Sews2Reap

Let's talk about Epsom salt. This simple inexpensive product is so underrated!  Epsom salt will give you a good magnesium boost and is great to soothe tired muscles and relax before bed. My son often soaks in an Epsom salt bath when he has a bad headache. Studies show magnesium is vital to our health . Here is a great article explaining some of the benefits.  Medical News Today: Magnesium.   I love to do at home pedicures. I use a cheap plastic foot tub. Start by c overing the bottom with Epsom salt.  Next, add a few drops of essential oils to the top of the salt before I drop in the water.  Choose oils that will support you at that moment. If you need to relax, try lavender or peace and calming. Feeling a little under the weather add thieves oil. Need some respiratory support, add eucalyptus and peppermint. This time I used Tea Tree, Sclaressence, and Clary sage. They smell great, and I need their particular kids of support this night. ...

It is time to start our spring garden. The picture above is from last year. I am so excited for fresh veggies and herbs! I try my best to keep my garden organic and toxin free. We have lots of grubs in our beds. Every spring we turn over the soil, remove the weeds and grass (to the best of our abilities) and remove the grubs. The grubs are really larvae of harmful insects that munch on my plant's roots! Then we amend the soil with manure, and topsoil.  Diatomaceous Earth is a great option for insects. It is safe for people and pets but deadly to creatures with an exoskeleton. It is made from crushed up remains of diatoms, which are fossilized shell creatures.  It is a lot like powdered chalk. You don't really want to breathe it in. I sprinkle it on the bed below the plants and use a bottle to puff it out onto the leaves. Don't overdo it though. The plants can do their photosynthesis thing if you cover them to heavily!  The other thing you have to worry...

I try to order a new product every month. This is my new oil of January.  I am loving it! Neroli is steam distilled from the bitter orange plant. It has been used for skin care and perfume for hundreds of years.  The scent is light and lovely. I bought it to support my aging skin but it has many other uses too including emotional support. It can be applied directly to the area you want to support. I like to use it in my skin serum recipe. (This is similar to Debra's Drops of Gold recipe. You can find the recipe at the bottom of the page. I modified it to the oils I have and you can too.) Right now I don't have Rose or 3 Wise Men, so I used the neroli and myrrh; about 10 drops each.  A few other oils that are great for your skin are Elemi (Franks less expensive cousin), Bergamot, and Ylang Ylang.  Use the serum nightly on your freshly cleansed skin, then apply any other moisturizers, if needed, once it has soaked in. ...

Sheet masks are everywhere in every price range. I have found they can be an amazing addition to a beauty routine.  The best one I have ever used is this one. It is the ART Beauty Masque from Young Living. My skin looked amazing after using it. The mask (masque) is actually quite large and you can trim off the excess and apply it to your neck!  So why make your own when there are so many available? Price and targeted support! Why would you want to use a sheet mask? They are easy, not too messy, can be done at home, and really do nourish your skin if you choose the right ingredients!  Here is how it works. Buy dry, plain sheet masks. The ones in the picture are from Diaso. They can be ordered from Amazon for $6.45 for a dozen. I think I paid about half that at the store. These masks feel like fabric and are made of cotton. Start with a clean face. I seldom use a foundation and my favorite way to clean my face at the end of the day is...

We grow a garden nearly every year. I am not an expert just a hobbyist gardener who loves fresh veggies . My hubby is Cheif Gardener, I am sort of Queen of the Garden. That means he does most of the tough work and I water and harvest.  😉  This year, he reinforced the beds he made 4 years ago, weeded, and amended the soil. Then we bought plants (we have done from seed too but not this year) and I got the fun job of planting. I love that part!  We have marigolds and geraniums as companion plants in the beds with the veggies. They help attract pollinators and detract beetles and they a attractive.  cucumber same beds different angle Not only did he work on the vegetable beds, but he removed overgrown juniper from the front flower beds, and three diseased rose bushes. The beds at the front of the house got a makeover too!  Another of my favorite things about summer is all the hanging baskets and pott...

French vintage advert "Keep Smiling" I love to DIY personal products!  I make my own lotions, creams, bug spray, lip balm, soaps, and on and on and on... When I had my first child over 19 years ago our pediatrician told me not to use baby powder on my child. He said they can easily breathe it in and it isn't good for their system. Use cornstarch or another natural product our bodies can break down.  Well, it was great advice then and is still is. I have been playing with my dusting powder recipe lately. For years I have just used corn starch.  I have to use a power of some kind, my skin is sensitive and I easily rash (TMI).  I tried adding a tad of baking soda to make it more absorbent and odor fighting. Let me say it was a  big mistake. First, it was grainy and not smooth. Even with just a tsp of baking soda to a cup of cornstarch. Second, my skin hated it, it was irritating for me.  So here is what I have landed on....