DIY Surf Spray = Beachy Waves Without the Salon Pricetag

I really like the look of wavy hair, but that easy, carefree like you just spent a relaxing day at the beach look usually comes at a price.  Since there is no white sandy beach or umbrella drink in my near future I totally have to fake it.  Thankfully there are several really great products out there that help you achieve this, but did you know they are mostly water and salt???

Crazy huh!?!  That costs almost NOTHING! So I experimented and this is what I came up with....

Take an old empty spray bottle from another product (like I did) or buy one, you can find them for about a buck at almost any store in the hair product or travel product section.

Mix about one cup of warm water, 1/4 cup of water based gel (if the first ingredient is water it's water based..I used cheap Suave men's that I found at Walmart because I liked the smell, but you can totally use some you already have or "borrow" some from your guy :).. and 2 tablespoons of Epsom Salt.  The warm water helps to dissolve the salt, but mix it really well to make sure it's combined .  Now just pour it into your spray bottle or bottles depending on the size and you are done.  

I give it a good shake before each use just to make sure it's well combined, spray it liberally onto damp hair, scrunch and that's it.  If you want it super wavy then follow with a little hair spray while your hair is still damp to set it all and then just let your hair air dry. That's it you are done!!!  Nice soft waves without the crunch or cost :)

Forgive the horrible self-portrait with no make-up and a ratty old t-shirt, but this spray works great for those days you just don't have the time or energy to worry about your hair, but don't want to look like a hot mess. For me that is everyday :) With two wild little ones to chase around, this spray is now the only thing helping my mop look half way acceptable! 

This cost about 30 cents to make and I LOVE IT!  Hope you do too!

Surfs Up, Lindsey :)

Micro Fiber Cleaner = 44 cents Saved My Furniture!

To say that our recliner "has seen better days" is a major understatement!!!  It was not an expensive piece of furniture when we bought it several years ago and we moved it cross country with us, but the

real kicker has been our little man.  Despite my better judgement, over the last year I have given in and to save the small amount of sanity I have left trying to wrestle two kids.. the occasional "yes you can eat your snack in there if you are careful"... turned into a daily routine. 

This is the result.  

And unless cracker crumbs, fruit snacks and juice stains are the big trend in interior design this season.... we are in big trouble!  

Or so I thought...... I just assumed that this chair was beyond repair and since it isn't anything that special I really wasn't that heart broke about it.. I figured we got our money's worth :)  But then a friend told me that rubbing alcohol may just save even this disaster.  So being a thrifty girl in training... I decided to give it a try!!!

All you need is good old rubbing alcohol (this cost a whopping 88 cents), a spray bottle and a rag.

Just put the alcohol into a spray bottle, but before you start use the attachment on your vacuum and give your furniture a good once over to get any loose dirt, dust and crumbs.  I am embarrassed to say that I'm confident I could have supplied a snack for an entire kindergarten class with the debris hidden in this chair.

 OK...now that the "big chunks" are gone... spray the area you want to clean.  For me that was pretty much the entire chair.

 Then use a rag to rub out the stain. I used an old white hand towel just to be safe in case any color transferred onto the fabric. Unlike soap and water, the alcohol evaporates quickly and doesn't leave a mark behind., but somehow manages to magically remove the stain.

 The rag quickly shows what I can hardly believe... it's working.  Gross... I know, but oddly satisfying :)  You may want to test a hidden spot on your furniture to make sure that the color isn't affected by this method.  For me it worked great with no problems!

If you notice spots where the fabric is matted at all from the rubbing, once it's dry lightly rub it with a clean cloth or with a bristled brush.

 I used about half of the small bottle of alcohol I bought, so for 44 cents I saved this chair!!!!

I am beyond pleased with the results.  It looks one million times better.  If you have a chair or couch that has seen better days thanks to kids or pets give this a try it will surprise you!!!!

Good Luck, Lindsey :)

DIY Teeth Whitening .. Pearly Whites for Pennies!

I LOVE sparkly white teeth, if I had just a smidge less willpower I may actually end up with those teeth that are so white they are almost blue... you know you've seen them!!!!  Those people who need to put down the teeth whitening trays for a few YEARS!  It is a slippery slope and I have teetered on the edge a few times, but thankfully I stepped away from the edge and the whitening gel just in time :)  I actually haven't whitened my teeth in about a year and a half which is a record for me, partly because I was pregnant and since then I've just been too cheap to pay for the treatments.  So I decided to try some of the at home teeth whitening ideas I've seen online, before spending any more money on dentist whitening.  And guess what it works!!!!

Baking Soda is in so many whitening toothpastes so I figured that was a good place to start and I'm pretty excited about the results so far.

To make mix 1 teaspoon of baking soda, with half a teaspoon of water and a squirt of your regular toothpaste.  The regular toothpaste takes the edge off the strong baking soda taste.  I'm a big baby when it comes to things that don't taste great so this was key for me, but if you are tough then you can leave that part out :)

Brush for 2 minutes... 3 times a week for a month... two months if you are looking for a dramatic difference.  Just like the DIY Face Scrub, I keep this in a small plastic container with a lid right next to the sink so I don't forget to use it!

Enjoy, Lindsey :)

DIY Exfoliator.. Glowy Fresh Face For Only A Few Pennies :)

I used to be a sucker for any hair and beauty products or treatments that promised the latest greatest results.  You know that over priced shampoo at the salon that made your hair seem so silky, then you get it home and realize it's just shampoo... maybe it was the pampering and not the product that subliminally made my hair seem so much better there... not sure???  But I justified the cost because of my job, I figured I HAD to because my job was to look good on TV.  If you haven't figured this out yet.. I can pretty much talk myself into or justify just about any purchase :) But since I decided to stay at home and be with my little munchkins full-time... the silly spending stopped, no one at my house complains if my hair and skin aren't silky smooth... now if I change the cartoon channel that's a different story!!!  I may not NEED these extra pampering products, but I'm still a girl and I like to look good so I've been trying to have the best of both worlds... and that involves making my own!  Surprisingly you really CAN make some of your favorite products for pennies.  I've tried a few now and I'm really excited to share them with you over the next few days.

  The first is basically micro-dermabrasion using two ingredients you already have... baking soda and water. 

Mix 3 tablespoons of baking soda... nothing fancy just the regular old box in your cupboard or fridge and 1 tablespoon of water.  It makes a nice paste consistency.  I mixed mine in a small plastic container with a lid so that I could just pop on the lid and easily save the remaining scrub for future use.

To use just apply the paste liberally to your entire face being careful not to get it in your eyes and lightly rub in a circular motion.

 Once you've given your face a good scrub, let the paste sit for a few minutes. 

 Then rinse with warm water and you are done.  

Ok.. obviously these photos are proof that any fantasy I may have had about someday being a "Neutrogena Girl" are now forever crushed, but I've been doing this twice a week for two weeks and I feel like my skin has NEVER looked better.  It's smooth and "glowy" and WOW do I LOVE the price tag! 

I kept the scrub right next to the sink with the lid on until I used it all, which was about two weeks.  You could keep it in the fridge if you want that cool feeling, but I was too lazy and it still worked great.  Eventually it will dry out, so just add a little water to get it back to a paste or make some more... after all it did only cost a few pennies :)

So grab your baking soda and scrub away... beautiful glowing skin will be yours without that expensive trip to a spa!

Enjoy, Lindsey :)

DIY Shower & Sink Shine Spray

OK, just one more post from my cleaning product frenzy.  I'm afraid if I stop I will never be this motivated again so bear with me :)  After researching how many uses there are for white vinegar outside of the kitchen I was really excited to see just how well it REALLY works cleaning bathrooms.  And I will say cleaning bathrooms is by far the cleaning chore I dislike the most!!!  So once again if something can make that easier and save me money I'm all for it.  Plus, I really like the idea of knowing what is in a product that I'm using around my family.  When it's just a few ingredients that I can actually pronounce I feel like that is better for everyone!  This recipe fits that bill and could not be simpler.

You need White Vinegar, Dawn (I used a generic "dawn") and a spray bottle.

The recipe is just equal parts "Dawn" and White Vinegar.  I had a 24 oz. spray bottle so I used 12 oz. of Soap and 12 oz. of Vinegar, but you could make this to fit any bottle you have handy.

I mixed it right in the bottle, gave it a good shake and that's it!  My "Shower & Sink Shine" as I'm calling it was finished!

I used it on my sinks, faucets, tubs and shower and they all look great! 

Enjoy, Lindsey :)

DIY Dishwasher Detergent

 I feel like I need to have a disclaimer here... I am by no means a clean freak or an expert house cleaner.  In fact there are definitely still crumbs from probably breakfast and lunch on my floor and if I'm really honest the serious cleaning around here only happens when I know someone is coming to visit and even then it's begrudgingly :)  So please do not think that with all these cleaning posts lately that I am one of those women who always has a spotless house.  My life, like most moms is crazy and chaotic and often times because the house can't scream or yell mama when it needs something (although it would probably like to :)  it doesn't always get the attention it needs or it at least gets put on the back burner to tackle another day.  But I am all for things that make life easier and save me some pennies.  Since I already had the Borax and Washing soda from making my DIY Liquid Laundry Detergent all I needed was the Lemishine or citric acid and a little salt to give dish washing detergent a try.

 DIY Dishwasher Detergent Recipe

1 cup Borax

1 cup washing soda

1/2 cup lemishine or citric acid (1 cup if you have hard water)

1/2 cup salt

Since I have hard water I used the full one cup of Lemishine, which I found at Walmart on the detergent aisle near the Borax. I used a gallon zip lock bag to mix all the ingredients and plan to just store it in that, but you could use any container you can seal tight.

Use one tablespoon per wash and you will be shocked at the results... at least I was.  It works great!  No more spending a huge chunk of my grocery bill on laundry and dish detergent!  I'm totally sold!!!

Another great trick I tried to clean your dishwasher and get rid of the hard water stains is to use one packet of Lemonade Kool-Aid (lemon is the only flavor that works), put it in an empty dishwasher in place of soap and run a regular cycle.  I have really hard water and was amazed at how well this worked. My dishwasher is squeaky clean and I didn't scrub a single thing!  Oh and one last thing.... I have seen several posts about using white vinegar in place of rinse aid.  The vinegar supposedly naturally gets rid of any spots on your dishes and glassware, I cannot wait to try that one as soon as mine is empty :)

UPDATE:

If after using this detergent you notice that your dishes are clean but just a little cloudy, which I did I found a simple fix.. just a few drops of dish soap on top of your one tablespoon of homemade detergent right in the dispenser and wash as usual.  Be sure not to add more than a few small drops or you could have a kitchen full of suds :)  But just those 3 or 4 drops makes all the difference!

Hope this helps!  Lindsey :)

DIY Stain Spray

Since making my homemade laundry detergent last week I have totally jumped onto the DIY cleaning bandwagon!!!  I have been so impressed by how well that simple recipe worked on my clothes and how inexpensive it was that I wondered what other products could I make???  I mean just think of all the shoes I could buy... I mean money I could save for the kids college if I found a few more great money saving recipes :)  So I tried a simple mix that claimed to be like Shout stain remover... and I'll be darned IT WORKS!!!  Once again I'm kicking myself for waiting SOOOOOOO long to actually try this!  To make it, this is what you need.

DIY Stain Remover Recipe:

2/3 cup Dawn

2/3 cup Ammonia

6 tablespoons baking soda

2 cups warm water

*a spray bottle

Mix all of the ingredients together until everything is combined.  I used a generic "Dawn" and it still works great, you just want to make sure the baking soda is dissolved into the liquids.

Put it into a spray bottle (I got this one at the Dollar Store, but you could totally re-use one you already have) and you are done!  A noticed that a small amount of the baking soda did settle at the bottom of the spray bottle after sitting overnight, this is probably because I have no patience and should have stirred the mix a little better, but I just gave it a good shake and it still works perfect!  Watch out stains you are no match for this stuff, just give the bottle a shake, spray it on like you would any other stain spray to pre-treat a spot and then wash as usual.  My kids are rough on clothes and so far this and my new DIY Detergent have won every laundry battle :)  It's sad but true, I'm actually kind of excited to see stains now to give my spray another challenge!!!

 I'm now totally addicted to seeing what I can make. I feel a little like a mad scientist, but I figure I already have all the ingredients now why not try a few more :)

So stay tuned, but until then....

Spray Away, Lindsey :)