So after spending a week in the hospital, due to a blood clot in my leg and smaller clots in both lower lobes of my lungs, I am home and resting. During my stay at the hospital, for the first few days, I could NOT move from my bed. Needless to say, I did a tremendous amount of reading.
One magazine that had arrived in my mail, was Mary Jane's Farm, The Everyday Organic Lifestyle magazine. I don't remember subscribing to this, but will definitely enter my renewal. This is full of great organic ideas for around your home as well as many unique ideas for recycling.
For all of you thinking of Spring Cleaning, which according to Punxsutawney Phil, spring is just around the corner, there is an article on how to make Homemade Milk Paint, courtesy of The Real Milk Paint Co.,
Milk has been used as a base for paint for centuries. Cave paintings and Eqyptian artifacts were painted with a milk mixture and have survived throughout the years with vibrant colors. Milk paint is a simple mixture of milk and lime and was used to paint furniture, houses and barns. A protein found in milk called Casein, dries to a very hard finish, and is so durable that even a harsh chemical stripper cannot remove it. You can add earth-based pigments to tint or color the paint producing intense, velvety colors.
The best thing about milk paint is that it is completely non-toxic and biodegradable. You can make milk paint at home using the following recipe:
Homemade 1870's Milk Paint Formula
1 quart skim milk, at room temperature
1 ounce hydrated lime by weight, available at building centers
(Do Not Use quicklime, as it will react with the water and heat up. Hydrated lime has been soaked in water, then dried.)
Earth based powdered pigments to tint (color) the paint
1. Stir in enough skim milk to hydrated lime to make a cream. Stir in remaining skim milk; mix well.
2. To tint, add powdered pigment (available at www.realmilkpaint.com) to desired color and consistency (pigment powder must be lime-proof.) Styir well for a few minutes before using.
For best results, continue to stir paint throughout use. Apply with a cheap, natural bristle brush. Allow to dry before applying next coat, and dry thoroughly 3 to 4 hours before use. For extra protection, give paint a coat of oil finish or sealer. Colors may change, test in an in cospicuous area. Mixed paint may be kept for several days in the refrigerator, until the milk sours.
Milk paint does not stick well to metal surfaces, plastics, or oil-based paints.
As my voyage to live a more sustainable lifestyle, this project has been added to my To Do List. And don't forget to check out my site here for all of your cleaning and personal eco-friendly, non-toxic needs. Any questions, feel free to e-mail me at atjshelby at yahoo dot com.
