Super easy, fragrance free, nontoxic DIY bathtub cleaner.
Tag: family
Supports for Fire Season
When I consider which plants have been used historically to support healthy airways, I first think about what would be most accessible to the most people. This post has some choices that are easy to find at most grocery stores, save one local (to me) business offering that I am going to highlight.
Little Rituals: Naming Family Values
How do you and your family members make decisions together and apart? Do you know what each of you values individually? As a group?
Respiratory Supportive Herbs at the Grocery Store
I wanted to take a moment to share some key herbs found at many grocery stores that are historically known for supporting the respiratory system.
DIY Shampoo & DIY Conditioner in 5 min.
I’ve been curious to see if I can make my own shampoo and conditioner for a while. I finally tried two – and each only took 2 minutes to make! One was a hit at our house and the other was a miss. Let me know if you try either!
DIY Plantain Salve for Burns, Bites, Stings & Eczema
Here is a simple DIY Plantain salve to add to your first aid kit for Burns, Bites, Stings & Eczema. This plant is so abundant you likely have some growing in your own yard!
DIY Lavender Honey Body Wash
Today I’m sharing a quick and easy 5 minute DIY body wash recipe. This recipe is a simple way to reduce our plastic footprint and chemical consumption.
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Why DIY?
So why make stuff that is often easier and cheaper to buy? I like to do homestead projects because, for me, making stuff is just plain fun – at times it’s even meditative. But equally as important to me is the fact that there are often far fewer chemicals, waste and plastics involved with things that are homemade. I also tend to appreciate the things I take time to bring to life by hand more than anything I quickly purchase on impulse.
Humans are wired to create.
I find it interesting that when I take time to “make”, I am always more deeply satisfied at the end of the day. Additionally I love the bonus of community-building that can occur when I share or trade the things I make with others.
Try making something this week, however simple, and see if it doesn’t enrich your life too!
Garden Abundance: Sneaky Greens
When you have an abundance of kale or other greens to consume, here’s an easy, make-ahead ice cube tray recipe to help you add a serving of greens to your smoothies.
Garden Abundance: Radish Salad
Ever wonder what do to with all those radishes growing in your garden? Here’s an easy, delicious, and beautiful salad recipe!
Garden Abundance: Cilantro & Parsley Pesto 🌱
If you have an abundance of cilantro and parsley in your garden, check out my easy, make-ahead, Cilantro Parsley Pesto recipe. Both of these herbs have an impressive array of health benefits. Also, ever wonder why some people love cilantro and others hate it?
DIY: Quick & Easy Hand Sanitizing Gel
If you’re like me, you probably prefer soap and water for hand-washing, but every now and then need a hand sanitizer instead. I try to avoid using alcohol-based products because they dry my skin so much and often have ingredients with concerning health effects like triclosan, Benzalkonium Chloride and phthalates. This recipe literally took me less than 10 minutes to make. It has a pleasant cinnamon and citrus scent and nice moisturizing effects.
Little Rituals: Pay Attention
When I slow down enough to notice details and deliberately move through the moments of my day, there are so many opportunities to be amazed and feel gratitude.
I don’t always remember to pause and notice, but when I do, my day is better without fail: I am more grounded in my values, more conscious of the actions I choose to take, and more resilient for any obstacles I face.
This weekend, I challenge us both to take five minutes to intentionally pause for the seemingly small stuff.
Little Rituals: Make Something
When was the last time you made something for fun? Not because you had to, not because you needed to make money, not because your kid needed help with a school project, but a time when you sat down, gathered a few materials, and decided to scratch the itch of an idea?
Little Rituals: Sit Outside
Today’s little ritual is quite possibly my favorite of them all. I rely on it often to help me return to baseline in times of stress, anxiety or frenzy, and to promote gratitude in times of ease.
This practice invites you to find ten minutes of space in your day to do nothing. Absolutely nothing. On purpose. And to go outside while you do it. If being outdoors is not possible, then at a minimum sit by a window.
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Little Rituals: Light a Fire
Is there anything better than sitting around a fire on a dark, crisp winter night? Whether alone or in community, something about a campfire is universally familiar, comforting, and grounding.
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Little Rituals: Feed the Birds
Do you have a bird feeder in your yard? Or a place for birds to get water? If not, I humbly suggest you consider getting or making one this winter. Create a sanctuary for winter birds to come and fill their tummies, and claim it as a visual reminder to clear space in your mind, and free yourself from a few moments of worry and/or thought-clutter.
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Kid Fun: Composting Wormery Bins
In a recent post I discussed how and why making a tiny wormery with your kids could maybe save the world. To build on that thread, today I want to talk about making a larger scale worm bin to compost your family’s kitchen scraps.
Little Rituals: Self Care with Soup
Much like the character of Cook in The Tale of Desperaux, I believe compassion and soup are the answers to most of life’s questions.
Little Rituals: Honey Lemon Cayenne Tea
Lately each day, when I’m feeling chilled or sense the hint of sickness coming on, I find myself making warm honey, lemon and cayenne “tea”. I have always sworn this concoction can nip a fuzzy headed, drippy sore-throat feeling in the bud before it ever settles in, but I’ve never really known why it always seemed to work. This week I took time to explore that curiosity.
Little Family Rituals: Create a book for reflections and dreams
The holidays are a fantastic time to create ritual that invites us to pause and reflect on the year behind us and consider what we want most for our days ahead. Not only does taking time to do this allow a way to integrate lessons learned both collectively and individually, it also provides a place to share these things when we might otherwise keep them stored inside. What’s more, looking back on the ways a family has grown, or the ways dreams were realized (or turned into something completely different) after many years is the way this simple and quick ritual can turn into something priceless that can be enjoyed perhaps even by generations who will follow.