Upcycling Cribs!

I love to upcycle! Using less money and making sure there is less waste produced. I was on a pallet kick for the longest time but now my newest obsession is old cribs. You know the kind you're not suppose to use anymore because they have a drop side. People are now selling these on online yard sales and craigslist for around $10 or free if you're lucky! Reuse these things to make your life more organized and to do your part in keeping things out of landfills!

This is what I used them for ....so far. My first project was a shoe organizer which is super easy! Just take the long side of the crib and lean it against the wall in your closet or room and stick your shoes in the between the bars. Like I said SUPER easy!

The kids shoes

Master Closet

And then there is my favorite project so far! Crib to kid desk/activity center! I have to give all props to my husband! I just gave him the idea and he created, put together, and painted it! This is just three sides, the bottom, and a sheet of plywood. It turned out great! 

The wood from the bench came from the same sheet of plywood and the paint was what we had left over from a previous project! So this was a cheap build! 

I still have one three sides, a bottom, and a mattress so don't worry there will be more to come weather my husband agrees or not!

~Heidi

Peppermint~The Amazing Essential Oil!

I have to tell you about peppermint oil! Peppermint oil has come up more times than I can count this week. It is an amazing oil that has so many uses!

Let’s start with why I started using it. I would get headaches constantly and aspirin wasn’t helping much. This was before going chemical free. I did some research feeling that the drugs were not healthy. That is when I found peppermint! I used peppermint almost everyday for these headaches and it is really what got me through with out all the aspirin!

Jump ahead a couple years, and now I use it for my kids upset tummies and fevers. I use it for a spray to keep spiders and other bugs away. My husbands heartburn and my own upset stomach. I also use it in my allergy pills!

This oil has antiseptic and antibacterial properties works on so many digestive issues, respiratory issues including asthma, memory, muscle pain, decongestant, stress,  and bad breath! The list just goes on! I am constantly finding new ways to use this oil and always have some on hand! How are you using peppermint oil?!

image by blog.youngliving.com

Am I A Liberal Hippie?!!

This is kind of hard for me to write. Not that I don’t want to write it, but, I’m going to be calling some people out and I never like to hurt someones feelings. Sometimes, someone just has to point out you are going down the wrong path before you can even see the path that you are on.

All that being said, let me tell you why this has weighed on me so much lately and also for the past 5 years. When I started my “alternative” lifestyle 5 years ago it was partly because it was cheaper to do so and partly I wanted my family to be as healthy as possible. I will never forget multiple people telling me if it was a money issue they would buy me disposable diapers so I didn’t have to use cloth. Or that worrying about the disposable diapers taking 500 years to decompose made me a liberal hippie. Now, always being a somewhat conservative Christian republican, this somewhat upset me. And, since I can remember exactly who they were and could call them out by name, it obviously stuck with me and knowing that these people were also conservative Christian republicans confused me.

As a Christian you are to take care of God’s planet he left for us. It is stated in the Bible! Why have so many become blind to this?!

Leviticus 25:23-24 The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine and you are but aliens and my tenants. Throughout the country that you hold as a possession, you must provide for the redemption of the land. (NIV)

Numbers 35:34 Defile not therefore the land which ye shall inhabit, wherein I dwell: for I the Lord dwell among the children of Israel. (KJV)

Am I the only one seeing this?! Where are all the Christians at that are protecting the earth along with the “liberal hippies”?! I do have “hippie” ways, as my husband would call it, but it shouldn’t stand out as “hippie” it should just be normal to recycle, produce less waste, clean green, and just care about what we are doing on this earth. I know I’m not alone, so I’m not calling everyone out, but if you are right there with me just know you are not alone. What have you done to do your part today?

Update: I don't know where I fall in politically anymore but religiously this all still applies!

What they don't tell you about BPA

It makes me worry when they actually have someone on the local news telling you about the harms of BPA for you and your children. It makes me worry even more that no one is doing anything to get this chemical out of our everyday lives. I’m sure you have all seen the newer baby bottles that say BPA free but if you’re giving your baby formula there could be BPA in the container storing the formula. These are the people we should be protecting they can’t protect themselves. Here is just a few notes about BPA and what you probably haven’t heard before.




First of all maybe you don’t know what BPA is. BPA or Bisphenol A is a chemical compound used in making polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resin in tin cans. You can also find this in food storage containers, water bottles, medical devices, CDs, and even receipts. Yes, just touching this can be harmful. In Japan they have completely banned the use of BPA and Canada has now named it a toxic chemical. So, why is the United States denying all of this and still using it in our everyday lives?



This has been linked to many health issues like; cancer, diabetes, obesity, infertility, hyperactivity, impaired learning and memory, increased aggression, and early onset of puberty. I have said for many years now there has to be a reason kids are physically maturing alot earlier and now we know.



Even though you can’t avoid this chemical completely right now there are ways to keep your young ones safe. Avoid plastics marked with 3, 6, and 7. Many companies are realizing the consumers are paying more attention to the amound of BPA they come in contact with so there are many products that will say BPA free. As for canned foods it can be a little more difficult. Canned meats, pastas, and soups have the largest amount of BPA in the can. If your rinse canned fruit or vegetables before eating it can lower the amount of BPA that you consume. If you use plastic food storage containers check the number on the bottom of the container with the ones I mentioned earlier. Do not heat these in the microwave and you should either wash them by hand or put them on the top rack in the dishwasher. I’ll be looking for new containers soon!

Fluoride toothpaste or Fluoride free?

I recently switched my toothpaste to fluoride free and a friend of mine asked if we needed fluoride to protect our teeth from decay. For once I didn't have much to say. I didn't do much research before hand but had just briefly read up on fluoride poisoning. So being me I had to look more into it and I'm worried now that I did. Not for my toothpaste but for our water! Fluoride is being added into our water and even Nursery water for babies! Too much fluoride can be harmful!
There is a pro to fluoride, but just one that I can find, which is that it helps protect the enamel on our teeth making cavities less common. However, if your an adult this doesn't really help as much as it does in children who still have growing bones. You really need to watch how much fluoride they are consuming though. You should only use a pea sized portion of toothpaste with fluoride for children to brush their teeth since they naturally swallow pretty much anything you put in their mouth.
Now lets go into the cons! Fluoride has been linked to certain cancers and Downs syndrome. It also has been linked to thyroid problems and too much fluoride can actually damage your teeth not help!
60% of Americans drinking water has fluoride in it already. Some fluoride is naturally in the water but shouldn't have more added like many places have been doing for years! Call your local water department to find out if you have fluoride added in your tap water. Fluoride can also enter through your skin while bathing. You might think that since you buy bottled water your safe from fluoride but it is also added in this water as well. Last night I was just thinking why is cancer more common? Could this be one of the reasons?

How to become a Tightwad!

So, you might be thinking that you need to start saving money as you never know what could happen in the future. I went through the same thought and had to make a start somewhere. Now days everyone makes decisions minute by minute and doesn't really plan for the future. Being a tightwad is going to change you! If you make small changes to plan ahead for the week with a dinner menu you can cut down your food costs and gas costs on making last minute trips to the store (plus less waste of food). If you plan ahead for the month you could cut down food costs even more by being able to buy in bulk (or split bulk items with a friend). If you want to think even farther ahead start on Christmas now or buy summer clothes for next year now (which will be very cheap out of season). We have started planning Christmas gifts which are pretty much all handmade but by planning ahead we are able to recycle wine bottles into the bottles we will be using for our gifts instead of having to buy them. Make this first step at becoming a tightwad and see how much you can save!

What does your carpet hold?

Stains? Well unless you don't have kids, pets, and don't walk on your carpet often you might be lucky enough to not get a stain. But what about other things in the carpet like odors, pollutants, toxins, and even mold! Scary to think about as our children walk and crawl on these carpets everyday. Then as well as being walked on these odors, pollutants and toxins are being released into the air for all of us to breathe in! No one knows how much this harms our bodies.
So now you have decided to just get new carpet all together....well, sorry to say that may not be the best choice either. New carpets are made with many chemicals. If you just replaced your carpets then think about getting them frequently cleaned as this can reduce the amount of chemicals released into the air.
If your wanting to get your old carpets cleaned lets just talk about the most dangerous thing in old carpets. Mold spores are common in old carpets which can cause headache, congestion, fatigue, and has even been linked to childhood asthma. Your first thought after finding mold spores in your carpet is to get them cleaned but when getting your carpets cleaned they can use up to 100 gallons of water and with the heat used this can cause the mold spores to spread.
Eco friendly carpet cleaners are not very common but you can always ask the carpet cleaner around you if they offer eco friendly cleaning and some do! But its also good to keep up on your own carpets between cleanings. I often put up ideas on green carpet cleaning so stay tuned!

Gardasil Vaccine

I haven't really been paying much attention to this gardasil vaccine as I am past the age that they want women to get this by but it recently came up in a couple different conversations and I am shocked that this is still on the market. I understand that HPV can lead to cervical cancer but if your getting regular checkups they would catch this anyways. Our main problem is that women put their families first and forget to take care of themselves and don't go in for their yearly. I personally think if we just started paying attention to ourselves and making sure that we do get our check ups then this vaccine wouldn't be needed especially after reading about some side effects which have included death.
I have been reading http://www.truthaboutgardasil.org/ and am in complete shock. I hope they figure something out before my girls get to the age that they are trying to vaccinate girls. I encourage everyone to check out this site and read up on this vaccine before getting it and letting your children get this vaccine.

Green Cleaning 2

The smells from the drain cleaners on the market can pretty much make me feel sick so I loved the fact that I can use just vinegar and baking soda. Pour 1/4 cup baking soda and 2/3 cup of vinegar into the drain and cover for awhile then follow with very hot water.
You can even use hot vinegar to remove paint from glass after you were just trying to do a touch up and ended up making a mess on the window. Use a cloth to wipe away the paint after applying the hot vinegar.
Brush your carpets with 1 cup vinegar in 1 gallon water for the color to see a new life given to them! Also, use vinegar (4 Tblsp with 1 gallon water) to rinse your carpets after shampooing to remove residue from the detergent and save some of the life in the carpet.

Yes I'm a Tightwad

Craigslist is my new best friend. I just found and purchased some items cheap!! A huge box of fabric for $20 and 40 lbs of canning tomatoes for $20. We just made pasta sauce and canned it along with a couple more just tomatoes. I'm so excited to do more! With so many ideas running through my head it's hard to figure out where to start.
I have also started planning meals for the whole week on Sunday and making things ahead of time. The recipe from The Tightwad Gazette 3 (which is actually found in The Betty Crocker Cookbook) for refrigerator dough is going to be used in almost every meal this week. Amy used it for doughnuts, rolls, and breadsticks. I have also found you can make so many things in the crockpot! I now use this a couple times a week and definitely on the days I know I'm going to be tired.
I have also made more of an attempt to get to garage sales. With a young child this can be difficult but last week went great! So excited for this week and hopefully it cools down a bit so I can enjoy it even more. I used craigslist again to find garage sales in my area and a few estate sales as well.
I would love to hear more ideas on tightwadding!