Happy Hearts At Home

We Are Ready...

2009-07-15T21:41:00.004-04:00

The rest of my curriculum came in for my son's sixth grade year. I had purchased much of it on ebay during the past two years, so I was just missing some odds and ends. The science was new this year, and I had to buy this retail. The shelves are full of all sorts of knowledge and wisdom, just waiting to be absorbed. The pencils are sharpened and erasers ready! Ahh, I love the smell of new books.

All I've got left is to file my paperwork, and send in his testing materials.

Rebatched Some Soap Today

2009-07-15T14:03:00.004-04:00

If you don't want to make soap from scratch you can rebatch it, and personalize the soap with your own additives like softeners, fragrance, and exfoliates.

I ordered a pound of goat's milk soap from a soap maker and Nubian goat farmer. I thought I'd use it "as is", but it smelled goaty. In fact, I could smell nothing else except the goats. I like goats very much, but I don't want to smell like one.

I rebatched my soap by heating it on the stove in a pot with a little milk, beer, and black strap mollasses. I plan to use this soap as shampoo bar as well. The beer adds body to hair and the molasses conditions.

As it melted down, I stirred frequently, and added more milk/beer if it was getting too sticky and dry. It will melt more quickly if you chop the soap into small pieces, or better yet, grate it. If you melt chunks, you'll need to squish the soap against the sides of the pot with a fork or use a potato masher as it melts in order to help it along. Once it melted, I added some chocolate, cardamon, pumpkin spice, cake spice, and mint. Then the mixture was poured into my greased mold. I used cupcake pans because that's what was readily available.

I kept adding scent to this mixture, but there was still a hint of goat. We'll see what it smells like when it is cured. It takes large quantitites of fragrance to scent soap. I will need to set it aside for up to four weeks for it to harden. Curing the soap allows the moisture to evaporate making for a harder soap.

Clean up was easy, and I didn't waste the left over soap clinging to the sides of the pot. I added water, liquefied it, and put it in a liquid soap dispenser.

This was kind of a pain, especially trying to scent the soap. I had better luck rebatching soap for this cupcake soap.

Free Vintage Downloadable Fifth Grade Reader

2009-07-14T23:13:00.005-04:00

I was listing this fifth grade reader on my other blog, Happy Hearts Homeschooling Library when I came across the following passage in a fifth grade reader:

"Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth upon this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation—or any nation so conceived and so dedicated—can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We are met to dedicate a portion of that field as the final resting-place of those who here gave their lives that that nation might live.

It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it far above our power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember, what we say here; but it can never forget what they did here.

It is for us, the living, rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they have thus far so nobly carried on. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us; that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here gave the last full measure of devotion; that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain ; that this nation shall, under God, have a new birth of freedom; and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

The Gettysburg address never ceases to be moving every time I read it. I hope they still teach this in our schools today. Lots of good stuff in this old reader.

All Natural Re-creation: Marie Antoinette Perfume

2009-07-14T15:09:00.016-04:00

BellaSugar.com writes that Marie Antoinette Sillage de la Reine perfume was created by French perfume maker Francis Kurkdjian, who recreated Marie Antoinette's signature fragrance. It retails for $900 for 25 ml or $450.0o at the Versailles gift shop for a smaller amount; profits go to the restoration of Versailles. Or if you want the perfume decanted into Baccarat crystal, the cost is a mere $11,000! Reportedly, this perfume was made using only natural scents and 18th century perfumery techniques.

Kurkdjian based his work on A Scented Palace: The Secret History of Marie Antoinette's Perfumer by Elizabeth Feydeau. "The book explores the notes of the queen's Versailles perfumer, and from this information Kurkdjian was able to recreate her beloved scent."

According to a Washington Post article , Elisabeth de Feydeau, a historian and professor at the Versailles School of Perfumes, "made possible the revival effort with her discovery of the recipes for Marie Antoinette's favorite fragrances among musty boxes of centuries-old documents warehoused by the French government. "

I also like to make my own scents(cologne) using natural essential oils(no synthetics), and I've been wanting to try something a little more complex. BellaSugar mentions that Marie Antoinette Sillage de la Reine perfume "contains rose, iris, cut jasmine, tuberose and orange blossom. Woody touches of cedar and sandalwood are also present, with the sandalwood more fragrant to my nose than the cedar. Additionally, it has notes of Tonkin musk (that's, um, the content of Himalayan goats' glands) and grey amber." This article mentions that the perfume also has feature notes of orris, lavender, violet, bergamot, ambergris, and oily galbanum."

I will research essential oil substitutes for expensive or hard to find scents, but I should be able to make a version of this perfume. I have no clue what the fragrance smells like, nor do I have a recipe, but it will be fun trying to recreate history in my own little way. I'll just use my imagination when putting together this regal scent.

A few other royal fragrances(ingredients loosely interpreted) for brain storming cologne recipes:

Eau de Fleurs d’Oranger du Roi, Louis XV - citrus with a touch of ambergris, bitter orange, lemon, neroli, orange, ambergris, and petitgrain.

Eau de Cologne/Aqua Admirabilis: lemon, neroli, petitgrain, lavender, and rosemary.

Eau de Coquette(Madame du Barry): angelica, nutmeg, rose, orris, carnation, ambergris(base), orange, and jasmine.

Eau de la Favourite: orange and lemon, orris, Iris(wild carrot), and mace.

Cyprian(originally a wig powder scent): bergamot, clary sage, orris, violet, oakmoss, and Rose.

Eau de Trianon: orange, lemon, rose, jasmine, orris, violet, cedarwood, benzoin, and vanilla.

Mille-Fleurs Bouquet: cassie, lavender and citrus notes, rose geranium, rose, jasmine, orange, violet, and vanilla.

Pompadour: coriander, mint, lavender, rosemary, allspice, rose geranium, lemon balm, marjoram, rose, jonquil, and orris.

Reinette: similar to Mille-Fleurs Bouquet, but with hyacinth, carnation and tuberose.

Le Roi Soleil: bergamot, lemon, lime, rosemary, orange, carnation, clove, jasmine, ambergris, oakmoss, frankincense, and birch.

Making your own cologne is quite easy, just use a base of alcohol(grain alcohol or vodka) and add essential oils. Drops of glycerin can be used as a fixative, and is especially nice on dry skin, or for winter. I decant mine for frugal convenience into plastic travel spray bottles from the dollar store. Pretty cut glass or crystal perfume bottles with a spray attachments or atomizer are easy to find online, and some are very inexpensive.

I use a similar recipe for homemade spray deodorant. Some sample recipes here. You can also add some sea salt for a little e xtra antibacterial protection. A few common essential oils with antibacterial properties: cinnamon, tea tree oil, rosemary, citronella(excellent extra strength odor blocker), sage, pine, neem oil, and clove. Neem oil smells awful on it's own. I pair it with citronella which completely covers the smell. I use my homemade insect repellent as a deodorant on really hot days.

I usually get my organic essential oils and supplies from Mountain Rose Herbs and Vitacost.com(least expensive).

I just happened to find this Indie perfumer who makes her scents naturally. She happens to have a royal collection. Pricey, but interesting.

Homemade Coffee Facial Mask

2009-07-13T21:08:00.010-04:00

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons very finely ground coffee(I used regular ground)
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
8 tablespoons whole milk or cream(I used half and half)
2 tablespoons Molasses(not in original recipe)
Read instructions and entire recipe here.

Coffee has astringent and antioxidant properties, and tightens and tones the skin.

Milk has antimicrobial and cleansing properties.

Cocoa powder softens the skin and has antioxidant properties.

Molasses has firming, softening, and exfoliating properties which is more gentle than honey. It's also good as a conditioner for damaged hair.

Results: Pretty good! My skin was much tighter, but not dry, and very soft. It helped with a few blemishes as well. I've tried honey masks before and they were really too strong for my skin. This was a perfect blend for my normal to oily skin. I had some left over, so I've stored it in the fridge for next week.

Hair Helper: Beer

2009-07-13T14:23:00.012-04:00

Beer supposedly makes your hair shine, helps with frizz and increases volume. Maybe you remember the beer enhanced 1970's shampoo, Body on Tap. The 1970's really was a bonanza decade for shampoos.

How Beer Can Help Your Hair:

"In addition to B vitamins, the proteins found in malt and hops are said to repair damaged hair and boost overall body. Meanwhile, the maltose and sucrose sugars in beer tighten the hair’s cuticles for enhanced shine.

Although it is debatable whether the corn, rice, or wheat protein in beer can actually deposit on your hair to form a strengthening film, there is no question that it makes hair seem thicker. This effect may be attributed to the proteins left on the hair fiber, though beer also seems to slightly swell the hair shaft. Ideal for fine hair, an at-home beer solution is an economical alternative to the $20-40 thickening tonics on the market, since it kills two birds with one stone- adding extra volume while at the same time coating the cuticles with shine. When experimenting with beer as a hair product, it is recommended to use traditional brewed beer made from hops to maximize nutrients and minimize chemicals (since most commercial beers are loaded with stuff you probably shouldn’t be putting in your body, let alone your hair)."

Beer should be used when flat, and some recipes recommend that you reduce it on the stove top, probably to remove the drying alcohol. Here's a nice tutorial.

I've seen several ways mentioned to use beer on hair: as a rinse, as a spray, and in shampoo. I'm going to add some to my shampoo, Dr. Bronner's castile soap, and as a spray for a mid-day boost to control the effects of humidity on my hair.

I also ordered some beer shampoo bars from Etsy. These are great for travel, and I've always wanted to try a shampoo bar.

Just for fun, here were a few of my favorite 1970's shampoos:

Lemon Up was my absolute favorite.

Natural and Organic Henna Hair Dye

2009-07-11T19:34:00.010-04:00

I decided to henna my hair, so I've got my head wrapped in plastic wrap, trying not to drip on the camera. I haven't tried this for years, and now I know why. It's messy, and you have to walk around with saran wrap on your head for at least an hour. On the flip side, it's all natural and conditions the hair as well as adds color. This particular henna covers gray. I didn't purchase the indigo which may be mixed with henna for brown. I am hoping for auburn, not a carrot red.

I'm wearing my husband's old t-shirt, and an old towel around my neck to catch drips which happens every time I look down. If I had some cotton strands, I'd stick that under the edges of the wrap. Plastic gloves are a must, and a little Vaseline on the skin around the hairline and ears keep the henna from dyeing your skin.

"After" pictures later....

It turned out great, and my hair is back to normal, dark auburn and curly. I had been getting a light golden color at the ends(?) with dark roots, peppered with gray. This is so much better than the gray, two toned stringy look that I had developed. Completely worth the hassle.

This store sells bundles for different hair colors and types - long and African hair. You just have to scroll all the way down to the Hair Care Directory at the bottom. There is also a free ebook at this link for first timers.

Congress Considers Vast Abortion Mandate

2009-07-10T22:24:00.003-04:00

WASHINGTON (July 8, 2009) – The Obama White House and Democratic congressional leaders are pushing hard for votes in late July on massive "health care reform" bills that contain provisions that would vastly expand access to abortion on demand, override state abortion laws, and establish federal funding of abortion. Read more here, and sign electronic petition if opposed.

Choose Life!

Barnes & Noble Book Store Rebate and Online Coupon

2009-07-10T15:28:00.000-04:00

Shop Barnes & Noble through Ebates.com(free signup) and get 4% cash back. Use online coupon code H7K9W4P at check out for 15% off most expensive item. See here for details.

Recipe: Mascarpone Cheese (Italian Cheese)

2009-07-09T14:17:00.004-04:00

Here is another cheese recipe that I'd like to try. This one uses heavy cream and tartaric acid. I think I could use cream of tartar in lieu of tartaric acid. See recipe here.I'll update when I make this.

Slightly more difficult is this farm house cheese. I didn't know those rennet tablets were available at the grocery store. If I can find them, I'll make this.

Recipe: Italian Balsamic Chicken Wrap

2009-07-09T14:08:00.003-04:00

We are having this for dinner tonight, but I'm adding salsa for an extra kick.

* 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
* 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
* 2 tablespoons olive oil(I use canola)
* 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar(I use 1/4 cup)
* 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
* 2 garlic cloves, minced

* 8 (4 ounce) skinless boneless chicken breast halves
* cooking spray

* 8 (6 inch) tortillas

Read directions here.

Big Lots 20% Off July 19th

2009-07-08T18:59:00.001-04:00

See here for more information.

McDonald's Free Mocha Mondays

2009-07-08T18:36:00.004-04:00

Beginning July 13 between 7 am and 7 pm, McDonald's is offering free iced or hot Mochas on the following Mondays: July 13, July 20, July 27, and August 3. Fine print indicates only at participating McDonald's. Check your local area.

How to Make a Bed Bench

2009-07-08T17:49:00.002-04:00

Repurposing an old head and foot board. See tutorial here.

A Few Online Shoe Deals

2009-07-07T15:41:00.020-04:00

My tween son is growing so fast this summer that he has already gone through two sizes of sandals. I usually buy a half size larger for growth spurts, but he still outgrew them. The easiest place in my area to find inexpensive sandals for my son is at Payless Shoe Source. The problem is that everyone else in my town has the same idea, and stock for sandals is often low in mid-summer!

Payless online tends to have in stock the sizes and styles which sell out at our local store. Thankfully they offer free delivery to the store with online purchases, so I ordered another pair of his favorite sturdy Dexter leather open toe fisherman sandals for him and got 3% off my purchase shopping through Ebates. I usually use BigCrumbs.com, but they don't have Payless Shoes as a merchant choice. Three percentage off is not a lot, but every bit counts when you are pinching pennies and couponing.

Payless coupon for 15% off instore purchase and $10.00 off $60.00 purchase. EXP 7/27/09

Ebay is another good source for us. My favorite brand of shoe is Born, and I always find good deals for this brand at auction. You can save money on ebay purchases by linking through to ebay with either BigCrumbs.com or Ebates.com. BigCrumbs.com gives a 36% cash back of the *seller's fee. Ebates.com offers a simple 3% cash back. **Depending on what you purchase, BigCrumbs.com is usually a better deal for Buy It Now ebay purchases. Either way, you save.

*Ebay seller's fees.

**$50.00 purchase: regular auction(not books or CDs) cash back via Bigcrumbs.com is $1.15 with a low starting price, and $1.50 via ebates.com. If it's a Buy It Now purchase, seller fees are greater, and your cash back with Bigcrumbs.com would be greater.

Update: For a limited time, shopping through Bing.com gets you 8% cash back on Buy It Now(BIN) ebay items. Once at the link, click through the top ebay.com link with the Bing coin next to it. When you get to ebay, eligible auctions will have the coin next to them. In order to get the cash back, you have to sign up for the cashback account(free).

How to Make Simple Cheese

2009-07-05T18:12:00.007-04:00

Before I try anything more fancy, I'm trying an easy recipe tonight for Queso Blanco(soft white cheese). All that is required is milk and vinegar, or lemon juice. See recipe here. I'll add pictures and a review later.

Update: This cheese was mild and tasty even before I added salt. It tasted a bit stronger than cream cheese with a crumbly consistency. I made it with Goya brand lemon juice, and only used half a gallon of milk. I added two tablespoons of lemon juice, but it was not enough, so I just kept adding it until the curds separated from the whey. I probably used at least 1/4 cup of lemon juice. I didn't have cheese cloth, so I lined a plastic colander with paper towels, perched it over a bowl, and drained the cheese this way in the refrigerator for several hours. After it had drained, the cheese came away from the paper towels just fine. This cheese is very doable compared to aged hard cheese which requires special enzymes.

It does take a lot of milk to make a good amount of cheese. I think I got less than two cups(unpacked) with a half gallon of milk. It may be less expensive to buy cheese at the store, but this recipe is good in a pinch if you are out of cheese.

Hymn for the Fourth of July

2009-07-03T23:43:00.002-04:00

Before the Lord we bow —

The God Who reigns above
And rules the world below,

Boundless in power and love.
Our thanks we bring:

In joy and praise,

Our hearts we raise
To heaven's high King.

The nation Thou hast blest

May well Thy love declare
Enjoying peace and rest,

Protected by Thy care.
For this fair land

For this bright day

Our thanks we pay —-
Gifts of Thy hand.

— Francis Scott Key.

Francis Scott Key (1779-1843), the author of the "Star- Spangled Banner," was born in Maryland.

The Ideal Catholic Readers, 1916

Happy Independence Day(USA)!

2009-07-03T19:38:00.005-04:00

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. ~ Declaration of Independence,1776(celebrated on July 4th).

Benefits of Chandrika Soap

2009-07-02T21:10:00.006-04:00

Chandrika soap is an inexpensive natural vegetable soap. I got a bar of this healing soap for about 65 cents at Vitacost.com. Chandrika vegetable based soap has been made in India since the 1940's. We use vegetable based soaps for our sensitive skin, and the children need soaps that help their rashes since they are prone to eczema(eczema runs in my family). I tend to like soaps which are not flowery, but have a fresh or exotic scent. Chandrika is not over powering, but definitely has an exotic fresh scent. We use this nice lathering soap as a shampoo for the children. It's strong enough to get an active tween boy's hair smelling extra clean, and gentle enough for my three year old daughter's hair. I wouldn't recommend it for very dry skin. It's definitely a no nonsense cleaning soap, great for summer.From the Chandrika website:

The ingredients are :

Coconut Oil : it nourishes, moisturizes and lightens your skin tan.

Wild Ginger : soothes the skin and helps prevent infections and rashes.

Lime Peel Oil : for a refreshing cooling effect and rich, penetrating lather with an astringent action.

Hydnocarpus Oil : helps prevent skin problems, rashes and outbreaks.

Orange Oil : tightens pores, helps prevent pimples and blackheads.

Sandalwood Oil : to cool, refresh and gently perfume your skin.

Museum Trips

2009-07-02T20:22:00.004-04:00

We went to a few museums last week, one of them is restoring the U.S. Monitor of the Battle of the Ironclads, 1862. "The Battle of Hampton Roads, often referred to as the Battle of Monitor and Merrimack (or Merrimac), was the most noted and arguably the most important naval battle of the American Civil War from the standpoint of the development of navies. It was fought over two days, 8–9 March 1862, in Hampton Roads, a roadstead in Virginia where the Elizabeth and Nansemond Rivers meet the James River just before it enters Chesapeake Bay. The battle was a part of the effort of the Confederacy to break the Union blockade, which had cut off Virginia's largest cities, Norfolk and Richmond, from international trade. " See more here.

We always enjoy museum gardens as well.

Free Museum Admission

2009-07-02T20:17:00.000-04:00

If you happen to have a Bank of America credit or debit card, you can get into over 70 museums for free with the program, Museums on Us. All you need to do is show your card. See link or details. Two museums in our area participate, which is wonderful for field trips.

For My Yoke is Easy

2009-07-01T21:24:00.002-04:00

"Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light." (Matt 11:28-30)

Jimmie at The Catholic Daily Reading Reflections has a nice reflection for today's Scripture readings.

$5.00 Off $25.00 at Family Dollar

2009-07-01T16:09:00.004-04:00

This week's Family Dollar flyer has a $5.00 off coupon for a $25.00 purchase good from 6/29/09 - 7/8/09. I'm not sure whether this is nationwide. Check your local flyers. I plan to stock up on a few items.

$5.00 Off Save A Lot Grocery Store Coupon

2009-07-01T16:06:00.001-04:00

When you sign up for the Smart Shopper email(free).

Textured Vegetable Protein : Frugal Low Fat Meat Substitute

2009-07-01T13:36:00.007-04:00

I picked up some Bob's Red Mill TVP - textured vegetable protein for my diet. I'm low carbing it, but I also want to watch my fats. TVP is a low fat meat substitute which is also low carb. It is a good source of protein, dietary fiber, iron, magnesium, and phosphorus.

Practicing Thrift has an excellent post explaining the benefits of TVP, and how it can be used. She even has some thrifty recipes where she has substituted TVP for meat. Practicing Thrift substitutes 1 2/3 cup reconstituted TVP per one pound of ground beef.

If you can find it in bulk, this meat substitute may cost less than $1.00 a pound. Practicing Thrift found some for 60 cents a pound.

The first thing I'll be trying tomorrow is the breakfast burrito. I am so sick of eating eggs on this low carb diet, but this looks good.

According to the Bob's Red Mill package, the TVP is rehydrated with 7/8 cup hot water, vegetable broth or stock over one cup of TVP.

And because there always seems to be some controversy swirling around soy products, read this post, and more importantly the comment section. The consensus seems to be that TVP should be used in moderation and whenever possible, purchase the organic naturally processed TVP.