dress up the house with. So, I made leaf bowls. These are gorgeous bowls, to add to any table or shelf, made from leaves.

Completed leaf bowl, ready to be displayed.

I encourage you to use natural leaves from outside, but here in Florida leaves that aren't fronds are difficult to find. So, we went to the dollar store and bought some autumn bouquets on sale and cut them apart (very cheap substitute).  

To complete this project you will need the following:

Leaves

Bowl

Wax Paper

Mod Podge/ Glue

Brush

First, I would recommend covering your work space in either newspaper or pieces of scrap paper. This makes for a quicker and easier cleanup. Collect your supplies in one area, so that you aren't hunting around for anything in the middle of your project. 

Next, cover the bowl you are using as a mold with wax paper. (I was out of wax paper so I used clingwrap :/ lol it worked fine for my purposes. It just stuck a bit to the leaves making some spots a little shinier than others). Wax paper is your best option because the glue won't stick to it, only to your leaves.

Take your leaves, place them on the bowl and cover them in glue. I used Mod Podge but regular Elmers glue will work just fine. It's not necessary to glue the part you are placing down, just the top. We want the leaves to stick to each other, not the bowl or wax paper. Be sure to cover the entire side of the leaf with glue to make sure it molds to the position you want and to stick to other leaves. 

Glue leaves down.

Layer the leaves slightly to make sure they stick to one another and  cover any gaps. Your bowl won't stick together well if there are spaces in between the leaves. Cover to bowl with as big or as little as you'd like your bowl to be.

I wanted a fairly decent sized bowl so I used a larger bowl and covered most of it. Once you're done gluing the leaves set it in a level, dry area where it will not be disturbed. Let it dry for at least 12 hours. If it still seems sticky or you still see white continue to let it dry.

Once it is all dry, gently peal the wax paper off. Peal the paper away slowly, the leaves may try to stick in some places, gently work the area to avoid the paper tearing and sticking to your leaves or to have your leaves pull away from the collection. When the paper is all off you have a beautiful leaf bowl to show off. 

Side view of completed leaf bowl. I would recommend only filling with light objects. Anything heavy might distort the shape and make it flatten.

My bowl is a little shinier than it normally is due to the fact that I used cling wrap and a thin layer of that remained with the bowl. It is hardly detectable however so if this is your only option go for it!

DIY Weed Blocker - Newspaper

Extra! Extra! Read all about it! No more black plastic!!

One thing I hate seeing in gardens it that black plastic. Sure it will help prevent weeds from growing in your garden for a period of time, but it has so many more cons than it does pros. It will not compost, that means it will sit there forever, until it gets moved to a landfill and then it will sit there forever. Weeds may not be able to push through but your plants can't either. There are many types of spreading plants that won't be able to do their job if plastic is used. It's ugly. When the mulch on top of your plastic starts to compost (and it will) it turns to soil making a nice little spot for weeds to grow ON TOP of your plastic. 

TA-DA!!!

Use newspaper as a weed deterrent in your garden instead of black plastic.

Newspaper is a great alternative to black plastic. It's a thick enough layer that weeds can't push their way through but sturdier plants can. Most people recycle this anyway, why not recycle it the most natural way there is? Give it back to the earth. The newspaper will start to compost after some time. Not only does this help the environment but it helps your garden by adding nutrients to the soil. Your plants will eat it up! The newspaper will hold water as well, so it's like an extra layer of mulch.

I can hear you now thinking "But if it composts don't I have to replace it?" Why yes, yes you do. But you have to replace top soil and mulch in your garden seasonally as well. You would of had to fix that plastic after it was tore up and moved around. Just replace the newspaper seasonally with your average garden work. Instead of adding layer on top of layers of trash to your garden, you will be adding layer on top of layer of compost and nutrients. 

If you live in a particularly windy area (shout-out to Kansas!) and having a difficult time getting the newspaper to stay put while you work with it try this helpful tip. Wet the paper down first. Wet newspaper is heavier and and molds to the ground easier. 

If want to be even more eco-friendly and give your garden an extra boost, use grass clippings as mulch on top of the newspaper.

What are some of your experiences with using newspaper in your garden? Share them in the comments below!

Festive Fall Crafts - Free Art

So, you're sitting at home with your munchkins thinking. . . what can we do today? In most parts of the country it's getting a bit chilly outside; and while outside play is always encouraged some days you just feel like staying warm or don't want to spend more than an hour at the park. That's okay! Trust me, we've all been there. So what are some things you can do with your tots that doesn't take a whole lot of effort? I have this amazing activity that we do on our "lazy days." It takes no preparations and no effort AND keeps the kiddos busy for as long as their imagination can stand. It's called free art. Yup, that's it. That's my lazy day mom secret. Free Art.

Free art is when you give your children tools and supplies and let their creative sides take over. Personally, we have buckets for our art supplies, before that we had it all in plastic bags for easy storage, that's fine. Whatever you and your family can afford is wonderful, there is no need to go out and get every fancy item you can find. For basic free art, I give my kids a few buckets of supplies and some paper and say 'have fun!' Will there be a mess? Probably. Will they have fun? Most definitely. Is the mess cleanable? Yes, yes it is. Is it worth it? Absolutely.

I hear moms say all they time - "I'm not creative enough to do art at home." Hold up! Your creativity has nothing to do with it. The only people that need to be creative, are the ones doing the art (or craft. These words are used and interchanged frequently in my posts). All that's required of you is to give them the tools and perhaps some guidance now and then.

We've done two free art sessions in my house in the last two weeks. The first was for some fun and to take up time, the second was for fall decorations. For the first free art session, I gave Tig and Bug a couple pieces of paper and two buckets of stickers; the stickers were a mixture of foam and regular stickers. One bucket was specifically Halloween themed stickers and the other buckets was Thanksgiving and Fall stickers. That's it. That's all I did. That's all I gave them. And you know what? They had a blast!!

Tig and Bug creating sticker collages.

 There are some advantages to this activity that the kids have no idea about and don't need to know about, but are great mom wins!

• It's an art project. They get their creative juices flowing.
• It takes fine motor skills to pick up the stickers, peel the stickers and place the stickers.
• It takes up time.
• The mess is easily cleanable (much easier than paint).
• They have options. They can create a story or a collage.
• You have bonding time, when they tell you about their artwork.
• This activity can be done with ANY age. Big is four and Tig is not yet two.
• Learning through play!! (See tips at the end of post)

Bug's masterpiece of art.

Tig's masterpiece of art.

The second time we did free art was today. We are starting to decorate our house for Thanksgiving and are lacking some decorations. Making decorations at home has two purposes. 1. We save money. 2. I would much rather hang something made by my children than any multi-billion store.

The creative juices are flowing!!!

So, for this free art project I gave them a goal. Make something to hang up for Thanksgiving. I gave them foam pieces, sequins, pom-pom balls, stickers and glue and let them have at it. The results were and hour of laughs and stories and two pieces of decoration I couldn't be more proud of (pictured at end of post).

******TIPS*****

• We have a lot of craft supplies that have built of over the years here at home. It is not necessary to have everything listed here to have a great time with your children. Most of our supplies have been bought when they go on clearance. You can make free art with anything. Printer paper, puzzles that are missing pieces, ribbon, yarn, leaves from outside - anything you can think of.
• Be sure to ask your children open ended questions about their art!!!! This is how your bonding happens and how learning through play begins. Ask them - "Tell me about what your working on." "Why did you put that there?" "What's the story here?" "How did you do that?" Talk about the turkeys, pumpkins and acorns. Talk about Thanksgiving and fall. This is how they learn. They learn through experiencing and hands on activities. They learn through interacting with you. Talking about the leaves while doing a craft with them is a natural conversation that they will remember. It will shock you later with just how much they actually retained when you're taking a walk with them a week later and they tell you why the trees are losing their leaves. 

Bug's Thanksgiving wreath.

Tig's Fall Decoration

Share in the comments some of your fall free art experiences and activities. Did your little one learn anything? Did you learn anything? What are some creations that came about from this activity?

DIY Homemade Laundry Detergent

Okay, people. What's a chore that nearly every human has to (or should) be doing on a regular basis? You got it! Laundry. Everyone needs clean clothes and washes laundry. (If you're not, well I'm sure we can find a blog for you too.) How much do you spend a month on detergent to wash all of those clothes? $15? $20? $30? I suppose it depends on how clean you like your clothes and  how big of a family you have. What if I told you that you could wash the same amount of laundry for just $1 or $2?

*Gasp*!!!!! What?!

Yup. Think of the money you'll save! Last minute trips to the store begone! And as an added perk (like most homemade products) it's even healthier for you and your machine and the environment. Alright, so are you ready to hear this amazing news? Homemade Laundry Detergent. I know, I know, it sounds daunting; but it's not I promise. It just takes a few minutes and you can adjust the recipe to however you'd like. Have a soccer player with some really questionable jerseys? Make your detergent a bit stronger. Two year old with a night terror problem? Now you can actually afford to wash those sheets everyday. Single and mellow? Cut the recipe down to fit your needs.

I have researched and researched to find you guys the best possible recipes there are. And as a bonus. . . I have options for you. :)  So, whether you're a powdered or liquid detergent type person. Check out below to see if one here will fit your needs.

Homemade Liquid Detergent #1
1/2c-1c per load
This one of the most popular versions that I was able to find.

Ingredients:
1 bar Fels Naptha (or other soap) grated
1 cup Borax
1 cup Washing Soda
5 gal water
Large canister(5 gallon bucket)

Instructions:

1. Boil 6 cups of water on the stove. Turn heat down and add grated soap gradually. Stir until all of the soap has been dissolved into the water. (Do NOT let water boil while soap is in it.)
2. Pour hot soapy water into your canister. Add the Borax and Washing Soda and additional 6 cups warm water. Stir until dissolved.
3. Add remaining amount of water. Stir until it is thoroughly mixed.
4. Put lid on container and let sit for 24 hours.
5. After this time it should be "set."

***Look for tips at the bottom of the page***

Homemade Liquid Detergent #2
1/2c-1c per load

This recipe popped up at the last minute and I decided variety and options are always a good thing.

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp liquid dish soap (i.e. Dawn)
3 Tbsp Borax
3 Tbsp Washing Soda
1 Gal Water
Gal sized container

Instructions:

1. Add the Borax and Washing soda to the container.
2. Pour in a small amount of boiling/extremely hot water. Swirl until borax and soda are dissolved completely.
3. Add in the dish soap.
4. Fill the container the rest of the way with cool water.


Homemade Powdered Detergent
1Tbsp - 3Tbsp per load (yes that says Tbsp)

This is the only recipe I was able to find, worth anything, for powdered detergent.

Ingredients:

1 bar Fels Naptha grated
2 cup Borax
2 cup Washing Soda
Container

1. Mix all ingredients together and put in container.

Well that one was ridiculously easy. But one thing that is not easy is grating soap, so below I have some tips on how to complete that successfully(because who wants to do something difficult?) and some other handy tricks for making your laundry efforts. . . effortless.




*** TIPS***
- These recipes call for Fels Naptha soap. It can be found in the laundry isle near the washing soda and borax. However, you can use whichever type of soap you prefer. There's several different kinds, I would not recommend using one with a moisturizer though, they tend to leave a residue on your clothes and machines.
- There are a couple different ways to grate the soap. You can A.) Use a cheese grater. B.) Cut into smaller chunks and put in a food processor or my favorite C.) Cut into smaller chunks and microwave for a minute. It will puff up and just crush into fine particles beneath your fingers.
- Most of these ingredients can be found in your laundry isle at your nearest super market however.
- To me 5 gallons of liquid detergent is seems a bit much so I cut the recipe down to 1 gal and divide the other ingredients accordingly, this is where individual preferences come in.
- Yes, these are all natural ingredients so these detergents are safe for HE washers. At least, no one has said otherwise.
- The powdered detergent should have no problem dissolving in cold water washes. If you have a problem though, add the detergent to your machine first with a little bit of hot water to dissolve it then add your clothes and cold water.
- Adding a small amount of vinegar(1/4c-1/2c) to your rinse cycle with neutralize any remaining detergent so there is absolutely no chance of residue and will help keep your washer from getting that "funk" smell that machines tend to get occasionally
- Most people with skin sensitivities are able to use these recipes because there are no extra additives or perfumes. If still receiving a small reaction, try the vinegar tip above.
- You can still use your stain boosters/removers for particularly tough stains just like you would with any other detergent. I would suggest trying baking soda as a more natural substitute to all the chemicals.


So, there you have it my homemaking mommas (and dads.) DIY Homemade Laundry Detergent. All the benefits of store bought detergent (clean clothes) with less money spent and less chemicals exposed to your family.

Give it a try. Let us know below in the comments how your experiences have went or if you have any of your own tricks!

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20 Reasons to DIY Compost

You see quite a bit in the news and online about global warming and environmentalists speaking about the world going south and how we need to save it. I know a lot of people roll their eyes and change the channel or keep on scrolling. However, here I have 20 reasons for you to start this easy activity that will not only help you reduce your footprint on the environment but will also improve that homegrown backyard garden of yours. Here are 20 reasons for you to start DIY composting.

20 Reasons to Compost:

1. Adding finished compost to your ground soil will add nutrients without polluting the ground water like chemical fertilizers.
2. The nutrients that you put there will stay there. The nutrients you find in compost will not be washed away by rainfall like chemical fertilizers.
3. Compost can completely replace chemical fertilizers, which is not only better for the environment and your plants but your checkbook as well.
4. It keeps organic materials out of landfills. Some researches show that over 60% of landfill waste is organic but it's buried so deep the oxygen needed to turn it into something valuable cannot reach it.
5. Composting at home is an all natural process. No fossil fuels are used to break it down like in factories that mass produce the compost you buy from stores.
6. Plants grow healthier and stronger with the nutrients you are adding to your soil with not risk of "burning"as with chemical fertilizers.
7. Promotes microbial activity in the soil.
8. Improves the soil structure, which in turn protects the topsoil from erosion.
9. Soils that are fed with compost retain more rainwater. This allows you to use less water and irrigation systems.
10. The compost you create is safe to use to nourish plants that sustain human health.
11. It improves soil aeration by allowing small air pockets to form. 
12. Doing it yourself generates rich, diverse and affordable compost.
13. DIY composting supports organic and sustainable farming.
14. Instead of one large shot of nutrients, compost gradually releases nutrients to your plants throughout the season.
15. Healthy soil fights and helps prevent plant disease and reduces the need for chemical fungicide.
16. Composting at home minimizes the amount of methane released into the environment, most commonly to zero.
17. Composting embraces the natural cycle of life and decay. In nature there is no waste, everything is used for a purpose and then returned to the earth to serve a different purpose. Composting embraces this ideal.
18. Contrary to some myths you can compost anything that has lived or grown recently.
19. Composting requires very little work, it's a natural process.
20. Avoid wasting valuable organic material. 

So there you have it. Why keep using chemical fertilizers and fungicides and everything else that major companies tell you is necessary to grow a decent garden. It's nonsense. Nature provides you with the very best nutrients for your plants whether it's a bed of marigolds or a field of tomatoes. Stop wasting your money. Stop killing the ground. Stop poisoning your plants. Embrace what nature gave you by starting DIY composting.

Check out here for great tips on composting!

Homemade Honey Wheat Bread Recipe

A few months ago I was thinking, which never leads to anything easy, and I wondered what do they put in store bought bread. Have you ever looked at the ingredients in the bread you buy? Well, you should. I couldn't tell you what at least three of the ingredients were.

So, I got even more curious. What's the point of these mystery ingredients? Can't you just make bread with some simple ingredients in your fridge? People seem to have managed just fine before we had all these big words that nobody, except people with a bachelor's in science, really knows what it is. As a result of my curiosity I left the bread in the cabinet to see what it would do. I left it for two weeks.

If we all think back to lower levels in school what do they teach you will happen to bread, or food in general, if you let it sit for a long period of time? It will get stale and grow mold, right? Wrong.

I checked that loaf of bread two weeks later and it was still the exact same bread as when I bought it at the store. How utterly UNNATURAL is that? Gross. To me that is more disgusting than if I had found a unidentifiable green loaf. And I'm eating this? I'm feeding this to my family?

No. No way, this has to change. If I can't pronounce it, it doesn't have a place in my food.

So, as a consequence of that horrifying experiment, I now make my own bread; which is not as difficult as one would imagine. Below is my favorite recipe for honey wheat bread, all natural. I make it by hand but you can just as easily use a bread-maker.

Honey Wheat Bread

Ingredients:

1 cup warm water

1 Tbsp milk

2 Tbsp oil

2 Tbsp honey

2 Tbsp brown sugar

1 Tsp salt

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour

2 tsp instant active dry yeast

1. Combine the first six ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Stir until thoroughly mixed.
2. Add flours and yeast to mixture. Lightly flour surface to knead dough on.
3. Knead the mixture until dough is smooth and elastic (about 10-15 min)
4. Place dough in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover with a clean towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled. (about 40 min)
5. Punch dough down and knead for a few minutes until it is smooth. Then, form into a loaf shape. 
6. Place in greased loaf pan and cover. Let rise in a warm place until almost doubled in size (about 30 min)
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 min.
8. If the loaf starts to brown too so, lightly layer a piece of foil on top of the bread to prevent too much darkening.
9. Remove bread from oven and allow to rest in pan for a few minutes.
10. Remove to wire rack and cover with a cloth.

**TIP: For a warm place to let the dough rise you can use where the sun is shining in through a window or place in an oven on the WARM setting**

Bug and Tig LOVE this bread. If I'm not careful, the bread will be completely gone in just a few minutes because they sneak into the kitchen to eat it. But of all the things they could be sneaking to eat, I'm not going to complain about homemade bread. 

Be prepared for your house to smell like the wonderful aroma of baking bread. Another thing I will add is that this honey wheat bread is delicious when it's warm with some honey butter. To make honey butter just whip/mix together equal parts honey and equal parts butter. I use a 1/4c to1/4c mixture.

So there you have it. A completely homemade and natural bread for you and your family. With an added bonus of being half wheat you get some yummy grain nutrition in your diet! Go ahead give it a try! Everything is better when it's HOMEMADE!

DIY Homemade Sensory Bags

Okay, so we all know that toddler and baby toys are ridiculously expensive but do they all have in common? Sensory objects. On nearly every baby and toddler toy there is something that has them experiment with one of their senses, sight(mirrors), sound (rattles) or touch (soft, rough). So, instead of spending all that money you earn on expensive baby toys here's an inexpensive activity for you and your youngster. DIY Sensory Bags. These are very easy and cheap to make and the bonus is.. (as always) you can make it however you want!

Sensory Bags

Basic Needs:

Quart or Gallon size FREEZER bag

Hair gel or soap

Items to go in the bag

Packing tape

You may use either a quart or gallon size zipbag depending on how large you would like it to be, the one pictured is quart, but always use a freezer bag. Freezer bags are thicker than the normal sandwich and storage bags, so they won't tear as easily. We don't want these bags to tear, what a mess.

Fill your chosen bag with your liquid. It doesn't really matter what type of liquid you choose just as long as it's thicker than water. I've found hairgel is the best texture wise but dish soap works as well, plus it makes bubbles. You can buy your liquid colored, add coloring or leave it clear whichever you prefer.

Next, add your chosen contents to the bag. You will want to vary the contents, size, texture and color so that the bag stays interesting to your little one. Like a game of "I Spy." At the bottom of this post are some sample bags and the ingredients I put in them.

Once you've added all your contents to your bag squeeze the excess air out and zip it up tight. Now, take the packing tape and tape up all four edges of the bag as an extra precaution against tiny muscles.

Voila! You have made your little one a cheap and easy sensory toy. They will get so many hours of squishing the bag around because it feels funny and as they grow into toddler ages you can start to play games with them. And I dare you to try not to squish it around yourself! They're irresistible!

You can make your bags themed or educational as well. Such as a beached themed bag with a blue liquid, shells, sand and foam sea animals. Or a "I Spy" letters bag with all the alphabet letters and they try to find the one you name or for smaller toddlers a shapes and colors bag. 

**TIP: If your infant tries to chew on the bag, tape two opposite sides to the floor and sit them in front of it or do some bellytime!** Please don't ever leave your child unattended with these bags. Accidents happen with even the best made projects.

Here are some examples of the ones we made!

Goofy Fun Bag
This bag contains green hair gel, foam letters, googly eyes, beads, rose petals, feathers and a balloon.

Bubbly Bag
This bag contains orange dish soap (which turns bubble when they start squishing it), foam letters, googly eyes, a balloon and feathers.

Garden Bag
This bag contains green hair gel, green glitter, butterfly beads and googly eyes.

Mardi Gras Bag
This bag contains blue hair gel, gold glitter and feathers.

Winter Wonderland Bag
This bag contains blue hair gel, silver glitter, rice, foam letters, feathers and beads.

The ideas and possibilities are endless! So grab your little one and start creating some fun! 

Homemade Salsa

Bug and I made homemade salsa. We love this salsa and nearly all the ingredients you can grown in a backyard garden and of course the benefits of making your own at home, instead of buying by the jar, are : you know where the ingredients came from, you know what exactly goes in it, no preservatives, and you can make it exactly to your taste. I'm not a fan of salsa in general but I LOVE this!

Ingredients:

3 tomatoes

1/2 onion

1 jalapeno pepper

1 bunch cilantro

1 lime (juice to taste)

Garlic salt (to taste)

1. I use a food processor but you may use a blender just as easily. Cut the tomatoes into chunks that your processor can handle. Pulse until they are finely chopped. Pour chopped tomatoes into a separate bowl.

2. Process half of an onion, the jalapeno pepper(seeds removed) and the cilantro. Once these are chopped you may add them to the bowl of tomatoes.

Involve your children in cooking activities; they get to learn about gardening, healthy food, kitchen safety and spending time with you!
Bug is four and loves to cook in the kitchen. **Be sure to practice knife safety and NEVER leave children unattended in the kitchen**

3. Stir all of the chopped items together adding the lime juice and garlic salt to taste. Depending on how spicy you like your salsa you may want to add another pepper or two.

4. Once, you have it all mixed together, voila! You have homemade salsa to enjoy!

Finished salsa.
Better hurry because it doesn't stick around long!