Experiment(s) Update

In case anyone is still interested- the two experiments I tried (to save money) were 50/50.

First off- the baking soda hair wash/vinegar rinse was effective. But it did dry out my hair so much that I am now using argan oil to correct the fly-away hair (you cannot rehydrate hair except from the scalp...healthy scalp, healthy hair).

Side note here- I know a young East Indian girl- and her hair is fabulous! She uses coconut oil and massages it into her scalp once a month (but it takes a while to wash out!).

Okay- so while the baking soda experiment works, I would recommend using 1/2 tsp vinegar in a cup of water in the rinse water to start. Otherwise, you risk doing what I did- drying out your hair.

Second experiment- the cinnamon hair color.

While my hair smelled fantastic...the results were minimal to non-existent for the amount of work I had to do. (The bag was on my head for six hours.)

For those of you who care to know, as soon as I purchase the right oil, I plan to try dying my hair with Henna. When I get around to that, I will let you know.

Craft Update

So far, I am 90% finished with the sign. I dislike my lettering. I had to freehand it, and I suck at freehand. Grau says it looks just fine. But he's male...and can't paint....I love him dearly though...for telling me it looks good. The letters at the bottom are off center. Who knows, I may paint the orange again and start over. I took liberties with the witch. You've undoubtedly noticed it does not look like the original I saw in the magazine. Several things are different; the wood base on mine is curved top and bottom (original only on the top); lettering is curved top and bottom (only bottom curved on original), etc.

You decide:

No Poo Update

How fitting...I log on to post an update on the no poo experiment, and there's a commercial for a 'no sulfate, good for your hair, gentle shampoo.' Yeah, like that's gonna happen.

Most people do not realize that soaps and shampoos are more along the lines of detergents. Check out the ingredients...match them with your laundry soap. Seriously.

Anyway- so today is day six, having started last Monday. A few things I have noticed:

• My hair does not smell like vinegar. A big plus.
• My scalp feels better. Must be because I massage the baking soda into my scalp. It's like a mini-therapy session for my head.
• It's better to mix the vinegar with your shower water...it's warmer.
• Hair feels thicker, yet lighter at the same time. I guess because it is not being weighted down with wax and chemicals.
• I'm having a slight dryness problem. But instructions mentioned if this happened, decrease the amount of vinegar or add a drop or two of honey to the vinegar rinse. Instead, I have used one drop of argan oil after I blow dry to combat the dryness. Plus side to argan oil is it smells great.
• I increased the amount of water I mix with the baking soda. Because as soon as you put the baking soda on your head, your scalp soaks up the water making it harder to massage the baking soda into your scalp. So, I don't necessarily use a paste of soda and water...more like a very liquid creme. It definitely works better.
• My hair is LONG. So getting the vinegar rinse only on the ends is not that difficult, but I still found pouring it over my hair and avoiding the scalp works best.
• My hair stays cleaner, longer.
• It holds style longer.
• It is softer, with the exception of the very ends which are dryer. I definitely need to trim the ends, anyway.

So far, I think the experiment is working very well. And cheap! Holy crap...you can purchase baking soda for pennies! And a little goes a long way. Apple Cider Vinegar? Cheap, too.

I also want to know how long before my body (scalp) starts creating its own oils, instead of being stripped away by conventional shampoos and conditioners. I would say my hair is healthier. But I am still going to keep this up for another two weeks or so. I want to see how my hair fares in the long term.

My next experiment? Mixing olive oil and cinnamon together for a natural hair dye. I have red/brown hair. So this should be an interesting experiment, too.

Go No 'Poo

I am going no poo.

No, that doesn't mean I am constipated. It means that I am forgoing shampoo and conditioner for the next few weeks. I have always liked making things myself. Candles, lotions, etc. and this is just another way for me to try something new.

I got the idea from here. Seriously? I have nothing to lose. And my hair could use a time-out from all the chemicals and such in shampoos and colorants. I have always tried to make my hair softer. But I was putting more and more things ON my hair. I decided I needed to start at the base, from the beginning.

Here is the general idea.

Use baking soda dissolved in enough water to make a paste. Lightly scrub it into your scalp then rinse. Then use 2T apple cider vinegar in 1 c water to rinse the ends of your hair.

That's it.

I have done this for two days so far. And while not long enough to form a decision, I have noticed that my hair doesn't smell like vinegar. That was my biggest worry. And my second noticeable was not by me, but by Grau. He played with my hair stating how soft it was.

I think that is a positive review for now. So I will keep it up and see how my hair fares. I'll let you know how it goes, if you're interested.

Crafting Fairy Update

So this is what I am trying to make:

And this is what I bought to make it with:

And this is how far I am right now:

Whatcha think? Not bad, huh?

The Crafting Fairy

Grau and I went out last week to find me something, anything, crafty to do. Well, I couldn't decide. Especially since I have a lot of crafting items in my storage unit and I just can't see spending money on something I may already have in storage.

Well, today I couldn't stand it. I woke up from my nap (two bloody noses and a killer headache will do that to you) and I had crafting on the brain. So, within twenty minutes of getting up, I was out the door headed to Hobby Lobby.

I came home with two pieces of wood, three tubes of paint, brushes and a black piece of cardstock.

What will I do? What will I do?

I have something in mind.

I saw it in a catalog today.

Which is why I bought specific items.

Wanna know what I plan to make?

The real trick is seeing how close I can get to the real one!

Lasts, Part 1

Last night I mixed up a batch of plaster and filled the flats to make my first pair of lasts. It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. About two hours after the plaster had set, it was strong enough for me to tear apart the shoe.

This required a box knife and patience.

I had both. And what was funny about the whole thing is my mom coming in to watch me.

She watched me mix the plaster and fill the shoes. Then I jokingly told her to come back in two hours and watch me tear the shoes apart.

And she did.

Did I mention that she used to work in a shoe factory? I asked her what she did and she said that she sewed the tongues and heels in mens shoes.

I think her knowledge will come in handy when I get to that point.

Here is a picture of the filled shoes, prior to my tearing them apart to get the last out. I forgot to take a picture of the 'tearing apart' part.

Last Cordwainer

I am sure most of you have no idea what a cordwainer is, am I right?

How many of you know what a cobbler is? No, I don't mean the peach or apple kind, either!

A small lesson here:

A cobbler is someone who repairs shoes.

A cordwainer is someone who makes shoes.

A last is the form they use to make the shoe.

A cordovan is a type of Spanish leather.

So, I, Cordovan Cobbler, formally welcome you to the Last Cordwainer.

Why did I pick this name, title etc? (BTW- any name you may have previously known me as shall hereby be stricken from your vocabulary or suffer a slow and painful death.)

Because I am trying my hand at making shoes. Yup. I decided that I want to make shoes.

Today was the first day. I bought a pair of flats in my size at a thrift store and took all embellishments off. Then oiled those puppies up and filled them with plaster to make the last.

I should be tearing the shoe apart in about an hour.

Please stay tuned for further updates on my shoe-making process. I am sure it will be full of surprises and stories.