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Hello,
We will publish our next full issue on Thursday. If the requests start to pile up, we may send out an issue with requests in it between now and then. We will also be activating feedback.
Wishing you and your families a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
Susan
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Today's Photos
Here's a unique craft for kids that I make. It's called "frog soap pond".
It's made with glycerin. Then you just add the frog toys to the top with some type of adhesive.
Kids will love this to show off to their friends and it's so easy. It can be made in less than 1 hour.
By Norma from Elizabethtown, Ky
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Merry Christmas from Sable and Carol Ann
Well I couldn't go through the holidays with out sending you all a Merry Christmas from me and my 4 year old Chihuahua/Rat Terrier, Sable! This year she had her pic with Santa and did very well. I have also included two of her older Christmas pictures with her own Santa suit on. Santa Paws and Merry Christmas to you all!
By Carol Ann from Ida Grove, IA
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Here is Maggie our ThriftyFun office assistant. She keeps us safe from anyone who may come to the door delivering mail and packages. She keeps us laughing.
She makes funny sounds that always seem to be timed to seem like she is commenting on what we are doing or talking about. We call them her "Scooby" sounds.
Maggie has a thing for "Old Navy" dog bones. They sell them after the season on clearance so we try to stop by and pick one up whenever a holiday is over. She loves to chase them. Maggie is a Chow mix, who was rescued and a great dog.
By Susan from ThriftyFun
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Jelly Jar Candles
By Christine Weber
Candlelight dances and flickers in these old fashioned candles, reminding you of the Christmases of yesteryear. A bow of raffia or string of bead wired around the rim add a finishing touch if you like. A wonderful way to reuse jelly jars from all that summer canning!
View Project: Click Here
I am an avid garage saler and yard sale person. I collected plastic fruit for several months I purchased at Yard sales to make this Della Robbia Wreath. It cost me less than 10.00 to make and is very nice for your front door. I also purchased the evergreen wreath to attach everything to for less than a dollar.
By Connie from Ballwin
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Sponge-Painted Mugs
By Christine Weber
Easy and economical. Whip up a set of these sponge-painted mugs with Christmas motifs faster than you can brew up the coffee to fill them (well almost)!
View Project: Click Here
Today's Tips
When mailing out books, save money on costly padded book mailers by cutting cardboard the size of the book, putting 2 pieces around the book and sticking a rubber band or two around it to hold it in place. Then either wrap your book with brown paper bags laying around the house or use a regular manilla envelope. If it's a very light-weight book that could be shipped 1st class, do not use cardboard as it will add to the weight and thus the cost of postage. Use lightweight materials for those types of books, such as old bubble wrap or other recycled styrofoam wrap.
By Susan M. Smith from Mattoon, Illinois
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When making potato salad, use frozen Ore-Ida hash browns in the bag. Just thaw for 10 min. and then proceed to make your salad with these potatoes. Saves time and tastes great. You will be surprised.
By Dtmiddle1 from Pueblo, Co
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Dandruff can often be controlled. Shampoo in cool water. Hot water strips the skin of natural oils that help control flaking, and so do alcohol-based styling products like mousse or gel.
By Chell from MO
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Homemade Automatic Dish Washing Detergent
Mix 3 tablespoons borax and 3 tablespoons baking soda. Fill both containers in automatic dishwasher. This will clean your dishes cheaper and better than any store bought dish detergent.
By BarwickJ from Ottumwa, IA
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My New Year's Resolution Tip is to wait until March or April to start working on my resolution. If your resolution is to lose weight the dark, cold days of winter can be very discouraging. The anti-climax after the holidays adds to the winter blahs. Also, the gyms are always packed come January 2.
By waiting until March or April the gym is less filled and it's nicer weather to exercise outdoors. Personally, resolutions started in January usually fail, but each resolution I've started in Spring has held not only for that year but the following years also.
By Cheryl Cavender from Peculiar, MO
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To clean upholstery, apply shaving cream sparingly to stain and rub gently with a damp cloth.
By Chell from MO
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"My wife is a shopaholic. The other day she tried to buy the escalator at Sears because it was marked down."
By Chell from MO
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When you light candles at holiday times, write down the number of candles lit and inform someone where the piece of paper is that has the candle information on it.
At the end of the evening of entertaining when you are extinguishing the candles, you can be assured that all candles are extinguished by the list that you made of the number of candles lit. Children love to count the candles lit; this would be a good project for a child (age 10-12) or older.
By WandaJo from Tennessee
Editor's Note: Great idea Wanda! It would be a good idea to give the kids or whoever puts the candles out, a candle snuffer so they don't blow wax all over.
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Illinois winter blew in extra-early this year and I did not have the money to buy a much-needed storm door for the back door which leads down to the basement. The thin wooden door has nine windows and two panels on the bottom. I cut cardboard to fit the windows and have sealed around the edges with hot glue which can be removed in the Spring, instead of using caulk.
For the thin bottom panels, I cut cardboard to fit and a pieces of that thin pink styrofoam that was leftover from an insulation project. I covered the cardboard and styrofoam with leftover scrap black material and fit them snugly into the panel. I plan to cover the cardboard window inserts with material as well when I have time to be more decorative.
I have also sealed around the edges of the door using hot glue and thick rope-like material I bought for pennies at the local thrift store. The door is closed off for the winter, but it's just amazing at the difference it's made. There's hardly any cold air coming in at all!
By Susan M. Smith from Mattoon, Illinois
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We have an unique Christmas tradition at our house. When the kids no longer believed in Santa and the thrill of the moment wasn't as intense as it once was we started this. On Christmas morning each child receives a small piece of paper with a poem/hint on it and they have to figure out the clue and follow it just to find another clue. After the third clue there is their gift.
Example: "Your gift is new, it isn't old, you will find it where things are cold" (they finally looked in the refrigerator and there is clue 2 .) "You are getting warmer, you're almost there, look around the Christmas bear" We have a bear collection so there is clue 3. Final clue is "It's not low, it's really up high, you'll find your gift where the wind goes by" We had placed their small package on the blade of the stopped ceiling fan.
They get really excited trying to follow the clues. We only do a couple of their gifts this way. The rest is under the tree with everyone elses. It brings a lot of laughs on Christmas morning and the pre-teens go nuts trying to find their gifts. Of course we make different clues for each child and each gift for each year. The hiding places are endless. What is really funny is when the wrong kids accidently finds the wrong gift and they have to stay quite and continue to hunt theirs.Happy Hunting!
By Connie A. from Tennessee
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New Contest
Submit Your Holiday Tips and Photos!
Tip Contest!
To enter, visit: http://www.thriftyfun.com/post_contest.ldml
Photo Contest!
To enter, visit: http://www.thriftyfun.com/post_photocontest.ldml
Contest ends December 31, 2005
Syndication Spotlight:
Here are some publishers that have chosen to publish our tips this week!
Dear Webby's Humor Letter
Webby publishes our tips daily! A very funny newsletter.
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New Requests
I stained my nicest fine silk skirt with the milky liquid from the curd that makes mozzarella cheese. The dry cleaners could not get it out. It seems that the liquid is made of enzyme called renee. Not even water and soap can get it out.
Any Ideas?
Rosa from Boston, MA
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Substituting Marshmallows for Marshmallow Cream
Can you substitute marshmallows for marshmallow cream in fudge? if so, how many large marshmallows equal a 7 ounce jar?
Stacia from Cyprus
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Damage from Steamer on Pergo Floor
I left my steamer on my pergo floor for too long and it has bleached a spot on the floor. Is there any way to get back the finish color without replacing the few pannels that were damaged?
Boodaboo from SLC, UT
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Where can I find colored contacts?
Hazel from Warren, MI
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Advice on Reupholstering Kitchen Chairs
I am planning to reupolster my dining room chairs with vinyl. The chairs have fabric bottoms and back. The backs are screwed to a wood frame. When recovering kitchen chairs with vinyl, is it better to take off old fabric or recover over it?
Faye from Tulsa Oklahoma
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Refilling Airwick Scented Oil Warmer Nite Lights
Has anyone refilled airwick oil scented nite lights with their own sented oil. If so, what did you use?
M. S. Bridge from Salt Lake City
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Looking For No Sew Blanket Patterns
I am 11 Years Old and I love to Make no sew blankets! does any body else like to make these?
Emily from Kannsas City
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Today's Sponsors
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More Reading:
Leaving Secrets: How to Create a Personal Instruction Manual for Your Life
By Dr. Joe Vitale
Imagine if your great, great grandfather or grandmother had left you a book with their secrets for living. Maybe it contained nuggets of wisdom, yummy recipes, favorite jokes, or just insights for how to lead a good life. Ever since people learned of my next book, "Life's Missing Instruction Manual", people are curious how to create their own "manual" for life.
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