June 22, 2010

Deb's Famous Cinnamon BunsI makes dozens of these a week and my customers love that they are not overly sweet or gooey.

 

Chicken PotluckPotluck recipes are a favorite of mine. And this is a simple, tasty one.

 

Lime and Corn Pasta Salad Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, stir in the rotini, and return to a boil.

 

Peanut Butter Pie This is a good dessert for hot weather because it is chilled before serving.

 

Hawaiian Pork ChopsSeason flour with 1 tsp. garlic and pepper. Beat eggs and season with 1/2 tsp. garlic salt and pepper. Dip pork chops in eggs and then in flour mixture.

 

Housewarming HamburgerBrown meat. Chop onion and add to meat; cook. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Toast buns. Spoon meat into buns.

 

Orange-Cottage Cheese SaladDissolve gelatin in 1/2 cup boiling water. Add 3/4 cup cold water or fruit cocktail juice. Blend in blender with cheese and sour cream. Fold in the rest of the ingredients.

 

Cilantro TilapiaIf you have an open grill rack use a grill basket or make a foil boat to place the fillets on or you'll lose part of the tilapia when turning. Stir together cilantro, garlic, honey, and lime juice in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.

 

Rustic Cardboard BirdhouseYou can hand-craft a piece of art in the form of a life-sized cardboard birdhouse that you can enjoy indoors for years, and later pass on to your heirs or give as a gift.

 

Saba and Giblet (Dog and Cat)Our dog, Sada adopted this kitten at 2 weeks old. Sada was just trying to take a nap, and Giblet just wanted to play, next thing we know, we looked over to see how Sada solved "the problem!"

 

Crabby Hatties

Vacation Bible School had a sea theme this year, so I came up with this craft for preschoolers. You will have to have someone pre-cut these for the kids.

 

Use Mineral Oil To Restore Plastic Patio...I have done this with my plastic Adirondack chairs, and it works. Clean off dirt by hosing the furniture down or wash with soapy water and a rag. Dry off your chair. Wipe mineral oil on it with saturated cloth or use your hands.

 

Sock BabiesTurn your baby's or kid's socks that they have grown out of into cute cuddly sock babies. Fill them with soft items. The other use for them is to fill them with dried beans and use them as a doorstop

 

Decorative Rock PondWe had designed and constructed a rock garden pond in one of our flower beds in the front yard a few years ago; the liner got a hole in it and the pond began to lose water.

 

Make Centerpiece from VegetablesDecorating for a party but you don't have any fresh flowers? Want your table to make a statement with an impressive presence? This idea is so awesome, I just had to share it with you as it's especially eye-catching on a buffet table.

 

Free Summer Kids Movies At Regal CinemasRegal is doing their free kids movies again this summer. Here in Oregon, they are showing movies at 10 AM on both Tuesday and Wednesday. They are second run movies, I'm taking my boys to Planet 51 tomorrow.

 

Make Your Own Patio UmbrellasIf you like to sew, this is one tip you might want to try: I save worn-out beach umbrellas and carefully rip off the cloth from the frame. I save one section to use as a pattern. Buy a package of sun screen/sun block fabric and cut 8 sections from your pattern.

 

Scenery: Blue River FloodThis is the flooding we are having after all the storms. The river was almost over the walkway beside the river. It had already gone down a little before I got to take the picture.

 

Rosebushes for Mother's DayMy husband and children got me this rose bush last year for Mother's Day. It was just a stick in the plastic wrapper. It has grown and is so beautiful to look at.

 

Recycle Waste Water in Your GardenEvery time I washed fruit and vegetables or used the salad spinner I put the 'dirty' water into a bucket. I was really shocked when by the end of the day the 2 gallon bucket was almost full!

 

Take Pets With You On ErrandsGet into the habit of taking your pet with you when you know that you are going to places that you can take your pets. They are great company to have ride along and it acclimates your feathered, furred, or scaly friend to riding in the car before they have to go to the vet.

 

Scenery: Sunset (Onset Bay, MA)This is Onset Bay as the sun is going down. I walk on the beach every night. My 12 year old was totally amazed at the way the boat was in the path of the sun, so I took the picture for him.

 

Mini Graduation CapSince it is graduation time, these are great to make for graduation parties! They are easy enough for kids to do.

 

Making Market Bags from Old T-ShirtsI know that most stores sell cloth bags to reuse for groceries, etc., but you can make your own with a bit of cutting and sewing. Take an old T shirt and lay it out flat on a table. Cut off the sleeves at the armhole seam and scoop out the neckline.

 

Nail Polish Remover to Remove TicksI live in a woodsy area so when I'm working in the yard with plants or mowing and cleaning up, I do pick up a tick every so often. Most of the time people just pull them off and this results in a sore.

 

Don't Add Salt To Salads Before ServingSalt will draw out the juices from the lettuce and greens. That's why when making a salad, you should add the salt at serving time or the salad will be wilted.

 

Use Cooking Oil to Remove Sticky Residue Off FurI had a mouse in the house and placed the sticky tray traps where it was invading. Even though I thought I'd placed them out of the reach of my dogs, my Lhasa got into one and it stuck to her fur. What a mess!

 

Anna-Belle (Jack Russell Terrier)Anna-Belle just turned 9 years old June 5th. She is a Jack Russell Terrier. I bought her when she was 5 months old. She likes to swim!

 

Gardening: Fertilize With Banana PeelsMy grandmother always had the most beautiful gardens I had ever seen but she never used man made fertilizer. One day after breakfast, she was cutting up banana peels into small pieces and crushing egg shells into tiny pieces.

 

Easy Lemon SqueezingIf you have cold lemons and you need to squeeze juice from them, soak your lemons in hot tap water for about ten minutes before you squeeze them and you'll be able to squeeze out much more juice.

 

Wedding Montage Display For 50th Anniversary PartyHere's a great idea that costs nothing and is a great conversation piece for a 50th wedding anniversary party. Make a montage display of the wedding. Include your Mom's wedding dress, treasured original wedding gifts, music from that year.

 

Alvin (Chipmunk)Alvin is a Chipmunk. We just recently moved into a campground for the summer. This little fellow greeted us within days of arriving. He is the camp unofficial welcoming host. My husband John, decided to name him Alvin.

 

Hand Wash Dry Clean Only ClothingIf you have items that you have been dry cleaning (say, a silk blouse), a way to rejuvenate them is to wash them by hand. That will freshen them up by removing cleaning fluid buildup and make the whites white.

 

Use Ladies Shirts as Girls DressesThis is a photo of my 2 granddaughters wearing their new "dresses". They both wear size 4 clothes. Their dresses are actually ladies shirts, size small, that I got brand new off the clearance rack in WalMart for $1 each!

 

Wildlife: Speckled TroutMy son caught this speck last October! With all this oil drama going on, we're all wondering what this year's catch will be like? If there is even a catch!

 

Moving Large Outdoors ObjectsWhen moving heavy objects any kind of distance, place a wheelbarrow turned onto it's side next to the object to be moved. Use a rake to help the object into the wheelbarrow, right the wheelbarrow, and wheel to the area where the object needs to be.

 

Scenery: DaisiesI found these daisies on a hike one afternoon.

 

Homemade Carpet FreshenerWhen your carpets needs refreshing, mix half baking soda and half dry laundry detergent. Sprinkle it all over, let it sit, and vacuum.

 

How to Grow Dazzling DahliasDahlias are a great choice for both new and experienced gardeners alike. These tuberous perennials will grow in full to partial sun, in almost any soil, and are not usually favored by deer or rabbits.

 

Bailey (Mini Schnauzer)Bailey is a 2 year old mini schnauzer. We rescued her from an abusive home. She loves to play with her older sister.

 

Keeping Track of MedicationsI take a lot of medication due to my illnesses. To help me sort my medications, I mark the top of the identical bottles with an AM, NOON, or PM and some with both.

 

Stains on Fiberglass?Help! My terra cotta pots left red stains on my cream-colored, fiberglass jacuzzi. Soft Scrub did not remove them. Any other ideas?

 

Transplanting a Butterfly Weed Plant?How do you transplant a butterfly weed plant? I would like to transplant one that is overgrown to a new area. Is it possible? These are plants that have orange flowers in the summer.

 

Song Birds Stopped Using Feeder?I used to have birds fly into my bird feeders like crazy. It was a runway. Now we have a bluejay (which we have had before), but now the birds are gone. I see them around my yard and in my neighbours', but they have stopped coming to my place.

 

Crock Pot Taco Casserole Recipe?I used to make a dish in the crock pot that was a taco casserole. You leave the tortillas flat and layer them with the taco mixture and cheeses in between the tortillas. I have lost the recipe and wonder if anyone has one that is similar.

 

Advice for Buying a Potter's Wheel?I'm looking into buying a potter's wheel of my own. I've meandered about the internet trying to research which wheels are best for my buck ($600 is my absolute limit), but I have no leads.

 

Tiny Brown Flying Insects?How do I get rid of little brown flying insects? There are millions on the outside of my house and they get in through the screens. Today when I was sitting in my car trying to figure out how to get into the house, they were all over the front and rear door...

 

Getting Roommates to Help Pay Rent on Time?I have two roommates and when it comes time to pay rent and other bills we all have accumulated together, they "conveniently" don't seem to have the money at the moment. I've let it slide often enough that it has become routine.

 

Remove Hard Water Deposits from Stemware?How do I get calcium deposits off my beer and wine glasses?

 

Reviews of Jitterbug Cell Phone Service?Does anyone have Jitterbug phone service? What are the pros or cons?

 

Help With Speech for Receiving a Business Student Award?I will be receiving an award for being the best business student. What can I say?

 

Buying an Inexpensive Wishing Well?Does anyone have ideas for buying inexpensive or making wishing wells?

 

Getting Rid Of Carpenter Ants?Carpenter ants are eating my porch! Any easy solutions?

 

Making a Fence and Cactus Decoration from Cardboard?I need to make a fence out of cardboard to use as a decoration for VBS at church. Any ideas? Templates? Same for a cactus, too.

 

Where Can I Buy Brewers Yeast?Where can I purchase brewer's yeast? I want to use this for our cats.

 

Homemade Groundhog Repellent?How do you get rid of groundhogs that are eating all my veggies in the garden? I'd like a safe way without resulting to trapping or shooting them. Is there a recipe for a home remedy repellent that "really works"?

 

Planning a Trip to Europe?What's better for two weeks in Europe: visit one country or take a tour for 3 or 4 countries? I saw some friends' pictures from Barcelona and Italy here http://www.viaggee.com and I want to visit Paris, too.

 

Homemade Dry Eraser Fluid?Does anyone have the chemical recipe to make a batch of dry erase marker fluid? I'm a teacher in Mexico, where the cost of buying dry erase markers is very high.

 

Why Are My Pickling Cucumbers Yellow and Round?I have planted pickling cukes and they are turning yellow and they are almost shaped like a ball, round. Can you tell me why they are yellow? Thank you.

 

Ideas for Bric-a-Brac to Sell at Markets?I am looking for ideas on bric-a-brac to sell at my stall at the markets. Thanks.

 

Yellow Squash Not Producing?My yellow squash doesn't seen to be producing very much, why?Thank you.

 

What Can I Use as a Substitute for a Flea Comb?I have a 2 year old Shih tzu and she has fleas that I can't get rid of. I've tried flea shampoos, flea sprays, and flea collars, but no results.

 

Cleaning a Dull Fiberglass Sink?How do I bring the black back into a black fiberglass kitchen sink?

 

Tea Kettle Recommendations for Ceramic Top Range?I just bought a new ceramic top electric range and have been told I have to buy a special tea kettle. Any suggestions?

 

Brightening Up a Dark Room?I am decorating on a budget and need some help. Can you help? I just moved, and my bedroom is so dark that I don't really like for it to be that dark. The walls are paneling and the floor is hard wood.