CREATING A SIMPLER LIFE OFF-GRID
  • Home/About
    • What does OFF-GRID mean?
    • MINIMIZING >
      • Home Size
      • Room by Room
      • Get Organized
      • Household Waste
    • MINIMIZE DEBT, MAXIMIZE SAVINGS >
      • Bills & Other Debt
      • Saving Money
      • Shopping Tips
      • Affordable Fun
    • BACKYARD CHICKENS >
      • The Coop
      • The Chickens
      • Feeding the Chickens
      • Fresh Eggs
    • HOME GARDENING >
      • Building the Garden
      • What We Grow
      • Seeds, Weeds, & More
      • Preservation & Storage
    • DO-IT-YOURSELF >
      • Health & Wellness
      • Simple Cleaning & Tips
      • Crafts & More!
      • Printables
    • CROCHET >
      • IDEAS & MORE
      • VIDEO TUTORIALS
  • HOMESTEAD
    • The 5 Year Plan PLUS! >
      • 2017
      • 2018
      • 2019
      • 2020
      • 2021
      • 2022
    • WHY AN EARTH SHELTERED HOUSE?
    • OFF GRID TINY TRAILER
    • BUILDING our HOMESTEAD from Scratch >
      • BUYING LAND & GETTING STARTED
      • BUILDING THE CONCRETE DOME
      • FROM DOME to HOME
      • SURVIVING OUR FIRST WINTER
      • COVERING THE DOME
    • HOMESTEAD MACHINERY >
      • GENERATORS
      • KUBOTA TRACTOR
      • ATV'S & UTV'S
      • WOOD CHIPPER
      • CHAINSAWS
      • LOG SPLITTER
      • POWER TOOLS
      • SNOWMOBILES
      • AUTOMOBILES
    • BUDGETING THE BUILD
    • SUSTAINABILITY >
      • WATER
      • FOOD
      • SHELTER
      • ENERGY
    • The Adirondacks >
      • Wildlife & Nature
      • Insects & Bugs
      • Things to Do
      • Water Fun
    • ADIRONDACK CRAFTS
  • VLOG
    • 2023
    • 2022
    • 2021

Blog

A little bit of anything and everything that's part of
​creating, enjoying, and living a simpler life!
Picture

Braiding Onions

10/20/2016

0 Comments

 
Picture
Growing onions is so simple.  I kind of cheat by buying packages of 'seed' onions. These are tiny little onions you can just stick in the ground and they simply grow into bigger onions.  Really super simple!  I ended up with quite a few nice yellow onions this year despite the heat so I am quite happy, especially because last years crop completely died.  

Anyway, the onions were recently ready so I went out and carefully removed them so the greens remained in-tact.  Now they are ready for braiding!  I look forward to eating them all winter long!
Picture
You can see the onions in the back part of this bed. We had them growing in the same bed as our garlic.
Picture
The heat was really getting to them so we picked them a little earlier than normal. I was just too afraid of losing them all like we did last year. I set them on the table to dry in the sun for the day.
Picture
Then I got to work braiding them together to hang until needed!
Picture
When it comes to braiding them I just go for it. I know how to do a basic braid and I just keep braiding more in until it seems like it is enough. Nothing fancy.
Picture
Picture
Picture
Braids are tied using 8" zip ties (I know, it's kind of cheating but they work so well!). I did have some onions where the greens were simply too week to braid. Those were put into a canvas bag and hung in a dry location for use as needed.
NOTE: we also harvested all our shallots and braided them for the winter too!  I just love all the fresh onions, shallots and garlic! Check out the garlic post here!
Picture
Braided shallots.
Picture
Braided hard neck garlic and yellow onions.
If you have never tried growing your own onions, or shallots definitely give them a try in the spring next year!
For garlic it's actually time to plant them right now!
Check out planting garlic here.

Thanks for visiting!
Sincerely,
Picture
0 Comments

DIY Mason Jar Wall Rack

10/14/2016

2 Comments

 
Picture
Recently there was this great video on Facebook showing how to make a mason jar wall holder/rack.  I shared that video as a post on our Facebook page only to have my daughter comment that she wanted one!  Of course being the crafty person  I am, I absolutely had to make it for her.  I have to tell you, it was super simple, just like the video implied! Thank you to My Fabulous Lifestyle for originally sharing the video on Facebook!

There are a few differences between the one I made above and the video: they chose to paint it a 'distressed' white, I chose natural unfinished weathered wood.

Supplies Needed:
  • 3 mason jars (any size you choose) - I used pint jars
  • 3 hose clamps (purchase to fit around the mason jar you chose) - I used 4" for the pint jars
  • 2 picture hangars
  • hammer
  • a piece of wood approximately 3" high
  • sandpaper, and or wire brush
  • white paint (or stain if you prefer stain) - or leave it au natural!
  • 3 screws
  • screwdriver
  • marker
  • drill
Picture
Get a pice of wood. I seriously pulled this out of the wood pile that has been in my backyard since last fall. Perfectly weathered!
Picture
My husband cut the wood to make it thinner. This provided me with two pieces - the thinner piece I used to make signs (link below) and the thicker piece I used for the mason jars!
Check out "DIY Rustic Sign Lettering"
Picture
Gather all the supplies...
Picture
I cleaned the wood off with a wire brush. You may not have to do this.
Picture
Measure and mark where the three clamps will be attached.
Picture
Screw through the clamp and into the wood as shown. You may need to drill a hole in the clamp big enough for the screw you choose.
Picture
Tighten the clamp around the jar! Repeat for the other two.
Picture
Simply add picture hanging hardware to the back and enjoy! Super simple :-)

Check out our other Do-it-yourself Posts and our Crafty Things, DIY Home Projects, or Repurposing  Pinterest Pages!
Thanks for visiting!
Sincerely,

Picture
2 Comments

2 DIY Remedies for the Common Cold or Flu

10/10/2016

0 Comments

 
Picture
It's that time of year again when I go back to teaching high school and lo and behold, I get sick.  I guess you could call it my annual cold.  Not only do the students inadvertently 'share' their illness', but the teachers do too!  It is really inevitable.  We can have up to 32 total students and teachers in a classroom with the door closed (by law) and a few windows open that rarely generate any breeze, especially if they open into a courtyard.  We can bring in our own fans and sometimes, if we are really fortunate, we might get to teach in a room that has an air conditioner once or twice a day (most teachers move from room to room throughout the day).  Just think about how many hands touch the knob on the door to the classroom with 9 periods a day in there and you can see why germs are so easily shared.  And no matter how careful you are, they are in the air after every sneeze and cough too.  

Ok, enough of that.  We all know germs spread.  But what can we do when we get a cold or the flu to help it go away faster and feel better sooner? It's already well known that these are viral and that antibiotics simply won't help. That leaves it up to you.  It is pretty common knowledge to drink tea with lemon and honey, take hot steamy showers to help clear the sinus' and loosen up chest congestion, to keep the house at a cooler temperature, and to sleep in a semi-seated position to prevent post nasal drip. But what else can be done?

After years of getting my 'annual' cold after returning to school in the fall I have come up with two tried and true remedies that I know help me, so hopefully they will help you too!

Disclaimer: Always check with your doctor or healthcare professional before trying any new treatments or holistic medicines. Especially if you or your loved ones have pre-existing medical conditions.
Picture
Ceramic Neti Pot
1. Neti Pot - Clear your sinus' and fight infection!
​Rinse Sinus’– Why you should rinse twice a day with warm salt water:
  1. Salt helps to fight bacteria and infection in the sinus’
  2. Helps to rinse away loose mucous and other allergens and irritants
  3. Helps to relieve nasal congestion, pressure, and pain
  4. Helps to relieve the inflammation of the sinus’
  5. Helps to restore normal moisture to the sinus’
  6. Helps to improve ciliary movement in the nasal passages (tiny hairs that help move everything through)
  7. Helps to reduce coughing and other symptoms of post nasal drip
  8. Helps to alleviate breathing difficulties through the nasal passages

Use a Neti Pot twice a day – mix ¼ tsp sea salt in 1 cup of lukewarm water. Pour through nostril while leaning over sink, keeping mouth open and breathing through mouth at the same time. HINT: Make sure you have plenty of tissues to blow your nose after each rinse!


Check out this You Tube video to see how easy it is:
Picture
Electric Room Diffuser
Picture
Personal Pendant Diffuser
2. Diffusers: Breathe better and purify the air!
Benefits will vary depending upon the essential oil used in the diffuser.  To ward off cold or illness in the home or in my personal space I will use Tea Tree oil.  If I am already sick or feel myself coming down with a cold I will use Eucalyptus oil.  I will use them in a room diffuser at night while sleeping (with the door closed) or in the main room of the house.  A personal diffuser can be worn all day long at work, school, or anywhere you go.

Diffusing Eucalyptus Oil – Why you should diffuse it regularly to fight the common cold: 
  1. Helps to clear sinus congestion
  2. Helps to control coughing by loosening mucous and helping to expel it
  3. Helps to heal a sore throat because it provides pain relief
  4. Helps to kill bacteria (it is an anti-bacterial) so can help to prevent spread of infection
  5. Helps to boost the immune system to fight off illness
  6. Helps to cool the body during fevers

Diffusing Tea Tree Oil - It can help ward off illness and fight germs by purifying the air.

For the room diffuser, simply follow the directions.  For most of them you simply add water and 3-5 drops of chosen essential oil.  

For the personal pendant diffuser you simply add 1 or 2 drops of chosen essential oil to the felt in the well on the back side of the pendant and it is with you all day long.  If at any time more is needed it can simply be lifted and inhaled from the pendant.  It's that simple!


Thanks for visiting!
I hope you found this post helpful and that if you have a cold or the flu it helps you to feel better!
:-)
Sincerely,
Picture
0 Comments
    Picture
    Hi there! I'm Kathie, the author behind Creating A Simpler Life blog. I'm excited to share our longterm projects (and planning) toward building our future retirement homestead in the Adirondack Mountains of New York. In the meantime I will be sharing all the other little things we do that are part of creating our simpler life!
    Creating a Simpler Life

    RSS Feed

    Visit Creating A Simpler Life's profile on Pinterest.

    Categories

    All
    Adirondack Crafts
    Chickens
    Conservation
    Crochet
    Do It Yourself
    Energy Savings
    Essential-oils
    Essential-oils
    Food-storage-preservation
    Food-storage-preservation
    Gardening
    Health
    Health-wellness
    Health-wellness
    Homemade-remedies
    Homemade-remedies
    Homesteading
    Homesteading Dreams
    Inexpensive Fun
    Minimizing
    Organization
    Products We Sell
    Recipes
    Recycling
    Saving-money
    Saving-money
    Shopping
    Wedding & Shower DIY

    Archives

    July 2020
    June 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    March 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    October 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015

mrandmrscorbi@gmail.com
Contact Us - Privacy Policy - Disclaimer
Copyright 2022©Creating A Simpler Life, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.
  • Home/About
    • What does OFF-GRID mean?
    • MINIMIZING >
      • Home Size
      • Room by Room
      • Get Organized
      • Household Waste
    • MINIMIZE DEBT, MAXIMIZE SAVINGS >
      • Bills & Other Debt
      • Saving Money
      • Shopping Tips
      • Affordable Fun
    • BACKYARD CHICKENS >
      • The Coop
      • The Chickens
      • Feeding the Chickens
      • Fresh Eggs
    • HOME GARDENING >
      • Building the Garden
      • What We Grow
      • Seeds, Weeds, & More
      • Preservation & Storage
    • DO-IT-YOURSELF >
      • Health & Wellness
      • Simple Cleaning & Tips
      • Crafts & More!
      • Printables
    • CROCHET >
      • IDEAS & MORE
      • VIDEO TUTORIALS
  • HOMESTEAD
    • The 5 Year Plan PLUS! >
      • 2017
      • 2018
      • 2019
      • 2020
      • 2021
      • 2022
    • WHY AN EARTH SHELTERED HOUSE?
    • OFF GRID TINY TRAILER
    • BUILDING our HOMESTEAD from Scratch >
      • BUYING LAND & GETTING STARTED
      • BUILDING THE CONCRETE DOME
      • FROM DOME to HOME
      • SURVIVING OUR FIRST WINTER
      • COVERING THE DOME
    • HOMESTEAD MACHINERY >
      • GENERATORS
      • KUBOTA TRACTOR
      • ATV'S & UTV'S
      • WOOD CHIPPER
      • CHAINSAWS
      • LOG SPLITTER
      • POWER TOOLS
      • SNOWMOBILES
      • AUTOMOBILES
    • BUDGETING THE BUILD
    • SUSTAINABILITY >
      • WATER
      • FOOD
      • SHELTER
      • ENERGY
    • The Adirondacks >
      • Wildlife & Nature
      • Insects & Bugs
      • Things to Do
      • Water Fun
    • ADIRONDACK CRAFTS
  • VLOG
    • 2023
    • 2022
    • 2021