December Challenges

Alight, so I'm actually getting to posting my December Challenges in a timely manager this month. So without much futher ado, here they are:
→Clear out unused furniture
→Eat three meals a day
→Make own solid deodorant
→Reduce beauty routine (make the minimal used now even less)
→Sale baby car
→Use up pre-packaged items in apartment

First up is getting the bed frame and dresser that are no longer in use out of the apartment. Currently they are both sitting in my living room as a painful reminder to harass my dad to come pick them up or to ask one of the ladies from my women's group to help me take them to my parents house.

Next up is one of my new lifestyle/health changes.  The focus is on simply stopping and eating something three times a day.  I'm not worried about what exactly I'm eating or if it's enough, the focus is simple to get my body used to eating three times a day.

Next, I'll be making my own solid deodorant from coconut oil, provided I use up the last tube of deodorant that I still have hanging around the apartment

Then, it's on to my beauty routine.  I've finally found a no 'poo shampoo that my scalp likes and an amazing vinegar rinse that got my locks manageable.  Make up is down to chap-stick when my lips are dry or a touch of lip-gloss and eye-shadow when I want to feel like I'm glammed up.  I've forgone any extra moisturizer for my face, I just don't need it.  Now I'm still trying to find the perfect face wash: honey or LUSH's Baby Face solid.  Once I settle on this I can check this off my list.

The next big lifestyle change for me is selling baby car.  Now I can't go without any transportation, public transportation just isn't reliable enough and I'm not able to handle the hills on a bike (nor am I in any type of physical shape to manage biking locally...just not there yet).  So I've decided on a moped.  Much more economical (for the environment and my wallet) than baby car.  I've actually looked at one last week at a little mom and pop shop and will own it as soon as I've sold my car (will definitely have it in the next two weeks!!!!!!!!!).

And as always I'll continue using up the pre-packaged items in the apartment and replacing them with either homemade or Earth-friendly alternatives.

Another Thing Checked Off...

Well, I finally added some November challenges to the right hand column:
→Make own solid deodorant
→Make tooth powder instead of using tooth paste

I also finally used up the last of the paper plates that were hanging out in my cabinet.

Still avoiding working on my paper today so I'll leave you with my new no 'poo shampoo recipe:

• 1 ounce of peppermint castle soap
• 1 2/3 cups of water
• 1/4 teaspoon of thyme

Directions: Boil water and thyme for 10 minutes, strain and combine with peppermint castle soap in desired bottle.

Sleep is what evades me

I'm still alive, and still fighting with my alarm clock.  But that's probably because I'm having a difficult time getting to sleep so out comes the artillery of alternative medicine since I've long given up on sleeping medication (I'd rather be a little tired vs. feeling like I've got a hangover every morning).  First up was jasmine tea a few nights a week.  Then I moved my meditation to night to try and help calm my brain (that and meditating in the morning was just making me want to crawl right back into bed).  Then I moved up the time I take my vitamins from applied kinesiology in the mornings.  Then a trip to the chiropractor was in store to help with the literal pain in my neck.  As all these has yet to help bring on the sleep (and shut my brain off) I'm off to see a hypnotist tonight.

In other wacky news for the day, I'm in the middle of adding some purple streaks to my hair.  I'm not sure how they'll turn out, the goal is a subtle high/lowlight effect.  Also speaking of hair I'm giving a new no 'poo recipe a whirl this time with peppermint castle soap.

Day 6 and Food is Going to be the Problem

Alright, so it's day 6 and I've caved three times already for fast food. I see a pattern and I'm gonna try to tackle it. I can do this. I will do this. Yes food is important, but fast food is not. I knew this was going to be challenging, I just didn't realize how challenging. One idea for tackling this that I'm going to start implementing next week, is to go to the grocery store and buy just what I need for the next day. (I have, lets just call them, food issues.) This challenge is highlighting where I need to work a little harder than I have been.

In other news, the universe must be aligning in preparation for me to hear about a job as my mother and grandma are both in full on freak out about me possibly working overseas. I'm calm and waaay more collected than I ever thought possible about the opportunity to go and learn (and grow). I have arrangements for my car if I can't sale it before I leave, I'm desperately trying to find foster homes for my kitties, and I'm feeling good about the decluttering and lightening efforts (even though I keep finding more stuff...I think it's multiplying while I sleep).

I got compliments on my hair today, so the no 'poo must not look as bad as it feels to me. My hair is oilier than when I was using the LUSH shampoo bar. But the ends have a cute little curl/wave to them that I could get used to if the top didn't look so oily to me.

I also finally finished my beret I have been working on for a few weeks. It of course is way to big, but that's what I get for attempting to adjust a pattern for size 10 and 12 needles for a size 13 needle. The pattern was supposed to be a super easy beginner's pattern, but it totally baffled me. I am proud that I got something that looks close to a beret, even if it doesn't really fit. I've learned a valuable lesson and got to work on my purling in the process.

I started a few cloth produce bag tonight as well from some fabric that I had been saving. I cut a bunch more out, so once I have the collection a picture will follow.

I finally caved and gave up on the tea rinse...

But I didn’t go running for a new conditioner bottle. Instead I took some advise from Life Less Plastic and gave vinegar a try.

For the first time in weeks I was able to comb my hair in under 5 minutes and not have the now norm fight with tangles. I still have some work to go on the no ‘poo ‘venture, but being able to comb my hair and not have tears in the process is a big step in the right direction. It’ was so easy I wanted to keep running my fingers through my hair last night. I fear I may smell of the vinegar, but that’s just me being paranoid.

More updates to come as the ‘venture continues.

No 'Poo Progress Report

Week one was ok.
Week two the tangles were bad and the gressies started to bother me but not as much as the feeling that there was something still in my hair despite a good rinse. Usually a water only wash helped clear that up.
Now at week three I'm attempting to cut back the baking soda washes from three times a week to twice a week. Still dealing with not quiet feeling clean after a baking soda wash but it's now not better better after a water only wash. Tried cutting down amount of tea used in tea rinse; made the problem worse. 0.o It's just become a huge tangled mess that feels like its got some sort of waxy build up and I don't use any product on my hair.

In the two and a half weeks that I've been doing no poo the texture of my hair has completely changed. I have two medical conditions which cause me to have some hair loss (nothing noticeable just an excess of shedding). I have a lot of hair so the shedding has never been an issue. My hair has always been baby fine, but just a ton of it (it has deceived numerous hairdressers). Now my hair has become much coarser, or maybe just each individual hair has become thicker (and this I notice on days when I don't feel like I have some sort of left over build up).

So after a little more research and a little begging for help it turns out the 1 part BS to any parts water just isn't sufficient directions. I used a 1 to 3 part mix that was recommended in several location when I made my first batch (that how I got to the messurments listed in my original no 'poo post). So I've mixed up another batch with the newly recommended 1 tablespoon BS to 1 1/2 cups water (as my bottle hold just under 2 cups of water). I couldn't find my lavender oil tonight so I'll have to add a few drops in once I finally locate where I put it. I'll give it a couple of weeks to adjust and then report on the new and improved (hopefully) progress.

On another hair related note, I decided to trim my hair in the middle of the night last night. I guess what happens with insomnia (the night before I managed to clean my bathroom). I've been growing my hair out for over a year now, probably closer to two years come to think of it. The last time I got it trimmed the hairdresser insisted on cutting in some layers but refused to part my hair at it's natural part. The result was uneven layers as my hair refuses to hold any part of than a deep side part, grrr I told her that she was screwing up my hair but she kept insisting that she knew what she was doing and it would all even out after she parted it on the side and cleaned it up. Can you tell I've had this mistake happen more than once? Probably what I get for going to the cheapy salon most of the time, but I've had them do it to me at expensive salons too. Anyhoo, I wasn't brave enough to cut the three to five inches needed to give me a bob as it would be nearly to my chinn, but I did manage to cut about an inch off and not make it look disastrous and could probably go another inch and still have it around my collar bone.

Job/lessness update: My company has been a infuriating about actually attempt to find me a position. They fell back on the slap in the face offer and stopped looking, even though I wouldn't be getting away from my mother (even though everyone agrees that's what I need to do...funny how they can't seem to help make that happen due to their laziness). My dad passed my resume on to one of the contractors at his off, exactly two miles from my apartment, that is in need of people with clearances, but they haven't called. The job I interviewed for two weeks ago never called me back, and if you don't get a call back from them within seven days it's their polite way of telling you that you didn't get the job. I'm still holding out that Afghanistan/Iraq will come thru for me in the next month, two more weeks and they will have officially had my resume for two months and I can reach out to my friend over in Afghanistan to see if we can work these from all angels.

LUSH and no 'poo

I was introduced to LUSH and their amazing products on vacation almost three years ago. Wow, I can hardly believe it! Anywho, I've been using their shampoo bars ever since. Their small size, lack of packaging, and many amazing smells convinced me to ditch the shampoo bottle. However I wasn't able to stop my bottled conditioner addition. So, despite my love for LUSH, I've decided to give the no 'poo movement a try. Last night was my first attempt at the baking soda wash, and just to ease into it I used the last bit of my bottled conditioner. I can't say I've thrown out my conditioner bottle because I've repurposed the bottle to hold the baking soda and lavender oil mixture. Instead of the traditional apple cider vinegar rinse I've decided on a tea rinse (mostly be cause I've got a ton of tea that's not so tasty sitting around that as a tea lover I just can't throw out, plus if I'm gonna leave the country to work overseas for a year I've got to use or ditch everything in my apartment, why ditch it if I could be using it for something now ). We’ll see how this one goes. I'm going to water only "wash" my hair after my workout in the gym (6.5 miles on the bike today!) and use the baking soda concoction every other day to start out with.

My baking soda wash mix:

• 1/2 cup baking soda
  
• 1 1/2 cups water
  
• 5 drops lavender oil
  

Place ingredients in bottle and shake vigorously before each use.
Follow with a tea rinse (boil a cup of tea, let it cool so you don't scold your head, hop in the shower).