Daily Thrifty Tips
Volume Four, Number 300, December 21, 2005
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Hello,
We have a lot of Christmas ideas in the Photos section. I hope you enjoy them.
Thanks for reading,
Susan
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Today's Photos:
Today's Tips:
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Today's Photos
Watercolor Art Cards
By Christine Weber These striking cards are surprisingly easy to make when you choose simple, bold images such as flowers to paint. Pasted onto card stock, they make an enchanting gift for a mother or beloved friend.
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Miniature Snowmen Ornaments
By Christine Weber Tiny little snowmen bundled up in scarves and hats. Perfect for your Christmas tree.
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Handmade Journal
By Christine Weber A handmade journal for memories, lists, and recipes. Made of fine paper and a beautiful photo, you may want to make one for yourself as well!
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Jingle Bell Ornaments
By Christine Weber This is simple but children love it. Decorate silver or gold store bought jingle bells with a sparkling ribbon and ring accordingly!
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Covered Matchbox
By Christine Weber Matches dressed up for the holidays! Small rectangular matchboxes covered with gift-wrap.
Editor's Note: These also would make nice gift boxes for dolls.
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Scrabble Tile Alphabet Magnets
By Christine Weber For the kid in all of us. Pick up a used Scrabble game at the thrift store and create a set of alphabet magnets to grace a fridge door!
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Inexpensive (Earth Friendly) Christmas Gift
I'm a bit low on money this holiday season, so I was trying to think of homemade gift ideas, and came up with this. It's thrifty, it helps recycle, and it's environmentally safe! All great things! I have a few "recipes" for natural, non-toxic cleaners that I got from a co-op natural foods store.
One is a scouring powder and another is a multi-purpose spray. I saved some nice containers from other non-toxic products I use, cleaned them, and then made up some of the natural cleaning product recipes and put them in the recycled containers.
I printed my own labels on my computer and put those on the front. I plan to make little gift baskets with the cleaners, some sponges, etc. I have several relatives with children and/or pets, so I'll be giving these homemade non-toxic cleaners to them this holiday season.
The cost of the ingredients for the cleaners was very low--mainly I just needed vinegar, borax, etc., all of which are fairly inexpensive. Happy Holidays to all!
By Lisa from WI from Kenosha, WI
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Make a Curly Ribbon Cascade
Don't spend money on those fancy curly ribbon cascades. Make your own!
Lay a piece of wide Scotch tape on your work surface. Place the end of the curly ribbon on the tape at the edge, about halfway down. Cut the curly ribbon to the desired length.
Repeat until the tape is filled across. Fold the top down over the ends of the curly ribbon.
Curl with scissors. Voila! Your own curly ribbon cascade at a fraction of the cost!
Longer lengths of ribbon will yield a more "cascading" cascade and short lengths will yield a tighter, curlier adornment.
By Camilla from Atchison, KS
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Three-dimensional Paper Christmas Tree
By Christine Weber True to its name, a three-dimensional tree of thick green paper, covered with silver stars.
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Farley, Toby and Ruby (Bearded Collies)
My husband on a fall hike with our bearded collies. Farley is white and was adopted from the humane society in 1996 - what a sweet boy. We believe that he is a mix - not sure. Farley started the furball rolling!
Toby the larger of the two gray beardies, was born in 2000 and we brought home Ruby his sister in 2004. What a pleasure to have these babies - since our children are grown.
By elutz from Central Valley NY
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Star by the Christmas Tree
Star is my 7 year old Miniature Cocker Spaniel. We adopted her last year just before Christmas from our local animal shelter.
Star loves to cuddle up with you on the couch, she loves to run around the yard and chew her rawhide toys.
In this picture we found her under the tree looking up as if to ask us if she was really gonna get to stay with us and if Santa was really going to come to our house. She is just priceless to our family. So much love to go around. Merry Christmas everyone!
By Starlight from North Platte, NE
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Mr. Danish
This is my gorgeous kitten Mr. Danish. He is from one of my cat's litters. He is absolutely gorgeous.
TIP: Mix one or two eggs together with some milk.
It is great for you cat/kittens coat and they love it.
Use skim or no fat milk as cats have a low tolerance to lactose.
By kat from Australia
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Red Riding Hood Ornaments
By Christine Weber Few can resist these tiny ornaments - cheerful ladies with red head kerchiefs and hazelnut skirts dancing on an evergreen bough.
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Today's Tips
Shopping for Decorations for the Different Holidays
All year long I buy holiday decorations after the holiday. You can get great deals up to 90% off. I also find neat things a garage sales and put all the decorations in a plastic tub. Then when the next holiday comes up I go see what i have waiting for me in my tub. It's always a nice surprise to see what I had purchased for that holiday.
By Darijavan from Grant, MI
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Santa Joke
If Santa rode a motorcycle, what kind would it be?
A Holly Davidson.
By Chell from MO
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A New Use for the Changing Table
Turn a Changing table into a Kitchen Cart or Family Room Bar Cart
After the Baby is potty trained you can re-purpose that changing table.
Removed the pad and any safety belt. Turn upside down and drill holes in each leg for pivot wheels.
Paint to match your kitchen/ family room decor. Add pegs or towel bars or both at one end or both. Add wine glass slides (the kind that the glasses hang upside down from) on the bottom of the top. Paint the whole thing to match your decor before adding any metal add ons. Add hooks on the corners, for pot holders,ice tongs, etc.
By Cat Somerville from Summerfield, FL
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Reusing Gift Bags
A friend of mine gave me an idea recently. I have to admit, I'm not sure why I have never thought of it before then. It was her birthday and I took her a gift. When she had taken the gift out of the gift bag, she handed it back to me and told me to keep the bag and reuse it. What a great idea! You can keep any gift bags in which you receive gifts as well.
By Robin from Washington, IA
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Doris' Christmas Tradition
When my first child was 4 years old, I decided to start a Christmas tradition that was inexpensive but fun. My son, Joe, was old enough to chew hard candy (with supervision). I bought him a "LifeSaver" Christmas box of LifeSavers that had a small ornament attached. I have continued this "Tradition" every year since 1969. Now I send a "LifeSaver" Christmas Box my two children, their spouses, and my grandchildren. A couple of years ago, I didn't send the "LifeSavers." Christmas morning, BOTH my children called and asked "Where's the "LifeSavers?" So now, the FIRST gift I purchase is a Christmas Box of "LifeSavers" for everyone, even though my son is now 40 years old and my daughter is 36.
By Doris from Yakima, Washington
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Craft Day
With two small children, the last place we want to be on "Black Friday" (Day after Thanksgiving) is out in the crowds. So instead, we have dedicated that Friday as our Craft Day.
We make a list of all the people the kids want to give Holiday gifts to, and we plan some simple crafts like bath salts and painting frames. We hit the craft store while everyone else is buying Turkey, and then we spend the first day of holiday shopping in our jammies making crafts.
By Violets from Santa Clara CA
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Meaning of the Twelve Days of Christmas
There is one Christmas Carol that has always baffled me.
What in the world do leaping lords, French hens, swimming swans, and especially the partridge who won't come out of the pear tree have to do with Christmas?
Now I know. From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics. It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality which the children could remember.
The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ.
Two turtle doves were the Old and NewTestaments.
Three French hens stood for faith, hope and love.
The four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
The five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books of the Old Testament.
The six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation.
Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit-Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy.
The eight maids a-milking were the eight beatitudes.
Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit - Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control.
The ten lords a-leaping were the ten commandments.
The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples.
The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles' Creed.
By Chell from MO
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Buy Marked Down Cards After Christmas
I never pay retail for Christmas wrapping paper, cards etc. I always wait until the day after when the prices for these items are slashed even in the dollar stores. Last year, I went to a card shop after New Years Day and was amazed to find that their Christmas items were now 75 % off the marked down price. It was almost like they were paying me to take it home!!!
By Diane from Paradise PA
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Fleece Blankets for the Winter
Fleece blankets are great, but costly if the quality is good. Now the fabric stores have their fleece on sale-mostly 50% off. 4 yards will be a good size and will cover the top (only) of a queen bed. We have one on the bed and with a bedspread or other cover on top, it never has fallen off and we don't miss the fact that it doesn't go down the sides. They are good to wrap up in and watch tv also.
Fleece doesn't ravel, so you need only get the store to cut all 4 sides straight. You can cut the sides for fringe or sew designs on if desired. For fringe-just cut 1" wide as long a length desired all the way around and that's all.
This is a good gift as well as useful in your home. And if you live in a very cold climate, put 1 or 2 in the car in case of problems that might cause you to be stranded with no working heater.
Wash in cold water, alone or only with other fleece to prevent early pilling and use only powder detergent. Never put an iron on it-it will melt and leave a mess on the iron.
By Jeane in Texas from Texas
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Contest ends December 31, 2005
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New Requests
Peg Bracken's Sesame Cookies
I found this site while serching for Peg Bracken. I remember she had a recipe for Those Good Sesame Cookies. I can't find it in any of my remaing copies of her books. Drat that urge to clear out the old stuff. I remember they were easy enough and very good to eat. A simple white dough rolled in balls and in sesame seeds. If you have a copy in you books could you let me know?
Momma Lynne from West Chester PA
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Asking a Guy to a Formal Dance
Tips for asking a guy to a formal dance. Post your ideas.
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Online Pay Day Loans
Does anyone know about the online pay day loan companies?
Pam
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Narrow Measuring Spoons
Has anyone ever used or heard of narrow measuring spoons? They are supposed to eliminate spilling and wasting spices when measuring from narrow mouth jars. Also, does anyone have any tips other than special spoons to prevent the spilling?
Thanks,
P.J. from Delaware
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Asking a Girl to a Formal Dance
I need some ideas on a sweet way to ask a girl to a formal dance. Any help?
Josh from Riverside, CA
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Why do some light bulbs stick in there fixture?
Why do some light bulbs stick in the fixtures? I've noticed this mostly in my bathrooms, so I'm assuming it may have something to do with moisture causing rust. What can prevent this, once I get this bulb out, besides replacing the entire fixture? It still looks great for being 20 years old, is that old for a light fixture?
CarolinaGirl from SC
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Aromatic Room Fresheners
I have your recipe for gel air freshener. Now I need your recipe for aromatic room fresheners, made with alcohol (vodka for one).
Thank you,
Mary from Sicklerville, NJ
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