Daily Thrifty Tips - November 9, 2006

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We have a huge maple tree that sends down it's glory every fall! My husband rakes them into piles, then uses the lawnmower to run over them several times. They break down to little bits and you have a third of the amount to get rid of. They are great for mulch or to put into your soil and take less time to decompose. You can put them, bit of water and some dirt into plastic garbage bags and it will turn into nice soil by spring.

Here is the picture of my hubby mulching the leaves. He's done it about 3 times already. Our maple is so huge, an old timer. We measured it as 75' across so you can see why we get lots of leaves!

By Betty from Cowichan Bay, BC

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This is something I made for my children when they were little and am now making for my great grandchildren...

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Frankie is our 11 year old dachshund. We got Frankie about 8 years ago. My wife ran into an old friend who thought he was too much trouble and wanted to give him away. He likes to play with kittens and chase our dog Eddie around.

He is definitely a momma's dog. He likes to snuggle with her and gives her the cold shoulder when she spends too much time volunteering at the animal shelter and comes home with too many other dog smells on her.

By Dave from Peshtigo, Wi

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This sort of goes hand in hand with the flag pin that I submitted recently.

List of Supplies:

• Safety Pins:
  • 1 gold pin: size #2 (measures 1 1/2 inch)
  • 12 gold pins: size #0
• Beads: Glass beads in blue and white - Size 10MM

You will need a needle nose pliers and something to spread the loop end of your large safety pin. I find that a metal fingernail file works well for this, or perhaps a small letter holder.

Using the photos as a guide, spread the loop on the large gold pin and set aside. Prepare the small pins with the appropriate color glass beads. Each pin holds 10 beads.

(Note: Beads may vary slightly in size, so you may have to change a bead or two so they will fit.)

• Thread each of 5 pins with 10 Blue beads
• On 3 pins, thread 1 blue, 8 white, and 1 blue beads.
• On 1 pin, thread 1 blue, 4 white, 2 blue, 1 white and 2 blue beads.
• On 1 pin, thread 1 blue, 1 white, 2 blue, 2 white, 2 blue, 1 white and 1 blue beads.
• On 1 pin, thread 5 blue, 1 white, and 4 blue beads.
• On 1 pin, thread 4 blue, 1 white, and 5 blue beads.

Lay pins out and attach to main pin using the photos as your guide.

By Harlean from Hot Springs, Arkansas

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Tea cozies are sure to keep your tea warm in the pot much longer than not having one. Plus this one is way cute! This craft would also make a great gift for tea drinkers.

Supplies:

• 1/2 Yard of quilted fabric
• Buttons (for eyes)
• Sewing machine
• Pins
• Chalk

Directions:

Fold your fabric inside out over the tea pot that you would like it to fit over. Using straight pins loosely pin around the shape of the tea pot, emphasizing the spout. Be sure to leave extra at the bottom so you can sew the hem. Slide the fabric off and use the chalk to mark the shape you will sew, then remove the pins.

Cut the shapes of the ears out of the fabric leaving room for the hem. Sew a hem around the ears (If you have a serger you could also use this instead of adding a hem. Also you could put easily bendable wire into the hem of the ears if you want to play with the shape of the ears).

Turn the fabric right side out taking note to where the chalk marks are, sew one ear on each side. Turn the fabric inside out and Sew a hem around the bottom. Then sew around the chalk marks. Cut the excess fabric being sure to leave at least 1/4 inch of fabric next to the seam. Turn the fabric right side out.

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Don't throw away that old tea, put it in your house plants. They like to have be watered with tea every once in a while. (old tea leaves make good mulch, too).

By Pam from Los Angeles

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Get more servings out of leftovers by adding more ingredients. For example, if you have some leftover vegetable soup, but only enough for a couple servings, add some chicken broth and a can of vegetables or tomatoes. Another thing you can do is combine leftovers; leftover sauces can be used in casseroles, leftover rice can be used in casseroles and soup, left over meat and can used in numerous dishes, etc.

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Here's an eBay tip: Watch the end of the sale. I just heard from an antique dealer that sometimes the bids go way up at the end. Also, check on currency and shipping rates to factor in the cost. Somehow, I got on an Australian part of the site and I realized they were quoting shipping costs in Aussie dollars! So put things on your watch lists and pay attention to the details! (I just purchased a really good deal on an instrument, so I am hooked.)

By Pam from Los Angeles

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If your mashed potatoes are too soupy, put them over medium/low heat with the top off and let them cook for about 10 minutes. Stir potatoes often so the bottom doesn't burn.

By Beck from Ri, MI

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As a researcher, I take it for granted that almost everyone knows how and where to find answers to their questions. http://www.google.com is a great source of information. And these days, with the development of search criteria, it can be as easy as typing in "How do I remove yellow stains from my cotton blouse." Or "How to remove stains from leather furniture." or "Free ideas for party planning." If the first set of words doesn't provide the responses you want, re-arrange the words or be more specific (ink stains, suede, for instance).

Good luck!

Cheers,

By Rose Anne from Calgary, Canada

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I finally got tired of opening the freezer and digging through it looking for what I have on hand. It takes just a few minutes for me to write down everything I put in the freezer and also cross off what I take out each time. I keep a steno pad in a drawer by my freezer. This is saving me time, money and energy I have been wasting while digging through the freezer, looking to see what is in there. I note the date, the item, how many if more then one and the weight and lastly the shelf I put it on.

By Bobbie G from Rockwall. TX

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I hate throwing anything away that has a good use, but I may have outdone myself this time. We had some really good plums for the first time from a new tree this year. I juiced a lot of them and then cut some up to dry. They dried beautifully! We're looking forward to some plum bread.

But I looked at all those pretty little pits and wondered what could be done with them. After all, each one is a living seed. I found a large flower pot that had once held petunias, and spread the pits from one side to another. Then I covered them with rich compost and watered them well. I left them outside so they could get the benefit of winter freezing (seed specialists call this scarifying).

In the spring, they will sprout, and I will transplant each into a large styrofoam cup. I'm saving them now. My husband, the gardener, says they should be two years old before I try to sell them. That gives me plenty of time to prepare for one super yard sale.

A year from August, there will be jams and jellies, pies, crafts and aloe vera plants to go with my little plum trees. I should be able to ask $1.50 or $2.00 for each tree, depending on how they look. I'm so excited!

By Coreen from Rupert, ID

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Dover Publications, besides having lots of interesting and relatively low-cost books, has free samples to download. Great for coloring! Clip art and wonderful free eCards, too.

http://www.doverpublications.com/

By Pam from Los Angeles

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This tip pertains to cleaning your sewing machine. Remember those horrible STIFF brushes that come with your machine when you buy it. Well as far as I'm concerned, you can set them aside. I discovered quite by accident that one of those soft blush brushes does the trick much better. It gets the lint out of your bobbin area beautifully. It also works on a serger, in all those nooks and crannys.! Let me know what you think. I'd be curious as to how many convert over to my way of thinking. LOL!

By Judy Harris from Birmingham AL

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Dear Webby's Humor Letter

Webby publishes our tips daily! A very funny newsletter. Webby now has a blog, read his latest newsletter as well as back issues here: http://webby.com/humor/blog/

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What is the old fashioned name for a chocolate cookie crust?

Bonnie from Pleasant Hill, CA

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How do I freeze vegetables?

Joolz From Kent United Kingdom

ThriftyFun has a numerous pages about freezing various vegetables, you can find them here: Freezing Vegetables.

Also, you can use our search form to find specific freezing guides. You can find the search page here: Search ThriftyFun

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I am trying to decorate my guest room in a Mardi Gras theme but I don't have any examples of a hotel room or residence. Any suggestions where to find would be greatly appreciated. I started this because of a Mardi gras poster purchased at a local antique store.

Ruth from Woodstock, IL

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When my husband was cleaning out his grandfathers home, he brought home some wire/metal pant leg things. I'm not sure what they were used for (to put creases in the leg during ironing?) and I'm not sure what to do with them. Does anyone have any crafty ideas for them? The only thing I have come up with is a garden stake trellis sort of thing.

Amanda from Niles, OH

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Does putting water in mascara really help?

Prettyeyes from Seattle, WA

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How do you get gum out of your dryer drum?

Cindy from Malden, MO

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I have been looking for a recipe for a simple key lime pie. Any ideas?

Thanks,
Maggie from Bucksport, Maine

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There is no shine in my bathtub since son and grandson moved in. Such grime--it stands firm against even Barkeep's friend. Help.

Evie from Pensacola, FL

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My daughter loves toaster strudels and they can get to be quite expensive, unless I can find them on sale. Does anybody know how I can make my own to freeze then heat in toaster for her? Thank you in advance!

jmz2005 from Illinois

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I was wondering if anyone out there happens to have a homemade recipe for Armor All?

Jamish from Ransom, Kansas

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How do I get red food coloring out of a pink shirt?

Jan from Tennessee

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I have a large assortment of lovely buttons, many of them matching, and I wondered if anyone had a craft idea on how to use them?

Noreen from Dover, PA

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Ideas for a christmas parade float for our pet boarding and daycare business? We have lots of real dogs we can use.

Beth from York, ME

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How do I remove wrinkles out of a suede skirt?

Sally from Pittsburgh, PA

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Looking for ideas to start a tradition with my sister in law and her daughter (4 years old) while cooking Thanksgiving Dinner. Thank you for any suggestions/ideas!

Lori from Atlanta, NY

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I was wondering if anyone could tell me how to make "yarn wrapped coat hangers". It's an older form of "tying" kind of, but by wrapping and going through is all I can remember. Can someone please help?

Pat from Plainville, CT

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I'm trying to come up with and idea for cub scout christmas parade float. I don't want anything extravagant as we are a new pack and can't afford a lot. The theme to the parade is "A Holly Jolly Christmas" It has to be in line with the christmas specials that come on television; Rudolph the red nosed raindeer, How the grinch stole christmas and so on. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Emily

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Free Photo Organizer From Google

"Picasa is software that helps you instantly find, edit and share all the pictures on your PC. Every time you open Picasa, it automatically locates all your pictures (even ones you forgot you had) and sorts them into visual albums organized by date with folder names you will recognize. You can drag and drop to arrange your albums and make labels to create new groups. Picasa makes sure your pictures are always organized."

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Here are ten money and time saving tips to help you in your kitchen.

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Most of us spend a good deal of time in our kitchens these days, and it's not just for cooking. More homes are being built with the kitchen as the hub of the home, and even if you're on a tight budget, that shouldn't stop you from making it a pleasant and personal place to be!

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