��������������������������������������������������Basic Ingredients

The most important consideration to bear in mind when making herbal preparations is to only use the best quality products you can find. Good quality oils and natural essential oils will combine to make a far superior product than that produced by cheap oil and chemical, synthetic oils. Natural products are far less likely to cause skin allergies, but it is always wise to test your finished product on a small patch of your own skin if not on that of the recipient.

Essential oils are produced from many different scented plants, using both the leaf and stalk, or flower, depending on the plant concerned. Although it is possible to extract these essential oils yourself, it is a long process and the fun of making some herbal beauty products as gifts is to have fairly instant results. If you find concocting potions really appealing, there are plenty of opportunities for further experimentation to be found in the many specialist books available.

��������������������������������������������������������Packaging

As with every product, it is the packaging that gives the finishing touch and makes all the difference between something that looks home-made and slightly dubious or exciting and luxurious. If you keep your eyes open in antique shops and yard sales, you will discover that there are plenty of old and interesting bottles around. Thick glass bottles in a green or blue tone can look wonderful when decorated with a pretty satin ribbon and a few flowers. Sealing is probably best done with a cork, which can be trimmed to fit any size of bottle. Screw-top bottles are another possibility but they don’t have the same old-fashioned appeal.

Another lovely idea is to buy a glass scent bottle with a ground stopper to prevent evaporation. The container could then be treasured and reused many times. Atomizers can give a marvelous feeling of luxury to some home-made scented waters. There are many unusual perfume bottles available and they make a stunning display on a pretty dressing table. As a complete contrast, there are also some promisingly shaped containers to be found in grocery stores and supermarkets; if you look carefully next time you are shopping, you’ll be amazed at how many suitable shapes and sizes there are amongst the mustard pots, vinegar jars, mayonnaise jars or even bottles of squashes and cordials. You may have to cover the lid, or substitute a cork for the screw top depending on how attractive it is once opened, but nevertheless there is plenty of scope.

Always label your product carefully and add instructions if it should be kept in the refrigerator or in cool conditions. Giving a use-by date might also be a good idea if something has a fairly short life. Labels can be decorated by hand or stenciled and tied with a ribbon around the neck of the bottle. You could also use a sticky label and attach it to the body of the bottle. Several products can then be packaged together in a hamper or basket, with cotton wool balls or other packaging to fill the basket and prevent the bottles from breaking. Home-made pot-pourri makes a very good filler for baskets.you can carefully arrange a selection of bottles amongst the pot-pourri, then cover the basket with swathes of cellophane before decorating it with a pretty bow.

�������������� ����������������������������� Bath-Time Products

Nothing works more magic than a perfumed soak in a warm bath after a really tiring or stressful day. The smell of the herbal products can add a great deal to that relaxation and many bath preparations are very simple to make.

There are two main groups of herbs in these preparations.herbs to promote relaxation and those that help to revive you. The relaxing herbs include camomile, scented geranium, jasmine, lavender, neroli (orange blossom) and hops. The more stimulating and reviving herbs include basil, lemon verbena, rosemary, melissa and bergamot.

Although it is a tempting thought to strew freshly picked herbs across the waters of your calming bath, I wouldn’t recommend that you try it! Speaking from bitter experience, it causes untold blockage problems in the plumbing and feels very uncomfortable when you sit on a particularly sharp stalk! The best way to use fresh herbs is to place them in a muslin bath bag.

�������������������������������������������������� �Bath Bags

Cut out some 9-inch diameter circles of muslin and place 2 tablespoons of roughly torn fresh herbs in the middle of each one. Dried herbs are just as successful. Gather the edges of the circle together and make into a small bundle, holding it in place with an elastic band. Then attach ribbons around the bundle to cover the elastic band, making a long enough loop to hang it from the taps so it will dangle in the water. A set of bath bags, with different colored ribbons to denote different herbs or mixtures of herbs, could be put together with a collection of other bath-time treats. Do write clear instructions on a label so they don’t get mistaken for bouquet garni and put in a stew!

Oatmeal can be added to the contents of the bath bags. Use equal quantities of herbs and oatmeal, as it helps to soften the skin.

���������������������������������������������������� �Bath Oils

These are very simple to make and very relaxing. The oil base should be good quality.preferably almond for normal to dry skin or safflower for normal to greasy skin. The only oil that will completely disperse in bathwater is a form of castor oil called turkey red oil. However, it is not easily available in health food stores, unlike the others, and so I would recommend trying the almond or safflower oils instead.

Choose some essential oils that will relax or revive (see the suggestions above) and make sure they are good quality natural oils rather than chemical ones. Chemical fragrances are excellent for pot-pourris and products that will not come into contact with the skin, but it is safer to use natural oils for skin preparations, in case the recipient is allergic to the chemical ones.

To make the oils, add 5 drops of essential oil to every tablespoon of almond or safflower oil that you put into the bottle. Shake well before use. You can use just one essential oil, such as rosemary or lavender, or you can mix them.rose and lavender, or rosemary and orange are good blends. The possibilities are endless and the fun starts when you begin to choose your essential oils. These should be available at your local health food store or beauty shop.

������������������������������������������� Washballs and Soaps

Washballs date back to Elizabethan times and so are traditional shapes of soap. Making soap at home can be rather time-consuming, so I have included a recipe that uses a pure, fragrance-free ready-made soap to speed up the process. Traditionally, soap is made with tallow, which is rendered or melted animal fat. It should be available from your local butcher and you can melt it in a heavy saucepan over a low heat and then strain it into screw-top jam jars for storage. Take care when making soap as the caustic soda that is used can burn your skin, so do wear rubber gloves and handle it with care.

���������������������������������������Lavender and Rose Washballs

2×5 oz bars plain Castile soap, finely grated
8 fl oz rose or lavender water
5 drops lavender essential oil
5 drops rose essential oil

Heat 3 fl oz of the rose or lavender water and pour it over the soap. Let is stand for about ten minutes. Mix well and then incorporate the rose and lavender oils. Leave to harden for two days. Then make the mixture into small balls, each one about the size of a table tennis ball or slightly smaller, and leave to dry in a dry airy place. When the washballs have completely hardened, you can polish them with cloth moistened with the rest of the rose or lavender water, or alternatively wet your hands with the rose or lavender water and rub the balls between your hands. Allow to dry out before packaging.

������������������������������������� Floral Vinegar for the Bath

Floral vinegars can soften the skin when used in the bath and are very refreshing if kept in the fridge and dabbed onto a fevered brow in moments of stress! Cider vinegar has a delicate apple scent and so makes an excellent base.

There are several herbs and flowers that can be mixed with the vinegar. The main consideration will probably be which ingredients are easiest for you to obtain. Successful plants include jasmine flowers, rose petals, lavender flowers and stalks, scented geranium leaves, lemon balm or lemon verbena leaves and rosemary.

Place a large handful of mixed flowers and herbs or a single variety (rose and lavender with a little jasmine works well, or scented geranium and lemon verbena) in a glass bottle and fill up with cider vinegar. Replace the lid or seal with a cork and place in a sunny spot for a couple of weeks. Then strain the vinegar, making sure that you release as much moisture from the herbs as possible, and pour into a measuring jug. Half-fill a bottle with the scented vinegar and top up with spring water. One bottle of vinegar will therefore fill two bottles of the same size with the floral vinegar. To use, pour a generous quantity into the bath with the taps full on.

������������������������������������� Orange Blossom Bath Salts

8 oz baking soda
1 lb coarse sea salt
1/2 fl oz neroli (orange blossom) essential oil

Stir together the baking soda and sea salt, then add the essential oil and store in a sealed jar. Food coloring may be added if you wish. Use three tablespoons per bath.

�������������������������������������� Lemon Verbena Bubbles

12 oz pure soap flakes
3/4 pint spring water
1/4 fl oz lemon verbena essential oil
1 fl oz vodka
2 fl oz glycerine

Heat the water and dissolve the soap flakes in it. In another container, mix the essential oil with the glycerine and vodka. Combine these two mixtures and add a drop of yellow or green food coloring if you wish. Store in a wide-mouthed jar with a sealed lid.

���������������������������������� Orange and Cinnamon Soap

4 fl oz spring water
2 tbsp caustic soda
4 oz melted tallow
1 tsp neroli (orange blossom) essential oil
1 tsp cinnamon essential oil
4 fl oz safflower oil

Wearing rubber gloves, pour the water into a large heat-proof glass bowl. Add the caustic soda and stir well with a wooden spoon. Add the melted tallow and stir vigorously. Then add the safflower oil and the neroli and cinnamon essential oils. Beat well and pour into plastic molds. Leave to set. Once they are set, ease the soaps out of the molds and leave in a dry airy place for two weeks.

�������������������������������������� Cucumber and Mint Soap

4 fl oz spring water
large bunch of fresh mint, any variety
2 tbsp caustic soda
4 oz white vegetable fat, melted
6 drops mint essential oil
8 fl oz almond oil
1/2 cucumber

Liquidize, or place in a food processor, the mint leaves and spring water. Pour into a bowl and leave for a couple of hours. Liquidize (or process) the cucumber. Strain the spring water into a large heat-proof glass bowl, discarding the mint leaves, then add the caustic soda (making sure you are wearing rubber gloves). Stir with a wooden spoon then add the melted vegetable fat. Add 4 tbsp of cucumber puree, the almond oil and mint essential oil. Beat well and then pour the mixture into plastic molds. Small soaps can be made in shaped ice cube molds or larger ones in yogurt pots or similar containers. Leave to set for two days.

Gently ease the soaps out of the molds and then leave in an airing cupboard or other dry airy place for two weeks before using.

Note: It can help to line the molds with cling film as this may overcome
��������� any problems in removing the soap once it has set.

There are many people each year that go on Halloween with costumes made at home and with costumes at the store being costlier with each passing year, it is evident that the need for clever homemade Halloween costumes is there.�

In the past, people who wanted to make their own costume would simply use a white sheet, cut two holes in it and then went out as a ghost.� It is a still good idea for people that love ghosts to wear such a costume but there are so many different things that could be done as well.

A good example of a great homemade Halloween costume is that of a vampire.� All you need is a black cape, if you have one; or a black sheet to convert to a cape and then a tin of make-up in order to make the face pale enough that the person can indeed come across as a vampire.� Another thing that you could possibly do in order to enhance the impression is to get some lipstick or red crayon and smear some of it across the lips and teeth of the person dressing up as a vampire.� This will add the illusion of the person having just drank blood and even without the tooth extensions there it is still a fantastic costume to wear.
�
Mad scientist is another good example of a costume that can be entirely homemade.� Many people have chemistry goggles in their homes now because of university children or their own work and therefore a combination of these safety goggles, dark circles under the eyes created with the help of make-up and a white coat it is quite possible to make someone look like a mad scientist.� If you get them to permanently open their eyes as wide as possible when they go out and then mess up their hair so that it looks as shaggy as possible then it will add an effect to the impression given by the costume.

Ghosts, vampires and mad scientists are just three costumes that people used to purchase at the store all the time when they went on Halloween journeys.� Nonetheless, it is quite possible to make these and other famous costumes (i.e. ghouls, goblins and faeries) at home with a little creativity and effort and at the same time end up saving a lot of money.�

Inventiveness is the watchword for clever homemade Halloween costumes.

You do not have to be a good crafter to be able to make many great Halloween crafts that will make your holiday joyful. Halloween evokes pictures of spooky ghosts, black cats, dark witches, and flying bats.

You can recreate some of these images with fun and simple crafts.

The greatest part about creating Halloween crafts is that the entire family can help creating them and it can give you some time to spend together. Lots of Halloween crafts can be made by almost any age child. For instance, your toddler can help out and learn new skills like cutting, drawing, and coloring.

Of course, you need a few crafting supplies from the store. Here is the basic craft equipment needed:

• Various craft paintings: black, white, orange, etc. (pots and spraying cans)
• Gold and silver paint (spraying cans)
• Colored pipe cleaners
• Black, white, silver and gold markers

Obviously, most households already have basic craft supplies like scissors, tape and glue.
�
So, let’s begin: it is going to be fun!
�
Spiders

To make these spiders, you need an egg carton.
Cut all the egg cups.
Paint them black.
Paint their eyes with white or orange paint.
Make four small holes on each side of the spiders.
Insert a black or colored pipe cleaner in each hole and stick or glue them to the spider.
Give the shape you want to the pipe cleaners

Pumpkin boxes

Find as many small pumpkin plastic containers as you want.
Fill them with candies.
Voila! Treats are prepared to be given to kids who will knock on your door on Halloween Eve.

Colored Pumpkins

Here is a very special idea that will allow you to renew your Halloween ornaments without having to spend a lot of money. You probably already have ceramic pumpkins. Instead of buying new Halloween decoration items, paint your old ones according to your needs: gold or silver paint for a luxurious decoration, for example.

You may also want to paint them in black or white. With a black, white, silver or gold marker, draw Halloween shapes on these new pumpkins such as black cat, white witch, black mansion…

Kids love bright colors so you can paint your pumpkins in several different bright colors such as orange, green, blue, red, yellow, etc. Draw Halloween figures on these pumpkins. For teenagers ornament, paint pumpkins with metallic colors, glow-in-the-dark, glitter, and so on.

Pumpkin Jar

If you already have one or more, fill a glass jar with small plastic or ceramic pumpkins; alternate pumpkins with maple berries and leaves.

Homemade Halloween Illuminations

Here is an almost free Halloween craft! Paint small jars in black, white and orange. Draw some Halloween shapes on them and insert a tea light candle in each jar. For instance, paint a white jar, draw Scream murderer’s eyes and mouth and voila, you have an original ghost light. Place the Halloween candles on a black tray, insert mini pumpkins, maple berries and leaves, etc.
�
If you have bigger jars, you may paint them as well and pour in Christmas lights.

Halloween Candelabra

Paint candelabra with black paint.
Add orange candles.
Hang cobwebs on the candelabra for a spooky Halloween effect!
�
Halloween Centrepiece

You will need to use a bread basket in order to make this item.
Fill it with some maple leaves.
Add cobweb, mini pumpkins, spiders…
You may keep the basket for Thanksgiving: you will only have to replace cobweb and spiders by grapes and pine cones.

Halloween Tree

Put bare branches in a vase.
Paint small Christmas tree balls black, white, and orange.
Draw Halloween shapes on them.
Hang the balls on the branches.
You may also make your own Halloween tree ornaments such as ghosts, black cat, witches, and spiders cut out cardboard. Paint them and hang them on the tree.

Tip: create a special Halloween garland with popcorn painted orange.
�
Witch Hat

If you still have a pointy black hat from last year, recycle it by sticking Halloween items such as fake hands, spiders, cobwebs or other spooky items and pin it to the front door.

Happy Halloween!

When I was a little girl, every Wednesday afternoon, I watched the animated serie Scooby-Doo on television. I loved watching these four teenagers and a dog driving around the world in their Mystery Machine solving mysterious and frightening cases in evil cities. These four teenagers are named Fred “Freddie” Jones, the smart and athletic boy; Daphne Blake, the pretty fashioned girl; Velma Dinkley, intellectual and a bit overweight; and Norville “Shaggy” Rogers the fearful beatnik.At the end of each episode, Velma reveals the explanation of these strange cases; which, finally, are simple scams involving one or several local citizens.One of the most sympathetic characters of this cartoon is a brown Great Dane. A cheerful, flippant, fearful, greedy talking dog named Scooby-Doo.Scooby-Doo and Samy are the humorous side of this sinister atmosphere.Scooby-Doo’s characters have been redesigned. The characters have been brought alive; featured by Freddie Prinz Jr. (Shaggy), Sarah Michelle Gellar (Daphne), Linda Cardellini (Velma, who seems having lost weight after visiting my weight loss site), Matthew Lillard (Samy), and the computer technology for Scooby-Doo graphics. Children and adults still love this cartoon.Thirty years ago, Halloween did not mean anything in my country but since ten years TV companies organize Halloween themed shows and their first guest is… Scooby Doo.Halloween is the perfect occasion to wear the Scooby Doo animated serie’s costumes.Here are the easiest homemade Scooby Doo costumes:Fred “Freddie” Jones, the smart guy:A blue collared shirtA white sweaterBlue trousersAn orange scarfA blonde wigDaphne Blake, the fashioned girl:A violet short dressAn apple green scarfPink tightsClear purple shoes (or clear purple boots to feature the new Daphne)An orange wigAdd a purple ribbon in your hairViolet eye shadow, orange lipstickVelma Dinkley, the intellectual girl:An orange turtleneck sweaterA short red pleated skirtOrange SocksRed shoesBig glassesA brown wigNorville “Shaggy” Rogers, the beatnik:A too large and too long light green T-shirtBrown flare trousersBrown shoesA brown goateeA brown wigScooby-Doo, the talking dog:If you have some skills for sewing, you can create your Scooby Doo costume. Here is the necessary material: a dog pattern, brown fabric, black fabric for the black patches.If you do not have sewing skills, choose a brown turtleneck sweater, brown trousers and a Scooby Doo mask.Don’t forget a turquoise necklace and the golden badge.Have fun: organize a Scooby Doo themed halloween party and invite lots of ghosts and monsters in order to recreate the Mystery Machine’s team atmosphere

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deborah@fiveminuteparent.com Word wrap to 60, (201 words)

Homemade Toy Town
By Deborah Shelton

With a few items found around the house, and a little
imagination, you can make your very own toy town. Once your
town is built, fill it with your favorite dolls and toy
cars.

1. Yarn: Use yarn to outline streets for toy cars. Roads
can be as straight or as winding as you’d like.

2. Pinecones: “Plant” these trees along the edges of a
street or in a park area.

3. Cardboard Tubes: Form toll bridges and tunnels with
these easy-to-find tubes.

4. Tin Foil: Create lakes and rivers with flat pieces of
tin foil.

5. Cardboard Boxes: Make buildings such as schools, banks
and churches from small cardboard boxes.

6. Magazine Cut-Outs: Glue pictures from magazines onto
small cardboard boxes to represent the type of buildings in
the town. For example, glue a picture of a store or school
onto a box.

7. Thread Spools: Set these in a park area, to use as
tables.

8. Cotton Balls: Turn your town into a winter wonderland
with fluffy puffs of cotton.

9. Popsicle Sticks: Great materials for building fences and
bridges.

10. Kitchen Scale: Bring into play a small kitchen scale to
use as a weigh station for the cars.

Initially all wedding favors were homemade, as the concept of mass produced items had yet to be conceived. Many brides would choose to redistribute their good luck by preparing a small gift of almonds beautifully wrapped in elegant fabric. The custom in the Middle East is for the bride to provide five almonds to represent fertility, longevity, wealth, health and happiness. Today, the candied nut known as Jordan almonds, provides for one of the most common and traditional wedding favors, when they are wrapped in small bundles of delicate fabric.

The gifts a bride might create would be dependent on the culture and materials available. For years European and American women would crochet small bags or stiffen their work to create small boxes that would typically hold fruit, nut or candy treats. Crochet items are still an elegant touch for Victorian or country themed weddings. Today, a bride is only limited to her imagination when it comes to selecting the gifts that will show appreciation from the blessed couple.

The tradition of creating homemade weddings favors has continued as a means for the bride to reduce expenses on the wedding budget. Although today, many quality items can be mass produced for a relatively low cost, brides prefer to create homemade favors as a means of self expression. Homemade favors allow her opportunities for unique gift giving and personalization that can’t be found in retail store.

Homemade wedding favors can be labor extensive or have a sense of simple sophistication. Time, talent and imagination are the only limits for the creation of wedding favors. Craft stores offer an extensive variety of materials from which to create a memorable item. Simple glass bud vases and candles can be adorned with paint or glass gems. Ready-to-paint bare wood birdhouses can be adorned to resemble wedding chapels. Something as simple as adding a photo of the couple, to a simple picture frame makes an excellent favor that will outlast the wedding day.

Home computers, desktop publishing software and quality papers make it easy to duplicate products that have only been available from professional printers in the past. Poetry can be added to beautiful backgrounds for unique bookmarks or framed works. Decorative placecards with the guests name in an beautiful script can later serve to replace a boring name placard on their work desk. Software to edit music and video recordings allow for the production of private CD’s and DVD’s.

Baked goods continue to make excellent wedding favors. Cookie cutters are manufactured in every imaginable shape allowing the bride to present distinctive, frosted and personalized delights. Miniature cakes, petits fours and even chocolates can be recreated in the home kitchen. Plastic molds for forming chocolate and other candies make it easy to produce delicacies that are representative of wedding themes. A fun twist on a common molded candy is to prepare it on a stick to create a lollipop from hard candies or chocolates.

Homemade wedding favors will continue to be a favorite for the bride and her guests. The opportunity to produce an item that genuinely expresses the heartfelt sentiments of the couple, will never go out of style.

Have you ever wondered if there was a healthful alternative to the sugar and preservative filled ice cream you buy in the supermarkets? If you have or if you would truly like to try homemade ice cream then this is for you. I have a recipe for vanilla ice cream, that will knock your socks off when you taste it.

The first thing you need to know is how to make your own 100% healthy and natural vanilla extract. You might buy this from a good quality store if you can find an unadulterated brand. To make your own you’ll need about a quart of milk, a vanilla bean (available at most health food stores), and a teaspoon of honey. You put the milk in a saucepan and heat on high while you slice the vanilla bean lengthwise and in half.
Then put the halves of the vanilla bean into the milk. Boil for around 15 to 20 minutes, then cook on medium heat for a half hour or until the milk has a thin sheet of film on top.

Stir the mixture constantly as it cooks to prevent burning. Cool the extract and freeze in a plastic bottle or container. This extract will last you for quite awhile since recipes call for only a few teaspoons each. You should-if you plan to make the ice cream anytime soon- save a cup of the extract in a container in your refrigerator. Whenever you want to make more ice cream just get the extract out of the freezer and thaw in the refrigerator until a few tablespoons or so are thawed, then refreeze the rest before it thaws out.

Now I’ll give you my vanilla ice cream recipe, follow the instructions carefully and you’ll get wonderful results.
Vanilla Ice Cream

You’ll need: 3 eggs, with the egg whites and yolks separated, 1/2 cup honey, 4 cups light cream, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.

1. In a medium size bowl beat the yolks until smooth. Gradually add honey, beating until well-blended and thick. In a different small bowl beat the egg whites until stiff, stir beaten whites in with the yolk and honey.
2. Then add the cream and egg mixture together in a saucepan, cook on medium heat, stirring constantly for 15 minutes.
3. Stir in vanilla extract, and either process in an ice cream maker or just freeze in a bucket container overnight. Serve with an ice cream scoop.

This ice cream is rich, creamy, natural, and very healthy I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.

For more great recipes go to: http://snipurl.com/90j8

Making your own baby food also ensures that your baby is exposed to a greater variety of tastes and textures. This will help your baby when making the transition to table foods and also help him or her develop healthy eating habits. See http://www.baby-shop.org.uk/guide/ for a collection of articles on babies and toddlers.

Baby Food Preparation Tips

1. As babies are susceptible to digestive upsets, always work with clean hands and use clean cooking utensils, preparation surfaces, pots and pans etc., when making home made baby food. Prepare foods immediately upon removing them from the refrigerator and freeze immediately after cooking any foods you want to store.

2. Steaming vegetables is the best method of preparation. This softens them, makes them easier to chew, and preserves more of the vitamins and minerals than boiling. A steamer basket is cheap and by cooking fruits and vegetables in it, you’ll be sure of keeping the nutrients in the food, instead of in the cooking water.

3. To puree your foods, you can use a fork, a food mill or blender. A blender quickly purees almost anything into the finest consistency. When your baby first starts on solids, you’ll be pureeing things to a very fine consistency and, as baby gets a little older, you will make foods a little coarser. You may wish to buy a food mill which comes in large and small sizes. It is very handy and inexpensive. The food mill strains most cooked foods to a very smooth consistency, although meats can be a problem as they will have a coarser texture. Remember all the tools you need to make baby food are probably already in your kitchen.

4. You can prepare large amounts of foods at once and freeze them. Take your prepared foods and plop by spoonfuls onto a baking sheet. Freeze the plops right away and then take them off the sheet when they are frozen and put them into plastic bags. You can also freeze the food in plastic “pop out” ice cube trays. Small tupperware jars with lids serve the same purpose and stack easily. Label and date the packages rotate them putting the most recently frozen foods behind the previously frozen ones. Frozen baby foods can be stored for up to two months.

5. When you take frozen foods out for baby, warm the food in a cup placed in a saucepan of boiling water with a lid on. If you use a microwave to thaw or warm baby food, be sure to stir the food well to avoid hot pockets.

6. Cereals are typically the first foods given to a baby because they contain lots of iron. You can prepare your own, by running oatmeal through your blender. Fruits are generally given next. Except for raw, mashed banana, you will need to cook all other fruits till they are soft.

7. Try making your own apple sauce and pear sauce; don’t add any sugar, as these fruits are sweet enough on their own. You can also peel peaches, plums and apricots and boil or steam them.

8. Buy and use organic fruits and vegetables. Use fresh and organic vegetables whenever possible in order to provide the best nutrition and flavor for your baby. Your baby deserves pesticide-free foods. Frozen vegetables are better to use than canned.

9. Yogurt, mashed cottage cheese, mashed pumpkin, baked potato, avocado and tofu (oriental soy bean curd) are all popular with babies. One good idea is to blend together cottage cheese, banana and fresh orange juice – delicious!

10. Meats should be added slowly. They can be boiled or broiled, then put in the blender with a little milk and perhaps banana or cream of rice to get the right consistency. Chicken is generally the first meat baby is introduced to and usually goes down fairly well.

11. There is no rush to start your baby on solid foods. Milk is his most important food. Your doctor’s recommendations and your own intuition will help you to know when to begin introducing solids to your baby’s diet. Introducing solids prepares the baby for the transition to adult food and offers further vitamins and minerals as the baby grows. Always remember to be patient with your baby and allow at least a few days between newly added foods to make sure the baby doesn’t suffer any reactions.

USA, the fifties. Danny and Sandy met at Rydell High School. They were in love last summer but Danny does not admit it to anyone. Danny treats Sandy as an unknown person. Sandy will be looking to win back the love of Danny and will spectacularly the day of the Rydell High School Fancy Fair.In the year 1978, one of the most famous movie musicals in the USA is brought to the screen.Grease is one of the events, the most significant film of the late seventies and will affect a worldwide generation of teenagers. We loved Grease; we wanted to look like Sandy, Rizzo, Marty, Danny, Keneckie or Fonzy. If you were a teenager thirty years ago, you surely sang “You’re The One That I Want” and “Summer Nights”.Halloween is the opportunity to realize our dreams. I dreamed to look like Rizzo. If I choose not to dress a witch costume for this Halloween, I probably will choose Rizzo’s costume.Grease is full of characters and then of different costumes based on the fifties teenagers clothing: Sandy is blonde, naive and she fell in love with Danny. Rizzo, leader of the Pink Ladies, is a teenager who lives free according to her own laws. She broke with Danny and is Keneckie’s girlfriend.The Pink Ladies: Frenchie, Marty, Jane are the Pink Ladies. They are generally frivolous, only interested by themselves and want to please the T-Birds.Danny is the hero of the movie. He is the leader of the T-Birds, rebels of Rydell High School. He is in love with Sandy, but refuses to admit it.Keneckie is Danny’s best friend; he is also the second T-Birds leader. He lives a passionate love story with Rizzo. The T-Birds: Sonny, Doody and Fonzy.If you want to dress like a Grease character for Halloween 2007, you can either buy costumes or make them yourself.Here are some homemade Grease costumes examples.Sandy Costume:* A white short sleeve blouse* Pale yellow waistcoat* A long flared yellow skirt * White socks* White tennis* Ponytail style blonde wig* Mascara, pale pink lipstickNote: Use a Crinoline in order to extend the skirtSandy at Rydell Fancy Fair:* A black t-shirt* Black leather or vinyl trousers* A black leather or vinyl jacket* High heels red shoes* Curly blonde wig* Eye liner, grey eye shadow, mascara, lipstick redRizzo costume:* A black short sleeve blouse* A narrow black skirt or black Capri pants* A pink jacket (“Pink-Ladies” written on the back)* Black shoes* Eye liner, mascara, dark green eye shadow, black pencil on eyebrows and red lipstickRizzo costume at Rydell Fancy Fair:* A red short sleeve blouse,* Pink shorts* Red sandals* A red scarf around her neckPink Ladies Costumes:* A white short sleeve blouse* A narrow black skirt or black Capri pants* A colored scarf around the neck* A pink jacket (“Pink-Ladies” written on the back)* Black shoes* Eye liner, mascara, eye shadow dark green, black pencil on eyebrows and red lipstickDanny Costume:* A black jacket* A black t-shirt* Black pants* White socks * Black shoes* A 1950s-style black wig* Black sunglassesKeneckie and the T-Birds Costumes:* A black jacket* A white t-shirt* Blue jeans with returned edges* White socks* Sneakers* A 1950s-style black wig* Black sunglassesA fake cigarette behind the ear of KeneckieRydell Cheerleader Costume:* A white short sleeve blouse* A long red flared skirt * A red jacket* White socks* White tennis* Ponytail style wig* Mascara, pink lipstickNote: Use a Crinoline in order to extend the skirtYour Halloween Grease Party may begin

There’s nothing very difficult about cooking for your baby.
It just requires a little extra care and attention in the
preparation of the ingredients.

Here’s the basic procedure:

1. PREPARE YOURSELF
Always wash your hands with soap and hot water and dry
them with a clean towel before you start cooking.
Likewise, carefully wash your equipment (blender, pots,
bottles, etc.) before use.

2. PREPARE THE FOOD
Always wash, peel and dice fruit and vegetables before
cooking. If there are any seeds/stones, remove them.

If you’re preparing meat, cut away all the fat before
cooking. Once cooked, cut the meat into very small pieces
and remove any bone or other hard bits.

If you’re preparing fish, remove any fat, bones and other
hard bits before cooking. Once cooked, crumble it into
small pieces and remove any remaining traces of bone
and skin.

3. COOKING THE FOOD
With the exception of avocados and bananas, all fruits and
vegetables must be cooked before giving them to your baby
(until he’s at least 10 months of age).

Fruit and vegetables can be steam-cooked, boiled, or
micro-waved. Some fruits like apple or pear can also be
oven-cooked.

Steam-cooking is the best option because it retains the
most nutrients. If you don’t have a steam-cooker, don’t
worry, boiling or micro-waving is fine. Keep the water to
a minimum and try to strike a balance between not
over-cooking (to retain the maximum amount of nutrients)
and not under-cooking (to make digestion easier).

NOTE: Beet, carrots, turnip and spinach should always be
boiled (as opposed to steam-cooked or micro-waved) because
they contain potentially harmful nitrates which are largely
removed during the boiling.

Meats and fish can be cooked in any manner you like
(steam-cooked, boiled, micro-waved, etc.). Just be sure
that they’re well cooked and that you remove all fat bits
and hard bits before serving. (If frying or roasting meat
or fish, try to avoid adding fat – or keep it to a bare
minimum).

Don’t add any salt, fat or sugar to your baby’s food.
It isn’t necessary.

4. SERVING THE FOOD
Use a food blender (or a mashing fork) to mix the food to
the right texture for your baby.

If he/she is just starting out with solids, then the food
should be completely ‘liquified’ and added in small
quantities to his/her bottle. As your baby matures, you’ll
begin feeding him/her directly with a spoon. Gradually
make the food slightly thicker and slightly chunkier
(beginning with ‘chunks’ no bigger than a grain of salt).
Give your baby time to adjust at every stage of the
progression.

If you have cooking water, you can add some to the food
to smoothen it or make it less dry (except for carrots,
spinach, beets and turnip — use fresh water or milk
instead).

Remember that your baby’s mouth is much more sensitive to
heat than yours. His/her food should be warm, not hot.

IN CONCLUSION…
Really, the two most important points to bear in mind
when cooking for your baby are: (1) Make sure that he/she
is able to comfortably deal with the texture of the food,
and (2) Avoid preparing foods that are inappropriate
for his/her age.

Everything else is just plain old cooking.

Nancy.