How to Make and Do

How to Make a Cat Scratching Post

admin — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 06:53:32 +0000

Here’s how to make your own cat scratching post from a few pieces of lumber and a scrap of carpet.

Cat Scratching Post Supply List:

4×4 lumber, or two 2×4 pieces attached together
2×6 lumber, or something equally strong and heavy, for the base
wood screws
staples or tacks to attach the carpet
tools - hammer, saw, screwdriver, and staple gun if you’re using staples; utility knife to cut the carpet
scrap of carpet, indoor-outdoor carpet, sisal rope, or another suitable scratching surface
Caution: Wear work gloves and protective eyewear to make this woodworking project.

Cat Scratching Post Instructions:

1. Cut the lumber that you are using for the scratching post to the desired height. Keep in mind that the post must be stable, as your cat is unlikely to use it again if it tips over even once. The scratching post shown here is 28″ tall, with a base of about 18″ by 12″. At minimum, the post needs to be the length of your cat plus enough extra length to allow the cat to stretch out nicely.

2. The base on this model has two layers. The first layer is made by setting 3-12″ sections of 2×6 side by side. Cut 2 sections of 2×6 to match the width of the first layer (about 16.5″ as 2×6 lumber is, in truth, only 1.5″ by 5.5″). Place these 2 sections of the second layer on top of and parallel to the first layer. Attach the top layer to the bottom with wood screws. This makes for a heavy and stable base.

3. Cover the base with your choice of scratch material, which could be as simple as an old piece of carpet or AstroTurf. Natural rope like sisal is also nice, but takes a while to wrap tightly. Attach the material with a staple gun, or a hammer and flat tacks.

4. Place the scratching post in the center of the base. Attach it to the base by using one screw on each face of the post. Cover the post with your scratch material, and attach as described for the base.

5. Secure a dangling cat toy to the new scratching post to entice your cat to try it out. If your cat likes cat nip, rub a little of that into the scratch material or attach a cat nip toy. Try placing the scratching post near where your cat sleeps, as many cats enjoy a leisurely scratch upon awakening.

How-to Article is based upon the WikiHow page How to Make a Cat Scratching Post, released under Creative Commons license.

Inexpensive Spring Decorating Ideas

admin — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 05:57:40 +0000

10 Quick And Inexpensive Ways To Brighten Your Home For Spring!

By Kathy Wilson

Spring is a sign of renewal in many areas of our lives, and our homes are no different! There is something energizing and refreshing about bringing that bright, airy feeling of spring into your home. Here are the 10 best ways to spruce up and revitalize your rooms on a dime!

1. Add white! White with your present color scheme will both cool and brighten, adding the freshness that only white can! If your room colors tend toward the warm side, such as yellows, browns, or reds…then choose creamier white such as ecru or ivory. If you have cooler colors in your room, such as greens and blues, go with the brighter, cleaner whites.

2. Try painting your focal wall, (that is, the one most seen) in a sunnier, brighter, or lighter shade of your current wall color. It will add lightness to the room without drastically changing the whole scheme. Don’t worry, you can always go back to that rich red in the fall, but how about a little petal pink, or sky blue? Remember, its only paint, its cheap!

3. Add a floral print fabric to your room. Using the primary colors already in your room, visit your fabric store and pick out a floral fabric you love with at least one of those primary colors in it. (The more, the better, but don’t feel you must have every color in the room also in the fabric!) Use that floral fabric to make table scarves, placemats, pillow covers, and simple seat cushion covers. Pair it with a solid fabric color already in the room, and you have a custom coordinated look, for just a few dollars and some simple straight sewing!

4. Pick up some pretty colored glassware from the dollar shop, and display it where the sun will light it up! You could even use clear glassware, and fill it with colored water to coordinate with the room. Use your glassware as vases, pencil holders, or candy dishes, but make sure it is seen! Glass sparkles and adds a bit of sunshine to a room.

5. Take down your curtains, and just leave your mini blinds underneath. Don’t leave it bare, though, we don’t want boring! Swag some dried or silk flowers over the top of the blinds, or use some muslin to twist around a curtain rod for an informal but airy valance. (No sew!)

6. Keep your windows sparkling clean. Dirty windows cut down on a surprising amount of light, and make a room look dull. As a bonus, clean windows mean more sparkling glass, and that makes room feel larger and brighter!

7. Pot up some pansies from the garden center and use them indoors as houseplants. They are cheap, easy, and add flowers to a room without the cost of replacing floral arrangements every week! You can even coordinate the flower color to the color scheme of the room. Don’t match the colors, just pick something complementary.

8. Clear most of the artwork and accessories out of your room, and just keep a few larger, simpler pieces. It declutters the room, and helps to put the focus on the freshness of a room. Consider picking up a white lattice from the garden center, and hang it on the wall as a focal point. Place a potted plant in front of it, or hang small framed garden catalog prints from it. Let it be a reminder of the outdoors all season long!

9. Use a stencil or a stamp to add floral and nature motifs to your room for very little money. Stencil vines around windows and doors, hand paint seasonal sayings over doorways with a paint pen, or stamp a floral bouquet on the front of cupboard doors. You can always paint over those small areas with touch up paint in the fall. (Or you might love them so much, they stay year round!)

10. Finally, don’t forget your entry area when you are creating that spring glow all around your home. Remember, your entries are a visitors first impression of your home! Add a pot of pansies on the porch, paint your entry a fresh spring color, and hang a handmade wreath or a basket of flowers on the front door.

All these ideas take very little time, little or no money, and do wonders for your spirit and the spirit of those who you love. Take a little time to brighten your lives!

About the Author: If you would like hundreds more great budget decorating ideas, visit http://www.TheBudgetDecorator.com.

How to Recycle Wooden Pallets

admin — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:13:43 +0000

Classic Wooden Pallet

Most of us have seen wooden pallets stacked outside a store or warehouse with a big, enticing FREE sign attached to them. Millions of wooden pallets are used around the world for storage in factories, warehouses, and retail outlets and, of course, to transport goods between these facilities. At some point, many of these pallets become redundant or unusable for their original purpose - thus the need for someone to come take them away and reuse or recycle them.

Here are some great make and do ideas for recycling those cast-off wooden pallets …

Wooden Pallet Bench

Make a Wooden Pallet Bench
Readymade Magazine issued a Curbside Pallet Challenge, and you can read the story behind the winning entry of an Industrial Pallet Bench submitted by San Francisco chef Mike Yakura.

DIY instructions to make your own version are included on the page.

Make a Wooden Pallet Fence
Keep out critters and prying eyes when you Make Your Own Wooden Pallet Fence, with instructions from Clay Sawyer for Backwoods Home Magazine.

Rustic Pallet Planter

Make A Rustic Pallet Planter or Country-Style Pallet Deck
Also for the gardening enthusiast are these appealing plans and instructions from esprit cabane to make a Rustic Pallet Planter or, for the truly ambitious recycler with access to lots of pallets, a Rustic Wooden Pallet Deck.

Wooden Pallet Coffee Table

Make a Wooden Pallet Coffee Table
Available on the same great site are DIY instructions to Make a Wooden Pallet Coffee Table. This clever design uses mortar to fill gaps between slats; you can leave the mortar as is, or paint it for a more dramatic contrast with the wood grain.

Make Money from Recycled Pallet Birdhouses
Entrepreneurs should read this article on Backwoods Magazine which discusses how to make Wooden Pallet Bird Houses that are suitable for sale at local retail outlets such as hardware stores, feed stores, garden centers or craft stores.

Wooden Pallet Computer Desk

Build a Wooden Pallet Computer Desk
Starving students can expand their horizons beyond plank-and-brick bookshelves with these detailed instructions by Tom Riley, for Woodware Designs, showing How to Make a Computer Desk from Wooden Pallets.

Rustic Pallet Side Table

Rustic Pallet Side Table

For a straightforward, objective view on recycling pallets, including the pitfalls and benefits of working with this source of wood stock, check out Palatable Woodworking.

This site includes personal experience plans and photos, together with explanations on how the author made such impressive projects as the Rustic Pallet Table, shown at left.

Build It With Pallets
You’ll get the same “rough” plans that the author used, plus major construction tips to inspire your own resourceful creativity with wooden pallets.

In Build It! With Pallets, available from Amazon, author Joe Jacobs describes how to break down pallets into timber and refashion them into useful objects. The book includes over 20 plans for tables, fences, chairs, planters and other items of indoor and outdoor furniture. chairs, tables, fences, gates, chicken arks, planters, sheds, decking, cladding and many other items.

The author suggests notching the ends of eight pallet planks, as shown at left, to build a free-standing raised garden bed, or a run for a pet guinea pig or rabbit.

Raised Garden made from Pallets

Dismantling Wooden Pallets and Skids
One problem with reclaiming wooden pallets is the difficulty in prying them apart. But there are many shortcuts, hints and tips from the creative people commenting on this Instructables page, offering Plans for a Planter from Pallets using a No-Nail Pull Method. You could also check out How to Dismantle a Pallet.

Wooden Pallet Compost Bin

Raised Gardens from Pallets
Over at eHow.com, you’ll find DIY instructions for Raised Garden Beds Made From Pallets.

EHow also has two separate projects showing How to Make a Compost Bin from Wooden Skids or Make a Compost Bin from Free Wooden Pallets.

Finally, see what you can do with 80 reclaimed wooden pallets plus a few other reclaimed materials - Make a Pallet Playhouse. The author provides tons of photos and great advice, but you’ll learn a great deal from the commentary as well.

Wooden Pallet Playhouse

How to Make a Toast

admin — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 15:48:55 +0000

Toasting Etiquette - Tips for Raising a Glass

Are you feeling a little toasty this holiday season? Would you love to be one of those people who can stand up at the drop of a hat and offer a clever toast? Do you hold back because you aren’t sure what to say or do you resist the urge because you aren’t sure of the correct protocol?

Few people seem to hold back for fear of committing a faux pas. Nevertheless there are rules regarding toasting and if you want to be the polished professional at the office party or the business dinner, here are a few pointers on the correct way to perform a toast:

If the group is large, it is not necessary to clink glasses when a toast is made. Instead, just raise your glass and take a sip. If the group is small and you wish to touch glasses, look the other person in the eye when you do.

Use proper toasting etiquette. Sipping is safer than guzzling, especially if the toasting is going to be extensive.

Gentle is better than hearty when it comes to clinking. You don’t want to be remembered as the one who smashed the glass and bathed everyone around you in red wine.

When you are finished, use a concluding phrase like “Here’s to?” or offer a phrase such as “Cheers.”

The recipient of the toast never drinks or raises a glass. Doing so is somewhat like patting yourself on the back. Instead, the person being toasted may rise following the toast and respond with a word of thanks or by offering another toast. There is no need to stand unless the recipient would like to say a few words in return.

Although it is traditional, alcohol is not necessary to perform the toast. Sparkling water, plain water or any other beverage may be used.

Finally if you want to avoid becoming tipsy while toasting, raise the glass to your lips, but don’t drink. No one is watching to see if you are actually swallowing.

There are many occasions where a toast is appropriate including weddings, anniversaries, christenings, birthdays, reunions or for the birth of a child. If you know you will be attending one of these special occasions then you should prepare your toast in advance. Write it down, keep it brief and practice until you feel confident. Be sure to speak slowly and loud enough for all guests to hear. Start by stating the name of the honoree and your relationship to him or her. Offer a witty and memorable toast and you will be a sought after guest for all social occasions.

“No toast except his own should last longer than 60 seconds.”
- Mark Twain

Lydia Ramsey is a business etiquette expert, professional speaker, corporate trainer and author featured in the Wall Street Journal and many other off-line and on-line publications. Lydia shares her business etiquette tips in her monthly e-zine, her blog and on Twitter. To register for these free services visit mannersthatsell.com today!

Recycled Tote Bag or Purse

admin — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 06:48:25 +0000

Placemat Purse

How to Make a Recycled Tote Bag or Purse

Many stores now have a “bring your own bag” policy to encourage the use of reusable shopping bags. While this is great for the environment, it usually means you end up buying some form of cheap fabric bag, printed with the store name, to carry your purchases home.

Here are some stylish shopping bag or alternatives - made mostly from recycled materials, it is true, but oh-so-much-better than turning yourself into a walking billboard for the local foodland.

Make a Purse from a Placemat

T-Shirt Purse

Lorain Blanken, the talented About.com guide for DIY Fashion, has easy step-by-step instructions to make a handy Placemat Purse; perfect for personal shopping or carrying smaller items.

Your local thrift store likely has lots of pretty placemats - pick out a nice one, and look for a set of purse handles (or make fabric handles in coordinating fabric). This project doesn’t even require a sewing machine; just hand sew the two side seams and fasten on the handle, and you’re done.

T-Shirt Grocery Bag

Recycled T-shirt Purses or Totes

I also like the project Lorain has for a casual T-Shirt Purse, made from two recycled tees, cleverly fashioned from two triangles of t-shirt fabric. Lorain provides how-to’s for hand sewing the triangles together; again, no sewing machine required.

You get a sense for how creative this designer is when you see the T-Shirt Grocery Tote that she made one night from two large t-shirts. Read her directions to make your own.

Doggie Bag Tote

Doggie Bag Tote

Pet lovers finally have a use for all those extra large (and extra strong) bags of dog food with recycling instructions from Beverly Watkins to make a Doggie Bag Tote.

Cat lovers, of course, can recycle larger bags of cat food for a feline-themed version. Apparently, the pet food aroma can be washed out, either by hand, or on a gentle cycle in the washing machine, followed by line drying.

Knit a Tote from Plastic Shopping Bags

Tote Knitted from Plastic Bags

No matter how hard you try, you’ll likely still collect a stash of plastic shopping bags on your travels. Knitters can put those to good use with this free pattern for a roomy and colorful Recycled Plastic Shopping Bag Tote.

Crochet a Plarn Bag

Recycled Plastic Bag Backpack

Over at MyRecycledBags.com, check out this stylish Recycled Plarn Backpack Pattern - as well as this free crocheted bag pattern, you’ll find detailed instructions on how to make yarn from plastic bags (plarn) and how to line a bag made from plarn.

Fuse Plastic Bags to Make a Tote

In the LeisureArts.com craft project Library, you’ll find great instructions showing how to make a Fused Recycled Bag Tote.

Fused Recycled Bag Tote

Essentially, this involves ironing a stack of plastic bags under parchment paper to fuse them into single pieces. The fused sections are then sewn together with simple exterior seams to form a tote bag. Love it!

How to Grow Daylilies

admin — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 11:10:51 +0000

Daylily, An Easy, Beautiful and Useful Plant
by Monica Resinger

Daylilies are one of my favorite perennial plants. They are pretty, hardy and very easy to take care of. They have arching, sword shaped leaves and lily shaped flowers that come in all shades of yellow, orange, red and more. They grow to a height of about 18 inches usually and are best placed in the middle of the flower bed. Daylilies are called this because their large lily-like blooms only last one day, however, the next day there will be a new bloom right next to the old one on the same stem.

Daylilies will grow in all zones and like full sun, but if your area is very hot, plant them in semi shade. They will usually adapt to any type of soil. They need quite a bit of water during bloom and should be fed with complete fertilizer during spring and summer.

When your daylily plant starts looking crowded and the base is pretty large, it’s probably time to divide it. This is a great time to share with your friends and family. Just dig it up and pull (or whack) it apart. It will take some forceful pulling (maybe even some wrestling) to get the roots apart. It’s a tough plant, so don’t worry too much about hurting it. The best time for this is in early spring or late fall.

Daylilies look beautiful planted near Shasta Daisies or Poker plant. They do well on banks, near pools in the flower bed, and in containers. You can even try them in the vegetable garden planted near some salad ingredients.

The petals are edible and are very tasty. They are crisp and sweet like lettuce and go very well in tossed salads, not only for flavor and texture, but to make the salad pretty.

Even though the blooms only last one day, they still make great cut flowers because the buds are in clusters on one stem. This means one stem with 5 or 6 buds will probably last a week in a vase provided the water is changed daily.

If you don’t have a daylily yet and are looking for easy and rewarding plants, I recommend you get one (or two, or three). Before you buy one, check to see if your family and friends have a plant that needs dividing. This way, when you look at the plant in the future, you’ll have a pleasant memory of who gave it to you.

For more gardening inspiration, check out The Gardening Tips E-book! You’ll learn about compost, starting new plants, rose care & tips, whimsical planter ideas & yard decor, raised bed gardening, garden recipes, plant recommendations, pond care, and much, much more! Get Monica’s FREE e-zine! Each issue includes a home & garden article, delicious recipes and more! Send a blank e-mail to: HomemakersJournal-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

DIY Recycled Chandelier

admin — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 13:01:42 +0000

If you’re looking for a one-of-a-kind chandelier to hang in your hallway, or over the dining table, consider these creative DIY designs made from recycled materials such as glass baby food jars or plastic laundry scoops.

RaisingSpaces.com had some interesting Upcycled Pendant Lamps to share for Earth Day, including instructions to make this Scooped Pendant Lamp (shown at right). Did you guess that it is made from recycled laundry scoops?

The Flare Pendant Light, (pictured at left), is a tassel-styled cluster lamp made from recycled glass bud vases. Thrift stores usually have tons of these glass vases on display for very reasonable prices.

This piece is called FLARE, and is part of the VESSEL lighting series at RaisingSpaces, a variant made using trumpet-shaped clear glass bud vases arranged in a bouquet. How-to’s are provided if you’d like to make a similar DIY chandelier.

Although glass baby-food jars have been partly replaced by plastic containers these days, you’ll probably find a sizeable stash somewhere near the bud vases in the thrift store. If so, consider making this Baby Food Jar Candle Chandelier from Natural Home.

You’ll need lots of baby food jars and tea lights, plus some barrel hoops, a length of rusty chain and a few other bits and pieces; a complete materials and tools list is included on the page, as well as detailed directions to make your own.

If you happen to have one or two wire planters hanging around, recycle them into an Outdoor Pendant Lamp like this one (at right), perfect for al fresco dining on the patio.

Finally, check out How to Make a Teacup Chandelier which, as you might expect from the name, is a cluster chandelier made from a teapot, tea cups and saucers.

Homemade Floor and Carpet Cleaners

admin — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 03:37:11 +0000

Commercial or brand name floor cleaners or carpet cleaners usually contain harsh chemicals that may, or may not, be identified on the label. A better, less expensive alternative is to make your own cleaners - that you way, you know what goes into them is safer for children, pets, and you!

Homemade Floor Cleaners

Easy Wood Floor Cleaner (good for other floors too!)

1/4 cup vinegar
2 gallons hot water
10 drops orange essential oil (optional)
5 drops lemon essential oil (optional)

Mix together in a bucket and mop. No need to rinse.

For dirtier floors, increase the amount of vinegar to 1 cup per bucket and add 2 tbsp natural liquid soap, then rinse to remove any soap residue.

Floor Disinfectant Cleaner

Put half a cup of borax in the bottom of your cleaning bucket then add two gallons of hot water. Apply to the floor with a mop. No need to rinse.

Linoleum Cleaner

Place 1 tablespoon of liquid soap and a quarter cup of washing soda in your cleaning bucket. Add 1/4 cup of vinegar and two gallons of hot water. Use to clean linoleum (non-wax) floors.

Homemade Carpet Cleaners

Vacuuming
The vacuum is your first line of defense against dirty carpets. Vacuum regularly, and go over the carpet in several directions as you work.

Not all vacuums are equal; check Consumer Reports for test results. Ideally, you want a vacuum that traps even the smallest particles rather than redistributing dust via the exhaust.

Natural Rug Cleaner

Rub cornmeal into a rug and vacuum out all the dirt, hair and grime with it.

Natural Carpet Deodorizer

Sprinkle baking soda all over the carpet and let sit for 15 minutes before vacuuming to absorb and elminate most carpet odors.

Natural Carpet Stain Remover

1/4 cup vinegar
1 cup water
1 tsp natural liquid dish soap

Thoroughly mix and put into spray bottle. Shake, spray, and blot.

Pet-Safe Carpet Freshener

2 cups baking soda
15 drops lavender essential oil

Combine thoroughly with a whisk. Sprinkle onto carpet and leave for a few hours. Vacuum thoroughly.

Pet Messes on Carpets

Blot the area throroughly. Wet a cloth with club soda and continue blotting untill dry. If smell is a problem, simply spray with a vinegar/water mixture.

If you liked this article, you might also like to see our recipes for Homemade Surface Cleaners or Homemade Kitchen and Bathroom Cleaners.

Medicinal Uses of Geraniums

admin — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 04:17:14 +0000

Discover the healing power of geraniums and learn how to make geranium tea, geranium oil infusions or a geranium compress.

The geranium is not only a beautiful garden plant, but is also useful for its healing properties. Native to South Africa, the plant produces essential oils in small glands around the foliage and flowers. Geranium oil can be harvested when the plant starts flowering and can be taken 2 or 3 times a year.

The oil of the Geranium makes a good astringent and can be diluted with water and used topically to help clean the face or in a bath . It also has great antiseptic properties and is said to help restore the balance to dry or oily skin and hair. You can also make a tea with the leaves and flowers or an oil infusion. The geranium is considered to be safe for most people (those with an autoimmune disease and those who are pregnant should avoid it) and can be used as an herb in cooking as well.

In addition to its astringent qualities, the geranium also has soothing qualities and is helpful in relieving symptoms of anxiety as well as PMS and menopausal symptoms. The geranium is reputed to help heal bruises, cuts and scrapes, eczema, hemorrhoids, nail fungus and sunburns as well as help with insomnia and varicose veins. It is also said to be a great natural insect repellent and is well known in the ancient world as a tick repellent for dogs and humans alike!

How to Make Geranium Tea:

You can make a tea from dried or fresh geranium leaves. For dried leaves, use 2 teaspoons, for fresh use /14 cup. Pour 1 cup of boiling water over the leaves and let sit for 5 minutes. Strain the leaves out and drink.

How to Make A Geranium Compress:

Pour boiling water over the dried geranium herbs. Cover tightly and let sit for 15 minutes. Strain out the herb so that you are left with the infused water. Soak a cotton cloth in the infusion and squeeze it out so it is only damp. Apply the compress.

How to Make a Geranium Oil Infusion:

Fill a jar with the dried herbs almost to the top. Pour in extra virgin olive oil – make sure the oil covers the herbs and goes 1” above the volume of the botanicals. Put in the sun for two weeks shaking it daily. Strain out the flowers. You can store this infusion in the fridge for up to three months.

Growing Geraniums Indoors

You already know that geraniums thrive outdoors, in summer flower beds or containers, but did you know that geraniums can be grown successfully indoors all year round?

You can over-winter geraniums that you have in your garden by bringing them indoors. There are two common ways to do this: you can take top-growth cuttings about four to five inches long and root them in a suitable cutting medium, then transplant the rooted geranium cuttings to grow in pots in a sunny windowsill. Or you can dig up the whole geranium from your garden, cut the growth back to six inches, and let it grow back naturally in a suitably sized pot.

Geraniums prefer to dry out somewhat between watering and will benefit from bi-weekly fertilizing, either soluble fertilizer added to the water, or slow-release fertilizer added to the pot soil.

How To Make Tinctures From Herbs

admin — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 05:13:00 +0000

By Mary Hanna

The philosophy behind tincture is to capture the spiritual and physical essence of the plant. This is done by using the power of ethyl alcohol to dissolve and preserve the herb in question.

The substance used to extract the herbs is known as the menstrum. The herbs you are tincturing are known as the mark. Tincturing will extract and preserve both the water-soluble and alcohol-soluble properties of an herb.

In the interest of taking a more involved stance in their health, many people are turning to homemade tinctures made from fresh or dried herbs. Tinctures have proven to be more powerful and longer lasting than dried herbs. Dried herbs can get moldy or be eaten by insects, tinctures do not. Tinctures will keep up to two years and keep their potency if stored properly. Making your own tinctures will save you quite a bit of money. If you purchase tinctures in a retail store you will get a few ounces whereas if you make it yourself it will yield about a quart.

When purchasing herbs, make sure you are buying from a reputable source. Better yet, grow your own herbs to be sure of the highest possible quality. When growing your own you can make any number of combinations to make up your tinctures. I have also found that when growing my own herbs I get the most enjoyment, knowing not only did I make the tincture but I grew the herbs. I become part of the process from beginning to end.

There are several items that you will need to make your own tinctures. First you need either powdered herbs or fresh cut herbs. Vodka, brandy or rum, 80-100 proof to cover the herbs. Mason jars with lids. Muslin or Cheesecloth that is unbleached. Lastly, labels for the jars.

You will need 7-10 ounces of chopped fresh herbs for every quart of vodka, brandy or rum. I prefer to use fresh herbs when making my tinctures. When using powdered herbs, I use 4 ounces of herbs to one pint of liquid. If you are making a tincture from bitter herbs it is best to use rum as it will mask the taste of the herbs. To make a non-alcoholic tincture use distilled water, glycerol or vinegar. Keep in mind that if you use vinegar the tincture will have to be refrigerated.

Put your herbs in the mason jars and then pour the liquid over them so that it comes up to about an inch above the herbs. Seal tightly and label the jars then put them in a very dark, warm area. Keeping them in a paper bag has worked well for me. You will have to shake the jar everyday, several times a day if you can mange it.

At first check the solution daily to make sure the vodka, brandy or rum still covers the herbs. Let the mixture steep for at least two weeks and up to three months. When you reach the allotted waiting period, line a sieve with the cheesecloth or muslin and pour the liquid thru the sieve into another bottle. Gather up the ends of the cheesecloth and squeeze to extract all of the liquid. You can now fill small bottles with droppers with the tincture for ease in use. Be sure to label the jar with the name and the date.

The dose is one teaspoon tincture in a cup of tea, juice or water taken three times daily.

There are no right formulas for making tinctures. Experiment with different combinations. Be sure you write down the formula so when you come up with a winning combination you will have it on file.

Here are a few ideas for treating colds with homemade herb tinctures. Make tinctures from the following herbs:

* echinacea (leaves, flowers)
* elder (leaves, flowers, berries)
* eyebright (leaves, flowers)
* ginger (root)
* peppermint (leaves)
* yarrow (leaves, flowers)
* catnip (leaves

Editor’s Legal Dislaimer: This guest-authored article is offered without any warranty and guarantee and presents general information only. Use at your own risk — and be sure to consult your doctor before using or relying upon herbal remedies of any kind.