Archive | Handmade RSS feed for this section

Make it yourself Monday: Non-toxic Toothpaste

Sorry for being M.I.A. the past few days.  After I bought a new battery for my laptop, the cord went too and I had to order it which only took 2 days by the way.  I had taken my laptop to the guys at the Geek Squad and they helped me figure out what was the problem but the cord they sold was $90!!!  I got one on Amazon for $8 plus shipping…oh yeah!!

So back to blogging.  Today is Monday which means another make it yourself project.
IMG_7346

We have been using homemade toothpaste for 5 years now and let me tell you, once you get used to it, it is hard to go back to the super strong and chemical laden stuff they call toothpaste at the store.  NOTE: PLEASE, I did say please, IF YOU POST MY RECIPE TO YOUR BLOG PLEASE,  DO NOT TAKE CREDIT FOR IT.  IT HAS TAKEN ME YEARS TO PERFECT AND I AM SHARING IT WITH YOU out of love!

Most of these ingredients you should have in your pantry already, if you don’t, go out and buy them!  Baking soda and coconut oil have sooo many uses and who doesn’t have peppermint essential oil in their cupboard, lots of stuff you can use that for too.  If you are using them for lots of other things around the house then the only thing you have to invest in is the Zylitol which will last you about a year or two and costs about $8.00 making this tooth paste good for your mouth and your pocket.

What you need:
-8 tbsp non-aluminum baking soda (I use Bob’s Red Mill)
-4 tbsp organic coconut oil (warm it to make it liquid)
-10 tsp Zylitol powder (a natural and good for your teeth sweetner) we put it through the Vitamix to make it a powdered sugar before adding it but we used it straight out ot the package for many years without anyone complaining.
-6 to 8 drops Peppermint Essential Oil unless you don’t need mintyness in which case you could use another oil or just leave it out all together)  This girls needs some minty in the mornin’.  Just saying!  You could also put orange essential oil in your toothpaste.  Orange helps to brighten your smile.  You could also make a Theives version for keeping gums and teeth as healthy as possible.  (NOTE***  If you use essential oils in your body and care products please use one that you have done your homework on.)
-Something to keep your tooth paste in like a mason jar or bottle.

*Edit* Many of you have emailed me about the saltiness of this toothpaste.  You can add as much zylitol as you feel it takes to make this sweeter.  The zylitol does not dissolve right away so you will feel it in there.  As I noted above, you can put it through your food processor or grinder to make it a fine powder.   We spent years brushing baking soda, salt and peroxide so the saltiness does not bother us.  I have received emails saying they added up to 10 tablespoons of zylitol to make it sweet enough, again…up to you*

In a bowl mix together your baking soda and zylitol and make sure there are no lumps
IMG_7345

Zylitol looks just like sugar doesn’t it.  It is also very sweet and has a cooling action in your mouth

Add the coconut oil and peppermint essential oils.  Mixa mixa until it is all incorporated. Put your toothpaste in whatever container you are going to use.  If you didn’t put the xylitol through the blender, let it sit for a few hours before you use it the first time so the zylitol can dissolve some. Happy brushing!
 I have never had this go rancid or bad on me, if you are worried about that you could keep it in the fridge but like I said… it has never gone bad.
Disclaimer:  I am not a dentist and this recipe is my own creation which you use at your own discretion.  Education is our strongest weapon.  In my opinion (and everybody has one) medical professionals are taught to follow the book and that book has too many bad chapters for me.  If you keep reading there will be some preachy stuff about toothpaste : )

Whanna know what is in your toothpaste? Most probably toxic fluoride, glycerin, petroleum dyes, sweeteners, sodium lauryl sulfate, unsafe preservatives and lots of other harmful ingredients that actually damage your teeth and health!  Most tooth products use glycerin as its base (glycerin causes the solution to be thick instead of runny.) Glycerin dries out the pulp of your teeth and causes sensitivity in the teeth. Glycerine is in all tooth pastes and so sticky that it takes 27-30 washes to get it off. Teeth brushed with any toothpaste are coated with a film and CANNOT PROPERLY REENAMELIZE. Our teeth were they healthy were designed to re-enamalize while we sleep  but since they are coated with stuff we put there at bedtime to keep our teeth clean and healthy they cannot.

Test it for yourself, go to your local organic store and take 10 or 20 minutes to pick up every natural, organic, or regular toothpaste.  Everyone will have glyrcerin in it.  The owner of our local store was sure that could not be correct but she was surprised. These companies use fluoride to re-mineralize the teeth caused by the glycerin, and potassium nitrate to soothe the nerves.  Flouride is also a very toxic substance, it is a known nerve poison,  and most amazing causes cavities.  Hard to believe,  just do some research and you will quickly find it to be true. (phew, I am glad I got that off my chest! I wrote this 4 years ago and see my notes all the time reminding me that I have not shared this with anyone) Procrastinators are the most well intentioned people I know.

OK so I am now stepping off my soap box and returning you to your regularly scheduled program.

Comments { 66 }

Apron in a jiffy pattern / tutorial

As promised here is the apron tutorial.  You could seriously make this in 15 minutes…promise!  This is one of those projects that will give you a little boost if you are new to sewing.  I got my first sewing machine the year my now 11 year was born.  The first project I ever came up was this apron.

You will need:

Piece of fabric 18 x 22 inches wide
60″ twill tape
Coordinating sewing thread

 Fold the edge under 1/4th of an inch and then fold it under again and iron around three sides of your fabric. Do not bother doing this to the top edge because it will be covered by the twill tape.

 Sew close to the edge all the way around your three folded down sides

 Fold the twill tape in half to find the center and match it up to the center of the fabric, lay on top of the twill

 Fold over the twill tape and pin in place across

 sew from the start to the end of the apron top. (hint, to secure your stitch always back stitch on your beginning and ending stitch)  Cut any threads that are loose and you are DONE!

 I told you it was fast!  You could whip up a whole bunch in 30 minutes.  Aprons used to be an indispensable part of a woman’s daily life.  They were used to wipe hands, wipe children tears or dirty faces, wipe a sweaty brow in the garden, collect that days eggs, veggies or herbs and so much more.  I love to wear an apron, it makes me feel close to all the women in my family who have passed and wore them as a part of their outfit as a mother, wife, woman and farm hand.  I hope you make one and make part of your life too.

Comments { 2 }