Safe Paint for Your Home

Be Sure to Click on the link below for buying SAFE paint!



Safe Paint for Your Home

Liam Owen Reynolds!!

My Best Friend Angela had her precious Baby Liam Owen Reynolds!! He came 2 months early due to his mommy having a special condition~Unicornuate Uterus. She didn't know she had this condition until she went into preterm labor and had to have a C-Section due to Liam being breech~which is very common in women with a Unicornuate Uterus. Both baby and Mommy are doing very well and we are all so thankful!! The many prayers have been such a blessing and so much appreciated! God is so good and it is so very amazing to see how He works! What a mighty God we serve!!

Acorn Jewlery

Be sure to Click on the link to make this ADORABLE jewelry!!

Acorn Jewlery

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Make a Fairy Doll

Be Sure to Click on the link below to learn how to make these adorable and EASY dolls!!


Make a Fairy Doll

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SOAP NUTS!!!

If you missed a chance to win the soap nuts (the great natural laundry solution that grows on trees!) samples over the last month, NaturOli is graciously offering a special promotion for my readers! For every $20 (pre-shipping) in product that you buy, you get a free trial sample of either raw soap nuts or the liquid Extreme 18X version. So for every $20 you spend you get one freebie! You can get as many as you like and mix and match!

When you enter the checkout, include the following in the comments section: Passionate Homemaking promo plus your selection. For example, “Passionate Homemaking promo – 1-raw soap nuts or 1-18X”. Your free sample with be included in your order but it will not show on your order form.

This promotion runs till August 31, 2009 so order some for your family soon!

Excellent Ways To Meals On A Budget

Budget Cooking is sure to be on numerous minds in these bad economic times. Meals on a budget are a great saving to your household budget…whether you are a stay-at-home mother managing a family, a single mom with three children, or a working mother trying to manage a career and household, then you are going to need to know how to cook on a budget while still trying to preserve a heart-healthy diet.Food Market costs are than ever and many homes are looking at how they can cut some costs without jepordizing their health.

It is critically significant to account for your spending habits by carefully watching what you are purchasing, in order to save money as well as eat balanced healthy meals. To get you started today, here are some great points on home cooking food you can start with now:

1.) The first step is to decide on a grocery budget and ensure to stick to it before you go to the grocery store.

2.) Every week many families will receive grocery flyers in the mail that contain discount sales items. Sit down and go through the flyer making a list of the discounted items that you plan on purchasing before you leave to the grocery store. A substantial amount of money can be saved by taking the time to do this.

3.) Non-perishable goods are great items to stock up on. Canned beans, soups and tuna fish can be stored in your kitchen cupboard for a long time. Stocking up on these foods is a great idea should you find them at discount rates. Other items that can be stored for a few months include dry goods such as breakfast cereals. Stock up on large quantities when you see these low prices.

4.) An excellent place to store foods are in the freezer. There are many foods that you can purchase in large quantities and then brought home too freeze. The freezer is a great place to store bulk sized bags of fruits and vegetables. Storing them this way will allow you to keep them for a few weeks which in turn will save you money in the long run.

Other items that you can freeze are various meats such as chicken, turkey or burgers. It is a good idea to stock up on these items if you should find them on sale. Double wrapping them in aluminum foil or freezer bags will allow them to be stored for longer periods of time. Purchasing a few loaves of bread can also be a good idea. You can freeze the other loaf of bread and eat the other one over the next few days.

5.) Do your best to try and buy foods that are in season. Choosing out of season foods can be quite costly.

6.) Cut out and gather vouchers in your local newspaper flyer. Keep an eye out on coupons for brand name foods, always compare them with the prices of generic brands, they can be cheaper. Coupons are best used on food items that you buy weekly. You will only be increasing your grocery bill if you buy items just because they are on sale.

If you are searching at some essential ways to cooking at home then you will want to read the excellent digital report “Times Are Tough - So Eat Cheap”. It is filled with cost-savings tips, guides and ways of helping you save money during these serious economic times.

Affordable Ways to Make Meals Healthier for Kids

As the economy worsens, more families are being forced to choose between expensive foods that are healthy and those that are more affordable, but less nutritious.

Buying the leanest meats and the freshest produce isn’t always financially realistic when one has to feed a large family on a skin-tight budget. Thankfully, there are some budget-friendly ways parents can make everyday dishes better for children to eat.

Bake or Broil Instead of Frying

Broiling and baking eliminates the need to prepare foods with artery-clogging oils. Things like bacon, hamburger, chicken, fish and potatoes can be prepared in the oven and taste just as delicious as the deep fried versions.

If using oil in kids’ meals can’t be avoided, opt for healthier alternatives such as coconut or olive. Also, trimming away excess fat and removing the skin from meats will make them healthier for children to eat.

Use Table Salt in Moderation

Excessive amounts of salt can contribute to high blood pressure and heart disease. Not only is salt a seasoning, it's also used as a preservative in a lot of the processed foods that are used to prepare meals – so practice moderation when adding table salt to foods.

Buy Frozen, Canned, and Seasonal Fruits and Vegetables

While it’s nice to have a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables for kids to choose from, it’s not always possible when money is low. But instead of buying junk foods because they appear to be more budget-friendly, opt for vegetables and fruits that are frozen or canned.

Off-season fruits and veggies are far more expensive than seasonal produce. For instance, buying strawberries in the summertime when they're more abundant and easier to grow is cheaper than purchasing them during the winter months. Some produce such as potatoes and bananas are affordable year round.

Offset the Cost of Fresh Produce by Growing a Small Garden

One of the most affordable ways to provide an abundance of fresh produce to use in kids’ meals is to grow some of it right in the backyard. All it takes is a little elbow grease. So roll up those sleeves, enlist the help of the little ones and start planting.

Beginning gardeners should start with produce that’s easy to grow such as tomatoes, radishes and green beans. As gardening skills improve, vegetables that are more challenging can be added. Be sure not to let all that fresh, homegrown produce go to waste. If there isn’t an immediate need for the produce when it's harvested, bag and freeze it to use at a later date.

Using these budget-friendly tips will help make mealtimes healthier for children to enjoy.

How to Make Cute Little Finger Puppets!!

I ran across these cute finger puppets while looking for fun, free, and relatively easy craft ideas! Click on the title to go directly to the web site for the materials and patterns needed to make these adorable puppets!! If you make them, be sure to come back here and let me know how it went! Happy Crafting!!

How To Make A Terry Cloth Baby Bib!

Terry cloth is a thick, absorbent material that works great for making bibs. You can buy terry cloth at the fabric store, or save money by cutting up an old towel. Terry cloth bibs can be as simple or as decorative as you want. You can fasten the bib using hook and loop tape (commonly known by the brand name Velcro) or snaps, or by tying it with pieces of grosgrain ribbon.


Things You'll Need:

* terry cloth
* matching thread
* measuring tape
* scissors
* straight pins
* sewing machine
* 1/2 inch wide grosgrain ribbon
* hook and loop tape or two small snaps (optional)
* hand sewing needle or hammer (optional)




Step 1

Cut a piece of terry cloth about a half inch larger on each side than you want the finished bib. The bib can be rectangular, rounded or shaped like an animal face.

Step 2

Set your sewing machine to a zigzag stitch, if available.

Step 3

Fold each cut edge of the bib over about a half inch toward the back side. Zigzag stitch along each folded edge, so that the zigzag stitches overlap the cut edges. This will keep the terry cloth from raveling.

Step 4

Cut two pieces of grosgrain ribbon. For a bib that ties, cut the ribbons long enough to extend from just below the top of the bib and tie in a bow around the back of the neck. For a bib with snaps or hook and loop tape, cut the ribbons long enough to extend from just below the top of the bib to the back of the neck, overlapping one to two inches.

Step 5

Pin one end of ribbon to each back side of the bib, just below the top edge. Stitch the ends of the ribbons to the bib.

Step 6

To attach hook and loop tape to the bib (optional), cut one piece of hook tape and one piece of loop tape, each about one to two inches long. Pin the hook tape to the top side of the upper end of one ribbon. Pin the loop tape to the under side of the upper end of the other ribbon. Stitch around each piece of hook and loop tape using a zigzag stitch.

Step 7

To attach snaps to the bib (optional), place the bumpy sides (studs) of the snaps on the top side of the upper end of one ribbon. Place the indented sides (sockets) of the snaps on the under side of the upper end of the other ribbon, making sure to line them up with the studs. Sew on the snaps like buttons, or use a hammer to attach no-sew snaps.

Click on "Terry Cloth" or the title to go to two different websites that will show you how to make the bibs!! Have fun!!

Nature's Sunshine: Tei-Fu Oil

The name Tei-Fu is not the name of an herb. It is the name of a Chinese herbalist. Starting with a family owned formula that had been passed down from generation to generation for over a thousand years, Dr. Tei-Fu Chen worked on and perfected the formula. He brought it to the United States several years back, and his formula is what Nature's Sunshine uses today.

Many people have reported a variety of benefits. Tei-Fu has menthol in it, which is the substance used in many cough drops and other product to open the respiratory passages. Some people use it for that purpose--simply be putting a few drops on their hands, cupping them over their mouth, and breathing deep. Others use it similarly to help with mental alertness and concentration. Still another use is to relieve headaches. Application of Tei-Fu oil to the temples or neck is the common method for this purpose. While some people do take a small number of drops internally with water occasionally, it generally needs to be used topically or by breathing its vapors.

I personally love to use Tei-Fu oil to put on bug bites, scrapes, and burns! It is amazing and helps right away! I use it on my kids and they too love it! You have to be very careful to wash your hands and make sure that NO CONTACT is made with your eyes and make sure you kids don't rub it in their eyes!! Other than that, it's healing powers are amazing! And the price isn't bad either! Look for it in your local Health Food Store or click on the link or title to go directly to the site your can order it on! Happy Healing!!

Money Saving Mom

Money Saving Mom is a wonderful site that helps you be the most frugal you can be with helpful budget tips plus amazing coupons and deals!! You'll love the free things you can sign up for plus all of the wonderful coupons you can obtain! I have posted on here and you can click on the title of this post to go directly to Money Saving Mom for more great deals and savings!! Enjoy!



Fazoli's: Free spaghetti with drink purchase and free kid's meals



Sign up for Fazoli's email list here and you'll get a coupon for a free small Spaghetti with a drink purchase.
Plus, every weekend in the month of August, Fazoli's is offering free kid's meals with the purchase of an adult entree. No coupon is necessary. Information on this was sent out to their email list. You might call your store ahead of time to verify they are participating in this promotion.

No-Cook Freezer Jam: Naturally Sweetened

I love following the Passionate Homemaking Blog by Lindsey Edmonds! I have gleaned a lot of very useful and practical information on how to use what you have to make your home a healthier and safer while being frugal and resourceful! I hope you enjoy the sampling of posts I have added from time to time! Here is a yummy and fun one I thought you'd enjoy! You can click on the title to go directly to Lindsey's Blog and see why I love it so very much!! If you decide to post some samplings of her blog onto yours, be sure to give her the credit! Thank you!



I love preserving my own foods for the upcoming year and jam is a favorite! It is practically impossible to find good jam/jellies on the market that are made without sugar or HFCS, so homemade varieties are the best alternative. Plus, it is superior in flavor and nutrition. In the past I have made canned jam sweetened with rapadura/sucanat with good success, but this year I wanted to go all out and avoid the cooking process. If you are going to put the effort forth, why not preserve as much of the nutrition in the berries as possible right? Surprisingly enough, the no-cook freezer jam method is incredibly easy. It took me about 1 hour to prepare 23 half-pint jars of yummy marionberry jam for our freezer (4 batches of the recipe below from 1.5 flats of berries). They do not take up much space either, especially if you select good stackable containers. I chose to use glass jars and it worked beautifully! You don’t even need any special new canning jars or lids. I had an assortment of lids from various jars I had recycled and they all worked just fine. I prefer sweetening with rapadura/sucanut, but I tried a batch sweetened with honey and enjoyed it. You can use whatever your heart desires!


Pomona’s Universal Pectin is a perfect natural pectin to use, free of sugar or preservatives. It is a low mexthoxyl type pectin derived from citric peels and pulp. It provides you with the freedom to experiment with your own desired choice and quantity of sweetener. You can use whatever sweetener you desire or abandon the sugar altogether! It is available online or at a local health food store (Whole Foods, New Seasons, Fred Meyer Nutrition, Azure Standard, etc). One box made approximately 20 (8 oz) jars for me, so I used just over 1 box. The rest can be saved for another time. Each box includes easy to follow directions. Last year I made the recipe with just 1 cup of rapadura/sucanat and it definitely was not sweet enough, in our opinion. This time around I bumped it up a bit and it was delicious! The recipe is included in the box of pectin, but you can also download it from their website here. There are other recipes included as well for cooked canned jam.

Here is my personal preference:

4 cups berries – I love to use marionberries or blackberries because they are so cheap (if not free)!
1/4 cup lemon or lime juice (optional)
1 cup honey or 2 cups rapadura/sucanat
3/4 cup water
3 tsp pectin
4-12 tsp calcium water (each box of pectin includes the calcium package to make this)

The easiest way I found was to start by boiling the water. While you wait, mash the berries in a blender or food processor. Combine with lemon juice and sweetener, mixing thoroughly. Put berries aside while you pour the boiling water into your blender along with the pectin and blend for 1-2 minutes until thoroughly dissolved. Add the pectin and water to your berries and combine thoroughly. Gradually add calicum water until it gels. I found that about 6 tsp was perfect for marionberries. Transfer to your clean 8 oz jars and cover securely. Make sure to allow 1/2 inch room at the top of the jar for expansion. Freeze immediately. The instructions say that once opened you need to use within a week. I think that it definitely last longer than this. If concerned, simply put it back in your freezer to preserve it longer.

The total cost for me was about about $1 per 8 oz of jam. Not bad at all!

Soap Nuts Liquid Detergent – Extreme 18X Giveaway!

I am a huge fan of the simplicity and safety without excess waste of using soap nuts for all my laundry needs (including those cloth diapers)! Soap nuts grow on trees! We have discussed all the wonderful benefits of using soap nuts here and from our previous giveaway here, and now we want to introduce you to the liquid version! As I shared before, Soap Nuts are the only laundry soap that grows on trees, thus giving us the most sustainable and natural option out there. It is 100% safe and natural for the most sensitive skin. Soap nuts are the dried fruit of the Chinese Soapberry tree. They contain saponin, a natural cleaner. They are simply harvested, de-seeded, and then dried in the sun. Great for hard water and high efficiency machines. It is biodegradable, hypo-allergenic, brightens colors, low sudsing, and contains a natural fabric softener.

Now NaturOli offers another product that makes it even more simple and convenient to use soap nuts – enter Extreme 18X liquid detergent! You only have to use 1/2 teaspoon per load of laundry as it is a highly concentrated 18x potency. I have been experimenting with the Extreme 18X liquid detergent and I really love it. It cleans well, smells fresh and produces soft clothing. My tip: make sure to use a measuring spoon to measure it out per load. It is so easy to use too much when you simply squirt it into your washer. Extreme 18X works in your dishwasher as well! Simply squirt about 1/2 teaspoon in your dishwasher dispenser and away you go! I have also diluted it with water in a spray bottle for a gentle and effective household all-purpose cleaner with great success. This is a multi-purpose all natural alternative that avoids excess waste. See that picture on the left? Compare that weight and packaging and see how much better soap nuts are for our environment.

Now, you can win a sample of the Extreme18X liquid detergent! This sample offers you 1 ounce of
This is the sample you could win!


This is the sample you could win!

liquid detergent that will yield 12 high efficiency (HE) loads or 6 standard loads – or more! If you have been skeptical of the wonders of soap nuts, this is your opportunity to sample the most concentrated, effective, green laundry detergent on the market.

We have 20 sample trial bottles to give away today! So there will be 20 lucky winners of the Soap Nuts Extreme 18X laundry detergent!

To Enter:

1. Simply leave a comment below and tell us what you think about Soap nuts. Have you tried them yet? If you haven’t, just leave a comment and tell us you want to be entered in the giveaway.

2. If you want to be entered twice, post about this giveaway (linking directly to it) on your blog!

Giveaway ends: Monday, August 3, 2009, 5:00 pm PST.

Giveaway limited to US participants.

Extreme 18X can be purchased in a variety of sizes from NaturOli as the more you buy the more you save. Highly recommend this company as they provide the highest quality soap nuts I have tried! Full disclosure: I am an affiliate of this company and receive a small amount per sale of their products.

Be sure to CLICK ON THE TITLE FOR THE GIVE AWAY!! YOU'LL WANT TO POST ON THE BLOG THAT THE TITLE LINK TAKES YOU TOO!!