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Volume Six, Number 64, April 2, 2007 (Read It Online)
This is a simple craft for Easter using only plastic canvas and ribbon. Materials and Tools:
Instructions:First you should cut a pattern, start with a rectangle that is 21 squares by 17. Find the center on top edge, leave center square uncut. Cut diagonally until you reach side. You now have a start to the top of the cross. Cross points should go, 1 square/3 square/5 square and then switch to strips of squares, that meet in center. OK, hopefully you were able to cut a pattern from my instructions. Once you have pattern you can hold it up against more canvas to cut more out easily. Cut a piece of 1/8 inch ribbon that is 4 or 5 feet long. Knot one end, and seal the other end with a lighter (angle cut edge is best), this will make a built in needle. Put through very center of cross. Start to "sew" from bottom right of cross, through square and around back, up through the top left of cross. You will continue to go to opposite sides in a "loop" fashion(this is so back and front of cross are visually pleasing). Once you finish vertical part of cross, bring to center: loop around and start to do the same thing to horizontal cross arms. When you are finished, wrap to the center, and either knot or run through top center square and use as a bookmark. This may be confusing, but once you start making it everything will start making sense. Write if you need more help. By Starchild in VT from Lamoille County, VT
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Rate It: Enjoyed a beautiful lavender sunset and wanted to share it.
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Rate It: Rudolph (Black Masked Love Bird) Rudolph is 1 1/2 years old and is a Black Masked Love Bird. I got him Christmas Eve 2005. I got him from a friend that raises birds. He loves to do tricks on his swing. Out of his cage, he follows me around the apartment. For his bath he stands on the divider between the kitchen sinks. I turn the faucet on and move it close to him. He sticks his head and wings under the water and splashes it all over himself. I named him Rudolph because I got him on Christmas Eve and he has a red beak. He loved for me to sing "Rudolph the Red Beaked Love Bird" to him. He has personality plus. By Vickie from Salt Lake City, Utah
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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!
Keeping Squirrels Out of the Garden To keep squirrels and other critters out of your garden get toy snakes, I get the ones at Walmart in the toy department for 88 cents. Put them in your garden and it scares the critters away. Be sure to move them around once in awhile, those critters are smart and will figure out they never move. You can also take green garden hose and make some "X's" (yes there are snakes that look like this) on it with black electrical tape, stick an old tennis ball on the end of the hose for a head and this works just as well. I love to stand in my window and watch the squirrels react, they evacuate to my front yard. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf15001484.tip.html
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Rate It: Tips and strategies for keeping your house clean from the ThriftyFun community. Time YourselfWhen cleaning, do every job as fast as you can and time yourself. You'll then know it's not such a chore if you know each task is only going to take a few minutes. I think it was Parkinson's Law that said 'Work expands to fit the time available' and that's certainly true of housework. If I work fast, I can clean the entire house in 3 hours - if I don't, it can take all week!By Jo Clean During CommercialsDuring commerials, I pick up things. As soon as I hear my show come back on, I stop cleaning. That way, I'm not sitting around wasting time watching commericals and my apartment stays clean without putting in hours at a time. I reward myself with TV time by speed cleaning!Keeping the House CleanThe easiest and only way to really keep the house clean is to FIRST pick up the clutter and put it in it's place. You can't get to the dust unless you can reach it. With that in mind, here's what I do:A. Tidy up first B. Dust with a vacuum as much as you can, if there is someone with sensitive lungs. C. Do cobwebs with a duster or a broom D. Make the bathroom and the kitchen top priorities. Use cleaners that are meant for the kind of cleaning you're doing. A spray bottle with a few teaspoons of bleach will kill the germs on countertops. By Ardis Feather DusterMy most favorite cleaning item is a feather duster (about $5 at Walmart). It makes dusting fun and easy. Another tip is to do a little something every day, so cleaning up doesn't become such a big deal. And you can make great use of the commercial breaks on TV, you'll be surprised how much you can get done in several 3-5 minute breaks!By Claudia Designate A Day For Each RoomI once read that the most sucessful housewives did this: One day was designated to one room. Like Mondays: Kitchen; fridge, sweep mop, clean counters. Tuesdays: Living Room; dust, vacuum, so on. Of course, clean as you go. But this insures that you have at least hit a room once per week. For laundry; we have white night, colored night, towel night. . .By Tracy Elaine Imagine A ClockHere are some tips I read long ago. When the room is out of control and you don't know where to start, just imagine the face of a clock. Pick a corner to be 12 and work your way around. For the bathroom, in a pinch, grab a wad of toilet paper, slosh alcohol onto it and wipe the sink/counter then do the toilet, starting at the top, then flush the wad away.By Vicka Make The BedWhen I start to tidy a bedroom, the very first thing I do is to make the bed. My college roommate taught me this trick and I'm teaching it to my kids now. It makes the whole room look cleaner and gives you the oomph to continue. I find that this works well with the couch cushions in the living room as well.Jess
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Rate It: I sometimes make my own potpourri by using a tsp. of cinnamon, nutmeg and ground cloves (apple pie spices.) These make your house smell wonderful. Just put them on the stove in a small pot of water to simmer on very low heat. Everyone coming in your home will be searching for the pies. You can also use other spices of your choosing. Pumpkin smells wonderful also! Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf21646957.tip.html
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Rate It: Free Letters From The Easter Bunny Many websites are offering to send personalized letters to your child from the easter bunny, but they are charging money to do it. I found one that you can personalize and print yourself for FREE right from your computer. I did this for my children and even my neighbors kids for many years and they were always VERY excited to actually get a letter from the Easter Bunny! You can even print out matching envelopes! Enjoy! http://www.icontactedyou.com/Easter.htm By April from New Jersey Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf24440900.tip.html
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Rate It: Sydney, Australia's Earth Hour This weekend, Sydney, the biggest city in Australia, is holding Earth Hour. The idea is that for one hour from 7-30pm they are asking everyone, businesses, restaurants, home owners, to switch off lights and power appliances for just one hour (except of course those needed for safety reasons) The lights will go out on the famed Sydney Harbor Bridge, and the Opera House. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf33637338.tip.html
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Rate It: It's getting to be time for dyeing Easter eggs with the kids. Here are some techniques for getting some unique looking eggs for the baskets. Be sure to post your favorite tips here too. Note: Make sure all of the eggs are hard boiled before you start dyeing them. Striped EggsYou can cover the eggs with rubber bands of various sizes. Dye the eggs, let them dry, move the rubber bands and dye again with another color. You can get striped eggs this way.Batik EggsMelt candle wax or paraffin in a double boiler. (This requires strict adult supervision with children) Drizzle the wax onto the egg in a pattern, then once it is set, dye the eggs. Do not leave them in the dye too long or the wax will melt. You can repeat this process by scraping off the old wax and putting new wax on in different places.Designer EggsUsing a white or black crayon, draw your own designs on each egg. Your designs can be simple or elaborate. Put the names of each child on some of the eggs. Quite often, clear wax crayons are included in with dye kits. Then dye the eggs in bright colors.Marbleized EggsTo make your eggs look like marble, add a touch of vegetable oil to the dye. The dye will only coat part of the egg, leaving nice marbleized streaks.Natural DyesIt is best to use any of these hot. In the case of the onion skins, boil them for at least 1 hour before using.Some of these dyes may not be good for eating the eggs afterwards, like the onion dyes.
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Rate It: Use A Toothbrush For Cleaning Fresh Mushrooms For those of you who like to eat clean mushrooms, use a clean, soft-bristled toothbrush to do the job. The small bristles catch every speck of dirt. Clean the toothbrush by running it through the dishwasher. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf61911172.tip.html
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Rate It: To avoid jealousy and hard feelings at an Easter Egg Hunt for your kids or grandkids, use all the same color eggs for each person. Example: blue for Joey, pink for Amy, yellow, green and purple for other kids, etc. Then take one egg of each color and put the same thing in each. Continue until all the eggs are filled. For the hunt, tell each kid what color is theirs and to only pick up eggs of that color. That way everyone has the same amount of eggs and the same amount of "goodies". No one gets their feelings hurt. If you want to and if the kids are old enough to understand, you can have one special "prize egg". Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf69169091.tip.html
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Rate It: Stock Up On Freebies From The Fair It's almost time for fairs again. When you go, be sure to look out for freebies like pencils/pens/keychains/note pads/post-its/sun visors and the like! Those seem to be things you never have enough of. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf76254467.tip.html
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Rate It: Clock Made With A Wicker Wreath I made a clock (sorry I can't send a picture) out of an 8 inch wicker wreath. Materials
DirectionsMix the dye and following package directions dye the wreath and wood. Let dry. Drill a hole in the middle of the wood and stretch the piece of netting over it. Glue the wood and netting into center of wreath leaving enough room in the back for the clock works. Install the clock works then divide the wreath into twelve sections and glue a shell in each position. Very nautical!By Betsy from Joplin, MO Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf95435440.tip.html
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How do you remove deodorant residue from t-shirts? It has hardened on the armpit of the t-shirt. I have tried vinegar with no luck. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf000948.tip.html
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Rate It: Does anyone have a home remedy for removing stretch marks? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf13327671.tip.html
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Rate It: With the recent recalls of cat treats, many people are looking for recipes to make their own. Do you have any recipes to share? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf14108034.tip.html
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Rate It: Does anyone have a good peanut butter easter egg recipe without cream cheese or eggs? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf45611230.tip.html
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Rate It: I am looking for plants that are good at repelling mosquitos in the tropics. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf520715.tip.html
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Rate It: Can anyone tell me what kind of cherries the flowering yoshino cherry tree provides? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf53828055.tip.html
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Rate It: Dog Urine Smell on Hardwood Floors I have hard wood floors, they need to be refinished, but I can't afford it right now. I have dogs that come in the house. They stay outside most of the day and sleep inside at night. They often use the bathroom on the floors and No Matter what I use to clean the hardwood floors, I can't get the urine smell out. I have even used bleach water. I need any advice out there. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf606054.tip.html
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Rate It: Schnauzer With Digestive Problems My 4-months-old schnauzer puppy has digestive problems (diarrhea) every time we try to feed him dry puppy food. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf64408201.tip.html
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Rate It: Does everyone know that RAGU actually makes Wal-Mart brand spaghetti sauce for $1.00 a jar (it's very good)! And with the recent recall of Peter Pan peanut butter, it became apparent that PP makes Wal-Mart's peanut butter also. Do people have other info about specific products, store brands and who makes them? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf66151472.tip.html
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Rate It: I have a dog pen that I plan on doing away with grass. Every year I have to re-seed the pen and then when it rains it is a muddy mess. I plan to cover the bare dirt, as it is now, with a weed block and put brown river rock (rather smallish) over the weed block. My question is as my dogs, I have two Poms and a Yorkie, use the rock to do their business, how do I keep the rock clean and not smell. Can I put lime down (don't panic if this is a bad idea I am only asking)? Or maybe even baking soda? I know that I can go out and pick up the "do" to keep the pen clean but is there something else I need to to to keep any smell down. The pen is right off the Florida room of my house and windows in this room open out to the dog pen. I also plan to hose this down from time to time during the hot dry months. Any suggestions would be of great help! TIA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf66862490.tip.html
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Rate It: My granddaughter is really into Barbie (like most 6 year old girls) so when I saw this Barbie Knit Hits at a resale shop I got it. Everything was there EXCEPT for the instructions. The side of the box says thread the machine but doesn't say how and there's no clue how to take the dress off the machine without it unraveling.
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Rate It: I have tried to follow the envelope system but i am still having a rough time with my money, just blowing out of my hands with nothing to show for it. Will someone please give me some ideas as how to do a very basic budget, without a very long process and maybe how to set up the envelope system. Just a very basic system. This week when I get paid I want to not be blowing my money on stupid stuff and be able to have a little left in my pockets next payday. I just need some basic help. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf70645757.tip.html
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Rate It: Chicken and Rice Casserole with Fried Onions I'm looking for a simple chicken and rice casserole that has french fried onions on top and in it. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf71217488.tip.html
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Rate It: I am thinking about buying items wholesale and selling out of my home. Can anyone tell me how to get started and give me any good websites to buy wholesale. Also, for anyone that already does this out of their home, would shoes and handbags be a good idea to start off with? If not, what about junior clothes for girls? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf72494061.tip.html
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Rate It: With the recent recalls of dog treats, many people are looking for recipes to make their own. Do you have any recipes to share? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf73894559.tip.html
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Rate It: I am looking for sewing instructions for baby hoodie towels. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf79518465.tip.html
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Rate It: Selling a Queen Ann Dining Set I have a queen ann dining set bought around 1920. Poor condition. The horse hair cushions are disintegrating. The best piece is the china closet. All the pieces need some attention. The table has all original wood sliders. 6 Chairs, server and buffet. Is this worth anything? How would I sell it? Local antique shops don't seem interested. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf83752453.tip.html
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Rate It: Keeping My Neighbor's Pets Out of My Yard Someone said there was a spray that smelled like skunk to help keep neighbor's pets out of your yard? I could not find it at Wal-mart as suggested. Any ideas of what it's called? I cannot even enjoy play time with my pets for the neighbor's lab puppy. I've asked nicely, but I got "threats" in return. Help! Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf88579260.tip.html
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Rate It: I have a pair of white leather shoes with mesh on top. I bleached them and now the meshed part has turned yellow. How can I get the yellow back to white again? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf91704584.tip.html
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Rate It: I would love to obtain a copy of Lee Ward Baby Afghan Reversible Shell pattern. If anyone could assist I would greatly appreciate. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf97007874.tip.html
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Rate It: Buying Marie Callender's Pie Crusts I recently visited relatives in Texas and my aunt had made a pie using Marie Callender's frozen pie crust and it was delicious. Could you please tell me where I can find them in the Wilmington, NC area? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf98261767.tip.html
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Rate It: I am not usually a pest, but I am a Apartment Manager here in Rohnert Park. At one time this was assisted living. But not for a few years. It's a regular complex. We only have one bedroom units, so there are very few kids, we have adults mostly from 21-91. I don't have a creative bone in my body, but, I am trying to get some low-cost or no-cost activities here. To help the moral of the people. The young people kind of go their own way, busy with College, and work. The older people are lonely and bored. So there is my delima. Not trying to toss it in your court, but I would appreciate any suggestions? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf98771566.tip.html
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