Herbal Salve/ Ointment/ Balm Tutorial PLUS Freebie!

My good friend Allyson has been making natural household products for a couple years and just launched a business selling natural body products - Etz Adin (literally meaning gentle tree). {More info and Freebie coupon code at the end.} I asked Allyson to share her basic technique with us.

Salves are a lot of fun to make.  There are endless combinations of ingredients and you end up with a really great product that heals and nourishes the body.  We love the Natural Healing Salve at our house and use it for just about everything including bug bites, cuts and scrapes, sunburn, eczema, and even diaper rash!

Today, I’m going to share with you the basics of making a salve.  Although it is possible to create a salve from beginning to end in one day, you really want to give it 4-6 weeks to become as rich and effective as possible.

And the Winner Is...

Deb!  Congratulations, to Deb of Wise Old Owl Designs, the winner of my Apron Giveaway!  Deb entered just in the nick of time.  I look forward to hearing which apron she will choose.

I used the instructions on Random.org to choose a winner.  You can see the beginning of the number sequence in the images below.

I want to thank you all for your kind and encouraging comments about the aprons and my blog.  I love writing this blog and it's so nice to hear that someone is enjoying it!

5 Days Remain to Enter Apron Giveaway

Update: WINNER ANNOUNCED 
 
Giveaway ends July 31, 11:15 pm California time (UTC -7) .  Entering is EASY:

1. Subscribe (follow, like, join, tweet, share, etc.) any way you want.
2. Comment telling me what you did.  (Make sure to enter your e-mail address, or e-mail me: nonrecipe (at) gmail .com.) 

 For full details see original contest post. Worldwide entries accepted!

Apron Giveaway!

Update: WINNER ANNOUNCED 

I have a selection of five adult and two child designer aprons finally ready to giveaway!  I will give at least one away this month.  The winner(s) will choose their favorite and I will ship it.  Multiple entries per person are possible.  To enter:

• Follow me on Blogger/Google Reader, Facebook, and/or Twitter.  Comment* telling me where you are following me, and you will get one entry for each.  (It still counts as an entry if you were following me before the contest, just leave a comment.)



#1: Recycled jeans. Tie waist

• Tell your friends, tweet, and post on your blog or Facebook.  Comment* claiming your friends when they follow me, or have them comment including your name or blog.  One entry per referral.

# 2: Recycled jeans, patch logo

#2 detail: adjustable button waist

#1 Detail:   button neck, chest pocket, patch logo.  

New Logo!

I am pleased to present the new Cooking Outside the Box logo, which will be printed on the aprons I am designing.  I want to thank my mother, Caren Hackman for working on this and trying to solidify my many ideas.  I even got to see her work via Skype screen share.  I also want to thank her friend, Susan Julien (@adpstudios), for working on the logo and giving us the whisk.  Most of all I want to thank my talented designer friend, Tzippy Lankin.  She worked with me to get from the many ideas my mom and Susan gave me to what I hope is our final design, above.  It was a real pleasure working with her and an honor to observe her skill and hear her process.  Tzippy is a professional graphic designer and jewelry artist.  You can see more of her work on Tzippy's Facebook page.



  

By the way, I've started tweeting.  You can follow me @nonrecipe. 

You can still subscribe by e-mail.  Just put your e-mail address in the box in the right-hand column, and make sure you click the link in the confirmation e-mail.  It may appear in your spam folder.

Shhh... It's A Secet

You may have noticed from my blogroll that I like sewing and crafts.  This time I'm sewing for you!  As a gift for my followers I will be giving away two unique Cooking Outside the Box aprons.  There will be a drawing in July and the winners will get to choose their favorite apron from several designs, including children's and unisex aprons.  Subscribe or become a "follower" today, so you don't miss out on all the details to come in February.  Pictured are some of my works in progress modeled by CookingManager, Hannah K.

Amazon.com Kitchen 4-for-3 Deal

I got an e-mail about this deal on Amazon.com right AFTER I purchased three items for my brother.  (Congratulations on your graduation, Joel!)

Here are the DETAILS.

Here are some of the many items you can get on sale.

Check out my Amazon Carousel at the end of the right-hand column for some suggestions.  You might want to set a timer before you start shopping.  I got sucked into all the great deals and tools I wish I had.