Natural Living Articles & Tutorials

Thanks to a European influence on my side of the family, I grew up celebrating the tradition of St. Nicholas Day on December 6th. Many people just know St. Nicholas by the name of Santa Claus. While the modern figure of Santa derives from St. Nick, you’d hardly find this patron saint of children making …

Cyber Monday is a day when many online companies offer their best sales of the year. I’ve found some great deals this year! I’m stocking up on pantry essentials, supplements, and some other gifts for everyone on my list. In fact, my Christmas shopping is almost done… now I just have to pull the Advent …

I constantly strive to make the holidays less stressful and more enjoyable. In an effort to pare down on the holiday craziness, I vowed to give experiences instead of stuff whenever possible. I’ll give only a couple of high-quality gifts instead of lots of cheap ones that break the next day. This lessens the focus …

I’ve never understood it… the idea of running out early on holiday celebrations with family to go shopping for Black Friday sale gifts for those same people! No judgment from me if that’s your thing, but this year, why not have the turkey and eat it too? (Literally and figuratively). I’m doing my early shopping …

I’ve shared my holiday gift guide, but many of you have asked for a gift guide of unusual ideas that aren’t the normal kitchen gear, clothing, and toys. This list of gift ideas is just that… a compilation of unusual and creative ideas that your recipient definitely won’t already have! All of these gifts are …

Back when my girls were younger my oldest daughter came up with the idea to make reusable cloth gift bags. They had fun making them together and we’ve kept up the tradition of using Christmas gift bags to wrap our presents in. Here’s the tutorial for how to make your own easy holiday gift bags …

I don’t know about you, but this year I’m thinking about the holidays a little earlier than usual — in part for something nice to look forward to, and on a practical level just to make sure everything gets here on time! Many companies are offering holiday deals earlier than ever to allow for extended …

Between friends, family, and employees, I’ve come up with a lot of gift ideas over the years. Christmas gifts for men are some of the trickiest to come up with, but I’ve managed to find plenty of great ones that meet my standards. The following thoughtful gifts are ones he’ll actually use and enjoy! Best …

At Christmas time our family focuses on the joy of Christmas and acts of service. But that doesn’t mean we don’t also give holiday gifts! These gift ideas for kids are perfect for Christmas, birthdays, or any other time you need a special kid’s gift. If you’re looking for an age-appropriate gift to add to …

As a mom, I’ve been given plenty of gifts over the years. But it can be tricky to find the perfect gifts for the women in your life. This gift guide has holiday gifts for moms, sisters, aunts, wives, BFFs, and every other woman on your list. While you’re at it, don’t forget to get …

Veggie noodles are an awesome alternative to pasta — they’re great if you have a gluten sensitivity and avoid it or if you want to add more vegetables to your family’s diet. Plus, the kids can help make them, which is always an added bonus! There are so many reasons why I love to make …

We’ve switched to organic bedding, but organic pillows can be expensive. One less expensive solution I’ve found is to make our own organic buckwheat pillows. These use organic buckwheat hulls (and optional herbs) for a very comfortable and natural pillow. If you can sew a (somewhat) straight line, you can make these pillows and I …

Making the switch to homemade grout cleaner and natural tile cleaner is incredibly easy and very inexpensive. You likely already have all the things you need. And they’re more effective (in my opinion) than many store-bought alternatives. You also don’t have to worry about your kids bathing in a chemical cocktail after you clean the …

In my house, even when we used to use commercial cleaning products, stains are a fact of life. I’ll likely never be able to give away hand-me-downs. By the time clothes have made it through my kids, they either have holes or stains that can’t be fixed. Of all the stain removers out there, OxiClean …

I’m a big fan of diffusing essential oils in our home. And in fact, I’ve tried quite a few different diffusers over the years to make our home smell great. A DIY reed diffuser is one way to get the gentle scent and aromatherapy benefits in a stylish way. Why Use an Essential Oil Reed …

Few things impress a child more than mixing a little of this and that to make one of their favorite toys in minutes. My kids loved playing with playdough when they were younger, and my littlest still does. I came up with this fun gluten-free playdough recipe for squishy sensory play, sans gluten. Why Make …

Once upon a time, I was a single college student in a one-room dorm and it didn’t take much to keep it clean. Fast forward a few years and I had a few kids who weren’t so neat and orderly! I needed an all-purpose cleaner that worked, STAT! A Natural Way to Clean As a …

Several years ago I made some reusable produce bags for when I’m at the grocery store or farmer’s market. While they’re great for smaller items I wanted something a little bigger. And they had to be easy to make! Here’s how to make T-shirt bags that you can use while grocery shopping, at the beach, …

What do you do for gifts when the man in your life is hard to shop for? I’ve been trying to answer that question for years. It always seems tougher to find good gift ideas for men than it does for women. Men usually aren’t as happy with some herbal tea and a new skein of …

Chiggers, along with lice, are some of our least favorite creatures. Imagine there was a tiny monster in the same family as scorpions and spiders. It was so tiny, in fact, that you could barely see it without a microscope. Yet, this tiny creature was capable of causing insanity-inducing itchy skin. These creatures exist and …

A little research on starting a backyard garden will quickly show there are many (maybe too many?) ways of garden planning. I’ve tried many methods of organic gardening over the years, like companion planting and crop rotation. One of the best for small spaces has been square foot gardening. The square foot gardening method makes …

Sometimes it seems like going outside for a family meal can mean we’re the ones on the menu. If you’re tired of mosquitos and other annoying pests, then try these homemade citronella candles. That way you can eat your grilled chicken in peace! Citronella scented candles are a safe, non-toxic way to beat back mosquitos …

For many people, visions of bats may conjure up creepy ideas of bloodsucking rodents (they aren’t rodents). We live in an area with a lot of natural caves. This gives us many opportunities to learn about bats and how they influence our environment. If you’ve never thought about trying to attract bats to your backyard or considered building …