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Hello,
I hope everyone is having a nice weekend.
Thanks for reading,
Susan
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Today's Photos
Make a CASTLE Bed for your Child!
I drew the plans for this bed and my husband made it from 2x4's and cheap plywood. It only cost about $50 total for the wood and paint. There is PLENTY of storage underneath for our son's toys. I used masking tape to markoff the bricks/stones and sponged on black and white paint to make the stones look more real. The paint on the wall is done to give the appearance of the castle being more closed in. We also put velcro around the top bed frame and our son can attach some cheap fabric I found for $1.00 a yard, to close in the castle for tent-like privacy.
He absolutely loves this bed.
BTW...my husband is no carpenter and says the bed is "rough" but our son loves it!
By Marianne Ashton
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Here is a picture of the Traveling Millenium Mary that was at our church. I believe she is most beautiful.
By Laura Lange
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Moxie, CoCo's sister loves her bone too.
This is Moxie, CoCo's sister. She is more interested in showing love than she is in her bone in this picture but don't be fooled; She can finish off the biggest bone in 15 minutes when she is ready. She is also descended from Belgium Malinois, used by the United States Air Force to find bombs, opposition, drugs etc. She is the larger of the two sisters I adopted.
By kittyhassparkle
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Today's Tips
Don't leave your favorite leather jacket or hand bag in the back of your car on sunny days. Heat and direct sun light can dry and bleach out the leather. When you store a leather jacket, give it room to breath. Don't apply hairspray or perfume while you are wearing your jacket, it can damage the finish. If your jacket gets wet, let it dry at room temperature.
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The tendency is to put wet shoes on or near a heat source to dry them. Unfortunately, this can shrink your shoes. You want to dry shoes at room temperature. Fill the shoes with newspaper or cloth to absorb the moisture in the inside. Change the newspaper or cloth and replace with dry every few hours until dry. It will also help the shoes keep their shape.
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The best way to clean silver is to line a sauce pan with aluminum foil and fill it with water. Add 1 tablespoon of baking soda for each 2 cups of water in the pan. Heat the water until boiling and remove from heat. Then lay the silver items in the pan so that they are touching the aluminum foil. Remove the items from the pan, rinse, and polish them lightly. The foil attracts the tarnish so make sure that the tarnished parts of the silver make contact with the foil.
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No Putting Greens
Many people think that by cutting their lawn really short, they will have to mow their lawn less often. Most grass types can safely be moved to 2 to 2-1/2 inches tall. Any shorter than that and you risk stunting your lawn's growth. Really short grass does not retain as much water as longer grass. Different types of grass require a different mowing heights. For more information on what height to cut a specific type of grass, contact your local college extension.
Don't Cut Too Much at Once
Don't mow more than 1/3 of the grass height in one mowing. If you need to cut really long grass, mow it over a couple of days, cutting 1/3rd of the grass on each day. If your grass is growing too quickly, try scaling back how much you water it. You may also be using too much fertilizer.
Sharp Blades
It's important to have sharp mowing blades. Dull blades don't cut the grass, they tear it. This causes stress to your lawn and makes it more susceptible to disease and insect problems. When grass is torn rather than cut, it can also develop a brown appearance.
Mow in Different Directions
Mow in a different direction each time you mow your lawn. This will help prevent wear patterns that can develop when grass is always pushed in the same direction. Mow at a right angle to the previous direction that you mowed.
Don't Bag It, Use It
Use the grass clippings to help feed your lawn. The clippings will work as slow release fertilizer for your lawn and help encourage growth. If the grass clippings are in clumps, use a rake to spread them out. Clumps of grass will create a thatch problem which will smother the grass and discourage its growth.
Don't Mow Wet Grass
Try to avoid mowing your lawn when it's wet. The clippings will stick to the blade and interior of the mower and will clog it. Also, clippings will clump together, and won't disperse throughout the lawn. If you are letting clippings fall back into the lawn, rather than bagging them, you won't want the grass clumped together. If you do mow grass when it's a little wet, spray the blade with some spray cooking oil (like Pam) to help prevent sticking.
Cleaning Up After Mowing
Use a blower or broom to clean grass clippings off of walkways and make sure to remove grass from any drains to prevent clogging. If you are bagging your grass clippings, be sure to compost them instead of throwing them away. If you don't want the grass clippings, you probably have a neighbor with a compost pile that would love them. Use a broom or blower to clean under the mower.
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We are giving away 17 $25 prizes in a variety of categories.
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Contest ends October 31, 2005
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New Requests
How do I keep the ends of grosgrain ribbon from fraying?
I am using grosgrain ribbon to decorate purses that I am making. To finish off my purse, I have grosgrain ribbon trailing off the purse (I know, hard to imagine). Anyway, to cut the ends, I use pinking shears to give that criss-cross look.
The problem is, that it starts to unravel after awhile. Is there something that I can spray on it to stop it? Maybe something to "harden" it? I tried that liquid glue, but it was so gloppy and messy.
Any ideas?
Paula in GA
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I want to get an indoor grill. What's the best indoor grill on the market? Does anyone have any tips for choosing one?
Sunny from NH
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Crafts Made With Hardback Books
Does anyone know how to make crafts such as a purse or storage container from old hardcover book?. I saw someone make a purse from one on a craft show once and I also saw a hollowed out book made into a storage box.
clemson1
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Cat and Home Infested with Fleas
My cat has recently been infested with fleas, and so has my house. We have tried everything, from frontline to fogging the house,
and we still have them. I do not have the slightest idea of what to do with them. It is disrupting our sleep, and is not hygienic.
How do you propose we get rid of these disgusting blood sucking insects?
Hayley
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Does anyone have a herbal remedy for eczema? My daughter suffers from eczema she has been using protopic and now her immune system is breaking down.
kimmysue
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Removing Perfume Smell From a Room
I had company over the weekend, she used way too much perfume. How can I get the smell out of the whole room? I have laundered some things and tried laying others outside. I sprayed clorox on the bathroom floor and the smell still is making me sick. I feel like I am going to have to move!
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Any ideas for using the paint chip samples you get at the paint store. Everytime I paint a room a end up with lots of the samples.
miniduck
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Throwing a Big Party on the Cheap
I need help throwing a big party for cheap. Any ideas?
Danielle
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At the ad agency I work for, we receive paper sample books from paper manufacturers on a regular basis. When a new book comes in, the old book is obsolete and is to be disposed of. Lucky for me, I arranged it that I get the old books! Now I have to figure out what to do with all the paper.
These are small pieces in all colors and grades from onion skin to card stock stapled in a book. I donate half of the 'treasure' to my son's grade school for art and displays. With the other half, I use the white paper for notes and lists and the color paper for decorating note cards and making gift tags.
Does anybody have any other ideas of what I can make with all this paper that I can give as a gift? I'm not into scrapbooking and I don't know anyone who is. Thaks in advance!
CleanPuppy
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I have just received my mother's wedding dress and it is in need of cleaning. I would rather do it myself, because this dress is over 50 years old. I was given orally a recipe to clean it, but can't remember it. The dress has yellowed, (my mother kept it in her ceder chest!). Probably not the best choice of storage.
The dress appears to be homemade. I'm not sure of the fabric. (No label) It feels like silk on one side, but more durable on the other side. And it has Toule on the lower half, over this other material. There are a few stains on it. I never expect this dress to be worn again, so it does not have to be perfect, but I would like to display it.
Does anyone have any reliable home remedies to try to clean this up? And any suggestions for the best way to display it would be great. I was just going to cover it and hang it on the wall in my bedroom.
Thanks for your help.
Louise
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I have an outdoor BBQ island coming and I will need to plug in the refrigerator and get power to the on board outlet that is built into the island to run the blender for drinks. My one and only backyard outlet is over 20 feet away from where I am planning to put the BBQ. Can I punch through from the bedroom to the outside and put a new outlet outside? If there is an outlet inside that bedroom that is close to where I need one on the outside of that wall, is it logical to do it that way? And if so, how do I do that?
Marc
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Taking In a Cat Traumatized By Hurricane Katrina
I need some advice on what I need to do with my friends pet. I offered to take her in. My friend and his cat are enroute on the way up here from New Orleans.
His cat has been thru a lot since Hurricane Katrina. No food or water for however many days, stuck in a hot abandoned Vet. Hospital etc. etc.
So the cat is going to be a little traumatized after that and traveling with three adults in one truck over a thousands miles away, with no carrier.
My question is, what do I need to do to make his cat comfortable, as she may be here for a while. And how can I make my animals comfortable with her being here?
Also, my friend told me that his cat urinates on his girlfriend's clothes. How can I train the cat to not urinate in my house?
And will my cat pick up that nasty habit from this cat? I am terribly concerned, as my cat has never urinated nor defecated outside of her little box... ever. I do not want my cat to pick up this habit from my friends cat.
I am very worried about this. The one thing I do not like, is cat urine. I can handle anything a cat throws at me, but not urine on my clothes.
Thank you kindly,
Ms. Luna
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Dogs Peeing On Wooden Coffee Table
I have 8 dogs and all were abandoned except 3. How do you get males to stop peeing on wooden furniture? I have an antique coffee table I want to use but don't want the dogs to ruin it.
Please help.
Gail Lloyd
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How difficult is it to grow escarole?
Cookwie
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Today's Sponsors
Get "The Complete Budget and Bill Organizer" Free
When you subscribe to my newsletter "The Budget Stretcher" you will receive this easy guide to effectively organizing and managing your money absolutely free. Get all of the Budget Forms and Worksheets you need to make it work for you. Click the below link to learn more:
http://www.homemoneyhelp.com/confirmsubs.html
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Trouble Shooting Tomato Problems
By Ellen Brown
One of the greatest joys of the gardening season is harvesting plump juicy tomatoes. If your harvest is less than you hoped for this year, here is a guide to diagnosing and treating some common tomato troubles.
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