July 19, 2011

Organizing Your BillsThis is a page about organizing your bills. It is easy to forget to pay a bill when it gets mixed up with junk mail. With a system for organizing bills, you will always get your bills paid on time.

 

Buying a TentThis is a page to buying a tent. Purchasing a good tent is an important part of getting the most out of your camping adventures.

 

Adopting a Rescued PetThis is a page about adopting a rescued pet. There are are so many rescued or abandoned pets that need good homes. Even if you are looking for a specific breed or temperament, adopting a pet is a great way to ease the burden on local shelters.

 

Camping in the RainThis is a page on camping in the rain. Without the proper gear or preparation, camping in the rain can be miserable. Knowing the right gear to bring can make a rainy camping trip a fun get away.

 

Growing TomatoesThis is a page about growing tomatoes. Tomatoes are a very rewarding addition to any garden. They are relatively easy to grow and you won't have any trouble finding ways to use them at the dinner table.

 

Buying a Used Travel TrailerThis is a page about buying a used travel trailer. Travel trailers are a wonderful way to get out and see the world. When shopping for a used travel trailer it is important to know what common things can go wrong with them.

 

Cleaning an AquariumThis is a page about cleaning an aquarium. If you keep fish then you know how important it is to keep your tank clean. Cleaning your aquarium doesn't have to be huge chore.

 

Cleaning a TentThis is a page about cleaning a tent. Sometimes we get stuck camping in the rain. When it comes time to pack up, we stuff our tent in it's bag and forget about it until the next camping trip, only to find a moldy tent.

 

Getting Rid of Fungus Flies in Your HouseplantsThis is a page to getting rid of fungus flies in your houseplants. Flies in your house plants can be a real annoyance and once they are established they can be difficult to eradicate.

 

Getting Rid of Bed BugsThis is a page for getting rid of bed bugs. Even in the cleanest household, an infestation of bed bugs can occur. There are many options for prevention and treatment of this pest as well as advice for treating the painful red bites.

 

Saving Money on ToysThis is a page about saving money on toys. Kids need toys to play with for both entertainment and development. There is no end to the stream of new, innovative and expensive toys available on the market.

 

Cleaning Wood FurnitureThis is a page on cleaning wood furniture. Some cleaners can ruin the finish on your wood furniture making it look dull or uneven. Knowing the proper methods for cleaning wood, you can keep your furniture looking new for years to come.

 

Strawberry Shortcake PancakesThis tastes just like the real thing, at least to me. Oh my, it is wonderful!

 

No Mix Coconut-Cherry BarsSuper easy and super good.

 

Deeli's Greek Cobb SaladHere's my twist on the original Brown Derby Cobb Salad. Besides the dressing ingredient mixture, the amount of the other ingredients are up to your mood of the day and the amount of people you are serving.

 

Carrot and Peanut SaladAnother one that my mom loves.

 

Poor Man's PastaWhen I was little, there were 9 children, plus mom and dad and sister-in-law for a total of 12. We were very poor, but my mom would cook this warm-hearty meal made with love.

 

Hash Brown Scalloped PotatoesLove the cheese in this recipe.

 

Garden: LilyThis is a picture of a beautiful Lily in my garden. I have a lot of flowers blooming now, but I love the colors of this one.

 

Buy Resale Items To Keep Money LocalBy buying items at garage sales and resales, I stay "green" and avoid paying out money to foreign countries for items manufactured there. I know when I do this, my money stays in the U.S.

 

Ironing a ShirtTo iron a shirt, make sure to put water in the iron or use a spray bottle to moisten the shirt. Do the collar first, then yoke, then do the right side, back of shirt, then the left side. Iron the arms last.

 

Beautiful Thoughts on a Frugal LifeIt seems as if others are learning for the first time how to be frugal and enjoy it, which I have known all along, but now that prices at the pump are at an all time high, I am so happy I know how to save money!

 

Use A T-shirt As A Pillow CaseYou can use a large t-shirt to cover a pillow in a pinch. Works great as a pillowcase.

 

Palo Duro Canyon (Texas)While travelling in the western US, someone recommended that we go to Palo Duro Canyon in Texas. We'd never heard of it, but it is the second largest canyon in the country after the Grand Canyon.

 

Drying Corn To Feed WildlifeWhen finding frozen corn kernels on sale, I buy them and dry them for the birds and squirrels. You can easily do double batches by just making sure to switch the baking sheets from rack to rack each time you stir during baking.

 

Babe (Feral Cross Hog)Babe had a wild mother who decided my husband and I were OK and actually would let us pet her. It was during a bad drought in our area, and she was starving. Water was scarce, so we fed and watered about 8 sows and 3 small boars. Then Babe was born.

 

Garden: True Green RoseA friend had this tiny sprig in a pot and I asked him what it was.He said, "A green rose. You want it, take it!" I took it and when it was 9 inches high I got to see my first real green rose bloom.

 

Cover Keyboard With Plastic WrapHaving JUST replaced our keyboard (thanks to a kitten and milk disaster), I put a sheet of the self-sealing saran wrap over the keyboard. It stretches enough to allow the keys to be pressed, and does a marvelous job at keeping the crud out of the keyboard!

 

Scan Child's ArtworkBefore the invention of home scanners, it was tape or magnets on the fridge. Now, we can scan our children's art work.

 

Training A Young Dog To Sit, Stay and ComeSit, Stay, Come. With a young pup, these 3 words are your sanity straws. To teach sit, keep repeating the word "sit" followed by pushing gently down on rear until he understands that when the hand is in front of his nose and you say "sit", he is to park his hiney.

 

Massage Paws for Easier Nail TrimmingIf you start massaging a cat's paws and feet and gently pressing them and working with their little paws each time you hold them, they won't mind so much when you trim their claws.

 

Easy Throw Pillow MakeoverOver the years, I've found that replacing throw pillows every time I changed decor colors was becoming ridiculously expensive. So, I came up with an easy and cheap way to transform old pillows into something new and fresh!

 

Whitening Teeth With Strawberries and Baking SodaMash up two fresh strawberries and mix with two teaspoons of baking soda. Brush teeth twice a week with mixture. It takes a couple of weeks, but I did notice a difference and it's natural and simple.

 

Get Best Prices For Games OnlineI found that shopping online at a major store's reduced/clearance site provides some relief. I also found a site online called Half.com that sells the games along with music, DS games, movies, etc. at reduced rates either new or slightly used but in excellent shape.

 

Reuse Plastic BottlesI cut the top off plastic soda bottles to use them as funnels. It has been a handy addition in the kitchen for me and the garage for my husband. I use the bottoms to start plants, organize my numerous small items in my craft room, or hold change at the end of the day.

 

Run Second Spin Cycle To Save on DryingRe-spin your wet laundry for an extra water-removal step. The clothes go into your dryer or hanging out on the line much dryer than if you use just the one spin cycle. This works fantastically for jeans and towels.

 

Cleaning PhonesI've been through so many nasty phones. Often they are attached to an answering machine, and grubby hands/fingers leave a grimy/germ infested "Cold and flu machine"!

 

Use Plastic Bags In Your Chest FreezerTo organize my chest freezer, I use plastic grocery bags. I put like things in a bag and label it. It's easy to pick up the bags on top and move them to get to the things underneath.

 

Boris (American Shorthair)Boris is 1 year old and an American Shorthair (pedigree breed). He likes catnip toys, balls, kitty teasers, and sitting in the front window or in/at the patio door watching leaves, chipmunks, birds, and what ever else may happen to go across his view. He is a Red-Silver Spotted Tabby.

 

Use Sectioned Boxes For Yarn StorageI went to a local bar and asked for three empty liquor boxes all the same size which have dividers right in them. Then I decorated them with contact paper, and placed them on their sides on a top shelf in my craft room.

 

Use Photos as Gift TagsSince many of us have so many photos laying around, I decided to use them as name tags for gifts. I have 5 children, so instead of writing their names on each present, I tape a photo of them on their packages.

 

Back-to-School Eraser Mini SignsA friend gifted me with erasers from an old school house. I was thrilled. I decided to create "back-to-school" gifts for teachers. The finished erasers would also work as gifts for Christmas or the last day of school.

 

Finding Cheap MulchI broke away from using bagged mulch this year. I have three new sources for wood chip mulch: the local park service, the power company tree trimmers, and landscapers who cut down trees.

 

Stretching SaladIf you have leftover salad, but not enough to go around, look in your pantry. Any of these items can be added to the salad.

 

Use a Child's Swimming Pool for a Patio GardenWe do not have a place in our backyard to plant a "regular" garden, but we did have room on our patio deck to do something. I came up with an idea for a small garden using a child's plastic swimming pool.

 

Inexpensive JewelryTry consignment shops, pawn shops, and the local thrift shops and Dollar Stores for inexpensive jewelry. I have a pre-teen and these are the cheapest places that I go.

 

Use Fishing Line To Hang A Bird FeederTo secure a bird feeder and keep the squirrels from getting to it, use fishing to hang it. The squirrels have a difficult time hanging onto the line.

 

Scenery: Full MoonWe were outside tonight and enjoyed gazing at this pretty full moon as it started to cool off. Always a special sight to see!

 

Getting Rid of Tiny Ants?How do I get rid of the tiny ants?

 

Name Ideas for a Group Family Day Care Business?I need a name for my day care business. I will be partnering in the day care with my brother and his wife, Mauricio and Yasmine and my husband Harry and myself, Tatiana. It is a group family day care and we need help with what we should name our day care.

 

Recipe for Duncan Hines Pecan Nut Muffins?Does anyone have a recipe for the bakery style Duncan Hines Pecan Nut Muffin mix? Twenty years ago you could buy the ready to make box. There were my family's favorite.

 

Kitchen Paint Color Advice?I am having a terrible time figuring out what color to paint our kitchen. It is a 100% remodel for us. I had thought I wanted to use yellow, but can't find one that works and at this point don't even know if that is the right choice to begin with.

 

Buying a Paint Sprayer?I was thinking of buying a paint sprayer, but I have heard both pros and cons about them. I do not want to spend money for one that you have to use a compressor with.

 

White Hard Water Stains on Spider Plants?I live in Phoenix and my spider plants just recently started showing what looks like hard water stains on leaves. They are getting the same water as before and I mist every morning or afternoon. They do not get any full sun, being in Arizona it is 108 degrees F. What can I do?

 

How Do I Stop Taking Prescription Sleep Medications Safely?Has anyone ever stopped the sleeping pill Ambien after taking it for several years. If so, how did you come off it? Thanks and God bless!

 

Canned Mackerel Recipes?I need a recipe with canned mackerel. Thanks.

 

Canning Watermelon?Has anyone tried to can (water-bathed processed) watermelon? If you have, how did it turn out and did you use a sugar syrup on it or what?

 

Removing Sharpie from Hair?My friend said she wanted to color my black hair with a silver Sharpie. It's been in a day; I think I got one side of it out, but there is still some in. How do I remove it?

 

Dog Poops in the House at Night?My dog is potty-trained and does really good, the only thing is when I take him out right before we retire for the night, he simply will not poop, no matter how long we sit out there or how many times I take him out to try. Then, in the morning, I'll find poop on the carpet.

 

Looking for Super Concentrated Vinegar?Internet recipes for weed killers using household products mention vinegar as the main ingredient. But regular vinegar does not work. Finally I found a reference to 5% super concentrated vinegar.

 

What Breed is My Dog?Does anyone know what breed this puppy is?

 

Smoke Detectors Beeping?I recently changed the batteries in 3 hard wired smoke detectors. After about 1 day (happened twice) they all go off at the same time. Any advise please? By the way I tried holding the test button down with the batteries out but no luck.

 

Growing an Avocado Plant from Seed?I have an avocado pit in water that has rooted, but not sprouted. Can I plant the pit now or should I wait for leaves to sprout?

 

Determining the Value of a 1991 Remco Baby Doll?I have a Remco baby doll in wonderful shape. She has a beautiful clothing ensemble in pink gingham and tulle with petticoat, shoes, and bows. Her eyes open and close. She has a vinyl head, arms, and legs with a cloth body.

 

Recycling Plastic Soda Bottle Caps?In the last few years, Aveda Cosmetics started recycling plastic soda bottle caps. They made a strong case for the fact that land and marine animals suffer when the mothers mistake these things for food and feed them to their young, accidentally killing the babies.

 

Husband Won't Sign Divorce Papers?How long will a lawyer keep papers on file once I have paid, but my husband won't sign? Will the papers stay there until he does sign?

 

Puppies Growling and Fighting?My puppies get jealous of each other and then that leads to a fight and growling. How do I fix this problem?

 

Remedies for Sinus Pain?I get sinus pain all up the front of my face. I also get bad headaches and a very bad upset tummy. Is there anything I can do or take to make this all better? Thanks for any answers.

 

Paint Color Scheme for Kitchen and Breakfast Nook?What color should I paint my new kitchen? I tried living with it like my husband suggested and that lasted a whole 5 days!

 

Computer Was Left in a Hot Car?My daughter left her computer in the hot car it now has a shatter symbol on the screen. Is there anything she can do to repair it?