Walking With Grandmpa [my father and grand-daughter]

Walking With Grandmpa [my father and grand-daughter]
"I like walking with granpa his steps are short like mine." (dedicated to my dad who passed 4/1/10)

Sunday, December 29, 2013

Laundry soap, canning and cookies

I was so busy the week of Christmas getting presents finished, I make most presents months in advance and they usually consist of quilts, lap blankets, embroidered items and also crochet items. I ask for hints this year on what to give  and (surprising to me) most wanted my concentrated laundry soap, jelly, relish and cookies. These items do not take long to make so I made most of these items just a few days before Christmas, yay for me :)
Glad I make my laundry soap concentrated, it was easier to give 2 quarts to each person along with a tablespoon tied with a ribbon than 5 gallon buckets :)
I have had a tiny problem with the cookies though.....my grand daughter and I sampled way to many, I don't think I will want another cookie for a long time:)
Glad I had lots of blackberries in the freezer (from July) ready to be canned. I ended up gifting 7 half pints and 6 quarts of blackberry jelly, 7 half pints of cranberry apple strawberry orange preserves (all made the week before Christmas) and 4 pints of zucchini relish (relish I made in August)
It was funny after everything was made, wrapped and given away the following day was going to be calm so I started to do my laundry, only to realize out of the 12 quarts of laundry soap I made..... I forgot to make any for me......so the next day before I did laundry I had to make more soap! At least the way I make it I only have to wait for it to cool in the jars then whip it and its ready to use :) the way I used to make it I waited until the following day to use.
The recipe I use is:
1 grated bar fels-naptha
1 cup arm and hammer super washing soda
1 cup mule team borax
Heat grated fels-naptha in a pan on stove top in 1 1\2 quarts water, when dissolved add washing soda and borax, stir then divide equally into 2 glass quart jars set aside for about 3 hours until cool then I use my stick blender to whip it up, kinda looks like mayo when finished, it only takes a tablespoon per load. Make sure the jars are labeled it really does look like mayo
Hope everyone had a nice Christmas!

10 comments:

  1. Have never made liquid laundry soap before, but like these directions. Must try it now! This is my first visit, but not my last, following you now.

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  2. I wish that I was on your gifting list. Those are wonderful gifts you made!

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  3. You can send me any leftover cookies. The baking elf forgot to visit my house.

    Love,
    Janie

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  4. Oh what great gifts. I've never made laundry soap before. Nothing better than making gifts. They are so much better and last a lot longer. Happy New Year.

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  5. That's the thing about making gifts...so satisfying for the giver and the receiver. You've inspired me with the laundry soap. I usually just think of homemade gifts as either edible or wearable, but one of my favorite gifts from a pre-school classroom at the "blind school" was some wonderfully emollient hand cream.

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    1. I agree, I love to receive handmade gifts from friends and family :) hand cream sounds wonderful I would have loved to have been gifted that!

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