Homemade Self-Care Updates ~ Other Homemade "stuff"

I made homemade hair detangler last year, and used it all year long. I even bought a small spray bottle for traveling with (and it worked great).  I have added lemon essential oil to it now.

I discovered a hair brush, after my hair dresser used one on my hair one visit.

 It's called a detangler brush, and they do exist in your big box stores.  I bought one, and wow!  I can brush out my hair much more easily with this tool (it's a small brush, but hard to tell in the photo).  Not sure how they make the brush, but I use a lot less homemade detangler now, and it takes a lot less time to brush my wet hair out with the detangler brush.  

Remember the homemade face toner? As well as the homemade face serum?  I am still using both, and love them both.  In fact, the serum (I made my own rosehip oil for it first), is said to reduce scar damage, and help the skin grow new skin cells.  I used it all year on a very small scar on my chin and it's barely visible anymore.  I am also using it on the spider bite scar, and my husband was shocked at how it's hardly visible as well.  It takes time, but the "serum" works great on scars too.

I'm not sure if I have a past post on the facial serum, but the recipe is from the same source online.

Homemade body wash.  I love this stuff!  Here is how I prepare it (with organic ingredients):

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup jojoba oil

1/4 cup castor oil

1/4 cup pure liquid castile soap (I use Bronner's)

1 1/2 Tbsp. Glycerin

20 drops Frankincense essential oil

I used a funnel (used only for such homemade items), and poured it into a BPA free squeeze bottle. I just shake it up before using, but you could put it in an amber pump bottle too.

I started with a small amount first, because I read that some people can have allergic reactions to castor oil.  I did not, and I really like the body wash.

Homemade nourishing nail oil.  I am still using it, but it's too early to say if it's doing what it should be doing.  My cuticles look much healthier however.  Long work days outside, may require this extra self-care. 

Homemade Yarrow Salve.

We love this stuff.  After someone told me that you can simply put fresh yarrow leaves (and not by a doctor) into your nose to stop a nose bleed, I was interested in making a salve.  Guess what?  I tend to get a few nose bleeds in the winter, due to dry air (or longer than usual stays in a dry air motel/hotel room).  Twice I have used the salve on a tissue to stop my nose bleed, and it worked within a very short time vs. without it.  We've used it for cuts, and for it's healing properties too.  I will definitely make this on a regular basis, and next time will fill a travel container too.

Homemade Window Cleaner.

Love this stuff.  It's worked great on mirrors and windows.  I just used it to clean the outside of a window, to see how it would dry (or even clean) during these cold days, and it worked great.  It makes bird watching, or wild animal watching much clearer, ha ha!  I do have to mix up some more.  I can't say if it is costing me less, but it is inexpensive to make.  The best part, is contains no weird chemicals.  

The ingredients are from an online source (on my blog post here):  "Looking around the house . . ." It is ingredients most people have around the house, other than buying distilled water.  We have well water, so I can't say I have tried city water for this.

Homemade Self-Care Updates ~ Other Homemade "stuff" © January 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Homemade Plantain Salve

                       

(old photo of picked plantain, but I used both broad leaf and narrow-leafed plantain for the salve)

 I completely forgot to share our newest addition to the medicine cabinet  - plantain salve.  It's a homemade drawing salve.  Plantain  (a weed that grows wild) is what saved me when I had a very nasty spider bite years ago.  I asked my husband to go outside and pick it, macerate it, and make a poultice.  I used it until I found a decent doctor (which was hard to do at the time).

I used 1/2 cup infused oil (used grapeseed oil to infuse it), and 2 Tbsp. of beeswax.  Heat together until the beeswax is melted, pour into jars and cool completely.  You can add essential oils too, but add them after you take the melted oil/beeswax off the heat.

By the way, before this was made, and I needed a drawing salve, I used a mix of homemade calendula oil, some store purchased chickweed salve (has plantain in it), and homemade yarrow salve.  It worked until I had my own salve made.  Not sure if one ingredient was better, but together it did the job.  

You can use dehydrated plantain for making tea (soothes an upset stomach), and infusing oils with dried plantain and chickweed to make a chickweed/plantain salve (great for mosquito bites, poison ivy, burns, rashes etc).

(from my experiences with plantain)

Has anyone eaten the young leaves in a salad? I also read the older leaves can be stewed or boiled for soups.  Anyone?  I am very interested in this, as I am learning about the nutrients in the leaves.

Homemade Plantain Salve © January 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Mashed Potato Squash ~ Roasting and Freezing Trial #1

 Mashed potato squash was a new garden treasure to grow last summer.  There is very little information about it online, and very little information if it freezes well.  

We do not have a root cellar, so as of now, freezing our roasted squash is are best option at preserving it for the winter months.

I roasted the last of our mashed potato squash, and allowed it to cool.  I scooped out the flesh and froze it.  I know it will thaw somewhat watery, as it is that way after roasting it.  

The plan will be to mix it with pureed squash, add it to tomato sauce, or other dishes.  I am not sure if it will not be solid enough to enjoy on it's own, after thawing.

I'll update as we thaw and use it in our meals.  I purposely waited to roast them, thinking it would help heat up this house.

Mashed Potato Squash ~ Roasting and Freezing Trial #1  © January 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Extreme Cold Spell

 The last time we had temperatures at -20F° was back in the first week of January of 2014.  Eleven years ago.  According to my blog anyway.  The weatherman on the news channel is saying we had these cold temperatures six years ago.  

Tuesday it was -12°F with a windchill (feels like).  Monday we at least had sunshine the entire day.  Tuesday it was dark and cloudy with a bit of sun here and there.

Today we didn't quite hit the -20 mark, but we did hit -5°F with a windchill of -19°F.  Thankfully, water is running, as we let the faucets drip overnight. 

We restocked on bird seed, and this one has a lever that will shut the feed area if a squirrel tries to hop on for a meal.

Garden prep:

I had some time to go through my garden planting plan for this year, and I realized we did not plant any type of pea last year.  We never got the pea fence back up.

What are you gardeners planting for sugar snap peas?  I am considering trying something new.  A snap pea that is perfect for a summer cold snack and/or cooked as well.   

More sunshine and more animal tracks.

No sign of the cat this week so far.  More tracks close to the house, which we think is from a fox.  Not sure on the ones in the photo without going out to take a closer look.  We've seen squirrel and rabbit tracks lately.

Our first puzzle activity.   We just opened the box this week.  I need to pay attention to the size of the puzzle next time.  The puzzle is huge!  A $20 puzzle I got for $10.00.  Is that a good deal?  It's 1000 pieces.

I don't often visit the dollar store, but if I am in the area, I do stop in for restocking some things.  I picked up a few word search books this trip as well as a few hair barrettes.  The word search books come in handy for waiting room activities, when I don't feel like reading, or crocheting.  The word search books, and puzzle, are also just a small part of my "stay off the internet/phone" plan for the year.  

Not pictured, I also bought for the chickens - 3 cheap dog food bowls for treat bowls, and feed scoop.

Also not pictured, for homemade salves/lotions - bought 1 cheap spatula.

With the puzzle now in motion, we have lots of options during these cold cold nights.  Many businesses closed today, including our local trash pick up.  Many people were still required to go to work, but I think all schools are closed today.

Speaking of puzzles, I wanted to buy one at the used book store last weekend, and my husband said I should wait until we get this current one done.  I see that they already sold the one I wanted, so when in doubt, just buy it.

Stay warm, and seek joy and joyful people in your life.  I know this post is all over the "map" today, but I was reading a book that talked about finding joy in everyday things.  Doing dishes, spreading peanut butter on bread, doing laundry, etc.  I never sought out joy in any of my every day chores (intentionally).  This year is different.

You only get this day to experience once.  What "fun" will you have in your day today?  My chickens will get some fun today.  I bought them a new snack mix, and I will be adding a sprinkle of hot red pepper flakes to help keep their innards warm.

Extreme Cold Spell © January 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Book Blanket 2025 {post #1)

January 1st, 2025 I decided to start creating a book blanket.  What is a book blanket?

I use any scrap yarn (#4 weight), and a 5.5mm crochet hook, and crochet one granny square to match the cover of every book I read this year.  Purchased this book at an antique store.

(with first granny square)

The blanket is also a join-as-you-go blanket.  The final results will be my "book" blanket.

I am using a much different pattern, than the regular join methods, and I love the look too.

I am not picking my books out by how colorful the cover is either.  I am working on books that I have purchased, books that were passed down to me from my Mom, or from a daughter (or even friend), and matching the yarn colors to the best of what I have in my scrap yarn stash.  

The idea is to use up what I have without buying any new (deep breath here, ha ha!).  It is also my motivation to read more books, and scroll on the internet (or my phone) a lot less.

Another book read with matching granny square.  A library book that was somewhat interesting.  It was nothing I already knew about experiences of raising chickens, other than one suggestion from a rooster sanctuary.  She said, to calm a feisty rooster, just pick him up  and cuddle him.  Ha ha! Yeah, that would not happen here ha ha!  Then again, who knows.

(2nd book to this is being released April 2025)

Two more books I finished this month, and matching granny squares for each book.  It's hard to capture the true colors, because it's winter and most days, we lack sunshine barreling thru the windows.  Either way, you get the idea of the project.

The granny squares are connected as I finish each one.  Each granny square is crocheted after each book is read.  Hence the "Book" blanket.  I'm using a different type of pattern for connecting all of the "book blanket" granny squares together.

The plan is to be the best of two worlds. #1 - reading books I have had for a while, and getting back to reading more often.  #2 - to crochet in small bits, spending time with handiwork, but also using up yarn in a very creative way.

The plan is to have a blanket just for us, and in time for winter homesteading days.  The plan is to have the blanket made by December, but I will not fret if I need to roll into another year either.  We'll see how well I do, and if this encourages me to dive more into reading again.  It's all with a "fun" plan.  Not to mention, the end result is a useful item, and the reading will have improved my overall health.

On a side note.  Journals.

I keep a list of the books I read in a simple $.50 spiral notebook, that I started in 2002 (I decoupaged pictures of books on the front that I cut from old magazines so many years ago).  Goodness, I have not read a real magazine in years now.  To think about it, Mom used to pass her magazines on to me, and now I do not get them from anyone.  I do not subscribe to any magazines either.  I do miss reading them.  

Anyway, back to the subject of book journals . . .

Quotes from the book, "The Book of Peach" that I liked:

"When was I going to learn to keep my big mouth shut and keep my treasures to myself?"  Page 144

"Families are the folks who make you feel good about yourself, who accept you as you are, who don't expect you to be perfect, who listen when you talk and let you change your mind if you need to."  Pages 162-163.

Both spoke to me on a personal level.  

I keep a journal for book quotes (started in 2014 in a dollar store notebook) that speak to me, are ones that are good reminders in life, or they are just simply good quotes.

Book Blanket 2025 {post #1} © January 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Happy Homemaker Monday {January 20, 2025}

 

Last week's egg salad sandwich on the homemade avocado bread was fantastic.  I can't wait to try chicken salad, southwest chicken salad or even tuna salad on this "bread" it is that good.  I may play around with other seasonings, other than homemade everything but the bagel seasoning.

Update on the Chicken Breakfast "Sausage" Patties - I used the same seasonings, but made them with  ground turkey. They were delicious!  I used turkey patties and made breakfast sandwiches with egg, cheese, turkey "sausage" and a slice of the homemade avocado bread.  So good!      

Next, I will experiment using the two different meats, with the same seasoning, and cooking it as I would for breakfast burritos, casseroles, frittata's, and quiches.  

                                                                                                                       

Today I am joining Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom.

The weather in our neck of the woods . . .

Our version of the extreme cold, that  is unusual for our area.  It does happen, but just not that often.  The wind can make it very brutal here.  This morning it is a brisk -13°F.  A very thin layer of snow.

Things that make me happy . . .

Enlarging this photo, because they had a room where they sold donated yarn, sewing supplies, craft supplies, craft books and the like.

(Books and magazines were half price while we were there.)

Taking road trips to see something new to us.  Small or big.  We found a hidden treasure, and it filled my adventure tank (minus the hiking ha ha!).  What a treasure to find.  A non-profit foundation that has a used book store, that sells all sorts of books, magazines, puzzles, new local artist work, new local author books, locally made crafts/art, a room full of donated yarn for sale, crafting books, and much more.  We were both shocked at what we found inside, because the outside made it appear small.  I'm so glad we ventured out to find this, and yes (gulp), I bought some books, but held off on the yarn (for now anyway).  

Another good thing about this discovery, if we venture there again, I can donate books, craft books, craft supplies, kids books, and even small balls of yarn (yes they sell those too).  What a happy place.  There are a few chairs to relax in, so my husband had no problem waiting on me to check it all out.  Heck, we can donate our puzzles, and buy a new one there.


Book I am reading  . . .

Another book I started, tucked away in a drawer for some reason, and totally forgot about it.  

What's on my TV . . .

The Day you Found Me (movie), any comedy for some healthy laughing.

What's on my breakfast plate . . .

Not sure just yet.  

What's on my lunch plate . . .

Not sure.

What's on my dinner plate . . .

Not sure.

On the menu . . .

Breakfast:  Breakfast Quesadillas, fresh fruit (maybe)

Dinners:

-Sausage and Ditalini Soup (never got this made)

-Herbed Crockpot Flounder, roasted brussels sprouts

-leftovers

On the to-do list . . .

-make a new breakfast for the next few days 

-tend the hens ( a given "to-do" daily)

-dinner prep

-pick 3 things on my written to-do list

New recipe I tried or want to try . . .

A date bread recipe that was handed down to me from one of my Aunt's, which previously was a friend of my Grandmother (her Mother).  Will it happen?  I am not sure.

What I am creating . . .

I am mostly focusing on the crochet lap afghan.  I made another granny square too, and jus need to sew in the ends.  I'll be sharing that project this week (granny square project).

No words needed (favorite photo) . . .

All of these were taken in the morning, but on different mornings.

Taken last Thursday at around noon.  I think they knew a cold spell was coming.   I have not seen deer at noon before.  Not that I remember.

Devotionals, Prayers, and Bible Verses . . .
"I will shout for joy as I sing Your praises; my soul will celebrate because You have rescued me."  Psalm 71:23 (Voice)

Happy Homemaker Monday {January 20, 2025}  © January 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Blanching Dandelion Greens

 

Dandelion greens have so many health benefits, and we add them to many dishes I prepare.  In the winter, however, I rely on buying them organic (if our freezer stash runs low).

We are now down to only one store that sells them.  It is very important to not skip washing them either.  As you can see they contain a lot of dirt.  I simply blanch them, ice bath them, drain them, and freeze them for future meals.

Blanching Dandelion Greens © January 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart