Move Over Burt's Bees! DIY Lip Salve

Burt's Bees...move over! I love that stuff so much, and wish I could afford it more often!
Then one of my sisters gave me a challenge; could I duplicate it?  Well, I love what I ended up with!

Well, here it is, and in the end it was so simple. All the fails were due to me, making it harder than it had to be.  It made 13, .25 oz pots.  I'm good for at least six months...or a year!

And without further ado, here is the recipe:
All Natural Lip Salve (Compare to Burt's Bees)

• 1 part beeswax (I used an ounce)
• 1 part shea butter or coconut oil
• 1 part Olive Oil
• 15-20 drops of extract or oil (I used Lavender)
• ½ t Vitamin E Oil

In a double boiler, I placed my beeswax and olive oil, till melted and stirred well.

Lastly I placed my Shea Butter in, and dissolved it.
Taking it off the heat, I put in my Vitamin E oil, and the extract or essential oil in as well.

You could put a little Cocoa powder or Beet powder in for a blush of color. 

Mix and pour! That's it!   Enjoy!

DIY Vanilla: You'll Never Go Back!

Never in my life, did I think I would want to drink my homemade Vanilla!

It smells so heavenly every time I open the bottle.

In fact when I'm baking, my Hubby, and last daughter left at home, will remind me to go easy on the Vanilla!  But it is so hard!

I had never tasted real Vanilla until just four years ago.  I didn't know what I was missing, but now that I do, and I realize it's less expensive to have real vanilla than the weird, chemically laden substitute, I'm sold.

Making your own Vanilla is a snap.

You'll need:

• Quart or Tall Jars

•  100 proof Vodka (50% Alcohol or stronger)

• Vanilla Beans (The volume of Vanilla Bean is up to you.  I usually buy 1/2 lb, and divide them up between 3-4 qts, although some recipes only call for as little as 2 or 3 Vanilla Pods per quart.  I would rather concentrate those flavors, and use less, store less, and get better flavor, so I put quite a few in my jars.)

Instructions:

• With a sharp knife, slice your vanilla pods lengthwise to open them up, and if they are longer than your jar, cut them in half so all your pods are immersed in the liquid at the end.

• Divide your pods between your jars (I like quart size or larger)

• Cover pods with Vodka until all bean are covered.

• Put your lid on.

• Store in a cool dark place.

• Shake Daily for two weeks (its more vital the first few days...)
  

When is it ready?

You could begin using your vanilla as early as six weeks, but I am a stickler for taste.  So mine will steep and age for nearly six months before I begin using it.

It makes all the difference in the world in baking, candies, and everything else.  Enjoy having enough Vanilla for years to come with practically no effort and minimal cost!  

Try giving it as a gift!