Monthly Archives

October 2019

AliExpress Shopping Tips

by ''zaga'' October 26, 2019

As far as online shopping goes, AliExpress has been a game changer. There’s nothing you can’t find on this online mega-store, which offers merchandise from sellers all over China. Over the last five or six years, I’ve ordered a lot of different products from this online platform, with varying degrees of success. At first, I tried ordering apparel items, but a few dresses, shawls and T-shirt’s later, realized it was hard to tell from the online images the quality and fitting of the actual piece when it arrived. And although AliExpress does offer a return policy, By the time you pay for the return of your package to China (return shipping costs are not included in the return policy, at least from Israel), you end up paying more than the item’s original cost. I later tried ordering electronics (USB cables, electronic adaptors, home decor (felt like hit or miss, some products we’re lovely and some were awful and cheaply made) and kitchen gadgets with varying degrees of success. Over time, I developed a systematic method for purchasing items on the site, and today most of the items I purchase (I buy nearly all my craft supplies on Ali) end up being pretty spot on, with very few surprises and disappointments. Therefore, I’d like to share a few tips that will help improve your overall shopping experience.

Tip number 1: New to shopping on AliExpress? You should read this.

Before purchasing anything on www.aliexpress.com, read the following guide published on the AliExpress blog https://alixblog.com/en/guide-aliexpress/. The information here is great for beginner shoppers! There’s also a Best AliExpress Sellers Guide that you may find useful.

Tip number 2: Hunting for a particular item? Overwhelmed by all the options on site? Here’s what I learnt about changing the AliExpress platform search filters.

Let’s say you’re looking to purchase a USB drive. If you search on AliExpress for USB drive, they’ll be endless options to choose from. What I like to do, is change the default filter option on the left side of the screen from “Best Match” to “Orders” and tick the “4 and up” stars option.

If you’re wondering why it’s important to choose these filter options, the reason is that the sale volume reflects the “attractiveness” of an item and its seller. When I first started purchasing items on AliExpress, I usually sorted the item list with the “Price” filter, choosing to purchase the least expensive item. After a while I realized this wasn’t a good method, because sellers who don’t have a large sales volume will often offer a slightly lower price on an item, but may take forever to deliver it (one of the seller’s didn’t even have the item in the inventory) or cause difficulties when wanting to return it. The bottom line is that the more customers ordered a certain item and gave it a 4+ review, the higher the chance that it will be a quality product that you’ll enjoy. Peer reviews are very important and informative on this platform, especially when reviewers add photographs of the purchased items. You’re better off paying $2-$3 dollars more, for the peace of mind that the product will meet its online description.

Decided on an item you like? Great. Just don’t forget to take a peek at the customer’s satisfaction from the store before you order. All you need to do is hover your mouse above the name of the store on the product page, and you’ll be able to see the seller ratings, plus how long the store has been opened on AliExpress. As a rule of thumb, I’d try and buy only from stores with a 4.5+ seller rating, which has been open for at least 6 months.

Chose this product? Have a look at the store review before purchasing

Tip number 3: Choosing the right shipping method for your needs.

When I first started ordering items from AliExpress, I wasn’t very selective in choosing a shipping method. I usually just went with the default option offered by the seller. All this changed when I discovered the option of epacket.

ePacket delivery is a shipping option offered by merchants in China and Hong Kong. It’s an agreement between the US Postal Service (USPS) and Hong Kong Post, allowing for faster delivery of products coming from China and Hong Kong to a number of different countries. You can use ePacket to send small packages weighing up to 2 kg (4.4 lbs) and a total value of $400. Some sellers offer ePacket delivery for free, but even when it’s not, you’ll be paying up to $3-$4 dollars more for a significantly faster delivery experience (here in Israel, some packages arrive within one week!). The longest I’ve had to wait for an ePacket to arrive has been about two weeks. It’s a great way to order from China, without having to wait 4-6 weeks for your packet to arrive with the traditional delivery options (such as China Post Registered Air Mail, China Post Ordinary Small Packet Plus, etc). ePacket packages can be tracked here.

I hope my experience’s help you with your future purchases…Happy shopping!

October 26, 2019 0 comments

Plants and Gardening

Easy Tutorial For Making Self-Watering Herb Jars From Cuttings

by ''zaga'' October 19, 2019

While humans can’t regrow whole organs, plants can and do! I learned this a while ago and have been trying to regrow different herbs and vegetable cuttings at home with varying degrees of success. The herbs I’ve been most successful growing have been basil and mint, with thyme, oregano and rosemary taking much longer to grow roots (but with patience eventually do). The cool thing is, you can either replant the cutting in the ground when it sprouts, or keep it in jar filled with water on a bright windowsill. I was looking for an attractive way to do this, that would work as a self-watering system (so the water could be replaced infrequently). Here’s the best option I found so far.

You will need:

Clear plastic planting basket. I bought mine on AliExpress.
A pretty glass jar. You need your jar’s opening to fit the plastic basket (make sure you measure the diameter). I bought mine at the local dollar store.
A herb cutting- in this tutorial I used a basil plant. The idea is to cut a 4 inch (=10 cm) long cutting of basil from your plant, right below a leaf node (the little bumps where the leaves grow from). Ideally the cutting has at least 2 or 3 leaf nodes above the point you cut it from the mother plant. Then remove most of the leaves from the cutting, leaving only the leaves growing on top.
Hydrotone, or clay pebbles. I bought mine at the local hydroponic store. You can also find them on amazon.
A piece of cotton rope. I used a 4mm cotton rope from a previous macrame project (:

First, measure the distance from the opening of the jar to its base. Cut your cotton cord at this length. Place the cotton cord in the plastic planting basket, then add the basil cutting and clay pebbles to hold it in place.

After about 5-6 weeks, this is what the basil jar looks like:

Basil jar- take a look at all those roots!

Pretty cool right? the cotton rope help keep the plant hydrated, even when the water level starts dropping! It’s also a great way to keep your herbs alive while traveling. At this point you either leave the basil to continue growing hydroponically, or plant it in soil.

Let me know how yours turned out. What other herbs have you successfully cultivated in water?

October 19, 2019 0 comments

Plants and Gardening

Orchid Care 101- What I’ve Learned From Caring for Our Orchid

by ''zaga'' October 12, 2019

When we we’re married over a year ago, one of my colleagues sent us a wedding gift- a beautiful Phalaenopsis orchid. I had about zero knowledge of how to take care of orchids, and started fretting about where to position it, how to water it, when to add fertilizer, etc. I’ve got to admit that a lot of what I’ve learnt has been through trial and error. At first I nearly killed my plant by overwatering it and keeping it in the opaque ceramic pot it came in. Luckily, a friend mentioned the plant seemed to be suffering and that it needs to be set free from the pot and repotted in a clear plastic container.

Today I’d like to share with you a few tips and tricks I learnt from caring for our orchid this year, and also experiment with a new potting medium- clay pebbles.

First, a few general rules for caring for your orchid:

Positioning your orchid: Phalaenopsis orchids don’t like direct sunlight. In nature, they thrive in humid, tropical climates, growing on tree branches and between rocks near water streams. It’s pretty tricky finding a place they fancy in your regular home environment. So far our orchid’s favorite place seems to be by our living room window, facing east, in partial shade most hours of the day. Anything darker than that and the plant starts slumping, and anything lighter and its leaves start burning.

Watering your orchid: I know they say orchids like moisture, but from my experience, if you don’t want your plant rotting, it safer if you let it stay on the dry side. I try to water ours no more than once a week, and in the winter months sometimes even every 10-14 days. The best is to check the potting medium- if it still looks wet, I hold on watering. If it looks dry- it’s ok to go ahead and water. Make sure your orchid pot has drainage holes at the bottom! I find that the best way to water our orchid is to place the orchid pot in a large plastic basin or container filled with distilled water (only the roots need water, don’t let the water level reach the leaves) for about 15 minutes, and then let all the water drain out from the holes at the bottom of the pot into the sink before returning the orchid to its tray near the window.

Fertilizing your orchid: I use liquid orchid fertilizer every two weeks when it blooms, and once a month when dormant. The easiest is to add the fertilizer (read the instructions for quantities) to the distilled water I use to water the plant. Use the same method mentioned above- let the orchid sit in the fertilized water for about 15 minutes, and then let the water drain in the sink before returning the orchid to its favorite spot near the window. Forgot to use fertilizer for a couple of months? No biggy. Our orchid still flowered even when I used less fertilizer.

Pruning, repotting, and general maintenance: As a general rule of thumb, it’s a good idea to repot your orchid every 1-2 years. This is your chance to check the orchid’s roots and see that your orchid is happy and healthy.

Here’s what our orchid looked like after if finished blooming a month ago:

Since I had recently purchased a new clear glass ikea plant pot, I decided now would be a good time to repot it (glass looks nicer than plastic).

one of the bottom leaves had wilted and needed to be removed

Another problem I faced was I saw tiny aphids crawling around the roots of the plant. So I wanted to be able to rinse the orchid roots under water to try and get rid of them.

NYSKÖRDAD with hole at base — **NYSKÖRDAD** Ikea lear glass pot

I asked my friend Nadav to drill a hole in the Ikea pot ( remember we said how important proper water drainage is?) I’m actually surprised the pot doesn’t come with holes to begin with.

I then gently lifted the orchid out of the plastic container, careful not to injure the roots in the process.

After cleaning away the potting medium and removing the dead leaf, the orchid roots looked like this-

I took a pair of clean scissors (I cleaned my scissors with soap and water, dried them, and then sprayed them with 70% isopropyl alcohol just to make sure they were completely sterile. You don’t want to introduce viruses to your plant) and started trimming the roots that looked dry/brown and dead to me. Anything green was left untouched. If I wasn’t sure- better safe than sorry, I just let them be.

The next step (and actually a bit experimental for me) was to take clay pebbles instead of orchid potting medium and repot the orchid.

The reason I decided to try clay pebbles was that I suspected the aphids that infested my plant were introduced via the potting medium last fall. I was looking for an alternative potting medium that wouldn’t host parasites as easily, and found a post on an Israeli gardening forum where one of the gardeners tried replacing her potting medium with clay pebbles. It turned out to be a huge success, with her orchid thriving. Since I have a lot of clay pebbles anyway at home (I use a hydroponic system for growing herbs), I decided to give it a try.

Orchid with clay pebbles — I placed the orchid gently in the glass pot, then added the clay pebbles all around for support.

The last step was to trim the spikes, or stems.

I took my scissors, cleaned them again, and cut the spikes about 1 inch (2.5 cm) above the node, which is the little bump or connector you see between two sections on the stem.

I chose to cut the orchid above the base node, because last year I trimmed the stems halfway and I didn’t like the way the spike regrew sideways. I much prefer the plant conserve its energy during the winter months and regrow new spikes from the base.

After trimming the spike, take a cotton swab, dip it in water, and sprinkle with cinnamon. then gently swab the tips of the raw spikes.

Doing this prevents your orchid from contracting illnesses.

swabbing the orchid tip with cinnamon — Gently swabbing the tip of the raw spike

Your’e done! put your orchid back in its favorite place, and don’t forget to show it lots of tender loving care (:

October 12, 2019 0 comments

DIY tutorials

Cutting Glass Bottles at Home- a Tutorial

by ''zaga'' October 10, 2019

So, for a while now I’ve wanted to learn how to cut glass bottles at home. There are so many great project ideas you can make with repurposed glass bottles- from candle containers to planters to hanging lanterns, there are endless possibilities and examples on the web. I ran a search on pinterest, youtube and google on how to cut glass at home, with the leading and simplest method I found was to use a string with alcohol or acetone (you can see an example on youtube here). I decided to give it a try, but 3-4 bottles later I realized this method wasn’t for me. Not only did it feel incredibly hazardous, it also resulted in an uneven cut around the edges of the final product. I mentioned this to a friend of mine, who said he’d seen inexpensive small bottle cutting machines you can purchase online. After debating between two different models (one stationary and the other one mobile) I decided to go with the stationary one (it just felt safer to use). You can have a look at the model I purchased here. I bought mine on AliExpress because that was the least expensive option with shipping to Israel (around $15, a true bargain), but you can get similar ones in the US on amazon.

I started by watching an online demonstration on AliExpress of how to use the bottle cutter. The idea is to rotate the glass versus a tiny cutting blade, thus marking a thin circular line around the bottle. This line is what helps break the glass evenly later on, by creating a weak spot in the bottle that will crack when exposed intermittently to hot water (causing glass expansion) and then cold water (causing glass contraction).

Ready? here we go.

What you’ll need:

A glass cutting machine.
Any glass bottle you have around- I used an empty wine bottle. If you’re not planning on keeping the label, I advice you remove it NOW as it will get harder later and can affect the way the blade scores the glass. I find that the best method is to let the bottle soak in warm soapy water for about 30 minutes, and then scrub the label with a stainless-steel metal scrub.
Gloves and Eye protection. Very Important! Don’t skip on getting these. I like using thick water-resistant kitchen gloves, since when I tried using cut-resistant gloves they became water-soaked and soggy when I poured the hot/cold water on the bottle (explained later in this tutorial).
A kettle with boiling hot water.
A container with really cold water. I personally like adding ice to mine.

Step 1: Place the bottle in the glass cutting machine. The point where the glass will be cut can be adjusted using two little knobs. I like to place the machine on top of aluminum or plastic wrap, where I later place all the rest of the equipment I use while cutting glass in the kitchen- just to be on the safe side as you don’t want small chips of glass floating around your counter top.

It’s important to use at least moderate pressure when pressing the glass versus the tiny blade, or it won’t mark the glass. I learnt that you need to hear a light scratching sound to know it’s working. You also don’t want to repeat the same point twice- that will create an uneven line and there’s a good chance the glass won’t break symmetrically. It helps to mark the glass with a permanent marker, so you know at what point you started rotating it.

Step 2: After you made sure the bottle was marked in a full circle, add two rubber bands (If your kit doesn’t come with them or if you happen to lose them, you can always use plain elastic hair bands as a replacement) above and below the score line. The rubber bands help concentrate the water (and energy) around the line.

Step 3: Heat about 2 liters (70 Oz), or 10 cups of water in a kettle, and go ahead and fill an additional container with about half that amount of cold water. I like adding ice to make sure the water is REALLY cold.

Step 4: Fill a large plastic container about half way with regular tap water and place in your sink. The water will soften the fall of the glass when it cracks (safety first people).

Step 5: While holding the bottle above the plastic container with your non dominant hand (I let mine sort of lean on the container for support, keeping it parallel to the water), pour the boiling water with your dominant hand on the scoring mark between the two bands while rotating the bottle constantly. I do this for about 40 seconds to one minute, or until I finished most of my hot water. Then quickly (without moving the bottle) take the cold water container and pour the water on the same spot, again rotating the bottle for another 20-30 seconds. If you’re not sure about the whole process, take a look again at the link I posted above. At this point the bottle usually comes apart, but if it doesn’t, put down the cold water, re-apply hot water to the score line- and that usually does it.

Step 6: Take some gentle sandpaper, and sand down the edges of the glass. I do this above the plastic container filled with water in the sink, and then spill the water out when I’m finished.

Here’s a tip for you- My friend Nadav suggested taking small spare blocks of wood from previous projects, wrapping the sandpaper around them with tape and then sanding the glass. It’s easier and safer.

And that’s it! Now you can take your newly crafted glass and be creative!

I’ll be uploading a few ideas soon.

October 10, 2019 0 comments

DIY tutorials

How to Make Your Own Flower Arrangements at Home- a Tutorial

by ''zaga'' October 10, 2019

So, you know how sometimes you see really beautiful flowers in the local farmer’s market or supermarket, but you don’t know how to combine them together to make a gorgeous bouquet like the florists do? For a long time, I was wondering how florists knew how to integrate flowers to create eye catching floral arrangements. I used to watch them combine the flowers I chose at the local nursery, but had a hard time recreating similar arrangements on my own at home. Then about a week ago, I saw a florist at a local market here in Israel (Carmel market) use a large clear vase (instead of laying the flowers on the table) to create a flower arrangement working her way from the outside inwards. When trying the method at home, I realized it’s the easiest and friendliest flower arrangement method I’ve seen for non-professionals such as myself.

Here’s what you’ll need:

(BTW, if you’re not sure you know what the following flowers look like, just run the name in the pinterest search tab online)

One pack of “centerpiece” flowers. Centerpiece flowers are the dominant element in your arrangement, so I like choosing a relatively large/impressive flower such as lilies and Gladiolus. In this tutorial I chose Lilies.
One-two “Filler” flower packs. Here I like choosing at least one pack of small, unassuming flowers. In this tutorial I chose white Yarrow and yellow Solidago, but any small flower will do.
Green leaves of your choice. I like Eucalyptus leaves, Israeli Ruscus, and Leatherleaf Fern. In this tutorial, I chose Israeli Ruscus.

Optional- one pack of medium sized flowers, such as Lisianthus or Snapdragon. I didn’t add them in this tutorial, but they’ll definitely add color and texture.

First, lay your flower packs on your kitchen table.

flower's used in flower arrangement tutorial

Step 1: Choose one of the lead flowers and place it in the vase. If it’s too long, cut it so sits in the vase without tipping over.

Now use this flower’s height as a reference for cutting all the rest of the flowers and greens. Remove any extra leaves on the flowers/greens that are below the top of the vase (you don’t want them sitting and decaying from the exposure to water).

Divide your greens into two piles. I had about 10 leaves, so I placed 5 leaves the vase like this (uneven numbers work best here).

Step 2: Take your filler flowers, and place one filler flower between each two green leaves.

Step 3: I had two different colors of filler flowers (white and yellow), so I added a second round of yellow filler flowers in between every two white filler flowers. Remember- we’re working from the outside inwards, so place them closer to the center of the vase.

Step 4: Now add your centerpiece flowers between each two yellow flowers.

You’ve completed round 1! If you have more flowers and greens, repeat steps 1-4, working from the outside inwards. For example- I had 5 greens I used in the beginning, and was left with 5 additional greens, so I started the process again adding greens right after adding the centerpiece flowers. It’s a good idea to have a few extra greens to add randomly across the arrangement at the end.

Here’s the final result:

I love how this flower arrangement turned out, and it was super intuitive and easy to assemble.

I’ve seen a lot of people add bleach or sugar to their flowers, supposedly to keep them alive longer. Neither method has worked for me in the past. I find that the best is simply to replace the water in the vase every day, and after 2-3 days I also like trimming the ends a bit diagonally.

I hope you find this tutorial helpful!

October 10, 2019 0 comments

Beauty and Wellness

Top Korean Skincare Products for Normal/Combination Skin

by ''zaga'' October 5, 2019

I noticed that Korean skincare and cosmetics have become increasingly popular in the last few years. I first became aware of Korean skincare products when visiting a friend in the US, who swore by one the Innisfree products and insisted I try it. but now you can find them almost everywhere, even in our local pharmacies here in Israel (although the selection isn’t as impressive as abroad).

I read and watched on youtube numerous reviews of the different products available, specifically tailored to normal/combination skin. At first I felt overwhelmed, but then I realised there were certain products that appeared over and over again on the review lists, and narrowed my selection to the best 8 products that seemed worth trying.

Ready? Here’s my round-up:

1.The Face Shop, Rice Water Bright

The Face Shop’s Rice Water Foaming Cleanser is enriched with natural brightening rice water, a gentle cleansing foam suppose to improve the appearance of skin pigmentation. The cleanser has a nice texture and spreads evenly on the skin. However, I didn’t like the scent, and even though I used it quite regularly I’m not convinced it fights pigmentation. My verdict: 7/10

2. Skinfood, Peach Sake Toner

Made with rice sake and peach extracts and rich in vitamins A and C, Skinfood’s Peach Toner promises to minimize shine pore size. I’m not sure about the pore size, but it definitely minimizes shine, smells nice and has a refreshing effect on the skin. The only disadvantage I can think about is that it contains alcohol, so if your skin is on the dry side this isn’t the toner for you. My verdict: 8/10

3. Son & Park, Beauty Water

I read a lot of rave reviews about this product. The online product description on Soko Glam site states: “This multi-tasking toner and cleansing water has quickly become a cult favorite, as well as a 2015 Soko Glam Beauty Award Winner”. The product is suppose to be a cleanser/daily refresher, boasting willow bark and papaya extract, Lavender water, rose water, and orange fruit extract. Sounds like you shouldn’t go wrong? right??

Well I’ve got to admit I don’t understand the hype. Using the product didn’t feel much different to me than using the Thayer’s good old basic witch hazel toner you can get online for a third of the price. Bottom line- nice, but definitely not a must for your skincare routine. Final verdict: 7/10

4. Skinfood, Black Sugar, Strawberry Mask Wash Off

Skinfood’s facial mask contains mineral-rich organic black sugar, along with strawberry seeds and strawberry seed oil. The mask is suppose to both exfoliate and moisturise the skin simultaneously. I first tried applying it as a mask, leaving it on for 10-15 minutes, but I’m not a big fan of un-drying masks, and sort of lost my patience real quickly. I then tried using it as an facial exfoliator in the shower- first rinsing my face with soap, and then massaging the mask paste in circular motions around my forehead, cheeks and chin to help exfoliate dead skin. I didn’t wait the 10-15 minutes but rather rinsed the mask off immediately. I found this just as effective and not as time consuming, although it does defeat the purpose of applying a mask and turns the product into a sort of scrub. Still would give it a thumbs up. My verdict: 8/10

5. Laneige Water Sleeping Mask

An overnight moisture-rich gel mask, this was the first all-night mask I ever tried, and so far has been the best one! The Non-comedogenic formula is lightweight and quickly disappears when applied to the skin before going to bed- meaning you don’t need to worry about it clogging your pores or staining your bed linen. Sometimes it’s easy to forget you had even applied it! What reminds me is the wonderful feeling my skin has when I rinse it in the morning- the skin has a supple, super soft texture to it. This product is a must. Also available in a Lavender scent. My verdict: 9/10.

6. Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask

Also a Laneige product, this lip sleeping mask both smells (and tastes (:) delicious, however I have to admit I didn’t see a major difference using it compared to other ordinary lip balms. I’ve seen at least 3 other scents online (grapefruit, vanilla, apple lime), but berry seems to be the most popular scent. My verdict: 8/10

7. Inisfree Volcanic Clay Mask

So I’ll start by saying that I credit Innisfree for introducing me to the world of Korean skincare. Innisfree is a naturalistic brand, with an emphasis on green and eco-friendly products. The first Korean-made product I ever tried was the Innisfree’s Daily UV Protection Cream , and I was so impressed that I went on to purchase a few more of their products to try at home. One of these products was the volcanic clay mask. There are 7 different masks in the volcanic clay mask range, each offering a different effect (brightening, hydrating, purifying, etc) and they can be combined together (for example- purifying on the T-zone area, hydrating on the cheeks) according to your personal needs. While I only tried the purifying one, it was hard for me to tell the difference between this mask and any other clay mask I have tried in the past. However, at a 10$ price tag, it’s hard to go wrong. My verdict: 7/10.

8. Etude House- Sunprise Airy Finish Sunscreen

I have one word for you. WOW!!! from all the products I reviewed here today, this by far is the most impressive one. I’m fair skinned and live in a super sunny climate, so I’ve tried countless different sunscreens over the years from all the different name brands. Even brands that are supposedly non-comedogenic, caused me to break out terribly and had a greasy feel to them. Not this sunscreen. This sunscreen is like magic- once applied, it absorbs into your skin without leaving a trace, with an almost mattyfing effect. With a 50 SPF, I feel safe tracing around town without having to reapply the sunscreen all the time, and can’t recall getting burnt once. I’m in love. My verdict: 10/10!!!

And it’s a wrap! Let me know if you’d tried any of these products and your impression of them.

October 5, 2019 0 comments