I had found a recipe for pressing spray that I was very interested in trying. Then I realized it had liquid starch in it and I had a most difficult time finding liquid starch. So I googled it and found several recipes for that, as well (of course I did)! So first I set about making my liquid starch. I used the recipe from this link as my basis, but because I just wanted enough to use in my pressing spray, I cut the amounts. I still ended up with more than I needed, but you can only cut down so much, right?!
I brought to a boil 1 cup of distilled water. I then mixed 2 teaspoons of cornstarch with 1/3 c. of distilled cold water -- and mixed it well. I added the cornstarch mixture to the boiling water, mixed some more and brought it back to a boil. I added a couple drops of lavender essential oil to my mix and allowed it to gently boil for about two minutes. I turned off the heat, whisked it well, and set it aside.
Then I got ready to made the pressing spray. I used the recipe found HERE as the basis for it. I mixed 2 cups of distilled water, 2 ounces of alcohol (she uses vodka ... but you can also use Isopropyl alcohol which is considerably cheaper at 99¢ per 16 ounces -- just make sure the alcohol content is 99%, the alcohol is what keeps the essential oil playing nicely with the water), 10 drops of lavender essential oil (which can be found in the soap making aisle of Hobby Lobby or most any craft store, or in an organics store, like Earth Fare), and 1/2 cup of the homemade liquid starch. Her recipe calls for 1/3 cup -- I wanted a little more crispiness. I mixed it up well and poured it into my empty spray bottle.
Then I got ready for the test! I pulled out a piece of fabric and heated up my trusty Reliable.
Gave the bottle a couple of shakes and then the fabric a good spritzing and zipped it with the iron. So far, so good!
Then I thought I'd try the store-bought stuff and see if I good "feel" the difference. I gave a new section of the fabric a good spritzing and brought the iron down again.
At first I was startled by how different the lavender scent was between the two.
And then I remembered that I'd purchased a refill bottle of spray at a great price, but they were out of lavender, so I got cherry blossom. Whew! I truthfully could not tell the difference between where I'd used the two different sprays. I think this is definitely a Go/Win for me!! That makes me smile, because I tend to be a little stingier with the spray than I'd care to be. The essential oil is the most expensive ingredient I used, and I'll be able to make gallons of pressing spray with it. Most cost effective, I think!
I had a lucky capture yesterday out the back window ... my primary-colored birds, all in one shot!
It happens all the time ... it's just that I can rarely pull out the camera before one flies off!
We had a marvelous time of family yesterday afternoon/evening!
It's hard to get everyone looking at the same place at the same time ... at least one of us is smiling!
Sawyer had a blast with his glow sticks ... he was such a character! I'm so grateful for this camp and being able to have a place where he can just let loose!
Ellie was having a grand time, herself! Especially once we traded her little outfit for a bib. She thought that was grand!
Evidently Bear thought she was quite grand, too. Grand tasting, that is . . .
Boy did he get her good . . . her whole face was washed by that tongue!
Remember that cute, cuddly puppy James and Kim brought home a couple of months ago? Here he is! Sixteen weeks old. Almost. He's HUGE! But he's got the sweetest disposition.
As is evidenced here by Sawyer's headlock ...errrr... hug. :)
Soon it was dark enough that the sparklers came out . . .
I think we all played with the sparklers ... except maybe Todd. And Sawyer. Not that Sawyer didn't want to play with them. Oh he tried, all right! Gracious.
And here's Jason, doing his air traffic controller imitation!
Finally it got dark enough that we could start setting of the big rockets! We had an eighteen-rocket show. James set 'em off, and Jason photo-captured them all! They make a great team.
Bear choose the safety of underneath his mommy's chair. (LOL! He was fine, I promise ... he handled the whole night pretty well.)
And Ellie, for her first 4th of July fireworks?
:)
