June 28, 2006

Apple Raisin Oat CookiesPreheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a medium bowl, combine oats, flour, whole-wheat flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Stir to combine.

 

Orange Banana SmoothieOrange Banana Smoothie recipe. Combine in blender and process until smooth. Simple to make...

 

Spiced MeatballsCook onion in 2 tablespoons of butter; combine with meat, bread crumbs, milk, eggs, and seasonings. Mix together and form into firm balls about 1-inch in diameter. Cook in small batches with a little butter or margarine and shake pan frequently to help prevent sticking. . .

 

No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter BarsGrease 9x13 inch pan. Beat 1 1/4 cup peanut butter and butter in large bowl until creamy. Gradually add 1 cup powdered sugar. With hands or wooden spoon, work in remaining powdered sugar. . .

 

Non Alcoholic Strawberry MargaritaNon Alcoholic Strawberry Margarita recipe. Place all ingredients in blender and blend until well mixed and thick...

 

Maple IcingBoil syrup without stirring until it spins a fine thread. Pour gradually over the stiffly beaten egg whites.

 

Caramel Banana-Cream RollBeat milk and pudding mix as directed on package. Refrigerate 45 minutes to one hour until set. Stir topping in a small saucepan over medium low heat until warm.

 

Boston Iced TeaBoston Iced Tea recipe. Heat water to boiling. Add sugar. Stir until dissolved. Add tea bags and let steep 4-5 minutes. Remove tea bags add juice concentrate...

 

Zucchini PieNo one knows that this is zucchini if you remove the seeds. I've fooled many friends. Enjoy!

 

Measuring Elastic for ClothingElastic around your waist should be your waist size minus 2 inches. It works every time.

 

Cleaning CDs and DVDsTo take care of DVDs and CDs that have been scratched; instead of buying an expensive kit to fix them, put a little rubbing alcohol on a paper towel and working from the inside of the disc outward.

 

"Gerber" Baby Favors for 1st Birthday PartyFor my daughter's first birthday party, I made her into the "Gerber" baby by creating new "labels" for the jars. I started with a Word document and inserted a picture of her from my Kodak files.

 

Wahkeena Falls, ORA picture of Wahkeena Falls in Oregon.

 

Leo (Tabby Cat)Leo is a 3 year old tabby cat. He was given to us. He likes to get into everything and loves to have his picture taken.

 

Alter Thrift Store Clothes for Original LookMy daughters like to "design" some of their own clothes, which often means they will be either cutting or adding something to their clothing.

 

Make Your Own Rain BarrelMake Your Own Rain Barrel in 6 Easy Steps. If you have a downspout on the side of your house or garage that directs water away from your house, you're potentially letting a big part of your water bill wash down the rain gutter.

 

Duct Tape WalletThis very simple version of an old duct tape favorite is functional and sturdy enough for everyday use.

 

Homemade Drip Irrigation HoseIf you have an old or cracked garden hose lying around it's pretty easy to turn it into a drip irrigation hose. Use an ice pick or other sharp implement to poke holes in the hose.

 

Uses for Dollar Store Cookie CuttersMake paper characters - either ink bottoms with magic marker or ink pad. Then apply to paper or paperboard the character outline. Then decorate to your taste. From there you have got yourself a movable figure or a refrigerator magnet and whatever else you may come up with. . .

 

Patriotic Ice Cream BouquetI made a patriotic decoration to be used for 4th of July. I took a plastic parfait glass and layered the following; put a paper patriotic napkin in the bottom, next layer was shredded gift bag paper, another patriotic napkin (folded to fit in the glass). . .

 

Remaking a Dress into a SkirtIf the top part of a child's dress doesn't fit, but the skirt part does, you can cut off the blouse portion, sew up the back part of the skirt, hem the waist area, insert elastic and make it into a skirt.

 

Prepare For Pattern SalesThe price of patterns are very very high. Our local fabric store has sales frequently on patterns. So I go through the books or search online prior to the sale, write down what interest me on a small notebook, write what pattern company sells it.

 

Bonnie, Spurt and Maggie (European Shorthair -...Three years ago, I found 4 kittens under a bush in the pouring rain when they where just tiny kittens about 4 weeks old. They were very sick with cat flu and extremely skinny and it took a lot of TLC and visits to the vet to try to keep them all alive...

 

Clearing Murky Pond WaterThere is a growing trend in gardening of adding water features to the yard and garden. Installing a pond to your landscape gives your garden a sense of peace and serenity and makes a delightful addition for backyard wildlife. Neglecting to maintain it, however, can quickly turn your tranquil pond into a smelly, murky headache.

 

Get Firewood Now, Don't Wait for WinterYou can save money on firewood by getting it in early summer and late spring. For starters, you pay a premium the closer you get to cold weather. And, you don't have to limit yourself to buying firewood that is completely dry, it will cure over the summer months and be ready to burn when you need it.

 

Homemade Camping Picnic TableWe found a pattern for a picnic table constructed from 1 piece of 3/4 inch plywood. It will seat 4-6 people and is small enough to fit in the back of a SUV.

 

Mary (Mixed Breed)We call her Girl Friend, Mary Girl, Momma Mary. She is 2 years old and her breed is a little bit of this and a little bit of that. . .

 

Using a Flea Comb for Dog GroomingWhen trying to brush you medium to long haired dog to remove loose hair, try using a flea comb. They are great. They are inexpensive and work as well if not better than most "As Seen On TV" pet grooming tools. . .

 

Sizes of Patterns for ChildrenWhen buying seasonal patterns for children, I try to make sure there is a size for when I can actually make the item. If it's for next year, make sure you get a bigger size. If the pattern is a classic you may want to get two sizes.

 

Camping Tips?I would love to hear other people's camping hints. Here are some of mine:

 

Rooting a Rosebush?I would like information on how to multiply my great smelling rosebush. I have heard about rooting hormones, but does it really work, and how do you do it?

 

Apple Lost My RAM?Just a warning to people who own Macintosh computers and need to get them repaired. I sent a G4 iBook in for repair and when it returned, it was missing the 512 of RAM that was in the secondary RAM slot. The logic board was replaced, so it certainly had to be taken out to make the repair, but the tech never noted that it had the 512 MB of RAM.

 

Decontaminating Soil Before Growing Vegetables?Is there any way to decontaminate existing flower beds of dog and cat feces so that I could plant vegetables such as beans, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squash?

 

Closet Smells Like Cat Litter?We just moved into a rental townhouse. I am pretty sure who ever lived there before us had a litter pan in the upstairs linen closet. It does NOT have a urine smell, but more like the actual kitty litter itself. I have tried several things to get this smell out -- washed the closet down, aired out the shelves in the sun, baking soda in the bottom -- I am at a loss now.

 

Beauty Recipes Made With Lavender?I recently came across some dried lavender flowers. Does anyone know of a website or ideas for soaps, scrubs, etc. I would also like to find out how to make my own lavender oil.

 

Transportation Problems?I am a single parent and I only get paid at the end of every month. Like all parents, I have my child involved in an extracurricular activity. I cannot make it with one paycheck each month. I thank God for my transportation, however, I am putting oil in the car at least twice or three times a week and that takes money.

 

Fans Vs. Central Air Conditioning?Fans Vs. Central Air Conditioning. I would like to know what is more energy efficient: Using central air with ceiling fans OR using window fans with ceiling fans to cool the house. I really wonder because the central air only comes on when needed but the window fans are running constantly and are set at the highest settings. Does anyone know?

 

Dog Pees in the House When I'm at Work?My dog is 2. He was crate trained but he pees in the house when I leave him to go to work for 9 hours. How do I stop this he is ruining my carpet?

 

Peach Pound Cake?Peach Pound Cake recipe. I am looking for a recipe for peach pound cake. The ones I have all contain cinnamon, which makes the cake dark. I want a different color batter.

 

What Can I Plant on Top of a Septic Tank?I am wondering what can be planted on top of a septic tank besides grass? I know trees are out!