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Vol. 7, Num. 195, October 7, 2008 (Read It Online) We have lots of new requests coming in this week. Be sure to look them over and see if you have any advice to offer. Here are the contest winners for last week... Tip Contest Winner Reuse Healthy Choice Steamer Baskets
Sandra finds a new uses for something that is usually thrown out. Pet Contest Winner Honey (Poodle Mix)
The picture of Honey sitting in the grass is priceless and precious. Tip Contest Winners Have A Plan In Case Of A Fire
Deeli offers some great advice learned from personal experience. Simple things, like having your keys, wallet and phone in the same place at night, can help save valuable time in case of an emergency. Do It Yourself Outdoor Christmas Decorations
This post is fantastic! While it didn't have pictures, Crystal did a wonderful job of describing the decorations she created. Recipe Contest Winner Spicy Chicken Salad With Mango Salsa
Another delicious recipes shared by Raymonde. Thank you to everyone that took time to submit something. We are currently looking for Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas tips. Do you have any to share? Feel free to submit them on one of the contest pages. Thanks for reading, Susan
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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:
Craft Project: Mini Pumpkin Maracas Shake, shake, shake to the music with these cute little pumpkin themed maracas. A fun fall craft for kids.
View This Craft: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf12225649.tip.html
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Rate It: I have enjoyed my Coleus plant this year and now it makes a wonderful fall arrangement for my porch with the fall colors.
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Rate It: This is picture I took of a house before it was torn down to make way for a new highway in the area. Never knew it was even there until all the tree around it had been cut down. It looked sad. I photoshopped it just a little to add the shadow around the edges. It was a sunny day but it looked black as ink in the windows!
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Rate It: Craft: Fabric Wrapped Flat Wood When I submitted my wrapped bed frame, a kind lady said she wanted to do it to her bed, but it was flat. I promised her I would submit a sample of wrapped flat wood. This is, of course, only a small craft project, but I think with a little work, it can still come out great.I would try it without gluing it first, and make sure you don't get frustrated and want to quit but are committed. And, for those who would like to try this, these little boxes are at Michael's and I have seen them at the dollar stores, too. Good luck! By Sandra from Salem, OR Editor's Note: Here is Sandra's original post about a fabric wrapped headboard:
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Rate It: Patty and Creede (Shetland Sheepdogs) Patty and Creede are Shetland Sheepdogs, both are 4 years old. I got them when they were babies. They love to chase balls!
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These contests are weekly. We pick 2 tip winners and 1 photo winner at the end of each week. Each winner will win $25!
Have A Bag Packed For Trips With Your Dog I travel quite a bit with my little Doxie and like to have her "stuff" handy. She needs several things through the day so we now have a "Penny bag" for Penny's stuff. This bag is just a cloth tote that can be washed in the washer. I have a bowl for water and one for food, baby wipes in a little case, her leash and collar, a small hand towel, and a blanket. In the winter, I tuck in her heavy coat in case of break downs. Right before we leave, I slip in a bottle of water and a baggie of food. If it's going to be a long trip or she'll have to stay in the car awhile, I put in a couple of her cookie/treats. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf10280268.tip.html
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Rate It: Watch For Seasonal Clearances For Gifts With a family of 5 kids, there is always a birthday or a holiday around the corner. What we do is always pay attention to the seasons. Seasonally, the store put items such as toys and those kinds of items on sale. We always scope these items out. We have bought $20-30 toys for almost nothing. I am not just talking about toys that were hot last season. This is the time of year when most stores markdown new toys that just came out for the new holiday season. These stores mark them down because they think that they are not going to sell. Then the toys come off clearance when they start to sell again, you have already bought them. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf43873808.tip.html
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Rate It: How To Clean Your In-Room AC Unit Please check your appliance warranty before undertaking any repair of your appliance. Be sure to unplug any appliance before attempting any repairs! If the air blowing from your air conditioning unit starts to smell bad, you may have mold growing in your AC Unit. This should be taken very seriously as the stagnant water can lead to fungi, molds, mildews, and bacteria being distributed through the air and water particles being blown out through the unit. Such growths can lead to illnesses like Legionnaires' disease, named after the previously unknown bacteria that caused illness during the 1976 convention of the American Legion in Philadelphia. What you will need to clean out your AC Unit:
Remove the filter from the front grill and replace it with a new filter. If the filter is the non-disposable type, soak it for 15 minutes in a sink with a combination of dish detergent and hot water. Rinse the filter well and allow it to dry completely. Remove the front grill cover from your unit. Check for springs or screws below the front of the unit and gently pull the cover forward while pressing down on the cover. Remove all the screws attached to the metal cover of air conditioner and lift the cover straight up. Be careful to keep track of all the screws you are removing. An old ice cube tray or muffin pan works well for keeping track of the screws. Check the fan motor for any oil holes or oil plugs. If the fan has any oil plugs, take caution when removing them as they might have become brittle over time and will break off, blocking the plug. If this happens, remove the broken plug with the tip of your screwdriver. Add a few drops of oil to each fan motor oil hole (do not over-oil as it could cause damage to your AC Unit.) Clean the front fins using the AC aerosol spray cleaner to remove, dust, dirt, mildew, and stains. The aerosol spray will be able to get in-between the fins to properly remove any mold and dust. Be careful not to bend the fins as they are often made from aluminum or other easily-bendable metal. Because the fins are easily bendable, be sure to use an AC Condenser brush for cleaning the fins. Reshape any flattened or punched in fins, as these encourage mold growth and prevent proper airflow and cooling. The best tool for this task is a Fin Comb which will gently straighten multiple fins in minutes saving you hours of work. Flush fins with warm water (this is where working outside helps!) using the pump action spray bottle. Allow to dry for 15 minutes. Be careful not to spray or spill water onto any electrical parts, as a precaution; cover these parts with a clean rag .If your fins are stained you might need to do clean and flush them again, over a period of several months. Just be sure to unplug the unit every time. Gently clean the condenser coils in the back of the unit with a rag or brush. If there is any standing water from the drip pan or base, be sure to drain it. Gently wipe down the blower fan blades. Vacuum all surfaces of the AC cover inside and the front and back grill assembly. Be sure to vacuum the air vents or wipe off any dust and debris build up with a rag. Reassemble any parts you removed from the unit, plug it in and test to make sure it works. You can place the cover over the unit, but do not put the screws back in, you want to make sure everything was properly assembled and aligned or else there might be noise from misalignment. After you are satisfied that everything is running correct, either reinstall your unit or store it in a cool, dry place. You can set the unit on two pieces of woods to allow for air circulation under the unit and to discourage mold growth. To further protect your unit, use an air conditioner cover. Additional Sources:
By MikeS142 from NY
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Rate It: Schedule Your Chimney Cleaning As Early As Possible Now that fall is upon us, this is a good time to check out your fireplace. If you need to call in a chimney sweep, do it now, before he is in big demand. In our area, we only have one chimney sweep. His rates are lower during the warm weather and higher during the winter months. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf34973300.tip.html
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Rate It: Using Old Socks for Protecting Arms While Cleaning My son goes through a lot of white socks. Instead of throwing them away, I cut off the ribbing about 1 inch towards the heel. These are great to protect your arms when washing walls above your head and painting, all kinds of messies. I keep some under the kitchen and bathrooms sink and some in my container with my painting supplies. These are adult sized socks. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf54644953.tip.html
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Rate It: Here is a tip to add a little pretty length to curtains so you don't have to spend to replace them if you move and they no longer fit. Add ribbon or trim or how many ever rows of yo yo's needed to make them the right length. You could even add width to them the same way. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf21508202.tip.html
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Rate It: Buy School Supplies Now for Christmas Buy extra school supplies now, as they start to go on clearance. By Christmas time, new markers, crayons, cute pens, notebooks and folders will make great stocking stuffers and small gifts. They will be needed by then, too. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf85228768.tip.html
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Rate It: Leave Remotes and Appliance Manuals When Moving When moving, don't forget to leave behind garage door, blind, and ceiling fan remotes as well as, appliance manuals and any warranties that may still be applicable. You could even leave the names and numbers of the utility companies that they may need to call. An extra phone book for the area would also be helpful, along with the names of the closest grocery stores, gas stations, restaurants, library, and schools. The garbage pick-up time and day would also be a nice gesture. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf78016513.tip.html
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Rate It: An easy way to cook scrambled eggs with no mess. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf36288055.tip.html
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Rate It: Use Your Oven Heat to Warm Your House After using your oven in the winter, turn it off and leave the door open so the leftover heat can spread into your home. Of course you need to keep small children away until it cools, but when it comes to conserving energy and money every little bit sure adds up. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf39810493.tip.html
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We just had our first frost last week and I dug up my potatoes grown in a tire stack. I was disappointed to find only 6 potatoes. I planted 3 seed potatoes in the initial tire, and partially covered the greens, as they appeared to a final height of 5 tires. Any suggestions as to what went wrong. It would be helpful for next years attempt. Thanks. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf369388.tip.html
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Rate It: Vinegar for Dishwasher Rinse Agent Some of you have posted that you use vinegar in the dishwasher as a rinse agent (rather than products like Jet Dry). I'd like to do that too, but I need more information. With Jet Dry, you just put the product in the dishwasher once a month or something like that. Is that what you do with the vinegar - just put some in the dishwasher's little dispensing well once a month? Or do you do it more often? Thanks. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf124892.tip.html
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Rate It: Is there a system to laying wood floors over vinyl? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf28193741.tip.html
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Rate It: Recipe For Streusel Apple Cake I'd like a recipe for a simple, moist apple cake that has something like a streusel swirl or crunchy, cinnamon flavored topping. Thanks! Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf37734012.tip.html
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Rate It: Recipe For Sugar-Free Graham Crackers I know this is a long shot, but does anyone have a recipe for sugar-free Graham Crackers? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf77913227.tip.html
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Rate It: I have a fogger that we use for Halloween. The fogger fluid is kind of expensive. I would like to use it this year but don't want to have to buy that expensive store bought stuff. Does anyone happen to know what it is made of? Thanks in advance! Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf42294543.tip.html
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Rate It: I would like a recipe for Wendy's style chili. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf68719983.tip.html
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Rate It: We have smelly well water. We replaced the rod in our hot water tank and now it smells worse. Any suggestions? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf89874565.tip.html
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Rate It: Can you paint over gloss paint? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf74722463.tip.html
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Rate It: On the right side of our house, 10 feet apart from the house foundation, there is a willow tree, its height is just above the house's roof (two stories). It has been about 7 years old since it was planned by the previous owner. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf38901178.tip.html
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Rate It: I need ideas for a way to revamp my kitchen cabinets! They are old home made kind with thin wood. I would like to put a trim on them and either paint or stain them. Any neat ideas for a color out of the ordinary? We are also putting in new wood floors that we haven't yet picked a color for! Help. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf88733928.tip.html
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Rate It: Removing Spray Paint From Clothing How do I get dried spray paint off a brand new Choko Skidoo Jacket? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf71547734.tip.html
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Rate It: What topics are needed for a cookbook? I need to keep it narrowed to 8 topics including holiday, desserts, and misc. Any ideas? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf42417935.tip.html
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Rate It: Halloween Sleepover For Teenage Boys I am looking for some ideas for a Halloween sleepover for teenage boys. They are very hard to scare, they are 13 to 15 years old. I am thinking of having a seance and playing with a Ouiji Board - to contact the spirits (with some help from my husband to make things go bump in the night). Any ideas? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf23701129.tip.html
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Rate It: Looking For 15 in. Foam Pumpkins I saw the web page on carving foam pumpkins which is something I have been doing, too. I have gotten my craft pumpkins at Michael's too but this year they seem to be selling fewer and are not even selling the 15 inch tall pumpkins at all this year. Have you been able to locate any of the 15 inch pumpkins? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf33198237.tip.html
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Rate It: I would like to stain the outside and inside walls of my cabin which is build with T1-11 vertical siding. The outside will be stained with solid stain, and the inside with semi transparent stain. I have a few questions though. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf52723400.tip.html
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Rate It: Paint Advice For Kitchen With Maple Cabinets and Oak Floors I was wondering if you could tell me which color goes really well with maple kitchen units? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf463757.tip.html
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Rate It: I have just started to learn to crochet. I have tried to learn from a book although a friend started me off. I can crochet a circle but it does not lie flat - it's like a bowl made out of crochet instead of being flat like a mat. What am I doing wrong and what can I do to put this right please? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf29692543.tip.html
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Rate It: Can a Rat Snake Hurt a Rabbit? I found what looks like a black rat snake in my yard. Does any one know if it is likely to hurt a rabbit that i have caged outside? The cage is about 3 ft. off the ground and up against the back of my house. Thanks. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf47657104.tip.html
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Rate It: Family Gift Baskets for Christmas We had a big family and now our children are all grown, married, and we have lots of precious grandchildren. The problem is that we can't afford to give individual gifts to all, but still want to give something to each instead of drawing names as our children do among themselves. We have decided to do family gifts. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf53701893.tip.html
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Rate It: Answering a Guy's Invitation to a Dance This guy asked me to homecoming by putting glow in the dark stars all over my room and there was a note saying "will you be my homecoming star?" I have to answer him in a couple days and I have no idea how to do it! Please help! I want to answer him back with something to do with stars or space or something. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf54919188.tip.html
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Rate It: Where can I find cheap wedding columns that are 8ft to 3ft tall? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf66488838.tip.html
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Rate It: I am in process of painting my old laminated counters which are in great shape. I am tired of the same color. I have read some feedback on using Rustoleum. I went on their website but cannot find anything that has a spray with specks in it. I really don't want one color. I would like something like a granite look. Any suggestions? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf26909538.tip.html
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Rate It: how to get coffee stains out of beige carpet? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf53497210.tip.html
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Rate It: I want to put decoupage onto a plain drinking mug and would like some help and advice. I need to know the mug will be both heatproof and waterproof. I am sure that somewhere on the ThriftyFun site or someone that reads it may be able to help. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf37979472.tip.html
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Rate It: Does anyone have recipes for baking cakes/breads in small jars for gifts? I was given this gift one year and it was so good and meant a lot too! Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf38124211.tip.html
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Rate It: I am looking for ideas for trim on old cabinets? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf92232380.tip.html
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Rate It: One Piece Crochet Afghan Project I am looking for a winter time crochet afghan one piece project to do in front of the TV. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf79681030.tip.html
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Rate It: Getting Rid of Brown Recluse Spiders I need something safe to dogs and humans but that will kill and get rid of brown recluse, brown widow and wolf spiders. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf52116451.tip.html
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Rate It: Using a Computer in My Living Room I would like to set up my computer in my living room because of limited space. However, my living room is decorated in traditional/elegance style. Do you think it will look tacky with all the cords hanging down? How can I make the computer desk/area look nice and blend with my elegant furniture. The computer desk is a small open glass top desk. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf73423326.tip.html
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Rate It: I'm looking for an easy sorbet recipe. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf59615291.tip.html
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Rate It: Tips for saving money on milk. Post your ideas below. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf869658.tip.html
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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:
When life's decisions get overwhelming, one way to find your way back to order is to create a God box. Where (or if) you go to church doesn't matter; your God can be Christian, Jewish, Mother Nature, the Cosmos or anything in between. The magic of a God box happens when you release your problems and questions to a higher intelligence.
Read More: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf91908629.tip.html
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Rate It: Also Known As:Balachan, trassi, terasi, mam tom, Ngapi, Hom ha, Hay koh, bagoong alamang
Read More: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf70783772.tip.html
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