DIY Fabric Softener

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Fabric softener is amazingly expensive. It costs nearly as much as laundry detergent (which by the way you can make much cheaper!). If you love to use fabric softener and hate the high price, here is instructions on how you can make your own for less than $1 and about 3 cents a load.

To show you my breakdown, here it is:

Vinegar- $1.00 at that local dollar store, but we are only using 2/3 cup and the whole bottle is 32 oz (4 cups). This means we are only using about 18 cents of it to make it.

Conditioner, bought at the dollar store, and we are using 1/2 the bottle, so 50 cents.

Water is “free” out of the tap.

So 18 loads for around 68 cents to make and it only takes less than 5 minutes of your time! If you are concerned about chemicals, you may spend a little more for a natural or organic hair conditioner, but making your own allows you to control what is in it and on your clothes. The bottle of conditioner I used is 15 fl oz, so I used approximately 7-8 oz if you happen to get a bigger bottle.

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Here is the instructions for making your own fabric softener:

  • 1/2 bottle of hair conditioner of your choice in scent from the local dollar store
  • 2/3 Cup vinegar
  • 4 cups HOT water

To make:

In a bowl, add the hot water and half a bottle of hair conditioner. Mix well with a whisk until it is well dissolved and no chunks remain.

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Add the vinegar and stir.

Pour into a large mason jar with a lid. Make sure to label it so you know what is inside.

Use 1/4 cup per load. This should give you approximately 18 loads.

Make sure to gently shake before each use as some of the conditioner will settle to the bottom over time.

The great thing about this recipe is you can customize it to the scent you want and use whatever brand you prefer. You can double of triple the recipe if you need more made at once.

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Thinking of giving giftcards?

I was compensated for this post by giftcardrescue.com. This notice is in accordance to the FTC’s requirement for notice of compensation in advertizing. Even though I was compensated, all opinions are my own.

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With the holidays just around the corner, you may be scrambling to get that last minute gift for someone or get some money for last minute shopping yourself.

Gift Cards are the perfect solution for everyone!

Have you heard of Giftcardrescue.com? It is a virtual marketplace where you can sell gift cards and purchase discounted gift cards for your loved ones all year round.

If you are hoping for some cash to go shopping with, selling your gift cards that still have a balance over $20 is right up your alley. Just simple enter the amount and gift card number and you are on your way to making some money of that gift card that has been collecting dust in your drawer. No doubt someone else may be looking for your gift card out there!

If you are interested in buying discounted gift cards, look no further. I saw some gift cards on sale for up to 35% off. This is a great way to get some last minute shopping done (or shopping any time of the year) without paying full price. Giftcardrescue.com is so easy to navigate to find the gift card to the store you are looking for. The inventory is always changing as people sell their own gift cards on the site as well, so make sur eto check frequently. Who doesn’t like to shop at a discount?

When selling your gift cards, you can get up to 90% of the value back in cash. This is great because it solves the problem of having a gift card you can’t or won’t use and instead getting most of the value back in cash to buy whatever you want or need.

Keep Giftcardrescue.com in mind all year for savings on your shopping destinations or for gift cards you get that are not going to be used.

iCoffee Makes Perfection

I was given an iCoffee by Remington in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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Have you heard of the iCoffee by Remington? It is the newest buzz in the coffee lover’s circuits. Forget french presses, pod machines and the old fashioned drip coffee maker. The iCoffee is far above those.

The iCoffee by Remington works by steaming the coffee rather than just running hot water over it as a drip coffee maker does. The result? An amazing, non-bitter and smooth cup of Joe.

Please watch my video below for a demonstration on how the iCoffee works:

 

The iCoffee is very easy to operate. It is similar to how a drip coffee maker is to set up. The inner parts are easy to clean and you can adjust your coffee to be as bold or as mild as you desire. One of the best things about the iCoffee in my opinion, is, the fact that you don’t have to buy expensive pods for it. You can use your favorite coffee, bought in regular form in bags or tubs or even fresh ground. This makes it more economical that other top rated coffee makers on the market.

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I really appreciated the extras on this machine. I liked watching the coffee’s crema form in the window and I liked how the machine included the optional basket to catch the coffee “sludge”. This sludge is the reasons I hate French Presses and the iCoffee eliminated that for me while providing an exceptional cup of java.

One of the drawbacks to the iCoffee that I discovered was there is no specific amount you are told to put in to make a pot of coffee. I had to learn through trial and error on how to adjust my coffee in order to get it just as I like it.

The iCoffee would make an amazing gift and retails for around $199. While this is steep in price, keep in mind that this really does make the best coffee I have personally ever had and there are no expensive pods or packs to buy. You use your favorite coffee in traditional ground form.

Make sure to follow iCoffee on Twitter for more news and tips for coffee perfection!

Hair Chalk is The Perfect Gift!

My Pre-teen daughter loves hair chalk. I think it is the perfect solution for kids or teens who want to color thier hair in crazy colors and parents who don’t want it to be permanant. These crazy and fun colored hair-chalk sticks from Ellore Femme help you to easily put an array of colors in your tresses. The easy-to-blend dyes are formulated with natural plant pigments, rendering the chalk non-toxic. There are 24 colors in all and they easily wash out with just one shower.
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These fun colors are for that time when you just want a little color and can do it quickly. Just paint, set with heat and go!
  • Nontoxic, natural plant pigments
  • Washes out after one shower
  • Use on wet hair
  • 24 vibrant shades

If someone on you li8st is hoping for Hair chalk, I have an amazing deal for you!
My Readers at Saved By Grace Blog, can save $30 Off Ellore Femme 24 peice Hair Chalk set with promo code BL15

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Just go to
http://www.ellorefemme.com/usd/hair-chalk.html/ Regular Price: US $44.99

 

  • may transfer onto clothing during application May cause respiratory irritation if inhaled

Rape insurance?! Are you Kidding Me?

Disclaimer: I have very radical views as a person, Christian or not, and I will no longer sit by and try to put on a front of what I think people expect of me as a Christian. Read more on why, here and here. stop Michigan passed a law that now requires women to buy what is being called “Rape insurance” if they want to have an abortion as the law prevents any insurance from covering abortion unless the woman’s life is in danger. So basically, a woman should “prepare” for and “plan ahead” in case they are raped and a pregnancy results from it and they want to option to have insurance cover a termination. It also keeps a woman from buying this extra insurance after she is pregnant no matter how she got pregnant.

huhwhat?

Yeah. You read that right. The law expects women to plan ahead for a rape that could occur and if they don’t, they will be forced to pay hundreds of dollars for an abortion out of pocket (which is not an option for those on very fixed incomes or minors) or be forced to carry the child conceived to full term and either give the baby up or keep him or her.

To me, as a pro-choice Christian and the survivor of sexual assault, this is an absolute outrage. The mere idea makes me nauseated and sick. I cannot stand behind this kind of legislation even though it is not happening in my state.

Why is there such a war on women and women’s rights? I recently read a Facebook post on a sexual assault that occurred in my hometown of Missoula, Montana over the weekend. The snide and flat out dumb comments on that post left me shaking my head. Statements such as, “Why was the guy even in her room to begin with?” (the two were acquaintances at the time it occurred.. do people honestly think women who are raped are to blame because they dared to have a member of the opposite sex in their room? Again, was she supposed to plan for and expect it?!) and “It’s a college town..go find someone who wants it!” (sex is not the #1 motivator behind rape..when are people going to get that?) make me wonder if campaigns to help spread awareness work.

I cannot stand blame the victim tactics many people use when you speak out about rape. To me, this bill is just another one. It re-victimizes a woman by telling her she should have been more careful to not get raped and should have planned better for it. It’s time people stop buying this garbage. It’s time we, as a society, value our women and girls and the rights they have to their own bodies and choices. It’s time we stop sticking our own morals on others in the way of bills like this. It’s time we think about the grey area when laws like this are put into place. If something does not effect you, it doesn’t mean it is no big deal to someone else. The simple answer to your own issue with abortion? Don’t have one or I don’t know, do something constructive and help women who are victims of sexual assault.

Campus Book Rentals are a Student’s Best Friend

CampusBookRentals.com has compensated me for the following post. This notice is in line with the FTC’s regulations regarding compensation in online advertizements. All opinions are my own and CampusBookRentals.com did not tell me what to write.

 

I have written about CampusBookRentals.com before. I have shared the many reasons I love them from their easy rentals and the ability to borrow textbooks at an incredibly discounted price and free shipping both ways. Now, you can also rent your books to other students and make back more than you would in the typical buy back programs offered by the school you attend.

 

I haven’t talked much about one of the biggest reasons I love Campus Book Rentals. Did you know they generously donate to Operation Smile?

Operation Smile is a program that helps fix children’s smiles and more importantly gives them a chance to thrive who otherwise wouldn’t. Every 3 minutes a child is born with what is called a cleft pallet. In impoverished countries around the world, the parents of these children would not be able to pay for the life-saving surgery that their children need and Operation Smile steps in to help them.

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A cleft palette is not on only a noticeable physical disfigurement to these children’s smile, but it can mean they do not survive at all because of the lack of being able to get proper nutrition and nourishment. Infants are unable to latch for something as simple as breastfeeding. Fixing the cleft pallet will change all of that for them.

Operations Smile’s surgeons and team is all volunteer-based, but the money to do the actual surgeries is costly. With the donations that CampusBookRentals.com and countless other folks give, the surgeries are possible and many lives are forever changed and saved.

I love supporting a company that does this sort of humanitarian charity donation. It means a lot to me to support and promote such wonderful companies that not only offer amazing services for students, but care about the world around them.

You can find more information on Operation Smile on their website. Visit RentBack.com to rent your used textbooks to other students and CampusbookRentals.com to rent for your next semester.

Ideas To Spruce Up Your Kid’s Room

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Is your kid excited to have a bedroom designed according to his or her taste? Then as a parent you must also make all possible efforts to make your kid happy by decorating the way they want it to be. Ask your kid what they actually want and then conceptualize what and how needs to be done. Depending on the theme of the bedroom the budget may vary considerably. Here are some tips to spruce up kids bedroom:

1. Bright colored window treatments: Use colorful curtains in your kids room to spice it up. The room will surely look cleaner and sharper with colorful curtains. Ensure that the color you use match well with the motif of the bedroom. To reduce the light that enters the room you can even use valance.

2. Use toys as décor: It is a great idea to use child’s toys as décor as they are very colorful and come in various shapes and sizes. This will also save storage hassles as you can hang the large toys and use open shelves for small toys. You can even add colorful baskets in the room to keep the toys to keep the room neat and tidy.

3. Decorate the ceiling: Decorate the ceiling of the room by adding glow in dark items. They will surely love gazing the stars while they are about to sleep. You can even paint the ceiling in your child’s favorite theme.

4. Cover the floor: In all possibilities your kid will sit down to play therefore it is important to protect your kid’s feet, knees and other body parts. Pick broadloom carpet that suits the design of the body. Pick the carpets that are colorful and soft. You can easily find carpets in hopscotch design and snakes and ladder designs. Buy them to add fun element in the room.

Now if you are worried about the budget, then you must check http://frugaa.com. This website will surely help you save a great deal of money as you can find deals on almost everything you need for your kids room decor. You can find coupons for bedroom furniture, furnishings, decor and wall arts.

Heavenly Chocolate Banana Bread #Diabetic Friendly

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I love chocolate. However, many delicious and almost sinful chocolate foods usually are way over the top in sugar content and make my blood sugar sky rocket. The biggest issue with many diabetic desserts is they are dry and kind of bland. I am not much of a baker and this Heavenly Chocolate Banana Bread might not be 100% sugar free, it is lower in sugar content and is ultra moist, so you won’t even be able to tell it has barely in it.

I was really proud of this recipe as I am not much of a baker and most things I make turn out pretty darn terrible. This is a masterpiece, though!

To Make Heavenly Chocolate Banana Bread, you will need:

  • 1 Egg
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup Splenda
  • 3 tsp Vanilla extract
  • 5 VERY ripe bananas
  • 1/4 Cup milk
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup melted semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • A small handful of milk chocolate chips
  • 2 1/4 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup unsweetedned cocoa powder
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 1/2 Tsp Baking powder

 

1. Pre-heat your oven to 350 Degrees F. Spray a loaf or brownie pan with non-stick spray. Set aside. Mash the bananas well with a hand masher for potatoes. They should almost be soupy.

2. Mix flour, salt, baking powder and cocoa powder together in a bowl. Make sure they are well mixed.

3. Stick the dark chocolate chips in the microwave and microwave in 30 second increments, stirring along the way until just melted. Don’t over-do this step. You don’t want to scorch them!

4. In a separate bowl, mix the vanilla, egg, melted chocolate, butter, milk, splenda, and brown sugar.

5. In an alternating pattern, add some bananas, then dry ingredients and then bananas and so on. Make sure the mixture is well mixed and no dry ingredients remain. It should be a thick brownie batter consistency.

6. Pour into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Take a handful of milk chocolate chips and sprinkle on top. Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow to cool before cutting.

 

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Citrus Vanilla Sugar Scrub

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Last year, I made a Choco-coco Sugar Scrub for some gifts and I decided to experiment with a different scent this year. I love the fresh smell of lemons and citrus and the warm scent of vanilla and decided they would make an amazing combination for a sugar scrub. I love coconut oil and it’s properties for keeping skin soft. A scrub like this is excellent for gardeners as well as anyone who struggles with rough and tired hands and feet. This Citrus Vanilla Sugar Scrub is sure to please anyone on your gift list and is so easy to make as well as low-cost.

This recipe makes (2) 16 oz jars, but it could be split into (4) 8 oz ones. If you are only interested in making one jar, simply cut the recipe in half. Total for the materials was less than $5 a jar and I got the mason jars at the Dollar Tree.

 

Citrus Vanilla Sugar Scrub

 

To make Citrus Vanilla Sugar Scrub, you will need:

  • 5 cups of granulated sugar
  • 2 small lemons
  • 1 cup of coconut oil
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract (or 2 tsp imitation vanilla extract)
  • 8-10 drops Orange essential oil

1. Start by pouring the sugar into a bowl. Zest two lemons into the bowl with a zester or the fine side of a cheese grater.

2. While you do step 1, place the coconut oil in the microwave for 30 seconds. It should be mostly melted and in oil/liquid form, but not too hot.

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3. Pour melted coconut oil in the bowl with the sugar and start stirring. If it seems to wet, add a small amount of sugar to it until it has a damp sand consistency.

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4. Cut the lemons you zested in half. Remove as many seeds as you can find and squeeze into the bowl. If seeds fall into the bowl, simply remove them with a spoon. Mix this in with the other ingredients.

5. Add the Vanilla and Orange essential oil and stir.

6. Spoon into jars and attach a label.

To use, just take about a teaspoon out and rub on damp hands. Rinse and enjoy soft, smooth skin.

This scrub will stay good for about 2 months if kept in a covered container.

 

Update: You can also use lemon essential oil, however make sure it is well diluted by the coconut oil as it can sometimes cause irritation. I also fiund that this scrub stays well for a little longer than I had first thought.

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