Present, yet absent…getting back to blogging and so forth

I feel like it’s been ages since I’ve logged in here….not sure if anyone’s noticed anyways.  😉  Every time I sat down at the computer I had a list of things to complete and blogging was towards the bottom.  I felt so guilty because it was one of my goals and I didn’t meet it for blog writing.  Between D turning two, having visitors for a few months, work, and everything in between, I haven’t had much extra time.  And when I have had extra time, it’s been filled with sleep, catching up on something else, etc. and writing has been set aside I guess you could say.  I’d like to describe it as a really big writers block 🙂  But I’ve resurfaced with some new ideas, topics, possible business….we’ll see….

But since February (when I posted last) I have delved further down the making products homemade path and learned lots in a short period of time!  Most things I’ve learned are via online research, trial and error, as well as various friends who share similar interests in the area of natural products.

random side note:  My Dad was the one who initially kick-started my interest of making laundry detergent.  He sent me an email link to an article from Yahoo.com News many years ago – about how to make laundry and dishwasher detergent easily with a few cheap, natural ingredients.  So I thought I would give it a try because it was SO easy and I wouldn’t be out much money for buying the ingredients (and to find out later I can use those ingredients in many different ways!)  

So Much Thanks goes out to my Dad – I’m sure he never thought his one email forward would spark such eventual change to leading a (mostly) chemical free and natural lifestyle …..

 My first major change to homemade cleaning products was around the time D was born (early 2011), making laundry detergent and dishwasher detergent.  I was astonished at how quick, simple and CHEAP it was to make and pennies per load in comparison to the major brands; plus it was free of all those chemicals that detergents contain!  I also think it works even better than Tide, the most popular brand people choose for cleaning their clothes.

I also used vinegar and water in a spray bottle for pretty much all the rest of my surface cleaning – tables, windows, counters, etc.  Streak free, really cheap, and chemical free!  Top favorites also mentioned here were Borax, baking soda and Shaklee products.

The prices at the store for laundry detergent are highway robbery in comparison to making it yourself!  There’s also that connotation people relate to when they hear, ‘just make it‘, and automatically think it’s way more work and time consuming to make than buying.  Some assume it’s really difficult and some possible skeptics (who only use Tide, for example) because homemade detergent would never clean as good as Tide (not!)  I’ll be the first to admit I was a total skeptic until I used my first batch to wash my clothes and they turned out clean; in fact just as clean and fresher smelling than using Tide!  I was hooked and haven’t used manufactured detergent since then.  (I’ve never calculated how much I’ve saved since making my own detergent but I have calculated that it costs about $.01 per load for the homemade detergent!  Steal of a deal!! )  That’s a true attest to the quote, “A penny saved, is a penny washed!”   🙂

In the end, it mostly comes down to lack of information, a portion just assume that’s the only option, and the rest is mostly due to lack of education, economic status, upbringing, etc.   The reasons are numerous and I don’t want to single out a certain status because it’s across the board, in all areas of status’.  As consumers, we have a choice in everything and anything but we just assume that what’s being sold to us at the stores are legit and not harmful to us – otherwise it wouldn’t be for sale….right??  Unfortunately, for the most part, we’re very mis-informed. 😦

I am excited to share here what I’ve learned in the realms of natural skin care and remedies for the every day person and family!  I am far from any expert but I have done a few years of research; can speak from personal experience and love to share my learning’s and experiments with others.  I want people to understand how easy and inexpensive it is to make your own cleaning supplies, skin care products and much more!

Please join me in this next venture and chapter in my blog: I hope that in my sharing what I’ve learned, it can be spread to others, and hopefully we can all help our world use less chemicals which harm ourselves, our human race and our future!