Daily Thrifty Tips - August 2, 2007

Fisher Price has recalled some popular toys, be sure to read about in the More Reading section if you have purchased any of their toys recently.

Thanks for reading,

Susan

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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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Welcome Wreath

Here is an easy decoration for your front door.

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Duncan (Toy Poodle)

Duncan is now 7 years old and he is a Toy Poodle. This picture was taken when he was a puppy. We got him from a friend.

He loves to play with his toys.

By Tammy from SC

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MooLa Bank

For those looking for crafts from glass jars, this is a bank to store your "MooLa" in. Made from mayonnaise jars, you may use either the pint or the quart size.

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Decoupaged Wooden Frames

I like to decoupage plain wooden frames. Recently I had an idea to use the frame as part of the entire scene. This one turned out great and looks wonderful in my bright Greek kitchen.

You peel off the protective film (that is what the black thing is on the picture).

By Lisa from Thessaloniki, Greece

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Putting Samplers to Use

I often teach my children basic embroidery stitches using simple designs. If you are helping a little one to do stitching, this is a nice way to put the sample pieces to use.

Add a backing with some lively scrap fabric by stitching inside out, and then reversing. Stitch up the opening, then stitch a final border around the little art piece.

Perfect little coasters that make nice gifts for teachers, grandparents, aunties, fathers, mothers...

Making something, instead of just doing a sampler, makes the project even more fun.

By Maura from New York, NY

Lady Bug Front

Lady Bug Back

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Gifts For Returning Friends And Family

This is a tip if you have a neighbor or friend who's been away from home for a long time. A nice gift to have for them upon their arrival home is a few of grocery items to hold them over for a few days. That way they can rest up from their trip and then go to the grocery store, instead of them having to go get groceries as soon as they return from their long trip. My sister in law did this for my parents, last year. My Mom was quite impressed and said it helped out so much!

By Terri H. from NV

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Homemade Solution For Cleaning Stainless Steel Coffeepots

Tired of buying expensive cleaners for your stainless steel coffeepots? Well, I don't! I just drop a dishwashing machine tablet into the pot with hot water. Let it sit for a while and rinse well. Coffee residue is gone and you have a brand new pot.

By Marie from Long Island, NY

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Buy School Supplies From The List

I always wait until I have an exact list of needed items from the teachers themselves before I buy. In the upper grades, some teachers can be very specific about what they prefer; down to the color of the ink pen or size of the notebook. (We've even had one specify Bic pens, not clickable ones.) When my oldest child started middle school, I had purchased everything in advance and wound up making another trip to buy "the right stuff". A very expensive lesson learned.

By Christine from Dalton, GA

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Bake in Wide Mouth Pint Mason Jars

Take your favorite recipe, Zucchini bread, applesauce raisins, carrot, spice cake, friendship breads, and carrot cake. You can even use box mixes. All you need to do is make your recipe.

Oil and flour your wide mouth pint Mason jars and fill the jar 2/3 full with your recipe. Baking time is according to the recipe, the trick here is the second you take it out of the oven put on the dome and band, let cool completely (on occasion I have had to trim a tasty sliver of the top to get the dome on)

They are equal to 2 cupcakes. Figure out how many jars you will need to use for a cup cake with the recipe.

I have had them last almost a year in the cupboard. If I need frosting, I have the individual packages of cream cheese, powdered sugar and a couple drops of lemon juice.

By Babbie from Lemon Grove, CA

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Feline Pine Kitty Litter Cuts Down Odors

I was told by a pal, who works at a local discount store, that the product "Feline Pine Kitty Litter" is the best product to use if you have pets such as ferrets or cats. It cuts down on the odor more so than most like products.

By Terri H. from NV

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Buy Supplies Before And Clothing After School Starts

Just before school starts, the stores put school supplies on sale at very cheap prices. The kids will usually need most of those sale items at some point. So I purchase the limited number. Sometimes even going back more than once. I fill a tote with these items. And throughout the school year, they can get what they need from the tote. Keeps me from having to run out to make emergency purchases. So I purchase notebook paper at 10 cents a pkg, as many as the limit allows. Folders with/without pockets,and brads. Also 3 and 5 subject spiral notebooks, stock up on these too. Plus colored pencils, crayons, markers, #2 pencils, sharpies, stretchy book covers, erasers, posterboard, Bic pens, all the things that they could possible use.

Also, I buy only one new outfit for going back to school for each child. If you can possibly make them get by with their summer sandals and tennis shoes for the first few weeks of school, you are better off. Sometimes the school system makes changes in the rules of what can and cannot be worn to school this school year. I don't know how many times newly purchased clothing has been pushed to the back of the closet because it is not allowed this year. And if you have teen-aged girls, well, you know that they will want to wear what all the other girls are wearing. In a week or two, you can go purchase the "right" clothes, the "right" shoes and even have the "right" haircuts, and the "right" colors. Think of all the time and money saved by not rushing right into the back-to-school sales.

By Barb from Tennessee

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Clean Clothes Naturally Without Chemicals

1. Make a paste out of baking soda and water, apply it to the stain and let it sit for an hour before washing.
2. Squeeze a lemon, make a paste of with it and baking soda. Leave it on the stain for 30 minutes before washing. (lemon juice contains citric acid; it's bleaching action works especially well)
3. Adding 1 cup of vinegar to the final rinse gets out urine from baby clothes.
4. Dab, don't rub. Always blot a stain before trying to remove it. Work from the edges to the center, which will keep the stain from spreading.
5. For ketchup, blood, grass, fruit juice, and sweat stains: Rub distilled white vinegar right onto the stain. Let sit a few minutes before washing.
6. Oil or grease (from food):; Rub on dishwashing liquid and let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes before washing.(if none available, dab with bread to lift up as much oil as possible)
7. Grass: Use an old toothbrush to rub whitening toothpaste onto the stain. Let sit overnight, then wash.
8. Blood: Make a paste of cool water and meat tenderizer (unseasoned). Apply to the stain, then let sit 15 to 30 minutes before washing.
9. Ketchup: Soak a fresh stain in cool water for 10 minutes, rub in liquid detergent, then wash.
10. Add a can of Coca-Cola to the wash cycle for extra greasy stains. Then wash as usual.
11. Leather items can be cleaned with a mixture of distilled vinegar and linseed oil.
12. Make your own dryer balls, it's easy. Just make a ball out of foil. (use it in dryer with clothes)

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Use Shredded Colored Paper Instead Of Tissue In Gift Bags

Ran out of colored tissue paper and had a black gift bag to stuff - so I ran some colored advertising pages plus some bright-colored computer paper in our shredder. (I put a garbage bag on our receptacle to catch the shredded paper.) It came out as lovely multi-colored shredded packing strips and contrasted beautifully with the black bag! (color-coordinate to your own gift bag)

By pamphyila from Los Angeles

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Make Sure Toiletries Are Not Close to Expiring

While shopping, most of us know to check for the expiration dates on food items. Did you know there are expiration dates on over the counter medications, on toothpastes, and other items, as well? As high as the cost of living is, might as well make sure you're buying items that have the longest shelf life.

By Terri H. from NV

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Inexpensive Wedding and Reception Locations In Southern Maine?

Anyone know of any inexpensive wedding/reception venues in Southern Maine? My daughter wants to get married in August 2008. She wants to invite 100 guests. I am hoping to find a nice function hall which will allow us to cater it ourselves. We have a small budget. Thanks for your help.

Maine Jane from South Portland, Maine

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Freezing Milk

Can you freeze milk?

LeaAnn from Mitchell, SD

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Light vs. Dark Kidney Beans

Light vs Dark: Can anyone tell me what the difference is between light red kidney beans and dark red kidney beans? Also, what's the difference regarding brown sugar?

Judy from Wisconsin

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Neutralizing Acid in Soup

How can one neutralize acid in soup?

Don from Bartlesville, OK

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Choosing a Good Repair Man

Choosing people to work for you: Three colleagues, all single parents, were discussing the difficulties of finding repairmen who do not rip off single ladies and whose work is above reproach. I was advised by my minister of religion(!), but the repairman turned out to be breaking more things than he fixed! Could someone maybe suggest criteria/indicators/ways of assessing potential repairmen before wasting hard-earned money?

Thank you,
Kind regards,
Carol from Republic of South Africa

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Why does my dog rub his butt on the carpet?

Why does my dog rub his butt on the carpet and the grass?

Sherry from Martinez, GA

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Marks on Lawn from Dog Urine

Does anyone know what to do when your female dog urinates and burns the lawn each and every time? We are giving her tomato juice with her food which we were told would offset the acid in her urine..

Thanks,
Terry from Fall River, Nova Scotia

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Dejur Projector Manual (Model 750)

I am trying to locate a manual for a Dejur projector - Model 750. Does anyone out there have one?

Marie

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Removing Smell From Old Paint

My friend used old (wall) paint (4 years old) and it has made the whole room smell.
How to get it out (airing is not enough)?

Kiwi from Israel, The Middle East

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Beer Batter for Chicken

How do you make beer batter for chicken?

Janice from Erie, PA

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Mildew Smell from Homemade Laundry Detergent

When I made my liquid laundry detergent, it came out fine. I have noticed since doing laundry with it that it seems the clothes end up with a really odd smell, kind of mildewy. Any ideas? I didn't add any scent, essential oils or anything. I really enjoy having clothes on the line after washing for that fresh from the line smell.

Thanks for any help.

Kim from Sutton, NH

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Partitioning a Bedroom in an Apartment

I need some ideas on how to partition a room in my apartment. I have two daughters ages 2 and 3 who have completely opposite personalities and cannot stand sharing a room together. My 2 year talks herself to sleep and my 3 year old can't sleep with noise. So just hanging a sheet won't work. It's gotten to the point where my 3 year old is begging me to let her move in with my husband and me. Any help would be great. Their room is approx 12.5 ft x 13 ft. Thanks!

Celeste from Sacramento, ca

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Removing Permanent Marker from Table Cloth

MIL gave me a very old white damask cotton table cloth. A dream - heavy, white with a design woven in it. The problem is she put her name in black laundry marker pen in one corner. Her whole name in huge letters! How can I remove it?

kiwi from Israel

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Canning Bath Not Long Enough

I recently canned tomatoes using the water bath method and realize now that I didn't boil them long enough, only 10 minutes. Can I put them back in the water bath and redo them. I used an old canning book that called for only 10 minutes. I did pack them hot in sterilized jars and and the lids are sealed. Help!

B. from Rutherfordton, NC

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The Price of Powdered Milk

I would like to hear from ladies who use powdered milk and what you usually pay for a pound. Here in California, it is $4.50 a pound. This is from a bulk bin at a discount grocery. This seems high to me. How much milk do you get from a pound? All the recipes I see go by cups. The price of milk is so high I want to switch but I don't know if it is worth changing. Milk is $3.20 a gallon for comparison.

Joy from Visalia

Editor's Note: A pound of dry milk is approximately 4 cups.

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Organizing Craft Supplies In A Small Space

Hi I am Mackenzie and I am eleven years old. My nanny converted a unused bedroom into a "sewing room" many years ago and it has become cluttered because she can do a limited amount of things. Me, my mom, my two sisters and my brother moved in with her and my poppa approx. a year ago. We are now cleaning it up and should have it done by the end of this week or the middle of next. She is giving me a corner (about 6x7 feet) for all my crochet, papercrafting and sewing supplies. Today I put up two 8 foot wire shelves by myself and we are getting more than we thought we would done. I need some ideas on how I can organize my supplies into such a small space and it still be functional. She is also putting a about 4 foot desk in the corner to be my "craft table". It has a two shelf bookcase and she said if I wanted to I could put up another wire shelf.

Sorry, so long!

Mackenzie from Millington, TN

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How To Decoupage

How do I decoupage? is it different from making a collage?

Karyn from Columbus, OH

Editor's Note: Here is an in-depth article about Decoupage:

• The Art Of Decoupage

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Pattern For Fitted Queen Sheet

I would like to make my own fitted sheet for a Queen sized bed and I'm looking for a pattern. Can anyone help me?

Jeneen from Philadelphia, PA

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Frugal Ways To Hang Curtains

I need some ideas for thrifty curtain rods.

Teacups95 from Fort Wayne, IN

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Help Losing Weight

I'm 5'7"; and I weigh around 216 lbs. I know I am supposed to weigh somewhere between 135-150ish, or at least, that's what this weight chart I looked at said. I have tried dieting before, but I can never seem to stick to it. I'm just watching what I eat, and trying to exercise, but I have siblings that I need to watch and such, so I'm not able to get out of the house too much, which is unfortunate because I was planning on walking every day, but it does not seem like that's possible.

I would like to weigh 126 lbs, but I'm not sure if that is TOO thin for my height? I want to lose at least 80 pounds, and I am just wondering a few things:

1.) Are there any little tricks, or anything that I can do [that is healthy] along with watching what I eat and exercising?

2.) Are there any types of exercises I can do inside the house? I was looking into buying something like Hip Hop Abs, but I have no money and I'm not too willing to buy something that might not even work.

3.) Approx. how long would it take to lose that much weight? I was hoping to have it off by next summer.

Letdown from Here =]

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Caring for a 5 Week Old Puppy

I have two English bulldog puppies 5 weeks old. The mother has nothing to do with them. I have been bottle feeding since 1 week old, how often and how much should I feed them and when can they eat regular puppy food.

Josie from El Paso, TX

Editor's Note: Here are some other posts about feeding young puppies on ThriftyFun

• Caring for a Young Puppy
• Feeding Puppies

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Stains in Toilet

How do you get rid of the stain down the front of the toilet (men did this I'm sure)? After being gone for two weeks, I came home to this. I have tried almost everything and nothing budges it. Hope someone can help.

staza from Granite Falls

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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.

More Information:
Click Here: http://www.thriftyfun.com/post_craft.ldml

Fisher-Price Recalls Licensed Character Toys (Lead Poisoning Hazard)

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firms named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

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