DIY Life

Mmm-mmm. Fresh basil. It's so very fragrant -- the indispensable ingredient in a host of mid-summer recipes.

My basil is lush, green and ready for picking. Okay, I don't have a whole lot of it out in my garden; however, I'm planning on growing a lot more next summer. In preparation for that lofty enterprise, I thought it'd be cool to find out how the expert basil-growers harvest their beloved herb. Here are some tips I picked up:

1. Know your basil. There are lots of varieties out there, and it's always good to know which one you have, as the flavors vary quite a bit between them. Chances are good that, like me, you've got the most common variety: Genovese sweet basil.

OK, so that title might be a bit misleading. If you have stretch marks, you know, they simply cannot be banished completely. You'll probably have those little war wounds for the rest of your life. The good news is that they don't have to be as noticeable as they are now.

As soon as something is branded as a stretch mark remedy, the price tag goes up. It just kills me that our insecurities can be so exploited as to have us pay considerably more for something in search of a magical cure.

What's the solution? Shea butter. It is a common remedy for stretch marks. While it won't give you the same results as dramatic dermatological procedures, with a bit more time, it will come awfully close. So, walk right past that expensive stretch mark cream and make your own organic Shea butter soap.

These soaps can be used daily in the shower to improve the health and elasticity of your skin. I'll share the ingredients after the break.

Years ago, I tended bar at a restaurant specializing in spicy foods. A typical Saturday night in the lounge included a collection of guys trying to prove their manliness by eating spicy peppers and tasting hot sauces. One of my private pleasures was putting these guys to shame by casually eating a chili pepper and chasing it with a shot of 151 (it was actually ice tea!) instead of running for the milk the way the boys did. I trained myself to manage some deadly peppers, but if I had a hack like this one back then I could have spared a lot of pain and a few taste buds, without sacrificing the fun and the tips!

Unless you're into fooling your friends or showing off extreme tolerance for spices, you will find this tip more practical for your culinary creations. The conventional way to reduce hot pepper intensity is to simply de-seed it. This tutorial goes far beyond that, getting straight to the heat source. The seeds carry spice, but the burning sensations are actually derived by the lipophilic found in the inner wall of the pepper. Here's what you'll need to take the heat out of a pepper:

1. Chili pepper
   
2. Paring knife
3. Cutting board
4. Olive oil
5. Alcohol - Tequila is recommended
   
6. Latex gloves
7. Shot glass
8. Rocks glass

The full instructables article will take you through the process. Make sure you follow the storage instructions carefully. This is meant to be a kitchen hack not a science experiment! Once you've successfully taken the heat out, you might find this post on how to safely chop hot peppers useful.

My homemade spa experiments started with a deep condition, then an apple face mask, and finally the DIY'er manicure. The face mask disaster reminded me that sometimes we're better off sticking with a simple recipe rather than adding in all the fancy ingredients. This exfoliating salt body scrub is exceptionally simple and I was certainly impressed with the results. Try it for yourself and let me know what you think.

What you'll need

1. Table salt
2. Oil - recipe calls for olive oil but I used grape seed oil
3. small container

What to do

1. Pour table salt into the container
2. Fill it with oil just until the oil passes the top of the salt
3. Mix it thoroughly
4. Spread over your body
5. Rub in gently with your fingers
6. Rinse off
7. Reveal your new skin

After the break I'll let you know what I thought of this homemade exfoliant. I'll also let you in on the secret powers of grape seed oil and why I replaced the olive oil in this recipe with it.

I don't use many store-purchased products to do my cleaning. I always end up with terrible migraines or my lungs hurt from breathing in the cleaning product. When I take the time and effort to make my own cleaning products, life suddenly gets much better and healthier, at least in the cleaning department.

Baking soda, lemons, vinegar, and salt are four items that can basically clean everything in your house, from countertops to clothing. I love making homemade cleaning wipes, knowing that when I use them, I will not suffer the consequences of cleaning. I also like to make my own homemade furniture polish, since, in my opinion, I get a better clean and a better shine with homemade polish.

Grab a lemon out of your fridge and squeeze the juice out of it. If you don't happen to have a lemon, then grab a container of lemon juice and pour out about four tablespoons into a small spray bottle. Mix the lemon juice with three tablespoons water and two teaspoons olive oil. Put the sprayer in the bottle and shake well. You now have an excellent homemade furniture polish. Anytime you want to polish your furniture, you should make a new batch, as the olive oil may become rancid if you only polish your furniture once a month. When I use homemade furniture polish, I use a soft terry cloth instead of paper towel. The cloth just seems to give a better shine to the furniture.