homemade deodourant

image from here

we've been off the commercial deodorant/antiperspirant bandwagon for a while now, as the knowledge that standard brands include aluminum, pthalates and fragrances linked to neurological problems (including Alzheimer's), cancers and reproductive toxicity (see this cosmetic safety database). plus those roll up roll on spray on type bottles contain a lot of unnecessary plastic packaging.

we've both been using the salt crystal type deodorant which neutralizes odour causing bacteria. it generally works, however lately it has been heating up here in Queensland as winter comes to an end and i'm not always getting a shower every day (due to baby and 3 year old intervening in my ability to tend self) and i was finding the salt crystal was just not neutralizing those odour causing bacteria enough for me.

happened to read this post over at soozs and she mentioned making her own deodorant and that it really really worked (i, like others it seems, find the 'natural' brands just didn't cut it) and it piqued my interest. so i found my way to the original source and made some of my own. i must say, i am very impressed thus far! no smelliness after full two days with no re application. wow. that seems better than store bought. also although it turns out as a white paste it doesn't leave actually white marks on clothes as long as it is rubbed in properly.

here is what i ended up adding, slightly different from the original recipe and slightly different from the sew green recipe it is based on.

1/8 cup cornstarch
1/8 cup arrowroot flour
1/4 cup baking soda
5-6 tablespoons of coconut oil
some essential oil for scent
enough witch hazel to make mixture into a paste

then mixed to form a paste. i wanted a really pasty paste (ie like normal deodorant but a bit softer so it would be easy to rub into skin) so i ended up adding the witch hazel to moisten it a bit further.

i'm more motivated to try more home made cosmetics now. i've never been a bit fan of shampoo, i use it as little as possible, so that might be the next item to try.

zoom

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fish

we've been mildly obsessed with fishing around our place. B is into play games about it and i've been fantasizing about catching our own fish from the shore for a while now.

this weekend it all came to fruition.

all except for the 'catching' the fish part.





finished magnetic fishing game. its a pretty big hit.

more magnetic fishing games here and here




'ted the head'.

he was my secondhand fishing rod dealer. he straps a multitude of rods and reels onto his triumph and peddles them at the chandler markets on sundays.





fish and chips at the esplanade yesterday afternoon.

not caught by me.




me, on my maiden cast off the jetty.


i didn't catch anything! can you believe it? i had the right bait, waited til the tide was coming in and had it on good authority that it was going to be a good evening for fishing, but it got so dark and cold and my baby was coughing up his poor little lungs. and i didn't know that you should hide the hook. i swear i could feel them biting and at one point i sweat i had something big on my hook but it got away.

i will be catching fish in the near future though, and i will let you know when that happens.

creative space

we painted some wooden family members the other day. i ordered them a coupla months ago from goose grease undone on etsy. i've been saving them for a rainy day.

it hasn't rained this week, in fact the weather has been perfect, but we've been cooped up with colds. the kitchen counter looks like a chemist. there's paw paw ointment under the nose and euky bearub in the air. i bought one of those syringes that you can use to suck snot out of babies noses. my 3 year old a red raw mustache under her nose from wiping and my 3 month old has lost his voice. his squeaky attempt to cry is the saddest thing i've ever heard.

but we're coming out of it. and most importantly, i'm coming out of it with my motherly virtue unscathed. yay for me! i didn't even have to get the Mr to come home from work. i survived my first all-of-us-sick episode, and it wasn't that bad. i mean, the TV has been on a lot but it hasn't been on all day and we did manage to do some crafty activities and cook dinner 2 out of 3 times so yeah, i didn't completely wuss out.

the experience made my heart go out to those who have truly sick children. from that perspective, we are so lucky to have had just the sniffles. lucky doesn't even begin to say it.

to see what other folks have been up to this week, visit kootoyoo.

wordless wednesday

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kiddie canape

yesterday we made these yummy and fancy looking canapes for our morning snack. they were a big hit! we used banana slices, nutella and a mixture of cashews and frozen blueberries. any nut and berry combo would be good though me thinks!

with a dusting of confectioners sugar, they were gobbled up by B. she had to make another plate. fruit, nut and a bit of hazelnut spread to sweeten the deal. healthy? well, it involved fruit and nuts and really nutella isn't that bad if you look at the label. i'm going with healthy treat.

for more easy peasy food ideas, see here

mini quilt #2

i made another miniature quilt this weekend, inspired by the flickr group mini quilt monday, I am sort of getting obsessed with miniature quilts. they are so cute and easy to make, being so small and all. when i woke up to do a night feed all i could think about was schemes for mini quilts.

this little star hexagon didn't lay flat in the end, but still looks OK, i think. i might actually quilt it a little more to try to get some of the puffier sections to lie flat. again i am guilty of being product focused rather than process focused.

what will i do with such a small quilt, you may ask yourself. well, i have asked myself the very same question. of course, many mini quilts are used for playmats, doll blankets, wall hangings or table runners (umm, not really the table runner type) but i must admit a 'modern' mini quilt might not be so bad as a trivet of sorts i suppose. but my actual plan for this mini quilt in particular came to me last night. i will be sure to share when the plan comes to fruition. . .

oh, the things they say

lying in bed together, B is on her way to sleep

B: mummy, are there germs in toots?

Me: no, why? (stifled laughter)

B: oh good. i just didn't want to get germs in the bed.

Me: hehehehehehehe

making

daddy chair.



fabric drying on the line. love the possibilities running through my head at the sight of all the purdy colours together. i'm surprised i ever cut into any of it.



slightly wonky fabric tent. must make alterations but that is a boring sewing project so have been putting it off. harumph.



chopsticks and buttons and egg carton. go b!



about to be creamed. into spinach soup, that is.

my creative space. . .

have i really been meaning to join this thursday ritual for nearly a year? today is the day!

and i'm feeling so pleased to be adding this to my list of things done this morn, which already includes packing child's lunch (including making egg salad) 2 loads of laundry cleaning out the fridge having a shower feeding and changing and putting a baby to sleep hanging out 2 loads of laundry chalk drawing outside plucking my eyebrows having a cup of coffee making a grocery list and now writing this post.

please be advised the above is not a normal sort of list of things done, just a freakish one. but i'm feeling a little smug with myself after looking at that list. if i accomplish nothing else today i'll be happy.

on my sewing table i have little fish, cut from hand screen-printed fabric by Thea and Sami.
i bought some scrap packs from her ages ago and have finally cut into them. we're making a fishing game, involving magnets and nuts and doweling and string.

because we love to play fishing at our place.

for more creative spaces, visit kootoyoo. . . .

wordless wednesday

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i heart canon G11

muffin batter licking munchkin.



finger licking muffin.



mini quilt (possible new craft addiction).
with food face (bea's new fixation).



beach sunset worship.



car park chalk drawing.



byron bay lunching.







byron bay sun catching.



baby sleeping.