DIY Natural Beauty Gift Basket

This is a simple little gift basket that I put together using dome diy beauty products and some chocolate, plus a homemade gift tag that I made at a party. Don't Forget to watch the video to see how I put it together!
if you would rather watch the video on youtube follow the link HERE.

Basic lip balm recipe;
In a double boiler, Melt 1 Tbsp beeswax, 2 Tbsp cocoa butter, 1 Tbsp almond oil, a few drops of tangerine and vanilla oil. pour into containers.

DIY ginger snap body scrub

Pink Peppermint Lip balm I used a different one but I haven't posted that recipe yet.

The goats milk soap is a basic melt and poor soap from etsy.

Berry basket from target

Alter eco chocolate bars

Honey patties

Other things you could add are things like a mini loofah, tea, bath salts, clay mask, bubble bath, nail polish, lotion, anything that you like that is shelf stable.


I post a video and a blog every week, if you want new posts emailed to you then don't forget to subscribe over on the side ->

I'm not sponsored by anyone, I just really like these chocolates and they were on sale, so extra bonus!

Kefir, yogurt, and prebiotics

We have all heard of yogurt, but maybe not kefir, and quite likely you have not heard of prebiotics (not to be confused with probiotics). They all have to do with intestinal health, and consequently the health of your entire body, but they all have different functions.

Prebiotics are the food for your intestinal flora, or the beneficial bacteria in your colon. Prebiotics consist of fiber that our bodies can not digest, but the flora can. Not all fiber is food for the probiotics, the fiber that isn't basically just cleans out the colon. Where fiber that isn't a prebiotic is still beneficial, if you aren't getting a wide enough range of fruits and veggies you may be hindering the health of your intestinal flora. 

You can take prebiotic supplements, but foods like asparagus, Jerusalem artichoke, leeks, onions, cabbages (including broccoli, cauliflower, and brussels sprouts) radish, rutabaga, leafy greens, bananas, kiwis, etc.

Yogurt contains probiotics, but not very many and different kinds of probiotics than kefir. The probiotics in kefir do NOT colonize the colon, but rather provide food for the beneficial bacteria already in your intestines. If fiber is the broom that sweeps out your colon, then yogurt is like a mop that cleans and makes everything happy. Yogurt is so easy to make, my cousin has a marvelously easy recipe that you can find HERE.

Kefir is awesome. Let me tell ya, where yogurt fails, kefir succeeds at colonizing the intestinal tract with over 30 types of beneficial bacteria. It also has way more of the bacteria in the actual amount of product. Where 500 ml of yogurt contains close to 1.5 trillion organisms, kefir has 5 trillion in 500 ml. Not only that but it also has beneficial yeast that take out the bad yeast and parasites. The kinds of  yeast and the probiotics in kefir create more nutrition as well. Kefir has many amino acids, calcium, magnesium, loads of B vitamins, phosphorus (the second most  abundant mineral in the body which is critical in helping our bodies utilize what we put in it).

Kefer is so good at what it does, that when E.coli is put into kefer the beneficial bacteria obliterate it within 24 hours. Kefer also creates a protective lining on the intestines that keeps parasites from going through, and creates an environment where harmful bacteria can't thrive but beneficial bacteria can. Kefer is also a natural antibiotic because it protects the body from harmful bacteria. Various medical reports have shown that Kefir has been helpful in the treatment of psoriasis, eczema, allergies, migraines, gout, rheumatic arthritic conditions, candidiasis and colitis. The World Health Organization has

reported that Kefir has been effective in treating tuberculosis and typhoid fever. 

Some of the known health benefits of live Kefir made from live Kefir grains (from http://www.orhaolam.com/uploads/KefirInShort.pdf):
1. Strongest natural remedy against any allergy
2. Strongest natural antibiotic without side effects
3. Treats liver disease
4. Treats gallbladder, dissolves gall bladder stones
5. Clears the body of salts, heavy metals, radionuclides, and alcoholic products
6. Cleans the body of chemical antibiotics
7. Treats kidney stones
8. Good bacteria in kefir are able to fight off pathogenic microorganisms
9. Lowers level of LDL cholesterol
10. Cleans the gastrointestinal tract
11. Treats Irritable Bowel Syndrome
12. Treats gastritis
13. Treats pancreatitis
14. Treats ulcers
15. Prevents and treats colon cancer
16. Improves digestion
17. Improves the body functions
18. Improves the human immune system
19. Cures Candida
20. Cures hypertension
21. Stops growth of cancer cells
22. Speeds up healing process
23. Treats psoriasis
24. Treats eczema
25. Treats inflammatory diseases
26. Reduces size of tumors
27. Treats heart disease
28. Reverses calcination of blood vessels
29. Clears the blood vessels
30. Boosts the bodies energy
31. Natural “feel good” food
32. Treats lung infections
33. Normalizes metabolism thereby can be used for weight loss
34. Cures acne
35. Has anti-oxidants and anti-aging properties
36. Nourishes hair
37. Treats the gum disease parodontosis
38. Lessens side effects of medicines
39. Replenishes body of good bacteria after antibiotic
40. Balances the microflora of the body’s digestive system
41. Regulates blood pressure
42. Lowers blood sugar
43. Lowers blood lipid levels or cholesterol and fatty acids
44. Treats diarrhea
45. Treats constipation
46. Promotes bowel movement
47. Anti-stress properties
48. Treats sleeping disorders
49. Treats depression50. Treats attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
51. Improves the brains neuro functions like reflexes, memory retention, attention, the five senses
52. Reduces flatulence
53. Lactic acid fermentation enhances the digestibility of milk-based foods. People who cannot otherwise digest milk, can enjoy the vital calcium rich Kefir.
54. Treats yeast infection
55. Eliminates vaginal odors
56. Cures wrinkles
57. Treats arthritis
58. Treats colitis
59. Treats gout
60. Cures migraines
61. Treats rheumatism
62. Treats other stomach disorders
63. Detoxifies the body
64. Improves protein quality of milk, and enhances absorption and digestion
65. Good bacteria manufacture B vitamins such as B3, B6 and folic acid.
66. Aids in treating tuberculosis
67. Treats stomach cramps
68. Treats chronic intestine infections
69. Treats liver infections
70. Treats asthma
71. Treats bronchitis
72. Treats sclerosis
73. Treats anemia
74. Treats hepatitis
75. Healing effects on catarrh, digestive nodes, astral nodes, bilious complaints
76. Treats leaky gut syndrome
77. Prevents metastasis

You can make kefir from patruized or raw milk, although the raw milk will be better for you, and if you have any feer of "bad stuff" in your milk the kefer grains will kill it. You can also make it from nut milks, coconut water, juice, and sugar water, however kefir from dairy milk has the most benefits.
How to make Kefir
How to make almond milk kefir

http://www.kefir.net/kefir-vs-yogurt/
http://simplyhealthyfam.blogspot.com/2011/03/kefir-vs-yogurt-put-this-on-your.html

 I usually post recipes, beauty DIY's and health tips twice a week so if you want more then subscribe over on the side bar. :)

Oil cleansing your face

Do you find that cleansers, masks, scrubs and other products promoted to cleans your skin, and rid it of oils and bacteria causing blemishes make your skin irritated, dry, or even more oily and have more breakouts than before? You are most certainly not alone. I have always, like most women, struggled to find the right cleanser. for me the things that would work the best but never fully were food based products and soaps that contained oils.
Most skin care products designed to wash your face and rid it of acne cause dry uncomfortable tight skin which makes your skin produce even more oils to compensate what you took away. Our skin needs these oils to stay healthy, and when we constantly try to change our skin like this we cause breakouts, redness, and various forms of skin irritation. If you use antibacterial soap it takes away all of the good bacteria that keeps your skin healthy and fungus, blemishes, and other skin problems away. We allow that .1% that is inevitably still their in our "supper bug" age to bread and grow without the good bacteria to keep them in check. The way that acne medications work, is to kill the acne causing bacteria. They are antibiotics, which like the antibacterial soap that many use, kill the good guys too. This is why yogurt that contains probiotics (the good bacteria)  is recommended for people taking acne medications.
Bacteria is not the only cause of skin problems, but also the buildup of oil, dirt, dead skin cells and hormones (or rather an imbalance of hormones) can cause blemishes. This is of coarse is why it is important for us to cleanse our face every day for our skin to stay healthy.
The best method that I have tried is the oil cleansing method. I know it seams a bit backwards to clean the oil, dirt, bacteria etc off of your face with more oil, but it really works well. Since your face needs the oil to stay healthy and balanced the oil in combination with a hot washcloth pressed against your face for a few seconds pulls out blackheads, bacteria, etc, while following up with gentle circular motions of a washcloth that gently scrubs away the dead cells. And believe it or not, depending on what oil you use and how well you wash it off you may need a moisturizer afterwards! The reason why oil cleansing works is because the oil you use dissolves the oil that has hardened with impurities and gotten stuck inside your pores, and takes it away. The hot washcloth will open up your pores making it easier to cleans them. If your face feels a bit dry afterwards just use a bit of the oil that you used to cleans your face with as a moisturizer.
I suggest you try out what type of oil works best for you.

Start with your base oil, I prefer , Macadamia nut or Jojoba, oil for their similarities to sebum, or the skins natural oils. Macadamia nut is much cheaper that jojoba though. Chia seed oil however is probably going to work best for most everyone especially people with acne,dry, or aging skin. If you do have normal to dry skin you could try some other oils such as Camelina, Coconut or Olive.

You can leave it at that or you can make a blend of oils. you could add some castor oil for its healing benefits, but don't use too much because it can be drying, other than that many people find it works very well. I like to add Tamanu oil for its amazing healing properties. it has bean know to heal your skin of things from leprosy to eczema. though it is more expensive than castor oil, it works better for me and its production is more ethical and definitely safer to the people who make the oil. I love using Sea buckthorn oil oil in my blend. This goes a long way so you really don't need to use much.
You can chose to add any essential oils now. I like adding healing oils and since I don't put the oils around my eyes, eye irritation isn't a problem. I prefer Elemi oil, it is in the same family as Frankincense and mirth but it is much cheaper. I have had high success with using frankincense to rid my sin of any scars, and where elemi doesn't work nearly as fast it definitely help to rid my skin of blemishes and keep my skin from getting scars. Rose is also very nice, especially for aging skin.
For my moisturizer I use my oil blend, but I add a couple drops of lavender oil. When I have finished washing my face I rinse it with cold water to close my pores to keep debris and bacteria out, and then moisturize. the lavender helps to close the pores further and to kill any harmful bacteria left on the skin. Also it is very soothing and nice for before bed. don't put lavender oil on your face if you are going to be going out into the sun. Lavender oil is photosensitising. this means it makes your skin more sensitive to the sun and can cause red blotches and similar breakouts.

My blend:
Fill a small pump bottle with 2/3 of macadamia nut oil or chia seed oil. To that add just under 1/3 of tamanu oil and fill that the rest of the way with a few drops of sea buckthorn oil and elemi oil.

How to cleanse your face with oil:
Wet your face, and remove your makeup (if you have a lot on) with the cleansing oil. Once your face is moist massage the oil into your face. Taking a hot wrung out washcloth (I use the hottest water from my faucet) place it on your face and let it sit until it becomes cool. You can repeat as many times as you want. Taking a side of the cloth, wipe off the oil (you want to take as much as you can so that all of the dirt will come off and your pores wont be re-clogged). Then splash your face with cold water to seal up your pores and apply some more oil as a moisturizer if desired.

Have fun pampering yourself!

A previous post on beauty alternatives, The toxin free home: Beauty care

Go to http://www.youtube.com/user/blossomsandbundles to visit my YouTube channel. 

Ground Beef and Sauerkraut soup

I got  the original recipe from kalynskitchen.com. It sounded so yummy that I decided to make an urban farmer edition. I used some cultured veggies that I made, which is homemade sauerkraut with shredded beets, carrots, celery, and some sort of leafy green added in for extra vitamins and flavor. I also used grass fed beef because it is way more flavorful and healthy. I highly recommend only buying grass fed beef and cage free meets, because the animals are healthier and happier. Also grass fed meets and the like wont give you cancer, so.... ya that's a bonus. if you make it exactly like mine, then your immune and digestive system will be sooooo so so happy! If you make it from caned sauerkraut and cook the meet in peanut oil, or use pasteurized sour cream and dried garlic then you will still have a delicious soup. But, my way is still better... Just sayin' :)

Ground Beef and Sauerkraut Soup

Ingredients:1 lb. grass fed ground beef or buffalo. (turkey and whatnot can be subbed)1 tbsp coconut oil1 large red onion, chopped 4 cloves of minced garlic (plus more to garnish the soup with)4 cups of beef or chicken stock (really easy to make at home, just boil your leftover meet and bones in water for a while)
1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes with juice (feel free to use fresh!)
Extra water if you want a more watery soup2 tbsp maple syrup (the real stuff! None of that fake corn syrup groseness, and grade B is best)4tsp of soy sauce3 dried bay leaves3 Tbsp of dried parsley 3 tbsp rubbed sagefresh ground black pepper to taste

2 cups of sauerkraut. (I used my homemade cultured veggies)
Thick homemade goat milk kefer to garnish (sour cream, plane yogurt, or cow milk kefer works well too)
Extra minced garlic if someone likes that garlic bite. 

To Cook
In a pot (I used my dutch oven) heat the coconut oil on medium heat. Add in the onion, sprinkle a little salt and cook for a couple of minutes. If you are scared of some sort of cross contamination then remove the onions and cook the beef with some salt and pepper. Add the onion back in, if you took them out, and add in everything else but the sauerkraut and garnish. (this is to preserve the probiotics. If you use canned then go ahead and add it in.) Cook from just till its warm or all day depending on how much you want the flavors to develop and how much time you have. Usually simmering it on low for an hour or two tastes real dandy in my opinion. If using unpasteurized kraut then add it in before serving to let it get warmed up. Serve with your fermented dairy of choice, minced garlic, and possibly some fresh herbs on the side.

Goat milk bath fizzies

These are super easy and fun to make. Your skin will be so soft and happy after using this! If you cant get citric acid, you can always just make this as a milk bath and use it all at once.  All you need is Powdered Milk (cornstarch can be substituted), Baking Soda, Citric Acid (this is what makes it fizz), Olive Oil, Dried Lavender Flowers, Lavender essential Oil, and a Silicone Mold. You can make this without the mold, and just have a fizzy milk bath. Also you can leave out the lavender, or use other oils and flowers. 

                         

Mix the dry ingredients first, and make sure their isn't too many clumps. I used a for to do this, but a whisk will work well also.

Then add in the Lavender.

Drizzle in the olive oil, starting with 1 tbsp, adding more until the mixture just comes together.

Take some of the mixture and pinch between your fingers. If it sticks together but isn't soaked with oil, then you've got it!

When putting the mixture in your mold, pinch it together in between your fingers first, then gently press into the molds. If you press it in to hard then the mixture could stick and you wont get perfect shapes.

  

Turn the mold over and press the middle gently and they should pop out easily. 

 They fizz really well. You should only need a few for a whole bath. About 3-4 tbsp. But go ahead and use more if you would like.

• 1/4 Cup of Baking Soda
• 1/4 Cup of Citric Acid (I get this in the baking aisle at my grocery store, but you might find it with the sprouting items at your local grocery store.)
• 3 and 1/2 Tbsp of Goat Mil Powder (you can substitute cornstarch for this but it wont be as nourishing)
• 1 Tbsp of Dried Lavender
• 5 drops of lavender oil
• 1 Tbsp to 1/4 cup of Olive Oil (I usually use 1/8 cup or 2 Tbsp)

Keep in a cool dry place. If you aren't going to use it up vary soon then you may want to keep it in the refrigerator.