DIY "spell books"

I absolutely LOVE how these "spell" books turned out!

With some old books found at a thrift store, some plastic Halloween toys, paint, mod podge (you can also make your own mod podge by simply mixing water and white glue!) and paper towel, you can create your own spooky Halloween spell books!

Full tutorial found HERE.

Make your own topsy turvey pumpkin ornament

I can't believe I haven't posted this yet! I came across this project on Pinterest last year, and of course I had to try it out! It is SO EASY!  

When I first put this up in my garden, my neighbor rushed over and asked where I bought it! I constantly see people slow down to check it out as they drive by, and just the other night, a knock at the door, it was an older lady who said she drives by my house every day and wanted to stop and ask where I bought my topsy turvey pumpkin ornament! 

I haven't even seen these available in stores...hmm...I may be on to something!

The whole project was less than $10, I even got the mini fall mums free by redeeming airmiles at Rona!

Here is a list of materials you will need for your project:

- Plastic pumpkin pails (I found mine at Wal Mart, $1.25 each) I used 5 but of course you can use more/less, it all depends on personal preference!

- Drill (mine came with a handsome helper!!!) (no just kidding, he was separate but I figured since it was his drill, he would like to use it!)

- Long piece of doweling to thread your pumpkins onto.  (I ended up using a piece of wooden trim, any material should work, the stronger the better since it will be outside)

- Small fall mums (or other plants of choice) to fit into the pumpkins

Directions:

1. Remove plastic handles from pumpkin pails and discard/recycle/do what you want with you don't need them!

2. Drill a hole in the bottom of each pail 

3. Drill a hole in one side of each pail, alternating sides (so on one pail drill on the left, then the next on the right, then the next pail on the left again, this will give it the topsy turvey effect once it's put together! 

4. Place your drilled pails onto your dowel starting at the bottom then through the side

5. Place plants of choice in each hole. I removed the pots that came with the plant just so it was easier to water and they filled the pails out nicer.

That's it! You're done!!!

This is such an inexpensive project that will get you a ton of compliments!

I would love to see how yours turned out! Feel free to comment with photos!

 

Can Dogs Eat Bananas? 10 Toxic Foods, 23 Safe Ones & A Few in the Middle

Are you planning to have a pet dog at home? Before you even say yes, make sure that you are responsible enough to take care of it. Dogs might be fun and playful, but they are also sensitive. This is true when it comes to the food they eat. They are not like humans that can eat almost anything. There are certain foods that dogs just can’t eat.

There are others that may even die of complications due to the content of certain dishes that they have eaten. This is why you need to understand the types of food that dogs can eat and what they can’t. It is extremely important that you pay attention to what you put on their bowl. Otherwise, they might get ill or worse, die.

For humans, eating fruits is totally recommended due to their nutritional value. The same can’t be said for dogs. There are certain types of fruits that are highly recommended such as bananas. Others fruits like apples are allowed, but only in moderation. However, grapes should be totally avoided. This could lead to poisoning.

This is just an example on the types of foods that dogs can eat and what are considered toxic for them. There are many other examples that you must be aware of. To make it easier for you, we have compiled an infographic below to help you out. This explains clearly the food groups.

My 14 day oil pulling experiment

I have recently heard a lot about the benefits of "oil pulling". What is oil pulling? Let's ask Wikipedia:

Oil pulling or oil swishing is a traditional folk remedy where oil is "swished" (kavala graha) or "held" (snigda gandoosha) in the mouth.

Practitioners of oil pulling claim it is capable of improving oral and systemic health, including a benefit in conditions such as headaches, migraines, diabetes mellitus, asthma, and acne, as well as whitening teeth. Its promoters claim it works by "pulling out" toxins, which are known as ama in Ayurvedic medicine, and thereby reducing inflammation.

Seeing how I have a humongous jar of pure, virgin coconut oil in the cupboard, I decided to give this a try! I've read it whitens teeth, boosts energy, improves skin and so much more! 

It's pretty easy, just take a tablespoon, put it in your mouth and swish it around for up to 20 minutes. I know, 20 minutes seems like forever. I do it first thing in the morning while I'm getting ready for work, and hope I don't have to yell at the kids!

If you can't do the 20 minutes, try starting with 5 and work your way up to 20.

Swish vigorously every few minutes, you really want to pull all the nasties from in between teeth and gums.

* Do not swallow this because it is pulling bacteria from your mouth, therefore it is very toxic. (Swallowing non-swished coconut oil is completely fine, in fact it has been said to help in weight loss, but that's a whole other experiment!)

When you're finished swishing, spit the oil out into a garbage can, not down the sink, it will solidify once cold and could cause clogs. Brush your teeth with warm water and toothpaste after.

I am going to document my 14 day oil pulling experience just to see what it really does. I will update daily. 

Day 1: Pulled for 20 minutes. Oil has a pleasant, almost nutty flavour. Teeth felt very smooth and my mouth felt clean.

Day 2: 20 minutes. In the evening I noticed my hands were softer than they usually are, teeth smooth and look shinier than usual, overall mouth feels clean.

Day 3: 22 minutes. Woke up and immediately noticed a decrease in "morning breath"! After my coffee I didn't feel like I had nasty coffee breath as I usually do, all day my mouth felt clean.  Also my nose isn't stuffed up anymore like it has been for the past two weeks.

Day 4: 15 minutes. Not much different today from yesterday, teeth feel smooth and look shiny.

Day 5: 20 minutes. Teeth and mouth still feel really clean, and I can feel a difference in my gums, kinda hard to explain, but it's a good difference. My skin feels good and the couple of blemishes I have had on my face for what seems like a lifetime, are starting to disappear! Saweeet!

Day 6: 20 minutes.  Pretty much exactly the same as day 5!

Day 7: (One Week) This morning I thought I'd switch it up a bit and not pull until later in the day...bad idea!  I have coffee breath!  I should have not switched it up and kept my morning routine! Gahh!!!

Day 8: So I didn't end up pulling yesterday at all...BAD idea! this morning I woke up with "death breath" that everybody does in the morning, so I pulled for 25 minutes while I was getting ready this morning.  After my morning coffee, I had coffee breath,
blechhh...uggg...has all my hard, oil pulling efforts this past week gone to waste?  Let this be a lesson to me, to us...you are either committed to a cleaner, healthier mouth, or not...there is clearly no in between.

Day 9: 20 minutes. Mouth starting to feel a lot cleaner after skipping the other day...gahhh...why did I do that?! Teeth look shiny and feel very smooth. Will not skip again!!!

Days 10 - 14: approx. 20 minutes each day. No huge changes from the beginning of the second week; teeth are at least 2 shades whiter, feel clean, smooth and no more disgusting coffee breath!

In conclusion, yes, this is a pain in the butt, but it could easily be incorporated into your daily routine, preferably in the mornings. I am certain after longer use, teeth will become increasingly whiter.

Need helping finding a good coconut oil? Reviews.com tested 6 different kinds of coconut oil and found 2 that taste and feel great.  Click here to discover the best coconut oil! 



I would love to hear your experience with oil pulling, please feel free to comment or send an email!