Little House Living: The Make-Your-Own Guide to a Frugal, Simple, and Self-Sufficient Life

Unknown "With her own experiences as guide, [Merissa] Alink demonstrates that some aspects of rural living translate to any situation...Alink brings a bit of [Laura Ingalls] Wilder's life into the present. This title will find a comfortable home in most library collections. Especially warranted where Wendy McClure's The Wilder Life has found popularity." (Library Journal )"Author and popular blogger Merissa A. Alink shows us how easy it is...A fabulous array of simple, wholesome and delicious recipes, both savory and sweet, rounds out this heartwarming guide to modern homesteading. Some household tips are timeless indeed." (Bookpage Top Pick )"In our fast-paced lives, Alink's book is a welcome reminder that we don't always have to buy ready-made and over-processed products." (Bust ) Merissa A. Alink fully believes in her mission statement of “making the most with what you have” and commits each day to taking the best possible care of her family. Since 2009, she’s been writing her blog, Little House Living, and sharing tips about simple living with from-scratch recipes, make-your-own tutorials, and much more. Merissa loves living a quiet life with her family of four on a little 130-year-old farm in rural South Dakota. Visit her at LittleHouseLiving.com. "With her own experiences as guide, [Merissa] Alink demonstrates that some aspects of rural living translate to any situation...Alink brings a bit of [Laura Ingalls] Wilder's life into the present. This title will find a comfortable home in most library collections. Especially warranted where Wendy McClure's The Wilder Life has found popularity." -- Library Journal"Author and popular blogger Merissa A. Alink shows us how easy it is...A fabulous array of simple, wholesome and delicious recipes, both savory and sweet, rounds out this heartwarming guide to modern homesteading. Some household tips are timeless indeed." -- Bookpage Top Pick --This text refers to the paperback edition. Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. Little House Living dry shampoo ·xa0xa0·xa0xa0· If you had told me a few years ago that after I had kids I wouldn’t get to shower until after my husband got home from work, I would have laughed at you. I mean, it only takes a few minutes in the morning to jump in the shower and get cleaned up and ready for the dayxa0.xa0.xa0. how would adding kids to that routine make any difference? Oh, the things we say before we become mothers! Not long after we brought our first son home I began to realize the impossibility that was taking a morning shower. If I tried to get up before all other household members, it was too early and I was too sleepy to remember to shampoo my hair while I was in there, or if the baby was still sleeping and I tried to jump in the shower, I would find that it would just wake him up, and of course trying to shower with a little one in the bathroom with you just doesn’t work at all and tends to be more hassle than it’s worth. Enter dry shampoo. This useful little product can keep my hair from feeling limp and greasy all day, plus I feel like I at least tried to make myself look presentable. It also can come in handy on a camping trip when a shower isn’t available. Grab these few items from your pantry and you are ready to go! Dry Shampoo for Light HairWHAT YOU NEED 1/2 cup cornstarch 1/2 cup baking sodaDry Shampoo for Dark Hair WHAT YOU NEED 1/2 cup baking soda 1/2 cup cocoa powderMix together the ingredients needed for your hair color. Place the mixture in some kind of shaker (like an old sugar shaker) or just in a container (you can use a large makeup brush to apply). Sprinkle or brush into the roots of your hair to use. You can also add a few drops of essential oils to either mixture to give it a bit of scent. Some great essential oils to try in these recipes: •xa0Lavender •xa0Grapefruit •xa0Spearmint or peppermint •xa0Sweet orange If you haven’t jumped on the dry shampoo bandwagon yet, here are a few tips to remember. •xa0Don’t use dry shampoo on wet hair. It will end up being a pasty mess! •xa0Give the shampoo a minute to sit on your hair to soak up the oils before styling. •xa0Start by adding just a little. You don’t want gray hair and you can always add more if needed. Money-Saving Tip: Buy baking soda, cornstarch, and cocoa powder in bulk. They all have so many different uses that you will easily find ways to use them up! --This text refers to the paperback edition. Read more