Birdie's Room

Vanilla Crescents

PurJan — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 19:04:17 +0000

These are a favourite from our childhood and now of our children. Rolling out and shaping the dough is the perfect task for little hands, and the imperfections only add to the joy!

300 g all purpose flour
200… Read more...

Categories: Recipes

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Solution for Reusable Wipes

PurJan — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 15:29:50 +0000

It seems as if there is always some sticky or yucky mess to be cleaned off little hands and faces. Making your own wipe solution to use with cloth wipes is cost-effective and kind to the earth. Here are two solutions we like to use – effective, gentle, and easy to customize!

Use the following recipe—
2 parts aloe gel (NOT juice).
1 part distilled water (NOT tap).
1 part grain alcohol-vodka (NOT isopropyl).
4-5 drops essential oil of choice (NOT fragrance oils). Hint: tea tree is a great antibacterial and one of the best essential oils to add to a hand sanitizer recipe.

Mix all ingredients in glass bowl (preferably) with a plastic spoon. It is a good idea to not use metal dishes or utensils because of potential reactions with the essential oils. Pour your aromatherapy hand sanitizer into plastic containers. You can add less water if you prefer a thicker product

Tips and Warnings:

Essential oils are nearly all anti-microbial. I use tea tree and lemon for the hand sanitizer recipe that I market in my massage office. When using both, add 4 drops each or to your own preference. Oils can be found in any natural foods store.
Aloe gel is used as a thickening agent and moisturizer. It is found in natural food stores. Grain alcohol is a sanitizer without the smell of isopropyl alcohol. Found anywhere; hint: don’t spring for the expensive stuff ! Distilled water will allow a more clear product without the mineral content of other types. Found in the grocery store.
Lavender oil is also a good choice to blend with tea tree.
This is a safe, effective product. I believe the chemical constituents in store sanitizers is allowing microbes to become more resistant. Essential oils, to date, have not been shown to allow this to happen. As with all products, keep out of reach of children.

source: http://www.ehow.com/how_2223499_natural-antibacterial-hand-sanitizer.html

Anti-Bacterial Gel

Choose containers that work best for your lifestyle. You can use glass bottles, plastic squeeze bottles or spray bottles. Small containers are especially handy, as you can carry it in your purse. You can find smaller containers in the travel section at a local drugstore.

1/4 cup pure aloe vera gel
1/4 cup witch hazel
1 tsp. vegetable glycerin
1 tbsp. grain alcohol
Essential oils such as tea tree oil or lavender

Combine the following ingredients in a container or bowl: 1/4 cup witch hazel, 1/4 cup pure aloe vera gel, 1 tsp. vegetable glycerin and 1 tbsp. grain alcohol. Using grain alcohol avoids the clinical smell of isopropyl alcohol.

Add eight to 10 drops of an essential oil such as tea tree oil. Tea tree oil is well-known for its antimicrobial and antiseptic properties. Lavender also works well. You can even try mixing lavender with tea tree oil. Essential oils are commonly found in natural foods stores.

Mix all the ingredients thoroughly. If the liquid is not thick enough, add more glycerin or aloe vera gel. Once everything is mixed together, fill the containers.

Reference http://www.ehow.com/how_7466620_make-antibacterial-gel.html

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The Healing Power of Soup

PurJan — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 15:50:12 +0000

When our children are ailing, and little tummies are not eager for food, we pull out a few trusted recipes to bring nourishment and comfort to sick little ones. Chamomile tea with honey and lemon is one, and the following recipe for Garlic Soup is another. The ingredients needed for this soup are few (and indeed it was also traditionally a soup made when the pantry was bare . . . ), but the soup gives strength and features the healing and germ-fighting power of garlic. Rest assured, the garlic taste is not strong or pungent – instead it is sweet and mellow.

Combine: 1.25L (5 cups) broth, salt to taste, 1 Tbsp lard or butter, 4 cloves crushed garlic, pinch of marjoram. Allow to boil for a few minutes. Serve with bread or with homemade croutons.

Optionally, cubed potatoes can be added at the beginning of cooking, or two beaten eggs can be stirred in at the end to increase the heartiness of the soup.

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Soup Weather

PurJan — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 16:32:36 +0000

A chilly rain is falling outside. Inside, one sick child is sleeping, and the others, just getting their appetite back, are clamouring for food. What to make that is fast, nourishing and suited for all to eat? Soup, of course! This is an old family recipe that has seen us through many a chilly day – perfect with some crusty bread (warm from the oven, for those days we have the time and motivation!). Quantities of vegetables, water and seasonings can be adjusted according to taste and the number of people being fed.

Start with a tablespoon or so of butter, melt in large stockpot over medium heat. Add enough flour (unbleached or whole-wheat) to make a thickish paste. Cook, stirring constantly, until a light brown colour. Slowly add cold water while whisking.

Add peeled, cubed potatoes, mushrooms (wild are best, or try a variety such as porcini, oyster, shiitake, etc. If using dried, be sure to saok to reconstitute, then drain before adding), dried basil or marjoram, paprika, a whole, peeled onion, and several whole, peeled cloves garlic.

Cook 10 minutes, then add sliced carrots. Continue cooking until potatoes are tender. Add frozen peas and/or corn and a dash of Worcestershire, allowing to warm through. Serve and enjoy!

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Wrapping a Wriggler

BirdiesRoom — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 05:55:05 +0000

Let’s talk about the dreaded wriggles. No, not THOSE guys. The wriggles! That terrible condition most children get that makes wrapping extra difficult and leaves mama panting and sweaty with a lopsided wrap job. Read on for tips for wrapping a wriggly baby/toddler and The Art of Distraction.

A toy or two- Fiddling with a small toy often kept my daughter distracted enough to forget that she was trying to jump off of my back.

Snacktime!- A couple… of crackers, a cookie, or another favorite snack is another great option to keep your bigger kid occupied. Just be forewarned, whatever it is may very well end up under your shirt and down your back. I don’t recommend anything ice cold, and remember those crumbs can be itchy!

A mirror- Standing next to a mirror and encouraging your little one to make funny faces at him or herself can often work wonders. Bonus is that you can see your shirt hiking way up to expose that little love handle, and it can be tugged down right away rather than 2 hours later.

TV- A favorite cartoon may leave your child splayed on your back, wide eyed and slackjawed. And that’s definitely a good thing during the wrapping process, you’ll be on your way in the blink of an eye!

Here fishy fishy- If you own a fish tank, now is a good time to work the perks. Tell a story about the fish while bending near it, or ask your child to tell you exactly what the fish are doing at that moment. You know he or she is excellent at giving play by plays.

WHOA!- This one depends on the child, but if you have a silly gigglemonster like mine… Occasionally shout “WHOOOA!!” and bend your knees a bit while wrapping to pretend that you are “falling”, my daughter would cling tight (perfect wrapping position!) and laugh hysterically.

Enlist help- Have an older sibling or S.O. come over to entertain your wrappee while you are wrapping. See, they do come in handy!

Now, the other side of the coin when it comes to wrapping those wriggly kids. The carry itself. Use carries that secure your wrappee to you quickly, anything with a chestbelt will get the job done fast. Another option is to quickly do a strap carry. then wrap over it with a different wrap. Multilayered carries are typically the best option to keep squirmy kids in place, though be careful if you have an archer. Consider wrapping arms out, as often wrapping their arms in will lead to more struggling and a loose wrap when they do get free. A front carry is often a better and faster choice when it comes to wrapping a wriggly little one, though front carries can be limiting. Especially when your “baby” feels nearly as tall as you are! Make sure the pocket your child’s bottom is in is nice and deep and their knees are high, that will help keep them in place.

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“Brilliant Colours with Natural Dyes”

BirdiesRoom — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 03:58:55 +0000

A little glimpse into how and where natural dyes are derived! All of the information provided below is sourced directly from the book quoted below. The book also includes a very interesting section on “Pioneer Colours”, listing the plants and plants parts that were used throughout history for textile colouring.

Source: Brilliant Clours with Natural Dyes on Silk and other Natural Textiles by Cheryl Kolander
This is a fascinating, inspirational book, available at www.AuroraSilk.com.

COCHINEAL - an insect, raised as a domestic insect for thousands of years in Peru and Central America, which lives on the Prickly Pear Cactus. A scale type insect, the dye forms in the eggs of the gravid female. The dye comes in the form of whole insects or ground as a coarse powder. Used to achieve RED, ROSE, PINK AND PLUM.

LOGWOOD - the heartwood of a tropical tree. Used in the form of sawdust and shavings. Used to achieve PURPLE.

WELD – an easily grown “weed” native to the Mediterranean area. Flowering tops are used to acheive YELLOW. Almost all weeds will give some type of yellow, but Weld is prized because of its clarity, brightness and fastness.

CATECHU and LOGWOOD – Black is acheived by combining tannin, iron and logwood. Catechu contains tannins and is now made from the extract of the Acacia tree, yet it was originally sourced from the beetlenut. Used to achieve BLACK.

TANNINS and LOGWOOD – All plants contain tannins so any plants will make GREY, with iron. Warm greys, blues greys and greeninc and purple greys are possible. Logwood extract and iron give a blue grey. Use with yellow or gold dye to get shades of olive and soft/dark forest greens.

MADDER – The plant itself is an herb, but the root is used for dyeing. The roots take three years to mature. Used to acheive ORANGE, ORANGE-RED, RED, WINE, BURGUNDY, SOFT VIOLET and SALMON.

INDIGO – a legume, the plant looks similar to alfalfa but usually larger and is used as a rotational crop for increasing soil fertility. Indigo dye must be prepared from the fresh plant. In the end, a dried pasted is derived from the plant which is then mixed with water to create a fermented Indigo vat. It is the only dye that does not need mordanting (most natural dyes are fixed onto the fabric through the intermediary of a metallic ion. The metal salt is called a mordant.). Used to acheive BLUES.

FUSTIC – a tropical tree of the mulberry family. It is the yellow heartwood that give the dye. Used to acheive YELLOW and CLEAR GREENS.

BRAZILWOOD – the heartwood of several related Brazilian species of leguminous trees. Sawdust shavings can be used to achieve RED.

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Food for Thought – “Milk: It Does the Body Good?”

BirdiesRoom — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 12:14:02 +0000

We hear more and more about severe allergies to many common foods, such as milk and peanut butter. Without pushing an opinion, there are some interesting articles that are worth reading, all on the subject of milk. There is a Raw Milk movement that claims that the enzymes in raw milk are beneficial. I personally agree with this statement but where to get raw milk from a reliable source unless one milks their own Betsy? If one gets enzymes from other sources in their diet, and so opts to drink pasteurised milk, should one choose homogenised or un-homogenised milk? Be it psychological or not, I feel better when I drink un-homogenised milk. I have learned that the fat globules in milk are micronized during the homogenising process, and some argue that as a result of this process, proteins that would normally be digested in the stomach or gut are not being broken down, and are instead absorbed into the bloodstream. If one does not drink milk from super-healthy cows, this can have some negative health implications.

A bit about Milk, Cows, Hormones, Pasteurisation, and more.

A bit about Raw Milk, and how milk has changed and modernised during these recent years.

“Homogenization is the worst thing that dairymen did to milk. Simple proteins rarely survive digestion in a balanced world.

When milk is homogenized, it passes through a fine filter at pressures equal to 4,000 pounds per square inch, and in so doing, the fat globules (liposomes) are made smaller (micronized) by a factor of ten times or more. These fat molecules become evenly dispersed within the liquid milk.

Milk is a hormonal delivery system. With homogenization, milk becomes a very powerful and efficient way of bypassing normal digestive processes and delivering steroid and protein hormones to the human body (both your hormones and the cow’s natural hormones and the ones they were injected with to produce more milk).

Through homogenization, fat molecules in milk become smaller and become ‘capsules’ for substances that bypass digestion. Proteins that would normally be digested in the stomach or gut are not broken down, and are absorbed into the bloodstream…

Homogenized milk, with its added hormones, is rocket fuel for cancer.”
Nov. 28, 2007 Robert Cohen

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The Importance of Play

BirdiesRoom — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 13:00:25 +0000

Importance of Play

“Children need to play – it is part of their world that helps to develop their imagination, communication and understanding.” (nursery ed, Dec 2005)

This opening sentence says it all. The full article can be read here…The Importance of Play.

It is important to allow for playtime during daily routines, when schedules can become very busy with schooling, household chores, and extra-curricular activities. We hope you find these articles encouraging, and we look forward to any suggestions, tips or sharing of personal experiences.

Further readings…
The Vital Role of Play in Early Childhood Education

The Vital Role of Play in Childhood

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Cranberry Sauce

BirdiesRoom — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 06:25:52 +0000

Forget the canned stuff - homemade is best! A special condiment on special occasions, or just as a special treat.

Categories: In the Kitchen, Recipes

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Dragonfly Beginnings

BirdiesRoom — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 17:02:43 +0000

Name: Lise Blackford

Location: Oregon, USA

Personal Bio: I have always enjoyed fiber arts, from sewing to spinning, knitting, felting and dyeing. I have a passion for helping others to achieve beauty in their lives while maintaining a non-toxic and… Read more...

Categories: Random Musings

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