Play dough

From: Pinterest...

5 cups water
5 cups flour
2 1/2 cups salt
3 T cream of tarter
10 T vegetable oil
food coloring

Mix the water, salt, cream of tarter and food coloring together in a pan.  Cook on medium-low stirring constantly until the mixture is hot.  Add your oil and stir in the flour one cup at a time stirring after each addition.  Mix until playdough pulls away form the pan and is no longer sticky.  Place on counter and when it has cooled just a bit knead the dough until it is all mixed together.

For Christmas time divide the batch into two pans only adding red food coloring to one of the pans, when your kneading your dough on the counter add glitter, even peppermint oil for a fun smell.  Divide each the white batch and the red into 8 equal pieces and roll into about a 6-8" snake, twist together. Place in a mason canning jar add cute scrap paper to the top and a nice card "Candy Cane Playdough" Voila darling Christmas presents for your children's friends.

Homemade liquid laundry soap

From: Andrea...
4 c. hot tap water

1 Fels-Naptha soap bar

1 cup Arm & Hammer super washing soda

½ c. 20-Mule Team Borax Natural Laundry Booster

Grate bar of soap and add to water in saucepan.  Stir constantly over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.

Fill a five-gallon bucket half full of VERY hot tap water.  Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax.  Stir well until all powder is dissolved.  Fill bucket to top with more hot water.  Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.  You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per two gallons, once soap has cooled.

Use 5/8 cup per load for top loading washing machine.  ¼-1/2 cup for front loading or high efficiency.  It cleans great, is nice for those with sensitive skin, and you can make five gallons for about $2.00.

*I use about 2/3 cup for my he washer.  You can get all of these items at Macey's grocery store. I can not say that this is "safe" for he washers however I have not seen problems in my he washer....use at your own discretion.