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Hello,
I know this may sound early, but we are already looking for homeade Christmas gift ideas. A great way to save money this Christmas would be to make homemade gifts and we hope to publish lots of great ideas between now and Christmas. If you have any ideas for great gifts that people can make, please submit them to our photo contest (or the tips contest if you don't have a photo).
Photo Contest!
http://www.thriftyfun.com/photo_contest.ldml
Thanks for reading,
Susan
Tip Contest!
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Today's newsletter contains:
Today's Photos:
Today's Tips:
New Requests:
More Reading:
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Today's Photos
Beaded Rainbow Window Sparkler
By Connie Decker Brown
A cheery beaded rainbow that you can hang in your window.
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I'm on a very tight budget, but still want my apartment to look nice! Here's one of the simple ways I've "decorated." I bought three bamboo plants (at about $2 each, I think), and then put them in a bright blue vase. The color contrast between the green bamboo and blue vase is striking, and for added color, I put two lavendar tealight holders that I received as a gift on either side of the vase (along with two blue picture frames).
It makes a nice "display" on top of my t.v., and adds color to the room. I've had a few people comment on it, and it didn't cost much at all. You could use any color combination that you like, and add whatever "extras" that suit your taste besides the vase and bamboo plants.
By Lisa
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Colby is 5 months old. He is a terrier mix. He was born with a hernia on the front of his chest and when he turned 5 months old we had it removed. He is just a joy to have around.
By Rudy
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Wanted to share this with you : ) We had my daughter Robbie's 19th and I went to the bank and got her:
We wrapped each in aluminum foil. Each contained different amounts from one penny to a five dollar bill. She had to be careful in order not to rip any, just in case it had paper money in it and some were empty, but she didn't know that until she opened them. I didn't tell her what the "pattern" was, if she guessed it then she could keep it : ) If she didn't, well then I would be richer.
Here she is.
By Tracey
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Today's Tips
I work for a guy who I know couldn't sew on a button to save his life. I made him a little sewing kit with pre-threaded needles (I threaded them) in black and white, and extra shirt buttons. I then taught him to sew a button, and he now has everything he needs at his fingertips.
By Linda
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Buy just one calendar and hang it up by the front door or in the kitchen. Hang a pen on it so everyone in the family can write down important things to remember. That way everyone knows what the other has to do that day so you'll never forget or schedule too many things in one day.
Anna
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Ways to reuse cereal boxes and the bag that comes inside the box. Post your ideas.
10 Ideas to Keep and Reuse Old Cereal Boxes Here are 10 ideas 1. Use as a mouse pad, I do.2. Cut, make and decorate as CD containers.
3. Make up little homemade game boards for kids to use in traveling in the car.
4. Use as backing for posters or photos
5. Make home made targets for bow and guns.
6. Slide under your school books before you use the other protective book cover.
7. Design and make your own personal signs to decorate your home.
8. For over 19 years I have used calendar picture covered cereal boxes on my walls. Each holds special everyday items I now no longer ever lose.
9. A hot seat at a Ball park? Not if you bring a large cereal box that has been cut once with you. Also take bring along for bank fishing.
10. File folders
Now you think of more and never throw away those bags Cereal Bags either.
Happy Reusing
By Mr. Thrifty
http://www.mrthrifty.net
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I cleaned my car mats that had coffee stains, cola stains and dirt on them by filling my large deep sink and putting Mr. Clean in and letting them soak. After a while, I took them out and washed them off with a hose outside on the driveway. They came out beautifully clean.
By Eletha Cole
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When cleaning the kitchen after a meal, spray the stove area with cleaner first, then leave it to allow the cleaner to work. Do another task. When you get back to the stove, it will wipe clean-no scrubbing.
By Linda
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Getting Children To Brush Their Teeth
Here's a way to get your children motivated to brush their teeth! Tell them that the shinier and whiter their teeth are, the more money the tooth fairy will bring!
By Linda
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This is a time saving tip. I have one of the muffin pans for larger muffins. When I make meat loaf I put the individual servings in the muffin tin and bake at 400 degrees F. The meat loaf is done when it browns around the edges and browns on top. I'm finished in a fraction of the time it took before.
I liked doing this so well that I bought a second pan. When ground beef is on sale I make two pans and freeze one to microwave later. The smaller regular size muffin pans make good smaller ones especially good for children or two for adults. When I'm not home my son microwaves them easily, and meatloaf is one of his favorites. On a day when I'm running late, it's nice to have the main dish prepared.
By Martha
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Tips for making and storing ice cubes. Post your ideas.
Ice Cube Storage
I keep the gallon ice cream buckets to keep in the freezer and store my ice cubes in them. That way I always have lots of ice for drinks and don't have to use one of my few mixing bowls!
Anna
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Tips for caring for goldfish. Post your tips.
We found an old plastic organizer drawer that we keep a 24 cent goldfish in. We vacuum out the tank with an old pancake syrup bottle by squeezing it while it is empty and making it vacuum up all the debris and waste that accumulates in the tank.
We change the water about 40 percent each day and vaccuum all the time with the syrup bottle.
We feed the little fish squash, the bugs that fall in the "pond" at night, and vegetables we have cooked that evening.
They dont need to be overfed. Ours eats a lot of bugs judging by the waste it creates in the water.
The fish recognizes me when I come to vacuum out the little pond he lives in, he darts back and forth with glee. It is so cute.
I won't feed the fish commercial flakes because it seems to constipate the fish and make them ill.
By Racer
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Preparing Fresh Fruit for the Week
I buy seedless watermelon, cantaloupe and honeydew, or grapes, and cut it all up into a large covered bowl, and eat fresh fruit all week. For breakfast I pour a carton of non-fat yogurt and a handful of low-fat granole on top. Healthy and lite!
By Linda
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http://www.thriftyfun.com/board.html
New Contest - More Prizes
We are giving away 16 $25 prizes in a variety of categories.
Tip Contest!
To enter, visit: http://www.thriftyfun.com/contest.ldml
Photo Contest!
To enter, visit: http://www.thriftyfun.com/photo_contest.ldml
Contest ends August 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.
http://webby.com/humor
Do you publish a newsletter? Sign up for our Tip Syndication:
http://www.thriftyfun.com/syndication.html
New Requests
Lemon Juice Stain on Linen Slacks
How do I remove lemon juice stains from linen slacks that have to be dry-cleaned? They had a red stain, not sure but maybe Jello. Lemon juice removed the red stain. However, now I have yellow blotches. I took them to the dry cleaners and they tried but the yellowing is still there.
Magnoliatn
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I remember reading somewhere that you can add some extra flour to a cake mix to get enough batter for an extra layer. The mix already has enough sugar, flavoring, etc, to support it. Does anyone know how much flour or additional liquid to add?
Susan
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I have red dye from a suede pillow that transferred onto my cream colored leather couch and i'm, well, pretty mad. Can you PLEASE help?
Thanks,
A Lil Upset
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I bought a used pair of professional headphones which work fine, but they smell like the previous owner's aftershave. I ordered new earpiece cushions but the odor remains on the plastic (vinyl?) strap that fits on top of my head. I tried cleaning with dish detergent and rubbing alcohol, no success thus far. Suggestions?
Renlute in California
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I am trying to make favors for our reception out of blow pop suckers, we are trying to wrap them in a shiny paper and make them look like flower bouquets, but so far we can't get them to look like flowers, any suggestions on how to make them look more like flowers?
Kim the bride from Ohio
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Does anyone know how to clean a white, italian leather, couch? It is a very soft kind of leather. I have a 4 piece set that is starting to acquire a darker shade of white.
Shirl of PA
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Cookies Made With Bacon Grease?
Does anyone have a cookies recipe made with bacon grease?
Thank you, Brenda
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Table Decorations for Church Banquets
I need some help in preparing table decorations, etc. for church meetings and banquets. This usually consists of about 20 round tables and accommodates approximately 100 people. Can you help?
Darlene Campbell
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Looking For Peg Board Game Pieces
We have made a "peg board" game but cannot find pieces to go into the holes to play the game. We have looked in flea markets, toy stores, party stores, etc. Any suggestions?
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I saw some of your members advice about killing weeds and grass. I had a question about using salt. I have an area that is 8' x 24' and filled with pea gravel. I have a problem with weeds and grass growing in the area. I was wondering if anyone knows if I use the salt to kill it, will the salt effect a ceder elm and a lady banks rose I have growing on each end of the area. The weeds and grass grow in the middle area. The area slopes and the cedar elm grows at the top of the slope and the lady banks grows at the bottom of the slope.
Please help,
Martha from Texas
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Cleaning a York Stone Fireplace
Does anyone know how to clean a York Stone fireplace? Any ideas would be helpful.
Thanks
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I like trying unusual foods. With this in mind, friends recently gave me a collection of dried seafood (sea cucumber, clams or pips, and dried oysters) from a Chinese store. I don't know what to do with them. Apparently I soak them, but then what? If anyone has used these items before to make a meal, please let me know what you did. Tried and tested only please.
Cathy
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I have always had kind of oily hair. I wash it everyday. If I don't wash it everyday I get what feels like little bumps in the back part of my hair but when I scratch them off it's flakes that are stuck to my head. What could be doing this? Is it dandruff or could it just be dry scalp? What could I do about it?
Kristina
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Book About a Boy Who Became a Cat
I would love to find a novel written before 1960 about a boy who became a cat. The boy's name is Peter, he desperately wants a cat, chases one into the street, has an accident, and wakes up as a cat. He is befriended by a female cat named Jenny who teaches him all about being a cat. They go on board a ship and have all sorts of adventures.
It ends with the boy waking up in the hospital, crying for Jenny, and he is finally given a cat of his own. I know this is pretty lame but it really is a terrific story that I want to read to my daughter. If anyone has information about this story, or an online resource for finding book names, etc. I would be very grateful.
Kind regards.
Lori
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Today's Sponsors
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More Reading:
A Primer on Paint
By Ellen Brown
According to the EPA, our indoor air is up to 3 times more polluted than our outdoor air and paints and finishes are among the biggest contributor. Just about all of us have a shelf in the basement or a cabinet in the garage containing paint cans leftover from past projects. But how many of us are aware that the VOC's (Volatile Organic Compounds) in regular commercial paints and finishes release low-level toxic emissions into the air for years after we apply them? The type of paint you buy and how you dispose of it can adversely affect your health as well as pollute your local streams and groundwater.
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