Going Greener!

For a long time I've been wanting to make my own washing powder and dishwashing liquid.

First I made the washing powder a week or so ago

Homemade Laundry Detergent (for front and top loaders)

1 1/4 cup bi-carb soda (baking soda)

3/4 cup borax

1 cup lectric soda (washing soda)

2 grated castille soap bars (I use this variety, which I buy at the local health food shop)

You should be able to buy all of the ingredients except the castille soap from your local grocery store.

Mix all ingredients. 

As I have a front loader I only use about 2 tablespoons per load.

( I found the recipe here )

Then I was talking to a friend of mine who makes all her cleaning stuff from scratch and she kindly shared her Dishwashing liquid with me and gave me permission to share it with you all, (she doesn't remember where she got the recipe from, so I am not able to give credit where credit is due!)

Anna's Dishwashing Liquid:

ingredients:

• 1/4 cup soap flakes
• 2 cups HOT water
• 1/4 cup glycerin
• 1/2 teaspoon of essential oil (which ever smell takes your fancy! vanilla, lemon, tea tree the list is endless!)

1. Combine hot water and soap flakes in a mixing bowl ( I keep utensils and bowls used to make my cleaning supplies separate from what I use for cooking!). Make sure the water is HOT!! or the soap flakes won't melt!
2. Mix well until all soap flakes have disolved. Then allow to cool to lukewarm before commencing the next step!
3. Mix in both the glycerin and essential oil and allow to cool completely
4. As it cools you will notice it will become a gel like substance. You will want to break this up by stirring it with a fork and placing it in a bottle (old shampoo or conditioner bottle will do!)
5. DONE!! use as any other dishwashing liquid!

NOTE: this Dishwashing Liquid isn't very bubbly, but then again it isn't the bubbles that clean the dishes!

I have a couple of other recipes I will try out after this one and will let you  know how they went!

I did it!! I can knit in English!!

As English is my second language, I had to re-route my brain (yes I know, some of you doubt I have a brain!!)  to be able to follow patterns in English. Now I worked it out in all kinds of crafts except knitting! I could not get it right, no matter how hard I tried!!

Until this weekend!! I found this Blog and while reading found the entry about the Crazy Cable Knitting Myth! 

And I went off in search for a cable knitting needle (House to Home in town sells them) some wool (local oppy helped there!) and sat down to work it out!

And work it out I did! I haven't even been able to follow a cable pattern in my native language (dutch) but there I was sitting under my blanky knitting away!

I actually was still knitting at 12:08 am as my hubby pointed out! So I rang in my birthday with a pair of needles in hand! What better way to do that!