Andy's Idea Factory

1st Disclaimer: This isn't my idea. But it's a great one for a baby gift in hard economic times nonetheless, that is if you've got the crafty DIY gene like I inherited from mom! The link above is to the initial pattern I found online for a baby sling from KarmaBaby, but I'm here to make that process a little more easy on you. I had to enlist SuperMom for translation, so I'll take the liberty in assuming you won't quite understand KarmaBaby's pattern either... Let's get crackin'! You'll need: two yards of fabric of a slightly stretchy/giving cotton blend (she suggests 90% cotton/10% lycra, but my all-cotton worked fine). sewing machine and thread, this pattern's so easy a hand-held sewer will work, but don't translate that to "sew this by hand", that won't be quick or easy. Handhelds are just that, a small version of a sewing machine you hold in your hand. measuring tape sharp scissors 2nd Disclaimer: My images are with wh...

Seeing this Segway today made me think about all the things we've done to save on gas; not just during this past year, we've been trying to lessen our dependence on oil for years. It's hard, but possible. Let me share our top ideas along with this awesome video to get your idea wheels turning... .... this guy's brilliant, complete with his briefcase, likely traveling downtown to home after work on the mountain, judging from his direction. Segways are so much fun - IF used for transportation instead of an excuse not to walk. Gas might be only $1.80/g right now, but you can bet we'll see another spike again this summer. So on to the ideas- simple, green, or downright crazy, take your pick! 1. When I first got my Toyota Tacoma, I was a little guilty about the gas mileage. Though published (as usual) at a 18-22 city-hwy m/g rating, the Tacoma actually only got 15-18 when I started tracking my "Mountain Girl". After several months (6-10) of data gathering,...

I've had an acute, yet persistent cough for a week, and even though Ricola lozenges taste good and help slightly, they never help as much as Halls, and those don't fit into my natural lifestyle. After doing a little research & concocting, I came up with a splendid, absurdly inexpensive substitute. Don't suppress your cough, encourage speedy and healthy lung expecting, healing, and recovery with your own homemade honey lozenges. There are many herbs for soothing the throat such as slippery elm, mullein, horehound & licorice. I went with what was in the house and it worked great too. Step 1: Herbal Decoction & Water Base First boil down about 2 cups of filtered or distilled water with 1 Tbs thyme (not powdered), 1 Tbs rosemary, and stick of cinnamon. Measure about that amount or more for whatever herbs you use, better if grown and dried yourself. Simmer on low for 15-20 minutes with lid, occasionally stirring. Strain. Step 2: Lozenge syrup Combine 1 cup decoction ...

If you haven't been following along, please refer to our previous post for Part 1 of Make Your Own Face Products for making a facial toner. Today we're going to make the facial scrub to go along with it! This is another product we made on "Girls Night," and I've been using this for a year and absolutely love it so much that it became last year's Mothers Day present as well as a few Christmas Presents and I even gave some to a friend to try out. I haven't heard a bad report yet! My face always feels super clean but not stripped like products with sulfates can make you feel! This also comes from Healing Herbs , mentioned in the last post. Unlike the toner, this can be made and used instantly, so get to it! INGREDIENTS: 1 cup oatmeal (not instant) 2 cups cosmetic clay 1/4 cup almonds 1/8 cup dried herbs (see previous post, any facial helping herbs will do) Grind the oatmeal and almonds into a very fine powder and mix with cosmetic clay. Grind herbs if...

Since living on a "sustainable community" in Oregon I have had a very strict rule on body products and their usual "fillers" and preservatives; I use organic and natural products, from toothpaste to shampoo, and I don't budge on it. Thankfully now those products easier to find and even makeup can be found au - naturale , but it wasn't always so. Even still, those products are usually more expensive than non-natural products depending on brand name, and now is the time to consider shrinking your budget while you can. A great way to do this is to make your own face scrub and toner. I had this idea last February and hosted a "Girls Night" where we actually made it together, making it even more fun, and I still have "leftovers!" I'm going to break this Idea into two posts, so first, while that Valentines bouquet is just starting to wither, let's make the toner. I got this recipe from The Woman's Book of Healing Herbs ( Harra...

IDEA: This summer I made a temporary vegetable storage "device" in my master bathroom window. The premise is that we joined a vegetable co-op last spring that brought fresh organic veg up from Palisade, CO every week from June until December, and while we got just enough of some items, potatoes, squash, peppers, and others were so plentiful we had to start thinking about storage. We have a small ranch style house with a carport and minimal storage. No basement, attic, garage, etc. We have plenty of closet space, but after further research with thermometer and humidity gauge, the closets weren't optimal for storage. Temperature and humidity are the key to storing home grown vegetables. The three combinations for long-term storage are cool and dry (50-60˚F / 10-15˚C, 60% relative humidity), cold and dry (32-40˚F / 0-4˚C, 65% relative humidity), and cold and moist (32-40˚F / 0-4˚C, 95% relative humidity). In ideal circumstances, vegetables can store up to 4 to ...

We travel a LOT. And I come up with a lot of quick and easy ideas for traveling when we do! So I'm starting a Travel Solution series that I'll dip in and out of on this blog for you, let's get rolling with number 1! The Baggage Claim Tags as Lint Roller! This idea came to me when we were in New York last year. I had a lot of fuzz on one of my suits and forgot bring our travel lint roller. I began looking around the room for something with tape on it, because I remembered as a makeshift roller in college, we would roll masking tape on our hands and use that to get cat hairs, lint, and fuzz off our clothes before going out. Then I saw the baggage tags on the suitcase. I was sold on this idea immediately. I peeled the two sides apart and started sticking it to my suit and voila! It worked- not only did it work, the glue on these is so strong, it actually pulls those sweater-pull balls off your knitted items as well! My husband said I should submit this to Real Simple Magaz...