A Brand New Day

This morning started out with a bang - one thing after the next. I made a grocery list, and decided to make homemade laundry detergent and fabric softener and see how I like it after hearing a friend say that it was only costing her around 7 cents a load. Woo hoo - I spent about as much money on all the stuff to make 3-4 five gallon buckets as I would have on the detergent alone. I am just hoping that I like it.
Here is a little tutorial with pictures of course:
The instructions say that you can use Ivory soap instead of Fels Naptha - and I had to since I couldn't find any. You grate the amount of soap you want - it said 1/3 for the Fels Naptha - but since I used Ivory and the bars are smaller -and I made a double batch, I used the whole bar. It is soft and grates very easy.
Put the shredded soap in with 6 cups of water. Remember I doubled it here so it looks like a lot more. This part was kinda fun. You heat the water only long enough to dissolve the soap, which was very quickly. I wasn't sure why it looked blue - because when it all dissolved it was a translucent white.

Add a 1/2 cup of this - which is one thing I was always confused about because there is Arm & Hammer baking soda in large boxes, and there is Arm & Hammer laundry detergent - but this is definitely what you need - called Super Washing Soda. In SE Texas they are stocking this at Brookshire Brothers stores. I haven't seen it anywhere else.

And 1/2 cup of that.... stirring until both powders dissolve.

Tomorrow when it is more gel like, I will take a picture of it in the great big bucket. I was able to find a 5 gallon bucket at Walmart for $4.44. That was pretty reasonable. That is one of the main reasons I hadn't made it before now was finding a bucket.
While I did this, the girls made homemade lip gloss - and it took on a nice pinkish red color - but it is very, very sour - and we can't figure out why - so we'll experiment with that a little more later. I'm not sure how to sweeten it without using artificial sweeteners. I thought maybe honey - but it would definitely change the consistency - which they really like. They have friends whose mom is a real homeopath, and they don't use any commercial make-up - but make their own. Kaitlyn has said she would really like to start making more of her own cosmetics. Imagine all she can learn. Just another day of unschooling.
AND on top of all the other hoopla today, I got three comments on this blog from my friend Kathie this morning, and it made me miss her so dang bad I had to do something "Kathie-ish" so I made strawberry freezer jam! Over the years Kathie introduced me to a lot of good food, and great recipes - but this is the first one I ever remember hearing about from her. She is such a neat lady - and I am so homesick, I would give just about anything to make freezer jam with her. Anyway - I got a little Kathie-fix without the Kathie. I also made homemade bread that came out of the oven about 20 minutes ago - and should be just about cool enough to cut - so I'm going for a little bread and jam! Hope your day was as productive as mine felt!

Oh yeah, and my friend Melody - I am so blessed to have met her. She evidently knows what a girls best friend is next to chocolate - and took me out for lunch today at Chili's - complete with some terrific margaritas! Ah! I really needed that. Thanks Mel!