May 20, 2005

Party ReubensCombine first 3 ingredients and set mixture aside. Spread 1/4 tsp. butter on each slice of bread. Place a half slice of corned beef on each piece of buttered bread, folding beef to fit.

 

Apricot Sponge TorteCoat a 9 inch torte pan with removable bottom with cooking spray, and set aside. Beat eggs at medium speed of an electric mixer until foamy. Gradually add sugar, 1 Tbsp. at a time, beating until soft peaks form and sugar dissolves (about 10 minutes).

 

Homemade Fudge RecipeIn a large, heavy pan, melt margarine. Stir in pudding mixes and milk, heat until boiling. Boil 1 minute. Stirring constantly, remove from heat, beat in p.. sugar. Stir in vanilla and nuts. Pour into a buttered 9" x 13" baking dish and chill. May garnish as you wish.

 

Lady (English Bulldog)Here's our English Bulldog "Lady". She's 4 1/2 yrs. Red brindle with fawn and white. She's not just a dog, she's family.

 

Sell Your Infant and Toddler ClothingSell your old infant/toddlers clothes to a consignment shop or have a garage sale. You'll be amazed on how much you receive.

 

Only Buy Things That You Need On SaleDon't buy things just because they are on sale! Only buy things you use and then wait until they are on sale, and use coupons!

 

Keeping Your Work Area CleanTape a common paper lunch bag to the top of the back of your sewing machine to dispose of thread and fabric snips as you sew. This keeps your sewing area neater.

 

Gripping Pens and PencilsSometimes I have a hard time gripping a pencil or pen, I found that if I wrap a thick rubber band around the writing instrument tightly, I can then grip it better.

 

A Fingerprint HuntThis tip is good if you have small children around or large children like my husband, (ha ha), and tend to get fingerprints on your walls. Take fifteen minutes every Saturday with a small container of soapy water and a rag and go on a fingerprint hunt.

 

Templates for Quilt PiecesFor drawing quilting paper-pieced blocks, I take a piece of template plastic (available at Joann's very cheap), and then cut small grooves using an Exacto knife and a cutting mat, corresponding to the lines of the pattern.

 

Trim and Measure as You GoAs you're making your quilt squares, press each time you finish a seam in a pile of squares. If you trim and measure as you are building your seams, your quilt will be much more accurate.

 

Sealing Cabinet KnobsSeal old cabinet knobs with clear nail polish so sticky fingerprints wipe right off.

 

Freshening Stale BreadFreshen stale bread by brushing the top with water, wrap in foil and bake 325 degrees F for 10 min.

 

ThriftyFun News - May 20, 2005 - Quilting TipsOnline version of the ThriftyFun News. Quilting Tips. Volume Seven, Number 20 May 20, 2005

 

Carrying and Storing Quilt SquaresWhen you are working on quilt squares, a perfect carrying case for all your stuff you need is a pizza box. The squares stay nice and flat and all your tools and thread fits just fine.

 

Marigolds for AphidsGarden pests, especially aphids can't stand to be around marigolds, so I plant them around everything, especially carrots and strawberries. Marigolds spread so nicely on their own.

 

"Books I Have Read in My Lifetime"Recently as part of some estate work, I arranged for the removal of the contents of the deceased person's home library. There was a Journal at the end of the book shelf and when I opened it, it read "The Books I Have Read In My Lifetime".

 

Quilting Tips and TricksQuilting tips and tricks from our readers. Quilters are all fabricaholics. I don't even throw tiny scraps away. The tiniest scraps go into a jar labeled "quilt jelly". Larger pieces about the size of the palm of a baby's hand come in handy when you're doing applique.

 

Organizing HatsI own and wear a lot of hats and enjoy the beautiful hat boxes that I have too. It can become labor intensive to find the hat for the season. Solution: I photographed every hat and glued the photograph to the outside of the hat box.

 

Disinfecting Brushes and CombsTo disinfect and clean brushes and combs, just soak in mouthwash.

 

Brush Your Hair Before WashingYou should always brush your hair before you wash it. If you don't, it will be almost impossible to get the tangles out and it will also cause lots of breakage. You can also remember this tip when it comes to bathing long and medium haired dogs and cats.

 

Signature QuiltsQuilts for children and teens can be designed with light colored strips where friends and family can sign their names. It's called a signature quilt. I made one for my daughter-in-law for Christmas, now she already considers it an heirloom, as some of the relatives have passed on.

 

Add Salt To ShampooAdd a little salt to your shampoo before washing your hair. It cleans and shines your hair.

 

Designing Your Own Quilt SquaresIf you have grid paper, it's fun to design your own quilt squares. Keep it simple, but make sure you have lots of colorful fabric, and you'll be sure to have a great quilt. I like to use a color wheel. I have huge doubts about my tastes in color combinations, but I'm getting better.

 

Buying Needles For QuiltingAlways buy the best quality of needles to sew your quilt with and use a nice sharp one each time you sew as a sharp needle forms the best stitches for your quilt.

 

Locating Printer ManualsIf you buy a used printer and it doesn't come with the book, you can go to the makers web site and look up your model. They will have your printers book that you can print out for free. Nice service. You can also read the part you need first to figure out the combinations you need to get it up and going before you use it.

 

Palm Fronds for Cheap Wall CoveringA Great inexpensive way to cover a wall, and make it unique! Use Palm fronds and a staple gun. We did this to my sons' new surfer bedroom.

 

Solutions To Sleep ProblemsHere are some ideas to help you get a good night's rest. Post your ideas!

 

JustFrugal.comI would love to be included on your links page! My site is a frugal and family values site with a small message board.

 

Smelly Kitchen Problem!I have a nice large kitchen and it's where i spend most of my day on the computer. (Yes, the computer is in my kitchen!) The problem is that when I cook fish or Prawns(Shrimp) the kitchen smells for days.

 

Uses for Glad Press'n Seal Wrap?Uses for Glad Press'n Seal Wrap. Post your ideas.

 

Shot Glass Party Favor Sayings?I was wondering if anyone had ideas for a saying I could type up to put in my favors. We purchased shot glasses for favors, so I'd like to use the word "shot" in the saying somehow?

 

Pancake Tips and Recipes?Tips and recipes for making good pancakes. Post your ideas.

 

Solution for Stinky Rawhide?I have a rawhide bridle that smells AWFUL! Part of the process in making it in Peru was FISH OIL. I have had it hanging in a shed for 8 months, but the smell is as bad as ever. Is there ANY way I can clean this stink away and is it safe to get rawhide wet?

 

Raccoon Deterrents?Does anyone have any idea how to get rid of a racoon that is raiding the food in a humming bird feeder? Your suggestions will be appreciated.

 

Question About Jeans Quilts?I would like every type of blue jean quilt that people are willing to share so I can make my first quilts. They are going to be for my three grandsons. What is a good backing?

 

Make Your Own Dry Erase Board?Is there a way to make a small (12" x 18") Dry erase board? (White surface markerboard). The ones I have seen are so expensive.