SafeGuard Armor Giveaway

Just a heads-up:

SafeGuard Armor is conducting a giveaway contest via their Facebook page and ending on 28 June, 2013, wherein the prize includes the new StealthPro™ brand vest in Level 3a ballistic, Level 2 Stab and Spike, as well as two (2) Polyethylene plates.

Developing Survivalist TV Series

Passing this along...
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Hey there,

I work in development for Karga Seven Pictures... we're an LA-based TV production company. We work a lot with Discovery, History, NatGeo, Science, Travel, etc...

We're currently working on a new documentary series that focuses on survivalist families and individuals. Ideally, we are looking for families living a subsistence lifestyle to some degree and who are open to travel.

We came across your info and were hoping to see if this might be of interest to you or someone you know. If this sounds like your family and you're interested, I'd be happy to give you more details.

I'd greatly appreciate it if you could either email or call me or let me know how/when is best to reach you.

Best,

Haley


Karga Seven Pictures
Casting / Development
casting@karga7.com
323.570.0507

Preparation, Not Just Prevention

Editor's Note: While the following article concentrates mainly on issues revolving around aviation accidents, it explores concepts that fit the overall tone of this blog as being an emergency preparedness advocacy website. I chose to accept it for submission and to publish it here because all of the themes explored can be adjusted to fit any number of survival situations. I hope you enjoy. :-)
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Aviation crashes are among the most complex cases to litigate. Because of the myriad factors involved in their investigation, as well as the high profile nature of the official cause, small contributing factors that could have mitigated the losses incurred are often lost in the shuffle.

Pilot error, mechanical failure, lack of maintenance, and air traffic control miscues are simple enough to detect and act upon. But many other issues can contribute.

Perhaps the most significant of these is a lack of provisions for passenger and crew survival after an accident takes place. Television coverage of crashes near cities and towns would distort our perceptions of aviation incidents as taking place within a few yards of qualified assistance.

The reality is that many air crashes take place in remote areas, where emergency survival kits are a critical component of the occupants' odds of surviving the crash.

The NTSB concurs. The report on an Alaska crash highlights the need for functional, well-equipped survival kits and states the incumbent need for the pilot to instruct passengers on its presence and use.

The value of this equipment is seen in several factors, each of which can dramatically enhance the speed with which a crash site is located, the durability of occupants, and subsequently the prospects of survival.

Trauma Care

Seemingly minor injuries that can be quickly treated by untrained people can prove fatal if not addressed. Survival kits must be stocked with enough medical supplies to ensure that passengers with bleeding injuries can be treated immediately and will not die of blood loss before help arrives.

Fire Suppression

Post-crash fires are often thought of as infernos that erupt on impact, with no time for occupants to react. But that's not always the case.

Just as a minor injury can become deadly if not treated right away, the smallest post-crash fire can quickly escalate and kill trapped or injured occupants. A fire extinguisher should be on board for any flight.

Protection from Elements

Any seasoned airline passenger knows to dress for the weather at the destination, not the departure. A downed craft provides little shelter or warmth after a crash, so blankets and other protection from cold temperatures and precipitation must be aboard.

Hydration and Nourishment

Few plane crashes go undetected for so long that starvation is an issue, but occupants can quickly become dehydrated at a crash site, particularly if weather is adverse or if the occupants are elderly, very young, or in fragile health. A reasonable supply of water and some simple, nonperishable foods should be provided.

Ability to Signal For Help

Again, perception is in conflict with reality here. A major event like a helicopter crash would seem to be visible to witnesses for miles, but terrain, darkness, and weather can obscure the view.

Craft that come to rest in heavy vegetation can be very difficult to see even under fair weather search conditions. Low-tech signaling devices that require little of a survivor's energy, such as mirrors and whistles, should be included in safety kits to ensure that even a weak or injured occupant can attempt to attract help.

Communications

Remote areas can prove impossible for effective cellular coverage. Any pilot undertaking a flight whose path that ventures over very isolated areas should plan to have a satellite phone aboard. Aviation radios can easily be damaged and rendered useless by a crash, so a means of communication that is independent of the craft itself should be on board and fully charged.

While pilots, mechanics, controllers, and plane owners have a responsibility to make every effort to prevent accidents, they are also obligated to be prepared to maximize survivability and communications after an incident. Litigants and counsel should be aware of the potential breach of this obligation when preparing legal action.

The EU's Fools With Rules, Part 2

"The EU's Fools With Rules, Part 2"

by
Desert Gal

Read Part 1

The 'crats of yesteryear broke the spine of the Persian empire, paralyzed the Incas in their later days, and brought the word "mandarin" into the world's vocabulary. By the way, if someone calls you a mandarin it is NOT a compliment.

Looking at the recent EU plan, reading the interminable pages of convoluted gobbedygook, one can only assume that it was conceived by Big Brother and the Red Queen during an all-night drinking session.

Supposedly a piece of legislation to protect biodiversity in food plants, it soon becomes apparent that its real purpose is to eliminate biodiversity entirely. It is obvious that the new laws will criminalize the people who are growing them. Cultivating vegetables will become a punishable offense if you do not grow the "right" ones.

Now who decides which vegetables are the "right" ones? An unelected batch of 'crats will decide which vegetables are "right" and more importantly which ones are "wrong." And here we ignorant farming people thought that all vegetables were equally good for you. We knew nothing about the dangers of rogue carrots and undocumented cucumbers, so this selfless band of public servants, who can tell at one glance which stick of celery is endangering the world, has come to save us from... what was it again that they are saving us from?

Oh yes, growing the wrong vegetables.

This is such a pressing problem that we don't know why it didn't get on the EU's agenda sooner.

Luckily, God is great and He gave us many wonderful plants and the skill to grow them as well as the good sense to know what is good for us and bad for us. To have our entire food supply at the mercy of the fools with rules would be bad for us and every other person on the planet.

We may not be able to stop this massive portion of idiocy from becoming law, at least temporarily, but farmers and gardeners should consider it their duty to future generations to put a spoke in the wheel at every opportunity, while pretending to comply.

Seeds are small and can be hidden almost anywhere. And most seeds according to type look very much alike. Most vegetables look alike too. It should not be too much trouble to grow your own kind of carrot while putting one of their labels on the row marker.

Will they pull up every radish in every garden to make sure that we are growing the "right" ones? Unless the 'crats develop tricorder capabilities a la Star Trek how will they be able to tell your pet lettuce from theirs? Or how about planting the first three in the row from their seed and the rest from your seeds? You can save the approved ones for visiting 'crats as you gratefully present them with gift baskets.

After all they saved us from... what did they save us from again? Oh yes, all those vicious illegal dangerous vegetables we might have grown in our gardens.

We are so very grateful.

Actually the opportunities for mischief... er... non-violent protest are almost endless.

Nature itself will work against their rules. If hybrid vegetables are grown out to a second generation, the offspring may exhibit the traits of either parent plant or any mix in between. This means new plants and possibly new varieties will grow out of their "non criminal" vegetables. What a shame. And they had such good law abiding parents.

Unless it becomes a crime to save seed from year-to-year. Good luck in trying to stop us from doing that on every farm and every garden. They are going to need a team of enforcers more numerous, more efficient, and more pervasive than the East German security services. And the 'crats, in passing these laws, may evev cause much suffering. They may even cause famine in Europe as they have in other places where they have seized control of the food supply.

They will cause many people to commit "crimes" as the most ordinary and fundamental rural freedoms, like owning a cow or planting a garden, will suddenly becomes violations of the law.

Am I being too cynical when I suggest that the real intended consequence of the rules of the fools with rules is producing classes of people the 'crats can legally harass?

I don't think so.

This is all going to be very unpleasant.

But God, nature, the rules of plant genetics, and every free farmer and gardener are on our side in this one.

And our allies are as numerous as the seeds on a dandelion clock and the blades of grass in the fields.

The EU's Fools With Rules, Part 1

"The EU's Fools With Rules, Part 1"

by
Desert Gal

Starting from a handful of seed, each successive generation of a given plant becomes more at home in your garden. This is a mathematical process called transgressive segregation and occurs because stronger plants that are more at home set more and better seed and thereby have more influence on successive generations than the weaker plants. This is one of the ways that new varieties of herbs and vegetables come about, because a handful of varied seed will develop differently in different locales and gardens.

The EU regulations would put a stop to this process, effectively criminalizing in-crop diversity rather than protecting it. Woe to farmers and gardeners that fall into the clutches of the bureaucrats, the "fools with rules."

They never contribute to food quality, quantity, security, or safety.

They only blight food systems, bully rural communities, and punish the people who actually live there.

Because the bureaucrats fundamentally misunderstand the agricultural world, and so they tend to destroy both land and people as they try to exert control.

Just to give a few examples of what happens when the 'crats take control.

Shortly after 1917 in the Ukraine a class of people known as kulaks were murdered, sent to Siberia, or had all their food confiscated and were left to starve. Their crime? They had three cows.

Now for an ordinary mortal who knows something about dairy animals, three cows is the minimum for supplying the farm with milk for most of the year. That is because cows do not give milk the way chocolate milk comes out of a drink dispenser. A cow must have a calf to give milk. That's two cows right there. The third cow is gotten pregnant to begin lactation when the first cow goes dry. It also has a calf. So that's four cows. If the farmer is a real do-it-yourselfer, he also has a bull. Oh no -- Five cows!! (never mind that calling a bull a cow is ridiculous, the ones who made up the rule did not differentiate).

That's two more than enough to get you killed by the fools with rules.

The most ordinary and sensible rule of animal husbandry suddenly became a sign of counter revolutionary greed, a criminal act.

That is what happens when the 'crats take power.

Or we could look at Soviet Wheat Day on which, all over the Soviet Union, farmers were to plant wheat on the same day. It was law, a government decree. Of course, in the biggest country on the face of the earth, with nine time zones, taking up one third of all the arable land in the world and one sixth of the planet's fresh water, there were bound to be a few glitches in such a plan.

By the Black Sea, the planting was almost two months too late. In Kamchatka, the farmers were ordered to plow and plant the frozen ground as it had not yet thawed for the season. Stupid? Of course! But those were the rules. Everyone and everything has to conform to the rules. For our own good.

Brilliant legislation of this sort quickly reduced the Soviet Union to a net importer of food. It was necessary for this vast nation, endowed with immense resources to buy wheat from the capitalists in the U.S., Australia, and Canada. A good deal of the rest of the food was produced in tiny private plots or in black market operations. The harm done by 'crats may have finished the Soviet Union as a world power.

The present leadership is struggling mightily to regain for Russia at least some of its former influence, but the damage done in seventy years of such mind-numbing witlessness to the work ethic and the population base will probably never be undone.

We should also remember the record of Communist China where the 'crats engineered a famine that took millions of lives and crippled millions more with malnutrition.

Oh but those 'crats were commies... surely in the free world...

Well, how about the British Raj and their quaint notion that eating the rice one grows is "stealing paddy" and worthy of a jail sentence?

In the USA, swat teams have been sent after Amish farmers to keep them from selling raw milk. Police units usually deployed against drug cartels have kicked in the doors of organic food markets.

That is because the 'crats are dismayingly apolitical.

But God help the farmers and gardeners when they fall into to the grasps of fools with rules.

DIY Insect Repellants and Other Green Pest Control Tips

Pest control experts share that you don’t need harsh chemicals to prevent and control pests. In fact, natural pest control is an effective way to deter pests in a way that keeps your family, pets and the environment safe. When you practice them regularly, natural pest control techniques offer a great long-term solution that will always beat the use of toxins.

DIY Natural Insect Repellants

Spiders

Make a spray repellant using scents that spiders hate: spearmint, peppermint and garlic. To save your own olfactory system, don’t combine the garlic and mints. To make the solution with spearmint or peppermint, place several drops of either herb’s essential oil into a water-filled spray bottle. To make a garlic solution, smash a clove of garlic in a garlic press. Then place the pureed garlic in a spray bottle with water. Shake the spray bottle before using it to mix the ingredients.

Ants

Make a repellent spray to clear the chemical trails that ants make and prevent the return of the insect. Use the spray that you made to repel spiders or make a different concoction using mint-scented soapy water. Undiluted vinegar also works well.

As you garden, incorporate plants that ants hate around the perimeter of your home and in window boxes. These plants include spearmint and lavender.

Use household items to make a defensive barrier that you place around windows, doors and other strategic locations with one of these items: baby powder, ground cinnamon, used coffee grounds, food-grade diatomaceous earth, citrus oil or petroleum jelly. Experiment with them to see which works best for you.

Mosquitoes

The best way to repel mosquitoes is to not have any sources of standing or pooled water on your property, like in flowerpots or on a tarp. If you have one, change out the water in a birdbath regularly.

Also, incorporate the following plants into your garden to help keep mosquitoes away: catnip, citronella grass, rosemary, pitcher plants, wormwood, marigolds, eucalyptus, basil, horsemint and lavender.

Fruit Flies

The following natural pest control solution traps fruit flies. Fill a glass bowl or cup with 1 or 2 inches of apple cider vinegar. Stretch a piece of plastic wrap over the top of the container and poke a few holes in the plastic. The sweet smell of the vinegar lures fruit flies and the plastic wrap traps them in the container, causing them to drown in the vinegar.

House Flies

Sends house flies buzzing away from your home by hanging aromatic sachets from the ceiling filled with eucalyptus, cloves and clover blossoms.

Cockroaches

Roaches seem impossible to kill with chemical insecticides, but you can wipe them out with two ingredients in your pantry: powdered sugar and baking soda. Mix equal amounts of each ingredient and place a bit in an area that the cockroaches frequent. The sugar attracts the bugs and the baking soda kills them.

You can also send cockroaches running with a spice blend. In a spray bottle, mix 2 cups of water with 1 tablespoon of the spiciest hot sauce that you can find. Spray the mix in the areas where you tend to see cockroaches, like in the kitchen or the outside garbage cans.

Natural Pest Control Tips

Pest control pros share that regular home maintenance and simple tricks are some of the best ways to naturally prevent pests:

• Keep your landscaping tidy and manicured.
• Don’t let produce rot in your garden.
• Keep your woodpile dry, away from your home and elevated off the ground.
• Dust and vacuum regularly.
• Fix all the leaks on your property.
• Always use the lids on outside garbage cans.
• Welcome beneficial bugs into your garden such as ladybugs, bees, spiders and praying mantises.
• Immediately clean food and beverage spills.
• Don’t leave food out in the open after a meal and avoid dirty dishes sit in the sink overnight.
• Seal cracks on the exterior and interior walls of your home.

For more tips about how to naturally prevent pests at your own home, schedule an inspection with a green pest control company. (Many offer this service free of charge.) The professional who comes to your home can point out the spots around your home that are vulnerable to a pest infestation.


Author Bio:
This post was contributed by Jen McCauley, the marketing director of Eden Advanced Pest Technologies. Eden Pest is a leading integrated pest management company in Western Washington and Oregon that offers green pest control solutions and advice for both residential and commercial customers.

How To Protect Your House From Burglary

Living on a rural homestead has its own charm. However staying away from the crowd also has its own set of challenges; the primary one being burglaries. According to data provided by the FBI, over 24% of all property related crimes committed in 2011 were burglaries. However, with minimal investment and some smart work, you can not only ensure your house is safe when you are at home or away, but also make the potential burglars wary of the risks involved and thus avoid taking on your house.

First things first – make sure you have proper locks to secure your home while you are away. Most burglaries take place in broad daylight when the residents are out at work. By making your house difficult to penetrate, you force the burglar to target a different house instead and thus avoid your house. An important thing to keep in mind – if you are looking to duplicate a spare key for your lock, get it done from someone away from your neighborhood. It’s never a good idea to hand over your keys to someone in your own neighborhood thus making it easier for them to duplicate your key for their own nefarious purposes.

The next step is to keep your house on video surveillance. This can be done in two ways – visible and covert. Given the rise in number of surveillance cameras across neighborhoods, these cameras are the first things that burglars look for while breaking into a house. A visible camera could often be the target of the burglars and while it would help in keeping away lot of break-ins, the covertly placed cameras would help capture their identity in case someone does dare to get through the fences. According to the guide on outdoor surveillance from Safe Sound Family, there are over 11 different types of outdoor cameras including the popular dome camera that can capture images across 360 degrees making it difficult for the potential burglar to avoid being sighted.

One of the easiest but often overlooked aspects of securing your household from burglary is in setting up your windows. A lot of break-ins happen through windows, and it is important to make it difficult for potential burglars to break in this way. One way is to ensure that your window does not open more than 6-10 inches. A primary function of a window is to let in air and light – making it open beyond 10 inches is just an invitation for other things, including burglars to get in.

The suggestions given here do not cost a great deal and can often be implemented in a minimal budget. However they are extremely vital elements that deter break-ins and give you the peace of mind that you so much need while you are away from your homestead.

Don't Forget Your Tarp... Seriously, Get Your Tarp

Almost any type of camping or day long outdoor activity can benefit from having a tarp or two on hand. Tarps are inexpensive and so versatile, that there is almost no excuse for not including one with your camping gear. Even if you are carrying a tent with you, a good tarp will come in handy.

Day hikers can put a lightweight polyethylene tarp in their backpack in case of bad weather or to ensure a shady spot when they reach their destination. Mesh tarps are great for partial shade or a wind break. You just run a bungee cord or short piece of rope through the grommets and tie it to four trees, or poles, canoe paddles or even vehicles to create a defined spaced that blocks about 75% of the sun or wind. These tarps are typically made with rust proof, reinforced grommets for durability and to last for years. Well made mesh tarps will have reinforced corners and do not have a seam.

If there is a possibility of storms or extended rain, nylon tarps are waterproof and can provide temporary or emergency shelter in a downpour. Nylon tarps are also known as trail tarps, and are handy for spreading out over wet or damp ground, underneath the floor of a traditional tent. Tucking the edges under helps keep water from pooling on the top of the tarp. If the ground has a lot of sticks and small stones, a tarp under the tent floor helps protect the tent from tearing or ripping.

For camping trips that will last more than one night, tarps are useful for

• covering gear to keep it clean from falling or blowing debris;
• for keeping camp firewood and kindling dry from rain or dew; and
• for shading coolers or other items that should be kept out of the sun.

These types of tarp uses are for more than just tent camping or hiking. People who like to camp in recreational vehicles and cabins can use tarps to cover their gear and to provide shade. Many RVs do not have awnings, so a simple tarp stretched across four poles can shelter an eating area or play area for children. Stretched between two RVs parked parallel to each other, a tarp can provide a covered walkway between the campers.

Using a tarp tent for camping as opposed to using a traditional tent is popular with hikers who like primitive camping. Tarps weigh less and are more compact than tents, but they do not have a floor. Tarp tents can allow insects, snakes and other critters into the sleeping area, and if it rains during the night a camper can wake up with a soggy wet sleeping bag.

Some heavy duty tarps are made specifically as canopies or commercial tarp tents that cover cars, trucks, RVs and boats. Tarp tents on four tall aluminum poles or rectangular frames are popular in desert and tropical climates to protect the painted exteriors of the vehicles from the sun, rain and natural elements like tree sap or bird droppings. They also keep the interior of vehicles coolers, which helps prevent cracking and fading of leather and plastic.

For camping destinations that may have windy conditions, a tarp can buffer the wind and block blowing debris or sand. Tarps are very practical for the beach, providing both shade and blocking blowing sand. Things to remember when going camping include planning ahead for more than just shelter – plan for bad weather and use a list to make sure you do not forget anything important.

Nat Geo Casting Call

Hi,

My name is Brooklyn Bagwell and I’m the Casting Director for Doomsday Preppers on Nat Geo TV. I wanted to let you know about our new format for Season 3. We are looking for big projects to build and complete on camera. I would love to speak with you about this in more detail. It is a great opportunity for any prepper that has construction/mechanical/engineering/welding/fabrication skills and looking to show off some cool prepping inventions.

Please email me at brooklyn@sharpentertainment.com

Or Call 212 994 2233

I look forward to hearing back from you!

My best,

Brooklyn Bagwell



Brooklyn Bagwell | Casting Director
Sharp Entertainment
1071 Avenue of the Americas, 7th Floor | New York, NY 10018
brooklyn@sharpentertainment.com
(O) 212 994 2233
(C) 828 442 0787

Stone: Possibly the Best Green Building Material?

Natural stone has been used for home exteriors for thousands of years

Being mindful of the surrounding environment results in benefits that positively impact the individual, his or her family, the surrounding community, and the world. When it comes to building a new home or structure, or adding on to an existing one, there are a variety of green building materials to consider.

One such building material that’s growing in popularity is natural stone. This durable, attractive natural resource can be used in many different ways inside and outside the home. Those who value nature and want to do their best to decrease the size of their carbon footprint can consider stone for several uses as an effective green building material.

Benefits of Using Stone Building Materials

• Durability. Most types of stone, whether purchased or collected from an individual’s property, will last a lifetime and stand up to a variety of weather conditions. Additionally, stone is fireproof, doesn’t rot, and protects the home from vermin.

• A Readily Available Natural Resource. There are specific stone suppliers, but those who prefer to gather their own supplies can find natural stone resources on or around their own property.

• Low to No Maintenance. Natural stone generally needs little to no maintenance. The surface can benefit from a semi-annual or quarterly cleaning, especially if it’s outdoors, but is otherwise maintenance-free.

• Natural Insulation in Temperate Climates. People who live in climates without extreme hot or cold temperatures can enjoy the natural insulation of stone. This natural resource helps maintain a mild temperature in the home, especially when temperatures get warmer.

Uses of Stone as a Green Building Material

Interior Uses

• Flooring. Stone makes for an attractive flooring material, whether the home décor is rustic or contemporary. Types of stone commonly used for flooring are slate, travertine, marble, and granite.

• Walls. Whether an individual chooses to create one focal point wall to accent a room’s décor or decides to use stone on all four walls, the texture and natural colors found in stone can enhance a home’s attractiveness.

• Fireplace. Fireplaces are functional as well as aesthetically pleasing when a person lives out in the back country. Building a stone fireplace can be a rewarding experience, resulting in a beautiful heating and cooking source for the home.

Exterior Uses

• Outdoor Cooking. Extending the living space to the outdoors is a natural thing to do when surrounded by nature’s beauty. Stones gathered on the property or purchased can be used to build an attractive, sturdy outdoor fireplace or cooking area to use all year.

• Patio. A wooden patio or deck will eventually deteriorate, but stone pavers will last a lifetime. Flagstone and limestone are two types of stone often used for outdoor surfaces and walkways.

• Stone Walkway. It’s only natural to extend green building materials to the walkways leading to and from a wilderness home. Similar to other stone surfaces, the stones used for a walkway can be collected from an individual’s property or obtained from a local retailer.

The benefits of using green building materials, such as stone, go ‘round and ‘round.

Finding a Reliable Supplier

An individual with an eye on environmental friendliness should seek to do business with a natural stone supplier who shares their mission to preserve and protect natural resources.

Knowing a supplier’s reputation can help consumers choose the best natural stone company to work with. Likewise, those who are incorporating natural stone as a structural component or stock item should also take steps toward reputation protection. Doing so will help consumers who want to do business with companies that are eco-friendly know which businesses are making the effort to do so as compared to those who are only giving the topic lip service.


About the Author:
Mary Ylisela is a freelance writer who enjoys writing about green living and home improvement.

3 Tips on Garden Storage

It can take hours to structure the right garden for you and with unnecessary clutter, the job is even tougher. Whenever you’re using a handful of garden tools, it can be a pain to put them back in a storage place when you know you’ll be using them again soon. These following three tips should help ease your burden.

1) Buy a Potting Station
Don’t worry, this isn’t the type that requires you to make pottery but it is a stand which usefully sections everyday garden items. I have always put some tool away somewhere I couldn’t remember and looking for it the next time I needed it was a pain. Having someplace you know you’ll be able to locate it easily is a load off my mind.

A potting station has high shelves to put more dangerous tools to keep out of reach for children as well as suitable hooks to hang trowels, spades and hand forks.

No longer will you have to frantically explore the whole garden in search of handy tools when they’re right there at your convenience. This will save you a lot of time as well as patience.

2) Have a Spacious Shed
I cannot stress the importance of having an open-spaced, strong shed; one which you can walk into without feeling crushed. Too often time is wasted hunting around the confined space of a shed for something that can be easily found in a more spacious environment.

It is vital you have a garden shed which you can proudly call a ‘second home’; somewhere you can go to relax outside the house. You can keep motor-powered tools here and all big equipment such as shovels, drills and lawn mowers. Make sure you have a lock on the door, however, as to keep children and unwanted visitors at bay.

3) Invest in a Bench Box
These handy pieces of furniture are more than just regular benches. As well as being able to sit back and relax on a nice sunny day, you can store your items away underneath the bench itself. The seat lifts up and allows you to put anything in the way out of sight.

As it also just looks like ordinary garden furniture, neighbors and visiting friends will have no idea what you have stored away, making it ideal for quick clear-ups.

There are more options available to help store your items away and if you have a look at Wickes garden storage items, you’ll be sure to find the perfect compartment for your garden.

How to Make Your Own Lotion

There are lots of reasons to make your own lotions at home. One of the most obvious is cost savings, and the other is the simple fact that if you make the lotion yourself, you can control what goes into it. In other words, there won’t be a long list of strange ingredients or chemicals added to your lotion.

Experimentation Is the Key to the Perfect Recipe

Make your own lotion – it’s fun and it’s cost-effective.

One basic tip about making lotions is this: You should begin with a basic recipe and be willing to experiment. Always write down the measurements you use for each batch of lotion you make. You may find it necessary to increase or decrease the amounts of fragrance or other ingredients in order to create the ideal lotion. As you continue making lotions, you are sure to have favorite consistencies as well as favorite fragrances. And if you give lotions as gifts, you will probably find that other people have their own preferences. You will definitely appreciate having detailed records of your lotion recipes.

Hobby, Gifts, and More
You can use all-natural ingredients and your lotion can be made in your kitchen. The process is fun; in fact, many people consider it a relaxing hobby. Another advantage of learning to make lotions is that you can give them as gifts.

Of course, in that case, you will probably want to dress things up a bit. That is, you can purchase nicer bottles and add fragrances to the lotion base.

Keep reading for complete instructions.

Keeping it Simple
Getting started making lotion is easy. You probably already have the basic ingredients on hand. Below is a list of the things you will need:

• Olive or mineral oil (1 cup)
• Beeswax or honey (1 tablespoon)
• Fragrant essential oils – sweet pea, peppermint, rose, lemon, tea tree, chamomile, and sweet almond are suggested

Add the mineral or olive oil to a microwavable safe dish. Add the beeswax; heat until ingredients are melted. Remember, you may need to add more beeswax or honey to adjust the consistency.

Essential oils can be added for fragrance. Add just a few drops at a time. Vegetable-based food coloring can be added to give the lotion a more attractive appearance.

It is suggested that you add colors that coordinate with the fragrance. For instance, yellow with lemon essential oil, pink with rose essential oil, and green with sweet pea.

If the lotion is too thick, it can be thinned with a few drops of water. A capsule of grape seed extract can act as a preservative for your lotion. Crush the extract and pour it into the mixture; blend well before you pour the lotion into your bottles. This will give your lotion a shelf life of three months or more.

Lotion Makes a Great Gift
The Container Store sells a wide range of bottles and dispensers that are ideal for lotions. If you will be giving your lotion as a gift, you can tie a ribbon around the bottle. If you want to make your lotion really special, you might want to consider ordering peel-and-stick labels for your bottles.

A few accessory items can turn your lotion into a very nice gift.

Most dollar stores sell small wicker baskets that are perfect for use as gift baskets. Just line the basket with a pretty washcloth or even with some tissue paper and add the bottle of lotion. You could also add a loofah sponge and other bath accessory items. This makes a nice gift for almost any occasion.

Making your own lotion is a fun hobby, and it’s a great way to save money on something you can use every day. Plus, you can use the lotion to create great-looking gift baskets that friends and family members will appreciate. Why not experiment with a lotion recipe today?


About the Author:
Debbie Allen is a freelance writer, online marketer, and blogger who writes on a wide variety of topics, including home and garden topics, like how to choose various gutter styles and window designs.

MOVIE REVIEW: "The Road" (2008)

In this week's Doomer Fiction film review, we are taking the time to examine "The Road" (2008) Blu-ray (DVD version), which is probably one of the better post-apocalyptic films I have ever had the pleasure of watching. It is something of a masterpiece that is, at turns, heart-warming, terrifying, shocking, sad, and appalling. What more could one ask of a single piece of fiction?

True to the Cormac McCarthy novel it is based upon, we never learn very much about the background or identities of the father and son upon which the story is centered. Not do we gain any insight into the nature of the world ending catastrophe that has befallen the Earth. All of those are ancillary details, not important in this respect, because we are meant to concentrate -- not on the minutiae -- but, rather, on the relationship between the man and his son. That is what makes this film so unique and ensures that it is so much more than your typical disaster film, post-apocalyptic horror, or science-fiction: in its bones, it is all about these two characters and their struggle. Everything else is irrelevant.

That said, whatever the event that essentially ended the world was actually meant to be, it did a great job. There is very little remaining of the world we know and take for granted, which the viewer is shown through the eyes of man and boy. There seems to be no true sunlight; every day is overcast and cold, the man and the boy mostly forced to huddle together for warmth, and they spend basically the entire film in heavy winter clothing. As one might expect, they also spend most of the film scrounging for supplies left-over from the now-dying world. That is, what time they aren't scurrying around, hiding from marauding cannibal gangs.

In the end, watching this flawlessly-acted film will leave you feeling as though your emotions have just come off a roller coaster. It is truly about survival, in every sense of the word. And it is all the more poignant when one realizes that the goal the characters are striving toward is no sure thing. Survival is never, in any way, guaranteed, even if they are successful. Rather, it is about a father's love and sacrifice for his son, and, in that, there is a warmth and joy amid all the heartache that sneaks up on you and is very touching.

5 Ways to Repurpose Wooden Pallets

Wooden pallets are typically used in the shipping process of various products. After receiving these products and unpacking them, the businesses have no use for the wooden pallets, and many times, the pallets end up being tossed out. That’s where you can come in.

Wooden pallets can be repurposed into many different things. They actually have many uses just as they are. But if you are a bit crafty, you can certainly create something unique. There are lots of examples of everything from staircases to room dividers and sofa frames available online that have been made from wooden pallets.

Rough wood has character

The Appeal of Wooden Pallets
Wooden pallets are to adults what Lincoln logs are to kids. They are simply fun to work with. All you need is a little imagination and creativity to build something wonderful.

You can be as innovative as you like. Some people have built full-size shelters, and others have created simple and decorative wall shelves. You are only limited by your imagination – and the number of wooden pallets you are able to acquire.

Special Notes and Considerations
When working with wooden pallets, you should look for markings that indicate if the wood has been heat treated (HT) or chemically treated (MB). In some cases, the pallets may be pressure treated with the use of preservatives.

Obviously, it is best to avoid pallets that have been chemically or pressure treated, especially if the projects will be used for gardening or interior projects. However, you may opt to treat the wood yourself to protect it from the elements if you will be using it outdoors.

Also keep in mind that wooden pallets are made from low-grade wood that is usually very rough. In many instances, you may have to deal with broken slats, and dismantling a pallet can be difficult work. To make the job easier, you might want to invest in a saws-all. Use a battery-powered design for convenience purposes and a nail-cutting blade to ensure you won’t run into any problems.

Creative Pallet Ideas
As mentioned, you can find countless ideas about ways to repurpose wooden pallets online. Just do a Google search and you will be rewarded with a list of great images. Below are five simple ideas that might get your creative juices flowing.

1. Room Divider

Make two stacks of three pallets. Pallets are stacked end on end and screwed together. Each stack is then hinged together. This creates an awesome room divider that can be painted or left with the rustic look and charm of rough wood.

2. Wall Shelves

Cut the pallets down as desired to create wall shelves. The units can be finished with stains or paint, or they can be left unfinished.

3. Outdoor Table

Simply stack the pallets to desired height. That’s it – you have created a table you can use. To add stability, the pallets can be screwed together.

4. Walking Path

Wooden pallets can be used as the foundation for a walking path or, if they are sturdy enough, they can be the walking path. If the pallets are not sturdy, you may opt to add other boards or pathway material on top of the pallets.

5. Compost Bins

Wooden pallets can be attached together to form a container that is ideal for use as a compost bin. This can be as large or as small as you like.

When it comes to creating with wooden pallets, you’re really only limited by your imagination.

If you’ve never thought about using wooden pallets for a project, maybe it’s time you should. After all, you can usually get them for free, and there are lots of great things you can do with them.

If none of these ideas inspired you, then try a quick Google search for wooden pallet projects.

Get motivated and try something new – there are so many ways to repurpose wooden pallets!


About the Author:
Debbie Allen is a content writer, online marketer, and blogger who writes on a wide range of topics, including home and garden and lifestyle issues. For example, one of her recent articles explores how to choose a title service company.

BOOK REVIEW: "Prepper Millionaire - Barter Your Way Through a Disaster" by Jack Rider

I have to apologize. I skipped out on doing last week's review. I intended to do it later in the week, but then life happened. And, now this week's review is actually centered on a short ebook entitled "Prepper Millionaire - Barter Your Way Through a Disaster" by Jack Rider.

As you can probably glean from the title, this work represents a different take on the typical Prepper habit of stockpiling supplies against a possible impending apocalypse and turns it toward a more capitalist, opportunistic idea. Despite the title, however, it isn't about getting rich off of one's preps, but rather turning one's foresight to prepare for the unforeseen into a pathway to a higher standard of living during such a disaster than that which the typical unprepared person will be able to achieve.

In the simplest terms possible, the author lays out certain items that will be worth far more during a disaster than it will cost us to stockpile them now; then describes techniques and body language that will help each of us to come out on top of the inevitable barter situations with which we will be faced.

I gotta say, I enjoyed the book more than I expected I would. The price point is low (which is good, since it's a very short read by most standards); and the author provides some very useful information, regarding negotiation techniques. Plus, there is something to be said for anything that breaks the mold we are so accustomed to and stretches the boundaries of the way that we think.