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Hello,
We have lots of Christmas crafts posted on the site. Hope you enjoy them. Feel free to post more Christmas tips and crafts, we probalby won't be able to publish them before the holiday but we will publish them the week after Christmas.
Thanks for reading,
Susan
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Today's Photos
Picture Frame Cards
By Kelli Mahoney
If you spend hours staring at Christmas cards at the store thinking about how impersonal it is to send pre-printed cards, then there is no better way for you to send out your own greetings than through these picture frame cards. They are simple and offer you more than one way to personalize your Christmas greetings. Plus, if you have kids, these are a great way for them to get involved in sending out your holiday cards this year.
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Here's a wonderfully easy craft idea for kids and adults alike! You can use it for your tree, a gift to give, or anything you want! All you need are some candy canes, googly eyes, small pom poms, and brown pipe cleaner. One candy cane makes one reindeer.
Simply twist a piece of pipe cleaner around the top of the candy cane, then take two smaller pieces of pipe cleaner and twist one around the top of each of antler to give them more of an "antler" look. Then glue two googly eyes to the front, and a pom pom nose below the eyes and you're done! They're delightful little reindeer to decorate your tree or house with, or to give away!
By Stacey from Orem, UT
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Abby likes to lay under the Christmas tree looking adorable so we'll get her more gifts.
By Sparky from Macomb Mi
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Sheet Beeswax Candles
By Stell Rivet
These quick and simple candles can be put together in 5 to 10 minutes and they make a great gift.
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Decorated Glass Ornaments
By Kelli Mahoney
These ornaments are a simple, but elegant way to dress up your tree. They also make great keepsake gifts for friends and family. You can make the ornaments with your family, too. However, for younger children, you may want to find clear plastic ornaments rather than glass for safety. Still, you can paint them, use etching powder, or fill them with just about anything.
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This is Hero, our 18 month old Labradoodle. He came to us at 12 months and integrated into our family with no trouble...especially once he learned the "never bother the kitties when they're eating" rule.
By Rebecca Calvo from Snohomish, WA
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Bake-a-Cookie Jar
By Kelli Mahoney
This is a visually stimulating gift that may make the receiver either run to the kitchen to start baking or put your masterpiece on display. By filling a jar with the dry ingredients needed to bake some chocolate chip oatmeal cookies, you provide almost all the items a person will need to make the delicious snack. But dont forget to give them the recipe!
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I made this wreath picture frame out of a cottage cheese container lid.
Just cut a hole out of the middle with an exacto knife and paint the lid green. I hot glued on some red sequins for the holly berries and used fabric paint for the 2005. I made the bow out of red velvet. I used a twistie tie for the hanger on the back.
I'm giving these as gifts this year that's why there's no picture in it yet. Maybe they will put in a picture of themselves sitting on Santa's lap.
By luv2craft from Normalville, Pennsylvania
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Puffy-Felt Christmas Tree Skirt
By Kelli Mahoney
This Christmas tree skirt gives your tree that country-home feel. It is simple to make and can be embellished in any number of ways. Since it is all done with felt, the sewing can even be done by the novice or use a dull needle to let a child sew on the pieces.
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Make Your Own Christmas Crackers
By Stella Rivet
In 1847 Crackers were invented by Tom Smith who happened upon them by accident. Crackers are an integral part of British celebration and tradition that dates back to Victorian times (To learn more about the history of the Cracker visit http://www.absolutelycrackers.com/home.html). This tradition was brought to my family through my brother in law, and now is looked forward to each year. Here is an easy way to make your own Crackers.
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Today's Tips
Preparing Christmas Eve Meal Ahead of Time
I like to prepare my Christmas Eve meal ahead of time so that I can enjoy the time with my family. I make a double batch of a pasta dish---like lasagna, stuffed shells, baked ziti or even homemade macaroni and cheese a day ahead or even earlier and freeze it. Since it is already prepared, there is not a lot of pots and pans to wash on Christmas Eve and the leftovers can be used as a great side dish for the Christmas meal.
By Diane from Paradise PA
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Essentials for Stocking Stuffers
Things get expensive during the holiday season, and the kids get over run with toys and candy.
Instead of stuffing our stockings with traditional toys and candy, Santa Clause stocks up on the essentials. The kids get art supplies to replenish their tub, shampoo, new toothbrushes (the cool character kind) and socks. Sometimes a few of those convenience foods to which mom always says "No".
This also helps to keep our holiday spending in check, as its all stuff that we'd need to buy anyways.
And the kids get excited enough to actually get in the bath and brush their teeth and get ready for bed. After all, doesn't Santa want them to use their new stuff?
By Violets from Santa Clara CA
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Great to package for kids to sprinkle on the lawn on Christmas Eve.
Print the following on Christmas stationery:
MAGIC REINDEER DUST
1/2 CUP OATMEAL
1/3 CUP SPARKLY GLITTER
1 HEARTFUL OF CHRISTMAS HOPE
On Christmas Eve, sprinkle all over your lawn
The Glitter will shine in the moonlight
And lead Santa to your house before dawn.
The smell of the oats will guide the reindeer directly to your rooftop.
The Christmas Hope in the magic reindeer dust guarantees Santa will stop.
By Karen from SC
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Gifts for Friends Who Don't Eat Sweets
At this gift giving time, one of our friends, who does homemade baking to use as holiday gifts, for those on her gift list, who don't eat sweets, are going to receive small inexpensive bowls of nuts and dried fruits, wrapped in holiday attire.
By Terri from NV
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My children's babysitter used scraps of material to make quilts and craft items. For Christmas, I purchased several packs of remnants, and several yards of various material appropriate for the crafts she made and wrapped each of them in other purchased material. I used lengths of lace for ribbon, and strung several spools of thread on rickrack and pretty ribbon to decorate the "package".
By OkieJay from Oklahoma
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Wrapping in Holiday Tablecloths
For wrapping really big presents, buy paper or plastic holiday tablecloths at your local dollar store and wrap away!
By Celia from North NJ
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Wrap your Christmas gifts in newspaper, using sections that relate to the person receiving the gift. Sports section for the sports fanatic, comics for the kids, fashion for the ladies, etc. Use red or green checked ribbon or yarn to finish it up. Gives an old fashioned look to your gifts as well as being economical.
By Okie Jay from Oklahoma
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Give the New Jammies the Night Before
To help ensure that your Christmas morning pictures look great with the kiddies, let them open one gift Christmas eve that is a pair of new pajamas or nightgown and have them wear it that night to bed. Then when they get up and rush to their gifts and the photos start being shot, they will look great and not be wearing anything that shows possible wear or fading.
By Diane from Paradise PA
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Buy several cookie cutters and attach the following poem to them:
I made a plate of cookies;
And ate just 1 or 2;
But I started feeling guilty;
Because they were for you;
I went into a panic,
and ordered on the phone
This brand new cookie cutter
So you can make your very own!!
Merry Christmas
By marg44 from Lipscomb, Tx
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Using Old Children's Book Pages
Colorful pages of worn-out children's books make great gift wrap for smaller gifts, such as jewelry, books, etc. Add a piece of old ribbon or lace and you'll have a beautiful package. Even the most worn out children's books can usually be salvaged and put to good use.
By Susan M. Smith from Mattoon, Illinois
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Is there any way to turn an ordinary pet door into one that allows only your animal to enter and keeps all others out.
Carol from New Zealand
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From sitting so much I seem to have permanent creases in my slacks. I need a way to get rid of the creases. They are where the body meets the legs.
Helen from Ontario Canada
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My old dog has a difficult time going to the vet and groomer. She needs to be muzzled and even then has bit herself during grooming in distress. Besides getting tranquilizers from the vet, how else can I calm her down?
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I am looking for patterns to recycle old tires. I want to make planters or anything using old tires.
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How do I get stains out of a suede leather jacket?
Cindy from Laurel, MD
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I need to make 8 dozen Christmas cookies for a cookie exchange at school. I want something different from chocolate chip cookies but VERY quick and easy. Any ideas?
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Millie from Williamsburg, VA
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My sister is having trouble with a cat, the kitten is peeing on their bed, sometimes when they are in bed. She wants to get her to stop with something natural, she has tried the No Go stuff; it doesn't last, you have to re-spray and it stinks. Please help her.
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Jen from Eau Claire, WI
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Fraudulent Home Foreclosure Site?
My niece paid for a subscription to a home foreclosure site. The homes listed were already sold, some as long as 12 months a go. The site gives you the address of the foreclosure and the name of the realtor handling it. We drove past the addresses and they were all occupied. We called the realtor and he told us that the houses had been sold and when. Is this fraud? If so, how can we get her money back and have this foreclosure site remove the sold listings?
Dolly from Central Illinois
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I have 2 microfiber couches and no matter how much I vacuum them I cannot seem to get all the dirt, crums or any other little grains off. Is there anything else that I can use to maybe loosen the grains and then vacuum? it is really annoying and I feel like I cannot keep them clean for more than 2 minutes. Please help.
New Wife from Illinois
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Jello Recipe with Cherry Pie Filling
I used to have a great recipe for the holidays that I seem to have misplaced. It was a Jello recipe that actually uses cherry pie filling in it. Does anyone happen to have it or to know where I can find it again? It was a favorite of ours and it's just disappeared. I'd be grateful for any help I can get.
Thanks in advance!
Robin from Washington, IA
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White Spot on Antique Table from a Hot Cup Coffee
I have an antique coffee table and have a big white spot on it from a cup of hot coffee. I tried rubbing it with mayonnaise but it's still there. Can you help?
Thank You,
Sheila from Brownstown, MI
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I have seen mothballs that move up and down in water. I would like to make this for a Christmas display. Does anyone know how to do this?
Nina from Snow Camp, NC
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