September 12, 2011

Making a Barney and Betty Rubble Couples CostumeThis is a page about making a Barney and Betty Rubble couples costume. Some costume ideas work best in pairs. Barney and Betty Rubble are a great example of this and the simplicity of the costume makes it a quick and easy option.

 

Cleaning Concrete?This is a page about cleaning concrete. Concrete patios, sidewalks and driveways can often be restored to like new with a pressure wash or other cleaning technique.

 

Cleaning Candle Wax from GlassThis is a page about cleaning candle wax from glass. Candle wax can get on your glass candle holder or drip onto a glass surface. When removing it you want to be sure to not damage the glass.

 

How to Get Rid of Garter SnakesAlthough these innocuous snakes are not poisonous, they can still be undesirable in a yard or garden. This is a page about getting rid of garter snakes.

 

Cleaning SuedeThis is a page about cleaning suede. Suede looks great and feels so soft, until it gets something spilled on it. Cleaning suede, without damaging it, can be a real challenge.

 

Sterilizing SpongesThis is a page about sterilizing sponges. Sponges are often used for the dirtiest jobs in the house. Sterilizing them is the best way to make sure they are free of germs and viruses.

 

Cleaning the Inside of BottlesThis is a page about cleaning the inside of bottles. Some bottles can be easily cleaned using a bottle brush, but some bottles are too large and can be difficult to reach all areas on the inside of the bottle.

 

Getting Rid of AphidsThis is a page about getting rid of aphids. Having a rose, or other flowering plant, suddenly covered in aphids can be a a depressing sight. Fortunately, there are many ways to get rid of them and you may not have to use chemicals.

 

Fixing Squeaky Stairs?This is a page about fixing squeaky stairs. Squeaky stairs can be very common in older homes but sometimes newer construction has them too. They can definitely be a nuisance if they get too loud.

 

Cleaning CrystalThis is a page about cleaning crystal. Whether it's wine glasses, vases or anything else crystal, your crystal will need to cleaned up after use or even just storage. Obviously, you don't want to damage your crystal so it is important to clean properly.

 

Removing Musty Smell from BooksBooks that have been stored or shelved for a long time can sometimes start to smell musty, especially if they have been in a slightly damp environment. This is a page about removing the musty smell from books.

 

Cleaning Rubber StampsThis is a page about cleaning rubber stamps. Rubber stamping is a popular crafting technique for decorating paper and fabric with inks. They must be cleaned properly to ensure that they can be used over and over again.

 

Pasta Shrimp SaladMy own creation! I think it's a refreshing salad with a new twist - not the usual shrimp salad.

 

Chicken SquaresLove to find recipes that use chicken! Chicken is still fairly inexpensive as far as meat goes and it's nice to have lots of different ways to fix it. This is very good!

 

Chocolate Marshmallow DreamsSo sweet and yummy. I wish I could still make these for my dad.

 

Easy Pecan Bark CandyChristmas is just around the corner, and this is an inexpensive and easy candy recipe. Kids love it! Adults do too.

 

Vegetable SaladWas a favorite of my dad.

 

Wave Oven Chicken Wings (and Drummies)Easy to make - easy cleanup. Arrange wings in Wave oven and heat on 4 inch rack. Turn over once, until browned and cooked through, 18 - 20 minutes total.

 

Counting on Leftovers for Another MealI like to make up a boxed mix like Rice-a-Roni, then with leftovers I can always add more veggies, next time to what's left. I can also add the appropriate liquid, like tomato juice, milk, or mushroom soup to make soup.

 

Scenery: Yellow Wildflowers (Shore Acres...Growing in the shadowy edges of Shore Acres State Park on the Oregon Coast, these blossoms always take my breath away. The vibrant yellow with the perfectly placed red spots are always great eye candy.

 

Dixie (Chihuahua)Dixie is a 9 month old Chihuahua. I have been wanting a chihuahua for some time. I looked on Craigslist and the people met me behind Hooters with her.

 

Fruit Fly DeterrentThe best way to keep the fruit flies away is to get some mint leaves. Put them in the fruit basket along with the fruits. The fruit flies don't like mint.

 

Drying OrangesAlthough some sources do not recommend drying oranges because of their high juice content, it can still be done. Dried oranges can be ground into powder and used as flavoring in beverages and teas, as well as an aromatic addition to craft projects and potpourri.

 

Homemade Produce WashWashing your produce before you eat them is an important food prep step. But there is no need to waste your money on expensive vegetable washes when you probably have all the ingredients you need sitting around your house.

 

Prepare a Disaster Bin For EmergenciesI live in southeastern NC and although we don't get the full force of hurricanes like you do in FL, we do get the damaging winds, rains, and tornadoes spun off from the storms. So keeping disaster bins is important here too.

 

Baking Potato in MicrowaveWhen I bake potatoes in the microwave, I coat them with Pam or other cooking spray. When they are done, they are easy to peel the skin off of or great to eat. I love to eat the whole potato so I do this all the time.

 

Storing Vacuum Cleaner Parts and Carpet Cleaner HosesMy vacuum has several different nozzles plus a couple of extension wands. I was forever making trips back and forth to the closet where I keep them to get one thing or another. This got old really quick!

 

Witch Way To Go WreathPoor Wanda the Witch just can't seem to find the right direction to go in and as you can see, she has already hit a dead end. Add some signs and help her get on the right path home. This wreath can be made by an older child and younger ones can help by making the signs.

 

Witch Hazel and Alcohol Skin TonerI've made my own for years and it works just fine! I use 1/4 cup of rubbing alcohol and 3/4 cup of witch hazel. You can add a couple of drops of blue food coloring to make it look store bought.

 

Bebe (Amstaff Mix)Bebe is a 10 and a half year old Amstaff mix. A friend's son went to the dumpster to empty his trash and heard a puppy crying inside the dumpster. He climbed in and brought out this tiny puppy of approximately 4-5 weeks old.

 

Making a Homemade Barney and Betty Rubble...Here is an excellent example of a homemade Barney and Betty Rubble costume. This would work really well for a couple trying to find quick thrifty costume idea.

 

Garden: Blooming PassifloraEarlier in the year, a tree fell on our house and my garden. I tried my best to save what I could from my flowerbed. I was so excited to see these live and thrive, and now bloom.

 

Canning Eggplant Spread?How long should I process Kiopoolu (eggplant-pepper spread)?

 

Making a Patchwork Throw?How do you make an easy patchwork throw?

 

Cleaning Vinyl Wallpaper?How do you remove smoke from vinyl wallpaper?

 

Leaves on Avocado Tree Turning Yellow and Fruit Has Red Skin?I have a mature 10 ft 8 yr old avocado tree and the leaves are turning yellow and the 30+ fruit on the tree are red skinned, but turn brown when picked and stored. It's close to another avocado tree which has the normal dark green leaves. It receives normal fertilizer annually.

 

Rust in Pipes of Washing Machine?My husband has never liked water conditioners. We have lived in our house for almost 20 years and my washing machine is spewing rust onto some of my clothes. Is there something like running vinegar or bleach through a cycle that will stop this?

 

Replacement Bubble for an Eight Cup Yosemite Percolator?I have an eight cup Yosemite percolator. The plastic or glass bubble atop the percolator broke. I need to find a new one. Any ideas where I might buy one?

 

Dehydrating Fruits, Vegetables, and Herbs?What about dehydrating fruits, veggies, and herbs? Anyone have any tips? I have just finished doing mushrooms and zucchini. I must say that I am very impressed with the results and it takes up so much less space, too. These mushrooms were about 2 lbs originally.

 

Uses for Shoe Laces?I have recently acquired about 50 pairs of new shoe laces. Any ideas on what to use them for? They are brown, tan, and black.

 

Cats Aren't Eating Dry or Wet Food?I have two cats, ages 12 and 7 and they've been on a quality brand dry food for years. About 2 months ago, they stopped eating the dry food, so I've tried several other quality brands and canned food. They will lick the gravy out of the can food, but not eat the meat.

 

Cooking Collard Greens in a Crockpot?How do you cook collard greens in the crockpot? I tried to cook them last night but they came out very bland. Maybe I used too much water. I used the large 30 oz pre-cut bag of collard greens, 1 pack ham hocks, 1 Tbsp. salt, 2 Tbsp. sugar, and 5 cups of water.

 

Recipes for the NuWave Oven?Does anyone know where I can find recipes for my NuWave oven?

 

Homemade Fantastik Household Cleaner?I use Fantastik cleaner, but would like to know how to make a homemade version of Fantastik with the same cleaning ability.

 

Making Hominy?I am trying to make hominy. I have gone through 3 pounds of dried corn and still I can't get it correct. I soaked it in pickling lime 1-3 days, in different batches. I can't seem to get the tips and husks off. I soak, I rinse, and then I boil.

 

On-line Planting Timetables for Fruit?Is there an on line planting timetable guide for soft fruits?

 

Musty Smell In Front Load Washer?My 2008 LD front loading washer and the cloths washed in the machine smell very bad, like mold. We also have several pets and I am unable to get to where the dog and cat hair lodge in the washer.

 

Economical Alternative to NewsCurrents?I am an activity coordinator in Wisconsin. I use to work in Florida as well. We did an event called "News Currents" and it was a very good program. It came as a DVD and had pictures of recent "newsworthy" events. Has anyone used a service like this?

 

Recipes for Using Clay Bakers?Recently I acquired a clay baker. I would like to get recipes for using it, especially for making bread. Many years ago I had one, but it got broken and I never got around to getting another one until recently.