For the Simple Life
The art of simple
DIY Natural Stain Remover
I’ve been that lady covered in peanut butter smears whose kids are wearing clothes sta...
DIY Pumpkin Spice Body Lotion
You know those annoying pumpkin spice fanatics who come out of the wood work every Octo...
How to Store Herbs for Potency and Longevity
Herbs are some of the easiest things to preserve. Seriously! Listen…if you want to ge...
5 Ways to Have a From Scratch Laundry Room
This post might seem intimidating or even not worth while for some of you, but let me a...
Easy Fermented Pickles
So, what’s the Big Deal with Fermentation? I’m sure at this point in your life you...
Hiccups Cure – Tried & True (secret ingredient) Remedy!
Hiccups are the worst! I’m sure that you’ve come across many manners of home remedi...
9 Herbs That Benefit Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding is such a natural thing. You have a baby and instantly your body starts g...
How To Organize Garden Seeds
I have a love/hate relationship with my gardening process. I love having a garden, but ...
Learn How (and why) To Prune Herbs
How often do you get a haircut? Every six weeks or so? How does it make your hair fee...
DIY Poison Ivy Lotion Recipe
Before I had kids I loved to go on weekend long kayaking trips. One downside to spendin...
How To Eat Real Food When You Travel
Going on trips with the family is always an incredible adventure. Traveling presents th...
Plan a #FromScratch Birthday Party
Pop quiz time: It’s your child’s birthday. You’re planning a party. Do you: Panic...
Soothing DIY Glycerin Soap
Homemade soap is truly a marvelous and wonderful thing. It also requires the use of lye...
Ways To Take Care Of Yourself During That Time Of The Month
That Time of Month, Aunt Flo, your period, Shark Week (does anyone actually use that on...
DIY Toilet Bowl Cleaner (non-toxic & it WORKS!)
Creating your own natural cleaners can be fun, and they’re certainly healthier than t...
Grow A Skin Healing Flower Garden
Spring is here and many of us are turning our thoughts to gardens full of beautiful flo...
Learn How And Why To Buy Food In Bulk
When I moved into my first apartment I was abnormally excited about grocery shopping fo...
7 Ways To Allergen Proof Your Home
There was once a time when I didn’t even think about allergens in my home. Of course, s...
What Are Herbal Liniments (and a soothing muscle liniment recipe)
What are Herbal Liniments? Unlike a tea made with water or an extract that’s a conce...
Start-Up Guide For The Home Herbalist
If you enjoy cultivating a from-scratch lifestyle and have an interest in natural healt...
Edible Massage Lotion
This Valentine’s Day, anniversary, or any day consider treating your partner to an extr...
Red Raspberry Leaf: Why it’s for ALL women (plus, a smoothie recipe!)
I grew up through my childhood and early adult life thinking herbs were something you c...
How To Cook A Whole Chicken FAST!
One of my intentions for 2016 is to try to really focus on having almost everything tha...
How To Use Lemon Balm (for body, home, and food)
Herbs are an amazing natural resource. They have a multitude of uses: they season our f...
DIY Moisturizing Facial Scrub
Day and night, every day of the year, our skin takes a beating. We pull, tug, stretch. ...
Rose-Infused Lip Scrub (recipe + new book!)
Every winter, no matter how much herbal tea I down, I always end up with dry lips. Some...
DIY Herbal Bath Teas (recipes for stress relief!)
There comes a time in everyone’s life that stress invades and the search for some relie...
Homemade Playdough (customize with natural colors and scents!)
What kid didn’t play with playdough growing up? I remember opening up a brand new tub o...
Whole Wheat Gingerbread Pancakes
Happy December everyone! While I love the fall and pumpkin everything — pumpkin crepes!...
DIY Holiday Potpourri (for your home and give as gifts!)
There is no other time of year with such a distinct scent as the Holidays. It is a swee...
Thyme Infused Honey (and how to use it!)
As a mother, there is nothing worse than having a sick kid. You want to make them feel ...
Top 10 Organic Essential Oils for Cleaning
We just got finished with a renovation of the tub surround and plywood walls beneath th...
Packing a Healthy Bento Box School Lunch
We’re only a few weeks into the new school and year I’m already tired of packing the sa...
Health Benefits Of The Egg White *AND* The Egg Yolk
Do you say no to eating eggs because of their calorie count? Are you scared that the hi...
DIY Flea And Tick Repellent: A Powder Recipe For Dogs (Organic, Natural, Non-Toxic, Effective)
Hey friend, it’s Jess…the original Scratch Mommy. I am SO excited to share this DIY re...
Why Brands Should Support Mandatory Labeling
We’ve been talking about GMO labeling a lot lately and it might seem confusing that we’...
Rosemary Gladstar’s Medicinal Herbs {Book Review}
As an herbalist, I absolutely adore reading all about herbal medicine and plants. And a...
The 9 Best Uses for Apple Cider Vinegar
You know when you eat something really sour and you get that tingling feeling in the ba...
Happy Father’s Day – Tribute to the Scratch Daddy Behind the Scenes
My parents recently moved to a new home and, like with any move, there are a few projec...
Will Quaker Oats Conceal or Reveal GMOs?
Hi, Jess here. I have some important information to share with you about something that...
Keeping A Simple Real Food Kitchen
For me, April showers don’t just bring May flowers, they also bring weddings. I am twen...
Why is Grass-fed Meat Better?
Until a few years ago, I had never even heard of the term “grass-fed.” Still early on i...
DIY Naturally Dyed Easter Eggs
In many cultures around the world the egg is a symbol of new life, which is why eggs ar...
DIY Herbal Baby Oil
Nothing can compare to that exhilarating feeling of holding a fresh faced, silken skinn...
15 Herbs for Headaches
I don’t think I will ever forget the moment I began my natural living journey: I had ju...
Skincare During Cancer Treatments
People diagnosed with cancer have so many things on their minds after the diagn...
Debunking Egg Labels… What it all REALLY means
Because of an unfortunate incident with coyotes around the New Year, I currently don’t ...
Special Holiday Greetings from the Scratch Mommy Team
Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! Peace. Joy. Love. The Scratch Mommy team wanted to let...
How Country Music Makes me a Better Mama
I’m completely aware of the irony: music that esteems pretty girls, getting drunk, an...
10 Tips For How To Have a Modern Hippie Holidays
What is a Modern Hippie? Well, a Modern Hippie is me, and most likely you too if you’re...
Create Lasting Memories with a Year End Questionnaire (Free Printable!)
As the year 2014 draws to a close I start to reminisce about the past year. All the thi...
Non-Toy Gifts For Your Loved Ones
This Christmas our family is adopting the idea of buying less and giving more, an Adven...
4 Tips for Preparing Your Homestead For Winter
Depending on where you live, preparing your homestead for winter can be as easy as pack...
The Perfect Crunchy Stocking Stuffer for Moms
I love filling stockings for loved ones, yet each year I find it more difficult to find...
8 Gifts for the Gardener in Your Life
December is upon us and that means the Holidays are literally just around the corner. I...
DIY New Year Countdown Calendar and DIY Christmas Advent Calendar Tutorials
Let the countdown begin… Ah, the excitement and beauty of the Holidays! Every day more ...
A Heart of Gratitude
When you think of Thanksgiving, what is the first thing that comes to your mind? Maybe ...
The Gratitude Tree
Thanksgiving always seems to get the short end of the stick. For one thing, it’s stuck ...
Creating a Permaculture Home
I first learned about permaculture about 10 years ago when I made a trip out to Bohdi C...
Tutorial- Turn Junk Mail Into Beautiful DIY Handmade Paper
Scratch Mommy… taking junk mail to a WHOLE new level! Handmade paper– we’ve all admired...
5 Tips for Staying Safe When Buying Animals Online
Whether you are just starting up your first homestead or you have lived this lifestyle ...
Setting Your Home up For Montessori
I’m a huge fan of the Montessori Method. I have a history with it that goes back to m...
The Healthy (holistic!) Dog Food for Your Furry Loved Ones
This is Bubbles. She’s our 8 year old shihtzu who doesn’t seem to be able to catch ...
How to Oven Dry Fresh Herbs
Whether you’re growing herbs outdoors in your garden or indoors in containers, there ...
Giving Kids Their Own Space Notebooks
Do you have boxes and boxes of every scrap of paper your child has ever drawn on? Do yo...
DIY Chore Chart
Getting your kids to do their chores on a regular basis can often be challenging. It’...
5 Tips for Balancing Homestead Life
Homesteading life can be described in many ways, but “balanced” isn’t often one of them...
Embracing the Chaos
As we were heading in to the grocery store it was raining, and our five year old daught...
DIY Party Pumpkin Cooler
Along with the crisp Fall air and falling leaves, the month of October brings with it t...
Sweets Overload: How to Avoid a Halloween Horror Story
Halloween is just around the corner and one of my favorite times of the year! But with ...
Capture Beautiful Memories with the OneDay App #OneDayKids
If you’re a parent and you have an iPhone, you’re probably like me and have thousands...
Planting Garlic: Lessons Learned
“Tomatoes and oregano make it Italian; Wine and tarragon make it French. Sour cream mak...
10 Favorite Books for Toddlers
Growing up, I loved reading. Some may have called me a ‘book worm,’ and it was an a...
Hi, I’m Just a Mom
It’s easy to feel like being a mom is not a job or not “good enough.” For some reason, ...
Top 10 Reasons to Raise Meat Chickens
Have you ever considered raising your own meat right in your backyard? Chickens are a g...
The Clover Earth Shoe: A Perfect Mom Shoe
I have a confession to make…I am addicted to shoes. And not in a “oh that’s cute”...
5 Tips To Get the Most from Parent-Teacher Meetings
School and what happens there can be a mystery to many. From that moment when we drop o...
Upcycled Jar Centerpiece
I am so excited for the upcoming holiday. It’s Thanksgiving! There are so many things...
DIY Halloween Trick Or Treat Bag Sewing Project
As tough as it is to let go of summer, fall has its wonderful perks too! It’s a time to...
Fall Garden Clean Up Checklist
As the first frost of the season looms, it is a great time for a little “fall cleanin...
The Joys of Working from Home
“Mommy is always on the computer!” “All mommy does is go on the computer!” The ...
How to Prepare For Your First Time Away From the Kids
There are many mothers that have never spent a night away from their children. However,...
DIY Remembering Summer Mason Jars
Every summer my family takes a week long vacation to Mt. Desert Island, Maine. Summer i...
Top Animals for the Homestead
As I transitioned from a suburban homesteader to a rural one, animals were one of the f...
Thank God for Helpful Husbands
A few weeks ago, I woke up and was greeted with a headache. No problem. I took some med...
Introducing Parenting Contributors – Part Two
In Part One, I introduced you to three of our amazing parenting contributors: Salma Din...
Introducing Our Homesteading Contributors
As the Editor in Chief and Editor of the homesteading section of Scratch Mommy, I am s...
Introducing Our Parenting Contributors – Part One
As the editor of the parenting section of ScratchMommy, I am so thrilled to be creatin...
My Journey: Parenting with Postpartum Depression
When I first learned I was pregnant with my oldest son, the world opened up for me. I t...
Real Food on a Budget: Creating a Price Binder
Many people want to switch over to real food but get overwhelmed when things are a lot ...
Cooking School Series: How to Read a Recipe
As a strong, yet sort of apathetic student in school I finally found myself excited a...
Fall Gardening: What to Plant and When
With temperatures at their highest of the summer all around the country, it’s hard ...
The Benefits of Being Raised by an Alcoholic Mom
I can still remember watching her while she would get ready to go out. She was a beau...
10 Life Lessons I Learned Being Raised on a Dairy Farm
Being a farmer is not for everyone. Owning and operating a small family farm is hard wo...
Do Pastured Eggs Need to Be Refrigerated?
Have you ever received eggs from a farmer that were not refrigerated? Were you a little...
Natural Tattoo Care
I have always loved tattoos, and I love hearing the stories behind them. I got my first...
Five Tips For Kidney Health (& A Tasty Dandelion Smoothie Recipe)!
When my son was in the NICU, just a mere 24 hours after he was born, I heard the doctor...
Calendula Infused & Naturally Tinted Lip Balm DIY
I remember obsessively using and collecting lip gloss as a mature middle school stude...
Soothing Pregnancy Tea Recipe
Ok, mammas this is one for the books. (That means you need to save this one!) I mean yo...
A Storage Solution When Glass Simply Isn’t An Option – Ozeri INSTAVAC Green Earth!
Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial. Are you like me? Do you like ...
The ‘Shotgun’ Approach To Treating Severe Eczema
Warning: This post contains graphic photos of eczema. Not for the squeamish. As many ...
Saving The World (& my health), One Toothbrush At A Time!
Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial. Well, that title might sound ...
Dear Kathie Lee & Hoda (but mostly Kathie Lee) – Don’t Wash YOUR Hair!
This post was written by Leslie Erin of Crunchy Betty, in response to Kathie Lee and H...
‘Fix Pretty Much Anything’ Salve – A Healing DIY Salve
Hello friends! Today I am sharing a crafty concoction that is utilized quite frequently...
The BEST Pumpkin Nut Bread Recipe EVER (seriously, it really is)
You may know that I’ve been on a journey this month with an absolutely amazing group of...
Halloween Real Food Makeovers!
If you spend any time at all on Pinterest, no doubt you’ve seen all of the Halloween “f...
Does This Pumpkin Make You Horny? (a DIY pumpkin lotion tutorial)
That got your attention, didn’t it? Want to really turn your man on? Put away the perfu...
The Sacred Cow: Memoirs of a Former Vegan
Do you identify with any particular style or have any type of definition or label for t...
TIME (& what it means to this WAHM)
As I drove into town tonight with my laptop, ready for a cup of joe at one of my favori...
I Gave My Toddler A Choice…
As you may know, I run a scratch kitchen. I do this for several reasons… It all started...
Garden Battle #1
If we are Facebook friends you may have seen a couple of posts yesterday and today abou...
Taking Lessons From Our Children
I was scrambling to get together a post tonight about getting my sunscreen for sale in ...
Bye, Bye Bugs (especially mosquitoes). Effective DIY Bug Spray Recipe!
Looking for a natural DIY bug spray recipe that will not leave you soaked in horrific c...
Memorial Day (guest post)
Today I am sharing a post that is a bit out of my typical realm. My awesome hubby decid...
Honey, Let’s Talk Honeysuckle!
Mmmm hmmm… It is that time of year. The time of the year when the sweet smell enters th...
Our First Garden Goodies!
We had a lovely dinner with our super neighbor friends a couple of nights ago. What di...
Why I Choose To Be A Criminal – Raw Milk
The following story is a true story. I pulled up to the dirty, rusty, old van parked al...
My Favorite Kitchen Gadgets!
I am a sucker for kitchen gadgets. Well, I’m actually a sucker for all kinds of gadgets...
Earthing…You Dig!??
You’ve heard me say it a time or two before, but I’ll say it again. Yay For Spring! I l...
You Would Be ‘Blessed’ To Have This Holy Thistle In Your Gardens!
Welcome to Part Three of my gardening miniseries where I’m introducing a few things I’m...
Soothing Homemade Tea, Anyone…?
German Chamomile – What Can’t It Do!?? Welcome to Part Two of my gardening miniseries! ...
An 8 Foot Beauty…In Beautiful Orange!
It’s Another Fun Miniseries! My first miniseries revolved around skincare (check out th...
…but what if my breasts don’t work?
That got your attention, didn’t it? Today’s post is one that some people...
Grateful, Loved, and Supported
I am not one to brag; this blog post is not meant to be taken as such. I believe that w...
Calendula-Hula-Who!?? (and why YOU should know)
Well, it looks as though old Punxsutawney Phil got it wrong this year. Where I’m locat...
Essential Oils 101
Essential oils (EO) are the third part of an effective, healthy body lotion. Although...
Ketchup – The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
“Pass the ketchup, please.” “Would you like some ketchup with...