Changing my Diet Changed my Life

<script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script>
<script>
     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({
          google_ad_client: "ca-pub-9461535354744508",
          enable_page_level_ads: true
     });
</script>

This is not your typical slow living mum blog post. But there has been such a dramatic change in my life since I have eliminated gluten and switched to a more organic natural diet.

Six months ago I was living on a diet of coffee and deep fried dim sims and cigarettes. I never seemed to have any energy and my skin and hair was dull and limp. I just thought it was down to being a busy mum that doesn't have a lot of time for herself.

Then summer came and I seem to change my diet, I stopped eating gluten. I swapped to avocado on rice cakes with a hint of lemon juice. I suddenly had all this extra energy, it was easier to drag my bum out of bed in the morning. I actually started walking on my lunch break.

This was just the start the better I was feeling the more I wanted to feel better, I looked at myself in the mirror one day and realised that I was pushing 30 and still had acne. It wasn't just the acne I was aging long before my time. If I didn't change I would look like I am 60 at 40. So the reinvention of me began.

I am not a vegan person I love meat. Although I did reduce the amount of meat I was eating.

Here is some of the changes that I made:

1. I stopped eating 50% of the processed food I was eating such as dim sims and chips
2. I replaced the 50% with Natural fruit and nuts

1. I started drinking 2.5 litres of water a day. (I have never peed so much in my life)
2. I started cooking as much as I could from scratch. Such as pasta sauces/Meat pastes/Spreads. I was surprised how much cheaper it was to cook from scratch
3. I put any junk food up above my eye height. If it was the age old if you have good food you will eat good food
4. I started exercising once a day - Yoga/Walking/Swimming it does matter what it is so long as I was sweating.

It takes 28 days to make a habit. Once it becomes a habit it becomes second nature.

10 DIY Natural Beauty Products

I love my homemade natural beauty products, I have been making them for years and they work better then any store brought product and the best part is it costs about an eighth of what a chemical filled product would cost.

Hair:
1. Apply coconut oil directly to your hair leave for 20 minutes then rinse of. This is best done once a week to help prevent split ends and also makes hair more manageable. You can also add avocado to the mix for extra moisture.

2. Lemon Juice sprayed directly onto the hair will work as a natural lightener.

3. Sea salt and water in a spray also work as a relaxed hold hair spray.

4. Corn Flour applied to the roots works as a dry shampoo and will also add extra body

5. Coffee grounds and coconut oil mixed together make a great purifying face mask.

6. Witch hazel and lemon juice skin brightening toner. I have used this since being a teenager and I have always had a healthy summer glow.

7. Aloe Vera can be applied directly to skin as a soothing moisturiser after sun exposure.

8. Olive Oil makes a great hand moisturiser.

9. Epsom Salts make a great detox bath for sore muscles.

10. Oatmeal for itchy skin. This can be made into a paste and applied directly to the skin or else a small amount can be added to the bath.

Getting a handle on anxiety naturally

Living with anxiety can be hell! Unless you know the feeling its difficult to explain, I have struggled with anxiety since being a teenager after spending most of my young adult life on various medications that usually just left me doped out and off the planet. I researched into natural remedies for managing anxiety. Here is everything that I found helped me to get a firm hold on my anxiety.

Essential Oils for anxiety
I have found that making a roll ball anti anxiety mixture a great way to get a handle on anxiety in public. Its very low key and easy to hide if you aren't ready to share with the anyone how you are feeling.

Here is my top list of essential oils.

Lavender
Rose
Vetiver
Ylang Ylang
Bergamont
Chamomile
Frankincense
These also work well in a oil burner for creating a calming home.

Herbal Tea

Studies have been done and show that drinking herbal tea can reduce anxiety in many patients as much as standard medications.

Chamomile - Soothing
Lemon Balm - help with sleep

Feeling Fit

When you work out/ be active your body releases endorphins. endorphins are the bodies natural happy hormones. I have found that if I am really getting anxious and feeling like the world is going to come down around me. I step out and take a brisk work it helps give me a boost of happy hormones. It also gives me a chance to clear my head without anyone watching me. Yoga is also a great way to get a boost of happy hormones it also teaches you to clear your mind.


Create a haven
Create a haven for yourself where you can go and shut the door and just take a breath. Maybe have some essential oils to sniff and somewhere comfy to sit. This is a great way to escape and just take a few minutes to yourself.

Follow me to be the first to know about our great articles:

https://www.facebook.com/slowlivingmum/?ref=tn_tnmn

https://www.pinterest.com/indigolife5/

Ways to stop Constirpation in kids

This was a battle that went on in our house for 2 years my youngest struggled with constipation. We really struggled with helping him. I was inclined to not give him an over the counter or prescribed medication. I started to look at our diet first of all.

</script>(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});<script>     data-ad-format="auto"></ins>     data-ad-slot="9291836879"     data-ad-client="ca-pub-9461535354744508"     style="display:block"<ins class="adsbygoogle"<!-- slowlivingmum_crosscol_AdSense2_1x1_as --><script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script>

More fibre was ultimately what we wanted to include in our diet.
This is my list of foods that we started to include in his diet:

Prunes:
If you can get them to eat them. I usually mix them into a fruit salad with other fruits from the list.

Pears
Pears are naturally really high in fiber, Make sure they are on the smaller side because the larger the pear the less fiber.

Flax Seed
As well as being full of fiber they also have good omega 3 fatty acid (the good kind of fat).

Brocoili
Brocoili is best served raw because cooked vegetables lose a lot of there fiber content. If you can't stand the thought of raw brocoili try lightly blanching it.

Carrots
As with Brocoili carrots are best served raw as this helps to retain its natural fiber.

Peaches
Dried peaches work just as well as fresh peaches to releave constipation in kids. This is a great on the go snack.

Figs:
Figs help to soften the stool, making it easier to pass through.

Pinapple:
Pinapple juice is a natural laxative. Its also great to give to kids as a cool drink. They aont even know that they are drinking something that's good for them.

Watermelon:
I have found that watermelon works great to releave constipation in kids because of its high water content.

Suprising benifits of Honey and Cinnamon

There is a lot of benefits in using Honey and Cinnamon.

Arthritis:
Copenhagen University recently did a study on 200 patients that suffered from arthritis, The patients were treated with a mixture of Honey and Cinnamon before breakfast. 73 of the 200 patients recorded a significate reduction in pain from arthritis.

Bladder Infection:
Stir 2 level tablespoons of Cinnamon powder and one teaspoon of honey in a glass of luke warm water and drink. This mixture has been said to destroy the bacteria that cause Bladder Infections

<script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script>
<!-- slowlivingmum_crosscol_AdSense2_1x1_as -->
<ins class="adsbygoogle"
     style="display:block"
     data-ad-client="ca-pub-9461535354744508"
     data-ad-slot="9291836879"
     data-ad-format="auto"></ins>
<script>
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
</script>

Heart Diseases:
Make a paste of 1 tablespoon of Honey and one level tablespoon of cinnamon, Use as a spread with Bread. Eat it on a regular basis to reduce your risk of heart diseases.

Hair Loss:
Make a paste with equal parts Honey and Cinnamon, apply to scalp and leave for 15 minutes, Then wash hair as normal.

Colds:
It has been said that Drinking Honey, Cinnamon and warm water will help to prevent infections from influenza.

Infertility:
It has been used to treat infertility in men for thousands of years. Take two tablespoons before bed. In eastern countries use Cinnamon to treat female infertility. They mix a pinch of cinnamon powder with half a teaspoon of honey.

Fatigue:
Studies have shown that the sugar in Honey is more of a help then an anything to the human body. Extensive research has been done, that when you drink a glass of water, honey and a small amount of cinnamon is effective to bring energy levels back up to where they need to be.

Aging:
Tea made with honey and cinnamon powder can slow down the aging process. Add four tablespoons of honey, one tablespoon of cinnamon powder and three cups of boiling water. Drink a cup 3-4 times a day. This will keep your skin looking smooth.

Honey and Cinnamon is a powerful super food that can be used to treat a large variety of common aliments. so before going to the doctor try looking in the pantry for a natural cure.

Recipe - Stuffed Capsicum

This is one of my favorite dinners to make with my son, its super fun and easy its also completely gluten free!!!

</script>(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});<script>     data-ad-format="auto"></ins>     data-ad-slot="9291836879"     data-ad-client="ca-pub-9461535354744508"     style="display:block"<ins class="adsbygoogle"<!-- slowlivingmum_crosscol_AdSense2_1x1_as --><script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script>

You will need

1 red or green pepper per person
1 can of diced tomatoes
2 Tb spoons of tomato paste
250 grams of mince
1 cup of mixed vegies
Cheese to top

How to make

1. Brown Mince in the frying pan,

2. Add in Canned tomatoes, tomato paste and mixed vegie,

3. Turn to a low heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

4. Cut the top off all the Capsicum and remove all the seeds.

5. Place Capsicum in an oven dish

6. Pour in mince and sauce

7. Top with Cheese

8. Replace The top and bake for 15 minutes at 180 degrees.

Treating Exzema Naturally

Ever since my son , has been 2 years old he has suffered from eczema. It was so difficult to watch your child go throw that sort of pain and feel so powerless to stop or control. After a few misses I started to notice patterns, this helped me to develop a eczema management plans.


</script>(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});<script>     data-ad-format="auto"></ins>     data-ad-slot="9291836879"     data-ad-client="ca-pub-9461535354744508"     style="display:block"<ins class="adsbygoogle"<!-- slowlivingmum_crosscol_AdSense2_1x1_as --><script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script>

Here is my list things that can help manage eczema

Wash everything in hot water
Line dry in the sun for longer then 4 hours
- This will kill any dust mites that might be living in your bedding and clothes.

Use Dove Soap or an Oatmeal Bath
- Both have a natural PH this will stop the skin drying out even more

Keep the shower at a medium heat
- Extra hot showers will dry the skin

Dry yourself extra well after a bath or shower
- Air dry for 10 minutes if you can

Reduce the amount of processed foods
- A lot of additives can cause eczema to flair up

Stop skin rubbing
-This is an important one, when skin touches the air is unable to dry the sweat and will stop the skin from healing

Stick to natural fibres
This will again help the sweat on your skin to dry and heal.

Dust regularly
- Dust is a common cause of Eczema

Test for food allergies
This is a common cause of eczema, Ask your doctor to do an allergy test.

These are just simple ways to treat eczema. Having an allergy test done at the doctors is a great place to start. Once you discover what is causing your eczema its easier to manage long term.

Gluten Free Dinners That Rock

I have recently been told that I am gluten intolerant and need to cut gluten from my diet. For those who don't know what Gluten is it's a mixture of 2 proteins that are found in cereal grains, that means not more bread, vegemite, porridge and muesli bars. Gluten products made up a large part of my diet so it was really hard to find foods that were gluten free that I really enjoyed. But after some research and trial and error I have come up with a list of things to cook for dinner that are both Gluten Free and delicious.

1. Baked potato with the trimmings
This is a great one because you can make it for the whole family and add in as much or as little that you like.

2. Pumpkin Soup

I posted earlier in my blog a gluten free pumpkin soup recipe that has no gluten it use sweet potato and coconut milk.

http://slowlivingmum.blogspot.com.au/2016/01/vegan-pumpkin-soup.html

A delicious recipe.

2. Stuffed Capsicum

This is super easy I like to fry some mince add some carrots, peas and corn as well as a can of tomatoes and place it all in a capsicum shell place cheese on top and bake at 180 degrees for 20 minutes.

3. Creamy chicken and Avo with GF Pasta
This is super easy and delicious dish that only uses a handful of ingredients. Will post the recipe shortly.

4. Steak and Veg
Country Classic/ Suburban special
Meat and 3 veg typical classic. How ever if you are planning to use a pre-packaged sauce read the ingredients because a lot of then have Gluten in them.

5. Stir fry and rice noodles.
This is again a meal that can have anything added in that you desire and suits your family.

Ways to slow down everyday

Facing the rat race everyday can be stressful it seems that everyone wants everything done yesterday. I have been working hard lately and I have discovered easy ways that you can slow down and take a break. Here is my favorite ways to slow down and just breathe.

Savour Nature:
This is a big one that I have been working on, Just to stop and look at the beauty that is around me. I have been posting a lot of the things that I have come across on my IG account.

I snapped this cheeky little guy after a rain storm.

Take off your shoes:
Every lunch time I sit on the grass and look at the beautiful trees and things around me, I also like to take off my shoes and enjoy a bit of grounding. Good for the soul.

Solo Coffee Date:
As a teenager I wouldn't be caught dead out in public without a group of friends but as I approach 30, I began to stop caring what people think and started doing what would make me happy. Its soothing to sit in a cute little café and people watch or read a book. It doesn't matter so long as you are enjoying some alone time. No one else to consider but you.

Technology Ban:
For 1 hour a day I place a technology ban on everyone in my house. Nothing with a screen it starts at the same time everyday so everyone can just organise around it.

Cook:
Take time to cook something so delicious that it has the whole house waiting with baited breath. Get out your grandmothers old cook books and bake something from scratch.

Vegie Pasta Sauce your kids will love to eat

I love to make food from scratch that everyone in my family love to eat. I have been working on this recipe for a long time to make it the perfect mixture of healthy and fresh but also delicious.

You will need:
2 Large tomato's
1 Zucchini
Crushed garlic
Italian herbs
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons of tomato paste

Step 1
Dice Tomato's and Zucchini into cubes

Step 2

Place Tomato's, Zucchini and 1/4 of a cup of water into a small saucepan

Step 3

Add in the rest of the ingredients

2 cloves of crushed garlic

2 tablespoons of tomato paste

Salt to taste

Sprinkle of Italian herbs

Step 4

Mix everything together and bring to the boil.

Once everything is cooked through serve over pasta

I was planning to take a photo of the end result but it didn't last long enough.

 

Eco Fashion: What does it all mean

Eco fashion has so many different names such as sustainable fashion, ethical fashion, Fair Trade fashion and conscious fashion. In the end what it all boils down to is its products that are designed and created with the social and environmental impacts in mind.
It seems that there is a new trend people are following every month, its easy to get caught up in trend chasing and forget about how the garment was created.

What defines something as Eco/ Sustainable fashion?
Made from organic natural fibres
Recycled/ Reused fabric
Minimal chemical treatment
Animal free
Well crafted, good quality fabric
Vintage
2nd hand
Socially/ environmentally and economic responsible

 There is a growing market of brands that are focused on fashion that isn't going to harm the earth, that's good quality.
Some of my favorite are:

Adidas - Making yarn out of plastic sea debris
Puma - Committed to reducing the amount of chemicals that they release into the environment
Stella Mc Cartney - Stopped using and fur and PVC in there garments. They also use organic cotton in there lingerie.
Burberry - Launched a fair trade cotton agreement in Peru
People Tree - Sustainable fashion that makes clothes that anyone can afford. Totally gorgeous vegan accessories.
Rant Clothing - A classic fashion brand that makes clothes that will last a life time in a classic casual style.

Micro Farminng - The basics

Micro farming is the basically the process of growing a large amount of produce or livestock on a small area. It can be any size from growing greens on your balcony to raising 50 pigs on 10 acres. The point of micro farming is the ability to be able to grow your own food.

The first thing that you need to consider before you get started on your micro farm, is planning! Planning how you plan to lay the your block out, to achieve the best results from the space you have. The next thing to plan is your planting roster and a marketing plan. This is often the first mistake people make they fail to plan and end up wasting money and time.

When considering animals please don't forget to consider time! Animals take a lot of time and work also its hard to nip off for a mini break with pigs and chickens that need feeding. However animals make an amazing addition to any micro farm by not only providing meat but also manure for the compost.

If animals aren't your thing then maybe consider cropping, before planting anything do as much research as you can this will help you to achieve the best possible results. Also you may want to consider organics with a smaller crop organic farming is much easier and organic produce can sell for as much as 20% higher then standard grown produce.

 Options for selling your produce, Its easy to sell your produce and cut out the middle man. There are a few options for selling your produce particularly in a technology driven world. A couple of options are Facebook more and more people are turning to Facebook to purchase everything. There has also been a couple of websites that have been cropping up my personal favorite is www.ripenear.me Its designed particularly for selling and buying fresh produce. A market stall is another great option for selling fresh produce and products that you have made such as jams and spreads.

 

Green Cleaning Hacks - Every mum should know

Being a mother of 2 growing boys and running a homestead. Someone is always coming in with muddy boots or putting muddy hands on my cupboards. When my eldest came along I wanted to eliminate all the chemicals that I used within the home.
It took me a long time to work out the best way to make and use my own green cleaners that worked.

I want to share with you some of my best green cleaners for around the home, many of them work just as well as the chemical cleaners.

</script>(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});<script>     data-ad-format="auto"></ins>     data-ad-slot="9291836879"     data-ad-client="ca-pub-9461535354744508"     style="display:block"<ins class="adsbygoogle"<!-- slowlivingmum_crosscol_AdSense2_1x1_as --><script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script>

Smelly Car/Couch/Carpet or Curtains
20 Drops of Eucalyptus oil in a spray bottle and fill with water
It will kill all the bacteria that cause smells

Pongy Drain
Sprinkle a cup of Bi Carb soda in and around the drain, leave for 20 minutes then rinse off with vinegar.
The Bi Carb absorbs the smell and the vinegar dissolves the vinegar.

Water Stains in the shower
Cut a lemon in half and rub directly on the glass and fixtures to remove the water stains, it make take slightly extra rubbing, but leaves a beautiful finish.

Dirty Mirrors
Straight in vinegar a spray bottle spray directly on the mirror and rub off with old newspaper. Using newspaper stops the little bits of fiber left behind.

Toilet Bombs
Mix Citric acid, Bi Carb Soda in a bowl add a few drops of your favorite essential oil press into molds
Simply drop into toilet and leave for 20 minutes then flush.

Disinfectant spray
Either place eucalyptus oil or tea tree oil in a spray bottle add a small amount of water and spray where it is needed.

To clean benches and counter tops
I use dish soap and water
I also use dish soap and water to clean my cupboards and stove top.

How planning ahead could save your week

I have an absolute crazy life, I wear more hats then I care to admit to. Every Sunday night I sit down and plan my week ahead.

This may seem outdated to actually sit down and plan out the week ahead, when most of us keep our planners and reminders on our phones, I found that by sitting down and getting it all out once I could relax even more.

Here are my steps to planning out the week:

I usually start by gathering all my papers e.g. Bills and School notes.

I sit down with my papers and my planners/ Calendars

The first one I mark is the Wall month to month calendar, I go through each paper and mark down all the important dates that the whole family needs to be aware of such as excursions or special sport days.

I use my daily planner to mark when all my bills are due and when my next reading dates are (this keeps me aware of when I should receive a bill). I also mark down important school information and if I will need leave.

Next I like to plan 7 Dinners and 7 lunch meals. I don't put them in any particular order because I like the chance to change my mind and frankly I never know what I am hungry for one day to the next.

When I plan out my week ahead I feel life I can let it all go and that I will remember things when they need to be remembered.

An introduction to essential oils

History:
It seems that Egyptians were the first to use essential oils dating back thousands of years ago, They used them for religious purposes, cosmetics as well as medicinal purposes. It was also common practise to use them for the embalming process.

How to use:
Mostly depending on personal preference essential oils can be used in a few different ways, it also can depend on what you are hoping to achieve from the essential oil as to the best method to use.

•  Defuser - These can be expensive depending on what type it is. It heats the oil and releases it into the atmosphere.
• Drink/eat - It is very important to buy food grade essential oils. They can simply mixed into food or added to your tea.
• Directly to the skin -  They can be applied directly to unbroken skin as a perfume
• Inhaler - Added to boiling water and inhaled.

What are they Used for:

Basil - Mental Alertness

Bergamot - Skin purifying/ Emotional Support

Cedarwood - Repels insects

Cinnamon Bark - Oral health

Cumin - Digestive Health

Cypress - Sooths Muscle tension

Eucalyptus - Supports healthy respiration, skin, cleansing, it is also a natural antiseptic

Geranium -  Repels insects

Lavender - Calming

Lemon - Increased energy

Lemongrass - Digestion

Marjoram - Emotional Support

Orange - Emotional Balance

Peppermint - Energy, Cooling

Rose - Skin Health

Sandalwood - Grounding

This is just some of the basic uses for essential oils, Many of them can be used for different functions.

If in doubt which essential oil is best for your condition, contact your local naturopath for tailored advice.

 https://www.pinterest.com/indigolife5/

Creative Places to give away your clothes

I have seen a lot of requests on Facebook about places to give things away that aren't op shops. I started to think about where to give things away that aren't just op shops. Although op shops are great places and do a lot of great work there are options other then op shops.

Winter Clothes
I was given a large supply of winter clothes from my mother, they no longer fit her so she passed them on to me, I had a fair bit that I was never going to wear particularly about 5 woollen coats, I went to the city one day were there are a lot of homeless, I simply left them all on a bench and walked away. I brought a coffee and walked back through where I had left them and they were all gone, the further I walked I started to see people wearing them it warmed my heart.

Corporate wear
I have given away a few items to a local battered woman's home because these women have often left with only the clothes on there backs and will need to get back into the work force and already having an interview outfit makes a world of difference to there confidence.

Kids Clothes and Toys
Like with the corporate wear you can donate kids clothes and toys to a local woman's shelter. It will help them to rebuild there lives after leaving everything behind. Many of these kids have seen things that no child should ever see. Get in touch with your local foster care organisation often there is a lot of need for books and clothes for boys and girls from new born to 16.

Soft Toys
Many places wont take soft toys because they are unable to be thoroughly cleaned. The RSPCA or other animal organisations are always looking for stuffed animals and old blankets. The animals enjoy cuddling up to them. Its very cute.

Excess food
I have a massive vegetable garden and often have left over, I often donate to feed the homeless, There is usually a few different organisations that feed the homeless. A church or a google search is usually a great way to find out home to get in touch with them.

I think before just giving something to the op shop you should consider is there someone who could use it more, and would they have the money to purchase it from the op shop?

Ways to slow down! and enjoy the moment

Slowing down and enjoying the moment has never come naturally to me, I always seemed to be on the go. When I first started living a slower life I really found it hard to stop after a while I had a list of things that were kid friendly and always helped me to slow down and enjoy the moment.

Sleep Outside - Pitch a tent, lay under the stars
Read a book outside
Cuddle your babies to sleep
Take photos
Sit under a tree
Yoga
Meditation
Listen to the radio
Write down what you are grateful for!
Walk on the grass
Cook/Bake
Garden
Build a fort with your kids
Have a tea party
Write
Cuddle your partner

Stop and take a breath

Vegan Pumpkin Soup

I love this recipe particularly at work in winter, super easy to re heat in the microwave.

You will need:

1 Butternut pumpkin
1 Sweet potato
Salt and Pepper
400 ml can of coconut milk
2 cups of Vegetable soup

Directions

Peel Pumpkin and Sweet Potato
Place in an oven tray with a little bit of oven tray
Sprinkle a little bit of salt and pepper
Bake in an oven at 180 degrees for around 45 minutes or until soft
Remove from oven place pumpkin and sweet potato in a blender add around half the stock and coconut milk
Blend together
Continue to add small amounts of the coconut milk and stock until the texture is slightly watery.
Add the mix to a large pot
Place on a medium heat and simmer until it is a smooth consistency.

Serve hot

How to Make any house a home, even if you are renting

Making your space a place where you want to be is a matter of making it comfortable. This does need to be an expensive exercise. A few simple touches can make your house feel like a home.

Art
Art makes us feel something every time we really look at it. The best part about art is it can be anything that you find beautiful. I once read a article about a woman who framed the dress she was wearing on her first date with her husband, because he remembered how beautiful she looked in it. You can make some amazing art for less then $20, grab a canvas, some tubes of paint and start splattering it around.

Upcycling Old Clothes
This might seem like a strange thing to upcycle old clothes to make your house more of a home but I have made some great projects from old clothes I was planning to throw out. Turn old woollen jumpers into comfy cushion covers. Another favourite project of mine is I turned all of our old holey farm t-shirts into a floor rug.

Paint old furniture
With Facebook and gumtree its super easy to buy second hand furniture, or you may have some ugly hand me down furniture hanging around that you could paint or distress. This can instantly give you a feel of being home.

Display your favourite things
I have a misfit collection of things displayed around my house but I love each piece and each piece has a story, I love to tell them every time some one admires it. It might be my favourite set of wine glasses from Mexico or my old travel journal sitting on top of my coffee table.

Display photos
Nothing makes it feel like your space more then photos. I love photos if I start to feel lost or tired I look at my photos on the wall and I remember why I need to keep going and working. There is some great renters hooks out there that don't damage the paint.

Smells
This is something that really makes a house a home I personally love the smell of clean linen! It smells clean and fresh to me. I keep this smell around by using clean linen scented wax melts and using a fabric smell with a clean linen scented oil in it.

Pets
Nothing makes a house more of a home then a pet. Even if its a fish, there will always be something to put a smile on your face even on the worst days.

I hope I have helped you turn your house into a home.

Reducing your carbon foot print

There is so much information out there on reducing your carbon footprint. We have all heard the generic information such as try not to use the car so much and bring reusable bags blah, blah and blah there is a lot of simple things that you can do to reduce your carbon foot print. Here is some new information to help improve your carbon footprint.

Green bags:
Don't buy the reusable green bags
We have all seen them at the supermarket for 99 cents the truth is they are made from a synthetic fabric, which is a bi product of petrol. We are supposed to reuse them over and over again but the truth is most people stuff them in the back of the cupboard and never really use them again. The single use plastic bags that Coles and Woolies give out for free are recyclable!! and can be made into a lot of great products.

Buy Local:
Buy your fruit and vegies from local farmers and green grocer
Most of the items that you find in the large corporations have been made in sweat shops in China or India, they have travelled for 1000s of miles. Buying local means that there is no or little transport. For most communities is everyone spent $100 in locally owned stores that's almost 3 million back into the economy in just 1 year.

Water usage:
This is a simple thing to do cut down your shower by 2 minutes will save roughly 50 liters of water. Water is the life blood of everything! Everything needs water to survive.

Rainforest Alliance Products:
Agricultural expansion is responsible 70% of deforestation, it is the biggest threat facing tropical rainforests. Rainforest Alliance provides training and education in sustainable farming practises to people of developing countries. This is good for everybody by ensuring that there will be tropical rainforests for the next generation.

5 plants for a Medicinal Garden

Please note straight off the bat, my advice does not replace the advice of medical professionals if your leg is turning blue, Go to the doctor. Now that everything is cleared up home herbal remedies can be great way to heal minor aliments.

1) Aloe Vera
This would of been in every grandmothers garden, its great for treating burns, it also works wonders on eczema and cuts. It needs to be grown in full sun with well drained soil. you can cut off the lower part of the plant and squeeze just near the cut part until the sap starts to flow rub the sap on the affected area.

2) Great Burdock
The leaves and seeds should be crushed into a poultice and applied directly to the area. Can be used to treat boils, ring worm, bites, acne, herpes, rashes and bruises. It grows in moist soil and full sun its an easy to grow plant.

3)  Pot Marigold
The petals can be used as a tea to treat varicose veins. The crushed stems can be used to treat bites, stings, minor wounds, sprains and sore eyes. It grows in almost any soil type so long as its moist.

4) Tea Tree
Has been used for centauries to treat a wide range of conditions. The young leaves can be chewed on to relieve headaches, leaves and twigs can me used to make tea tree oil. Tea tree oil is anti fungal, antiseptic, can be used for nits, cold sores, insect bites, warts, acne and minor burns.

5) Lemon Balm
Lemon balm gets its name from the scent that the plant produces. The leaves can be crushed into a poultice and used to treat herpes, gout, insect bites, minor sores it also makes a great mozzie repellant.
The leaves can also be used to make a tea to treat colds, fevers, digestive upsets, headaches and mild insomnia.

Organic pest control in the vegetable patch

Organic gardening can be a tricky thing to get right. If you don't you can lose all your harvest to pesky pests or end up with a crop that doesn't ripen properly. Here is some basics that every organic gardener needs to have in there arsenal.

White Oil - Is a handy pest exterminator. Its simple to use and easy to make with ingredients from home. It works by sticking to the bugs and suffocates them.
To make White Oil:
- 1 cup of vegetable or white mineral oil
- 1.5 cups of water
- 2 teaspoons of dishwashing liquid

Neem Oil - This works in much the same way as white oil does, you can however buy Neem Oil already mixed. Its great for all sorts of minor aliments including nit treatment for your kids hair.
<script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script>
<!-- slowlivingmum_crosscol_AdSense2_1x1_as -->
<ins class="adsbygoogle"
     style="display:block"
     data-ad-client="ca-pub-9461535354744508"
     data-ad-slot="9291836879"
     data-ad-format="auto"></ins>
<script>
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
</script>
COMMON PESTS

Aphids - nasty little green bugs that typically are found on roses, however they can be partial to the odd vegie or 2.

Snails - Make a beer trap. Put a small amount of beer in the bottom of a container and dig into the soil. The snail will go in, get drunk, drown and die a happy death. Another option is to make a salt ring as snails can't cross salt. This is also a great way for kids to help out in the garden, get them out in the morning picking them off.

Caterpillars -  The little buggers eating the life out of all your plants. There is a couple of simple ways to get rid of them with out Caterpillars first of all is just like with snails go along and pick them off. Neem oil also works a treat to sort these buggers out. Another easy way is to get rid of them is let the chickens in!! they will get a great feed.

Paying off debt to live a calmer life

Debt has become so accepted by our society, that its not a big deal. Everybody has debt, well not everybody but there is a large percent of the population that is walking around with debt. The worst part about it is there is always that threat hanging over your head that you wont make a repayment.

I have spent a large part of my adult life in some form of debt or another it seems to be that I will never escape this pattern. Well that was until I stopped. I just stopped going into new debt and worked out a plan to get it all paid off.

The first step is I looked at all my debt, I wrote a list and wrote down the exact amount of each one and my fortnightly repayment. I worked out if I could afford to pay extra off one in particular, I used the snowball method to pay each one off.

I also looked at ways to save money around the house. such as only eating in season fruits and vegetables and buying meat on sale at the butchers. every dollar saved is a dollar closer to reaching the dream.

I also write a shopping list. Not a food shopping list its to actually remind me what we need instead of just trying to remember and buy a lot of things we don't need.

The most important thing is to take it step by step and remember that the things that really matter can't be bought from a store.

Goal Setting for a calmer life.

I don't buy into this new year new me crap! I am the exacts same person that I was last year, that doesn't mean I haven't learnt a few things.
I have always been a crazy mess of chaos, this has always lead me into adventures. When I stopped and took stock of my life I realised where it was leading me and wasn't where I want to be. I sat down late last night and really thought about what I wanted in life.

Setting goals is only the first part
Decide what you want!!!
Its not often that we actually stop and think about what we actually want, its usually what the kids need or what our family needs.

Work out a plan to get there.
This seems simple in theory, In reality it is actually super simple.
For example if your goal is to buy a family home, you will first need to pay down debt and save a deposit.

Break it down into manageable chunks.
Make a plan, break it down.
This will make you feel more in control and less like everything is getting on top of you.
As you complete each chunk it will give you a boost.

Make a vision board.
This will keep you motivated, its also great to look at.
Surrounding yourself with positive images will help you to slow down and relies that you can achieve your dreams.

Setting goals will help you to stop trying to complete everything all at once. It will give you some kind of guidance.

Reasons to live in the country

Here is my list of reasons to pull up stumps in the city and move to a large block in the middle of nowhere. We made the plunge around 3.5 years ago, I believe it was the best move we ever made.

1. Wide open space
2. Room for the kids to play and be kids
3. House prices
4. vegie gardens, fresh vegies.
5. Teaching kids valuable life skills
6. Community values
7. Smaller class sizes at public schools
8. Safe communities
9. Local characters
10. Views to take your breath away
11. No neighbours on your doorstep
12. Pets, Dog, Cat, Sheep and maybe a pig too
13. Freedom to live your own way
14. Building resilient kids
15. Allowing kids to have responsibilities, the locals will be quick to tell you if they get into any mischief
16. Local events - CWA markets, Rodeos and country fairs
17. Wood fires
18. Room for a shed or 2

Ways to make money from the homestead

Making money from the homestead is a great way to help pay for the upkeep or pay for those few extra things that the kids need.

1) Selling excess crops.
This year I have 40 pumpkins from this years harvest, I preserved some and sold the rest on Facebook. I got $3.50 each for them.

2) Riding lessons/ Shearing lessons.
Use the skills that you have to teach the next generation. Its a great way for kids to get a chance to learn real skills to help them get a job on the land.

3) Selling excess preserves.
CWA markets is a great place to sell some excess preserves and crafts.

4) Clean up old furniture.
I have done this a few times picked up something cheap from the tip, cleaned it up and painted in a shabby sheek fashion and sold for a profit. In the world of today when everyone has access to the internet its easy to buy and sell online.

5) Farm stay/ bed and breakfast
If you have the space this can be a way to make quick cash, particularly around tourist seasons.

6) Use the skills you have.
I worked in a IT position and have a bit of knack for fixing computers. This comes in handy in a small town. It could be anything such as cutting or colouring hair from home, or school holiday care. Any skills that you have will be valuable to someone you would be surprised.

Country Classic: Chicken Pie

This is an absolute family favorite of ours. Its super easy from ingredients that you have already have in your cupboard.

Serves 4

You Will Need:
500 grams of chicken Mince or thigh fillets
2 cups of Chicken Stock
1 Cup of Milk
1 Cup of Flour
2 Cups of Vegies
1 Tablespoon of garlic
Puff Pastry Sheets

In a frying pan add a small amount of oil, then add chicken and fry until brown.
Scope out chicken leaving behind the fat.
Add Chicken stock and milk stir until combined.
Add half the flour mix all together then return the chicken to the pan
Slowly add the rest of the flour until it makes a watery paste.
Add vegies and mix together
Remove from heat.
Line a baking dish with puff pastry
Add chicken mixture to baking dish and add more pastry to create a lid.

Place in oven for 30 Minutes at 200 degrees

3 things that take 30 minutes or less to clear the clutter.

Clearing the clutter can be a daunting job, where do you begin?  On many occasions I have tried to clear the clutter and I just end up in a big fat mess!!
Here is a few tasks that will take 30 minutes or less to complete and will instantly make you feel more in control.

1) Phone Station
Everyone has a phone station, even if like us its just a corner of the bench.

1. Clear the old paperwork away. Old bills and school notes seem to pile up very quickly. Everything that's important file for later reference. Everything that's out of date bin it.
2. Check all the pens. Throw out any that no longer work or any that you don't like to use. About 10 should be sufficient.
3. keep a lined pad or block of post it notes by the pen cup. easy reach to jot down a phone message.

2) Bathroom Draws

1. This is usually where most people keep make up, nail polish and hand creams. How many do we actually use? For me it was a few things but I seemed to hang on to a lot of things that people had given me as gifts. Many were not my style, colour or didn't agree with my skin. So everything I hadn't used and wasn't planning on really using I packed up and gave away.
2. I replaced only the things I use on a regular bases, everything else I placed in a separate container. If its still there in a few weeks I will give it away.

3) DVD's

1. Give away any that you don't enjoy watching.
2. Give away any kids DVD's that your kids have grown out of
3. Place all DVD's with the spines facing out and I like to group mine by Category.

Quotes for living a simple life

Everyone has those days that it all seems to much, that trying to remain calm and the simple life just seems all to much! Its at those times we need a little extra motivation to keep calm and carry on. I keep bright post it notes on surfaces I look at everyday.

Here is some of my absolute favorites:

Be who you are!
Not who the world wants you to be.
I have this written on my mirror where I like to get ready in the morning. It reminds me to keep being my crazy self that has some how always worked in my favour. Working in a corporate role it easy to get sucked into a world of grey.

Note to self:
Let shit go
Its way to easy to bring the stress and all the niggly little things that get piled on you every day. I need to be reminded to take a breath and let shit go!

Every child needs to things, a pet and a mother who will let them have the opportunity.
I love animals in every shape and size, I am a self confessed animal hoarder. My partner is not and doesn't quite understand that there is a love that is easy and unconditional. I love this quote because every time I bring home some new creature that has been abused or mistreated, and my partner tells me its not staying I just smile and say every child needs 2 things a pet and a mother who will let them have the opportunity.

Happiness comes from inside.
This is written on my wallpaper on my phone, its a great reminder that happiness is an inside job no body is going to make you happy unless you have a inner happiness.

Live, Love, Laugh.
This isn't written any where its ingrained in my mind. If nothing else remember to live, love and laugh everyday.

5 Things to consider before moving to the country

I am country girl in every sense of the word, I wanted to bring my children up in a rural setting where they were free to be kids, make noise, have pets and just enjoy there childhood. I pitched the idea to my partner and the boys father, he was a city boy born and raised. At the time he was all for moving out of the city to a block of land. It all sounded so simple at the time.

Here is my 5 of things I wish people would consider before moving to a rural block.

1) Organisation is the key to success.
There is no just quickly dashing in anywhere. You need to be organised and keep a stock pile of everyday items. Because its really annoying to have to run out for milk and nappies when its at least an hour round trip. Also if you look like crap or wearing your slippers you are guaranteed to run into everyone from town.

2) The neighbours are nosey
This is a can cause some people discomfort particularly if you are used to being anonyms in the big city. This isn't something that can be avoided in a new small town. My advice would be to head down the local pub for a beer and introduce yourself around, it will help things to calm down a bit.

3) Animals are not polite
They will make noises before 9am, smell, and have sex out in the open! It can be a bit shocking to look out across the paddocks and see a bull mounting. It can also be a little awkward to explain to the kids. But that is the way of the land.

4) Always allow extra time for the commute.
I remember one day my commute usually is a 40 minute drive down the highway, on this one day I was cruising to work at around 6 am when I had to come to a complete stop because there was around 400 sheep on the highway. They had pushed through a fence. It took me almost 20 minutes to get them back into the paddock before the farmer turned up. Things like this can happen without warning always allow 20 minutes extra to be anywhere.

5) Phones don't work
There is very little to no mobile coverage in the country. Its very simple phones don't work. However there isn't a shortage of things to do.

I still believe that moving to the country was the best decision we ever made. I get to see my son excel at school because of the smaller class size he gets more attention. I get to watch my vegetable garden grow, and the excitement on my kids faces when they get to pick and eat what we grow.

More life less gym

I have always enjoyed exercise in various forms, I have even joined a gym but it just made me feel like I had another thing to cram in to my already packed day.
I cancelled my gym membership and took to walking and working out in my lunch break in the park.
Never truely appreciated the world around me, (check out my IG account for some inner city greenery.
Its amazing how much detail we see when we stop to take a breath.

In a place like Australia why lock ourselves in a stuffy old gym.

Green Pest Extermination

I am a huge supporter of live and let live. However I don't want creepy crawlies anywhere near me or the kids.

Peppermint Oil
Peppermint oil is great for getting rid of spiders and mice both hate the scent. Mix 20 drops of Peppermint oil and distilled water in a spray bottle and spray everywhere!!

Fill any gaps
Fill any gaps that mice or spiders can get through. If you are renting fill the spots with steel wool as the mice cant chew through it.

Put any open food in an air tight container.
I also make sure I vacuum under the kitchen table, to remove any crumps dropped through the day.

Put any pet food away
Feed early in the morning so that its gone by the evening.

Clean up grass clippings
Mice can use this as bedding.

Create a mozzie repelling pot
This can be done by using lemon grass place next to back door or BBQ area.
It can also be used as a hedging plant for garden beds.

Apricot Nectar

I love making Apricot Nectar, its a great activity to do with the kids on a Saturday afternoon. Its super easy for those who have never preserved before.

You will need:

A large supply of apricots (2 cups will fill a jar)
Sugar
Lemon juice

A slow cooker
A pot for sealing
A funnel
A jar graber
Measuring cup
Measuring Spoons.

Peel and remove the seed from each apricot. For every 4 cups add 1.5 cups of water.

Once all the apricots and water is in the slow cooker turn on high for about 5 hours.

When you are ready place your jars upside down in oven on a wire rack along with lids and bake for 20 mins at about 180 degrees.
This will ensure serialized jars.
Turn off oven and leave them in the oven.
When you are ready take your jars and in the bottom place 1/2 cup of sugar and a teaspoon of lemon juice.
Pour the water from the slow cooker into the jar.
Leave some room at the top for adding a bit of pulp if you wish.
Continue this until all the liquid is gone.
Optional
I like to mash the cooked apricots at bit and add some to the top of my jars.

Close the lid tight and seal using the large pot and boiling water.
Pop in the boiling water and wait for the click thingy in the middle of the lid pops back in.

Preserving for Beginners

Preserving is a cost effective and space saving way to keep your harvest all though the off season. It doesn't take a lot of equipment or outlay to get started. Its also a good idea to set up a swap with your neighbours. I have included all the information that you need to get started. Stay turned for my favourite easy recipes.

Equipment

A measuring cup (at least 2 cups in size)
Wooden Spoon
Measuring Spoons
A supply of clean jars
A large pot
A strainer
A funnel
A jar grabber like the one below

This will come in handy to pull the hot jars out. Save you from burning your fingers.

cleanliness is next to godliness

This is never more important as when you are making preserves.

Always wash your jars and dry with a clean tea towel before you begin. Jars and lids need to be sterilised, there is a few options to sterilise your jars I have found the best method is to place the jars on a wire oven rack upside down along with the lids, bake at 180 degrees for 20 minutes, after 20 minutes turn the oven off but do not remove the jars until the last minute.

Slow living Getting Started.

I once heard slow living described as Intentional living, by forgetting about the crap and the clutter and focusing on what is important. Such as family, friends, memories and experiences.

This at the time was the polar opposite to how my life was going, I seemed to always rushing, eating on the run, losing everything that wasn't nailed to the floor. It was a life that was draining any spark that I had in me.

I was watching an Australian Drama and there was a mention of slow living/ living intentionally. I typed it into Google, that moment everything began to change I sat back and really looked at my life how much of this crap that was in my house did I actually need? The answer is not much I still had moisturisers and old socks in the back of the draw that I brought before I moved out of home (9 years ago).

It took me almost 3 weeks to go through every inch of my house, and purge myself of all the crap that was cluttering the corners of my life, (Roughly 6 Garbage Bags)

Here is a few things that I learnt:

Clutter is bad,
Anything can be clutter it doesn't matter how small it seems. Don't keep anything that you don't think is beautiful or useful. I kept only things that made me smile, things that only conjured good memories.

Take care of what you have.
At times I have been guilty of neglecting what I do have, I guess with so much clutter hanging around it all seemed to hard and I never seemed to have the time. By removing the clutter it all suddenly became a lot easier to mange. I also began to look at great ways to clean my home without chemicals.

You Can Afford It,
A big part of slow living is slow food, buying local and cooking good wholesome foods that nourish the body. It always looked like a massive number of ingredients, and I thought how can I afford so many ingredients for every meal. I started comparing the costs between the food I usually by and the more healthier foods. A great example would be a block of chocolate costs usually around $3.50 a kilo of Apples costs between $3.50 to $4.00.

Some things can wait until tomorrow.
I had a hard time to just stop and enjoy time with my kids, it doesn't matter if the washing sits a little longer or the dishwasher isn't unpacked. Just enjoy your kids while you have them, because they grow before your eyes and unless you are looking you will miss it.