“I can’t understand why people are frightened of new ideas. I’m frightened of the old ones.” John Cage

Reading, writing, growing, running, learning, teaching, making...
This summer is turning out to be pretty stellar. 
I've casually referred to it as 
"the summer of productivity"
and "the summer of trying new things."
Exploring newness and getting stuff done are pretty much filling up my days,
and I am loving every minute of it.
Here's a peak into some of the things I have been creating as of late.


This lovely trio was made by a few college friends and I during a spontaneous summer trip. All of the designs were inspired by artwork found on Pinterest (which I have recently cut myself off from due to its addictive qualities). I gave them as a set to my friend Erin as a high school graduation gift, though I secretly long for them on my own wall. 

 For a while now, I've been wanting to experiment with making my own household cleaning products. So, since it is the summer of trying new things and all, I gave it a go. I actually acquired this recipe from my grandmother. She was so excited I was trying it out! Here's the recipe:

 Laundry Detergent 
1 cup -- Borax
1/2 cup – Arm & Hammer Washing Soda
1 bar fels naptha
Large bucket -- hold 3 gallons of water easily
Water
Essential Oil or Fragrance Oil (optional)
Grate bar of soap. Put in saucepan with 5 cups boiling water. Boil until melted. While your soap is melting, add 3 gallons of hot water to your bucket. To the hot water, add 1 cup of Borax and 1/2 cup of Washing Soda. Stir with long handled spoon until dissolved. Add the melted soap water to the bucket and stir well. If you want to add any fragrance, add it now. Stir stir stir. Cover the bucket and set aside for 24 hours. Use ½ cup per load. 
This recipe has worked amazingly for me! My laundry gets clean and it's super easy and cheap. Once you do it once, you'll never go back.

If you're worried about your clothes being soft, here's a fabric softener recipe I made. 

Fabric Softener

6 cups water
3 cups white vinegar
2 cups hair conditioner
Mix all ingredients together. Stir, do not shake. Shaking will cause foaming. Use ¼ cup per load or spray on a washcloth and add to dry cycle.


This fabric softener is where it's at. My mom says her laundry is softer than when we were using brand-name softener. So, that's pretty legit. 
I look forward to using these recipes when I return to college in the fall. I'm all about saving money and cutting out the unknown chemicals. 


Summer = bugs. And I don't care for them at all. I also don't care for deet at all. Sooo....here is my homemade bug spray recipe. I've been using this for a few weeks, and it really works! It also smells lovely. Hooray for all natural replacements. 

Bug Spray
4oz distilled water
Essential Oils: 
20 drops eucalyptus oil
10 drops peppermint oil
15 drops tea tree oil
10 drops lemongrass oil
10 drops clove oil
Put water in a 4oz spray bottle. Add oil, shake well before each use. May use a variety of other essential oils. 

After trying a variety of different concoctions, I decided that it was either go big or go home when it comes to garden pest control. So, here is my very pungent pesticide recipe.

Vegetable Garden Pesticide

2-3 garlic bulbs 
6 large or 12 smaller hot chilli peppers (any variety will do, or if unavailable try 1-2 tablespoon hot chilli powder)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 squirts of liquid detergent (I use castile soap)
7 cups water. (Use about 2-3 cups in the blender, and top up with the rest after blending)
Put the whole lot into a blender and liquify, then strain through muslin, a coffee filter or similar. Pour what you need into a spray bottle for use and keep the rest in jars with lids on in a cupboard or on a shelf somewhere, well labeled.

Here are a few cleaners I have found to work really well. I'll have my own bathroom next year in my dorm, which means I will be cleaning my own bathroom. So, here's what I've got. 


Disinfectant/All Purpose spray    
use to clean countertops, toilets, tile floors, end tables, sinks, and bathtubs.
2 Tablespoons Borax 
4 Tablespoons White distilled vinegar
1 Tablespoon Dr. Bronner's Liquid Castile Soap
3 Cups HOT Water
Add essential oil for scent (optional)
Funnel the Borax into an empty spray bottle. Add the vinegar. The action of this and the vinegar activates the solution. Add the Castile Soap. Add HOT Water


Mirror Cleaner/Air Freshener
1 1/2 cups of vinegar
1/2 cup water
8 drops of essential oil 
Mix in a spray bottle.


And, last but not least is my most recent project. This is an air freshener/deodorizer. Perfect for dorm-sized rooms and bathrooms!
It's super easy. 
Put 1/2 cup of baking soda in a small mason jar
Add 10-15 drops essential oil
I made two -- one with peppermint and eucalyptus oil
and one with lemongrass and clove oil.
Take out the center part of the lid and cut a piece of
craft paper the same size. 
Fasten the jar with the craft paper in the lid
and poke holes in the paper with a needle.
I had my doubts about this idea when I saw it.
But, it actually works! 
I put one in our bathroom and one in my bedroom
just a few days ago, and they both make the rooms
smell really good. 
I'm planning to get some lavender oil before I move 
into my dorm. 


 “Truly creative people care a little about what they have done, and a lot about what they are doing. Their driving focus is the life force that surges in them now.” — Alan Cohen