By Andrea Green, Contributing Writer Cuticles are supposed to be soft. Mine are anything but. Thanks to cold, harsh weather, my cuticles are dry and cracked and messy. But the weather isn’t the only reason my cuticles dry out. I find if I’ve washed a lot of dishes, spent a day in the garden, or handled …
3 Simple Ways to Reduce Pinterest Overwhelm
By Nina Nelson, Contributing Writer If you were to search my Pinterest boards, you’d see a lot of DIY recipes for healthy living. Homemade soap, salves, cleaners, beauty products – you name it, I’ve pinned it. But I’ll let you in on a little secret … I don’t make most of the recipes I pin. At one …
9 Simple Ingredients That Will Clean Your Entire House!
By Emily McClements, Contributing Writer If you had to guess off the top of your head, how many cleaning products would you say you have in your house right now? You probably have a couple in the kitchen, several in the bathroom, several more multipurpose cleaners for around the house, and a few specialized products …
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10 DIY Gifts to Make for Kids
By Andrea Green, Contributing Writer Looking to avoid the commercialism of the holidays? Want to give a gift that is fun yet meaningful? Feeling crafty? I’ve rounded up 10 DIY gifts to make for kids. Some of these will require some basic sewing skills, but all of these are easy to whip up with inexpensive supplies. …
8 Tips for Spending Less and Giving More
By Nina Nelson, Contributing Writer A few years ago, our pastor showed a video at church that completely changed my approach to Christmas giving. The video was by a wonderful group known as Advent Conspiracy. They create thought-provoking videos to inspire change and a shift in mindset when it comes to Christmas. They have four main …
Make a DIY Bath and Body Gift Basket in 30 Minutes or Less
By Stacy Karen, Contributing Writer Homemade gifts are fun to give, but can seem overwhelming to make. I’m here to tell you that this does not have to be the case. It’s possible to give something made with your own hands without spending days getting it ready. My favorite method of creating homemade gifts, is the fast and …
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9 Hair Care Products You Can Make for Yourself
By Beth Ricci, Contributing Writer It’s routine for me now, but when I think about it I realize that I do a lot of DIY’ing. Mostly with kitchen and bathroom items. Sometimes it even feels as if I’m on a personal quest to put certain companies out of business. I mean, that would be a …
DIY Skin Soothing Salve
By Nina Nelson, Contributing Writer Living in the Central Oregon high desert, certain things are a given. There’s always, always a week of beautiful spring weather in April that you just can’t get used to because it’s inevitably followed by six weeks of cold. Summer is construction season and any road can be a target, no matter …
How to Make Your Own Furniture Polish
By Hilary Bernstein, Contributing Writer Always one to look for safe and simple ways to clean my home, I was really excited to finally discover a homemade recipe for furniture polish. For years I had used aerosol dusting sprays, simply because it was the way I had been taught to dust. Only after I started making healthier …
3 Easy-to-Make Centerpieces Under $5
By Andrea Green, Contributing Writer With the holidays right around the corner, many of us will be hosting friends and family for dinners, desserts, games, and festivities. [Tweet “Dressing up the table for the holidays can be both inexpensive and fun.”] First, you’ll want to enlist the help of your kiddos. Head out on a nature …
How I’m Learning to Make Incredible Artisan Bread (and a Giveaway So You Can, Too!)
Of all the foods we ate while on our trip, one that stands out most to me was the bread in France. It didn’t matter where we were. Rural town or large city, we would seek out a local bakery and get a fresh loaf each day. Sometimes we chose the large, rounded loaves with …
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Soothing Lemon Ginger Drink for Colds and Congestion
By Stacy Karen, Contributing Writer When it comes to colds and congestion, ginger and lemon pack a powerful punch. Ginger warms the body and is known to help with decongestion. It is also thought to boost circulation and the immune system. Lemon is high in vitamin C, has antibacterial properties, and is said to aid in breaking fevers …
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3 Easy Ways to Guard Your Health Before You Leave the House
Guest post by Nina Nelson Does your family get sick all the time? It doesn’t just feel like it – you literally say, “we’re sick again” at least twice a month. I’m sorry, friend. I know how it is, really. I used to say the same thing quite frequently. But not anymore. Now, illness just isn’t …
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Simple DIY Hand Sanitizer
By Leigh Ann Dutton, Contributing Writer I’m not a germaphobe. I think dirt is good, and I like to keep beneficial bacteria around. I believe these things strengthen the immune system, which is especially helpful as we come upon cold and flu season yet again. Needless to say, I’m not running around wiping everything clean 24/7, …
Cure Coughs Naturally {& 30 Other Home Remedies}
By Hilary Bernstein, Contributing Writer I’ve never been a fan of medications. Over the counter or prescribed … it doesn’t matter. After being prescribed antibiotics for a good two years of my childhood – and developing severe allergic reactions to them – I’ve preferred treating myself and my family with home remedies when sickness strikes. Since it’s …
How to Make (and Use) a Plantain Poultice
By Stacy Karen, Contributing Writer Chances are you will encounter some type of insect or bug bite during the summer. There are lots of ways to treat such bites, but today I want to share one very effective treatment that utilizes the wonderful herb, plantain. Many people hear the word “plantain” and think of a small banana-like …
Top 8 Essential Oils for Home Use
Guest post by Nina Nelson There are some crazes I steer as far away from as possible. Beanie Baby collections? Nah. Mullets? Shudder. Any comeback of ’90s fashion? No thanks. But essential oils? I’m shouting from the rooftops how much I love them. (OK, so mostly I’m just casually talking about them from my little …
Why I Quit No ‘Poo and My Beauty Routine These Days
When something isn’t working for me, I’m learning to stop the madness. Put down that boring book I’m halfway through. Switch up the daily routine to accomodate when I’m most productive or a toddler’s morphing nap time. Drop that homeschool curriculum that yes, I paid good money for, but is causing tears and friction each …
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Stocking Your Summer Medicine Cabinet (Plus 23 recipes)
By Jami Leigh, Contributing Writer As I scroll through my Pinterest board for home remedies, most of the things I see are flu remedies and cough medicine. While you might need these during the summer, it’s more likely that you will be hunting for bug bite spray, poison ivy salve, and sun burn relief. I …
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Frozen Banana Bites: The Perfect Summertime Treat!
Summer will officially arrive soon, and we simply cannot wait! In anticipation of “no more pencils, no more books” … we’ve already dusted off the ice cream maker and of course, our ice pop molds. That’s because making homemade frozen treats is one of my family’s favorite summertime traditions. In fact, the ice cream man has …
Simple Summer Salad Recipes {& Vinaigrette Dressings}
Guest Post by Marci Ferrell I do enjoy summertime with the abundance of fresh produce whether through a home garden, CSA, farmer’s markets or your local grocery store. I didn’t used to be a salad lover but it could be because a salad used to consist of head lettuce and ranch dressing. Not too healthy …
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Raspberry Coconut Popsicle Recipe
By Leigh Ann Dutton, Contributing Writer Go with me here. It’s a sticky kind of hot outside. Your t-shirt clings to your skin. The air is so thick you don’t just breathe the air, you eat it, chew it really. Sweat rolls down your spine, and you crave something sweet and refreshing – like a …
Perfect Peanut Butter Granola Bars
By Kresha Faber, Contributing Writer I absolutely love granola bars. They’ve been a favorite snack since I was a kid. Whether it’s a road trip, camping, hiking, a toddler snack in the diaper bag, or just to have something on hand for a mid-afternoon energy slump, granola bars always seem to fit the bill. They’re …
Chewy Chocolate Granola Bars (nut-free!)
Looking for a yummy, real-food homemade granola bar recipe? This is a great one! It’s nourishing and also allergy-friendly … no gluten, eggs, dairy, nuts or peanuts! By Jessica Smartt, Contributing Writer I don’t know about you, but it feels like my kids are always hungry! Come to think of it, my husband and I …