Vanilla Cake Mix Cookies

I am looking for some non-chocolate treats.  I found an easy recipe on Made by Me, Shared with You.  Basically, all one needs to do is add eggs, vanilla, and oil to a cake mix, roll the dough into small balls, and roll the balls in powdered sugar.

Verdict:
4 stars - These cookies were really yummy and easy to make.  The only thing I noticed was that the powdered sugar soaked into my cookies.  I used a yellow cake mix that had candies in it to add some color.  Overall, this was a pretty good snack.

Wood Refinisher

I miss the holidays.  I decorate the railings in my house with green garland.  It looks so pretty.  Now that it has been off for a while, I really notice how bad the railings look.  Between my two cats and the green garland, my railings look really scratched up.  I actually dread going upstairs because I do not want to look at them.

How To:
Mix together 1/4 cup white vinegar and 3/4 cup olive oil.  Use a rag, dipped in the mixture, and wipe down the wood.

Before

After

Verdict:

5 stars - It was like I was erase all the little nicks in the wood.  The difference was amazing.  The only slight issue was that this mixture left a slight residue on the railing.  This can be felt when you touch the railing.  It can't be seen.  I am okay with this as my railing look amazing.

Sponges as Fabric Softener Sheets

I must admit when I saw using sponges instead of fabric softener sheets, I was more interested in making this up instead of thinking about how much better it would be for the environment.  Oh well, whatever the reason, this is an easy activity.

How-To:
1.  Cut sponges in half lengthwise.
2.  Put them in a jar (make sure you can actually seal it).
3.  Pour in the liquid fabric softener of your choice.
4.  Each time you dry a load of laundry, pull out a sponge.  Wring off the excess fabric softener and place it in the dryer.  This will keep your clothes static free.

Verdict:
5 stars - I don't know why this project appealed to me so much - I don't go through that many fabric softener sheets.  The project was very easy to do - couldn't be easier.  My clothes came out smelling really nice and static free.  Fair warning, it does get a little messy wringing out the sponges each time but it does make my hands soft and smell nice.

Shower Soothers for a Cold

Vicks used to sell Shower Soothers.  I loved these things when I was sick with a cold.  Unfortunately, I can't find them in the store at all and haven't even seen them in years.  This led me to find a make your own recipe for them.  There are tons of different recipes out there.  Below is the one I used.

Shower Soothers How-To:
1.  Mix one cup baking soda and 1/2 cup of cornstarch.
2.  Add 1/3 to 1/2 cup of water.  Start with a small amount and add only what is needed to mix everything together.
3.  Fill cupcake liners with the mixture.
4.  Let mixture dry overnight or cook in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.  I find cooking them keeps the shape better.
5.  Add 15 drops Eucalyptus and 15 drops Rosemary Essential Oils. (Add more or less depending on your needs/wants.)
6.  Remove a shower soother from the cupcake liner and place on the floor of the shower whenever you are sick.  This will help your sinuses open up.

Verdict:
5 stars - This is one of my go-to's when I get sick.  They hold up very well.  One shower soother could last multiple showers.  I like to make them when I am feeling healthy because doing anything when you're sick is difficult to do. They last a really long time.  If the scent seems to be diminished, add more essential oils.

Honey for a Sore Throat

A couple of days ago, I started to feel sick.  For me, the first step is almost always a sore throat. Since I was about to have a few days off of work, I definitely did not want to start off sick.  One remedy for a sore throat involved apple cider vinegar and honey.  I can do the honey but I can't stomach apple cider vinegar - I have tried but it always leads to failure.

Verdict:
5 stars - I took a spoonful of honey before bed and another one when I woke up.  My sore throat completely disappeared.  Now, it is not a miracle cure.  However, I do feel better overall.  Hopefully, I have warded off the worse of a potential sickness.  From now on, my first line of defense will be a spoonful of honey.

Skin Brightening Astringent

Make your own astringent to brighten your skin.  That was the claim that this astringent made. Does it work?  That was the test.

How To:

Mix together 1/2 cup of lemon juice, 1 cup of water, 2/3 cup of Witch hazel.  Apply to skin with a cotton ball.

Verdict:

3 stars - I wish I took before and after pictures, so I can really see if there was a difference.  I feel like the dark circles under my eyes went away when using this once a day.  The problem was that it really dried out my skin, even after using a heavy moisturizer after applying the mixture.  I had to stop because my face was too dried out.  The dark circles are back.  Oh well, the cons of this did not outweigh the pros for me.

Snowman Pillow

I have been in a crafty move.  Unfortunately, I was really lazy about finishing all of the projects I started.  One project that I finally finished was a snowman pillow.  It only took me 3 weeks.

Materials:
Old Pillow
Orange Felt
Orange Thread
Black Buttons
Hat (I ordered one from Amazon.)
White pillowcase
Black Thread
Fabric Glue
Polyfill (I cheated and used cotton balls.)
Scarf' (Mine is from the dollar store.)
Any other accessories you want
Rubber band

How To:
1.  Use the rubber band to tie the pillow case up.
2.  Tie the scarf about 1/3 of the pillow's length below the rubber band.
3.  Use the fabric glue to tentatively glue on the buttons where you want them.
4.  Trace a cone net onto the orange felt.  Cut it out and put it together.  Stuff with polyfill.
5.  Glue this onto the snowman.
6.  I recommend sewing the buttons and nose onto the snowman as it will make everything more permanent.
7.  Add your embellishments.

Verdict:

4 stars - This was a relatively easy project to complete.    It is time consuming to make though (or just seemed like it since I only worked on it in small increments over a long period of time).  My goal was to get it done in January but that didn't happen.  At least my snowman is ready for Valentine's Day. At the dollar store, I picked up a St. Patrick's Day scarf and hat.  This simple change will keep my snowman able to be up a couple months a year.

Water at Bedtime

One of the most fascinating things that I read was about how dehydrated people get while sleeping.   (I can go into the science behind it, but that is boring.) For some reason, that really resonated with me.  Yeah, I would wake up with dry mouth but that's because I am a mouth breather.

If you are accident prone (like me), then use a water bottle!

Verdict:
5 stars - I cannot imagine a night where I do not have my water next to my bed.  I often wake up in the middle of the night.  If I do, I take a quick sip of water.  I find that I feel much better in the morning.  I will finish the water in the morning.  The weird thing is that I think drinking the water also helps combat morning breath.  Now, I can't get to bed without my water.

Snow Ice Cream

Blizzard 2015 hit my area over the weekend.  What better way to celebrate (yes, celebrate) than to make Snow Ice Cream.

Ingredients:
4 cups of snow
1 cup of milk
1/4 cup of sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Directions:
1.  Gather 4 cups of nice white (duh!) snow.
2.  Mix all ingredients together.
3.  Add any toppings you prefer and eat!

Verdict:
5 stars - This is yummy!  It does melt fast, so eat quickly.  It is a great activity to make with kids or with those that are kids at heart!

Body Wrap

Going to the spa and getting a body wrap would be very nice.  The only problem is that it is way out of my budget.  To compromise, I tried an at home wrap involving only plastic wrap, cellulite lotion, and vitamin E (I used a cream that is primarily vitamin E since this was cheaper).  This wrap is supposed to remove "inches" off my body.

How To:
1.  Slather yourself with the cellulite lotion (to help with your pouch) and vitamin E (to help with stretch marks).
2.  Wrap up your self in the plastic wrap.
3.  Lay under a blanket for an hour.  That's it - although you will definitely want a shower after!

The Verdict:
5 stars - I actually measured myself and found that I did lose an inch.  The wrap didn't hurt at all, although the cream was ice cold.  I did feel like I was getting a spa treatment at home!  While I have only tried this on my stomach area, I do have a friend that does this treatment on her thighs and arms. Maybe this is something I will try in the future.