10 Ways to Care For Your Pet Naturally

In preparing to move this past week, I came to realize just how dirty my dog is right now. Joker is a 12-year-old Border Collie. He’s an old man, but still has a lot of spunk, especially when he spots a squirrel, or cows out in a field. (Cows – it’s all about the cows.) Then he’ll go and roll in the dirt (or whatever!) to show me how happy he is, and he’s covered in dirt and leaves…and possibly other things. So, how do I care for him naturally? Check out a few of my tips:

 1. Brushing

Before you bathe a dog (or a cat, guinea pig, or other pet), your first step should be to brush them. It’ll loosen up hair, dislodge dirt and rid them of a few fleas. I put 1-2 drops of high-quality lavender essential oil on the brush to enhance the shine of my dog’s coat, protect his skin and repel fleas and ticks.
(Note: Do not drip undiluted essential oils directly on your animal, and never use essential oils if your pet resists at all. Use extra caution while using essential oils with cats – they are more sensitive to the oils and do not have the detoxification mechanism that most other mammals have. Read more here about the best ways to use essential oils with cats or with dogs.)

2. Cornmeal

If your pet is really dirty, especially oil-type dirt, you can brush dry cornmeal into its coat, let it sit for a few minutes, then brush it out. It will absorb all kinds of things. This is best done outside since it will leave quite a mess. And if they happen to eat it, it’s harmless.

3. Diatomaceous Earth

Diatomaceous Earth (DE) is the pet owner’s best friend. It is a very small coral-like creature that lives in the sea. When the shell is dry, it’s crushed into a powder. The powder is almost like tiny razor blades that cut criss-cross type cuts into the outer shell of invertebrates like fleas, ticks and mites. It’s harmless to humans and pets as long as it doesn’t get into the eyes or nose, to which it could be irritating. I use it on pet beds, the floor and other carpeted areas. Sprinkle it on, allow it to sit for a day or two and vacuum up the excess. I’ve even used it in birdseed to keep out the Indian meal moths and other such creatures. You can find food grade DE at farm stores or online here.

4. Lavender essential oil

I use it on all kinds of things. On pet beds to repel fleas and ticks, on the dog to repel pests and heal wounds and in the ears to get rid of mites and cure infections. It can even be used internally if there’s a cut in the mouth or something like that. I mix it with some kind of carrier oil like almond or even olive oil. Use about 1 drop to every 1 tablespoons of carrier. Find 100% pure lavender essential oil here.
(Note: These suggestions are appropriate for dogs. Do not give cats essential oils internally, or place in their ears.)

5. Cedar

Cedar shavings not only smell great, they also absorb moisture and repel fleas and ticks. Tip: It’s much cheaper to purchase them at large home improvement stores rather than pet stores. You can also find them online here.

6. Pumpkin seeds

Every once in a while Joker gets worms. It’s the nature of dogs that they snuffle at almost anything on the ground. About once every two months I grind up some pumpkin seeds and add them to his food. Within a few hours, most all the worms, including tapeworms, are expelled. I’m not sure how it works, but it really does! Find pumpkin seeds here.

7. Eggs

My secret to a nice shiny coat is eggs. I take a raw egg, beat it up and pour it on Joker’s food once a week. This really helps keep his coat in top condition, and the extra protein doesn’t hurt either.

8. Mushrooms

I mentioned in this article about mushrooms how they helped get rid of the cancer on Joker’s nose three times now. I’ve been giving him one capsule every 4-5 days as a maintenance routine. It seems to be working well, as the cancer has not returned in several months. Mushrooms contain polysaccharides, powerful antioxidants that fight cancer cells.

9. Sunshine

We need sunshine to produce vitamin D in the body and so do pets. If a pet is kept inside all the time, it can be subjected to darker conditions that can lead to eye problems. If you have an indoor pet, be sure it has exposure to natural daylight through a window or glass door.

10. Water

I can’t say enough about how fresh clean water is beneficial to everyone, including our pets.

Make a non-toxic flea collar for dogs

Though Joker gets fleas on occasion, I help keep them off  him with an all-natural flea collar. I don’t believe in chemical flea collars – they just don’t work well, and the chemicals are really strong. I tried one on my cat before and the only place I found fleas was right under the collar! Pests like fleas can become immune to some of these chemicals, Carbaryl (the main ingredient in Sevin Dust) being one of the most potent. As the fleas become immune, you use stronger and stronger chemicals and eventually it can poison your dog. I’m for the more natural approach.

Supplies

• 1 bandana or similar piece of cloth (find this here)
• 10 drops essential oil such as lavender, eucalyptus, peppermint, cedarwood, or litsea cubeba

(Find 100% pure essential oils here.)

Directions

1. Fold the bandana into a triangle.
2. Add the 10 drops of oil to the long edge.
3. Tie on your dog. Enjoy a pest free pet!

(Note: Because essential oils tend to evaporate, you will need to reapply every few days. Do not use this flea collar on animals other than dogs.)

Originally Posted on:  http://www.diynatural.com/natural-flea-remedies-pet-care/?awt_l=FoAck&awt_m=3fZbwk7iqUtFQkt 

It is Spring - for some people it is the time for shorts - or not

Cellulite is a woman’s worst enemy and has no age nor weight restrictions, it’s that stubborn fat with ugly dimples on your stomach, thighs, buttock and arms, that seems almost impossible to get rid of. It’s a Brazilian secret! That’s why Brazilian women have amazing seemingly flawless toned bodies. Also many dermatologist use this secret charging you high prices for this simple treatment.

Caffeinated Coffee Sugar Scrub

What is it? It’s coffee with caffeine! The caffeine helps reduce some of the edema around fat to help women look smoother.

So simple you’ll be amaze using this method on a daily bases for several weeks, you’ll see remarkable difference provided that you also keep a clean & healthy diet! 

The sugar acts as an exfoliant and scrub, while the olive oil works to smooth and hydrate your skin, the caffeinated coffee does the magic!

Health Benefits of Coffee Scrub

Aromatherapy

• Coffee oil is often used in aromatherapy treatments. The scent of coffee acts to clear a person’s mind of excessive thoughts. The scent also works as an anti-depressant and can combat feelings of nausea. Using a coffee body scrub will allow you to take advantage of its aromatherapy features.

Antioxidants

• The main chemical in coffee is caffeine, a natural antioxidant. Antioxidants have many benefits, including heart disease- and cancer-fighting properties. Antioxidants also neutralize the effects of free radicals, which can damage the inner layer of skin. This damage is often reflected in age spots and wrinkles. When a coffee body scrub is applied, the skin absorbs this antioxidant and can help prevent premature aging.

Exfoliation

• Because coffee scrubs are made with coarse grounds and salt or sugar, they act as exfoliates for the skin. Regular exfoliation of the skin removes residual dirt and dead skin to give you younger looking, fresh skin. After the skin is exfoliated, it is able to absorb moisture more effectively as well. All beauty regimens should include exfoliation treatments, and the coffee scrub provides it.

Blood Flow

• Some people use coffee body scrubs to combat the occurrence of varicose veins. The caffeine found in coffee scrubs typically increases blood flow and may reduce the appearance of cellulite. Even the action of applying the coffee scrub can help with these types of skin issues because squeezing and massaging the body helps to release toxins and fats held in the skin.

Skin Texture

• 
  

  Caffeine is a vasodilator, which means it constricts blood vessels in the skin. This action works to make blood vessels tighter and firmer very quickly, which is reflected in your skin texture.
  
  (Health Benefits from ~  http://www.ehow.com/list_7216438_benefits-coffee-scrub_.html)
  
  
  
  Caffeinated Coffee Sugar Scrub is also a Great Kitchen Hand Scrub that Neutralizes odors on hands from garlic, onions and fish.
  

  
  Available at:

  https://www.etsy.com/listing/167289325/8-oz-coffee-sugar-scrub-also-known-as-a?ref=shop_home_active_1

Getting Great Soap Colors - Naturally

Getting Great Soap Colors - Naturally
Have you ever seen those soaps with the big colored chunks in them? You know, the ones everyone thinks look really great and gives you as gifts because they know you like natural soap? Sorry, but they're synthetic.

In keeping with proper definitions of natural, the colorants used in soaps should be derived from natural sources. As we explained in an earlier newsletter, this means the colors need to be truly natural, not just stated as "natural" on the label.

How can you know? For the colorants used in soap and skin care, this means herbs, plant extracts, and clays. But don't worry... this doesn't mean soaps can't have big bold colors.

There are three ways to add color to soaps. First, buy some bright pigments like the kind used in transparent glycerin soaps with names like "Magenta Sunset" or "Cotton Candy" and dump it in your natural soap. (JUST KIDDING! - Those are synthetic.)

First, some essential oils have their own colors. Second, we can add herbs or clay directly to the mixed soap. Third, we can steep herbs to extract their colors. Each has its own set of positives and challenges, though. In the following section, we'll explain how to achieve some great soap colors.


Here are some great methods for natural colors in soap so we can all forget about pigments.

Essential Oils as Colorants
Essential oils are normally used for scent. However, several essential oils, such as citrus oils, have their own color. This can be useful for some soaps. However, because of essential oil colors, some color/scent combinations aren't possible. For example, you can't have a pale yellow soap that smells like cloves, because clove oil is brown.

Direct Addition of Colors
This is the easiest way to control the color of soap. Near the end of the mixing process, we simply add an herb, clay, or any combination of them to achieve the color desired. Usually, the color of the dried herb or clay is a good predictor of the color of the soap, keeping things simple. However, here are a few exceptions... Organic Rosemary Leaf Powder will give soap a golden color. Organic Comfrey Root Powder, when used in high amounts, can give soap a dark purple-gray tone. Organic Rose Hips Powder, although yellow-orange when by itself, turns a soap red when a high concentration is used.

Steep Herbs to Extract Color
Some herbs contain rich colors that can be extracted by steeping them in oil. The ones that work best for this are Organic Annatto Seed, Wildcrafted Alkanet Root, and Maddar Root. This is the most complicated method of coloring soap, but the result is brighter colors. To achieve a certain color or shade of a color, we add a pre-measured amount of an herb to a known quantity of our base oil blend that has been pre-heated. Depending on the color desired, the amount of herb and the steep time will vary. Then, we strain the herb out of the solution and add the colored oil to our mix. If you make your own soap, this will take some experimentation, but if you stick with it, you'll love the results.

Originally Posted in the Botaine Newsletter.  Have a friend that makes his/her own soap? RECOMMEND THIS NEWSLETTER to them. 
.

All Olive Oils Are Not Created Equal

Many sopamaking oils can be found in grocery store aisles, and after awhile it begins to beg the question — can you really use store bought oils in your soaps? While this may seem like an easy, convenient and inexpensive option, we did a little research to find out. What we found was sadly not surprising.

              The Test

We tested 10 olive oils total, including our own Pure Olive Oil and Pomace Olive Oil. These Olive Oil were small sizes, purchased off of retail store shelves at a local grocery store and a chain grocery store (generally, 8 to 16 ounce sizes; the smallest each brand had to offer). Each recipe was comprised of 100% olive oil, made in 1 lb. batches, had no water discounting and used a 5% superfat. We soaped at the same temperature for all 10 batches and soaped all 10 batches over a 2 day period to ensure as close as the same temperature and humidity conditions as possible for gel phase and cure time. We tested store brands as well as private labels, and every kind of olive oil from ‘virgin’ to ‘extra virgin’ to ‘light’. All bottles listed “Olive Oil” as the only ingredient on their labels.

 The Results

Here are the results of the tests after unmolding. As you can see, some of the tests did some interesting things. What’s more, all of the store-bought oils except one exhibited terrible DOS after only a month! DOS is a common soapmaking acronym and it stands for “Dreaded Orange Spots.” Old or unpure oils can go rancid in soap, producing the tiny orange spots that give DOS its name. They’re not harmful, but they don’t make for pretty (or good smelling) soap. This lead us to believe that while these olive oils appeared to be fresh and pure, there may have been extra additives or old oil stock in them that caused the soaps to go downhill so quickly. The most interesting example was a soap made with “light” virgin olive oil:

This had one of the most bizarre textures we have ever seen! The batter was extremely hot after pouring, and then developed a spongy, foamy texture. It also formed a thick layer of cake-y soda ash on top.

The same soap from the side. The heat caused some crazy expansion which bowed out the sides of the super-duper reinforced silicone mold.

Our Verdict

The results of these tests speak for themselves. While you technically can make soap with small sized store-bought oils, you can see that the results can be unpredictable and in these tests, didn’t result in the highest quality soaps. In these tests, only the soaps made with Bramble Berry’s Pure and Pomace Olive Oils stood the test of time and did not behave poorly or develop DOS. If you are going to use store bought oils, always do a small test batch before doing a large batch. And if you do some test batches, I want to hear your results after a few months of curing time. I was extremely surprised by the poor showing. I have successfully (for years) used Sam’s Club, Costco, and Cash ‘n’ Carry bulk oils with success. I suspect these results from smaller grocery chains were because the lower down the chain the oils get, the more options there are for adulteration and excessive aging. After all, who knows how often a grocery store turns over its Olive Oil supply?

The soapmaking process involves many factors and variables that can cause things to go awry, and the best you can do is buy soapmaking oils from a reliable vendor who can verify their quality and purity.

Bonus: An All Olive Oil recipe

Olive oil is one of the few oils you can use up to 100% of in your soaping recipes. It produces a lush, nourishing bar of soap. Soap made with 100% olive oil is also known as Castile soap, which is named after the region in Spain where the soap first originated. Castile soap takes much longer to harden up than traditional cold process recipes, so be patient when making Castile soap. It may take up to double the wait time before you can unmold it! Bramble Berry carries several Castile soap products, including Natural Castile Liquid Soap Base and Castile Rebatch.  If you’d like to try your hand at making an olive oil soap, the Buttermilk Baby Bastille Bar is a great starting point. Although it also contains coconut milk in addition to olive oil, it’s a great introduction to high olive oil content recipes.

Buttermilk Bastille Baby Bar

The post All Olive Oils Are Not Created Equal appeared first on Soap Queen.

.

Spring Brings Out The Easter Bees

.

Easter Bees make the Best Honey and Wax and the Best Wax makes the Best Soap.

 

See our previous posts on

Soothing Lavender Sage Honey Soap
'Herbal Explosion' Havenly Honey Soap
'Bee Happy' Havenly Honey Soap

Havenly Handmade Soaps are made utilizing delicious and beneficial honey and beeswax. All recipes contain all natural ingredients that were hand selected by the talented Blue Haven Bee Team!

• 'Herbal Explosion' of honey & herbal blend of euca...
• "Bee Happy" Havenly Honey Soap With delightful not...
• Soothing Lavender Sage Honey Soap

 

We recommend to our soap friends that you visit Blue Ridge Pet Center

Choose from four girly dresses offered by Blue Ridge Pet Center and Mention   Jessiepearl's Handmade Soaps for a 10% discount

Choose from four girly dresses in 5 sizes offered at the same price

Our Floral Dog Dress is great year round for parties. Features studded accents on waist and collar. Tulle lining under skirt makes a fuller and fashionable look. Comes with a Re-enforced D-Ring and heavy duty hook and loop closures. Made with Cotton/Poly Blend Fabric. Available in sizes Extra Small through Large

All sizes are $36.98 with free shipping within the continental USA





Wisteria Floral Dress has a romantic and delicate floral print. Features ruffled trim on the sleeves and neck. Finished off with a Wisteria Satin Bow. Comes with a Re-enforced D-Ring and heavy duty hook and loop closures. Made with Cotton/Poly Blend Fabric. Available in sizes Extra Small through Large.

All sizes are $36.98 with free shipping within the continental USA  -- See size chart near top of page.


Our Polka Dot Dog Dress is great year round for parties. Features floral buttons with rhinestone centers at the waist. Tulle lining under skirt makes a fuller and fashionable look. Comes with a Re-enforced D-Ring and heavy duty hook and loop closures. Made with Cotton/Poly Blend Fabric. Available in sizes Extra Small through Large.

All sizes are $36.98 with free shipping within the continental USA  -- See size chart near top of page.


Doggie Design Green Leaf Garden Party Dog Harness Dress with Leash

All sizes are $36.98 with free shipping within the continental USA  -- See size chart near top of page.

To order: email blueridgemarketing@mindspring.com  for a secure PayPal invoice.

.

Your Mother deserves the best - Three Different Bars of Soothing Honey Soaps

Three Different Bars of Soothing Honey Soaps

One Each of our Three Bars of Soothing Honey Soaps BY JESSIEPEARL'S HANDMADE SOAPS.

Soothing Lavender Sage Honey Soap
'Herbal Explosion' Havenly Honey Soap
'Bee Happy' Havenly Honey Soap

Havenly Handmade Soaps are made utilizing delicious and beneficial honey and beeswax. All recipes contain all natural ingredients that were hand selected by the talented Blue Haven Bee Team!

Honey has a naturally delicate, sweet scent and has unbelievable moisturizing qualities. It gives our Havenly Honey Soap a rich lather while offering anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, and therapeutic qualities.

Combining honey and lye, Havenly Honey soaps help skin irritations, acne, poison ivy, and it can even help aging and wrinkles!

No dyes are used during the soap making process. Our Havenly Honey offers its own beautiful color; you can even see the layers of honey in our soap!

By using simple, fine ingredients, our olive oil based soaps are like your grandma used to make it!

Stop using harsh, detergent based soaps & try a bar today! See for yourself the true benefits of Havenly Honey Soap!

Yes- it is "heavenly" as well as "havenly"

````````````````

We offer Handmade Soaps made in small batches using high quality Essential Oils, Herbs and other natural soap making ingredients.

Our soap bars are not meant to be cute and displayed on a shelf - they are meant to be used to moisturize your body, make you smell good.and most importantly to clean your skin.

Our over sized bars are carefully handmade in small batches so they may vary slightly, Each bar weighs approximately 5+/- oz each. That's a big enough bar to cut in half to share or to prolong it's useful life.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/167134025/three-bar-honey-soap-combo-with-a-bar-of?ref=shop_home_active 

.