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How to make your own shampoo!

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My Mom has got beautiful long hair. Last fall she started using homemade shampoo. I was skeptical at first, but watching her for 7 months, her hair never looks greasy, it is always really shiny and healthy looking. I wanted to let her explain the method that she uses.

* She does live in China, so they pay quite a bit more than we do for shampoo. But when she is in the states she still washes her hair this way!

This is the cost:
Vinegar 64 oz $1.82
Baking Soda 2 lbs $1.24
Gallon Water $.88

Cost per shampoo: $.15 a shampoo!

how to make your own shampoo

Homemade Shampoo:

Shampoo:
1/4 cup baking soda
1 quart water

Rinse: 
2 T vinegar
1 cup water

Directions:
Dissolve baking soda into water, you can double or triple batch. Terry makes hers in a large jug to keep in the shower. She uses a smaller bottle to keep just enough in for a few washings so she doesn’t have to pick up the big container. Run the mix over your hair and work into the scalp. It will NOT suds up, you are just cleaning the scalp. When you are done you can let it sit in your hair as you finish showering. Rinse.

The vinegar solution is a rinse to soften your hair and add shine. As your hair dries the vinegar smell will go away, you can add scents to this if you want. Just before you get out of the shower, rinse your hair with about a cup of the vinegar solution.

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How to make homemade window cleaner!

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Homemade window cleaner is something that I have used for a long time. I ran out of Windex one day and my Mom just shook her head and said, “why don’t you use vinegar?”

When we were kids, my Mom would have us fill a bucket with warm water and a little Dove dish soap and was the outside windows of the house. It always left them clear and without streaks.

The price of Windex has really gone up quite a bit, to almost $3.50 a bottle at Walmart. Even with a coupon it is really still overpriced in my opinion. Plus, if my kids clean a window with it, they use almost 1/2 a bottle! I am also trying to cut down on the amount of waste that we generate in general, and I love the idea of a very natural and safe cleaner that my kids will be around.

The total cost is around $.10 a bottle of cleaner for the homemade. That is a HUGE savings over a year, it is much more “green” and safer for the kids!

Homemade Glass Cleaner

  • 1/4 c. rubbing alcohol
  • 1/4 c. white vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 c. warm water
  • 5-10 drops Peppermint Oil (optional)

The only other variation, is if you used a little tiny bit of dish soap. This is the one that my Mom uses, I change it up a bit and use mine above, about every other time!

Homemade Glass Cleaner 2

  • 1/8 Cup (1 oz) white ammonia
  • 1/4 Cup (4 oz) rubbing alcohol
  • 1 drop dish detergent
  • Warm water, enough to fill the spray bottle


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Flip Flop Wreath (with Dollar Store Supplies)

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flip flop wreath

Looking for a fun summertime addition to your front door?  Check out this cute Flip Flop Wreath idea that can be made on the cheap from Dollar Store supplies!

This was made by a friend of mine and I just HAD to share it with you guys – because I know some of you who live for that easygoing summertime life 😉

You can customize this with certain colors, switch out the flowers with seashells, or these little cocktail umbrellas – whatever floats your boat!

How to Make a Flip Flop Wreath

What you need:

  • Wire wreath frame or Foam Wreath Form (can be found at the Dollar Tree)
  • Flip Flops in various colors – number will depend on how large your wreath form is
  • Hot glue gun and sticks
  • Foam floral stickers & Fake floral stems to embellish
  • Wooden Initial Monogram painted to match for the center – optional but cute!

Directions:

  • Lay the flip flops out against the wreath and fiddle around with them until you have the pattern of colors you want.  You can face some in and some outwards to even out the spacing.
  • Use the hot glue gun to secure each flip flop to the wreath form – making sure to cover the form completely. (or as best you can)
  • Embellish with flowers, foam stickers, seashells, etc…
  • Use hot glue to attach a monogram to the center of the wreath if you like (you can pick these up at Hobby Lobby for super cheap with a 40% OFF weekly coupon!)

I think this would also make a great summertime housewarming gift for a friend.

If you liked this flip flop wreath – you might want to check out some of our other DIY ideas!

kool-aid lip gloss diy

 

 

How to Wash Your Lularoe Clothing {Lularoe Leggings and More}

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Lularoe Clothing3

Have you started your newest addiction with Lularoe Leggings (or other clothing items) yet? Whether you’re on your first ever piece of Lularoe Clothing or your twenty first, taking care of them is super important. We all want our buttery soft leggings to last a lifetime right? Trial and error has occured to bring you guys the best possible way to keep your Lula Clothing in tip top shape and I mean even the tag says it all…. take care of them or you’ll be sad.

lularoe tag
(By the way this is our Lularoe Instagram you need to follow lovehustlestylellr!)

Alright guys so here we go, there are going to be different ways you want to wash/dry your different types of Lularoe Clothing from Leggings to Kimonos and more so we’ve broken it down a bit for you to make it easier. As an added tip I would suggest washing ALL your like Lularoe Laundry together, so leggings, tops etc. For the first time of washing be sure to wash alone in case of colors bleeding etc like they do with blue jeans.

Leggings

1. Turn inside out
2. Wash in COLD Water
3. Use Gentle or Delicate Washer Cycles
4. Air Dry (this doesn’t strain the fabric as much and makes it last longer)

As an added care measure you may not need to wash your leggings after every single wear, the more you wash them the faster they will begin to show wear.

lularoe laundry

Kimonos or Lace Items (Like Lola Skirts)

1. HAND WASH ONLY (If washed in a washer you run the risk of snagging on the machine)
2. You can then lay items on a towel and roll the towel to squeeze as much water as possible out of item
3. Hang Dry to finish drying.

Amelias, Madisons, Lucy Skirts, Perfect Tees (all other Lularoe Wear)

1. Turn inside out
2. Wash in Cold Water
3. Use Gentle or Delicate Cycles
4. Air Dry

So what’s the big deal if you throw them in the dryer or don’t wash them as directed? It wears them down and takes away their super awesome softness guys, in other words, it makes you sad. You might notice some pilling or fluff balls on the clothing as it shows wear. (Leggings may show this after many washes as well)

Try the New Caress Forever Fragrance Touch Technology at H-E-B (Review)

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Sponsored post by Lunchbox

Caress Forever Body Wash

You may have seen those awesome new Caress Body Wash commercials boasting about the lasting scent of their brand new body wash but is it worth all the hype? Our local H-E-B store just stocked these although the new Enchant Forever (in the blue bottle) was sold out so it must be super popular!

Here’s a bit more about available Caress Forever Scents at your local H-E-B:

  • Adore Forever – an irresistible feminine fragrance with floral  musk and sparkling pink roses laced in amber
  • Enchant Forever – an alluring feminine fragrance with a seductive blend of sheer honeysuckle and sophisticated satinwood
  • Mystique Forever – a captivating feminine fragrance with a sensual bouquet of Imperial Iris addictive amber
  • Love Forever – an unforgettable feminine fragrance with rich floriental sweetness of scarlet roses and dark, lush berries

I purchased the Adore, Mystique, and Love Forever to try out and to give you guys my review on them. They are AMAZINGLY scented and I can totally see how the scent lasts as long as it does on your skin.  It’s almost like a perfume on your skin all the time. What’s even better is you (our most awesome Texas Readers) can enter to win a $25 H-E-B Gift Card!

Here’s how you will need to enter: (Giveaway will run from Monday May 30th to Monday June 6th)

  1. You will need to Reply to the MyLitter Tweet HERE
    -Make sure your reply has the hashtag #CaressLovesTX
  2. In your reply tweet mention what scent you would like to try the most (You can see the available scents here)

Caress_LovesTX_Asset4 (1)

Make Your Own Scented Wax Cubes {DIY Tutorial}

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make your own scented wax cubes, free scentsy

:: You can see my segment HERE ::

About a year and a half ago I had the chance to do a DIY tutorial for Disney’s LiveWell station, with host Kat Cosley on how to make your own scented wax cubes. We filmed at my house for a few hours and I taught them how I reuse and make my own scented wax for my Scentsy wax warmers.

They were awesome and Kat is SUPER cool and really nice.

I have a TON and really I have a TON of Scentsy warmers, I am not telling you how many because my husband would flip! 🙂 A Scentsy warmer is a name brand wax warmer that basically melts a piece of scented wax using a light bulb, that makes your whole house smell awesome. You can buy cheaper versions of these from Better Homes and Gardens at Walmart from $5 – $15. They are really cute, and make nice gifts. I like them because I don’t like having an open flame with a lot of kids running around, and I like the way candles make my house smell good.

After the scented wax has melted and the smell is gone after about 12 hours, you are left with disks of hard wax. You can toss them or you can remelt them and add some more fragrance. This is one way to reuse the wax, I have 2 different methods I taught them.

Scentsy sells the scented wax of course, and you can buy off brands at Walmart, Target and even the Dollar Stores. Personally, I think Scentsy smells the best, but it is pretty expensive.

Scentsy also says that by using any other wax in their warmers you void your warranty on your warmer somewhere in the fine print. Just FYI.

When new, the scented wax comes in little plastic trays and you break them apart and pop them out like you would a ice cube tray. When my trays are done I save them to use as mold to pour more melted wax into.

The first tip is to save your wax when it has lost it’s smell and add more scent to it. I melt the wax either in the microwave or on a warming tray (below) in a bowl and pour it into the saved wax trays. You can get a warming tray by the candles at Walmart for $5. Many places sell scented oil and you only need a few drops. After adding the melted wax to the trays place it in the freezer for a while to harden, then use like you would new wax!

  • Melt the wax
  • Add scent
  • Pour in trays
  • Harden in freezer
  • Use again

reuse scentsy wax for tart burners

The second way I make these is with leftover candles I have OR with new candles I am given that I don’t want to have burning in my house. I get a lot of the Yankee candles and don’t want to light them so I make them into scented wax so I can safely use them.

Again I melt down the wax, either in the microwave (be careful of the metal tab on the bottom of the wick) or on a warming tray until the wax is completely melted. Then I pour them into the trays or into ice cube trays.

Put the trays into the freezer and when they are solid you can pull them out and you have scented wax from your candles that you can use in your warmers! This is the method that I use the most. I have found the Yankee candles when melted down and made into scented wax cubes smell better and the smell lasts longer then the Scentsy scents. But overall it is just safer in my home to not have an open flame.

As much as I love the Scentsy scents and buy them often, I love other candle brands as well that don’t make the scented wax. This is a great way to stretch your budget on the extra things in life by making your own. I would rather spend my money on the darling designs of name brand warmers, then on the scented wax.

Homemade Laundry Detergent: Cost – $2 per 180 loads {up to 600 HE loads}

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Homemade Laundry Detergent? Call me skeptical at first!

For the past few years I have been able to get some pretty great deals on laundry detergent. Previous to couponing, having to buy Tide almost made me cry! I didn’t know/want to try other brands and I wasn’t using coupons, and it was SO expensive, it seemed like we were always out!

Using coupons I was able to branch out and try different kinds saving a lot of money, I also was able to stock up at really low prices so I never saw the need to cut that savings even further. Until…. I was challenged by a well meaning friend to “save the environment” and cut back on waste from the bottles and use better products for my kids. SO I TRIED HOMEMADE LAUNDRY DETERGENT….

Surprisingly, it worked! It was SUPER cheap to make, and it really worked. I will admit I was surprised. But, we have been using it for about 6 months now, I alternate between what I have on hand and the homemade. I have experimented with adding scented oils ( it doesn’t stain your clothes) for scent, because quite honestly that was what I liked about Tide, and I am pleased with the result.

It was very QUICK to make and not a hassle.

  • Tide has risen in price over 60% in 2 years.
  • People are stealing it and reselling it because of the price increase.
  • People think it takes a long time to make or won’t clean as well. ( I have tested it and it does work good!)
  • The supplies I am bringing will wash 180 loads for a top-load machine, or 600+ for a front loader.
  • Better for the environment, less waste, safer for children

Cost for Tide – $22 for 96 loads
Cost Homemade – $2 for 180 loads
I figure over a year I am spending $114 on Tide
If I make my own I spend $6

Homemade Laundry Detergent Recipe

  • 1 bar of Fels Naptha soap, shaved
  • 4 cups of hot water to melt the soap
  • 3 gallons of hot water
  • 1 cup of borax
  • 2 cups of washing soda
  • 1 cup of baking soda
  • 1 large Rubbermaid container about 4-5 gallons size

Directions:

Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.

Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.

Stir and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (will gel)

Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons. Add once soap has cooled. Ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil.

Yield: Liquid soap recipe makes 10 gallons.

Top Load Machine- 5/8 Cup per load (Approx. 180 loads)

Front Load Machines- ¼ Cup per load (Approx. 640 loads)

How to make homemade window cleaner!

By 12 Comments By clicking on our links, we might make a SMALL commission - Thanks for the support! See our full DISCLOSURE here.

Homemade window cleaner is something that I have used for a long time. I ran out of Windex one day and my Mom just shook her head and said, “why don’t you use vinegar?”

When we were kids, my Mom would have us fill a bucket with warm water and a little Dove dish soap and was the outside windows of the house. It always left them clear and without streaks.

The price of Windex has really gone up quite a bit, to almost $3.50 a bottle at Walmart. Even with a coupon it is really still overpriced in my opinion. Plus, if my kids clean a window with it, they use almost 1/2 a bottle! I am also trying to cut down on the amount of waste that we generate in general, and I love the idea of a very natural and safe cleaner that my kids will be around.

The total cost is around $.10 a bottle of cleaner for the homemade. That is a HUGE savings over a year, it is much more “green” and safer for the kids!

Homemade Glass Cleaner

  • 1/4 c. rubbing alcohol
  • 1/4 c. white vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 c. warm water

The only other variation, is if you used a little tiny bit of dish soap. This is the one that my Mom uses, I change it up a bit and use mine above, about every other time!

Homemade Glass Cleaner 2

  • 1/8 Cup (1 oz) white ammonia
  • 1/4 Cup (4 oz) rubbing alcohol
  • 1 drop dish detergent
  • Warm water, enough to fill the spray bottle


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Easy, Yummy, Olive Bread Recipe

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Olive Bread Recipe

This olive bread recipe is one of my family’s FAVORITE weekend and holiday appetizers. Olive Bread – Yum! This recipe is SUPER easy and you can adjust it to what you think your family will like. I would suggest making it the first time the way I have posted and then going from there.

Olive Bread Ingredients

You’ll need black olives, green olives with pimento’s, green onion, Monterey Jack cheese, softened butter, and mayo.

Olive Bread Step 1

Grab a little (or two!) to help you chop up your olives and shred the cheese. The olives are soft enough they can use a plastic knife and if you have a rotary cheese grater, you don’t have to worry about them catching their skin on the cheese grater!

Olive Bread Step 2

Combine all ingredients together. Now, you can do this a day ahead of time and put it in the fridge until you need it. Or, make it right away!

Olive Bread Step 3

Cut one loaf of crusty french bread in half. Smother each side with the mix. Bake at 350 for about 15min. then turn on the broiler and brown the top until golden!

Easy, Yummy Olive Bread

After you’ve made it once, try different cheeses.  Pepper-jack adds a little kick to it! Diced onions instead of green onion, olives with jalapeños instead of pimento, add a little cream cheese – whatever sounds good and your family loves!

Olive Bread Recipe
Recipe Type: Side Dish
Author: Tiffany Ivanovsky
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
This olive bread recipe is SUPER easy and makes a delicious side dish for any occasion!
Ingredients
  • 14 oz can of black olives
  • 6 oz of green olives with pimento’s
  • 3 stalks green onion
  • 1lb of Monterey Jack cheese
  • 1 stick salted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup real mayo
Instructions
  1. Chop olives.
  2. Chop green onion.
  3. Shred Monterey Jack cheese.
  4. Combine all ingredients together.
  5. Cut a loaf of french bread in half.
  6. Smother each side with your olive and cheese mix.
  7. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes.
  8. Turn on broiler until the top is golden.
Notes
If making in advance, refrigerate your olive & cheese mixture overnight.

Easy Olive Bread Recipe Not a single bit will be left! I was almost too late for a picture! I actually posted this before, but wanted to share it again since I was actually able to get some pictures of it this time without them eating it all the second it was done!

olive bread recipe

Check out other favorite appetizers & side dishes we love below!

Cheddar Bay Biscuits

Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers

Hasselback Potatoes

Filet Mignon Bites

What are some of your favorite side dishes?

Handprint Art for Teacher Appreciation or Mother’s Day Gifts

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A few years ago at Preschool the teachers made the cutest flower pots for the Moms. They used the kids handprints and decorated the pots, then with paint pen we wrote around the rim.

The green pots were for the monkey class, they made their little hands into monkeys hanging from a vine. The thumb was the neck and body and the fingers were the legs and arms. For the handprints we used regular tole painting paint. Tempra won’t dry on the pot surface.

The red and teal pots were the butterfly classroom, so we made the kids hands into butterflies! I love how they turned out so abstract!

In the pots we planted lilies. Another idea is to plant an herb garden, with a few different kinds of herbs.

This would make a cute craft for your kids to do for Grandma on Mother’s day!

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