DIY Thursday: Toothpaste

I use Tom's of Maine toothpaste. I like it, but it's never on sale and it's a little expensive. Other than it's now owned by Colgate, it's still all natural and still so much better than the alternatives.

The DIY Natural website, of course, had a way to make my own and their cost analysis used Tom's of Maine toothpaste as their example. Basically, my savings was over $4.00 per tube. Even factoring in the time (longer than they claimed, but it was my first attempt) I still consider that a win.

I used an old jelly jar for the paste and stored it like I normally would in my bathroom. No, I don't know how I'm going to travel with it. It's not exactly a small travel tube of toothpaste, it's on the large-ish side and well, glass. I may just bring along the jar and be done with it, we'll see when the time comes!

Cost Breakdown & Savings

Here is the breakdown in cost analysis for 5.33 oz of homemade toothpaste (same amount as one tube of our old toothpaste):

• baking soda @ 16 oz = $1.00 | 2/3 cup is 5.33 oz which = $0.33
• fine sea salt @ 22 oz = $2.00 | 1 tsp is .17 oz which = $0.02
• peppermint extract @ 1 oz = $3.00 | 2 tsp is .33 oz which = $1.04 | Better yet, use peppermint essential oil @ 1 oz = $13.00 | 15 drops = $0.28!

I used the essential oil because I had some from the homemade hand sanitizer I made for Christmas.
Prior to making our own, we were using Tom’s of Maine Spearmint Gel® costing an average of $5.00 for a 5.2 oz tube.  Based on the calculations above the same amount of this homemade toothpaste will cost between $0.63 and $1.39 for 5.33 oz, depending on how much flavoring is used.
The cost savings will be between $4.37 – $3.61 per tube!

Simple Ingredients

• 2/3 cup baking soda
• 1 tsp fine sea salt (optional – direct application of the minerals in sea salt is great for teeth, but can be left out if the taste is too salty)
• 1 – 2 tsp peppermint extract or 10-15 drops peppermint essential oil (or add your favorite flavor – spearmint, orange, etc.)
• filtered water (add to desired consistency)

Mix together baking soda, optional salt, and peppermint. Add a little water at a time, stirring after each addition, until paste reaches desired consistency.

DIY Thursday: Wool dryer sheets

I haven't used dryer sheets in a while, several years or so, ever since I read an article about how they contain cancer-causing ingredients.

This has its drawbacks. Like static cling. Which makes my hair do all sorts of flyaway things that look ridiculous if you're not a model in front of a wind machine.

I had read about wool dryer balls, but I'm lazy and it's taken me a while to remember to stop at the fabric store for wool. I finally did and followed these (pretty) simple directions on making my own wool dryer balls.

No, I didn't scent mine. I don't like scents that close to my face all day, and often toss my tops in the dryer to get rid of puppy hair. (She's a corgi=she constantly sheds!)

One of my favorite all natural websites, DIY Natural, has How to Make Wool Dryer Balls directions, which I dutifully followed. I used my time wisely: I made the wool ball while watching the newest episode of Broadchurch--it didn't require much concentration and I got caught up on such an excellent series!

You Will Need:

• skein of 100% wool yarn (NOT wool labeled “superwash” or “machine washable”)
• scissors
• pantyhose
• blunt-tipped needle or crochet hook (I own neither so used an old pair of hair chopsticks I never managed to use correctly)
• string or cotton/acrylic yarn (to secure the wool ball in the pantyhose)

I recommend going to their site and following their directions. They have photos, which are very helpful!

DIY Thursday: Homemade Gummy Bears

Yeah, it's healthy, but more importantly it's healthier to eat. No suspicious preservatives or unpronounceable ingredients. I made 3 kinds, one using OJ (no, it wasn't fresh squeezed, it was Florida Natural) and 2 using different kinds of V8 Fusion. I will try it with fresh pureed fruit, when they're in season and not so exorbitant.

The last 2 gummy worms left!

And wow, they were delicious!

This is from one of my favorite sites, DIYNatural.com and the recipe I used. I did use fresh, local honey, but I admit to using the lemon juice from those little lemon-shaped squeeze bottles. The mold I used probably negated all my healthy ingredients, but I also gave it as a present to the person I made the gummy bears for.

I left in their recommended links in case anyone was interested.

DIY Naturally Sweetened Gummy Bears

You can make gummy bears in almost any flavor, using different combinations of freshly squeezed juices or pureed fruits. Below are three of my favorite recipes. Feel free to adjust ingredients and sweetness to your liking.
(Each recipe makes 16 gummy bears using 2 of the recommended molds.)

Orange Gummy Bears

• 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons honey (use a good local honey, or find a good brand here)
• 3 tablespoons gelatin (we use this gelatin from grass fed cows)
• 2 gummy bear silicone molds (find them here)

Strawberry Gummy Bears

• ⅔ cup pureed strawberries (make sure they’re thawed to room temp if using frozen)
• ⅓ cup filtered water (find the water filtration system we use here)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons honey (use local honey, or find a good brand here)
• 3 tablespoons gelatin (we use this gelatin from grass fed cows)
• 2 gummy bear silicone molds (find them here)

Blueberry Gummy Bears

• ½ cup pureed blueberries (allow to thaw to room temp if using frozen)
• ½ cup filtered water (find the water filtration system we use here)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons honey (use local honey, or find a good brand here)
• 3 tablespoons gelatin (find gelatin from grass fed cows here)
• 2 gummy bear silicone molds (find them here)

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients except gelatin in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir with a whisk.
2. Gradually whisk gelatin into the mixture, stirring constantly. (Avoid dumping gelatin into pan all at once, which will cause big globs of gelatin to remain in finished product.)
3. Continue heating over medium-low heat until all ingredients are well combined and gelatin is completely melted. (The mixture will change from a grainy, jelly-like consistency to a more glassy, smooth consistency when gelatin is all melted.)
4. Place gummy bear molds on a cookie sheet (which makes them easier to move without spilling once filled). Pour mixture into silicone molds and place in freezer for about 20-30 minutes.
5. Pop gummy bears out of molds and store in an airtight container. They will keep in the refrigerator for a few weeks.

Note: You can also pour mixture into a baking dish greased with coconut oil if you don’t have silicone molds. After mixture is set up, cut with a knife or use cookie cutters to make any shape you like.