holy gosh where did I go?

well Good news and Bad news. Good news I am in school again! yeay.  also got a brand new gym membership to get the fittest ive ever been. AND the bad news is i have less time to blog. i love writing i write something everyday. i guess blog fading is what is necessary for now...but i blog with out obligation and for the passion of it. so for a bit. i will see you when  see you. love ya  all and wish you all success and happiness.

Stay Crafty,

 

Lifestyle Change

Part 1. Titled: Boondock Witch, Your Fat.


My name is "boondock witch". I am fat. Now,now i dont mean i am dangerously obese or anything but i am the product of letting myself go.I dont own a scale,i dont eat like i should and frankly i believe i am not the healthiest i can be. It saddens me as i think to myself"gee, i wonder if i am fulfilled"  i have given every excuse to myself and others about my tummy, my excess weight. My fluff. What ever it is i can call it.Excuses like: "oh,it runs in my family" or "my family is just chubby" or"thyroid problems" or "my gimp leg slows me down from proceeding into exercise",or "i am just to busy" or "there is just something more important to do" EVEN "it cost to much to eat really healthy"


i just thought i should fix this. start being fair and stop making excuses. im not a house....but im not healthy either. if the body is a temple i haver alot of spring cleaning to do


Stay Crafty,

A story of a girl

Heres a story about a girl,
a girl who was in love and who had lost

and how 6 months later she sat for a coffee with the man. and realized she still loved him. how she foolishly wrote a letter the eve of valentines professing her love. and folded the letter in an origami envelope. she put the note in his mail box. and now she waits for the day his mail will come. she dosnt know what he will think, or say. she dosnt know if he will think she was to rash or foolish. she only knows that she would have regret it if she didnt tell him "i still do and i never stopped"

Its only a story. i dont know the ending to it and maybe if shes lucky there wont be an ending. i guess thats my valentine.

stay crafty,

Make your own cookbook

I was thinking about this after i reread my post on my two comfort foods. NOW. i have a book. its simple and random and all mine. My own cookbook where i store my collection of recipes i enjoy and have tweaked to my liking and i have used and enjoyed. Family recipes.  I think we all need to think about this. have our own little cookbooks especially if you love to cook! So i want to share my cook book with y'all and how to start one.

First thing i did was find a cute little note book like this one:

Then i gathered all my fave recipes by looking in my cookbooks and bookmarking them and taking the clippings from magazines (oh you know you have them!!) ,Friend recipes (like Cordelia's Bread from Cordelia's Cauldron.)and the family recipe stuff. I grabbed my fave ink pens and set to organizing.


Try to keep things simple. Ingredients, Preheat temp,Method, the end. K.I.S.S Keep it simple sweetie!

Now if you are an organization junkie then i suggest you get a binder or something you can rearrange the sheets of paper into categories. Mine? well i just threw them in there and used pictures to signify what type of recipe it is. Example: Pies= a picture of a pie, Casserole A Picture of a casserole  and cookies a picture of a bitten cookie.

In the back of my cookbook i have a small 101 section with equivalents, measures and substitutions. I have the lovely Confessions of a Kitchen Witch 101 section I paraphrase a few things in there that have helped me.

i still am looking for a perfect blessing for my cookbook and haven't found one! i personally don't like anyone i have seen internet wise.


Stay Crafty

Marshmallow Mermaid Pie

Ohhh have i been sick. ive been sipping on some honey,lemon tea all week and i wanna go outside!!!!! i have a virus and my poor lungs hurt. when i get sick....i think of comfort food. and my favorite comfort foods is sweets and Soups. So why not share???


Anyone seen the chick flick Waitress? Well if you havnt what better time then now and see my inspiration to 


Marshmallow ((Mermaid)) Pie

Ingredients
9 graham crackers
1/2 C. sweetened, flaked coconut, toasted 
5 Tbs. butter or margarine, melted
34 lg. marshmallows (8 oz.)
1/2 C. whole milk
1 1/2 C. heavy or whipping cream
1 oz. unsweetened chocolate, grated

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine coconut and graham crackers in food processor until coarse crumbs form.
2. Combine crumbs and butter with fork. Press to bottom and side of 9-inch pie plate. Bake 10 minutes and cool on wire rack.
3. Heat marshmallows and milk in 3-qt. saucepan over low heat until smooth, stirring constantly. Remove saucepan from heat. Cool completely (15-30 minutes.)
4. In large bowl with mixer at medium speed, beat cream until stiff peaks form. Fold marshmallow mixture into whipped cream with grated chocolate. Spoon filling into cooled crust. Refrigerate pie at least 3 hours or overnight.
5. Top with mini marshmallows and sprinkles 

Split Pea and Ham Soup.

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped peeled carrots
• 1 1/2 pounds smoked pork hocks
• 2 teaspoons dried leaf marjoram
• 1 1/2 cups green split peas
• 8 cups water

Melt butter in heavy large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery and carrots. Sauté until vegetables begin to soften, about 8 minutes. Add pork and marjoram; stir 1 minute. Add peas, then water, and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Partially cover pot; simmer soup until pork and vegetables are tender peas are falling apart, stirring often, about 1 hour and 10 minutes.

Transfer hocks to bowl. Puree 5 cups soup in batches in blender. Return to pot. Cut pork off bones. Dice pork; return pork to soup. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Refrigerate until cold, then cover. Rewarm before serving.)

Stay Crafty,

When You Wish Upon A Star

G'day Boondockers! I have a small iWitch segment, some long awaited witchcrafty and a bit of stuff to chew on this weekend. so lets get started, Grab a cuppa, and a warm blanket and settle in. This is the Boondock Witch.


I will start you off with some pod-casters two in fact!
((iWitch))


1st ly Pagan Parents On the Edge. Okay at 1st you read this and say hmmmm welll that dosnt sound like my kind of show and/or I dont have kids. Oh its not its great! It sounds like pagan child bearing/raising tips your thinking wrong actually its two lovely hosts bringing you a perspective from a parents point of veiw or a family point i should say. always worth a listen i am into them right now. 

 2nd  Lady Bexes Hexes! If you havnt checked out her blog or should i say BLOGS I suggest you do i love this girls incite on thingsI only got to Episode 5 and then it is all podfade but that dosnt mean you cant check her out.

BloggerLuv: Bexes Hexes
SO! if you havnt guessed i am going to talk about wishes. Wishing is serious business, but we in our world do it so much. we wish on shooting stars or blowing out our candles or on the blue moon or when we do a spell. or when looking out the window and sighing to ourselves thinking "if only...." 


We often do it so much we forget that our words have power and some times,as the old proverb goes,"we get what we wish for". well here is what i think about wishes. If i were the cosmos and i asked someone over and over again for something I would get so  annoyed I would eventually ignore them. Thats why i dont wish. i do not wish untill i realllly need a wish. i mean REALLY need to ask. We all had that time of anger when we say i wish ---insert something bad to happen--- and IT does happen and we shrug it off and say it wasnt me.. well what if. im not saying it wasnt fate or it wasnt some sort of cosmic karma. or you just happen to say it out loud in your angered state but in the back of your mind forever you will ask. "what if..." Maybe thats why i fear wishing. or why i believe that you must reflect on wishing.


Origami. It is said that in Origami if you make 1000 Cranes you are granted a wish. A magic lamp is fabled to carry a Genie who grants you three wishes, Wishing on shooting stars grants you a wish. As a right of passage you blow out the candles marking how many years you wish thus suggesting every year you are entitled to one wish, At yule you can write a wish on paper and throw it in the fire with your yule log, AND everyone knows about pixies and the fairy folk and their history with wishes. 


What ever your past and/or current beliefs wishing can be both a joyous rite or a bad one. Always be careful what you wish for because you just might get it. 




Literature and the wish. Witchy ideals have been shadowing the wish for centuries. usually a spiritual being such as the genie in Aladdin lamp. the version i had in a old book was that of a broken Solomon seal on the lamp of the genie. Snow whites mother wished her daughter to be fair and beautiful. nothing says hpow or why Snow white is the fairest,,,,ok bad example.


In practice i like to do something to hold my wish. in some practices people write it down and burn it. I however like to do something a bit different. I like to wish. On a star.


((WitchCrafty))


Origami Stars

NEED
Paper
Scissors
Ruler
Time
((pen/pencil))




1.You need to get some star paper, or make your own. If you are using printer paper, cut it into half inch strips.


2. Wrap 1/4 of the paper around your finger to start making the "perfect knot."

3.Bring the end in front of the long tail like piece. 

4.Tuck the short end into the hole to make a clean knot.

5.Tighten the Knot so you have a good length. its the part that takes practice to get used to. and the knot needs to be nice and flat.

6.Bend the small flap over so not white is showing and you create a pentagon shape.crease it with the pentagon

7.Turn the star over.

8.Fold the long Tail end up, make sure you are going "with" the star. In this case, it’s up and to the left. If you look at the bottom of the pentagon, you see that the angle is "right"

9.Fold some more,You’re going to keep folding around the star, making sure each time you are going in the right direction

10.Tucking In the flap. So you wrapped the paper round the body of the star and have yourself a nice little pentagon...

11. Puffed up, This is one of the hardest steps. Using your nail or a sharp edge, press in, half-way between two points. Make sure you are totally perpendicular to the paper.

















12. All Done!

The 'Lucky'Star is fabled to grant you luck if you fold 100 of these bad boys but for me i use a pencil and i write on the inside a wish. fold up the star and i wish upon it. Wish upon a star. Whatever you do with the super cute stars dont forget to be wise and.....






Stay Crafty,

Time for spring i say!!

today was cold. as i walked down the street of my small town i felt the air cutting like a knife. but today also held something that usually goes unnoticed. sure it was freezing but when the wind stopped,well the sun shone and i felt it. warmth. faint in the cold bitterness. Ol' man winters breath caught under my coat and i was chilled to bone. dreaming of soup and a hot shower. I also dreamed of gardening and the smell of moist earth under my feet. birds chirping and of course.....love. Spring is the season of love. we all know this maybe thats why valentines is in February. actually i never really read much on Valentines so maybe i should. I will get back to you on that statement i just made. But every time i grow sick of my fluffy white world. i think of spring. i turn to a season of fertility and beauty. Rain streaking windows and bubbling puddles. Rainbows and green! Green. the colour of life and love! Fantastic green. Yes i yearn for spring. i think about what the sun soaking in my veins will feel like as if i forgot it. I need me some vitamin D.

 so to get everyone on the same hopes as me i give you this lovely video for all to watch and enjoy! Its one of my favorites. from 1936 Happy Harmonies: To Spring!





ENJOY!!!!

Stay Crafty,

BUCKET Listing. Start Living YOUR life.

Ask Yourself This: Do I Live, Or Simply Exist?

“Every man dies – Not every man really lives.” ~ William Ross

I am not really going to talk about a movie with Nicholson and Freeman in it. i have yet to see the bucket list movie. But as we know bucket lists were around before they were called bucket lists. basically they are lists of stuff to do before you die. the goal? To live a more fulfilled life and existence and get the most out of your stay on earth. Ideally its like RRSP's the earlier you create it the more you get from it. It reminds me of my friend in B.C Canada.

Gordon. I grew up with Gordon. he was this firey red head. But he dreamed of travel and experience. When his family moved to B.C he tagged along. I think partially for the adventure of it. He is an intelligent man, yet he never quite has the job you'd expect him to have. i mean that of course in the nicest of ways but what is a job but obligation and it doesn't matter what you have for one. ANYWAYS. I envied Gordon. He was always telling me of his trips to Japan ,New Zealand or what not. he has beautiful pictures of his travels. He once told me that he would never retire. he would rather experience the world while living and while he was young and able. I admired that and sadly yes. he had a point. i think of people making the best of things and traveling to Mexico when they are semi-retired and i hear them. "If only we were younger". I don't want to go to Mexico with a fanny pack and travel bit by bit having a mild adventure. I want to see everything and experience the place i am seeing. Not hang out on a resort in the sun. I can bake on a beach here. Moral of the story? Why not now? Why wait until the rides over before it gets interesting? why not start living right...now? Why not think of all the things to try and complete before its all over and we go on to experience more? If Life is a journey and not a destination then why not take the road less traveled?

So lets begin.. I am even going to bullet and underline...your lucky readers you.

The Boondocks Take on 

A Bucket List.

What is a bucket List?

Okay well, a bucket list is a list compiled of things you want to do before you die. Things like travel to _____. or Eat _____. or See or do____. These things can be small like Watch all harry potters in a weekend. To Drive from one end of the province to the other. To learning a new language or craft. 

I,Being me, did some research and found out what was on others bucket lists and see a frightful pattern. That pattern is that half the goals all look the same. I think people find a list compiled on the internet copy and paste it , print it off and start from there. Half of the self discovery of a bucket list(in my opinion) is catering it to you. Taking the time to compile a bucket list to start a bucket list. Custom to what you get out of it. You do not want to make a list and only see half of it you would  enjoy. You want to enjoy all 100%.  

Example. If i were afraid of heights and not into adrenalin why would I get enjoyment out of skydiving? why would it be number 45 on bucket list?

Other things on the bucket list to consider. Things to improve ones self. Like Make up with an enemy or Do something completely selfless. Think a walk remember by Nicolas Sparks. 

Getting The Most Out Of A Bucket List.

Documentation. Just today i was reading about my friend baking bread. I know what does that have to do with bucket listing and such, but hold on and find out. She mentioned that she had a photocopy of her great aunts recipe in her notebook. the photocopy was from a note book her aunt had that was passed on and meant a lot to her. A little piece of history if you will. Now imagine that your grandchildren, distant relatives or even complete stranger found a book of yours, the pages romantically aged and worn. inside was a crumpled piece of paper. your bucket list. and the pages? Written sloppy or neat the experiences you felt. your stories. your adventures. Imagine now, how much it would be worth to someone, how it could change their lives reading it. 

Take Time. Once your brain hurts from all the brain storming you are going to do, don't rush out and cross off things on the bucket list. Sure some things can be done more easily then others but it is no race and you want to enjoy the things you are going to do. 

Plan. Something are better done spontaneously.  Some are better planned. remember that although life.happens. If i were to go travelling or spend a bunch of money. i would kind of want the money and stability 1st.  

Review. As you complete the list. Review over things . keep it fresh in your mind and ask yourself does it fit me still? if not....change it. why not? 

Adding. Add to the list. think of something you didn't put on before? add some more. Its your life right? its your bucket list. 

Creating The Bucket List.

Things you need.

-A legal pad. or piece of paper

-Pen,Pencil crayons,crayons whatever.

-A Journal or notebook

-Time

On the legal pad,or paper, start your number one item on the list. This is simple list a list with no huge detail. The details can be recored on the other list inside the notebook you have for journaling your experience. It is better to write it out then type it out as you get more of it and cyberspace and computers are not reliable sources. a notebook can never crash.

((like right there, Blogger crashed and I lost half of the finished product))

Then Grab that handy dandy Notebook and turn to the 5th page or so, and start writing down what you think when you read these questions. and you may or maynot want to add in the questions on the page:

What if you were to die tomorrow? What would you wish you could do before you die?

What have you always wanted to do but have not done yet?

What will you do if you have unlimited time, money and resources?

Any countries, places or locations you want to visit?

What are your biggest goals and dreams?

What do you want to see in person?

What achievements do you want to have?

What experiences do you want to have / feel?

Are there any special moments you want to witness?

What activities or skills do you want to learn or try out?

What are the most important things you can ever do?

What would you like to say/do together with other people? People you love? Family? Friends?

Are there any specific people you want to meet in person?

What do you want to achieve in the different areas: Social, Love, Family, Career, Finance, Health (Your weight, Fitness level), Spiritual?

What do you need to do to lead a life of the greatest meaning?

On the 1st few pages of the journal you can write down your number one Thing: Start a bucket list. from there relax and write down everything you can think of that you want to do. thinkof adventures you want to try and ways you can get the most our of your life. noone needs to judge you its your life! remeber to record a copy to carry with you at all times (hense the legal pad/paper)

Things to consider for your list:

Work: Starting a profitable, location-independent business doing what you love; finding work that gives you a sense of fulfillment; being among the best in the world in your field.

Family: Finding and marrying the love of your life; having a healthy, happy child; spending lots of quality time with your spouse.

Health: Having the energy and strength to do everything you want; to look and feel fit; to age well.

Contributions: Spending a year abroad with the Peace Corps; volunteering at a homeless shelter; mentoring a disadvantaged youth.

Finances: Having a million dollar investment portfolio; having multiple sources of passive income; having enough money to be able to finance your life goals.

Personal Development: Having the ability to hit the "pause button" and choosing your attitude in any situation; learning to forgive; having a happiness project.

A list of Bucket Lists

Think of all the kinds of sections your bucket list could have!

Sports/Athletics Bucket List

Languages Bucket List

Music, Song, and Dance Bucket List

Adventures to Go On Bucket List

Places to See Bucket List

World Festivals Bucket List

Hobbies Bucket List

Books to Read Bucket List

Movies to Watch Bucket List

Personal Development Bucket List

Education Bucket List

People You Would Like to Meet Bucket List

Financial Bucket List

The High Life Bucket List

Family Bucket List

Dwelling Bucket List

Spirituality Bucket List

Contributions Bucket List

Vocation/Career Bucket List

Writer's Bucket List

Things You Want to Audition For Bucket List

Hit the Big Time Bucket List

Spectator Bucket List

Sport Events to Attend Bucket List

Food and Drink Bucket List

Holiday Bucket List

Supernatural Bucket List

"Just Because" Bucket List

Take ACTION! 

If you want. photocopy your list and post it somewhere you will see it every day. review the list. take action and start. be a do'er. Start enjoying and celebrating life! your only here once right?

Get Inspired,Change your Life,Start Living.

Stay Crafty,

Whats Up Doc i registered for FREE SARKS Intuitive Flash

Just a little update on me. i am in an unsightly state. i am depressed and sad and angry and all things i wish i were not but am. i need change i need positive things and i need new goals and new experiences. i refuse to sit  on my behind and do nothing but fester in this state of being. So i need a few new projects ones a bucket list. the other is this FREE SARKS Intuitive Flash thinger. its a telecast. and i did it because hey why not its free. so hopefully i remember it and I can watch it :D I read about this on CONFESSIONS OF A KITCHEN WITCH. so check out the lovely kitchen witches blog. SPEAKING of blogs did i ever get a good read on at Cordys Blog! wow she had this write up on One of my fave subjects, thats right Literature. FASCINATING stuff. SO Blogger Love her way at Cordelia's Calderon    just an excellent writer. entertaining reads. If you havnt heard about her blog i suggest you go and look.

Anyways. I hope i can have a good update on my bucket listing project and have some step by steps on what I did for my bucket lists. Maybe we can all try doing one. Live Life NOW. No one gets out alive.

I am also reading my fave NORA ROBERTS witchy series. The three sisters trilogy. Fantastic stuff.  So if your in the mood for some Witch Lit or have a witchy book-club or something check out these books. i got mine at a used book store they have been around for a few years so you can get them relatively cheap. if you read it give a shot on what you think.

Titles all Nora Roberts Three sister Trilogy: 1 dance upon the Air, 2 Heaven and Earth and 3 Face the Fire

LOVE love love these books read 'em once a year since i got 'em.

Stay Crafty,

Cheap Green Cleaners,Useful Household Aids! Make em' At Home! ((Pt.8)) BONUS

BONUS!

This is a known cleaning agent that has lasted the test of time.(but i guess they all do) i felt a pull of need to include the agent of Part Eight. It seemed wrong to do with out it. So thus ends my Marathon of recipes and facts of greener living. i hoped i helped out some of you and i hope that you too will pass on the knowledge you gain here!! 

 Part Eight

Bad @$$ Borax

NOTE! Just because borax is natural, that doesn't mean it's harmless. You should always use gloves when handling it and keep it out of reach of children and pets. While safe in the diluted solutions, borax could be very harmful to children and pets if ingested. Read the box!!!!!

1. Keep roaches, waterbugs, and ants away by sprinkling a combination of equal parts all-natural borax and sugar.

2. Keep the mice out by sprinkling borax on the floor along the wall. 

3. Get rid of bed bugs by sprinkling borax on your mattress. Let it sit and vacuum it up. 

4. Kill fleas by sprinkling borax on your carpet. Leave it for an hour and vacuum it up thoroughly. 

5. Scrub dirty pots and pans with a mixture of 1 teaspoon of borax and warm water. Because borax is non-abrasive, it will work on the grime without damaging the surface material. 

6. Remove a stubborn stain by mixing 1 cup of borax with 2 cups of warm water and apply the paste directly to the stain. Let it sit, then launder as usual. Remove carpet stains by dampening the stain thoroughly and rubbing some borax on it. Vacuum it then finish it off with a vinegar and water solution. Let it dry and repeat if necessary. Use this same method on soiled mattresses. It will get rid of both the odor and stain. 

7. Remove rust by mixing the above solution with a tablespoon of lemon juice.

8. Make an all-purpose cleaner by mixing 2 tablespoons borax and 2 cups hot water in a spray bottle.

9. Removes oxidation from metals with borax. The ingredient is also used as a flux in welding.

10. Make your own floor and wall cleaner by mixing 1/3 cup borax, 1 tablespoons ammonia and 1 teaspoon dish detergent into 1 gallon of water. 

11. As a laundry detergent, add one cup of borax to each load and significantly boost your cleaning power.

12. Remove stains from stainless steel or porcelain sinkswith this recipe: Make a paste with 1 cup borax and 1/4 cup lemon juice. Using a sponge or cloth, rub the stain with the paste. Rinse with warm water.

13. Clean your toilet with this solution: Dissolve 1/2 cup of borax with 1 gallon of water. Scrub the toilet with a strong brush, let it sit and flush to rinse. This non-abrasive cleaner can also be used in the bathtub or on counters. 

14. Clean outdoor furniture by washing it with this mildew zapping solution: In a spray bottle, mix 1 teaspoon dish detergent, 1 teaspoon borax and 1 quart warm water. 

15. Make your own dishwasher detergent by mixing 1tablespoons borax and 1tablespoons baking soda. 

16. Minimize odor in your cat's litter box by mixing a few tablespoons of borax in with the litter.

17. Clean your garbage disposal by putting 3 tablespoons of borax down the drain. Let it sit for an hour and flush it with warm water. This will sanitize it, taking care of any smelly bacteria. 

18. Remove mildew and mustiness from linens by soak them in 2 cups of borax mixed with 2 quarts of water. Let the linens sit for a few hours, then rinse them clean. 

19. Unclog drains with 1/2 cup of borax followed by 2 cups of boiling water. Let it sit for 15 minutes, then run your water for a few minutes to flush it out.

20. Remove urine odor from a mattress. Wet the mattress rub in borax with a damp cloth. Let dry, then vacuum up the remaining residue.

21. Deodorize and clean your fridge by washing it with a borax and water solution. 

22. Deodorize your garbage pail by filling it with borax and water. Let it soak then rinse it out. Sprinkle some borax in the bottom once it's clean. This will keep the bugs away and absorb any odor causing moisture

23. Kill weeds by sprinkling borax where you've seen weeds previously appear. This is useful for weeds that surface in concrete cracks and on walkways, but shouldn't be used in the garden because it will also kill your plants. Sprinkle some borax around the perimeter of the house too and you'll be free from ants and other intruding insects. 

24. Soften your water when doing laundry by adding borax to the load.

25. Bring life back to your worn china by soaking it in a sink full of warm water and a 1/2 cup of borax. Rinse well and wash a second time as usual. 

THE END OF SERIES?

Stay Crafty,

Cheap Green Cleaners,Useful Household Aids! Make em' At Home! ((Pt.8))

This Marks the End of the Greener Living Series!If you have any ideas of any green cleaners comment them up i would L-O-V-E. to see them and try them!

D.I.Y green cleaners? Uses for Vinegar and Salt. Useful tools and knowledge for you to give up buying Cleaners that are harsh for environmental and chemicals. Silly Humans! Stop Using so many Chemicals!

As you know i am currently doing more green things around the home and around the community i live in. if there were 7 of me in every town,village and even city Life would be cleaner and Greener. Appreciation for Earth is as easy as you doing small things to help out and encouraging friends and family to do the same. :) to me nothing is as great as a nice clean house. i love the feeling of it. So heres some things to help you with your squeaky clean home.

Part Seven

GREEN CLEAN

Green all-purpose cleaner

• Mix vinegar and salt for a good surface cleaner.

• Pour some baking soda and vinegar on a damp sponge. It will clean and deodorize all kitchen and bathroom surfaces.

Natural deodorizer

• Place partially filled saucers of vinegar around the room.

• Boil 1 tablespoon of vinegar in 1 cup of water to eliminate unpleasant cooking odours.

• Baking soda is excellent for absorbing odours.

Removing crayon marks

• Crayon marks on the floor or table can be removed by rubbing them with some toothpaste on a damp cloth. Don't use this on wallpaper or porous surfaces.

Removing grease spots

• Immediately pour salt on grease spots to absorb and prevent staining.

Removing scratches

• Mix equal parts of lemon juice and vegetable oil, and rub against scratches with a soft cloth until they disappear.

Laundry starch

• Dissolve 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in 2 cups of cold water. Place in a spray bottle. Shake well before using. Make sure to label this so you don't use it for cleaning.

Greener oven cleaner

• While the oven is still warm, pour some salt on grimy areas. If the areas are dry, dampen with water before applying the salt. When the oven cools down, scrape the grime off and wash clean.

• Spray grimy areas with water or vinegar-water and apply a layer of baking soda. Rub gently with fine steel wool and wipe off. Rinse with water and wipe dry.

Natural toilet bowl cleaner

• Sprinkle baking soda into the bowl, then drizzle with vinegar and scour with a toilet brush. This combination both cleans and deodorizes. (Note: DO NOT mix the combination with store-bought toilet cleaners. The combination will create toxic fumes.)

Glass cleaner

• Mix equal amounts of water and vinegar in a spray bottle. Wipe the glass with newspaper for a streak-free shine.

Until We Meet Again!

Stay Crafty,