What is This Tree?
Thats a member of the poplar family- which one, its hard to say, but definitely poplar. It may be a Lombardi- theyre quite common. They grow really rapidly, and are often used in new subdivisions, because they mature so fast. Theyre a good shade tree, but as...
Craft Ideas Using Dominoes?
You can make stretchy (or non-stretchy) cuff bracelets, or charm bracelets, with them- for the cuff type, drill holes in the long sides, 2 per side, and connect either with large jump rings, or weave with stretch cord. To make charms, drill through the middle...
Handmade Christmas Gift Ideas for Pre-Teens?
Do you sew? You could cruise your local fabric and quilting shops (or the fabric section at your local Walmart), pick up remnants throughout the year, and then make them some cool shorts and shirts! Shorts dont take much fabric, and if you have patch pockets...
Cleaning Wicker Baskets?
Ive run them through the dishwasher before, with no ill effects. Use as cold of a water cycle as possible, with a very short run-time. Another thing that worked for me in the past was to rinse them out, in the tub, using the shower, then placing them outside...
Shelf Life of Disposable Diapers?
Yep, mom-from-missouris right! They dont have a shelf-life- they have a half-life! We ran across some from when my first boy was born, just the other day (had packed them in a box of baby clothes, which was then stored away....and forgotten, when my second...
Easy Thrifty Cat Box Cleaning?
We have seven cats. This is what happens when two full-grown adults, who have their own fully developed households, with pets, get married! So, you know that this advice is coming from experience. We got a litter box from Petsmart that has 2 pans, and a sieve...
Decorating A Pink Bathroom?
LOL, I was thinking the very same second line as Dedeswrkshop, as I was navigating from my email to this page: Embrace the pink! I had a totally pink bathroom once, in a rental, and this is what I did, after agonizing for awhile- I added purples as a third...
Building Trust in Abused Cat?
Oh, it sounds like youre doing a great job! Cornelia, you really are doing everything right- and just like a human child, this little guy is going to have to take time to heal. DH and I have several former shelter and rescue cats, and some of them were pretty...
Hair Color for Sensitive Skin?
Yes, youre going to want to use henna- Do not try to use the Garnier Nutrisse- it has the same chemicals in it that the others do, and if youre already having allergic reactions, be assured, it will only escalate from here. The scary part is, theres no way...
Hair Color for Sensitive Skin?
Quote from Deeli: Please to not be frightened that you could die from regular hair color on your scalp! Theres just as much of a possibility of that happening as using Henna! Henna might be a natural product but people can be allergic to it too! I beg to differ...
Treating a Dog with Yeast Infection?
Have you tried cider vinegar, topically? Ive used it to stop a yeast infection / fungal infection in my elderly cats ear- and it worked within about 3 days! Your pup may smell like pickles for a bit, but maybe shell get better quick. Vinegar works for this...
Foxglove as Companion Plant to Fruits and Vegetables?
From experience, I can honestly say that foxglove is great, interplanted with anything, although the biggest gains (for no reason that I can explain!) were with garlic- we grow a really cool walking garlic (the seed bulb sets on top), and it really seems to...
Reducing Dust Bunnies?
* Giggle * Im in high desert country, in southwestern Idaho, and this is what our family has found to work- either get a robotic vacuum (iRobot works well, but has to be cleaned out, of hair, daily), or get a V floor sweeper. Both of those do the trick- but...
Reusing Toilet Paper Rolls?
My current favorite use for them is to use them as cord catchers- appliances such as the air popper, the waffle iron, and the hand mixer, all have TP rolls holding the cords! For shorter cords, I cut the rolls in half, because they dont require quite as much...
Keeping Peacocks Out of the Garden?
Ok, sorry to be flippant, but get a dog. A large, mean dog, preferably one that someones getting rid of because it liked to raid their chicken coop. Or, you could club them and eat em. Theyre great stewed, and you can sell the feathers to crafters! ;o) Seriously...
Low Beam Headlights Not Working Properly?
Thats a short in your wiring, not the headlights themselves. It will either be the switch, or a short in your wiring- I wish you luck!
Getting Rid of Shiny Skin?
Hi, Anna! I dont know what your age is, but I started having the same problem, just this last summer- Im 38, and live in a desert climate, but had never really had the problem before. I was also having trouble with breakouts, and a bunch of other skin changes...
Dry Eraser to Remove Permanent Marker
This is so helpful. I have a 3-year-old, with the same tendency to scribble in inappropriate places, with any markers he can find! It may be too late, for some things (like the lovely maple doors throughout the house, and some of the furniture), but like your...
Organizing a Church Dinner Party?
For decorations, why not just make printouts of all of the flags of the worlds nations? Do a full-sized one of any that you choose on a regular 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper, and either attach them all onto string with bits of tape, or just attach them to the walls...
Organizing Debit Card Receipts?
A long time ago, a lover taught me this, and it has never failed me. Carry your checkbook with you, even when you use the debit card. Every time you make a transaction, whether by check or by the card, record it. Yep, it may annoy the person behind you in line...
Shrinky Dinks From Recycled Containers
Question for everyone: can you use #1 plastic, instead? I was checking my kitchen for recyclable plastics, and have exactly the same shape of container as is pictured in the tutorial, but its not #6- same thickness, though! Also wondering if anyones used peanut...
Shrinky Dinks From Recycled Containers
The peanut butter jars Im referring to are definitely plastic, up to and including the recycling number on the bottom! LOL Id use the torch for anything glass! ;o)
Window Air Conditioner Not Cooling?
Ok, first thing to do: check for ice. Yeah, sounds crazy, but the cooling part of the machine may have literally frozen over. This would be the coils (or the copper tubing, or other heat-exchanger stuff on the back of the unit- if this is an older unit, it...
Repairing Cat Scratches on Wicker Furniture?
Secure anything that might cause splinters or injuries- wood, sand it down- wicker bits, try to weave back into the general pattern of it, and use a glue gun, or Gorilla Glue, if necessary. Then, remember the following rule: Spray paint covers an amazing variety...
Ryan's Jacket in the Movie "Just Friends"?
Thats an early 80s tux coat- there are tons of patterns for them on eBay, and elsewhere. If you were to make one, look for patterns from around 78 to 82- sleeves got wider after that, and the jacket bodies were styled in a more boxy fashion from then, forward...
Uses for Pickle Jars?
The easiest method for making them into canisters, whether they are the big ones, or the little ones, is to simply spray-paint the lids. Scrub em with a good scouring pad and regular dish soap (Ajax or Crystal Octagon work well) to fully clean them, and then...
Using Stainless Steel Carafes for Milk?
Soak them in your pan sink (Im guessing that you have a 2 or 3 way sink, for pots and pans, in your dishroom), with either a large, slightly diluted batch of coffeepot cleaner (the kind that you use in your coffeemaker system, to clean the tubes and pots), or...
Thawing Fish?
Your safest bets are the cold-water method, or allow it to thaw in your refrigerator. If you need it to be thawed quickly, use the professional method: place the fish into a container, such as a bowl, that will allow the fish to be covered completely, by water...
Homemade Ant Killer?
Artificial sweeteners are fantastic ant killers- in fact, thats what the original intent was, when they were discovered (completely by accident- yeah, Im serious, look it up!) to be sweet in flavor. Pour a few packets of the generic version of the stuff in...
Wedding Reception Party on Anniversary?
Having a celebration of your union, after the wedding, is not at ALL tacky! My husband and I did that, too- on the Fourth of July, 2005- we had actually gotten legally married the January prior to that. Everyone elses suggestions here are spot-on- youll be...
Used Dryer Sheets for Bird Nests?
No, not a good idea- there are a lot of toxins (including carcinogens) in dryer sheets. They are, however, really good for dusting TV screens, and other surfaces. They actually help repel dust when used this way. Your best bet for the birds is lint, string...
Having a Mohawk With Curly Hair?
Having had a mohawk, a number of years back, I thought Id try to give you a little insight. I have mostly straight hair, so getting the look that I was after was not tough at all, but I suspect that with seriously naturally curly hair, it might be. One thing...
Feeding a Newborn Golden Finch?
I agree heartily with ahastings- if this is a wild bird, get it to an animal shelter IMMEDIATELY. Remember that baby birds in nature are fed by the mother, who regurgitates (barfs up) the food for the baby- at a shelter, they can approximate this far better...
Unique Sayings to Monogram?
Ok, its not a website, but you can get ahold of this for free, at your local library- look for, or request, Olivia Dreams Big- its a childrens book, and every single page has a fantastic quote from famous, intelligent people, from movie stars to philosophers...
Resurfacing an Acrylic Kitchen Sink?
I would seriously suggest just getting rid of it, and replacing it with a new sink. Its easier to install a new sink than you would guess- there are lots of resources available online, in the library, and even at home improvement stores! See, the problem is...
Softer Homemade Bread?
T&T Grandmas got it right- milk is the key. Mashed spuds help, but milk is the magic ingredient! :o) Good luck!
Sharpening Your Knife With Liquid Soap
Thanks, Tim! Im a retired chef, and had never heard of this one. Also, thanks for the tip about the Instructables website- just bookmarked it! Love stuff like that. Have a great day! :)
Painting Furniture a New Color?
Im with GlensMom- wood tones are ALWAYS in style- your shapes/styles can be mismatched, but think about doing all of them in the same tone, with a stain- wood is a natural classic, and will never go out of style! Surprisingly, most woods will take stain in...
Removing Smoke Odor from Leather Boots?
Heres the absolutely best way that I have ever found for removing undesirable smells from leather- take the peel from oranges, lemons, or limes, and use the fruit. Let the peel sit for an hour or two, but not to the point that that the peels dry out. Stress...
Bottle Caps With Pictures on Them?
I get my bottle caps (fully blank, never used) from an art supply place, online- just keyword bottle caps to buy and you should find it. For the pictures, I made a template, about 1 around, made from part of a margarine container lid, and thats what I use to...
Preventing Food from Staining Bowls?
You really cant prevent it, but I do have a way to remove the stains. Fill the bowls or containers with water, and get yourself as cheap of a package of denture cleaner as you can (like Equate, from the Walmart, or any other generic denture cleaner), and put...
Eliminating Age Spots?
I would suggest using the herb, amla. The stuff is just amazing, and it does wonders for hair, too! I get mine from From Nature With Love (an online store that sells soapmaking stuff, herbs, ingredients for homemade lotions, etc.) in bulk. You make a paste...
Cat Puts Things in Water Dish?
Give your kitty plastic drinking straws to play with- we had one (RIP, Shadow- he passed 3 weeks ago) that had that habit, and then he got ahold of the kids straws- lo and behold, he wound up with those being the favorite water-bowl object! You cant break them...
Appreciation Party for My Husband?
Im with kimhis- do a certificate or award on your printer! Also, I would suggest some coupon books, one from each family member- for the kids, coupons for things like, I will do my chores without complaining, will wash the car, etc. And from you, something...
Smelly Drains?
Ive used bleach for this problem before, and it was quite effective- we have a double sink in the kitchen (no disposal), and occasionally, it gets that funky smell- I just pour about a quarter of a cup of bleach down each drain, let it set for about half an...
Loose Hinges and Screws
Thanks for posting that one- thats exactly what Ive done in the past to repair hinge issues, with the exception that instead of cutting wood bits off of scrap wood, Ive used the flat-style toothpicks (they dont work very well for their intended use, so why...
Hubcap Yard Art?
Im with Tina, above. Im also thinking that they would make great squirrel baffles for any hanging birdfeeders you might have, too! And maybe sundials...?
My Husband Doesn't Like Vegetables?
I went through this with my Meat n Potatoes guy, too. Then, I discovered that he didnt like veggies, because of how his mother cooked them! Early on in our relationship, I bought a big mess of fresh Brussels sprouts, prepped em, and stuck em in the fridge, and...
Keep Utility Phone Numbers In Your Cell For Emergencies
Oooh, good one! Thanks, will pass that on to all of my friends and family! :o)
