Floor Oiling 'Ballet' !

Originally when i finished my woods floors, I made my own non toxic oil out of bees wax, walnut oil, salt and vinegar (cooked a lil'). Now when i want to give it a quick re-finish i go over it with just the walnut oil.

I do it by hand... usually on my hands and knees. This time all i used my knees for was the dancing, swaying, sliding, fun because I oiled the floor using my feet! I took two wash rags and two rubber bands and fastened it to my shoes. :)))
Slip N Slideeeeeeeeeeeeeee



XOxOXOX

Re-Painting My Cabinets With Milk Paint

I finally got around to painting the old cabinets that were here in the Luck Cabin, although they were not fancy/special I decided they were still functional & good enough to use. I even liked the color variations painted on them, but now that I have discovered the fun, bright and non toxic colors of milk paint I can hardly help myself--- i wanna paint EVerYthinG!
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BEFORE THE MILK PAINT :::::::
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The cabinets were originally all in one weird kitchen set up - which I broke up into two rooms so that the Luck Cabin could have a bathroom. I left the cabinets where they were on the walls and included them in the rooms they ended up in. :)

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PAINTING WITH MILK PAINT::::::

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I took all the cabinet doors off and painted them "salem red" (see top pic)- using the Old Fashioned Milk Paint Co.'s earth pigmented powders meant for covering up prior paint jobs, called Safe Paint. The safe paint is the same formula as the original & ancient milk paint recipe, with variations on the quantities of ingredients - this makes it so it is stronger, richer color, mold resistant, and can be applied over old toxic paints, glass, metal and plastic!

For my cabinets, I wanted a fun nature themed design added- so I decided to add silhouettes in "federal blue" against the brightness of the red. I used a sharp matte knife blade to cut them out of magazines and computer printed pictures.

Once I had them cut out I verrrrry carefully applied the paint through the cut out picture, making sure to hold down tight each little portion while applying the milk paint with a sponge brush. If you use something more stiff to trace and cut out your shapes you don't have to be as rigid, but with paper cut outs, the paper may stick to the paint, so it's important to go slow.

WaY Freakin' COooooL !!!

Each door has a different animal, and one has a tree! My bathroom is native animals and the kitchen is more exotic themed. :)

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AFTER THE MILK PAINT DRIED :::::::::

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LOve it! I can not really recommend this kind of paint enough - I dont know any paint that can do a job this beautiful that also has ZERO environmental effects on water, soil, nature etc... it is made from entirely natural sources, that I believe makes milk paint as clean and eco as it gets.

PS- I know my kitchen is kinda a mess, I swear I cleaned it up after I took this! ;)

Xoxoxoxo

DIY: Non Toxic Wood Oil Part 2 (The Floor!)

BEFORE PHOTO:

This is my bathroom floor before putting on the natural wood oil recipe I made - the wood is kiln dried hickory planks that were locally milled and deeply on sale...If ya need the wood oil recipe, click HERE for Part 1 I posted earlier today---> cause this now is Part 2, and all it is about is my extreme excitement and OCD about how I could not stop putting this amazing wood oil mixture on everything in my house! I couldn't stop cause not only did it smell delicious but it also looked beautiful (I mean, don't oily wet lookin' floors always look so good?!)
Armed with a pot of the natural wood oil and a organic cotton rag I was ready to start rubbing it in. During this process I thought possibly one of those sponge mops would be alot quicker, and at least a good buffer for after the oil is put on....

But I did this by hand, totally Mr Miyagi style "wax on wax off danial son!"

In my bathroom I laid it on extra thick and waxy because I didn't want the water from the tub or sink to penetrate the floor - you can see in the pic below the difference between the finished wood and the unfinished dry wood. The oil brings out all the wood's character, grain and color, artistically speaking just that look is worth all the effort.
Once I got finished the bathroom, I was on a roll! I put on some more of the mixture to be heated up (walnut oil, salt, bees wax, apple cider vinegar) and then It WaS ON !!!
I went right out the bathroom 'door' (i haven't got around to putting up my door yet), and proceeded to oil the kitchen floor too.
Then the OCD my mother instilled in me (AKA- don't ever quit in the middle of a project or activity) kept me going right out into my living room...
And going......... (like, who could stop when it's looking that good and the fear of it drying totally uneven kinda haunts your inner wanna be perfectionist!)
Eventually I made it across the entire house and let myself off the hook, to do my bedroom tomorrow instead. The hardest part of this project was moving stuff on the floor outta the way and the thought of moving the sofa I sleep on made me rather go cook dinna' instead.

The oiling part, though = majorly fun to watch, a little like magic. ;)
XoxoxoX

DIY: Natural & Non Toxic Wood Oil

BEFORE :

Here is my kitchen counter (made of unfinished hickory wood planks) before applying my wood oil recipe...

In order to prevent alot of staining plus possible mold and mildew growth on the unfinished wood, especially during the summer months I decided to 'stain' or oil the wood with a natural recipe - one that was 100% non toxic, that would not out gas, and would be safe for those people who are sensitive to the chemicals in commonly toxic wood finishes.

SUPPLIES :

• Bees Wax
• Walnut Oil
• S alt
• Apple Cider Vinegar
  

• Knife
• Stirring Spoon
• Pot to cook it in
• Rag, sponge or some type of tool to rub the oil into the surface

The first thing I had to do was cut a portion of the bees wax off, which luckily my friend Gabi gave me the awesome tip to heat up the knife first then cut into it "like buttah"...
Mine was super thick so, I had to re-heat it a few times until about 1/4 of the pound of wax broke and I had the perfect piece to add to my recipe.

NOTE: I recommend using bees wax and not a white food grade wax because of the coloring when it dries, and general coloring added to the recipe. Bees wax is also easier to work with and has a good smell!
ADD TO THE POT:

2-3 cups Walnut Oil, 1/2 cup Salt, chunk of Bees Wax, teaspoon of Apple Cider Vinegar... And bring to a boil till the wax is fully melted into the mixture and stir occasionally.

This is totally experimental amounts - if you add alot of wax the mixture will become so wax-y that it will be too thick a coating on the wood... if anyone has 'buffing tips' for a more wax heavy mixture please share!

After the wax is melted, rub it into the wood while warm...
Rub the wax in a buffing fashion, and be sure to not drip too much or lay it on thicker in various places... when using a mixture with wax you do have to be conscience of layering it evenly.
Looks awesome and smells edible.... but it could use a little extra buffing ---> so i am looking for suggestions of what would be a good material or tool to use for buffing this kitchen counter?
In the meantime, I LOVE it!!! I love it so much I can't stop putting that stuff on everything wood around the house. :) The bathroom floor is next!!!

Kiss This HOuse BEAutiFUL!
Xoxoxo

Chemical Free Cleaning Frenzy

I went on a bAzzUrk cleaning frenzy today. A little secret about me is that some may call me dirty, messy and I have even thought of myself akin to "Pig Pen'... like the time i jumped in someone's car and the sun shown just right through the windshield only to reveal a cloud of dust poofing off my clothes. Then they sneezed. Not to say I am totally disgusting but I can relax with a mess around - as long as everything I need is perfectly organized and in it's place. A little dirt won't hurt.
When I do finally decide it's time to repair the tornado that is life - I do everything eco friendly without a single chemical.
I hand wash my clothes in a Wonder Wash (spins them clean in just a few minutes) without using soap! I usually squeeze a lemon into the wash, drop some baking soda, or vinegar... or like today I boiled some ginger & lavender in water and poured that in. Mmmm.... smells so good. I stopped using soap many years ago when I could not find one that was gluten free plus chemical free (I bet there are some like that now but I dont look for it anymore.)
Once the clothes are washed I hang dry them - outside in the spring, summer and fall and then inside over the main heat source during the winter. The outside sun does the best and makes the clothes smell sooooo good, so in the winter I really miss it. I don't eva' use a clothes dryer.
For cleaning my kitchen counter and table I invented a neat little liquid scrub in my blender today... I took a huge chunk of ginger and a few sprigs of fresh lavender, tossed them into the blender with a cup or two of water and blended the ba-jezuz out of it. I then wiped clean all the smooth surfaces! It totally got up the whatever that makes globby spots and sticks to tile. It worked good on hard to clean dishes too. :)
I swept the floor and picked up bits of trash. All tidy and smelling good without any chems or much electricity.

But I am not even through...

XoXo

Stinky Laundry: Toxic Detergent

Yesterday when I opened my back door I almost got knocked out by the most overwhelming detergent smell I've ever confronted! My very kind & lovable landlady hang dries her clothes on a line just like me, only she uses regular store bought detergent rather then a natural alternative. Not only does regular detergent out gas the most noxious smell even when used in small amounts, but this was like half the box had been dumped in for a one load of clothes. Just trying to walk past the eco savvy drying line of pretty colors was like swimming through a bottle of perfume designed to make you pass out.

What really worries me about products like this being sold to the public is that they are being sold without an ingredients list and under the false pretence that they are regulated and safe. These companies have no one watching over them, chemical additives in detergents and dryer sheets include hazardous substances that are known carcinogens as described by the EPA. The main problem is lack of government regulation on selling toxic chemical based products- and worse the lack of public education about what products we use in our daily lives. This lack of education is compounded by the "trust" consumers put into companies because of the marketing tactics used in advertising & the cheap prices. (Since my BFF is an important guy in an advertising firm, I have learned first hand many of their tactics to get the public to trust and therefore buy- it always will just be hype.)

Still think they wouldn't sell us "rainforest" scented detergent unless it was OK? Think again...check out how the EPA has set up the Safer Detergents Stewardship Initiative (SDSI) in order to try and recognize and catalogue the detergents that are safest for you and the environment. "Safer surfactants are surfactants that break down quickly to non-polluting compounds and help protect aquatic life in both fresh and salt water. Nonylphenol ethoxylates, commonly referred to as NPEs, are an example of a surfactant class that does not meet the definition of a safer surfactant." What poisons aquatic life poisons all life, but since most brands won't list their ingredients you would never know you "clean" your clothes in poison.

Unsafe detergents not only literally stink causing asthma and allergy reactions, but they also are seeping into your skin - so you might not get a rash or blemishes but as the toxic load builds up these types of chems can later cause other chronic illnesses. Many fragrances are also known neurotoxins and I am convinced that the reason my landlady calls me lisa, laura, lindsey, lizza, and every 'L' name but Leslie when she sees me is because she lives in a foggy cloud of detergent & perfume poison that has chems known to funk out our critical thinking skills, fog our thoughts, and some are even engineered to trigger brain functions that make us want to buy things!

Clothes actually need very little if any soap to get them clean, the washer (machine, wonder wash or hands) do most of the real work. A washer repair man once told me you only need a few drops of soap and that "they only tell you that you need more so you'll buy more." Now that is as economical on price as you can get- a box of natural detergent could last you a long time! There are natural alternatives at most healthy groceries - but even a little baking soda or a drop a vinegar will get the job done. Smelling like an artificial flower is not smelling clean...
real clean smells like the sun!

Happy Washing! :)

To Read about specific ingredients of detergents and their effects GO HERE.

DIY: Non Toxic Wood Oil

When you have as many chemical sensitivities as I do sometimes not even the less toxic stains, paints, or varnishes will do. Many of them still contain harmful VOC's unless otherwise stated on the bottle with a seal of approval. The great thing about no VOC is it won't be outgassing half the year like most products but just when it's first applied & drying. I wanted even better then that though, I wanted to create a wood oil that never outgassed a single hazardous chemical! So when I had a raw wood table that needed some protection I cooked up my very own secret formula that has now lasted 2 years with no change.

Here is what you will need:

*Soy Oil

*Sunflower or Olive Oil

*Kosher Salt

*Vinegar (I use ume vinegar, but I think apple cider would work good too)

Doesn't it sound too simple? I came up with this theory/formula knowing about treated wood being mainly salt and oil being a time tested preservative for centuries.
Take all the ingredients and put them in a pot big enough to hold the amount you need (depending on whether you are doing wood floors or a chair...). You will use more soy oil then the others at approximately 50 -70% more in your recipe. Then add a ton kosher salt... meaning if you poured 1.5 Liters of oil in your pot, then you will want to ad at least 1.5 cups of salt. Then add a cup of the vinegar and bring to a boil. You want this to boil for at least 20 minutes or longer (the longer the better it seems), and then add a little more salt when you see that the first batch has dissolved in the oil.
The easiest way to apply the wood oil is with a sponge which will be able to be squeezed out and creates less waste. The cool thing is it won't harm your skin, your brain, or your lungs & it won't be outgassing any smell except one you might want to eat! If you would like to add a scent to your wood oil try throwing in a branch of lavender or rosemary.

I really believe there is a way to make what we need in a less toxic, chemical free way - we just need some imagination & to stop buying into the marketing BS of big corporations.