Cheaper AND Better! DIY Laundry Detergent

This blog is brought to you by: How Does She

Today, our sweet friend Jen, from Blissful 55 is guest posting on Dirty Laundry. No, I am not talking about the problems and dirty little secrets of our lives… we are talking legit, dirty, smelly, laundry; or more importantly, how we get that dirty laundry clean.

It took me a while to come around to the idea of making my own laundry soap. I tend to be very particular about my laundry detergent. I need it to not fade my colors, smell good, and most importantly clean well. I do not have children at home who like to get their clothes extremely dirty but I do have a husband who insist on coming home from softball games each week looking like the Dirt Monster (he enjoys sliding…and is usually always safe). I have never opted for just the cheapest, non-smelling detergent. I love my clothes and was always worried that, by paying for the cheapest detergent possible, I would “get what I paid for”. My favorite detergent was Gain’s “Liquid Apple Mango Tango” with the coordinating fabric softener.

It met my every need, with the exception of the price tag. We always bought the size that says it contains 48 loads for $10.97 (Wal-Mart price) and that was just the detergent. The fabric softener was $4.47 for 52 loads. Both lasted us around 3 months based on our 4 loads of laundry a week. That brings the total to around $60-$65 a year. I don’t know about you but I would like to have all the extra money I can get. The husbands law school expenses tend to cut down on my craft budget and that is just unacceptable! I need my crafts to keep my sanity so I started looking for ways to save money. I was seriously a huge skeptic when it came to homemade laundry soap but when I realized the price difference, I just had to try it! I did a ton of research and looked up so many varying recipes and then determined what I thought would be best. I tried one smaller batch, thought it was okay but knew there was room for improvement so I went back and did more, yup you guessed it… research! I’m thrilled to say that it was all worth it and I love our homemade laundry detergent. So what do I have to do to entice you to run to the store and get these ingredients? How about I share how much it cost... are you ready? Try approximately $28…A YEAR! That’s based on 6 loads of laundry a week (It’s just me and Mr. Awesome at home so we normally only do around 4, which means this will last around 18 months!) Now let’s get started.

You will need…

1 (4 lb 12 oz) Box of Borax- Found in the detergent aisle

1 (3 lb 7 oz) Box of Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda- Found in the detergent aisle

1 (3 lb) Container of OxyClean- Found in the detergent aisle. (This is optional but I highly recommend adding it)

2 (14.1 oz) Bars of Zote Soap- Found in the detergent aisle (we chose to do pink for the scent but the white would be just fine. You can also use Fels Naptha)

1 (4 lb) Box of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda- Found in the cooking aisle (You could also get two 2 lb box, we couldn’t find the larger 4lb box when we went)

1-2 (55 oz) Bottle of Purex Crystals Fabric Softener- or use 3-4 bottles of Scentsy Washer Whiffs. Scentsy washer whiffs are my top choice, (they smell out-of-this-world amazing – my favorite is Quiver), but when in a hurry, I opt for the Purex, (which can be found in the detergent aisle).

The hardest most time consuming part is grating the cheese soap. The hubs thinks it looks like pink cheese… has anyone ever seen pink cheese? Ya didn’t think so! I’m not fortunate enough to have a food processor so I was stuck doing this with a typical hand grater. I did try a blender just for kicks and giggles… total fail! Stick to either a hand grater or food processor if you are blessed enough to have one. I should make it known that the soap dissolves just fine, even in cold water. I know that tends to be a concern but you need not worry. Oh and I would recommend using a large mixing bowl to grate into and using the fine side of the grater.

 

 

 

Another option is to microwave the soap before hand. First, cut the bar into chunks, like this:

Pop it into the microwave for about a minute. It will expand… a lot…but then it is dry and just crumbles into tiny bits!

 

 

 

 

 The hardest part is now over and all that’s left is to mix everything together. I used a very large bucket that I got from my Father-in-Law and took a layering approach to mix it easier. I took a small amount of each ingredient and layered it on top of each other, then I grabbed a large mixing spoon and mixed it together. I did this probably 5 times but it was so much easier than dumping all the ingredients in at once and then trying to mix it well.

Here it is in all it’s mixed up glory.

This batch makes A TON! Now for probably the best part…you only need 1-2 Tablespoons per load depending on the size…I’ll give you some time to re-read that since I’m sure your in total disbelief…recover yet? That’s right, you only need 1-2 Tablespoons per load! Now here comes the stroke of genius, if you opted to put the Purex Crystals in your batch, you can scoop the detergent right into your bottle and use the cap as your measuring spoon. There are 3 lines on the side and the middle one is approximately 2 Tablespoons…genius right?

Just to give you an idea of how long this bottle lasts, I’ve used about half this bottle and have done around 40 loads, not to mention the huge amount still left in my bucket.

I know that I’m not the only skeptic out their so to put your mind at ease, take a look at the comments!

I thought I would answer the question that has been sent in the most by our readers. The question is how well it worked in a High Efficiency Washer. It actually works really well! This is mostly because it doesn’t create any suds. It took me some time to get used to that but it is actually better for the washer.

 Hope this motivates you all to run out and make our own batch.

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BLISSFUL 55‘s HOMEMADE LAUNDRY DETERGENT RECIPE


Ingredients:
1 (4 lb 12 oz) Box of Borax- Found in the detergent aisle

1 (3 lb 7 oz) Box of Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda- Found in the detergent aisle

1 (3 lb) Container of OxyClean- Found in the detergent aisle. (This is optional but I highly recommend adding it)

2 (14.1 oz) Bars of Zote Soap- Found in the detergent aisle (we chose to do pink for the scent but the white would be just fine. You can also use Fels Naptha)

1 (4 lb) Box of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda- Found in the cooking aisle (You could also get two 2 lb box, we couldn’t find the larger 4lb box when we went)

1-2 (55 oz) Bottle of Purex Crystals Fabric Softener- Found in the detergent aisle OR 3-4 bottles of Scentsy Washer Whiffs. (my favorite scent is Quiver)

Directions
1. Grate zote soap with cheese grater or food processor.
2. Mix all ingredients together in a large bucket.
3. Use 2 -4 Tablespoons per laundry load.
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***This recipe was written by guest author Jen, from Blissful 55.

10 STEPS TO POSING CURVY WOMEN — NO PHOTOSHOP REQUIRED!

This post is brought to you by: MCP Actions

 I recently saw a photographer post a “before and after” photo of a beautiful woman that was so drastically Photoshopped she looked like she had a dozen surgeries to make her 40lbs thinner.  The photographer was fishing for critique from colleagues on whether her editing skills looked natural and proportionate.  I couldn’t believe the comments I read.  Photographers were praising the image on the natural editing and how much the woman would love the images.  This woman’s body was so far from her natural shape she was unrecognizable!

My question is this, “Why do many photographers feel the need to distort shapely women to look like someone they are not?”

There is a misconception that in order to photograph and please women who aren’t super model skinny, the photographer must present their clients with liquefied images.  Most women who aren’t stick thin don’t hire photographers to make them look 50 pounds less.  They hire you to help them look their absolute best.
When doing portraits you should focus on creating a photo that shows who the subject’s personality, dreams, hopes, fears and love. The minute you change the way a woman’s body naturally looks, you are sending the message that she is not beautiful as she is.  As photographers, we can encourage women with any body shape to embrace themselves and feel beautiful just by how we interact with them during the session and by the photos we deliver.  By combining posing techniques with simple editing, you won’t literally change your subject’s weight or shape, but can masterfully control the angles, lighting, and proportions to create images she will love.

I’m not saying that it is wrong to Photoshop women’s images, as I personally spend a lot of time editing; however, I absolutely do not change her body to look like a different woman.  I use editing to correct things that I didn’t catch in camera, such as clothing and underwear puckering, distractions, lens distortions, hair wisps, lighting flaws that overly enhanced imperfections, and blemishes that eventually heal. It is my goal that when she sees her photos she will say, “That is me, and I am beautiful.”

Photographing Jodi Friedman of MCP Actions

Last summer I had the chance to do a My Beauty Campaign Beauty Session for MCP Actions owner Jodi (you can read her story here).  She was nervous to be in front of the camera and just like every single woman alive, she was self conscious of her beautiful body.  It was such an honor to see her work through her insecurities before, during, and after her Beauty Session and to read about what her experience meant to her.  I have included some of her images from her session to illustrate the techniques.   I honestly feel that Jodi’s pictures are much more than a photo of her body. You can really see her personality and how beautiful Jodi is as a whole.  That should always be your #1 goal when photographing any woman.

 When I photograph a woman, I always remind her that I will not make her beautiful, but that she already is!  I only imply that I will bring her beauty into focus and allow her to recognize the beautiful woman that she is today.

Posing Curvy Women: 10 Techniques for Flattering Images

Technique 1: Give Her Body Shape

You can give her body flattering shape by either the way she faces and angles her body and by using her arms to enhance her curves and direct the eye.  You can also strategically use the surroundings to cover parts of her midsection or hips to either break up solid colored outfits, or to keep the focus on her face and not her body.

 

 

Technique 2: Drop the Front Shoulder and Release Arm

This is one of the best techniques you can use on any woman and it is so flattering!  Just lower that front shoulder!  Every woman wants to avoid the notorious double chin and this is achieved by elongating the neck and pulling the chin forward.  If you direct her by saying “now pull your shoulders down towards the ground,” instead of “lengthen your neck up” you usually avoid her lifting her chin and eyes up awkwardly.

 

 

Techniques 3: Shoot Directly at or Above Eye Level

I have found that across the board, most women’s favorite part of herself is her eyes.  These tightly framed beauty shots are usually the favorites of their portfolio because of the focus on the eyes.  You can get away with shooting below eye level on slender women, but it is just not as flattering on women who carry more weight.  When you shoot slightly above her eye level, it slims her chin and jawline.  Just be sure to not have her put her chin too far down because it will make her forehead appear larger than it really is.  These tight head shots are also the most flattering through 85mm lenses or more.  I usually shoot these on my 70-200mm 2.8 zoomed all the way to 200mm.  I think this because I can get a very tight shot of her face without invading her space by shooting a foot away from her.  I am out of her “bubble” and she can be more natural.

 

Technique 4: Chin Towards Camera, Hips Farther Away

This is a simple technique to visually slim her mid-section and hips.  Whatever is furthest away from the camera will appear smaller.  By having her bring her face closer to the camera and pushing her hips away, she will look proportionate and the focus will be on her face (while also utilizing the previous techniques).  Be sure to have her slightly lower her chin while her jaw is still pulled towards you.  She will feel strange leaning so far forward, but her neck and jaw will look amazing, her midsection and hips will look flattering.  In the images below, her face was at least a foot closer to my lens than her hips were creating this lovely slimming effect.

 

 

Posing Different Sized Bodies Together

Techniques 5: Flattering the Mom in Family Photos

When posing the Mom in family photos it is very natural for her to hold her children, but you can use this to balance the composition.  Simply place the children in front of mom to de-emphasize certain areas.  Also be sure to use the previous techniques and she will absolutely love her family photos.  This same technique applies when using the surroundings to either cover parts of her lower body or midsection, to keep the focus of the attention on her face. 

 

Technique 6: Smaller Body Type Faces the Camera, Larger Turn Away From Camera

When posing a smaller framed woman next to a woman who is larger, you can balance out the different body sizes by having the smaller framed woman turn more towards the camera, and the larger woman turn toward the side looking over her shoulder.  Just be sure to have the same amount of body shown on each woman even if one needs to be completely profile and the other mostly facing the camera.  You can also utilize the smaller framed woman’s arms to add even more.  This will balance out the composition and both women will love the image.

 

Editing the Natural Way

Technique 7. Fix Clothing Puckering

Many women wear spanks or a belt which can cause unusual bulges at the tightest point that are not her natural body shape.  This is one of the only times I change her body shape.  Natural body curves are not lumpy like the image on the left.  So I even it out. Now changing her body would be to bring the bulges into the smallest point on the belt.  She would look much slimmer if you did this.  Instead, I loosen the belt to make a smooth  transition.  I usually find these problem areas from bra straps on their back below the shoulder blades, waistlines from pants or spanks, or her biceps because her arm is pressed against her body making it look larger than it really is.  After working with her, you will know her body shape…just be sure to not change her beautiful body!

 

Technique 8: Editing Skin

I personally smooth skin on every photo because with the incredible glass in lenses today, we get lovely crisp images…but crisp skin is not a women’s friend.  Sharpening during post-processing also adds even more harshness to the skin.  So when I edit, I have a strict rule that I will not remove any permanent features.  However, if a marking on her face will eventually heal or fade or the redness will go away, I will speed up the process by cloning or using the healing brush.  The goal is for the viewer to focus on her eyes and smile, and not a last minute zit.

You can edit skin manually in Photoshop or using tools like MCP’s Magic Skin actions or even MCP Newborn Necessities actions (yes they are not just for newborns).

 

Technique 9: Look for Short Lighting and Other Flattering Lighting Patterns

Whether you shoot in natural light or use flash, watch the way light falls on your subject.  You can use lighting to mold the face and body as well as utilize shadows to slim and flatter your model.  In the example below, look how the light is flattering her face.  Also notice how the light source is above eye level casting the shadows from the top of her head to the bottom.  To see if you have your lighting right, always look to see if there is a slight shadow under the nose.  If there is no shadow, either raise your light source, or have her bring her chin down.  Always utilize the light on the most flattering side of her body.

 

Technique 10: Stop Photographing a Body Type – and Simply Photograph a Woman!

So often we can get so caught up on what type of woman we are photographing and not who we are photographing.  Every woman has an incredible story, personality and love for life that you need to discover. The most beautiful photos are ones that show who she is and what makes her beautiful.  Her body is only an extension of who she is and should not be the main focus.  Find her.  Find her Beauty.

 

As stated earlier, it is not our job to make women look like someone they are not.  However it is our job to be sure we photograph her best self.  Unfortunately there are times that we forgot to have her pull her arm away from her body and it appears larger than it really is, or her clothes are puckering strangely, or camera distortion made her look out of proportion.  If you pose your subject correctly, you should have less editing.  Please be aware that the more you change your subject, the harder you are making it for her to accept and love the body that she has.  All women are perfect because of who they are, not because of how much we can edit.  Remember the vulnerability she feels when she is in your care.  You have such a valuable opportunity to build her self esteem and grow her confidence in herself.

Hand-crafted wooden ring from fallen wood

This blog is brought to you by: Instructables

I've frequented Instructables for years, though this is the first time I've made my own Instructable.

I'm nothing of a craftsman, though I learned quite a bit from my late father, and in his recent passing.

I decided to try to take what I learned and create something as a memorial to him, this is what I came

up with.

Materials Used:
Rotary tool
Sandpaper of various grits (150-2.5K)
Leatherman
Red Mahogany 225 stain
Clear Gloss Polyurethane
Crafting iron with wood burning tip

Step 1: Finding your wood and prepping it

The first step for this was to find some wood suitable for crafting! This was a very difficult thing to do for myself, as I don't have my own property to look for wood on and I wasn't about to go cutting up trees to get it.

So I decided to go down to my local park and take a walk through the forest to find something suitable that had recently fallen, and through lengthy searching I finally found the perfect tree.

Now, unfortunately I couldn't take this entire thing home. So taking out my leatherman I cut off a decent section for use.

Step 2: Further cutting to size

Once bringing the stick home, the bark was stripped and left to dry for some time (It wasn't green, but slightly damp from being in the snow)

Once this was done I further cut branch down to a more manageable size, before marking a ring outline around it with a pen in my ring size.

Further cutting down I was left with nothing but a small disk, before drilling a hole in the center and chiseling out the center to the outer pen lines with my leatherman.

Left with the "Ring blank" the real tedious work began, sanding!

With my rotary tool I sanded the entire inside just to the inner line, periodically checking to make sure I was forming a smooth circle and keeping to my lines. I sanded down completely to the inner line, before stopping.

After doing this, the "ring" at this point fit quite tightly, but the pen marked ring still represented the "inside", but I left that final layer so that I could fine-sand it without accidentally creating a ring a size larger than I wanted.

With that done, I used my rotary tool again to bevel off the sharp edges.

Step 3: False completion and continued sanding

By this point I had a rough inner and outer ring, so I took the highest grit sandpaper that I had and gave it a "very fine" sanding.

The outer part of the ring was a cinch, the inside however needed some craftyness to get smooth. I ended up taking strips of sandpaper and wrapping them around my pen before working them in and out of the ring to give it a nice smooth finish.

Once the ring was fine and smooth I did my first staining, once it dried I was left with the first picture.

I was quite proud of it, but I felt like I could do better, previously I had done a paint-job on an old game console of mine, and gave it a super-fine sanding to give it an ultra-smooth finish. Since that had came out amazingly, I decided to do the same here!

I ended up starting with a 1K grit sandpaper and working my way up gradually, all the while using my pen trick to sand the inside.
Gradually moving from 1K to 1.5, to 2, and ending with 2.5K

If you're wondering where you can find this sandpaper, you can get some at AutoZone, they come in single packs or you can buy a pack with multiple sheets of the same kind, or you can buy a pack that comes with higher grit after higher grit as a detailing pack. (That's what this sandpaper is for, actually)

After all of that sanding, I did a very light staining and was left with the second picture. I was very proud of the outcome, and I loved the fact that it gleamed even without a gloss coating.

Step 4: Engraving and coating

With my ring now ultra-smooth and stained, I decided to burn-etch it and give it a final polyurethane coating to finish it.

Now, at this point I'd been working on this for quite some time, and I had toiled for days trying to figure out what I wanted to write on the ring. I wanted something that would really hit true with the man my father was, he may not have always been there for me, but he loved me and he was a master craftsman and woodsman. Ultimately I decided with "For Love & Adventure", as that's what he lived for.

After meticulously burning my message into the ring, I gave it the final gloss coating, and the final two pictures are the result.

I'm very proud of my creation, though I decided not to actually wear it (even though it fits perfectly), as I want to keep it in pristine condition as a memento and memorial.