DIY: Deoderant

In an effort to stop as many harsh chemicals as we can from entering our bodies, I decided to give this recipe a try.  My friend Mat passed it on when i found a small pot of white paste in his bathroom and i asked what it was. Simple, invisible, and nice smelling, why keep putting aluminum and all that other toxic crap into your bloodstream?

1/4 cup baking soda (aluminum free)
1/4 cup arrowroot flour
4 tablespoons Coconut Oil (comes in solid form in a jar)
15-20 drops essential oil (i used jasmine)

Cream it all together in a bowl, adding the essential oil last.  The recipe probably last for five months or so, the cocunut oil is good for two years.  Keep cool or in the fridge when it is hot. 

It IS that easy. Just apply a tiny amount in the morning with your fingers like lotion. The cocunut oil will not remain greasy, your clothes will not be stained. Baking soda is a natural odor eliminator.

Summer Vacation

It has been much too long since i've last posted - work has been extremely busy for both myself and Tom and we've used most of our free time playing with Ruby and doing all our other hobbies.  It was long overdue that we take a couple of weeks off and visit with friends and family.  My very good friend Maggie got married in Winnipeg, which also gave me a great reason to spend time with my parents, my sisters, and their families.

 

Maggie is a redhead, she looked beautiful in her vintage-inspired wedding dress. She also rarely expresses her emotions this loudly - she must be happy! Steve is a joker, Tom and I love his enlightening personality.

I tried to dress like an adult for my girl's wedding. I made my necklace from wonky fresh water pearls.

Tom also dressed like an adult. Together, we make a very fine adult-looking couple!  The wedding took place at Oodena Circle in Winnipeg, an outdoor amphitheatre that pays homage to 6000 years of Aboriginal Peoples in the area.

My family needed a new family portrait that included all of the boyfriends and grandchildren, so we set up a camera in the backyard.  I love my new extended family! And congratulations to my wee sister Kristin (the tiny one beside Gramps) and her ginger-haired boyfriend for getting engaged!

And of course my nieces (Brea and Andrew's beauties) steal my attention all the time!  This is Hannah, five years old, outgoing and super intelligent.

This mini-me is Madeline, introverted, quirky and super cool. She is also in love with Tom, my studly boyfriend. Good taste she has.

She's often found away from the crowd in some imaginary world and perfectly happy! And this is my mom's bountiful and beautiful garden.  Mom attracts hummingbirds and creatures galore with her flowers, greenery and vegetables.

We moved on to Calgary to visit this hip family. Katie, Mat and their baby Archie entertained us for a few days in Calgary, Canmore and Kananaskis.  Their smiley son Archie below.

We rafted the bow river, played St Petersburg, sampled some awesome beers. Mat (below lurking in the background) taught us a little more about Scotch and we sampled.  His wife Katie taught me a little more about knitting...I hope to pick that up again and post some soon!

I am back in love with Scotch. Still loving Whiskey and Bourbon, though. Dalmore was my favourite out of this bunch.

 

Mat and Katie drove us up to Kananaskis for a hike through a ravine, we saw some Indian pictographs! Tom is still representing Ynot Cycle even when he is on vacation. <3  Glad he came with me, he's been working so hard lately. 

More posts to come! In the meantime, enjoy the approach of Fall.