tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237633934633144064.post2155377286639520835..comments2024-03-26T10:01:18.135-04:00Comments on Living the Frugal Life: Planning Ahead for Holiday GiftsKatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18017959421018964001noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237633934633144064.post-91679266008682526052010-07-27T10:50:17.306-04:002010-07-27T10:50:17.306-04:00Barbara, I buy from Vanilla Saffron Imports at saf...Barbara, I buy from Vanilla Saffron Imports at saffron.com. That's all they sell. They know those two products deeply and offer good value for them.Katehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18017959421018964001noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237633934633144064.post-13860498060331281642010-07-02T13:09:30.588-04:002010-07-02T13:09:30.588-04:00Hello, Recently found your blog, and loving it!!
...Hello, Recently found your blog, and loving it!!<br /><br />Can you let me know what your source is for vanilla beans, followed your link for the tutorial and I am overwhelmed.<br /><br />Thanks,<br />Barbara barbaraj2000 @ hotmail. comAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237633934633144064.post-22537667316413144882009-12-14T14:55:41.332-05:002009-12-14T14:55:41.332-05:00i have an unusual request...I have an old comode (...i have an unusual request...I have an old comode (toilet) that i can't find a place to dump.hahahaha.But really , i am looking for an alternative use for it!!! its bright white...Help, any suggestions? Jeannettejtnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237633934633144064.post-84982585575434713382008-09-24T09:14:00.000-04:002008-09-24T09:14:00.000-04:00Jamie, I'm sure a cork would work just fine in a b...Jamie, I'm sure a cork would work just fine in a beer bottle, if it fits tightly. I happened to have an old fashioned clamp lid beer bottle with a rubber gasket, so that's what I used. A lot of wine bottles now come with screw top lids. I'm sure one of those would work just fine too, though it would be a big batch of extract.Katehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18017959421018964001noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237633934633144064.post-1710600015884074252008-09-23T14:11:00.000-04:002008-09-23T14:11:00.000-04:00And one other question, where did you get your bro...And one other question, where did you get your brown or green bottles for the vanilla extract? I found a store on the internet where you can just buy a dozen brown bottles and lids, but I'd rather reuse. So brown beer bottles are an obvious choice, but what do you do about a lid? The beer lids obviously can't go back on. Would cork work for the extract? Any other suggestions for lids, or anything else for that matter, since I'd like to undertake this project?Baughfacehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13901960246043677590noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237633934633144064.post-85175364124874362132008-09-16T18:55:00.000-04:002008-09-16T18:55:00.000-04:00@Jamie. Yes, that's my understanding. I haven't t...@Jamie. Yes, that's my understanding. I haven't tried it yet myself because the first batch of vanilla extract I made is so large that I'm still working my way through it. The vanilla beans I've been storing this way are still very fragrant. Even though the sugar they're stored in is intensely flavored by them, the beans seem to also retain plenty of their essential flavor and aroma.Katehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18017959421018964001noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237633934633144064.post-13184973398383558252008-09-16T16:03:00.000-04:002008-09-16T16:03:00.000-04:00So would you still be able to use the vanilla bean...So would you still be able to use the vanilla beans stored in the sugar for another batch of vanilla extract?Baughfacehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13901960246043677590noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237633934633144064.post-85038450739980548782008-07-31T11:11:00.000-04:002008-07-31T11:11:00.000-04:00Lisa, I suppose I should caution you a little bit ...Lisa, I suppose I should caution you a little bit about getting in to making solid perfume. It can be very tempting to buy more and more essential oils so that you can experiment with exotic combinations and such. The essential oils are the most costly ingredient in the final product. I made this mistake and I now have several bottles that will probably never get used up. <BR/><BR/>So my suggestion is to buy no more than four or five oils and use those. If there's a commercial soap or moisturizer that you like, check the label. It may tell you what the scents are, and you can then just buy those essential oils to reproduce the scent. <BR/><BR/>I find that one scent alone, or just two mixed together, produces a very pleasant result. I would recommend a citrus scent like orange, grapefruit, or lime, as well as lemongrass, clary sage, rose geranium, and lavender. None of these should be too expensive, and they all smell fantastic.<BR/><BR/>Have fun with it!<BR/><BR/>-KateKatehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18017959421018964001noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237633934633144064.post-70927185659302559652008-07-30T16:39:00.000-04:002008-07-30T16:39:00.000-04:00Hi, Kate. Followed you here from Trent's Simple D...Hi, Kate. Followed you here from Trent's Simple Dollar.<BR/><BR/>I recently received homemade solid perfume for my birthday and loved it. I'm even more impressed now that I know it's a frugal craft!<BR/><BR/>The vanilla gift ideas sound like a lot of bang for the buck (very Martha), as do the garden paving stones. Thanks for providing the inspiration!cafenowherehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05572654111288029481noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237633934633144064.post-64091489738486463832008-07-21T18:45:00.000-04:002008-07-21T18:45:00.000-04:00Claire, you could look for a book called Scents &a...Claire, you could look for a book called Scents & Sensibilities, by Mandy Aftel. I recommend you look for it at the library and through inter-library loan if necessary. While it covers solid perfumes thoroughly, there really isn't all that much to it. So if it were me I wouldn't want to spend the money. You can take notes on what interests you. Your notes probably won't be too extensive. Mine aren't.<BR/><BR/>Let me know if you end up making any, and what scents you like, especially if you combine them.Katehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18017959421018964001noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237633934633144064.post-67429982621543937252008-07-21T16:36:00.000-04:002008-07-21T16:36:00.000-04:00Do you have more details or a good reference for m...Do you have more details or a good reference for me on making the solid perfume? That sounds like a great holiday gift. We're really re-thinking Christmas this year, but I am hesitant to completely cut off the present giving...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com