Daily Thrifty Tips - March 27, 2006

Reunion.com Find Old High School Friends at Reunion.com

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This is a really fun project to give as a gift for kids or parents. You can make anything from count down to Christmas or Birthday Tiles or Count down to Baby Tiles.

Supplies:

• Tile
• Water
• Ribbon
• Hot glue gun
• Pencil
• Dry Erase Marker
• Paint
• Paint Marker
• Paint brushes
• Alcohol & Cotton ball

Directions:

After you have gathered all your supplies, clean the face of your tile with the alcohol and cotton ball, this will removes oils so you can see your pencil marks clearly.

Next use a pencil to draw out your words and design on the tile (this is a draft, if you make a mistake dont worry you can wipe it away with the alcohol.) This step is an important one, take your time with it, after the next step everything is permanent.

When you are happy with your design use your paint marker to draw the outlines and words on permanently. Watch carefully so your hand doesnt smear the paint. When you are done let the tile dry for 2-3 minutes.

Next select your paints and fill in the colors to your design. Note that you want to leave the area for the dry erase marker paint free. The dry erase marker will not wipe away if you use it on the painted parts of the tile.

Let the tile dry about 20 minutes before you continue. The next step is to cut your ribbon the length you like and tie it to your dry erase marker. Using your hot glue gun attach the ribbon to the back of the tile.

If your tile does not have holes at the top to string a hanging ribbon through you can use the hot glue gun to glue a wire or string/ribbon into place at the back. If you are using wire or ribbon that does not match make sure to glue it low enough that when you hang the tile you cannot see it.

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Sissy is a 9 year old cat. My mother passed away in 1997 and Sissy was my mother's cat. I am not really a cat person, but because she was my mother's I had to keep her. My mother loved Sissy very much and spoiled her to no end (as you can tell by her picture.)

Sissy is definately a "fat cat". She mostly sleeps and tries to find anyones lap to lay in that can hold her 16 pound body!

By Lois from Columbus, Ohio

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Bubbalouie is a 6 year old Chow Chow. I bought my precious baby from a breeder in Columbus, Ohio.

Bubbalouie (Bubby for short) loves to play ball with himself. He puts his ball in his mouth and throws it up in the air to make it bounce then he chases it.

By Lois from Columbus, Ohio

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I made this magnet for Easter. It's very easy to do. Just go to this website and print out the jelly bean prayer: http://www.annieshomepage.com/jellybeanprayertext.html glue it to a piece of craft foam, and glue on "jelly beans" (these aren't real jelly beans they're painted dry beans) around the outside of the foam then glue a magnet on the back and you have an Easter decoration that tells the Easter story.

By luv2craft from Normalville, Pennsylvania

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Thanks to everyone! Two things I have learned here recently:
Rubbing alcohol cleans and baking soda is good for everything.

I dropped one of those sticky spider traps upside down on my kitchen table. After picking for an hour and rubbing with everything I could think of, I gave up thinking it would wear off. I got newspaper ink on it, a gray mess. I rubbed it with 91% isopropyl alcohol and it came up like magic.

Baking soda makes a wonderful skin scrub. No more high-priced facial scrubs in this house. It's even making my hands look younger. I rubbed a tiny bit on my grandson's chin grunge and rinsed then use a non-petroleum chapstick (thanks for that info, too) on it and the grunge has disappeared. Thanks again!

Vicka from Salt Lake City, Ut

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I always enjoyed playing the Tooth Fairy with my children. To make the experience more fun for my kids, after they were asleep, I would remove the tooth from under their pillow and in place of it, I would include a letter that I wrote (from the Tooth Fairy). The letter would be a riddle and would include a hint where they could find their dollar. One thing I would do; however, was write the letter backwards so they would have to hold it up to the mirror in order to read it. They always thought that was so "cool!" Here's an example of what I would write:

"Hi Sally, look carefully and you will find, your dollar can be found near your time." (I would put the dollar under her alarm clock.)

Enjoy the special times in your child's life; they grow-up way too fast; make memories.

By Marnita from Cumming GA

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I've found one of the best way to save money on laundry and still have clean clothes is to buy the buckets of soap from Sears. I buy the buckets that say they have something like 280+ loads. But what I've found is I only need to use half the amount of the scoop. So I'm really getting over 550 loads worth of soap for $20.00

And I sometimes find a coupon for $10 off the soap in the Sears insert of the weekend paper.

By Veronica1 from Lodi, CA

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My sneakers often wear out in the lining, especially at the heel, before the rest of the shoe. So, I mend the inside of the back of the heels with either clear First Aid tape - or white First aid tape (which matches my white sneakers). If the padding has totally worn through at the heel, you can also replace the worn padded lining with a piece of molefoam and glue it or tape the edges. You may have to keep after the tape, as it slips after a while, but it makes your sneakers wearable and comfortable, so you can get your full use out of them.

By Pam from L.A., CA

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I like to crochet, but I don't like to follow a design. I wanted to crochet a scarf or something that would have some glitz, so many of the yarns or crochet thread that have the look of sparkle or metallic thread cost and arm and a leg. So I bought opal sewing thread and blended it with the crochet thread, you can use gold, silver, a shiny opal. You just need to keep the two threads together. It especially works well if you are making a crochet scarf. Also I wanted to add beads, which you can do as long as your crochet hook will fit through the opening of the bead.The most recent idea that I am still having fun with is to use the bangle type of iridescent sequins. I found a huge variety on the internet of Cartwright buttons. The minimum purchase is $10.00 but they have so much variety, and the average price is like 1.25 for a few hundred. I rarely buy anything on the internet so, it was my little splurge, and I can make little purses, etc. even if you just know how to single crochet you can end up with something fun.

By Kersti Brouillette from Bellevue,Wa.

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After you juice lemons, rub the rind on your stainless steel faucet fixtures, a beautiful shine results.

By Shirley

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By going along with me to thrift shops, my husband has found out that there are lots of deals in electronics. We got a computer printer at a church thrift shop for less than $20 still in the box. Ironically. OLDER printers can be better deals for everyday printing, because their cartridges are easier to RE-INK, saving you megabucks.

By Pam from L.A., CA

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Actually this is an after cooking tip. When washing the cheese grater use a bottle brush such as for baby bottles (they are sold at dollar stores.) Just add soap to the brush rub a little with your hand to create a lather scrub your grater inside and out rinse as usual.

By Nikki Carr from Millersburg, PA

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Has anyone tried growing asparagus in a raised bed using landscaping timbers? If so, how high and what length and width would be best for the plants? Also, what amount of plants (roots) are needed for two people enjoying a harvest?

Thanks!
Hardiness Zone: 7b

KCC from Canton, NC

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I need advice on herb/plant called lobelia. It has small green and burgandy leaves and tiny, brilliant blue blossoms. Any advice on caring for and planting lobelia?

Hardiness Zone: 8b

jhirsh from Hutto, TX

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I have a four month old puppy that has started digging holes in the lawn. He's not digging a lot but he does have about six small ones now. Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks,
Betty from Fond du Lac, WI

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Does anyone have any tips for cleaning hemp shoes? I walked through some soggy grass and now my new adidas sneakers have muddy water spots on them. Any advice would be appreciated.

LS from NW

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Has anybody used that Scunchi Steamer for their home cleaning? My husband bought me one for our anniversary, ha! Yeah, I think he secretly wanted one but that's okay. :) I was wondering how you've used it and what worked, etc. Send your thoughts and ideas.

Thanks!

PeggyGV from San Antonio, TX

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I am looking for something to do with the greeting cards I received when my mom died. Do any of you have any ideas? I would appreciate any help that you could give.

Thyme In Gods Garden from Perkins, OK

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My puppy went into heat last week and it has been very heavy and I was wondering if anyone has tried to make a homemade diaper or something to prevent their pet from staining everything they sit on? Do you have any ideas that could help me?

Corri from TN

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Our new little MinPin mix. Any ideas what he might be mixed with? We think he is about 10 weeks old. We rescued him from a shelter in Mississippi.

Katie from New York

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I have had a lawn with extensive damage from grubs. There is a large area where the lawn is now totally dead and I raked out to bare dirt. What is the best way to re-establish my lawn?

Serp327 From Rockland County, NY

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Next month our company is finally allowing us our first Bring Your Child to Work Day. A co-worker and I have volunteered to schedule activities for the day. Can anyone help with suggestions? We are a utility, and partial office - most of the childrens parents work out on the road and we will not be able to take the kids to them, but still need to keep them busy all day. We would love to make this a success after requesting it for so many years!

Thanks,
Snowbells from NJ

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I would love to get some low fat recipes for homemade biscuits. I had a wonderful recipe for biscuits using instant potato flakes but lost it when I moved and I can not remember the recipe.

Thanks so much!
geri

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Can anyone tell me how to shrink denim jeans? I have 2 pairs of jeans that are too big. They cost $100.00 a piece, so throwing them out is not an option. I've tried washing and drying on the highest setting (over and over), and I've also boiled them to no avail. I love these jeans! Please help!

Annie from Camp Humpfries, South Korea

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I have a 9 year Golden. He was doing fine on phenobarbital for seizures for a year now, but seizures have started again. Up to 2 pills am and 2 pills pm. Anyone else have this problem and how large a dosage can one give their dog with vet's orders on phenobarbital. I am so afraid that phenobarbital won't work for her anymore since one can go only so far with the dosage on it.

These seizures scare me to death and I so worry they will become uncontrollable.

Nanz from Florida

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I need help training a 7 year old MinPin, she is very aggressive with "her stuff. She gathers socks, slippers anything that she can grab off the floor or around a laundry bin and makes a sort of nest in the corner, if you try to retrieve your slippers she will growl and take your hand off. It's not good, she bit my mom and my sister and a neighbors kid thus far. I need to cure her of this asap.

All instances she was in a situation where some one was taking something away from her that she shouldn't have. She looks to have had a ton of puppies in her past, could that be related?

Thanks for any advice,
CAROL from DEDHAM, MA

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I was wondering if anyone of there knew of a nice prayer to lose weight? I would like to use it in a gift set I am giving someone.

Corri from TN

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How to transplant African Violets?

Hardiness Zone: 10a

Acutegrandma from Simi Valley CA

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Somewhere on your web site I came across an old request on how to decorate a vase to look like a doll. Well, I'm having a problem with this same idea. I have a 4" styrofoam ball that I need to make a face on that fits the vase perfectly for the head. My question is, what can I use to cover the ball with? I tried socks, painting over them (no success there), paper mache, but that's not looking to good so far. I also need to paint, draw, or attach some features to this ball. I need help there too. Any ideas will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Tea Lady from New Hampshire

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Please help me learn how to make a good budget and manage to follow it? Any tips would be appreciate.

Thanks,
Emmanuel Stephen From Blantyre, Malawi

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I would like to give mystery shopping a try. Does anyone have any links to legitimate sites where I can find assignments in my area? Or any tips to keep in mind?

Thanks!
Teddygirl from WV

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We bought a house and had herb gardens that have started spreading. How can you kill these herbs without harming native plants and soil?

shopping_addiction_woman from Nashville, IN

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Reunion.com Find Old High School Friends at Reunion.com

http://www.thriftyfun.com/lk/reunion.lasso

Breed Description: This sturdy, compact scent hound was bred to pursue its quarry in packs. When on scent, the Beagle has remarkable stamina and tenacity. It will block out everything around it - including its master. The Beagle's charming, upbeat personality makes this breed an excellent family pet.

More Information: National Beagle Clue

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Description: These attractive and lively rodents, also known as the Domestic Cavy, have a long history of domestication. Native to South America, the domestic Guinea Pig comes in an ever-increasing range of colors, patterns and coat lengths and makes an ideal pet for children.

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Breed Description: The Basset Hound is a scenting hound with a majestic, domed-shaped head, long velvety ears and a body that is said to be half a dog in height, but twice a dog in length. The Basset Hound is a short-legged dog relative to its size and is heavier in bone than any other breed of dog. Second only to the Bloodhound, this breed has a keen scenting ability and makes a devoted companion.

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