This is my little place for my creativity.

UPDATE: THE SITE IS MOVING AS OF FEBRUARY 10, 2014 TO:

http://www.emilylikestomakestuff.com
http://www.emilylikestomakestuff.com
http://www.emilylikestomakestuff.com
http://www.emilylikestomakestuff.com
http://www.emilylikestomakestuff.com


It's time to move on to a place that is more DIY for this DIY-er. Please come on over to see what is up, comment, make suggestions, stalk, or just say hello.
The links are all the same--I have trouble clicking on tiny stuff on my phone so I thought that having it over a few lines of text might make it easier for folks like me.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This is more or less a record of my crafty pursuits. I'll use this space to keep track of promising ideas and my own successes or "learning opportunities" for future reference.

Comments are welcome, but will be removed if they don't actually contribute to the content. In other words, comments should have all meat and no time-sucking fillers.

As I complete the projects/ideas on the right, I'll move them to the left so you can see how well it worked out.

Friday, October 28, 2011

Silver Ring from a Quarter

This was a special gift for the person that holds my heart.  When I learned about this technique, I read up on it and learned that this was an activity enjoyed by many sailors  because it is such a small item and can pass the time combined with the cost and uniqueness of it, it is a winner all around.

I looked for every website I could find about it and then sort of went my own way, like I do with everything.

I started out with the spoon, but after 2 or 3 hours of some TV shows, I had absolutely zero discernible progress.  I went with a hammer on one of my wooden TV trays.  One website writer said that he used his covered dumbbell for an anvil and since I had one, that did the trick.  (Note--The dumbbell will be damaged and uglified.  If you care, don't do it this way.  I don't care, personally.  My dumbbells have a purpose and decor it is not!)

Several times I got too enthusiastic with my banging and bent it some (more like folded it). to undo that damage, I'd lay down a coin of the best size inside of it on each side and hammer it as a sandwich.  I began with another quarter, then when the edges had flattened out, a nickel, and finally a one cent coin.  (Note here:  It is NOT a "penny".  That is a term adopted from other cultures. I know it is common, but I'll refrain from using it here.)

When I was ready (probably much too soon), I hammered a nail in the middle, then a fatter one, and so on until I had exhausted my supply of fat nails.  I then tried drilling it out.  Ummm.  DANG-ER-OUSSS.  I gave that up quickly and since the tip on one blade of my cheap dollar store scissors fit in the hole just barely, I began scraping it out with that.  This kept is right in the center and I could see progress with the silver shavings.

I continued with the hammering and scraping for 4 months.   July through October.

Notes:
1.)  It is best if the coin is actually silver and not some combination.  I worked on it for a long time with a softer metal.  I actually watched the entire series of Jeremiah, Jericho, several episodes of Star Trek, House, The Mentalist, Law and Order, Gone With the Wind, maybe 50 movies, and who know what else while working on this. YAY for Netflix!!!!!
2.) To smooth out the outer surface and make it shiny, I used a 7-sided nail buffer that my son left behind when he moved out.  He used it to care for his nails for playing guitar.  I use it for looking girly and to make this.  It worked out really nicely, IMHO.

Tell me what you think.  (Weblinks are below the pictures for anyone else that wants to try.)

I am including all the pictures that I have.  You can see them in better detail by clicking on one and looking at the series that way.

Working on it.
Here it is as I am finishing it up.






In Peruvian culture, more modernized Peruvians wear their bands on the left hand and most indigenous people wear theirs on the right.  (From what I understand, a ring on the left hand is associated with slavery for many people there.).  He wears the gold one on the left and the silver one on the right so all bases are covered if some sancha-wanna-be comes looking at him.  ;)




Here are some websites to get you started.  There are tons more out there and each person has their own way of getting it just right. 


Sunday, October 23, 2011

Back from Perú!

Hi everybody.  I just got back from Lima on Friday.  I figured that I should make a page devoted to that part of my life since it is such an important part. I'll put up my favorite or most interest pictures and describe what was going on in each of them along with whatever else pertains to that.

Here's the page:
http://emilylikestomakestuffdiy.blogspot.com/p/peru.html

Thursday, September 22, 2011

It's been a busy morning.


Today, I made:
Oatmeal pies (really just oatmeal cookies with leftover icing)
Mexicanish sandwiches
Apple-pecan pancakes

I have some dear friends who are battling an anti-health monster right now and have offered to bring them dinner each Thursday evening.  We can visit/chat for a bit and they can get something nutritious that is out off their typical home-cooking menu but still qualified as home-cooking. Tonight they are getting my new specialty - Mexicanish sandwiches, some pancakes for breakfast, and some cookie sandwiches that are designed only to help him put some weight back on. (There is fiber, iron, calcium, protein, and other nutrients in them, but really, they are little fat-creators!)

Here's the Mexicanish Sandwiches tutorial.  These are really delicious.  I don't know if these exist outside my home anywhere, but it is simple and delicious and sort of like a pupusa.

Mexicanish Sandwiches

1 cup of masa (corn flour for tamales/tortillas)
1 cup water
2 or 3 tablespoons of oil 
1 teaspoon chili powder (more or less as you like it)
1/2 teaspoon salt (more or less as you like it)
clove of crushed garlic (if you want--not necessary though.  Add in whatever else you like, too--cumin/comino, lime, magical-mystery-ingredient-du-jour)
Stir these together.
Put it off to the side  to "rest" while you chop:
1 jalapeno
1 tiny onion (I bought some that are about the size of big jalapenos)
Mix these into the masa.   You'll prolly need to use your hands for this. Again, you have the option of adding in whatever you want or have leftover in the fridge.
Smashed beans (I made pintos last night--did the boil-cool-rinse routine 3 times to de-gas them and then simmered them overnight.  After they had cooled enough, I drained the liquid off--be sure to save some--and used the mixer to "drill" them up.  Add the liquid back in as needed. This dish is easier if they are not very runny.)
Cheese (I used American slices because that is what I had.)

Heat up a skillet to scorching hot. If sprinkled water dances on it, you're probably ready. Wet your hands (the water on your hands reduces the amount of stickiness of the masa mixture). Grab a golfball sized amount and flatten it out with your hands.  It should be pretty flat but not so flat that you can't get it off without tearing it.  This may take some experimentation. (The disasters are still pretty delicious.)

With my electric stove set to 8, it takes one minute for this to be ready to flip.  I use my stove timer and just flip it over.  The underside (that is now looking up at you) should appear dry with a few scorch marks on it to indicate that it is actually cooked.  You can cook these to the amount of your liking.
When both sides are equally cooked, put that one a plate and plop in your next one.  I took a half slice of cheese, spread some smashed beans over it, and then topped it with another one.  These are pretty and pretty delicious.

I might experiment with topping them with enchilada sauce and salad next time.
As it is, I now have several of these wrapped in foil and then put in a gallon bag in the freezer for my lunches at work.  I might even pack up a few to take with me to Peru to prove to my family there that I really can cook (when I am not in their kitchen where they don't have the same tools and I can't read the labels on any of the ingredients).
:)
If you want to vary the amounts or make only enough for one, then use equal parts masa and water.  Everything else is just a throw-in.
If you are wondering about how I came up with this, it is really just a Prayer-Meal.  This is when you stand in the middle of your kitchen and pray, "Please, Lord, help me create something that is delicious and nutritious at the same time."  When you are low on supplies, it's always a prayer-meal to the rescue.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

COOKIES!!!!! Sugar cookies. With royal icing. Yeah.

This was a lot of work.  But the result is spectacular.  Even if I could not figure out how to end oeach of the "writings" without a twisted stringy-ness or a mess in general.  I added some Tru-lime to the mix of both the cookies and the icing and it really makes a nice accent.  I ate 4.  I think  I need another.  Now.

Click here for Sugar Cookies 101


For the icing, I didn't have any Karo so I used cream. (Whipping cream).  I also skipped the lemon.  I bet this would be great with peppermint.




Note:  When naming your kids, pick a short name that will fit when written on a cookie--4 or 5 letters max.

Friday, September 2, 2011

White cake with lime

Now THIS was a yummy cake.  I was mixing up the white cake, determined to have something really delicious made when I thought about adding some lime to the mix.  I searched and found two petrified limes in the door of the fridge and juiced them.  I got maybe 4 table spoons of juice out of them and just went ahead with the baking as usual.  I then made a glaze.  I elected to not stack the cakes this time since I was just experimenting.  I poked holes all over the first pan and spooned 1/2 cup of glaze over it to sink into the holes.
Glaze
1 stick butter
1 cup sugar
juice of 4-5 limes.
Normally I'd add some zest, too because it is delicious and super pretty
Boil it. Cool it. Spoon it over the cake.
Very easy and no precision needed.

Cake recipe


After finishing messing with the 2nd layer, I IMMEDIATELY cut it up and put it in the freezer because it was too tempting to eat it all.  I would have if I'd been able to. Very yummy.  I think that I'll try this again with oranges when winter comes and fresh picked oranges without chemicals are in season here.  MMmmm.....

Dang it.  I forgot to take a picture.  I think this means that I'll just have to make another one!

Carrot cake made with baby food

This carrot cake was not too moist and not too great but it was the first time I ever made cream cheese frosting and it was worth it just for that.  I packed up the remainder of the cake to give away and there it went.
Carrot cake made with baby food instead of fresh carrots

This recipe also called for nuts in the frosting.  That was a bit disastrous.  I normally like nuts in a cake but not this time.  The total cost for the cake was 5$.  It would have cost me 3$ if I had not wasted the nuts in it.  Live and learn.

The price for a similarly sized carrot cake in the grocery store was 9$.  I am guessing the quality would be about the same.  Very ho-hum.



 I can't imagine not having actual carrots in a carrot cake so I stirred some in.  

Sew-Pencil bags

I'll be in South America again in 4 weeks and 4 days .  While school supplies are on the crazy cheap discounts, I have been buying x4 of each useful item that was under a dollar.  I've got pencils, folders, glue sticks, scissors, crayons, erasers, rulers, spirals, paper, toothbrushes, socks, and super el-cheapo backpacks to hold the stuff together.  I was thinking that I would put the small stuff together into a ziploc but after I saw this, I thought it would be better and certainly longer lasting.  I made 4 different ones.
Pathwork fancy zipper pouch
or
Simple zipper pouch

The first link had a tip of sewing a tab to the end of the zipper.  I quickly remembered (after screwing up, of course) the value of this when I was testing one of the zippers and zipped the key right off the teeth. Sigh.

I made the first one lined and it is cute, but definitely weighs more and right now, everything I pack is about the weight.  No packaging of anything is going and what I can reduce, I will.  The lined one was also a PITA because I forgot to UNZIP the thing when I was closing the final seam.  Yeah.  I'm a rebel and rebels always have troubles. Sigh again.

On the other three, I couldn't see any reason to line the pouches.  They are for kids and like kids everywhere, I am guessing these will take a beating in general so I am not too worried about them lasting longer than a year or two for those kiddos if the items all get used up and/or abused up.  All part of learning, IMHO!

Each backpack contains about 8-9 dollars of actual cost and probably about 20$ value because of my frugality.  There are 4 kids that are the right age to receive these in Carlos' family in the home village so I hope they can enjoy these very much.  There are also 2 little kids that I will see if I can make a toy or two for them also.  I've gotta find out their ages first.


~~~~~~~~~
Update:  I found this tutorial and I think it explains the stitching better and the pattern is darling.
 "Pencil" bag
~~~~~~~~~
Another Update:
Here's a couple of pictures of a young shepherd with his backpack of goodies.  All the other kids in town were at a soccer match that was exciting enough that the church was even closed for the day.  The town was EMPTY as we wandered around and ran into this young gentleman working. 

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Emily's Guacamole & How to cut an avocado

Carlos, this posting is all for you.  (No, not that Carlos. This is for my best buddy from Madrid.)

Seriously, I know this is one of the easiest crowd-pleasers to make.  But, often,when I get it in a restaurant, it is not so great.  If you have never had it made fresh and right, you have never had it really good.  Here's how I do it and you can, of course, supply your own variations.
Here's how to prepare your avocado.  
1.)  Slice it lengthwise.  You can go crosswise, but long is easier.
2.)  Twist it to separate the halves.
3.)  Visualize the pit/seed.  
4.) Holding the half in your hand, strike the pit with your knife blade to sink it in just a bit.  Usually I don't go deeper than a screwdriver.  A sharp knife is better here.  A dull knife will slide off and hit you.  Has this ever happened to me?  Yes.  But I have never gotten cut.  I am not striking with enough force to chop down a tree--just enough to slightly hack into the pit.  
5.) Holding the half securely in your hand by the peel, twist the pit using the knife.  It normally will come right off.
6.)  I have used this method for more than 20 years, including working at Taco Villa.  It has only failed me 2 times, both of them today.  Thank you, Murphy. (I just dug the pits out with a spoon along with all the woody chips that I had hacked off-haha.) 

Ingredients: 1 jalapeño, one small onion (I like yellow ones), a lime, clove or 1/2 spoon of garlic, maybe 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1 avocodo (or 2), very ripe.
Note:  Your avocado must be black on the outside (unless it is a giant one from the Caribbean) and a bit squishy.  (This is the problem with most restaurants, the avocados aren't even ripe.  They are usually still hard and not ready to be eaten.  This, my dear, is the true secret to good guacamole!

Last night, I got a bag with maybe 12 or 14 avocados for a dollar.  Why?  Because they were all RIPE now.  Perfect.  I am in true guacamole mode today!

To make things easier, if you want, throw your lime juice in the blender with your pepper to grind it up.  You can throw in the salt and garlic, too.  It is much easier than trying to chop them up.  Mash up your avocado, blend in your other ingredients and add the chopped onion last.  Let it set for a few hours to supreme goodness.

One more note.  How to chop an onion safely.  I am not sure why folks like to sometimes slice it like for a hamburger and then try to chop it while holding it in their hands like that.  It seems like a sure fire way to end up in the ER to me.  (Not that I am saying that I have ever seen that, nope, not me, never heard that from anybody.  HINT HINT)

Just humor me and do it like this.  Slice your onion in half and peel the outer 1 or 2 layers back.  If you leave them attached, you have a sort of a handle to give you a bit more control.  Slice it lengthwise and then down the flat part that is not touching the cutting board.  Ta da!  Perfection!  No blood.  No injuries.  No stitches.




If you won't be serving it right away or if you were out of lime, you can place the pit in the bowl to protect the color.  Blackened guacamole is still delicious, but a bit gross looking.
One more note:
If your limes are smallish, Key-limes and they are old, the juice may be very bitter.  I still like it, but it may not be the favorite for your friends from Spain.  (Carlos, I have a baggie of perfect-guacamole in the freezer for you right now.)

Cake #1-Baker's Recipe

I am planning to try to experiment with cake options until I find the one(s) that I want for that upcoming event in the spring.  Here is my first attempt. 

First, this is the site that I discovered the recipe at:
My Baker’s Crush: BAKED (and The Whiteout Cake)

This cake was the most labor-intensive cake I have ever made thus far.  The batter was promising and really seemed to be hinting at a total winner. 

Then I removed it from the oven.  First off, my home smelled like cake, but not heavenly as often occurs.  It looked okay, but not mouth-watering.  The texture was "okay" and the flavor was good, but certainly not better than the throw-it-all-in-and-stir type of cakes. 

Overall, I'd recommend this cake to no one.  On a scale of 1-5 with 5 being incredible and 1 being dogfood, I'd rate this a 3. Almost a 2 because of the work involved.

The icing was interesting.  It is a boiled icing and honestly, it was disappointing to say the least.  I grated some lime zest into it for some kick and that gave just an essence of oomph.  Much better, IMHO.  I'd only use this in the future as a filling for something like a Twinkie.  Seriously, that is exactly what this icing was like.  If I ever make those icing doughnuts for anybody, this is what I'll fill them with.

I debated about washing the rest of the icing down the drain, but figured that I have plenty of Zip-locs and freezer space so why not keep it. 

Getting ready.  I don't have cake pans yet so I made do with these goofy flowery ones that I re-discovered in my kitchen.  The towel strips are to help keep the tops even.  I'll have to try one with and one without to experiment on the difference.

I don't have enough space to do 3 layers so I cup-caked some extras in little heart shaped foils that I got on sale for almost nothing.  This was after 25 minutes.

Cooling down.

Ready for icing.  The icing took a long time and is the mirror of Twinkie filling.

A cake decorator I am NOT so..I made do by sprinkling on some little yellow "crowns" that I got on sale last night.  The sprinkles came in a set of 4 kinds--yellow crown, blue high heels, red apples, and pearls.  I really wanted the pearls to top the wedding cake.  Looking at my lack of talent here, if I don't improve by spring, we will NEED those pearls to distract from my mess!

Friday, August 19, 2011

Purse pocket for diaper and wipes.


This is a handy item to avoid having a diaper with crumbs or your lipgloss tucked inside.  You don't always need a bulky diaper bag--sometimes you only need to GO.  This is perfect for that.

Here's the link:
Bookcover/purse diaper pocket

Here it is opened with two folded burp clothes inside.

Baby Burp Towels

I made em.  I think they'll be handy.

I can't remember where I saw these online, but the idea is so simple.  Plain quilting cotton in whatever pattern, back it with a cut of towel.  I used a quilting template that was square and trimmed the corners before turning.  I'd recommend that the edge with the opening have at least a 1/2 inch border to make closing it easier.   (Edited on February 7th, 2013)  WHY DIDN'T I AT LEAST READ OVER THIS TUTORIAL BEFORE MAKING SOME OF THESE FOR MY OWN BABY?  DUH!!!!!  I MADE 10 OF THESE THIS EVENING AND IGNORED MY OWN ONCE-LEARNED-BUT-QUICKLY-FORGOTTEN-LESSON.  SIGH.


If you need step by step directions, here ya go:
1.) Cut up old towel into desired sizes.  If it is a thick towel, stains may be visible only on a single side.  Note:  Cutting was nearly impossible with the super-thick towel I used for scissors.  I used my rotary blade.  A not-too-thin magazine is a nice template, too. (Example: Reader's Digest)
2.)  Cut up some cotton scraps.  You can also piece or applique or whatever.  Old shirts would be good, too.  Jeans.  Whatever looks pretty/cool/groovy to you.
3.)  Sew.  Backstitch at the beginning and ending parts.  I experimented with making nice sharp turns and curving.  I doubt that it matters, but I thought the sharp turns were better looking. 
4.)  Trim corners. 
5.)  Turn/Birth/Flip inside-out. 
6.)  Hold the opening closed and start stitching there to finish the edges. 

I used half the towel and got 6 out of it.  I will used the other portions to make something else.  If your sewing machine can't handle the bulk, use a thin towel or maybe flannel.

I used no pins.  I thought about it, but eh...why bother...it is a single shape.  I have seen these online with decorative rickrack, in circles, etc. 
Click here for a site with a few choices of ideas

Click here for another site with lots of ideas



Friday, August 12, 2011

My own homemade kettlebell

Last night I made my first kettlebell.  We will see how well it turns out, but I am very hopeful.  It is still curing outside on my toolbox and will have the entire weekend to rest before I start playing with it on Monday.

Here are 3 links that you may find helpful:
10$ Kettlebell
Homemade Kettlebell
Kettlebells from pipes that you can use with your own weights

There at lots of different sources for information, but this guy really seems to be the best guru of info and avoids stupidity in his instructions.  In other words, it would be hard to actually hurt yourself by following his advice.

Here's mine:

Cost:  60 lb bag of Quickrete=around 3$
          1 precut length of PVC-1$ (Back corner of the store--apparently this is popular enough to have lots of choices)
          1 green ball-4$ 
          Various screws from bottom of my tool box
_______________
            About 8$ including taxes here in southwest Houston
I mixed up about 8 cups of Quickrete and then mixed up some more.  All total, I used under 1/2 the bag.  This filled it up some way, but not to the top.  I might make another one next week that is completely full (and heavier).

Here it is in my freezer.  Yeah, there isn't much to eat to eat in there right now.  I flipped a cookie sheet over and baked it at 300 for 10 minutes.  It was very bendable but not very floppy.  I had not pre-filled it with sand as others had because, frankly, I could see no purpose in it.  I just shaped it with my oven mitts and ran the bends under tap water to make them hard enough to not hold it in the freezer.  I left it there all of maybe 3 minutes while I mixed concrete.

I am a bit on the paranoid side so I elected to put some screws in the bottom to give it some more sticking-power.  I drilled these in at an angle from inside the tube.  The outside is slippery and I had no idea how else to drill it so I just stuck my drill bit down the tube and ta-da.  I then screwed/shoved the screws in.  They are not particularly secure but I don't believe it makes a difference when encased in concrete.

~~~~~~~
Edit-August 29th, 2011
I have been doing this for 2 weeks now and I can feel a distinct difference in my strength, flexibility, and yes, believe it or not, in my winded-ness when climbing stairs.  This is sheer GENIUS!

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Hospital Survival Kit and Cat toys

Someone in my family is at her due date so I printed out the items to stick on the paper bag and filled it with some goodies--peanuts, gum, sudoku puzzles, hair bands and pins, and a can of blended juice along with a few other items. I hope these help them to have a more comfortable experience.  I'll add the pictures later.
Here's the link to download the printables:
Hospital Survival Kit
I also made a couple of cat toys.  I took an old pill bottle and put a few nuggets of cat food in it to make a rattle, made a little catnip pillow, and stitched elastic all around it in a ray pattern.  I included some waterproof paper (from a map that I have sliced and diced for another project) and made a handle out of some satin ribbon for extra texture and to make a handle to protect human hands.  I also put on a "tail" of slices of pretty fabric.
I had actually made one last night, but my own cat went crazy for it and claimed it so I had to make another one.  My cat actually was wild last night and made loads of noise and was banging around everywhere.  It is pretty easy--texture and stringy parts are fun.  A bit of weight seems to add to the pleasure for the typical cat--perhaps it helps them to pretend they are tormenting a carcass.


~~~~~~~
Edit: August 12, 2011 to add pix
Cat toy #2.  Here, you can see how I traced a circle then free-handed a bigger one, cut out even bigger of the two fabrics, and then was laying some elastic samples around the edges for kitty fun.

Here's the top sewn together beside the ribbon handle.  I put some cat food kibble in the pill bottle, put that in the sock, and put it all inside with stuffing from old jeans and some plastic-y paper for sound differences.

Ta-da!  Front.

Voila!  Back.

Here's the hospital survival kit.  If you make one, be aware that lots of people probably mean someone else has already brought loads of stuff.  I think one person had brought up a cooler of things.  Mine was simple and intended to be easy and disposable (not more crap to keep up with) but it was entirely without value in the commotion of everything going on. I hope the choices of the contained items were useful, if not to the couple, then to the staff on duty.   This would probably be a great item to anyone who has been in the hospital for a few days, too.

~~~~~
Edit August 18th
Lady bug toy that is way cuter than what I made!

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Laundry Soap DIY ("Detergent" was removed from title--see edit)

I have read for years about folks making their own laundry detergent soap and finally gave it a try in January.  I am rather pleased with the results and want to share my own recipe with you.

I was always a Cheer or Tide user and loved the way the fragrances seemed to mask most of the funky odors that happen so frequently in this humid environment that is Houston.  But, of course, they are costly and I do like to wear my own perfume when I want a fragrance.  Cheer+Glamourous is not exactly the sexiest combo.  Often, when I am at work, it seems that Latino folks like to really, REALLY use a lot of the detergents because I can recognize the brands on their clothes.

I have been a faithful Downy user, also.  My clothes never felt so soft and I could not understand.  I learned several years back that most recommended detergent levels can't be washed out.  The test was to take a load of laundry and wash it without any additives while leaving the lid open.  The typical machine will wash but stop at the point where it should drain.  You then look in and, voila, see how much sudsing is there.  Since laundry detergent is made to suds up very little and you have used zero detergent for this load, you should see zero.  Reality for me was that it took washing without ANY detergent for 6 full weeks of normal washing to get all the sudsing to cease.  I then only used a couple of tablespoons per load after that, except when things were smelly.  Teenager in home=smelly laundry.   I used the Downy for this reason.

Come around to January 2012.  Aaahhhh... I thought I would try a recipe that I had found and just see how I like it.  It took me all of maybe 10 minutes to make and I was in business.  The first load, well, my clothes still seemed a bit stiff and not so pretty-smelling.  Apparently, the perfumes used in the store-brands wash out quickly.  Since I had made up 2 yogurt containers of it, I figured I'd use it all up.  Lo and behold, after the first few washes, when all the crud from the commercial detergents was all washed out, my clothes are super fresh smelling and very soft.  I now only have the Downy for traveling.  (Some cities have so much pollution that your clothes reek of it!  Quito and Lima, por ejemplo!)

I can feel the difference in the clothes that I pull out of the closet.  That is the biggest proof to me.

If you try it, you might like it.  If you don't, well, you are only out about 6$ for supplies and they can be used in other applications.

Emily's Laundry Soap Recipe
Equal parts:
     Soap (I use Ivory)
     Washing Soda (different PH than baking soda)
     Borax

Step 1: Unwrap the bar of soap.  Microwave it in the center of the plate that is part of your machine for 4-5 minutes.  Seriously.  Watch this.  It is great. (Don't believe me?  Youtube it!)
Step2:  Take the plate out and let it cool for several hours.  Really, you are letting the moisture out and it is easier.  Not necessary, but easier.  I do this before bed.
Step 3:  Measure this into a bucket in equal parts.  I like to go outside and sift the Ivory powder into a large bowl and measure a cup of this, cup of that, etc until it is all in the bucket.  Stir.  Put it in the containers you want. (See the edits below.)

That's it.  Seriously.  I use a couple of table spoons per load but if I am grossed out by my own laundry, I use a spoon or two more.  It is really nice to have clean smelling clothes, sheets, towels, etc without all the perfumes.  As a bonus, I don't seem to suffer from my allergies as much and my skin sensitivities have decreased.  Woohoo!

Note:  Whatever detergent/soap you use, for traveling and hand-washing in the sink, I recommend that you put some in the blender and grind it to the finest powder.  It is so much easier when all you have to wash with is COLD.
Note #2:  For traveling by personal vehicle, you can use a cooler for a washing machine.  Load your laundry, sprinkle your detergent, fill with water.  Load in back of vehicle.  Drive 1/2 way to your next destination or drive to town or whatever.  Use the spigot to drain the laundry and fill with water again to rinse.  Continue with your driving.  The gentlest wash-cycle possible!
Note #3:  If you wanna grate the soap instead of nuking it, knock yourself out.  But nuking is more fun and works better, IMHO.

Say goodbye to dirt and grime with these babies.

Ivory soap after it has been nuked.  The "cloud" was just mashed up with my hands. Nothing more.

In this last batch, I used 3 bars of Ivory.  It was too much.  I have 2 yogurt containers plus the washing soda box full and one gallon zip bag 1/2 full of powdered Ivory for the next batch. Since January, this is the 3rd time I have made it and the first double batch.  I would estimate that for $10, a single person such as myself can have enough laundry detergent for a year. I still have several bars of soap left so I possibly won't need to buy that for 2 more years.
Edited to add:
My sister is a genius!  She quarters the soap and puts it into a paper lunch bag to nuke it so that it is nicely contained and there is no mess.  I'm definately gonna try this next time!  Thanks, Charlene!
Edited to add - Jan 4, 2014:
1.)  I now use a flour sifter to mix up the ingredients over my paper bag that contains the parts.  It makes it have zero chunks in it and is, IMHO, faster. My husband mixes it up when we need it nowdays. Washing the cloth diapers means that we do go through it more often.  2.)  The soap will dry out.  I now nuke all the soap at once and put the extra in the paper bag where I keep my other ingredients. 3.)  Also, I have learned the difference between detergent and soap--Soap is natural.  Detergent contains petroleum products

Kindle-Make your own custom cover

I love my Kindle.  I used it to keep contact with my family while I was traveling in South America and it is, of course, perfect for a traveler who enjoys reading.  I have a hard time focusing on one thing at a time, so with that, I can jump from book to book, too.

I needed a cover.  As great as the Kindle is, it is still rather fragile.  I have to send mine back to have the screen replaced because of an unfortunate accident before I had my cover.  Lesson learned.

I have now made two.  The other is a gift, and when that person has it in hand, I'll post the pix of the other one and explain my changes.  This one was my first attempt.  You basicly make a long pocket, put firm, durable protectors in at various levels, and sew seams to keep them in place.  It protects it as well as makes a stand.

Here are my pictures followed by the link:

make-a-custom-kindle-cover-case

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Here is one that I made on Monday after using the other one.  With that one, the Kindle sometimes slid out the side or the top if my hand went limp (sleep--zzzzz) in bed.  Twice it hit the floor because of sliding out soooooo....I made another one.

Leftover fabric from a skirt.  I bought it with the embroidery on it.

I braided some elastic for the "holder". 

I made some double fold non-bias tape to surround the Kindle and sort of "cradle" it.  If I make this again, I'll put some very thin wooden dowels in there.  The elastic on the other side makes it look wonky.  I am also going to refinish the green border--I didn't realize that was blue thread in there.

Here's a small pocket to tuck in a book light.