Green Living | Saved By Grace

Fresher, Cleaner Clothes with Purex’s Natural Elements!

April 30, 2024 By Christine 19 Comments

One thing I love about detergents for cleaning is the awesome smell! I am the crazy lady in the store opening up the bottles sniffing each one and trying to decide which to pick. Purex’s Natural Elements offer me a great clean and a great “sniff”!

This is what you will often see if you find me in the detergent aisles of any stores!

As someone who is forced to do my laundry at the laundry mat, I often have run into the problem of ending up with musty smelling clothes from tireless usage of the public washers. Purex’s Natural Elements left my clothing smelling amazing, with no musty smell and cleaned the toughest stains out of my husband’s work clothes. I was surprised by the way it was able to get the grease spots out of his work shirts and keep them bright and red as they should be!

What’s different about Purex’s Natural Elements?

Purex’s Natural Elements uses natural plant extracts to get that amazing scent. I tried the “Tropical Splash” (one of my favorite scents of all time!). Not only does it provide a great natural scent, but it is also good for sensitive skin. We have two sensitive skin people here; my daughter, who suffers from eczema flair-ups and my husband who has trouble with even deodorant. Neither one of them experienced a reaction after wearing clothing cleaned with Purex’s Natural Elements.

Great, but does it clean well?

Yes! As I said, it got the grease spots out of my husband’s work shirts and even cleared up some ketchup stains on my daughter’s shirt.

Awesome! But I am trying to live greener. Is Purex’s Natural Elements good for the environment?

Absolutely! Purex’s Natural Elements is biodegradable to help promote greener cleaning!

Purex sent me 3 coupons for FREE full sized products. I want to give them away to my readers! So, three lucky readers will win a coupon so you can try this yourself! I promise you will like what you smell. After all, I am the crazy lady you see in the aisles sniffing the detergents, so I am a self-professed “expert”.

Giveaway starts 4/30 and runs until 5/5. Open to US residents, 18+ Good luck!

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Filed Under: Giveaways, Green Living, Homekeeping, Product Reviews Tagged With: Cleaning, Family, giveaways, Green Living, Product Reviews

Uncommon Uses for Aluminum Foil

April 6, 2024 By Christine Leave a Comment

When I was a kid, the big saying was, “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle”. While recycling is limited here in my hometown (recently, it has gotten better, but not very convenient), I always look for ways to reduce and Reuse.

One thing I use a lot of in my home is aluminum foil. Most of the time, after it has been used, it is still good to reuse again and I started looking for other ways I could use it as it seemed like such a waste to just toss it in the trash.

I have compiled a list of ways to use it that you may not have thought of!

Use it to clean and scrub dirty pots and pans. Make sure not to use it on non-stick surfaces as it can be pretty abrasive.
Help your sun-loving plants get extra sun. If you have plants like cacti on a window sill, line your sill with foil so it will reflect light and give them an extra dose.
Have picture perfect pie crust edges by covering them until your pie is about halfway done. Remove and your crust edges will brown perfectly.
Sharpen scissors by getting a couple sheets of foil and cutting through them a couple times.
Clean out your oven by using a ball of foil as a scrubber.
I wear glasses and I love to dye my hair. To avoid getting the dye on my glasses, I wrap the ear pieces in foil during my dye time.
Clean your grill.
If you need a funnel in a jiffy, try using a piece and wrap it in a funnel shape.
Cover door knobs and light switches with it when painting. It will be easier to remove than tape.
Bugs hate foil. Place a little in your garden around plant bases to keep them away and reflect more light.
Use it to help a stripped screw go in again. Wrap some around the screw and try again. It will be temporary, but is a good quick fix.

How do you reuse aluminum foil?

Filed Under: Frugal Living, Green Living, Homekeeping Tagged With: Frugal living, Green Living

I Heart Keenwah {Review}

April 5, 2024 By Christine Leave a Comment

In my quest to eat healthier, especially in the snack department, I am always open to trying new products on the market. I was intrigued when I was asked to give I Heart Keenwah (Quinoa) a spin. I love cooking with quinoa, but never really thought of it as a snack food. The folks at I Heart Keenwah have made an all new snack out of one of my favorite side dishes and stuffings.

The variety I was given to try was the Almond. Not being a big fan of almonds, I was hesitant to try it, but went ahead and gave it a shot. I Heart Keenwah is full of (you guessed it) Quinoa, which is full of whole grain as well as being a complete protein on it’s own. I Heart Keenwah is gluten free as well.

Pros:

The crunchy texture was that of a crunchy granola bar that I love and enjoy. It was a good combination of nutty and sweet. I think this is a healthy snack food that doesn’t taste as you would expect. It is a far cry from the tasteless cardboard often found in healthier snacks.

Cons:

There was not as much Almonds as I had thought. In the picture on the packaging, it shows large nut pieces and inside, there is hardly any detectable nut clusters. For someone like myself, this is not a bad thing, but my husband was a bit disappointed.

Verdict:

I say give it a try. It is a great snack for taking with you this upcoming warm season for hikes because it is full of protein and a good, healthy source of carbs. There are several varieties including the almond I tried as well as Cranberry Cashew, Chocolate Sea Salt and Ginger Peanut.

To Purchase:

I Heart Keenwah is available at Abe’s Market or on the site in bags of over 12 for bulk direct ordering. Follow I Heart Keenwah on Facebook and Twitter.

Filed Under: Product Reviews Tagged With: food, Green Living, Product Reviews

Make Your Own All Natural Lip Balm! {Tutorial}

April 2, 2024 By Christine 2 Comments

I am a certified lip balm addict! I spend a lot of money on lip balms and I am constantly testing them out, here on my blog. In fact, my very first review was for a lip balm company!

Of course I was excited when I found out I could make my own with simple ingredients available most anywhere! What I love about this do-it-yourselfer, is it is so simple and so quick and versatile. You can make it smell and taste however you want!

For this version, I tweaked a few recipes I found on Pinterest and did some flavors I wanted. First, I made an orange scented and then, my good friend, Joy, suggested a cupcake one. We did this with a bit of butter extract flavoring! Oh boy! It tastes and smells just like a cupcake!

Another awesome point to these balms, is, You KNOW what is in them, so you know they are safe and natural!

Let’s get Started!

To make your own All Natural Lip Balm you will need:

4 Teaspoons Beeswax
9 Teaspoons Coconut Oil
Flavor or scent of your choice (oil)
An Old mason Jar (glass) and an old small pot
Water
Fine cheese grater
Measuring spoons
Plates
Something to stir with-I used a bamboo skewer
Containers to put your balm in

To start, I should tell you where I got most of my supplies. I got the orange essential oil and beeswax at Natural Foods market, the coconut oil from Tropical Traditions and the containers at Michaels. I made these balms for under $10.

1) Grate the Beeswax on a cutting board. You want the finest grate possible so it melts faster and more evenly. Make sure when measuring, you pack the beeswax in tightly and have a leveled measure of the coconut oil.

2) Measure out all ingredients prior to adding to the Mason Jar and set on a plate.

3) Make a double boiler by adding water to a pot about halfway and placing your glass mason jar inside the pot, being careful not to get any water into the jar. Get it to a low boil.

4) Add your pre-measured coconut oil and beeswax to the jar. Stir slowly and wait for it to mostly melt. At this point, you can add your scent or flavoring. I used about 5-6 drops of orange oil for the orange scented one and about 9-10 drops of butter oil for the cupcake one.

5) Set out your containers with the lids removed on a tray.

6) Using a potholder, carefully remove from heat when all ingredients are melted. Turn off stove. Pour carefully into containers. Make sure you fill all the way to the top. Allow to cool. Mine only took about 5 minutes to somewhat harden and about an hour to fully harden.

7) Put caps on and enjoy!

Are you going to give this a try? These make great favors at weddings and I think this would be a very fun project for an older kid’s sleepover. The beeswax will help hold in moisture and the coconut oil is amazing at softening lips!

Filed Under: Beauty, Crafts & DIY, DIY Beauty, Frugal Living, Green Living, Health Tagged With: beauty, DIY, Frugal living, gifts, Green Living, health

Sanibel Soaps {Review + Giveaway}

February 9, 2024 By Christine 7 Comments

I love when products are not just as they seem, but have a deeper meaning as well. This makes them not only stand out, but be extra special.

Sanibel Soaps is not just your average soap company. It is manufactured by a single crafter, which, as you know already gets brownie points with me, but also each soap has a special message of faith and scripture on it. Since God ..”Fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14) each of us, I love the reminder on such a simple day to day item.

Each one of Sanibel Soaps not only has a special scripture, but the products themselves are extremely pampering and great for skin. They contain natural ingredients and invigorating essential oils. The simplest thing you can do for your skin is to treat it with kindness. Sanibel Soaps help you do that with natural oils as well as no chemicals. They also feature home grown herbs. It is ideal for everyone, including those with sensitive skin issues.

JoAnne, the woman behind Sanibel Soaps, is absolutely amazing. She has been there to inspire me, even though she didn’t know me before now, and help me in the last couple weeks when I was in trouble, emotionally and in my faith. I hope to be a blessing to her, the way she has been to me.

Pros:

Natural ingredients and gentle cleansers create the ultimate soap experience. Not only does Sanibel Soaps clean well, but it leaves skin soft and healthy. The scents are calming and invigorating. Not only can you get these scripure soaps with uplifting messages of faith, but the store also has scented sprays, lotion bars and roll on scents.

Cons:

I wish there were more fruity type scents in the product line, as that is what I really prefer for scented products.

Verdict:

These soaps truly clean well and leave your skin luxuriously soft.

To Purchase:

Head over to the website to make a purchase and see all the lovely products that are offered!

Win it!

JoAnne has been so kind as to offer one reader of Saved By Grace a Phoebe Gift Pack (ARV $18.99). This giveaway is open to US Residents and ends 02/16. The Phoebe Gift Pack contains:

1 - Soothing Lavender soap
1- Joyful Moment roll-on
1-De-Stress Body Mist
1 - Healing Hands lotion bar in pouch
2- Personal size “rose hip/jasmine soaps
1 tag - choice of “You are a blessing” or “Friend“

Although Phoebe is only mentioned once in the Bible (Roman 16: 1-2), she is a significant woman. A helper; a confidant, a dependable woman.
A loyal friend. Is there a Phoebe in your life?

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Filed Under: Beauty, Christian Living, Giveaways, Green Living, Product Reviews Tagged With: beauty, giveaways, Green Living

Jax Hats {Review + Giveaway}

February 6, 2024 By Christine 14 Comments

If you have been following my blog for any amount of time, you know that I fully support crafters and small business. I just love how items that are handmade just feel so wonderful to have and use.

Jax Hats are no exception. I first stumbled across Jax Hats a year or so ago at my local Saturday Market. I loved the style of them and the fact that they were not only handmade and local, but upcycled as well. Jax Hats are made from Upcycled sweaters and they are just wonderful!

Lately, my “color” has been lots of greys and browns. Jackie, who hand crafts Jax Hats made me a wonderful hat in grey and black. I have worn it many days in the still cold weather here in western Montana and not only does it keep my head warm, but it is so darn cute. I get compliments on it everywhere I go! I love that the band on the hat is made from t-shirts. It does an excellent job of keeping the hat comfortably in place!

Jax Hats also has a new line of infant and toddler gear as well. These hats make me wish I had a little one again because they just look absolutely darling on both little boys and girls.

The button that you see on the side of the hats are all hand-crafted as well. This hat is just so cute and fashionable, I am worried the warm weather may be coming too soon and I will have to retire my new favorite fashion accessory!

Pros:

These hats are hand made, high quality and they fit well. I love that they are made with upcycled materials and that the buttons on the sides are also home-crafted. You cannot find a better hat for anyone! These look great on women, children, teens, infants and even men!

Cons:

They can be a bit pricier than some people can afford compared to retail prices, but for quality this good, it is more than worth it in my opinion, because after all, these are not mass produced and you are supporting a great independent craft business.

Verdict:

Everyone needs a hat like this! I highly recommend these hats!

To purchase:

Head on over to Jax Hats’ Etsy store and make a purchase. She is even willing to make you a custom hat in colors of your choice as well as do “home parties” where you can earn a hat for yourself if you are in the Missoula or Philipsburg, Montana area.

If you are looking to purchase in a local store in Montana, please visit the following locations:

Apricot Lane in Southgate Mall and the Gallitin Mall in Bozeman
Rockin Rudy’s (Missoula)
UPCYCLED on Higgins (Missoula)
The Artist’s Gallery on Higgins (Missoula)
The Green Light (Missoula)
CELLO (Bozeman)
FAWN (Kalispell)
Freckles and Fairytales (Kalispell)
FREYED SEW (Helena)

Win it!

Jax Hats has GRACIOUSLY made a custom hat JUST for my my blog readers for a giveaway! These hats retail for around $35, so make sure you sign up to win! Please share this blog post so others can enter too! This giveaway is open to US Residents and ends 02/21!

Please Make sure you also follow Jax Hats on Facebook!

Here is the hat that one lucky reader will win! Please enter on the Rafflecopter Form below. If you need help understandiong how to enter on Rafflecopter see my post here. Also, please wait a few moments for the widget to load. Good Luck!

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Filed Under: Fashion, Giveaways, Green Living, Product Reviews Tagged With: Fashion, Green Living

Ology-New at Walgreens!

January 14, 2024 By Christine Leave a Comment

I frequently shop at Walgreens because I love how you can get a good bargain on household supplies there (not to mention makeup, toys and food!). I noticed a month or so back, they have a new brand of products there called Ology. The Ology line of products is a green line of paper products, cleaners, laundry soap,conditioner for your hair and even light bulbs!

What really impressed me was the price. As a bargain hunter, I am always looking for a good sale. Ology allows me to buy green products at a very reasonable price and with the Balance Rewards program there, I was able to not only get a ton of great Ology products on sale, but also some FREE!

I decided to try a variety from the Ology line at Walgreens to see which ones I liked best.

I got “paper” towels (made from Bamboo and sugar cane husk!), Bath Tissue (also made from bamboo and sugar cane husk), All Purpose Cleaner, Face Tissues (again, made from bamboo and sugar cane husk) and Conditioner (white pear and cucumber).

All the “paper” products are bio-degradable and bleached with H202, not chlorine bleach.

Pros:

I LOVED the way the conditioner smelled! It was awesome that it was Sulfate ad Paraben free, as well as not tested on animals. The bottle was 100% post consumer waste. This was also a huge plus for me! I absolutely loved the all purpose cleaner! It smelled so nice and I am so happy it is so safe and harmful chemical free yet it cleans amazing! I will be buying this again. It is such a great value.

Cons:

The “Paper” products were honestly disappointing. I don’t use paper towels too often, and opt for reusable rags, but they tore too easily and didn’t absorb much. The toilet tissue was rough on the skin and was used up too quickly. I didn’t find that the conditioner worked any better than the kind I already use and of the other items, it was a bit pricier than I would normally pay.

Verdict:

Stay away from the paper products if you are looking for a good absorbancy or hate rough toilet tissue. Definitely buy the all purpose spray!

To purchase:

Head over to you local Walgreens Store for these products and more from Ology! Some of the items are available online, but many are not.

Filed Under: Frugal Living, Green Living, Product Reviews Tagged With: Green Living