Daily Thrifty Tips
Volume Four, Number 204 August 24 2005
http://www.ThriftyFun.com
Hello,
We are working on adding a Recreation section to the website. It will feature tips about camping, bird watching, snow sports and more. If you have any recreation tips, please send them in.
Thanks for reading,
Susan
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Today's Sponsors
DickBlick.com - Art Supplies
Lots of great art supplies at DickBlick.com
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Today's Photos
Sassy Richardson (Jack Russell Terrier X)
Sassy came to us from heaven on August 1, 2003. She was asleep under my Papa's truck when he went to get the newspaper. We tried, but her owner couldn't be found, so she came to live with us. She is mostly Jack Russell Terrier and full of energy. She loves to play with her rope that hangs from the oak tree, fetch her ball, do tricks for treats. But most of all, she likes to take walks to the park with her visor on! Hope you enjoy meeting my friend Sassy.
By Emma Richardson
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Hair Accessory Doll
By Kim Davis Are you tired of helping your daughter search for her hair clips and scrunchies? I have the perfect solution. Make her a doll to hang on the wall or door and she can put them there. They're always easy to find and it is easy to pick out the one she wants. It can be a cute decoration for her room or bathroom, too.
Material
- Two 5 inch diameter circles of flesh colored cloth
- One 6 inch diameter piece of print fabric
- Matching thread
- Polyester or other stuffing material
- Yarn for hair - 10 48 inch pieces
- One piece of eyelet lace trim 2 in. wide x 4 in. long
- One 20 inch piece of 1/4 eyelet lace trim
- 1/4 satin ribbon for trim
- Fabric paint
Directions
 Next, make the cap. Cut the print material into a 6 inch circle. Sew the 1/4 inch eyelet trim all around the edge of the material. Sew a basting stitch seam along the inside edge of the lace. Pull one thread of the baste thread to gather the cloth.
Next make the hair. Attach securely the middle of all but one piece of yarn to the top of the face and down about two inches along the sides of the face. Then braid each side of the hair into braids going down the side of the face. Secure the ends like you would hair braids. Take the last piece of yarn and fold it back and forth into 2 inch loops. Sew this across the top of the face for bangs.
Place the cap on the head. Adjust the basting thread to make the cap fit. Hand stitch to hold in place.
Attach the edge of the 2 inch wide lace trim at the bottom of the face to form a collar. Make and attach a ribbon bow in the center of the collar.
Now sew a yarn loop onto the top center back of the head to use as a hanger for the doll.
Hang this on the wall and have your child put her hair clips and other accessories to the braids to make the easy to find.
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My Furry Friend - Braveheart
This is Braveheart. I've always enjoyed the birds, squirrels, and butterflies in my yard. I often sit on my front steps and toss peanuts (in the shell) to the squirrels. This one became a "friend" about three years ago when she began edging closer and closer to me. Instead of tossing the peanuts, I began holding a peanut in my hand and talking to her. Eventhough she is female, I named her Braveheart because she had the courage to come close, and now she even likes to be petted. She also chases away any other squirrel who gets too near. When I'm stressed I find that spending some quiet time with her is very calming.
By Cindy
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Fabric Storage and Organization
Since I have been quilting I always purchase my fabric on sale and believe you me when I find a sale I purchase a lot of fabric. I was having a hard time finding a place to "store" my fabrics. I didn't want it just stuffed in plastic storage bins because I would forget what I had.
So at a garage sale I purchased this most excellent cabinet for $9.00. It had red crayon on the side of it, which when I got home it came right off with Mr. Clean Magic Eraser : ) I rolled up my fabrics and sorted them on each shelve.
Then I hung up 3 baskets on the wall above my sewing machine and rolled fabrics in there too.
I love the storage that doubles as decorations.
By Tracey
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Today's Tips
Christmas Gifts from My Kitchen
This Christmas, gifts to friends will be from my kitchen. Homemade jams, Home canned spaghetti sauce for my pasta loving friends, and chicken soup to get them through the cold and flu season!
By bobbieg
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Cork Gingerbread Man Christmas Ornaments
My kids and I have already begun thinking Christmas. We started making Gingerbread Cookies. (Not the real kind).
I went to the craft store and bought a roll of cork. The kind that you would use to cover a door to make into a corkboard. I dug out the gingerbread cookie cutter and traced several gingerbread figures on the corks.
Then we glued the cork to cardboard (We used cereal box cardboard). We glued the gingerbread boy to the cardboard so the back so none of the cereal box advertisements were showing. We did this to strengthen the gingerbread boy. We put a hole at the top for a string.
Once the glue was dry, we used white puffy paint to embellish the cookie. We even personalized them with names.
By Laura Lange
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Don't Drive Through Flood Waters
To save yourself a bunch of heartache, headache, possibly your life and the life of your automobile, do not drive through flood waters. You could be thinking that it's not very deep, when the road could possibly be washed out. Some rescue attempts are made with positive results but sometimes there are fatalities.
People don't take into consideration the force of the rushing water and how destructive it can be. Water can get in your engine as well as your electrical system, if this takes place your vehicle is TOTALED! Just think twice before crossing flood waters.
By Terri
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Uses for Old Crayons
Tips for reusing old crayons. Post your ideas.
Using Old Crayons
Looking for something to do with those old broken crayons? Take the wrappers off of old crayon break them into pieces mix all together and put to the side.
Take two muffin tins line them with either foil muffin cups or spray with just plain non stick baking spray. Put pieces of crayons in the muffin tins filling it halfway.
Heat oven to 200 degrees F. Put the muffin tin in the oven. Take out after the crayons are melted. For me it usually takes about 9-11 minutes but watch them since oven temperatures vary.
After they are melted take out of the oven put to side. Let cool. I usually let cool about an hour but if you are in a hurry put them in the fridge to cool and after they are cool you have fun new crayons for the kids.
For fun holiday ideas, take a flat cookie sheet lined with easy release foil. Use metal cookie cutters. Press the cookie cutters down a little bit. Put crayon pieces in each cookie cutter and melt the wax. Let cool and you will have crayons in neat shapes.
Or take plastic candy molds and dixie cups. Put crayon pieces in the cup. Melt the crayons in microwave for about 5-8 minutes pour into the molds let cool in freezer for 20-30 min and they will pop right out of the mold.
Courtney Herriage
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Saving Money on Laundry Soap
Tips for saving money on laundry soap. Post your ideas.
Getting the Last of the Liquid Laundry Detergent
I pull the spout out of the laundry detergent jug to get the last amount out. I usually can just grab it with my hand and pull it out, but you could use pliers. There is usually enough soap for one more load.
By Lydia
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Keeping Your Children Safe In Public
This is more of a safety tip than a thrifty tip! With back to school, here, don't label your child's belongings with his name where strangers can see it. Put his name inside his things. If a small child is addressed by name by a stranger, the stranger seems "known" to the child.
Teach your children about "good" strangers, i.e. policemen, the store checkers and people who work in stores and wear uniforms or store badges, vs. strangers who are none of these. We want to encourage careful children not fearful ones.
Teach your child that these are people he/she can go to in an emergency. In a public venue, if a child is lost, have them look for an officer or an older woman or a woman with kids, who is most likely to help. And lastly, if the unthinkable happens and your child is snatched, tell them to drop to the ground, try to get away and scream and make noise and yell "I don't know this person, I'm being kidnapped" Otherwise your child can look like a kid having a tantrum!
By Linda
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Marking Jackets for School
Unless you want to replace jackets and the like that are lost at school, be sure to label everything-on the inside. White-out (Liquid Paper) can be used on dark clothes and will not wash out. One year I had 6 students with identical navy blue sweatshirts in my class!
By Linda
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Homemade Swiffer Wet Mop Replacement Cloths
Substitute for Swiffer Refills
Instead of purchasing the Swiffer refill cloths for the Swiffer mop, I simply cut up an old towel and use it in place of the refills. I dip it in Pine-sol and it picks up more dirt than the refill cloths do and saves me a ton of money!
By Christine Radovich
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Creative Ways To Give Money As a Gift
Expansion on Tracey's 19 for 19 Idea
Tracey gave me an idea for a different way of giving money that I have used. Tracey's involved wrapping money for her daughters 19th birthday. When my kids each turned 21, I gave them 21 pennies, 21 nickles, 21 dimes, and 21 quarters, 21 half dollars, etc. I took a gift box and taped each one individually to the top, bottom and sides. They had to undo each one to get them. Also for my brothers 50th wedding anniversary, I had a gold gift bag, gold "Easter grass" in the bag, and mixed in 50 silver dollars, each one wrapped in gold foil scattered in the grass. You could do the same with a silver bag, grass, and foil for a 25th anniversary.
By Linda
Editor's Note: You can find the post that Linda is referring to here:
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New Contest - More Prizes
We are giving away 16 $25 prizes in a variety of categories.
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Contest ends August 31, 2005
Syndication Spotlight:
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New Requests
Spray Bottle For Cleaning Products Stop Spraying Before It's Empty
I love your Clorox Cleanup and don't use anything else for all my cleaning needs, however, I am getting a little tired of the nozzle not working when there is still at least a half an inch of the product still left in the bottle, I feel like I am being cheated of some of the product, any comments will be appreciated.
Thank you
Rose Marie Hubert
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Cheap Indoor Fun for Wintertime
I was wondering if anyone had any ideas for cheap inside fun in the winter. I have a 2 year-old son. So I'm looking for things to do with him, as well as things we can do as a family. I know it's still summer, but I'm trying to hatch a good plan now, before the snow flies!
Lydia
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Freezer Odor
There is a bad odor in my freezer. I have emptied the ice maker, and have checked all of the packages, but cannot find the source. The regrigerator is only a couple of years old. Does anyone have any advice?
Thanks so much for the newsletter, I really enjoy reading it every day.
Peggy
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Sweet Butter Recipe
I'm looking for a recipe for sweet butter like they serve at Ryan's and Golden Coral resturants on the buffett. I love this butter and if anyone can share it with me please do.
Thanks,
Chas
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Finding Leaks In An Air Mattress
Can anyone tell me how to find leaks in air mattress beds?
magnoliatn
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Remove Silly Putty From Carpet
I Just discovered that my son left silly putty on the carpet in his room and it melted into the carpet during the warm of the day. Help! I don't even know where to begin with removing or cleaning this!
Thanks,
CW
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Slipping Wedding Rings
Having become engaged and married, I'm having a problem with my ring set twisting on my finger. Resizing them is not an option as my finger joints are smaller than my knuckles, and if they were any smaller, I could not slip them over my knuckes. Does anyone have any ideas to keep them together once I'm wearing them? I don't want to glue them together. I've tried taping them, but after three days the tape tore, as I'm a very hands-on person who does a lot of gardening and renovating. Please help! This is driving me crazy!
Cathy
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Healthy Beverages
I am looking for some healthy beverages. I know what is healthy, I try to drink a lot of that. But what else can I drink as I try to cut out coffee and soda pop?
Thanks,
Kelly
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Yellow Zucchini
I had a huge Yellow Zucchini given to me. Do I wait for it to get green? If so, how do I green it up?
Poopsey
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Wedding and Reception Locations in Baltimore, MD
I am planning a wedding for May 2006 in Baltimore, MD. I am looking for an inexpensive location to have both my wedding and reception. I'm not orginally from Maryland. Any suggestions and ideas are appreciated. Thank you for your time and input.
Lorinda from Baltimore
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Today's Sponsors
DickBlick.com - Art Supplies
Lots of great art supplies at DickBlick.com
http://www.thriftyfun.com/thriftylinks/tf241337_tfl.html
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