September 26, 2013 by maggielane

Crayon Rescue

Rescue all your broken crayon pieces and turn them into a handy crayon block. It’s easy. Recycle them by putting all the broken pieces (with wrappers removed) into a silicone baking pan – preferably one that is a cute shape. 🙂 Bake on 200 degrees for 15 minutes or until melted. Let it cool completely and then pry out of the pan. It helps to make it fairly thick so that it doesn’t break when you take it out. By the end you will have a nice crayon block that is good for travel and tiny hands. Color away!

September 12, 2013 by maggielane

What books are popping off my bookshelf?

Peruse the shelves to find out what I’ve been reading lately….

Visit the Library to see what I’ve been reading lately. The topics that I’ve found interesting include cooking, gardening, historical recipes, herbs, natural cleaning and remedies, etc. Maybe you’ll find something that peaks your curiosity there too.

September 2, 2013 by maggielane

How to make Garlic Oil

Whenever my kids are sick they smell like garlic. I rub garlic oil all over them. I rub it on behind their ears, down the sides of their neck, on their feet, on their chest. You get the idea. Garlic is anti – everything (bacterial, fungal, viral, septic, etc.). It’s one of the most effective herbs at healing the body from infection and it is very effective at cleansing. One of my herb books tells the story of how in WWII when penicillin was scarce the medics carried cloves of garlic with them which they used to triage their patients. It’s one of my favorite herbs and one of the reasons that I like it so much is that it’s safe. It’s food after all. I add it to almost all my cooking. A whole head of garlic goes in to each batch of chicken broth and I use it in my well drops too. So, rub it all over and eat it up to stay well. For the directions on how to make your own garlic oil, visit the Herb Shed and scroll down.

August 29, 2013 by maggielane

Magnesium Oil: new uses and benefits

Have any of you tried the Magnesium Oil recipe from Wellness Mama? I made some up earlier this summer. And I just found a new and exciting use for it. Let me explain.

magnesium oil

I typically take a magnesium supplement, which I found to be especially helpful during my last pregnancy. (All my aches and pains from sore muscles disappeared as long as I took it – it was amazingly helpful! In terms of mobility I didn’t even feel like I was pregnant.) And I’ve been using Wellness Mama’s magnesium oil recipe off and on too (honestly – I’m not very good at remembering to use it). However, last night I had a very sore muscle in the middle of the night from overexertion during the day. I was using peppermint oil for the discomfort which helped, but in the morning when I woke up I thought that I should try applying some magnesium oil on it. I knew that the magnesium was good for muscles and had helped before when I was pregnant, so I tried it. I sprayed some on and rubbed it in. It helped a lot! Now by afternoon the muscle is barely sore. I wish I had thought of this in the middle of the night. Keep it in mind in the future for sore muscles. It helped me immensely.

August 22, 2013 by maggielane

My General Store – one stop shopping for homemade things

Visit my General Store to find all the recipes for the things that I make myself in one convenient place. They are organized by category for easy reference. Let me know if there is a recipe that you’d like to see that isn’t posted yet. I’m updating things all the time. Happy shopping!

August 19, 2013 by maggielane

“Candy Cane” Toothpaste

In my quest to keep those little teeth clean, a homemade toothpaste that will clean their teeth and mouth and taste good too. Click here to read about our “Candy Cane” Toothpaste. It’s a simple recipe. Only three ingredients. And safe to swallow if you have little ones who don’t know how to spit out their toothpaste.

August 1, 2013 by maggielane

Easy remedies for ear infections and sore throats

Caring for sick child is one of the most difficult jobs that a parent faces. Ear infections and sore throats are some of the most common and most painful ailments to deal with. Here are some easy remedies to try at home to help your child when they are hurting. Ear drops for ear infections and Throat Soother for sore throats. Be well.

July 29, 2013 by maggielane

The Family Doctor: Keeping those little bodies clean Inside and Out

Continuing our discussion of food sensitivities, let’s discuss tips and tricks on cleansing your children’s bodies and their environment.

Keeping the INside and OUTside Clean:

Children with food sensitivities seem to have delicate systems. Thus I try to use homemade cleaners, soaps, laundry detergents, sunscreens, bug sprays, toothpaste and remedies so that I can know what they are being exposed to. This way if they have a reaction, I know what the ingredients are and can more quickly diagnose the offending agent. I also try to support their immune systems by giving them Well Drops daily. And when they have a reaction to a food I give them herbs (in tincture form) which helps support their bodies as they cleanse and heal. Herbs like dandelion (cleansing), milk thistle (liver support), yarrow (healing/cleansing), yellow dock (cleansing), catnip (calming/nutritious), and nettle (nutritious) are among my favorites.

More health topics to follow…. What health issue would you like to see discussed?

June 25, 2013 by maggielane

Homemade hand sanitizer

Field trips, outings, all day playing with toy food at the museum – hand sanitizer is a must! Make your own hand sanitizer without alcohol and chemicals. Easy to take on the go to keep those little hands clean.

May 14, 2013 by maggielane

3 in 1 deodorant, toner and hair tonic

An easy, multi-purpose recipe for your medicine cabinet. Just in time for summer. Makes traveling with homemade beauty products simple and convenient.

May 9, 2013 by maggielane

DIY Linen spray – freshener

Need to freshen those linens? Make your own linen spray. Use it anything that needs to be spruced up without washing. Would work for carpets and rugs too. Easy DIY linen spray recipe.