Just a typical Sunday here catching up with laundry, homework and hunting stuff down with the kids.  In the Addicted to Stress book I was referring to earlier, it touched upon boundaries and  the importance of your time.

Friendships are enjoyable when they’re mutually beneficial. If you’re the one who’s giving more and time is becoming stretched, it becomes unhealthy.  Putting up boundaries becomes necessary when time is continuously drained by someone else.

Some ways to simplify your life and communicate your boundaries to someone:

• Say, “I don’t want to discuss this any further.” If they’re pressing for information about your personal life and you’re not comfortable responding, just say so or ask them why they want to know.

What are some other ways you communicate  your boundaries? It’s good to be able to help someone. However, if time is becoming monopolized, you can run behind or not have time with family.

• Sunday’s song is James Taylor’s Shower the People. It’s a sweet message about family and love, perfect for a Sunday evening.

Tags: General, Music, Stress // 2 Comments »

These striped candles were easy and I’m quite pleased with the pretty results.  It does require some patience though because if you don’t wait long enough for one layer to harden, the colors will seep together.

Mason jars work well for container candles and it only costs about $7 for 12 of them. Container soy wax is what I used to create soft creamy colored wax that is easy to clean. The first layer is scented with Cappuccino, second fresh cut flowers and third cherry. Strange combo I know but that’s what I felt like doing.

A wick stickum thing (double sided round sticker) helped hold the tab and wick down. The wick is thick so it stayed straight on its own. I purchased the candle making supplies from Village Craft and Candle . They have so many wonderful waxes, molds and project ideas that it gets quite addicting.

Tags: Candles, Crafts, Making it Monday // 1 Comment »

Massage oils are easy to mix together and much cheaper than the ready made stuff you find in the stores. First you need a carrier oil and I usually go with almond oil. Almost any vegetable oil would probably do for a carrier oil but almond is just my preference.

Normally I find it in the organic section at the grocery store but it was nowhere to be found. I decided to check out the cooking oil section and there it was, at half the price I usually pay.

Anyway,  put the oil in a container that holds about two ounces (60 ml) and  add 10 to 20 drops of essential oil. It depends on how strong it smells since some are stronger than others.

If you want something soothing, go with lavender but if you want something spicier, try cinnamon leaf, lemon or orange.

Orange is very nice blended with Jasmine but I just have lavender and cinnamon right now. Mix it up and warm it with your hands and it’s ready to go. It’s also a nice way to moisturize your skin after bathing if you’re on your own.

Massage oil pic courtesy of Yen Hoon

Tags: General, Making it Monday // 2 Comments »

Martha Stewart has helped me with so many wonderful DIY projects, recipes and gardening tips over the years. Martha’s blog is going strong but I think she deserves a shout out anyway.

It was generous of her to offer blog reviews so I thought it was worth a shot. See how to create your own blog and enter my blog contest for more.

I used to feel inadequate compared to her because she seemed so darned perfect so her stint in jail actually softened me up to her.

Juliet pointed out this fantastic Leaf Print Tablecloth project on Martha’s site. We were discussing and swapping fall craft ideas on Twitter.

Thanksgiving is coming up soon in Canada and I can’t wait to try it. It would be fun for a fall picnic as well and pressing painted leaves onto a tablecloth looks easy enough.

Tags: Contests, Crafts, General // 1 Comment »

Sometimes people get into a competition about how busy they are as if that’s a good thing. If you’re not constantly rushing around somewhere does it make you feel less important?

Do you have enough time to sit still and be alone or are you too busy working or creating the next list of tasks that must be done quickly?

I have been reading Debbie Mandel’s book Addicted to Stress.  The first chapter has some good tips on facing and curing stress addiction.

If you’re so busy you don’t have time to think or face reality, it becomes a form of escape. It has helped reinforce the fact that living a simpler life is healthier and less stressful.

How many of us know what to do with ourselves when we do have free time? It’s important to be able to sit and be still sometimes. Meditation helps you do that and it’s calming. I often combine meditation with music but some people chant or prefer complete silence.

Sometimes stuff happens that forces you to slow down. My server kept going down today so I didn’t get too much writing done. Maybe that’s a good thing since it gave me time to tend to my sick kids and catch up on some reading.

What good is that mansion on the hill if you get there and still have no time to spend with your family? The second step is about reclaiming your identity. It expands on how to find  hidden strenghths and get balance back in your life. I don’t expect to magically achieve perfect balance but i’ll let you know what I think of the next chapter.

Tags: General, Stress // 4 Comments »

Does anyone else find it rather odd that you pay big bucks for jeans that look like they have been through the wringer?

My kids want big brand name stuff that looks slightly straggly to me but I guess that’s the style.

At ThreadBanger they show you step by step how to create a pair of vintage looking jeans by dying them with espresso coffee, attacking them with a cheese shredder and using sand paper to imprint shapes. Then they even run them over a couple times. Thread Banger is an excellent site with tons of fun DIY projects and I think I’ll hang out there some more.

For the dye, you just stick the coffee in an old stocking as a filter and then place hot water and jeans into a bucket. Check out the DIY Jeans with Coffee video.

Tags: Clothing, General // Add Comment »

University students are always coming and going around here but they leave some good stuff behind.

Today I discovered a perfectly good bookshelf for my bedroom as a bedside table. I had to kill a couple spiders and dust it off but it’s working for me.

Previously I had a mountain of books stacked beside the bed because the end table was small with no shelves. After I took the picture I noticed my bedspread matched the blog theme here so I’m on a brown/gold kick.

Anyway, glad I grabbed it before it just rotted in the rain or got tossed in the trash. Before you throw something out, consider donating it to someone who might be able to use it. It works both ways. I had a huge desk that wasn’t working for me but I found a neighbor who wanted it.

Tags: General, Recycling, Saving Money // Add Comment »

Many people don’t drink cows milk. They’re lactose intolerant or they’re vegan so don’t eat or drink any animal products. You can get calcium from plenty of other sources.

It’s not surprising that some would have trouble digesting it since it is specially made for baby cows. Two of my children are lactose intolerant and we have tried soy milk, rice milk and almond milk.

Almond is my favourite and it’s easy to make your own. 20 to 25 almonds give you the same amount of calcium as a quarter cup of milk.

How to Make Almond Milk

• The easiest way to make almond milk is to grind almonds in a blender with water and strain with a cheesecloth. A basic recipe is one part almonds to four parts water. It’s good with a little vanilla too but don’t go overboard. Even a quarter teaspoon is enough. Store it in the fridge as you would any other milk and it will keep for several days.

If you want to explore other calcium options, see Alternative Calcium Sources. It’s an article I wrote covering a little more than almond milk.

Here’s a video demonstrating how to make almond milk:

Tags: General, Recipes, Saving Money // 5 Comments »

Oregano oil has been touted as a cure all but many people say it does help improve their immune systems. It’s very strong tasting and you can feel it burning your mouth if you take it straight. It’s better to take it diluted in milder oil or in capsules.

Other uses for oregano oil:

• Antiseptic for wounds and insect bites.

• Disinfectant for cleaning. Add several drops to water in a spray bottle to disinfect and prevent mold and mildew.

• Insecticide: According to a study by Algerian scientists, it works just as well as synthetic insecticides without damaging the environment. See Study: Oregano oil works as an insecticide for more information.

Oregano oil has also been effective for treating head lice. On PureLeNatural’s website they suggest adding 30 drops to shampoo.

We often use tea tree oil as precautionary measure in our shampoo but oregano oil is a new one for me. Since most pesticides are toxic, natural remedies are much safer with less side effects and risks.

Cinnamon leaf and/or lavender is also a suggested option and if combined with either it would smell more pleasant. See the Science Daily article Cinnamon oil kills mosquitoes.

These natural methods save you money and help keep you healthy. Essential oils may seem expensive initially but they can help prevent the necessity of purchasing cold and flu medications and/ or synthetic insecticides.

Tags: General // 2 Comments »

I made this in between catching up on laundry, assembling acceptable lunches for school and running around like a chicken with my head cut off.

It’s just a little wooden laptop tray I grabbed for a couple bucks from the craft store but it saves your legs from getting burnt.

It’s not quite dry but I’m happy with it. Sort of a rustic modge podge picture mixture. I might throw a coat of shellac on it later but right now I’m pooched. I hope you all had a great labor day with some down time.

Tags: Crafts, General // 3 Comments »