DIY

Activated charcoal and tea tree oil soap might not have the loveliest scent or the prettiest color, but still should be one of the “go to” recipes for natural home soapmakers. These two ingredients can offer great value for the skin – and the facial complexions of users of any age. I first made activated … Read more

There are copious amounts of ways you can design a bar of soap, but only four ways to make it. Some folks shy away from soapmaking because they either are terrified or working with lye – or think doing so is absolutely required to make soap … and it is not. There are really only … Read more

Spinning wool or mohair does not require a huge investment of money. Spinning wheels are beautiful – but very pricey. A handheld drop spindle typically costs less than $25, and can spin beautiful wool or mohair that you have raised on your homestead into a skein just as well as a large spinning wheel that … Read more

What kid doesn’t like play dough? I used to love playing with play dough and molding clay as a child, and I continue to enjoy working with it as an adult. Salt dough is a form of play dough that you can easily make out of flour, salt, and water. You can use it to … Read more

Rosemary and lemon soap is not only good for your skin, but will help eliminate odors from your skin after working in the kitchen with onions, garlic, fish, and other odoronous foods. Lathering up with a natural homemade soap with these two sweet smelling ingredients can also help repel pesky insects. Making your own soap … Read more

My garden is my pride and joy. I love looking out at it while sipping a cup of coffee on the back deck, admiring all the hard work I’ve put into it and the bounty that it continues to produce. However, there is nothing more frustrating than watching invaders like birds pecking and digging up … Read more

Making floral soap is a beautiful way to not only enhance the bar you are making visually, but also harnesses any herbal benefits the flowers, herb plants, or roots they may possess. The type of soap base you are using must be considered when collecting flowers to dry to suspend in a bar of soap. … Read more

Dying candles with mica powder allows you to make truly unique homemade gifts that may look like a million bucks but cost only a few dollars. Not only can you dye candle wax with mica powder, you can also paint the finished candles either free hand, or by using molds with intricate or raised designs. … Read more

Mica powders are so fun to use when making homemade soaps and a plethora of other DIY natural home goods and gifts. The powders come in a vast array of colors, offering nearly endless options when creating one-of-a-kind products. Mica is derived from a natural stone mineral that boasts shiny flakes. Once the mica stone … Read more

Owning your own greenhouse is a great way to extend the growing season so you can have fresh, delicious vegetables all year long. It’s also a wonderful way to improve your yields so you can sell produce to others, if that’s something you’d like to do. What Does it Cost to Build a DIY Greenhouse? … Read more

Building a bathroom vanity out of barnwood and making a sink from a galvanized tub yourself can turn out just like the ones showcased on Pinterest. The only cost we had in our new bathroom vanity stemmed from a few pieces of pipe and the nozzles to make the faucet. We even used barnwood to … Read more

At their best, electric fences are inexpensive, effective, and flexible. They can make permanent boundaries around or within a property. Electric fences can also be set up on a short-term basis to protect special crops or vulnerable animals, and they can also be used to create rotational grazing systems to maximize pasture yield. Fences work … Read more

Making natural dyes from plants, weeds, vegetables, and fruit is a fun way to repurpose harvested garden plants and make all natural non-toxic dyes for a myriad of sewing and fiber arts projects. Some homesteaders cultivate a “dye garden” just to have enough beautiful plants, herbs, and weeds on hand to dye the wool they … Read more

How much does it cost to buy a pottery wheel? Well, that depends. There are multiple varieties and sizes of potter’s wheels on the market. There are electric powered pottery wheels and old-fashioned kick wheels that are fueled by your feet and legs. Regardless of the type and size of pottery wheel you want to … Read more

Maintaining quality pastures and hay fields, as well as “grubbing” wooded survival homesteads to create more grazing and gardening space requires diligent tending to the land. Brush hogging livestock areas and woodlots is the primary way to rid the area of weeds that choke out grass growth, and to clear the land for agricultural use. … Read more