How to Make a Flaxseed Poultice

How to Make a Flaxseed Poultice



Flaxseed is a source of omega-3 acids and is valued for its antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. For minor scrapes and infections, a flaxseed poultice is a useful healing aid.







Things You'll Need:





1 tbs. Flaxseed




Mortar and pestle




Hot water




Gauze




Medical tape









1


Grind 1 tablespoon of flaxseed with your mortar and pestle until you reach medium consistency.





2


Cut an appropriate length of gauze to completely cover the wound.





3


Fold the gauze several times until you have created a pad six layers deep.





4


Insert the ground flaxseed between the third and fourth layers, folding the gauze closed.





5


Pour hot water over the gauze to release the flaxseed's essential oils.





6


Set the poultice aside to cool.





7


Apply the poultice to the wound using medical tape to secure it in place.





8


Change poultice as needed until wound is healed.








Tips & Warnings










Always apply a poultice to clean, dry skin.








You may notice a slight tingling or pulling sensation as the flaxseed draws the infection out of the wound. This is normal. If the sensation is strong, check the skin under the poultice for allergic reaction.








For maximum effectiveness, change the poultice daily.



http://www.ehow.com/how_2068290_make-flaxseed-poultice.html

How to Make a Cream

How to Make a Cream



By making your own cream, you have total control over the ingredients. Therefore, you can control the fragrance, oils and the quality of the ingredients. Making cream is simple and healthy for your skin, but be cautious about the essential oils you use in case you have sensitivity to them.







Things You'll Need:





Beeswax




Vegetable oil




Essential oils




Water




Glass bowl




Saucepan




Small glass jars for storage









1


Combine 1 oz. of beeswax and 1/2 cup of a vegetable oil (such as sweet almond, grape seed or sunflower) in a glass bowl. Place it over a small saucepan filled with water, and simmer until the wax melts. This makes a double boiler and keeps the wax from getting too hot on the direct heat.





2


Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of warm (but not hot) water to the melted beeswax, one drop at a time. Mix between drops until mixture becomes cool and thick.





3


Drop 20 to 30 drops of essential oils of your choice to the cream and stir gently.





4


Scoop mixture into clean, glass ointment jars and seal them.





5


Store cream for only a few months to ensure freshness.








Tips & Warnings










Test the oils for skin sensitivity before using them in your cream.








Buying organic products will help keep the cream pure.








Try adding some Vitamin E oil to your cream mixture.








Make small amounts when you need it to keep it from spoiling.








If you're pregnant, there may be some oils you should avoid. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have questions.



http://www.ehow.com/how_2087787_make-cream.html

How to Make a Chamomile Compress for Sunburn

How to Make a Chamomile Compress for Sunburn



Chamomile has been used in herbal remedies for thousands of years. During the middle ages it was even used as part of a love potion. Today chamomile is used in many forms to treat various ailments including insomnia, menstrual cramps, arthritis and skin inflammations. Its ability to sooth skin inflammation is why a chamomile compress is so soothing for sunburn and it's quite easy to make.







Things You'll Need:





Bowl of ice water




Wash cloth




Chamomile essential oil




Lavender essential oil




Sprig of rosemary









1


Fill a small sized bowl with ice water.





2


Add 3 drops of chamomile essential oil to the bowl of ice water. Enjoy the soothing aromas while making your chamomile compress for sunburn.





3


Put in 2 drops of
lavender
essential oil to the bowl of ice water. The lavender works with chamomile to sooth the skin and has a terrific, calming scent.





4


Drop a sprig of
rosemary
into the bowl. Rosemary helps to produce a cooling affect.





5


Dip a washcloth into your mixture and squeeze out the excess water.





6


Place the chamomile compress on your sunburn as often as needed.








Tips & Warnings










Smoothing aloe to the affected area after you have applied the chamomile compress to your sunburn will help to reduce swelling as well as prevent peeling.








Some people can have an allergic reaction to chamomile including potentially life threatening anaphylaxis.








Although chamomile has been used in herbal remedies for many years there is not enough reliable medical research to support claims that this herb is effective for any medical condition.



http://www.ehow.com/how_2093301_make-chamomile-compress-sunburn.html

How to Make a Back Massager

How to Make a Back Massager



Whether you are about to have a baby or simply want a wonderful back massage at the end of a day, a simple homemade back massager could be just what you need. Follow these easy steps to find out how to make one.







Things You'll Need:





Three tennis balls




An old sock or a leg from pantyhose that is run free




A friend to provide the massage









1


Find a clean sock or cut one leg off a pair of pantyhose. When using a sock, use one that's a little longer, such as a woman's knee-high sock.





2


Put three tennis balls in the sock or leg of the pantyhose. This is a way to use those tennis balls that have lost their bounce.





3


Tie the sock or pantyhose shut with a knot at the open end, leaving enough room for a handle on the other side of the knot. If you have enough room, tie a knot on the closed side, too, so you can have two handles. Two handles will allow the massager to vary the pressure when he gives you a back massage.





4


Ask a friend to help you with your massage. Have the massager roll the sock over your back, giving a soothing back massage.








Tips & Warnings










If you are using the leg of a pair of pantyhose, make certain to use a leg that has no runs. The massage will make the run worse, and the tennis balls will fall out.








Make sure to leave enough space in the massager so the balls can move around a little. If the tennis balls are too tight, the massage won't be as effective.



http://www.ehow.com/how_2083789_make-back-massager.html

How to Lose Weight Using Guided Imagery

How to Lose Weight Using Guided Imagery



Trying to lose weight can be a challenge. With a constant flow of new diets, weight-loss products, books and remedies coming at us, it can be hard to know what route to choose. What works for some doesn't for others. Some people have found guided imagery helpful, so give it a try--all you have to lose are a few pounds.









1


Learn what guided imagery is in order to use it as a means to lose weight. Guided imagery is a form of hypnosis. It actually trains the brain to think of food and eating in a different way. This technique helps you to look inside yourself and find out the reasons behind unhealthy eating. Once you understand yourself better, you become more motivated to change.





2


Guide your brain into awareness of destructive eating patterns with a series of books and CDs that teach guided imagery. Learn to resolve inner conflicts that cause you to use food as comfort. Our hang-ups drive our behavior. To lose weight using guided imagery involves a series of lessons that help you to relax your brain, reduce stress and understand the connection between mind and body. When your mind gets hold of a new image for your body and life, your body eventually lines up with the new image.





3


Plan your schedule so that you can devote time for listening to the CDs that teach guided imagery. A good time is before you go to bed. Your brain will relax listening to the instructions given in the recordings. Step by step, you'll be guided in your thinking to a condition of deep relaxation where your brain learns best. You'll learn the skills needed to focus within and overcome your urges for unhealthy, undisciplined eating. You'll learn proper breathing techniques, develop a desire for good exercise habits and even overcome boredom, which is often a cause for overeating.





4


Visit your local bookstore and ask for materials on the subject of guided imagery. If they don't have books and CDs in stock, they can order them for you. You can also find materials to lose weight using guided imagery online.


http://www.ehow.com/how_2092471_lose-weight-guided-imagery.html

How to Pack An Evening Purse

How to Pack An Evening Purse



Every girl knows about the horrors of transferring everything from a large, practical daytime purse to a small, oh-so-cute-but-unpractica night time purse. Here are some ways to pare down to the bare basics of what you will need to carry in your evening clutch for a formal event or night on the town!







Things You'll Need:





Small Purse



Your wallet



Your makeup bag



Breath mints or gum



Cellphone



Creativity







How to Pack An Evening Purse




Step
1



From your wallet, take out your State ID or drivers license. This is a staple that you cannot go without.




Step
2



Also remove two credit cards (one debit for quick cash, one credit for dire emergencies)




Step
3



Remove your health insurance card, because in today's world you never know.




Step
4



Remove at least $50.00 in cash, no coins.




Step
5



From your makeup bag, remove your
pressed
powder


compact.




Step
6



Remove your favorite lip item. Substitute a tube of lipstick for lip-gloss and lip-liner.




Step
7



Remove eye-drops or re-wetting drops for contact lens users




Step
8



Lay out one stick or gum or two small breath mints.




Step
9



Lay out your cellphone, absolutely vital.




Step
10



Open your evening clutch or purse. Place your credit cards, health card, ID and folded $50.00 in the side pocket of the purse. If none is available, place at the back of the purse.




Step
11



Next, in your lip-liner and lip-gloss at the bottom of the purse. Place your compact inside also.




Step
12



Depending on the size of your cellphone, (PDA or regular), place it standing up in the purse, so that you can view the top of the phone flashing if someone is calling.




Step
13



IF YOU HAVE ROOM: Drop in breath mints and eyedrops to the side of your cellphone. If not, borrow some!







Tips & Warnings









Make sure you only take the basics with you: ID, phone, money and lipgloss if that is all the room that you have.








Always have a backup purse in the same style and color








Never overpack your evening purse, it WILL explode!



http://www.ehow.com/how_2141281_pack-evening-purse.html

How to Pack a Purse

How to Pack a Purse



When you first switch to a new purse, it is important to pack it with the things you want to carry. If you fail to pack your purse, you end up tossing things in as you go along. Without proper planning, your purse fills up with duplicates of some things, and you don't have other things that you need.









Step
1



Choose a purse that has a lot of pockets inside to keep you organized. If the purse you are using does not have a lot of pockets inside, get some zippered make up bags to use inside your purse like removable pockets.




Step
2



Pack your wallet into your purse. If your wallet does not fit in your purse, you need a smaller wallet or a larger purse. It is never a good idea to carry your wallet separate from your purse.




Step
3



Pick a convenient spot for your keys and cell phone. Many purses come with special cell phone pockets. Loosing your keys or your phone in the bottom of your purse is very frustrating. Pack them some place where you can easily find them.




Step
4



Decide what other items you want to have with you every time you go out. Those items should get put inside a pocket. This often includes things like

makeup


, a comb or brush, and any medications you take.




Step
5



Leave one pocket or zippered bag empty to use as you go along. This is where you should put anything that you add to your purse right before you go out, such as cigarettes, a subway pass, a piece of gum or candy.







Tips & Warnings









Keep your purse organized to make it simple to find what you need.








If you are the type of person that likes to tuck things into your purse while you are out, like the take out menu from where you had lunch or a magazine you want to read, be sure to clean your purse out when you get home. If you do not clean your purse out on a regular basis it quickly gets disorganized and over full.



http://www.ehow.com/how_2266538_pack-purse.html

How to Outlet Shop in New Jersey

How to Outlet Shop in New Jersey



Good outlet shopping can be had in New Jersey, from the southern end of the state (Atlantic City) to far north (Lafayette). You will probably want to hit each location separately, since shopping abounds, and it will take you a day or two to discover each location' s gems.







Things You'll Need:





A few free weekends



A sense of adventure



Spending money for shopping, dining and (optional) lodging









Step
1



Starting at the southern end of New Jersey, you can find fantastic outlet stores at The Walk, a strand of over 50 shops in Atlantic City. This shopping bonanza is relatively new since it has only been around for roughly five years.




Step
2



Moving to the center of the state, you can find lots to cheer about at Jackson's Premium Outlet Stores. This shopping center boasts more than 60 outlet stores and is in close proximity to Six Flags Great Adventure, New Jersey's most popular amusement park.




Step
3



Heading to western New Jersey, you will come across a well-established outlet village: Liberty Village Premium Outlets in Flemington. This town is well known for its outlet stores, especially its fur shops.




Step
4



To the far northern end of New Jersey lies Old Lafayette Village, in Lafayette, New Jersey. These quaint shops are small in number (less than 15), but a definite attraction to those who seek country charm.




Step
5



Jersey Gardens is a shopper's paradise, located in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Close to Manhattan, this outlet mall has more than 100 stores and restaurants.




Step
6



One of the largest and oldest outlet cities in New Jersey is Secaucus, home to more than 120 outlet stores. This city has a couple of outlet centers: Harmon Cove Outlet Center and Outlets at the Cove. It also has many freestanding stores.


http://www.ehow.com/how_2171544_outlet-shop-new-jersey.html

How to Organize Your Shoes

How to Organize Your Shoes



Do you dread another morning of digging through a jumbled mess of
loafers, slippers, boots and running shoes piled in your closet? Even
if you do spot the pair of shoes you want, you may not be ready to
shuffle off to Buffalo. Be well heeled and ready to meet each day with
shoes that are are well organized.









Step
1



Gather all your shoes from around the house into one place. Discard those that are beyond repair. Screen out pairs worth repairing and make plans to take them to a shoe repair shop.




Step
2



Sort the shoes into groups. First sort by frequency of wear--daily or special occasion--then by color within each grouping. Further separate the groups by seasons.




Step
3



Eliminate duplicates, footwear past its prime and shoes that no longer (or never did) fit. Keep only the pairs you love and wear.




Step
4



Count how many pairs remain and shop for shoe organizers. Hanging cubby bags or shoe racks capitalize on extra vertical closet space or the back of a closet door. Horizontal shoe shelves maximize space between the bottom of hanging clothes and the floor.




Step
5



Use these organizers to arrange your shoes. Place the current season's daily favorites front and center. Store out-of-season and special-occasion pairs on higher closet shelves in their shoe boxes--take a picture of each pair and tape to the outside of the box for instant identification. Put shoe
trees
in boots and store on the floor or from hanging shoe trees.




Step
6



Repeat the process next season.







Tips & Warnings









If you need additional shoe storage, place an over-thedoor shoe rack or bag on the back of a bedroom door.








When traveling, always take a spare pair of shoelaces. See 60 Conquer Your Closets.








To minimize shoe clutter at a home's entry point, keep a large basket to hold shoes until they can be returned to each owner's closet. See 70 Organize Entryways and Mudrooms.



http://www.ehow.com/how_136897_organize-shoes.html

How to Organize your Closet and Minimize your Dressing Routine

How to Organize your Closet and Minimize your Dressing Routine



Life is increasingly hectic in this buzzing world, so why make your day any more complicated than it has to be? Organize your closet to shave minutes off of your morning preparation and learn how to minimize your dressing routine overall. Here are some tips for quickly stepping out in style:









Step
1



*Organize your closet according to color, going from lightest to darkest. Start with tank tops/camisoles, vests, short-sleeved shirts, long-sleeved shirts, sweaters, dresses, and then 2 piece sets. Always hang sets together unless you never wear the pieces together in the same outfit. Pants and skirts should be folded and placed on a closet shelf or in a basket or storage bin. Ultra-dressy pants and skirts (especially anything delicate, like hand-stitched sequins) should be hanged up.




Step
2



*Store clothes you are not wearing that season so they don't take up hanging space. This is especially important if you have a small closet and/or a larger wardrobe. Place the clothes at the back of your closet in sealed boxes with the necessary preservatives (like mothballs) to prevent animals or insects from eating the fabric. Obviously only pack the clothes that you won't be wearing at all until the weather changes. If you live in a place with sporadic weather patterns, you might want to hang up a short-sleeved shirt, sweater, coat, and/or raincoat regardless of what season it is.




Step
3



*Put shoes in shoe bags or shoe racks. If you have a smaller collection of shoes, just place them in a row on the floor. Organize them according to function and then color. For instance, your sneakers should all be next to each other and your high-heels should be clustered together. That way you can snatch up the shoes you need for your occasion in a flash. Arrange the colors from lightest to darkest. Keep shoe glue, polish, soles, corn/blister pads, and extra shoelaces nearby.




Step
4



*Clean out your closet to keep your wardrobe fresh. Sell or donate anything you haven't worn in two years. Goodwill, Salvation Army, and church-run thrift stores are the standard choices, but you can also try selling clothes on amazon.com, ebay.com, etsy.com, and Craig's List (these are especially good resources if you do not have the financial or logistic means to transport all of your clothes and shoes to a thrift shop.)




Step
5



*Whenever possible, hang up your outfit for the next day. Until you become very confident in your ability to quickly create outfits, give yourself adequate time to put your ensembles together. Avoid hanging up outfits for too many days in advance; sometimes the best outfits are thrown together spontaneously.




Step
6



*Choose your outfit the previous night so you don't feel rushed in the morning. Consider colors, texture, and weather. When thinking about weather, ask yourself if you will spend most of the day in or outside. Are the temperatures indoors and outdoors dramatically different from one another? How will you transition from one to another?




Step
7



*In a real hurry, you can resort to classic color pairs. Here are a few color combinations that are always chic: black and red; black and white; burgundy and gold/darker shades of brown; chocolate and turquoise;
lavender
and light gray; navy and white; pale blue and khaki; pale blue and medium gray; tan and camel.


http://www.ehow.com/how_2181145_organize-closet-minimize-dressing-routine.html

How to Organize Purses

How to Organize Purses



Is the top of your closet a jumbled mess of purses, clutches and other vagabond accessories? Or worse, is the bottom of your closet home to that Italian leather bag you just had to have? When not sitting on your shoulder, purses are all but forgotten. By keeping your handbags neatly organized, you'll not only extend their lifespan, you'll also be reminded to coordinate a carryall with every outfit.







Things You'll Need:





Hooks



Tissue paper, newspaper, or bubble wrap



Purses



Hangers



Shelves









1


Dig thoroughly through your closet and pull out all purses, bags and related accessories.




2


Check your bags for contents. From money to that long lost

earring


, you never know what treasures you'll unearth.




3


Give bags a good sprucing up. With a damp cloth and mild cleaning solution, remove stains and other signs of dirtiness. Be sure to use leather cleaner on leather and suede bags.




4


Scale back your collection. Take this opportunity to rid yourself of purses you never use or that are damaged beyond repair.




5


Determine where you want to store your purses. Designate an area in your closet, under the bed, or on the walls of your bedroom. Keeping them visible is a sure way to keep them in circulation.




6


Hang purses off hooks, over the door racks or on wall pegs.




7


Neatly arrange purses on a wall shelf or the top of your closet. Though they take up more space, standing purses up is a better practice than laying them flat in a confining storage bin.




8


Stuff purses with bubble wrap or tissue to keep their shape.








Tips & Warnings










Use old hat boxes to store purses.








Stuff bags with decorative tissue paper and proudly display them on a bedroom shelf.








Hang your prettiest bags on bed posts or door knobs to add personality to a room.








Place a sachet of potpourri in bags to keep them fresh and pleasant smelling.



http://www.ehow.com/how_2038695_organize-purses.html

How to Organize Jewelry With Ice Cube Trays

How to Organize Jewelry With Ice Cube Trays



Every semi-unorganized woman knows how it goes in the morning. You're finally dressed and know exactly what jewelry will look the best with your outfit. Then, you can't find it. You proceed to dump all your jewelry out onto your bed, searching frantically. Finally--one earring emerges. Follow these steps to organize all your jewelry--with the help of an ice cube tray.







Things You'll Need:





Jewelry



Ice cube trays



Spools of thread



Plastic drinking straws









Step
1



Buy a couple of plastic ice cube trays from any kitchen, dollar or big box store. Choose colors that coordinate with your decor if you plan on keeping them on display on top of your dresser.




Step
2



Lay all of your jewelry on a tabletop or bed. Go through it, pairing earrings up with their matches and untangling all necklaces.




Step
3



Put one pair of earrings in each ice cube slot. That means that each ice cube tray will hold 12 pairs of earrings.




Step
4



Wrap necklaces around spools of thread or small pieces of a drinking straw. This will keep them from getting tangled.




Step
5



Place your necklaces, on the spools of thread or drinking straws, inside individual slots on the ice cube trays.




Step
6



Separate your bracelets into the remaining slots on the ice cube trays.




Step
7



Stack the ice cube trays on top of your bureau or inside a drawer for safe keeping. Now, every time you need a piece of jewelry you can just grab and go.







Tips & Warnings









Separate your jewelry by type; for example, gold in one ice cube tray and silver in the other. This will help you find what you need even faster.



http://www.ehow.com/how_2190603_organize-jewelry-ice-cube-trays.html