Daily Thrifty Tips - February 7, 2007

Volume Six, Number 26, February 7, 2007 Here's today's featured request... Framing Newspapers I have tons of newspapers that I would like to frame and use as wall hangings for a rec room. However, I am having a hard time finding a way to do this without breaking my budget. Does anyone have any suggestions on where I could get inexpensive frames, wood or metal, to frame these? Laura from Festus, MO Post Feedback About This Request Thanks for reading, Susan Share a Tip (You could win $25!) Share a Photo (You could win $25!) Have a Question? Submit a request... Link to ThriftyFun.com View Active Topics! Today's newsletter contains: Today's Photos: Decorated Coffee Can Containers for Gifts Chloe (Yellow Labrador Retriever) Today's Tips: Growing Cucumbers on a Fence My Frugal Life - My Favorite Birthday Easy Potluck Idea: Crockpot Roast Beef Sandwiches Keeping a Designer Handbag Clean Manufacturers Sometimes Replace Instead Of Repairing Visit Civil Rights Museum Free In Memphis Using Wallpaper Border Tips For Vanilla Extract Heating Vinegar For Odors New Requests: CD Crafts Painting Kitchen Cupboards Converting a Twin Size Quilt to Full Size Buying Trendy Jeans Burned Enamel on a Tea Kettle Sticker Residue on Suede Digital Photo Frame Reviews Teaching a Dog To Come Whole Wheat Pizza Dough Recipe Wheat Bread Recipe Minimizing Cigarette Smoke and Odors What Does Campho-Phenique Do? Dying Blue Jeans Steam Cleaning an Oven Color Running From a Mink Coat Framing Newspapers Today's Photos: Decorated Coffee Can Containers for Gifts I save large tin coffee cans to use as containers I give my baked treats away with. This is the Christmas theme I used. I am not camera savvy, sorry. I used ribbon in different sizes and types wrapping the cans and ending with large bows in the back.( before I did this step I cut a small matching piece to glue along the seam of the can to better hide the seam). I cut slits in lids and ran curling ribbon through, tied bells to that before I curled the ribbon as a finishing touch and placed a bow over that. Most cans I used 2 colors or designs of ribbon. One can I covered in wrapping paper then used ribbon. The possibilities for decorating ideas for these are endless and you're recycling. Tip: Go to a few different stores after each main holiday to catch the sales and you will get a great assortment of ribbon and decorations at a huge discount to use for the next holiday. Most of mine I paid between 75 to 90% off original prices. By Freedom059 from Ohio Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf43090259.tip.html Chloe (Yellow Labrador Retriever) Chloe is almost 2 years old and is a Yellow Lab. Chloe is my daughter, Sara's, 16th birthday present. She likes to Run, Run and Run some more! By Debbie Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf49960931.tip.html Contests: Tip Contest Submit a Tip or Recipe! Photo Contest Submit a tip with photo! These contests are weekly. We pick 2 tip winners and 1 photo winner at the end of each week. Each winner will win $25! My Frugal Life Submit a My Frugal Life Essay! Today's Tips: Growing Cucumbers on a Fence Try growing your cucumbers in hanging baskets hanging on a fence. If it's a wooden fence, all you need to do is stretch a wire or some string along it so as the cucumber has something to grow along. I have found that you have to water daily. By pthere from Hamilton, New Zealand Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf23648508.tip.html My Frugal Life - My Favorite Birthday My uncle Al sent everyone on his Christmas card list, the story of his favorite Christmas. In turn, I wanted to do the same back, yet I couldn't come up with one that stood out. A birthday did stand out though, it could be frugal depending on the two people involved, for us it was. MY FAVORITE BIRTHDAY: It was the day before my birthday and my Dad approached me with my birthday card, which I knew had some money in it, period. No, no more! I refused to take the card. My dad was getting angry, "What's this all about?" I said, "I don't want your money, I want you to pick out a gift for me." Well, the look on my father's face was priceless. He looked lost and said, "I don't know what to get for you that you'd like." I responded, "How about we take this money and going shopping together Dad, OK." Dad went into the living room to tell Mom that we'd be back in a little while. She asked, "Why, where are you going?" He said, "Linda and I are going birthday shopping.", and off we went. It wasn't far and there weren't malls like today, but it was GREAT, just me and Dad. As we were shopping, I understood the look on my father's face. He needed lessons on how to shop for girls and I was more than happy to be the one to show him. We also had hot-dogs and soda before we returned home. Spending some alone time with my Dad was what was great about that birthday. We never went shopping like that again yet I've never forgotten it or received money for my birthday again. He would always get me something great, usually clothes, and I proudly wore them until they wore out or no longer fit. Oh, I also remember my sisters asking me what makes me so special that I received this treatment. I told them to ask him the way I did and you'll get the same results but they never did. Love, Linda from LOWELL, MA Do you have a frugal story to share with the ThriftyFun community? Submit your essay here: http://www.thriftyfun.com/post_myfrugallife.ldml Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf24819114.tip.html Easy Potluck Idea: Crockpot Roast Beef Sandwiches Here is a wonderful easy hit to bring to those office potlucks or family reunions, or any other kind of gathering where everyone has to bring something. I always like to put a roast in my crock pot the night before, bring it with you the next day and you have perfect roast beef sandwiches for everyone at a fraction of the cost of what it be to make a huge salad or desert! By Robin from South Sioux City, Nebraska Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf38071336.tip.html Keeping a Designer Handbag Clean I just got a lovely designer handbag as a gift, spring colors! It's sort of a Coach bag with part fabric, so I am going to have to spray it with Scotchgard before I use it, to help keep it clean and new looking longer. I do that with all my canvas bags/shoes and other fabric goods that might get easily soiled. For my Ugg boots, I bought special suede protector/waterproofer. By pamphyila from Los Angeles Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf47632274.tip.html Manufacturers Sometimes Replace Instead Of Repairing Try to get things fixed by the manufacturer! My husband went through all the customer service/diagnostics for our Epson scanner/printer/copier with no luck. So they told him to send it in for repair. The company paid to send the printer in and then, I suppose they couldn't fix it - because a brand new printer showed up on our doorstep. That sort of thing creates loads of customer loyalty - and I have been telling everybody. By pam from Los Angeles Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf54801902.tip.html Visit Civil Rights Museum Free In Memphis The National Civil Rights Museum in downtown (the historic south main arts district) Memphis is free after 3pm on Mondays. http://www.civilrightsmuseum.org/ Trish Hart from Memphis, TN Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf60189865.tip.html Using Wallpaper Border At most dollar stores, I can buy wallpaper borders. I apply it to a tin can to match the decor. I have one on my end-table with pencils, pens, scissors and whatnots. In the bathroom, it holds razors, toothbrush, comb and tweezers. By Keeper from Morganton, NC. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf67451464.tip.html Tips For Vanilla Extract I love to bake, and one of my favorite ingredients is pure vanilla extract. I have found that Mexican vanilla packs double the punch of American vanilla for half the price. You can find it in any grocery store on the Mexican or Ethnic Foods aisle. If you have a friend going to Mexico on vacation, have them bring you back a large bottle of pure vanilla, it is super inexpensive compared to the pure vanilla sold here in the states. I add vanilla to my hot green tea, it gives it a nice flavor. I just pour a little in, about a 1/2 teaspoon. I do not care for the imitation vanilla. By Bobbie G from Rockwall, TX Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf78415061.tip.html Heating Vinegar For Odors I burned a low carb tortilla in a non-stick frying pan. The whole house absolutely stank. I used air neutralizer sprays, wiped down the countertop next to the burner, opened windows, ran the heat to blow air, ran the electric air filter cleaners, grumbled... Two days later I could still smell it. It was suggested I heat some vinegar for 30 seconds in the microwave and put it in each room. Never did get to each room because the situation seems to be solved. I put the bowl in the kitchen next to the exact same location where the pan burned the tortilla. It seemed to reduce the smell that lingered in the air some hours later and even reduced the smell that could have (but didn't) come from the onions and green peppers I was sauteeing for dinner. I am planning on leaving a dish of vinegar out on a full time basis. I had originally left the vinegar out without heating and it didn't seem to make a difference. My next problem is getting the carbon deposit off the non-stick frying pan. In desperation, I used a gentle oven cleaner and scraped the surface. It helped, but there is still a coating in the pan. Would you like to make any suggestions? As of right now, this pan is headed for the trash, so anything I do can only be an improvement. By the way, Brillo didn't remove the burnt coating. By Holly from Richardson, TX Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf90859014.tip.html Friends of ThriftyFun Dear Webby's Humor Letter 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: http://webby.com/humor New Requests: CD Crafts I have a lot of used CDs which I want to recycle making some attractive crafts. Could you suggest me some craft ideas which i can do using these CDs. I have 100s of CDs with me. Thanks, Anand from New Delhi, India Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf000533.tip.html Painting Kitchen Cupboards Can I paint shiny kitchen cupboards? PETULA from Torfaen Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf001432.tip.html Converting a Twin Size Quilt to Full Size How difficult is it to convert a twin size bed quilt to a full size bed quilt? This bedding is identical to my daughters crib set but I need it to be full size for her bed and it only comes in twin... any suggestion from all you craft seamstresses? Thank you! Andjerm from Texas Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf12344280.tip.html Buying Trendy Jeans Where can i find trendy jeans that are 100% cotton, NO spandex? Kristinabowen from Fresno, CA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf19326187.tip.html Burned Enamel on a Tea Kettle How do I remove burned on enamel from a tea kettle that was off a metal stovetop element? Kim from Stuttgart, Germany Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf19465805.tip.html Sticker Residue on Suede I put a sticky name tag on my new suede jacket and now the glue won't come off. Any ideas on how to take the glue off of my jacket? Diana from Sioux Falls, SD Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf26023453.tip.html Digital Photo Frame Reviews I am looking for reviews of digital photo frames. Maria Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf26710834.tip.html Teaching a Dog To Come How can I teach my pitbull\chow puppy to come when I call him? Jerry from bullhead, AZ Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf33438532.tip.html Whole Wheat Pizza Dough Recipe I am looking for a recipe for Whole Wheat Pizza Dough. Cucumberlady from Canada Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf41945653.tip.html Wheat Bread Recipe Does anyone have a good recipe for wheat bread made in an oven, not a bread machine? Doris from Reedsville, WI Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf46659812.tip.html Minimizing Cigarette Smoke and Odors I need to know how to get rid of cigarette smoke in my house. My husband smokes. I have used all kinds of spray. Burned candles, still I can smell the smoke. What can I use? I have a small poodle, so I would need something that wouldn't hurt my dog. Shonda from Grand Rivers, KY Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf742401.tip.html What Does Campho-Phenique Do? Can anyone please tell me what Campho-Phenique does? Daphne from Adelaide, Aus Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf74884001.tip.html Dying Blue Jeans How can i find a place that will dye my jeans from blue to black? Kristinabowen from Fresno Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf781469.tip.html Steam Cleaning an Oven What is best method for steam cleaning an oven? Phil from London, UK Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf82556528.tip.html Color Running From a Mink Coat I just purchased a mink coat and I find the color runs around my neck. I do not wear make-up or spray perfume. I returned it to my furrier and he says that he cleaned it. I wore it yesterday from the store and by the time I returned home, it bled again. Any suggestions? Ms. Nichols from New York City Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf89229311.tip.html Framing Newspapers I have tons of newspapers that I would like to frame and use as wall hangings for a rec room. However, I am having a hard time finding a way to do this without breaking my budget. Does anyone have any suggestions on where I could get inexpensive frames, wood or metal, to frame these? Laura from Festus, MO Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf95001016.tip.html Interactive Coupon Swap! Swap coupons with other ThriftyFun.com users. Seed Swap! Swap seeds with other ThriftyFun.com users.