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• 18.5 oz. Pure Olive Oil (I bought a huge bottle from Costco)
• 12 oz. Coconut Oil
• 9 oz. Palm Oil
• 1 oz. Shea Butter
• 5.8 oz. Lye (Sodium Hydroxide)
• 13.5 oz. Water
• Stainless Steel Pot (doesn’t react to the lye)
• Jar or Stainless Steel Bowl (to mix the lye/water mixture)
• Bowl to Weigh Olive Oil
• Candy/Candle Making/Soap Making Thermometer
• Stirring Utensil
• Hand Blender
• Scale
• Soap Mold (wooden, plastic, or silicone – I prefer silicone)
• Cardboard Box to Cover Soap Mold

Step-By-Step Tutorial:

• Gather the supplies above.
• Put your pot on the scale and press the Tare/Zero button to clear it. You don’t have to use one this big, I just got a really good deal on this one so I thought I’d use it just for soap making.
• First add the Coconut Oil to the pot. Weigh out the exact amount.
• Then hit the Tare/Zero button to clear for the next ingredient.
• Next add the Palm Oil.
• Then press Tare/Zero to clear.
• Now add the Shea Butter.
• Press Tare/Zero to clear.
• Place the entire pot on the stove over low heat.
• To make the Lye/Water mixture, first add the water to a jar or stainless steel bowl. You MUST add the water first, do not add the Lye and then the water.
• Now measure out the lye in a bowl. When working with Lye be sure to wear protective eye wear and gloves. Be really careful because it’s poison and can really hurt you while it’s still in this state. So also be aware of what you’re using to stir with, what you’re putting it in, etc. and only use those things for soap making, if possible. Otherwise, clean them really well.
• Carefully pour the Lye into the water and stir. It will get really hot so use an oven mitt if you touch the sides or move the jar/bowl. Let this sit for now.
• At this point measure out the Olive Oil in a separate bowl and then pour into the pot on the stove.
• When the Lye/Water mixture cools down to about 110° then it’s ready to pour into the mixture. This will take a little while.
• Carefully, to prevent air bubbles and splashing, pour the Lye/Water mixture into the pot on the stove.
• Rotate between stirring with a hand blender and a spoon until it reaches a pancake batter consistency. Try to keep the blender underneath the surface to prevent air bubbles which will make the top of the soap flaky.
• Once it’s mixed thoroughly, pour into your mold. I simply bought a silicone cake pan and it is so easy because you don’t have to use freezer paper or anything, it comes right out of it.
• Once you’ve poured it, cover it with a cardboard box for about 24 hours until it’s hard and opaque.
• Clean everything REALLY well. Especially the stuff that came into contact with the Lye. If you can, only use these items for your soap making; but if you can’t, then just do your best to clean them really well and it should be fine.
• In 24 hours the soap is ready to cut. I got too many air bubbles in mine so the top layer is a little flaky. I just used a cheese grater to skim off the top and it’s fine though.
• Cutting is all up to how big you like them. First cut long ways.
• Then cut the other way to make good sized soap bars. I got about 18 medium sized bars out of this batch.
• I am just storing them in a small plastic bin. They need to cure for at least 4 weeks before you can use them.

• 5-10 Pieces of Scrapbook Paper
• Shamrock Cookie Cutter (or punches if you have them big enough)
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Thread
• Sewing Machine

Step-By-Step Tutorial:

• Gather the supplies above.
• If you can find a hole punch or die large enough, then that’s great and I would use that. I couldn’t find one big enough so I used a shamrock cookie cutter I already had and traced around it on the back of the paper. Then I cut it out with scissors.
• Using either the one you already cut out or the cookie cutter (whichever you think is easier) keep tracing on the back of the rest of your scrapbook sheets. I did this on about 5 sheets of standard scrapbook paper. But the garland didn’t go all the way to the ground around the doorway so you might want to use more.
• Cut them all out on different papers to make it more fun.
• Sew them together using a green thread to hide it as much as possible.
• Once you’re done hang them up with tape. I’m not sure about the longevity of these. If you use the tacky stuff that teachers use instead, you’ll probably be able to re-use them. Otherwise it might be hard to get the tape off without tearing them.
• Enjoy and be happy that you saved all that money on decorations. This would also be a great project to do with the kids.

Yarn Weights:

Common Names
- Thread - Cobweb - Lace - Fingering	- Sock - Fingering - Baby	- Sport - Baby	- DK - Light Worsted	- Worsted - Afghan, Aran	- Chunky - Craft - Rug	- Bulky - Roving
Common Uses
- Lace Knitting	- Light Layettes - Socks	- Light Sweaters - Baby Items - Accessories	- Sweaters - Other Garments - Lightweight Scarves	- Sweaters - Blankets- Outdoor Wear	- Rugs - Jackets - Blankets	- Heavy Blankets - Rugs - Sweaters
Crochet Guage* Ranges in Single Crochet to 4 inch
32–42 double crochets	21–32 sts	16–20 sts	12–17 sts	11–14 sts	8–11 sts	5-9 sts
Recommended Crochet Hook Size
1.6–1.4 mm* 6, 7, 8, B–1* (* Steel)	2.25-3.5 mm B–1 to E–4	3.5-4.5 mm E–4 to 7	4.5-5.5 mm 7 to I–9	5.5-6.5 mm I–9 to K–10.5	6.5-9 mm K–10.5 to M–13	9 mm and up M–13 and up

Crochet Hook Sizes:

• Interfacing (to make a simple pattern with)
• Sturdy Outside Material (probably about 1-2 yards will be good)
• Soft Lining Material (same amount as the outside)
• Batting (same amount as the two materials)
• Heavyweight Roping Material (for Handle)
• Thread, Scissors, Sewing Machine – the usual

Step-By-Step Tutorial:

• Gather the materials above.
• On the interfacing make an outline of your laptop, leaving a little space around the edges.
• Then add about ½” or so for the seam allowance around the tracing of the laptop. Also add directions on the pattern for yourself for later. The only thing that’s wrong on this pattern is that I cut 4 of the batting instead of 2.
• For the edges of the laptop bag I measured the width of the widest point and made a strip that long. Then I measured how long it is around 3 edges and made the pattern half of that. Then I instructed on the pattern to cut on a fold (so that when you open up the fold it is the length of the 3 edges). Be sure to add for seam allowances too.
• Layout both of the patterns on the material where you want them. Keep in mind the direction of the pattern.
• Cut these out. You’ll need 2 of the squares for the outside material and one on the fold of the long piece.
• Do the same thing with the lining – you’ll need the same amount of the lining as the outside material.
• Lastly do the same thing with the batting; however, cut 4 of the squares and 2 of the long pieces (both on the fold).
• Now, to make the sleeve a little more stiff we’re going to cut a piece of the top of a box to slide into the sides. You don’t have to do this, but I thought it added something extra. Plus, I always have boxes lying around. Cut two, the size of the large square pattern.
• Trim them down to be inside the seam allowances (later I actually had to cut it down even more to keep it from poking out the corners so keep that in mind for later).
• From the handle material you got, cut this strip in half. I think I got about maybe 12″ or so of this so cut them into 6″ strips. Basically I just folded them in half and estimated a good size for a handle.
• Sew the handles on the right side of the outside material with a little hanging over the edge. So now, when you flip in that seam to hem, the edges of the handle will go inside the bag and be hidden.
• Pin the long piece right sides together around three sides of the rectangle. Be sure to keep the handle on the top part where it will stay open.
• Sew this together.
• Then sew the other rectangle around the edges of the long piece as well (right sides together), so you have a pouch now.
• Do the same thing with the lining material.
• For the batting material you’re going to do pretty much the same thing, but this time you’re going to put two pieces of the rectangle pieces together and two of the edges. This just creates more cushion and you’re going to be putting the cardboard between the two pieces of batting on the sides.
• Then sew the other side just like you did for the outer material and the lining material – but with two pieces of batting instead of one. Now you should have 4 layers of batting.
• Flip the outside material right side out, then put the batting material inside that (it doesn’t matter if it’s right side or wrong side out). Finally put the lining material inside the batting material with the right side facing up so that when you look inside you don’t see any seams.
• Place the cardboard pieces inside each side of the sleeves, in between the two layers of batting.
• Fold the outside material and the lining material in towards each other and pin so that you see no more raw edges.
• You’re gonna hate this, but now hand sew all the way around the top (I didn’t end up using the zipper on this). I know it sucks, but just sit back and watch something you enjoy while you do it.
• All done! Put your laptop inside and carry her around.

Taco Seasoning:

Ingredients:

• 1 tbs. chili powder
• ¼ tsp. garlic powder
• ¼ tsp. onion powder
• ¼ tsp. dried oregano
• ½ tsp. paprika
• 1½ tsp. ground cumin
• ½ tsp. sea salt
• 1 tsp. black pepper

Directions:

• Mix all ingredients together in an airtight jar. (I multiplied the recipe above by 10)
• Add 3 tbs. of mixture above, 1/2 tbs. of flour, and 2/3 cup of water to 1 lb. of ground beef.

Hamburger Helper:

Ingredients:

• 1¼ tsp. black pepper
• 1 tbs. garlic powder
• 2 tbs. dried parsley
• ⅓ cup instant onion
• 3 tbs. onion powder
• 1 tbs. salt
• 1⅔ cup dry milk
• 3½ tbs. beef bouillon

Directions:

• Mix all ingredients together in an airtight jar. (The above ingredients will make a good amount)
• Add ½ cup of mixture above, 2 cups of water, and 2 cups of noodles to 1 lb. of ground beef.
• Bring to a boil , then turn down and simmer for about 20 minutes.
• Cheeseburger: Add 1 cup dehydrated cheese with the dry mix. Or cook as above, then stir in 2 cups grated Cheddar or Colby cheese before serving.
• Stroganoff: Add ½ tsp. of onion powder and ½ tsp. celery salt with the dry mix. Stir in a ½ cup fresh or canned mushrooms. After cooking noodles, stir in ¼ cup sour cream just before serving.
• Chili: Add one 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, 1 tbs. chili powder.
• Potato: Instead of macaroni, add 2-3 cups very thinly sliced potatoes. Simmer 20-30 minutes until potatoes are tender. Uncover and simmer until liquid has evaporated.

Shake ‘N Bake:

Ingredients:

• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ¼ teaspoon sage
• ¼teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:

• Mix all ingredients together in an airtight jar. (I multiple the above recipe by about 5)
• Preheat oven to 450°.
• Add about ½ cup of mixture to a bag. Add chicken parts (one by one usually works best) to the bag and shake well until completely coated.
• Melt ½ cup of butter in a 9×13 in. pan in the preheated oven.
• Add coated chicken to the pan and cook for 20 minutes.
• Flip chicken over and cook for another 20 minutes.

What you’ll need

How I divide the hampers…

Laundry day…

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• Old Towel
• Thicker Material (like vinyl) – Check for remnants!
• Scissors
• Thread
• Sewing Machine
• Stuffing (I decided not to use the foam pictured)
• Interfacing or Paper (if you want to make a pattern of it)

Step-By-Step Tutorial:

• Gather the materials above.
• Trace around an old pair of slippers (or your foot if you don’t have an old pair you want to use).
• Trace over the pencil with marker and include instructions on the pattern piece.
• Be sure to add a seam allowance (about ½” is good) and cut it out.
• Do the same thing with the other foot.
• Trace the same thing again and then cut it in half (this will be the top of the slipper.
• Do the same thing with the other slipper.
• Cut out both of these, on the fold. I forgot to add seam allowances to these so I cut about &frac12″ out from the pattern.
• Cut out the inside of the slippers on the towel material. You just need one of each of these.
• Do the same thing with the vinyl material.
• Sew the open area of the top (wrong sides together) of the slipper together.
• Sew all the way around, leaving a small opening so you can flip it right side out.
• Do the same thing with the other top of the slipper.
• Flip the top of the slipper right side out.
• Sew the opening together by hand.
• Do the same thing with the other top.
• Now pin the vinyl piece and the bottom inside towel piece right sides together.
• Sew all the way around, leaving a small opening so you can flip it right side out.
• Flip the bottom right side out through the opening you left.
• Do the same with the left slipper.
• Fill with stuffing to make a nice soft bottom for your feet.
• Pin together the opening by folding the outside in.
• Sew the opening together by hand.
• Repeat with the other slipper.
• Now pin the top of the slipper to the bottom of the slipper like so.
• Sew the top to the bottom by hand, leaving an opening for your foot! Note: You could use a sewing machine if you have one that will allow that thick of material to go through; but sadly, I don’t have one that will.
• Repeat with the other slipper.
• You’re done! Now you have a new pair of slippers from an old towel. Enjoy and be comfy.

• Old Candles (keep colors and scents similar)
• Pouring Pot
• Deep Pot (to place pouring pot or jar candle into)
• Stirring Utensil
• Mold(s)
• Mold Release
• Wick Pins
• Wicks

Step-By-Step Tutorial:

• Gather the supplies above.
• If you’re melting a jar candle to reuse then insert the jar directly into the pot filled with water. Otherwise, insert the candles you’re melting down into the pouring pot and place the pouring pot into the pot filled with water. I am using a jar candle that no longer lights because the wick got buried. If you can, remove the wicks that are in the candle(s) already. If not, you’ll be able to fetch it out later. I’ll be making votives out of it (the molds aren’t pictured though).
• Melt wax down completely, stirring as necessary.
• After the wax is completely melted, pour it into the pouring pot (to make pouring into the molds easier).
• Prepare your molds – place wick pins and spray with mold release (I use cooking spray for my mold release).
• Pour the first pour and set the remaining wax aside for now.
• When the candles are mostly dry, but not completely then melt the remaining wax in the same way you did the first time.
• Pour the second pour to fix the little bowl that’s made the first pour.
• I ended up having enough wax for two more votives, so I poured those also.
• I then poured the second pour for the last two and topped off the others also.
• Remove from molds and place wicks.
• Enjoy your recycled candles!

• 3 8′ 2″x4″ Boards
• 2½” Screws
• Drill (you can use a screwdriver, but it’ll take longer )
• Table Saw (hack saw, or whatever you’re comfortable cutting with)
• Tape Measure
• Speed Square
• Pencil

Step-By-Step Tutorial:

• Gather the supplies above.
• For the first 2″x4″ you’ll need to cut the 8′ piece in half so you have two 4′ pieces.
• Using the tape measure on the next 2″x4″, make a mark at 3′…
• …and make a mark at 6′. You’ll also need another 3′ from the last 2″x4″.
• Cut the 3′ pieces. You’ll need to have 4 total. Also cut two 2′ pieces as well from the last 2″x4″.
• Put the two 4′ pieces together like so.
• Then screw them together.
• Next take one of the 3′ pieces and screw it to the 4′ pieces you just screwed together at an angel, like this.
• Continue doing this for the other 3′ pieces. We found that it worked best to do one side, then stand it up and do the other end standing up with someone holding it up. This prevented it from being wobbly and kept the legs even.
• Keep going until you have all 4 legs on.
• To make it a little more sturdy, add a brace (the 2′ pieces) on the bottom of both ends.
• Attach the brace to the other side as well and you’re done!
• When you’re done, enjoy! Thanks to my hubby for helping me out with this one. He had the idea and this is him enjoying his hard work.

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