Just My o"PIN"ion on Scratched Disc Cleaner

Okay, so I feel kinda bad now for locking my children up in the dungeon and feeding them Ritz crackers through the bottom crack as there punishment for ruining yet another DVD!  Okay, I'm lying, I feed them cracker crumbs, but still... (Oh Dear Lord, please let everyone know I'm totally kidding!)

But seriously, who doesn't have an endless amount of totally ruined discs that are unusable because of those pesky scratches that totally ruin the whole movie.  Some corporate genius is totally smiling at his idea of making those little, silver circles scratchable so that you have to go buy another disc because otherwise your child will scream nonstop because they can't watch their Nemo for the 500,000 time all while holding their chocolate milk sippy, cup with one hand and their other hand holding their blanket in just the perfect spot or it's all wrong!!!!!!!!  Whew, sorry about that.  It's been a LONG day!  But you know what I am talking about and if you don't, then you probably don't have small children or at least small children like mine.  However, I am about to give that smiling, corporate guy a cut in his paycheck, because I have found a miracle!  It's right up their with Borax, Vinegar and Mascara!  It's Crest Kid's Toothpaste...yep.  Thank you Crest and thank you The Handmade Dress for this fabulous idea to pin!

Supplies:  

You will need a scratched disc.  I say this as if you only have one!  HA!  Just choose the one your kid is being dramatic about at the current minute.  You will also need KID'S CREST toothpaste.  Yes, it has to be Kid's and it has to be Crest!  Also needed are warm water and a soft cloth or towel.

Directions:

After finding the disc, spread a bit of toothpaste all over.  Rub with your fingers until it is almost dried and unspreadable.  (Is that a word?)  This will take about 2 minutes.  Make sure and apply pressure and work in circles so that it buffs those pesky scratches out.  Take the disc and rinse it off with warm water.  Then just dry it off with a cloth and prepare to be amazed!  

The Verdict:

Amazing!  I chose a disc that was pretty scratched up.  So bad in fact, it only made it about 5 seconds in and it was froze.  However, after cleaning it, which took about 3 minutes, it just played and played and played when I tried it again.  I let it go for awhile and had absolutely no problems.  I am going to make this a job for my two older children and they should have these puppies knocked out in about 3 hours.  Don't worry, I will take them out of the dungeon AFTER they are done :)  

Here are some pictures of the process:

Before- Very Scratched Up!

Rub that Kid's Crest In Good!

After- Trust me, it was better!

I'm watching the movie!

Just My o"PIN"ion on Cinnamon Roll Waffles!

One thing I love are cinnamon rolls...another, waffles! So, when I saw this recipe from Hen
s Nest, I knew I had to try it. Plus, it gave me a great excuse to eat incredibly fattening food while on a diet!! I mean it's all in the name of research, right?!?!

Supplies:
You will need a waffle maker, a tube of cinnamon rolls and some nonstick cooking spray. Plus lots of hungry people to help eat them, or you will eat them all yourself. Don't say I didn't warn you!

Directions:
Spray nonstick cooking spray on your waffle iron and warm that bad boy up. Once it is heated, place a cinnamon rolls or two or how ever many will fit on the plates and click down. These cook extremely fast, so don't wait for a set timer or light to go off. Check them in about a minute. They should fall off nicely and be brown. My waffle maker wasn't cooperating and the top plate kept sticking, but I was a woman on a mission (I'm on a diet remember) so I just peeled those suckers off! After that, frost with the included icing and enjoy!

The Verdict:
Amazing! Not because of it's taste but because of HOW FAST these babies cook! I can have 1000 calories ready in just a few minutes! No heating the oven, making the house hot, and no more waiting for cinnamon rolls! Now in my o"PIN"ion, they taste just like cinnamon rolls, just a little crustier. They shouldn't focus on the waffle part but instead focus on the amazing speed at which you can make them. So, I would like to rename this post...Just my o"PIN"ion on 1 Minute Cinnamon Rolls! Amazing! Did I say that already? So, excuse me while I go work off the 4 cinnamon rolls that I ate. If you need me in the next 3 hours, I'll be at the gym;)

Here are some pictures of the few minutes before the cinnamon rolls were devoured!

Just My o"PIN"ion on Apple Cider Vinegar Pimple Treatment

I went through my teen years with just a few pimples on my face. I was blessed to have good skin and continued on that route until...I started working out everyday. UGH! Trading fat for pimples was not what I had in mind (although I would) and to believe I have to deal with acne at the age of 33 is ridiculous! So I have become a woman on a mission to find something that will take these pimples away! I've tried Proactive, prescription medication, and tons of beauty/over the counter products and nothing has really worked. So, after searching Pinterest one day, I found this home remedy on My Healthy Life Now using just apple cider vinegar and water.

Supplies
Vinegar, Water, Q-Tips and a container to store it in!

Directions
I used my own ratio of 1 part water to 1 part apple cider vinegar. The ratio was different on this blog but I wanted to try it a little stronger! Away With These Pimples Already! So, basically I just measured it out and put it in a little container. Then every morning and every night after I wash my face I hit my forehead and chin areas with this mixture using a Q-Tip. It could be too drying for your face, but mine has handled it just fine.

The Verdict
I started about 5 days ago and I must say for the first 3-4, I wasn't seeing much difference. But finally today I am noticing some improvement! I have been trying to wear as little makeup as possible to possibly help the process too. I'm hoping my face will be flawless in another week! It didn't get the amazing, next day results this post said you would have but we shall see how it does over time! I'll keep you updated!

To spare you any more grossness as you probably were all grossed out enough from my foot post last week, I didn't take any pictures of my zits! YOU ARE WELCOME! However, if my face is flawless in a week, I'll take a picture without makeup! GASP!


Photo Courtesy of MyHealthyLifeNow.com

Just My o"PIN"ion on Cracked Heal Remedy!

There is nothing better than flip-flops in my opinion. Well,unless you are wearing flip-flops while having drinks with Luke Bryan and watching the sunset together. Oh sorry...did I say that out loud?? Silly me! Back to flip-flops! It's starting to get warm here in Kansas and that means I am breaking out my flip-flops for the season. Only one problem...My Feet Are NASTY! They haven't seen one of those pedicure chairs since last summer and I just haven't had time to schedule one in my busy life yet. So, when I ran across this PIN from KSL.com on Pinterest and it basically claimed miracles, I thought I'd give it a try!

Disclaimer: My feet are really nasty. I workout everyday and I my feet show it. I have blisters, calluses and much more to show for the abuse my feet take. So, please know that before you go on! Oh...and if feet make you want to throw up, well, you better just stop here! There's going to be lots of pictures of nasty feet coming up!

Supplies:
You will need Shaving Cream, Listerine, a towel and a bowl or tub. If going the step farther like I did, you will also need a Ped-Egg, lotion and a pair or socks!

Directions:
So it's fairly basic instructions. You find a comfy spot you want to stay for about 30 minutes and bring along all the supplies. You will need to mix a solution of 1 part Listerine to 1 part warm water. I probably used about 1/2 -1 cup of each. Then lay out a towel and start with putting shaving cream on your feet. Take the towel and get it soaked in the water solution. Wrap feet in the towel and really get it around the heel good. I took part of the towel from the floor and just wrapped it around the soaked towel and made like a little cocoon. Now wait 30 minutes for the magic to happen! When the time is up, take the soaked towel and really scrub your feet with it. Then go and rinse off the mixture off your feet. At this point, my feet were really starting to tingle and really smell like mouthwash! Then pat them dry really well. I took a look at the results and wasn't that impressed. So...I went a little farther with this. Please note that you may have better results if your feet aren't starting out as nasty as mine! I got my Ped-Egg out and scrubbed awhile then I put on my favorite Gold Bond lotion and lotion socks. I kept them on about an hour and then took a look. SOOOOO much better!

The Verdict:
While the Listerine mixture may have helped the end result, I'm not so sure it's the miracle fix as some people have been pinning it to be! Do my feet look better? Yes, but it sure doesn't just make the dead skin fall right off! However, if you have about an hour of your life to spare, give it a try and let me know how it works for you! If you have stinky feet...then this is what you have been looking for! I'm pretty sure this I'm going to smell like Listerine for the rest of my life!

Pictures of the Process:

Just My o"PIN"ion on Homemade Foam Soap!

I will admit that I love my foam soap from that big chain that has tons and tons of fabulous smells! I only buy it when they are having their great sale and of course with a coupon, but I am trying to live frugally, so I thought I would give this homemade version a try from GOODEness Gracious.com.

Supplies:
All you need is an old foaming bottle that has been emptied out and any other soap you choose. You could use Dawn, baby soap, or something like the Softsoap I used. I was able to get mine at Dillon's for FREE one week and it's just been sitting around because I have been stocked up on those fancy soaps from that big chain. However, Softsoap or the store brand usually go on sale for $1.00 several times a year! Oh, and you need water!

Directions:
I was using a bottle that was 8.75 ounces. Since the recipe says 1 part soap to 5 parts water, I just took that number and divided it by 6. (If you are a Math teacher and this is wrong, please don't judge me.) I rounded up and needed to put 1.5 ounces of soap in the bottle and then fill it the rest of the way with water. Then I shook it a bit and tried it out!

The Verdict:
It worked great and since I used a yummy smell of Softsoap, it smelled yummy too! I literally paid nothing for the soap and I still have enough Softsoap for about 4 more batches! It would probably average out to maybe $.20 cents a bottle if you got the soap for $1.00! Now that is frugal living!

Here are some pictures of the process:

Just My o"PIN"ion On Homemade Laundry Detergent

Ever since I announced that I started making my own laundry detergent, I've had tons of people ask for me the recipe and even more people wanting to know what I thought of it. So, I thought this was perfect for this week's Just My o"PIN"ion post!
I went with the simple recipe from DIYNatural.com because it was SO SIMPLE! Just 3 ingredients and a little elbow grease!

Supplies:
Did I say just 3 ingredients? You will need Borax, Arm and Hammer Washing Soda and I chose Fels-Naptha as my bar soap but you can chose between others. You will also need a grater, a container to store it in, a measuring spoon and I use my food processor.

Directions:
Basically you grate your bar soap into a container. Add 1 cup of Borax and 1 cup of the washing soda and combine until well blended. What I do next is stick it in my food processor. I wanted mine to be really fine and well blended. The food processor did the trick! Next time I am going to see if I can just cut the bar soap into bigger pieces and then see if it will grate it for me! Then just add 1 tbsp. per load of laundry. I might add a little more if it's a really dirty load but otherwise I've stuck to those measurements.

My Experience:
I LOVE this stuff! It is well worth the elbow grease of grating the bar soap! Mine has lasted me for well over a month and I am just now out. So I think it lasts a little longer than my big $15.00 jug of Tide that I used to use. On average, you will be saving $0.16 per load! That little bit adds up when you use it over time. Think about it! I average 2 loads a day, so that is about $0.32 a day. Over a year, you will save over $100.00 my choosing homemade! Plus, it cleans very well and I would choose it over store brand any day. I still use my stain remover for stains but I am looking into a homemade recipe for that too! I'm hooked. I don't think I'll ever go back. On another note...my children and husband have very sensitive skin and even eczema. This laundry soap doesn't bother anybody. It is extremely gentle that I even clean the babies clothes with it. Have I said I LOVE this stuff?

I hope you give it a shot. There are many other recipes, including liquid soap recipes as well that you can try. You can find more information about HE front load washers in the above DIY link. Please know that I use an older top load washer so I have no experience with the fancier models!

I'm off to go make a double batch now! Tune in next week for another Just My o"PIN"ion!

Just My o"PIN"ion on Fancy Nails Made Easy!

I am sure if you are on Pinterest you have seen all the really cool nail designs people are coming up with. There is everything you can imagine when it comes to nails. I am sure nail salons across the country are very excited about the latest craze! However, I'm cheap and frugal, so I wanted to do a simple, subtle fancy nail on my own. I don't mine going crazy on my feet, but I prefer subtle colors on my fingers, which usually is just a'natural! I ran across this idea from The Beauty Department and knew this was what I wanted to try for one of my posts.

Supplies:
All you need is two colors of nail polish, some hole reinforcements (I found at Target) and I also used some Quick Dry polish too. Simple enough!!

Directions:
Everything was very simple to follow. It's pretty much painting your nails, so if you can do that, you can do this!

My Experience:
This was very easy to do and had pretty good results. I made sure my first color was nice and dry before I started putting the stickers on. Like over an hour dry! When it came to the stickers, the thumb was tricky. One sticker isn't big enough, so you have to use two which created a shape that wasn't perfect, but it's not really that noticeable when done. Make sure your stickers are really pressed on. I didn't mess up anything when I peeled them off, just do it slowly. The end result was pretty good, but I would stick with light colors until you become a pro. If I had hot pink for my tips, you would probably see the flaws much more easily. However, due to the light color, all you see is pretty! I'm won over!! I'll be doing this again!

Here are some pictures of the process: