Homemade Projects Around The House

For a while now, I've been trying to make as much from scratch as possible, using things i have on hand or natural ingredients sourced as locally as possible. I already make all our soap (and sell it - it's delightful! New website for "Nude Soap" coming soon!), buy all natural cleaners, grow most of our veggies, can what i can including homemade poultry stock, and am striving to learn more about healing herbs. I make a lovely hair rinse that has brought new life to my scalp and hair, try to concoct as many homemade cleaners using baking soda adn vinegar that i can, make an effective and yummy smelling carpet powder, but I still use too many store bought products that contain nasty things in them like aluminum, sulphates, preservaties, etc. Some of the things I'd like to make myself in the next year (and forever) are:

• Deoderant
• Shampoo bars
• Shaving soap
• Herbal hair polishes and conditioners
• Scented room spray
• Toothpaste
• Facial moisturizer
• Face toner
• Face masks
• Tub cleaner

The list could continue for ages, but those are the things i want to start with. I got busy this past weekend working on various projects (along with drafting new resumes, cover letters, and applications for jobs in Oregon - eek!) that i would love to pass on to you. The first attempt and success was formulating a shaving soap recipe that will be good on my husband's troubled skin. I'll have bars of that soap available for sale in a few weeks, along with whatever shampoo bar i come up with. The rest of my projects will be for my own use, made in tiny batches. I'll try and write the recipes clearly enough that you can try them at home. I get most of my soap making supplies at Texas Natural Supply that offers pick up and no shipping charge to folks in the area. Other sources are Therapy Garden or Mountain Rose Herbs. All sell high quality products that get cheaper the larger quantities that you get. The costs I will list will be based on the price per ounce of the amount of product i am able to purchase at a time.

All new: shaving soap with tea tree, lavender and neem for wet shaving

Hopefully this will be a great week! (I'm writing this intro post on Saturday before doing any of my projects, so i'm filled with optimism, ha)

Do you have any tried and true recipes for homemade cleaners, body products, or other natural alternatives to commonly used and purchased household necessities/toiletries?