DIY: Shaving Cream

With bikini season just around the corner (at least I hope it is coming soon), it is time to think about shaving a bit more frequently than most of us do all winter (at least if you are like me). 

Think about the shaving cream or soap you currently use to help that razor glide across your skin.  Is it full of toxins to be absorbed or is it all natural and safe?  Does it have fragrances and chemicals you can barely pronounce listed in the ingredients? 

After discovering how easy it was to make my own shampoo and body lotion, I decided to find a good recipe for shaving cream.  It needed to be safe, smooth, and effective.  And it needed to pass the "Mike and Journey test".

Last night I gave it a whirl and put it to the test this morning.  Mike shaves his head and his face and I notice that he cuts himself occasionally... and Journey shaves too, even at her young age, so I wanted something non-toxic that would glide across her skin in the shower and prevent nicks from the razor.  This shaving cream worked wonders, while leaving skin soft... and no razor nicks today!

It is easy to make.  You will just need a mixer and some basic ingredients like these:

1/3 cup cocoa or shea butter
1/3 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp vitamin E (preservative... optional)
You can add some essential oils for fragrance if you wish but we did not add them in this batch.

First you must melt the cocoa or shea butter and the coconut oil.  You can do this simply in a glass bowl or jar in some hot water.  I used a double boiler set up and melted my ingredients in a glass ball jar that I keep dedicated to skin care recipes.  The coconut and cocoa butter melted quickly.

Then with a spoon, mix the olive oil into the melted oils.  At this time I added the 1 tsp of vitamin E oil for it's preservative qualities.  Once all that was stirred together, it was put in the refrigerator to "harden" back up. 

When it is cooled adequately, it will look like soft butter.  Now here comes the fun part:

With an electric mixer, whip the cold concoction.  It will whip up all creamy and soft.  Then it is ready to put in a container and keep in your bathroom for shaving cream.  It is soft, slick, and leaves skin conditioned and healthy!  Just dip your hand into the container and apply it to damp skin for a smooth razor glide.

We put ours in little covered containers that I save .. ours is in a sour cream container and Journey's is contained in a very old little margarine container. (I inherited dozen of little margarine containers from my mother-in-law.. don't worry... I don't "touch the stuff")

Bring on the warm weather!!

In the Medicine Cabinet - Master Tonic

So either I have gone over the deep edge OR I have found something useful.  Time will tell.  Here is the story behind my Master Tonic adventure.

First let me start by saying that we RARELY get sick at our house.  We seem to have strong immune systems since paying attention to what we eat.  It is a wonderful thing to have a child still in grade school who rarely brings any viruses home to us.  Even when she succumbs to illness, it is short lasted and my husband and I avoid it completely. 

We don't really believe in taking medications unless absolutely necessary either.  So NO FLU shot for any of us.  I believe they can do more harm than good and despite my personal friendly physician's disapproval, we will not get vaccinated.  Of course the only time she sees us for the last 2 years is when I go to Dr. appointments with my mother.  Then I get a hug from my doctor, get "bugged" about never seeing her anymore, and harassed to get my annual flu vaccine.  No Thank You.

But I am not crazy enough to believe that my body will never get attacked by a virus.  And when it does, we will feel sick.  I will not take any medication (even Tylenol) when that happens unless I am absolutely without any other options. 

Now just recently I came across something called Master Tonic.  If the right foods have improved our health to this extent, what if the right foods could go a step further and become our "medication".  This Master Tonic is made from whole foods and is reported to reduce cold and flu symptoms and aid the body to fight infection.  As I looked over the list of ingredients, I decided that the claims could really be true.  The ingredients in my Master Tonic are all filled with anti-viral, anti-bacterial, immune-boosting properties.  So what the heck?  Are you ready to learn what it is?

Here is the picture of 2 jars of this Master Tonic in my pantry.  It will keep practically forever in these jars, as it is based in vinegar.   And the way you take it is to drink 1/2 to 1 ounce of this daily at the first sign of cold or flu.  So when we feel ill around here, I will let you know how it works.  But I will tell you that many people swear by it!

Master Tonic Recipe

In a glass jar combine equal parts of:

Finely chopped white onion
Finely chopped garlic cloves
Finely chopped hot or jalepeno peppers
Finely chopped horseradish root
Finely chopped ginger

Fill the glass jar about 3/4 full of equal parts of those solid ingredients and then fill the jar to the top with good quality unfiltered and unprocessed apple cider vinegar.  Cover the jar and leave covered on the counter for 2 weeks.  Then strain the solids out and reserve the liquid.  That is your master tonic.

Easy, huh?  Wait a minute.. I should warn you about a few things I found along the way in preparing this awesome tincture.

Buy good quality organic ingredients first of all.  Fresh is best.  Organic is great too! 

I bought the ingredients at Whole Foods in fairly small amounts, and took them home to chop up a few weeks ago.  I had never worked with horseradish or ginger root before so I didn't know what to expect.  I chopped them individually in the food processor and put each chopped ingredient in a separate bowl so I could measure equal amounts into my glass jar.  It was very pretty with all those wonderful things layered in my jar.

Be careful... this stuff is POTENT.  OMG.  Mike came home from the office at noon the day I was chopping this stuff and the house REEKED of garlic, onion, and horseradish.  My hands actually stung a bit under the nails and my eyes were watering but my sinuses were clearer than they had been in months!  I was careful not to touch my eyes or mouth during prep...  maybe I should have worn gloves... but I was grateful to let the blades of the food processor do all the work!  I am certainly glad I did not try to chop it all with a knife and cutting board!

Horseradish root is like wood.  It is HARD!  I thought my poor food processor was going to overheat chopping that one.  I peeled the horseradish and ginger a bit before processing it and I did take the seeds from the jalepenos as well before chopping them.

After adding the chopped ingredients and vinegar to the jar, I covered it and left it on the counter for the 2 weeks.  The experience and smells during chopping it all were a vague memory until today when I opened the jar.

OH MY GOODNESS.. straining the solids out of the vinegar solution made the whole house reek again.  Now mind you, this is not really a bad reek... just sinus clearing, mind blowing, knock you off your feet SMELLY. 

Journey watched me strain the vinegar out and I told her she would have to drink it if she got sick.  She thought I was kidding at first but when she found out I wasn't, her response was "I am never telling you if I feel sick again".  OK.. .. .. I guess perfect attendance at school is in our future as long as I have a jar of Master Tonic in the cupboard then.  Not a bad side effect.  :)

So what to do with all those wonderful vinegar soaked chopped vegetables?  Well, not being one to waste anything, I read that you could save the chopped pieces and add them to soups, etc, in small quantities so then I had the dilemma of how to save them.  I was looking high and low for ice cube trays to freeze little bits in when Journey had the great idea to dehydrate them.  After all, I use dehydrated celery and carrots and onions in soups and stews all the time with great success, so why not this?

So I spread all that chopped goodness with healing powers in it on a dehydrator tray and started "cooking" it again. 

OK, I have to tell you that while I think the dehydrating idea was sort of brilliant on it's own, I am now trapped inside on a cold day in a house that smells like, well, onion, garlic, horseradish, ginger, and jalepeno peppers.  The aroma is about to knock me out and I can't wait until my dear friend and neighbor steps inside my front door this afternoon to pick up Girl Scout cookies because I know she will have something colorful to say about the smells that greet her at the door... or maybe outside in the driveway.

If taking a shot of this tonic does half as much sinus clearing as just being around the smell of it does, there is NO WAY a virus inside us can live through that assault.  Now the challenge will be to decide what kind of chaser to use if we ever have to actually drink this tonic (and I will).

So by now, you are either thinking me loony OR applauding my brilliance, fortitude, and commitment to natural wellness. 

DIY: Shampoo

Have you ever wondered what you are "washing" with?  When I began to examine the ingredients in soaps, lotions, shampoos, conditioners, shaving creams, etc I discovered things like "fragrance", dyes, parabens, and bunches of stuff that were chemicals that had potential side effects.  If you consider that your skin is the largest organ of your body and it absorbs everything put on it, then the list of ingredients in your personal care products should scare you!

Artificial fragrances have recently been linked to an increase in diabetes.  Chemicals used in personal care products have also been linked to cancers, fibromyalgia, nervous system toxins, and even endocrine system disruption.  Why do they allow them in our products?  For the same reason they put all those chemicals in our foods... we let them! 

I have long straight fine hair.  It usually tangles easily and I have been using shampoo, conditioner, and even detangler spray to manage it.  But those products have been a concern to me.  So I looked for a natural alternative and found one I would like to share with you.

Shampoo.

If I could not and would not eat it, why do I let it on my skin?  It gets absorbed in roughly the same way.

Here is the recipe I used today for a shampoo that I learned about.  It was reported to leave hair soft and without fly-away issues. 

1/3 cup castile soap
1/4 cup coconut milk
1 tsp of vitamin E
optional drops of your favorite essential oil.

I mixed it all up this morning in empty shampoo bottle and ran to the shower!  Shake the bottle well after adding the ingredients and shake again before every use. 

I poured some into my hand and studied the milky appearance of it.  I had my doubts right then. I suspected it was too watery to lather or really do much for my hair but even with my long hair, I only had to use about a tablespoon and it lathered wonderfully.  I rinsed my hair and gave it the true test.

Without any conditioner or spray detangler I combed my long wet hair.  I will not try to tell you there were not a few snarls but overall it combed out great without the addition of extra chemicals.  I love how it looks.  It is soft and clean!  It smells great thanks to the addition of some of my favorite smelling essential oil (it only took a few drops for the whole bottle - a double batch).

So I give this shampoo recipe a "thumbs up" and will be sharing it with Journey tomorrow! 

By the way, this is the first morning after my shower that my back has not been "itchy" thanks to the natural ingredients in my shampoo!!  I am so excited!!

Next up will be a batch of homemade shaving cream since my poor husband does not need shampoo... he shaves his head bald every morning.  :)  Plus I would rather shave my legs in the shower with coconut oil, olive oil, and cocoa butter. 

DIY - I am making my own Essential Oils tonight

I was at the store looking at scent infused oils and essential oils and the price of them was pretty prohibitive...  and since I want to experiment with lotions, shampoos, and other personal care items, I wanted the ability to make them smell good!  So today I researched making my own essential oils.

While high quality essential oils are produced using steam or distillation, it is possible to create an oil at home.  I have a little crockpot that is used for dips and things (or should I say "unused" and in the cupboard), so I am devoting it to infusing oils. 

Tonight we have started a small batch of Rosemary essential oil.  I love the scent of rosemary and wanted to buy some the other day but did not.  But I DO have some growing in the windowsill.  So tonight we started almost 1/4 ounce of Rosemary (it was actually about equivalent to 2 Tablespoons) in almost 1 cup of olive oil in the little crockpot.

I think I am going to try some different methods and different scents.  I have herbs growing on the windowsill and some mint outside in the garden.  I will have vanilla bean coming in the mail to try and I want to try some of the citrus ..  grapefruit, orange, lemon, lime... the rinds will be thrown away anyway so I might as well use them.

Here is the information I found... when making these essential oils at home, they will not have the same potency, purity, or therapeutic aromatherapy effects as those commercially produced.  The oils I am making are best used in personal care products or candles and should not be eaten.  Here are 6 possible methods for making your own essential oils at home.


Method #1
Place plant material into a crock pot filled with distilled water. Cook on low for 24 hours. Leave crock pot open and allow it to sit for a week. Collect the oil off the surface of the water and put it into a dark, glass container. Cover with a piece of cloth and allow it to sit for a week to evaporate off any extra water. It will last for about 12 months.

Method #2
Place ground up plant material in a cotton or linen bag. Tie it shut and place it in a pot of distilled water. Bring water to a boil and simmer slowly for 24 hours. Collect the oil off the surface of the water (you may have to squeeze the bag) and put it into a dark, glass container. Cover with a piece of cloth and allow it to sit for a week to evaporate off any extra water. It will last for about 12 months.

Method #3
Half-fill a large glass bottle with olive oil (or almond, jojoba, or rapeseed). Cram as much plant material as possible into the bottle. Cap it and let it sit in a cool, dark place for 24 hours. Shake it. After three days strain it through cheese cloth and put liquid in a dark, glass container. (If scent is not strong enough add more plant material and repeat process.) It will last for about 6 months.

Method #4
Stir 1/2 ounce of plant material into 2 cups olive oil (or almond, jojoba, or rapeseed). Cook in crock pot on low for about 6 hours. Strain the mixture with unbleached cheese cloth and put liquid in a dark, glass container. It will last for about 6 months.

Method #5
Place 1 Tablespoon ground up plant material, 1/2 cup of olive oil (or almond, jojoba, or rapeseed), and 1/2 teaspoon of white vinegar into a small bottle (cap on). Put it in a warm place (sunny window) for three weeks. Shake it well twice a day. Strain the mixture with unbleached cheese cloth and put liquid in a dark, glass container. It will last for about 6 months.

Method #6
Soak plant material in a bottle of rubbing alcohol for two weeks (cap on). Pour it out into a wide container. Allow alcohol to evaporate. Collect the oil left in the container and put it into a dark, glass container. It will last for about 6 months. Please note that this method should NOT be consumed.

DIY - Homemade Vanilla Extract

So easy!  Why haven't I thought to look for this before?  I just stumbled upon it last night and I am so excited!

I use a lot of vanilla extract in cooking and struggle at the grocery store deciding between the cheap or expensive vanilla... generally choosing something that looks like quality in between.  Even then the little bottle goes quickly and I am back to the store.  I always wondered why some was so cheap and some SO HIGH!  Now I think I know but I don't have to pay the premium price for the good stuff anymore!  I am on the hunt for vanilla beans now!  If I find some locally I will share where they are but if I have to order on line, I need to know if any of you want to have me order some for you too... when we buy in larger and larger quantities, we will save money per bean so if you are in town, message me if you also want to buy vanilla beans with me...  but message fast.  I am impatient and will have some on my counter very soon.

DIY Homemade VANILLA EXTRACT

What You Need

• 1 cup vodka
• 3 vanilla beans
• A glass jar with a snug-fitting lid
• A knife

1. Use a knife to split the vanilla beans open lengthwise, stopping one inch from the end of each bean.
2. Place the cut beans in a glass container, and cover with vodka.
3. Make sure the beans are completely submerged. Push down any that aren't.
4. Secure the lid; and store in a cool, dark place.
5. Allow the extract to develop for at least two months before using, shaking at least once a week.

Tips:

1. To replenish your supply of extract, just add more vodka to the bottle from time to time. The original beans will retain their flavor for years.
2. Homemade vanilla extract makes a great gift. Package some up in small bottles, and decorate them with your own label.
3. Online vendors often have the best price for vanilla beans.

Some of the recipes I saw called for developing your vanilla for up to 6 months so I assume the longer you develop it, the more flavor you will achieve.  I can't wait to get this started!  Leave a comment if you want vanilla beans when I order.  It only takes 3 and a cup of vodka!  

 

DIY - Make Yourself Wonderful Organic Lotion

Most people know that their skin is the largest organ of the body and also absorbs what is put on it.  When something is absorbed, it eventually enters the bloodstream and can either do good things for your or harm you.  Alarmingly, many cosmetics, lotions, detergents, and other things we use contain actual poisons.  Fragrances, Parabens, Preservatives, and other chemicals used in our daily care items have shown to have negative effects on our health.  Fragrances have been linked to diabetes in most recent findings...   the list goes on.

We also all know that we like soft skin, to smell good, and to feel clean, right?  And that most of the products on the market that are safer cost more money, right?  Not to mention the products that are listed as "Natural" or "Safe" that really are not!  It is confusing and frustrating to know what to do.

Stick with me here.. I am committed to R & D (research and development) to find safe and frugal alternatives for my family that I will share with you!  Here is one of our first Do-It-Yourself products.  This lotion is good enough to eat!!!

Journey and I purchased a few extra ingredients last night at Whole Foods that we needed to create homemade body butter!!  We had most of the other ingredients in our kitchen!  We created a batch of Peppermint Chocolate Lotion for her and a container of Lotion for me scented with my new favorite Essential Oil Blend called "Pure Joy".  This is an essential oil I purchased a few weeks ago at one of my favorite stores called Finders Keepers on Douglas.  She carries a lot of environmentally friendly products, including essential oils.  Essential oils smell wonderful and can be used for aroma therapy and just making a wonderful scent.  I wear my Pure Joy as a perfume on days that I get away from the kitchen!

Here is the recipe for the Lotion we made.  It was really easy.  I will add some details underneath it for you.

Homemade Lotion Basic Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup almond or olive oil
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1/4 cup beeswax
• 1 teaspoon Vitamin E oil (as preservative)
• 2 tablespoons Cocoa Butter or Shea Butter (optional)
• Honey (optional)
• Cornstarch (optional - reduces some of the greasiness)
• Natural scent (essential oils or vanilla - no perfumes)

How to Make Lotion:

1. Put all ingredients in a glass jar. You can use a mason jar or a leftover jar from coconut oil, pickles, sauces, etc.
2. Pour a couple of inches of water in a saucepan and place on stove - medium heat.
3. Put a lid on the jar loosely and place in the pan with the water.
4. As the water heats, the ingredients in the jar will start to melt. Shake or stir occasionally to mix.  I found a wooden popsicle stick to stir.  When all ingredients are completely melted, pour into whatever jar or tin you will use for storage. Any small container will work well for this but keep in mind that this lotion is a bit more solid and probably will not pour.. and definitely will not pump!
5. Use and enjoy. I especially love this lotion on my feet and any dry skin. It has a longer shelf life than some homemade lotion recipes since all ingredients are already shelf stable and it contains no water. Use within 6 months for best results.

Note: A litte goes a long way! This lotion is incredibly nourishing and is also great for diaper rash on baby, for eczema and for preventing stretch marks!

We used the Olive Oil and Beeswax as the base.  Instead of coconut oil I used Palm Shortening, as it is a soft solid and more inexpensive.  We used some organic cocoa butter and the vitamin E oil (it acts as a preservative of sorts so it extends the shelf life too)

We also used a bit of honey in ours and one other secret ingredient.

The secret ingredient differed between Journeys and mine.  We started by melting the oils and beeswax in a glass jar in a double boiler type water bath on the stove.  We stirred with a popsicle stick so we would not mess up a good spoon.  When the oil base was all liquid, we poured 1/2 of it in my flat plastic container and added my essential oil to individualize mine for me.  I also added the "secret ingredient" to mine.  It was a couple of teaspoons of cornstarch.  The cornstarch mixed in nicely and serves as a de-greaser of sorts... it prevents the lotion from being too greasy on the hands.

Journey wanted chocolate peppermint so she added peppermint essential oil and cocoa (the kind you have in the cupboard for baking).  Her cocoa, being a powder, worked the same way as the cornstarch did in mine.

Before bed I tried some of it on my hands and feet.  LOVE the results and also enjoyed the good smell of my Pure Joy as I went to sleep.  Imagine how good it would be to use Lavendar essential oil to use before bed!!

Here is my lotion in a used Beeswax Plastic container... not so pretty but organic, good for you, effective and almost edible!

Nice guess Rose and Joyce.. but not quite right.  :)

DIY - Homemade Firestarters

Nothing completes the suburban homestead better than a fire warming the room on a cold night.  I love my fireplace but have to buy wood every fall for burning all winter.  I suppose I could go cut down some trees in the timber somewhere and leave them somewhere to cure for a year or two but that has just not happened yet so I leverage my time elsewhere and buy wood.  Not being a good Girl Scout, I never did learn to start a fire without my handy Bic lighter and a "firestarter".  In seasons past, I purchased boxes of little compact "bricks" that would easily light and stay burning long enough to catch my wood on fire.  It always "burned me" to pay another $20 for a box of those firestarters that would last only a season, but I did not know any other way until I found this "recipe" that may interest you too!

Last night Journey and I made Firestarters out of materials we had around the house.  It was so much fun!  Kind of messy and a little time consuming but we got to spend time together and learn as we went.  Let me show you what we did.

We made two kinds of firestarters last night.   The first was made totally from trash and our trusty double boiler full of candle wax.  Any kind of wax will work.  Old crayons, old candle pieces, purchased parrafin, or in my case, old wax that I used to dip candles into.  You can add aromatic oils or color to your wax if you like.  The first type we made was constructed of DRYER LINT and Toilet Paper Rolls... just what we could find in the trash. 

Start by filling the toilet paper rolls with the dryer lint and a piece of string that will suffice as the wick for lighting.  I used a muffin cup paper to catch the overflow of wax, which worked well and will also burn.  Anything that burns can be used to fill your toilet paper rolls, like hair, lint, fabric... you name it. 

Keep in mind that it is Halloween season and the mustache that you see on her forehead was in the correct spot above her upper lip just a few minutes before this pic. She had a great time stuffing dryer lint and a wick into the toilet paper rolls.

After they had dryer lint stuffed in them we poured or ladeled hot melted wax into them... as they were sitting on end in a paper muffin cup.

Any kind of wax will do.  I happened to have some in a double boiler that was left over from candle making years ago.. you can even use old candles or pieces or broken crayons.  Anything flammable in your toilet paper roll and any kind of wax.  The wick sticking out can be any kind of fiber.. just enough to start the rest of it burning.

Here they are finished... not pretty but functional! 

Now on to the REALLY PRETTY AND NEAT ONES!!!!
I had some pine cones in a metal basket (for so many years they were dusty...) and some more downstairs in a plastic bag that almost got sold in the garage sale except no one else wanted them.  For some reason after the sale I thought I might use them for something some day so I put them back in the basement.

I gathered all of them and put Journey to work tying string to each of them at the top with a long enough tail to dip them into the melted wax.  We dipped them once into the wax, completely covering each of them and then held them above the wax pan while they drip-dried a little bit. 

When they were done dripping we put them on wax paper to dry a little bit and dipped another one.  We ended up dipping each of them twice into the hot wax to make them nice and coated.  When we were done dipping, we cut the "wick" off at about 2 inches so we could light them.  Because they are so dry and cured, they will burn nicely, the wax keeping them on fire until our logs catch too.





The look really pretty in the holder on the hearth of the fireplace and will stay handy there all winter.  They would also make great Christmas presents if you have family or friends with a fireplace.  Experiment with scents and colored waxes and let me know how yours turn out.  I really love my plain ones!

Homestead - Progress on the New Floor!

This city girl is sure grateful for things like electric sanders today.  Progress on the new floor in the family room is being made.  My poor husband has already spent hours on his knees laying the subfloor and Pergo boards and about 1/3 of the room is done already.

That is where we started.  It has meant lots of toting of boards, lots of time spent in demolition of carpet and padding and carting it out to the trash... and LOTS of furniture moving.  Since that room was full when we started, there is just no place to move everything so we have been working 1/2 the room at a time.

I am excited to see how it shapes up and looks when the floor is getting laid down.  So far, no injuries, but I am sure there will be some by the time we are done.  My job is to finish the baseboards.  After being pried off of the wall, the need sanding, puttying, and then painting before they can be re-installed on the wall beside the beautiful floor.

That reminds me why I am grateful today.  If I was a real pioneer woman, I would not have the wonderful electric sander to do the job in a jiffy, not to mention the nice hot shower at the end of every day, or the electricity that gives us light to keep working after dark, giving us more value in our day.  A New Suburban Pioneer is good enough for me!  I can have the best of all worlds!

Here is where we are at the end of today:

That is about 1/2 of the living area of our family room.  After this picture was taken we had to make sure all of our furniture had non-scratch felt on the feet before moving it over to the "finished" side so Mike could tear up the carpet, pad, tack strip, and baseboards of the other side.

We will be done in time for November entertaining, so if you are one of my in-town friends reading this blog, plan to visit me in November... I will be ready to entertain!

Do It Yourself - New Flooring

We have lived in our home for 10 years now.  It was a dream house to me when I bought it and still is but it has shown some signs of wear, children, pets, and just plain living, especially in the family room carpet.  The previous owners were a couple with no children or pets, as evidenced by their choice of family room carpet...  off white berber.  Ugh.  Let me tell you that by the time you raise children and suffer through aging pets in the room that you use most, that off-white berber shows some definite signs of it!  Even with frequent cleaning (and maybe because of frequent cleaning with detergents that trap and attract even more dirt), the carpet is not fit for entertaining. 

We always had intentions of replacing it but with the multiple blows of recent years to our incomes and re-adjusting our lives to be debt-free we have put off the replacement of the flooring in that room.  Not to mention, we wanted to wait until the last animal was gone from the house and the youngest was a little bit older.  I have refrained from entertaining the last few years because of the shape of the carpet in that room and been patiently waiting for the finances and stars to align for us to get it replaced.  NOW THE TIME HAS COME!!

I can't tell you how grateful I am!  I am not complaining a bit about having to wait for this day, because we feel it is important to make a big purchase like flooring WITHOUT using credit, but by paying for it with saved cash $.  In addition to that great reason for waiting, my tastes have changed significantly over the last few years and now instead of automatically buying new carpet, we are opting to put a wood floor down in that room.  We have chosen a rustic hickory Pergo flooring that we can put down ourselves in that room.  I am confident that it will be well worth the wait and I have a timeline to have it done by Thanksgiving!  I am GRATEFUL for opportunities like this to test my patience and serenity....

Here is what our family room looks like now, complete with little girl reading on couch. 

 In the picture below you can see the new floor boards up against the fireplace... they look so rich and wonderful!

 In this picture below, we have started to take up the carpet in the eastern half of the room and found a sub-floor of particle board underneath.  Since my talented husband spent a sizable amount of time as a flooring installer in his younger days, he will do all the work and do it well!  We will first place more boarding on top of the current sub-floor and then install the pergo flooring (already has a padding on the back) over the top of that floor. 

 This picture is a view of the hallway to the bathroom.  The family room is part of this and just to the left of the bar in the picture.  This hallway was the worst stained carpet.  Won't it look wonderful with a rich new wood floor?  I can't wait!  See my dehydrator there on the cutting board on the bar?  That is its permanent home.

In above picture you can see a close up of the flooring we chose laying up close to the back of the bar, which is paneled, and the cream baseboards.

I thought you might be interested in following our home improvement project as we hammer our fingers, step on carpet tacks, suffer through sore knees, paint, saw, fill our trash bin outside, and work to get this floor looking beautiful.  Pictures will be posted later as the project continues and is finished.