Introducing my new Jasmine Goat Milk Soap. This soap is a lovely floral that smells like Jasmine. Goat milk and shea butter make it feel especially nice on your skin. It is strongly scented so you are left with a light fragrance on your skin afterward. The soap rinses cleanly away and is all natural except for the fragrance and color. Each bar weighs 4oz. - 4.5oz. Shop for it now at Rebecca's Soap Delicatessen.

Also, be sure to keep an eye out for more goat milk soaps coming soon. Scents will include Tangerine & Peach, Victorian Rose, and Marigold & Honeysuckle.

        

Enter to win a bracelet from Chasing Lilies. This bracelet boasts red/burgundy/brick colored ceramic beads, sterling silver rounds and a sterling silver toggle. It is 7 1/2 in. from toggle to toggle. It has a retail value of $15.

Devan Brittain, owner of Chasing Lilies, is a stay at home mother to her two children, Chase and Lily. She resides in Knoxville, TN with her husband, Nelson and her two kids. She enjoys making beaded jewelry and other handmade gifts when her children allow her to get enough sleep.

If you'd like to win this handmade bracelet created by Devan, visit Chasing Lilies, then leave a comment below with the name or url of your favorite item from her shop. This contest is open worldwide to those age 18 and up. Limit one entry per household. The contest will end on June 12th, 2008 at 12am midnight EST. The winner will be chosen from among all eligible entries on or around June 13th and notified by email to supply his or her shipping address.

View and enter all current contests.

        

Make spring cleaning healthier by cleaning with natural products rather than those comprised of harsh chemicals that are neither good for you or the environment. Visit Mountain Rose Herbs for Natural Spring Cleaning Recipes that include a Herb Soap Concentrate, Citrus Scrubber, Fragrant Wood Polish, Disinfectant Air Freshener and more. Read all recipes.

Fragrant Wood Polish

Makes about 1 cup

This formula forms a soft paste that can be applied with a wool or cotton rag or lamb’s-wool pad. I use it on fine furniture about once a year.

1 ounce beeswax
8 ounces mineral oil
1/2 teaspoon essential oil of Peru balsam
1/4 teaspoon each essential oils of lavender,
orange, tangerine, and lemon
1/8 teaspoon each essential oils of bergamot, rosemary, and spruce

Visit Mountain Rose Herbs for full directions.

Other Recipes You Can Try:

5-Alive Air Freshner Recipe
Gel Air Fresheners
Crystal Gel Air Fresheners

        

I'm having an online soap sale! Right now, buy any 5 regular priced soaps and you'll receive a 6th bar of lesser or equal value free. Simply purchase all six soaps and mention FREEBAR in the notes to seller. The price of the sixth bar will be refunded with any shipping over payments (see profile for details) once shipment is made. Offer ends May 16th, 2008 at midnight ET. Shop soaps now.

        

You can purchase ingredients for this recipe from Mountain Rose Herbs.

Ingredients:
1 cup water
10 drops lavender essential oil
6 drops rose essential oil
4 drops rosemary essential oil
1 tbs witch hazel

Instructions:
Mix the ingredients together. Pour a small amount into your hand. Massage your face with cleanser, then rinse. Store in an air tight container in the refrigerator. It will last up to 10 days.

        

Recipe compliments of Kitchen, Crafts, & More.

Ingredients:
2 C sugar
1/4 C lemon juice
1/4 C water
2 tbsp vegetable glycerine
waxing cloth strips (buy at the drugstore) OR use strips of linen cut to the size of these strips
wooden popsicle sticks (to stir the wax and to apply)

Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Stir frequently while heating to 250 degrees F or softball stage. Pour into jars and cover with lids. If you use plastic jars, you'll be able to microwave this mixture instead of heating it on the stove. That's it!! You just made your own leg wax/sugar that you'd pay $20 for in the stores!

Usage:
Heat in the microwave for ten seconds on high. Using a wooden stir stick, stir VERY well. It should be warm but not HOT. Please be very careful when heating up this wax as it's very easy to burn yourself. If the wax isn't warm enough, place it back in the microwave for five seconds, and stir again. Remember, this is hot sugar syrup – if it gets too hot you'll be badly burned.

Lightly powder the area to be treated. Spread a thin layer of the wax on in the same direction as the hair grows. Apply the waxing cloth strip over the applied wax, and rub down well to get the wax to stick to the cloth. Pull your skin taut, and in one quick motion pull the fabric off of your skin AGAINST the direction of hair growth. Continue with the other areas of your leg or wherever you're waxing.

When you're done waxing a complete area, rub in lotion, aloe vera gel (fresh is best) or oil to soothe your legs.

You can use the homemade waxing strips again if you soak it in soapy water to dissolve the sugar off the fabric and then toss it in with your wash as normal.

        

I apologize for falling behind on my posts, but the pollen has been excruciatingly plentiful this year and I have an upper respiratory infection as a result. I've spent the past three days in bed and am only now starting to get some of my energy back. However, I would like to share some pictures my husband has taken recently. He used a reverse lens for all of these shots allowing him to get super close to some very interesting subjects.



"Slowpoke," (c) M. Adam Kendall
A common variety of caterpillar found in VA.



"Little, yellow, different," (c) M. Adam Kendall
A close up shot of a little flower he found in the neighborhood complete with a spiderweb in the corner.



"A little off the top," (c) M. Adam Kendall
A blade of grass.



"Yum," (c) M. Adam Kendall
A black widow having lunch.



"Nautilus," (c) M. Adam Kendall
A fossil for sale on the Roanoke City Market.



"Inside a rose," (c) M. Adam Kendall
A close up of a rose on one of our rose bushes.



"Black ant," (c) M. Adam Kendall



" A spider in the tree," (c) M. Adam Kendall



"A peek in the 'lion," (c) M. Adam Kendall
The inside of a dandelion.



"Larvin' around," (c) M. Adam Kendall

        

Article by sadhivm

Whether it is a tired eyes, wrinkles, insect bites or burns, there are times that things can happen to your skin. With the following organic skin care recipes and tips, you can treat various ailments naturally, leaving behind many of the man made pollutants that are absorbed into our bodies through most over the counter aids.

Insect Bites

Recipe #1: Mix 1 drop of organic almond essential oil and 2 tablespoons baking soda and 4 tablespoons of distilled water to form a paste. Apply to bite and let sit for 20 minutes, rinse with warm water and pat dry

Recipe #2: Mix 8 ounces distilled water with 2 tablespoons Epsom Salt. Apply compress made of a wash cloth soaked this mixture.

Oily Skin/ Acne

Recipe #1: Make a mask of 1/4 organic apple (cored but unpeeled), 1 organic egg white, 1/2 organic lemon (peeled and deseeded), 30 organic Thompson seedless grapes, 4 tablespoons organic watercress (finely chopped). Blend all ingredients on medium for 3 minutes. Apply to face using cotton balls and leave on for 20 minutes. Rinse with warm water.

Recipe #2: Mix 1/4 cup organic yogurt (plain) with 1 tablespoon brewer 's yeast. The mixture should be runny; if not, add a bit more brewers yeast. Apply to oily zones and let sit for 20 minutes. Rinse with warm water.

Recipe #3: Mix 1/2 cup organic oat flour, juice from 1/2 organic orange, and 1 teaspoon organic honey. Apply to face and let sit for 20 minutes. Rinse with warm water.

Scrapes

Recipe #1: This remedy should be made in advance and kept for times when it is needed. First you will need to create 4 special oils. You will need organic extra virgin olive oil, three airtight, glass jars and 4 fresh organic herbs: calendula, plantain, red clover, and St. Johns Wort.

Let the herbs wilt for one day, then put each type in its own jar and cover the herbs with olive oil. Close the jars and leave in direct sunlight for two weeks. Strain oil to use. Once your oils are made, you will need 1/4 cup of each of your special oils and 1 cup organic beeswax.

Melt the oils and beeswax in a large, microwave safe bowl, pour into an airtight, glass jar and let cool. If the mixture is too runny after completely cooling, you need to add a bit more beeswax and melt again, if it is too thick, add a bit more oil and melt again. Apply to wounds when needed much like you would with ready made antibacterial ointments.

Recipe #2:Soak the area with Epsom Salt dissolved in warm water. This is easiest done by taking a warm bath with 2 cups of Epsom Salt in it.

Splinters

Recipe #1: Soak the area with Epsom Salt dissolved in warm water. This is easiest done by taking a warm bath with 2 cups of Epsom Salt in it. Because Epsom Salt draws toxins out of the skin and acts as an anti inflammatory, this bath will draw the splinter to the surface.

Recipe #2: Bandage a thin slice of organic potato over the splinter and let stay overnight. Potato draws things out of the skin and the splinter should be to the surface by morning.

Sunburn Relief

Recipe #1: Mix 5 organic cucumbers (pureed) and 2 1/2 cups powdered milk in a bowl. Pour mixture into tepid/warm bath and soak burned areas for 20 minutes. The mixture can be applied directly to the burned skin, if you prefer.

Recipe #2: Soak the burned area with Epsom Salt dissolved in warm water. This is easiest done by taking a tepid/warm bath with 2 cups of Epsom Salt in it.

Tired Eyes

Grate raw potato and wrap in cheesecloth. Apply to eyelids for 20 minutes, wiping the starchy residue away before applying makeup.

Wrinkles

Recipe #1: Cut organic Thompson seedless grapes in half and crush on wrinkles, especially near eyes and mouth. Leave the juice on your face for 20 minutes then rinse with warm water, repeat daily.

Recipe #2: Mash a very ripe organic banana extremely well, apply to entire face and leave for 20 minutes. Rinse with warm water.

About the Author:

Keep YOURSELF looking great with these great Free Beauty Tips from http://www.NaturalElements.co.uk
In just seconds you can access over 36 Beauty topics that will keep you looking younger and more radiant
You can now get the very latest information on Organic Skin Care by subscribing with RSS.

        

Article by jimmycox

Interesting jewelery can be made from ceramics, and the instructions below will get you started on a lapel pin.

A special clay, a fine-textured white clay with a high flint content which intensifies the glaze colors is best for the purpose of jewelery making. Either gray or terra cotta pottery clay may be used. For jewelry, the gray clay will be more attractive if covered with colored clay slips and a transparent glaze, or if covered with opaque glazes. The terra cotta clay may be partially covered with colored clay slips, fired once and left unglazed, or painted with transparent glaze.

Jewelry should be fired to Cone 06,1800 F., in the first firing; the glaze firing need not be as high. Lower temperature (such as Cone 015,1430 F.) glazes, with an alkaline or boracic base over the special clay for jewelery, will give brilliant clear colors (including red) particularly desirable and suitable for small objects. It will be necessary for you to experiment at first, as your results will depend on the clay in use, the slip colors available, the results desired, and whether you have a test kiln or must send the pieces to be fired elsewhere.

When the jewelry is completed, fired, and maybe glazed, metal or plastic pin-backs or clips, must be attached to the backs of the pieces with duco or other cement. They can be obtained from jewelry and ceramic supply houses.

LAPEL PIN.

Materials - 2 lbs. jewelry clay; glazes; findings
Tools - plaster bat 4" x 4"; wood tools; wire tools; pointed tool

Make several designs for a pin about 2" in the largest dimension. Try a geometric design, using overlapping rectangles, a triangle and square, a circle and triangle, or any other combination of shapes. Wedge the clay thoroughly in your fingers.

Each time clay is used - before beginning any project, or when resuming work if a piece is put away before completion - the clay must be wedged. The purpose of wedging is to remove all air pockets and holes which would cause a piece to explode in the firing; to eliminate foreign matter such as nails, cloth, and leaves; and to secure an even consistency. Never use unwedged clay.

The clay is patted or rolled into a flat rectangular mass, cut in two with a wire or knife, and the two pieces slammed together on the table with the cut edges facing in opposite directions. It is then rolled and kneaded like dough, patted into a rectangular mass, cut in two, and slammed together with the cut ends facing in opposite directions. This operation is repeated about twenty times. If you have a wedging table, the clay is cut in two by pushing it against the wire.

Now pat a piece of clay on a plaster bat to about 2" square and 1/8" thick. Draw your design on it. Model your design, making one unit higher by adding extra clay, and the other slightly lower by adding less clay or cutting into the background. Use your tools to smooth and shape surfaces and edges. Round off the edges.

You can put a texture on the background by stippling it with the pointed end of a tool. When leather hard, paint the two units of the design in different colored clay slips. When dry, fire in a test kiln to 1800 F., or have it fired. Paint the pin with a transparent glaze and fire a second time. All clay shrinks in drying; in jewelry allow about 10% for shrinkage.

Make a second lapel pin using an animal form. A horse head, a fish or a bird form, will make an interesting pin. Model in very low relief, using only shallow planes or incised lines about 1/4" deep. Do not attempt to be realistic, but keep a feeling for decorative treatment. Eliminate details and work for a flat linear or plane design. When dry, fire in a test kiln to 1800 F., or have it fired. Apply one or more opaque glaze colors, any combination that suits you, and fire again.

About the Author

Discover What Makes Ceramics History So Interesting And Learn To Make Pottery Like A Pro! Click Here For Free Online Ebook: http://www.ceramicshistory.com/

        

Article by Matt Johnson

All of us have heard something about pollution and the depletion of the environment at some point in our lives. Even the media is constantly bringing up the topic of conservation of our environment and much emphasis is being laid on how every individual can contribute to saving our planet from contamination. One thing that all of us can do is to incorporate nature in our daily tasks like cleaning, bathing and laundry. We can prevent tones of chemicals from becoming a part of our drains and our future.

So how can we incorporate nature in our lives? Look no further, soap nuts are here! Soap nuts are small berry like fruits that grow in warm, tropical and sultry climates. They are native to India, Nepal and some other South Asian countries and consist of a small yellowish Brown fruit covered by a hard outer covering. It is the former that is mostly used in the various products that are now available in the market. The main ingredient in soap nuts is saponins which make them an excellent cleaning utility that can be used to clean almost everything ranging from clothes to dishes and regular household cleaning.

There are a number of ways in which soap nuts can be used to make our living greener, natural and more environmental friendly. Let us look at some ways in which soap nuts can be made a part of our daily chores and eliminate the use of chemicals.

Washing Clothes

Soap nuts are excellent for dong your laundry without using chemical detergents. All you have to do is tie together 4 to 6 shells of soap nuts in a thin cloth like a muslin cloth and add it to the washing machine drum. This will take care of 4 to 5 loads of laundry. The advantages of using soap nuts as laundry detergents are:

Fabric is soft after wash and no fabric softeners need be added separately

It leave the colors intact and fading does not occur after wash

It removes dirt and smell form the clothes leaving a neutral fragrance

Soap nuts are ideal for people with allergies to chemical detergents and synthetic perfumes, children's clothes and pets.

Bathing

Soap nut can be used instead of soap for bathing and also for washing your hair, eliminating the need for shower gels, soaps and shampoos. They leave the skin feeling smoother, softer and protect it from infections. Soap nuts are completely natural and even babies and pets can be washed using them. They reduce skin problems like itching and infections. Washing your hair with soap nuts leaves it smoother, thicker, shinier and rids the scalp of dandruff, lice and other problems.

Around the house

Soap nut solution can be used to clean your house and to clean items you normally clean using chemical solutions. A mild soap nut solution can be used to spotlessly clean almost every item of your house such as windows, statues, decorative pieces and so on. A few drops of soap nut solution added to your car wash water followed by a polish will result in a cleaner shinier car. Soap nuts have insecticidal properties which makes them very useful in the garden. Black flies and Aphids can be kept at bay by spraying a diluted soap nut solution on the plants in your garden. Soap nut solution can also be used to wash dishes. Simply take a small bowl. Add little soap nut powder and some water and voila your cleaning solution is ready. This solution can be used to wash cutlery, glasses, pans and the usual dishes. Keep in mind that since soap nut is totally natural it does not contain any foaming chemicals and no foam will be seen while cleaning.

Detoxifying and cleaning food

A spoon of soap nut powder added to a litre of water acts as a solution for cleaning and detoxifying food at home. Fruits and vegetables can be soaked in this solution for about ten minutes then rinsed and used. This will remove any residue or chemicals from the food.

Where to find soap nuts

http://www.BuySoapNuts.com

http://Stores.HotterThanHealth.com