So, I made some suet ornaments last year (and yes, those are dried worms in the round ones). I had to tie up the round ones with wire to secure them, but the stars I just poked a hole through the top, and that seemed to work fine. A bit more work than just making suet cakes (which is why I bought a couple of commercial suet cakes -- to have molds). I also made popcorn strings with cranberries and dried apple slices, and made up some pine cones filled with peanut butter and bird seed.

I probably won't all that this year (busy with making hand butter and other holiday gifts), but my feathered friends will still have plenty to eat! (Well, maybe I'll make up a popcorn string again...)

#SolarPunkSunday #DIY #SuetCakes #FeedTheBirds #Wildlife #AnimalProducts

So, I made some suet ornaments last year (and yes, those are dried worms in the round ones). I had to tie up the round ones with wire to secure them, but the stars I just poked a hole through the top, and that seemed to work fine. A bit more work than just making suet cakes (which is why I bought a couple of commercial suet cakes -- to have molds). I also made popcorn strings with cranberries and dried apple slices, and made up some pine cones filled with peanut butter and bird seed.

I probably won't all that this year (busy with making hand butter and other holiday gifts), but my feathered friends will still have plenty to eat! (Well, maybe I'll make up a popcorn string again...)

#SolarPunkSunday #DIY #SuetCakes #FeedTheBirds #Wildlife #AnimalProducts

How to Make Natural #Beeswax #FurniturePolish (Three Recipes)

Three flexible recipes for all-natural beeswax wood polish. One is a simple two-ingredient food-safe recipe that you can use to give shine to wooden kitchen implements and dishes. The second is a natural beeswax furniture polish recipe that protects wood and gives a soft glow to tables, cabinets, and other wooden furniture. The last is a traditional one that beekeepers make with harvested beeswax. Vegan alternatives to beeswax are also provided.

By Tanya Anderson, January 23, 2024

Excerpt: "Waxes for Furniture Polish

Beeswax is a medium-hard wax created by bees that adds a protective, water-resistant coating to wood and a mellow glow. I harvest it from my own hives, but you can buy it easily enough. Keep in mind that it is vegetarian but not vegan. A vegan alternative would be candelilla wax, rice bran wax, or coconut wax. Paraffin wax is another idea, but it’s not a natural ingredient.
Carnauba wax is a very hard palm tree wax with properties similar to beeswax in furniture polish recipes. It gives a hard, glossy shine to wood. If you want to use vegan wax to make beeswax furniture polish, this is a good option."

Learn more:
https://lovelygreens.com/how-to-make-natural-beeswax-furniture/

#SolarPunkSunday #AnimalProducts #CleaningProducts #DIY

How to Make Natural #Beeswax #FurniturePolish (Three Recipes)

Three flexible recipes for all-natural beeswax wood polish. One is a simple two-ingredient food-safe recipe that you can use to give shine to wooden kitchen implements and dishes. The second is a natural beeswax furniture polish recipe that protects wood and gives a soft glow to tables, cabinets, and other wooden furniture. The last is a traditional one that beekeepers make with harvested beeswax. Vegan alternatives to beeswax are also provided.

By Tanya Anderson, January 23, 2024

Excerpt: "Waxes for Furniture Polish

Beeswax is a medium-hard wax created by bees that adds a protective, water-resistant coating to wood and a mellow glow. I harvest it from my own hives, but you can buy it easily enough. Keep in mind that it is vegetarian but not vegan. A vegan alternative would be candelilla wax, rice bran wax, or coconut wax. Paraffin wax is another idea, but it’s not a natural ingredient.
Carnauba wax is a very hard palm tree wax with properties similar to beeswax in furniture polish recipes. It gives a hard, glossy shine to wood. If you want to use vegan wax to make beeswax furniture polish, this is a good option."

Learn more:
https://lovelygreens.com/how-to-make-natural-beeswax-furniture/

#SolarPunkSunday #AnimalProducts #CleaningProducts #DIY

"Three Wise Men / Three Kings" soap (made with olive oil, coconut oil, and tallow, scented with Sandalwood, Frankincense, Myrrh and Cedar EOs) has been un-molded (the fancy soaps need to cure a bit more). It was a bit on the soft side, so we'll have to make adjustments to the process (maybe mix it a bit longer or add some beeswax to help it harden). But it smells amazing! In future, I may invest in a silicone liner so I don't have to use freezer paper to line the molds.

#Soapmaking #AnimalProducts #DIY #SolarPunkSunday #Soap

Another item that we make for gifts is homemade #ColdProcess soap. It's not for the faint-of-heart, as sodium hydroxide (lye) is extremely caustic and must be handled with care (goggles, chemical-resistant gloves, have an open bottle of vinegar handy in case of spills -- it neutralizes lye). Melt-and-pour soaps are a lot easier, but if you like working with chemistry, cold-process soap is for you!

The best book we've read is #TheSoapmakersCompanion. There are websites as well (listed below), but no matter what guide you use, pay attention to the caveats!

By Susan Miller Cavitch
Revised edition, Nov 10, 2010
Originally published in 1997
288 pages
ISBN-13 9781603427364
E-Book $11.99
Trade paperback $21.99

https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/susan-miller-cavitch/the-soapmakers-companion/9781603427364/

Simple Basic Beginner Soap Recipe with Shea Butter | Cold Process

https://theeverydayfarmhouse.com/beginner-soap-recipe-shea-butter-cold-process/

The Soap Queen has online tuturials on cold-process soapmaking, including lye safety!

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAADF6209996265D2

Some recipes from The Soap Queen:

https://soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/cold-process-soap/my-favorite-cold-process-recipes-2/

#SolarPunkSunday #DIY
#DIYSoap #Soapmaking #ColdProcessSoapmaking
#HandmadeGifts #DIYSkinCare

Ediciones Subterranias es un #microsello de #cassettes. Reciclamos viejas cintas y les damos una nueva vida. mirlo.space/ediciones-su... La 1ª referencia es un lanzamiento #pop muy especial, Andina de Holy: mirlo.space/ediciones-su... collectorseriesdiy.blogspot.com/2025/12/el-u... #rock #DIY #Lofi

Ediciones Subterranias es un #microsello de #cassettes. Reciclamos viejas cintas y les damos una nueva vida. mirlo.space/ediciones-su... La 1ª referencia es un lanzamiento #pop muy especial, Andina de Holy: mirlo.space/ediciones-su... collectorseriesdiy.blogspot.com/2025/12/el-u... #rock #DIY #Lofi