Baking Soda

Baking soda sure is the ingredient of the week.....After learning how to make exceptional deodorant with baking soda (see last post), I read in a Susan Lark e-mail that drinking baking soda (about a half teaspoon in a cup of water), can help alkalinize one's body. I'm learning that many Americans - the ones who drink a lot, eat white flour and drink coffee - are too acidic and what they want to be is more alkaline. Other ways to alkalinize include eating more fruits and vegetables.
So on Saturday night, after reading this earlier in the day, I drank my baking soda drink. I didn't have a real drink at all...Actually, haven't had a drink for months, ever since I started on this detox. I did break down, however, and had a coffee at Borders, about one cup of coffee. I had been doing so good, but coffee still is very alluring to me.

make your own deodorant

I accomplished several goals today when I made my own all natural deodorant.
One, I saved money.
Two, I am saving the environment.
Three, I had a fun creative moment before I got to work.
All I did was put a half cup cornstarch, a half cup of baking soda and some lavender and peppermint oil in a jar. Then, I mixed up the batch. I drizzled some of the powder onto a wet sponge and then applied it! It's more than 10 hours later and it's still working pretty well. I wasn't sure because these natural deodorants aren't always effective. I can't say this is as effective as Secret, but it does the job pretty well!

Fiji bottles were a hit

I loved sand art as a kid, so I created my own sand art (mainly for the little ones in my life) out of Fiji water (which is to die for), Kosher salt, and food coloring. I also used bottles that had a longer curvier shape than the Fiji water-those were for displaying the sand art.

I didn't know if the kids would like it or not, but at a recent party at our house, they had a blast! So did I!

yummy salads

My cousin Dianne made this fruit salad at a recent party we had. It was so delish, I asked her to make it for a party I am having for my brother who is turning the big *0 on Sunday. Her sister made the green salad, which was also yummy.

The silly photo there is Dianne's daughter who we zipped up just for the fun of it!

pretty as a picture soap

This is one of the inexpensive arrangements I made last week for the party we are throwing for Scotter. Thought I would display it in the bathroom. It's just rose soap petals, in the middle, surrounded by "Celebrate" mini napkins. Each was about one buck. It's cute and practical, the soap, pretty as it is, does work!

coffee ground scrub

I like the relatively inexpensive scrubs at Trader Joe's. But I'm trying to cut back on my beauty routine. I like the idea of being green, too. So I have been reusing my coffee grounds and turning them into scrubs. I just add a little oil and that's it....The grounds feel really great on my skin.

I haven't perfected the scrub to the point where it's comparable to something store bought, but I think it's just as effective as a store bought one when it comes to exfoliating. I have also heard that coffee grounds are good for cellulite.

pretty in pink flowers and dish towels

I have a thing for dish towels. Not sure why because I really don't LOVE doing dishes. I just think they can be very beautiful. I found these at a supermarket of all places. I had been looking all over, even fancy places, but wasn't able to find anything as pretty as these. I wanted to replenish our stack before the April 26 party we are throwing at my house.
I also love pink, which I'm sure isn't a surprise to many of you who have been reading and so I made an arrangement with these roses (paper ones) that I bought at Rite Aide for only $2 dollars. They were originally $4. I wasn't sure what to do with them, but they really spoke to me. The vibrant pink was too pretty to turn down. So I bought them and when I got home I put them in a jar (with black rocks) that I had purchased at a tag sale that Kathy and I went to a few weeks ago!