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Hello,
We have 13 more requests today. Today's two photo entries don't have very long descriptions but are very cute. If the people who submitted them would add a little more information in the feedback forum, that would be great. For people submitting new photo contest entries, it's ok to be brief, but please provide some detail about the photo you submit. Reading the descriptions can be as much fun as viewing the photos.
Thanks for reading,
Susan
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Today's Photo Contest Entries
My granddaughter Joely, age 2 on New years.
By Patty Titchner
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Picture of a beautiful black cat.
Timerika
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Submit a tip with a photo or a pet description with a photo and you could win a prize. You can enter the photo contest here:
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Today's Tips
Exercise For A Preschooler At Home
Help your young preschooler (3-4 year old) in hand strengthening, fine motor skills, name and shape recognition.
Materials: Assorted colored paper, plain white paper, hole puncher, small shallow container, non-toxic glue, scissors
PUT IT UP & ADMIRE your CHILD's work!
This process can strengthen hands, making them ready for writing. Placing the dots on the glue can help to sharpen the fine motor skills.
By Bee
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Taming Plastic Bags: This is how I keep my plastic bags tamed. First, lay flat then fold in half, then in thirds, smooth all the air out then grab the bottom with one hand and the handle with the other. While you are holding the bottom of the bag, start winding the hand with the handle toward you around the fingers holding the bottom, until it's all wrapped up except a small part of the handle, then slip the handle over the wrapped up bag. Awesome!
By Ruby Barker
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Want a cheap way to make bubbles for the kids? Just add a little shampoo to some water and let them go.
By imaqt1962
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A powder puff makes a great washable blackboard eraser.
By imaqt1962
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Paste wax shoe polish works great to cover scuffs on leather accessories or furniture.
By imaqt1962
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Replacing and Preserving Numbers On a Measuring Cup
Faded Measuring Cups
Colored nail polish works great to mark measuring cups where the numbers have faded.
Preserving Labels
Clear nail polish works great on preserving the labels on your prescription bottles, just paint a thin layer over the label.
By imaqt1962
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Using "Fake" Credit Cards In Crafts
The fake charge card cards that are sent attached to a credit application are great for use in spreading glue - particularly with wood projects. It also help scrape clean the excess glue squeezed out when putting two pieces of wood together. Not to mention they make a handy dandy emergency window scraper conveniently thrown in the glove compartment of your car.
By Suzanne B.
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An elderly woman had just returned to her home from an evening of Church services when she was startled by an intruder. She caught the man in the act of robbing her home of its valuables and yelled, "Stop! Acts 2:38!" (Repent and be baptized, in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven.)
The burglar stopped in his tracks.
The woman calmly called the police and explained what she had done.
As the officer cuffed the man to take him in, he asked the burglar, "Why did you just stand there? All the old lady did was yell a scripture to you!"
"Scripture?" replied the burglar. "She said she had an Ax and Two 38's!"
By Terri H.
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Make your own quick meals by making a large batch of soup or casserole and freezing meal-size portions for later. You will save on high-priced last minute fast food purchases.
By cynthia conley
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Tips for saving money on fabric softener. Post your ideas below.
You can save big money on fabric softener by using it in its concentrated form right from the bottle. A very small amount (a quarter sized dollop) on an old cotton rag thrown into the dryer with a wet load of clothing is more than enough to produce just the right amount of softening and help control static cling. I have mine in a pump container and one to two small squirts is sufficient to do several loads of clothing. No used dryer sheet to throw away either - when the rag needs cleaning, just throw it in with a load of laundry and reuse.
By Ronsan
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Another cost saver when doing laundry: when the washer has finished all cycles, reset to the final spin and do again. This extra step will remove all excess moisture possible and cut your dryer time by at least 1/3. It is way more expensive to run your dryer than for the extra drying time than to reset and use your washer for an extra spin cycle. This step cuts drying time in half for me on jeans, heavy bath towels and bedding.
By Ronsan
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Save Egg Shells for the Garden
Don't throw those egg shells away! Rinse thoroughly, removing membrane inside, air dry thoroughly and put into a zippered plastic bag. Crush with rolling pin. Store in freezer until ready to add to your garden or compost pile. The crushed egg shells add valuable nutrients to the amended soil. Or save them to form a circle on top of the ground surface around tender plant stems such as peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, cabbage - slugs and cutworms won't cross them.
By Ronsan
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Saving Money on Shipping and Packing Material
Tips and ideas for saving money on shipping and packing material. Post your ideas.
Reusing Brown Mailing Envelopes
Reuse brown mailing envelopes you receive in the mail, especially padded ones. Carefully peel off the existing labels or cover them with new labels. The closure may require extra tape when you reuse, but it is certainly cheaper than buying new ones. Make sure you have obliterated or covered any upc markings imbedded on the envelope before mailing.
By Ronsan
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Crisco Stick Shortening Tubs As Cheap Drawer Dividers
Those clear plastic Crisco stick shortening tubs make dandy drawer dividers in bathrooms and girl's dresser drawers. They are perfect for organizing and separating out scrunchies, hair rubberbands, hair clips, barrettes, etc., and make it really easy to find what you are looking for. No extra cost to you.
Although you only get one "lid" with each purchase, you get multiple bottoms, and you can use the lid on one of the tubs that contains the items most likely to get lost or spilled, such as bobby pins or hat pins or corsage pins.
By Ronsan
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I received this e-mail from a friend and felt I should share it:
"I had a wonderful morning, the heating unit went out of my dryer! Why does everything seem to fall apart this time of year!? The guy that fixes things went in to the dryer and pulled out the lint filter. It was clean. We always clean the lint from the filter after every load of clothes.
He told us that he wanted to show us something. He took the filter over to the sink and ran hot water over it. Now, this thing is like a mesh - I'm sure you know what your dryer's lint filter looks like - WELL... the hot water just laid on top of the mesh! It didn't go through it at all!
He told us that dryer sheets cause a film over that mesh and that's what burns out the heating unit. You can't SEE the film, but it's there. He said the best way to keep your dryer working for a very long time (and to keep your electric bill lower) is to take that filter out and wash it with hot soapy water and an old toothbrush (or other brush) at least every six months. He said that makes the life of the dryer at least twice as long! How about that? Learn something new every day!"
I certainly didn't know dryer sheets would do that. So, thought I'd share! Note: I went to dryer and tested my screen by running water on it. The water collected a little but ran though the screen. I dried it off and was ready to put it back in the dryer since the water ran through it but, I thought what the heck it won't hurt to wash it while I had it out.
Warm soap water and a nylon brush and I had it done in 30 seconds. I then ran the water over the screen and what a difference! The water just gushed through it with no puddling at all and this time I was running the water at a faster rate. That repairman knew what he was talking about!
By Becki in Indiana
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When making pastry, flour the work surface then cover the pastry to be rolled with cling film, and roll out as usual. It does away with the floury, sticky rolling pin.
By margaret
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Alternative Uses for Dryer Sheets
Soap Scum
Dryer sheets are great for removing that soap scum that builds up on your shower doors.
Static Cling
Dryer sheets can be used to rub over your pantyhose to reduce static cling.
By IMAQT1962
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Tips for cleaning mushrooms. Post your ideas.
A soft tooth brush can be used to clean fresh mushrooms.
By IMAQT1962
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Tips for cleaning curling irons. Post your ideas.
For burnt on hair spray on your curling irons I used some easy off oven cleaner. I just sprayed the irons and let the solution sit for about 30 minutes (longer if they are really really dirty.) Then I used a copper pot scraper and presto! Clean just like new.
By LILLIE CAIN
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Ingredients:
Directions:
In a large salad bowl, combine broccoli, and onion. In a small bowl, combine sugar, vinegar, and mayonnaise. Pour over broccoli and toss to coat. Refrigerate. Just before serving, sprinkle with bacon and sunflower seeds and toss well. Serves 6-8
By Robin
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Ingredients:
Directions:
We prefer this using fresh mint, and toss it with mixed greens, crumbled feta, diced red onion, and walnuts. This vinaigrette is also good tossed with assorted vegetables and served as a cold salad.
By Robin
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Ingredients:
Directions:
Fry bacon until crisp. Crumble bacon and put back into the bacon grease. Beat together sugar, egg, vinegar, and water. Add to bacon grease and cook to thicken. Let cool. Add to lettuce. Any garden type lettuce can be used.
By Robin
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Tip Contest
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New Contest! $30.00 Gift Card
In our newest contest we are giving away a $30.00 Gift Card at one of the following stores: Home Depot, Jo-Ann's Crafts or Amazon.com. If you are the winner, you get to choose which gift card! We figured it would be more valuable if you pick out your own prize, that's why we have decided to go the gift card route. This contest will end on March 15th.
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New Requests:
I am looking for duck bills/beaks. They are used for making baskets for Easter. I have searched the web and have not found any.
Sarah Spungin
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I have a daycare in my home and just recently had to replace my faucet in the bathroom. The one that was there had a handle on each side that was like a bicycle handlebar.
Being on a budget and not thinking, I bought the cheap kind that alot of people have; just the regular chrome faucet, and now the children have a hard time turning the knobs.
Besides rubber bands, can anyone suggest anything that would make it easier for the toddlers to turn on and off? I do not want to use rubber bands because I am not actuaally in the bathroom with them every time.
Thanks!
A. Cope
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Inexpensive Fabric Ideas For Windows
I have two windows in my condo that have a small arched window at the top. I do not care for blinds, and want to do something inexpensive in fabric, any suggestions?
Elaine in Phoenix
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Any good decorating ideas for metal fold up chairs?
We're having a wedding reception at a church and plan to use their tables and chairs; however, the chairs are brown fold-up metal chairs (yuck!). We're not too much on the chair rental thing; does anyone know of any inexpensive and creative decorating ideas for these type of chairs? Thanks!
C, Richmond, VA
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I need to boost the calorie intake of my toddler (per the pediatrician request). To me, she's just a typical toddler in the way she eats; not exceptionally picky, just toddler picky. She doesn't like cheese but I can get her to eat more with a dose of ketchup or peanut butter on stuff.
We're going to the nutritionist soon and I don't want to be told to just load her up on pediasure (I have a BIG problem with pushing calories on a child in the form of sweet stuff). She'll be 2 next week and is about the size and weight of a big one year old.
Any advice?
Nancy
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Could someone please help me? We have spilled kerosene in the back of our car. We have tried steam cleaning, Fabreeze, air deodorizer and nothing seems to work. Any hints? The smell is making me sick!
Thanks,
Tracy
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Expanding Foam On Skirt and Shoes
When doing a craft project recently, I managed to spill some expanding foam onto my black cotton shirt and black leather shoes. I tried wiping it off and picking it off when it dried, but no success. Does anyone know how I can fix these items? Please help, they're my favourite shoes and shirt!
Cathy
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Using Elmer's Glue To Make Hair Spikes
I'm going to try elmers glue to put my hair in spikes... does it come out easy!?
mohawk chick
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We over salted Chili and was wondering what to do. Any ideas?
John Barnwell
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Decorating a Tan Bedroom With Oak Furniture
I need a good way to decorate my room. It's a tan painted room with a wheat bed cover. I have oak bedroom furniture and was curious what you would say i should decorate my room in.
Nick Gonzalez
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Making Purse Out Of Record Album Covers
Does anyone know how to make the purses and bags that are popular now out of juice pouches, record album covers, basically any cute paper or cardboard label? They appear to be laminated and then sewn together? It feels more like a flexible vinyl though. Any thoughts? My daughters like the ones from Kool-aid packets and I thought it might be a neat project.
Thanks for any help!
Elizabeth
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Cleaning Marble Before Sealing
I am contracted to clean Italian marble floors before sealing, any suggestions?
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Can anyone direct me to find a manual or videotape that can teach me to retie springs in the seats and back of a couch.
Robert Kline
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How do I get candle wax out of my brand new carpet?
Melody
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More Reading:
How to Grow Strawberries
By Monica Resinger
Mmmmmmmmm. There's nothing like a sun-ripened, freshly picked strawberry. W arm, sweet and juicy. Growing your own will offer you a sweeter strawberry because it is allowed to ripen on the plant. You will also know how it was grown (no pesticides, etc.). Children often like growing strawberries, well, because they like strawberries! Here are some pointers on growing and using them.
View Article: Click Here
Make A Task Basket
By Maria Gracia
Take 10 index cards and cut each into 4 pieces. You should end up with a total of 40 pieces. Also, keep one envelope on hand.
View Article: Click Here
The Top 5 Things You Must Know Before Applying for a Mortgage
By Mortgage Relief
You've been thinking about buying your own home for quite a long time, and now you're ready to take the plunge. You've been saving money for a down payment, and you know the next step is preparing to apply for a mortgage.
View Article: Click Here
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