Happy New Year!

Happy 2010 to You and your Niblets! May it be a safe one!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas Maizey Folks! Big Poppa, Sissy and DB are all off until January 4th, and because family time is such a precious commodity, I, too, am going to take a “Christmas Vacation” until January 4th. Until the 4th, have a beautiful, blessed Christmas, always remembering that we celebrate that God gave us the gift of his one begotten son, the gift of salvation, the gift of grace that we don’t deserve.

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,  Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6

Corn Facts!

• An average ear of corn has 800 kernels arranged in 16 rows.
• Corn always has an even number of rows on each ear.
• There is one piece of silk per kernel of corn.
• Each tassel releases 5 million grains of pollen.
• Each corn plant is male and female. The silk is female, while the tassel is male.
• Corn is grown on every continent except for Antarctica.
• Corn is thought to have been domesticated in 6700 BC in Mexico.
• Corn consumption breaks down like this:
  • Mexico – 400 pounds annually per person.
  • USA – 160 pounds annually per person.
  • India – 15 pounds annually per person
• 2005 corn production looks like this:
  • World production – 686 million metric tons.
  • USA production – 282 million metric tons.
• One bushel of corn makes:
  • 33 pounds of sweetener
  • 32 pounds of starch OR
  • 2.5 gallons ethanol fuel.
• One bushel of corn also makes approximately 400 cans of soda.
• One bushel of corn fed to livestock produces:
  • 5.6 pounds of retail beef
  • 13 pounds of retail pork
  • 32 pounds of chicken OR
  • 28 pounds of catfish.
• Cookie Jarvis, a competitive eater, holds the record for corn on the cob. He ate 33.5 pounds ears in 12 minutes.

Quite a catch ladies, am I right? Hubba-Hubba. (This is not a picture of Cookie Jarvis).

Frugal Finds – Baking Soda

Earlier this year, I wrote a post about the many uses of hydrogen peroxide. Well, it’s time for another edition of frugal finds and this time, we are talking baking soda. So many of the cleaning products we use have toxins which are dangerous to all kids and pets. When you also consider that many of those same cleaners contain corn, you get a very hazardous condition for your corn allergic lovey.

Most of us use baking soda to freshen up the fridge and freezer, and of course several baking recipes call for baking soda, but that is just the tip of the iceberg.

 

1. Shampoo! It’s natural and works great.
2. Deodorant (apply with a powder puff).
3. Facial scrub (bye-bye blackheads).
4. Toothpaste (either by itself or make a paste with hydrogen peroxide).
5. Add ½ c. to bathwater to soften skin.
6. Soothe bug bites.
7. Soothe sunburn and windburn.
8. Soothe poison ivy.
9. Bathe baby in a bath with baking soda to relieve diaper rash.
10. Antacid (1 tsp. baking soda in a half glass of water).
11. Relieve canker sores.
12. Draw venom out of jellyfish sting.
13. Draw venom out of bee sting.
14. Add a teaspoon to a vaporizer to relieve a stuffy nose.
15. Take the funk out of dishrags.
16. Sprinkle in trash can to alleviate stinky garbage syndrome.
17. Sprinkle on a sponge to gently clean marble, stainless steel.
18. Use it to clean the bathroom (sink, faucet, tub, toilet outside and in).
19. Remove crayon from walls.
20. Soak combs and brushes in it.
21. Clean coolers and water bottles with it to alleviate stale smells.
22. Run through coffee pot to clean.
23. Run through dishwasher to clean.
24. Add a teaspoon to the water in your vase to keep the flowers fresh longer.
25. Put in ashtray to alleviate smell and control smoldering.
26. Sprinkle in shoes to get rid of the funk.
27. Put on a windshield and rub inside and out to repel rain.
28. Put around your flowerbeds to keep rabbits from a smorgasbord.
29. Wash fruits and veggies! (The store bought stuff has lots of corn.)
30. While soaking dried beans, add soda to mute the fruit.
31. Put 1/2 c. in wash machine with each wash to deodorize and brighten.
32. Pour on greasy spots on garage floor to clean.
33. Soak pans with burned on food for 10 minutes to ease cleaning.
34. Clean retainers and dentures.
35. Soak and wash cloth diapers.
36. Clean the grill grate.
37. Polish silver.
38. Mix with toothpaste for a cheap spackle.
39. Take scratches out of CDs (NOT DVDs) – take a wet paper towel and dip in baking soda- rub CD gently.
40. Put 1 tsp. soda and 1 pint water in a spray bottle to douse grill flare ups.
41. Clean and deodorize fishing gear.
42. Remove porcupine quills from the dog. Mix 1 tsp. soda with 1 c. vinegar – apply and let sit for 10 minutes. Reapply and wait another 10 minutes, the quills should come out easily.
43. Remove skunk smell from Fido.
44. Deodorize the dog between baths – sprinkle with soda and comb thoroughly.
45. Deodorize a mattress after an “accident”.
46. Sprinkle on icy stairs and walkways.
47. Clean stuffed animals. Place 1 c. soda in plastic bag, put animal in and shake well. Wait 15 minutes, then use hairbrush to remove soda.
48. Clogged drain? Pour in 1/2 c. soda, then put in 1 c. vinegar. Let foam for 10 minutes, then follow with very hot water.

Do you have other uses for baking soda? Please share!

There's Corn in That?

Yes, Virginia, there IS corn in that...
1.   Aspirin
2.   Disposable diapers
3.   Splenda

Conditioner? I hardly knew her!

Hello Maizey Folks!

I am sorry it has been so long since I last posted, I have been trying to finish my Christmas knitting. On the upside, I have done so much knitting I can crack a walnut with my bare hands (you know, probably).

Sissy has been having a terrible time with skin sensitivities as a result of her corn allergy. Because of that, I wanted to keep her bathwater completely free of any chemicals, so I have been washing her hair with baking soda. Like you, I am addicted to my "Organic Pomegranate Shampoo Infused with......." but to be perfectly honest, the baking soda works really well. Her hair is quite clean and soft and there isn't the typical shampoo/conditioner build up that can occur. We've done this for about a month and not only is her hair shiny and soft, her skin issues have cleared up and we are all much happier!

Do you have any chemical free bathtime tips? We would love to hear them!

Happy to be back give-away!

I have three Mabel's Labels magnets to give away! Tell me two things - your favorite "Label out Loud" motif (you can find it here) and a topic you would like me to address in the upcoming blogs! I will pick three winners randomly at 9 p.m. MST on Thursday.

Good luck, Maizey Folks!

I'm Back!

More accurately, Talulah is back! She came home today - I am so happy! So I will be posting again within the next couple days!