photo journal

After experimenting with making my own products, I've had a few requests for samples of them. Now, I need to package them and label them with information on the benefits I've researched, as well as ingredients and directions.
 
I purchased quite a few jars of baby food (they're cheaper than tupperware, and I love the baby bananas) to put the products in. I need to label them somehow. I've thought about putting sticky labels on the jars, but I don't really want to do that. So far, all I've come up with is making little booklets, stamping holes in them, and tying them around the jars with raffia or something. Does anyone have any suggestions for any of these things? Packaging and labeling? I don't own a printer, so that's out, too. I saved all of the packing paper and boxes from a recent move (recycled and everything... I love Japan!), so that part is no problem.
 
The products going into the jars are deodorant balm, body balm, coffee scrub, hair wax, and a no-poo alternative. Would you suggest canning them like one would can pickles and such? Most of the things I'm making contain things that can stand up to heat fairly well, but I'm a bit worried that the added heat from the canning process will cause everything to separate all over again.

Also, I haven't figured out how to package my face wash, as it contains tea, yogurt, and garbanzo flour. Sending those would require including the ingredients for the tea, a little baggie of flour, and directions on how much of their own yogurt to add. That's kind of too much trouble to ask of someone who isn't quite convinced that natural is the way to go.
 
Are there any natural, non-toxic, irritation-free preservatives that would make it possible for me to send a pre-mixed wash with the tea included, then just have the flour on the side, and they can add the yogurt when they're ready to use it?

So whats the deal with this stuff? Is it actually good for you, or should I steer clear? I generally just drink plain water, but a few people have recommended it. Normally I'd shrug it off because most flavored waters contain artificial sweeteners which I avoid at all costs, but this stuff doesnt contain anything that I'm aware is bad. Thoughts?

Since the vegan query had so many helpful answers, here's another one.

Anyone know of any faux cheese that's casein, corn, gluten, soy, and yeast free?

My milk allergy had been gone for a while and flared back up recently, and I miss cheese so badly, but every frigging non-dairy or vegan cheese I've found has other things I'm allergic to in it. (All dairy is excluded. I've tried cow, goat, sheep,and water buffalo, and they all cause wheezing and itching.)

I'm not hopeful, but you lot know everything, so...

Anyone?

Hi all! I have two completely unrelated questions for anyone who cares to answer:

1. I'm heading back to university this week, and I can't figure out what to do as far as printing out assignments and therefore wasting paper. I mean I have one assignment this week that I need to print out like 50 pages of articles to complete. I would just read them on my computer, but I can't because it's hard on my eyes, plus if I don't make notes and highlight and whatnot I get completely lost. So not printing them out doesn't seem like an option.. I do of course recycle it all at the end of the year, but I still can't help but feel wasteful. Any tips?

2. Is it okay to freeze fruit? Our selection of fruit over the winter is really not good, so we were thinking about stocking up in the next couple weeks and freezing it. I know its okay for berries and grapes and whatnot, but what about peaches, canteloupe, honeydew, that kind of thing?

Thanks for any help, I love this community!

I'm allergic to eggplant. I love to cook, and have been wanting to make a ratatouille, but I need a substitute for the eggplant. The recipe already calls for squash and zucchini, and since both of those are watery vegetables, I'm not sure if adding more would water everything down.

Anyone have any suggestions for eggplant substitute?

(sorry I forgot to tag, so thanks to whoever did it for me)

Anybody know where I can pick blackberries in the city of San Francisco? I know that you're not supposed to pick from Golden Gate Park, and I've also heard that they spray there. So, any places where they are not sprayed and you are allowed to pick them?

Thanks!

How do you tell if a baby girl has a yeast infection?
How do you treat a yeast infection in a 6-month-old?

I checked the memories, but it's almost entirely yeast diaper rash info.

She has a very small amount of white cheesey discharge (or it could be some diaper rash cream I put on her yesterday that collected in her crevices and didn't get cleaned out yet-not sure). There is no smell and no redness at all. She has been more squirmy and irritable these last two days, but that could be ANYTHING.

I don't have yogurt anymore, but I can get some. I also have some probiotics. Should I just give that to her orally or can I use it topically as well instead of yogurt?

My instincts tell me that she does not have a yeast infection, but the more I put two-and-two together, the more paranoid I'm getting.

Vegan "cheese"--is there such a thing? I think my baby might have a cow's milk allergy, so I'm eliminating dairy from my diet to find out. I went to Safeway to get Veggie Slices for my cheese fix, but they contain casein! Fart. I'm heading over to Whole Foods tomorrow, think I'll have better luck there?

It's only been one day, and I need cheese :(

I've been on a sprout-kick after a friend gave me pounds and pounds of sprouts a few days ago, and I'm interested in sprouting my own seeds now.

What are your favorite sprouts? What do they taste like? I've only had alfalfa, brocoli, and..um..those other sprouts that seem so common in Asian cooking (like the kind that come with Pho). How do you personally grow and eat them, and where do you buy them (I'm eyeing Mountain Rose Herbs since I've had a good buying experience with them, but other suggestions are welcome!)


Thanks!

Passing Through

Hello everybody :] I need some help for a friend's mom, but I'm clueless when it comes to it :D

My friend's mom is going through menopause, and is having horrendous hot flashes. Usually they wake her up around 2-4 in the morning nightly, and the other night her hubby woke up because he said he felt the heat coming off her. But she doesn't want to be on estrogen because of all of the bad effects (to which I first ask, are side effects really that bad and that common? Or do you think it's the same amount from almost any medication that she might've just gotten really scared about? How do I find some objective studies on something this broad?)

So daughter was hoping maybe I could find something more 'natural' and 'safer'. I skimmed through the memories and saw that some people suggested Black Cohosh, Red Clover, Evening Primrose Oil, soy, and Natural Progesterone Cream. But there was at least one post that mentioned an article that said the Black Cohosh didn't do any more than a placebo, so I'm wondering if you all would say that's hogwash, or if you recently know of something else she could use.

Thanks for all your help!

This site looks interesting, it's talking about personal carbon capture and storage as a strategy to prevent climate change:
http://cou2.com

"Did you know that human beings themselves are major emitters of carbon dioxide? We all know about reducing our electricity consumption and taking fewer flights, but isn’t all this a little pointless when one basic, everyday activity cancels it all out?

Each day every human being breathes out an average of 1 kg of CO2. That’s 0.38 tonnes a year. Now multiply that by 6.7 billion! That’s a lot of CO2.

COyou2 person carbon capture systems allow you to store that CO2 and do your bit to stop climate change. The COyou2 patented technology works by filtering the air you breathe out, capturing the carbon in a convenient lightweight backpack.

That’s why we all need to use personal carbon capture systems. At the end of the day, there are 21 million of us and only one government – so what are you waiting for?"

I've just ordered a catalogue, it's definitely worth checking out, after all, every little thing makes a difference. I never thought about human beings as being responsible for major carbon emissions, but I'm always looking for ways to lessen my carbon footprint.

What do you guys think?

This might be a stretch so mods feel free to delete (after I get some answers, please hehe)...

I was shopping around for a couple items online due to the lack of affordable health food stores in my small town. Amazon offered the best prices yet different vendors therefore TOO much packaging/shipping. I wouldn't mind spending more to reduce my shipping concerns but  can't find a store offering all of these items.


( Cut for specifics -- ) 
Thanks guys!

250/366: we were hungry

A long day of packing to move will do strange things to you :D

My friend's mom wants to know if there are any ways you can freeze/preserve fresh snap peas other than using complicated things (liquid nitrogen and the like) or IN something you made with them?

Ok so I looked through the memories and am not quite sure if I missed it or if my question has not been asked before. I appologize if this is a repost.

I bought a whole gallon of ACV about a month ago and thought I'd use it cleaning but have gotten asorted reviews as to whether or not it can accomplish the same thing that white vinegar can. Does anyone have any kind of enlightenment for me? Can I use it in recipes where white vinegar is called for and expect the same results? I feel super stupid because I'm new to this whole living naturally thing, and am doing my best, but don't quite have the hang of everything yet.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

I am in desperate need of lunchbox ideas for a toddler (not yet two) who cannot have corn, soy, dairy, eggs, wheat, or peanuts. Here are more conditions:

*The easier to "fix" the better, I typically work like 50 something hours per week and am a single mom. Also, the cheaper the ingerdients the better. Vegetarian is also bonus points because sometimes meat makes her react depending on hoe much corn or soy the animal had eaten.

Sorry for not using tags, I took cold medicine and now cannot think...