Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Best of 2013

2013 is coming to a close. I was looking back at the post this year and we had an array of favorite posts. I have to agree with my fans choices.


Let's start at the top of the list. 2012 I was covered in bug bites and was determined to keep those biters under control by planting herbs and flowers. My tower of herbs was a winner on our deck and on pinterest. Did you know Parsley will still grow below freezing?
























I had the pleasure of working with 3 different companies that sell essential oil blends! I can not pick my favorite company but I can say that the Pain-Aid Salve has been one of my mother's favorite recipe. She is suffering from nerve pain and this is the only application that took the pain away!



The next stop on my crunchy journey was toothpaste. I have learned the finish product of homemade concoctions will vary. My first two batches were lovely. It didn't whiten as much ongoing. Our sink did clog 3x's for unknown reasons. I didn't give up but still searching recipes.





I love creating my own lotions and conditioners!  I have tweaked the recipe a few times but usually come back to this one. I now use a polywax instead of BTMS for a silkier feel. 2014 I am going to try using an ester to replace some oils ;-)


 

 I can't tell you when the last time was that I purchased a commercial cleaner. By far my favorite is the laundry soap. It's simple and extremely cheap. My mother still uses her commercial soap and fabric softener so I have to clean the machine every so often. You want to make sure the innards are clean too, not just the drum. Naturoli Extreme 18x Concentrate is the best soap to clean the innards while the baking soda and vinegar clean the drum.-How to clean your washer



Last year I decided I will make majority of the gifts for my Mother in Law. She truly appreciates something homemade being a quilter herself. This rice pack was so simple and useful. I had little to no sewing skills when I started. I even used herbs from our garden. Check out my link for other Homemade Gifts.


My neighbor has given me the gold metal for garden art. I am obsessed with Pinterest for craft ideas. I discovered Glass Flower Art! Use DecoArt Americana Glass paint and uv resistant sealant on Dollar Store bowls and candle holders. I made three different flowers.



Healthy Chocolate muffins Funny story! My son was potty training and struggling with #2 so I did some research and decided fiber and chocolate was the answer. Let me say these were darn good.




Claypot Bird bath- This is when my obsession with clay pot crafts started! I actually mixed two colors to create that pink/magenta color. It was my first time using stencils too. Some detail I added freehand to the butterflies. This is when people told me I had a gift. The birds and butterflies didn't like this as much as the flies and rodents. ha I think it needs to be a tad taller for my lovelies.



Where would I be without my swagbucks? I earn at least $25 a month with little effort each month. I shop a lot on Amazon and the gift cards start at 450pts and NEVER EXPIRE! Hello! Just add the gift card code to your Amazon account and they will disappear only when you spend them. Some people are lucky enough to rack up their balances to pay for Holiday shopping. I use Amazon too often though.




That wraps up 2013. What was your favorite post of the year? What would you like to see in 2014?

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