homemade silly putty and play-doh

Playing with kids is fun, but you dont have to pay top dollar for the simple little things you played as a kid!

These are super easy, and when you make them youll either be super Mom, or the coolest kid on the block!

Play-Doh recipe:

• 1/2 cup salt 
•  1/2 cup water 
• 1 cup flour 
•  food coloring! Whatever colors you want
•  news!paper for your work area.

Silly Putty

• 1 cup white Elmer's glue 
• 2 1/2 cup liquid starch
• Food coloring

In a medium bowl, mix glue with 1 cup starch. Add a few drops of food coloring. Cover bowl and let it stand overnight. The next day slowly stir in with a spoon 1 to 1 1/2 cups of starch until a big blob forms. Pour off extra starch. Store in air tight container.

If it is too sticky add starch, if it is to stringy add glue.

Home Remedies for the Treatment getting rid of Scars

Aloe Vera
The use of the natural healing power of the plant aloe vera in a gel form on fresh wounds can prevent the formation of scar tissue.

Lemon
Lemon juice acts a natural bleaching agent, so it can be useful for superficial scarring and to lighten the skin. 

Fenugreek
A tonic made from fenugreek seeds boiled in a liter of water for a few minutes can be applied to the face after cooling as a natural remedy for acne scars. 

Honey
Adding honey to the scarred area several times a day will aid in the treatment of the scar. 

Vitamin E
Topical application of Vitamin E is thought to be an effective home remedy for the treatment of scarring. 

Ice
Rubbing ice cubes on skin will shrink pores and reduce the appearance of scarring from acne. 

Oils
Massage almond oil into the scar several times a day to reduce its appearance.  Other essential oils such as lavender, olive, cod liver, coconut or tea tree oil are also useful in reducing the appearance of scars.  

I got this information from the following link - its a really great websitefor all kinds of remedies!
http://www.homeremedyhaven.com/remedies/scar-treatment.html

You dont need potatoes to make fries!

There are a lot of uses for potatoes, but for those of you on diets, looking for a changeor just looking for healthier options in general.

Take this simple recipe and use any of the following veggies for a fun new twist on kids favorite appetizer or snack!

You Can you Turnips, Jimica, Eggplant, Yams, Butternut squash (or any squash for that matter), sweet potato, or zucchini!

Cut up the veggie into strips (like fries) then toss the strips in olive oil.
Preheat the oven to 450.
Then make a season shake. I use things like Bread crumbs, garlic salt, Parmesan cheese, and paprika. Use whatever you think would be fun on fries! Toss the veggies in the shake you mixed up. After they are coated put them on a baking sheet and put them in the oven for about 15-30 minutes depending on the veggies. Check on them every 15 minutes until they are the texture you prefer.

VOILA! Yummy time!

Drain Cleaner

Remember when you were little and you (or a class mate) did a science project where a volcano is created from normal homemade science? Imagine what that simple little chemistry experiment can do in areas of your home!

If you have a clog in your drain, or its simply just dirty in there try the following.

Ingredients:
Baking Soda or Borax
White vinegar
Salt (optional)

Take about half a cup of baking soda and about a tablespoon of normal table salt (it doesnt matter if its iodized or not) and pour it down your drain. Make sure it gets in there - in case its clogged and water is backing up just make sure it settles or gets as far in there as you can. It may actually help to try and plunge the drain first to make sure you can get it down there.
Next pour about half a cup of vinegar down after it.
Now enjoy the fizzy fun!

After the fizzing stops if no water has gone down or you aren't satisfied with the results pour a little extra vinegar down there. Now this time when the fizzy fun stops run the hot water down the drain.

Everything should be broken up and your drain should be sparkling inside! Congrats, you just saved about 10 bucks by doing it yourself instead of buying Drain-o!

Fat is good for you: What America has lied to you about.

Our society and that television in your home are constantly telling you what to eat, where, and do. It tells you what you want and what you should want. You can never have enough stuff!

Except fat...

We are reaching another critical change int he way we think... and EAT! Thanks to science we are constantly out-dating information. The Earth used to be flat remember.
FAT IS GOOD! Just not bad fat! Its a misconception that you want to have no fat in your diet in order to keep fat off of your body. Remember that last post about coconut oil? Its AMAZING for weight loss, but very heavy in saturated fats. Up until recently fat was just evil. Even more recently we have decided that even SATURATED fats aren't that bad!

If done right youll feel less guilty about fat content and more mindful or what you actually eat, regardless of stats on the packaging. (To be fair if its packaged you may not wanna eat it in the first place, haha)

Fat slows down nutrient absorption so you can go longer without feeling hungry. Its "bad" carbs, preservatives, and processed sugars that will actually make you gain weight. Fat also helps your body process vitamins! If you eat a whole meal full or pure vitamins but its completely fat free it will be way harder for your body to even utilize those vitamins at all!

Lets not forget baby making! I person who is too thin or athletic, as we all should know, is more likely to be infertile that a girl that's got curves (plus males are naturally more attracted to fat - big hips, butt, and chest are almost always the first place a man will look to decide who he wants to mate with.) Having a healthy amount of meat on your bones actually makes you way more likely to conceive, and even makes it ore likely to have multiple births.

More fat cells aid in immunity boosts, and didn't you learn in school how fat is converted into energy from your body? Having a healthy level or fat and muscle makes it easier to lose weight, and give you the energy to do it!

Amazing uses for coconut oil

Traditional Indian Medicinal systems coconut oil is cited as a huge positive for your body. The biggest benefit of Coconut is Lauric Acid. Lauric acid has been found to increase total cholesterol the most of all fatty acids. But most of the increase is attributable to an increase in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) "good" cholesterol. As a result, lauric acid has "a more favorable effect on total HDL cholesterol than any other fatty acid, either saturated or unsaturated," a lower total/HDL cholesterol ratio suggests a decrease in atherosclerotic risk. It even helps with the effects of AIDS, as well as fightin the HIV virus.


Besides ingesting it, there are a ton of other uses. I actually found the following list of 80 uses here: http://healthimpactnews.com/2011/80-uses-for-coconut-oil/

80 Uses for Coconut Oil

Personal Hygiene/Body
1.       Moisturizer – simply scoop some out of the jar and apply all over your body, including neck and face.
2.       Eye cream – apply under the eyes to reduce puffiness, bags, and wrinkles. Use on the lids in the evening.
3.       Preshave – coconut oil will prep skin for the pending damage caused by shaving.
4.       Aftershave – coconut oil will help heal your skin after shaving without clogging pores.
5.       Deodorant – coconut oil alone can be used as a deodorant, but even more effective in combination with cornstarch/arrowroot powder and baking soda!
6.       Hair Conditioner/Deep Treatment – use as a leave in hair conditioner by applying a teaspoon of coconut oil to your ends and then running your fingers through your hair to distribute the rest! For a deeper treatment, rub in a tablespoon of coconut oil onto your dry scalp and gently work through to the ends. Put a shower cap on to prevent transfer onto bed linens and leave on overnight.
7.       Hair Gel/Defrizzer – rub a little between your palms and either scrunch into hair (for curly hair) or finger comb in through from scalp to ends (for wavy/straight hair).
8.       Toothpaste – there are numerous recipes out there but I just mix coconut oil and baking soda and dab a little of the mix on my toothbrush.
9.       Make up remover – use a cotton swab and a dab of coconut oil and you would be amazed at how well it works!
10.   Chapstick – just rub a little into lips and it not only acts as a softening agent but it also has an SPF of about 4 so you get a little protection!
11.   Massage Oil – pretty simple; grab some and rub!
12.   Lubricant – it is an all natural, perfectly safe personal lubricant. Not compatible with latex!
13.   Sunscreen – see my post on natural sunscreen for more detailed information.
14.   Stretch Mark Cream – coconut oil is great at nourishing damaged skin. It may not be the magic stretch mark cure but it will help.
15.   Nipple Cream – works great to nourish cracked, sore, or dry nipples. Apply to a cotton ball and leave on your nipples between feedings.
16.   Diaper salve – very comforting on a rashy bum with no harsh chemicals. Also safe for cloth diapers.
17.   Cradle cap – having issues with dry skin on your baby’s scalp? Coconut oil will not only nourish your baby’s skin, it also helps eliminate cradle cap. Just rub a teaspoon onto scalp daily.
18.   Body scrub – mix coconut oil and sugar together and rub all over! Rinse off and your skin will be super soft! You can add in essential oils if you would like a specific smell.
19.   Healing – when applied on scrapes and cuts, coconut oil forms a thin, chemical layer which protects the wound from outside dust, bacteria and virus. Coconut oil speeds up the healing process of bruises by repairing damaged tissues. Plus, it smells a heck-of-a-lot better than anything from the pharmacy.
20.   Bug Bites – when applied directly to a bug bite, coconut oil can stop the itching and burning sensation as well as hasten the healing process.
21.   Skin problems – coconut oil relieves skin problems such as psoriasis, dermatitis, and eczema.
22.   Swimmers Ear – mix garlic oil and coconut oil and put a few drops in affected ear for about 10 minutes. Do this 2-3 times a day and it usually works within one or two days.
General Health and Wellness
23.   Stress Relief – relieve mental fatigue by applying coconut oil to the head in a circular, massaging motion. The natural aroma of coconuts is extremely soothing thus helping to lower your stress level.
24.   Digestion – the saturated fats in coconut oil have anti-bacterial properties that help control, parasites, and fungi that cause indigestion and other digestion related problems such as irritable bowel syndrome. The fat in coconut oil also aids in the absorption of vitamins, minerals and amino acids, making you healthier all around.
25.   Fitness – coconut oil has been proven to stimulate your metabolism, improve thyroid function, and escalate energy levels, all of which help decrease your unwanted fat, while increasing muscle.
26.   Nose bleeds – coconut oil can prevent nose bleeding that is caused by sensitivity to weather such as extreme hotness and extreme coldness. This condition happens when the nasal passages become dry because of cold or dry air resulting to burns and cracks in the mucus membranes so bleeding happens. To prevent this just put coconut oil in you nostrils. Coat your finger with coconut oil and then lie down and coat your finger inside your nose. Doing this will strengthen and protect the capillaries in the nasal passages. A Vitamin C supplement will also help prevent nose bleeding.
27.   For breastfeeding moms, consuming 3 ½ tablespoons of coconut oil daily will enrich your milk supply.
28.   Helps with weight loss & controlling cravings.
29.   Helps keep blood sugar levels stable and/or helps with cravings in those with diabetes.
Health Problems (that coconut oil is known for aiding, relieving, or even curing when taken internally)
30.   Eczema – in addition to taking it internally, many have success applying it externally, some don’t
31.   Skin problems
32.   Toenail fungus
33.   Hot flashes
34.   Bleeding hemorrhoids (can also be applied externally twice a day)
35.   HIV
36.   Head lice
37.   Improvements in menstruation regarding pain/cramps and heavy blood flow
38.   Migraines (with regular use)
39.   Mononucleosis
40.   Parasites
41.   Thrush
42.   Relieve gallbladder pain
43.   Has helped some people improve symptoms of an underactive thyroid gland, results have shown subsequent thyroid blood tests becoming normal
44.   Energy boost
45.   Flaky, dry skin
46.   May relieve acid reflux and indigestion when taken with each meal
47.   Adrenal fatigue
48.   Alzheimers
49.   H. pylori
50.   Candida albicans
51.   Asthma, even in children
52.   Autism
53.   Cholesterol – improves HDL (‘good’ cholesterol) to HDL (‘bad’ cholesterol) ratio in people with high cholesterol
54.   Chronic fatigue
55.   Circulation/feeling cold all the time
56.   Stronger immune system
57.   Mental Clarity
58.   Depression
59.   Helps with inflammation in Crohns
Health Problems (that coconut oil is known for aiding, relieving, or even curing when applied topically)
60.   Athletes foot
61.   Back pain/sore muscles
62.   Canker sores
63.   Acne
64.   Cellulite
65.   Herpes (applied topically and taken internally)
66.   Genital warts (through topical application over 6 weeks, and coconut oil enemas twice a day depending on the location of the warts)
67.   Circumcision healing – although I am personally against circumcision, I have read that coconut oil is a really great healer for this.
Cooking
68.   Use 1 cup to 1 cup ratio when replacing other oils/butter in recipes with coconut oil.
69.   Replacement for butter/lard/Crisco/PAM in it’s solid form – greasing pans, pie crusts, etc.
70.   Replacement for various oils in liquid form – baking, cooking, sautéing, etc.
71.   Nutritional supplement – melt and add to smoothies.

Other Uses

72.   Insect repellent – mix coconut oil with peppermint oil extract and rub it all over exposed skin. Keeps insects off better than anything with Deet! Tons safer too.
73.   Great for dogs and cats for general wellness. Just add a teaspoon to their water bowl daily.
74.   Goo Gone – just mix equal parts coconut oil and baking soda into a paste. Apply to the “sticky” area and let it set for a minute. Then scrub off with an old toothbrush or the scrubby side of a sponge.
75.   Chewing Gum in Hair Remover – just rub some coconut oil over the stuck chewing gum, leave in for about 30 minutes, then roll the gum between your fingertip. Voila! It’s out!
76.   Polish Furniture – coconut oil with a little bit of lemon juice to polish wood furniture. However, I recommend you test it first on a very small, unobtrusive part of your furniture to make sure it works the way you’d like.
77.   Polishing Bronze – all you have to do is rub a little oil into a cotton towel and then wipe down the statue. It cleans and helps deepen the color of your bronze.
78.   Seasoning animal hide drums
79.   Seasoning cookware
80.   Moisturizing and cleaning leather products

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It really does seem like a cure-all! Do you know of any other uses for coconut oil? lease leave some comments with your experiences involving this miraculous oil! I personally use it for a variety of things and hope to increase its uses in my own home. I use it to hold my hair instead of gel as well as repair it after I bleach it. I make deoderant with it and soon hope to start cooking with it!

Even using coconut oil regularly in cooking can aid in melting away that cellulite!