Make it Monday – DIY Sharpie Mugs

Like me, I’m sure you’ve seen a bunch of tutorials on Pinterest for DIY Sharpie mugs.  I’ve always loved the idea, but wondered if they were worth trying – would the ink come off? (they say baking the mugs makes it “permanent” – but I wasn’t convinced)

I looked into this phenomenon a bit, and learned something really important.  Regular Sharpies won’t work for this project (many have tried and failed – and I think that’s the reason).  You need to find yourself some oil-based Sharpie paint pens.  I found mine here.  Office supply stores, and craft stores might also have them if you’re not a fan of shopping online.  (I don’t have much choice, being in a small town)

When you have the right markers, hit up some garage sales, dollar stores, or thrift shops to find some cheap, plain coffee mugs in a style you like.  I lucked out and got 10 matching white mugs for 25 cents a piece at my local thrift shop.  Score!

Once you have your markers and mugs, it’s time to think about a design!  I scoured etsy and pinterest, and made my own versions of the many cute and funny mugs I found on there (with the exception of the Futurama mug – my hubby requested that one for himself)…..but if you’re more creative and imaginative than I am, you can come up with you own design as well. 🙂

Here’s what you need:

• Plain Coffee Mug(s) – get more than one, trust me – you’ll want to make more
• Sharpie Oil-Based Paint Pens in various colours
• Rubbing Alcohol or Vodka (optional)
• Paper Towels
• Cookie/Baking sheet
• Oven

Wash the mugs well with dish soap and water, and make sure they’re completely dry. (wiping the mugs with alcohol might also help prep the surface, but isn’t necessary if you don’t have any.  I seem to always have alcohol on hand, for some reason – lol)

Draw your design on the mug, taking care to not smudge.

Place your mugs on a baking sheet right side up, and let them dry for 24 hrs.  After 24 hrs, put the baking sheet into the oven while the oven is off.  Turn on the oven to bake at 400F, and set a timer for 40 minutes.  After 40 minutes turn off the oven, leaving the mugs inside to cool down with the oven.

When the mugs are cool, they’re ready to use!  (Handwash only)

Have fun!

Wild Wednesday – All About Herbs

Herbs are amazing, aren’t they?

Not only are they delicious when eaten – many of them also have medicinal uses as well!

The herbs above were picked from my garden a few weeks ago, and I just couldn’t help putting them in “order” for the photo – at least according to Simon & Garfunkel, anyway.  Bonus points to those of you who sang that in your head when you saw the pic.

While I really love cooking with herbs (I made a delicious roast chicken with these ones)….I’m even more interested in learning about the various health benefits of not only herbs, but also the many wild plants that grow naturally in my area.

Wild Wednesdays (I need strict guidelines each day of what to write about – I find structure staves off writer’s block, so please bear with me while I get my blog feet wet) will be a day where I provide an overview of the properties of different plants, flowers, herbs, etc. that have either edible or medicinal attributes (or both!).  I hope you find it as interesting as I do.

A note of caution before we begin – it is important to research the properties and side effects of any natural herb or plant extremely thoroughly, and to always consult with medical professionals (I do not consider myself an expert in herbal remedies, so I don’t count!) before using them internally for medicinal purposes; this is especially important for children, and pregnant/nursing women.

Ok, let’s begin.

Parsley is well known for garnishing restaurant plates – and most people are familiar with the dried flakes you can find in the spice section at your local grocery store….but did you know that fresh parsley also helps with digestion, and works to prevent gas and bloating?  In a pinch, it’s also a great natural remedy for not-so-fresh breath. Just pop a fresh sprig in your mouth, and chew – perfect for date night! (just check your teeth before you smile)

Sage is commonly used in cooking – from stuffing, meats and poultry, to soups, stews, and side dishes.  This herb is really versatile, and has a really unique, earthy flavour.  Sage tea with lemon is reported to be a really soothing and delicious way to treat a sore throat, and, just like parsley, it also helps with digestion.

Another cool thing about sage, is that it can apparently be used to naturally darken gray hair.  Who knew?

Rosemary is one of my favourite herbs.  It is the star in a stuffed pork loin dish I make on occasion that has caused my husband to propose marriage more than once while we were dating.

Rosemary is truly a wonder herb.  I use the essential oil version of this herb in many of my products – including bug spray, deodorant, and headache balm.  Rosemary is antibacterial, analgesic (helps with pain), and promotes healing and circulation. It’s also wonderful for use with skin and hair.

Thyme is another herb known to help with sore throats due to its expectorant (helps clear airways of mucous) and antitussive (calms coughs) qualities.  Sorry to use my medical terminology on you – I sometimes slip back into being a nurse, which comes with its own language.  🙂

I also use thyme essential oil in a sore muscle balm that I make, as it is considered a “warm” oil – meaning that it can feel warm or even hot when applied to the skin. (this helps with the relaxing of muscles)

Well, there you have it.  A brief overview of some of the properties of some commonly found herbs.  Stay tuned each Wednesday for a look at a different herb or plant.

Tasty Tuesday – Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

A few weeks ago, I decided to make a strawberry rhubarb pie for my hubby’s birthday.  (he doesn’t really like cake…..um, what?!)

This year, I had tons of rhubarb still growing in my garden in July – so I went out and gathered a bunch and got to work.  I pulled from two different recipes for inspiration, and created my very own, super delicious pie filling.  (I totally cheated and used a premade pie crust…as I am still on the hunt for a pastry recipe that’s as good as my Grannie’s – feel free to use your own pie crust, or cheat like me)

Here’s my recipe:

• 2 (heaping) cups fresh rhubarb, chopped into 1″ pieces
• 2 (heaping) cups strawberries, chopped and stems/leaves removed
• 1 1/3 cups white sugar
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 egg yolk with 1 tsp water (optional)

Preheat oven to 450F.

Mix flour and sugar, setting aside 1/3 cup.  Chop fruit, and put into large bowl. Sprinkle sugar mixture over fruit (except the 1/3 cup that you set aside). Mix well, and let stand 30 minutes.

Prepare pie crusts (make them from scratch if you do that sort of thing), and place one crust into the bottom of a glass pie pan.  Pour reserved sugar mixture over the crust.  This keeps the crust from getting soggy.

Top with your fruit filling (stir again before pouring), and pat with butter.  I actually forgot the butter when I made mine, and it was still really good.

Place upper crust on top (I like a good lattice top – but you can do anything you want!), and pinch edges together. If you like, create an egg wash by mixing the egg yolk and water, and brushing it over your top crust.  Sprinkle with a little sugar, for a pretty effect, and a little texture.

Bake for 15 minutes at 450F, then reduce heat to 350F and continue to bake for about 45 minutes.

Let cool on a rack for at least 30 minutes before serving (this helps the filling set up)

Make it Monday – DIY Bath Salts

I don’t know about you – but in the dead-heat of summer I can’t even think of taking a hot bath…which is a real shame, as that’s one of my favourite ways to relax and de-stress after a long day.

As summer winds down however, these cooler evenings have left me longing for a luxurious soak in the tub with some soothing, skin-loving bath salts, a good book, and a hot mug of peppermint tea.

Bath salts are super easy to make on your own – which makes this a perfect DIY project for people who want to start making natural bath and body products, but didn’t know where to start.  These bath salts can also be given away as gifts!!

All you need are a few simple ingredients that you can find pretty much anywhere (and might even have on hand already)!

Here’s what you need:

• Large clean jar with lid
• 2  cups Epsom Salt (detoxifies, and relaxes muscles)
• 1/2  cups Baking Soda (soothes irritated skin, makes water silky)
• 1/2 cups Coarse Sea Salt (optional)
• Essential Oils*
• 1 tbsp Dried Herbs, Tea, Flowers, etc. (optional – will be messy to clean out of the tub)

Mix your dry ingredients in a glass or stainless steel mixing bowl (plastic and wood absorb scents), and add essential oils of your choice.  Start at about 20-30 drops for each oil you’re using, increasing by 5 drops at a time until you reach your scent preference.  I would not recommend using more than 100 drops (1tsp), because essential oils are expensive, it can be dangerous to use too much, and you just really don’t need to.

When your bath salts smell how you want them to, mix again, and pour into a large glass jar, making sure to keep the lid on when you’re not using them so they stay fresh.

Use 1/2 – 1 cup per full bath.  (Makes enough for  3-6 baths)

* My favourite essential oils to use in bath salts are:  Bergamot, Lavender, Chamomile, Peppermint, Eucalyptus, Grapefruit, Tangerine, and Cedarwood

If you don’t have essential oils, and don’t wish to buy any, you can leave them out and your salts will be unscented. They will still be very relaxing and soothing.

Another thing you could try, is using a small amount (1 tsp – 1 tbsp) of baking extracts for the scent.  (vanilla, coconut, etc.)  This is not ideal, as baking extracts are made with water and alcohol, and could break down your salts over time – but can be used in a pinch.