Goodbye Shampoo

I have decided to stop using shampoo completely. No more shampoo, no more conditioner and no more hair products. (You can read about how I got the idea here). 

Yes I know, I have obviously lost a marble or two but I am going into this with an open mind. I might not stand the test of time but I'm going to give it a go. I mean how hard can it be right *said with a nervous quiver in my voice*.

I thought it would be interesting to log my process or lack of it on here. So I'll start with today. 

Day one of social suicide

I last washed my hair with the 'proper' sweet smelling toxin filled bottled stuff on Wednesday morning. So by today (friday) it was starting to look a little like it could do with a scrub. (I should mention here that my hair is damaged almost beyond repair through years of abuse with dyes/hair products/straighteners etc).

I thought I would try a natural wash today and see how I got on (I can see that this is going to be a game of trial and error). 

This is what I used...

3 eggs (yes you read that right eggs)

and the juice from half a lemon

Whisk it all up and it's ready to go. I wet my hair and towel dried it, I then applied the mixture to my head and really rubbed it into my scalp. Leaving the mixture on I then wrapped my head in a towel and left it for about 15 minutes or so. 

When I felt that I'd had it on for long enough I then rinsed it with cool water. Apparently if you use hot water you can end up with a kind of scrambled egg type disaster (best to avoid that, not quite the look I'm going for).

and volia 

(appologies in advance for the rubbish photos It's harder than it looks to take pictures of your own hair)

It worked really well and my hair felt lovely and soft. Still very frizzy but hopefully that will improve in time.

The next step now (I think) is to leave it until it starts to look like it needs a wash and then wash it with just water. Next spend at least 5 minutes massaging my scalp to move the natural oils around. (I'm not feeling  confident at all with this step but I'll give it a go).

The overall aim is to wash with water and massage once a week. Then use some form of natural wash (like eggs or bicarbonate of soda) once every two weeks and finally every six weeks using cassia obovata to give it a good deep cleanse and condition.

So far all is well but we'll see how it goes next time.

To wash or not to wash?

Photo by W610 Guy

These days we willing pollute our bodies with so many toxins. There in our food, our beauty products and our homes.

Today I found a post on a fantastic blog Lulastic & the Hippyshake.

'A Year Without Shampoo' and now I want to try it but I'm scared.  It's quite a commitment and I'm rubbish at that. I have a habit of starting things with the best of intention but never following them through! (I get bored too easily and have no staying power)

I have had a nightmare with my hair recently, I think too many years of dying it have finally taken it's toll. It now won't dye at all! The hair is so damaged that the dye doesn't take and it's just a dry mass of frizzyness. 

Photo by Chrissy Hunt

I love the idea of not putting any more rubbish products on it and getting it back to it's old healthy self but it's just taking the plunge. 

Should I , shouldn't I, I just don't know. 

Perhaps I should attempt it and see how I get on I. 

I could see how long I last.

I must be mad.

I can always wash it if I can't cope.

Okay, I've convinced myself, I'll give it a go.

Wish me luck x

Aims for 2013

Image by Kartikay Sahay

I've put aims for 2013 rather than resolutions because resolutions always seem to get broken, usually within the first month of the new year. So perhaps if I call them something different then I just might manage to stick to them.

So here are my AIMS for 2013...

• Become a registered childminder (at last)
• Get my business (caroboutique) really flying
• Teach my son how to swim (could come in handy on the boat!)
• Start yoga (again)
• Get my son ready for starting school
• Spend more quality time with my children

and that's it, for now, no doubt I will add stuff along the way. So what about you, what are your aims for 2013?

Crushed Dreams by NHS

For the last year now I have been training to become a Childminder. 

• I have completed and payed for my First Aid for Childcarers Certificate.
• I have attended my Pre-registration Briefing Meetings
• I have completed my Understanding How To Set Up A Home Based Childcare Service Course and Childminder Registration Course.
• I have attended and completed my Safeguarding Children Awareness Course.
•  I have spent hours writing all of my policies & procedures that are required
• I have completed my Enhanced CRB Check
• My partner has completed his Enhanced CRB check
• I have sent off my forms and documents to be checked and signed.
•  I have read and re read the EYFS so I know what is expected of me.
• I have completed all of my risk assessements for every room in my house including the garden.
• I have brought fire guards, first aid boxes, fire blankets, non slip matting and safety glass film etc (all requirements by OFSTED)
• I have spent time creating activity rotas, and printing & laminating posters for my setting. 
• I have paid for my registration fee to OFSTED

...and today I found out that I won't be able to become a Childminder!!!

Words cannot express how devastated I feel.

All because my local Doctors surgery will not sign my Health Declaration Form unless I pay them £87!

It is only two pages and seven tick box questions and would take less than 5 minutes to fill out. It could easily be done within one appointment time. All it requires is a doctor to look at my medical forms which they have on the screen at every appointment and just put a tick in the relevant boxes.

I have two children and currently don’t work as I am at home looking after them. I cannot afford to pay out for childcare and becoming a childminder is the only way that I can work, earn some money and still look after my children.

I simply cannot afford to pay this fee however without this small section of the form filled out I will not be able to become a childminder.

I thought the idea was to help people get back into work not stop them!

Today is a bad day

Lost in a Sea of Nothing in Particular!

It's happened, it was inevitable really. This is how it always goes and probably always will throughout my life.

I got bored and lost interest. 

I'm taking about my blog that I was so enthusiastic about at the start (like most of my 'projects') and then I find something new that captures my attention and I'm off on the next 'great idea'. Hence why one of my 100 things to do before I die is 'follow through on at least one of my ideas'!

The only thing I have ever seen through in my life is being a mother and that's probably only because I don't really have a choice in the matter now.

These past few weeks have been a bit of a blur really. I've hardly been out of the house at all and haven't seen any of my friends. I think I've gone into full blown hiebernation mode. I wouldn't say that I'm in a depressive state right now but I can feel it there just lingering in the background, waiting to pounce. 

 I find it so tiring trying to fight it all the time and sometimes it's just easier to give into it but for now I'm still fighting it.

So what have I missed in blog land while I've been gone??

From SAHM to WAHM

I appologise for the lack of posts these past few weeks but things are still a little manic here. 

I have now officially gone from being a 'Stay at Home Mum' to a 'Work at Home Mum'.

After much cursing and shouting at my computer I now have my very own business and brand new website and it went live today, yay!

This is a big moment for me as I have always worked but since having the children it just wasn't viable anymore, what with having to pay out for two childcare fees. If I went back to work we wouldn't be any better off and I wouldn't get to be with my children. It just wasn't going to work so I needed to find something new that I could do from home and so Caro Boutique was born...

I'd love it if you could check out my site and let me know what you think.

www.caroboutique.co.uk

Frosty Feet or Toasty Toes?

My son goes to forest school one day a week and he loves it, the only problem is that everytime he goes he then comes home soaked and covered in mud. With the winter and cold weather fast approaching I was starting to get concerned about how it may effect his health and his skin (he has ezcema).  So I started to think about how I could help to prevent him from getting completely soaked, stay warm but still be comfortable and then the answer was sent to us in the form of 'Welly Warmas'. 

'Cosy, warm and fully machine washable, choose from a range of colours and sizes suitable for men, women and children alike.
 Chilly toes on a frosty winter’s morning are no fun for anyone, so we’ve developed top quality micro and polar fleece linings that feel delicious and look marvellous.

 Whatever your choice, we’re confident you’ll love our Wellywarmas as much as we do.'

They worked a treat! Not only do they keep him warm but they also help to stop his feet getting soaked.They can also go in the washing machine and the tumble dryer, perfect for when they get covered in mud.
I was also lucky enough to be sent some for myself and I can personally say that they are very comfy and do indeed keep my toes toasty warm.

If they can keep him warm up on the moors then they must be good!

Prices start from just £7.95, which is great value for money and they have a great selection of colours and patterns. To check out the full range of Welly Warmas just click here.
I can honestly say that I would definitely recommend this product to you. So what are you waiting for, go and grab yourself a pair.

*I haven't been payed to write this review but I was sent two pairs of welly warmas for free*

* All opinions are honest and are my own*