DIY Perfume and Cologne

I remember back when I was in the single digits, or maybe even 10 years old, my neighbor friend and I decided to gather rose petals, soak them in a glass jar, and see how long it would take to make perfume.  Though we may have made a low-grade rose water (using tap water at that!), the smell never did get strong enough for even a child to consider it perfume.

It wasn't until a few weeks ago when my husband was trying to get me back into running that I decided maybe I could make my own perfume.  After years outside of the running game, my ears started aching during a run.  I googled that it was vessel constricition by combination of the raise in blood pressure and the cold air.  My husband, rummaging through my essential oils, decided to put ylang ylang on and below my ears to see if it would help, since it says it helps high blood pressure.  Surely, that next run ended without an ear ache, and I finally made use of the ylang ylang I bought for his restless legs this past August.

While I was wearing it, it gave me a sense of nostalgia until Google brought me to realize it was the signature smell of Chanel No 5.  My mother was a Chanel gal, selling it at one point of time.  "Oh yes, that is the smell."  I came to find more uses for it, like putting it on my scalp to help with my postpartum hair loss (which is the best thing I've found to work, by the way), with a bit of argan (good hair oil too).  I was getting whiffs of ylang ylang all day long and felt so satisfied knowing that I smelled good, without it costing me double or triple digits.

So from my good friend Google I have learned that store-bought perfumes and cologne contain anywhere from 80 - 95% alcohol, and the essential oils that take up the remainder are perfume-grade, which means that they are not therapeutic.  Excuse me if I don't fall for it.  Why not buy therapeutic grade oils, significantly cheaper than your designer perfumes and colognes, and make multiple bottles of perfume and cologne, while at the same time actually improving your health and/or bodily functions?  I don't know, it just makes sense to me.

It's actual quite simple, you will need just a few items, plus your desired essential oils:

• Jojoba oil
• Rubbing alcohol
• Amber (or other dark) glass bottle
• Essential oils

Before I give you our formula, I'm just going to say that since I am a budgeting mom, I use what I have, which means I need to be flexible with exact measurements.  I repurpose my carrier and essential oils' bottles.  For this reason, I'm just going to give you measurements in percentage to the full bottle, rather than exact.  This way, you can use what you have.  (Note, essential oils are potent and should not be stored in plastic, even in a perfume).

For my perfume, I will use about 80% carrier oil, then add my essential oils, and then top of with alcohol.  I would suggest small batches just in case you don't like your formula.  I already said I like ylang ylang.  I have a history with bergamot as well, and also love the uplifting properties of sweet orange.  I used equal parts of each of these.  I have seen formulas that are excessive in essential oil.  Each one seems to be operating on preference and opinion in their formulas, so I'll share with you my own preference and opinion in mine.  First, I'm a budgeter.  Second, therapeutic grade essential oils are very strong.  Third, I see that a half a cup of water in a diffuser only needs a few drops of oil for a whole room.  For this reason, my preference is to stretch my essential oils, and my opinion is you don't need that much essential oil to the carrier.  In a 10 mL bottle, I filled 80% jojoba, 10 drops each of ylang ylang, bergamot, and sweet orange, and the rest with rubbing alcohol.  The longer it sits (days) the more blended and potent.  Shake often as you let it sit.

For my husband's cologne, I used a slightly higher alcohol content (about 5% more) since men's cologne is generally strong and powerful and lady's perfume is slighter (or should be, in my own opinion).  Instead, I started with 75% jojoba, then essential oil blend, then topped off with alcohol.  I only used frankincense and cedarwood.  Essential oils from herbs are a better for colognes, to not leave confusion on what constitutes a manly smell.

Note -- Herbs and citrus oils are very fragrant.  You may want to start with only a few drops of these at a time -- being the last essential oil you add -- as you smell its compatability to blend with (without overcoming) the other oils.  Start light (in number of different oils used).  You can always add an aroma as you prefer and use your newly-blended fragrance.  You can also use water, rather than carrier oil.  If so, it goes without saying that it would not last as long.

Mainly, it is your fragrance.  Make it what you want! 

Punjabi Eggplant Masala

This is one of my Indian favorites.  It's so good to me that even the box dinner satisfies.  There's still something about buying a box dinner though that seems so wrong.  I got better though and moved up to making my own, albeit using jarred tomato sauce as my base for the masala.  Now I've moved up even more and made the whole thing.

Ingredients

1 large eggplant

2 large tomatoes

1 red onion

3 cloves garlic

olive oil (for rub and saute)

1 t tumeric

1 t cumin

1 T coconut sugar

dash of ginger

salt to taste

To get started, you will have to roast the eggplant to the best of your ability.  I think traditionally it would be in a tandoori oven.  I don't happen to have one of those, so I just rubbed mine over with olive oil and put it on broil in the oven, door ajar.  This helps give it that smoky taste, which is a part of what makes the dish what it is.

Since it is the broiler, you will have to keep an eye out.  I only had mine in for maybe 5-10 minutes each side (again, door ajar).  You will know it is done when the eggplant shrivels and the skin looks roasted.

While it cools, chop and saute the onions and garlic in olive oil until slightly softened.  You can either finely chop the tomaotes, or put them in your blender.  I opt to chop them and let the cooking pull the fluid out.  It makes it more savory.  Add the tomatoes.  This is your masala.  Depending on the ripeness of the tomatoes, I may or may not add the coconut sugar.  This is slightly sweeter than things like curry dishes.  Sometimes the tomatoes are so ripe they don't need it, but sometimes they do.  You will have to be the judge on yours.  Add the cumin, tumeric, and ginger.  Mind you, I don't use exact measurement -- especially in spices.  I typed up an approximate, but it's your tongue, roll with the measurement to your liking.  This is also where you would want to add your hot-factor with fresh peppers.  Since my 6 year old thinks that black pepper is hot, I didn't add any to mine.

You notice in time as the tomatoes cook they soften and the masala becomes more liquidy.

As you have that mixture on low, start peeling the skin off of your eggplant and move to a dish that can collect the liquids that release as you mash.  I mash with a fork, since I don't mind chunks in my food.  You may prefer to actually blend your cooked eggplant.

Add the eggplant to the masala and let saute on low for at least another 5 minutes.  Serve over rice.

Cutting the Cost and Chemicals in Face Care

My now teenage daughter (13) came up to me and said, "Did you know that if you put tape over a pimple it will go away?"  I replied, "You could also wash your face."  Amira:  "Nah, that's too much work."

Amira is experiencing teenage acne.  It was something I was spared as a teenager, though I cannot say the same for my brother.  Yet, even then drug use played probably the biggest part of hormonal imbalances within him to create massive blemishes.  My acne didn't come to me until after my 2nd child, while in my mid-twenties.  The dermatologist, upon trying to recommend Accutane to me (which I never took), advised me it was indeed hormonal and probably would last until I was thirty.  It took a lot of money to make me feel better that I was at least attempting to do something about it.  Finally, I said, "You know what -- if it's going to last until I'm thirty I might as well try to save some money and get my face used to simpler ingredients."

Have you noticed how many ingredients are sitting in your facial cleansers, toners, and moisturizers? Not to mention the serums you would add for age spots, wrinkles, or blemishes.  Then you throw on your makeup over the [probably] over 100 ingredients that already is sitting on your face from the cleanser, toner, moisturizer, and serum.  I mean, if it's not imbalanced hormonal, maybe it's immune-system overload and the poor immunities are too busy working through chemicals to target the bacteria under and above your skin.  Just a thought.  I'm not a doctor, just using my head.  

My skin did get clearer, and it was before I turned thirty.  A lot prayer saw me to that day, as well as some -duh- changes, like to simpler ingredients, and I also officially let go of any sort of cover-up (for over a year now).  I don't even use concealer.  Oh the freedom to be able to touch your face or lay down your head on your white pillowcase without makeup removal.  Here are the changes I made, which is the fewest ingredients I've been able to find so far.

Cleanser

I've seen expensive cleansers like Sheseido and Mary Kay, chemicalized though hypo-allergenic.  Personally, I use bar soap, the same I use as my hand soap.  Of course I'm referring to strictly plant-based soaps.  I switched to a simple, natural bar soap seeing as the hands are so porous, very easily we let invaders in through them.  I use Trader Joe's soaps for the cost ($1.69 for oatmeal or $1.99 for tea tree for a pack of 2 bars).  Yet, Kirk's Castille is at comparable price (approximately $1/bar or a wee more), with only 5 natural, plant-based ingredients.

Exfoliant

I've heard of, and used, coconut oil mixed with sea salt.  In fact, I've been in some restaurants that have that mixture as their hand 'soap.'  It is a great idea, though I keep the cost down even more with just a box of baking soda at less than $1 a regular sized box.  This works as a microdermabrasion as well.  I will mix a tad bit into my soap-lathered hands.

Toner

My mother long ago told me to switch to witch hazel, since it says right on the bottle it is a facial astringent and so much cheaper.   It does the job for as low as $2 a bottle.  You can get a really good witch hazel at a health food store, but admit that I cheat with this one and buy the one that has a bit of alcohol in the regular band-aid section of the store.  What of those using toners to balance their face tone and pores?  For this reason, I do also alternate essential oils with my witch hazel, that way my face doesn't get used to just one oil.  I alternate with tea tree, lemon, and frankincense.  All you need is one drop per cotton ball of witch hazel.

Moisturizer

Now I've heard people say they may use cheaper cleansers and toners, but the one thing you should not compromise on is the moisturizer you use.  Even to my mother, moisturizer is the most important thing you put on your face.  At Mary Kay we were taught it protects your face so it should be a great product.  Oh I agree.  Yet, I found a way to not compromise with using only one great ingredient.  That's right, just one.  Jojoba oil.  I have friends that use other single-ingredient oils as a mosturizer, like coconut oil, almond, or even argan.  I use jojoba because its composition is the closest to your own face's natural oils than any other oil or cream out there.  That familiarity is what, from other reads and testimonies, calms your face from wreaking havoc with excessive oil production.  If you choose jojoba oil, you should ask many questions of the manufacturer, like if the oil is filled with another.  I have read how companies can advertise 100% jojoba oil, but that does not mean what you think it does.  Since jojoba oil is actually a wax, it will harden in cooler temperatures.  Your purchase would prove itself pure if the jojoba oil has hardened when left in the fridge overnight.

With every article I read in my mid-twenties while I was battling my own blemishes, I came to acknowledge diet and exercise are your biggest contributors to healthy skin.  The biggest change I noticed with my skin is when it got hydrated -- through humid environments and water intake.  Water truly is your best friend.

So if you were counting, from the soap, to exfoliant, to toner and esential oil, to moisturizer, that is as little as 9 ingredients amongst all.  Does just your traditional cleanser have that little ingredients alone?  Love your face -- it is the first thing people see when they meet you and the last thing they forget when about you.   

Turn a Necktie into a Bowtie

Maybe your husband would like to try out a bow-tie, or maybe you would like him to try one, but can't justify spending more on neck accessories.  Or maybe you can't figure out if you would like to gift him with a neck tie or a bow tie.  Choose a neck tie and you can have both!  Did you know you could turn a neck tie into a bow tie?  Here is a step-by-step process of how to turn a regular neck tie into a double bow (2 leaf) bow tie.

Step 1.  Lay the tie down, backside up.

Step 2.  Fold the bottom part of tie to the center, just enough to securely tuck the end into the excess holder/tie label.

Step 3.  Fold left (skinny side) of tie into the center, folding to your desired presentation of bowtie's width.  You have just created 1 leaf (top layer) for each side.

Step 4.  Fold length back over to the left, creating 2nd leaf (bottom layer) on your right side.

Step 5.  Fold length back over to the right, creating left side's 2nd leaf.  Use your left finger to lock tie into place as you fold excess lengthwise at the tie's crease (see right hand in picture below).

Step 6.  Take length (that is now creased at the seam) and wrap it over the top center of your masterpiece and under the center of the bottom to the back again, forming your bow.

Step 7.  Pull excess through the loop in between the 2nd bow layer and the wrap-around you just did. More simply put, tie a single knot at the back with your excess.

Step 8.  Pull end through this loop one more time, very loosely to form noose.

Step 9.  Pull the noose at the bowtie (not the end, see picture below) in order to tighten bowtie.

Now you have a bowtie.  Next is to fit it on your man.

Step 10.  Once it is around the neck, pull end to tighten around neck, and wrap end within itself before lowering collar.

Voila!  Best part of seeing a bowtie on your man is knowing YOU tied it.  It may not be perfect, but lady, you went beyond what most men would do for themselves.

Buttery Calzones with Vegan Option

My calzone recipe is about as old as my son.  It is our family favorite.  There was actually a time when we had calzones almost the whole week, not just because I'm a creature of habit, but because they are really that good.  

Ingredients

Dough (Yields 4 calzones): 

2 1/2 C all-purpose flour

1 package yeast

1 C sink-hot water

1 T sugar

1 T salt

1 T garlic powder

Filling:

To your desire, but my favorites are mushrooms, onions, spaghetti sauce, cheese (Daiya), pine nuts, and spinach.

Mix water, yeast, and sugar into a bowl.  Set aside until bubbly.  Add into large mixing bowl with flour and remainder ingredients.  This dough is quite yeasty, which is my delight.  If you prefer more of a flaky calzone, add 1 t baking powder and 1/2 t baking soda to your recipe, omitting any rise time outside of the oven's preheat.  I mix with my own hands -- I find it works the best with doughs (I don't use a bread machine of any sort).  Divide dough into four.

Sprinkle flour on parchment to prevent eccesive stickiness as you handle dough.  Roll dough into desired pie size.  Spoon spaghetti sauce onto half of dough, leaving edges (maybe a cm round about) clear.  Add your additional toppings, cheese last.  Fold over and pinch edges.  If flour has left dough too dry, you can revive the stickiness with a dash of water on the edges.  Let rise up to 30 minutes.  Bake on bottom rack at 375 for 20 minutes.  Remove from oven and rub butter (I use coconut oil) on top of calzones.  Sprinkle more salt and garlic powder, and place back in oven until desired golden color, or up to 10 minutes more.  They are extremely hot coming out, so allow some cool-down.

10 Ways to Get a Mini-Workout with a Baby

The other day my husband and I pulled into the post office so I could send something off.  He took the carseat out of the car and walked the baby around outside.  She tends to scream when she's sitting in the carseat, but will calm down to a sleep when she's strolled inside of it in the fresh air.  That's my girl, she likes the wind to hit her face.  She closes her eyes and takes it all in, and it puts her in such a peace that she sleeps.  Wow, I can get spiritual with that, but I'll focus.  So, when I leave the building to find the husband, I catch him in the parking lot doing tricep extensions with the baby in her carseat.

We are only getting older, working out is essential.  The body starts to hurt and limbs and joints get to feeling dull when they aren't being worked.  It is just hard to find the time.  We don't live in an age where just going about our daily living is a workout -- whether its cleaning, commuting, or working for our food, etc.  These days, everything is push-button and a seated function.  We must work out in order keep fit and healthy.  How do you find the time when you have a full-functioning family, including an infant?

I'll be honest, it is a good week if I can get 3 - 30 minute increments dedicated solely to working out (like in a video) per week.  Things like jogging strollers and Mom-and-Baby workouts are really nice ways to keep baby and workout in one, but what if you just don't have the time to fit in a run?  These days, in order to stay fit and healthy, I have to also find ways to work out while going about my daily living.

1.  Commuting by foot.  Our library is a mile away, and the shopping plaza is a bit further.  To get to both means going uphill.  This a bit of a family fun exercise, because Bam will use his razor, Amira will use her skateboard, and Elisha takes in that fresh wind she loves so much in her stroller.  I get the shoulder, hamstring, and glut workout of pushing a stroller uphill, and a lat and quad workout on the way back home downhill.  If I do light groceries and stack them in the stroller basket and bags tied onto the handlebar, it's like weights!

2.  Carseat curls.  So before my husband used the baby in carseat for his triceps extensions, he did a few sets of bicep curls.  Hey, it was a long post office line.  Seriously, how many times do you find yourself standing in a line?  Pick up the carseat and knock out some curls.

3.  Carrier core strengthening while cleaning.  The baby wants to be strapped to me (or her Daddy) anyway, and the housework needs to be done.  I find that I get a good core (mainly back and sides) workout when I have her in the carrier and have to do slight bends, like when straightening things up.  Deeper bends that require squating for baby's safety while in carrier, like switching laundry and picking up stuff from the floor, give a good frontal core workout and of course you work the muscles you normally would in a squat.

4.  Plank reading.  I homeschool my children, which means much of the morning is taken up by me reading something:  the Bible, the reading or history lesson, etc.  Why not throw the book on the floor and make a goal of one page per plank.  Do you know how many muscles are used in a plank?!

5.  Pilates while being a pillow.  ... or a mattress.  I have found that I can get through the older kids' school lesson when I instruct it while I allow my daughter to sleep on me or in my arms, otherwise she is too demanding.  So I have a choice to sit on my butt for a few hours while she sleeps and I instruct, or lay that baby on my tummy for some of it and do some supine workouts with my legs (also using legs as weights for the core), bridge-work, etc.

6.  Rock and twist.  Babies like to be rocked.  Well, if you hyper-swing your rock, while you hold the baby close, to twist your torso on the ab axis, you get a good lung and oblique workout.

7.  Include dance in your music class.  Dance is very natural for kids, and it puts a baby to bed (strapped onto you).  I guess it reminds them of being in the womb a bit -- so close to hear your heartbeat and feel the legs' sways. For years, while in worship, I'd remember how the Bible mentioned David dancing with all of his might before the Lord, and wondered why I didn't see it incorporated into many worship services.  Our family does Israeli and Messianic dance -- a great exercise.  Dances like waltzes also make a good calf workout.

8.  Teach a sport.  I have a rule for my kids that their elective has to be either some involvement in music, art, or sport.  Sports are a great way to workout with your kids, and it seems less of a workout when it is a game.

9.  Peek-a-boo sit-ups.  A fussy baby takes up lots of time.  Plans for a workout go right out the window when you have a baby that just won't let you let her go.  Playing with baby all of a sudden takes precedence.  Set the baby by your feet and do a sit-up, while playing peek-a-boo.  You can also lay the baby on your legs, while your legs are extended out and you do a pilates roll-up/down, playing peek-a-boo.

10.  Grocery shopping lunges.  I kid you not, I have done this multiple times.  Normally I know exactly what I am buying and where it is in the store, but for the Mom who likes to go down every aisle, this one might be for you as you probably walk through the aisle just as slow as if you were walking lunges down the aisle.  When I do them, I alternate aisles, or if I am looking down a new aisle, I'll do them.  I'll lunge-walk the whole aisle, hand to shopping cart, or at least until I find what I am looking for within that aisle.

So you see your workout buddy can also be your baby -- the best kind to have, and mutually beneficial.  Baby gets to have you and you get to workout.

Homemade Samosas

If you're like me, when you eat Indian, it's such a tough decision on what to order.  The stomach is only so big!  Their entrees are yum, but so are their appetizers, like the samosas.  It's just that even their appetizers are so big that there's isn't room for the yummy masala that's coming next.  The struggle is real.

Indian is one type of food I don't mind not cooking and ordering instead.  Their foods are full of fresh spices, and since many in their culture are Hindu, they understand how to prepare meat-free deliciousness, for those of a vegan lifestyle.  I really only came up with this recipe because of cost-effeciency.  I hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:

Dough:

4.5 C all-purpose flour

2 t baking powder

9 T coconut oil (for vegan option, or soften butter for non)

6-7 T water to start, adding a T at a time to form

Filling:

Vegan-

3 potatoes, cubed small

1/2 onion

1 C frozen peas

1 T each:  curry, cumin, tumeric

salt to taste

Meat-

1/2 pound ground beef

1/2 onion

1 C frozen peas

1 T each:  curry, cumin, tumeric

salt to taste

Canola oil for frying

Mix ingredients for dough, and set aside.  Warning:  my water amount is an estimation, as with my doughs I add little at time until I receive desired texture.  You should do the same.  Texture should be dry enough to not stick to your fingers, but wet enough to have some elasticity and not crack when formed.  

Pre-cut and boil potatoes to cook, or pan-fry ground beef until brown.  Drain.  Add frozen peas, onions, and spices.  Mix fully.  I made both vegan and meat fillings, so I had leftovers of the fillings for the next day's lunch.  I just had to make more dough for it. 

In a large deep frying pan, add canola oil (or other high smoke point vegetable oil), heating on medium high.  Divide dough into 2-3 inch balls (enough to roll out into a 5 inch circle).  After you roll the balls of dough, heap tablespoons of filling upon middle of dough.  Fold the edges of the circle over the filling, in order to form a triangle, gently pinching the ends together as you fold.  Pan fry on each side until golden brown, with enough oil to cover half of the samosa.  Serve immediately.  Dough and 1 filling recipe yield approximately 20 samosas.

This dough is crispy and soft, and does well as leftovers (unlike most fried foods).  It was not soggy when I ate the leftovers the next day.  It is best to reheat, or keep warm, in your oven.