Making handmade liquid soap from natural soap bars is not only better for the environment, but it is a huge money saver as well. While the prospect of making your own hand soap might seem like a huge time investment, it is a very simple project.

ingredients

4 ounce bar of natural soap

2 quarts of water

tools

1 metal grater

large pot

hand mixer or whisk

container for storage

directions

Grate your soap into a fine pile.

Heat the water; when water begins to simmer, add grated soap. Mix well, and remove from heat.

Allow mixture to sit for 15 minutes, and mix well with a hand mixer or whisk.

Allow mixture to sit over night. Stir soap mixture to test its consistency. If it is too thin, you may reheat and add more soap; of it is too thick, you may reheat, add more water, and mix well again. Remember to let soap set again if you adjust the consistency.

Pour soap into your favorite reusable container, or reuse disposable plastic containers. Store your extra liquid hand soap in air-tight container.

Out to find ways to make life simpler, Ashley is tackling life one DIY project at a time. Learning as she goes, she also spends her days writing Indie Pretty Projects and creating for her Etsy shop.

wrap up: {at home} {cleaning} {dish} {diy} {handmade} {liquid} {living} {project} {simple} {soap}

when i recently read why food waste matters by jonathan bloom (author of american wasteland) , i started giving thought to all the food we buy, eat and sometimes waste. we’ve all wasted food before. even me, who married a garbage disposal wonderful man who eats a lot, we still find rotten food in the fridge. whether it’s moldy leftovers in the far back corner or a forgotten veggie in the ‘crunchy’ drawer, we’ve all been there.

the truth is, americans squander roughly 40% of our food and throw away $1,300 to $2,200 of food a year (together, that’s $160 billion annually). and that’s a big problem.

why, you might ask? well beyond the obvious reason of wasting our money, there are also environmental, ethical and economic reasons why food waste matters. a huge amount of resources (mostly oil and water) go into producing our food. when we waste a large chunk of it, we’re also wasting those embedded resources. and, by sending this food to the landfill, we’re fueling anaerobic rotting which creates methane. that means we’re largely contributing to climate change. we could also be smarter shoppers and give our savings to help feed the hungry around the world.

the good news is, fresh supplies us with several tips on how to reduce your food waste, save money and support the environment. here’s how!

{plum ketchup by claudia pearson}

- plan your meals in advance (remember this great guide?). make a menu for the week and stick to it. it will make your life easier, your grocery bills cheaper and decrease your amount of wasted food.

- make just enough. serve sensible portions, clean your plates and have minimal leftovers (plus, maybe shed some weight!).

- check your expiration dates. try to consume food that’s close to expiring, but always check it before you throw it out. if it smells good, tastes good and looks good, you’re most likely fine to consume it.

- love leftovers? go ahead and make enough for the next day, but make the most of it. eat them for lunch or work them into your next night’s dinner, but make it a priority to consume them within 24 hours.

- use the freezer. if you’re going out of town, can’t finish a jar of pasta sauce or just have too much food in your fridge, stick it in the freezer. you can freeze just about anything (even eggs!) so utilize your freezer to cut down on waste.

- learn to compost. by keeping food waste out of the garbage (even carrot ends and fennel fronds!) you’ll significntly cut down your environmental impact. you can compost anywhere, even if you don’t have a garden!

helpful sites: portion calculator, tips on how to freeze everything, how to compost

resources: fresh, why food waste matters

wrap up: {compost} {cook} {environment} {food} {kitchen} {leftovers} {simple} {waste}

image: organic ground cinnamon from Twig and Leaf Botanicals

This Spring, like last Spring, we have ants entering our apartment. Since we don’t own the building, there isn’t much we can do to the foundation or the yard to keep them out, but as I’ve discovered, there are many tricks you can do inside to keep the ants away.

I have small children, and have had pets in the past, so I am very nervous to use pesticides to deal with insects. I have tried many natural methods to combat an ant problem – these three methods have been most effective for me:

Sprinkle ground cinnamon around. I had heard this for years, and finally gave it a try. I tested it around ants on the floor, and they did everything they could to avoid it. It doesn’t appear to hurt them – they just can’t stand cinnamon. I suggest sprinkling it where ants are entering a room, or where food is kept.

Spray surfaces with vinegar. Scout ants lead the colony to a food source through scented trails.Vinegar will destroy that trail, preventing ants from relocating a food source in your home. This also does not kill the ants, but diminishes their efforts.

Create a bait with borax and powdered sugar. The sugar will attract the ants, and the borax will kill them via dehydration. Mix about 1 cup of powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons of borax; place in shallow dishes (such as jar lids), and keep them in a safe place near the ants, such as in a cupboard, under the sink or under an appliance. The point is that the ants will hopefully take this mixture back to the colony, and killing all who eat it.

It’s been almost two weeks now since I tried the cinnamon method, and I haven’t seen an ant since. Last year was worse, and the borax sugar trap took care of the problem. Do you have a natural method for ridding your home of ants or other insects?

Out to find ways to make life simpler, Ashley is tackling life one DIY project at a time. Learning as she goes, she also spends her days writing Indie Pretty Projects and creating for her Etsy shop.

wrap up: {chemical free} {home} {insect repellent} {natural} {pests} {simple}

well this week has been up, down and all around for me!  thank you so much for hangin’ in there with me.  my birthday yesterday was fantabulous- thank you for all the sweet notes! i’m convinced i have the sweetest bloggie friends ever. :) my mister got us airplane tickets for coloardo springs in a few weeks, can you believe it?! i’ve never been and i am so excited!! i also got a wakom pad to start playing with, and i’ll have to share it with you.. once i get it figured out!

i leave you for the weekend with cassia beck’s sweet, nostalgic photography.  lola’s room is full of images that remind me of warm summer days and simpler times.  she has three stunning shops all full of vintage inspiration, lola’s room, violet may and cassia beck.  enjoy! x, bonnie

wrap up: {cassia beck} {nostalgic} {pastels} {photography} {simple} {vintage}

i recently discovered this very accomplished photographer, jennifer causey.  she grew up in the south and is inspired by simplicity, the handmade, nature and organic farms.  no wonder her work spoke to me!  they each have such an elegant stillness to them, don’t you find them peaceful? you can see the entirety of her work on her website, and she offers prints, post cards and notebooks in her shop, simply photo.

wrap up: {elegant} {nature} {organic gardening} {pastels} {photography} {simple}