Handmade Hair Pins

I’m at it again. Playing with sticks. Whittling and carving. 

I have been intruiged with hair pins lately. Until a few months ago, I had no idea how women held their hair up with a hair pin. I mean, how is it possible that a single stick will hold a whole head of hair in a twisted updo? Well, obviously, easy. I was amazed when I gave it a try. I have been in favor of this type of hair pin ever since. 

Since Covid took half of my hair, I have had to be careful at how I put my hair up. I do not want to use anything that can be damaging. I stopped using stretchy bands and now only use hair pins or claw clips to keep from damaging the little bit of hair I have left. In case you missed it, you can read about my Covid hair loss HERE. 

After 3 months and losing 50% of my hair, It finally stopped falling out. Now it is in the regrowth phase. I use special shampoo and oil to help with the process. 

I got this fancy idea to make my own hair pins so I had my husband gather me a few sticks during his morning walk. He didn’t ask, He just knows when I gather little pieces of nature, I have a craft idea. 

I picked through them and found some that would be perfect. So the carving and sanding began.

Being a minimalist, I like to keep things simple. I do not like a lot color and I love things that come natural. Nature is full of things we can use in everyday life. I think I could seriously live in a tee pee, and eat berries for a living. Haha. 

After I carved the sticks to the size and shape I needed, I continued peeling away the bark to reveal the raw wood. Then I sanded them smooth and gave them a thin spray of clear coat. 

I gave one a burnt design with my wood burner. One has a silver painted tip and one I left alone because I thought it was just so darn cute with the “Y” shape at the top. Each one comes out different and has its own unique shape and color. 

  

I had to try them out and love how fun they are. (Girls, these can be used in self defense also) . They are approximately 6 inches long and made of Wonder wood (Wonder what kind it is). Haha. Seriously though, I think they are from an oak or maple tree. 

I plan to make some more and maybe even try to sell them. I’m just not sure this old fashion technique will ever be popular again. But who knows, there could be someone out there that would love to have a piece of nature to wear in their hair. 

What do you think?

Do you wear your hair up with hair pins?

Branch Weave

I have been having a little fun with weaving lately. A couple post ago, I shared some things I created by weaving on a homemade loom. In case you missed it, you can find it HERE.

Then I learned about a thing called “Branch Weaving”. I looked at a few pictures and thought, “Hmmm, I think I can make that”. On high interest, I kept looking around. What is branch weaving and what do you do with it? Here is what I found.

1. Branch weaving started back 12000 years ago in the Neolithic times. Branches and twigs were interlaced to create fences and shelter.

2. Fiber artist created many different styles of branch weaving and no two are alike.

3. Creators make branch weaving as art to hang on walls. You can find them for sale on Etsy and other sites.

4. Some list for over 800.00! Smaller ones like mine are selling for approximately 50.00 each.

I just wanted to see if I could do it. There is just something about bringing nature indoors and creating something unique. 

I went out into the yard and found a twig from the only tree in the yard. The dogwood tree. 

I brought it in and had my husband cut it to the length I wanted. After a little rough sanding to get some of the loose dirt and bark off, I began stringing it from left to right. 

Then I grabbed a few colors and started weaving, making it up and winging it as I go. I was not sure how it would look until it was completed. 

I just impressed myself with this one. I loved the natural colors. If there was anything I would change about it would be to make the fringe longer. But hey, it’s my first one. Probably will not be my last one. Who knows, I am likely to find more nature to play with with. Stay tuned because I have another idea. 

Friday Bowl- Blue Butterfly

I could hardly wait to share this bowl creation with you today. I am not a fan of artificial coloring so I was excited to find some 100% natural food coloring. The blue color comes from Butterfly Pea Flower. The flowers are dried and turned into a powder. It's tasteless and can be added to any food or drink. 

Not only did it add some fun color to this yogurt bowl but it has some great health benefits such as, boost brain health, boost immune system, great for skin and eyes, enhances mood and vitality and stabilizes blood pressure. 

And then there is all the other good stuff thrown in to make this breakfast bowl a win for the day. 

I purchased my Suncore Brand blue butterfly pea flower powder from luckyvitamin.com.

Blue Butterfly Yogurt Bowl

2/3 Cup- Fage 0% Total Greek Yogurt

2 Tablespoons- Unsweetened Coconut Flakes
 2 Tablespoons- 100 % Natural Bear Naked Granola
10- Blueberries
1 Teaspoon- Blue Butterfly Pea Flower Powder

202 Calories- 19 g Protein

🍓🍌🍉🍊🍒🍏🍅🍈

I have decided to reserve each Friday to share some of my creative food bowls. I have been eating these at least 3 times a week and I feel great. They are easy, healthy and fun. This is part of my new "Clean Eating" Plan. Wish me Luck.

Cactus Pineapple Smoothie

I really want to start eating healthier by adding more natural plant based foods to my diet. It's really hard, but I have been adding more healthy options to my grocery list. I'm not Vegan or even Vegetarian but I believe they both are healthy habits. I just don't want to commit to any strict diets, but instead, just make some better choices in what I put in and on my body. 

Eating healthy has also led me to try new foods otherwise I would turn my nose up too. One of the newest foods I tried lately is (Nopal) Cactus. I read that there are a lot of health benefits hidden inside this prickly vegetable. I am excited to share with you this "Licuado de Nopal" aka Cactus Pineapple Smoothie. It tasted like nothing else I've ever had. Cactus itself taste like a cross between celery and asparagus, if you can imagine. Mixed in a smoothie it's not so bad after all.

Before handling any cactus, make sure to wear gloves. I learned this the hard way while picking through them at the grocery store. I was picking fine thorns from my hands all the way home while my husband thought it was funny. He suggested I use tongs that were available next time. 

Before eating, cut around the outside to remove the edges then take a knife or cactus scraper and scrape off  all the thorns, then wash thoroughly. I took my gloves off at this point and sacrificed my hands to make sure there were not more prickly things on the paddles. Luckily there were none and it was ready to cut into cubes.   

Cactus Pineapple Smoothie

1 cup- cleaned and cubed Cactus

1 cup- cubed Pineapple (I used frozen)

1 cup- of Orange Juice or Water

1 teaspoon- of Turmeric. (tasteless but optional)

add all to a blender and blend until smooth

Enjoy.

Cactus water (or smoothie) is known to help with weight loss, regulate blood sugar levels and improve digestion. It is also an anti-inflammatory. 

Other health benefits of cactus include:

• Great for joint inflammation and rheumatoid arthritis.
• Natural detox. Good for the gut. 
• Great for skin.
• Strengthens immune system.
• Lowers cholesterol.
• Help prevent against cancer.
• Helps control type II diabetes.
• Relieves menstrual cramps in women.
• It can also help with inflammation of the urethra and bladder to control bladder infections. 
• And if you get drunk....It's known to help hangovers.

I found most of this info here. (Source). 

The original recipe and more interesting facts can be found here (Source).

How did I like it?

It was pretty good. It was not like drinking a sweet berry smoothie topped with granola and chocolate, but it was good. It had a sweet tart bite too it but yet still refreshing. 

What I think about it?

We ended up making another trip to the Mexican grocery store for more. I have felt good after drinking one of these smoothies and actually had a good night sleep. I think this drink is a good thing and plan to drink one a couple times a week. I hope it helps with the inflammation in my ears associated with my symptoms of Meniere's.  

I have never been afraid to try new things. If it's edible, I’ll eat it. It’s good to experiment with different foods. There is a lot of good foods out there yet to be discovered. You’ll never know unless you try it. 

Sweat Treats Skin Care

I have mentioned before that I am trying to resort to more natural products for my skin and even in what I eat. I just feel that natural is always better when it comes to self care. When you use natural ingredients, you are eliminating harmful substances that can lead to health problems in the long run.

A couple of weeks ago I received some products from Sweet Treats and I can't be more excited to share with you these awesome items that are hand crafted with natural and safe ingredients.

Sweat Treats is a mother daughter owned company that have a passion for making quality natural bath and body products that are safe and effective for any skin types. Ingredients found in Sweet Treats skin care are sulfate free with no harmful toxins, or strong perfumes added. Best of all, no animals were used in making or testing of these products.

I have been starting each day using this Pearl Micellar Water. The pear brightens my skin for a more radiant glow. It works great as a toner before I apply my makeup in the mornings. In the afternoons I use it as a makeup remover. It even removes mascara.   

It is PH balanced to gently cleanse my face. I simply saturate a cotton round or cotton ball and gently wipe across my face. The best thing is, there is no need to rinse. Also, there was no burning or irritation and left my skin feeling fresh and clean throughout the day and night. It is gentle enough to use every day.

Another product I am enjoying is this awesome Coffee Face Cream. 

Wait, coffee on your face? When I first applied this cream on my face I could smell the aroma of coffee. I thought for sure I was going to smell like a Starbucks, but within minutes it had absorbed into my skin and there was no leftover coffee smell at all. 

I have been applying this cream to my face before bed or under my makeup in the mornings.

Coffee has been known to reduce signs of aging in mature skin. This cream leaves my face feeling firm and soft, and at my age, I sure could use something to fight those pesky wrinkles. After about the 3rd day, I could already feel a difference in my skin and complexion.

If coffee is not your thing, Sweet treats offers other face creams to fit different skin needs such as Green tea (great to reduce redness), Pearl (heals scars and acne), Papaya (antioxidants great for over night) and Orchid (prevents aging).

I can not wait to purchase some of the other facial, bath or even candle products they offer. It feels good to support small business while knowing your getting quality products that are naturally made. I do not like having to worry about allergic reactions due to chemicals or harsh ingredients.

As a bonus, I received the cutest lip balm also made with natural ingredients.

I like this lip balm because I can apply it any time I need to hydrate my lips and I do not have to worry about the waxy residue left behind like some other chap sticks or lip balms. I love anything made with coconut oil. Oh and did I mention, it smells sweet too?

Shop:
SweatTreats  

These items were provided to me free of charge 

in exchange for my honest review. 
Results are after two weeks of use.

All opinions are 100% my own.

Homemade Tahini Sauce

While shopping for some new foods to try that were healthy and didn’t cost an arm and leg, I came across some Boca Brand Falafels. What are Falafel? . 

They are a middle eastern food made with Garbanzo Beans AKA Chick Peas. They are sort of dry and have an earthy taste. You can learn more HERE. 

I had them once at a restaurant uptown but did not like them so much. I also had no idea what I was really eating. After I learned what they were made of, I wanted to try them again. So I bought a bag from the frozen foods and poured them into my air fryer. 

But I needed a sauce. Falafel are good dipped in cucumber sauce or Tahini Sauce. 

What is Tahini? Don’t worry, I never heard of it until now either. 

Tahini is a thick paste made from sesame seeds. Once you have Tahini paste, you make the Tahini sauce. You can find Tahini paste in most grocery stores but here on the West side of town, It was not found. That's when I decided to make my own. It was easy and way less expensive. 

Homemade Tahini Sauce

1 cup sesame seeds

4 tablespoons Olive oil.

Directions: Add sesame seeds to sauce pan and stir until to desired brown. 

They will brown quickly so make sure to keep an eye on them. 

Remove from heat and let cool for a minute or two .

Place seeds in food processor and grind until fine.

Add the oil a little at a time and keep blending until it becomes a soft paste. 

You may not need all the oil but I did.

Now you have your paste.You can keep it in the fridge over a month until ready to use.

To make the sauce, just add 

lime juice (1/2 lime should be enough).

Salt and pepper.
1 minced garlic clove

 1/2 cup yogurt.

You can adjust the thickness to your liking by adding more yogurt, or water.

There you have it. A nice little creamy dip that can be used for veggies, on salads, sandwiches, Falafels and more.

Tahini sauce reminds me a lot of Hummus.
NOTE: You can make the sauce without adding yogurt for a more vegan style.

Next time I make Falafels, I plan to make a cucumber sauce dip instead.

I'm always open for ideas if anyone has a great idea for a dip or side to go with Falafels. 

Artificial Nest

As soon as my friends on Facebook caught a news story of the local Carolina Waterfowl Rescue needing help from crochet and knitters, they started sending me messages. I sort of felt special that so many people remember that I like to crochet.

As soon as I read the article from the news, I was interested. I contacted them to confirm and make sure they were still needing little nest. I know how places can get an overwhelming amount of support from caring people.

Every year I choose something to donate my talent too. I always feel like God gave me the gift of crochet, so this is my way of giving back. Once, I crocheted fifty tiny baby hats for an orphanage in Haiti. I have also donated crocheted baby hats to local hospitals for their preemies. Last year I donated a box of red hats for "Little Hats, Big Hearts". It's a charity that provides resources and raises awareness about congenital heart defects and hospitals all around give each baby born in February a little red hat to wear. Here is the post.

So I was happy to find something else to donate too. The waterfowl rescue is reaching out to crocheters and knitters to supply them with some artificial nest for tiny birds they rescue. I found some wool yarn at the dollar store and thought it was perfect for this project as it was a natural fiber and natural colors.

I am allergic to wool so I have never made anything with wool fiber but I could not resist. Fortunately, the wool did not irritate me at all while making these. The texture is cotton soft but the structure is hard and stiff. Like a rug. 

They are not made perfect and even have a few flaws, but I think that adds to the nature of the purpose. They only asked that the nest be crocheted using two strands of yarn and stitched tight so the little bird legs would not fall through the holes. I whipped these up in just a few hours and shipped them to their location. I hope they can be of use.

Looking at these make me think of little nesting bowls. Well, that's exactly what they are.

If you crochet and would like to help. Click HERE.

Homemade Toothpaste with MorningPep Xylitol

I am no tree hugger, but I do believe natural remedies are the best. They are healthier and will save me money in the long run. If it saves trees, then I'll take that as a bonus. With that being said, I've been introducing myself to more natural products lately. I want to be more natural and rid myself of as many toxins as possible.

It is hard to find items and ingredients that do not contain harmful junk in them such as toothpaste. I mean, have you ever looked at the warning label on your toothpaste? There is stuff in there that I cannot even pronounce. Do I really want to use that? It hasn't hurt me in all these years, but really, who knows?

I was just looking at the branded toothpaste the other day and there are warning labels containing statements such as, “If ingested contact poison control." I'm pretty sure we all have eaten toothpaste before. I also read " Do not use more than 4 weeks." So, what are you supposed to do after 4 weeks? Stop using toothpaste? I’ll admit, I do not have real good teeth, but I have brushed my teeth regularly all my life. I’m ready to try alternatives. I believe things are put on this Earth for the good. Therefore, natural is best.

I have been wanting to make my own toothpaste for a while so I began doing some research on natural options and found the perfect concoctions.

One ingredient I used is Morning Pep Xylitol 100% pure natural sweetener (made in the USA).
This sweetener is perfect for coffee and baking as it looks and tastes just like sugar (without the bitter after taste other sweeteners can leave behind). It contains 40% fewer calories than sugar, low carb and glycemic index, making it safe for diabetics. There are also no wheat, soy, dairy, corn, or gmo found in this product. It is also declared safe by FDA.

So why am I using this in my natural tooth paste recipe? Other than adding a pleasant sweetness to my tastes buds, Xylitol also has many dental health benefits. Here are just few just to mention:

• Starves and kills bacteria for better oral health.
• Protects tooth enamel as it has the ability of materialization deep in the layers of enamel. 
• Great for bone health (so remember that when using it as a sweetener for ingestion). 
• Fights yeast bacteria.
• It even reduces inner ear health by killing bacteria in the mouth that can cause ear infections. 

Are you ready for the recipe to this remarkable tooth paste using only 4 ingredients? Well wait no longer. Start bettering yourself with this and other safe natural home remedies.

Natural Homemade Toothpaste

1/2 Cup -Coconut Oil (also kills harmful bacteria)

3 Tbls- Baking Soda (for whitening)

1 Tbls- Xylitol (sweetener with dental benefits )

1 Tsp *Mint Flavoring.

*I used pure mint flavoring but you can also use cinnamon or essential oils.

Melt the coconut oil in a glass bowl for about 30 seconds in microwave.

Once melted, add remaining ingredients and mix until smooth.

Place in a small glass jar with lid and let cool completely before using.

(The oil will separate, so I would just shake the jar a couple times during cooling to keep it mix up 

or you can simply mix it before using. 

Either way makes a nice paste)

To use: Dip toothbrush directly or use small spreader or spoon. 

You can also add the paste to a small silicon squeeze bottle then apply to toothbrush. I found my little bottle at the dollar store. It’s actually a salad dressing holder and it works perfect. 

I will be using this MorningPep Xylitol sweetener in a lot of my baking and as a necessity for my morning cup of Joe. 

So stay tuned for some healthy sugar free recipes coming soon. 

Where to shop:

 Morning Pep Pure Birch Xylitol 

I have been financially compensated for this post. 

The opinions are completely my own based on my honest experience. 

WARNING: Xylitol can be toxic for dogs.

Salt Pillow

I’ll be the first to admit that I am not a big believer on all this holistic therapies like the essential oils and herbs for example. Don’t get me wrong, I do not doubt they play positive rolls for natural alternatives for some as they did back in the Bible days, but I just don’t always buy it. I have tried some of the oils but never find they help with any kind of healing. Not that they don't, I just haven't experienced it. However, I do believe in aroma therapy as I think smells can react on how you feel. I think some smells will make you feel energize while others can relax you. That’s about as far as I will go with the holistics.

I have always heard that Himalayan salt rock is good for the air around you. I have never had a salt rock but have always wanted one and would also love to visit a salt cave and sit awhile just to see. 

While out and about the other day, My husband pointed out these salt pillows. 

They were a good price so I said, “ok why not”. Let just see what it does. I mean, I could use a heat activated pillow for my earaches, headaches and tummy cramps”. So purchased it and brought it home. It sat next to my chair for a couple days while I just sort of looked at it. I was waiting on a day I felt I needed some soothing comfort. 

If you know me, you know I suffer from symptoms of Meniere’s and Tinnitus. My left ear will practically go deaf and the feeling of fluid pressure and dizziness will take over my head. This can go on for days at a time with a couple good days in between. I will wake up with head aches and those days can be rotten. 

I decided to take this little pillow to bed with me. I lay my left ear against it and I'm out like a light. Since I have been sleeping with this pillow against my head, I have not woken up with a head ache like I used to do every morning. I also have not had any symptoms of Meniere’s and vertigo in over three weeks now. I am aware that as soon as I finish this post I could have a flare up as they will hit without warning, but I can’t help but wonder if this little pillow is really working or if it's all in my head? 

It weights 2.2 lbs and can be heated in the microwave for one minute and used as a heating pad. With the weight and heat combined, I'm sure it will work great for cramps. It can also be placed in the freezer and used as an ice pack. 

Salt holds temperature extremely well, whether hot or cold. Himalayan Salt Healing Pillow is filled with 100% natural Himalayan salt crystals. The pillows weight provides gentle pressure while conforming comfortably to the face and body's natural curves. Crystal salts last indefinitely and can be used over and over again. 

You can purchase a pillow like this at most department stores such as Target or Walmart or any health stores or pharmacy. I actually picked mine up at Hamricks Department Sore. 

Or just go straight to the company.

The Original Salt Company

Acorns

Acorns are one of my favorite Fall reminders. They fall from the trees and bonk us on the head to remind us Autumn is just around the corner and then the squirrels will scurry around for the best acorn nuts to stash away for Winter.

I remember as a little girl before my teenage years, my daddy would give me pocket knives. I loved to go out into the yard and find giant acorns of many colors. They were so many swirling with colors of Autumn. I would sit on the steps of our front porch and twiddle out the centers of the acorns with my tiny pocket knife. I was extra careful not to cut myself or mom would take the knife away. I would then string the acorn beads to make a necklace. 

Well, Fall is just around the corner so I thought it would be fun to share some ideas of ways to decorate with acorns. 

BUT FIRST!....Rick over at life101 blog, made a comment the other day saying he thought I should make some acorn earrings and had no idea what made him think of that. I responded to him “ don’t tempt me”. Well Rick, here they are (modeled by my daughter). You gave me the idea and I did it. Haha. 

I made these crochet acorn earrings and kept the natural acorn tops. 

These are one of a kind. I may be making more depending on the interest. 

Buy them here: LiLiDi’s on Etsy 

I love these Adorable wooden acorns. 

They would look so pretty displayed inside or outside and you do not even have to worry about the squirrels stealing them from you. 

Find them here: The Holiday Barn

How about these cute acorn napkin rings? 

They can bring Autumn to my dining anytime. (Except Spring of course). 

Learn to make these here: NewEngland.com

Acorn Marble Necklaces are something I have done in the past but they did not turn out nearly as darling as these little sun catchers.

These would be perfect party favors or used as ornaments too.

Step by Step video at:  Rhythms of Play

How about pulling out a book with you favorite page marked with this fuzzy felt acorn book mark. 

Buy here: Vart on Etsy

I start decorating for Fall on the last week of September. 

During October, I will just add few spooky things to the mix until its over then back to just the Fall look through Thanksgiving. 

How do you like to decorate for Fall?