DIY Powder Laundry Soap

I have been wanting to try making my own powdered laundry detergent ever since I saw the recipe on one of my favorite blogs, http://moneysavingmom.com/ .  After reading through lots of comments and suggestions I felt ready to try it for myself.  

Supplies:
1 bar of soap (Ivory, ZOTE & Fels-Naptha)
1 cup of borax
1 cup of baking soda or washing soda

For my personal laundry powder I am using Ivory soap and baking soda.  I may change it if I find that I am not getting the desired cleanliness for my clothes.  I chose baking soda because its less caustic and acidic.  My daughter Katherine has very sensitive skin and I have to be careful with products that will be on her skin.  I am also going to add white vinegar to my wash/rinse cycle to help with brightening and odors. 

I put my bar of soap in the freezer for about an hour so that it would be easier to grind in my food processor.

I chopped and ground it up for about 1 minute

Once it was all ground up I mixed in the remaining ingredients and Sarah helped me mix everything up

I had a spare canister hanging out in my kitchen that could easily hold two batches and it has a tablespoon scoop that sits on the side so it'll work perfect!

I have washed 5 loads of laundry since making it Saturday, the water does not suds up but the detergent is completely dissolving, which is good.  I am putting the white distilled vinegar into my downy ball and that has been working just fine with no vinegar smell at all.  I just recently ordered some all natural/biodegradable liquid brightener to use so once I get it I'll be using that instead of the vinegar.  

Give it a try, its worth that at least :)

Just going to jump in!

I have been waiting and waiting to start my blog, I've been waiting for the perfect time I guess.  We'll there is no time like now!  I am just going to jump in and start.  I've always enjoyed writing and while I am not the greatest or most perfected in the skill of writing, its one of my favorite things to do.  I don't yet know what this blog is going to center around, I have so many interests like all of you.  Scrapbooking is probably the highest on the list, I work on my Project Life album by Beck Higgins at least 5 times a week.  I'll share more about her amazing product in a post all by itself.  I am not kidding, I feel like its been life changing for me.  Reading is on my list although getting to a store to buy a book and then actually finding the time to read it has been a challenge in the last 2.5 years...so I am saving up for a Kindle!  While I love the paper book where I can highlight and write notes, the Kindle will give me a chance to actually read a book again!  I also love to decorate and re-decorate my house that I share with my gorgeous girls Sarah & Katherine, my husband Jesse who tolerates (mostly) all of the curtains and our pug Miss Lucy (another thing my dear Husband tries to tolerate).

Another major project in the works that I hope to incorporate into this blog very soon is my Etsy site.  Hopefully (maybe) this will give me the kick in that you know what I seem to need to really get this thing off of the ground.  I love to create, I again am not the most skilled or patient or talented but I enjoy it and it brings me a sense of accomplishment.  I have all of the supplies to get started now I just need to find time and motivation!  Maybe today will be the day I make my first calendar, why not its as good a day as any right?!  I hope that anyone reading will enjoy my ramblings and sometimes ( I promise!) to post things that will actually be of some value to all of you.  Well there aren't of you of right now...but soon there will be, I just know it!