Daily Thrifty Tips - November 10, 2006

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Materials:

• 1 Paper Bag
• Assorted colors of construction paper
• Googly eyes
• Glue

Directions:

Stack your paper up and cut into a feather shape.

Glue the feathers to the back side (the flat side) of the paper bag.

Out of red paper cut a wattle. Turn the bag over lift the flap and glue the wattle inside.

Cut a beak out of Orange and glue it onto the flap slightly coming of the edge.

Last glue the googly eyes in place. If you don't have googly eyes you could draw on the eyes with a marker or colored pencils.

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Lucien is a 5 year old Domestic shorthair cat. Luccie found us - he walked up to my daughter and me one evening as we were moving into our new home. He was a bouncy kitten, chasing moths and playing happily. Neighbors had seen him dropped from a car and were feeding him.

He likes to eat tuna and chase bugs. Lucien has an angelic temperament. He loves his family and his companion cat Riley, a new addition. He spends a lot of time grooming little Riley and chasing him around.

By Susan from Akron, OH

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FIRST, grab some card board. Now it doesn't have to be fancy card board, just reasonably thick. You could even go to your pantry and rip up the box from the cookies you've been dying to polish off!

One side of your card you might want blank, (the inside if your using that cookie box!) Now if you've got card that's waxy on one side you'll want to use that side for this next bit.

SECOND, grab some little things like beads or small, I mean tiny, shells or semi-precious gems.

You may have some lying around from previous craft projects, if not, get creative, go into the garden and find some pebbles from the soil or even raid the kitchen drawer and ball up bits of foil, don't worry about the healthy grilled chicken you had planned for tonight, it'll wait!

THIRD, and now for the fun part! Get some glue like Aquadhere (this is only available in Australia but any clear drying glue will work) something that will set clear, and squeeze a dollop on the side of card you want as the seen side of your brooch. The dollop should be the size and shape you want your brooch to be. Sprinkle randomly or arrange with painstaking precision the little things you found before so they are set in the glue. (It's really up to you!)

FOURTH, waiting, and waiting and waiting. If you used Aquadhere you might have to wait a couple of days for the glue to dry, depending on the thickness of it, and the temperature of where you are. When the glue has set cut around the edge of the glue and there will be the main body of your brooch.

FIFTH, use clear nail polish to varnish the back of the brooch. Alternately you could use the glue you used, but then you you will have more drying time, or you could even use, say, varnish! For those who reckon it's a good idea why not try egg white?!

SIXTH, and the last bit really! Put a bit more glue on the back of the brooch and attach either a safety pin or a brooch back you can buy from most places that sell craft supplies. Depending on what you used in your brooch you may want to varnish the front as well.

For a fun addition to the process, colouring the card with pencils and metallic pens can be really quite eye catching.

Please, above all, enjoy!

By Banshee from Tasmania, Australia

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Brown roast in pan on both sides, until brown. While it's browning, boil 1 coffee pot full of water (in coffee pot). When roast is brown, leave in same pan you browned it in, pour hot water over it. Add 2 packs of Lipton Onion soup mix, add 1 onion chopped, salt and pepper, garlic, seasoned salt. Put lid or foil over pan, put in oven for 2 hours (350 degrees F) or until tender. 30 minutes before roast is done, add peeled potatoes around roast. Take out of oven and enjoy! Best roast EVER!

By Kristi from Savoy, Texas

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I saw a lady at the grocery store going through the jalapenos and buying a large bagful. I had to ask what she had in mind.

She removes the seeds and veins, by making a slit on the side, stuffs with cream cheese (non-fat is OK), wraps a piece of bacon or turkey bacon around it, secures with a toothpick and cooks for approximately 45 minutes on the BBQ grill. When the cheese starts oozing out and the jalapeno skins looked cooked, they are done.

Turkey bacon takes longer to cook than regular bacon because of the fat content. I have not prepared these, but the recipe sounds interesting.

By Holly from Richardson, TX

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If you are tired during the day - take a nap IN YOUR CAR at lunch hour. Set your cell phone to wake you up! No one will know you are there, you can put one of those sunshades on the windshield and sit in the back with your legs up. It saved me many times when I was working in offices!

By Pam from Los Angeles

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To the person who asked about where I put the bleach and vinegar in the dishwasher. I poured 1/8 bleach in the detergent slot, actually just fill the detergent slot, then pour the 1/8 cup vinegar into the rinse portal. I never get that white film on my dishes anymore, and I can tell my dishes are sanitized.

By jamish from Ransom, Kansas

Editors Note: I always like to add this disclaimer when bleach and vinegar or bleach and ammonia are mentioned. Be careful to not place the bleach and vinegar in the dishwasher at the same time. When they mix they make a dangerous gas.

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I save all of my cereal boxes or any box that is about that size. I take those small cans of paint and some paint that is gold or silver color. I then spray my box with the color of paint that I want to use. When it's dry, I spray mists of the silver or gold or both on the box. When the box is dry, I take some of the Christmas cord found at craft stores. I make a couple holes on the narrow side of the box or two holes on each side of the box. Then I tie a knot on one end of the cord slip it through the first hole then through the last one then tie a knot on that end. Now you have a gift bag/box. You can also use stickers, ribbons, or just about any thing on your box to decorate it.

Enjoy!

By Robin Mays from Bonham, TX

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Sample of new ICE triple 3-in-1 Shampoo-Conditioner-Body Wash.

http://joico.com/html/np_triple_efx_form.php

Terri from Nevada

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I saw an old instrument case made out of felt, it made me think that we don't use that as much as people used to. And what a great material for simple crafts! You could make cases for all sorts of things; eye glasses, electronics and so on, very easily by tracing out the form on felt, leaving extra and simple sewing the edges! Everyone needs more eyeglass cases. A good Christmas gift!

By Pam from Los Angeles

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This is a little something that I do to save me time, money and sanity. As soon as I take my pants off for the day, I look through all my pants pockets and remove change, papers and chapsticks. Then I button and zip my pants. This way, I know when I put them in the washer if the pockets have been emptied or not. Now, I don't have any more melted chapstick tubes or ruined pieces of paper with important phone numbers on them.

By Anima Bath from Normal, LI

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We have a large family. So in October, each child draws a name from other children in the family. That is the only gift giving, besides buying for my mom, that we do. It has cut cost way down for our family. The adults just potluck the holiday food list and eat and be merry! We do the potluck for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. For Thanksgiving, we have the food blowout, as we call it. Everything you can imagine to eat. Then at Christmas, we have sandwiches and chips, Christmas candies, relish trays.

By Michele from Western KY

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If you are stuck with a ball point pen that won't work, try heating the metal tip to get the ink flowing. (also gently heating the tube, too.)

By Pam from Los Angeles

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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/

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Does anyone know anything about the online "Mystery Shopper" and
how it works. I would like to try it, but don't want to sign up first,
do you need a charge card, PayPal, etc?

Thanks in advance if you have any info for me.
Rosa

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Christmas gift ideas for teachers and bus drivers. I need ideas for little Christmas gifts for teachers and other school staff that help my children plus their bus drivers.

Debbie52 from IL

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My Breville juicer wire basket is clogged up. I use it every day for carrot/celery/parsley and clean it but there is obvious build up and the children have used it without cleaning it straight away a couple of times. The juice is now leaking out the sides. I have tried lemon juice and hot water without success. Any constructive suggestions would be appreciated.

Valerie from Queensland

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I have oily skin, I don't want to dry it out but what can I use to minimize my pores?

Dominique from New York

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About 3 months ago I bought some Martha Stewart bath towels. They were fairly expensive. I think $7 a towel. I used downy fabric softener on them as I do all my clothes. About 3 weeks ago I noticed the towels were hard and not absorbent. These are pretty thick towels. So thinking it was the downy, I stopped using it on my towels. Needless to say, they are still hard and scratchy. Have I ruined my new towels?

Dana from Newkensington, PA

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I have a pair of jeans in very light blue, almost white. Can they be worn in the winter or are they only for summer? They are a relatively heavy denim.

Thanks so much.
Anjeena from New York

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Can I use aluminum foil to cover my thermostat when cleaning my oven with EZ off? The directions say do not spray the thermostat, but I need to get the area underneath it! It is a gas oven, not self-cleaning.

Thank you. Sincerely,
Marcia from Ponca City, OK

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I have a forest green robe I got at a great sale, but the sleeves were too long. I cut too much off by mistake, and now have no room for a hem. They are exactly the right length if I don't lop off any more material! Is there any way I can finish off the sleeves? I was thinking of just overstitching a hem, but same color, right? Or not. I don't have a machine and am not a great seamstress here so piping is out, and the cost of having it done would probably make it not worth it as I got it for a song.

Any ideas on the above anyone?

Thanks so much.
Anjeena from New York

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How do I add eggs to a custard, banana pudding, cooked pasta dressing, etc. without them "cooking". I know there is a way I heard a long time ago about either when to add them or blending them?

Thanks for any help offered!

Bonnie from Martinsburg

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I was just reading the info on stains, will any of these tips help me? I have a white, fleece/burber kind of sweat shirt, that over summer got yellow lines on it from being folded. Need something to take the yellow out! :-) sounds like an old toothpaste commercial.

Thanks for any info,
Rose

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Does anyone know how to make the beautiful "reed diffuser oils" for far less than what they charge at the decorator stores? Thank you!

Pat W. from Canada

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I am looking for a Boston Brown Bread recipe. My mom use to make one that she baked in tin cans. We loved it. It is a a moist bread and great with butter or cream cheese spread on it.

Liz from New Baden, IL

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I just moved to my daughter's home with my cat that I have had since birth (she's 18 months old). She attempted to pee on my daughter's couch and I am not sure why. What do you think?

Terri from Philadelphia, PA

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How can I stop the oil in marinated feta solidifying when placed in fridge?

Pam from Tasmania, Australia

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How can I remove the line from jeans that were hemmed and then let down?

Kathy from la Plata, MD

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Does anyone have any knowledge of the whereabouts of a book which adapted knit/crochet patterns into each other? "The Workbasket" used to advertise it, but they (the magazine) has been discontinued.

Caress11 from Cloquet, MN

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I am looking for a quick and easy homemade oven cleaner.

Begger from Atlanta, GA

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Can someone tell me how to make my pretty glass pump-style soap dispenser work again? The chrome top gets stuck and I've tried hot water and don't know what else to do.

Ellie from Los Angeles, CA

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I need an idea for a float for a christmas parade with a theme A Fairy Tale Christmas. Any ideas would help.

Thanks,
Donna from Benton Ark

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I'm getting married in April 07 and the wedding is inside. I need centerpiece recommendations for a sit down dinner (25 tables). Very limited budget. HELP!

Jlynn from Atlanta, GA

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I'm looking for an aluminum non-electric laundry machine. Does anyone know where I can find one? Thanks!

A. Xander from Arkansas

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I recently replanted azaleas that are approximately 2 years old. Should I leave the leaves that have collected around them for extra insulation or remove them all and just mulch them real good?

Hardiness Zone: 5b

MinDee from Missouri

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What about space bags? Are they reliable or are they a waste of money?

Barb from Fairview, MI

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I am looking for information about how to grow lilies.

Hardiness Zone: 3a

Bev from Minneapolis

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We discovered hardwood floors under our carpet, this is the original hardwood from when the house was built in the 50's so there is no polyurethane on it and no clear coating of any kind. Is there something we can use to make the floor look cleaner, shiner?

Brenda from Texas

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I'm looking for an inexpensive way to make bath salts and bombs for gifts can anyone help please.

Thank you,
Lambchop from Western Australia

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Crafting for Fun and Money!

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.

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This little turkey is quite simple to make. The cost is minimal and he makes a great table decoration or hostess gift for Thanksgiving dinner!

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I like to make my (4) dogs homemade treats. I have found this site to have numerous recipes to make. There are also recipes for Cats and Humans too :)

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Here's are some kitchen time savers post by our readers. Feel free to post your ideas!

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