Homemade Natural Shampoo

I finally ran out of my store bought shampoo, so I made my own. After using this recipe I have decided I won't be buying shampoo from the store anymore. It is SO easy to make, and it is SO much cheaper to make it. Also, I love how it suds up and really cleans my hair. I can customize it to my hair needs. For example, it can be more moisturizing in the dry winter, and more sudsy in the summer when I'm trying to wash away garden dirt and sweat. Here is how you can make this wonderful shampoo:

Ingredients: 

•  1/4 cup coconut milk
• 1/3 cup Liquid Castille Soap (I use Dr.Bronners) 
• 20 drops of Essential Oils (I used lavender and tea tree oil) 
• 1/2 tsp Almond oil or Olive oil (This is great for dry hair, or during those dry winter months)

Mix together and put into a empty shampoo bottle. 

A little bit goes a long way, and it really suds up! 

Leave a comment and let me know how you like it.

You can get all the above ingredients at VitaCost. For $10 off at VitaCost click here. You and I will both get $10 off.

Spirulina! What it is, and why you need it.

What on earth is spirulina? It is a cyanobacteria (kinda like an herb, but not) basically it is a kind of algae that is gathered from non-contaminated ponds. Spirulina has amazing nutritional benefits. It is mostly made up of protein and essential amino acids. It is full of natural iron and B-12. 

It does takes pretty much like what you would imagine powdered algae would taste like. However, it is VERY good for the human body.

Thanks to Wellness Mama for this handy little chart.

• Spirulina is 65% protein and amino acids including the essential fatty acid gamma linolenic acid (GLA) which has gotten a lot of attention for its anti-inflammatory properties,   It contains all essential amino acids.
• Spirulina contains Omega 3-,6 and 9s and is especially high in Omega-3s.
• Spirulina is extremely high in Chlorophyll, which helps remove toxins from the blood and boost the immune system.
• Spirulina has a very high concentration of bio-available iron and is excellent during pregnancy and for those with anemia and will not cause constipation.
•  Spirulina is a great source of other nutrients including (according to Wikipedia): “Spirulina contains vitamins B-1(thiamine), B-2 (riboflavin), B-3(nicotinamide), B-6 (pyridoxine), B-9 (folic acid), vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin A and vitamin E. It is also a source of potassium, calcium, chromium, copper, iron, magnesium,  manganese, phosphorus,  selenium, sodium and zinc. Spirulina contains many pigments which may be beneficial and bioavailable”.
• This Spirulina (from Mountain Rose Herbs) was tested be an independent laboratory and found to have an ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) of over 24,000 which is 4x the ORAC score of blueberries. The ORAC score is generally used to measure antioxidant ability and concentration in different foods.
• Spirulina is also incredibly high in calcium with over 26 times the calcium in milk, making it excellent for children, the elderly and during pregnancy.
• Some research has suggested that Spirulina may be helpful in allergies and allergic reactions.
• Spirulina’s phosphorus content makes it helpful as part of a tooth remineralization regimen.
• Emerging evidence suggests that it binds with radioactive isotopes and may be useful for radioactivity exposure or radiation therapy.
• The protein in Spirulina is highly usable and has a net protein utilization rate of between 50-61%
• Spirulina can bind with heavy metals in the body and help remove them.
• Spirulina can increase fat burning during exercise.

Basically, you should have spirulina as a part of your life. You can buy it in tablets, capsules, powdered and such. I like to get the powdered from Mountain Rose Herbs, because I can control just how much I'm taking of it, and I can mix it into smoothies for my toddler. 

DISCLAIMER: This is for information purposes only. Please do your own research and know the benefits and risks of each ingredient before taking or giving this to someone.  The statements made here have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. These statements are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure or prevent anything. 

Homemade Hair Gel

Hair Gel

This recipe came from Mommypotamus. She deserves the credit for this, I just adapted it a bit for my needs. 

Hair Gel

What to use:

• 1 teaspoon gelatin (if you want less "hold" then use 1/2 teaspoon gelatin)
• 1 cup very warm purified water
• 5-10 drops essential oil (optional)
• 8 oz mason jar

How to make:

1. Dissolve gelatin into warm water.

2.. Add essential oils if desired. Store in mason jar in the fridge.

What I do with it:

Apply to hair like regular hair gel. Store in fridge.

*Mommypotamus came up with this info. I am just passing on what her blog says about the essential oils.*

A Few Essential Oil Options

• Lime essential oils smells amazing, and is helpful for balancing oily hair. In a more concentrated form it may also lighten hair.
• Peppermint and rosemary essential oils stimulate hair growth and add shine. Great for normal hair. 
• Basil, thyme, patchouli, tea tree and lemongrass have astringent properties which are beneficial for oily hair
• Chamomile, lavender, sandalwood and rosemary are helpful for dry hair.
• Clary sage, tea tree, eucalyptus, and patchouli are helpful for dandruff

Need some doTerra essential oils? Check out my site... CLICK HERE

My (mostly) chemical-free home.

A while ago I decided once we finally moved into our new home (it was a 4 month long buying process) that I was going to make it "chemical-free". Considering my limited, but growing knowledge of the ingredients I need and how to use them, on what, I am sure this will be fun experience for everyone.  :)

The things I make thus far are:

• General household cleaner and sanitizer - my recipe here
• Kitchen/bathroom cleaner and sanitizer - my recipe here
• Laundry detergent - my recipie here
• Floor cleaner - Mop with a bucket of hot water, 10 drops of lemon essential oil, 10 drops of pine or cedar essential oil, 2 cups of white vinegar.
• Glass cleaner - Spray window/mirror with 1 part white vinegar and 3 parts water, wipe with wet (with water) microfiber cloth.
• Fabric softener - my recipie here
• Rinse-aid for the dishwasher - I just use white vinegar.
• Fabric/room freshener - Still perfecting it, will post when I am happy with the results.
• Fruit/Veggie wash - I fill sink/bowl with water, then add about a cup of white vinegar.
• Wood oil - 1 cup olive oil, 10 drops cedar oil, 10 drops lemon oil.
• Mouth wash- my recipe here
• Hand/Body Soap - my recipes here
• Teeth Whitener - 1 part hydrogen peroxide (pre diluted to 3%), 1 part water. Swish, Spit, let bubbles work for a bit, then swish with mouth wash.
• Toothpaste - I get my recipes for this from here (for now until I come up with my own)
• Hair Gel - here
• Solid Loton - here
• Healing Salve - here
• Face scrub - coming soon
• Body butter - here (This is someone else's recipe that I have used. I will post my own version soon)
• Shaving Cream - same as body butter (above)

The things I still buy (but get the least chemical filled brands/types I can find) are:

• Hand/Body Soap - from here
• Shampoo/Conditioner - also from here
• Deodorant - Buy from here or I make the recipe posted here 
• Bubble bath - from here
• Sunscreen - same as bubble bath
• Automatic dishwasher detergent - from here
• Dish soap - same as dishwasher detergent

Just as a side note; I do not have any affilation with the above companies. They are simply the ones that work for me, and have less "bad stuff" in them then most.

A majority of the things on the "buy" list I have tried to make, I just haven't found a recipe that I really like yet. As far as makeup and other beauty products I have not converted over 100% yet. Mostly because I almost never wear makeup (as in once every couple of months) so I don't feel that is a big concern at this time. I also still buy regular chemical-filled mousse. I just haven't found anything that makes me happy that is natural yet. When it comes to chapstick and things of that nature I use a variety of natural brands. Coconut oil, and almond oil are about the only things I use as moisturizer, lotion, or face creams.

Want to get good quality essential oils? Click here.

My Homemade Flu/Cold/Allergy Remedy and Preventive.

My Homemade Flu/Cold/Allergy Remedy and Preventive. 

Elderberry Syrup

What you need:

2-4oz Elderberry Concentrate
2-4oz Raw local honey
Tea ball full of dried echinacea 
Fresh ginger root
Pint size mason jar



How to make:

Fill the jar half way with boiling water, and steep the echinacea while you work on the other ingredients. In a small pan pour in your elderberry and honey, heat the pan on low and stir slowly until the honey has dissolved. Pour your mixture into your mason jar. Grate your ginger root into the jar, about an inch or so. Shake and store in the fridge. 

What we do with it: 

For immunity: Take 1 tbs daily. 

When sick: Take 1 tbs every 4-6 hours as needed. 

For children: Take 1 tsp daily, or every 4-6 hours as needed.

This is for information purposes only. Please do your own research and know the benefits and risks of each ingredient before taking or giving this to someone. 

NEVER GIVE INFANTS UNDER 1 YEARS HONEY!

Need some doTerra essential oils? Check out my site... CLICK HERE

Avocado Egg Boat

I've been seeing this idea going around the internet of frying a egg inside an avocado. I decided to try it out. To save you from the trial and error I experienced I thought I would post more details then the Facebook photo that is going around (it has no actual words to help guide you to succeed).

(Yes, this is a different pan then the other photos, it took a couple tries to figure out the best way.)

I took a cast iron skillet and coconut oil and heated it. While that was warming up I sliced in half and de-seeded an avocado. I scooped out the avocado with a spoon and placed the side that had the seen in it up. Then I carefully cracked the egg over the avocado. One didn't stay in the little dip so I just flipped it over on top of the egg. To avoid this you can simply scoop more avocado out of the seed ed, or just do like I did in the photo. Fry until the egg is as firm as you like, don't be afraid to flip it. Once cooked I sprinkled a little cheese on top and seasoned the whole thing whole it was cooking with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. It was delicious! My 20 month old loved it as well. 

Need some doTerra essential oils? Check out my site... CLICK HERE

Snow Cream

We have a nice thick layer of ice, and about 5 inches of powdery white snow. So of course after playing in the snow we had to come in the house and make snow cream (out of the "clean" snow, not the part we were playing in). I have to say it turned out to be pretty darn good, and it was VERY easy to make. It took me longer to find the vanilla (it fell back behind my other spices) then it did to whip everything together. Okay, enough about my experience. Try this recipe and let me know what you think.


Ingredients:

4 cups (a little more or less is fine) "clean" snow (do NOT use yellow snow)
1 cup almond milk (or coconut milk, or cream, or whatever you use as milk)
1/4 cup (or so..depending on taste) honey (or maple syrup, or sugar or whatever you use to sweeten)  
1 tsp real vanilla extract

Put the ingredients in a bowl and stir. Thats all. You can add more or less of anything depending on your taste, and if you want it thicker just add more snow.

Need some doTerra essential oils? Check out my site... CLICK HERE

Homemade Solid Lotion

I have been hesitant to make solid lotion. I'm not sure why, it just seem silly to me because I usually just use coconut oil, olive oil, or almond oil. However, there is one issue with that...it is hard to carry olive oil in your pocket. Sometimes I just need something that I can pull out of a purse or coat pocket and put on my hands because they get really dry in cold weather. I cannot and will not use lotion from the store. Mostly because ALL of it makes me itch. I don't mean just the stuff that isn't natural, or just the stuff from big box stores, I mean ALL lotion that I purchase makes me itch! Even from someone that makes it in small batches and uses "natural" ingredients. So here I am with dry, itchy, flaky, rough hands trying to remember to carrying around a little tub of coconut oil, and I run across a recipe for solid lotion. Just so happens that I have all of the necessary ingredients, so with a little tweaking to the found recipe I make something that does NOT make me itch! I repeat this does not make me itch!! Its amazing! I can carry it around in a pocket, purse, my hand, stuff it in the top of my boot, or even just sit it in the car and I have lotion whenever I need it. It doesn't cost an arm and a leg to make because all of the ingredients I already had at the house because I use them for other things, and it is easy and quick to make. Freaking love this stuff. I can't believe it took me so long to decide to make it. Anyway, enough about me, time to tell you how you can make your own homemade solid lotion.

 

Ingredients: 

• 2/3 cup beeswax
• 1/2 cup  coconut oil
• 1/2 cup shea butter 
• 15-20 drops of doTerra essential oil (I used peppermint and wild orange)

(Optional: 1 teaspoon vitamin E oil, next time I'm going to try this with almond oil)

Measure everything (except essential oils) out and put them in a large glass jar/cup. I used a pyrex measuring cup. Place the glass jar in a saucepan of boiling water. The water should be about an inch high on the jar. Stir until combined. Once everything is melted and combined then remove from heat and let cool for about 2-3 minuets, then add the essential oils. Stir and pour into silicone mold, or mini muffin tin. Let the bars cool for 2-3 hours then pop them out, wrap in plastic wrap and store in a pretty container until you are ready to use. 

For an exfoliating lotion bar just add a pinch of oatmeal to the bottom of the mold before you pour in the mixture.

Simply rub bar on skin to moisturize.

This stuff not only smells nice, it moisturizes. It doesn't have any chemicals, and it doesn't make me itch! It is very cheap to make, especially if like me, you already have these ingredients on hand for other projects. Not counting the cooling time, this didn't even take 10 minuets to make. That included chasing after my 18 month old (whom was diaperless at the time and kept coming up to me telling me he "pee" and taking me to it so I could clean it up, then of course he "poop, sh-ew" and I had to clean that up as well in the middle of the measuring). Let me know if you make it, and how it turned out. What essential oils did you put in yours? 

Pretty sure I'm going to be making a batch of this for Christmas gifts! 

Need some doTerra essential oils? Check out my site... CLICK HERE

Crafts.

I decided that I wanted to make something crafty out of the okra from my garden. It was too big and I wanted to let it mature so I would have seeds for next year. However, since I have 20 plants I had WAY more then enough to have seeds. So making a wreath out of some of it was obviously the next logical choice.

I found a plain wreath at the local craft store. It had been used so I snagged it for $3. Then I got a roll of floral wire for another $2.50.

After gathering the okra, which was brown and starting to split. Which is exactly how I wanted it. I took a big needle (or you could use a knife) and put a little hole in the tip of the okra.

Next, I put the floral wire through three okra ends.

Then I simply arranged the groups on the wreath.

Thats it. Added a bow (that I already had so it was free) and now I have a beautiful fall wreath that only cost $5.50, and about 30 min of my time.

Itchy foot relief.

My husband came home from work and said his foot itched. I told him after his shower I would put some essential oils on it. He said it itched really bad and has gotten worse all day. While he was showering I put together what I labeled "itchy foot relief". It consists of:

2 oz coconut oil

2 oz almond oil

10 drops oregano essential oil

5 drops peppermint essential oil

10 drops tea tree oil

I put this all in a small mason jar, and labeled it. 

As soon as I put it on his foot it stopped itching. Here are before and after photos of his foot. 

As you can see, it healed right up! According to my husband he had this rash for about 2 days, it had finally started it itching so much he couldn't I gore it and finally asked me to put something on it. After applying the "itchy foot relief" that I made he said it didn't itch anymore until about 24hrs later at which time I took a photo and applied more. 

I buy my essential oils at: http://www.mydoterra.com/kennatimmons/

My life as a "crunchy" mama.: My breast feeding journey. The first 3 months.

My life as a "crunchy" mama.: My breast feeding journey. The first 3 months.: From the very moment my son came into this world until he was about 3 months old he wanted to be latched on the boob. I'm not making thi...

The "Second" 3 Months (4-6 months) of my breastfeeding journey.

The "Second" 3 Months (4-6 months) of my breastfeeding journey.

Around 4 months the little man decided he wanted to sit up, it would be until 6 months before he could sit up all by himself. However, that didn't keep him from working at it every day until then.

By this point I was able to get 1-2 hours at a time without nursing him. I couldn't believe it! I had time to fix lunch, and eat! I had time to put something in the crock pot for dinner, and throw a load of laundry in the wash. It was simply amazing to be able to get a few little things accomplished during the day. Assuming you read my blog post about "the first 3 months" you know that I was overjoyed to be able to just fix a glass of water without the little man screaming, so to be able to do laundry was almost more time then I knew what to do with.

Occasionally, I could even slip away while he was taking a nap and have a little "me" time. We were co-sleeping from the beginning, but we began part-time bed-sharing around 2 weeks. By 2 months we were full-time bed-sharing. Nights were so easy, I would lay down with him, he would nurse to sleep, and I could slip out of the bed and go do whatever I wanted for an hour to two. Sometimes I could even get 2-3 hours of a sleeping, happy baby that wasn't latched on or touching me. Don't get me wrong, I happily practice attachment parenting, however when you have been either holding, nursing, or in some way touching another person constantly for nearly half a year, then I don't think it is too much to ask to have a couple hours to yourself now and then...even if it is at 2am.

During the daytime he pretty much nursed every hour, or maybe once a day he would go two hours before he would want to nurse. This was AMAZING! I realize that doesn't sound all that great, but it was constant nursing before that. He spent quite a bit of time trying to sit up, and I spent quite a bit of time watching him, talking to him, reading to him, and just looking at the world with him.

Then came the teeth. By 6 months the little man had two teeth (two more the next month). Once teething started he needed me a lot more so my few hours a day turned back into a few minuets during the 2-3 weeks at a time that he was teething.

There were quite a few challenges during the "second 3 months", such as moving from Hawaii to Arkansas. Which meant the little man and I had to fly across the country (we were by ourselves for that trip). I will say that during the trip I was SO thankful so many times that he only took boob and nothing that could be dropped on the floor, or that had to be mixed. I was also very thankful for my ergo baby carrier. That way I could hold him close, away from all the strangers in the airport, nurse him if he wanted, and load the stroller down with everything I didn't want to carry.

Overall the "second 3 months" were very different, easier, and more difficult then the first three months. They were a preview of what was to come when he started seriously teething, and it was a welcome and much needed time that I had a tiny bit of freedom to just take care of me now and then.


Click here for my doTerra essential oil page.

To read about the "First 3 Months" of my breastfeeding journey click here.

Why I became a doTerra consultant.

Essential oils

Essential oils have so many benefits. If you have the right kind, you can use them on your skin, you can ingest them, and use them for aromatically. There are many many reasons to use them, they truly are healing oils when used properly, and when you have the proper oil. 

The oils I had been using seemed fine, they weren't the most expensive or the cheapest. It wasn't until learning more about essential oils that I even began to question if I should get a different brand. The oils I was using were only recommended for aromatherapy. I wanted to use them topically, and was interested in learning more about cooking with them and using them in ways to be ingested. Because of this I started looking for a new brand, one that I could get oils that were organic, free of GMO's, safe to use inside and out of my body. That is when I found doTerra. 

DoTerra essential oils are certified pure therapeutic grade. Which is extremely important when you are picking out essential oils. Especially if you want them to be safe to use inside and on your body. They are much more effective then the "cheaper" oils, so even if they cost more per bottle, you are saving money in the long run because it takes less of a quality oil to be effective. Here is what doTerra has to say; dōTERRA CPTG Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade^® essential oils represent the safest, purest, and most beneficial essential oils available today. They are gently and skillfully distilled from plants that have been patiently harvested at the perfect moment by experienced growers from around the world for ideal extract composition and efficacy. Experienced essential oil users will immediately recognize the superior quality standard for naturally safe, purely effective therapeutic-grade dōTERRA essential oils.

I decided to become a consultant because it was so much cheaper for me to get the products that I wanted if I was a consultant. It only cost $35 to join, and I got $50 to spend on products, plus a very nice discount on all of the products I buy. I'm pretty sure it would just be silly not to sign up since I had already decided these were the oils I wanted to use for me and my family. I feel that these are some of the safest, and best quality essential oils on the market. 

If you would like to learn more, buy, or become a consultant just click here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=5KNjWl1Zm4w

Does it work? DigestZen essential oil blend.

Tummy troubles? Want something that works, that is safe, and natural? Here is my review of doTerra DigestZen digestive essential oil blend.


First off, I have had kinda sorta of an upset stomach for the last day and a half. Every time I eat it makes me feel gross. So of course once my DigestZen blend from doTerra came in I wanted to give it a try right away.

doTerra says that you can rub some on your stomach, or you can ingest it. I decided the quickest way to get relief would be to ingest it. I'm not sure if this is accurate because I haven't tried the other method yet, non the less, ingestion is the way I went. I got a small cup of water (about 3 oz) and put 1-2 drops of DigestZen into it, then drank it. Right away I realized it had some sort of licorice tasting essential oil in it. After further investigation I realized it has tarragon, which to me tastes like black licerious. I do NOT like black licorice! However, since I didn't have a lot to drink I just took it all in about two big gulps. According to doTerra the digestive blend has essential oils from; ginger, peppermint, tarragon, fennel, caraway, coriander, and anise.

Anyway, you are probably saying to your computer stop talking about the licorice taste and tell me already...DOES IT WORK?

After about 20-30 minuets I noticed my stomach felt better. No more upset stomach, I just simply felt...normal. I'm very happy with the results. Next time I will try rubbing it on the outside of my stomach just because of the licorice taste, however, it worked well enough that I wouldn't mind enduring the taste for the relief.

Have you tired doTerra DigestZen? What were your thoughts?

Want to try it for yourself? Click my link here... to visit my shop. I would greatly appreciate your business and a comment from you letting me know how it worked for you.

My new best friend: The lotus diffuser, and serenity essential oil blend.

My new best friend: The lotus diffuser, and serenity essential oil blend.


I just received my Lotus Diffuser from doTerra it is amazing! My son was fussing, and I couldn't figure out what he needed, then FedEx showed up with my diffuser. So I immediately put Serenity essential oil blend into the lotus diffuser and we both began to relax right away. I am not surprised that it works, however, I am shocked at how quickly it started working! After about 15 minuets he started quietly coloring in his notebook, and I got to sit down and tell you guys about how well the diffuser and serenity blend works. The lotus diffuser is different because it uses atomization technology to diffuse essential oils into the air so they can be easily absorbed by the human body. This is why it started working so quickly. Serenity oil blend is a blend of several essential oils that are known for their calming properties. It is a very pleasant, subtle aroma that is very calming. It is very pleasant because it is made entirely of essential oils, nothing synthetic, no chemicals, no gmo's, and it is all organic. The lotus diffuser also has a very nice look to it, and has pretty blue lights. I am so happy I ordered it! I was a bit hesitant because I can get a cheap diffuser that I thought worked just fine, but I decided to go ahead and give this fancy one a try and see if it really does work better. Yes, it really does work better. I can now say with experience that a good quality diffuser, and good quality essential oils do make a huge difference. I had been purchasing the cheaper oils and thought they worked fine. Now I know better though. I can get the pricier oils, and use less of them and end up saving money in the long run, and getting much better results. 

If you have essential oil questions feel free to ask, I would love to help you on your journey to finding what works for you.

This is my review of the lotus diffuser and serenity essential oil blend, both my doTerra. What do you think?

Click here to visit my doTerra shop.

Organic Garden Pest Control

Gardening is a bit tricky when you are not using any chemicals. I decided that if I was going to have a garden it must be organic. It requires quite a bit of weeding by going this way, and it also requires alternative insect control. This is how I stumbled upon food grade diatomaceous earth, otherwise knows as DE. Apparently this is the bees knees when it comes to killing bugs and the sort. It is safe enough to consume yourself, and you can put it on your animals, and even feed it to them. It gets rid of everything apparently.

Yesterday I spread it out around the garden. It is supposed to take a couple days or even a week to get rid of everything. Because it isn't a chemical it isn't going to be a instant fix. However, I will gladly wait because it is safe enough that I don't even have to wash it off of my vegetables before I eat them. This is a trade I will gladly make over the non-organic bug control. I will let you know in a few days how it is going with the bugs. I have read many reviews though, and I am pretty sure it is going to get rid of them.


Have you tried DE? Did it work for you?

Want to get good quality essential oils? Click here.

Toddler vs Tomato

Toddler vs Tomato

There are many reason I love having a organic garden. However, today I am so thankful that I did not have to worry a bit when my son was standing beside me today while I picked a freshly ripen tomato from the vine, then proceeded to grab said tomato and eat it. There was no need to take it away from him to wash it, I didn't have to be concerned about what or when I just sprayed or sprinkled anything on the garden. He got to enjoy his very fresh tomato and I got to be happy about it.

By the way, he hasn't ever actually liked tomatoes before. I usually provide him some on his plate when we are eating them, but he hasn't been a big fan until tonight when he ate the whole thing in the garden!

Last week he did this with a cucumber, fresh from the garden and has been eating cucumbers since. I guess he just needed to see where they come from. I am so happy my 14 month old is enjoying these fresh vegetables.


Does your toddler eat veggies?

Want to get good quality essential oils? Click here.

Pickles!

Pickles...

As you probably know I have a very large, organic garden. This garden has several cucumber plants. Which means I have a BUNCH of cucumbers! My solution this issue? Pickles! So far I have only made refrigator pickles. However, they are freaking awesome! I got to use up quite a few cucumbers, spend a couple hours with my mom, and as a reward we have sweet, delicious pickles. Here is the recipe I'm using incase you would like to make your own.

Refrigerator Pickles 

Ingredients:

1 cup distilled white vinegar 

1 tablespoon salt 

2 cups white sugar 

6 cups sliced cucumbers 

1 cup sliced onions 

1 cup sliced green bell peppers 

Directions:

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring vinegar, salt and sugar to a boil. Boil until the sugar has dissolved, about 10 minutes.

Place the cucumbers, onions and green bell peppers in a large bowl. Pour the vinegar mixture over the vegetables. Transfer to sterile containers and store in the refrigerator.

Mine didn't have the bell peppers in them. I didn't have very many bell peppers ready yet, so I saved them to just eat on their own. 

Let me know if you try out this recipe! 

Want to get good quality essential oils? Click here.