July 14, 2011

Organizing RibbonThis is a page to organizing ribbon. Even a few spools of ribbon can easily become a tangled mess if they aren't kept organized. Keep your ribbons organized and easy to access for your next craft or project.

 

Getting Kids to Help With ChoresThis is a page about getting kids to help with chores. It can be difficult to get kids to help with chores. However, it is much easier to share the chores amongst the whole family.

 

Cleaning Upholstered Furniture This is a page about cleaning upholstered furniture. Upholstered furniture will pick up stains over time, especially if you have kids or pets. Cleaning it properly can keep it looking nice for many years.

 

Organizing ShoesThis is a page about organizing your shoes. Are your shoes a jumble on the floor of the closet? Ever grab two shoes only to find that they are not a pair? This is a page about organizing your shoes.

 

Saving Money on JewelryThis is a page for saving money on jewelry. Whether you are talking about gold and precious gems or simply costume jewelry, it can be expensive. Share your tips on finding the best deals to fill your jewelry box.

 

Starting a Compost PileThis is a page on starting a compost pile. Starting your own compost pile can save you money on your garbage bill, reduce the waste you send to the landfill, and will give you your own organic compost that you can use to amend the soil in your garden beds.

 

Organizing Your Linen ClosetThis is a page about organizing a linen closet. Many of us struggle with developing an effective way to organize our linen closet. Do we keep the sheet sets together or sort sheets, pillowcases, etc. And then there are the towels and blankets.

 

Cleaning a Ceiling FanThis is a page about cleaning a ceiling fan. With ceiling fans being up high and out of reach, we tend to neglect cleaning them regularly. When we do finally get around to it, the layer of dust can be quite thick.

 

Selecting a Good CantaloupeThis is a page to selecting a good cantaloupe. When purchasing a cantaloupe you often want to be able to eat it with in a few days of buying it. Picking a ripe cantaloupe will make that possible.

 

Cleaning the Outside of a Travel Trailer?This is a page for cleaning the outside of a travel trailer. Vacation time is upon us. The travel trailer has been sitting around collecting dust and moss since your last trip. Now is the time to clean it up in preparation for the open road.

 

Maintaining a Lawn MowerThis is a page to maintaining a lawn mower. Your lawn mower is an essential part of keeping your yard looking nice. Keeping it well maintained is the best and least expensive way to get the most out of your mower.

 

Making a Rag RugThis is a page about making rag rugs. What better way to reuse and recycle a variety of used fabric than to make a rag rug?

 

Selecting a Good AvocadoThis is a page about selecting a good avocado. Avocado can add a different dimension to sandwiches, salads, dips and more. Finding an avocado that is ready to use doesn't have to be a chore.

 

Repotting OrchidsThis is a page to repotting orchids. Orchids require a lot of care and attention, but the gorgeous blooms are worth the effort. Repotting orchids is a necessary maintenance task to keep those lovely flowers blooming.

 

Building a Fire PitThis page is about building a fire pit. Haven't you always wanted to know the right way to build a fire pit? Backyard fire pits are a nice feature to add to your garden and are a necessity for campfires in the wild.

 

Growing LettuceThis is a page on growing lettuce. Imagine being able to run out to your garden and get all you need for a fresh salad. Growing your own lettuce is an easy and a great way to get fresh greens into your diet.

 

Storing FirewoodThis is a page about storing firewood. Now that you have purchased your firewood, where will you put it? Storing your firewood properly will ensure that the wood is dry and ready to use when you need it.

 

Growing GrapesThis is a page about growing grapes. Growing your own grapes can be a rewarding and delicious experience. Whether you are thinking about a table or wine variety, there are some important factors to consider, such as choosing the right variety for your area.

 

Saving Money on Coloring Your HairThis is a page about saving money on coloring your hair. Many of us like to color our hair. This pampering can be very expensive though.

 

Keeping Your House DustedThis is a page about keeping your house dusted. Dust in your house can look bad and also can trigger allergies for some people. Staying on top of it can help keep the dust form building up.

 

Family Fun Night IdeasFamily fun night is a wonderful way to bring the family together for some fun and laughs. This page has family fun night ideas.

 

Green Bean CasseroleA family favorite.

 

Haley's Fresh Strawberry Vanilla...Our granddaughter made this pie for us as you see in the pictures. It was so delicious, and a great cool addition to our meal on a hot July day.

 

Gluten Free Banana BreadThis banana bread is soft and moist and so good. I want to share the recipe with my Thrifty Fun friends that can't have wheat flour.

 

Great Great Northern BeansNo one can cook beans like my hubby! Great northerns are my fave.

 

Creamy Horseradish DipYummy dip with a bite to it from the horseradish.

 

Pizza MargheritaIf you like crispy center crusts then prebake the crust according to package instructions.

 

Granny's Homemade Chocolate GravyEvery morning my Grandmother would fix this with homemade biscuits. This is easy, quick, and made with love.

 

Beef and BroccoliLove this. It is supposed to be kind of a variation on an oriental dish.

 

Bean SaladMy mother has always loved bean salad. Not one of my personal faves, but definitely one of hers.

 

Freeze Food Waste Until Garbage DayIf you don't want your discarded food remains to sit in your trash can, and more than likely turn foul smelling, pop them into a plastic bag and freeze them until you put your trash bins out at the curb for your pick up.

 

Cleaning an Oil PaintingAn oil painting can be cleaned by rubbing the surface with a plain piece of white bread, then dust off the crumbs. NEVER try to clean a watercolor or pastel painting.

 

Free Educational Materials on the InternetWhether you are a teacher, homeschooler, or interested parent, you can find lots of interesting free educational materials from the internet. My husband, the teacher, just received a whole box of materials from the National Institute for Mental Health.

 

Tennis Balls as Alternative to Dryer SheetsTo save money and time when drying your clothes, instead of using dryer sheets or dryer balls, put three tennis balls in the dryer with your load. This saves you money by not having to buy dryer sheets and cuts drying time in half.

 

Bargains on eBayI have been lucky enough to get some wonderful bargains on eBay. The thing that I tell people who are new to the auction site is make sure you know the value of what you're bidding on!

 

Lilli (Golden Retriever)Lilli is a 5 year old Golden Retriever. I bought Lilli in May 2006. I just woke up one day and decided I wanted another dog in my life. I looked in the local newspaper then visited several private homes where the puppies were born and raised.

 

Stop Hamburger ShrinkageIf you punch a hole in the center of hamburger patties before cooking, they will not shrink as much as usual. I use my thumb to punch the holes, but you can use a utensil if you prefer.

 

Fountain at French Market (New Orleans, LA)This fountain stands at the entrance to the French Market area in New Orleans, LA. Though it is more than 100 years old, it survived Hurricane Katrina and no restoration has had to be done! Amazing!

 

Teaching a Puppy Not to BiteWhen your pup decides to chew on you, pull his/her cheek or lip over your finger, between you and those needle-sharp little teeth. Pup will bite his/her own mouth and figure out REALLY fast that that is NOT fun at all.

 

Photo: Veggies and BabyHere is Ezra with last week's harvest from our CSA (Community Shared Agriculture). Eggplant, cucumbers, peppers, summer squash, and yard long beans. Yum.

 

How to Select a WatermelonI always thump the watermelon to tell if its ripe. If it sounds hollow like a loaf of home baked bread then its ripe. I have never had a bad watermelon with this technique!

 

Peroxide to Whiten TeethMy dentist said never use the hydrogen peroxide full-strength in your mouth. Said full-strength it is damaging to tissue. He said to dilute Hydrogen Peroxide to one part Hydrogen Peroxide and 2 parts water.

 

Garden: Clematis (Marshall, TX)We live in east Texas where the summer are so hot and humid. It is always wonderful to see the spring flowers before it heats up. These big clematis are so beautiful, and always bring such joy.

 

Break Up Ramen NoodlesDoes everyone like long stringy Ramen noodles? I don't, so I pulverize them in a plastic baggy by smushing them with a glass-pint canning jar filled with whatever. After cooking, they are very easy to eat with a spoon.

 

Getting Rid Of Old ClothesI usually clean my closet and chest of drawers out about twice a year. I take out all the things I can no longer wear and older things. I have a yard sale with these things plus other odds and ends collected around the house that are no longer wanted.

 

Get Vet Costs UpfrontWhen you do have to take your pet to the vet, don't get the price from the front desk. When you see the vet, question him about the price and agree on what you are willing to pay and what he will do for that amount.

 

Wildlife: Byron the Cheetah (Anne Van Dyk Cheetah...We went to the Anne van Dyk Cheetah Centre in De Wildt on July 9, 2011. This is Byron, one of the centre's ambassador cheetahs. We were able to pose for photos with Byron, and to stroke his back.

 

Zik the ZinosaurI enjoy making a lot of the gifts that I give my grandchildren and when you have 5, it always helps to get an early start on Christmas. I try to think of a new idea each holiday for them and this year, as one of their gifts, they will be adopting an alien and a pet.

 

Cleaning White Tennis ShoesWhen trying to clean white tennis shoes in the washing machine, drop in one plain, regular aspirin tablet along with whatever detergent you wish to use. For some reason, the shoes will come out whiter.

 

Organic Pesticides ExplainedWhen gardening organically, there are several ways to manage pests without the use of chemicals. Occasionally, the need arises for the use of an organic pesticide. Here are explanations of some of the more common options as well as some tips for using them effectively.

 

Egg Carton for Painting BoltsMy son, Chris, was spray-painting bolts for a project. They needed to be white on on the head and black on the nut end. He used an egg carton to hold them. It was easy to get good paint coverage and used less paint.

 

Surprise 15th Birthday party?My brother is turning 15. He loves gaming and is very interested in doing thousands of great hairstyles for himself. I want to throw a surprise party for him. Please help in giving some great ideas.

 

Using Dish Soap to Unclog Toilet?I read somewhere about unplugging a toilet with dish soap. I'm not sure what to do.

 

Growing Out Healthy Nails After Years of Biting?I've been a nail biter for 15 or so years; I finally stopped a month and a half ago. This is a great accomplishment for me, but as I watch my nails grow the white tips are really large they extend all the way down to where I used to bite my nails.

 

Discontinued Wallpaper: Norwall TX13205?I am looking for Norwall TX13205 wallpaper. Thanks.

 

Wiring Diagram for a John Deere Riding Mower Series 145?I need a wiring diagram for a John Deere riding mower, 145 series 2006 model.

 

Remedy for Ingrown Toenails?What do you do to get rid of an ingrown toenail? I don't want to go to the doctor as I know it will be expensive.

 

Growing Watermelons?I would like some information on growing watermelons. Thanks.

 

Making Sorbet Without an Ice Cream Maker?Does anybody have a recipe for making mangosteen sorbet without using an ice cream machine?

 

Finding Free Printable Spice Labels?Does anyone know of a site that has free printable spice labels that will fit on address labels? The size is like Avery 8160. Thanks!

 

Kitten Not Using Litter Box?My kitten is doing his business on the carpet. He is 3 months old, and I have had him since he was 12 weeks old. When I got him, he was using the litter tray no problem, but I went away and he started messing on the floor. He still uses the litter tray sometimes.

 

Helping a Child Accept a New Baby Sister?My daughter is having a girl! The problem is her son Lance, who is 6, has been listening to his dad. His dad has low self esteem, lies about everything, has a daughter he has nothing to do with and loves to play head games! Lance is convinced that baby sisters are horrible.

 

Growing Plants on Rock Walls?I have some rock walls that I would like to have sedum and vinca grow in the wall. I've tried adding some dirt and in some places that was easy. But the vinca died, which I thought was supposed to be a hardy plant.

 

Color Stains Out of Other Colored Clothes?I have the same problem. I washed some clothes and one of them bled on the others and the other clothes changed in color. I live in Lebanon and I didn't find the products named in the feedback. Could someone help me please?