I know how many of you love the rose products so this pack gives you the rose cleaning paste, rose spray cleaner and rose laundry powder so that you can stock up on your favourites or why not give them to someone special. This offer will only be available this week at the special price of $29.95 for all three products. The products will arrive in a paper gift bag with a sprinkling of dried rose buds so it would make a perfect gift for someone who needs a pick me up or just a present to say how much you love them. To buy these separately it would cost you $41.50 so make the most of this launch special this week only. Clickhere to buy now.
Make a cheap dog bed, rose collection is here, bath soak recipes.
Poor old Shirl got a new dog bed this week which I made out of an old coffee bean sack (see above). But as you can see she had to share it with our two opportunistic cats Sassy and Lucy who have claimed it as their own. It's really easy to make these beds for your dog. In Auckland, cafes who do their own roasting will happily hand over their olds sacks or leave them outside and ask for a gold coin donation. So it's worth asking at your local cafe. Then all you do is slide them over some foam rubber (in my case a cut up old bed topper pad) and sew up the ends if you can be bothered. I've since made two more to put around the house for Shirl so that she has a choice of where to lay her aging old bones during the day.
Rose Collection is Here
I've been dying to get this out to you and finally we have all the labels printed and ready to go. I know how many of you love the rose products so this pack gives you the rose cleaning paste, rose spray cleaner and rose laundry powder so that you can stock up on your favourites or why not give them to someone special? I never leave the house without a packet of rose laundry powder to give someone because I love seeing how their faces light up when they open the pack and have a sniff. This offer will only be available this week at the special price of $29.95 for all three products. The products will arrive in a paper gift bag with a sprinkling of dried rose buds so it would make a perfect gift for someone who needs a pick me up or just a present to say how much you love them. To buy these separately it would cost you $41.50 so make the most of this launch special this week only. Click here to buy now.
How are the chicken vests going?
I had such a huge reaction to last week's newsletter (click here if you missed it) which had the knitting pattern for chicken vests to keep rescued battery hens warm. A few of my more sophisticated friends emailed me to say "Really? Is this what it's come to?" They obviously haven't caught up with the fact that knitting is the new black! Most of you, however, were very enthusiastic. I've had one lovely lady say that a decrease row is not correct so she will email me with the corrections when she gets to it. Has anyone else had a problem with that row? If so, let me know and I'll correct the pattern on the website. Happy knitting!
The world according to stock photos of women.
These days magazines don't always take their own photos to go with their stories. Instead it is much cheaper to find a "stock" photo to go with it which means they buy it from a library which has a million photos of people doing things like being happy, frustrated at work, in love, out of love etc. This article (click to read) written by Lindy West made me laugh so hard at how women are portrayed with the use of these generic photos using unrealistic models and situations. Make sure you click on her red highlights to fully appreciate her humour.
Bath Soak Recipes
The cold weather is here and there's nothing more warming than a nice hot bath to warm you right through. This is the time of year when I start experimenting with various bits and pieces I can throw in the bath. At the moment I'm throwing a lot of epsom salts in my bath as I'm doing some fairly punishing workouts as part of my Fat2Muscle programme. I'm into week four and it is a little disturbing that when I tell my trainer Adam that I was really sore after our workout he cracks a grin of delight! The good news is I managed to fit a pair of jeans which I had "grown" out of, so that gives me the determination to keep going. Epsom salts are actually magnesium sulfate and it's the magnesium which soothes aching muscles (see recipe below). Here are some other bath soaks to try from my book Domestic Goddess on a Budget: PMS soak This is great if you’re feeling a little, shall we say, moody. Into the running bath throw 1 cup sea salt (not cooking salt, it must be raw and smelling of the sea – rock salt is ideal), 1 cup baking soda, 10 drops rose geranium essential oil. Shut the door to the bathroom, tell your family you are out of action for half an hour (or longer if you think you can get away with it), light a single candle and sink into your bath. Banish bad thoughts, think of the beach and relax. Soothing bath bags These are great for kids who have chickenpox or just itchy skin after a night with too many mosquitoes. They’re also great for prickly heat or anyone in need of some soothing. And they make great gifts. Take a square of muslin (I used an old nightie). Place on the square a handful of oats with some herb flowers. I use flowering rosemary, which is good for soothing muscles and is also anti-fungal and antibacterial. Lavender would be good, too. Gather up the corners and tie together with string for a rustic look or a nice long piece of ribbon. Hang from the tap or drop in the bath. You can open and use the oatmeal as a scrub as well, if you don’t mind clearing out the clogged drain at the end! Athlete’s dream soak Believe it or not, I have exercised to exhaustion on occasion, and with the recent rash of women tearing around the place competing in marathons I’m thinking there’s a real need out there for this soak. It’s basically Epsom salts, which has a high magnesium content that helps clear out the lactic acid released during exercise. You must use at least 2 cups per bath but preferably four cups. Don’t add any oils to this as they will change the chemistry of the water. Make the water hot and soak for at least 20 minutes. Help, I’m getting a cold! Even if you get the cold, keep having this bath daily as it works wonders. Run a bath and add 5 drops each of lavender, eucalyptus and peppermint oils. I sometimes use more, but this is good for starters. The peppermint will attach itself to your back and may tingle, but the sensation takes your mind off your cold for a minute.
Sue Kedgley Backs Kiwi Mums
I met with the Greens' Sue Kedgley and Denise Roche to ask them for support for me and the many mums who have contacted me following the recall of four brands of baby wipes from our supermarket shelves because they contained a banned substance - see story below. We want to know how this happened and why the Health Department is refusing to take action against the manufacturers and the supermarkets who allowed these products to be sold. As it stands the Health Department says it is the role of the supermarket to check for safety of the products they sell. Which is laughable as two of the baby wipes recalled were Countdown's homebrand.
Sue has sent this letter to the Minister of Health, Tony Ryall and I hope he takes some time to respond to her and tell all those mothers out there who have concerns that he will act on their behalf.
2 November 2011
Hon Tony Ryall
Minister of Health
Parliament Buildings
Dear Tony
Re: Baby Wipes Containing Banned Chemical
It has been brought to my attention that some brands of baby wipes that were on sale in New Zealand contained iodopropynyl butylcarbamate (IPBC), a preservative that is prohibited by the Cosmetic Products Group Standard in products that are intended for children under three years of age (with the exception of bath products and shampoo).
This preservative is not permitted in baby products because of concerns it may pose a health risk, due to their potential allergenic effects.
When the fact that baby wipes containing this illegal substance was made public by Wendyl Nissen, some retailers carried out a voluntary recall of the product, but there was no penalty or prosecution of the retailers who were selling this illegal product.
I would like clarification around the following:
How were products containing an illegal chemical allowed to be sold by a major supermarket chain, in its home brand, in the first place? And for how long had they been sold prior to their voluntary withdrawal from sale?
What monitoring, if any, is undertaken of products targeted at babies and young children, to ensure they do not contain illegal chemicals?
Is there any random checking of products targeted at babies and young children, to ensure they don’t contain illegal chemicals?
How can we be certain that there are no other products targeted at babies and young children on sale in New Zealand which also contain illegal chemicals?
Why was there no prosecution when these illegal products were found to be on sale around New Zealand?
In the absence of any prosecution for this breach, how can consumers have confidence that the products they purchase for their children are safe, or that retailers will take their responsibility to sell only safe and legal products seriously?
What support will the Ministry of Health offer retailers, importers and manufacturers, to meet their responsibilities under the law, and to ensure that the products they sell do not contain hazardous substances?
I look forward to your reply.
Regards
Sue Kedgley MP
Wipe-out: a great day for Kiwi babies
Mother's Little Helper was only on sale a week when the NZ Herald picked up on my discovery that iodopropynl butylcarbamate (IPBC) was being used in our baby wipes, these three products have been recalled. It turns out that IPBC is banned for products used on children three-years-old and under. You can read all about it here.
Another product Silks (pictured right) listed IPBC as an ingredient but Chris Potter from Global Products who sells them in this country says he was just using old packaging and the wipes don't contain any IPBC. I have had a lot of emails from him and feel it best if you have any queries or concerns to contact him direct 06 344 4650 or email chris@globalproducts.co.nz.
And remember you can just use cloths and water like I did in the 80s or make up my babywipe solution.
Now I am just annoyed that the Cosmetics Toiletries and Fragrance Association sets standards for it's manufacturers but doesn't seem to be a gatekeeper to protect consumers like us from using these babywipes and harming our children.I have been informed by them that it is the Health Department's role to be the gatekeeper. I will be watching closely to see if there is any action taken against these manufacturers (two are homebrand and made for Progressive supermarkets). Or will it just be a case of pulling them off sale and hoping it will go away? I think our mothers and babies deserve more, and it makes me think that if these products can be allowed on our shelves for goodness knows how long and only got withdrawn because of my book, what other dangerous products are out there?
Mother's Little Helper - on sale now- $29.95.
Thanks to everyone who has bought this book, it is selling really well.
The book which was responsible for getting four brands of baby wipes recalled from supermarkets around the country because they contained a banned substance.
This is a must-have book for any new mums because it helps demystify and explain what chemicals to avoid, why and how. It also gives 84 wonderful old-fashioned recipes for anything from making your own baby wipes to rice cereal and face lotion.
Studies have shown that some babies are born pre-polluted with more than 200 chemicals in their bodies, and in the US pediatricians are petitioning the government to ban some of the 80,000 chemicals in our environment that didn’t exist just 80 years ago.
This is a great gift for the baby shower and if you’re going to be a grandma what better gift than sharing some old-fashioned, tried and trusted baby raising recipes?I am delighted that $1 from the sale of each book will go to Plunket.
I loved writing this book and I'm getting lots of positive feedback about it:
"What a thoroughly useful, sensible and reassuring source of information for new mums ...... I'm certainly going to make sure my daughter has a copy!" says Judy Bailey.
“Her honesty and humour is clearly heard in her words. I wish I had this book to read during my first pregnancy. What a wealth of vital information for all new mums," says Lorraine Downes.
“This wonderful book is the perfect gift for new mums. Packed full of sensible advice and common sense, it’s like having a grandmother on hand at any hour of the day and night,” says Kerre Woodham.
Please click here to buy a personally signed copy of Mother's Little Helper.
NEW! If you have friends or family who are big Wendyl's Green Goddess fans but you are not sure what to buy them then get a gift certificate. You can choose the amount then email it to them with your best wishes. They can redeem it on our Shop Now page as long as they register with PayPal which is very easy and safe. Just click the button bar below:
Hello and welcome to Wendyl Nissen's homepage.
This site is all about out how cool it is living like our Nanas used to. I know it's fun because that is how I live my life. After I left a corporate career editing magazines I discovered that a more simple life like Nana led is not only nurturing for yourself and your family but much healthier, cheaper and most importantly green. In my Nana's day she didn't use words like sustainability, recycling or environmentally friendly, yet that is how she lived. She didn't go down to the supermarket to buy a bottle full of bright pink, green or purple chemicals to clean her house, she just went to her pantry and found baking soda, washing soda, vinegar and soap.
Here I share with you the 100% natural cleaning, beauty, cooking and pet recipes plus some knitting patterns I have discovered during the past 10 years since I moved home to work and planted a garden, introduced our three hens Marigold, Yoko and Hillary to our lives and started making my own laundry detergent, spray cleaner and many other products. I'm constantly discovering new things to make and I'm pleased to share them here with you. Just click through the Menu bar on the left And if you want to buy my products or my books hit the Shop Now button. There is also a step-by-step guide if you are new to internet shopping to help you through the process.
Thanks for your interest and happy chemical-free living!
Make a cheap dog bed, rose collection is here, bath soak recipes. 
Mother's Little Helper was only on sale a week when the NZ Herald picked up on my discovery that iodopropynl butylcarbamate (IPBC) was being used in our baby wipes, these three products have been recalled. It turns out that IPBC is banned for products used on children 
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