A Candle Saving Trick

Have you ever thought it was a waste to throw out a candle when there is still a little bit of wax down the bottom of the container ?  Here's what I do if  I have another candle of the same fragrance  -

* Pop the glass candle container into a saucepan of very hot water. Just a couple of inches of hot water is all you need

*  Let the wax melt ( about 10 minutes ).

*  Take the glass candle container from the saucepan and carefully pour the melted wax into the top of a new candle.  

*  Let it cool for a few hours before lighting the new candle.

TIP - Make sure there is enough wick above the wax so you can light it.  About 5 - 7 mm is good.

Melting the wax

Adding the melted wax.

Have you tried this candle trick before ?

Reusing Doilies

I must admit,  I'm a fan of doilies and have used them around my home under vases,  lamps and frames for almost 25 years.  With the latest trends being minimalist,  doilies seem to be disappearing from view.  

Here are a few ways you can make the most of doilies in a delightful way - 

*  Doilies make delightful ' hats '  for jars of jam.

*  A doily bunting is a pretty and eco friendly way to decorate a room or table for a party.

*  An old fragile doily can be given a new lease on life mounted in a picture frame.  Make sure the background cardboard / paper has enough color to help the doily stand out.

*  Do you like a display of soap in your bathroom ?  Stand the soap up on end and wrap a doily around the soaps.  Threading ribbon or twine through the doily holes will keep the soaps together.

*  Doilies can be used as the outer layer of a lavender sachet.

*  Made delicate bowls and dishes by mixing PVA glue with a little water.  Turn a glass bowl upside down and rub a little Vaseline or oil over the surface.  Cover the bowl with your chosen doily.  Brush on the glue mixture until completely cover.  Allow a couple of hours to dry then peel the doily off.

Doily bunting for my birthday.

Do you use doilies in your home ?

If so,  how do you use them ?

Paint Swatch Book Marks

Over the last few years we've collected many paint swatches from our local hardware stores.  The girl's rooms needed a more modern color than the baby pink that had graced their bedroom walls for over 15 years.  We had new bathroom colors to choose,  window trims to paint and a possible feature wall in our bedroom.  

I will admit when Masters Hardware store was closing down a couple of years ago,  staff members allowed me to take handfuls of paint swatches that would otherwise have been thrown out.  

Here's a quick,  easy and free craft using paint swatches.  They'd make great little gifts to put inside a greeting card or could be a wonderful addition to the Mother's Day / Father's Day stall at school..

*  Trim off the paint name down the side of the swatch.

*  Cover up the back with thick paper to hide the brand name.

*  Trim the bottom edge with fancy scissors

*  Decorate the squares with cut outs,  stickers or thin lace.  Keep in mind that decorations need to be fairly flat so the book pages are not damaged when it's used as a bookmark..

Easy Christmas Cards To Make

Making your own Christmas cards can be quite easy and cheap to make.  No need  for expensive card making supplies or card making kits.  A hand made card is generally well received and can show lots of love.

Here's a simple list of supplies needed and a few ideas to get you started -

*  Blank cards.  Kmart sells 25 blank cards and envelopes in packs for $3.  Alternatively your local discount store will sell colored cards - 8 in a pack for about $2 - $3.50
*  Scissors.
*  Glue Stick
*  Grey led pencil
*  Ruler
*  Stickers or stars or other Christmas themes
*  Colored pens
*  Twine,  ribbon,  embroidery threads or colored string.
*  Round glass to trace around
*  Merry Christmas stamp or stickers
*  Bling ( embellishments )
*  Christmas wrapping paper
*  Paper doilies

The Christmas trees on this card were cut out with a shape punch.  Alternatively you could cut out triangles to get the same effect.  The ' Merry Christmas ' at the bottom is a sticker I bought on Boxing Day at 50% off.

The Christmas tree is made from a paper doily folded on different angles.  The embossed background could be substituted by wrapping paper

These simple cards were made with strips of patterned paper. and a stamped message.  Alternatively you could use scraps of wrapping paper and a small gift tag ( always bought on clearance after Christmas )

This card features baubles cut from Christmas wrapping paper.  Thin silver ribbon was glued to the back of the baubles then attached to the back of the red background.  Little bows were attached with a hot glue gun

Do you make your own Christmas cards ?

What is your favourite design to use ?

Coconut And Olive Oil Soap

Recently I was given a couple of bottles of olive oil and a few jars of coconut oil.  I haven't been game to use the coconut oil in cooking so I did a bit of internet research to find a new soap recipe..

We just started using this soap in the shower and so far so good. I've priced a very similar soap selling in an eco store called The Source and it sells for $9.95.  It's marketed as a shampoo bar that comes unwrapped.  It's a slightly larger bar and the only difference I could see in the ingredients list was Castor oil was used in theirs and a few scents and colorings.

• 1 pound (16 ounces or 453.6 grams) coconut oil
• 1 pound (16 ounces or 453.6 grams) olive oil
• 0.303 pounds Caustic Soda (4.844 ounces or 137.339 grams)
• 0.760 pounds water ( 12.16 ounces or 344.73 grams)
• Up to 1 ounce of essential oils of choice (optional)
• Stick blender,  spatula,  rubber gloves for hands,  cling wrap,  moulds,  hand towels and trays to put the moulds on.

Before you start,  please put on rubber gloves and protective eyewear.  Make sure you have long sleeves on and enclosed footwear.

Carefully measure out all your ingredients before you start heating the oils.

Into a large icecream container or metal bowl, add the Caustic Soda to the water and stir until the liquid becomes clear and the Caustic Soda dissolves. Let  the mixture sit for 15 - 20 minutes until it feels warm, not hot  PLEASE do not dip your finger in but feel the warmth from the outside of the container

While the Caustic Soda ( Lye ) is cooling,  gently heat up the olive and coconut oils in a saucepan until they reach 48 degrees Celsius.

Gently and slowly add the warmed oils to the lye mixture and stir.

Using a stick blender combine mixture until it reaches trace.  This looks like thickened custard. You may need to rest the blender every few minutes.  Turn it off and use the blender to stir.

Pour into silicon moulds,  place cling wrap and hand towels over the top.  Place in a safe place to cool and harden.

Start using your soap within a few days.

Here are links to the other soap recipes I use -

http://myabundantlife07.blogspot.com/2015/10/soap-making.html

http://myabundantlife07.blogspot.com/2017/04/olive-oil-soap.html

Make Your Own Bath Bombs

Making your own bath bombs is quite easy.  Once you've had a go you'll be making all sort of bath bombs to give as presents.  Here's the recipe Jessica and I used recently -  

I cup of bi carb of soda ( baking soda )
1/2 cup of citric acid
1/2 cup of Epsom salts
1/2 cup of corn flour

1 teaspoon of water
2 teaspoons of essential oil
4 teaspoons of olive oil
3 - 4  drops of food coloring

Mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl with a whisk

In a small glass bowl or jar mix all the wet ingredients together

Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ones mixing / whisking constantly as you go. Don't add too much of the wet ingredients or it will foam up.

Press the mixture into bath bomb moulds or silicon baking moulds.

Dry overnight or put into a warm oven for 45 minutes.  The oven temperature needs to be as low as you can get.

Gently unmould when cold and hard.

Card Making Ideas May 2017

I thought it was time to share the latest cards I've been making.  Most of these were made at the Cheapskates card making weekend last week.

Z fold female card

Z fold in matching tones

Pink Z fold laying flat

Inside the Z fold

Male Z fold cogs card

Male Z fold cogs card laying flat

Centre of the Z fold card

Male twist and pop card

Card opens and the centre twists and pops out.

Female twist and pop card

Centre of twist and pop card

Zig zag female card

Gift box made with card stock I stamped.

Olive Oil Soap

I just love making my own soap.  It's been wonderful on my skin helping to clear up the allergic reaction I was having to shower gel.  Last year Phil from Mr Homemaker blog gave me a recipe for soap that contained olive oil and rice bran oil.  Because I'd been given quite a few bottles of olive oil,  I changed the recipe to omit the rice bran oil. 

I've found this soap to be of better quality than the other soap  I was making.  This olive oil soap seems to set harder and has a more luxurious feel and lather.  The color tends to be whiter,  only changing to a light cream color over time when stored.

Please keep in mind,  this soap comes to trace very quickly so make sure you have all your moulds ready to go before making.

1000 grams of olive oil,

250 grams of Copha (1 x block)

173 grams of Caustic Soda

450 mils of water.

1. Chop up Copha into small chunks and place into a large non-metallic bowl

2. Make your Lye .in a separate non metallic container by adding  Caustic Soda slowly to the water (never the other way around!)  a little at a time stirring continually.  Watch out for the fumes.

3. Slowly and carefully pour the  lye over Copha chunks

4. Stir Copha and Lye manually with a non metallic spoon / spatula till Copha chunks are all dissolved by the heat of the lye.

5. Slowly add the olive oil while stirring.

6. Use a stick blender to reach a good trace (do not over-heat your stick blender - alternate between stirring and power mode.)

7. Pour the mixture into your moulds and smooth off the top.

8. Place glad wrap over moulds

9. Wrap moulds in old toweling (so they cool slowly)

10. Un-mould in 24-48 hours

11. Cure for 6 weeks

NOTES -

*  Make sure you are wearing covered shoes,  rubber gloves,  protective eye wear and a face mask.. The fumes from the lye can be quite strong especially if you make the soap indoors.  Sometimes I make the lye solution outside,  pour in the other ingredients ,  then bring it all inside to mix together. After making it a few times,  I no longer wear a face mask or glasses but I'm extra careful.

*  Care should be taken when making the lye.  Slowly and gently is the key. One granule of Caustic Soda falling on unprotected skin will sting quite badly.

*  Trace is when the mixture looks like custard starting to thicken.  You'll see ripples in the mixture when blending.

*  This recipe can come to trace in as little as 5 minutes.  If you over, mix the ingredients you'll have trouble getting it into the mould.  The first time I made it,  I over mixed it and there were air bubbles in the soaps.

*  Make sure you have all your equipment out before starting.  This includes a spatula to scrape the bowl.

*  Have baking trays under the moulds before pouring.  This makes moving the moulds to a better location ( for curing ) easier and safer.

Made back in July 2016.  It's only just starting to change color.

Make sure it's for soap making

The mixture has come to trace

Pouring into the moulds

Great for presents too.

There the link to the other soap recipe I've used
http://myabundantlife07.blogspot.com.au/2015/10/soap-making.html

Frugal Reading Links

Here are a few links to articles that are relevant to this time of the year.  Happy reading

Saving money and getting the kids back to school
http://myabundantlife07.blogspot.com.au/2015/01/starting-school-year.html

Beating the heat in Summer
http://myabundantlife07.blogspot.com.au/2016/11/keeping-cool-in-summer.html

Saving money on water usage
http://myabundantlife07.blogspot.com.au/2015/02/februarys-theme-being-water-wise.html

Budget planning for a new year
http://myabundantlife07.blogspot.com.au/2016/01/getting-your-budget-in-order-for-new.html

Our family's menu plan
http://myabundantlife07.blogspot.com.au/2014/11/my-menu-plan-thursday-20th-nov-thursday.html

Easy card ideas
http://myabundantlife07.blogspot.com.au/2016/01/hand-made-card-ideas-january-2016.html

A favourite Summer salad
http://myabundantlife07.blogspot.com.au/2015/02/creamy-pasta-salad.html

Christmas Presents On A Budget

With Christmas fast approaching,  I'm sure most of you have made plans or bought a few presents.  For those who struggle to find the money to spend on presents,  here are a few frugal ideas

*  Biscuits ( cookies ) in a jar made a delightful teacher's gift,  Kris Kringle,  office party present or a present for a friend.  If you have elderly family and friends this would be ideal.  Many elderly can't or wouldn't bake for themselves.  You could give the biscuits ( or other baking ) in a cellophane bag bought from the discount stores.  Tie the top up with recycled ribbon and add a gift tags.  For a larger batch of biscuits,  use a glass coffee jar ( Moccona comes to mind ),  decorated baby formula tin or an icecream container with a ribbon tied around for presentation.  Here are two suggested biscuit recipes on my blog

Peanut Butter Choc Chip Biscuits

Cranberry Hootycreek Biscuits

Biscuits in a jar

*  Teenage boys can be hard to buy for.  They want expensive branded gadgets / clothes and shoes.  A budget gift could be deodorant and shower gel bought at half price.  Lynx toiletries come on sale quite a few times during the year and cost about $3 each at half price.  Team this up with a couple of giant biscuits wrapped in cellophane bags tied with a tartan ribbon.  They'll devour those biscuits before you know it.

Always buy on sale

*  Make a set of handmade cards.  Kmart sells packs of white blank cards 25 per pack for $3.  Using a glue stick,  recycled ribbon and bits and pieces from around the house you could make an elegant set of card that are unique.  Present them in a handmade box,  a decorated recycled one or maybe buy a suitable size from the $2 shops.  Add a few postage stamps and a novelty pen for the receiver to use.

Using scraps of wrapping paper

*  Not crafty ?  Then maybe the garden is where you'll find a few presents.  Take cuttings from your plants and re pot them into saved garden pots,  containers,  planter boxes or fruit boxes.  Clean the outside of the pot and add a ribbon or saved colored plastic from bunches of flowers etc.

A raspberry cutting we grew

*  Now is the time to plant a mix of lettuce seeds in a pot for a beautiful display to give at Christmas. Both useful and very frugal.

Grow different varieties of lettuce

*  Make handmade soap.  If you make the soap in the next week or so you'll have just enough time for it to cure ready for Christmas giving.  The ingredients only cost a few dollars but produces $30 - $40 worth of presents.  You might even have some of the ingredients in your pantry.  Soap making is not as hard as it seems.  Just follow the instructions carefully and you'll be fine.  Wrap the bars of soap in cellophane and add a ribbon.  This soap could be added to a decorated hand towel or set of face washers.  Here's one of the recipes I use Soap making
  

Handmade soap

Gift wrapped ready to give

*  Men can be hard to buy for.  If they have a bbq then make up a few jars of spice rubs for meat.  Save your baby food or mustard jars to use and add a hand made or printed label.  If you'd like to bulk up the present,  make it into a gift pack buy adding paper towel,  tongs,  canola spray,  foil and cling wrap.  Men who bbq always need these items and it's saves them digging around in the kitchen. I know from first hand experience.  Darren has a tub of his " own " things next to the bbq.


* Google,  Pinterest and Youtube could be your best friend when searching for frugal or free gift ideas.  With a little planning now,  you don't need to spend a fortune on gifts.  Remember,  it's your budget.  You know what you can afford.

I Now Have An Etsy Shop.

A couple of months ago a group of friends and myself opened up an Etsy shop.  Our shop is called The Crafty Mums Co op and is an online shop to sell our handmade crafts to the general public.

We are a group of mums who get together regularly to make greeting cards,  gift tags and other crafts.  We also do lots of talking,  tea drinking and eating.  In other words,  a fun get together doing the things we love to do.

Please come on over to our shop and have a browse.  Once you click on The Crafty Mums Co op you can scroll through all the lovely handmade items for sale.  The other option is to click on the individual shops listed on the left hand side of our page.  That will take you to the seller you'd like to view.

New stock is being uploaded often so there's always something new to view.  All items are handmade,  unique and made with lots of love.  Some can even be made to order if time allows.

Our greeting cards are beautifully made with quality papers and designed to bring a smile to the receiver.  Check out our Easel cards.  They are show stoppers that stand out from the crowd ( not like run of the mill mass produced cards ).

The craft section will be expanding shortly so keep a look out for lots of gifts to choose from.  At the moment I have decorated hand towels and Christmas decorations for sale that make great presents for teachers,  Kris Kringle,  office parties as well as for friends and family.  I personally have given lots of these items as presents and they are always well received.

Please share our shop details with your friends and family.

The Crafty Mums Co Op shop

The Crafty Mums Co op Facebook page

You can also click on the Etsy ad I have on the right hand side of my blog.

My business card.

Christmas decorations for the tree

All hand towels come with a bonus gift tag.

Easel cards for females

Easel card for men

Gorgeous side stepper card.

Christmas hand towels come in five designs

Cards for car lovers

Summer dance time card.

Ballerina card

These decorations come in sets of four.