Homemade lip balm recipe

Ahhhhh it's that time of year again.... Cold and blustery.... Mixed rain and snow.... Dry skin, chapped lips and creaking bones...
I'm not big on most of the high priced body butters, lotions, balms and such that most folks are shelling out big bucks for at department stores and natural markets. Over the years I have developed and been using simple made at home recipes :) So much more cost effective and my favorite part is that I am in control of what goes into it.
I want to share a few recipes I've developed but don't want an excessively loooooong post so I'll go at this one recipe at a time!

So here's my simple lip balm recipe:

1.5 oz beeswax
1.5 oz cocoa butter
1 oz Shea butter
1 oz castor oil
1.5 oz sweet almond oil
1 tsp vitamin e oil

I use a starfrit kitchen scale and put my 2 cup glass measuring cup on the scale... Then hit tare... Then I add each ingredient in the order I wrote down here, hitting tare in between each addition. Then place the measuring cup into a small saucepan half full with simmering water. When everything is melted you are done the base. From here you can add flavour oils, some honey for sweetness, essential oils, or leave it as is. I typically remove some of the base to a smaller bowl and add essential oil before putting it into containers... I find that you can reuse old Chapstick containers once you've washed them with hot water and soap... Or you can find lots of online stores with new lip balm tubes and tins.



*you can adjust the recipe to your liking by substituting different oils and butters.... Don't have sweet almond? Use hemp seed oil... Don't have Shea butter? Use mango butter.... Try experimenting! Come up with your own signature recipe!
**my oldest daughter likes a tint in her balm! Here we added a sliver of lipstick to the base and made a layered balm... Each layer has a different scent and colour!

Next post I will put up a recipe for a moisturizing whipped body butter that can also be left unwhipped and poured into tubes to create a solid lotion stick.

Shameless Promotion of an Etsy Community

I am so incredibly happy to be part of a diverse, thoughtful and supportive online community on Etsy called the Alberta Street Team. It's a wonderful network of talented Albertans (and even some folks who aren't here anymore but have a connection with this province). Twice a year (spring and fall) we have a big group sale where participants offer deals in their Etsy shops. As the team grows, the list gets longer! Lets show some support and get shopping! I know I have my eye on a few things ;) If you buy something, c'mon back and let me know what you bought, I'm snoopy like that. Lol!

ALBERTA TEAM FALL SALE
*Please check all Shop Announcements for Specific Sale Details*

Accessories, Clothing, Bags and Purses
www.etsy.com/shop/DearAnge 10% off excluding custom orders (code TEAMSALE)
www.etsy.com/shop/nanabrowns 20% off (code TWENTY)
www.etsy.com/shop/ecsquared 15% off (code TAKE15)
www.etsy.com/shop/DonnaDStore 20% off excluding custom (code FALL2012)
www.etsy.com/shop/VinAlly 15% off (code ALBERTATEAM15)
www.etsy.com/shop/CoutuKitsch 15% off (code FALLSALE15)
www.etsy.com/delectablydeviant 15% off (code FIFTEEN)
www.etsy.com/shop/Sybillinart 10% off (code FALLSALE)
www.etsy.com/shop/hopscotchboutique 15% off (code ALBERTA2012)
www.etsy.com/shop/WarhorseStudios 10% off (code FALL2012)
www.etsy.com/poppyandmum 20% off excluding custom & wholesale (code FALLSALE2012)
www.etsy.com/shop/hooped 15% off (code 2012FALLSALE)

Art, Fine Art, Photography, Home Decor and Housewares
www.etsy.com/shop/doodledewdesigns 15% off (code ALBERTATEAM15)
www.etsy.com/shop/MagpieQuilts 10% off (code FALL2012)
www.etsy.com/shop/TheLittleShopaholic 20% off (code 20FALLOFF)
www.etsy.com/shop/VinAlly 15% off (code ALBERTATEAM15)
www.etsy.com/shop/SnowmanCollector 10% off (code FALL2012)
www.etsy.com/shop/mosaicsbymargo 20% off (code SALETIME)
www.etsy.com/shop/laughterandsand $5, $10, $20 Sale Sections
www.etsy.com/shop/HornCatCreations 25% off (code FALL2012)
www.etsy.com/shop/wildeyessigns Buy 2, Get 1 Free (see shop announcement)
www.etsy.com/shop/JamiesBeads 15% off (code 15OFFJAMIESBEADS)
www.etsy.com/shop/MollyandVi 10% off (code ABFALLSALE10)
www.etsy.com/shop/CoconutPalmDesigns 20% off including custom (code ALBERTASALE20)
www.etsy.com/shop/j2studiosphotography 20% off
www.etsy.com/shop/xheather 10% off excludes custom over $50 (code FALL2012)
www.etsy.com/shop/PolargirlVintage 15% off and local pickup (code VINTAGE15)
www.etsy.com/shop/DottyDesign 15% off (code DOTTYFALLSALE)
www.etsy.com/shop/Sybillinart 10% off (code FALLSALE)

Bath, Beauty, Edibles and Pets
www.etsy.com/shop/AHSC 15% off (code FALLSALE)
www.etsy.com/shop/Maplecreeksoap 20% off (code TWENTY)

Ceramics, Pottery, Glass, Crochet, Knitting, Needlecraft and Quilts
www.etsy.com/shop/juliechristie free shipping (code SHIPFREETOME)
www.etsy.com/shop/MagpieQuilts 10% off (code FALL2012)
www.etsy.com/shop/BlueTopazStitchery 10% off (code FALL2012)
www.etsy.com/shop/CustomCottonEtc See Sale Section
www.etsy.com/shop/kimberleyscrafts 10% off (code ATEAM10)
www.etsy.com/shop/TheWickedPotter 10% off (code FALLSALE10)
www.etsy.com/shop/castillejacotton 15% off excludes special orders (code FALL15)

Children and Toys
www.etsy.com/shop/nanabrowns 20% off (code TWENTY)
www.etsy.com/shop/BareNecessitiesKids 10% off excludes custom & coupons (code FALL2012)
www.etsy.com/shop/laughterandsand $5, $10, $20 Sale Sections
www.etsy.com/shop/wildeyessigns Buy 2, Get 1 Free (see shop announcement)
www.etsy.com/shop/hopscotchboutique 15% off (code ALBERTA2012)
www.etsy.com/shop/littlegoldenbirdie 20% off (code FALL2012)
www.etsy.com/poppyandmum 20% off excluding custom & wholesale (code FALLSALE2012)
www.etsy.com/shop/kimberleyscrafts 10% off (code ATEAM10)
www.etsy.com/shop/CoconutPalmDesigns 20% off including custom (code ALBERTASALE20)
www.etsy.com/shop/BabySassBabyStuff 10% off (code FALL2012)
www.etsy.com/shop/BirdieAndDot 15% off (code FALLSALE)
www.etsy.com/shop/DewdropDreams2012 10% off (code FALL2012)

Jewelry
www.etsy.com/shop/RedGingerDesigns 20% off (code ALBERTAFALL20)
www.etsy.com/shop/juliechristie free shipping (code SHIPFREETOME)
www.etsy.com/shop/DonnaDStore 20% off excluding custom (code FALL2012)
www.etsy.com/shop/DearAnge 10% off excluding custom (code TEAMSALE)
www.etsy.com/delectablydeviant 15% off (code FIFTEEN)
www.etsy.com/stonewillowjewellery 15% off regular priced items (code SALE15)
www.etsy.com/shop/CoutuKitsch 15% off (code FALLSALE15)
www.etsy.com/shop/junquete 10% off (code FALLSALE10OFF)
www.etsy.com/shop/TheWickedPotter 10% off (code FALLSALE10)
www.etsy.com/shop/DottyDesign 15% off (code DOTTYFALLSALE)
www.etsy.com/shop/WarhorseStudios 10% off (code FALL2012)
www.etsy.com/shop/JamiesBeads 15% off (code 15OFFJAMIESBEADS)
www.etsy.com/shop/DubbeleDutch 10% off (code ABTEAM10OFF)
www.etsy.com/shop/rozzie 15% off excluding custom (code FALLSALE2012)
www.etsy.com/shop/hooped 15% off (code 2012FALLSALE)
www.etsy.com/shop/TheWickedShop 15% off (code FALLSALE15)
www.etsy.com/shop/mosaicsbymargo 20% off (code SALETIME)
www.etsy.com/shop/BirdieAndDot 15% off (code FALLSALE)

Paper Goods
www.etsy.com/shop/mygrandpaspen 20% off excludes custom (code FALLSALE20)
www.etsy.com/shop/doodledewdesigns 15% off (code ALBERTATEAM15)
www.etsy.com/shop/TheLittleShopaholic 20% off (code 20FALLOFF)
www.etsy.com/shop/mycraftsbydeb 20% off (code FALLSALE2012)
www.cherscustomcubby.etsy.com 15% off (code ABTEAM15)
www.etsy.com/shop/TheWickedShop 15% off (code FALLSALE15)
www.etsy.com/shop/squirrelstock Reduced Prices (gift with TEAMSALE mention)
www.etsy.com/shop/HornCatCreations 25% off (code FALL2012)
www.etsy.com/shop/symatadesigns 10% off excluding custom (code FALL2012)

Supplies, Vintage, Bridal, Wedding and Celebrations
www.etsy.com/shop/mygrandpaspen 20% off excludes custom (code FALLSALE20)
www.etsy.com/shop/junquete 10% off (code FALLSALE10OFF)
www.etsy.com/shop/CustomCottonEtc See Sale Section
www.etsy.com/shop/PolargirlVintage 15% off and local pickup (code VINTAGE15)
www.etsy.com/shop/rozzie 15% off excluding custom (code FALLSALE2012)
www.etsy.com/shop/squirrelstock Reduced Prices (gift with TEAMSALE mention)


Thanks for checking them out.

Oh, almost forgot..... Here are a couple of collage type photos of some things I've made lately :)

Turkey Day!

Okay.... Progress.
So let's move forward to the day of the big turkey feast...
Remove your turkey from the brine and rinse it really well with cold water.... you are removing the excess salts that are sitting on the surface of the turkey. If you skip this step (which I arrogantly have.... once.... I love salt and I thought it would be good...) it basically ruins any chance you have of making a decent gravy.
Okay.... Phew, that was work. Now pat it dry. I use paper towel.
Now.... You've already infused loads of flavour so season it if you like.... stuff it if you like... but don't add salt.
Next I place my turkey in the roaster and wrap it up in bacon.
And that's that. Now you can roast it.
I am doing a trial run with a stand alone roasting oven... It's my Mom's, thanks Mom! If I like it I might buy one. It will free up my oven for side dishes.

So, Happy Thanksgiving!
Enjoy your turkey and be thankful.

Happy Thanksgiving

With my favorite meal of the year rapidly approaching I thought I would take a moment to document the process as I go.
So..... With 2 prep days to go before I make turkey dinner I make a homemade brine.... Yes, I brine my turkey :) I find that it makes a very noticeable difference in the taste and texture of the meat.
Here's what I used this year... And I say this year, because cooking is an adventure to me and I'm always making improvements and alterations to recipes until they are perfect...
Basically, a brine comes down to this: equal(ish) amounts of salt and sugar dissolved in water... You can add whatever spices you like to infuse your turkey with flavour.
I used 1 1/2 cups of kosher salt and the same amount of brown sugar. I put this in my large stock pot with a gallon of water.
Here comes the fun part. Adding the flavours that will make my turkey the tastiest one ever.
2 apples - quarted and seeds removes
The zest of 1 lemon
1 tbsp whole cloves
2 tbsp mixed peppercorns
8 bay leaves
1 fistful of sage from my garden
2 whole star anise
1 dash of ground cinnamon
1 tsp smoked salt
1 fistful of lemon thyme from my garden
1 fistful of rosemary from my garden

Put all of this yummy flavour in the stock pot and bring it to a boil. After it boils for a couple minutes, turn the heat off and let it cool to room temperature before refrigerating it. You will want your brine to be cold before adding the turkey!
So.... Now my brine is cooling down.
Looks good, eh?

My Free Pot Giveaway Experience

I have been absent for some time here.... you know how life gets in the way sometimes, right? OK.... am I forgiven? Great :)

I have spent a great deal of time in my basement... (crawl space in a split level....) As some of you may know, these perfectly usable storage areas in split levels suffer from one major flaw... they become black holes where you just keep adding things... like bankers boxes full of papers you 'need' to keep (read: kids doodles, drawings, paintings, report cards and paid utility bills), clothes that don't fit, decorations for every holiday you celebrate, winter clothes, summer clothes, sporting goods, that old tube TV that you thought you'd keep just in case this new fangled flat screen technology wasn't built to last like they did in the good 'ole days, a couch, a wagon, building materials from a renovation that never quite got finished, touch up paint, a couch, a VERY big spider with fangs and other assorted sundry items... OKAY. Enough, right? You get the idea.
Amidst all of this stuff I discovered an old pot.
I loved this pot. At one point in my life this was my 'go to' pot. It was perfect for boiling water for pasta, making homemade soup and it has held many a mean pot of chili.
Alas, a few years back I bought a new set and this fabulous pot got shuffled into my crawl space only to reappear during my recent purge.
I decided to give it away using kijiji free ads. Seemed simple enough. Post photo with description and wait for people to line up begging for this amazing piece of kitchen cookware.

The ad read something like this:
Single Pot With Lid Seeking New Home
(description)
I will do my best to boil water, heat up sauces and fit neatly into your cupboard.
Pick up only.

Well, it was only moments before my inbox dinged with a potential new owner. He asks if he can immediately come over and claim this pot as his very own. I did get a few other replies, but I tell them the pot has been claimed, but good luck on their quests to find more free cookware.
I gave a perfect stranger my address and basked in the glow of having done a good deed.
So I waited, and waited and waited and waited..... as midnight drew closer, I decided that some major disaster has befallen this nice man and go to sleep praying that he is okay, but deciding that he must have been in a car accident on the way over and is either dead or comatose.
So the next morning I send off an email to a lady who had responded second... I tell her that the pot is still here, you are welcome to have it.... unless of course you've found another... and she quickly replies back saying 'I REALLY need this pot. Thank you so much! I can come and pick it up after work today. Thanks so much, again, I REALLY need this pot. Have a great day!'
So feeling thoroughly pleased I sit back, basking again in the glow of having done a good deed.... thinking everything happens for a reason... the first to respond to the ad surely did not NEED this pot, otherwise he would not have been stricken down on his way over. Yes, this lady NEEDS my pot... she DESERVES to have my pot and she will be oh so happy when she gets it home only to find that it is indeed a fabulous piece of kitchenware, fit for duty!
So I continue on my day of cleaning only to discover that I had more junk (I mean fabulous stuff) to get rid of. I get out my camera and take a photo of my daughters old bike and realize that the original picture of the pot was dark and dingy, taken in my basement, so while my camera is out I quickly snap another shot of the pot.... why, you ask? Well here's the deal.... I have a little web store, where I pride myself on taking great photos.... I think they are great, I realize that my opinion is simply that, but nevertheless I wanted to show this nice lady who needed my pot so badly a better photo so she could see what she was getting, y'know... just in case she checked the ad again before she came over and decided it didn't look so great in the dingy low light basement photo...  ok, so I'm a little neurotic... I wanted her to see the pot shiny and bright in the light of day!!! (and hey, I was listing another item on kijiji so it didn't seem like such a big deal to simply swap the photo to a better one while I was already logged on!)

This is the better quality picture (still not my best work, but much better than the original!)

This turned out to be a terrible choice on my part because moments later I received a very terse email reading 'I thought you were giving me the pot. Why did you repost it? Have a great day!' I reply, 'I am holding the pot for you, I thought you would like to see a better photo of it :)' Another ding in my inbox. 'Well why did you repost it? Seems like you are trying to give my pot to someone else. Have a great day!' Again, I reply (but with more detail regarding my perfectionism with photos and my embarrassment at posting such a lousy photo to begin with) 'I am saving the pot for you, and only you. It is going to be your pot. I am not trying to give it away to anybody else. Looking forward to you coming over to get your new pot.' Ding! Inbox again... 'Well it seems like you are trying to give it to someone else so I don't want your pot. Have a great day!' I was crestfallen. Sad. Tears welled up in my eyes for the rejection my perfectly good pot was receiving from this woman.... but confused because she kept telling me to have a great day.... did she think my day could still be great when she had crushed my dreams of giving this lonely pot a new home? Then I was suddenly angry! Like a mama bear protecting her cub I furiously smashed down on the mouse.... I replied: 'Well I don't want you having it anyways!' I resisted the urge to tell her to have a great day.

Spring!!!

Wow, not a lot of time to post here... not a lot of time to make fabulous meals and desserts either :(

But it's spring today!!! Yay!

My Mom is a bit sad today.... it's the day her Dad, my Grandfather, passed away. He was the most amazing man I've ever met and I find myself forever comparing other men to him... I know I shouldn't. It's not really fair... but I do it. He was amazingly handy (I thought all men were until I started dating!)... he had a gentle nature about him with those he loved and could sometimes come off a little gruff.. though I rarely saw that side of him. I have such wonderful memories of him and am blessed to have had him in my life. Sending out a virtual hug to my Mom today (gently).

In other news I have finally found a reputable source for rough diamonds... pretty unassuming in the rough eh? I know that others could have done it in less time than it took me.... but I researched carefully in the time that I had. Having an online 'gig' is great when there's time but I find that my real life has been very full lately (which is really nice).

Charlie's birthday was on Saturday... he was a rescue so we got to pick his birthday! We knew approximately how old he was but didn't have an exact date when we got him. So the girls and I put our heads together and picked March 17th. He is now 2.

Carnitas a la Ange

We've had it pretty easy this winter. Although everyone said spring's coming, I knew that winter was coming back with a vengeance. It's baaaaaaaaack.... So I stumbled upon a blog entry on Smitten Kitchen for carnitas and instantly knew that I had to make some. Not only did they look yummy, but I knew right away that I could modify the recipe to a crockpot version that would make my house smell delicious and keep my kitchen warm all day long.
Fueled by the ingredients I have on hand I set out to make my own tasty version.

1 pork shoulder roast

3 blood oranges
6 navel oranges
2 limes

2 tsp cumin
3 Chipotle peppers in adobe sauce

8 cloves garlic

1 tsp sea salt
1 dash cinnamon

Cut roast into cubes.
Juice the citrus fruits and add spices to juice. Add garlic and chipotle peppers. Stir and taste. Adjust seasonings to taste.
Place pork into crock pot and add the citrus concoction.

Turn your cooker to low and let cook for 6-8 hours until meat is fall apart tender. Please don't stir it and fuss with it... You want the meat in chunks, not shredded... Unless that's how you like it.
At this point the meat could very well be served up on tortillas... But traditional carnitas have browned, caramelized meat on the outside and fall apart tender meat on the inside... So my solution is to gently pick the meat up and place it on a lightly greased cookie sheet... Then broil it for 7-10 minutes rotating it gently a few times along the way.
Serve this yumminess on tortillas with the condiments of your choosing. I chose to make a cabbage and apple slaw.