Amazing Kitchen Cures ~ Hair Coloring

I've been a little hair lightening crazy this summer. You may remember that I recently experimented with cinnamon on my hair. Well, here is what our kitchen have to offer for the topic of..... 

HAIR COLORING 

• Country Time Lemonade - To get the rust color out of your hair, pour a dollop of your regular conditioner in the cupped palm of your hand, add enough Country Time Lemonade powdered mix to make a thick paste, then using a little hot water to dilute the paste, apply it to your hair. Let set for five minutes, then rinse clean.
• Hunt's Tomato Paste and Q-Tips Cotton Swabs - If you want to be a red head, wash your hair thoroughly with shampoo, rub Hunt's Tomato Paste into your hair, then rinse lightly. For red streaks, use a Q-Tip to apply paste to strands of hair.  
• Kool-Aid and Jell-O - If you'd like to find out how you look with purple hair or rainbow streaks, mix the contents from a packet of any flavor Kool-Aid with a little water to make a thick paste and apply it to your hair. The coloring is non-toxic and will last through a few shampoos if you have medium or dark hair. Blonde may find the coloring to last longer.
• Lipton Tea Bags - Use several Lipton Tea Bags to brew a strong pot of tea by letting the tea bags steep for about ten minutes. Let the tea cool, pour it into a trigger-spray bottle and spray your hair. Wearing sunscreen, sit in the sun for an hour. The tea will give your brown or red hair highlights. 
• Maxwell House Coffee - Highlight brown or red hair by rinsing it with Maxwell House Coffee for a rich and shiny color.  
• Mrs. Stewart's Liquid Bluing - Adding a couple of drops of Mrs. Stewart's Liquid Bluing to the rinse water when washing gray or white hair eliminates yellowing and gives hair a lush whiteness that products made especially for this purpose cannot achieve. This product is perfectly safe, and a few drops cost less than a penny. 
• RealLemon - To create blonde highlights, rinse your hair with one-quarter cup RealLemon lemon juice in thee-quarters cup water and wearing sunscreen, sit in the sun until your hair dries. Lemon juice is a natural bleach. 
• 7-Up - Prevent the itchy feeling from hair-coloring products by adding two tablespoons 7-Up to the formula before dyeing your hair. 

(NOTE: Using name brand products isn't necessary.) 

STRANGE FACTS

1. The Assyrians began dyeing their hair around 1500 B.C. 
2. The ancient Greeks revered light-colored hair, and most of their great heroes had golden-blonde hair. Many dark-haired Greeks used soaps and alkaline bleaches imported from Phoenicia to lighten or redden their hair. Others dusted their hair with yellow flour, talc made from yellow pollen and gold dust. 
3. Ancient Romans of the upper classes preferred dark hair, and elderly senators and consuls dyed their graying hair with a concoction made by boiling walnut shells and leeks. To prevent graying, men went to bed wearing a paste made from herbs and earthworms. 
4. In the 1600s, many Europeans erroneously believed that frequently combing gray hair with a lead comb could restore the hair to its original color. 
5. When England's Queen Elizabeth I dyed her hair bright reddish orange, thousands of her faithful subjects followed suit.
6. In 1909, French chemist Eugene Scheuller created the first safe, permanent, commercial hair dye, founding the French Harmless Hair Dye Company. A year later, he changed the company name to L'Oreal.      
   
7. Today, three out of four women in the U.S. color their hair. 

ANTIDOTES

1. Prevent dyeing the skin around your hair line, forehead, neck and ears by applying Chapstick, Vaseline Petroleum Jelly or Alberto V05 Conditioning Hairdressing. Wrap the ear pieces of glasses in Reynolds Wrap to avoid dyeing them. 
2. If you dye your hair too dark you can...
1. Wash your hair with a handful of Ajax cleaning powder to lighten the color.
2. Spray Fantastik in your hair, work in well, then rinse, repeating up to four days.
3. Use Spic and Span diluted with water to remove excess color. 
4. Be careful not to get any of the cleaning solutions in your eyes. 

I know you can also lighten hair with peroxide. I looked that up on the internet and experimented again just a few days ago. I mixed equal parts hydrogen peroxide (3%) and conditioner and applied the mixture to my hair. I covered my hair in a plastic sack and sat in the sun for about 45 - 50 minutes. My hair lightened up quite a bit. I think I'll leave my poor hair alone now.  *WINK*

Look for the next Amazing Kitchen Cures post that will tell us what the kitchen can do for cleaning, defogging and repairing eye glasses. 

The Homeschool Mother's Journal ~ June 1, 2016

IN MY LIFE

I've read about 6 books in the Christian Heroes: Then and Now series. These true missionary stories have been incredible and have seriously challenged me to trust God for EVERYTHING and to worry
for NOTHING. God does provide everything we need to spread the Gospel and further His kingdom. 

IN OUR HOMESCHOOL

We closed out our official school year a couple of weeks ago. We took a break for 2 weeks and we have begun our summer schedule. We didn't make it through all our curriculum and we were really enjoying our history and science subjects, so we are going to continue doing some light school work through the summer. 

SUMMER PLANS/GOALS

I officially sent off my orders for next school year's curriculum. I have chosen teaching materials and work books from different sources and so I must make my own lesson plans this time around. I've never done that before, so I will be spending a coupe of hours a day (probably the evenings) working on that. 

I have created a "check-list", if you will, for the children of all the work they must complete each day before they can go off and play. They must complete their chores and the small amount of school work. I'll probably elaborate more on this in another post. 

Our summers aren't complete without being involved in the local library's summer reading program. This year's theme is On Your Mark, Get Set, Read! The activites includes keeping track of the books we read and going to the library about twice a week to learn about sports and fitness from special visitors, making some crafts and playing some group games. We usually have fun with that. 

Our piano teacher has set up a time for her students to play their spring recital pieces for the residents of a local nursing home. She also has planned a piano day camp in July that sounds like fun! 

Speaking of music, one of the churches in a neighboring town hosts a free "grace singing school" for one week. Young people will learn how to sing various parts of music using shape notes. I heard about this program after the fact last summer so I was determined to look for the dates this summer so the kids can participate this year. 

This summer is jam packed, so hopefully we won't find ourselves in too much trouble. *smile*

WHAT'S WORKKING/NOT WORKING

I do not enjoy cooking. I like meal planning and grocery shopping even less. So, coming up with a meal plan every two weeks is not my cup of tea, nor is it working for me. Seriously, if we could eat out more, I'd have us doing it. But, it's not in our budget nor is it good for our waist line. Cooking at home is a must. 

THE MENU PLAN 

I heard about having seasonal menus to rotate each season. I started making up 4 menus; one for summer; one for fall; one for winter and one for spring. You have each day of meals planned out for the month and then you use that one menu for 3 months. Then you rotate to the next menu for the next season (3 months) and so on. Make sense? I have about 2 weeks for each season menu complete and I'm trying to get the summer menu done by this weekend so we can start using it next week. This has proven to be quite the challenge, especially with my dietary restrictions, but I think it'll be worth it in the long run and I won't have to think about planning meals again.  *wink*

WE'RE READING

We usually have Bible time together in the morning, either from our curriculum or a devotional book. However, we recently started reading through the Gospel of John together. The 3 of us read a short passage, each separately. We then come together to discuss what we've read. We do that first, then we also have our regular Bible time. 

We have finished listening to a couple of Little House books in audio form. I'm going to read the last read-aloud from our curriculum, Stories from Grandma's Attic, and then I'll start reading the Christian Heroes series to them. 

Adelle has been reading Pilgrim's Progress on a 4th or 5th grade level. I picked that up at a used book sale a couple years back. After listening to the dramatized version on the Grace Gems website, she's been enjoying reading it for herself. 

A QUOTE/PHOTO/VIDEO TO SHARE

I have a song to share from the Broadway musical Amazing Grace, which is the story of John Newton's life that was dramatically changed after the Lord brought him to the place of repentance. He is the writer of the popular hymn, Amazing Grace. This song is John Newton, played by Josh Young, singing his Testimony.  Here are the lyrics:

In a moment of truth
I have seen what I am
Like a mist on the bay that is here and is gone.
Where dream that awakes with the coming of dawn
So am I!

What the world sees as weak
God can use to proclaim
With a voice and of wisdom
Could never perceive
What God has prepared for those who believe and receive
What He gives. 

And the man that I was I cast upon the furry of the sea. 
And the wind and the waves washed away a lifetime of deceit
And I won't be ashamed to stand and proclaim I am free!

I am free!

There was nothing in me that the Lord should desire
For everyone knows of the life I have led
And you can attest that my conscience was dead in my sin

I can say once again
It was not in me to change
But God in His mercy has called me by name
And He lifted me out of the pit of my shame and ordained I should live

And the man that I was I cast upon the furry of the sea
And the wind and the waves washed away a lifetime of deceit
And I won't be ashamed to stand and proclaim I am free!

I am free!

And I never can repay what the Lord forgave that day
He came for me came to set me free!

And here is a recording.....

Really, this could be a song we sing in Sunday Services.  :-)

SCRIPTURE OF THE WEEK
Dear children, let us not love with words or speech, but with actions and in truth. ~1 John 3:18


I hope this post isn't too long for ya. I guess that's what happens when you don't blog for a few weeks. Ha! 

Happy Birthday, Sugar Bear!

My sweet little lady is growing up!

Wordless Wednesday: Yummy in my Tummy!

Amazing Kitchen Cures ~ Sunburn

Check out what book I just "found" amongst my cookbooks.

I totally forgot I had it! I picked it up at a garage sale (only $.25!) a while back b/c I needed it. Yes, I really do need this book.

Maybe it's the blond hair, but I seem to have a hard time remembering what to do for the common cold or a simple cut, scrape or bug bite. (I have never claimed to be the sharpest tool in the shed.)

Who needs medication when there are all kinds of remedies in the kitchen? I'd like to start referring to this book before searching the web and/or running out to pick up some meds. In the meantime, I'm going to share some of the kitchen cures, strange facts and tips from this book.

And anyway. I thought it would just be fun to share these kitchen remedies. So, let's get started!

NOTE: Using brand name products is not necessary.  :-)   

Summer break is just around the corner. That means time outdoors on field trips or playing in the sprinkler. It's the perfect time to learn what our kitchens offer for.....

SUNBURN

• Afta - Dabbing Afta aftershave lotion on sunburned skin relieve sunburn pain promptly. 
• Arm and Hammer Baking Soda - Dissolve one-half cup baking soda in a tepid bath. Soak for fifteen minutes, then let the powdered solution dry on your skin. 
• Carnation NonFat Dry Milk - Fill a bathtub with warm water and add four handfuls dry milk. Soak in the milk bath for twenty minutes to ease the pain. 
• Cheerios - Pour two cups Cheerios in a blender and blend into a fine powder on medium-high speed. Put the powdered Cheerios into a warm bath and soak in the oats for thirty minutes. The soothing oatmeal bath relieves the pain of sunburn. Use a plastic or mesh drain cover to avoid clogging your pipes. 
• Cool Whip - Spread Cool Whip on the sunburn, let sit for twenty minutes and then rinse off with lukewarm water. 
• Crisco All-Vegetable Shortening - After soaking in a cool bath, seal the moisture into your skin by coating the sunburned area with Crisco.
• Dannon Yogurt - Spread Dannon Yogurt (any flavor you please) on the sunburn, let sit for twenty minutes, and then rinse clean with lukewarm water. 
• Desitin - Coat the sunburn with Desitin diaper rash ointment to reduce the pain and redness. 
  
• Dickinson's Witch Hazel - Moisten a washcloth with Dickinson's Witch Hazel and appy it to the burn. 
• French's Mustard - Rub French's Mustard on the sunburn to stop the stinging and prevent blistering. Let the mustard dry on the skin. 
• Fruit of the Earth Aloe Vera Gel - Coat the sunburned skin with aloe vera gel to soothe and relieve the pain.
• Heinz White Vinegar - Saturate a washcloth with Heinz White Vinegar and use it as a compress to cover the sunburn, pressing down lightly. Or add two cups vinegar to cool bathwater and soak. 
• Kingsford Corn Starch - Add enough water to Kingsford Corn Starch to make a paste, and apply directly to the burn. 
• Lipton Tea Bags - Pat the sunburn with wet tea bags. The tannic acid in the tea relieves sunburn pain. 
• Miracle Whip - Slather Miracle Whip liberally over the sunburn to relieve the pain and moisturize the skin.
• Quaker Oats and L'eggs Sheer Energy Panty Hose - Using a blender, grind one cup Quaker Oats into a fine powder. Cut off the foot from a clean, used pair of L'eggs Sheer Energy Panty Hose, fill it with the powdered oats, and tie a knot in the nylon. Tie the oatmeal sack to the spigot, letting it dangle in the flow of water as the tub fills with warm water. Soak for thirty minutes in this inexpensive and soothing oatmeal bath, using the oatmeal sack as a mild washcloth. 

STRANGE FACTS

• You can get a sunburn on a cloudy day. Ultraviolet rays from the sun penetrate clouds, no matter how overcast the sky may be. 
• Turnips turn green when sunburned. 
• Pigs, walruses, and light-colored horses can be sunburned. 
• The place with the most hours of possible sunshine is Yuma, Arizona, where the chance of sunshine during the day is 91%.
• Starting February 9, 1967, St. Petersburg, Florida recorded 768 consecutive days of sunshine, ending on March 17, 1969.

TIPS

1. Play it cool! See your doctor if your sunburn begins to blister or you feel ill. 
2. To avoid getting a sunburn, apply sunscreen thirty minutes before going outside. 
3. To figure out how many hours of protection you can expect from a sunscreen, take the number of minutes it takes your skin to start burning without sunscreen, multiply by the sun protection factor (SPF) printed on the bottle of Coppertone, and divide the result by sixty. For example: if you usually burn in thirty minutes, an SPF 8 lotion should protect you for approximately 4 hours. 
4. The higher the SPF of a sunscreen, the higher the price. 
5. The higher in the sky the sun is, the higher the SPF number you will need. Also, the closer to the equator you are, the stronger the sunscreen you need. 

And there we have it! This was a pretty long list in the book, so I didn't put every single kitchen remedy here. Anyway. I hope this is helpful... if not for you, then for me to remember to take this book off the shelf next time I need a quick home remedy! 

I Will Boast in the Cross

I read over these song lyrics and I just can't help but to share it here. Of course, it's from Sovereign Grace Music on the Depth of Mercy album that was put out in the late 1990's. This song most certainly needs an update as the melody and beat takes away from the lyrics. 

Nonetheless, I just can't express enough how Christ and Cross-centered the songs are from this ministry.  How refreshing it is to hear songs that are not focused upon ourselves. 

Take a look at these words.....

I Will Boast in the Cross 

Verse 1

God did not call us because we were wise

Or gifted with riches and might

His choses one are the weak in this world

Who hope in His all-saving name

That He might receive all the praise

Chorus

So I will boast in the cross of Christ

And I will glory in Jesus and His sacrifice

I will boast in the cross of Christ

It is the power  It is the wisdom of God

And my great ransom

The cross of Christ

Verse 2

Great is the mystery of God's sovereign ways

That flow from the depths of His grace

That He would give up His one precious Son

To bear all the cost of my sin

It is a wonder I can't comprehend

Repeat Chorus

Talk about remind us what our purpose is, Who made us and Who all the praise and glory is due.... It's certainly not any of us! 

Not to us, O Lord, not to us,

But to Your name give glory

Because of Your lovingkindness

Because of Your truth

Psalm 115:1

5 Random Things ~ Science, Wreaths, a DIY, Cinnamon Hair? and the Yearbook

Disclaimer: Photography is not my thing, though I do try. Nonetheless, I apologize in advance for fuzzy pictures.  :-D  

1. Science with friends!

          

 

I guess I haven't mentioned on here that we started to learn science and conduct experiments with a few of our friends on Fridays. In these pics, we were learning about fizz from our Science in the Kitchen book. We were already having fun with science, but learning with friends makes it so much more exciting!

2. Wreaths

           

 

I'm a little crazy about wreaths. Can you tell? Here are my latest homemade wreaths. The one on the left is made from paper ribbon. Do you remember that stuff? It's paper that was crinkled and rolled up and you have to unfold/unwind it in order to use it. Talk about an object lesson for patience. I don't know how it was so popular back in the day; it was so frustrating! 

The wreath on the right is just pretty fabric wrapped around a foam wreath form twice and those are crochet flowers made from yarn.  

3. Frugal Gift Bag

                     

What does one do when they need a gift bag, but they don't have one for the right occasion nor the correct size nor the money (or time) to go buy one? You make your own, of course!

I save all the gift bags we receive from birthdays and other special days. But I didn't have a non-specific bag and I needed one pretty quick. So I just took a regular brown lunch sack (that I already had), measured and glued scrapbook paper to it, added a label and little ribbon bow and viola! We have a gift bag.

It is extremely rare for my brain to think outside of the box, so you can imagine how shocked and happy I was when I came up with this idea All. By. Myself! LOL

4. Cinnamon on Your Hair?

                    

I was looking at my hair a few weeks ago and I just thought "BLAH". With no money to purchase a box (or 2) of color from the store, I searched the net for ways one can lighten hair naturally. There are many ways to do that. I found one way quite interesting and had me very curious. I discovered that cinnamon has bleaching qualities. Why, I never knew that! So I tried the most simple recipe: I took a cup of conditioner and mixed in enough cinnamon to make a paste; Saturated my hair, put a plastic bag over it (in place of a shower cap) and let it sit overnight. 

Above is the before and after pictures. Of course, it's not going to be a drastic change, but that's not what I was going for anyway. :-)

Then I tried another method to go a little bit lighter. This was a conditioner/pure honey/cinnamon mixture. Again, I left it on overnight with my hair wrapped in a plastic bag. :-) 

And here is my hair after that treatment. I can see another slight difference again, but I think my hair  was a little too wet when I applied this mixture. So, I'm going to wait a few more weeks before I try once more.  

5. Yearbook Pics

This is the first year we've submitted pictures to the homeschool group yearbook. They ask for a nature background as to have a somewhat uniform look in the book since there isn't a "picture day" like in public school. I got a peek at last year's book. It was very nice. I might have to get one this time.  

Whew! That was kind of long! Life is pretty random!