Rash and grab

*Sigh* I can't wear my spiffy new pendant at the moment because it's brought me up in a rash (damn alloy allergy). I'll have to cover the back with something before I can wear it again, maybe varnish, or felt. I'm having to be bling free whilst I wait for my skin to recover. I think I knew I would be allergic to it, but I wore it to my Mums and also to jewellery class to show off. Guess that'll teach me.

M and I spent the day at Milton Keynes today. They have a massive shopping centre and market there. I'm not really a big shopper, I maybe go once a month at the most. In one of the cheap bookshops there I bought this book 1001 practical household uses for vinegar. It's a great book, it has all the different uses in tabbed section; laundry, cleaning, health and beauty, cooking, DIY, pet care, and outdoor/gardening. I've been looking out for one of these for ages.

I know a lot of uses for vinegar, but I've learnt some great new ones. For example, did you know that a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar (ACV) in your pets drinking water will deter fleas and ticks? It will also help dogs with hip displasia as ACV breaks down calcium deposits whilst re-mineralising bones. 2 tsp of ACV and honey in a glass of water will help humans with arthritis for the same reason. How cool is that? There are loads of other tips, but I need to sit down and read through properly without skimming.

It is also one of the ingredients used in the 'no-poo' lifestyle which I have unconsciously been gravitating towards. I have always been reluctant to use chemicals on my skin as I suffer from an auto-immune disease which is worsened by chemical overload. I've figured out a way of making a lot of body products but for some reason my hair has been the last on the list. I only wash it about once a week but after reading even more about it, I have decided to give up the poo lifestyle. I recently made some shampoo bars, but I'm still waiting for those to cure. I think the bicarbonate of soda and cider vinegar approach is just what I'm looking for. It'll be more eco-friendly too. I only have a little shampoo left, and when that's gone, I'm not going to buy any more!

The plastic goldfish are going to go into my Dad's and Bruv's spa boxes this Christmas. I have some clear melt n pour soap from a past project, so I'm going to use it to make 'goldfish in a bag' soaps for them. The girls will get a cp soap each. Also going into the box will be a shampoo bar, bath bomb, body butter, wash mitt, candle, wine glass and mini wine bottle (ah, one of life's most decadent pleasures, a candlelit bath with a glass of wine and your mp3 player!) maybe a hand-made chocolate too. Everything going in will hopefully be made by myself! I made a similar one a few years ago and it went down a storm.

I'm nearly finished WhileyWoos Kitty beanie. Just the ears to do now.

I spent last night working on 3 super secret projects for the HPIYP! (Tralala lala!) I love them all and one of them I'm going to recreate for myself. I spent last week thinking about both projects and how I was going to do them, and now I have the bits, I've made good progress. I've not finished any of them yet, alcohol got in the way and before I knew where I was, I woke up in an undignified position on the bed. The evils of drink I tell ya! Still, at least I always manage to get to bed! I was feeling sorry for myself commiserating not getting on the college course I wanted to do. There were only 14 places and they were all taken by the time I applied. Where's my time-turner? I'm sure Hermione wouldn't have let a simple thing like this stop her! *Sigh*