Daily Thrifty Tips
Volume Four, Number 168 July 12, 2005
http://www.ThriftyFun.com
Hello,
Sorry this issue is being sent out so late. We have 23 new request since the last issue, please take a look at them. The Daily should be sent earlier tomorrow. :-)
Thanks for reading,
Susan
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Today's Photos
Bailey-Mae (Shar-Pei)
Bailey-Mae is my 2 1/2 year old Shar-Pei. She lives with me in Philly, PA. She likes to swim, chase cats and ride in the car!
In this picture, she was sitting in the drivers seat in the car and was in mid-lick!
Thank you
Caitlin
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Making Your Own Inexpensive Shower and Party Favors
Inexpensive favors for showers and parties can be made by molding your own candies using Wilton candy molds and Candy Melts. These are inexpensive and can be purchased at any store which carries Wilton brand supplies. I have made hearts, wedding bells, Teacups and Easter suckers.
All you need is the Candy Melts, a mold of your choice and a Microwave oven or they can be melted in a double boiler. Melt and fill mold, shaking gently to remove any air bubbles. Immediately put in the freezer for 3-5 minutes to solidify. When you take them out they will pop out when inverted.
For molds with multiple colors, color melted candy, and using a tiny paint brush brush on the added colors and repeat the process to harden newly added color. One batch made 25 Rubber Duck candies for a shower. If you're pressed for time or just don't want to make your own, purchase pastel colored wrapped Kisses and wrap in a tuell circle with a bow and little plastic embellishment. In these I used baby diaper pins and buttons from Dollar Tree craft department.
Another cute idea is to purchase miniature candy bars already wrapped and design an outer wrap which says WELCOME BABY, IT'S A BOY!! or a catchy little phrase, suitable for the occasion.
A last resort idea is to purchase Ring Pop pacifier candy and tie on tuelle and a bow and embellishment. These favor ideas will save a lot of money rather than purchasing individual favors.
Sharon,Ky
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Tin Punch Lantern
By Ellen Brown Here's a simple way to turn old coffee or vegetable cans into lovely garden lanterns.
Clean out and remove the labels from any sized tin can-opened on one end. If necessary, pound down any sharp edges with a hammer, then dry the can thoroughly.
Cut a piece of white paper big enough to fit around the can, cutting off any excess. This paper will serve as your design template.
After cutting the paper to the correct size, remove it from the can and with a colored marker, trace or draw a simple design using a series of small dots (about the size of a nail head). These dots represent the spots you'll be punching with a hammer and nail. Leave at least a 1/2 inch border around the top of the can so you punch out holes for hanging.
Fill the can up to the top with water and let it freeze over night. This will prevents the can from bending and denting while you punch holes into it and give you a hard surface to work on.
Remove the can from the freezer and reattach your template with masking tape. If necessary, secure the template with paper clips along the rim of the can.
With a hammer and large-sized nail, pound holes into the can following the pattern of your design. Make an X with masking tape across the open end of the can to make it easy to mark where to punch holes for hanging.
Decorate the outside of the can with paint as desired. Add small candles or tea lights and use wire or a metal clothes hanger for hanging.
A Note of Caution: Make sure you keep your candles small and your hangers long enough to avoid fire. Never leave a candle burning unattended.
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Transform Vintage Sheets Into Curtains, Pillows and Chair Pads
Go to any thrift store and buy a unique vintage bed sheet. They come in some amazing floral prints, etc.! These sheets were made really well and hold up great over time. Take home and then thoroughly wash them clean. With some simple sewing skills, you can cut and sew up to make chair pads, throw pillows and coordinating curtains. All from one large (queen or full) vintage sheet! A rare, beautiful and quaint way to decorate any room in your house.
By Vanessa Vargo
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Today's Tips
Mosquito Repellent Recipes
Tips and recipes for repelling mosquitos. Post your ideas.
Mosquito Remedy
Pass this on to anyone who likes sitting out in the evening or when they're having a cook out. So you don't like those pesky mosquitoes, especially now that they have the potential to carry the West Nile Virus? Here's a tip that was given at a recent gardening forum.
Put some water in a white dinner plate and add a couple drops of Lemon Fresh Joy dish detergent. Set the dish on your porch, patio, or other outdoor area. Not sure what attracts them, the lemon smell, the white plate color, or what, but mosquitoes flock to it, and drop dead shortly after drinking the Lemon Fresh Joy/water mixture, and usually within about 10 feet of the plate.
Check this out---it works just super! May seem trivial, but it may help control mosquitoes around your home, especially in the South and elsewhere where the West Nile virus is reaching epidemic proportions in mosquitoes, birds, and humans.
By Swan
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Foam Frames for Kids
This is a great craft for children. You buy some foam and make frames. Let the children take pictures of an outing and then put the pictures in the frames and then place in fridge!
By Noelia Gutierrez
Editor's Note: We recently posted a project making a foam photo frame, you can view that project at the link below.
View Project: Click Here
Getting Rid of Ants
Tips for getting rid of ants. Post your ideas.
I had an ant problem indoors and found that the 20 mule team Borax is a great way to get rid of them without poisoning your family.
Also, ants hate cinnamon. If you want to get rid of ants just sprinkle cinnamon around and you get rid of ants and you get a nice scent too.
By Noelia Gutierrez
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Thrifty Fun at the Mall
Go to a mall with the kids try out massage chairs, Try scented soaps and have kids use soap and lotions. Bring picnic lunches and eat in food court and people watch.
By Kris
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Wax Paper as Shelf Liner
Use wax paper to line your kitchen shelves instead of buying expensive shelf liner paper. It's easy and cheap!
By Lisa Morehart
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Removing Wax from the Wall
Have you ever blown out a candle in a wall sconce and gotten wax all over your wall? Well here is my tip to remove it. You especially want to get that wax off before repainting. Place a clean white cotton towel or cloth over wax on wall. Using regular household iron on medium high heat, with no steam. Iron over towel. Continue using clean areas of towel until all the wax is removed. You may have to use more towels if you have a lot of wax. This tip will work to remove wax from carpet also!
By Doreen
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Tips for Applying Makeup
Tips for applying makeup. Post your ideas.
Put mascara on the night before, it makes you have smoky looking eyes with added shade.
Only use foundation and blush for a natural look.
Dot your lipstick then press, don't swipe it.
When applying shadow, use the pinky finger, it helps avoid mess-ups, adds evenly, also avoids bruising/stretching of the eye.
NEVER use lipstick/liquid-base rouge as blush, it will only make things worse.
When applying eye shadow, put white or light tan or the blush you used for your cheeks under the brow, it highlights your eyes and gives you a glowy look.
NEVER use lip liner. I don't like how it looks.
By Renee Schomburg
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How to Get Free Used Furniture, Electronics, Clothes, and Much More
If you live anywhere near a large, or mid-sized city, it is easy to get free used items in a hurry! All you have to do is use your computer.
Go onto an Internet classifieds site, such as http://www.Craigslist.org, and search for "free" items under the "for sale" section. You can then search for the items you want by keyword; some of the ads even include photos of the item. When you find what you want, simply email the person who posted the ad; you do not have to join the site or even give your name!
It is important to contact people as quickly as possible, since the terms are usually first-come, first-served. If you can't find what you're looking for at first, be patient. New ads are posted every day!
We got our 20-inch color television and huge wooden computer desk this way; these were items that worked fine, but that the owners no longer needed. How nice to be able to pick up free items from my own neighborhood within a day of emailing these generous folks!
By Melinda Frye
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Contest ends July 15, 2005
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New Requests
Removing School Name from the Side of a School Bus
My wife and I purchased a bus and we want to remove the school name from the side of the bus. Does anybody have any idea how to do this without destroying the paint under it?
Thanks
Norm in Northern Minnesota
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Sunflower Growing Advice
My sunflower just keeps growing! The head hasn't come out yet and I am wondering if there is anything I should do to ensure that the head gets big as well. I've tied it up loosely to the garage so it won't fall over.
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How to SET Permanent Sharpie Pen Ink into Clothes
How do you SET Sharpie Ink into clothes (primarily cotton or cotton blend t-shirts and also dennim pants/jeans).
I work at a Scout camp and at the end of each week all the staff and kids sign each other's camp shirts (or Jeans - mom's GOTTA love that! LOL). Anyway, last year, my daughter wore her t-shirt a lot and all the sharpie "permenant" ink came out in the wash - isolated case of NOT wanting it to come out, but I can't find anywhere to tell me how to make sure it DOESN'T come out!
Thanks,
Scouter James
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Reception Advice for an Outdoor Wedding
My son is getting married outdoors in a garden, also the reception will be held at the same place, my question is: How exactly does everyone move over to the reception area? Is there a recieving line?
Reg.
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Restoring the Shine on a Formica Countertop
I sprayed my formica countertop with a surface cleaner containing bleach and left it sit a bit too long (got distracted!) and when I came back to wipe it off, it took the shine off of the countertop in that area. Is there any way to get that shine back? Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Mary P
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Self Tanners
I am a pale red head and want to know what self tanner's are good. I don't want to be streaky and orange. I've tried a few but they are so expensive so I don't want to keep trying everything on the market. I don't want to be really brown I just don't want to glow anymore. I went to a tanning place and did the mist spray tan and that was $25 and only lasted a little while. Recommendations?
Thanks! :)
peggygv
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Scratches on CDs and DVDs
I was wondering if anyone had a simple way to repair scratches on cd's or dvd's.
luvze
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Which Type of Dawn?
i read the thread about using dawn for washing the dogs to get rid of fleas. This is kind of a silly question but does it matter which kind of Dawn you use. I have the antibacterial apple. is this ok?
maddiva
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Moles in the Garden
Please help!
I have a horrible problem with moles in my yard, and nothing has worked. What can I do to stop this? They are ruining my daughters memorial garden. I would appreciate someone knowing what I can do to stop these nasty things from destroying her memory. Thank you.
Robin Bingenheimer in Wisconsin
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Ink on Leather Car Upholstery
Does anyone have a good suggestion on how to get pen out of leather car seats?
Dianne
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Christmas Craft Ideas
I'm looking for christmas gifts to make for my Sunday School ladies. We're middle aged and want to make something for each of them.
Any ideas?
Thanks,
Sharlin from Topsy
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Trying to have baby?
I am currently trying to have a baby. Just wondering if there is anyone else that is trying and would like to email support and such.
Thanks,
Liz from ontario
Editor's Note: We have removed Liz' email from this post so that it will not be dredged by spammers. If you would like to contact her directly, click here to let us know and we will give you her email address. If you have any general tips for trying to conceive a child, feel free to post them below.
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A Request for Shower Power in Watertown N.Y.
Please ask Price Chopper (Watertown N.Y.) to carry Shower Power. We in Canada are eager to find this marvelous cleaner again.
Helen Thomlison
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How to Clean a Kenneth Cole Leather Purse
How do you clean a Kenneth Cole leather purse?
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Moldy Peppers Growing in Containers
I am growing yellow and chocolate bell peppers in containers. My first peppers that started to grow were looking beautiful but soon started to mold on the lower half of the pepper before they matured. All containers have drainage holes on the bottoms of them so I do not believe that they can be to moist. Any idea as to what is wrong? Thank you,
amemicpul
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Gnats in the Basement
I am having problems with gnats in my basement. I don't know what they are attracted to. I don't have any live pants or food in the basement. They seem to be multiplying. How can I get rid of them?
Mary
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Fried Rice - Tips and Recipes
I am looking for good fried rice tips and recipes. I have tried a few times but I always end up with a gooey mess of rice.
Thanks!
Dan
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Color fades at Collar of Dress Shirts
I have a problem cleaning my dress shirts. I don't send them to the dry cleaners but just wash them alongside my other laundry. However, I find that the color (especially my blue shirts) fades around the collar area (starting from where the button is and gradually moving up where the fold of the collar is). I'm very frustrated about this because the shirts are all expensive.
Has anyone come across this problem before and what exactly is the problem? The detergent? (I've used Fab and Seventh Generation). The shirts are 100% cotton and instructions ask that they be machine washed warm (I usually use the permanent press cycle).
On a related note, some of my polo shirts when washed fade too, but here they fade in ugly patches on random areas of the shirt. Can somebody help?
Thanks,
Tom from New York
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Cherry Stains on Clothing
I got a cherry stain on a favorite white shirt. What can I use to get the stain out? Thanks!
Kat
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Daughter Shaving Her Sideburns
My teenage daughter shaved her sideburns and then she went further on the side of her face. I flipped out when I noticed that she did that. I kissed her cheek the other day and she had STUBBLE! Oh my gosh! Help! What do I do with her? I've always told my girls NEVER to shave any part of their body other than their underarms and legs but being a teen that thinks mom doesn't know anything...
P
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Mirage - Textures, Stripes and Borders, Vol. III. Pattern# 928B10257
I'm in need of the following discontinued wallpaper border: Pattern#928B10257, Book Name - Mirage - Textures, Stripes and Borders, Vol. III. I desperately need 5 rolls. Please provide me with the price per rolls should you be successful at locating this product. Thanks,
T.Harris
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Need a Small Bit of Wallpaper
By Tommy As I am a new member I would like to say hello to everybody....and my name is Tommy and I live in Glasgow.
My hobbies are Outdoor Bowls, Snooker,and Computers.
But I have a decorating problem that I can't seem to solve.
Just recently I removed a gas fire from my living room wall.
But now I am left with a gap in my wallpaper of about (25 in x 21 in) which I have to blend in with the exact same wallpaper.
But the problem I have is I can't get this wallpaper anywhere, as I am led to believe it has been discontinued.
And there is no way I am going to go through the experience of repapering my whole livingroom, for a small gap.
I have very little information on my original wallpaper, but I have took a photo of it...which I will sent for posting with this request. I am willing to pay for the paper and postage if anybody has any lying around or any info on where I can get it.
I was thinking of just putting and item in front of the gap,but my wife does not want that.
Hope somebody can help once they have seen my wallpaper photo. The wallpaper in question is a thick plain white
patterned wallpaper and I think they call it a CLASSIC FRESCO?
Thanks in advance
Tommy from Glasgow
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Fire Extinguiser In A Car
For Christmas this year my mom gave me a kitchen size fire extinguisher. I know that you can never have too many extinguishers, but I already have one in the kitchen and one downstairs.
My question is this... Can I leave it in my trunk? I think that it would be a great idea to keep with me in case of accidents. I just don't know if it will get too hot in there and cause it to explode.
Thanks,
Liz from Ontario
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Gnats Biting Dogs
I am having a problem with gnats biting my outdoor dogs. They are infesting the tops of their ears and noses, drawing blood and annoying the dogs. Any suggestions?
Alison
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Today's Sponsors
D. Blick Art Materials
The Best Art Supplies ... at the best discounts! Since 1911,
artists have turned to D. Blick Art Materials for dependable
savings, a huge selection, and fine customer service on art
supplies.
Click the link below to visit D. Blick!
http://www.thriftyfun.com/lk/dblick.lasso
More Reading:
From Trash to Garden Treasure
By Ellen Brown Nature is not wasteful. Everything in it has is designed for a purpose. Maybe that is why gardeners are always finding creative ways to reuse household items in the garden. Here are a few interesting ways to recycle ordinary trash and garden waste into garden treasures, including easy, step-by-step instructions for a charming tin punch lantern.
Glass Bottle Garden Path
Glass bottles come in all sizes in colors. They are strong and last forever in the garden. Cut off the bottoms and invert them into leveled sand for an interesting garden path. Frame the path with redwood boards or mix the bottle bottoms in with a wet concrete slab and add pebbles and tile remnants for an interesting look. Ask local pubs and restaurants if you can have their recycled wine and liquor bottles-they should be recycling them anyway.
Garbage Can Lid Bird Bath
Birds will gladly use a metal garbage can lid for a birdbath. Attach it to a stump or a log for a readymade bath. For a hanging bath, paint the underside with floral designs, drill holes along the rim and let it swing freely from a tree branch or Shepard's hook in your garden.
Sunflower Head Feeder
Mammoth sized sunflowers are bright, cheerful, easy-to-grow additions to any sunny garden. After the sunflowers bloom, hang the sunflower heads by twine from tree branches around your garden. Add a little wild birdseed to the already present sunflower seeds and you have a cheap, disposable birdfeeder.
Satellite Dish Gazebo Covers
Remember when those giant satellite dishes were all the rage? Now that the technology has changed, you can use your old dish as a gazebo roof or dig it into the ground as the form for the water feature or pond you've always wanted (make sure to line it with plastic to prevent rust).
Tin Punch Lantern
(You can view directions on how to make a lantern from a tin can here: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf697105.tip.html)
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