DIY Vapor rub

Vick's vapor rub is one of my favorite products, I just do not think I can live with out it.  But I just do not like the petroleum jelly it is made from.  I have read about petroleum jelly and see that it has some great benefits.  { I believe only come from its sealing ability on the skin} I think those benefits are the same for other oils like coconut oil and Shea butter.
Here is the list form Vick's of ingredients:
Inactive Ingredients
"Regular: Cedarleaf oil, nutmeg oil, special petrolatum, thymol, turpentine oil
Lemon: Cedarleaf oil, lemon fragrance, nutmeg oil, special petrolatum, thymol, turpentine oil"
Reference: http://www.vicks.com/products/vapo-family/vaporub-topical-ointment/

Do you want turpentine oil on your skin?

You may not think that a topical use product needs to be organic or used from non petroleum products, I would suggest doing a test.  Cut a clove of garlic and rub it on your heel.  It takes a minute for the taste of garlic in your mouth.  You can also do this with Vick's and feel the coolness go through your blood as it moves up your legs.  Your skin is taking it inside your body.  This means your organs have to clean it out of your blood.  Another reason I did not want to use Vick's is that petroleum jelly should not be placed in the nose.  Guess where everyone puts Vick's?   If it is inhaled it collects in the lungs and can cause a rare disease called lipoid pneumonia.

Reference: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/petroleum-jelly/an00947

It is easy to make some at home and you can customize it for your family.

I started with an empty vitamin container and some coconut oil.  Any oil will do to get the essential oils on the skin.  Even a lotion base will work.

Coconut oil 2-3 tablespoons
Rosemary  oil7 drops  Great for relieving pain and clearing congestion
Eucalyptus oil 10 drops Great for clearing sinuses
lavender 6 drops Clears sinuses and relaxes
peppermint 8 drops Clears sinuses

You can also try Thyme, cedar, and campor { which is in Vick's} Pine, spruce.
There are many oils that improve congestion, coughing, and asthma symptoms.  I added lavender to help calm and help sleeping.  I just used what I had on hand.  You may try sharing your oils with friends to make all the different mixes with out buying it all yourself.

Once you choose your oils and carrier oil like Olive oil, Grape seed oil, Shea butter, Ghee {clarified butter}, or plain lotion.  Add in your essential oils  to your liking.  I rub it on the chest and heels of the feet.  It works for about four hours.  I have been using it for Little mans teething.  It clears up his constant runny nose from his new incoming teeth well.

I did melt my coconut oil and mixed in the essential oils.  I wanted it to dry smooth to look more store bought.  I am still a sucker for pretty things. 

Soon to come is making Homemade Ghee.

Vapor bath balms.


Other uses for essential oils.



Eucalyptus Oil  Uses
Rosemary Uses
Lavender uses
Peppermint uses

Chalk Paint chair

Finally I am back to Crafting.  In  the last two weeks my little man has crawled all over, learned the stairs like a champ, and with his new two front teeth is eating more often.  Much of my day is a whirlwind just trying to complete one thing.  Though I do enjoy being a mom and am trying to slow down and just enjoy.  It does mean I just don't have the time to get to my projects.  They stare at me from the corner, stuffed in drawers, and irritating my sleep.  I spent what time I could this week, during naps, sorting and deciding what projects are the priority and would make me the most happy.  The rest are going to wait til the say I have spare time, HA!

I have to say, I LOVE CHALK PAINT!  It is my friend.  I found this tragically sad chair on the side of the road.  {Oddly, I have noticed the side of the road in our new neighborhood has many free items left out.}  I do love chairs and never have enough.  Here is a simple way to repair and update a chair.

 The finish is worn and having been left in the rain it also darken the wood. 

 Mold, {which is Oregon's state flower} Has started to grow.  Don't worry, I did treat it and primed those areas to seal it.

 Wobbly legs that need tightening.  But overall, It is in good shape and will be great for my craft table.

 

With a coat of off white Chalk paint by Anne Sloan. It covers so well with one coat.

 I did some sanding and added the clear wax.  Then I added a small amount of dark wax.  I used an old sock to apply it and polish the wax.  The dark wax settles in the brush strokes and corners.  {If you add the dark wax before the clear wax, it will discolor the base coat, which might be what your looking for on certain projects.}

 There is my little guys hand, trying to climb up on everything. 

I am so impressed at how good that old chair looks now.   Next time you drive by some old wood furniture on the curb,  it can become trash to treasure.

Faux Mercury Glass

I have been waiting to get this project going and finally it is.  I found this fantastic pear jar at the thrift store for a couple dollars, I thought it would be perfect for mercury glass.

I started with spritzing the inside with water and vinegar.  I just mixed them equally.  I shook it and had it sit for a few to let the water move around and drip down.  This creates the mottled affect.

 I wrapped the outside with plastic food wrap and taped the edge. 

I used a chrome Rustoleum spray paint.  I do not suggest using this, it does not turn out the same as the Mirror stuff at the craft store.  I just sprayed the inside with it.  It did not look quite like chrome, but it is what I had in my garage so I used it.

 I decided to spray the inside with black to make it solid.  You can skip this step if you want to use it for candles or have it be slightly transparent. 

Tips:

*Next time I do this, {and I will}, I will use the mirror effect spray at the craft store.

*I would let the drips run down more and have a better pattern.  I ended up with circles while I wanted more runs.

Otherwise I love it.

Tricia Marie

Linked to.. http://www.pincushioncreations.com/
 http://kammyskorner.blogspot.com/
 http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/

Easy Poster make over

 Posters aren't known for being attractive, usually hung on the wall with wrinkles and pin holes. Here is a simple fix that really makes a nice piece of art that your kids will love.  Here is a poster we picked up for free at the movies and I thought I had gotten rid of it because I just did not want it taped to the walls.

 When my son found this poster stuffed in the back of the closet, both my boys were excited to see it again.  However, it had been through the ringer and I did not want it on the wall with push pins or tape.

Here is what I did to save it.

 The corners were torn and it was very wrinkled.

I decided to crinkle it up more and give it

a well worn look.  It is easier than trying to

 hide the damage.

I used foam board from the Dollar store.
I cut it with my fabric cutter and it worked well.
It was already to dull for fabric, now I found a good use for it.
 I smoothed it down onto the board then rubbed
ink over the top to further the aging process.

                                    I found a neat trick on Pinterest and attached a
                                         can tab on the back to hang the poster.

                              I used a pallet board and sanded it down to make a shelf.

                      It is a great way to hang posters, it looks much nicer than those push pins.

Planter revamped Foil finish

 With spring here and patio season about to begin, adding in some decorative planters is a great way to create an inviting space.


This pot was found at Goodwill for about a dollar. {You can also check recycle bins at local nursery's for pots} It is a nice pot as is, though a bit plain.

 I used tacky spray to adhere the tin foil to the surface and then applied a coat of Mod Podge.
{Mod podge is the greatest stuff on Earth!}

 After an hour the Mod Podge dries clear and it is ready for paint.

 I used some black chalk paint and brushed it over the top.  I did not worry about fully coating the surface.  The last step is to sand the foil and paint.  It makes a nice finish and ready for planting. 

Happy Crafting!!

Linked at..
http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/
 http://kammyskorner.blogspot.com/

DIY baby toys

I hope all of you had a great Easter.  I spent today going through all those bunnies and eggs and packed them away.  Now on to more projects.  Spring means cleaning and organizing.  My little man is about 6 months and ready to play.  I decided to make some baby toys instead of buying toys at $10 or more at a pop!  That is really just to much for me right now.  Besides, this is my last and I won't be using the toys for any more children, I might as well save some money.  I pulled out some fabric I already had and put together some designs.  I started with drawing out what I wanted.  I wanted simple and easy to sew.  I have found that sewing with an infant is one of the more difficult crafts to do. 

I simply drew out a shape on printer paper.  Cut and pin to fabric. { Ikea has white blanket for $2.50, great for projects and soft, too.}

 I cut out my pieces and sewed them together. I got the idea for monster rattles from Pinterest. They are a bit different than the ones I pinned but there are some good ideas there.

 I did use some bells that I sealed in small cardboard boxes for a rattle in each.  I wanted to make sure they were well sealed in case it ripped open they would not be a choking hazard. 

 Little man loves the ribbons,  he can easily grab them and stuff it in his mouth.

 I used a chip bag for a crinkle noise in this one.  I sewed it in.

 I also sewed on tags from the craft store to add the last touch.  I love the way they turned out.  I just wish I had more time for sewing projects now that I am in the mood for it.

Linked at

Cute little box

I love little boxes and thought I might make one just for Spring.

 I have purchased some records from a local flea market and decided to use the cover for this box.  { I will be using the record soon in a project}  I cut it in half then cut the half into 3 parts as in below.  I also cut 3 sides from the other half.  You should have 2 equal squares and 4 equal rectangles for the sides.  The squares are 5 1/2 inches and the sides should be 4 1/2 by 2 inches.

 I arrange them in a scrapbook paper and used spray adhesive then fold them in.

For the sides I wrapped them with with the paper and added tabs on the bottom to attach.

 I had attached the sides to form a square them attached them to the box top and bottom.  Make sure to crease well on both sides for the nicest finish.  I also glued another piece of scrap paper on the inside to cover the seams.

 Once the tabs glued down I put another paper over the bottom of the box for a nice finish.

 Here it is almost finished.  I put a magnet on the lid and a nail glued to the inside for the metal piece to hold down the top.  I added a decorative lock and here it is.  Perfect for display or great for gift giving.  Today were off to the Mountain for some sledding.    Happy Crafting! 

Linked with:

http://www.pincushioncreations.com/

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http://www.redouxinteriors.com/