The holiday decorations are long gone, so why am I still finding pine needles when I vacuum?  Yes, I'm feeling the need for some pre-spring-cleaning. Try this cheap, non-toxic spray that also helps when the flu comes to visit! 

Anti-bacterial/anti-fungal 

Multipurpose Cleaner

Fill an empty spray bottle almost to the top with equal parts vinegar and water leaving enough room for 4 tbsps of lemon juice and 1 tbsp of tea tree oil.

 

If you feel the chills and aches of a cold coming on, try making some tea!

Ginger and honey are natural boosters of the immune system. Add lemon for vitamin C and the steam from a nice cup of tea and you'll be feeling better in no time.

Why does this make such a great cold-buster? Throughout history, ginger has been used to help with nausea, motion sickness, used as a remedy for colds and indigestion. Combine that with honey, long sought after for it's natural healing abilities, and you have a winning cold fighter.


Honey & Ginger Tea recipe

Ingredients:
* Ginger root
* Honey
* Lemon
* Boiling Hot Water

Instructions:
1. Cut an inch-size piece of fresh Ginger Root, peel and slice into chunks. Place into a teapot.
2. Add enough hot water for 4 cups of tea.
3. Add about 3 tablespoons of honey to taste.
4. Squeeze 1/2 of a lemon into the pot.
5. Let steep about 10-15 minutes.
6. Strain out ginger chunks, add more honey to suit your taste and enjoy!



To speed things up during cold season, make a batch of Ginger Honey to keep handy for a quick cup of tea, or as an addition to yogurt or toast. Keeps for about 2 weeks refrigerated.


Ginger Honey recipe

Ingredients:
* Ginger root
* Honey
* 8 oz jar with lid

Instructions:
1. Cut a 2 inch piece of fresh Ginger Root, peel and slice into chunks. Place into the jar.
2. Fill jar with honey, cover and refrigerate for 3-4 days.
3. Spoon honey out of the jar as needed. Keeps for 2 weeks.



NOTE: Due to the risk of infant botulism, a rare but serious form of food poisoning, never give honey to a child younger than age 1.

Natural Baby Wipe Spray

If you have a baby with sensitive skin (like I did), or just want to use something more natural, try this easy recipe to use instead of those store-bought diaper wipes.

Natural Baby Wipe Spray

In a measuring cup, combine:

¼ cup warm distilled water
¼ cup Aloe Vera Juice
1 teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar
1 teaspoon grated, unscented Castile soap

Stir until dissolved.
Add:
2 Tablespoons Jojoba or Calendula oil

Pour mixture into a spray bottle. Just shake, spray & wipe! Great for the nursery or for the diaper bag.

It's showtime!

I did my first show this weekend and really had a blast. Lot's of great folks from the Mother's Support Network http://www.motherssupportnetwork.org/ to meet and share stories with. Thanks for the great show!

New baby recipes on the way....

I've found a couple of new recipes to help any mom or dad (or grandma or grandpa...you get the picture) on the go. If you still have a little one in diapers, stay tuned! I'll be back with my results in a few days.

Making A Basic Herbal Salve

Herbal oils are wonderful for healing skin rashes, scrapes and scratches. If you are looking for a convinient way to store and apply these herbal enfusions, try making a salve. Almost any container will work, and then you can just toss your favorite salve into the baby bag, sports bag, suit case or your purse. Everything from lip healing salves to baby bottom salves can be made at home for a fraction of the cost, and with ton's of herbal healing benefits!

Here's how:

1 cup herbal enfused oil
2oz Bees Wax (grated or pellets)
4 capsules Vitamin E (puncture capsule with a pin and squeeze into salve)

1. Before starting, put a teaspoon in the freezer (you will use this in a minute). Also, have all of your ingredients handy before starting.
2. Heat (but do not boil) your oil - Use a crock pot on the lowest setting, a double boiler or carefully microwave in 30 second intervals. Add a few bits of Bees Wax to the oil and wait until it melts, then you know that it is hot enough to begin adding the rest of the wax.
3. Gradually add beeswax to the oil, stirring, and heat it until all the wax is melted. To test to see if your salve is hard enough, dip the cold spoon into the salve and test the thickness. If your salve is too soft, add more beeswax.
4. After you reach your desired thickness you can add Vitamin E oil (which works as a natural preservative).
5. Pour your salve into containers and label. The salve should have a shelf life of approx 1 year.

NOTE: If you ever see any black fungus or discoloration on your salve, you should throw away the whole container.

Chamomile works great for colds, coughs and sinus trouble

Looking for a safe, effective, natural treatment for stuffy noses and congested coughs? Make an old fashioned steam bowl with dried chamomile. The natural components in chamomile will help drain the sinus safely and the steam will help moisten the lung tissue and break-up mucus.

Instructions:

1. Run bathroom sink water until hot and steamy.
2. Turn off the water and place a large heat proof glass or ceramic bowl into your bathroom sink. Add about 1 cup of dried chamomile into the bowl and then fill it ½ full with hot water.
3. Have the child (or adult) stand or sit close to the sink and inhale the steam. You can place a light pillowcase over the bowl to create a steam tent. Inhale with mouth or nose several times. The steam will cause the nose to run and lung mucus to loosen, so keep tissues close by during your steam. Do this on & off for several minutes. You can repeat the process as often as you like.
4. After the water has cooled, strain out the chamomile flowers and use in the garden as compost.

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Caution: When making a steam, always play it safe and use a sink. Putting hot water into a large bowl may seam easier, but children can pull the bowl over on themselves, causing sever burns. Please- steam ONLY over a standard bathroom sink.

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