No Sew Fleece Scarf

I was at Hobby Lobby the other night and spotted a clearance basket of scrap material in little rolls. I looked through it and found myself a pretty sweet deal. I got a 1/4 yard of grey fleece 60 inches long. I immediately thought of an idea: a no-sew scarf!

It took a total of 15 minutes to do. I could have finished sooner, but with two kids, that's not always possible. This was so easy, if I can do it, anyone can!

First, fold the material length wise in half.

Then cut the end that is not folded all the way down the length of the fleece in about one inch strips. Cutting to about a half an inch to the fold.

Then after it is cut tie the pairs together. I alternated back and front when I tied so that it was fuller.



Ta daaaa!

Not too shabby for a whopping .88 cents if I don't say so myself. I will definitely be keeping my eyes open for more remnants like this next time I go to the store!

Homemade Laundry Detergent

So in an effort to save money I decided that a good place to start would be making some of the things I need myself instead of buying from a store. One thing I do a lot of is laundry. Having a three year old it is hard to avoid.

I found a recipe online for making homemade liquid laundry detergent from http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/ by Crystal Miller. The recipe is simple, easy to make and seems to work well. I have a front loader and was concerned about how things would wash up, but I didn't seem to have a problem.

For the recipe you will need: 

•  a bar of soap, I used Fels Naptha. You can also use Ivory, Sunlight, Kirks Hardwater Castile or Zote bars.
• Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda
• Borax
• water
• bucket, I used a 5 gallon bucket (I figured bigger was better so I didn't make a mess)

First, start by grating 1/3 of the bar of soap you have choosen. I grated it in the large sauce pan I would be using. Then add 6 cups of water and heat until the soap shavings melt. Then add 1/2 cup washing soda and 1/2 cup Borax until they dissolve. Remove from heat.



Pour 4 cups of hot water into the bucket and add your detergent mixture. Stir.  Add 1 gallon and 6 cups of water and stir again.

Then let the mixture sit for 24 hours.





After the 24 hour waiting period you can then pour your mixture in an clean empty container to store. Shake before using. 1/2 cup per load should work for normal wear washes.

Hope you try this! It was not hard at all to make and did not take long to do either. Save yourself some money and make your own!

Enjoy!



Play- Doh

I always like to find a way to save money. I don't know anyone who doesn't really. A great way to save money is to make things yourself. That is why I began making my own playdoh for my son. Buying from the store will add up quick, but why spend extra money on playdoh from the store when you can make it from everything you already have in your pantry!

This is a recipe that I have found that worked really great for us. This recipe can last a long time depending on how often it is used.

Play-Doh Recipe

3 c. flour

1 c. salt

6 tsp. cream of tartar

3 c. water

3 Tbsp vegetable oil

food coloring (optional)

Mix flour, salt, cream of tartar in large sauce pan. 

In a bowl mix together water and oil then add to sauce pan.

Cook over medium heat stirring constantly until it thickens.

Add food coloring cook about five minutes.

Take out of pan and knead on a cutting board for a few minutes.

This is super easy to do and makes a lot! It is not recommended to eat, not because it isn't safe, but it is extremely salty. It is also a great way to get your kids involved by allowing them help with the process depending on their age! Have fun and enjoy!