October 2009

Marigold Insect Spray

DIY

I can’t bring myself to pull up the giant marigold that’s hogging a good one-third of one of my best raised beds so I’m determined to get the most benefit out of it.  One of the uses for this plant is in a spray which is said to combat tomato hornworms, other leaf-cutting insects, plus [...]

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Neem Oil Soap

Lye Soaping

Neem oil, if you believe all its fans are saying, will do anything and everything, and has done for millenia. For repelling insects, treating eczema, psoriasis, acne and dry skin, it has a league of admirers. Do a simple search and prepare to be amazed by the breadth of its curative wonders. If it does [...]

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What is This Thing?

Garden

It’s very fancy. A little bit of Carnivale in my backyard. I have no idea what it is.  I think it came in a packet of Fedco mixed salad greens, but, of course, it could have been dropped from the heavens by a tropical bird. Something like this: Compared to the cabbages and the lettuces [...]

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Homemade Car Air Freshener

Cleaning Products

My car doesn’t smell bad to me, but someone was making a stink-face every time we had to go somewhere. Enter child-labor. What we did: Draw (or have someone draw) the motif of choice. Someone wanted a star. Cut out pattern and pin to felt of choice and cut out: Make two: Pin together and [...]

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Pure Olive Oil Soap

DIY

I heard the stories about 100% olive oil soap, that it was so gentle and mild, yet “slippery” and “low suds.” I made up a batch and have been very pleased with it. Here’s the deal on the “low suds” issue–it’s true to some extent UNLESS you use one of those scrubby plastic bath puffs. [...]

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