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Hello,
Seems like we say this at the end of every month, but September was our busiest month ever. Thank you for all the great participation.
Have a great weekend,
Susan
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Today's Tips
Storing and Caring for Lawn and Garden Tools
Take a large bucket saved from laundry detergent or paint and fill it half way with sand and the used motor oil from your car. (Yes I said used motor oil) Clean and sharpen your shovels and other cutters and place into the sand and oil to store. The oil will keep the tools from rusting and the sand will help to keep a sharp edge. While your at it, if any of your handles are looking mighty worn and cracking, get a sanding sponge and give them a sand. Apply a good wood oil to them and they will last you a good long time. Murphy's oil soap is great for cleaning the wood if it has sat out for a while and gotten dirty.
By Debra in Colorado
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I bought a meat grinder yesterday, because I am tired of the high price of hamburger and ground pork. I plan on buying roasts when they are on sale and grinding them myself!
By Lisa T.
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Milk Jugs to Protect Plants From Rabbits
Use empty gallon milk jugs for back yard planting season. The rabbits would eat all our new pepper plants. The only way to keep them away was to cut off the bottom and top of the milk jug and bury the wide bottom part in the ground a couple inches. Sunlight and rain could come in from top and rabbits somehow didn't bother the plants. It worked every year.
By LadyD
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This tip is for when you buy fresh bagels from the bakery or bagel nosh shoppe. Upon arrival at home immediately cut the bagels in half or quarters and freeze in a paper bag inside a heavy duty freezer bag. To use, take out and defrost at room temperature when you want one. They taste as fresh as the day they were baked. Nothing worse than a day old bagel. I hate toasted bagels, so this works for me.
By LadyD
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Save your egg shells from your favorite recipe to help out your garden. Crush your clean egg shells into small but not powdered pieces and spread them around the base of your plants. Slugs will not go over them because of the texture of the shells.
By E.Mussa
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Squeeze out a pea size of pure clear aloe vera gel on a clean spoon and add two to three drops of clove oil. Stir together with a cotton swab until you can't see the clove bud oil anymore. Using the cotton swab, you can now dab a little of the mixture lightly on your gums and voila, the pain is numbed. If using for an infant under the age of three, use only one drop of clove bud oil. You can buy the aloe vera gel in its purest form in most grocery stores. Look in the suntan lotion area. You want to make sure it's the pure clear aloe vera, without dyes or other colorants.
By Monika
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I save the plastic covers that come with new blankets, down comforters, etc. and use them to store other items. I especially like the fact that they have a zipper.
By Lisa T.
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Removing Pet Hair from Clothing
To get pet hair off carpet, clothes, etc., try using a rubber glove. It's a great hair and lint remover. If the hair still won't come off, then try a slightly damp towel and "scrub" the rug with circular motions. A lot of hair comes up then.
By Lisa T.
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Buying meat in the "family packs" is almost always cheaper. Instead of spending all the money on the small freezer bags so I can freeze in portions that I will use later, I wrap each chicken breast (for example) in plastic wrap and then put the pieces into one or two gallon freezer bags. Since each piece of meat is wrapped in plastic, they don't stick together when they freeze and they are also less likely to get freezer burn. Then I can pull out exactly how much I want and don't have too much or too little.
By Lisa T.
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If you have decorated your child's room with the latest cartoon characters and those light weight curtains just don't cut it in the winter, why not make some out of Polar Fleece? They make polar fleece with all the latest cartoon characters and the fleece will help to hold in the heat. If letting in daylight is not a problem Make a frame out of lattice strips and staple the polar fleece on to it for a colorful insulation for the winter.
By Debra in Colorado
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I found a neat way to give each kid at a birthday party a great surprise. Instead of one big cake or in addition to your big cake, you can make them a small cake of their own. Buy a box of Ding Dongs (the round chocolate cupcakes with cream filling.) Cut out circles of cardboard a little bigger than the ding dong and cover with foil, glue some small lace around the outside edge of the circle. Then place Ding Dong on Cardboard. Now glue a small party favor on top of the ding dong with canned frosting to go with the theme of the party. This makes for easier clean up and is more portable for a party that is held in a public place.
By Debra in Colorado
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Cheap Strips for French Manicures
If you don't want to buy strips made for French manicures, just use Scotch tape. Place tape exactly where you want the nail polish line to be. If you mess up and have to get it straight, you still have plenty of tape.
By Jacqui
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Ok this is a joke - but I thought it was so funny - I just had to share!! It's called 'The First Day At Work...'
A passenger taking a ride in a taxi one day, tapped the driver on the shoulder to ask him something. The driver screamed, lost control of the cab, nearly hit a bus, drove up over the curbing, and stopped just inches from a large plate window. For a few moments everything was silent in the cab, then the driver said, "Look mate, don't ever do that again. You scared the daylights out of me." The passenger, who was also frightened, apologized and said he didn't realize that a tap on the shoulder could frighten him so much, to which the driver replied, "I'm very sorry, it's really not your fault at all. Today is my first day driving a cab. I've been driving a hearse for the last 25 years." (BOOM BOOM!)
By ladyshot
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What to Do with Leftovers? Make Your Own "Frozen TV Dinners"
Place individual portions of meat, veggies and dessert if desired on freezer-microwave-safe plates, cover tightly with foil and freeze. When you need a meal just remove foil and pop in the microwave for 2-3 minutes on high or 5-6 minutes at 1/2 power.
By Beth
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Around my home it seems that someone always has a sock with a hole in it, so I started saving the "used" socks and by making a slit from the top of the sock to about the middle of the foot, I can slip them over my Swiffer duster and I don't have to buy the replacement pads. They work just as well and I feel that it picks up larger crumbs better.
By Debbie
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If you want popcorn to pop like mad, pour the kernels into a strainer, wash in cold water & strain well, then pour the kernels into the popper.
You can add an interesting flavor to popcorn if you add 1/2 peeled clove of garlic to the melted salted butter you serve on popcorn.
By joesgirl
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Feedback: Simple Rag Rug Instructions
Darla, I make rag rugs all the time but don't know if I can explain this in an e-mail. Here goes, I'll try. These are called "toothbrush rugs" and maybe you can find some more info on the 'net. Your tool is the handle of a toothbrush. Cut off the brush part. Sand down one end to a dull point. Drill a hole in the other end. Now you have a big plastic "needle".
Tear your fabrics (cottons and cotton blends) into strips about 1-1/2 inches wide.
To attach your strips together: cut a slit about 1/2 inch long in the ends, pull the end of piece A through the hole in piece B, then put A's tail through the slit you cut. Tug gently to snug them up.
Start with putting 2 strips together. Fold it in half so you have one strip for your "base" to work on and thread your tool through the end of the other.
The general idea here is to make blanket stitches onto your base thread (and later on, also the row below). Add more strips as necessary as you work.
At first, like many needlework projects, it is very awkward. You're only working on one strip of fabric and it curls and is unruly. But persist. When you get it as long as you want, put a few blanket stitches in the end to turn.
You can make these square, oval or circular. I like the ovals best.
Work down the other side, and now you'll see that you put your needle into both the base strip AND the row below.
You judge as you go how many stitches you need to keep it flat. The biggest problem seems to be getting too many stitches in there and it makes the rug ruffly, so be careful and lay it on the floor often to be sure it will lay flat for you.
These are very heavy nice rugs and wash well in the washing machine. Hang them over the bannister to dry. They last for years.
I hope I didn't make a mess of these instructions. It's easier to learn something if you see it done, that's for sure. If you have questions, post them and I'll try to clarify.
By Jayne
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Feedback: Preparing for Winter - Buy Essentials Before Winter Hits
I buy stuff for the winter season through out the year, In January, I buy the winterization stuff like the plastic and air conditioner cover and put it away the stuff for the next year in a plastic tote box, and then I stock up on the other stuff through out the year, and then I don't have to go out as much in the winter, I don't drive so this helps me in the cold.
By Tracey
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Feedback: Cooking Uses for Beer
Beer instead of milk for making pancakes is great.
Also using flour and beer for making those wonderful fried onion rings is the best. Try it... you'll like it!
By Marlene
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Feedback: Converting Garage into a Teenager's Room
We used two patio doors to close in the former garage door opening and it makes a nice sunny room. We used self stick vinyl flooring to cover the cement.
By Lizzy
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Feedback: Braided Rug Question
Have you ever tried making a braided rug out of material scraps around the house? Or go to your local fabric store and buy fabric that is on sale? It's real easy and fun. You can make it any color and shape you want. They are real pretty. You can add some of that really soft yarn to it also. Or you can make it out of all polar fleece material to give it a soft warm feeling. Let me know how this works out for you!! Have a great day
By momofangels
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Feedback: Drying Onions, Carrots and Celery for the Winter
Here's some onion drying information:
DRYING ONIONS
Wash the bulbs and remove the tops, roots and outer papery shells. Slice the onions into 1/8 to 1/4 inch slices. No blanching is needed. Drying will take 2 to 6 hours in a dehydrator or 5 to 10 hours in an oven.
http://www.msue.msu.edu/msue/imp/mod01/01600010.html
By Thrifty_Fun
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Melt butter. Add onion, carrot, celery & garlic.
Cook until onion is clear. Add potato, chicken
stock, salt, pepper & parsley. Boil. Simmer until
vegetables are cooked, stirring occasionally.
Add milk and heat without boiling. Makes 5 cups.
Can sprinkle grated cheese on top.
From http://www.CanadianCountryGifts.com
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Tip Contest
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Foodsaver Vac 300
This is the entry level Foodsaver. It offers commercial-quality vacuum packaging and is great for storing meat and cheese. It has a retail price of $79.99.
New Requests:
Saving Money on Food, Electricity
There seem to be great tips, but what do you recommend, when I don't buy name brand food, I buy generic, so I can not use coupons. Also I can't seem to get my electric bill to go down. We live in a mobile home, so insulation isn't the greatest. In the summer we leave our AC on 77 degrees and our electric is still running $250.00. That is half of our house payment. What do you recommend?? - Hope
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Does anyone know how to make Kool aid Jammers into purses? I would love pictures too.
Darlene from Ontario Canada
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Inexpensive Ferret Cage and Toys
I bought my first ferret about 2 weeks ago and I love her to death. She is just a baby, about 8 weeks old. She loves to climb and crawl through everything, but I don't have much that is safe for her to do that in. I have a cage, but it's not enough. Does anyone out there know where I can get a fairly inexpensive cage and/or toys for her to play in and have a blast? Any help would be much appreciated.
THANKS!
Lindsay
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More Reading
To clean dry erase boards, I usually use a paper towel with a little Windex. If that doesn't work, I use a little bit of nail polish remover then wipe it down one more time with Windex. It does the trick! - Laura Lange
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Saving Money on Food, Electricity
There seem to be great tips, but what do you recommend, when I don't buy name brand food, I buy generic, so I can not use coupons. Also I can't seem to get my electric bill to go down. We live in a mobile home, so insulation isn't the greatest. In the summer we leave our AC on 77 degrees and our electric is still running $250.00. That is half of our house payment. What do you recommend?? - Hope
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Take The Time To Get Organized
By Terry Rigg
It can be a real pain to find all of your bills and receipts and organize them in a manner that makes it easy to pay your bills on time and be able to find a receipt if you need it. However, this is just as important as developing a budget or setting your financial goals. If you don't have your finances organized, eventually you will miss paying a bill or have to pay a bill twice because you couldn't find the receipt.
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Everyday Ways to Save
By Cyndi Roberts
Small things do add up. Sometimes we get caught up thinking of ways to save big bucks and forget about the small ways.
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Cat repellent - or How to keep Cats out of your Garden
By Hugh Harris-Evans
Do cat repellents work? How to stop a cat from using your garden as a litterbox? Tell me how to keep cats out of my garden. These are common questions of concern to all gardeners but is there a real answer?
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Thanks
Susan
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