So, we need to make a little room.

Now through Tuesday is your last chance to pick up some of our summer scents. Stock is running low, and the prices are even lower. But, once they’re gone, that’s it until next spring!

Blissful Botanica Ginger Lime Bar Soap: Delightfully refreshing; handmade and organic. One of my favorites!

Limoncello Soy Candle:  The smaller, 4oz compact candle, an invigorating lemon kitchen scent.  Use the 3-wick (100+ hours!) candle as a natural citronella for final patio gatherings.

Blissful Botanica Natural Bug Spray:  Though we’ve had little rain this summer, the mosquitos are still thriving.  Keep those bugs away with pure essential oils and without harmful chemicals.  I believe a woman claimed the other night, “Wow, I could wear this as perfume!”

Basil Mandarin Soy Candle:  Nothing in the garden smells better than fresh basil.    Keep the aroma going a little longer with our Basil Mandarin candle; basil with a hint of orange.  Yum!

Sunbeam Lemongrass Ginger Candle:  The refreshing scent of lemongrass improves concentration and restores vitality.  The added ginger essential oils also boost immunity and depression- great for the shorter days ahead.

Daily Green Special:  Spend $35 and receive a free organic mesh bag.  Just write “summer sale” in the checkout notes and we’ll add the free bag to your order.  Sale prices valid until Tuesday, September 4th, or until in-stock items are gone!  Happy Wednesday!

I have had all the ingredients to make it up, but the mosquitoes haven’t really been a problem for me so it hasn’t been high on my list of things to do. Even though I get a bite from time to time, I didn’t worry, but I guess I need to start paying attention.

There are a lot of recipes out there in other blogs. A few recipes that I came across used a mixture of witch hazel and grapeseed oil as a base. Some used vodka, others used vinegar and some used witch hazel with a bit of vegetable glycerin. What I liked about using the grapeseed oil is how it would help carry the essential oils and help them stick with me a little longer.

There are many essential oil that are helpful when it comes to keeping the mosquitoes away. Some of them include:

• Cedar
• Citronella
• Clove
• Eucalyptus
• Lavender
• Lemon
• Lemongrass
• Rose Geranium
• Rosemary
• Tea Tree

Essential oils that made sense to me are lemony things and rose geranium. Lemon balm and rose geranium leaves have been what I have been using for several years. I just take a few leaves and rubs them on my arms and legs. The rose geranium body powder that I make up has helped keep the chiggers away.

My bug repellent mixture:

• 1 oz witch hazel
• .75 oz grapeseed oil
• 30 drops citronella
• 15 drops lemongrass
• 10 drops lemon
• 10 drops lavender

Put in some sort of small spray bottle. Shake vigorously to combine ingredients. Apply every few hours, or as needed. (bottle in photo below is from Mountain Rose Herbs – you order the spray nozzle separately. They are called fingertip misters.)

The ingredients will separate over time so you will need to shake this mixture before you use it.  To make sure I am getting good coverage, I will spray a few spots and use my hand to spread it around.

I have been using this mixture a few weeks and it is working well.  As I perused many recipes I realized that it is all about coming up with a combination that works for you, personally. While my mom isn’t bothered by mosquitoes AT ALL, I know they are a bit more interested in me and then there are other people who just seem to be magnets for the nasty bug. So, what it all comes down to is, what works for me just might not work for you, but don’t let that keep you from coming up with you own bug repellent.

What do you do to keep the mosquitoes and bugs away from you?

Sincerely, Emily

P.S. Since I made up my mosquito repellent a few weeks ago, West Nile Virus cases are popping up a lot closer to home (San Antonio.) I encourage everyone to be very vigilant around their property and make sure you have no standing water. It is an open breeding ground for mosquitoes.

1.  This first one might sound strange, but tons of people swear by this method.  Take a dryer sheet and rub it over any exposed skin (any brand will work).  When you’re done, stick the sheet in your pocket.  It’ll keep any pests away, and you’ll smell fresh and clean too!

2.  Taking a garlic supplement or eating it fresh is another proven method of bug-defense.  You can even make your own spray pesticide using 12 garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil, 3 cups of hot water, and a teaspoon of dishwashing soap.  Use this on any house plants or patio plants to keep them healthy and ward off any unwanted visitors.

3. If you’re spending a lot of time with the windows open or hanging out on the patio, keep any ceiling and floor fans going.  This will help discourage bugs from landing where they’re unwanted.  You may also want to light a few citronella candles to place on the window sill or patio table.

4.  Freshen your breath before heading outdoors.  Most insects hate the smell of mint, so before you go out, rinse with mouthwash. It’s also a good idea to put some into a spray bottle and give your arms, legs, or clothing a light spritz.  You’ll smell nice and refreshed, and you’ll be a walking bug deterrent.

5.  Opposite from number four, bugs are greatly attracted to most flowery fragrances.  Try to stay away from using strongly-scented shampoos and any perfumes or colognes.  The heat alone can make these fragrances extremely potent, and bugs will swarm to the source.

Naturally, we can’t avoid them all, but there are things we can do to limit the number of bites we get.  Above all else, don’t forget to stay hydrated.  Mosquitos, especially, are attracted to hot and sweaty skin, so keeping your body cool is key.

Have any other tips for keeping pesky insects away?  We’re all ears!

Meanwhile, our very large outdoor dog** has been struggling with the nasty summer biting, flying insects.  In a search about the internet, I found some interesting ideas.  He absolutely hates the typical aerosol sprays that we were putting on him and they didn’t work very well, or for very long.  What I ended up with is a modified version of a couple of different ideas.  The best thing??  It works!  The dog rarely has flies buzzing him and his ears aren’t all chewed up this year.  Yes!  And he has a healthier option to wear on his fur. A win-win situation.

I understand this will also work on horses, but since I don’t have any to try it on…you’ll have to let me know if it works. 

Fly Spray

In a 16-oz or larger spray bottle (I picked one up at Target in the cleaning aisle), put in the following:

• 1 inch of white vinegar
• 1 inch of natural dishwashing soap (I used Trader Joe’s brand)
• a few drops of tea tree oil
• filtered water added to the 16-oz. mark

Shake well before each use.  Spray on animal whenever the flies are buzzing.  Repeat as necessary.

**Before anyone has a big hairy fit about my doggy living outside, let me assure you that he hates inside.  He, like his ancestors before him and his cousins the wolves and coyotes, loves the outdoors – rain, snow, etc.  He has a dog house, plenty of food and water, and enjoys his little life.  Besides…my daughter is allergic to him.

Some make me a little teary: a woman from New Jersey was thrilled to find gluten-free highlighters for her autistic son with allergies.  He could now use “magic pens” like the rest of his classmates!

•  a health department in Washington ordered a case of our Friendly Dry-Erase markers because an employee has allergic reactions to their usual markers.
• countless others are glad to find a non-toxic Natural Bug Spray they don’t worry about spraying on themselves or kids
• a chef who could finally remove a grease stain from a favorite pair of pants with our Yoreganics Stain Remover.

But… yesterday’s, um compliment (?!), is one I never expected!  A woman called us to explain her fabulous, unexpected use for one of our products she’d bought last month.  After returning from vacation, their dogs made a direct beeline for the basement (not a good sign).  When she and her husband followed, they were hit with an awful stench.  They found the source in the laundry room.

Apparently a chipmunk tried to find solace in their empty house by entering through an exterior furnace vent, but instead, found itself trapped.

Where it died (gross).

While they were able to finally remove it (grosser),  the smell lingered (ugh).  So, how does Favor the Earth fit in?  Since their basement is a main living space, she had to find something to (shall we say…) clear the air.  Sunbeam Beeswax Clove candle to the rescue!  Now they can hang out and watch tv in the basement and it smells like the kitchen instead of decomposed chipmunk (yeah and yuck)!

You’re welcome.  So glad we could help!

Daily Green Special: Because life sometimes takes you by surprise. Stock up this weekend on some favorites, you may need them in unexpected ways! This weekend only, use the coupon code CHIPPY and save $10 off your $25 purchase. Offer valid until Monday’s post.

I am usually the favorite target of bugs when outside – and I am outside a lot.  Not wanting to go camping the last two weeks and come home bitten up there was a need to fill.  Commercial bug sprays are too harsh for me, so I made my own and checked it out before writing.

Success!  For the first time I was not the main course for generations of mosquitoes; I enjoyed my time and am looking forward to this summer on the deck.

Witch hazel, available in pharmacies and on-line, and water is the base and a variety of essential oils provide the protection, naturally.  A small amount of glycerin stabilizes the mixture.   My concoction was partially out of my kitchen spice rack and herb garden.  In a small saucepan I boiled water and turned off the heat, then placed the whole cloves, cinnamon stick, branches of spearmint and peppermint to steep in the covered pot.  My purpose was to remove essential oils without boiling them away.  I had eucalyptus and tea tree in my stash of oils, so a couple of drops each of those went in too.

Using a home scale I measured out the witch hazel, glycerine, water from the tisane (you would use a 1:1 ratio of witch hazel to water), and added the few drops of essential oils that I wanted in a small canning jar as the metal lid has a rubber gasket to seal the jar, and I shook it.  For convenience I poured it into a blue spray bottle.  A colored container, amber or blue, is better than clear to store the essential oils.

This mixture works well for me, you might have to experiment to see what each oil is best for you – some people do not tolerate cinnamon or tea tree oil well, so these should be kept to a minimum or eliminated based on the reaction.

For example, to make a four-ounce bottle of spray :

• 2 oz witch hazel
• 2 oz water
• 10-12 drops of essential oils total OR extract the oils from the plant bases directly into the quantity of water you will need, a combination of the two will work
• 1/2 teaspoon glycerin

Spray bottles, recycle a well cleaned empty from your hair care products or purchase one from a craft store as they are smaller than the ones in general circulation for house keeping.  Label the bottle well.  I keep mine in the refrigerator until I am going outside since the cool spray feels fantastic in the heat.  On the boat, camping, gardening or on the deck, I am ready to face this summer without blotchy red bumps as a regular part of my summer look.

Protective herbs and spices, all are available as essential oils:

• clove (small quantities)
• cinnamon (small quantities)
• rosemary
• spearmint
• peppermint (most mints will work)
• lavender
• eucalyptus
• cedar
• tea tree
• tansy (related to lavender, but not as nice smelling)

I anticipate making sun screen next, as a fair-skinned, easily burned body it seems appropriate that this happen soon since our summer is here and I need to be out in the garden.

I have not liked bug spray ever since my babies were born. I have never liked using it on myself. The bugs have to be pretty bad before I will use any spray. But they don’t really bug me all that much any way. Generally when others are complaining of bugs biting, they are leaving me alone.

I have my speculations as to why. For one bugs like warm-blooded bodies. Women are generally warmer blooded than men, but me… I’m cold.all.the.time. (Part of lyme.) Also it depends on what you eat. Bugs like sweets (sweet blood), so a person who eats more sugars and processed foods just may get eaten quicker.;) And I have heard that taking garlic before going out helps keep them away. But be sure it is not the odorless, and eating it raw would be best I am sure. I tried it, but knowing the bugs don’t bug me much, not sure how much I would trust my own testing.

A year or two ago someone gave me a natural bug spray to make. But it had so many ingredients that I don’t always keep on hand. So I never got it made. And I cringed every time we would go camping and the boys begged for bug spray, even if I got the ‘least toxic thing’ I could find. (Is there even such a thing??)

So this summer I was determined to find a spray that would work… I did. But I don’t promise it will work, as I just made it last night so it needs to sit 3 wks.:( Why do I wait so long to find things that take time to make??!?!?! We are camping next weekend.)

I have heard about the Vinegar of the Four Thieves before, but hadn’t had the time to dig into it. Well, I still didn’t have the time, but it came to my inbox, so I learned a bit more.:) And it was simple enough I quickly went and made it. Yes, I had all the ingredients in my kitchen.

I followed Shoshanna’s video tutorial, and didn’t add the Tansy or Lemon Grass as I didn’t have those two herbs.

Recipe for your own Vinegar of the Four Thieves Mix-
2 TBS Each of
Rosemary
Sage
Lavender
Wormwood
Peppermint

I think I actually about doubled that amount for a qt. jar. Put in a glass quart jar, fill with plain white vinegar, and mix to get all the herbs wet. Put on a lid, and store for 3-6 wks. Shake every day or two. Strain off the herbs, and add about 1/4 the amount of vinegar of water. Just guess, no science here. Put in a spray bottle and use as needed. You can store in a cool, dry place.

So simple…

Rosemary - is a strong antiseptic.

Wormwood - is the bitterest of herbs. It is antiseptic and vermifuges (kill worms). Wormwood is great in a parasite cleanse program.

Lavender and peppermint are high in volatile oils, hence excellent ingredients for a very good insect repellent, as well as being pleasant smelling.

Sage – is also antibacterial. And is lymphatic, which helps in a disease outbreak.

If you google ‘Vinegar of the Four Thieves’, you will find other recipes, amounts and added ingredients. Even the original recipes on Shoshanna’s article has garlic, but her video doesn’t. So I am not planning to add it. Not sure I want to wear garlic on my skin, unless I would know som plague or such is going around!!

It is interesting to read Shoshanna’s article on plagues and how people kept from getting sick and dying like so many of their family and neighbors were… The most common thread being herbal vinegars.

The following story is how Vinegar of the Four Thieves got its name…

The most famous and interesting story of healing coming out of the great Black Death plague was the story of the four thieves and their amazing concoction that came to be known as The Vinegar of the Four Thieves. History records that the four thieves were arrested for stealing from the homes of the many dead victims. After their arrest, they were taken from prison and forced to bury the dead with the promise that if they lived, they would go free. One of the thieves was a herbalist, whose herbal wine vinegar purportedly kept the four thieves alive all during the Black Death. As their resistance to the disease became obvious, others started using their vinegar tincture—reportedly with great success. They lived to credit the vinegar potion for their survival. (And there are many variations to this story as well.)

And something so simple kept them so healthy!! So why should we not try it ourselves??!??!

A couple of links to more info on Vinegar of the Four Thieves -

The Garden Remedy that Survived the Bubonic Plague: Four Thieves Vinegar

Four Thieves Vinegar: Evolution of a Medieval Medicine - this link has lots of info and links to more info on ingredients in the products we use.

Four Thieves: Historic Anti-Plague Remedy – This page has a lot of different combinations of herbs for the 4 Thieves recipes, research and decide what would work for you.

Do you have a favorite Natural Bug Spray?? Please share.

Natural bed bug treatments allow you to cut these pests down one by one without putting yourself at risk. This is especially important because of the rate at which bed bugs tend to multiply once they’ve taken root in your furniture. As horrifying as it might sound, bed bugs are capable of laying up to 200 eggs at one time. This means that in even the most ostensibly minor cases, the presence of bed bugs in your home can grow from a small, nagging issue into a full-fledged infestation within a very short period of time. Therefore, you’ve got to act fast in order to ensure that these creatures are dealt with as effectively as possible.

Before putting natural bed bug treatment methods into practice, it’s important to perform a thorough inspection of your entire house first so that you can find and eliminate as many bed bugs as possible before the extermination process begins (which, in turn, means that you’re more likely to eliminate the issue because there will be fewer insects to work with). In spite of the name, bed bugs can be found in various other parts of your house aside from just your mattress. Be sure to look check other pieces of furniture, as well as articles of clothing, bedding, and other forms of fabric.

Once all this is done, you can carry out your plans for natural bed bug treatment. You can use any of a multitude of eco-friendly products to kill any pests that remain in your house, as well as prevent them from escaping to return later. You don’t have to worry about any negative health-related drawbacks, because natural bed bug treatment options are all formulated with human and animal safety in mind.

Orgomex is your one-stop source for organic, safe, and 100% satisfaction-guaranteed natural bed bug treatment to prevent and eradicate bed bugs. Orgomex Bed Bug Killer is completely safe for use around children and pets. At Orgomex, we use nature’s own fighting tools to create products that work as well, if not better, than chemical alternatives. Our mission is to be the complete solution to keep you and your family safe from bed bugs. Contact us at 1.888.705.6746 or visit us online at http://www.orgomex.com.

Citronella – Ceylon (Cymbopogon Nardus) (Origin: Sri Lanka)

Description of Plant

Citronella is taken from a tall grass that was originally native to Sri Lanka. It is a perennial that can grow up to 3 feet in height (1 metre). While native to Sri Lanka, Citronella is now grown in many countries worldwide.

Scent

Citronella has a very distinct lemony scent, with undertones of wood and grassiness, though it has a softer scent when compared to actual lemon. Citronella blends well with Lemon, Lavender, Pine, Cedarwood, Orange, Bergamot, Geranium. I personally find it blends very well with Eucalyptus, adding a lovely hint of lemon to the strong medicinal aroma.

Benefits

Citronella is most commonly used as an insect repellent, and it does a very good job of it. Most people, however, are not aware of citronella’s other wonderful benefits such as being a powerful antiseptic, parasitic, deodorant (very beneficial in combatting excessive perspiration) and it is well-known for assisting in the fight against colds and flu.

Cautions and Warnings

Citronella can cause sensitivity in some people and should be avoided during pregnancy.

Earthborn makes our very own and very effective Buggarz Insect Repellent and Baby Buggarz Insect Repellent. While this is not on the price list yet, it will be by May 15th, 2012.

Let’s use our good scents and chase those pesky bugs away!

As summer approaches, we venture outdoors to enjoy the warmer weather. Along with the lazy, sun drenched afternoons spent lounging on deserted beaches (hey, we can pretend, right?), comes a swarm of insects and other pests ready to turn your summer dreams into a bug-bitten nightmare. Whether you’re hosting a backyard barbeque or settling in around a smoldering campfire, selecting a bug repellent to ward off mosquitoes, ticks, gnats, and other pests remains an important part of enjoying outdoor activities.

However, as we coat ourselves in glossy layers of foul-smelling repellants formulated to protect us from unwanted pests, we must consider the equally harmful ingredients found in many insect repellent products. Dripping with DEET and other chemicals, mainstream bug sprays may actually be as damaging to our bodies and the environment as they are to insects.

We don’t want to make this post any longer than it has to be, but Let’s take a look at DEET, one of the more nefarious ingredients found in many insect repellants:

DEET:

Known offenses:

Registered pesticide (US EPA 2007).

Often used in rubber and plastic cements as well as paint removers (EHANS 2003).

Caused the impairment of Central Nervous system function in rats given normal human dosage as documented by a Duke University Study (EHANS 2003).

Possible Offenses:

Memory loss, headache, weakness, fatigue, muscle and joint pain, tremors, and shortness of breath in humans after heavy exposure or prolonged use (Quantum Health).

Increases in toxicity when used in conjunction with other chemicals often found in bug repellents (EHANS 2003).

Native Sun Verdict: Regardless of the arguments for or against DEET, I would prefer to enjoy my outdoor endeavors without the possibility of losing basic motor functions controlled by my central nervous system after coating myself in bug spray (Canoeing is hard enough without battling pesticide induced memory loss or shortness of breath. Who knew paddling was so hard? And why can’t I remember where our campsite was?). When there are plenty of natural bug repellents available, not using DEET seems like a no-brainer.

So you’ve decided to go natural. Now what?

At Native Sun we have several ready-made bug repellants free of DEET, Parabins, GMOs, synthetic chemicals and fragrance oils:

All Terrain Herbal Armor Spray $9.49 (4oz)

Badger Anti-Bug Spray $11.39 (4oz)

Botanical Solutions Biteguard Jr. $11.89 (4oz)

Burt’s Bees Herbal Insect Repellent $6.89 (4oz)

Jade & Pearl Beat It Spray $11.39 (4oz) / $14.99 (8oz)

Jason Quit Buggin Me Lotion $3.79 (3oz)

Quantum Health Buzz Away Extreme $8.39 (4oz)

Still not satisfied? We have a great selection of essential oils that can turn the tide in the fight against biting insects! The following oils are recognized for their natural bug repelling abilities:

Note: Some essential oils can irritate the skin. Make sure to follow label precautions and dilute oils accordingly.

Citronella $3.89 (.5oz)

Eucalyptus $5.39 (.5oz)

Lavender $9.97 (.5oz)

Lemon $5.39 (.5oz)

Peppermint  $7.79 (.5oz)

Rosemary $5.49 (.5oz)

Directions: Add 1 ounce of essential oil to 10 ounces of witch hazel, vodka, or a carrier oil (Example: olive oil). Shake. Repel Bugs!

Eucalyptus is a natural insect repellent.  It works amazingly against Mosquitoes, Ticks and Fleas, smells great, and is super-safe!  My sore-free legs are proof positive that it really does work.

Repelling insects, especially those pesky, nasty mosquitoes, is so much more important that it was years ago. As if a bug crawling on our skin weren’t bad enough, now there are diseases these bugs carry that could make us deathly ill, maybe even terminally ill, just from one ‘innocent’ bite. With all of the diseases carried by insects, such as West Nile Virus, Lyme Disease and Malaria, the scare is very real.  You might be tempted to reach for the strongest, most popular brand of repellent, but consider these facts before you reach for that bottle of toxic repellent:

Image compliments of transafric.com

v    DEET is the most widely used mosquito repellent, developed by scientists at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and patented by the U.S. Army in 1946.

v    DEET is absorbed through the skin and passes into the blood. The Medical Sciences Bulletin, published by Pharmaceutical Information Associates Ltd. reports, “Up to 56% of DEET applied topically penetrates human skin and 17% is absorbed into the bloodstream.”

v    DEET is a registered pesticide. Blood concentrations of about 3 mg per liter have been reported several hours after DEET repellent was applied to skin in the prescribed fashion.

v   DEET is also absorbed by your gut, how yummy does that sound (“Honey, what’s for dinner?  Pesticides, again?”)

v    Seriously, DEET has very alarming effects on the central nervous system.  Dr. Mohammed Abou-Donia of Duke University studied lab animals’ performance of neuro-behavioral tasks requiring muscle coordination. He found that lab animals exposed to the equivalent of average human doses of DEET performed far worse than untreated animals. Abou-Donia also found that combined exposure to DEET and permethrin, a mosquito spray ingredient, can lead to memory dysfunction, learning disabilities and motor deficits.

v    To make it worse, many commercial products combine DEET with ethyl and isopropyl alcohols (as well as Freon!), increasing the toxicity with the combination of chemicals (according to an emergency medicine bulletin).

v    Any product with DEET is required to carry instructions that they should not be used at all for children under 6 months.  Additional required warnings state that for children 6 months to 2 years, only concentrations of less than 10% DEET should be used, and only once a day. For children from 2 -12 years old, only concentrations under 10% should be used, and repellents should not be applied more than 3 times a day.  Sounds to me like we should avoid it all day, everyday with all of these restrictions!

Still not convinced?  

Here’s a few more reasons to use Organic Bug Spray instead of petroleum based, synthetic chemically-laden products on your largest organ (your skin):

v    Wildlife, especially birds and aquatic life, are harmed from the use of DEET…because of it’s production and our use of it as a society, it has been found to reside in 75% of U.S. water sources.

Here’s the Icing on the cake:

v    DEET as a repellent doesn’t work as well as natural bug spray!  In a 2008 U.S. WASHINGTON study (Reuters), it was found that DEET doesn’t block the insects’ sense of smell, it just stinks to them.  In the same study, they found that mosquitoes reacted stronger to the Terpenoids, which are the compounds in the aroma of Eucalyptus (and cloves, menthol and camphor).

When you find one that works well, let me know. My favorite product is no longer available and when my stockpile runs out, I’ll need another miracle to turn to with Eucalyptus in it…so thanks for sharing!

That’s all folks!!!

1 glass or aluminum (aluminum is ok if bottle is lined) spray bottle

Fill with filtered water or mineral water

10 drops doTERRA Eucalyptus

10 drops doTERRA Lemongrass

You can get the oils here mydoterra.com/pdx

Go to Shop for Products, choose your country, then go straight to looking at the products. Go ahead and check out when you’ve ordered it and anything else that catches your eye. Don’t do the “sign up” or “join” – it’ll just confuse you. You can always order from this particular site.
If you have questions about this or other products, let me know!!!

1 glass or aluminum (aluminum is ok if bottle is lined) spray bottle

Fill with filtered water or mineral water

10 drops doTERRA Eucalyptus

10 drops doTERRA Lemongrass

You can get the oils here mydoterra.com/pdx

Go to Shop for Products, choose your country, then go straight to looking at the products. Go ahead and check out when you’ve ordered it and anything else that catches your eye. Don’t do the “sign up” or “join” – it’ll just confuse you. You can always order from this particular site.
If you have questions about this or other products, let me know!!!

We have an eco-friendly home and the challenge has been how to safely get rid of the bugs without polluting the environment and poisoning our family.  I found a few options.  I am looking for a few more.

• We purchased the several Pestchasers.  I purchased them at Lowe’s.  These are devices that you plug into the wall that emit a sound that is not audible to the human ear but is so for bugs and large rodents like mice.  They will not harm your pets.  I am not sure about hamsters and gerbils.  We have one in every room.  They are poison-free.  That is good enough for me.
• I have found that if you spray concentrated tea oil around the perimeter of your home, it will kill and form a barrier for just about every bug that you can think of.  It could also be sprayed around the perimeter of your home outside and will form a barrier there too.  This oil that I mention in the purest form can be purchased through a membership with my company.  There are many other products that we have.  Check out my website at www.healthybizathome.org.  Request more information through me and I can walk you through a presentation about our products. 
• I also found an eco-friendly bug spray that is all natural at Lowe’s.  I am sure that you can get it from Home Depot as well.

If anyone out there knows of any other things that I can do to keep the bugs out, my ears are open.  Thanks for reading.

We researched the best, all-natural plant oils used for centuries around the world to ward off those pesky mosquitoes, and came up with a formula that keeps the bugs away, and also smells really good. Essential oils of Texas cedarwood, citronella java, and geranium work to keep the mosquitoes away, eucalpytus oil wards off the creepy ticks, and tangerine and grapefruit round out the lovely, uplifting fragrance. It sits in a blend of witch hazel and olive oil, creating a soft, light spray that is actually good for your skin! I found all the ingredients at a local health food store, and bought some simple spray bottles from Target. When friends, family, and neighbors started asking to buy it, we found some pretty blue (and recycleable!) bottles online, and decided to give a go at selling our creation.

My family has been testing this product for weeks now, through walks in the woods along the brook alongside our house, to our son’s evening baseball games, to gardening in the backyard. That second picture is the brook that is just off our yard! We live in the lakes area, where the ground is soaked, the woods are thick, and the air gets BUGGY! It is effective at keeping the bugs from biting for about 2 hours, and fades to a soft and subtle fresh scent. For years I relied on the chemical stuff, but always hated the thought of putting my kids to bed with any of that residue left on their skin. Now, I don’t have to worry if they don’t get that bath every single night, and can let them play outside for hours without any worry. I even spritz my golden retriever to keep the mosquitoes from bugging her.

We decided to sell our 100% Natural Bug Spray to fund our future home-schooling efforts. Since my kids helped with this process, I figured it made sense to put the proceeds toward their education. It is for a 4oz. bottle, small enough to slip into your purse or backpack, but large enough to provide many hours of outdoor freedom from mosquitoes and ticks. It is safe for use on babies ages 6 months+ (but no matter what your age, always test for allergies first!). For smaller infants, a cloth can be sprayed and kept nearby, out of the way of curious and grabbing hands, of course.

$11.95 for a 4oz. spray bottle includes the cost of shipping. Please go to

http://www.b3naturals.yolasite.com

to order today!

Thank you for your support, and here’s to a bug-free summer!

An Insect Repellent you can feel safe about. It is:

• All Natural
• Highly Effective
• DEET Free
• Not Citronella Dependent

Ingredients: Oils: Coconut, Witch Hazel, Lemongrass, Peppermint, Red Thyme, and Lavender

What do these ingredients do?

Coconut Oil - Moisture Retention/protective layer

Witch Hazel – Astringent, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antibacterial, antifungal, and anesthetic properties. remedy for itching , stinging and inflammation. We use it as a means to propel our bug spray.

Lemongrass – Antimicrobial, Antibacterial & Insecticidal – a component in our bugspray.

Peppermint – Refreshing, stimulating. Soothing to skin itching.

Red Thyme – Anti-aging, antimicrobial, antifungal and antiviral properties. Additionally, many studies have demonstrated that this oil repells insects effectively.

Lavender – Toning/calming/antiseptic