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Hello,
Here's today's featured request...
Potpourri Recipe: I am looking for a recipe to make a simmering potpourri that I can heat in a small electric potpourri pot. - Bsue from Coshocton, OH
Post Your Answer:
http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf15599989.tip.html>
Thanks for reading,
Susan
Today's newsletter contains:
Today's Photos:
Today's Tips:
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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." More Information:
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Today's Photos
| Tape Roll Finger Drum
This one stems from the fact that I now have to use masking tape across the top of my daughter's nappy for it to stay on! It's a home made percussion instrument. A finger drum. View This Project: Click Here |
| Daisy Star Loor (Beagle)
Daisy is such a sweet dog. She loves to play with children, and is very socialable with other dogs. She was born on September 11, 2005. She is very smart. She loves to play hide and go seek with her toys. By Andrea L from Yonkers, New York Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Acclimatized Parakeets
He has every color I've ever seen, and I have never seen tufted parakeets before. It was like being in heaven for a little while! By Coreen from Rupert, ID
Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Electric Popcorn Craft
By melody_yesterday from Sedalia, Missouri Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Contests!
The above contests are weekly. We pick 2 tip winners and 1 photo winner at the end of each week. Each winner will win $25!
Submit a My Frugal Life Essay! New Contest Started! |
Today's Tips
| Keep Paint Drips Off Light Fixtures
To prevent drips on ceiling light fixtures, cover them with a plastic bag. Turn off the lights first so you don't melt the bags! Secure the bag where the fixture meets the ceiling with masking table. Plastic grocery bags work well for this, just cut off the handles so they don't get in the way. Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Tracing Sewing Patterns
You can spend a lot of money on sewing patterns, especially if you are an avid seamstress. Save yourself a little money by saving your original multi sized patterns uncut. Most all patterns come in multiple sizes these days. If you cut it to make an X-small size, it is most difficult to impossible to piece it together to use it to make the same item in an X-large. Save yourself the headache! Simply purchase some blank pattern paper (for smaller patterns, you can use a less expensive tissue wrapping paper). Lay out your uncut pattern and lay your blank pattern paper on top. Take care to smooth them out carefully. It pays to gently iron them before proceeding for greater accuracy. Gently iron on a low heat setting. After layering the blank pattern or tissue paper over the marked pattern piece, weight it down and simply trace the pattern marks with a fine point marker or soft point pencil. Don't press too hard, as the paper is delicate and tears easily. Frequently check to be sure the patterns aren't shifting during tracing. Be sure to copy all notes and markings pertinent to your sewing project. You can copy the pieces over and over and save the original in its' uncut state. It takes a little time, but well worth it! I do this and then file them all together and place the copies in Ziploc bags and mark the sizes on the outside. If the copied pattern starts to get worn, simply recopy it! It works well, too, with patterns you use often. Hope this saves some of you a little money :) By Cheryl at 2Ewenique from Peebles, OH
Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Storing Wood Furniture
When you are storing nice wood furniture, make sure you store it in a dry, well ventilated room. If you store it in a damp basement, you could discover moldy and warped furniture when you go to retrieve it. Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Duct Tape Wastebasket
Create a colorful wastebasket with duct tape. http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/cr_baskets/article/0,2025,DIY_13744_5206370,00.html Submitted by IMAQT1962 Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Propane Storage
Use this tip for your safety and that of your loved ones. Do not store propane tanks in your garage. They may explode when it gets very hot. Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Keep Saran Wrap In The Freezer
We all know how frustrating getting a sheet of Saran paper out of the roll, having it tangled before you can put in on the object you have intended it for. Here is a great tip and it does work. Keep your Saran wrap or whatever kind of plastic wrap in your freezer! Take it out unroll what you need and, Voila!, it comes right off without crumbling up or sticking to itself. When you are done, don't forget to put it back in the freezer. Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Cleaning a Shower Curtain
Tips and ideas for cleaning a shower curtain. Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Spiffing Up Store Bought Wreaths
You can spiff up boughten wreaths with natural elements. I got a small basic wreath with a few ornaments for 99 cents then wrapped pine around it and added some seasonal berries, all held on with a good ribbon for a neighbor. It's amazing how well it turned out! Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Getting The Correct Tax Deduction On Donations
I am cleaning out my closet before the end of December and taking it to the local helping hands store. When you deduct charitable donations of clothing at tax time, do you just guess at what they are worth? William Lewis, author of Cash for Your Used Clothing, says most people underestimate the worth of such items. Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Homemade Air Fresheners
Everyone wants to have pleasant smelling home. Commercial air fresheners are usually pretty expensive and they often only mask odors and don't eliminate them. Some commercial air fresheners even go as far as to dull your sense of smell so that you can't smell much of anything. The best air freshener is a clean house; especially in the bathroom and kitchen. Once that is accomplished you may find some of the following recipes helpful to complete the job. In this article we have a compilation of air fresheners that have either been written by us or submitted to ThriftyFun by our readers. Dryer Sheet Air FreshenerI am not willing to pay for those air fresheners and then again for the refills. So in the summer months, when we have the fans in the windows, I stick a dryer sheet in with the fan
Ingredients:
Mix water, soda and ammonia, add extract and put into a clean spray bottle (one that sprays a fine mist). Bottle up the rest to save for later. Don't spray on furniture or pets. Disinfectant Room SprayIngredients:
Combine all in a spray bottle; shake well before each use. Mixture can be sprayed into the air. Submitted by Jennifer R. Lemon In Your VacuumTo achieve fresher air in the house without paying a fortune for canned spray, squeeze a few drops of fresh lemon into the bag of your vacuum. By Randa from TX CinnamonThe best homemade, environmentally safe "air freshener" I have found is cinnamon. If you sprinkle the bottom of a pan with some cinnamon and let it warm on the stove (medium heat), it fills your house with the scent of baking. It's not overpowering, yet you can't smell much of anything else. You don't have to warm it too long for it to last, so there isn't much over-heating of your home or a high electric bill.By VMargret I've done the cinnamon thing as well. I sprinkle some in the bottom of my coffee pot, then just run clean water through it. It heats up nicely and smells great. By Nervarah
By Carol
I put a little bottle of vanilla and water in the bathroom and use it as an air freshener. I add a little vanilla and water and shake. keep adding vanilla until the smell is just as strong as you like!
By Racer
Last night I helped an 82-year-old woman deep clean her kitchen after she burned something in her microwave. The place was really bad. After we scrubbed everything in sight and out of sight with soapy water and I convinced her to ditch the offensive microwave, I put a fancy little bowl with a little water and some almond extract on her sparkly clean countertop. It made the place smell so beautiful and fresh. THANK YOU for this very inventive tip!
By Jayne
I am a huge clove fan, (in moderation). I placed the water and vanilla as racer suggested into a spray bottle, it smelled wonderful! I wanted a more vivid aroma. I decided to place the water in a saucepan, add vanilla (approx. 1 Tablespoon of (pure) vanilla extract) and approx. 8 Whole cloves. I brought the mixture to a boil. Removed from heat. Let stand until cool enough to pour into my plastic spray bottle. When i sprayed the result... Oh my gosh! I can not wait to go to the store to get cherry extract to add to my mix! How awesome will that be! This is without a doubt the best smelling airfreshner I have ever smelled, ever! Thank you racer for your help in this!
By Zoey Lee
By Henrietta
A small container of plain old white vinegar on the stove eliminates even fish odors like you never even prepared it.
By Diane
By Jackie
I also have cats. I use what someone else suggested. 1 part fabric softner and 3-4 parts water. Put it in a spray bottle and spray everything. It works great!
By Dawn
By mselp
I also have 3 small potpourri simmering pots. I place water, approx 6-10 shakes of cinnamon and 6 whole cloves (i like a strong essence) in the pot and plug it in. The aroma is awesome. My house feels very tranquil, warm and inviting. I have read a few articles regarding not to use cinnamon and or cloves to scent your home. I certainly do not agree. The result of this fragrance is almost like a friendship!Everlasting.
By Zoey Lee
And for the microwave, I put a cut up lemon or lime in a bowl of water and set the microwave for 3 minutes. After the 3 minutes, the microwave smells good.
By Charity
By Kathryn Marsden
If you are looking for some great essential oils and fragance oils go to The Body Shop they have a huge selection and they are not pricey. I use them mixed with 91% alcohol in my catalytic lamp and they work great! In fact right now they have the oils on sale for 3 for $16! If you don't have a Body Shop store go to the website www.bodyshop.com
By PC
A co-worker told me if you mix an entire bottle of 91% alcohol and one bottle of essential oil (like you use in fragrance rings), shake well, and voila! I tried it, it seems to be the same as you buy already prepared. Just make sure you shake the products every time you use!
By Kristen
By Kittybean
By Susie
For more discussion of Fragrance Lamps, follow this link: Making Lampe Berger Fragrance
What are your favorite homemade air fresheners? Submit them below.
Post Feedback: Click Here
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Syndication Spotlight
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/ More Information:
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New Requests
| Getting a Featherbed Professionally Cleaned
Where can I take my down featherbed to be professionally cleaned? My child had the flu and vomited on the featherbed and also had a diarrhea accident on it. Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Slingo Game for Three Players
I would like to know how to download the slingo game that you can chat with three players. Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Potpourri Recipe
I am looking for a recipe to make a simmering potpourri that I can heat in a small electric potpourri pot. Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Adding a Scent to Candles
How do I add scent while making a candle? Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Burn Marks On Manmade Marble
How do I remove burn marks from man-made marble vanity top? Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Fever Blister Remedies
Fever blister? I can't remember which one is on the lips? I've got a big one on my lower lip. Does anyone have a good home remedy? It never tingled or hurt. There's a slight itch and it's sore. Thanks for any help. Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Training a Poodle
I have the cutest apriot toy poodle. I got her when she 6 weeks. She is now 14 weeks. She has the best of everything as are children are grown, and she is now our baby. My problem is she is very aggressive to my husband and myself. She has biten both of us and she was not playing. She is very smart and at times it's like she is doing things for spite. She is house broken but will stand right in front of us and potty. Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Kitchen Paint Color Advice
I have black and brown granite counter tops, light brown cabinets and light brown tile. All appliances are black. What would be the best color to paint the kitchen? Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Making a Blanket
How do you make a blanket where the edges are cut in strips and then tied in knots all around the edges? It is a double sided blanket. I would wont to make a large one for a double bed. Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Candles to Get Rid of Germs
They make candles to get rid of smoke odors, pet odors, etc. Do you all know if they make a candle you can burn to get rid of germs when someone is home sick with a cold? Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Chalkboard Can't Be Written On
I have a chalkboard that seems to have a coating of some sort over it now and I can't write on it anymore. Is there something that would take care of this for me. Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Ming's Master Cookie Dough
I watched the 'Cooking with Ming' yesterday and was hoping that someone has the recipe for his 'Master Cookie Dough. It looked wonderful, but while I was trying to copy down the ingredients, I missed the amount of butter he used. It was a very versitile basic cookie recipe that can then be used to make sweet and savoury cookies. I'd be grateful for any help. Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Knifty Knitter Instructions
I purchased a 13 inch oblong knifty knitter and I didn't receive any instructions on how to wrap the yarn or use it. Does anyone know? Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Crafts Using Formal Dresses
Does anyone know of a craft using those beautiful cocktail dresses and formals that you see at all garage sales, that nobody will buy and wear? Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Walnut Rolls Recipe
We were given at Christmas a tin of delicious somethings... I don't know what they are called but they were small squares of pie crust that was rolled around a filling which had walnuts, I think brown sugar, cinnamon and maybe flour. Does anyone know what they were and do you have a recipe? I would appreciate it. Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Italian Confetti Ribbon Flowers
Where can I purchase various styles of Italian confetti ribbon flowers on the roll wholesale. I make favors (bonbonnieres) for weddings, christenings, showers etc... and need this product wholesale. Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Preventing Dogs From Pooping on Lawn
Does anyone know of a safe natural way to keep dogs from pooping on the lawn? This is inconsiderate and disgusting on the owners part. Post Feedback: Click Here |
| George Foreman Grill Manual
I need to find an instructions manual for George Foreman Grill #Gr26TMR Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Cleaning a Leap-Frog Lovable Lily Doll
I bought a Leap-Frog Lovable Lily Doll that has interactive buttons off of eBay. She works fine, like brand new, but she has a very strong potent cigarette smell. I can't wash her in the washing machine due to her electronics, please is there any ideas? It's for my little girl, but she is asthmatic. She loves this doll very much. Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Using a Stove Top Espresso Maker
I just purchased a stove top espresso maker. I love coffee, but can not seem to brew a good cup. Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Homemade Armor All Recipe
Does anyone have a recipe for homemade Armor All? You folks are my lifesavers. Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Candle Wax on a Laminate Floor
How do I get candle wax off of laminate floor? Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Recipes Using Flat Bread
We have used flat bread (not pita bread) to make pizzas. Any other vegetarian (no meat, fish, chicken or their by-products) ideas for using flat bread? Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Crafts Made With Wallpaper
Please offer any ideas for crafts to make with wallpaper. Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Cleaning Ceramic Top Stoves
What can I use to clean the spilled on gunk on ceramic top stoves? Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Is non-fat dry milk the same as skim milk powder?
Is non-fat dry milk the same as skim milk powder? Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Preventing a Shower Mirror From Becoming Foggy
How can I keep a shower mirror from becoming foggy and spotted, is there a certain brand or type I can buy that this doesn't happen to? Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Wine Stain on Microfiber
My boyfriend spilled red wine all over a cushion on our brand new microfiber sofa. I immediately took the cushion out of the sleeve and soaked it in cold water... Any advice on how to prevent it from staining? Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Asphalt Roofing Deck
We have a roof top deck with rolled asphalt roofing on the floor. What can I put over it for comfort and to preserve the roofing? Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Buying Rice Lites
Where do you find the rice lites 35? Post Feedback: Click Here |
Looking for a frugal solution to an everyday problem? Submit your request here: Click Here
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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:
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Daisy Star Loor is a one year old pure breed Beagle. I got Daisy as a surprise from my aunt on November 1, 2006.
I was privileged to photograph these little parakeets last week. It was 28 degrees! The owner has acclimatized them and keeps them outdoors year 'round. He has a heat lamp in a back enclosure, but the birds never use it. He said it's for his wife because she worries about them.
Glue unpopped popcorn onto a recycled lightbulb for an interesting conversation piece! Sit it in a candle holder or hang it for display. I call mine "electric popcorn"!
