I love using homemade products when I can and have really enjoyed experimenting with salves and skincare products. A few years ago I tried making my own tallow from beef fat and had a lot of learnings before I really had a recipe that I could reproduce with exact measurements. Today I’m ready to share…
A few years ago, I purchased some pig fat from a local butcher so I could experiment with making lard. Many of us cook regularly with Crisco but want a more natural product that is closer to our roots. The process of rendering pig fat and turning it into lard is not complicated and doesn’t…
Each year I can a few more vegetables, make more jellies, and preserve more from my garden. There’s nothing quite as tasty during the cold months of winter as homemade jelly, salsa, or green beans from the garden. But before the first seed gets planted in the garden, I need to take an inventory of…
Are you tired of buying huge bags of cotton balls or makeup remover pads that you use once and then toss in the trash? If you are ready to step up your game and create a bit less trash each day, then you might be ready to make your own homemade make-up remover pads. These…
A little over a year ago I assembled my first greenhouse and started a journey of learning how to grow things in the winter. As we close the month of December season, I am excited to share some of my upgrades and updates. One of my favorite things to do each day is to spend…
Last week I had a couple of apples and oranges that were past their prime and were no longer good to eat. Instead of throwing them out, I decided to slice and dehydrate them to add to a simple simmer pot potpourri. Now my home can smell warm and cozy each day of the holiday…
Every summer we buy watermelons and eat the inside and toss the rind in the compost pile. But this year I decided to try something new. I decided to see what pickled watermelon rinds taste like. If you are a fan of sweet, crisp pickles, then you will probably love pickled watermelon rinds. They are…
I love creating salves and jellies using things I grow in my own yard. Today I’m sharing 2 great salves using rose petals, mint leaves and pansies. For these two salves, I’m using almond oil, beeswax and shea butter but you can use any mix of basic salve ingredients that you have on hand. Do…