What's the fuss about detergent?

Well, it's cheaper by comparison and fun to make!

I read up on the different recipes out there, and ended up kinda mixing things up here and there. Here's my recipe: (no photos though, I forgot!)

1 cup Borax
1 cup Arm & Hammer Washing Soda
1 bar of Fels Naptha laundry soap, can substitute with Ivory or any bar soap you like
A big pail with lid (i used an 18liter pail)

1. Bring 6 cups of water to a boil, then turn down the heat to a bare simmer.
2. Add in the grated soap bit by bit, stir til no more soap particles left. Make sure its not too hot or it will bubble over the pot sides.
3. When all is melted, turn off the heat. Add in the Borax and washing soda. Stir til smooth (no more gritty crystals).
4. Fill the pail slightly more than halfway full of the hottest tap water (cos i'm making 3 gallons = 11 liters). I did this in the bathroom, using the water heater at almost maximum.
5. Pour the soap mixture into the water, stir well. 
6. I'm not a fan of the smell this detergent gives, so i added about 15 drops of essential oil (bergamot) per gallon.
7. Let it sit for 8 hours or overnight. 
8. After that it would have set into a jelly like consistency, so just stir again to whip it up into a nice liquid.

It is now ready! Just add 1/2 cup to your normal wash, 1 cup for extra soiled wash.

I however would prefer to keep it in a smaller container, and hide this big pail under the sink. So i've added an extra step to this, which is to take out as much as i need to fill a large Ikea glass jar 3/4 full, whip it up in my mixer (also can use the blender for this) and fill the jar with the whipped cream like substance. Add a nice label and i'm done!

If you want to know the technicalities of how much it will save me per year, it continues after the jump.

"It’s important we understand the difference between unconditional affirmation and unconditional love. Unconditional affirmation is what your dog gives you. He never challenges your right to be the center of your own universe. Love is not like that." ~ Ashley Null

Easy breezy Straws

Another super simple recipe, which takes only 15 mins or less to make.

Ingredients:
Puff Pastry
Jam or Cheese or Cinnamon Sugar or ANYTHING else you like!
Some flour for sprinkling
Icing sugar or cheese

Set oven to 200 deg Celsius.
Sprinkle some flour onto surface so that it doesnt stick.
Just roll out two pieces of thawed puff pastry, make it rectangular.
Spread the jam or sprinkle the cheese or cinnamon sugar on to one piece.
Cover with the other.
Slice it carefully into long strips.
Twist and place onto baking tray.
 Bake for 15 mins or until golden.
 All done!
As a garnish, you can sprinkle some icing sugar onto the sweet straws AFTER baking, or sprinkle cheese onto the cheesy ones BEFORE baking.

11 out of 25

another 5 things accomplished. found a good craft storage system, using clear stackable shoe boxes from Daiso, albeit rm5 per box. Have sewn a lot more since my sewing machine came back, made a clown suit, sewn up some curtains and a pair of scalloped shorts is in the works now. Got my hair cut a couple of months back but didn't blog about it til now, in Feb to be exact. Everyone says it suits me more. I'm still not sure. Organized my portfolio, have put together proper photos and documentation of things that i have done. Read 3 new books, the Hunger Games trilogy to be specific. I loved it! Really exciting.

On the way: trying a bread recipe from Jamie Oliver this Weds, fixing up a few pieces of old clothing too.

Two

A small celebration for our 2nd year. Amazed that no one has died yet. Amazed that we're still together. Definitely its not us, but God's grace that keeps us going.

I am not a fuzzy girl

I don't know what to feel about flowers.

Because flowers die.

Sure, they're beautiful... but only for a few days.

Enjoy them while they last, but they aren't going to last long.

Doesn't anyone feel the outrage? Why shouldn't a beautiful thing like flowers last forever? They should stay this way so that everyone can appreciate its beauty and revel in its smell and just adore it.

But they don't. And we can't. Because God has decided to put eternity into our hearts so that we cannot find out what He is doing from beginning to end. All is a vanity, all will die.

These flowers will die.

So i will enjoy this gift from God (and my husband) while it lasts, but wasting not my efforts to further extend its life. A photo will suffice.

Still on the way to 25...

only 6 things accomplished, and we're already halfway to 25. Have not found the gold glittery polish, but replaced with a silver glittery one. Baked the mug cakes for three occasions, once for adrian, once for my growth group and once for the year end christmas party we had at our home. Won a few contests last year, including starbucks drinks and movie tickets. Painted a mural, decided i didn't like the colors, so spray painted it gold. Got a photobook voucher from Adrian for christmas. Lastly, got deep red curtains for the living room.

Still in progress: Found two out of 6 animal figurines, one deer and one frog prince. Still working out the craft storage system, but things are getting more organized with help from Daiso. Taking better photos is easy with my new camera. The dining table is hidden under tablecloths. Still growing old with Adrian.

2012

2011 ended much better than it started.

• My house is more of a home for the two of us now, after a massive cleaning session during my holiday in december, which involved emptying out all the contents of the kitchen, cleaning it out and putting things back properly, and lots of rearranging furniture in the living room. 
• A better frame of mind for the both of us, after the struggle to remain sane, married, godly, alive. More talking. More planning. More serious. 

2012 is looking up. I predict that there will still be struggles for me personally. But i remember this..

The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ~Philippians 4:5-6

Thursday's Tip: Two-Minute Mug Brownie

Tried this the other day with great results! I only had whipped cream then, but i think it would taste best with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It was also a little too sweet, i would lessen the sugar and cocoa. 

4 tbsp flour
2 tbsp packed sugar
1 1/2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
Pinch salt
2 Tbsp canola or other mild vegetable oil (do not use EVOO)
2 Tbsp milk, coffee or water

In a heatproof mug or ramekin, stir together the dry ingredients until no lumps remain. Stir in the oil and milk until you have a thick paste.

Microwave on high for a minute, checking it every 30 seconds (microwaves vary) – it will be done when it’s springy on top but still a bit gooey – like the very best brownie. Eat warm.

Recipe and Photo from the family kitchen

good cheer at the millers

Someone left my sour cream in the microwave

The story of a frazzled kindie teacher is filled with smiles, glitter, pink, hugs and ickie things.

She is too busy to blog. Enough to post one picture.

Of her sister digging her nose. Muahahaha

laughs about language

I'm going through a strange phase of having to maintain excellent English when talking to the kids while learning basic spoken Chinese from their conversations with one another.

Speaking of English, here are some interesting things i've come across:

1. Typed by a guy who was involved in an accident: "...Got hit...mere death experienced..."
2. The kids read "I'll be" as "I got be". 
3. It's interesting how "I didn't do it" or "It wasn't me" has evolved into "Where got?"
4. I asked a kid to spell B-O-O-K, she got confused and wrote B-O-O-B. 
5. Another kid reads YELLOW as LHELLHOW.