Wednesday’s Weekly Tip: How to Make Your Own Laundry Detergent

June 27, 2012 thegraduatewifeLeave a comment

I don’t know about you, but I am always looking for ways to save money on our graduate budget.

Recently, some of my Stateside graduate wife friends have started making their own laundry detergent to trim a few dollars from their budget. At first I thought it was a bit old school Little House on the Prairie, but after one of my graduate wife friends said she was only spending about $10.00 every few months to make her detergent, I actually started to listen.

So I asked her for the recipe, and thought it would be fun to share. Wouldn’t it be nice to make your own detergent, knowing exactly what went into it? (Editor’s note: I haven’t actually done this myself, as I’m not out of laundry detergent. It’s currently sitting at number 5 on my to-do list. And there are a bajillion recipes online for making your own detergent, so if my friend’s recipe isn’t your flavour, then find one, make it, and please share it with us)!

LAUNDRY DETERGENT

1 bar of soap (shaved)

1 cup of borax

1 cup of washing soda

Mix together thoroughly….and literally, that’s it.

It should fit into a small container, and make enough for 32 loads, depending on the amount you use to do your wash.

I’m sure you’ll make Laura Ingalls proud.

Have you ever made your own laundry detergent? How did it turn out?

-Mandy

Beauty and the Budget

Beauty & the Budget: Easter DIY

April 3, 2012April 3, 2012 thegraduatewifeLeave a comment

Spring has sprung in Oxford! My heart feels lighter and my spirits are up as I find myself surrounded by daffodils and tulips and warm sunny picnics in the meadow. I think I can understand the urgency in Robert Browning’s poem “Home-Thoughts, From Abroad”, (penned while he was traveling) when he begins with, “Oh, to be in England, Now that April’s there”. The spring landscape is indeed something to yearn for.

This season presents images for us that have a way of calling us to stop, to marvel and to reflect. To reflect upon the beauty of new beginnings and to appreciate the simpleness of things such as robin’s eggs and budding flowers. Spring has a way of reminding us to savor moments a little longer…by lingering in the sunshine or having a meal on a blanket outside. For me, Easter is the highlight of this time of year…a time for me to reflect upon my faith and to celebrate the beautiful gift of hope that seems to bud forth in my heart anew.

To celebrate this season I found a few lovely DIY treats online and put in a few of my own as well. Don’t worry about going over budget and enjoy making your space feel fresh and decked out for Easter and spring!

a. fabric scrap cards

b. paint sample egg garland

c. tissue paper and parsley eggs

d. bunny napkin fold

e. Homemade chocolate eggs

f. easy chocolate bird nests

g. family doilie table runner

h. decoupage pots

Beauty and the Budget

Beauty and the Budget: Valentine DIY

February 10, 2012February 12, 2012 thegraduatewife1 Comment

Happy early Valentines Day! If you are like me, you take every chance you get to celebrate something and V-day should be no exception. Mandy is not so much a fan :), but I am hoping to rope her into some fun V-day crafting with these amazingly simple, inexpensive (and almost free) DIY Valentines crafts I gathered online. I have family visiting right now (yahoo!) and sadly didn’t have the time to share a few of my own, but the below are pretty fab to say the least.

Let’s face it, we are graduate wives, we support, love, and sacrifice a lot during the year so let’s celebrate this season that honors all those things we are learning how to do best. Treat yourself to a box of chocolates and have fun making some of these goodies for those you love. Enjoy!

I am kind of into the “You light my fire” theme for some reason…and came across these two little beauties. Super special and sweet. (for tutorials and sources click here & here)

Seriously….I couldn’t resist this. Where oh where do our grad school spouses spend most of their days? Bingo…love note library cards. Genius. (for tutorials and source click here )

I mean let’s be honest, who doesn’t wish we still said ‘da bomb’ (This is a great deal, fun to make and just think of how to put the leftover massage oil to work!) (for tutorials and source click here)

Last but most definitely not least. Yes, please! It took me about two seconds to realize I must do this adorable little gift as soon as possible. If you don’t have photoshop or a scanner, just make a small framed print of your actual thumbprints. (I hope my hubs doesn’t see this because this is what I am making for him!) (for tutorials and source click here)

So if even if none of these DIY gems enticed you into celebrating, at least try out one of these fun treats on Feb. 14^th. Yummm! (for ice-cream sandwich recipe click here)