Yesterday we headed out before 8 a.m. for our yearly appointments with the eye doctor. While I was waiting for Bert to finish his appointment, I mentally made a list of the things I needed to do when we got home…most had to do with things I needed to finish online. I needed to finish downloading a book to read; I wanted to print out a recipe I had found the day before about using essential oils to make a serum to use to strengthen my nails; and I had email to send out. Top of the list was to send a text to our daughter about a possible visit after Thanksgiving.
When we got home…a little bleary-eyed from having our eyes dilated…lo and behold we discovered our internet service was down and the TV was not available. Then we found our AT&T cell service was also not working! Rats!
For the first hour or two, we were struggling to figure out if it was problem with our computers, the router, or our wiring, etc. We determined it was not our equipment. (Later, we heard that a huge off-road dump truck at a nearby quarry had forgotten to lower his truck bed and had tangled with poles and wires serving both the internet service and AT&T!) Service was out for the whole day!
So, now plans needed to change! First, I needed to get in touch with our daughter…but text, email and cell phone calls were out. Luckily, we still have our land line so I could call her. After that, we settled in with “real books” and enjoyed some quiet time.
I usually reach for the TV music channel for background music while we read so I found music on my phone and with bluetooth was able to connect with the small Bose speaker in the living room. Perfect!
Next, I melted down some soap to make more individual soaps for gifts.
Finally, I made a small batch of applesauce from some apples given to us by a neighbor. Yum!
A nice quiet day! I must say it was pretty quiet without any spam phone calls and nuisance emails and texts. Of course, when the power was restored we played catch up…the phone started ringing with junk calls and I had over 50 junk emails! Actually, this was a good reminder to print out recipes and download books when I can…just in case!
I hope you have some real books to read on your shelf and other projects available in case this happens to you! Outdoor activities away from technology will always be available too. I hope you had an uneventful week!
I’d like to share what I’ve learned about Manuka Essential Oil. This article is a summary of several research papers about Manuka essential oil. (See additional resources listed at the end of this article). I use Manuka essential oil in almost every soap and body product I make to enhance the product’s healing properties. I thought you might like to know more about it.
What is Manuka?
Manuka is a fast-growing evergreen shrub that is quite hardy and can grow up to 12 in height. Its deep green leaves are set off by small flowers that blossom either white or pink from September through February.
Manuka (Leptospermum scoparium) is native to New Zealand. It is a member of the Myrtaceae family of plants, which includes tea tree (Maleleuca alternifolia). In fact, manuka is considered to be the original tea tree, as the Maori people have long used it medicinally. Manuka essential oil smells like earthy camphor while being slightly sweet balsamic. You may notice it being herbaceous and the sweetness almost honey-like.
What is the difference between Manuka Essential Oil and Manuka Honey?
Both products are made in New Zealand. Manuka honey comes from bees pollinating the native Leptospermum tree. Manuka essential oil, on the other hand, comes from sustainable harvesting the leaves of the Manuka trees/flowers and extracting the oil through steam distillation. Manuka essential oil has antibacterial benefits that are about 100 times stronger than Manuka honey when compared gram for gram! Manuka essential oil is 100% vegan, while Manuka honey is an animal byproduct.
How does Manuka Essential Oil compare to Tea Tree Oil?
Manuka essential oil has tons of phytonutrients that make it one of the most potent essential oils available on the market today. According to one study, Manuka oil has stronger antioxidant activity than tea tree oil, giving it more fighting power against free radicals. It is also less irritating than tea tree oil when applied in small amounts to the skin.
Benefits of Manuka Essential Oil
In lab research out of a university in Italy, several essential oils were tested against 14 different strains of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria (including Methicillin-Resistant…or MRSA), which causes staph infections. After oregano oil, the one that exhibited the highest antibacterial activity was Manuka Essential Oil.
Uses of Manuka Essential Oil for Humans
With all the encouraging research on the effectiveness of using Manuka essential oil topically, many companies are working on formulas to incorporate this oil into skin care products. Athlete’s Foot, dandruff, eczema and acne are all conditions that may be helped with this oil. Internal use of essential oils is still being studied. These oils are also being considered as components in outdoor products to prevent mold and mildew and aphid infestations.
Uses of Manuka Essential Oil in Canine Care
Fleas and ticks are a huge problem for our canine friends. One solution is to give your dog a pill that works systemically…the flea bites the dog and then dies, often leaving an irritating bite or wound on the dog’s skin. To avoid having to give your dog a medication, it would be nice to keep the fleas and ticks away from the dog in the first place.
A few drops of Manuka essential oil can be incorporated into three ounces of chemical-free shampoo to remove fleas and ticks before they bite. To soothe irritating sores from bites, a drop of Manuka essential oil (diluted with a teaspoon of a carrier oil like grapeseed oil or sweet almond oil) may be applied directly to their skin. To help deter the fleas and ticks from even landing on their fur, a natural bug repellent spray made with various essential oils, including Manuka, may help between shampooing. I have added Manuka essential oil to my aloe vera soap/dog shampoo to strengthen its healing properties. Manuka essential oil is also a major component to my natural bug spray. (see https://marykisner.com/greyhounds-still-in-my-heart/)
I’m sure you’ll be hearing more about the healing properties of Manuka honey and Manuka essential oil in the next few years! Enjoy!
GENERAL SAFETY INFORMATION
When used according to instructions, this essential oil is generally well-tolerated, however adverse reactions are possible: (1) It may cause skin irritation (2) If you are allergic to bees, you should avoid Manuka honey, while the risk of a separate allergy to the Manuka essential oil is possible but not common, (3) There is unknown safety during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Do not take any oils internally and do not apply undiluted essential oils onto the skin without advanced essential oil knowledge or consultation from a qualified aromatherapy practitioner. If you are pregnant, epileptic, have liver damage, have cancer, or have any other medical problem, use oils only under the proper guidance of your medical professional.
Yesterday I spent the day helping with the indoor yard sale sponsored by the Ladies Auxiliary to the Boalsburg Fire Company. The fire hall was filled with tables that were rented out to individuals in the community to display their own items for sale. This was closer to the Flea Market model. I helped with the table displaying items from the members of the Ladies Auxiliary.
Sales formats of markets could be classified by size…like yard sales (with one seller), flea markets (with many individual sellers), or estate sales (providing the goods from one family estate); or by the kind of goods, like hand crafted items, glassware or tools.
It is easy for me to get overwhelmed when I first go to a sale. So many neat things available, so many choices! I am easily distracted by things that folks have offered for sale. Of course, I really don’t NEED any more stuff, but as a crafter and seamstress, I’m especially attracted to beautiful things other creative people have made.
Often, I’ll find evidence of the kinds of things folks collect, from glassware or jewelry to puzzles and collector dolls.
Red ruby glassware reminded me of my mother’s collection. Luckily, I have enough so I wasn’t tempted to add to my collection!Jewelry from pins and rings and more!Puzzles galore!Beautiful collector dolls.
I especially enjoy talking with the sellers. It’s fun to find out where they find their items, what motivated them to collect certain items or how they made the items for sale.
I managed to control myself and found only a few things that just had to come home with me.
Of course, a handmade tote bag was first on my list. A wonderful visit with the seller made it even more enticing. I truly can appreciate the work that went into this bag. Thanks Susan!Then I found three books hidden under a pile of paperbacks. Not bad for 50 cents each!The grandkids might find this book interesting. I know I will!
It would be so easy to fall in love with many items offered for sale, like old toys that I remember from long ago or a beautiful glass vase that would just go with my decor. However, at this stage in my life I must remember I still have a lot of stuff in my cupboards that should probably grace a yard sale table at some point!
Yesterday, I resisted picking up things I would never use and went with the lovely tote bag I will use and some books the grandkids might enjoy reading.
Explore a yard sale or flea market near you! Enjoy!
Water, water everywhere! One pass through the “water” or “soda” aisle in the grocery store can be enlightening. We can buy plain water...bottled from local tap water or spring water from someplace else; carbonated water…with added fizz; flavored water…with added sugar, high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners from sucralose to aspartame, to natural sweeteners from fruit to stevia; and water that’s been incorporated into soda drinks, with sweeteners and caffeine. So many choices and so expensive!
Apparently, many of us are still dehydrated! Hard to believe, I know! I guess our bodies know when we aren’t getting enough water. Sugar water with fizz makes us think we are drinking enough, but our bodies still have to filter out the sugar and other chemicals to make use of the water. So, the advice out there is to drink more plain water!
I’m still working on drinking more water (see https://marykisner.com/from-the-bookshelf-infused-water/). While the water infused with fruit and herbs was interesting and tasty, it was just not easy to work into my day. I prefer bottled water or water in a thermos when I’m driving, or ice water in a restaurant, and I found I was still reaching for diet soda at home. I’m now going to try harder to drink more water and get the diet soda out of my life!
I remembered I had these Sweet Drops in my cupboard and pulled them out.
It says on the bottle: “each tiny 2 oz. bottle will flavor over 200 8 oz. glasses of water!” (Each bottle costs about $6.00). The Drops are made with Stevia, a natural sweetener. Some folks say they don’t like the after-taste of Stevia, but I think they are using too much. Five drops are enough to counteract the chlorine taste in the water and ice cubes and generally make the water “taste” better. The goal is not to make a sweet soda-like drink out of these drops, but to make the water itself more appealing. Some of the flavors come in drops like this:
I think the drops must be “bigger” since this has only 32 servings!
You can find these drops on Amazon and possibly your Health Food Store. Another idea is to add a splash of ReaLemon concentrate to a glass of ice water. It feels like I’ve added a slice of lemon…just like in a restaurant.
So, find your favorite glass, mug or thermos…add cold water and maybe ice…and a few Sweet Drops and hydrate! Enjoy!
Over the last few months, I have encountered a few folks that have commented that they prefer unscented products, or had a preference for certain scents in the things I’ve made. Since I’m usually not selling my products, it hasn’t been an issue…my feelings aren’t hurt when my gifts have been turned down. When I think about it, I’ve added scents to a few of my products that could have been left unscented. Curious!
When I look back over the last 10 months of web posting, many of my body products either start with an organic olive oil that has been infused with either calendula flowers or lavender buds; or they begin with beeswax and shea butter that also have their own subtle scents. To those products, I add a scent or two…not just for the smell but for the healing properties of the essential oils.
Dried calendula flowers add a scent to olive oil, along with healing properties.Lavender buds add a subtle scent to olive oil along with healing properties.
My soaps all start with a melt-and-pour soap base of some kind…my favorite is an aloe vera base. I also use goat’s milk, shea butter and a clear glycerine base. Each of these has a mild scent, with probably the glycerine soap base as the least scented.
Just a few of the soap base choices out there.
My specific interest has been in the various healing properties of the essential oils that I add to all these products. The natural bug spray used 5 different scents of essential oils! (https://marykisner.com/natural-bug-repellent-for-dogs/)
The natural bug spray used 5 different essential oils…all disliked by bugs!
My latest product was the travel soap tin that had an insert to allow a small bar of soap to dry better between uses. Since the focus of the product was the tin with insert, the kind of soap included really didn’t matter. I first used my aloe vera soap:
So, while I was thinking about unscented products, I grabbed a 1-pound chunk of clear organic glycerine soap from my stash and melted it down in two glass containers.
The first container I left absolutely plain. Hopefully, the mild scent of the glycerine soap would be OK for folks that preferred unscented. The second container I added a yellow soap tint and citrus blend essential oil just for variety. I now have a way to offer the travel soap tin to someone who prefers unscented. That felt good!
I will try to pay attention to where I use scents in my products, or at least mention ways to leave them unscented if possible. I also make a point to include a card with each item that tells exactly what is in each product. For example, when I made the eye pillows for headaches or toothaches, I added lavender buds to the flax seeds so when they were heated in the microwave they smelled good. It would be just as easy to leave the lavender buds out…the flax seeds are what held the heat/cold. (https://marykisner.com/making-a-hot-or-cold-eye-pillow-for-headaches-or-toothaches/)
As time goes on, I’m sure I’ll find other ways to reconfigure my products without scents. At the moment, I will continue to identify all the ingredients in my stuff so folks can make their own choices. Enjoy!
I have a file drawer jammed full with assorted greeting cards…that have arrived over the last year FREE from assorted charities and organizations. I have enough to send a birthday card, a get-well card, a thinking-of-you card, a thank you card and a card with a pretty picture where I can write my own message…to everyone I know for the rest of my life! And they keep coming! I can hardly wait for the influx of Christmas Cards to arrive.
I was ready to pitch them all until I went to a meeting of the Ladies Auxiliary of the Fire Company last week. One of our members mentioned she was almost out of Get-Well cards that she sends to our members and others as needed. Another woman said she uses cards to make placemats. My goodness! I have cards!! So, I came home and cleaned out the drawer.
Mixed in with all the free cards are the ones I have purchased over the years. I try to pick up ones with photographs made by local artists and they are blank inside. I find these at almost every craft show I go to. Some are good to cheer people up; others are low key for folks that are sad. I put these cards back in the drawer.
Now the drawer looks like something I can handle!
Next, I looked up making placemats using greeting cards and found one tutorial that used circles cut from the cards. They were mounted on card stock and laminated with clear Contact paper. So, I headed to WalMart.
I found the card stock in office supplies but couldn’t figure out where to find the sticky clear Contact paper. Office supplies? Nope. Craft supplies? Nope. I finally asked someone. It is with the home furnishing stuff…with the kitchen drainers, etc. Who knew Contact came in all different colors and patterns to use as drawer and shelf liners. Boy am I out of touch!
While I was sorting out cards, I picked out nine Birthday cards that had pictures of flowers. I used a circle template and drew around the flowers I wanted to use.
I cut out the circles and played with the arrangement. One card had a nice rectangular image, so I made that the center.
I used two 8 1/2″ x 11″ sheets of card stock and taped them together (on the back) as my base.
Once I liked the arrangement, I used glue stick to keep them from shifting while I used the Contact paper.
I did the back first. Then I flipped it over and attempted to do the front. No small challenge to get it started. Somehow, it seemed to work in spite of my technique with just a few wrinkles. I trimmed around the edge and I now have a pretty placemat.
I was feeling pretty smug about my success and decided to try another one using pictures from a Greyhound calendar. (Just so you know…being SMUG is dangerous!!)
I ended up having enough pictures to make two placemats, with the larger pictures as my center focus. However, getting the Contact paper to go on smoothly was a real PAIN! It was determined to wrinkle and stick everywhere I didn’t want it to! From a distance, not too bad. Up close they were a wrinkled mess. I think the calendar paper was not as sturdy as the cards so they refused to stay flat. Anyway, I did it. Not sure if I’ll make any more, but I can say I tried!
So, if you are getting free cards in the mail and don’t use them, look for folks who do use them…or try making a placemat! If you have any tips about using clear Contact I could use them!! Enjoy!
The weather is finally feeling like fall and our garden tasks change from production to preservation and clean up. The only food item left in the garden is carrots, and we’ll dig them up as we need them. Take a look at things today:
The planter I used for lettuce and radishes is at rest until next spring.The spearmint is drooping a little but we’ll enjoy it until the first frost.We planted the lemon grass late this summer. Not sure what to do with it yet.Chamomile was buried under the lemon balm, but it’s still green.The stevia and lemon balm are trimmed for the winter.I cut the basil off, but the rosemary is still looking good.I may still harvest some thyme from these plants.The geraniums still have flowers.Bert emptied the rain barrels by the shop and today he’s draining the big tank out into the grass.Up in the garden the only plants left are the carrots and the lavender. We’ll use the carrots over the next two months. Not sure if the lavender will come back next year.The rest of the garden beds are empty.The echinacea is going to seed.The large butternut trees are two different varieties and the one on the left loses its leaves first.But the redbud trees have shown no sign of changing color or dropping their leaves.The lavender I picked during the summer is finally dry enough to rub off the buds.Here’s the bag of lavender buds ready for me to use in sachets.Some of the echinacea seed heads were ready to pick.The green and wax beans are dried and ready for soup.The tomatoes are processed into sauce…ready for pizza or spaghetti.And the carrots are ready to eat!
So that’s the end of the adventure of the Kisner’s garden for 2021. This year we tried to grow only what we will eat or at least are willing to weed and preserve! Who knows what the seed catalogs in the spring will entice us to try? Enjoy!
By now you know that my favorite bar of hand soap is my Aloe Vera soap that I make myself (see https://marykisner.com/a-healing-aloe-vera-soap/). That’s great when I’m mostly washing my hands at home. However, when I go out of town…like I was this past weekend…I really wanted to have my soap with me. I was already taking small sample size soaps with me to give out at the conference, but without a way to use one in the hotel room I was stumped. The bar really needed to sit on something so it could dry between uses.
I did have 2 oz. tin containers about 2″ round that would easily hold the small bar. Then I needed some way to keep it up off the bottom of the container while it dried. I found I had a sheet of plastic canvas grid that is used with yarn to make coasters. I marked off a few 2″ squares and cut them out. Trimming the corners slightly allowed the plastic to just fit in the bottom of the tin. The small bar of soap just fit and enough air could circulate around it so it dried between uses.
The tin was small enough to fit in my cosmetic bag, and I was able to leave it open beside the hotel sink to dry. My hands were very happy!
When I got home, of course I wanted to make more of these to give as gifts. I found several bars of Aloe Very soap that I had made recently. Instead of starting from scratch I decided to remelt these bars and pour them into smaller molds.
Since I had 3-4 bars of two different colors, I melted them separately.
These bars were originally colored with calendula petals. One batch got a little darker than the other.These bars had originally been colored with a drop of green soap tint.I added a few extra drops of essential oil, just to refresh the scent……and I poured them into small heart-shaped molds.These plastic grids just fit into the tins.First, I wrapped each soap in plastic wrap to keep it dry until I gave it someone. Then I dropped the plastic grid piece into the tin. With a label on the back of the tin it’s ready to be a gift!
I just spent the last four days in the company of wonderful greyhound owners, beautiful dogs and dedicated volunteers at the Greyhounds in Gettysburg conference! Just wanted to say, “Thank You” to all for making me feel welcome!
I was attending the conference to share our Hound Care products that will be sold through Nittany Greyhounds eventually. Our three products, that you may have learned about on this website, include a salve for the dog’s paws; a soothing aloe vera shampoo bar; and a natural bug repellent. You can read about the products under the Greyhound category on my Welcome Page or you can find an overview of the products at https://marykisner.com/greyhounds-still-in-my-heart/.
I’d like to give you an overview…from my perspective…of the conference. I was not able to see or participate in all of it, because I was a vendor for the products, so I felt I should interact with folks that came my way and were interested in these products. However, since I did not have a dog with me (like many vendors did) I also did not participate in their outdoor activities or attend the various sessions that were focused on issues of interest to dog owners. I’m sure Nittany Greyhounds will post some summaries of these activities.
Events
A few of the events I did attend was the parade and picnic at a nearby Outlet Mall on the first day. I’m always amazed how well-behaved a large group of greyhounds can be. It was a beautiful day and owners and dogs had a chance to catch up with friends. Here are a few pictures:
I think this is a Windsprite…which is like a hairy Whippet…a small sight hound.
Another event that was fun for owners and dogs was a Mexican-themed buffet and party. A band provided great music while we ate. I had a dog on the floor beside me, and another across the table. That one made me laugh! I’ll bet he thought if he stayed real still on the matching black tablecloth we might not notice his interest in the plates of food nearby! So cute!
Costume Contest
On Saturday, there was a costume contest. Owners and dogs that participated were dressed up and paraded around the Event Center. I got drafted to be a judge! Here are a few of the entries…with explanations as necessary:
I think this group said they represented, “Where’s Waldo?”Maybe this was “Waldo?”There was a Unicorn……a dinosaur……and a Greyhound Bus!I think this was a reindeer…from a very dedicated knitter!This dedicated owner and dog in matching “Punk” costumes made me smile. She said he/she really didn’t mind being dressed up.
Vendors
There were about 58 vendors at this conference. The focus for all of them was the greyhounds. Folks that could bake, sew, knit, craft with wood, take photographs, make jewelry, design t-shirts, etc. all geared their products to this audience. There was even an artist that worked with a 3D printer to make small statues customized to a specific dog. An amazing collection of crafts, products and services for the greyhounds and owners. Here are just a few pictures…there were so many I could make a scrapbook!
Leashes and collars galore!
My display was positioned right in front of the various fences that were used by Nittany’s volunteers for their own dogs. I felt like I was overseeing a Doggy Day Care. It was great! These well-behaved dogs slept most of the time. Their owners were all wearing bright orange t-shirts, so if the dogs saw one going by they checked to see if it was their “person.” If not, they went back to sleep.
They were an attraction to visitors and dogs walking by…all wanted to know if they were available for adoption (absolutely not!). All visitors were greeted warmly and eagerly awaited a pat on the head.
Finally, one of the last dogs I saw was this one…kind of shocking! Apparently, the owner is a groomer and wanted to attract attention! I guess it worked, but I’m not sure how this full-size pink poodle fit into the conference! Go figure!
Guess I’d rather remember this family of greyhounds!
A very special weekend for me surrounded by greyhounds!
Our weather is finally feeling like Fall…good thing, it arrives tomorrow, September 22.
That means I finally got motivated to change up the decoration on my front door. For those of you new to my blogging adventure, I’ve had trouble finding a wreathe for my front door that was skinny enough to not get smashed by the screen door. Last Christmas I gave up and decided to make appropriate small quilts to hang on the door. They stayed flat and didn’t get smashed. Success!
Here are the ones I’ve done this year so far:
If you would like to read about each one, check the index on the Welcome page and scroll to Door Quilts. They should all appear there in order…just scroll down to the article you’re looking for.
I did notice the colors of the blocks faded after two months on the front door, so next year I can just make a different block if I want.
This Fall door quilt was a challenge because I didn’t have a single piece of orange fabric in my stash. Obviously, I have not used orange at all for a long time. To the rescue…JoAnn Fabrics and their “fat quarters” so I could have a few. I also spent time trying to be creative, something like a crazy quilt, but obviously I ended up with a simple star pattern:
This pattern is called a Sawtooth Star in one book:
However, when I looked up that name in another book, these two blocks showed up:
The one on the left is named, “Saw Toothed Star”; the one on the right is called, “Free Trade”. Go figure!
If you notice, the arrangement of triangles and squares is similar to mine, except the central block is solid.
Oh well, I hand-pieced the block and then machine quilted around the pieces. They are not my favorite colors, but I guess they work for Halloween. I may have to do another one for November and then I can use the Christmas Stocking from last year in December.
Actually, I don’t think this block looks too bad on the front door! Enjoy!
