August 13, 2020

Placemat OrganizerI used to store my placemats inside my hutch on a shelf. They were stacked on top of each other and soon they became a scrambled mess. I came up with this storage idea using a hanging file folder system for easier access and to keep them tidy. It is much easier to choose placemats when it is time to set the table!

 

Cherimoya Avocado Banana SmoothieThis is a creamy and delicious smoothie! This would normally be a very costly, but my parents' have a cherimoya tree that bore fruit this year. This is a nice treat! It would be even better if you add boba.

 

Making a Marble Painted Paper Spider WebMost kids are fascinated by insects and enjoy learning about them. Some may be more reluctant to get close, while others can't wait to. Spiders are technically considered to be arachnids and not insects, and students love to learn that too. I still include spiders in my spring insect theme, as well as during Halloween. One of the easiest and most fun activities I have students do is this marble painted web. They get to use items to paint with that they have probably never used before. That's always exciting! The webs look pretty great hanging up too!

 

Making Polymer Buttons For St. Patrick's DayIf you're looking for some novel craft ideas to help celebrate St. Patrick's Day, why not try making your own polymer clay buttons. You only need a small amount of clay and scraps left over from other projects make really interesting marble effects when rolled together. What's more PVC clay is a fun material to work with and when baked in an oven will last for always. Use your finished buttons to decorate greetings cards, scrapbook pages, or even sew them onto a bag to wear on an Irish holiday parade. Have fun!

 

Baked Ginger Garlic Lemongrass SalmonHere's a quick and simple wet rub for salmon made with a few ingredients. Paired with white rice and side of vegetables. A perfect light meal for lunch or dinner.

 

In-Store Return Policy Extended During COVID-19Do you need to make an in-store return for an item you don't need, no longer need it, bought extra of or are unsatisfied with? I'm here to share with you with my in-store return and experience at Lowes.

 

Ribbon "Hair" Braid HeadbandWith a little imagination you can make this is faux braided hair "in ribbon" headband (using Frozen inspired colors - blue, sky, sheer blue, purple.)

 

Pancake Mix MuffinsThese are so convenient and you can have variety in every batch because you add your extras to the muffin tins themselves.

 

Helping Artwork Do Double-dutyToday I was organizing my plastic bags, yes, I am that bored. But I stood up and bumped a metal frame off the wall. When I thought my little tiny bottle from last year's fair was broken, I decided if it was, I would move the rest.

 

Healthy Banana PancakesI have been cooking a lot during the quarantine, and I am also freezing a lot in anticipation of going back to work. This recipe makes 20 pancakes, so I will have breakfast for busy workday mornings. This uses flaxseed, which keeps you full all morning.

 

Giving Money as a Wedding FavorA card that says "For Richer, For Poorer" on pink paperHere is a way to have inexpensive but fun wedding favors, by purchasing $1 scratch-off lottery tickets. Get pennies with the year you are getting married. Place them in personalized envelopes and have someone pass them out at your party entrance! :)

 

Pancake in a MugSo easy and fast. I made my own pancake mix.

 

Prevent Mold and Mildew on Shower Curtain LinersIf you have a shower curtain or liner that comes in contact with the side of your shower stall or tub while it dries, you have probably noticed that where it makes contact is where you see mold and mildew. That's because it's not drying fast enough to keep those nasty critters at bay.

 

Cleaning Windows in an RVIf you travel in a motorhome, camper, or travel trailers (or maybe even at your regular home as well), this might help. At night, condensation builds up on our windows. My easy clean fix is to use a squeegee to run the water down the window onto a reusable towel. Takes a few seconds to do each window. The plus side is you just hang the wet towel out/up to dry and do it all again the next day or time depending on the weather where your staying/living.

 

Garlic Honey Balsamic SteaksYou can use this marinade on any cut of meat. It tenderizes so well, you could even go for cheaper cuts and have a nice flavourful meal. I cooked this out on the barbecue grill, but you can use a hot pan on the stove, as well.

 

Check Street Signs ThoroughlyHere is my lesson learned that resulted me in paying a $60 ticket that I wanted to share with you all. Be sure to check street signs carefully, especially street signs on both sides of the road even if you plan to park on just one side.

 

Cookies n' Cream Ice Cream BarsIf you love ice cream, try making one with condensed milk, all purpose cream and your favorite flavor. My kid is really an ice cream lover and is always craving it. This cream bar recipe is the solution.

 

Growing DaisiesDaisies are a perennial favorite as both a wildflower and in gardens. These old fashioned flowers come in many varieties and colors from all across the world.

 

Choco Butternut MunchkinsDunkin' Donuts choco butternut doughnut and munchkin are our favorite. Unfortunately our place doesn't have the store, so I tried making some using chocolate cupcakes.

 

Removing Dents from Your CarRemoving small dents in your car is easy to do using a piece of dry ice. This saves you money having them taken out by a professional. Wearing a pair of gloves, just hold the ice over the dent until it pops right out. This does take a little time, so be patient. Simple and inexpensive.

 

Soft Butterscotch Bars with Salted CaramelI have tried making caramel several times, but never did I make it perfect. After few times of trying, I discovered a simple trick. Double boiling is safer than putting it in direct heat and today I was able to make my caramel perfect. With a little salt it tasted really yummy.

 

Fried Sardines & Sausage PlatterAnother 15 days of community quarantine implemented in my region since Covid-19 positive cases are still adding up. We're like stuck for 3 months left with no choice but to obey the rules. More quarantine means more kitchen hacks and experiments. Today I'm gonna cook crispy sardines and sausages straight from their cans.

 

Making Mung Bean PorridgeOn weekends we usually have porridge for breakfast. It is common in traditional Asian culture to eat porridge. To switch it up from traditional rice porridge, we had mung bean porridge. Very easy to make with simple ingredients.

 

Medicine Cup Bird NestWhenever you buy cold medicine you always get the little plastic cup with it. Over time you can end up with a lot of these since each medicine bottle comes with one. These cute little bird nests are just one way to put these little cups to use once your medicine is gone.

 

Making a Mini Wreath BunnyI saw a larger version of this and while I didn't have the materials, I did have them for a smaller version. I hope you like it.

 

Personalized Cross Stitch BookmarkUsing leftover cross stitch fabric, you can make personalized bookmarks. I chose this ASL pattern symbol because my daughter recently graduated with her Associate Degree as an ASL interpreter.

 

Makeshift Vegetable SteamerI used my pizza pan that has holes in it as a lid for my large frying pan to steam vegetables. It worked perfectly!

 

Roasted Lemon Broccoli PizzaThis is a bright and vibrant pizza that will excite your tastebuds. Lemon zest and lemon juice make the broccoli come alive. The Parmesan and Mozzarella cheese will make it creamy and dreamy. You really won't miss meat here!

 

Corned Beef PattiesI'm working on canned goods at this moment. We usually replace canned goods in two to three months. So that old stocks doesn't mix up with new ones, we consume them. I make snacks or meals out of them. Today I'm upgrading a canned corned beef for breakfast. Here's my recipe.

 

Instant Pot Apple ButterI made this but it came out too liquidy, because I added too much water. I didn't trust when the recipe said only use a couple tablespoons water but it turns out that if you really want apple butter, you should.

 

Cheese RollsA perfect snack for the kids this weekend. They were looking for something wrapped and crunchy and they love cheese. So I took some Shangai wraps and a bar of cheese. In bars and clubs these are served with beer or wine. They call them cheese sticks or cheese rolls. The price is twice the actual cost of the ingredients. Kids love them too.

 

Making Shrimp Stuffed Cucumber RollThis is an awesome low-carb solution for those who love sushi but don't want the rice. Just hollow out a whole cucumber, stuff it with your favourite sushi fillings, and slice. I love this high-protein, guilt-free treat!

 

Crispy Stuffed MushroomsUsing crushed saltine crackers in the mix of your stuffed mushrooms makes for a lovely crispy bite. You can use any types of veggies to stuff your mushrooms with. I used baby potatoes and sun dried tomatoes, along with the stems of the mushrooms themselves.

 

Viewing Comets

Comets are circling the sun in our solar system, some well known and some being discovered now, like NEOWISE in summer 2020. Most of them are not visible without telescopes but some can be seen with the naked eye.

 

Bailey's Irish Cream (Copycat)I 'love' Bailey's Irish Cream but it's so expensive. Here's a pretty darn close tasting copycat recipe to make at home.

 

Home Shaped Money BankThis is a pretty complicated project. I have so much on my mind, like buying a car and building a tiny home. Saving is my one priority in reaching these goals. Then I came up with the idea of making a house shaped like a money bank which is divided into two compartments. One is for coins and the other side for the paper bills.

 

Bird of Paradise Flower PhotosThis is a picture of my sweet little granddaughter Cambria taken about five years ago just before they moved from Arizona to Idaho. Her outfit and her hairbow match the beautiful colors of nature right in our own front yard's Bird of Paradise bush! This was a fun moment to capture.

 

Making Mushroom Pepper Beef BologneseThis is a joint recipe from my mother-in-law and myself. When I visit her in England, I always prefer to eat her foods over going out. Thankfully, we make a great team in the kitchen! We made this bolognese after going hiking and it really hit the spot. Even though it's super meaty, it's got loads of veggies and herbs, so it's quite refreshing.

 

Fire TV App as RemoteFor some reason our Amazon fire stick remote stopped working. I changed the batteries several times and tried troubleshooting before thinking of purchasing a remote replacement. Guess what? A remote replacement ($20) is almost the same price as purchasing a new Amazon fire stick with remote ($20-30).

 

Copycat Jiffy Corn Muffin MixYou can make this fresh whenever you want with ingredients you have in the house, and save money, too.

 

Getting Pizza Sauce Off Your Upholstered Car SeatIt just happened! Bringing home two pizzas and a container of extra sauce, that ended up opening and dumping onto my new, light gray upholstered car seat! AUGH!! I had even used an over the counter upholstery protection spray previously on the seats, but it didn't seem to help at all!

 

Daisy PhotosThere are so many varieties of daisies that grow wild all across the world. Gardeners often plant them as annuals to add color to a garden bed or planter.

 

Finding the Author of a BookSometimes we remember a book that we read some time ago, but not the author. It may require some research to track that information down, especially if the title is similar to other books by different authors.

 

Passiflora PhotosThese exotic blooms are generally referred to as passion flowers. The passionfruit is primarily used for its delicious juice.They grown naturally in tropical areas of the Americas, the Caribbean and parts of Asia.

 

Kombucha Soda MuffinsI got a box of Kombucha once, and though I like kombucha, I could not drink it fast enough. So I found this recipe which I believe is kind of based on Irish Soda bread, but used the Kombucha. It is remarkable and vegan. The original recipe calls for honey or agave, but I use molasses as it is my go-to sweetener due to its earthy taste and high minerals content (potassium, iron, and magnesium). Also you can use butter or oil.

 

Creamy Sausage Spaghetti BologneseTake your Bolognese up a level by adding Italian sausage, Parmesan cheese, and cream to the pot. Just a few tweaks to your usual meat sauce recipe can make something truly extraordinary!

 

Vegan Lowfat Chocolate CakeThis is an amazing cake. I just made it today after many months of not making it. It is incredibly moist, and unbelievable that it is low fat. You got to make it to believe it! The original recipe uses a sugar-based icing. I use a date-based icing. Make icing first because it needs to cool in the fridge for a few hours.

 

Breaded Leftover Pork in Pineapple Pickle SauceOur famous "lechon" (roast pig) can be cooked in a variety of ways. Whenever there's leftovers from previous parties, we store them in the freezer. The one I'm cooking is very similar to a sweet and sour recipe. The only thing that's different is the cucumber pickles. The syrup is the main sauce ingredient. Instead of tomato sauce, I substituted tomato ketchup to add a sweet and sour blend to the dish.

 

Increasing Soil AcidityHow to increase the soil acidity for established tomato plants naturally? I'm not getting many blooms or viable tomatoes for this late in the season.

 

Egg Filled Tuna CroquettesPotatoes and tuna - these are just two of the many foods that my eldest son loves to have on his plate. Today I tried another recipe and luckily, he liked it so much that he wanted me to make more.

 

Hot Water Fried CornbreadOur son made some of the best fried cornbread I had ever eaten. He used boiling water to mix with the cornmeal. The boiling water causes the starch in the corn to crystallize and the cornbread comes out extra crispy. I just had to try making it myself and it turned out scrumptious.

 

We Tied the Knot . . . and It Didn't Cost a Lot!Trying to stick with a $1,000 wedding reception budget is a challenge. So I knew I had to be "extra creative" with reception refreshments so we didn't come across as cheap. I decided to have a pretzel bar.

 

Asparagus (Instant Pot)I will share this instant pot recipe though it failed me. I used 3 times the time listed. I also added an onion and apple as I find that makes a terrific taste. In general it is fun to add different sorts of vegetables and see what happens.

 

Junco BabiesMy friends have a section of their yard that they leave unmowed in the spring and summer. This allows birds to nest there and pollinators to enjoy the flowers. They recently were able to enjoy their little "contribution to the animals" when a Junco chose it as their nesting spot. Look at this tiny, hungry babies!

 

Making Rainbow GobletsI love the colors of the rainbow. I prefer the old version, so you get 7 colors (ROY G BIV). So today I made a rainbow goblet display with colors that are spot on, pretty close and this is a great way to teach kids colors, BTW.

 

Washing a Sunbeam Heated BlanketI received a heated throw for Christmas and recently my kids spilled some food on it. I assumed that all I could do was wipe it with a damp cloth, but it turns out you can wash them! You do need to be careful when washing and drying and you can not wash as you would a regular blanket.

 

Making Safari BinocularsYou and children of any age can make these simple binoculars with just some toilet paper rolls, green/brown/black crayons and markers, stapler, a hole punch and yarn.

 

Use Produce Bags for Soiled Cat LitterPlastic produce bags make great bags for cleaning out the cat litter box. Usually the bags are damp or wet when empty, so I hang them to dry which does not take long.

 

Save Marker Caps as ReplacementsIf you have kids in your house, you are probably all too familiar with the dilemma of markers with no caps and marker caps with no markers. I used to put plastic wrap on the markers, tied with a rubber band, to keep them from drying out. But, that was no real solution. One day, I got a little baggie and put the caps in it. Now, any time I find a marker with no cap, I go looking in my baggie and find a marker cap to put on the end. That way the marker doesn't dry out and I save some money!

 

Making Coco-Mango Glazed PalitawThis sticky snack is called "palitaw" from the word "litaw" which means float. Its called palitaw because the round flat sticky pieces float when they are being cooked.

 

Making Yo Yo Covered Papier-mâché PumpkinsI started this project some time ago when I was completely enamored with making yo yos for all sorts of potential craft projects. I am sharing them now because the yo yos can be a bit time consuming to make, so it is best to begin this project early. These two pumpkins were fun to make and would be a nice additional to your seasonal decor. Even though the fabric is quite Halloween themed, they can be used as a fall decoration and of course, can be made with any fabric choice.

 

Sautéed Lemongrass PorkGrowing lemongrass has it's perks! You can make this delicious sautéed lemongrass pork dish, that is easy to make and very flavorful.

 

Celery and Herb StewMany traditional Persian stews are difficult to make, but I find this one great for beginners. Believe me when I say it does not taste beginner at all. The celery gets fried with mint and parsley, making it very fragrant and tender. You can use any kind of meat you like for this stew. I used beef. You could also make it vegetarian. Serve with a bed of basmati rice.

 

Chicken Pesto PastaThis is a light fresh colorful combination of flavors that taste so sweet, yet a bit spicy!

 

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Making a Sandal KeyholderTake the dowel and kinda turn and push at the same time into bottom of sandal to make a hole. Then put glue in the hole and reinsert the dowel. Take the pipe cleaner and cut to the length you want the hanger to be then push into top of sandal. Glue in if you like, it will make the hanger stronger.

 

Making a Message on a Bottle (Emigrant Ancestors)Because of my passion for family history, I created this decorative bottle to display emigrant ancestors. The bottle also serves as a nightlight by attaching a battery operated light to the inside of the lid of the bottle.

 

Chicken and Vegetables with Rice PilafThis is just a quick, easy chicken and vegetables over rice pilaf dish. Using spices, and easy additions that make it fast and made in about 15 minutes! And healthy and yummy!

 

Keep Glasses from Slipping Off Neck ChainMy new glasses frames are thinner so they kept slipping out of the glasses necklace when I hung them on from my neck. I tried painting the sides of the frames with a little streak of rubber cement along the length. It's clear, so it's unseen and it won't distort nor damage the new frames but it gives the thin smooth frames some "grip" to restrict the chain necklace from slipping off and dropping my new glasses!

 

Treating Intertrigo?Been diagnosed with intertrigo of the genital area. It's been hard to get doctors help during the pandemic. I have tried lots of different creams, etc. and am currently using a prescription cream from the doctor. It's been five days now and no change. The stinging is so bad, it makes me cry and keeps me up at night. What can I do to stop the pain so I can live and do normal life?

 

California Prison Codes?What does this mean? State prison 3 completed AOJ received.

 

What is this Bug?I found this bug in my bathroom and under my daughter's AC UNIT. Can someone please tell what kind of bug this is? It doesn't fly but it's pretty quick.

 

Value of Cathay Collection Doll?I no longer have a space to put this girl and am looking to sell her. I have found nothing about her anywhere. There is only her and the hat. There is a 1 out of 5000 stamp on the back of her neck. On the back of her head there is a set of numbers, 85091B/4. If anyone can help me out, it would be appreciated.

 

Donating Yarn?I have free yarn I need to give away! I have no more space for it! Moved from a house to apartment. I live in Philadelphia, Pa. Where can I take it?

 

Identifying an Old Plow?Does anyone know the maker and age of this plow?