Category Archives: DIY

29Aug / 2011

Homemade Laundry Detergent

If I'd chosen a colored soap, this would probably look a lot cooler.

I’m ashamed to admit how long I’ve been meaning to make laundry detergent. One of my biggest obstacles was finding the right soap—I didn’t want to use something cheap with crappy ingredients, but I’m also in no position to use something fancy (like the $5 bar of peppermint Dr. Bronners I’ve been rationing in the shower for at least three months). So when I found a fairly affordable 3-pack of Kirk’s Coco Castile soap at Publix (while on vacation in Gulf Shores with my family, which means I still have to find a local source or order it from Amazon when I run out), it seemed like a logical choice for grating into laundry detergent. And that’s exactly what I did yesterday afternoon, following this homemade laundry soap tutorial from Clean, the Lusa Organics blog. The soap itself smells a little like Ivory, but the laundry detergent turned out fairly unscented. I tested it on a load of towels and gym clothes (the grossest load of laundry I had), and was really happy with the results.

To make your own laundry detergent, you’ll need:

4 to 5 oz soap (2 C grated)
2/3 C baking soda
1 C borax
1 1/3 C washing soda

Grate the soap using a box grater or food processor. (My sad old food processor wasn’t up to the challenge, so it was actually easier for me to grate the soap by hand.) In a large mixing bowl with a spoon you don’t plan on using for food, mix the soap, baking soda, borax, and washing soda. Store in an airtight container—I’m using a large, wide mouth mason jar for easier scooping. For best results, use 2-3 tablespoons of detergent per load of laundry, adding the detergent as the machine fills with water and giving it a minute or so to fully dissolve before throwing in your clothes.

For those of you lucky enough to have HE washing machines, this detergent is supposed to be low-sudsing and, therefore, safe for you to use as well.

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26Jul / 2011

Hot & Sweet Pickles

nine pints of homemade sweet hot pickles

Pickles, in general, are one of my favorite snacks. But when my mom introduced me to Wickles last summer, I realized I might have discovered the tastiest pickle of all. Still, while irrefutably tasty, Wickles do have some drawbacks—not only are they around $5 a jar (making them more of a special occasion food for someone on my budget), but they also contain Polysorbate 80 and Yellow 5, ingredients I try to avoid. Unwilling to live without Wickles, I decided to attempt making my own. The last couple summers I’ve experimented with canning (mostly tomatoes and jams), and I’ve been wanting to try  pickles for quite a while anyway. So, tinkering with Emeril’s recipe for Homemade Sweet and Spicy Pickles, I came up with the following recipe:

Knockoff Wickles

3 pounds pickling cucumbers, sliced into 1/4-inch thick slices
1/2 cup pickling salt
6 cups water
3 cups white vinegar
1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
3 1/2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons yellow mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
10 tablespoons roughly chopped garlic
24 dried cayenne peppers

Soak cucumbers in pickling salt and water in a large, non-reactive bowl for 2 hours. Transfer cucumbers to a colander and rinse well for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Combine the vinegars, sugar, mustard seeds, turmeric, cloves, garlic, and peppers in a mediumsaucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and add the cucumbers and onions. Bring to a simmer and remove the saucepan from the heat.

Using a slotted spoon, fill each jar with the pickle mixture, dividing them evenly, and enough of the liquid to come within 1/2-inch of the top. With a clean damp towel, wipe the rim and fit with a hot lid. Screw on the metal ring just until the point of resistance is met. Process the jars in a hot-water bath for 15 minutes.

Using tongs, remove the jars, place on a towel, and let cool. Test the seals by allowing the jars to stand at room temperature overnight or until the lids pop. Remove rings and store in a cool dry place for at least 2 weeks before eating.

Because I had no idea how these would turn out, I started small, making only four pints to begin with. As it turned out, they were ready just in time for the fourth of July barbecue we had, allowing me a pretty large test audience. And they were a hit! While they were by no means exact, they were close enough to guarantee that I probably won’t be buying Wickles anytime soon (if you’re reading this, Wickles people, I’m sorry. I’m a grad student, and I just can’t afford your fancy pickles.) Furthermore, on my last trip back to Mississippi I inherited several more pounds of cucumbers from my dad, most of which went into making the second, much larger batch of these pickles.

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01Jul / 2011

Frumpy Floral Dress Refashion

Frumpy Thrift Store Dress, Before

One of my biggest summer projects is cleaning out our craft room closet. I’m a bit of a hoarder, especially when it comes to craft supplies, and most of mine have been collecting dust in our spare closet since we moved in last August (side note: how is it possible we’ve been here almost a year already?!). So I’ve given myself an ultimatum for this summer. Either I put all those materials to use, or I get rid of them. One of the first projects I’ve attempted is a refashion of the dress pictured above. I originally purchased it because of the sweet floral print and pleated skirt, thinking it would be easy to shorten the hem and do something about the sick collar and sleeve situation. However, like many of my projects, it got shoved in a box, which was buried in a closet and mostly forgotten until last weekend, when I decided I needed a new dress to wear to a birthday party. So, following this pretty straightforward refasion tutorial on I Make Stuff, I chopped off the hem and made it into a ruffle to be sewn onto the neckline. After removing the collar, I decided to sew the ruffle onto the dress’s back, turing the back into the front so that it would button down the back (because, after all, a row of buttons down the back is nothing if not classy). I also chopped off the sleeves and cuffed them just above the elbow (a length I find flattering on almost anyone), and took the dress in a few inches at the bodice and waist. The dress already had a pleat on each shoulder, and I added another to keep it from falling down.

Frilly Thrift Store Dress, After

I finished it in time to wear to the party, and had Dawn take some pictures before we left the house.

While I'd hoped the tights would provide some protection for Louisiana's monster mosquitoes, I was mistaken.

After hemming the skirt, I had a hard time getting the pleats to look right, but that might be due to my lack of patience when it comes to ironing.

Because the fabric is very sheer, I wore this vintage slip underneath. Also, a skinny brown belt makes just about anything more flattering.

After wearing the dress, I think I might go back and add a couple of darts to the bodice since it was pretty baggy even after I took in the sides, but overall I’m quite happy with how the dress turned out. Someone at the party asked if my dress came from Modcloth, and I certianly took that  as a compliment.

Since completing this project, I’ve purchased a few more frumpy dresses from Goodwill (which is, I realize, completely incompatible with my goal of getting rid of things), and I can’t wait to get started on them! Do you have experience refashioning vintage and thrift store clothing? If so, please share your tips in the comments section!

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30May / 2011

Body Butter

Dawn's assertion that it resembles mashed potatoes is spot on.

As I mentioned in my previous post, Dawn and I managed to finally make the Readymade natural body moisturizer we’ve had bookmarked for ages. Dawn gives a pretty good rundown of the entire process over at Turby and John. To sum things up, though: we used olive oil, beeswax, and water to make a fairly thick unscented body butter. I’m considering using slightly lighter avocado or almond oil next time, as I think they might be a bit more suitable for summer. For people with oily skin, this is definitely the way to go. Still, I’m pretty smitten with ours as is, and I definitely don’t see myself dropping $20 at the health food store for fancy all natural lotion anytime soon. I have very dry skin, and I’ve been smearing this stuff all over before bed every night and using it on my hands and elbows throughout the day.

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11Feb / 2011

Homemade Ginger & Honey Tea

I’ve been intrigued by this ginger tea recipe posted by Design*Sponge , but I haven’t had much reason to make it until today.  I woke up at 6 am, my usual time, with a pretty wicked headache that I attributed to too much sleep.  I went to bed at 9 o’clock last night because I’m lame like that.  Halfway through my 8 o’clock class I started to feel queasy.  While walking back to the office after class I passed some men doing something to a door that involved some very stinky oil, and that pushed me over the edge.  I didn’t throw up or anything, but I did go to the bathroom and wash off my perfume because at that point any smell was too much.  Once I got up to the office (three flights of stairs with a queasy stomach is no fun, by the way) I heard stirrings of a virus that’s been going around with symptoms very similar to mine.  Luckily my Fridays are very short, so I was back home in my night gown and throwing together this ginger tea by 10:15.  I plan on sipping it while grading papers in bed this afternoon; hopefully it will restore my health enough to allow for a special Valentine’s day edition of craft night tonight.  A girl can dream, right?!

I'm crossing my fingers that this cloudy concoction will kick my immune system into action.

If you’re feeling a little on the sick side, I recommend brewing a batch of this tea.  Add the garlic if you think you can handle it!  I did, and it really isn’t so bad.

Ginger & Honey Tea
Yields 32 ounces (2-4 servings)

Ingredients

  • 4 cups boiling water
  • 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2–4 tablespoons honey, to taste
  • pinch of cayenne
  • 1–2 cloves fresh garlic, minced (optional)

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in a ceramic teapot.

2. Stir and allow to steep for about 10 minutes. For a dose of added medicinal value, add fresh garlic to the tea. Strain off the liquid through a fine mesh sieve before use. Compost the solids.

3. Pour tea into mugs and enjoy.

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