Daily Thrifty Tips - October 12, 2007

The week has really flown by. I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! Keep sending in your homemade Halloween costume ideas!

Thanks for reading,

Susan

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Crafting for Fun and Money!

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Spaghetti and Meatballs Halloween Costume

To make this simple costume, cut a platter from a large circle of cardboard with a hole in the middle for child's legs to fit through. Tie on some off-white yarn strings like suspenders. Then hot glue random off white yarn all over the plate. Next, hot glue some yarn pom-poms for meatballs. Once the child is in the costume, drape extra yarn around the shoulders.Carry a small can of Parmesan cheese.

My daughter won a $5 prize in a costume contest for this one. Since it only cost $2 to make, we made money!

By Lynn from WI

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Smurf (Chow Chow)

Smurf is 10 years old and is a Chow Chow. I got her from a breeder.She likes to sleep. She love food, and hates cats and monkeys.

By Carolyn from South Africa

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Craft: Orange Jammer Purse For Halloween

Approximate Time 2 hours

Supplies:

• 14 orange jammer packs
• clear thread
• needle
• scissors
• black ribbon

Instructions:

Take 3 jammers and sew together side by side 4 times. Then take 2 jammers and sew on top of each other 2 times for the sides. Sew three more on top of each other for the bottom. Sew the sides and the bottom onto the front and the back of the purse. Take 1 jammer and cut into 3 strips, fold each strip over and sew together. When you get that done, sew 3 strips together and sew on purse to make handles as in picture. Sew on the ribbon.

By Sandy from Bluff City, TN

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End of Growing Season Canning

Toward the end of the growing season as production is slowing down, I begin canning a concoction I call vegetable medley. There won't be enough of the Red Ripper cowpeas, for example, to fill the canner, so
whatever a day's harvest brings in gets combined - some kernels of corn, slices of okra, diced tomatoes, small chucks of squash, onion, celery, beans, peas - just whatever is out there and without regard to ingredient proportions.

For my single-person household, I can in pints. For guest meals, I can always open more jars. These V-M portions are so handy. With a bit of leftover ham or a can of tuna, I can put pot pies together quickly. With chicken or turkey stock a tasty soup is ready to be enjoyed.

The same idea can be used with a dehydrator. I recently invested in an Excalibur and plan to create some dried V-M as well.

By Yuska from San Antonio, TX

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Colored Applesauce For Kids

This is for applesauce, I am sure everyone has done this. You can add kool-aid of any color and you will have orange, red, grape, etc. We did this at Head Start and the kids loved it.

By Sue from Shoals

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Toy Octopus for a Kitten

This is a craft to make for a kitten or a playful older cat. I took the plastic strips off of frozen juice cans, put them together so that all the round loops faced the same way and wrapped an elastic band around the base of the loops. (it kind of looks like an octopus). I used 10 strips, then I hung it from the door knob with a string. The kitten thinks it is the best thing to chew on, bat at and just generally play with, can't beat this for being frugal!

By Cinnamon from Williams Lake

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Recycle Expired Credit Cards as Dish Scraper

Use an expired credit card as a scraper while washing dishes. It easily removes stuck on food without marking the dish or pan. I also use the no-name promotional cards that I get in the mail from the credit card companies. As long as they're plastic, they will work.

By Joy from Berwick, PA

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Clothing Exchange Parties

I was invited to a clothes exchange party. My initial thought was I would not come home with any good exchanges, but I was so glad I went. The invitation said to limit my number of items to ten clothing pieces that were in very good condition. This gave me a chance to clean out my closet, which was long overdue. In the process of cleaning out the closet, I found several items I had forgotten about, in fact, I put together something to wear to Church Sunday from the items I had forgotten about.

Back to the party, there was a great turn out. We all had fun trying on clothes and picking out items to take home. I came home with seven new items to me that I love and will get good use of this Fall. I look forward to doing this again in the Spring or Summer.

With the price of clothes, this was a great fun way to save some money and have a night out with friends. On by the way, every one brought an inexpensive snack to share. For the hostess, it was very little effort, she provided the soft drinks and we all brought a snack. The clothes left over that did not fit, etc. were dropped off at the local helping hands store.

By Bobbie G from Rockwall

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Mascara Remover and Face Wash

Don't spend a lot of money on fancy named eye creams and mascara remover. Johnson's Baby Shampoo (No Tears) is great. A bottle will last for ever. Just put a nickel size in your hand put on lashes and rinse it off. The best thing is No Tears and it's cheap!

By Doreen from Rochester Hills, MI

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Superhero Potty Training Incentive

This has worked for two of my boys. I made a chart with pictures of their favorite super hero. When they made it to the end of the chart (going potty moves your forward, accidents send you back) they get to call the superhero. For one child it was Spiderman, for another Superman. All you need is a helpful male relative to play the part on the phone. Works like a charm.

By Kayla from Kuna, Idaho

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Use Reusable Gift Wrap

Here's a gift wrap idea for you. Years ago when my church gave a baby shower for a young woman in dire straits, I was helping an older lady pick up the gift wrap and get it ready to be tossed. I was middle aged at the time and she was probably the age I am now. After we filled up 2 toilet paper cartons, we both declared we would never spend another nickel on gift wrap.

On a few occasions, I have used the gift bags which I recycle. Mostly, if I am going to a wedding shower, I wrap it either in kitchen or bath towels and use a tuffy scrubber for a bow. Everyone needs safety pins so you can use those to secure it instead of scotch tape. For a baby shower, use a crib sheet or blanket and a rattle or small toy for the bow. You can use diaper pins instead of scotch tape to hold everything in place. All of it is usable and nothing will be thrown away.

By MartyD from Houston, TX

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Making Consistently Sized Cookies

For cookies that are a consistent size when you bake them, roll your cookie dough into a log and wrap with plastic wrap. Place it in the freezer for about 30 minutes. Cut the log into slices using dental floss and place them on your cookie sheet. Be sure that you always completely cool your cookie sheet before baking a new batch. In between batches, put your dough back into the fridge or freezer to keep the shortening from getting soft.

By Momof1 from Wilkesboro, NC

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Make Your Own Instant Oatmeal

I wanted to share a tip with all those busy moms who love instant oatmeal, but can't stand those awful prices. I take regular oatmeal and put it in my blender and just give it a few zaps, to break up the oats. You can add different ingredients to make it taste better.

Here are a few of mine.

Cinnamon Apple

• 1/4 cup of blended oats
• A few chopped dehydrated apples
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• A bit of brown sugar

Peaches and Cream:

• 1/4 cup of blended oats
• 1/2 peach from can or fresh if you have it, cut up
• 1-2 tbsp of vanilla instant pudding powder

All you have to do is bag up the mix. Be sure to only store dry ingredients. I like using dehydrated fruits and instant puddings. they store well and you can put them in single serve bags or bowls and all you need to do is add hot water.

By Melissa from Pine City, NY

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Making Hand Warmers

I was considering making hand warmers for gifts. Any suggestions?

Thanks.

Holly from Richardson, TX

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Using Paper Pulp in a Mold

I've printed off and plan to use your instructions for making paper you can plant. I'm planning to use this for a project for my niece's wedding- here's my question-
Can I use the pulp (once screened and squeezed) to place into a mold (snowflake) for ornaments to give as favors? How long should I leave the pulp in the mold before "dumping" to dry thoroughly? Any information you may be able to offer would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Lori from Duncannon, PA

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Dog Became Aggressive After Having Puppies

My pitbull terrier has 4 week old pups. She growls at them if they want to nurse and she has shown her teeth to one of them. She has attacked another dog in my home after having the pups. She just is not herself anymore. I am thinking that her aggression will soon cause more damage, I am thinking of having her put down and raising the pups. Is this normal from the mother?

Jae from Germantown, MD

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Planting Flowers in the Shape of Letters

My volunteer garden club at our library are building a berm. It will be the center peice of a very large open area. I wanted to put flowers that make the shapes of letters when bunched together. This is a 3 part question #1 What would be used as a support since the berm will be on a high slant? #2 What is used to make the framing for the letters? #3 What would be the best low work flowers/plants to use to make the lettering stand out? If anyone has photos of or links to web pages that have photos it would help me the best. Thanks!

Hardiness Zone: 5a

Laura from Illinois

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Cleaning a Leather Sofa

How can I clean my light color leather sofa without damaging it? I was told to dissolve a few drops of dishwashing liquid in water and use a sponge to wash it and then just dry it. But I am worried that water will dry the leather. I appreciate any suggestions.

Mitra from Maryland

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Inexpensive French Doors to Replace Sliding Glass Door

I am looking for inexpensive french doors to fit into sliding patio doors space?

Charlene from Santa Clarita , CA

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Uses for Plastic Trash Bins

I have collected oodles of plastic trash bins, bathroom, kitchen, some with lids, that people throw out on our base. It slays me to see these perfectly good items thrown away, not to mention the petroleum used to make them. Any ideas on how to create something from them? I have used them as planters but my husband thinks our garden looks like the front yard of "Sanford and Son". You folks are so brilliant when it comes to ideas; I had to ask.

Thanks and Peace,
Sharon from Incirlik, Turkey

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Cleaning Milk From Upholstery

What can I use to clean dry spilled milk on a Lazy Boy rocker? The smell is horrible.

Maryann from Maynard, MA

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Crafting for Fun and Money!

If you are an avid crafter, capable writer and own a digital camera, you are eligible to participate. Submit your craft projects to ThriftyFun and we will pay $15 for any crafts that we publish.

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Understanding Food Additives

Knowing what is really in the food we eat can sometimes be a mystery, and so with this article I hope that I can give you some information that you can use and be a more informed consumer. If you know what some of the additives are and why they are put into your food than you can decide for yourself if this is something that was needed or if it was an additive that you would rather do without. Many food additives are considered safe by the USFDA and here is how they define safe:

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Getting Pine Sap Off Hands

Tips for removing pine sap or pitch from your hands as posted by the ThriftyFun community. Post your own ideas here.

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Uses for Old Sweatshirts

Tips for reusing old sweatshirts that aren't fit to wear anymore.

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