Protein Icy Poles

Ok so I don't have access to my PC, and I just made this and I think it's going to be really nice!!!

I'm loving the Twisted Licks Keto Friendly Chocolate Icy Poles but they are a bit expensive and I tend to eat more than one a day when I have them in the freezer. It's going to be warm today and I want to do a Keto February, so here we go. But at 12g of Carbs per serve, I might not have them often! Yikes! Still, better than a magnum!!! (Magnum: 3 g protein, 21,5 g carbs, 16.6 g fat per serve!)

I might try with different ingredients next time. That's a lot of carbs (which I only just realised) but I need the Kefir to keep my gut healthy as I have a dental infection which I'm on a waiting list to get fixed. 

AminoZ Dark Chocolate WPI & Kefir Icy Poles
250g greek yoghurt 

150g (1/2 cup) kefir 

1 packed scoop dark choc wpi aminoz (~50g)
1/4 cup allulose
1 tsp vanilla

Blend and freeze in your fave icy pole moulds, your qty may vary.

Makes 6
approximate nutritional panel:

Not a super exciting post but it's mostly for me, if you enjoy it, then great!

This little piggie went to market...

How are you all going?

I'm getting more and more excited about my period pads, to be honest, I only use the panty liners for added protection and because they are so much more comfortable than just undies. They are great for the rare but oh-so-annoying sneeze that you just can't hold in, for discharges and of course for your periods, but at my age, that's not happening anymore!

I've started selling on an Australian platform and it just feels so right! So I'm busy uploading my items there, and of course, I started with the period pads! Come visit madeit.com.au/france !

I've gotten fun custom orders for pads, to be used as stress incontinence protection, and some with very cool fabric choices, so I'm busy working on that in the next couple of days!

I'm also going to be part of  Markets Are Us July market! So that's another reason I am getting the shop ready at Madeit, it's a great alternative for buying Australian!

Let's talk period pads!

 Hello!

Well, I have a new item in my shop. Reusable, washable, eco-friendly period pads.

The average woman in Australia (I'm assuming this is also the case for most developed countries) goes through 10 000 and 12 000 disposable pads, liners and tampons in a lifetime, and I believe that doesn't take into consideration panty liners which some use every day. 

I was amazed at the difference in rubbish from the toilet since we started using reusable, washable pads. 

This is the blurb I have on my Etsy Shop which explains pretty much everything, if you have a question, leave me a comment here, or contact me via Etsy, Facebook, or Instagram. 

• • •

These eco-friendly sanitary pads can be used as menstrual/period pads, as extra daily protection with a cup or tampon, as you would use disposable pads, or as mild incontinence pads (the kind occasionally caused by the odd sneeze, cough or laugh).

This particular listing is for reusable, washable menstrual pads as described above (measurement/gusset width/absorbency).

Note, that at this point, I can’t guarantee that the pads I offer would be absorbent enough for a full bladder case of incontinence; however I am working on a solution for a more absorbent core – do let me know if this would be of interest to you. The more interest, the more likely it is to happen!

• • •

Please read the sections below so you understand what you are purchasing. These items are non-returnable and non-refundable, as they are personal hygiene products. I inspect each pad after it’s made and before shipping. Should one slip by with a fault, please contact me within 2 days of receipt.

Whether you call them moon time pads, period pads, menstrual napkins, serviettes, mama cloths, cloth rags, sanitary-napkin, feminine napkin, sanitary pad, sanitary towel, personal care products or whatever combination of those words, I hope you will love my pads and that they will make that time of your cycle easier for you! 

• • •

Why did I start making washable, reusable, eco-friendly, environment friendly, sustainable, cloth pads?

It started a while back when my daughters and I were talking about how great it would be to have panty liners with wings, then a friend started talking about making her own period pads, so research ensued, and in 2019 I started making pads. 

I’ve made over 100 pads from liners without waterproof layers, to big huge overnight pads for heavy flow during the night. They have ALL passed the test of time and the test of MANY washes. Of course, like any fabric, some cottons fade over time, especially if soaked in stain removers, prior to washing, but I’m seriously pleased with the way the waterproof layer is holding up, and the topper is in really good shape!

• • •

My daughters and I calculated how many pads we saved from landfill during a year, and it was an astounding number! Now ALL those pads not going to landfill! We also calculated the savings, even for you who is buying a pad rather than making it yourself, in one year or two you will have paid off the pads since you will no longer be paying for disposable pads, and they will last up to 5 years or more if you take care of them! Beware though; buying pretty pads that truly work, might quickly become addictive – and you will want to buy some for family and friends!

I received comments that these pads are more absorbent than commercial ones and the surface is less wet as well, which in my opinion makes them better for vaginal and genital health!

I make my pads slightly differently from others you may see online. There’s no right or wrong way to make them - it’s all a question of what fabric is preferred, which are preferred for toppers, and I’ll explain my reasons below, in the description for my choice of fabrics. 

• • • THE LAYERS • • •

• Suedecloth – the top layer, closest to the vulva •

The Suedecloth I use is sourced from an Australian company. Suedecloth is used as the layer closest to the body. It is a polyester fabric, which does not absorb any moisture but instead wicks moisture through the absorbent part of the pad, and away from your skin. Because it does not absorb moisture, it feels dry, keeping you drier than flannel or a cotton topper would. It is also cooler and less bulky than a micro fleece topper. 

I colour code the absorbency of my pads according to the Suedecloth layer, thus avoiding having to label the pads for absorbency. 

PURPLE: panty liner/light (sizes vary, usually 7”/~18cm)– one layer of absorbing bamboo fleece (see below) 

GREEN: regular flow (sizes vary) – two layers of absorbing bamboo fleece

RED: heavy flow (10-12”/~25-30cm) – three layers of absorbing bamboo fleece

LONG RED: overnights (14+"/~35.5cm) – four layers of absorbing bamboo fleece – these can be made in a variety of shapes, for front or back bleeders and will be available as custom orders only until further notice. 

Suedecloth is pretty much stain proof, and stubborn stains are easy to remove – I have not had a single pad stay stained, in over three years.

• Inner core of cotton – the hidden layer keeping the absorbent layer secure •

This hidden layer is plain white cotton, where possible I use unbleached calico, otherwise plain white cotton, this layer is to hold the absorbent layers together and does not come in contact with the skin. 

• Bamboo fleece – the absorbent layer •

The bamboo fleece is sewn on an invisible 100% cotton layer (mentioned above), inside the pad, and not visible from the outside. Bamboo is the material I use for the absorbent layers, I source the bamboo fleece from a 100% Australian owned company.

• PUL – the waterproof breathable layer •

PUL, is the breathable water-resistant layer. PUL is PBA free is made of Polyurethane. Most PUL have no chemicals, perfumes or toxins and are safe to use. The one I use is most definitely a safe one and is manufactured in Australia by an Australian company, which uses the highest standard possible’ This PUL will outlast every other product currently  in the market place. In their testing so far they are yet to destroy, or put any sign of wear of it, laundering on 300 standard cycles, at 90°C. I can tell you from my own experience that the same cannot be said from cheap PUL purchased overseas elsewhere.  

• Cotton – the pretty layer, facing your underwear •

This is the pretty outer layer, some people use it as a top layer, I prefer the Suedecloth as top layer but still want my pads to spark joy! 

• Pressure studs - what holds them to your knickers, panties, undies, underwear •

I use KAMsnaps® brand KAM plastic snaps. They are made from polyacetal resin, a type of plastic that is stronger and more durable than other types of plastic.

• • • 

All fabrics used in making the pads are pre-washed in hot water to clean and pre-shrink them so you don't have any unpleasant surprises. The bamboo fleece is prone to shrinking so goes through a couple of washes. I do however suggest that you give them a quick wash when you get them, and let them dry. Preferably hang dry. I enclose a "care sheet" with all purchases explaining how to deal with stains. 

• • •

How many pads do I need for my period?

It all depends how long or short your period is, how light or heavy it is. If you would like some advice, contact me, links below, and I’ll try to help you out. However I would suggest you start with a couple liners, and maybe 2-3 more absorbent pads first, to see if you like them (no matter where you purchase them from – try a few before you buy a lot!). I want you to be comfortable during your moon time!  

Statistics tell us that a woman goes through about 22 pads during a cycle, but that might vary, and you can wash your pads mid-cycle when you start, or alternate with disposable pads until you have built your stash. 

• • •

If you are new to reusable pads and have more questions, please get in touch with me via Etsy, Facebook, or Instagram. 

See my full range of pads here: https://etsy.me/3mPEOO6
and other items I create here: https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/France

Download my How to wash your reusable pads guide! 

How long has it been?

Heyyyyyyy, it's been AGES since my last post, wondering if I should open this up again over here, and chat about the things I do, but it seems I always run out of time.

I've been out of work since December, took a few weeks to regroup, recuperate and recharge, and started sewing and crafting again, OH MY GOODNESS it had been so long, and it feels SO good!
I often (not often enough) took time to make little projects, like these two skirts for two little girls who are very special to us. 

made some Barbie clothes (so quick, fiddly but satisfactory), (You'll have to come to my Instagram for that because my computer is not cooperating at the moment, it's busy churning some data for me in the background. 


I took an ink workshop with Inked by Erin (with one of my daughters) (the two yellow ones are DD2's, and the blue/purple are mine). 
 

have been inking any white glossy surface I can find, since, pretty much!

I now have a few pots for sale on Square (for pick up locally, probably deliver to your car when you get here because "public liability laws insurance things", but that's OK).

I also have a shop on Etsy where I sell all sorts of items I've made! Below is a selection of some of the items. I'd love it if you came and had a look, and even better if you liked a few items, and even more if you FAVOURITE my shop!!

Also you can find me on Instagram or Facebook (those are my current addiction pages!)
I'm working on a few more items I'll be uploading in the near future, and some local markets near the end of the year (local to Fremantle, WA).

So leave me a comment if you want to hear more from me here, or follow me on Instagram or Facebook if you prefer those methods. It would be great to see your smiling faces over there (and even good to see the frowny ones). I need all the support/encouragement I can get, so those hearts and thumbs up will make my day (yep, begging for love! 😃)

Thanks for reading this far, it's been quite a while, every 4 years or so, like US Elections! (ok, don't even get me started on THAT topic!!!). 

See you around,

France

Bonjour Perth was amazing!

I've neglected this site for a bit, as I was in full swing Bonjour Perth Mode!!!

I have had an excellent time and met lots of people, talked about oils a lot (one of my favourite topics) and made great connections with people. I hope to return next year.

In the meantime you can get in touch with me via mydoterra.com/fstewart or via the form on the left-hand side of my main page: oilswithfrance.com

I may be a bit busy to add to this website for now, but I am never too busy to answer questions!

I have intro classes coming up, and classes on a variety of topics, to register (if you are in the Perth/Fremantle area) please visit my Eventbrite page

Happy New Year! Bonne Année!

Out with the old, in with the new.

Wishing you a  year filled with what you hope for, and wish for.

Weekend DIY

Well, you'd think the weekend before Christmas, I'd have more important things to do than DIY.

I do, I just have been wanting to make up these projects for a while now and I decided today was the day.

First off I made a Magnesium Leg Butter, based on a Magnesium Body Butter recipe, because I think I'm magnesium deficient and it gives me leg cramps and other unpleasant feelings in my calves.
There are a lot of recipes out there, but I pretty much followed the one from Wellnessmama.com; but used a bit of Dr. Axe inspiration by adding some Frankincense essential oil and some Peppermint essential oil.

This looked so much better on my phone!

So this is the way I made it:

Magnesium Peppermint and Frankincense Restless Leg Butter 

Magnesium oil:
1/2 cup magnesium flakes
45mL (3 Tbsp) boiling water
* this gives a more concentrated solution, if you don't have flakes on hand, just 1/2 cup magnesium oil.

"Butter":
1/4 cup virgin coconut oil
2 Tablespoons emulsifying wax (found at Aussie Soap Supplies - I used this one)
45g Shea Butter

20-25 drops dōTERRA Peppermint Essential Oil
drops dōTERRA Frankincense Essential Oil

To make the magnesium solution pour 45mL (3 Tbsp) of boiling water in to the magnesium flakes in a glass jar and stir until the flakes are dissolved. Set it aside to cool.

I use my setup shown in the video below to melt my emulsifying wax and Shea butter, then I add the coconut oil to the melted was/butter to help it cool slightly faster. My coconut oil was liquid though, if yours isn't, maybe add it to melt at the last minute. Melt this blend on medium heat, being careful so no water gets into the wax, oil and butter.

Some people whack a Mason jar at the bottom of the pan, with about an inch of water in there. I never feel very comfortable with that idea, I prefer a bit of buffer (maybe because I've been known to have temperamental stove tops, the kind that go to FULL POWER when they are on "simmer"!)

When your stuff is all melted, remove the jar from the pan and let the mixture cool until slightly opaque (usually room temperature will do that, if it's in the middle of an Australian summer, you can cool it in the fridge a bit).
Put the oils in a medium bowl and using your hand blender (I have one I use only for soapy stuff, but I couldn't find it so used the regular food one and cleaned it properly, since I'm using CPTG essential oils which are also OK for ingestion (I use only dōTERRA) and not fragrance oils, I didn't have a problem with that). Blend your oil mixture and start adding the magnesium oil a bit at a time, sort of like when you make mayonnaise; continue blending until all of the magnesium oil is added and it is well-mixed, add your essential oils and give it another good blending.

Put in the fridge for 15-20 minutes and blend again to get this soft fluffy body butter consistency! It's almost like magic.

You can keep this in the fridge in Summer months, it makes for a nice cooling lotion, or keep it at room temperature (without preservatives it should last about two months, if you want to learn about preservatives you can go see the lovely Susan at Point of Interest she has a bunch of posts on preservatives and which to use in a solution like this one).

This is how I like to melt my stuff :)

The other thing I made was Toilet Freshener/Cleaner bombs.... The water is quite "dirty" here, I don't know very well how else to put it, but my water filter gets this muddy slime on it, and that makes toilets dirtier than they should be as well, so I finally made some toilet bombs and hope it'll help us keep our toilet cleaner than usual, plus they smell really nice!

Whenever I want to do anything remotely soapy, I usually visit The Soap Queen first; and then spend so much time looking at all the pretty and clever things that I don't usually start my project that same day, but that's ok because I always learn something there!

Anyway, when I was ready to make my toilet fizzies, of course I turned to Anne-Marie at The Soap Queen.

This is what I used to make mine:

Toilet Freshener/Cleaner Bombs

1 cup Bicarb soda (baking soda, bicarbonate soda, sodium bicarbonate, "la p'tite vache", or whatever else you know it as)
1/2 cup citric acid (I don't know if that has any other names! you can find it in the baking area of your supermarket, but I just bought a huge quantity of it when it was on special at Aussie Soap Supplies
and
20 drops of dōTERRA Purify Cleansing Blend

If you've never made bath bombs before, it's quite easy, mix the bicarb soda and the citric acid together (the citric acid is a powder, it won't burn your skin, but may dull your nail polish, so you might want to wear gloves), I always put my dry ingredients through a sifter to remove any lumps, makes the job easier. Then I add my essential oil (or oils, depending on what you feel like using. On Guard would be a great blend to use, Peppermint and Lemon would smell really fresh).

Then you spritz whitchhazel onto the mixture, a couple spritz at a time, the idea is to get the dry mixture just wet enough to hold together. When it does (a bit like damp sand) you compress as much as you can in your moulds. The recipe above filled one heart and one "flower" sets of Ikea's Plastis ice cube trays (hmm, looks like they are out of hearts at the moment. The heart ones are my favourites to make chocolates!). When you have packed the mixture in the trays, let it air dry overnight.

TIP: don't make them when the temperature is humid... your chances of failure greatly increase. I've had bath bombs start to "bomb" while I was making them... can quickly turn into an impromptu volcano experiment, or a really good clean of any sink or toilet you can find!

If you need troubleshooting your bath bomb experiments, see this page on the Soap Queen's blog. I can't even begin to explain it as well as she does!

There you go, re-purpose a jar, and set somewhere you will see them and remember to use them!

and this is how they fizzed, the idea is either you let them fizz in the toilet and the citric acid does its stuff, or you give the clean a bit of a hand with the brush, to freshen the sides as well. I just thought posting a video of my toilet was a bit... weird!

Please get in touch with me via mydoterra.com/fstewart or via the contact button on this blog, if you would like to buy any of the dōTERRA oils mentioned in this post as I can help you figure out the best way for you to order. If you have questions you can also ask in the comments!

Thanks for stopping by!

Diffusion Inspiration

I've been posting a blend a day (at least) this month on Instagram. Come have a look.
They are mostly blends to get you inspired for the season, but I will throw a few others in between...
Some are mine, others have been collected in previous months and years... Why don't you come follow me?

If Instagram is not your thing you can find me elsewhere... Are you open to natural solutions and wellness that doesn't include damaging toxins and chemicals?

Did you know that you can do more with essential oils than just diffuse them to make your house smell nice?

Are you open to learning more about Essential Oils? 

 

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Liquid Sleep Blend and how a diffuser changed my sleeping habits

I've been looking into oils which may help a better night's sleep lately because it's one of my issues, and because it seems that and digestion are the problems that plague many people I encounter.

This recipe below is by Hayley Hobson (I believe in giving credit where it is due), it's a recipe for a roller bottle for those who don't have a ultrasonic diffuser (love mine, it changed my sleep!), if you don't have an actual roller bottle you can blend these oils in a little container and dip your finger in it... that will work just as well. If you'd like roller bottles, I can point you to some people who sell them (if you want oils and aren't a dōTERRA member/Wellness Advocate yet, I'll show you the way!)...

Click to buy or to contact me for the best way for you to purchase. You
can get a 25% discount on the retail price by enrolling. I'm happy to help. :)

I haven't tried this particular blend yet but it's similar to a few I've been experimenting with, might make one today though (Yay! Got to love Saturdays!).

With any "recipe" you find with essential oils, you can actually modify it for either a smaller roller bottle, a diffuser blend, a balm, a room spray, or even into beauty products such as soaps and the like. You have to pay attention to a few things, like, is it an oils that is meant to be diluted for sensitive skins (so you definitely don't want to apply those neat), and use your head a little but yes, for instance, the recipe below, if I were to use it in a diffuser, I'd either mix everything up in a small bottle (or a bottle with a dropper) and divide the recipe by 5, fill my diffuser that goes on for 12 hours, and stop it when I wake up in the morning, and turn it on again the next night. It's pretty easy. Contact me if you have any questions, I'm happy to help.

Now, for those of you still reading, thanks. I've been using essential oils for a while, I still remember a horrible cold I had one year and kept sniffing Thyme from a tissue, I smelled like pepperoni pizza (that's the memory I have)... I was pretty unhealthy back then, and wish I'd known about blends such as On Guard or Easy Air/Breathe... But it seemed to help, enough for me to continue despite the pepperoni smell! 😁 I have always have some sort of essential or another around, Lemongrass and Tea Tree/Melaleuca to make a rubbish bin deodorising spray, Eucalyptus to remove stains on carpets (and that bloody blutack that gets everywhere!), to name only a few.

Fast forward to September 2014... Id' been following a blog which was full of GREAT essential oils ideas.... and she was mentioning this "ultrasonic diffuser"... well, that same month, I walked past the chemist (pharmacy) and they had a diffuser on special for $50, and it came with a calming oil blend (similar to the Lavender Peace/Serenity that dōTERRA offers), I bought two! One for our room, and one for the girls' room... I slept through the night that night! I was sold!

Then comes May 2015 I get an invitation to a "Winter Wellness with dōTERRA" class - "yay, let's go find out some more about those dōTERRA oils I read about on that blog", well, I was hooked. I had the BEST peppermint chocolate milk EVER (thanks to the glorious Peppermint essential oil dōTERRA offers), some amazing immune boosting power bites, and other fabulous dishes (dip, soup, etc).

A year and a half later, and a few empty bottles too and I can say that I didn't get the normal knock-me-out-flu that I normally have in Winter, Hubby who gets it too each year has benefited, and I solve more and more issues with natural solutions. And... I sleep a lot better, I don't have that WORRY-WORRY-WORRY feelings I get when I wake up in the middle of the night, I usually just roll over and fall back asleep, I also feel that generally I'm a lot more calm and grounded than I was (most often than not, I still get irritated by some things and some people! But I'm working on that.)

Feel free to come follow my facebook page where I post some articles I find which relates to essential oils and other tidbits of information.
Get in touch with me via  my facebook page, or via this blog, or by leaving a comment before if you'd like to get started with dōTERRA essential oils, and be part of my team and receive my support, and that of the community we have going on. If you just want to purchase one or two oils, you can do so directly from my affiliate link (whereby I get a small commission, which is much appreciated) mydoterra.com/fstewart

Thanks for stopping by!

Good Night Diffuser Blend

I've been using this in my diffuser the past few nights and managed to sleep quite well so I'm happy!

I went for
Easy Air/Respiratory Blend (aka Breathe) because blooms are flowering these days and I tend to wake up congested (and though I don't want to admit it, I snore sometimes! *sigh*) and
Cedarwood because it promotes relaxation and
Sandalwood because it helps to lessen tension and promote emotional well-being. What more could you want for a great night's sleep?
The drop measurement are for about 80ml of water.

4 💧 Easy Air (Respiratory Blend a.k.a. Breathe)
2 💧 Cedarwood
1 💧 Hawaiian Sandalwood (or Sandalwood)

Join me on my facebook page if you'd like to learn more.
Cheers and thanks for your time.

I dō love my essential oils

Time is a funny thing. I saw a friend recently and could not believe it had been a WHOLE YEAR since I had seen her last... we talk on messenger, and via text message, so we never feel really that estranged, but still, a whole year...

That time thing hit me hard again lately... one, it's been 18 years since I left Canada (and haven't been able to go back since, yet), but chatting with mum and dad and some other relatives by phone, skype, emails, make it seem like it hasn't been that long. Our twins turned 18 and finished high school! It seems it wasn't that long ago (and yet it feels like many many years) I was walking these two little peanuts down the road to the kindy... Now, one is almost as tall as me, the other one towers over me by a couple (probably more but I prefer saying "a couple") inches, I remember then they barely reached my waist!

Then this morning I think ... "time to revive the blog" and noticed I had an unpublished post from May of 2015. So I didn't publish it but instead will tell you about it. Back in May of 2005, I wrote a post as I was awaiting, as patiently as I could, for my first order of essential oils from dōTERRA. I wasn't new to oils but new to that brand I'd heard so much about. I've been using essentials on and off for as long as I remember. When I was young, I remember boiling some flowers that grew in our backyard in Montréal to make essential oils... well, I thought it was easy, just boil, collect the water that falls from the lid and voilà... I think I got some scented water, and that's about it... but it was fun. I experimented with hair conditioners and face masks, as I'd found a recipe in a French magazine my aunt had probably bought for me. I always liked trying new things, I did lots of crafts too. I'm still at my happiest when I create something, doesn't matter if it's painting a jacket purple with DD1 for her Cosplay, or knitting arm warmers for DD2 for hers. I wish I got as much thrill from gardening as our "landscape" could use some, but I'm not there yet!

Anyway, it's interesting that it's been so long since I posted on this blog, and that I discovered this unpublished post. I was all excited because I had finally ordered some On Guard, which I'd read so much about. On Guard and I have had a beautiful relationship for the past 18 months. I've learned to love more than just On Guard, these oils have supported my family and I in so many ways, from just smelling darn nice to helping us with our immune system, moods, seasonal threats... you know, when the flowers start to bloom, stress, bruises and the like, insect bites, you name it, we have an ōil for that!

I haven't replaced my whole medicine cabinet with oils yet, but I like reducing the toxic load as much as I can. I make our soap (both the easy and old-fashioned way), hand wash (without TRICLOSAN!), home cleaners (wall, windows, countertops), I've made hair conditioner and shampoos too.
I even made a handmade hair soap bar, which I'm still using but about to run out so I'll be trying the dōTERRA shampoo and conditioner. Can't wait to see how wonderful that will be!

A long time ago I started making my own laundry soap as well, did some with grated bars of soaps, and have since moved on to a soap-free laundry detergent (tried a few recipes, most are good, so feel free to look around for something that suits your needs better). Proceed with caution when you decide to make your own laundry detergent as you are the best judge for what will work in your machine and for your clothes and family.  I have a top loader and know nothing about front loaders so do your own research so you feel confident as to whether or not you can use it in a front loader, it doesn't suds very much at all if that helps, but it does work great for us in our current washer and seems to rinse off clothes well too.

I'm hoping you will find my tips and tricks, links, and bits and bobs interesting, and inspiring as I start sharing my passion on my blog (which has always been about that, sharing my passion and what currently makes me happy and makes my life better).



Other citrus oils that will add a bit of Sunshine to your laundry: Wild Orange, Bergamot, Lime, Brapefruit, or the Slim and Sassy/Smart and Sassy blend which contains Grapefruit Peel, Lemon Peel, Peppermint Plant, Ginger Root, and Cinnamon Bark essential oils.

For washing sheets and pyjamas  you could try Lavender, or the Serenity/Lavender Peace blend which contains Lavender Flower, Cedarwood, Ho Wood Leaf, Ylang Ylang Flower, Marjoram Leaf, Roman Chamomile Flower, Vetiver Root, Vanilla Bean Absolute and Hawaiian Sandalwood.
This new formulation of the Lavender Peace (Serenity in the US) now includes Vetiver.


This blend is great for rugged men, smells like cut grass, makes clean laundry smell like the outside!
I know, it's a bit strange, but I like that smell, a lot!

 5 💧 White Fir or Douglas Fir, or even Arborvitae
 6 💧 Basil
 6 💧 Wild Orange
 6 💧 Bergamot
15 💧 Citrus Bliss

Let me know what you think if you try any variation of the soap free laundry detergent.
And feel free to scale the recipe up or down.
The smell in the clothes won't last forever because there are no chemical additives to make the scent stick on the clothes, but it's good enough for me that it smells nice when I hang it up and bring it in. If you want a more potent smell, you could double the amount of drops.

a last note on laundry for those who have clothes dryers...
I wasn't going to have a sales pitch at all today but this is a limited time offer from dōTERRA: a dryer ball set. You add your favourite essential oil to them, however the set does come with a bottle of our gorgeous Lavender oil. You pop the balls in the dryer with your clothes to make the laundry come out fragrant and fluffy!

You can click on the image to purchase via my affiliate link or contact me using the contact button on the same page, ad the bottom of the lavender coloured rectangle on the right.
If you'd like to open a wholesale account it's easy and you are in control of what you purchase and when (and you save 25%), I can help you with finding out the best way for you to order. There's also a promotion going on until the end of November where if you live in Australia and have a qualifying order of 100PV or more (so about $100), you can get 50 Points (roughly equivalent to $50) to spend on products as of 1st December. I will tell you more if you are interested in the wholesale pricing, and the perks this can bring.

Thanks for stopping by!

Template freebie - Pixel Scrapper Blog Train April 2015

I finally made something. I created this page for Angelle Designs's gorgeous kit
Hop Into Spring Bundle
(click on image to get to the kit)

so I decided to make a template based on that page, and offer it as part of the April Pixel Scrapper Blog Train. I tried to make a kit in this gorgeous colour scheme but nothing came together but this template did. I modified it a bit from my page, feel free to move things around, delete  layers you do not want to use, etc.

Download links are below the image, TIF file has no shadow, PNG are included, as well as a PSD. Sadly I do not know how to make .page files.

Download at: Mediafire or 4Shared

Make sure to check the April Pixel Scrapper Blog Train!! Lots of good goodies there.

As always thanks for stopping by, hope you like my little offering and thanks so much for all your lovely comments on my past efforts.

See you next time!

Animal Kingdom - Pixel Scrapper Blog Train - Freebie

Hi all! I hope you are all having a wonderful weekend. I am, it's my birthday weekend. We're not doing anything too special but it's a long weekend here and I'm going to enjoy that VERY much!
I've been preparing this kit for you for March, as part of the Pixel Scrapper Blog Train!

The theme for March is Animal Kingdom. You can see every part of the blog train here, and download what you wish, or download it all! There's lots to pick from this month!
Just remember to be patient, we're all in different timezones and not all parts will be up at the same time, some parts might not be up for a day or two. Some parts might be put up a week from now so keep checking the link!

Like Marisa (owner of PixelScrapper says "Remember to be polite because they've worked hard to make something wonderful, for free." :)

I went with lizards, because I had a few things here I could use for the kit (namely the mini frog and the lizard which were pieces I made to embellish cards and ATCs in my previous incarnation, as well as the little medallion which looks like a fancy button), and because it wasn't picked yet; and well, I do like green. I hope you like the kit as much as I had fun making it, I learned a lot making this!

As always, if you do make a page, please post a link in the comments, I would absolutely love to see your page(s)!!!

Have a wonderful weekend and thanks for stopping by!

Download here

elements and alphas: mediafire or 4shared

papers: mediafire or 4shared

I also wanted to check out if that kit was ok to scrap with, and I made a page which I turned into a Quick Page for you.

This is my page:

and this is the quick page. The links are below the image

Download here

quick page: mediafire or 4shared

I've done my best to credit everyone whose CU items I used for this kit, if I missed anyone it wasn't by malice, please notify me and I'll fix it all up! I'm always worried I'll forget someone even though I take notes while I make the kits. Like being at the Oscars and forgetting to thank your supportive husband or manager! LOL! I love you all, CU makers who allow us less talented folks to get creative!

Coming soon... Kit No.3!

Before I start, thank you so much for all your kind words and for your comments! It was so fun to read comments from people I don't know, and seeing also some familiar names! Thank you to all of you, you made me so joyful!!!

now, I have a little teaser for you....

My kit is ready for the Pixel Scrapper March Blog Train.
The theme is Animal Kingdom and we've tried to each do something different. So that we don't all end up with cats, dogs, horses.
Thinking about what I had access to, I worked a little something out. I'm really happy with the results can can't wait to unveil, this weekend!!!

I thought I'd give you a sneak peek, just because :)

So at some point on the weekend, this will go live! And you will be able to get it right here. For FREE!!!!!

Please come back then!

Thank you!!!

Freebie Template PU

I made this page for the Random Challenge at MScraps and decided to make a freebie template from my page :) hope you like it, and feel free to send me a link (or post in the comments) if you make a page with it. I'd love to see what you do!




Here's the freebie. PU only (but S4H/S4H OK, see TOU, thanks!)
Click on the image to download from Media Fire. If you have issues with Media Fire you can leave a comment or PM me via the profile link on the top right of the page. Thanks for looking!

EDIT 9/FEb/2015: LINK FIXED and added text link too :) {Thanks Corinna!}



download here

Pixel Scrapper February Blog Train - Rustic Charm

I cannot even tell you how excited I am about this, excited AND nervous!!!
This is only the 2nd kit I made.
The first kit is in the previous post and was for the MScraps 5th Birthday Blog Train.
This one is for a blog train at PixelScrapper where I found another lovely community!

You can see every part of the blog train here, and download what you wish, or download it all!
It's a fantastic blog train! But please be patient, we're all in different timezones and not all parts will be up at the same time, some parts might not be up for a day or two. Like Marisa (owner of PixelScrapper says "Remember to be polite because they've worked hard to make something wonderful, for free. :)

Hre's my part and the download links are below the image :)

Download @mediafire or @4shared (same file just different locations)

Thank you so much for looking and thanks if you do decide you like my part and you want to download it!

I would love to see pages you make with it, so please don't hesitate to leave me a message in the comments with a link to your page.

Thanks! Have a lovely Day and Happy February!!!

Two more blog trains! (a year later!!)

But a different story this time, first off, this weekend is Memory Scraps's 5th Birthday and we have a blog hop going on and this time, instead of making a template, I made a mini kit!!
My very first attempt at making such a thing. I've recoloured elements in the past but nothing like a kit.

My part is not available on this blog, but you can get it if you go to the MScraps Party Central in the forum and follow the train! My part is the very last part, it was used for the MScraps Facebook Page (thanks to the kind person who commented to let me know my part was hard to find. Not surprising, I had the wrong link!).

Here's what my portion looks like

and there's games here where you can win prizes and coupons!

oh, and I said "two trains" well, the other one is a different story and will go live on February first, so please come back a little later 

:) 

I can give you a sneak peek however:

well, hoping that was enough for you to want to come back! Enjoy and see you at MScraps... I'm also hosting a game there during the celebrations... FUN!!! 

If one Blog Train is good, isn't two better?

Remember that old mathematical puzzle,

Two trains leave simultaneously from stations that are 360 miles apart. If one train is travelling at 40 miles per hour and the other is travelling 50 miles per hour, how far (along the track) from the nearest station will they meet?

Well, I have one much better for you!!!!

If one train leaves MScraps at 6PM GMT and the other train leaves Scrapflower also at 6PM GMT ... at what time will you be done collecting all the bits?

My station is up early because I'll be asleep by the time the train starts. So if the other stations aren't live yet, just come back a bit later or check out the Grand Central Stations at either: Memory Scraps or {scrapflower} or both, depending on your itinerary for this weekend!!



First, Memory Scraps's Train......

You probably came here from Fanette Design's facebook page... isn't her stuff just GORGEOUS???

I am sure you are having a wonderful time on this journey... what an amazing array of goodies to be picked up along the way!!!

This is what you will end up with, how amazing is THAT???????

I made a template for you again this year. I hope you like it
This is what it looks like:

and you can pick up the template in three formats:
PSD
TIF
PNG

If you feel like it, please come "like" me on my Facebook Page :) though you don't have to!
If you make anything with my template I'd love it if you could come post it on my page!! or come post in the MScraps Gallery!

Don't forget to stop by our forum, there's heaps of fun stuff happening this weekend, and lots of opportunities to earn shopping points!!!

Now, to be on your merry way towards the next destination of the Memory Scraps's Blog Hop, you will go visit Suzanne on her Facebook Page where you will pick up another wonderful item. :)

If you get lost along the way, you can go back to the start of the blog train, where all stops are listed, by going to the MScraps iNSD Central!

Hope you enjoy your journey.....

Thanks for visiting!



But wait, it's not finished..... there's the Scrapflower Blog Train/Facebook Hop too!!!!!!!



You probably came here from Flor's blog, hope you liked what you picked up! I love what she made!

We have two previews for you to show you what you will end up with when you are done travelling...

and

(not all elements, papers, etc. shown - there too much stuff here to stick on the previews)

I made a template, albeit a different one, for Scrapflower's blog train as well.

and you can pick up this template in three formats as well:
PSD
TIF
PNG

I'd love it if you show me anything you made with my template on my Facebook Page :) you can "like" me while you're at it if you feel like it :)
Don't forget to come and have fun with us on the Scrapflower forum, there's heaps of fun stuff happening this weekend here too!!!


Your next destination on this Scrapflower Blog Train/Facebook Hop is Franny's Blog where you will pick up more goodness!!!

If you get lost along the way, you can go back to the start of the blog train, where all stops are listed, by going to the MScraps iNSD Central!

Thanks for stopping by!

Maria's Nutritious and Delicious Journal: The Cholesterol Myth

Two very good articles on Maria Emmerich's site about cholesterol


The Cholesterol Myth and Cholesterol Part 2 - What Causes Coronary Artery Disease (CAD), there is a third section coming too.

I have a Facebook freebie for you!

click here to go to my facebook page where you can pick it up

if you don't like facebook, you can pick it up here:

PSD, TIFF, PNG

Please show me what you make with it if you make anything! 

Have a wonderful month of February!
I personally am looking forward to the very last day *grin*