Posted on 07/24/2009 3:37:21 AM PDT by nw_arizona_granny
Weekly Roundup - Living On Nothing Edition Category: Roundups | Comments(15)
Did you hear about the guy that lives on nothing? No seriously, he lives on zero dollars a day. Meet Daniel Suelo, who lives in a cave outside Moab, Utah. Suelo has no mortgage, no car payment, no debt of any kind. He also has no home, no car, no television, and absolutely no creature comforts. But he does have a lot of creatures, as in the mice and bugs that scurry about the cave floor hes called home for the last three years.
To us, Suelo probably sounds a little extreme. Actually, he probably sounds very extreme. After all, I suspect most of you reading this are doing so under the protection of some sort of man-made shelter, and with some amount of money on your person, and probably a few needs for money, too. And who doesnt need money unless they have completely unplugged from the grid? Still, its an amusing story about a guy who rejects all forms of consumerism as we know it.
The Frugal Roundup
How to Brew Your Own Beer and Maybe Save Some Money. A fantastic introduction to home brewing, something Ive never done myself, but always been interested in trying. (@Generation X Finance)
Contentment: A Great Financial Principle. If I had to name one required emotion for living a frugal lifestyle it would be contentment. Once you are content with your belongings and your lot in life you can ignore forces attempting to separate you from your money. (@Personal Finance by the Book)
Use Energy Star Appliances to Save On Utility Costs. I enjoyed this post because it included actual numbers, and actual total savings, from someone who upgraded to new, energy star appliances. (@The Digerati Life)
Over-Saving for Retirement? Is it possible to over-save for retirement? Yes, I think so. At some point I like the idea of putting some money aside in taxable investments outside of retirement funds, to be accessed prior to traditional retirement age. (@The Simple Dollar)
40 Things to Teach My Kids Before They Leave Home. A great list of both practical and philosophical lessons to teach your kids before they reach the age where they know everything. I think that now happens around 13 years-old. (@My Supercharged Life)
Index Fund Investing Overview. If you are looking for a place to invest with high diversification and relatively low fees (for broader index funds with low turnover), index funds are a great place to start. (@Money Smart Life)
5 Reasons To Line Dry Your Laundry. My wife and I may soon be installing a clothesline in our backyard. In many neighborhoods they are frowned upon - one of the reasons I dont like living in a neighborhood. I digress. One of our neighbors recently put up a clothesline, and we might just follow his lead. (@Simple Mom)
A Few Others I Enjoyed
* 4 Quick Tips for Getting Out of a Rut * Young and Cash Rich * Embracing Simple Style * First Trading Experience With OptionsHouse * The Exponential Power of Delayed Consumption * How Much Emergency Fund is Enough? * 50 Questions that Will Free Your Mind * Save Money On Car Insurance
[links at link]
http://bohemianrevolution.com/7-reasons-to-eat-an-apple-a-day/
7 reasons to eat an apple a day
by Jen
Apples may not keep the doctor away all by themselves, but they have some awesome health benefits. Its best to eat them raw with the skin on that gives you the full benefit of the vitamins and anti-oxidants they contain. Another great alternative is to stick whole apples into a juicer seeds, skin and all and drink it fresh.
1. Fiber. One apple contains about 20% of the fiber you need to eat each day. This is both soluble and insoluble fiber. The two types help prevent cholesterol buildup and keep you regular, respectively.
2. Quercetin. Apples contain this flavanoid, which is a natural anti-histamine, and anti-inflammatory, and possible cancer preventative (studies are still being done, but it especially seems promising in preventing prostate cancer). This means eating apples may help with allergies, asthma and the stiffness and pain associated with inflammatory problems like arthritis. (Red onions are another good source of quercetin.)
3. Phytonutrients in apples also help prevent cholesterol buildup. They also seem to significantly slow down the growth of cancer cells, particularly in the colon.
4. Flavonoids appear to reduce the risk of lung cancer by as much as half.
5. Boron in apples is a trace element that strengthens bones.
6. Theyre also a source of vitamins A, B1, B2, C, Niacin, Calcium, Phosphorous, Magnesium, Iron and Potassium.
7. Theyre a better option than more sugary or fatty snacks. If youre on a doctor-advised low carb diet, the effective carbs in apples come out to about 17 for one apple, which isnt a small amount, but can probably be worked into your diet.
Other posts you might like:
* Bohemian Revolutions best of August
* Mayo Clinic says you only need 30 minutes of exercise a day to make a difference
* Sunday Dinner: Dijon Garlic Steak
* Delicious recipes for breakfast
http://bohemianrevolution.com/make-your-own-printed-curtains/
Make your own printed curtains
by Jen
Curtains are expensive. All you really need to keep your windows covered is some inexpensive cloth and curtain clips to hang it with. Theres also a way for you to personalize your cloth with a funky design without too much expense or effort (and its fun).
CraftChi shows you how to make rolling pin prints on paper or cloth. Youll need some supplies from an art or craft store, and it might take you a couple of tries to get the designs just the way you want. But its fun and addictive, too.
A couple of tips for doing this on cloth:
* Always test the design on paper first.
* You can spread multiple rows of paint on your plexiglass and roll the pin through them to get a rainbow effect.
* And
The Bohemian Twist
For a really cool effect, paint each section of the design on your roller by hand to make a complex multi-colored design. There are two challenges to this approach: getting the paint to the right thickness, and keeping the first sections wet while you paint the later ones. The second one is easy: just spray the drying paint with a fine mist of water to keep it wet. As for getting the paint thickness right, experiment to see what different thicknesses of paint do. You may want to try this on scrap cloth of the same texture youre going to hang as curtains to make sure youve got it right. Its better to go too thin than too thick: after printing the initial design, you can also touch up with a paintbrush.
Other posts you might like:
* How to add a little something to a letter youve already printed
* Tons of tutorials from Sew, Mama, Sew
* SavvySeams.com
* Printable rose recipe cards
* How to make a bedroom cozy
http://bohemianrevolution.com/delicious-recipes-for-breakfast-or-a-snack/
Delicious recipes for breakfast
by Jen
I eat one of the same two breakfasts every day these days, and I need to jazz up my routine. The internet is full of exciting recipes that are easy enough to make:
Triple Apple Muffins:
Fall food is the best. Heres a recipe full of fall flavor that Ive been tweaking for a few weeks. Makes 24 regular-sized muffins. I think golden raisins and walnuts would be a great addition. I think I might try this in a loaf pan too.
Best Biscotti Recipe:
My Grandmother would keep her breakfast bar stocked with this biscotti during the holidays. I remember how the aroma would fill up the whole house when she baked it. It smelled heavenly and tasted delicious. For me, this is the best biscotti Ive ever had.
Almond crusted French toast with strawberries:
An upscale version of French toast that is sure to impress. 4 big servings or 8 small ones.
Whole Wheat Blender Waffles:
This whole wheat pancake recipe recipe has been kid tested an several families. Kids tend to love these waffles and dont mind that they are whole wheat. Moms, youll like that the fact that these waffles are sweetened with apple sauce and just a touch of brown sugar. Oh, youll also like the fact that the batter for these waffles is easy to prepare. Simply throw everything in the blender and mix.
Those last two sites are full of other recipes for breakfast check them out!
Other posts you might like:
* 25 nut snack recipes
* Eating cheap: recipe roundup
* 13 Bulk Cooking Recipes
* Quinoa recipes
* Soba Spring Rolls recipe
http://bohemianrevolution.com/make-your-own-waterproof-outdoor-paints-stains/
Make your own waterproof outdoor paints & stains
by Jen
Instead of painting or staining your deck or outdoor furniture with an expensive waterproof products, you can blend your own waterproof milk paint or homemade water-repellent stain.
Milk paint is waterproof enough to use on the side of a building, and you create any color you want by using water soluble dyes. Stir two quarts of builders lime into four gallons of skim milk stir thoroughly. Stir in one gallon of boiled linseed oil. Then add the water soluble dye of your choice (artists pigments or RIT dyes will work fine). Strain the paint through cheesecloth to get lumps out. Use it within two days of mixing it.
You can also make a water-repellent stain when you want to let the natural wood grain shine through. Melt one-half pound of paraffin in a double boiler (dont use a regular pan paraffin is very flammable, and the double boiler protects you from having it go up in flames). To the melted paraffin, add three gallons of boiled linseed oil, two quarts of Penta concentrate, about two to six ounces of pigment (you may have to experiment to find the right amount for the color intensity you want), and one gallon of paint thinner or turpentine. Penta and turpentine/paint thinner are very hazardous materials follow instructions on the packaging very carefully.
Other posts you might like:
* Getting stains out of suede
* Cleaning blood stains out of clothes
* 11 Recipes to make your own glue
* Who knew making your own oil paint was this easy?
* How to prevent sweat stains
http://bohemianrevolution.com/5-uses-for-wax-paper/
5 kitchen uses for wax paper
by Jen
41OynTy26bL._SL160_Wax paper is wonderful stuff. Ever since I started trying to eliminate plastic from my kitchen, Ive really started relying on wax paper. I just keep finding more uses for it.
1. Keep cheese fresher longer. I love buying good quality cheese and trying new kinds all the time, but since Im the only one in my household who eats it, it would often spoil before I could finish it. I finally learned it was the plastic wrap cheeses come in that made this happen. When you first cut into a new wedge of cheese, immediately remove the plastic wrapped. Wrap the cheese in wax paper, which keeps it moist without ever letting it get sweaty. Now wrap that in tin foil and stick it in the fridge. My cheeses stay nice long enough for me to enjoy them at my leisure now.
2. Make a kitchen funnel. The easiest way in the world to make a quick, cheap, easy funnel is to cut squares of wax paper and roll them up. Stick one end in the neck of whatever you want to funnel the substance into, and let the top section unroll a little, so the top expands to make the funnel shape. Its great for pouring dry, wet, even sticky stuff through. And you can clean it up and re-use it (as a funnel or any other use you have for wax paper) rather than just recycling it immediately.
3. iStock_cakedecoratingPipe icing onto a cake. You can use a wax paper funnel to write on a cake with icing just as well as those icing funnel thingies you can buy.
4. Or freeze icing for perfect cake decorations. Instead of putting decorative icing directly onto your cake which sucks if you dont get it just right cut a piece of wax paper thats the same size as the cake. Pipe your decorations onto it. If you mess up, its easy to remove the offending bits of icing and re-do that section. Once its perfect, put it in the freezer for about 30 minutes. Now you should be able to loosen the icing from the wax paper with a spatula and put it on the cake. Once youve got it exactly centered, gently press it into the non-decorative icing just a little.
5. Line drawers. For easy cleanup, theres nothing you cant line with wax paper. Kitchen drawers, fridge drawers, tops of cabinets, the top of the fridge, etc. Every few months or even years, instead of having to scrub these surfaces, you can just remove the wax paper. I know, plain cleaning would be greener before nothing would end up in the recycling bin, but it youre only swapping out the paper once once or twice a year, its not so bad. And it has the advantage of keeping unsanitary liquids from seeping into wood.
6.
7. Line wooden cutting boards. You can also line porous cutting surfaces before slicing into raw meat to make extra sure any bacteria in the meat juice gets whisked away when youre done. (Again, a greener solution would be to get a glass cutting board, which cleans up incredibly easily, with no pores for anything to seep into. But this is still good to know.)
[All these posts have those blasted hidden urls in them]
http://bohemianrevolution.com/attract-pest-eating-bugs-to-your-garden/
Attract pest-eating bugs to your garden
by Jen
How do you keep bugs out of your garden without using pesticides? There are a lot of ways to go about this. One tried and true method is to put in your garden plants that attract pest-eating insects like bees and ladybugs. Note: if anyone in your household (or a very nearby neighbor) is highly allergic to bee stings, you may not want to attract bees just to be safe. Fortunately, there are plenty of other bugs to choose from.
Which plants attract which bugs?
FarmerFred has the scoop on this with a page listing helpful bugs and the plants that attract them. See also The Garden Helpers page on good bugs and Natural Life Magazines article.
Not every species of friendly bug lives in every region, so youll need to find out which ones are common in your area before you try attracting them. You may be able to find a website for your region by searching for a phrase like native bugs Florida. If that doesnt work, look for books at your local library. Or even simpler ask a local gardening shop what bugs you can expect to attract.
Is that bug/cocoon/egg an ally or an enemy?
Once you start attracting bugs, youll want to know how to tell friendly bugs from enemy bugs. DGSGardening has some great pictures of bugs to help you identify what youre looking at. Bugs are classified as friends, some bad habits and the enemy, according to what they do in your garden.
Daves Garden has a searchable database of 5,000 bugs, which is very helpful if you have some idea what your mystery bug might be.
More helpful links
* Pioneer thinking has several articles on attracting pest-eating bugs and other natural forms of bug control.
* Beyond Pesticides has lots of species-specific advice for natural bug control.
* HGTV has an article listing some of the best bugs.
Other posts you might like:
* Container gardening tips and resources
* Keeping cats out of your garden
* Getting free plants
* Apartment gardening
* The Drip-Bottle irrigation system
http://bohemianrevolution.com/free-book-templates-kids-can-make/
Free book templates kids can make
by Jen
Susan Kapuscinski Gaylord is a teacher and author whos put together a wonderful set of free templates with instructions that kids can use to make booklets out of recycled materials like paper, index cards, rubber bands, and sticks. There are nine templates on the website, and they go beyond the usual folder paper booklet we all probably made at some point in childhood. There are step books (like the one pictured here), accordion books, books that fold out into sections and more.
The instructions are written for kids to follow themselves (with notes about when they will need help from an adult). Many of them have some history about where that type of book originated in the world and what it was used for. The site is a really cool resource for parents and kids alike!
Other posts you might like:
* Free kids books online
* Make your own protective fabric book covers
* Bohemian Revolutions 10 Best of June posts
* Wacky Wednesday: Make a hollow book to hide stuff
* Free organizating ebook
[I like this one, and once would have already had it started, the cat in the photo looks exactly like Purr Baby, TT looks the same, but is somehow lighter in colors.
Of course, they will finish it with satin and satin pillows, LOL, I can see getting carried away with this one and I can see Cottonball’s beautiful Persians on a satin lounge.
Satin housecoats, in the old days were only a couple dollars at the thrift stores and had many yards of fabric in them....
granny
Links at the link........
http://bohemianrevolution.com/cardboard-chaise-lounge-for-the-cat/
Cardboard chaise lounge for the cat
by Jen
Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories has a warm and fuzzy project for you: how to make a cardboard chaise lounge for your cat.
Although we dont claim to understand it, a cat that has installed itself in a cardboard box is a happy cat. You can exploit this mysterious fact to make a your own simple corrugated cardboard cat bed like this one, designed as a kitty-sized chaise lounge. Since its just cardboard, its also easy to modify this basic design to suit your own (or your cats) taste.
Theyve got a downloadable pattern, instructions and some helpful photographs to walk you through all the steps to make your very own cardboard chaise lounge for the cat.
Other posts you might like:
* Make cardboard furniture for the kids
* Organization Roundup
* DIY car organizer box
* Keep coffee grounds fresh
* De-clutter tip garage shelves
[And when the cats all have a fancy spot to rest, you can make doll furniture for the kids, and a big box for a doll house, ask for a wall paper sample book at the hardware store or use contact paper.....
granny]
[Links at link]
http://bohemianrevolution.com/11-recipes-to-make-your-own-glue/
11 Recipes to make your own glue
by Jen
You can make your own glue even specialty types of glue at home with ingredients that arent hard to find or work with. This is cheaper than using the storebought stuff, and also allows you to make only as much as you need.
* Waterproof Glass Glue recipe works well for gluing pretty much anything to glass, and also metal to metal.
* Four recipes for basic glue, paste, Papier-Mache Paste and a no-cook paste recipe. You can add food coloring to these to interest kids in craft projects.
* Envelope or stamp glue four recipes for lickable glue that go well with making your own envelopes out of recycled paper.
* Another recipe for papier-mache paste.
* Two library paste recipes. Used for binding paper and paperboard. And theres a recipe for clear library paste on this page, as well as several other recipes for other kinds of glue.
Other posts you might like:
* How to seal an envelope with a glue stick
* Kids crafts for summer
* Wacky Wednesdays: How to Make Glue from Milk illustrated
* Fake your own stained glass window
* DIY car organizer box
http://bohemianrevolution.com/wacky-wednesdays-how-to-make-glue-from-milk-illustrated/
Wacky Wednesdays: How to Make Glue from Milk illustrated
by Jen
You never know when youll need glue but not have any. If you have the milk, vinegar, baking soda and a few tools, you can whip up a batch yourself.
Summer Pierre found the instructions online and decided to make this great, printable poster illustrating them.
You know, if there were more illustrated how tos like this, you could print them and put them on your walls for decor. Too bad I cant draw.
How to Make Glue From Milk
Other posts you might like:
* How to seal an envelope with a glue stick
* Almond milk is a great alternative to soy milk
* 11 Recipes to make your own glue
* Fake your own stained glass window
* Wacky Wednesday: Cassette tape wallet
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[many hidden urls in the bread recipe/article]
Easy and Cheap Home-Made Bread Print
Monday, 14th July 2008 (by J.D.)
This article is about DIY, Food, Frugality
I baked a loaf of bread yesterday. It was delicious. It was easy. It was cheap.
Last winter, I undertook a quest to find the best whole wheat bread in a grocery store. I like sandwiches and I like toast, so removing bread from my diet isnt an option. While trying to balance cost and nutrition, I eventually discovered Rainier Organics Sasquatch Grain & Seed Bread. At about 10 cents per ounce, this stuff is cheaper than all but the artificial everything breads. Best of all? Eating it is like eating a field of wheat.
Several people suggested that I might want to make my own bread. At the time, I dismissed the idea as crazy. I can remember my mother spending a lot of time kneading dough and shuffling loaf pans when I was a boy. I may be working from home now, but Im not interested in devoting my life to baked goods.
Minimalist bread
Still, there are few things better in life than a hunk of warm, crusty bread slathered with honey or jam. (Perhaps with a hunk of sharp cheddar cheese on the side.) So when Brad suggested insisted I try Mark Bittmans minimalist no-knead bread recipe, I took the plunge into home baking.
In this New York Times video, Bittman visits the Sullivan Street Bakery in Manhattans Hells Kitchen to learn the secret of great bread from owner Jim Lahey.
Turns out this bread really is so easy that anyone can make it. And the total cost? According to Andy at The New Cook, this bread costs about 63 cents per loaf, or about a nickel per ounce. Thats roughly the same price as the cheap artificial stuff in the grocery store, but youre getting a loaf of fresh, crusty bread. Thats tough to beat.
(For a great variation, check out SmarterFitters Four-Seed No-Knead Bread.)
A perfect loaf?
Cooks Illustated tackled this recipe in their January 2008 issue. While they admitted that it was easy, they didnt like the bland flavor and the unreliable rising. Using their methodology of relentless refinement, they added a bit of salt, reduced the water, and introduced a secret ingredient: beer.
Cooks Illustrated calls their version Almost No-Knead Bread, or No-Knead Bread 2.0. This bread is started on the first day and baked on the second. Other than planning ahead, its almost effortless and results in a wonderful chewy bread with a crunchy deep-brown crust. Heres the recipe (with some minor modifications from us):
Almost No-Knead Bread
* 3 cups unbleached flour (15 ounces)
* 1/4 teaspoon instant yeast
* 1-1/2 teaspoon table salt
* 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons water, room temperature or just slightly warm
* 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons mild-flavored lager, room temp and flat (note: we use a pale ale)
* 1 tablespoon white vinegar (note: we use white balsamic vinegar from Trader Joes)
Day one
If necessary, heat water and beer in microwave to make them closer to room temperature. Whisk flour, yeast and salt in a large shallow bowl. Add water, beer and vinegar. Using a rubber spatula, fold mixture, scraping up from the bottom until a dry, shaggy ball forms. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 8 to 18 hours, until the surface is covered with bubbles. Total time for day one: about ten minutes.
Day two
Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead 10-15 times. Wash out the dough bowl and lay a 12×18 piece of oven-safe parchment paper inside it and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Shape the dough into a ball by pulling edges into the middle. Transfer dough seam-side down to the parchment-lined bowl and spray surface with cooking spray. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until dough has doubled in size and does not readily spring back when poked with a finger (about 2 hours).
About 30 minutes before baking, adjust oven rack to lowest position and place a 6-8 quart Dutch oven (with lid slightly ajar) on rack to heat. Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
Lightly flour top of dough and use a very sharp knife to make one slit, 6 inches long and 1/2 inch deep. Carefully remove hot Dutch oven from oven and remove lid. Pick up dough by lifting parchment paper and lower into Dutch oven. Add lid and place in oven. Immediately lower temperature to 425 degrees and bake covered for 30 minutes. Remove lid and continue cooking 20-30 minutes longer, until the bread is a deep brown and sounds rather hollow when tapped.
Remove and transfer to a wire rack and cool to room temperature.
Total time for day two: about ten minutes.
For more on this recipe, check out the Cooks Illustrated web site, or visit Breadtopia (a blog devoted to bread!).
Delicious!
Kris and I have been making this bread for three months now, and its fantastic. Ill admit that its not the healthiest stuff (its little more than flour and salt, after all), but its delicious especially with home-made strawberry jam. Along the way, weve learned a couple things. If you have a good kitchen scale, for example, we recommend weighing the the flour rather than measuring by volume.
Also, in the winter, our house is too cold (54 degrees) for this to rise properly overnight, so we use a water/beer mixture that feels slightly warm to the touch to give it a kick start, then turn on the oven light and put the dough into the gas oven.
The cost for a single loaf of this bread runs about $1.50. The flour is about 60 cents, the yeast is about a quarter, the beer costs about forty cents, and the other ingredients cost a few cents each. So, for a little more than the cheap bread in the grocery store, you can have a loaf of actual artisan bread.
The real joy is the ease of this recipe and the sense of accomplishment from baking your own bread. Your friends will be impressed!
You may also be interested to read:
* Some Thoughts on the Return to Traditional Skills
* Daily Links: Daily Bread Edition
* Eating Organic on a Frugal Budget
* Garage Sale Bargains
* The Best of Get Rich Slowly: July 2008
59 Responses to Easy and Cheap Home-Made Bread
Several readers asked me to share my recipe, so I tracked down the cookbook that served as the original source for this Thai tuna salad. Its Thai Cooking Made Easy by Sukhum Kittivech (which contains both Chinese and English text). This is a no-frills cookbook, but its perfect for me. Just lists of ingredients, bare-bones descriptions, and photos of the finished product. And the food tastes great!
Heres the original Thai tuna salad recipe:
Stir together 1 Tablespoon fish sauce, 1 Tablespoon lime juice, 1 teaspoon brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon minced chili. Pour this sauce over 1 Tablespoon chopped green onion, 1 Tablespoon minced lemongrass, 12 mint leaves, and a total of 1-1/2 cups of shredded onions and celery. Mix these ingredients together. Drain 1/2 pound (225g) canned tuna and stir it into the mixture.
Note: To prepare the lemongrass, trim off the hard skin. Mince the upper tender portion.
The original recipe suggests using this tuna salad with rice or on small crackers as an appetizer, or using with lettuce to make a delicious sandwich. I opt for the delicious sandwich variation.
However, I usually make a couple of changes to the recipe. First, I always mince a clove or two of garlic and add them to the mix. Second, I dont always include the crunchy stuff; I often just use the liquid mixture (with the sugar and chili). Finally, I think the tuna salad ends up a little dry, so I like to double the fish sauce and the lime juice in the recipe.
Also note that the recipe calls for 225g of canned tuna, which is completely random, at least here in the U.S. Our cans of tuna contain roughly 140g of the stuff! I usually play with the proportions.
I guess what Im saying is: My kitchen philosophy is similar to my money philosophy. I believe you should do what works for you. That means taking this base Thai tuna salad recipe and experimenting with it until you find a variation that reflects your personal palate.
Note: This recipe is pretty darn frugal, and its actually fairly healthy. But if youre concerned about mercury in canned tuna, then proceed with caution.
Kris has been making her own Asian-esque food lately. She was hoping that since I like Asian cuisine (in fact, I say that if I was forced to eat only one kind of food, thats what Id want it to be), Id like one of her recent experiments: Asian-Inspired Quick Pickles from one of her favorite new blogs, Food in Jars.
These are crunchy refrigerator pickles; no cooking required. Unfortunately, since I cant stand cucumbers, shell have to eat these pickles all by herself. She thinks theyre pretty good and says its perfect for when you just have a small number of cucumbers not enough to process a full batch. Heres her adapted recipe based on the original:
* 5-6 pickling cucumbers (4-5 inch in length), quartered into spears
* 1 red chili pepper (or several if you like things hot)
* 1 cup seasoned rice wine vinegar (rice wine vinegar that has sugar & salt added)
* juice of 2 limes
* 3-4 scallions or shallots, chopped
* 2-4 garlic cloves, sliced thin
* 4 springs of cilantro, thai basil or mint roughly chopped
* 1/2 tsp pickling salt
Into an empty quart jar, put half the garlic and half the onions (shallots or scallions). Pack the cucumber spears into the jar so they stand neatly on end. Slide the pepper(s) between the cukes (on the outside of the jar so it shows up nicely). In a 2-cup measuring cup, mix the seasoned rice wine vinegar, lime juice, remaining garlic and onions, herbs and salt. Pour over the cucumbers. Screw a lid on the jar and give it a good shake.
Let sit for 24 hours and up to 3 weeks in the fridge. When all the spears are gone, you can add another set of speared cucumbers to make another batch.
So, there you have it! Two Asian-flavored recipes for these hot summer days. I love the tuna, and Kris loves the pickles. Hopefully youll love one of them or both!
[Links at link]
http://bohemianrevolution.com/oils-for-skin-care/
Oils for skin care
by Jen
In a recent article about making a new body scrub out of an old body wash or lotion, I mentioned in passing that you could always add some essential oils for scent. Eve asked if I knew of a list of oils that worked for various skin types and so on. I decided to compile some links and some of my own experience about using oils for skin care.
Oil has a generally bad reputation in skin care because commercial cosmetic makers used cheap petroleum-based which really arent good for skin. But better quality oils, especially organic ones that havent had all the nutrients sucked out by processing, can be fantastic (and inexpensive) for your skin and hair.
Please keep in mind that one persons skin can be very different from another, and even skin thats not particularly sensitive is surprisingly responsive to everything you put on it and everything you eat. There is always a chance youll experience a reaction, so use common sense: try one oil at a time, watch carefully for trouble, and contact a dermatologist if you want to play it really safe.
How much should you use?
Some oils can be applied right on the skin in whatever amount it takes to cover everywhere like the sesame oil moisturizer I mentioned earlier. These can be mixed in whatever ratio you want with your other ingredients.
But essential oils are more potent. Believe it or not, you want your essential oils to make up no more than 1.5% of any skin care application you use daily. Just a drop or two to an eight ounce container is often enough.
Jojoba Oil
Jojoba is one of the safest oils to use anywhere on your body, if youre concerned about breakouts. Its chemically very similar to sebum, the oil our skin produces, so the body tends to accept it without reacting badly. There are so many uses for jojoba, ranging from cleaning off eye makeup to conditioning your hair. It actually cleans pores, so no worries about clogging. But its a powerful, highly penetrative moisturizer, too. Ive used a lot of products with jojoba over the years and always had good results. Id forgotten about this one I think its time to buy a bottle of it and start using it in my own recipes.
Sesame Oil
Ive used sesame oil in place of moisturizer before all over my face and body. Its naturally antioxidant, anti-fungal, antibacterial and antiviral. Its the main ingredient in most commercially sold body oils (like Neutragenas Body Oil). Its a lightweight oil that absorbs quickly, doesnt clog pores, etc. By using pure sesame oil (the very same thing you would cook with), you cut out the preservatives and additives commercial formulas have and get all the benefits.
Tea Tree Oil
Tea tree oil is drying. It can be a great spot treatment for acne, and forms the basis of some commercial anti-acne products. I have combination skin and have found tea tree oil can be a little too drying, but many people with oily skin find it invaluable.
Lavender Oil
Now this is what I use to dry up pimples. Its drying but soothing and healing, all at the same time. You can dab lavender right onto a spot and it will not only dry up but heal rapidly and leave less scarring. I recommend this one if you have dry or combination skin with occasional pimples, but it can also be good for oily or acne-prone skin.
Chamomile Oil
Chamomile is a skin soother. It speeds healing time and softens the skin. For sensitive or stressed skin, chamomile renews tired cells.
Olive Oil
Olive oil is extremely deep-down moisturizing. Some people use olive oil directly on their skin as a moisturizer, but Im surprised because a dermatologist once recommended I take baths with olive oil every night for a few weeks, and stop when I started getting pimples. I did so, and it worked just as he suggested. Once I quit the baths, the pimples went away but my skin retained that moisture for months, maybe even years. It could be I had the pimple reaction because of specific skin issues that I have. I recommend olive oil, one way or another, but watch carefully for signs of irritation. If you cant use it directly on your skin, it makes a terrific ingredient or base for a product particularly a cleansing agent. Many Kiss My Face products have an olive oil base.
Emu Oil
Emu oil comes from the refined fat of the emu bird, so its not suitable if youre avoiding animal products. I havent personally tried it, but its known for having a high concentration of Omega 3 oils (the essential fats your skin needs) and penetrating the skin deeply.
Flaxseed Oil
If you dont want to use an animal product (or are put off by the high prices of Emu Oil), flaxseed oil has nearly as high a concentration of Omega 3 oils. It soothes inflammation and has healing properties. It helps prevent the clogging of pores. Its a good moisturizer, but it stands out even more on problem skin eczema, psoriasis or other inflammatory conditions.
More information
Leah R. Patterson of BellaOnline has an article listing her favorite skin care oils for dealing with acne. She tells you all about Sandalwood, Clary-Sage, Geranium, Tea Tree and Lavender and how she uses them.
Natures Gift has a long list of skin care issues and the oils that might help. A World of Aromatherapy has an even bigger list which includes more than just skin care issues (Im having a little trouble buying that rubbing any oil on your stomach will fix your constipation, but who knows).
Got some other oils?
If youve found other oils that are great for skin care, add your recommendations by leaving a comment.
Other posts you might like:
* Make liquid soap out of bars
* Recipe for homemade lip balm
* Turn an old lotion or body wash into a body scrub
* Three tips for sensitive skin care
* Bohemian Revolutions 10 Best of June posts
http://bohemianrevolution.com/turn-an-old-lotion-or-body-wash-into-a-body-scrub/
Turn an old lotion or body wash into a body scrub
by Jen
So you bought a lotion or body wash, and after a while you found something that smelled nicer, or the seasons changed and your skin needed something different. Now you have this half-used cosmetic product thats destined for the landfill.
Instead, make it into a body scrub. Lotions make a rich, moisturizing body scrub while body washes make a cleansing one. These can actually be much better than a lot of store-bought body scrubs because you get to control scent and texture.
The basic rule is to mix a tablespoon of your exfoliant per cup of lotion or body wash. The exfoliants you might want to try include:
* Ground walnuts or almonds. If you have a coffee grinder or food processor that can grind these up into tiny little specks, you can do this yourself (stop grinding before it turns into a paste). Otherwise, look for ground walnuts or almonds as a pre-sold food ingredient at grocery or health food stores. This makes for a fairly intense scrub which may be rough on some sensitive skin people, but is awesome on rough and dry skin.
* Ground oatmeal. Probably the best choice for sensitive skin. Oatmeal makes for a rather fine scrub still very effective, but gentle, and with all the soothing anti-itch, anti-redness properties of oatmeal.
* Ground apricot pits. Another rather intense scrub. Be very careful to get all of it ground up very fine watch for sharp pieces that dont get trimmed down to size.
* Corn meal. Another fairly gentle option for people with sensitive skin.
* Coarse salt. A really popular as a body scrub ingredient right now. It can be drying, so its only recommended for oily skin.
* Coarse raw sugar. Another really popular ingredient which works for combination and dry skin. The sugar polishes without dehydrating.
* Old coffee grounds. This is a nice bit of recycling keep old coffee grounds to use in scrubs. The caffeine smooths cellulite as well as polishing skin.
Thats really all you need to do add your ingredients together, and have fun. But if you want, you can also add:
* Vitamins. Try a couple of capsules of E or crush tablets of A or C, and mix that up in your scrub.
* Essential oils. Its important to do research rather than just add what smells nice. For example, lavender essential oil is drying great as an acne spot treatment, but not ideal for dry skin. Start with just a drop or two youll be shocked how much scent some oils provide. Vanilla extract is a great choice, too.
Other posts you might like:
* Bohemian Revolutions 10 Best of June posts
* Repurpose your old shampoo bottles
* Oils for skin care
* Bohemian Revolutions greatest hits from May
* Springtime soaps and scrubs you can make yourself
http://bohemianrevolution.com/springtime-soaps-and-scrubs-you-can-make-yourself/
Springtime soaps and scrubs you can make yourself
by Jen
soap-and-basilSpotlight Post: The Scentual Life: Make your own springtime body products
Read on for recipes to get your skin ready to be bared, with scents to bring the fresh springtime air right into your bath.
These recipes are for soap, body scrub and a hair perfume/tonic you can make yourself. If youve never made soap before, heres our guide.
http://bohemianrevolution.com/how-to-make-your-own-soap/
[I buy/bought a soap base known as “Melt and Pour”, you can add things to it, even colors, milk, oils, oatmeal and the list is endless.
I am out of date on prices, but was paying about $2.00 a pound and thankful that i bought several pounds, for I would hate to say that I could not afford soap, but at today’s prices, we may soon be using the timeless method of sand and water.
granny
http://www.aarp.org/community/groups/displayTopic.bt?pageNum=1&groupId=21772&topicId=3841451
NOTE: The following was based on 1999 prices - You will need to increase the plan to $10.00 now to come close to meeting the goal. Also note that this is an absolute minimal diet to last one year - rationing would be extreme, and you may want to substitute other items. Cream of Mushroom and Tomato Soup is not really a great diet, I would make some changes. DW
- - - - - - - - - - - -
$5.00 Dollar a week Food Storage Plan
**As a heads up, you may want to make the kitty $7 as there were times
that not even the weekly rollover was enough to make that weeks
purchase.
Set aside $5 a week to buy the specific items each week. You will have
a kitty set aside that you put the $5 in and you can’t touch it for any
reason but to buy the food storage item for that week. Put in the
remaining change back into the kitty. Some things in the beginning are
going to be cheap and then later will be more expensive. In order to
pay for the expensive stuff later you need to keep the leftover money
in the kitty. Weeks 38 and 44 you will have “off” to replenish the
kitty.
Week 1: 2 cans tuna fish, 2 boxes salt
Week 2: 5 boxes of Macaroni and Cheese
4 cans tomato soup
Week 3: 3 cans mushroom soup,
1 2.5 lb peanut butter
Week 4: one bottle 365 count multi-vitamins
Week 5: 4 cans tomato soup, 1 10 lb powdered milk
Week 6: 1 bottle aspirin (500 tablets)
Week 7: 1 100 lb container wheat
Week 8: 1 5 lb powdered milk
Week 9: 1 5 lb honey
Week 10: 4 cans tuna, 4 boxes macaroni and cheese
Week 11: 1 10 lb sugar, 1 box salt
Week 12: 4 cans mushroom soup
Week 13: 1 bottle 365 count multi-vitamins
Week 14: 1 100 lb wheat
Week 15: 1 box macaroni and cheese
Week 16: 1 5 lb honey
Week 17: 2 cans tuna, 4 can tomato soup
Week 18: 1 10 lbs sugar
Week 19: 1 100 lbs of wheat
Week 20: 2 10lbs of sugar
Week 21: 1 10lb powdered milk
Week 22: 1 can mushroom soup, 1 10 lb sugar
Week 23: 1 can tuna, 4 cans tomato soup, 1 10 lbs sugar
Week 24: 1 10 lbs sugar
Week 25: 2 cans tuna, 2 cans mushroom soup
Week 26: 1 100 lb wheat
Week 27: 3 10 lbs sugar
Week 28: 1 10 lb sugar
Week 29: 1 10 lb powdered milk
Week 30: 2 10 lb sugar
Week 31: 1 can tuna, 3 cans mushroom soup
Week 32: 1 can tuna, 4 cans tomato soup
Week 33: 1 100 lb wheat
Week 34: 2 cans tuna, 1 box salt
Week 35: 1 10 lb powdered milk
Week 36: 2 10 lb sugar
Week 37: 4 cans tomato soup, 2 boxes salt
Week 38: Stash $5 in the kitty
Week 39: 1 100 lb wheat
Week 40: 1 10 lb powdered milk
Week 41: 3 10 lb sugar
Week 42: 2 cans tomato soup, 1 10 lb sugar
Week 43: 2 cans tomato soup, 2 cans mushroom soup
Week 44: Stash $5 in the kitty
Week 45: 1 10 lb powdered milk
Week 46: 4 cans tomato soup, 4 cans mushroom soup
Week 47: 1 10 lb powdered milk
Week 48: 4 cans mushroom soup, 1 10 lb powdered milk
Week 49: 7 cans of tomato soup
Week 50: 7 cans of mushroom soup
Week 51: 2 10 lbs sugar, 1 box salt
By the end of the 52 weeks, you should have:
700lbs of wheat,
240 lbs sugar,
40 lbs of powdered milk,
13 lbs of salt,
10 lbs of honey,
5 lbs of peanut butter,
45 cans of tomato soup,
32 cans mushroom soup,
15 cans tuna fish,
10 macaroni and cheese dinners,
500 aspirin, and
730 multiple vitamins
They suggest adding 6lbs of dried yeast and 6 lbs of shortening and
this should be enough to sustain 2 people for a year. For every 2
people you have in your family add $5 more and double or triple the
amount of whatever you are buying that week.
http://www.survival-training.info/downloads/5_dollar_a_week_food_storage_plan.pdf
>>> $5.00 Dollar a week Food Storage Plan <<<
Thank you for this post,, I encourage everyone to read this and plan accordingly..
GLOBAL WARMING ALERT == Snow in WNC Saturday night & Sunday.. even here in the southern mtn received from .5 - 2.0 + of snow,, on OCT 17th... early snow and cold.. but what about the North snow storms...from poconos- north.. wow..
Here is something that goes along with the food storage..
Jim Rogers likes rice, sees food catastrophe looming
Posted: Sat October 17, 2009 4:44 pm
(Excerpt)
INTERNATIONAL. Legendary global investor and chairman of Singapore- based Rogers Holdings, Jim Rogers said the lack of supply in agricultural products is especially concerning.
This cycle may last for many years as no one is bringing new supply on stream, Rogers said.
In a Yahoo Finance video clip Rogers explains the reasons he is bullish on agricultural commodities. As he sees it, “most agricultural products are still depressed on a historic basis.”
“The story is not over, not for a while,” he said.
“I don’t see any reason it’s going to be over for a few years because no one is bringing new supply on stream.”
“A catastrophe is looming,” he says. “The world is going to have a period when we cannot get food at any price in some parts of the world.
Full Article:
http://www.bi-me.com/main.php?id=41114&t=1&c=35&cg=4&mset=1011
Thread:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2365963/posts
Thanks for the ping. Sometimes I lose track of this thread-it gets buried in my ping list.
>>> Thanks for the ping. Sometimes I lose track of this thread-it gets buried in my ping list. <<<
You are welcome, I feel so sad just posting bad stuff , but it’s like a swarm of mad hornets.. everywhere..
I guess the closer the storm, the tighter the hatches are battened down.
Mostly, I just want to wake up from this re-occurring Nightmare..
We have to keep in mind that we are currently one crop failure away from mass starvation across the globe. Added to that is the projected global population growth that is increasing rapidly.
Not a pretty picture...
On another subject..... Anybody heard from Granny?
Last post was Saturday night...
Starting to get worried.
Went to BJ’s today. Promised hubby that I wouldn’t join as I said I would never pay anyone to be able to buy their goods. So immediately, I got the sales pitch-pay $45.00 to join, get the first $45.00 in goods free-use a $10.00 coupon on first purchase-also a packet of coupons which I redeemed for nearly another $20.00. I found prices not much better than Walmart and it was necessary to buy in very large quantities. (that I liked as I am trying to stock up) Anyhow,I came home with a carful of staples for my pantry and tonight I feel I am doing my part to prepare for whatever might be coming.
Hope we hear from Granny soon and find her absence is due to another computer glitch.
WOW - Let’s see... Sounds like they are paying you $30 net for shopping there. Well, that should buy you a 25# bag of flour, a 25# bag of sugar and a 25# bag of rice ...
I second your hope that Granny is just having computer problems... Just wish there was some way to check in on her and help when necessary.
Just tried finding Granny’s phone # - tried it several times and keep getting busy signal. Could be she is online (which I hope is the case) or it could be something wrong.....
Will keep trying to get through.
>>> Will keep trying to get through. <<<
just checked in and read your posts
I sent granny an awol notice and will contact back when I hear anything .. you do same..
freepmail is intermittent and was not working earlier when I took a nap..
>>> Will keep trying to get through. <<<
Just made contact with Gr and she will probably be on later.
GOOD ‘OLE JOE SAYS IT ALL !!
“It’s a DEPRESSION...”
( Like we Didn’t know... how will the SRM spin this one ?? )
Link here:
GLOBAL WARMING ALERT !!!!
Statement as of 09:38 am EDT on October 19, 2009
... Record low temperature set at Charlotte NC...
a record low temperature of 30 degrees was set
at Charlotte NC this morning.
This breaks the old record of 31 set in 1948.
link:
http://www.wunderground.com/US/NC/071.html#REC
(Co2 gas before I was Born )
“Damm them ‘A models and Studebakers “ (Algore as a baby )
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