Shorten The Life Of Your Cold Sore

I just got over a nasty cold. I'm glad I am feeling better, but at the tail end of the cold came a few (un)lovely coldsores. I have a simple trick that helps mine dry up faster than if I just let them go. I dab a little bit of rubbing alcohol on them with a q-tip several times a day. By doing so, it dries the sores out faster so they don't last as long. I wish there was a way to make them stay gone, but since they are caused by a virus, there isn't. The rubbing alcohol shortens the life of my coldsores down to a few days, rather than a week or two.

There are a few things to remember when treating your coldsores. The most important is to not pop the little blisters. Doing so will increase the chances of them spreading. The key is to get them to dry out, and not spread them further. When you start feeling that telltale tingle, start applying the rubbing alcohol to the area in question. I use the rubbing alcohol on mine at least 5 to 6 times a day. Since we can't make them stop coming, the goal is to make them go away as fast as possible. I have used prescriptions before for my coldsores, but honestly the rubbing alcohol works just as well, if not better for me. I can't guarantee that it will work that well for you, as I am not a medical doctor, but it's an idea to try out next time you get one of those nasty little nuisances.

Printable Hobby Lobby Coupon

In lieu of the Christmas craft post I previously did, I thought I would post a link for a printable coupon for Hobby Lobby. It's for 40% off, and you can use one per day on regularly priced items. Here it is:

http://www.hobbylobby.com/weekly/coupon.cfm

Christmas in July?

If you are someone who likes to make your Christmas gifts, it might be a good time to start planning and thinking about what you would like to make. I find that not only does making gifts save alot of money, but people really appreciate the personal touch you put into it. And it really is the perfect thing to give someone who already has everything! I have found it easier to make my gifts over the years, because I have morphed my expectations into reasonable ones instead of grandiose ones (for example, there is no way I will be able to make an afghan for everyone on my list).

Smaller projects enable you to give nice gifts, and to be able to make several items. Some ideas for those who do needlework (knitting/crocheting) are doilies, hats, gloves, scarves, slippers, socks, hair pieces, potholders, dishcloths, etc. I have also made things like homemade jams/jellies for gifts (which go nicely with potholders or dishcloths as a gift). My kids have been begging me to crochet them some stuffed animals (they have seen the pattern books in the store, LOL). That just might make it onto my Christmas project list as well! To be even more thrifty, use a free pattern from http://www.crochetpatterncentral.com/ or http://www.ravelry.com/ . They have tons of patterns and ideas! My only problem is choosing which ones to use!

If you start your projects now and stick with it, you should have Christmas covered by the time it gets here, and you will have less stress because most of it will be done by the time the season rolls around so you can focus on enjoying family and friends. Go forth and craft in peace!

P.S. The picture comes from www.clipartheaven.com .

Add Some Oomph To Your Vinegar Cleaning Spray

One of the homemade cleaners I use regularly is vinegar and water mixed together in a spray bottle. Recently, I have started adding a few drops of essential oil to my mixture. One of the benefits of doing so is that many essential oils have disinfecting properties. The vinegar water itself does have some disinfecting properties, but adding the essential oil gives it a little more "oomph". Plus, it makes your house smell nice! Right now, my vinegar cleaner is laced with lavender oil. Very nice, if I say so myself, and essential oil scents do not bother my asthma the way commercial cleaners do.

To make your own spray bottle of this cleaner, fill spray bottle 1/3 of the way with vinegar, fill the rest with water. Then add a few drops of your favorite essential oil. Shake well before each use. To use, spray desired surface and wipe. Very simple, very easy, and chemical free!

Great Crockpot Chicken

I made up this simple, easy crockpot chicken recipe yesterday and thought I would pass it along. The family loved it!

Crockpot Chicken

1 whole chicken

1 onion

Carrots

Potatoes

1 - 12 oz bottle of Italian dressing

Place chicken in the crockpot. Next, cut up your onion, potatoes, and carrots (chop up as much as will fill the crockpot surrounding the chicken). Then, pour the bottle of Italian dressing evenly over the top of the chicken and vegetables. Cook on high setting for 5-6 hours.

The nice thing about using the Italian dressing is that it seasons the chicken and vegetables nicely. You can also use the remaining dressing/drippings as a gravy for your vegetables. It is quite yummy!

P.S. The picture came from http://www.dir.coolclips.com/ .