I have something very special for you…

Handcrafted natural soap!

I’ve been using soap as a body wash of and on for many years. I really liked the idea of bathing with something more natural and using something less expensive than a liquid body wash.

But…there was one problem. Every soap I used made my skin dry and itchy. Not exactly what I was going for!

Then I tried Eco Natural Soap. Wow, what a difference!  This soap makes my skin soft and clean…with no nasty chemicals!

Eco Natural Soap is a family run business. So when you buy from them you are supporting a business you can feel great about.

Alan has been generous enough to give away your choice of 2 bars of soap and 1 hand balm!

It’s easy to enter to win…

For one entry just head over to www.econaturalsoap.com and tell me what products you’d pick if you won.

You get one extra entry for each thing you do. Please leave a separate comment for each so your chance of winning increases!

1. Tweet about the giveaway

2. Subscribe to Heaven In The Home

3. Let others know about the giveaway on Facebook

Free natural soap…that Works For Me!

The giveaway will end on May 15, 2010.

Want to save more of this?

I’ve found a great resource for organic coupons!

There are coupons for food and also for body care.  Just click the coupon to add it to your print page, click print on your computer and save lots of money at the store!

I have been trying to compile a list of what foods are in season each month.  Not only will the food taste better, but it will be a lot less expensive!  I was giddy when this little gem showed up in my Google reader…

Chart by Leon

(The chart was made by the Leon restaurant chain in London, but since British weather is very similar to the climate of most of North America, it works well for most of us.)

You can get your own chart here…for free!

Have you ever bought something and then seen the same thing a week later….on sale?  I have and it’s really frustrating, especially for big ticket items!

I just ran across a great post that shows what months that certain groups of items are on sale.  You can check it out here at Life Hacker. You can thank me later. {wink}

Now, dear reader, how do you find good sales?  I can use all the help I can get!

For more Q & A head over to Works For Me Wednesday at We Are THAT Family.

Better Homes and Gardens

I really like having the right tool for a job…problem is sometimes that tool is no where to be seen.  So, what’s a thrifty gal to do?

Improvise!

Over the years I have learned some tips and tricks that can make cooking much easier.   And when it comes to cooking easier is always better!

Here are some the tips that have helped me:

(These first two are from my Mother. Thanks!)

1. Whenever you need to cut something sticky, like brownies, use a plastic knife.  For some reason the goo doesn’t stick to plastic like it would to a metal knife.  Go figure.

2.  Need to cut a cake into layers?  Use un-flavored dental floss.  Use about 12″, pull tight, get behind the cake and “saw” the floss toward you.  The cake will cut easily and there will be very few crumbs.

3. Do you have a pastry cutter?  Think it’s a single use tool?  Think again!  Use it to cut up eggs for egg salad and keep avocados a little chunky for guacamole.

4.  Need to cool something down in a hurry?  Fill your sink with cold water and add some ice cubes.  Set your pot down in the water and stir.  Your food will cool down quickly.

5. Coffee maker broken?  Try this rustic cup of joe.  First boil some water and put a paper towel into a small strainer.  Next put about 2 tablespoons of ground coffee into the paper towel.  Finally, hold the strainer over your mug and pour the water over the grounds.  Dump the grounds and paper towel into the trash and enjoy your coffee!

Do you have any tips that help you in the kitchen?  Please share!

For more great tips, go to Works For Me Wednesday!

I grew up eating sauerkraut from a can.  I liked it pretty well, but then I was introduced to REAL sauerkraut!  I’m talking about lacto-fermented sauerkraut, alive and health-giving.   There’s no way to describe the difference between canned sauerkraut and fresh, real sauerkraut!

(I haven’t taken any pictures of my sauerkraut, so I’ll give you a few links that explain the process.)

(It’s important to remember that these new ways of eating and cooking get so much easier with time.  So, if things feel awkward at first, don’t be concerned. )

Crystal Miller shares: How to make sauerkraut-Step by Step.

Debbie Apple shows how she makes sauerkraut.

Have you ever made sauerkraut?  Do you make other fermented veggies or have a favorite recipe to share?

Go to Food Renegade for Fight Back Friday to learn more about great food!

Fashion has always interested me.  One of the (many) things I wanted to be, growing up, was a fashion designer and model.  When I was thirteen I got to have one of my dreams come true….I went to modeling school!  ( I may even share some pictures from back then.)

We found a Christian modeling agency near us and I had such a great time.  Even though that seems like a long time ago, I still enjoy fashion and modeling.  ( I just think it’s sad how raunchy modeling has become.)

Pantone has the new fall fashion colors available for download here.  You can see the new colors as well as get some budget friendly advice about updating your wardrobe for fall!

By knowing what the “new” colors will be for fall, you can scout out your local thrift store, find the colors there and still stay in budget!

So are you excited about changing to fall clothes?  What season do you enjoy dressing for the most?

For more great tips visit Works For Me Wednesdays hosted by We Are THAT Family!

“The way to wealth is as plain as the way to market. It depends chiefly on two words, industry and frugality: that is, waste neither time nor money, but make the best use of both. Without industry and frugality nothing will do, and with them everything.”

Benjamin Franklin

I grew up eating wild mushrooms called Morels.  They are some of the most delicious things you will ever put into your mouth!

They grow better in the Northern states, but we still find a few in Middle Tennessee.

This is Matthew, our son, holding a Morel mushroom we found in our yard last year.  One of two…not quite enough to eat!

I had been doing some research on edible plants and mushrooms in our area, so Matthew and I went on a search in the woods around our house to see what we could find.  We found a tree that had fallen, but the large stump was still standing. On that stump we found… Oyster Mushrooms!  There are no look alikes in the US, so we were sure that we had the real deal.

This is what we harvested…about four pounds of free, tasty, gourmet mushrooms!

The best way that we have found to eat Morel and Oyster mushrooms is to gently pan fry them in butter.

After we harvested them, I put them in salt water to get rid of any bugs.  I rinsed them off gently and carefully.  Next I put them into a zip-top bag and coated them in flour.  Then I fried them in butter and salted them to taste.  They were so good!

The next time you go to the grocery, look at the gourmet mushroom mixes.  I bet you’ll see small oyster mushrooms in there!

For more information check out these sites:

General Mushroom Info

Edible Wild Mushrooms

(Time for the disclaimer:  Do your own research. Make sure you are harvesting in a clean area, not by a road, because mushrooms absorb heavy metals and toxins.  Don’t eat any mushrooms that you aren’t ABSOLUTELY  SURE are safe.)

For more real food fun visit REAL FOOD WEDNESDAY!

Wool Dryer Balls From Good Mama

My Mother in law just gave me some wool dryer balls that my aunt made.  I’ve been wanting to make these for a while, but have never taken the time to do it!

I used them on the mountain of laundry that I washed yesterday and they worked really well.  My aunt said that when she uses 8-10 of them she is able to cut her drying time in half!

Saving money and having no static cling… naturally, that Works For Me!

If you want to make your own dryer balls, GoodMama has the instructions!

Be sure to check back on Friday for the latest L. Herbert Design prints that will be featured at Nesting Place!

Want to win a free print from my store?  A High And Noble Calling is hosting a giveaway!