March 15, 2011

Baby Fruits Cut each fruit into quarters, then put into a bowl and cover to microwave for about 4 minutes. Chop fruit with an electric blender or chopper. You can use immediately or store by freezing in ice cube trays.

 

Banana-Oatmeal Breakfast For babies 8 months or older. Combine oats and 1/2 cup formula. Bring to a boil, and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, mash banana and 1/4 cup formula. Combine banana and oatmeal mixtures.

 

Homemade Chicken Vegetable Soup with VariationsI normally make a huge batch of homemade chicken vegetable soup in a large soup pot. This give me enough to freeze and lasts me the entire winter, along with the other 2 soups I make.

 

New England Corned Beef DinnerEven though I live in Indiana now I am still a New Englander. These dishes are traditional St Patrick's Day corned beef dinners. We only make them once a year so they are special.

 

Irish Potato SoupHearty and a good way to clean out the freezer and fridge.

 

Pretzel-Maple ChickenMy family eats chicken often (on sale a lot) and I always try new ways to make it. This is one chicken dish I make that is a little different and goes well with any side dish.

 

Chocolate Peanut Butter SquaresSo good! Melt 1 cup butter over low heat. Remove from heat and stir in confectioners' sugar, peanut butter, and graham cracker crumbs.

 

Riley (Mini Pin/Terrier)Riley is a 12 week old Mini Pin/Terrier mix. I came across Riley on Craigslist and brought him home to join our family on February 2, 2011.

 

Toby (Bichon Frise)Toby is a Bichon Frise and is 4 years old. Toby was bought by another family, but he worried their old pet Labrador who hid under a bed for two days. He likes to annoy the cat. He's a loveable imp who can't keep clean.

 

Designing With PerennialsWith all of their colors, shapes, and textures, it's hard to imagine designing a garden without perennials. Here are some helpful suggestions for planning perennial beds and borders to help you get the most of these versatile plants.

 

Keeping Flies Away at a PicnicWhen going on a picnic, here is a thrifty way to cover food to keep those pesky bugs from enjoying your lunch too. Instead of buying those expensive plastic food covers, purchase shower caps from your local Dollar Tree.

 

Uses for the Mr. Clean Magic EraserCrayon, dirt, or scuff marks on your painted walls? Mr. Clean Magic Eraser is a miracle worker! Just wet the sponge and erase. Also works on doors, baseboards, glass tabletops, car windshield, leather shoes, etc.

 

Product Review: FolexFolex is the best cleaner I have ever found for cleaning pet urine off of carpet. It is AMAZING!

 

Use Photo Albums for RecipesIf you are any thing like me you have mounds of recipes from magazines, friends, and printed from ThriftyFun! I found a great way to organize and protect my cherished recipes, in inexpensive photo albums!

 

Scenery: Plants In IceThe sun always provides glorious opportunities to capture back light shots that have that transparent look to them. Here is one taken of plants frozen in ice, and capturing the sun's rays to free them from their prison.

 

Use Elmers Glue As a Face MaskYou're going to think I'm crazy, but this idea really works for beautiful skin! Take plain Elmer's glue (you can buy it at Walmart) and rub it all over your face. Keep away from eyes and mouth. Let dry completely.

 

Preventing Tangled ThreadUse a dryer sheet to run a threaded needle through to prevent tangling thread.

 

Daisy (Beagle)Daisy is a 2 year old Beagle. She was the runt in a litter that our neighbor had. She was the smallest and feistiest of the group. She loves to run! Daisy loves to play.

 

Homemade Solid ValanceI don't care for curtains, so I came up with this solution for a valance above my sliding glass doors. I purchased 2, 5-foot artist canvas stretchers and 2, 1-foot stretchers to form a rectangle.

 

Tink and Prince (Kittens)Tink and Prince are 7 month old kittens. We got Tink and Prince because my sister told me to take her cat, Prince's mom. I did and to our surprise, 2 months later she had gave birth to Tink and Prince!

 

Oatmeal Milk BathCombine all ingredients in a blender until mixed. Keep in a glass jar with a lid. Add 1/2 cup to hot bath water.

 

Scenery: Snow (Nova Scotia, Canada)This picture was taken on March 5, 2011. As you can see there is still plenty of deep snow here in Nova Scotia; even with having had 48 cm (19 inches) of rain the other night. Eventually the snow will disappear and along will come our spring and hot summer.

 

Use Eggshells for SlugsSpring is the time I start saving my eggshells to crush up for the garden. Why you ask? I sprinkle the crushed eggshells around the base of the plants to keep the slugs off my tomatoes.

 

Quick Black Forest DessertMake a quick dessert by combining equal parts of cherry pie filling and chocolate pudding. Put into parfait glasses and you'll have a Black Forest-type dessert.

 

Craft: Plarn "Bingo" Tote or Storage BagThis handy tote is made from plarn (recycled plastic bag yarn), acrylic yarn, and a 3 lb. margarine tub. I found combining yarn with the plarn affords wider selection of colors and extra strength.

 

My Frugal Life: Focus On What's Important (Part 5)Know what you have cash in your checking account for the month. Without a credit card for dentist, doctor and monthly emergencies for the kids, I never was able to budget cash for those emergencies.

 

Shortening Tomato PlantsIf your tomato plants get too large to set out, just cut off the top go ahead and set out. It will make you have good strong vines. Just as long as they have roots they will grow.

 

Buy Every Other Size In Baby ClothesOnly buy every other size of baby clothes. Kids grow fast and you won't miss the "in between" sizes at all.

 

Growing Catnip Indoors?I bought the catnip seeds and planted them 3 weeks ago and I haven't seen any sprouting. I was doing this procedure that I found on the net.

 

Cleaning Sticky Vinyl Clad Wire Shelves?Our vinyl clad wire shelves have become very sticky, and we can't seem to clean them. I have tried lots of products, and even pressure washing to no avail. Do any of you have a solution? Thank you so much.

 

Ideas for Making a Model of an Animal from Household Items?My 1st grader has to make a model of a green iguana. I don't have a lot of funds to do this and it has to be quick (she has 2 little sisters), easy, and durable. I was thinking about paper mache, cotton balls, or something along those lines, but I can't find any instructions.

 

11th Birthday Party Ideas?My daughter's 11th birthday is in a little more than a week, and I have no clue what to do for her party. She would like to have as many girls as she could over, but I have a small house. I would also like to keep the party at home, not at a party place.

 

Natural Fertilizer for Bradford Pear and Dogwood Trees?Is there a natural fertilizer to use on Bradford Pear and dogwood trees?

 

Drip Trays for Creative Container Planters?When using creative containers, or simply containers with no existing tray, what do you use as a drip tray? I had been trying lids from takeout soup, but too many have proven to have tiny holes and thus leaked. What do you use?

 

Centerpiece for Church Ladies Day Themed "What Fills Your Cup?"I am decorating a table for our upcoming ladies day at our church. The overall theme that day will be "what fills your cup". Any suggestions for a centerpiece will be appreciated.

 

Inspirational Websites to Help Cope With Illness in the Family?Devastated by cancer! My 68-year old boyfriend has been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, and was just told last week that "he only has 4-6 months to live," because it has now spread to his left shoulder, liver, and the base of his brain.

 

Paint Color Advise for Bedroom With Navy Blue Window Treatments?I have extremely expensive navy blue window treatments in one of my bedrooms and I need to repaint. We don't want to use blue and we want something for resale value. What color would go with the window treatments?

 

Recommendations for Genealogy Software?I have just started searching my family background and need a way to get it all organized. Have you used any of the software programs that are sold? I need something user friendly and that doesn't cost a lot of money.

 

Setting Up a PayPal Account?I am wanting to set up a Paypal account and don't feel like it is good to use the charge card I use now for that. I'm afraid it's not safe. I'm not sure a prepaid card is the way to go; do you need one for Paypal?

 

What Breed is My Dog?I have an 8 week old blue Pit, but I'm not quite sure what kind it is. The guy that sold it to me only has the dad, which is a bully. He said the mom was a blue Pit. Does anyone know what kind mine is? Here is a picture of my dog.

 

Smocked Gingham Pillow Pattern?I am looking for a pattern to make a smocked gingham pillow.

 

Getting Rid of Dollar Weeds?How do I kill dollar weeds?

 

Cleaning a Burnt Microwave?How do I clean a microwave oven that had a burnt popcorn melt down? There are lots of yellow areas that look horrible.

 

Privacy Window Coverings?I am needing privacy at my downstairs apartment window, which is next door to a public recreational center. You see, since I have only 2 windows on a single side of the apartment, the idea of using draperies would make the apartment appear like a dungeon, much too dark.

 

Poulan Pro Riding Lawn Mower Won't Start?We have 2004 Poulan Pro 18.5 hp, 42 inch cut. I got it out to start the mowing and it won't start. The starter will engage, but will not crank. When we put the jump cable to the starter it spins. Does anyone have any ideas what my problem may be?

 

Finding the Meaning and Origin of First Names?What is the meaning of boys name Kharter, and where did you find the information? I have heard that is a Muslim/Islamic name.

 

Using Your Fireplace for Storage When Not in Use?Do you use your fireplace for any type of storage when you're not burning a fire, like in the summer? I did a Google search and got a few ideas, but I think my ThriftyFun friends would have some good ideas.

 

Using Whirlout to Clean a Front Load Washer?How do I use Whirlout to clean my LG front load washing machine?

 

Applying Latex Paint Over Oil Paint?What can you do to fix latex semi gloss paint over oil based paint?

 

Kitten Bites for Attention?My kitten now 9 months old bites me to get my attention. Do they outgrow this? He is a loving neutered male. Thanks.

 

Getting Rid of Parvo Virus in the Yard?How long does the virus remain and can I remove parvo out of my yard?

 

Painting Laminate Countertops Question?I need to repaint my counter top in the bathroom. It was painted with melamine paint. Also, my bathroom cabinets were painted with melamine, but I don't want to use melamine this time. Any suggestions appreciated.

 

Trouble Sewing Vinyl?I am trying to sew a piece of vinyl. When I sew on one piece it is okay. When I try to put two pieces together it will not pull up the bottom thread. What do I need to do?

 

Squirrels Chewing Through Window Screens?I made a big mistake in the summer time. A baby squirrel came to my window and I felt so bad for it. It was such a little thing. Well, winter time came and I had to stop feeding her, she grew so big.

 

Backing For the Plastic Bag Hooked Rug?With regards to the plastic bag hooked rug craft project, what do you put on the back of the rug so it doesn't slip?

 

Cleaning Stains on a Shower Floor?I have a nice walk in shower that my 8 year old daughter and I use. In the last few months, I've noticed the floor of the shower has gotten so dirty. I can't seem to be able to get rid of these stains. Can anyone give me some ideas for getting rid of these unknown stains?

 

College Graduation Party Ideas?My brother-in-law and I are graduating from the same college this May and are combining our graduation parties into one. He is a business major and I am a psychology major. We are on a budget and looking for suggestions.

 

Determining a Reasonable Cleaning Rate?How much would I charge to clean a one bedroom apartment, bi-weekly? It is about 1500 square feet.

 

Cooking Tender Corned Beef?Has anyone got a tip for speeding up cooking corned beef to have tender beef? I use meat tenderizers and Worcestershire sauce in my water to boil the meat to make my meat softer, faster. Does anyone have other ideas for faster, soft, cooked corned beef?

 

Choosing Paint for Living Room Walls?What is the best type of paint to use on my living room walls? Do I use latex or enamel? What is the difference? And should I use flat or semi gloss?

 

How Do You Reverse the Pattern on a Knifty Knitter?How do you reverse the pattern when knitting with the Knifty Knitter?

 

Greek Yogurt Recipe?Greetings, does any one have a simple recipe for Greek yogurt?