My son, Ethan, loves peanut butter. He is always asking me to make a peanut butter sandwich. He doesn't have much patience, being 3. When I wrapped up what I was doing and went into the kitchen, this is what I found.
Bubba is 5 years old and is Chow-siberian Husky in the pictures. We got Bubba back in 1993, our youngest son left him with us, and of course we would and did.
He liked to play in the ocean waters in Morro Bay, CA. Bubba is now gone from us, but we loved him dearly. We think about getting another dog, but we do a lot of comparing. He was a real loveable dog.
A few years ago I was looking for a way to help supplement my son's savings to pay for his 8th grade trip from San Diego to Washington , D.C. I am very fond of watching the HGTV network and finding ways to recycle everyday items into something new and useful. As luck would have it, I noticed my neighbor regularly discarding wooden wine crates in the alley.
On one of my evening walks with my dogs, I dragged one of the crates home, and the rest is history. I have probably made hundreds of these by now, and have actually done pretty well selling them at local craft fairs. It took a few trials and errors, but I am quite satisfied with the finished product I have come up with.
First I take the crate and sand it smooth, removing all staples or stickers that may be on it. Next I measure the top, and cut a piece of 5/8 inch thick plywood or wafer-board (also scavenged from the alley,) to fit neatly on top. I drill holes on the bottom at each corner and attach wooden knobs, usually scavenged from old discarded dressers etc. which act as feet on the bottom of the footstool.
After sanding the ply-wood top, I measure a piece of fabric to line both sides with, one piece about 1 1/2 inches larger on all sides, than the actual lid. Initially I used remnants from sewing projects, but it only requires 1/2 yard of fabric, so I can afford to go a little wild when fabric goes on sale. I cover one side with spray adhesive, and carefully cover it with the smaller piece of fabric. Next I cut a piece of 10 oz. quilt batting to the size of the lid. Laying the batting against the other side of the lid (the unlined side,) I cover it with the second, larger piece of fabric, turn it over , and staple it tightly around all four sides. I cover the staples with gross-grain ribbon, which matches the color of the fabric.
After the glue has dried, I place the lid on top of the box (padded side up,) and attach 1 1/2 inch hinges to the back edge about 2 inches from each end. When it's finished, it makes a great storage footstool or bench, strong enough to sit on. They make great gifts, and are a wonderful conversation piece to give as a gift to a wine collector, perhaps including a nice bottle of wine.
My son uses his to store all of his video game junk. I put casters instead of wooden feet on the bottom, so he can just roll up to the TV, sit on it while he plays, then put everything back inside, and roll it back into the corner.
You can make them to match any decor. They make especially wonderful baby gifts, which match the nursery, and can be filled with a matching quilt, or any other baby gifts you can think of. As the child grows, they make a great toy box! I think they would make a great addition to any college dorm room. When any gift giving occasion comes around, I just go down to my work room, and pick one that suites the recipient. Making these little storage footstools, has become my own personal therapy.
The best way to enjoy fresh corn if there just you or you and your husband, is to microwave each ear with husk, silk and all for 5 minutes. Let it sit for an extra minute and remove the husk. You'll find that the silk comes off as you shuck. Easy, nutritious and economical. For more servings, I microwave each singly.
Movie subscription services like Netflix can be a great deal, but only if you use them. Keep track of how many movies you receive from them each month and divide that by the monthly service fee. Makes sure you are actually getting a good deal.
When and if you ever have to change out your rear view mirror in your vehicle, do so very carefully. By pressing to attach the adhesive on the back of the mirror, you can break your windshield. A fellow my husband works with passed on this bit of info. So for this, it's better to allow a certified garage service worker to change it out. If they break your windshield, they have to replace it. If you do it, yourself, it's all out of pocket, for you!
Punch hole in center of lid. Bring wick up through hole. Secure wick with washer on underside of lid.
Fill jar with potpourri. Add lamp oil. Tie a ribbon bow around neck of jar. Cut the ribbon very short so it is not near the flame.
*I put colorful Autumn Leaves and Twigs in the jar for the Fall and pine cones, foam snowflakes with potpourri for the Winter. Adjust decorations according to the seasons.
When refinancing a home mortgage you will get a lower interest rate if you agree to pay 1 or 2 "points". The loan manager may offer you "6.75% with no points" or "6.25% with 2 points". 2 points means that you will have to pay 2% of the total amount of the mortgage to the lender in addition to any closing costs. On a $200,000 loan, that's $4,000. Even with the lower interest rate, It can take 5 to 10 years to cover that additional expense. So if you aren't going to be in a house long term, it's better pass on the points.
I happened across this a couple of weeks ago and sent it out - but there is a way to "go to the head of the class" (so to speak) instead of waiting through long lines on the phone and wading through miles of menu options!
Save valuable time by printing off a copy of the chart and follow the instructions!
Homemade Christmas gifts? We love them in our family. My aunt always gives homemade dishcloths, etc. My parents, who are in their 70's, loved their gift last year. I went to the store, bought a couple of big boxes of Q-tips, Ivory soap, toothpaste, everything they use in the bathroom, careful to use their usual brands.
What do you buy the people who have everything? I knitted afghans for everyone, one year. Another year, I made homemade throw pillows. I always include a homemade Christmas tree decoration.
Another gift I do for my parents and did for the siblings and their spouses a couple of years, was go to the grocery store, buy 5 or 6 small packages of different cheeses I know they like and different crackers and turkey kielbasa. They loved it.
This year, I've knitted each recipient 4 dishcloths, and am in the process of finishing four kitchen handtowels that attach to the oven handle for each. I'll include dish soap, dishwasher soap also for the sister and a few other goodies as well as the homemade Christmas tree decoration. One year, my sister went to the dollar store, got a pair of hand towels for everyone and knitted fancy edging and sewed on. Beautiful!
It's not the amount of money, it's the love behind it. Remember Jesus is the reason for the season.
When you are preparing a stew or pot roast recipe that calls for browning the meat, put your meat on a rack in a shallow pan and broil on high until the top is browned. Turn it and brown the other side the same way. The fat will drip to the bottom and you will be ready to continue with your recipe. If you are adding carrots and other vegetables to your dinner, you can clean them under running water with a small natural bristle brush, rather then peel off the extra nutrients contained in the skin.
I just got some color shampoo at the dollar store (which would cost $8/bottle) - and face cream (another $7/8 a tube)! So, for $7, I ended up getting about $50 worth of stuff! I always check out the 99 Cent store for upscale beauty items and them stock up, saving lots of $ as opposed to the drug store! (Also sales and clearances at drug stores, too.) The products start off at the high end, then trickle down to retail to discount - so now I can get cellulite/firming cream for 99 Cents - so keep your eyes peeled!
I just did my own anniversary party. If you are in a room with a strong decor, don't fight it! Ours was a yacht club room with a definite nautical decor - so I went with it, using blue and gold out of the palette - and emphasizing the marine aspect with table decorations of candles mixed with shells. I put around white lilies (in season) in clear glass vases sparingly around the room and saved on flowers because I used the candle/shell table decorations. (The candles were from the dollar store and the shells had been picked up on a local beach!)
We put the candles on white plates on top of large decorative napkins/placemats and then scattered the shells and other decorative trinkets - As the evening went on, the candles were lit and the effect was wonderful! (just watch out for wax - next time I will put foil underneath the OUTDOOR candle sticks I used for the deck area!)
Is there any way to make "homemade" Febreze fabric freshener? It's very expensive, but I like to use it occasionally on my mattresses, sofas and in my car.
I am having a horrible time trying to get hair of my bathroom floor. I pretty much have to get on my knees and look for the hair before I mop. Does anyone have any ideas?
My future husband and I are planning an early spring wedding. We are Seniors (64 & 69) and agility is not our best suit. We are looking for vacation spots in the southeast and beach areas from Virginia to Key West. We don't like big crowds and long walks don't really work for us. We especially appreciate the beauty of nature and quiet, restful places. We love sight seeing, old plantations, sea shell collecting, metal detecting, and, of course, great seafood! If you are familiar with any of these areas and can suggest a place to visit, please write a post.
I wish to start a leaf collection. Should I use the long leaf press method or the short iron- wax paper method? Which method keeps the leaves preserved the longest? Which method keeps the leaves the most realistic looking? Any information on collecting, identifying, and preserving leaves would be most appreciated. Thank you
I am currently redoing my house due to hurricane Katrina and it's a bit overwhelming to be doing everything at once. My question is concerning my countertops. I have to cut back on some costs and unfortunately that means no granite tops... so now my concern is what color laminate will work best in my kitchen? The cabinets are a dark cherry and the floors are brick (relatively dark, mixed colors, overall red brick). The walls aren't painted yet, but they'll be light (either a european white/tan color or a lighter sage color). FYI: I'm not ruling out the granite "look" laminate (unless it looks really fake when I see it in person), but I am still unsure whether the light or dark look would look best? I hope my winding blab isn't too confusing, lol.
Does anyone know if you can put the hitch on the opposite end of a mobile home to move it a short distance? We need to back our manufactured home down the hill on our farm, but since we have graded the road in front where the hitch is located, it is impossible to get a moving truck up to the hitch.
How can I remove pink (or any other color) sidewalk chalk from my carpet? I've vacuumed it repeatedly, which removed the chalk itself, but left the color. I tried sprinkling with cornstarch and letting it sit for a couple hours THEN vacuuming, but no results. It is against the baseboard of a small wall and extends out about 3 or 4 inches. Pretty color but not exactly what I would like to see on entering the house! By the way, this was the powdered sidewalk chalk, not a stick. Thanks!
Does anyone know where to find pecan resin statues? My mother and I used to paint beautiful santa clauses. She recently died and I cannot find these pecan resin forms. Thanks.
I have very thick skinned feet (callused) and I have tried pumice stones, foot scrubs, lotions, you name it, I have tried it but I can't get soft feet. My feet are also very dry and scaly. Does anyone know what athlete's foot is and does this sound like it and if so what do I use to get rid of it?
We recently adopted a small dog from a shelter. We believe her to be around 3 years old. Since day one she has been having accidents. We thought it was just her getting used to the new living situation. We have tried crating her, but now she pees in the crate as well. She doesn't seem to understand that when we take her outside, it is with the intention for her to go to the bathroom. Instead, she is extremely distracted by every little sound or movement. It has also been raining a lot recently and she refuses to pee when it's raining. Please help!
I just came back from China and took many pictures. Unfortunately, I wrote on the back with a permanent black pen and put each one on top of each other. Now the pictures are smeared with ink! How do I get the ink off glossy pictures?
How do you remove the spray nozzles on perfume bottles. I'd like to transfer the perfume into smaller bottles. I heard it could be done but I just forgot how. I'm having a hard time spraying the fragrances into the bottles and the funnel that I have seems to be too big for the hole of the atomizer.
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