DIY

In the last couple of years I've rediscovered cast iron cookware, and have come to wonder why I ever wanted stainless steel. The cooking properties of cast iron are just so superior - nice even heat that comes from a massive thermal mass which is sort of like a big cooking hug for your food. I guess the one downside is that it is so incredibly heavy, so is not well suited for any sort of fancy cooking that requires flipping or fiddling with the pan. But that sort of cooking is a little pretentious anyway, even though I do like to indulge in it from time to time like for example when flipping pancakes. Speaking of which, check out this video I made a while back on just how awesome cast iron really is.

Once you've been convinced that this really is the cookware for you, you have to learn how to take care of it properly. I've watched a lot of videos on this subject, and there seems to be just about as many ways to look after cast iron as there are people using it. Which is a good thing - that means it is pretty hard to screw it up as long as you follow a few very simple rules. I'll try to state those rules as simply as possible.

I prefer to avoid commercial diaper ointments, creams and balms for Boy#3. Mainly, I don't like the idea of rubbing chemicals into the skin in his diaper area, but a lot of mainstream rash creams are very bad for cloth diapers -- coating the fibers and rendering them unable to absorb liquid.

When I do need to use "a little something" as part of the diapering routine, I like to use my homemade Bottom Balm. It's easy to make, has 2(!) ingredients -- both of which you can pronounce ;), and it gives a nice sheen to the skin making the next diaper change that much easier to clean. The beauty of using coconut oil is that it is naturally solid at room temperature!

Wow! That's about all I can say about this fantastic idea that I just saw on a friend's facebook. Check out this video!

Like to make gifts, but are pushed for time? Want to give homemade, but feel uncreative? Essential oil reed diffusers are easy to make with extra points for presentation -- they look so pretty when done! They are also a welcome, more natural way to fill a home with lovely scents!

Diffusers allow you to use essential oils to scent your home instead of heavy chemically-scented products that easily irritate eyes and airways. They are natural, fairly non-toxic (depending on your oil choices) and blend better with a home's own "scent".

Tired of shelling out for expensive, chemical-laden beauty products?

Here's a 'recipe' for a simple exfoliating scrub you can make with ingredients found in your kitchen that won't break the bank. This works great and so safe you could eat it -- quite literally!

I got a tweet this morning about a new product called "The Knit Kit". It contains a small pair of scissors, stitch markers, point protectors, stitch counter, thread cutter, crochet hook and a measuring tape and retails for a mere $20 US.

I cry "Highway Robbery!" as I made my own "knit kit" for far less than that more than a year ago, and by pure accident rather than whim!