If you are an avid crafter, capable writer and own a digital camera, you are eligible to participate. Submit your craft projects to ThriftyFun and we will pay $15 for any crafts that we publish.

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Craft Project: Easter Deviled Eggs Tray
By Debra Frick

When we do dyed eggs for our grandchildren I always end up making deviled eggs to go with our Easter Ham or Leg of Lamb. I love to set a beautiful table so I decided this year I was going to try and make myself an elevated egg stand. This is a quick and easy project with parts that I bought a my local thrift store when they had a 50% off sale. The total was 3.00 dollars total. I chose clear glass because this way I could also use my egg stand when ever I did a buffet but if you wanted to use a ceramic egg tray and a ceramic bowl or cup that would contrast or match one of the colors in your egg tray you could do that too. You just need to make sure that the base is large enough to support your egg tray.

Time to complete: 10 minutes plus drying time

Materials

One egg tray
One large sundae glass
Clear silicone caulk
Grease pencil
Measuring tape
Wired ribbon to make a bow

Instructions

The instructions on this one are really a no brainer. Remove the price tags and wash both pieces thoroughly. I turned my sundae glass upside down so that the large mouth was the base. Using a grease pencil I marked and measured the middle of my egg tray. Now you can just eyeball this or if you want to be more precise you can measure the base and the mark the middle of your egg tray or using the grease pencil just lay the plate flat and draw around the base. With the silicone caulk make a small bead around top edge of your base. Smooth with your finger. Gently lay the tray on the base centering it to your marks and gently rotate. Do not apply any force downward because most adhesives work well if not pushed out in-between the contact surfaces. Let dry for at least 2 hours before moving and let it dry for a complete 24 hours before using. This will need to be hand washed as it will not be dishwasher safe. Use the wired ribbon to make a bow for the base if you like.

Easter Deviled Egg Tray

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Craft Project: Plastic Egg Bunny

You'll want to make lots of these cute bunnies from those inexpensive plastic eggs. Great project for kids.

Approximate Time: 15 minutes

Supplies

plastic egg
sheet of construction paper
sheet of white paper
2 wiggly eyes
1 chenille stem
2 pom poms for cheeks
1 pom pom for nose
cotton ball
craft foam
scissors
hot glue gun and glue sticks

Instructions

Cut a heart shape from the fun foam for the feet. Glue the egg to the feet with the point in the back. This will help the bunny stand up straight. Cut two ears from colored construction paper and cut two inner ears from the white paper. Glue the inner ears to the colored ears. Open up the top of the egg slightly and add glue along the open edge of the egg. Attach each ear to the glue and snap the egg closed to hold ears in place. Glue on wiggly eyes, pom pom cheeks and pom pom nose. Cut six one-inch pieces from the chenille stem to form the whiskers. Glue three to each side of cheeks. Cut some teeth from the white paper and glue just under cheeks. Glue on a cotton ball tail.

By Mom of 1 from Wilkesboro, NC

Plastic Egg Bunny

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Craft Project: Easter Napkin Ties

This easy craft is an adorable way to get younger kids involved with family and Easter crafts. The napkin ties are simple to make, look cute, and children are free to make just one or an entire set! Four chenille stem petals make the flower, while the colorful egg creates the center.

Approximate Time: 15 minutes

Supplies

18 inch pink chenille stem, one
10 inches thin ribbon
Scissors
1 inch plastic egg
craft paint
paintbrush
glue

Instructions

Cut chenille stem into four even pieces. Have child make all four pieces shaped like loops, creating four petals.

Using glue or string, have the child connect the petals into a simple flower.

Have the child paint the plastic egg with their own design. Let dry.

Glue egg, standing up, onto middle of flower. Make sure the egg is standing fat side down.

Take ribbon and fold it in half evenly. At the fold, which marks the middle, have child glue back of flower on.

Once dry, tie ribbon around napkins and enjoy the cute Easter flower. For older children, use more petals, or petals that they have to twist with pretty ribbon to make the craft more complicated.

By Aysha from Boise, Idaho

Easter Napkin Ties

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Scenery: Thieving Deer

My pet thieves? Notice the deer shaking the bird feeder to empty onto the ground?

By Ronda from Midland, MI

Thieving Deer

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Easter Jars

These are little easter jars. The first was filled with preserves and the other with spaghetti sauce. I got a dollar stamp from Michaels and some spring paper and made these jars for Easter for the grandkids. They were very easy and I love recycling the jars

By Jill from Albert Lea, Minnesota

Easter Jars

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Family Photo: "Nanna, whatcha doin'?"

"Nanna, whatcha doin'?" This is four of my grandsons "helping me" write my articles for Thrifty Fun.

By Debra In Colorado

"Nanna, whatcha doin'?"

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Skwiskwis, Charlie and Venom (Shih-Tzu)

Charlie is a year and a half, Venom is almost 2 and Skwiskwis is 12 days old. They are Shih-tzus :) We got Venom when he was a baby, and Charlie we got a few months ago. We rescued her from a family that malnourished and abused her. And Skwiskwis is their new baby. The only one out of 8 that survived because the vet messed up :(

Skwiskwis likes to squeal, and roam around, she looks like she is trying to swim on the ground! lol Venom likes to play with toys and go running (he runs 14 miles a night with me, that's pretty good for a dog with 4 inch legs) And Charlie likes to steal all of Venom's toys and she likes to take baths.

They are all good little critters. They are very spoiled and lots of work, Skwis is bottle fed since her mommy had to get an emergency c-section after we took her to a different emergency clinic since the first one was awful! But Skwis has opened both of her eyes and is proving to be a healthy rambunctious little girl! The picture is of Venom (black and white) and Charlie (brown and white) watching their little newborn Skwiskwis!

By Annabelle from Gilbert, AZ

Editor's Note: Here is a previous entry about Venom.

Venom (Shih-Tzu)

Skwiskwis, Charlie and Venom (Shih-Tzu)

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Tip Contest
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Using Last Year's Calendar

Last year's calendar makes a great chore chart or reward chart for young kids. For example, to motivate a child for potty training, let them put a sticker or draw a star in one of the boxes each time they use the toilet. When they have filled up a month's worth of boxes, they get a prize. The prize could be time with the parent playing a game, a special item they want, staying up late to read an extra bed time story or whatever will work for that child. The calendar could be used to encourage any behavior that you are trying to encourage in your children. It also makes a fine chore chart for older children.

By Ruth from Westminster, Ca

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Keeping Your Stove Looking New

As a Virgo, things seem to keep newer looking longer; my electric stove is at least 12 -14 years old; my secret? Soak all the knobs and wash well, wash back panel of stove with a good all purpose cleaner, and then apply a good coat of Sonofagun, (for car dashboards) or Armorall, wow, like new!

Source: My own discovery, works great!

By Debbie from Nova Scotia

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Clothespins for Camping

Well I have a strange tip, but a good one. My husband and I camp. We had bags open with food in them and had forgotten to bring things to close them with so I grabbed a couple of clothes pins the kind with the spring you squeeze to open. They are fantastic, work great and the nice thing is that they are cheap.

Oh yes, they also can be used to entertain children who manage to be bored out of there wits 2 minutes after you are there. Put some paper down on the picnic table and give them brushes, paints, colored pencils and it will keep them busy for quite some time. If you are packing to go, set them outside someplace with newspaper and they can decorate them. They will be happy and you will be happy. Happy Camping!

By Dar from Fairview, PA

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Use Shower Curtains for Drapery

I have discovered that shower curtains can make great window drapery. Not the plastic liner stuff but the nylon fabric. You just hang your shower curtains on a rod with the shower curtain rings. There are some really nice patterns out there. Sheets also work well.

By Stephen from Clovis, NM

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The Cost of Buying a New Car

"Take cars, as another example. Say you put $4,000 down to buy a new car worth $24,000. You finance $20.000. Say you are charged 10 percent interest for 48 months. Your monthly payments are $507.20. You have paid not $20,000, but over $24,000. Plus, you probably have zero in your bank account. So now you have a shiny new car with which to drive yourself to the job you'd like to leave but can't, because you have no money saved. Hmmmm. How about if you reversed this scenario and paid $4,000 for a good used car, then invested that same $500 a month for the same 48 months at the same 10 percent interest, compounding monthly? At the end of 48 months you would have a car plus $29,605.92 sitting in your bank account. Hello? Is anybody listening?" lol

Source: The Simple Living Guide, a book, by Janet Luhrs page 34.

By Carol from Wyoming, PA

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Automatic Dishwashers Save Water

Many people don't realize that dishwashers actually save hot water and save money. You will notice that a dishwasher cannot hold much water. Washing dishes by hand uses much more hot water that what can be held in the bottom of the dishwasher. I think mine gets about an inch of water in the bottom. Mine uses the rinse water from the first wash as the wash water for the 2nd wash. Also, dishwashers sanitize your dishes.

Don't rinse the dirty dishes as you place them in the dishwasher. Just make sure all soiled sides face to the middle. Any small chunks of food will be ground by the garbage disposal in the bottom of every dishwasher. Use the hottest water possible. If your dishwasher doesn't have a hot water booster, be sure to draw water into the sink until the colder water that has lain in the pipes is gone. (I try to use this water for another purpose rather than to waste it.)

I only use the shortest cycle. Mine is called the "light cycle". You will find this works for really dirty dishes. When I wash a really dirty broiler pan or other pan with baked-on food, I use the regular cycle. However, I find the shortest cycle is sufficient for just about all my needs.

I find that I can use HALF the amount of detergent in each cycle. My favorite is to break one of those little tablets in half and put one half in each detergent cup. I do not use rinse aids of any type. (For a while I tried using vinegar, but found I didn't need it.) I have very hard well water, and I find half the amount of detergent works fine. Just be sure not to overload your dishwasher. You want to have it be full of dishes when you run it, but don't overload it.

I buy brand name detergents for the dishwasher. Cheap detergents have too much "filler." It's not all detergent, but rather stuff used to fill the box so you think you're getting more for your money. This filler can etch your dishes or cause grey streaks on your dishes that won't come off. Just don't buy the cheap stuff. Use the better, but only use half as much. You will be pleased with your results.

Let the dishes air dry. In the winter, I open the door and let the moisture out into the house.

By Carol from Wyoming, PA

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Boxes From Bottled Water To Prevent Paint Spills

I buy small bottles of water by the "case". Our water comes in a shrink-wrapped, cardboard box. When we open it, we only poke a small hole in the plastic, on the front-side of the box, just big enough to reach your hand in to take out a bottle. When we've finished all the water, I'm left with a cardboard box with a plastic covering that goes over and under the box. These "plastic covered boxes" I save until I feel like doing a wall painting project around the house. These boxes are big enough to set your paint tray and roller in. Plus, you can also set your gallon of paint into another "water-box" after you've poured the paint into the roller-tray. That way there'll be no drips and much less clean-up. These boxes are fairly sturdy, so the paint containers are on a better surface, much better than carpeting. I also like to use a third box to set my paint brushes and rollers in when I need to set them down... When it's time to clean-up, you can just slit the plastic down the side and turn it inside-out.

By Cyinda from Seattle

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Candy Sharing

If you only have a few Easter baskets to make you either end up with a lot of leftover candy or your baskets don't have a good variety. To fix this, ask a friend if they are interested in "candy sharing." You each buy a few bags of easter candy and make your baskets. Then comes the fun part - trade the half-full bags of candy with your friend. That way each family gets a wider variety of candy and no one ends up with too many duplicates.

By Martha from Metairie, LA

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Link: Glycemic Index of Foods

http://www.glycemicindex.com/

Eating a lot of high GI foods can be detrimental to your health because it pushes your body to extremes. This is especially true if you are overweight and sedentary. Switching to eating mainly low GI carbs that slowly trickle glucose into your blood stream keeps your energy levels balanced and means you will feel fuller for longer between meals.

Low GI diets help people lose and control weight
Low GI diets increase the body's sensitivity to insulin
Low GI carbs improve diabetes control
Low GI carbs reduce the risk of heart disease
Low GI carbs reduce blood cholesterol levels
Low GI carbs can help you manage the symptoms of PCOS
Low GI carbs reduce hunger and keep you fuller for longer
Low GI carbs prolong physical endurance
High GI carbs help re-fuel carbohydrate stores after exercise

By Cajun62234 from Collinsville, IL

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Spinach Dip Trick

When I make spinach dip I use my food processor. I defrost the chopped spinach, rise and press or squeeze out the water well. Then put that into the food processor and pulse until it chopped finer. I then add the soup mix pulse again and then sour cream and/or mayo. Then pulse again until it is fully mixed. The end result is a much smoother blended dip, without chunks of unruly spinach or gritty areas of the soup mix.

By Sharon from Cherry Hill, NJ

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Dear Webby's Joke of the Day

Read More Jokes Here: http://webby.com/humor

Calming Spray For Cats

Can anyone recommend a calming spray for cats that works? Or even a recipe so that I can make my own. This would be for spraying rooms, carpeting, etc. - NOT the cats! We adopted a male cat (approx. 6 yrs. old) a little over a month ago. Our two females (11 and 6) are still not totally accepting of him. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Maryeileen from Brooklyn, OH

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Recipes Using Pine Nuts in Cookies

I need recipes using pine nuts in cookies or hard biscuits.

Helen from Jackson, New Jersey

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Stove Top Recipe for Rice Pudding

I need a simple stove top recipe for rice pudding.

Rosie from Toronto

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Stove Top Mac and Cheese Recipe

I need a stove top recipe for Mac and Cheese.

Rosie from Toronto

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Degreaser On Windows

My son put degreaser on my windows and glass door. Now they are very badly smeared. I tried vinegar, baking soda and dawn dish detergent. It didn't help. Any ideas?

Josephine from Winterville, GA

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Removing Dye That Transferred Onto a Leather Purse

My new black cotton tops has caused black dye to rub off on my pink leather purse and also on my yellow purse. I have tried rubbing alcohol and also hair spray.It does nothing. Any suggestions?

Jacki from Ohio

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Using a Deluxe EZ Bowmaker

Does anyone have instructions on how to use the Deluxe EZ Bowmaker? I recently purchased one at the local Goodwill but it did not include instructions.

Gao from Marion, NC

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Plants That Produce Unusual, Distinctive Seed Pods

I have a local friend who farms and she is interested in branching out into growing everlastings, but she is looking for plants that produce unusual, distinctive seed pods. She is not looking for seeds so much as the names and recommendations of plants to try. She makes arrangements and wreaths and so forth mostly for the fall and Christmas season. Thank you.

Hardiness Zone: 7a

Anne from Manahawkin, NJ

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Smoke Detector Problem

I have 4 electronic smoke detectors with battery backup on the same line. One detector beeps every 50 seconds non stop. I have already done the following: changed batteries, replaced with new detectors.

Even the new detector with new battery beeps every 50 seconds. So, it does not appear to be a problem of dust, battery, or new equipment. Where do I go from here?

Ty from Chico, CA

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Bamboo Stalks Are Yellow

I have several bamboo plants that the stalks are all yellow/brown but the shoots (leaves) are all still green. What should I do? Is there a way that I can remove the green shoot clusters and re-root them to grow once again?

The plants themselves are about 5 years old, but I have a twisted stalk one that is over 7 years old and under the same light, water, feed everything and it didn't happen to it.

I would truly appreciate any help that you could give as I really feel badly about the loss of these plants. Thanks in advance for your time.

Hardiness Zone: 7a

Sherry from Omak, WA

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Recipes Using Chicken Gravy

Does someone have a recipe to use up chicken gravy from an Industrial sized can?

Cindy from Fox River Grove, IL

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Keeping Ham After 'Best By Date'

How long can you keep a ham slice after its best by date?

Judy from Clinton, MA

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Do I Need Two Apple Trees To Get Fruit?

I just purchased a Granny Smith apple tree from the local grocery store. I've done some online researching and wanted to confirm whether or not I need to purchase another type of apple tree so they will both produce fruit. Thanks and regards!

Hardiness Zone: 7b

Penni from Hillsborough, NC

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Planting Morning Glory in Pots

I've been throughly warned about morning glory! Can I simply plant it in a pot and avoid all the drama of it taking over my garden? Will my moon flowers do the same? All my seeds have begun to sprout... so there is a need to plant soon.

Hardiness Zone: 10b

Thanks,
Marisa from Santa Maria, CA

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George Foreman Parts in the UK

I have a George Foreman 12618 and need the plastic handles that are on the cooking plate (Top). Can anyone advise who stocks these parts in the UK.

Thanks for your help.

Hani from N Ireland

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What Breed is My Dog?

What breed is my dog? She is 70 pounds. She also has the stomach and chest like a greyhound.

Misty

What Breed is My Dog?

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Photos Stuck Together

I have two photos that were stuck together when they were in a fire. How do I get these unstuck saving the image on the second picture?

Annette from Los Angeles, CA

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Painting a Home Radiator

We have old radiators that have chipping paint and rust. We want to do something with them. Have been told to sandblast/not sandblast, darker color radiates more heat/not, etc. We were told that after sandblasting to not paint, that that would give the most efficiency.

If not painted would a polyurethane work or do they mean NOTHING on the radiator? We like the look of the old silver, that seems to accentuate the decorative features on the radiators. We are totally confused. Please help!

Roger and Rosi from Stanley, NY

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Can I Sell Bamboo?

Does anyone know if bamboo would sell, I have a yard full of it that I cannot got rid of.

Mary from Houston, TX

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Pruned Maple Tree is Dripping Sap

I have a question. I have a Maple tree in my back yard, yesterday I trimmed some very small branches off the tree, when I say branches there were not much larger than twigs. Now the tree is dripping sap? Is this normal? I just hope I have not damaged the tree. Fortunately when I saw what was happening I stopped. Any help would be appreciated. I live just south of Carson City, Nevada

Hardiness Zone: 6a

Peg from Minden, Nevada

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Arby's Roast Beef Sandwich Recipe

I like the roast beef sandwiches from Arby's and was wondering if anyone had the recipe.

Thanks in advance,
Gloria from Saskatchewan

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Stenciling a Design on a Suitcase

I would like to use stencils to paint a design on my suitcases for easier identification in the airport. Do they make spray paint for use on textiles? I think using a stencil brush on that coarse sort of fabric might make it hard to get a good impression. What has anyone else done with their suitcases besides tying things to them?

Lynn from Albany, NY

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Having a Party With No Children to Invite

My daughter is turning 2 years of age in May. I want to throw her a birthday party but I really don't know any toddlers to invite. What do parents do in this situation?

Veronica from San Antonio, TX

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Cleaning Ink out of Inside of the Dryer

My son left a marker (ink) in the wash and it was then put in the dryer. Now on the inside of the dryer there's ink stains. What do you suggest to remove this?

Doris from Durhamn, North Carolina

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Recipes Using Canned Spinach

I just came into a case of canned spinach and need some recipes for using it. Thanks

Kathy from Columbia, MO

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Crafting for Fun and Money!

If you are an avid crafter, capable writer and own a digital camera, you are eligible to participate. Submit your craft projects to ThriftyFun and we will pay $15 for any crafts that we publish.

More Information:
Click Here: http://www.thriftyfun.com/post_craft.ldml

Saving Money on Easter Baskets

Inexpensive ways to create, put together or purchase easter baskets and their filler as suggested by the ThriftyFun community. Post your own ideas here.

Saving Money on Easter Baskets

Inexpensive Easter Baskets
By Tawra Kellam

Easter is a great time of the year to celebrate. Here are some ideas for Easter gifts. Try some of them and if the creative juices start flowing, make up some of your own!

Inexpensive Easter Baskets

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Daily Thrifty Tips - March 18, 2008

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