tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51246340728772998742024-03-13T23:53:13.181-05:00The "S" Homestead (The Smith Ranch)Heather Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03067635102907663157noreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5124634072877299874.post-71692068029551367512017-06-22T17:03:00.002-05:002017-06-22T17:04:33.634-05:00I am Back and The Sugar Cane Trail!!Hey my peeps!! I know! I know it has been a long time. Lets just say, I had to take care of things and I didn't know exactly what I wanted to do with this blog. I have decided I will continue to write it. It will continue to show my herbal and canning things, along with my other loves!<br />
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One of those loves is hiking! I have always had a love for outdoors. I like plants, flowers, insects, animals. ( I do like to see them from a SAFE distance. LOL) Well, some insects. I am not real fond of bees, wasps, or hornets. I have always had to keep a safe distance from flying stinging insects and make sure I took my allergy medicine. You see, I have severe allergies! I am allergic to most trees, grasses, flying stinging insects, and well you get the point! I am so allergic to the stinging flying insects that I have to carry an Epi-Pen with me at all times! With all this it has not ever stopped me from loving the outdoors and all the beauty that God created! I stopped really hiking when I became a young adult you know when life started getting in the way. ;) I just celebrated my 42nd birthday in May! With that milestone I decided to go back to one of my loves... Hiking!<br />
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Luckily, I have a friend who agreed to go with me on a recent hike on the Sugar Cane Trail about an hour and a half drive from my house. It was a great little trail. But, it was very hot and humid, got to love Louisiana weather! lol! I also made such a rookie mistake. I forgot to spray us down with bug spray. So, lets just say ticks were a problem! Yikes! Oh well, live and learn. ;) Here are some pics from our hike.<br />
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Till next time! Happy Trails!!! ;)Heather Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03067635102907663157noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5124634072877299874.post-42820856471674450312016-01-14T21:50:00.001-06:002016-01-14T21:50:30.793-06:00Am I in need of an Abigail?Well hello peoples! Yes, it has been a little while since my last post. Today I want to get you to think a little bit about atonement. I read this book not too long ago and it made me view the atonement a little differently. The name of the book was The Peacegiver.<br />
Now, when I say atonement what comes to your mind? Jesus? The cross? Payment for sins? Sinner? Well, lets take a different look at atonement.<br />
I know we all grew up learning the story of David slaying the giant with a sling shot and a stone. But, do you know what happened after that story? You know the time in-between him slaying Goliath and becoming king. Well, after he killed Goliath his fame went throughout the land. This made Saul very upset. You know he was the King of Israel at the time.<br />
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Well, Saul set out to kill David. So, David fled into the wilderness and was literally living the life of a vagabond. His companions were thieves and outlaws. They got through by guarding a rich man's sheep and shepards from neighboring people who would want to take or kill them. In return this rich man, Nabal would give David and his men provisions. So, it came to pass that David and his men were getting low on provisions. David sent a group of men to Carmel to see Nabal and ask for provisions. The men went and met with Nabal. Nabal did not give them what they needed, in fact, he mocked them. The men went to David and told him what happened. David got angry. He told the men to strap on their swords. They all started marching to Carmel to slay all of Nabal's household. Now, Nabal had a wife named Abigail. One of the servants came to Abigail and told her what her husband had done. So, she got together all sorts of provisions and loaded them on asses and went out to meet David and his men. When she saw David, she got off her ass and fell down at his feet and asked for forgiveness. WHAT?!?!<br />
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Why you ask was she asking for forgiveness. She didn't do anything. Well that is exactly what David told her. She said that she was taking all the sin on her. Hmmmmm ... sound familiar. Then she basically told David that she was taking his sin too. That he did not want to do this cause God had a future for him. WAIT... David was the one being sinned against. Right???? Well, you see as soon as David and his men sought revenge in their hearts they too sinned. Abigail was offering him a way out of his sin before he sinned more and acted on his revenge. David forgave her and her household.<br />
Now, why did I tell you that story? Let me ask you a question. Are you in the wilderness marching to Carmel? Are you in need of an Abigail in your life?<br />
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Are you a Nabal and creating difficulty for others that someone else had to make up for? You see, Christ didn't just die for the sinner. He died for the sinned against too. Let me tell you another story.<br />
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We all have heard the story of Jonah.<br />
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God sent him to Ninevah to tell the people to repent or be destroyed. Jonah doesn't listen and tries to run from God. He eventually is swallowed by a whale. While in the belly of the whale, he prays for forgiveness. God forgives him and the whale puts him at Ninevah. Jonah tells the people and they repent. Story over! NO! Jonah was upset. You see he wanted the people to be destroyed. He thought they should not be forgiven. They were too bad. He even goes up a hill to watch God destroy them<br />
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When he doesn't he is upset. God makes this plant grow by him. then he makes it die. Jonah is upset. God pretty much tells him you would show mercy to a plant but not for these people? So, I ask you are you on a ship trying to run from God? Are you willing to extend Mercy? Are you trying to find happiness without giving up your sins? Do you know the extent of your Savior's Love?<br />
You see he died for everyone! When we don't forgive or hold grudges we are saying that they are not worthy of mercy or grace. But, really NONE of us are!! You have to let go and forgive. Because you have been forgiven! It also causes us to miss blessings that God has in store for us! We have been forgiven and we have to forgive those who wrong us! It is just that simple. Okay well it is simple but, I didn't say it was easy! I hope I have gotten you to look at the atonement in a different light. By the Way, the story of David can be found in 1 Samuel 25 and the story of Jonah can be found in the book of Jonah! Now, I leave you with this: Are you in need of an Abigail?<br />
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Heather Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03067635102907663157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5124634072877299874.post-15171516415998995522015-11-11T11:09:00.000-06:002015-11-11T11:09:18.839-06:00Accountability<br />
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Hope everyone's week has been good. We talked last week about being a warrior and about bringing everything to God. We also talked about honest assessment of where our relationship was with our Heavenly Father. This week I am going to talk about accountability.<br />
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In the second lesson in the War Room, they talk about real accountability. When we talk about accountability it can get a little uncomfortable. Come on lets face it, we are still like children, we don't like to be told that we are doing something wrong. Sometimes, we can even throw a fit when confronted. On the flip side of accountability, sometimes we don't want to tell a friend or family member that what they are doing is wrong. For one, we don't want them to be mad at us or hurt their feelings. But, God wants us to help hold each other accountable and to hold each other up in Love. The study used Psalm 141:3-5a as a prayer:<br />
"Lord, set up a guard for my mouth:<br />
Keep watch at the door of my lips.<br />
Do not let my heart turn to any evil thing<br />
or perform wicked acts<br />
with men who commit sin.<br />
Do not let me feast on their delicacies.<br />
Let the righteous one strike me-<br />
It is an act of faithful love;<br />
Let him rebuke me-<br />
It is oil for my head;<br />
Let me not refuse it."<br />
My, my, my, that is powerful! Sometimes, even as a Christian community this can be abused. I have witnessed it first hand. When we go to a fellow believer we are to do it in Love! We don't want that person to think that we are trying to be their judge! We all have that, God! Also, we have to be careful not to spread gossip. Sometimes we don't even mean to do it. I think as Christians we do have to try harder and think harder about what we say and even who we say it to. People look at us more than non-christians. They want to know how we are going to act or react to a situation. Now, do we sometimes get it wrong? Why yes, we are just human! But, when we do get it wrong, we need to repent and ask for forgiveness. Another verse that I thought was powerful was Proverbs 27:5-6:<br />
"Better is open rebuke, than love that is concealed. Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but deceitful are the kisses of an enemy." (NASB)<br />
Wow! Faithful are the wounds of a friend, deceitful are the kisses of an enemy! I don't know about y'all but, I would much rather my friend come to me and rebuke me than my enemy give me a pat on my back!<br />
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I love how this verse just sort of spells it out. It is our duty as Christians to go to our breathen let them know what they are doing is wrong and try to help them and to carry their burden too. This helps to fulfill his law! Oh but wait!! It also gives a warning! Watch yourself, or you too may also be tempted!! We should always have on our full armor of God! </div>
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So many times in the Bible does it talk about lifting each other up, carrying each others burdens, and Praying for one another. It so good that God did not want us to fight this battle or go through this journey alone! Praise God! I leave you this week with the following verse! I hope it speaks to you! Till next week...</div>
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<br />Heather Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03067635102907663157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5124634072877299874.post-33047948698047170842015-11-03T22:07:00.003-06:002015-11-05T20:50:02.344-06:00Warriors!God uses warriors for his glory. when I am talking about warriors, I am talking about All of God's children. We are all called to fight spiritual battles daily. In Ephesians 6:11-12, We are told: "Put on the Full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For OUR struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against... the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." So, I ask you if God were counting spiritual warriors-ones who are prepared to fight for truth-would you be counted?<br />
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In the intro for the War Room it says Prayer is a Powerful Weapon. Oh how true this is. If we all made battle plans, searched our Bible for answers, and prayed to Our Heavenly Father, oh what battles would be won! You see God even told us to bring everything to him; Our lives, our families, our health, our marriages, our children, our jobs, everything. Just like a war needs a war plan so do we! It is called PRAYER!</div>
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In the first session of this study it asks questions and asks for an Honest Evaluation of our relationship with God. It is so easy for our everyday life to get in the way of our relationship with our creator. But, we should realize this, repent and pray to fix it. We should spend time daily with our creator. In his word and in prayer to him. It says, "But be doers of the word and not hearers only. Deceiving yourselves." James 1:22.</div>
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So, I ask you this....Are you a doer or just a hearer? My prayer for you is that you become a doer!! Till next time....</div>
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<br />Heather Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03067635102907663157noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5124634072877299874.post-54597688272207036722015-10-31T10:49:00.000-05:002015-10-31T11:32:20.270-05:00The War RoomHave you seen the new movie The War Room yet? My husband and I went and seen it last Sunday. All I can say is WOW! It is a real powerful movie. It is about fighting our battles in prayer! It so hit home for me. I hate to admit but my prayer life is not the best. Yes, I am a Christian, yes, I pray, yes, I read my bible! But, do I really take all my battles to God in prayer? NO!<br />
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It says in the Bible, "<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;">The LORD shall fight</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"> for you, and ye shall hold your peace." Exodus 14:14. Hmmmm! I seem to fail in this time and time again. I always seem to try to fight on my own. That is something I am trying to fix. I am trying to take all to the Lord and let him fight for me. I am not saying this is easy. It is hard! Hey, I am human! We think we know what is best, what needs to be done. But, in reality our Lord has a plan for our lives that is bigger and better than we could even fathom. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: justify;">"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11</span><span class="p" style="color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 13px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: justify;">I hope that you too will join with me in this journey in taking everything to the Lord in prayer. I am beginning a bible study starting next week on prayer. Each week I am going to blog about the things that I have learned. My hope in this is to help you as well. Who is with me? </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: justify;">With that I leave you with this verse that was one of the many verses in the movie.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: justify;">"But you, when you pray, Go into your inner room. Close your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you." Matthew 6:6.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #fdfeff;">Till next week my sisters and brothers! :) </span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></span>Heather Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03067635102907663157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5124634072877299874.post-83154720994860482772015-10-20T18:58:00.001-05:002015-10-20T18:58:36.547-05:00Lavender ScrubIt is hard to believe how time flies. It seems like only yesterday I was bringing my first born son home from the hospital. Now, he has been married almost 2 months now. He married his High School Sweetheart on August 29th. It was a simple ceremony but, oh so beautiful. I do have to admit I cried. I think I was good and hid it well! ;) Making the powerpoint for the beginning of the ceremony was so hard. Just looking at all those pictures of him growing up made me realize how fast time really does fly. I do wish them both a long and happy life together. My prayer for them is to always keep God first!!<br />
For the bridal shower, she made little jars of honey for the guest to take home. The honey was from my son's beehive that he has. I made little jars of lavender scrub for the guests. I used dried lavender buds in this recipe but, you can omit them if you want to.<br />
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Lavender Scrub<br />
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1 Cup White Sugar<br />
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2 TBSP dried lavender buds<br />
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8 to 10 drops lavender essential oil<br />
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1/2 cup coconut oil, melted<br />
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2-4 TBSP olive oil<br />
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If you are using lavender buds, grind them with a mortar and pestle or in a coffee grinder. In a bowl, combine the sugar and ground lavender buds. Next, add the oils and stir to combine. Then, add the essential oil and stir. Place into a jar and label.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lavender Buds</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mortar and Pestle</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Put sugar in bowl</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grind the buds</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coconut oil</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Melt coconut oil</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All of it mixed together.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lavender Essential Oil</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The scrub in the tin.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here are some of the finished products.</td></tr>
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Viola' Lavender Scrub! See how easy!!! The guests loved it! I also used Pinterest a lot to get ideas for the shower and wedding! Below are some of the pictures from the shower.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Wild Honey</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Scrub</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A game I found on Pinterest.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An idea I found on Pinterest. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Instead of Guest Book. Pinterest again!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Found idea on Pinterest. Then made it!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pin the mustache on the groom.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another game found on Pinterest!<br />The beautiful bride!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">
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Hope you enjoyed the pics! Till next time hope everyone has a blessed day!<br />
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Heather Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03067635102907663157noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5124634072877299874.post-11673967788639703162015-10-13T21:12:00.001-05:002015-10-13T21:17:48.886-05:00It's the Simple Things and Elderberry Tincture!!!Hello my blog peeps! Hope everyone is having a blessed Tuesday! I got the sweetest surprise today from some of my sweet PreK children. On top of all the hugs and I Love You, Mrs. Smith that I get on a regular basis, a few of them sent me a carnation for Do Something for Someone Day.<br />
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Attached to the flowers was a note from the child. I even got from one of my sons and one of my students from last year. I thought it was so sweet! This is just our second day back from Fall Break. It is always hard to come back to reality when we have had a whole week off. :) </div>
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During Fall Break, A few friends and I went camping in North Toledo. It was so pretty and quiet there. Here are some of the pics from our trip.</div>
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My sweet Friend and me!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two more of my sweet friends and LuLu (aka Our Guard Dog)</td></tr>
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We had a blast! Can't wait to go back! I also canned over the break. I will be posting more canning recipes soon! </div>
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I also started some Elderberry Tincture. I used 1/3 cup of dried Elderberries.</div>
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Then, pour vodka over the berries to about an inch from the top. You can use 80 proof or 100 proof. When making tinctures, I like to use 100 proof. I use 80 proof for my homemade vanilla. </div>
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Next you want to put a piece of plastic over the top before you put the top of the jar on. This is just to keep the tincture away from the metal of the lid. </div>
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Last, you date it, write what it is, and when it will be ready. For this one it needs to sit for 14 days. Just put it on a dark, cool, shelf and shake every now and again. Once the 14 days are up, you strain the tincture off the berries and bottle the tincture! I will show you mine once it is finished. There you have it Viola' Elderberry Tincture! Till next time, Have a blessed evening and week!!</div>
<br />Heather Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03067635102907663157noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5124634072877299874.post-18587233420408904312015-07-26T21:53:00.000-05:002015-07-26T21:53:04.397-05:00Making Valerian Root and White Willow Bark Tinctures*** Note this blog post is for entertainment purposes only. I am not a doctor! I am showing you what I did and what I used. Use your own knowledge and judgement for your family and you. ***<br />
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Okay, now that the disclaimer is done! Lol! I love to read and learn about herbs and plants that people in the times passed used and some still use today. It amazes me all the plants God gave us to use to help heal ourselves. I started reading these two books about two years ago. They have a wealth of info in them.<br />
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The two tinctures that I am going to show you today is Valerian Root and White Willow Bark Tinctures. Valerian Root was used in WWII to help calm people when there were air raids. It was also used to help soldiers when they were injured. You can also use it to help you sleep. White Willow Bark is why we have aspirin today. It can be used the same way as aspirin. Now down to the nitty gritty. lol!</div>
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First, you need to get Valerian Root and White Willow Bark. I got mine from MountainRose Herbs.com </div>
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Now, you will need to buy some vodka to make your tincture. I used 100 proof. Some of the books that I have read said you can use 80 proof. I use 80 proof for my vanilla extract. </div>
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Next you need a glass jar with a lid. I used pint wide mouth mason jars. What can I say I like to can! :) You will put 2 ounces of herb to 1 pint of vodka. </div>
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Now you want to label what it is and the date you made it. Now, with the White Willow Bark you will need to put it in a dark, cool place for 2-3 weeks. The Valerian Root you will need to put it in a dark, cool place for 14 days. You can shake the mixture every few days. Once it has been sitting for the allotted time you are going to strain the herb off and the liquid you have left is your tincture.</div>
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After you have strained it you want to put the liquid tincture in a dark colored bottle to keep. You also want to label it and the date made. I got these neat amber bottles with dropper lids at MountainRoseHerbs.com<br />
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Well there you have it my peoples, voila' homemade herbal tinctures! I will be posting more herbal and canning things in the near future! Till next time have a blessed day!<br />
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Heather Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03067635102907663157noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5124634072877299874.post-36883014439523773822015-04-13T22:19:00.000-05:002015-04-13T22:19:43.853-05:00Homemade Beef Stock! Oh My!!Ok, if you have looked at my blog you know I love to can. I found these at Kroger's the other day. I was so excited! I could finally make beef stock! <br />
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What I did was put the shank in the oven on a cookie sheet at 350 degrees until it was brown. I rinsed the bones off and put them in the crockpot. When the shank was brown I added it to the crockpot.</div>
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I then put in some scraps of onions peals, celery and carrots that I had froze for stock. I poured about 1/4 cup of Apple Cider Vinegar on the bones and shank and let it sit for about an hour.</div>
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Then, I filled the crockpot up with water and put it on low and cooked it for 24 hours. Then you just strain it and the liquid left is your beef stock. You can freeze it. I am going to can mine. Will post how to do that another day. Tomorrow I will post about my meal plan and prepping! Till tomorrow hope everyone has a great day!!<br />
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Heather Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03067635102907663157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5124634072877299874.post-33829633056907492192015-03-31T18:58:00.004-05:002023-10-26T22:33:35.728-05:00Blessed!<br />
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How has everyone been? Hopefully great! I feel so blessed to have such an amazing husband and such great friends! We all met up in Vegas! We toured the Grand Canyon, the strip in Vegas, and Red Rock Canyon! It is amazing how even if we have not seen or talked to each other in a long time we get together and it is like no time has passed! I love it! Here are some pics from our excursions! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is from the High Roller!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lunch with my Love!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The girls and I goofing off!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Goofing off on the Strip!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The men at Red Rock Canyon</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The girls and I in the High Roller!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My love and I on the plane.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great Friends!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Love and I at Red Rock!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red Rock Canyon</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another pic from inside the High Roller!<br />
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Heather Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03067635102907663157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5124634072877299874.post-72600247398378056602015-03-26T17:30:00.001-05:002023-10-26T22:32:28.088-05:00Sad days on the Homestead!Ok, Anyone who knows me knows I would love to live in the middle of no where and have a farm. Since, that has not happened I make due. I plant my garden every year and I have chickens. My chickens are like my pride and joy! I have Buff Orpingtons! They are just so darn cute! Anywho, Everyone knows how crazy our weather has been! Like nuts! So, a couple of chickens ended up with a type of chicken pneumonia! EEEKKK! I lost 2 hens and a rooster. Then, yesterday low and behold another down! So now I have lost a total of 3 hens and a rooster! I am praying that the sickness has been contained and no more of my sweets get sick! Here is a pic of my sweet ones!<br />
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<br />Till next time have a blessed day!Heather Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03067635102907663157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5124634072877299874.post-39907815802378232022014-01-08T21:05:00.000-06:002014-01-08T21:05:16.505-06:00Canned ChiliI hope everyone had a great New Year so far! I know here it has been very cold. So, I made like a lot of chili! I don't know who I thought was coming to eat. Anywho, Since I have three hunters in my house and a lot of deer meat in my freezer, I don't have a lot of room in my freezers for leftovers. With that being said, what was I to do with all of this leftover chili? Can it!! Yeah! Yeah! All you have to do is put your lids, rings and jars in water and bring them to a boil. This will sterilize them. <br />
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Also, keep your chili hot. Next, put a funnel in the jar and fill it up with chili up to an inch of the top.</div>
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Next, wet a cloth or paper towel with vinegar and wipe the rim off with it. This gets all the food particles off so it can seal properly. Then put the lid and ring on. </div>
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Next, you are going to put them in your pressure canner. Remember to follow the directions for your pressure canner. </div>
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Also, don't forget to vent for 10 minutes before putting the weight on. Process pints at 11lbs of pressure for 75 minutes for a dial gauge and 10lbs of pressure for a weighted gauge. You can also make this in quart and pressure can for 90 minutes.</div>
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And voila' canned homemade chili! Hope you enjoy! Till next time hope you have a blessed day!</div>
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Heather Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03067635102907663157noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5124634072877299874.post-12790361118280292122013-12-31T13:20:00.001-06:002013-12-31T13:20:06.867-06:00Canned Chicken StockWhoa it has been a looonnnnggg time since my last post. A little too long if you ask me. It seems another year has come and gone. It amazes me how time flies when you get older and time seems to stand still when you are young. I was looking at my blog and noticed that I had told you I would post how to can your chicken stock. So here goes. In the last blog post I told you how to make chicken stock in your crockpot. (this is also the same for turkey stock. I always save my turkey carcass from thanksgiving. Then make a batch of turkey stock. I use it the same way as chicken stock.) Now to can your chicken stock you have to have a pressure canner. It is not safe to can in a water bath. So, first you need to put your jars and lids on to boil. This is going to sterilize them. You also want to keep your chicken stock hot. You can do this by leaving it in your crockpot after your strain it. (and wash out your crockpot so none of the things you just strained out get into your stock.
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Next, you will get one of your jars out. Put a funnel in the jar to help your stock to go into the jar and not your counter. Then fill up your jar with stock up to an inch of the top. </div>
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Make sure you wipe the lid off with a cloth or paper towel dipped in vinegar. This gets all the particles of stock off the lid to help it seal better. After that put your lid and ring on your jar. </div>
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After you have canned all your chicken stock place in your pressure canner per your canner's instructions. Remember to vent for 10 minutes before putting on the weight. You will can your chicken stock at 10 lbs for 20 minutes for pints and 25 minutes for quarts. </div>
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And voila' you have homemade chicken stock! Till next time have a blessed day and a Happy New Year!</div>
Heather Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03067635102907663157noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5124634072877299874.post-47767416309603691522013-01-28T19:45:00.000-06:002013-01-28T19:45:46.401-06:00Homemade Chicken StockI hope everyone is having a blessed week! I know it has been a while since my last post. What can I say Life Happens! I have something real cool for y'all today. It is easy homemade chicken stock. It is sooooo simple so here goes. Whenever you have chicken (roast chicken, fried chicken, etc.) SAVE the bones! Just put them in a ziplock till you need them. Also save your leftover vegetables. Like the stuff you would usually throw away. Like the outsides of the onions or the ends off celery. Put these in a ziplock. You could even put them in the same ziplock as your bones if you have room. When you are ready to make your stock, get out your crockpot. That's right your crockpot.
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Then you put all the bones and vegetables into the crockpot. Once you have done that you put a little bit of Apple Cider Vinegar. I don't measure it I just pour a little bit in it. If you have to measure put 1/2 cup in the crockpot over the bones and vegetables.
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Let this sit for about 30 minutes. Then you are going to fill the crockpot with water. Next, you going to turn on the crockpot on low and let it cook for 24 hours. I usually just let it run over night till the next evening. After, the 24 hours turn the crockpot off. Then strain the liquid into a bowl. Voila! You now have homemade chicken stock!!!
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You can store it in the refrigerator, freeze it, or can it. I will show you tomorrow how to can it! Till then I hope you have a blessed day!
Heather Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03067635102907663157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5124634072877299874.post-48523662984281487562012-09-09T14:32:00.002-05:002013-01-15T15:59:03.486-06:00Things to Make With Your Homemade Yarn!Well, I hope everyone is having a blessed Sunday! Here are two of the things I have made with my Homemade yarn. One is a bracelet. How I made it was did a basic single stitch and made two to three rows depending on how thick you want your bracelet. I then tied some thin leather on one end in a loop. On the other end I sewed a big button. Make sure you loop is big enough for your button but not two big that it comes out too easily.<br />
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Next, I made a pot holder. I used the same principal as the bracelet. I just added more rows. I kept adding till the pot holder was as big as I wanted it. I didn't have a good picture of the pot holder. The picture wasn't very clear. There are other things you can make with your yarn. These are just the two that I have done. If you do not know how to crochet look it up on youtube! They have some really good videos to help you learn or refresh your memory! I hope you like these ideas! Remember Christmas is just around the corner! Till next time hope you have a blessed day!</div>
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<a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Ftheshomestead.blogspot.com%2F2012%2F09%2Fthings-to-make-with-your-homemade-yarn.html&media=http%3A%2F%2Ftheshomestead.blogspot.com%2F2012%2F09%2Fthings-to-make-with-your-homemade-yarn.html&description=bracelet%20from%20homemade%20yarn%0A" class="pin-it-button" count-layout="horizontal"><img border="0" src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/PinExt.png" title="Pin It" /></a>Heather Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03067635102907663157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5124634072877299874.post-34278477370208973832012-09-03T12:02:00.000-05:002013-01-15T16:01:14.769-06:00Homemade Yarn Using Old T-ShirtsIt seems like ages since I last posted! I have done a lot of canning and sewing. Will post more about those in the days to come. I wanted to share how to make yarn using an old t-shirt.<br />
First, find an old t-shirt.<br />
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Next, you are going to cut the bottom hem of the t-shirt. You don't need this. <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rhFs53vfyOE/UETaylWhHRI/AAAAAAAAANE/3a_wnk507fc/s1600/IMG_2324.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rhFs53vfyOE/UETaylWhHRI/AAAAAAAAANE/3a_wnk507fc/s320/IMG_2324.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Now, you are going to cut 1/2 inch all the way around. It does not have to be exact just try to keep as close as you can. Keep cutting until you get to where the arms are. </div>
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Now, you are going to stretch the fabric and start rolling into a yarn ball.<br />
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And Voila' you now have yarn! I will post some crafts to make with your new yarn in upcoming days! Hope you enjoy! Till next time have a blessed day!</div>
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<a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Ftheshomestead.blogspot.com%2F2012%2F09%2Fhomemade-yarn-using-old-t-shirts.html&media=http%3A%2F%2Ftheshomestead.blogspot.com%2F2012%2F09%2Fhomemade-yarn-using-old-t-shirts.html&description=%20homemade%20t%20shirt%20yarn%0A" class="pin-it-button" count-layout="horizontal"><img border="0" src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/PinExt.png" title="Pin It" /></a>Heather Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03067635102907663157noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5124634072877299874.post-38411948626906618562012-06-03T10:21:00.000-05:002013-01-15T16:03:22.710-06:00Canning SalsaWell it is that time again....Canning! I love to put up fresh produce in the summer to have during the winter. One thing my family loves is Salsa. There are a lot of recipes out there. This to me is the easiest, fastest, and it taste great! Here it is:<br />
You are going to need 6 lbs. of fresh tomatoes (about 18 medium) or 6 cans (14.5 oz each) petite diced tomatoes. 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar. 1 pouch Mrs. Wages Medium Salsa Mix. (yes, I know I cheated! Heheheh!)<br />
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First wash fresh tomatoes. Then scald them for 3 minutes in boiling water.<br />
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Dip into cold water. Cut out cores, remove skins and chop coarsely. If using canned tomatoes, do not drain liquid.</div>
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While you are scalding tomatoes, you need to prepare your jars. You should use sterilized pint canning jars. I just put my pint canning jars in a pot of water and bring them to a boil and keep them warm. The rings and lids I do the same way. (In a separate pot.)</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here is a pic of my rings and lids. Forgot to take pic of my jars. Sorry!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">
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Combine tomatoes, vinegar, and Salsa Mix in a large pot and bring to a boil. Stir occasionally. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. Salsa is Ready!</div>
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Pour hot salsa into clean, sterilized pint canning jars, leaving 1/2 inch head space. Cap each jar when filled. Process in boiling water bath for 40 minutes. (You fill a pot with water bring it to a rolling boil. put your jars in using a jar holding or other tool to keep the jars off the bottom. Make sure water is over the tops of the jars. Bring the water to a boil again. Then put timer on for 40 minutes.) Take jars out and test jars for airtight seals according to manufacturer's directions. Store up to 1 year. If jars do not completely seal, refrigerate and consume within one week. Once jars have cooled and they are sealed. The lid with not make a popping sound when you push it in the center It will be pushed in. Remember to label your salsa and put the date. Voila' Salsa! Hope you enjoy it! <br />
<br /><a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Ftheshomestead.blogspot.com%2F2012_06_01_archive.html&media=http%3A%2F%2Ftheshomestead.blogspot.com%2F2012_06_01_archive.html&description=homemade%20salsa" class="pin-it-button" count-layout="horizontal"><img border="0" src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/PinExt.png" title="Pin It" /></a>Heather Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03067635102907663157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5124634072877299874.post-79421204099614160302012-03-24T16:05:00.000-05:002013-01-15T16:05:17.969-06:00Kale ChipsYesterday was my youngest son's 12th birthday. Boy how time flies! He wanted a crawfish boil for his birthday so that is what we are doing today. My youngest son is also one of the pickiest eaters that I know. If it is a vegetable you can bet he is not going to eat it. This all changed a few days ago when I made Kale Chips. You know that stuff that looks like lettuce! He actually ate them. Not only did he eat them he asked for some in his lunch. I almost fainted. So I decided to post how to make Kale Chips in case you have some picky eaters of your own! ;) It is best to make Kale Chips with fresh Organic Kale. The reason is Kale is one of those vegetables that can have high pesticide residue.<br />
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Kale Chips:<br />
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First, preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Next, you will need 1 large bunch of Kale. You will need to remove the hard stems and tear the leaves into "chip" size. Then place them in a bowl.<br />
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Then, with your hands massage 1 Tablespoon Olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon of Sea Salt into the leaves. (Now I made some with just Sea Salt. I also made some with Cumin, Garlic, and Sea Salt. Then some with Chili Powder and Sea Salt. Just play around and see which ones you like best.)<br />
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You will need to line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and put the kale on the cookie sheet. Make sure the kale does not overlap. You need to just have a single layer so they can get crispy like chips.<br />
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Put the kale in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Check after 8 minutes to see if they are slightly brown and crispy. Take them out and leave on pan for two minutes. And Voila' there you have it, Kale Chips. Hope you enjoy it. Till next time hope you have a blessed day!<br />
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<br /><a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Ftheshomestead.blogspot.com%2F2012_03_01_archive.html&media=http%3A%2F%2Ftheshomestead.blogspot.com%2F2012_03_01_archive.html&description=homemade%20Kale%20Chips" class="pin-it-button" count-layout="horizontal"><img border="0" src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/PinExt.png" title="Pin It" /></a>Heather Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03067635102907663157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5124634072877299874.post-33208188924509152782012-02-26T16:33:00.001-06:002012-02-26T16:33:19.377-06:00Homemade Laundry DetergentWell the weather here is so crazy. Hot one day, cold the next. Can not wait until spring and summer. I hope everyone is having a peaceful Sunday. I made another batch of homemade laundry detergent. I have been using my homemade detergent for almost 9 months now. And I LOVE IT! It is so easy and cost so little. Below is how I make mine.<br />
You will need:<br />
* 1 bar of Zote or Fels Naptha Soap ( you can also use homemade soap or Dr. Bonner's)<br />
* 1 Cup of Arm and Hammer Washing Soda (NOT baking soda)<br />
* 1/2 Cup of Borax<br />
* Hot Water<br />
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First place 4 cups of HOT water in a sauce pan and grate your bar of soap into the pan. Stir over medium high heat until the soap has dissolved.<br />
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Fill a 5-gallon bucket half full with HOT water. Add melted soap mixture, washing soda, and borax. Stir well until powder is dissolved.<br />
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Fill to the top with HOT water. Let it sit overnight to thicken. </div>
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Stir in the morning and start to use. I fill my old detergent bottle with the detergent. I just shake it and pour 1 to 2 capfuls. (1/2 to 1 cup) All washers are different so experiment to see what is best for you. This is okay to use in HE washers. I know this because I have one. Well, voila' there you have it homemade laundry detergent. I hope you enjoy. Till next time hope you have a blessed day! </div>
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<br />Heather Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03067635102907663157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5124634072877299874.post-67068261681028106602012-02-11T18:13:00.000-06:002012-02-11T18:13:57.331-06:00Homemade Fire StartersI hope everyone is having a great February! I wanted to show you what I did today, besides washing, drying, folding clothes and cleaning house! I made homemade fire starters. What I did was got some cardboard egg cartons. Then I started saving all my dryer lint. Yes, you read it right dryer lint. Just pack the lint tight in the egg cartons. (The only lint I don't use is the lint from my son's work clothes. He works as a mechanic. So sometimes he has gas and oil on his clothes. Not good for making fire starters.)<br />
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Once you have your lint packed into your egg cartons, you need to add wax. You can use paraffin wax that you can get at your local grocery store or you can use old candles that you don't use any more. Just melt the waxes.<br />
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I used a mixture of both the paraffin wax and some old candles. Once your wax is melted you can use the pan to pour the melted wax or use a pyrex measuring cup to pour the wax over the lint.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After you have poured wax all over the lint and coated it. Let it dry for 12 to 24 hours. Then cut them as big or little as you want them. Use them just as you would fire starters. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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And volia' homemade fire starters! Hope you enjoy! Till next time have a great day!Heather Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03067635102907663157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5124634072877299874.post-4077160132666096142012-01-22T18:09:00.000-06:002012-01-22T18:09:49.552-06:00Homemade ScarfHope everyone is having a blessed Sunday! I have been seeing this homemade scarf all over the internet. Sooooo, I decided it was time to give it a try! Like what could go wrong it is just an old t-shirt?!? Right?!?<br />
First of all you find or buy a t-shirt in whatever color or print you want. Lie the t-shirt out on a table or counter.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Next, you cut two inch stripes all the way up till you get to the armpits. You need a sharp pair of scissors. Don't worry if your lines are not exactly straight. That just adds flare! ;) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0OP_M0jd-F0/TxyVhFXtqOI/AAAAAAAAAFE/OemhLEeCldA/s1600/041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0OP_M0jd-F0/TxyVhFXtqOI/AAAAAAAAAFE/OemhLEeCldA/s200/041.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Then, you are going to take your circles and wrap them around your hand four times to make four circles.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dcYXljWZPzE/Txydnp_x2MI/AAAAAAAAAFk/KCBG4tNbMeE/s1600/044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dcYXljWZPzE/Txydnp_x2MI/AAAAAAAAAFk/KCBG4tNbMeE/s200/044.JPG" width="150" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now, You are going to cut some two inch strips from the remaining shirt. I used the sleeves. Use these to tie the circles together. Trim off the excess from the tie.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aQZs8IE_NwU/TxyhGfKjn2I/AAAAAAAAAF8/vC_d_L7YWko/s1600/047.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aQZs8IE_NwU/TxyhGfKjn2I/AAAAAAAAAF8/vC_d_L7YWko/s200/047.JPG" width="150" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now, Voila' your very own scarf! Hope you have fun with this one! Till next time have a blessed day!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div>Heather Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03067635102907663157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5124634072877299874.post-12124280537030588722012-01-15T13:38:00.000-06:002012-01-15T13:38:11.955-06:00Homemade Plantain SalveI hope everyone is having a blessed Sunday! I was looking through some of my pictures and found pictures of when I made Plantain Salve. This salve is great. You can use it like you use triple antibiotic ointment. The only difference is this is all natural and better for you! The things you will need are plantain (organic is best! I purchased mine at Bulk Herb Store.), beeswax, tins or jars to put your salve in, and olive oil.<br />
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The first thing I did was to infuse the olive oil with the herbs. The way you do this is to pack the plantain herb into a quart sized canning jar. You do this till the jar is three-quarters full with packed plantain herb.<br />
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Next, you need to pour olive oil over the plantain until they are completely covered leaving just about an inch of head space at the very top. then seal with a lid and ring.<br />
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Here is where you are going to use your crock pot. Place a towel or wash cloth in the bottom of your crock pot. Set the jar of oiled herbs on top and fill the crock pot almost completely with water. Turn the crock pot on low heat and leave the herbs there for three whole days. I replaced water as needed.<br />
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After three days you have an herbal-infused oil. Please forgive me I forgot to take pictures for the next part.<br />
:( Sorry!<br />
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Now, you are going to stain off the the herbs using a cheesecloth and pour the oil into a clean container. I used the same method making the elderberry syrup.<br />
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Then, place the herbal oil into a large pan and add three ounces of beeswax. You are going to stir till the wax is melted into the herbal oil.<br />
(For added benefits you can add 2 to 3 drops of grapefruit seed extract and 2 to 3 drops of vitamin E oil. They both act as a natural preservative. The grapefruit seed extract is also a natural antibiotic and the vitamin E oil softens and moisturizes the skin.)<br />
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Last, when everything is melted, you are going to pour your salve into tins or jars to cool. Remember the oil should be smooth and have no lumps. Fill the containers to the sop and allow the salve to set or cool. Be very carful the containers will be very hot. Once the cool you now have your very own plantain herbal salve! This is great for cuts, bruises, burns, etc. Hope you enjoy till next time have a blessed day!<br />
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Disclaimer: I am not a doctor! I am posting only from my experience. As always consult your doctor before taking anything new! :)Heather Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03067635102907663157noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5124634072877299874.post-88455674107008443232012-01-14T16:20:00.000-06:002012-01-14T16:20:40.258-06:00How to Make Homemade ApplesauceI was just so excited about trying to make homemade applesauce. I had done some research and it all said that this was like one of the easiest things to can. I had canned salsa before so I thought I would give this a try! I am so glad I did! It is by far one of the easiest things to can. Here is how I did it:<br />
First, I used this handy gadget to cut and core my apples. I took the skins off my apples because they were not organic apples. But, you can leave the skins on!<br />
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Next, I put them in a big pot and put just enough water in them so they would not stick to the bottom and burn. I then cooked them till they were soft.<br />
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I then took my Ninja blender (but, you can use a blender, food processor, etc.) to blend the apples up till they were smooth and to the consistence that I wanted. I then put them in clean canning jars. I put new lids on making sure that the rims were free of any debris so that they will seal. I then put on the ring and tightened it.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I then water bathed them for 10 minutes to seal them. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YHaJWaKUJkQ/TxH80bgKLvI/AAAAAAAAAEM/rdDDqrrKZlY/s1600/121.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YHaJWaKUJkQ/TxH80bgKLvI/AAAAAAAAAEM/rdDDqrrKZlY/s200/121.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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Once I took the jars out of the water bath I let them cool and made sure that they had sealed. Then put them in my pantry! This applesauce is so good! My nieces and nephews have already ate 2 jars of it! I am so glad they like it! Till next time hope you enjoyed this post and have a blessed day!<br />
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Disclaimer: This post is for informational purposes only! Please refer to your canning book for proper canning procedures and times! Happy Canning! ;)Heather Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03067635102907663157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5124634072877299874.post-37979496823059664352011-11-27T15:31:00.000-06:002011-11-27T15:31:53.394-06:00My Autumn Wreath<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lAqNFuMIpgg/TtKpoxGN0OI/AAAAAAAAAB4/J1FENOmiatY/s1600/034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lAqNFuMIpgg/TtKpoxGN0OI/AAAAAAAAAB4/J1FENOmiatY/s200/034.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>I made this wreath for autumn to hang on my door. I love it and it was super, super, easy!<br />
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First, I bought a styrofoam wreath at my local craft store. I then bought these glass stones from the craft store as well. They are pictured below. I should have gotten two bags because I ran out and had to go back.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-s2AxStc6fIk/TtKq0CeLnlI/AAAAAAAAACA/RMkNUBAKtm0/s1600/stones.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-s2AxStc6fIk/TtKq0CeLnlI/AAAAAAAAACA/RMkNUBAKtm0/s200/stones.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">This is a picture of what I had left from the second bag. </div><div style="text-align: left;">I painted the styrofoam wreath a brown color so what did not get covered would not show. I then started hot gluing the stones all over the wreath. By the way be careful the glue can get hot! After I finished gluing the stones on I made a ribbon for the front and volia'! </div><div style="text-align: left;">Hope you enjoy till next time enjoy your day and God Bless!</div>Heather Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03067635102907663157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5124634072877299874.post-81361880661432050232011-11-26T14:19:00.000-06:002011-11-26T14:19:47.962-06:00Today is a special day!Today my husband and I have been married 17 years! It is so hard to believe. I am also waiting on my order of elderberries to come in to make elderberry syrup for the upcoming cold and flu season. As soon as I get them in I will post a tutorial on how to make this simple syrup to help you during the cold and flu season! I will also post some simple christmas presents I just made that are great and useful! Till then enjoy your day and God Bless! ;)Heather Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03067635102907663157noreply@blogger.com0